Attention Poker Players: I Made The Final Table…Thanks.
As I write this blog, my annual Super Bowl trip with my friends has come and gone. Yes we had fun, yes we got very little sleep, yes we saw Jerry Seinfeld (the show was just ok) and yes I played poker–in fact, Texas Hold ‘Em! On the flight to Las Vegas, I felt pretty good that I had printed out the 13 comments from the readers of the blog and was prepared to read and study each of them in detail. I was able to do that and felt even better! We were staying at the Luxor, and like most poker rooms they have tournaments. I signed up for the 2:00 PM, $53.00 buy-in game. Depending on how many people joined determines the prize money. I was one of the first to enter (obviously I was very excited) and was instructed to come back a few minutes before 2:00.
The clock strikes 1:55 and there I am, ready to go, no sunglasses, a Red Sox hat and somewhat of a strategy. The tournament is about ready to start and basically for $53 you received $1200 in chips with no buy back opportunity. The blinds were $5/10 and would change every fifteen minutes.
My first few hands were horrible and I didn’t play them at all. In fact for the first six hands, it was like I got a Two and Six unsuited every time. Finally I got some cards. In fact some pretty good cards. Queen and Jack of Clubs, suited connector….. I felt pretty good about them. The flop comes and it is a Two and Nine of Clubs and a Jack of Diamonds. The guy to my left bets first (I should mention there were only four players still in after the flop). He goes all in. I have about a minute or so to make my decision. One by one everyone goes out and then it is up to me. Here are my thoughts. I have top pair and a flush draw. I put him on a small pair. But I have no idea since he played a few hands and had lost some of his chips. I also thought there was a chance he was bluffing for the blinds which can be common early in a tournament. I came to gamble manned with your comments and called - I am all in….. very dramatic no doubt…. or at least in my mind. He has a Jack and an Ace. All I need is a Club and he goes home and I feel pretty good. Guess what happened? The turn and river didn’t help either of us! No Club - and I lose $1100 of my chips and am now hanging on for dear life. I couldn’t believe it! I know the percentages were with me. Two more hands and now I am short stacked. The next two hands I went all in and won the first and lost the second!
The entire experience took eleven minutes! Yes I was the first one out!
- Where did I go wrong?
- What would you have done different?
- Did I really make a huge mistake?
I look forward to your comments.
P.S. - You may be asking yourself how I made the final table. I did since there were only ten players in the tournament and one table!!! Hence the way I made the final table!
March 17th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I would have folded after he went all in. Think of this way. You still have all your chips and while you have a good hand, you do not have enough info to think you have the very best hand. He could have pocket Jacks. It’s early and there are plenty of more cards to come…if you stay in the game.
Plus I have found that these guys that go all in like that usually flame out pretty early.
March 19th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I have to agree with Larry. Patience is the game. While it is easy to say, that is what you have to keep telling yourself. Be Patient. I heard of some in those big tournaments go all day without playing one of their hands. Waiting for the big one.
Of course that is not the way that I play. I am very good at giving the advice - just not sticking to it.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Hi Merrill,
Well done!
PROUD of you for having made every players dream “THE FINAL TABLE”!!!!
You did nothing wrong, the guy could have been bluffing, or you could have drawn a club or any number of scenarios! That’s why it’s called gambling! Sure waiting is the prudent thing to do, but that’s not why I sit at a table! At a recent trip to Atlantic City I had no business playing, but needless to say my first hand I get a pair of A’s, slow play the flop that does nothing for me but does expose a Q. I put all in! The fella on the other side calls and flops two Q’s and wins with a full house, sending me home!
I’m a bad one to be giving advice, but I’ve learned not to push too hard at times and hey that’s why it’s called gambling!
March 25th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Had this been a huge field and early in the tournament, I would say fold. However, calling an all-in with top pair and a flush draw with only 10 players isn’t a bad choice. If you win, you get a huge advantage on the other 8 players.
The question is would you have called him if you knew he had the Ace Jack??
I would have.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Fee thanks for your comments. The funny thing is I lost with a pair of aces on a cruise a few years back.
Bryan - VERY interesting question. Honestly I would answer the question with a yes. If I had known what he had I would have done the same thing. A mistake since I was the first one out but the right play statistically.
Thanks for your comments.
Merrill