Friday Night Top Ten Tournament

Last night was one of my top ten tournaments that the participants are playing for a $250 casino buy-in. Chips were given based on points that were accumulated over a 12 week period. Regular blind schedule was used. It was an interesting final table with a wide variety of poker styles. Mostly it was played very tight as the players didn't want to lose. Here are a few highlights or lowlights, depends on your prospective.

Chip leader had a little under 10,000 in chips. 10th had 4700.
I am not sure about the preflop action of the hand, but in the end the chip leader called an all in and showed 7-2 for I think two pair or trips not sure. The other player turned over Q-8 and was drawing very slim and hit a flush or straight on the river to win the hand. My first question is what is the chip leader doing playing 7-2 in middle position? The play by Q-8 is understandable as that is how he plays and I wouldn't expect anything different from him. Chip leader went on tilt after the hand and never really recovered from the play. If you chose to play 7-2 from out of position don't be upset if you lose! The bad play was by you for playing the hand in the first place not the other player for sucking out on the river.

Once the table was down to 4 players, the play got extremely tight. Chips were very evenly distributed. No one took the initiative to become aggressive to try and win. They all just waited for big hands. Remember people, poker is as much about playing the other players and position then it is about the cards. The player that ended fourth went on tilt because he couldn't get a big hand to push all in with. He would look at his cards and complain how bad they were. Any bet was going to get him to fold. Yet, just about anyone of the hands he could have pushed all in and taken down the blinds and try and stay alive. Worst case he gets a call and at least has a chance to win. Instead he folded until he was all in on his small blind and was beaten by 2-3 off in the big blind because he had to call for less.

In the end a very tight solid player ended up winning basically because he got the best hands on the final table. It is a strategy that rarely gets you the win, but worked in last nights game. Nice playing! Good luck at the Casino!