First another big thanks to Iggy for setting up WBPT V. Also a quick note to mention that there was a celebrity at the tables. It was Wil Wheaton, who you may know from his roles in the series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I can talk about the tournament…

After learning about the $20 NLHE tournament for poker bloggers and their readers, I was undecided if I would try it out. After all, I figured I would be dead money with my limited No-Limit experience in what would prove to be a quality field of 133 poker players. A few days before the tournament, I started an account on Poker Stars and deposited $50. Thursday rolled around and I made the choice to play. I figured the $20 would be a good investment because it would get me a chance to get my name out there and drive traffic to my poker blog. I surely didn’t expect to make the cut or win any money. I was looking at the tournament as an investment.

The tournament started at 9p.m. so at around 8 I decided to jump on Party Poker for a little warm up playing a couple of .5/1 tables. Bad idea! When 9 rolled around, I was down to one table at Party so I figured it would help me from getting bored when I wasn’t involved in a hand during the tournament. Well, this wasn’t your regular run of the mill tournament. These players were there to play poker, not like a typical tournament online where at least 50% of the field doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing. I noticed very quickly that pre-flop raises were getting the respect they should in a no-limit tournament. But do I leave the cash game that is taking my concentration because I can’t help but watch my stack move lower and lower there? No, I kept playing, and then I even started up another table! Now on to the recap…

Level 1 (10/20 blinds)

9:00 – 133 players start the tournament, each with 1500 in chips.

Nothing big or exciting happened to me for quite awhile. I didn’t get any cards and just kept folding.

Level 4 (50/100 blinds)

9:59 – I have 1115 in chips on the button. The always beautiful AhAc shows up. I put in a very modest raise to 200 after everyone folded around to me. I’m just hoping to get a little play from someone. The BB calls and then bets 300 on a flop of Jh9d6d. I raise back 300, he reraises 300, and I throw in 315, the last of my chips. It’s now or never and that board couldn’t have hit him as well as he is representing. He shows Th9s and I have to wonder what he was thinking with middle pair and no real draw. He must have put me on a steal the whole hand. Turn and river bring the 6s and 4h, and I take down the 2280 pot.

Level 5 (75/150)

10:05 – Very next hand (after a short break) I’m dealt QhQd. I raise to 600. The small blind calls putting him all-in with KdTc. Board comes 2hKh6sTd5d and I’m beat. Back to 1723 in chips.

10:11 – I get AhKs in the big blind. UTG+2 goes all-in for 1005. Everyone folds and I call. He shows AdTh. Board is a beautiful Kh7hQhAsKd, giving me a full house and I’m feeling good with 2653.

10:15 – On the third hand after getting moved to a new table I get AdQd in MP. Raise to 450. Everyone folds and hdouble says, “new blood” as I take the pot.

Level 6 (100/200)

10:25 – KdJs in the cutoff. I raise to 400 and the big blind calls. Flop is TdQh6d giving me an OESD, so I bet 400 and take the pot. My stack sits at 2853.

Level 7 (100/200 with 25 ante)

10:40 – 8c8s in MP1. I call UTG+1’s raise to 400. Why I call an early position raise here, I have no clue! Flop is QhKcJd, bet is 600, and I have to fold. Only 1878 left in chips as the antes eat away at my stack.

10:42 – AcJc in UTG+2. Raise to 600 and take the pot right there. Back to 2328…for now. The next 15 hands are garbage and I’m left severely crippled with only 1253 left.

Level 8 (200/400 with 25 ante)

10:51 – As3s and it’s time to make a move. As good a hand as any I guess. Raise to 1200 and everyone folds. Chip stack climbs to 2028. The blinds and antes are really eating me up at this point though.

11:02 – As7s in the SB. After everyone folds, I raise to 800, the big blind pushes his stack in, and I call the extra 192. He has KsTh. Board comes Ts4sJsJcTc giving him a full house. Now I’m doomed with only 640 left.

11:03 – I’m not sure how or why I waited this long, but I finally close Party for the night. This is where my tournament gets good, so pay attention. I get KdTd on the button. After everyone folds I go all-in and the big blind calls with 3h7h. With a board of 9dKc7dQc5s I’m back to 1630. Very next hand I get QhQc in the cutoff. I raise to 800, the button goes all-in, and the big blind calls. Sweet, I can triple up! Button has AhTh and BB has TcTd. Things look great and I win 5215 with a full house after 2h5c2s7h2d hit the felt. I now have the most chips at my table. Two hands later I get AdJd, raise to 1600 from UTG+2 and take everyone’s ante and the blinds to increase to 5940. Level 8 was good to me!

