Another Harrah's Tourney, Another Final Table Cash

So this past Sunday I decided to go and check out the poker room at AK-CHIN Harrahs resort and casino just outside of Phoenix. They had a Noon and 5pm tournaments so I planned on playing both and some cash games in between.

I got there at 10:30 and played some 3-6 dropping $13 in a little over an hour, then played in the noon tournament. $50 + $10 + $10 for dealers (got you an extra 1k in chips). So I paid the $70 and because I was playing cash games before, they gave me another 500 in chips for T3500. I won the very first hand after raising with JJ and getting 2 callers. They folded to my C-bet. After that hand I don't think I played another hand through the first orbit besides my blinds. Only 1 guy at the table I worried about and he was to my left. I paid him off twice, both times when I knew I was beat. The last hand I felt I needed to call due to pot odds when I had 2 pair and he rivered a flush. I got blinded down a little and then my table broke and we were down to 2 tables (30 people total in the tourney). I waited an orbit and then was down to 1100 with 100/200 blinds. In the BB with JJ. Button raises to 800 and I go all in. He shows KK. Flop comes J10x all diamonds. I flop top set but he has K of diamonds and hits his flush on the river. I bust out about 15th/16th and sign up for the 4-8kill game which is about to start. I sit down and drop $170 in the most wild poker game I have ever been a part of. Crazy play by maniacs. I won't go into much detail but just ridonkulous play by the guys at my table.

So 5:00pm rolls around and the tournament starts with 39 players. This tourney is $30+10+10 and I buy in for the $50. Since I was playing for 4 hours before I got 1500 extra so I started with 4500 in chips. I once again won the first hand when I flopped top pair and everyone folded to my bet. I played great hitting a ton of flops and having respect at the table. The key hand for me was when I completed from the sb with Q10 and the BB checked and we saw the flop of K1010 with 2 other limpers. I check and the BB bets. Limpers fold and I then check raise him. He calls. I bet turn and he calls. River Q fills me up and I put guy all in and he calls with J10. A few hands later I bust a guy when I call his all-in with 99. He showed 66.

Then during the break I strike up a conversation with a guy at my table who was really good. I was telling him about my attempts to qualify at the AZ state poker championship and the Maniac and then guess who sits down right next to the guy I was talking to...yep the maniac. I informed the guy I was talking to who he was. The guy played his usual maniac style raising big and trying to steal pots. Then this hand happened. Folds to the guy I was talking to in SB and he completes. The maniac raising to 2000 (blinds 100/200 or 200/400 can't remember). The SB moves all in for almost 10k and the maniac calls showing J4 of spades while the SB shows KK. Flop comes AJx one spade. Turn and river both spades and the SB is gone while maniac builds his stack.

We head to the final table and I am 3rd or 4th in chips. Top 5 get paid. Maniac is second in chips and continues his kamikaze type play. A bunch of limpers in front including me with QJs. He makes it 11k to go when the post has about 2400 in it. The massive chip leader goes all in and the maniac has pot committed himself and has to call showing J7 and the chip leader had KK and it holds up knocking maniac out in 8th. I end up finishing 5th for $137, a $87 profit. Caught no cards at FT and was getting blinded off. finally had to go all in when I had double the bb UTG with KQ. Got called by A9 and the BB and Ace hit the flop. Overall my play was good. Still got to work on a few things that NBA helped point out to me. That makes 5 tourney's at Harrah's properties with 3 FT's all of them cashes. Not bad!!!!

Not sure when I will play next though. I'm only doing the occasional free roll on-line and probably taking the rest of the year off as I need to save money but knowing me I'm sure I'll head down to Casino AZ for some 4-8kill or 6-12 action. Might even try the 5-150 spread limit game.

Also, thanks to NBA for putting poker things into perspective for me, you da man amigo!!!