PokerStars $3r Tournament + Final Table Report

Again, i'll be skipping the rebuy period because its not interesting - basically tripled up the first hand with QJc, and then picked up some smaller pots along the way. I was playing in other tournaments at the time so paying little attention to the rebuy period.

The second hour starts after the addon, and at 75/150 blinds i have 18k chips, over 100BB to play with.

Hand 1 - Pickup AJo in MP and i limp behind a limper. Usually i'll raise here, but the guy next to act was a maniac and i was a touch worried about playing a big hand with him out of position, he folds and the sb completes. Flop comes A73 and the SB checks, BB bets 150 and i call along with the SB. Turn is a 5 and BB bets 500, we both call. Im pretty sure i have the best hand, and then river 5 is checked to me, and i bet 1200. Both blinds call and the SB shows a passively played AQ, which the BB mucks his smaller A (15k)

Hand 2 - I raise KK from EP to 450 and the button calls. Flop comes QsTs7h, not the best flop ever. I be 900 and he quickly calls. The turn is the 6d. I probably have the best hand still, but i don't want him drawing for free - and i still don't know what card is a bad river card for me (me could have 9T,9J,KQ,QT,77,spades etc) I fire out 1800 and he calls. Then river is a fun card, Jd. Im not totally sure i have the best hand - QJ/TJ/QT beat me (as does a wierd AK). I check, and he instantly pushes in his last 3000. I quickly call and beat his A8s. When he has so little left, its often best to check/call the river - donks often think they have invested so much they can shove their missed draws to pickup the pot, and this way i get 3k more chips than i would have from betting. (T22K)

Hand 3 - SB completes and i check A4d in the BB. Flop comes 325 with two hearts. Flop goes check check and turn is Th. He check folds to my bet. When im heads up, im less worried about flushes, but obviously with three hearts on the board i don't want him catching a free 4 flush.

Hand 4 - Few limps and i complete with 64d in the SB. Flop comes AdTd7c and i check call a minbet from one limper, turn comes 5c and i check and he bets 1200. I hate drawing like this, but i now have lots of outs, and if the straight gets there he won't see that. River sadly is an ace, and i check fold when he moves allin. (T19k)

Hand 5 - UTG raises to 600 and utg+1 calls, i call in MP with JJ deciding to play it for set value or possibly overpair on nice boards. Both blinds call and the AK7 flop is checked around, and i fold on the turn. (T19k)

Hand 6 - I pickup 88 in MP. UTG+1 minraises to 400, MP1 calls, i call on the button and both blinds call. Flop comes 9d 8c 2d. The original raiser bets 1000 and i raise up to 3000 hoping he comes over the top. The big blind now checkraises allin for 7500 and the original raiser smooth calls. I don't notice he has 2000 left and also call. Turn is Tc and i put him allin, which he calls and the river is a nice blank, 4h. UTG+1 shows QQ, BB who checkraised allin had TJ for open ended, and i scoop the pot (T37k) Deepstack poker - sets are your friend.

Hand 7 - Most of my table has much less chips than me, around 10k so im just waiting for good spots. Folded to the SB who has 6800 and he raises my 200 blind to 1200. I fold 66.

Hand 8 - Two MP limpers at 200/400 and i limp with 77. BB checks. Flop comes 553 and the BB bets out 2000. I call and the 8 turn goes check check. River 2 and he bets 2000 and i call expecting to beat his 3, oops he has 99. (T32k)

Hand 9 - Blinds now 300/600, ive just been holding on to my chips, a new player moved to the table with 48k, but i have everyone else nicely covered. I pickup AA UTG+1 and raise to 1800, and the 48k stack reraises to 3801 (he likes these random numbers) I 3bet to 8400 to build up the pot, and he calls. Flop comes J62 and he checks, i check behind. Turn is a 5 and he bets 11k, and i move allin for 23k total. He calls with KK and the river black, doubling me up (T64k)

Hand 10 - Blinds are now 400/800/40a and i have 61k. I pickup AK and raise to 2400, two callers. Flop comes AT4 and i bet 6400 and get one caller. Turn is a K and i check. He bets 4800 and i put him allin for his last 7600, which he calls with AJ. River J and i kill him (T87k)

Hand 11 - With the blinds at 600/1200/75a i have 83k. One guy has been splashing around lots and basically sucks, he has 17k left and raises to 4800. I have 99 and reraises to 15k to isolate, and hopefully be against A7, 44 or something. The SB moves allin for 25k and i have to call 10k into a 48k pot (5:1 odds im not folding!) He turns over KK and i lose. (T58k)

Hand 12 - Guy who i crippled with AA vs KK has rebuilt and has nearly as many chips as me. He keeps doing his dodgy raises, and raises my blind to 2765. I don't nice and assume its a small stack going allin (who bets enough so i have to call 1565 more!). I realise he has lots of chips and check/fold when my J8 misses.

Hand 13 - I pickup AJh in EP and bored of folding, make it 4800. I get minraised to 8000 and then the BB moves allin for 24k. I get out the way of the BB AA and the minraise KQ? lol... (T48k)

Hand 14 - My huge stack has been destroyed, down to 44k at 800/1600/75a. I raise A3d in LP to pickup the blinds (T47k). I need to start getting some hands.

Hand 15 - I raise KK in MP to 4800 and get one caller. I lead the 753 flop for 8000, but he folds. (T55k)

Hand 16 - Very interesting hand here. Folded around to the button, who was been fairly active with raising, and he opens for 4800 (with 26k). The SB moves allin for 31k, and i have pocket tens in the BB and 55k. I think for ages, and eventually fold. The sb has a huge range here, as its vs a button 'steal' but it also hurts lots if i lose. The button calls and its AJ vs KQc. I think having ran some numbers vs possible ranges i should repush, but i dont think folding is that horrible.

Hand 17 - UTG limps and i complete KJo in the sb. Flop comes QT4 and i check call his 8k bet. Turn is an A giving me the nuts. I check and he bets 10k. I move allin for 37k and he quickly folds. Doh. (T70k)

Hand 18 - This one is ugly, please skip it and ignore! Folded to the SB (42k) who completes and i check J4 (63K). Flop comes KJ3 and he checks (I SHOULD BET HERE) I check behind 'trapping' him. Turn Q and he suddenly bets 15k. WTF. At this point im totally confused, and decide to call. River is a 5 and he moves allin. wow. Obviously he didn't hit the flop, because he would bet (i dont think he just calls with KK/JJ/33) Why did he wake up on the Q? He either has a straight 9T or nothing. Im really confused, does he really do this with nothing? I call and obviously get shown the straight. I worked it out fine, but then decided he had nothing half the time.... geez what a horrible call. (T21k)

Hand 19 - Blinds 1500/3000/150 I now have 21k. Guy limps for 3000 and i shove A7s. He folds (T28k)

Hand 20 - A6o in the CO i shove, all fold (T33k). Table talk is all about 10 more people to money, nearly there etc. I plan to steal lots.

Hans 21- Next hand 55, i push all fold (T39k)

Hand 22 - Next hand AQo. Guy raisse 12k, i shove and he calls with JJ. Board comes KKQ25 and i double up (86k) From 21k to 86k in one orbit. Nice!

Hand 23 - We hit the money, so i tighten up a touch. The two stacks behind me are pretty tight tho so i button raise with QT at take down the blinds (T87k)

Hand 24 - Blinds are now 3000/6000 and i raise AQ in EP to take the blinds. Table is moaning all i do is raise... oh well (T98k). Im raising decent hands now, so if they want to play back at me, let them.

