First Multi Location Tournament
Yesterday, the group hosted the first ever multi-site tournament. It was a 44 man tournament, with the field split up between two houses. I wasn't all for the 11 handed tables but it is what it is. Once we got down to 22, we would have a dinner break where we would combine at a single location. The whole event went rather smoothly.
We did have an incident where I was playing. At the first break, the cops showed up. I don't know if the neighbors called in a complaint or something but they came in, checked everything out, and went about their business. We didn't lie about playing poker for money or anything. It was a rather odd encounter really.
I really liked my table draw to start the tournament. There was only 2 - 3 new faces at my table but I figured them out pretty quick. With 22,500 starting stack and blinds 25/25, I felt I had plenty of time to be patience and selective. The first time I raised, I had JJ and flopped a set on a diamond board (ace of diamonds on board also). I was check raised on the flop but elected to just call to keep the pot small. Turn put the 4th diamond on the board and he checked to me. The check was a little odd I thought. At this point, I assumed it was because he didn't have the nut flush. But after check raising the flop I expected to have to make a big decision on the turn. Again, for a little pot control, I checked behind. River paird the ace. Perfect. Again, he checked to me. Honestly, I don't know what hand could possibly pay me off here. Trip aces would have to have a decent diamond and why wouldn't he bet it, especially on the turn? I know my opponent will pay off light too though, especially early. I went ahead and made a big size and was called and of course I was good.
The next big pot I played, I raised in LP with AK and called in 4 spots. Flop A K Q with 2 spades. EP leads out, everybody calls and I make a pretty big raise to define my hand. Everybody folds but one. Turn rag and he leads into me. The ONLY hand i'm worried about right now is J10. Any other hand that beats me would have raised preflop and doesn't just flat call the flop bets. I could see J10 playing it that way though. At the same time, I wasn't convinced thats what he had so I called. River 10, non spade and he bets into me again. Talk about a scary card. Even if he was on a spade draw but had had QJ spades, etc, he got there. I still think the one hand he could have that beats me is J10. I don't see him holding AJ or any other weird J combination. I called and he had Qrag of spades... I won another big pot when I flopped 2 pair with 72o out of the BB against a guy who decided to slow play KK but couldn't let it go. I guess people think I like to play 15K/20K pots when the blinds are 25/50 with just one pair. By the end of the first break, I had around 55K in chips and was a force at my table.
In the 2nd segment, there wasn't much happening for me. I flopped 2 pair a few times but the board would flush out by the river. I kept losses to a minimum though. It NEVER makes any sense to me why people check their made draws on the river. I'm betting in that spot like 0% of the time and the only way you're going to make money off of me is to BET your made hand and put me to a decision. But whatev.
I picked it back up in the 3rd segment. I made a sick play with J8o out of the BB just for the sake of making it. (Mainly cause this lady kept on blabbing about how she would fold winners with Q2o, 94o, etc when the board was in her favor after folding..meh. She also kept showing these meaningless bluffs when everyone checks to her and she would bet and then show air) 1 limper and folds the lady on the button who makes a pretty big raise. Honestly, I was about ready to fold until the SB says "why so much" and she whispers because I hate playing this hand after the flop. Theres only a couple of hands she could mean and I said F it and I'm going to see if I can outplay her. I call as does the original limper. Flop comes A rag rag with 2 clubs. In my mind I'm thinking this is a perfect spot to pull it off. I check to see what the limper would do and it gets check around. Turn brings the 3rd club and I lead into the pot. Limper folds and she starts thinking. I put her on KK, QQ, and possibly JJ also with one of them being a club. After rechecking her cards, she calls. River is an irrelevant rag. I bet about 75% of the pot. I wanted it to look like I wanted a call, but at the same time it was a good portion of her stack. She's talking to herself and so forth and then lays her hand down faceup. I couldn't help myself and turned over my cards. She goes on about how she KNEW I was bluffing and shoulda called blah blah blah. Table went crazy! I said "If you knew then be about it and don't talk about it". LOL
When we combined locations, I had 90K and was chip leader at my location. A guy at the other place had about 95K. Average stack was 44K so I was in great shape. By the time we got down to the final table, I had 200K and was 2nd in chips with blinds 6K/12K. But final table poker is a lot different because losing 1 pot could change everything. I battled, but couldn't win some races in a few key spots. When it got down to 3 handed, blinds 7K/14K, button pushes AI for 80K. I call with AK and he flips over 63o. Board brings a 3 and I'm left with about 24K after this. Of course I push the next hand and was eliminated.
I was happy with a 3rd place finish since I was out of commission for 2 months. But I'm always dissappointed unless its a 1st place finish. I picked right up where I left off. I made good decisions throughout the entire tournament and I didn't have to put my entire stack in the middle until that last hand. If a few of the coin flips go my way, I think I finish first. I guess its like riding your bike, you never really forget.
