Posted by
RoninHarper:
G'day mates enjoy
Sweat beaded along Steve's forehead as he looked at his dwindling chip stack. He knew that MTT's were marathons and not sprints and God knows he had played his share of tournaments lately, but damn this one had been one hell of a monster roller coaster ride. Everything started out so well, and it went to crap so fast is all he could think to himself.
Steve had been card dead for the last 40 minutes and the blinds after 3.5 hours of play had grown to 5K/10k with a 1K anti every hand and the last 40 minutes had seen his beautiful chip stack get reduced down to just over 13500 chips. The blinds were going to increase again soon and he was getting so close to the money if only he could hold on to at least get his $22 buy in back.
Slow playing every hand by running every second of his decision clock for the last twenty minutes slowed the bleeding down to a trickle. Now with just 6 places to go until the money he wakes up with pocket kings, knowing the blinds will take him out in two hands if he folds he has no choice but to play the kings and hope for the best. The first to act is a Russian moron who loves to play every hand and almost never folds, and Steve can't understand how this suck out king even lasted to this point in the tournament.
The damned Russian bastard shoves all in pre-flop for $136564 chips, Oh God damn it Steve is unable to keep himself from cursing out load, He knows he has to call this moron who is probably bluffing, even though the bastard has been caught shoving with any two freaking cards there is a sick feeling in Steve's stomach as he runs his clock and then calls, much to his relief everyone else folds and the cards are flipped over to be seen.
Steve's heart begins to soar when he sees the Russians hole cards are a Queen diamonds and a 8 of clubs, so his two red Kings are a huge favorite to win. The flop comes out 9c 10c 7c, Steve's heart begins to sink as he realizes the Russian now has a straight flush draw, a flush draw and an open ended straight draw. So many way for him to lose he does not even bother to count all the damned outs.
The turn come out and it is a 10h and Steve sees a little hope as he begins screaming "King 10, King 10, King 10" at his monitor screen begging, no pleading for a boat.
The river card comes down and it is an Ace of Spades. Damn it Steve shoats but then realizes it not a club so his kings just held up.
Steve throws his arms up and yells, "Yes! Oh thank you God, I'm going to make the money", With a tremendous sense of relief he watches the chips slide across his screen and into his chip stack. His next two cards get dealt to him and he is looking down at Ace of spades and 9 of hearts which he runs his clock on before folding.
(What do you think Mobsters shall I continue?)
Steve was somewhat antsy as he looked at his two new hold cards they were the Ace & King of hearts and the tournament was still literally on the button. The last eight hands had all been hand for hand play as they were exactly one away from the money and several players was desperately trying to hold out to get there buy ins back. Steve could not remember the last time he played in a tournament which had gone so long on the button. He was in good shape to make the money if he just was patient. He was in middle position with four hands to go before the big blind cost him 12K in chips and although the ante was currently 1.5K each hand he felt ok considering.
He breathed deeply and started talking things through to help himself make a decision. He did keep his voice lowered as to not wake up his girlfriend Amber who was asleep and need to work in the morning. The First player to act was a really nice player from the
United Kingdom who he had a note on about being a solid player and a great fellow at a table, and he opened with a standard 3 bet.
Steve spoke "Ok buddy, nice standard raise there so not a lot of info to be gained there, but you did stay in the hand so I'm going to put you on a pair of 10's or better of big suited connectors."
The next player was new to the table last hand and he knew nothing about this guy. The UTG+1 re-raised to six big blinds very fast in might have been hot keyed.
speaking again, " Well that sucks, I wish I knew something about you, but I got nothing on you. Where you from bud?"
Sliding his mouse pointer over top the player told him the new player was from Canada, which really did not set off major alarms. The next to act was Steve's favorite moron at the table the Russian whom he just loved to hate. The Russian shoved all in pre flop for the 5th straight hand which was a bet of $112674 chips. It was Steve's turn to act and he spoke to himself quickly as his clocked ticked down.
"Ok well I got great cards but we are on the button, and how many times have I lost on the button with these kinds of cards? Too many times to count, all I got in the pot is the ante, Oh s**t the tournament lobby is showing the smallest stack is $0 chips so someone has busted out. If I fold I am guaranteed to money. If I risk it all and lose I might still miss out. screw it I'm going to play it safe and at least get my buy in back with a small profit."
Having though things through Steve folded his Ace King and watched the hand. The hand ended up having 4 players involved.