Hand 25 - Nutjob from the 9T hand before has used my chips well (lol..) raising to 60k preflop at 4k/8k/400a blinds. He opens for 64k this time, and i shove QQ. He has to call with JTh and flop comes Qh6h6s. Biiiingo. (T181k)

Hand 26 - I raise JJ UTG+1 to 24k and the BB shoves for 40k. I call the last 16k and its off to the race with AK. Board comes 3528J (i race good!) (T229k)

Hand 27 - 60k stack moves allin and i push for 215k with AK. He has AK too sadly and we chop up the blinds/antes. (T223k)

Hand 28 - I raise T9d to 20k and a 60k stack moves allin. I have to call 40k to win 90k, so pot odds dictate i call this unless im sure he has a monster. I decide to gambool! He has 88 and the board comes A44TK. I win yet another race... (T299k)

Hand 29 - Another big stack at my table (287k) raises to 24k, and i reraise with QQ to 64k. He calls. Flop comes J64 and i bet 70k, he calls. Turn is 9 and i shove putting him allin. He thinks and calls with AJ, but the river is a Q and i double up and knock him out (T595k)

Hand 30 - Blinds now 6k/12k/600a i raise ATc to 30k, all fold (T615k)

Hand 31 - UTG+1 minraises, MP calls and i call on button with 66, sb calls also. Flop comes T65 and utg+1 bets 80k. I call. Turn comes 4 and it goes check check, river 4 and he checks, i move allin and he folds. Any overpair is calling me here, and any none pair hand folds, so might as well push. Shame he he AK/AQ not an overpair really (T773k)

Hand 32 - MP raises to 48k with 400k stack, and i put him allin with AK. He thinks and folds (T851k)

Hand 33 - MP limps and i check in the BB with Q3o. Flop comes KJ3 and it goes check check. Turn is a 3 and he bets 32k, i raise to 100k and he folds (T909k)

Hand 34 - Q8 in the SB, i put the 141k BB allin with blinds 8k/16k/800a. He folds (T931k)

Hand 35 - Next hand i push KT on the button vs small blinds, they fold (961k). With a big stack like this, i can afford to push over smaller stacks, because even if they find a hand it hardly hurts me, and they are mostly playing fairly tight to make more money.

Hand 36 - QJo in CO, again i move allin, they all fold (pushing into 150k stacks) (T989k). Want 1 million!

Hand 37 - Another ugly blind hand.... 484k stack raises my blinds to 60k. Hes annoying so i call with A2. Flp comes 357 and i check, he bets 100k and i call, planning to steal on the turn. Turn comes 9 and i bet 200k, he moves allin and i have to fold even getting nice odds. (T596k) That one hurt.

Hand 38 - 81k stack moves allin at 10k/20k/1000a blinds and i repush with AK. He has A5 and AK holds up (T702k)

Hand 39 - We are down to the last two tables now. Time to play tight till about 13-14 left, then abuse the bubble. I get J7 in the sb and limp, he checks. Flop 459 and i bet the pot, he folds. Its really easy to win blinds with your junk hands like this. Instead of folding 23o, limp and bet anyflop. They fold so often its worth it. (T742k)

Hand 40 - KT in MP i raise to 60k and take down the blinds (T813k)

Hand 41 - AQ i raise to 60k, someone at the table asks why i have to be a bully. I take down the blinds and show AQ (T851k)

Hand 42 - Third hand in a row i raised, this time AK. Same guy comments "Stopit Twisted! lol" "unless you getting AK AQ everytime then kudos to ya." I show when everyone folds. I have a nice image again finally! (T889k)

Hand 43 - A 600k stack has been raising lots from LP and annoying me, he raise to 90k from the CO, i move allin for 850k with AT. He folds (T1000k ONE MILLION!)

Hand 44 - Blinds are 15k/30k/1500a now, I raise 92o in MP vs the guy who comments about my raises. He thinks for a bit and folds (T999k)

Hand 45 - I limp in sb with A4, he checks. Flop comes 944, no need to steal this one. We both check and turn comes T, we check again and i bet 60k on the 2 river, which he calls with 62. (T1062k)

Hand 46 - QT in MP, i raise to 80k and take the blinds (T1113K)

Hand 47 - UTG moves allin for 230k And i have to call 200k more. I call with 44 but he has QQ and i lose (T878k)

Hand 48 - I raise 44 to 100k (blinds now 20k/40k/200a) and get a caller. Flop comes 833 and i check raise allin when he bets 80k. He folds (T1109k) We are now 7 handed, with 14 people left.

Hand 49 - I pickup 88 in the CO and raise to 120k, they fold and i show (T113k)

Hand 50 - I raise AA UTG to 100k, another 1mil+ stack calls. Flop comes KT7 and he checks, i bet 190k and he calls. Turn is 8 and he checks. I move allin for 815k and he folds (T1.4mil)

Hand 51 - I raise KTc to 120k and SB calls. Flop comes KJ4 and it goes check check. Turn J and i bet 120k and he calls. River is a 4 and it goes check check, he has 55 (T1.5mil)

Hand 52 - I raise Q2c on the button, they fold (T1.5mil)

Hand 53 - I raise A9o to 120k in MP, all fold (T1.6mil)

Hand 54 - a 700k stack raises in MP1 to 160k with blinds 20k/40k/2000a. We are 6 handed. I reraise JJ to 520k and he pushes. I call the 185k and racing AQc. Board comes J2582 and i win a big pot. (T2.3mil)

Hand 55 - a 900k stack raises to 160k, and i make it 1mil to go with AK. He calls with JJ, and we race again! Board comes A7432 and i win another race (T3.3mil)

The table now looks like this:

Seat 1: GIJOE187 (876772 in chips)
Seat 4: Jenkins44 (1052097 in chips)
Seat 6: TwistedEcho (3335864 in chips)
Seat 7: LuckyCards74 (670348 in chips)
Seat 8: DyersEve88 (673912 in chips)

With 10 players left, and so many chips, its time to abuse the bubble to get as many chips possible for the final table.

Hand 56 - K6d, raise to 120k. Everyone folds.

Hand 57 - KQ raise to 120k. Everyone folds.

Hand 58 - A2c in SB, raise to 120k. BB folds.

Hand 59 - 82o in SB. Raise to 120k. BB folds.

Hand 60 - 89h on button. Raise to 120k BB calls. Flop comes KK3 and he checks, he has 350k left so i put him allin. He folds (T3.5mil)

Hand 61 - 88 on button. Raise to 120k and everyone folds.

Hand 62 - Blinds go up to 30k/60k/3000a. I raise 77 UTG to 180k. Everyone folds (T3.5mil)

Hand 63 - 62o in MP i raise to 180k Everyone folds

Hand 64 - 500k stack raises to 120k, as if he can have blinds?! I push in the BB with AT, and he folds (T3.7mil)

Hand 65 - J9o in SB. I limp and bet the K32h flop, he folds

Hand 66 - A4 i raise to 120k. All fold (bubble play is eaaaaaaaasy!)

Sadly, someone on the other table goes bust. A great TLB player, pearljam1012 was owning the other table, pretty much same as me, which makes the FT more exciting.

Seat 1: GIJOE187 (446772 in chips)

Seat 2: Foldeeny (255528 in chips)

Seat 3: pearljam1012 (3627361 in chips)

Seat 4: Jenkins44 (441185 in chips)

Seat 5: flopjunkie (575404 in chips)

Seat 6: TwistedEcho (3685864 in chips)

Seat 7: LuckyCards74 (1607524 in chips)

Seat 8: DyersEve88 (427648 in chips)

Seat 9: baghaven (1229214 in chips)

As you can see, both myself and pearl abused the bubble to get similar stacks, the plan now is to play fairly tight till we get 5 handed or so, as the shortstacks will be looking to get chips now they made it past the FT bubble.

Hand 67 - I raise 66 in MP to 180k One caller. Flop comes A82 and i bet 300k. He moves allin and i fold (T3.1Mil)

Hand 68 - I fold for a long time, pearl is hitting hands and busted two people so far. I pickup QQ on the button, and raise to 180. The SB raises to 480k with 1.8mil behind. I call. Flop comes T87 and he checks, and i move allin. He folds (T3.5mil)

Hand 69 - Small stack in the SB, i raise AT in MP. He moves allin with A2 and AT holds (T3.6mil)

Hand 70- Pearl is pretty aggresive, but staying away from my blind, im happy with this. Sadly hes killing the rest of the table, and has a decent chipleader with 5mil. SB completes and i check 56. Flop comes K86 and he bets 60k, i raise to 200k and he folds (T3.7mil)

Hand 71 - 5 handed now, i raise A7o to 180k on the button, blinds fold (T3.8Mil)

Hand 72 - I raise ATs UTG+1 and SB calls. He donk bets the 874 flop and i fold.

Hand 73 - I raise ATo on the button, both blinds fold (T3.7mil)

Hand 74 - I limp in the SB with 56. BB has 780k. Flop comes 349 and i check, he bets 80k and i move allin. He folds (T3.7mil)

Hand 75 - Blinds are now 40k/80k/4000a. Button moes allin for 655k I call in the SB with AJs and BB moves allin for 200k move. I call. Button has KJ, but BB has KK. Kings hold and he triples up. (T2.7MIL) That one hurt. 4 handed now, and its pretty close.

