Weekend poker recap
Saturday and Sunday February 23 and 24 Update
It was a wild weekend and I played a TON of poker. Saturday started off pretty bad as I was only able to cash in one tournament of the many that I played. Nothing ever came about and I eventually lost about $70 in tournament entries. I tried a $22 deep stack that went bad on a suckout on the river in the second hour (we all know these go about 12 hours). Missed the money by 30 players in the $3 rebuy tournament after surviving the first hour and misplaying a hand close to the bubble. Horrible, horrible play against a big stack when I could have coasted to the money. A few $1 tournaments and my normal nightly tournaments. Even my sit n go play was a quick exit as I believe I went out in the first 30 minutes. Nothing worked out Saturday and the BR was down to $190.
Sunday was a different type of day. I started off trying to qualify into the Sunday million through a few of the $2.75 triple shootout sit n go's. At the same time I buy into a $.25/.50 ring game (I know, I said I wasn't going to play these anymore) for $10. I wanted so badly to play in the Sunday million, but my play in four of these sit n go's ended with me not even making it past the first round and these are only six handed tables! Not only that, but I end up being a $20 loser in ring games. Things are not going well and I wonder if I am going to eventually blow this BR as well and it's only noon.
I eventually enter into 3 tournaments that I feel will net me good results. First was the $3 rebuy tournament, next was the $11 100k, and a little $1.50 limit holdem tournament. By playing these three games, I stay away from the ring games and hopefully limit my losses as the BR stands at only $140.
The $3 rebuy doesn't go well and I end up buying a double rebuy after losing my initial 1500 chips. This takes me to break where I elect to make an add-on leaving me with about 8500 in chips. Not much and well below the average after the rebuy period. There is a player at the table that is totally talking trash and calling everyone donks. It's funny to listen to his remarks as he doesn't seem to grasp the concept of rebuy tournaments and tries to play it tightly. It works for him and he pretty much has most of the chips on the table after break (His name was luuckbox?? I don't know the ending numbers). We come back and I need to double up sooner or later. I get KQ and go all in, and this luuckbox guy calls me after saying "I'll donate." I double up as I have him dominated. About 40 minutes later I make a standard raise with AK and luuckbox is in the BB. He goes all in and I immediately call. He tables 88 and my AK makes it a race which I am more then happy to see. I flop the A and double up taking half of luuckbox's chips. He starts going into a tirade of how I risked my entire tournament life with AK and what a donk of a player I am. He mentions how I need to buy books and learn how to play poker. I am laughing to myself during this entire tirade, but I notice that he is serious and actually thinks this was a bad play on my part. Now, I am not an expert in surviving tournaments but getting all my money in short stack with AK is a pretty decent play. Especially when it is a race situation, but I digress. Eventually I make it into the money as top 780 get paid. My stack continues to build and I take some key pots to eventually get my chips up to 180k with just over 200 people left... then this happens.
I have AJ in the SB and all fold. I'm about to raise to take it down when I have an epiphany and simply cold call. That's mistake number one and the BB checks. Flop comes J53 and I bet about a pot sized bet and the BB calls. Turn is a blank and I bet about about 20k to which BB raises to 90k. Now, I should know I'm beat and I'm still in good position as my stack is over average and about 50th in total chips. I curse myself for not raising preflop and make the call (mistake number two), praying for the board to pair as I place my opponent on 2 pair. River is a blank and BB goes all in to which I call leaving myself about 12k to which the BB tables J5 and takes down the massive pot. WTF was I thinking! Next hand AA on the button. I immediately push all in hoping that the blinds will think that I am on tilt and pay me off. SB, whom just took a huge pot off me, makes the call and tables JQ. Flop comes QQX and double pairs the river giving the SB full house and enough to finish me off. I exit the tournament a disappointing 200th place and collect my $56.73.
Next up the $10 100k. I play well and double up almost immediately projecting myself into the top 100 within minutes. After the first 30 minutes I'm at 10k in chips and well on my way to making the top 3000 to double my money. Things level off and I have about 13k going into the first break. After break I lose a few pots, but still have about 11k left and just under the chip average. People are dropping like flies and we are all getting closer to the $$. With about 3300 people left I get dealt QQ in the cut off and make a 3x the BB raise. SB pumps it to 9k leaving me about 2k back and I go all in to an immediate call. What does SB have? Of course AA which holds up and I take my departure from the 100k about 250 places from the money.
Also being played is the $1.50 limit holdem to where I make a nice run and eventually take the chip lead with about 100 players left. We are all in the money and the top prize is about $380. It's not meant to be as my chips eventually fall and I exit a dismal 32nd place out of 1188 players and take my measly $5.35 cash.
I'm clearly disappointed with my recent play and buy into a 4/180 sit n go. My play is good and eventually make the final table with an average stack. I don't recall the actual play, but I depart in 7th place for a $25.20 cash. Immediately, I buy into another 4/180 and make the final table AGAIN. This time I have a third place stack and I'm ready to finally take one of these down. About 5 minutes into play I'm dealt AQ hearts and only one limper to my right to which I push. All fold and the limper makes the call and has me barely covered. Villain tables K9 and I pump my fist. The flop is 10-4-4 and I'm looking to take the chip lead. Turn brings the dreaded K and I leave the tournament in 9th place for $12.24. WTF! I'm done, going to bed, pissed off after hours and hours of play to leave my BR at about $195 or a few dollars ahead of where I started. One of these days I'll finally take down a 4/180, but in the meantime my Sharkscope is out of the red.
