So I 'snuck' off last Friday with by Brother in law, to good ole
Commerce Casino, the biggest poker room on the planet.
They have daily tournaments which you can check out on their website, and Friday was the $120 - 1 Rebuy event. They got 133 runners, and after the buyin period was over, the top prize came out to be a little under 8k.
The Commerce structure sucks royally, but I got a
new spinner from my baby girl for Xmas, with her lovely Xmas picture on it, so of course, had to put in play right away. You get 2k chips for your buy-in, and I think it was 2500 if you took the optional rebuy, which you could take at any time, regardless of your chip count.
My opening table was table 1, which meant I was seated at what would be the final table, and hence knew I wouldn't be moving around. Thats a pretty big plus for obvious reasons. I did get put on immediate tilt by the guy in the 3 seat ( I was in the 4 seat). Just as the tournament was getting under way, this clown whips out some dental floss, and proceeds to floss his crooked yellow teeth right there at the table. My very obvious stare at him, which was screaming "WTF", didn't phase him in the least, as for the first 3 hands, he was flossing away. Maybe it was a pre-game superstitous ritual, but about as gross as can be. I was very careful to go wash up after every break, and got some anti- infectant wipes....and tried to move on with the game. (As you'll see later, that didn't help!)
I didn't get involve in hand for an orbit or two, as I was trying to get a read on the players. It became very evident early on, that this was a great table. It was 'limp' city all the time. Except when I came into the pot. My first pot I had AJ on the button. The entire table limp to me, and I raised to 450 or so, and got 3 callers. Nice. Flop comes rags, they all checked to me, and having the rebuy still available, I decided to put it in. They all folded, and I picked up a nice pot.
A couple of hands later I get AK on the button again. This time, there were 4 limpers, and I raised again 4x or 5x, and the BB shoved it in. They all folded back to me, and pretty much insta-called this guy, who I had already marked as a bad player. He shows the mighyt A2 sooted, and I had to sweat the hearts as the flop gave him 2 hearts. I held, and was up at about 5k, without having still used the rebuy.
Little did I know at the time, but these would be my only two playable hands, all the way to the bubble. It was unreal. I must have seen 82 about ten times! So of course, I had to do make moves, mainly in late position, and after the rebuy, I did take the optional rebuy. That put me at around 7k, going into normal play.
The levels were 20 minutes in length, and the ante's kicked in at the 100/200 level. I did get a few gifts from 'Mr Floss', as he had acquire a fairly significant amount of chips, in fact, may have even been the chip leader. He was gifted the chips during the rebuy period, when he CALLED 3 all-in's with a gutterball, and hit it on the river, having to fade one of the other all-in's flush outs at the same time.
At any rate, this guy on 3 occasions completed in the SB, and gave me a free look at the flop. Each time I took it down post-flop, with bets on the turn or river. One of those times, he limped in with AK, and called me down all the way, as I had 76s, and hit two pair on the flop. So that put me at a high watermark, of about 11k, and basically folded for next couple of levels.
One hand of note came up when we got down to 3 tables. Top 18 made the money. The blinds at this point were probably around 400/800 + ante, so each pot was worth fighting for. The table folded to me in the SB, and I had 43 sooted in clubs. The guy in the BB had me covered, and was one of the 2 tight players at the table. I had already raised him a couple of times, and had stolen his blinds successfully. I can't tell you why, because I usually will raise in this situation, but I mucked the hands and gave him a walk. Now he's the type of player that never looks at his cards, until the action gets to him....so he just flipped them over this time, and 'twoblackaces' were revealed.
When we got down to about 3 or 4 players from the bubble, I was down to about 4 bb's, so I had to make a move. I decided next time it folded to me, I would open any two cards. Those turned out to be Q4 sooted in clubs out of the hijack. I was called by the BB who tabled AQ, and I was fortunate in that the board brought JT98, and we chopped. Very next hand, I was dealt QT, and it folded to me, so I moved in. Got called by the SB who had KK, and I figured I was toast....however, the suckout gods put 3 clubs on the flop, and one on the river giving me the flush suckout. This double up gave me the breathing room, right up until we got to the bubble.
The aforemention Mr A2 sooted opens UTG for a shove, about 20k. He barely had me covered, I was in the BB. I had been dealt 2 quacking ducks. I looked over at the other tables, to see if anyone had busted, and they were waiting on us. I folded, and was not happy about it. 2 hands later, I get Crabs on the button. It folds to me...I once again look over to the other tables, as there was some action going on, and I hear the floormen say that the bubble broke. With that, I happily moved in with my crabs for about 12 or 13K. This is where I made what potentially would have been a disaster. I suppose due to the commotion on the other table, and the floor person indicating loudly that we were going to redraw for the final two tables, I lost focus and when I saw the SB fold, I thought the hand was done. So I placed my cards towards the side around the chips. Problem was, the BB had not acted. Thinking I had mucked, he then mucked his cards, and thought he should get the pot. However, I had side mucked my cards, so they were actually still behind the betting line, over at the 2 spot, and had never actually hit the muck. Now the dealer had not shoved the BB's cards into the deck yet, so the ruling was made that the BB got his cards back, I got my cards back, and he would decide on whether to call my all-in....which he did. He showed J8, and I hit a set on the flop. That put me at my tourny high of about 20k or so. I certainly got lucky, as I my hand could have been ruled dead.
That was about it for me, as I didn't get any more cards, managed to stay afloat with some late position steals, and actually made the final table (10 handed). I wasn't the shorty, although I only had about 10k, and the blinds were 3k/1.5K + ante. The redraw was very unfavorable for me, as it put me UTG+2. So on the second hand of the FT, I moved in with what would be the 3rd PP I was dealt, a pair of 9's. The BB happily called, which I'm sure he would have with a wide range, but unfortunate for me, he had 'tworedaces'.
So there you have it, I busted in 10th, got $376 for my troubles, and went off to have dinner with my BIL, who had busted shortly after the rebuy period.
I was tinkering with going back today, but I've caught a freaking cold, so I'm going to take it easy. We've been spending lots of time with the family, and all in all have had a wonderful time here in LaLa land for the holidays.
I'll be back on the virtual felt, probably Thursday evening, since we get back in the late afternoon.
Hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season, and wishing you all good fortunes on the virtual felt!
2BA
