As you all know by now (or at least if you're a blogger you know), we had a record breaking 105 entrants into
MiamiDon's Big Game. First place prize was just short of $2,000... basically, winning that tournament was like winning the $2k preliminary WSOP package. All weekend, I've been doing everything to prepare for the grueling MTT bloggers series that is the
BBT3. Well, everything but playing in an actual MTT.
Well, as the Big Game kicked off, I felt good. I was, for the first time in a long time, single tabling... I can't recall not having multiple tables open for some time... and realized how much of a difference that makes. I was watching everyone play and I was recognizing the good and the bad. I really couldn't get much going in the first hour and eventually the blinds were getting fairly high and my stack was still hovering around 4,500... a little less than the starting stack of 5,000. However, that's when I started catching some cards and more importantly, winning some races. During the second hour, I went from having just 4,500 to 22,000ish by means of AQ > 88, QQ > JJ, JJ > AK. I was catching the cards and winning the races/not getting sucked out on. Very important in these tournaments. Also, I was recognizing situations and I felt good. The only thing I didn't like was that the 2 time WSOP champion
Scott Fischman was at my table. What was even worse was that he was clearly splashing the pot around, making it very hard to put him on a hand and since he had a big stack and he played like he didn't care, he was a threat to everyone. Well, then this hand came up...
Full Tilt Poker Game #5479172226: Blogger Big Game (40523592), Table 2 - 250/500 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:45:29 ET - 2008/03/02
Seat 1: Scott Fischman (19,052)
Seat 2: weak_player (8,908)
Seat 3: asphnxma (8,775)
Seat 4: a104l9 (14,400)
Seat 5: JL514 (10,625)
Seat 6: columbo (28,673)
Seat 7: RecessRampage (22,530)
Seat 9: twoblackaces (1,835)
Scott Fischman antes 50
weak_player antes 50
asphnxma antes 50
a104l9 antes 50
JL514 antes 50
columbo antes 50
RecessRampage antes 50
twoblackaces antes 50
columbo posts the small blind of 250
RecessRampage posts the big blind of 500
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RecessRampage [Kd Qd]
twoblackaces folds
Scott Fischman raises to 1,000
weak_player folds
asphnxma folds
a104l9 folds
JL514 folds
columbo folds
RecessRampage calls 500
Fischman was minraising pretty much everytime. However, I did not want to get into a big confrontation with him out of position so I elected to smooth call with KQs which I knew was ahead of his raising hand range (even from that EP). Plus with the pot odds, it's obv a no brainer call.
*** FLOP *** [6d 7d 3c]
RecessRampage checks
Scott Fischman bets 1,500
RecessRampage raises to 6,000
Scott Fischman raises to 18,002, and is all in
RecessRampage has 15 seconds left to act
RecessRampage has requested TIME
RecessRampage calls 12,002
Scott Fischman shows [7c 5c]
RecessRampage shows [Kd Qd]
*** TURN *** [6d 7d 3c] [As]
*** RIVER *** [6d 7d 3c As] [5s]
Scott Fischman shows two pair, Sevens and Fives
RecessRampage shows Ace King high
Scott Fischman wins the pot (38,654) with two pair, Sevens and Fives
This hand obviously crippled me and the very next hand, Scott once again minraises, everyone folds, I shove from the SB with A-10, he has KQ or KJ or something and I'm out. Now before I chalk this one up to bad luck for not catching my 15 outs twice (according to
Bayne, I'm a slight favorite on the flop - either way, it's a virtual coinfliop), I naturally, started thinking about this hand. It's not unusual for me to go to bed thinking about poker but I have to admit, I even dreamt about it and this morning when I woke up, this hand was the first thing that came to mind... even sicker when I saw that Scott Fischman ended up taking down this tournament.
Well, ok, back to the main point of this post. I looked over this hand history. And then I realized I made a critical mistake. Where's the mistake? Well, let's revisit the hand history. But before I do that, I want to lay out the table first.
Blinds - 250/500 Ante 50
Seat 1: Scott Fischman (19,052)
Seat 2: weak_player (8,908)
Seat 3: asphnxma (8,775)
Seat 4: a104l9 (14,400)
Seat 5: JL514 (10,625)
Seat 6: columbo (28,673)
Seat 7: RecessRampage (22,530)
Seat 9: twoblackaces (1,835)
As you see here, I am second in chips and even better is that columbo who is the huge chip leader is sitting to my right. I couldn't ask for anything better (unless of course, Fischman is sitting to Columbo's right, then it would be perfect). This is the table where I accumulated most of my chips and the only hands that I've shown down so far were QQ and JJ. So, in other words, I have a good table image and a big stack. With the blinds and antes and 8 players at the table, the pot has T$1,150. With my stack, I am not looking to get into a major confrontation with the two other big stacks without a big hand. Now let's analyze the preflop action.
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RecessRampage [Kd Qd]
twoblackaces folds
Scott Fischman raises to 1,000
weak_player folds
asphnxma folds
a104l9 folds
JL514 folds
columbo folds
RecessRampage calls 500
Scott Fischman minraises from UTG+1. Shockingly, no one gives him action. With the odds that he was laying, a lot of people could have called but I was especially shocked that no one from late position who has an M of around 10 shoved. He's been minraising a lot so that was no indication of him being tricky or any signs of strength. Now it's quite possible that no one had anything playable but again, shocking. Well, with my KQs, I just called. I figured that by just calling, I don't commit too many chips preflop, I thought it's a hand that is generally ahead of his raising range but if I miss, I could get away from it easily and look for a better spot to take his money.
