3$ KO Victory Recap

Alright, so as promised, here's some outtakes from the tourny last night.

The very first hand of the tourny I got dealt ATs, a hand that I've learned is a potential disaster in my hands. I'm OTB and there's 3 limps ahead, I pop it 6x the BB and UTG and MP1 call. It's checked to me and I fire a fairly decent bet on a K-high flop that I totally whiffed. UTG of course c/r shoves and I fold. So there goes 1/3 of my stack early. Shite.

A few hands later I get frisky in LP with 97s and I fold on a river bet after checking down a KKK3Q board.

The very next hand my vexation continued when I got KJs in MP and called an EP raise. Unfortunately a LP player 3b pretty hard so I folded. Down to about 1/2 my stack in less than an orbit. Not looking good.

Then I'm getting a little tilty and this hand comes up.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5153561043: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 48 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:21:45 ET - 2008/02/07
antonac has reconnected
Seat 1: PotSmokr (2,410)
Seat 2: antonac (1,455)
Seat 3: kag22 (1,395)
Seat 4: MaxShade (2,385)
Seat 5: soupbones (1,440)
Seat 6: Nicbar (1,785)
Seat 7: dbroncosrule (1,320)
Seat 8: kohler5 (635)
Seat 9: CheckinMyAA (675)
soupbones posts the small blind of 15
Nicbar posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [5d 6d]
dbroncosrule folds
kohler5 has 15 seconds left to act
kohler5 calls 30
CheckinMyAA has 15 seconds left to act
CheckinMyAA calls 30
PotSmokr calls 30
antonac folds
kag22 folds
MaxShade calls 30
soupbones calls 15
Nicbar checks
*** FLOP *** [2h 9c 5s]
soupbones checks
Nicbar has 15 seconds left to act
Nicbar checks
kohler5 checks
CheckinMyAA checks
PotSmokr bets 60
MaxShade folds
soupbones folds
Nicbar calls 60
kohler5 folds
CheckinMyAA calls 60
*** TURN *** [2h 9c 5s] [9s]
Nicbar checks
CheckinMyAA checks
PotSmokr bets 180
Nicbar calls 180
CheckinMyAA calls 180
*** RIVER *** [2h 9c 5s 9s] [Qd]
Nicbar checks
CheckinMyAA checks
PotSmokr bets 350
Nicbar calls 350
CheckinMyAA: haha f it
CheckinMyAA has 15 seconds left to act
CheckinMyAA calls 350
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PotSmokr shows [Jh Th] a pair of Nines
Nicbar shows [2s 5c] two pair, Nines and Fives
CheckinMyAA shows [5d 6d] two pair, Nines and Fives
Nicbar ties for the pot (975) with two pair, Nines and Fives
CheckinMyAA ties for the pot (975) with two pair, Nines and Fives

That got me back to 2/3 of a starting stack, and a little bit of breathing room.

Then I pick up a pot when I cbet AQ on a 9-high flop and my opp folds.

KK shows up and wins me the blinds. I'm back to a starting stack, but I only have 15BB.

AJ wins a small pot.

Then I go and donk it up with QTs in late position and run it into quad 6's. (I rivered the flush on a 64669 board). Down to 10BB.

A couple small pots later I chip back up over 1000, still badly in need of chips.

Finally I pick up AT and double through 66 when we get it in preflop. Up to 1860.

Another cbet on a whiffed flop gets me up to 1930.

KK shows up again and a cbet on an A-high flop is good. 2280.

I get Q9s in the BB and I call a turn bet to river the flush and double through a poorly slowplayed top two pair. 3720.

Then I get a bit lucky. I get 79 in the BB and I get to see a free flop. It comes T83, and I make a somewhat sketchy call on the flop bet and turn a 6. Gin! My opponent didn't peg me for a straight draw and paid me off nicely with his monster JT for top pair. Up to 8920.

Fast forward 30 or so hands and I crack 10K only to race a shorty holding 44 to my A9. He holds and I'm back down to 6785, good for 23BB.

Then I kill a guy for trying to float me when I raise and cbet a AQJ flop with A7 in my hand. He calls the flop, and turn, but folds on the river. Flush draw maybe? Back up to 12,310.

QQ pays me their only visit of the tourny and I take it on a scary flop.


Full Tilt Poker Game #5154797298: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 36 - 250/500 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:30:17 ET - 2008/02/07
Seat 1: promoe (14,458)
Seat 2: reginald19 (8,540)
Seat 3: metalvolta (2,918)
Seat 4: BirdDurden (16,519)
Seat 5: EISENPONY (7,170)
Seat 6: PotSmokr (14,645)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (14,060)
Seat 8: TonganPlayer (22,974)
Seat 9: rboomk (10,440)
promoe antes 50
reginald19 antes 50
metalvolta antes 50
BirdDurden antes 50
EISENPONY antes 50
PotSmokr antes 50
CheckinMyAA antes 50
TonganPlayer antes 50
rboomk antes 50
BirdDurden posts the small blind of 250
EISENPONY posts the big blind of 500
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Qh Qs]
PotSmokr folds
CheckinMyAA raises to 1,200
TonganPlayer folds
rboomk calls 1,200
promoe folds
reginald19 folds
metalvolta folds
BirdDurden folds
EISENPONY folds
*** FLOP *** [7s Ks Ac]
CheckinMyAA has 15 seconds left to act
CheckinMyAA bets 2,000
rboomk has 15 seconds left to act
rboomk folds
Uncalled bet of 2,000 returned to CheckinMyAA
CheckinMyAA mucks
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (3,600)


Up to 16,410, good for 33BB.

I try to take out another shorty with 66 and fail. 11,710.

It's a while before I see my next hand, but it pays off.


Full Tilt Poker Game #5154945668: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 36 - 400/800 Ante 100 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:50:46 ET - 2008/02/07
Seat 1: promoe (6,958)
Seat 3: kyman458 (6,915)
Seat 4: BirdDurden (36,824)
Seat 5: Topcheese (3,199), is sitting out
Seat 6: PotSmokr (21,225)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (12,988)
Seat 8: TonganPlayer (24,849)
Seat 9: rboomk (26,355)
promoe antes 100
kyman458 antes 100
BirdDurden antes 100
Topcheese antes 100
PotSmokr antes 100
CheckinMyAA antes 100
TonganPlayer antes 100
rboomk antes 100
CheckinMyAA posts the small blind of 400
TonganPlayer posts the big blind of 800
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Ad Qs]
rboomk folds
promoe folds
kyman458 folds
BirdDurden folds
Topcheese folds
PotSmokr folds
CheckinMyAA raises to 3,200
TonganPlayer raises to 24,749, and is all in
CheckinMyAA calls 9,688, and is all in
TonganPlayer shows [Th Ac]
CheckinMyAA shows [Ad Qs]
Uncalled bet of 11,861 returned to TonganPlayer
*** FLOP *** [3h Jc Kh]
*** TURN *** [3h Jc Kh] [3d]
*** RIVER *** [3h Jc Kh 3d] [4d]
TonganPlayer shows a pair of Threes
CheckinMyAA shows a pair of Threes
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (26,576) with a pair of Threes


Boom!


A while later JQ bets the turn and river on a AT52A and I station him with JT. 41,475 (over 40BB for the first time since the beginning of the tourny)

After this point I had to be very patient. I wasn't seeing many cards. Fortunately for me, when they showed up, they were netting big gains. If you haven't already read the thread of idiotic opponents, check out when my opponents get it all in with here...


Full Tilt Poker Game #5155074520: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 36 - 600/1200 Ante 150 - No Limit Hold'em - 3:09:51 ET - 2008/02/07
Seat 1: promoe (17,873)
Seat 2: BAMAUNIT1 (20,985)
Seat 4: RandyWil (36,096)
Seat 5: vincentvegga (11,309)
Seat 6: PotSmokr (9,092)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (33,675)
Seat 8: TonganPlayer (22,095)
Seat 9: rboomk (24,415)
promoe antes 150
BAMAUNIT1 antes 150
RandyWil antes 150
vincentvegga antes 150
PotSmokr antes 150
CheckinMyAA antes 150
TonganPlayer antes 150
rboomk antes 150
vincentvegga posts the small blind of 600
PotSmokr posts the big blind of 1,200
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Kh Kd]
RandyWil has been disconnected
CheckinMyAA has 15 seconds left to act
CheckinMyAA raises to 3,900
TonganPlayer folds
rboomk folds
promoe folds
BAMAUNIT1 folds
RandyWil has reconnected
RandyWil folds
vincentvegga calls 3,300
PotSmokr raises to 8,942, and is all in
CheckinMyAA raises to 33,525, and is all in
vincentvegga calls 7,259, and is all in
CheckinMyAA shows [Kh Kd]
vincentvegga shows [Jd 9d]
PotSmokr shows [3c Qc]
Uncalled bet of 22,366 returned to CheckinMyAA
*** FLOP *** [Qh Th 3h]
*** TURN *** [Qh Th 3h] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [Qh Th 3h Jh] [6s]
Ugly flop, but it works out in the end.
CheckinMyAA shows a flush, King high
vincentvegga shows a pair of Jacks
CheckinMyAA wins the side pot (4,434) with a flush, King high
PotSmokr shows two pair, Queens and Threes
CheckinMyAA wins the main pot (28,026) with a flush, King high
PotSmokr stands up
vincentvegga stands up


