Almost 3 weeks back I started the challenge from $0 to $1.000.000 playing poker and after my first Top 100 finish in my 3rd tournament, I started thinking, hey it won’t be long before I actually end up in the money. But the thing is don’t overestimate yourself, as one bad call or bad raise can kill your tournament in an instance.

After that 94th place I managed to get better and better results and became a regular top 100 player with almost a place in the top 50.

In yesterday’s tournament I played my best poker so far. In the beginning I made the right raises and steadily went from 1500 to 4500 something. Then my chip count went downwards for the next few hands. Then I got pocket 6’s. I limped in together with the big and small blind. Flop turned A 3 3 giving me a Full House draw, but the possibility I’m playing against an Ace. The big blind made a raise to 240, I called (maybe I should have folded here) and we’re the only 2 left now, heads-up. The turn showed a 5. I took action to see what my opponent will do. He just called my 320 raise. With a Q on the river, I made a small raise and would have folded if he re-raised. He just called and it’s a showdown. I had 2 pairs 33 66, he had the Ace and the pot. Leaving me under the 2000 chips once again.
I had to start all over working my way up, damn. Why didn’t I fold after the flop?

The only way is up.

After that beating, I was glad I still had chips left, so the next 15 minutes I watched carefully what hand I should play or not. And it proved to be the winning tactic. In no time I doubled my chip count with JQ off suit. I made a bet of 300 taking control of the table. 2 Players called. Flop paired my Queen and I went all in. A higher stack called me with 8 A. Turn gave me trips and River paired the board with the 5’s, giving me an unbeatable Full House.  I’m back in business!

For the next hour I managed to play between the 50th and 100th position in the tournament. On the big blind I got AK off suit, everybody called or raised the big blind, so my turn to act. I made a bet 1/4th of my total chip count and got re-raised. With a strong hand I went all in, knowing my opponent had to call with only 388 chips left. He called and showed QQ. Flop turned 4 4 7 and gave him 2 pairs and a chance for a Full House. This wasn’t looking good! Turn showed a 2 and the river a 7, giving me two pairs also, but lower ones. Back to the 200th something place. I can’t say I played this hand wrong, so I have nothing to complain about, he made a good bet.
Again I started to make my way up in the leader board, but this time I would stay there. In 5 hands time I went from the 200th place to the 36th place.

In the last play before the 3rd break, I made my way into the Top 20 with pocket 7’s. Flop gave me trips (8h 5c 7s). One player made a significant raise, but I re-raised her with an all-in. She called with 10 Q suited. She needed runner-runner to win from me, so my odds were very good. River showed a 5 giving me the nuts with a Full House.

From this hand forward I climbed up to the 5th place and we I only had to wait for others making mistakes. Because the last 27 players get paid in this $100 freeroll, the play slowed down by every move. I sat on a table with a very low stack and with the high big blinds I quick played my hands to push him to the blinds as fast as possible. 2 other players on my table saw this and did exactly the same. In 2 full rounds time he had to go all in and lost.
I’m in the money!
But I didn’t want to stop playing. You could see that everybody was making stupid bets. Almost on every table there was one guy/girl going all in now.  In no time just 14 players were still left in the tournament.
I wanted to reach the final table, I still was in 5th place with almost 78000 chips. But I had to fold hand after hand and whenever I made a call or raise I got re-raised to fold once more. Everybody else seems to be winning now and with only 10 players left and high blinds I was on the last spot now. This means I had to have good cards to push somebody to call my all in.
So with Qs Kd and in late position, I went all in. A very high stack called me (I would do the same in this case) with 9d Ah. Flop paired his 9 with 9c 6s 8c. Turn showed 3c. Only the river could save me a seat on the final table. But instead of showing a Queen or King a 4 turned up.
But I was very happy with my 10th place, my highest finish so far, just missing the final table.
I was rewarded $2 for this finish, one place higher and I got an extra buck

Now I can start playing real money, but also still will be playing in these freeroll tournaments as you can learn a lot from this.

My challenge can begin!!!