Starting day 1B today as chip leader on my table, which is always nice. Will update as and when I can, normally on end of level breaks. I had a nice day off yesterday, friends, movie, and some relaxing food and down time. Woke up today and tried to ease gently into the morning, but the people I was talking to were either hyper, overly cheerful, insane or a combination of all three and decided that gently wasn't the answer. Was good to raise a smile from me though :o) . Since we kicked off I'm currently pretty much where I started, I've won a small pot and lost another. Wait and see how the day pans out...
Isaac Haxton was on my table with a short stack. He quickly found KK and got doubled up by KQ. What a life. Maybe not. About two hands later a guy rivered a flush and busted him. He's been replaced by a bigger stack of about the same amount as me, so treading gently, it's a marathon not a sprint.
First break and I'm on 53k. Haven't been able to write much as have been playing a bit, will try to crack out a quick video now during the 20 minutes...
We're back and it's now level 7 and 300/600/75. I've dropped back to 39k when I raised with KK, got called in two spots. It came 10 2 2 and I led out. I got called by one player, then min raised,and the other guy called the min raise also after me. Turn is a horrible 10. I check and the min raiser bets 4400, other guy also calls after I fold and then he folds to an 8500 river bet.
A couple of players have quickly busted out, and a few much bigger stacks have moved to the table. One guy directly on my left has around 100k, and loves the big power all-in move on the turn or river. He's done it so far about 4 times and each time it has worked.
This hasn't been a great level for me without doing anything much wrong, just had a slightly shitty run. Right now just rocking up and playing fewer hands as people are calling and raising a LOT lighter than previously. Two guys just got 16k each all in preflop with A6 and 99. I've missed flopping sets and got reraised when I've raised in position. Not super fussed right now, I've dropped to 32k. We restart in 20 at 400/800/100. Off outside for a breather.
Returned from the second break Which is level 8 at 400/800/100 and straight back into it. Shortly after coming back one guy on the table flops the nut flush and hammers it. He's called by a smaller flush, who then rivers a straight flush and wins a big pot off him. The nut flush guy said earlier he doesn't tell bad beat stories but some things are easy for people to say...for the next 30 minutes he is reliving the hand over and over either alone or with others.
I've dropped down to 27k, and the vibe on the table is a lot more frantic than earlier or on day one. Every pot is opened about 2.5x. I'm feeling like I don't have the chips to splash about on this table at all the way it's playing, so I've rocked up and am playing solid hands and nut draws for a while.
I just flopped a set of fives on a 58K flop. Bet out and got no action.
Shortly after this I get 99 and call in position vs a raise and a call. Flop is 910J. Not ideal but I'll take it. Both check to me and I bet 4k, both call. Turn is a queen. Great...
First guy now bets 9k and gets called by the other up to me.
I don't like my spot at all here now. Maybe jamming the flop might have been an idea, but I only get called if I'm losing here. I fold. River is a four and the original bettor makes it 9k again and is called. He tables KQ for a flopped straight, the other guy mucks. Painful but I guess I dodged a bullet because he wasn't folding.
Half way through the level and I'm trying to grind it to the dinner break. Today hasn't been good cards or flop wise, but I'm pretty sure if I can get to the dinner break and chill for 90 minutes I can come back for level 9 refreshed and guns blazing.
10 minutes before dinner and I've found what I feel is the hand to go with...up or down this is it.
I raise under the gun to 1900 out of a 21k stack at 400//800/100 with Ah10h. I get two callers.
Flop is 7h8hAc. Almost as good as it gets for my hand I think.
I check, first guy makes it 2100, and is reraised to 5200 by the guy who lost earlier with the nut flush vs straight flush. I have 19k, top pair and the nut flush draw. I've seen him play a few hands quite aggressive as he had a big stack before losing with the flush, but I don't give him a set. Maybe a big ace. I'm not sure about the guy behind but feel he is folding and it was just a tester bet. I move all in and hold my breath (metaphorically).
The original bettor folds, and the raiser asks for a count. He doesn't look thrilled with the situation but calls for about 20% of his stack, tabling 8c7s for a flopped bottom two pair. I need a heart, or a pair up that's not the seven or eight.
Turn is the 3s. Now I can win with a 3 also, as well as an ace, a ten, or a heart that doesn't fill him up.
River is the 2c, and I'm now out of the main event almost two levels before the end of day two.
I leave the Rio pretty fast after wishing everyone good luck and getting my stuff together. The table was OK, but I didn't have great cards or get moving today and some days in tournaments are just like that and there's little to add. I can't really over analyse the exit hand because I think the only way I actually win the pot is if I raise a lot bigger preflop, which under the gun with my hand wouldn't have been very wise. I guess it was just how it unfolded and much as I could bemoan the injustice of not hitting a flush, today was just a struggle because I couldn't get any momentum going once the bigger stacks came to the table and started raising every hand.
I'll write more later. Hopefully the updating if not the result was mildly informative. Off to contemplate life. Or at least eat dinner.
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