Larry's Poker Dynasty

[larrymcg421]

I decided to go ahead and start a poker dynasty, inspired by a really exciting tourney I just finished. This will probably be a loose, random dynasty. I'll just post stuff whenever I finish an exciting tourney or play an exciting hand.

The first tourney is a Partypoker 3 table $11 NLHE SNG. These are less of a crapshoot than the single table ones, so I've been playing them a little more lately.

[larrymcg421]

Just a few hands in, I still have $2000 in chips with 20/40 blinds. I play kinda dumb here.

I get dealt JJ in the Big Blind. 4 people limp to me, and I raise it up to 120. Not nearly enough. I should raise at least 4x at this point. I get two callers.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 2h, 6s, Qs ]

Does anyone have the Q? It's likely, but I still make a play at it with a pot-sized bet of $560, trying to represent AQ and thinking the others might have AK or TT. Next guy folds, but then I get re-raised all in. No choice but to fold here. I'm almost certain that I'm beat. If the guy made that bet with AK, then more power to him.

I am now down to $1280. Not a good start.

[larrymcg421]

I build my stack back up a little by raising against two limpers (this time I raised 3.5x), and they both fold. Then I make one of my favorite plays: raising with 72off. In 2nd position, I raise to $210 (with 30/60 blinds), and everybody folds. I show my 7-2 and everybody laughs.

I now have $1560 in chips, which is still last at my table (two have busted so far).

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

** Dealing Flop ** [ 2h, 6s, Qs ]

Does anyone have the Q? It's likely, but I still make a play at it with a pot-sized bet of $560, trying to represent AQ and thinking the others might have AK or TT. Next guy folds, but then I get re-raised all in. No choice but to fold here. I'm almost certain that I'm beat. If the guy made that bet with AK, then more power to him.

This is one of the problems with my game. I can't seem to let hands go when I think I'm beat. But at the same time, I see people push in tourneys with just middle pair with at best a longshot redraw, so I don't want to be folding to those kinds of players. So I call, and then they show pocket queens or, even better, 62o.

Anyway, good luck!

[larrymcg421]

The blinds and limps run through me and I'm down to $1040 on the 3rd level (50/100). Thankfully, people are dropping pretty quick and it's already time to consolidate to two tables.

I pickup Presto in the BB and get two limpers. I decide this is a good time to push. Most likely it will be 50/50 if one of them does call me, but neither does and I'm up to $1340.

A couple hands later, we're on level 4 (100/200) and I've got to make a move soon. I pick up A9 suited on the button raise all in against two limpers. Everybody folds and I'm now up to $1990.

[larrymcg421]

Later on, I pickup pocket Aces in the BB. Yeah! So, what will happen is that I'll have a raise and an all-in rereaise inf ront of me, right? Nope. Everybody folds and the SB limps to me. I decide to play cute and do a min-raise just do he will put a little more money in there, and decide to bet out on any flop. It comes 723 rainbow, I bet the pot, and he folds.

Should I have kept him in here? I think the only way I could have done that is with a check or a minbet (although he might have folded to that). Soemtimes I get too afraid to play my Aces slow, but I've been hurt quite a bit by doing it in the past.

Anwyays, this puts me up to $2390 and I now have more than 10x the BB.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by sabotai

This is one of the problems with my game. I can't seem to let hands go when I think I'm beat. But at the same time, I see people push in tourneys with just middle pair with at best a longshot redraw, so I don't want to be folding to those kinds of players. So I call, and then they show pocket queens or, even better, 62o.

Anyway, good luck!

That's true. Especially on PP, tons of players have holdings like that. He could have made that bet with a number of hands, but my best guess is AQ. If he had QQ I think he would have re-reaised me preflop. He could have also had KQ or 66. His reraise was pretty quick so I read him strong here.

[larrymcg421]

I'm now down to $2290 a few hands later, still at 100/200. There are 7 players left at my table and I'm 6th among them (unfortunately the Hand History doesn't help me with the other table).

I get dealt AKoff in 2nd position and UTG limps. Well, there's certainly enough money out there now ($500), so I push. Everybody else folds but UTG calls and shows Presto. Uh oh, we're in a race.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 7s, 8c, 3c ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 3s ]
** Dealing River ** [ Kc ]

And a nice river doubles me up to $4880. I can finally breathe a little.

