Tourney Report: Poker Pit satellitte
Attended the Poker Pit satelitte tournament to the big buy in this weekend. The format was $10 for 1000, one $5 rebuy for 1000 if you fall to 250 or less chips and one $5 add-on for 1000 during the first break.
In all, 22 players showed up for the inaugural event at the Poker Pit and, after the rebuys and addons, three players would earn their buy-in to Sat. with 4th taking $30 and 5th taking $20.
I drew the all male table (booooo!!!) with only one other player I've played with before, the tournament host, stpboy. (double booooooo!!!). The past two tournaments I've been on a table with stpboy, I've cracked his Kings with Ax. Could I make it three in a row??
Action for me started early. Blinds started at 10-20 and in the third hand of the tournament I was dealt KK UTG. The previous two hands hands started with a raise of 60, so I followed suit. A player in the button re-raised 200 and the blinds folded to me. The only hand that scared me was Aces, so I decided to try and take advantage of what's normally a loose rebuy period and pushed all in. I got the call and the player turned over AK. No Ace, I doubled up and he rebought.
I bled a few chips on loose calls hoping to hit a monster, and got my wish when stpboy, UTG raised to 80 with blinds of 20-40. There was one call behind me and I was in the SB with 89o. I called and the BB completed.
Flop came 67T with two hearts giving me the nut straight. I checked, BB checked and stp made a pot sized bet. One original caller folded and I pushed in. BB folded and Shannon called turning over top two pair. No ten, no 7 and my stack grew some more.
I went tight for the rest of the rebuy period, stole some small pots and built myself up to just over 3K by the end of the rebuy period. After the add-on I went from being 3x an average stack to 2x (after I took the add-on) and played started at 50-100 with me being the chip stack.
I decided to switch gear and play more agressively, but either I was giving off massive tells or the other players were hitting, I was getting played back alot and lost a few chips until this hand came up.
In late position I was dealt ATc and raised to 300. stp called and there was two us in the pot. "Wouldn't it be funny," I thoguht, "if he was slowplaying KK's".
The flop came K high with one club on the board. stp put in an unsually small bet and my inner voice was screaming "He wants actions!!!" With one over card and a possibility of a runner-runner straight, how could I not call.....
The turn came a second club, and stp bet just enough into the pot to give the correct odds to call. His bet was also about 40% of his remaining stack, so I knew he hand a hand. I called and the third club hit the river for the nut flush. I bet out the remaining money in his stack and got the call. Shannon turned over, what else, KK, and I apologized and turned over my hand. As I was raking the chips in I heard, "What are you doing?" and it was only then that I noticed that the third club ALSO paired the board giving stp the boat and put a massive dent into my stack.
I still had the chips to be agressive but went overboard and lost all but about 1,000. The tables collapsed from three to two and two big stacks came over to the table and started pushing around the other players.
I got lucky twice and caught the big stacks overplaying weak Aces. In both cases I had a dominating hand and was able to build my stack back up to 6,000 ish. I had the chips to play, but the blinds were quickly raising. With 9 players left a double bust out on table two caused the final table to be created with 7 players, two away from the money.
We redrew seats and, from what I remember (very approximate), the stacks were about like this...
Seat 1: "Lamb of " John (1,600)
Seat 2: B.Rain (1,000)
Seat 3: OUR HERO (6,700)
Seat 4: Gal I cannot remember the name of (8,000)
Seat 5: stpboy (18,000)
Seat 6: Guy I cannot remeber the name of (12,000)
Seat 7: "Dirty Whore" Mark B. (2,000)
Fabulous. I had all the big stacks in the three seats to my left and all the small stacks in the three seats to my right. My ability to steal blinds was going to be VERY limited, so being on a average stack I decided to completely tighten up and watch the action.