Level 9 (300/600 with 50 ante)

11:11 – Three hands and a short break later I get KhQh in the BB. UTG+2 raises to 1800 and I call. Flop brings 8sQc9s, I bet 1200, and get raised 483 with an all-in, which I call of course. UTG+2 shows QdTd and I take him out after the turn and river fall 7sQs. The quickly increasing stack is nearly 5 digits now at 9948. I fold a hand and then QhTs on the button calls for a raise to 1800. SB raised 502 all-in and I call. He flips over Ac6c so I need some help. I get it with 4h7dQd8c8s and another player is out. I’m sitting pretty with 12800 and quickly get moved to a different table.

11:17 – In the 5th hand at the new table I get Qc2d in the BB and actually get to see a free flop. 7dQhKc flop, I bet the minimum 600, and get called. Turn is 5h and with another minimum bet he folds. Two hands later I get 3c3d on the button and limp in. Flop is 4c4hQh, I bet 1200 and take it down. I sit out a hand and then I take the antes and blinds with KdQs. Can you believe this streak of cards? It continues two hands later when I limp with KsQd from UTG, see the river for free, and beat Jd8h. Next hand I raise to 1800 with QcQd from the BB and win on a flop of rags. Very next hand I limp from SB with Kd6h and win unimproved, seeing the river for free. Next hand is Ad9d on the button, I raise and take it down. I fold a hand and then get QsQc UTG+2. Raise to 1800, which the BB calls. Flop is 9c8sJh and a bet of 1800 takes the pot. Two hands later it’s JcQs in the BB. It’s checks on the flop and turn, but the river gives me a straight.

At the end of level 9 I’m in great position with 24750. I still can’t believe that run of cards. I won 14 out of 28 hands!

Level 10 (400/800 with 50 ante)

11:39 – I’m loving my big stack too much and have made some stupid calls taking me down to 15130 in chips. I get ThTs on the button and raise to 2400. BB raises 1796, going all-in and I call. I beat his AhTd when the board fires blanks. Back to 20026.

Level 11 (600/1200 with 75 ante)

11:41 – With AdQh I knock out a player holding Ac6s and now sit at 26791. We’re now down to the final table of 9 players! 10th-18th place all paid $31.92, but now each place pays increasingly more. I remember thinking I can’t believe I’ve made it this far. I open the payout structure window so that I can see how much I’m guaranteed as each player gets knocked out.

11:50 – I don’t get anything playable until QhQc in UTG+2 with 6 of us left. The BB is the chip leader with twice as many chips as 2nd (I’m in 5th) and calls my raise to 6000, bets into me on a ragged flop, calls my raise, and then folds when I bet the turn. I’m now in 3rd.

11:52 – My favorite hand of the tournament. I limp from the button with 7s7c. Three players to the flop, which is Qs5h7h. SWEEEEEEET!! My heart is racing and I feel glad to be playing online otherwise anyone would be able to tell I had a big hand. UTG bets 5000, I raise to 10000, BB raises to 34703 all-in after taking time and what seemed like hours. UTG calls and I call. HUGE POT! BB shows AhJh for the nut flush draw and UTG is drawing nearly dead with 5c5d for 2nd best trips. I’m screaming “NO HEARTS” at my monitor and none come when Td4d fall. I surge into the lead with 94213 chips, 5 players left and one with only 1987 in chips. As long as I don’t choke like the Yankees I’m guaranteed at least 4th place and $212.80.

Level 12 (1000/2000 with 100 ante)

11:58 – 4 of us left. I lose 28100 and the chip lead with Qd4s vs Ac6c on a board of 3d8s4h6h7h. He must have had a good read on me because I was in the BB, which could mean perfect cards for a board like that. He called my turn raise and river bet and took the pot. Not any real important hands for me for the rest of level 12 and I end it with 63789, good for 2nd in chips.

Level 13 (1500/3000 with 150 ante)

12:18 – I raise with AdJs which puts the only other blogger left, ToddCommish all-in when he calls with Kd9c. He spikes the Kh on the river and doubles up. Ouch!

12:20 – I decide to limp with AhJd and get raised to 9000 by the chip leader. I’m currently in 2nd and he has more than twice my stack. I go all-in and am quickly called. As I look at this hand I don’t know what I was thinking going at the chip leader. He shows AcQh and I’m dominated. The poker gods must have felt bad for the previous beat though because I get the Jh on the turn and double up, taking the lead once again. It was a bad play on my part, but worked out.

