I had to wait a few hours to write this blog because I was pretty steamed for quite awhile after today’s event. I played in the $1,500 NL holdem 6 max tournament today which I was VERY excited for, having had so much success over the years playing 6 max nl cash games. The event started off great with me quickly robbing my way from 4,500 to about 7,000 chips. Then I found a nice situation getting all of my money in on the flop with KK and my hand held up, which believe me is no small feat for me in tournament poker. That brought me to over 12,000 chips and in great shape.

Shortly after wards I made a play that I don’t hate, but don’t love either. I opened with JJ in the CO and got 3 bet on the button. I had been extremely aggressive preflop and so I thought my opponent’s range could be pretty wide when he 3 bet me. I thought for awhile and I shoved 5,000 more to set my opponent all in. He snap called with QQ and made quads by the turn! I wasn’t sure what to do. I mean folding with my image 4 handed to a button 3 bet seemed unbelievably weak. But If I call, my hand is going to play face up and I will get outplayed a ton/ probably pay off an over pair anyway if the flop came numbers. If I 4 bet, I am pretty committed at that point. So I decided to just shove all in and cross my fingers. Oh well, that is the way it goes.

I was back down to right around my starting stack when I started scooping some nice pots and worked my way all the way up to about 20,000 chips! With 20,000 chips, more than half of the players already busted, and the blinds are 75-150, I had a very deep stack and was poised to make a deep run in the event. Until the following hand came up…

I raised KdQh on the button making it 400 to go. The BB called and we saw the flop heads up. The flop came AdJd9d. The BB checked and I bet 400. The BB check raised me to 1,200 and I thought for awhile and called. Often I wouldn’t be afraid to just re pop and get the money in on the flop, but the BB and I were deep stacked, I had position and was in no mood to play a large pot in a marginal spot given the huge stack I had. The turn came the 10d. Yahtzee, I made the nut flush! My opponent lead for about 1,500 and I contemplated raising, but for 3 reasons I decided to just call. 1. I look really, really strong here if I re raise and my opponent may easily get away from even a Q high flush. 2. My opponent had been playing aggressively and I didn’t want him to lose his heart in the event he was bluffing. 3. I didn’t fear any river card. If my opponent check raised on the flop with a made flush, he was drawing dead. If he check raised on the flop with 2 pair or a set, I am pretty sure he would’ve check called the turn, not lead. So I was actually planning to raise for value even if the board paired.

The river was a random 8 of clubs and my opponent lead for 3,400 and I thought for awhile before delivering him the bad news by announcing “all in.” About one nanosecond went by before he gave me the worst news I have ever gotten playing poker in my life, “I call. Straight flush.” Inside I was like, “Oh my fucking God, is this some kind of fucking joke!” I had barely even noticed that a straight flush could have been possible. I was absolutely stunned and worst of all, crippled in the tournament. I had about 2,000 chips left and needed a miracle. I busted soon after.

If I had won that pot I was going to have nearly 40,000 chips at the 75/150 blind levels and given that I have little doubt I am a favorite in any conceivable lineup from the players left in that tournament in deep stacked NL 6 max, I really felt as if I would’ve had a spectacular chance at making the final table and at least a shot at winning a bracelet. It was truly a disappointment beyond pretty much anything I have felt in poker. I know it wasn’t like I busted on the 2nd to last table or that I had a sick cooler at the final table, but I just felt so confident that if I had 40,000 chips that early playing the 6 max game I am so comfortable and confident in, I just felt like there was nothing stopping me. Oh well, I know it’s not even that last time I will feel bummed out playing in the WSOP. The bottom line is that it is really hard not to run into a cooler and there is a lot of luck involved. I am sure the victories will feel great BECAUSE of how low you feel when you take a sick beat.

Tomorrow I am playing in the $5,000 NL tournament. We start with some deep stacks (15,000 chips) and the blinds only at 25/50. There will be lots of room to play which again, should suit my style well. The deeper we are, the better chance I have. So although I am 0 for 5, the events have all been smaller buy in events so maybe some luck will kick in for the bigger $5,000 event. Here’s to hoping, anyway.