4pm Finals.

The 1pm Shootout was low as well as there were only 3 tables which meant the 4pm final would be contested with only 18 players in the mix. We started with 5000 in chips and still 20 minute blinds although they inserted a 75/150 level this time and Antes start with the second 100/200 level. My table had 3 players I knew (my friend was on the other table) which I figured was good as I might get alittle more respect from them at the very least. Anyways onto the hands.

Hand 1 25/50 Level

UTG makes it 175 to go and I repop from the cutoff to 425 with AK heart and he calls, the flop comes down 4 9 10 with 2 hearts and he checks, I bet 575 and he folds.

Hand 2 25/50 Level

MP I raise it to 175 with 99 and BB calls, the flop is K 8 7, he checks I bet 250 and he thinks and calls, turn is 3 he checks again and I bet 625 and he folds.

Hand 3 50/100 Level

I raise from the cutoff with KQ to 325 and BB calls and flop comes down K J 2 he checks and I bet 475 and he calls, the turn is another J and he checks again and I check behind the river is 4 and he bets out 600 (which screams VALUE BET to me) I know I am tabling the losing hand but make the call and he tables 33 for a boat.

After hovering around my starting stack I dwindled down to about 4100 without many playable hands, at this point a player at the table started making it 800 to go every hand then would bet out the flop for 1500 (he did the same thing like 6 hands in a row taking down blinds and Antes and any called bets) I decided this was the guy I would try and double through and got lucky the next hand.

Hand 4 150/300 Level

That aggressive player limps from midposition and I have A3 of spades on the button just call hoping to catch something I can push with if he bets the pot again, the small blind completes and BB checks and I hit lightning in a bottle as the flop is K 10 8 of spades, the small and big blind check and he makes it 1200 to go. With 3800 I tank for a minute and decide to flatcall giving him a rope to hang himself, the SB and BB both fold and the turn is the 3 of Spades which I figure is bad for me but he snapbets 4000 I quickly call my last approx 2600ish in chips and table my nutflush, the player was about to muck but the player in seat 2 (Mitch) asked to see his cards and the dealer flipped them to show J10 offsuit.

Hand 5 200/400 75 Ante

We are 5 handed at our table at this point with 11 players left. I pick up AK diamonds UTG and make it 1425 to go and the button calls, the flop is A 6 5, I bet 1700 he tanks and folds.

FINAL TABLE

Top 6 pay, my friend is still alive although short stacked. I have slightly above the average stack with 10800.

We lose a player the 2nd hand in then another 3 hands later.

Hand 6 300/600 100 Ante

I raise to 1525 with AQ from the cutoff and Button calls, the flop is J 9 3 I check and he moves allin for 5K, I fold and he tables KJ.

Pretty much card dead from this point forward with no significant hands and tried to maintain my stack by stealing blinds from the CO and Button. We lost player #8 and my buddy got hit a card rush doubling up back to back hands with AA and 10 10. I was down to around 4000 in chips after getting reraised preflop and folding KQ when we finally lost the 7th player. UTG pushed allin UTG for 4800 and the lady (chipleader) UTG+1 instacalled and everyone folded. He tabled A10 and she had JJ and the board bricked out putting us in the money.

Hand 7 300/600 100 Ante

Right after the bustout hand I picked up 33 and decided to push into the chipleader and she called with A7, the flop came down K 9 10 all clubs and she had the Ace of clubs giving her a shitload of outs, the turn was the Q of clubs and that was it for me, out in 6th for $346. My buddy hung on and once 4 handed a player pushed with 99 for his last 3800, my friend pushed his last 4100 in and the chipleader called with KK and they were both gone after the board came down something like J 10 3 4 5, he finished in 3rd for 806 dollars and that was it.

All in all the format is somewhat decent but if I had known we'd only have 60 total players I probably wouldn't have made the trip, at least with 100 players the prize pool would be decent enough that an in the money finish would be good.

SIDENOTE...

At 7pm the $400 WSOP tournament started, and at about 730pm I noticed BLONDEFISH make his Phil Hellmuth like appearance and finally take his seat... hopefully he did well.