FTOPS $2500 Event Hands, Day One

The FTOPS $2500 2-day NLHE event featured an unparalleled online structure, with long levels and very slowly rising blinds. I believe it was similar to a typical $10k live main event structure. Someone should do the math on this and see how this compared to the average 10k event. I knew coming in there would be tons of play and the antes wouldn’t hit for a few hours. Stealing wouldn’t be necessary in the early going, and might just impede progress.

We started with 5000 chips and 10-20 blinds. I recognized no one at my table, which was stunning considering the strength of the field. I decided to start in a solid gear 3, trying to play a good number of pots with the blinds low and some potential dumbasses with chips to burn.

The story of my tournament, simply put, was getting abused by a stratospheric-stakes NLHE cash player named grndhg25, who sat two to my left for most of the first day and then returned to haunt me in the same seat with two tables left. Grndhg has played very few tournaments, but he is unquestionably an extremely skilled, crafty, and aggressive player. His skills are certainly superior to mine, and with his constant gigantic stack two to my left, he made life miserable. I played many pots with him throughout the tournament, and he got the better of me on every single one. Whether it was bluffing me out, holding the best hand, folding when I wanted action, or getting me to put a lot of money into a pot before taking it away, there is no question I was his whipping boy every step of the way.

EP = early position
MP = middle position
LP = late position
HJ = hijack (one before cutoff)
CO = cutoff (one before button)
UTG = under the gun (first position)
R = raise
RR = reraise

Throughout the tournament, I raised between roughly 2.2 and 2.8x the big blind when I opened a pot, unless I was the small blind where I would typically raise 3-3.5x. I believe I never open-limped once the whole tournament except for the small blind.

5000
10-20

R 99 UTG to 56. LP RR to 198 SB coldcalls I call. Flop A42 SB bets out 200 we fold.
R A9 in SB to 66 BB folds.
R QJo to 56 HJ. Both blinds call. Flop QT4r bet 111 into 168. BB CR to 300, I call. Turn 3h we both check. River Ah BB fires 550 into 768 I fold. Possibly bluffed here.
R A4dd EP CO to 56 CO and button call flop Js8h5s I C/fold to a min bet.
HJ R to 60 I repop to 199 in SB with AJo he calls. Flop K63r I bet 302 he calls. Turn 4 I bet 777 he folds.
R AK to 56 EP steal blinds.
Fold 87o in BB to a button R.
Fold Q9o on button to the CO's R
Fold QTo two consecutive hands MLP then fold KTo EP, table playing kinda wild and aggressive.
Serve a walk with K2o.
R 75s HJ steal blinds.
4881.

15-30
R AQo to 82 EP get RRd big and fold.
Next hand R A5s UTG and steal blinds.
SB limps R to 92 with Q9o flop 986 with a flush draw he check folds to my 122 bet.
Fold A7s EP
Fold KJo UTG
Fold K9o in BB to a raise. Gear 2 here with the way table is playing.
Fold J7s UTG
Fold 54s in SB to a R
R KJcc CO button calls BB calls flop AcKs9s everyone checks turn Tc C I bet a miniscule 56 button calls river Kd I tank and run out of time about to fire a big bet so it checks for me he checks behind QTo I win.
5021

20-40
MP R I RR behind him with KK he folds. I hate making "obvious beast" plays like this, I've recently been making a lot more of them with nothing in similar spots. I almost smoothcalled here just to disguise the hand.
EP R to 120 I call with 88 flop QJ4 he fires 200 I fold.
R AQhh to 108 EP BB calls. Flop 9s4s2 he checks I fire 144 he calls. Turn 3 he checks I think and check. River J he fires 350 I thought about calling him here I mean what can he have really? But I fold.
Fold 65s UTG next hand
Fold J9o in BB to a CO R and button call.
Fold J7s to a guy raising every hand.
I say I might be playing in gear 1 here and then ask Paul for his definition of gear 1 and the ensuing discussion reveals folding AJ cutoff and 66 on the button...ok I'm definitely not in gear 1. Maybe 2.
R TT 2nd pos all fold.
Next hand R AA UTG all fold.
Fold J8o in BB to the guy raising every hand's CO R
4730

25-50
R A7s MP steal blinds then fold A7s very next hand.
Fold 74s UTG. I was talking earlier about how guys siphon off chips playing hands like this EP, I think it's usually just not worth it at strong tables with no antes. Negreanu can pull it off because when he hits everyone always pays him off and he can control pots so well, but for most players it’s probably not worth it.

