I multi-tabled two SnGs yesterday and noticed that two of the players I was facing were in both of my games. So, on a lark, I decided to look up the rest of the players to see how many of the players were in more than one game at once. To my surprise, nearly all the players I had sat down with were, in fact, playing in multiple games. Some were *only* playing 3 or 4 games at once, but a few were sitting at 8, 10, and even 12 tables. And here I thought I was going out on a limb playing two simultaneous games!
I was able to money in both of my SnGs by exploiting my oppositions' willingness to play multiple tables. I highlighted the guys that had the most tables going, and then I simply attacked their blinds every chance I could, especially from mid- and late-position. I figured these folks were so busy just playing their own two cards, that they wouldn't be able to play back at me unless they actually had a solid hand. More than 80% of the time I got the opp to fold, even though I was playing any two cards myself; the other 20% of the time I simply got out of their way, folding to 3bets and/or playing cautiously if they called and then the flop hit me weakly. From now on, whenever I sit down to play a SnG, I will be checking to see how many tables my opponents are playing... and attacking the multitabling Hevad Khans.
In other "extreme" poker news, I played a little $10NL cash this afternoon at lunch before jumping into my customary noon SnG. Shortly into the session I took a bad beat when my TPTK got steamrolled by a guy who hit two pair on the river. I knew this would tilt me a little, so I figured I should just shut it down and go straight to the SnG. I deselected the auto-post blinds box and was mentally preparing to quit...
...except...
...the very next hand I was dealt JTs in late position and had a couple of limpers in front of me. Against my better judgment (but per Perfect Poker guidelines) I limped behind and got the blinds to also complete/check. Flop was a miracle TTT, giving me flopped quad tens. It was folded around so I min-bet (my new rule is to try to build a pot with strong hands (even monsters like quads) in multi-way pots; if the opps all fold, so be it; if I'm up against one or two players, I may slow down). Anyway, I got one caller, who was obviously drawing dead. Turn was a face card, I bet half the pot, he called quickly. River was a blank, I bet 2/3 pot and after a long pause, the opp called, showing a full house. Woo hoo! I was back to even. Now I really was going to shut it down....
...except....
...two hands later, I was dealt 77 and (again, per Perfect Poker guidelines) I took a small raise in position against a big stack at the table. Flop was 788, giving me the boat. The opp bet, I smoothed.... and the turn was the case seven, giving me quads again. Amazing. At this point, the opp slowed down, and I wasn't able to get much more money out of him. I ended up $3 or so for the five minutes of play, which is not a bad way start to a lunch hour....
...except...
...of course, I was the first one to bust out of my SnG ten hands in when I got married to top pair with an overcard and the nut flush draw. None of my cards hit, however, and I was beaten by TPTK. Sigh. I still had most of my lunch hour left, so I figured I should try another SnG. It was off to a slow start for the first lap when I was dealt TT UTG. I raised, got a reraise in late position from an 80/40 player. I was all set to shove on him when the 30/0 big blind cold called the raise. Hmmmm. Now, I decided to just call behind and see what the the flop brought. Well, the first three cards were Q72, which looked pretty safe, especially after the big blind checked. I shoved, and both players called. I figured I was dead....
...except...
...my tens held up and I tripled up! Nice way start the game! I figured I could just coast for a while. Of course the poker gods didn't like my plans, and I was dealt suited anna in in the big blind a lap later. A short stack open shoved from the button and I stupidly called. He turned over ATo, however, and I had him dominated. Flop brought a King, sealing his fate...
...except...
...the turn and river were the Queen and Jack. It looks like this isn't going to be as easy as I thought, especially, when I took another beat a few hands later. Damn, this is going to be a slugfest....
...except....
...I went into patient mode, waited for good situations, and fairly easily won the game. Damn. Poker really can be a game of extremes. It's often been likened to commercial aviation: hours of boredom followed by moments of terror. Up, down, up, down, UP, down, DOWN. Today was one of the UP days. Except when it wasn't.
All-in for now...
-Bug
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