Why didn't I just throw it away....

DeVore

I played in the $200 tournament in Binions on the last night of my trip here. The first tournament I've had time to play since I arrived in fact!

I played well and got enough cards in the right spots to see me through to the final table. Wooohooooo, the final table in Binions! Look at me ma, I'm on top o'da world!

I played well on the final table and stole my way up to being chipleader. Then I dumped a pile on Bloke A and dropped back to short stack. I straighten my head out as I felt a full attack of the tilts coming and got it in with the best of it and doubled up. Then I take two guys out in a row and I'm second chip leader again, only about 30 minutes after my serious mistake.

We're down to four and one is incredibly short stacked. The stacks are:

SB: 2,500
BB: 17,400
BLoke A: 80K
Me: 50k

Bloke A has been aggressive all night even before he became chip leader, he's also run scared when reraised (except the time I tried to push him off a TPTK).

The blinds are 4k/8k with a 400 ante. The SB is all in anyway. Bloke A is UTG and after some speech play with BB he raises it to 17,400. I look down and see AKc.

Now what do you do in that position? What do you do when the board comes K95 rainbow and he moves all in when he's first to act.

Me, I flat called hoping that I'd get an A or K on the flop or I'd fold to any bet... its very passive but I didnt want to risk my stack preflop with AK.
When the flop came and he pushed I called. He had a set of 5's.

Reviewing the hand I could have done better. I could have dropped it because of the situation, I could have reraised him all in and taken him off his fives (though I dont know if it would have). I dont think I can fold to the bet on the flop to be honest, its such an unscary board for me and KQ, KJ and QQ JJ may well be his hands here. He's certainly shown the willingness to throw chips around on those hands and worse!

What was even more of a kick in the bollox was that the short stack hit runner runner hearts to make a 4 flush and stayed in the game! I went out 4th and was sick.

I don't feel happy about the way I played it but I can't honestly see how I SHOULD have played it that isnt very very weak/passive. I knew I would face him off at some stage since we were by far the biggest stacks and I picked that hand rather then headsup as it seemed like I have a great hand and great position on him.

DeV.

Hectorjelly

Its a tough hand, preflop though your call is unprofitable unless you think that Player A is likely to check it down after the flop. After the flop moving in first when theres a player all in is a huge sign of strength - you will often be shown a set here, but your call for nearly 1/3 of your chips preflop almost commits you if you flop a pair. To sum up: you got very unlucky, only about 1 in 24 flops will have an ace/king and a 5.

Doc Farrell

Well done chief, hope you got a few quid out of it?

The boards pages are very slow in opening for some reason....?

oh yeah, about ur hand, I woulda went all in preflop, the guy woulda probably called and that is that. So u played the hand more intelligently than i would have and just got unlucky.

congrats on all the antes up stuff. i think u'll be remembering this trip into your golden years.

when are they btw, about 2-3 years from now?

D.

DeVore

I did think Player A might check it down but I was also confident that my hand was the best going in. This guy had made such moves with KQ and AT. I could have dropped it preflop if I had thought about it. Its a weak move but it's fairly sure to garner me 3rd, and probably second.
Player A's move all in after the flop wasn't all that surprising as he had done that on straight draws with a man all in. The runner runner flush was the real kick in the teeth. That cost me 500 notes...

Des, yeah... when I got back to home I was thinking I have a great story to tell and have had a great experience. I'm sure we'll be back there next year though, especially as so many Irish will be going.

DeV.