Just arrived in Innsbruck for the BPC

I just arrived in my hotel in Innsbruck and have some time left before I have to go the the Casino for the BPC registration and seat-assignment.

So how was my weekend? The short version: Not so good!

It started quite good as the rental car I got for my trip was much better then the VW Golf I had booked. For the same price I got an Alfa Spider Convertible. While it defininately wasn't the weather for driving topless it was still a nice day to drive with that type of car. So this was the fun part of my weekend.

My first tournament (the €30 freezeout) was quite uneventfull. I played only a few hands because of the lack of opportunities. But those I played payed off and I managed to make it to the last 11 of 34. Unfortunately I became the final table bubble-boy. Shortstacked and with the blinds two rounds away I decided that any pair is good for a push with no raising action in front of me. I got my pair ... but it was a low pair (2-2). I pushed and one player behind me called and had me slightly covered. He showed 7-7, no help and I was out. Still not sure what some people think. Of course 7-7 is a good hand to raise all-in but it isn't a good one to call an all-in (especially against an obviously tight opponent). I could have understand his action also with a big stack. But risking almost all of his tournament life here is very brave. But who am I to complain? He went to the final table ... I didn't :-(

The evening freezeout was a €100 double-chance. So you start with 5,000 chips and either re-buy once for 5,000 or wait for the add-on after one hour and receive another 8,000 chips. In that kind of tournament I prefer to maintain my stack till the add-on and start with real poker after that. And the good structure offered here allows to do that easily. Unfortunately I never really came ahead. My high point was around 18,000 chips (still a healthy stack in that structure after 2.5 hours). It was at that time when Michael (a good player from Munich) came to our table with 19,000 chips. He knows some of my playing style and saw me aggressively play (and win) hands two times at that particular table before this hand happend: I received QQ in MP and made a standard raise (which was 1,800 at that time). It was folded to him and he pushed all-in. It would have been possible to call this against a lot of players in this tournament. But not against Michael. I open folded my QQ getting some "wow's" from the other players and a reaction from Michael that confirmed me that I was behind here. He later told me that he had Kings (and I have no reason to doubt this). With the blinds going on and only small pots to win for me I was at 17,000 an hour later. With blinds now at 900/1,800 my stack wasn't healthy anymore. In that situation AKs is a monster hand. Even with a single raise in front. Again I went into a "fight" with Michael who made a standard raise to 5,400 from MP. I was almost sure that he wouldn't fold to my all-in because with 13,000 chips left after his raise he was almost pot-comitted. Maybe I wasn't thinking about that fact enough. But on the other hand the blinds were close to coming again and the next level wasn't far away. I pushed, he called ... and had Kings again. One of the only two hands I didn't wanted to see. A heart on the flop and another on the turn gave me a flushdraw and some hope. But no help on the river and I went out on 21st position of 44. At least this time somebody who understands the game got my chips (and hopefully used them well). I decided to call it a night and skip the cashgames.

Last night was the Sunday Million at PokerStars and I was happy to be able to play it again after a long time. But shortly before the start (and too late for a decision to unregister) my computer made some problems (showing 100% load on the CPU). I restarted my machine and still had the same problems. So I had to play in a very hostile environment. It's tough to raise when it always takes several seconds to mark the amount and punch in the number. Of course it took another few seconds before I could push the button then! I maintained my stack of 10,000 chips until 10 minutes before the first break when I got Kings. With blinds 150/300 I raised to 900 and got one caller. Flop came 972 rainbow. I bet 1,100 and he re-raised to 2,500. I ws sure that I still was ahead and pushed all-in for my remaining 8,000. He called and showed T9o for a pair of Nines and a crappy kicker. What the hell did he think I would raise and bet here? But again who am I to complain? He received a Ten on the turn, won the pot ... and I was out in 5,208th position of 6,398.