Making it to the final table in MTTs

20EU MTT live TN in Turnhout

61 players
100000 chips
15 minutes levels

I finished 33rd.

My tasks for this evening were:

Bluff-x-raise on dry board
DONE and got a fold, SUCCEEDED

Bluff-raise on dry board
DONE and got a fold, SUCCEEDED

Look for bluffspots if flop is checked around
DONE and SUCCEEDED
It was a MW-pot with 4 players and board was nothing special
I lead out on turn and to my surprise the 3 players fold and I take down the pot.

Versus tight opponent: blufraise the river
NOT DONE
Once there was a river where I was in doubt whether I could blufraise. But I was scared and didn't have the courage.
Because this opponent was with a big stack and he was not a tight player, so I doubted whether he would fold.

I can't remember at this moment what the board was exactly, but I lost the hand at showdown.

So next TN I will focus on riverspots. What boards and versus who I will make a bluffriverraise.

Last hand with 8bb shove with KQs MP.
BB called with KK and I was out.

Next TN I will concentrate again on bluffspots.

Worksheet live TN 20 EU tonight

Versus limpers and I am IP on CO or BTN with a good hand like KQs, isolate 3.5*

Versus an CO openraiser and I am BTN with a good hand that I want to play HU: 3bet. Because I don't want the blinds to come along or be sqeesed.

With Ax BTN openraise with the intention to build a big pot with my superior hand IP.

Openraise a suited gapper.

20EU MTT live TN in Turnhout

45 players
Starting stack 22.000
Chiptotal 990.000
15 minutes levels

I finished 15th of 45.

I doubled my stack with a few nice hands to 50.000

x) I isolated with AA versus 2 limpers and saw the flop HU
He folded on my cbet

x) QTo MP in 3way pot
TTx and I xraise and take it down

x) xxx and I had Ax in a MW-pot
Flop checked around. Turn pairs (low ranks) and I stab turn.
River doublepairs (middish ranks) and I bet again and take it down.
I thought we would split, that my opponent was on Ax as well.
So it was nice that he folded and I got the whole pot.

But then our table broke up and I had to sit down at a new table. There were 27 players left.
Average stack was 37.000 and I had 50.000
Blinds were 500/1000.
So I was comfortable with 50bb and more than average stack.

2nd hand on that table was QQ. You know this is always a dangerous hand.
1 limper and I iso to 7bb= 7000.
A big stack in BB called, so we were 3handed.
Kxx and I cbet 11.000.
BB raises ALL IN.

I fold and he shows AA.

This hand costed 18.000 and left me with 32.000 = 32bb
.Less than average, but still possibilities to play.

Unfortunately no further chances.
x) 88 and missed and folded

As blinds go up my stack decreased quite quickly to 11bb and the other players had average and big stacks.

x) AA and I openraise and every-one folds

A new player arrived at the table and he openraises BTN. I shove QTs with 10bb.

He called with KQ and I was out.

Check in ICMizer calculate:
with 10 bb SB vs BTN-openraise and +0.10%EV I could push 19% :
All pocketpairs
All suited Aces
A8o+
KTs+
KJo+
QTs+
J9s+
T9s

EV QTs = =0.13% EV

What do you think: was my push correct or was it better to fold and wait for a spot where I can OPEN-push?

Tonight EU20 live TN

JJ+: isolate 6* + 1* for each limper.

Whiffed AK: cbet 60% on dry flop and 2ndbarrel 60% on dry turn

Float tight players and if he skips 2ndbarrel: STAB TURN

Lead out with any pair in a MW-pot with the intention to take it down at once.
If some-one calls, I have to consider carefully his range.
Versus a sticky one I think it is not profitable to bet turn again with bottom or 3rdpair.
Versus players that can fold, maybe bet big (110%) on turn to fold out 1pair-hands

Make use of my position:
with KQs IP vs limpers: isolate
with KQo BTN vs CO: 3bet

Execute some bluffs:
x/r as a bluff on a dry board

bluffraise in a good spot

stab turn 65% and river if flop is checked around

bluffraise river vs a nit to fold out his 1Pair-hands

EU 20 LiveTN 1st June 2019

x) MP openlimps 100 and I isolate 77 to 400.
AJx and I cbet and she calls with KT GS.
Turn and river chk chk and I win the pot.

x) UTG openlimps 200 and UTG+1 isolates JJ to 525. I reraise QQ MP to
2250. Both fold.

