The few times I held a genuine hand I ran into a much bigger one or was obviously outdrawn, but those important orphan pots, those marginal spots, those weak moments around the table, all of those chippies were falling my way. Sadly I never found that level of rhythm again for the rest of the tournament. Posted by TommyD
Welcome back Tommy! I hadn't come across this phrase before but it is VERY descriptive. IS it one of your own or an industry standard? Looking forward to the next instalment of "Vegas Memories"
Welcome back Tommy, forums not been the same w/o you around. Looking forward to next instalment although I do blub at sad endings.... Posted by SJspanky1
Cheers mate, I will try to avoid a Toy Story 3 level ending
In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Welcome back Tommy! I hadn't come across this phrase before but it is VERY descriptive. IS it one of your own or an industry standard? Looking forward to the next instalment of "Vegas Memories" Posted by Glenelg
Cheers Pad!
Industry standard I believe, not used that much anymore as the game has gotten much more aggressive and these pots don't turn up as much in the online game. Well they do but they're not as obvious as they previously were.
welcome back tommy glad u had a good time in vegas i love to go 1 day once in a life time ambition of mine i try next year via sattelites Posted by IDONKCALLU
Thanks IDCU.
Good luck in the sats, I will be trying again also!
So through chatting to my brother who had been railing me all day I discovered there was a bar right next to the Amazon room. After chucking a triple Espresso down his throat to help him last the remainder of the day I returned full of buzz and vigour. Then something very unexpected happened. The clock was counting down to the restart and suddenly the new person on my right (phone boy was dispatched just before the end of level 3) said to me 'Watch out!' In typical English fashion instead of 'watching out' I said 'why?' On reflection then wasn't the time to be inquisitive. It's a bit like hearing someone shout 'Watch out for the bus!' and saying 'What bus?' Splat.
Back to the Amazon Room, the reason to 'watch out' soon became quite clear. There was a sudden deafening 'SMASH!' Chips went flying, everyone jumped and the sound was ringing in my ears for the next 15 minutes. An Italian long haired fellow on a neighbouring table had for some inexplicable reason walked up to our table and crashed two musical cymbals together directly behind our Seat 8 player. As I was in Seat 6 I faced a large brunt of the noise as well. Then this fellow trotted back to his table, packed the instruments into a plastic bag and received his first hand. Mad. It's the only time I have ever called the floor to give a player a penalty and to be fair I think about 20 of us did. He received a warning to not do it again.
We chatted about the fellow for 20 minutes and to be frank I lost all focus. It was as if my mind was an Ecth-a-sketch and somehow everything was now wiped. Every time I went into myself to regain some focus I couldn't get it, it was like I was grabbing at a wet bar of soap. I decided to sit back a little and hopefully pick up some hands to chip up. It was a great table and I should be able to capitalise. Sadly I went card dead for the rest of the day. Certain creative players at the table were now calling 3bets OOP with the likes of J3 suited, catching a 3, calling down and being good. Those spots as clear as the Sun before now hid out there in the poker wilderness and every time I went to find that next gear it just wasn't there. These were players I should be making a stack out of but just nothing got going. When I got to the final hour I was mentally exhausted and extremely frustrated. It now became a simple task, make Day 2. So I dribbled to 32K for Day 2 and was so mentally shot I needed the dealer to give me the instructions for bagging up twice.
Dejected, I sloped out of the room and later met with Kev, Matt and Adam (Matt's mate) for a drink. They were elated, they had made Day 2 and with decent stacks. To be truthful I was made up for both of them, especially Kevin. I will always look back at that session as where I lost that tournament. It was a great table, but I blew it. However I will always look back at that celebration after Day 1 as one of my favourite memories of the whole trip. I really like those guys, hopeful none of those three thought I was a plonker. We had done it, Day 1 was survived, Day 2 was in two days and that night was a time to be joyous.
Refreshed after a day off and determined to spin up I take my seat in the Pavilion Room. It quickly becomes clear that good spots are all over the table. I start to make hay. A short-stack busts and we get former WSOP Main Champ Robert Varkonyi moved to my table. I have a lot of respect for Robert in terms of how he has conducted himself despite the slating he's been given (to many he was regarded as the worst main champ before Jerry Yang and IMO received a ton of unfair stick). He's a man who has lived the dream I was trying to get. However in pure ruthless terms I still regard myself as a player capable of taking advantage of him. He was three to my right and I went crazy on him. He's famous from his Main win for over playing QT, I had it twice versus him and had that mental moment of over playing it in that spot. Luckily it worked both times. Someone else on the table (the rather brash fellow on my left) did likewise but foolishly showed it. He became another spot. Within an hour I had chipped up from 32K to 40k without making a pair or going to showdown. I was rock and rolling, this was my table. I owned it, I ruled it, I was getting my stack together.
Then disaster in the shape of one of the Floor officials. 'We're breaking this table.' Those words stabbed me like a two outer on the river.
For those of you who don't know, at the WSOP when you move table to a different room you have to:
1) Bag up your chips 2) Walk in a group between the 'Floor' person and an often burly security guard; any breaking from this group leads to an instant DQ 3) Take a seat card from the Floor upon entering the new room.
Part 3 is rather a sliding doors moment, where you are in the group will dictate your fate rather than the normal cards being dealt at the table. I was last in the group, I took my card and sat at table doom.
The only obvious name at the table was Maria Ho, chipped up to well over 100k and playing a third of all hands. She was the opposite end of the table and every time she played a hand, raised, winked or coughed a boom camera would swoop down to a couple of feet above my head. It got tiresome. A few of the other players were obvious internet pros, stick thin, pasty skin and 4betting everything. A player two to my left also had over 100k and was a producer from a major Poker TV show. He'd seen a lot of poker and seemingly the free lessons were not wasted.
I battled for a while, a nice cut-off v button confrontation against one of the young guns went my way when I decided to 4bet 86s pre to his obvious 3bet steal. The scary thing that went through my mind was I was prepared to 6bet shove and the thought I telling Tikay that exit hand if I was wrong sent a small shiver down my spine. Luckily the 4bet worked. But for every step forward one went back. Maria Ho opened, some one who had 3bet a third of her opens in the last hour 3bets and I decide to cold 4bet from the button with AJs. I still prefer this to the call and hadn't played too many hands to this point (this was my first cold 4bet at the table) so I thought I could get a decent amount of folds. Ho insta folds and the 3better goes into the tank before putting out a small 5bet. He looked anything but comfortable, but I didn't have any fold equity so I mucked. He showed Jacks and later told me he really didn't want a call. I'm not completely sure turning Jacks into a bluff there was a great play by him, however he payed his money like everyone else and it worked. But at least I put him in a nasty spot, at least I hope so.
A bad sign arrived at the table just before the start of the day's third level. My musical friend from the day 1 started talking to Maria Ho. She was polite, smiley and wished him well at his table. Then when he left she told us all he always turns up when she plays and always lingers close to her. Musical and a little bit stalkerish then. With far too long hair, get it cut Hippy
Maria and me only played one hand through the streets. She 2x plus a little pre and this gets three callers before me on the BB holding 86o. Yes not a great call from me but I'm getting a decent price and really want to get something going. The flop comes down Q86ddd. Two pair, yes. All diamonds, yuck. I check, Maria C-bets, fold, fold, fold. Time to make a stand, we're going with this one. She calls my check raise and I firmly have her on a big diamond, more than likely a pair to go with it. The 7 spades comes on the turn and I shove. Maria says I must have a small flush and mucks. I'm not sure I played the hand well but at the time I didn't care.
Sadly that was about the last pot I won. Firstly I 3bet a recent arrival's UTG open with AQss. He tank jams to cover. Looking back now I think I should have called but I mucked, down purely to having no history with him. Perhaps that was when to make a stand. Next my exit hands. A young pro two to my right had been taking a lot of flops and betting strong when he saw weakness to the river without showing a hand. I open in early position with TT, he flats. The board is Q76. He checks, I check behind. He leads a 7 on the turn for half pot, I call. He bets the 4 on the river. Now I'm probably pretty face up here, but my thinking was because of this he could easily be trying to bet me off eights through tens as well as a bucket of A highs. He hadn't given up on a hand all day or shown one. I made the call, he showed AQ. Good or bad, I don't think I mind how I played it, please tell me if you think I'm wrong.
That left me with 10 BBs. I shipped it on my next BB when I held AKo. Producer man had opened, young kid with AQ before flats, I jam, producer folds, AQ guy calls with Tens and holds. GG, NH, GL.
And that was that. Matt also recently bust so we hit the bar.
All in all I thought I played poorly. I gave too much respect Day 1, I didn't keep my focus and I could have played a lot more aggressive in key spots. There's always next year, can anyone tell me when the satellites start?
very unlucky over there tommy but i did enjoy reading your experience in the main event.
I was over in vegas just before you and the sky guys came over what a time i had over there also got pics with like 12 different pros an amazing experience i`m goin to try build ma roll and defo try and even play a 1k/1.5k wsop event next year thats my target anywayz lol.
Then when he left she told us all he always turns up when she plays and always lingers close to her. Musical and a little bit stalkerish then. With far too long hair, get it cut Hippy
Enjoying reading your account of events so far Tommy.
Are you sure you are not on about anyone from the Forum in that above statement?
very unlucky over there tommy but i did enjoy reading your experience in the main event. I was over in vegas just before you and the sky guys came over what a time i had over there also got pics with like 12 different pros an amazing experience i`m goin to try build ma roll and defo try and even play a 1k/1.5k wsop event next year thats my target anywayz lol. gl at the tables Posted by liamboi11
Cheers Liam
Good luck building a roll for those events. There's those and plenty of other decent ones at that level at other casinos. If I ever make a big bink I'll be making a run at all of them and have one yeah of total Vegas degeneracy.
Great read Tommy as always.... When are you covering Part4 which has to include how good you ran in all the cash games.... Oppppps...Sick rubzzzzz Posted by GliterBabe
So sick Wayne. Not everyone can do a get there and mega fade with 62o......
For those of you that don't know, ol' Mr GB here is alluding to the fact I ran super bad in the Rio 1/3 game. I didn't play great all of the time, tilted some off but my first four big pots for full buy ins were:
AQ v AJ on A77 AT v A8 AIPF AK v AQ AIPF KK v JTs AIPF
I chopped one and lost the rest. If I had done a hold in at least two of them I probably wouldn't have chased as much as I did. I managed to get some back on the last couple of days but some damage was done. Long story short, I won on poker on the trip but oh my it could have been so much sweeter, those games were lovely.
Then when he left she told us all he always turns up when she plays and always lingers close to her. Musical and a little bit stalkerish then. With far too long hair, get it cut Hippy Enjoying reading your account of events so far Tommy. Are you sure you are not on about anyone from the Forum in that above statement? Posted by MAXALLY
Haha, nice catch man. You know, there was a physical likeness....
I'm thinking of doing the same little report thingies for the Olympics which I did for the start of the Euros. Normally I love the Olympics but this year the combination of paying for it (not just me obviously) and the world seemingly skint has somewhat taken the shine off of it.
Talking of the Olympics, what do you guys think of G4S? They are openly admitting that they are not going to fulfill the contract for security of the games to the amount they said but they still want full payment. This has made me blooming livid. Imagine if I was to go into MaccyDs with Greg and Dylan. We order the usual 12 cheeseburgers. Now imagine if the guy behind the counter goes 'Well we only have ten but as you're going to have a full meal in here I'm charging you for the 12.' It would kick off, old Ronald would get a slap.
On the subject of eating I actually managed to outlast Dylan in a pseudo eating competition. The last night a bunch of us went to the steakhouse over Binnons and for some reason I ordered the 22oz steak, as did Dyl. Somehow I managed to finish it where as young master Dyl had to concede defeat. Sadly my victory proved to come at a cost as I woke up in the middle of the night with my kidneys attempting to escape my body. I think they were trying to reject me for my poor choices. You see I don't eat that much red meat and the overdose had me sweating in pain at five in the morning. So kids, when it comes to over sized slices of cow, just say no.
