Another Final Table

Bankroll: $2,823.45

Published on February 13, 2006 By PacDragon In Gaming

I made the final table at the Casino San Pablo tournament again. That's three weeks in a row! I only got 9th place, but since I had to get really lucky to get there, I can't complain. Twice, I was all-in with the worst hand and caught some perfect cards. Early on in the tournament, I had taken half of this one guy's stack. On the very next hand, a big stack raised and that guy pushed all-in. I looked down to see AQ. I had the short stack covered and didn't want to play it three handed, so I pushed all-in. I was hoping to force the big stack out and get the hand heads up with the guy who was all-in.

It didn't quite work out and the big stack called. My heart dropped, I knew he had to have a monster. Sure enough, he turned over KK. The small stack turned over JJ. The flop didn't help me, and I figured I was out for sure. A queen came on the turn, giving me a few outs. And then I got an ace on the river, giving me two pair. It was a huge suckout and I stayed alive with a massive pile of chips.

My other suckout happened around the bubble. We were really close to the final table, but I didn't have many chips and the blinds were massive. I was on the big blind and had just enough chips left over to pay the small blind. One guy pushed all-in and another guy called. I decided I had to call no matter what my cards were. I could either get lucky in this hand, tripling up my current stack. Or I could be all-in on the next hand, probably just doubling up as a much smaller stack. I looked down to see 10-7 and made the call. I don't remember the two other hands since I was getting ready to leave, but they were big. I ended up getting extremely lucky by hitting a strait by the river and accumulating a large enough stack to make the final table.

I went out in 9th when a loose player raised all-in. I've watched him play over the last few weeks and knew he was fully capable of making this move with some pretty crappy cards. I looked down to see KJ. I had a choice... I could fold and wait for a better spot, hoping someone went out before I did. But I wasn't getting very good cards and the next round of blinds would eat my stack. I might have been able to finish a place or two higher by waiting, but the difference in prize money was only about $20. I decided that it was better to try to double up and win the damn thing, plus there was a good chance that the raiser was making a move with a weaker king, so I called. He turned over AQ, his hand stood up, and I was gone.

All in all, it was a good day. I made $64 at $3/$6 before the tournament, then $110 for getting 9th. Minus the entry fee & tip, I brought home $109. Not great, but certainly better than losing.

I played online last night, too. I lost a $20 sit & go, but then won over $140 at $3/$6 in about 10 minutes! Again, I logged off with the winnings. The hand that got me the cash was really crazy. I had limped in with QhJc in middle position. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of this hand, but two people had already limped in, so I figured my odds were good if I hit it. Nearly the entire table limped after me, so there were 8 people in! The small blind raised, I called of course because of the huge pot odds at this point. Everyone else called too, so we saw a flop with a massive pot in the middle.

The flop came two hearts with a J as the highest card, giving me top pair and a backdoor flush draw. The small blind bet and two people called before me. I raised. I wasn't totally certain I had the best hand, but I raised to chase out some of the people behind me. I didn't want them catching any good cards and outdrawing my hand. To my amazement, they nearly all called. The turn was the A of hearts. The small bind bet and it was called by the players before me. I was pretty certain I was beat now, that A had to have helped somebody. But I figured that one more heart on the river would help me. I had about a 19.6% chance to get that final heart, so the pot was offering me the right odds. I called. It was raised behind me, then re-raised, then the small blind capped. I had to call another $18 to see the final card. At this point, the pot was truly massive. If I remember correctly, there was about $140 in the pot at this point and I had to put in $18. Since I had a 19.6% chance to get my flush to win (plus the outs for getting another J or a Q), and $18 is only about 12% of the pot, I was getting the right odds to call, so I did. Everyone else called, too. The river was the heart I was looking for. But I got scared, somehow convinced that the King of hearts was out there somewhere, so I didn't bet when it was checked to me (stupid move). It was checked all around and I took down that huge pot with the flush.

It was a lot of fun, I really hope this winning streak keeps up

Comments

Jythier

on Feb 13, 2006

Everyone else was scared of that King, too, I guess! Good job taking the pot. I couldn't have done it any better.(that's not exactly a compliment) I like your writing style, too, I always look forward to your articles.

xtine

on Feb 13, 2006

Congrats! It's kind of fun to follow your poker progress. I only watch it on tv and play a little nickel and dime stuff with buddies.

SSG Geezer

on Feb 13, 2006

Good Job!
I think you should have bet out on the river though, since if anyone stayed in they were either throwing money away or had it. With a group that loose you might have gotten a couple callers for a mid-sized bet.
I read you also.

PacDragon

on Feb 14, 2006

Thanks all

Yeah, I definitely should have bet on the river. Playing scared is not a winning strat in limit hold'em, I really should be pushing every small edge. I've been pretty good at not betting on the end when I know that I'll only be called by a hand that beats me, but this was not one of those situations. The pot was so large that there were a ton of hands I beat that would call one more bet. It was a mistake I'll try not to repeat.

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