Friday, October 24, 2014

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Haven't had any reason to blog since Online Poker was taken away on April 15, 2011.  But I have played some events in the WSOP Circuit.  I traveled to Vegas as written in my last BLOG in 2012 to play alot of cash games but also to play at WSOP Circuit event @ Caesar's.  I played about 7 hours that day and took a bad beat, losing KK to AK for an above average stack.

I have also played a few tournaments at Hollywood Casino near Cincinnati...cashing once at the final table...7th place I think in a $250 Bounty event.  Also played some cash games winning the biggest live pot at the time of about $3000.

The Horseshoe Southern Indiana is where I have played the most events but still only a handful of WSOP Circuit and Tournament Series events they host.

Typically my family and I go to Florida for our FALL BREAK from school, but they have moved up to High School and their athletic teams have practice and games during the Break.  I noticed the WSOP Circuit was being played that same week and I went up for the Day 1B start of the $365 Re-Entry event.  When registration was closed...there were 694 entries and a PURSE of almost $210,000.

I doubled up very early with a SET of 5's vs an unknown player that called my all-in bet at the river with the board reading...AQ5...7...10.  He mucked when he saw my hand and went back to the cage to Re-Enter.  After the double up...my stack ranged from 18k to 30k, but I could never get over the hump and chip up further.  Levels were 30 minutes in length and blinds had escalated to 50/250/500 and I had about 25k in chips.  I raised to 550 with AJo and get two callers.  FLOP  A 10 5 and I bet 1050 and get 1 caller.  Turn was a blank and I bet 2200 and my opponent moves ALL-IN...I tanked for a long time but finally folded.  My gut was to call but I talked myself out of it.  Left me plenty of chips to find a better opportunity to chip up.  But everything went cold as I folded bad hand after bad hand and was 3 bet a few times when I tried to steal and eventually at the end of level 13, I had 13,300 in chips and the blinds were 200/600/1200...I was very SHORT in chips.  Luckily I pick up AK and 3 bet all-in an early raiser.  The SB called all in for less and the original raiser called.

SB had - 88
Rasier had - AJo
Me - AKo

Flop was a blank but luckily I binked an A on the turn and held up.  Now I have about 37k (31bb) in chips and room to play again.  In a limped pot, I call with A6o in the SB and we see a flop...A6K with two hearts. Everyone checks around to late position who bets 4k and only I call.  Turn was a blank and I check...he bets 10k and I move all in for about 30k.  He tanks and relunctantly calls with K9...???.  So all I need to fade is a river K.  The 9 hits and but my two pair holds and now I have almost 80k in chips.

Level 14 begins and I steal a few pots as now I have chips to play with and I chip up over 90k.  They announce last hand of the night and I raise again with KK from mid position and the BB shoves his 65k stack and I call.  AQ vs KK and I hold to move into the Top 10 in chips with over 160k.  Coming back the next day at 1:00pm with 100bb and 79 players left...paying the top 72.


It's about 9:30pm...(9.5 hours of play) and I'm texting my buddies and my wife about the good position I'm in going to Day 2.  I drove the 1:45 hour drive home and researched (Googled) everyone at my table and the chip leaders going to Day2.  Only one player at my table stood out, but the tournament chip leader was two seats to my left with about 240k in chips I think.  One player had won several Circuit rings and was three seats to my right with about half my stack.



I tried to copy my routine from Saturday...I ate breakfast at the same location and arrived about an hour before play was to begin at 1:00pm.  It wasn't long before the money bubble busted and everyone was guaranteed 72nd place and $584 or so.  Just before the bubble...the good player had won a few uncontested pots and was open raising again and I pick up A3cc on the button and 3-bet to 11200...he opened to 4k.  He tanked folded and didn't open another pot while at that table.  I played fairly snug but stole a few blinds along the way and I have about 180k when I get KK in late position and 3 bet another player who shoves.  my KK vs his JJ and I bust him and his 100k stack.  Now I have over 280k chips in level 16 with blinds 300/1000/2000. (140bb)  Soon our table busts and I move to another table where I am chip leader along with another player.  With my stack and the cards I get now...I play several pots...most I win without showdown.  