I'm thinking of doing the same little report thingies for the Olympics which I did for the start of the Euros. Normally I love the Olympics but this year the combination of paying for it (not just me obviously) and the world seemingly skint has somewhat taken the shine off of it. Talking of the Olympics, what do you guys think of G4S? They are openly admitting that they are not going to fulfill the contract for security of the games to the amount they said but they still want full payment. This has made me blooming livid. Imagine if I was to go into MaccyDs with Greg and Dylan. We order the usual 12 cheeseburgers. Now imagine if the guy behind the counter goes 'Well we only have ten but as you're going to have a full meal in here I'm charging you for the 12.' It would kick off, old Ronald would get a slap. On the subject of eating I actually managed to outlast Dylan in a pseudo eating competition. The last night a bunch of us went to the steakhouse over Binnons and for some reason I ordered the 22oz steak, as did Dyl. Somehow I managed to finish it where as young master Dyl had to concede defeat. Sadly my victory proved to come at a cost as I woke up in the middle of the night with my kidneys attempting to escape my body. I think they were trying to reject me for my poor choices. You see I don't eat that much red meat and the overdose had me sweating in pain at five in the morning. So kids, when it comes to over sized slices of cow, just say no. Posted by TommyD
Still suffering from jet lag, Mr D?
I notice an error in your post: "We order the usual 12 cheeseburgers."
Surely, when accompanied by Greg and Dylan, one is required to order at least 50 cheeseburgers?!?
In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Still suffering from jet lag, Mr D? I notice an error in your post: "We order the usual 12 cheeseburgers." Surely, when accompanied by Greg and Dylan, one is required to order at least 50 cheeseburgers?!? Posted by J-Hartigan
Nah, you need to save some room for the KFC next door.
I think I'm over the jet jag now hopefully. I made the mistake of thinking I beat it when I managed to sleep and wake in 'English time' on the plane. I got a little arrogant and Monday kicked me right in the booty for that one. Of course the GF didn't help. I made a simple request, to slowly get me acclimatised to leaving The Rio I wanted her for the first few days to occasionaly jump on the table and dance for 90 seconds to Britney Spears Toxic in just her undergarments. Her reaction was 'Very funny, now mow the lawn.' I run so bad.
In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Nah, you need to save some room for the KFC next door. I think I'm over the jet jag now hopefully. I made the mistake of thinking I beat it when I managed to sleep and wake in 'English time' on the plane. I got a little arrogant and Monday kicked me right in the booty for that one. Of course the GF didn't help. I made a simple request, to slowly get me acclimatised to leaving The Rio I wanted her for the first few days to occasionaly jump on the table and dance for 90 seconds to Britney Spears Toxic in just her undergarments. Her reaction was 'Very funny, now mow the lawn.' I run so bad. Posted by TommyD
Seems like a very reasonable request - time 4 an upgrade methinks!
Ul in LV ME Tommy, hope I can join u guys nxt yr.
Despite everything (inc this atrocious weather!!), think Olympics will be awesome - we'll all soon get caught up in it, u'll see.
I thoroughly enjoyed your 'vegas days' here. You captured the atmosphere and your feelings at the time really well, i feel. Did you take notes at the table? May i ask Tommy were you playing a paticular range of hands for each position as well as calling ranges/3 bet ranges etc and if so, and put the villain on what range UTG? 7%? What were they? Also did you find the play in wsop tighter or looser than other tourneys you've played? By the way, when you talk about an 'obvious' 3-bet steal, what made it obvious in your mind? Cheers...
In Response to Re: Many Rivers To Cross. A Diary. : Seems like a very reasonable request - time 4 an upgrade methinks! Ul in LV ME Tommy, hope I can join u guys nxt yr. Despite everything (inc this atrocious weather!!), think Olympics will be awesome - we'll all soon get caught up in it, u'll see. Posted by JingleMa
Hey Jingle
I'm still waiting for the grip of the games to take hold Like I said, I normally love it. This year I just feel like it's a giant advert for BarclayCard and McDonalds.
Cheers Tommy I thoroughly enjoyed your 'vegas days' here. You captured the atmosphere and your feelings at the time really well, i feel. Did you take notes at the table? May i ask Tommy were you playing a paticular range of hands for each position as well as calling ranges/3 bet ranges etc and if so, and put the villain on what range UTG? 7%? What were they? Also did you find the play in wsop tighter or looser than other tourneys you've played? By the way, when you talk about an 'obvious' 3-bet steal, what made it obvious in your mind? Cheers... Posted by profman15
Hey Proffy, thanks mate.
