Day 1, I left Ports about 8am and arrived about 1pm jumped straight into the game cos of an epic crash on the motorway - car carrier turned over was pretty messy.
Started day 1 real slow, had the easiest table in the world with 2 old dears to my left who played in a very honest manor and some traditions on my right who didn't seem to mind open limping late position...I picked up a lot of big hands early KKx2 AQx2 and raised/3 bet them but didn't get any action, although it did mean the table started commenting on how active I was.
The starting stack was 25k and I slowly accumulated to around 30k before donking a portion into a happy Irish man on my right with a Mr Pringles Movember Tash: He had been quite loose generally but not very aggressive and he opened UTG+1 to 250 at 50 100. I had AQ suited in next position and popped it up to 650, it folded round to him and he flatted without too much thought. The flop came 955 and he check-called my small c bet, I figured him here for a hand like a small pocket pair and when the King hit the turn it I barreled and he tanked, then called....unfortunately I know I have to barrel basically any river now and once he checks the brick river (2), I barrel and he tanks then calls 9T. Bitter, image ruined.
Not too much happened after that until I got moved to the feature table.
The feature table went pretty horrible for me, the first hand I played I 3 bet a7 suited after a loose passive live reg opened utg (he did just over min 425 when BB 200 and I was pretty confident he was opening a range just to play vs the blinds because it was the 2 old dears who were epic fish) and a traditional fish peeled from mid position so I popped it up to bout 1100 thinking it would be a nice spot to get some folds pre or play a flop in position. The original raiser folded and the traditional peeled.
The flop bought KTx all of the same suit (not my suit) and he checks to me. I C bet about 1300 and he check raises...I could flat here and try something tricky but I have very little equity in the pot and the guys just a traditional fish so I think I might have a hard time making him fold whatever scrappy part of the flop he hit so I just fold.
After I made a few steals from EP with suited connectors and a few 3 bets with AQ/AJ so I figure the table is starting to think I'm getting active (when I joined the feature table I hardly played any hands) - then picked up AK suited in the small blind.
The Cut off who i think is a BRS player and a very good/situational player, min raised (so 400/425 I can't remember the exactly amount, the bb 200) and the button peeled. I rased it to bout 1600, I did a bit extra because I didn't want them both calling and I was out of postion. The BRS player flat and the other player folded and I did a standard c bet on a T43 board and he called.
The turn came a 9 and we were pretty deep so I figured I'd check raise him on the turn to put some real pressure on him (i.e. if he calls my check raise on turn he knows hes gonna have an ugly river spot where I bet massive again) seeing as I figured him for a float a lot of the time becuse I had been so active and he was good enough to recognise this, but he checked behind - which made me think he had some showdown equity with his hand like mid pair or a weak ten.
The river came a queen and I decided to barrel as I could definately have a queen in my range (although he may have expected my to barrel the turn with hands like QJ KJ KQ as I would then have 2 overs and some sort of gutshot straight draw) but bet anyway as I figured he would be able to fold out hands between 88-55 or a float/weak ten. However he raised me on the river (I think my bet was about 3500 and he did 10k) which confused me a lot as it wouldn't make much sense at all to raise the river....so I tanked for ages and toyed with the idea of reshipping as I think he may have had a hand like 22 or 55 and decided to turn it into a bluff on the river, but eventually folded as reason set in and he could have easily just had a set or top 2 (QT). Later I was told (from an observer of the feature table) that he had J8 and rivered a straight lol^ which is why nothing really made sense in the hand.
Afterwards I felt like I played the hand quite bad but I picked up AQ very shortly after and 3 bet again after an EP raise and a flat, and one of the old dears to my left instantly flat (oh boy) so she's obviously got a strong holding and this also induced some of the other players to flat resulting in a multiway pot. The flop came KQ2 with KQ of spades (I had ace of spades) and it checked to me, I put out a small bet and the old dear to my left started playing with her chips and I could feel myself looking really nervous/anxious about it lol as I know if she done anything there I'd be doomed in the hand - but then she folded and instead the next guy (the EP raiser who flat 3 bet multiway) reraised and it folded back round to me.
