How I Won a 180 Person NLHE $22 SNG, Part IV

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I ended Part III of this series just after the bubble burst and continue this part in the money (ITM). I have officially cashed for $43.20, just under double my $22 buy-in. Places 18-10 pay this amount and the next level is the final table of nine players which has the following payout structure:

1st: $1,080
2nd: $720
3rd: $428.40
4th: $288
5th: $234
6th: $180
7th: $126
8th: $93.60
9th: $61.20

While making the final table of a tournament is a nice accomplishment, this is not where the real money, particularly in this tournament. I wanted at least a top four spot as this is where the payouts begin to become more lucrative. Even fifth place is not too bad, and of course first or second would be best. I always want to win but I am also a realist. If I play a tournament it is to make money. Since first pays the most it would be an ideal place in which to finish. However, since other places pay well too, there is no shame in finishing out of first. It still pays. The blinds are still at 500/100 with a 100 ante.

The moment the bubble burst the short stacks began to push all-in with any two cards. There were some who were so low they did not have enough for another round. Someone pushed in with a J-8 and got called by 10-10 only spike a jack on the flop to double up. I raised a few times and took down the blinds and antes. On Hand #167 I raised to 3,000 with the As-9h from middle position and took down the blinds and antes. On Hand #171 I raised it up to 4,000 with the Ks-Jh from the small blind after the cutoff limped and took down the pot pre-flop. One person at my table had already been eliminated on Hand #169. I began the following hand with over 27,500 in chips.

Kh-Th (button): Hand #172. The player one before the cutoff, a position that I have read is called the "hijack" position, pushed all-in for 5,175 which was not a lot of chips. I decided to call hoping that I would either be in a race or at least not too big of an underdog to a small ace. I figured if the blinds folded there would be enough dead money in the pot to make it worth a call. I admit I also wanted to get lucky and was feeling good about the hand. Well, the small blind, the former tournament chip leader who had been raising and calling everything, called as well. I am not too upset about this. He probably would call with almost anything here the way he had been playing. The flop 8d-2s-Qd and the small blind led out for only 1,000. I figured he had had something and wanted me to go away. There was nothing in the pot for which I wanted to fight so I let my hand go. He showed the 6h-6d and the all-in player showed the As-Td for ace high. I found it odd that the small blind didn't come over the top pre-flop, but I didn't mind the chance to win a big pot for a cheap price. Anyway, the 5s came on the turn and of course the Kc feel on the river which would have given me the pot. Oh well. One more player gone.

We played seven-handed for a few hands and on Hand #176 someone got moved to our table on. I figure that the tournament had 16 players left. By the way, it was after 6:00am and I was hoping that the tournament would either be done by this time or I would have been knocked out. I had not planned on playing for so long. Again, the bubble took considerably longer than it should have and this caused the tournament to go longer than it normally would have gone. I wasn't tired because I usually don't go to sleep that early anyway, but I normally never play past 6:00am.

Th-4d (big blind): Hand #177. I folded after there was a call and a raise in front of me.

We are back playing seven-handed. There are probably 14 players left in the tournament.

4c-4s (small blind): Hand #178. The button moved all-in for 7,608 and I did not hesitate for even a second and made the call. I remember this hand vividly because part of me actually wanted to start going bust so I could go to sleep. I decided that I was going to either win the tournament on this hand or lose it in the next two. Not really a bright idea but that's what happens when you begin not to care. He showed the As-Jh and I flopped a set on a 9s-6d-4h and won a sizable pot after the set held (actually he was drawing dead on the flop, he he). I was now over 30,000 in chips, well above the average stack size, but not too great as compared to the blinds and antes. Maybe I'll stick around awhile.

Take a lesson from this. Many people play well for a long period of time only to forget themselves when it counts. If you are not prepared to play the number of hours it takes to win or go deep in a tournament don't play in the first place. While editing this article I was playing in a Razz tournament (240 people and I finished in second) and someone sat out at the final table saying that he had to go to sleep. He stated that he didn't think the tournament would go past 3:00am. That cost him big because he ended up busting out in 6th and I think he was good enough to finish in the top three, a big difference in prize money. So my advice is to be prepared. Play to go deep or win. Don't enter the Sunday Million and remember seven hours later that you had plans with friends. Be prepared.

7c-2h (big blind): Hand #183. I got a walk in the big blind with the worst hand in Hold 'Em.

We have been playing six-handed for quite some time. There are either 12 or 13 players left in the tournament. I took a break for the next three hands and was dealt a 9d-7 in the small blind. There was an all-in and it was folded around. I had the Kd-8c on the next hand and the 7c-3h on the one after that. Great. A free break. That worked out well. When I returned the blinds went up. I don't recommend doing this as it could be the difference between winning and losing. I had no choice.

Blind increase: 600/1200 ante 125

Qd-5d (big blind): Hand #189. I checked after a few limpers and check-folded to a bet on a 4c-Ac-7s flop.

A player was moved off my table and we are now playing five-handed. This is the final table bubble. The next one out makes the minimum and after that the payouts go up (see above for the full payout schedule).

Hand #190: I folded my small blind holding the 8h-3s.
Hand #191: I folded on the button with the 3c-2s. I need to start stealing more blinds and antes in these spots. I should take a lesson from The Poker Grind. Raise with nothing, get called and flop the nuts. How does he do it? Luckbox!
Hand #192: I folded in the cutoff with the 4s-2h. See Hand #191. I guess it was a good move. The short stacked pushed all-in and everyone folded. He showed the Ks-Qh trying to make it seem like he was waiting for a hand. I should have been stealing from him the whole time. Damn. Too late.
Hand #193: I folded 3c-2h UTG. There was an all-in and it was folded around.
Hand #194: I got a walk in the big blind holding the Ts-8h. Nice!

Ah-7c (small blind): Hand #195: There was a limp from the UTG player who had been playing a pretty tight game until now. I called and the big blind checked. I didn't raise because I was somewhat worried about the UTG limper. The flop came down 2d-Ac-9h and I led out for 2,400 and everyone folded. I guess I was wrong. Either way I took down the pot and was over 31,000. The average stack was 27,000.

Hand #196: I folded on the button with the Th-3h. The board read Kc-6d-4c-8s-Tc. See Hand #191.
Hand #197: I folded in the cutoff with the Qd-3d. There was an all-in and the short stack called. The board read Td-Jd-Ah-8d-Jc which would have given me the flush. However, I wasn't too upset when the all-in player showed Ad-9d for the nut flush. The short stack showed queen high and we were on the final table. We are at the final table.

The final table began with nine players, each one guaranteed $61.20 with a top prize of $1,080, a huge difference in prize money. The average stack was 30,000 and I had 30,883. The chip leader only had just under 38,000 and the short stack has just over 25,500. Anyone could have won this one based on the chip stacks. The blinds are still at 600/1200 with a 125 ante.

In the final part of this series I will recap the final table.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack