February 06, 2010
Going Live
Thought I’d give a few impressions of a rare foray into a bricks and motor game.
(Not abandoned online play – still grinding but running a bit flat. Will post an update on that when some progress – positive or negative – is made)
Had the opportunity when on a business trip to use my February monthly allowance at a £10 rebuy tournament at Maxims, Reading, UK.
First observation is that most people on my table seemed to take the rebuy structure to mean shoving and raising with pretty much any two was mandatory. I rarely play rebuys online so don’t know whether this is typical or not – either way as I spent the first two levels being totally card dead, I came across as nitus maximus.
Eventually decided to get busy toward the end of the first level. A couple of limps and calling a flop raise meant that I had about 12BB left and with the blinds about to go up (double) then 67o following an EP limp seemed like a good spot to shove and either pick up the dead money or have a good opp to double up. Got one caller with AA. Paired my 7 on the flop and then picked up a flush draw on the turn. Didn’t hit any of my 12 outs on the river so had to rebuy – no problem, I’m happy with my play here.
Other hand of note in the early rounds was when I checked in BB with 84o with one EP limper in the hand.
Flop came 7K8 – I check called.
Turn 7 – Check, check.
River 2. I shoved feeling certain that my opponent had neither the K or 7 but couldn’t be sure I didn’t.
She dwelt a little and then mucked, sighing that she knew I was beating her paired 8! I wasn’t going to show – but when she showed 84o I had to laugh and show her the same hand!
One more shove and rebuy and eventually got a couple of steals through and a double up with 88 vs KQ – went into the break with about 5k (inc. add on)
Blinds after the break were 100/200 so had enough chips to wait for spots. Not many hands to note again – card dead beyond belief.
Did have an interesting read that turned out to be wrong but I think my logic was right. The villain in questions had been very loose before the break but had tightened up a lot once rebuys ended. Blinds 200/400 and he raised about 1800 from UTG+1. What was odd was that he had only about 3000 behind. Seemed to me that the raise was there to tempt someone to shove over the top – any raise would leave him pretty much committed to call. So if he was ultimately committed to call then I had him on AQ+ and TT+. Any pair less would just shove from the off as would AJ or AT. I had AJo but eventually convinced myself I was either dominated, flipping or worse – so folded. He got called by the SB and ended up checking a nothing board to show A8s. Surely A8s from early position and about 12BB is shove or fold territory – or am I wrong? Feel free to comment if you can make sense of this.
Chipped away with a few steals until we were down to 12 and top 10 got paid. I had 15K, blinds 1k/2k and picked up ATs UTG. BB had only 3K behind and there was another short stack on the other table. Despite the fact that I could pretty safely drift into the cash with my stack I felt this was a great chance to steal the blinds and give me another free round. Even if the BB calls I’ve got a good chance against any 2 randomn cards. So I shoved UTG and after a bit of deliberation from UTG+1 I got called by AQo. Board blanked and I was out in 12th – or bubble+1 as I now call it!
Overall I was happy with my play. Was so card dead it wasn’t true – had 88 twice, AJ once andn AT once – that was it! Also felt that playing tight really helped as most of the rest of the field was playing way too loose – even for a rebuy.
Will definitely do this again – next month maybe. In the meantime, back to the grind.
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