Poker, I just met her!

One of the nice things about being back in the Portland area is the bi-weekly poker tournaments that TBO hosts. These are usually $25 buy in with $5 bounty no-limit hold-em tournaments but quarterly he has a $50 buy in with a $10 bounty. This past Friday was the big buy in tournament with 24 people.

I hadn't played much poker in the Miami area so my plan was to play as tight as I could and slowly work my way back into a rhythm. I am not really a by the numbers player or a play on instinct only player, I like to be somewhere in the middle. I wouldn't say I am any where near being a great poker player but I think I am decent which is largely based on my patience.

Friday night started out pretty well with a friendly table. My cards were running ok and I simply played when I had the cards and didn't mess around much. I folded a couple of times when I was probably in the lead after the flop but I don't think calling big bets that early is worth the risk. There are enough people in every poker tournament who aren't afraid to chase so why risk it until you have to. That doesn't mean I am against pushing a little when I sense weakness but usually players are a little looser early in tournaments and tighter later so I try to play the opposite.

When we combined tables from 2 to 3 I had a pretty good chip stack, I was about 3rd at my table. I had a good read on some of the players including the guy 2 to my right. I had him about 3 to 1 in chips and when he smooth called the BB with only about 6 times the BB left in chips I had him with a middle pair or Ace, something. I had pocket J's so I went all in assuming he would call. He did but unfortunately he hit A, 3, A on the flop. Hand basically over. It was a little bit of a bad beat but not due to him, he had to call.

The next hand really bothered me. I had K,Q and no one raised pre-flop. I called and the flop came down blank, Q, blank rainbow. No flush draw no straight draw. The guy 3 to my left who now had me about 3 to 1 in chips bet 20 after the flop. I smooth called assuming he had middle pair. Turn was a blank and still rainbow he bet $20 again and I smooth called again letting him think his middle pair was good. River turned an Ace but no straight draw or a flush draw. He bets $40 and I think he is either making a continuation bet hoping I missed or did he actually make all those bets with nothing but an Ace. I called as I was getting about 5 to 1 on my money and he turns over an Ace. I very politely asked what he was chasing. I wasn't rude about it. He said he was chasing the flush....I was stunned and not sure what to say. Apparently he thought two of the black cards where both spades but one was a spade and one was a club. The guys I knew at the table all gave me a knowing nod....bad beat and very bad play by him but he won so I guess it wasn't a bad play.

I went into a little funk and thought about just going all in as I was down to about 3 times the BB. Luckily I had all terrible hands for about 15 minutes and eventually ended up with 10 J suited so I went all in. I had 3 callers and this was my luckiest moment of the night as I hit the flush.

With enough chips to hang around for awhile I went back to being patient until I had pocket 9's. There was a raise from the guy 2 to my right who had drawn out against me when I had pocket J's. Seemed like a good time for payback. The flop came up 9, 6, J. I checked hoping he would take a shot at me seeing as he had me about 5 to 1 in chips at this time and he went all in. I insta-called and he was a tad shocked to see I had trip 9's. He gave me props for the trap and I won that hand. Shortly after the tables combined and the other table had a lot more chips in play so I was about 7th in chips out of 9.

I went into lock down poker mode and only played from position or when I had the cards. There were too many big stacks for me to push anyone around. I won a couple of decent size hands and then had Q, 6 from the little blind. No one raised so I called. The flop came out 10, J, Q rainbow. MMullet who was first to act went all in, it folded to me and I studied his chip stack. I had him about 3 to 1 and the only other guy left in the hand had less chips than I did. I folded but here is why. MMullet has taken me out of at least 4 tournaments and usually from behind. I assumed I had him with the Q's but I didn't want to risk that many chips in a race. He showed pocket 8's so I was right and I didn't even rabbit hunt as I just assumed he would hit either the 9 for the gut shot straight draw or another 8. That may seem like a defeatist attitude but like I said I play as much by instinct as by numbers.

I stayed very patient and watched other people beat up on each other until I had pocket J's again. The guy who chased earlier when the flush wasn't there raised. We ended up heads up and I had him about 2 to 1 in chips so I pushed all in and he called. He Ace, 6. This time there was no suck out for him and I took him down. From there until there were 4 of us I played very few hands. Once there were 4 of us I got a little more aggressive as I had already won $35 in bounty's and the 4th place prize was $60 so I would make money on the night no matter what. I took out the 4th place guy and at that point the other 2 players had about 85% of the chips and I had the other 15%. I made it back to almost even with some decent play (I raised all in when the dealer folded and the LB just called. I had 9, 6 off suit and he folded) and some nice cards. I lost when I raised 240 (I had about 700) and the other guy went all in. I had K, Q and decided to make a stand. Unfortunately he had A, K and that held up.

I was happy with my play especially given how little I have played lately. I am excited to get back into playing there regularly and perhaps making some trips to Seabrook to play in some tournaments. I have determined that at this point my game is much better suited to tournaments and not to cash games. Wish me luck!