Live by the River, Die by the River

The river has not been my friend lately. I won one very big hand when I hit a 4 outer on the river but then it turned unmercilessly against me and the rest of the day the river was not my friend.

In the Britbloggerment tournament I started off playing like a donkey trying to offset the very tight play you see during that tournament. I was semi-successful as I won some hands I shouldn't have but lost just as many so I was sitting down to $713 in chips when I was dealt Kd Kc in the Big Blind.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP (t1520)
CO (t2130)
Button (t1635)
Luckbox21 (t1595)
Wolverine Fan (t713)
UTG (t2907)
Preflop: Wolverine Fan is BB with Kd, Kc.

4 folds, Luckbox21 raises to t90, Wolverine Fan raises to t150, Luckbox21 calls t60. I only minraised here because I wanted action with my Kings. I needed chips and I put Luckbox on just trying to bully the shortstack and steel my blind. I needed to double up, not just win the blinds .

Flop: (t300) 9d, Tc, Js (2 players)

Luckbox21 bets t563, Wolverine Fan calls t563 (All-In). He puts me all in here and I am happy to call as this flop is scary but I need the chips.

Turn: (t1426) Qh (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: (t1426) 2c (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: t1426

Results:

Wolverine Fan has Kd Kc (straight, king high).

Luckbox21 has Qc 7c (one pair, queens).

Outcome: Wolverine Fan wins t1426.

The next hand is where the river saved me with a 4 outer and that put me in excellent position to finish in the money or even to take down the tournament.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
Button (t1869)
SB (t2235)
Mikesaban (t8799)
UTG (t2375)
Wolverine Fan (t2551)
Preflop: Wolverine Fan is MP with Jc, Kd.

1 fold, Wolverine Fan raises to t450, 2 folds, Mikesaban raises to t1200, Wolverine Fan calls t750. I raised PF here just trying to take down the blinds. I had really tightened up after playing very loose early on so now I wanted to steal the blinds. Mikesaban was just using his big stack effectively and had taken down quite a few pots after the break. I typed that he can't be getting that many good hands and said what the hell and I called his PF bet

Flop: (t2475) Qh, Ac, 5d (2 players)

Mikesaban bets t1050, Wolverine Fan raises to t1351, Mikesaban calls t301. I have no idea why I went all in here. I had fold equity. This was a real donkey move by me.

Turn: (t5177) 4c (2 players)

River: (t5177) Th (2 players) Saved by the river.

Final Pot: t5177

Results:

Mikesaban has Ad Kc (one pair, aces).

Wolverine Fan has Jc Kd (straight, ace high).

Outcome: Wolverine Fan wins t5177.

I get to the final table and down to the final 5 players with top 3 places getting paid. The river now turns against me and I lose two hands and am out of the tournament. Both beats were administered by ResdentEvil, a very good player. The first one my pocket 9s went all in vs his A/Q off and the dreaded queen came on the river. Preflop I am ahead 55% to 45%. After the flop of Jh 8h 2c I am ahead 75% to 25%. The turn is the 5 of spades and now I am sitting at 86% to win this hand when the dreaded queen hits the river.

That hurt me but I still had chips until my A/K runs up against ResdentEvil's Qh 7h (suited hand). I'm ahead 63% to 37% preflop. After a flop of Kh Jh 5s I am ahead 69% to 31%. The turn is the 5 of diamonds which puts me at 82% to win this hand when Resdentevil makes his flush on the river when the 4 of hearts hits. I had a few chips left but essentially that was the end of my tournament. Fifth place.
ResdentEvil went on to win the tournament so I feel that at least I was beat by the winner and truly contributed to his ability to win the tournament.

Oh well, that's Poker.