My own Bovada challenge 2pm EST tournament June 1-August 2

**thetrinity** · 06-16-20, 03:42 PM

yeah it was the sister in law, with guy, kid, and baby in tow

actually had some chips early got to about 40k then lost every hand after that pretty much

busted with 17k at 600/1200

button made it 2400 i shoved with k10 small blind he had aj it held

This was a borderline situation. It was about 3/4 of his chips. If he has a big stack, I probably fold because I would expect some more loose calls. I would say the bottom of my range here against most players.

**thetrinity** · 06-17-20, 12:59 PM

june 17 player 4 (buyin 12)

**thetrinity** · 06-17-20, 04:54 PM

21st place (64.53 cash)

I did get a huge break at blinds 400/800 hijack min raised, I was the cutoff and shoved 10k with 55, he had aces, we both flop sets, and turn is the case 5.

Lost a huge race with jj to ak that put me down to 5000 chips at 1250 2500. next hand i was UTG and got jj again, got a call and then another player shoved with kq and I won that. Then i got a8 in the big blind, button shoved (same player with kq) and I called, he had q10, I won and suddenly back to 40k. Didnt get much at all after the money bubble kk once and I took out the short stacked small blind.

At 3000 6000 I shoved a9 suited from the cutoff (49k) and big blind who had been pretty active (same player who beat me in the ak jj hand) calls time (honestly think I'm ahead after he calls time, he has 150000 and its only 43000 more) he calls and has 33, flops a set. I guess the deck was running him over, would have called pretty quick with a pair in that spot myself. I can't complain too much though, thanks to the case 5 earlier.

**thetrinity** · 06-18-20, 12:36 PM

June 18 player 1 buyin 13

**thetrinity** · 06-18-20, 06:15 PM

Had a nice run today got 3rd place (512.25)

Actually, kind of disappointed because I was the chip lead the whole time until 3 handed, although I never quite had half of the chips.

The one guy was really bad and the other was decent, he trapped me with aces when I had k2 bottom pair with a king high flush draw on the turn (just called down), he had the spade covered, so I doubled him up there (board was 10s2x4s flop 6s turn river brick). Never could get a hand against the reckless guy. I ended up with 77 in the big blind (12500/25000) and the aces player shoved preflop (550ish effective, since the other player had that) and I had about 310. I lose the race against a10 with 77 (flop ace). I did kind of get crappy hands at the final table FWIW.

**thetrinity** · 06-19-20, 12:55 PM

June 19 player 7 buy in 14

**thetrinity** · 06-19-20, 02:32 PM

out quick today, never had much going

150/300 down to 5k shoved deuces from the button big blind had a big stack (20K) called with a6 suited flop ace

**thetrinity** · 06-20-20, 12:58 PM

june 20 player 13 buy in 15

**thetrinity** · 06-20-20, 03:49 PM

Busted out at 200/400. Had mediocre hands again. Got ak suited in the big blind (8500). Guy shoves 9 and change from the hijack button calls for 7k. Figure I have a decent chance at tripling up so I call. 77 from the open shove and qq from the button. If I saw kk or aa, I would probably feel silly. Definitely expect to see at least 1 pair though. Don’t improve and bust. At this stage of the tournament, don’t think I’m folding in that spot, but I could see some scenarios later on where I would. Not going to be able to play tomorrow for Father’s Day.

**thetrinity** · 06-22-20, 12:47 PM

June 22 player 9 buyin 16

**thetrinity** · 06-22-20, 07:36 PM

Busted out at 300/600

It was weird tournament, lost about 1/4 of my chips when a9 beat aj on the river, then I was low had a10 beat ak and aq all in.

Back in it, i min raised to 1200 with 10s UTG (7 handed). Next player shoved 9900. I expected a fairly wide range even though this was early position so I call (about 6000 left). He has 88 and flops an 8

Bust 2 hands later cutoff raised I put in my last 5 with kq of hearts he had a7 of clubs it holds.

**JoeCool20** · 06-23-20, 12:47 AM

Thanks for the posts. It reinforces why I just don't play in those things. There is too much freakin luck involved!

Tough luck for you each time bro. I know I repeat myself sometimes, but when a new comment requires the same reply

from me, then I give it again. You have showed what tournament poker is all about. It is so little skill and so much luck!

