5 june, $350k guaranteed pp, tournament log.

[WatersR 0]

Just for kicks, I'm going to post my thoughts as I play, which I've never done before. I am a reasonably successful tournament player with about a dozen final tables this year. I have my holes, so if anyone cares, I'd love to hear commentary. Also, is anyone else playing this one today? I've never had any real success in buyins over $50, but I have the bankroll and am constantly looking to change that

[Vade 0]

Sure, reading hand histories with commentaries can be fun

[WatersR 0]

Partypoker hit the guarantee number of registrants with 8 minutes left in registration. I'm really not drawn to these tournaments because of the guarantee -- they know the participation that they'll get and never seem to need to put up any additional cash...The final tables that I've made have all been with less then 1000 players (usually 700-1000). I think I'm pretty patient, but 2000 player fields are always going to be trying. We should still hit the money around level 11 or 12, which is the normal time in my experience, so I'm going to try to play my normal game. During the bubble, I'm usualyl VERY aggressive, especially if I have a significant chiplead at my table. The fact that the payout for the bubble is a lot more shouldn't deter my strategy. I'm still trying to win, and not just eke into the money. I need to remember not to tangle with the big stack, which is my biggest problem. Registration just closed with 1996 players. Pays down to 220th.220=$27960=$99810=$39921=$83832I drew table 198. I hope I'm not breaking once a level here....I really like to get into a groove at my table. I do know one player at my table to be a decent, but not too tough player. As the 3rd table to break, I'm not really thinking about that though...

[WatersR 0]

Level 1 (10/15 blinds)1st hand: Middle position, J9o. Fold.2nd hand: Early position, 105o. Fold.3rd hand: UTG, 68s. Fold.4th hand: BB, JTs. Everyone folds to me. Weird.5th hand: SB 4To. EP standard raise, 3 callers, including BB, but not me.6th hand: Button, 9Jo. Fold to a minimum raise.Table breaks. I am moved to tabe 43, into the Big Blind. 2 players have doubled up, but they aren't in terribly threatening position to me.7th Hand: BB, Q3o. Fold to a raise to 60.

[WatersR 0]

8th hand: SB, J6o. Button calls, and I complete. Flop comes down 886. I bet 45 and they both fold.9th hand: Button, 7To, Fold to a raise.I know EmilSTD here. We were heads up at the end of a smaller MTT last month. I played poorly and he won.10th hand: CO, KQo. One limper, and I bring in for a standard raise. BB and limper call. Flop comes down KT6, two hearts. Check to me and I bet 120 and pick up the pot.11th hand: CO+1, A8o. Fold.

[WatersR 0]

Not posting every hand. Too much work nobody cares I bet either. One key hand in Level 1.Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converterUTG (t1680)UTG+1 (t1500)Hero (t1785)MP1 (t725)MP2 (t1780)MP3 (t1255)CO (t1450)Button (t1765)SB (t3520)BB (t2525)Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with [Ts], [Ks]. 1 fold, Button calls t15, SB completes, BB checks.Flop: (t72.50) [Kd], [4c], [6s] (5 players)SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets t75, Button calls t75, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 folds.Turn: (t222.50) [Tc] (2 players)Hero checks, Button checks.River: (t222.50) [6d] (2 players)Hero checks, Button bets t150, Hero calls t150.Final Pot: t522.50Results in white below: Hero has Ts Ks (two pair, kings and tens). Button has Qc 6c (three of a kind, sixes). Outcome: Button wins t522.50. I'm not sure why he called my bet on the flop. That's why I figured he wasn't on a 6 and I called. Any thoughts? Don't limp with K10s? I have been playing more hands than I like to.

[tskillz187 0]

clearly you have to put in a bet on that turn, not just from hindsight but in MTT's i dont like getting tricky early, just bet your hand that is good confidently, i like all the posts, i wouldnt mind seeing every hand or close to it

[....Ian.... 0]

what # table are you on?

[closetwin 0]

The complete listing was awsome, I thought...obviously too much work for you, though.I'd say you played it pretty well. I agree the turn deserved a bet.CT

[Ellis 0]

I think you exhibited good discipline on that last hand. I might have raised with 2 pair and then you run into trouble. As for K10suited, it's one of those hands I have a weakness for. If it's cheap, you might call in that position but don't expect to get much out of it. I think it's generally good strategy to keep pots fairly small absent a hand of trips or better early on.

[WatersR 0]

Table 43thanks for the comment. My thinking was that after calling my pot sized bet on the flop, he'd attempt to pick up the pot on the turn. He's been playing poorly in every hand I've observed, but the more I watch, his errors are typical -- too much calling (not as much bluffing as you may expect to see).I laid down 44 in a middle position to an UTG raise (what I usually do). Would have been a nice pot. I am still up in chips because of some well placed bets. Still a lot of time to wait for my hand and get a better feel for the table I'll be at for quite some time (I hope). The onlt hand I've really put any chips in of late was about 15 hands ago. Some aggression is coming out, so I'm looking forward to some cards.

[WatersR 0]

I'll post more hands, but in a slightly more concise format:BB: A3o. Button raises after a BIG pause. I consider defending, but think better of it at this stage.SB: 32o. two limpers, so I complete. Flop is a gutshot draw, all spades. Fold to BBButton: K3o. fold. Two pair come down. I honestly don't care. Nut flush takes it. CO: J3s. fold.The best hand I've seen so far was QQ, which I limped in with early. I was prepared to reraise a small raise, but it didn't happen and when a King flopped, I was gone. This is how I play QQ-TT at this stage.CO+1: A2o. fold.MP3: 9Jo. fold.MP2: 5To. fold.MP1: A4s. I limp in and the call a small raise from an aggressive player (after our friend in the cutoff also calls). The flop comes down 975. I check and raise his (automatic) bet and he folds. Nice pot. He bets automatically after his frequent raises and that board was total bricks for him. Hope not to run into a big pair of his though.UTG+1: garbage, I folded while writing that last one.UTG: Jack something. fold.

