I have spoken on early final table play, I have alluded to middle play, and a full analysis of final table play really will require more than this blog, as lengthy as it might become, but I can at least introduce some "conventional" approaches to final table play and, of course, some of the concepts of how PokerMonster explodes the conventional approaches, in this case, to heads up victory.
(Finally! I was one hungry monster, being the bride's maid two weeks straight in August. C is for Cookie, that's good enough for me, but 1st buys a LOT MORE COOKIES!!!!!!!!!!).
The bubble ended just at the end of the level, so we get a little break and a fresh 1000/2000/300 level to start. I get 4th position and have 22000 chips for an average stack. Our current chip leaders include Phil Ivory, whose knockout with AA to burst the bubble chipped him up around 40,000, and another player named Terry who had similarly sucked a player in holding AA at the same table.
Let's talk about Terry a bit. Terry is a solid player, hard to put him on a hand, very aggressive. We have been at tables before. He can bet large and you simply won't know who's in charge.
ABBA has made it with a modest 17,000 stack. There are a few others with average chips, and your standard 3 short stacks.
Here is one key difference between the casino game and the online $100+9. With an average stack of 20000 to 25000, depending on the number of starting players, and typical starting level of 1000/2000, the leisurely blinds and relative resulting conservative play of my online fave usually means that the bubble fell on merit, two big hands racing, rather than mere desperation. There is, as a result, a typical starting level more like 500/1000, and with the resulting relative leisurely pace of the level raises, there is more time to find a hand online. Even a bigger online tourney with a lower buy in and the typical 1500 starting chips/12 minute levels
will usually see a final table more in range of an average stack at 20x rather than the 10x the BB we see at the casino. As a result, the casino final is an action table, and will complete within 50-60 hands unlike the 100-180 hands I've experienced online.
We have also seen PokerMonster catch large early at the casino final table as a matter of course, and this will be no exception. I have the honour of busting out three of the first four. #1 went out in the second hand after folding from the BB in hope two other all-ins would land him in 9th, but the shorter stack doubled, and the SB killed #1 next hand.
My starting position is poor, and I have the BB on hand 3, but I have been getting nice hands in the blinds, and this is no exception. Short stack #2, a nice lady named Karen who I nicknamed "chip and a chair" just before her last desperate double up with nothing more than the BB in the BB, has put her 4200 chips in early, and Phil Ivory, who is now across from the table from me, simply calls. Play folds to me and I look down at JJ.
There are two schools of thought here. Slow play and check down to ensure #9 hits the rail, but I have a nice hand here, I think Phil's mere call is a weak call with a modest hand like a small PP, and I would like to win this pot, TYVM. I push all-in once again on Phil's (coincidental) 4200 investment (you will recall its his favorite stealing price). He folds pretty quickly, and seems at this time a little put off by my pushing him around, but it is clear I had the better hand to show down with here, and JJ survives Lady Chip N' Chair's AQ though the river for a nice starting pot of 12000 plus recovery of my BB.
Play will come around eventually until again I am one ahead of UTG when short stack #3, a chubby, ugly, bearded, overly talkative guy who had been at the table with ABBA and I, and was consistently raising to open with any A in any position, and then showing his one ace, puts his 15000 in UTG. I wake up to AJ spades and announce "I'm over the top", and push my chips in.
I can make this move quickly and with certainty in such early position because:
- I have played with all these players at both tables leading to the final and they know I will push with a legitimate hand, and with hand I know is ahead. It will take a very strong call to call me;
- UTG almost certainly has a weak ace, and I have a strong ace. A better ace at this table is unlikely, AA much more unlikely, and since I have shown off QQ so many times, JJ might even fold;
- The rest of the table is happy to see either UTG bust out resulting in a move up in the money, or a very good and aggressive player (that's me) get a big chunk knocked out of him while chipping up a clearly weaker player.
- As a result of my knowledge, I can make this move with the confidence necessary to scare off even JJ. QQ might very well come a-calling, but hey, I'm sooted.