Hand 76 - I raise AKo to 240k, both blinds fold (T2.8mil)

Hand 77 - Pearl limps in the SB, i check Ks7c. Flop comes JT4 two spades, and goes check check. Turn is 2s and he bets 80k i call. River 7h and he bets 160k. I call and beat his Q4. (T3mil)

Hand 78 - I raise A2 on the SB and BB calls. Flop comes Q73 and i bet 240k, he folds (T3.3mil)

Hand 79 - 3 handed now, Pearl killed AA with KQ. I raise A7 UTG to 240k and pearl makes it 544k. I fold (T2mil)

Seat 3: pearljam1012 (7603048 in chips)

Seat 6: TwistedEcho (2057024 in chips)

Seat 9: baghaven (2636428 in chips)

Hand 80 - pearl limps in SB i raise to 320k with 55. He folds

Hand 81 - Pearl raises my blind to 240k. I call with K9h. Flop comes J32 two hearts and goes check check. Turn 6h and he bets 240k, i call. River is 9h and he check folds to my 400k bet (T2.5mil)

Hand 82- Pearl raises to 240k on the button, i instantly shove for 2.5mil with KQ. He folds. Can't let him keep raising ! (T2.9mil)

Hand 83 - Pearl limps and i check K7h. Flop 442 goes check check. Turn is Ah putting two hearts out, he bets 80k and i call. Rvier is Jh and he bets 320k, i raise to 960k and he folds. (T3.3mil)

Hand 84 - I raise J8s utg all fold (T3.3mil) Pearl just doubled up the other kid, so its much closer now Pearl has 5mil and 3.7mil for the other kid.

Hand 85 - I raise QQ to 240k, all fold (T3.2mil)

Hand 86 - Pearl raises my blind to 240k and i call with JQ. Flop comes K92 and he bets 320k, i call hoping to hit my miracle, implied odds and all. Turn goes check check and he bets 500k on a blank river, i fold (T2.6mil)

Hand 87 - UTG minraises, i call with 35h in the BB. Flop comes A64 and he bets 400k. I call. Turn is K and it goes check check, i bet 720k on the 6 river and he thinks and folds. Phew! (T3.1mil)

Hand 88 - i get KQ in sb and raise to 240k BB pushes for 3.3mil and i fold (T2.9mil)

Hand 89 - I raise A4 utg to 240k, pearl calls. Flop comes ATT and goes check check. Turn is 8h putting three hearts out. He checks, i bet 320k and he mins raises. I call. River is 3d and he puts me allin. I think for ages and fold. (He later tells me he had A9, 9h) (T2mil)

Hand 90 - I raise utg with 77, all fold (T2.1mil)

Hand 91 - Random kid has 3.4mil, pearl 6.7mil and i have 2.1mil. Random raises to 320k utg, first time hes raised 4BB. I have 99 in the BB and think hes weak, so rather than play a big pot OOP i push planning to take down the pot. He timebanks and calls with A9o (WTF?!) Flop comes 475, turn 7, river.... AAAAAAAAAAA FUCK. He takes the 4.3mil pot and i bust out in third place winning $2k. This would have put Pearl at 6.7mil, me at 4.3mil and him at 1.2mil if they had held. Annoying.

I have final tabled three of the 180 man $20 sngs (getting HU each time) so i will blog those later. These reports take longer than they should to write! Hope you enjoyed it and maybe learnt something.

Early Game SNG thoughts

Today, I'm going to take a look at early game Turbo SNG play. I'll take a look at playing queens preflop, important notes to take early on, and the importance of keeping your chips, based on my experience at the 15+1 Turbos in the past three weeks. I'm currently up 650$, over about 150 SNGs (27% ROI), which is quite good. A nice goal would be to maintain 20% ROI at the 25+2 while 8 tabling. Might be hard to achieve, sure, but hopefully I'll get to it :)

How I play queens

I play queens differently depending on the preflop raise, really. It's the cutoff for me for big pocket pairs. I don't know if this goes for higher stakes at all, I doubt it. At the 5$-25$ level, though, it holds quite true.

I argue myself that minraising is strength. True, yes, but not early game preflop. Early game and preflop I think that this usually signifies a hand like KJ, KQ, AJ or something like that, and these hand will either raise to 40 or 60 total at 10/20 or 15/30 blinds. Reraise this without a doubt, to something like 120, and you will either find a fold or a call. I'd call an allin and fold to a T400 raise or so.

A raise from aces or kings will be something like 80-120, or 100-150. I have to reraise, though. I'll raise it to 300-400, and fold to any raise.

A raise like 200-270-300 is usually AK, as far as I've seen. Yeah, 250 preflop raises at 15/30 happen. I'll push it.

Here's a hand I would've usually laid down quite easily, but I called anyway just to see how right I was, and use the information for this post.

PokerStars Game #3690747382: Tournament #18326355, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/01/19 - 19:46:52 (ET)
Table '18326355 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Rock4403 (1480 in chips)
Seat 2: mdrobis (1480 in chips)
Seat 3: cariver (1600 in chips)
Seat 4: alex vincent (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: ans3lmo (1480 in chips)
Seat 6: Oxy (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: ThaProdigy (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: pegstar (1480 in chips)
Seat 9: Wired Fives (1480 in chips) is sitting out
cariver: posts small blind 10
alex vincent: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Oxy [Qs Qd]
ans3lmo: raises 60 to 80
Oxy: raises 120 to 200
ThaProdigy: folds
pegstar: folds
Wired Fives: folds
Rock4403: calls 200
mdrobis: folds
cariver: folds
cariver is sitting out
alex vincent: folds
ans3lmo: raises 380 to 580
Oxy: raises 920 to 1500 and is all-in
Rock4403: folds
ans3lmo: calls 900 and is all-in
Oxy said, "thought so"
Oxy said, "nh"
*** FLOP *** [2d Th As]
Oxy said, "gg"
ans3lmo said, "gg"
*** TURN *** [2d Th As] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [2d Th As 8s] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ans3lmo: shows [Ad Ac] (three of a kind, Aces)
Oxy: shows [Qs Qd] (a pair of Queens)
ans3lmo collected 3190 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3190 | Rake 0
Board [2d Th As 8s 6s]
Seat 1: Rock4403 folded before Flop
Seat 2: mdrobis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: cariver (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: alex vincent (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: ans3lmo showed [Ad Ac] and won (3190) with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 6: Oxy showed [Qs Qd] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 7: ThaProdigy folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: pegstar folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Wired Fives folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Queens are an easy push later on, obviously. Still, you don't want to start going out on them.

Next up is note-taking in SNGs. When I eight-table, I don't have much time for taking notes, but one thing I make it of utmost importance to mark down is what their minraise is. A minbet on the flop can be a suckerin bet (stupid, if you ask me) or a very weak bet, and knowing which one it is is very important when blinds are 100/200 and you've got 2k chips. This brings me to my last point - being cheap with your chips. I don't want to give anything I don't have to in the early game. I find this is extremely important, because the blinds increase so fast, having that extra BB can mean a lot of difference. Not to mention, when you get your double-up, you've gained even more chips, so the 30 or 60 chips you lose early on are actually 60 and 120. For these reasons, I don't enter pots that have been raised to something like 4-5BB with small pocket pairs. I make my cont bets half the pot + one BB, usually. Cont betting is very important, and I always do it OOP against two or less opponents, and always do it if it has been checked to me, but it is also important to realize that if you haven't hit, and get called or raised, it's time to check/fold. Too many people think that they've invested 200-300 chips so they have to push or something like that. Not true at all. You can easily play at 50/100 with 1000 chips.

These are just some thoughts to keep in mind for the early game of the SNG.

Absolute Poker $5r Tournament Report - How to give away your chips, and comeback from the dead.

So seeing as i mainly have been playing rebuys, i decided to stick some money onto Absolute poker again, as well as party and stars. They have loads of rebuys tournaments, the main problem being the fields are much smaller, so much smaller prizepools. However, the level of play is pretty poor, with most people being really weak tight late game, and the bigger guarantees can be worth it. My debut tournament since returning was the 100k guarantee $150, which i managed to finish 23rd/500. Annoyingly, some kid on my left doubled through me three times to finally bust me, picking up slightly better hands EVERYTIME i raised. It was sick! I won $600, but it was nothing like the $22k i envisioned. So i decided to chill out and play a $5r, which a huge 150 field, and about $800 for first.

I'm going to skip the rebuy period for this rebuy, as is isn't too interesting. I lost a 15k pot with AA vs 27s and TT (27s flops a flush draw and i don't resuckout with the As) And pretty much pushed every hand - no one wanted to play till i sucked out, and lost my 6k stack to AA with TT. I was in for about $90 or so, and had 10k after the addon (on AP you can double addon, so $4k chips for $10. This is great as most people don't addon, or only addon once, so even if you have a terrible or average rebuy period you can get to 7k whatever, which is plenty).

The blinds on AP are slightly different to standard, so the starting level out of the rebuy period is $60/$120 blinds.

