Last night after booking some profits in the heads up matches I decided to play some of the larger tournaments, namely the $10+$1+rebuy at “pokerstars.co.uk “and the $10+$1 limit rebuy at pokerstars. The $10 NL rebuy game had 1571 entrants, and at the end of the first hour I was at $13,000, about 3k above average. During the second hour I went all in with the nut flush draw and was called by top set and failed to hit any of my 8 outs, taking me back to down to $6,000. All but out, I decided to either double up quickly or get out… well, I didn’t get out.
I went on a rush of cards that saw my chip stack grow to over $80,000 by the next hour, double the average and in 27th place. Some of those hands included:
Double up with 88 vs 66
Double up with AQ vs A9
Triple up with JJ vs AK vs 77
During the third hour I made a few plays to trap my short stacked opponents for the rest of their chips. By limping from middle position with AKo I tempted a shorter stack to move all in to take the pot right there. I called and he showed 76o, drawing dead after I hit an ace on the turn. Then, right after the third break I had 66 in the big blind. Same situation with 2 limpers a middle position stack goes all in to steal. I called and they showed 54 of spades. They had almost 13 outs on the river but missed, and I was up past $125.
For the next hour and a half I stalled, stayed around $100k. By the 5th hour I was below average and with 88 people left I was in 45th place. I started making moves, raising with 22 under the gun and pushing all in on the flop of 5 6 8, winning a hefty amount of chips and putting me back above average. Then I made a loose, possibly game-ending, raise with QJo from middle position and I was called by the tournament chip leader (he had over 500k). The flop was ace high and I had to fire a bet, luckily he folded, and I passed the 200k mark.
I picked up the blinds a few hands with 44 and 33, and then this hand came up:
A player I had notes on from earlier in the game limped from UTG. I knew that he loved to limp and play really weak preflop with premium hands. I was on the button with pocket jacks and was simply going to flat call as well to see a flop, but before I got the chance a player with as many chips as me moved all in. The UTG raiser instantly called with QQ, and the all-in player showed AK. A king on the flop sealed the fate for my sneak limping opponent, and I dodged a bullet.
Finally we were down to 46 players and I was below average again, as every round around the table was costing $24k. With my remaining $160k I made a big raise with AQo, was reraised by the big blind, and called all-in. He showed 88, I lost the coinflip and finished in 46th for $180 prize. I spent $70 in the event rebuying and adding-on, so I profited $110. Not too shabby, but first place was $15,800! Ah well, had a blast anyway.
In the limit tournament that I was playing at the same time I was top 10 the whole way. 180 players paid and with 24 left the limits were 2k/4k, making every bet pretty formidable. I called a raise with JJ and the flop came K 8 3, check check check, a jack on the turn made me bet out 4k, both called. An ace on the river and I bet again, was raised, and simply called, thinking something like Q10 was very possible from this player. Instead he showed KK and I was hurting. Next hand in the SB I called the big blind with K2 of spades. I must’ve been tired (it was 5am) and didn’t realize that UTG had limped. The flop came down 3 2 3 and I bet out. UTG limper called. I bet again on the turn of 6 and he raised. I pushed for my last 3k in chips and he showed AA. The 33 on the board had me drawing for 2 outs, the remaining dueces. Needless to say I missed, falling from 4th place to out in 23rd. And who says limit isn’t like NL? Just like that and I was gone, missing the money by 5 spots.
MTTs are a great way to test your poker ability. You’ll be forced with a lot of difficult decisions, and making it deep into the money can really test you once you’re surrounded by high-caliber players and lots of money at stake. On one hand I raised with AK of spades and had one caller. The flop came down Q 10 4 and he checked, I bet 2/3rd the pot. He check raised me all in for 6k. The pot was 4k, but I just couldn’t believe he was playing a queen here. I thought about, actually talked to Ben about it, then called, hoping he was on the draw. I called and he showed KJ for the str8 draw, missed, and I was up to 13k to start a run to the money. MTTs offer a lots of poker experience with big payouts for minimal money invested (except rebuy tournaments are expensive). Good luck!
