WSOP 1500 PLO MTT at Rio

1500 PLO MTT at Rio
7500 starting chips at 25/50 blinds and 60 min. levels.

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First Table Reads (back of room - left or middle table):
1 young guy
2 old guy with WSOP polo
3 (late registrant) - Young Asian
4 older Pittsburgh Rivers PLO player, very loose
5 (late registrant) - Moroccan, middle aged guy (level 3)
6 old guy/balding
7 late reg - dead stack - middle aged female Asian with Parx hoodie
8 hero
9 late registrant - old guy

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Blinds: 25/50

Read: Vil4 is fairly loose postflop, but seems to maneuver postflop.

Hero dealt in CO: Ac 9c 8x 5x

Preflop:
(folds to hero in CO)
Hero: raises to 150
Vil4 (BB): calls

(2 players - 350 in pot)
Flop: Kx 7x Qc 7c
Vil4: checks
Hero: bets 200
Vil4: calls

(2 players - 750 in pot)
Turn: Kx 7x Qc 7c
Vil4: checks
Hero: bets 425
Vil4: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Standard raise with suited ace in CO. Hero probably has edge against villains in position.
Flop: This can be a spot to check back. Hero decides to bet as semi-bluff since many cards bring hero additional draws (wrap, flush draw).
Turn: Good barrel turn card. Wide villain range usually folds to hero second barrel.

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Hero dealt in BB: Ah Jh Tx 6x

Preflop:
Vil1 (UTG): raises to 150
(folds to Vil7)
Vil7 (SB): calls
Hero (BB): calls

(3 players - 450 in pot)
Flop: Xx Xx Xx (not sure of board texture)
Vil7: checks
Hero: checks
Vil1: bets 325
Vil7: calls
Hero: folds

(2 players - 1100 in pot)
Turn: Xx Xx Xx Xx (not sure of board texture)
Vil7: checks
Vil1: bets 550
Vil7: folds

Analysis:
Hero did not write down board, sigh. Hero notices that villain can double barrel.

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Hero dealt in HJ: Td 9s 8d 5s

Preflop:
(folds to Vil5)
Vil5 (UTG+1): calls
Hero: calls
Vil9: calls
Vil1 (Button): calls
Vil2 (SB): calls
Vil3 (BB): checks

(6 players - 300 in pot)
Flop: Ah Qh 2x

Villain folds to bet.

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Hero dealt in HJ: Ac Jc 8c 7s

Preflop:
Vil4: calls
Vil5: calls
Hero: calls
Vil9 (CO): raises to 250
(other players fold)
Vil4: calls
Vil5: calls
Hero: calls

(4 players - 1075 in pot)
Flop: 2c Kx 2x Jc
all players check

Turn: 2c Kx 2x Jc
Vil4: checks
Vil5: checks
Hero: checks
Vil9: bets 750
Vil4: folds
Vil5: folds
Hero: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: There could be merit in raising, but it is a fairly weak hand. There is little value in trying to isolate, so hero keeps pot smaller.
Flop: Hero decides to check since there is little fold equity for a bluff.
Turn: If there were 3 or fewer people in the pot, a stab could have chances of getting fold. 4 players are a bit tougher.

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Level 2 - Blinds: 50/100

Hero dealt UTG: Ks Qx Js Tx

Preflop:
Hero: raises to 250
Vil9: calls
Vil1: folds
Vil2: calls
(other players fold)
Vil7 (BB): calls

(4 players - 1050 in pot)
Flop: 9x 9x Jx
Vil7: checks
Hero: bets 750
Vil9: folds
Vil2: folds
Vil7: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Super strong rundown = raise in any position.
Flop: This is a semi-bluff bet. Hero's equity is not bad against a 9xxx to call. There chance of drawing dead might mean hero only barrels twice on most runouts.

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Hero dealt in BB: Ax Ax Qx 8x (rainbow)
(Note: action may/may not be correct.)

