Final Table Takedown: Katie Lindsay Captures First WSOP Circuit Ring

Katie Lindsay has found plenty of success in the poker world, both on and off the felt. As poker exploded in popularity during the boom years, the Florida native started her own management agency, representing a number of top poker pros and getting them signed to seven-figure sponsorship deals.

Among her roster of players was top-ranked online poker star Chris Moorman, and a romance soon blossomed. In July of 2015, the two were married. Last year, the poker power couple became the first husband and wife team to represent an online poker platform, signing on as ambassadors for Americas Cardroom.

As a player, Lindsay has proven that she can more than hold her own both live and online. She has wins at the Venetian DeepStack Extravaganza series and the Wynn Fall Classic. Lindsay had a chance to score her first WSOP Circuit ring back in January of 2021, only to find herself heads up against her husband for the title. Chris would go on to win that one, but Lindsay was ultimately able to score a ring of her own this August, taking down an online WSOP Circuit event.

Last year, Lindsay finished third in the GPI Ladies POY rankings, and after getting to the no. 1 ranking, she has a personal goal to end 2022 at the top of the leaderboard. She now has more than $650,000 in live tournament earnings to go along with $2.3 million won online.

Card Player recently caught up with Lindsay to break down some hands from her online WSOPC win that show how aggression can pay off deep in poker tournaments.

Craig Tapscott: Can you please set up what had happened prior to this first hand that we’re going to look at?

Katie Lindsay: I had a couple of standard double ups near the bubble and with some newfound chips I was now putting a lot of pressure on my opponents. I always try to chip up near the bubble as a lot of people play way too passively. I definitely try to use that to my advantage.

Stacks: Katie Lindsay – 120,616 (24 BB) Villain – 147,190 (30 BB)
Blinds: 2,500 – 5,000 Ante: 500
Players: 8
Players Remaining: 55
Note: Only 48 players cash

Lindsay shoved all-in holding 4 4 from the cutoff. Everyone folded and Lindsay won the pot of 11,500.

KL: I shoved 24 big blinds with 4-4 in the cutoff into two shorter stacks and only a big blind who covers me with 30 big blinds on the bubble.

CT: Is that the best play rather than min-raising or making it 2.5x the big blind?

KL: If I had just raised, the big blind could pressure me by shoving and make me fold. But if I shove, I can get him to fold hands [as strong as] A-9. I want to keep chipping up and give myself the best chance to win, so you can’t be scared to put your chips to use on the bubble. 

CT: What range of hands would you shove from the cutoff and the button with 24 big blinds? All pairs? A-10+? And I am sure you take into consideration the type of opponents you’re up against and their stack sizes.

KL: I would shove high equity hands that I don’t want to raise-fold on the bubble. A hand like K Q is a good candidate because if I get shoved on by a hand like A-5, it would be a disaster to call off given the ICM of the bubble. But you still have enough equity shoving when called by hands like 9-9, 10-10, J-J, or A-J.

Stacks: Katie Lindsay – 551,320 (9 BB) Villain – 611,785 (10 BB)
Blinds: 30,000 – 60,000 Ante: 6,000
Players Remaining: 7

KL: The big turning point of the tournament for me was at the final table. I now had nine big blinds in the hijack.

Villain shoved A J in the lojack. Lindsay called from the hijack holding Q Q.

Board: K 10 6 2 2 (pot: 1,234,640)

Lindsay wins the pot.

KL: Now I had 21 big blinds and I was second in chips. 

Stacks: Katie Lindsay – 1,246,640 (21 BB) Ryan DePaulo – 1,078,973 (18 BB)
Blinds: 30,000 – 60,000 Ante: 6,000
Players Remaining: 6

CT: Stacks are usually pretty shallow at this point in a turbo. What were you up against in regard to stack sizes versus your opponents?

KL: The stacks were as follows: 29 big blinds, 21 big blinds (my stack), 18 big blinds (Ryan DePaulo), 12 big blinds, 10 big blinds, and 4 big blinds.

Lindsay shoved from the small blind holding K 9.

KL: I shoved the small blind into Ryan’s big blind, whom I cover. Of course, you are praying he doesn’t wake up with a good hand there, but it’s good to keep the pressure on [one of the middle stacks] and not let him get to play his position on me. 

DePaulo folded, and Lindsay won the pot.

KL: I continued to chip up and at this point had the chip lead. 

