KK Laydown

So you freaks will not worry all weekend, it was an awesome laydown. The flop came all rags, the guy directly to my left goes in, Chris Moneymaker called and stared at the hand he expected, AA. Chris had the other 2 kings. I told him "you are going to lose this one, Chris. I had the other 2 kings."

I cannot say that I have ever laid down KK before this, nor have I since. It was a very specific opportunity and came with a very clear image of the situation. I actually thought Chris had the aces and was trying to trap me with his smooth call. I was wrong with who had them, but I knew without a doubt one of the two guys did.

It was a good lesson, while I did not cash in that tournament (I went out around 60th with 36 getting paid) I did feel that it was too early in a tournament to make a call with that hand at that time.

Until next time, may your KK not run into AA (unless your Mike the Mouth), and

Good Luck and See You at the Felt....................

Best or Worst Laydown I Have Ever Made?

This happened to me midway through the second level of the $500 NL event at the 2004 Mid-America Classic. I had already cashed in the $200 event, 23rd out of 680. I had taken another vacation day (see double edged sword for a discussion of this time limiation) and driven to Tunica the night before to room with the Weasel. I had also won my $2000 seat in the main event along with the Weasel the night before. Great play late in the game got me that seat. But the most memorable story happened in the $500 NL Event.

We started with about 400 players and at my first table we had the normal mix of good, bad and clueless players, PLUS Chris Moneymaker. Now I have played with Chris a few times in the Music City, and I have a level of respect for his game. He is aggressive, but knows how to play post-flop, which is rare these days of all-in poker. Blinds are 25-50 and I have an average stack, the gentleman to my left has me covered by a little, and Chris is three to my left and is the table chip leader. I have KK UTG +1 and open for 250. The gentleman immediately to my left reraises to 700. I actually get a little excited, okay a lot excited. That feeling was short lived. The next player folds and then Chris goes into the tank. I am thinking that Chris may have a monster, probably AA and is deciding how to play 'em. Finally after a minute or so, he smooth calls. During this minute I had already decided that if he moved in, I was moving in with him immediately. But his smooth call stopped that idea in its tracks. It folded around to me and I peaked at those two huge cowboys and said, "I hope to see y'all again real soon." And I mucked 'em.

Question #1

Was this a Good Laydown?

Question #2

What would you do?

Until next time,

Good Luck and See You at the felt................................

Missteps Late Yet Again

Having a good run in the $10 rebuy this month, I again played it last night. I included the tournament in an experiment to see how two things would work:

1. With a budget of $30, what could I expect from the $10 rebuy event.
2. With a budget of $33, what could I expect from the $33 satellite event.

1. Rebuy Event

I probably got the best run of cards of my life during the rebuy and first hour after the rebuy period. I got AA 5 times and KK 4 times (KK all in the second hour). I built my stack up to $36,000 and picked up AA the last hand of the second hour. I open raised in MP. Both blinds call. The flop came our 4 10 J with two hearts. Both checked and I bet the pot. The SB called and the BB went all in for $18,000 total. With the board as draw heavy as it was, I had to push and the SB thought and thought, then folded. The BB did not have either of the draws present, he had a set of 4s. I am just happy that he did not have a bigger stack.

I enter the break with $15,000. I build it back up to a maximum of $47,000. Then drop back down to $24,000 with a couple of beats. Last hand: I am in the SB with 10s. Same two players as before, both of which have me covered are in MP. First player opens for normal raise, BB from before smooth calls. This is a perfect opportunity for the Herrington Squeeze. I move in. First guy calls, ok I am fine with that. Second guy moves in over the top of the call. Call. Hands: First guy, AK0; Second guy: QQ. He had played QQ very risky but got the ulitimate prize as he tripled up almost and knocked us both out with a ragged flop. I go broke on the hand regardless as I ended up with an overpair as well. Finish around 200 with 135 getting paid. I was happy with the play, but still question QQ's reasoning to smooth call preflop with five more to act. That had is too vunerable to let too many see the flop. QQ needed to isolate in my opinion, regardless of what it did to my stack. I would have folded to that players reraise with my 10s out of position.

2. $33 Rebuy Satellite

I decided I wanted to join Gyndok in the final event on Sunday, so I popped down the intial buy in and decided I would not rebuy or add on. First Hand; AA and double up against TPTK. Second Hand: go back down to the starting stack when my nut flush ended up against flopped quads. LOL, I actually was the one putting it all in, he just had to call. I suck sometimes. Finish the rebuy period with an average stack, do not add on. Lose a race to a short stack and then go our with another race. Finish around 70 or so.

Mowing the yard tonight and then playing the same two tournaments again. Hopefully with better news.

Until then,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt...........................

DRY POT BLUFFS - STUPID STUPID STUPID

Okay guys,

I know that Daniel Negreanu has discussed this point before at www.fullcontactpoker.com, but this is driving me nuts....

Please remember that I have consciously avoided picking on people's play for the entire life of this blog. But this play last night not only cost me the pot, it cost me the chance at a $2500 seat. There were 65 of us left with 6 $2,500 seats up for grabs. I was excited because I had a stack that was about 120% of average with 11,500. The blinds are 300-600 with 75 ante. a short stack opens in early position for 1,200. MP calls (4500 total). I have AKs on the button. I raise to 4,500 forcing the two short stacks all in. The SB (12,000 total) smooth calls quickly, both small stacks go all in. That is where it gets interesting......

Flop comes 983 rainbow. SB checks, I check. Turn 2. SB stacks off and goes all in. I think, okay, you have a monster and I fold AKs. Hands:

First all in: Q5s (desperate)
Second all in: KQ (Okay)
SB: 10-7s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The river pairs the 9 for a board of 99832. The KQ wins with K high and I go ballistic. Why do you do this? Why bluff when you can only win oh lets see, nothing in a side pot. AND you protect two all ins, that in this situation, would be gone and we both would be 2 seats closer to the final table. Of course, I would have 20,000 in chips, which would make me very happy. BUT WHY? Even more, why call a reraise of that size preflop with 10-7 suited? That play just stinks to high heaven. He went out about ten after me. I lost a race 20 hands later with AK v. 33. I did not have enough to protect my hand, but that is another story.

Until next time,

Good Luck and See You at the Felt.....................