Tournament: 1042 players (free)

I played my second big torunament last night.

I enjoyed it a lot more than the last one, because I decided beforehand that I would just quit if I got tired. The game was earlier, and I was out before 11:00, so that didn't become an issue.

Here's an interesting hand (that I folded pre-flop):

How often do you see someone with a pair of Aces, vs Kings, vs Queens? In this case, getting that 4th King wasn't good luck, as it killed the action.

Nothing spectacular happened during the beginning of the tournament. In fact, I don't think I played to the river more than once that first 90 minutes. I was down to a dozen big blinds and one point and my friend told me I needed to double up. I still had plenty of time though, stayed the course, picked my spots, and grew gradually while taking as few risks as possible.
After 90 minutes I had some good opportunities, exploited them.

By the third break I was doing well. I was in second place, with 130k chips, twice the average.


After the break I got some good cards and challenged what I believed to be steal attempts by the leader. He'd bet, everyone would fold to me, then I'd call. Then on the flop I'd raise and he'd fold. I did have a hand each time. I wasn't bluffing, but it must have *looked* like I was picking on him.

After that break I must have taken 120k from the tournament chip leader in about ten minutes. I had about 275k and the game leader had about 350k when this happened, to bankrupt me:


There wasn't much that could have beaten me (the last ace, pocket Kings, or pocket Queens), plus I thought he was finally pushing back out of frustration for me taking so many of his chips without ever me having to show my hand.

1) If someone else had called his raise before me I'd have folded my 8/J.
2) If that Jack didn't come on the flop I would have folded.
3) If I hadn't been taking a ton of his chips in the last few hands without showing (so he thought I was stealing) I would have folded early (putting him on an Ace).
4) If it was against any other player in the game I'd still have a at least 100k in chips.
5) If it was against any other player at my table I'd have most of my chips remaining.
6) If he had anything but the one remaining Ace, or KK, or QQ, I couldn't lose.

So anyway, I finished the game in 25th place because I couldn't fold my hand.

I don't think I sucked out on anybody the entire tournament. I pretty much always got my my money in good. I stole a lot of chips. I got sucked out on a few times, but nothing too damaging.