Haven't gotten around to going over this tourney yet, and don't know that I'll have time. I usually review the entire thing through the hand histories and replay feature of my poker software, but this week's been a blur of work and home obligations.
So allow me this brief recap without exact hands. Yes, I am posting at work - but after two extra long shifts and during a particularly long rendering session.
I finished third, in a field of 20 players. 20! That's our biggest group ever, and I must say it was a grueling and VERY fun time. I had great reads all night long, as well as fairly decent runs of starting cards. The third element, which is also required to do well, I'm glad to say was with me enough to make a difference. You guessed it, the element is luck.
I sucked out a couple of people here and there, and got runner-runnered myself a few times (thankfully no real devastating blows). I was able to crawl back into contention, and as the bubble approached I was grateful that players like Chipper would call off a quarter of their stack pre-flop and then fold to a too small continuation bet.
Cali of course had to send me into fits of tilt with his cold call of my raise with a 73 in his hand. But it was soooted! His flush draw didn't hit on the river, and thankfully I have learned to just check his passive ass down all the way, even though I was in position. Took the pot, and avoided giving myself a chance to go broke against a trash hand. Yay!
Sven, as we were down to four players; moved all in and Chipper insta called with A4. Yes that wasn't a typo. But it was soooooooted. Busto Chipper.
With three players, on the very next hand I believe I looked down at AK. I popped it, and Sven moved all in again. Time to put a stop to this crap. I guessed he probably had something like a middle pair or a suited baby ace. Hadn't he learned from Chipper not to put your tournament life at risk out of position with no information on what your opponent was holding?
Insta-call.
He turned over pocket tens. Again.
Whoops. Naturally I didn't hit, and that was all folks. I vigorously defended my call in the chat box from the regularly scheduled ridiculing railbird Ytrabbit. After a weeks reflection, I still like my move - but I'm not as in love with it as I was on the night.
Factors in my favor - the payoff was heavily weighted for first place. The difference between second and third? A mere $20! Sven was clearly the more dangerous of the two remaining opponents. (No offense Cali, but I also think Sven is better than me in a lot of ways). Better to bust him now than drag it out.
Factors against me - AK is a drawing hand plain and simple. I was gambling for my tournament life against the new big stack - with an unmade hand.
I'd probably make the same move again, but I would tank a bit more and give myself a chance to see how I really saw things. If this was a more serious $ stakes tourney, there's no doubt I would tank long and hard - and really think through all that I knew about my opponent.
If I could miraculously see his cards somehow, I wouldn't call AA, KK, QQ, JJ or 1010. I'm a huge dog to AA and KK, and the others take away outs from a possible straight. 9's or lower, I'm calling. AK is only a tiny underdog to these, and dominates any other combination of different cards with a king or ace.
Itching to play next monday. Live home cash game coming up on the 24th.
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