APAT Stud Championship

The Amateur Poker Assocation and Tour have provided some excellent events, both online and live over the past few months. Unfortunately I've not been able to play many events during the first season, but am looking to significantly up the quota next season, starting in October. I went fairly deep in the Welsh Amateur Championship before a cold deck left me exiting in 59th of 200. Other than a couple of small online events, I made the decision to enter the grandly named APAT World Championship of Online Amateur Poker Stud Championship event. With some supposedly chunky medals up for grabs and a mere $20 entry fee, I decided to test my stud skill against 74 others.

The standard in many APAT events is generally weak-tight, a delicious combo, and so it proved in this event with many players playing purely for the ranking points on offer without any experience in the game, grossly overvaluing hands and playing for too passively. With little alarm my stack increased from 2500 to 3600 by the first break, knocking out the only player to fall in the first hour with trip Jacks. The second hour followed the pattern of the first, up to 4100 chips - 14th of 48 remaining.

First hand after the break I take a 1200 chip hit. Playing [Ts 9c] 8c 3c Jh 5s aggressively I'm forced to fold on 6th street against a 6d 6h 7c 7h board, he shows [8d 6c] for the full house. An unsuccessful raise takes me down to 2300, below my starting stack for the first time since beginning. Fortunately the presence of Mr. Weak-Rock enables me to bluff raise on 3rd and 4th street before 5th street pairs my open Ace and he scurries away in the face of aggression. With the aid of a flush a few hands later I'm back up to 4,000 with stakes at 300/600 and not much room for anybody to maneuver.

Halfway through the 3rd hour, getting anted away at 400/800, I raise with [4h Th] Jh. The player to my right (twice my stack) calls me with the only higher up card [Qh].

4th Street:
Me: [4h Th] Jh 2h
Him: [xx xx] Qh 4c

He checks, I bet 400, he calls.

5th Street:
Me: [4h Th] Jh 2h Qc
Him: [xx xx] Qh 4c Js

He checks, I bet 800, he calls. I put him on a draw or a weak hidden pair like 99 or TT (no re-raise on 3rd street)

6th Street:
Me: [4h Th] Jh 2h Qc 6c
Him: [xx xx] Qh 4c Js 3c

I bet 800, he calls. I know he's not in love with his hand, but I'm now left with 944 chips. I pick up Kd to miss my flush draw on the river, muster the courage to press 'bet 800', and he passes. Thank Christ for that.

More aggessive play from me gives me the chip lead. Bringing in with [3c 2h] 2s, it's folded around to a short-medium stack on my right who raises. I reraise and bet every street, hitting two pair on 6th street and eliminating him - who called all the way with [9h 6h] 4h Kc 5d 4d [Qs]. Shortly before the break, I attempt an ambitious mid-position steal with [6c 6s] 2d. I'm reraised by gulibert n2 with an Ad but decide to call, hitting my set on 4th street. I call here which enabled me to cap the betting on 5th street. He (eventual runner-up) check calls from thereon and my [6c 6s] 2d 6h 5d 3h [7c] crushes his [Tc Td] Ad Qd 7s 9c [4h]. I temporarily take the chip lead, and despite having my hidden JJ cracked by then 2nd places (eventual winner thetinkerman) rivered straight, I go into the 3rd break in 2nd of the 20 or so left with 22,000.

With 12 left I go on a rollercoaster hyper-aggressive streak. Hidden JJ turns into 2 pair against a new player to the table, but I give most back when forcing him in with [2h 7s] 2d against his [8c 8h] 7c when neither improves. I sadly waste a chance to double through the chip leader when raising once on 3rd street with [2h 2d] 2c. When the 2s falls on 4th street he folds his pair of Kings and the opportunity is gone. A few hands after we enter the final table and the money positions, I'm 5th of 8 with 24,000 chips. The standard has increased markedly, with the vast majority of hands being raised by the highest upcard. No more easy chips!

I cripple gulibert n2 again when he opens the pot with a bet with [Ks Kd] 2d. I call with [3d Ad] Jd. I eventually hit runner-runner-runner-runner full house with [3d Ad] Jd 3s Td Th [3h], (check calling 4th and 5th, both checking 6th and him check-calling the river), beating his [Ks Kd] 2c 8d 4s 5c [Tc] for a pot worth over 20k. I take the chiplead once more shortly but lose it when I fold my [Kc Kd] Ad 2d 5h against thetinkerman Js 8d Jh (two other Aces showing and a 3rd street raise from the Js). I recover with [Ts 8s] Th 9h 7c Kd [6c] v the aggressive Prieure's [As 4d] Qh 3d 6h 7s [Qs] (he 3 bets 3rd street and I call 4th and 5th, both check 6th and I bet river, he calls). gulibert n2 gets some revenge when my KK is beaten by his 6th street straight. We're soon 4 handed, and my 24,400 is half the amount of 3rd, but my favourite play of the night changes that. I bring in with [7d 6h] 4d, thetinkerman raises yet again with the 9d.

4th Street:
Me: [7d 6h] 4d Kh
Him: [xx xx] 9d Qs

I check, he bets, I raise, he calls. I've now got control and I'm going all the way!

5th Street/6th Street:
Me: [7d 6h] 4d Kh As 4c
Him: [xx xx] 9d Qs 2c 6s

I bet out both streets and he passes on 6th street, with me having just 3,000 chips left.

The play is to no avail though, despite Prieure throwing away a strong position. He's far too aggressive with a weak pair and draw and drops to 10k. I'm a solid 3rd with 38k, and the other two have around 70k. I make my first big mistake of the tournament, and it costs me a medal.

3rd street:
gulibert [xx xx] 5d
Me [3d 9h] 9d
Prieure [xx xx] 6c

gulibert n2 opens with raise, not bring in. Alarm bells should be ringing, but I reraise and Prieure moves all-in. gulibert reraises and I call.

4th street:
gul [xx xx] 5d 8s
Me [3d 9h] 9d 3h
Pri [xx xx] 6c Kh

I should be wary, but with Prieure all-in, I felt I was strong and guaranteed 3rd with a great chance to get in contention. gulibert checks, I bet and he calls.

5th street/6th street/river
gul [xx xx] 5d 8s 8h 7d [xx]
Me [3d 9h] 9d 3h 7s 8c [7c]
Pri [xx xx] 6c Kh 4d 5s [xx]

With blockers all over the shop I call all the way down, putting gulibert on a weaker 2 pair. I should've known better. He shows [Qd Qh] [9s] for a better two pair, whilst in a nightmare scenario, Prieure shows [Ad As] [5c] for the highest two pair on the river. I didn't bank on two hidden pairs, and I'm left with a shade over 6,000. I am out the very next hand.

Disappointing, but I would've taken 4th before the tournament. At least I've proved to myself I can play Stud to a reasonable standard. I took $150 and 6 irrelevant ranking points (only played 4 events this season of around 40 odd!) for 4th place, and am looking forward to the Razz event on Wednesday, followed by NL Hold Em at the weekend.