Sometimes I Forget to Pay Attention to Who Pays Attention

Recently a good friend from Railbirds knocked me out of a private tournament. I had been playing extremely tight, and that should have been an indication that any reraise or bet on the flop by a knowledgeable opponent would be a showing of great strength. Easy enough reason to get rid of JJ post-flop. I make a lot of good lay downs against multiple opponents – not enough against just one.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9965694311: The Poker Pod Home Game (75200527), Table 1 - 50/100 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:52:40 ET - 2009/01/10
Seat 1: CgCook38 (2,615)
Seat 2: (2,786)
Seat 3: (6,235)
Seat 5: (2,860)
Seat 6: (3,145)
Seat 7: (530)
Seat 8: FLU5HING QU33N (2,370)
Seat 9: (4,615)
xx posts the small blind of 50
xx posts the big blind of 100
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CgCook38 [Js Jc]
xx: i just cannot keep a connection tonight
xx folds
FLU5HING QU33N raises to 350
xx folds
CgCook38 calls 350
xx folds
xx folds
xx folds
xx folds
*** FLOP *** [Tc 7h 4h]
FLU5HING QU33N has 15 seconds left to act
FLU5HING QU33N bets 850
CgCook38 has 15 seconds left to act
CgCook38 has requested TIME
CgCook38 raises to 2,265, and is all in
FLU5HING QU33N has 15 seconds left to act
FLU5HING QU33N: i bet u have an ace something
FLU5HING QU33N calls 1,170, and is all in
CgCook38 shows [Js Jc]
FLU5HING QU33N shows [Kd Ks]
Uncalled bet of 245 returned to CgCook38
*** TURN *** [Tc 7h 4h] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [Tc 7h 4h Ts] [Qh]
CgCook38: ugh nh
CgCook38 shows two pair, Jacks and Tens
FLU5HING QU33N shows two pair, Kings and Tens
FLU5HING QU33N wins the pot (4,890) with two pair, Kings and Tens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4,890 Rake 0
Board: [Tc 7h 4h Ts Qh]
Seat 1: CgCook38 showed [Js Jc] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Tens
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: FLU5HING QU33N showed [Kd Ks] and won (4,890) with two pair, Kings and Tens
Seat 9: didn't bet (folded)

My Problems with the Sit & Go– Part III

Part I is here.
Part II is here.

I went on to win the following tournament, but at this stage, I was desperate. Six people left and only four get money. I was short stack with an M of about 3. I’m going to push any two cards that are reasonable high or close to being connected. Unfortunately, the big blind in this hand is the chip leader and I’m worried he’ll make a call with just about any hand. I just hope he realizes that I still represent 25% of his chip stack.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9945305763: $2 + $0.25 Sit & Go (75592074), Table 2 - 200/400 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:11:28 ET - 2009/01/09
Seat 3: kid61 (2,745)
Seat 4: fa88 (7,530)
Seat 5: ke1222 (4,805)
Seat 7: Auc (3,670)
Seat 8: CgCook38 (1,890)
Seat 9: hraim88 (6,360)
kid61 posts the small blind of 200
fa88 posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CgCook38 [6h Td] – Not ideal, but if it folds to me, I’m pushing.
ke1222 folds
Auc folds
CgCook38 raises to 1,890, and is all in
hraim88 folds
kid61 has 15 seconds left to act
kid61 calls 1,690 – Oh boy, I didn’t plan that. He’s got to have a monster. As I said, what does he gain by knocking me out in sixth place?
fa88 folds
CgCook38 shows [6h Td]
kid61 shows [Qh 7h] – Wait, what is he doing??? He could easily have folded there and hoped the big stack on the BB called me! If not, the two of us are still tied for the non-money spots and the blinds are about to hit me again. Right now he’s a 64% favorite.
*** FLOP *** [9h Kc 6d]
*** TURN *** [9h Kc 6d] [As]
*** RIVER *** [9h Kc 6d As] [2s]
CgCook38 shows a pair of Sixes
kid61 shows Ace King high
CgCook38 wins the pot (4,180) with a pair of Sixes
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4,180 Rake 0
Board: [9h Kc 6d As 2s]
Seat 3: kid61 (small blind) showed [Qh 7h] and lost with Ace King high
Seat 4: fa88 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: ke1222 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Auc didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: CgCook38 showed [6h Td] and won (4,180) with a pair of Sixes - Wow! Now I’m pretty much in a tie for third place and the other guy’s pretty much out with such a short stack! Yeah me!
Seat 9: hraim88 (button) didn't bet (folded)

