Event #27 Underway!

We started this one with the predicted 729 players. Even though my first table is essentially a winner take all SNG. It's a little different from the ones I'm used to playing. The SNGs that I usually play have 5 minute limits and everyone gets 1,500 chips to start. To play down to one player takes between 35 and 45 minutes (7-9 levels).

In today's tournament we all started with 5,000 chips and 30 minute limits. To add to the length the blind increases are a little slower. Instead of going to 300/600 blinds after 40 minutes, that jump happens after 5 hours of play (not counting breaks). And with more than three times as many chips in play those blinds which usually force you to go all in will only put a small ding in your stack.

Winning the first table is worth $1,640. No matter where you finish in the second round you still get $1,640. If you make it to the third round every place pays a different amount with 9th being $3,645 and 1st being $76,545.

2008 WCOOP Events #27 & #28 Preview

Event #27 is a $530 triple shootout. The way this is going to work is we'll start with 729 players playing on 81 tables. Each table will play until there is only one player left. Those remaining 81 players will then be split into 9 groups of 9 and again they'll play until there is only one player left at each table. The final 9 will come together and play it out for the title. Essentially it's like trying to win three SNGs in a row. If you win your first table you're in the money and I think no matter how you finish at your second table everyone gets the same payday.

Event #28 is $530 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo split. This is the form of Omaha in which I have the most experience. In fact it's a close race between this game, Razz, and 7 card stud as to which is my second best game behind hold'em.

These events will both be paired with a $320 second chance.

After Wednesday's action my $10,000 starting bankroll stands at $17,837.

2008 WCOOP Event #26 ($320 NL 6-Max)

No more zombie magic in this one. I finished 60th of 3,273 which paid $1,964. On the final hand I got it in with 88 vs KQ. The flop was good but the turn was a Q and that was it.

Not a single bad feeling about this one. When I was down to 2,000 chips there were 222 players left, the blinds were 500/1000 and the average stack was over 60,000. My two minute stall let me hit the jump between 217th and 216th place which if I'd had any normal run of luck is where I would have finished. 216th paid $736 so that zombie magic resulted in an extra $1,228! Solid proof that it's never over until it's over!

Non WCOOP Update

Guess what happened....again! I won the nightly $109 HORSE tournament! There were only 48 players, but 1st paid $1,850. That makes 4 firsts in 12 attempts in this tournament! Take that HORSE jerks!

I was in first with 25 players left and while I had a few stumbles, once again when we made it to the final table I blew everyone apart. It's such a huge advantage to not care about moving up one more spot.

For the record, today has been MUCH better than yesterday!!!!

This Zombie Has Found a Hatchet!

BRAINS! BRAINS! I NEEEEEEED BRAAAAAAAAAIIIIINNNS!

This has been a startling comeback! A little while after my last post I picked up AQ and raised t0 3,600. The player in the big blind Uncledrkmeat (who for some reason was one of two players who didn't understand why I waited for my whole time bank to be used before going all in to pick up a free $50 when I only had 2,000 chips - even after I explained it to them!!!) went all in for about 24,000. I had to call and was hoping to see anything by AA, KK, QQ or AK. He had JJ, but I flopped two aces and turned a queen!'

A little while later a player limped in under the gun for 1,600. I was on the button with AT of spades and decided to just call. At this stage, 7+ hours into a tournament the only thing that makes any sense to call first to act is AA or KK. Since I had an ace I put him on KK.

The flop came down AA5! BINGO BABY! The blinds checked and the player who had limped bet out and I just called. The turn was a J, he bet again and I just called again. If he had garbage I wanted to give him every chance to bet again and if he had KK as I suspected I figured he'd pay me off on the river. The river was a 5 and he put me all in for another 22,000! I snap called and he showed 44!

This is a case where going unconventional made me a ton of chips. Your average player would have raised the flop or the turn, but by just calling I induced a major bluff and took down a big pot.

I'm up to 84,000 and in 64th of 92!!!

Back from the Dead!

I've never heard anyone called this before, but I'm a zombie in this $320 NL WCOOP tournament! I was as dead as dead can be and now I'm up walking around. I was down to 2,000 chips after losing AQ to KK (I was actually against another AQ as well and we split a few left over scraps).

In fact I had 1,000 in the big blind and 900 left. I used my entire time bank to wait out a few more people and lock up an extra $50 or so before putting in my last 900. Luckily I had 77 and doubled up against 45. Then I got it all in with AQ vs 77 and K9 and flopped an A and a Q! That put me at 14,000. I was there for a while picking up blinds here and there with all in bets.

