Smart Baccarat

Just got back from a great weekend in Atlantic City, which included a dealt Royal on a 9/6 JoB (after throwing away 5 cards) LOTS of drinking and relaxing with friends... and perfect 70F and breezy weather! Just fuck'in loverly all around ! Now, if I could only get up the energy to write a complete trip report (hopefully, by the weekend....)

Saturday, October 20th, 2007 11PM

MPT Tournament - Showboat Casino

The MPT is the Mattress Poker Tour, created by Harv on his wedding night --- to be discussed in a separate post.

Here are the results;
Can you guess who won :)

(w/ special thanks to Harv and his wife for providing this poker blog)

The players:

Seat 1 - Mrs. Betdponies – aka Cathy
Seat 2 - Meredith – a friend of Michael’s
Seat 3 - Eric – Michael’s brother-in-law
Seat 4 - Harv29 – aka Harv
Seat 5 - Mtohio – aka the “baccarat king”, Michael *** That's ME.... ***
Seat 6 - Bigfus – aka Catherine
Seat 7 - Dave – another friend of Michael’s
Seat 8 - Rowanb – aka “Row”, Bob

At stake:

$100 for first place and the MPT trophy and the right to come back in December for the MPT Tournament of Champions
$60 for second place
$40 for third place

Buy-in was $25 + $5, $26 went to the trophy cost and $14 went to a high hand of the night jackpot of aces-full or better. If no high hand, the money will be rolled into the ToC prize pool.

The action:

The rounds were 10 minutes long with blinds starting at $5-$10. There were a couple of all-ins early but no one was busted out during the first hour, which according to Cath’s count there were 17 hands before the chip up break, with Michael leading at the break. Then with the blinds at $75-$150, Eric goes all-in for $475 and is called by Meredith. Eric is holding Ah9d, Meredith AdJc.

The flop comes out 5d-Ks-Kd. Turn is 3c and no 9 for Eric with a Qc on the river and ending Eric’s tournament.

Later in round 25 with the blinds at $200-$400, I hold 8h10d in the BB. Michael called and Meredith limps in and I check.

Flop: 2h, 10c, 4c

I check the top pair, it is check around.

Turn: 6d

I check, Michael bets $500, Meredith folds. I have $525 remaining, if I call, I’m going to have to be all-in. Michael is an unpredictable player, but I have a feeling that I am in front. I go all-in and he, of course, calls, showing 4dKd. He is down to 5 outs, I like my chances, I (being the dealer), burn and turn the river of:

Ks

KING?!?!? And just like that, I’m out of the tournament.

Apparently the action got really fast and furious, as in the next hand Michael, Catherine and Meredith see the flop of:

Js-8d-3c. Michael bets out $300, Catherine folds and Meredith calls.

Turn: Jh. Michael bets $500 and Meredith calls.

River: Qh. Michael bets all-in, Meredith calls.

Michael shows Jd8c, Jacks full of eights. Meredith shows 9h10h for a queen high straight. Meredith is eliminated from the tournament.

In the next hand, Catherine, Dave and Michael see the flop:

Qh-10d-10h. Dave bets out $1,000, Michael calls, Catherine folds.

Turn: Kd. Dave bets $875 all-in, Michael calls.

River: 2s

Dave shows QsJd, two pair, Queens and Tens. Michael shows Jc9d, King high straight. Dave is eliminated from the tournament.

Now there are four remaining and three paying spots. Someone is eliminated in the next hand:

Catherine goes all-in and Michael calls.

Catherine shows AcQh and Michael shows 8c7c.

Flop: Ks-4d-7s

Turn: 5d

Catherine is looking for an ace or queen but:

River: 7h

Michael wins with three-of-a-kind, sevens, Catherine has a pair of sevens. Catherine goes out on the bubble.

With the blinds at $200-$400 and a $25 ante, we find Cathy going all-in with Michael calling.

Cathy shows Qs9h, Michael shows Js8d

Flop: 10s-Jc-10d. Michael makes two pair but Cathy has the open-ended straight draw plus the queen for a higher two pair.

Turn: 4h. Cathy still has 11 outs to win.

River: 7c

No luck on the river. Cathy goes out in third place and collects $40.

We are now head’s up between Bob and Michael. Bob having finished second in the July MPT at the House of Blues, which was Michael’s first MPT.

Michael won hand 34 and Bob folded preflop on hand 35. Bob won hand 36 when they both checked down the river.

Hand 37: Bob moves all-in preflop and Michael calls.

Flop: 9d-10d-7d

Turn: Qh

River: Kc

Bob shows 6dJc for a straight, king high.
Michael shows Ah2c for high card, ace.

Hand 38: They see a flop of 9c-Ks-9s and Bob folds to Michael’s bet of $900.

Hand 39: Bob goes all-in preflop for $2,400 and Michael folds.

Hand 40: Michael raises $600 preflop, Bob folds.

Hand 41: Michael raises $600 preflop, Bob folds.

Hand 42: Michael raises $800 preflop, Bob folds.

Hand 43: Bob raises all-in for $700, Michael calls.

Flop: 5s-3h-9d

Turn: 10c

River: Kd

Bob shows 6c8d for king high, Michael shows 5d2d for a pair of fives.

Bob is eliminated in second place for $60.

Michael wins the MPT and $100!

So not only is he baccarat king and thread hi-jack king he can now call himself an MPT Champion! After Meredith knocked out Eric, Michael was the Terminator, eliminating everyone in his path. Of course, it didn't hurt that he gained an early chip lead. . .

I'd also like to thank my lovely wife for keeping the poker blog. I just told her I wanted to keep a record of who knocked out who and with what hand, but she kept a record of all of the action. Bob, if you want me to investigate any chip dumping, let me know, we will review the play. . .

No high hand qualified, so the $14 rolls into the Tournament of Champions prize pool (along with $20 from betdponies (and TSS777 should kick in a $20 as well, perhaps two since he won two this year).

The ToC is currently scheduled for December 27th (or 28th) at Harrah's Marina in Atlantic City

Labels: atlantic city, mpt, poker, showboat, video poker