Stacks: Katie Lindsay – 1,832,714 (31 BB) Villain – 687,851 (11 BB)
Blinds: 30,000 – 60,000 Ante: 6,000
Players Remaining: 5

KL: The hijack had 10 big blinds. I was in the cutoff with 31 big blinds. Ryan had 14 bigs on the button, there was 27 big blinds in the small blind, and 11 big blinds for the big blind.

Lindsay shoved A 8 from the cutoff. Action folded around, and Lindsay won the pot.

CT: That hand can be a bit vulnerable, but probably ahead of most. What were your thoughts in that spot?

KL: I decided to just shove A-8 in the cutoff into the 11-big blind stack again. I didn’t want to allow Ryan or the small blind to re-shove on my open with worse hands that would get me to fold. Instead, I’m putting their tournament lives on the line and they are handcuffed to calling off with marginal hands given ICM with two guys having shorter stacks than them. 

Stacks: Katie Lindsay – 3,280,000 (41 BB) Ryan DePaulo – 1,280,000 (16 BB)
Blinds: 40,000 – 80,000 Ante: 8,000
Players Remaining: 3

KL: I had just busted the player in fourth place and now had a really good lead. I had 41 big blinds, 16 big blinds for Ryan, and 14 big blinds for the last villain.
 
DePaulo shoved 3 3 from the button, and Lindsay called from the big blind holding A K.

CT: You had a huge hand.

KL: I know. But sadly, I didn’t hit. I dropped to second in chips. You always have to remember that tournaments are never completely smooth sailing. While it’s frustrating at times, you have to stay centered and continue playing your game. 

CT: Please share your thoughts regarding ICM (Independent Chip Model) strategies in turbos at the final table?

KL: The average stack is shallow, so it’s important to win pots uncontested by shoving and re-jamming on people. You don’t want to defend the big blind as much, as every chip is valuable. High cards go up in value and suited connectors go down in value.

For example, it’s better to raise A-3 than 7-6 suited as you block their jamming hands. You are going to get folds more often when you raise. Often there will be a really short stack (2-3 big blinds). When that is the case, you can raise close to 100 percent of hands with a big stack as everyone is handcuffed waiting for the short stack to bust.

Stacks: Katie Lindsay – 2,600,000 (26 BB) Ryan DePaulo – 3,100,000 (31 BB)
Blinds: 50,000 – 100,000 Ante: 10,000
Players Remaining: 2

KL: I busted the other player and it left Ryan and myself heads-up. I lost a couple of small pots including one where Ryan had two pair and I bricked a gutshot. The blinds had just gone up as well.

DePaulo completed the button. Lindsay checked the option in the big blind holding 6 2.

Flop: A 3 2 (pot: 220,000)

Lindsay checked, and DePaulo bet 100,000. Lindsay check-raised to 400,000, and DePaulo moved all-in. Lindsay called with bottom pair and a flush draw, while DePaulo revealed A 8.

Turn: 4

River: 4 (pot: 5,200,000)

Lindsay won the pot.

KL: Ryan was left with just five big blinds. Crazy enough, the next hand I looked down at K-K. I completed the small blind and he shoved. I snapped, obviously thrilled. He somehow had A-A!

It wasn’t to be for Ryan though as a king came right on the flop. I finally won my first WSOP Circuit ring. 

CT: Congratulations on your first ring! Let’s delve a little deeper into overall basic turbo strategy. Some players think it’s simply a shove-fest. Share your thoughts on preflop strategies overall during different stages of the tournament.

KL: In late position you can three-bet quite a bit when your opponents are forced into either shoving or folding with their stacks. You can identify the players that will fold to three-bets and who will call with any of their raising hands and approach each of those players differently. It’s vital to keep trying to continue chipping up and also keeping your stack above a shove-fold stack.

CT: You were hyper aware of stack sizes of yourself and your opponent’s styles in the hands you shared. Please go into some detail the strategy of stack sizes at the final table.

KL: I like to play poker, meaning I like to play a lot of hands. I wasn’t really able to at the final table until I had the big double with Q-Q. I was too short to be able to do anything, so I really had to be patient and wait for a hand. Once I did chip up, I made sure to use that to my advantage and put pressure on the other players.

It’s important to be aware of stack sizes if you open a hand. An example would be if someone has seven big blinds and they shove on your open, you will have to call off. You need to be putting the most pressure on the middle-of-the-pack stacks, because they want to ladder up and are trying to outlast the short stacks. They usually won’t re-shove as light as they would in the middle stages of a tournament.

You can follow Katie Lindsay on Twitter and Instagram @katelinds or @katelindsss. ♠