Posted by Junelli 4:34 PM
As I write this I am starting the final round of a shoot out tournament on Party Poker. I really like the format of shootouts, and find that they’re a good way to make money. For those that aren’t familiar with these new tournaments, I’ll explain.
The tournament can have any number of people, but you are only playing against your particular table. It’s like a bunch of sit-n-gos playing simultaneously that, each game, advance the top 3 players to the next round. Best of all, it pays money each time. Thus it’s easier to ensure that you recoup your investment.
Here are the details of this tournament. $6 buy-in. 536 players. Total prize pool $2,680. Therefore, there were 54 tables each playing their own individual sit-n-go.
For the first round the payouts were:
1st place - $11.16 2nd place - $7.44 3rd place - $6.20
So long as I finish in the top 3, I get my money back, and will essentially be playing for free from here on out. You don’t actually play to the very end, you just play until 3 are left. Also, your chip stack carries over to the next round.
I happened to get 1st place in the first round, so I pocketed $11.16 (or a profit of $5.16).
The second round is composed of all the top 3 finishers from the 54 tables that started. So there are 162 players left (3 x 54). The 162 players are divided among 17 tables, and we start another sit-n-go.
The payouts for the second round were:
1st place - $17.73 2nd place – $11.82 3rd place – $9.85
I had a commanding chip lead to start the table and I found that everyone was playing extremely tight (trying to make it to the top 3). I stole no less than 15 pots, and easily took first place in the second round, pocketing another $17.73 (for a total profit of $22.89).
The third round consisted of 51 players sitting on 6 tables. I started with $90,000 in chips and immediately ran it up to $140,000. Then I started to lose hand after hand, and soon found myself with about $75,000 in chips with blinds of $4,000-$8,000. Luckily players were eliminating themselves like crazy, and I soon found myself down to the final 4 at my table. I moved all-in with AQ and was called by the short stack with 88. I hit an Ace on the flop, and finished the third round in 2nd place, pocketing $20.10 (for a total profit of $42.99).
The payouts for the 3rd round were:
1st Place - $30.15 2nd place - $20.10 3rd place - $16.75
I am just starting the 4th round, which is played just like a multi-table tournament, with 18 players. I started with $166,000 in chips. The chip leader has $389,000, and the short stack has $49,000. I am about average.
On the 4th hand I get AJs on the button. Blinds are $6,000-$12,000 with a $200 ante. Two players in front of me smooth call the $12,000, and the pot is about $42,000. I raise it up to $50,000 straight. The blinds fold and I am called by 1 player, the chip leader. The flop comes 99A. He checks to me and I move all-in for $110,000. He folds and I pick up $241,000 pot.
4 hands later I get KQo under the gun. I would normally fold this hand here, but I decide to limp for $12,000. Another player calls, the small blind completes, and the big blind checks. The pot is about $49,000. The flop comes K9A with 2 clubs. I am first to act, and decide to find out if anyone has an Ace. I bet $20,000 (about half the pot). One player calls me. The turn is a 5h. I bet $35,000, and he folds. I pick up an $89,000 pot.
A few hands later I get 88 in middle position. I have $280,000 in chips. I raise to $40,000 (just over 3x the BB), and get called by the chip leader in the blind. The flop is KQ8 rainbow. The chip leader leads out into me for $12,000 (clearly a feeler bet, since the pot is almost $90,000). I smooth call. Turn comes a 2h, and he again bets $12,000. I know he is weak. I make the minimum raise to $24,000, and he calls. The river is a blank and I make a small bet and he folds. I pick up a $234,000 pot.
I get QQ in middle position. I raise to $50,000. A short stack moves all-in for $41,000. Everyone else folds. He has J9s. My queens hold up and I win another pot.
I am now sitting on $419,000 in chips (only $10,000 behind the chip leader).
Fold KTo in early position. I also fold K3, 56, 54, Q3, 69
I have $462,000 in the BB with A5o. The cutoff seat moves all in for $167,000. It’s 158,000 more to me. I fold.
