So I’m in the $3 Stars MTT, 2000+, on the second break. I have an average stack and we’re already in the money. Managed to have a top-30 stack while 2-tabling a $5, 27-seat SNG, but then, when I cashed and busted over there, I tried a little fancy-play syndrome and semi-bluffed 1/3 of my chips away to the table’s resident $3 Pro.
Or, he was until I told him how glad I was he was here to let me know EVERY TIME a bad beat occurs.
He’s been quiet ever since, just check-raising the hell out of me.
So, anyway, with the 20% payout structure, it’s nice that I’m not losing my $3 but, let’s face it, none of us is playing to be happy going out 343rd with a $1.98 profit. I am still pleased with my decisions in the tournies last night, and have stuck to the same strategy. I’ll hope to keep my focus and forget the FPS and try to go deep again.
Wish me luck.
Update:
At the third break, I’ve managed to pop back to a top-30 stack. Not playing many hands. Had a 66 that held up to an all-in maniac that pushed with QT. It was about 50% of my chips, so I figured I’d gamble. I’d still have had enough chips to maneuver. Luckily, it held up.
Later a newbie at the table flat-called the button, and I completed the SB with K5, planning to lead out. Flop came AK7, 2-hearts. I led out, and he raised it up.
Shit. Slowplaying? Semi-bluff? I was getting good odds for the 5-outer, believe it or not, so I called and the 5 came on the turn. I checked, he put me all-in, and my 2-pr holds up against Aqo.
Baby Jesus hates limpers.
Update:
10 minutes ago, with 45 players left, I was 45/45 with a little over T7K left, an M right at 1.
Now, I have over T100K, exactly average.
Multiple triple-ups are nice.
31 left.
Update:
Made the 4th break. 19/24. My stack is half the average. I picked up 99 in EP, made a healthy raise, and the SB called me with Q7 and picked up the Q on the river. I don’t blame him, he was short enough to make the desperation call. I wouldn’t have done it with an entire orbit of possibilities available before the next blind.
But, I’m glad he did. (
Continuing to play my hands tight-aggressive. Doing a great job the last 2 hours of getting my money in ahead (even when I was the severe indo88, I was ahead), but poker isn’t engineering and if the favorites always held up it wouldn’t be any fun.
Update:
Just busted out 24th with 99. MP raised my blind. SB called. I should have dropped it. I pushed (it was about 2X the raise, roughly pot-sized), hoping MP was on a steal, and maybe I could go heads-up with the SB. Nope, MP had JJ. We all had fairly even stacks.
SB took his time, then called all of his chips with KQo.
Two Queens on the flop, and he busts both of us.
Oh well. Now THERE’s a bad decision that cost me my tournament. I admit it. I could have folded. I had enough chips to go around a few more times. My spidey-sense was tingling. I ignored it. My bad.
———————
So, another top-1% finish. While I hate the way I went out tonight (as opposed to last night, when I got it in with great hands), I still like the way I managed the rest of my game. I’m feeling like I’m on the verge of a breakthrough.
Or maybe that’s just gas from all the iced tea I drank tonight.
