O-Poker

I took the afternoon off from work so that I could play the WCOOP Event #5 $200 NL with rebuys. I didn't have much luck during the rebuy period and had exactly 8,000 chips at the 1st break. One of the reasons that I wanted to play this event was because all the people that would be playing and wouldn't be properly funded. My theory proved true and could be seen by looking at the fact that 2,146 entered the tourney and 1,800 where remaining at the the 1st break. Of the 1,800 left at the 1st break, only 1,200 added-on. If there is one thing that I can't stress enough about rebuy tourneys it's You need at least 5 buy-ins availabe, preferably 9. You don't have to be a rebuy maniac, but you need the funds available. There will be times during the rebuy period that your flopped set/nut straight, etc. loses to a guy catching a flush on the river. Have your account properly funded for a rebuy or don't play it. OK, enough about that.

After the 1st break, I steadily increases my stack. I called a 3xBB raise with 67s and the flop came 477 - two spades. Checked to me, I bet 500 and get called. Turn is a 4. I figure I pretty much have a lock on the hand and don't want to scare off an over pair, AKs/AQs, or AKo. The river is perfect - an Ace. 3,300 is bet into me. I raise all-in and am called by AKo doubling me up to almost 16k.

Another key hand came during the 4th hour against a very aggressive player that was raising every other hand preflop. (Just the kind of guy that you want at your table when you get a big hand.) Blinds are 100/200 w/25 ante. I am dealt 44 in the big blind. Pot is raised to 600 and 2 callers. I call the additional 400 to see a flop. The flop is perfect....9d 4c 10c. I am little worried about a flush draw and plan to check-raise. It is checked around, which is kind of strange because there are a couple of very, very aggressive guys in the hand. I guess that one of them has something they consider a big hand and is hoping to trap. The turn is a harmless 5s. I decided to bet 1,600 into the 2,600 pot. Fold, Fold, Aggressive guy raises it to 6,400. I put him either on a straight or flush draw (in hindsight maybe an overpair or he thought I was trying to buy the pot) and moved all-in. He thought for a second and folded. My chip stack was now a respectable 39k.

My stack swung between 30k and 39k for a long time without much of note happening. I was around 30k after laying down QQ on a AAK flop. A few hands later, I am on the button with AKs and with 200/400 blinds there are 4 limpers (very common at the current table). I bet the pot hoping to get everyone to fold and the short stacked SB goes all in for another 1,600. Folds around to me and I call. He has KK and it holds up. I am down to 25k in chips.

A while later, I have 22k in chips - there are some ridiculous bullies at my table. I am trying to be patient and find a spot to double up, but the blinds are now at 600/1200 w/ antes. We are getting close to the money and a couple of the big stacks are trying to take advantage of that. I get QQ in the small blind. UTG (huge stack raising every hand) raises it to 3,600. It folds around to me. I have a few options. First, I consider just calling and going all in on a flop that doesn' contain a K or A. Second, I could raise 3,600 and have over 1/3rd of my stack committed against a guy that is going to represent a big hand no matter what. Third option, go all-in and take down the current pot or have the bully call me with a marginal hand and double up. I went with option 3. The BB immediately goes all-in with his 40k. Bully folds. Me - QQ, BB - AKs. Flop has a King and I'm out. 288th with 225 getting paid.

I am not upset about not making the money. I am very happy with my play. I feel like I played almost perfect poker after the rebuy period. I made some big laydowns and 1 or 2 well timed big bluffs when I felt my opponent didn't have a hand. I squeezed the most chips that I could out of my big hands. I got my chips in with the best hand at the end and it didn't hold up. If the QQ holds up I'm sitting with an above average stack and a couple of big stacks that will pay off the big hands and the money right around the corner. I know that poker is not an exact science and sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

cmitch - sportingimag