With just a week to go until the Caribbean Poker Classic I am pleased to say I am still in form.
Whilst my STT game continues to need work, my MTT game is still going strong.
Last night I won the $3k added and the first prize of $4k+.
I now find myself in 38th in the Leaderboard and wishing I had the time to play more than 33% of the games!
The $3k added was a real rollercoaster ride, losing 3 big preflop hands when I had bigger pairs and getting lucky once, when a 9 on the turn helped me take out 2 players when I was getting short.
To the reach the final table, I needed my Tens to beat Ace Jack, which I am pleased to say they did and also AK to beat T6, which again went as scripted.
I entered the final table 4th in chips with 47k. The ranges were 15k to 89k. With nine of us still left. At this point the finishing places matter when it comes to prize money. $280 for 9th to $4k+ for first.
When we got down to six I thought it was all over. Dealt that beautiful sight of AA in the small blind, with 42k in chips. The button moves all in with 30k. I have to beat JQ, to put myself in a really strong situation.
Flop is 8Q6, turn 3, river another Q! SICK!
Chips counts are now, 66k,83k,64k,67k, 61k and me on 12k. Ouch.
Its any two cards from me now on in. (Q9 x2, A5 x2, AQ, A6, 55, 99) are all used to raise, reraise etc and I fight my way to 60k without a showdown.
A major bluff goes wrong on we are down to 5. puppet35 now has 160k and amazingly I am in 2nd with 51k. The others have 46k,48k and 49k.
The player I respected the most on the final table, 007apr then went to work. Doubling up through puppet, knocking out Laur3000 in 5th, puppet35 in 4th and Ric_ard in 3rd.
I was very happy to be in the final two after, the beat with the Aces.
The chip count was 007apr 305,441.50 versus myself at 48,558.50. An absolutely huge task, but nothing to lose.
40 hands later it was all over, I had won!
Just the sort of performance to give me a confidence boost ahead of the big tournament coming up shortly!
ClintonO
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2 comments:
Clinton,
Really enjoy reading your blog, as I did your article in Issue 04 of Littlewoods Poker 'Full House' magazine.
Despite what you and Dan Harrington say, it seems to me that success in tournaments is often more dependant on luck than skill(though a skillful player can make the best of both bad and good cards), and I would be interested to hear your views on this.
In any event, all the best with the CPC, and with your poker in general.
Just wanted to say thanks for writing a consistently interesting blog. I don't know how you find the time, but I'm glad you do.
It's curious that your STT record is so poor compared with MTT's. With me it's the opposite. Wish I could figure it out! At least you've got it the right way round - you can't get to exotic destinations by just winning STT's.
Good luck in the Caribbean!
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