Next hand I get AT in the SB. Everyone folds to me. I raise the BB to $50,000. He folds. I have $480,000TC.
Next hand I get AT on the button. Everyone folds to me. I raise to $50,000. The SB moves all-in for $277,000. I fold.
I get 88 in late position. One player calls the $20,000 BB. I raise to $100,000. The blinds fold, and the other guy moves all-in for $274,000. I call. He has KJ and catches 2 Jacks on the flop. That sucked. I am now crippled with only $135,000 with blinds of $10,000-$20,000 with a $500 ante. There are 12 players left. Chip leader has $560,000. Average is 285,000.
I have to fold K9, K2, 56, K3.
The blinds just moved through me and I have $103,000 left (I am the short stack in the tournament). Time to make a move.
I fold 75, 89, K4, J9.
Down to 11 players. Blinds about to move through me again next hand ($10k-$20k), and I only have $100,000.
Final table is set. I get AA UTG. I raise to $50,000 (half my stack), and get 1 caller. I pick it up on the flop, and now have $175,000.
The very next hand I get 33 in the BB. A middle position player makes the minimum raise to $40,000 and gets 1 caller. It’s $20,000 more to me in the BB, and I smooth call. The flop is TTT. I have a full house, and am only beaten by a higher pocket pair, or a ten. I move all-in for $135,000, and get called by the middle position player with AJ. My 33’s hold up and I win a pot of $406,000. Back in the game!
Fold 85, 75, 45, J8, 62, QJs, A8, J3, K4
This final round pays:
1st place - $134.50 2nd place - $80.70 3rd place - $53.80
Tournament has been running for 4 hours and 11 minutes and we have 10 people left.
I get Q8o in the BB. 2 limpers. The SB moves all-in for $367,000. We all fold.
I get K8 in the SB. 2 limpers. I complete, and the BB checks. All 4 of us check all the way to the river of 65JTJ. I fold to a $30,000 bet on the river.
Fold 92, K5. Q7, A4
We’re down to 8 people. I have $324,000. Blinds now $15,000-$30,000 with a $700 ante. Chip leader has $850,000.
I fold, but a guy with KQ just lost to JQ when the board was 77KTA. Absolutely brutal.
The very next hand I get AK in the SB. A middle position player makes the minimum raise to $60,000. I move all-in for $308,000. He calls with AQ. I have AK. Not a bad situation until the board reads 3JA8Q. AQ makes 2 pair. Fucking Party Poker. That’s twice in a row.
Next hand, I’m steaming and when it’s folded around to me on the button, I move all-in with QTs (for only $115,000). I get called by A8. I hit a ten, and am back in business. Note, that’s now 3 straight hands in a row where the person who got their money in with the worst hand ended up winning.
I have AT, and limp for $30,000 UTG. The same lucky middle position raises it to $97,000. It’s $60,000 more to me. I fold.
The blinds just went through me, costing me another $60,000. I now have $170,000.
A6s on the button. It’s folded around to me, so I move all-in for $170,000. The blinds fold, and I pick up $67,000.
Down to 6 players now. I am the short stack, but there are 2 players pretty close to me. The other 3 are in the stratosphere. Here are the stacks:
I am destined to get 3rd place. Or am I?? In the most unbelievable stroke of luck, I get involved in the following hand:
I get TT on the button. I move all-in for $110,000. NIK333 smooth calls the $80,000. Then Kingswing immediately moves all-in for $1.5mm!! NIK333 also moves all-in! So there are 3 players left, and all 3 of us are all-in!! I have TT, and they have AK and AQ. My TT holds up and I win the $334,000 main pot. NIK wins the $3mm side pot, and Kings is out in 3rd place. I slide into 2nd!!
I have almost no chance of winning. He has a 9:1 chip lead on me.
Random thoughts from a lawyer, an accountant, a commodities trader, an ex-Marine and a WSOP Main Event money finisher that don't know as much as they wish they did...