The flop came down and Steve had to smile to himself it was the 6c 7d 4s
The turn was the 7s
The river was the Jh
The
winner of the had was the player from the
United Kingdom with pocket Jacks, Which turned into a nice little boat. A boat that cracked the Canadian's pocket Aces wide open. The truly great thing was the Russian was just eliminated which just made Steve night.
(Ok Mobster's let us do part 3)
Steve folded the next 3 hands after running his clock to the very last second which was a winning technique which he learned playing in the
Poker stars online
poker school. He had been reading a lot of
poker books and forums lately however and people general seemed to think it was a bad idea to play in this kind of passive way in an multi table tournament. Regardless it had got him to the money several times and even to a final table twice this month. The continued slow play seemed to frustrate some players to no end and they would often call him with weaker hands just to try and knock him out of the tournament.
The big blind arrived and Steve looked at his cards with mixed delight. The pocket Kings were looking pretty, but he knew even with a shove from him people would call, because of his stack size and position. He could have such a huge shove range the players would call him with almost any two cards. If the kings managed to hold up he would make much needed chips for sure.
The first three players to act all folded and then finally the player from the
United Kingdom made a standard 3-bet which got a re-raise from a new player from France. The next player to call was the small blind and Steve shoved all his chips into the middle. He was all in with his very tournament life on the line. He spoke to himself,
"Well Steve my son there's a lot worse cards to make a stand with then pocket Kings. May the Gods be kind."
It was a four handed pot which was going to increase Steve's stack size by five times if he managed to win. He was holding his breath. The cards began to hit the table, and the flop was not very helpful to Steve it was Ace of diamonds, 5 of hearts, 5 of clubs.
The player from the
UK just checked but the dude from France bet 30K in chips which the small blind called instantly, as the
Uk player folded. Steve exhaled heavily and said to himself,
"Well damn, I guess I am toast now, one of them definitely has an Ace and my Kings are now smoked."
The turn card came out and it was a 8 of clubs, which was no help to any buddy. The guy from France bet 50K and the small blind who was the largest stack at the table shoved all in. The guy from France hesitated for about 8 seconds before calling.
The river card hit the table and Steve nearly fell out of his chair, It was the most beautiful King of spades he had ever seen. He just got a river boat and most likely a huge ass suck out along with it. He was speechless as he watched with glee as the cards were all revealed. Looking at the cards he could not believe what he was seeing.
(Part 4)
Steve had to blink twice and take a breath, it was a royal reaming in the extreme which he could hardly believe. The dude from France had turned over an Ace and Queen of Clubs, so his read on him was correct about having an Ace. The small blind however had a pocket pair. Thank God they were 8's and not 5's. The small blind had a full house, Eights over fives.
Steve's Pocket Kings had turned into a full house of Kings over fives. It was with a huge grin that he watched his winnings from the main pot slid his way and he was chuckling at seeing the side pot slide to the small blind. The guy from France called Steve a damn luck box just before he got booted from the table. This made Steve smile all the brighter. The $146860 chips which just slid his way made him feel great, He was still short stacked but this tournament was just what the doctor ordered in terms of a nice calm relaxing beginning to his two weeks leave time. Tomorrow afternoon he was supposed to meet the guys from his unit for a few beers and a bar-b-que but that was not until 4pm. There was only 118 players left in the tournament and he was currently ranked in 83rd place. He was already in the money and he felt relaxed and was having a great time.
The small blind was dealt to him and he woke up with pocket red Aces. The smile on his face got even wider as he seen the short stack at the table who was first to act shove all in with his 43K in chips and the next three guys folded. The Button then called as well and Steve shoved his entire stack into the pot. The big blind folded as did the fellow from Canada, but the button called his shove and he had Steve's chip stack covered completely so his tournament was once again at risk.
The cards were then flipped over for all to see. The first guy who shove all in for 43K was from Mexico and he was bluffing with a Jack of hearts and the 5 of spades. The small blind turned over a pair of jacks a diamond and a club, which totally delighted Steve since there was now only one out for him, because one of his jacks was already dead.
The flop came out 3 hearts, 8 spades, Queen clubs.
The turn card was a Ace spades and Steve was instantly out of his chair and dancing a little happy dance.
He stopped after the river card was dealt.
The River was a 2 of hearts and when his new chip pile slid to his chip stack he sat back down and gave the button player the finger and said,
"Yea baby, who's your daddy now?" he laughed and reach for his beer fridge to grab himself a nice cold beer to drink.
(Part 5 to follow soon)
Be cool mates
Ronin