I had another tank and sweat about it because I couldn't figure out what hand he would have there - basically I would expect to flat almost 100% of his range of hands that would continue and the hands he might check-raise the flop with shudda probably 4 bet pre (QQ KK AK AA?), and further to that I had the ace of suit - so he could not have been doing it with a hand like AT or AJ suited....so after another tank and a review of my stack size (i had 70 bigs left after my bet) I folded and showed a bitter AQ which I felt was the best hand.
Struggling a bit I then had 2 more hands where I 3 bet preflop and the old dear on my left insta called, one with AQ and one with AK. It was quite fustrating cos I knew she was only playing her cards (i.e. had premiums) but obviously once she flats my 3 bet the rest of the world flat aswell.
Anyway the AQ hand I was c bet small on a 9 high flop - she was such a bad player I could really manipulate the pot size by changing my bet sizing on what I wanted to achieve, I didnt want to check to her much as then she might do a proper size bet so if I wanted another card I would do a tiny bet lol and set my own price...she didn't seem to notice. Once she called my tiny C bet I figured her for a pocket pair and fortunately a king came on the turn so I barreled and she folded.
The AK hand I 3 bet after some other preflop action and she insta flatted again :/ A few others peeled and the flop came KJ9. I c bet as standard and the old dear insta called, and the other 2 folded. The turn came a 9 and I bet again, but really small as I was worried she was just going to turn out JJJ but figured she basically had AK aswell or maybe QQ - but wanted to keep the pot size in check anyway as her range was really tight. She called the turn bet and the river was a Jack, so KJ99J....I done another small bet to get to showdown cheap and when she called I said we are probably splitting but the silly moo turned over KQ haa, definately bottom of her range tho! Was a bit bitter that I didn't get more value of her after seeing that but I wasn't too unhappy with how it played.
Didn't have too many hands after that and was moved off the feature table, but despite my stack being a bit vulernable I did quite a few 3 bets vs the BRS player who seemed like a very situational player like I said before and had stolen the two old dears blinds to my left almost every round, which kept me a float a little as I wasn't getting too many value hands that I could play.
I had 2 sketchy hands when my stack was at about 20 bigs:
The first one I opened 68 suited mid position with a 2.5x (bb 800 I think I did 2k)...it wasn't too worrying though because the 2 old dears to my left were just folding anything but premiums and button/sb didn't seem very interested /considered me honest I think but the big blind was very loose and peeling a lot / making some postflop plays, so I decided that I was gonna make sure I set up the betting so that I would be able to get them in first postflop lol^^
Anyway so the big blind peeled, he had me covered (I think I was about 20 bigs him 35-40 bigs) and the flop came KK7. He check and I tanked then checked behind as I definately didn't want to get check raised and stack off their + I figured he would think I could check behind a big king there. The turn was a 7 and he check again so I led a small bet, about 2k into 5k and he peeled, leaving me with bout 13k behind and 9k in the pot. The river was a brick and he checked so I just shipped and he folded lol easy game.
The second hand was QJ suited, I opened UTG+1 with a min raise and again had about 18k / 20~ bigs. I'd just lost a few hands earlier a prettty big pot for about 40k chips with AQ vs AT where I opened cut off and sb shipped for about a 30k pot but he spiked a ten which made me bitter, after I had been accumulating a stack quite nicely with some uncontested 3 bets and late position steals. Everytime I started to build a stack something seemed to happen to put me bck in my place lol:(
So JQ suited EP min raise, everyone folded except the BRS situational player in the small blind who peeled and the flop came AA5...he checked and I checked behind as I felt that he was ready to do something frisky and I wanted to make sure I was getting them in first. I don't mind c-betting either but then I would flat if he re raise and would hate for him to jam the turn. Anyway so we both checked and the turn came another 5 for AA55 with a FD although kinda irrevalant. He lead 1600 and i cliked it back to 3200 figuring that was the best way to rep the ace and left me about 13k behind and he called. The river was a brick and I was about to ship then thought for a sec that he may actually have an ace lol and had a quick look at him but he wasnt interested in the hand so I just bet 5k (and going to fold to a ship + makes it look a bit stronger I think) and he instantly folded and left the table.
