Hi All
This is K here with the 1st posting of this year's blog..... sadly I'm still in the UK whilst my hubby has already been in Vegas for almost a week (stupid work!), but finally I join him tomorrow!
Good news to post from afar though..... A is playing in Event #54 of the WSOP and has made Day 2 after successfully doubling up through an American poker pro! Hurrah.... see below for the posting from pokernews!
http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/updates.asp?rr=5&grid=764&tid=10875&dayof=1463
7/2/2010 10:10:04 PM PST (about 3 hours and 7 minutes ago)
Hamilton Runs Into Aces
Facing a raise under the gun to 900, a call from late position and then a three-bet to 3,600 from the small blind, Lisa Hamilton made it 10,900 from the big blind.
The original raiser moved all in for 13,300 and once the call and three-better folded, Hamilton made the call.
Hamilton: KK
Opponent: AA [An up and coming poker player from the Appley Bridge in the UK, a certain Andrew Hayes..... well OK this is a slight amendment of the post by a proud wife!]
Apart from a slight sweat on the river when it fell paint, the board fell fairly dry as it was spread to see Hamilton double her opponent up while slipping to just 3,600 in chips.
Can't wait to see you tomorrow babe.... just make sure that you get to Day 3 so that we can see you in action!!!
K x
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Tournament Summary
So, we're back in good old Blighty - thought I'd post quick summaries of the tourneys I played:
30-May - Binions Poker Classic - $210 entry - Finished 240th / 246 - $0
First tournament of the holiday and I'm all fired up and ready to hold 'em like they do in Texas, please. Let's go go go.
Unfortunately, the cards aren't quite so fired up. I get dealt utter trash for almost an hour until I get A5 and go crazy on a A5827 board, making a stupid call on the river only to find out the other guy had AA all along.
31-May - WSOP Event #4 (3 day event) - $1,000 entry - Finished ??? / 6012 - $0
01-Jun - Planet Hollywood 2pm - $80 entry - Finished 18th / 67 - $0
Shortly after break, I make a good call when the bully to my left tries to bluff me out of a pot with 99 when I have KQ which pairs a Q on the board.
03-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $340 entry - Finished 70 / 870 - $428
30-May - Binions Poker Classic - $210 entry - Finished 240th / 246 - $0
First tournament of the holiday and I'm all fired up and ready to hold 'em like they do in Texas, please. Let's go go go.
Unfortunately, the cards aren't quite so fired up. I get dealt utter trash for almost an hour until I get A5 and go crazy on a A5827 board, making a stupid call on the river only to find out the other guy had AA all along.
So I'm down to 1600 chips and the very next hand I get KT in the small blind and shove all-in against three people, hoping they all fold. The first two do but Mr AA asks for a count of my chips and then calls with AT - one of the worst hands I could see as really only a K will save me. Alas, it doesn't come and I'm knocked out of the tournament without winning a single pot. D'oh!
On a side note, "Oklahoma" Johnny Hale, legendary poker author, player, and jolly nice fellow was sat three to my right: http://www.pokerplayernewspaper.com/bioview.php?image=8
31-May - WSOP Event #4 (3 day event) - $1,000 entry - Finished ??? / 6012 - $0
First World Series event of the trip and things don't go quite as planned, winning only a couple of small pots in three hours as I dwindle from the 3000 starting stack to 2100 at blinds of 75/150. I then make the second stupid mistake of the trip by raising KQ to 500, only to get called by the small blind and then raised all-in by the big blind. The big blind has only ever shown down big hands so I give him credit and have to fold.
Anyway, next hand, I'm dealt 55 and decide to push all-in for my last 1600. Alas, I get called by the button with JJ, the board doesn't help me and I'm knocked-out.
01-Jun - Planet Hollywood 2pm - $80 entry - Finished 18th / 67 - $0
After a couple of poor tournaments, me and Kate decide to play a small tournament at the Plant Hollywood casino to try to have a bit of fun and restore some much needed confidence.
After 30 mins or so I get knocked out again... sigh. After thinking about signing up to play in a cash game, I find out that they let busted players re-enter for another $80 and decide to give it another spin.
This goes a lot better and I get a nice double-up when I shove all-in from the big blind with A5 against a guy that limped and then calls with KJ. A5 holds and now I have a bit of a stack to play with.