Now the risks I was taking last week weren’t nearly this extreme. I remember one hand specifically where I was sitting in the small blind with JQ suited and the chip lead. A player across the table made a standard raise. I called along with two others. On the flop I made two pair and check-raised the raiser. He called and we took a harmless turn. I checked again and he bet out. I put him all in and he called with AQ for one pair. The river brought an Ace and I lost the hand and the chip lead. I failed to cash in the tournament. I made all the right moves after the flop and the turn, but the river brought the wrong card. I was behind pre-flop and probably would have won the tournament if I had just folded to his raise.

My success in poker at any table in any tournament is always going to rely on the same variables. In every situation I encounter I need to take an account of all of the evidence offered to me and make sound, game-winning decisions. And every downturn in my bankroll will likely be the fault of small decisions that I make along the way that have minimized the advantages I’ve worked so hard to gain. I can’t wait to post this week’s weekly report to see how I’ve improved.

My Problems with the Sit & Go– Part II

Part I is here.

Sit & Go tournaments don’t work the same as an MTT at the final table. There are three major differences. The payout structure generally doesn’t kick in until some of the final table is eliminated. There are generally no antes in the blind structure for a sit & go. Also, since fewer people have been eliminated, the sit & go generally has a smaller chip disparity between the chip leaders and the middle of the pack players, meaning it’s still anyone’s game.

Here’s the payout structure for a $2.25 18 person S&G:

1st: $14.40
2nd: $10.80
3rd: $7.20
4th: $3.60

As you can see, you need to have four players eliminated from the final table before competition for the final money spot even starts. This is a stark contrast from a large MTT where everyone at the final table is likely getting paid. While this is an advantage for a large chip stack – being able to use the threat of not cashing – it’s also a huge threat. For example, if player A has 4500 chips as the chip leader with 6 players left, and player B goes all-in as the “short” stack with 1900 chips, he’s representing 42% of player A’s chip stack. If player A calls and loses, he’s now the “short” stack.

Marginal situations have to go out the window if you’re the chip leader at a sit & go. In an MTT, you might call a short stack’s all-in with a QT or an A8 or something squirrelly like that. First, you have the chips to do it with (chip disparity). Second, eliminating that person bumps everyone up the pay scale (this is especially important with potential final table deals). Finally, doubling up the short stack may not make them a viable threat in the tournament, as the antes expand the size of the pot each hand.

Now let’s get to the root of my problems. Let’s say I am the chip leader of a sit & go that pays four spots, and there are 6 players remaining. I am dealt AQ off-suit under the gun. I have 8,500 chips to second place’s 5,500 and the blinds are 200/400. If this were an MTT – already in the money, I would make a standard raise and hope with all my might that a short stack would come over the top of me. This is what might happen at a S&G:

I raise to 1,200, it folds to the short stack on the button who moves in with 2,300 total, making the pot 4,100 and I have to call 1,100 more. That’s automatic. The short stack flips over 99 and it holds up. He now has 5,200 chips and I have 6,200. The next hand he raises me off of my big blind. My chip stack is down to 5,800 and his is 5,800.

Wait a second. What just happened? How could I go from chip leader to tied with the guy on the short stack in two hands? If I fold that AQ hand I’m at 7,900 after the blinds pass me by, and the short stack is probably at 3,500. I’ve still got him 2:1!! And what do I earn by knocking out 6th place in a tournament that pays four anyway? Nothing, that’s what.

I’m not suggesting that the same series wouldn’t have taken place in an MTT. It’s just that when you’ve already hit a payday, marginal situations don’t have a negative effect on your bankroll. They just have less of a positive effect!

So far the change in my mental approach has been working. Last week in 21 $2 S&G attempts, I cashed in 6 events – about 29%, losing $2.70. To date this week I’ve cashed in 3 of 7 (43%), earning $23.85. In my next post, I’ll breakdown a hand that I witnessed that kind of shook me awake at the poker table.

My Problems with the Sit & Go– Part I

[Note: this is a three part post, and after I wrote it, I lost 7 straight sit & go tournaments. But I worked hard on this post, so you're still getting it. ;) Besides, it might be helpful!]

