Look at the hand FNSDirector is playing, EP in Omaha H/L. That hand is horrible! And, yet, he's one of the best players in this tourney. And, as a bit of foreshadowing, my heads-up opponent...One of the beauties of HORSE is that most people suck at one or more of the games. Being good at all of them is the only way to get home regularly.
So now, we're down to a few tables, and I have a premium hand with 1 customer.
Devastating. He quickly checks, but I know better than to bet. Let's see if I catch an A on 5.
Ugh. I quickly check this player's rep: competent. Uh oh, looks like definite trips. So IGNORE that I improved, this is the kind of fold required to stay alive.
My mouth is watering. What a great place in Stud 8 to complete and see 4th here.
My low is pretty sweet, and I'm freerolling to 5s for a wheel. I continue to put pressure on, betting into the "monster" xxT who completed 3rd.
Okay, so freerolling with WAY more outs. Half will be enough, this time.
Another great starting hand. ElDiablo's range from the CO is huge, so easy reraise.
I bet 4th and he calls, I bet 5th and he calls. What now, when he checks to me again?
The crucial moment of this hand. I bet 5th, even though I bricked. I had reraised on 3rd. Now, I take my time, and trust my read. He checks (weak), I take a long time to consider how to play my 22. I finally bet, and he folds. Representing all that strength gets me a big scoop, where I was really hoping to find half.
Timing is SO important in poker. With so little information online, people read into timing as one of their only clues. Some do it consciously, everyone does it subconsciously. Use it, like you use all the tools in your arsenal to win.
Also, this is example #1 of what you can do if you slow down, and consider ALL options. Consider how to play a hand in all the ways, then trust your reads and your intuition.
Here, I defend my blind with a decent hand, then go all in on a flop with decent potential vs. a shortie. 3 on the turn and I'm all done here.
Again all-in, this time I hit the flop, he hits it hard too. I back into a low, which keeps me alive.
Here I try to help get the all-in guy. Both of the other players flop a flush, I turn a set. Disasterous, but the pot stays small because of the all-in. These kinds of pots are great low-risk situations to find as tourneys progress. Most people don't like betting at side pots, use that to your advantage. You can call a raise lighter, call a bet on the flop to see if they're going to bet out again (99% of those bets meaning strength). And when you win, all the players will be happy you limped with trash to eliminate someone, so it's win-win-win.
Our table is tight. People are only playing big cards, and this player has taken advantage, raising and taking down several unwanted pots. I've had nothing to defend with the last 2 bbs, this time I have a decent hand. Gotta jam back, and please hold up.
2244 caught with his pants down. I scoop and double up.
About playing short in Limit: DON'T DO THIS! Over and over you've heard about pushing before you're short, making sure to jam and get those pot odds up while you still have a stack. This is wrong, especially in the Stud/Razz games. There IS NO WAY to push up the pot odds. Watch a pro with a short stack. They will nurse and wait as long as possible before shoving. 13 chips can get you back in the tourney.
Back to this hand. Look at the pot, and the chipstacks coming into 4th street. I reraised him on 3rd. Now, I think for a bit, then bet 4th. And for whatever reason, he decides that despite being busted on 3rd for raising trash, and despite me hitting better on 4th, he's going to raise my bet and go all in.
Now stop. Look at it from my side, but for him. If he can fold on 4th, he still has 9000 chips! That's a truckload, even at this point. One double up with actual cards and he has 25K again. Instead, he checks out. And he loses because of it.
Assessing the final table, I like it a lot. A bunch of chips are in loose hands, and I have a bunch to work with. I have been atop the leaderboard for much of the tourney, and this is the reward. A big stack and a chance to go win this thing. Keep an eye on the chipcounts as we go.
Great shape against a chipleader who plays WAY TOO MANY hands. WAY too many.
Ack. Fold! 8000 is the bet, and I am in a deep hole if I call. Players who chase this are checking out.
Pivotal hand. I've been card dead for most of the final table, and snuffed on my two good razz hands. Now, maybe he has AA, but with JJQ and 5 live outs, it's time to take that chance.
Now if he raises and the K comes along, I'm out. Immediately. But since the K folds, I reraise and hope for the best.
Sweet fancy moses, he has AA and my 3-pair wins! Now I have chips to work with, and it's all good now.