With it being a small buy-in tournament, the blind levels increase quickly and there's not much room for "proper" poker play as most every hand is all-in or fold. With 18 out of 67 players left (8 getting paid) there's a raise and I shove all-in from the small blind with AJ - the raiser calls with 77 and it's basically a 50-50 coinflip - unfortunately, the board doesn't help and I am again knocked-out - I think I would have been in good shape to reach the final table and go deep in the tournament had I hit an A or J, but again, it wasn't to be.
02-Jun - WSOP Event #7 (3 day event) - $1,500 entry - Finished ~500 / 2791 - $0
This is another story of what could have been - barring one mistake, I felt like I played pretty well for the whole 9ish hours (plus breaks) of the day, and had a good handle on the other players at my table.
Of course, doubling-up my stack on the 2nd hand certainly helped! I raise with JJ, get one caller and end up shoving all-in on the river with a full house. After thinking, my opponent calls and shows KK and is knocked-out, $1500 poorer, after just two hands.
However, later that level I get AA and raise, getting one caller. I bet the 862 flop and again on the 4 turn, only to get raised. I am so close to folding when I get a nagging doubt that he *could* have 99 to KK, and decide to raise all-in. He insta-calls with 88 and I end up being back around my start stack of 4500... sigh, shoulda folded, and I know it has cost me 3000 chips.
I win a few smaller pots and go to first break slightly up on my starting stack.
Shortly after break, I make a good call when the bully to my left tries to bluff me out of a pot with 99 when I have KQ which pairs a Q on the board.
Can't remember too many more hands but I steadily accumulate chips and am up to 25000 with approx 90mins left of the day. 25000 would have been enough to see me through to Day 2 but I wanted more! I nearly got them when I raised with 6h 4h trying to steal the blind's chips.
Unfortunately, the guy to my left calls and then calls a bet on the AT3 board. I check the 7 on the turn and decide he's bluffing when he then bets. I have outs to a flush with any heart or a straight with any 5 so decide to raise all-in. He thinks for ages before calling with AQ - damn, I was hoping he would fold a hand like that. Alas, no heart or 5 on the river and my WSOP adventure is over for another year. If I had hit my hand on the river I would have had 50000 chips and would have been in great shape for Day 2 and a shot at the $650,000 first prize.
03-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $340 entry - Finished 70 / 870 - $428
Hurrah, my first cash of the trip! Unfortunately, it's only $88 profit, and that was after 13 hours of play.
I got off to a good start with two AT hands that I get all-in to double-up my 12k starting stack by first break. Again, I steadily accumulate chips and am looking good for a deep finish and a shot at the $65k first prize - unfortunately the poker gods strike me down in my prime when I lose over half of my stack all-in with AK against another guy's QT - he hits a Q on the flop and I then have to scrap my way to 70th before I am forced to shove all-in with KJ. I get called by AQ, hit a K on the flop but the A on the turn kills me off and I am knocked out once more.
04-Jun - Venetian 7pm - $120 entry - Finished 110 / 240 - $428
Last tournament of the trip and it goes pretty much the same way as the others, getting a nice stack early on with AA against another guy's AK. But then I lose two key all-ins, Q7 against K8 on a 567 flop - which hits a 9 on the river to give him a straight. Then I'm forced to shove 89 only to get called by AQ - I hit a 9 on the 78T flop, but a K on the turn and the J on the river gives him a straight and I am busto for the final time.
Last tournament of the trip and it goes pretty much the same way as the others, getting a nice stack early on with AA against another guy's AK. But then I lose two key all-ins, Q7 against K8 on a 567 flop - which hits a 9 on the river to give him a straight. Then I'm forced to shove 89 only to get called by AQ - I hit a 9 on the 78T flop, but a K on the turn and the J on the river gives him a straight and I am busto for the final time.
A.
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Tournament Update
Quick update on my tournament results so far:
30-May - Binions Poker Classic - $210 entry - Finished 240th / 246 - $0
31-May - WSOP Event #4 (3 day event) - $1,000 entry - Finished ??? / 6012 - $0
01-Jun - Planet Hollywood 2pm - $80 entry - Finished 18th / 67 - $0
02-Jun - WSOP Event #7 (3 day event) - $1,500 entry - Finished ~510 / 2791 - $0
03-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $340 entry - Finished 70 / 870 - $428
Total entry fees - $3210 (including extra $80 rebuy at Planet Hollywood).
Total winnings - $428
It was nice to finally cash in last night's Venetian tournament but it was only for one level above the minimum and $88 profit (for 13 hours work!). It could have been better but my AK lost all-in pre-flop to QT just before we reached the money and cost me half my stack - ah well.