I am experiencing modest improvement in my performance in sit & go tourneys this week. I have found some holes in my play leading to this. I am going to attempt to lock down these problems over the next few days. I had quite a stretch in December of late finishes in massive MTTs. There’s a great advantage of being at the late tables in those tournaments – every player that gets knocked out moves you closer to bigger money. In the first part of this topic I will explain the many tools you can use when there are fewer players and higher blinds in MTTs. I will follow that up with the differences in a sit & go, and why they’ve given me problems.

At an MTT final table you have quite a few weapons to use as a moderate short stack. You can use your cards at the most basic level – “my cards are better than your cards :-P.” Your chips are also a weapon, used to place other players in marginal situations. Your position relative to your opponents’ is perhaps the most powerful weapon you have at any stage of a tournament. Finally, you can feed off of your opponents’ fear of not making the money.

Let’s look at an example final table. There are the following players remaining:

Player A -SB	8000
Player B - BB	12000
Player C	31000
Player D	5000
Player E	1500
Player F	3500
Player G	18000
Player H -Button	11000

Blinds are 300/600 with a 75 ante putting 1575 in each pot to start the hand. The most basic weapon that every player at the table has is their cards. For example, Player E has less than the pot size in chips, yet if he is dealt aces on the next hand, he will most likely (at least) double up to 3000+ chips.

As a player’s chip stack increases, it becomes a weapon of its own. For example, let’s say the Player E got Aces and doubled up through Player B’s big blind. The stack sizes are now:

Player A - Button	7625
Player B - SB	10500
Player C -BB	30925
Player D	4925
Player E	3750
Player F	3425
Player G	17925
Player H	10925

On the very next hand Player E goes all-in again and Player A on the button has 44. The previous hand, Player E’s chip stack represented 18.75% of Player A’s. Now it is a whopping 49.18%! Player E forces Player A to (likely) fold here because he’s probably up against a coin flip (at best) for half of his chips. Player E’s chip stack is now large enough to be a weapon against some players. Now imagine Player C’s advantage, having nearly a 2:1 chip advantage on the rest of the table. After Player C calls from the big blind, Player E is eliminated and the chip stacks are as follows:

Player A	7550
Player B - Button	10125
Player C - SB	35425
Player D - BB	4850
Player F	3350
Player G	17850
Player H	10850

The next weapon is position. Player G raises the next hand with pocket sixes, making it 1,800 to go. It folds around to Player C in the small blind with an A9 suited. He’s got a coin flip against Player G, however since he is in the small blind, he’ll be out of position for the rest of the hand. So he folds. Position won the hand for Player G.

Another weapon is the payout structure. Here are our example’s remaining payouts and the current stack sizes:

Player A	7475
Player B	10050
Player C – Button	35050
Player D – SB	4175
Player F - BB	3275
Player G	21150
Player H	10775

Buy-in	$2.20
1st	$199.50
2nd	$109.70
3rd	$79.50
4th	$62.70
5th	$45.60
6th	$34.20
7th	$22.80

On the next hand it folds around to the chip leader on the button. He’s got 55 and shoves all-in on the short stacks in the blinds. Player D calls with 66. Player F has 77, but feels that the extra $11.40 is worth waiting for a better situation, so he folds. Player D is eliminated, while Player C avoided doubling up Player F because of the payout jump. This payout schedule really comes in handy right at the money bubble or in a satellite where there are multiple top prizes rendering final chip stacks meaningless.

These weapons are available at a final table. When used properly they can boost your bankroll by helping you into those final money spots. In my next post I will breakdown the problem I have translating this into Sit & Go cashes.

Part II

A Questionable QQ Decision, Part II

Part of what makes having a blog so effective and yet so intimidating is that I open myself up to plenty of criticism about how I play the game. The following hand holds the door open for that criticism. This is from another $4.40 180-person sit and go tournament. There are only 17 people left, so we are all already in the money for $8.64. The next pay jump does not come until the final table of nine. The difference between winning and finishing 9th is $203.76. So the real money is in the top three spots.

