A Lark!

I didn't go down in limits... and I went through $20 in a .10/.25 NL (full ring). But what made the night an interesting one was that I saw a good overlay. There was a satellite into the FTOPS Event #8 (Pot Limit Hold 'Em).

1 spot and there were only about 6 people in it with about 3 minutes left. A $216 seat, to break even FTP needed 27 people. When the tournament started there were 12 people total. Not too shabby of an overlay. I figured what the hell. Good overlay, and I can beat 11 people... sometimes.

Well I started off OK, playing patient poker and managed to say about average. I was still around my original starting stack of 1500 a half hour into it when we made the "final table" (3 people had busted).

I stayed about average in chips, then 5 handed- I had 3713 chips (3rd in chips- 1st and 2nd had about 5600 and 5300 respectively)and the smallest stack had 1350. Blinds are 60/120. I'm in the BB and dealt 66. The low stack is 2nd to act (only 5 handed remember) and he raises to 490. It folds around to me in the BB and I push. He calls with A9. I flop a set of Satan, unfortunately he goes runner, runner for a rivered flush. No biggie, I took it OK. I'm second to last in chips with 2363. Not too bad- I'm OK, blind wise.

FTP takes pity on me 3 hands later. I'm dealt AA and 2nd to act. I bet 1/2 the pot (which is 270). The flush guy re-raised to 930 *BINGO*, and I push. Flush guy calls with QQ, and I take a big double up. 4700 in chips and back in 3rd place, even closer than before. Flush guy busts out the next hand.

After my AA I'm dealt 52o which I fold. Then I'm dealt 45o in the BB and I get a walk. Full Tilt, apparently still feeling guilty gives me AA again. I get the big stack to call my raise preflop (after he limped), he calls my 1/2 pot bet on a flop of Qs-3h-5h. A Kh hits. I'm a little nervous but bet again, this time Pot and he mucks. I'm second in chips. The chip leader is bayne_s- a fellow poker blogger who I've run into once or twice recently.

We get three handed and Bayne and I flip flop the chip lead, and the 3rd guy gets some chips and then loses them.

In the end Freddie runs his KK into Bayne_s' AA, and we're heads up.
Seat 5: bayne_s (9,110)
Seat 9: Unimpressed (8,890)

I'm a little nervous as I haven't really played heads up much recently. I was a little rusty. I hurt blayn_s earlier when on a flop of Kd - 8d - Qc, I push with the nut flush draw. He calls I figured I'm done, but turns out he was going for the flush too. Which means as long as I avoid him pairing I'm good. And I am.
Seat 5: bayne_s (2,020)
Seat 9: Unimpressed (15,980)

There's discussion of a chop. He'll donk of his chips for $108. But I can't really afford that with my crappy bankroll right now, so I decline.

Blayne_s makes some headway when we both limp and the flop 3d - Tc - 2d. We both check. A Kd on the turn and I'm holding K8. Blayne_s bets out 600, I just smooth call. River is a 5. We get all the money in and he has K5. 8^(

That's about as high as he gets. The last hand, the blinds are 150/300- chip count: 4490 vs 13,510.
I'm dealt 55. I min raise. Blayne raises it up to 1800. I called 1200. Flop is 3d - 7d 6d. He pushes his last 2690 and I call. He shows AT and my pair holds up.




And here I am sitting in the FTOPS IV, Event #8