MSPT Deep Stack Report

S

ssbn743

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Total posts
543
Awards
1
Chips
0
Yesterday I played in a Deep Stack event that is part of the MSPT (Mid-States Poker Tour) that is currently here in Colorado. I took 23 of 157 players with 18 spots paid and $10,590 up top.

Below are the major hands:

Starting stacks were $40K with 30 minute levels and I was about 2 hours late getting in (which was intentional, well, kind of, I did have to go into work for a bit – but that’s another story).

Level 4 ($100/$400/$800)
(I was in seat #1)

I had to fold in a couple of spots early on that I really would have liked to call and was already down to about $33K when I’m dealt :4c4: :5c4: from the CO. There was an EP raise to $4400 from a hyper-active player and two callers; I flat called as well. The button then moved all in for ~$17K.

This guy was tilting – he didn’t take any sort of bad beat or anything, he was just pissed off at the world, I’ve played him before and he is always like that. He lost most of his stack by being a calling station and getting himself into bad spots – I had no sympathy. Anyway, everyone folds to me. The pot is currently over $34K and I have to call $13K – I can’t picture myself being all that far behind and make a fairly easy call. He shows :9d4: :7h4: - I flopped a 5 but he hit a 9 on the river to win.

Nothing changed; he was still pissed off at the world. We kept playing; I raised LP hands two more times in the next couple of laps only to be forced to fold after he shoved.

Level 8 ($100/$500/$1000)
(Same seat, seat #1)

This time there was an UTG limp (from the hyper-active player) and I raised the button (I had about $75K) to $4600 (4.5x + ante with >60BB and a limper) with :ac4: :7c4:

Again, the player to my left moved all-in, this time for ~$21K

I can only put up with this for so long and call, plus while much of his range has me dominated , much of it does not as well, he shows :as4: :4h4: and I win after he told me what a jackass I was for calling there – whatever, “Bye!” was my response.

Oddly enough, and as a side note, I know he bought at least 2 more stacks, the 3rd bullet landing him at my table yet again two seats to the left of where he was last time. We didn’t get involved in any hand that time and he was busted fairly quickly, playing the same way. You must love these players; he fired 3 bullets at $300 each (at least 3, it may have even been 4) for a total of $900. The money was at 18; I don’t remember what that payout was but ninth place was $960 – he needed to make the final table just to break even, awesome; right? I think I’ll call that –EV, which is good for the rest of us.

So after that I was off to the races and went on a heater. I was picking up hands left and right and was playing all of them well.

The hyper-active player raised to $2600 from UTG and received 4 callers plus the blinds (a testament to how may hands this guy was playing), I was one of those callers with :5s4: :6s4: from the CO.

Pot- $16,600

Flop- :8c4: :7s4: :4h4:

The table checks it to me and I bet $6K hoping that the aggressive and active players UTG and in the BB would come over the top. They didn’t, but they did the next best thing and called, all of the other players folded.

Pot- $34,600

Turn- :2s4:

Great card for me, and again, they check it to me. I could tell the BB was no longer interested in this pot, and asked to see UTG’s stack. I could see 2 black $10K chips and change, so I wagered $13K (about half his stack) – he called without much hesitation after the BB folded.

Pot: $60,600

River- :kh4:

That’s a good card for me, but he checked to me again – I was hoping he’d jam it there. I bet enough to cover him and he folded after tanking for 90 seconds or so. Whoop – Whoop! That was a pretty big pot; I increased my stack by something like 70%.

A few hands later I was dealt :ac4: :ks4: from the CO -1 and raised to $5600 with 2 limpers in the pot, the two active players from the hand above (4.5x + ante with > 60BB and 2 limpers), naturally, they both call.

Pot- $18,300

Flop- :5c4: :9s4: :kh4:

They check it to me and I bet $15K. This may seem a little big and is typically much larger than I would go here, but I did so with consideration to both active (and pretty weak) players in EP. The BB called and UTG folded this time.

Pot- $48,300

Turn - :6s4:

I didn’t see a lot of danger in that card, but checked the turn anyway after the BB checked to me, pretty much in the sole interest of pot control.

Pot- $48,300

River- :5d4:

My BB opponent bets $10K uber-quickly while throwing the two $5K chips across the table and into the dealer tray; additionally, she felt it prudent to lean way out over the table and stare right at me. I make the easy call, knowing she’s weak – she shows :ah4: :9h4: and I win another nice pot; “God, he always has it!” she says as she gets up and takes a walk – LOL!

The next hand I was dealt AK again, raised pre-flop, and called the BB’s ~$25K shove; he had JJ and they held up. Right after that hand Level 8 ended and we went on break; that was a good level despite the fact that I lost the last hand. My stack was now about $150K.

Level 9 ($200/$600/$1200)
(I was in seat #3)

The TD broke my table within 30 minutes of returning from break and I got a lousy seat change – it always seems to happen that way. I was moved to seat #3 at another table.

Level 11 ($300/$1000/$2000)
(I was in seat #3)

From MP1 I raised :ac4: :qs4: to $5700 (2.75x + ante with ~75BB’s). The ABC/NIT player on the button moved all-in for $35K.

