ChopChop Recap 1

After the wake in Methuen for my uncle I decided to go to the 'Rock'. It's not a 'cold' thing to do...I just didn't know the guy very well. My relatives all stuck around the same area in Lawrence and Methuen. I haven't seen my uncle since maybe the mid-80's. I lived in my gramps' house for 5 years long after he passed away. While living in the house the Poker boom happened and I was always looking for charity tourneys etc. I used to play all of them around the area....before kids. My foray into online poker happened around mid-2004. The charity tourneys were horribly structured and they basically became good training for most of the turbo-structured tourneys that you find out there...and on the internet. I used to do pretty well in them and at the bar league I joined in Haverhill. I was reading all the poker books and that probably hurt my chances in some of them. Yes that's right....it hurt my chances to win more of them. The reason I am saying this is that I should have picked up a certain book that I finally read last year. It came out in 2006! Yes my friends...Arnold Snyder's 'The Poker Tournament Formula'. For the tournaments I play online and at bars...and at places like Rockingham Park, Seabrook, Charity MTTs etc. I have to say that his first book on NLHE tourneys is probably the best. I said it. Go get it if you don't have it. I also got the second book and have read it once already. Snyder's style is perfect for this stuff. OK....the tangents are over.

I got there just in time to buy in slightly late to the 60/60 Rebuy...or Add on. Half the people buy in once...and half the people who actually want to cash add on the 60 when they can. The structure is horrible. If you don't spend the 120.00 you might as well just walk away after the first hour. There was a total of 35 people in the tourney. So I walk in and register and quickly grab a beer....it's been a while since I played at Rockingham. The last couple of times I've been there I did well enough to leave up at least twice the buyins that I spent. I don't really want to play any cash since the biggest bet is limit/Omaha 2-4. It's better than nothing I guess. They've also added blackjack and roulette for the degens. (I play sometimes as well..so don't be offended) that can't get to Foxwoods or Mohegan. I didn't write this out right after the tourneys so my first table description and events are a little sketchy.

The first table I got to was fairly wild. 60 bucks gets you 5,000 chips so having a wild table and getting in late meant I was folding and watching for quite a while. The dealer was to my right and I was in the one seat. To my left was some dude...can't remember. Next to him was was some lady that got knocked out..FAST. Next to her was another guy...a black guy with a shaved head and mirrored shades. There was one overweight dude I can't remember. Next to him was a dude with tattoos all over his arm...and a backwards hat. He kind of reminded me of Kid Rock He came in with like 15 minutes before the break and had 3,400 in chips or so. He decided to make a big stink about it but after the floor guy came over and they argued he still had about 3,400. I guess he was bought in for 60 but they took out the blinds up to that point? That was weird since I bought in about 20 minutes late and had the full 5,000 in chips...but I wasn't going to bring that up. Kid Rock was just talking away about nothing...he didn't give a shit after all was said and done. There was a guy with a baseball hat that was a solid player. There was another guy with a cane next to him....I have seen him before at the 'rock'. He reminded me of a character actor that has been in tons of movies and TV shows...usually plays a chubby bald social outcast type...his eyes dart back and forth repeatedly as if possessed. Next to him was an Asian guy that was over the top aggressive. Finally the next player was a young kid with a baseball hat and had all the chip tricks going. The Asian guy ran over the table with big bets and and some well timed bluffs. He got the image going to the point that everybody either folded or pushed into his nut hand. He was so aggressive however he got knocked out when he pushed his A-6o into A-Jo. He was kind enough to double me up on this hand right before. Pocket kings for me Kh-Kd under the gun. Being a rebuy....I called. I knew at least two people were going to try to push me out. Keep in mind I haven't played for a pot yet. I folded most of the 40 minutes I was there and the first break was about to come. So I call and the solid guy raises to 700. The blinds were 100-200 already. The asian guy pushes all in over the top...solid guy doesn't want to fold but does so anyway. I call and a raggy flop-turn-river does not hit Asian-guy's A-Jo. A-Jo...the AssJack! So the guy is sitting on about 3000 in chips after I take a nice chunk+raise+Blinds. He promptly pushes all in next hand with A-6o and guy with A-Jo calls and knocks him out. Asian guy decided not to rebuy and left. I only played two pots at the first table...the second one I was in a blind with J-7o and I ended up hitting a 7 when no one else had anything...I made a value bet on the river and was called by a J-3o because the 3 had paired as well. The break came and I decided to add on. I planned on being in for a while and with only 35 people total it made sense. The blinds go up every 15 minutes but sometimes the dealer forgets and you can sneak in an extra round. Again horrible structure but that's what you get when you go to the racetrack poker rooms. Kid Rock decided not to rebuy....I just don't get it. He could have more than doubled his stack. Instead he was bitching about his girlfriend who didn't return with his beer.

So after the first break everybody had to move to the next table over and there were three tables left...or 30 players. I was in the 8th seat (I had my lucky green 'Titleist' hat on) and to my left was the guy with the cane, to his left was baseball hat kid, the dealer, Can't-remember-guy, Guy with a big stack...who must have knocked two or three people out fast before the first break...he looked like...Opie, Black dude with mirrored sunglasses, Kid Rock, and finally the solid player with the baseball hat. Opie had the big stack and wielded it well. He took out or pushed out people with some great play. One hand he made a big play on was a flop of J-Q-2....after the guy with the cane raised with pocket 9's. I knew that because he showed me during the hand. I wasn't sure why he would do that since I could've tipped off Opie....that is if I didn't know he was looking over at me. So a 9 falls on the turn and then Opie bets out big enough to put cane-guy all in. He hems and haws and folds....I couldn't believe it. Opie doesn't show and Cane-guy "Knows he had a straight". I said "I couldn't fold that with only 4-5 BB's left". He was sure of his fold. So sure he noticed when Opie knocked Kid Rock out with a straight...he tapped me on the shoulder (even though I was watching the whole time) as if to clue me in on his great fold from his other hand. I still couldn't believe he folded...but that gave me some ideas about how to play him. I pushed a couple of times now that I was getting down to 12-15 BB's. The Blind steals were huge and those got me out of trouble for a while. A couple of other people got knocked out by Opie and Solid-guy with baseball hat. I made a mistake by limping in the SB and getting pushed out by an all in by the BB. Baseball hat kid pushed and he made the right play. That is an old leak I need to get rid of. After the the next few rounds my stack was starting to dwindle towards 10 BB's. I lost a couple of small pots and was pushed out of a couple others. It was time for me to make a move. I chose 10d-Kd in early position before the Blinds knocked me below 10BB's. I pushed and leaned forward...I also pulled my hat down and was looking at the table. everybody folded until the black guy with mirrored shades pushed his stack in...uhoh...I got caught. He called with Q's and everybody was saying good game. I bink'd a K on the turn. Hello....I had a sheepish grin on my face. Hey I took a shot and scored. The black guy was just staring at me through his mirrored sunglasses. He was shaking his head in controlled movements and pursing his lips...he was fighting a tirade of cuss words. He got up and walked away without losing it. After that I knew I was final table bound...I took out the Cane-guy who had short stack. I had about 20-25 BB's at the time. OK....I could probably be called a Snyderbot. I still mix it up and play tight...but at 10BB's I'm only going out by pushing...not calling. I could have almost tripled my stack with a call with A-Ko not too long before the second break. There were two pushes and a short stack call right before the break and right before the action got to me. I decided to not call because one of the guys that pushed had 20 BB's....an ace fell on the river. So if I was a true Snyderbot I probably would have called that one. That hand effectively set us up for the final table. Second break arrives....I get back and after 30 minutes the final table is set.