Until next time!
TK
We did have an incident where I was playing. At the first break, the cops showed up. I don't know if the neighbors called in a complaint or something but they came in, checked everything out, and went about their business. We didn't lie about playing poker for money or anything. It was a rather odd encounter really.
I really liked my table draw to start the tournament. There was only 2 - 3 new faces at my table but I figured them out pretty quick. With 22,500 starting stack and blinds 25/25, I felt I had plenty of time to be patience and selective. The first time I raised, I had JJ and flopped a set on a diamond board (ace of diamonds on board also). I was check raised on the flop but elected to just call to keep the pot small. Turn put the 4th diamond on the board and he checked to me. The check was a little odd I thought. At this point, I assumed it was because he didn't have the nut flush. But after check raising the flop I expected to have to make a big decision on the turn. Again, for a little pot control, I checked behind. River paird the ace. Perfect. Again, he checked to me. Honestly, I don't know what hand could possibly pay me off here. Trip aces would have to have a decent diamond and why wouldn't he bet it, especially on the turn? I know my opponent will pay off light too though, especially early. I went ahead and made a big size and was called and of course I was good.
The next big pot I played, I raised in LP with AK and called in 4 spots. Flop A K Q with 2 spades. EP leads out, everybody calls and I make a pretty big raise to define my hand. Everybody folds but one. Turn rag and he leads into me. The ONLY hand i'm worried about right now is J10. Any other hand that beats me would have raised preflop and doesn't just flat call the flop bets. I could see J10 playing it that way though. At the same time, I wasn't convinced thats what he had so I called. River 10, non spade and he bets into me again. Talk about a scary card. Even if he was on a spade draw but had had QJ spades, etc, he got there. I still think the one hand he could have that beats me is J10. I don't see him holding AJ or any other weird J combination. I called and he had Qrag of spades... I won another big pot when I flopped 2 pair with 72o out of the BB against a guy who decided to slow play KK but couldn't let it go. I guess people think I like to play 15K/20K pots when the blinds are 25/50 with just one pair. By the end of the first break, I had around 55K in chips and was a force at my table.
In the 2nd segment, there wasn't much happening for me. I flopped 2 pair a few times but the board would flush out by the river. I kept losses to a minimum though. It NEVER makes any sense to me why people check their made draws on the river. I'm betting in that spot like 0% of the time and the only way you're going to make money off of me is to BET your made hand and put me to a decision. But whatev.
I picked it back up in the 3rd segment. I made a sick play with J8o out of the BB just for the sake of making it. (Mainly cause this lady kept on blabbing about how she would fold winners with Q2o, 94o, etc when the board was in her favor after folding..meh. She also kept showing these meaningless bluffs when everyone checks to her and she would bet and then show air) 1 limper and folds the lady on the button who makes a pretty big raise. Honestly, I was about ready to fold until the SB says "why so much" and she whispers because I hate playing this hand after the flop. Theres only a couple of hands she could mean and I said F it and I'm going to see if I can outplay her. I call as does the original limper. Flop comes A rag rag with 2 clubs. In my mind I'm thinking this is a perfect spot to pull it off. I check to see what the limper would do and it gets check around. Turn brings the 3rd club and I lead into the pot. Limper folds and she starts thinking. I put her on KK, QQ, and possibly JJ also with one of them being a club. After rechecking her cards, she calls. River is an irrelevant rag. I bet about 75% of the pot. I wanted it to look like I wanted a call, but at the same time it was a good portion of her stack. She's talking to herself and so forth and then lays her hand down faceup. I couldn't help myself and turned over my cards. She goes on about how she KNEW I was bluffing and shoulda called blah blah blah. Table went crazy! I said "If you knew then be about it and don't talk about it". LOL
When we combined locations, I had 90K and was chip leader at my location. A guy at the other place had about 95K. Average stack was 44K so I was in great shape. By the time we got down to the final table, I had 200K and was 2nd in chips with blinds 6K/12K. But final table poker is a lot different because losing 1 pot could change everything. I battled, but couldn't win some races in a few key spots. When it got down to 3 handed, blinds 7K/14K, button pushes AI for 80K. I call with AK and he flips over 63o. Board brings a 3 and I'm left with about 24K after this. Of course I push the next hand and was eliminated.
I was happy with a 3rd place finish since I was out of commission for 2 months. But I'm always dissappointed unless its a 1st place finish. I picked right up where I left off. I made good decisions throughout the entire tournament and I didn't have to put my entire stack in the middle until that last hand. If a few of the coin flips go my way, I think I finish first. I guess its like riding your bike, you never really forget.
Until next time!
TK
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