WSOP part 2
WSOP, part 1
With my new winnings, I went back to play several more satellites the next day. In the first one, I was playing quite well down to about 5 players left. The guy to my immediate left was a loose-mostly-passive player. I wasn't going to be able to buy the button or steal from him. He would always seem to call people's bets. He would show medium-or-lower strength hands, like T9o, 87s, etc. He was the kind of player where if he bet with nothing showing on the board, you would fold because he would never bet unless he had a made hand.
Needing to get in a steal to keep up with the blinds, I made a steal-raise one off the button with J9o. He called as I had hoped he wouldn't, but the beautiful board flop of AKx made me happy. Two of the cards were suited, so I bet the pot to push him off. He folded.
Maybe only one orbit later, I tried the same raise in the same position, but this time had some goods: AQo. I was glad when he called. The flop was two-suited small cards, ten-high. I bet the pot and he called, but not entusiastically. I put him on a flush draw and when the turn was another low blank, I pushed all-in. I was low enough that a pot bet would have committed me, so might as well continue to represent JJ, QQ, etc. If I didn't bet, I would be forced to fold to anything unless he miraculously checked. Comments here?
Unfortunately, he called with T4o, hence top pair. He had correctly read me as AK or similar, or maybe he just wasn't reading at all. I wasn't too upset about it; I had made a fairly good read and would have been right more than 50% of the time. I did fail to integrate more information into my decision, such as him holding a small pair or top pair on the small board. I should have given up when he called. If he had a set, I felt he would have raised on the flop. I definitely made a mistake pushing the hand so hard. Could be the rust of taking some time off. Duly noted, and back into line for another satellite.
In the next table, I found one very interesting hand that didn't affect the game, but I was very intrigued. Blinds were early, 50/100. In the big blind with only the limping small blind, I see AQo, so I raise. The small blind is fairly weak; he seems extra-tight, so a limp could be KQ, KJ, etc. He calls, so I put him safely on a small ace, biggish-king or small pair. The flop is KKJ. With a flop like that, no one wants to bet or call. He checks, which I determine could be a trap; but on the other hand, I check to setup my own bluff of the trips with a straight backdoor or something similar, but even if I can win this pot, I'm going to keep it small. I set the mental alarm that says "Don't go broke".
The turn is some blank, no flush draw. So he checks, nervously, I thought, and I check. I read him for not having the full house or trips. But the flashing light "Don't go broke" is still there. The river is another blank, and he now bets a very small amount, less than the pot, maybe only 100. Normally, that would be a bad sign, but I don't have any bad feelings. I am not certain what he has, but I still have a good read that I can break him, so I raised approximately the pot, which would have been about 400-500 then. I had enough chips to fold and continue; I wasn't going to put any more in. It was enough for him to really think about the call and would have dented his chips.
The small blind then goes into the tank. It could be an act, but he really does appear to be folding. And when he's counting his chips, he's counting out a call, not a raise. I am pretty sure he's going to fold. Some table talk ensues, which I found quite irritating, but couldn't do anything about.
One guy at the other end says about me, "You sat that long on AK?" Which was what I wanted them to believe, but shut up for chrissakes!
The guy next to him mutters, "Geez, just fold." Which was what I wanted him to do, but shut the fuck up already!!
Someone else whispers to the second guy, "I would have bet on the turn." For fuck's sake, I know! Shut the fuck up motherfuckers!
And the guy, amazingly, calls. He waits for me to show, he called so he has the right. I turn over the AQ, and it takes about 10 seconds for everyone to realise I missed. He turns over 33! I don't know how he made that call, but that's pretty amazing to me.
I lied and said, "I forgot I had a queen." Everyone laughs and agrees they've made that mistake. The guy turns to me and says, "I though you had the king." I said, "Yeah, so did I." Inside, I'm thinking, "What if I had 66, asshole? Next time, fold."
Comments on this one?
So I played for a while longer, got down to four players blinded down and took a stand on terrible cards. I had to make a move, and none of my steal attempts had been working.
Then, having enough of the satellites for a day, I went back to Binions for the 1pm tourney. It's supposedly $175 on the weekend, but there's an "optional tip" add-on for $25 and twice as many chips and a "rebuy" for $50 in the first hour. Only, the "optional tip" is bought by everyone (why would you start for half your chips) and the "rebuy" is actually an "add-on" because you don't have to bust out to take it. So it's really a $250 tournament. Now you know.
I definitely like these tourneys because they play long (probably too long to be worth it for the small prize) and are good for practice. For the first hour, nothing much happens, I am simply learning the players and coasting. I was able to get to the final table twice last year (or longer) and monied twice. Both times, though, I only got a few hundred dollars more than my buy-in. The problem this time was that this should have been a bigger tourney, but only 41 players buy-in, below the anticipated 60-70 usual. Slow weekend, probably due to the WSOP, of course. But it was also a holiday weekend. The floorman though it was unusually low, however, so I don't know.
