Semi-Final Top 10? Check

The local bar league that I infrequent held their semifinal round last night. Basically, the top 14 in points for the season got a pass directly into the finals, while the rest of the points earners could play their way in. This tournament was basically a satellite where 10 seats were awarded. Good thing was that only 25 showed up to play. Bad thing was that even though I had more chips than last time, I was still short against most of the folks who were there. Depending on your final ranking, you received somewhere between 20 and 45 BB to start (I had 30), and the blinds doubled every 20 minutes.

Since there were two decks in play, we were able to get in almost twice the usual number of hands per level. I figured I had around 30 hands (levels 1 and 2) before desparation would kick in. During the feeling out process of level 1, nothing really came along so I just played patiently. Then, during level 2, I was down to around T1100. A short stacked UTG shoved for 375 and I figured his range was pretty wide. I wanted to isolate the shorty, so I shoved AQ over the top. The blinds folded and I was way ahead of his 97o. Then he rivered a 7 and Al Qaeda blows up in my face again. Suddenly, I have less than 9 BB left and am in binary decision mode.

First I steal the blinds from UTG with the suited JackAce. Then, right after the blinds go by, I continue the limp train with A♣7♣ on the button. With a bunch of callers, I'm hoping to hit the flop hard, or at least pick up a major draw. It comes 357 with two spades. It checks around to me, so I shove with TPTK and get called by Q♠6♠. One over, flush draw, and a gutterball. Somehow I survive that one and double plus the limps. I'm now at T2000 and the blinds move to 100/200. Still not comfortable.

In a nice change, I pick up QQ in consecutive hands. The first time, I just pick up the blinds. The second time, though, I make the same 3x BB raise and get one caller (same player with the Q6). Flop comes Axx rainbow, which does not make me happy as over 1/4 of my chips are already in the pot. I check to see how she wants to play it and she checks behind. Then I hit my set on the turn and bet 1/2 pot which she calls, leaving me T1000 and her T1200, with a pot that is now almost at 4000 chips. When the river bricks, I push my last 1000 in and she folds.

Then, just a few hands later, it's time for JJ. Standard raise gets called by the BB and we again see Axx on the flop. I sniff out the slow-played AK after the checked flopped and lose only the initial raise. After that hand and paying a few more blinds, I get whittled down to T2100 with 200/400 blinds. We're down to around 16 or 17 at this point, so I think I still need one more nice pot. It folds to me on the button and I open push with AKs and get called by the same player who was giving me chips all night with JTo. That call left her T200. Idiot. In the very next hand, she is all in in the SB, I call from the cutoff with TT and the BB checks. We check it down, my tens are good, I add another set of blinds to my stack and, now that were are only 3 off the button, I go into fold mode. I easily have enough chips to fold every hand for 5 or 6 orbits, knowing that we will certainly lose 3 more before I will go broke.

About ten hands later, we reach the bubble, and the BB at our table only has T700 with 300/600 blinds. That hand, UTG big stack picks up his BB with a turned nut flush and now he only has T100 left in the SB. I call dark before I even get cards, and expect anyone else who is comfortable to do the same. Shows what I know. Everyone folds and the BB says "Check it down?" Of course I wanted to check it down. I wanted all 5 of us to check it down. So much for implicit collusion. Sheesh. Anyway, my K high and BB's A high were both better that whatever SB had, and there you have it. The final field is set.

Sunday afternoon at 1PM. Three tables. Double stacks. $500 winner take all. (unless the inevitable chop)