I always very much enjoy reading other people's tournament reports, so I thought I'd post one of my own.

This was a very interesting tournament for me, as a mate was sitting behind me trying to explain some of the finer points of tournament strategy to me as I played, in particular:
- spotting and avoiding spots when a pre-flop raise puts my stack at risk, while continuing to pick up pots;
- understanding when to change gears based on table image, table make-up and tournament situation.

Anyway, even though the result was disappointing, I felt this was the best tournament I'd played (apart from the first few levels, while my mate was busy cooking!) And the bust-out hand was great

Hope this is useful/enjoyable. Comments on tournament strategy, particular hands, or presentation welcome!


$10+1 PL Holdem tournament (Saturday), 12 minute blinds, 431 entrants.

First table is quite poor, lots of limping and calling of raises.

Level 1: blinds 10/20, started with stack of 1500.
+0", dealt [2s] in LP, called a 70 raise. Folded to a bet on a [8s][Ad] board.
+1", dealt [4h] in LP, randomly open raise to 70 and steal the blinds.
+3", dealt [9c] in MP, raise 1 limper to 80, BB reraises to 270 and everyone folds.

I retreat into a shell after this, with no playable hands.

Level 2: blinds 15/30, started with a stack of 1290.
+15", dealt [Tc] in EP, raise 1 limper to 110. LP calls, as does limper. Flop is [8s][4s] and I check fold to LP.
+17", dealt [3s] in EP, limp and fold to a raise from LP.
+17", dealt [6d] in BB, call a raise to 90 from button. Lead for 150 into a flop of [5h][5s] and button folds.
+20", dealt [7s] in MP, limp after two. Flop is [3c][5d]. MP limper bets 90 and I fold.

No hands for a while.

Level 3: blinds 25/50, started with a stack of 1180.
+26", dealt [6c] in BB, call a raise to 150 from MP. Flop is [Ah][Th], and I check fold.
+29", dealt [6h] in MP, fold to a min raise from EP (who wins 500 with [Tc]).

Shocking lack of hands, no opportunities for stealing. I'm moved to a new table, which is much tighter.

Level 4: blinds 50/100, started with a stack of 955.
+43", dealt [Kc] in LP. Raise to 350, BB calls. Flop is [Jh][9d] and I double through BB's [Js]. My stack is now 1960 (average 3000).
+44", dealt [7d] in BB, call all-in raise 165 from EP, who has [8c], which holds up.
+47", dealt [Js] on button, open raise to 300. SB calls. Flop is [8h][Ah] and SB check folds to my 800 bet, stack 2045.

No playable hands, and my mate won't let me steal with trash

Level 5: blinds 50/150, started with stack of 2045.
+1'06", dealt [Th] in L/MP. Open limp, next player limps also. SB folds. Flop is [Qs][3h], and I take the pot with a 450 bet. Stack 2420.
+1'10", dealt [Qs] in BB. All fold to SB who completes. Flop is [Th][2c] and I fold to a min bet from SB.
+1'10", dealt [Qd] in BB. MP open raises to 450. Folded to me, I reraise to 1425 and MP folds. I now have 2720 (average ~3.5K)
+1'10", dealt [Jh] in SB. Button limps, and I complete. Flop is [Ks][5c], checked down turn and river , and my jacks take it. Stack up to 3020.
+1'12", dealt [9c] in LP. I open raise to 525 and blinds fold.
+1'12", dealt [Jd] in LP. I open limp. Button raises to 450 and I call. Flop is [4c][3c]. I check-raise button all-in and he calls (720 to win 4815) with [Qh]. My hand holds up, and I have an above average stack at last!

Level 6: blinds 100/200, stack of 4815.
+1'16", dealt [4d] UTG. I fold.
+1'20", dealt [Qs] in MP. I open raise to 600. LP calls, BB calls. Flop is [Jh][3h] and I check raise all-in once again. LP bizarrely calls with [Jc], BB folds and my hand holds up, leaving me with 11245 chips.

I have no cards for a while, and have a chance to regain my breath.

