Poker
Camp WPF 2002:
The Championship Event
Day
One of the Championship Event (10K NLHE):
The
really dangerous players were seated next
to each other (instead of spread out over
the table) I liked that. The table line
up starting in seat 1 is: Joan Hadley,
Paul Gilberto, dead seat (person recently
barred from Foxwoods but won in by satellite
so his chips are taken out of play, but
the 10K buy in remains in prize pool),
unknown to me, Nick Hanna, Carlos Mortensen,
John Juanda, Chris Bjorin, John (last
name Robertson, I think). Eighty-eight
players, most tables playing nine handed
- we are eight handed (due to dead seat).
Championship poker plays a bit different
and if I can get in cheaply I am playing
hands that have monster potential. Playing
somewhat like a ring game unless I get
short in chips. The starting chips are
10K and the blinds are T50/100 (The T
indicates these are tournament chips)
I called a small raise with 5s6s (indicates
the suit, i.e. in this case 5s means the
5 of spades and 6s the 6 of spades) I
was in late position but there was a reraise
by a blind so I folded. The flop comes
Qc4c4d. Bet and a raise and that hand
it done.
Next
hand I play is pockets sevens from the
sb (small blind). Carlos raises, John
R calls. I call. Flop is QJJ and I fire
out T500 (I watched and played with Carlos
the day before and one thing I learned
is to show no weakness, or he will raise
big and force you out of the hand. Plus
I was a blind and out of position, and
as an unknown chances are I won't get
played back with unless someone has a
powerful hand. So the bet gives me information
and semi-control) Both call. Turn is a
7. I check and they check. 4 on the river
and I bet 1K Carlos takes a think and
calls. JR folds. I immediately turn my
hand over even though Carlos in on the
edge of turning his over. I don't want
to be a slow roller in this situation,
I am pretty sure I am best. Carlos mucks
without showing. I would really like to
know what Carlos (CM) had but not by slow
rolling or by asking that his hand be
turned over. Paul, local player on my
left says that was a gutsy lead on the
flop. Well, yeah... but the tone is set.
Carlos
and Juanda were taking turns trying to
run the table. They never really did get
control. After the first round I am up
T2250. By the end of this first level
Carlos is starting to move in on the flops
to any raise. I am not sure if I can (per
Scotty's advice) play KT in late position
to a small raise. I fold both times and
both times would have been paid off nicely,
once the hand would have boated with both
John J (JJ) and Carlos (CM) mixing it
up. But I could have easily been trapped
playing KT had "my cards" not come on
board, so no regrets not playing the KT's.
I
limp (putting out the amount of chips
as the forced big blind) from sb with
68 suited, flop comes Q82. CM bets T200
and gets called. Another 8 on the turn
and I bet T400, getting a call only from
CM. K on the river and I check. CM bets
out T500 and I call. I am putting him
on and 8 with a better kicker, not sure
why... what he has is KQ (two pair)..
Chaching (for me with trips).. Not horrible,
as it will make them wonder what I bet,
check and call (particularly betting the
turn and checking the river) It also gives
me a weak tight appearance.
I
limp on John Juanda's (JJ) blind with
66. Flop comes 6,8,4 checked to Paul who
bets T500 it is folded to me and I call.
Turn is a 7, I check again and Paul again
bets T500 I call. 6 on the river and I
checked hoping to get another bet out
of him, he doesn't go for it and checks.
Darn... I show the pocket sixes which
are now quads. (Hmm, the "girl" doesn't
bet her hand, she lets others do it for
her).
7d8d,
flop JTx I bet T300, JJ debated and raised
to T1300. I folded. So much for me trying
to take control of the table (even if
he is making a move on me, I can't draw
to a gut 9). Though I still haven't gotten
a good read on JJ, he doesn't appear happy
that I folded, or maybe that is an act
and he had nothing and by reraising me
he does take control of the table... I
don't know.
Holding
presto (55) with Chris B raising to T350
on my blind, I defend. With a flop 8 and
above, he bets T400 and I called. Checked
down from there (how can he bet the turn
and river when I have flat called behind
him, if I am weak tight or "trapping"
again, he doesn't want to pay me off)
He had A8 and wins. I am a chicken not
betting once more into that board trying
to make him release. But I don't know
if he will try a reraise and I haven't
really put him on a hand. But playing
the hand the way I did will make me a
target on future hands. OK, OK I really
am weak tight!
