Yesterday I visited Casino Cosmopol to play an Omaha 2nd chance tournament, which is part of the Spring Poker Week which is beeing held in Göteborg at the moment. It was almost a year since I last visited the casino and it was actually to participate in Spring Poker Week then as well. The tournaments are resonable sized and perfect for socializing and playing some cards.
The day had not been great so far. After a bad session online I was hoping to turn the day around with a deep showing here. I arrived just before the tournament was about to start. The casino has really improved the structure of their tournaments and everybody got a generous 20k stack to start with and the blinds started off at 50-100. About 40 players showed up for the event, among them lots of casino regulars.
I started of playing very few pots and picking my spots carefully. I played a few small pots early, but my first big pot was when I raised a limper from the button with 9865ds to 1400 with blinds 200-400. The flop was almost perfect, K75 with my flushdraw. I c-bet 2400 and my opponent puts in 4k almost at the same time as I put in my bet. I was confused if it was a raise or a call, and the dealer announced that it must be min-raised to 4800. I go all in and he calls with Q986 with no flush draw. A very nice spot for me and my 5 holds up and I double up. I continue to build my stack by picking up some small pots here and there. I win my next big pot when I flop topset with KKQ8 on a flop KT3 with no flushdraw and manage to get it in vs TTxx.
During the dinnerbreak the kitchen manage to screw up my order and considering we only have a 30 minute break I felt a little stressed. When they finally brought my food they also gave me my money back and apologized without me even complaining about the situation. A highly appreciated move by the casino and the sea food pasta was delicious 
Players bust left and right and I continue to build my stack nice and slow and have 160k, about double the average when the following hand happens. I limp, blinds 1500-3000 with AA53hh and 2 more players limp and a 4th player makes it 13k. I think about it, but decide to just call. The reason is that I don’t think that I get enough of my stack in preflop to justify a 4-bet to stack off comfortably on any flop. I also have to consider that I’m up against the only player in the tournament with more chips than me. The flop is K74 with my flushdraw. I check and he bets 24k. I reraise pot and he pushes instantly. I know what he has, but after my reraise I’m comitted and call. I’m actually happy to see his KKT2 since he does not have any blockers to my straight or flush. I get there on the turn and hold up on the river to take down a massive 330k pot and take over the chiplead by far. A very sick hand that played itself.
My stack hasn’t change much when we reach 9 players and the final table. Playing 9 handed slows down the action quite a bit and the shortstacks take turns doubling up. Finally 2 players bust and we are playing 7 handed. I’m currently 3rd and there are 5 prizes. Two players actually have less than 5 BB so I’m very confident I’ll at least finish in the money. A good an active player has raised my big blind from the button every orbit. I’ve defended more than I like to do because I’ve had reasonably strong hands to do so with. Defending blinds are something you shouldn’t make a habit of doing in omaha since position is so much more important than in hold em. Anyway, he is chipleader at the moment and make it 20k, blinds 4k/8k. I have KKJ8 with K8h and defend. The flop couldn’t be better, K53 with my flushdraw. My opponent bets 26k and I make it 118k. There is no need for me to slowplay. The pot is already sizable and I don’t want to give free cards to bad draws that can beat me. I also want to try and get value from my hand and my opponent has been calling light. I have about 130k behind and I’m expecting fold or push and is therefore very surprised when he calls. Turn is Ac and I push. He instant calls and shows 2467 with 24hh. Sigh! Of course he’s not letting that hand go, and probably only called cause he didn’t wanna see the board pair on turn. I still have lots of outs to hit my flush or full house, but of course it bricks. The pot is about 560k and I bust in 7th place. With a total of 1,3 million in play, I would have been in great shape to win. Instead I walk home empty handed. Poker is very close sometimes. A little chocked and very dissapointed I with the others good luck and leave the casino in a hurry. I’m very happy with my play, and it hurts to come so close.
All in all it still was a good evening. The casino had gone out of their way to enhance the over all feeling in the gaming area with flowers. It was a great atmosphere both among players and staff. I was pleasently surprised! Just wish he could’ve hit his flush instead of the straight…
Today the other members of team 5050 plays day one of the EPT San Remo and I wish them all the best!
