Bubble Boy Jr.

Just missed a final table at the Mookie tonight when I got involved in a situation I didn't need to be in against the runaway chipleader with 11 players left in the Mookie.

[Edit]

Overall I wasn't very happy with my play. I identified several situations where I spewed chips or made heroic calls (one of which where I correctly deduced I was ahead, but it was still a 60/40 spot where I risked a lot of chips with third pair vs. two overs and an inside straight draw that got there; another where I didn't exert enough pressure to get a mediocre one-pair hand to fold with a multi-street bluff which I should never have attempted in the first place). If I had avoided those situations, and patiently bided my time, I would have cracked the top six at the final table for sure. I was the beneficiary of a lot of chips in two setup hands where all the money went in preflop where I had KK vs. QQ and QQ vs. 99 and my hand help up both times. I needed to show some additional focus and discipline going into the third hour of the tournament to leverage my stack into a real run at first place for my second Mookie win.

I had open-raised in late position with pocket fours short-handed and decided to re-raise all-in on a J33 flop, which was a damnfool move. I should have dumped it right there with 14K in chips behind and retained a very strong chance to reach the money at the very least. Sure enough the villain -- whom I'd tangled with before, sniffing out his horrible bluff only to see him catch a miracle card and double him up to begin his path of destruction -- had the infamous J5s for top pair no kicker and had outflopped me. I picked up a flush draw on the turn but didn't improve and went home in 10th place.

Now comes an onslaught of hand histories! I didn't take hardly any screen captures this time.

Level one, I quickly lost a third of my stack in some pots with Astin and others when my AQ didn't improve and 55 got outflopped.

I ground my way back to even with a c-bet with AKs and a QJs that flopped an OESD and turned top pair. I put the pressure on with QQ on an AK84 board and got a bad ace to fold out of position. (really! why couldn't I accomplish that on Sunday when it really mattered, alas!)

In level 3, I started to really take it to Astin and used my image to pull off a bluff in position:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [9d Ts]
ChapelncHill folds
Astin calls 60
IlkkaK folds
PirateLawyer calls 60
twoblackaces folds
Wraith13 calls 60
BuddyDank folds
MiamiDon folds
AlCantHang checks
*** FLOP *** [Kh 7s 3h]
AlCantHang checks
Astin checks
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer bets 160 -- might as well represent hitting this ragged board
Wraith13 folds
AlCantHang folds
Astin calls 160
*** TURN *** [Kh 7s 3h] [6c]
Astin bets 360
PirateLawyer calls 360 -- I'm not ready to give up just yet
*** RIVER *** [Kh 7s 3h 6c] [3d]
Astin checks
PirateLawyer bets 860 - time to represent top pair in position, consistent with my flop bet
Astin has 15 seconds left to act
Astin folds
Uncalled bet of 860 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (1,310)

Then it's Miami Don's turn to fold to a genuine top pair hand:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Qd Td]
PirateLawyer raises to 220
Wraith13 calls 220
MiamiDon calls 180
*** FLOP *** [6s Qc 3s]
MiamiDon checks
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer bets 440
Wraith13 folds
MiamiDon calls 440
*** TURN *** [6s Qc 3s] [2c]
MiamiDon checks
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer bets 850
MiamiDon folds
Uncalled bet of 850 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (1,620)

And now I'm up to 4500 in chips.

Then I take another big pot down against Astin. Flopping a full house is fun!

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Th Tc]
Astin calls 80
PirateLawyer raises to 250 -- time to build a pot
Wraith13 calls 250
Astin calls 170
*** FLOP *** [Qd Qc Qh] - nice flop!
Astin bets 560
PirateLawyer calls 560 - Astin could well be betting an ace or a lower PP
Wraith13 folds
*** TURN *** [Qd Qc Qh] [5h]
Astin checks - he slows down now
PirateLawyer bets 800 - time to build the pot
Astin has 15 seconds left to act
Astin calls 800
*** RIVER *** [Qd Qc Qh 5h] [6h]
Astin checks
PirateLawyer bets 2,780, and is all in [classic OBFV]
Astin has 15 seconds left to act
Astin folds
Uncalled bet of 2,780 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (3,590)

Up to 6370.

I see-saw up and down at the 6K mark for a good while. I flop two sets of ducks and bet them like a man both times on the flop but (surprisingly) can't get any action.

I run a multi-street bluff with a low pocket pair of fours against a calling station who can't fold third pair and stumble back down to 4300:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [4s 4c]
TanOrpheus raises to 360
PirateLawyer calls 240
*** FLOP *** [9c 6c Qh]
PirateLawyer checks
TanOrpheus bets 600
PirateLawyer raises to 1,500 - time to put out a tester c/r
TanOrpheus calls 900
*** TURN *** [9c 6c Qh] [2h]
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer checks - I blink, which is a mistake
TanOrpheus checks
*** RIVER *** [9c 6c Qh 2h] [3s]
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer bets 400 - I make a suck bet praying for a fold
TanOrpheus calls 400
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [4s 4c] a pair of Fours
TanOrpheus shows [7c 6s] a pair of Sixes - wow he called down light and open-raised with 76o
TanOrpheus wins the pot (4,580) with a pair of Sixes

I lose the minimum with AKs unimproved against the chipleader's TT.

