Donkeys Always Draw

Over me last six BBT3 tourneys...

Mookie 4/30 - final table for 5th
Riverchasers 5/1 - get deep for 14th
Hoy 5/5 - final table for 6th
Skillz 5/6 - flame out in Razz, 60-something of 67
Mookie 5/7 - final table for 1st, woot.
Riverchasers 5/8 -  flame out 77 of 85 on these two hands...

       MiniDonk1 limps at 15/30, I complete in SB with K7o, BB checks
       Flop A77, I lede for 60, MiniDonk min-reraises, I three bet to 480, he calls.
       Turn T, second spade. I lede for 750 into a 1K pot, MiniDonk1 calls.
       River Ace. I know I just got hosed and 7s full are no goot, I check, MiniDonk1 CHECKS BEHIND with A5.

       Later, ElSnarfGrande opens for 180 at 30/60 in EP, I threebet with AcKc to 575 with 1080 behind, he flatcalls OOP. Flop Q88, two hearts, he checks, I shove (which I pretty much do regardless of cards there) he calls with AQ and I don't resuck.

So, I either run great, or don't run at all. Better than not getting deep at all, though.
At least I have a good head start in this month's standings and can almost see the overall Top 20 from here....

While I've got a moment, I was going to go back through the Mookie again and see if there was anything of note there...

nothing much happens early - I do try a misclick when katitude raises to 90, gets flat called by get fixed now, and I "accidentally" make it 900 from the BB with QQ. They both fold, no fun.

This is where my wireless disappears for 25 minutes. Luckily, it's only 30/60 when I'm back, I have 1515 in chips, so no huge loss. In the meantime, Mookie99 and PokahDave are at the table, tasit has 6K, thebmorekid 4600, so a lot's happened while I was down.

Tasit takes out Katitude by opening for 180 and calling a 1020 chip shove with T9s. T9s >KK on a TJ28T board, lol. She was not amused.

First really big, important pot. I get lucky, but I would have check folded if no Q/J comes on the turn.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6329074905: The Mookie (42846026), Table 2 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:50:26 ET - 2008/05/07
Seat 1: mookie99 (1,760)
Seat 2: bdidde (1,565)
Seat 3: heffmike (2,425)
Seat 4: PokahDave (795)
Seat 5: thebmorekid (2,025)
Seat 6: riggstad (2,395)
Seat 7: tasit (7,005)
Seat 9: jamyhawk (2,150)
thebmorekid posts the small blind of 40
riggstad posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Qh Jh]
tasit folds
jamyhawk folds
mookie99 folds
bdidde folds
heffmike raises to 250 (open raise in CO)
PokahDave folds
thebmorekid raises to 560 (I no likey, but I call anyway, I am NOT planning to do anything else here but check fold the flop if bet into - I just don't like raise-folding preflop every time I'm threebet.)
riggstad folds
heffmike calls 310
*** FLOP *** [2h Js 7d]
thebmorekid checks
heffmike checks (top pair, big effing deal, I'm not putting another chip in unless I improve)
*** TURN *** [2h Js 7d] [Qs] (yahtzee)
thebmorekid bets 960
heffmike raises to 1,865, and is all in
thebmorekid calls 505, and is all in
heffmike shows [Qh Jh]
thebmorekid shows [Kd Ks]
Uncalled bet of 400 returned to heffmike
*** RIVER *** [2h Js 7d Qs] [3h]
heffmike shows two pair, Queens and Jacks
thebmorekid shows a pair of Kings
heffmike wins the pot (4,130) with two pair, Queens and Jacks
thebmorekid stands up
The blinds are now 50/100

as I put it in chat.

thebmorekid (Observer): you call flop anyway
heffmike: prolly not, i',m a nit
thebmorekid (Observer): hit top pair
thebmorekid (Observer): not going anywhere
heffmike: i put you on overpair.
heffmike: y you think I check behind?

So now I have a stack, 40BB deep, when I need it. Next hand, Bdidde raises to 400, I shove with AsKs, he calls off with AhKh, we chop the pot, lol.

later PokahDave says.

PokahDave: heffmike...you take a verbal beating every week...what's up with that?
smokkee: does he ?
PokahDave: lastthree tourneys i've been at the table...people are all over him

which I don't even notice.

A few minutes later I cooler riggstad right before the first break.

