Tucson Open 8 players Came in 3rd - in the money :-)

Somewhat small group tonight. I played well overall, though as we got into the later stages of the tournament I wasn't playing as well and it's an area where I become less certain what the best tactics are for me to take, which is, in part, is  why I like to participate in the Tucson Open ... it gives me experience and practice in this area when I manage to play well enough to make it to the latter stages.

I had a nice early win in Hand 9. I was BB w/pocket K's and 3,210 chips (we start with 3000), HJ w/2610 chips opens betting w/3 1/2 BB bet, CO w/2610 chips calls, SB; BB folds, and I raise to 400.  HJ folds and CO calls. Flop 8s 4c Ks. I hit a set!! :-) I check and CO bets 321, I raise to 642 and CO goes all-in. The only thing I see scary on the board is a possible spade flush draw so I call. CO shows Kc Qh, a weaker hand than I expected. Turn 10d, River 4d and I now have 5940 chips and have knocked out one of the players. We are now seven.

Things stayed pretty steady with a bit of up and down until hand 59. I'm SB w/4700 chips and have Ad Js. The BT w/4050 chips opens with a 300 bet, I call and BB folds. Flop As Jc 8h. I hit top two pair!  BT bets half the pot, 700, and I raise to 1400 and the BT decides to go all-in. I don't see anything obvious for that bet, though he might have hit a set, but I'm assuming if he did it's not A's or J's. I decide to call. BT shows Ac 8c, top and bottom pair. Turn 7h, River 9s. I win and now have 8900 chips and knocked out another player. We are down to six. We are at our 1st break and I have a nice chip lead.

Again it's a bit of back and forth but by hand 95 I'm back to 7740 chips. Hand 96 I'm the button w/As 7s. I open with a 3 BB (480) bet, SB folds, and BB w/5265 chips calls. Flop  Ks 5h 8s. I have a nut flush draw. BB bets 640 into the 1040 pot, I call. Turn Qs. I have it and nothing dangerous shows on the board. BB bets 1120 into the 2320 pot and I call again. River is a 5s.

I didn't notice at the time, but the board has now paired making for a potential FH being out there. BB bets 1280 into the 4500 pot and I raise to 2560. BB decides to fold. I now have 11,340 chips, near my high point of the evening.

I'm not sure what I would have done if I'd noticed the board pairing. It's one of those areas I have trouble with when I see my hand having the nuts and expecting to win. I seem to put blinders on to someone else having a hand that could beat me. But if I had, I may have only called his 1280 last bet. I certainly was priced in and I'd still have had 4220 chips left and in line with the other players.

It also makes me wonder, that rather then just calling the BB on the flop and the turn, maybe I should have bet harder to prevent the opportunity for the River to suck me out.

Hand 143.  I'm the SB w/8580 chips and have 9s Jc, blinds 150/300, 4 of us are left. On the bubble! I limp to the BB and BB checks. Flop 2h 3s Js. I have top pair. I bet 300 into the 700 pot and BB calls. Turn 4s. Not helpful to me and indicates a possible flush out there. I bet 300 into the 1300 pot and BB raises me to 600, I call.  Not a lot of reason to call, but it was a small amount so I did it. River 9h. That gives me top two pair, but the possibility of a flush is still out there. I bet 1050 into the 2500 pot and BB calls. They show something I'd not considered ... a straight!! They have 5h 6c and have had the straight since the turn. I'm down to 6305 chips.

Hand 173. I'm down to 4055 chips, blinds are 200/400 and three of us are left. I made the money. I'm BB and have Ah 9h. BT w/11,5321 chips limps, SB w/8434 chips  calls, & I check. Flop 6h 3s 6s. Not a particularly good flop for me. We all check. Turn 5h. Well I have a flush draw, but the board is pared and a straight is also possible. SB checks and I decide to bet 800 into the 1350 pot to see if I can get folks to fold. BT calls and SB folds. River 6d. All I have now is Ace high. I check and BT bets 1200 into the 2950 pot. I fold. I only have 2805 chips left. Not good, Loki time.

Hand 175. I'm the button w/2305 chips and Kc Qs. Per Loki this is an all-in call for me, so I go all-in. SB folds and BB calls, showing Ah 6. They have one over card. The board shows 5d 7d 3h 3d 7s. Neither of us hit but they have the Ace to my King and win. I'm out and in 3rd place.

All in all it was a good night. Would have liked to have played the latter stages better and hopefully that will come with time.