The winners (and the other top finishers who cash for money) in these things are the one's who got lucky on MOST ALL

of their all ins! And by lucky I mean they held on when they were ahead and didn't get donked, and also when they were

behind and they needed to donk and come from behind to win the hand, they did that too. Over and over until they got

into the money! I just don't believe that I have that kind of luck to play in those things. I'd rather play super turbo and

get the dumb lucky ass shit over with in 5 minutes and see if I am the one who got all the wild luck and won! LOL

**thetrinity** · 06-23-20, 12:21 PM

Thanks for checking in Joe. I dont dispute the amount of luck involved, but you need to put in the volume to lessen the variance. Ive seen plenty of players put it in drawing dead or near dead early when they didnt have to do it in the early stages. The later you get the more luck is involved, because all the big decisions come preflop, and normally players will be at least 25-30%, even on the bad plays.

June 23 player 3 buyin 17

**thetrinity** · 06-23-20, 05:54 PM

7th place (190.43 cash)

I was pretty happy with this considering the average stack to start the final table was 221k and I never got above 150. I did get some big hands early and ran it up to 80k quick (aa vs qq, beat qq with 105 suited from the small blind when he limped in and i turned a flush, qq vs 99 when he didnt have to call IMO). I was extremely card dead after that. The hand that got me into the final table I had ak and beat qq blind vs blind allin preflop, a hand that played itself. That put me to 150 and I was at 100k by the final table. Never got anything else, ended up climbing the ladder then called it off with 67 from the big blind at 8000/16000 (had 50k and was last place) raiser had k10 and it held.

**thetrinity** · 06-24-20, 12:59 PM

June 24 player 8 buyin 18

**thetrinity** · 06-24-20, 02:55 PM

ran into a few hands early never had very much

at 250 500 i had 37 of clubs bb guy min raised i had about a pot size bet left if i call, so i figure i would do a stop n go if i like the flop

the flop was great 10c3x2c i shove 3200 (way under the average at this point) into 2700 he calls with 44 and it holds

**thetrinity** · 06-25-20, 12:45 PM

June 25 player 9 buyin 19, almost at the unofficial halfway point

**thetrinity** · 06-25-20, 07:27 PM

Cooler today

Had about 7500 at 150/300

Raise 22 get 5 calls.

Third to act, flops kx2d5d.

2 checks, I check (this should have been a bet, don't know why I checked, doesn't matter for this hand though) 2 more checks button bets about 2k. 2 folds I shove my last 6700, 1 fold, cutoff puts in about 9500, button calls off rest of his chips (8k and change)

cutoff has ad9d, button has 55. Flush hits on the turn.

I do think the cutoffs play was debatable. He has nothing invested, and he's less than 30 percent if his ace is no good. However, he is about at the starting stack and could reenter if he busts and didn't already reenter. If it's me and I'm him, I'd bet if I was willing to go broke for sure. He is never drawing dead here, so he did have that going for him. I'm going to bust no matter what on this one with the set vs set on that board.

**thetrinity** · 06-26-20, 08:49 AM

June 26 player 3 buyin 20 (will update stats after today)

**JoeCool20** · 06-26-20, 01:37 PM

Originally posted by thetrinity

June 26 player 3 buyin 20 (will update stats after today)

Well it is either going to be that you never really had good hands, or you got donked, or you ran into a cooler,

OR you ran well the whole tourney and got lucky as hell for several hours in a row and placed in the money.

That is what the dumb shit is every time, is one of those things. I just got donked out of the SBR tourney

when some dumbass called my AK all in with KQ offsuit and donked out 10, J, and an Ace on the river to beat me.

I'd never do that dumb shit for real money, because there is no skill involved, in order to win or place in

the money, you just have to be one of the ones who wins EVERY all in coin flip that comes about, you also

have to win every all in that you are ahead on and never get donked out from behind,

and you have to be the one who gets lucky & lucks out several times when you get all in & you are behind.

I wouldn't play for a single dollar of my own real money on all that luck-ass shit having to happen for me to win any $$.

But good luck to you.

**thetrinity** · 06-26-20, 02:34 PM

thanks joe

just had a big laydown preflop

I was BB had QQ 125/250 blinds

UTG+1 makes it 537 (8k), +2 makes it 1034 (9k), I make it about 2500 (want to leave myself room here, have 13k)

UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 makes it 5300, I fold

If he shoves, I call on this one, although I don't like it. Pretty sure he always has aces on this hand. Multiple mini raises in early position from a guy who had been playing minimal hands.

**thetrinity** · 06-26-20, 02:40 PM

Ugh had a sick loss, guy calls a bet with bottom pair on the turn (no draw and a player behind) and rivers trips. Don't have time to get the hand history right now, but it was awful. He min raised 38 suited under the gun and got running 3s. First time my heads spinning so far. I will dig up the hand history on this one when I do the update.

**thetrinity** · 06-26-20, 02:54 PM

Busted out.

