First big-ish live MTT ship

**bing** · 09-27-2011 08:37 PM

CIRCUS CASINO EDINBURGH £110 + £50 (£18,900 - 130 RUNNERS)
TOOK FIRST FOR £6220

So, I’ve finally been indebted with the prestigious task of being able to write a report on a tournament I have won.
This was by far the largest live tournament I have ever played in (buy in + field size), and probably the best structure I have ever encountered all round. First off I’d like to give a massive thanks to the casino and staff for the way the tournament was managed and handled.
My background to how I played this is important; so I’ll explain. I live a pretty wild lifestyle and leading up, was gonna struggle to pay rent this month, so borrowed the buy in from a family member. Obviously this hugely influenced my decisions. I genuinely believe the extra pressure helped me concentrate a lot more.
Day 1:
Started out quiet – looking to build a rock-ish image. This worked and I gradually built my chips. Unfortunately in doing so, my confidence also built but at a higher rate. This got the better of me and I tried two very ill timed bluffs that could well have cost me my tournament, had I been at risk. From this, I found myself to approx 1-3 BB’s, cant remember exactly. Folds to me in small blind, I ship with 7s8s and big blind folds. Couldn’t believe my luck. In the subsequent hands I tripled then doubled with my only coin flip of the day (my As5s Vs 4x4x). Back with a stack. My only coin
Raise UTG, fold, fold, call. I see a flop on button with 5c7c – flop; 2h Ts 8c. Raiser c-bets and is called. For some unknown reason I decided this would be a good time to float. Turn; Tc. I had intended on jamming turn if no AKQJ – but when this turned and the action was repeated, I decided if I jam I can take down pot here, but if I hit club I can potentially treble my stack. I flat, club came and I won a significant pot. The day’s play ended a short while later, and I was to return Monday with 35 BB’s, slightly over tourney average with 33 players left.
Day 2:
Didn’t sleep a wink, eventually convinced Stu “The Jew” Sampson to come through with moral support. Asked him for a bit of advice over 1 terrible frame of snooker and got hit with – “Avoid the WU at all costs, he has BALLS OF STEEL.” However Colin was on my immediate right and us clashing was inevitable.
I felt like I had been playing well all the way until the first break. My timing was obviously spot on as I had almost no premium hands, had more than my starting stack and literally had not seen a single turn card.
Then I made an ill – timed bluff into the nuts, thankfully he raised me on turn saving me from the all in shove I had 100% decided was happening if he flatted.
Bubble time: The WU raised my button (for the nth time today) I looked at KJ with like 8 BB’s. Insta – shove against his range. He had 33, turned a K… back in it.
Shortly after uber-donk Yousaff Khan bubbled, I was shifted tables (to my sheer delight). 2 hands in I was dealt my only KK of the tourney UTG. Raised 2.7x only to have the big blind jam. Obviously I snapped, he had 66 and flopped middle set. Gutted I said nice hand and stood up, T on the turn left me 4 outs, (2 tens, 2 kings) and to my complete fucking absolute mega horror, binked the K ball. The rail cheering was nice. (Special thanks to John Lynch, Stuart Sampson and Chico Lamont. Sharon was getting a latte or smoking a Richmond’s Superking.)
The boy on my left had some sort of mission to jam my BB from UTG, some sort of fuckin mad reverse position play. This happened a few times. We were now 11 handed and at final table bubble. He did it again. I looked at Ks9h, 75% folding. Then my small blind folds, after reiterating how often he had made this move. I decided I would try and find out how confident he was, and looked at him as I counted out the call. He looked fuckin shit scared so went with my read and made the call, for approx 45% of my stack. In hindsight, probably not +EV long term, but I decided before this tournament to trust my reads. He had 3x3x and I won the race.
Final:
In a great spot, 3rd in chips and the only person I was weary of, the WU, was 2 to my right. Chipped up slightly, down slightly then slightly up again. Colin was his usual relentless self and steamrolled the table, virtually taking all my play away.
He raised my button, I jammed with KxQx and he eventually folded 33 face up. I showed KQ and could see he was pretty steamed he didn’t trust his read. This same scenario occurred 3 or 4 more times, and for the first time in my life, I realized that Colin Wu, is human. He took out 4th place with quad 3’s while I was away at the little boy’s room. I cam back next hand and jammed into BB who had AQ against my 5T off. I binked 5 on river to set up the Dundee Dual.
Folded to Colin’s raises 2 or 3 times, then made a big call for over half my stack with A high, and was right. Confidence was through the roof at this point. Made a bad bluff, but not for all my chips and was left with exactly 300k to Colin’s approx 2.6m.
I put all my chips in blind next hand on my button, Colin folded to my surprise.
I folded BB to Colin’s ship.
I jammed 7h8h to Colin’s A2 and turned 7.
650k
Colin ships button, I snapped with TT and faded a big draw to Colin’s A5.
Fold
Fold
Limped button with A6, Colin shipped 8d9d, called instantly, trap worked. Limping button nearly every hand to set up this play when Colin’s aggression/tiredness got the better of him. I paired my A and faded another draw (#rungoodonetime). Colin was now crippled, jammed next 2 hands, he jammed again I looked at a K and snapped. K3 held against his Jh4, with both us pairing our top card on the flop.
I couldn’t believe this had actually happened, just beat a player who I regard in at least the top 3 of people I know, coming back from a 15/2 chip deficit. Colin took defeat like the true gentleman he is, and I picked up my £6220 and Circus Champion trophy. Definitely the most enjoyable, toughest and mentally and physically draining tournament I have ever played, and I am over the moon to have emerged champion.
On a side note, before everyone assumes I degen’d my winnings as per usual, I am now proud to say I have booked and paid for my wedding next month from winnings, now I’m just looking to live life comfortably for the next while, but I’ll be back to defend in winter.

Steven