TOC Saturday, a look back

TOC Saturday has come and gone, and I fell just short of my goal of a win. I took 2nd, which was good, but considering the day I had, it should have been first.

Before I go any further, let me congratulate Daxamillion for winning the title. He played some stout poker, and is a deserving champ. NH, sir.

Now, my day--it was a long one, as Volsfan and I drove together, and we left very early to get set up for the big day. I brought along swim trunks for use in Captain Morgan's pool, but alas, I never had the opportunity to take a dip. Good thing, as a swim may have tired me out big time.

Anyway, there were 11 players (if memory serves), that were eligible for the TOC Satellite event--winner of the sat gains entry to the "main event." 9 players took part, and there was no shortage of sickness in the sat tourney. The eventual winner, Noga, took out one player (VP) when he raised (with a big stack) from the small blind, only to have VP re-raise all in from the BB. Noga had no choice but to call (considering it was something like 325 more back to him), and exclaiming as he made the call, "you definitely got me," rolled over 3-2 suited in clubs.

VP wasn't loaded up, holding J-10 off, but when the flop came off A-3-6, with 1 club and 2 spades, he was hurting. the 2 of spades fell on the turn, and all VP could do was laugh, and then run his forehead into the wall a few times. I felt for him, big time, but that's poker. Noga took the title on a flopped full house, when he held K-8 to a K-K-8 flop, and he trapped UVAWahoo for the pass into the biggie.


After some food, and some announcements regarding next season, it was time to play some cards. 16 players in the TOC, winner taking home 4 figures. I don my Redwings old skool jersey, and I was off.

Early on, I was in need of medical attention, thanks to the deck crushing me. Seriously crushing me.

Limp with 3-3, flop the set, turn quads.

Raise with a J-9 suited to try and scoop the blinds, flop a set, turn quads.


This all taking place in the first level of 25-25.

I busted one player when I raised in early position with 8-6 off, just hoping to steal. I had been quiet without raising pots, folding a bunch of hands, and it felt like the time to try and sneak one past the table. Late position re-raises makes it 500 straight. I flat call, hoping to represent a big hand, (AK, AQ...something like that). Turns out I wouldn't need to represent anything, as the flop comes 8h-6h, 4x.

I check, raiser bets, I re-raise, opponent shoves, I call. He held JJ. I fade the turn and river, and drag a nice pot.


I never saw a pair larger than QQ, had A-K a couple of times, but I suffered a couple stack hits, that got my total under 8K (we started with 5K), when this hand came up.

Blinds were 200-400 with a 50 ante, early position raiser makes it 1600 total, I peek down at 10-10. I was abit steaming after losing some hands (starting with quality hands, but not connecting-making lay downs bugged me with so much in the middle). I re-raise all-in. Honestly, I didn't realize I was sitting on 7100 chips, and likely wouldn't have done that had I known. I would have re-popped, but not that much. Good thing for me (in retrospect), is that I got a call, and he showed 9-9. The 10's hold, I double, and am back in the ballgame.

I would later bust that player with a hand that I half went crazy, and half executed the play I wanted. From early position, early player goes all-in for his stack (3K maybe?). I look down at A-J off on the button, and I just felt that I held the better hand over the all-in. I wanted to isolate against him, so I shove all-in, with 2 players left to act. The SB folds quickly, but the BB, a very good player, is disgusted as he looks at his hand. He tanks, and thinks out loud how he can't fold, but ultimately does, mucking Q-Q face up.

Early all in had K-J, I hit an A on the river--which I didn't need, but had the QQ called, I would have busted 2 players.

Was it the right play? Well, at the time, it felt right. After thinking about it for a couple days, I guess I had gone a bit mad doing it. Here's the thing-I felt, at the time that was the play to make. If I flat call the all-in, the QQ looks down, and he likely shoves. After putting 3K into that pot, and then have someone come over the top, I am left in a pickle--I probably lay down the A-J there (if the QQ had the option of a re-raise), and I am left muttering to myself. It was a high risk, high reward play, if I get a better hand to laydown, which I did.

"Don't be afraid to go out on a limb, because that's where the fruit is." ~Doyle Brunson

Anyway, I made one mistake later, that I could kick myself for, and I won't go into it, because I won the hand anyway, but maybe, just maybe, if I play the hand a bit differently, I bust another player. I don't know.

Regardless, when the final table began, I held 20K in chips, which was a quarter of the chips in play. By the time we got to heads up, I was outchipped about 3.5-1. It was an uphill battle, and I gave it all I had. I just couldn't overcome hitting hands, with Dax hitting the same hand, with a better kicker. It happens, and I don't begrudge Dax for the win. He played very well, moved his chips around when the situation called for it, and was very deserving of the bracelet.

So Season 3 will go down as my best in the league, and now it's time to look ahead for Season 4. Got a month until the opener, and already, I am looking forward to sitting at that table.

Good luck and good cards!
~M

PS--sorry no pics in this post. In addition to forgetting my chips for the TOC, I also forgot the camera. too bad because our resident dance instructor came dressed as Satan. It was a scream!