Weekend tournament reflections

First off I want to say congratulations to my lovely wife, Teresa, for chalking up a win in Saturday's NDPT Event #6. Teresa bested the crowd of 25 that gathered at our house. She has definitely become a force with which to be reckoned. She went heads-up against Mike Westbrook, and according to Chris there was a lot of back and forth, of the chip stack, until Big Red took it down. She has been on a streak here lately...and they best thing for her to do is to continue to ride it out. The best advice to offer up to the rest of us...when a train is coming down the track...get out of the way! : )

I once again, busted out early. I think I was like the 5th player out...and frankly did it to myself, which has been a recurring theme for me this year, at least at MY HOUSE. Newcomer to the NDPT crew Scott Eddy made the right move by calling me preflop. He and I were in the blinds, and everyone folded to me, on the SB. I thanked the table...and said can I steal it? He said maybe...so rather than calling for another $50, I make it another $200 to go with my wired Jacks. Then, I realize he hasn't looked at his cards yet. He looks and makes the call. I determine my next move before the cards even come out, thinking that I can take it down, if an Ace doesn't hit. The board comes out K-Q-3-ish I think. I push my last $575 into the middle, which is greeted by an immediate call. I've put him on an Ace-moderate to garbage kicker. When no Ace popped up, I thought perhaps I was golden. I didn't make him for Big Slick or Little Slick for that matter. Unfortunately, it was worse still...when he turned over his SET of Queens, I was dead. Runner, Runner was my only hope, and that wasn't in the cards...I might not have called a preflop raise with Jacks. He might have dusted me right there. But it worked out well for him. I would likely have pushed preflop, to take it down right there, and not risk the suckout, by anyone who might have caught a card. Anyway, he took it down. Congratulations.
Teresa made a comment that I'm pushing too hard. In the movie Lucky You, they might have called me a "Blaster." This comment came while she and I were watching the next evening a replay of the 2006 WSOP. She watched a player bet $100,000 after the flop when the board showed KKJ, and he was sitting on AJ. Jamie Gold made a read here, and pushed over the top...BIG, and got the guy to fold. Teresa said that she thought the Bet, post flop was excessive. The Big Blind was $20,000, and I don't know what the ante was at that stage. Sorry! But I wouldn't consider a 5X bet, all that excessive. She told me that was my problem. I was pushing too hard, and needed to just play "right" and that my recent ways were actually the cause of my low placings in the NDPT tournaments. At first it irritated me...and I mouthed off, but the longer I thought about it, she may actually have a point. My old "money-winning" style was playing uber-tight, and aggressive. What I should really be doing is either tightening way down, and limping with marginal hands. Make the willing calls, but slow down a bit. Also, stop convincing myself that sub $500 is still a very playable/survivable chip stack to have. I've done it before. Granted it sucks...but I have a reputation for being able to comeback from horrific chips. I apologized later to her, for mouthing off, about how I play. Regardless of whether I go back to my roots of tight aggressive play, is yet to be seen. Then again, lately the sneak attack hands are the ones pulling down the monster pots for me. Also, if I can make the final table...I'm able to switch gears very effectively, and it takes a few hands for the rest of the table to catch on. To do that though, I need to make the final table!

The tournament play was lacking but the Cash Game, was VERY profitable to me. I bought in for $10, and cashed out for $135!!! SWEET, a much different play style really did pay off. I would have made more had I called a hand when I was on the open ended Straight/Flush, possible Royal draw. But in the face of a $22 bet, and call, I knew one or both of them already had the boat! My miracle card would have fell. That would have been in the neighborhood of a $60 pot. But, you can't have it ALL!

I read this morning that Eli Elezra won his FIRST WSOP braclet. Way to go Eli!!! I really enjoy watching him play on High Stakes Poker. We'll have to wait and see what else the series offers up!

It is just a few short days to Las Vegas, for the NDPT crew! I'm excited, ready to go, and next Thursday evening can't get here EARLY enough!

Hope the week treats you well.

Regards,
cheer_dad