Vegas Weekend 3/18/06 (Part 2 of 2)
Mood:
a-ok
Topic: General Poker
THE MAIN EVENT!
We get to the Plaza one hour before the 12Am tourney. The buyin is $60 some but with one $30 rebuy so expect to play $100.
I sat down and scoped my opponents. Didn't get much of a read until we started playing. I didn't wear my sunglasses until my second table since I didn't feel there were any hustlers. There was a young Filipina girl to my left and she was analyzing the game pretty good so I didn't try to pick on her. The girl after her was a rookie. After her was a crazy drunk and the rest seem pretty average. On the right side was a loose aggressive player and two spots after him was a guy who liked to play a lot of pots. He played like a limit player. My target would be the weak girl two spots to my left which was perfect. I just needed to make sure the pinay wouldn't play me.
I got a boost in chips early in the game. The drunk and I were heads up but kept yelling out that he had a pair of aces. He raised $200 after the river and I believe I had top pair. I told the table I would call to draw out information. I called and he had nothing. He truly was drunk. I told the table, 'you're welcome!' The pinay girl knew the value of the information and said thanks. Others understood the value in it as well but some didn't so I knew they were weak.
The pinay girl went heads up against the loose aggressive guy on the left. She didn't believe him after he raise a few times and her middle pair held. She was really happy for herself because she got a good read on the guy. I had a feeling it would also be her end if she kept playing that way.
I was on the button once and after everyone folded to me I went all in. The two girls folded their blinds. The funny thing is that if they paid attention, I never looked at my cards. Why would I risk it? If I lost, I would still be in the game since they didn't have much anyway. I may potentially lose my profits but still enough to keep playing. I'll probably do that once a year! They weren't really short stacks or else they would've called in desperation. Since they were average, they probably wouldn't risk there game against the chip leader.
My stack really built up on that table. I knocked out short stack after short stack with a certain level of risk. It was ok since I could afford to lose to them.
For example, there was one caller and I limp in with A10 (my favorite hand), and my target raises and the caller short stack calls. I go all in. She goes into the tank and I want her to fold. She told the pinay she thought I was weak. She called so it was two short allins against my A10. They both show face cards and now I'm yelling for an Ace. I get better than that. I make a straight Ace to 5! Both players end up doing a rebuy.
Once again, I go against two short allins and this time with A8s. I win when my 8 pairs on the flop.
I'm only making these crazy moves since I trust my Ace will hold and plus I can afford to lose to the short stacks.
BTW, the pinay girl gets knocked out going all in with middle pair against two people with over cards. She couldn’t afford to do the play to begin with and gets knocked out.
Here's a beautiful play. I have pocket Aces and there is one early caller. I think hard and make a min raise. I didn't want to scare anyone. I think the big blind folded anyway and the early bettor calls. Then guy makes a middle pairs on the flop. I think it was tens and he goes allin when he didn't have to. He still had some chips. I show my aces and they hold!
To be fair I didn't lose two hands. One time the pinay girl goes all in with the nut flush after I raise with a pair of kings on the river. I happily fold. She remarks good read and ask if I flushed. I said no but asked myself, why am I giving off info?? Shut up Eric!!
Also, one time I got sucked out on the river with a tripped jack versus my flopped king pair. I had plenty of chips still and I knock got them back later when I raised him all in. I think it was a top pair win.
I make the first break and realize I was the chip leader since all the tables had nothing like my stack. I was nervous and happy but realize I had to fight ego and change gears to defend my lead.
I tell the other two leaders at the table I want them to make the final table and they do.
After the break I play defense and get moved to a new table. I was unhappy since I would have to learn the table all over again PLUS I was sitting to the right of the dealer and couldn't see all I the players. In this situation I made a point to awkwardly stretch out to see those players. It's important to look over all the players at the table.
This new table had to chip leaders who looked like hustlers. I avoided them as much as possible. I don't remember many hands after my table and maybe that is why I was a short stack by the time I made the final table.
One time I checked as big blind with the button and small blind calling. Flop comes 774. I raised heavy after they check to me. The button folds and the small blinds thinks it out. He worries that I'm stealing. But if he realizes that an unraised big blind could have anything including a plain 7 or 4, he should fold. He does fold and I rake. Risky move on my part but you have to do it sometimes. The small blind could've have a seven but why didn't he raise? You are either slow playing or you are not. I was willing to pay to find out.
Well the aggressive chip leader in front of me was itching to take my money and steal my blind. This was unfortunate for him. I was a big blind and the other large stack limps in. Aggressive guy raises and I reluctantly fold but also didn't mind since the other large stack was in the pot. The other guy calls to the surprise of the guy who raised. To make the story short, the caller makes a flush with Q9s. The raiser is shocked and he gets crippled. It turns out he had an OK hand but still it told me he was out to get me.
Best play of the night!I call a raise from mister aggressive and it's just the two of us. For some reason he put on his sunglasses. Flop comes JXX and we both check. Turn is another JACK and he bets 2500. I reraise to 5000 and he tanks to make the call. After the river, he shuffles chips and checks. The guy next to me says he doesn't have shit. I didn't have shit either so I chose not to bet plus if he folds, I won't know what he had. He had trash that never paired. I had KQo. The high card wins the large pot. I get compliments on my raise. First I prove that he was trying to bully me but again people learn that I'll reraise with nothing as well but maybe they won't try to bluff or bully me next time.
That was the best action from that table and we get moved to the final table. I come in with an average stack that starts to dwindle. I get seated to the left of the dealer. I didn't scope out the pinoy with a chip stack on the other side since I couldn't see him. There was a Hispanic guy that led the rest of the night.
My stack was seriously going down with the antes and blinds so high. At one point I only had less than 4 Harrington Ms or rounds. There was a solid player on the other side who would go all in if everyone checks to him. He went all in once again and I look down at 89 diamond suited. I told myself, it was time to go home. I make the call. He shows 1010 and I show the underdog cards. I step up and don't look at the cards. Someone tells me I hit a set and the other guy gets pissed. The leader asks if I did it on a gut feeling. My answer is yes and no. I've read about the strength on suited connectors and decide to roll with it. I didn’t expect the set. I wanted a flush or straight to prove my point. It's a good rake anyway. I become a contender at the table again. Later during the break, the chip leader compliments my call and reconfirms my faith in suited connectors.
I play defense and watch people get knocked out. For every knock out I get money so it's all good.
I get AKo. Early player puts most of his stack in. He can only have AAA or KK with that type of raise. The chip leaders calls and we discuss if I'll call. He is warning me and I decide to fold it. I cross my fingers hoping the guy would get knocked out. He doesn't. The KK holds and the AJ becomes trash. I would've won the side pot but there would be one hell of a chip leader. Good fold MANACSA!
At one point I get AQo but my diamond ace makes the nut flush getting ridding of one player.
So eventually, I become one of the remaining 4 players. Luckily for me we make deal where places 2-3-4 will all get $700 and the winner would get $1000. I play relaxed and realize it was around four'ish. I was tired and hungry and the Calcetas brothers were waiting for me big time. I go all in twice with any KING and get knocked out with K10o. Oh well, I was tired. I kind of regretted that since I should play to win and not to place. I ran out of patience. I was happy to cash out.
So I get $700 and later found out the last three split to $800 each! Damn but it's all good.
It was the best poker I've played in a long time. I got lucky and played strategically. No real complaints. Next time I should make sure to play to the end.
Good stuff. Good stuff.
Posted by manacsa
at 8:43 AM
blue