The life of tournament poker can be very difficult. Good play, good decisions and a good call can sometimes still succumb to the dangers of an unfortunate bad beat, and just when things were going well - they turn for the worse - and you're out of the tournament.
In the past month, I've played (1) The Filipino Poker Tour 14; (2) The FHM Sexy Poker Night Last Leg; (3) The APT Resorts World Manila Satellite Series #2; (4) The Php 40,000 Guaranteed at Resorts World; and (5) The Php50,000 Guaranteed Freeroll at Resorts World.
I free-rolled for The Filipino Poker Tour 14, winning a seat from The KC Show, and did not win anything. Zero risk, Zero win, although zero risk and winning Php 2 Million would've been so much juicier. I didn't go home empty-handed. I still got to play at the 25/50 cash table of The Metro, and got a decent pay-out. After busting out of the FPT14, I cashed out 13K from a 25/50 table, buying in for only 3K. Buy-in: Php3,000. Cash-Out: Php13,000. Profit: Php10,000.
At the FHM Sexy Poker Night Last Leg at The Metro Card Club, I bought in for Php2,000 and did not cash at the tournament. I also lost 8,000 at the 25/50 cash tables. Not a good poker day. Total Buy-In: Php10,000. Cash-out: 0 Profit: - Php10,000.
Back to Zero Balance.
I played a mid-week cash game at the 50/100 cash tables of the Resort World, and bought in for Php10,000 and cashed out Php30,000 by getting a lucky streak of flopped nut flushes that got paid off well. Buy-in: Php10,000. Cash-out: Php30,000. Profit: Php20,000.
Feeling the success of that day, I came back again the next day to the 50/100 cash tables of the Resort World, and bought-in again for Php10,000 and cashed out Php27,000, playing really well, and making most of my money from someone trying to bluff me off my top set of 10s on the flop. Buy-in: Php10,000. Cash-out: Php27,000. Profit: Php17,000.
On the weekend, I played a Mega Satellite for the APT Resortd World Satellite Series 2, and bought in for 500. I didn't cash on that tourney or win a seat. Instead, I played the 25/50 cash tables at the Resorts World, and turned my 4K buy-in to a 8.5K cash out, winning a very tricky hand with my pocket 6s on a board with a lot of outs and draws, and thankful that none of them hit. Total buy-ins: Php4,500. Cash-Out: Php8,500. Profit: Php4,000.
That same night, I went to the "New York Home Game" at a good friend's house, and lost Php1,500 on the single table tournament, but had a very fun time enjoying drinks and great conversation with friends I haven't seen in a long time. Buy-in: Php1,500. Cash-out: 0. Profit: -Php1,500.
The next day I played at the APT RWM Satellite Series 2 at Resorts World, and bought in for Php5,000. I didn't make it in the money despite playing a bit well. I got screwed with a set 5s over set of Tens, and a very unfortunate two pair of A-10 that got rivered by a K to lose to an AK two pair.I still had a manageable big stack. I got dented when my AK flopped two pair on a A- K-2 board, and was pushed all in by someone trying to make a play with KJ. Unfortunately for me a 10 on the turn and a Q on the river made him a runner-runner straight (SICK!!!), and I became extremely short stacked to die a natural death to the blinds. The few times I pushed all-in, I only stole blinds and antes, and it wasn't enough to keep me going any longer when the blinds where about to increase and the big blind covering my stack. After busting out, I headed to the 50/100 cash table, and managed to cash out 26K after buying in for 10K, enough to win back my tourney buy-in and then some. Buy-ins: Php15,000, Cash-out: Php26,000 Profit: Php11,000.
On my own friendly 5/10 home game - I managed to cash out 5K from a 1,000 buy-in, playing tighter than usual in a game filled with loose calls and big moves, and unusually big pots for a 5/10 cash game. It's always good to be around the home game guys to catch up and wind down with some cards. Buy-in: Php1,000. Cash-out: Php5,000. Profit: Php4,000.
I bought in for Php500 at the Resorts World 40K Guaranteed, and did not expect the turbo structure of the tournament. I didn't last too long. Instead, I tried my luck at the 25/50 cash table, and did well enough to cash out Php8,000 from my Php4,000 buy-in, doubling up with my AA vs someone's KK on a low flop of 7-8-4. It was easy for me, I bet out the pot of 700, and the KK pushed me all-in for Php3,500, and I easily made the call. Buy-ins: Php4,500. Cash-out: Php8,000. Profit: Php3,500.
A few days after, I played the Forbes Park home tournament, and it was the only tourney win I did make this month. I won first place for 5K after outlasting 12 players for a Php500 buy-in, and didn't have to make a re-buy. Buy-in: Php500. Cash-out: Php5,000. Profit: Php4,500.
So far, up Php62,500.
I played the Resorts World 50K Freeroll, and made a great start to push me up the leaderboard in chips. A few duty calls with my big stack actually had me ahead preflop, but getting unfortunate on the board. My 10s losing to 9s, who turned a set, and my AJ dominating an A4 suited who caught his flush on the river. I could've gone deep, but instead I busted maybe 27th out of 90+ players and only 10 to get paid. As usual, I played the 25/50 cash table, but unfortunately lost Php3,000, mostly to an old lady who couldn't help but keep calling with any two cards to bad beat my big cards like JJ and AK with cards like, 9-4 (she flopped two pair against my JJ) and K-3 (she rivered the 3 to give her two pair against my AK all-in on the turn.)
Buy-in: Php4,000. Cash-out: Php1,000. Profit. -Php3,000.
I played the Pacific Place single table tourney, and was one of the few to make a rebuy, and lost Php4,000. I also got taken down for Php2,000 at the 25/50 cash game. However, I did win Php4,000 on side bets when I correctly guessed the hole cards of each player in a particular hand. Well, not down to the letter, but I did manage to guess who was on a straight draw, who had a mid-pair waiting to see the turn, and who hit two pair or better, and I even guessed correctly that it was a set of 3s. Buy-in: Php6,000. Cash-out: Php4,000. Profit: -Php2,000. *Guessing the hole cards side bet win - Priceless.
Total Buy-Ins: Php70,000. Total Cash-Outs: Php127,500. Total Profit: 57,500.
Around 60% of the profit helps cover some monthly expenses like car gas bills, electric bills; cell phone, land line and internet bills and groceries, which averages around Php35,000. The rest is used to pad up the bankroll, or set aside for an upcoming tournament with a big buy-in, such as the upcoming 2010 Asian Poker Tour Philippines, which has a buy-in of $2,700, or something like Php120,000.
While the profit is in the positive side - still a good news for any poker player - it largely helps if I can make it deep in big tournaments, where finishing at a final table could already be equal to what I've struggled to make in one month. It's been over two months since I last cashed at a big tournament with the last one being a 24th place finish in the Resorts World Manila Inaugural Poker Tournament for around Php28,000. Prior to that, my big finish was winning a 90 player satellite for the $1M PAGCOR Chairman's Cup for a seat worth $2,500 or Php110,000, which I was able to turn to sell for Php100,000. Before that, was a 3rd place finish in the Metro 225K Guaranteed for Php45K.
Anyway - I'm itching for a big tournament win. It's about time.
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