x) lead out with a pair in a MW-pot doesn't work well in live play. I did it with a bottom pair and 1 caller. I bet again on turn and chk rvr and lost to a better pair that he took up on turn or river.

x) I check A7o BB in a MW-limped pot. 4 players
TTJ and flop is checked around.
7 and I lead out 1/2. CO calls.
A and I bet again.
CO raises 2.25 times.
What to do? I called, and unfortunately he slowplayed his flopped trips and I lost.
He was not bluffing with his riverraise.

x) MP openlimps and I iso AA
BB was a bit tilted and he reraises to 10.000
I had 9000 behind and called. He had 88.
I took the pot down and doubled to 37.000
And I got a bounty worth 5EU.

x) I openraise 98s UTG+1
MP calls with 88, he is a loose quite aggressive player
89J so that was unfortunate. I had 2P and he bottomSet.
I cbet and he calls.

I cannot remember exactly how the hand continued, but it became all in. I called his raise (on turn or river) because he is such a loose player. I put him on a 1Pair hand, unfortunately he had it this time and I was out.

Although I was well rested yesterday, my focus and my play were not optimal.
Next time better.

EU 20 LiveTN 16th June 2019

x) I or ATs UTG to 3bb and get 4 callers.
Qxx monotone and I have flopped the Nutflush!
I cbet 60% and only 1 player calls.
x and 4th suit and I bet again 60% in the hope he has turned a worse flush.
He folds.

Could I have made more value by slowplaying?
In a MW pot I don't think slowplaying is good, because I give opponents the chance to improve to a FH. And I leave value on the table in case they have a nice FD or a worse flush.

x)I call 88 BB on BTN openraise and I flop a set.
JTx 2tone and he cbets 60%. I xraise 3times and take it down.
Again, I don't think slowplaying is a choice, because the flop is very wet.
Don't let villain draw cheaply.

x) I SB-raise KQo and BB calls.
AJx, so I have the GS for a Broadway.
Standard cbet; if he doesn't have an Ace I will take it down at once.
He calls.
It is a miracle, I turn my 4outer T and have the nuts Broadway.
SPR < 1 and I go all in.
He folds and shows Ax.
So I was lucky in this hand.
Could I have made more value if I had betted have of my stack? Maybe, maybe he would have paid again with his TP Aces.
Next time I will have to think better about what hands will pay me and what amount they are willing to pay me.

x) I isolate AA. 1 caller.
I flop a set and he folds on my cbet.

x) I call 77 in MW-pot and miss and fold.

x) Down to about 16bb. New table.
I openraise QJs to 3bb and 2 callers, who are loose players.
xxx rainbow and I was a bit tilted and I shove in the hope to fold out Ahigh.
1 player folds and the other one unfortunately calls with pocket JJ.
I am busted.

On the first table I made some nice hands, but they weren't paid off much.

On the 2nd table I made a mistake with my shove, not knowing yet my opponent. Next time better be more careful and first finding out what kind of opponents I am playing against, before making my moves. After my openraise I still would have had a stack of about 13bb if I had given up this hand. And then wait for a better spot.

EU 20 LiveTN 21st June 2019
Monsterstack 100.000 chips
20 minutes levels
2day TN

44 players
chiptotal 4,4 million
This was day 1A and I made it to day 2, which will be on 23rd June.

I have an average stack 222.000 chips and the blind will start tomorrow with 3000/6000.
So I have 37bb to start with.
There are 21 players who made it to day 2.

This evening day 1B will play and I think about 25 players will make it to day 2.

I think tomorrow the chiptotal will be about 9,4 million and we will start with about 46 players.
Chipaverage around 205.000
I think about 14 places paid.

Today I practiced ICMshoves with the ICMtrainer. Hopefully it will help me tomorrow with my decisions.

Yesterday I wasn't sure to call with a good double draw with QT when my opponent overbetted the pot. I folded. Tomorrow paying attention to counting the pot very well. With a double draw I have 15 outs, a bit more than 30% equity. So I can call a potsize bet.

Also I was not sure whether I have to isolate 99 SB when there are already 3 limpers. What do you think? Overthere it is a always a quite loose game and in general you always get a caller. Then in general on flop you have only 2ndPair or 3rdpair with your pocket 9, so how to continue on flop and turn?

