Shootout At The Peppermill

No, this isn't a post about the shootout on the Las Vegas Strip that happened on Thursday morning. Although, that is a bizarre coincidence.

The Peppermill is having one of their little tournament series this weekend, One of their events is $145+$40 NLHE Shootout. It was a surprise to see this on the schedule, as it's rare to see a variety tournament in Reno. Fortunately, this happened to fall on my off day (Thursday), so I how could I miss it?

For those who don't know, a Shootout plays like a normal tournament, except they don't balance the tables. You stay at your table, and it plays down to a winner. The winner of each table goes to the Final Table with their chips and plays to a winner. Everyone at the Final Table has made the money.

Since a Shootout has never run in this town, I'm not sure how they are gonna handle this tourney. The one thing I can predict is they will probably screw it up

"Shuffle Up & Deal" - 10k chips and 30 min levels. Tables have nine chips stacks. But... There are currently only three tables, which is really sad. We have only three players at my table. Reno is so pathetic.

End of Level 1 (25/50) - My table is up to six players with two dead stacks and one man down. They did open a fourth table, but it's doubtful they will get a fifth.
I played very tight, and nothing noteworthy happened. I have 9850 chips.

They announced how the Final Table will work. Two players advance from each table. Those two players will start over with 10k chips, and blinds starting 100/200. There will be no antes, so they don't have to bother with Green 25 chips. I assume having two players advance is so they don't have to keep equal stacks at each table.

Also, payouts will depend on the number of players, so not all Final Table players will be paid.

Level 2 (50/100) - Still six handed with two dead stacks. Although, the TD is currently removing all dead stacks from the tables.

More quiet time for me, as I'm waiting for the antes to step on the gas. The only notable hand was me limping from Mid with 54d. I flopped Bottom Pair, and everyone checked. Turn was Ad, giving me a Flush Draw. I bet 325, and got two callers. River Ah. I bet 625, and got raised by the Button. I have 9325 chips.

Level 3 (75/150) - Absolutely nothing happened. No cards for me, and the few I happened to play airballed the board. I have 8725 chips.

On the last hand, the BB raised to 1200, and UTG (70's guy) back raised to 6000. BB didn't believe him, as the Old Guy has backraised before, and the BB shoved with KQ. UTG had AA, and knocked him out.

BREAK - Only four tables with just 30 players, and four players get paid. Did I mention that Reno is pathetic? I had a better turnout for the Shootout I ran in a home game a few years ago.

At the other tables, the remain players are 7, 6, and 4.

Level 4 (100/200/25) - The play at this table is very annoying, as this is playing much more like a satellite than a tournament. There are very few preflop raises, small bets on the Flop, and most Rivers are checked down.

And they're not wrong for playing like. Since the two players don't take their chips to the Final Table, they only need one chip to advance. Plus, the other four players at my table are over 60, so this is how they normally play.

The other problem has been my hands are always 2nd or 3rd best. It's really hard to read the other players during the hand, as everyone was so @&$! passive even when they have a hand. I'm down to 3250 through a series of annoying hands.

Level 5 (150/300/50) - Down to five handed, and the blinds are coming quickly. It folded to me in the SB. The BB had raised me before when I limped, so I did again with AQo. The BB was nice enough to cooperate with my plan, and raised to 1200. I shoved for 2750, and he called with A8. The Q on the Flop gave me a much needed double up.

Now that I had some chips, I played a few hands that didn't go well. It didn't take long to fall back under 4000. With the uber-passive play at this table, I decided it was time to switch strategies. I decided to join them in the passive play. I started limping more in position, and only min-raising preflop. I did start having some success as I scooped up a few small pots.

The most noteworthy hand was me raising to 600 with KTc from UTG. Only the BB called, and he's the Old Guy who backraised with AA earlier. Flop was Kd 9s 7d, and he checked. I grabbed some Black 100 chips, and bet 600. He thought for a bit, and called. Turn [Kd 9s 7d] Ac. He checked, and I shoved for 2550. I was planning on shoving with any brick, but I'm not sure an A qualifies. He thought for a minute before called. I tolded him that his Ace was good, and he showed As 5h. I missed the River, and finished somewhere around 16th place.

Overall, a very disappointing tourney for me. I certainly didn't play that last hand very well, as I didn't stick to the Small Pot Strategy. Plus, there was a little tilt involved on my end. But my cards were horrible, and most of my hands were usually second best. If my cards were only halfway decent, I would have had no problem making to the Final Table.

The other disappointing thing was the tournament itself. Basically, every NLHE tourney in Reno is just a NLHE tourney. No variety or imagination is every used by the TDs in this town. So it was great to see a Shootout on this schedule. However, I seem to be one of the few players who think like this, as 30 players is a terrible turnout. It will be even worse when the Final Table plays for an hour or two, and then the last five or six players do a chop. (At least, that's what I assumed they did.)

On the way out to my car, I walked through the poker room. The 2pm $45 donkament was running. It had 37 runners, which was more than the $185 Shootout.

Have I mentioned how pathetic of a poker town Reno is?