1500 PLO8 MTT @ Rio

1500 starting stack with 2 rebuys with 25/25 blinds and 60 min. levels

Table Reads:
1
super nitty
saw 1 bet at 1 pot in ~2 levels
2 (gl3 eventually, spewy player first 4 levels)
seemed to be not doing anything too out of the ordinary
does seem to stab some pots sometimes on turn when checked to
3
Unknown to start; eventually dead stack of person in 8 game but has been MIA
4
asian, maybe in late 20s
competent plo8 reg
seems kinda nitty

5 (tom franklin)
asked me which game are we playing?
I explained it's PLO8

5 (unknown, then lee Watkinson)
6 (rocky)
seems to know something
has barrelled once against me
has floated me ip in later rounds
hero didn't bet kjt 2 heart board though)

7 (rob)
does seem to understand short stack plo8 play
very wide jamming range
kind of loose though w/ qqt9 ds
8 (magnus)
very competent reg
can jam with medium hi + low potential
ex) 886 -> villain had a299

---------------
Mistake one at 12:14PM. Folding small blind in limped pot at 25 25...
First time hero is in small blind.
Hero motioned to throw hero’s cards in the muck. Hero realized that it was 25/25 and wanted them back. Dealer was going to call floor, but stopped after hero told them it wasn't worth it to call floor.
Unfortunately, not sure if hero was so focused on action that it was an easy thing to just check in sb in limped pot.

Mistake 2 was around 1:10PM.
I was ghost checked as small blind.
Hero had completed in sb.
On flop, dealer didn't notice hero’s "non-action" and 2 players checked before doing anything. Dealer told me to speak up next time.

***
IIRC, first pot was probably bet by hero on flop and took it down when flopped 2p/set on 2 low board.
The other ones was checked on all streets. Hero showed hand and won.

Capt. Tom Franklin showed up about 25 min. into the first level.
He played almost exactly like in PLO8 MTT in New Orleans.
He waved hi to me, then a little later asked me which game we were playing.
He tried to be aggressive early to build up stack, slowed down for a bit, then got active again before ultimately busting.
He also was toting around an iPad and headphones.

***

It took about 4-5 rotations to win first pot(s).
Unfortunately, there are no notes other than tweets for the 1st 2 won pots by hero.
1:11PM - Shipped first pot. Limped bb special. 100 chips.
1:33PM - 2 for 2 on big blind specials.

---------------
First Break:
1625 with 2 rebuy chips
50/100 blinds

---------------
hero dealt 7753 (7c5c) in bb

3 players limp in
hero checks

(4 players - 400 in pot)
9x Qc 4c
4 checks

(4 players - 400 in pot)
9x Qc 4c Ac
3 checks
button (seat 7): bets 300
hero: calls
2 others fold

(2 players - 1000 in pot)
9x Qc 4c Ac 2y
check
check

Analysis:
Check/call seems like best line with low flush + backdoor low draw.
Without knowing if other players are check calling worse flushes, it seemed like right play.

River seems like it should easily be value bet. Unfortunately, it's really hard to say if villain was going to even call bet (villain mucked).
Villain may have had Q32x (nut low draw + pair)?

---------------
These were dealt hands that hero voluntarily entered into pot (VPIP).
1. limp 6532 rainbow UTG+1, fold when bricked
2. in bb, hero called button raise with 8632 (double suited - cddc), but check/folded on high only flop
3. with 5 other players in pot, hero completed in sb with JJ77 (jc 7c)
This may have been a loose call, tbh even though bb had only raised 1x in 3 hours.

---------------
Hero (875 chips) and button has more chips
hero: dealt AQ52
folds to player 7

button: raises
hero (BB): 3 bets AI
button: calls
button shows: AJJ2

Analysis:
This seemed pretty standard given button/bb dynamics. hero had folded blinds often, although this was first button/bb dynamic.
Often times, hero's nitty image might get villain to fold preflop rarely.

Hero didn’t write down board, but was calling dealer to use a rebuy chip after the hand.

---------------
blinds: 50/100
Limp utg+1 a862. 5 way to flop. Aa8. Pot flop one call. Get in on 9 turn. Villain show a6 4 3. 5 river. A double up plus.

