Deepstack Report

Ok, I didnt put up a report from the Saturday night tourney so here it is.

Saturday night I was really looking forward to because it is one of the only nights I can play some MTT's and not worry about getting to bed at a reasonable time. So I signed up for a bunch. A $22 freezeout, a $3 freezeout and the $10 deepstack. I also played a turbo so I wouldnt get bored early. The SnG I got third (hey, profit is profit), the $22 I ran AK into AA in a blind on blind confrontation (not a good idea by the way) and the $3 I went out in the money maing $8 dollars or something. Nothing big. The deepstack however was another story.

Early on I did nothing. A stack of 5000 and half hour levels make for an absolute ton of play and no rush was needed. I played tight and caught a few hands and was around 9000 when the first big hand arrived. I had K9o on the button and I raised. The small blind (6500 stack) called me. The flop came J84 with two spades I have the king of spades. He checked, I bet 1/2 the pot, he called. The turn was a ten of spades, giving me an open ended straight draw and the second nut flush draw. By this time the pot is around 2400, and after he checks I bet the pot. I know I have outs if he calls, and after leading preflop, and on the flop, I dont want to slow down especially with so many outs. He then goes all in for another 2800 or so. Damn. If I call and lose I am down to 2500 in chips. Not terrible as the blinds are only 50-100 but obviously not a good place to be. I couted my outs as all the spades (9) the sevens (3) and the queens (3) giving me 15 outs. I had to call 2800 to win 10,000. Almost 4-1. Out of 46 unseen cards, 15 will win me the pot. 3-1. I called. The river was the 7 of spades, giving me both the straight and the flush. Phew. I was up to 1600 or so.

I then got moved to a CRAZY table where two players in paticular bet every street with nothing or the nuts. They were dangerous players and they called down with third or fourth pair. It was interesting to say the least. I hit a set and a straight and went up to 21000 when the next big hand occured. The blinds were getting a bit high, 200-400 and with the antes, you needed to pick up the odd hand. I was on the button (I used position very well all tourney and was very proud of that fact) with Q3 of hearts. It was folded around and I raised to 1200. Both blinds called including one of the crazy players who had me well covered. The flop came Q34. They both checked, I bet 3/4 of the pot. The crazy called, the BB folded. The turn was a 6. By this time the pot was 12,000 and I had only about 15,000 left. I was content to take the pot down and because he could have anything, I went all in. He thought and thought and thought and then called...with A5. He had an open ended straight draw. The river gave me a full house and I was up to 45000. Damn straight.

I then got moved again. This table I did very well at. I stole like there was no tomorrow and I played a lot of pots with position. Any weakness and I bet. My stack grew to 65,000 without really showing a hand. By this time the blinds were 600-1200 and I was playing well. Then came THE hand of the tourney for me. I was three off the button and it was folded to me. I raised to 3600 with the AQ of diamonds. The button the raised me another 3600. I didnt like it, but I obviously had odds (but not the position) so I called. The flop came 246 with two diamonds. I checked to see what he would do and he instantly went all in for 35,000 into a 16,000 pot. WTF. He had been a bit reckless but nothing totally out of whack in the time I had played with him. He either had a mid pair or a high pair. I obviously had nine outs with the diamonds, and possibly more if he had 99,TT, or JJ, even with QQ KK I still had another three outs. If I won the hand, I would be top ten in chips, if I lost I was down to 24,000 but still alive. I called. He flipped over AA. The river was the 3 of diamonds. I played the hand badly but got rewarded. I should have folded, but I went with my read. It was the wrong move at the right time. That being said, he shouldnt have gone all in. I would have bet the pot in his position and move in on the turn, it is quite possible however, that I put him on that flop so who knows. It was unlucky for him, but thats poker.

I was up to 112,000 and feeling good. I ducked and dodged, hit a few hands including top set and getting paid, came over the top of a few raises with JJ and KK and soon found myself with 40 left and sitting on 180K. By this time the blinds were worth stealing and the shorter stacks were just pushing so I stayed away from playing many hands. I then found AQ clubs and I raised to 3600. The BB called me. The flop came down 79A with one club. He checked and I bet the pot. He called. The turn was a low club and after he checked I put him all in. He instacalled with A7 and I didnt hit. I was back down again.

The blinds were 3K-6K with antes. The chipleader was on my table and UTG he limped for 6K. He was limping a lot and one off the button I found TT. It was folded around and I didnt want to see a flop, nor did I want to face a re-raise, so I went all in. In hindsight, this was not a great play, but I did. I blame being tired but whatever. The SB then thought about it and re raised all in. Oh no. The BB and the limper folded. He had KK. Good night Knighstridge. With a king on the flop I was done...but wait. Three diamonds on the flop...I have the ten of diamonds.... and The turn is a beautiful Ace of diamonds! By this time I was screaming "dont pair the board, don't pair the board." A harmless four of spades on the river, and I am up to 315K.

After that hand I was doing well, but still had to avoid the shortstacks pushing. About a half hour after the TT v KK hand, the KK guy moved in on my BB. With 15 players left, I called with AK. He flipped over AJ and I was one step away from being chip leader. But a jack on the river gave him some justice and I had to go towards the back of the pack. Soon after I reraised the chipleader all in with AT when I thought he was stealing. He folded, this would be important later when I found JJ and he needlessly pushed. I called, he showed 77, and I hit a straight on the turn. That took me to the final where I sat 3rd of 9.

That was when I lost connection for the second time and I had to call my college roommate Mike in Toronto to play for me. Three o'clock in the morning in Scotland and I am talking to Toronto Canada telling him to fold call or raise (he is a great player and could have done just as good a job, but the thought of playing for ten hours and then letting someone play for me didnt really sound good). I had lost connection earlier in the tourney and Mike had played for me for a few rounds, but at the final table, it is so much more important. I ended up getting connection back and I didnt lose too many hands in the changeover so it was alright. The final table was a weird table, people pushing and calling with hands that were a 50-50 at best. It seemed that 77 was a hand that was used an awful lot, showing up many many times in coinflips. I went card dead when the final began and with people raising so often I couldnt find a spot. That was until I found KK in the small blind. I raised and a limper called. The flop came Q high, I bet the pot, he called. The turn was a blank, I went all in. He thought and thought and called....with 77. Dunno what he thought I had, but no 7 on the river and I was back. I had AK a few times and raised and took a few pots down. But other then that, not much. The players slowly faded away and pretty soon there were three of us left. I was the shortstack but managed to pull within striking distance of second and was a double up away from being joint chipleader. That was when it happened.

I had AJ in the BB and raised after they both limped. They both called. The flop came nothing and I checked fearing the button would re-raise, Mistake number 1. The turn gave me my Ace and I bet out half the pot, Mistake number 2. The river was a blank (or so I thought) and I went all in, Mistake number 3. The chipleader called immediately with the nuts, the K9 of hearts. The turn and river were runner runner hearts. I should have bet the pot on the flop, and even if I didn't, I should have pushed the ace turn. I am pretty sure the button called with 88 or 99 and could not have called.

I was disappointed with my finish but not my play. I was calm and focused and was really happy for my biggest online cash ever. I wish I could have taken it down, but I know one will arrive soon.