May Classic: Day 1

Let me say first off, the new poker room at Turning Stone is 1000% percent better than the old one. No more annoying air vents on the ground, another foot+ between each table, more tables, and a better registration system for tournaments. That being said, the registration still didn't work because they are idiots.

The $230, scheduled to start at 10, didn't kick off until 11. 343 players. 2500 chips, half hour levels. One thing I realize I need to fix is my mind wandering while I listen to headphones. I win some small pots build to about 3200 when I'm dealt K9s in the cutoff. Not paying attention, I did not realize a player had raised in front of me and I said raise...I decided to make it 550 to go after he made it 250. He calls. J9x flop. He checks. At this point, I could easily represent a big hand so I decide to bet 600, and he snap all in's. I fold -- nice hand set of jacks.

I proceed to run into a half dozen big pairs, AK's, and middle sets for the next hour. I'm dwindled down to about 1700 when the following hand comes along.

I'm dealt KcKd in mid position. A player utg+1 limps with the blinds at 50/75. I make it 225 to go, and an aggressive younger kid behind me calls in the cutoff or cutoff+1 (I forget). The blinds fold and the limper calls. The flop is:
Ad4d8s
Oh goody. The limper checks, I check, the aggressive kid checks. The turn is the
Qs
Here's where things get good. The limper thinks about it, and then bets out 100. Wierd underbet. I decide to just call not wanting to face a re raise if he has a set or a great straight+flush draw. Aggressive player behind me makes it 500 to go. The limper folds, back to me. I found it odd he would check an ace, or the original draw in position unless he was afriad I flopped a large hand. I counted it out and realized I had 1350 left. After rationaliztion I do not think he has an ace...if he has a set, nice hand. I stack off. He calls with KQ. And I'm up to 3000+.

I continually run into good hands in the sb when the bb would have hands like KK AQ etc. Despite this, I come to the lunch break with 3200 in chips and about 190 people left of the 343. After having A10s run into the bb's middle set, 9s, again, I'm down to about 1800 chips when the antes kick in. I stack off with one limper with A9s on the button, he calls with 55, and I river an ace. Back in the hunt.

From here I do not see anything even remotely attractive. I steal the blinds but it is barely sustaining me. Blinds are 100/200/25 when I'm dealt Q10o in the sb, folds to me, and the bb, the aggressive kid from before, I decide to limp. He insta-checks. A22. I check he bets 400. I feel I have the best hand, and I call. Turn is a K...I check he bets 800. I get scared here, and in retrospect need to raise here or on the flop obviously, but make a horrendous call. River is a Ace I check and hes all in. Oops--back to my hole.

Blind stealing sustains me for another 45-50 minutes. 150/300/75, I'm dealt J10 in mid posiiton with 2100 chips left, 80 some people left, and shove. A guy 3 to my left calls with A10--good game.

For as bad as I played, I think that I did extremely well. The tournament field, larger than usual, was very forgiving. As the week progresses I think this will change -- we'll see.