The drive out to Campbellville from Hamilton is not bad at all. Gas prices were ............ OK just kidding, here's the TR:
We started with 16 players and then had a few late regs. Registration is quick and painless, you just load your Winners Circle card same as a cash game and then swipe in. They do allow rebuys as well for the first two levels, but I don't think anyone took advantage. TD is the same guy that's been there a few years, he's a poker player and a pleasure to deal with.
My table was a great mix. 3 young guys who were a bit aggressive as expected, 2 extremely passive older guys, and 3 guys playing relatively ABC.
The first few levels played really similar to 1/2 cash. Lots of people limping, any raise to 2x-3x would be called 4-5 ways guaranteed, and the only 3 betting going on was with the obvious big pairs.
Early on I had spotted a few things like young kid # 1 betting 3 streets with middle pair more than once, or young kid # 2 losing at showdown after pounding the flop turn and river with no pair no draw. Fast forward a few hands and I open QJo and get called by young kid # 1. Flop is AK4 and he bets 3/4 pot. I call, the turn is a blank, and he bets again. He looks a bit surprised when I raise, mumbles something about "damn AK" and folds. When I don't show, he promises to get me back later on. Noted.
Next big pot was 6 or 7 hands later, this time we're 5 ways to the flop and I find myself with QT on a J9x board. Young kid from the last hand leads out for pot, to which I would generally fold... until it goes call, call, call in front of me. I call to close the action and the turn is a beautiful K. Young kid leads out again, fold fold fold, and I call. He checks river, I bet out, and he managed to find a fold. That's 2 big pots without a showdown so I make a mental note that he's really going to be gunning for me now.
With my image looking no better than these aggressive kids, it's squeaky tight for the next few levels. Shipped 88 into 2 short stacks in the blinds, but neither could call. Flopped a set with 77 but a single bet took it down.
The passive old guys eventually blind out (this was hilarious actually... folding down to the bitter end), and along with a couple of bustouts we start the final table with 10 left. Chip leader has 75K and I'm still floating around the 30K mark, which I believe was 5th at the time.
Queue the leaking, I pick up AJs against a 5K shove, and end up doubling up his AQ. Down to 27K. Few hands later I raise with AhQh and flop a flush draw with 2 overs. Same kid as before bets out, and I call. Turn is a blank, he bets, and I call again. In general I think it may have been better to raise in this spot, but with our history I don't want to trigger a 70K pot. River blanks out and he checks, I just check behind on the off chance A high is good. He paired along the way and I wonder if a turn bet would have done the trick after all. He tells me he was snap calling, and I believe him. Down to 20K.
Next I pick up AJ and raise, one caller and we see a QQJ flop. I lead out and he calls, I check turn and he overbets the pot. He's one of the ABC players, so I think for a minute and then fold. He is nice enough to show me the Q. 15K.
Bounced around a bit for another level or so, had one spot to steal the blinds and antes which kept me in for another round. Eventually I find myself down to 12K with blinds 500/1000, and look down at A8o. UTG folds and it goes min raise with one caller. After it folds around to me I ship it in. I figure A10 and 99 are pretty much the only hands to worry about, otherwise I am indifferent to a call or a fold. Initial raiser and the blinds fold, but K7 does make the call. Flop comes QT8 and I'm 85% with dreams of being back in this game. Unfortunately the turn and river do not cooperate and he wins with a straight.
Overall I really enjoyed the game. Between the quality of the players and the low rake, it is more than beatable. I was never a huge fan of the electronic tables but found that they really suit tournaments well, loved the way it keeps everything moving.
Thanks Mark for the support, would have loved to ship this one for you. Perhaps this is for the best as I can now preserve all run-good for Vegas soon!
Comments
Mark
and sure how much did you want?
EMT cool?
19 entries, 15 left.
This is a great tourney, I'll be back for sure!
The drive out to Campbellville from Hamilton is not bad at all. Gas prices were ............ OK just kidding, here's the TR:
We started with 16 players and then had a few late regs. Registration is quick and painless, you just load your Winners Circle card same as a cash game and then swipe in. They do allow rebuys as well for the first two levels, but I don't think anyone took advantage. TD is the same guy that's been there a few years, he's a poker player and a pleasure to deal with.
My table was a great mix. 3 young guys who were a bit aggressive as expected, 2 extremely passive older guys, and 3 guys playing relatively ABC.
The first few levels played really similar to 1/2 cash. Lots of people limping, any raise to 2x-3x would be called 4-5 ways guaranteed, and the only 3 betting going on was with the obvious big pairs.
Early on I had spotted a few things like young kid # 1 betting 3 streets with middle pair more than once, or young kid # 2 losing at showdown after pounding the flop turn and river with no pair no draw. Fast forward a few hands and I open QJo and get called by young kid # 1. Flop is AK4 and he bets 3/4 pot. I call, the turn is a blank, and he bets again. He looks a bit surprised when I raise, mumbles something about "damn AK" and folds. When I don't show, he promises to get me back later on. Noted.
Next big pot was 6 or 7 hands later, this time we're 5 ways to the flop and I find myself with QT on a J9x board. Young kid from the last hand leads out for pot, to which I would generally fold... until it goes call, call, call in front of me. I call to close the action and the turn is a beautiful K. Young kid leads out again, fold fold fold, and I call. He checks river, I bet out, and he managed to find a fold. That's 2 big pots without a showdown so I make a mental note that he's really going to be gunning for me now.
With my image looking no better than these aggressive kids, it's squeaky tight for the next few levels. Shipped 88 into 2 short stacks in the blinds, but neither could call. Flopped a set with 77 but a single bet took it down.
The passive old guys eventually blind out (this was hilarious actually... folding down to the bitter end), and along with a couple of bustouts we start the final table with 10 left. Chip leader has 75K and I'm still floating around the 30K mark, which I believe was 5th at the time.
Queue the leaking, I pick up AJs against a 5K shove, and end up doubling up his AQ. Down to 27K. Few hands later I raise with AhQh and flop a flush draw with 2 overs. Same kid as before bets out, and I call. Turn is a blank, he bets, and I call again. In general I think it may have been better to raise in this spot, but with our history I don't want to trigger a 70K pot. River blanks out and he checks, I just check behind on the off chance A high is good. He paired along the way and I wonder if a turn bet would have done the trick after all. He tells me he was snap calling, and I believe him. Down to 20K.
Next I pick up AJ and raise, one caller and we see a QQJ flop. I lead out and he calls, I check turn and he overbets the pot. He's one of the ABC players, so I think for a minute and then fold. He is nice enough to show me the Q. 15K.
Bounced around a bit for another level or so, had one spot to steal the blinds and antes which kept me in for another round. Eventually I find myself down to 12K with blinds 500/1000, and look down at A8o. UTG folds and it goes min raise with one caller. After it folds around to me I ship it in. I figure A10 and 99 are pretty much the only hands to worry about, otherwise I am indifferent to a call or a fold. Initial raiser and the blinds fold, but K7 does make the call. Flop comes QT8 and I'm 85% with dreams of being back in this game. Unfortunately the turn and river do not cooperate and he wins with a straight.
Overall I really enjoyed the game. Between the quality of the players and the low rake, it is more than beatable. I was never a huge fan of the electronic tables but found that they really suit tournaments well, loved the way it keeps everything moving.
Thanks Mark for the support, would have loved to ship this one for you. Perhaps this is for the best as I can now preserve all run-good for Vegas soon!
Man I so want to... but I gotta pick the wife up at the airport tomorrow. If I ditch her after that I'm kind of an asshole.
.......So possibly around 7 ish.
Just sayin'.
but hey, there's one tomorrow too!