I raise AdKd to 300 UTG at 100/200. Riggstad calls, all fold

Flop Ac2cKs. I check, he bets 300, I raise to 1000, he shoves for 1965 with AQ, I call, turn Ace has him drawing dead.
 
now I'm up to 6700, Top five in chips, looking alright. As we hit the second hour, this is where Mookie runs TT into JJ and KK. Then I just make a huge fucking mistake that nearly kills me.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6329347392: The Mookie (42846026), Table 2 - 60/120 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:11:54 ET - 2008/05/07
Seat 1: CheckinMyAA (3,155)
Seat 3: heffmike (6,660)
Seat 4: PokahDave (1,005)
Seat 5: AgSweep (7,370)
Seat 6: JD Schellnutt (950)
Seat 7: tasit (6,445)
Seat 8: smokkee (2,460)
Seat 9: jamyhawk (1,970)
CheckinMyAA posts the small blind of 60
heffmike posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Qc Tc]
PokahDave folds
AgSweep folds
JD Schellnutt folds
tasit raises to 360
smokkee folds
jamyhawk folds
CheckinMyAA folds
CheckinMyAA is sitting out
bdidde (Observer): at least i made the right read on mookie.
heffmike calls 240 (over 50 BB deep, yeah I make this call heads up, sure)
*** FLOP *** [Jd Qs Th]
heffmike bets 560 (nice flop, except for the straight draws, must lede flop)
tasit calls 560 (hmmmm)
*** TURN *** [Jd Qs Th] [4h]
heffmike bets 1,200 (4h is a blank, nothing's changed, should still be good here)
tasit raises to 5,280 (THIS was the mistake. Yes, I'd seen tasit make some questionable plays, but does he really play KQ/KJ/KT or an overpair like this? because anything else he's holding - sets, straights, even QJ, crushes me. I really need to fold here. Most players are not calling flop/raising turn with a holding QT is in good shape against.)
heffmike raises to 5,740, and is all in
tasit calls 245, and is all in
heffmike shows [Qc Tc]
tasit shows [Kh As]
Uncalled bet of 215 returned to heffmike
*** RIVER *** [Jd Qs Th 4h] [6h]
heffmike shows two pair, Queens and Tens
tasit shows a straight, Ace high
tasit wins the pot (12,950) with a straight, Ace high (god, I suck)
heffmike: boo

And just like that, I have 215 chips at 60/120. Joy.

Next four hands,
*jamyhawk raises to 840, I shove with K4 in the SB, BB folds, K4>Q8 on a JAJK9 board, yay, up to 550.
*Fold 73o on button
*Open shove Ks4s, all fold, up to 730.
*Open shove 55, tasit calls with A2 from the BB, I hold on TJ9T4 board, up to 1520, now I can breathe again.

heffmike: three more double ups!

one more orbit, I fold my blinds, down to 1320,  I open shove KK at 80/160, JD Schellnutt calls allin for 790 with QdJd, I fill up by the turn, up to 2350 now. Julius-Goat's at the table now.

mookie99 (Observer): heff making a comeback
heffmike: ah, one more double up and I feel better about calling off like an idiot with OT on that board.
Julius_Goat: OK y'all, I'm feeling it tonight

Do some betting in good spots, shove over Iakaris's 560 open at 80/160 with QQ for 2900 and get a fold.

Finally get moved tables at 100/200 with 3600 in chips. First hand I play there, Shipfaced 12 limps, I make it 800 with KcQc, AgSweep calls from the BB, Shipfaced12 calls - not as planned, 2600 in a multiway pot preflop.
Flop J84r, they check, I shove 2830, they fold, I show just because I'm a fool and wonder what they're calling with preflop that folds there.

Raise KT in cutoff, blind calls, flop K high, I bet, take it down, now I'm back to 5700 in chips.

