Meltdown in the 75k Guaranteed

Meltdown

noun

1. (in a nuclear reactor) the melting of the fuel rods, escape radioactivity
   2) a sudden disastrous failure

Utter frustration. After playing pretty well during my 10 hour Saturday session online (I had made 5 cashes in various events), I was going strong in my final event - the Full Tilt 75k Guaranteed. My other 4 cashes had been in the minor placings, but in this event I was 4th of 10 remaining runners. My beady eyes were on the first place payout of 19k USD, but in fact any place in the top 6 would have made the night a decent success.

In the blink of an eye, 3 hands later I was out - and didn’t even make the final table. The $750 earned for 10th spot, meant that I was up about $200 for my night’s efforts, but I went away feeling deeply disappointed to not convert this chance of a big score.

For the record “The Meltdown Three”:

1)We are 5 handed, I raise to 20k with A8 on the button and the short stack goes all in for 80k. I will be left with 200k left if I call. I have been the most active by far in opening pots, so I am everyone’s target for resteals. I probably should have dumped this, but called and it wasn’t a resteal after all and he had AQ to reduce me to 200k.

2)UTG raises to 30k and I find A9 in the big blind. I put him all in for 160k total and he calls with KJ. I lose and am down to 60k.

3. I shove my last 60k in a few hands later with JT and get called by 9T in the BB, and he binks a 9 on the flop.

For a minute I just sat staring at the screen as the action moved to the final table and everyone started congratulating themselves :( Oh well - chance missed, but at least I am starting to get a bit of form together.

One of the other events I cashed in was the Full Tilt Heads-up tournament, which made a change from the usual NLHE. I made it down to the final 32, after receiving a first round bye and then beating my next 2 opponents reasonably comfortably. The majority of my cash winnings came from 25/50 headsup sessions when I was better rolled, so I know how to play the single opponent game.

My style is pretty unorthodox, and seems to confuse a lot of the headsup regulars. In a static blind scenario (cash) or low blinds relative to stacks (early tournament), I will always play loose passive pre-flop (i.e. limp call). I will do this with Aces, or 45o. The advantages of this several fold. Regular headsup players will generally raise nearly every hand if you are passive, so this means the pots get built up by them when you have a good hand. In addition, the opponent can never put you on a hand, and will in all probability think I am a “fish” who just plays every hand passively. However, my post flop play is very aggressive, whether I have a made hand or a draw, and again this creates deception. Due to my pre-flop passivity, my opponents generally feel that they are in control of the hand, and my rapid post flop gear change confuses them. This style goes out of the window when blinds are bigger, and stealing actually becomes worthwhile.

As I said, my style is unorthodox, and many headsup players might disagree with it, but it works for me. My last 32 place earned me a minimum prize of $200, and I was in control of that match as well, until my opponent got back in the game hitting a 5 outer on the river, before calling my top pair check raise all in with a flush draw, and hitting his spade on the turn.

I played a ton of tournaments on Saturday, hence my rather miserly profit despite the 5 cashes. I think there were too many tournaments to remember in detail, but I can share two rather amusing exit hands (neither are bad beats):

1. I have noticed that one guy is raising frequently and continuation betting all the time. I decide next time he does it I will come over the top of him. The blinds are 50-100 I think, my stack is 3k and his is 4k, so we are not short by any means. Anyway, sure enough he raises it up to 300 soon after and I call him with J9o in the BB. Flop arrives 2, 5, 6 rainbow and I check to the raiser. He continuation bets the pot for 700, and I check raise all in for 2.7k total. He calls INSTANTLY, doesn’t even think about it, so it must be a monster. He in fact has AK high which holds and wins the pot! I was stunned and actually thought for a second he had one of these mysterious “superuser” accounts, but on reflection he was probably just a donkey.

2. Folded round and I complete the SB to 150 with 45o (we are quite deep at 5k each). Flop arrives a magnificent 2, 3, 6 rainbow. I check the nuts and BB leads for 300 which I flat call. Turn is a 5, which isn’t helpful, but probably will be ok. I lead this time for 700 and am check raised all in. I call and he has 47o for the turned bigger straight. Splendid :)

Anyhow - success in my October challenge is looking unlikely now, as I only have time for 3 more online sessions before the end of the month. I’ll need to luckbox a big score in one of those sessions to make my target, so fingers crossed. At least I now have a string of cash finishes to my name, so I am feeling pretty confident about things now.

It’s my home game on Saturday, and I am itching to play some live poker again. The feel of cards and chips in your hands, and the slide of the felt. Can’t wait. I’ll squeeze in an online session tomorrow or Wednesday I guess.