thecortster's Poker Blog: EPT Dortmund Day 2

I began Day 2 with just 11k chips and blinds of 400/800/100. The very first hand, a Scandinavian player limped UTG and I shoved with 99 from MP. He folded and I was off to a decent start, up to almost 14k. I was constantly looking for spots to get it in during the next few orbits but no great opportunity presented itself to me. Then came a hand where it was folded to me in the CO and it was a clear any-two situation due to the fact that my stack only consisted of 6.8k. I looked down at my cards anyway (I made the mistake of not doing this once in Vienna and won't be making that mistake again) and was pleasantly surprised to see AKs. Still, I got no callers and so I had 8.8k.

The very next hand, Macel Baran limps UTG and I shove 7d7h for 8.7k, hoping to take down the pot right then and there which wasn't all that unlikely since Marcel had limped UTG a few times already with weak hands. Tobi Reinkemeier was on the button and asked for a chip count, then made the call after a little hesitation. Marcel folded as expected and so it was me HU against Tobi's AQo. The flop came down AhJhJs and I was drawing pretty thin, having just a backdoor flush draw and two outs to my set. Lucky for me, I hit the magical 7 on the turn. Lucky for Tobi, he hit the magical J on the river.

I took it with humor because it's really a waste of time and energy to get all stressed out about busting out. Especially when it's a hand like that where I feel I didn't make any mistakes, there's only so much you can do and then the cards decide your fate. I'm sitting on the train right now back to Berlin and will most likely be using February for some serious grinding as January was pretty expensive for me due to all the live tourneys/travels (made more expensive by a nasty Chinese session last night). I'd like to play 4-6 hours a day and see how long I can last, right now I'm motivated but we all know how quickly that can change.

Here a couple pictures as seen on Pokerolymp.de: