So I've been meaning to post about how the poker tourney I played in last weekend was, but just hadn't had the time until now. For those that don't know, I played in my first live tournament in SLO.

Number of players: 160 - 190 approx.
Tables - 20 - 24, 8 players at each.
Format - you start w/ 1500 in chips. Blinds start at 25-50 and doubled each half hour for 2 rounds. Then blinds go up every 20 min. 1 rebuy, 1 addon.

So I was pretty nervous playing at first feeling like the oldest guy at the table (which I was), but luckily I sat next to someone who was pretty talkative. Coincidentally he knows someone from my church, so we had some common in which to converse. The table I sat at was VERY conservative. People only bet when they had a "pretty" good hand, very little on the bluffing. No one really took a big cheap lead throughout. Our table was the only one that did not have anyone drop until after the 3rd round where as other tables were having players rebuy a lot giving the chip leader a big advantage to anyone at our table.

Worst play of the day: I was the small blind and had Q7 (2 other callers, big blind and on the button), i decided to call and the flop turned out to be AA7. So instead of checking, I bet double the pot to get people out. I had one caller who was on the button. On the turn another A comes up giving me a full house. Instead of checking to get some more info, I bet big again and the guy behind me doubles the bet. I called, luckily he was a nice guy to tell me he had the A and checked on the river which I would've folded anyway. So that put quite a hurt on my chips, but I was able to chip back but I was not happy.

Possible other bad call = spot before the dealer was really low on chips and he goes all in, dealer calls, and I'm on the small blind w/ AKo. To call was about 1/3 of my chips, and I did. The flop was 5, 2, 8. I check, the dealer goes all in and I fold. Both players had mid-pairs, so I made the right call there, but wasn't sure if playing the AK was the right thing to do.

After 2 rounds, there's a break. I add on and played a couple more rounds at my low-risk table. Then I get moved to another table. I could tell these guys were suckers with the hands they were playing, raising, and getting mad that they didn't hit (raising triple the bet w/ K8 and getting mad they didn't hit- idiots). So I was stoked, but after two hands it's time for another break. I then get moved to a table where everyone minus two people had more chips then. So I was not very happy. So at about the 6th round, blinds are 500-1000 and with me having 2k in chips I go all in on the dealer button w/ KJ suited. No one else calls except for the big blind (who was semi-oblivious to the fact I had a lot less in chips then him and he went all in haha), and he had 99. Don't remember the cards that came out because there was no J, K or diamonds. I would say overall I went out about 75-80th.

Lessons:

• I need to play more confident. I was pretty nervous the whole time.
• Need to read people a little better. I need to focus more.
• Vary up my play a little bit.
  
• Don't call just to call, have a purpose.

So I hope I take these lessons and go into my next tourney a little better/more strategic. I've been playing online tourneys to just try and practice more.