$360 MST ($100K Guaranteed) Report

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ssbn743

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This event was a two-day event consisting of 3 flights and a $100K guaranteed prize pool. I finished in 62 of ~550 (exact numbers haven’t been posted yet) for $650 with the bubble at 63 – yes, another min-cash – I’m damn good at that.

Starting stacks were $20K with 30 minute levels on Day 1 and 40 minute levels on Day 2. There were so many people that I had to wait as an alternate for 2 hours on Day 1 – which was the longest I remember, but I still came in with 100BB’s so all was well. I played in Flight C, Flights A and B both played 14 levels.

Below are the major hands:

Day 1

Nothing worthy of note occurred for quite some time, just a very standard game. Eventually, it came to a point where I had 13BB’s.

Hand #1
$500/$1K/$100


From MP an active player open raised to $3K. This player was very active and had been raising to $2500 in this level. Additionally, for the last few levels he had been opening pre-flop for exactly 2.5x. I read his 3x open as weakness, even though I know often times it’s exactly the opposite, in this case I felt that it was not.

From the button I found :kd4: :qd4: and elected to shove over his perceived weak range. He tanked for a while and called with :9c4: :9s4: I out flopped him and doubled up.

Hand #2
$600/$1200/$200


I had about $28K, or a little over 20BB’s, for this hand. An alternate player that had just joined the game open raised to $4500 (which I thought was a little big anyway) but then I found :kc4: :ks4: and 3-bet shoved. He called with :8h4: :8s4: and missed his two-outer – another double-up.

Hand #3
$800/$1600/$200


I had about $36K when I was dealt :kc4: :kh4: and open raised to $3500 from EP to get 3 callers including a LP active and terrible woman.

Pot - $16K
Flop - :jc4: :9s4: :9h4:

I didn’t view this as a bad flop for my hand, and I knew the woman in LP was going to stab at it (she had been betting when checked to all day long)– so I elected to check raise. She didn’t disappoint with an $8K bet, with about $14K behind after it was checked to her. I 3-bet shoved and she called after tanking for a while, everyone else folded, she showed :8c4: :10d4:

Pot - $60k
Turn - :10s4:
River - :qs4:

I was thinking “no queen, no queen, no queen” as the last two cards were dealt so when it hit, initially, I thought I lost – ****! Then, oh wait, never mind. In fact, everyone thought she won until the dealer pointed it out – good job Lou, the best dealer in Black Hawk by the way.

Hand #4
$1200/$2400/$400


As always, players starting getting short stacked and it was difficult to get anything done. Every bet I made needed to be ready to call all-in’s and I just wasn’t getting the cards to even warrant consideration. Before long, I was back down to $28K and bounced around between $28K and $35K for a while.

So, that was about 10BB’s. Now, I know conventional wisdom is not to go crazy and the Day 2 bubble with the “go big or go home” approach. However, here in Black Hawk Colorado, it’s a two-hour round trip drive to the casino from my house and I had no intention of returning to a 10BB stack on Day 2. So I opened up significantly, it also helped that my table was kind of nitty as well with several older players (55+).

The player to my right, with about $100K stack, open raised to $8K.

This player clearly had no intention of conforming to multiples of the BB for his bet sizes as all day his bets were big. The first hand he played at my table he opened raised 5X+ from EP, got called and flopped two-pair with J7o to get paid off by AJ. “Finally, I was getting nothing at the other table, finally I’m getting something” as I was in awe that J7o from EP was considered something in his mind.

I found :qc4: :8s4: from the button. He had been stealing my button for the last few levels. So, I moved all-in and he folded after tanking for a while; he showed K10o. As nitty as he was, I knew Q8 was no good there and only made the move because of the situation – maybe that’s bad thinking, I don’t know, but I’d rather give him 10BB’s than have to drive back up the next day.

Hand #5
$1200/$2400/$400


The floor came over and informed everyone in the tournament that there would be 3 more hands in Day 1. By this point I had $45K, but still wasn’t real satisfied and was looking for a “pokercide” spot.

