Mini FTOPS Recap

First off before the event started yesterday I was bored and decided to get in a 300 chip $2 satellite to win another seat. blinds start at 15/30 and the levels were 5 minutes. There were 262 people for 23 seats. I got a double in the first dozen hands or so and was able to get three more doubles along the way and easily rolled into another seat. That's 4-4 in sats for me.

Mini-FTOPS Event #20 was a $20 NLHE event with 5k in chips to start and a slow structure. About half-way through the 2nd level I called a raise with presto and flopped a set but go no action. Three hands after that I had AsQc in the cutoff and raised 3x to 90 and the SB and BB came along. The rest was beautiful.

(click through for replayer)



I flop top top with the nut flush draw, turn the nut flush, and river the royal. My opponent was unfortunate enough to river the straight flush. Just like that I was up to a little over 8k. This was the second royal I have ever had. My last one was in a .10/.25 cash game where someone else had a flush and the other person had a boat and I got paid off big time. Three hands later I open with AQ off again and get 3bet. I called and flopped top top. Check called the flop. Turn gets checked through and I lead on the river and take it down.

That hand started at 13:25. I wouldn't win another hand (besides one walk) until 15:04. Talk about a long dry spell. I really didn't have anything playable except a couple of small pairs that didn't connect. The third hour of the tournament was more of the same. I was able to pick up a few pots to stay afloat. At the 200/400 level I had 11 bbs and raised with AJo and was re-raised by a big stack. Committed I shipped and they called with AQcc. Fullt Tilt rewarded my bad play with a J on the flop and river and I got the full double up to 9720. I won one other medium-ish sized pot in the third hour and that was about it.

Moving to hour 4 and still nowhere near the money bubble I was back down to 4620 with blinds at 300/600 and shipped AJo with no callers. A few hands later a big stack opened and I shoved AKo. Big stack called and showed 44. Flop K84 and I am almost dead. I did pic-up the flush draw on the turn but bricked the river and I was out in 2272nd place. Tourney paid top 1080 out of 9600.

It felt good playing a tournament of that size again. Even though I didn't cash it was still a ton of fun and the price was right (only using FPP's). With the satellite wins now I can go bananas in the Pokersluts $1 rebuy this weekend.