Shortly after this, in fact when I am next on the button, our young Phil Ivory, UTG, raises to 6000. And he has a familiar look on his face. I know that look. He has K's in his eyes. The field folds to me, and I wake up, with, blessed saints! Rockets in the Pockets!
I am certain Phil has KK, because there was a look of disappointment with each fold, and anticipation when I reach for chips. I decide to follow my own advice. I simply call to avoid any indication of strength, as if I either need to see a flop or intend to use position to outplay the young Sith apprentice.
I know Phil is tired of laying down to my big bets, tired of being outplayed by me, and I know he will bet on any flop without an A and since I have AA, those leftover Aces and Kare 5% each of the remaining deck and only 11% likely to produce an A high flop or a K high flop each. I will lay down to a K high flop because I KNOW he has KK: not QQ, not AK, not JJ. KK. You know I know.
I am a full 80% to take advantage for all his chips, and only I know it. Phil has played very well, he is a very talented young player, but fatigue from a lack of experience and poker stamina have weakened his poker face. I am in the zone, I am lively, and I know he wants a piece of my fat stack. He will be happy to take down the small pot, but I know this will be a big pot.
The flop is perfect, 8 high, no draws, and with 16,000 in the pot, Phil bets 12,000. I do not hesitate to raise him all in, because I know he'll call, and show me KK. And he does, and PokerMonster rakes in another 30,000 for a fat chip lead of 85,000 or so.
I know Phil Ivory has learned much from the PokerMonster, and I expect him to take a stab at ol' Grundel again loaded with fresh weapons. He has much to learn of the dark side of the force, he does.
ABBA will fall out of the picture next, leaving us with 5 stacks, me in the lead, but all healthy. With plenty of chips, I will weather weaker cards, and a few caught steals while action occurs elsewhere. This is an opportunity to observe my opponents. On one steal attempt, the player to my immediate left in the SB responds to my move with A7, with a rapid all-in, and I will have to fold, knowing has a good PP, and he will show 10 10. I will attempt one more knockout with 66 and double up the same shortie catching and A. I will raise 9000 more to Terry in the BB with A3 to have Terry make the call and make a great move on me all in post flop on a 3 -4 7 board (if he didn't I would have). I show him the 3 only as I muck the A.
The player to my right is interesting. He catches a critical double up trapping the left player (Terry's between the two BTW, just so you get where the table seating is at), and I am seeing how these players play as a result. My man to the right will expose some serious mistakes and tells on this hand, as well as some simplicity to his play. He's no dummy and no rookie, but there is an ABC element to his short final table play. Let's call him, uh, jeez, he needs name, he's a bit dour....how about Grumpy Smurf.
Grumpy Smurf has a bad habit and a tell. His bad habit is to look at his cards before his turn to act. When the man to the left made a big raise, Terry spent some time in the tank, and Grumpy Smurph sat in a statue-like state, unable to move, with his cards partially raised off the felt in his hand near the yellow line like he's ready to muck, or ready to turn them over and show them down. And he has this intense stare as he plays statue, and there is like, electricity coming off the guy.
Left man will eventually call Grumpy's all in, and show down A8 to Grumpy's 10 10. Grumpy was clearly itching to pounce, but he caught his man. And he proudly announces to the table that he was deliberately acting like he was ready to muck to get action. I tell him I could feel the buzz coming off of him. He didn't fool me none.
So, soon after this, with Grumpy now the chip leader, Left man and Terry, foolishly, in my view, go heads up and all-in holding A7 to the left and A6 to the right, Terry sucks out his 6 and we are three-handed, I am down to 45,000 chips and I am in third. My only hand since busting Phil was a similar slowplay with AA in the BB, with 2000/4000 blinds, Terry had raised to 10,000 and, feeling a need to play my AA different this time, simply minraise to 16000. A pretty obvious play really, but it helped define Terry's hand as a hand worth playing when he called, and he did not fall into any traps to my flop check on a 10 high flop, or my 15000 bet into the 35000 pot when the turn paired the 7 on the flop. Had he caught his K or Q or whatever overcard, who knows, but I stalled after that and watched Terry and Grumpy gamble and chip up.
