It was a 10$ rebuy satellite and 67 players got a ticket, including me.
There is actually 1,5 million guaranteed now, but most players still refer to it as the Sunday million.
Playing the Sunday million
At the start of the Sunday million tournament I pick up 2-2.
I have decided to be aggressive today, and try to build a big stack early in the tournament so I have something to work with.
Blinds are 25-50 and early position raises to 150. I call it in middle position and button raises to 650.
The original raiser now folds, and I call. I think he’s on a big pair, and if I flop a set then there is a good chance that I can bust him.
Flop doesn’t hit me and he bets almost the pot, and I’m out.
Starting stack is 10.000, and now I have 9000 left.
The 2nd hand is played 30 min into the tournament when I pick up “the speed limit” 5-5
Blinds are 200-100 and I limb in, but get a raise to 600. I call the 400 more. The flop doesn’t improve my hand, so I’m out when he bets on the flop.
The hand after I look at A-K in early position, and I raise it to 600. Middle position comes with a reraise and makes it 2250. There are situations where I would throw this hand away now, but with the tactic I use today, I move all in after thinking for a bit. I’m ok with a coin flip, and he could also hold A-K. Off course there is always the chance of bring up against A-A or K-K, but paranoia wont get you a tournament victory.
He doesn’t think long, and mucks his hand. Not a play that I had expected, and I’m now up to 10.500
Hitting 20.000
In the next hand I play, I make a risky play. I pick up A-K in early position and smooth call it, hoping for a reraise. Everybody folds to BB who raises it up. I move all in, and it doesn’t take long before he calls and shows 10-10. I got myself a race, and with a beautiful ace on the flop, I take the lead and win the pot.
I have now doubled up to 20.000, and nothing more happens before we go on break.
Blinds start at 200-400 and the first hand I play is 8-8 in early position. I raise the pot to 1200 and get one caller.
Flop comes 5-6-j and I bet half the pot 1500, and get a quick call.
The pot is now 6000 and the opponent has 5800 left, so I shoot 6000 and take down the pot there.
The stack is now 22.100 and not much happens the next 20 min. I get 6-6 that I raise with and win the blinds. Two hands later I get K-K and raise it up, but only win the blinds.
Hitting 30.000
It’s not until just before the next break that anything comes up.
Small pots have been stolen, but I have dropped to 14.600
I look at the beautiful aces, and then see the player under the gun move all in right away, with a little more chips than I have. I call (of course) and he shows the queens. Aces are good, and I now have 30.000
The hand right after this I get pocket nines in the big blind. It comes down to small blind, who calls and I raise the pot to 3000. I regret this decision right away, because of the player I’m up against. He has been playing pretty aggressive, and called a lot of reraises preflop. Knowing that he will probably call, I would have checked it instead. He’s a tough player to bluff, and also a player capable of making a move on me with nothing, so if I don’t hit a set the hand could get nasty.
It’s too late though, and he calls my raise.
Flop comes 6-7-A and I bet 3000 thinking he would have raised me preflop with any ace, and he folds.
The laydown
After the break the blinds are now 1000-500, and
the first hand I play is 10-10.
A player under the gun raises to 3000 and I call it on the button, and we go heads up to the flop.
Flop comes 4-4-8, a good flop for my hand at first sight and I bet 3000.
He now raises to 9000 and I think there is a pretty good chance that I’m up against an over pair here. If he was making a move with A-K I think he would have pushed the whole stack. I surrender, and fold the hand.
First beating
I now have 29.000 left and not long after i get A-K.
A player that has been pretty tight moves all in with 17.000 chips.
It’s 17 times the big blind, and I really don’t think he’s making this move with AA or KK.
I think about this or a long time, and end up calling.
There is a big chance that I’m up against a medium pair, and a small chance that I have his ace dominated if he has a smaller kicker.
I have him covered, and if I loose I will still have 13.000.
To my surprise he turns over q-9 and an evil nine hit the flop and I don’t improve.
This is what can happen sometimes. A player who has build up a tight image and starts to steal in the later rounds. I didn’t put him on that hand though.
The second and last beating
I’m now back to square one after posting the blinds, I only got 10.000 left on the button. I look at q-10 and with 2700 in the pot and everybody folding, I push the rest of my chips.
I think it’s better to go all in with q-10 than with a-6.
There is a bigger chance that if you do get called you will be up against ace with a bigger kicker, if I get a call there is a good chance for 6 live cards.
It’s a dream scenario though when big blind calls the all in and shows q-6.
The flop is blank, but the evil poker gods pull a 6 on the turn and I’m out.