Final table finally

Long story short, but I made it to a final table. It wasn't easy and I even made a significant mistake along the way, but a little luck sure was nice.

I started the tournament late. I was busy losing money at the blackjack tables. After losing enough I headed over to the poker room. I was a little late to the game and I had to get on a wait list. I saw 3 tables going and finally enough people signed up and we had a full 4th table. I got a lot of hands to review!

I got off to a really good start...

25s in the BB. I pair my 5 and get a flush draw. Flop was like A5J. Four other players. Button bets. I call. Everyone else folds. Can't remember the exact details, but I get a 2 on the turn and call another bet. I check the river. Button checks. I should have bet value on the river. I didn't want to raised. Bottom 2 pair is a easy hand to get beat with, so I checked for pot control.

Maybe its the next hand, but I get 77 in the SB. I think 3 or 4 in the hand. Flop comes out 3h2h7s. I check. Button bets big. I raise all-in. He thinks for a little bit and calls. He has an over pair. I think 88. I win and kind of double up.

QQ on the button. I think the blinds are 2/4. I raise to 1500. Four players including the blinds call. Flop comes out T88. Checks to me. I bet. One caller. Turn is a 8. Check to me. I bet all-in. He calls. He turns over 66. Win another big pot.

QQ again on the button. I raise. BB calls. Flop comes out Axx. I bet. He calls. Turns comes out another A, decreasing his chances of having an A, so I bet again. I'm hoping he has JJ or TT, but he calls. He checks river. Pot is pretty big. Probably like 20k. Not sure what I can bet here to get him of the hand. A with a good kicker isn't going to fold. I check. He has A9. If I went all-in I don't think he would have called.

After losing that hand and second guessing my last action, I tilted a little bit... I limped in with A5 and the next player went all-in. I estimated his range to included all pairs and Ax and face cards (I played several cash games with him, and I know him to be a little lose). It wasn't too much more and I called. He had AQ and won. Lost about 4k.

My big stack was down. Started the tournament with 10k and now was at 22k at the break.

Picked up 98s in the BB. Unraised, so I just checked. Picked up a straight flush draw vs 2 players (6s7s3d). I checked and button bet and I called. Turn is a J. Didn't complete my straight or flush. SB checked. I go all in. I feel like playing a little lose and too aggressive. Button thinks for a bit and folds. Claims she had a flush draw as well.

Another orbit...picked up 58s in the BB. Seems like a trend. I'm getting interesting cards in the big blind and forced to play. I get a 4 card straight on the river and SB bets 5k. I go all in and win. A couple people had the lower straight and correctly folded. I think my chip count is about 38k now.

This is where my mistake went down. I pick up JJ on the SB. UTG+2 is a new player who goes all in for about 11k or so. Next player calls. Folded to me. I call. This is the mistake. I should have went all in. BB has less and goes all in and another player who had limped, calls as well. Too many players. Flop comes Q35. Its checked over to the player who first called the all-in. He goes all-in and I fold. He shows 66. The BB who went all in had AQ and wins. I should have won the side pot.

Break.

Down to 2 tables.

My chip count is down and the blinds being high, I go all in blind. I win with T3.

I somehow have 30k.

I go all-in with A9 and win the blinds, bringing me to about 40k.

Finally its the final table. Pay outs start at 6th place. We have 8 players. 2 players have less then me. Blinds are 4k/2k with 400 big blind ante (I think).

J9s on the button all-in. Blinds fold I have approx 40k.

Blinds go up. One player get knocked off and its break time again.

We decide to pay out the bubble player with $20 each. I guess its ok. I would would make $10 profit then. Lucky the blinds will reach the player with less chips then me. And she goes out.

I'm guaranteed 6th place. I'm UTG and go all in with 64o. I'm not sure I looked. One player calls and so does the BB. Flop can't get too much better for me. I flop 2 pair with a Q. BB bets out. I'm sure he has a Q. Other player folds and I'm ahead. Turn and river are disastrous. Its another Q and then an A. Giving the villain a full house.

I'm out. Happy I made it far. I think aggressive play my be the only way to win the tournament. I went all-in several times and won all of them except for one. Its hard to play perfect. Not going all in with JJ and not value betting my 25 turned out to be mistakes.