23rd June 2019 Day 2 Monsterstack

YES, I made it till 2nd place!!! Wow, that was very nice.
In total there were 85 entries, so chiptotal was 8.5 million.

On day 2 we started with 35 players and average stack was 243.000 and I had 222.000, so just below average.
9 places paid

First table

x) I openraised KK and 3 callers
Qxx and 1 caller who had Qx.
She paid me 3 streets.
Nice pot.

x) I called K6s in blinds in 4way-pot.
JJx 1 suit en chked around
x and another suit and I lead out with 2ndNutFD
x and I make 2ndFlush and bet again.
1 caller who had Qhigh Flush, so another nice pot.

2ndTable
x) I openraise AA UTG and BB jams all in with 66 and 200.000 chips.
I think blinds were 7500/10000 at that moment.
I win and have a quite nice stack now.

x)On BB I win a pot with 4th pair in a limped pot

Final Table
I have 6th stack of 9 players

x) again with 99 I didn't know how to play them, I had about 16bb.
UTG+1 openraises and I call 99 CO
773 R and I call with OP
This is more or less a standard line, but it would be also a good raise-spot to take it down at once. But what if it is final table? Do I shove on this dry board, where my range hits better than the range of the openraiser? And I have an OP?
J on turn and I fold on 2ndbarrel

x) JTs SB and I go all in with about 8bb on a 2tone flop with a good FD.
BB calls with Qxs and I was lucky that I hit a T on the river.

Then all the other players busted against one another. They lost their patience. Some players made wrong shoves and some players made wrong calls. This happened quickly in about 20 minutes time.

Their mistakes were to my benefit.
I made all the payjumps just by folding.
I become HU with a stack of 1.3 million and my opponent has 7.2 million.
50.000/100.000 so I have 13bb.

No good cards anymore and he busts me and I got the 2ndPlace, VERY NICE!!
Did not expect this at all.

When I reached the final table with 6th stack, I expected to reach 5, 6th or 7th place. I have been very lucky that they busted one another and I made the jumps just by folding and waiting.

This nice result gives me motivation to continue studying ICM. Thanks for the nice day and the nice result.

Final Table 7 players
I have 800.000 16bb
blinds 25.000/50.000 No ante

MP openraises 2.5* to 125.00

I have 99 CO.

ICMizer
NASH Pushrange 6.2%
88+
ATs+
AQo+

So conform NASH I should have pushed in this spot.

When I do CALCULATE
99 +0.06% EV

CALCULATE 0.10%EV
JJ+
AJs+
AQo+
KQs

I bought a 2months licence HRC.
I am practicing HU now with basic hands.

There are so many features in HRC that I can amuse myself the next time, no need to get bored,:f_biggrin:

Finding out what is the most profitable line with stacks like in the last live TN.

HU each one has 50% of the chips, 4.25 mln
50.000/100.000
Each one still has 42bb, so actually no need to shove yet

When I push SB 25%, BB will call 10%
I have
TT 0.38
JJ 0.47
QQ 0.57
KK 0.67
AA 0.78

When I openraise SB ANY TWO to 2bb, BB will 3bet all in 38% and I have
TT 1.34
JJ 1.57
QQ 1.80
KK 2.01
AA 2.29

EU 20 LiveTN 7th July 2019
100.000 chips Hyper
15 minutes levels

43 players
Finished 26th

Carddead

x) I openraised QQ and took it down preflop

x) A bluffraise on the flop failed, he reraised and I folded. He shows a set 99.

x) I openraised AJo and T2o BB called (69% vs 31%)
KTT and he calls cbet
K and check check
x and he bets and I fold and he shows.

x) I openraised AQs UTG and UTG+1 called with QQ
Jxx and I shove.
He folded and showed his hand, so I had luck that I folded him out.

x) With 11bb I shove AJ CO (+0.05%EV) and SB calls with TT and I bust.

This TN I didn't make anything and I couldn't spot anymore bluff-opportunities. Next time better.

EU 20 LiveTN 14th July 2019
100.000 chips Hyper
15 minutes levels

45 players
Finished 3rd

1st Table
This table was quite difficult to play because there was a maniak who accumulated a lot of chips in the beginning. He bullied the whole table during 2 or 3 hours.

x) I openraised QQ UTG 5times.
A player that I know 3bets all in with his 50bb.
I know that he goes all in with AA prf.
So I folded.
And yes, he showed AA. lol

2ndTable no special things

3rd Table 18 players left

x) The maniak openraises 2times and I shove SB with 20bb
He folds

x) I am down to 7bb and I openshove K5s CO.
Maybe a bit too loose?
BB calls with KK, I had 12% prf.
And then I had a marvelous board runout,
234 6x so I doubled with a straight.

Final table 9 players

5 places paid

I had about 450.000 and the level was 25.000/50.000
There were 3 shorter stacks

The short stacks were quite quickly eliminated and then the bubble bursted with a mediocre hand.

Then another player made a wrong 3bet and it went all in and she busted.

Then we were left with 4 players.

blinds went up to 30.000/60.000
40.000/80.000
50.000/100.000
100.000/200.000

The levels only lasted 10 minutes.

Another player busted and we were with 3 left.

And then the problem arose that there was one dealer and one person that shuffled a 2nd deck.
The cards were dealt way too quickly.
We had no time to arrange and count our chips.
Let alone count the chips of our opponents.

So I had a big problem with knowing how many bb each player had. The others are not counting.
I said that I have the right to arrange and count my chips.
I accumulated to 1.85 million.
So I knew I had about 9 bb.

But I didn't know exactly how many bb the other players had. And that was a problem in deciding what range to play.

They didn't color up so all the small chips of 5000 were still in and that is why it was not easy to count.
Next time when this situation comes up, I will be more assertive and say that I want to count the stacks of my opponents. Even though that will take 1 or 2 minutes time.

Even if the dealer and the other players don't want to give me time and just want to continue playing in a hurry.

Because of all the pressure that was laid on me to decide each hand within a few seconds I didn't play 2 hands correct.

Afterwards I think that with 1.85 million I was the chipleader, Or I was equal with 1 player and there was a shorter stack.

But I thought I was the shorter stack.

x) AA on BTN, 9bb
I openraise 2*. Must have been 2.5*
SB calls
Dry flop and I shove.
What hands can I get value from when I shove? Not many on this dry flop.
On this dry flop I think I could have better bet only 40 - 45 % and maybe get a call. Or check behind to induce a bluff-probe on the turn.
What do you think?
In this case he folded so I didn't make real value.

x) Because of the fact that I didn't know that the 3rd player had a shorter stack than me I made the mistake by shoving A5o BTN. -0.05% EV.
I checked it in ICMizer en HRC and it would have been a fold.
In this spot with those stacks I needed minimum A9o to shove BTN
SB called with TT and I was out.
This misplayed hand can have costed me a payjump of about EU80 - EU100.

So next time:
be more assertive and don't let me be pressed to act within a few seconds.
I have the right to take my time and know the stacksizes. So that I can make good decisions.

I checked my openshove-range with 7bb on CO in ICMizer.
18 players left.

Nash 30%
All pairs
All suited Aces

Offsuited Aces with 4

Suited Kings with 5
Offsuited Kings with T

Suited Queens with 8
Offsuited Queens with T

Suited Jacks with 8
JTo

T7s+
97s+
87s

So my push with K5s CO was just in the range. The bottom of the suited Kings.
But if I do CALCULATE then K5s = 0.00%EV
So I could have folded also, but this time I was lucky!

But you see that the shoverange with 7bb CO is quite wide.

BB will call 18% if he has an average stack
33+
A4s+
A7o+

KTs+
KJo+
QJs

EU 20 LiveTN 20th July 2019
Crazy PineApple
20.000 chips
15 minutes levels

51 players 7 places paid
Finished 8th BUBBLE

This was the first time that I played Crazy PineApple live.
So actually it was not a bad result, but it is always a pity to be the bubbleboy.

x) The flop was BrBrx 2tone and I had Tx in the suits for a Thigh flush and I had BrBr with a GS for Broadway.

Q: which card am I going to discard?
I am used to play Omaha online and in Omaha a Thigh Flush is not a good enough hand, so that is why I discarded a suited card.

But in PineApple people get only 3 cards so the value of a T is better than in Omaha.
FD has 9 outs and the GS had only 3 or 4 outs.
So in this situation I should have discarded the Brcard and go for the flush.

The flush arrived indeed and a player won the hand with a 9high Flush.
So I should have won the hand if I had made the right discard.

x) There was a maniac at the table. The TN was only on for about 30 minutes and he tilted already and made crazy raises.

