600 PLO8 MTT at Venetian

600 PLO8 MTT at Venetian
15000 starting chips at 50/100 blinds and 40 min. levels.

---------------
First Table Reads (back of room - left or middle table):
1 old guy, athletic, with sunglasses
2 old guy, balding
3 have cap (busted level 3) - seemed like fish
4 Asian, young, grey hair
5 (late register) - larger guy with glasses
6 young/mid aged guy, spiked hair
7 T. Manning - young/mid aged caucasian male
8 hero
9 older Asian

3 - eventually young white kid
6 - didn't bet AJxx on JJ8 board

Tournament started 15 minutes late. Hero was in registration line at that point and sat down after 1-2 minutes.

---------------
Hero dealt in BB: Ax Ts 8s 4x

Preflop:
4 players limp
Hero (BB): checks

(5 players - 500 in pot)
Flop: 9x 7x 4x (rainbow)
all players check

(5 players - 500 in pot)
Turn: 9x 7x 4x 6x (rainbow)
Vil8 (SB): checks
Hero: checks
Vil9: bets ~400?
Vil6: calls
Hero: calls
(other players fold)

(3 players - 1900 in pot)
River: 9x 7x 4x 6x Jx (rainbow)
Hero: bets 1600
Vil9: calls
Vil6: calls

Neither player shows low, hero scoops.

Analysis:
Flop: Hero does not have strong hand and little fold equity multiway.
Turn: Should hero have c/r? It seems like it might be the best play to trap people for more bets.
check/raise > Lead > check/call
River: Maybe hero should check again? It is a suboptimal line as other villains may or may not bet, but they could call bet and hero gets 1/2 of likely 2 low hands.

---------------
Level 2 - Blinds: 75/150
Hero dealt UTG+1: Ad Ah Jx 2c

Preflop:
Hero: raises to 350
Vil2: calls
Vil5 (BB): calls

(3 players - 1125 in pot)
Flop: 5x 6d Qd
Vil5: checks
Hero: bets 700
Vil3: quick call
Vil5: folds

(2 players - 2525 in pot)
Turn: 5x 6d Qd 9x
Hero: bets 1600
Vil3: calls

(2 players - 5725 in pot)
River: 5x 6d Qd 9x 9d
Hero: bets 4000
Vil3: quickly calls
Vil3: shows Kd 3d Tx 4x

Hero's stack: 8k

Analysis:
Preflop: Standard raise. There's little value in trying to limp with premium hand.
Flop: Hero has NF blocker, overpair, and nut low draw. Easy bet/call.
Turn: Hero continues to barrel for value. Villain may continue to call with Qxxx w/ NLD, etc...
River: This is basically a bluff now with nut flush blocker. Hero's range looks like [boats, overpairs, NFD, naked low draw]. Hero gets shown top of villain's range though.

---------------
Hero won some small pots.

Hero's stack at first break: 9100 @ 150/300

---------------
Blinds; 150/300
Hero's stack: 7925

Hero dealt in EP: Ax Kd Kx 3d

Preflop:
Hero raises to 700
Vil4 (button): calls
Vil5 (SB): calls
Vil7 (BB): calls

(5 players - 3500 in pot)
Flop: Jc 2x 5x Tc
Vil3: checks
Vil5: checks
Vil7: checks
Hero: bets 2k
Vil3: calls
Vil4: calls
Vil5: calls
Vil7: folds

(4 players - 11500 in pot)
Turn: Jc 2x 5x Tc
Vil5: bets pot
Hero: calls
(other players fold)

Vil5: shows QJJ2

(2 players - 22050 in pot - 1 all in)
River: Jc 2x 5x Tc 5x

Analysis:
Flop: Hero has overpair + nut low and bets.
Turn: Hero is not folding nut low, but prospects for high decreased.
Hero out, takes a break, and re-enters.

