FULL TILT POKER BLOG

FTOPS Event #2 – Limit Hold’em, Maybe We Can Just Maim Phil?

Posted by mystery | Filed under Uncategorized

Crandell Addington, a recent inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame once said “Limit poker is a science, but no-limit is an art. In limit, you are shooting at a target. In no limit, the target comes alive and shoots back.” Here at Full Tilt Poker, we respectfully disagree with Mr. Addington. In fact, many of the best players in the world would argue that at the highest levels, limit poker is a more skillful and mentally challenging game. Pushing small edges over and over again instead of waiting patiently for that one big hand puts you to many more decisions per hour and can tax your concentration until your brain is something resembling a small blob of goo.

It’s no secret that with the explosion of No Limit Hold’em over the last three years, Limit Hold’em has been lost in the shuffle. Many of today’s new players are No Limit specialists, able to use the all-in move to their advantage, especially in tournaments. They perceive Limit Hold’em as a game of luck, where you are unable to move an opponent off a hand, and your results are too dependant on the poker gods. It may be the case that their lack of success in Limit Hold’em is due to their inability to make tough post-flop decisions, something that good Limit players relish.

Ask Eric Froelich, Carlos Mortenson, Layne Flack, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, or Howard Lederer. All of these players have won a Limit Hold’em World Series or WPT Event within the last five years. Clearly there is evidence that good poker players can still find a big edge in Limit tournaments.

Event #2 of the Full Tilt Online Poker Series drew over 700 contestants, making it the biggest Limit Hold’em tournament in Full Tilt history. The Final Table started at 2:40 EST after nearly six hours of play, with nine players left to compete for the gold Full Tilt Jersey and the lion’s share of $145,000 in prize money. The stakes were 10,000/20,000 with an average stack of 242,000. Here is where our small blobs of goo, uh, competitors stood:

Seat 1: CRAVE415SF (331,824)
Seat 2: space for lease (335,056)
Seat 3: themarc (247,560)
Seat 4: ptc7679 (305,415)
Seat 5: Rounder9999 (142,574)
Seat 6: drossxyu (299,769)
Seat 7: Randers (285,993)
Seat 8: chissler (87,858)
Seat 9: pimpin_pens (141,951)

chissler started out in the poorest chip position, but pimpin_pens and Rounder9999 were also on the brink as play began. Play started very slow and passive. Blinds were stolen, flops seen and then released, but with blinds so high relative to the stacks, someone was bound to go out soon.

Rounder9999 opted to see several flops in the early hands, and unfortunately for him, did not connect on any of them. Chipped away and backed into a corner, Rounder9999 decided to make his stand with pocket 3s for his last 32,000. He was able to isolate against CRAVE415SF in the big blind who took a shot with 65. The pocket threes held up to give Rounder9999 some breathing room at 71,000.

Players continued to jockey for position over the next few rounds. Randers won several medium sized pots while CRAVE415SF hit a straight to take a big pot off of ptc7679. The standings after 10 minutes of play were as follows.

Seat 1: CRAVE415SF (411,250)
Seat 2: space for lease (266,056)
Seat 3: themarc (281,560)
Seat 4: ptc7679 (76,415)
Seat 5: Rounder9999 (89,148)
Seat 6: drossxyu (275,769)
Seat 7: Randers (498,993)
Seat 8: chissler (89,858)
Seat 9: pimpin_pens (188,951)

With the limits recently increased to 15,000/30,000 the short stacks were in desperate need of assistance, and both Rounder9999 and chissler made their final stands.

Rounder9999 raised it up with big slick while chissler decided to re-raise with AQo. The 8c 9h Qc flop crushed Rounder9999, but he was already committed and tossed his remaining 29,000 into the pot. Rounder9999 failed to catch a miracle, and he was the first to exit, with a consolation prize of over $2,600.

The action cooled off again for a while, as players began stealing each others blinds while waiting out the short stacks. CRAVE415SF took more than his fair share of blinds and very quietly took over the chip lead.

ptc7679 was the next player eliminated. Already short stacked, he found the right spot to commit the rest of his chips when he hit three Aces against Randers. Time was not on his side, as Randers also had trip aces along with a kicker. ptc7679 signed up for his Full Tilt Account on Monday morning, won a satellite into FTOPS Event #2, and ended the day with almost $3,500 in prize money. Not bad for his first day on the site.

