August 28, 2005
Sadler and Carter Summer Shootout
Yesterday I played in the Summer Shootout, hosted by Sadler and Carter Poker, a local poker supplier that also builds custom poker tables. Periodically, they host games at their store to showcase their equipment. We play on their custom tables, with the same chips they sell.
I hadn’t been to S&C for a game in a while, and the first thing I noticed was a decorating change. Several walls are adorned with pictures of Steve Carter from WSOP 2005 event #22 (which also happens to be the PSO Invitational) where he finished 7th. The last time I was in the store, Steve was telling me about Ray Sadler’s success crushing Poker333’s sit-n-go’s. Clearly I’m up against some tough competition.
Thirty-two players bought in for $125, which got us 1500 in chips. The tables were spread 7-7-6-6-6, and I drew a 6 player table. Promptly at noon, we sat down to 5/10 blinds and 45 minute levels. On the 2nd break, there was a $50 add-on for 650 in chips. We had not yet lost a single player, but I think only about 25 people did the add-on.
The day started out slow, with not much action at my table compared with the others. I won a few small pots, then lost a lot of chips to a guy named Robert who complained about being tired from being up all night, but woke up enough to make a big bet when the river brought 3rd flush card hit the board after I had been betting my trips hard. Periodically, we would hear stories from other tables like "a $1000 raise is not uncommon over here".
Around 4PM, we had lost enough players that we were consolidated down to 3 tables. For new seating assignment, I was put at Ray Sadler’s table. I wasn’t looking forward to it, because it seemed this table had an ejector seat for a while. When I got to the table, Ray had an enormous stack and told a story about how he had been down very low but had rocketed back. This is the last thing my short stack and I need.
The blind amounts for these early hands are a little hazy for me. I should really write stuff down if I’m going to do trip reports!
In the BB, I get KT suited in spades and one limper gives me a free flop, which comes JT6, all diamonds. I bet 1/2 pot. The limper, one to my left, thinks for a long time before going all-in. Now it’s my turn for the tank. Eventually, I decide I can’t put him on a flush or a J with that move, so he must be drawing. I call (he has me covered). He turns over Ah 4d, and doesn’t catch the A or complete his flush. Having doubled up, now I’m more comfortable, but not yet ecstatic, with my chip stack.
A little later, the player to my right, who was very drunk, took a long time to count out a 3x raise. I’m holding AKs, still a little short, so I push all in. Everyone gets out of the way. The player leans over to me, shows T5o and says "can you beat this?" before folding. The very next hand, he’s quicker counting out his slightly bigger raise. I push all in again. After everyone else folds, the original raiser calls and proudly shows AQ, which shrinks up a little when I turn over my AA. (The all-in moves might seem over the top, but I had been raising a lot to get caught up, and Ray was getting sick of my crap. I was hoping he or someone else would turn Sheriff.)
I don’t recall much action until we were down to 4 players: Ray, Robert (the half asleep guy), a quiet player named Ken that reportedly wins most tournaments he plays, and me. (Steve went out in 6th, just in the money.)
Robert is a very small stack, and is at risk of being eliminated. On a semi-bluff, I try to push him off a pot, but he won’t budge. I double him up. Around this same time, Ray tangles with Ken and loses, so we’re down to 3. Shortly after that, Robert slow plays AA and manages to get Ken to double him up. Now he’s in the hunt, and Ken is short.
At this point, the blinds are 1000/2000 with a 200 ante, so action is forced. It’s pretty much customary for the button to steal the blinds, and we haven’t seen a showdown in a long time. From the button, I raise 2x with A9s. That’s most of Ken’s stack, and he makes his stand with Q8, pushing all in for just a little more. I call, and my tournament is nearly over when he makes a full house by the river.
I move all-in a couple of times with marginal hands, causing both players to fold and just hope I try that when they have a premium hand. Finally, that happens when Ken’s A7 has to deal with my AA.
Now Robert turns up the heat. His standard move is to raise 5000 pre-flop. I’m tired of it, so I defend my big with 67s. The flop is non-threatening, and misses me. While I’m thinking about my move, Robert fires 5000 at it out of turn. The dealer lets him know it’s my turn to act so I smile and say "check". He bets, and I call. The turn is a K. I bet 10000 at it, and Robert folds saying "not with that hand". Now I know for sure what I had suspected – his 5000 bets are just continuation bets when he misses.
Through continued pressure from both me and Robert, Ken is finally knocked out, and we’re down to 2. Robert has me out-chipped by about 8000, which is only 2 big blinds.
Robert is on the button (therefore first-to-act pre-flop) for the first hand heads up. He raises 5000. I look down to find 35o, but I’ve always been told not to fold to reasonable pressure heads up, so I call. The flop is an amazing 335, giving me a boat. Robert fires 5000 at it out of turn. I say "actually, it’s my turn, but watch this … check" while tapping the felt. He places his bet, which I call. Robert, perhaps remembering the hand above, goes all in when I check to him on the turn. When I reveal my boat, his son-in-law(?) says "you gave him a tell", to which he replies "I gave him the game."
On the next hand, I have 76s and I put Robert all in. He reveals QJ, but the turn gives me a pair of 6’s, and I win the game. First prize was $1795 and a trophy, which I’ll take a picture of and post, per Steve’s request.
Thanks to Steve and Ray at Sadler and Carter Poker for hosting the event. I had a blast. Sorry I couldn't stay for the Omaha game.
And, my apologies to Barbara and John, their spouses, and my wife Laura ... all of whom I was supposed to meet for dinner at 8:30 last night. I had no idea the tournament would go that long, and I never expected to last until the end. I’ll buy next time.