7/22/06 $5,000 Pot limit
This is probably the most painful entry to post, so bare with me. I played some phenominal poker up until dinner break, then just had what I equate to a mental breakdown, where I had trouble even counting chips, let alone making tough decisions. Here is what happened....
Level one I played about two hands and had a tighter table image than Prutsa herself (inside joke between Moon, Bag and me). Level two I made some awesome plays, including raising to 150, call, call, SB made it pot and I decided to just re-re-raise small to 1,500 more. I knew this guy knew I was extremely tight, and if he wanted to get it all-in, my AK wouldn't be lookin too hot. Therefore, I re-re-raised small so I could still fold if he went all-in (which he wouldn't do without A,A or K,K). He didn't think long before folding K,K face up. Wow! Awesome, that is the difference between $5k events and $1,500 events, lol. Anyway, I made a couple more plays and bluffs and was up to 8,000 when the following hand happened. Cutoff made it 150, I called with JTo on the button, and SB "pots" it for 600 more. Cutoff calls, as do I and the flop came 6s,6,4s. SB "pots" it and cutoff folds. I decide to call, because I really didn't think this guy had the overpair. I thought if he did not have the overpair, he would get scared of my call and check/fold on the turn, and if I was wrong, and he did have the overpair, I could just fold on the turn, only losing 1,800 chips, which would suck, but I would hate myself for not going with my conviction. The turn brought a J and he immediately moved all-in. Interesting spot! Haha. Now all of the sudden I can beat the bluff, but I told myself before that I didn't think he would move in on the turn without the overpair. However, this guy couldn't have convinced me any more that he was bluffing and I had absolutely no intention of folding after his bet. I started laughing and said, "You are really going to hate me when you see this hand." I called and, sure enough, he flips over AQ and no help came. He stormed off furious at me and the table was in complete shock. The tightest player at the table just called a pot sized bet on the flop with no pair, no spade, no draw, jack high and called an all-in bet for 90% of his chips. I was now up to 13,000 and lookin hot. Another pot came up a little later where UTG made it 300, SB called, and I bet the pot in the BB with TT. UTG "pots" it back at me for 95% of his chips and I had an extremely tough decision, but getting 3:1 on my money I couldn't fold, even though his hands were shaking uncontrollably (a sign of a monster). I called and he had AK and won the race, and now I was back to 8,000. UTG raised to 300, one caller, and I called in the SB and BB folded. My 9,6 hit the 9c,7,5c flop and I bet into the raiser 500. He was an old man, who was pretty tight/weak. He called and the other dude folded. Now I know I'm beat, and decide the only way to win the pot is a check/raise on the turn, which is what I did. He bet 1,200 and I bet "pot", which forced him all-in and he was so mad at himself for betting when he showed the JJ. I couldn't bring myself to show him my hand as I scooped the pot. Up to 15,000 and lookin hot. I was moved to another table and kept the same table image of a solid, aggressive rock. I won a few pots after raising, getting called, then making small continuation bets and built up to 25k or so. Then a pot came up where UTG limped, I bet the pot with AK, and a guy three to my left raised me the pot. I decided to flat call, as we both had many chips.
"Alright then, lets play a big one, shall we?"
Flop came 6d,6,4d. Check, check. Now I have this guy on AK for sure, and the Q on the turn is an easy check because I'll either steal it on the river, or....He bet 5,000 and I made it 10,000 after a short think. He starts shaking his head in disgust and folds. Another hand came up where UTG limped and I had AcKc and raised the pot. A new guy to the table, who had just won the previous pot now re-raises all-in and I'm feeling sick, because I know 100% certain he has an overpair. The question is, is it A,A, K,K, or Q,Q. Regardless, I can't fold for 2,500 more after putting in 1,000 and he shows K,K. Poor bastard was drawing dead after I hit my flush on the turn, and now the fish is up to 43k. After a few more raises and re-raises I went up to 54k and then Jason Lestor sat down. Here is where the tournament went to shit. I have plenty of chips to just coast into the money and I have been patient all day, but decide to start opening it up a little, especially after playing so tight and only showing monsters all day. I raise to 2,000 one from the cutoff with A3s and Lester calls on the button. Flop came Q, 9, 6 and I bet 2,500 and he called after a short think. Turn was a 3 and instead of giving it up, i went ahead and bet 5,000, which was a huge mistake. He ends up calling and after the T came on the river, now I feel obligated to put him all-in for his tournament life for 16,000 because there is too much to just leave sitting out there when I think he'll fold a J,T, K,T or Q,J. He calls for the forth time after a short think and shows the A,Q. I lost the 56k pot and was devastated. The dinner break came shortly after and I never went back to my solid play. Shortly after the break folds around to one from the cutoff, who made a 3x BB raise and I decided to flat call in the cutoff with T,T because I didn't think anyone would give me credibility for a hand after that debacle before the break and I didn't want a race for all my chips. BB called and the flop came 9, 6, x. They both check, and I bet three quarters the pot. BB moves in for less than a min raise more and I call. He shows 6,5 and I end up taking it down. One pot came up where it was folds to my cutoff and the tightest player at the table was in the BB. I decided to raise with JTo and she called. I was a little worried about the call, as I thought she would fold most hands, and didn't continuation bet the flop like I normally would have. A king came on the turn and she now bet into me. Now I'm thinking I want to represent the K,Q or A,K, but instead of putting her to a tough decision, I decide to flat call and play it tricky, which was a complete dumbass move on my part and I hate myself for it. The river was a brick and she check/called an all-in bet by me on the river with her K,T. At this point I'm so disappointed with myself for blowing all those chips and I'm trying for the life of me to pull it together, but was just mentally fried. I couldn't even calculate the odds I was getting when I would get raised or even count the chips that someone would throw into a pot for that matter. It was the most embarrased and disgusted I've ever felt at a poker table. The hand I exited on when as follows: A big stack limps in late position for the second consecutive hand and I limp in the SB with 76o. The flop came K, 9, 8 and I check and the BB checks. The limper bets 2,500 and I decide I need the chips at this point pretty badly, so I decide this is the spot to let it known I'm going with the hand. I raise the pot 8,800 more and he thinks for a long time before putting me in for my last 6,000.