[larrymcg421]

I hang tight for a bit and I'm at $4480 in the 5th level (200/400). There are 6 players left at my table.

I get J9o in the BB and get one limper.

** Dealing Flop ** [ Js, Jc, 5s ]

Not bad. The only hand he has that I think could conceivably beat me is JT. I don't think he would have limped with anything else (maybe QJ, but I think he'd raise with that against such high blinds). So I check, he makes minbet of $400 and I call.

** Dealing Turn ** [ Ad ]

Maybe he caught something now. Good for me if he did. I check again and he makes a minbet of $800. Thinking he may have caught a piece of something now, I get a little greedy and do a min re-raise to $1600. Sadly, he folds. My thinking now is that he had a piece of that 5 and was playing his two pair, but read me for the J when I reraised.

I could have made more probably, but it's still a nice pot and I'm up to $6080.

[larrymcg421]

On the very next hand, I pick up JhJc. A shortstacked player moves all in with his last $832. I re-raise to $1600 to keep everyone else out. He flips over AsKd. It's another race for me.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 3c, 5c, 6c ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Kc ]
** Dealing River ** [ 5h ]

He hits his King, but it was the wrong one and I eliminate him with a flush. This puts me at $7512 as we consolidate to the final table.

[larrymcg421]

And here's where we start at the final table, still on level 5 (200/400)

Seat 1: larrymcg421 ( $7512 )
Seat 2: DeezNuttz64 ( $6140 )
Seat 4: LuckyDuck_48 ( $7290 )
Seat 5: HenkesTongue ( $4842 )
Seat 6: yecalevol ( $6471 )
Seat 8: tonykohn ( $8319 )
Seat 10: dozer68 ( $4318 )
Seat 3: RIVRRNNER ( $3436 )
Seat 7: barrysplace2 ( $9179 )
Seat 9: silvertone67 ( $2493 )

The 3 Table NLHE tourneys pay the top 5. (5th gets $30 and 1st gets $80).

[larrymcg421]

1st hand of the final table and I get myself into a mess. I'm a little jazzed about my recent run and pick up pocket 7's in 2nd position. I decide to be aggressive and raise to $1600. Yecalevol calls and everyone else folds.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 9s, 8h, 4c ]

Hmm, I don't think this hit him. I suppose he could have had A9, 99, or 88, but I'm thinking he's got unpaired Black and Decker or maybe TJ. I bet half the pot of $1900. He instantly raises me all in. Woops!

So here I'm thinking, how much do I trust my read. Also, I won't necessarily be out of the tourney if I'm wrong, although I will be crippled. Now if I fold, I'm back down to $4000, which makes me shortstacked at this level. I decide to go with my gut and make the call.

yecalevol shows [ Ac, Qc ]

I was right! I'm so excited I didn't even see the turn and river, but did see the chips move to me.

** Dealing Turn ** [ Jh ]
** Dealing River ** [ 6s ]

yecalevol is eliminated and I now have $14583 and am now the current chip leader. What a rush!

[larrymcg421]

Now we're at Level 6 (300/600) with 8 players left:

Seat 1: larrymcg421 ( $13783 )
Seat 2: DeezNuttz64 ( $5540 )
Seat 4: LuckyDuck_48 ( $6590 )
Seat 5: HenkesTongue ( $4842 )
Seat 8: tonykohn ( $13937 )
Seat 3: RIVRRNNER ( $2843 )
Seat 7: barrysplace2 ( $8779 )
Seat 9: silvertone67 ( $3686 )

I pick up Jc5c in the BB. DeezNutz limps UTG, everyone else folds, and I check.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 9h, Jd, 9d ]

Well, he could have anything right now. I check and see what he does. He bets $800. I read this as him trying to make the standard play of being the first to bet on the paired board. I think he checks to me if he really has the 9. I make the call.

** Dealing Turn ** [ Ts ]

We both check here. I guess he could have a 9, but I think he would have bet again since I called last time.

** Dealing River ** [ 2d ]

I think I've got him beat here, but I'm not sure, so I bet $1000. This was a bad bet I think. I should have bet more to try and represent a 9 (which woudl have made sense the way I played the hand). He calls.

larrymcg421 shows [ Jc, 5c ] two pairs, jacks and nines.
DeezNuttz64 shows [ Ah, Jh ] two pairs, jacks and nines.

Ouch. This hurt but I've still got $11383 and in 2nd place.

