Back to the Tuckfard

Because I hadn't played in the Tuckfard Open for nearly a month, I rushed home from work yesterday to enter. It's a small stakes tournament, so you won't win any money, but the players are awesome and it's always a fun time. Most of them are Canadian. Have you ever met a Canadian you didn't like?

For most of the game, I played tight -- when I bet I had it. They say never show your cards, but I did, and, because of this, I built a strong image, and was able to win several pots uncontested when I bet out.

Occasionally, after I had raised before the flop, I would check after the flop when I was pretty sure I had the best hand. Here's an example:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em Tournament, 50/100 Blinds (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MemphisMOJO (Button) (t1336)
SB (t1797)
BB (t2330)
UTG (t3770)
MP (t3582)
CO (t685)

MemphisMOJO's M: 8.91

Preflop: MemphisMOJO is Button with , 
1 fold, MP calls t100, 1 fold, MemphisMOJO bets t450, 2 folds, MP calls t350

Flop: (t1050) , ,  (2 players)
MP checks, MemphisMOJO checks

Turn: (t1050)  (2 players)
MP checks, MemphisMOJO bets t333, 1 fold

Total pot: t1050



Why did I check the flop? When you play against the same people each week, you can't raise preflop, then always CB -- that's exploitable. But you can't always check when you're behind either. By doing what I did, the villain can't be sure that if I check, I whiffed the flop. I don't do this as much in a random online game, but against players you see each week, it has meta-game value. Notice the size of the bet on the turn -- it could be a probe bet or a value bet, and the villain can't tell which.

Below is the deal where I was lucky as $hit that turned things around for me. We started play with t1500 in chips and I had ~t1900. After the flop, I had no idea where I was, as they say, so I bet out. After a tight player like SuzyQ called, I was pretty much finished with the hand, until the beautiful turn. Here's a replay:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em Tournament, 60/120 Blinds (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MemphisMOJO (BB) (t1986)
SuzyQ500 (UTG) (t1397)
MP (t2760)
CO (t3710)
Button (t3032)
SB (t615)

MemphisMOJO's M: 11.03

Preflop: MemphisMOJO is BB with , 
SuzyQ500 bets t240, 4 folds, MemphisMOJO calls t120

Flop: (t540) , ,  (2 players)
MemphisMOJO bets t222, SuzyQ500 calls t222

Turn: (t984)  (2 players)
MemphisMOJO checks, SuzyQ500 checks

River: (t984)  (2 players)
MemphisMOJO bets t333, SuzyQ500 calls t333

Total pot: t1650

Results:
MemphisMOJO had Q, K (three of a kind, Queens).
SuzyQ500 had K, A (two pair, Aces and Queens).
Outcome: MemphisMOJO won t1650




Notice that by checking the turn, I was able to get another small bet out of her. Also, this reinforces the tricky-trappy image that says if I check, the villain doesn't have a license to run over me.

When you play tight, once in a while you can get away with murder. The deal below seemed like a good shot to pick up 800 in chips, which was nearly one-third of my stack. Let's keep it a secret, okay?

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em Tournament, 100/200 Blinds (4 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MemphisMOJO (BB) (t2661)
UTG (t3751)
Button (t2870)
SB (t4218)

MemphisMOJO's M: 8.87

Preflop: MemphisMOJO is BB with , 
UTG calls t200, Button calls t200, SB calls t100, MemphisMOJO bets t2661 (All-In), 3 folds

Total pot: t800




Here's the hand that busted jimdniacc. Nothing special, I happened to have the higher pair, and, just to be sure, the card gods gave me a set on fourth street. That works for me.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em Tournament, 150/300 Blinds 25 Ante (3 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MemphisMOJO (SB) (t7022)
BB (t4176)
jimdniacc (Button) (t2302)

MemphisMOJO's M: 13.38

Preflop: MemphisMOJO is SB with , 
jimdniacc bets t2277 (All-In), MemphisMOJO raises to t6997 (All-In), 1 fold

Flop: (t4929) , ,  (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: (t4929)  (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: (t4929)  (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: t4929

Results:
jimdniacc had 6, 6 (one pair, sixes).
MemphisMOJO had 8, 8 (three of a kind, eights).
Outcome: MemphisMOJO won t4929




Now we were two. Muhctim and I played for a long time. We were feeling each other out, like two boxers in the ring. He went card dead, and I was able to chip up. Then, this deal. I flopped two pair, then bet too much to drive him out. The board was scary looking to me, but I guess it also was to him.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em Tournament, 250/500 Blinds 50 Ante (2 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MemphisMOJO (Button) (t7023)
SB (t6477)

MemphisMOJO's M: 8.26

Preflop: MemphisMOJO is Button with , 
MemphisMOJO calls t250, SB checks

Flop: (t1100) , ,  (2 players)
SB bets t500, MemphisMOJO calls t500

Turn: (t2100)  (2 players)
SB checks, MemphisMOJO bets t2100, 1 fold



On the final deal, I again flopped two pair (how sweet it is), and we both decided to make a stand. My hand held up:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em Tournament, 250/500 Blinds 50 Ante (2 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MemphisMOJO (Button) (t7523)
muhctim (SB) (t5977)

MemphisMOJO's M: 8.85

Preflop: MemphisMOJO is Button with , 
MemphisMOJO calls t250, muhctim checks

Flop: (t1100) , ,  (2 players)
muhctim bets t500, MemphisMOJO raises to t1000, muhctim raises to t5427 (All-In), MemphisMOJO calls t4427

Turn: (t11954)  (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: (t11954)  (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: t11954

Results:
MemphisMOJO had 3, J (two pair, Jacks and threes).
muhctim had J, 8 (one pair, Jacks).
Outcome: MemphisMOJO won t11954