250/500 was down to 3600.

guy shoves in the hijack for 7k, i got 88 on the button call, idiot from the 38 hand calls in the small blind (has a ton of chips at this point)

a6 from the shove a8 from the other guy river ace (no other outs), I would have been right back in it if I win that.

**thetrinity** · 06-27-20, 10:57 AM

Originally posted by thetrinity

Ugh had a sick loss, guy calls a bet with bottom pair on the turn (no draw and a player behind) and rivers trips. Don't have time to get the hand history right now, but it was awful. He min raised 38 suited under the gun and got running 3s. First time my heads spinning so far. I will dig up the hand history on this one when I do the update.

I have the hand history but I can't figure out how to copy it, but this is the most detailed description I can give.

Stacks

UTG 15333, HJ 28896, BB (me) 11332

Blinds 150/300 30 ante

utg 600, hj call, i call KsJd

flop AdJc4h checks

turn 3c I bet 1095 (half pot), UTG calls, HJ folds pot now 4280

river 3d I check UTG bets 3090 I call, he shows 3h8h

I think for the most part he would usually show up with an ace that was played tricky, or a missed flush draw. I didn't have any clubs so I figured that was a little more likely he had the clubs. Had a hard time finding a 3 that made any real sense. It looked like the best card in the deck aside from the jack.

**ChuckyTheGoat** · 06-27-20, 11:56 AM

Originally posted by thetrinity

thanks joe

just had a big laydown preflop

I was BB had QQ 125/250 blinds

UTG+1 makes it 537 (8k), +2 makes it 1034 (9k), I make it about 2500 (want to leave myself room here, have 13k)

UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 makes it 5300, I fold

If he shoves, I call on this one, although I don't like it. Pretty sure he always has aces on this hand. Multiple mini raises in early position from a guy who had been playing minimal hands.

Very good insight. Tournaments have played out so much. To win NOW, I do think u have to make this kind of hand-read.

Like u say, what other hand bets those sizes? Small re-raise after action in front is super-strong. He's saying that he has a made hand that's good on any flop (IE, AA).

I have seen some Monster Folds by top pros...and they're usually right. I saw Kanit lay down QQ on a late-game situation...and opponent had bigger pair. Also saw Tom Marchese lay down KK pre-flop when faced w/ re-raise by Jen Tilly...and she had AA.

**ChuckyTheGoat** · 06-27-20, 11:57 AM

All that said, I think u have to be a samurai to lay down premium hands pre-flop (AK, JJ+). I mean, there have to be some spots where u have to be right.

**ChuckyTheGoat** · 06-27-20, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by thetrinity

I have the hand history but I can't figure out how to copy it, but this is the most detailed description I can give.

Stacks

UTG 15333, HJ 28896, BB (me) 11332

Blinds 150/300 30 ante

utg 600, hj call, i call KsJd

flop AdJc4h checks

turn 3c I bet 1095 (half pot), UTG calls, HJ folds pot now 4280

river 3d I check UTG bets 3090 I call, he shows 3h8h

I think for the most part he would usually show up with an ace that was played tricky, or a missed flush draw. I didn't have any clubs so I figured that was a little more likely he had the clubs. Had a hard time finding a 3 that made any real sense. It looked like the best card in the deck aside from the jack.

That's pure bullshit. Actually, the only 3x hand worth considering is A3(s)...so he would have to have a boat. And light action b4 would seem impossible.

Turn/River running trips are gross. If opponent needs to catch TWICE + they do, how do u put them on that hand? Have seen tournament hands like that, where it looks so polarized. Who would rep trips there, if they didn't have it?

**thetrinity** · 06-27-20, 12:06 PM

20 buy in update

20 more buyins minimum (should get there, only 1 reentry so far)
want 1 win (Had 1 really good chance)
made 2 final tables, want at least 2 more (on pace, one of the 2 I really had to navigate my way, wouldn't say I was a threat to win that one)
6 cashes, going for a minimum of 10 (I think I will get this barring a really bad run)

Up 280.95 (trying to win 600) This is the most important stat. Right about on pace to do this so far.

Probably going to try and keep track a little more from now on. I don't really see much I'll do differently. I'll post hands as much as I can.

**thetrinity** · 06-27-20, 12:14 PM

Originally posted by ChuckyTheGoat

That's pure bullshit. Actually, the only 3x hand worth considering is A3(s)...so he would have to have a boat. And light action b4 would seem impossible.

Turn/River running trips are gross. If opponent needs to catch TWICE + they do, how do u put them on that hand? Have seen tournament hands like that, where it looks so polarized. Who would rep trips there, if they didn't have it?

