What I Love About Tournaments

I was planning on heading over to Greektown for their 11am tournament. But I didn't think I could get there on time since they don't allow late buy-ins. One of the reasons I was running behind was due to the Fire Alarm going off in the Motor City Hotel at 5am.

Since I played at MGM last night, I decided to stay and play at Motor City. After I checked out of my room, I went down to the Poker Room just before 11am. I put my name on the $1/$2 list. The player who walked in right after me asked about the tournament. I didn't even know that Motor City was running tournaments. It's a $65 tourney that starts at 11am, so I signed up.

"Shuffle Up & Deal" 4000 - So far, it's just a two table tourney, with 18 players total. I don't recognize anyone at my table, but it looks like the usual mishmash of people that you would expect to find at a daily casino tournament. The levels are 20 minutes long.

End of Level 1 (25/50) 4125 - I won a pot with a Straight in the BB. This table is rather normal for a weekday tournament. Most every is playing tight and passive. There is one Action Guy, a 25 year old kid, who is playing a lot of pots, and he's two seats on my Left.

Level 2 (50/100) 8500 - I won two pots against the same Lady. The first one was with my A3d vs A2h on a Board of Axx A 3. In the second hand, I called her raise with 87s, and flopped Two Pair. One hand later, I get moved to the other table. I win one nice pot over there. My KQ vs Q9 on a Q88 A A board.

Level 3 (100/200) 7000 - I raised to 700 on the Button with K7h. Only the BB called, but he's only got 500 left behind. Ooops! We both checked the Flop. He moved All-In on the Turn. I called because I picked up the Flush Draw. He showed QT, no pair. He missed his Pair Draw, and was eliminated.

Halfway through the level, we reached the Final Table. (Yes, it's only Level 3, and we're at the Final Table.) There are 9 players left, and I am 2nd or 3rd in chips with 9100. Action Guy from before is the Chip Leader, and he is on my direct Left.

Last hand of the Level. UTG+1 raised to 700. The Cutoff called. I'm the BB with KQo, and reluctantly called. I checked the Flop of As Kc Js. UTG+1 bet 1800. Button folded. I thought for a minute, and reluctantly called. I checked the Turn [As Kc Js] Jc. UTG+1 bet 3500, and I folded. This hand was a mistake from the start. KQ out of position in a 3-way pot is terrible at this stage of the tournament. I dusted off almost 25% of my stack.

Level 4 (200/400) 13300 - I raised to 1100 with 87s in the Cutoff. Only the BB called. He checked the Flop of Ad Jc 9c. I C-Bet 1600 with the Gutshot Straight Flush Draw. Turn was [Ad Jc 9c] Jh. The BB started staring me down, probably to see if I was uncomfortable with the J. After a few moments, I started staring back at him. He started tapping his finger while checking me out. The Dealer asked if he checked. I told the Dealer, "No, he's just trying to get a read on me." The BB finally checked, and so did I with my 8-high. River [Ad Jc 9c Jh] Td. BB went All-In for 2400. Well, I hit my Straight, but it's the bottom end of it. So I had to call. He showed AQ, and I knocked out another player.

Level 5 (300/600) 15500 - I played really tight. I won two limped pots from the Blinds that were checked down.

We are now at Break. There are 7 players left, and I'm 2nd in chips. Action Guy is Chip Leader with 21500, but he's still playing rather loose. They are coloring up the black 100 chips during the Break. This structure is about to get stupid.

Level 6 (500/1000) 17000 - Still playing rather tight. I won the blinds once with A9. I 3-bet once with AQ, and they folded. We are still six handed. The short stacks keep doubling up. The Action Guy is helping out the Short Stacks by calling with quality hands like J9o.

Level 7 (1000/2000) 72000 - Players finally start getting knocked out. The former Chip Leader (Action Guy) is knocked as our Bubble Boy (4th). He went All-In UTG for 11k with A2, and I called in the BB with A7. The 7 on the Flop popped the Bubble.

When 3 handed, the short stacked mentioned a Chop. The other player said, "there's not enough money to bother chopping." Maybe five hands later, the Button limped. I'm the SB with KJ, and called. The short stack goes All-In for 12k from the BB, and we both call. I flopped Two Pair, and am now the monster chip stack.

As we begin Heads-Up, I've got a 4-1 chip lead, roughly 57k to 15k. Unfortunately, I have to show the Dealer and the Floorperson how to deal Heads-Up, because most tournaments are chopped by this point. After a few minutes of discussion and debating, we finally start playing. He's an older gentleman who usually plays $2/$5 or higher.

We both were playing Small Ball. Very little preflop raising to start out. The first big pot was me limping in the BB with T7d. Flop of Kh Jc Th was checked by both of us. Turn [Kh Jc Th] Ts. He checked. I bet 3k with my Trips, and he called. River [Kh Jc Th Ts] Qh. He leads out for 6k. I hate that card, because every draw hit. But I called, and he showed Ah Ac for Broadway. (Yes, I know that he acted out of turn on the River. This was not uncommon during Heads-Up. I think he has rarely played it before, since he was asking question about how it worked.)

The next big pot is me limping in the BB with 44. Flop is 7d 7c 4c. Yahtzee! We both checked. Turn [7d 7c 4c] 5h. He bet 2k out of turn, again. I raised to 5k. He shoved, and I called. I showed my Boat, and he showed Q7h. I say to the Dealer, "Please don't screw me." She didn't as the River was a Brick. I win the tournament, and $440 after the $10 Dealer Tip.

I know this might sound stupid, but the thing I love about playing tournaments is Winning. Cash Game players just don't understand this concept. All they see is that I won $375 in 2.5 hours. Yes, the money is sweet. But I love the idea of maneuvering through the field and shifting gears. You get to play different types of Poker, whether it's a deeper stack full Ring early in the tournament, a shorter stacked 6 max as we get closer to the Final Table, the Push-N-Pray at the Final Table, or the Heads-Up battle. And when the Dealer turns over the River card on the final hand, I get that sweet, sweet taste of Victory.

I won $377 in 2.5 hours last night at MGM Detroit, and I won $375 in this tournament which lasted around 2.5 hours. The victory in the tournament was much more enjoyable for me. Plus, this was the first daily casino tournament I've made it to the end that hasn't chopped in any way.