Seat 2 was eliminated first hand to an unremarkable all-in, which meant that we were now playing for Bubble Boy with John in the unfornately smallest stack position. John turned up the agressition, made one OUTSTANDING bluff at stp and built himself up to a very healthy 8,000 stack while Mark whittled away to virtually nothing and Seat 4 played to many hands, killing off her own stack too quickly.
With six players left, I made one questionable play that I'd like to hear some feedback on. In the BB I'm dealt AQo, the blinds are 400-800 and, after posting, I have 4,200 left in my stack. The player to my right has 3,200 and Mark B, on the button has 300.
UTG call 800 and stpboy raised to 2,500 covering UTG and it's folded around to me. In the previous hand the exact same thing happened (the player to my right called, stp raised to 2,500, everyone folded. stp showed JJ) What would you do?
I figured that my only options were to fold or push all in as the call would be for 60% of my stack. The fact that stp made the same play two hands in a row had me worried. The player to my left had already mentioned that she has come to expect Shannon to bully us around by raising, so her call told be that she was on a playable hand that could stand a raise. Shannon, making the same move twice would almost have to expect her to call, and so most likely has a hand himself.
If she calls and wins, she moves into third chip position and life becomes difficult for me. If she calls and loses, she's out, and Mark only has 300 chips, pretty much putting me into 4th with a decent chance at winning my entry.
When it came down to it, I was playing for third, not first and I didn't feel comfortable risking a three way all-in with AQo. Plus, Doyle Brunsen was yelling at me to drop the hand, so I folded.
As it turned out, she called, turned over a low pair, stp turned over AJo (argh), an Ace hit the flop and the bubble was burst. For being in a satelittle I still think I made the correct play, but I'm interested to hear what you think.
On the very next hand, Mark B put in his last 300, John called, and I raised all in trying to give off the vibe that I was playing looser having gotten into the money. It folded around to John and thought for a good time before folding. I turned over AA, John thanked whatever made him lay his hand down and Mark was out in 5th place for $20.
With four players left I found almost even with John in chip position after the Aces hand won me two rotations of blinds. John had not switched from agressive gear so I decided to remain tight for a rotation and see what would happen.
John remained agressive and lost a couple pots reducing him to less than half my stack so the onus was now on him to double-up or bust. I was in the BB with 86o when the button raised enough to put John, on the SB, all-in. John called, and I considered the call to improve the chances of busting him, but folded. (In hindsight, calling here was the correct play. Bad move on my part.)
As it turned out the button held Ax, John held Kx and the board helped no one and I won my way into the Sat.'s tournament!
I don't think I played a better game of poker than other players, but I think I played a better satelitte game than others. The mindset that got me through the final table was that I was playing for 3rd, not first and, with the agression on the table both both the large and small stacks, it was going to be hard to make any kind of move without the cards to back it up.
I'm looking forward to this Saturday and have only a few comments for the future.
- I think creating a single 4th place prize of $50 would have been better than two very minor prizes of $30 and $20.
- If possible you may want to move the computer / chips into a more accessable location, so that you don't have to do as much running around for re-buys. Since the action is spread out around three different rooms, perhaps setting up a rebuy station in each room and assigning a rebuy person would be better. (At the very least it would let you concentrate on the game more)
- This isn't a comment for the host so much as it is for the players. I'm developing a new beef with dealers that burn a card immediately after dealing a flop. If I'm in a hand , I want to focus on the hand and not have to worry about keeping track of whether or not the dealer has burned a card. I never noticed it too much until I heard complaints about it from a few players at my last tournament.
It was a very well run tournament and big thanks goes out to stpboy and stpgirl for letting us into their home. See you Sat.!!
In all, 22 players showed up for the inaugural event at the Poker Pit and, after the rebuys and addons, three players would earn their buy-in to Sat. with 4th taking $30 and 5th taking $20.
I drew the all male table (booooo!!!) with only one other player I've played with before, the tournament host, stpboy. (double booooooo!!!). The past two tournaments I've been on a table with stpboy, I've cracked his Kings with Ax. Could I make it three in a row??