It's almost like being down to 215 chips never happened.  I end up getting AK and AQ a lot, play some more pots, and chip up to 8500 without seeing a showdown. There's a little give and take, I have to fold some pots until big hand #2 comes up.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6329927982: The Mookie (42846026), Table 9 - 200/400 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:57:59 ET - 2008/05/07
Seat 1: AgSweep (6,600)
Seat 3: Wadzilla (7,525)
Seat 4: pushmonkey72 (2,035)
Seat 5: ShipFaced12 (22,990)
Seat 6: heffmike (7,525)
Seat 7: IslandBum1 (5,515)
Seat 9: corron10 (5,300)
AgSweep antes 50
Wadzilla antes 50
pushmonkey72 antes 50
ShipFaced12 antes 50
heffmike antes 50
IslandBum1 antes 50
corron10 antes 50
corron10 posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [As Ac]
millerd33 (Observer): booooooooooooooooom
AgSweep folds
Wadzilla raises to 1,200
corron10: haha wow
pushmonkey72 folds
ShipFaced12 folds
IslandBum1: gg
heffmike calls 1,200 (I rarely flat AA/KK, esp with less than 20BB, but let's do something different)
IslandBum1 folds
corron10 calls 800
RaisingCayne (Observer): ty
*** FLOP *** [Ks 9s Qs] (well, with the As, I'm stacking off now)
corron10 checks
RaisingCayne (Observer): gg all gl
Wadzilla bets 6,275, and is all in (esp. with that shove, which screams I don't want to see any more cards)
heffmike calls 6,275, and is all in
corron10 folds
Wadzilla shows [Kd Qh] (damn, maybe I should have shoved preflop)
heffmike shows [As Ac]
*** TURN *** [Ks 9s Qs] [9d] (cooler for wadzilla, but I'm sure he knew top two was vulnerable on that board, that'll happen)
*** RIVER *** [Ks 9s Qs 9d] [8d]
Wadzilla shows two pair, Kings and Queens
heffmike shows two pair, Aces and Nines
heffmike wins the pot (16,500) with two pair, Aces and Nines
Wadzilla stands up

Yay for me, I think we were kind of close to the 18-player money bubble by now, and I have a top 5 stack again. Bubble soon bursts, and we're at the final two tables.

Seat 1: chitwood (1,955)
Seat 2: Rake Feeder (6,050)
Seat 3: TuscaloosaJohn (5,080)
Seat 4: BuddyDank (3,695)
Seat 5: MaggieO (2,870)
Seat 6: IslandBum1 (4,415)
Seat 7: ShipFaced12 (20,790)
Seat 8: heffmike (18,100)
Seat 9: cmitch (9,765)

I double up chitwood right away - I raise over a limper, he calls allin from the blinds, his A9>my A7.  After that I quiet down for a while. Next big spot, TuscaloosaJohn openshoves for 3900 at 250/500/50, I reraise to isolate with AT from the button, I hold vs his KJo to chip up to 21K.

I try to maintain a tight image, but then BuddyDank shoves for 1620 at 300/600/75, I min-reraise with QT (lolz) all fold, buddy shows Q5.... but the board runs out J9J8T for the chop. Islandbum shoves for 1865, I reraise to 4k with A7 and don't suck out vs. his QQ.

I need to stop doing this shit, even with a relativelybig stack.

I have fun with cmitch on my left, though, in a couple of BvB battles

heffmike calls 300
cmitch has 15 seconds left to act
cmitch checks
*** FLOP *** [7s Td Ah]
heffmike bets 1,100
cmitch raises to 3,600
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike folds
cmitch wins the pot (3,925)

heffmike: i know I screwed that one up
cmitch: limp with QQ?
heffmike: no, not that goot.
heffmike: the day I limp QQ thinking you raise me BvB? lol
cmitch: :)

In the meantime I make another loose call of a shorty when Rake Feeder shoves 2500, I call from the BB with Kc6c, his Ad3d hits a wheel on the river, so I'm back down to 14K for the next BvB hand.

heffmike calls 300
cmitch: here we go again
cmitch has 15 seconds left to act
cmitch checks
*** FLOP *** [8s 6d 2s]
heffmike bets 1,200
cmitch folds
Uncalled bet of 1,200 returned to heffmike
heffmike shows [Ad As] a pair of Aces
heffmike wins the pot (1,725)

cmitch: lol
heffmike: oh well
cmitch: i flopped bottom pair
cmitch: :)
heffmike: i almost set you up too

Finally, after a couple steals, I win a hand vs. a shorty again. IslandBum1 shoves 1700 at 400/800/100, I isolate with 66, it holds vs. QJs

Next hand, BuddyDank shoves for 2700, I call again with 66, it holds vs. 55. now up to 23.5K

Soon enough we're at the final table.

Seat 1: chitwood (13,470)
Seat 2: hoyazo (26,035)
Seat 3: Julius_Goat (23,893)
Seat 4: MaggieO (13,920)
Seat 5: AgSweep (17,646)
Seat 6: Rake Feeder (4,275)
Seat 7: Shabazz Jenkins (4,056)
Seat 8: heffmike (22,185)
Seat 9: ShipFaced12 (26,020)

And I'm in pretty decent shape here. ShipFaced12 starts playing back at me, though. I open raise the CO with Ad3s to 2500, he flats on the button, blinds fold.
Flop Jd5h3d. I lead for 5K, he tanks, tanks, then shoves for 22K. If I'm in front, and I doubt that - it's still a coin flip. I gotta fold and drop down to 16K.

heffmike: meh, should have CRai all in instead.
heffmike: i f-d up, as usual, nh ship.

