Dover Downs 2017 - Trip Report - Jhiym

Like most Federal Holidays, other than Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving, I took my Mom to play slots for the day while I played in the daily poker tournament. Today we went to Dover Downs, her and my Dad’s favorite place.

I entered the 11am tournament which is usually a $60 buy-in, but today was only $30 for some reason, plus and extra $10 that went towards the dealers and gave you an additional 10k in chips. We had 21 players, all taking the extra add on so everyone had a starting stack of 30k chips. I think I was the only non-local there as everyone seems to know each other and there are a lot of familiar faces from the last time I played in January.

I started well, winning a few decent hands with 2 pair cracking Aces, and a set of 10s beating another big pair and was quickly up to about 50k in chips.

Then I got QQ and raised to 1k when the blinds were still 100-200. Got one caller. The flop was all paint but no queen. I bet again he calls, turn is another K. I bet again he calls, the river is an ace and he raised all in and I folded. That hand just got worse and worse.

The very next hand I get QQ again. This time I limp after raising didn’t work, what could go wrong there? The flop comes and the highest card is a 6. I raise big and everyone folds but the last guy who goes all-in and I call. He has a set of 6s and doubles up through me, taking my stack down to about 20k.

Those were the best pocket cards I got all day, never saw AA, KK, JJ, AK, AQ or AJ. I get no cards and try a few hands that don’t develop and I am suddenly down to about 8k in chips and the blinds are going up quick. We get to the first break and we are down to 11 players. The guy to my left is a new player and had a goal to get to the break, then when that happened, to get to a final table. I hear him and the guy to his left chatting about me and how I’ll be the next one out as I have the shortest stack at the table.

The break ends and I order a hot chocolate from the waitress. They laugh and say are you sure, you may not be around by the time she gets back? I can get it to go, assholes!

The break ends and I have 89 suited and limp in with a few callers. Flop comes 567 rainbow. A few betters and I string them along and more than double up through a few players. Then my pocket sevens turn into a set and I double up again.

A guy busts out at the other table and we are down to the final table and redraw for seats. I get wedged in between the two massive chip leaders and have about the same stack as most others now. I end up knocking out both the chatty players and eventually it is down to me and the big stacks on both sides of me.

There’s no way I can beat them both at the same time, so I employee the same tactic Napoleon used at the Battle of Waterloo, only this time I don’t rely on inept Marshall’s to defend the flank. I divide and conquer focusing on one at a time. The guy to my left seems to be playing every hand and can’t fold. I get J-10 suited and raise, he calls the other guy folds, Flop comes AKQ rainbow and he goes all-in and I call. He has Aces and Kings but my Broadway holds up. Now he is the short stack. A few hands later he is eliminated by the chip leader and I am heads up.

I fold a lot heads up, blinds are now 5k-10k with a 2k ante – Level 15. He has about 400k, I have 300k. I win enough hands to keep my stack from getting any smaller for a while. He offers to chop 2 ways even. I think about it but the last 3 times I have run deep, I took the chop. This time I want to play it out so I decline his offer. Well he gets tilted because he’s ready to go so every hand is super aggressive on his part now. I stay patient and fold as I am getting nothing higher than a 6. Then I get a pair of 2s so I go all-in. He calls and shows a pair of 7s. Well I gave it a shot, almost… oh wait, the dealer gives me a 2 on the turn! I double up and take the chip lead! As he exclaims “Of Course”! Oh there’s more where that came from Captain tilt!

He goes back into power betting every hand and gets the chip lead again. I get K4 suited and go all-in, he again calls and shows K7. I catch a 4 on the flop and it holds up. Chip leader again. He is melting down. A few hands later I have J4 of hearts in the BB he just calls from the small blind and the flop is rags but 2 of them are hearts. He shoves all-in and I call. He shows AsKc and I show my four to a flush. The 8 of hearts hits the river and I have all 700K + in chips and am the last one standing.

I win only $231 with only 21 players and $30 buy in, but the money didn’t matter. It was all about winning. I give the tournament director $31 of the winnings for the dealers. He remembered that I did the same thing in January when I chopped 3 ways and commented that no one else seems to tip the dealers at the end so they were happy.

Jhiym