Hand 1 - SB limps and i check K9o. Flop comes KsTh2s and it goes check check. Im less worried about flush draws HU, and my image is horrible right now, so i want him betting into me. Turn is a 3h and he bets 600, i call and he check/calls my 720 bet on the blank river. He had T8. (T11500)

Hand 2- Same guy from hand one limps, and i raise to 600 with AA, he calls and check folds to my bet on the 852r board. (T12300)

Hand 3 - I pickup 9Tc and limp after an EP limper, and check fold the AJ6 flop. These hands are great to play if you can play postflop poker.

Hand 4 - This hand doesn't involve me, but sets me up for another hand later. Guy A raises 3bb preflop, Guy B calls. The flop comes 975 and A bets, and B minraises. A calls and they get allin on the J turn. Guy A has AJ and B has A8, the 6 river gives B the straight - he minraises draws!

Hand 5 - Blinds are now 100/200 and i get AK in MP and make it 600. Donkey from hand 4 calls and its folded around. Flop comes Kh4d2d - i have Ad. I bet out 800 and he raises to 1600 - AHA! minraising his draw huh! I smooth call and the turn comes 6s. I check, he bets 1400. I very nearly check/raise here, but i think he will fire on the river if he misses anyway. River is the 8s. I check, he moves allin - YES I GOT HIM! He has 2k less than me, and i instantly call.

Fuck FUCK FUCK. He doesn't have a diamond draw, he has 53h and was minraising the straight draw..... FUCK. I hate this kid! (T2140)

ok.... so i have 2000 chips at 100/200 blinds after rebuying a million times, im pretty pissed off. I consider firing up some more tournaments as this one is clearly dead, but as im chatting on AIM to a friend i guess i can donk myself out quick.

Hand 6 - UTG+1 is a donkey and limps, i push KQo from the button, and he calls with QJ. I double up. (T3980)

Hand 7 - utg limps (same donkey) and MP1 raises to 600. I shove for 3980 with AKo, and a small stack with 1000 goes allin. MP1 calls. MP1 shows JJ, small stack K7s and the board comes AT595 and suddenly i have chips again. (T9390)

Hand 8 - MP minraises - hes a good player, by good i mean standard ABC, but hes not going to have K7 here. I assume a minraise for him is AA/KK. Two callers and i call with 83d in the BB. This is an easy call, its so cheap to see a flop, and with a 'read' of AA/KK its easy to play postflop too. Flop comes 862 and i check call a 600 bet from the minraiser and the sb called too. Massive odds here, but i'm not playing it much further unless i hit. If the 3 hits on the turn i expect AA to double me up. Turn blanks and i check fold to his overbet. (T8340)

Hand 9 - UTG+1 limps, i limp with 99. Sometimes i like to raise here, sometimes i like to limp. I was in the limping mood. Guy behind makes it 1400, and guy behind him makes it 2800. This is an easy fold when it gets back to me. 99 is Junk here. They both get allin preflop, and KK gets owned when JJ makes quads.

Hand 10 - This one was interesting. I used to play on Absolute a while back, and have notes on lots of the players. My notes on this one said 'solid, but calls too much with TP. Anyway, blinds 150/300 and 4 people limp, and i check J6s in the BB. Flop comes TJQ and is checked around, turn is 6 and the SB who i have notes on makes it 600. This is a scary board, so i fire it up to 1500. He is the only caller. The river is a K and he checks. Well.... My two pair doesnt look so hot here, but im pretty sure he doesn't have two pair, and he almost never has an ace. I think its possible he has a naked king the way the action went and shoved. He folded. (T10500). BTW i think a check behind is the best play here pretty much always.

Hand 11 - Time to count those outs! UTG (T26k) limps, UTG+1 limps, MP+1 (4K) limps, i complete in the SB (T10k) with 86d and the BB (8K) checks. Blinds are 150/300/25a

The flop comes Td 7d 4h. How many outs?! Thats right, 15! flop gets checked to MP1 who minbets to 300. I call, BB calls, UTG raises to 2400, MP calls 2100 (he has 1500 left) and the action is back to me. Well.... If UTG has a set, and MP has TPTK, i have 43% to win this hand. If UTG limped to slow play an overpair, and has AA, im 58% to win, and there are various other combos. Basically i assume im a favourite here quite often, and with the dead money i want this pot. Even if MP1 bets me, there will still be a reasonable sidepot. I move allin for 9700, UTG calls, MP1 calls.

UTG flips over KTh (lol!) and MP1 has Q4d (pair and flush draw - nice preflop limp!). This gives me 25% to win the main pot, and with two diamonds dead im 54% for the sidepot. The turn is the wonderful 9d, river Tc and i scoop the pot with my straight flush! - Checkraising allin with 8hi gets some WONDERFUL comments from the other players - along with the chorus of 'nh' for the straight flush, KT gave me some serious bashing for getting allin with 8hi... lol (T25400)

My table is pretty nutty right now, lots of people raising and massively overbetting preflop, so im just chilling out, waiting for some cards.

Hand 12 - Raise AQh utg to 1500 (blinds 250/500) And button calls me with 20k stack. Flop comes Th 2c 2h. I bet out 2500 planning on pushing if he raises. He folds. (T26k)

Hand 13- utg limps, i limp in MP with 89c, SB completes. Flop comes A97 and its checked to me, i bet out and take it down (T27k)

Hand 14 - I blinds 400/800 i raise AA to 2400 and a 1000 chip shortstack goes allin, i win the pot. (T29k). My image is pretty decent now, i look tight and haven't shown down any 86soooted donkey hands at this table :)

Hand 15 - Blinds 1k/2k/75a Button pushes for 2590 which is an easy call in the BB with 33. He has 86o and i win the race (T30k)

Hand 16 - I raise im MP to 3000 with QQ, and guy next to act shoves for 16k. I call and he shows AK. Board comes Q8462 (T47832)

Hand 17 - MP limps and i raise KK to 4000. He folds and i show. I plan to start stealing and trying to run over the table soon. Sadly they keep limping/raising and i can't get into any pots!

Hand 18 - UTG+1, MP1 limp at 800/1600 and i make it 7k to go with AK. Guy next to act smooth calls, my notes say hes solid... fun! He has 10k less than me. Flop comes TT2 and i put him allin. He timebanks, claims 88 and folds. My super tight image (only shown down QQ/KK/AA/33 in bb to shorty helped here) (T57k)

Hand 19 - AQ in the BB and i get minraised. I call and check/fold the 962 flop. He shows me AK for some reason. I guess its obv he minraises good hands.

Hand 20 - BOY I PLAYED THIS BAD! Same guy minraises to 4000 utg+1 (he has 57k) I call in the SB with 22, and BB folds. Flop comes Q82. I SHOULD BET INTO HIM!. I check, he minbets 2000, i call. Turn comes 3 i check he bets 4000 i call. River is a 7. So much for his AK hitting, i fire 14k and he calls with KK. The problem with AP is most players have no idea how to bet. I needed to bet the flop, let him raise me, and get allin on the flop. I missed out on lots of value here, purely because i decided he has AK. If i bet out and he smooth calls, i assume AK and check the turn, but if he raises he probably has AA/KK. Should have doubled up through him. (T80k)

Hand 21- blinds 1k/2k/150a. I raise AJ utg as the table is tight and 7 handed now (we are down to 3 tables) SB calls. Flop comes 872 and he donk bets into me, i call. Turn 7 check check, river 3 and he bets big. I consider calling with Ahi, but fold (T67k)

Hand 22 - utg limps, UTG+1 (54k) raises to 6k. I move allin for 67k with AK. He folds (T76K)

Hand 23 - Player from the last hand who raised limped in MP for 2400. I check in the BB with 77. Flop comes T65 and i check call his 4800. I think he has overcards, but want to get more value out of his. Turn comes an 8 and i check, he bets 4800 and i move allin. OESD and my hand might be good. He asks if i have 97 and folds. Such tight weak mentality! I show and he claims i was behind. Oh well (T89k)

Hand 24 - Blinds 1500/3000/200a and we are down to 17 players. I raise 77 in MP to 9k and take the blinds and antes (T93K)

Hand 25 - I raise 33 in MP to 9k and take blinds and antes (93k). There are 7 at our table now.

Hand 26 - Blinds are now 2k/4k/200a. MP2 moves allin for 20k. I push over the top for 86k with JJ. He has 88 and i knock him out. (T112k) 6 Handed now.