So a few more steals and tidy 3 bets and I'm sitting about 35 bigs deep again - I've been pretty solid, well...only shown good hands on the table, and open with KJ suited utg....the old dear on my left (my nemesis) insta calls which is a nightmare as her range is pretty tight. One other player peels and the flop comes AJx and I do just under half the pot as a C bet as the other player is in the hand aswell, the old dear peels and the other player folds. The turn is a brick but I dont fancy letting the old dear bet behind me as I wouldn't mind trying to hit a king or jack on the turn, so I set my own price with a tiny bet (like 800 into 5k, but used a nice selection of chips, she is clueless) and she insta called again so obviously had an ace. The river was a brick and i check with the intention of folding and she checks behind with A3 suited for a scrappy top pair....A3 = wtf.
I had an epic amount of showdowns in the next few/last few hours of day 1 and I can't remember the order lol but I could never seem to get to or above 50k. The first I remember was JJ on the big blind, the old dear on my left limped utg and the button limped but sb folded (everyone else folded) I had just over 20 bigs and jacks in the big blind.
I looked at the old dear and she had an epic tell (lool) which was that she would put her hands on her chips when she was going to fold but I fancied getting a bit extra value out of my jacks and just made it 3500 (the bb was 1k I had 20k odd behind)- the old dear paniced and shipped all in for about 16k with the most nervous look on her face in the world and I reluctantly called and lost a showdown vs KQ suited (she flopped a flush bitter).
Next hand I was down to bout 4 bigs and tripled up from the SB with KK vs 88 (the 3rd player folded postflop) and then the next hand after that I reship AJ suited into AQ and hit a jack that put me just under 30k and actually in quite a lot better shape than I was before the Jacks hand.
Following that I had AQ vs AT that I lost, AJ vs 99 that I won and AK vs JJ that I lost...however at some point I was on about 35k with the blinds 1000 and I min raised opened the cut off with A9 off.
The 2 old dears/button folded and the big blind peeled...I didn't have much information on this guy he was new to the table but he had quite a big stack and was an old fella. The flop came 567 rainbow and he checked. I thought for a bit then bet 4k into a 5k odd pot, I figured this would look like an overpair that I wasn't going to fold like TT and I didn't fancy him messing about with me with a peel or check raise light etc. He called the c bet and checked a 9 on the turn...and I checked behind. The river was a brick 2 and he bet out 7.5k was bout 2/3 of the pot.
So I took a deep breathe and got ready for a tank as I always make sure I take a long time with decisions like this (if you had seen me at the feature table you'd know this as I spent the whole time tanking and apparently annoying the commentators lol) and the BRS player picked up on this and called "time" basically straight away.
I was a bit taken aback by the request by it but didn't say anything as I wanted to think about the hand, and after an epic tank I folded with a few seconds left figuring that basically he could definately have an 8 in his range or a scrappy 2 pair and that my pot bet on the flop should mean he knows I have an overpair and would have a hard time folding. + I had no information on the guy and after reviewing my stack size (I had about 30k at big blind 1k which is enough room to do some light 3 bets/c bets/floats etc. - but if I called and lost would be on 23k odd, basically 20 bigs and in re-ship mode) so decided folding was best. He showed J4 for a missed straight (board was 56792) so I was a bit bitter but not to unhappy with my decision..I figured I was only beatin a4 a5 a6 a7 (cos he did call my raise pre) but a5-a6-a7 probably check the river, but losing to a massive range of 2 pairs n straights. On another note the guy also stared at me relentlessly after betting and said that he would have let me have all the time I like to make the decision rather than calling time..but tbh I dunno how to read into those 2 tells whether that means people are bluffing or not. I think if a traditional (like VPIP 40, VPR 4) fish stares at you then usually they got the nuts lol, although I did remember Billy Chattaway saying to me one time that when your bluffing stare at the player like "I got the nuts here so fold"...but I doubt that guy was on billys level ha!
