Gut Shot

Was back in Madison over the past weekend for my buddies bachelor party which was a blast. Got back in Sunday night and had to go out with Justin for a few drinks because he took 3rd in a $2k WSOP event and made over a quarter million.

I was really excited for the $2500 6max event today. That faded quickly though when I only lasted 8 hands. I got a bad table draw and had Robert Mizrahi, the Grinder's brother, to my direct left. I knew he would be aggressive and wouldn't have minded having him on my right but to have him to my direct left wasn't good.

Second hand of the tourney I'm in the small blind, Robert in the big blind, it folds to me and I make it 175 at 25/50 blinds and 5k starting stacks with AJo. Robert obviously calls and the flop comes AT8r giving me top pair and I continuation bet 225 and Robert calls. Turn is a 9 and I check call a 500 bet to keep the pot small as I don't want to play a huge pot with just one pair or get blown off the straight draw I've picked up. River is another 9 and I check and he fires out 1100 and I take a few seconds and call and he shows me 67 for a turned gutshot straight. I say 'nice turn' and muck.

Eighth hand of the tourney I'm on the button, cutoff limps, and I look down to see the hand we all wait for, AA and make it 250 to go. Both the blinds fold and the cutoff calls. The flop comes AQ6r and the cutoff check/calls a 325 bet from me. Turn is a 9 and the cutoff checkcalls a 700 bet leaving me with about 1400 left to the river. A king rolls off on the river and the cutoff immediately puts me all in. I make the call and he shows me JTo for the rivered straight.

So in both big pots I played I flopped the other guys drawing dead to a gutshot and both times they got there. Really don't think I can play it any different. I thought I may have been able to fold to Robert's river bet but seeing the 67 means he was definitely going to make a play on me regardless of whether or not he hit his hand.

So it's back to grinding again for a bit. Not sure what my next tourney will be but I'll probably look to play another no limit event soon.