Ace 3 he has 2 pair, so I would expect a raise for sure on the turn, for any 2 pair hand actually especially with a pair behind. MAYBE a set, but that always seems like it would be a raise on the turn with a player behind. I thought I would see a busted flush draw, aceq/k, full house in that order. No reason to call anything with the 3 except maybe 23 or 35, since he also has a gutshot. So often, he could hit and still be behind (especially with the 8). You don't want to make calls where if you improve you could still be behind, that's basic poker IMO. I would probably laugh it off if he has 23 or 35, but this is really bad play, especially since he's not even closing the action.

**thetrinity** · 06-27-20, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by ChuckyTheGoat

Very good insight. Tournaments have played out so much. To win NOW, I do think u have to make this kind of hand-read.

Like u say, what other hand bets those sizes? Small re-raise after action in front is super-strong. He's saying that he has a made hand that's good on any flop (IE, AA).

I have seen some Monster Folds by top pros...and they're usually right. I saw Kanit lay down QQ on a late-game situation...and opponent had bigger pair. Also saw Tom Marchese lay down KK pre-flop when faced w/ re-raise by Jen Tilly...and she had AA.

Yeah, I'm about 100% sure that was AA everytime, not even KK, I would think he would shove that everytime. The fact all the other action that happened was in early position makes me even more sure. To be honest, I may have folded KK there, but that's much harder to fold than QQ, but I really felt like he might as well have flipped up his aces there.

**thetrinity** · 06-27-20, 12:37 PM

June 27 buy in 21 player 5

Not sure about tomorrow if I can play, kinda sucks I always got things to do on Sunday.

**ChuckyTheGoat** · 06-27-20, 01:29 PM

Originally posted by thetrinity

Cooler today

Had about 7500 at 150/300

Raise 22 get 5 calls.

Third to act, flops kx2d5d.

2 checks, I check (this should have been a bet, don't know why I checked, doesn't matter for this hand though) 2 more checks button bets about 2k. 2 folds I shove my last 6700, 1 fold, cutoff puts in about 9500, button calls off rest of his chips (8k and change)

cutoff has ad9d, button has 55. Flush hits on the turn.

I do think the cutoffs play was debatable. He has nothing invested, and he's less than 30 percent if his ace is no good. However, he is about at the starting stack and could reenter if he busts and didn't already reenter. If it's me and I'm him, I'd bet if I was willing to go broke for sure. He is never drawing dead here, so he did have that going for him. I'm going to bust no matter what on this one with the set vs set on that board.

Tough hand. Cooler, for sure.

Flop can maybe be checked w/o 2 diamonds. Even then, 222 is dangerous to set over set.

**thetrinity** · 06-27-20, 03:12 PM

Busted at 300/600

Had about 10500 QQ button

Min raise UTG MP shoves like 25k I call, UTG folds.

He has AK flop ace.

**ChuckyTheGoat** · 06-27-20, 05:53 PM

Originally posted by thetrinity

Busted at 300/600

Had about 10500 QQ button

Min raise UTG MP shoves like 25k I call, UTG folds.

He has AK flop ace.

Do u have any rule of thumb on how to play AK(o) in short-stack situations?

What I mean by that. I would almost never fold AK(s) pre-flop. I would also almost never fold pocket pair QQ+, even JJ.

If there is significant action in front of me + I'm holding AK(o), I feel like I'm up against it. Even worse, a 3-way all-in may be staring at Pocket Pair vs AK vs your AK. So, you're drawing to a chop...and you're drawing thin to even get that.

**JoeCool20** · 06-27-20, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by ChuckyTheGoat

Do u have any rule of thumb on how to play AK(o) in short-stack situations?

What I mean by that. I would almost never fold AK(s) pre-flop. I would also almost never fold pocket pair QQ+, even JJ.

If there is significant action in front of me + I'm holding AK(o), I feel like I'm up against it. Even worse, a 3-way all-in may be staring at Pocket Pair vs AK vs your AK. So, you're drawing to a chop...and you're drawing thin to even get that.

All you can do is play as hard as you can and do what you know is right. AND THEN the shitty thing is that you have to

hold on from ahead and get lucky from behind OVER and OVER on the all ins during a tournament to win anything.

It's just frustrating and dumb luck to me. And I'd never play for real $$ and put myself through that kind of torture.

Maybe one of his posts one day soon will say: "YES today I won! Because finally today every time I got it all in

when I was ahead, I stayed ahead, and when I was behind, I lucked out the card(s) I needed to win!"

But then where is his bankroll? Right back near where he started? Who the hell needs that aggravation? I don't.