The only notes I took were in my head. The ranges I put people on depended on their general play at the table, if they hadn't opened a hand for an age and suddenly 3x UTG then I've got them on premiums, if they've been opening a lot I've got them on something playable UTG but not premium. I probably played to tight of a range from all positions, I was still loose but no where as loose as I should have been, those big hands don't come round that often. I was also coming in with a raise/3bet/4bet a lot, not sure if I got this right on Day 2. On Day 1 it was a must.
I think I tightened up late on Day 1, if I could change that I would. Regarding the 3bet steal, this guy had been in a lot of pots and getting frustrated because he was being bet out of a ton of them. I was playing snug and opened from the cut off. He's in position and 3bets me. Now I've been tight but no one knows if I'm playing weak/tight or not. I'm in an obvious steal spot (those SB and BB were not defending a lot) and he knows this. I figured he shows up with a steal here often and marginal value hands a bit as well as the top of his range sometimes. Taking a look at him it just felt that he was weak, body language and such.
Comments
Industry standard I believe, not used that much anymore as the game has gotten much more aggressive and these pots don't turn up as much in the online game. Well they do but they're not as obvious as they previously were.
Good luck in the sats, I will be trying again also!
Day 1 - Level 4 & 5
So through chatting to my brother who had been railing me all day I discovered there was a bar right next to the Amazon room. After chucking a triple Espresso down his throat to help him last the remainder of the day I returned full of buzz and vigour. Then something very unexpected happened. The clock was counting down to the restart and suddenly the new person on my right (phone boy was dispatched just before the end of level 3) said to me 'Watch out!' In typical English fashion instead of 'watching out' I said 'why?' On reflection then wasn't the time to be inquisitive. It's a bit like hearing someone shout 'Watch out for the bus!' and saying 'What bus?' Splat.
Back to the Amazon Room, the reason to 'watch out' soon became quite clear. There was a sudden deafening 'SMASH!' Chips went flying, everyone jumped and the sound was ringing in my ears for the next 15 minutes. An Italian long haired fellow on a neighbouring table had for some inexplicable reason walked up to our table and crashed two musical cymbals together directly behind our Seat 8 player. As I was in Seat 6 I faced a large brunt of the noise as well. Then this fellow trotted back to his table, packed the instruments into a plastic bag and received his first hand. Mad. It's the only time I have ever called the floor to give a player a penalty and to be fair I think about 20 of us did. He received a warning to not do it again.
We chatted about the fellow for 20 minutes and to be frank I lost all focus. It was as if my mind was an Ecth-a-sketch and somehow everything was now wiped. Every time I went into myself to regain some focus I couldn't get it, it was like I was grabbing at a wet bar of soap. I decided to sit back a little and hopefully pick up some hands to chip up. It was a great table and I should be able to capitalise. Sadly I went card dead for the rest of the day. Certain creative players at the table were now calling 3bets OOP with the likes of J3 suited, catching a 3, calling down and being good. Those spots as clear as the Sun before now hid out there in the poker wilderness and every time I went to find that next gear it just wasn't there. These were players I should be making a stack out of but just nothing got going. When I got to the final hour I was mentally exhausted and extremely frustrated. It now became a simple task, make Day 2. So I dribbled to 32K for Day 2 and was so mentally shot I needed the dealer to give me the instructions for bagging up twice.
Dejected, I sloped out of the room and later met with Kev, Matt and Adam (Matt's mate) for a drink. They were elated, they had made Day 2 and with decent stacks. To be truthful I was made up for both of them, especially Kevin. I will always look back at that session as where I lost that tournament. It was a great table, but I blew it. However I will always look back at that celebration after Day 1 as one of my favourite memories of the whole trip. I really like those guys, hopeful none of those three thought I was a plonker. We had done it, Day 1 was survived, Day 2 was in two days and that night was a time to be joyous.
The Main Event - Part 3
Day 2
Refreshed after a day off and determined to spin up I take my seat in the Pavilion Room. It quickly becomes clear that good spots are all over the table. I start to make hay. A short-stack busts and we get former WSOP Main Champ Robert Varkonyi moved to my table. I have a lot of respect for Robert in terms of how he has conducted himself despite the slating he's been given (to many he was regarded as the worst main champ before Jerry Yang and IMO received a ton of unfair stick). He's a man who has lived the dream I was trying to get. However in pure ruthless terms I still regard myself as a player capable of taking advantage of him. He was three to my right and I went crazy on him. He's famous from his Main win for over playing QT, I had it twice versus him and had that mental moment of over playing it in that spot. Luckily it worked both times. Someone else on the table (the rather brash fellow on my left) did likewise but foolishly showed it. He became another spot. Within an hour I had chipped up from 32K to 40k without making a pair or going to showdown. I was rock and rolling, this was my table. I owned it, I ruled it, I was getting my stack together.
