Rebuy Replay Part 2

Sorry, forgot to post this before going to bed last night. If you haven’t read it already, here’s Part 1. I’d just won a series of big pots and was ready to abuse my commanding chip lead:

Grrrrrrrr Min-Raise

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 800/1,600 Blinds, 200 Ante, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BTN: 28,421
SB: 36,064
BB: 72,78
UTG: 22,033
Hero (MP): 205,650
CO: 77,975

Pre-Flop: (3,600) 7 7 dealt to Hero (MP)
Hero raises to 4,450, CO calls 4,450, 2 folds, BB calls 2,850

Flop: (15,350) 2 2 T (3 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets 7,500, CO raises to 15,000, BB folds, Hero calls 7,500

Turn: (45,350) A (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO checks

River: (45,350) 3 (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO bets 50,000, Hero folds

Results: 45,350 Pot
CO mucked and WON 45,350 (+25,700 NET)

Even if I was good on the flop, that Ace is a killer. Then again, I didn’t expect the guy to overbet Aces or T’s up on the river, so I was tempted to call. But really those overbets are strong no matter how little sense they make. Honestly I think it’s more likely he had AA or TT than a bluff.

Blocking Bet

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 500/1,000 Blinds, 125 Ante, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

CO: 44,322
BTN: 22,992
Hero (SB): 155,277
BB: 16,022
UTG: 76,995

Pre-Flop: (2,125) 6 6 dealt to Hero (SB)
UTG raises to 2,550, CO calls 2,550, BTN folds, Hero calls 2,050, BB calls 1,550

Flop: (10,825) 5 T 3 (4 Players)
Hero bets 6,602, 2 folds, CO calls 6,602

Turn: (24,029) T (2 Players)

Hero checks, CO bets 1,450, Hero calls 1,450

River: (26,929) Q (2 Players)
Hero bets 4,550, CO raises to 21,500, Hero folds

Results: 36,029 Pot
CO mucked and WON 36,029 (+20,752 NET)

I was so ready to be done with this hand when I was called on the flop (that’s why I led the flop), but then the T paired and I felt obligated to peel for that tiny bet. Since I was going to call another dinky little bet anyway, I decided to make it myself. I’m pretty sure this player wasn’t capable of bluff raising in this spot, so it seemed like a good time to make a rare blocking bet. So much for running the table over.

Gutshot No Good

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,000/2,000 Blinds, 250 Ante, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BB: 30,071
UTG: 75,080
CO: 19,433
Hero (BTN): 186,850
SB: 131,489

Pre-Flop: (4,250) Q K dealt to Hero (BTN)
2 folds, Hero raises to 5,100, SB folds, BB calls 3,100

Flop: (12,450) 5 K 3 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets 6,500, BB raises to 24,721 and is All-In, Hero calls 18,221

Turn: (61,892) 5 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

River: (61,892) 5 (2 Players – 1 is All-In)

Results: 61,892 Pot
BB showed 6 7 (three of a kind, Fives) and LOST (-30,071 NET)
Hero showed Q K (a full house, Fives full of Kings) and WON 61,892 (+31,821 NET)

After this, I got away with a few steals but eventually lost a sizable pot when my 75s was priced in against AK and couldn’t hold. Then I lost a big one to an ill-conceived river bluff:

Bad River Bluff

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,200/2,400 Blinds, 300 Ante, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BTN: 84,128
SB: 113,566
BB: 151,117
Hero (UTG): 189,911
CO: 139,322

Pre-Flop: (5,100) 7 8 dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to 7,111, 2 folds, SB calls 5,911, BB folds

Flop: (18,122) 2 5 5 (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (18,122) A (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets 10,000, SB calls 10,000

River: (38,122) K (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets 25,000, SB calls 25,000

Results: 88,122 Pot
SB showed J A (two pair, Aces and Fives) and WON 88,122 (+45,711 NET)
Hero showed 7 8 (a pair of Fives) and LOST (-42,411 NET)

I’m trying to get him off of a pocket pair here, but there are so many more Ax combinations that he’s never folding in his range than there are pairs. Not that you can tell it from this hand, but I definitely felt I had an edge on even the better tournament players when stacks were deep. I was fortunate, then, to be at a table with so many 100K+ stacks. It’s always great to have a big stack, of course, but having other slightly smaller ones at your table enables you to take the most advantage of it by pressuring them, winning the maximum when you have a great spot, and all around pushing your edge (assuming you have one).

