Ugh...Pocket Ks have been really gross for me lately... I played in the 9am Saturday satellite at the Rivers Casino. It was a satellite for the 225 weekend deepstack. The weekend deepstack grows throughout the month from 225 to 330, 440, 550 and if there's a 5th weekend 770.
I've played in a few satellites in the past year, 4 I believe and I've made it into the 550 once, "Almost Making It" so I'm confident in how to play them. This time I probably missed a few minutes of play before I sat down. I felt like it was a little bit of luck as I was at seat 3, table 3, '3' is a lucky number of mine as it's my birthday. I sit down and the dealer asks me if I want to buy the add-on. I'm thinking sure, but I ask how much for what and when he told me $5 for 500 I was like, wait a minute...usually you're getting almost the same price per chip as the tournament cost or even a better deal with the add-on... I've paid $25 for 5000 chips, so $5 per 1000. If I pay $5 for 500 more chips, I've effectively paid double and that would probably tilt me at the start of the tournament... So after processing...I said "ummm...no thanks, I'm good". I felt a little bad, I think they use the add-on to pay dealers or something...but I'm playing poker, not being nice...
Anyway, first hand I'm under the gun I look down at Cowboys. KsKh. blinds are 50-100 and I make it 350. 3 players call. Flop is A-4-4 with 2 clubs. I didn't feel like check folding, at least not yet so I bet out 500, keeping my range uncapped and hoping I might get some folders, keep options open for later streets. 2 folds, 1 caller. turn was a harmless 3d and we both checked. In hindsight I wonder if a bet here might win me the pot. River is a 7c. I check and villain bets 1200. This seemed really large and it appeared it was a good spot to steal, as why not check if he's got any showdown value unless he hit the flush, hoped I had an Ace I had to call with, etc... so I folded. I think it's a good fold, just sucked to have Ks first hand and lose, though... So ther I am, sitting on 4200, and I actually got myself down to 3500, blinds 100-200 before I shoved 7s, no callers. A few hands later I shoved A-9, no callers. I probably shoved a couple more hands to get myself back up to about 7K and the break, blinds caught up to us at 400-800 and I'm pretty good at sitting between 10-20 blinds 3-bet shoving and picking spots. It was entirely possible today would go this way. One hand I'd probably like to have back was A-9suited I folded UTG with about 9 BB. I know it's gotta be a shove, but based on a guy looking at his cards before I acted I could tell he had a really good hand. I folded and 2 guys went at it All in preflop with Aces vs Kings...Worst part is that I'm supposed to shove there prior to their all-ins and the flop brought 5-7-8, 6 on the turn and I'd have tripled up with the straight, K on the river just KO'd the guy with Aces. I wasn't bummed about the hand, I still felt like it was a good thing to get a read prior to making a play, but it did suck that if I hadn't I'd have been better off...
A few more spot-shoves I made it to break, with almost exactly starting stack, 5200. After the break, rebuys are over, 400-800, 75 ante and 5200 in chips, 7 handed I look down at A-Qsuited, UTG+2 and I shove. All folds and I showed since I would have to keep my tighter image to continue 3-bet/4-bet shoves until more comfortable. Next hand I'm UTG and sitting on about 6800 I look down at pocket 10s, nice. I shove again, this time guy to my left calls, all else fold. I'm thinking I'm racing or screwed until he flips over Ad-9d. I've favored about 70-30, except the poker gods didn't care putting out an Ace in the door card. I wasn't able to improve and I was out probably about 23rd, 3 tables, 2 with 7, 1 with 9, I think with rebuys there were probably 30-40 entries. So another satellite I think I played well, just no luck this time...or at least not when I needed it anyway...
Rivers Casino is hosting another Three Rivers Poker Challenge June 23-29th. These tournaments are cheaper than the last series so I'll get to play in 3 or 4 this time, see if I can't get some points/cash this time...get myself into the main for 900+100...wish me luck!