A few 3 bet resteals and I got back to bout 30 bigs, I then had aces at 1200 big blind and a traditional limped in mid position with about 10 bigs...I popped it up to 3200 and the small blind peeled and the limped peeled. The flop came KKx and the SB check, then the limper shoved so I called and the SB folded. The limper turned over KQ for trips (outplayed much?) and being bitter again I re-evualated my stack which was about 20k.
The last few hands of the day I doubled TT vs 99 (+ a little bit of dead money), then lost AK vs JJ, then won 99 vs 55 against a shorty and finished the day with just under 40k. The last few hours were pretty manic and after a chat with chipjam and the guys I came to the tourny with (Chipjam was upset he didnt fold 44 on 477xx when the guy had quads lol?? cooler much.) I hit the hay, but didnt get to sleep til about 5am...
Next day I woke up about 12 and the comp started at 1...I was still really tired though and after a shower/quick breakfast from the sainsbury bakery I turned up and the comp had already started, bitter. I went to find my table and it took a while to get my seat which was fustrating as I had 40k at 1600 so not an epic amount of time, but eventually found my table and sat down right of the dealer. I hate sitting right or left of the dealer! You cannot see players or stack sizes or even whats going on at the table really, its like your an outsider to the game. Anyway I had a quick look at my new tables stack sizes and everyone was deep nightmare, the first hand I sat down the sb raised, bb 3 bet, sb 4 bet and bb folded. There had not been much 4 betting on my previous table at all so this was not a good sign + I'd ordered a tea but it hadn't arrived, bitttttter!
Next hand I get AJ suited early position and I open for a min, the same guy who just 4 bet (an old geezer) 3 bets me and the next guy (who just 3 bet folded) 4 bet ships and I think great, not the best table. I fold and the guy calls for AK vs QQ, and the QQ held.
The very next hand the same guy who 3 bet me opens and the bb peels. The bb check raised a pretty dead flop (952 or so) and the same guy jams the flop, and the bb folds. Hating the table. 1 or 2 hands later is my big blind and I have TJ suited, the same guy opens with a min lol and I decide to peel as I really don't want to 3 bet/have him peelor 4 bet and me have to jam etc, just a mess so I peel for 1 extra big and the flop comes AQ7. I check and he checks, which was not what I was expecting and the turn brings an 8. Usually I'd lead into the 8 with the double gutshot/bellybuster (or whatever it is) straight draw but elected to check raise as I figured this guy would surely bet if check to twice...but then once he bet realised that if I check raised the stack size was kinda perfect for him to ship and I wouldn't be able to call and that was an epic fail. If I lead and he raised, then I shipped it would have a lot nicer
So I check-called and figured I bet most rivers instead, but the river came a 7 and for some reason I checked (I thought actually I'll check raise the river) but he checked behind...and I was really unhappy with how I played the hand, especially after he turned over 44 for a measly pair to win the pot.
I then got moved to a new table sat next to SNGwonder and with a stack of just under 30k at big blind 1600. Again I was sat right of the dealer which I hate as I can't see players or stack sizes or even feel that I'm part of the game lol and my tea still hasn't arrived so I'm not very settled and SNGwonder opens with a min UTG. One player peels mid position who is pretty deep and just seems like a bog standard player and I look down at TJ suited again, I figure this time I'm not gonna play it like a fish and ship my 17-18 bigs, but SNGwonder calls AQ and knocks me out.
Really disappointed with how I played day 2, my head was not in the game at all and I let factors affect my mentallity which I shouldn't have. So gutted about that, and on the way home I had a big think and discussion with my mate about how important mentallity is in poker and how I need to improve mine, sometimes you can make 1 or 2 mistakes in a tournament and you'll get lucky or they won't be significant but other times it can cost your whole tournament and it's just unacceptable. Over the next few weeks I am going to spend a lot of focus trying to improving my mentallity and ensuring that I am able to play my best poker everytime I sit down at the tables, live or online, so watch this space
Steve
Started day 1 real slow, had the easiest table in the world with 2 old dears to my left who played in a very honest manor and some traditions on my right who didn't seem to mind open limping late position...I picked up a lot of big hands early KKx2 AQx2 and raised/3 bet them but didn't get any action, although it did mean the table started commenting on how active I was.