[larrymcg421]

So I'm like calm down, relax. You've got a good chip count, so don't blow it.

So what happens is I get dealt pocket Jacks. Sigh. Don't you sometimes actually hate it when you get a good hand in this situation?

Anyways, HenkesTongue minraises to $1200 and I call from the button. Everyone else folds.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 6d, Ts, 7c ]

Henkes makes a minbet of $600. I reraise to $1800 and he calls.

** Dealing Turn ** [ Ks ]

Crap. He immediately moves all in with his last $1842. I can only read this as AK or KK (maybe KQ or KJ) the way he played the hand. There's now $8742 in the pot. I'm getting 4:1 on my money to see the next card without fear of a river bet. Standard strategy probably dictates to call here. But I really think he has AK, and I'm not throwing $1842 away in the name of pot odds, so I fold.

I have quickly lost alot of chips and am down to $8383, which puts me in 4th at the table.

[larrymcg421]

Once again, I'm ready to calm down but I pick up pocket 7's. Sigh. Everybody folds to me in cutoff position and I do a 3xBB raise to $1800. Everyone else folds and I thankfully make back some of my lost money. I wonder what the rest of the table is thinking about me right now.

With 7 players left, I only need to see two more falter before I make the money. I don't pick up any hands for a while and let the blinds run through me a couple times. One more person gets eliminated and here is where we stand at level 7 (400/800)

Seat 1: larrymcg421 ( $6983 )
Seat 2: DeezNuttz64 ( $4940 )
Seat 4: LuckyDuck_48 ( $7615 )
Seat 5: HenkesTongue ( $13646 )
Seat 8: tonykohn ( $17962 )
Seat 7: barrysplace2 ( $8854 )

[larrymcg421]

I pick up Big Slick in the BB, everyone folds to tonykohn in the SB. He tries to steal by raising to $2000. I could be chickenshit and fold here, trying to sweat out one more person to be eliminated. But nah, I've got AK and it's very likely he's making that play with a lesser hand. I push and he calls.

tonykohn shows [ Tc, Kc ]

Dominated! The board is good to me.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 2c, 8h, 5s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 2d ]
** Dealing River ** [ 6c ]

And I'm now back up to $14066 and chip leader once again.

[larrymcg421]

A few hands later, still at level 7 (400/800), here's where we are:

Seat 1: larrymcg421 ( $13541 )
Seat 2: DeezNuttz64 ( $11255 )
Seat 4: LuckyDuck_48 ( $6265 )
Seat 5: HenkesTongue ( $13646 )
Seat 8: tonykohn ( $7789 )
Seat 7: barrysplace2 ( $7504 )

I pick up AK in the BB once again. And just like last time everyone folds to Tony in the SB and he raises to $2000. Deja vu? Again, reraise him all in.

tonykohn shows [ Qd, As ]

Dominated again! However, the board was not my friend this time...

** Dealing Flop ** [ 3h, 6d, Ah ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Qc ]
** Dealing River ** [ 8h ]

I let out a Matusow "NO!" on the turn. This puts me down $5752 and I'm now the shortstack at the table.

[larrymcg421]

I don't pick up anything for a while and the blinds really do a number on me. I'm down to $3802, but we're now at level 8 (600/1200) and I'm in the BB.

Dealt to larrymcg421 [ 6h 5c ]

Not what I wanted to see in the BB. The predictable happens as everyone folds to Tony in the SB and he raises to $1800. It's a curious raise, less than he had been raising at a lower level. What's he trying to pull? Either way, I'm sick of this fucker. I'm crippled at this point as the blind has brought me down to $2552 and the upcoming SB is about to take $600 more. However, he has been showing down good hands in his previous steal attempts. I consider a call because at the very least I might have two live cards. In the end, I fold and decide to try and find a better hand.

[larrymcg421]

Two hands later, I get that better hand. The current standings are:

Seat 1: larrymcg421 ( $1902 )
Seat 2: DeezNuttz64 ( $13160 )
Seat 4: LuckyDuck_48 ( $3190 )
Seat 5: HenkesTongue ( $19871 )
Seat 8: tonykohn ( $18248 )
Seat 7: barrysplace2 ( $3629 )

I pick up pocket Queens on the button and push. It's an easy call for the BB, only $652 more.

LuckyDuck_48 shows [ Tc, 8h ]

Perfect! I'm hoping the board doesn't screw me again...

