I was 0 for 3 entering into the 4th of 4 tournaments I planned on playing in a recent series. I went deep in an Omaha 8/b tournament but didn't cash. I got extremely unlucky in a stud tournament and was the first one knocked out. I made the second best hand a few too many times in a 2-7 triple draw tournament and failed to cash there also. I figured luck would be on my side going into this HORSE event.
I was slowly accumulating chips and maintaining an average stack early in the tournament. We were playing stud and I made Kings and sevens on 4th street. I led out on 4th - 6th streets and got called by a player with split nines. My opponent caught the case 9 on 7th and I was now a short stack. Two hands later I get priced in with an A-Q in the hole and an exposed 2. I had the bring in bet and there were so many players involved, I figured I could draw and try and make a big pair with my live cards. I was almost committed to the pot, but I folded to one bet on 4th after a player led out and everyone else folded. I didn't like that two queens, an ace and a 2 came out on 4th. I had to fold as I essentially had 2 outs. My opponent had pocket jacks. I was now crippled. I get it all in on the next hand with 3 hearts on 3rd street. I squeezed my fifth heart on 7th to win the main pot, but I was still short. Two hands later, I start with split kings and make two pair on 5th. I win the pot on 5th by check raising. The game changed to stud 8/b and I picked up pocket kings with a low card exposed. I'm still short at this point and I get involved in a pot where I 4 bet 3rd street and run into an opponent with pocket aces. I get a 1o on 4th and 5th to take the lead and go on to win a large pot and double up. I out played my opponents in the stud 8/b round to accumulate a lot of chips and was among the leaders at break time.
I ride my big stack and play solid poker for the next few levels. When we were down to two tables, I win a nice omaha 8/b pot where I make the dumb end of the straight on the river. Due to the escalating stakes, the last 7 players agreed to a large save and leave a little extra cash for first place. Of course, I'm playing for the win at this point. My problem was that a couple of other players were doing the same and I was completely card dead. I finally go bust in razz in a pot where I was drawing dead on 6th.
I'm still amazed with the poor play in HORSE events. It is amazing that players will enter a tournament where they don't even know how to play all of the games. I guess I really shouldn't be complaining though as I was glad to finally get my first HORSE cash.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Close But No Cigar
I recently played one of the best Omaha 8/b tournaments I've ever played. I was definitely in the zone and I think that taking a bit of time off from poker helped. While I didn't win it (I came in 3rd), I was quite satisfied with my play and got a bit unlucky at the end. I held on to an above average chip stack for most of the tournament. I was picking up a few hands here and there and picking off some bluffs. I was fortunate to avoid being in desperation mode until I got to the final table.
The money bubble burst with two players being eliminated on the same hand which prevented us from playing hand for hand. With 10 players to go I was about 5th or 6th in chips and wanted to let some of the short stacks bust before making a big move. When we got down to the final table, I raised in the one hole with A-A-K-2 and doubled up a short stack. As players got eliminated, I carefully chose my spots to raise and took down enough pots to prevent losing a lot of chips. I was also beginning to slightly open up my starting hand range which is normally pretty selective. By the time we were down to 3 players, I was the short stack. I also had nothing to lose at that point. It was time to change gears.
I began to bet, raise and reraise much more liberally. The player in 2nd position was playing too tight for 3 handed in my opinion. By the time the chip leader knew what hit him, I held the chip lead and the original chip leader was in desperation mode. I 3 bet with A-2-3-K and ran into the short stack's A-A-8-9. The aces held for the high and I couldn't make my low. A few hands later I raised on the button with A-2-9-9 double suited (spades and clubs). I flopped a set of 9s and the nut low draw on a board of 9-8-4 with two hearts. Action was checked to me and I knew at least one of my opponents was going for the check raise as I had gotten very aggressive. I led out with the set and was raised. I promptly 3 bet and got called in both spots. I wasn't too thrilled about this as I didn't want to see a heart. The turn brought a deuce which was not the low card I wanted. I still held a set for high and I had a live ace to draw to for low. Action checked to me again and I bet and was called in both spots again. The river was the seven of hearts. All draws got home and I now had a live ace for the low. The last heart killed the action and I run into the nut low and a backdoor straight. Losing that big pot cost me the chip lead. However, I was not out of it yet.
After a raise of the blind levels, I had to make a move soon. I called on the button with 2-3-4-6 double suited (spades and diamonds). The flop brought A-9-K with two diamonds and one spade. My opponent and I checked the flop and the turn card brought the eight of spades. My opponent led out and I raised all in. My opponent tabled A-9-J-J. Top and bottom pair with a draw to a better two pair, set and boat. I win the high with any spade or diamond that doesn't pair the board (14 outs). I take the low with any 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. I'm about 40% to win the high and about 60% to make the low with one card to come. One of the poker odds calculators said I had about 58% equity in the pot with my monster draw. The river was a 9 and I missed everything and was out in 3rd.
I'm disappointed in my luck as I was the best player with 3 to go and the best or 2nd best of the final table. It hurts more when you get so close and don't finish the deal, but there is always a tournament tomorrow.
The money bubble burst with two players being eliminated on the same hand which prevented us from playing hand for hand. With 10 players to go I was about 5th or 6th in chips and wanted to let some of the short stacks bust before making a big move. When we got down to the final table, I raised in the one hole with A-A-K-2 and doubled up a short stack. As players got eliminated, I carefully chose my spots to raise and took down enough pots to prevent losing a lot of chips. I was also beginning to slightly open up my starting hand range which is normally pretty selective. By the time we were down to 3 players, I was the short stack. I also had nothing to lose at that point. It was time to change gears.
I began to bet, raise and reraise much more liberally. The player in 2nd position was playing too tight for 3 handed in my opinion. By the time the chip leader knew what hit him, I held the chip lead and the original chip leader was in desperation mode. I 3 bet with A-2-3-K and ran into the short stack's A-A-8-9. The aces held for the high and I couldn't make my low. A few hands later I raised on the button with A-2-9-9 double suited (spades and clubs). I flopped a set of 9s and the nut low draw on a board of 9-8-4 with two hearts. Action was checked to me and I knew at least one of my opponents was going for the check raise as I had gotten very aggressive. I led out with the set and was raised. I promptly 3 bet and got called in both spots. I wasn't too thrilled about this as I didn't want to see a heart. The turn brought a deuce which was not the low card I wanted. I still held a set for high and I had a live ace to draw to for low. Action checked to me again and I bet and was called in both spots again. The river was the seven of hearts. All draws got home and I now had a live ace for the low. The last heart killed the action and I run into the nut low and a backdoor straight. Losing that big pot cost me the chip lead. However, I was not out of it yet.
After a raise of the blind levels, I had to make a move soon. I called on the button with 2-3-4-6 double suited (spades and diamonds). The flop brought A-9-K with two diamonds and one spade. My opponent and I checked the flop and the turn card brought the eight of spades. My opponent led out and I raised all in. My opponent tabled A-9-J-J. Top and bottom pair with a draw to a better two pair, set and boat. I win the high with any spade or diamond that doesn't pair the board (14 outs). I take the low with any 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. I'm about 40% to win the high and about 60% to make the low with one card to come. One of the poker odds calculators said I had about 58% equity in the pot with my monster draw. The river was a 9 and I missed everything and was out in 3rd.
I'm disappointed in my luck as I was the best player with 3 to go and the best or 2nd best of the final table. It hurts more when you get so close and don't finish the deal, but there is always a tournament tomorrow.
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