After 3 months of playing limit poker, I have decided to go back to NL. Why? Well in the last 3 months I have actually lost money, but with bonuses and rakeback I have only lost about $600. In the first 5 months of the year I won 5K playing NL, so its time to go back to my roots and push my bankroll back up and then attempt this limit thing again or maybe try a new game like Omaha or 7 card stud.
So this week I have started playing some NL ring games, mainly Short Handed. These games are really weak and full of fish. In 2 nights I have made $130 two tableing .50/1 tables, I have probably played 5 hours total.
Last night I decided to enter a 3 table SNG for $7 bucks. I got a nice table draw, rather tight passive table. I doubled up fairly quick and was just folding, waiting for a good hand. I told myself that when the antes kicked in I would get aggressive, that worked really well in the DSOP last week. I also decided I would look for situations where 1 limper entered the pot and try and win this preflop. Well the first hand with antes I picked up Th8h on the button. One person limped and I decided this was a good oppoturnity so I raised, the SB folded and the BB called and so did the limper. Crap, my plan didnt work. The flop came A high with two hearts. Both players checked to me and I moved all in. I had them both covered by about 1300 so I knew I couldnt go broke. The BB folded and the other guy took his whole time and finally called wtih AT. I hit my flush on the river and took him out and became the chip leader with 18 to go.
I continued my aggressive nature and went to the final table as the chip leader, although it was not by much. A few hands into it I picked up AQ, there again was one limper. I raised and everyone folded except the limper. He called the flop came QJJ, he check I pushed allin, the pot was about 4k and he had 2k left. It was really a no brainer. He called and turned over JT and then hit a J on the turn for quads. This took me down to about 5k and average in chips. I tooled around, stealing when I could. With 6 left, top 5 gettting paid it looked like I was going to be the bubble boy, the short stacks kept winning some hands.
Chip leader let the Short Stack win a pot when he was getting over 5 to 1 to call, but folded. Man some people dont understand how to play the big stack, if he takes this guy out he's in the money and the extra to call would have still left him the chip leader. In fact even if he had lost that pot, it would have caused me and the other short stack to make a move in the next orbit, possibly with a marginal hand, but because he didnt call we had some time. Well Chip leader mixed it up with the other big stacks and eventually busted out 6th, justice I tell you justice. Important note here learn to play the big stack in a tourney.......
The money, I finally picked up a few hands on a mini rush and had about 8k in chips. I was 3rd in chips I believe. I picked up 88 in late position with one limper and raised to 2k as I had being doing anytime one limper came into the pot and it was folded to me in late position. The BB went allin for 3400 total and the limper called. The pot was 3400+3400+2000+500 for a total of 9300 and I had to call 1k more. Yes, its gonna happen, its not very often I get over 9 to 1 so I called. The flop is all rags, the limper checkd. I bet 1k, which put him all in for his last 600. The cards turn over and he has JJ and the other guy had AQ. Well I river an 8 and take down the monster pot. Lucky, I know, but I would have still been in the tourney had I lost and that is the important part.
Heads up I am a 3 to 1 dog. I finally battle back and get to a 6 to 1 chip lead and my opponent sucks out a few times and even takes the lead back. I swear he had aligator skin! I battle through and finally we go on break. I am sitting with a 3/2 lead. The first hand back I picked up AK on the button. I decided to slowplay this because he had shown that everytime I limped in on the button he raised. I hoped he would follow his pattern. He did and I reriased, needless to say all the money went in preflop, he turned over A7 and I felt pretty good about my hand. The flop came and I flopped the nuts, thats right QJT rainbow. Since he wasnt suited flushes were out, his only hope was to hit a king to split. No joy for him and I took 1st place and $70 home.
I really miss tourney play so I plan to play a few of these smaller MTT tourneys each week, and by smaller I mean a smaller field. I will attempt to play a bigger one every couple of weeks, but as of now I am back to NL.