I think I had 20 BB's at most...not great but much better than most of the people at the final table.
The final table has me in the 5 seat...I love sitting across from the dealer...one of my favorite places to sit especially at a final table. To my left is baseball hat kid with a short stack. To his left is another solid player with a short stack. (He would be knocked out first). To his left was a slick dude type...could be mistaken for a slick douchebag at first look but he turned out to be pretty good player and not the douche-y dude. Next to him was this hulking guy with his iPod. He had a black POW MIA hat and was singing out loud. "Americaaaann Wooomannnnnnn...get away from meeeeeheeeeeee". I was chuckling at this since he looked like either the lead singer from Molly Hatchett (who passed away a couple years ago) or Jaws from the old 70's James Bond films. I guess I'll call him Jaws from now on. Next to him was grandma..the only lady at the table. She had some gamble in her though. Next to her the dealer and the next to him was Another short stack dude who was a good player...can't remember him too much...he got knocked out fairly early as well. Next to him was the older gentleman with a military baseball hat. He kind of reminded me of Capt. Suleman...or the guy who landed the plane on the Hudson river. Next to him was Opie on the big stack and next to him was Solid guy with the baseball hat. We had a quick short break and I ran to bathroom...I was drinking 16oz. Bud Light aluminum bottles. I guess a deal was made before I got back to pay everybody at the final table 50.00 no matter what. I got back and Opie let me know what was going on. I guess they do this at the 'Rock' quite a bit. "Thanks for waiting for me to make the decision everybody" I said sarcastically. So the top four get the payouts ranging from 1125 on down...equating to a total of 2000. Solid player guy and baseball hat kid got knocked out first followed by the guy I can't really remember sitting next to the dealer. Opie and solid-guy with baseball hat to my right were mixing it up and Opie's stack was starting to dwindle a bit. He could have run over the final table but held back quite a bit...he did take out 3 short stacks I think. His problem was not folding to the medium stacks that basically doubled through him multiple times. The solid guy with the baseball hat doubled through him soon after that though. He also doubled up Capt. old gent. on the other side of him.
There were two weird plays that ended up knocking out grandma and Jaws. Grandma was knocked out by Opie....he raised at least 5 BB's...grandma called off two thirds of her stack to see a flop..I was thinking she's gotta have a big pair A's or K's.....'maybe Q's or J's...I don't know'....I thought. A flop with an ace falls. Opie puts her all in and she thinks about for 5 hours..well 5 mnutes...then calls with A-5. 'Why the fuck didn't she push he stack to an obvious steal?' I thought..Opie turns up A-10....bye-bye grandma. The next play that was just crazy worked out really well for me. I basically doubled my stack to 40 BB's and took out Jaws. Here is the weird part...and also why I don't use an iPod while playing a tournament. I'm in early position and I slide my stack in slowly...I said "All in" but not loudly. I thought everybody heard me well enough...Jaws is looking across the table at the Blinds..."ALL IN" he says loudly in a booming voice...they fold. Guess what he turns up?? 5-2o...the table is stunned....he had a gut shot draw on the turn but my Q's hold up. Can you imagine if he actually filled a gut shot with 5-2o? I would have quit right there. Everybody is stunned as this is happening and he finally realizes that I pushed all in in front of him...and he had no idea. He would have stolen the blinds as Opie and solid-guy with baseball hat were folding.

Jaws : "Oh my god...I can't believe it...my mistake....stupid mistake"
Me : "Wow...I thought you had at least an A-K or something!"
Jaws : "I didn't even know you pushed in I was so fixated on stealing the Blinds...."
Me : ""Good game"...as I stand up and go to shake his hand....
Jaws : "Good game? you should kiss me right now!"
Me : "Nah...you're too ugly....but good game anyway" Laughter from the table ensues...I guess he was beating himself up after the last break.

A little more play and another break comes. I need it...those 16 oz. Bud Lights are filling me up! I get back and there are 6 players left including me. We had some pushes and calls and basically after 30 minutes we get down to five. Capt. S. was short stacking but doubles up again through Opie. Opie had 13 or 14 BB's left and I was in the BB with A-K....I take out Opie...that's what happens when the big stack gets to the table and doubles up many players. I couldn't get action with my A's soon after so I was sporting the big stack and starting to push around some people. Capt. S. was the short stack now but I doubled him up soon after. We decided after the stacks evened out to chop 4 ways. It was getting pointless after I couldn't take out anybody else. So we had close stacks at the end and chopped 4 ways 500.00 each. Not bad for less than 4 hours anyway. It was 10:30 and I decided to jump into one of the horrible SitNGo's that cost 40.00. That's the cheapest one they have...There are ten players so there are 3 payouts. Top being 190.00. I think I'll post that one later....

There was an interesting conversation with the dealer. It basically confirms the body language tells as being much more reliable than the face. I'm kind of a big fan of Caro's and the more recent book by the FBI interrogator Joe Navarro with Phil Hellmuth. I just asked the dealer what he looks for when he's playing because he was laughing to himself and congratulating himself on his reads. "the arms and the body in general....forget the face...I'm getting realllllly good at this"! : Between the Snyder book and the Navarro book I think somebody with a little poker knowledge and experience can kick the crap out of these types of tourneys...just a thought....

Fawkles....I came in 6th place in the 15K Super Turbo Ko on FTP tonight...Thursday the 25th.....see...I kinda played like crap at the final table this time though....I did buy in 3 times so....I gave myself a chance at least....