Hoy threebets ShipFaced12's open from the button with the hammer and shows, though, so that was nice in the meantime ;-)

I go carddead, drop down to 13K at 500/1000/125 - ShipFaced12 gets a little chippy when RakeFeeder openshoves his button for 6300 with the hammer, Ship calls with 33, spikes a set to eliminate him in 8th, then says.

ShipFaced12: idiot
Rake Feeder (Observer): idiot?
Julius_Goat: pleasant, Ship
hoyazo: more like genius
Julius_Goat: more like a TRUE MAN
heffmike: sets are IQ helpers.
Rake Feeder (Observer): go $ $ & & your self
Rake Feeder (Observer): prick
ShipFaced12: i know he had the button but no reason he should shove shorty with 72
ShipFaced12: im sure you can pick a beter spot to get your money in

w/e I don't care at this point, I need to double though sometime soon.

Then I make a marginal call that works out. Just a feeling chitwoods' pushing range was wide enough to make calling a good play here with the blinds and antes tossed in.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6330571176: The Mookie (42846026), Table 12 - 600/1200 Ante 150 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:54:26 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: chitwood (5,095)
Seat 2: hoyazo (29,410)
Seat 3: Julius_Goat (26,693)
Seat 4: MaggieO (12,120)
Seat 5: AgSweep (17,971)
Seat 8: heffmike (13,110)
Seat 9: ShipFaced12 (47,101)
chitwood antes 150
hoyazo antes 150
Julius_Goat antes 150
MaggieO antes 150
AgSweep antes 150
heffmike antes 150
ShipFaced12 antes 150
AgSweep posts the small blind of 600
heffmike posts the big blind of 1,200
PirateLawyer (Observer): goooo JG
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ks 6s]
ShipFaced12 folds
chitwood raises to 4,945, and is all in
hoyazo folds
Julius_Goat folds
MaggieO folds
AgSweep folds
PirateLawyer (Observer): a seat for the best poker blogger writer!
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
Julius_Goat: lol ty
heffmike calls 3,745
heffmike: arrgh
chitwood shows [Th Js]
heffmike shows [Ks 6s]
chitwood: damn you heff
*** FLOP *** [Td 7s 6d]
chitwood: :)
*** TURN *** [Td 7s 6d] [6h]
*** RIVER *** [Td 7s 6d 6h] [7d]
chitwood shows two pair, Tens and Sevens
heffmike shows a full house, Sixes full of Sevens
heffmike wins the pot (11,540) with a full house, Sixes full of Sevens
heffmike: whee
chitwood stands up

Next hand I resteal Hoy's open raise by shoving from the SB, and now I'm back to 25K at 600/1200/1500

I open for 3750 with AsJs, Julius_Goat calls from the BB. Flop KhQhJd, he leads for 4800. I hate poker and fold. Boo. 21K.

I tighten up again, bleed down to 17K as we hit 800/1600/200 level. I resteal again from Hoy from the small blind (mainly because he is smart enough to open light and fold to a resteal in these spots. Most players raise too tight and will never fold to a shove) to get back to 24K.

Raise AK, get one caller, pot a 4d3d3s flop, bump up to 31K.
Raise 9d7d, have ShipFaced12 reraise for 18K with only 10K more behind, start laughing and fold.
heffmike: ship, just shove, what's the point of that.

That's OK, Hoy resteals from him next hand, it's all good.

Finally, AgSweep open shoves for 10.5K, I reshove for 25.5K, all fold, TT falls vs AQ on the flop and I'm down to 15K and 6th out of six players.
Next hand, open shove with 77, MaggieO calls with 66 (had 23K to start the hand) - I hold and bump up to 32K and the chip lead, lol.

ShipFaced12 runs the worst checkraise bluff on Julius_Goat  - Goat raises 3x preflop, ship calls from the blinds, flop 456r, ship checks, goat bets 7500, ship tanks, shoves 24K, Goat instacalls with KK, ship has..... A9o, hits a meaningless 9 on the river - and is out in sixth.

The masses are happy that karma has been meted out.

