2006 WSOP - No Limit Hold’em Main Event, Day 1 - July 31
I scan my table and see 4 internet qualifiers but no big named pros. Quite frankly, my table has old players on it (I think average age is probably like 45 or so). This is a good thing, I can safely assume that I will be one of the active stacks and I figure the table to be tight-passive, which is the best table to play with. This year the field is so huge that you need to be accumulating chips. However, the blind structure is so good that I don’t really have to manufacture any pots or hands. I have a goal to finish the day with 50k, which seems very attainable since average will be around 25k or so after all four day ones are completed. I really hope to get off to a good start.
In the SB after everyone folds, I limp in for 50 with 10 7s, and the BB checks. The flop is J 9 5, all spades…bam! I flop a flush, so I bet 125 which he calls quickly. The turn brings a red King, so I bet 300 and he calls. The river is a red brick, so I bet 600 and he calls. I’m up to 11,000 real quick. The very next hand on the button I pick up two aces and everyone folds to the cutoff who opens for 200. I re-raise to 700 straight and he folds. I don’t mind re-raising a bit here because it’s early and I have aces. I am not so much extracting value here as I am more protecting my hand. Anytime you pick up aces early in a tournament, no matter what tournament it is, this hand can be your last. So protect them.
During this level I hover between 11-12k and I limp in with A5c. This older gentleman opens for 275 on the button, the SB calls, and I call 225 more to see a flop. Qc 5h 6c and it gets checked around. The turn is the 10c, so I pick up the nuts and the SB leads for 500. I call and the pre-flop raiser folds. River pairs 10s, he checks, so I bet 1400. He calls and shows two kings so I stack this decent pot…sweet, I’m up to 14k. (How bad did that guy play KK?) I’m setting up this table to fear me. I just want free looks when I limp, and I want no one to attack my blinds, especially early. This is good that I’m setting the tone so far.
Next level, blinds go up to 50-100, and someone opens for 300. The cutoff calls, I call on the button with 78h, and the SB calls as well. The flop comes 356 with 2 diamonds. They all check to me. I want to just take the pot right now - bet 1100 - and only the SB calls. I’m pretty confident he has a flush draw. The turn comes perfect: a black 4, he checks, I bet 2200, he hesitates and calls. The river comes a black 7, what a great card for me. I know now he will call the river, the question is, how much? I deliberate and bet 4k. I think the correct bet should be 5k, but I don’t want him to fold, so I’m willing to give up a little here to ensure a call. He takes about 20 seconds and calls hoping to play the board. I show him the 8 and he folds. Up to 20k.
After two limpers, I limp on the button with 99. I’m pretty sure a big raise here will win the pot, but I want to flop a set and win a big pot. The SB limps, as does the BB, and we see the flop 5-handed. The flop comes K95, with the 9 5 of diamonds. Everyone checks to the cutoff who bets 500, and I quickly make it 1500. He then re-raises to 4k straight and I push in. He then calls off his last 5k and we turn them up. K4d for him and 99 for me (basically, a set vs. flush draw). It bricks off twice and I’m up to 33k…that’s what I’m talking about! At this point, I’m thinking 100k is conceivable…lol. Poker can have you thinking crazy things sometimes when the momentum distorts a more logical expectation.
I bluff off some chips with a flush draw and quit on the river, losing about 4k. I’m now hovering around 29k or so. I think to myself that I better slow down. I’m playing a little too fast.
Blinds now up to 100-200. Basically, the last few levels I’ve been limping, seeing lots of flops and attacking, since I’m pretty much the big stack. Another stack has about 20k or so, but I really feel that I am dictating the pace of the table and controlling it. Anyways, I look at JJ in late position. This short stack with 4.5k limps in, I make it 700 to go (I want a call from him) and we see the flop heads up. 823 with one club. He checks and I bet 800. He pushes, which I obviously call. 98c vs. JJ. Turn pairs deuces with the club to give him a flush draw, and the river is the 6c…BURN, back down to 24k. That pot would of put me back over 35k, but oh well, I’m glad I lost this one and not the K4d.
