So the WSOP is over, and its back to the grind as they say. A year ago I was playing multi table tournaments at least 5 days a week, usually 6 or 7. Flash forward to now, I am playing 2-3 days a week max. I am very fortunate to be able to play this little and still get by, and I also believe that playing less has made me get some of that fire back that I had when I first started playing poker about three years ago.

      Anyways, I’m going to tell you guys about the Sunday that almost was yesterday..

      I woke up at around 1pm PST, and the plan was to start with the Sunday million. So after I ate a bowl of cereal I started. I played probably around 15 tournaments yesterday, with my main focus on the stars million and the ftp million which was a monthly 500 buy in yesterday. I played some smaller tournaments, and had no success. However I did find myself deep in both the tournaments that mattered. First was the stars million:

      I got off to a good start, having AQ get it in vs. my AA on a Q23 flop, and I held. That took me to about 30k early. From there I just sort of built up without many showdowns. I made some good calls, some good laydowns and at one point was just over a million in chips at 12500 25000 blinds. I then played a weird pot where I raised to about 70k from the CO and received 2 calls, from the button (who was at 1.6 mil) and the SB, who was at 1.2 mil. The flop came AQ7, with 2 diamonds. I had A3o and C bet I think 89k. The button folded and the SB shoved in for 1 mil….

      Needless to say I was not happy with this shove, as the only other time he shoved he showed me KK preflop. I felt like his range was either Kqdd, or a medium to strong ace, something like AT-AJ, because I felt like he would re-raise a better ace preflop. Anyways, after some deliberation I just let it go, I was left with around 700k after that hand. A few hands later I raised QJ suited from early position and received one call from the SB who had 3 million in chips. The flop came T87, with 2 diamonds, and I had QJ of diamonds. This basically was a perfect flop for me as any hand he has I’m likely to be a favorite over. He checked and I bet around 80k and he shoved. I was hoping that he just raised or called so I could get it in with some fold equity but sometimes you just have to take gambles.

      He turned over the ONE hand I did not want to see, the A9dd….. Questionable call out of the SB, but what can I do. So now basically instead of having what I thought was at least a flush draw and a gutshot, which is 13 outs, and hopefully at least AN over, and if I had both over’s I would have 19 outs, which is a clear favorite with 2 cards to come. Not only did I not have my flush draw, but he took away my jack as an out, since it made him a straight. So I went from a guaranteed 13 outs, possible 19 outs to 6 outs. Only a Q or a 9 would save me. The jack hit on the turn and I was drawing to a 9, which he already held one and I missed. It was very unfortunate, I think I was in 12^th place with 200 left or so, but what can you do.

      While that was going on I was still in the ftp million grinding a short stack, and I mean grinding! I had between 10-15 bbs for 2 straight hours, and we had just got into the money. I then doubled AQ vs. KJ, and then re-shoved 25 off suit blind vs. blind, ran into AK, and a lone deuce on the flop sealed it up for me. Now I was up to 30 bbs, and just cruised until like 25 left. During that cruise, there was one interesting hand. There was this guy who was a complete maniac, I’ve never seen someone cold call so many raises, float on the flop, and then just bet then turn when it was checked to him. It was a miracle he did not bust in the time he was at the table. He did manage to build a big stack because nobody was hitting their hands. So the blinds are 2k4k and I have 150k. He raises UTG to 8k, a min raise which he has been doing, he gets 1 caller from MP so I decide to defend out of the bb with 79cc, knowing that if I even hit a pair id probably stack off to him. So the flop comes T72, rainbow. He bets like 16k, MP folds, I call. The turn is a 5, I check he bets 32k and I call. The river is a K, I check yet again and he thinks again and bets 32k again. No hand made sense to me, so I called and he flipped A8, nice bluff sir I win. This took me to like 300k, and I cruised all the way up to 500k or so. I then played a hand kind of bad, where I re-raised with 44 and it came J hi and I bet the flop and check raised AI on the turn and he had AJ, a hand I did not think he would cold call a re-raise with preflop. So the donk won, and I was out in 25^th place.

      Its pretty heartbreaking to get deep in BOTH majors and have nothing really to show for it. But that’s why I play tournaments, the thrill of the endgame and sometimes you cant win.

      Besides poker I’m just relaxing now trying to start eating better and going to the gym more, its really hard to maintain that during the WSOP.

-Matt “Plattsburgh” Vengrin