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.