$180 HORSE Tournament

WARNING: This post contains no TV Poker (NLHE) content. If you're not into terms like Scooping, Bring In, Live 4 Low, Rolled Up, 6th Street, Quartered, and Nut Low Wrap, then just move on to your next Blog to read.

"Shuffle Up & Deal" 6000 - They had three tables of eight chip stacks set up. Our table has seven player, and I'm the youngest by 10 years. The other two tables have four players and one player. Obviously, late players are coming, plus they have late registration for a Level or two.

We will play eight hands of each game. The Levels are 30 minutes long.

End of Level 1 (50/100 Limit) 5900 - Ended on Razz #4. The play has been what I expected, which is rather passive. No Action Guys at this table. Not much happening for me. I won the last hand of the Level. I was the Bring-In with (A7)K. Two players just limped in, and I ended up drawing out on them.

They opened up a 4th table, but took some players from each table. We are now playing six handed.

Level 2 (75/150 Limit) 6820 - Ended on Stud-8 #6. The final count for the tourney is 26 players, and we are still six handed. I won another Razz hand after bringing it in with a K. I definitely have an edge in Razz because the other players are just playing their own hand. I also won a Stud-8 hand by hitting a 6-high Straight on 7th Street.

Level 3 (100/200 Limit) 6590 - Ended on Omaha-8 #7. I won a nice Omaha-8 pot with Ac 4c Kh 7h. I raised on the Turn with a Heart Flush Draw and an A4 Low. I hit the Flush on the River for the scoop. A few hands later, I royally screwed up a hand out of the BB. I flopped Bottom Set (3) and no possible Low. I called the SB on all three streets. He ended up with the Nut Flush and a 24 Low. I'm an idiot for even calling on the Flop, let alone the rest of the way.

Level 4 (150/300 Limit) 8825 - Ended on Stud-8 #1. I raped and pillaged during the Razz. I won four of the eight pots with just naked aggression. That included a bluff on 7th Street when I paired my King. The other player paired their Ace, and folded. I was tempted to show the bluff, but why ruin a good thing.

BREAK - Still 26 players left. I looked at the payouts (3 spots), and noticed the prizepool was a little short. As it turns out, they are taking out 3% of the prizepool for the Staff. They are also taking $20 for Fees, and a $10 AddOn for Dealers. That means this tournament is actually $145.50 + $34.50. Gotta love it.

Level 5 (200/400 Limit) 5800 - Ended on Omaha-8 #5. I had the Hold'em round from Hell. I lost two good sized pots with AJ. First hand was me 3-Betting from the BB with AJh after the Button raised when it folded around to him. The Flop was Q-high. I bet on the Flop and Turn, and the Button called. We both just checked the River, and he had AK-high. The second hand was with As Jh. I raised from the Cutoff, and the same player limped and called. I ended up losing with a four card Heart Flush to his Qh 9c.

They broke the fourth table at the end of the level, so we are now 8-handed.

Level 6 (300/600 Limit) 5425 - Ended on Razz #7. I won a small half pot in Omaha-8 with a 24 Low. In Razz, I won two pots with decent hands. First was with (65)7 5 when the other player was dealt a J on 4th Street. The other hand was me getting an 8632A on 5th street against someone who had a good board but paired up. I did show that I made the 8-Low.
But... I got a little over aggressive when I 3-Bet against two players with (KJ)A. Eventually one of the players folded, but the other hung around. My board didn't get that much better, so I did some checking as well as betting. Finally on 7th, I bet blind before I was dealt the card hoping he would miss. But he said, "Well, I got a 7, so I guess I gotta call." It probably wasn't the smartest move to 3-Bet with a KJ in the hole. But if he was reluctantly calling with a 7-Low in Razz, then naked aggression is the right strategy. I just need to pick my spots a little better.

Level 7 (400/800 Limit) 7875 - Ended on Stud-8 #2. Our Dealer was rather inexperienced, and lost count during the rounds. We ended up playing extra Razz and Stud hands. I had a very active Stud round. I got AA twice and JJ once, and won all three. In my one bad hand, I brought it in with (32)4. A Jack completed, and I called. 4th Street was (32)4 5, so I called his bet. By 6th Street, all I had was a Pair of 4. His board was J A 6 A. I folded since he had half of my Straight outs.

Level 8 (600/1200 Limit) 4500 - Ended on Hold'em #5. Our table broke in the middle of the Level. We were playing Hold'em, but the new table was on Stud-8. At the first table, I was in a bizarre Stud-8 hand that involve both of us having 9 9 showing on 4th Street. I didn't improve, and folded on 6th Street.
At the new table, I eliminated a player in Hold'em. He went All-In for 1100. I was the BB with 85o, and made the crying call for 500 more. He had K9d, and I flopped an 8.

BREAK - There are 15 players left. I'm going into the "Get Lucky" stage of the tournament. I need to catch a few hands, and not screw up. Shouldn't be a problem.

Level 9 (800/1600 Limit) 0 - In Omaha-8, I was the SB, and it folded to me. I called with KJ62. The BB checked. Flop was Js 9s 2s. We both checked. Turn [Js 9s 2s] 7s. I bet 1600, and the BB raised. I only have 1300 left. It looks like I pot-committed myself, so I take the plunge with Two Pair. He shows the Nut Flush (A8s), and I miss my four outer. I finish in 14th place.

I still have never cashed in a Non TV-Poker casino tournament. I don't know if it's because I'm doing something wrong, or it's because Limit tournaments are a little more reliant on Luck because you need to catch cards. I do know from reading previous Running Logs that I have gotten into trouble by trying to steal Blinds in a Limit tournament. I was trying not to be over aggressive today, except for the Razz, and I'm overall pleased with my play today. Certainly not perfect, but I played as well as the other players in the tournament.

Also, I played some $1/$2 earlier in the day, and won $251 in three hours. So this tournament was essentially a freeroll.