Preflop:
(folds to Vil4)
Vil4: raises to 200
Vil6 (But): folds
Vil7 (SB): calls
Hero (BB): calls

(3 players - 600 in pot)
Flop: Ax 6s 3s
Vil7: checks
Hero: checks
Vil6: bets 600
Vil7: folds
Hero: calls

(2 players - 1800 in pot)
Turn: Ax 6s 3s 7s 7c
Hero: checks
Vil6: checks

(2 players - 1800 in pot)
Turn: Ax 6s 3s 7s 7c
Hero; bets 1550
Vil7: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Hero has bad aces and calls to set mine.
Flop: Standard hero bet.
Turn: Board completes flush draws and nut straight draws. A bet is a mistake since only better hands (completed flush/straight draws) call.
River: Hero makes a "bluffy looking" river bet. Hero thought there were a lot of bluff catchers in villain's range. Perhaps hero should have bet smaller to try to get more crying calls from weak flushes and maybe 54xx.

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Hero dealt in SB: Ts 7s 6h 5h

Preflop:
(folds to Vil7)
Vil7 (But): raises to 250
Hero: calls
Vil9 (BB): calls

(3 players - 750 in pot)
Flop: Td 7d 3x
Hero: checks
Vil9 (BB): bets 400
Vil7: calls
Hero: calls

(3 players - 1950 in pot)
Turn: Td 7d 3x 4h
Hero: checks
Vil9: checks
Vil7: bets 1300
Hero: raises to 5000
Vil9: folds
Vil7: calls all in for 2000

Vil7: shows Qc 9c 6s 5s

(2 players - 1 all in)
Board: Td 7d 3x 4h Jx

Hero and Vil7 chop pot.
Vil7's comment: "I thought you had a bigger freeroll."

Analysis:
Preflop: This could be a marginal 3 bet situation against a button open. Hero decides to play a smaller pot.
Flop: Hero has big hand and decides to check/call.
Turn: This is a classic raise freeroll situation. This may have been better to donk bet/call since it was a brick that only hits gutshots. Sigh. Hero gets small freeroll against same hand.

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Hero dealt in SB: 5x 4s 3x 2s

(5 players - ~550 in pot)
Flop: 3s 8c 9d
all players check

(5 players - ~550 in pot)
Turn: 3s 8c 9d Kd
Hero: bets 400
(all players fold)

Analysis:
Preflop: This is a bit loose OOP. Hero rarely makes nut straight in a multiway pot.
Flop: Hero has bottom pair. Hero checks.
Turn: Hero sees a lot of weakness and decides to bluff a brick turn card. Hero would be ready to fire 2 barrels on most/all river cards. (If hero makes a low 2 pair and no flush completes, hero may check/call).

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Hero dealt in HJ: Ax As Kx 3x rainbow

Preflop:
Vil5 (1575): raises to 250
(folds to hero)
Hero (HJ): calls
(other players fold)

(2 players - 650 in pot)
Flop: Ac 6c 3x
Vil5: checks
Hero: bets 350
Vil5: calls

(2 players - 1350 in pot)
Turn: Ac 6c 3x Qx
Vil5: bets 1050 (all in)
Hero: calls

Vil5: shows AQxx with no straight draws and is drawing dead. Vil5 leaves table almost immediately after tabling hand.

Board: Ac 6c 3x Qx Xx (Apologies for hero not writing down board.)

Analysis:
Preflop: Hero decides to play hand deceptively rather than isolate a short stack and have to play large pot with bad aces.
Flop: Standard value bet that is called/shoved on by flush draws/wraps, etc...
Turn: Villain donk bet is unlucky for villain. Villain drawing dead is even worse.

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Hero's stack at level 3: 11275 @ 75/150.

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Updated Reads:
1 young guy
2 old guy with WSOP polo
3 (late register) - Young Asian
4 middle aged guy with headphones (previous villain busted before level 3) | level 4 - eventually Nemish P. (younger Arabic male)
5 (late register) - Moroccan, middle aged guy (level 3)
6 old guy/balding
7 late reg - dead stack - middle aged female Asian with Parx hoodie
8 hero
9 young bald guy with beard - open raises often

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Hero dealt in UTG+1: Ax Ad Qd 8x

Preflop:
Vil7 (UTG): calls
Hero: calls
Vil9: calls
Vil1: folds
Vil2 (SB): calls
Vil3: checks

(6 players - 900 in pot)
Flop: 2x 2x 8d
all players check

(6 players - 900 in pot)
Turn: 2x 2x 8d 3d
Vil2: checks
Vil3: bets pot (900)
(all other players folds)

Analysis:
Preflop: Weak aces = limp
Flop: Hero does not meet criteria for betting.
Turn: Hero could try to spike a top boat or nut flush draw, but limped pot = hero could be up against mostly trips or (less likely boat) (and very rarely a bluff). Hero decides to fold.