Qh4h
on the bb (big blind) and CM raises to
T400 (on blinds of T100/200) smelt funny
and I folded (would have too any way even
if it didn't smell funny) and the flop
comes 442. CM jams and everyone still
in folds. He shows pocket Tens. I could
have taken him out, he was short with
less than 3K . But then again he might
of spiked a T on the turn the river and
who knew that Q4 suited was such a monster!!
AKo
(o = offsuit) and I raise to T300, I call
when it is reraised to T900. T92 on the
flop and I check, Paul bets T500 and I
fear that he has Tens or better and I
release, not wishing to draw. Paul is
a local, pretty straight forward player.
77 again and I call a small raise (T500)
very bad board and CB and I check it down,
he makes a J on the turn with his KJ.
CB at this point will now attack my blinds
and try to push me around a bit. John
raises to T400 from the sb (T100/200)
and I raise it to T1200. He raises to
4K and I am forced to fold my TT, damn
shoulda just called. But I was *sure*
he would fold. Pretty sure I was beat.
Very solid player from what I have seen
from various satellites and tourney's
the last couple of years. And he hasn't
played a hand in a while, he is surprised
I reraised. (I believe he also showed
his hand KK, not sure - he got KK quite
bit and showed it each time).
I
fold 44 preflop, and on a flop of QQJ
- there is a raise to T600 and CM goes
all in with AJ. He is up against KK and
the board finishes with 22 and Carlos
is gone. His seat is soon filled with
Tony Ma.. I am only up T125 at the end
of the second level, calling small raises
and hitting nothing forced to lay it down.
Third level numerous limpers so I do too
with Jd8d from the blind. Flop comes KdQ7d
it is checked around. Another diamond
on the turn and I lead with T500. Paul
debates and debates and debates finally
he calls, CM calls as well. 4th diamond
on the river (sigh) I bet out 1k some
hesitation and Paul raises T2000. CM debates
and folds and I should have folded, my
head is thinking fold but my hands beat
my head to the chips and I call and am
shown Ad7h. I muck face up and CM says
he had 9T of diamonds and if the 4th diamond
didn't come he goes broke to me. (or so
he says, perhaps he had a Q and I go broke)
That little limp cost me T3650 coulda
cost me only the blind by not playing
the hand or only T1650 if I would just
folded instead of being stubborn and calling
the raise. The pot was large enough and
I wasn't "sure" enough, though in retrospect
Paul played fairly straight forward and
his "tells" are pretty real.
The
above paragraph was written the day I
played it. In retrospect this play was
beyond awful. I got stubborn and truly
thought I had Carlos beat. I didn't give
Paul any respect. My mindset was I think
I have Carlos beat and I was ahead of
Paul on the turn so I still deserve the
pot. I made an error on every street.
1) I should never have been in the hand
(I was a sb and limped) 2) on the turn
I should have put the bare Ace to a real
decision, not an easy decision. I have
no real regret about betting out on the
river as it gave me information, I just
chose to ignore the info. Had Paul checked
and Carlos made a move at the pot, I am
pretty sure I would have gone broke. Though
I doubt that after Paul debating the turn
that Carlos is gonna make a play on the
pot. Nor do I really think that Paul is
gonna check here hoping Carlos or I bet.
This hand crippled me in a lot of ways
1) it showed the table the errors I was
capable of making, 2) it allowed Chris
B to start attacking my blind, 3) I took
away my luxury of playing a wide range
of hands. My exit from the tournament
was a different mistake, but also involves
not paying attention to the third guy
in the pot. In retro, retrospect this
was critical, this was huge. Perhaps I
will erase this and glam over it, stating
only that I was clipped :-)
Play
no hands for about 45 minutes. I raise
with one limper in mid position with AQ
and pick up T500. One of the funniest
things I have ever seen happened next.
I don't remember the board but three players
are in Juanda, John R and Marty Zabib
(who has recently been moved into the
dead seat). Juanda bets big and John Robertson
debates for a very long time and then
calls for a clock. We all double blink
and Juanda says "You are putting a clock
on yourself?" Yup. He needed to be forced
into a decision. He folds and now Marty
debates to the point where he kiddingly
calls for a clock and then folds as well.
JJ on the move again.
