WSOP Day 13 - Jon Kalmar

WSOP Day 13 - Jon Kalmar

15th June 2009

Today is the $2000 NLHE at the Rio. I’m feeling very confident and ready for a result. With 6000 chips, there is a little play with but not much. I do nothing special but by the break I get my stack up to around 10k. I have never been at a table where so much raising and re-raising went on. Everyone seems to have forgotten how to play flops nowadays and it amazes me how much people are ready to risk before getting any real clues of their opponents hand. Especially considering that we were not exactly deepstacked.

With the blinds at 75/150 I call a raise in position with 67 of hearts. After my call my opponent checks his cards, I know it’s not a pair and I know he is not suited. Of course this may be a ploy but unlikely. The flop comes 4 8 J and he checks to me. I bet out 900 and he thinks then calls. The turn is a 3 of diamonds putting three to the flush out. Now he decides to bet out 1300. Firstly I am not sure a made flush bets here, as it is most likely to be the nut flush if he has it. Besides, he checked his cards earlier before the flop. He doesn’t need to do this with suited cards. I know he has to give me respect for betting out with a flush draw and I make it 3000. He quickly folds. Now I rarely show my cards in this situation however Men the Master had just sat down at the other end and I know he’s paying attention. I decided to show my hand hoping it will get me action later down the line. (Unfortunately he got knocked out before my chance)

We were joined by a kid sat 2 to my left who constantly squeezed or tried to bet everyone off their hands. Knowing this, I needed to close him down, I can’t have someone getting too busy on my left. The blinds are 100/200 and I limp on the button with Q8 of hearts and I expect him to raise from the big blind. He doesn’t disappoint making it 800. I call and the flop is K 6 2 rainbow. He bets out 1200 and I call. If he shows any weakness on the turn I will pounce. The turn is a 2 and I stand up to look over the dealer to see exactly what he does next but more importantly so he knows I am watching. He fiddles with his chips and changes his mind on his bet several times before betting 2600. Got him! I make it 6000 and he gives it the Hollywood dwell before eventually passing. Again, I show this time to make him and everyone else think before trying to make moves on me and tell him I was sure I was good. He protests I wasn’t but I still don’t believe him :o)

Despite not putting a single foot wrong, I was still unable to accumulate chips. It’s ok making these moves but you cant get away with them all day, eventually you need to hit something and get action. On around 20k I raise to 1800 with the blinds on 300/600 and the guy from the above hand moves all in. Again, I stand and look down on him, he cowers and I am sure he didn’t want a call. It was 8400 more and I make the call, I was right he had AJ. The flop can K 10 3 but a Q on the turn and queen on the river meant I was gonna need to play short stack for a while.

Eventually it is folded to me on the button and I make 2500 to go with the blinds at 400/800 the small blind thinks and re-raises to 5600. I am not passing and push my last 9k in the middle. He sighs and makes the calling flipping 78 of clubs. Nice move against someone who is never gonna pass eh! Flop comes 8 2 A 9 J and my boast about taking this one down were premature. I congratulated him on an awesome move and will have to settle for winning tomorrows 1500 instead.

I cannot play better and feel more confident. If I can play for 9 hours and get this close to the money with no cards and no luck then when things do change who knows what will happen.

On the main feature table John Duthie was just finishing off his semi final in the 10k heads up event. He was looking in awesome form with incredible focus. John may have had people criticize his style for some time but I assure you no one will have an easy time against him heads up. I really do hope he brings home the bracelet tomorrow.

Add that to the fact Roland De Wolf won a bracelet yesterday - shares in the Wynn casino shot up 20 points. I am sure I even saw Steve Wynn wander to the Rio card room floor at one point to cheer John on.

Another notable performance is Jeff (JaffaCake) Kimber going well in the $2.5k PLO. Eleven left and he is well above average. The Brits could get 5 bracelets in one week. JP, Roland, John, Jeff and me :o)

Set Watch

I am starting a new section of my blog called set watch. I have been in Vegas 13 days now and have flopped only 1 set. That was Aces against pocket 10’s, MARVELOUS!

Here are how all my pairs faired today:

JJ – Flop is K 9 8. I bet out and am forced to pass to a heavy re-raise
99 – Flop J T 3 is checked down I win a small pot
99 – Flop 10 4 2. I raise pre-flop and bet flop to take it down
KK – No call of course
22 – I limp. Guy next to me raises and Men the Master moves all in. I pass the other guy calls with queens. Men has AK. Flop is J 7 10 turn a 2 (still not flopped though) river a jack. Doh!
QQ –Flop of 6 3 2 I bet out he folds
AA – I get jiggy and flat call a raise. Flop of 2 3 7 checked to me, I bet and they fold.
JJ – No call
88 – Vs AJ see above, we know how that ended, sigh!
Very next hand I get 66 and limp in under the gun hoping to push all in to a raise. I still have enough to make someone pass and it has to look strong in this situation. The next guy makes it 2300. Someone else moves all in for 15k. The button thinks forever then passes, obviously I pass. All three of them had AK. The board come A 9 3 8 6
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Come back tomorrow for more stories in my quest to flop a set.