ThePokerResource.net: A Rounder’s blog

I walk into the Penn and Teller theatre at The Rio and it’s an intense moment. 150 seats are reserved for me and everyone came out in support of me. I mean this is an opportunity of a life time and it meant so much that everyone showed up. I cannot help think about this day and the whole magnitude of it all.

The commissioner, Jeffrey Pollack, does the table announcements and my crowd cheered so loudly, words cannot express my gratefulness at that moment. I’m so nervous, but I’m itching to get this going and play some poker.

Blinds 120-240k with a 30k ante

The first hand. Everyone folds to me and I look down and two beautiful Aces. I can’t believe my luck but I’m so disappointed nobody raised in front of me. I believe that since everybody has the nervous jitters I got really unlucky that everyone folded. I open for 520k praying for some action. Eastgate quickly folds and Dennis tanks it in the BB and actually has the 280k more to call.  He looks at me and finally folds.  Such a burn. I pick up the 630k in dead money, peak around 3.2 million but a HUGE missed opportunity there.

I literally fold for about 3 orbits and around 1.5 hours of poker and I’m in the BB with about 900k. In this time, I have no real hands and no real good push opportunities. The only 1 hand I question is A9hh, 2^nd one in for about 2.5 million. Very close decision but I elected to fold. Eastgate raised this hand and Suharto defended the flop comes K high and Suharto check folds to a continuation bet from Eastgate. I can’t help but wonder if I could of won that hand. My next hand, everyone folds to Ivan. He puts me in and I call dark. To my delight I find two Kings against his K10. The flop comes 776, turn 9, river blank.  And I double up to about 2.2 million.  Again, if only I had a pure double up or so earlier. I have no regrets though. 

The best part about this hand, is that literally everyone that was there on my behalf didn’t get an opportunity to cheer for me until I was in a hand. I felt so much pressure to perform and I just wanted to win a hand so everyone can cheer. I literally folded for 1.5 hours and the writing was on the wall.  I mean I’m fighting so hard but, there was nothing I felt I could do here given the situation.

In the cutoff I find AK offsuit and chino opens for a standard 800k. I move in quickly for 1.8 million total and he quickly calls. He has the same hand and we are most likely going to chop.  To my horror the flop comes J108 all hearts and he has the A of hearts. He essentially has a 35% freeroll on me to spike a heart and bust me. My heart is racing so hard but I’ve accepted my fate, ood or bad. The turn brings a black Q and the river pairs the Q with the diamond and we chop this pot. I am still alive…my fans are screaming and the moment is so intense for me I cannot fathom the magnitude of this.

Blinds 200-400, ante 50k

Again I fold for another orbit or so and find K3ss in the BB and Chino raises my button. I have about 1.8 million with 400k in the BB. I folded, however I think I should of probably went with the hand. I thought a long time about this fold. I really think that I should of went with it bc I’m probably a 40-60% dog and it’s time to give the cards a try. I talked with Nam Le about my strategy in the main event final table and he said something really smart: “Kelly, in the final table I would of definitely played your style bc I could never live with myself if I got it in real bad and busted out. However, after that much time it’s time to give the cards a chance. Good or bad.”  Very good words of advice, and sometimes even after all of that I really don’t know if given the second chance and knowing the outcome by folding and moving up one spot.  Was it worth it? I mean realistically, this is probably my first and only chance at becoming a world champion. $388k Is so much money though and it means so much to me. But becoming world champion is a whole different ball game and ball park. Gambling to try and get lucky and get chips, there is something to be said for that. I still don’t know what I would do if we played it again.

I have 1.1 million on the button now after folding both blinds. Suharto opens for 1 million straight and I look down at 3s on the button. I tank for about 45 seconds. Here is the problem with this hand here. If I call the 1.1 million, Eastgate and Phillips should call any two out of the blinds knowing that it’s going to get checked down. Pocket 3s vs 3 other players is a huge dog to win. In this spot I would much rather have a big Ace where if I pair one of my cards, I have a pretty realistic chance of winning. I end up folding, and Suharto gets a walk. I really think this is the correct fold.

I literally fold to under the gun after I look down at J5 off.  Eastgate and Phillips folds and Craig open pushes for 4.8 million (12 BBs).  I now see some hope after Ylon folds and Montgomery tanks it. He finally says, “I call.”  I cannot believe what’s happening and it gets folded around. Craig tables 77 and Montgomery tables AQ offsuit.

I move to my support group at the final table and we see a flop. The flop comes A107 and I scream as I think Scott is ahead but Craig flops a set of 7s. Scott in this hand has a 3.5% chance of winning or essentially a 30-1 shot. The turn brings hope as a Jack comes off and after a slight pause a K peals off completing the gutter ball straight. 

Just like that I am now guaranteed an additional $388k for surviving.  The next hand I get pocket 4s and Ylon limps, Darus limps, Demidov limps and I raise my last 250k. The flop comes 963 and Demidov bets out and only Suharto calls. Turn an Ace and it goes check, check river a blank ,and check-check.  Suharto wins with 109 as Demidov tables 95, and I’m out.

I bust out literally one hand after Craig does and I move up 1 spot. I fought hard and played my best, I really wish that if I had like 2 extra million in chips, I could of made a difference. However, given all that, I really can’t complain about the result. 

About the Craig bust out hand.  I spent so much time thinking about it. I believe the only two players at the table had to have the exact 2 hands and I have to sweat a 30-1 shot to win. I really believe it was an act of God and it was my destiny to move up this one spot. Craig decides to push in the 3 hole with 6 players left behind with pocket 7s for 12 BB’s. I mean any other player given the magnitude of the situation, and me essentially all in the next should probably either fold or raise like 3-4 x to get a walk.  However, he pushes his whole stack in. Now, Scott calls off 45% of his stack with AQ which I think is a bad call. Given the situation, Craig will have a pocket pair or AK, I believe a 100% of his range there, or maybe just maybe AQ as well. I don’t think he is pushing there with AJ. I think he would raise. Given Craig’s pushing raise, Scott’s hand plays poorly against it 100% of the time. Even after all that the flop comes A107 giving Scott a 3.5% chance of winning. He get’s there and I move up one spot. I really believe it was God’s will and I thank everyone that came out and prayed for me and I owe a lot of thanks to God.

I hope you guys enjoyed this journey with me from beginning to end.  I really thank all the support and prayers.  I look forward to playing this tournament again and I will strive hard to show a good performance.

Until next year,

Much love,

KK