I opened pretty light here, and don’t feel there is much of the ABC/NIT’s range that I can beat. However, then he gives me some information and starts counting out his stack. He had shoved it in, in one stack, and left it sit there for 30 seconds or so before giving me an un-solicited count. This is a standard tell, one that I am actually amazed some players still do, and I call. He shows :ad4: :jd4:

Pot- ~$75K

He rivered a Jack and won the pot – ouch! But hey, I made the right decision based on the information at hand, and that’s what this game is about; right?

Level 12 ($400/$1200/$2400)
(Same seat #3)

I had about $120K to start this level. It folds around to the button; he raised to $5500 with about $65K behind. From the BB, I find :ac4: :as4: and raise all-in. He calls and shows :4c4: :4d4:

Pot- ~$140K

He flopped a 4 and that really, really hurt. I was left with about $50K.
Thank god the TD came over to break my table – what a shitty table change. I got moved to seat 5 at another table.

Level 13 - 17 ($500/$1500/$3000 - $1K/$4K/$8K)
(I was in seat #5)

Not much really occurred during these levels. I just grinded it out and did pretty well at that. By the next break (end of Level 16) I had a decent stack at about $150K – back to where I was before losing a series of sure things. Now $150K wasn’t nearly as good as it was then, only 18BB’s, but was a decent stack nonetheless.

I did get down to about 10BB-12BB in these levels. I was dealt KK from UTG +1 and open shoved, I got no callers.

The next hand from UTG I was dealt AA. I pumped faked like I was just going to raise (and I really was considering a raise only) but finally just open-jammed 15BB. I got called by 99 from LP and doubled up.

I was seeing lots of good situations and playing well. I was raising my LP, button, and blind hands regularly, and taking advantage of situations.

I had several situations like the following. I raised a suited K10 from the CO one time, had the BB call, and fired a C-bet at a 33Q flop and got his fold. I was seeing lots of good flops, to where even when I missed (which was practically every time) I could bet and take it down.

I was identifying my opponent’s ranges really well. One time there was an EP min-raise from an ABC player and I called from the SB with A9o. I was pretty sure of his range being lots Ax type hands, pocket pairs, maybe even AK’s – basically a very stand range. I then followed through with my plan and check-raised the Q59 flop (with pair of nines and an Ace high flush re-draw) – he acted like he was going to call for a while but he wasn’t.

In short, I just grinded it out and was playing very well.

Level 18 ($1K/$5K/$10K)
(Same seat #5)

By the beginning of Level 18 I had about $210K.

The player to my left was a very good player that I have played with for years, his name is Jason. From the UTG+1 he raised AKo and was called by the player three seats to his left with K10h. Jason put him all-in on the flop and the MP player called on a 5 high two heart board and made his flush on the turn – thereby costing Jason over half his stack. It was pretty sick; he was knocked down to $110K.

The next hand, Jason open shoves from UTG. It folds to me in the BB and I snap call with :ah4: :qc4:

Jason shows :as4: :ks4:

Wow! What a hand to pick up in that spot huh? Additionally, I said call and tabled my hand but for some reason the dealer thought I said fold and auto-mucked my hand. So the floor had to sort that mess out, luckily they were able to do so without needing security.

Pot- ~$230K

Flop- :4d4: :10d4: :qc4:

Turn- :kd4:

River- :5h4:

Level 19 ($2K/$6K/$12K)
(Same seat #5)

I was left with about $90 after making through the $6K SB.

It was folded to me on the button and I found :jd4: :10d4: and open shoved. Jason in the SB called with AJo and my day was down in 23 place; 5 spots from payday.

These last couple of hands kind of make me go, huh? But the more I think about it, I call with AQ and shove J10 every single time – the deck simply decided my fate.

Conclusion

Overall, I was extremely pleased with how I played this tournament. Quite simply, it was one of the best tournaments I have ever played – if I could play like this all of the time, I’d do very well. I lost, but that’s happened before. I guess that’s what makes this game so interesting, and a lot like Baseball, you can lose and still be proud of it!
 
Last edited:
tARsh

tARsh

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 24, 2014
Total posts
213
Chips
0
GG man
"From MP1 I raised to $5700 (2.75x + ante with ~75BB’s). The ABC/NIT player on the button moved all-in for $35K."
that play im not fond of tbh i think its a fold
the rest circumstances and GG!
 
L

love that omaha

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Total posts
199
Chips
0
There should be some consideration of the equity you have in the tourney - how close you are to payouts - other opponents stack sizes and factors you don't really discuss in your summary. I don't think you can just look at hand ranges and your hands without factoring in that you are there to get paid. Im all for playing for the win, but cashing is nice and maybe a more conservative style once you get ahold of a nice stack and you finish deep in the money where you can change gears again and go for the win.

P.S. Tough beat on AA vs 44 hand - perhaps next time you win the hands where you were unlucky and take it down.
 