I was able to take down a fairly large pot after the first hour. Approximately 4 limpers in front of my big blind, plus small-blind and I see KQs. I didn't feel too good about a raise, especially if someone is willing to call with a pair. The flop is a beautiful KTJ, but two suited not my suit. I bet out the pot to try to catch a set or chaser, and get one caller. The turn is a non-suited blank so I go all-in, which was appropriate to the size of the pot, and my stack size. The guy thinks it over, and says "I know I'm behind." I wasn't too happy because he must have a flush draw, although I'll still take the call. Someone else says, "Even I know you're behind, that player hasn't played a hand since this thing started." Why don't you assholes flapping your ass-cheeks in the wind just shut the motherfuck up?! Even if it benefits me, I don't want any table talk.
Stunningly, he calls with T7 suited for the flush draw and doesn't make it. I was now the chip leader at the table, and started stealing some good blind money. Our table was broken down, and my first hand at the new table (where I was, say, second largest stack) I look down to see QQ. I raise to 400 or so, the small blind reraise to 1000. I went all-in, easily covering her and she calls. She turns over AA. Her boyfriend or husband who happened to be sitting next to her starts yelling and cheering. The flop contains a Q, and I bust the poor bitch out. Her husband starts glaring at me, he's real pissed. I don't say anything, because if I had a dollar for every time my AA is busted by KK or QQ, well, I'd have about 10 dollars. I determine that I can take him out by using his anger.
Well, now, of course, I've got a really large stack, so I start bossing people around. Especially that pissed husband who gets really pissed when my steal with 85o wins against the guy next to him who had KJs. So I try to steal again against the mad husband's blind with T7s, and he calls me defiantly with AJo. Uh oh. A 7 on the flop gets him hopping mad and yelling, but a Jack on the river makes him burst out in cheers and jabbing his fists toward me. Oh well, that was only 25% of my stack or so and I'm still good.
On the last hand before the third break, down to two tables, a semi-tricky player on the button raises my big-blind. The table is essentially empty as everyone else is leaving for a break. I look down to see T4 off-suit, so I try to re-steal by reraising him all-in, about 15-20% of my stack. He calls with AJ, and no help, so I lose. I end the hour with only average stack now.
With possibly one too many steals gone bad, I play the fourth hour a little more conservatively to try to get to the final table. I do some blatant steals with 75o and even 83o, to great success. With antes 75 and blinds 400-800 or something, putting up 3000 to steal 2000 is a bargain.
The mad-husband guy busts out in a rage to someone else and leaves. We get down to 11 players, so the tables are about to join. I try to steal with a very small stack and lose. They only pay 6 places, so I didn't make it. Too bad.
With my new winnings, I went back to play several more satellites the next day. In the first one, I was playing quite well down to about 5 players left. The guy to my immediate left was a loose-mostly-passive player. I wasn't going to be able to buy the button or steal from him. He would always seem to call people's bets. He would show medium-or-lower strength hands, like T9o, 87s, etc. He was the kind of player where if he bet with nothing showing on the board, you would fold because he would never bet unless he had a made hand.
Needing to get in a steal to keep up with the blinds, I made a steal-raise one off the button with J9o. He called as I had hoped he wouldn't, but the beautiful board flop of AKx made me happy. Two of the cards were suited, so I bet the pot to push him off. He folded.
Maybe only one orbit later, I tried the same raise in the same position, but this time had some goods: AQo. I was glad when he called. The flop was two-suited small cards, ten-high. I bet the pot and he called, but not entusiastically. I put him on a flush draw and when the turn was another low blank, I pushed all-in. I was low enough that a pot bet would have committed me, so might as well continue to represent JJ, QQ, etc. If I didn't bet, I would be forced to fold to anything unless he miraculously checked. Comments here?
Unfortunately, he called with T4o, hence top pair. He had correctly read me as AK or similar, or maybe he just wasn't reading at all. I wasn't too upset about it; I had made a fairly good read and would have been right more than 50% of the time. I did fail to integrate more information into my decision, such as him holding a small pair or top pair on the small board. I should have given up when he called. If he had a set, I felt he would have raised on the flop. I definitely made a mistake pushing the hand so hard. Could be the rust of taking some time off. Duly noted, and back into line for another satellite.
In the next table, I found one very interesting hand that didn't affect the game, but I was very intrigued. Blinds were early, 50/100. In the big blind with only the limping small blind, I see AQo, so I raise. The small blind is fairly weak; he seems extra-tight, so a limp could be KQ, KJ, etc. He calls, so I put him safely on a small ace, biggish-king or small pair. The flop is KKJ. With a flop like that, no one wants to bet or call. He checks, which I determine could be a trap; but on the other hand, I check to setup my own bluff of the trips with a straight backdoor or something similar, but even if I can win this pot, I'm going to keep it small. I set the mental alarm that says "Don't go broke".
The turn is some blank, no flush draw. So he checks, nervously, I thought, and I check. I read him for not having the full house or trips. But the flashing light "Don't go broke" is still there. The river is another blank, and he now bets a very small amount, less than the pot, maybe only 100. Normally, that would be a bad sign, but I don't have any bad feelings. I am not certain what he has, but I still have a good read that I can break him, so I raised approximately the pot, which would have been about 400-500 then. I had enough chips to fold and continue; I wasn't going to put any more in. It was enough for him to really think about the call and would have dented his chips.