The starting stack was 25k and I slowly accumulated to around 30k before donking a portion into a happy Irish man on my right with a Mr Pringles Movember Tash: He had been quite loose generally but not very aggressive and he opened UTG+1 to 250 at 50 100. I had AQ suited in next position and popped it up to 650, it folded round to him and he flatted without too much thought. The flop came 955 and he check-called my small c bet, I figured him here for a hand like a small pocket pair and when the King hit the turn it I barreled and he tanked, then called....unfortunately I know I have to barrel basically any river now and once he checks the brick river (2), I barrel and he tanks then calls 9T. Bitter, image ruined.
Not too much happened after that until I got moved to the feature table.
The feature table went pretty horrible for me, the first hand I played I 3 bet a7 suited after a loose passive live reg opened utg (he did just over min 425 when BB 200 and I was pretty confident he was opening a range just to play vs the blinds because it was the 2 old dears who were epic fish) and a traditional fish peeled from mid position so I popped it up to bout 1100 thinking it would be a nice spot to get some folds pre or play a flop in position. The original raiser folded and the traditional peeled.
The flop bought KTx all of the same suit (not my suit) and he checks to me. I C bet about 1300 and he check raises...I could flat here and try something tricky but I have very little equity in the pot and the guys just a traditional fish so I think I might have a hard time making him fold whatever scrappy part of the flop he hit so I just fold.
After I made a few steals from EP with suited connectors and a few 3 bets with AQ/AJ so I figure the table is starting to think I'm getting active (when I joined the feature table I hardly played any hands) - then picked up AK suited in the small blind.
The Cut off who i think is a BRS player and a very good/situational player, min raised (so 400/425 I can't remember the exactly amount, the bb 200) and the button peeled. I rased it to bout 1600, I did a bit extra because I didn't want them both calling and I was out of postion. The BRS player flat and the other player folded and I did a standard c bet on a T43 board and he called.
The turn came a 9 and we were pretty deep so I figured I'd check raise him on the turn to put some real pressure on him (i.e. if he calls my check raise on turn he knows hes gonna have an ugly river spot where I bet massive again) seeing as I figured him for a float a lot of the time becuse I had been so active and he was good enough to recognise this, but he checked behind - which made me think he had some showdown equity with his hand like mid pair or a weak ten.
The river came a queen and I decided to barrel as I could definately have a queen in my range (although he may have expected my to barrel the turn with hands like QJ KJ KQ as I would then have 2 overs and some sort of gutshot straight draw) but bet anyway as I figured he would be able to fold out hands between 88-55 or a float/weak ten. However he raised me on the river (I think my bet was about 3500 and he did 10k) which confused me a lot as it wouldn't make much sense at all to raise the river....so I tanked for ages and toyed with the idea of reshipping as I think he may have had a hand like 22 or 55 and decided to turn it into a bluff on the river, but eventually folded as reason set in and he could have easily just had a set or top 2 (QT). Later I was told (from an observer of the feature table) that he had J8 and rivered a straight lol^ which is why nothing really made sense in the hand.
Afterwards I felt like I played the hand quite bad but I picked up AQ very shortly after and 3 bet again after an EP raise and a flat, and one of the old dears to my left instantly flat (oh boy) so she's obviously got a strong holding and this also induced some of the other players to flat resulting in a multiway pot. The flop came KQ2 with KQ of spades (I had ace of spades) and it checked to me, I put out a small bet and the old dear to my left started playing with her chips and I could feel myself looking really nervous/anxious about it lol as I know if she done anything there I'd be doomed in the hand - but then she folded and instead the next guy (the EP raiser who flat 3 bet multiway) reraised and it folded back round to me.