I plan on playing a couple more smaller tournaments before we leave but have decided against today's $550 Ventian event as not really up for another long day.
A.
Sunday, 31 May 2009
S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G for dummies (and the jetlagged)
Waking up at 5am, local time, is no fun. But my body still thinks it should be 1pm and questions what this lazy arse is still doing in bed. After a couple of hours of futile dozing I remember that it is FA Cup final day back home and wonder if I can be bothered going downstairs on my own to find the game on TV in the sportsbook area. It's not until a few hours later - after we've both got up, found coffee and pastries, eaten them in the sunshine by the pool, come back upstairs, showered and changed - that I realise that our room TV has all the ESPN channels one could ever want and it was probably on live all along - durrrr...
ESPN2 however, is showing some national spelling bee competition - so very strange, yet weirdly compelling and fascinating:
Host: Spell strepitoso
Gawky high-school kid in braces: can you repeat that please?
Host: Spell strepitoso
Kid: strepitoso? Is there an alternative pronunciation?
Host Only one, strepitoso
Kid: strepitoso? Am I pronouncing that right?
Host: Yes, sounds correct to me?
Kid: strepitoso? strepitoso? Can I have the meaning of the word?
Host: It's a word used in sheet music to denote a particular style of playing
Kid: strepitoso? Am I pronouncing that right?
Host: Yes, already!
Kid: strepitoso? strepitoso? strepitoso? Can you use the word in a sentence, please?
Host: sure, "I asked this f***ing stupid kid if he could f***ing spell strepitoso!"
Ok, I probably made that last part up, but you get the idea.
A.
Sounds like a compelling first day... but given this only takes us up to leaving the hotel at 11am there is more to catch up on.... maybe A has only taken us up to this point due to a reluctance to post that the missus made it further through the Binion's poker classic than he did... Oops! A respectable 65th place for me (still 45 places away from prize money though) whilst A busted out in 245th!!! Will fill you in on the details later!!
Have a nice day, y'all.
K.
Viva Las Vegas
After every long haul flight we always swear never to fly economy ever again... yet here we were once more, onboard flight VS043 from Gatwick to Las Vegas. 10 hours in the same, cramped, seat and we finally landed at McCarran airport in the middle of the Nevada desert.
Catching a glimpse of the Stratosphere tower and assorted ridiculous-looking hotels as we descended, we knew we'd arrived in the magical oasis that is Sin City. We also knew that swearing never to fly economy ever again was basically an empty threat.
Within an hour of landing we were all checked in to the swish Encore hotel. The suite is pretty sweet, although the view from the 31st floor of Circus Circus and assorted car parks isn't the best. Being on the the 31st floor does mean that the lifts serving the upper half of the hotel have only one stop to the lobby though - so can't complain too much.
Within another half hour we're down by the pool and decide to order some cocktails - Pineapple Mojito for the Mrs, Long Island Ice Tea for me, and boy are they strong. The initially irritating dance music, blaring out from the speaker behind our loungers, becomes strangely enchanting after a second round.
Half-knackered, half-pissed, we head to the room to get ready for dinner. It's an easy decision to hit the Wynn buffet for our first night.
The buffet is immense - petty much every possible type of food is available from umpteen different serving stations. It's all you can eat, but a pitiful (by most of the other patron's standards, anyway) two plates later and we've both been beaten.
A quick go on the slot machines and I turn $20 into $50 in no time at all - wahoo! We struggle on to 10pm (6am BST) and decide to call it a night after a quite ridiculous 22 hour day.
A.
Catching a glimpse of the Stratosphere tower and assorted ridiculous-looking hotels as we descended, we knew we'd arrived in the magical oasis that is Sin City. We also knew that swearing never to fly economy ever again was basically an empty threat.
Within an hour of landing we were all checked in to the swish Encore hotel. The suite is pretty sweet, although the view from the 31st floor of Circus Circus and assorted car parks isn't the best. Being on the the 31st floor does mean that the lifts serving the upper half of the hotel have only one stop to the lobby though - so can't complain too much.
Within another half hour we're down by the pool and decide to order some cocktails - Pineapple Mojito for the Mrs, Long Island Ice Tea for me, and boy are they strong. The initially irritating dance music, blaring out from the speaker behind our loungers, becomes strangely enchanting after a second round.