Hero limps with A862 (no suit)

(5 players to flop)
AA8 rainbow
hero bets near pot
seat 2 calls
everyone else folds

AA89
hero is all in
seat 2 calls

2: shows A643
AA895

Hero increases stack from 1500 -> ~3300

Analysis:
Easy jam and really awesome to have huge equity in heads up pot. It's rare to be hugely dominating.
Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
600,000 trials (Randomized)
board: aa8
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
a862 76.64% 319,834 599,867 0 150,739 0
a643 23.36% 133 133 0 280,166 0
Edit · Link · 2+2 · Deuces Cracked · LeggoPoker

board: aa89
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
a862 83.74% 404,904 600,000 0 90,063 0
a643 16.26% 0 0 0 195,096 0

---------------
hero: dealt AQ64 (64)
6 - raised in CO to 375 at 75/150

(3 players - 975 in pot)
AT5 (rainbow; hero has bdfd)
check
6: bets 600
button: folds
hero calls

(2 players - 2175 in pot)
Ax Ty 5c 3c
hero leads 1700 (leaving 800 behind)
6: tanks/folds

Analysis:
Simulation: TP2k + bad low draw + redraw to better 2 pair.
Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
4,136,900 trials (Exhaustive)
board: ac th 5s
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
at 58.16% 1,413,253 3,257,785 65,880 376,224 87,264
ad qs 6c 4c 41.84% 757,652 813,235 65,880 2,202,824 87,264

Hero's equity is ok, but playability could be problematic.

On turn, hero has decently strong 2-way hand + strong draw. Hero lead seems to be ok.
But, there's merit with check/raise AI (which would be small raise for hero) to hopefully get more money in via possible freeroll w/ clubs.
But, not sure how often villain bets low turn where villain could just be hoping to get money back.

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
320,920 trials (Exhaustive)
board: ac th 5s 3c
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
at, aa, 55 37.72% 14,220 218,099 1,404 16,584 13,440
ad qs 6c 4c 62.28% 94,193 101,417 1,404 290,896 13,440
Edit · Link · 2+2 · Deuces Cracked · LeggoPoker

hero's stack approaches 5300.

---------------
At this point, hero reads that players in seats 5-8 seem to be competent PLO8 players for the most part.

CO raises
button calls
SB: reraises (effectively all in)
CO folds
button calls

SB: AAQ3 (AQ)
Button: AK72 (AK)

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
600,000 trials (Randomized)
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
A Ad Qd 3 61.23% 259,718 430,771 4,470 82,999 14,123
Ac Kc 7 2 38.77% 124,775 164,759 4,470 217,637 14,123

This illustrates that 3 low cards can help in spots against likely AAW for counterfeit protection (and 3-5% of equity). In game, it’s really hard to fold for sure.

---------------
Side note:
Lots of pairs of events. 2 odd chips. High hand oop. Oop got both odd chips.
This happened in the span of 1 dealer down to boot! Dealer commented that "well, we've just had this happen, so this should be quick."

Both times, it occurred when person was quartered.
Example: 1575 in pot; person wins 3/4 of pot and was OOP
775 - high hand: (775 + 25) -> 800
775 - low chopped
400 - OOP low hand gets odd chip (25): 375 + 25 = 400
375 - IP low hand only gets 375

One of the situations happened in this hand:
Board: 3h Jh 7d 8c 7h
Pot was raised preflop, but unsure of how many players were in pot on flop (it may have been heads up).
flop: check/check
turn: check/check
river: bet/raise/
3b/call

IIRC players
seat 5: raise/call had A432 (Ah 2h)
seat 8: b/3b bet with A752 (5d 2d)

---------------
Other small notes:

1. Hero stole a limped pot on a 4s47s IP when checked to hero as last to act.
2. Hero flatted PFR with AK85 (A5) (don't remember who raised)
Flop (2 players):
Q63 (2 tone; hero has NFD)
Analysis:
Hero deiced to check IP, but there is merit to betting here.
Villain donk led high, offsuit turn card (like T) and hero folded.

---------------
Other players accumulating chips: seats 5 & 8 got into this battle in LP/BB action.

seat 5: in CO and was PFR
seat 8: calls in BB

(flop: 2 players)
886 rainbow board
8: checked
5: bet ~3/4 pot
8: reraised an amount near pot
5: 3bet AI
8: called

8: showed A992
5: showed AAJ7

2. A player (possibly seat 2) got stacked on a Kh 8h 6x 9s 2d board
(seat 5) who won showed: Ah Kx 7h 5y

During level 4 as some more players busted, seat 2 was replaced with George Lind III (of PS Team Online).

---------------
WSOP update 2: 3700 + 1500 = 5200. The table seems really tough and we are probably not breaking tonight. GL3 among others.

I bumped into a friend (Leif) during the break. I asked him if he knew anything about George Lind III's game. He said he didn't think he had much experience at PLO8 (he had played a bunch of NLHE/PLO with him).
This information was useful at the time.