*** FLOP *** [6d 7d 3c]
RecessRampage checks
Scott Fischman bets 1,500
The flop is about as good as it gets for me without actually hitting. All low cards with two diamonds. Fischman leads out with a weakish bet of around 1,500. At this point, I could either fold, call, or checkraise. I think the fold here is ridiculously weak. The pot has T$3,150, Fischman just bet 1,500 into it so I'm getting 3:1 on my money to call. However, at this point, I figured he either completely missed or got a piece of it so I decided to go with the checkraise.
RecessRampage raises to 6,000
Scott Fischman raises to 18,002, and is all in
RecessRampage has 15 seconds left to act
RecessRampage has requested TIME
This is where I messed up. No, not the fact that I checkraise. I don't mind that line too much. Except I didn't think this through. Let's go back for a second. Fischman bet 1,500 into a pot that had 3,150. By me raising it to 6,000, what does that do? Now, Fischman is getting close to 2.5:1 odds (for him to call off another 4,500 into a pot that is now 10,650. Even worse is this. My checkraise amount was just the amount that a pro could read as a weak checkraise. I left myself about 14 or 15,000 in chips. It's almost as if I'm saying I'm making this one move but I can still fold. In other words, Scott is getting 2.5:1 odds, he got a piece of it, AND he's got fold equity... or so he thought so he shoves.
The way I analyze hands, I always try to get into the head of another player. If I were Scotty, what do I think Recess has? Well, Recess called the preflop minraise so he obv doesn't have AA-JJ. Maybe AK but also unlikely (keep in mind he doesn't know me so he would have to generalize my play a little). So, the calling range of Recess could be wide but it's obv not a premium hand. Flop comes 7 high. I hit top pair and gut shot straight draw (remember, I'm Scott right now). Recess checkraises me but left himself enough to fold. What does he have? 88-99, maybe TT? Some sort of a draw? Did he hit a piece of this also? A6 or A7? If these are the ranges that Recess has, I have some fold equity if I shove. ALL IN.
Any thoughts? Of course, based on the way Scott was playing, one can argue that he wasn't thinking much but this is how I'm looking at the hand. If I had checkraised a more solid amount whereby indicating to Scott that I'm committed in this hand, I'm not so sure that he wouldn't have folded. Maybe he would have shoved anyways but because my checkraise amount was so weak, I gave him the opportunity to come back over the top to make me make the decision... as opposed to me putting him to the test. He outplayed me, I had a hand that was good enough to call at that point (I was getting 2:1 with two overs and a flush draw) and the hand played itself out. But I can't stop thinking what could have been if I either won that race OR if I had checkraised more and just taken the pot away from him.
RecessRampage calls 12,002
Scott Fischman shows [7c 5c]
RecessRampage shows [Kd Qd]
*** TURN *** [6d 7d 3c] [As]
*** RIVER *** [6d 7d 3c As] [5s]
Scott Fischman shows two pair, Sevens and Fives
RecessRampage shows Ace King high
Scott Fischman wins the pot (38,654) with two pair, Sevens and Fives
I still have so much to learn. But I am seeing the tables and MTT situations in ways I haven't seen before so I am happy about that. And I can only get better. I also have a few sick side bets with Fuel for up to approx $1,000. This BBT is gonna be fun!
Oh, on the cash game side... I think (not 100% sure) this is the biggest pot I've won (which I know is not so big for
some of
you megafish out there but it's a start).
Full Tilt Poker Game #5473926807: Table Snow Flat (6 max) - $5/$10 - No Limit Hold'em - 17:07:46 ET - 2008/03/02
Seat 1: peterpan777 ($2,244)
Seat 2: 93TilInfinity ($1,872.75)
Seat 3: Greennday13 ($200)
Seat 4: RecessRampage ($1,292)
Seat 5: Nicolak ($1,000)
Seat 6: FastEddie267 ($990)
FastEddie267 posts the small blind of $5
peterpan777 posts the big blind of $10
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to RecessRampage [Tc Jc]
93TilInfinity folds
RecessRampage raises to $35
Nicolak folds
FastEddie267 folds
peterpan777 calls $25
*** FLOP *** [Ts 2d 7c]
peterpan777 checks
RecessRampage bets $55
peterpan777 raises to $150
RecessRampage calls $95
*** TURN *** [Ts 2d 7c] [Jd]<--- gin!
peterpan777 checks
RecessRampage has 15 seconds left to act
RecessRampage has requested TIME
RecessRampage bets $280
peterpan777 raises to $2,059, and is all in
RecessRampage calls $827, and is all in
peterpan777 shows [Td 8d]
RecessRampage shows [Tc Jc]
Uncalled bet of $952 returned to peterpan777
*** RIVER *** [Ts 2d 7c Jd] [8s]
peterpan777 shows two pair, Tens and Eights
RecessRampage shows two pair, Jacks and Tens
RecessRampage wins the pot ($2,586) with two pair, Jacks and Tens <--- BOOM!!!!
