There are always choices & different paths to reach a final destination or end result. Did I make the right choice? Was I efficient? Could I have make it to the end faster? These are questions that I ask myself daily in life & in poker. You can't be in the game if you're out but you can't be out if you were never in. The past year has provided me much experience/resolve for my overall poker game. Playing in free-rolls, Invitationals based upon hourly play & playing more mixed-game/none Hold'em cash games has enabled me to stay in the game of poker & utilize one of my greatest skills: minimizing my risk & pushing the edge.
I have played Hold'em at The Mirage in Las Vegas to qualify for each of the last four 50K Quarterlys. Play at least
25 hours of cash games every 3 months & you qualify for a tournament that pays out 50K in money. Qualify for all 4 quarters & be invited to the Yearly for another 50K tourney. Playing mostly 3/6 & 4/8 Limit; I am substantially ahead for the year at The Mirage on cash game play. Each Mirage 50K Quarterly, I have finished 21-25th & not made it to the next pay jump.
The first few hours of play, my chip-stack sinks to 7k from 10k. I'm seated at an uber aggressive table. My chips maybe fewer but I'm starting to read/analyze what hands players raise with & their bet sizes. Mr 3-6 offsuit (a player I play with frequently in Vegas) is seated to my left. I'm able to pick up a few pots on the flop & grow my stack to 14k. Mr 3-6 has raised preflop a few times & I have checked-raised the flop to win a few mid-sized pots without revealing my cards. One player (not Mr. 3-6) has noticed this & I have set the trap with AQ suited in mid position. Blinds 600/1,200/100ante. I call & the button goes all-in for 22k. It is folded & I look at my cards to make sure it indeed is AQ suited, I insta-call & the button is flabberghasted; turns over A9x. I win the pot & chip up to 30k.
A few hours later; I have scratched & clawed my way to inside 25 players. Not a single pocket pair higher than 8s dealt to me; being in the blind 2xs after a break (1.5k/3k level); then moved to another table & put in the new blind position based on my mis-position and still I stand from a field of 164. Blinds 2k/4k/400antes; I have A5 suited in the Big Blind & UTG (250k in chips) raises to 10k. Folded to me, I go all in for my last 12k+plus the 10k raise & UTG reveals pocket 3s. Poof , I'm out in 22nd so close to finishing inside 20 & advancing to the finals & next payjump. I spoke with a few players about what they would have done in my position. Some say All-In, Some say flat call & All-In on the flop. In this case, it would not have mattered since a 3 hit on the flop Each quarter I make a deep run but not deep enough; there lies the 50K conundrum. I do plan on solving the conundrum for the December Yearly Invite. This one of the few No-Limit Hold'em Tournaments I play in & I plan on doing well!
A 50K conundrum for now but not long!
My daily musings on Twitter: CheweyLam
i dont see how anyone can claim to be ahead playing $3-6 and $4-8 fixed limit, the rake and the jackpot drop is unbeatable in those games, its way too high.
ReplyDeleteP.s My blog has more readers and views. also if u are NOT using google adsense, what advertising revenue lead generator do u use? i got banned at google adsense
Tony, just noticed your comment! I'm not really worried about numbers & this is not the only site my blog appears but I do hope you run well! I don't always play in the same spots & very selective of when/where I play. Use Rakuten/Linkshare for your ads. I stayed ahead by being disciplined & doing decent in the FR tourneys. Playing alot less Hold'em now lots of Omaha8 now days. Stay away from the VBJ & vices when u r tired, it's killing u!
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