A few hands later, when I folded K6 from the button, and the two checked down with nothing against a flop of K68, I lamented my hand and told them of my K6. They were surprised I didn't play it. I know many consider K high to be a strong hand very short handed, and to an extent, it is, and it was nice to know these two opponents shared the same opinion. I will turn this knowledge into power.
I know my two opponents think ANY ACE OR ANY KING is AN ALL IN HAND. Good to know.
HERE'S THE SHORT VERSION OF THE POKER MONSTER THEORY OF "ANY ACE" in a three or 4 handed game.
- Any ace is worthy of a raise intended to take down the pot without committing to the pot.
- It is a raising hand, and only a calling hand if you are short, and expect your big stack opponent so be merely bullying, or your opponent is short and desperate.
- It is a maybe calling hand if you are dealing with an "erratic" short handed player who can just as likely be raising with QQ as 6 high: take your time make the read before the call.
- In a calling situation, you are so likely to be in a kicker battle which you can't control with "any ace" that you simply are gambling with two 6 sided dice who has the best of it, a pretty stupid reason to call.
- Small aces will split 21% of the time or so due to the prospect of 4 bigger cards or board pairs making the kickers not play,but this is no guarantee you didn't walk into a dominated position for too many chips.
- Being only 55 to 60% for A high to be best through 5 cards against two live is a really weak gamble that equal stacks should not make unless both are desperate.
- A6 simply cannot be played well post flop. With 15% to flop an ace, and overcards likely even if you do hit a 6, it really is all-in showdown value or forget it.
- Of course, playing ANY KING puts you substantially behind in a showdown with ANY ACE.
On the button next hand, I now see K4 hearts. Because I know my opponents respect K high, and again, I need a survival steal, and its suited and possible two live against these predictable jokers' A-high moves, I go all in again. Terry is in the tank over a VERY small Ace, and Grumpy had a sour look from the start. After Terry's tank and fold, Grumpy surrenders the BB. Terry surrenders information on what and why he folded, but I muck.
ON THE VERY NEXT HAND TERRY AND GRUMPY GO ALL IN. GORGEOUS MOVE!
This is why to show a little thought holding Any Ace. Terry has A7. Grumpy A8. The flop of
7 8 8 settles it quickly, and Terry is out. Both of them had plenty of chips, and threw them in thoughtlessly playing the A, not the kicker.
I may be short stacked, with 3000/6000/800 levels about to rise to 5000/10000/1000, but I have serious reads on Grumpy. Terry would have been the tougher opponent heads-up. I have about 45000 chips, Grumpy over 125,000 for a 3-1 lead.
I couldn't be happier. Heads up again with a predictable opponent. Remember last time, when I was exhausted, short stacked, and up against the very experienced, quiet, sneaky Kirby. No cards, no steals no reads, no luck, no dice. Not this time.
We get a new dealer for heads-up. He has never dealt tourneys before, and doesn't know that the Button, as SB, act first heads-up preflop, but last post flop.
This is a very important element of heads up play. The button gets first stab to steal the blinds, and get position for the rest of the hand. Online, two heads up players usually share 250,000 to 750,000 chips against blinds of 2000/4000 or so, very deep heads up play that can often grind for 30-100 hands. here, 5000/10000/1000 levels means 37%% of my current starting stack and 14% of his starts in the pot before we even see our cards. That online patience is not available here, but inspite of Grumpy's idea that this will simply be a preflop showdown affair, I let him know I intend to frustrate him if he thinks beating me will be as easy as who sucked out after 5 hands came down. I intend to play poker, not gamble, and I know I can outplay Grumpy.
