ThePokerResource.net: A Rounder’s blog

OK, based on my previous results so far during the LAPC, I really wanted to jump out to a good start. I scan the table and see a pretty decent lineup. But fairly quickly, I get my stack up to about 3400 from the original starting stack of 2500. Unfortunately, I miss a few flops and call a raise with 66, which then another player re-raises too small for me to fold. So I call and miss. I’m back down to 2200. The only good news is that I see my target: player I never played with before who over bets his hands. Well, 4 players limp in and I limp in the cutoff with 68h. The button makes it 150 (this is still during the first level), and 6 of us see the flop. The cards flop J 8 6 with 2 diamonds, and everyone checks to the player to my immediate right who leads for 350. Now, after I deliberate, I elect to cold call hoping the button raises, and then I can shove the rest of my stack in. Unfortunately, he just calls. We see the turn 3 ways, and it comes another J. OUCH…Talk about a bad turn card. The player now leads for 1k and I fold, while the button calls. The river comes an Ace, and the player now check-calls a 1k bet. The button shows 910c. and the original raiser turns over A8. Now I’m really feeling sick. I mean, how bad did I misplay this hand? I definitely need to move on the flop: the player on the button will probably call anyways and the player with A8 would definitely fold. I really was shaken up after this hand. I’m not happy because I lost 500 of my short stack, bringing me down to about 1500.

The next hand I play here, everyone folds to me on the button. I raise with 67s, and the BB calls. This is the same player I have been targeting. We see the flop heads-up and it comes 983 with 1 spade. He leads for 300. Now, he did this play to me earlier, but I flopped a big enough hand this time so I push in for 1300 total, and he quickly folds, asking me if I have QQ. LOL. Nope.

Now I’m back to about 1800 and the blinds have gone up to 50-100. This player just doubles the blind to 200 after one player limps and 3 people call. I’m in the BB with AK, and I push in. I know for sure the player that double-raised is just sweetening the pot and doesn’t have much of a hand. I’m pretty stoked when everyone folds. I’m back up to about 2800 and feeling much better.

CK Hua comes to my table with a healthy stack. I really like his game a lot. He raises 4 straight hands. The first one he opens for 350 and gets a walk. The next hand he raises to 400 and gets a walk. The next hand he opens for 450, which he gets called by the BB (the target) and another player. The flop comes A Q 10 with two clubs. The other player and the target go all-in. CK calls, shows AA vs. J9c. Then bam, a King on the turn, and he loses his top set. Now, the very next hand he opens for 500, and I look down at AK. This is sweet. I know he is kind of steamed, and I have about 2900, but a player as good as CK, I don’t want to just push in here because I don’t want to advertise AK. I make it 1900 total, leaving me with about 900 left. I want him to think a bit, and make it real tough for him to call with a small pair. After about 20 seconds, he calls the 1400 more. At this point, I put him on like 88, 99, AQ or so. Again, I know he is kind of steamed up. I am going all-in on the flop no matter what comes. The only reason I didn’t push pre-flop is for deceptive purposes. Anyways, the flop comes 823 rainbow, and he pushes in, I quickly call. To my delight he turns up A7. I mean come on, is this really happening? Did he just tilt off 2900 to me with A7? Well, I’m not complaining. I fade the turn and river. Now I’m up to 6k….SWEET.

Our table breaks. I get moved to a table where there are pretty deep stacks, but I manage to maintain my stack and build it up to about 7k. At the 100-200 level with 25 ante, a player with a big stack opens for 600, Jack Boghresian (spelling?) calls and the button calls. I look down at AQ in the SB. Now, it’s just kind of lucky I have this big of a hand. I was waiting for a spot like this to pick up the dead money. I’m pretty sure Jack has like AQ also, or even 99, or maybe AK, but this is irrelevant. I re-raise to 2600 total, leaving me with about 4k in chips. Now, before we go further, I haven’t played a hand for literally 3 or 4 orbits. My image is squeaky tight. This is why I don’t really need a hand here. Anyways, it takes about a minute, during which I’m definitely sweating it our, but everyone folds. Jack, flashes AK to the player to his right, saying “I can’t believe I’m folding this.” The original player also claims he had AK as well. I’m feeling real good. It was a little risky, maybe, but worth it. A hand like that is what I mean when I say to look for situations in tournaments to build your stack.

OK, the blinds are now at 300-600 with a 75 ante, and I haven’t made any progress. I haven’t had any pair bigger than 8s, and we are already down to 6 tables, which is getting closer to the money. I know my image is squeaky tight and I’m sitting on about 6600. Whenever you are at about 10 times the BB, it’s time to make a move. Well I’m in the SB, everyone folds to me, I look at the 10 of diamonds and I push all-in without knowing my second card. The BB has about 6k, and I know he thinks I’m tight. But he deliberates for a minute, and finally calls with A10 off. I look at my other card and see an 8. Suffice to say, we race…I’m burning that I am dominated, and shocked that he actually called with such a marginal holding. Anyways, he takes everything but 400, and I bust out on the next hand.

Do I have any regrets about my play? No, not really. There is 1700 in dead money. I know if I get a walk there I’ll have enough chips to move in after a raise, the player won’t be pot committed, and I could get a walk. It’s important to be able to be in that position, so if you move in with a non pair hand like AK, you can win without seeing a flop. To sum it up, I’ve been real card dead and there really wasn’t much I could do. I never held a pair bigger than 8s. I got close again, but with no avail, I came up short. Oh well, it’s poker.

Until next time,
Peace
KK