LSOP in Costa Rica

Well I just read the message board on Pegcity and noticed someone wrote that the Costa Rica tourney may be worth a post or two. Well, I would have to agree it is definately worth a post.

The tournament had just under 60 players, which was far less than was represented to me before I decided to go down, but realistically I probably would have went anyway givin the sweetheart deal offered to me. The buyin was 3k US. The field consisted of about 15 pros from a group called the 'Pic Club' or something like that, maybe 30 internet qualifiers, and a couple of randoms like myself. The tournament tournout was weak for two reasons. One, the venue was in the middle of nowhere, far removed from downtown San Jose so casual local player representation was limited. And two, they just had two major tournaments played in Costa Rica so perhaps many of the local casual players were tapped out.

The tournament structure was good. We started with 12k in chips with a long slow moving blind structure that increased once every hour - take note Club Regent. I found the field suprising weak/passive with very limited 3-betting preflop. Many of the internet qualifiers were players from DSI poker, a smaller site that has small nl games. Therefore, the tough higher limit online players were nowhere to be seen. As for the Pic Club players, obviously a couple of them are tough like TJ Cloutier, Kenna James, Kathy Liebert, Krazy Cannuck, etc... but most of them are nothing special, and some of them like Barbara Enright for example, I find are fishy. Luckily for me I didn't have to play with any of them till late in Day 1.

Day 1:

My early table draws were good, but I didn't really chip up. This one old lady kept hacking me down. She check, I bet, she call, she check, I bet, she call, and so on and so on, and everytime the cards were revealed she would win, usually tabling some ridiculas hand that beat me on the turn or river. Luckily, she was so bad and didn't bet her hands when she was strong (probably because she didn't know what she had) so I was able to fade being knocked out. By the end of level 3 I was actually down to 5k in chips, then my table broke. At my next table I went on a heater and was up to 20k in chips within 3o minutes thanks to some good situational luck and some well timed bluffs. Several hours later Mike LiSante from Winnipeg moved to my table with chips and within minutes took a ridiculas cooler. I raised utg with ak clubs, a tight player called, who has flatted me several times with big pairs, and Mike was in the big blind. The 3 of us went to the flop and it came Q83. I check cause I know that Q is likely to hit one of them. The tight guy bets after we both check and Mike check raises, I fold, and they both get it in. Mike flopped a set of 8s and the other guy had a set of queens, eww gross... so long Mike. By the end of day 1 I had 31k in chips, which was just over average with 23 guys left. The remained of the day was rather uneventful for me as I accumulated chips mostly with blind stealing or c-bets after the flop. A couple interesting hands went as follows:

First hand I opened a pot from mid position with AQ of diamonds and 5 took the flop, which was abnormal. The flop came Q42 with the 42 of spades. The big blind donk bet me for 1/2 pot and I raised as it seemed like a feeler bet with a smaller Q, then I was 3-betted by the button who was tight. I laid down even though I had quite a few chips in the middle already. I never saw his hand, but I am confident he hit a small set as we were both deep and he didn't seem like the type to gamble a Q plus flush draw type hand for a big pot. The second hand I was in the small blind with KQ, man I hate that hand, however a player raised from the cutoff for the 3rd time in a row when all folded to him. The big blind called as well and 3 of us went to the flop. The flop came K108, two diamonds. I checked, the big blind bet out 3/4 pot, and the original raiser went all in for about double the donk bet. I felt the big blind led out with some type of K or big 10 maybe, and I knew the short stacker would push with a wide range including KQ, KJ, a diamond draw, and maybe even a gutter like AQ or AJ with a diamond. I felt his push range was big enough that I would be winning well over 50% of the time so I decided to push all in to kick out the big blind. After pushing the big blind tanked for 5 minutes before finally folding, 108 as it turns out. The shortstacker had KK so I was drawing almost dead and ended up losing the pot. This hand was interesting, interesting most of all because my read of the situation was so far off. I was most suprised that the big blind would bet out with two pair givin the fact that the original raiser was short and would push with so many hands if checked to him. Plus, I am put into a squeeze and may call fairly light against the short stacker, so it is a great spot to pick up alot of chips by checking. Anyway, I guess he didn't think through the situation very well, at least in my opinion, but thank you for folding buddy or I would have been knocked out. The third hand is simple, but noteworthy, because it represents the first time in about 7 tournaments where I have been all-in in a tournament for a significant pot and won. Utg opened the pot and it was folded to me in the big blind. The hand took place shortly after the KQ so I was getting fairly short, about 12 big blinds. I looked down at AK and shoved knowing I may get called light as it was the same guy that folded the 108 to me. The guy snap called with AQ. Flop Q84, great, here we go again, the tournament curse continues, the turn came 10, river K. Bing! I couldn't believe it, I won.

