There are a lot of great reports out there. I recommend you read those first, but if you’re still craving more, or dying to know what I had when I pushed on that one hand, go ahead and read this one:
Level 1: 10/20, T1500. I miss just over two orbits after getting home late from work. I play just two hands and fold both when the flop misses me completely. I notice the table’s pretty tight.
Level 2: 15/30, T1440. A few hands in, I raise with AJo from MP when it’s folded to me.
Level 3: 25/50, T1335. I’ve got KJo on the button and I limp after two limp ahead of me. Flop comes up 2J8 and Mad Motie bets out T200. I raise T200 and Motie goes nearly all in. Crap. I fold. Motie says he had J8. Next hand I raise with Big Chick from the CO when it’s folded to me and take the blinds again.
Level 4: 50/100, T760. Wow, I’m in bad shape. Time to start pushing. With T460 left, I push with Helmuths from the button and win the blinds. On the very next hand I get Assrapers. Cubanlinks throws out T350 and I push. I double up to T1370 which buys me some breathing room.
Level 5: 75/150, T1370. Still in bad shape. After limping with 77 and A4s, I’m down to T770. I get A7o on the button and push after it’s folded to me. Everyone folds.
Level 6: 100/200, T770. 1 orbit later and I’m back down to T770 with A8o on the button. EP raises the minimum and I push. A8o vs A2s, with two of his suits on the flop. Luckily, he doesn’t get his flush and I spike my 8 on the river, giving me T1840. Five hands later, it’s folded to me and I raise from the SB with K8o. BB calls. Shit. Flop is 8QT rainbow and I throw out the minimum bet. BB calls again. Double shit. The turn is the suckout 8, giving me a set. I push, figuring he won’t believe me, and double up to T3280. At this point, I’m feeling pretty good. Two hands later I raise with AQs and win the blinds. One orbit later I’ve got KQs on the button and raise when it’s folded to me. BB calls and the flop comes up 25Q rainbow. He pushes with JT and I call. Turn shows a K which gives me two pair and BB an open-ended straight draw. I start to worry. The river shows a T and I knock out the BB for T4643. I’m now in the running for the money!
Level 7: 100/200/25, T4243. With the number of players quickly dwindling down and the antes pumping up the pots, I raise 4xBB with KJs UTG. I take the blinds and antes. Next hand, MP raises and I call with A2o in the BB. I fold when the flop misses me completely. Stupid. One orbit later, I raise 4xBB with A9o on the button. BB calls. Flop is 274, all spades. I have no spades. BB checks, I throw out T600, BB raises to T2000, and I fold. Well that was lame. So much for being in the running. With T1993 I get AQs in the BB. It folds to the SB who limps. I push and SB folds. A few hands later, I get Big Slick in the CO and push when it’s folded to me. The blinds fold and I’m up to T2693. I’m still kicking myself for losing so much of my stack in that other hand, but feel a bit better now.
Level 8: 200/400/25, T2693. Half an orbit later, the CO pushes. It’s my blind, I’ve got A4o, and it’s only a little over 600 to call. I figure CO might be a little desperate and call, helping him double-up with JJ and no aces for me on the board. Bah. This knocks me down to T1496 and in dire straits once again. I’m looking for a hand to double-up with, but the poker gods are very fickle. I’m blinded and anted down to T321 when I get A8o UTG. I call all-in and face the BB. Board comes up A67Q6 giving my A8 the advantage over his 74. I’m still screwed, and when the same guy raises my blind from the SB, I push with KTo. He shows A7o, but the board decides to give me tens full of jacks and I double-up again. Poor MtDewVirus. Helped me double-up twice in a row. With Maudie cheering me on from the rail and two big wins, I start to lose focus. Two hands later MtDewVirus raises from the CO and I push with ATs. BB calls and CO calls. Uh oh. Yup. BB has TT and CO has Hiltons. Board is 25272, giving my adversaries boats. MtDewVirus more than triples (including the antes) and TPfelt takes the remaining T658. I’m out in 32nd and wonder if I should have learned from my earlier experiences of calling minimum raises with AX.
So that was it. I had a great time playing with all the bloggers/readers and will definitely be up for joining the next one even if it does cost me $22 to languish for four levels and then gamble it all on a few hands. The only good thing about my performance is that I outlasted many of the players listed on the right there. Speaking of which, thanks to Iggy for organizing this. Hopefully we can run more of these tourneys on Stars. Best of luck on your new career.