TUESDAY 05.13.08

A busy Tuesday and a productive one for a nice change of pace. I started out investing $109 out of my paltry Full Tilt bankroll to enter a 9A event rather than waiting for the 10A at Stars. There were 144 players and I felt like this was a good opportunity to build the roll. My final hand came early when I re-raised to isolate a bunch of wannabes who were looking for a cheap multi-way flop. I had A-K and got one caller. The flop came Q-5-5. I had a substantial investment in the pot and I figured I could take it down with a meaty continuation bet unless he has exactly the hand A-Q. To his credit, he put me all-in with his T-T. I called off all my chips since I still had a fighting chance but the ten on the turn soured my investment.

There was one funny hand before I busted out. It was one of those hands where the first guy raised, then I called with 7s-6s and then the next guy raised and everybody and their brother decided to call it. It got back around to me and of course I called as well for five-way action. The flop came 8d-5d-2s and the guy to my left made a continuation bet that chased out everyone but me with my open-ender. The turn was the Ad and I checked. When he checked behind me, I knew that he hated that card. The river was the 8h and I put out a value bet. He went into the tank, then started calling me names like "sooted donk" before finally folding. I figure he had some sort of Q-Q or K-K and I knew I could get away with a bluff on the river, since every hand I would have called the flop with (other than the 7-6) got there by the river. Put me on a set, an eight, a diamond draw, or a wheel draw and in each instance, I have his big pair beat by the end. While he was using up his time calling me names, I was scrambling in the preferences to figure out how to show my cards but I couldn't find it. After he folded, I told him I had 76s but he called me "sooted donk" again, assuming it was suited in diamonds, so I missed my chance at giving him his comeuppance.

I played the 10A as usual and with the assist from Earl Grey (caffeinated tea), I was able to stay focused and keep my A-game for hours. At a critical time, on the bubble, I faced the same situation as earlier, where I limped with A-K, then re-raised the field when it got back to me. I was called by the big stack in the small blind and the flop came T-8-4. He put out a bet that was basically half my stack as if to say he was going the distance no matter what. I saw through the ruse and figured he didn't have a pair bigger than tens, though I might, so I pulled the trigger and shoved. It certainly looked strong and he saved the balance of the bet by folding. That was a crucial hand for me.

I nearly got a bunch of additional chips when I min-raised to $2k in first position with Ks-Qs and the button min-raised to $3k which I called. The flop came Qc-3d-2c and I just lead out by putting him all-in. He called and showed Ah-Kc. He played it curiously but caught the ace on the river to win a monster. He was an unfriendly card away from being the bubble boy but wound up finishing 8th and making over a grand.

I got some chips by raising with Jc-9c and then calling an all-in. He had A-K but the board came 4-5-6-7-8 to score one for the good guys. Soon after, I got all-in with T-T versus 9-9. He hit the 9 on the turn only to see me catch the T on the river for a creative re-suck. I was now up to $90k. The mondo crucial hand was with 12 remaining - Pete "The Beat" Giordano pushed his A-4 with his short stack and I pushed over the top with J-J. We got a third player from the big blind with A-K and I was able to knock them both out when my hand held up, taking us down to ten players and taking me up to $215k and the runaway chip lead.

I stole a couple of blinds from middle position and was rewarded with A-A under the gun. I raised, the big blind shoved his 8-8 and with him eliminated, we moved on to the final table. Next came the hand of the day: I called a raise on the button with Th-9h. Little did I know that he was holding K-K. The flop came K-J-2 and he made a small bet. I read it as weak, and assuming he had some sort of A-x, I put in a substantial raise. If he had a weaker hand, he would have pushed, but with top set, he merely called, allowing me to catch the Q on the turn. He checked to me, I bet half his stack, and he eagerly put in the remainder. I had to sweat the 20% on the river but my straight held and I was over $500k.

I was so far ahead that I couldn't imagine not winning, though I've seen it happen, so I was on guard against any kind of avoidable implosion. Two hands later, my stack was cut in half - first I got all-in with A-K versus 9-9 and lost the race; next, I had the 3-3 versus A-K and we took a flop. It came queen-high all clubs, and we both checked. The turn was another club and even though I had a club, I checked behind him to keep the pot small. He bet out $30k on the river and I paid him off - he had the Kc. I lost but not a lot so I was pleased with the hand since I think I played it well. But I lost a ton in those hands combined and was no longer the top dog.

With four remaining, I got all-in with 7-7 against A-6 to get us down to three. My luckiest hand came at this stage when I pushed my A-8 into A-A and managed a chop when it came K-Q-J-T-x. I hadn't needed much luck up to that point but that lovely board wiped out what should have been a disaster and kept me in the driver's seat. Soon, it was heads-up. I got out to a 3:1 lead but then there were four pots in a row in which I got schooled and suddenly I was a 2:1 underdog. I clawed my way back and as soon as I got even, I proposed an even chop, which he accepted. We both walked with $8168.93 and at least for me, a much-needed boost of confidence.

There is more but I will save it for another post tomorrow morning.