PokerStars Game #23287002856: Tournament #129709193, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (400/800) - 2008/12/26 22:21:41 ET Here the starting pot is $1,800.
Table '129709193 17' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Trev1972 (7780 in chips) M of 4.3
Seat 2: scaldret (11847 in chips) M of 6.6
Seat 3: Jack (31292 in chips) M of 17.4
Seat 4: golf (4529 in chips) M of 2.5
Seat 5: Manager (14735 in chips) M of 8.2
Seat 6: CgCook38 (23373 in chips) M of 13
Seat 7: uncle (20675 in chips) M of 11.5
Seat 8: BBC (12562 in chips) M of 7

golf is the only person desperate here. A couple people need a double up, but he's nearly out of time and should move all-in with any decent holding. With an M of 13 I need to be more aggressive than usual, while staying out of marginal situations.

Trev1972: posts the ante 75
scaldret: posts the ante 75
Jack: posts the ante 75
golf: posts the ante 75
Manager: posts the ante 75
CgCook38: posts the ante 75
uncle: posts the ante 75
BBC: posts the ante 75
scaldret: posts small blind 400
Jack: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CgCook38 [Qd Qc] Wow, what a great holding. There are not many marginal sitiuations I can imagine holding this hand.
golf: raises 3654 to 4454 and is all-in Like I said, I would be doing this with any reasonable holding. That means with any A, K or Q or a J7 and up, if it folds to me, I'm all-in. Knowing this, there is no reason this side of being unlucky that says I don't have him dominated.
Manager: folds
It's my turn. I have a couple of options. I can call or I can raise. Calling 4454 would leave me 18,844 behind. The benifit of calling is that I could potentially trap someone's reraise with something like JJ. The downfall is that I might get someone raising behind me with any hand that could marginalize a magnificent situation for me.

If I raise, it will likely be close to the minimum, or all-in. The benifit of either approach is that any AJ suited maniac will see someone who's committed to the pot. The disadvantage is that if someone comes over the top with AA or KK, I won't get away from the hand.

In retrospect, an all-in seems like the best approach, as JJ or worse might still call, while I take away the opportunity of a big stack opponent to take the hand away from me on the flop if an Ace or King falls. If I call here, two conditions should be met - I should commit myself to any more pre-flop action, and I should be able to drop the hand to a scary flop board if I am just called by someone with a deep stack. That being said....
CgCook38: calls 4454
uncle: folds
BBC: folds
Trev1972: folds
scaldret: folds
Jack: raises 26763 to 31217 and is all-in Whoops... I just turned my wonderful sitiuation marginal. I should have never been in this situation, and with a little pre-call planning, I would easily call this bet. I'm already in the money and this is a hand that will potentially set me up for the win. However, I didn't put enough thought into my original call, and eventually I folded thinking that I still have chips and I can still be a factor. This was a huge mistake, compounded by the fact that I saw that I would have won the hand.
CgCook38: folds
Uncalled bet (26763) returned to Jack
*** FLOP *** [Td 5h 8h]
*** TURN *** [Td 5h 8h] [6c]
*** RIVER *** [Td 5h 8h 6c] [6h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Jack: shows [Ks Ah] (a pair of Sixes)
golf: shows [Jh Ac] (a pair of Sixes - lower kicker)
Jack collected 14362 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 14362 | Rake 0
Board [Td 5h 8h 6c 6h]
Seat 1: Trev1972 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: scaldret (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Jack (big blind) showed [Ks Ah] and won (14362) with a pair of Sixes
Seat 4: golf showed [Jh Ac] and lost with a pair of Sixes
Seat 5: Manager folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: CgCook38 folded before Flop
Seat 7: uncle folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: BBC folded before Flop (didn't bet)

The Sunday Warm-Up

Today I played in the $200+ 15 buy-in Sunday Warm-Up on PokerStars. I kept a log of major events while I was playing. I was mentally prepared to play in this tournament and I am not sure that I would have changed the way I played any one hand. 12:45pm – I start the tourney at a 7-handed table with two players sitting out.

12:49pm – I am amazed at how tight the table is. This is the tightest table I’ve ever been at online. We’ve played 9 hands in four minutes, which means there has been a lot of folding. I won my second hand with a walk in the big blind.

12:51pm – I just won my first big hand. I played a K8o from the big blind and won 1,750 chips with two pair against an opponent who’s been active.

12:57pm – So far, I’ve stolen the blinds twice from the button when folded to me. I’ve skipped the chance once. There’s been very little action at the table for some time; I just walked with my big blind for the second time in twelve minutes.

1:00pm – Blinds just went up to 50/100. I’ve got 11,200 chips.

1:03pm – [This is one of two hands that I am not sure if I played correctly.] I just lost a chunk of chips with AKo. I made a standard raise and another player who had position on me made a re-raise. Because I was in early position I decided to make it three bets to give myself the best chance of winning without seeing the flop. He called and I bet the flop. He raised and I folded. My chip stack falls to 5,400

1:06pm – I picked off my first bluff in a big blind/small blind play. The big blind fired two shots into my small blind flopped pair. I felt like he was steaming from my stealing of his small blind on three prior occasions, so I called him down and won. I am up to 6,050 chips

1:13pm – I snagged a pot with 99 v AKo. Once again, I was betting from the button and the small blind guy paid me off. I’m up to 7,100. My uncle just went out with KK v AA in 3634th place. He won’t be happy.

1:14pm – I just tried my first early position steal attempt with A4o. I am up to 7,250 and the blinds just moved to 100/200.

1:15pm – The prizes have just been announced as late registration closes. 585 people will be paid at least $389.90 as we had 3,899 players register. The winner will claim $101,374 of the $779,800 prize pool.

1:17pm – I re-raised from the big blind with JKo against the most aggressive player at the table. My chip stack is now up to 7,850.

1:22pm – I am settling down nicely. I feel like I can compete at this level. I am at 8,450 chips and there are 7 minutes ‘till the 150/300 level.

1:24pm – This is the first time I’ve seen two limpers into the pot, and it happens to be against my big blind. I see a flop. And then a turn and a river as every one checks down. My J4o hits a four card straight and I take down the pot. I’m up to 8,950 and feeling great about my play so far.

1:25pm – I’ve stolen the blinds three times and folded once from button when it has been folded to me. Last time I had to make a continuation bet to take down the pot. I have to be careful what I raise with next time.

1:29pm – [This is a huge turning point as I surpass my starting stack of 10k for the first time.] I made a steal attempt with K9d. The big blind called me. The flop came down with an inside straight flush draw for me. I didn’t want to see a check-raise when the other player checked to me, so I checked as well. He bet smallish on the turn and I called him. I hit my flush on the river. I bet and he called with his AJo for one pair. This is a huge pot for me (7,600) and I am up to 12,650.

1:30pm – My dad just lost with a set of kings to a small card straight. He’s on life support and guaranteed not to be happy. Blinds are now 150/300 and he has 545 chips.

1:34pm – The first all-in called at my table: 66 v QJ by two very active players. The sixes hold.

1:38pm – My dad just went all-in under the gun with J9o and found AA in the big blind. He’s out in 3108th place.

1:40pm – I just got my first AJo, which I hate. The reason I am still in is probably because I haven’t had this hand yet. However, this time I flopped two pair and I move up to 13,550.

1:42pm - The first elimination at my table just occurred nearly one hour in.

1:45pm – It’s break time! The current leader sasodiits has 55,568 chips. I’m in 1,202th place of 2,907 remaining with 13,100 chips. The average chip stack is 13,412.

1:52pm – We’re back from the break. The blinds are now 200/400. The antes will start in 45 minutes. The first hand back I steal from cutoff seat with K9o.

1:58pm – There were three limpers on my big blind just now and I flopped top pair and a flush draw! The short stack goes all in after my bet is called by another player – I go all-in for the first time in the tournament. The other player folds and I pick off the short stack’s semi-bluff open-ended straight draw. I’m up to 21,001 after a 12,802 pot and I am ecstatic!

2:05pm – I made my first under the gun limp with 55. I bet the safe looking flop and moved up to 22,201.

2:09pm – We went to 300/600 blinds a little while ago. I just noticed. I guess I’m still a little fired up from my big hand.

2:11pm – My pocket aces net me the blinds.

2:13pm – [This is a mistake I made, I almost forgot about it.] I just doubled up someone. He limped under the gun plus one and when I bet my second pair after checking my big blind he raised all-in. He was too short for me to fold. He showed pocket kings and I am down to 15,881. [It would have been better to check to see what happened as there were four people in the hand.]

2:16pm – My kings net me the blinds.