I had another tank and sweat about it because I couldn't figure out what hand he would have there - basically I would expect to flat almost 100% of his range of hands that would continue and the hands he might check-raise the flop with shudda probably 4 bet pre (QQ KK AK AA?), and further to that I had the ace of suit - so he could not have been doing it with a hand like AT or AJ suited....so after another tank and a review of my stack size (i had 70 bigs left after my bet) I folded and showed a bitter AQ which I felt was the best hand.
Struggling a bit I then had 2 more hands where I 3 bet preflop and the old dear on my left insta called, one with AQ and one with AK. It was quite fustrating cos I knew she was only playing her cards (i.e. had premiums) but obviously once she flats my 3 bet the rest of the world flat aswell.
Anyway the AQ hand I was c bet small on a 9 high flop - she was such a bad player I could really manipulate the pot size by changing my bet sizing on what I wanted to achieve, I didnt want to check to her much as then she might do a proper size bet so if I wanted another card I would do a tiny bet lol and set my own price...she didn't seem to notice. Once she called my tiny C bet I figured her for a pocket pair and fortunately a king came on the turn so I barreled and she folded.
The AK hand I 3 bet after some other preflop action and she insta flatted again :/ A few others peeled and the flop came KJ9. I c bet as standard and the old dear insta called, and the other 2 folded. The turn came a 9 and I bet again, but really small as I was worried she was just going to turn out JJJ but figured she basically had AK aswell or maybe QQ - but wanted to keep the pot size in check anyway as her range was really tight. She called the turn bet and the river was a Jack, so KJ99J....I done another small bet to get to showdown cheap and when she called I said we are probably splitting but the silly moo turned over KQ haa, definately bottom of her range tho! Was a bit bitter that I didn't get more value of her after seeing that but I wasn't too unhappy with how it played.
Didn't have too many hands after that and was moved off the feature table, but despite my stack being a bit vulernable I did quite a few 3 bets vs the BRS player who seemed like a very situational player like I said before and had stolen the two old dears blinds to my left almost every round, which kept me a float a little as I wasn't getting too many value hands that I could play.
I had 2 sketchy hands when my stack was at about 20 bigs:
The first one I opened 68 suited mid position with a 2.5x (bb 800 I think I did 2k)...it wasn't too worrying though because the 2 old dears to my left were just folding anything but premiums and button/sb didn't seem very interested /considered me honest I think but the big blind was very loose and peeling a lot / making some postflop plays, so I decided that I was gonna make sure I set up the betting so that I would be able to get them in first postflop lol^^
Anyway so the big blind peeled, he had me covered (I think I was about 20 bigs him 35-40 bigs) and the flop came KK7. He check and I tanked then checked behind as I definately didn't want to get check raised and stack off their + I figured he would think I could check behind a big king there. The turn was a 7 and he check again so I led a small bet, about 2k into 5k and he peeled, leaving me with bout 13k behind and 9k in the pot. The river was a brick and he checked so I just shipped and he folded lol easy game.
The second hand was QJ suited, I opened UTG+1 with a min raise and again had about 18k / 20~ bigs. I'd just lost a few hands earlier a prettty big pot for about 40k chips with AQ vs AT where I opened cut off and sb shipped for about a 30k pot but he spiked a ten which made me bitter, after I had been accumulating a stack quite nicely with some uncontested 3 bets and late position steals. Everytime I started to build a stack something seemed to happen to put me bck in my place lol:(
So JQ suited EP min raise, everyone folded except the BRS situational player in the small blind who peeled and the flop came AA5...he checked and I checked behind as I felt that he was ready to do something frisky and I wanted to make sure I was getting them in first. I don't mind c-betting either but then I would flat if he re raise and would hate for him to jam the turn. Anyway so we both checked and the turn came another 5 for AA55 with a FD although kinda irrevalant. He lead 1600 and i cliked it back to 3200 figuring that was the best way to rep the ace and left me about 13k behind and he called. The river was a brick and I was about to ship then thought for a sec that he may actually have an ace lol and had a quick look at him but he wasnt interested in the hand so I just bet 5k (and going to fold to a ship + makes it look a bit stronger I think) and he instantly folded and left the table.
