Play a Micro Sattelite Tournament with Me

In my never ending effort to get better, I decided not to multi-table tournaments for awhile so I can concentrate on the key hands in the tournaments I do play and try to set out why I played hands in a particular way and if in hindsight I was right or wrong.
Below are some of the key hands from a recent micro satellite I played on PokerStars.

PokerStars Game #17617488534: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/05/22 - 17:30:54 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1200 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: Benat974 (1280 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1490 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (1660 in chips)
Seat 5: genide (1460 in chips)
Seat 6: coolman656 (1660 in chips)
Seat 7: SluggerWV (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: jasas6369 (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1710 in chips)
coolman656: posts small blind 10
SluggerWV: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [8d 9h]
Dr Luknee: calls 20
bullyne: calls 20
coolman656: calls 10
SluggerWV: checks
*** FLOP *** [6h 7s Ks]
coolman656: checks
SluggerWV: bets 60
Dr Luknee: calls 60
bullyne: folds
coolman656: folds
*** TURN *** [6h 7s Ks] [Tc]
SluggerWV: bets 140
Dr Luknee: folds
Uncalled bet (140) returned to SluggerWV
SluggerWV collected 200 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 200 |
Board [6h 7s Ks Tc]

I’ve been working on being more aggressive. Here with the flop giving me an open ended draw I decided to bet thinking that if anyone put me on a draw, it would be the flush draw. If a spade hit, then I could lay down to a bet depending on read. With the one caller in position, I got the card I wanted. I bet out to make the flush draw pay. I felt a check hoping for a check raise would give the draw a free card.

PokerStars Game #17617539427: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/05/22 - 17:33:10 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1200 in chips)
Seat 2: Benat974 (1270 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1490 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (1640 in chips)
Seat 5: genide (1460 in chips)
Seat 6: coolman656 (1720 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 7: SluggerWV (1610 in chips)
Seat 8: jasas6369 (1460 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1610 in chips)
Dr Luknee: posts small blind 10
chrigu65natu: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [8h 8d]

CRAISY: raises 60 to 80
bullyne: calls 80

SluggerWV: calls 80

*** FLOP *** [7c Qh 4h]
CRAISY: bets 270
bullyne: folds
SluggerWV: folds
Uncalled bet (270) returned to CRAISY
CRAISY collected 270 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 270 | Rake 0
Board [7c Qh 4h]

This tournament hasn’t had too many hands, so I can’t be real sure of my reads, but there hasn’t been a lot of re-raising. So even with an early 4xbb raise, I’m set mining after the first caller. I don’t hit my set and Im not going to put him on something like AK here and try to go over the top because it’ll pot commit me.

PokerStars Game #17617633595: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/05/22 - 17:37:24 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1335 in chips)
Seat 2: Benat974 (1690 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1615 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (1530 in chips)
Seat 5: genide (1010 in chips)
Seat 6: coolman656 (1720 in chips)
Seat 7: SluggerWV (1530 in chips)
Seat 8: jasas6369 (1460 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1570 in chips)
bullyne: posts small blind 15
genide: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [Kd Ad]
coolman656: calls 30
SluggerWV: raises 90 to 120
jasas6369: calls 120

*** FLOP *** [4d 6s 2d]
SluggerWV: bets 210
jasas6369: folds
Uncalled bet (210) returned to SluggerWV
SluggerWV collected 315 from pot
SluggerWV: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 315 | Rake 0
Board [4d 6s 2d]

I was surprised to get the caller after I raised the limper. I really loved the flop. In that position with the two overs and the nut flush draw, I am probably calling an all in or putting him in if he goes over the top.

PokerStars Game #17617713032: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/05/22 - 17:40:58 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1155 in chips)
Seat 2: Benat974 (1570 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1765 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (1800 in chips)
Seat 5: genide (950 in chips)
Seat 6: coolman656 (1645 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 7: SluggerWV (1695 in chips)
Seat 8: jasas6369 (1310 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1570 in chips)
SluggerWV: posts small blind 15
jasas6369: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [As Jc]
Dr Luknee: folds
chrigu65natu: calls 30
SluggerWV: calls 15
jasas6369: checks
*** FLOP *** [9c 9d Kh]
SluggerWV: checks
jasas6369: checks
chrigu65natu: checks
*** TURN *** [9c 9d Kh] [Ad]
SluggerWV: checks
jasas6369: bets 90
chrigu65natu: calls 90
SluggerWV: calls 90
*** RIVER *** [9c 9d Kh Ad] [9h]
SluggerWV: checks
jasas6369: bets 1190 and is all-in
chrigu65natu: folds
SluggerWV: calls 1190
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jasas6369: shows [5d 3c] (three of a kind, Nines)
SluggerWV: shows [As Jc] (a full house, Nines full of Aces)
SluggerWV collected 2740 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2740 | Rake 0
Board [9c 9d Kh Ad 9h]

Seat 7: SluggerWV (small blind) showed [As Jc] and won (2740) with a full house, Nines full of Aces
Seat 8: jasas6369 (big blind) showed [5d 3c] and lost with three of a kind, Nines

I couldn’t put him on a nine there. It’s probably the right move to make if he has one, either that or a small bet to get some action. Put I really expected to be splitting the pot with him.

PokerStars Game #17617731475: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/05/22 - 17:41:48 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1035 in chips)
Seat 2: Benat974 (1570 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1765 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (1800 in chips)
Seat 5: genide (950 in chips)
Seat 6: coolman656 (1645 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 7: SluggerWV (3125 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1570 in chips)
Dr Luknee: posts small blind 15
chrigu65natu: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [7h 7d]
Benat974: calls 30
CRAISY: folds
bullyne: folds
genide: raises 30 to 60

SluggerWV: calls 60
chrigu65natu: calls 30
Benat974: calls 30
*** FLOP *** [2s Kh 6c]
chrigu65natu: checks
Benat974: checks
genide: checks
SluggerWV: checks
*** TURN *** [2s Kh 6c] [9d]
chrigu65natu: checks
Benat974: checks
genide: checks
SluggerWV: checks
*** RIVER *** [2s Kh 6c 9d] [Ah]
chrigu65natu: checks
Benat974: checks
BuMbLeBear1 is connected
genide: checks
SluggerWV: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
chrigu65natu: shows [Tc 8h] (high card Ace)
Benat974: shows [Qd 9c] (a pair of Nines)
genide: mucks hand
SluggerWV: mucks hand
Benat974 collected 255 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 255 | Rake 0
Board [2s Kh 6c 9d Ah]

I entered the hand hoping to hit a set or get out. In retrospect, I should've bet the flop to try to pick up the pot or at least find out if the baby raise meant strength looking for action or a hand that the raiser wasn't confident in at that time. Because I play more conservatively I tend to put other players on good hands when they make moves of any type. I give them credit for being a step ahead. I really need to address this to improve.


PokerStars Game #17617842389: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2008/05/22 - 17:46:50 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1845 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1620 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (5375 in chips)
Seat 7: SluggerWV (3065 in chips)
Seat 8: BuMbLeBear1 (1460 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1555 in chips)
SluggerWV: posts small blind 25
BuMbLeBear1: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [Kc Tc]
Dadissimo is connected
Dr Luknee: folds
chrigu65natu: calls 50

bullyne: calls 50
SluggerWV: calls 25
BuMbLeBear1: checks
*** FLOP *** [9h 8h 6c]
SluggerWV: checks
BuMbLeBear1: checks
chrigu65natu: checks
bullyne: checks
*** TURN *** [9h 8h 6c] [7s]
SluggerWV: checks
BuMbLeBear1: checks
chrigu65natu: checks
bullyne: checks
*** RIVER *** [9h 8h 6c 7s] [Jd]
SluggerWV: bets 100
BuMbLeBear1: folds
chrigu65natu: folds
bullyne: calls 100
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SluggerWV: shows [Kc Tc] (a straight, Seven to Jack)
bullyne: mucks hand
SluggerWV collected 400 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 400 | Rake 0
Board [9h 8h 6c 7s Jd]
Seat 1: chrigu65natu folded on the River
Seat 4: bullyne (button) mucked [Jh Qs]
Seat 7: SluggerWV (small blind) showed [Kc Tc] and won (400) with a straight, Seven to Jack
Seat 8: BuMbLeBear1 (big blind) folded on the River


Was going to mix it up and check-raise the turn after hitting the straight with the four flush on the board. No one bet so I had to lead at the river. Seems I have played aggressively enough that he wanted to look me up with top pair and a huge straight draw on board. Another benefit of aggressive play I've been missing is getting my hands paid off when I value bet the river. Players have too often known that I was betting the goods that I missed out on bets.

PokerStars Game #17617971683: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2008/05/22 - 17:52:47 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1545 in chips)
Seat 2: Dadissimo (1725 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1620 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (5100 in chips)
Seat 5: Penster (980 in chips)
Seat 7: SluggerWV (3265 in chips)
Seat 8: BuMbLeBear1 (1385 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1455 in chips)
SluggerWV: posts small blind 25
BuMbLeBear1: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [Jc Ac]
Dr Luknee: calls 50

Dadissimo: raises 50 to 100
CRAISY: calls 100

SluggerWV: calls 75

Dr Luknee: calls 50
*** FLOP *** [2s As 7s]
SluggerWV: checks
Dr Luknee: checks
Dadissimo: bets 100
CRAISY: folds
SluggerWV: folds
Dr Luknee: folds
Uncalled bet (100) returned to Dadissimo
BuMbLeBear1 is sitting out
Dadissimo collected 450 from pot
Dadissimo: doesn't show hand
axlatthevine is connected
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 450 | Rake 0
Board [2s As 7s]


Huge mistake not re-raising here in hindsight. I try not to play hands like that because too often at my levels people will call you down with any card that completes a flush, no matter how weak. But here I should have found out if the bet was made because I was read as weak.

PokerStars Game #17617989568: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2008/05/22 - 17:53:37 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: chrigu65natu (1545 in chips)
Seat 2: Dadissimo (2075 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1520 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (5100 in chips)
Seat 5: Penster (980 in chips)
Seat 6: axlatthevine (6440 in chips)
Seat 7: SluggerWV (3165 in chips)
Seat 8: BuMbLeBear1 (1335 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1355 in chips)
BuMbLeBear1: posts small blind 25
Dr Luknee: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [8h 8c]
chrigu65natu: calls 50
Penster: calls 50
SluggerWV: calls 50
BuMbLeBear1 is sitting out
Dr Luknee: checks
*** FLOP *** [7s 3d Jd]
Dr Luknee: checks
chrigu65natu: bets 50
Penster: calls 50
SluggerWV: calls 50
Dr Luknee: calls 50
*** TURN *** [7s 3d Jd] [Td]
Dr Luknee: checks
chrigu65natu: bets 50
Penster: calls 50
SluggerWV: calls 50
Dr Luknee: folds
*** RIVER *** [7s 3d Jd Td] [5h]
chrigu65natu: bets 50
Penster: calls 50
SluggerWV: folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
chrigu65natu: shows [Js Kd] (a pair of Jacks)
Penster: shows [5s 7h] (two pair, Sevens and Fives)
Penster collected 675 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 675 | Rake 0
Board [7s 3d Jd Td 5h]
Seat 1: chrigu65natu showed [Js Kd] and lost with a pair of Jacks
Seat 5: Penster showed [5s 7h] and won (675) with two pair, Sevens and Fives
Seat 7: SluggerWV (button) folded on the River


Should have raised here pre-flop. After limping pre-flop, should have folded to bet on flop. Too many people in pot not to be drawing slim. Set still might not have won.

PokerStars Game #17618138562: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2008/05/22 - 18:00:35 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: Dadissimo (1775 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1770 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (4900 in chips)
Seat 5: Penster (2910 in chips)
Seat 6: axlatthevine (4985 in chips)
Seat 7: SluggerWV (3015 in chips)
Seat 8: BuMbLeBear1 (2460 in chips)
Seat 9: Dr Luknee (1700 in chips)
axlatthevine: posts small blind 50
SluggerWV: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [5h 4d]

Penster: calls 100
axlatthevine: folds
SluggerWV: checks
*** FLOP *** [3c Kd 7c]
SluggerWV: checks
Penster: checks
*** TURN *** [3c Kd 7c] [6c]
SluggerWV: bets 200
Penster: calls 200
*** RIVER *** [3c Kd 7c 6c] [Ah]
SluggerWV: bets 500
Penster: calls 500
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SluggerWV: shows [5h 4d] (a straight, Three to Seven)
Penster: mucks hand
SluggerWV collected 1650 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1650 | Rake 0
Board [3c Kd 7c 6c Ah]

Seat 5: Penster (button) mucked [7s 7h]
Seat 7: SluggerWV (big blind) showed [5h 4d] and won (1650) with a straight, Three to Seven

His adherence to the “never bet a set” theory walks him into trouble. I would like to think that my being more active has gotten me paid off a couple of times here where otherwise it might not have (those times when my image is that of a much tighter player.)

PokerStars Game #17618362519: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2008/05/22 - 18:10:58 (ET)
Table '88687849 11' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: bandher (2591 in chips)
Seat 2: Dadissimo (3239 in chips)
Seat 3: CRAISY (1532 in chips)
Seat 4: bullyne (7875 in chips)
Seat 5: Penster (1173 in chips)
Seat 6: axlatthevine (4685 in chips)
Seat 7: SluggerWV (3590 in chips)
Seat 8: BuMbLeBear1 (2935 in chips)
Seat 9: jonah514 (2550 in chips)
bandher: posts small blind 75
Dadissimo: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [Jc Ah]

SluggerWV: raises 300 to 450

Uncalled bet (300) returned to SluggerWV
SluggerWV collected 375 from pot
SluggerWV: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 375 | Rake 0


I hadn’t played a hand in a while and got respect w my late position raise. Good sign. If I do it again at this table and get resistance, I can expect someone to have a hand.

PokerStars Game #17618953185: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2008/05/22 - 18:38:57 (ET)
Table '88687849 18' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: william61 (5722 in chips)
Seat 2: thedevilfan (12922 in chips)
Seat 3: AgentDaniel (4519 in chips)
Seat 5: elexxii (7180 in chips)
Seat 6: SluggerWV (3115 in chips)
Seat 7: Frosty480 (8657 in chips)
Seat 8: bigredone676 (2271 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: enchantica19 (6112 in chips)

SluggerWV: posts the ante 25

elexxii: posts small blind 100
SluggerWV: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [7s Kh]
Uncalled bet (100) returned to SluggerWV
SluggerWV collected 400 from pot

I just love getting moved to a new table after having a good image and then having one of the superstacks immediately to my left. It's right up there with being moved after being small blind and being put under the gun at my new table. At least here he folded from under the gun and I got a walkover.

PokerStars Game #17619229490: Tournament #88687849, $2.00+$0.20 Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2008/05/22 - 18:52:33 (ET)
Table '88687849 18' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: william61 (5997 in chips)
Seat 2: Lokk (4433 in chips)
Seat 3: AgentDaniel (3219 in chips)
Seat 4: sined13 (8425 in chips)
Seat 5: elexxii (6009 in chips)
Seat 6: SluggerWV (2315 in chips)
Seat 7: Frosty480 (15795 in chips)
Seat 8: Dadissimo (12742 in chips)
Seat 9: enchantica19 (2112 in chips)

SluggerWV: posts the ante 50

Dadissimo: posts small blind 300
enchantica19: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SluggerWV [Qh Qd]
william61: folds
Lokk: folds
AgentDaniel: folds
sined13: folds
elexxii: folds
SluggerWV: raises 1665 to 2265 and is all-in
Frosty480: folds
Dadissimo: folds
enchantica19: calls 1462 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (203) returned to SluggerWV
*** FLOP *** [As Jh Qc]
*** TURN *** [As Jh Qc] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [As Jh Qc 3c] [Kd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
enchantica19: shows [6c Kc] (a pair of Kings)
SluggerWV: shows [Qh Qd] (three of a kind, Queens)
SluggerWV collected 4874 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4874 | Rake 0
Board [As Jh Qc 3c Kd]


Seat 6: SluggerWV showed [Qh Qd] and won (4874) with three of a kind, Queens

Seat 9: enchantica19 (big blind) showed [6c Kc] and lost with a pair of Kings

When the river hit I was so worried about the straight draw that I thought I had lost. Funny how the mind plays tricks on us.

I missed a couple hands from late in the tourney. The thing I really like about these satellites is the that the structure allows me to avoid playing too much with the maniacs. Of course, I tend to play too conservatively late and put a lot of pressure on myself when the shortstacks are able to avoid elimination the first couple of times they are all-in.

In this tourney, with only one person to be eliminated to win the entry, I made a mistake in calculation of when the two small stacks would go through the big blind and allowed myself to be in the big blind with less than a small stack behind. Fortunately, the table folded around to me and I was safe. In the next hand from the small blind I was dealt AK and believe I would have been ok either way because an ace hit the flop. But I still am bothered too much by busting out without making the money. That's one of the two things I am focusing on now. I would love to hear your thoughts about these hands or tournaments in general. Good luck at the tables.