Two bounties for me! (And 55,000)

I steal a few pots and break 64K

A4 pays me a bet when I turn a Q with Q8 (I was BB). 73K

At this point we're down to the final 30. I'm cool as a cucumber (but also quite tired). This was probably the most clutch part of the whole tournament for me. The next 60 hands were full of absolutely squat, and I got blinded down to 42K before I started picking spots to steal. It was hard because in the last hour I've been moved 3 times, so my reads on who I can steal from isn't sharp. Fortunately, I picked a lot of my spots well, and never got myself in trouble when I got caught. Three of the people at the table were mumbling to each other about how often I was stealing ... but they still let me do it as long as it wasn't too frequent.

I pick up KJ and a player who's gone from uber nit to firing at everything bets all 3 streets of K9Q8Q with AT. I'm back up to 77K

I crack 100K on another steal w 87 soooted.

Then I get another gift and another bounty.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5155457744: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 36 - 2500/5000 Ante 600 - No Limit Hold'em - 4:15:18 ET - 2008/02/07
Seat 1: Mr Pokerroom (104,304)
Seat 2: BAMAUNIT1 (31,613)
Seat 3: Mztiso (133,430)
Seat 4: CheckinMyAA (82,576)
Seat 7: ForestEatsTrees (71,651)
Seat 9: roka1029 (5,638)
Mr Pokerroom antes 600
BAMAUNIT1 antes 600
Mztiso antes 600
CheckinMyAA antes 600
ForestEatsTrees antes 600
roka1029 antes 600
Mr Pokerroom posts the small blind of 2,500
BAMAUNIT1 posts the big blind of 5,000
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Ah Ks]
Mztiso folds
CheckinMyAA raises to 13,000
ForestEatsTrees folds
roka1029 folds
Mr Pokerroom calls 10,500
BAMAUNIT1 calls 8,000
*** FLOP *** [5d 3h 4h]
Mr Pokerroom checks
BAMAUNIT1 bets 10,000
CheckinMyAA calls 10,000
Mr Pokerroom folds
*** TURN *** [5d 3h 4h] [9h]
BAMAUNIT1 has 15 seconds left to act
BAMAUNIT1 checks
CheckinMyAA bets 58,976, and is all in
BAMAUNIT1 has 15 seconds left to act
BAMAUNIT1 calls 8,013, and is all in
CheckinMyAA shows [Ah Ks]
ForestEatsTrees: well, looks like BAMA is on his way out
BAMAUNIT1 shows [Kh 6s]
Uncalled bet of 50,963 returned to CheckinMyAA
*** RIVER *** [5d 3h 4h 9h] [5h]
CheckinMyAA shows a flush, Ace high
BAMAUNIT1 shows a flush, King high
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (78,626) with a flush, Ace high
BAMAUNIT1 stands up


That puts me at 130K and among the top 5 in chips.

And it's final table time! Woot! I was pretty pumped at this point.

Another big pot to put me over 200K

Full Tilt Poker Game #5155510412: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 52 - 3000/6000 Ante 750 - No Limit Hold'em - 4:25:12 ET - 2008/02/07
Seat 1: richi14 (98,450)
Seat 2: samwise45 (128,798), is sitting out
Seat 3: Mztiso (229,080)
Seat 4: Mr Pokerroom (89,354)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (128,501)
Seat 6: PurpleGoo (93,839)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (148,277)
Seat 8: tricky_j (37,701)
richi14 antes 750
samwise45 antes 750
Mztiso antes 750
Mr Pokerroom antes 750
ForestEatsTrees antes 750
PurpleGoo antes 750
CheckinMyAA antes 750
tricky_j antes 750
tricky_j posts the small blind of 3,000
richi14 posts the big blind of 6,000
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [8c 8s]
samwise45 folds
Mztiso raises to 18,000
Mr Pokerroom folds
ForestEatsTrees folds
PurpleGoo folds
CheckinMyAA raises to 42,000
tricky_j folds
richi14 folds
Mztiso calls 24,000
*** FLOP *** [4d 2c 7d]
Mztiso bets 24,000
CheckinMyAA raises to 102,000
Mztiso has 15 seconds left to act
Mztiso folds
Uncalled bet of 78,000 returned to CheckinMyAA
CheckinMyAA mucks
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (147,000)


Good time for a heater. Another KO.


