RunGood Poker Series Comes to the JACK - Part 2

On Tuesday, September 27th, I returned to JACK Cleveland Casino to play the RunGood Poker Series Guest Ambassador Bounty Ring event. This was a $200 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament with bounties awarded if you knock out one of the 10 guest ambassadors. One of my long time poker friends, Linda Eisenstein, was one of the JACK ambassadors, while bracelet winner Chad Holloway of PokerNews.com and "Boston" Rob Mariano of Survivor fame also made the trip to Cleveland.

206 players entered the tournament with 21 making the money and 1st place earning a whopping $8,600. Everyone started with 20,000 in chips and the levels were 20 minutes long. Here's the structure:

The tournament gets off to a late start...

Listening to pre-tournament announcements & ambassador intros - Photo credit: RunGood

...but I soon find out which guest ambassador would be playing at my table - Chad Holloway!

With Chad Holloway from PokerNews.com - pleasure meeting & playing with you!

Tournament chips & guest bounty Chad Holloway

Let's dive right in, because this is a lengthy one...

Level 1 - 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante

15 minutes into the first level, I pick up 5d 3s in the BB and there are 5 players to the flop: 6h 4x 2h. With the heart draw on board, I'm not going to slow play my straight and lead out for 700. I get one caller, who was a nice gentleman I was playing cash with earlier in the day. I was able to pick up a tell on the guy earlier too. Turn [6h 4x 2h] 6c. The board pairs, but I still lead for 1,100 and he calls. River [6h 4x 2h 6c] Ax. No flush on board, so I bet 2,000 and am called. He mucks when I show him my straight and said he couldn't get away from his over-pair on the flop.

In the CO, I raise to 600 with pocket Tens and get SIX callers. This was something I was anticipating since it's a bounty tournament with re-entries. Flop is K 5 8 and we all check. Turn [K 5 8] 2. I bet 1,300 and get one caller. River [K 5 8 2] 3. We both check and my Tens are good.

I end Level 1 with 27,400. A great start!

Photo credit: RunGood's Joe Garrett

Level 2 - 200/300 with a 300 big blind ante

I pick up QJ off-suit from early position and raise to 800. Flop is J62, with two clubs. I bet 1,200 and get raised to 5,000. I'm still feeling out the table, so I fold and my opponent shows pocket Aces. Weird that they didn't 3-bet pre-flop.

In late position, I raise with Tc 2c and get several callers. I pair my Ten on the flop, but there's an Ace on board and 2 players stick around after my c-bet. I give up from there because it's clear one or both have an Ace.

There's nothing else noteworthy to report from this level and I have 22,500.

Level 3 - 200/400 with a 400 big blind ante

In the CO, I raise to 2,000 with pocket Tens and Chad Holloway calls. I want to play a lot of pots with him to see if I can earn his bounty. The Flop is 8 6 4, with two spades. I bet 3,500 with my over-pair to the board and Chad calls. Turn [8 6 4] Qc. We both check. River [8 6 4 Q] 7s, which brings the straight and spade possibilities. I check-fold to Chad's 4,500 bet and ask him if I bet the Turn if he would have folded. He says yes. I even tweet about the hand and it was fun to see him respond. Playing poker with Chad for much of the evening was really fun and he's a super nice guy!

Chad Holloway tweeting me back

Two hands later, I pick up pocket Nines in the SB. There's an all-in ahead of me for 1,300 and I call, along with several others. Flop is K 9 8, with two diamonds. I lead out for 3,500 and another player goes all-in. I call and my trip 9's hold up for a nice pot and I knock two players out of the tournament. No bounties though. This pot puts me over 30,000 and I end the level with 33,100.

Level 4 - 300/600 with a 600 big blind ante

During the first hand of the level, I limp in with pocket Twos. A new guy at my table who just sat down raises to 2,500. He has position on me, but I decide to peel a flop. The door card is a deuce and I check. My opponent jams and my set holds against his pocket Queens.

A bit later, I limp in from middle position with 5c 4c. Chad raises to 3,100 and there are 3 callers, including me. Flop 7 6 J. It checks around. Turn [7 6 J] Q. A nice lady at the table bets 1,200 and Chad and I both call. River is a blank for me and I get out of the way when she bets the river.

I'm in the BB with KQ of spades and there’s a few limpers. I raise to 2,500 and get one caller. Flop As Tx 5s, giving me the nut flush draw and gut-shot. I check-call a 3,000 bet. Turn [As Tx 5s] 6d. We both check. River [As Tx 5s 6d] 4s, giving me the nuts. I bet enough, roughly 8,000, to put my opponent all in and she folds an Ace.

I have 57,400 at the end of the level.