Action for me started early. Blinds started at 10-20 and in the third hand of the tournament I was dealt KK UTG. The previous two hands hands started with a raise of 60, so I followed suit. A player in the button re-raised 200 and the blinds folded to me. The only hand that scared me was Aces, so I decided to try and take advantage of what's normally a loose rebuy period and pushed all in. I got the call and the player turned over AK. No Ace, I doubled up and he rebought.
I bled a few chips on loose calls hoping to hit a monster, and got my wish when stpboy, UTG raised to 80 with blinds of 20-40. There was one call behind me and I was in the SB with 89o. I called and the BB completed.
Flop came 67T with two hearts giving me the nut straight. I checked, BB checked and stp made a pot sized bet. One original caller folded and I pushed in. BB folded and Shannon called turning over top two pair. No ten, no 7 and my stack grew some more.
I went tight for the rest of the rebuy period, stole some small pots and built myself up to just over 3K by the end of the rebuy period. After the add-on I went from being 3x an average stack to 2x (after I took the add-on) and played started at 50-100 with me being the chip stack.
I decided to switch gear and play more agressively, but either I was giving off massive tells or the other players were hitting, I was getting played back alot and lost a few chips until this hand came up.
In late position I was dealt ATc and raised to 300. stp called and there was two us in the pot. "Wouldn't it be funny," I thoguht, "if he was slowplaying KK's".
The flop came K high with one club on the board. stp put in an unsually small bet and my inner voice was screaming "He wants actions!!!" With one over card and a possibility of a runner-runner straight, how could I not call.....
The turn came a second club, and stp bet just enough into the pot to give the correct odds to call. His bet was also about 40% of his remaining stack, so I knew he hand a hand. I called and the third club hit the river for the nut flush. I bet out the remaining money in his stack and got the call. Shannon turned over, what else, KK, and I apologized and turned over my hand. As I was raking the chips in I heard, "What are you doing?" and it was only then that I noticed that the third club ALSO paired the board giving stp the boat and put a massive dent into my stack.
I still had the chips to be agressive but went overboard and lost all but about 1,000. The tables collapsed from three to two and two big stacks came over to the table and started pushing around the other players.
I got lucky twice and caught the big stacks overplaying weak Aces. In both cases I had a dominating hand and was able to build my stack back up to 6,000 ish. I had the chips to play, but the blinds were quickly raising. With 9 players left a double bust out on table two caused the final table to be created with 7 players, two away from the money.
We redrew seats and, from what I remember (very approximate), the stacks were about like this...
Seat 1: "Lamb of " John (1,600)
Seat 2: B.Rain (1,000)
Seat 3: OUR HERO (6,700)
Seat 4: Gal I cannot remember the name of (8,000)
Seat 5: stpboy (18,000)
Seat 6: Guy I cannot remeber the name of (12,000)
Seat 7: "Dirty Whore" Mark B. (2,000)
Fabulous. I had all the big stacks in the three seats to my left and all the small stacks in the three seats to my right. My ability to steal blinds was going to be VERY limited, so being on a average stack I decided to completely tighten up and watch the action.
Seat 2 was eliminated first hand to an unremarkable all-in, which meant that we were now playing for Bubble Boy with John in the unfornately smallest stack position. John turned up the agressition, made one OUTSTANDING bluff at stp and built himself up to a very healthy 8,000 stack while Mark whittled away to virtually nothing and Seat 4 played to many hands, killing off her own stack too quickly.
With six players left, I made one questionable play that I'd like to hear some feedback on. In the BB I'm dealt AQo, the blinds are 400-800 and, after posting, I have 4,200 left in my stack. The player to my right has 3,200 and Mark B, on the button has 300.
UTG call 800 and stpboy raised to 2,500 covering UTG and it's folded around to me. In the previous hand the exact same thing happened (the player to my right called, stp raised to 2,500, everyone folded. stp showed JJ) What would you do?
I figured that my only options were to fold or push all in as the call would be for 60% of my stack. The fact that stp made the same play two hands in a row had me worried. The player to my left had already mentioned that she has come to expect Shannon to bully us around by raising, so her call told be that she was on a playable hand that could stand a raise. Shannon, making the same move twice would almost have to expect her to call, and so most likely has a hand himself.
If she calls and wins, she moves into third chip position and life becomes difficult for me. If she calls and loses, she's out, and Mark only has 300 chips, pretty much putting me into 4th with a decent chance at winning my entry.
When it came down to it, I was playing for third, not first and I didn't feel comfortable risking a three way all-in with AQo. Plus, Doyle Brunsen was yelling at me to drop the hand, so I folded.
As it turned out, she called, turned over a low pair, stp turned over AJo (argh), an Ace hit the flop and the bubble was burst. For being in a satelittle I still think I made the correct play, but I'm interested to hear what you think.
On the very next hand, Mark B put in his last 300, John called, and I raised all in trying to give off the vibe that I was playing looser having gotten into the money. It folded around to John and thought for a good time before folding. I turned over AA, John thanked whatever made him lay his hand down and Mark was out in 5th place for $20.
With four players left I found almost even with John in chip position after the Aces hand won me two rotations of blinds. John had not switched from agressive gear so I decided to remain tight for a rotation and see what would happen.
John remained agressive and lost a couple pots reducing him to less than half my stack so the onus was now on him to double-up or bust. I was in the BB with 86o when the button raised enough to put John, on the SB, all-in. John called, and I considered the call to improve the chances of busting him, but folded. (In hindsight, calling here was the correct play. Bad move on my part.)
As it turned out the button held Ax, John held Kx and the board helped no one and I won my way into the Sat.'s tournament!
I don't think I played a better game of poker than other players, but I think I played a better satelitte game than others. The mindset that got me through the final table was that I was playing for 3rd, not first and, with the agression on the table both both the large and small stacks, it was going to be hard to make any kind of move without the cards to back it up.
I'm looking forward to this Saturday and have only a few comments for the future.
- I think creating a single 4th place prize of $50 would have been better than two very minor prizes of $30 and $20.
- If possible you may want to move the computer / chips into a more accessable location, so that you don't have to do as much running around for re-buys. Since the action is spread out around three different rooms, perhaps setting up a rebuy station in each room and assigning a rebuy person would be better. (At the very least it would let you concentrate on the game more)
- This isn't a comment for the host so much as it is for the players. I'm developing a new beef with dealers that burn a card immediately after dealing a flop. If I'm in a hand , I want to focus on the hand and not have to worry about keeping track of whether or not the dealer has burned a card. I never noticed it too much until I heard complaints about it from a few players at my last tournament.
It was a very well run tournament and big thanks goes out to stpboy and stpgirl for letting us into their home. See you Sat.!!
Comments
Thanks for the coverage. I REALLY had a good time last night (even though i hit 4th). I dont know what it is about getting beat, but it makes me wanna play more. I was ONE spot away form having my entry paid for. And even though i MADE money, i still feel i lost.
I have been getting really far in any tournaments i have been playing lately. In the last 4 tournamenst i have played i have finishes in the money 2 times. A 1st place against 10 people, a 4th against 11, a 4th against 22, and a 6th against 24.
In total though, this leaves me 1 place outside the money 3 out of 4 times. (I made $30 last night getting 4th, but i still consider it not placing).
Phil gordon worte in his book that when people are on the bubble, it is a great time to exploit them. a great time to scare them away form their money. I fear i have fallen curse to becoming too "scared" --for lack of a better word-- when i am sitting on the bubble. I have decided to change my strategy now to watch for poeple looking to exploit my fear of not making the money. i have decided i will relax a bit more and let the wolves go at it. Any opinions on this woudl be greatly appreciated.
