Matt's Absolute Poker Dynasty

[MJ4H]

I play a few single table tournaments at Absolute Poker. Since I'm slumping lately, I thought I'd try to either split my attention between the game and typing this so I play worse, or force myself to think harder about what Im doing by publicizing my decisions so I play better. We'll see which one happens.

At Absolute Poker, the singles are 9 players, and you can play

$2 + $0.20
$5 + $0.50
$10 + $1
$20 + $2

I have a small bankroll, that I've built from no deposit of my own. AP gave me a $10 bonus just for playing play money games there. I used it to create over $200 of money at AP. I hit a real rough streak recently and have had that chopped down to about $100.

I will start detailing my adventures from here.

Ive just sat down at a $5 single table tournament. First a note about me as a player. I am VERY tight. If I am playing a hand I am either in a blind or I have VERY good hole cards. Most of my opponents still dont realize this about me and that accounts for most of my profits. Now a note about my opponents in this game. I recognize about 3 out of 8 opponents at this table. One is "Tarls" who is very aggressive with his chips, frequently with no hand. I also recognize "MNPETE" and "TOMKAT" but dont have much read on these guys yet.

The starting stack is $1500 and the BB begins at $20. Just after the blind doubles to $40, we have lost 2 players, one of which is Tarls. On that hand, there was a minimum raise in early position, and I called it with AQ. Tarls, just to my left, immediately pushes all-in. Since I know he is aggressive I briefly considered calling, if it folded back to me. It didn't as the early raiser called him. This made my decision for me. Tarls turns over AK and early raiser (MNPETE) turns up 99, which holds up. I play a hand here and there, mostly not flopping anything. Finally, in the big blind, I have K3 and flop two pair. I let the button try to bully me a bit and raised on the turn. He folded, putting me back over 1500. Next big hand I have QJ in small blind. Flop is J65, I bet medium, only other player in calls. Turn is another 5, same betting action. River is an ace and I bet medium again, other player goes allin. Of course I fold as he turns up A5. This hand knocked me down near 1000 but we had lost another player recently, so 6 left. I go allin with AK a hand or two later to steal the blinds. While I wait on another playable hand Ill tell you that top 3 get paid, and I think the payout structure is 50%-30%-20% in all these singles, meaning 1st place in the $5 tournament is $22.50 2nd is $14.50 and 3rd is $9.00. At this point in the game, MNPETE is in first with 4170, and I am in 5th (of 6) with 1080.
$50 BB I get AQ and raise to 100 in MP. the SB reraises to 200 and I call with the BB. Flop comes KTQ with 2 clubs. MNPETE goes allin and I wisely fold as he unwisely shows AJ. Next hand I limp with 77. Flop is all royalty and I fold to a bet with two other players calling. Stack is down to 830. After the blinds pass Im short stacked at 755. Not the start to this tournament I was hoping for, but Ive finished well in the past. Just got to have my hands hold up better.
Im noticing when I have AQ I find myself in trouble a lot. I like to raise with that because its pretty strong, but I find myself not knowing what do when reraised, especially if its a minimum reraise. Speaking of, I just got AQ and pushed in my chips. Nice time to steal the blinds and boosted myself to 880. A comical side story here (at least its comical to me): My avatar at Absolute Poker is a picture of Captain Caveman. MNPETE has been at my table before and knows that my signature move when I go allin is to "yell" CAPTAIN CAAAAAAAVEEEMAAAAAAAAAAAAN" as i push in my chips. MNPETE was complaining because I was not "yelling" that as I go allin. Well I played KQs from the BB and the flop was KK4. I yelled it this time as I went allin and he called with 33. I doubled up

Played A6 from BB this time, flopped the ace -- that's the problem with a weak ace. What do you do when one flops. Well, I bet the minimum. 3 callers. Did this on each street, no raises. One finally folds on the river, other two call the last one. First one mucks to my top pair, second one turns over JT for a runner-runner straight. I guess I shouldve been more aggressive, and I would have been had I had a better kicker. Stack = 1660.

Made a bad play calling a $200 raise with ATh and had to fold on a bad flop. Back down to 1260 after blinding. Five players left and Im in 4th.

