Poker Blog: Survivor Tournaments @ Canterbury Park

Quick TR from a session I had at Canterbury yesterday.  Really enjoy playing there, as they have limits for all bankrolls/skill levels.  The staff there is very friendly, and the food is great too! Yesterday I played two of the 300+30 survivor tournaments, which are probably one of the best games in the house when it comes to rake. Played three quite interesting hands.

Hand 1: Blinds are 1-3, stacks are effectively $300 for all parties. Hero is in the HJ with KQ
UTG limps, UTG+1 limps, Hero limps in the HJ, SB completes, and BB checks. Flop comes K97. SB, a solid reg, bets out a pot sized bet of 15, a very interesting bet. BB folds, UTG flats, Hero flats. At this point in the hand I felt like the SB either flopped two pair or even a baby flush, not sure about UTG. Turn comes a Q giving me top two with the 2nd nut FD. SB bets out $40 into a pot of $45, UTG folds, I call with my top two and 2nd nut FD. At this point in the hand I felt there was a decent chance I was ahead, and if I wasn't i figured I had at least 11 outs to win (7 spades + 2K + 2Q). River comes a total blank, think it was a 2. SB thinks for a minute and then checks. Puts me to a decision, is he giving up on the hand with say like an A9x for middle pair + NFD, or does he have a baby flush/two pair/ set that he's planning on c/c with. I decide to check my KQ, as at this point the only hands I can beat are 97, K7, K9, and maybe missed nut spades. I check and UTG shows 77 for a set of 7's. Unlucky that he had such a strong hand there, but happy I only lost $53 on the hand.

Hand 2: Blinds are 2-3, I open QQ UTG for $11. My effective stack is $600. MP flats, Button with an effective stack of $550 flats as well, SB folds, and BB calls. Flop comes out 953. BB checks, I fire $28 into the $46 pot, MP folds, Button calls, and BB folds. We go heads up to the turn, and the turn is a Q, a phenomenal card for my hand if the Button flopped a big hand. I bet $60 into a pot of $102, and the Button raises to $130 without even counting it out. I have some hand history with this guy, and know that he can play a wide assortment of hands, but also hand reads very well. I'm fairly sure he won't put me on QQ or 99, as I would prolly check top set on the flop, so I decided to shove instead of flatting like I would against most players. The reasons why I shoved is (1) shoving would be the only real bet I could put in as a bluff to win the hand (2) didn't think he would ever fold a set of 3's or 5's if he had those hand (3) He knows I am a competent player and am capable of folding AA or KK to his turn raise. After I shove he goes into the tank for a while, and starts asking me if i have a set of 5's. I try not to give away any information, but at this point I think he may have bottom set or some random two pair. He folds facedown after another minute claiming he mucked bottom set, which if he did would have been a fantastic laydown.

Hand 3: Hero is in the BB, and this is the first hand of another 300+30 survivor. Blinds are 1-3, and UTG raises to $9, MP flats, Button calls, and Hero calls with A8 from the BB. Flop comes 442. Hero checks, UTG bets $20, MP folds, Button folds, and Hero flats the $20. At this point in the hand UTG, a solid reg, could have a very wide range of hands, but I like my chances to win the pot. Turn comes a 7. At this point I'm pretty torn about how to proceed with the hand, I don't mind c/r or c/c looking back, but as played a led out for $35. I know it's very difficult for UTG to represent a 4, so I'm leading out with the intention of 3-betting or, calling turn and betting most rivers if UTG raises. After a bit of thought, UTG decided to fold, so he probably had 55 or 66 at best.

Thoughts on my line on this hand? I think check/raising the turn might have been better.

I will try and post a poker blog once a month or so, as I've been working pretty hard at my game recently.

@RobBrereton