I went to GG because their tournament provides a better structure than the other casinos in Black Hawk. Starting stack is 13k in chips, 20 minute blinds starting at 25-50. I was early for the 3pm tourney and the poker room was hopping. There was maybe 10 tables going including the 12pm tourney, Lady Luck might have 4 including the tourney. Isle would have none. So this was the place for poker in Black Hawk besides Ameristar which typically had a 1.5 hour wait to be seated. I put may name on the list for 2-100 along with the 9 players already on the list. Lucky for me they started a new table just a few minutes later. I sat down with $100 and reviewed my rules for case games.
1. Do not get involved in a big hand for the first 30 minutes
2. Bet, don't call
3. Curiosity killed the cat
About the third hand in (maybe less) I was dealt pocket duces. It was raised to 7 preflop but I was in late position so I called along with one other player before me. It was a low flop and included a duce. I hit trips on the and lead out for $10. The pre-flop raiser was in early position and check-raised me to $30. The other caller folded and I shoved with my last $83. The raiser still thought her KK was good and insta-called. I doubled up in the third hand.
I later asked myself if she was a bad player. I reviewed the had like this:
1. Pre flop raiser : I have a good hand.
2. Two pre-flop callers : We want to see a flop.
3. I lead out for $10 after the flop : I hit part of that.
4. Pre-flop raiser pops it to $30 : I still think I have the best hand.
5. I re-raise all-in for $90 ($70 for raiser to call) : I hit the flop hard... I have the best hand.
Before the call there is now 3x7 + 10 + 30 + 83 =$144 in the pot. The caller was getting about 1.7:1 on a call. All she could beat was top pair, she was losing to 2 pair or better. Two outs twice is about 10% to the river. She obviously thought her kings were good, because she wasn't getting 9:1 on a call. I know it's tough to lay down an overpair to the flop, especially a big pair but when you ask a question you should think about the answer you get.
I made a few more good hands and cashed out $144 ahead. I used $90 of it to buy into the 3pm tourney and busted 2.5 hours later. The blinds were 400-800 and my stack was just above starting, about 15k. I was well behind the average. I was quickly approaching that 10 BB metric and knew I had to make something happen. I was dealt 33 and limped in from late position. I was happy to see a flop for cheap. The flop came J93 with 2 clubs and the lady in early position lead out for 2k. I called her luck box because she won every coin flip she was in since the start of the tourney. She wasn't passive, but she made a lot of loose calls and won them all and built a huge chip stack in the process. The two clubs on board made me think about shoving, but I thought a good raise should be effective on pushing out any flush draw. I popped it to 9k and luck box just called. The turn was a non-club blank and luck box lead out for more than I had. I called and she flipped over 8T suited (clubs, of course) for both a flush and open-ended straight draws. Fifteen outs and she hit a Q on the river to make her straight. I concluded even if I shoved all-in on the flop she would have called anyway, so I was losing no matter what. My only other option would have been to flat call the flop, turn and river and I think I would have called all the way because the flush never came ( I never saw the straight comming).
Oh well, I was still up for the day and felt pretty good about my play. I think I'll play the 3pm tourney again next week. I hestitate because I was told it typically runs to 7pm or later. That's a long time to play and come up empty handed. I guess I need to get used to long tourneys if I want to play the Main Event some day. My goal is to cash in 1 out of 4 tourneys I play. This year so far I am 1 out of 3. I'll keep you posted....
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