Loading...WPT Five Diamond Part 1
Published by: Liz Lieu
Posted In: Liz Lieu's Poker Diva Blog, Tournament Trail
I busted out just short of the money in what I think was the toughest field of 2008, the Five Diamond World Poker Classic.You might not believe it, but it was a terrific few days for me. My confidence is sky-high for next year.
I've avoided the tables most of the last few weeks as I just haven't felt as motivated as I should be. It hasn't been easy to do, just to stay away rather than jump back into the cash games here and try and play my way back into normalcy.
I don't know that I was eagerly anticipating the start of the Five Diamond event at the Bellagio, but I was ready to go on Day 1b. Marco Traniello was at my starting table, plus a few other players I recognized from cash games at the Bellagio.
I started out great, playing very aggressively. I showed the nuts a couple times, which gave me a lot of momentum and allowed me to pick up some nice pots on bluffs. Before I knew it, my $50k had turned into $85k.
I held steady through the next few levels until the big hand for me for the night. I was in a pot with Chad Batista. I had A-Jo and had raised, and he called from the small blind.
The turn was when it got interesting. The board was 5-6-J-8, and he bet $22k into a pot of $17k or so. I'm not exactly sure what I would have normally done, but he started talking to me.
Had the whole top diamonds and the bottom row's gold.
Instead of just keeping quiet, he pulled that talk move on me to try and confuse me. He started saying, "You only have five outs against me; you have something like K-J right?" Then he said, "I just might have 7-8, you never know."
I noticed Batista's raise frequency and a number of garbage hands he played. After a couple minutes of thinking I then decided to move over the top all-in. He called with 5-6 for bottom two pair, so I had more than just five outs!
One of them came when an ace was dealt on the river. He was pretty ticked off, and I happily stacked the chips to get over $120k or so.
It wasn't an easy decision, and I know there were many ways to play it. I ultimately went with my gut and decided to make a stand with my hand. I wrote $115,200 down when I bagged chips, and I headed home feeling great.
My starting table was pretty soft. Don't think so? Here's the lineup:
1 - Michael Katz $18,775
2 - Joseph McGowan $84,050
3 - Johnny Chan $40,650
4 - Ryan Young $152,650
5 - Phil Ivey $82, 875
6 - Thor Hansen $92,825
7 - Liz $115,200
8 - Vanndy Yem $34,050
9 - Isaac Haxton $29,950
I looked around the room, and it looked like some sort of poker pro convention! Every table was stuffed with top players. One guy busts out, another top pro sits down. Phil Ivey busted out at our table, so Kevin O'Donnell takes his seat. He busts out an hour later, and Nenad Medic sits down.
It definitely kept me extremely focused on every hand. I just wish Johnny Chan had left the table instead of one of these other guys. He doubled through me twice.
I'd gotten up to $180k the first time. The blinds were $500/$1,000 with a $100 ante. I raised it to $3k in middle position with A-Ko.
Johnny "F'n" Chan
Chan called from the small blind, and Ryan Young reraised to $14,500 from the big blind. Ryan had been playing aggressively throughout the day as the chip leader, and he still had me covered. I decided to call; then Chan moved all-in for another $31,200. Ryan mucked, so I made the call. Chan turned over jacks, and the closest I got to hitting was a queen on the flop.
I doubled another player up a few hands later. I'd flopped a pair of kings with K-T on a flop of K
8
4, and the guy had A 3. His chips got in on the flop, then an ace came on the turn and a club on the river to give him the pot.
I'd built my $100k back up to $190k or so when I got into it again with Chan. This hand is much more interesting.
The blinds were $800/$1,600 with a $200 ante. I raised to $4,500 with K
J, and he called from the small blind. The flop came J-8-6 rainbow, and he checked. I bet $7,000, and he check-raised to $19,500.
I really didn't put him on A-J ... possibly Q-J. I felt like I was good, but I wanted to let him have the chance to bet into me on the turn. I just called, and a ten came on the turn with two diamonds. I really felt like it was a great card for me, and he bet $22,500 or so into the pot.
Trips no good.
I moved all-in, and he insta-called with pocket tens for a turned set. I wasn't out of it as my flush draw was still good. Another jack on the river gave me trips but shipped the chips to his full house. Quite frustrating.
It's easy to say I should have repopped him on the flop, but I knew my hand was good even if an ace came on the turn. I was thinking very well and reading things. I sensed weakness on the flop and made a decision.
Did I miss something on the turn? I doubt it. He doesn't give off much information, and he made a great bet when the set hit on the turn. Many amateurs would have checked there, although I doubt there are many scenarios that would have kept chips in front of me.
Our table broke, and I had $90k or so left. I thought my starting table was tough, but give me a break. I walk over, and there are Chino Rheem, Layne Flack, Chris Ferguson, Chad Brown, Mike Matusow and a couple other top pros. I knew no one was getting any chips the rest of the night, not with these sharks.
Editor's Note: Be sure to check back tomorrow for part two of Liz's recounting of the WPT Five Diamond main event.
-- Liz Lieu - Poker Diva
Drop by Liz's home site, ChiliPoker, and find out how you can earn a heads-up match with the Poker Diva herself. And be sure to take advantage of PokerListings.com's exclusive sign-up bonus.
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Comments (1)
jett
Dec 20, 2008
Sorry you got busted out just before the money but it is great you had that good of a time and walked away with that kind of momentum. That is a definite plus! That was such a stacked field...unreal.
Thanks for also sharing in your posts about how and WHY and when you're aggressive. That's something I'm trying hard to add to my game. Some days it works, some days it don't so it is always good to read about how someone who possess it in their nature to put it in their game uses it. Hope that just made sense. :)