---------------
Twitter notes: 4:52p Comment about aaw continues.

To anyone who hasn't played PLO8 MTTs, it's weird to say squeezes rarely happen...but they sure seem like it because people "wait" AAW in PLO8 just like AA in NLHE. The frequency of being dealt it is the same too (~1:220).

Twitter notes: 4:54p Hero 3b light opener. Fold pre by other player

This goes with statement 1. Since hero's image is nitty, this seems pretty standard. TBH, I think I 3b seat 6.

---------------
folds to player in seat 4

CO (seat 4, 3k): raises 2x to 400
button (): folds
sb (seat 6, ~10k): calls
bb (seat 7, 4.5k): calls

(1200 in pot; 3 players)
5s ah 4c
3 players check

(1200 in pot; 3 players)
5s ah 4c 9c
sb bets 800
bb calls 800
co - raises AI
sb: tanks, calls
bb: folds

sb: shows 9y 6c 4c 2x (2 pair + flush draw, bad low)
co: shows 2357 (7h5h) (wheel, no redraw)

5s ah 4c 9c Js
co: doubles up

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
51,840 trials (Exhaustive)
board: 5s ah 4c 9c
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
2357 81.17% 34,182 34,263 0 47,952 3,888
9 4 6c 2c 18.83% 0 17,577 0 0 3,888

Analysis: It felt like sb made a loose call, and if villain has exactly 23, it's a pretty bad call.

---------------
Twitter: 5:04p For the love of 50 chips. [...]

hero's stack: 5500 at 100/200
villain (Lee W.) has ~7k

Hero dealt aa3t (no suit)
hero raises in MP to 500
villain calls in BB.

(2 players - 1100 in pot)
flop: K86 2 hearts
villain checks
hero bets 750
villain raises to 3600
hero jams
villain calls

villain shows: AK75 w/ 2 hearts.
turn/river: K8692 rainbow

Chop pot: Hero gets 50 chips

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
820 trials (Exhaustive)
board: kh 8h 6s
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
ah ks 7c 5h 55.85% 248 595 0 148 0
ad as 3h td 44.15% 152 225 0 419 0

Analysis:
It seems standard to get it in, but is definitely one of the few hands hero does not want to see. Thankfully hero stays alive...and all for +50 chips!

---------------
At this point, min raises are the standard! It played exactly like a mid-high stakes PLO8 MTT. Min-raises help to encourage post-flop play.

dealt to hero: AAW (I don't remember exact hand, but I think it was in the shape of AA4T (A4 suited))
folds to seat 6
6: min raises to 600
but: folds
sb: folds
hero: 3 bets to 1700
6: calls

(2 players - 3550 in pot)
Q83 (two tone, hero has bdfd)
hero: bets almost AI (3000 of 3550)
6: raises
hero: calls

6: shows AQ2x

Qc 8c 3s Ad 7s
hero ends up chopping

Analysis:
Mistake on 3b bet size. It may have worked out to get call from villain though.

---------------
Dinner/Nap Time:
Hero's stack: 5725 at 200/400.

Overall, hero's image was pretty nitty. There weren't really many showed down pots where hero didn't have a nutty hand.

---------------
Reads after dinner break:

1: super-nitty player (he had sat down in level 4-5, and seemed sick (and was asking for tissues, so actually brought a spare for him)
2: George Lind III: seemed to play nitty, so probably has some PLO8 MTT experience
3: dead stack: eventually found out to be person playing the 50k 8 game and sat down during his dinner break (eventually busted)
4: 20-30 something asian male who seemed to be thinking PLO8 MTTer
5: Lee Watkinson - varies raise sizes PFR
6: Roch Cousineau - I didn't see him do anything really weird per se, but was definitely looser than normal PLO8 player
7: Rob - seemed to at least know what to talk about, seemed to mix it up as stack dwindled
8: Magnus - seemed very bright, PLO8 MTT reg
9: hero

We only lost 1 player through level 5, then 2 more right before dinner.
To be clear, players 6-9 had been at same table all day, while 4 came in around level 3-4.

---------------
200/400 blinds

UTG limped
UTG+1 (hero) limped
sb called
bb checked

(1600 in pot; 4 players)
T92 2 tone
sb/bb/UTG check
hero bet 1100
all players fold

Analysis:
This was an ok place to bet. IMO in general for a limped pot, villains will play more straightforward.
This was a confidence boost given hero's nitty image from prior to dinner break.
Coincidentally, a similar thing happened right after dinner break last year when hero 3b a light opener and villain open folded.

