League Game #2
The game wasn't really an ideal league game situation, as we sat 35 people, of which a 1/3 of the field was non league members. But what can you do about it right? Just play on.
I felt I had a good table draw, 4 new people but I was able to figure out their playing style fairly quickly. Sticking with my game plan, I played fairly conservative but very aggressive in spots. Here's an example of the play I was up against. 100/200 level:
in lp and I raise it to 1200 behind 3/4 limpers and 2 of the limpers call. Flop 
. Checked to me and I bet 1600. And both call. sigh. Turn 
, a fairly dangerous card but it only completes gut shot straight draws. Checks to me again and I bet 3000 and only 1 calls. Not really sure where he is at because he's the type of player that is clueless. River 
. Just a terrible card, yet he checks. I check behind, not neccessarily because I think I'm behind, but to see what the hell he is calling me with and I didn't want to get checkraised in this spot either. He tables 
. Uh huh......
I played well no big pots, small ball and went into the first break right around 20K from a starting stack of 15K. After the break is where I decided to turn it up a notch. 200/400 level: Multiway limped pot on the button and I call with
. Flop 
. MP leads out for 1200, 2 callers and I decide to make a move for the pot and raise to 4K. I get one reluctantly caller but I shut it down right then. Turn 
. He checks and I check behind. River brings the magical 
. However, to my surprise he checks again. What could he possibly have to check call the flop and check now on the river? I thought for sure that 8 hit him on the turn but was I wrong? I felt like I had the best hand and made a pot sized bet. He called and showed 
and was mad that I "sucked out" on him. YES I did get lucky, I'm not going to lie but you LET ME get there because you never made a move for the pot. Thats not my fault.
The hand that got me rolling and in control. 300/600 level: I limp in the SB with
and we take a 3 way flop of 
. I check, BB bets 1500, limper calls and I checkraised to 6K. BB RR to 14K and its folded back to me. WOW. I am really concerned with KJ, K5, or 55 as all these hands have me dominated. I eliminated KK or JJ because he wasn't the type to slow play these kind of hands. His raise left him with about 20K behind and I had about 50K/60K starting this hand. So, I started talking to him to get information. I concluded I had the best hand and moved in. He calls and shows 
. Not really the hand I wanted to see as its basically a coin flip. Turn and river brick out (thankfully) and I take a huge chip lead.
I managed my chip stack really well but when we combined tables to 2 and had about 18 left, I went completely CARD DEAD. I was right around 100K in chips forever and when we went to the final table, I was in the median, chip stack wise.
The only hand I want to talk about from the final table is where I think I made a mistake with 5 players left. 6000/12000 level: I'm in the BB with
with about 200K behind. UTG folds, player raises to 40K (leaving 80K behind), button moves in for 100K, SB folds and its back to me. Its really a tough spot to be in this late in the tournament. Its a strong hand because the range of what people are raising and pushing with are SO WIDE. I elected to move in over the top and original raiser calls. Original raiser shows 
and button shows 
. The board bricks out and and now he takes a HUGE lead and his tournament to win. I think I once again got caught up in the IF I WIN this hand, I win the tournament mentality. I should have folded. Even the range of hands are wide, I needed to take into consideration the two players were fairly tight and the originally raiser wasn't folding anything there. If one of them had a pair, I'm flipping a coin 3 way when I really didn't need to yet. The player did go on to win the tournament, while I was eliminated in 4th but took 2nd in league standings. I'm just glad I am able to identify my mistake and need to think more thoroughly. I currently sit 1st overall after 2 weeks! Bet no one saw that coming with my showing last season!
See you at the felt!
TK
I felt I had a good table draw, 4 new people but I was able to figure out their playing style fairly quickly. Sticking with my game plan, I played fairly conservative but very aggressive in spots. Here's an example of the play I was up against. 100/200 level:
in lp and I raise it to 1200 behind 3/4 limpers and 2 of the limpers call. Flop . Checked to me and I bet 1600. And both call. sigh. Turn , a fairly dangerous card but it only completes gut shot straight draws. Checks to me again and I bet 3000 and only 1 calls. Not really sure where he is at because he's the type of player that is clueless. River . Just a terrible card, yet he checks. I check behind, not neccessarily because I think I'm behind, but to see what the hell he is calling me with and I didn't want to get checkraised in this spot either. He tables . Uh huh......I played well no big pots, small ball and went into the first break right around 20K from a starting stack of 15K. After the break is where I decided to turn it up a notch. 200/400 level: Multiway limped pot on the button and I call with
. Flop . MP leads out for 1200, 2 callers and I decide to make a move for the pot and raise to 4K. I get one reluctantly caller but I shut it down right then. Turn . He checks and I check behind. River brings the magical . However, to my surprise he checks again. What could he possibly have to check call the flop and check now on the river? I thought for sure that 8 hit him on the turn but was I wrong? I felt like I had the best hand and made a pot sized bet. He called and showed and was mad that I "sucked out" on him. YES I did get lucky, I'm not going to lie but you LET ME get there because you never made a move for the pot. Thats not my fault. The hand that got me rolling and in control. 300/600 level: I limp in the SB with
and we take a 3 way flop of . I check, BB bets 1500, limper calls and I checkraised to 6K. BB RR to 14K and its folded back to me. WOW. I am really concerned with KJ, K5, or 55 as all these hands have me dominated. I eliminated KK or JJ because he wasn't the type to slow play these kind of hands. His raise left him with about 20K behind and I had about 50K/60K starting this hand. So, I started talking to him to get information. I concluded I had the best hand and moved in. He calls and shows . Not really the hand I wanted to see as its basically a coin flip. Turn and river brick out (thankfully) and I take a huge chip lead.I managed my chip stack really well but when we combined tables to 2 and had about 18 left, I went completely CARD DEAD. I was right around 100K in chips forever and when we went to the final table, I was in the median, chip stack wise.
The only hand I want to talk about from the final table is where I think I made a mistake with 5 players left. 6000/12000 level: I'm in the BB with
with about 200K behind. UTG folds, player raises to 40K (leaving 80K behind), button moves in for 100K, SB folds and its back to me. Its really a tough spot to be in this late in the tournament. Its a strong hand because the range of what people are raising and pushing with are SO WIDE. I elected to move in over the top and original raiser calls. Original raiser shows and button shows . The board bricks out and and now he takes a HUGE lead and his tournament to win. I think I once again got caught up in the IF I WIN this hand, I win the tournament mentality. I should have folded. Even the range of hands are wide, I needed to take into consideration the two players were fairly tight and the originally raiser wasn't folding anything there. If one of them had a pair, I'm flipping a coin 3 way when I really didn't need to yet. The player did go on to win the tournament, while I was eliminated in 4th but took 2nd in league standings. I'm just glad I am able to identify my mistake and need to think more thoroughly. I currently sit 1st overall after 2 weeks! Bet no one saw that coming with my showing last season!See you at the felt!
TK
Comments