Then disaster in the shape of one of the Floor officials. 'We're breaking this table.' Those words stabbed me like a two outer on the river.
For those of you who don't know, at the WSOP when you move table to a different room you have to:
1) Bag up your chips
2) Walk in a group between the 'Floor' person and an often burly security guard; any breaking from this group leads to an instant DQ
3) Take a seat card from the Floor upon entering the new room.
Part 3 is rather a sliding doors moment, where you are in the group will dictate your fate rather than the normal cards being dealt at the table. I was last in the group, I took my card and sat at table doom.
The only obvious name at the table was Maria Ho, chipped up to well over 100k and playing a third of all hands. She was the opposite end of the table and every time she played a hand, raised, winked or coughed a boom camera would swoop down to a couple of feet above my head. It got tiresome. A few of the other players were obvious internet pros, stick thin, pasty skin and 4betting everything. A player two to my left also had over 100k and was a producer from a major Poker TV show. He'd seen a lot of poker and seemingly the free lessons were not wasted.
I battled for a while, a nice cut-off v button confrontation against one of the young guns went my way when I decided to 4bet 86s pre to his obvious 3bet steal. The scary thing that went through my mind was I was prepared to 6bet shove and the thought I telling Tikay that exit hand if I was wrong sent a small shiver down my spine. Luckily the 4bet worked. But for every step forward one went back. Maria Ho opened, some one who had 3bet a third of her opens in the last hour 3bets and I decide to cold 4bet from the button with AJs. I still prefer this to the call and hadn't played too many hands to this point (this was my first cold 4bet at the table) so I thought I could get a decent amount of folds. Ho insta folds and the 3better goes into the tank before putting out a small 5bet. He looked anything but comfortable, but I didn't have any fold equity so I mucked. He showed Jacks and later told me he really didn't want a call. I'm not completely sure turning Jacks into a bluff there was a great play by him, however he payed his money like everyone else and it worked. But at least I put him in a nasty spot, at least I hope so.
A bad sign arrived at the table just before the start of the day's third level. My musical friend from the day 1 started talking to Maria Ho. She was polite, smiley and wished him well at his table. Then when he left she told us all he always turns up when she plays and always lingers close to her. Musical and a little bit stalkerish then. With far too long hair, get it cut Hippy
Maria and me only played one hand through the streets. She 2x plus a little pre and this gets three callers before me on the BB holding 86o. Yes not a great call from me but I'm getting a decent price and really want to get something going. The flop comes down Q86ddd. Two pair, yes. All diamonds, yuck. I check, Maria C-bets, fold, fold, fold. Time to make a stand, we're going with this one. She calls my check raise and I firmly have her on a big diamond, more than likely a pair to go with it. The 7 spades comes on the turn and I shove. Maria says I must have a small flush and mucks. I'm not sure I played the hand well but at the time I didn't care.
Sadly that was about the last pot I won. Firstly I 3bet a recent arrival's UTG open with AQss. He tank jams to cover. Looking back now I think I should have called but I mucked, down purely to having no history with him. Perhaps that was when to make a stand. Next my exit hands. A young pro two to my right had been taking a lot of flops and betting strong when he saw weakness to the river without showing a hand. I open in early position with TT, he flats. The board is Q76. He checks, I check behind. He leads a 7 on the turn for half pot, I call. He bets the 4 on the river. Now I'm probably pretty face up here, but my thinking was because of this he could easily be trying to bet me off eights through tens as well as a bucket of A highs. He hadn't given up on a hand all day or shown one. I made the call, he showed AQ. Good or bad, I don't think I mind how I played it, please tell me if you think I'm wrong.
That left me with 10 BBs. I shipped it on my next BB when I held AKo. Producer man had opened, young kid with AQ before flats, I jam, producer folds, AQ guy calls with Tens and holds. GG, NH, GL.
