What a weekend it was. I had a WSOP seat and $43k within reach and failed miserably in both scenarios. Both tournies have an interesting few hands that I’d enjoy sharing with everyone.

Friday night I played in the WSOP satellite on Ultimate Bet with two seats being rewarded the package. I was able to build up a nice stack of 7200 early in the tournament. The blinds were 100-200 when I picked up KK in the SB. UTG limped for 200, and it was folded around to the button, who made it 400 to go. For some odd reason, I thought moving all in was a decent option. I hate playing KK out of position, and I wanted to put the decision on the limper and the button raiser. Well the limper called instantly, and I knew what he had before his cards were turned over. After losing to his AA, I had a very respectable 105 chips left. Normally I just fling the chips into the next hand out of aggravation. Not this time. I waited 5 hands before putting them in with the 910. After another player called I was begging for someone to give me protection. Sure enough someone raised with 55, and I was in a HU situation. A 9 came on the flop, and I was back in action with 500 in chips. Needless to say, I turned the 105 into 28,000. I was feeling like it was my night to shine.

With 31 players left, I found myself in 4th place. I’m sorry for the lack of details on the following hand, but I honestly can’t remember everything. I was so aggravated with my mental mistake that everything in my mind when blank. An EP player brought it in for a pot sized raise. I was staring down at JJ in MP and decided to just call. A small stack then moved all in for what I thought was enough to be considered a raise. At this point, I was thinking that if the EP raiser just called, I was going to move all in and get it HU. Well the EP raiser did just call and now it was on to me. I had pegged him for 1010 or AQ. The only thing was I couldn’t reraise–shortstack’s all in wasn’t enough to allow it. The flop came down 7 4 3, and the EP player moved all in extremely quickly. I completely forgot that he couldn’t raise in that situation and kept him pegged on 10 10. I called, and he showed AA. What a moron I am. It’s amazing how dumb I can be sometimes. I was left with 3k after that hand. After I managed to get it back up to 10.5k, I ended up all in with KK vs. 55, only for the final board to read 78996. See ya lata, LL2.

Next up was the 100k guaranteed on Sunday night. This was my most disappointing tournament in a while. My goal was to make the final table and go from there. Things were looking great when I had just called a raise from MP with AK. The flop came A J 4, and the pre flop raiser bet the pot, and I moved in. He quickly called with AQ, and it looked as though I was going to double up. I dodged the turn, but unfortunately, it’s a 5 card game, and a Q came on the river. It was a 10.5k pot, and I was left with a miserable 1100 in chips. Thinking about my comeback the other night, I decided to be patient. I doubled up with AA vs. a flush draw, and I was back in business somewhat. Once again, I just kept battling. A huge hand that helped me was when I was sitting in the cutoff with J8. I raised 3 times the BB to 450. The BB called, and the flop was Q K K. Checked to me and I bet 550, which was called. Normally I shut down completely here unless something out of the ordinary happens. the turn was another K, and the BB now leads out for 550. OK, whats going on here? Why would this guy just call and then lead out on the turn? There were no draws out there. I decided to call the turn bet to see what he did on the river. River was a 10, and he checked to me. I moved all in for my last 1800, and he quickly folded. I’m guessing he had a hand like 10 J and tried a desperate bet on the turn to try and get me to fold.

Another interesting hand came up with the blinds at 800-1600. I was in healthy shape in chips and in the BB with 22. There were 4 players to see a flop of 10 6 8. Ok, I missed my set, time to fold and move on. Only everyone checked the flop. 5 came on the turn, and once again it was checked to the button, who this time decided to bet a small amount of 2000. The SB called the 2000. Wow! Whats going on here? Wasn’t that too dangerous of a flop to check and then bet only that small of an amount? What possible hand could these guys be holding that they could call a huge reraise to? I decided to make a move and reraised the pot, and both of them obliged and folded. Nice. I love earning pots. Maybe I try too hard to earn them sometimes.

When we’re one away from the money, I usually get extra aggressive. I raised on the button with 34o and was reraised the minimum from the SB. I called of course, and the flop was Q Q 9. Check and check. Turn brings a 9, and he leads out for the minimum. I raise 3500 more, and he calls. I KNOW his hand at this point. Without a doubt he has A high. He checks the blank river to me. Now I have to figure out an amount that he won’t call with A high. But also an amount where if he does call me, I’ll still have enough chips to make a move on a future pot. I bet 14k, which I believe was 3/4 of the pot. He takes his time and calls. UGH! Oh well, I still had chips. I ran my chips up to 60k, and then I lost a Huge coin flip. 66 vs AK, and I was back down to 35k. My stack dwindled down to 24k with 18 people left and the blinds at 3000-6000. There was a middle position limper and the SB called as well. 78o was my hand. I started thinking. Ok, I have 18k more to fire in there. The most likely holding of the MP limper was Q10, JK or AX. I knew he was weak, and I totally disregarded the SB. The limper had about 32k left, so my 18k was definitely enough to scare him to fold. If it wasnt enough, then I’d have to take my chances on what was more than likely a 60-40 underdog. Seeing as I was getting 2-1 if he called, I didn’t mind it one bit. The limper called with KJ (aka gold), and his hand held up. Oh well. I enjoy beating 700+ people and getting $877 for my efforts. What a waste! Oh well, can’t win them all, but I’d like to win at least one. =( Until the next blog, take care.