On the Scottwire

I must announce that last night on PokerShare...

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Congratulations on winning a $1,500 PokerShare World Series Package!

We’re delighted to welcome you on board the PokerShare World Series team. Your WSOP package includes:

· WSOP Lead-Up Event buy-in, to the value of $1,500

· PokerShare Merchandise

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WOOHOO!

I finally did it! What a long battle but well worth it.

Tournament goals:
1) be aggressive, steal lots of blinds, but play smart and back off if it isn't working
2) pay attention to each player and keep an eye on who lets me pick on their blinds
3) Don't be afraid to play back against late position raises
4) Accumulate chips without putting your stack at risk
5) Recognize when to change gears
6) Don't get too tight as the players dwindle down near the bubble

I unfortunately get into a habit of sometimes doing too many things at once (working, surfing the web, watching tv...) and I'm not paying attention to the game. I did do a little of this last night but for the most part I was intent on picking up the patterns of other players.

Number 1 - be aggressive B E AGGRESSIVE. When I'm not paying attention, I turn into this tight nit who plays top 10 hands and never steals blinds because I'm not paying attention and am afraid to lose chips.

As I moved tables, I adjusted as I generally stuck with good hands to steal with against the huge stacks who liked to play back. I did a good job of folding a while then using my Number 5 goal to change gears and raise a few hands in a row and pick up some good chips since I had been so tight.

Number 4 - Don't put your stack at risk.
I think I did a great job at this. I think I was all in maybe 4 times the whole tournament.


Some play by play:

• Blinds start at 10/20 and each player gets 2500 chips.
  
  Earlier in the day, I lost a $50 buyin on PokerFantasy when I flopped a set while my opponent flopped a straight.
  
  I thought luck was still not on my side early in the tournament:
  I have AK in the SB. I think stakes were 30/60
  MP1 raises to 180. CO calls. I call.
  
  Flop comes K93.
  I check, MP1 bets 400, CO folds, I call.
  
  Turn 9.
  I check, MP1 bets 800, I raise all in.
  
  MP1 only has 800 left so he's pretty pot committed. The only hand I'm worried about at this point is AA or KK and based on his past play I didn't think he had either.
  
  He calls and has KJ.
  
  River: 9 (ARGH) giving us both KK999 and spliting the pot.
  
  My first good spot to get chips and it went down the tubes.

• 20 left - I get AA near the button. 3xBB raise and SB pushes all in with AQ and my stack is finally getting somewhere.

• 7 left - 6 of us between 11 and 13k and one guy at 21k

• 5 left - 4th in chips

• 300/600 blinds
  SB raises to 1800, I call with KJo
  
  flop K65, 2 clubs
  he bets 1200 i raise to 3000, he calls.
  turn: J clubs, he checks i push he calls with A6o ??
  
  3 of us have 22k, other guy has 31k
  
  76s i raise in SB, flop 544
  i bet BB raises all in i call
  he has 99 - 3 on turn and my straight holds up
  take 2nd place in chips
  

This was the first time I got my money in with the worst hand, but I had the odds to call on the draw as long as he didn't have the flopped boat. Lucky for me :)

At this point also, we had made a deal to have the $450 3rd place prize money become 3rd place gets $300 and 4th gets $150, while the top 2 still get the seats. So I was winning something at least if I got knocked out. And if I didn't, I'd be chip leader!

• won a nice hand
  SB raises again, I call with T9s
  flop KJ8 2 diamonds
  he checks, I check
  turn 7
  he checks, I bet 3000 he calls
  river 2 of diamonds
  he checks, I bet 3000 he calls

• blind battles keeping my stack in good shape
  600/1200 blinds
  K8d
  sb calls, i check
  Q83 rainbow.
  he checks i bet 1200, he calls
  turn 7 of diamonds
  he checks, i bet 3600 he calls
  river A of diamonds, check check he has 98 i win the pot

• 3 left
  I have 48k vs 22 and 28k

• The small stacks almost take each other out. One has 38k, other has 10k after a big hand. 10k stack goes all in and I'm yelling CALL CALL. He does but small stack doubles up
  

• I get AKs in the SB I make my standard 3xBB raise.
  BB pushes all in. I have 46k and he has a little over 20k. I think for a sec and call.
  He has A7s and my hand holds up! What a long 5 hours!
  
  
  

WOO WOO

I'll post May results in a separate post later or tomorrow. Until then MAY THE FLOP BE WITH YOU! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!