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peterbirksHopes of three back-to-back final tables in the $25+$2.50 Hendon Mob League were dashed by a conviction that no matter what I did, the software was determined to eliminate me. Here are two of my earlier escapes;
1) I get AK suited in MP1 at level 2 (25-50) with about 2,800 from a starting stack of 2,500. I raise three times the BB (the standard so far in the game) and get reraised by 150 by the player one off-the-button, who has slightly more chips than me. Decidingon a whim not to reraise (either three times his bet, or all-in, depending on your mood and the game's structure -- this one was slow with a nice stack of starting chips, so the smaller reraise would be correct if I decided to do it), I encountered a flop of Jxx rainbow with none of my suit. I check, opponent bets about 800 and I fold. He shows AA. Escape Number One.
2) I get AK suited (clubs) in MP3 at level 3 (50-100). MP2 raises to three times the BB and I decide (once again on something of a whim) not to reraise. By this time my opponent has 3800 chips and I have 3100. I want to get about 1400 of his chips if things go well. Flop comes KK3, two hearts, so I know that he does not have AK of hearts!. Opponent checks. I make my one error here in that I decide to continue my plan to get 1400 chips out of him. I reckon that he may try a bet on the turn if he thinks I have missed the flop. My only worry is if a heart appears on the turn. Turn brings the ten of hearts. Damn. Opponent checks. Now I have a small problem. I can't lay down to a check-raise (well, I can, I suppose), so I decide to check behind him. River, needless to say, brings a fourth heart. Opponent checks (thankfully!) and so do I. He shows Queen of hearts Queen of Clubs for the flush. Now, I reckon that if I go all-in pre-flop he will call me, and I will lose to runner-runner. A bet on the flop might win the pot there and then, but since I am 96% favourite at this point, my best bet would be a "milker" of 200 or so. He then calls, and I lose more than I would have otherwise. Likewise, an all-in bet on the turn might get opponent to fold (although in this case, I doubt it - the guy was a won't bet won't fold kind of player) but as it turns out, I lose. In a sense, I was pleased to have survived tio close situations with AKs without going out.
3) Despite a few steals, I was rattled down to 1,600 chips by the time the blinds were 100-200. I pick up AJs in MP1 and have a decision to make. Virtually any proper raise makes me pot-committed. I make it 750 to go and am reraised 1500 by Mel Lofthouse (LondonGirl). I think that I am well behind, but I could be facing KK, QQ, JJ or perhaps TT (I doubt the latter, Mel is fairly conservative). Even AK isn't the end of the universe. I call and she flips over AA. End of story.
Oh well, I am still on course for the final table shootout and the prize of a week in the Bellagio in December. But, really, flying economy? Do they know who they are dealing with?
1) I get AK suited in MP1 at level 2 (25-50) with about 2,800 from a starting stack of 2,500. I raise three times the BB (the standard so far in the game) and get reraised by 150 by the player one off-the-button, who has slightly more chips than me. Decidingon a whim not to reraise (either three times his bet, or all-in, depending on your mood and the game's structure -- this one was slow with a nice stack of starting chips, so the smaller reraise would be correct if I decided to do it), I encountered a flop of Jxx rainbow with none of my suit. I check, opponent bets about 800 and I fold. He shows AA. Escape Number One.
2) I get AK suited (clubs) in MP3 at level 3 (50-100). MP2 raises to three times the BB and I decide (once again on something of a whim) not to reraise. By this time my opponent has 3800 chips and I have 3100. I want to get about 1400 of his chips if things go well. Flop comes KK3, two hearts, so I know that he does not have AK of hearts!. Opponent checks. I make my one error here in that I decide to continue my plan to get 1400 chips out of him. I reckon that he may try a bet on the turn if he thinks I have missed the flop. My only worry is if a heart appears on the turn. Turn brings the ten of hearts. Damn. Opponent checks. Now I have a small problem. I can't lay down to a check-raise (well, I can, I suppose), so I decide to check behind him. River, needless to say, brings a fourth heart. Opponent checks (thankfully!) and so do I. He shows Queen of hearts Queen of Clubs for the flush. Now, I reckon that if I go all-in pre-flop he will call me, and I will lose to runner-runner. A bet on the flop might win the pot there and then, but since I am 96% favourite at this point, my best bet would be a "milker" of 200 or so. He then calls, and I lose more than I would have otherwise. Likewise, an all-in bet on the turn might get opponent to fold (although in this case, I doubt it - the guy was a won't bet won't fold kind of player) but as it turns out, I lose. In a sense, I was pleased to have survived tio close situations with AKs without going out.
3) Despite a few steals, I was rattled down to 1,600 chips by the time the blinds were 100-200. I pick up AJs in MP1 and have a decision to make. Virtually any proper raise makes me pot-committed. I make it 750 to go and am reraised 1500 by Mel Lofthouse (LondonGirl). I think that I am well behind, but I could be facing KK, QQ, JJ or perhaps TT (I doubt the latter, Mel is fairly conservative). Even AK isn't the end of the universe. I call and she flips over AA. End of story.
Oh well, I am still on course for the final table shootout and the prize of a week in the Bellagio in December. But, really, flying economy? Do they know who they are dealing with?