---------------
Hero's 2nd bullet was placed "outside poker room" where a set of tables are setup near the sports book. First bullet was inside the poker room.
2nd bullet
2nd Table Reads:

1 old guy, glasses
2 mid/older aged guy with beard
3 hero
4 young Middle Eastern guy with headphones
5 young guy (level 6 - old Indian guy)
6 young guy - slicked back hair
7 young guy - glasses, his female friend had a PokerStars UKIPT backpack
8 mid aged guy with white hair cap
9 young guy with headphones

---------------
Blinds: 100/200
1st hand

Hero dealt in SB: As Qs 9x 3x

Preflop:
Vil6: raises to 500
Vil2 (button): calls
Hero (SB): calls
Vil3 (BB): calls

(4 players - ~2000 in pot)
Flop: Qh 8x 2h
Hero: checks
Vil3: checks
Vil6: bets 800
Vil2: folds
Hero: calls

(2 players - ~3600 in pot)
Turn: Qh 8x 2h Xx (high card)
Vil6: checks
Hero: bets 2k?
Vil6: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: The hand is a little weak to 3-bet w/o better low wheel card (or high broadway card).
Flop: There might be merit in check/raising and betting most turn cards for value.
Turn: Hero continues to bet for value, villain folds.

---------------
Hero dealt in MP: Ad Qx 7x 3d

Preflop:
2 players limp
Hero: limps

(5 players - 1k in pot)
Flop: As Jc Th Ah
all players check

(5 players - 1k in pot)
Turn: As Jc Th Ah
Vil4: bets 300
Vil5: raises to 900
(all other players fold)
Vil4: calls

Analysis:
Preflop: There's some value in trying to play a raised pot against 2 limpers, but it's hard to know if there's fold equity. Hero decides to keep pot small.
Flop: Hero check = standard.
Turn: Hero check/fold = probably best as hero is drawing possibly thin to boat outs.

---------------
Hero's stack at 1st break: 13,300 @ 150/300

---------------
Hero dealt in BB: Ah Ad 7d 7h

Preflop:
(folds to Vil7)
Vil7 (EP): limps
(folds to hero)
Hero (BB): checks

(2 players - 750 in pot)
Flop: 2s 3d 6h
Hero: checks
Vil7: bets 300
Hero: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Should hero raise with AAL? Probably. This was a bit of a leak given the stack depth.
Flop: A pretty bad flop for hero. Hero decides to check/fold. It is a bit weak, and hero should consider check/call and see the turn.

---------------
Hero's image: pretty nitty
Read: Vil4 tended to bet pot often

Hero dealt in CO: Ah 6x 4h 4x

Preflop:
Vil6 (EP): limps
Hero (CO): limps
Vil4 (SB): calls
Vil5 (BB): checks

(4 players - 1200 in pot)
Flop: Kx 2h Kd
Vil4: bets 600
Vil5: folds
Vil6: calls
Hero: calls

(2 players - 2400 in pot)
Turn: Kx 2h Kd 9d
Vil4: checks
Hero: bets 1600
Vil4: calls

(2 players - 5200 in pot)
Board: Kx 2h Kd 9d 2x
Vil4: checks
Hero: bets 3500
Vil4: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: This is an ok hand to limp with suited ace. It is a little loose given it is A4, but it is ok in a passive game.
Flop: With backdoor high (nut flush draw) and low (2nd nut low) equity, hero decides to peel. Vil4 read and hero's current image were important.
Turn: Hero will likely double barrel almost all turn textures.
River: Hero follows through on river.

---------------
Hero's stack: 15,500

---------------
Hero dealt in UTG+2 (8 handed): Ah Jh 9h 3x

Preflop:
(folds to Vil2)
Vil2 (UTG+1): limps
Hero: limps
(folds to Vil8)
Vil8 (Button): calls
Vil9 (SB): calls
Vil1 (BB): checks

(5 players - 2500 in pot)
Flop: Jx Js 3s 5s 9d
all players check

(5 players - 2500 in pot)
Turn: Jx Js 3s 5s 9d
Vil2: checks
Hero: bets 1600
3 players fold
Vil2: calls

(2 players - 5700 in pot)
River: Jx Js 3s 5s 9d
Hero: bets 3800
Vil2: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Given passive play at table and little betting postflop, hero plays a semi-weak suited A3 hand in early position.
Flop: Hero decides to slowplay given number of players in flop.
Turn: Hero decides to bet turn to build pot and price out low draws. Vil2's likely calling range: nut low, maybe some overpairs.
River: Should hero check and/or bet smaller? A check might have been better since hero has board crushed and Vil2's range is more heavily weighted towards low draws than made hands (55xx, bad wraps that missed, etc...). It can also help hero's image in the future.

