Ok, here goes...Atlantis Trip Report: Day 1

[stevepa]

So for those who don't know me, I'm Steve Paul-Ambrose. I'm 22, go to University in Ontario, played poker for about 2 years and I just won the PCA in the Bahamas.

Alright, so I plan on making a post for each day. Luckily I was keeping track of all my interesting hands to show some family and friends who play. Day 1 and 2 are pretty complete. Day 3 was super exhausting so I don't have a whole lot and I'll just post some of the interesting final table hands for that. This is all basically copy/pasted from my blog.

Day 1: Not a great day...

Well, I started out at the main event today. There ended up being 720 people between the two days, 10,000 starting chips and 25/50 blinds. I'll just put the interesting hands by level.

Level 1 25/50
Only pro at my table is Bill Gazes, not very well known and he's directly to my right.

Hand 1 of the tournament there are two callers for 50 and I make it 300 with QQ. I'm basically having a heart attack...Everyone folds and maybe I'm the chip leader of those playing today(?)

Absolutely nothing else this level. I only play one other hand, KQ, and check-fold the flop.

Level 2 50/100 - I start with about 9800 chips

Hand 1 of the level, tight player raises first to act to 300. 1 caller (who is not good) and I call from the small blind with TT. Flop is 963r and I check. Raiser bets 600, caller folds and I call. Turn's a 7, I check and he quickly bets 1200. I think and fold, he shows KK. I pat myself on the back.

That's about it this level, couple small losses and I'm down around 8500.

Level 3. 100/200

Gazes limps for 200, I make it 800 with AK and Gazes calls. Flop is J87, 2 hearts (I have no heart). He checks, I bet 1000 and he calls. Turn's another heart and he goes all-in for 2000. I fold and he shows 9h9.

Gazes limps again and I make it 1000 with AcKc. Tight guy beside me considers reraising but just calls. Gazes folds. Flop is 8x5c3c. I check, tight guy bets 1700, I push for ~6500 and he folds. I don't like continuation betting here because he probably has QQ-TT or something and will call/raise. If he raises, he can't fold to my all-in.

Aggressive guy raises early to 500. Terribly guy calls. I have JJ and just call. Flop is 864 with 2 clubs and aggressive guy bets 600. Terrible guy folds and I call. Turn's an offsuit T and he checks. I check behind (hoping he'll bluff the river, not wanting to get check-raised). River's the jack of clubs and he bets 1000. I considered raising but I don't think he calls much unless I'm beat so I call. He shows 8d6d for two pair. Guess I should have raised...

Five limpers and I call in the sb with A6o. Flop is AJ5r. Checked around. Turn's a T and I bet 600. Two tightish players call. River's a 7. I check, one guy checks, other bets 1000. JT is about the only hand I can see him having that I lose to. Could have missed a straight draw or backdoor flush draw. I call. He says nice call, shows Q9. I'm now up to 18000.

Folded to the cutoff who limps (he's limped a few times before but is pretty solid). Button limps, I make it 1000 with QQ. Cutoff now makes it 3000 with another 10k behind. I think forever and call. Flop is AT2, check check. Turn's a T, check check. River's a 2, check, he bets 2000. I'm pretty sure he's begging for a call so I fold.

That's about it for that level, I end up with just under 15000.

Level 4 - 100/200 - 25 ante

Basically nothing, I have KK once but don't make much, end up with just under 15000.

Level 5 - 150/300 - 50 ante

Again, just nothing. I have a steal go wrong and am down around 12500 at the dinner break. I really need to make a move in the next level.

Level 6 - 200/400 - 75 ante

Absolutely no cards. I raise from the cutoff once with K9 and get reraised. Table's super aggressive and I can't do anything. I don't win a pot the entire level. Not what I needed at all.

I finish up the day with 7400, going to be in desperate shape tomorrow with blinds at 300/600 with a 100 ante.

Overall I'm pretty happy with how I played, I just didn't pick up any hands. Table was reasonably solid too which was too bad and the only 3 bad players were out by level 4. Anyways, that's it for today.

Afterthought: I'm now thinking I played way too weak-tight on Day 1. Especially the last level, I needed to make some kind of move. I'm pretty sure I just really wanted to make day 2.

Feel free to comment/ask questions about hands, I definitely may have misplayed a couple of these. Also, if it's better to post everything in one post, let me know and I'll do that.

Steve