So I find myself heads-up in the $20 rebuy on Pokerstars last night and villain has me outchipped 1.8M to 1.3M. It is past 3AM local time and the villain asks if I would be willing to chop rather than continue playing. Making deals is a personal decision and every player has to determine there own personal strategy. I have made deals in the past and I think consideration should be paid to the blind structure, the skill of the players, the size of the prize pool and the mindset of the players.

Because we had similar chip stacks (blinds were only at 20k/40k) and I felt that I had an edge on my opponent, I informed him that I would be willing to take an even split of the prize pool if he really wanted to make a deal. He then requested a chip count chop which would obviously give him a larger portion of the prize pool. He asked me to sit out to discuss so I did. He then took his time sitting out and stole a few sets of blinds. So I sat back in and prepared to play. He asked me to sit out again and I informed him that I already tried that and he stole my blinds a few times so I asked him to check down the current hand so we could sit out and discuss a deal. He then fired a huge bet on the flop and I folded. Ok buddy, screw you – GAME ON!

At this point, there was not going to be any deal. I felt like I could outplay my opponent anyway and I didn’t need to deal with the BS he was trying to pull. I informed him that we would play this out and wished him luck. After a bunch of small pots, the villain says he is too tired to play and wants to deal. I pick up JJ though and have different ideas:

PokerStars Game #10195089461: Tournament #51170712, $20+$2 Hold’em No Limit – Level XXIII (25000/50000) – 2007/05/31 – 03:09:05 (ET)
Table ‘51170712 37′ 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 4: BadcardsAA (1911968 in chips)
Seat 7: mscell (1330532 in chips)
BadcardsAA: posts the ante 2500
mscell: posts the ante 2500
BadcardsAA: posts small blind 25000
mscell: posts big blind 50000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mscell [Js Jc]
BadcardsAA: calls 25000
mscell: raises 100000 to 150000
BadcardsAA: calls 100000
*** FLOP *** [Th 2s 4h]
mscell: bets 100000
BadcardsAA: calls 100000
*** TURN *** [Th 2s 4h] [Ks]
mscell: bets 200000
BadcardsAA: calls 200000
*** RIVER *** [Th 2s 4h Ks] [7s]
mscell: bets 200000
BadcardsAA: raises 400000 to 600000
mscell: raises 278032 to 878032 and is all-in
BadcardsAA: folds
mscell collected 2105000 from pot

After this pot, I knew I had control of the match and was not going to let it go against a tired opponent. He kept asking for a deal and now I kept asking for a premium price since I knew he was physically tired, mentally worn out, and thanks to the above hand – he was also outchipped.

We played heads up for about 30 mins and I was never really in danger after the JJ hand. We did eventually agree to split the prize pool in a way that I could live with. I pushed 2 pair all in on the turn vs villain’s top pair top kicker and he then “agreed” to give me first place prize money.

Sometimes the hardest thing for me to do in life is find a good balance. Work vs play. Family vs self. Save vs spend. In poker, the problem is usally finding a good balance between patience and aggression. When I am at the top of my game, I can zig and zag with the best of them. Raising 6 hands in a row because I know I won’t be called or folding 30 hands in a row because the situation dictates it.

The past week or so I think I have pushed my game a little too far to the tight side. There is a reason for this of course – many of the MTTs I was playing required that style. For example, do you ever see anyone fold during the first 2 hrs of the 10r on Stars? I don’t think most of the players can fold and so I was working on patience and tight play. Restealing too lightly is not a good plan if they can’t fold the lowest hands in their range. Plus I think I was letting my aggression go too far lately anyway – raising and re-raising with napkins. Cards? I don’t need no stinking cards!

So I tightened up a bit. Then I tightened up a bit more. Then I got downright nitty. I feel like I journeyed all the way back to how I first learned how to play ULTRA TAG. But I hate playing this way. I am always short stacking it. Mind you my short stack game has gotten much better this past week or so – but I long to be the big stack again! The one with all the options at the table. The SOB who can check raise you right out of your chair!

So if you end up at my table this week – be careful cause I’ll be pushing the pendulum back towards the middle. I will be rediscovering balance in my poker game – patience and aggression will come together. Right back to the point that leaves you guessing – does he really have a hand here? Only one way to find out – go ahead and look me up!!

On Tuesday night, I made two final tables on Pokerstars.  The first was in the nightly 100r tournament, generally considered one of the toughest fields in any online tournament.  At every single table, you will find multiple top ranked online players and the “dead money” is very hard to find.  I finished in 8th place which was a bit disappointing but since I have not played that tournament very often, I didn’t beat myself up too badly.  I hope this to be the first of many final tables in that tournament.

The other final table was also in a rebuy tournament on Pokerstars – the $55K GNTD 10rebuy tournament.  This is a tournament I have played many times before as I think the tournament offers incredible value for players with modest bankrolls. (First prize is usually over $13K!)  In this one, I managed to take third place.  I was disappointed not to win it since I truly felt that I was the best player when we got down to 3 handed play. Considering that the best hands I had at the FT were AQ (2x) and 55 and didn’t win with any of them, I am actually proud of how I played.  I zigged and zagged playing situations and the other players rather than my own cards.

Usually when I start putting together some solid finishes, I’m able to get everything going in the same direction and pick up a win.  In addition to celebrating my 33rd birthday this weekend, maybe I can give myself a little present and take down a big Sunday tournament!