$500 Stars Million Review

I had a decent run in the monthly $500 on Stars today, though it ultimately ended in tragedy. As you’ll see, I had some lucky cooler situations early on, but there was usually at least an element of my opponent making a questionable slowplay and the money going in after I had sucked out. Meanwhile I lost multiple critical “flips”. Some hands:

Check… Raise! Check… Raise!

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 25/50 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

Hero (MP2): 10,000
CO: 9,650
BTN: 10,325
SB: 10,025
BB: 10,000
UTG: 10,000
UTG+1: 10,000
UTG+2: 10,000
MP1: 10,000

Pre-Flop: (75) K J dealt to Hero (MP2)
4 folds, Hero raises to 150, 2 folds, SB calls 125, BB folds

Flop: (350) J 3 9 (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets 250, SB raises to 500, Hero calls 250

Turn: (1,350) 7 (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets 850, SB raises to 2,400, Hero folds

Results: 3,050 Pot
SB mucked and WON 3,050 (+1,550 NET)

I think I should bet smaller on the turn but that this is otherwise fine.

Revenge

Same guy as above:

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 50/100 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

Hero (SB): 8,250
BB: 8,415
UTG: 10,800
UTG+1: 7,040
UTG+2: 11,320
MP1: 10,400
MP2: 13,875
CO: 10,725
BTN: 9,175

Pre-Flop: (150) A 5 dealt to Hero (SB)
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls 100, UTG+2 calls 100, 4 folds, Hero calls 50, BB checks

Flop: (400) 5 A 7 (4 Players)
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG+1 bets 200, UTG+2 folds, Hero raises to 650, BB folds, UTG+1 raises to 6,940 and is All-In, Hero calls 6,290

Turn: (14,280) K (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (14,280) A (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 14,280 Pot
Hero showed A 5 (a full house, Aces full of Fives) and WON 14,280 (+7,240 NET)
UTG+1 showed T Q (a pair of Aces) and LOST (-7,040 NET)

Squeeeeeeeeeze It

These calls pre-flop should be really strong, based on the percentages of their stacks these guys are putting in, but I was pretty sure they were just fish. On the flop, I think the first caller is often folding, though I’m obviously folding to his shove. I put the second guy on a pocket pair smaller than J, and I didn’t know if he would fold it or not, but he’s so short that it doesn’t really matter. Of course…

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 100/200 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

Hero (SB): 18,600
BB: 6,880
UTG: 8,900
UTG+1: 8,310
UTG+2: 10,320
MP1: 14,050
MP2: 24,290
CO: 11,375
BTN: 4,825

Pre-Flop: (300) K Q dealt to Hero (SB)
4 folds, MP2 raises to 400, CO calls 400, BTN calls 400, Hero raises to 2,000, 2 folds, CO calls 1,600, BTN calls 1,600

Flop: (6,600) 7 J 4 (3 Players)
Hero bets 2,600, CO folds, BTN raises to 2,825 and is All-In, Hero calls 225

Turn: (12,250) A (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (12,250) 9 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 12,250 Pot
Hero showed K Q (high card Ace) and LOST (-4,825 NET)
BTN showed 4 4 (three of a kind, Fours) and WON 12,250 (+7,425 NET)

Bink

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 150/300 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BTN: 23,300
SB: 16,200
BB: 16,850
Hero (UTG): 13,775
UTG+1: 3,750
UTG+2: 9,525
MP1: 29,950
MP2: 12,850
CO: 2,900

Pre-Flop: (450) T T dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to 825, 7 folds, BB calls 525

Flop: (1,800) 8 6 8 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets 1,200, BB calls 1,200

Turn: (4,200) Q (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: (4,200) T (2 Players)
BB bets 4,800, Hero raises to 11,750 and is All-In, BB calls 6,950

Results: 27,700 Pot
BB showed 6 8 (a full house, Eights full of Sixes) and LOST (-13,775 NET)
Hero showed T T (a full house, Tens full of Eights) and WON 27,700 (+13,925 NET)

Bink

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 150/300 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

