I CAN make it deep...but can I WIN??

I played a $5 tourney on Stars, which I had yet to cash in. These things have such a huge luck factor. The fields are incredibly huge, which is definitely a good/bad thing. When I won that $5 tourney back over a year ago on UB it was only 800 or so people. This one had close to 1300. So, it's not that I am upset about anything, in fact I believe I played quite well in certain areas, and pretty poorely in some others (esspecially the last bust-out hand). Regardless, I wanted to take a look at a few hands and see what I did correct and what I did wrong.

p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t400/t800
(Ante: t50)
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
jamfreek: t14015
UTG+1: t41974
MP1: t10726
MP2: t47390
MP3: t3362
CO: t4311
Button: t34593
SB: t4086
BB: t15452

Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is UTG with [Ac] [Ah]
jamfreek raises to t2400, 7 folds, BB calls t1600 (pot was t4050).

Standard raise here. I was making the same raise throughout the tourney, and although I could've made it larger, I didn't want anything to look any different than normal.

Flop: [9s] [Js] [3s] (t5650, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek bets t4000, BB calls t4000 (pot was t9650).

Again, standard continuation bet here. Here I think I made a mistake...I think I have to jam this.

Turn: [2s] (t13650, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek checks.

I'm pretty sure i'm beat here, why would he check? I'm thinking that if he checks on the river I can make a small value bet.

River: [Kd] (t13650, 2 players)
BB bets t5600, jamfreek folds.
Uncalled bets: t5600 returned to BB.

This stinks of a value bet by him. I'm beat by many hands, and it wasn't very hard to fold, but I felt that I should've been a bit more aggressive on the flop.

Results:
Final pot: t13650

p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t600/t1200
(Ante: t75)
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t10772
UTG+1: t29443
MP1: t15969
MP2: t22036
jamfreek: t7015 Pretty gross stack here, anytime is a good time to jam.
CO: t36590
Button: t8576
SB: t51075
BB: t14925

Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is MP3 with [7h] [8h] Perfect cards i'm looking for
3 folds, MP2 calls t1200 (pot was t2475), jamfreek raises all-in t6940, CO folds, Button raises all-in t8501, 2 folds, MP2 calls t7301 (pot was t19116).

Flop: [6h] [Th] [9s] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)

GIN!

Turn: [Js] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)


River: [5h] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)


Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t14337
MP2 showed Tc As
jamfreek showed 7h 8h


Converter screwed it up, but I also beat out KK!

p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t800/t1600
(Ante: t75)
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t50540
UTG+1: t13018
MP1: t23801
MP2: t27431
jamfreek: t20970
CO: t67860
Button: t33874
SB: t52499
BB: t38912

Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is MP3 with [Qd] [As]
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises all-in t12943, 2 folds, jamfreek raises all-in t20895.
Uncalled bets: t7952 returned to jamfreek.

At this point in the tourney, I was already ITM, but the payout schedule is soooo FLAT that it really didn't matter. I was looking to play a coinflip here, and was pretty sure I made the right decision. I needed some chips, and the difference between going out here or in 2-3 rounds was miniscule.

Flop: [9s] [9d] [Ad] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)


Turn: [4h] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)


River: [Jd] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)


Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t5475
UTG+1 showed 8c 8h
jamfreek showed Qd As

COIN FLIP WON!

p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t1000/t2000
(Ante: t100)
8 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t23624
UTG+1: t58149
MP1: t19062
MP2: t87341
CO: t58840
Button: t14081
jamfreek: t29638
MP3: t20895
BB: t96910

Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is SB with [Tc] [7h]
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls t2000 (pot was t3800), MP1 folds, MP2 calls t2000 (pot was t5800), 2 folds, jamfreek calls t1000 (pot was t7800), BB checks.

Flop: [8c] [2d] [5d] (t8800, 4 players)
jamfreek checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks.

Turn: [9d] (t8800, 4 players)
jamfreek checks, BB bets t2000, 2 folds, jamfreek raises to t8000, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: t6000 returned to jamfreek.

This was such a weak bet, I HAD to make a play here. There was just too much dead money in the pot that nobody seemed to want. The BB took a min. bet stab.

Results:
Final pot: t12800


p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t1500/t3000
(Ante: t150)
8 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t8237
UTG+1: t34324
MP1: t88291
MP2: t61236
CO: t21540
Button: t27612
jamfreek: t28838
MP3: t20795
BB: t145578

Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is SB with [Tc] [Ts]
UTG raises all-in t8087, 5 folds, jamfreek raises all-in t28688, BB calls t25688 (pot was t40975).

Less than 10bb's and I jam with 88 and up.

Flop: [3s] [Js] [8d] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)


Turn: [Ad] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)


River: [6c] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)


Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t66663
BB showed 9h Th
UTG showed Td Jd
jamfreek showed Tc Ts

Pretty sick flop there. Luckily, I win the side pot which is more than I started the hand with, but I would've loved to get that extra 25K!

p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t2000/t4000
(Ante: t200)
7 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t20061
UTG+1: t28774
MP1: t82741
CO: t12990
Button: t65724
jamfreek: t45852
jamfreek: t28688
MP3: t20645
BB: t159514

Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is SB with [Ac] [Qc]
3 folds, CO raises all-in t12790, Button folds, jamfreek raises all-in t45652.
Uncalled bets: t32862 returned to jamfreek.

Same as a couple hands before. I'm thinking coinflip here, and again, because of the payouts, I have no fear.

Flop: [Ks] [2c] [2s] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)


Turn: [3h] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)


River: [2d] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)


Results: In White
Final pot: t22190
CO showed Kc Jd
jamfreek showed Ac Qc

Figures I was ahead, but I can't fault the guy for his jam...i mean you gotta get lucky sometimes.

p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t2000/t4000
(Ante: t200)
8 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
jamfreek: t39462
MP3: t20445
UTG+1: t153047
MP1: t33522
MP2: t60439
CO: t75541
Button: t141369
SB: t63560
BB: t64524

Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is UTG with [Ac] [Qh]
jamfreek raises all-in t39262, 6 folds, BB calls t35262 (pot was t46862).

Again, just trying to stay alive. Less than 10 bb's is a pretty easy jam, as i'm afraid of 4 hands only.

Flop: [7d] [2h] [Ad] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)


Turn: [8d] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)


River: [9h] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)


Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t82124
BB showed Kc Kh
jamfreek showed Ac Qh

I get lucky this time.

p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t3000/t6000
(Ante: t300)
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t25522
UTG+1: t40439
MP1: t50919
MP2: t98341
MP3: t133369
CO: t60960
Button: t73924
jamfreek: t99324
BB: t124385

Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is SB with [Kh] [8h]
7 folds, jamfreek raises to t18000, BB raises to t77000, jamfreek folds.
Uncalled bets: t59000 returned to BB.

Interesting hand here. BB was a complete MANIAC for the whole time I was playing at this table. And, to top it off, the extremely loose calls he was making were winning. I love this type of player, but not when he's on my immediate left. I think I should've just pushed here. I'm likely ahead, but i'm not calling off all of my chips.

Results:
Final pot: t38700


p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t3000/t6000
(Ante: t300)
7 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t88678
UTG+1: t33519
MP1: t86941
CO: t60960
Button: t50524
jamfreek: t84324
Button: t73624
jamfreek: t99024
BB: t156868

Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is SB with [7h] [7d]
3 folds, CO raises all-in t60660, Button folds, jamfreek folds, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: t54660 returned to CO.

I think I need to call here and gamble. I think this was a coinflip, I was just gun-shy. If I call and win my flip, I am top 5 in chips, and can lay back a bit. I think there was about 25-30 players left maybe a little bit less.

Results:
Final pot: t17100


p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t4000/t8000
(Ante: t400)
7 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t75241
UTG+1: t54061
MP1: t44160
jamfreek: t127424
Button: t73324
SB: t98724
Button: t131313
SB: t55748
BB: t188319

Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is CO with [Ah] [Th]
3 folds, jamfreek raises to t24000, 2 folds, BB calls t16000 (pot was t38800).

Flop: [6d] [Js] [Kd] (t54800, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek checks.

TERRIBLE check here. This guy was solid. This may be a little results-oriented thinking, but if I jam, he can't call unless he has like 5 hands, and I none of them would check here. I may get a call from a nut-flush draw or open-ender, but I have to apply the pressure yes?

Turn: [Ts] (t54800, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek bets t32000, BB raises to t144000, jamfreek calls all-in t71024.
Uncalled bets: t40976 returned to BB.

TERRIBLE CALL. Why call? Well, I seriously thought that he was on a flush draw. I see that check-raise on a draw so much that I almost insta-called.

River: [2s] (t260848, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t260848)


Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t260848
BB showed Ad Qd
jamfreek showed Ah Th

Of course he had the stone-cold nuts. I was outplayed here, and could've layed it down. I didn't respect this guy enough when all of the info I had on him showed me he was solid and wouldn't make some donkey play (not that a jam with a flush draw is donkey-like).

I can do so much better. These things don't come around enough for me and I wish I capitalized on my position better. It's hard to make it deep in any tourney with this size field, so I feel like I let one get away.

Anyway, Christmas is coming and it's getting exciting around town. Work is pretty slow, and I can't wait to get these CD's out. Hopefully everyone will like em'.