And another Bubble-Time

I had a very good start into Day 2. Not only had I been seated at a table with many small-stacks (I was second in chips here) but also the button started left of me. Very good circumstances that allowed me to increase my stack from 51.300 to almost 75.000 by finally busting 19th place. Unfortunately this broke our table and the new one was very different.

I faced several big and huge stacks here so I changed gears with just 3 more people to go till the money. With 16 left I refused playing AK from MP as I would have played against an equal stack in the SB and a really huge stack in the BB. Beside that I didn't get any hand at all that was even remotly close to consider a play. With 56.000 left I wasn't too unhappy about that (even with blinds of 2.000/4.000 - 400).

But then I received KK in the small blind. A big stack in MP raised to 12.000. Of course I could have folded this hand too. But with KK I'm an 80% favorite against two random cards. There was a wide range of hands this guy could have been played. Calling was no option of course. Re-raising would have made me pot-committed anyway so the only alternative was all-in then. If he tried to steal or played a medium to low pair or maybe AK, AQ he may fold and I could add 25.000 to my stack (as he still had to risk almost half his stack with a call). If he played JJ's or QQ's he may call and I may be up to 130.000 soon. There's only one single hand that beats me ... guess what he had?

Isn't that unbelievable? Playing for a total of 11 hours on two days without big mistakes. Playing some of the best poker in my entire life and then I run into AA with my pocket Kings and bust as the bubble-boy in 16th position out of 121 players.

And no, folding the Kings wasn't an option at all! If I fold KK just because it's the bubble then I could go directly to the bar take a drink and either wait till somebody busts or I am blinded to death (which wouldn't take long with 9.200 chips per orbit). You don't play a tournament just to fold yourself into the money. That's crazy. If you have an 80%-hand you have to take the risk no matter what!

So I went to the big party for the Soccer Euro at the city hall just to receive the next bad beat by seeing Germany losing against Spain. But to be fair - Spain played a good game and they really earned to win. It was a big party and I think this was the best place in Vienna (except for the stadium of course) to see the game.

I'm somewhat very sad about those 2 bubbles and the one near bubble in the last time. If some things went a little different I could have added decent to big money to my bankroll. But on the other hand I still see a significant increase in the quality of my game - especially in those bigger events. If I just manage to stay on the right side of variance at least once...

Remark: If you read my last blog post there was a crucial hand were I folded to an all-in with a straight draw, not knowing if I had enough outs to make the call. The guy told me today that he had exactly the same hand (KT) that I had. And I tend to belive him. Still the right decision as there is a huge difference to bet with a draw or to call with a draw. I love good played hands (and this was one).

"If you don't get bluffed from time to time you're playing way to loose"