Adelaide - Jan 2009 - Oldest trick in the book

I have made the trip to Adelaide for the SkyCity Adelaide Hold 'em Championships.

I've dabbled with cash games before the first event - I am about even so far.

First in Sydney while checking out the poker room I sat down at the 2/3 NLH table - buy-in $200. I'd been there about 15 mins when I picked up KK on the button. There was a straddle to $10 with 2 limps, so I raise to $100. The straddler goes all-in for $220 and there is one caller. Is there any way I can fold? I called and the straddler showed JJ and the limp / call AA. I can't be bothered to reload from the ATM so I leave $200 down.

On my first night in Adelaide they are allegedly running 1 table sit and go's for the main event but there is not enough interest. To be honest the poker room is Sh*t* and I play in the biggest game : 2/3 with a max $180 buy-in and a 10% rake max $10. I get caught out by their absurd string bet rule - there is a line to move your chips over but if you don't announce raise and don't put them down in one movement it is a string bet. Well I dropped my chips once they were over the line and it was called a string bet by the dealer. So instead of a flop bet of 40 into a 60 pot it is only $10. Everyone calls and when the flush comes on the turn my top pair is clearly no good. I tilt a bit and when my AK does not beat TT I reload for $100. A few hands later I get all in again, this time with TT vs AJ - he hits J so I give it up for the night.

On day 2 I play the same game. This time it is a complete limp fest and at last my pairs start hitting sets. A very strange session since I never had AA, KK, AK or AQ, so I only raised pre-flop twice - QQ and JJ. My QQ did not get any heat on the flop so I won quite a nice pot uncontested, and when the flop to my JJ was AJ7 rainbow I played it slow - check calling from mid position to a button bet. The turn is a rag so I am pretty sure he has an A so I check again. This time he checks and the river is Q. I check again and he bets $30 into a $100 pot so I just min raise to $60. He then goes all-in - I am slightly worried about the straight but call - he mucks so he must have had AQ. I end up being $550 up for the night, which makes me cash neutral.

So to the tournament. It is a megasatellite for the main event - $670 buy-in, 1 in 5 get an entry into the main event. 69 runners so 13 seats up for grabs. We get 5000 chips with 30 minute levels.
Level 1 25/50. I win some chips when my KQ hits a Q high flop and then when I get a free card having raised pre-flop with AT and there is no action on a ragged flop. An A on the turn - I et out and all fold. I also manage to sneak a win when my Q8 hits a Q on the river. I am up to 7k in chips at the end of the level.
Level 2 50/100. Card dead - down to 6k
Level 3 75/150. Got a lucky break when calling several min raise limps on the button with A6h. Flop is a A75 and I can't believe it when my bet of 700 into a 1500 pot is enough to take it down.
Level 4 100/200. I start with 7k but am down to 6 after raising with AQ spades. Flop is QJT all hearts - he goes all-in and I can't call.
Level 5 150/300. We are down to 50 players and I have 6,500 chips when I play this hand:
One guy has recently shown down 2 big bluffs so I guess I should have been wary when he called UTG. There is one more caller and I have KQ in mid position so I call too. The button calls as do the blinds so we see a flop with a pot of 1800. The flop is QJ2, with 2 hearts (I have Kh) it is checked by the blinds to the second limper who bets 600. I raise to 2400 and the UTG player goes all-in. The bettor folds and so I am looking at around 4000 more into an 9000 pot. I am pretty sure he would have raised with AQ or AK but I do consider AA or KK. But perhaps he is trying it on again? I decide to call and he has KK so I need runner runner flush or Q neither of which show. On reflection I think I should have smelled the proverbial vermin...