SB: 26,600
BB: 16,200
UTG: 2,175
Hero (UTG+1): 28,000
UTG+2: 5,725
MP1: 13,425
MP2: 29,500
CO: 14,950
BTN: 950

Pre-Flop: (450) 7 7 dealt to Hero (UTG+1)
UTG folds, Hero raises to 800, 5 folds, SB calls 650, BB folds

Flop: (1,900) 5 T 3 (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets 1,200, SB calls 1,200

Turn: (4,300) 7 (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets 3,000, SB raises to 9,000, Hero raises to 26,000 and is All-In, SB calls 15,600 and is All-In

River: (53,500) 3 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 53,500 Pot
SB showed K K (two pair, Kings and Threes) and LOST (-26,600 NET)
Hero showed 7 7 (a full house, Sevens full of Threes) and WON 53,500 (+26,900 NET)

At this point, I was in 5th place overall with more than 2000 remaining. It wasn’t going to last long, though.

Wrong Side of a Flip

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 200/400 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

CO: 24,271
BTN: 12,410
SB: 42,549
Hero (BB): 60,450
UTG: 11,600
UTG+1: 10,575
UTG+2: 32,850
MP1: 12,740
MP2: 44,105

Pre-Flop: (600) Q Q dealt to Hero (BB)
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises to 1,200, 6 folds, Hero raises to 60,450 and is All-In, UTG+1 calls 9,375 and is All-In

Flop: (21,350) 3 K 4 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Turn: (21,350) 9 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (21,350) 7 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 21,350 Pot
Hero showed Q Q (a pair of Queens) and LOST (-10,575 NET)
UTG+1 showed K A (a pair of Kings) and WON 21,350 (+10,775 NET)

No One Ever Believes Me

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 400/800 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

CO: 15,471
BTN: 11,220
SB: 41,974
Hero (BB): 50,695
UTG: 18,855
UTG+1: 41,910
UTG+2: 17,255
MP1: 8,540
MP2: 45,630

Pre-Flop: (1,200) A A dealt to Hero (BB)
2 folds, UTG+2 raises to 2,400, MP1 calls 2,400, 4 folds, Hero raises to 50,695 and is All-In, UTG+2 calls 14,855 and is All-In, MP1 folds

Flop: (37,310) 6 2 8 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Turn: (37,310) J (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (37,310) 3 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 37,310 Pot
Hero showed A A (a pair of Aces) and WON 37,310 (+20,055 NET)
UTG+2 showed 9 9 (a pair of Nines) and LOST (-17,255 NET)

Honestly, What?!

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 400/800 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

MP1: 15,421
MP2: 11,170
CO: 43,124
Hero (BTN): 70,300
SB: 18,005
BB: 41,860
UTG: 21,761
UTG+1: 6,090
UTG+2: 45,580

Pre-Flop: (1,650) T A dealt to Hero (BTN)
6 folds, Hero raises to 2,250, SB raises to 4,000, BB folds, Hero raises to 70,250 and is All-In, SB calls 13,955 and is All-In

Flop: (37,160) 4 A 9 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Turn: (37,160) 6 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (37,160) 5 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 37,160 Pot
Hero showed T A (a pair of Aces) and LOST (-18,005 NET)
SB showed 4 A (two pair, Aces and Fours) and WON 37,160 (+19,155 NET)

Gets There

Same clown from above. He SNAP called pre-flop, too, I’m sure he had like AT or some crap, not a good Ace.

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 400/800 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

CO: 13,471
BTN: 11,670
SB: 45,644
Hero (BB): 53,200
UTG: 36,860
UTG+1: 38,290
UTG+2: 25,606
MP1: 4,540
MP2: 44,030

Pre-Flop: (1,650) Q Q dealt to Hero (BB)
UTG raises to 2,400, 7 folds, Hero raises to 7,150, UTG calls 4,750

Flop: (15,150) 6 4 A (2 Players)
Hero checks, UTG bets 4,000, Hero calls 4,000

Turn: (23,150) T (2 Players)
Hero checks, UTG bets 25,660 and is All-In, Hero folds

Results: 23,150 Pot
UTG mucked and WON 23,150 (+11,950 NET)

A Rare, Successful Continuation Bet

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 400/800 Blinds, 8 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

MP1: 13,371
MP2: 11,570
CO: 51,234
Hero (BTN): 41,550
SB: 47,960
BB: 38,190
UTG: 25,506
UTG+1: 43,930

Pre-Flop: (1,600) A K dealt to Hero (BTN)
5 folds, Hero raises to 2,250, SB calls 1,850, BB calls 1,450

Flop: (7,150) 8 3 2 (3 Players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets 3,250, 2 folds

Results: 7,150 Pot
Hero mucked A K and WON 7,150 (+4,850 NET)

Gutterball

This was against a decent player, too. If he had check-raised the flop, I wouldn’t mind his play, but I really doubt he’s going to show a profit floating me from out of position. But see my recent post about good players finding complex excuses to play like fish.

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 500/1,000 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

MP1: 7,771
MP2: 45,641
CO: 65,399
Hero (BTN): 34,875
SB: 49,065
BB: 41,790
UTG: 28,056
UTG+1: 15,450
UTG+2: 41,730

Pre-Flop: (2,175) A 3 dealt to Hero (BTN)
6 folds, Hero raises to 2,550, SB folds, BB calls 1,550

Flop: (6,275) 9 J 5 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets 3,250, BB calls 3,250

Turn: (12,775) Q (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: (12,775) A (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Results: 12,775 Pot
Hero mucked A 3 and LOST (-5,875 NET)
BB showed K T (a straight, Ten to Ace) and WON 12,775 (+6,900 NET)

I definitely think he should check-raise the flop if he’s going to continue. The major disadvantage to this play is getting knocked off of his “draw” if I 3-bet, but his equity is so poor in that situation anyway that it’s not a big loss.

I kind of think he ought to lead the turn, because it’s not a good card for me to double barrel. I’ll check for pot control with my draws and weaker one pair hands, and I’m going to shove over a lead with anything strong enough to bet again for value anyway.

The river check is good, though, because leading when an Ace comes shows a lot of strength (I was folding), and it’s a card I’ll often bet for value and as a bluff. But I’m too smart for that! Annoying, but at least I played it perfectly.

Revenge

Finally held against the same guy who beat me with A4s way back when:

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 750/1,500 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

MP2: 58,566
CO: 42,713
BTN: 57,495
Hero (SB): 34,300
BB: 48,010
UTG: 88,928
UTG+1: 43,426
UTG+2: 27,450
MP1: 47,230

Pre-Flop: (3,600) Q Q dealt to Hero (SB)
7 folds, Hero raises to 4,500, BB raises to 47,860 and is All-In, Hero calls 29,650 and is All-In

Flop: (69,650) 2 4 5 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Turn: (69,650) T (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (69,650) 7 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 69,650 Pot
Hero showed Q Q (a pair of Queens) and WON 69,650 (+35,350 NET)
BB showed A 5 (a pair of Fives) and LOST (-34,300 NET)

Every @#$%ing Time

My stack is slightly above average. There are 489 players left, 486 are going to get paid, and I have the second best hand in poker, so what’s coming next?

Poker Stars, $500 + $30 NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,000/2,000 Blinds, 9 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

UTG+2: 47,816
MP1: 42,313
MP2: 60,595
Hero (CO): 69,000
BTN: 49,412
SB: 111,188
BB: 46,826
UTG: 21,900
UTG+1: 38,480

Pre-Flop: (4,800) K K dealt to Hero (CO)
4 folds, MP2 raises to 5,252, Hero raises to 13,000, 3 folds, MP2 raises to 60,395 and is All-In, Hero calls 47,395

Flop: (125,590) A 7 J (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Turn: (125,590) 3 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (125,590) 7 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 125,590 Pot
MP2 showed A K (two pair, Aces and Sevens) and WON 125,590 (+64,995 NET)
Hero showed K K (two pair, Kings and Sevens) and LOST (-60,595 NET)