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.

Final Tabled FTOPS #17

Just busted 5th in FTOPS 17 which was a PL Holdem/Omaha split tournament for $13k+. So sick since 1st paid 48k and here is my bust out hand getting it in as a 3-1 favorite.

Full Tilt Poker FTOPS Event #17 Pot Limit Omaha Hi Tournament - t15000/t30000 Blinds - 5 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter By DeucesCracked Poker Videos

CO: t1091305 36.38 BBs
BTN: t379894 12.66 BBs
SB: t1584114 52.80 BBs
Hero (BB): t627986 20.93 BBs
UTG: t1621701 54.06 BBs

Pre Flop: (t45000) Hero is BB with 9 K A 4
3 folds, SB raises to t69999, Hero calls t39999

Flop: (t139998) 8 4 9 (2 players)
SB bets t75555, Hero calls t75555

Turn: (t291108) K (2 players)
SB bets t222222, Hero raises to t482432 all in, SB calls t260210

River: (t1255972) A (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t1255972
SB shows Q 2 5 J (a flush, Ace high)
Hero shows 9 K A 4 (two pair, Aces and Kings)
SB wins t1255972

Will post review later int eh week if I don't jump off a bridge.

Borgata $560 Deep Stack Trip

The Borgata decided to run a Deep Stack Fall Series over the last week to compete with the beginning of the Taj USPC. As usual they are thinking creatively and are constantly ahead of the curve with respect to responding to competition and offering events for various budgets. I think they realize that there is increased competition coming from DE and PA casinos (particularly for the Philly players). But I do think they will survive and will continue to be the best poker room. As to how the competition will effect the rest of the casino, I am not sure but in most industries the best in class tend to survive and thrive. We will see how it all shakes out. But I do think more competition is good for the end consumers in terms of both value and offerings.

In any event, Sunday afternoon I drove to the B planning to play Day 1b on Monday of the $560 Deep Stack. Sunday night I played some cash and that was not really very good as I was card dead and generally couldn't find any good spots for "outplaying" opponents. SO I was down like 2 buy ins at 2/5 relatively quickly then grinded my ass off for hours to win back a buy-in and stumble up to bed down only one buy-in. Good example of how I ran was UTG raised to 20 and had one caller. I 3b to 85 with AA. Guy with 300 stack flat calls me prompting the original caller to come along as well. Sigh this will likely end poorly. Flop comes pretty ugly: 9TJ. This really smashes their likely ranges pretty hard; hands like 99-JJ; JT; KQ all crush this flop. So when it checks to me I check it back. Turn was a rag and checks through again. River was a 9 and UTG guy bets 125. I call to see J9. SO he called off 1/3 of his stack with J9 when I 3b and then luckboxes the flop and only gets 1 street of value. WP sir.



Anyway the tournament was deep stacked with 25k in chips and 40 min levels. Tab (B tournament director) even added some additional levels this time around including 250/500 and 2500/5000. Nice! As usual I will start out with my table make up:

Seat 1-Yours truly
Seat 2-Old guy who was literally color blind and kept putting the wrong chips in the pot. We had to call the floor at one point to determine if his "call" was, in fact, a raise as he had thrown the wrong chips in the pot
Seat 3-Guy I played cash with the night before who seemed solidish
Seat 4-Big strong Philly regular who seemed ok but a little hyper aggro
Seat 5- Another regular from NYC who just couldn't fold a pair...I would use that to my advantage later...I would get a lot of chips off of him
Seat 6-Hispanic guy who seemed tight aggressive
Seat 7-Borgata mid-stakes (5-10; 10-20) regular who plays tournaments like cash games which is to say he doesn't really understand stack size play/preservation..not a bad player by any means just a little spewy/trying to win every pot/etc
Seat 8-Young internety looking kid...very solid and aggressive
Seat 9-Old guy who was massively spewy and took absurd lines...very bad

In any event, this initial line-up was maybe a bit tougher than normal for these $500 buy in events but still some very soft spots.

First hand I played of any significance was with the NYC kid. I limped behind 2 others at 25/50 with 58dd in late pos. NYC kid made it 350 and 2 called in front of me. I called as well and 5 took a flop of Q59 with one diamond. NYC made it 750 and only I called. Turn was Td giving me a pair and FD. He only bets 750...so sure I'll peel one more with deep stacks. River was a black 8. He bets 1k...I make it 3600 and he calls and tables KK.

Few minutes later he would totally butcher a hand. UTG makes it 350 at 50/100 and gets 4 callers. I wake up with AA on the button and make it 3200 and NYC is only customer. He started the hand with 16kish. Flop came QT5 and he check calls my 5k bet leaving himself ~7500 behind. At this point I suspect he has AQ or JJ or maybe AK or TT (though I think we get it in if he has TT). Turn was a K which sucks cuz if he has AQ and thinks I have AK he can now find a fold. HE checks and I set him in until he finally tank folds showing AQ...damn why couldn't the turn be the case A. But his play here is elllll ohhhhhh ellllll bad. He calls a huge raise with AQ OOP then slams the flop, puts in over half his stack and then folds (although in this case he was right). Just not good play IMO.

So my stack was ~42k at this point when I got myself a bit later in a tough spot holding AK. I raised UTG to 550 at 100/200 and found 2 callers. Flop came K52 and I c-bet 850 I think finding 1 caller. Turn was a rag (maybe a 7) and I bet 1800 only to get raised by the hispanic dude to 5800. This is an easy fold that a lot of players can't get away from. Though I tanked for a bit I was never putting another nickel in the pot. He has to have a set here like every time. So I folded and he later told me he had KK so he had flopped the case K....ewwww.