3Bet other big stack when he opens and I have 99. He flats...flop comes Axx (don't remember)  and I continue bet and he folds.  Played several pots with young player to my left.  He was a tough opponent for me but I always seemed to hold cards over him when we go to showdown or we would raise each other causing the other to fold...he 3 bet me several times PreFlop.  When our table broke again to go to the final (3) tables and 27 players, I told him I hope we are at different tables...I hated having him on my left.  He said LIKEWISE!  Wished him luck but he apparently busted not long after.

But before they busted our table, I did play a huge pot for the tournament chip lead in level 18.  500/1500/3000.  An early raiser made it 8k...next player 22k and I have QQ on the button.  The 3 Bettor has about 200k in chips and the 1st raiser has about 90k.  I didn't want to take long making this decision and I 4-bet to 52k.  1st raiser folds and 3-bettor moves all in after looking at the tournament clock.  I called and we raced AK vs my QQ and I hold and now have about 550k and 180bb.

Soon after we went to the final three tables with Average chips at $255k  and I have over $550k...pretty sure I'm chip leader.  Prob the second hand I play at new table and I raise 24cc in early position and get two callers... flop comes Ac5c9x.  Huge draw for me and I continue bet for 22k...first caller raises to 75k and the second caller cold 4bets to 175k.  She was an old lady...prob 70-75 years old.  They have stacks of 350 and 450k respectively and I easily fold as I know there will be better spots than this to get chips.  He ends up shoving and she folded...???  why cant she flat and let me call and see the turn??? LOL

So now I have another big stack on my left and just play fairly snug and keep my stack pretty level until redraw for seats again at the final TWO TABLES (18 players).  Don't recall getting out of line much at this table...just catching a couple of bluffers and busting an All-In player with A10 from the BB.  Wound up chipping up to 940k or so going to the Final Table...10 players.




I play fairly snug start the final table but a few players ...especially the player to my rightt splashed around and he busted the first two players leaving us with 8 players and the chip leader coming to the final 10 a short stack.  The short stack moved All-In and I 3-bet to isolate him from the SB with 88.  The BB was an older man that talked constantly and he mumbled and groaned and called my raise fairly quick.  I'm pretty sure I am behind, but maybe he has a big Ace?  The flop comes 822 and now I am worried about nothing and I bet again.  He calls with some grumbles...turn is another 2 and I bet and he moves all-in...I snap call and hold the river and bust players in 8th and 7th place.  Final 6 players and I am second in chips with over 1.6 million and blinds at 5k/15k/30k.  Level 25 playing 50 minute levels.  

From here...everyone except myself and another solid older gentlemen just spazzed out and gave their chips away.  I prob only played 4-5 hands until we were 3-handed and I had 1.15 million chips at that point.  

Chip Lead - 4.19 million
Second - 1.6 Million
Me - 1.15 Million

Chip Leader spazzed away some pots and doubled up second place. Now they become very even around 2.7 million and I have 1.4 million.

We all play several small pots until I shoved on original raiser and caller with 25bb stack.  (A8cc) and get called by the original chipleader with A3...he bricks and after that hand, we all have about 2.2-2.3 million chips. (55bb)  Before you know it...he gets all in with (2) overs and a gutshot against other players top pair top kicker and bricks...now we are heads up and I am a 2-1 dog in chips.  So chipleader with three to play busts first and he had an almost 3-1 lead over second place.  

I have 50bb going heads up and he has 105bb.  My opponent was over 60 in age but played a very aggressive game...especially when were short-handed.  I had played fairly snug to this point and opened my game up...and I'm not sure he expected that as he folded his way to where I had a 3-1 chip lead on him.  I never limped a pot PF...always raised, 3-Bet liberally and 4 bet him a handful of times...most with marginal holdings.  He usually folded to my 3-bet PF but a couple of times he called and folded after my CB.

He 3-bet PF late in our play and I have a small chip lead on him...I 4-bet with KK and he calls.  First time he defended the 4 bet.  Flop comes Q75 rainbow and I bet about 1/3 pot trying to induce a shove from him.  He folded after about 5 minutes of deliberation and now I had a commanding lead.


The Final Hand, I raise to 125k with 79o and he calls.  Blinds were 5k/25k/50k playing 60 minute levels.  He calls and we see a flop of J 10 2...he checks and I check.  Turn is magical 8x...he bets 175k...I raise to 575k...he moves all in...I insta-call...and fade his J8 for two pair and win the 1st place prize and  WSOP Circuit Ring!



Was a great ride and hope to be able to repeat this feat sometime in the near future!












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