Team Event Recap

Well, it was good to get back to live poker. And no matter how fun online can be, it doesn't compare to brick and mortar.

Last night I was lucky when I had to be and unlucky when I didn't have to be. Does that make sense? Not sure really.

We started with 5000 chips at a nine handed table and blinds at 50-100 with twenty minute levels. My table took the longest to finish and I am positive I got my moneys worth.

The first level I didnt play a hand. This continued until half way through the second level with blinds at 100-200 when I found K 8 spades two off the button with no limpers. I haven't played a hand in the first half hour so my raise would be respected right? Not quite. The button called, the small blind called and after a short dwell, the big blind folded. Hmmm, not good. That is until the flop of 457 all spades giving me the second nut flush and a gutshot straight flush draw. Small blind checks, I check, button checks. Turn is a 9 diamonds. Small blind checks and I bet 400 to see if someone has the A of spades. They both flat call. Hmmm. River is the 8 hearts. Small blind checks and I bet 2000 into a pot of 3200. The button folds and the small blind calls. I show the flush and he mucks. He later told me he had 66 which would make sense. I floated along, managed to get away from AT on an AQ2 board when I was reraised by the big blind. He showed the A2. I ended up getting KK and reraised some limpers but other then that, not a whole lot through the first hour. Little pots, no fireworks. By the break our table of nine, had become a table of eight (by far the slowest in the room) and I was sitting on 9,300. I was in the top two in chips at the table and was content.

After the break blinds were now at 200-400 and stealing was becoming a necessity. I continued with little cards until I got AJs in mid position. I raised 3X BB and was flat called by the SB who also had a lot of chips. I put him on a mid pair. The flop came AK2, I went all in after he checked. He showed TT and folded. I know he could have had a monster but I was pretty sure he had 88-JJ. I have played with him before and I was comfortable going all in in that spot. My chip stack stayed pretty safe until I made a stupid error. With the blinds at 400-800 I was two off the button with 22. I raised to 3000 just wanting the blinds. It was folded to the BB who went all in for another 2400. Damn. I had to call hoping for a coin flip but he turned over 88 and I got no help. I was now shortstacked with 2500 at a seven handed table and blinds at 400-800. I folded 64 but the following hand I picked up KJ. My second favorite hand to push with in that spot. (KQ being my favorite) The player on my immediate left who had been playing tight called immediately. Uh-oh. Then the short stacked small blind called as well. I thought I was done. But when we flipped them over it couldn't have been better. They both had AT. Perfect. The flop brought me a King and the turn and river didnt bring an ace. I went from short stacked 2500 to second place with 8300 (the 800 BB folded). I love SnG's. A few hands later I picked up QQ and raised putting the short stacked BB all in. He turned over 68. The board came 94468. Some people were watching and started yelling when he rivered the 8 but I knew he needed another 6 with the two 4's on board. After a minor commotion, I took the pot. It was around this time that my teammates informed me that I had to win if we were to advance, second place and we were gone. No pressure right?

We were now four handed and I was close to being the chip leader, if not the chip leader at around 15000. Then came a very tough hand. I got AJ and raised it to 3000 with the blinds still at 400-800. The other big stack went all in for around 11000 total. I was getting almost 2-1 for a call and I put him on either A rag or KQ. I have played with him before (same guy who had TT earlier) and I have seen him risk a lot of chips in a spot where he thinks he can get the other player to fold. I was not sure where he was. I figured I had live cards and if I lost I was still alive with enough chips to still have some fold equity. I called. I am still unsure if this was the right play (I am leaning towards it being the wrong one) but I called. He flipped over the same hand as before TT. The window card was an A with the board finally resting on AJ998. Phew. I didnt think he was that strong but it was probably what I wanted to see after I called. (compared to AK or QQ or something like that). By this time I have a lot if chips and my plan was to min raise, play small pots and cash in when I have the cards. That was the plan. Then why did I call a 10000 all in from another stack with A4? I raised to 3000 and he went all in for another 7000 or so. I put him on KQ and he wanted me to go away. I called hoping to see a bluff. He flips over JJ. Damn. The board gave me my ace and he was gone, but it was a terrible call on my part and was my worst play last night.

Heads up we go. I had a big chip lead starting heads up, but because there was only 45000 chips in play, one double up and the short stack is back in it. My plan right from the beginning was to play small pots and put him to tough decisions every hand. Well first off, I went card dead. I know the cards are irrelevant most times, but he was a solid player (hes the older gentlemen to my right in the picture below this post) and was not going to roll over. He pushed the first few hands where I min raised and I had to lay down. I had 46, 73 and J2 and didnt want to double him up with something like that. He fought extremely well and played very smart (well done Tom) and the chip lead went back and forth. I think we played heads up for over an hour or close to it. All the other tables had finished and they were just waiting for my table to be done. The hands were far from spectacular but the majority were flat calling the BB and betting the flop. Because of such few chips it would be difficult to get away from a re-raise, so it was a cagey game. I pushed with a lot of cards when we got to 1500-3000 as fold equity was the only thing keeping me afloat. As I said, he played very well. I ended up pushing one too many times and did so with 72s, yes, 72suited (like I said fold equity is everything in a SnG and it is never NEVER a bad play to get all your chips in first). He called immediately with AK. Two live cards right? Flop came 899 turn was another 9 I believe. And the river? Why a 7 of course. Thank you poker gods. I was now a slight chip leader. Like I said, only 45000 chips in play, anything can happen. Two hands later I get 75offsuit and flat call the BB. He checks. Flop comes Q55. Ok here we go. He checks, I check. The turn comes a 6. He goes all in. I jump up and say 'call' and throw the cards down. The river is another Q and I take it down. It felt so good.

I got up from the table after shaking hands excited to be in the next round, and also for winning the table I get my entry back, not bad at all. After talking to a few people about the last few hands (many people called me a maniac for the 72 hand), I see my teammates looking at the points board shaking their heads. That is never a good sign. The top seven teams get through. Team blow-up comes eighth. That sucks. Was so not cool. Steve got unlucky at his table, especially after a mis-deal when he had JJ on an T high board v AT. Dealers make mistakes it happens, just tough to take. Hairydude got outdrawn a few times including once for a huge pot, and came third. Cambo tried a bluff but the other guy hit a set and went out, while Greg's replacement had some unlucky flops.

It was disappointing to come so close, especially as I would have loved being the short stack at my next table seeing how far I could have gotten. The team had very solid players, too bad we just couldnt get a few more points and advance. Oh well, next time

Think I am going to play the £75 freeze tonight. Really enjoyed last night, and another night of live poker would be great...followed by a late sleep in Saturday morning.