The small blind then goes into the tank. It could be an act, but he really does appear to be folding. And when he's counting his chips, he's counting out a call, not a raise. I am pretty sure he's going to fold. Some table talk ensues, which I found quite irritating, but couldn't do anything about.
One guy at the other end says about me, "You sat that long on AK?" Which was what I wanted them to believe, but shut up for chrissakes!
The guy next to him mutters, "Geez, just fold." Which was what I wanted him to do, but shut the fuck up already!!
Someone else whispers to the second guy, "I would have bet on the turn." For fuck's sake, I know! Shut the fuck up motherfuckers!
And the guy, amazingly, calls. He waits for me to show, he called so he has the right. I turn over the AQ, and it takes about 10 seconds for everyone to realise I missed. He turns over 33! I don't know how he made that call, but that's pretty amazing to me.
I lied and said, "I forgot I had a queen." Everyone laughs and agrees they've made that mistake. The guy turns to me and says, "I though you had the king." I said, "Yeah, so did I." Inside, I'm thinking, "What if I had 66, asshole? Next time, fold."
Comments on this one?
So I played for a while longer, got down to four players blinded down and took a stand on terrible cards. I had to make a move, and none of my steal attempts had been working.
Then, having enough of the satellites for a day, I went back to Binions for the 1pm tourney. It's supposedly $175 on the weekend, but there's an "optional tip" add-on for $25 and twice as many chips and a "rebuy" for $50 in the first hour. Only, the "optional tip" is bought by everyone (why would you start for half your chips) and the "rebuy" is actually an "add-on" because you don't have to bust out to take it. So it's really a $250 tournament. Now you know.
I definitely like these tourneys because they play long (probably too long to be worth it for the small prize) and are good for practice. For the first hour, nothing much happens, I am simply learning the players and coasting. I was able to get to the final table twice last year (or longer) and monied twice. Both times, though, I only got a few hundred dollars more than my buy-in. The problem this time was that this should have been a bigger tourney, but only 41 players buy-in, below the anticipated 60-70 usual. Slow weekend, probably due to the WSOP, of course. But it was also a holiday weekend. The floorman though it was unusually low, however, so I don't know.
I was able to take down a fairly large pot after the first hour. Approximately 4 limpers in front of my big blind, plus small-blind and I see KQs. I didn't feel too good about a raise, especially if someone is willing to call with a pair. The flop is a beautiful KTJ, but two suited not my suit. I bet out the pot to try to catch a set or chaser, and get one caller. The turn is a non-suited blank so I go all-in, which was appropriate to the size of the pot, and my stack size. The guy thinks it over, and says "I know I'm behind." I wasn't too happy because he must have a flush draw, although I'll still take the call. Someone else says, "Even I know you're behind, that player hasn't played a hand since this thing started." Why don't you assholes flapping your ass-cheeks in the wind just shut the motherfuck up?! Even if it benefits me, I don't want any table talk.
Stunningly, he calls with T7 suited for the flush draw and doesn't make it. I was now the chip leader at the table, and started stealing some good blind money. Our table was broken down, and my first hand at the new table (where I was, say, second largest stack) I look down to see QQ. I raise to 400 or so, the small blind reraise to 1000. I went all-in, easily covering her and she calls. She turns over AA. Her boyfriend or husband who happened to be sitting next to her starts yelling and cheering. The flop contains a Q, and I bust the poor bitch out. Her husband starts glaring at me, he's real pissed. I don't say anything, because if I had a dollar for every time my AA is busted by KK or QQ, well, I'd have about 10 dollars. I determine that I can take him out by using his anger.
Well, now, of course, I've got a really large stack, so I start bossing people around. Especially that pissed husband who gets really pissed when my steal with 85o wins against the guy next to him who had KJs. So I try to steal again against the mad husband's blind with T7s, and he calls me defiantly with AJo. Uh oh. A 7 on the flop gets him hopping mad and yelling, but a Jack on the river makes him burst out in cheers and jabbing his fists toward me. Oh well, that was only 25% of my stack or so and I'm still good.
On the last hand before the third break, down to two tables, a semi-tricky player on the button raises my big-blind. The table is essentially empty as everyone else is leaving for a break. I look down to see T4 off-suit, so I try to re-steal by reraising him all-in, about 15-20% of my stack. He calls with AJ, and no help, so I lose. I end the hour with only average stack now.
With possibly one too many steals gone bad, I play the fourth hour a little more conservatively to try to get to the final table. I do some blatant steals with 75o and even 83o, to great success. With antes 75 and blinds 400-800 or something, putting up 3000 to steal 2000 is a bargain.
The mad-husband guy busts out in a rage to someone else and leaves. We get down to 11 players, so the tables are about to join. I try to steal with a very small stack and lose. They only pay 6 places, so I didn't make it. Too bad.
posted by T. Pascal | 1:30 PM
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