Hand 27 - I hate shortstacks that play weak. Folded to the SB who has 20k. Rather than move allin he completes. I have 63o and check. Flop comes Q73 and he bets 8k, i put him allin and he calls with KJ. Turn is a J and he doubles up. Why can't he just push preflop and save me chips. (T92k)

Hand 28 - JQ in the SB. Same smallstack limps on the button, i complete and bb checks. FLop Q93 and it gets checked around. I bet 8k on the 2 turn and take it down. (T101k)

Hand 29 - Moron donkey limps utg, he does this with random broadway. I raise A9o in MP to 16k and small stack goes allin with QJ. I take down the pot with Ahi (114k) 5 handed now.

Hand 30 - blinds 2500/5000/250a. I get J4o on the button and make it 12k betting into an 80k and 70k stack. They both fold (T123k)

Hand 31 - I get AQh in the BB and they all fold. I show

Hand 32- KQ in the sb and complete with an UTg limper. Flop comes 974 and i check fold to the BB bet.

Hand 33 - guy who likes to limp big cards limps for 5k. I check T3o in the BB. Flop comes 9JK check check. Turn Q check check. River K i over bet to 18k. He thinks and folds (T128k)

Hand 34 - I get J8 on the button and raise to 15k. BB calls and pushes for 33k on the 763 flop. I fold (T101k)

Hand 35 - I get A3d utg and raise to 18k as the blinds went up to 6k/12k/300a. They all fold (T111K)

Hand 36 - I raise from the SB with A2h to 18k, BB calls. I bet out 18k on the K72 flop and he folds (T124k)

Hand 37 - I get KQ in the SB and button minraises. I call and check fold the AQx flop. I should have bet out (T110k)

Someone goes bust on the other table, and the final table begins. I have 103k and in fairly good shape. The blinds are 4k/8k/400a

Seat 1 - MASTER572 ($26975 in chips)
Seat 2 - JOKY ($48158 in chips)
Seat 3 - ROBTHESHARK ($101819.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - EDDIE12345 ($103467.50 in chips)
Seat 5 - RHETTBUTLER ($147617.50 in chips)
Seat 6 - CLOGDANCER ($184230 in chips)
Seat 7 - ZERANIX ($84150 in chips)
Seat 8 - TYLER346 ($47895 in chips)
Seat 9 - CATCHCAR ($119687.50 in chips)

Hand 38 - UTG raises to 24k, i shove for 94k in the SB with KK. BB with 146k timebanks and calls, UTG folds. BB shows AQ. Board comes AK7T3 and i double up (T216k) Chipleader!

Hand 39 - Im not involved, but AA, AK and TT all get allin preflop and AA holds. Down to 7 people.

Hand 40 - I raise KQs in MP to 24k, everyone folds. (T229k)

Hand 41 - Button raises to 16k (minraise) and has 195k behind. He is the other big stack. I make it 48k with 99 from the SB and he folds (T246k)

Hand 42 - Someone goes bust, down to 6. Blinds increase to 5k/10k/500a. UTG with 122k raises to 30k, hes been pretty active. I shove AQ from the SB with 234k behind. He folds. I don't know how much i like this (T276k)

Hand 43- UTG minraise my blind, small stack allin, i call with Q8. Flop comes J66 and he bets half his stack. I fold. He has KJ and beats the small stack A8 (T254k)

5 handed now, it looks like this

Seat 3 - ROBTHESHARK ($190152.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - EDDIE12345 ($254335 in chips)
Seat 6 - CLOGDANCER ($199875 in chips)
Seat 7 - ZERANIX ($110350 in chips)
Seat 9 - CATCHCAR ($109287.50 in chips)

Seat 3 raises too much, and folds pretty much always if you reraise, clog seems a bit wild, 7 is too passive, and 9 is solid. I want 9 to busto next.

Hand 44 - I raise KQ on the SB, BB folds (T266k)

Hand 45- I raise T7 on the SB, BB folds (T268K)

Hand 46 - I fold for a while, because everyone else is raising LOTS. blinds now 6k/12k/600a. I raise AK utg+1 and show when they fold (T267k)

Hand 47 - I raise KQ on the button, all fold (T268k)

Hand 48 - I raise T9s utg+1, all fold. Table is TIGHT its all raise preflop, everyone folds (T267k). Blinds up to 8k/16k/800a

Hand 49 - UTG+1 moves allin for 95k. Im in the BB with 266k. I think his range here is pretty huge, and call with KQ. He shows JQ and the board comes T65A9. (T373k) 4 handed now.

Hand 50 - I raise UTG to 48k with A6o. BB with 182k calls. Flop comes 888 and he bets 32k. I put him allin and he quickly folds (T462k)

Hand 51- Folded to me in the SB, BB has 167k and is tight. I put him allin with K8. He folds (T464k)

Hand 52 - I have 463k, the others have 120k-145k. If i raise to 48k and they push, im pretty much commited, so i just shove 55 UTG to increase FE. They all fold. (T489k)

Hand 53 - I move allin on the button with 87h. They fold (T517k) This is easy!!

Seat 3 - ROBTHESHARK ($91952.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - EDDIE12345 ($517885 in chips)
Seat 6 - CLOGDANCER ($135875 in chips)
Seat 9 - CATCHCAR ($118287.50 in chips)

Hand 54- Clog raises to 48k and catch minraises to 96k. I move allin with AK and clog folds. Catch has 66 and the board comes T33Q2 and he wins the 276k I win this hand, and i have pretty much all the chips 3 handed vs two really short stacks (T407k)

Hand 55- JJ utg and i raise to 48k All fold (T424k)

Hand 56 - Catch raises to 48k and i call in the BB with 86d. He has 325k behind. Flop comes 9TQ and it goes check check. Turn is a 9 and i bet 80k. He moves allin and i fold. (T295k)

Seat 3 - ROBTHESHARK ($67905 in chips)
Seat 4 - EDDIE12345 ($295597.50 in chips)
Seat 6 - CLOGDANCER ($36722.50 in chips)
Seat 9 - CATCHCAR ($463775 in chips)

It looks like its going to be me vs catch.

Hand 57 - Folded to me in the SB, i have T8o but clog doesnt have many chips left. I put him allin and he calls with T5d. Board comes QA285 and i knock him out (T333k) Now its 462k vs 333k vs 67 at 8k/16k blinds. Should be HU soon.

Hand 58 - Blinds increase to 10k/20k/1000a. I raise 22 utg to 60k, and smallstack BB is allin for 6k more. He has Ad7s and the board comes Qs8c6s9s (HOW MANY OUTS!?) river is 5s and he doubles up. The game is back on! Curse that AK for not winning vs 66 - thats the same hand that killed me in the 500k, i hate AK vs 66 !

Seat 3 - ROBTHESHARK ($145210 in chips)
Seat 4 - EDDIE12345 ($266815 in chips)
Seat 9 - CATCHCAR ($451975 in chips)

Hand 59 - Button with 237k raises to 60k. I shove in the SB with KTh for 244k. He folds. I think i would have shoved any two here, the chances he has a marginal hand, and the stack sizes make it perfect. (T327k)

Hand 60 - Folded to me on the SB, i move allin with J2o. BB folds (T294k)

Hand 61 - This is the important one. With 295k, i raise JTh utg to 60k. SB (392K) calls, and BB(176k) calls. Flop comes KQ2r and SB donk bets 40k. I call. Turn is a lovely, lovely 9. He bets 80k and i have a decision. I have 113k left, do i raise here, or wait till the river. I make it look like im thinking, and finally call. The river is 9, and he instantly shoves. I call just as fast, and he shows AJ. (T600k)

Hand 62 - After than loss he pushes the next hand UTg for 95k. I call in the BB with A2o and he shows 55. Board comes 74K9T and he doubles up (T552k)

Hand 63 - Its now 552k vs 240k vs 71k. The shortstack folds the button and i raise K7o to 60k. I hate this now, i should have put him allin and not giving any chance for him to resteal. Thankfully he folds (T574k)

Hand 64 - The other two stacks get allin with KT vs 77, and the small stack doubles up.

Hand 65 - folded to me in the SB i push A8o for 580k BB has 148k and folds.

Hand 66 - Everyone folds to my BB, i show QQ. WHY DIDNT THEY PUSH! The next BB they all fold, i show ATo. Grrrr

Hand 67 - I have 600k vs 160k vs 96k. Blinds went up to 12k/24k/1000a. I push 77 UTG they fold (T645k)

Hand 68- SB pushes for 70k into me. Its 46k to call, 97k in the pot. I have K7o, which possible is the best hand. I call and he shows Q4o. Board comes T92J7 and we are HU.

Hand 69 - I have 717k vs 146k HU. I get K3o first hand, and move allin. He calls with A3 but the board comes K64JT. I win.