He openraised UTG blind (he didn't look at his cards) to 5bb.
I called with AKx.
ATT and he went all-in for 50bb.
I had 80bb, so I covered him.
Here I made a mistake. My thoughts were: it is early in the evening and I don't want to waste my stack so early. Probably I am ahead, but I don't want to risk more than half of my stack early in the TN. So I folded.

Afterwards I regretted my decision. Actually ATT is quite a dry flop. He didn't watch his hand prf, so his range prf is 100%.
He was tilting already so he can shove with everything.
There are only 2 T in the deck , so the chance that he has a T is not very high.
Every A I beat with Kkicker.
Furthermore he will have a lot of worse hands. Against his range I am a favourite and I have to think what is the best decision in the long run and not just for this evening.
So I should have called.

x) In a limped MW-pot I had 5x BB.
Flop 55x and flop is checked around.
K and the big stack bets and I shove all-in.
She calls with Kx for TP and I double up.

This player became angry that she lost the pot and made problems with counting out the chips to pay me. She took all small nominations and she took about 4 minutes and holded up the play. Bad table manners.
Then I counted it and it was not correct and she had to add more chips. And on top of it I had to endure some bad words from her.
This was a very unpleasant incident at the table.

Further some standard hands.

x) Last hand I shove AQs x and I get a caller with KTx who catches a T and I am out.

ICMizer 45-man SNG 9 max 7 places paid
9 players left

Chiptotaal 4.5 million
Blinds 25.000/50.000
Average stack 10bb

It is folded to me in the BTN and I have 10bb average stack
I openshove 52% NASH
All Pairs
All Aces
All suited Kings
K3o+
All suited Queens
Q8o+
All suited Jacks
J8o+
T4s+
T8o+
95s+
86s+
75s+
64s+
53s+

SB 10bb average stack only calls with 5.7%
99+
ATs+
AQo+

However when I do CALCULATE my shoverange is much tighter, only 40%

All Pairs
All Aces
All suited Kings
K9o+
All suited Queens
Q9o+
J5s+
J9o+
T7s+
T90
97s+
87s
76s
65s
54s

HRC 45-man SNG 9 max 7 places paid
9 players left

Chiptotaal 4.5 million
Blinds 25.000/50.000 No ante
Average stack 10bb

HiJack 10bb pushes all in, (his range 24%)

BTN 10bb calls a very tight range
JJ+, AK (3%)

SB 10bb calls
TT+, AK, AQs

BB 10bb calls
TT+, AQ+, AJs

HRC 45-man SNG 9 max 7 places paid
9 players left

Chiptotaal 4.5 million
Blinds 25.000/50.000 No ante
Average stack 10bb

I am going to find out what range we can better openraise instead of openshove. So I take 2.25bb openraise and compare the EV with the openshove.

Where is the inflection point? JJ or TT?
How does it depend of your stackdepth and of your position?

CO 15bb Openshove

AA +1.37
KK +1.10
QQ +0.89
JJ +0.69
TT +0.52
99 +0.35
88 +0.24
77 +0.17
66 +0.14

CO 15bb Openraise to 2.25bb

AA +1.89
KK +1.51
QQ +1.21
JJ +0.93
TT +0.69
99 +0.46
88 +0.30

Here comes the inflection-point
77 +0.16
66 +0.03

For Ax, KQs there is either no difference or openshove is better.

Conclusion
When we still have 15bb and we are in late position, instead of openshoving, we openraise to 2.25bb the pocketpairs
88+
This gives a better +EV.
Probably we have to consider if there are thinking players behind us, otherwise this theory might not work.

HRC 45-man SNG 9 max 7 places paid
9 players left

Chiptotaal 4.5 million
Blinds 25.000/50.000 No ante
Average stack 10bb

BTN 10bb Openshove

AA +1.54
KK +1.25
QQ +1.07
JJ +0.90
TT +0.72
99 +0.54
88 +0.42
77 +0.30
66 +0.22

BTN 10bb Openraise to 2.25bb

AA +2.28
KK +1.81
QQ +1.48
JJ +1.16
TT +0.87
99 +0.56

This is the inflection-point
88 +0.33
77 +0.14

The pocketpairs 22-66 are OPENSHOVE with positive EV; we cannot openraise them anymore.
Ax and other hands are also only OPENSHOVE

As easy rule of thumb that I can remember easy when playing live, with 10bb BTN I only openraise the Broadway-pocketpairs.