TOC Recap

Saturday afternoon was the Riverchasers 2007 4th quarter Eastern PA regional TOC. At stake, in addition to real prizes for the top 20 or so, was a slot in the final tournament and the chance at a WSOP main event seat. Even though I had qualified for all 4 quarterly tournaments, due to scheduling conflicts, I was only able to play in 1 of the prior 3, which I finished close to the qualifier bubble. This meant that this was my last shot at playing for the '08 WSOP.

The official count was 239 runners when we got started. My first (and only) table saw a few familiar faces as well as the infamous Perticelli, who I had never met. Aggressive but tight was the starting strategy for the table, as was to be expected. I picked up a small pot at level 1 with the JackAce when an A flopped, and missed a few set mining calls, but ended the level close to even. At level 2, I found QQ UTG and raised 4x BB and was called by only the BB. I bet around 2/3 of the pot when the flop came 9 high and the BB mumbled something about needing runner runner and folded. The aggression at the table picked up a bit starting at level 3 as chips were getting redistributed, but it was still good solid poker. There was one hand where I got to see a free flop with T♥9♥ out of the BB. I flopped a massive draw, AQJ with 2 hearts, but did not want to put a good portion of my chips at risk so I checked. I just couldn't afford to get raised off of a semi-bluff by the player UTG who was starting to get a little short. I was pretty sure he had at least paired his Ace, but chose to see if he would give me good odds to chase. He actually bet more than the pot (almost half of his stack) and, having been paying attention to his patterns, I put him on either AK, AQ, or AJ and he was protecting against the flush draw. I decided to fold and look for a better spot.

Then, at the end of level 4, in the last hand before the break, I called Pert's raise with AK on the button. Cutoff had also smooth called, so I considered a squeeze, but Pert had been playing pretty darn tight (when he was actually sitting there), so I decided to see a flop before deciding. Q94 all diamonds. Neither of my cards was diamond, unfortunately, and Pert semi-bluffed a pot sized bet with KTo with the K♦. After the cutoff folded, I decided to lick my wounds and limp into the break down about 25% of my stack. Since I was dealing, and we were now on break, I asked Pert if I could run it out. Turn ended up being the A♦. Nut flush for him, good fold by me.

When we get back for level 5, blinds are 10/20 and I have T140 left. It's also announced that there are still 201 players. Not a typical RPT game at all. Usually, by the end of 5/10, almost half the field is gone but today, only about 1/8. Anyway, I get nothing through the blinds and am down to 110. Two hands later, it folds to me in the cutoff and I open shove with 44. BB decides to call for about 40% of his stack with A♦T♦ and a 4 comes right in the door. Unbelievable. I won a race. He whined for a good half hour about my pushing with fours. Somehow, he honestly believed that my pushing as a short stack with a pocket pair was donkish, while calling off almost half his stack with a medium suited ace and losing was getting sucked out on. Whatever, dude. Most of my range had ATs crushed pre-flop. Plus, I was betting, not calling. Understand the difference?

So, eventually, we are now at 15/30, I have paid a set of blinds and am at T185. I find TT UTG and open shove again. Everyone folds until the BB checks his cards and asks how much more. Ok, I figure AK/AQ or something like that. He calls and flips KK. Fawk. Until the ridiculous suckout. Flop is T8T. DQB!!!!!! He is rightfully pissed. He played some damn good poker to build his stack up, and then lost almost half of it to a huge setup. There was no way it wasn't going to happen. I was certainly going to play the hand. If I was going to come in raising, anything less than all in would be just stupid. And if I chose to limp, he was certainly going to raise and all my chips would have gone in pre flop anyway. Just filthy. But at least now I have T385, and that's about where my stack would stay until the next break. I stole the blinds with KQo just to keep up, but I couldn't find any traction.

In an interesting hand at 25/50, Pert open shoved his short stack from UTG+1 for about 2x BB. AT boy reraises all in for about 1.5 BB's more and I find 44 again in the BB. I chuckle out loud as I fold the fours face up and he shows AT again. I think Pert had something like A70. This time, there IS a ten on the flop and Pert is gone. Maybe I'm just a bit evil. I decided to retilt the guy by opening up the old wound and adding a little salt. "Bet you wish I would've played pocket fours THAT hand, huh?" Hmmm, raise, reraise, pocket fours go into the muck. Every time. Open push? Huge difference. Anyway, he was the BB when I stole the blinds with the KQ. He thought about it. But I had him covered.

When we get back from the second break, blinds are 100/200, I only have around 2 BB left and am in the SB. Official count is that there are 59 players remaining. I fold to a raise the first hand and each and every hand until I am UTG. There I find A♠K♠ and this will have to do it. BB calls for 100 more and tables Q♠9♠. QJ6 on the flop. So damn close. Wait, T on the turn gives me broadway and I'm back on the respirator although I have to give back what I won right away to the blinds. But now I have 8 more hands to look at. Right about that time, we go down to the final 6 tables and hand for hand play goes into effect. I need 8 people to go out in the next 6 hands. I know I have absolutely no chance at making a strong run to the final table, so I invoke satellite bubble strategy. ATs? Mucked. 66? Ditto. Raiser flipped his cards both times. Both times I was crushed. I am still UTG+1 when we go to the bubble and, thankfully, there is an elimination. W00t! A final table would have been nice, but in my last chance for the year, I'll take the seat in the final tournament.

Anticlimatically, I pick up QTo UTG and call all in for less than the blind and lose to a rivered 6 high flush. Tee hee. 39th is just fine for me. Hopefully, I can make a good run next month.