Poker Olymp Open II - Event #1 [PF=12.77]

There is a difference between cheap and very cheap. I had been flying with Air Berlin (or former dba) quite often and was always satisfied with their service although the tickets were cheap. But this time I used Germanwings for my flight to Hamburg for the Poker Olymp Open II. This was a horrible experience: No quick check-in terminal, no seat assignments, even softdrinks are charged and the cabin crew wasn't very qualified. At least not worth saving a total of €30 for the trip.

I hadn't slept very long the night before so I was happy that my room at the Hotel Klövensteen in Schenefeld was ready when a arrived at noon. Went to bed till 5pm, took a shower and went to the tournament refreshed and awake. Due to the EPT in Prag several of the usual guests weren't present. But it was still an interesting field of 96 players including Thang Duc Nguyen, Marten Jensen, Max Bracht, Robbie Quo, Bobby G, Frank Blümlein, Soraya Homam, Michelle Lam and Alexander Jung. Jan (50outs) von Halle managed to find 33 players for a €50 last-longer bet ... so chances are quite high that the winner of the event will also win an additional €1,650. Action started very fast as usual in Schenefeld and we lost already 10 players during the first two levels.

On my table I had Tony Vardjavand (organiser of the event) and Mickey Finn (runner-up from the german championship). I got some good cards from the start but couldn't connect with the flop and had to fold most of them. Therefore my stack shrinked down to about 3,500 (from 6,000). But from there I was able to build my stack up to almost 8,000 (being just a little below average) till the start of the dinner-break.

The buffet at the italian restaurant was as good as always and we started into the next round 45 minutes later. In the next level I picked up several blinds and won some hands so my stack increased to 11,500 chips. But that was not enough to slow down as the average was already over 13,000. The blinds had reached 400/800. About half into that level I had my key hand. With QJd on the button there was a raise to 2,300 from MP. The guy had raised three or four of the last hands (no showdown) and had showed a stone cold bluff to Tony some rounds before. So I decided to call his raise and see the flop. The flop was a great straight-draw for me with T-T-K. The guy then bet out 2,000 and I was sure he would have checked a monster like a full house. Maybe a Ten or a pair like QQ, JJ or even 99. Here I made a cruical mistake by just calling instead of pushing. With at least eight outs for the straight I decided that I got the right price for a call. But what I overlooked was the fold equity. Had I pushed here he would had to decide if he calls another 7,000 more. But due to my call we saw a 4 on the turn and he bet another 2,000. With only 6,500 left and almost 10,000 in the pot calling wasn't an option anymore. I could either fold or push. But now I offered him good enough pot odds to call my all-in. He called and showed me the worst possible hand: AA. That reduced me to just four outs. That was my second mistake ... not considering the option that he holds at least one Ace (like AT).

It's one of those hands you wish you hadn't played them as soon as they are over. Running into Aces was just bad luck. But playing the hand badly was a mistake. I don't know if it would have been possible to push this guy from the hand with an all-in on the flop but it would have been the right aggression factor in that stage of the tournament. Just calling was way too passive here. Out on 41st of 96 after 4.5 hours.

Tomorrows tournament offers 8,000 chips and 40 minute blindlevels instead of 30 minutes. This increases the PF from 12.77 to a whooping 21.45. That's what I really call a deep-stack tournament. Hopefully I will make better key decisions tomorrow.