Finally a win in the Full Tilt Nightly PLO

Ever since the FTOPS FT from last week I have had the tournament bug. Although tournaments can be an absolute grind, the feeling when you get deep in a tournament or make a final table and are in the hunt is probably the best in poker. So last night when the family crapped out after a long Thanksgiving day I decided to fire up some tournaments and see what happened. Six hours later at the late late hour of 3:30 a.m (click to enlarge)...

I have played this tournament probably 100+ times and this was my 10th final table. I had finished 2nd a few times and 3rd several times but this was my first win. The quality of the play throughout this tournament tends to be pretty bad and last night was no exception. In fact, the difference in quality of play at the FT was so striking compared to the FTOPS event that it was hard to believe.

I came to the FT as the chip leader with about 135k in chips and blinds at 2k/4k. I was opening probably 2 hands every orbit and was really running the table over. It was obv a lot of fun and I felt like barring an unlucky situation I would be in control. It did take quite some time to bust the shortstacks but once that happened I was easily able to ramp up the aggression as the other players seemed to be trying to move up the pay ladder. Finally, when we were 3 handed I had approx. 520k of the 660ish chips in play. I polished off the 3rd place finisher and then when we are HU I slowly chipped away at him before busting him with a rivered str8. Good feeling to finally win this thing.

The live front has been good as well. I finished 3rd in a $250 tournament with 24 people the other night that included Steve Dannenman and and a local 8 time gold medal winning swimmer (hint hint--think Baltimore obv). Unfortunately for me, they were slinging cash around after they busted the tournament in one of the sickest cash games I have ever witnessed. They were playing $1/$2 NLHE and NL Omaha H/L and stacks were flying in the middle. By the end of the night there was $10k++ on the tables. Couple the amount of dough with statements I heard like "I think I have a low" and "I really have no idea what I have" and I was positively drooling with the thought of getting in there. Sadly they wrapped up just as we were finishing up the tournament.

I have also been worried about something happening in my regular Thursday night game and it finally happened the other night. You see I beat those cash games basically every week for a few hundred dollars. Particularly if we play mostly Omaha Hi/Low they basically have no shot other than to cooler me. So I actually asked one of my better friends in the game a few weeks ago if those guys were going to resent me and not want to play with me anymore. He didn't think so but had heard some of them say that they didn't feel like they could be me especially in Omaha. So the other night I dragged a massive pot with nut high/nut low and one of the better players said "I am done playing with you...That's it". He only had like $150 left and reloaded. A bit later I flopped the nut flush and 2nd nut low and got into the pot with him. Normally I would milk this pot and relieve him of said $150. This time I played the hand super fast basically telegraphing my hand. A long discussion ensued where I implored him to fold. Finally he asked if I would show and I replied "If that is what it takes to get you to fold then yes I will show". He finally reluctantly folded a lower flush and the same low. I showed and he was happy I talked him off the ledge. I don't think much will come of it but it is kind of a weird thing. I mean these are my friends and while there are "No friends at the poker tables" I don't want to fleece them. So occasionally I have to do what I did or perhaps fold some hands even if I know I am likely best.

FTOPS #17 Final Table Review (Pretty Long)

Before I start, I know I am getting a ton more traffic over the last few months thanks to Doublefly link and few others, so please feel free to comment. Tell me I am a donk, a total luckbox, whatever.

As my previous post says I final tabled the FTOPS Event #17 which was a $216 Pot Limit Holdem/Omaha split event. For those who don't know FTOPS is Full Tilt Online Poker Series and is a quarterly series run by Full Tilt Poker over a week and half to two week period with varying games and buy-ins. I play very few tournaments at this point but during the major series (FTOPS, Stars WCOOPs and SCOOPs) will pick out 4 or 5 events and play those (generally Omaha or mixed game events). In addition to gobs of cash, FTOPS winners get a gold jersey both for their on-line avatars (see above) and a real life gold jersey. I really wanted that damn thing.

With that in mind I went home early for this event which started at 2 p.m. EST.

I hate reviews of tournaments that just list a bunch of hands but I'm not really sure how else to look at it. So I will try to show the key hands but not bore you with a ton of poker speak.

The tournament started with 5k in chips and really low blind levels. The game switched back and forth between Holdem and Omaha every level. The first 2 hours or so are pretty boring though a lot of the baddish players are giving away chips during this time. Unfortunately, I was not recipient of said chips and hovered between 5k and about 12k with very little volatility.

First All In

Just before this hand I had gotten all in with a shorter stack player holding AK vs. his AQ and obv lost leaving me with a measly 3BB. Once it goes bet raise, I stick it in hoping to suck out against one player and...sure enough!

