The Donkeys are Out Tonight

Hello,

So I played in a satellite to Friday's Razz MSOP in which I have no intention of playing. I figured it's an easy way to make a few bucks as the majority of the field would have no clue how to play razz. I was, of course, correct in my assumption. The satellite was basically $3 to $16. I figure to win enough of these to make it worth while. I quickly jumped out in front by simply playing a lot of hands, something I normally don't do in razz. I figured to get paid on a lot of hands that were not so big given the generally low skill level of the field. I picked up a lot of hands and got paid on most of them. I also got paid by players calling down with jacks and tens, things like that. But all that begins well does not always end well. Four places paid and when we returned from the break at the final table, the limits were 500-1,000 ante 100. Of course this is the time to get dealt an absolute monster and still bust out two short of the money. What's new. I wish to let the hand speak for itself but I feel compelled for some reason to give my opinion of the player who called me down. Here's the hand. Comments after.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6793107441: Satellite to MSOP Event #26 (51628101), Table 1 - 500/1000 Ante 100 - Limit Razz - 3:48:23 ET - 2008/06/12
Seat 1: Player 1 (9,837)
Seat 2: Player 2 (522)
Seat 5: Villain (8,653)
Seat 6: Tom Jefferson (4,061)
Seat 7: Player 3 (4,170)
Seat 8: Player 4 (2,757)
Everyone antes

*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to Player 1 [6]
Dealt to Player 2 [K]
Dealt to Villain [6]
Dealt to Tom Jefferson [3-A] [2] (67% fav.)
Dealt to Player 3 [A]
Dealt to Player 4 [7]
Player 2 is high with [K]
Player 2 brings in for 150
Villain completes it to 500
Tom Jefferson raises to 1,000
Everyone folds
Villain calls 500 (what's the point?)

*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to Villain [6] [2]
Dealt to Tom Jefferson [3-A-2] [5] (I can't lose this hand, can I? You razz players see it coming don't you?) (78% fav.)
Tom Jefferson bets 500
Villain calls 500

*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to Villain [6-2] [8]
Dealt to Tom Jefferson [3-A-2-5] [T] (69% fav.)
Villain bets 1,000
Tom Jefferson raises to 2,000 (too much in there and I have the best draw [I actually have the best hand too but don't know it at the time])
Villain calls 1,000 (call and leave me with less than a big bet. nice move!)

*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to Villain [6-2-8] [9]
Dealt to Tom Jefferson [3-A-2-5-T] [5] (what the hell. I didn't want a good card anyway)
Villain bets 1,000 (60% fav. he finally got hit money in while ahead)
Tom Jefferson: A-2-3-5 on 4th (be sure to let everyone know how great I am. LOL)
Tom Jefferson: so sick (and curse the razz gods)
Tom Jefferson calls 461, and is all in
Villain shows [5-T-6-2-8-9] (huh?! what the hell? is he kidding me here?)
Tom Jefferson shows [3-A-2-5-T-5]
Uncalled bet of 539 returned to Villain

So it's a 10-5-4-2-A against 9-8-6-5-2 going to 7th. So let's take a step back here before we go to the river. Here made a steal attempt on 3rd. Fine. He's allowed. Then he gets raised and calls with a 10 in the hole. A completely donkey move at this level but I'll let it go for now. When he hits his magic deuce on 4th he calls my bet. He knows he has a 10-low at the time and I have shown that I am committing myself to the pot at this point. With what exactly would I be doing this? A jack-low? Even if I had a 10-low it would be better than his. I know, maybe I have K-J in the hole and have decided to commit with a hand I know can't win at showdown. I decided to play a satellite and throw it away right before I win. That must be it. So I still have about a 40% chance to win the pot. Let's see what happens. I need any 4, 6, 7, 8 or 9 if he doesn't improve. If he hits one of the two aces in the deck I lose the 9 but still have about a 35% chance to win it.

*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to Villain [5c Tc 6h 2s 8h 9c] [Jh] (he hits the jack so I have all my outs)
Dealt to Tom Jefferson [3c As 2d 5d Td 5h] [Ac] (and there the ace!)
Villain shows [5c Tc 6h 2s 8h 9c Jh] 9,8,6,5,2
Tom Jefferson shows [3c As 2d 5d Td 5h Ac] T,5,3,2,A
Villain wins the pot (8,672) with 9,8,6,5,2
Tom Jefferson stands up

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8,672 | Rake 0

Now we can debate the merits of playing this hand in the first place. Why even play it with so few players left and a short stack? Well, if you have ever played six-handed razz with four places paying you know why this hand has to be played. Besides, I am never folding A-2-3 in razz on third. Period! It's not as though there were five players left with one player having 100 chips. This match could have gone another 20, 30 or more hands as is. So I need to take advantage of these spots so that I can sustain a blow a few hands later or wait it out. I did not have enough chips to coast. I have been in this exact position enough times to know that. If the short stack goes out even on the next hand if I fold, play can last awhile. And I will never, ever, ever fold this hand on 4th. It is too good a hand and I figure to win it too often to fold, even in this spot. If I win this pot, I can coast to the win. This was a make or break hand for me.

To put salt on the wound, this donkey showed up at the final table last in chips and proceeded to win the first six pots to build a nice stack. Even if one were to use the bubble argument and say I should fold this hand (they would be wrong though) from the perspective of the Villain there is absolutely no point to tango with me. If he losses this pot he just about switches place with me and now he is in a position to lose it. He could have sat back and won it without playing a hand if he occasionally stole the antes. Besides, it's not as though he got coolered and was forced to play. He played a 10-low on third against a raise. There is no value in this play. It's an easy muck on third. The problem is that nobody believes anyone anymore. "What? You raised me? Fuck you! I call!" This is the mantra of every newb. They refuse to give up on steal attempts. "He must be restealing. Nobody has a hand." I just don't get it. In this spot I simply muck. One of my weaknesses early on when learning razz was not giving up on steal attempts. I looked at the numbers and it was one of my biggest reasons for losing hands. Not every steal attempt has to work to be profitable. Why can't people learn that? He risked his tournament because he refused to yield to his ego. These are the same razz players who vehemently defend their bring-ins with a face card up. This is quite possibly the worst move in razz and is clearly not profitable.

Alright, I think I have gone on long enough about this hand. I'm over it now and smiling about it because I know that it's players like this one who make me a profitable razz player. Without them it would be difficult to win as much as I do in this game. So please, little fishies, keep defending your king up in the bring-in, please don't give up on steal attempts, please call me down with a 9-low because "he can't possible have me beat here" or "he must have all face cards in the hole because his A-2-3-4 up is too good to be real," keep playing [K-Q]-A because "I have an ace showing and that's all that counts," and please just never learn how to properly play this game. I like free money. Thank you.

See you on the felt,