anomaly16

I was really pleased with my play today - I picked all my spots pretty much perfectly, very aware of my M and everyone else's making some good calls to shortstack allins and pushing at the right times and with the right hands. It was just a little disappointing to finish 1 away from the money after going in with best hand :(

I started out by winning some chips on the first hand but dropped back a little then finished strong before the break to have around 9.6k chips (average stack).

After the break I probably made my one mistake.. I raised from the button with AK and was called in the SB by a guy who hadn't played in many hands at all, but earlier had called down on all streets to the river with 66 vs a bluff from a player on an AQ725 board with 3 clubs. At the time it looked like an amazing read and call but I really don't think that was the case judging by his later play. Anyway, I didn't hit the flop with my AK and decided to cbet on a Jxx board. He called and I probably should have either been more aggressive on the turn when a Q came (or just checked back on the flop) to get him to lay down, but checked with my straight draw. River was a blank and he opened so I had to lay it down and my stack was down to 6k.

Soon after I had a decision to call a shortstack allin (M of around 3) with 56o in the BB (my M around 11). With antes in the pot and my BB already I just about had pot odds and was pretty sure my 2 cards would be live so I called and his A8o hit two pair before I made a straight on the river. I made another call from the BB with K7h to another shortstack allin and he showed K6d and I won. It was a pretty marginal call, being suited probably just inclining me towards the call and the range I put him on. I finally got a decent pair (KK) and had my raise called by 2 players. One of them opened on the Q32 (2 clubs) flop and I took it down with a re-raise to grow my stack to an around average 20k with around 15 players left. I didn't get too involved and made it to the final table of 9 (two eliminated on the bubble) with around 18k chips (7th) - most of the chips were on the other table.

The blinds and antes grow pretty fast at this stage and I managed to hover between and M of 4-6, taking down pots uncontested as the first players were eliminated. With 6 of us left the villain above (sitting to my left) and I were the shortstacks. Earlier I'd raised from the CO with AJd to which he folded - he then said to the table that he'd folded AK much to the bemusement of everyone left. Soon after he did push allin with AK, was called by the chip leader also with AK and they chopped. With my M of 4 and his M of 2 I pushed into his BB with Q8 and he called with 89. He spiked a 9 but in the end we chopped, both making a straight with our 8. The next hand I got AQo on the button and pushed. One of the larger stacks called with AJ from the BB and a J ended my tournament.

I might have been able to keep folding my way into 5th knowing that the rest of the players would be attacking the other shortstack, but AQ was too good to lay down so was happy with my final table play. Calling down with weaker hands than I normally would definitely had some benefits.. I could feel others being more wary with me, and it meant my premium hands were nicely disguised .. the villain with AJ certainly wasn't expecting my AQ when our hands were shown.

The office poker league leader went out before the final table, but another who was 3rd= with me and the player in 6th were at the table when I left along with perhaps two others further down in the league so I think there will be a few of us bunched near the top once the results are published.

I'm not sure what happend to Jas but he was gone before we were down to the last two tables, so I definitely have the edge on our bet so far (my 23 pts to his 12).