Foxwoods Poker Classic - $600 LHE Trip Report

[Kurn]

Back down to The Wonder of it All this morning for the $600.

179 started, 83 less than a year ago. 3,000 in starting chips. 50 minute levels (10 minute break after every 2 levels), blinds start at 25/25.

First table broke about a half hour in, too bad. It was soft. Next table I was at until mid afternoon had two very dangerous players to my left. Older, gray-haired guy (GHG) and Last year's winner (LYW).

Pretty quiet until after the first break. At the break I had 3325, right around average. Table is loose and moderately aggro, but on the tricky side. many bets w/o the goods even on later streets. Ugly hand comes up during level 4 50/100 blinds, 100/200 bets.

GHG raises, 3 cold callers to me in the BB with J 4. I call.

Flop comes J 4 7

In the past 2 hours I can't remember seeing a flop checked around, so I check intending to checkraise. You guessed it, it gets checked around.

Turn is the K

I bet, GHG calls LYW raises (he has been semi-bluff raising the turn like its a bodily function), folded to me, I 3-bet, GHG thinks a while and finally calls, LYW calls.

River is the ugly K

LYW bets, I call as I can't fold getting 15:1, GHG mutters to himself and calls. LYW tables dork (a busted draw), but GHG has KQ and I am crippled. Not for nothin but if I get to c/r that flop, GHG goes bye-bye.

I mange to triple up a few hands later flopping 2-pair while all-in and then double up again against a short stack when my QQ beats his 88, and just before the end of the level, this key hand comes up.

I am in the BB with J J 3 limpers, the SB completes and I choose to check my option, not wanting to take JJ against 4 opponents OOP in a raised pot.

Flop comes J T 7

I bet, GHG calls, new Guy at the table raises, 2 folds, I 3-bet, GHG folds, New Guy calls.

Turn: 6 I bet he calls

River: T I bet, he raises, I 3-bet, he calls and I scoop a huge pot just as the 2nd break comes. I now have 11,300 avg count is about 6600.

Next four levels, between the 2nd break and the dinner break I gradually chip up and at the dinner break I am in about the same relative chip position with 23,000 and avg count at 11,700 (42 left)

I slip a bit in the first 40 minutes after the break, but win a good pot when my A Q makes 2 pair in a 3-way raised pot. Table breaks and I move to a new table and everything looks solid for a high money finish until things just get ugly. I slip a bit in chip count as a couple of solid stacks defend against me and force me off unimproved hands (or steals). As wee get to 500/1000 blinds (1000/2000 limits) I have about 18K. Player on my left has maybe 6200, GHG is now on my right with about 5500.

At this point, 2 reads I make (on right and one wrong) seal my fate. Blind vs blind I open raise on a steal with 8 4. Why? BB has been playing very tight, as have I. neither of us has played a hand in quite a while so I figure I have solid fold equity. Of course, he calls (after much agonizing) Flop comes 8 6 2

I bet, he raises, I reraise putting him all-in. he calls and says "I have nothing" and turns over K Q Turn is 7 but the river is K

2 orbits later, after the blinds have passed me and I had to fold after raising preflop on an ugly flop, GHG open-limps from the HJ, I raise from the CO with A J, he reraises (leaving less than a full bet behind), and I read him for stacking off with a medium A or middle pair and put him all-in. He flips over KK and no ace saves me and I'm crippled.

Shortly thereafter I get all-in preflop with TT vs AK. Flop is 2-3-4, turn is another 2, but an A on the river seals my fate, and I go out 9 places short of the money.

As I drove home the debate raged in my head. Was I too aggro close to the money? My brain said no, but the part of me that really wanted to get $$$ to my backers wasn't sure. At the end of the day, I can easily see not raising the 84o hand even though my read postflop was spot-on, but I doubt I get away from the AJs hand vs a tricky player.

As I type this, my head clearer, I'm pretty happy with my overall play. I won a few pots with unimproved hands by betting both the flop and turn, and at two different points, I had a couple of players I knew I could completely outplay and used that to stay solidly in the hunt. Despite the disappointing finish, I am confident I belong against this level of competition. I managed to keep my mental focus over the 7+ hours I was there and felt I could continue to do do for however long I had to.

Two other points.

1. Too many people in this event seemed to not understand limit poker. In more than 6 instances, someone at my table wasted chips bluff-raising the river in a big pot not understanding that a good limit player, when betting on the end, will never fold anything but a bluff for one more bet.

2. The $600 NLHE from yesterday was still going on when I left. They broke at midnight last night with 34 left and resumed today at noon. When I left the ballroom at 7:30, there were still 4 left chasing the $133K 1st prize.