Some MTT results.

It's been a while since my last post. Midterms took up most of my time last week. I tried to work really hard studying for my exams and I believe it paid off. I was pretty sleep deprived the entire week and couldn't wait until Thursday evening rolled around. I flew home Thursday night and am now enjoying my break and catching up on some sleep. College can be rough at times.

I've been playing a lot of stud lately, and I do mean a lot. I think it is definitely my best game and I do enjoy playing it the best. I also believe that I am better than most of my opponents by a greater margin simply because not that many people are good at stud. Sure, they may understand the basics, but beyond that they don't really have a clue. I see way too many people continuing when they should be folding and not paying attention to their opponents hands. If it ever pays to play tight, patient poker, this is the game. I've played a few stud tournaments and done well in them also. I took down a $3+.30, 56 person stud MTT for $62.00 on FTP and came in 2nd on a 96 person stud MTT with an entry fee of $5+.50 for $96.00. I kind of screwed up the heads up part in which I played one hand really bad and handed the guy over 50% of my stack. Still a solid showing and some good profits.

Two days ago I had some decent runs as well. I monied the Sunday Hundred Grand and the Daily Fifteen Grand MTTs on Stars as well as cashing in a $3+.30 MTT. I also tookwon another token and played some Tier Two SNGs. I came in 6th in one which was good for the $57.00 cash, but not the $75 token. The cash isn't bad.

Yesterday was my big chance though. I fired up the $2,500 guarantee RB+AO tournament on FTP. I had a solid RB period and came out with around 10,000 chips. I built my stack up big when I was able to pick up AA, KK, and then AA again within a span of 20 minutes. We got down to the money bubble and I took advantage of it big time. When the bubble burst, I found myself fourth in chips with 45 players remaining. First place sat at just under $1,200 and I was gunning for it and feeling good. We got down to the final three tables and I was playing really well. I folded some hands in key spots where I probably could have easily gone broke had I not been disciplined enough to know I didn't need to get involved. There are times when you're ahead, but need to play things safe and get away from some hands. I find that it is a great objective misconception by a lot of players when they feel that they must get the money in if they're ahead. Poker is very situational and just because you're ahead doesn't mean the right play is to get your chips in. I found myself in this spot three different times and opted out each one. Each time I did so, I lost a few chips but was able to maintain my game and build right back up. I am also confident that I could easily be beaten at the time or simply a very slight favorite. I was still in the top five and didn't need to do any gambling just yet. The blinds were low and the stacks fairly deep.

We got down to the final two tables and I was feeling really good still. A player UTG whom I felt was very inexperienced had limped and then called my raise. I held 88 and bet a 9 high flop after she had checked to me. She shoved in and I felt I was good and was getting a good price as well. She turned over KK and it just amazed me. I still don't really think she knew what she was doing as I saw he limp/call from early positions the majority of the time. She just never raised and I ran into one of her big hands. It took about half my stack, but I was still right in the middle of the field.

I had a very solid player to my immediate left. I checked his OPR stats and they were really, really good. There was a few times when he made some awesome plays to take down pots and I could tell he knew what he was doing. Because he was experienced, I knew he was able to pull off the squeeze play. I watched him do it twice and thought he was overusing it. I will squeeze myself, but only about once a tournament. This guy did it multiple times and got caught twice, but got lucky and won the hand. It folded to me on the button and I popped it with AKo. The strong player in the SB shoved in and the BB folded. I felt he'd be shoving here with a lot of hands if I raised on the button and I knew I was going to have to call a shove. I did so and he showed A7dd. He flopped a 7 and I failed to improve. I was bounced in 15th out of 470 entrants for $43.00. It was a good showing, but I am disappointed that I couldn't pull through to the final table and get a big score. That $1k payout still eludes me!

I'd like to congratulate ChampagneAces on another deep run. He parlayed $1 into a $26 token and then came in 12th out of 723 players in the $11,500 KO tournament on FTP. He earned $174.00 after getting a cooler of a hand. ChampagneAces flopped two pair with T9 on a AT9 flop, but his opponent showed AA when the money went in. Unlucky, but still a great showing and a good payout.