In the deeper stacked heads up game, I will raise with button and Any Ace, or in the BB to a limp-in, but NEVER INTO a POT COMMITTED SITUATION. Make a bet that defines your opponent's hand without committing you, so you have room to fold if you don't like the reraise. Ideally you play this from the button, so you have that post flop position, but a bluff from the BB post flop may of course force you to make a huge call with a good A high or an easy laydown against any doubt. The reraise preflop really is the BB's primary position-altering weapon. In the casino, there is simply not enough room in our stacks beyond the blinds to make a bad decision after raising with an ace. I might even check in the BB with a weak ace, knowing I might be able to check raise an A high-flop.
Less theory, more action.
Very first hand, I have the button, and simply complete the bet with 45 off suit, and Grumpy checks. I further note that Grumpy's face really is an open window to his cards. He is no sneak. His check means check.
With a flop of 10 9 5 , I have position and strongly suspect my 5 may be good, but I am short and have to play cautious. The new dealer thinks I am first to act, and we both have to teach him he is wrong. This affords me some chance so assess some additional weakness in Grumpy through his comments to the dealer and the tournament manager. When he checks I check back, intending to see what the turn holds.
It holds nicely. Another 5 makes me a set, and his check to me, and a straight and flush draw on board, prompt me to declare "short stack's all in", and he goes in the tank. He tells me he thinks his K high is good, and I try to sell him on a bluff, but I should have shut it, I suppose, although really, who knows what river suckout potential he has. There is 22,000 in that pot and I need it. He will fold. I will show the 5.
On the next hand, he will limp in, I will wake up to AJ, and raise to 25,000. This time he think's I'm stealing, and he reraises me all in. I can very quickly call here, and we will showdown with me ahead against K9, which I will admit is a very playable hand heads up, and a 9 AND J on our flop help seal up my double up. Grumpy played his cards only and make a huge mistake not respecting my raise, a fact I will soon exploit further.
My double up puts me in a 20,000 chip lead, and with momentum.
The next hand we play he completes the bet and I check the BB with 95 off. The flop is 10 8 7, leaving me a nice straight draw.
I am well aware that the best value here is not on the steal attempt. A free card to the straight will earn me a monster to guarantee a pot which I can afford to lose now. I check, and get the check back.
I get my (HALLELUJAH!!!) J on the turn, and make a meager value bet of 10,000, the minimum. He will call. Why I don't know, but with 4 middle cards out there he has a prospect of a pair.
With a river A, I push him all in and he can't call. I reward him with a peek at the 9 he can't beat.
Now my small lead improved by taking 20000 more from his last 70,000 or so. With 120000 to 50,000, the zone, the cards, and the momentum, it won't take much.
He will steal the next pot, but I will raise to 30,000 the following hand holding K7 diamonds, a raise and an attitude identical to my raise with AJ. Grumpy is now Fraidy Smurf. And he is in trouble.
He has 40000 chips left, and the button. With 6000 invested now, if he folds he surrenders 11000 to the BB next hand I will be first to act. Grumpy has to win the next pot, and he knows it. His all in is weak, predictable, and clearly without any "buzz" like his 10 10 Statue of Liberty play. I am like EA Madden 2007 to his NES Tecmobowl, and he is too short for anything but the Hail Mary this hand.
I have, quite literally Any Ace, A of spades, 3 of clubs, and I call quickly.
Grumpy has 6 8 off suit, both red.
The flop is A 7 9 THREE CLUBS. I have top pair, he has a straight draw, but I own the clubs, offering him 6 measly outs. Curiously, my odds computer offers him a 2.8% SPLIT, obviously runner runner clubs bigger than the 2, but he is only 20.3% to catch.
The turn is no help. The river is the K of clubs.
The Lady of Luck said it was time for the Monster to shine.
I have taken the gold many times on-line. My short handed and heads up game are honed by countless 10 man sngs, online final tables, and 6 to 9-handed live tournaments with my poker buddies. This is my first live bracelet, and a fine tune up for Saturday's $300+30, now a freeroll with cash to spare.
Do I really want to expose my secrets to final table success? Later blogs will tell a tale, I'm sure.
Later, y'all.
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