---------------
Blinds: 250/500

Hero dealt in BB: Qc 7c 7x 6x

Preflop:
3 players limp
Hero (BB): checks

(4 players - 2000 in pot)
Flop: Ax Kx Kc
all players check

(4 players - 2000 in pot)
Turn: Ax Kx Kc 6c
Hero sees Vil4 grab chips.
Hero: bets 1400
Vil4: raises to 5000

Hero: thinks for a while, then folds.

Analysis:
Flop: Standard check.
Turn: Hero usually takes time and waits to see what villains to the left of hero might do. Hero ignores this and bets. A spew of 1400 chips.

---------------
Hero dealt on button: Ah Js 4h 3x on button

Preflop:
Vil2: limps
Hero: raises to 1400
Vil4 (SB): calls
Vil5 (BB): folds

(3 players - 4700 in pot)
Flop: Ax Kx Qx (rainbow)
Vil4: checks
Vil2: checks
Hero: bets 2700
Vil4: folds
Vil2: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Hero isolates a player with a semi-strong 2 way hand. A limp could be ok, but hero's hand strength is probably best in a HU pot.
Flop: Villains seemed to be playing their hands face up and check/folding if they missed. Hero decides to bet the flop on a "locked down board" and would probably consider double barrelling such a dry board.

---------------
Hero's stack at dinner break: 18,600 @ 300/600

---------------
Dinner Reads:

1 straightforward, tight
2 straightforward, tight
3 hero - nit/tag
4 ? - seemed loose; notices he telegraphs action while hero is looking at cards
5 none (new player - older Indian player)
6 open PLO rundown - c/c
7 none ... shortly after dinner - barrels weak NLD + bottom pair
8 looser preflop
9 none

---------------
Level 7 - Blinds: 300/600

Hero dealt in CO: Kx 4s 3x 2s

Preflop:
(folds to hero)
Hero: raises to 1500
Vil5: folds
Vil6 (SB): calls
Vil7: folds

(2 players - 3300 in pot)
Flop: Ax Jd 7d
Vil6: checks
Hero: bets 2000
Vil6: calls

(2 players - 7300 in pot)
Turn: Ax Jd 7d Qc
Vil6: checks
Hero: bets 4200
Vil6: calls

(2 players - 15700 in pot)
River: Ax Jd 7d Qc 5s
Vil6: checks
Hero: bets 10,000 (all in)
Vil6: goes in the tank for a while, then folds

Analysis:
Preflop: 432r is an ok open to steal the blinds.
Flop: Hero decides to barrel uncounterfeitable low draw, probably leading to a double or triple barrel.
Turn: Not a great turn card, but hero decides to continue barrelling.
River: The real question: does hero bet high cards? diamonds? Standard spot to try to get Vil6 to fold.

---------------
Level 8 - Blinds: 400/800

Hero dealt in HJ: Ah 7x 7x 3h

Preflop:
(folds to hero)
Hero: raises to 1800
(players fold)
Vil6 (SB): calls
Vil7 (BB): folds

(2 players - 4400 in pot)
Flop: Ac 2c 6x
Vil6: checks
Hero: checks

(2 players - 4400 in pot)
Turn: Ac 2c 6x 4c
Vil6: checks
Hero: bets 2500
Vil6: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: A3xx A3ss is a standard open in the HJ.
Flop: Hero only has some backdoor equity and a bad low draw. Hero decides to check.
Turn: Scare card for villain, hero decides to bet/fold in this spot. If villain calls or raises, hero is up against 53xx or flush so often against this straightforward villain.

---------------
Hero's table is broken and is brought back to the Venetian poker room (away from distractions). Hero was second to last table to break outside of the poker room.