I
have 66 and call a small raise. It is
reraised by JJ to T1150 and I fold. Nick
calls. Flop of 3dJhJd and JJ and Nick
check it down when the 7c and Qd follow.
KT of clubs for Nick and AK for Juanda.
I have KdJd folded to me in the sb and
I complete the bb raises to T400 and I
fold, he shows 22. At the dinner break
I am at T2,800, but happy to still be
in. I had made a reservation at Cedars
for four at 9:30 and had asked Russell
previous to the start if he and Anne wanted
to go to dinner. I also asked Scott (my
treat for advice given) but he planned
on being at Mohegan for their tourney.
Just as we are breaking for dinner Andy
Bloch is moved to my table and I invite
him (as it is unlikely Scott will make
it) Dinner is fun and Scott joins us half
way through and we throw him crumbs, but
he has already eaten. The advice at dinner
is welcome and we head back. The goal
of course is to make it to day two. We
are playing down to 1/2 the field we started
at 89 (too bad as another 11 players gets
us to 20 payouts - I might could make
the money if 20 spots paid) anyway, the
goal at hand is to make the cut with chips.
I get 77 and move in. Folded to JJ who
asks how much more. T2300 total or T2100
more to you, sir! (T100/200 with 25 antes).
Juanda folds. A couple of hands later
Marty raises to T700 Andy Bloch, Tony
Ma, Jack Juanda call and I move in. Marty
also moves in with about T9700 Andy, Tony
and Juanda fold. I have KK and Marty AK..
Alright! Marty's all in move gives me
protection, Andy folded 8's and the board
came 86Q75 and I am about back to the
original starting chips of 10K . The K's
have been moving around the table clockwise,
but stuck at John R's seat for a bit (he
showed them when he didn't get paid off)
John wants to know why I make more than
he does on kings. I tell him I play em
much better than he does. (fun table :-)
I get KK again, John raises to T600 and
I reraise to T2200 and all fold. He has
shown some of his hands (the ones he pushed
me off) so I show the KK.. I may want
to steal some soon, so I need to reinforce
that I am a weak tight player:-)
AJ
of clubs and I limp, then the world limps
and JJ makes it T1175... I know he is
stealing or at least I think I know and
think about calling, but I just fold (I
am a weak tight player that doesn't want
to go home yet) Cookie one of the floor
people comes over to congratulate me for
being the only woman still remaining.
I tell her Kathy Liebert is in too. Look
over and see Kathy's seat empty. Nick
points out she has been moved. Cookie
inquires how many woman started. I reply,
just Kathy and me. Andy starts doing numbers
(in his head, sigh) on the odds of the
two woman surviving while almost half
the field is gone. Nick comments that
no odds are needed, the two women are
still in cause they are both tough...
or some such... I smile and thank him
for the compliment.
We
get to 45 at the end of the 3rd level.
This will be my table for tomorrow: Peter
Giorando T30,350, Phil Helmuth T18,800,
John Ramon T6,550, Joan Hadley T8,175,
Tony Cousineau T9,925, Layne Flack T45,800,
Tony Ma T20,375, Howard Lederer T18,475,
Steve Zolotow T18,825. (Half the table
are gold bracelet winners). Players already
out.. Scotty N. Barry Shulman, TJ, Greg
Raymer, Robert Varkonyi, Mike Laing, Chris
Bigler, Adam Schoenfeld, Levi Rothman
(who got AA cracked by KK which became
quad K's. He got moved to our table steaming
where Marty and I made fun of him until
he almost laughed.. but he steamed off
his chips instead) Chip leaders are: Eric
Holum T58,400, Chris (from Syracuse) Tspiraildis
T50,975, Phil Ivey T46,225, Layne Flack
T45,800, Daniel Negreanu T41,375.
I
mention to my buds that I have drawn a
tough table. They reply that no table
is easy at this point. After the event
is over Scott Byron tells me that the
best thing that could of happened to me
did when they moved Layne. Russell and
Andy joke that the weakest part of my
game is seat selection and I could learn
much from them. They have drawn the same
table, a fairly good one. They all thought
it best not to mention any of this going
into day two.
Next:
The Championship Event Day 2
Read:
Introduction
to Camp
, Opening
Day
, Arts
& Crafts... er, $340 NLHE Tourney
, Leaving
Camp and Returning
, The
Championship Event Day One
Joan Hadley
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