If anyone has any questions about this, feel free to use the comments box. Also, if there is anything specific you want me to write about in this blog, just ask. For now im going to stick to tournament reports of mtts/sngs that i feel are interesting or that i do well in, and post various hands i found interesting from ones that don't merit full reports. Hopefully you find these interesting (although long) and if so i will continue winning and blogging

500k Tournament Report

I decided to start of this blog with a tournament report from my 500k final table, which i finished 7th for $17k. This will give you some indication of how i used to play only 2 months ago, and you'll see from my newer posts how much more LAG/aggressive my game has become.

The tournament had 3332 entrants paying $200+15 each, and the starting stack is 2500, with 15 minute blinds.

Level One – T2500, 10/20 blinds

Early on I tend to play pretty tight, and watch to see who at my table give action, who is tight, etc.

Hand 1 – UTG+1 makes it 160, and I smooth call in MP with JJ. Flop comes 9 6 2 and he check folds to my 180 bet. (T2660)

Hand 2 – I get 8d9d UTG and fold. Not sure what people think of this, but several good players who looked at the HH for me said they would limp here as it’s so cheap. I personally prefer to play these hands when I know I have opponents, so dislike it EP.

Hand 3 – UTG raises to 60, and I smooth call in MP with AQs, BB also calls. Flop comes Ah Qh 7d and UTG leads for 120, I smooth call and BB folds. Turn comes 7s and utg check folds to my 240 bet. I have no idea why I bet here, I should have checked behind and hoped a smaller pair pays off a value bet on the river. I guess I saw top two and got carried away. I dislike my bet in hindsight. (T2880)

Level Two – T2880, 15/30 blinds

I move to a new table, with jsup. The rest I don’t know. I don’t play a hand this level.

Level Three – T2835, blinds 25/50

Hand 4 – I fold for an orbit or two, and then pickup 45d when it’s folded to me in the SB. I complete, and lead the A J 4 flop which the bb folds. Probably should have just raised preflop if I was going to play this. (T2760)

Level Four – T2760, blinds 50/100

It appears I’m playing pretty tight, but I got some awful hands and there was a fair amount of raising in pots before me when I was getting marginal hands. I don’t mind being this tight this early, as although it means it’s harder to get paid off on big hands, these tables will usually break pretty quickly, so my image won’t matter.

Hand 5 – I pickup TT in MP and make it 300, everyone folds (T2760)

Hand 6 – It’s folded to the button who is playing really aggressive, he minraises to 200, and I smooth call from the SB with KTs, BB folds. The flop comes Qh 3s 2s and I check. Button makes it 200 and I raise to 850. He folds. (T3310)

Level Five – T3160, blinds 75/150

Hand 7 – MP (3965) makes it 600, and I pickup AKo. I shove for 2935 and he timebanks, before calling with 66. Board comes 2K78T and I double up to T6095.

Hand 8 – I get KQo in MP and make it 450, everyone folds (T6320)

Level Six – T6245, blinds 100/200

Hand 9 – Jsup raises from MP to 600 with 3k behind, I reraise him to 1800 with AK, and he folds. (T6845)

Level Seven – T6545, blinds 100/200/25a

Hand 10 – I get KJo in MP, and make it 600, everyone folds. (T6970)

Hand 11 – Folded round to CO who pushes for 2945. He did this during level 6 for a similar overbet with KTs. I shove in the SB with AQs, and BB folds. He shows T4d, and board comes AdKdQh!!! But the turn and river blank and I win the pot (T10015)

Hand 12 – Folded to me in MP, I minraise AJ to 400 (meant to raise to 600, but misclicked). Everyone folds. (T9940)

Level Eight – T9915, blinds 200/400/25a

Hand 13 – New player at the table minraises UTG+1 to 800, he has 7000 chips. I have AA in the BB, and make it 2000. HE raises to 5200 and I put him allin. He tables KK and the board comes AQ9T6 winning me a big pot (T17250)

Hand 14 – Folded to me in the SB, I raise K7 to 1200, BB folds. (T17025)

Hand 15 – This hand was very interesting. I moved to a new table about an orbit ago, and haven’t played a hand. I raise JJ UTG to 1200, and the button (T17958) makes it 3600. I smooth call, and the flop comes Tc 9h 3h. I think for 10seconds, and really don’t know what to do. I check, and he bets 6000. I’m totally lost, so I shove for T13275. He timebanks, and eventually folds, claiming QQ. (T27300)

Level Nine – T27300, blinds 300/600/50a

Hand 16 – I fold for a while, and pickup 77 on the button. The CO pushes for 2547, and the blinds have 8800 and 8900. I push for 22k and the board comes J57Q9 and I beat A4. (T26397)

Level Ten – T25097, blinds 400/800/50a

Hand 17 – It’s folded to me in MP and I raise 52c to 2400 having not played a hand for ages. The SB shoves for 9380 and I fold, he shows QQ. (22597)

Hand 18 – I raise 88 to 2400 in MP1 and the CO shoves for 8600. I call and lose to AA (T12197)

Level Eleven – T11597, blinds 600/1200/75a

So I went from a nice big stack, to 10bb, wonderful. I think I could have been a bit more aggressive to pickup chips, but that 88 vs AA really hurt.

Hand 19 – I pickup AQh in MP and push, everyone folds (T13772)

Hand 20 – I get J6s in the BB, and the button pushes for 2945. I call for 1795 more, and the board comes 84JT6 and I beat AT (T17767)

Level Twelve – T14392, blinds 800-1600/75a

The table I’m at has three very LAG aggressive players with 30-40k stacks. It’s really hard to get into pots, and right now I’m just waiting for some cards, expecting to catch one of them. The pot is pretty much always raised preflop by one of the three.

Hand 21 – One of the aggressive players ‘squidzz’ folds, and the BB in this hand comments ‘squidzz that’s the first time you didn’t raise my blind, can you see my cards?’ Its folds round to me in the SB and I push A6d. He folds; I guess his cards weren’t so great after all (T17692)

Hand 22 – I pickup AQo in MP, and push for 17467, the LAG SB(T64787) calls, as does the LAG BB(49021) great…Flop comes Qh Ts 3d and the SB check calls a 14400 bet. The turn comes 4s and the SB checks, and BB shoves with QJ, the SB folds and I triple up on the blank river. (T53076)

At this point we are close to the money, about 350 people left, 324 paid.

Hand 23 – I raise KK from UTG+1 to 4800, and everyone folds. Sucks to pickup a big hand vs all these aggressive openers when I’m in EP! (T55926)

Level Thirteen – T55851, blinds 1000/2000/100a

Hand 24 - I raise AJo in MP to 6000, and pickup the blinds and antes (T56151)

Hand 25 – I raise A4o on the CO to 6000, and pickup blinds and antes (T56351)

Hand 26 – MP pushes for 17650, and I have KQd in the BB. There is 21550 in the pot, and I have to call 15650. I have T55851, and I fold.

Level Fourteen – T52651, blinds 1500/3000/150a

Hand 27 – I raise AQo in MP to 9k, everyone folds (T57601)

Hand 28 – MP pushes for 13316, and I move over the top with AJo for 55k from the SB. Board comes 49QT7 and I beat A2. (T71817)

Hand 29 – UTG+1 (T31709) minraises to 6000, MP2 moves allin for 56472, and I have JJ in MP3. I timebank and fold. Thoughts?

Level Fifteen – T71367, blinds 2000/4000/200a

Hand 30 – I pickup KK in MP and raise to 12k, BB moves allin for 29k with A9o. Board comes 6K693 (T96989)

Level Sixteen – T89189, blinds 3000/6000/300a

Hand 31 – First hand of the level, I pickup AKc MP1. I raise to 18k, and MP3(134k) makes it 42k. I instantly shove, and he calls with KK. Board comes AT52Q and I double up with my first major suckout. (T189478)

Hand 32 – UTG+1(83k) minraises to 12k. I have KK in the BB and make it 30k. He folds (T206278)

Hand 33 – MP shoves for 27k, and I fold AT in the CO. There was a 100k, 78k and 25k stack behind me, and didn’t really want to reraise to isolate. Who calls/raises here?

Hand 34 – UTG+1 I raise AJo, pickup blinds and antes (T212878)

Hand 35 – I raise AT from MP to 18k, and the SB moves in for 49k. I call and lose to JJ on the board 4KT5Q. (T153604)

Level Seventeen – T153604, blinds 4000/8000/400a

Hand 36 – Folded for a long time, and got blinded down to 138k. UTG+1 pushes for 35k, and I repush with TT. Board comes 5A982 and I lose to A2.(T101738)

Hand 37 - UTG pushes for 22k, and I call 14k in the BB with 87o. Board comes 979T5 and I beat A6o (T130232)

Level Eighteen – T130232, blinds 6k/12k/600a

Hand 38 – Smallstack pushes for 35k, and I am the BB(T98432) and fold 75o. Probably should have called.

