I’m starting to wonder if my attack on the nightly $26 PLO tourney at Full Tilt is turning me into Don Quixote tilting at windmills (that’s right, bitches; literary references at HoP!). Last night, I decided to extend my diet (once again) to add a cheapo $8 token SNG before the $26 PLO event to try to get into the event a tad cheaper. I figured since it was essentially a satellite, it isn’t really cheating on the online poker diet. Of course, I made it to the final table, but eventually went out in 8th place (6 spots pay, 5 get tokens) when my AJd lost to AJh, all-in preflop. I just took a deep breath and accepted it. I had a small-ish stack at 4,800 or so with blinds already at 300/600 (it was non-turbo), so the play is justifiable, even if the results were unfortunate. For the record, it was blind vs. blind, and I pushed and then received a call from the BB.
I then went on a roller coaster ride at the PLO tournament after buying in directly (which, in and of itself is not an issue). I finally met my demise there when I made two questionable plays. I had about 8k when I raised the 250/500 blinds to 1500, employing a standard 3x the BB raise. The table had tightened up some by then. I had KK86, double suited, in the hijack. It folded to the BB who pushed all-in for another 2500 or so. I felt priced in with the pot at 6k+ or so and only 2500 to call. In Omaha, you are never that far behind. Perhaps in hindsight, though, I could’ve folded and saved the chips. I just felt it was worth the gamble, given the situation. After all, I had been stealing a lot and I thought it may’ve been a frustration push on the BB’s part. Alas, he actually had AAxx and I didn’t hit any of my hand, allowing the shorty to double up. That left me with about 3k, so I raised again when I was dealt QQJT, double suited, immediately after. I raised pot, 1750, I think, because I knew I wanted to get all-in preflop or win it outright. I didn’t have a big enough stack compared to the blinds to just limp. The Button raised and I called all-in. He had AAxx and once again, I failed to hit anything. LEMON!
What can you do? If nothing else, I’m learning how to play this particular tournament. My biggest issue is late stage blow-ups, akin to the old school Matusow Meltdowns. I suppose I need to find a way to re-double my focus in the late stages and tighten up. Hopefully, if I plug some of these leaks, the rest will fall into place. Lord knows, though, that I’ll need a little bit of luck in the PLO tourney. The quality of play is just too sporadic to automatically give most players too much credit. Or course, I wonder if, by calling out this particular tournament, I am handicapping myself by putting too much pressure on. But that’s all hogwash. If I can’t take down a particular tourney like the nightly PLO $26 on FT, then there is something way wronger than just the pressure.
Until next time, make mine poker!