CRAVE415SF had been playing very aggressively, showing down several poor hands when challenged. This provided him with a marvelous image when he woke up with Aces. pimpin_pens refused to believe that CRAVE415SF had a hand on the 3c 9s 2s flop. CRAVE415SF‘s table image was so bad, that pimpin_pens decided KQ was good enough for a desperation move, and he capped the action on the flop. The turn forced pimpin_pen all-in and CRAVE415SF happily knocked him out of the tournament in 7th place, for a $4,500 payout.

One of the biggest fears for an online poker player is an untimely connection problem. At least once, every player experiences a temporary loss of connection that forces them to fold the nuts or blind away from a tournament. Unfortunately for space for lease, his computer started having technical difficulties shortly after ptc7679‘s departure. He was apparently unable to resolve the problem and was blinded out of the tournament three rounds later, forced to settle for a 6th place finish and $6,534. It’s another reminder that online poker has many similarities to casino poker, but its also a whole different ballgame. space for lease won an Avatar Race, giving him entry into eight FTOPS Events, so hopefully he will have the chance to redeem himself later on in the week.

Meanwhile, CRAVE415SF continued to steamroll his opponents. Despite showing down the Aces, his table image was still as an action player, but his timing was excellent. He won many pots with brute force, but managed to keep turning over monster hands when called.

The limits had just moved to 30,000/60,000 when chissler woke up with pocket Kings in the small blind. After the action folded to him, chissler raised and CRAVE415SF called in the big blind. The flop of 6c 8d 5h looked good for chissler, and he fired a bet, which CRAVE415SF called. The turn brought a 5c and chissler bet his Kings up. CRAVE415SF raised, and chissler opted to just call. CRAVE415SF made another bet on the river, which chissler had to call. The flop looked better for CRAVE415SF, who had flopped the nut straight. CRAVE415SF may have cost himself some chips by not raising on the flop, but still took down a big enough pot to solidify his chip lead:

Seat 1: CRAVE415SF (1,011,257)
Seat 3: themarc (34,060)
Seat 6: drossxyu (258,076)
Seat 7: Randers (606,823)
Seat 8: chissler (267,784)

themarc was forced to post 30,000 in the big blind and had no choice but to go all-in with 38o. Randers had an A4, which was good enough to knock themarc out in 5th place. themarc was patient, and was able to wait out a disconnected player to make an extra $3,000 in prize money, but it also may have cost him his chance to win the tournament. Regardless, he came a long way after winning a $24+$2 satellite, and added a cool $9,400 to his bankroll.

chissler would be the next to exit this table. While drossxyu and Randers stole blinds, a card dead chissler was slowly whittled away and forced to commit himself with any ace. He got in with the best hand, but his A2o didn’t hold up to the J10 of Randers. After starting the final table in last chip position, chissler should be very pleased with his 4th place, along with his $12,342.

With three players left, CRAVE415SF was in very strong position with over 55% of the chips in play. His run of good cards and his fearless style made his position even stronger.

With the limits still at 30,000/60,000, Randers raised on the button. Both other players called and saw a flop of 6s Qc Js. The blinds checked to Randers, who made a bet. CRAVE415SF check raised and forced drossxyu to fold. Randers called the extra 30,000 and we saw the turn. After a 9d peeled off, Randers called another bet from CRAVE415SF and the river came a 7c. CRAVE415SF bet once again, but Randers raised to 120,000. CRAVE415SF re-raised to 180,000. Randers called the remaining 60,000 and mucked his hand after CRAVE415SF showed top two pair (Qs Jc). Randers was on the ropes and CRAVE415SF seemed to be in total control of this game.

Moments later, CRAVE415SF dealt the deathblow to Randers. Once again he chose to slowplay a big hand, and his decision paid off this time.

