Life with suckouts

I played at my monthly poker tournament last night. The Dead Money Poker Tour plays roughly 12 times a year. At the end, there’s a tournament of champions. Last year, I was third in points, which gave me free entry into the $100 buy in.

This year, starting in February, I have made many early exits. In some cases, it was a bad read on my part, others due to suckouts.

Last month, I made it just before the final table. When I went out, the final table was seated. I had been card dead and trying to make a play. As usual, I had bad timing and went out.

So, this month, I decided I was going to be quite a bit tighter. With the exception of a couple hands, I was pretty tight for the first 4 hours. I did have a couple drawing hands that I played. And, without exception, my draw missed. In one case, I was drawing to the flush and he made it very expensive to see the river.

While we dwindled to the remaining 13-14 players, I started getting cards. The blinds were getting large and antes were 100 chips. I started getting some pairs and was able to take down some pots. Before this, I had been down to 6000 chips (we start at 11000). As we entered the final table, I had grown to 20K chips.

This tournament also has a bounty structure. For each person you knock out, you get their necklace. When you are eliminated, you turn in your won necklaces and get paid the bounty for each one. When I entered the final table I had a single necklace, mine.

So, at the final table, the last 10 sit. I draw high card, so I choose my position. I then deal out for dealer. I am in late position, which is good as my chip stack could be bigger.

I make a couple stabs at the pot and take them down. I then pick up AJ. I am in middle position. Everyone folds. I bet. The big blind decides to reraise me. Considering his stack is not much more than my bet, I call. He flips over A7. I tell him, “I can beat that.” I do. I have now taken down my first player and collected a necklace.

A couple hands later, I pick up KQ. I bet 6000. I get reraised 6300. The pot has over 20K chips. He flips over AA. I tell him that I will beat him. The king comes out in the first three cards. The queen was card number four. All I need is to avoid pairing the board or an Ace. And with the last card, I collect another bracelet.

I end up busting two more people using the turn or river. In one case, I call an all in with Q6 of clubs. I catch the straight on the river. On the other, I put a player nearly all in on the flop. I have 10 7, in the big blind. I simply check. The flop is 3 6 7. I bet my top pair, he reraises me by saying, “All in”. I quickly call. He turns over 67, for two pair. I catch my 10 on the turn and he is gone.

For some reason, I cannot remember the other player I knocked out.

When we are heads up, I play a little sloppy. The cards aren’t hitting, so I try to make some plays. I end up in a final hand with K8. After pairing my king, I bet. He calls. The board has three hearts, and with the turn, now four. I go all in. He had the queen of hearts, giving him a better flush than my 8. I lose the hand, going out second.

Strange, putting all my money in on the bad end and winning anyway. It rarely happens for me.