As you can see...it was a $100 buy-in.
Here is the blind structure for those of you who might be looking to play in this soon.
They were 20 minute levels and you start with 10,000 so you only have the first 2 or 3 levels to sit back and play tight before the blinds start creeping up on you. This is a very fun tournament to play, and it is run on Monday's and Tuesday's at 11am. The average number of entrants is around 85 and the cap is 200 though it rarely gets to that number unless it's a holiday weekend or something.
The top 9 got payed starting at $200 for ninth all the way up to a massive 1st place prize of $1,300.
Today there were 71 entrants, and I ended placing around 32nd or so, which I'm really happy about. I think I played great while even making a few "what are you thinking?" calls. In the first couple of levels my goal was just to see some cheap flops and try to hit, with some minor success. Levels 4 + 5 were where I had to tighten up and use my position to win pots as the blinds grew higher and higher. I busted 2 people in level 4 which got me up to 17k before the first break and color up (avg was 16k). It felt good to be hanging strong, and that I didn't bleed chips, get blinded down, and then have to shove in level 3 like a the noob that I actually was. I got aggressive when I needed to, but I know that I need to focus on being more aggressive in the middle stages of the tournament (which is where I know I struggle).
2 and a half hours later I'm down to 13k in level 6 and the blinds are 600/1,200 so I've got around 10 or 11 big blinds and I'm in push/fold mode. I'm UTG and I pick up JKss and raise to 2,400 and I get one caller. Flop comes Ax 5s 6s so I shove my last ~ 10k and he calls. Obviously, I'm chasing a flush draw, but I cant afford to let the big blind get to me in the next hand or I'd really be crippled. He flips 56 for two pair, so I need my flush to hit. turn 9. River is a 6. HOORA-nope. I hit my flush BUT it also gave him a full house and my hopes were dashed :(
In retrospect, the better play would have been to shove pre-flop because 56 would have been folded, even if I won the blinds I'd be alive for a better hand to come along, so that was a deadly mistake I made. I learned and will remember it for next time!
What do you remember from your first tournament? How well did you do? Let me know!
My first tournament that I ever won, I beat you and your whole family in Virginia! ;D Hehe, just kidding.
ReplyDeleteI'm still impressed, you're a gutsier person than me! Good job!