2:22pm – The blinds are now 400/800 and I’m spiraling down. My chip stack is 13,781.

2:25pm – I just moved to a new table and lost any table image I might have. [At the time I was not happy about it either!]

2:38pm - The blinds are up to 400/800 with a 50 ante bringing the pot to 1,650 to start. I’m hurting at 10,931 chips.

2:41pm – I am back in business for now. I eliminated a player with my AQ v his AJ. I’m up to 21,781.

2:46pm – I just hit a set of sixes. There was a raise pre-flop and one other player called in front of my button. I called as well with my 66. I hit my set on the flop. The original bettor bet and the next player raised. I went all-in for the third time today and everyone folded. My reward is a 34,681 chip pot.

2:50pm – There is three minutes to break and I can’t wait!

2:52pm – I got pocket kings in the small blind in the last hand before the break. I re-raised someone and took it down. I have 37,981 at the break and feel magnificent. The chip leader amarillion has 162,871. I am in 318th out of 1389 remaining. The average is 28,070. The first hour chip leader is now in 123rd place.

3:00pm – Blinds are 500/1K with a 75 chip ante. I get AKo on the button the first hand back from break. There are three limpers and I make a big raise. The short stack in the small blind comes over the top. I call and she has AQo. A queen hit the flop and I am down to 21,808 and fuming!3:03pm – My first pocket jacks net me the blinds, which means a 3,175 pot at this level.

3:15pm – The blinds are now 600/1200 with a 100 chip ante. I have 18,123. It’s almost time for me to move chips.

3:24pm – I haven’t played a hand in the last 14.

3:25pm – I just got AJs and got to play a hand after 15 folds. I get back up to 17,883.

3:30pm – The blinds are 750/1500 with a 150 chip ante. I have the ability to go around the table five times without playing at this level. It’s all-in or fold for me now.

3:31pm – I go all-in with AKo thinking it might be my last hand. The other guy has the same hand and we split the pot. [sigh.]

3:36pm – The blinds just passed and I have 14,083. There are 855 remaining and I am in 788th place.

3:41pm – I am about to hit the blinds again. I feel like I’m on my death march, but I’ve been here before. I just need a double up. It doesn’t help that 11th place in the entire tourney is one seat to my right. Actually, it probably does help, as it is keeping me tame.

3:43pm – I just got QQ in the small blind. Sweetness! I ran into AJo and got 29,116.
3:45pm – The blinds are up to 1K/2K with a 200 chip ante. There is now 4,800 in pot to start.

3:56pm – [Another questionable move by me.] I just had 77 in the big blinds. There was a raise of 4,000 by under the gun plus one. I called, checked, and folded when I didn’t hit a set.

4:00pm – Break time again. I have 15,416 and am 633rd of 656 remaining. The chip leader jumps13 has 358,976. The average stack is 59,435. The first hour chip leader is in 31st and the second hour chip leader is in 23rd.

4:07pm – Back from break and the blinds are 1250/2500 with a 250 chip ante. I have about 2.5 trips around the table remaining. The first hand back I go all-in with A7o and now have 21,166.

4:08pm – SWEET! I just got JJ and went all-in. I was called by AQs and my jacks held up! I might make the $$$!!!!!

4:13pm – I have 42,682 after the blinds passed. We are some 40 people from the money!

4:19pm – 384th of 609 remaining and I am pumped!

4:21pm – I have 37,082 left after the blinds and am in 418th place of 600 remaining. 15 people from the money!

4:22pm – The blinds moved to 1.5K/3K with a 300 chip ante.

4:30pm – In the money!

4:31pm – I have 27,832 after the blinds pass and I am way short.

4:32pm – I go all-in with A5s and double a short with A9o.

4:35pm – It’s over. I went all-in with 66 and was called by the big blind table chip leader with A5o. An ace fell on turn and I went out in 508th winning $389.90 for my efforts.

Implicit Collusion

- Implicit collusion occurs in tournament poker when a player has bet all of their remaining chips and is called by more than one player. It is the decision made by all remaining players in the hand to cease betting into a side pot, and it is the only form of teamwork allowed in the game (it is allowed in fact because it is implicit). This strategy has two advantages. The first is that an eliminated opponent helps everyone at the table move higher up on the payout scale. Secondly, the main pot won’t be won by either remaining player if the all-in has the best hand. Therefore a bet into the main pot may not return anything.