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Hero dealt UTG: As Ad 7s 6d

Reads: Vil4 was aggressive.

Preflop:
Hero: calls
(2 other players call)
Vil4: raises - ~450
Hero: calls
all players call

(4 players - ~1800 in pot)
Flop: Jx Tx 6x (rainbow)
Hero: checks
Vil4: bets ~1200
(one player calls)
Hero: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: There was merit in trying to raise preflop UTG. Maybe hero should and not worry about the "metagame" that hero is noted with AAxx often. Sigh.
Flop: Standard check/fold since so many turn cards are bad and hero OOP against aggressive villain in MW pot. There could be merit in folding HU sometimes too.

Vil4 eventually shows single pair after triple barrelling.

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Hero dealt in SB: Ac Kx Jc 6x

Preflop:
(folds to hero in SB)
Hero (SB): raises to 400
Vil9 (BB): calls

(2 players - 900 in pot)
Flop: Jx 8x 7x (rainbow)
Hero: bets 500
Vil9 (BB): folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Standard raise.
Flop: This is probably a double barrel bluff spot since few turn cards will change the nuts (T/9).

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Hero dealt in CO: Kx Kx 7h 2h

Preflop:
(folds to hero in CO)
Hero (CO): raises to 400
Vil9 (But): calls
Vil2 (SB): calls

(3 players - 1350 in pot)
Flop: Ah 2d 3d
all players check

(3 players - 1350 in pot)
Turn: Ah 2d 3d Jx
Vil2: bets 800
Hero: folds
Vil9: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Standard open in LP unless against maniac.
Flop: This is a check/fold without any draws to anything. If it checks around on 2-3 streets, hero might have best hand.
Turn: Villain donk bet could be steal, but hero has almost no equity. Hero folds.

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Hero dealt in MW pot: Ad Ax Xx Xx

Preflop:
at least 1 player and hero limp
BB: checks

(3+ players - ?? in pot)
Flop: Jd Td 2d
all players check

(3+ players - ?? in pot)
Turn: Jd Td 2d 3x
Hero: bets ???
all other players fold.

Analysis:
Flop: Multiway - hero has no hand and checks.
Turn: This is a nut flush blocker play that makes sense given the line. Hero would bet 2 streets.

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Hero dealt in MW pot: Ks Kd 9s 8x

Preflop:
at least 2 players call
Hero: calls
BB: checks

(4+ players - ?? in pot)
Flop: Ax 7d 6d
Vil9: bets 450
Vil3: raises to 1600
Hero: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Bad KKxx is ok to limp.
Flop: Hero has no hand and no draw. Hero folds.

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Level 4 - Blinds: 100/200
Hero dealt in MP: 7x 5x 4h 3h

Preflop:
Vil7 (2k): calls
Hero: raises to 500
Vil2: calls
Vil7: calls

(3 players - ~1500 in pot)
Flop: Jx 9s 8s
Vil7: bets ~1500 (all in)
Hero: calls
Vil2: calls

(3 players - ~6000 in pot, 1 player all in)
Turn: Jx 9s 8s 4c
Hero: checks
Vil2: checks

(3 players - ~6000 in pot, 1 player all in)
River: Jx 9s 8s 4c 2s
Hero: checks
Vil2: checks

Hero did not write down hands.
Vil7: triples up

Analysis:
Preflop: Hero isolating with small rundown to try to get others to fold and isolate with a vulnerable rundown. Hero isolates short stack to try to get heads up. This may have been a leak since hot/cold equity is not great with this hand (does not flop high pairs)
Flop: Hero calls to possibly steal and/or eliminate opponent. It is a bit loose.
Turn: Hero does not see bluff card (Q/T/K/spade) and checks.
River: Hero does not see bluff card (Q/T/K/spade) and checks.