"I really wish you would have folded, but I'm obviously calling"
"Two pair?"
"No, just a draw, I thought you would fold just about all hands here because of how tight I've been playing"
"I almost did"
He then shows A,A and I'm in a bit of trouble. No help, and I'm eliminated out of the money, after having enough chips to be average in the money earlier. I was so disgusted with myself I can hardly bring myself to post this blog, but it has to be done, as I will hopefully learn from the experience. What did I end up learning? Just because you bring your "A" game for 90% of the day, doesn't mean you can let up at any moment. One pot can change a tournament and every ounce of concentration needs to go into each pot. I also learned that I still have major tilt issues to not be able to rebound from one lost pot.
Level one I played about two hands and had a tighter table image than Prutsa herself (inside joke between Moon, Bag and me). Level two I made some awesome plays, including raising to 150, call, call, SB made it pot and I decided to just re-re-raise small to 1,500 more. I knew this guy knew I was extremely tight, and if he wanted to get it all-in, my AK wouldn't be lookin too hot. Therefore, I re-re-raised small so I could still fold if he went all-in (which he wouldn't do without A,A or K,K). He didn't think long before folding K,K face up. Wow! Awesome, that is the difference between $5k events and $1,500 events, lol. Anyway, I made a couple more plays and bluffs and was up to 8,000 when the following hand happened. Cutoff made it 150, I called with JTo on the button, and SB "pots" it for 600 more. Cutoff calls, as do I and the flop came 6s,6,4s. SB "pots" it and cutoff folds. I decide to call, because I really didn't think this guy had the overpair. I thought if he did not have the overpair, he would get scared of my call and check/fold on the turn, and if I was wrong, and he did have the overpair, I could just fold on the turn, only losing 1,800 chips, which would suck, but I would hate myself for not going with my conviction. The turn brought a J and he immediately moved all-in. Interesting spot! Haha. Now all of the sudden I can beat the bluff, but I told myself before that I didn't think he would move in on the turn without the overpair. However, this guy couldn't have convinced me any more that he was bluffing and I had absolutely no intention of folding after his bet. I started laughing and said, "You are really going to hate me when you see this hand." I called and, sure enough, he flips over AQ and no help came. He stormed off furious at me and the table was in complete shock. The tightest player at the table just called a pot sized bet on the flop with no pair, no spade, no draw, jack high and called an all-in bet for 90% of his chips. I was now up to 13,000 and lookin hot. Another pot came up a little later where UTG made it 300, SB called, and I bet the pot in the BB with TT. UTG "pots" it back at me for 95% of his chips and I had an extremely tough decision, but getting 3:1 on my money I couldn't fold, even though his hands were shaking uncontrollably (a sign of a monster). I called and he had AK and won the race, and now I was back to 8,000. UTG raised to 300, one caller, and I called in the SB and BB folded. My 9,6 hit the 9c,7,5c flop and I bet into the raiser 500. He was an old man, who was pretty tight/weak. He called and the other dude folded. Now I know I'm beat, and decide the only way to win the pot is a check/raise on the turn, which is what I did. He bet 1,200 and I bet "pot", which forced him all-in and he was so mad at himself for betting when he showed the JJ. I couldn't bring myself to show him my hand as I scooped the pot. Up to 15,000 and lookin hot. I was moved to another table and kept the same table image of a solid, aggressive rock. I won a few pots after raising, getting called, then making small continuation bets and built up to 25k or so. Then a pot came up where UTG limped, I bet the pot with AK, and a guy three to my left raised me the pot. I decided to flat call, as we both had many chips.
"Alright then, lets play a big one, shall we?"
