Live By The Sword, Die By The Sword...
I've been dreading writing this post...but alas, if I am to improve my game, evaluate this chain of events I must. This may be a little tedious to digest if you open the links, but if you do, I think you'll agree this is almost comical.
So, as I mentioned yesterday, I made my way in to the 1 million Guaranteed tournament on Stars yesterday. The entry is normally $200. $29 satellite got me in. I was pretty pumped. I was fully intending to bring my "A" game. Had some time to relax at the beach to clear my head, had fun. I was ready to go.
The action started out fairly mundane. Picked up a few hands that brought me up to around 3000 in chips. Was a little ahead of the curve. Took a minor hit bringing me down to 1825 in chips. Then the following hand presents itself.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?370576
My thinking was, okay...a weak raise in front of me. I have JJ. Not a hand I generally enjoy playing. Usually the death of me. But, at this stage, I figure lets try to shake things up. All or nothing. So, I push all in with it just hoping to pick up the blinds and the weak raise. Small blind calls, original raiser folds. He shows KK. AAARRRRGH! I was upset, but that was the risk I took. If I'm out, I'm out. However, flop brings a J, and I end up doubling my stack to 3930. Ahhh...this felt GREAT!
Time passes. I've made a few minor steals bringing my stack up to 4280 only to find JJ again in the small blind. I'm thinking, okay, in the small blind, this can work to my advantage. Blinds are only 50/100 at this point. Here's how it plays out:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?370578
Flop doesn't help me. Only one over. I played to the side of caution being first to act. I check, he checks. Flop brings a 10 of clubs leaving a possible flush on the board. But if he didn't hit the K, I think i'm okay here. So, I take a stab at it and bet 300. He raises me 300 representing the flush. I didn't think the flush was likely, but it was possible. Didn't really think he was slow playing a K either. But also entirely possible. I call his raise. The river bring a Q, giving me a really nice straight. I put him all in. If he's got the flush, good for him. He turns over pocket 9's. I take the pot bringing my total up to nearly 4000 in chips. Out of the 4000+ entrants, and with about 2500 people left, I find myself in 76th position. I'm shaping up to be in a great place for the long haul.
And here's where my day ends. Blinds are at 100/200 with a 10 ante. I have 3642 in chips. I'm one away from the button. Here we go again. JJ. Christ. So far though, they've worked out wonderfully for me. So, I take back my resentment and keep an open mind. Action comes around to me, and I raise it 5 times the big blind to 1000. Small blind pushes all in. A pretty well known player too. Here's how it played out:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?370580
I really should have known better. I should have just let my Jacks go. But, at this stage, I was pretty much invested in the pot. If I put him on AK, or mid pocket pairs, I have a fighting chance. But with his larger stack, I really figured he was thinking my raise was just a sign of aggression and he was wanting to bully back and protect his blind. So I put all my chips on the line. My theory was clearly not the case. He turns over KK, against my JJ. Okay, I get it...i'm beat. It's not looking good. But maybe a miracle card will show itself. Flop comes AAA. WTF!!! Okay, sucks, but I still have outs. Turn brings a 10. Not looking good. River brings another A. Are you kidding me?
Sigh...
I should have folded my JJ against his all in. I realize that. But was it that easy of a decision with that many of my chips already in the pot? I'm kicking myself in the ass because had I folded, I could have still had a great showing. But I was tasting it. I really thought I could have a real commanding chip count had I scooped that pot.
Here it is, the day after and I'm licking my wounds. So be it. Live to fight another day as they say. I fell on my sword, but luckily it was merely a flesh wound.
Stay away from JJ!
-Adam
Technorati Tags: Adam LaBare, WSOP, World Series of Poker, PokerStars, 1 million pokerstars, sng, poker tournament
So, as I mentioned yesterday, I made my way in to the 1 million Guaranteed tournament on Stars yesterday. The entry is normally $200. $29 satellite got me in. I was pretty pumped. I was fully intending to bring my "A" game. Had some time to relax at the beach to clear my head, had fun. I was ready to go.
The action started out fairly mundane. Picked up a few hands that brought me up to around 3000 in chips. Was a little ahead of the curve. Took a minor hit bringing me down to 1825 in chips. Then the following hand presents itself.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?370576
My thinking was, okay...a weak raise in front of me. I have JJ. Not a hand I generally enjoy playing. Usually the death of me. But, at this stage, I figure lets try to shake things up. All or nothing. So, I push all in with it just hoping to pick up the blinds and the weak raise. Small blind calls, original raiser folds. He shows KK. AAARRRRGH! I was upset, but that was the risk I took. If I'm out, I'm out. However, flop brings a J, and I end up doubling my stack to 3930. Ahhh...this felt GREAT!
Time passes. I've made a few minor steals bringing my stack up to 4280 only to find JJ again in the small blind. I'm thinking, okay, in the small blind, this can work to my advantage. Blinds are only 50/100 at this point. Here's how it plays out:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?370578
Flop doesn't help me. Only one over. I played to the side of caution being first to act. I check, he checks. Flop brings a 10 of clubs leaving a possible flush on the board. But if he didn't hit the K, I think i'm okay here. So, I take a stab at it and bet 300. He raises me 300 representing the flush. I didn't think the flush was likely, but it was possible. Didn't really think he was slow playing a K either. But also entirely possible. I call his raise. The river bring a Q, giving me a really nice straight. I put him all in. If he's got the flush, good for him. He turns over pocket 9's. I take the pot bringing my total up to nearly 4000 in chips. Out of the 4000+ entrants, and with about 2500 people left, I find myself in 76th position. I'm shaping up to be in a great place for the long haul.
And here's where my day ends. Blinds are at 100/200 with a 10 ante. I have 3642 in chips. I'm one away from the button. Here we go again. JJ. Christ. So far though, they've worked out wonderfully for me. So, I take back my resentment and keep an open mind. Action comes around to me, and I raise it 5 times the big blind to 1000. Small blind pushes all in. A pretty well known player too. Here's how it played out:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?370580
I really should have known better. I should have just let my Jacks go. But, at this stage, I was pretty much invested in the pot. If I put him on AK, or mid pocket pairs, I have a fighting chance. But with his larger stack, I really figured he was thinking my raise was just a sign of aggression and he was wanting to bully back and protect his blind. So I put all my chips on the line. My theory was clearly not the case. He turns over KK, against my JJ. Okay, I get it...i'm beat. It's not looking good. But maybe a miracle card will show itself. Flop comes AAA. WTF!!! Okay, sucks, but I still have outs. Turn brings a 10. Not looking good. River brings another A. Are you kidding me?
Sigh...
I should have folded my JJ against his all in. I realize that. But was it that easy of a decision with that many of my chips already in the pot? I'm kicking myself in the ass because had I folded, I could have still had a great showing. But I was tasting it. I really thought I could have a real commanding chip count had I scooped that pot.
Here it is, the day after and I'm licking my wounds. So be it. Live to fight another day as they say. I fell on my sword, but luckily it was merely a flesh wound.
Stay away from JJ!
-Adam
Technorati Tags: Adam LaBare, WSOP, World Series of Poker, PokerStars, 1 million pokerstars, sng, poker tournament
You make a good point on the first hand.
All in all, I fall for JJ every time. I should have played them much differently.
mumbe mumble
Posted by
alabare |
1:49 PM