Level 7: blinds 150/300, stack of 11245
+1'31", dealt [Th] in SB. Folds to me and I complete. Flop is [Qh][3c] (giving me a monster draw). I bet 450, BB raises to 900, I call. Turn and river are checked down [4d], and my higher flush draw wins me another 1200.
+1'34", I take the blinds from MP with [Js] and a 900 raise.
+1'38", dealt [3h] in LP. I complete in SB. I lead for 600 into [Ks][6s] and BB folds. Up to 12895 chips.
+1'39", dealt [Qd] in MP. I limp and SB folds. Flop is [6c][8s] and I take it down with a 500 bet.
+1'45", dealt [9s] in CO. I steal the blinds with a 1000 raise.

Level 8: blinds 200/400, stack of 13105
(somehow get my stack up to 19000 chips, have no idea how! I think I had QQ and took down a raised pot on the flop)
+1'52", dealt [Kc] in MP. I take the blinds with a 1400 raise.
+1'53", I fold [3s] in EP.
+1'58", dealt [Jh] in MP. I fold to a 1200 raise from EP who has 7000 chips and doubles through someone with [8s].

No hands for a while.

Level 9: blinds 300/600, stack of 19945
+2'08", dealt [Qc] in MP. Call a 2100 raise from aggressive EP (17K), but fold on a [8s][4s] flop.
+2'16", dealt [Ad] in CO. I open limp and SB folds. Flop is [4c][7h]. Check-check. Turn is a , BB leads for 1200, I min raise to 2400, BB reraises the pot and the cash goes in. He has [7c] and I move to 28982 chips and 2nd place.
+2'18", dealt [Ks] in MP. I take the blinds with a 2K raise.

Level 10: blinds 400/800, stack of 29882 chips.
+2'25", dealt [7s] in BB. SB (16K) completes. Flop is [6d][5d]. SB bets 800, I raise to 1600, BB raises to 8800. I fold and SB shows [Td].
+2'25", dealt [Th] in SB. I complete and bet 800 into [As][5d] to take the pot.
+2'30", I fold [2d] UTG.
+2'30", dealt [Qd] in the BB. I call an EP raise to 2400 (tight 15K stack), and check fold on a [Ts][3h] board.
+2'31", dealt [Js] in the SB. I fold to an MP raise to 2400 (tight 11K stack). Down to 24K chips.
+2'31", dealt [6h] in the CO. I fold to a limp from EP and raise from aggressive LP (15K). EP takes a huge pot with AK vs QJ.
+2'32", dealt [Qs] in LP. I open raise to 2000 and SB (tight 20K stack) reraises the pot. I fold.

I sit tight for a few rounds with no hands.

Level 11: 600/1200 blinds. I'm in 15th place with 17482 chips.
+2'43", fold [Jh] UTG.

Moved to a new table, down to 36 players. This table has 3 of the top 5 stacks. Table is quite aggressive (the chip leader lasts 3 hands after I arrive.) I'm playing tight, waiting for a hand.

+2'48", dealt [9d] in BB. EP min raises to 2400, two callers, I reraise to 12K and everyone folds. Back up to 22K.
+2'50", dealt [Qd] in MP. I take the blinds with a 3.6K raise.
+2'53", dealt [8d] in E/MP. I fold.

Level 12: 1000/2000 blinds. 32 remain. I have a stack of 22K.
+2'55", dealt [Ts] in SB. Aggressive button (53K) opens and makes it 6000 to go, I reraise to 6000, BB reraises 17K all in, button reraises all in, I call for 2K more. Button and BB both show aces! Wtf?! I go out in 32nd (somewhat miffed).

If I'd been playing on my own, I think I would have pushed on the AQ hand when SB reraised me. Also I'd have open raised the pair of 8s. Any thoughts on this?

I was wondering about those myself when I read your report. I would definitely have been the first raiser with those but would fold to a reraise. You raised a few times with and they are an inferior hand to . Just a thought.

I play the medium pairs like AQ after the flop. Doesn't matter if I hit or miss, if I raised before the flop I will be the first raiser after the flop.
If I hit an A or Q with AQ i'm still not really sure of where I am whilst if I hit an 8 to my pair of 88's I'm going to try to get his whole stack. For what it's worth.....

Good report.

Funny to see how other BTP'ers plays tournaments. I play much more tight than you do. I think you play some of the hands too loose and too aggressive and steal too many blinds (it's PL - no ante). But we just have different styles and there is nothing wrong with yours.

But I also have really big problems playing medium pairs in tournaments. Medium pairs and AQ