Half-knackered, half-pissed, we head to the room to get ready for dinner. It's an easy decision to hit the Wynn buffet for our first night.
The buffet is immense - petty much every possible type of food is available from umpteen different serving stations. It's all you can eat, but a pitiful (by most of the other patron's standards, anyway) two plates later and we've both been beaten.
A quick go on the slot machines and I turn $20 into $50 in no time at all - wahoo! We struggle on to 10pm (6am BST) and decide to call it a night after a quite ridiculous 22 hour day.
A.
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Vegas tomorrow
The Vegas dream begins again tomorrow as we head back for eight nights in Sin City.
K has kindly agreed to come back with me - I think the promise of a 5* hotel and a load of pampering spa sessions may have had something to do with it though! I'm again hitting up some poker tournaments:
30-May - Binions Poker Classic - $210
31-May - WSOP Event #4 (3 day event) - $1,000
01-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $550
02-Jun - WSOP Event #7 (3 day event) - $1,500
02-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $330
03-Jun - WSOP Event #9 (3 day event) - $1,500
03-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $330
04-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $550
2009 World Series of Poker
Binions Poker Classic
Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza
Not quite the $10k Main Event of last year, but hey, more raffle tickets = more chances to win big!
Viva Las Vegas!
A.
PS. oh, yeah, and I'll also be a twittering fool @hazey88
K has kindly agreed to come back with me - I think the promise of a 5* hotel and a load of pampering spa sessions may have had something to do with it though! I'm again hitting up some poker tournaments:
30-May - Binions Poker Classic - $210
31-May - WSOP Event #4 (3 day event) - $1,000
01-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $550
02-Jun - WSOP Event #7 (3 day event) - $1,500
02-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $330
03-Jun - WSOP Event #9 (3 day event) - $1,500
03-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $330
04-Jun - Venetian DSIII - $550
2009 World Series of Poker
Binions Poker Classic
Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza
Not quite the $10k Main Event of last year, but hey, more raffle tickets = more chances to win big!
Viva Las Vegas!
A.
PS. oh, yeah, and I'll also be a twittering fool @hazey88
Saturday, 19 July 2008
WSOP report - part 3
(Again, as originally posted on ITH)
After the buzz of Day 1 we had a fairly quiet Monday although we did have a hotel move up the road to The Wynn. Our new hotel room is pretty sweet even though it's the cheapest one they do and we resist the temptation to pay extra for a suite upgrade at check-in. The massive floor-to-ceiling windows give us a great view down the strip and also out to the mountains. The Rio looms large in the distance and I can't help but take a sneak peek at every opportunity and wonder at what might happen.
That evening we meet up with Tall Paul for some mindless button-pressing on the slots at K's favourite Monopoly machine, while taking full advantage of the cocktail service. We then move to Treasure Island to meet up with a couple of friends that have just flown in for our last few days in Vegas. After a quick drink the time zone change hits them and they head to bed while we hit the bar for some video poker and a few more potent mojito cocktails. Tall Paul tries to pass on tips he's picked up from chrisjp while the barman tries to pass on a completely different set of tips and convinces me that Double Double is the *only* game to play. Hmm.
TP then has the genius suggestion to move to the Venetian for some NL cash. We try to get onto the same table but get placed a few apart. I buy-in short for 50BBs and ask for a table change, before promptly donking off my stack on the third hand, calling all-in on the flop with the nut flush draw and an overcard. It misses and I decide the mojitos have left me in no fit shape for poker. I wuss out and leave TP to it.
The wife and I spend Tuesday with our newly arrived friends having a look at Fremont Street and the Stratosphere before all heading down to the pool at the MGM (finally making some use of our free but unused room). We then head to Charlie Palmer's steakhouse at the Four Seasons (following a recommendation from a mate back home) for a superb meal and one of the best steaks ever.
We then head back to the hotel where I log-on to the internet to find out my Day 2 table before bed. No huge stacks and no big name players and I like the look of it. Of course, you can never really tell until you sit down. I spot that there's a chap with only 3k in chips three to my right, putting my BB firmly in his sights. With the first level 250/500/50 I imagine him pushing first-in and me calling light to knock him out and adding his chips to mine - yeah! Paul Azinger is also drawn at my table and sticks out but surely he's a golfer and not a poker player, I hope!
Day 2 starts at the PartyPoker hospitality room at the Rio. I have a veritable entourage(!) as chrisjp and Tall Paul join my wife and our two friends in there with me. Chrisjp and I wish each other good luck as we head to our respective tables. Here we go (again)...
