Friday, June 12, 2009

Satellite Tourney

I didn't have much experience playing in satellite tourneys at lucky chances, but really wanted to play this one since the prize was entry into a 100k first prize tourney that was 1k buy-in. The satellite buy-in was $140 and it was 10-handed.

Once when I sat down, I notice there wasn't a lot of chips on the table. Then when I received my chips, I counted that there was only 25 chips and they said there was no chip value. The blinds would start at 1/2. Right away, I was thinking "aw man, this is basically an all-in game" then it reminded me how I started off in poker playing this way in home games when we played with 50 chips each. Ah, the memories. So, I was hoping that experience would really help me out in playing this game. I was little blind for the first hand.

First hand, under the gun raises to 6 chips. Folded all the way around to button who calls 6. I call 6 with J3 of hearts and big blind folds. Flop comes out J 6 3. I push all in with my two pair and everyone folds. Gain 20 chips.

Since this was a very low stack tourney, meaning you can pretty much count on a "all-in" on every hand, people were choosing their spots and pushing in with A high or any pocket pair.

I doubled again when someone under the gun pushes and gets folded to me in the little blind and I'm holding A 9 suited. Usually, I'll fold, but since this is a winner take all, I opt to gamble against his pocket 5's. I hit two pair and send him home.

Down to the last 5 players and the blinds were extremely high at 8/16. So there was a lot of blind stealing involved and all in preflops until the last 4 players. I was left with the shortest stack, which was about two big blinds left. Had to gamble with any two cards and actually hit. Soon, I had come back to chip leader with 120 chips and down to 3 players.

Stacks were me at 120, the two others at 90 and 30. On the first hand of us at 3 players, I have KQ in the button. Blinds at 16/32 I decided to push all in to try to steal the blinds. Little blind calls me with A 6 suited and flops the Ace. Major hit! I'm down to 30 chips and big blind.

I bust out in 3rd place and get my prize money back. Urg! so close....that one major mistake cost me.

No comments:

Post a Comment