---------------
My guesses that this was an online mid-high stakes PLO8 MTT were confirmed in this hand:
twitter: Confirm internet MTT. Short stack all in. Min raise on button. Solid player pots in small blind.
Pretty much, very tight play by most players and min raises were the standard.

folds to seat 3 in MP
3: raises AI
7 (seemed to have looser PLO8 image): min raises button
8 (solid, thinking PLO8 MTTer who was tight):  repots
7: gets it all in with AK53 (A3)(K5) ds
8: AA4x with suit

5: busts, 8 doubles through 7

---------------
It's always fun to be on a table where you see it actually unfold.
Reporter came to the table to watch the action after noticing Lee was in the hand. Specifically, the reporter asked for person's name who jammed QQxx (Rob).
The funny part: They edited the post once Lee returned.

The "unknown" player is player in seat 4.

http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2012-world-series-of-poker/event-47-pot-limit-omaha-hi-low-split-8-or-better/post.206731.htm

The floor had to do the following when Lee came back (upon realizing he should still be in the MTT):
1. They reviewed the hand and realized Lee should have some chips.
2. They had to fix the ChipTic system and ensure the player that was supposed to get moved went back to their original place.

---------------
Shortly thereafter, hero is dealt AQQ3 (A3).
hero is UTG

Hero minraises to 800
UTG+1 raises pot
folds back to hero
hero tanks for a little bit, then folds.

Analysis:
This player had played ~2 hands in 3 hours. If this isn't AAwx, it would be extremely surprising.
In theory, hero could easily play OOP, but felt the risk wasn't worthwhile to risk 30-40% stack to try to hit few good flops. (There are only a couple flops really would be good for hero...)

---------------
hero in bb: dealt 7532 (753)

villain's stack: around 5k
hero's stack: around ~7k

folds to button (seat 7)
7: raises 2x to 800
8 (sb): folds
9: hero calls

(2 players - 1800 in pot)
flop: 875 (2 tone, hero has no fd)
hero checks
villain bets ~1400
hero: raises to ~7k
villain calls:
Villain shows shows a35t no suit

turn/river: 875 A 6 (no flush)
chop/chop

Analysis:
Defending with 3 wheel cards + suit seems ok. Villain was opening a little bit wider than most.
C/R AI on this flop was the best play.
a. There aren't too many hands where hero is getting scooped (bottom 2 + 3rd nut low)
b. hero may have (very small) fold equity.

---------------
Level change: 300/600 blinds
A rotation (10 hands) pass. Hero still has around 7k in chips.

Hero dealt A255 (A25 suited)
folds to hero in MP
hero (MP): raises 2x
3 (button): calls
6 (BB): calls

(3 players - 3900 in pot)
kqt rainbow (hero has nut bdfd)
6 (BB): checks
hero: bets 2400
3 (button): thinks for a bit, then folds
6: thinks for a little bit as well, then calls

kqt 8 (hero picks up nut flush draw)
6 (BB): checks
hero: tanks for a long time, then checks behind

kqt8 5
6 (BB): checks
hero: tanks for less time, then checks behind

villain shows ktxx (no flush draw)
hero quickly mucks

Analysis:
Not sure if villain calls 2x (hero bets all in) by repping AQxx, J9xx, some KKxx/QQxx.
Villain could have been trapping there, but ...not sure if hero should have fired that AI shell.
Unfortunately, hero forgot the last time where donk led and got villain to fold.
Also, because villain didn't lead turn when flush draw came out, it's less likely villain has nuttish hand like straight to protect.

---------------
After that hand, it was tough and hero reviewed short stack strategy to find spot to get it in.
blinds pass and hero's down to 2300 @ 300/600

Hero: dealt AK64 (a4)(k6)

folds to seat 5 (EP)
EP: raises to 2000
hero: calls AI for 1700
everyone else folds

(2 players, 1 all in)
Lee turns over a7 53 with spades.

Flop: 6s Qs 9s monotone spades
Turn: 6s Qs 9s Jh
Turn: 6s Qs 9s Jh 5c

Hero busts around 280th/978 (117 places paid out).

---------------
Summary:
1. After some early jitters (which was weird b/c this was my 2nd, not first WSOP event) and some overall nittiness, it felt comfortable to be in this MTT.
2. Honestly, it was a pretty tough table draw. Even the "soft spots" weren't that soft. My table draw from last year definitely had a number of soft spots. It felt like mid-high stakes online PLO8 MTT. Min-raising was the standard and decent amounts of pre-flop folds and/or lots of post-flop play. Sadly, sitting at a low table number means being stuck at the same table all day.
3. No one took rebuy chips at my table unless they busted.
4. It was good to really prep by playing multiple $33+ PLO8 MTTs prior to LV, as it provided a lot of experience in mid-stakes MTTs.

5. It was cool to actually be at same table that Lee Watkinson got moved to where he "busted and came back": http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2012-world-series-of-poker/event-47-pot-limit-omaha-hi-low-split-8-or-better/post.206731.htm

6. Unfortunately, declining to double barrel in a spot on a high only board (KQT) as PFR with turned flush draw led to hero’s demise. I twas crippling blow, which forced AI call w/ AK64 ds < A753 ss in level 8 against Lee. Lee flopped nut flush and couldn't backdoor low to stay alive ...
Busted somewhere in the 280 range (117 cash).

Other notes:
Lee Watkinson (who "busted" and came back) ended up getting 25th.
Roch Cousineau ended up getting 3rd in the 1500 PLO8, then 2nd in the 3000 PLO8.

210 PLO8 MTT @ Binion's

20000 chips with 25/50 blinds and 35 min. levels

table reads:
1 - British player i've played against before
2 - seemed like Russian player
5 - Doug, friend of another player
8 - Mike - smart, TAG player who i've played against for 3 years
9 - hero

---------------
Twitter:
Sadness. Turned nut boat with nut low. 5778 with a278.
Only got one bet on flop.

Hero: dealt a278

3 limps
hero limps in CO
bb checks

(5 players - 500 in pot)
577 rainbow
checks to hero
hero bets 400
bb: calls
all other players fold

(2 players: 1300 in pot)
5778 (2 tone, hero has no flush draw)
checks to hero
hero bets 1100
villain folds

Analysis: Pretty standard. Sadly, no getting 3/4 of villain's stack...

---------------
hero's stack:
20600 from 20k starting. 100 200 blinds.

---------------
6 way limped pot in level 5 (200/400)
hero called with AJ73 (A3)

(6 players - 2400 in pot)
tt9 rainbow
2 checks
seat 5 led for less than 1/2 pot
2 folds
hero calls
2 folds

(2 players - 4600 in pot)
tt9k (rainbow)
villain checks
hero bets 3100 pot
villain calls

(2 players - 10700 in pot)
tt9k9
villain checks
Hero checks behind
villains shows atxx and says good river check
hero mucks

Analysis:
Bad spot to float/bluff. Competent player betting into 6 people (4th to act).
Line did make sense, but hero had only 1 straight blocker to hand anyway.
Bet size could have been smaller
It also seemed a bit spewy. No reason to believe villain is betting light with so many players left to act.

---------------
Eventually broke my table and got moved to new table:

(2 tables to go)
1: Doug (from 1st table)
2: chris internet player - 2+2er at binions
3: hero - seat 3
5: older african american. when looking at cards, they always kept flashing them to me...

Break: Stack size: 15k @ 400 800.

---------------
4:55PM
hero's stack: 15k
other player: 20k
BB: 10k

hero: dealt AJ75 (A5)
folds to hero in HJ
button calls:
Hero raised to ~2000
2 players call

(6k in pot - 3 players)
J72 rainbow
bb: checks
hero: bets 4k
button: folds
villain check raises AI
hero calls
villain: shows kk74

J72 5 2

Unfortunately, it's a chop. IIRC, a low card (5) fell on turn, but 2 fell on river to counterfeit hero's top 2 pair on river.

Analysis:
Table seemed kind of tight. It's a kind of standard raise in HJ, IMO.
Flop play was standard.

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
5,667,840 trials (Exhaustive)
board: jc 7h 2d
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
kk74 23.56% 827,154 1,545,894 0 311,040 0
aj75 76.44% 3,824,622 4,121,946 0 3,172,608 0

---------------
Twitter:
Bad steal not realizing level change sucked. 10.4k at 500 1000
Analysis: Hero raised to 2.5x of 400/800 (1900), not realizing it was a min raise. Subsequently, hard to steal flop as was donk led into by villain.

---------------
Twitter notes:
5:04PM
Double up. Hero ajt2 w diamonds. 982 with diamonds. C/r & ai on q turn. Dodge low for scoop.

5:11PM
I just doubled again. Flat villain pfr w a3qq. Come over Pfr on j64. Villain goes with a247. 6j. 46.2k at 500 1000

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
11,335,680 trials (Exhaustive)
board: jc 6h 4d
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
a3qq 49.54% 3,145,725 7,055,010 0 1,492,992 124,416
a742 50.46% 3,189,762 4,280,670 0 6,524,928 124,416

5:24PM
Tight player raises out of bb. Hero calls ak34. 3 suit. Fold ta5 1s flop. 40k.