Fold AQo in BB to a LP R, call, and SB squeeze
Call CO R with 87s in BB, CC on 332 flop, C/fold on K turn.
Fold J8o on button.
R AQo CO grndhg calls in SB and pots the Ts8s3s flop I fold.
I give a walk with 63s
Call a HJ R and CO call with 55 flop 876 they check to me I bet they fold.
Call a MP R with JJ, then it gets squeezed by a medium-short stack behind me, I decide I am shoving, but then the original raiser reraises, I fold, the squeezer's AQ rivers a Q to beat the other guy's AK. Interesting little bullet dodged there.
R KQo MP guy behind me calls, I bet the A7h6h flop and of course get called, he can call me here with any two I think, I check fold the 7 turn and hate myself.
HJ R I call in BB with AsJs flop J74 two diamonds I check-call 200. Turn T I bet 311 he calls. River 7 I bet 1011 he calls with AJ and we chop.
CO R to 150 I make it 511 in SB with A9s he folds.
4421

30-60
Call a R with QJs fold to a bet on 994 flop with 4 people in the pot
Limp JTo in SB min bet AK2 flop win.
R 98s CO grndhg calls in SB. Flop AhQd2d he check-calls a bet turn 5s check I weakly check and give up river As he bets 2x pot I fold.
Fold KTo on button to MP R.
I announce I might be moving to a lower gear and MasterJ jokes "which one, park?"
R QQ UTG all fold, get walked next hand
LAG R to 180 MP I RR to 511 on button with T8s he calls flop AJT he check folds to a 777 bet so much for that weak tight shit I just couldn't take it anymore.
UTG limps, MP goes to 180 I smoothcall in BB with AKo, UTG calls. Flop Ad9h4h checked to MP he bets 500 I make it 1222 UTG folds PF rzer tanks and shoves, I instacall, we chop AK, the first of many chops in this tournament.
I R 54cc to 233 in the SB BB calls flop Kh6c5d I check-call 288 turn 3d interesting spot here I tank and check he checks river Tc I check, don't think I'm calling a bet here, he checks with A3 I win.
Fold 63s unopened on button.
4731

40-80
EP R to 240 I smoothcall AsAd in CO flop comes Kd4hTd he checks I bet 412 he calls turn 2c he checks I bet 999 he calls river ugly Jd he checks I greedily bet 999 he calls again with ATs. I thought about checking each street but ultimately went for it every time and it paid off.
Big stack R to 240 I call with 22 bigstack grndhg behind goes to 920 first big stack calls I have a really really close setmine but decide to fold flop J43 guy checks grndhg bets hard guy folds grndhog shows 98s.
R UTG AQs someone reraises big I decide to dump it table is playing REALLY aggressive.
Folds to me in SB Th8s I limp BB goes to 240 I call flop As9s3s I check BB bets 322 I make it 831 BB folds.
R AQs grndhg calls on button flop AT3 rainbow. I am so ready for the upcoming float, I bet 344 he calls as expected turn 9s so ready for this guy to bluff it off twice I check he overbets the pot for 1499 suddenly I am quite worried. I call. River 9 I check he puts me allin for 5729 I go deep into the tank. I feel like
a) he is obviously capable of any move, he plays 200-400 HU NL
b) obviously I am showing weakness here but when I check-call an overpot bet it looks like I definitely have an ace.
c) he showed a bluff earlier, I think he showed it to get someone to make a big call later
d) he has a boat, 9, or nothing
e) very good structure I don't need to do anything crazy I can come back
f) I have called it off on the river in a few big tournaments including the 5k shorthanded at the WSOP vs Imper1um and get shown the goods in these monster pots that have been bet all streets and I go home feeling like barfing.
g) river calling is the most valueless play in NLHE

I throw it away. Afterwards in the chat he types:
Grndhg25: hmm
Grndhg25: u call 2800?
GnightMoon: insta
Grndhg25: i suck at tourneys
Grndhg25: missed soooo much value