12:25 – Johni D lost on the river to trip 2s so we’re down to 3 players and a guaranteed $316.54. I’m about dead even with TuckerKatt and ToddCommish is about 30000 behind. I get dealt 3d6h on the very next hand in the BB and call a minimum raise from TuckerKatt in the SB. The flop is 5s2c4s. I do a double-take and count 2-3-4-5-6. Yes, that’s 5 cards to a straight! BB bets the minimum and I raise the minimum setting my trap. TuckerKatt goes all-in. I’m shitting my pants and my hand is shaking so bad I can barely click the call button. TuckerKatt has 8c8h. The turn is the 4c and I think “Oh fuck!” River is the Ah and my straight survives the scare.

Heads Up

It’s finally heads up. 2nd place pays $532 and 1st is $798. Wow! How in the hell did I make it this far? ToddCommish played extremely well during the final table. He had a short stack for most of the time, but hung in there. At this point I had him outchipped more than 3 to 1 so I’m feeling pretty good about my chances even though I’m not very good HU.

ToddCommish was playing aggressively and slowly eating up my big chip lead. My plan was to let him keep betting and try to trap him when I had a big hand. Here are a few of the key hands from HU play which lasted 54 hands and roughly 20 minutes. I can’t believe it was only 20 minutes, because it seriously seemed like an hour or more. I’ve never played more intense poker in my life. I’ll leave off the blind levels and seat positions because it’s pretty irrelevant at this point.

I have to say I was a little disappointed in the railbirds during HU play. They were trying to read my hands and didn’t seem to remember the one player to a hand rule. I think I did have one or two rooting for me, but they weren’t voicing any opinions. The constant chatter did seem to affect a couple of hands.

I win a 21150 pot in the 2nd hand and now have him outchipped 7 to 1. Todd goes on to win the next 7 hands and now it’s less than 2 to 1. A couple of hands later he takes the lead and I’m falling fast. A few hands later I limp with 9s8d and hear a railbird say, “gotta give Dew credit for not tilting.” Damn straight! Flop comes 8c8hQd giving me trips. Here’s my chance! Todd bets out 10000 and another railbird says, “limp?” I raise 30000, Todd thinks awhile and folds. I played it wrong. I should have either raised less or just called because I don’t think he would have folded to that big bet with a Q. I could have been wrong, but I think I could have took him for a bit bigger pot here. After the fold the same railbird says, “dew limped in KK/AA.” The railbirds may have affected Todd’s play on this hand, but it doesn’t matter much now.

After a few small wins/steals I’m back in the lead by 40000. I call his 8000 raise with QsTs. Flop comes 2hQcKh and I bet out 20000. Todd calls. River is Ac. I go all-in, hoping he doesn’t have an A or K and he folds, announcing he had Th9h. I now have him 3 to 1 in chips again.

A little more back and forth and I still have a 3 to 1 chip lead. I have Jh8s and call his 6000 raise. Flop brings 5d6d7h and Todd bets 16000. I have the OESD and would like to take the pot right here. I raise 68000 which would put Todd all-in if he decides to call. This is where my lack of experience bit me. I realize that this bet just screams that I’m on a draw or have over cards and don’t want him to call. Todd asks, “on a draw?” Then “both ends?” He says “he has overs” and calls with 8cQd. The turn and river bring 8d6c, and his Queen kicker is good. Todd doubles up and we’re dead even.

On the very next hand I raise 8000 with AhKh. Todd comes over the top with a raise of 20000. The old ticker is still thumping from the last hand and I say, “my heart is racing!” before I move all-in. Todd calls surprisingly quickly and this is it. If Todd wins, it’s over. If I win, Todd can’t even post a big blind. We were separated by less than 3000 in chips. Todd flips over Ac3h. I definitely liked my chances here. The flop is TcKsQc. The railbirds all say at once, “jack” for a split pot. The turn is the 5c giving him a draw to the nut flush. I can’t even breathe! Now the railbirds all pipe in saying “club.” After what feels like hours the river card is the 4h and it’s all but over.

Todd doubles up on the next hand and for some reason I folded the one after that. Same railbird who has been voicing his opinions on hands all long says, “did you just fold?” The final hand gave me 7h4c and with the 7d on the flop I beat Todd’s Ks9s and won the tournament.

It was quite the battle playing heads up with Todd. I felt like I played the best poker of my life and really needed to. I made a few mistakes, but everyone who wins one of these needs to catch a few breaks. doubleas left a good comment on my site saying that beating this field of players was quite a feat, because there were several pros playing and the overall competition was much better than the typical online tournaments. I have to agree. It was nice to be able to raise with hands and win pre-flop like no-limit hold’em is supposed to be played. I’m looking forward to the next tournament as reigning champ. Damn, that sounds good!

It feels like it took me longer to write this up than it did to play the tournament. That’s what I call an uber post.