Full Tilt Poker Game #5155519798: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 52 - 3000/6000 Ante 750 - No Limit Hold'em - 4:27:02 ET - 2008/02/07
Seat 1: richi14 (87,200)
Seat 2: samwise45 (117,548), is sitting out
Seat 3: Mztiso (142,830)
Seat 4: Mr Pokerroom (87,104)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (159,251)
Seat 6: PurpleGoo (100,589)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (227,027)
Seat 8: tricky_j (32,451)
richi14 antes 750
samwise45 antes 750
Mztiso antes 750
Mr Pokerroom antes 750
ForestEatsTrees antes 750
PurpleGoo antes 750
CheckinMyAA antes 750
tricky_j antes 750
Mztiso posts the small blind of 3,000
Mr Pokerroom posts the big blind of 6,000
Mztiso: thought so
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Kc Ad]
ForestEatsTrees folds
PurpleGoo raises to 12,000
Mr Pokerroom: ha
CheckinMyAA raises to 42,000
tricky_j folds
richi14 folds
samwise45 folds
Mztiso folds
Mr Pokerroom folds
PurpleGoo calls 30,000
*** FLOP *** [Qh Kh 4c]
PurpleGoo bets 57,839, and is all in
CheckinMyAA calls 57,839
PurpleGoo shows [9h Th]
CheckinMyAA shows [Kc Ad]
*** TURN *** [Qh Kh 4c] [7s]
*** RIVER *** [Qh Kh 4c 7s] [2d]
PurpleGoo shows King Queen high
CheckinMyAA shows a pair of Kings
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (214,678) with a pair of Kings
PurpleGoo stands up


That's good for 341K

A bunch of shorties go out. I'm hoving around 330K still.

4-handed at it looks like this:
Seat 3: Mztiso (214,926)
Seat 4: Mr Pokerroom (50,556)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (205,402)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (483,116)

I'm feeling good about this. I haven't looked at the lobby to see what the payouts are deliberately to not psych myself out.

Another final table KO:


Full Tilt Poker Game #5155643685: $3 + $0.30 Knockout (39062812), Table 52 - 5000/10000 Ante 1000 - No Limit Hold'em - 4:51:58 ET - 2008/02/07
Seat 3: Mztiso (214,926)
Seat 4: Mr Pokerroom (50,556)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (205,402)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (483,116)
Mztiso antes 1,000
Mr Pokerroom antes 1,000
ForestEatsTrees antes 1,000
CheckinMyAA antes 1,000
Mztiso posts the small blind of 5,000
Mr Pokerroom posts the big blind of 10,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Ad Th]
ForestEatsTrees folds
CheckinMyAA raises to 30,000
Mztiso folds
Mr Pokerroom raises to 49,556, and is all in
CheckinMyAA calls 19,556
Mr Pokerroom shows [Qc 6c]
CheckinMyAA shows [Ad Th]
*** FLOP *** [7h 3h 3s]
Mztiso: woo hoo
*** TURN *** [7h 3h 3s] [Kh]
*** RIVER *** [7h 3h 3s Kh] [4s]
Mr Pokerroom: gg
Mr Pokerroom shows a pair of Threes
CheckinMyAA shows a pair of Threes
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (108,112) with a pair of Threes
Mr Pokerroom stands up


Then I lose a big race and the chip lead.



Seat 3: Mztiso (203,926)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (218,402)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (531,672)
Mztiso antes 1,000
ForestEatsTrees antes 1,000
CheckinMyAA antes 1,000
CheckinMyAA posts the small blind of 5,000
Mztiso posts the big blind of 10,000
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Ah 9d]
ForestEatsTrees: god that is annoying
ForestEatsTrees folds
Mztiso: yup
CheckinMyAA raises to 30,000
Mztiso raises to 80,000
CheckinMyAA raises to 530,672, and is all in
Mztiso: dammit!
Mztiso has 15 seconds left to act
Mztiso calls 122,926, and is all in
CheckinMyAA shows [Ah 9d]
Mztiso shows [8d 8h]
Uncalled bet of 327,746 returned to CheckinMyAA
*** FLOP *** [Qc 6s 6h]
*** TURN *** [Qc 6s 6h] [Th]
*** RIVER *** [Qc 6s 6h Th] [4c]
CheckinMyAA shows a pair of Sixes
Mztiso shows two pair, Eights and Sixes
Mztiso wins the pot (408,852) with two pair, Eights and Sixes
CheckinMyAA: dang. nh


That threatened to take the wind out of my sails, but I handled it pretty well and stayed cool. It was, after all, the first clutch race I'd lost all tourny.

