WSOP Satellite 9 handed $167 buyin

I really need to get used to tournament poker again.  I don't play them very often and if I want to do well in Vegas, I need to get my butt in gear.  Today's tournament is basically a sit n go style but with a different twist.  Winner gets to play in a $1500 WSOP event this year but retains a 60% stake in themselves.  The other 40% goes to the other participants (5% each to the remaining 8).  I think its a great idea.  Obviously, every member that is participating has to be very trustworthy and honest.  I felt we had a strong field of 9 and whoever that won, would represent the group well.  Keep in mind, I know all my opponents fairly well, besides 1, so this should be advantageous in this tournament.

Tournament is a deep stack style.  10,000 starting stack, 30 mins rounds, and blinds start at 25/25 and slowly escalates.  I don't think anybody was even knocked out in the first 3 hours.

I started off playing more pots because of the deep stack nature of the tournament and I knew that nobody wanted to go busto early.  I got in there and mixed it up a bit.  There were a few pots early on that I had the right read on my opponent but didn't continue to fire, which in turn cost me the pot.  A part of my tournament game I need to work on.

I had two great opportunities to build my stack early but I played weak poker and didn't extract the maximum value of each.  First hand, blinds 25/50, I raise in EP to 250 with  and my immediate left is the only caller.  Flop  and I lead out for 350.  My opponent raises to 800 and I call.  Turn .  I check, he bets 1000 and I call again.  River .  I check and he checks behind and tables .  I elected to play this hand really slow and I think it cost me.  I had my opponent on an overpair to the board on the flop or possibly a big diamond draw.  I believe I missed a reraise on the flop and if not there, for sure on the turn.  Second hand, blinds 50/100, UTG raises to 400, 1 caller, and I raise to 1500 with .  UTG calls as does the limper (to my surprise).  Flop .  UTG leads out for 2500 and the limper folds.  I didn't feel like he had AA because he didn't reraise preflop.  (this opponent would do that).  I thought the only possibilities were 1010, JJ, or QQ with the latter two most likely.  I also know my opponent is capable of laying down JJ or QQ too but would he here?  I chose to go AI (an additional 4500 to my opponent because I had him outstacked) which I think was my mistake because he laid down .  I think if I just call his flop bet, he gets it all in there on the turn and I stack him.  Tournaments are so critical in that you have to accumulate chips every opportunity you get and I think in these 2 instances, I didn't maximize my return.

After that, I just went card dead.  I tried to pick spots here and there and steal.  I got knocked out in 7th place 5 1/2 hours in with the blinds at 500/1000 and I open shoved for 5500 with  and was called by the chip leader with .  Not too bad considering my circumstances.  The flop brought a 10 for me to take the lead but the turn was a K and river A and good game TK. 

I was dissappointed by my finish and I misplayed a few hands that I could have played differently.  It was definitely fun and a very good experience.  I can't wait for the next one.  On top of that, I have a 5% stake in the winner so I hope he finishes 1st (which could be some big bucks my way!).

See you at the felt!

TK