The next day was the 6-handed event which I was very excited about. 6-handed is the most enjoyable poker to play as I can open up my game. Most people think I’m a nit, which you really have to be on a ten-handed table sometimes, so it’s great to bring that image to a 6-handed table where I can LAG it up. I had a perfect table draw full of local regs and old school nits. I pounded on these guys relentlessly but just couldn’t win the big pots. I raised and re-raised Tim English all day and he just had no response. Unfortunately I was priced in to call a shove from short-stacked David Gorr when I had QJs and he flipped AQ so I doubled him up. I misplayed a hand pretty badly against him where I 3-bet with pocket kings on an 8-high flop against David, when I should’ve just called the flop and let him hang himself on the turn. He got away from his hand, so I was annoyed with myself there.

A little later Jacob Chen and Andrew Demetriou got moved to the table so things got a little tougher. I bluffed away a good portion of my chips against Andrew, and I’m determined to find out what he had when I see him next. I raised the button with K7o and Andrew called in the big blind and then donked a bet at a 543 flop. I decided to test his donk bet with a raise but he quickly called. The turn was a repeat 5 and he donked out big once again. If I was to raise again I’d have to commit most of my stack, so I had to give it up. If he had a 5 then it was pretty sick, but maybe he already had a set.

I got myself up to over 25k with 50 players left but was then out in two hands. Joe Cabret limped the button for 600 and Jacob made it 2,300 from the SB. Jacob was the most aggressive player at the table, and had re-raised my UTG raise (when I had 52o, so gross) out of the SB with AJ earlier, so when I looked down at AQs in the BB, I felt that I had the best hand. Jacob could very easily be punishing the limp of Cabret. Jacob had 14,000 behind, so I decided to raise enough to ensure I was committed to calling if he shoved. I made it 6,300, he shoved, I called, he had AA, and I was down to 10k. In hindsight I guess I could’ve made it like 5k-ish which shows as much strength but then I can fold to his shove. The other option is to just flat call, but an ace arrived on the flop so I would’ve stacked off there also.

Next hand I picked up T8s in the SB and complete with 4 limpers. Flop was T72 and I check-call the bet from Joe Cabret. The turn was a 9, giving me top pair with an open-ender so I decide to try and take down the pot by moving all in for my last 7k or so. He insta-called with just about the worst hand I could see – T9. The river bricked a king and I was out. Just like that.

I was extremely disappointed with this result, as I felt in control of the table for 6 hours and had just got my stack to its highest point, only to be eliminated two hands later. If I can continue to chip up and aggressively pound opponents and pick spots as well as this tournament then I’ll be in good shape for the big clashes in future tournaments. More six-handed please!

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