I have explained several times before that this the best game around. The play is usually very solid but mostly, the people are awesome. It also has been a solid game for over one and a half years.
Last night was no different, a great time as always. I played a little different than normal and I really did not get many hands until late in the game. Fortunately though after showing many timely bluffs, I hit a great run of cards that let me pull off a victorty.
Very early I raised with AKs to 60 from UTG, an mp player re-raised to 200 and the SB called. I did not think long and instantly went all-in. Both players folded and I told everyone I was ready to race and showed my hand. This is not a standard play, I ever make but I have to keep people guessing.
I played several small pots. I actually flopped a gutshot straight flush draw but my opponent folded. Rabbit hunting shows I would have hit it. I then tried to squeeze play a shortstack who had raised for his 2nd hand in a row. I got the caller to fold but not the shortstack who called for half his stack. I had 45o and I flopped a gutshot on a A78 board. In case he had AA, I checked but when the turn was a 9 and he checked again, I knew I had to bet. I bet half his stack and he folded what he said were Kings.
A few hands later, in a limped pot, I was in the BB with 82o. I stated preflop, that "I love this hand". I like it so much because no one can put you on it if you his.
The flop came Q26 with 2 hearts. It checked all the way around and the turn was a black 8. I bet out and got 1 caller. I was pretty sure he also hit the 8 or he had a pp like 99. Either way I was confident I was ahead. The river was the other black 8. Based on his body language, he seemed very happy with the river. So in my mind, there was a lot of hands that I had crushed that my opponent would be ready to die on. Namely, 66, 22, or A8. I had the 4th nuts, but he would have had to have limped with QQ, Q8 or 86 for me to be losing here. I made the decision to check raise the river which is a play I never do. My feeling usually is, if your opponent has a hand to bet they will likely call a big river bet. I checked and my opponent bet, I raise nearly all his stack and he thought for a second and pushed with A8. My 82 was good!
This got my stack right around the 6k point which is where I want to be at the final table. Early on at the final table, I got QQ in late position. Its a perfect spot for me because with a stack everyone expects me to raise. I raised and the shortstack pushed with KT from the SB. My queens held and I was up around 8k. I then busted Jinny with 55 vs 44. Jinny thought for so long and I was sure he had a hand he was going to gamble with but I thought we were racing. To make it worse the first card on the flop was a 5. This put me up around 11k and we were 4 handed.
I always feel very comfortable 4 handed with a stack. I raised my button every orbit and then I misplayed a hand terribly. I pride myself on never calling off a significant amount of chips off when I am beat but I did in this spot. I raised my puck with ATo. The SB called and the flop came 8T5 rainbow. I bet at the flop and the SB. The turn was a 3C. At this point I decided I did not know what the SB had so I did not want to create a big pot. I did not need to win this hand. So we went check/check on the turn. The river was a T but it was the Tc. It was checked to me again and I bet a weak value bet and the SB instantly went all-in. For some reason I put no thought to it and insta-called. The SB had 9cJc. He flopped open ended and turned the world's fair and river his flush. It was a huge blow and it brought me all the way down to 3200.
I did not panic at this point as blinds were stil 100/200. I felt I could play my way back into the tourney. I then played a lot of preflop poker raising and re-raising. This brought my stack up around 5500 without really seeing a flop. The Chipleader had a huge stack and as I usually do, I waited for him to bust the other two players. When he did, I really did not have more than 5500. This meant he had about 22500 but blinds were only 150/300.
I played heads up very conservatively and chipped away until I had about 12k. And then the pivotal hand came up. My opponent raised from the button. I flat called with AK. The flop came AhTh9d. I did not have a heart but I check raised him on the flop and almost half my stack was in the pot. He called and I prayed for no heart to hit the turn. The turn was an 8d. I pushed allin and my opponent instantly called and said "flush draw". Boy was I relieved. The river bricked and he was left with 2800. The next hand I raised from the button with KdQd and he pushed all-in with K6o. He hit a 6 on the flop but by the turn, I was open ended, with a flush draw and my Q was live. I rivered a flush to win WNP. I was very happy with my play and my comeback for making such a horrible call to give up the chip lead.
Its off to Turning Stone again this weekend!!
No comments:
Post a Comment