First hand I get dealt 77 UTG. Figuring that everyone will be pretty cagey first-up I raise to 1500. It folds around to shortie who quickly pushes for his 3k and I quickly call. He shows AJ and after 10 hours of poker on Day 1 I'm in my first coin-flip of the Main Event. Not quite the way I imagined-it but I win and do get to add his chips to mine. After he leaves the table, Paul Azinger quips that he folded another AJ but didn't have the heart to tell shortie that as the board played out!
Paul Azinger is a nice guy but not that great a poker player. Within 45 mins he's busted his 21k starting stack. With around 8k left, there's a raise to 1400 and a call, and he just calls in late position. He then folds to a bet on the flop. Weird.
The guy to my right, Jamal Kunbuz (who I've posted about before and ended up finishing 33rd) is pretty active and playing a lot of pots. I get involved with T9 in the BB, calling after the cut-off raises first-in to 1300 and the button and then Jamal calls. The flop comes 689 with two diamonds. Jamal checks and I bet out for around 3k, get two folds and a call from Jamal. The turn is the Ten diamonds which improves me but makes a pretty scary board. Jamal leads for 3k and I'm in a tricky spot. Anyway, I end up calling, hoping for a free showdown and see the river - another Ten. Bingo. Jamal leads for another 3k and I thank my lucky stars before deciding how much to raise. My mind has gone blank however and I'm struggling to remember how much is in the pot. I finally add it all up and decide to raise to 15k. He calls, and mucks as I show. Yes!
I win another tidy pot when I call a guy's river bluff with A9 on a JJ9xx board and I'm up to around 61k in chips and feeling good. Being on one of the higher-numbered Brasillia tables (54) we break soon after and I get drawn on Brasillia 43, seat 2. in a strange coincidence Jamal also gets the same table, seat 3. I would have loved to keep that guy on my right but not to be.
Late on in the level, I raise first-in on the button with AQ. An older guy in the big blind calls and we see a KK9 flop. I check behind. The turn is a blank and he checks again. I decide to fire out just over a half-pot bet which he just calls. The river is an Ace but the guy leads into me for 4k. Hmm. I call and he shows KQ for the flopped trips. Interesting one, and looking back there's not a lot I can beat after he calls the turn and then decides to lead that river. Maybe I could have saved a few chips there - nevermind. I finish the level with around 56k.
Level 2 is 300/600/75 and I start with a couple of nice hands. There's a raise to 2k from the cut-off, the button and SB calls and I call with 88. The flop comes TT8! SB checks and I bet out for 5k but unfortunately everyone folds. I think a check would have been more appropriate as thinking back I reckon one of the late position guys would bet. Oh well, I was hoping that one of them would have a T or an overpair there and get fruity.
I then get AA UTG and raise the table standard 2k. The button and the BB calls. The flop comes J7x with two spades. I bet 5k and get a call from the BB. The turn is a blank and BB checks, I bet 10k and he folds.
That puts me over 70k! Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there...
It's a bit of a blur where my chips went but I remember seeing a load of AJ, AQ, AK hands that don't hit.
I raise AQ from 2nd position and get the SB to call. The flop is K25 rainbow, he checks and I cbet. He calls. The turn is a 3 and I decide to check-behind with my gutshot wheel draw. The river is a blank and I check-behind again. He shows 44 to take the pot. Hmmm, maybe another barrel was required but I remember that for next time.
In late position I pick up AK of diamonds. The guy to my right, who's becoming a bit of a pain, raises first-in and I reraise. He calls and it's heads-up to a flop of 944 with two clubs. He checks and I put in a decent cbet. He thinks for what feels like ages. I have about 40k behind and, sitting statuesque in my usual Joe Navarro stance with elbows on the table and hands clenched under my nose, find myself unable to resist the dire need to gulp (silly, I know!). Not sure if he noticed or used it as a tell but soon after he check-raises me all-in for my stack. I think it over for a while but decide I can't call and muck.
I pick up AK again UTG and raise to 2k. The old guy from the AQ/KQ hand calls and then the tight guy in middle position reraises to 10k. It folds around to me. It feels like he's squeezing but he's tight and still has half the table to act behind him so I give him credit for a hand. At the time, I figured him for AA or KK but realise now that his range is probably a fair bit wider. With just under 35k behind I think I should have shoved this one when it comes back to me.