So a few more steals and tidy 3 bets and I'm sitting about 35 bigs deep again - I've been pretty solid, well...only shown good hands on the table, and open with KJ suited utg....the old dear on my left (my nemesis) insta calls which is a nightmare as her range is pretty tight. One other player peels and the flop comes AJx and I do just under half the pot as a C bet as the other player is in the hand aswell, the old dear peels and the other player folds. The turn is a brick but I dont fancy letting the old dear bet behind me as I wouldn't mind trying to hit a king or jack on the turn, so I set my own price with a tiny bet (like 800 into 5k, but used a nice selection of chips, she is clueless) and she insta called again so obviously had an ace. The river was a brick and i check with the intention of folding and she checks behind with A3 suited for a scrappy top pair....A3 = wtf.
I had an epic amount of showdowns in the next few/last few hours of day 1 and I can't remember the order lol but I could never seem to get to or above 50k. The first I remember was JJ on the big blind, the old dear on my left limped utg and the button limped but sb folded (everyone else folded) I had just over 20 bigs and jacks in the big blind.
I looked at the old dear and she had an epic tell (lool) which was that she would put her hands on her chips when she was going to fold but I fancied getting a bit extra value out of my jacks and just made it 3500 (the bb was 1k I had 20k odd behind)- the old dear paniced and shipped all in for about 16k with the most nervous look on her face in the world and I reluctantly called and lost a showdown vs KQ suited (she flopped a flush bitter).
Next hand I was down to bout 4 bigs and tripled up from the SB with KK vs 88 (the 3rd player folded postflop) and then the next hand after that I reship AJ suited into AQ and hit a jack that put me just under 30k and actually in quite a lot better shape than I was before the Jacks hand.
Following that I had AQ vs AT that I lost, AJ vs 99 that I won and AK vs JJ that I lost...however at some point I was on about 35k with the blinds 1000 and I min raised opened the cut off with A9 off.
The 2 old dears/button folded and the big blind peeled...I didn't have much information on this guy he was new to the table but he had quite a big stack and was an old fella. The flop came 567 rainbow and he checked. I thought for a bit then bet 4k into a 5k odd pot, I figured this would look like an overpair that I wasn't going to fold like TT and I didn't fancy him messing about with me with a peel or check raise light etc. He called the c bet and checked a 9 on the turn...and I checked behind. The river was a brick 2 and he bet out 7.5k was bout 2/3 of the pot.
So I took a deep breathe and got ready for a tank as I always make sure I take a long time with decisions like this (if you had seen me at the feature table you'd know this as I spent the whole time tanking and apparently annoying the commentators lol) and the BRS player picked up on this and called "time" basically straight away.
I was a bit taken aback by the request by it but didn't say anything as I wanted to think about the hand, and after an epic tank I folded with a few seconds left figuring that basically he could definately have an 8 in his range or a scrappy 2 pair and that my pot bet on the flop should mean he knows I have an overpair and would have a hard time folding. + I had no information on the guy and after reviewing my stack size (I had about 30k at big blind 1k which is enough room to do some light 3 bets/c bets/floats etc. - but if I called and lost would be on 23k odd, basically 20 bigs and in re-ship mode) so decided folding was best. He showed J4 for a missed straight (board was 56792) so I was a bit bitter but not to unhappy with my decision..I figured I was only beatin a4 a5 a6 a7 (cos he did call my raise pre) but a5-a6-a7 probably check the river, but losing to a massive range of 2 pairs n straights. On another note the guy also stared at me relentlessly after betting and said that he would have let me have all the time I like to make the decision rather than calling time..but tbh I dunno how to read into those 2 tells whether that means people are bluffing or not. I think if a traditional (like VPIP 40, VPR 4) fish stares at you then usually they got the nuts lol, although I did remember Billy Chattaway saying to me one time that when your bluffing stare at the player like "I got the nuts here so fold"...but I doubt that guy was on billys level ha!