As for how i played last night?? well, lets just say i have never been happier with my game. my dissapointment last night lasted untill i started the drive home from STP's place. Once i took the time to review my game, i realized i didnt have ONE premium hand the whole night. my best starting hand was an AQd, and it never got played as everyone (even the small blind) folded to my BB. i did not have ONE Boat, not ONE straight draw that connected, no flush, not even 2 pair that i can remember, ONLY ONE POCKET PAIR!! ONE!! And it didnt even connect. it was 4's.
so to make it to the final table on junk hands, and stone cold bluffs, i am giving myself high fives in the mirror untill i play next.
Thanks for the great night guys. Cant wait till saturday. I am on a mission for saturday. either get busted early by a bad beat, or finish in the money. NO BUBBLE FOR THIS GUY!!
Johnny
I agree with the comment about playing scared on the bubble. As soon as you said, "I've busted on the bubble on my last two tourneys and I'm not going to on this one." I thought, "oh, oh, the big stacks are going to put some serious pressure on him now."
You're a scary player to have at the table and I'm hoping that on Sat. you're nowhere near mine!
I wasn't surprised in the least that you two were at the final table. Should be a battle on Saturday.
When you turned over your nut flush, your reaction was priceless. You were giving me this apologetic look that you hit a runner runner flush and I was standing up clapping my hands, hilarious. My Kings were great all night.
This was a great laydown for you. It's not about the amount of chips at the end, it's about getting third. The flop actually came down 9 8 6 rainbow, she checked and I put her all in, she said "That flop didn't hit me, I have KJ". I said, "you should fold then". I know you would have likely won the hand by going in preflop but I liked the way you explained it last night. Two player action vs. AQ is not worth it.
Hahaa, funny that you say that. I wanted only four players to get paid but Johnny didn't think it was a good idea. Perhaps, considering he finished in 4th he might reconsider that next time.
What? you dont think I was concentrating on the game??? Just kidding, I'm actually for sure going to do that from now on. It was tres tiresome to have to run to the computer room everytime there was a rebuy.
I also have a beef with players looking at the turn or river before they show the table, ahhhhhh. Anyway, I hear ya Rob.
Thanks for coming and congratulations on your entry!
stp
Please and thanks for the info.
stp
Great night last night, and Shannon, Rob, and John I've played against a lot, and I was neither surprised nor pleased to see you all at the final table.
I've only just signed in here, so it's Mark if you're wondering... and I'll leave it up to you to de-code my handle. 8) Anyways... good luck to all who are in Saturday, and Rob, I can't wait to see you at the next Bristol (you too shannon and John!)
Mark
Seat 2: B.Rain (1,000)
Seat 3: OUR HERO (6,700)
Seat 4: Gal I cannot remember the name of (8,000)
Seat 5: stpboy (18,000)
Seat 6: Guy I cannot remeber the name of (12,000)
Seat 7: "Dirty Whore" Mark B. (2,000)
Hey all
Great night last night, and Shannon, Rob, and John I've played against a lot, and I was neither surprised nor pleased to see you all at the final table.
I've only just signed in here, so it's Mark if you're wondering... and I'll leave it up to you to de-code my handle. 8) Anyways... good luck to all who are in Saturday, and Rob, I can't wait to see you at the next Bristol (you too shannon and John!)
Mark
Had good fortune to be at a wild table. Michelle (?) was gone very quick. Called down with anything. DrTyore (I belive) was able to take most of her chips.
Ended up being taken out by AKo when I bumped with AQs 4 handed. She had been short stacked and just doubled up with Kx. so when she reraised me I was unafraid. Should have been.
Next hand she trips her 8s and takes two of us out with them.
Nice to play with some new people. Good luck to those going Saturday.
Ryder
It was a great first table, we had a bit of every type of player, tight, loose, calling station, and nutty smartie eating players.
Mark