Interesting Final Table

I finished 4th last night out of 219 players in the UB $100. The tournament started with me getting hit by the deck ... lots of KK and QQ and a few AA. Trips a few times. Plus I was often getting action and my hands were holding up. Then I went thru the normal spell of not getting much. With about 45 to go (top 30 paid), I was getting low but chipped up to the middle. Then with 20 to go, I chipped up again and went into the final table 2nd or 3rd in chips, but it was pretty even in chip counts overall.

The final table featured AngryClec, Colson10, and Sailorlobell -- yikes. Plus there was a number of players I didn't know much about but I had played with them much of the night and they certainly playing very strong I thought. Everyone was aggressive. What fun for a rock like me. On the final table, I thought only one player was just happy to move up -- everyone else wanted to win.

First, Colson10, who is ranked #10 at Pocketfives, and I can see why. He joined my table maybe with 30 or 40 to go and was a bit low in chips. He soon chipped up and up and up, mostly with positional play. I can't tell you how impresssed I was in his game. Fearless yet smart ... a very powerful combination. He became chip leader but took a hit before the final table. At the final table he almost immediately took out SailorLobell (I believe it was QQ vs JJ or something like that) and was chip leader again.

Colson then went on a long run where he disappeared. I can only assume he went really card dead.

As for me, it was mostly an easy table to play. In the first 30 hands, I played all of TWO hands ... winning one and folding JJ when the flop was A K 10 and the guy bet out. During this run, I had only three other hands I considered playing but amazingly they were all Under The Gun -- 66, 55, and A 10 off. I folded them all and in 2 of the cases the hands were raised and reraised preflop and one was just raised minimum. Pretty straightforward.

During this time, AngryClec became the huge chip leader. He really played fantastic. As always he pushed and pushed and early on won two races to double up twice. But people don't give him credit for playing smart too ... he laid down hands serveral times when he smelled a rat. I eventually got a big hand against him and he choose that time not to push. Not sure how he knows. I suspect he was looking at my cards.

I then had three key hands against AngryClec. First, I was in the big blind and he was to my immediate left. He raised up the blinds big (something like 11k) and it was a bit more than he had raised before and I suspected a big pair. I called with AK and the flop came Q x x and he bets pot. I was forced to fold and he showed AQ. I was told after that hand by a pro that I should have reraised all-in preflop. I have a lot to learn.

Then I raised with 10 10 and Clec comes way over the top and I fold.

Finally, I have 66 and limp, Clec raises up big and I call. I was getting a bit desperate. The flop is perfect, A J 6. I check, he bets out, I go allin and he calls with AK and my trips hold. This gets me to the final four.

Another important hand for me around this time was when Colson goes all-in and I call with AQ. He flips 44 and they hold. If I win that race it's a whole new ball game.

I finally get low four handed and go all in from the SB when it folds to me with I think KQ (it's a blur, something like that) and Angry makes a very loose call with 6 9. He had a ton of chips but I think he should have folded it ... I wasn't that low. Of course, Angry and I have a running "thing" about me (or anyone) playing hands with him heads up (rule #2 ... see earlier blogs). I have, for the record, beaten Angry from time to time, but he has taken me out of a bunch of tournaments with just terrible hands -- and for some reason he often hits trips to do it. Well, he doesn't get trips this time! The flop comes with two 9s and one more hits for quads. GG me.

It was well after 2am when Colson went out JJ vs QQ and it was AngryClec vs soccplayer07 heads up. Socc played a very strong, aggressive final table. He was the master of the re-raise and I was sure I could trap him at some point but we rarely got in a hand together.

Well, things don't go well for Angry and he's soon down something like 4 or 5 to one in chips. I just had to go to bed but I made a nice bet with a buddy that Angry would win it (getting 2-1). I woke up this morning and AngryClec finished first. Ship it! Thank you AC and very well done. It's nice to make a good cash and win more with a side bet.
;-)

AC, if you get a chance, please post a comment on how the heads up went.

Don't know how much I'll be playing over the holidays. Good luck all!