CRAVE415SF was sitting comfortably with 1.5 million chips, and once again he picked up pocket aces. Randers, now reduced to 260,000, was in desperate need of some chips. Randers raised on the button with K8o and was re-raised by CRAVE415SF. Randers made the call, which left him with 170,000 behind. The flop came 4c 4s 4d. Sensing he was nearly a lock, CRAVE415SF checked, giving Randers a chance to catch up. Randers wisely checked behind, and both players checked again on the turn. CRAVE415SF played the hand perfectly, keeping Randers around to hit a King on the river. Randers couldn’t avoid going broke with fours full of Kings, and was forced out in third for a $16,000 payday.

At the start of heads up play, drossxyu was in big trouble. CRAVE415SF was on an hourlong rush, while drossxyu had coasted into second place, without adding significantly to his stack. The limit had just gone up to 40,000/80,000, which only gave drossxyu five big bets. To have any chance of winning, he had to pick a hand and pray for some luck.

drossxyu took a chance with a big flush draw very early on in the heads up match. Down to 360,000, he limped in with Th 2h. CRAVE415SF checked to see the 5d 5h 6h flop. CRAVE415SF checked, drossxyu bet 40,000, and CRAVE415SF raised to 80,000. drossxyu called the bet and missed on the turn (Ks). Faced with another bet from CRAVE415SF, drossxyu decided to raise. CRAVE415SF called the 80,000 and the hand went to the river. drossxyu missed his flush, but did hit a pair with the Ts on the river. The players checked, and the tens were good, giving drossxyu the 560,000 pot and a second wind. For the first time at the final table, luck did not appear to be on CRAVE415SF‘s side.

drossxyu continued to build his stack by capturing blinds and a few small pots. Within only five minutes, drossxyu was only 100,000 chips shy of CRAVE415SF, showing how quickly momentum can change in heads up poker. The chips seesawed back and forth, and drossxyu managed to pull into the chiplead by a few hundred thousand chips, but CRAVE415SF wasn’t done yet.

CRAVE415SF had managed to come up with big hands when it mattered, and heads-up play proved no different. CRAVE415SF had regained the upperhand by winning a series of small pots when he woke up with another big hand. drossxyu was back down to 800,000, and if CRAVE415SF played his cards right, he had a chance to put drossxyu away.

drossxyu posted the small blind and limped in to the pot with 58o. CRAVE415SF had pocket Kings in the big blind, and raised from the big blind. The flop came 5c Qc 8d, which turned out to be fools gold for CRAVE415SF. He played his overpair strong, but drossxyu fired back with bottom two pair, capping the action on the flop. The players capped again on the turn, and by the 5s river CRAVE415SF sensed he was beat and slowed down. The damage was already done when drossxyu raked in a 1.4 million chip pot with his full house.

drossxyu and CRAVE415SF traded some more blows, dumping chips back and forth, but drossxyu was slowly gaining more and more steam. Five minutes later, drossxyu picked up AQo. CRAVE415SF was down to his last 260,000, less than three big bets. His K5 looked good enough for a last stand, but he was drawing all too thin after a queen appeared.

CRAVE415SF managed to win his seat less than an hour before the tournament started, by winning a $24+$2 Sit & Go. He played strong poker throughout the tournament, and put on a brilliant display at the final table, but finally ran out of steam heads up.

drossxyu played a solid final table. He played with enough discipline to lock up second place and took his shot for the title from there. drossxyu overcame a 4.5-1 chip deficit to take the first place prize after exactly seven hours of play. drossxyu won a Gold Jersey, almost $35,000 in cash, and over 2,800 points on the FTOPS Leaderboard.

Here are the final standings:

1. drossxyu $34,848
2. CRAVE415SF $21,780
3. Randers $16,335
4. chissler $12,342
5. themarc $9,438
6. space for lease $6,534
7. pimpin_pens $4,501.20
8. ptc7679 $3,484.80
9. Rounder9999 $2,613.60

With exciting final tables and record prize pools, the FTOPS is really starting to heat up. Tuesday’s Omaha Hi-Lo tournament will provide the first non-Hold’em test of the event, and will allow us to crown our third FTOPS champion.

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