Then this was the biggest hand of the final table. My opponent makes a poor play preflop and I get a lucky flop and he can fold it.


Seat 3: Mztiso (396,852)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (191,902)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (365,246)
Mztiso antes 1,500
ForestEatsTrees antes 1,500
CheckinMyAA antes 1,500
ForestEatsTrees posts the small blind of 6,000
CheckinMyAA posts the big blind of 12,000
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Jd Qd]
Mztiso raises to 36,000
ForestEatsTrees folds
CheckinMyAA raises to 100,000
Mztiso calls 64,000
*** FLOP *** [9c Qh Qc]
CheckinMyAA has 15 seconds left to act
CheckinMyAA bets 263,746, and is all in
Mztiso has 15 seconds left to act
Mztiso calls 263,746
CheckinMyAA shows [Jd Qd]
Mztiso shows [As Kh]
*** TURN *** [9c Qh Qc] [Th]
Mztiso: dangit
*** RIVER *** [9c Qh Qc Th] [Td]
CheckinMyAA shows a full house, Queens full of Tens
Mztiso shows two pair, Queens and Tens
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (737,992) with a full house, Queens full of Tens


Now the chips look like this:
Seat 3: Mztiso (31,606)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (184,402)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (737,992)


Not too much later, the #2 stack loses his head.

Seat 3: Mztiso (85,924)
Seat 5: ForestEatsTrees (131,584)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (736,492)
Mztiso antes 1,500
ForestEatsTrees antes 1,500
CheckinMyAA antes 1,500
Mztiso posts the small blind of 6,000
ForestEatsTrees posts the big blind of 12,000
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Kc 9d]
Mztiso: oh snas
Mztiso: snaps
CheckinMyAA raises to 36,000
Mztiso folds
ForestEatsTrees calls 24,000
*** FLOP *** [Js 9c 2d]
ForestEatsTrees checks
CheckinMyAA bets 60,000
ForestEatsTrees raises to 94,084, and is all in
CheckinMyAA calls 34,084
ForestEatsTrees shows [9h 8h]
CheckinMyAA shows [Kc 9d]
*** TURN *** [Js 9c 2d] [6d]
*** RIVER *** [Js 9c 2d 6d] [2s]
ForestEatsTrees shows two pair, Nines and Twos
CheckinMyAA shows two pair, Nines and Twos
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (270,668) with two pair, Nines and Twos
CheckinMyAA: gg forest
ForestEatsTrees stands up


Chips:
Seat 3: Mztiso (78,424)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (875,576)


It only took 3 hands for this. I figured I was probably 40% to win this pot and I was willing to take a shot based on how badly I had him outchipped.

Seat 3: Mztiso (45,424)
Seat 7: CheckinMyAA (908,576)
Mztiso antes 1,500
CheckinMyAA antes 1,500
Mztiso posts the small blind of 6,000
CheckinMyAA posts the big blind of 12,000
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CheckinMyAA [Js 6s]
Mztiso: i was lasst too earlier
Mztiso raises to 24,000
CheckinMyAA has 15 seconds left to act
CheckinMyAA raises to 907,076, and is all in
Mztiso: =(
Mztiso calls 19,924, and is all in
CheckinMyAA shows [Js 6s]
Mztiso shows [Td As]
CheckinMyAA: gamble time
Uncalled bet of 863,152 returned to CheckinMyAA
*** FLOP *** [Kd 3c 4s]
*** TURN *** [Kd 3c 4s] [Jd]
*** RIVER *** [Kd 3c 4s Jd] [6c]
CheckinMyAA shows two pair, Jacks and Sixes
Mztiso shows Ace King high
CheckinMyAA wins the pot (90,848) with two pair, Jacks and Sixes
Mztiso stands up
CheckinMyAA stands up



And that was that! I got the message popping up to tell me 389.55$ had been credited, my eyes popped out and I just sat there and smiled. This is about as good as it gets for a micro limit donk like me.

Now I'm adequately rolled for up to 10$ tournies.

Hope you enjoyed it. I sure did.

And for the more nitty people on the CP forum who are learning the art of stealing, this is why it's so important. There is no way I would have even final tabled this thing, let alone beat it, if I didn't steal continuously. There were a lot of steals that I won preflop, but there were a few where I got called by a player out of position and they folded to my flop bets. You have to be willing to go with it when you decide to make a move. Keep your reads sharp, your concentration high, and who knows what'll happen!

Thanks for reading. Back soon with the home game update!