A player limped in MP.
Hero was in sb and flatted AK34 (AK4).
Tight player in BB raised, hero called

AT5 (rainbow, hero has 1 suit)
hero checked
BB: bets pot
MP: folds
hero: folds

Analysis: Only 4 scoop outs in spot where hero is just hoping to get money back.

---------------
In the next 2 hands, this villain said he wanted to play the NLHE MTT, but decided to play PLO8 MTT since already drove down.

Twitter:
Sigh. Could not get value from chip leader as oop blind defense. Hero a753 ahh. K73 rainbow check check. Th. Hero bets and fold.

Hero was dealt A753 (A5)

CO: raises
hero: calls

(2 players - 7800 in pot)
K73 (rainbow, hero has bdfd)
hero checked
villain checked behind

(2 players - 7800 in pot)
K73T (2 tone, hero has nut flush draw)
Hero bets 5200
Villain: folds

Analysis:
A hero donk lead seemed best, but villain was a "NLHE" player and hero felt there was a higher chance of getting in a check/raise.

---------------
Hero dealt: AQ42 (rainbow)
MP: limps
hero: limps
BB: checks (same villain as previous hand)

(3 players - 1800 in pot)
AKQ (two tone, hero has no flush draw)
BB: checks
MP: checks
hero bets 1200
BB: calls
MP: folds

(2 players - 4200 in pot)
AKQ8 (two tone, hero has no flush draw)
villain donk leads kinda of small (~2k)
hero calls

(2 players - 8200 in pot)
AKQ89 (no flush completes)
villain checks
hero tanks/checks behind

villain shows: AKxx
hero: mucks

Analysis:
Hero bet seems ok to price out naked flush draws.
Hero wasn't sure how to handle turn bet, but decided to flat and try to get to cheap showdown.

---------------
Tables were down to 11-12 players by the next break.
hero's stack: 40.2k at 800/1600.

---------------
About 30 minutes into level 9 (800/1600), the 2 short handed tables were merged into 1 10-handed table admist my complaining/displeasure to tournament director.

Twitter timeline of the events once reached to final table. My notes are indented within the twitter comments.
9:22p Sigh. Prefer 5+5 instead of 10 handed final table. 50k 800 1600
9:26p NLHE overwhelming chip leader just knocked out two players.
IIRC, the money got AI on flop, but didn't write down hands :(
9:28p Make that 3 players.
IIRC, the money got AI on flop, but didn't write down hands :(
9:38p And NLHE guy just back door better boat. Kkt4 versus a233. A3555
9:43p Seven hands 5 eliminations. Same player. A28t a2s ai akk3. Do not remember board but rivered flush and nut low.

Note: hero folded all 7 trashy hands!

The chip leader was trying to negotiate a chop because he didn't want to play it out. Short stack player and hero declined.

A short stack was to my left. It took 30 minutes, but short stack was eventually eliminated with chip leader taking high and other player taking low to eliminate villain.

stacks:
PLO reg (seat 2): ~50k
old, nitty player (seat 4): ~40k
hero (seat 5) ~50k
NLHE player (seat 8): 400k

Same player just wanted first place money (with 80% chips in play after getting ITM) and end the MTT with other players chopping before dinner.
Hero declined deal:
1. Wanted to continue practicing for WSOP.
2. Hero felt the table wasn't too tough, tbh. About 5 min. later…

Seat 4 was playing tighter than hero, while seats 4/8 played some small pots.
Hero did steal some pots IP as PFR, but no real movement with stacks among any of players.

---------------
About 20 min. into 4 handed play

PLO reg (seat 2): ~55k
old, nit player (seat 4): ~35k
hero (seat 5) ~45k
NLHE player (seat 8): 400k

blinds: 1500/3000
hero dealt: AKT4 (no suit)
4: folds
Hero raises to 7500
8: flat calls
2: folds

(2 players - 18k in pot)
flop: K76 (two tone, hero has no flush draw)
8: checks
hero: bets 12k
8: raises pot (54k total)
hero: calls AI

Hero bricks and is out in 4th for a min cash.

Analysis:
It's a cooler to run into top set with Kxxx blocker. Hero couldn't catch low though to stay alive.

---------------
Min cash: 4/28
200 -> 584

5-5 Big "O" and PLO Cash Game @ Rio

5/5 PLO cash

limped/called 2 raises with KKT6 (K6)
bricked the flop and check/folded

Analysis: TBH, not sure if calling 1/7 of my stack to spike a K
(KKT6 (K6)) against aggro villains....

