So I returned for Day 2 of the short-handed event with a spring in my step, knowing I was going to be gambling early due to my less than impressive 10 big blinds and a running ante. My position worsened before I even played a hand because the blinds went from 800/1.6k to 1.2k/2.4k, not 1k/2k as I had been anticipating, doh! So I manage to move all in with A-rag suited before the big blind hits and that buys me a little time to pick a spot. Next big blind, Robert Williamson completes the small and I take the plunge with 8-2 (eek), but he passes with no drama. I wouldn't have done this against a deeper stacked player, but it was virtually his tournament life on the line to make the call.
On my next big blind is when I get some breathing room. Captain Tom Franklin limps on the button and Robert Williamson completes the small blind, I check my option with K-T. Almost pushed but didn't know what to make of the button limp and he was the overall chip leader in the tournament. The flop comes Ten high, Williamson checks, I bet and Franklin calls. I have no other option other than to move in on the turn regardless of what comes, unless it's a Ten, then I might check. But a low card falls and Captain Tom mucks, phew. This propelled me to the dizzy heights of 40k and gave me room to manoeuvre, a little...
I now have Robert Williamson (right) covered and he completes the small blind next orbit and I check in the big with A-2. I checked here because I didn't want to be committed to his stack preflop if he was trapping me and also for the deceptive value if an Ace flops. The flop came A-8-3 and Mr Williamson led at the pot, I check my hole cards on purpose as the flop has 2 hearts on. I did this to represent a flush draw when I raised which had already been decided. I basically set Robert Williamson in and he calls very quickly much to my dismay, until he rolls over 8-9 and says show me the flush draw! I had to disappoint him and show him the Ace and thankfully his 2nd pair didn't improve.
So what is the best way to utilise my newly acquired stack? Donk it off in the next hand? That's exactly what I did. A genuine raise on the button with A-T follwed by a continuation bet on a missed flop then resulted in me being check raised all-in, oops. After a dwell, I passed, quoting J-J. The other person in the pot also passed.
I now have Robert Williamson (right) covered and he completes the small blind next orbit and I check in the big with A-2. I checked here because I didn't want to be committed to his stack preflop if he was trapping me and also for the deceptive value if an Ace flops. The flop came A-8-3 and Mr Williamson led at the pot, I check my hole cards on purpose as the flop has 2 hearts on. I did this to represent a flush draw when I raised which had already been decided. I basically set Robert Williamson in and he calls very quickly much to my dismay, until he rolls over 8-9 and says show me the flush draw! I had to disappoint him and show him the Ace and thankfully his 2nd pair didn't improve.So what is the best way to utilise my newly acquired stack? Donk it off in the next hand? That's exactly what I did. A genuine raise on the button with A-T follwed by a continuation bet on a missed flop then resulted in me being check raised all-in, oops. After a dwell, I passed, quoting J-J. The other person in the pot also passed.
No more dramas occur and then all of sudden they announce last 18, table redraw. I was pretty shocked as I had no idea people were falling that fast. New table consisted of Vanessa Russo, Mad Marty, John Juanda (left) and 2 people I didn't know. I wasn't relishing the prospect of Juanda having position on me and was happy to see him leave almost immediately when his K-K got cracked by Mateyboy's J-9 suited. The flop didn't help the J-9, apart from the obvious runner runner straight flush draw, ouch! Mateyboy justified 3 betting his J-9 preflop with the quote "I don't like being reraised all the time". He must have been referring to the 1 other time this had happened on our table. Still, nothing interesting is happening for me, I'm moving in to stay afloat but I'm not at the stage to play proper poker.On the next break I have a word with snoopy, when I returned I would be UTG with a 55k stack facing a big blind of 6k the following hand. I say to snoopy, "I'm gonna have to push with almost anything." Almost anything turned out to be A-A and the Big Blind called me with A-Q. A flop containing K-J-rag meant I had to avoid a Ten on the Turn and River. Thankfully, he bricked out and I was now on a workable 120k :-)
I stay around this chip count and then we break to redraw for the last 12, now I'm getting excited. New table is Erick Lindgren, Captain Tom Franklin, Vanessa Russo, Hallingol (Stars cash game player) and a woman I've never heard of - Jenny Kang.
I had played with Hallingoll for most of Day 1 and had a fairly good read on what he was capable of, also I had spent the majority of Day 2 seated with Vanessa Russo. Our table was soon 4-handed after Captain Tom eliminated hallingoll with quads vs a full house and I took out Jenny with A-4 after she had pushed her short stack in with J-9.
When our table went 4 handed I played the best poker of my life, I went from around 200k to just under 400k without a showdown. I was reraising preflop and taking pots down, sometimes with a good hand and sometimes without. I was playing position superbly and taking down a lot of pots on the flop. The floorman then announced that each table was 4 handed and when the next player was eliminated we would play 7 handed on 1 table in order to determine the final 6.
When our table went 4 handed I played the best poker of my life, I went from around 200k to just under 400k without a showdown. I was reraising preflop and taking pots down, sometimes with a good hand and sometimes without. I was playing position superbly and taking down a lot of pots on the flop. The floorman then announced that each table was 4 handed and when the next player was eliminated we would play 7 handed on 1 table in order to determine the final 6.
Vanessa Russo (right) took the 8th position after losing with Q-8 vs Lindgren's A-T all in pre-flop. The first hand 7-handed, Lindgren makes a standard raise from mid-position and I flat call in the cut-off with 9-9, the Big Blind also calls. The flop is a magnificent K-9-rag and it's checked to me. I bet around 2/3 pot hoping for the Big Blind to move in if he had a King since he was short stacked, but he passed and Lindgren called. The turn was a 4 and Lindgren checked and I bet around half the pot, he passed after a short dwell. This pot propelled me to 430k and would be the last hand I played since we soon had our final table bubble boy. Two players get all in preflop, A-K suited vs A-K. Everyone had stood up anticipating the final being set but were disappointed to see matching hands. This all changed when the A-K off made a river flush, taking out a very distraught man in 7th place.
After bagging my chips and filling out an information form with a huge smile on my face, me, Dave, Jen and snoopy headed back to the Orleans. I phoned my parents to relay the good news and then we had a few beers and cocktails, eventually hitting the sack about 4 am. This gave me a good 8 hours sleep to come up with a masterplan to scoop the $650k first prize...
After bagging my chips and filling out an information form with a huge smile on my face, me, Dave, Jen and snoopy headed back to the Orleans. I phoned my parents to relay the good news and then we had a few beers and cocktails, eventually hitting the sack about 4 am. This gave me a good 8 hours sleep to come up with a masterplan to scoop the $650k first prize...