A bit aggressive, but staring at a raised A should scare everyone out, in both Stud Hi and Stud H/L at this point. Aces doesn't know that, and calls to chase a low.
Check/fold. It's never a good time to get freerolled, especially not now. And what if he has 2 pair instead of a low? This is disastrous, and an easy fold.
What a great hand, as the bring-in. In a cash game I usually limp-reraise, calling occasionally for disguise, The tourney circumstances dictate just calling here, so I do.
SCOOOOOP! A pretty card on 4th, and by 5th I'm freerolling. What a great time to go all-in! Instantly rewarded with the 7 on 6th, and now I am in 2nd place. To an increasingly ridiculous stack for FNS.
Here I really hope to take it down now, representing a freeroll. Or, isolate against the short stack. Neither happens.
He hits a great card, and I brick a K. I decline to pay 12000 to draw at the low half of the pot (28000). Easy, correct decision that most players wouldn't make.
Gotta raise with an A and a stack here. ElDiablo might be thinking about folding into 4th, and I choose to help him.
Well, resistance is met, and now we find out if A high is good.
Okay, once again, my opponent checks out here. He checks to me, and I think, then bet. He shoves for 1/2 bet more with K high, and I take it down.
1. He makes a call to check the flop. This must be so he can get away if necessary.
2. He declines to bet the flop, in the hopes that I fold. So he checks the flop. He is conceding the hand, I guess.
3. I think (again, maybe the 3 seconds confuses them?) and bet my A-high which I figure is likely good.
4. NOW he shoves. "For value". Actually, for "Fawk it." Checking out. Thanks, good game.
The standings. My thoughts? "How can I both eliminate the other players while denting that big stack?" Play to WIN. I already risked going out 10th and 9th tonight, after going out 9th the previous night. I'm not going to concede 1st and play for 2nd.
Easy peasy. I raised from the SB, he called and when we both hit the flop all the money went in. I hold up.
Down to 2 after this hand. I had a weird feeling that I was folding a winner, and I did folding 96xx. But it gets me heads up, which is maybe the best result possible here. $1000 and freerolling for $500 more.
Stopping to assess here, he has a commanding chiplead. But wait a minute, what are those limits at? 10000/20000? If I can win one hand, won't we be about even? And isn't this the guy who limps 4h5h6h7c in early position?
(cue shark music)
duh-nuh
duh-nuh duh-nuh
duh-nuh duh-nuh duh-nuh duh-nuh
At this point, it's one glorious blur. The vodka is kicking in, I'm dancing with my headphones on, and mashing the raise button because I keep getting great hands.
The last key hand of the night. I pushed back because of the strength of my hand. Also, to misrepresent, since with these low cards I really would rather see a flop first.
I bet the flop. Then, I bet the turn. The preflop 3-bet is the entire key to this hand. If I just call, he has all the power, tempo, and position. I would have no leverage to push him off anything.
After the most PERFECT turn card ever, he rivers the boat to stay alive. Oh well, delaying the inevitable now.
Poker is a sport, and just like in other sports, there can be definite momentum. At this point, he should be doing anything he can to shift it. Because right now I'm playing downhill at him, and he's just reacting by pushing buttons quickly. If he takes 30 seconds here or there, or off the time bank even, he can settle things down and make a stand again. Because right now, resistance is futile.
He's checked out. He's ready to take his stand now, although he chooses poorly. If you have to take a stand, take a stand by folding until you get something, then push hard.
Here, he just gives me most of his stack, calling 3 bets. It's over next hand.
*********
Other results:
He cold calls for 600 with this hand. I make it 900, 4 callers. Then FT rewards him, extra because the case A hits and I pay him off now.
I busted the aggro-donk with her AA here. All in on the flop.
IGH soon after this. Such is the play in these HORSE tourneys. I'm what, 80% to have 8000, and a commanding chiplead? Not this time.
Tonight, however (duh-nuh) come join me for this great tourney at 22:15, $26 or a token, as NumbBono and NYRambler and PirateLawyer sometimes do.
Or will you all let me rule unopposed?
1 comments:
Apparently, we are letting you rule unopposed. Clearly, this needs to stop. Great job, as I've come to expect from you.
-PL
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