(20bb donation in 2 hands)

---------------
immediately moved to 5/5 Big "O" as seat opened

hero’s effective stack: 160bb

first hand:
hero dealt: AAT72 (A2)

UTG: raises
HJ: calls
CO: calls
sb: calls
hero calls in BB
4 players call

(5 players – 125 in pot)
Flop: 35J (rainbow, hero has bdfd)

sb: checks
bb: checks
UTG bets 125
2 players call
hero calls in BB
4 players total call

(5 players – 625 in pot)
Turn: 3h 5s Jc Qc
sb: checks
bb: checks
UTG bets pot
1 fold
2 other players call
hero calls in BB

(4 players – 2100 in pot, 1 AI)
River: 3h 5s jc qc 7c
hero donk leads all in (600)
one villain gets mad and throws cards violently in muck
other 2 players call quickly

hero scoops 1 player, while 3/4ing other player
2 players bust

Hero approximately 2.5x up
---------------

"Big" O broke after an hour sadly as we got short handed

LOL hand of the night:
big o - guy to my left on the 3rd hand after we got down to 5 players
shows me: 88855 before mucking

---------------
PLO cash
had aaxx
got in against kqjt
villain had ~40bb
doubles up short stack

qxxxj

later on
hero picks up aaxx

hero limps bad aces (aa79 no suit)
villain in sb raises
bb 3bets
hero repots
sb repots AI
bb calls
hero calls

Board: J9925
hero scoops

---------------
(no small blind in this hand)

folds to CO
CO raises
hero calls with:

a778 (a7)
hero as button straddle

q75 rainbow
villain bets flop
hero calls

q754 (2 clubs - hero has nfd)
villain checks turn
hero bets turn (3/4 pot)
villain folds

Analysis: It seems fine to call with position against player. Turn bet seems ok with set+nfd on turn.

340 PLO8 MTT @ Wynn

15k starting chips with 25/25 blinds and 40 min. levels with reentry
hero preregistered night before

was moved to table with lots of players (some recognizable)

2 - seen at various MTTs
maybe weak/tight (hard to say)
only time i had seen him bet was with nut flush/nut low
4 - hole seemed to know what they were doing
(was involved in AI hand when check/called AI with AA4 xxx) against aggro NLHE fish in seat 5
5
NLHE fish (admitted)
wide hand range selection
6
hero
7
older/tighter guy
nut peddler?
played in PLO8 MTT possibly previously
8
eventually determined he seemed to be NLHE player
9 also dealer
10 (when changed to 10 handed to allow late registrations)
british person
had 4 different glass "acxe" card protectors
British

---------------
3 limpers
hero completed in small blind with (A2)(JT) ds.

(150 in pot)
flop: 874 rainbow
hero checks
1 person bets 3/4 PSB
2 others call
hero calls

(550 in pot)
turn: 8747
hero checks
(person who led flop) - bets about pot
everyone folds

analysis:
Check/calling flop bet is standard. It's very likely hero gets quartered (although super unlikely hero gets 6th), plus hero has some scoop outs.
However, with 4 players in pot, it's totally standard to call as hero gets chips back.
Turn is a standard fold as the wrong draw completes.
Although there's a chance that hero's chopping villain's boat/7xxx, there's no low counterfeit protection and may not scoop for high even if hero hits gutter.

---------------
hero raised utg+2 with 6432 (3s2s)
folds to sb
sb: calls
bb: folds

2 players to flop:
Qx 7h 5h
villain donk leads into hero
hero folds

analysis:
Balancing play to raise with 3 wheel cards + 6. A limp easily could be more worthwhile, but more preference to steal blinds at a likely nitty table.
There's some merit w/ calling with a non-nut wrap and 3rd nut low draw, but it seemed hard to believe hero's in good shape here very often unless villain donk led naked sets/q7xx w/ no lows.

