This column is my attempt to guide you through the thought
processes of a professional Texas Holdem poker player
when he’s playing a major tournament. That player is me,
and the event is the $2,600 buy-in no-limit Texas holdem
contest at Bellagio’s Festa al Lago tournament in
October.
The first
stage of this tournament actually began the night
before. I drove to Bellagio in the early evening with
the intention of playing one or two satellites for the
next day’s event. As soon as I walked into the satellite
area, an announcement was made that there was one seat
left in the next satellite. With my usual careful study
of the opposition, I immediately claimed the last seat
available without having the foggiest notion as to who
was in the starting lineup. I recognized a few players
once I sat down, but most of them were strangers to me.
That can be either good news or bad. I needed to get a
quick line on their play, as most (if not all) of them
knew who I was: advantage, them.
We
started with $2,500 in tournament chips, making a total
of $25,000 in chips in play. The blinds were $25-$50 to
start, and went up, often doubling in size, every 15
minutes. I was fortunate in winning a hand early and
gathering some chips. I was paying attention to what the
opposition was doing, and noticed two things: First, the
player sitting on my immediate left, a stranger to me,
was playing lots of hands and raising the pot quite
frequently. A young player two seats to my right, who
also was a stranger to me, was playing a very steady,
solid game. I immediately pegged him as a dangerous
player. As luck would have it, the action got down to
the three of us.
I
picked up pocket aces in the small blind. I decided to
just limp into the pot against the aggressive player on
my left, who was in the big blind and had the chip lead.
If he raised, I could come over the top of him. He
decided to check. The flop came J-4-4. I checked, and he
checked. A suited card, making a possible four-flush,
came on the turn. I checked again. This time, he bet,
and I flat-called. Another jack hit on the river, making
two possible full houses if he held either a jack or a
4. I was concerned that he might have hit one of them.
If he held a jack, he most likely would have bet on the
flop, but if he held a 4, he probably would have
slow-played it. I checked again and he moved in. I
called, even though I wasn’t all that happy with my
hand. Luck again smiled on me, as he was on a stone-cold
bluff. If I had played my aces any differently, I would
not have doubled through and taken the chip lead.
He
regained the chip lead, however, by winning a few
smaller pots. Then, with the chip count at about 40
percent for me, 40 percent for the aggressive player,
and 20 percent for the tough young player, the key hand
of the satellite came up. The aggressive player limped
in from the button with the K Q, a rather unusual play
since he had been so aggressive throughout the
satellite. Earlier, he had limped in with a big pair
from the button and won a nice pot. But even though K-Q
is a drawing hand, not a made hand, in a full ring game,
it is generally a raising hand in a threehanded game.
The small blind passed and I looked down to see the A 7.
The blinds were $300-$600, and I saw this as an
opportunity to take the pot right there. I moved in. My
opponent thought for a few seconds, and then called.
I
was the favorite in this situation, although not by a
huge margin. The board came with no help to either of
us, and my ace high won the pot. I now had 80 percent of
the chips. This hand illustrates the danger of calling
all of your chips with K-Q.
Oftentimes, I will make some kind of deal or settlement
in a satellite if the chip counts are close. But I
decided my remaining opponent would have to double
through me before I would make any kind of deal.
Furthermore, I did not intend to play the main
tournament unless I won this satellite. Lady Luck again
smiled on me. I was dealt K-Q in the big blind and my
opponent moved in on me. I knew the danger in playing
this type of “trouble” hand, but I thought I was getting
the right price and knew I would still have the chip
lead even if I called and lost. So, I made the call. The
young tournament ace turned over J-J, which was fine
with me. I had two overcards and was not in a situation
in which my hand could have been dominated if he held
A-K or A-Q. A king came on the flop, his hand did not
improve, and it was over. We shook hands, and I came
away with a lot of respect for my two worthy opponents.
Tune
in next time for my account of the big-league tournament
action at the Festa al Lago. Till then, I hope to
meet you in the winner’s circle. |
