Tourney Results, Hand Quiz

Played 4 Live Tourneys since 1/12. Luckily I cashed in the most important one. First up Tulalip Casino on 1/12. This $110 buyin is my favorite event in our state. 20 minute levels, 25/50 to start and 3000 chippies to punish yer unsuspecting foes with. On this nite 99 players started with dreams of the $3200 for 1st, 1800- 2nd and 1200 for 3rd.

Got off to a nice start as the play was very tight. I was in the 5 seat and I ID'ed seat 3, 6, 8 as tough players based on previous events. I quickly chipped up to about 4500 when my std. pre flop rayzes and continuation bets were met with quik folds. The tough older gent in seat 6 came over the top once and I folded to his bet. I made a note to isolate and trap him later as he was trying to run the table over when he entered a pot. He was the chip leader at our table and was a betting machine.

I'm liking the table of weak/passives when this hand came up. I'm in middle position folded around to me and I raise 3.5 BB to 350 with 10 10. BB raises to 700 and I call. Heads up to see sweet floppage of 2 8 6 rainbow. BB fires out 2,000. This is more than half my stack and the guy looks stronger then battery acid. I decided he liked that flop even more then I did and put him on KK or AA. Muck. He bragged later about having AA 4 times in first 90 minutes and said once was against me. Nice guy and I think it was a good laydown.

I chipped up to about 4500 and we were about 75 min in. So far about 30 players have been launched and 7 tables remain. Tourney Director Jeff does a nice job of organization and has good control of the room.

Fun hand #2. I'm in mid position again and the 3 seat (tight good player) calls and I take a peek at QQ. I raise it 3.5BB and only 1 call seat 3. Another pretty flop of 2 7 9 rainbow. I bet pot and he quick calls, turn is another undercard. I should get nervous here since I know he rarely plays a hand and could be trapping with 77 or 99. But for some reason I think i'm ahead and push after he checks. He quik calls and shows me the nasty 77 for a flopped set. River QUEEN! I have not sucked out in 2 months in a big hand and I was due, gg nh, I had him covered since it was the only hand he played in 70 min., I think. Nice guy, and I felt dirty. For about 2 seconds

Now with 8000 chips I can loosin up and try to see more flops. 3 or 4 more hands and then I got a great RUSH. 2 str8's in large pots and we said buh bye to 2 more and I was sittin on about 23K in chips.

I always get a kick out of the "all in" specialists. We had 2 at our table. Watch for this player at your table. Usually its a fear thing. They get a hand like AK or AQ or 77 and get excited but don't wanna be outplayed. They push it all in. Its usually an easy fold. No one wants coin flips with weak players. Once the stacks get big someone gambles with them and they usually lose a coin flip or get trapped by a big pair. We have one guy that goes all in for 4000 UTG (under the gun) twice. Buddee, the only guy that calls ya has ya beat, or you pick up chump change (blinds). Give me 3-4 of these at every table, love it.

I cruised to the final table with about 35K in chips. Average was about 30K and there were 2 huge stacks to my left. 10th place earned $250 and we quickly lost the 2 short stacks. Then I looked down at a 62 72 62 82 73 83, etc (lotsa twos usually with sixes) for about 60 minutes. No hands to note and lost a race with KQo to end my nite in 5th place for a $700 cash. The 2 big stacks were calling everything so I didnt see a good spot to bluff or gamble with my 62o monsters.

More on the other 3 events tommorrow and the hand quiz.....