Railbirds are Go!

I was going to go watch TV as I have been under the weather this week. But I decide to sneak in a Sit N go. I have been toying with the idea of recording and posting the video, and inviting advice. So as a practice, I am ina quiet room narrating my play aloud as I go. I opt to cronicle it in screens and comments as I often see other bloggers do. I am not sure of the value here though, as this Sit N Go almost played itself. I don’t think I had a single “go into the tank” moment…


so without further adeu, "A Sit N Go in 20 meaningful hands"

Sit N Go. EARLY hand, 1 player out already in level 1.



I took most of clock here, figuring I had 4 tens, 3 aces, 3 kings and the remaining 8 or so hearts. In the end, I just could not fold to a Q or Jack here. And one out for a straight flush (cool). I figure I am a favorite if he does not have a set. And only a slight dog if he does (if at all).

I make the call and see KcJc.
Turn 7c (ugh)
River Td


And I double up early. Why did it take me so long to call? Because I have some innate desire not to play big pots in level 1. Even when I am the favorite. Sad really. But I got past it here. Note: if I did not have the flush draw and just the straight draw to the Ten and the probable clean overs for 10 outs twice or 40%, I would have folded in level 1 of a SnG.








Nice flop. Limped in. Flopped a straight. Won a small pot here when I at least got him to call a raise here of double his bet. He checked the turn, I bet $190 trying for a call, but he folds.






I raised after this shot… he folded. I think he calls with a nine, don’t you?

Down to 7 handed… then 6… I have not yet made the adjustment to smaller table, biding my time. I get dealt two red aces, and get no callers for my 4xBB bet.




Here I decide to put him all in. He calls… My raise discouraged the BB from being in there with us.


Tens hold! Ok! Now were cooking.






More dangerous than it seems at first. When they all check, I bet 100. The BB calls. What does he have? Q?
I make a marginal call when he bets 300 on the turn…




Jackpot.
He makes a large river bet of $1500 and I decide to call. If I had more time to I should have raised for value here. That was a possible mistake. But I hate betting into a river where the river card would have made the OESD draw complete like it would here with 89.
Note that he was betting with bottom pair and an over. I bet this guy does not make the money. Why would he try that into me? Tight image? Or bad play on his part?



No action. Did I bet too soon?



Even though I bluff to steal a small pot in order to show, I decide not to show it afterwards. I decide to keep my tight image intact. I am the chip leader, no need to rush…



In the BB no less! I wonder if I can entice…



>No need! He shoved on A3o. That was easy… 4 left…

I raise with any Ace now… I get a walk in the BB. They are weary of the big stack.
I fold some hands just to fold them.. Marginal ones like Kx even.

I concentrate on maybe knocking out a player.



I call. He has AQ. Ugh.
The table is getting bolder now…



Will he call 500?! He raises! I throw up in my mouth and make a crying call to see the Ace of hearts. But I need to make this call here.





Big bet to get the pot and run… I raise pre-flop so he can put me on a Q too.
Eeking my way back to the forefront.



Walked the hammer?! Oh no!














Call or raise? A few weeks ago, I might have just called here. What was wrong with me?!

RAISE to 900!

They all fold.








99 gets no action on the very next hand. Even though I thought I had a recent image as a bully.

Another played knocked out. Now we are in the money. Raise with AJo but get no action. So I raise with 97o. That works too. I have about a 40% chip advantage over the other 2 and suddenly they get their money all –in. One ace-x out kicks the other and sends him packing.

Now its Good news/bad news
Good news: we are Heads up
Bad news: I am behind 5.5k to 7.6k (not such bad news. whenever I enter the final 2 and he hasn't got a better than 2-1 chip advantage, I am fine.)




Hands 17a and 17b: the river giveth...

I put together a good story on this hand to take it here. I played it like I was making value bets with a 7, then make a more aggressive bet on the turn.

But then, "the river taketh away" as I lost it right back to a rivered flush.





He calls a bigish bet on the turn and then bets 1200 on the river?! (siren goes off)
I actually fold this now. I had to based on his track record. Really.
In retrospect, this is probably the best hand I played. (and I lost)
Columbo777: raises 200 to 400
s234sd: calls 200
Pot is 800

*** FLOP *** [5d Ts 7h]
s234sd: checks
Columbo777: bets 400 (1/2 the pot)
s234sd: calls 400
Pot is 1600

*** TURN *** [5d Ts 7h] [6d]
s234sd: checks
Columbo777: bets 800 (1/2 the pot again)
s234sd: calls 800
pot is 3200

*** RIVER *** [5d Ts 7h 6d] [Qs]
s234sd: bets 1200
Columbo777: folds (no crying call this time)

I fold here because he was only betting on the later streets with made hands the entire game. 6 made the OESD, but AT or KT would also be a decent holding here (and QT is even plausible).
But its that lead bet on the river that seemed more of a value bet afraid of me checking, than a value bet. Too much to be a blocking bet…




Go time…
Turns out he had Q9 for Top Pair… Heh!
Now I am the chip leader…
Now the pressure comes to him…

I start raising every single hand.



Until its over…

Overall a decent run of cards. I wonder about that