180-man sngs

I switched back to 9-man turbo sngs on tilt for a week or 2 and did pretty well, but they are still pretty boring to me. I had been thinking about playing the 180-man tourneys on stars for a while, but never really looked too far into it. After doing some research, I found that there are a lot of people who play them regularly, like I used to play 9-man sngs. I saw where many of them had sustained a 100% to 120% ROI over hundreds, and some around 1k tourneys. Now I know the variance must be really high in these, but I figured maybe the fields in the 4.40s on stars was probably weak enough for me to give it a shot... and man... was I right. There is an unbelievable amount of fish/donks in these things. There are some regs, yes, but for the most part it is terrible play. I played in 12 of them tonight, going 1 for 12 with a win for $216, which was pretty much a better start than I could have ever expected. I was in dead last a couple of times with 16-18 players left. When we got 3 handed, it was me and 2 bad players, 1 of which was HORRRRRRRRIBLE... he would open shove repeatedly for like 40bbs. Anyways, here are a few notable hands from the win:

*********** # 176 **************
PokerStars Game #20829676335: Tournament #111384384, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (400/800) - 2008/09/30 21:40:09 ET
Table '111384384 8' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 2: AuntiePrue (18950 in chips)
Seat 3: sandmanxv (22298 in chips)
Seat 4: worldmaze (23396 in chips)
Seat 5: dumanson (1911 in chips)
Seat 7: rakan.s (30120 in chips)
Seat 8: BrandonAU (7884 in chips)
Seat 9: skully92 (5853 in chips)
AuntiePrue: posts the ante 75
sandmanxv: posts the ante 75
worldmaze: posts the ante 75
dumanson: posts the ante 75
rakan.s: posts the ante 75
BrandonAU: posts the ante 75
skully92: posts the ante 75
skully92: posts small blind 400
AuntiePrue: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BrandonAU [Ad Ac]
sandmanxv: folds
worldmaze: raises 22521 to 23321 and is all-in
dumanson: folds
rakan.s: folds
BrandonAU: calls 7809 and is all-in
skully92: folds
AuntiePrue: folds
Uncalled bet (15512) returned to worldmaze
*** FLOP *** [7c 2c 5h]
*** TURN *** [7c 2c 5h] [Ks]
*** RIVER *** [7c 2c 5h Ks] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
worldmaze: shows [8d 8h] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
BrandonAU: shows [Ad Ac] (two pair, Aces and Sevens)
BrandonAU collected 17343 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 17343 | Rake 0
Board [7c 2c 5h Ks 7d]
Seat 2: AuntiePrue (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: sandmanxv folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: worldmaze showed [8d 8h] and lost with two pair, Eights and Sevens
Seat 5: dumanson folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: rakan.s folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: BrandonAU (button) showed [Ad Ac] and won (17343) with two pair, Aces and Sevens
Seat 9: skully92 (small blind) folded before Flop


This is the same guy who open-shoved a lot at the final table... I guess he did it all tourney long... This pot was definitely a gift.





*********** # 205 **************
PokerStars Game #20830029777: Tournament #111384384, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XII (500/1000) - 2008/09/30 21:55:28 ET
Table '111384384 8' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: AuntiePrue (29226 in chips)
Seat 3: sandmanxv (14713 in chips)
Seat 4: worldmaze (30773 in chips)
Seat 7: rakan.s (13919 in chips)
Seat 8: BrandonAU (25081 in chips)
AuntiePrue: posts the ante 100
sandmanxv: posts the ante 100
worldmaze: posts the ante 100
rakan.s: posts the ante 100
BrandonAU: posts the ante 100
sandmanxv: posts small blind 500
worldmaze: posts big blind 1000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BrandonAU [Ac Qh]
rakan.s: calls 1000
BrandonAU: raises 2788 to 3788
AuntiePrue: folds
sandmanxv: folds
worldmaze: folds
rakan.s: calls 2788
*** FLOP *** [8c Td 9s]
rakan.s: checks
BrandonAU: bets 8000
rakan.s: raises 2031 to 10031 and is all-in
BrandonAU: calls 2031
*** TURN *** [8c Td 9s] [9c]
*** RIVER *** [8c Td 9s 9c] [Jd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
rakan.s: shows [3h 3d] (two pair, Nines and Threes)
BrandonAU: shows [Ac Qh] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
BrandonAU collected 29638 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 29638 | Rake 0
Board [8c Td 9s 9c Jd]
Seat 2: AuntiePrue (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: sandmanxv (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: worldmaze (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: rakan.s showed [3h 3d] and lost with two pair, Nines and Threes
Seat 8: BrandonAU showed [Ac Qh] and won (29638) with a straight, Eight to Queen


This hand was interesting to me... it was played on the final table bubble. This guy limp/calls UTG with 33, which is just a horrible horrible play at this point with the stacks and all, and probably a horrible play at any time. I guess he put me on precisely AK or AQ or something to call me... he did think for a while, but I can't see how someone would justify his call. From my side, I think I played it fine. I was just semi-bluffing on the FT bubble, and fortunately I ended up winning this hand. This pot boosted my stack pretty well.




*********** # 236 **************
PokerStars Game #20830563130: Tournament #111384384, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIII (600/1200) - 2008/09/30 22:18:35 ET
Table '111384384 2' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (27539 in chips)
Seat 2: BrandonAU (54162 in chips)
Seat 3: Barbizon77 (27850 in chips)
Seat 5: Vinmaster9 (53640 in chips)
Seat 7: worldmaze (24418 in chips)
Seat 8: Spike1971 (46416 in chips)
Seat 9: MrSuperduper (35975 in chips)
AuntiePrue: posts the ante 125
BrandonAU: posts the ante 125
Barbizon77: posts the ante 125
Vinmaster9: posts the ante 125
worldmaze: posts the ante 125
Spike1971: posts the ante 125
MrSuperduper: posts the ante 125
AuntiePrue: posts small blind 600
BrandonAU: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BrandonAU [Ah Ks]
Barbizon77: folds
Vinmaster9: folds
worldmaze: folds
Spike1971: calls 1200
MrSuperduper: folds
AuntiePrue: raises 1200 to 2400
BrandonAU: calls 1200
Spike1971: calls 1200
*** FLOP *** [4d 3h Jc]
AuntiePrue: checks
BrandonAU: bets 2400
Spike1971: folds
AuntiePrue: calls 2400
*** TURN *** [4d 3h Jc] [3c]
AuntiePrue: checks
BrandonAU: checks
*** RIVER *** [4d 3h Jc 3c] [2h]
AuntiePrue: checks
BrandonAU: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
AuntiePrue: shows [Ad Td] (a pair of Threes)
BrandonAU: shows [Ah Ks] (a pair of Threes - Ace+King kicker)
BrandonAU collected 12875 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 12875 | Rake 0
Board [4d 3h Jc 3c 2h]
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (small blind) showed [Ad Td] and lost with a pair of Threes
Seat 2: BrandonAU (big blind) showed [Ah Ks] and won (12875) with a pair of Threes
Seat 3: Barbizon77 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Vinmaster9 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: worldmaze folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Spike1971 folded on the Flop
Seat 9: MrSuperduper (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)


On this hand I had a pretty good read on AuntiePrue. The min-raise and flop check looked too weak. Yes I think the size of my initial bet was probably a little donkish, but I figured it may at least get the other guy out. I was pretty confident I was good after the turn, but my hand had good showdown value in that spot so I checked it back, prepared to call a smallish bet if a blank hit the river.




*********** # 272 **************
PokerStars Game #20830949125: Tournament #111384384, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XIV (800/1600) - 2008/09/30 22:35:07 ET
Table '111384384 2' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (47228 in chips)
Seat 2: BrandonAU (56562 in chips)
Seat 5: Vinmaster9 (75299 in chips)
Seat 7: worldmaze (77811 in chips)
Seat 9: MrSuperduper (13100 in chips)
AuntiePrue: posts the ante 150
BrandonAU: posts the ante 150
Vinmaster9: posts the ante 150
worldmaze: posts the ante 150
MrSuperduper: posts the ante 150
BrandonAU: posts small blind 800
Vinmaster9: posts big blind 1600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BrandonAU [Ah As]
worldmaze: folds
MrSuperduper: folds
AuntiePrue: folds
BrandonAU: raises 3200 to 4800
Vinmaster9: raises 70349 to 75149 and is all-in
BrandonAU: calls 51612 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (18737) returned to Vinmaster9
*** FLOP *** [6s 2c 6h]
*** TURN *** [6s 2c 6h] [4h]
*** RIVER *** [6s 2c 6h 4h] [5c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BrandonAU: shows [Ah As] (two pair, Aces and Sixes)
Vinmaster9: shows [Kh Ac] (a pair of Sixes)
BrandonAU collected 113574 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 113574 | Rake 0
Board [6s 2c 6h 4h 5c]
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: BrandonAU (small blind) showed [Ah As] and won (113574) with two pair, Aces and Sixes
Seat 5: Vinmaster9 (big blind) showed [Kh Ac] and lost with a pair of Sixes
Seat 7: worldmaze folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: MrSuperduper folded before Flop (didn't bet)


This was a HUGE hand, as I vaulted into the chiplead by coolering a big stack in a blind vs blind battle. Nothing else to say about this hand really.




*********** # 310 **************
PokerStars Game #20831278867: Tournament #111384384, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XV (1000/2000) - 2008/09/30 22:49:06 ET
Table '111384384 2' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (67356 in chips)
Seat 2: BrandonAU (86074 in chips)
Seat 7: worldmaze (116570 in chips)
AuntiePrue: posts the ante 200
BrandonAU: posts the ante 200
worldmaze: posts the ante 200
BrandonAU: posts small blind 1000
worldmaze: posts big blind 2000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BrandonAU [9h 9d]
AuntiePrue: raises 4000 to 6000
BrandonAU: raises 12000 to 18000
worldmaze: raises 98370 to 116370 and is all-in
AuntiePrue: folds
BrandonAU: calls 67874 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (30496) returned to worldmaze
*** FLOP *** [Ah 8d 7d]
*** TURN *** [Ah 8d 7d] [6h]
*** RIVER *** [Ah 8d 7d 6h] [5s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BrandonAU: shows [9h 9d] (a straight, Five to Nine)
worldmaze: shows [Qd Jd] (high card Ace)
BrandonAU collected 178348 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 178348 | Rake 0
Board [Ah 8d 7d 6h 5s]
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (button) folded before Flop
Seat 2: BrandonAU (small blind) showed [9h 9d] and won (178348) with a straight, Five to Nine
Seat 7: worldmaze (big blind) showed [Qd Jd] and lost with high card Ace


Another big hand here... I mean, that was a horrible flop to sweat, but somehow I held. Sometimes I may consider folding to a 4-bet overshove 3-handed like this, but worldmaze was shoving every other hand, so I decided to go with it. I was up against about the worst thing possible besides an overpair, but I had a huge lead after this hand.




*********** # 319 **************
PokerStars Game #20831340137: Tournament #111384384, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XV (1000/2000) - 2008/09/30 22:51:42 ET
Table '111384384 2' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (49156 in chips)
Seat 2: BrandonAU (176948 in chips)
Seat 7: worldmaze (43896 in chips)
AuntiePrue: posts the ante 200
BrandonAU: posts the ante 200
worldmaze: posts the ante 200
BrandonAU: posts small blind 1000
worldmaze: posts big blind 2000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BrandonAU [Th Ks]
AuntiePrue: folds
BrandonAU: calls 1000
worldmaze: checks
*** FLOP *** [7h Kc 7s]
BrandonAU: checks
worldmaze: checks
*** TURN *** [7h Kc 7s] [Kd]
BrandonAU: checks
worldmaze: bets 40000
BrandonAU: raises 40000 to 80000
worldmaze: calls 1696 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (38304) returned to BrandonAU
*** RIVER *** [7h Kc 7s Kd] [7c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BrandonAU: shows [Th Ks] (a full house, Kings full of Sevens)
worldmaze: shows [2s As] (a full house, Sevens full of Kings)
BrandonAU collected 87992 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 87992 | Rake 0
Board [7h Kc 7s Kd 7c]
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: BrandonAU (small blind) showed [Th Ks] and won (87992) with a full house, Kings full of Sevens
Seat 7: worldmaze (big blind) showed [2s As] and lost with a full house, Sevens full of Kings


I was just waiting for this to happen the whole time we were 3-handed. It was just a matter of time before I could check call him with the nuts for all my chips lol. Time for a big chiplead HU.




*********** # 345 **************
PokerStars Game #20831496479: Tournament #111384384, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XVI (1500/3000) - 2008/09/30 22:58:27 ET
Table '111384384 2' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (43656 in chips)
Seat 2: BrandonAU (226344 in chips)
AuntiePrue: posts the ante 300
BrandonAU: posts the ante 300
AuntiePrue: posts small blind 1500
BrandonAU: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BrandonAU [Td 7h]
AuntiePrue: raises 3000 to 6000
BrandonAU: calls 3000
*** FLOP *** [6c 7s 9d]
BrandonAU: checks
AuntiePrue: bets 6000
BrandonAU: raises 214044 to 220044 and is all-in
AuntiePrue: calls 31356 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (182688) returned to BrandonAU
*** TURN *** [6c 7s 9d] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [6c 7s 9d 5h] [8h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BrandonAU: shows [Td 7h] (a straight, Six to Ten)
AuntiePrue: shows [As 8c] (a straight, Five to Nine)
BrandonAU said, "gg"
BrandonAU collected 87312 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 87312 | Rake 0
Board [6c 7s 9d 5h 8h]
Seat 1: AuntiePrue (button) (small blind) showed [As 8c] and lost with a straight, Five to Nine
Seat 2: BrandonAU (big blind) showed [Td 7h] and won (87312) with a straight, Six to Ten


AuntiePrue actually played better HU than I expected, but I was able to get my chips in ahead, fall back on the turn, and re-suck on the river. Rollercoaster final hand, but I didn't mind it.




Well I usually don't go through a bunch of hands like that, but I figured I'd switch it up for a change since I'm happy about my small win lol... Well this weekend Auburn plays Vandy in Nashville. There really must not be any games going on, since ESPN College Gameday will be there... I was like "what??????" when I heard that. Our offense is pitiful, but hopefully we can pull out a win. WAR EAGLE!!!!!!

- Brandon