After finishing an internship with IBM, I cashed out most of that bankroll and booked a one week vacation to Las Vegas this past January. One thing I wanted to do there was play a poker tournament, but I had trouble finding ones within my limits. One day, my friend and I were walking through the poker room at Caesar’s Palace, where we found out about their daily $60 + $10 tournament. Although I was still uncomfortable with spending $70 on a poker tournament, I felt I had earned my chance and decided to take my shot. <READMORE>

The tournament started with 72 entrants and a 2500 chip starting stack. Levels began at 25/50 and lasted 30 minutes. I started fairly tight, maintaining my starting stack, when the following hand took place at the 50/100 level. While dealing, the dealer exposed the button’s Js. After a middle position limper, it folded to me in the SB, where I completed with 4d5d. The big blind checked his option, and the flop came J-J-J, unfortunate for the button. We checked around, and the turn was the 5s. I led out for 250 and the bb called immediately. The original limper folded and the river brought the 6h. I check-called a 500 bet just to be shown 6-9 offsuit. Nicely played.

So I lost 1/3 my stack and was feeling like garbage, regretting entering the tournament in the first place. That all changed when the first alternate sat and began raising every pot. He built his stack up to 4500 chips when he raised for the millionth time to 350 from the hijack. I smooth called with A-A on the button, hoping to trap. The flop was the beautiful J-8-2 rainbow. He led out for 450 and I jammed for my last 1200. He folded and I showed the table my A-A, wanting to send a message to the maniac. He basically didn’t raise a hand for the next half hour as we went to the 100/200 level.

I had run my stack back up to 3k when I opened in late position to 500 with 7d-8d. The button min-reraised, and I foolishly called, although I knew he had a monster. I then proceeded to check-raise all in on an 8 high flop, where I was called by K-K (obv). However, the turn brought the beautiful 7h, and I was in business with 6200 chips.

Our maniac had quietly dwindled down to 3500 when he opened for 550 from middle position, where I called with the 7s-5c. Normally I just fold this hand, but I felt I could outplay him post flop. Well I didn’t have to outplay him after the flop came 7-7-5. He led out for 700, and I smooth called. The turn blanked, and he bet 1000, leaving 1250 behind. I set him all in. He went into the tank for about five minutes and folded. I only showed him my 5, and I raked in the huge pot, putting me at over 10k and putting him on severe tilt. (He later told me he had A-5, which I didn’t really believe.)

From there, I used my chip stack to my advantage, picked my spots, and made the final table 7th in chips with a little over 20k. With only 7 being paid, the table made a deal, and $150 was taken off of first place and given to the 8th and 9th place finishers. After we made the deal, I literally shoved the next 3 hands (1200/2400 blinds) with Kd-Qd, A-J, and 8-8, getting no callers each time.

The next hand, the cutoff limped, as he had done the previous hand. I looked down at J-J and moved all in again. Unfortunately, the bb woke up with A-A. I was ready to collect my meager $5 profit, but fortunately for me, the magical Jh flopped, crippling the big blind and boosting me to around 60k. I can’t complain about bad beats anymore after that one.

Eventually, we got down to 3 handed. However, my stack dwindled down to 30k, while the 2 big stacks had around 60k each. I asked for the numbers, but the Tournament Director had no idea what he was doing. He told me that if I took a deal, I would be getting less than 3rd place money (around $300 instead of $370)! My two opponents were willing to give me $400, but I declined. I had this weird feeling that something great was going to happen.

Blinds were raised to 1600/3200 when the sb limped into my bb. I looked down at A-J and raised to 8000. The sb called immediately, and I was glad he did after the A-A-J flop. The sb checked, and I checked behind. The turn was the Qs, and he put me all in. I beat him into the pot, and he was drawing dead with Q-9. All of a sudden I was the new chip leader!

The next orbit, the sb limped into the pot again with 20k behind, I moved in with Ad-5d, and he insta-called me with A-Q (uh-oh). The flop came A-Q-7, and I started to count out my chips. But as I was counting, the turn and the river came running diamonds, giving me the nut flush and sending home the third place finisher.

At 4:30AM, I started heads up with a 100k-40k lead. With blinds 2000-4000, I limped with Jc-9d. The flop was the amazing 9-9-6, and he led out for 6k. I smooth called, and the turn was the 4h, where my opponent moved in. I called instantly, and he was drawing dead with K-6. After the final card was dealt, I let out a big scream, pretty overwhelmed by the moment. Although I definitely didn’t play my best poker that day, I caught lucky cards when I needed to. I left Caesar’s that night over $1100 richer, which paid for the trip and even gave me a little extra to put back into my bankroll.

I hope you all enjoyed my article of a micro grinder taking his shot and coming out on top.

Good luck at the tables, and LET’S GO NETS!
Brian Chase (NetFan44)
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