Another note about my weaknesses. I tend to wait a long time for good hands. When they come, I HATE to fold them. Im pretty disciplined about folding hands that look better than they are, but when they dont hit, or there is a big raise before me, I frequently dont know what to do and misplay. This is something I need to get better at quickly.

Raised to $300 with AJ. I was reraised 255 more putting next player allin. Another guy calls. So an ace comes on the flop and I push the rest of mine in against the third player who calls with KJ (no pairs). Well I win the side pot, but the reraisers KQ turns into a runner-runner straight of course so I lose the main pot. Hovering around 1100 again.

A $200 limpin with 44 hoping to flop a set turns up nothing. 910. Still 5 left.

Finally lost another player when one guy slow plays KK to the river and has it hold up miraculously on a very scary board. Terrible play imo. Down to 4. I will either need to double my 910 soon or have lots of help. Other stacks are 5800, 3400, and 2700. AJ in BB Im pushing em in hoping for a bad call. The SB folded him completion to me and I have 1110. I pay the 200 back to see a terrible AK5 flop with QT and fold to a bet. 910

Well I got what I needed. One of the middle stacks went allin and got called by a bigger stack. Im in the money, top 3. Stack, 710. Now the $200 BB comes very quickly and I have to pick a spot to push. Oops make that $400 BB. Stack is down to 610 now and the forced allin is coming quickly. Just what I need 72 in the $400 BB. A raise helped me to just fold that, and Im allin next hand with J4, losing to QT.

Result: 3rd of 9.
Investment: $5.50
Return: $9.00
Profit: $3.50
Bankroll: $100.48
Record: 0-0-1-0


(record: 1st-2nd-3rd-out of money)

FEEDBACK WELCOME AND APPRECIATED.

[Vegas Vic]

MJ4H,

Good read, and I'll be following. I'm not a great tournament player (mostly play ring games), but I usually manage to stay above water. One thing that has really helped my tournament game is to play extremely tight in the early rounds, and loosen up if I make it to the final table. When it gets shorthanded, you have to start playing crap hands and bluffing with some frequency, or else you'll get run over. But I do like your strategy -- tight/aggressive gets the money in the long run.

Good luck.

[sabotai]

"Well I got what I needed. One of the middle stacks went allin and got called by a bigger stack."

Don't you just love it when you are 4th of 4 people with a tiny stack compared to the other 3, and then one of the stupidily goes all-in? I love when that happens.

"When it gets shorthanded, you have to start playing crap hands and bluffing with some frequency, or else you'll get run over"

What Vic said and how you play is generally how I play tourneys too. But this part is where I get in trouble. When I'm short handed, I usually tighten up (unintentionally, really) and end up getting ran over.

"Another note about my weaknesses. I tend to wait a long time for good hands. When they come, I HATE to fold them. Im pretty disciplined about folding hands that look better than they are, but when they dont hit, or there is a big raise before me, I frequently dont know what to do and misplay. This is something I need to get better at quickly."

I hate folding them too, but I don't hesitate. If I have a great hand but the flop is total crap and someone bets, I just get out of there. (Not sure if that's the right way to play it, but...)

[MJ4H]

Been doing a bit of play money play lately and some freerolls. Im back to a $ entry fee tournament this morning as I enter a $2 + 0 multi table tournament at Absolute Poker. Top 3 finishers get entry to the weekly $500 pool tournament on Sunday.

Ive been playing the $10,000 + $1,000 play money single at AP a few times simply because the structure is actually superior to the real $ tournaments for some reason. In that one, you start out with $2000 in chips and the Big Blind is $10. The blind increase seems to be fairly slow, also. Combine that with almost decent competition (not really, I've won 2 out of the 3 I've played and the only one I didn't win I lost an allin battle between Ah Kh and 95o!) and it's actually a fairly pleasant, low stress game. I've also taken my play money account over $150,000 from about $60k.

I'll be writing this as I play the $2 tournament (which is usually how I will do this) so it may seem light on details and I might even leave out some key hands if things are going quickly. 7 minutes to start time and there are 30 entrants in this puppy, so I anticipate about $35-40 for first place (35-40 entrants at $2 a pop, 50% of pool for first).