Then I openraise with K4 at 1K/2K/250 because MaggieO is in the big blind with 6K. She calls with 22, but I turn a K to take her out in fifth and chip up to 37K

Seat 2: hoyazo (21,910)
Seat 3: Julius_Goat (68,274)
Seat 5: AgSweep (24,342)
Seat 8: heffmike (36,974)

Next big pot, I openraise from the small blind with Ad3d to 7K, Hoy shoves from the BB for 21K. I'm getting 2-1, I have a suited Ace, Hoy can shove a hand I'm still in front of, I call.
Hoy has K2o, board runs out J5QQQ, Ace high is good, three players left

Seat 3: Julius_Goat (74,524)
Seat 5: AgSweep (20,592)
Seat 8: heffmike (56,384)

I start playing very carefully now. I just want to get heads up. I double up AgSweep on a silly hand ( I raise the button to 6K, both call, flop J3J. checks around, turn 9 gets checked to me again and I bet 12K, AgSweep calls all in, and of course, my 98 is crushed by J9, lol.)

I c-bet a few hands, three-bet Goat a couple of times (he's waiting to get heads up too, I think, so if I three bet he either folds or shoves, and I don't really care either way, lol.) to get even with him in chips. I have AgSweep all in preflop with AQ vs QJ. but a J comes on the turn - I finally get AT vs.Q8 allin preflop to hold and I finally take em out for heads up play

And here's were I forgot Goat didn't have a seat yet, so I decided to offer a chop and see if he'd sell a seat to me. To be honest, I would rather play for it and win it, but I know some people are willing to do this, so I figured I'd at least ask. Worst that was going to happen, he would say no.

anyhow, once I figured out I was being a dummy and neither one of us had a seat, I was like NO WAYZ, he was like OK, and we actually decided to play it out.

At least the chip count didn't vary too much during the chat. I was up 86K-65K when we started, by the time we decided to play it out it was 89k-62K.... and it was the very next hand it all got decided.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6330954109: The Mookie (42846026), Table 12 - 1500/3000 Ante 400 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:34:53 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 3: Julius_Goat (61,824)
Seat 8: heffmike (89,676)
Julius_Goat antes 400
heffmike antes 400
Julius_Goat posts the small blind of 1,500
heffmike posts the big blind of 3,000
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Qd 8s]
Julius_Goat calls 1,500
heffmike checks (see a flop, pls)
*** FLOP *** [5h Qc 2c]
heffmike checks (top pair usu a big hand heads up)
Julius_Goat bets 3,000
heffmike raises to 9,500
Julius_Goat calls 6,500 (hmm, call? - not fold or threebet?)
*** TURN *** [5h Qc 2c] [7s]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike bets 20,000 (well, I could be outkicked.. or not. he can be drawing. he could have two pair/set. I SHOULD be good here - put it this way, I shouldn't fold. If I check, he can blow me off the pot. Lede and commit yourself to the hand, make Goat worry about your holding and hope it's good.)
Julius_Goat raises to 48,924, and is all in (can't fold now)
heffmike calls 28,924
Julius_Goat shows [3d Qh] (woot!)
heffmike shows [Qd 8s]
*** RIVER *** [5h Qc 2c 7s] [8c] (ah, meant to be, even if he had a bigger Q.)
Julius_Goat shows a pair of Queens
heffmike shows two pair, Queens and Eights
heffmike wins the pot (123,648) with two pair, Queens and Eights
heffmike: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOT
Julius_Goat stands up
heffmike stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 123,648 | Rake 0
Board: [5h Qc 2c 7s 8c]
Seat 3: Julius_Goat (small blind) showed [3d Qh] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 8: heffmike (big blind) showed [Qd 8s] and won (123,648) with two pair, Queens and Eights

So, basically, I ran really good to recover from 215 chips to get back to a decent stack, then won a couple of key pots to get a huge stack near the bubble. That gave me the cushion to survive a few coinflips vs. shorties, and then I ran hot at the final table with every 60-40 hand I needed to win, and lost the ones I could afford to lose. I did play fairly TAG, and was not splashing around, especially late when the stacks started getting shallow.

I'm not really a great tournament player - I understand SnGs better, and can play both better than cash games because I'm too aggressive and impatient post flop - but I know I can get deep and handle an above-average stack very well in these kind of tournaments. It's good to know I've posted better results, even though it's probably more variance than anything else - and hopefully it propels me to a better May.

Later - Heff

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