Then I blew all in vs a small raise with KQ. I got called by A8 and the flop came J95 all diamonds. I had the K of diamonds meaning I needed a K,Q, T or diamond. The turn was a blank, but I hit a diamond on the river and now I'm back to 31,000. I still have less than half of average and am in 151st of 187, but with blinds of 600/1,200 I still have plenty of time to wait for good spots to get my money in the pot.

Right now I'm guaranteed to return $834, and I need to get to 90th or better to get even for the $215 second chance and the $920 I dropped in the Omaha.

A Sweet Hand!

With the blinds at 300/600 I found myself with about 18,000 chips. The button raised to 1,500 and I decided to take a flop with Q3s. While this is a pretty weak hand my opponent could have anything raising from the button. And since it only cost me 900 to see a flop when there's already 2,700 in the pot I thought it was a good time to take a chance.

The flop came down AK3 with one heart an I checked. My opponent bet 1,800 into the 3,600 chip pot and I decided to call. I figured a 3 or a Q would make me the best hand and I if my opponent missed he might check the turn allowing me to win with a bet on the river.

The turn was the 6 of hearts which gave me a flush draw to go with my bottom pair. I checked and when my opponent bet 4,000 into the 7,200 chip pot I moved all in for 15,000 as a semibluff. If my opponent had an ace I knew I'd need to hit to win, but if he had anything else I should win right there.

Well he did have an ace...in fact he had two of them in his hand! Since he had the total nuts at the time he called me in a mircosecond. But the river brought the sweet, sweet 8 of hearts and I doubled up!

Right now I'm at 37,000 in 144th of 301.

The only bad news is I got bounced from the second chance. I got it all in with a pair against a flush draw. I made two pair on the turn making me better than a 5 to 1 favorite, but my opponent made his flush on the end to knock me out. You give some and you get some, that's how poker works!

In the Money in Event #26!

We've still got a long way to go in this in this one but we're in the money. I had my stack up to 35,000 at one point, but I've given some back and now have 21,500 which puts me in 251st of 454.

The player just behind me is very agressive and has been giving me some trouble. If I nail a big hand I should be able to double up, but if I keep missing there's not much I can do against him.

I'm also still in the $215 NL second chance and find myself in 99th of 208 with 72 players making the money.

Event #26 Underway!

We started today's $320 NL 6-max tournament with 3,273 entrants. After about an hour I'm in 453rd out of 2,740 after running my starting stack of 4,000 up to 6,700. 480th is the edge of the money and pays $461.

2008 WCOOP Event #25 Recap

I went from the penthouse to the outhouse very quickly in this one. There were two key hands that did me in and after some analysis I'm 95% sure I did the right thing in both.

In the first I was dealt AKJJ with 3 hearts. My opponent in this one raised the pot before the flop, I reraised the pot and my opponent called. The flop came down A 9 2 with two spades and my opponent checked. I decided to be aggressive and bet the pot which was about 3,000. My opponent thought for a moment and then went all in for about 8,000. My first inclination was to fold, but after some thought I decided that my opponent couldn't have AA in his hand since he no doubt would have reraised before the flop with it and there wasn't any reason to think he had 99 or 22 either. It was much more likely a flush draw and since I only hand to put in 5,000 more to win close to 15,000 I decided to call. Also I'd be left with more than an average stack even if I lost.

It turns out my opponent had 9TJQ with 3 spades. After the flop I was 43.54% to win, but another spade showed up and I lost the pot.

In the other hand that went against me I was dealt AAQ2 with the A2 of clubs and the AQ of diamnonds. This is a monster starting hand and I was happy to see a small raise a call and a pot sized raise in front of me. My pot sized reraise was about 5,000 which left me with about 15,000 in reserve when I saw the flop with one other player. The flop came down K63 with two clubs.

Once again it was go time. My opponent checked and I bet the pot which was about 2/3 of my chips. When he instantly reraised me I knew he had KK in his hand and had hit top set, but I was stuck since his reraise was pretty insignificant and I had the nut flush draw. When he showed his hand he had AKK9. Before the flop I was 72.98% to win and after the flop I was 29.27%. The turn and river were both bricks and I was left with about 3,000 chips. Those went soon after and that was it.

Pretty disapointing since I'd gotten off to another great start.