My venture into the WPBT waters

I played in my first WPBT event last night. Had a great time. Played some good poker. Things were a bit different playing this one. You knew the Hammer was going to be dropped and you had to be prepared for anything and everything. Like when the Hammer cracked A A. Amazing! So going in, I knew I would have to drop the Hammer on someone. If not, then the Jack Hammer or the Hilton Sisters. Making money was definitely secondary to having a good time. So I popped open a beer and got settled in.

My first table started on the tight side. No limpers allowed. If someone opened with a raise, it generally folded around. Raises were getting respect in the beginning as everyone felt each other out. My hands were pretty crappy to start. I folded quite a few hands. Stole a BB from Grubette. Played A K but had to fold on the river when nothing hit the board. Tried to play the Hammer but ran into J J.

Like a poker hemophiliac, I was bleeding chips. Kept defending my blinds as I was short stacked and that didn't help. Down around 390, I catch 10 10 and push. I get one caller (curzdog) who shows K Q. I double up when a third 10 hits the board. From there I go on a mini rush to finish at 1905 at the first break. Not great but felt good to be above where I started. There were 151 players at the start, and we are at 100 now. I am at 55.

One noteworthy blogger has been moved to our table.
Dr. Pauly is sitting in second place. Go take the time to see how he cracked pocket rockets with the Hammer. What legends are made of.

I kick off the second session with A Q. Raise it up but get no callers. I then misplay a nice hand from the BB. I am able to check it to see a gutshot straight draw. I bet out half the pot and get called. I fill the straight on the turn. This time I check. He bets and I call. River is a 10. I bet and get re-raised. I just called. There was a pair on the board and I thought maybe he had a full house. But right after I called, I regretted not raising. I probably would have collected more. The way the hand was played, I should have recognized that he didn't have the house. Instead, he showed down a pair of 10s. Can't help but feel I should have collected quite a bit more there.

I try to knock Grubette out of the tourney with 8 8. Flop came with a flush draw and I bet out 500. She had only 830 left so she had little choice on calling. It was either push or fold. She pushed and showed A 3 for the draw. No diamond on the turn, but an A on the river. Ouch!

But the river would help me. Sitting around 1400 now, and in the small blind, I see A 10. The button has been pushing me around on the blinds the majority of the night. I haven't had anything to defend with. Now that I do, I push all in. He thinks and calls with A J. Crap! I begin to type in a farewell message when I catch a 10 on the river. Guess I ain't going anywhere quite yet. Only place I am going is to the fridge for another beer. Dopplebocks are going down very well and starting to kick in.

Having doubled up, I am in a position to get aggressive again and steal some blinds, which I do. This is especially important now that antes have kicked in. This is one thing I do like about Poker Stars set up. Antes kick in around the 5th or 6th level so you cannot wait until you get a good hand. You do need to play as it will cost you each hand.

I play another hand rather crappily again. I defend my blind to a min raise and see a flop of Q 9 6. My 7 5 doesn't look too bad now as I can catch the 8 for the belly buster. I bet and am called. Turn is another 6. Now I check. Mistake. I should have stayed aggressive and bet it out. He checks as well. River is a rag and I have no chance to win this hand except to push hard. Having wimped on the turn hurt me.

Disappointed with that hand, I get A 10 and plan to push. You ever notice how some hands seem to always win? Lately, I have been getting clobbered by A 10. So I have started playing it more. Seeing this baby again had me thinking it was a sign. But not when there is a raise and re-raise. I muck. They show A Q and A J. Of course, the 10 hits the flop and would have been a winner.

Still on the short side, I call a raise to 1600 with A J spades forcing me all in. I am up against queens. They make their set on the flop but I go runner runner for a flush. Ugly. I think I even typed in something stupid like river river, chicken dinner.

At the second break, I am at 3250, placing me 26th. Last two tables get paid, so I have a chance to make some coin. Currently the cut off has 4875 so I have more work to do. Blinds are something like 300/600 about now with 50 ante, I think. I get to start the second session on the button so hopefully I can steal a bit.

But I run into a little problem called myradiohead. He is raising my blinds up every time and is killing me. Hopefully I can get back at him at some point, but will have to wait. He is playing pretty solid and I can't blame him for his actions. Of course, I have to give him shit. And I am able to get some of my chips back. I raise it up with A Q off. Only radio calls. Flop comes J J 9. I push. He folded A K and I feel pretty good about it. This puts me over 7100

Raise it up with A 10 again but do not see a flop. Next try the same with A J off in early position. Uh oh, a re-raise all in. It will cost me 1600 to see it. I go for it. He has K J and catches no help. I guess I caught the antichrist.I am now over 12000 and doing well. I have the final table in my sights.

But then it is fold city again. I do a couple of raises with some aces but just win the blinds and antes. Doesn't matter though because number 19 just busted and I will get some cash. Nice feeling to place, but I want that final table. Onward I press. Defend the blinds (600/1200) against a raise with J 9. See a flop of Q 10 3. I bet out 3000. Immediately I don't like my bet. It is just over half the pot. He could re-raise and I am in trouble. But luckily for me, he folds.

I get caught stealing with A 5. Flop comes K 10 5. I bet it out and get raised all in. It will cost me only 860 to call, which I have to do. He shows A Q. Turn is a rag but the river a J for the straight. Damn. So close.

That begins the downward spiral. I try to get away with the Big Lick, 6 9 suited. I get called down by A A and 4 3 suited (who was all in on the blinds). The 4 3 wins with a set of 3s! But I am crippled. Feeling little choice in the matter, I go all in on the big blind with Q 2 and run into K K.

Done at 15. I went from over 12000 to being out in like 3 hands. DOH!

Best of all, it was a great time. It was nice to make some money (36 some bucks on a 22 buyin netting 14 big ones!), but it was a good tourney over all. Great play.