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Hold'em Tournament - t500/t1000 Blinds - 9 players - View hand 1032439
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: t35174 35.17 BBs
UTG+1: t13882 13.88 BBs
UTG+2: t49325 49.33 BBs
MP1: t28606 28.61 BBs
MP2: t30229 30.23 BBs
CO: t48461 48.46 BBs
BTN: t40992 40.99 BBs
Hero (SB): t3065 3.06 BBs
BB: t11860 11.86 BBs

Pre Flop: (t1500) Hero is SB with A 5
UTG raises to t2000, 1 fold, UTG+2 raises to t7500, 4 folds, Hero calls t2565 all in, 2 folds

Flop: (t9130) 3 6 4 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t9130) 2 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t9130) 3 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t9130
UTG+2 shows J J (two pair, Jacks and Threes)
Hero shows A 5 (a straight, Six high)
Hero wins t9130

So I'm pretty short but still Alive!

Play a premium pretty poorly

I went on a pretty good rush over the next 2 levels and now had a workable stack when this hand comes up. The opponent is new to the table so no reads or stats. When he donks the flop he could still have a lot of hands IMO but I guess a random 9, 78, 66, TT or JJ are all the most likely...I would more heavily lean to 78 or a 9 I think as I think a big stack would play an overpair more aggressively by looking to check raise. When he bets the turn his hand really looks like a draw. I call cuz I still don't think there is much value in raising. The river fills in the str8 and I actually tank called using a good bit of time. The river is a fold because I beat almost nothing...bad call by me.


Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Hold'em Tournament - t800/t1600 Blinds - 8 players - View hand 1032453
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

CO: t37974 23.73 BBs
BTN: t12394 7.75 BBs
SB: t58130 36.33 BBs
BB: t126074 78.80 BBs
UTG: t162116 101.32 BBs
UTG+1: t35492 22.18 BBs
Hero (MP1): t44624 27.89 BBs
MP2: t38497 24.06 BBs

Pre Flop: (t2400) Hero is MP1 with Q Q
2 folds, Hero raises to t3550, 4 folds, BB calls t1950

Flop: (t7900) 9 6 9 (2 players)
BB bets t3950, Hero calls t3950

Turn: (t15800) J (2 players)
BB bets t7900, Hero calls t7900

River: (t31600) 5 (2 players)
BB bets t15800, Hero calls t15800

Final Pot: t63200
BB shows 8 7 (a straight, Nine high)
Hero mucks Q Q
BB wins t63200

On the Stone Bubbble vs an aggro big stack

This hand is standard and is against the same opponent as the above hand. Only thing interesting here is that we are on the absolute bubble...I lose I am out with zippy....I win and I have a workable stack. Nice turn for the big fella as it counterfeits his flopped 2 pair.

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Omaha Hi Tournament - t1000/t2000 Blinds - 8 players - View hand 1032458
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BTN: t49774 24.89 BBs
SB: t22788 11.39 BBs
BB: t26312 13.16 BBs
UTG: t159874 79.94 BBs
UTG+1: t150716 75.36 BBs
MP1: t47892 23.95 BBs
Hero (MP2): t30848 15.42 BBs
CO: t27097 13.55 BBs

Pre Flop: (t3000) Hero is MP2 with 6 A 4 A
UTG raises to t7000, 2 folds, Hero raises to t24000, 4 folds, UTG raises to t75000, Hero calls t6848 all in

Flop: (t64696) J 5 K (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t64696) 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t64696) T (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t64696
UTG shows K J Q Q (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
Hero shows 6 A 4 A (a flush, Ace high)
Hero wins t64696

I'm supposed to go broke here

Why I didn't bet this flop is beyond me. I just felt I was easily bluffed off the best hand here and didn't want to have to make a decision on the flop. My turn call is standard but my river call is close between call and fold. On the one hand he looks super strong full potting but on the other he probably doesn't expect me to show up with AA there so my hand is severely under-represented. Whatever, I am a calling station and call.

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Hold'em Tournament - t1200/t2400 Blinds - 9 players - View hand 1029325
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

MP2: t46774 19.49 BBs
CO: t18188 7.58 BBs
BTN: t142879 59.53 BBs
SB: t148026 61.68 BBs
BB: t64583 26.91 BBs
UTG: t179028 74.59 BBs
UTG+1: t39492 16.45 BBs
Hero (UTG+2): t62696 26.12 BBs
MP1: t24297 10.12 BBs

Pre Flop: (t3600) Hero is UTG+2 with A A
2 folds, Hero raises to t5499, 5 folds, BB calls t3099

Flop: (t12198) 8 6 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (t12198) 3 (2 players)
BB bets t9600, Hero calls t9600

River: (t31398) 6 (2 players)
BB bets t31398, Hero requests TIME, Hero calls t31398

Sexy 4 flush

This one speaks for itself. Always fun to freeroll someone after the flop...

