O-Poker

I was beginning to get frustrated with Multi-Table Tourneys, because I haven't been able to take 1st in a while. In the last week and a half I have made 3 final tables and not finished higher than 4th. It always seemed like I got my chips in with best hand (ex - AK vs. A10) and got knocked out at the final table. I, finally, got the 1st place finish Saturday night in the Pokershare $44 NL $7,500 Guarantee for $2,100.

I felt like I played extremely well and was very focused during the tourney. If I have to pick one reason for my winning the tourney, I would have to say it was patience. I didn't try to force hands. I picked on the hyper-aggressive bullies when I had good hands. When we were down to two tables, I used my stack to my advantage and made some calls that I might not have made with less chips. I called an all-in from an early position raiser (shorthanded table) for 1/4th of my chips with 88, because it was the 3rd time in 5 hands the same person had made the play uncontested. He had A4o and my 88 held up.

When we arrived at the final table I was 3rd in chips. Again, I remained very patient. Six-handed - I folded a straight in a 3 way pot with 3 diamonds on board after a big re-raise and an all-in call. The raiser had the J high diamond flush. I was 4th in chips, but still had plenty of chips to work with, when we got down to 4 players. I felt like I had a good read on the other 3 players and could use that to my advantage if I got any cards. My patience paid off when I was dealt QQ in the SB. Every time I limped from the SB, the guy in the BB made a pot sized raise - every time. I was waiting for an oppurtunity like the QQ in the SB and limped. Like clockwork, the BB raised the pot. I flat called knowing that if I check the flop he is going all-in. The flop comes a harmless 10,2,6 rainbow. I check. He immediately goes all-in with K10 and my Queens hold up.

I am now 2nd in chips out of 4 - the chip leader is extremely aggresive and I am looking for my spot to get some of his chips. I get dealt AKo on the button and raise the pot to make the chip leader (in the BB) think that I am attempting a steal. He immediately goes all-in and I call. He has A10. My AK holds up and I'm now chip leader with 4 remaining - 2 of the remaining are now very short stacks. I kick it into hyper-aggressive mode and win about 5 uncontested pots in a row. I knocked two of the remaining players out when they tried to make a stand - one with my JJ vs. K9; the other with A10 vs KQ.

Heads-up lasted about 7 hands. I had the guy out chipped 4 to 1 and he only bet his made hands. On the final hand, I had a flush draw and he was giving me great odds to keep calling his bets. I hit the flush on the river and he went all in with his top pair. Don't know why he did it the pot was about 24k and he had 28k remaining.

I won the tourney because I was patient and trusted my reads on what other players had. I am glad to get over the hump again.

cmitch