O-Poker

I have mixed emotions again. I played the Pokerstars $150+$12 last night and wound up finishing 10th out of 528. Overall I am happy with the outcome, but it still stings some to come so close to a big payday. 10th place netted me $709 ($871-$162). 9th place paid $475 more than 10th and the payouts increased dramtically after that with 1st place receiving almost $20k.

I had one big lucky break to make it that far. After we were ITM, I was dealt QJ in late position at a short handed table. I pushed and the small blind called with AJ. The river brought a Q and I a little more than doubled up. So, I guess I can't complain too much. I was pretty much freerolling after that point.

My final hand - I was 10th out of 10 remaining with 3k/6k blinds (i think). Both tables were 5 handed. I had around 24k in chips (barely enough for 10 hands). The 9th place stack had around 45k in chips and was on the button. I needed to do something. I pushed with As3s and the BB called me with A10o. The flop was very good - 2s2c4s. I had 15 outs but didn't catch any of them and I was out on the final table bubble.

After a rough start in tourneys this year, things have started to come around. I have only played 4 tourneys this week and finished high in two. Both of the high finishes were in large fields (800+ and 500+).

I think there are two reasons that I have done well this week in tourneys.

1. I have decided to have an "I don't care if I bubble." approach to the tourneys. I think I had been playing to at least make it to the money in recent weeks and then see what happens from there. Only problem is nothing was happening from there because I had no chips.

Something in me just finally said, "Screw it!! You are eeking into the money with no chips. Gotta do something." Sometimes it is easier said than done. I was pushing a lot more than I ever would as we got close to the bubble and a lot sooner than I normally would. If someone was going to call me, they were going to have to have a monster. Before I would have probably waited until my stack was around 2.5xBB before pushing.

2. Biggest reason I think I have been playing well this week - Harrington on Holdem 2. If you haven't purchased it yet and you play MTTs then you are missing out. Go buy it now!! I haven't finished reading it, but I have read a lot of the key ideas on my trips to the bathroom. Some of the concepts in there really make you think.

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An another note - Loopy (the guy that is part of this blog but never posts ;-) ) was playing a $22 180 person tourney on Pokerstars at the same time that I was playing the $150. As I busted out, he was just starting the final table with a chip lead. He wound up chopping it when 3 handed for around $720.

Congrats Loopy!!

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DADIII is tonight - a Blogger Heads up tourney on Pokerstars - click here to check it out or go to TripJax's or Jordan's Blogs.

I am probably going to play it tonight. See you all there.

Good luck at the tables,
cmitch