Bankroll Total: Approximately $192.00
It was a wild weekend and I played a TON of poker. Saturday started off pretty bad as I was only able to cash in one tournament of the many that I played. Nothing ever came about and I eventually lost about $70 in tournament entries. I tried a $22 deep stack that went bad on a suckout on the river in the second hour (we all know these go about 12 hours). Missed the money by 30 players in the $3 rebuy tournament after surviving the first hour and misplaying a hand close to the bubble. Horrible, horrible play against a big stack when I could have coasted to the money. A few $1 tournaments and my normal nightly tournaments. Even my sit n go play was a quick exit as I believe I went out in the first 30 minutes. Nothing worked out Saturday and the BR was down to $190.
Sunday was a different type of day. I started off trying to qualify into the Sunday million through a few of the $2.75 triple shootout sit n go's. At the same time I buy into a $.25/.50 ring game (I know, I said I wasn't going to play these anymore) for $10. I wanted so badly to play in the Sunday million, but my play in four of these sit n go's ended with me not even making it past the first round and these are only six handed tables! Not only that, but I end up being a $20 loser in ring games. Things are not going well and I wonder if I am going to eventually blow this BR as well and it's only noon.
I eventually enter into 3 tournaments that I feel will net me good results. First was the $3 rebuy tournament, next was the $11 100k, and a little $1.50 limit holdem tournament. By playing these three games, I stay away from the ring games and hopefully limit my losses as the BR stands at only $140.
The $3 rebuy doesn't go well and I end up buying a double rebuy after losing my initial 1500 chips. This takes me to break where I elect to make an add-on leaving me with about 8500 in chips. Not much and well below the average after the rebuy period. There is a player at the table that is totally talking trash and calling everyone donks. It's funny to listen to his remarks as he doesn't seem to grasp the concept of rebuy tournaments and tries to play it tightly. It works for him and he pretty much has most of the chips on the table after break (His name was luuckbox?? I don't know the ending numbers). We come back and I need to double up sooner or later. I get KQ and go all in, and this luuckbox guy calls me after saying "I'll donate." I double up as I have him dominated. About 40 minutes later I make a standard raise with AK and luuckbox is in the BB. He goes all in and I immediately call. He tables 88 and my AK makes it a race which I am more then happy to see. I flop the A and double up taking half of luuckbox's chips. He starts going into a tirade of how I risked my entire tournament life with AK and what a donk of a player I am. He mentions how I need to buy books and learn how to play poker. I am laughing to myself during this entire tirade, but I notice that he is serious and actually thinks this was a bad play on my part. Now, I am not an expert in surviving tournaments but getting all my money in short stack with AK is a pretty decent play. Especially when it is a race situation, but I digress. Eventually I make it into the money as top 780 get paid. My stack continues to build and I take some key pots to eventually get my chips up to 180k with just over 200 people left... then this happens.
I have AJ in the SB and all fold. I'm about to raise to take it down when I have an epiphany and simply cold call. That's mistake number one and the BB checks. Flop comes J53 and I bet about a pot sized bet and the BB calls. Turn is a blank and I bet about about 20k to which BB raises to 90k. Now, I should know I'm beat and I'm still in good position as my stack is over average and about 50th in total chips. I curse myself for not raising preflop and make the call (mistake number two), praying for the board to pair as I place my opponent on 2 pair. River is a blank and BB goes all in to which I call leaving myself about 12k to which the BB tables J5 and takes down the massive pot. WTF was I thinking! Next hand AA on the button. I immediately push all in hoping that the blinds will think that I am on tilt and pay me off. SB, whom just took a huge pot off me, makes the call and tables JQ. Flop comes QQX and double pairs the river giving the SB full house and enough to finish me off. I exit the tournament a disappointing 200th place and collect my $56.73.
Next up the $10 100k. I play well and double up almost immediately projecting myself into the top 100 within minutes. After the first 30 minutes I'm at 10k in chips and well on my way to making the top 3000 to double my money. Things level off and I have about 13k going into the first break. After break I lose a few pots, but still have about 11k left and just under the chip average. People are dropping like flies and we are all getting closer to the $$. With about 3300 people left I get dealt QQ in the cut off and make a 3x the BB raise. SB pumps it to 9k leaving me about 2k back and I go all in to an immediate call. What does SB have? Of course AA which holds up and I take my departure from the 100k about 250 places from the money.
Also being played is the $1.50 limit holdem to where I make a nice run and eventually take the chip lead with about 100 players left. We are all in the money and the top prize is about $380. It's not meant to be as my chips eventually fall and I exit a dismal 32nd place out of 1188 players and take my measly $5.35 cash.
I'm clearly disappointed with my recent play and buy into a 4/180 sit n go. My play is good and eventually make the final table with an average stack. I don't recall the actual play, but I depart in 7th place for a $25.20 cash. Immediately, I buy into another 4/180 and make the final table AGAIN. This time I have a third place stack and I'm ready to finally take one of these down. About 5 minutes into play I'm dealt AQ hearts and only one limper to my right to which I push. All fold and the limper makes the call and has me barely covered. Villain tables K9 and I pump my fist. The flop is 10-4-4 and I'm looking to take the chip lead. Turn brings the dreaded K and I leave the tournament in 9th place for $12.24. WTF! I'm done, going to bed, pissed off after hours and hours of play to leave my BR at about $195 or a few dollars ahead of where I started. One of these days I'll finally take down a 4/180, but in the meantime my Sharkscope is out of the red.
Bankroll Total: Approximately $192.00
The SB cold call with a strong (but not monster) hand is a lesson best learned early -- better to win a small pot than to lose a big one, especially when there's already antes worth stealing.
Still, anytime you can play that many tournaments, take some bad beats, and still at least maintain the roll, is a good weekend.
One of these days, I hope we end up at the same table in one of those huge field MTTs, that would be fun.