Lots to cover

Gulf Coast Poker Championship:

Some quick thoughts. I like the deep stack structure. Despite being mostly card dead and never getting any action on some flopped monsters I had plenty of play. It was weird I was short for almost all day and never got worried. My tables respected my tight play and anytime I shoved for limps, blinds, antes and survival I never ran into a big hand. Since I was card dead I was usually going to be embarrassed if I had to turn over my hand. I had two min rushes at my fourth table of the day. The first rush was pure aggression and opponents that missed the flop. I got to a point where the antes were getting so big, I just decided to lead out an c-bet and my table was relatively passive. I lost a couple of big pots when my hand got caught in the cookie jar and went back to working the short stack. Eventually I came back on day two and I went out 30th for a small portion of the flat payout structure.

One side note, I got to play with Matt B for a while and I was surprised to read that he was card dead, but that shows you how well he was playing, I felt like his table (my new table) feared him and his stack. I was impressed with the timing of his bets and his ability to acquire pots without showdowns. I was really short when we were at the same table and hoped he didn't remember an IP tournament where his pocket queens ran into my AA, just prior to the money.

I got some hands I'd like to discuss and solicit feedback on:

-I inform the dealer that he started with 20 seconds left in the level and though he tried to get out of dealing another hand, I petition him to continue. The table agrees and doesn't give him a pass (I HATE IT WHEN THEY DO THAT). He does so, but not before the short-stacked big blind left thinking the break was on (lol the clock was still ticking... his fault). Anyway, this crazy from Atlanta who played fast and loose and was finally paying the price as he ran into hands limped. I'm on the button, two seats away with 44. I fire out a big raise, playing on my tight image, which he's not aware of and he calls.

We are both short, but I got him covered. Problem is my big raise is a little over half his stack. Flop is Q92. He shoves. Fold or call? My answer at the bottom.

-I get a good read on a talented aggressive young player. We play at the same table as Matt and then get moved. His style screams internet play, though he's got some banter to him. I pick up a solid tell on him. I'll sell it to you for $200 if you are reading kid. You'll probably make that back times a thousand so it's a fair price.

Anyway, while I am on my min-rush and aggressively chopping up the table who are busy eyeing us inch closer to the money. It's fun to win with air. The kid gets moved there as well and things get a little more difficult. I'm firing out a bet with 7-6 o/s and the kid 3bets me. It's a stiff reraise and I stew thinking about laying down. Just as I'm about to he demonstrates his tell.

Great. I know the play here is shove and take down a HUGE pot for that moment in the tournament. But I have 7-6 o/s. Then, I remember two things. When he showed this tell his hand was marginal and being overplayed but if the math was right or close to right he'd still call. Ugh. That'd also shatter the image I'd set up at the new table even if I sucked out on him for a massive pot. Plus, there was easy money to be had, why put my tournament at risk with 7-6 o/s. I can't even count my chips as I'm contemplating this audacious play. Perhaps one of the advantages of playing online poker is you don't have to deal with guys accidentially talking you into hands. So, Fold or shove?

-On day two I come back looking to gamble as I'm second to last in chips. On the first hand in the SB it's folded to me and I shove with Q-7 o/s against the tightest player left in the tournament. He folds and I more than double up. Next hand on the button I look at A3 sooted and I'm getting ready to shove again. Then an EP player leads out. A late position player puts another raise out there. Suddenly A3 doesn't look too good. Background EP player opens a lot of pots, and LP player three-bets a lot of pots. I don't have enough in the face of their raises to force a fold. Shove or Fold?

1. I call and he has a 9. I didn't put him on top pair as he probably bets with less emphasis (strong is weak), but I fear a 9. By the way, he called for half his stack preflop with j9 o/s. Is that a bad call? It was for a third of my remaining stack, but at the time I rationalized he might make that bet with a huge range most of it being hands I beat.

2. I fold. Still stewing about it.

3. I fold and would have flopped the nuts. Funnily (what kind of word is that?), in two hands I would have gone from near shortest to one of the top five in chips. Alas, I didn't and a few hands later my 99 ran into A4. He flopped A4x.

Alright... I was happy with my play for the most part, though I think I could have made mistakes on all three of those hands I listed. I also screwed up late by flopping four to flush and betting it, only to get checked raised all in on a paired board by the blind. Might have had to call there with one over to the nonpaired card.

Also, folded AK preflop to a guy who swears he had AA on me. Gene D never believes anything his opponent says, I tell the truth a lot so believe others tell the truth sometimes. I can't decide if the guy had jacks, which his bet felt like and I called him out on it at the time, or if he did have the painkillers.

www.gulfcoastpoker.net


Comments

GeneD said…
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C.S. said…
Point well taken. A good strategy to employ. Played with a lady recently who kept showing her neighbor her cards, she was a wild old woman (playing against type--smart), and after a while me and a guy at our side of the table started to ask to see the cards. She said "I'll just tell you!" Umm... no we'd rather see em.

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