Into the money

I had played slightly more than 130 hands on my first table when I got moved to another one. We were getting closer to the money now, so some players might have tightened up a bit. Here are some hands from this table:

Hand #135 was a battle of the blinds, and my opponent was shortstacked. His bet after the draw likely means that he improved, but I'm not just dumping aces here. I need a solid read on my opponent, because routinely folding aces in these situations would be too expoitable. I have the odds to call if LazVegaz bluffs 25 % of the time. I didn't really have any reads on him at this point so he could easily have a worse hand than me. I can't really guarantee that he isn't "value betting" KK or worse here either.

*********** # 135 **************
PokerStars Game #12113011917: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level VII (300/600) - 2007/09/17 - 15:56:25 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (10890 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (4935 in chips)
Seat 3: Nodcplox (5300 in chips)
Seat 4: Mixinitup (5805 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 5: LazVegaz (1820 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (4790 in chips)
LazVegaz: posts small blind 150
Hero: posts big blind 300
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [Kd Ts Ad Ac 8c]
Jumpraise: folds
KingofKong: folds
Nodcplox: folds
Mixinitup: folds
LazVegaz: calls 150
Hero: raises 300 to 600
LazVegaz: calls 300
LazVegaz: discards 3 cards
Hero: discards 3 cards [Kd Ts 8c]
Dealt to Hero [Ad Ac] [Kh 3h Jd]
LazVegaz: bets 600
Hero: calls 600
*** SHOW DOWN ***
LazVegaz: shows [9d 4d 7s 7h 9h] (two pair, Nines and Sevens)
Hero: mucks hand
LazVegaz collected 2400 from pot
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I tried to take down the blinds, but decided to get out sooner rather than later when "Jump" showed interest in the hand. The pot odds are great, but his play seems very strong. I expected him to have something better than aces. This was partly because I had one myself. If he does have aces, his odds of improving are less than normal, but I didn't want to pay to find out:

*********** # 137 **************
PokerStars Game #12113038670: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level VII (300/600) - 2007/09/17 - 15:57:49 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (11940 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (4935 in chips)
Seat 3: Nodcplox (5300 in chips)
Seat 4: Mixinitup (5805 in chips)
Seat 5: LazVegaz (2120 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (3440 in chips)
Jumpraise: posts small blind 150
KingofKong: posts big blind 300
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [7s Ad 9s 5d 7h]
Nodcplox: folds
Mixinitup: folds
LazVegaz: folds
Hero: raises 300 to 600
Jumpraise: raises 300 to 900
KingofKong: folds
Hero: folds
Jumpraise collected 1500 from pot
Jumpraise: doesn't show hand
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I'm pretty sure that Jump was chipleader in the tournament at this point. I'm not sure that I had any solid reads on him at, but I expected him to play aggressively with less than stellar hands when he's first in the pot. I decided to call with aces:

*********** # 141 **************
PokerStars Game #12113097272: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level VIII (400/800) - 2007/09/17 - 16:00:56 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (14040 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (4035 in chips)
Seat 3: Nodcplox (4100 in chips)
Seat 4: Mixinitup (6805 in chips)
Seat 5: LazVegaz (1720 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (2840 in chips)
LazVegaz: posts small blind 200
Hero: posts big blind 400
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [Ah 7s Jh 6c Ad]
Jumpraise: raises 400 to 800
KingofKong: folds
Nodcplox: folds
Mixinitup: folds
LazVegaz: folds
Hero: calls 400
Hero: discards 3 cards [7s Jh 6c]
Dealt to Hero [Ah Ad] [Jd 7h 4d]
Jumpraise: discards 3 cards
Hero: checks
Jumpraise: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Hero: shows [Ah Jd 7h 4d Ad] (a pair of Aces)
Jumpraise: mucks hand
Hero collected 1800 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1800 Rake 0
Seat 1: Jumpraise mucked [8d 4s Qs 3d 3s]
Seat 2: KingofKong folded before the Draw (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Nodcplox folded before the Draw (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Mixinitup (button) folded before the Draw (didn't bet)
Seat 5: LazVegaz (small blind) folded before the Draw
Seat 6: Hero (big blind) showed [Ah Jd 7h 4d Ad] and won (1800) with a pair of Aces
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Here's a hand that I didn't play. I don't regret it. I actually can't remember to have seen that hand, so maybe I went to grab some food while they played it:

*********** # 156 **************
PokerStars Game #12113267108: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level VIII (400/800) - 2007/09/17 - 16:09:50 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (11960 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (4835 in chips)
Seat 3: Nodcplox (7300 in chips)
Seat 4: Mixinitup (4405 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (5040 in chips)
Nodcplox: posts small blind 200
Mixinitup: posts big blind 400
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [9s 6h Kh 2c 5h]
Hero: folds
Jumpraise: raises 400 to 800
KingofKong: folds
Nodcplox: calls 600
Mixinitup: folds
Nodcplox: discards 3 cards
Jumpraise: discards 2 cards
Nodcplox: checks
Jumpraise: bets 800
Nodcplox: raises 800 to 1600
Jumpraise: raises 800 to 2400
Nodcplox: raises 800 to 3200
Betting is capped
Jumpraise: calls 800
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Nodcplox: shows [Ts 7d Tc Td 7h] (a full house, Tens full of Sevens)
Jumpraise: shows [As Ah Ad Ac Qs] (four of a kind, Aces)
Jumpraise collected 8400 from pot
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I ran into two pair here. Good for me that he just checked it down:

*********** # 158 **************
PokerStars Game #12113310059: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level IX (600/1200) - 2007/09/17 - 16:12:06 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (15960 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (4835 in chips)
Seat 3: Nodcplox (3300 in chips)
Seat 4: Mixinitup (3805 in chips)
Seat 5: Overstourdeuces (2980 in chips) out of hand (moved from another table into small blind)
Seat 6: Hero (5640 in chips)
Hero: posts small blind 300
Jumpraise: posts big blind 600
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [As 8s 3h 5d Ad]
KingofKong: folds
Nodcplox: folds
Mixinitup: folds
Hero: raises 600 to 1200
Jumpraise: calls 600
Hero: discards 3 cards [8s 3h 5d]
Dealt to Hero [As Ad] [2d 4c Th]
Jumpraise: discards 1 card
Hero: checks
Jumpraise: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Hero: shows [As 2d 4c Th Ad] (a pair of Aces)
Jumpraise: shows [9h 7c Qs 9c 7s] (two pair, Nines and Sevens)
Jumpraise collected 2400 from pot
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I had been a little shortstacked for a while. It was time to do something about it:

*********** # 163 **************
PokerStars Game #12113376716: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level IX (600/1200) - 2007/09/17 - 16:15:36 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (16860 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (9935 in chips)
Seat 3: pockeyjockey (7945 in chips)
Seat 4: Mixinitup (2005 in chips)
Seat 5: Overstourdeuces (3880 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (3840 in chips)
Hero: posts small blind 300
Jumpraise: posts big blind 600
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [Qc Jh Qh Qs 9h]
KingofKong: calls 600
pockeyjockey: folds
Mixinitup: raises 600 to 1200
Overstourdeuces: folds
Hero: raises 600 to 1800
Jumpraise: folds
KingofKong: calls 1200
Mixinitup: raises 205 to 2005 and is all-in
Betting is capped
Hero: calls 205
KingofKong: calls 205
Hero: discards 1 card [Jh]
Dealt to Hero [Qc Qh Qs 9h] [Th]
KingofKong: discards 3 cards
Mixinitup: discards 3 cards
Hero: bets 1200
KingofKong: folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Hero: shows [Qc Th Qh Qs 9h] (three of a kind, Queens)
Mixinitup: shows [As 8h 8d 9c 8c] (three of a kind, Eights)
Hero collected 6615 from pot
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I've got garbage, so I fold:

*********** # 174 **************
PokerStars Game #12113514995: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level IX (600/1200) - 2007/09/17 - 16:22:56 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (23905 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (15130 in chips)
Seat 3: Runitthrice (2490 in chips)
Seat 4: Queensnogood (4450 in chips)
Seat 5: Overstourdeuces (2040 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (4250 in chips)
Jumpraise: posts small blind 300
KingofKong: posts big blind 600
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [4s 3h 9s 7s 8s]
Runitthrice: folds
Queensnogood: calls 600
Overstourdeuces: raises 600 to 1200
Hero: folds
Jumpraise: folds
KingofKong: calls 600
Queensnogood: calls 600
KingofKong: discards 1 card
Queensnogood: discards 2 cards
Overstourdeuces: discards 1 card
KingofKong: checks
Queensnogood: bets 1200
Overstourdeuces: folds
KingofKong: folds
Queensnogood collected 3900 from pot
Queensnogood: doesn't show hand
-----------------------------------------------------------------

It was nice getting trips in this spot. Plenty of deuces, treys, fours, sevens and nines there...

