Poker Ramblings of cmitch

Contact Info:

cmitchpoker@gmail.com

I was surprised how many players turned out for the $216 FTOPS V Event #1. They blew past the $500k guarantee (2,500 players) by over $300k and 1,600+ players for a total of 4,165 players and a prize pool of $833,000. First place was a hefty (for a $200 tourney) $147k. I have mixed feelings about my 112th place finish ($790). It always stings a little too get so deep and fall short, but it also feels good to go so deep in such a large field.

I appreciate all the rail support last night. I am not going to list everyone because I'm sure that I would forget a few since I wasn't reading the chat box the whole time. It was cool to listen to BuddyDank Radio as they were following Hoy, Julius_Goat, and myself late into the tourney. Alan (RecessRampage) was giving the FTOPS updates - nice work.

I had my table and Hoy's table open. He got ridiculously unlucky late. I think his AA lost to Bracelet Holder MrSmokey1's KQ - all in preflop for a huge pot. Ugggh!!! I'm sure that he will have an awesome tourney recap later today.

There were a few interesting hands early in the tourney (I'll try to look them up later.) I doubled up a little bit after making it into the money. It folded to cutoff and he made a standard 2.5-3x BB raise. I was dealt 66 on the button. The cutoff's bet looked like a steal from where I was sitting, so I shoved. He insta-called with AKs, but my 6s somehow held up. Weeeee. I was sitting on 50k (top 25 stack) with 300 +/- players left. I could be patient and pick my spots.

A little while later the dream hand came up. I was dealt KK in the BB. A middle position player with a stack a little bigger than mine raised 3x the BB. No way was I going to slow play here. I made a pretty good size raise and he shoved. I insta-called and my Kings took down his QQ. Up to 100k in chips.

I used the stack to steal a few pots here and there and built up to 130k, but it wouldn't be long lived.

I want some opinions on how I played the next two hands, especially the bustout hand. The first hand helped setup the dynamics of the bustout hand.

DeuceBuster has a big stack and has been very active with a lot of steals and re-steals. I am dealt 1010 on the button. He makes a standard 2.5x BB raise from the cutoff. Obvious steal right? I raise it up to 22k. It folds back to him and he makes it 72k. I struggled with the fold because I know that he is an aggressive player that is smart enough to possibly put me on a re-steal. He also bet enough where I am going to have to shove or fold and he is committed to calling anything. In the end, I decided that I was either way behind or a coin flip. I didn't want to risk my entire stack on a flip, so I folded.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1349670

The next orbit, I am dealt QQ on the button. Blinds 2k/4k. I have 93k. A player in mid-position makes it 12k (3xBB), Duecebuster raises to 39k. I am pretty sure that mid-position is on a steal. I almost folded, but ultimately decided to shove because Deucebuster had been so active with steals and re-steals. I knew that AA and KK were possible, but felt like is range was pretty wide. I shoved and he insta-called with AA. Anyone fold this against this player this late in the tourney? I don't think a case could be made for flat calling preflop because there is 61k in the pot by the time it gets to me. If I flat call, the pot becomes 100k and I only have 54k behind. I am really interested on other thoughts on the hand. I think that I would have folded this hand in this spot against a lot of other players.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1349669

12 responses to "FTOPS Event #1 - Deep Run"

  1. I know you are disappointed in how you finished but it's still an awesome run to come in so high with so many players. Too bad I couldn't make anything happen. Good work!

    Oh, and me personally, I woulda done the same with QQ. But I may have shoved my TT also. But don't listen to me. I'm sure better tourney players will weigh in their thoughts.

    Alan aka RecessRampage

  2. Job well done, Mitch. That's a crap way to go out; absolutely no way I'm folding that.

    Tens, that's a good fold there. A really really REALLy tough fold, but a good one. He might have 88 or 99 if he's a big aggro-gambler, but otherwise you're a dog or coinflipping as you said. He's priced in to calling even with crap like KJ or QJ, and you'd hate to go home just because a paint card fell.

    Julius_Goat

  3. How can you honestly fold QQ at that point? You saw A6, KQ, QJ and AT getting all in all over the place. Folding QQ would have been just wrong.

    Fuel55

  4. i watched annette_15 play in the 500k guarantee last w/e (she took it down) and she was either stealing or restealing nearly every hand. at least 3 an orbit, if not more, and obviously there was no way she was getting good cards every time. but finally, after about 10-12 times, someone pushed back on her w/ AJ, and she flipped up AA.

    point is, you got coolered with your QQ b/c you happened to catch him at the time when he had a hand. you just never know, and it's sucky luck that you picked up QQ there. but i don't think you can fold QQ there on a guy who has been raising or re-raising every hand, cause more often than not you're gonna catch him.

    and i'm w/ alan, in that i don't think i would have folded the TT either, but i'm a donkey.

    lj

  5. Congrats on your finish! Based on the way you describe that player, I probably play those hands the same way you did. I think you made the right moves and just got coolered to bust out.

    Matt Silverthorn

  6. congrats on the cash man...nice run through a big field

    Pseudo_Doctor

  7. You got coolered Cmitch...

    It's still a cash and a step closer on the RNG's plan to give you a ton of money when you least expect it!

    Best Wishes

    IT

    Unknown

  8. Nice cash.

    I think I jam the TT into him as well as QQ.

    Anonymous

  9. Awesome job cmitch. Way to start off the FTOPS on the right foot!

    Impossible to fold the QQ there. I mean, you can do it but over time that's a -EV fold fo sho.

    Hammer Player a.k.a Hoyazo

  10. You could make an argument for playing QQ either way there. You can't call so its a shove or fold situation. A lot of the times if I don't know who I am playing against I fold QQ to a raise and a re raise. But since you had knowledge of his play and aggression I can't blame you for shoving QQ there. This is what makes NLHE fun to me, right here. There is no right or wrong answer as to how to play QQ in that spot, it all comes down to gut and instinct. Sometimes you can even be wrong and still win!

    Chad C

  11. That TT is a tough hand -- good fold, most likely. QQ hand = cooler, obv.

    Anonymous

  12. congrats on getting off to a good start in FTOPS.

    re: those last 2 spots. the pokers gods like to put you in difficult situations. you dodged the first one folding TT. so, the gods decided to really test you and put you in a rediculous spot.

    80% of all poker players are pushing there (maybe more) to find they're in a desperate situation, hoping for a miracle.

    it's not a bad push, it's just bad luck.

    smokkee