Tour 81 50 FTP End 1-10 Won Entry 65 Hands Sat to BLT (7/22/10)

Payout 1-10 Entry to The Big Little Tournament  8/1  9:30AM

Hand 5. Had a nice early win with my pocket 8's (8h 8c) hit a set on the flop of 6s 3d 8s. UTG open raised 3 1/2 BB (175) and had 3 callers when it got to me as SB, I called and so did the BB. That made for a nice 1050 pot pre-flop. I was the 1st to act after the flop. I debated slow playing it, but decided I was better off going all-in and push any others off possible straight & flush draws, so I bet 1475 into the 1050 pot. Everyone folded and I now had 2515 chips.

By hand 35 I was down to 1965 chips as the BTN w/Ad Qc, blinds 100/200. HJ limped in w/200 and I raised to 700, SB & BB folded, HJ called. Flop Qh 7c 2h. I paired my Q. HJ checked and I decided to go all-in w/my 1265 chips. Betting 1/2 the pot would have left me only 400 or so chips, so I felt I had nothing to lose going all-in since if he raised me I would have been pot committed anyway. Whatever he called my pre-flop raise with wasn't good enough for him to call my all-in and I was back in fairly decent shape with 2965 chips.

Hand 38 I was HJ w/Kc Jh. MP1 & MP2 limped in w/200 and I decided to join the party. SB called & BB checked. Flop Ah 3s Jc. I paired my J, but there was an Ace on the board and with 4 other players in the pot, one could easily have one. All 4 folded to me. Hmmm. Someone is slow playing or maybe no-one has an Ace, so I decide to bet 800 into the 1000 pot to find out. WOW no callers!!! I now have 3765 chips.

Hand 43 was one I should have folded, likely at pre-flop to the MP2 players 3 BB open raise. Blinds 120/240 ante 25. I'm BB w/Ah 5h. As I said MP2 open raised 3 BB (720), rest folded to SB who called and since it only cost me 480 toward a 1905 pot, I decided it was worth gambling on a heart nut flush to see what the flop brought and I call. Flop 2h Ad 9c. Not much toward my flush, but I did pair my Ace, but I  have a weak kicker. SB bets 240 into the 2385 pot. Darn, I hate those small bets when I have something but not strong enough to want to take much of a stand and/or push. I call and so does MP2. Turn 2s. The board has paired and isn't real help to me. SB again bets 240, this time into the 3105 pot. Another small bet. I don't like it but I call again as does MP2. River 6s. Again no help to me. One more time the SB bets 240. Do you think he has my number??? Sure he has, I & MP2 call. SB shows Ac Js. Only a paired Ace but a much better kicker than me. MP2 shows pocket Q's (Qh Qc). I'm down to 2225 chips.

I feel ok about the initial pre-flop call. If I hit my chip stack will be in excellent shape. I don't recall today how far we were from the the top 10 when I decided to play that hand or where I was in the ranking and likely that influenced my decision(s) to continue play rather than to fold. I'm not sure how one gets off those possible winning hands having top pair when no-one is making any significant bets or raises. Since the winner had a J for a kicker I tend to doubt he'd been easily scared away and he had me covered by approx 1100 chips.

Hand 51 I had a lucky flop. I'm SB w/4s 7s, 1260 chips. Blinds are 200/400/ante 50. Action folds to the CO who limps in w/400, BTN & I call, BB checks. Flop 9h 4c 7c. Nice flop for me as I have two pair. I decide to slow play it and check; so does everyone else. :-/ Turn 3d. This time I decide to go for it and go all-in w/my last 1060 chips into the 1950 pot. I don't have much to lose as with the blinds and ante's I'll be blinded out in two more rounds. BB folds, CO calls, and BTN folds. CO shows 10h 8c, having an open ended straight draw from the flop. Since I have a 7 I cut their outs by 1. River Kc. I win and have 4070 chips

Hand 54 I give back some chips. I'm HJ w/Ad Ks, seven of us at the table. Action folds to me and I decide to try a blind steal, open raising 2 1/2 BB (1000). Rest fold to the BB who calls. Flop 2c 8s 5c. No help to me. BB checks and I check. Turn 10s. Still no help and I can't expect to have more than a pair of A's or K's if I hit one of them on the River. BB bets all-in w/2665 into the 2550 pot. I have him covered but would have less than 300 chips if lose. I'd love to see if he is bluffing!! BUT that's not the goal of this session. It's to make the top 10, so I fold. I'm back to 2920 chips.

Hand 57. I'm BB w/2270 chips and 8s 4h. Blinds are 250/500/ante 50. UTG limps in w/500, rest fold to SB who calls and I check. Flop 4d 5h 6c. I pair my 4 and have a gutshot straight draw; the other players could have a straight already, or open ended straight draws. SB checks and I make a min bet of 500 into the 1850 pot and both UTG & SB fold. I didn't expect that at all. That helps and I have 4120 chips.

Hand 59 I have Ac Qc on the BTN. Action folds to me and I bet 2 1/2 BB (1250), SB (14,875 chips) & BB (4730 chips) both fold and I pick up  the 1100 pot.

Hand 63 I'm the BB w/3s 8h; blinds 300/600/ante 75, six players at table. To my surprise all fold to me and I pick up the 1350 pot. Hand 64 I'm SB w/Ah 4d. UTG & BTN limp in w/600, I call & BB checks. Flop 7h 5c As. I pair my Ace but have a weak kicker. I min bet 600 into the 2850 pot, BB and rest fold. Both the BTN & BB have a little over 10,000 chips, so they have no need to fight. UTG could have used some chips but the Ace must have scared him away. Next hand it was over and UTG ended up 11th.