PS 10 SNG Dbl/Nth $1 + .15 End 1-5 82 hands

Well that was a lot of work for 85 cents and for awhile I wasn't sure I was going to make the top 5. :-) For those who read this who may not know, the Poker Stars Double or Nothing is a 10 player SNG; the top 5 players win 2x the entry fee, in this case $1, so you win $2. Since the total cost of entry is $1.15 you only net 85 cents.

There were two places I felt I made mistakes. The first was earlier in the session when I was going for a flush draw that I did not hit. One other player made larger bets than I'd have preferred and calling them cost me some chips. The other place was nearer the end of the session when I decided to call an all-in from one of the players who only had a VP of 3-4 after 62 hands. My mind decided that his long pause before betting was due to his debating what to do, rather then his likely playing many sessions & when he got to this hand had very good cards.

There were three players with VP's from 2 to 5 after 39 hands. All of of them didn't let you see how many sessions they were playing, as a search for them said "player can't be found," however slowness in play did indicate they must be playing several sessions.

Hand 41058910949 was the 1st hand I had some success & luck. I was in LP w/Ah 8h. EP2 limped and I decided I would too, HJ called, CO & BT folded, SB called, & BB checked. Flop Kd 6h Jh giving me a nut flush draw. SB bets 120 into the 150 pot, BB & EP2 fold, I decide to call, based on my flush draw, and HJ folds. Turn 7s, no help to me. SB bets 120 again into the 390 pot and I call. River 5h. Phew! I hit my nut flush. SB bets 210 into the 630 pot and I raise him to 420, SB calls showing 7h 10h, a lower flush. I win the 1,470 pot and have 2110 chips.

A few hands later I took a small hit. Hand  41059148309. I was BB w/2d 9s. Two players limp in. Flop Qd 7d Qc. Nothing for me but since I bet 1st I bet 65 into the 120 pot. If I'm lucky they didn't hit anything and will fold. Alas they BOTH call. A larger bet might have been a better play, say the pot? I don't know. Turn Jd. Nuts, I have a flush draw but only the 2d in my hand. All of us check. River Kd. Double NUTS!! I now have a flush but if either of the other players has a diamond I lose. I decide to bet 100 to test the waters, UTG calls, & LP raises to 330. I & UTG fold. I now have 1735 chips.

This takes us to the hand where I made my big mistake. Hand 41060446477. We are down to 7 players, I'm in 5th position, blinds 75/150 w/an ante of 15. I'm UTG w/Kh Js. I limp in. All fold to the SB who goes all-in w/960 chips, BB folds and I decide to call, forgetting that he has a VP of 4 or so and likely playing lots of sessions, so would only bet if he has a very good hand. I then see the BAD NEWS he has pocket A's (Ad Ac). I'm in big trouble! The board shows at the end Ah Ks 7d 4c 3c. I'm down to 935 chips and am the short stack.

A few hands later I get lucky with hand 41061072708. Blinds 100/200 w/ante of 20, still 7 players. I'm short stack w/900 and BB w/pocket 2's (2d 2h). UTG with a 4 VP opens w/a bet of 400, action folds to me and I go all-in w/my last 680 chips, UTG calls and shows Ad Qc. Two over cards to my pair. Now I cross my fingers and hope for the best. Flop Jd 3c Kh. Missed his cards but does give him more outs as a 10 gives him a straight (I didn't notice that while playing). Turn 8h. One more card to go! River 8s. Phew! I win!! I now have 2000 chips and am in 5th position.

Blinds were getting higher, 125/250 w/ante 25 and my stack had dwindled to 1,330. Over the next few hands I managed to steal the blinds and got my chip stack back to 2,355. More back and forth, the blinds moved up to 150/300 w/30 ante and we are now down to 6 players ... on the bubble. With some halfway decent cards like a KJ and a 3 BB bet I'm able to steal the blinds & ante's from UTG position. Part of that certainly is that two of the remaining 6 had VP's in the 4- 6 range, so I felt that would eliminate 2 of the 5 most rounds. By playing aggressively I was even able to get to 1st position, though the difference between 1st & 6th wasn't that great (1st 4315, 6th 1640).

Hand 41062208920. Blinds 200/400 w/ante 40. I'm HJ w/Ah Qd and 5635 chips. UTG folds and I bet 3 BB (1200) CO raises to 2000 (leaving them w/162 chips), rest fold, and since it's only 800 more chips I call. Flop 6c 4d 3d. No big help to me. I decide to put him all-in and he calls showing As Ks. I need some help here. Turn Kh pairing his K. River 3c. I lose and am back to 3,433 chips and in 2nd position.

 One hand later it makes no difference as the short stack goes all-in and loses. I'm in the top five!!!