I couldn’t help but laugh at the ending to my previous
article concerning getting some big hands in the $5,000 NL.
Having being dealt around ten pairs of Q-Q and over in the limit
- this NL would prove to be a totally different story.
With over 450 players starting - it was going to be a long
hard slog. I therefore decided to make the most of my chips
by playing almost every hand for the first level. The outcome
was that I still had close to my starting of 5,000. Then just
before the limits increased - a rare mistake almost cost me
a chance to win a fair size pot. Instead - I actually doubled
up. Having limped blind UTG before the cards had been dealt
- I bet the minimum 50 chips on a flop of T-T-4. The player
to my left (who had increased his stack to almost 15,000 - courtesy
of winning almost every hand), flat called. The turn came a
Jack. I looked at my hand for the first time to find 8-9 for
an open ended straight draw. I checked and our chip leader bet
400. I thought it was about time he lost a hand, and so I called.
However, by mistake, I threw into the pot a 500 chip along with
three 100 chips.
It obviously counted as a raise. How my opponent must have
loved that mistake? Holden a set of Tens, he now re-raises a
further 1600. Had I took a few seconds longer, I would have
mucked my hand. However, even I go chasing every blue moon.
I called the bet. I made the straight on the river and got called
when I moved all-in. The rare mistake was profitable this time.
A couple of hands later, I had another victim when I turned
a straight. This was unusual for me - almost at treble chips
within the first level.
What followed for the next nine hours was really unique. In
my many years of playing tournaments - I would doubt if I ever
went so long without a playable hand or situation. The funny
thing was, there was a fan on the rails that applauded when
I won a pot. He waited and waited, and waited…..still
no need for him to take his hands out of his pockets. Then suddenly…..I’m
on the big blind with Q-4. One by one….the players begin
to muck. Finally, it comes to the small blind. He pauses….he
ponders…and then mucks. Yeehaw! Finally won one! Quick
as a flash, the hands were out of those pockets and applauding
my great play. It’s good to see such skill being appreciated
by fans. Seriously though, I think the fan felt more frustration
than I did! I eventually busted out with less than ninety to
go.
The next two events on my list are the shootouts - I look forward
to these as they don’t require too much work.
Until next time - play well get lucky and remember to look
at the chip values before calling a bet!
Peter “The Poet” Costa
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