** Dealing Flop ** [ Jc, Kc, Ks ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 9s ]
** Dealing River ** [ Jd ]

And I win with a better two pair. This puts me back up to $4604, which is still not good and we're still 1 from the money.

[larrymcg421]

Several hands later, LuckyDuck was eliminated in 6th when his K7 lost to 62 (ouch), so I'm now in the money.

The blinds have now pushed me back down to $3204 and what do I pick up but pocket Jacks AGAIN. I push all in from the SB and DeezNutz calls from the BB.

DeezNuttz64 shows [ 5s, Th ]

** Dealing Flop ** [ 7c, Qd, 4s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 7d ]
** Dealing River ** [ 2h ]

This puts me back up to $6558 and back in the tourney. Then two hands later, I get what else? Pocket Jacks. I push and everyone folds. Now I have $8458 and have moved up to 4th in chip count.

[larrymcg421]

Two hands later, I get pocket Aces. I certainly can't complain about the cards I was getting. I push all in, Barrysplace calls:

barrysplace2 shows [ Js, Qs ]

** Dealing Flop ** [ 2s, 3c, 6s ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ Td ]
** Dealing River ** [ 4c ]

I am now up to $15066. Wow!

[larrymcg421]

The blinds run through me and I limp once, so here is where we're at:

Seat 1: larrymcg421 ( $11716 )
Seat 2: DeezNuttz64 ( $8356 )
Seat 5: HenkesTongue ( $14959 )
Seat 8: tonykohn ( $16269 )
Seat 7: barrysplace2 ( $8700 )

I pick up A8o in the BB and get two limpers. I'd like to have that money on the table so I push. Big mistake:

DeezNuttz64 shows [ Ah, As ]

** Dealing Flop ** [ Qh, Th, Kd ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 3h ]
** Dealing River ** [ 3d ]

Damnit! He woke up with AA and smartly limped, hoping someone would be stupid like me. I'm now crippled down to $3360.

Things are getting desperate a few hands later. I have $2020 and the 1000/2000 blind is about to hit me ont he next hand. I push with Kh8d and two people call.

HenkesTongue shows [ Ks, Ah ] a pair of kings.
barrysplace2 shows [ Qs, Qd ]

Not what I wanted to see. However, the flop is kind to me.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 8h, Kc, 9c ]

Wow! Can I actually pull this out?

** Dealing Turn ** [ Ts ]

I'm still there!

** Dealing River ** [ Jd ]

Doh! A straight on the river sends me packing.

This was one of the wildest tourneys I've ever been in. I've never been so up and so down in a tourney before. In the end, I suppose it was fitting that it was a Jack that eliminated me.

Buy-in: $11
Cash Out: $30

[larrymcg421]

I played in a 7 card Stud $6 MTT where 16 placed paid. I went on a magnificent rush to start, hitting three full houses, a flush, and trips. But I got crap the rest of the tourney. I probably could have just blinded myself into the money, but I tried to make a couple moves and they backfired. I finished 28th.

I decide to go back to a Multi-SNG. The only one gathering up players is a two table, so I give it a go. $11 buy-in, top four get paid ($20, $40, $60, $80).

[larrymcg421]

We have $2000 at Level 1 with 20/40 blinds.

About 6 hands into the tourney I pick up pocket Aces in the BB. There are two limpers, a raise from cutoff to $175 and a call in the SB. I reraise to $560, limpers fold, cutoff calls, and SB folds.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 6s, 3c, 3s ]

He doesn't have a piece of this if he called my reraise. If he does, then he's a fish and I still have outs. It's early and I don't want to get cute. Getting Aces cracked is the easiest way to bust out early from a tourney. There's enough money in the pot already, so I push and he folds.

This leaves me with $2855.

[larrymcg421]

A few hands later, I get QTo in cutoff position. There are two limpers. I figure it's worth calling. QT can be a good drawing hand, especially in a multi-way pot. SB calls and BB checks for a 5 way pot.

** Dealing Flop ** [ Ts, 2d, 7d ]

Everybody checks to me. I doubt anyone has a piece of this. If they had AT or KT they should have bet out. They either have middle pair or a flush draw. I bet $300 and get one caller. The worst situation for me, he has a set. I'm thinking he's on a flush draw.

** Dealing Turn ** [ 5s ]

Well whatever he's got I'm pretty sure that didn't help. I bet the pot of $900 and tell him in the chat to lay down his flush draw because he's not getting it. He folds and calls me a moron, saying he wasn't drawing to a flush. Whatever you say, buddy.

I'm now up to $3355. Very good start!

[larrymcg421]

Will finish this tourney later tonight.

[larrymcg421]

Two hands later I pick up suited connecters (8h9h) in mid position. I'm ready to throw them away, but three players limp in front of me. I'll definitely call that. We get two more limpers and the BB checks for a 7 way pot. Very ideal for my connectors.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 7c, 5h, 4s ]

Two checks and a player bets a paltry $85. Two players call him ahead of me. Um, ok. Now this wasn't a great flop for me, but not a bad one either. I have two overcards plus an inside straight. I'll pay $85 to see another card.

** Dealing Turn ** [ 6s ]

Booyah! And that's the card I wanted. Same guy leads out with $189 and gets one caller. I'm pretty sure one of them has an 8 high straight and the other a set or two pair. I call, not really concerned with the flush and wanting to keep everyone in it. But then I get raised to $378. One player folds and the other calls behind that. I can't imagine what these people have, but I have the nuts right now so I don't care. Alot of money in the pot and it's time to push. I am overjoyed to see two players call behind me.

gatorpaul4 shows [ 9s, 8c ]
dansworld247 shows [ Ac, 8s ]

Wow! All three of us have the straight, but gator and I have the 9 high and split the pot. It's still a great pickup and I'm now at $4605.

[larrymcg421]

I don't play for a bit but friedlice222 starts dominating the table and eliminates three players, bringing our table down to 6 total. We get a player switched to our table and here's what the stacks look like at level 3 (50/100):

Seat 1: Krochen25 ( $1190 )
Seat 2: thesnowplow ( $1460 )
Seat 3: larrymcg421 ( $4435 )
Seat 4: Friedlice222 ( $7435 )
Seat 6: TimTimmy555 ( $2410 )
Seat 7: daan01 ( $1610 )
Seat 5: azmonsoon ( $1810 )

I pick up pocket 6's in the cutoff position. krochen and snowplow limp ahead of me. I decide to be a bully with my stack and reraise to $350. Everyone folds except for snowplow, who calls.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 9c, 7c, 8s ]

Now this is an interesting flop. I have an underpair plus an open ended straight draw. I don't have much time to ponder the complexity of this situation because snowplot immediately moves all in. Hmm. There is $1910 in the pot and it will cost me $1110 to go after it, and I'll get two chances to hit my straight. Of course, he might hold a J in which case the upper part of my straight is counterfeited. I don't think he has TJ because his bet doesn't make sense if so. In the end, I determine that he probably read my raise as AK or sonme other high unpaired hand and ifgured the flop did not hit me. I decide to call, hoping to hit my outs.

thesnowplow shows [ 7h, Th ]

** Dealing Turn ** [ 5d ]
** Dealing River ** [ Ah ]

Wow! I can't believe he called my preflop raise with that hand. But I certainly wasn't happy to see him flip that over. That was one of the worst possible hands for me to be facing. But he pays the price for playing loose when the 5 hit, giving me the straight.

I now have $6145. friedlice has $7385 and nobody else has more than $2410.

Did I make the correct play on this hand? Anybody have any thoughts?

[larrymcg421]

friedlice and I are completely dominating this table. Friedlice eliminates Krochen with pocket Kings, which brings us down to 5 players at our table, and this is only 24 minutes in. We gain another player just in time for Friedlice to eliminate yet another guy, this time with pocket Queens.

On the very next hand, I pick up Pocket Aces. I call hoping for a raise. With my large stack, I can afford to set a trap. I figured a minraise might be too much of a giveaway. Unfortunately, friedlice and AZmonsoon both call and the daan checks out of the Big Blind.. I get worried with multi-way pots when I'm holding AA, especially when the only person with a bigger stack than me is in it.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 3h, Qd, 8c ]

This definitely eases my concerns. There's no reason to think I'm beat here. The only hand that I think is possible to beat me at this point is Q8. I don't think my opponents would even limp with the other two pair possibilities, although I guess 33 is possible. Daan leads out with $220, and I raise to $440. friedlice folds which makes me happy. azmonsoon moves all in with his last $1460. daan folds and I make the easy call.

larrymcg421 shows [ Ad, Ah ]
azmonsoon shows [ Qs, Js ]

** Dealing Turn ** [ 9c ]
** Dealing River ** [ 7d ]

And another player is eliminated from our table. Now it's time to combine tables. fried and I have eliminated 8 of the 10 players so far and sit in a comfortable position right now. Rioght before the table combines, we lose another player and are now down to 9.

