Play a Tournament With Me - Part II

In my last column, I left off as we hit the first limit increase in the Professional Poker Tour event at Commerce Casino; 181 players started the event and 12 of them were eliminated in round one. My starting stack had increased from $10,000 to $10,800. In this column, I continue to chronicle the hands I played, with my thoughts about them in parentheses.

The blinds were $50-$100. Every other hand, it seemed like someone in the tournament went all in. When someone was all in, the dealer waved the all-in flag and the camera crew came running to film the all-in action. If someone was eliminated, an exit interview followed. This was rather funny sometimes, as you can imagine some of the answers to the question, "So, how are you feeling right now?" when the player had just suffered a bad beat and wasn't in the best of moods.

Two rounds went by before I found a playable hand. I limped in with K-J after two other players had limped. The flop came 10-10-9 and we all checked to the button (Bobby Hoff), who bet $500. Everyone folded to me and I considered making a check-raise play, but was glad I decided against it when Hoff showed a 10 as he dragged in the pot.

In the big blind, I was dealt A-K. The first six players folded. (I hope the button will try to steal.) Marsha Waggoner raised to $300 from the small blind and I reraised to $800. Marsha folded.

In middle position, I raised to $800 with 8-8. I was happy to see J-8-3 on the flop, but by the time the hand was over, I had lost $3,200 to a flush. The next hand, I was dealt 10-10 and raised to $800 after one player had limped. Everyone folded, including the limper.

On the button, I raised to $600 with K-Q. Peter Costa called quickly and bet out when the flop came A-9-4. I folded. I was down to about $8,000 in chips. Prahlad Friedman came over and took the empty seat at my table. At about this time, I realized that I had lost my focus and was so busy looking around the room at all the all-in excitement, cameras, spectators, and so on that I wasn't paying attention to the game. (All right, it is time to get serious again.)

In middle position, I open-raised to $600 with 10-9 suited and won the blinds. On the button, I decided to see the flop with Q-6 suited after three players had limped. I totally missed the flop and folded to a bet. (That was the last hand of that limit, and I hoped to see a cheap flop and perhaps win a nice pot if I hit something.)

The blinds increased to $100-$200; 16 players had been eliminated. My chip count was $8,025. I was paying attention to everything happening at our table. Friedman was raising lots of pots preflop. In the big blind, I picked up K-J and Friedman raised to $800. Marsha Waggoner called and I no longer wanted any part of it. I folded. In the small blind, I was dealt A-8 suited. Again, Friedman raised to $800 and another player came over the top for $2,000, and I folded. (I would have liked to see the flops with those blind hands, but not for raises, overcalls, and reraises. It turns out that I would have completely missed both flops, not that that means anything. The folds were correct, regardless of what came on the flops.)

In the small blind, I was dealt K-8 offsuit. Kristy Gazes limped, everyone else folded, and I called $100 more. The flop came K-7-3. I checked, Peter checked, and Gazes bet $600. I raised to $2,000 and my opponents folded. I was back to about $8,000.

My hands were unplayable the next round. In the big blind, I was dealt 8-7. Peter Costa and Billy Baxter had limped in. The flop came 9-8-5. I checked, Costa bet $300, Baxter called, and I called. The turn card was another 9. I checked, Costa bet $300 again, Baxter called, and I check-raised to $1,300. (I think I might have the best hand. It looks like a defensive bet on Costa's part, and Baxter probably doesn't have much, since he didn't raise. They could have straight draws, and if so, probably will not call for $1,000 more.) Costa called and Baxter folded. (Peter must have me beat. I don't think he would have called with a draw. I need to catch a 6 or an 8 on the river.) The last card was a 4. We both checked and Costa turned up Q-Q. (Nice play, Peter. By limping from under the gun with Q-Q, you ended up winning an extra $1,600 from me that you would not have gotten if you had raised preflop.)

The limits increased to $100-$200 with a $25 ante. My chip count was about $6,000. Several hands into the round, I was dealt a pair of red kings. I raised to $600 from middle position and was called by the small blind (Bobby Hoff). The flop came 9-6-5, all hearts. Hoff bet $2,000 and I moved all in. Hoff quickly called and turned up the 8 7. He had flopped a straight. No heart came, and I was out of the tournament in 134th place. (I can't wait for the next PPT event!)

Now, let's play poker!

To read Part I of this series, go to www.cardplayer.com. Linda is available to host poker seminars and events. You can contact her at www.cardplayercruises.com.