Hand 39 – card dead, and blinds are killing me, I push A4o EP for 77k, and everyone folds. (T99632)

Level Nineteen – T97832, blinds 8k/16/800a

Hand 40 – These blinds hurt even more when I’m playing like a pussy! I push UTG for 67k with A2o, and MP calls with AQ. Board comes 5327J and I double up (T165264)

Hand 41 – UTG raises to 48k, MP raises to 112k, and I move allin with QQ for 147k. UTG folds but MP calls with 99. Board comes 8JJKA and I win a big pot considering I was nearly dead two hands ago. (T366528)

Hand 42 – I raise 77 UTG+1 to 40K. MP1 moves in for 85k, and the BB calls allin for 25k. I call and the board comes 589K8 and MP1 wins the lot with AA (BB had KQ) (T277146)

Level Twenty – T250746), blinds 10k/20k/1000a

Hand 43 – The most aggressive player at the table (320k) raises UTG+1. I call in the BB with A8d, and check fold to his allin on the Tc3h2h board. (T184746)

Hand 44 – I raise 98h on the button to 60k. I should have just pushed. Blinds both fold (T210746)

Hand 45 – Fold for a few orbits, and get blinded down to 168k Pickup AA in MP and open push, everyone folds (T206746)

Level Twenty One – T204746, blinds 15k/30k/1500a

Hand 46 – Folded around to the SB who makes it 90k. I realise I have no FE, but I have been so tight, I must get some credit if I push? I shove with QTo assuming he puts me on a monster, and he thinks and calls with T2o. Flop comes QJQxx and I double up (T418492)

Hand 47 – The big blind is allin for 15444, basically the same as the SB. I raise ATo to 90k from MP, and the aggressive stack on the button shoves for 454k covering me. I think for AGES basically using up most of my timebank, because this is a great spot for him to do this. I curse myself for not shoving preflop, and eventually fold. He shows KK and win the pot.

Hand 48 – I shove AK in MP for 248k, and the button moves in for 40k with A9. Board comes K3546 and I win the pot (T346394)

Level Twenty Two – T342894, blinds 20k/40k/2000a

Hand 49- Folded to SB(T288k) who completes, I shove ATo (T394894)

Hand 50 – I’m playing horribly tight, and fold for ages till I pickup A9 in MP. I push for 286k and pickup the blinds and antes (T362894)

Level Twenty Three – T360894, blinds 25k/50k/2500a

Hand 51 – Folded for a while to go down to 200k, where I push 63d from the SB, BB folds (T273394)

Hand 52 – UTG raises to 200k, and I push JJ for 268k in MP. UTG calls showing AJ, and the board comes 9KKK4. (T629288)

Hand 53 – Button pushes for 138k, and I call in the BB with A9o, and the board comes AQ4J6, and I beat K8 (T800748)

Level Twenty Four – T710748, blinds 30k/60k/3000a

Hand 54 – Folded to me on the button, I push with KQh and pickup the blinds (T812748)

FINAL TABLE STARTS

Seat 1: Beardie (541120 in chips)
Seat 2: Foxman (1238245 in chips)
Seat 3: guayana14 (779574 in chips)
Seat 4: Joseba (985880 in chips)
Seat 5: oscartotti (400868 in chips)
Seat 6: TwistedEcho (806748 in chips)
Seat 7: NoxirE (573592 in chips)
Seat 8: Oswaldo (1192692 in chips)
Seat 9: rndee8 (1811281 in chips)

Hand 55 – Folded round to the button who raises to 660k !!, and the SB calls allin for 361k I have 800k and AJo in the BB and fold. Board comes 66J8T and the button shows 99, and the SB QJ. I still think this is a fold, but would have been huge to win this one.

Hand 56 – Raise 55 on the button to 180k, everyone folds (T845748)

Hand 57 – Pickup AKo utg, and raise to 180k (725k behind) The BB thinks for a while, and pushes for 1.1m which I instantly call, to find he has 66.The board comes Q5979, and I finish in 7th place for $17k.

I played horribly tight at times, and relied on having cards pretty much all tournament. The buyin did affect me, when it was apparently I was going to win 4000+ I tightened up, partly because the money meant quite a bit, but also because I didn’t want to blow my best chance with T3o pushing vs some aggro. I hope that helps some people, and is an interesting read. My game is much more aggressive now, i resteal when i think opponents are weak, i push more liberally and im not afraid to go bust pushing with 25o when i think i have a good chance to win the blinds.

I'll be posting some more tournament reports/hands soon

Ket goes whale hunting

So there I was. Minding my own business in 50nl, playing so many tables at once i have no idea wtf is going on anywhere, which is why I can't tell you the precise point in time at which I noticed something a little bit off. Something that wasn't quite right, weird things that kept repeating. The first time I dismissed it as, wtf that happens sometimes. Maybe it even passed another couple times without registering in my brain as a recurring pattern, but after not long, I noticed this very untoward occurrence that I had only previously subconsciously acknowledged... holy shit there's a complete maniac on this table with a stack comfortably in excess of 200$. He's raising preflop amounts that range from fairly over the top to plain ridiculous. wow, he must have luckboxed it up to get such a monster stack, I think to myself. Maybe it's time to leave a few of my other tables so I can give this one more attention?? I load up the Instant Hand History for the table to see if I can check how the maniac got his chips. And sure enough, it reveals I have infact found a potential goldmine in this pipnez fellow:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213766 62o LOL!!!! (other guy was a bit crazy too, or maybe just thought ace high being good against the maniac is likely?)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213771 weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee


all right, looks like he's gambooling it up, frequently making overbets to steal and showing all bluffs, many of which are stone cold bluffs with no draw. He's especially going crazy with any pocket pair preflop. Juicy. Obviously I won't be leaving this table until he does! Also I have position on him, which is fantastic. Just as I turn my full attention to this table and start hoping for goot hands, i get 77! ohhh potential, let me see a flop please. My stack right now is just 50$, having not won any pots at this table yet. okay it folds to him in mid pos, he opens for 10$ - 20xbb. holy shit, okay I can wait for a better spot than 77. clear fold. Some donk 6$ stack calls our friend's overbet for his whole stack with QTo and loses to pipnez's 66. omfg 66?!?! but i folded 77 :{ Actually he turned trip sixes, so I don't really have THAT much of a feeling of "shit wouldve won big". Unless you're a philosophically minded zen buddhist poker player who considers it a moral victory to get the money in with the best hand regardless of result. Fuck that, my interest is winning real money not spiritual money :} Well okay, good hand, I'm not happy about the small stack busting and leaving the table, as this means a full stack could potentially join and dent our friend's stack and willingness to gambool. But on the other hand he'll continue to be gamboolhappy as all he's doing is winning so far (someone should tell him to play mtts).

Our friend wins about 4 pots in a row after the last huge luckout while i fold it up and keep my fingers crossed for a hand. Finally, KK in sb!! yessss!!! come onnnn! folds to our friend on the button who just limps. dammit, i guess i know i can get him allin with any pair or draw on the flop, but i'm too chickenshit to risk giving him and a 50$ deep bb a free flop, so i raise 5xbb to juice it. our friend of course calls. i attempt to induce bluffs, get some action but he folds river. 18$ pot. Not what I hoped for when i first saw KK, but doesn't look like he's going anywhere so there's hope yet.

The hand after this, pipnez...... FOLDS PREFLOP! WTF?? what did i do, i upset him or something? nope it's cool, he opens for his standard raise next hand (10xbb) and proceeds to win 5 out of the next 6 pots with similar maniaccery (what's a synonym for maniaccery that's actually a word that exists? anyone?).

NEXT HAND: one of my favourite hands, jack-9 soooooooooooooooooooted! not that it matters, rambo is charging us at least 1/5th of our stack to see a flop with it... or is he?!?! once again fold preflop, alright i raise, get 1 caller, miss flop but bet anyway and take it. Pretty much how most hands i play go normally. I'm liking these small steals to build up my stack in anticipation for the big double, it's like my equity is double the net gain from pots I win. I can smell it already. Next hand, 42sooooted UTG. My strategy is to see as many cheap flops I can with what I figure are astronomical implied odds. So my sooted cards are an instalimp, fuck position, i'll call any sensible raise as long as rambo is in the hand. And here's how this particular hand went:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213803 yeAh! fun stuff, his weak 2nd pair was an instacall lolz. I think i'm staying for more here. I'm up to 115$ after this double, he's down to 165$. I'm still sticking around for one more big hand. At this point I am somewhat concerned at what I see in the chat window:
pipnez: I'M GIVING MONEY AWAY
My hope is that he hasn't had a sudden revelation here, and will henceforth stop playing, I have my fingers crossed that he typed this purely as an observation, that he'll do nothing about.

