Bagging Chips

Monday, June 9, 2008

Bagging Chips for the First Time!

I'm feverishly typing this as I get ready to head to the Rio in a couple hours to take my seat at Table 48 for Day 2 of the $2.5k NLHE event.

Let me catch you up on my week since I posted here last.

There are some players who almost literally never leave the Rio, busting out of one event only to head to another one, day after day.

I am not one of these people, preferring to mix WSOP events with cash games. I've been playing at the Bellagio, although they've been unable to spread big games. I've spent my time at either $100/200 or $200/400 LHE.

I actually think playing lower limits has helped me quickly get back into the mentality required for tournaments.

Obviously, playing Limit doesn't really help me tactically when it comes to NLHE tournaments. Yet, playing stakes lower than you normally play (or want to play) forces you to confront two of the most deadly things at the poker table: boredom and frustration.

I'll admit it, I get frustrated playing lower limits and I have to work harder to keep my concentration. Staying focused is one of the traits of most pros, having learned the lesson of donked-off chips and cash during the times you let your mind wander.

Booking wins at the Bellagio after so much time off has also helped my confidence. My first session I lost $1k after being up a bit, and since then I've rattled off five winning sessions in a row.

I've played a few Limit and No-Limit events so far. I rarely play the $1.5k NLHE events, as I much prefer playing in the larger buy-ins, but I played the last one since I felt I needed to keep testing myself mentally and physically.

Lieu: Two bad times to slow-play a big hand.

I doubled up with queens versus jacks early to get some chips. Later in the event, I ran into a big-time cooler of a hand. I picked up K Q and made it $600, the CO called, and the flop came K-Q-A.

We both checked; then a six came on the turn. I bet $600, and he called. Another queen came on the river. I checked; he bet $1,600; I moved all-in. And he called. And flipped over aces.

There are two bad times to slow-play a big hand: when you let the other guy catch up and when the other guy is slow-playing a bigger hand!

I played in the $5k NLHE event, winning two hands with bluffs and losing any other hand I was a part of. For anyone new to tournament poker, that is not really a good way to go deep in an event!

And now, I've bagged my chips for the first time this year at the WSOP, sitting with $39,600 in chips in the $2.5k NLHE Event 13 (Below average in chips - average is a little above $50k).

I had a big hand that brought me chips early. I made it $300 from middle position with pocket fours, and had four callers. The flop came K-4-3 rainbow, and the BB started the betting with $500. I called, as did the player in seat 7.

The turn was A, the BB checked, and I made it $1,600. Seat seven mucked, and the BB called. The river was another ace, for a K-4-3-A-A board. The BB checked, I moved all-in for my last $3,300 (I would never put him on A-K in a million years with so many callers pre-flop), and he insta-calls with K-Jo.

In Level 8, the blinds were $400/$800 with a $100 ante. The nine-seat player limped in middle position and I look down at my worst hand in poker this year: AA!

I was in the small blind, so I made it $2,500 and the BB mucked. The nine seat moved all-in for $8,500 more, and of course I insta-called and prepared for the worst (he turned over pocket sixes)!

Elezra: Happily avoided on Day 2.

I told the guys at my table that aces are my nemesis and I wasn't going to look. I turned away, and of course I hear the flop from the table as the boys all groaned "Ooooohhh" and "Aahhhhh." I peeked, and the flop was A-7-10.

Flopped set; that gave me a little relief. Then unbelievably, an eight came on the turn and brought him his gut-shot straight draw. I'm standing there, then the river comes a nine!!

Unbelievable, and I get ready to pack up but kind of squint my eyes and look again. It's an eight, not a nine, on the board. So the runner-runner straight turns into a full house, and I've somehow escaped with my dreaded aces for the first time in quite a long time.

Eli Elezra ($147,500) and Theo Tran ($134,900) are the top two in chips, and I've happily avoided them with my starting table today. Theo is on a major rush right now, having come in fourth in two events already ($1.5k NLHE for $327k and $2k NLHE for $191k).

Selbst: Rising star.

The only other woman left in the field is Vanessa Selbst ($85,300). If you read PokerListings, I'm sure you know about Vanessa.

I think she is a real rising star in tournament poker and had a terrific WSOP the last two years. Two cashes in 2006 with one final table (seventh for $101k in a $2k NLHE event) and two deep finishes in 2007 (tied for third for $129k in the $5k HU NLHE event and eighth for $20k in the Ladies Event).

I've never met her, but it would be nice to sit across from her at a final table. I've got a good bit of work ahead of me, though. And I'm ready.

Here is my starting table for Day 2:

Dane Lomas - $56,000
Pete de Best - $47,800
Charles Chattha - $42,800
Mark Stubbs - $30,000
Liz Lieu - $39,600
Douglas Ward - $26,100
Mike Collins - $75,500
Paul Krok - $25,900
Shawn Buchanan - $64,600

I'm hoping the PokerListings folks will keep you posted on how I'm doing through the day, and I hope they have a lot to write about.

You guys have been just great with all of your support here and at www.LizLieu.net. It means the world to me and has helped me stay strong and patient. Wish me luck - especially if I see aces again today!

Cheers!

-- Liz Lieu
Pro Poker Player- Poker Diva

More Blogs from Liz Lieu:

• 28th is Not Quite First
• Feeling Good at WSOP but Aces Cracked Again
• My Thoughts on WSOP ME Final-Table Delay
• Chiu the Grinder Comes Out on Top