PS 9 SNG $1 +.25 KO + .15 End 1st, 3 KO 83 Hands

Since I've been doing poorly at the higher levels decided to drop back to the lowest level and give one of the KO's a go of it. It was a pretty wild and wooly for the 1st part of it, with one player who would go for it and bet w/nothing. Part of the time he got lucky.

Three players were knocked out very early in the session. I wasn't sure I was going to make it to the bubble as my stack went down but I was able to do a couple of blind + limp(s) steals by going all-in, I managed to keep my head above water. Also a little help from this loose player who bet 120 on the River w/nothing.

When we got down to the bubble I was low stack w/1270, next high had 1596. The top two stacks had 5355 & 5105. My chips varied from a over a 1000 to a little under a 1000. I was very lucky on a hand where I had A6o vs Ajo. The board was kind ... A 2 Q 2 2 giving us both FH's and we chopped the pot.

I had a couple of boost w/KQo holding up and took out the 4th player w/AQs vs QTs when the board held up and he didn't hit a flush draw. So when we started as three I was middle stack w/4960, low stack had 1060, and the big stack 7255. 1st hand into it I had Ac Jc as BB. BTN limped in w/150, SB called, and I raised to 450. The short stack went all-in w/1060 chips, SB folded & I called. I'd still have 4000 chips if I lost, so I thought it was worth the risk. BTN shows pocket Q's. I have one overcard. Flop 3s 2s Jh. I pair my J, but that doesn't beat their Q's! Turn Ad. Now that's better!! I have two pair. River 3d. I win and have 6320 chips to 7180 chips.

The HU was fun. I was able to slow play some good situations and the other player would bet and I could call and/or make a small raise, so I didn't have to give away to much of how good my hand was, then on the River I'd make a decent raise and he would call me. One example: I have Qd 2d, I'm BB w/8020 chips, blinds 100/200. He open raises 2 BB (400) and I call him. Flop 9h Jd 4d. Not much for me, but I do have a flush draw. He bets 400 into the 800 pot and I call. Turn Ad. I have the 2nd high nut flush. As long as he doesn't have two diamonds with one being the K I'm in great shape. He bets 400 into the 1600 pot and I raise him to 800 and he calls. Not sure what that means beyond my raise didn't scare him away. River 10h. I like that as it has straight possibilities and if he hit a straight he might be more willing to put some chips into the pot. He checks and I bet 1000 into the 3200 pot. I'm expecting him to fold, but instead he calls. He shows Ac 8d, just a pair of A's. I now have 10,820 chips to his 2680.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, 1.4 Tournament, 100/200 Blinds (2 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

saw flop | saw showdown

SB (t5280)
Hero (BB) (t8220)

Hero's M: 27.40



Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, 2
SB bets t400, Hero calls t200

Flop: (t800) 9, J, 4 (2 players)
Hero checks, SB bets t400, Hero calls t400

Turn: (t1600) A (2 players)
Hero checks, SB bets t400, Hero raises to t800, SB calls t400

River: (t3200) 10 (2 players)
Hero bets t1000, SB calls t1000

Total pot: t5200
Main pot: t5200 between SB and Hero, won by Hero

Results:
SB mucked A, 8 (one pair, Aces).
Hero had Q, 2 (flush, Ace high).
Outcome: Hero won t5200

Two hands later I had Q3o and the flop was 2 3 3 giving me trip 3's. Again I checked and he bet into the hand, though he didn't bite on the River this time.  Next hand he doubled up. I had Kd 8d. He raised my 2 BB (400) open raise to 1000 and I called. Flop Ad 10d 9c. I'm on a nut flush draw this time. He bets his last 880 chips and I call. He shows A9o hitting two pair on the flop. Turn 3s. River Js. He gets this one.

The penultimate hand minus one happens two hand later. I'm the SB w/Js 8s, I limp in w/200 and he raises to 600 and I call. Flop Jh Jd 8d. WOW I couldn't ask for a nicer flop!! Will I be able to get anything with it, or will it just look too scary for him to risk his chips? No it isn't & yes he will. He bets 600 into the 1200 pot and I call. Turn Ad. Rats, now he has not only pocket J's staring at him, there is a possible diamond flush showing. He checks and I decide I'll try a modest bet of 700 into the 2400 pot. Maybe he's hit the diamond flush! He calls. River 9s. Straight possibilities show as well. He checks again and I bet 1500 into the 3800 pot, again expecting he'll fold, unless he has something GREAT like a J w/an A as if he loses that will leave him with only 260 chips. He calls!! He only has Kd Qh, no pair, no straight, no flush. Maybe he thought I was bluffing.

Next hand he folds and on the last hand he's the BB and all-in. He has 4h 6h and I have 3c 3h. The board plays out Qd 8h 7s Qc 3s. It's over and I win!! .

Having trouble getting a hand read on FlopTurnRiver. Tried a couple of hands says it can't read header, tried from direct email of the hand from Poker Stars. Same problem. Worked fine earlier today

Discovered the problem ...it's the KO format in pricing that messes up FlopTurnRiver. FTR only understands pricing of "Buy-in + Rake." In KO sessions, Poker Stars has the price listed as  "Buy in + KO amt + Rake." If I delete the KO part it converts fine.