So we'll never know for sure but right now I like the laydown.
5729

50-100
I fold 77 in the SB to grndhg's UTG rz, I feel like he's gonna get away from almost anything if I flop a set, and outplay me if I don't.
Fold Q9o in the CO just don't want to screw around right now with no antes.
Fold ATo EP
Fold K2s "the wildebeest" on the button.
UTG limps another limps I make it 489 with AK UTG calls flop Qc7d4d C I bet 822 he calls turn an unbettable Qs C C river 9h he fires 2000, which is interesting and possibly callable but I fold.
Folds to SB who raises 300 with a shortish stack I just smoothcall AA again in the BB. Flop Qxx he bets 400 with 2700 behind I make it 999 he folds.
R ATo MP grndhg calls I already hate it flop Q88 I just check-fold content to let this guy outplay me and lose the minimum.
R 88 UTG all fold.
Get J8 for the third time on the button unopened, this time it's suited, I R and win blinds.
Administer walk with 63s table is playing tight
4431

60-120
R QTo CO steal blinds.
R T9s MP next guy calls grndhg calls button squeezes but smallish with short stack I fold next guy folds grndhg pushes and gets called by KK, somehow grndhg has AA and wins. Throughout the tournament grndhg was putting ridiculous coolers on people and showing up with weird strong hands in spots you couldn’t put him on. There was just no way anyone else could have won this tournament with the way he was running, it was obviously destiny.
Fold A4s in SB to a button R
R 99 CO button RR me 3x to 1100 I have 3700 left. Normally I feel this is completely unfoldable but three things make me fold:
1) the structure of this tournament is so good I still feel thin plays are not worth it
2) this guy reraised the very last hand and had jacks, the 2nd straight reraise is usually the goods
3) I am a weak-tight scared wuss, we all know this
R AQ to 333 grndhg calls as usual, then someone goes allin for 2600 we both fold.
Button R to 330 I shove 44 in SB for 3200 this is the most marginal play I've made so far but it takes it.
EP R I slowplay and smoothcall AA for the third straight time. He bets the KQ7 flop I shove he folds.
4767

80-160
Button R I shove for 9.5x the rz in BB with 55 another marginal one.
I R AQ in CO steal blinds.
A shortish stack R I RR AKs he shoves I call he has QQ I lose down to 1900.
Button R to 560 I shove QQ he calls with AK this time I win. 3700.
MP R I have KQo I have seen Hellmuth and Negreanu call in this spot with this stack but I fold.
EP R I fold AJo in BB.
3448

100-200
LP R and button RR I stick the rest in with KK for a reminraise from the BB and double thru the button's 67 move gone bad.
Very next hand folds to me in SB I R with JJ grndhg immediately shoves me in for a bunch more I call he has AQ board is Jxxxx I have 15k suddenly!
R AQ steal blinds
Fold A7o in BB to a button R.
MP I RR with KK he folds.
SB limps I C Q6 BB AA8T8 board is checked down he wins with T7.
Fold 67s in SB to the button's R.
R QTs HJ steal blinds.
R AKs UTG steal blinds.
Administer a walk with K8.
UTG limps I limp A6s grndhg raises 4.5x UTG calls I fold.
R AhAc UTG grndhg calls flop is QTx all hearts I bet he folds.
15887

120-240-25
R to 611 with 88 grndhg calls of course flop A73 which is pretty good I bet half pot he min raises I call turn A I check-fold to a large bet. I ask him to show a bluff and he says he would but he had auto-muck on.
Grndhg takes the tournament chip lead a few hands later. Just a complete nightmare seat.
R K9o CO (grndhg in BB) button obviously reraises I fold I have played tight but probably should have played even tighter.
I call a UTG R with 33, BB calls, flop A63 with two diamonds, UTG bets hard (2k), I tank and push for 10k, both fold.
Moved to new table thank God with A_theKevlar_2 to my direct left and Max Pescatori to his left, both with chips. This table worked out great for me as it was playing much more passive and reasonable, at least until batoelrob showed up later on.
In BB with A3o CO R and button call good spot for squeeze have not played a hand here but I fold.
Next hand RR a MP R with AJo and take it down.

