149 entrants.  Credit Crunch? Huh?

Double chance event so start with 3500 and can take 3500 whenever you want.  Theory prefers an immediate take of the extra chips but my results tend to be better when I wait a little and use my 1st stack to squeeze liberally.   I can think of two vegas wins where I lost my 1st stack on a trash hand in the 1st hour, but I can’t think of a single solid cash where I’ve taken the chips immediately.   Anecdotal evidence is hardly proof tho so I would never advise against an immediate take,  but be aware if its not the norm at the table what often happens is the two players to your left will take the chips and the ones on your right won’t.

I got an early double with AK tonight and took the chips.   Hitting 15k on the last hand before break with 55 on a Qd 3d 5x Qx8d board and extracting his stack.

The most interesting hand came when utg (5400) made it 400, jeff kimba flatted utg+1 with a similar stack to my 10k and I looked down at 99.  I called as the players to my left weren’t going to squeeze without a hand, hell most of them are just overcalling with anything less than KK.  utg is the victim from my AK hand and I’ve shown several bluffs.  Raising 6 pots in a row at the end of level one left an impression on the table.

Two more calls and we see a flop 855 5 way.  utg bets out 1500 and I go into the tank.  I eventually fold but I’m far from happy with it, it’s very hard for anyone behind to get it in with JJ or less.  (I saw him check back top set of Jacks  twice  on a dryish rainbow board before making a small value bet on river.  He also had a love of limping big pairs in early position betting the flop and then check folding the turn.)

After the break I’m active but not seeing any powerhouse hands I can take advantage of my crazy loose image with.

blinds 200/400 25, utg (tight, new to table) makes it 1325, I’m utg+1 with AKo and make it 5025 out of my 14k stack.  emp is a good internet kid called darren.  He has a similar stack to mine and eventually passes AK, I take pot and for the next hour he begs me to let him know if he made a good fold.

Struggling to make progress past 15k, I’m down to 13k ish when I pick up 66 in the co, blinds 300/600 25.  I make it 1525 BB flats with 5800 behind.  Flop 853 rainbow.  he checks I bet 1800 and snapcall his shove for an extra 4k.  He has T8o and I’m down to 5800 ish myself now.  Folding this seems weak, but with my image, the BB being capable and looseish pre, and the SB darren dying to play back at me, I think an open fold is best, wait for the 400/800 50 level.  I think making it more pre is the wrong idea.

Very next hand the tightish guy from the AKvsAK hand makes it 2725.  He’s been opening a lot more in the last round and always for a large amount.  My AQ should be way ahead of his range and I ship it in.  SB (same guy from last hand) instaships over the top of me and I put my coat on. Other guy claims AJ and folds.

SB has AK.  Board bricks completely.  I register for tomorrows PLO rebuy and head for another kebab.