Then I chip up nicely with a well-played flush which got there at the same time as my victim made a straight:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [7c 6c]
IlkkaK folds
PirateLawyer calls 160
Wraith13 folds
BuddyDank folds
MiamiDon folds
AlCantHang folds
ChapelncHill calls 80
TanOrpheus checks
*** FLOP *** [9c Kd Tc]
ChapelncHill checks
TanOrpheus checks
PirateLawyer checks - happy to take the free card in position with a flush draw + inside straight draw
*** TURN *** [9c Kd Tc] [Qc] - jackpot!
ChapelncHill bets 480
TanOrpheus folds
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer calls 480 - time to slowplay
*** RIVER *** [9c Kd Tc Qc] [5d]
ChapelncHill bets 1,440
PirateLawyer raises to 3,074, and is all in - boom!
ChapelncHill calls 1,005, and is all in - fish is caught
Uncalled bet of 629 returned to PirateLawyer
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [7c 6c] a flush, Queen high
ChapelncHill shows [As Jh] a straight, Ace high -- expensive second best hand
PirateLawyer wins the pot (6,330) with a flush, Queen high

Back up to 7K, and I get moved to a new table.

Sadly, I double up Hoy almost immediately:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [9d 9c]
PirateLawyer raises to 400 -- UTG raise
hoyazo calls 400
*** FLOP *** [4c 5s Td]
PirateLawyer bets 860 -- only one overcard so time to lead out strongly
hoyazo raises to 2,937, and is all in
PirateLawyer calls 2,077 -- this was a crying call really but Hoy could well play 67 like this too
hoyazo shows [Th Jh] -- classic Hoy overplaying top pair
PirateLawyer shows [9d 9c]
*** TURN *** [4c 5s Td] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [4c 5s Td 8h] [7s]
hoyazo shows a pair of Tens
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Nines
hoyazo wins the pot (6,914) with a pair of Tens

Back down to 3600.

I chip up to 5K and then get AA:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Ah Ad]
Loretta8 raises to 600
PirateLawyer calls 600
*** FLOP *** [2h Tc Ks]
Loretta8 checks
PirateLawyer checks
*** TURN *** [2h Tc Ks] [Qd]
Loretta8 checks
PirateLawyer bets 1,200
Loretta8 has 15 seconds left to act
Loretta8 folds
Uncalled bet of 1,200 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (1,500)

I'll take what I can get; now I'm up to 6K again.

I steal 3 small pots without showdown and chip up to 7K. We reach 120/240 level and the antes (25) kick in.

I win a pot with AQ preflop.

I limp in with A3s in EP and flop trip 3s and take down a 4-way limped pot on the flop and get up to 7.5K.

I re-steal from Hoy with 83s (snowman taterlegs!) and chip up to 8.6K.

I double up a short stack when I'm priced in to call his preflop shove with A3 vs my T9s; down to 6K.

I sniff out a bluff but get punched in the gut by FTP. To my mind, this was the hand of the tournament for me, and it well worth a lot of post-facto analysis:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [6c 6s]
PirateLawyer raises to 600
Jestocost calls 450 - SB defends and we're headsup to the flop
*** FLOP *** [3c Qc As]
Jestocost has 15 seconds left to act
Jestocost bets 3,065, and is all in
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer has requested TIME
PirateLawyer calls 3,065 -- I think this through and decide that he just doesn't have a hand that has me beat based on his preflop flat call. An OBFV just isn't in his repertoire. This smells of a bad bluff. If I'm right, I should call. If I'm wrong, I still have 3K behind so I'm not crippled if I lose.
Jestocost shows [Js Ts] -- sure enough he's semi-bluffing with a gutterball and two overs. I am a 60% favourite
PirateLawyer shows [6c 6s]
*** TURN *** [3c Qc As] [Jd] -- FAWK YOU FTP!!!
*** RIVER *** [3c Qc As Jd] [Kc]
Jestocost shows a straight, Ace high
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Sixes
Jestocost wins the pot (7,855) with a straight, Ace high

Thoughts? Comments? I'd like to hear them.

The next level of blinds and antes arrives and I have a great spot to gamble for a triple-up back to 6K:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Jh Qh]
Jestocost raises to 1,200
columbo calls 1,200
PirateLawyer raises to 1,954, and is all in -- easy place to gamble given that the antes are now 50 with 200/400 blinds so there's a lot of dead money to be won
Jestocost calls 754
columbo calls 754
*** FLOP *** [5h 2h 3s]
Jestocost checks
columbo checks
*** TURN *** [5h 2h 3s] [5c]
Jestocost checks
columbo checks
*** RIVER *** [5h 2h 3s 5c] [Kh]
Jestocost checks
columbo checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [Jh Qh] a flush, King high
Jestocost mucks [Ad Jd]
columbo mucks [Ac Qs]
PirateLawyer wins the pot (6,512) with a flush, King high

I'm alive! Back up to 6.5K.


