As difficult it is for me to make a decision most times, sometimes I heed the call of impulse and just "do it." Such was the case when I read Iggy's post regarding a freeroll opportunity that would land the winner a seat at the WPT Legends of Poker event in a couple of weeks. The overlay was very attractive... however, the very act of Iggy posting this info was tantamount to standing atop the Luxor in Vegas with a bull-horn as loud as the sky-beam's light is bright - and, thus, diminishing this fantastic overly to a mere good one.
Never-the-less, I deposited and set about meeting the requirements to be entered into the freeroll this past Sunday. I hadn't intended to spend my Sunday at the tables, let alone at a 1/2 table grinding away, but that's what I did - waiting for my e-mail to tell me that I'd fulfilled the requirements and was registered for the tourney. It didn't come.
I found a live-chat help person (nice feature among more not-so-nice features), and after a few moments I was informed I was registered. Along with 93 other folks. Not a horrible field, but not as great as the 40 max I'd hoped for.
I played OK. I ramped up the aggression factor - stealing pots that helped build the stack. There were a couple key hands I'm going to present here for discussion. One in particular which thoroughly demonstrates my inexperience, if the other doesn't.
This first hand was against an opponent with the alias of Clown. Draw your own conclusions as to the accuracy of that appellation after viewing the hand. It was early in the tournament - blinds at 15/30. I was one off the button. UTG-Clown limps and all fold to me. I'm wary of the limp from UTG - is he naive or is he sitting on a monster ready to pounce? I had QQ and raised to 100.
Clown calls. Hmmm. That threw me. I was expecting a fold or a re-raise. Not a call. Flop came Kd-8s-9s. He bet into me with 90 into a 300 pot. This was just weird. On the one hand, he could be setting a trap for me, on the other - I wasn't buying it. The limp preflop told me he had overcards or a small pair, but his pattern after that, well, I just didn't believe he had a king, and if he did, it was a weak one. Nor did I believe he'd hit a set... If he was paying attention, he'd see that my action was clearly not afraid of the king - which should indicate a) I've got him pegged as not having a king or b) I'm representing a stronger king or better.. but I don't think he was paying attention.. I bet the pot - 300 - and he called.
The turn was [Kd-8s-9s] 2c. Clown now bets into me again with 95 into a 900 pot. My decision here is to give him credit for having me beat and let go of the hand, or put this guy out of my misery. I decided on the latter - I firmly believed I had the best hand here. With 995 in the pot and 1375 remaining of my stack, I pushed. He thought for a second and then called. In that instant, I figured I'd just outwitted myself and would be out once he flipped and I saw his king...
I was pleased, if not a little surprised, to find my assessment had been right, though. The river was the [Kd-8s-9s-2c] 2s - heart-stopping for me, cause he could have been drawing to the flush and just rivered me out of the tourney, but, he flipped over J-9 off. What really perplexed me was what he said in chat when the hand was over: "strange move."
I went on to push some more people off hands when I was holding or had landed second pair. This was a new adjustment for me. I decided to push the envelope with these - instead of assuming the other guy hit top pair, I didn't fool around - I was raising or pushing far more than I ever had in a tournament before. It paid off this time.
It was Level 9 or early in Level 10 I had the following hand. I was in good shape - starting Level 9 I was 4th in chips out of 29 remaining. Again, I am one off the button with a pair of Js-Jd. We are seven-handed at this point. Blinds are 100/200 UTG bets 600. I raised to 1200. He called.
The flop came Ks-Ts-Qc. UTG pushed and I froze. Here is a crystal clear example of my inexperience. I knew I needed to do the math - but I couldn't do it quick enough. All I knew for sure was that I'd just flopped an open ended straight draw and somewhere in there I thought - he does not want a call. Using my handy calculator I determined that the pot was laying me 2.15 to one to make a call here. I also had a back-door flush draw and a back-door straight flush draw. How many outs does that realistically add, if any, to the eight outs I have to the straight?
I didn't know and couldn't calculate it fast enough even if I'd had known. Just as I reached for the mouse to follow my gut and call, I timed out. I now know, that I didn't have the pot odds to call on just a straight draw. But adding just one out as credit for the other two draws gave me the odds. Had I called and lost, I wouldn't have been out, but would have lost about half my stack give or take. This is one of those situations I need to have a clear answer for before it arises again. What would you have done and what would be your thinking?
During Level 10 my game fell apart. I made some more mistakes which knocked my stack to way below average by the second break. I was now #12 out of 17 remaining and not looking very healthy.
I got aggressive - but selective - again, stealing a couple of pots and climbing back up. I knocked out a player when my Ad-Td dominated his T-x. This put me at #8 out 13 remaining.
Then I got Ac-Kh UTG. The monster stack was behind me. In front of me were stacks bigger - but not by much - than me. Blinds were 300/600. I bet 1800 and was called. Flop was 7c-3d-3s. At that moment, Tom McEvoy's words echoed at the back of my brain, "You have to win with A-K and beat A-K" to make it to the top of the tourney heap. I pushed. And pause. I watched as my opponent's timer indicator got closer and closer to expiring. "The longer he takes, it's more likely he will fold." I looked over my shoulder to tell Vince to shut up....
The timer was nearly done when.... he called. With pocket fours. I didn't improve and was out at "lucky" number 13. I have to be honest here and confess to a Matusow moment where I shed a few whiney tears (I'm a girl - I get to do that with impunity). I'd let myself think I might actually win. But I know that, in reality, for me to win a tournament will take far more luck than is my fair share right now, because my skill level just isn't there.
But just the same.
I wanted to win.
