A Riverchasers Report

Finished third.

Here are the only two screenshots that I took throughout the tournament; they are pretty self-explanatory:



Here are some notable HHs and some accompanying analysis.

I play very TAG-ish at the beginning of the tournament and basically tread water in the first couple of levels. I 3-bet preflop with nines, AQs and so forth to take down some pots with minimal risk to chip up a bit. I raise with AK but get no action. I lose some chips when I have to fold JJ to a 4-bet.

I win a couple of decent pots where I outflop everyone. I don't have to go to showdown, which is a good sign that I'm getting respect. Consequently, I start mixing in a few pure steals preflop as I am mostly card dead and need to stay afloat as far as blinds (and now antes) are concerned. I raise with AKs and 83o alike and take down pots with no risk preflop.

I then get this beauty but am unable to get paid off:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [5d 5c] - presto!
Astin raises to 720
PirateLawyer calls 720
*** FLOP *** [4h 6d 5h] - improved presto!
Astin checks
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer bets 550 - it's too suspicious to check behind, so I make a small bet in hopes Astin will CRAI
Astin folds
Uncalled bet of 550 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (2,000)

Soon afterwards I get KK, but don't generate any action.

As my M shrinks below 10 I shove A2s UTG, and happily get no action.

Then just as we are reaching the second break, I am able to crack Kat's KK in a hand that really played itself:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Ad Qh]
katitude raises to 1,800
PirateLawyer raises to 7,485, and is all in
katitude calls 5,685
PirateLawyer shows [Ad Qh]
katitude shows [Kd Kc] - yikes!
*** FLOP *** [5h Ac 4h] - I get lucky!
*** TURN *** [5h Ac 4h] [5c]
*** RIVER *** [5h Ac 4h 5c] [Jc]
PirateLawyer shows two pair, Aces and Fives
katitude shows two pair, Kings and Fives
PirateLawyer wins the pot (15,770) with two pair, Aces and Fives

And soon after the break, I am able to play a suited connector in position vs. an obvious overpair and I get there on the turn!

Rake Feeder posts the small blind of 250
pushmonkey72 posts the big blind of 500
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [9c 7c]
PirateLawyer calls 500
Rake Feeder has 15 seconds left to act
Rake Feeder raises to 2,000 -- 3-bet from the small blind usually means strong PP
PirateLawyer calls 1,500 -- I have a good hand to speculate with from the buttton and the stacks are deep
*** FLOP *** [2c Tc Ks]
Rake Feeder has 15 seconds left to act
Rake Feeder bets 5,000
PirateLawyer calls 5,000 - I definitely have to see one more card here. I have no fold equity so a call is warranted.
*** TURN *** [2c Tc Ks] [5c] - GIN!
Rake Feeder bets 7,619
PirateLawyer raises to 7,620, and is all in
Rake Feeder calls 1
PirateLawyer shows [9c 7c]
Rake Feeder shows [Ac As] - ouch, a nut flush redraw
*** RIVER *** [2c Tc Ks 5c] [Ad]
PirateLawyer shows a flush, Ten high
Rake Feeder shows three of a kind, Aces
PirateLawyer wins the pot (30,090) with a flush, Ten high

The reverse Hoy doesn't work on me; but I have to sweat the nut flush redraw! Phew. This got me to the top of the leaderboard.

I get KK again, but get no action.

I then make a crying call and spew some chips to a very TAG-ish player, but with my stack size I do want to see a flop with JTs from the big blind:

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Td Jd]
scottc25 raises to 1,800
PirateLawyer calls 1,200
*** FLOP *** [Kh Kc 8h]
PirateLawyer checks
scottc25 checks
*** TURN *** [Kh Kc 8h] [3c]
PirateLawyer bets 1,800
scottc25 calls 1,800
*** RIVER *** [Kh Kc 8h 3c] [Th]
PirateLawyer checks
scottc25 bets 4,000
PirateLawyer calls 4,000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
scottc25 shows [Qh Jh] a flush, King high
PirateLawyer mucks
scottc25 wins the pot (16,100) with a flush, King high

I lose a pretty large pot on a sick river card. He made a brave call on the turn when I bluff on a scary board and he got the card he needed on the river.

I get back to taking down pots preflop and avoiding risky confrontations as I build up my stack. I am getting a fair amount of respect and I am happy to take down pots uncontested.

I 3-bet AK from the blinds and take it down.

I chip up again by busting a shorty who donk-bets into my top pair hand with 12 outs twice and amazingly doesn't improve.

And now we're at the final table bubble and I am completely card dead. I tread water, unable to chip up too much.

Fortunately, I dodged a bullet here:

Full Tilt Poker Game #6526784471: Riverchasers Online Tour (49262698), Table 8 - 500/1000 Ante 125 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:44:43 ET - 2008/05/22
Seat 2: SirFWALGMan (13,919)
Seat 3: scottc25 (28,762)
Seat 6: NCDeaton (20,675)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (38,550), is sitting out
Seat 9: lightning36 (5,453)
SirFWALGMan antes 125
scottc25 antes 125
NCDeaton antes 125
PirateLawyer antes 125
lightning36 antes 125
SirFWALGMan posts the small blind of 500
scottc25 posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Ah Qd]
lightning36 raises to 5,328, and is all in
PirateLawyer has returned
scottc25 calls 4,328
lightning36 shows [Jh Ac]
scottc25 shows [Qs 7s]
*** FLOP *** [Jd 7c 9s]
*** TURN *** [Jd 7c 9s] [9h]
*** RIVER *** [Jd 7c 9s 9h] [Ts]
lightning36 shows two pair, Jacks and Nines
scottc25 shows two pair, Nines and Sevens
lightning36 wins the pot (11,781) with two pair, Jacks and Nines
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 11,781 | Rake 0
Board: [Jd 7c 9s 9h Ts]
Seat 2: SirFWALGMan (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: scottc25 (big blind) showed [Qs 7s] and lost with two pair, Nines and Sevens
Seat 6: NCDeaton folded before the Flop
Seat 8: PirateLawyer folded before the Flop
Seat 9: lightning36 (button) showed [Jh Ac] and won (11,781) with two pair, Jacks and Nines

I dislike AQ but honestly I would have opened here but for the simple fact that I seized the moment for a bathroom break ...

The bubble bursts! Final table time.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6526794100: Riverchasers Online Tour (49262698), Table 8 - 500/1000 Ante 125 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:45:30 ET - 2008/05/22
Seat 1: NumbBono (10,075)
Seat 2: SirFWALGMan (13,294)
Seat 3: scottc25 (23,309)
Seat 4: wwonka69 (49,872)
Seat 5: dwal78 (74,710)
Seat 6: NCDeaton (20,550)
Seat 7: Astin (21,984)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (38,425)
Seat 9: lightning36 (11,781)

I continue to be card dead and sit back and watch the explosions as players bust right and left; frankly the play at this final table was often rather hilarious; any Ace-x hand was being pushed AND called with; and any pair was gold preflop.

I make a couple of tight folds (like dumping ATs vs. Scott, who is playing like a rock) when he re-raised and I was out of position with a trouble hand against his range to avoid a sticky situation. With enough bets in my stack, I was willing and able to wait for good spots to get my money in as a strong favourite.

I get it in with a big race situation and finally hit:

Full Tilt Poker Game #6526965231: Riverchasers Online Tour (49262698), Table 8 - 600/1200 Ante 150 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:59:25 ET - 2008/05/22
Seat 1: NumbBono (14,550)
Seat 3: scottc25 (50,118)
Seat 4: wwonka69 (39,659)
Seat 5: dwal78 (105,898)
Seat 6: NCDeaton (20,600)
Seat 7: Astin (4,200)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (28,975)
NumbBono antes 150
scottc25 antes 150
wwonka69 antes 150
dwal78 antes 150
NCDeaton antes 150
Astin antes 150
PirateLawyer antes 150
scottc25 posts the small blind of 600
wwonka69 posts the big blind of 1,200
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [As Kc]
dwal78 folds
NCDeaton folds
Astin folds
PirateLawyer raises to 4,000
NumbBono folds
scottc25 folds
wwonka69 raises to 39,509, and is all in
PirateLawyer calls 24,825, and is all in
wwonka69 shows [7d 7h] -- he's putting most of his stack at risk with a low pair seven-handed
PirateLawyer shows [As Kc] -- no way I am folding AK preflop in this situation
wwonka69 is feeling angry
Uncalled bet of 10,684 returned to wwonka69
*** FLOP *** [Jd Qc 9s]
*** TURN *** [Jd Qc 9s] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [Jd Qc 9s 4c] [Kd]
wwonka69 shows a pair of Sevens
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Kings
PirateLawyer wins the pot (59,300) with a pair of Kings

And just like that I am in second place.

I get no action with QQ.

Astin begins a miraculous comeback hitting all sorts of longshot outs (going runner-runner trips, rivered 2 pair, etc.). The painful one for me:

Riverchasers Online Tour, Table 8 - 1000/2000 Ante 250
Seat 1: NumbBono (24,900)
Seat 3: scottc25 (48,268)
Seat 5: dwal78 (80,764)
Seat 6: NCDeaton (47,018)
Seat 7: Astin (8,900)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (54,150)
NumbBono posts the small blind of 1,000
scottc25 posts the big blind of 2,000
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Jc Jh]
Astin raises to 8,650, and is all in
PirateLawyer raises to 53,900, and is all in
PirateLawyer shows [Jc Jh]
Astin shows [Ad 3s]
Uncalled bet of 45,250 returned to PirateLawyer
*** FLOP *** [6h Qd 5s]
*** TURN *** [6h Qd 5s] [8c]
*** RIVER *** [6h Qd 5s 8c] [Ac]
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Jacks
Astin shows a pair of Aces
Astin wins the pot (21,800) with a pair of Aces

What can I say, I was a 94% favourite with one card to come. That was painful.

I start mixing in 3-bets preflop (55, AQ, etc.) and wider open-raises in good spots as I shift gears to take advantage of my tight table image as I have only been showing down premium hands (such as AK or JJ).

I begin to mix in some postflop moves, where I feel I have an advantage and make a profitable flop CRAI vs. dwal when I hit a piece of the flop.

Like so:

Riverchasers Online Tour (49262698), Table 8 - 1200/2400 Ante 300
Seat 3: scottc25 (38,618)
Seat 5: dwal78 (91,282)
Seat 7: Astin (76,850)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (57,250)
Astin posts the small blind of 1,200
PirateLawyer posts the big blind of 2,400
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Qh 4h]
scottc25 folds
dwal78 raises to 6,500
Astin folds
PirateLawyer calls 4,100
*** FLOP *** [6s Kh 4d]
PirateLawyer checks
dwal78 bets 10,400
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act -- time to let the clock tick as I choose my bet size
PirateLawyer raises to 28,800
dwal78 folds
Uncalled bet of 18,400 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (36,200)

Unfortunately I give some of those profits back on a dangerous flop where I don't think I have fold equity and my draw is dangerous:

Riverchasers Online Tour Table 8 - 1200/2400 Ante 300
Seat 3: scottc25 (38,618)
Seat 5: dwal78 (63,082)
Seat 7: Astin (88,150)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (74,150)
Astin posts the small blind of 1,200
PirateLawyer posts the big blind of 2,400
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Th Qh]
scottc25 folds
dwal78 raises to 6,500
Astin folds
PirateLawyer calls 4,100
*** FLOP *** [8d 9d Ac]
PirateLawyer checks
dwal78 bets 11,100
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer folds
Uncalled bet of 11,100 returned to dwal78
dwal78 mucks
dwal78 wins the pot (15,400)

A few hands later I 3-bet shove AK over an open-raise by dwal but don't get any action; still I'm happy with the pot as it stands:

Riverchasers Online Tour, Table 8 - 1500/3000 Ante 400
Seat 3: scottc25 (38,318)
Seat 5: dwal78 (71,682)
Seat 7: Astin (86,650)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (67,350)
PirateLawyer posts the small blind of 1,500
scottc25 posts the big blind of 3,000
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Ad Kh]
dwal78 raises to 8,000
Astin folds
PirateLawyer raises to 66,950, and is all in
scottc25 folds
dwal78 folds
Uncalled bet of 58,950 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (20,600)

Then I lose a key race that would have set me up in a very strong position 3-handed:

Riverchasers Online Tour, Table 8 - 1500/3000 Ante 400
Seat 3: scottc25 (28,818)
Seat 5: dwal78 (54,982)
Seat 7: Astin (94,550)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (85,650)
scottc25 posts the small blind of 1,500
dwal78 posts the big blind of 3,000
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Js As]
PirateLawyer raises to 9,500
scottc25 raises to 28,418, and is all in
dwal78 folds
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer has requested TIME
PirateLawyer calls 18,918 - I know Scott is tight but I figure to be racing at least and I have a potential flush draw
scottc25 shows [9s 9d]
PirateLawyer shows [Js As]
*** FLOP *** [Tc 4c 2s]
*** TURN *** [Tc 4c 2s] [2h]
*** RIVER *** [Tc 4c 2s 2h] [8s]
scottc25 shows two pair, Nines and Twos
Fuel55 (Observer): jackace!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Twos
scottc25 wins the pot (61,436) with two pair, Nines and Twos

I 3-bet Astin from the blinds with A8s.

And then, well, we get a classic setup 4-handed as pictured at the beginning of this report and there's no way I can fold getting these pot odds:

Full Tilt Poker Game #6527499377: Riverchasers Online Tour (49262698), Table 8 - 1500/3000 Ante 400 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:45:43 ET - 2008/05/23
Seat 3: scottc25 (65,236)
Seat 5: dwal78 (39,782)
Seat 7: Astin (97,750)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (61,232)
scottc25 antes 400
dwal78 antes 400
Astin antes 400
PirateLawyer antes 400
scottc25 posts the small blind of 1,500
dwal78 posts the big blind of 3,000
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Kc Ad]
Astin raises to 12,100
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer raises to 29,200 -- I put half my stack in, so I am screaming a monster here
scottc25 folds
dwal78 raises to 39,382, and is all in
Astin raises to 97,350, and is all in
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer has requested TIME -- two all-ins ... I don't figure to be best, but I am playing to win and the pot odds are ridiculous
PirateLawyer calls 31,632, and is all in
Astin shows [Qs Qh] -- okay I'm racing against the big stack
PirateLawyer shows [Kc Ad]
dwal78 shows [As Qd] -- now there is a misguided shove against my range here
Uncalled bet of 36,518 returned to Astin
*** FLOP *** [5h Jd 4d]
*** TURN *** [5h Jd 4d] [9h]
*** RIVER *** [5h Jd 4d 9h] [Jc]
Astin shows two pair, Queens and Jacks
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Jacks
Astin wins the side pot (42,900) with two pair, Queens and Jacks
dwal78 shows a pair of Jacks
Astin wins the main pot (121,246) with two pair, Queens and Jacks
dwal78 stands up
PirateLawyer stands up