Everybodylovesdeuces

Everybodylovesdeuces

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Total posts
148
Chips
0
I like most of your plays. You got nice value on your big hands.

However, I'm really confused about the first hand. What do you think you are live against w/45c? Don't get me wrong, I love small suited connectors, but I like raising with them in position and out playing my opponents or flopping disguised monsters and getting paid. I do not like getting it in pre w/45 suited at all. It may be a call if you are only calling a little more or if the blinds are just stupid high that you have to get it in any way possible. But you've put in 4.4k (first mistake) at 100-400-800 and now have to call 13k more off a 29k stack? That's almost half your stack. Just let that one go.
 
S

ssbn743

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Total posts
543
Awards
1
Chips
0
GG man

"From MP1 I raised to $5700 (2.75x + ante with ~75BB’s). The ABC/NIT player on the button moved all-in for $35K."

that play im not fond of tbh i think its a fold

the rest circumstances and GG!

I agree, and I would fold here a large percentage of the time without additional information - even without information, he does only have 17BB’s so a call here against is range is certainly not out of the question, but I probably fold, usually.

However, the additional information in this case was him counting his chips. This is a subconscious thing that he didn’t even realize he was doing. He went all-in, and let me stare at his stack – when that didn’t earn my fold as quickly as he would have liked, he began counting his chips in an effort to make his bet look even stronger.

Strong means weak – I call, and I was right. And this is one of the reasons I really enjoy live poker over the online variety a great deal – not that I have any real choice in the matter as an American.

There should be some consideration of the equity you have in the tourney - how close you are to payouts - other opponents stack sizes and factors you don't really discuss in your summary. I don't think you can just look at hand ranges and your hands without factoring in that you are there to get paid. Im all for playing for the win, but cashing is nice and maybe a more conservative style once you get ahold of a nice stack and you finish deep in the money where you can change gears again and go for the win.

P.S. Tough beat on AA vs 44 hand - perhaps next time you win the hands where you were unlucky and take it down.

Most of the contents of this post were so far out of the money they bare no consideration to payouts. When I was busted we were still 5 spots away – if the AQ hand would have worked out like it would most of the time, I would have had ~$250K with a $12K BB, in other words, a 20+BB stack. Such a stack at such a stage, 5 off the bubble, would have forced me to consider payouts and all that – but until then, I don’t think there was much to consider.

I like most of your plays. You got nice value on your big hands.

However, I'm really confused about the first hand. What do you think you are live against w/45c? Don't get me wrong, I love small suited connectors, but I like raising with them in position and out playing my opponents or flopping disguised monsters and getting paid. I do not like getting it in pre w/45 suited at all. It may be a call if you are only calling a little more or if the blinds are just stupid high that you have to get it in any way possible. But you've put in 4.4k (first mistake) at 100-400-800 and now have to call 13k more off a 29k stack? That's almost half your stack. Just let that one go.

Yes, so it’s interesting that you noticed that – one of my buddies (we trade notes routinely) said the same thing.

First, to be fair, this is all done from memory – after 11 or 12 hours of poker, 2 or 3 hours of driving, and a full night’s sleep, sometimes the details get mixed up in my head, though it usually takes someone from an outside perspective to point out the flaw(s). I remember very specifically that he shoved ~$17K and I had to call about $13K – the blind level we were in at the time, however, may not have been correct.

The raiser in that hand was raising and limping often. Near the beginning of the game, he was raising 4x and 5x, but as the levels increased he moved down to 2.5x-ish. It’s difficult for me to remember exactly, especially now (nearly a week later) – which is why I write these things up as near to busting as possible. Many other details like the size of my stack and relationship to other players at the table, even certain conversations that took place, help me to reconstruct and remember when this hand occurred – so it is also possible that the 100-400-800 level is actually correct – we’ll never know at this point.

Anyway, it doesn’t really matter, this was a bad call pre-flop and I know that. Against a single quality opponent, it might not be so bad, especially if I intended on floating a lot of flops, but against this guy, with a hyper-aggro to my left – this was bad. I got myself into a spot where I had to call for his stack pre-flop with a 45 – even though I am getting the right price, this is not a profitable way to approach tournament poker.

Also, and just for the record, I didn’t raise the 45 hand, there was an UTG raise from a hyper-active player and 2 callers before my action – I wanted a flop in position for a big pot, that was the thought behind the flat call, and this was the first hand the hyper-agrro on my left shoved; I have played him before, however, and he always plays like that, so I knew better than to call here – it’s too tempting for him; he half-ass squeeze shoves all the time from any position. But this hand, and my knowledge of his holdings, did make the A7 call a little later even easier, so, getting involved here wasn’t completely negative.
 
Everybodylovesdeuces

Everybodylovesdeuces

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Total posts
148
Chips
0
I've been thinking about those small suited connectors a lot lately. I have a really LAG style and love to play a lot of hands but when started only raising with them or calling with amazing pot odds my results have gone significantly up.

I also have a hard time remembering all of the details of my hands for HA later. A lot of times I text my couple of close poker friends my hands throughout the tourney and it makes it a little easier to go back through the hand.
 
Top