Encore Club $10,000 Guarantee (T10,000)

I got to the club a little late, but still in the first round of the button at position 5. Didn’t play a hand until the button passed again and then boy, did I play a hand.

From CO, I called a raise to 200 from UTG with [jd th] that only two players didn’t call. The flop came out [ad kd qh]. Action checked to UTG and he bet 1,000. The players between us folded and I announced I was moving my entire stack in. Without too much hesitation, BTN called, and everyone, including UTG folded. BTN turned over [qd 9d] and we were off to a very short race, as another diamond hit the turn and I was drawing dead. A black king came on the river and UTG was lamenting laying down his [kx qx].

I wasn’t completely out, I still had T200. The blinds were up to 50/100 by now, and I waited around for either a good hand or the right moment. No hand came, and figuring that at the very least, if I shoved UTG and got lucky, I’d maximize the gain from all the potential callers. I had [6c 7s], so it wasn’t the worst hand to try something with. I got a couple calls, then the player who’d folded [kx qx] (who’d jst had to re-buy) raised to 800, squelching potential further action. We were heads-up to the flop, he had [kx ax]. The flop stayed low, pairing me on the flop and giving me a straight by the river.

[5x qx] on my BB, there are several callers, including SB, but I’m more than prepared to give my blind up and keep looking for spots to build. The flop, however, changes my plans: [qx jx 6x]. SB opens with a bet of 250 and I push my remaining 575 into the pot and turn my cards. He says “You’ve got me out-kicked” and flips [2x qx]. A [9x] on the turn makes it look like we’re going to chop things, then the river coughs up a deuce and the game comes to a quick, dirty end.