I drifted down to 25kish playing super tight when I finally got someone to spew off to me. UTG was the "good" Philly regular and he limped in at 500/1000/100a. I woke up with KK and riased to 4200. He then shoves and I snap call expecting to see AK, QQ or the unfortunate AA...but no I get to see AT...wow. TO paraphrase Garth "If you are going to spew could you do it to my stack?"



In any event that got me to 52kish and from there I got to my high water mark of 130k with the following hand. A spewy big stack (SBS) was moved to the table with ~150k. I was sitting on the button with 65k at 1k/2k/300a. SBS opened to 7400 and I peeked at TT. Now the only thing I had to go off with him was that he had earlier raised much smaller and eventually showed KK. So with just this info my assumption is that he raises his more marginal hands bigger (pairs up to TT; AK; AQ; AJ, KQ, etc.) and his stronger hands that he wants action from smaller (pairs JJ+). So with this in mind I raise TT for value and raise rather big to 24k. When he flat calls I know know he doesn't have a bigger pair than me. When I put ~40% of my stack in he should know I'm not folding and there is no reason for him to get cute with a big pair. Anyway flop comes Q7J and he open jams all in. I have 40k left and this looks like an absolute bluff. I put him on AK or 99 at this point. If he has AQ, AJ, KQ or KJ he is going to check to me to get me to put more chips in first not shut me out of the pot. So I make the call and he tables 88. I fade the 2 8s left in the deck and get a workable stack for once.

A few tough hands dragged me down to abt 90k when play was stopped and we bagged and tagged our chips.

Yesterday we returned at 11 to play down to the money and eventual winner. I had about 35 BB to start but was really inactive for quite some time and drifted down to abt 20BB as the blinds moved up. I did make a pretty sick fold blind vs. blind. SB was a very friendly Asian guy from NYC who actually recognized my name from this blog. So we were talking a bit and he seemed to play pretty solid. In any event, I shoved on him a time or two with legit holdings. Then it folded to him in the SB and he raised 3x at 2k/4k/500. I woke up with ATs and this is normally a jam most of the time with 20ish BB in a BVB situation. But I just sensed he was strong and finally folded. He showed AQ so nice fold.

I chipped up with some shoving and some preflop raises to about 110k when my own spew came. The big stack in late position opened to 13k at 2.5k/5k/500a. SB then called and I peeled A4 of spades. Ughhhh. This is probably a fold given my stack size and being OOP but I talked myself into calling by saying I would only stack off with 2 pair, trip 4s, a flush draw or a miracle wheel flop. If SB folds I fold for sure but with his extra T$ in the pot I made the call. Sure enough flop comes 368 with 2 spades. Well we aren't folding now. I am just a slight dog vs. an overpair and with all the extra money in there it is time for me to take a flip. I check with intention of c/r all in. Big stack bets 40k, sb folds and I ship. Stack calls with QQ and I brick off to bust in 40th with 36 paying.

In hindsight, I hate my call pre. There just aren't that many flops I am really going to like and with my stack there will be much better spots. I mean I never play for a minimum cash. I play to go deep. In this case I got in a coin flip for ~225k chips. But that was almost as good of a flop as I could hope for and it still was only a coin flip so I think that a fold was more prudent pre-flop. Once the flop came the hand was totally standard by both of us.

So basically a shitty trip from every angle. Congrats to my boy Ian Paloma for his deep run.

Not sure I will go for the HOSE at Taj next week as the numbers have been pretty poor. Also other than deep runs in tournaments I realize that live poker is so phucking boring I can't stand it. But I will be back up in December for the WSOP Circuit events I am sure.

Another winning month...barely

October was a baddish month and looked as though it would be my second net losing month of the year (July for my second WSOP trip being the other). But some late game heroics made it a marginally positive month.

The month started off with some terrific runbad/playbad in PLO8. I mean the hands I lost were truly remarkable and I ran several hundred dollars below EV. The coup de gras came when I flopped the nut flush draw, nut low draw, wrap and top pair holding AQ24 on a 35Q board and get it all in against a random fish running like 80/17. I then watched in horror as the board ran out KT and I was scooped by KKxx. But in addition to this runbad I didn't play my A game so F-me. My choice was to fill out the form below (click to enlarge) or suck it up and find a way to win some moneez.



I chose the latter route and began playing micro stakes NLHE only for the second half of the month. That and a few decent tournament results alleviated some of the down turn but not enough to make a huge deal. In any event, here are the final numbers:

On-line cash -$310
On-line tournaments +$554
Stars FPP value (13,878.43 VPP x 3.5factor x 1.5 cents per) +$728.62
Full Tilt rakeback +$30
Live cash -$34
Live tournament -$245

Total +$723.62

So without the Stars Supernova value I would have been essentially break even for the month. Does one month make for a FPP Pro??? (For those who don't know FPP Pro is a derogatory term used to describe high volume Stars player who virtually never win at the tables but play so much they are able to make a living just off of the FPP program).

Frankly other than the Borgata trip I played very little live poker in October. That will change in November, however, as I have some good stuff planned for this month. I am going up on Sunday afternoon to the Borgata and will play Day 1b on Monday of the Deep Stack $560. I will play that date and hopefully go deep in it and make Day 2 on Tuesday. If not, I will head over to the Taj to play the $340 Omaha Hi-Lo on Tuesday morning. Then the plan is to go back up to the Taj the following week and play the $560 HOSE.

In addition to the live poker, I need to grind some major volume on-line to get to the next payout threshold of 200k VPP on Stars. Between now and the end of the year I need to achieve roughly 65k VPP. At the stakes I play that is a shitload of hands in the next 60ish days. If I can get 30k VPP this month I will find a way to make it in December though I may end up hating poker on January 1.

So my goals for the month are:

150k hands online
Make a live Final Table
Get my fat ass in the gym 3x per week


Let's go November!