OK it begins with 36 entrants. My initial seating draw isnt the best, but could be worse. Several unknowns at my table, which is probably good (fish!) but a known hyper-aggressive player to my LEFT (WINNERACE). Start with $1500, BB = $20.

First played hand I get 33 in BB. Flop KTT and I folded to a fairly big bet.
I complete with J3 in SB. Flop JJ4. I lead out. Everyone folds
Stack 1580.
Im in early position with ATh. With a limper before me, I just limp, too. Flop no help with K82 with one heart. I fold. 2 guys with K4, including the player that was in the Big Blind and WINNERACE split the pot. WINNERACE had two hearts. Oh for a heart flush in that case
Play at this table has been very tight so far. Stacks range from 1840-1200 after about 15 minutes.
32o in BB and flop is 754. I bet my open ender and pick up the pot. Stack = 1610. We are down to 32 players remaining. I will post this now and continue the story in an edit.
***

I was not happy to fold 33 to a minumum raise before me in EP when I saw the flop come 553. Original raiser went all in immediately. Probably KK or AA. Missed a chance there, but I didnt anticipate having good odds to draw to my set with an EP raise. I wouldve limped. Ah well.

Lost a little bit in BB when a king came on flop and I had K4. Lost to a rivered straight because I was afraid to bet big again. Stack 1370. This seems to be a theme for me.

I have noticed one particular player seems to be into stealing my limps by going allin anytime I try to limp. I think If I get a monster hand (nothing close so far) then I will limp and call his allin. Meanwhile with increasing blinds, my stack is down to 1050 and I still havent gotten anything really decent. 26 player left.

OK well it just happened and I lost. Lets preface it with this: This jerk thats been stealing everything finally gets trapped. He has K7 and raises someone's limp to allin. He is called immediately and cracks the other guy's AA. Well, hes up to 6000 now, and I pick up 99 next hand. I limp, he raises allin, I call and he turns over T9! Looks good until the ten flops and Im out in 24th. Better luck next time. Maybe next time Ill be the guy that catches EVERY CARD KNOWN TO MAN. jeez.

Result: 24th of 36
Investment: $2.00
Return: JACK
Profit: -$2.00
Bankroll: $98.48

[QuikSand]

Maybe this dynasty can be a centerpiece for peopleplaying tourneys...

I've been playing no limit hold 'em tournaments at Party Poker fairly regularly - and have been pretty good about sticking with a very tight/aggressive strategy in the early going. I am still a little uneasy with the decision to loosen the throttle once the blinds start to get uncomfortable (when, as is pretty often the case, I'm among the lower stacks among the final five or six players).

Party Poker doesn't have any of the really low-stakes tourneys... and I refuse to pay $1 to play in a $5 tournament. So, I play in any of their next three levels -- $10+1, $30+3, of $50+5. My record of success, interestingly, is almost identical at each level. I am a plus player in tournament play, it seems, though my body of play isn't enough to say with clinical accuracy yet.

Tonight, I'm back to the real tables - I've missed my neighborhood game for four straight weeks, but will get back tonight, and hope to get a good run there. I've won that game once ($50 buy-in no-limitehold em) and have suffered a series of bad beats that make me fight against being overconfident (I keep talking myself down from thinking I'm too good for this game - having tha attitude just gets me into trouble, and I get snakebitten by simple plays).

[MJ4H]

I entered a $5.00 + $0.50 tournament at Absolute Poker during the second half of the Arkansas - Florida disaster. I didn't keep detailed notes because I was already splitting attention between the game and the poker tournament. Briefly, I hung around winning an all-in with JJ that against two random cards (no idea why he called; I had him easily covered) and folding. Snuck into the money with the short stack. Then the most amazing thing happened. I WAS the goofball that caught every card known to man. AK, AQ, AJ, QQ, TT, I caught all of these when the blinds were 1/4 of my stack. Some judicious betting and bad calls by the other two, coupled with me doing some allin bullying, and I suddenly had a monster chip lead. Finally, the got tired of me bullying and both called my AKs allin with a weak ace and a medium king. I finished first for a win of $22.50!

Result: 1st of 9.
Investment: $5.50
Return: $22.50
Profit: $17.00
Bankroll: $115.48
Record: 1-0-1-0