£14,000 GTD at Four Corners Poker

Game 35 consisted of 3 opportunities to get through to day 2. Day 1 on Friday, a day 1 on Saturday and a turbo early Sunday which then culminated in the final round Sunday afternoon. First chance was on Friday in which I had already managed to bag a free entry into due to winning an all in or fold on the Wednesday night prior. I managed to last until the final couple of levels but eventually went out. Didn’t play all that well. Saturday was chance two, this time I managed to build up quite a significant amount of chips but after a few bad beats coupled with my inability to control my emotions fully, ultimately resulted in my exit from the tournament. Chance 3 was the turbo beginning at 1pm on the Sunday. On Friday and Saturday levels where 30 minutes long, this time it would be reduced to 15 minute levels. After 3 hours play I managed to make it through to day 2 of the tournament which was scheduled for 5pm on the same day.

I begin day 2 with 27bb, a nice but not too comfortable amount of chips. Levels had reverted back to 30 minutes in duration which gave players more time to pick which hands to play and how to play them. We begin day 2 with 49 players on 6 tables. I never played many significant hands until we where down to 4 tables when things started to get interesting. I was placed on a table which mainly consisted of regulars so I had a good idea how some of them played.

The most notable hands I can remember are picking up AQ off suit UTG and raised to 2.5x BB. Villain 2 seats to my left pushed all in and I decided to fold when it came back to me. I’ve found in these positions AQ doesn’t necessarily play that well, seen as I am dominated by AK and behind to all pairs. Even though villain admitted he had AJ and I had him dominated I was still happy with the lay down. One thing to note is that a couple times prior to this particular villain raising all in was I had raised him pre-flop a couple times and took chips from his stack with little resistance, so when he eventually pushed it was in my mind he was doing it light; kind of a “fuck you” push but I still feel the fold was correct. Another hand which stands out on this table was when I raised +1 UTG with AJo and called an all in from the BB with only 10BB in his stack. Usually I wouldn’t of made this type of call but the villain in this scenario had been pushing light, had recently got lucky with an all in with 95o and I decided to make the call. Unfortunately on this occasion he has AA which well and truly has me fucked so he manages to hold and double up through me.

Eventually we make it down to two tables, with 19 paid we had also made the money. Places 19-14 where to receive £200, 13-9 got £250, 8th got £350, 7th £500, 6th £700, 5th £900, 4th £1200, 3rd £1800, 2nd £2700 and 1st £4100. As you can see the lions share of the money on offer in tournaments is usually located in the top 3 positions. This as you will read, came into my thinking a lot during future decision making. After getting down to the final 12 players I was moved to a different table, after being so comfortable on the previous table with the regulars I knew so well, it was time to be a bit more uncomfortable. Managed to win a massive hand after not too long on the new table, had 74o in the big blind and doubled through the aggressive chip leader in the small blind on a board of 724QJ. Small blind had put me all in on flop and I managed to hold on and double up through his 79o. I’ve played with this guy a few times and he is really aggressive, also a good player but leaves himself open to be exploited a lot and trapped in awkward situations where better players would manage to get themselves out of it.

There was one more really memorable hand from this table, I raise UTG with AKo and big blind pushes all in for 85-90% of my stack. To me it was quite an easy fold, the guy pushing wether he knew it or not had plenty of chips to play with and with so many smaller stacks still left in the tournament it was a massive risk on his behalf. All this information led me to believe he obviously had a strong hand and a lot better than the KQs he eventually showed. I didn’t call because at the end of the day AK is still only ace high and I’m behind to any pair. I decided to conserve my stack and continue to pick up pots with less risk involved.

Soon enough we made it down to 9 players and onto the final table, I was 3rd or 4th in chips and in a good position to make a run for the win. After the aggressive chip leader was took out by the guy to my left with K10o v AQo, the guy to my left was now the new chip leader. This does has a significant effect on the amount of play I could now get involved in as with him there I’m always at risk of being put all in and going out in one of the smaller payouts. I do manage to get a double up after not too long off one of the players with a similar stack to myself. I call from the hijack with KQo, the small blind completes the bet and the big blind checks for us to see a flop. Flop comes K3A and after the SB and BB both check I put out a small bet which the SB calls and the BB folds. Turn comes a Q, giving me 2 pair and I believe the strongest hand. SB decides to check again and I decide to bet a 1/4 of pot. SB then decides to push all in which I quickly call as the only hand I am really worried about is J10. Shows A4 and I hold out on the river to win a really big pot. I’m now second in chips and in a great position to win the tournament.

Soon enough the most significant hand of this tournament and probably of my live poker career so far soon arrived. We were down to 6 players, I raise from +1 UTG with QQ and I’m immediately raised all in from the chip leader one to my left. Everybody else folds and it’s down to me to make a decision. Now QQ is the 3rd best starting hand you can have in Texas hold em, although to AK I’m essentially 50/50 and to AA and KK I’m dominated 80/20. Don’t get me wrong the chip leader can make this move with maybe AQs and definitely with JJ, 1010 maybe even 99. The main significance in this situation was the payouts, if I go out at this stage I’m essentially throwing away 2nd or 3rd place for 6th place and at the moment my bank roll could really do with one of the top 3 placed finishes. I reluctantly decide to fold and he shows 1010. The game plays out and after any talks of deals with 4 remaining where scuppered by the chip leader, who’s well within his rights to do so. I eventually finished in 3rd place and banked £1800.

I can’t complain, its my biggest ever live cash and if I was offered 3rd place at the start of the day I would have snatched at it. I’m also really happy with how I played in the turbo and on day 2 in the tournament. I made some really big lay downs at big moments and not just the AQ, AK and QQ. There where other times in which I was probably getting the right conditions to call all ins but decided to fold because I felt it was the right thing to do and on them occasions it would have been. I’m still only early on in the stages of my full time poker career, I’m miles away from where I want to be but trying new things and thinking about situations in new ways can only help going forward. Biggest lesson I take away from this particular tournament is to keep my thoughts to myself, don’t let people know what I’m folding or what I’m calling with because I learned it can and will be used against me.