Semi Live Blogging?

On the back of a 2nd place in a $5.50 PLO8 MTT last night, I thought I'd dump a few bucks in the Full Tilt Daily Doubles. What usually happens is, I run fairly deep and even cash in one, and am out in the first 10 minutes in the other.

At 8:02pm, we're at first break, and I'm 89 of 610 in DD A, and 102 of 568 in DD B. I was top 30 in B for a while, but had to fold to a fourflushed river (I'd caught flush on turn, but it was low, and he obv had higher flush.

We'll see how hour two goes.

8:10pm - Also playing the Bodog $5k guarantee, and on an 844 flop, I check shoved my QQ (opted to limp HU from small blind). My shove was called by JJ, who promptly hit his two outer on the turn. If my queens hold, I have a top five stack at break. I'm still above average, at least.

8:21pm - So fucking gross. Bodog $5k. QQ goes down to 22 who called my 3.5x raise pf, when he flopped a set. Then, A9s went down to TT when my A on flop and turn couldn't overcome his flopped set again. So that's two two outers, and trip aces down, and I'm out. So fucking gross.

8:38pm - Below average stack in Daily Double B, when KQo called my late AK shove, and hit his 3 outer Q on river. Still have average stack in DD A.

8:57pm - Back up to above avg stack in DD A, when AK caught broadway against KJo, and with TT on a T55 flop, I check called an all-in by 99. Up to 54th of 288, but 165th of 293 in DD A.

9:10pm - At 2nd break, sitting 159 of 245 in Daily Double A (180 pay, so I'm shortish, but okay), and back up to 38 of 235 in Daily Double B (153 pay), when my AK on a K high flop actually held against KQ. I think the play in these is very soft, but there's kinda that corollary that when a large field MTT is soft, you need even more luck, because folks don't make proper folds when you want them to, sometimes.

9:42pm - Just broke the money bubble in both Daily Doubles, on the same hand. Still involved in both, with a roughly 1/2 way stack in both. Yay for double cashes.

However, I once again got 2-outed, this time in the Bodog $6k, for what would have been about a top 25 stack. Short stacked, but still alive.

10:16pm - At 3rd break, I'm still kicking. Was shortest stack left in Daily Double B until last hand before break, when I shoved over MP raiser with KJ soooted. He called, and his 22 fell to a flopped K (with gratuitous K on turn). Right now, I'm sitting 57th of 79 in Daily Double A, and 55th of 62 in Daily Double B, so I'm rather short. However, I'm scanning the lists, and thinking I might actually have a shot at best double cash finish.

Still kicking in the Bodog $6k, too, but really short, about 2.5 tables from the bubble. Looking to double up.

10:28 pm - Well, out 72nd in Daily Double A. I called a pf small blind minraise from the BB with KQ, and loved the Q high flop. Hated that it was 3 spades, but when the SB shoved, I put him on a steal. I was right, sorta. He flopped over JJ, but one was a spade. No spade...he hit the J on the river (of course). So it was kinda sorta a 2-outer, but not really.

10:32pm - Aaaaaaaand, out 45th in Daily Double B. Shoved ATo, called by 66 and 88, and didn't hit. We'll see if average finish of 58.5 holds up, but I rather doubt it. Not a terrible cash, at any rate. Should clear about 3.5x above the total buyin.

10:37pm - Oh yeah, still alive in the Bodog $6k. We're at break, three spots from money, and I'm sitting 27th of 39, but really, there's about 8-10 of us within a BB or so, which means cashing, or getting off bottom cash, is going to be tough.

11:02pm - Down to 25 players in Bodog $6k, I'm sitting around 15th in chips. Picked up a couple of nice pots, but didn't get paid when I raised AA only 2.5x from button. Oh well. Still, any time I come back from a small stack, and even break bubble near bottom yet move up a tier or two, it's gotta be a small victory. Let's see if I can keep going...

11:15pm - Doubled up, QQ held against AK (raised 4x BB and called a shove). 19 players left, I'm sitting 6th in chips.

11:21pm - KK on the button. Mid position raised about 3.5x BB (half their stack), I 3bet, they shoved tiny bit more, I called. KK > AK (whew). Starting to run good after those early 2-out shenanigans on Bodog. 4th of 16.

11:34pm - Wow. Chipleader with 12 left.

11:40pm - Starting final table 3rd of 9. Had to fold to a resteal a couple hands ago.

11:58pm - Out in 8th. So disappointing. Had to fold two entire orbits (sliding to 7th of 8), then shoved a MP raise out of the SB with ATcc. Called by AQo. Two clubs on flop, but no more help. Yet another final table failure, dammit. So disappointing. Even worse, players dropped in each of the next two hands, and I could have doubled my payout just by being ubertight. But that's not the way to win a final table now, is it.