Quadducks

Bad news: Quadducks is out of the main event just out of the money before the dinner break on day three.

Going into day three with an above average stack was an optimal situation for him because he is the master of avoiding marginal spots. Only way he's going bust before the money is through a series of coolers. Here are three hands that led to his downfall (I hope he doesn't mind me posting these):

HAND#1

Blinds: 1k/2k no antes
BB (Quadducks): AJoff (approx 120,000 stack)

Action: folded around to the SB, who limps (he has a stack of around 100K), our hero raises it up to 6000 and the SB calls.

Flop: J-8-2 rainbow. SB checks, hero fires a continuation bet of 6K, SB calls.
Turn: 2d (still no flush draws). SB checks, hero bets 10K, SB calls.
River: 4c. SB checks, hero bets 14K, SB calls and tables J-4 to take down a 70K pot.

Analysis: I think our boy played the hand perfectly. The SB played the hand weak-passive and I don't disagree with his check-calling after the flop, but limping from the SB with J-4 then calling a 6K raise out of position with complete air smells fishy to me. Perfect board for Quadducks until the nightmare 4 on fifth street.


HAND #2

Blinds 1k/2k no antes
Seat three, a tilting loose player, raises to 8K under the gun.
Seat six (Quadducks): QhQd (approx 100K stack)

Action: Quadducks reraises to 20K. Seat eight reships all in for a total of 60K. Quadducks calls and seat eight tables Ac-Kc.
Flop: 8d-7d-10c.
Turn: 2c.
River: Jc completes the runner nut flush for seat eight for a massive 131K pot.

Analysis: Normally, I don't consider AKsuited taking down QQ a bad beat but take a closer look at the tournament situation and it's definitely a cooler for our hero. Seat eight is looking at an under the gun raise and significant reraise from Quadducks, who has a solid table image. He has to know he's behind, possibly even dominated at this point and his stack of 60K has an value of 20m. For those of you unfamiliar with m, I'm basically saying he has enough chips to not freak out and push here. A super marginal situation to put the money in here with AK suited? I think so.

Regardless, the flop was beautiful for our hero but the turn brings out the "uh,oh" alert in your brain and the river sealed the deal...

HAND #3
Blinds: 2k/4k Antes: 100?

One early position limper as action reaches our hero (nursing a 72K stack after chipping up a little) who wakes up w AA. He jacks it up to 11K, only caller is the limper (same player from hand #1 with the J-4).

Flop 8-9-2. Limper checks and our hero bets 22.5K, leaving himself approx 36.5K. Limper thinks for a moment and calls.

Turn 7. Limper checks again and our hero pushes his remaining 36.5K into the pot. Limper calls with 6-6 for the open-ender and set draw.

River 10. Quadducks is sent to the rail.

Analysis: I'm trying to probe for a different he could have played this hand, but I think it's perfect again. You could argue shipping it all in on the flop here since he is relatively short-stacked, but you have to bet for value against a weak player in this situation.

The limper played the hand passive-BAD. I don't know how else to word it. I can see how he might have thought the flop was a good one for him here since there is no paint, but at least fire into the raiser or even try a check raise to see where you're at here. I still don't think he's committed on the turn with open-ender because it's the dummy end so he's really only drawing to six outs when he calls 36.5K at that point.

Well, there ya go. Three coolers and out of the main event just like that. Fortunately, Quadducks isn't the tilting degenerate kind of personality so he will land back on his feet.