For the first 3 hours at my table, it was pretty much small pot poker. Nobody getting monsters vs eachother, and nobody very aggressive. Played perfect into my style. After the first break I was up to around 11K. Very few showdowns, but when I was involved, I knew I had the best of it and was getting paid off. No monsters, but two pairs, low flushes with multiple players in the hand, etc.
In the 3rd level, before the second break, I was around 18+k when I was involved with this hand. Blinds 100/200, no ante. 2 limpers in early position and a raise up to 1600 from the 10 seat (my nemesis). I look down at JJ and reraise to 4000. All folds back to the 10 seat, a quick look at her chips and she counts out the call, states "All-in", pushes in the call, and then moves all her chips in. At this point, her and I were 1 and 2 in chip count, respectively, at the table. The hand prior to this, she had KK and won a decent pot. I ran thru her possible hands. The 1600 raise from her could have easily been a steal. She had the chip lead and was definitely capable of the move. I tanked and every possible situation showed me either dominated by overpair or racing for my tourney life with her facecards. I decided to let it go, showed the JJ. She smiles and said nice laydown, and turns over KK again.
I steal a few more blinds during the 4th level and get back to 17k before the 2nd break.
We finally started getting some chip movements as the low stacks started to make their pushes. I think only one of the short stack pushes actually doubled up. We opened up some seats and they were getting filled immediately as other tables were breaking. A quick look at the board showed that of the 54 tables that started, there were about 35 left. Long way to go.
With the new players, came new styles. Gone was the standard 3x raise, now it was 5x and 6x, and open shoves with the newest shortstacks. A lot of chip ping-pong at this point for all of us. Another costly hand comes too. The same position 10 limps in early, I raise with my AK, get the little blind to call (his first hand at the table), and get the 10 seat to call. Flop comes Q 65 rainbow. Little blind checks, position 10 leads out 5000 into the 7500 pot, and give her the once over and let my AK go. If it was heads up, I may make my stand here and hope she also has AK or a lower PP that didn't set-up on the flop and she can get away from both of them, but with the unknown behind me, I lick my wound and fold away. Little blind folds, she turns over JJ and states that she had me on AK or a lower pp and was calling my reraise. Good read for her, missed flop for me, another 2500 loss for me, but cheap considering the alternative. (Of course, I have the 6 outs twice if I shove and she calls... but... don't like 3:1 dogs)
Not too long later, I have AJ of clubs early on. I 4x raise, all folds to the little blind who is getting shorter stacked as well. He flat calls. Flop K rag rag. Check, Check. Turn Q, Check Check. River J, Check, Check. No way I bet here knowing that he had paint. Any PP and he would have shoved preflop. I was right. He shows AQ, but I get off cheap again.
I'm down to about 12k getting through the end of round 5 and into round 6, the last round before the dinner break. Blinds are up to 600/1200 with 200 ante. I watch as others make moves around me, and I neither have the position or the cards to make my stand. I get down to 10k and I am second to act. It was now or never. As obvious, I wasn't going to let myself be blinded out until I finally found a premium hand. I get J8 of diamonds and after the UTG folds, I take about 8 seconds to count my chips, look at the pot, and move all-in. All folds around to the cutoff and he states "Call". Man am I hoping for AK there. But no luck, he turns over KK and I am pretty set on my diamond draw to be my savior. .... and then the heartpounder starts...
Flop was... 8 (YES!)..... 8 (YESSSSSSSSS!)..... K (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO).
I mean, come on. That's just not right. The player in the 1 seat says to me... sorry boss, I tossed the case 8. I glance at the turn and river but can't recall them, as I knew I was drawing dead. I say my goodgames and walk off. I glance again at the board and they were down to 20 tables... so 200 players, give or take.
I played my game, ran into some big cards and got away cheap. But I couldn't string together any big hands my way to give me comfort in my chip stack. Maybe I shove my AK and I get lucky. Maybe I play that JT into the raise when I would have flopped broadway and got paid off. Maybe I play that 66 into an 3000 UTG raise with an 6500 all in behind me.. .flop was 622... only 2 big hands that I missed, but I still fold those given the circumstances.
Alas... I decided to play some ring games before I left. I was waiting for my 5-10 limit game to start, but not enough interest. So I sat at 3-6 for a spell, made some money and walked away. I'll be back down there this Saturday for work related reasons, but I should be able to sit for a little bit at the 5-10 or 3-6...whatever is open.
Happy 30th to me and better luck next time... just have to stay out of the cooler.
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