[larrymcg421]

Here is the current count as the tables consolidate. I'm not happy that the only person with a bigger stack is right next to me. Still, I should be in good shape for the money.

Seat 3: larrymcg421 ( $7925 )
Seat 4: Friedlice222 ( $9725 )
Seat 7: daan01 ( $3375 )
Seat 2: Sweetbabyjo ( $5215 )
Seat 5: naflod13 ( $1195 )
Seat 6: Hulester ( $5308 )
Seat 8: Katikins ( $1720 )
Seat 9: FTNUTS ( $2890 )
Seat 10: phatboy79 ( $2647 )

I don't get anything for a while, but make a couple steals and I'm at $8175. Then in the SB, I pick up a favorite for internet players: Presto! FTNUTS moves all in with his last $2140. It's folded to me, and I decide to call. My pocket fives are not good enough to reraise with the biggest stack still to act. The $2140 should be enough to dissuade him from entering with a drawing hand, so if he does enter it will likely be with a real hand. No point putting my head on the chopping block when I don't need to. He folds.

FTNUTS shows [ Jh, As ]

So we've got a race situation. The poker gods have been kind to me so far in this tourney...

** Dealing Flop ** [ 7c, 3h, Qs ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 3c ]
** Dealing River ** [ 7s ]

And they remain friendly so far. FTNUTS goes home in 7th place, and we are two spots away from the money.

[larrymcg421]

We're now at level 5 (200/400). friedlice continues to dominate. Between us, we have half of the chips in play with 6 players remaining. I pick up AJo, which is strong enough to raise shorthanded. I raise it up to $1600. phatboy7 calls with his last $1337 and shows [ Jc, Kc ]

** Dealing Flop ** [ 6c, 6h, 8h ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 5d ]
** Dealing River ** [ Th ]

And we're now down to 5 players at Level 6 (300/600). Not many hands later, Hulester eliminates Sweetbabyjo and this puts us in the money with the following chip counts:

Seat 3: larrymcg421 ( $13652 )
Seat 4: Friedlice222 ( $13745 )
Seat 6: Hulester ( $9483 )
Seat 8: Katikins ( $3120 )

[larrymcg421]

Later on, friedlice cripples Hulester, leaving him with $4103. I pick up Pocket 10's on the button and raise it to $2100. Hulester moves in on me with $4103 and it's a trivially easy call.

Hulester shows [ Ad, 5s ]

And for the first time in the tourney, the Poker gods spit on me...

** Dealing Flop ** [ As, 6c, Qs ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 8d ]
** Dealing River ** [ Ks ]

This doubles Hulester up to $9706 and leaves me with $8249. On the next hand, friedlice minraises to $1200 and Hulester calls out of the SB. I look down at Q8o and figure it's worth calling with the sizable pot.

** Dealing Flop ** [ 6d, 8h, Qd ]

Woo! Top two on the flop. Unless someone has a set, I'm good. friedlice's minraise doesn't even worry me, because I beat KK and AA right now. Hulester and I check. friedlice bets $3600 and I move in. Hulester folds.

Friedlice222 shows [ Ks, Kd ]

I am in a dominating position right now for a strong double up. But the poker gods spit on me again...

** Dealing Turn ** [ Kh ]
** Dealing River ** [ Ts ]

Ouch!. I'm out in 3rd place and collect $40. I can't really complain because I had a nice run of cards until the last two bad beats sent me packing.

Buy-in: $11
Cash Out: $40

[larrymcg421]

Here's a really poorly played hand by my opponent that basically earned me $20.

It's bubble time in a $10+1 Party Poker SNG. Here are the current chip counts with blinds of 100/200

Seat 3: momstimeoff ( $9218 )
Seat 4: MikeMcD1523 ( $6200 )
Seat 8: yobaby11 ( $2812 )
Seat 6: larrymcg421 ( $1770 )

In the BB, I pick up [ Kh Kd ], so I'm thinking, how can I get max value for this hand. No need to worry about that though, because moms raises to $1325 and MikeMcD calls. I raise all in and they make the pot committed call. I'm not happy about a three way pot for my tournament life, especially since I expect these two to check it down. But that's not what happens...

** Dealing Flop ** [ 4s, 9s, Qs ]

Seems safe so far. But then I could not believe this next move.

MikeMcD1523 is all-In [4430]

What? I cannot think of a worse play to make, and he made it with [ As, Kc ]. Semi-bluffing into a dry side pot is incredibly dumb, especially in a bubble situation when you make the money if the all-in person loses. If you want to draw to your hand. He had an easy chance to look at two free cards to make his hand. Then he could have tried to extract some money in a side pot wager. moms decided to fold, giving me a chance to triple up against one person.

** Dealing Turn ** [ 5c ]
** Dealing River ** [ 9h ]

And I tripled up and went on to finish 3rd (with MikeMcd in 4th of course.) Later on, moms told me she had a 9 which would have made trips and eliminated me. The lesson here folks is when you are in a bubble situation, don't get cute. Just check the hand down.

[larrymcg421]

I have gone on a massive rush the last two weeks, which is why I haven';t had much time to write here.

I got sick of Party Poker's structure which ended up turning into a crapshoot too often. I went back to Pokerstars where I had $19 left. I ran my total up to $109, and then completely crashed. In 10 straight SNG's, I only had one 3rd place finish. I went ahead and reloaded another $100. I decided to "take a shot" at a $20 SNG, and came away with a victory. Getting back down to $10, I went on a massive rush which included a couple MTT cashes and some really nice scores in NL cash games. I currently have $450 sitting in my account and have moved back up to the $20, which I've learned are not tougher than the $10.

I'm going to try and detail some of the more interesting hands that came up during this period, including a SNG I played with Cartman, where we both ran over the table.

[larrymcg421]

Before I get to the older tourneys, I am currently chipleader at a $4.40 180 person SNG. These have been very good to me. I've made three final tables with 4th, 5th, and 9th place showings.

I flop a straight with the very first hand to bust someone. Later I bust another person with AA vs. QQ, bringing me up 5430 in chips, which is well above the average stack at that point. And here is the hand that made me chip leader. It gives you a good idea of the donkfest that these $4 tourneys are:

Seat 1: LongPhi_Pham (3480 in chips)
Seat 2: QDAN (6385 in chips)
Seat 3: pogipinoy_1 (3445 in chips)
Seat 4: Hayseed1979 (1205 in chips)
Seat 5: crymdoctor (1840 in chips)
Seat 6: FireWire2usb (2510 in chips)
Seat 7: Think101 (4385 in chips)
Seat 8: RickoCove (3290 in chips)
Seat 9: larrymcg421 (5430 in chips)
QDAN: posts small blind 50
pogipinoy_1: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to larrymcg421 [Kc Ac]
Hayseed1979: raises 1105 to 1205 and is all-in
crymdoctor: folds
FireWire2usb: folds
Think101: folds
RickoCove: folds
larrymcg421: raises 4225 to 5430 and is all-in
LongPhi_Pham: folds
QDAN: calls 5380
pogipinoy_1: folds
*** FLOP *** [5s Jh Qs]
*** TURN *** [5s Jh Qs] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [5s Jh Qs Ts] [2d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
QDAN: shows [7c 7h] (a pair of Sevens)
larrymcg421: shows [Kc Ac] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
larrymcg421 collected 8450 from side pot
Hayseed1979: shows [Ah Th] (a pair of Tens)
larrymcg421 collected 3715 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 12165 Main pot 3715. Side pot 8450. | Rake 0
Board [5s Jh Qs Ts 2d]
Seat 1: LongPhi_Pham (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: QDAN (small blind) showed [7c 7h] and lost with a pair of Sevens
Seat 3: pogipinoy_1 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: Hayseed1979 showed [Ah Th] and lost with a pair of Tens
Seat 5: crymdoctor folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: FireWire2usb folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Think101 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: RickoCove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: larrymcg421 showed [Kc Ac] and won (12165) with a straight, Ten to Ace

I was certainly not happy to see the call from the only person that had me covered. I was thinking he had AA or KK, maybe QQ or JJ. But then he flopped over pocket 7's!! How the hell can you make that call against two preflop all-ins, one of whom has a similar stack size? It worked out in the end for me, though.

The tourney ID is 29795358 and I'm at Table 8 if anyone wants to watch.