Level 5 - 400/800 with a 800 big blind ante 

There are 5 limpers ahead of me in the BB when I look down at pocket Queens. I pop it to 6,500. Chad thinks about calling for a while, but folds what he said was pocket Nines. Everyone else folds too, but I still pick up a nice pot. 

The very next hand, someone moves all in for 8,300 and I make a somewhat loose call with QJ of spades. It's a classic race against pocket Fours and I knock out another player when a Queen flops.

From the CO, I raise to 1,500 with J7 of diamonds. Chad calls in the big blind, and the flop is 8 4 6. We both check to see the Turn [8h 4x 6x] 3h. We both check again. River [8h 4x 6x 3h] 6h. I'm not sure I can win the pot with Jack-high, so I bet 2,600 and Chad makes a good call with A9.

I'm still cruising with 87,200 and I'll try to leverage that bluff I just showed to the table later on.

Level 6 - 500/1,000 with a 1,000 big blind ante

I raise to 2,500 with KT of clubs. One person calls, but another moves all-in for 19,000 and I let it go.

The next hand, I raise 2,500 again with AK of clubs. Somebody jams and I knock out my 4th player of the tournament, who had AJ.

I have a very healthy 110,200 stack heading into the first break of the day. To say I've been running hot would be an understatement.

Level 7 - 500/1,500 with a 1,500 big blind ante

The first hand back from break, I look down at pocket Eights in the BB. Everyone folds to the SB, who limps in. I make it 5,500 and he folds.

Later in the orbit, I'm UTG with KQ of spades and raise to 3,500. A short stack moves all-in for 6,000 more with KJ and hits the rail when a Queen flops for me.

Two more people arrive at the table, including a big stack who has me covered sitting directly to my left. I end the level with 117,500.

Chipping up

Level 8 - 1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 big blind ante

With no more re-entries allowed, I notice the tournament clock is updated with 206 entrants and 87 players remaining, with 21 getting paid.

Once again, I wake up in the BB with pocket Queens after a couple of limpers. I raise to 8,000 and both fold.

The next hand, it folds to me in the SB and I limp with JT of clubs. The BB is sharp player with a big stack and checks his option. Flop Q 9 6. I check-call a 2,000 bet. Turn [Q 9 6] 7. We both check. River [Q 9 6 7] 2. I miss my straight, but bet 4,000 and he folds what he said was a pair of 9's.

I end this level with 140,500.

Level 9 - 1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 big blind ante.

I knock out my 6th or 7th player of the tournament when she goes AI for only 7,000. I was in the BB with K8o and made 2-pair against her AQ.  This level is otherwise pretty quiet and I have 133,000, though I missed a bounty opportunity when Chad went all-in with QQ on my BB. Had there not been a limper UTG, I likely would have called with 3h 5h and made trips on the Turn. Instead, he doubled up through the UTG opponent who called.

Level 10 - 2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 big blind ante

Unfortunately, Chad busts from the tournament. The blinds and antes are getting higher and I have to make some moves despite not seeing as many good hands as I was previously.

I raise to 10,000 from the CO with 8s 6s. The BTN and SB both call and the Flop is terrible for my hand, Ad Kd 4h. I still lead for 12,000 and thankfully both fold. I end the level with 153,000.

Level 11 - 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 big blind ante

I have A7 of hearts in the BB and the really quiet gentleman sitting next to me limps in from the SB. I raise to 10,000, but don't realize the blinds went up so I have to make it minimum raise of 12,000. The SB calls and the Flop is A 7 4. At least that worked out. I continue for 10,000 with top two-pair and he folds.

Later in the orbit, I raise to 12,000 (intentionally this time) with QJ off-suit. A new guy at my table gives me action from the BB and the flop is K 5 4. He checks and I continue for 15k. He immediately min-raises me and is fiddling with his cards on the table. Seems like he really likes his hand, so I muck.

A Pittsburgh native I played with in the PLO event a few days ago moves all-in for 17,500. I'm in the BB with 6s 5s and decide to give him action. I flop a 5 to knock out another player when his Ace-high doesn't improve.

I have 152,500 and there are 35 players left in the tournament.

Level 12 - 4,000/8,000 with a 8,000 big blind ante

It wasn't my intention to tighten up during this level, but there weren't many opportunities to make any kind of moves with the blinds so high and stacks getting shorter. 

Instead, I head to the 2nd break with 130,000. There are 31 players left and I'll come back with 13 big blinds.

Level 13 - 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 big blind ante 

I raise to 25,000 with KQ of the clubs and everyone folds. Then, I call a 20,000 raise with KQ off-suit. Flop 4 3 2 and I fold to the 25,000 continuation bet. 

Eliminations have really picked up during this level and now there are only 23 left in the tournament - 2 away from the money.

