Good weekend of charity poker

Actually found myself with a couple of nights off (well, if you consider "out by 8pm" to be a night off) this weekend, and took advantage of that to catch up on some charity poker over at Four Aces this weekend. Made two final tables (4th and 8th) out of 82 and 78 players, respectively, and making a $300 profit for the weekend didn't suck. A couple of hands from early on in the tournament took place that I think merit discussion, only this time I'm going to go from what I believe to be the perspective of my opponent in each hand...with me being the "villain" in each hand. Why do it from this perspective? Because I think ultimately both players had no business busting out at this stage of the tournament, because they made the mistake of not controlling the pot size, in each instance. That, and not even considering the possible holdings of their opponent.

Most players I've seen at the charity events will try to play long-ball early on, going for the quick double-up or knockout, when the structure of the tourneys (400 BBs to start) that I'm playing in allow you to actually play for a good 2+ hours before it becomes "shove or fold" time. I generally like to play a more "small-ball" approach - avoiding big pots with coin-flips until absolutely necessary. I won't argue that this is always the proper approach, but I've found that I can usually accumulate chips in the first few levels with relative ease to leave me pretty healthy after a couple of hours.

First hand in question takes place on Hand #5 on Friday night. Let's say that you're UTG, with blinds at 25/50, and you look down and see J-J...a tough hand to play from early position this early in the tournament, and you're content to keep pot small for now, so you decide to limp in and play the hand post-flop. 3 limpers until you get to the button, who decides to raise to 350. Folds around to you, where you decide to reraise to 1,000....folded around to the button, who thinks about things for a few seconds, then makes the call. Flop of 9-6-9 rainbow hits, and you like your Jacks, so you quickly lead out for 1,200 to see if you can chase a hand with 2 big cards out. Button pauses for a few seconds, re-pops you back up to 3,500, and you make the quick call with no hesitation.

4 on the turn doesn't seem to help anyone, and no apparant draws out there...sure seems like your Jacks are good, so it's time to bet out 5K, which you do without much hesitation. Button thinks about things while riffling his chips for a few seconds, but just smooth calls you. River is another 4, and once again you're sure the 4 didn't help out or fill a boat for him...you take a couple of seconds to look at the player staring you down, and shove your remaining 11K or so chips into the middle. You think you're good when the player takes his time to make a decision, but then the player starts talking the hand out, which worries you. "No way you have 9-9...and you've been betting too much to have had A-A the whole way...and that you probably have J-J or Q-Q....", followed by the words, "I call!" while simultaneously flipping over his K-K, and you're out of the tournament early.

Biggest mistake this player, IMO, made was the quick betting and decisions, and never really considered what the opponent could be holding at really any time during the hand. I'm not saying that she wasn't losing a lot of her chips here on that board, but there's no reason to blow through 400 BBs so early in the tournament, either.

Second hand takes place on Hand #6 Saturday night. UTG+1 makes what is his standard opening raise of 2.5x BB, and sitting in MP you look down at K-K and merely smooth call, hoping to trap if an ace doesn't hit the board, but willing to get out for minimal if no ace hits the board. A player who you've played with a few times, who generally plays pretty solid cards and uses position well, raises you from the button (again) to 550 to thin the field. Original raiser flat calls, and you quick call.

Flop of J-4-7 rainbow is great for you, and after the original raiser checks, you bet out 1K - the button smooth calls, and UTG+1 thinks for a minute, chuckles, and folds. Turn of a 2 hits, putting no apparant draws out for you, and lead out a big bet of 4K to see if you can trap here, which you think you've set when your opponent in the hand min-raises you to 8K. Ahhhh, A-J, you think, so you shove your remaining chips into the middle with visions of a double-up in your head, only to hear a snap-call from your opponent, who says if you have a set, that's the only way he's beat.

You flip over your K-K, but have that sick feeling about your when you do it, and are shocked to see your opponent flip over A-A for the cooler. River is a blank, and you're sent to the rail in quick fashion...but not before bitching about being slow-rolled. Your opponent dismissing your complaint with "Whatever...I called you, so you show your cards first" doesn't make you any less pissed off, however.

Original raiser in hand (who eventually went on to get a 2-way chop for first) says he knew he was beat, but wanted to try to hit a set of 10s after the flop, but he didn't realize that 2 people had him beat. This may be one of those hands that just play itself out no matter how it's played (though I'd argue at this stage of the tournament, it doesn't necessarly do so), but I thought the way K-K was played was odd. It's ok to limp in with big pairs at times (even if you intend to reraise if someone raises the pot), but to merely call a raise and then smooth-call a reraise was a little too passive, but that's just me.

Couple of weeks off from charity poker, then hopefully back on that train when the craziness at works ends.