January Tournament Summary

January Tournament Summary.

After a six month or so hiatus, our monthly tournament resumed tonight.  Even though we were missing a fair amount of our regulars, we still managed 25 players which is the most we’ve ever had.  Pretty soon we are going to start having to rent out space to fit everyone.  

I wish I had some exciting stories and hands to relate about how I won yet another live tournament, but alas, tonight was not my night.  

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Game number one had 25 participants.  We started with $T550 and blinds at 5/10.    Thing started out real well.  I was the small blind first hand, and I was dealt the hammer.  It folded to me, and my raise to $T30 forced the big blind to fold.  I figured that was a good omen, but unfortunately I really didn’t do much in this game.  I would win a few small pots here and there, and lose some blinds and more or less stay at the same chip count that I started at.

When we condensed down to two tables with 16 players remaining, I still had around $T600 and the blinds were up to 50/100.  I wasn’t too worried, since I figured I could double up fairly easily, as people tended to be a little too loose with their all-ins.  I just had to be patient enough.  I also had the Shmoo to my left.  Somehow he had lucked himself into the chip lead and I was fairly certain that I could get a bunch of chips from him.  I’ve talked about Shmoo before.  He’s nearly impossible to read.   I’ve seen him check-call with the absolute nuts, and also call a huge bet on the river with a busted flush draw and nothing else.  The randomness of his play would be brilliant if I thought that he was doing it on purpose, but I really think that he has no clue what he was doing.  There were certainly other players who I would rather not have that many chips.  Him I didn’t mind.  

First hand at the new table and I’m dealt big slick.  I raise to $T300  and Shmoo calls.   One of the blinds comes over the top, and I end up all in.  As does Shmoo.  This is one of those rare times when Shmoo’s play actually corresponds to the hand he has, as he turns over wired jacks.   The blind had a pair of nines.  The flop was no help to anyone, 2, 3, 5.  The turn gave me my ace, and I was going to triple up.  Until the river brought a four to complete the straight on the board and create a three way chop.  Boo.

Nothing else exciting until we were down to eight players and the final table.   Shmoo was still in, as was Noah, Chris, a new guy named Mike, Jim, some girl whose name I don’t remember, and I guess two other people who I’ve forgotten about. I had made it up to over $T1000 but I was currently at $T670ish and the blinds were up to 100/200.  I saw a free flop in the big blind with T3o.  The flop was garbage, something like 37x.  It checked around and the board paired on the turn.  I went all in with my fancy bottom two pair, and Shmoo was nice enough to call with absolutely nothing.  The very next hand I limped from the small blind with J9s and caught a nine on the flop. Again it checked around, and this time the turn gave me a third nine.  All of the sudden I was up to around $T3600.  And I don’t want to hear it if that doesn’t add up right.  There may have been a few other hands in there before I remember counting my chips.  Somehow I was the chip leader.  

We were down to six players and the blinds were up to 150/300, and I was feeling pretty good about my chances.  Until I again ended up all in with big slick, although this time it was suited.  I was all-in pre flop against Chris who had wired jacks and Mike who had ATs.  Mike hit his flush to triple up. I was pretty much crippled after that and went all in with Q9s out of the big blind.  Mike put me out of my misery when he called with the AJ of my suit.  Neither one of us improved and I was done.  Mike took my chips and went on to win the whole thing.  

And I guess it had to happen sooner or later, but miracle of miracles, Shmoo actually made the money, coming in fourth place.   We should all be ashamed of ourselves.  Other than that, I was reasonably happy with how I played in that one, even if I didn’t make any money playing.  Can’t win them all I guess.

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Game number two went considerably worse for me.  21 people stuck around for it, and I think I exited in 18th place or so.  Blinds were at 15/30 when I had A8o.  I tend to play a much different strategy in the second game, usually loosening up a lot and trying to see a bunch more flops.   And we were down to six people at our table, so I figured my A8 might very well be good and raised to 60.  Everyone else folded except Noah who called out of the big blind.  The flop was AK6 and he lead out for 100.  I’m thinking that his bet was a little large, trying to scare me out of the pot.  It wasn’t, but for this game it seemed bigger than most people would bet.  I also thought he didn’t think I had and ace and was trying to represent one himself to protect his blind.  He’s a pretty conservative player, so I figured my reraise all-in would make him reconsider and fold.  He cursed me out for raising him and called anyway, turning over AQ and I’m out.  That’s why you don’t play medium aces.

Hopefully this event will once again become a monthly occurrence and next month will work out better for me.