Next hand I steal the blinds, uh oh.. has he started playing sensibly? hand after, once again! he folds preflop... doh? Anyway this hand i find AQs, and decide to play it:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213811 <- donking the turn™ on a bluff. i'm not without style. Can't remember now what made me confident to make this play here, I somehow interpreted the guy's minraise as weakness (even though these gay moves from typical donks normally mean extreme strength). The show was to try and let my best friend think I'm not just nut peddling, and inviting him to retstart gambooling with me. Here is the very next hand after I show this bluff:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213815

Notice especially the chat. He has expressed approval of my play. Clearly my showing of bluffs has been successful in bringing back his inner Scotty Nguyen on crack. Also gotta love his 60$ bet to steal 3$ here.

Next hand, a big hand happens between 2 other donks that sees one of them being nearly stacked while the other doubles to just over 100. At this point I'm at 126, free willy is at 166 and we have a new contender for a potential huge pot in this doubling donkey.

next few hands; few small pots happen. pipnez steals 2 bbs with a 20$ preflop raise (nice)

And then FIREWORKS! he found a hand! http://www.pokerhand.org/?213822 sucks to be that other guy, but all good news for me. The more money he wins the better, as long as none of it is mine. Next hand he wins a 40$ pot making a flush with big slick s00ted (wow, he's lethal on a good run of cards with his image lol!). Hand after, another silly overbet takes down the blinds for him.

A few boring hands later, this -> http://www.pokerhand.org/?213824
oh my, he IS on a good run! thank pokergods i didn't really have anything here, he played his flopped monster really well i think. i'd be suspicious if he played it slower, but i expect this sort of play from him and might have been "fooled" into paying him off big had i had something.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213828 looks like his postflop is beginning to tighten up. Am I too late? I don't like where this is going, he knows what im trying to do, waiting for a hand to kill him with and stuff. At least that's what I thought before this happened like 3 hands later:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213832
Dammit! The sword of Damocles hangs ever more perilously above his head. Just can't find those scissors to cut the thread suspending it (hit a flop good)

Next 6 hands after this one:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213839
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213842
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213843
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213844 was tempted to play this one
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213845
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213848

yarrggghh come onnnnn

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213849 - in an interesting reversal, i take a pot off him with air. Hopefully this enrages him once again into extreme gambooling with me.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213851 - yep, it certainly does lol! now he's telling what cards he has before every preflop raise. This is the third or fourth time in a row he's done this, and showed it too after everyone folds to show he wasnt lying.

after this he proceeds to win the next 8 hands in a row for small pots.
pipnez: IS THIS HOW U PLAY RIGHT?

http://www.pokerhand.org/?213854 lol
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213857 this is happening every hand now haha, i love this guy

And then... something awful happens. i start spamming swearwords to twistedecho on AIM.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213858 so not only does he lose a big pot, he says he'll stop playing after next hand??!

Well he said that, but didn't really go anywhere. And a couple hands later, OH YES. HERE IT IS. FINALLLLY LIGHTS OUT!
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213862
NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
i bang my head on my desk for not flatcalling the flop. He calls me a "bluffer" here after the hand is over too. god dammit, couldve got a huge overbet out of him maybe if i flatcalled. oh well at least he's not leaving yet.

and then fiiiinally. 2 hands later:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?213863 ding ding ding! KNOCKOUT! i had nEVER seen him MINreraise preflop, so something dodgy was up. i promised myself i'd keep the pot as small as possible if i hit top pair before the flop came, even folding if necessary. well dammit, this is what i was potentially afraid of, a flop which i should like, but dont feel good about. he bets small enough for me to call. sounds easy to say now but i honestly planned to check/fold the flop or checkcall if he continues to bet so small. But that was before i saw the turn card. his minreraise was a bit scary. if he has AT fine he has AT, but this has to be my spot. his range is a HELL OF A LOT wider than just AT here, he's doing this with bottom 2 or maybe just the wrap draw? in any case, i like my hand. pooooooooooooooosh! BOOOOOOOOOM!

pipnez: NICE
potnoodle13: ty
even he is impressed

yay !


I stick around for his last 55$, figuring he'll lose it extremely easily any hand now, but alas, can't win em all. Someone else gets it: http://www.pokerhand.org/?213871

pipnez: ITS BEEN FUN SEE YA GUYS
It certainly has..... Until next time, keep donking those turns my fellows! good night

-- Ket

Turbos

Ah, well, since all these other faggots don't know how to create posts, I'll go ahead and try to start this off. I haven't played much at all in the past days, and I only played five turbos today, 15+1's. Yes, that is proper punctuation, by the way.

Anyway, I have a hard time with turbos. My pushbotting skills are pathetic, I can't bring myself to push hands I should, perhaps. On the other hand, regular SNGs take way too long. If I fire up eight of them, they're bound to last at least an hour and a half. I'm moving up to the 20+2's soon, just need to get properly rolled. Made a small deal with Freak, and I should be up another 150$ quite soon :)

I'm also tempted to give ring another try. Last time I did that, I got the shit kicked out of me - see this hand for details. However, I think I can make more profit at 100NL than at the 30+3s. I'll try 25NL and then move up to 50NL as fast as possible, and try to play at least ten thousand hands there.

From a third point of view, I could just start playing MTTs and try to hit it big time, like Jon. I don't have a fucking clue, though.

Soon, I hope, I'll start playing again. However, with school, and work, I don't know if I'll be able to keep up.

Opening post!

Welcome to donk the turn! We are coolest shit to hit the poker world since Rekrul quit progaming. We'll be teaching you, our adoring fans, the tricks and kicks of poker, and how to kick the typical donk's ass. Hopefully, you'll enjoy our rants and ramblings. Before we get started (and before Jon starts posting his ridiculous 50NL adventures), we shall present ourselves.

Jon / TwistedEcho - Mid-stake Rebuy MTT player
HHi, my name is Jon. I have a big bankroll. Seeing as im a first year student, and do no work, i play lots of poker. Recently i have ventured into the wonderful world of rebuys. The rebuy period lets you gambool it up good. Here is a picture of me (donkey). After I get a big stack, i can LAG it up even better, and try to donk everyone and get more chips. Hopefully my posts will help you become a LAG, and donk the weak tight players like KET. Have fun at the tables, and remember, don't fold sooted cards!


Ketul / Ket - Low-stake L/NL Tourney/Cash game player
Hello, my name is Ket. I started playing poker a few months ago with 15$, I've built up the beginnings of a bankroll playing small sngs, mtts and limit, but now I've started playing some 6max nl because it's the most fun. I like winning pots and try to win as many as possible, usually every one I enter regardless of flop turn river. My aim in poker is to one day be able to win every pot I decide to play where my opponents don't have the nuts or near nuts. Until then feel free to sit at my tables and have me donk off some cash to you.

Mike / Oxy - Low-stake STT SNG player
Hi, my name is Mike. I started playing poker back in September with ten bucks. I have 700$ now, and I am crushing these 10+1$ SNG fishies. I don't just win, I pulverize and rub it in. Over the course of this blog, I will teach you how to rock these donks. Remember: if they're calling you down, you're not betting hard enough. Take this hand for example. Fucking fish.

Serge / radiaL - pretty much anything except higher-stake limit player
Entaro Adun! I just didn't want to repeat the other guys especially since I've already stated my name and thus this will be repetition and is oh no, for we must vary our play! I try to make perfect sense in my sentences but end up making almost none. Anyhow, I started poker in June 2005, and 'till about September did absolutely nothing with it (full time job). In September though something clicked in my head and I blew from 50$NL to 400$NL in about a week, and stayed there 'till I, being my stubborn self, went to 1000$NL and of course got my bags packed for me (i.e. got raped). In October alone I made 10$K from mostly 200$NL and 400$NL full ring (some 55 / 109 SNG STTs in between). Then variance hit me like a bag of metallic peanuts and I lost pretty much all of it in the next month (HA-HA!). Now I’m handing people’s asses to themselves at Eurobet whilst clearing the 600$ deposit bonus (100$NL+ SH; 2/4+ sh limit when I feel like getting bad beat) and hanging my head in shame for the tilting that I have done.


Remember kids, friends don't let friends tilt!