Nothing much materializing during this level and I end it with 24k going into dinner break. I hover around 25k for the next two hours until we finally break my table and I move. With blinds at 150-300, my new table has two pretty big stacks and a couple of stacks comparable to mine. However, all the raises pre-flop are between 3-5 times the BB. This is not good. The table is all pre-flop action: raise and take it; or raise, re-raise and take it. They are not seeing flops which I want to do. Also, the opening raises are so big that if you decide to play a hand it ends up being a big hand b/c of the pot sizes. It’s a raise-and-take-it scenario, and everyone opens for too much. I hover around 25k for 3 hours and don’t pick up any hands. I dip as low as 18k, but manage to build back up to 25k when my next big hand materializes.
I’m all-in for the first time of the tournament. A new player sits in and loses a big pot with AA to 1010. He is now short with 8K. He has been somewhat active and he raises to 900 early. I look down at JJ. This is the first hand I’ve had in 4 hours. I re-raised to 2500 straight. Previously, I would re-raise more here to get a walk, but I want to find out the information I want without committing more chips. If I re-raise more and he moves in, I am pot committed to call. This way, I represent a huge hand like AA and KK here, and if he moves in, he has to have that big of a hand (so to speak). Anyways, he calls, and the flop comes 933 rainbow. This is a great flop. He does this Hollywood act and finally checks after 40 seconds. I then move in for 10K, covering him, and he quickly folds. I really needed this pot.
About 30 minutes later I limp in with KQs in early position. I’m trying to encourage some pre-flop limping to see flops, etc. The player directly behind me limps in as well, and we see the flop with 5-way action. It comes down K96 rainbow, and I lead for 1k, which the limper right behind makes it 3k to go. He has about 7.5k left and I go into the tank. I’m not pretty sure where I am at in this hand but I don’t think I can just fold. So after about 45 seconds, I call. The turn pairs 6s, I check, he goes all in for 7.5k, and I go into the tank. I now eliminate a set because of the over bet. So I deduce that he can have only AK, KQ, or KJ. His image is screaming AK, but I just don’t know how he can limp in with AK given his short stack. I think and think, and elect to call hoping he has KQ or KJ. So what does he show me? To my horror, he shows me AK. No problem, river Q solves all this. I eliminate him and I’m up to 38k in chips. BOOYEAH!!!!!
During the last 2 hours of play, I am somewhat active even though I don’t have any hands. I really want to get over 45k or so and I know most of the players just want to make it through the day. Unfortunately, I attack the chip leader’s blind with AJ on the button. He calls. The flop comes Q65. He checks, I bet 1900 and he calls. The turn comes a 10, he checks, and I bet 3500. This is a real important bet because in his mind he is thinking, 3500 now and 7k on the river. He calls and I am pretty burning. I know he has a weak Q or a 6 and the river comes a 2. He checks and I take about 30 seconds and give up on this pot. If I fire the last 7k shell bullet and he calls, I would be all the way down to 22k or so. I elect to check, knowing I can’t win this pot. He turns over 77, and I am somewhat stunned. My image is good, but I know he wants to win a pot from me because I have been the only player to take a few pots from him and he has been waiting to tango with me. Oh well. His call is so bad on the turn regardless.
Our table finally breaks and I go to a new table with 20 minutes left. I have about 38k and with the last hand of the night I have 44 in the BB. Everyone folds to the button that opens for 1700. I’m pretty sure I have the best hand and I want to go after the pot. So I re-raise to 5200 straight, which he calls. OMG…this is not good. The flop comes Q106 rainbow, which is horrible for me. I check and he bets 2k. What a sick bet. I mean, he either has the nuts or nothing. I take a minute for “show” and fold. He then shows me 89 for a double gut-shot straight draw. I think to myself: this guy is an idiot. I really should have over 40k, but I end with 33,475. Through one long day of poker (15+ hours), I have already outlasted 60% of the field. I hope I pick up some hands on Wednesday. I had aces only twice within the first 5 minutes of the tournament, and nothing since. I’m very much in the hunt. This year, I won’t make a major mistake for all my chips. I hope to have a good blog for you guys in a few days. Until then….
-KK