And that was that. Matt also recently bust so we hit the bar.
All in all I thought I played poorly. I gave too much respect Day 1, I didn't keep my focus and I could have played a lot more aggressive in key spots. There's always next year, can anyone tell me when the satellites start?
Good luck building a roll for those events. There's those and plenty of other decent ones at that level at other casinos. If I ever make a big bink I'll be making a run at all of them and have one yeah of total Vegas degeneracy.
GL man
For those of you that don't know, ol' Mr GB here is alluding to the fact I ran super bad in the Rio 1/3 game. I didn't play great all of the time, tilted some off but my first four big pots for full buy ins were:
AQ v AJ on A77
AT v A8 AIPF
AK v AQ AIPF
KK v JTs AIPF
I chopped one and lost the rest. If I had done a hold in at least two of them I probably wouldn't have chased as much as I did. I managed to get some back on the last couple of days but some damage was done. Long story short, I won on poker on the trip but oh my it could have been so much sweeter, those games were lovely.
Talking of the Olympics, what do you guys think of G4S? They are openly admitting that they are not going to fulfill the contract for security of the games to the amount they said but they still want full payment. This has made me blooming livid. Imagine if I was to go into MaccyDs with Greg and Dylan. We order the usual 12 cheeseburgers. Now imagine if the guy behind the counter goes 'Well we only have ten but as you're going to have a full meal in here I'm charging you for the 12.' It would kick off, old Ronald would get a slap.
On the subject of eating I actually managed to outlast Dylan in a pseudo eating competition. The last night a bunch of us went to the steakhouse over Binnons and for some reason I ordered the 22oz steak, as did Dyl. Somehow I managed to finish it where as young master Dyl had to concede defeat. Sadly my victory proved to come at a cost as I woke up in the middle of the night with my kidneys attempting to escape my body. I think they were trying to reject me for my poor choices. You see I don't eat that much red meat and the overdose had me sweating in pain at five in the morning. So kids, when it comes to over sized slices of cow, just say no.
I think I'm over the jet jag now hopefully. I made the mistake of thinking I beat it when I managed to sleep and wake in 'English time' on the plane. I got a little arrogant and Monday kicked me right in the booty for that one. Of course the GF didn't help. I made a simple request, to slowly get me acclimatised to leaving The Rio I wanted her for the first few days to occasionaly jump on the table and dance for 90 seconds to Britney Spears Toxic in just her undergarments. Her reaction was 'Very funny, now mow the lawn.' I run so bad.
Ul in LV ME Tommy, hope I can join u guys nxt yr.
Despite everything (inc this atrocious weather!!), think Olympics will be awesome - we'll all soon get caught up in it, u'll see.
I thoroughly enjoyed your 'vegas days' here. You captured the atmosphere and your feelings at the time really well, i feel. Did you take notes at the table? May i ask Tommy were you playing a paticular range of hands for each position as well as calling ranges/3 bet ranges etc and if so, and put the villain on what range UTG? 7%? What were they? Also did you find the play in wsop tighter or looser than other tourneys you've played?
By the way, when you talk about an 'obvious' 3-bet steal, what made it obvious in your mind? Cheers...
I'm still waiting for the grip of the games to take hold Like I said, I normally love it. This year I just feel like it's a giant advert for BarclayCard and McDonalds.
The only notes I took were in my head. The ranges I put people on depended on their general play at the table, if they hadn't opened a hand for an age and suddenly 3x UTG then I've got them on premiums, if they've been opening a lot I've got them on something playable UTG but not premium. I probably played to tight of a range from all positions, I was still loose but no where as loose as I should have been, those big hands don't come round that often. I was also coming in with a raise/3bet/4bet a lot, not sure if I got this right on Day 2. On Day 1 it was a must.
I think I tightened up late on Day 1, if I could change that I would. Regarding the 3bet steal, this guy had been in a lot of pots and getting frustrated because he was being bet out of a ton of them. I was playing snug and opened from the cut off. He's in position and 3bets me. Now I've been tight but no one knows if I'm playing weak/tight or not. I'm in an obvious steal spot (those SB and BB were not defending a lot) and he knows this. I figured he shows up with a steal here often and marginal value hands a bit as well as the top of his range sometimes. Taking a look at him it just felt that he was weak, body language and such.