(THIS WEEK I PLAYED THE $50 BUY-IN 21:30PM FROM MONDAY-FRIDAY ON POKER STARS, IT USUALLY GETS BETWEEN 1400-1800 ENTRANTS 70K GAURANTEED)


Monday 15th - The first tournament being sponsored by LatestPokerBonuses I was keen to do well, and flopping trip 9's on the big blind and checking them was a good start, I had doubled my 3k starting stack in the 1st hour. I was playing very tight, except for a loose call with AJ against a small stack who I suspected was stealing my blinds, he wasn't (KK) but I got lucky and hit an ace.

There were not many hands to discuss really, I basically hung in there with 6-7K for about 3 hours. With blinds getting high, I began to steal in late position, and this kept me afloat after being card dead for most of the tourney. Unfortunately I got unstuck in this hand. I was last to act and raised 3 times the blind with a3 suited, I got a flat call by the big blind (who I'd noted as aggressive). After an innocous flop of 9-6-4, I snap called his all-in convinced I was up. But the bugger turned over Q9, and I was out in 279th place, just 20 spots from cashing. DOH!!


Tuesday 16th - Once again I built a nice stack, opening up a little and playing more hands seemed like the right thing to do, but after 2 hours was card dead, and when SB (Small Blind) raised me BB, my 99 looked like a monster. It wasn't, and JJ knocked me out in about 700th place.


Wednesday 17th - In the 1st 15mins I flopped a set of sixes, and someone else flopped a set of fives. I had 7K and the hands kept coming, AA, KK, AK, and I had them betting or calling all-ins every time. After 3 hours I had 35K and had made the money for the first time!!

I built my stack up with some nice traps and plays to 70K and won another pot here which was very crucial. Late position, I raise with A3 suited. Both the SB and BB call, the flop is K-9-2. BB leads out with 12K, knowing he was an aggressive player, and that is quite a good flop for it I re-raise to 30K, taking down a massive pot and was then sitting on 120K chips. We were down to 30 players.

After calling an all-in with QQ against AJ, I had 210K 20 players left and started to think a win wasn't out of the question.

Then I miss-played a few hands limping with 77, and check raising a flop of K-10-5, the turn and river brought 2 nothing cards but possible flush and when BB put 120K all in on the river I folded. In retrospect there were alot of hands I may have been beating, like AQ, AJ, QJ, or a smaller pair and a call may have been the right play.

Two hands later the last to act limps in to my BB, I had AQ but was suspicious of the limp and decided just to check. Flop was K-Q-7. I check call 12K bet by the limper, turn is a nothing card, the limper (who I have noted as aggressive) bets out again 40K. I reluctantly fold, having no idea where I was in the hand. In retrospect I not only miss-played the hand by not raising preflop. But probably should have gone over the top all-in on the turn, as it left me with a stack of 90K and at the mercy of the ever rising blinds.

After that, blinds ate away my stack, and with 70K left and on the button I shove all my chips in preflop with J9, but get called down by A5 and bust out in 14th place, rueing what might have been, but happy with the 1st cash ($559)


Thursday 18th - Nothing to note here except I once again built a stack, about 9K, but kept getting caught stealing or making plays. Unceremoniously exiting after 2 hours in about 700th place.


Friday 19th - Doubled up on the 3rd hand with AQ on a flop of A-Q-9, some unlucky punter with A9 was out after 5mins. I conservatively played quite a massive flop of
6-2-5 with 2 diamonds on the board with A4 of diamonds in my hand. With so many cards to help my hand (any 3,Ace, or diamond probably a winner) I didn't improve, and lost a healthy chunk of my stack.

About an hour in a player I had noted as aggressive, I let bet into me twice, and I was soon up to 10K. I turned 10K into 20K when the BB thought he had caught me out stealing, and re-raised me all in with A9, I hesitated but called with 1010.

I cruised into the money with about 13K, but it went all wrong from there. At this point in the tourney the blinds were getting high and its always important to steal a few blinds to maintain your stack. Unfortunately my table was going crazy with all-ins after all-ins, and I couldn't get my money in. After being blinded down to 6.5K I finally get a chance to steal, and put 10-8 Clubs all-in in late position. I was happy to see BB call with 10-2 Hearts, but not so pleased when he flops trip 2's and knocks me out in 151st place. Cash $89.

So I have mixed feelings about the 1st week, glad to be ahead, but a little dissapointed of not getting a decent cash. I'm feeling good about my game, and haven't seen much of a step-up in skill level from smaller stakes, I've seen lots of outrageous plays. Calling an all-in with 7-8 with the blinds only 50-25 proabably the worst.

This has been a long first blog, in future I will keep them briefer, and will incude
maybe a bit more of a personnel touch i.e. what I had for breakfast. Until next monday,

Caio,
Rob

P.s. At the end of the week my bankroll is $3,350 (Started with $3,000).

P.s.s. Cashed again this Monday 22nd, will update next week.





























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