Oh, so close (the return of the poker thread)

[Guynemer]

I started playing PokerRoom again a couple days ago. Tonight, I entered the 30+3 $50,000 guaranteed tournament.


From about the 1.5 hour mark to about the 4 hour mark, I was the chip leader. I was just brutalizing people, well on my way to the $12,000 top prize.

Then, when there were about 60 players left (out of 770), I suffered my first major defeat. I got the #4 chip guy to go all in against me; I had pocket 8s with 4, 4, 6 on the board. He had pocket 10s. As a result, my chips were cut by about 2/3, and it was downhill from there.

I managed to hold out until 30th place, when I went all in pre-flop with A-10 suited, and ran into A-J. Won a solid $275. But, dizzamn, I was oh so ****ing close to getting some serious money...

[JohnT]

Congrats on the $275!

Unless, of course, you paid $500 to enter.

[Guynemer]

Since I started playing again, I'm up about $400 overall.


No, only $33.

Ahhh, memories...

[Guynemer]

Didn't even see KH's poker thread... oops.

[KrazyHorse]

Suckah.

good going though. can't stand rebuys, personally

[KrazyHorse]

don't play the guaranteeds for that reason.

[Guynemer]

I'm not a fan of rebuys, either. But I was doing so well in the $50 sit and gos, I figured it was worth the lark. Turned out it was, and was almost ridiculously worth it.

[KrazyHorse]

I'm slumming it in the 20$ SNGs



It's almost ridiculously easy. Plus my bankroll is only at 400$ right now (withdrew money not too long ago)

[KrazyHorse]

30$ starts to be solid. 50$ is where you see people making tricky plays etc.

Much harder to win there, but still not that difficult

[Guynemer]

I actually find $50 much easier to win than, for instance, $10.

I think the reason why is that at $10 it's likely you and nine people who don't have a clue what they are doing; every one of them plays almost every hand, and on any given flop one of those idiots turns **** into gold. At the $50 tables, it's generally people who at least have a clue, so you at least have a better idea of what they have when they are playing--no one is holding J-7 offsuit, like at the $10 tables.

[KrazyHorse]

Yeah, that's obviously true. But playing at 10$ just means that you play fundamentals poker. Bet when you have a good hand, fold when you don't.

[Pekka]

You called the all-in with a guy who had that much chips? With pocket 8's? I mean.. well the flop was OK for you but.. basically what you had to worry was the possible flush, three of a kind (4) and possible ace, king etc in the turn card and river but I assume this is the moment he went all-in? You don't play very conservatively.. ? I mean, I'm no one to say what a good strategy is but seems awfully risky to me, even when the chances are he needs higher pocket pair but still.. I never go all-in or call someone in all-in situation unless I have at least jacks as pocket pair. I feel like deuces are the crappiest cards you can get aside 3-7 and the likes.

Anyway, congrats, and yeah without knwoing the cards the odds were for you but.. still what a risky move at that point of the game!!!! CRAZY MAN! I guess it's safe to say I play only tight and move in much later on.. unless I have a very short stack that is.

[KrazyHorse]

It's not an awful call, depending on what was in the pot and how much the guy had left to raise.

[Guynemer]

The way he and I had bet up to that point, I figured I had a little better than a 50-50 chance. There was no way he was holding A-4 or A-6 suited, and the odds of him having pocket 4s or 6s were remote. I put him on something like AK, AQ, or KQ, but I knew there was a real chance that he had a better pocket pair. If I had won the hand, it would've given me almost 3x as many chips and anyone else in the tournament. C'est la vie.


And KH: hell, I usually win the $50 tables playing fundamental. It's the $10 tables that kill me playing like that--I'll play A-J, flop comes rainbow J-10-8, and some yahoo with 9-7 off or J-8 off or some other ridiculous **** will take me down. Play patient, smart, simple poker at the $50 tables, and you'll make money. Do that at the $10 tables, and you'll put a brick through your monitor.

[KrazyHorse]

I don't think that playing simple at 50$ level is, in general, a good idea.

I make a hell of a lot more plays there, and that's what wins me money.