Day 2

Prior to bagging my chips after day 1, I overheard the tournament director say that day 2 will start at 3:00. So, I left the poker area to go out for dinner and have a couple drinks with Myles, Jamie, and Mike and I did not return to the poker room until the next day. I casually made my way up to the poker room at about 2:50. When I walked into the room I instantly knew there was a problem because everyone was playing. A rather sick feeling went through my body and I immediately asked someone, what are they playing over there? Someone responded, oh, thats the tournament main event. Jesus! I immediately went over to the remaining two tables and asked where my seat was. The dealer said are you Joe Williams? I said ya. He said, we've been trying to get ahold of you for the last hour, the tournament started at 2:00 (The tournament director changed his mind on the start time wtf???). Good times, they had already lost 6 players and my chips were blinded off from 31k to 20k. I took it quite well and told myself, it'll just make for a good story when I win, sure....

When I sat down I took a quick look to survey situation. I had about 17 big blinds and noticed I had some tough opponents as TJ and Kenna both had at least 100k in chips and Kenna was two to my left. About 5 hands in I picked up AK of clubs. Someone I hadn't played with opened from early position and I had no read on him yet. I had enough chips to flat the hand to see the flop in position, but being one of the short stacks, and partially worked up by losing 1/3 of my chips to blinds and I decided I was going to commit to the hand so I reraised. He pondered and just called, which was rather strange considering close half my stack was in with the reraise. The flop came J93 two clubs and he checked. Well, pretty good flop I guess unless he's getting cute with aces or flopped a set of jacks, but otherwise I'm sure he'd a shoved into me on the flop with a better hand than AK (such as 1010, 88 etc... - QQ or KK obv pushes preflop). He checked I moved in and he folded, probably AQ. Shortly thereafter I picked up a few blinds and next thing you know I was close to 40k in chips, ok I'm over the late arrival thing, maybe it was a good thing allowing me to escape a draw out or cooler that would have sent me to the rail? Who knows. The rest of the play leading up to the final table was pretty standard for me. I was able to steal my share of blinds, however, at one point I got a little too active and Kenna started three betting me, so I tightened up a bit and he backed off. Our table had the majority of the short stacks trying to rock there way into the cash so I even go a few walks. The hand before the final table I picked up JJ and a short stacker jammed with A8 and I won. Wow, two preflop allins that held up in two days, amazing. One interesting hand prior to final table discussion involved TJ getting bounced. TJ raised from mid position and Kenna called from the small blind. 3 went to a flop Q1010 two clubs and Kenna led out for pot size. TJ called and the turn was an A. Kenna checked TJ bet big, close to pot, Kenna check raised allin and TJ called. TJ had KJ for straight and Kenna had 107. River was 7 and TJ steamed off complaining that his bad luck never ends. In fairness, I have seen him take some dirty ones in late stages of tournaments more than once. After that hand, Kenna had at least 1/3 of the chips in play.

Final Table

The tournament paid only 9 so I knew the play would be tight until someone got knocked out. There were 2 real small stacks. I was part of the 4 small/medium stacks. Kenna had a huge stack and Humberto Brennes had the dominent second biggest stack. Anyway, about 8 hands in this tight player raised in early position. I was in the big blind and looked down at what Mike Sexton calls 'the weapons of mass destruction'. Sweet, first time all tournament actually. I knew the kid had a real small range raising from early position on the bubble. I also knew he would fold everything but kk to a reraise so I decided to flat call. The flop came 652 with 2 diamonds. I checked he bet I raised allin, which was about standard givin my chip stack. I figured he would call with 1010 and up, especially with the flush draw out there. He called and showed KK, dirty. I faded the K on both the turn and river and all of a sudden I had a chance to win, moving into second in chips. After that hand we were in the money and both short stackers started pushing. I didn't pick up much for 1/2 hour so I just sat back until the short stackers were gone and we were down to 6. During this time, Kenna got rivered on a huge pot that would have givin him 75% of the chips in play. Allin on a A73 flop, Kenna had 77 against his opponents AK with K of hearts, river heart.