On the last hand I was dealt :6c4: :6s4: and open shoved from MP. Certainly, not how I would play this hand normally, in fact, normally, with my stack and position, I’d probably lay it down. But, I got all folds and went to Day 2 with $53K, or a little better than 15BB’s.

Day 2

Hand #1
$500/$1500/$3000


On day two I started with $53K in chips and very quickly moved up to $60K when a player with :kc4: :kd4: moved all-in from the BB for less than my $7K open CO raise with:ah4: :qh4: Queen on turn, Ace on river, end of story.

I did have the help of the deck, or at least it seemed like it. Not only was I getting some hands, but I was getting them at the right times. I had AA 3 times and got some action each time. One time, from the BB with a LP raise and two calls I found them again and squeeze shoved all-in – I got no callers but increased my stack by 50% - that was awesome. Before long, I was hovering around $100K – which wasn’t a bad stack.

Hand #2
$500/$2K/$4K


It was folded around to me in the Hijack and I open raised :ac4: :jd4: to $9K. The BB, flat called, everyone else folded. The BB was a decent player, but was over aggressive, the players at my table simply were not exploiting him because of fear – but it was pretty obvious that he was just overpowering pots.

Pot - $25K
Flop - :10c4: :2h4: :3h4:

The BB checked to me and I made a $12K C-bet. I did think of checking behind, but this is a pretty dry board (except for the heart draw) and I thought I could extract some value or end it right here, both of which were fine by me. The BB called.

Pot - $49K
Turn - :9s4:

The BB then led into me for $15K. I had a pretty solid read on this guy and didn’t think he had anything on this board – in fact, and we’ll never know at this point, but the hand I was thinking was K8. With that, I moved all-in and he folded after tanking for a while. “I’ll fold two-pair to you, good bet” as I’m thinking “two-pair my ass – this guy can’t even make up a believable lie.” But that took me upwards of $130K.

Shortly thereafter, I got moved to another table – first thing to note is that both players on either side of me were very inexperienced at live poker. I think one of the guys is a pretty fluent online player, anyway, as a result they were both showing me their cards. They were lifting them up way too high and not making any effort to obscure my view. Now, I have gone back and forth on this issue over the years, I’ve seen this kind of thing more often that you would think in live poker. I used to tell players that I could see their cards, or look away, but anymore, I don’t care – if they’re dumb enough to show me their cards then, thanks I guess, I’ll take any advantage I can get, and really, I don’t even feel bad about it – maybe I should but I don’t - sorry.

Hand #6
$3K/$6K/$1K - $90K


I was UTG with :ac4: :8c4: To my left, I watched my neighbor look at :10c4: :10s4:

First, this player was extremely passive pre-flop and wildly aggressive post flop. He already got picked off for half his stack with an 84o and a paired 8 on a King high board after flat-calling from the BB.

There are lots of things wrong with my reasoning here, but I just couldn’t resist and open raised to $12K. As expected, 10 10 flat called as did the button and both blinds.

Pot - $70K
Flop - :4c4: :2h4: :6h4:

I checked and my foe bet $9K. Well, shit – I just couldn’t pass it up, such a small bet – I knew the exact two-cards in his hand and called after button did too – I wanted so bad to float and catch.

Pot - $97K
Turn – :9c4:

I checked and the tens then bet $20K. The button 3-bet to $50K and he called after I folded, shit!

River – :ad4:

He bet $30K and got called by K6o – wow!

God, I hate this hand and how I even got in it – if I hadn’t seen his cards I would have folded without a second thought. But seeing his cards, like I did, I wanted to isolate him and get some value from a strong hand – from UTG. I laugh about it every time I think back on it, but I just couldn’t help myself. It cost me some valuable chips though.

Hand #7
$4K/$8K/$1K - $75K


For some reason, I didn’t realize how low my stack had become – I guess I lost some concentration. There was a $16K EP open raise and a call from MP. From the button I found :4c4: :4d4: and called to set mine; I could see both the blinds were going to call too.

