WCOOP - Event #1 (Hold'em NL, 6 max.)

I thought for a long time if I really want to play this event but finally decided to give it a try and see if it works as well as in the last days.

A total of 4,610 entrants created a prizepool of $922,000 (well over the 400K guarantee).

I wasn't getting too many playable hands throughout the tournament but those I played paid off well in the beginning. Unfortunately in the third hour I was forced to fold several good starting hands due to missed flops. Fortunately a flopped Full House (99 on a 9JJ board) gave me back some chips. With a below average but still decent stack I went into the next next phase of the tournament.

The play became more intense now as we were down to 1.155 players at this time (with 534 getting paid at least $368).

This hour was a real roller-coster ride for me. Starting after the break with 7,595 chips it went all the way down to 3,000. At one point (with still around 6,000 chips and blinds 100/200) I forced myself to fold pocket Jacks to an all-in raise. Being shortstacked I would have called in a second but with a stack still far from danger-zone I wasn't willing to risk more than one third of my chips on that hand and gave up my small blind here. It was a tough decision as I had seen this guy playing some weired hands. On the flipside it was the first time I saw him going all-in pre-flop.

At the time I was down to my lowpoint I got somewhat lucky to double up when I was behind in a 45/55 race. From there I was able to rebuild my stack to about somewhat over 7,000 (150/300 blinds with 20 ante) due to good positional play on a quite tight table.

But finally my raise to 900 with AQ got called. Flop came three low cards (2 hearts). My opponent checked, I bet 1,300 and he raised it to 3,600. I was sure that he was on a draw and had nothing so far. So I went all-in with my remaining chips (about 5,800). He called, being on a flush draw, with Th 9h. Turn was blank but the river brought the infamous heart that ended my tournament in 768th position after little over 4 hours.

Of course, I could have saved those 5,800 chips for a better opportunity. But being just minutes away from the 200/400 blindlevel I decided to take my chances here. Looking back I must say that I made a crucial mistake in that hand. It would have been much better to go all-in directly after his check on the turn. Facing a bet of 5,800 may have prevented him from calling. Betting 1,300 into a pot of 1,950 obviously didn't make it. On the other hand raising all-in for another 2,200 after his check-raise into a pot of 6,850 clearly doesn't have much fold equity. Calling my raise from the BB with that hand was marginal. Check-raising my bet on the flop with a weak draw was a huge mistake, but calling my all-in wasn't. Although I was very dissapointed to leave the tournament this way I can't blame it on a bad beat here. I tried to take my chances but blew it myself by being not aggressive enough. Of course I was considering the check being a trap but pushing or a check/fold would have been the right option here. Betting was clearly the worst possibility to use. That's one of the reasons I hate those "little over danger-zone" stacks. You have to much for push or fold mode and to little to put pressure on people at later streets.

At least I survived most from the Team PokerStars: Greg Raymer (4,022th), Isabell Mercier (3,933th), Bill Chen (3,245th), Daniel Negreanu (1,779th) and Joe Hachem (1,595th).

The next one I would be interested is Event #13 (PL Hold'em) next saturday. As I don't want to fork over $530 directly I will try get a seat via one of the $53+5 satellites