Once down to 6 players I started to shift gears and opened about every 3rd pot, mostly with junk. All of a sudden I picked up KK and I raised for 3rd time in a row. Kathy Liebert immediately moved all in and I called, she showed AQ. Givin she was getting short that was pretty standard and I won. Next, I chipped down Kenna, then knocked him out. On the first hand, I limped in with AQ from the small blind after the action folded to me. He raised, I reraised, and he shoved. After my reraise I had 50% of my chips in and was not going to fold. He tabled A10 and I doubled up becoming chip leader. He said he thought I was making a move. The second hand played out the same. Everyone folded to me in the small blind and I had AQs. I raised this time and he reraise, I shoved he tanked and called with 88. I flopped the ace and it held, man its nice to run good. At this point I had 1/2 the chips in play. Soon after, two more guys were bounced and I was heads up with Humberto with a 2 to 1 chip count.

Heads Up

About 10 hands in I doubled up Humberto. On a limped pot I had 53 in the big blind. The flop came J52 with two spades. I checked he bet I called. The turn came a 3 I checked and he bet strong, about pot size. Givin the size of the pot, his chip count, and the vulnerability of my hand I check raised him all in thinking I probably had the best. He snap called and showed A4. After that hand he were about even in chips and it stayed that way for about 1/2 hour. Humberto did a lot of limping, sometimes with big hands looking for a raise preflop. I respected the fact he sometimes limped with big hands so I rarely raised from the big blind. Also, I felt I had an edge on him on flop play. He is obviously a very good tournament player, but his tournament skills lie more in his preflop decision making than crafty postflop play, especially in heads up situations. During the early part of the heads up match he was clearly catching better cards and outflopping me and he eventually took the chip lead. Two key hands came about before finally making a deal. The first hand, he limped and I raised with QJs. The flop came KQ9 and I lead out and he made a big push allin. I really felt he had KJ, K10, or maybe Q9 and after doing the math and factoring in I had an advantage playing small pots I decided to fold leaving myself with about 1/4 of the chips. About 10 hands later and being chiped down a bit he open shoved for about 15 big blinds. In previous situations, he would raise about 2 3/4 the big blind with big hands and I felt that he was pushing with a weaker type hand such as two pictures or a weak ace. I decided to make a stand with A7 and he tabled A5. Somehow we didn't have a chopping board and I doubled up. After the hand, we became almost even in chips and he asked me if I would want to give second place 40k, taking 7.5k off of first. I agreed and we continued to play for the title and a 10k differential. Our battle continued and last about 2.5 hours before I eventually won. A few key hands go as follows:

Hand 1: I had A5 of spades he raised I called. The flop came Q109 rainbow I check he checked. The turn was a 7 bringing in a diamond draw. I led out for 2/3 pot knowing he would not check a big hand on the flop giving the texture of the board, he called. River blanked and I bet 100k, a big bet, close to 3/4 pot and he eventually folded. I put him on a hand like K10 at best and figured he would noot take the river heat.

Hand 2: On a limped pot I had K10 and the flop came Q63 rainbow, I checked he bet I raised he folded. Up to this point I had check raised him with air on about 4 pots never showing. Normally I would never show, but he continued to play very catious and I was starting to tire so when he asked me what I had I turned over my hand and he got upset. After this hand, he started to push harder creating an opportunity for me to finish him if I picked up a big hand.

Hand 3: I had chipped up and had Humberto down to less than 1/3 of the chips. After losing a pot at showdown, he open shoved for 13 big blinds and I looked down at AQ and quickly called. He showed K3 and turned a K to double up.

Hand 4: On a limped pot with Q9 I flopped quads. I checked he checked. The turn came 7 and I led out and he raised pretty big. I decided to flat trying to represent a 7 and knowing he would fold to a reraise no matter what. River blanked I checked hoping he would bet if he had nothing. He thought for a minute, shrugged and said check. I showed my hand and he chuckled, i'm pretty sure he had nothing. I find those kind of hands hard to play. How can you get more chips here?

Hand 5: I raised the button for the 3rd time in a row. Humberto was getting pretty low, about 14 big blinds, as the blinds were starting to get fairly big, and he shoved. I had AQ and quickly called, he showed A6 and I won. Good game, good times, i'm starting to really like AQ.

I had several partners/horses for this tournament so I didn't make that much money when the smoke cleared, but I will say it was a real sweet victory. I have had some real bad luck in big tournaments over the last couple years and to win won, albeit not a huge tournament, is great for my confidence. Hopefully, this win will jump start a spectacular 2009 tournament run. Also, some of my poker collegues can't bug me as much anymore for being 'a tournament hacker'. I don't blame them, up to this point I had never cashed over 15k in a live tournament in my life.

