MSOP Event #3.... POP!!!!

So the the MSOP $16 Pot Limit Hold'em tournament was today. The field wasn't as big as event 2 but still had 1700 people in the field and a prize pool of almost 26k with 5.3k going to 1st place. This was basically my first pot limit hold'em tournament I had ever played, so it was interesting to say the less. The biggest thing is pot limit awards patience because there are no antes so there is less of an incentive to steal blinds inless the people in the blinds are complete nits.3k starting stack and 12 minute levels equals an amazing structure. There are a lot more hands than event 2 just because there more interesting than event 2 where I basically had chips handed to me. Today was totally opposite. I basically earned everything.

This first hand was really the only big hand I won the whole tournament. Blinds are 20/40. I raise utg to 110 with KQs, a player in middle position 3 bets to 240 (basically a min raise) and the player on the button flat calls the 3 bet. Here there is no way I'm good but I call just because I have huge implied odds in the hand. The flop come K82 two diamonds. Surprisingly, it checks around. The turn is the J of clubs. I check, MP checks, and the button bets 500. Now i just flat call cuse I'm almost certain they would bet a king on the flop. MP folds. The river is the T of diamonds putting a straight and flush on the board. I check and the button bets pot! Now I think he would bet a little less with a flush or straight so he's either bluffing with air or he's bluffing with a weird played AA or AK. I tanked for about half my time bank and ultimately called. And to my surprise he flip of the monster that is 66 and I dragged in a good pot. Basically I went completely dead after that and I went into turbo nitzilla mode. Fold, fold, fold, raise weeeeee blinds, fold, fold, fold! Intill this hand way at 100/200!

I have 4800 at 100/200 and get AKo utg+2. I raise it up to 500 and get a call from the button who has about 4100. Flop comes 763 2 diamonds. I lead for 775 and the button calls. The turn is the 6 of hearts. I read have no idea what he has, so when in doubt bet(not really but when youhave an extrememly nitty image it might be the smart thing to do). I lead for pot which is 2850 basically putting him all in. He tanks for a few and folds. Bluffing with the best hand, I love it!

It folds to me on the button with the blinds at 120/240 and I have 6k in my stack. I riase it to 575 with 98s,the big blind calls and we see a flop. FLop comes 987 rainbow. Big blind checks and I bet 675. Big blind min raises me. Now here he could have a whole bunch of hands. JT, 65s for the straight, a naked ten for a straight draw, maybe even a nine, and of course air. There is no way I'm folding and I think flat calling is terrible. So i repot to like 5k which is probably too much but any raise is committing my whole stack. He insta-folded. Oh! missed oppurtunities.

I had a little Sowers in me in this hand. 150/300 blinds folds to the button who limps.Small blind folds and I check 49o. Flop comes 355 two spades. I check button bets 300, I raise to 900, button folds. Weeeeeeee. I can bluff! Thank you Mr. Mike Sowers you are a hero!

Basically after this hand I couldn't find anything any essentially got down to where if I raised I was playing my whole stack. So basically for an hour I just bet pot stole the blinds and never had any trouble intill my bust out had. At this point we are about 10 from the bubble, but I'm not one to try and sneak into the money. Blinds are 500/1k and I have like 9-10k (dont remember). I have KK and pot it to 3.5k.Fols around to the big blind who re-pops it to put me all-in. I insta call and he has 77. Finally the double hand that I was looking for for 2 and a half hours. I dont remember the board. All blanks on the flop, the turn gave him a gutterball straight draw, and the river said gg Mr. Baseball Tim when the 7 spiked on the river! So i busted like 8 from the money. Weeeeeee another bubble for me!

I'm not really sure how much I like pot limit holdem. Basically once I got down to 12 big blinds I didn't know what to do. So basically I think I did the right which was bet pot to maximize my fold equity. Anyways bubbling really sucks, but folding KK to make the money is terrible tournament stragety. I double up right there I have room to play some poker and make it deep. Bubbling sucks ass but I tihnk I played really well. How I even made it that far in the first place, I will never know. I had one big pair which was my bust out had, AK once, and AQ a shit load of times with 10 big blinds which never got any action. Anyways, I'm probably playing the $16 Omaha 8 or better tomorrow, so stay tuned for my updates from that tournament!