150-300-25
DAT MOOSE R I RR Ad8d from CO he calls which sucks but the 2 diamond flop allows me to pot it (commit) after he checks and I win
Then DAT MOOSE R UTG and I smoothcall AK also in EP flop is 764 and I fold to a big bet.
R KQ EP button calls BB calls flop AdQd9h checked around turn Js C I check button makes a smallish bet I call river A check/check he has 54 I win.
Call an EP R with T9ss on button flop nothing in a 4 way pot and done with it.
Call an EP R with KJs after another call, we take the flop 5 handed, KK5 with two diamonds, pf rzer bets it I call everyone else out, turn 3 C C, river 3, he ck-folds to my 3/4 pot bet.
EP raises to 800 with 12k stack, I make it 2300 in SB with JJ intent on folding to a shove, he calls, we check the QQ7KA board all the way down I beat his 99.
DAT MOOSE who I have gotten into it a bit R to 800 I make it 2333 with KK and get called. Flop Q22 I take it with a bet.
Fold AJs in BB to a LP rz and reraise felt like the RRzer might be on a move but the stacks were bad for me to make a move. It warrants mentioning that this was the most aggressive poker tournament I have ever played in. It really did seem like 50% of the pots were reraised. Late position raises were suicide. This table was reasonable, until batoelrob showed up and started reraising everything in sight.
RR DAT MOOSE with AK he folds
R 97s MP Max calls on button flop T53 C C turn Q I check-fold
30,204

200-400-50
UTG R I call 98dd LP flop T9x one diamond he bets 2/3 pot I call. Turn A C C river 9 he bets half pot I rz 2.5x he reluctantly calls with AT poor bastard.
R the next two hands with QT and QJ and take both uncontested.
R UTG 87s BB calls I bet the AKx flop he calls I'm done with it luckily he bets the river when the flush gets there so I don't have to show down the hand.
Call a big stack's small R with 42s in the BB, check fold the K94 flop.
Next hand call a raise with two red jacks in the SB, BB calls, I bet out the 963 all spade flop they both fold.
R QJo EP button calls BB calls flop Jc4s2c BB checks I C button bets BB folds I raise 3x which is sort of committing against his stack and kind of a bad way to play the hand maybe. He folds.
R J9s EP steal blinds.
RR Moose's LP R with QQ, she calls, I bet a K94 flop she folds quickly.

250-500-50
Moose R UTG to 1500 with 16k stack I fold 55
Guy who R a ton R I defend BB with J8ss flop Ac6c6s CC turn 3s I check-fold to a 2/3 pot bet. Obviously the tightest possible option here turning a flush draw but when preflop raisers check A high flops vs the BB it seems stupid to try to take the pot away from them.
Halfrek R UTG with big stack I have KQo in SB good spot for resteal but also good spot for him to take a flop and outplay me so I fold.
R TT UTG button calls BB calls flop T98 with a flush draw I bet they both fold.
R QJcc MP BB calls flop Td3h2h C I bet 3/4 pot he calls. Turn Kd he checks. He has 16k behind maybe I should take the freebie nah screw it I bet 4k (half pot) he folds.
51,372

I was able to triple my stack at this table in a few levels without a major confrontation. I never would have been able to do this at the original table with grndhg to my left. I had position on the most aggressive player, DATMOOSE, and no one else wanted to screw with me. It's crucial in a poker tournament to find some equity somewhere along the line, spots where you can steal and bluff and take down uncontested pots. For me it was this last section of the tournament. You can't grind it forever. My grind game can compete with anyone's but that's not the way to build chips and make a run. Unfortunately, the wheels came off a bit at the beginning of the next level:

300-600-75
R first hand on button K3s SB calls leads 1/3 pot into me on AJx I just fold
R next two hands QJs and 66 and both times the BB RRs 3x and both times I fold
R Jd9d a couple hands later button calls I fire half pot on AhQh6h he calls I could bet the 8h turn but check he checks river 6 I check/fold to a smallish bet.
R 88 UTG finally they let me have one.
Fold the last 22 hands of the night including:
A9o UTG
A8o in SB to a LP R
44 to Moose's R same situation as the 55 before
A9s to a giant sized raise

37,000 to end day one, just a hair below average, and pokered out.

I remember dmmikkel saying "ty Full Tilt" in the chat and I felt just the same way, just grateful Full Tilt had organized a tournament with such a fabulous structure.

We went out to Pearl Street that night and had a few beers. Play resumed the next day at 1 which was just about perfect, enough time to get refreshed but little enough time to stay in the zone.