Live PLO Tourney

First off, never go to a casino well in advance of meeting someone or a tournament. When I got to Harrahs it was two hours before I was to meet Zerb. The wait list for $1/$2 was 8 deep so I gave up. I decided to go get my balls kicked by Pai Gow to the tune of $100. I was down only $3 when i decided to play the 3 card and 7 card bonuses. All of my $100 was gone 10 minutes later. The last hand was a supreme holding of j,8,7,5,4,3,2 with no flushes.

I decide to walk back over to the poker room and they had opened up a new table so there was no wait list. I got an immediate seat in the $1/$2 game. The first hand I picked-up was the 9s8s and played for a limp. I whiffed the flop and got out. About a lap in I picked up QdJd and limped. A few limpers come along and the BB raises to $12. All 5 of the limpers call and we take the flop 6 handed. Flop comes Q,9,2 rainbow. An EP player leads for $15, one player calls and I call. Turn is the 5 and the same player leads for $20. Next to act calls and I like the pot odds even if my hand is currently not the best. The river pairs the 9 and its checked around. The player leading the betting gives-up (Zerb said he had a 2 in his hand). The next player tables J,J and my Q,J is good. Nice sized pot.

The only other pot I won was when I had A,Q in late position and raised to 10 and the blinds and two limpers folded. Time for dinner after an hour and I cashed put with $303 good for a $103 profit.

The tournament was $55 buy-in PLO. You started with 10k in chips, 100/100 blinds and 20 minute levels. Pretty good IMO. They had 40 people. Before the tournament Zerb and myself guess it would take nearly 2 hours before the first bust. Wow were we ever wrong. By the end of the 2nd level one table had already busted and we had 24 by the first break at the end of level 3. The play at my table was pretty passive. There were 2-3 good players. In the first level I hit quad 4's for a smallish pot. At the end of the 3rd level I was sitting with 14k in chips.

Levels 4-6 I pretty much folded every hand I got. At the end of level 6 I had 6600 in chips and there were around 16 players left. With the blinds at 800/1600 and UTG to start level 7 I had to shove any 4. I shoved with J,X,X,X suited in spaded. Thought It was going to work until the BB woke up with A,A,2,4. Well, I run good and flopped the flush and he was drawing nearly dead and I got the double-up. I hung on and reached the final table with 12k in chips and 1k/2k blinds. I was able to get a double-up with A,A,x,x.

Down to 8 people and the tourney paying the top 5 I was able to double-up again with K,K,x,x and I was sitting on 37k. With one limper and me in the SB with A,J,10,x I called and the BB checked. The flop was 9,8,2 with two clubs. I checked and the BB bet pot. He had 9k behind and I decided to put him all-in for 9k more with the open ender to try and get a workable stack. He held top two. I paired my Ace on the turn giving me more puts but missed the river. After the hand I was down to 10k and the blinds were 2k/4k. When I was UTG +1 an interesting hand came-up. A short stack was all-in and two others were all-in on the turn. One of the chip leaders called. Could it be. He said I'm way behind but I call. He ends up going runner runner straight and knocks out all three people and I'm in the money.

Next hand UTG I had A,10,K5ss and shoved. The BB called with the K,10,J5ss. The flush hit and I got the double-up. The very next hand I get K,K,x,x and pot it from the BB after one limper (the same guy I doubled through). He puts me all-in and I call. He has A,K,10,X and he flops the ace and I'm done in 5th for $144. Damn, if I win that one I have around 60k in chips and am in decent shape to make the top 3. I will take the cash.

BTW me and Zerb had a $10 last longer. He busted around 12th place when he sensed weakness and shoved with 10,10. Unfortunately the guy behind woke-up with A,A. Overall a profitable trip to St. Louis for me.