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Hero dealt in MP: Ac Qc Qx 7c

Preflop
Vil9 (UTG): raises to 600
(all other players fold)
Hero (MP): calls
(other players fold)

(2 players - ~1500 in pot)
Flop: Kx 6x 3x 7s 6x (rainbow)
Vil9: checks
Hero: checks

(2 players - ~1500 in pot)
Turn: Kx 6x 3s 7s 6x
Vil9: checks
Hero: checks

(2 players - ~1500 in pot)
Turn: Kx 6x 3s 7s 6x (rainbow)
Vil9: bets 750
Hero: calls

Vil9: shows AA63x
Hero: mucks

Analysis:
Flop: No value/hard to bluff = check.
Turn: Hero could bluff, but it may be with best hand. Hero has no blockers to straight. Hero decides to try to get to showdown.
River: Could villain be stealing? Hero thought there was a chance and decides to bluff catch.

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Hero dealt in BB: Kx Qx 9x 7x

Preflop:
(folds to Vil7)
Vil7 (SB): calls
Hero: checks

(2 players - 400 in pot)
Flop: Jx Tx 3x (rainbow)
Vil7: checks
Hero: checks

(2 players - 400 in pot)
Turn: Jx Tx 3x Ax (rainbow)
Vil7: checks
Hero: bets 300
Vil7: folds

Analysis;
Preflop: Hero does not likely have fold equity preflop. Hero checks.
Flop: Hero has a wrap and could bet. Hero decides to check.
Turn: Hero decides to stab with nuts to get value from top pair + middle/bottom pair.

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Hero's stack at level 5: 7450 @ 150 300.

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Read: Vil9 - bet larger with pair + NFD;checked cards 2x when flush completed, then bet; check/call with board pair
Read: Vil6 - had just potted LP opener 1 hand earlier

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Level 5 - Blinds: 150/300
Hero's stack = ~7300
Hero dealt in SB: Qs Jd 9d 8s

Preflop:
Vil3: raises to 700
Vil5: calls
Vil6: raises pot (2550)
Hero: thinks for a while, then folds

Analysis:
Preflop: Is this is a spot to gamble with not a lot of fold equity? It all just depends. Hero was neutral about reads at the table.
It is also fine to call and take a flop with the likelihood of betting all in on most board textures. Perhaps that could have been the smart play too.
Fold is horribly nitty.

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Hero dealt in CO: Qc Jh Tc 7h

Preflop:
Vil3: calls
(folds to hero)
Hero (CO): raises to 900
other players fold
Vil3: calls

(2 players - 2250 in pot)
Flop: Kx 8h 3x
Vil3: bets pot (2250)
Hero: folds

Analysis:
Preflop: With a rundown, hero isolates limper.
Flop: Hero has a backdoor flush draw and no pair. Hero folds.

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Hero dealt in SB: Jx Tx 9d 7d

Preflop:
(folds to Vil6)
Vil6 (2125, CO): raises to 600
Vil7 (Button): calls
Hero (SB): raises to 2825 (all in)
Vil6: calls all in
Vil7: folds

Vil6: shows Ax Ks Qs Tx

Board: 9s 2x Js 6x Qx

Analysis:
Preflop: Hero has another rundown in SB with raise and call. Hero can squeeze. How is this situation different than the previous one? Hero had fewer chips (~5050) and a short stack was also in the pot. Villains in other hand had hero covered. There was also no other raises in front of hero. There may be more fold equity.

Hero's stack: 2225

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Level 6 - Blinds: 200/400
Hero's stack: 2225

Hero dealt in UTG: Kx Qs Js 9x

Preflop:
Hero: raises to 1100
(all other players fold)

Analysis:
Preflop: standard

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Hero's stack: 2625
Hero dealt in BB: Ax Kc Kx Kx

Preflop:
(folds to Vil6)
Vil6 (But): calls
Vil7 (SB): calls
Hero (BB): raises to 1600
Vil6: calls
Vil7: folds

(2 players - 3400 in pot)
Flop: Ac Qc 2x
Hero: bets all in (1075)
Vil6: calls

Vil6: shows Qx Jc Tc 8x

Board: Ac Qc 2x 5x 8x

Analysis:
Preflop: Hero picks up premium preflop hand and raises for value. Hero will bet most flops.
Flop: Hero has TPTK and bets all in.

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Overall Thoughts: Hero felt like this was a normal WSOP tournament. Some highs and lows (from a variance perspective) with a mix of ok/decent players among the ranks.
Hero felt that play was good for the majority of the tournament.

Hero out with 46 tables left (in level 6) + late registrations. 978 total entries.