Blinders: Third in HORSE, and the New BBT Points/Event Leader

Might just have to uber it up a bit here, because there is so much to talk about. First of all, there has been a lot of chatter about the point system in the BBT. While it may not be fair or the best way to judge the best player, it is what it is. A lot of people think I am out there just folding to the points, which is great. I just happen to have a MTT style that works with the BBT point system. I have made zero adjustments to my MTT game based on the BBT point system other than a couple of folds here and there in marginal/borderline situations at or near the points bubble. That's it. I have always been someone who 9/10 times makes it to the second hour in MTTs which puts me in the BBT points more often than not. Its my proven MTT formula, and there is no reason to change it to maximize BBT points. I have been accused of folding into the money as well, so I am used to the abuse, and people thinking this is +EV for me so I don't really care.

Now for the good stuff. I took third in tonight's doublestack HORSE event. After dipping down to third from last place early, I rallied hard, and held a big chip lead most of the way. I played really well, and got some good cards at the right times, but I was really donking it up at Omaha which was pretty lame. Stud is my weakness in HORSE, but it was Omaha for sure tonight. I just don't play enough Omaha to read the hands properly, even though I know better. Omaha is usually my third best HORSE discipline behind Holdem and Razz. So early on I gave unneeded chips away by misreading my hand or the strength of it. It would not cost me that much because after folding through the first orbit of Razz, I was absolutely crushing the Razz sections from that point on (my props as usual to F-Train for this). After we got ITM, Omaha again would be my downfall. I was in third with a playable stack, and gave away about 6500 of my 8000 in chips when I thought I had flopped Broadway, with a redraw to the second nut flush and not many low possibilities on the board. In fact, I was using three of my hole cards to make the straight. I still have a pretty good hand here, but it was not the high nutz on the flop like I thought it was, and I bet it completely wrong as a result. Oh well, I will learn next time. At the bottom of the post are a few screen shots of the HORSE leader board, and a couple semi-interesting FT hands.

With the third place HORSE finish, I have taken the BBT lead in Points/Event which is what I am personally using to see how I measure up. I knew from the beginning I would not play many BBT events, though I have played way more than I thought I would. Before the BBT I had played about three Blogger touneys all year. This is my first time in the lead. I am also first in In The Money % for all BBT players with 13 min. events, and am 4th in Final Table %. If my strategy is folding to the points, it is interesting how I am leading in ITM% against players whose styles should be working better for this. Hoy can you explain it?

BBT Point/Event Rank (based on 13 events min.)

BBT ITM% Rank (based on 13 events min.)

BBT FT% Rank (based on 13 events min.)

Now for a few screen shots from the HORSE event. I so rarely jump out ahead like this and I thought they would look real pretty in my blog.

So I got the the FT and still had the lead when we got to 6-handed. See screenshot below:

Everything was pretty much going my way until the bubble when the hand below happened.

Full Tilt Poker Game #2576450493: Riverchasers Special Event #4 (19403555), Table 2 - 1000/2000 - Limit Hold'em - 18:43:57 ET - 2007/06/03
Seat 1: cemfredmd (5,174)
Seat 3: DaBag (27,480)
Seat 7: TCGRO (15,526)
Seat 8: Blinders (14,820)
Blinders posts the small blind of 500
cemfredmd posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Blinders [Js Ah]
DaBag folds
TCGRO folds
Blinders raises to 2,000
cemfredmd calls 1,000
*** FLOP *** [Ac 7d 2s]

cemfred was short, so I wanted to see if I could slowplay this into getting him pot committed.

Blinders checks
cemfredmd bets 1,000
Blinders calls 1,000

Not really scared of the board, so let the slowplay continue

*** TURN *** [Ac 7d 2s] [9c]

Slowplay continues

Blinders checks
cemfredmd bets 2,000

He is committed now

Blinders raises to 4,000
cemfredmd calls 174, and is all in
Blinders shows [Js Ah]
cemfredmd shows [9s Kd]
Uncalled bet of 1,826 returned to Blinders
*** RIVER *** [Ac 7d 2s 9c] [Ks]
Blinders shows a pair of Aces
cemfredmd shows two pair, Kings and Nines
cemfredmd wins the pot (10,348) with two pair, Kings and Nines

Kinda lost my momentum on that hand, but got some payback with this one

Full Tilt Poker Game #2576476902: Riverchasers Special Event #4 (19403555), Table 2 - 1000/2000 - Limit Hold'em - 18:47:24 ET - 2007/06/03
Seat 1: cemfredmd (8,348)
Seat 3: DaBag (27,480)
Seat 7: TCGRO (17,526)
Seat 8: Blinders (9,646)
TCGRO posts the small blind of 500
Blinders posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Blinders [Tc Jc]
cemfredmd raises to 2,000
DaBag folds
TCGRO folds
Blinders calls 1,000
*** FLOP *** [Jd Th 8d]
Blinders checks
cemfredmd bets 1,000
Blinders raises to 2,000
cemfredmd raises to 3,000
Blinders raises to 4,000
cemfredmd calls 1,000
*** TURN *** [Jd Th 8d] [2c]
Blinders bets 2,000
cemfredmd raises to 2,348, and is all in
Blinders calls 348
cemfredmd shows [Ac As]
Blinders shows [Tc Jc]
*** RIVER *** [Jd Th 8d 2c] [7s]
cemfredmd shows a pair of Aces
Blinders shows two pair, Jacks and Tens
Blinders wins the pot (17,196) with two pair, Jacks and Tens
cemfredmd stands up