- I came to know about implicit collusion the same way many poker fans have. While I was watching a televised tournament two players used it to eliminate another. The announcer stated that checking down to the river is almost a forgone conclusion when a player is all in. Indeed many players will get outright offended by a bet when implicit collusion can be used. However, like everything else in poker, implicit collusion should be used only after all factors are considered.

- I had a recent chance to use implicit collusion. I was at the final table of a $4.40 buy-in 180 person tournament. Sixth place payed $36 and fifth payed $46.80, a significant jump for my online bankroll. The winner would receive $216. Here is the hand history with my comments:

PokerStars Game #22802198942: Tournament #126155012, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIII (600/1200) - 2008/12/10 18:21:48 ET
Table '126155012 4' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 3: Player1 (47926 in chips)
Seat 4: Player2 (5401 in chips)
Seat 5: Player3 (111977 in chips)
Seat 6: CgCook38 (31569 in chips)
Seat 7: Player4 (46108 in chips)
Seat 9: Player5 (27019 in chips)
Player1: posts the ante 125
Player2: posts the ante 125
Player3: posts the ante 125
CgCook38: posts the ante 125
Player4: posts the ante 125
Player5: posts the ante 125
Player1: posts small blind 600
Player2: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CgCook38 [As Jc]
Pretty good starting cards in pretty good position. I have been showing down cards of high value and most of my raises pre-flop were respected.

Player3: raises 3600 to 4800
Player3 is a solid player that seems to know hand values pretty well. I had not seen him make any silly moves since being seated next to him. I felt that a re-raise would do a few things here – First, it would keep the players behind me from entering the hand. My AJ is a pretty weak hand and I don’t want to play it out of position. Second, I really don’t want to see a flop with my weak ace, and I felt that Player3 might possibly fold if he was raising with a weak ace or a small pocket pair. If he has me beat and doesn't fold, he will likely raise all-in and I can easily fold.

CgCook38: raises 7200 to 12000
Player4: folds
Player5: folds
Player1: folds
Player2: calls 4076 and is all-in
This was unexpected. Player2 has played extremely solid values and I didn’t expect him to come in. He must have AA, KK, or QQ or perhaps AK.

Player3: calls 7200
This is unfortunate. I really didn’t want to see three players go to the flop. There is 17,178 chips in the main pot that Player2 is eligible for and 13,448 in the side pot.

*** FLOP *** [6s Ac Qh]
Is this the proper spot for implicit collusion? I have top pair. If I bet and Player3 folds I will win 13,448 and a possible total of 30,626 chips if I beat Player2 in a showdown. That would put me squarely in second place with 5 remaining. If I bet and Player3 can beat me, he will raise and likely Player2 will be eliminated anyway (again, likely). It would be the proper decision to bet here, but for some reason (since it is so ingrained in my brain to implicitly collude) I chose not to pay attention to how much money was in the side pot, and I checked and cost myself a shot at a lot of money and perhaps a win.

Player3: checks
CgCook38: checks
*** TURN *** [6s Ac Qh] [9d]
Player3: checks
CgCook38: checks
*** RIVER *** [6s Ac Qh 9d] [5s]
Player3: checks
CgCook38: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Player3: shows [5h 5c] (three of a kind, Fives)
Whoops… Player3 easily folds this to a bet at any point before the river card comes out. Player2 mucked [Js 9h] below and I would have won the hand outright (Note that I was way wrong about what hand Player2 was holding. Late in a tournament you never know what a player will do when short on chips). I was forced out of the tournament a few hands later because my chip stack was so low. Note that Player3 chose to use implicit collusion on the river. He could have bet here safely, as I will raise with anything that beats him, but will likely pay him off with a hand like AK or two pair.

CgCook38: mucks hand
Player3 collected 13448 from side pot
Player2: mucks hand
Player3 collected 17178 from main pot
Player3 said, "gg"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 30626 Main pot 17178. Side pot 13448. Rake 0
Board [6s Ac Qh 9d 5s]
Seat 3: Player1(small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: Player2 (big blind) mucked [Js 9h]
Seat 5: Player3 showed [5h 5c] and won (30626) with three of a kind, Fives
Seat 6: CgCook38 mucked [As Jc]
Seat 7: Player4 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Player5 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)