Tournaments = Way Forward?

Mainly to avoid writing up a tedious criminal law essay, I am updating my blog!

The snooker at the weekend wasn't great. I got a tough draw first round, and with a cue I wasn't used to, played horribly and lost 2-1. Wasn't too disappointed as I lost my chance when I lost my cue, but still would have liked to put in a decent showing and show last year wasn't a fluke! Our team, mainly a team of pool players who to be fair played immense, struggled in a group of death but we regrouped from a bottom place finish to come second in the Team Shield, another BUSA medal to add to my collection.

Anyway, I returned home on Saturday night, absolutely shattered and too tired to even consider playing poker!! After 12 hours kip, Sunday was a day in which I should have been working, but as always end of term complacency kicked in and I played poker instead! This proved to be a decent idea, as I made $82 today.

First, I played a double-stack $3 tournie, which attracted 123 entrants. I steamrollered my way through the field and was monster stack on the FT. At one point, with 4 left I had 240k against 45k, 23k and 50k (or something like that!) Alas, I didn't hit a hand and lost a couple of big pots against the table fish, who kept hitting against me. The 4th place player got knocked out by the decent player at the table, and I ran card-dead. I ended up pushing AJ from the SB against the decent/tight players button raise...and he slowly called with 1010 which held. I then called a push by the fish who was playing any two with ace8 suited, only to be up against 1010. My lead had dwindled and I finally came 3rd, pushing a weak ace in to AJ, which flopped a flush and that was that. Annoying to not get 1st as it was $102, but the $50 I won was still a nice result.

As I was playing the tournie, I was playing a few $6.50 SNGs which went pretty well and I have somehow managed to maintain my ROI, now with stats of:-

Games 476
Avg Profit $1.85
Avg Stake $6
ROI 27%
Total Profit $874

I waited all day for a chance to use a $26 ticket I had won the other night, and decided to play the $32k guaranteed. I had a nice almost double up early on after trap checking the river with AA against a fruity opponent who raised with a couple of high cards. I reached the first break around 220 of 1050 and feeling decent. Then before I knew it I was out!! I had a hand against the table fish (player getting involved in a lot of pots!) Against his min raise, I flat called KJ on the button after the cut-off had also called. Both blinds completed and the pot was around 1200. Flop was K78 and two hearts and the initial raiser bet 600. I had 5.5k behind and raised to 1545. All fold apart from raiser who flat called. I put him on a draw at this point and a trickily paid set was also in my head. Turn was a blank 3 and he checked, prompting me to raise 2125. The pot just had me covered so I thought about pushing but instead raised as felt this was the best way to extract value (thoughts/criticisms?). The river was a blank six but the initial raiser chucked in enough to put me all in, which by this point was only 1700. With the blinds still fairly low and thinking I had let the 910 catch up, I wanted to fold, but knew the pot was too large to and convinced myself he may do this with a missed flush draw. Well, he didn't have 910, but in fact 4h5h for a gutshot straight. Guess I can't really fault him too much and perhaps I should have pushed the turn, but still annoying. I am very keen to keep winning these satellites for these seats though and I know that if I can fund tournaments with SNG wins I can make big money one of these days, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Anyway, I have to be up early to work on my essay so this is a little shorter than usual. I'm looking forward to the end of term now and a few weeks to re-group and get myself ready for a mental two months of work in April and May. So maybe there is room for a little more poker in March!!

Thanks,

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