[WatersR 0]

BB: 27o. 2 limpers and I check. Flop comes QT6. Fold to a pot sized bet.SB: 7To. Fold to a standard raise. (and in fact, a reraise, it turns out) The player who beat me in a tournament last month is out.Button: AJo. Fold to a big raise with one caller in middle position. It is reraised after I fold and there is no flop.CO: 95o. Fold.CO+1: Q6o. Fold.MP2: 85o. Fold.MP1: Q6o. Fold.UTG+1: A9o. Fold.1st break, chipcount: 1810. Not bad consideringthe dearth of quality hands. If I had blown my opposition out of the hand where I lost about 300 chips, I'd be in a lot better shape with the average nearing 2000. I am still up 310, but I certainly like to have a lot more and will want to see a key hand in the next 2 or 3 levels.

[WatersR 0]

Level 4 (25/50) Blinds.UTG: K9o. Fold.BB: 25o. Fold to a standardish raise.SB: J4o. 3 limpers so I complete. Flop comes J92. I fire out a pot sized (2oo at a 250 pot) bet and pick it up.Button: 47s. FoldCO: KJo. Fold to a standard raise. CO+1: 48s. Fold.

[WatersR 0]

That ended up a hige hand with flush over flush putting the aggressive player to my left at over 5500 chips. I'm concerned about that development. I expect he'll be overbetting some pots though, and If I wake up to something great, I should be able to profit. However, I'll have to tighten up, which means I'll be relying more on the cards than I had to to survive thus far.MP3: A7o. Fold.MP2: 96o. Fold.MP1: A7o. Fold.UTG+1: 57o. Fold.BB (due to elimination): J2o. 3 limpers and I check flop 882. Which I check and fold.SB: 77. 2 limpers, I complete. The flop is A94 all diamonds. I check and fold.Button: J3s. Fold.

[TJ_Eckleburg 0]

This is a cool idea.I don't think I like the KT limp in EP, even for 15. I realize Partypoker's structure is so agressive, it's still a somewhat defensible play... but when I play MTT's, trap hands in early position are absolute tournament killers.

[sirch1 0]

almost to chip average

[WatersR 0]

CO: K4o. Fold.CO+1: 54o. Fold.MP3: 72o. Fold.MP2: K9s. Fold to a standard raise. TT knocks out AA when he picks up Tens full (of nines it turns out) MP1: A3o. Fold.Level 5 (50/100)UTG+1. ATs. Standard raise. I am Reraised all-in from the blinds and I fold. Unable to cash in on (I'd expect) a reputation as a tight player. UTG: 5Ts. Fold.BB: Q3o. Fold to what looks like s steal from the button.SB: QKo. One limper followed by a standard raise, which I call. The limper folds. I check to the raiser after a flop of K75. He bets 400 and I raise all in. He folds.I feel a lot better about my chips now, but I have work to do.Button: 92o. Fold.

[TJ_Eckleburg 0]

What a huckle with QJ. That was funny.

[WatersR 0]

CO: 37o. Fold.CO+1: 37s. Fold.MP3: 36o. Fold. this is why I'm playing stuff like KQ against a raise out of position. :evil: MP2: JQo. FOLD. that's better. the board does finish out Q high though. Interestingly, JQo UNDER THE GUN loses to a straight. I like when that happens.MP1: K8o. fold.

[WatersR 0]

UTG+1: J7o. Fold.UTG: 52o. Fold.BB: 36o. Receive a gift of the small blind.SB: K6o. It folds to me, and I fold too. Sticking to my plan to stay away from the chip leader.Button: 53o. Fold.CO: 5To. Fold.CO+1: 48o. Fold.MP3: KQo. Fold to an all-in of 1284 on my right.MP2: QQ. I put in a standard raise which is called by the big stack. The flop comes A high. I fire out 500 and win the pot.MP1: J2o. Fold.UTG+1: K3o. Fold. Hoping I can pick up the BB before level 6. But this hand goes slowly.UTG: KQo. I limp in, which seems questionable to me given my stack. One more limper and the BB checks. The flop comes AT8. I put in a small bet, am raised, and fold. That was a disaster. Waste of 300 chips.Level 6 (75/150)BB: K5s folded to SB, who pushes all in, and I fold.SB: K4o. Fold.

[musky7 0]

i am in this trny as well. things are going pretty well. chip count at 6945 currently. many a hand yet to be played.

[sirch1 0]

how do you know what everyone had?

[whilden 0]

good stuff, cant wait to see what you had on the qq6 flop

[TJ_Eckleburg 0]

Good job.When I first joined this forum, my first post was a huge 1300 word article about how I play MTT's.Since then I've played looser in the early stages than what my post says (but only because I advocated uber-discipline tightness). But I still feel very strongly that the difference between good tournament players and great tournament players is blind-stealing... especially partypoker tournaments.I'm always looking for feedback from winning tournament players. I'd really appreciate it if you took some time to comment on it. I realize you're pretty busy playing and posting, but whenever you get a chance.http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/poker-foru...5927&highlight=EDIT: I really hope you didn't just fold a king.