I’ve been playing tournament poker around here for a few weeks.
I’ve done average, I think. I still don’t really know what I’m doing, and I’ve made a lot of bad decisions.
I made a few good decisions today. 3, in fact. Though I ended up losing on two of them.
First — I was in mid or late position, maybe a half hour into the tournament. I had pocket sixes. I had raised before the pot. Some people might question my raise, as it was 8 handed, but I think I was right. Knocked out all but one other guy. Flop comes, there’s a heart on the board, but otherwise junk. I raise more than the pot, and he goes all in, though not enough to put me all in. I call. He turns over 10 8 hearts. Hits runner-runner hearts and beats me with the flush.
Ugh.
Still, I think I was right. He was insane to call. I griped a little, saying I couldn’t believe he called. Guy next to me mumbles, “he doesn’t play as much as you do.” So I still think I made the right move. Just sucks.
Next one was a no-brainer, though I was still kind of reeling from the flush. I’m in early position. I get pocket jacks. I raise the pot. Two people fold, next guy goes all in. Everyone else folds. I shouldn’t have hesitated. I’d been sitting across from the guy the whole game, and I knew he liked to raise with junk. Still, like I said, I was feeling that bad beat from the flush. But I call. He’s got junk, I hit trip jacks on the turn, though I didn’t need it.
So that felt good.
After that, I just got junk. Then I made final table, which was 10-handed. I play slightly conservative to begin with, so it wasn’t hard to adjust. I threw away a lot of marginal hands, but I never got any good ones. Finally, with the blinds at 2000/4000, and me under the gun with only 6000 chips, I get pocket 6’s (again). I figure this is my last shot, since the blinds would knock me out — probably with crap hands. So I go all in.
Unfortunately, I get three callers, so I know I’m probably doomed. Everyone flips their cards, and I’m favored to win. Flop comes, and I’m still favorite. Turn and river gets a guy a straight, though, and I’m out in 7th place.
Overall, I’m happy with the way I played. I only know of one time where I laid down the winning hand when I shouldn’t have, though I can’t be faulted for doing so (I think). Facing a huge raise, I folded my A 9 offsuit (would have been ace high) to a A 5 offsuit. I’m not sure what I should have done there. But hey, I outlasted that guy. 🙂 I also outlasted the guy who gave me the bad beat flush. 🙂
I honestly don’t know if I’m playing too conservative or not conservative enough. I’m all for playing aggressive when the blinds are up, but it’s tough to do that 10-handed (like it was at the final table), especially considering that conservative play doesn’t usually result in huge chip stacks by the late game. I apparently have a lot to learn.
But, in conclusion… Fuck pocket 6’s. 🙂