I take down the blinds with a raise from the button with QJs.

I take down a 3-way limped pot by betting out with second pair. Up to 8K.

I then take down a monster pot with a setup vs. GCox:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Kh Kd]
GCox25 raises to 1,850
PirateLawyer raises to 7,862, and is all in -- no time to fool around here
GCox25 calls 5,670, and is all in
PirateLawyer shows [Kh Kd]
GCox25 shows [Qs Qc]
Uncalled bet of 342 returned to PirateLawyer
*** FLOP *** [Th 7d Tc] - safe flop
*** TURN *** [Th 7d Tc] [Ks] - locks up the hand
*** RIVER *** [Th 7d Tc Ks] [5c]
PirateLawyer shows a full house, Kings full of Tens
GCox25 shows two pair, Queens and Tens
PirateLawyer wins the pot (16,090) with a full house, Kings full of Tens

I vault up to 16K and now have twice an average stack and am 3rd overall in chips.

I get QQ and raise it up and take down the blinds. I show them to present a tight image so I can try to steal later.

I get moved to a new table for only one hand, because that's how long it takes for me to felt a victim:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Qh Qc]
PirateLawyer raises to 1,900 - UTG raise from me with a monster
cracknaces raises to 8,339, and is all in
PirateLawyer calls 6,439 - easy call
cracknaces shows [9h 9s]
PirateLawyer shows [Qh Qc]
*** FLOP *** [2h Jc Td]
*** TURN *** [2h Jc Td] [4s]
*** RIVER *** [2h Jc Td 4s] [Kc]
cracknaces shows a pair of Nines
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Queens
PirateLawyer wins the pot (17,728) with a pair of Queens
cracknaces stands up

Up to 24K.

I then play a funny hand where I miss all my outs ...

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [9c Tc]
PirateLawyer calls 600
Evy35 calls 600
TanOrpheus calls 300
wwonka69 checks
*** FLOP *** [8d 7d 5s]
TanOrpheus bets 3,450, and is all in
PirateLawyer calls 3,450 -- I can afford to try to take out this spewmonkey
Evy35 raises to 4,379, and is all in -- unexpected but another spewmonkey move
PirateLawyer calls 929
Evy35 shows [Jc 9d] -- overcalls with a double gutter (!!!)
TanOrpheus shows [Jd 6h] -- shoves with a open-ended straight draw
PirateLawyer shows [9c Tc] -- I'm drawing to the nuts but my overcards aren't live
*** TURN *** [8d 7d 5s] [2c]
*** RIVER *** [8d 7d 5s 2c] [Ah]
Evy35 shows Ace Jack high
PirateLawyer shows Ace Ten high
Evy35 wins the side pot (1,858) with Ace Jack high
TanOrpheus shows Ace Jack high
Evy35 wins the main pot (13,425) with Ace Jack high

Brick-brick and the jack-nine high wins it. So gross!

Down to 17K.

I win a pot preflop and try an overbet for value when I flop an open-ended straight flush draw.
Back up to 20K.

We get down to the final 20 so the tables are re-organized.

I fold to a re-steal and am sitting at 15K.

I pull off a nice squeeze from the BB with T5o vs. 3 limpers and chip up back to 18K.

11 players are left so we're on the final table bubble.

Sadly this fiasco of a hand promptly occurs, where I lost my focus and let my earlier encounter with Jestocoat cloud my thinking:

Seat 2: Jestocost (42,953)
Seat 4: NumbBono (24,472)
Seat 5: columbo (9,615)
Seat 6: PirateLawyer (17,592)
Seat 7: Qwackers (8,595)
Seat 8: TheCloserX5 (11,994)
Jestocost antes 125
NumbBono antes 125
columbo antes 125
PirateLawyer antes 125
Qwackers antes 125
TheCloserX5 antes 125
TheCloserX5 posts the small blind of 500
Jestocost posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [4d 4c]
PirateLawyer raises to 3,500 -- straightforward shorthanded raise from the cutoff
Jestocost calls 2,500
*** FLOP *** [Jc 3h 3c] -- classic XXY flop where I have second pair
Jestocost bets 7,000
PirateLawyer raises to 13,967, and is all in -- I should have dumped here obviously
Jestocost calls 6,967
PirateLawyer shows [4d 4c]
Jestocost shows [Jh 5h] -- have to love the preflop call, bah!
*** TURN *** [Jc 3h 3c] [2c]
*** RIVER *** [Jc 3h 3c 2c] [9d]
PirateLawyer shows two pair, Fours and Threes
Jestocost shows two pair, Jacks and Threes
Jestocost wins the pot (36,184) with two pair, Jacks and Threes

I go home in tenth place. Oh well.