Cashed today

So today was the $500 buy-in event and started with 370 players. We started the day with 3000 in chips and at the first break (we break every 3 levels) I was at 2600, not getting any good hands and just trying to pick up some chips when the opportunity presented itself. The good thing about this is that when you don't get any cards, your image at the table is that you only play premium hands. So when we got back from break I had already spent almost 2 hours with the same players so I knew in the next couple rounds I could start stealing pots with rasises as the only time I would get called is if someone had a monster hand. This became very obvious when I would raise and guys would show me pocket 10's or AQ and fold it to me thinking they were beat.

WIth this strategy I picked up some chips and by the second break I had around 7000 with the average chip stack at around 5700. I continued playing solid poker and by the dinner break I had around 14000 and we were down to 81 players. They were dropping quick... A really crazy hand happened before dinner that doubled me up to that amount.

I was in the big blind with the the blinds at 400/800 with a 125 ante. So before any betting there was 1250 in the pot. At this time I had 7000 in chips; it folded all the way around to the small blind who had about 15k. He raised to 3400 which is a very large raise so I thought he probably had a weak ace or a small pair. I look down at AJ suited and think about it for a little while.

If I just call, and he pushes in on the flop and I don't hit it I have to fold and will only have around 3500 left in chips. I could fold and give up my 800 or I can move all-in. Since I had him on only a few hands I thought I should be ahead here, so I decided to move all-in for my remaining 7300. He started thinking about it and now since that was the case I knew I had him beat but did not want a call in case he hit a lucky card. To my surprise he called, the suprise though wasn't that he called but that he turned over 89 offsuit. I was like oh my gosh jackpot.

The flop came with the door card (the first card you can see) an 8 and I was like great but the card right behind was an Ace. So I ended up winning the pot right before dinner break.

After dinner we played for about 2 hours and then were down to 40 players and I made the best decision of the tournament for me. If I would have played it the way 99% of all people would, I would have been busted in 40th place, and once again on the bubble.

Here is the action: I am again in the big blind and it folds around to Bonnie ( I can not remember her last name) but she is one of the pros at the tourney. She is on the button with the blinds 1200/2400 and a 300 ante and raised to 5000. Now a standard raise is usually 3 to 4 times the big blind and she only raised it a little over 2. So this in itself to me was a little odd. The small blind folds and I look down at AK suited. this is the 4th best starting hand in poker. But you still have to hit it to win. But anyone I know would either reraise or push all-in in this situation. I set my cards down and put a chip on them to think about how to extract the most chips from her. As I was contemplating this I looked at her to see what I thought I could do; she looked really confident and was super relaxed. RED FLAG.... So I then decided to stack my chips as though I was going to move all-in and see how she reacted. When I did this she instantly sat forward in her chair and looked at my chips. I could see her already counting them in her head and again RED FLAG!!!! So I looked at her and said," I think you have a monster" and layed the AK face up on the table and announce I fold... The rest of the table looked at me in disbelief and someone even said," give me those cards so I can move in". At that time she looked at me and said, oh my god how do you get away from that hand and tables AA. My best laydown of the tournament, and allowed me to make it to the money.

The top prize for this event was $44k and 27TH-36TH was $600. big difference and why we need a top 3 finish.

Tomorrow is the $1,000 event and should have a top prize of over $100,000.

Until tomorrow...

Tomorrow is the 1st of two main events at the Roundup

Tomorrow is the $500 Event and then Saturday is the $1000 event. The Prize Pool for the next 2 events should be 250k and 500k respectively. The first event is a 1 day event ending tomorrow night and the main event is a 2 day event (Sat & Sun) I will make sure that I update the blog tomorrow night with the results. I will be getting to the Casino at around 8am to play in some satellites prior to the event to try to get a discount on the buy-in.

Until Tomorrow....

Also, the next tournament on the schedule is Fall Pot of Gold in Reno, NV instead of Bellagio in Las Vegas. The buy-ins are smaller so we can build the bankroll again before playing in the major buy-in tournament events.

So if anyone wants to come down to Reno for the Event. If you are down there all 10 days you get the whole room package to around 325 before tax. If you do want to come down the tournament information is at:

http://www.grandsierraresort.com/images/casino/table_games/poker/Winter_POG_flyer2007.pdf

This is the flyer for the event.

57 out of 267

Played well today and was knocked out by professional Chip Jett. I raised preflop with AA and he called the flop came Q46. I bet out 600 and he raised to 1200 and I moved all-in. He called and flipped over Q8 and the turn brouight a 7 and a river brought a 8 for his two pair and I was out in 57th place. They paid the top 27 so I missed the money. Tomorrow is a NLH Shootout.

This event is 10 to a table and you have to win your table to move on, then they take all the winners and you start with them and try to win your next table. I will blog tomorrow. The buy-in on these are all between 110-310 which is great because you definately get your money worth. The fields have been large and I look to unbelievable sizes in the final two events.

Day off tomorrow

It is pouring rain with 35 mile an hour winds. Tomorrow is the one day off before 5 straight days of tourneys. Well not a full day off, there is a super satellite tomorrow night to get in the main event. It is a $110 buy-in for the $1,010 main event for every 10 entrants they give away one seat. So hopefully it will be a good day and then it begins a marathon week of tourneys. Wish me luck and the tumble weeds here are as big as huge boulders it is insane. I guess a semi-truck wrecked today on the freeway here because he wasnt paying much attention and a tumble weed blew in the road in front of him and he thought it was a car and rolled it over.

Late and Early Exits

So yesterday was the $310 Buy-in at Pendleton with almost 700 players I went out around 75th. So it was very deep and very frustrating. Got all the chips in with the blinds very high 1000/2000 with a 200 ante. I had only about 7000 left and moved all in from the button with AK and was called by the chip leader in the big blind with A4 the Flop came A46 with 2 hearts so even though he was ahead with 2 pair I still had a flush draw then a 3 came on the turn; no help and a Queen on the river so I was out again just short of the money.

Today was a smaller buy-in but still had over 650 players. I went out in the 5th round with 3 way action. I am going to play in a satellite now so I will give the details late tonight.