Live Poker

I played in the Cadillac Poker Tournament Saturday Night. It’s a re-buy format ($50) and includes an excellent Tri-tip dinner after 3rd level. At times play resembles Kat’s donkament, record buy-in has been $750, my personal record is $200, but double buy in initially and add-on seems like bare minimum to compete.

1st key hand of night occurred just before dinner break (also end of re-buy period), sitting with 6200 in chips and 300/600 blinds I min-raised UTG+1 in dark with K J off. Purpose of raise was to get to 5000 chips so I could do re-buy and add-on to have 20k when elimination play began. Apparently in this game a min-raise is a “V” raise, my defense was “how can any raise in dark truly show a lack of cajones?” Raise did not get a lot of respect so it was a family pot (6 callers) and I proceeded to see a flop of Q T 9 rainbow. UTG bet 4k, I raised to 5k (after finally looking at cards) and there were 4 to the turn. They held QJ, JT and KT and 3 turn and 2 on river secured a monster pot.

2nd key hand I was in CO with 78 Suited, which I limped with after 3 other limps. Flop was 5 4 2 rainbow.

UTG bet 1500 into the 4800 pot and I called. Pot odds did not justify call as I read him for having A3 but he still had 50k behind, I had 30k behind and he had acquired the chips calling a fpot size flop bet, a nearly pot size turn bet and a pot size river bet (during rebuy period) with a pair of 5s 6 kicker with a QT954 board and 3 of a suit. My thinking was if I caught a 6 I would double up as he was not laying down a straight. 6 came on turn, he bet 3k and I raised to 12k , and he called. River was a 2 and he pushed, I had to call based on my read and he indeed had A3. UTG was a little pissed complained for a couple of hands about my flop bet call and tournament director happened to move me to another table 2 hands after beat.

3rd key hand was at final table, Ten were at Final Table but only Top 7 paid, I was short stack and with blinds at 4 & 8 with 1k ante, big stack was 2 to my right and raising a lot, 2nd stack was immediate left, After 7 hands with someone in front of me raising I finally heard 4 folds with only 24k left in front of me. I pushed knowing BB was a defender who would be looking at calling 16k into a 46k pot. I only had J6 and he picked up J4 and called me. A beautiful 6 flopped giving me some chips to work with.

Four people busted before 4th key hand. I had built up to 68k chips and was on button.
UTG raised to 30k and I pushed 68k with AA, he called with KQ suited. Flop was T 5 2 but turn 9 and river J sent me home.

1st cash in tourney was nice, paid for a couple of months play and won money in cash game.