Party Poker New Player Freeroll

The $5,000 new player freeroll tournament was last night at Party Poker. I entered and damn near forgot to play, but around 9:45 my trusty BlackBerry buzzed me with a reminder. I was glad – I wanted to play poker, but did not want to shell out another $25 from my bankroll after yesterday’s dismal performance and play money just screws up my real game now.

I was doing fairly well at first, I played tight at first but noticed that the players at my table were easily intimidated (no offense to any of you who I played against).I was able to steal away more than my fair share of blinds and sometimes grab even turn and river bets with modest to large bets/raises. Betting half of people’s stacks or half of a decent size pot in tournament play can be a very effective weapon, especially if you have a decent chip stack at the table you are playing. I needed later in the tournament to take my own advice as you will see later in this post.
There were about 2500 entrants in the tournament.I suspect that the majority of these players were not “new” to poker, or even to Party Poker for that matter, but rather have opened new accounts with new names to take advantage of these kinds of offers (for shame!).

I was able to maintain an average or above average chip stack through the first break and well into the second hour. Then I got moved to a new table, with the tournament chip leader, and the guy with the second most chips. My $4100 looked pretty tiny against his $22,000. Oh yeah, by the way – this table #1. Would you like cash or will you accept a check sir?

I am playing tight, very tight – playing scared is probably a more accurate term, but we will stick with “playing tight” because it sounds better. I was able to win a few hands, I even bluffed a sizeable pot away from someone with a considerably larger stack than mine. I was getting more confident (yes, trouble is fast approaching). I was the big blind ($150) and dealt pocket 2d 2c. Five players limped in (I am really getting this poker lingo thing down) and flop was dealt; 8d, 7d, 3d. I have a really bad pair but a good flush draw so I make the minimum bet of $150. I realize now (20/20 hindsight is always best) that I should have pet at least half the pot ($375), but I am still a rookie so give me a break. Three players fold, leaving it to me and, you guessed it “el chip leader”. The turn is a 6c, nothing scary so I bet $600 hoping I can take it right here. Of course $600 is an absolutely ridiculous bet against a $22,000 stack so again I probably erred here and should have made a much more substantial bet (like half my stack ~$2000). The river comes and it is a 7c, so I obviously missed my flush draw, but I don’t think I am in too much trouble because the board is not intimidating. Not thinking clearly I check – oops, Mr. Chip Leader puts me all-in. Crap. I have to fold here, because any pair kicks by 2’s butt. I fold, he tells me he has the 3^rd 7. Of course he did, and I’m the queen of England. Regardless, not one of my better played hands, but I came through it with my stack intact and a lesson learned (or at least you would think so).

This was where I got scared and played as such (we can stop calling it “playing tight” at this point). I was only playing monster hands now and not really winning any money, but not losing any either. I got tangled up a couple of times but was able to release it without taking too much damage.

I watched the women to my immediate right pick up a pot from the chip leader with pocket 6’s making a set from the board. What was odd was that the chip leader also had a 6 putting all 4 6’s in play. It was an unusual hand, but very profitable for her.

Two hands later I got tangled up with this same women. Again I was the big blind ($300 at this point) and was dealt Ac, 3h. Only three people limp in and the flop comes 2s, 6c, Ah – great I paired my Aces and nothing scary on the board – time to maximize my profits (strike 1). I bet $300 and got called by one other player, the turn is a 6d, I bet another $300 (strike 2). I immediately get raised all-in. Hmmm, she can’t have another set of 6’s, she just had that 2 hands ago. No way – she’s using that last hand to play mind games - I’m calling (strike 3, you’re out). Yeah, she had that 6, but I am not upset with her hand, I am upset with my play. Had I made a decent bet on the flop, I would not be writing this post. No way she would be calling a $2000 bet with a 6s 7s, which as it turns out were her hole cards. A decent bet on my part after the flop let’s her know I that I am playing to an Ace and she was a relative smart player so I am very confident she would have let that pot go. (The river was a 9h by the way in case you were wondering).

So I finished 426 out of 2500, not bad but not what I was going for. I was hoping to make it to the money (top 180) – maybe next time. Sorry this was so long, I was really hoping for a shorter post, but the details keep getting in the way!