I didn’t hit the set and had to fold to an all-in on a K37 board.

It was about that point that I realized how low my stack was and wanted to kick my own ass; $60K = not good.

Hand #8
$4K/$8K/$1K - $60K

From the Low Jack I found :jc4: :js4: and shoved – it was funny because I knew I was going to shove ATC if folded to anyway and then woke up with Jacks – LOL. Anyway, no callers and I then had about $80K.

Hand #9
$4K/$8K/$1K - $80K


The very next hand I was dealt :ac4: :9h4: and open shoved again – again no callers.

Hand #10
$4K/$8K/$1K - $100K


The action folded around to the SB who open raised to $20K. From the BB I found :kc4: :jd4: and 3-bet shoved – he folded K10o face up.

Hand #11
$4K/$8K/$1K - $100K


I open raised to $16K (I don’t even remember what I had) and had to fold to a 3-bet all-in

The bubble burst at 64.

Hand #12
$4K/$8K/$1K - $110K


From EP I was dealt :ad4: :kc4: and open shoved to get no callers.

Hand #13
$4K/$8K/$1K - $110K


Everyone around me was getting annoyed with my shoves – I could tell it was putting them more and more on edge. To be honest, I’m glad, I think it’s an equity rich situation to be in shove or fold mode – the Scott Fishman, 2005-ish strategy is still very viable in my eyes.

The action folded around to the SB and he raised to $20K with about $110K back, this has happened before hasn’t it? Additionally, I clearly saw paint in his hand – I only saw one card, and I didn’t get the rank but it was definitely a picture card.

From the BB I found :ac4: :8h4: and elected to 3-bet shove - hoping his pictures didn’t match.

He called after asking for a count and tanking for a while with :kc4: :js4:

Pot - $230K
Flop - :3h4: :jh4: :qh4:
Turn - :7c4:
River - :js4:

I’m convinced that the only reason he called is because I had been shoving so frequently, and shoving into him at least once before, no less. If he wants to put his money in behind then I should be all for it, it just always seems to end like this – some jacktard doing something he shouldn’t for the reasons I want him to and still lucking out to win.

So, I got 62nd and $650 and a $360 entry; the min-cash…again…is the part that hurts the most. Thoughts anyone?
 
lovemiscou

lovemiscou

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Congratulations on you 're cash.

I have a question for you. I am going to be playing a live tourny in 2 weeks and was wondering about the 30 minutes blinds.

Will I be able to play a tight game in the begining?
 
DonSifu

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Seems like you played well from the hand history you shared. My only input is that once you've shoved a handful of times with no calls, you can almost count on getting called light on the next shove. I think I would be aware of that, and try to tighten your shoving range a bit. A8 isn't bad, but against a hand like KJ you don't have a huge advantage. But still, a great showing, and hey, if you min cash every tournament, then you're moving in the right direction!
 
Jillychemung

Jillychemung

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Great read, love seeing UCAPs. Well done, I know how hard it is to cash in these 2-day tournaments having just done the same thing at Turning Stone.
 
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ssbn743

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Congratulations on you 're cash.
I have a question for you. I am going to be playing a live tourny in 2 weeks and was wondering about the 30 minutes blinds.
Will I be able to play a tight game in the begining?

30 minute levels are not the greatest, but in my experience, are the longest you will find outside of a major event. Nonetheless, with the “tanking” epidemic that is currently going on at poker tables throughout the world, you can sometimes be lucky to get around the table once in a level.

Nevertheless, I always play tight – pretty much throughout. Live poker is quite a bit different from the online variety as I’m sure you’re aware. Just pick your spots and count on the fact that your opponents will make mistakes, a lot of mistakes, and take advantage – you can play pretty damn tight to that end.

30 minute live levels will obviously reach a point where you will be forced to open up – but, generally, tight is a successful approach in my opinion.
 
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