That’s More Like It

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,200/2,400 Blinds, 300 Ante, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BB: 76,728
UTG: 163,777
CO: 146,617
Hero (BTN): 154,900
SB: 136,022

Pre-Flop: (5,100) J T dealt to Hero (BTN)
UTG raises to 5,977, CO folds, Hero raises to 16,000, 2 folds, UTG calls 10,023

Flop: (37,100) 2 A 6 (2 Players)
UTG checks, Hero bets 21,000, UTG folds

Results: 37,100 Pot
Hero mucked J T and WON 37,100 (+20,800 NET)

I tried for a steal with 98s and some short stack decided it would be a good idea to shove K5s at me with no fold equity. He was right. So I needed another 3-bet bluff to get those chips back:

Another 3-Bet Bluff

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,400/2,800 Blinds, 350 Ante, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

SB: 187,454
BB: 120,272
UTG: 241,800
MP: 153,344
Hero (CO): 164,728
BTN: 186,456

Pre-Flop: (6,300) J K dealt to Hero (CO)
UTG folds, MP raises to 7,000, Hero raises to 19,378

Results: 20,300 Pot
Hero mucked J K and WON 20,300 (+12,950 NET)

Eventually, though, the aggressive 3-betting got me into trouble with Phat Cat, who’s a top ranked player on Pocket Fives:

Can’t Win ‘Em All

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,400/2,800 Blinds, 350 Ante, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BB: 177,604
UTG: 127,322
MP: 215,000
CO: 142,516
Hero (BTN): 182,556
SB: 209,056

Pre-Flop: (6,300) 3 A dealt to Hero (BTN)
MP raises to 8,650, 2 folds, Hero raises to 22,222, SB folds, MP calls 13,572

Flop: (50,744) 4 8 K (2 Players)
MP checks, Hero bets 24,984, MP calls 24,984

Turn: (100,712) 8 (2 Players)
MP bets 42,444, Hero folds

Results: 100,712 Pot
MP mucked and WON 100,712 (+53,156 NET)

Two hands later, I decided not to let supreme LAGtard busto_soon abuse my atrocious image:

Don’t 3-Bet Me

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,400/2,800 Blinds, 350 Ante, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BTN: 172,704
SB: 119,622
BB: 267,806
UTG: 152,316
Hero (MP): 134,650
CO: 206,956

Pre-Flop: (6,300) 4 4 dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG folds, Hero raises to 7,800, CO folds, BTN raises to 19,200, 2 folds, Hero calls 11,400

Flop: (44,700) 7 5 K (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN bets 25,000, Hero raises to 115,100 and is All-In, BTN folds

Results: 94,700 Pot
Hero mucked 4 4 and WON 94,700 (+50,150 NET)

Please, son. The 5/10 NL 6-Max games have taught me a thing or two about playing back at light 3-bets, thanks. I was pretty sure he was full of it pre-flop, but even if he did have a hand, it’s really tough for him to have one that’s happy with this flop. Unless he paired the K, I think he’s folding here. If he has something like QQ, I would imagine he’s not betting the flop, so I was expecting him to fold everything worse than top pair that he was betting. That could include some lower pocket pairs like 88. For what it’s worth, I would also play AA like this, and possibly KQs/KJs, but that’s about it for made hands. Thankfully he didn’t realize that, or couldn’t do anything about it. I mean even if he did figure that out, what’s he gonna do, call me with AQ?

Stubborn

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 1,700/3,400 Blinds, 400 Ante, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

UTG: 209,008
MP: 143,422
CO: 293,656
BTN: 153,566
Hero (SB): 154,200
BB: 100,202

Pre-Flop: (7,500) 9 A dealt to Hero (SB)
UTG folds, MP raises to 7,200, 2 folds, Hero calls 5,500, BB folds

Flop: (20,200) 7 Q A (2 Players)
Hero checks, MP bets 11,500, Hero calls 11,500

Turn: (43,200) 4 (2 Players)
Hero checks, MP bets 31,500, Hero calls 31,500

River: (106,200) Q (2 Players)
Hero checks, MP checks

Results: 106,200 Pot
MP showed A 7 (two pair, Aces and Queens) and LOST (-50,600 NET)
Hero showed 9 A (two pair, Aces and Queens) and WON 106,200 (+55,600 NET)

Man, tournament players just don’t seem to double barrel bluff very often at all. This one was against HisXLNC, who from what I know is a pretty decent regular. I was giving him credit for recognizing that there are very few strong Aces or better in my range and being able to fire two barrels in a good spot, but naturally he flopped two pair. Too bad I rivered two pair with a better kicker! I am pretty much always wrong when I decide to be a hero.

Don’t Steal My Button!

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold’em Tournament, 2,000/4,000 Blinds, 500 Ante, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com – Hand History Converter

BB: 196,408
UTG: 54,922
MP: 300,212
CO: 225,616
Hero (BTN): 195,950
SB: 80,946

Pre-Flop: (9,000) K T dealt to Hero (BTN)
2 folds, CO raises to 9,550, Hero raises to 24,450, 3 folds

Results: 28,100 Pot
Hero mucked K T and WON 28,100 (+18,050 NET)

So far, so good, and we’re getting down to the last couple of tables. Blinds are huge now and even a big stack doesn’t leave me all that much room for error. Check in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion!