I was sponsored to play from Pokerstars at WSOP 2007 Event #46 $2,000 Buy-in NO-LIMI Texas Holdem Prelimenary Event hosted at RIO on June 29, 2007. I actually purchased to the ticket using my rake back - its called (FPP: Frequent Player Points) through http://www.pokerstar.com and wore their gears during the event. In return, they made a deposit of 75% entry fee to my account immediately and later deposited remaining 25% buy in after few days.
It was my first WSOP experience. There were 2,169 entrances to this event creating approximately $4,000,000 total prize pool. My buddy Justin Moskowitz and Kevin Choi actually came to the event during the first day of the event wishing me good luck - Thanks!. Every player started with 4,000 in chips. The first pot I was involed in was pretty nasty. I had 9d 6h on the big blind. There were 2 limpers creating a pot size of $200. The flop was 9 6 3. 2 hearts. I would usually check raise in this position but since this is only the beginning of the tournament, I decided to bet out and lead because I didn't want to jeopordize many chips during the early stage of the tournament. Surprisingly, the guy who limped from early position raised me. I called. The turn and was river was blank and I ended up calling him all the way. He showed 6 6 and took a half of my stack during my first hand.
I was under big frustration after that hand since I lost a half of my stack in first few hands. To summarize, I had been entirely short stack during the entire tournament and went all-in at least 7 times before I actually manage to get to top 198, where the bubble is. Before the bubble, I happen to play right next to Barry Greinstein. Someone called my cell while the hand is going on. I couldn't pick up obviously. However, after the hand is finished, I just looked at my cellphone on my left pocket without even pulling that out from my pocket. Dealer noticed this and thought I am text messaging someone. LOL. The floor had been called and the dealer requested to muck my hand for doing such a suspicious activity. Everyone in the table remained silent except Barry Greinstein! He talked to the floor guy and explained the situation throughly so that they are convinced I didn't do anything illegal. Things worked out fine and I didn't have to fold my hand. I appreciate it Barry! although it was marginal hand and I ended up throwing it away anyways.
So, I got through the bubble and played my 2nd day with a very short stack of around 17k while the average stack is around 30k. I went all in and got called again about 3 additional times and survived all. Next time, I got dealt KQo when I was having about $34,000 and the blinds were $2000/$4000 with an ante of $500. I was in the middle position and decided to push. Everyone except the big blind with a stack size of approximately 70k called my all-in with AJs. I flopped good. JT7 and he caught the jack and nothing came on the turn and river. This all-in ended my run and I ended walking home with $5,386 in 94th place. I thought about my last all-in attempt and if it was a mistake. However, my intention on 2nd day was to win enough stack to play to the final table or get busto because I didn't have much chips to play with. I mean, if I were to just earn extra $1000 or $2000, I could have folded QKo and finished higher but I was playing to win. If anyone has comments about my last all-in, please comment it here so that I learn :)
2 comments:
I know I'm late commenting on your post, but i just read it. Anyway, I think your all-in was maybe too edgy...I like to watch poker and play it and I had this theory about taking a risk once in while. Because I could really get pissed if I folded a hand that turned out to be a great hand that would win me the pot, but what I said to myself one day was: you have to play in such a way that you would win the most (lose the less) in 20 years. And if you always play safe is better than to risk a lot, cause in the end, it will be better. Maybe you don't win very fast with big steps, but slowly and decent. And what you did was ofcuorse in special circumstances because you were short stacked and you were in for the win, but maybe it's better to just not risk it too much, that means, also not in the beginning of the tournament, cause that's what got you in that awkward spot. I'm wondering what you think of this....
I agree with you in certain aspect.
You just commented the difference between consistent winner vs one time winner. I believe consistent winner is the one who wins the most in long run. I also admit that my all in move was risky. I think most of these aspect comes from not being patient enough. I didn't want to be short stacked anymore, I wanted to have enough chips to play some real Poker. It is not just I was short stacked but as I get more short stacked and blinds increase, I sensed that I was getting more anxious and anxious.
I guess most of this has something to do with the fact that this was my first appearance to the tournament with professional players. I talked to Joe Hacem about my all in move and he told me how he completely isolated himself from other players and blinds in order to find a correct spot. If you watched WSOP 2005, he went all-in in final table more than 5 times! At the end, I think it was a good experience and I guess I was not good enough to win whole event just yet :)
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