HPT Main Event @ Turning Stone

I had some really good feelings going into this event. I tried to satellite into the event, but was unable to close the deal on each attempt, so I just bought straight into the event. Luckily, I was able to use some of my cash game winnings from Thursday night to offset the buyin. The field was what I roughly what I thought it would be, a mix of old-timer grinders and under-21 internet kids. Standard field for Turning Stone.

We started of the tournament with 15k chips, 40 minute levels. I had a pretty easy and laid back first table. I was able to chip up with little uncontested pots through out the first 2 levels. Then I was moved to a new table. This table was a little more active to say the least. About the 2nd orbit after arriving at the table I raised under-the-gun with 56cc. A guy in middle position 3-bet me. This was the 1st pot I entered, so right away I figured this guy to be setting up a steal with nothing. It folded around to me and I had already devised my plan to cold call without hesitation nor rechecking my hole cards.  Flop hit J5x, me for bottom pair, and was very dry. The plan was to check-raise strong, I execute as planned, and I drag another uncontested pot.

Three hands later, on the botton with the blinds at 100/200, I raise to 700 with 77 after 3 limpers enter the pot. We take a flop 4 handed and see 742hh. Checks to me and I bet about 80% pot, 2200. Same guy I had just executed the previous play on insta-shoves for ~15000. It folds to guy in the cut-off, and he starts tanking real hard. He basically announces his hand by tanking so hard, mumbling out loud if the other guy hit a set or not, without even noticing or any concern that I’m still in the pot. He finally convinces himself to go for it, and just calls the guys shove. I, of course, over-shove for the rest of the tankers chips, about another 5000, which I had him covered. He insta-calls. Its my 77 vs original shover’s 44 vs tanker’s A7hh for top set vs middle set vs top pair/nut flush draw. I fade the turn and river and knockout 2 players to become the tournament chip leader!!

That now sets me up to start playing the big stack at the table. I’m able to use a tight image and take a few uncontested pots every so often. I even knockout a small stack by calling with A4 vs his AK and flop 2-pair. Everything seems to be going right. Then, I go card dead for a while, but I’m not worried at all.

Sometime after the 2nd break, which would be after 4 hours of play, about the 7th and 8th level, everything just starts to go down hill. The hand that started it all was against a guy I’ll just call IDIOT. This IDIOT had a horseshoe somewhere up his ass, as he was able to call off his entire stack from under-the-gun with TT after a 3-bet and a 4-bet shove and ends up against AA vs KK. He spikes a T on the flop and everyone at the table starts to berate the guy. He’s oblivious to how bad of a play it was. So, the hand that starts my inevitable downfall starts with said IDIOT raising UTG. I have the guy covered at least 5x or more. I look down at QQ on the button and just shove it expecting to take it down. Both blinds fold as expected and the IDIOT tanks and announces,  “Yeah, why not, I’ll play.” and turns over A4-off. Are you fucking kidding me. As if he would be ahead ever. Of course, you can assume the results and he spikes his 3 outer and doubles through me. It wasn’t a huge hit to my stack, but enough. This IDIOT now becomes the thorn in my side, as only a few hands later, I end up running TT into his limped KK and he doubles through me again. Un-fucking-believable. Those sort of hands don’t affect me at all, as I got it in bad and I’m OK with rationalizing my mistakes. It’s the mistakes that an IDIOT makes that get to me. Mind you, I didn’t tilt or anything, the TT vs KK hand would have played the same no matter what, but I sure did not need to double him again.

Now I’m nursing a short stack and just tighten right up and play the waiting game. I was able to keep my stack steady by stealing at the right times until I woke up with JJ in late position. I shoved it in and of course IDIOT wakes up with AA. Good game me, but to add insult to injury, as I stand up and get ready to leave, I hit the 2 outer on the flop, go to pull my seat back out and bink – A on the turn. Figures.

I took my defeat like always, and headed towards the door. I did stop to talk with the photographer for the event and he was cool enough to hook me up with some pics he shot while I was the chip leader. How cool is that.

So, what do you think I did next… yep, got on the cash game list and grinded until the early morning hours. And, just like always, I killed it. I played a very patient game for easily 6+ hours, making moves when possible and crushing the loose players that were playing stuck poker (happens while big buyin tournament players bust out and flood the cash games). I was in the 5/10 game for $1500 and cashed out a total of $4900. I had to carry 5 racks to the cage – think about that

So, all in all, the trip turned out good. I’m on my way to go have lunch up at the lake with my parents and then relax for the day. I’ll be back in Colorado Monday night, and then it’s 10 days until I leave for the WSOP in Vegas. Woo!