Flop came 6d,6,4d. Check, check. Now I have this guy on AK for sure, and the Q on the turn is an easy check because I'll either steal it on the river, or....He bet 5,000 and I made it 10,000 after a short think. He starts shaking his head in disgust and folds. Another hand came up where UTG limped and I had AcKc and raised the pot. A new guy to the table, who had just won the previous pot now re-raises all-in and I'm feeling sick, because I know 100% certain he has an overpair. The question is, is it A,A, K,K, or Q,Q. Regardless, I can't fold for 2,500 more after putting in 1,000 and he shows K,K. Poor bastard was drawing dead after I hit my flush on the turn, and now the fish is up to 43k. After a few more raises and re-raises I went up to 54k and then Jason Lestor sat down. Here is where the tournament went to shit. I have plenty of chips to just coast into the money and I have been patient all day, but decide to start opening it up a little, especially after playing so tight and only showing monsters all day. I raise to 2,000 one from the cutoff with A3s and Lester calls on the button. Flop came Q, 9, 6 and I bet 2,500 and he called after a short think. Turn was a 3 and instead of giving it up, i went ahead and bet 5,000, which was a huge mistake. He ends up calling and after the T came on the river, now I feel obligated to put him all-in for his tournament life for 16,000 because there is too much to just leave sitting out there when I think he'll fold a J,T, K,T or Q,J. He calls for the forth time after a short think and shows the A,Q. I lost the 56k pot and was devastated. The dinner break came shortly after and I never went back to my solid play. Shortly after the break folds around to one from the cutoff, who made a 3x BB raise and I decided to flat call in the cutoff with T,T because I didn't think anyone would give me credibility for a hand after that debacle before the break and I didn't want a race for all my chips. BB called and the flop came 9, 6, x. They both check, and I bet three quarters the pot. BB moves in for less than a min raise more and I call. He shows 6,5 and I end up taking it down. One pot came up where it was folds to my cutoff and the tightest player at the table was in the BB. I decided to raise with JTo and she called. I was a little worried about the call, as I thought she would fold most hands, and didn't continuation bet the flop like I normally would have. A king came on the turn and she now bet into me. Now I'm thinking I want to represent the K,Q or A,K, but instead of putting her to a tough decision, I decide to flat call and play it tricky, which was a complete dumbass move on my part and I hate myself for it. The river was a brick and she check/called an all-in bet by me on the river with her K,T. At this point I'm so disappointed with myself for blowing all those chips and I'm trying for the life of me to pull it together, but was just mentally fried. I couldn't even calculate the odds I was getting when I would get raised or even count the chips that someone would throw into a pot for that matter. It was the most embarrased and disgusted I've ever felt at a poker table. The hand I exited on when as follows: A big stack limps in late position for the second consecutive hand and I limp in the SB with 76o. The flop came K, 9, 8 and I check and the BB checks. The limper bets 2,500 and I decide I need the chips at this point pretty badly, so I decide this is the spot to let it known I'm going with the hand. I raise the pot 8,800 more and he thinks for a long time before putting me in for my last 6,000.
"I really wish you would have folded, but I'm obviously calling"
"Two pair?"
"No, just a draw, I thought you would fold just about all hands here because of how tight I've been playing"
"I almost did"
He then shows A,A and I'm in a bit of trouble. No help, and I'm eliminated out of the money, after having enough chips to be average in the money earlier. I was so disgusted with myself I can hardly bring myself to post this blog, but it has to be done, as I will hopefully learn from the experience. What did I end up learning? Just because you bring your "A" game for 90% of the day, doesn't mean you can let up at any moment. One pot can change a tournament and every ounce of concentration needs to go into each pot. I also learned that I still have major tilt issues to not be able to rebound from one lost pot.
posted by Kwicky at 3:39 PM
4 Comments:
Fish never forget that you are a sick sick beast. BEAST. (not as beastly as the LA....yet.)
Haha man. Everyone has tilt issues. I'm finally going through one of the worst times in my poker "career" right now. It's a deep hole I've dug myself but yours seems to be a very short-term problem. A couple more live tournies and you'll be unstoppable.
Oh and if you ever stop by the go cart place... if you could pick up my sandals that would be sweet
<3 - poo
This tournament shows me a few things.
1) You are one of the most talented tournament players in the world. I really do believe that, and when you play your A-game, your current ranking on Bluff Magazine is justified.
2) You are selling yourself short in some of these tournaments with poor mental preparation. In this tournament (and possibly in Reno), mental fatigue brought on by abnormal and inconsistent sleeping schedules contributed to your downfall. In Reno there was also an issue with your i-pod that could have been a non-issue with more astute preparation. As this is being written, you're current life pattern is playing Starcraft/PartyPoker for almost the whole day without going outside, and going to sleep after sunrise. I don't think this is how the La prepares for tournaments.
3) While certainly much better than in the past, your tilt issues have not been fully resolved. I think the stuff in 2) has a lot to do with this, along with what Truman said.
While it's obvious your talent is off the charts, you're not yet a complete player. If you want to take that next step, a la Joe Bartholdi, you're gonna have to step up your focus away from the table.
Do me with your skillz. Ima own u in starcraft tho.
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