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Hold'em Tournament - t2000/t4000 Blinds - 9 players - View hand 1032466
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

SB: t31616 7.90 BBs
BB: t131732 32.93 BBs
UTG: t28068 7.02 BBs
UTG+1: t308360 77.09 BBs
UTG+2: t128688 32.17 BBs
MP1: t60154 15.04 BBs
MP2: t144693 36.17 BBs
Hero (CO): t43844 10.96 BBs
BTN: t64591 16.15 BBs

Pre Flop: (t6000) Hero is CO with A Q
3 folds, MP1 raises to t14000, 1 fold, Hero raises to t43844 all in, 3 folds, MP1 calls t29844

Flop: (t93688) 9 A 6 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t93688) 2 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t93688) 9 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t93688
MP1 shows Q A (two pair, Aces and Nines)
Hero shows A Q (a flush, Ace high)
Hero wins t93688
Little suck resuck action

He sucks out on flop and I resuck the turn...thank you Full Tilt!

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Hold'em Tournament - t3000/t6000 Blinds - 9 players - View hand 1032471
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

UTG: t93493 15.58 BBs
UTG+1: t59503 9.92 BBs
UTG+2: t241374 40.23 BBs
MP1: t7252 1.21 BBs
MP2: t413720 68.95 BBs
CO: t248628 41.44 BBs
BTN: t175342 29.22 BBs
Hero (SB): t57430 9.57 BBs
BB: t278255 46.38 BBs

Pre Flop: (t9000) Hero is SB with Q Q
4 folds, MP2 raises to t21000, 2 folds, Hero raises to t57430 all in, 1 fold, MP2 calls t36430

Flop: (t120860) 3 6 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t120860) Q (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t120860) K (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t120860
MP2 shows 3 3 (three of a kind, Threes)
Hero shows Q Q (three of a kind, Queens)
Hero wins t120860

The biggie

This hand occurred with 15ish people left and was really the biggie to propel me to the FT. It is a little more interesting than it appears at first. Although it was probably going in anyway, I attempted to make my 3 bet look like a squeeze attempt by raising rather big pre-flop.

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Hold'em Tournament - t5000/t10000 Blinds - 7 players - View hand 1032474
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BB: t105581 10.56 BBs
UTG: t215756 21.58 BBs
UTG+1: t387785 38.78 BBs
MP: t94254 9.43 BBs
CO: t647653 64.77 BBs
BTN: t461127 46.11 BBs
Hero (SB): t272819 27.28 BBs

Pre Flop: (t15000) Hero is SB with A A
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to t23500, 1 fold, CO calls t23500, 1 fold, Hero raises to t85000, 1 fold, UTG+1 raises to t288500, 1 fold, Hero calls t187819 all in

Flop: (t579138) T 4 3 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Turn: (t579138) 5 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t579138) 3 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t579138
UTG+1 shows Q Q (two pair, Queens and Threes)
Hero shows A A (two pair, Aces and Threes)
Hero wins t579138

Missed value

With 12 left my opponent in this hand was a total spaz and I really couldn't put him on a hand here. But if he is checking all three streets I think I have to bet the turn and river. He probably calls a 1/2 sized pot bet on the river. I mean he called the turn with AK high and no draw. Very strange.

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Omaha Hi Tournament - t6000/t12000 Blinds - 6 players - View hand 1032480
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

BTN: t119044 9.92 BBs
SB: t194508 16.21 BBs
BB: t532701 44.39 BBs
UTG: t740029 61.67 BBs
MP: t199759 16.65 BBs
Hero (CO): t561138 46.76 BBs

Pre Flop: (t18000) Hero is CO with 3 Q A A
2 folds, Hero raises to t29999, MP says "river 5", 2 folds, MP says "55", BB calls t17999

Flop: (t65998) 4 2 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (t65998) 4 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets t38750, BB calls t38750

River: (t143498) K (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Final Pot: t143498
BB mucks 8 K A T
Hero shows 3 Q A A (two pair, Aces and Fours)
Hero wins t143498

Once we got to the FT I had the 2 biggest stacks on my left, one of which was far and away the most accomplished player left. They were 3, 4 and 5 betting each other virtually every otehr hand and I just sort of stayed out of their way. I had 600-800k most of the time at the final table which was certainly workable. I did my fair share of raising and re-raising but more to keep my stack level than to try and accumulate. My seat position was also not helped by the fact that I had was being dealt a consistent stream of horse-shit hands including my most common holding, the ever popular 3-8 offsuit. It was a frigging joke how bad these hands were. Then of course we all saw what happened in my bustout hand in my previous post....sigh.

So my first deep run in a major on-line tournament. Would have been nice to go all the way with a chance for the jersey and the cash but what can you do. If you told me Tuesday morning I would be at the final table with $13.5k locked up and get all my chips in the middle as a 3-1 favorite with one card to come for a monster stack, I would have said "Sign me Up"!

I will likely play the FTOPS ME on Sunday as well as the other misc. Sunday majors.