---------------
Table Reads (Level 9 in Venetian Poker Room)
1 old guy with cap
2 young guy - cap, glasses
3 mid aged African American
4 mid aged guy (P5s, PLO8/PLO reg)
5 old guy, glasses attached to shirt
6 young, middle aged Asian with slight balding
7 Indian male
8 hero
9 old guy with cap

---------------
Hero's stack at Level 10: 22200 @ 600/1200

---------------
Level 10 - Blinds: 600/1200

Hero dealt in HJ?: Ks Js Th 9h

Preflop:
(folds to Vil5)
Vil5: raises to 4200
Vil6: calls
Vil7: calls
Hero: calls
(other players fold)

(4 players - 18600 in pot)
Flop: Qx 4x 2x (rainbow)
Vil5: bets pot (18600)
other players fold

Analysis:
Preflop: Standard call with some tighter villains in hand. Hero might do well with a 1 way double suited rundown.
Flop: Standard fold.

---------------
Hero was dealt Ac 6c 5x 3x and folded to raise and reraise before action gets to hero. Hero could try to flop well with a short stack and 2 players likely to get all in, but hero's risking a large chunk of stack just to see flop with little fold equity.

Updated Read:
9 New player - familiar young female sits at hero's table; no recent history in past couple years; no history in PLO8

---------------
Level 11
Hero's stack: 5600 @ 800/1600
Hero dealt in CO: Ad Kc Jc 9d

Preflop:
(folds to hero)
Hero (CO): raises to 5600 (AI)
Vil9 (button): calls
Vil1 (SB): calls

(3 players - 18400 in pot)
Flop: Tc 5c 9x
Vil9: checks
Vil1: bets (all in)
Vil9: folds

Vil1: shows Ac 9x 8x 2c

Hero doesn't remember board, but hero gets 1/2.

Analysis:
Preflop: This might have been a little loose since hero has no way to back into half the pot with a lot for survival. Yes, it's a strong high only hand though.

Hero's stack: 9200 @ 800/1600

---------------
Hero dealt in SB: Ax Ac 9c 6s

Preflop:
(folds to hero)
Hero: raises to 3600
Vil9: reraises all in
Hero: calls

Vil9: shows Kx Kc 7x 2x

Board: 8x Tc 8c 6c 9x

Hero doubles to 15,200 @ 800/1600

---------------
Hero dealt UTG+1: Ax Ax Kx 6x (rainbow)

Preflop:
(folds to hero)
Hero: raises to 5000
Vil1: calls
(other players fold)

(2 players - 12400 in pot)
Flop: Jx 3x Jx (rainbow)
Hero: thinks for a little bit, then bets all in
Vil1: thinks for a while, then calls

Vil1: shows KK99r

Board: Jx 3x Jx Xx Xx
Hero doubles to 32.4k

Analysis:
Preflop: Hero is betting and likely betting almost all flops.
Flop: Hero slow thinking before betting might have yielded the villain call.

---------------
Hero limp/folded 5x 4s 3s 2s on 6x 6s 7x 9s turn

---------------
Hero: dealt in LP: Kx Kx 7x 2x

Preflop:
Vil5: raised to 6000
Hero: reraises to 23000 (almost all in)
Vil5: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: KKlw = 3b all in

---------------
Hero's stack at level 12 break: 38400 @ 1200/2400
It is weird that there was 1 last level before ending the night. Maybe it was better to play 2 levels and cut a dinner break shorter?

---------------
Hero dealt in HJ: Ah Kh Jx 3x

Preflop:
(folds to Vil6)
Vil6 (UTG+2): raises to 4800
Hero (HJ): calls
(other players fold)

(2 players - 13200 in pot)
Flop: Ax Ax Qh
Vil6: checks
Hero: checks

(2 players - 13200 in pot)
Turn: Ax Ax Qh 8h
Vil6: checks
Hero: bets 7500
Vil6: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: This could be a 3b candidate, but hero decides to keep pot small.
Flop: Hero has no need to bet flop on such dry board. Hero would rather let villain take stab on turn or hero can bet turn if checked to on non-low card turns.
Turn: Low card turn = hero bet.

---------------
Hero limp/folded A652r.
Hero notices a lot of Vil9's bets and/or check raising of Vil4's bets.

---------------
Hero's stack: 37200 1500 3000

Hero wins the last pot in a multiway pot.

Hero's stack for restart: 48000 @ 1500/3000.