Before I get into that I was disappointed with the Caps exit from the playoffs in round 1. There is not much in sports as exciting as a game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, some shaky defense/goaltending throughout the series coupled with an amazing defensive performance by the Canadiens and their goalie was too much to overcome. Hopefully they continue their run and beat the freaking Penguins.
Ok so now onto the Borgata. I mentioned previously that I had a min-cash in an event last week and would get back to that. However, my Iphone dumped the notes I took on that so I can't really remember a lot about it. What I do remember is that we got inside the money and I took a calculated risk to acquire some chips. Blinds were 1500/3000/400a and I opened AK to 7800. Shortstack shoved for 27k and next player reshoved for 57k (I started hand with 55k). Normally this is a snap call on-line but a fold in many cases live. People just rarely 4 bet shove live less than KK. So really his range there is QQ, KK, AA and AK and that is really about it. So I am losing to half that range, chopping with a quarter of it and flipping with a quarter of it. Not a good recipe for getting it in. But in this case I took a calculated gamble knowing if I hit my hand I would have ~140-150k in chips and would likely go deep in this thing. ANyway the original shover had TT and the re-shover had QQ. I bricked off and was out for a min-cash. Oh well, if I see their hands then this is a snap call as I have ~40% equity in the pot yet it only costs me about 35% of the pot. So poop I am out.
The main event was a really good experience even though I didn't cash. This was my highest buy in event ever and, predictably, the play was significantly better than most of the $300-$1k buy in events I typically play in. Play was super aggressive with a lot of 3 betting and 4 betting pre-flop. But with deep stacks and a great structure I was able to play solid and develop a good, tight table image and pick my spots. My table was very very tough and featured 2 well known internet players and a very accomplished live player with over $1.5M in career live winnings at the ripe old age of 25...lol. Unfortunately, this player was 2 to my left and was going to be a thorn in my side all day.
Well to say I was card dead would be an understatement. A steady diet of 49off, J5off and my seemingly most common hand 37 suited was really brutal. In fact, in the first 3 levels I saw about 5 flops and folded all but 1 flop and that one I folded the turn holding JJ on a KxxA board. So I was slipping down a lot. Finally I won a decent pot, however, that got me back up close to my starting stack. I limped 22 UTG at 100/200/25a and got 3 callers. An aggro young kid then raised the button to 1100 and found 1 caller in the SB. He was raising every other hand and loved to 3 bet in position. So I decided to make my hand look like AA but re-raisng to 3400. This is a pretty common play with AA UTG and looks very strong especially since I haven't played many hands. All folded and I scooped a nice ~3k pot. I then played a hand with Chris Klodnicki, the player 2 to my left. I opened JJ at 150/300/25a to 800 and he re-raised the button to 2100. The BB called cold and I came along as well. Flop was 665, BB checked, I led for 3800 and he shoved. I don't like my bet at all. It basically turns my hand into some sort of retarded bluff and is just bad. I should have check-raised him all in. He is continuation betting here like 100% of the time and if I CR he can fold AK, AQ type hands. But whan I lead he is just going to bomb like every time. Poorly played. I folded to the shove and just hated that one.
Finally our table broke and that was a relief. The new table was a bit weaker and I needed a break from the relentless 3 and 4 betting. First hand I played at the new table was with a middle aged dude. He opened in early position and I called the button with JJ. Flop comes 25Q which is pretty good. He c-bets and I call. Turn is a 2 and action goes check-check. At this point I know I am good and he likely has 77-TT or AK. River is really good-6. He checks again and now I know I am good and bet 2/3 of the pot which he calls and shows 99. Few hands later I make a great river call. Old Russian dude (ORD) limps in UTG +1. I check in the BB with 86 off. Flop comes 946 and I lead at the pot for 60% and ORD calls. Turn is a 9 and action goes check-check. River is a Th putting 3 hearts on the board and I check. ORD then suddenly pops up and bets big (like 100% of the pot). I tank a little bit and can't see how I am beat. The T like never hits him. He never has a 9 or he would have bet the turn. The only hand he can possibly have here that beats me is 44. He doesn't bet 77 or 88 for value with a paired board an over and three to a flush (though unlikely). So that leaves some sort of missed hand like A4s, 35s, 57s. SO he either has 44, 66 or total air. I called and he shows A4s and I scoop a nice pot to get pretty close to even (~28k) for the day.
Then in the last level the shit hit the fan. Now mind you I have not flopped a single set, made a flush or str8 and frankly, haven't even flopped a flush DRAW. So when I open 55 to 1100 in late position at 200/400/50a and get called by the button and BB I'm thinking "I'm due to smash a flop". Sure enough flop comes 58Q and I am salivating. I bet 2200 and only button calls. Turn is the 3 of clubs putting 3 clubs on the board and I bet again this time 4100. He thinks for a bit and reraises to 11,000. SO this is it what do I do. His hand range includes AQ and KQ with the A or K of clubs, a set (most likely 3s or 8s but rarely Qs) and some sort of combo draw with 46 or 67. my hand doesn't really play that well against that range but I can't find the fold button and ship to see 88 and he has me covered by ~2k in chips.
So with 15 minutes or so left in the day I am busto and out of the tournament which was very disappointing. Up to the room I go to sulk a bit. I fire up my laptop to check emails, etc. and decide to pull up Full Tilt and Poker Stars and lo and behold 4 hours later I win a smallish tournament with 150ish players and $1k or so. So that helped perk me up to play again the next day in the $400 event. I will review that final table run later.
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