*********** # 176 **************
PokerStars Game #12113538829: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level X (800/1600) - 2007/09/17 - 16:24:14 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (23605 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (13330 in chips)
Seat 3: Runitthrice (3090 in chips)
Seat 4: Queensnogood (7150 in chips)
Seat 5: Overstourdeuces (840 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (4250 in chips)
Runitthrice: posts small blind 400
Queensnogood: posts big blind 800
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [3h 3c 7h 3s 4c]
Overstourdeuces: raises 40 to 840 and is all-in
Hero: raises 760 to 1600
Jumpraise: folds
KingofKong: folds
Runitthrice: folds
Queensnogood: folds
Overstourdeuces: discards 1 card
Hero: discards 2 cards [7h 4c]
Dealt to Hero [3h 3c 3s] [7d 4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Overstourdeuces: shows [7s 2c 2s 9c 9s] (two pair, Nines and Deuces)
Hero: shows [3h 3c 7d 3s 4s] (three of a kind, Threes)
Hero collected 2880 from pot
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Sack had just arrived at the table. If he's the passive kind of player, I might as well fold my hand. I didn't know that yet, so I decided to call with jacks here:

*********** # 182 **************
PokerStars Game #12113602078: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level X (800/1600) - 2007/09/17 - 16:27:41 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (23495 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (16530 in chips)
Seat 4: Queensnogood (5150 in chips)
Seat 5: SackoSocks (8620 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (7090 in chips)
SackoSocks: posts small blind 400
Hero: posts big blind 800
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [3h Kh 9d Jd Jh]
Jumpraise: folds
KingofKong: folds
Queensnogood: folds
SackoSocks: raises 800 to 1600
Hero: calls 800
SackoSocks: discards 2 cards
Hero: discards 3 cards [3h Kh 9d]
Dealt to Hero [Jd Jh] [Tc 2c 5s]
SackoSocks: bets 1600
Hero: folds
SackoSocks collected 3200 from pot
SackoSocks: doesn't show hand
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I suspected that King wasn't reraising without a really strong hand here. I decided to just call, and I think I got away from this hand very cheaply. A fourth four wouldn't be unwelcome here, though. I think King overplayed his hand badly postflop. After this pot, Jump was a huge chipleader in the tournament. I can't believe that he later complained about getting cold decked. With this kind of play predraw, he surely deserved to lose his chips.

*********** # 185 **************
PokerStars Game #12113635262: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level X (800/1600) - 2007/09/17 - 16:29:30 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (25495 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (14930 in chips)
Seat 3: TripTrapper (14470 in chips)
Seat 4: Queensnogood (5150 in chips)
Seat 5: SackoSocks (10220 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (5090 in chips)
KingofKong: posts small blind 400
TripTrapper: posts big blind 800
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [2c 4d 4s 4c 3s]
Queensnogood: folds
SackoSocks: calls 800
Hero: raises 800 to 1600
Jumpraise: calls 1600
KingofKong: raises 800 to 2400
TripTrapper: folds
SackoSocks: folds
Hero: calls 800
Jumpraise: calls 800
KingofKong: stands pat
Hero: discards 2 cards [2c 3s]
Dealt to Hero [4d 4s 4c] [9c Ah]
Jumpraise: discards 3 cards
KingofKong: bets 1600
Hero: folds
Jumpraise: raises 1600 to 3200
KingofKong: raises 1600 to 4800
Jumpraise: raises 1600 to 6400
Betting is capped
KingofKong: calls 1600
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Jumpraise: shows [Jc Jd Kc Ks Js] (a full house, Jacks full of Kings)
KingofKong: shows [7d 6d 5h 9d 8h] (a straight, Five to Nine)
Jumpraise collected 21600 from pot
-----------------------------------------------------------------

At this point, we were getting very close to the money. I think the tournament was played hand-for-hand. That made it easier to fold my hand. With a bet from early position and a call from King, fives up is probably no good anyway. If I'm not behind already, there's a decent chance that I will be after the draw.

*********** # 194 **************
PokerStars Game #12113734797: Tournament #61160663, $1.00+$0.10 5 Card
Draw Limit - Level X (800/1600) - 2007/09/17 - 16:34:57 (ET)
Table '61160663 22' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Jumpraise (31895 in chips)
Seat 2: KingofKong (6130 in chips)
Seat 3: TripTrapper (17670 in chips)
Seat 4: Queensnogood (7150 in chips)
Seat 5: SackoSocks (8620 in chips)
Seat 6: Hero (3890 in chips)
SackoSocks: posts small blind 400
Hero: posts big blind 800
*** DEALING HANDS ***
Dealt to Hero [2h 5d 6d 5c 2c]
Jumpraise: raises 800 to 1600
KingofKong: calls 1600
TripTrapper: folds
Queensnogood: folds
SackoSocks: folds
Hero: folds
Jumpraise: discards 2 cards
KingofKong: discards 3 cards
Jumpraise: bets 1600
KingofKong: folds
Jumpraise collected 4400 from pot
Jumpraise: doesn't show hand
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Two hands later, we were in the money. I should try to accumulate some chips pretty soon if I wanted to get to the final table and the big money. I was guaranteed a whooping 8 dollars if I made the final table...