---------------
Hero dealt: Ah Kh Th 3x

1 limper
MP (Hero): raised to 250
Button: calls
Sb: calls
limper: calls

(3 players – 800 in pot)
flop: qj3 (rainbow; hero has no bdfd)
sb: led for pot
hero should have raised, but opted to fold.
everyone else folded.

analysis:
If repeating, hero should (95% time) raised/got all in and flipped.
It's really nitty not to raise/get it in w/ wrap + bdfd + pair. At this point, everyone's 200bb though. But ultimately, it’s not enough of reason to err on the side of less variance here.
Another reason to take a flip: it's a reentry MTT.
Low justifications for not gambling:
It could be justified that there's better edges later in the PLO8 MTT where there's "no risk" due to lock hand freeroll...
There were a couple soft spots at my table.
(a unique quality of PLO8 MTTs)

---------------
Hero limped behind 1 limper w/ kx 5d 3d 2h

(3 players – 350 in pot)
Flop: 2 2d td
BB: checks
limper: checks
checked to hero
hero led ~2/3 pot
everyone folded

Analysis:
Hero’s not quite sure if betting 1/2 psb is better with these types of textures. Some "MTT" fish might interpret that as super weak and it could be advantageous.

hero took down small pot after betting on this board and not getting called.

---------------
hero's stack at first break: 14800 (starting stack: 15000)
blinds: 75/150
overall hero image: standard/nitty
---------------

nlhe fish in 8 seat (hero in 6)

---------------
twitter update:
Rifled 1/3 stack. Bb special mid set. 2 bets but min raised turn. Fold river. Board tk3 98
hero dealt: ttxx (maybe tt92)

(4-5 players limp)
limped to hero in BB
hero checks option

(5-6 players on flop: 750-900 in pot)
tk3 rainbow
hero bets flop (700)
called by seat 8

(2300 in pot)
tk3 9 rainbow
hero bets turn (2/3 pot ~1500)
hero gets minraised on turn
hero tanks, calls

(8300 in pot)
tk398
hero checks
villain bets (~5000)
hero tanks/folds

Analysis:
Pot sizes are approximate.
To be honest, villain is repping exactly qjxx with min raise.
Hero has immediate odds (and possibly good implied odds) to call min-raise to boat up.

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
600,000 trials (Randomized)
board: tk39
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
qj 73.12% 433,216 433,216 10,963 0 0
tt 26.88% 155,821 155,821 10,963 0 0

Hero couldn't really bluff river though.

---------------
twitter update:
And another 2000 gone. Bluffed on 398qq. Both flush draws on turn but q missed both flush draws. Got bluff check raised.

Same villain as previous hand.

hero dealt: (A2)(74)
folded to hero in CO
small blind: calls

(1000 on flop)
flop: 398 (hero has 7 high flush draw)
sb: checks
hero decides to check behind

(1000 on turn)
turn: 398Q (hero has both flush draws on turn)
sb: leads for about 2/3 pot
hero: tanks/calls

(2200 on turn)
398QQ (hero both flush draws on turn)
sb: checks
hero: bets 1400
sb: min raises

hero tanks/folds

Analysis:
Equity wise, it was a huge mistake not to jam the turn. 52% favorite!
In retrospect, more thought about my equity should have happened instead of gut "blindly thinking" and calling donk bet.

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
71,040 trials (Exhaustive)
board: 3h 9d 8h qd
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
ah 2h 7d 4d 52.49% 26,469 26,469 0 34,560 0
qjt 47.51% 22,935 44,571 0 0 0

River was way unexpected to get min c/r. Luckily, it was easy to fold in this spot as villain has qxxx at minimum.

---------------
hero's stack: ~7000
hero called in raised pot

hero: dealt AKJ5 (A5)

TAGgy competent PLO8 player raises in UTG+2
2 calls
hero calls
sb calls

(5 to flop: 4500 in pot)
flop:

j32 rainbow

1 check
PFR: checks
NLHE player bets close to pot
hero raises all in
2 folds
PFR: tanks, calls AI

NLHE player: 33xx
PFR: AA4x
hero: AKJ5

J3275
PLO8 player scoops
hero is out

Analysis:
Jamming here is standard w/ SPR = 2. Assuming villain's bet/call range is 2p+, hero is likely favorite as villain's range is so wide that any low might be good.

Omaha Hi/Lo Simulation ?
71,040 trials (Exhaustive)
board: 3h 9d 8h qd
Hand Equity Scoops Wins Hi Ties Hi Wins Lo Ties Lo
ah 2h 7d 4d 52.49% 26,469 26,469 0 34,560 0
qjt 47.51% 22,935 44,571 0 0 0
Edit · Link · 2+2 · Deuces Cracked · LeggoPoker

---------------
Summary:
busted around 3:30PM
~150/181 runners

Mental and Physical Preparation for the LV Trip

100th blog entry:

As I prepare for the LV MTTs, I am trying to increase my endurance.
I think one of my biggest problems from last year was a lack of physical/mental endurance. Hopefully, (like my marathoning friends), I can build some endurance as I hope to put in 12-13 hour session over the next couple days.