Borgata Spring Open Event 7: Big Stack NLHE

Saturday morning, bright and early, Hubby Mike and myself made our way down to the B for the Borgata Spring Open (BSO). I have been backing away from the ladies events and delving into playing more co-ed tournies, like the Deep Stacks, etc. I've only played 2 (this being my 3rd) and I feel I'm getting better each time, which is a good thing (minus losing the buy-in each time). I guess I got too used to playing the ladies tournies, so I need to learn to switch up more, and I also have to get out the 'cash game' mindset.

My first table was table 23 in the Signature room, on the marble, making the chairs slide all over the place. That can be dangerous. I ended up sitting next to Pokerished, which we figured out after 2 or 3 rounds. I played a lot looser then I normally do, as we got a larger starting stack so playing the early rounds in more beneficial to get some much needed information. I sat at a pretty decent starting table. Then of course when everyone gets comfy, we get moved :( I got seated at table 1, which was the table of Mike Dentale, the winner of the BSO's first event. I recognized him from the blog immediately. He was very cool, very nice guy. I figured that he'd be really full of himself, but he really wasn't, so that was cool. I was intimidated at first, but quickly got over that.

There was a lot of action at that table. I had won a few smaller type hands at my first table, and wanted to keep up and win some bigger pots. I won a few there, and then got involved in a pretty big hand. Don't really wanna say what I had, b/c I don't wanna give off any reads or anything, but it came down to me raising preflop and getting 3-4 callers. Flop came out queen 6 6 two hearts. I bet out, and got insta called, and the other person raised. Did someone call me with a 6? Is someone on a flush? I put on guy on a flush, one with like ace six. So I'm beat...so I fold. There was a ton more bets on the turn and river, but I missed the cards b/c Hubby Mike had come over. The one guy had Ace Queen (top pair top kicker) and the other had king queen (top pair, 2nd kicker). Wow....geesh! So for my pf bet and my post flop bet, I had just around my starting stack at 20k. At this point, the blinds were I believe 800/1600 or 1k 2k. Great....and I'm at table 1 with monster stacks. I wasn't just going to go on tilt and raise with any nice hand, so I waited patiently. On the button I got dealt pocket queens, so of course I shove. I got called by a guy in seat 10, who for some reason kept getting involved in pots with Mike Dentale. The two of them had it out for each other. Seat 10 came in late and his first hand played off a huge bluff against Mike, and from there just raked in pot after pot (sizeable ones too). So he calls me...says he'd call me with any two hands to knock me out (no offense he says). He had 7 8 or 6 7. Nothing came and I got a nice double up (plus blinds and antes).

Orbit goes around, and I'm on the button as the break starts....but the hand already was dealt out. So, on the button again, I get kings this time. I shove again, no callers, but I show the 2 guys that were still there. After the break, the blinds went up to 1500 3000 I believe, and I had about 12k or so. So any ace or two big cards, I'm shoving. I'm UTG plus two, and I look at Ace 6 suited. Sweet, I'm going to shove...guy to my right makes a raise...shoot. Guy hardly played a hand and is raising...so I'm thinking either a big pair or a big ace (either way, I don't wanna call) so I don't. Then I regret it...nobody calls so I'll never know. So I've been in limbo if I shoulda shoved there or not.

Next hand, I get king 10 off. And I'm soon to be BB....shoot shoot shoot...I hate king ten, but I also don't wanna fold, then my luck I'll get 3 6 off in the BB and then a crappy hand in the SB and I have no chips left...so I shove....got called with Ace Queen :( He flopped a queen, but I flopped a straight draw...no king and no straight and I'm out...about 7 minutes before the dinner break.

All well. I still lasted quite a while. The blinds were 30 mins so they went quick. I also outlasted everyone at table 1. All the people that were there when I sat down all busted out before me, Mike included (and the guy that had it out for him as well). So I guess that's a good sign?