Anyway, in vegas right now till Friday then home where I will hang out through to the end of the holidays. Kathy, Braeden, and I will likely go on a vacation early January (hopefully Bahamas if I can qualify) then probably off to the states for more poker action late January. I will update if anything exciting happens.

Later,

Peek n Valleys

Its a boring Monday night. I just got back from the Harvest Poker Classic in Regina and poker is on my mind. I am sooo lazy when it comes to the blog and for that I apologize, that is if anyone reads it.

The last couple months have been a struggle. I continued having great success online on Cake for the remainder of August (as I continued to run/play well, wish I could run well more often). Unfortunately, the doomdsday switch was once again issued upon me in September. It didn't help that I increased limits to compensate for the losses, looking for the quick score to get even (one day I will learn that this is not a wise strategy). In the end, I had a 50k downswing in September, significantly denting my summer profit.

In October, I dropped limits and hours logged considerably online. Due to the downturn it was hard to motivate myself to play. I did go to Niagara Falls with Trav, where I continued to run bad, and towards the end of the trip probably played bad. Luckily the players were soft so I was able to book a small win of 8k when the smoke cleared. I stuck mostly to the 10/25 games as the 25/50 had tougher players and I was not hitting.

October also marked the beginning and probably the end of the high stake home games. Since coming home Trav has organized several home games with blinds 5/10, however, the game turns out playing like a 10/20nl, mabye higher. I have run rather poor in these games as well, usually missing every board until I hit a solid second best hand, your welcome Rosie for the 17k cooler... Anyway, regardless of my luck, I will say I did not play my best poker.

Screw the game anyway it sucks and probably won't last much longer. With most of the 'weaker' players unwilling to show up anymore the game consists of Travis, Zenni, Myles, Rosie, and 1 or 2 tight/solid shortstackers. I think I could find a better game in Bobby's room. These guys are good! I have seen some pretty creative stuff from each of them and think it has helped me look at some situations in a different light. Obviously, Trav and Myles are successful players that have been for awhile, but I would like to give special praise to Zenni or 'Little Ivey' as we like to call him. This kid has only been playin for a couple years, with maybe 9 months of higher stake games under his belt and the truth is he may be the most dangerous player of em all. He has a great approach to the game with the right demeaner, he mixes it up alot, reads well, and he is certainly not scared to play a big pot. I have had the chance to play and chat with him lots as of late, in games in and out of town, and I really quite like him. I won't be suprised to see him achieve great successes in poker.

After Niagara, I took the better part of 2 weeks off so I could recharge and clear my head before heading down to Regina for the Harvest Classic. I knew I was starting to play bad and I just needed a break to get back on track. Its funny, during those almost 2 weeks I had a hard time staying away, like a crack addict without his crack.... I have a gambling problem, oh well.

Regina has always been my favorite venue for poker because of its proximity to Winnipeg and the volume of peggers that show up every year to play a little poker and drink alot of booze. I have been going down for 9 years now, usually once a year, and still have yet to win a tournament. In fact, I think I've only had 2 final tables. This year turned out to be no different and the results were as follows:

-I got cut up by a bunch of butchers in the omaha h/l and finished mid pack. I never had chips cause I kept getting rivered. I played with close to 20 different people and the truth is not one knew the game well;
-I finished just passed mid pack in 100 rebuy. I never had big chips as everytime I won a pot I would be chopped down by a dirty setup;
-I finished 19 out of 365 a good but frustrating finish. I ran 2/8 in showdowns were I was either dominating or flipping, including the hand that killed me where I had AK run into J10 all in preflop for serious chips to give me a shot.
-I finished 34 out of 220 in main event, 11 out of the cash. This one was really upsetting because I had massive chips early and into the later stages of the tourney. Again, could not win a showdown, going probably 2/7 in key hands where I was favored over shortstack preflop jams, sometimes heavily favored. Also, it didn't make it any easier when I was moved to the toughest Regina table I've ever had with 50 players to go. Oh well, at least my buddy Chris took the tournament down, I'm happy for him.

-Made some in the cash games though so the trip was positive 3.5k after expenses.

Its back to back trips this go around. I returned last night from Regina and am off to Costa Rica on Wed morning with Myles for a tournament. Our friend Jamie Harvey provided an offer we couldn't refuse, which included an all expenses paid trip and entry into the tournament, where I play and split any profit 3 ways. The offer was too good to pass up so no BC Open this year. Hopefully it will be a worthwhile trip.

Getting tired so I'm off. Will try to update after Costa Rica, maybe to describe how I faded a 5 outer to win a tournament for once, who knows, time will tell. Cheers...