Rush 6 player .05/.10 601 Hands Up $0.10 Blinds ate $14.45 Rake $8.51

Well I didn't make much money for my time, BUT I did get back what I'd lost. Hand 1 I went down my entire $10. I had Kh Qc. The flop was Qd 2c 7c. I have top pair with a decent kicker. Turn 3c. That makes for a possible flush. I decided to bet into it and the BTN went all-in. I opted to call with my last $3.95 though that did not seem to be a good decision and indeed it wasn't when he showed Kc 8c, having hit his flush on the Turn.  For Hand 2 I put in another $10. To keep myself with near $10 to play with I later put in $6.05 & $3.50. I may look up the hands that put me in that position later.

My play improved and I managed to fight my way back to even and was up a dollar or two, but at 601 hands I'd fallen back a bit but was still $0.10 ahead. I certainly won't get rich this way, but I won't go broke either. :-)  I was really tired at the end and lucky I didn't do something foolish to lose my gains.

Here is the graph of my play by hands.

6 SNG $5 + .50 End 4th 36 Hands

Not played as well as previous session. Had an early set back w/pocket A's vs short stack K9o. They hit a 9 on the flop and a K on the River. :-/

Last two hands did me in. Hand 35 I was just trying a steal of the blinds w/92o and was called by the BB. Flop was QKT. We both checked. Turn 7c. BB bet 80 into the 520 pot. I folded. That left me w/925 chips, just over 10 BB's.

Hand 36, UTG I had pocket 6's an decided to go all-in with them. If I was lucky I pick up the blinds. Alas the BTN raises me all-in w/2120 and the SB re-raises all-in as well w/3115 chips. Not looking good for my 6's. BTN shows pocket Q's and SB AQo. The board plays out: 10 2 9 5 7 and I'm done. I could have waited, but since I had the chance to act 1st I felt it was worth a try. Unfortunately the other two had decent hands.

6 SNG $5 + .50 End 5th 20 Hands

For the most part I played well, and felt I played the last hand the best I could and was Rivered in the end.

Hand 20, 5 players left, blinds 25/50 I'm CO w/Ad Qh and 1165 chips. UTG limps in, HJ folds and I raise to 4 BB (200). SB & BB fold, UTG calls. Flop 8h 4s Qd. UTG checks and I bet 250 into the 475 pot, UTG calls. I'm wondering what do they have? Turn 3d. Not a bad card for me, but does set up a possible flush draw. UTG checks again. Since I have top pair and top kicker, and they have only checked and called my bets, I feel they don't have me beat at this point. I debate their having a set, but feel they would have bet that. They could be on a flush draw and I decide to bet all-in w/my last 715 hoping they will fold but feeling OK if I'm called. They call. I couldn't get them off their hand. They show 8d 7d. Middle pair from the flop and on a weak diamond flush draw. I'm a big favorite 70/30. River 8s. So much for that. They don't get the flush but do get trip 8's and I'm gone.

I played very tight and only hand I felt I played that I shouldn't have was A2s from the SB. Two players limped in, I call, BB checks. Flop J A T, not my suit, so I now have top pair with a very weak kicker. I decide to  bet 100 into the 200 pot, two callers and a raise to 300 by the BTN. I fold at that point. It only cost me 125 chips, but they were 125 chips I didn't need to lose.

6 SNG $5 + .50 End 1st 159 Hands

Slow and steady worked out well this session. 1st person out was hand 15 w/ATo vs KK. ATo decided to go all-in after the T 8 5 flop. They surprised me letting themselves get knocked out so early. Hand 18, one more went out. I was 3rd high stack w/1570 chips and low stack had 1015. High stack had 3585 & 2nd high 2830. Hand 34 the short stack was down to 710 chips w/pocket 8's. UTG and open raised 3 BB (180), SB re-raised to 870 and UTG called. SB showed pocket 7's. SB hit their set on the flop and it held.

We were now on the bubble. I was short stack w/1500, 2nd high had 2780, and the big stack had 4720. I was hoping those two would go at it and not pay much attention to me. It didn't quite work out that way. :-) By hand 52 I managed to squeeze into the 2nd high stack and managed to increase my chips and hold that spot to hand 85 then the short stack w/pocket J's went out to the big stack who had Q3o but paired his Q on the flop. I'm in the money!! Big stack has 6565 chips to my 2435 chips.

Here is where I think some of that Thursday play with Lance and Mike watching/advising me helped. I folded a lot of hands I'd have tried to make plays with. Until the last hand, I generally choose not to gamble by calling when he went all-in. My low point was around 1595 chips.Hand 112 I moved up to 3735 chips. Hand 136 I finally took the chip lead and held it as we came to the last hand.

Hand 159. Blinds are 120/240. I have 4675 chips to the BB's 3965 chips. I have Kc Qd and open raise 2 1/2 BB (600), BB re-raises me going all-in w/4205 chips. I think about it a bit. He has done this all-in every so often and I've always folded so I don't have a good idea of what he might have. I suspect he likely has Ace something, maybe a pocket pair. He likes to play a lot of pots and from other hands I've been in with him he doesn't always have the best cards, so if he had Ace rag it wouldn't surprise me. In the end I decide to call, in part to see what he actually has, and knowing even if I lose here, I'll still have a few chips to fight back with and worse case scenario, I come in 2nd. He  shows 10h Qc. It's K vs 10. Worse cards than I expected. It's possible that he was trying to pick up an "easy" 600 chips from me under the assumption, from my past behavior, that I'd fold to an all-in bet. The board holds up for me w/4 9 7 9 8. Neither of us hitting anything and my K being the best card. I make 1st!!