A few 3 bet resteals and I got back to bout 30 bigs, I then had aces at 1200 big blind and a traditional limped in mid position with about 10 bigs...I popped it up to 3200 and the small blind peeled and the limped peeled. The flop came KKx and the SB check, then the limper shoved so I called and the SB folded. The limper turned over KQ for trips (outplayed much?) and being bitter again I re-evualated my stack which was about 20k.
The last few hands of the day I doubled TT vs 99 (+ a little bit of dead money), then lost AK vs JJ, then won 99 vs 55 against a shorty and finished the day with just under 40k. The last few hours were pretty manic and after a chat with chipjam and the guys I came to the tourny with (Chipjam was upset he didnt fold 44 on 477xx when the guy had quads lol?? cooler much.) I hit the hay, but didnt get to sleep til about 5am...
Next day I woke up about 12 and the comp started at 1...I was still really tired though and after a shower/quick breakfast from the sainsbury bakery I turned up and the comp had already started, bitter. I went to find my table and it took a while to get my seat which was fustrating as I had 40k at 1600 so not an epic amount of time, but eventually found my table and sat down right of the dealer. I hate sitting right or left of the dealer! You cannot see players or stack sizes or even whats going on at the table really, its like your an outsider to the game. Anyway I had a quick look at my new tables stack sizes and everyone was deep nightmare, the first hand I sat down the sb raised, bb 3 bet, sb 4 bet and bb folded. There had not been much 4 betting on my previous table at all so this was not a good sign + I'd ordered a tea but it hadn't arrived, bitttttter!
Next hand I get AJ suited early position and I open for a min, the same guy who just 4 bet (an old geezer) 3 bets me and the next guy (who just 3 bet folded) 4 bet ships and I think great, not the best table. I fold and the guy calls for AK vs QQ, and the QQ held.
The very next hand the same guy who 3 bet me opens and the bb peels. The bb check raised a pretty dead flop (952 or so) and the same guy jams the flop, and the bb folds. Hating the table. 1 or 2 hands later is my big blind and I have TJ suited, the same guy opens with a min lol and I decide to peel as I really don't want to 3 bet/have him peelor 4 bet and me have to jam etc, just a mess so I peel for 1 extra big and the flop comes AQ7. I check and he checks, which was not what I was expecting and the turn brings an 8. Usually I'd lead into the 8 with the double gutshot/bellybuster (or whatever it is) straight draw but elected to check raise as I figured this guy would surely bet if check to twice...but then once he bet realised that if I check raised the stack size was kinda perfect for him to ship and I wouldn't be able to call and that was an epic fail. If I lead and he raised, then I shipped it would have a lot nicer
So I check-called and figured I bet most rivers instead, but the river came a 7 and for some reason I checked (I thought actually I'll check raise the river) but he checked behind...and I was really unhappy with how I played the hand, especially after he turned over 44 for a measly pair to win the pot.
I then got moved to a new table sat next to SNGwonder and with a stack of just under 30k at big blind 1600. Again I was sat right of the dealer which I hate as I can't see players or stack sizes or even feel that I'm part of the game lol and my tea still hasn't arrived so I'm not very settled and SNGwonder opens with a min UTG. One player peels mid position who is pretty deep and just seems like a bog standard player and I look down at TJ suited again, I figure this time I'm not gonna play it like a fish and ship my 17-18 bigs, but SNGwonder calls AQ and knocks me out.
Really disappointed with how I played day 2, my head was not in the game at all and I let factors affect my mentallity which I shouldn't have. So gutted about that, and on the way home I had a big think and discussion with my mate about how important mentallity is in poker and how I need to improve mine, sometimes you can make 1 or 2 mistakes in a tournament and you'll get lucky or they won't be significant but other times it can cost your whole tournament and it's just unacceptable. Over the next few weeks I am going to spend a lot of focus trying to improving my mentallity and ensuring that I am able to play my best poker everytime I sit down at the tables, live or online, so watch this space
Steve
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