I have 110,000 when the $$$ bubble bursts! I'm absolutely thrilled to have accomplished goal #1 - cash in the tournament. I text my fiancée Dana to report the good news.

Unfortunately, the blinds pass me by and I end the level with 85,000.

Level 14 - 5,000/15,000 with a 15,000 big blind ante

I end up folding A2 of spades to an UTG min-raise. The next hand, I'm now UTG and put my 85k at risk with 5s 3s. I get not one, but TWO callers - who both have AQ! These were the best hands I could have seen turned over and I'm delighted when a 3 flops and holds to triple up to 250,000!

Triple up with 5s 3s vs. AQ & AQ

Now there are 18 players left and my table breaks. I'm moved to a table with another long time poker friend, Nicole Patella, who has been playing from the start of the tournament with none other than Boston Rob.

Final 2 tables (18 left) with Boston Rob & Nicole Patella

I steal the blinds a few times and end the level with 335,000.

Level 15 - 10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 big blind ante

Playing with Boston Rob is a thrill for me. He's such a fun, happy and down to Earth guy who took time to engage with everyone at the table and everyone who approached him for pictures. He's the short stack at the table with only 45k, but triples up with 65 off-suit against two players who both had AJ. The power of Coors Light!

The next hand, he goes all-in with K8o and gets insta-called by pocket Queens. Rob ends up flopping two-pair to knock out his opponent!

I limp in from the BTN with pocket Sixes. Flop J T 5. It checks to me and I bet 20k. One customer comes along from the blinds to see the [J T 5] 5 turn. We both check. River [J T 5 5] A. My opponent bets 25k and I fold. He shows KQ for the rivered straight.

Level 16 - 15,000/30,000 with a 30,000 big blind ante

Boston Rob has gone from 45k to 500+k in the blink of an eye. He's laughing, ordering more drinks and having a blast. I'm taking in every memorable moment.

With the Final Table approaching, there are a couple of hands that I end up folding to pre-flop all-ins before I could act - KQ of spades and pocket Fours.

I have 275k at the end of this level.

Level 17 - 20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 big blind ante

The first hand of the level, I'm presented with another difficult decision and fold 77. My friend Nikki is getting short-stacked and ultimately busts out in 10th place. Someone else from the other table also busts in 9th, which means...

FINAL TABLE, BABY!

I'm gutted for Nikki, but I'm extremely proud of myself for reaching goal #2 for the night. My next mission is to win the damn thing.

After taking some final table photos, I got Rob to record a short video for Dana after we attempted to FaceTime her earlier in the night. The connection was bad and Dana couldn't see or hear Rob and I even though we could see and hear her. Rob's video message to Dana was amazing and something I'll cherish forever. What a ball buster!

We re-draw for seats. Despite being one of the chip leaders, Boston Rob immediately proposes an 8-way chop for $3,300 apiece. I'm the short stack and nod my head in agreement without trying to appear too excited. Everyone else at the table also agrees... EXCEPT for one Russian gentlemen sitting right between Rob and I who wants to play it out. He's also one of the chip leaders and has noticed my short stack. I'm internally peeved, but I totally get it.

So close...

During the first hand of Final Table play, I look down at pocket Nines and push for 195k, but no one calls. Then the blinds pass me by, so I'm back down to 195k when I pick up Ac 4c. I jam, but get a caller this time, who has me covered by 5,000 chips and flips over Kd Td. Sadly, a King flops and I don't improve.

I'm eliminated in 8th place at 2am and dejectedly head to the payout table to collect my winnings.

Tournament winnings!

Thankfully, Nikki and "DeJen" Malensek stuck around to cheer me on, so there are some familiar faces and friends there to make my elimination less painful. Since the blinds are so high, we all decide to stick around to rail Boston Rob.

During the wait for Final Table play to conclude, I meet Joe, who has been taking some awesome photos for RunGood. He's super nice and tells me he just started photography a few years ago. Kudos, Joe!

Boston Rob ends up winning the tournament. Nikki, Jen and I are even invited to join him for his winning "rail" photo!

Boston Rob and his CPMG Rail - Photo credit: RunGood

I thank Rob for coming to Cleveland and for being so awesome and he gives me a bro-hug.

Chad Holloway covered the event with results on PokerNews.com and included the Final Table. It's really cool seeing my name in a PokerNews article.

Ultimately, this was an unforgettable night. I wish I could have won the $8.6k and the coveted Contenders championship ring, but am still proud of my deep run despite being fully aware I ran ridiculously hot in the tournament. I still think I made some good plays along the way too.

To everyone who has read my latest blog posts - THANK YOU for the support! My passion for poker is at an all-time high and I can't wait to enter the next tournament.