Kai WSOP blog - Event #54

I started off good and after the two first levels I was up to like to 7K from my 4.5k start stack without ever playing a big pot. Was sitting next to Chris 'jesus' Ferguson as well, so that was kinda cool. He was so tight and came late so we didn't play a hand together.

In level 3 a bigstack limped in from the cut off, and I called from small blind with J9. Flop came J T5. I checked, the big blind fired out 350, the cutoff folded and I called. Turn 2, I checked, big blind bet out 650 and I called. River 2 and I checked before he bet out 1,300. I was doing my /oh really emote and asked if he flopped two pair, which made the most sense. That or missed straight draw. He didn't look too comfortable with the situation so I called and he tabled Q9. Ty and I was up to like 10K. Our table broke up just right after that hand.

Racing with lunatics

The new table was extremely aggro, with a lot of 3-bets preflop. One guy especially caught my attention for being a complete maniac. The level was up to like 100/200 and one guy limped from utg+1. I raised to 700 from middle position with AKs, and Mr Maniac insta-raised to 3K from the button. Blinds and limper folded before I shipped it in for 10-11K. He snapcalled and showed JJ. Flop Axx with two diamonds. That is what I consider a good flop and left Mr Maniac with only one out. No one-outer and I was up to 21-22k with the average on 7K. I normally dont like to ship it in with AK for 50bb early in a tournament, but against that guy I do it every day of the week.

For the next two levels nothing exciting happens and I was down to around 18K. Then I got into another decision with AK. Blinds 300/600/75. A tight guy with about 20K raised to 1,800 from utg+1, I had AKs and pumped it up to 5,200. Folded around to Mr Tight, who 4-bet me to 12,500. OMG. I knew I had to play for my entire stack and tournament life right here. I went into the tank for a while and ended up folding. I dont think I'm ahead here ever. A guy like him has QQ-AA almost every time. Maybe an AK once in a while, but I think he is more likely to shove AK. Well anyway I was down to 13K.

A couple of hands later I raised to 1,600 with QcTc and got called by button and both blinds. Flop J 7 4 with one club. Check around and Kc appeared on the turn. Check to me and I bet 3,600 and they all fold. Phew. Our table broke up right after and at my new table there was a familiar face. A Swedish guy I played a lot with 2-3 years ago and still run into on the live scene.

Battle of the Scandinavians

I know he is very tight and solid and he has the same perception on me, even though I have changed my style over the last two years. After one orbit he raised it up to 1,800 from utg and I looked down at TT in middle position and wasn't sure what to do. I ended up calling to see a flop. I knew he had a good hand here, but was it AK AQ or a big pair? Everyone folded and flop came 7 2 3 rainbow. A pretty nice looking flop for my hand at first sight. Mr Solid Swede bet out 3,800 (we both had like 18K stacks). Oh dear. I tanked for a little bit and folded my hand face up. Since we knew each other and our table was breaking soon he showed KK.

So now you wonder why I played TT and then folded when the flop was actually good for my hand? Why didn't I just fold it pre? Well here is my answer. With 30bb I still want to call a raise with TT even from a tight player who raises utg. I know his range and would like to see the flop and his reaction to it before deciding what to do with the hand. Some people would like to 3-bet preflop to either take it down right there or at least find out where they're at. I wont do that here cuz if I 3-bet and got shoved on, I had to fold after putting like 1/3 of my stack in. If I hit a ten on the flop after the preflop call I will get the other stack almost every time if he has AA-KK. I think if he had AK/AQ on that board he would most likely check to me or bet less, like 2.2K or something. So thats why I put him on a big pair and folded my hand.

Musical chairs

After two more orbits I had another table change. I was literally playing all over the place that day.
The new table was looking pretty good. Just after 15 min on the table I knew I could build my stack here. We then went for our last break of the day and I had like 17K. After the break I felt like raising a lot and raised to 2K on the 400/800/100 level with 35s from the cutoff, which the big blind called. Flop came A 3 5, he lead out for 5K and I shoved it in after a little Hollywood dwell. He snappcalled with A4. No bad beat and I was up to like 35K. Good Times.

I continued to raise a lot preflop and took a lot of small pots. Was up to like 46K during that level and we had only one more level to go. 

Blinds 500/1000/100

Folded around to me in the small blind, I looked down at TT and raised to 3K. The big blind shipped it all in for 13K total. I called and he had AQ. Flop A and I was down to 33K. OK, no worries, still on average. Then a guy raised to 2.5K from mid position and I called with 64s from the small blind, as did the big blind. Flop came K 8 5 with two of my suit. Hey hey. We check checked and he fired out a c-bet for 4K, and I raised him all in for like 22K total. Big blind folded and he called rather quickly with KT. I couldn't hit anything and was down to 10K. I was stealing once or twice per orbit and had 11K when they announced that we had four more hands to play. I looked down at 46s in the cutoff and pushed all in. The big blinds asked me if I wanted a call. I said "Whatever". I wanted to go into Day Two with a playable stack. He eventually called with A7o. Flop J 2 8 all spades. I flopped a flush. Nice one. Turn x, river spade and the big blind won with his seven of spades. Lovely=)

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