I'm floundering a little and hate giving up all these pots. On the last orbit before break I decide I really want to win one. I pick the tightest player on the table and decide to raise his big blind whatever. In late middle position it's folded to me and I raise with 84o. Everyone folds. Yes.
What a level! Up to 70k and cruising and then back to earth with a bump. But I still have 33600 in chips and have to forget about it and just get on with things. Level 3 is 400/800/100 giving me an M of 16 and I realise that this is going to be a big level for me.
For the first hour I stay pretty level. Our table is playing pretty tight and steal once or twice, but you can feel the blinds and antes taking what seems like big chunks out of your stack every hand.
Then the guy to my right who had earlier check-raised my AK all-in raises to 3k in the cut-off. I'm on the button with 32k and QQ, and re-raise to 10k. He's been stealing quite a lot but has me covered. He calls. The flop is K92 rainbow, he checks, I bet 12k, he puts me all in. I have 10k behind, hate it, but call. He has KK. Turn comes a Q to give me 1 out, but I miss and I bust. Man, it feels awful as I trudge back to the hospitality room to say goodbye to the reps in there that looked after us.
And so my World Series adventure comes to an end. What an amazing experience though. Everything, from first walking into the Amazon room and seeing all those tables, to just walking around the Rio and stumbling past one poker superstar after another, it's fantastic.
My advice if anyone wins a qualifier - no matter how much you'd like to bank the cash, you just have to go and play in it! There truly is nothing else quite like it. Plus you get to meet some top ITHers - it was a pleasure to meet up with yankees, Tall Paul and chrisjp.
I'll be trying my darndest to get back there next year. Fingers crossed I can get lucky again and it will happen. Hopefully see some of you lot there too!
After the buzz of Day 1 we had a fairly quiet Monday although we did have a hotel move up the road to The Wynn. Our new hotel room is pretty sweet even though it's the cheapest one they do and we resist the temptation to pay extra for a suite upgrade at check-in. The massive floor-to-ceiling windows give us a great view down the strip and also out to the mountains. The Rio looms large in the distance and I can't help but take a sneak peek at every opportunity and wonder at what might happen.
That evening we meet up with Tall Paul for some mindless button-pressing on the slots at K's favourite Monopoly machine, while taking full advantage of the cocktail service. We then move to Treasure Island to meet up with a couple of friends that have just flown in for our last few days in Vegas. After a quick drink the time zone change hits them and they head to bed while we hit the bar for some video poker and a few more potent mojito cocktails. Tall Paul tries to pass on tips he's picked up from chrisjp while the barman tries to pass on a completely different set of tips and convinces me that Double Double is the *only* game to play. Hmm.
TP then has the genius suggestion to move to the Venetian for some NL cash. We try to get onto the same table but get placed a few apart. I buy-in short for 50BBs and ask for a table change, before promptly donking off my stack on the third hand, calling all-in on the flop with the nut flush draw and an overcard. It misses and I decide the mojitos have left me in no fit shape for poker. I wuss out and leave TP to it.
The wife and I spend Tuesday with our newly arrived friends having a look at Fremont Street and the Stratosphere before all heading down to the pool at the MGM (finally making some use of our free but unused room). We then head to Charlie Palmer's steakhouse at the Four Seasons (following a recommendation from a mate back home) for a superb meal and one of the best steaks ever.
We then head back to the hotel where I log-on to the internet to find out my Day 2 table before bed. No huge stacks and no big name players and I like the look of it. Of course, you can never really tell until you sit down. I spot that there's a chap with only 3k in chips three to my right, putting my BB firmly in his sights. With the first level 250/500/50 I imagine him pushing first-in and me calling light to knock him out and adding his chips to mine - yeah! Paul Azinger is also drawn at my table and sticks out but surely he's a golfer and not a poker player, I hope!
Day 2 starts at the PartyPoker hospitality room at the Rio. I have a veritable entourage(!) as chrisjp and Tall Paul join my wife and our two friends in there with me. Chrisjp and I wish each other good luck as we head to our respective tables. Here we go (again)...
First hand I get dealt 77 UTG. Figuring that everyone will be pretty cagey first-up I raise to 1500. It folds around to shortie who quickly pushes for his 3k and I quickly call. He shows AJ and after 10 hours of poker on Day 1 I'm in my first coin-flip of the Main Event. Not quite the way I imagined-it but I win and do get to add his chips to mine. After he leaves the table, Paul Azinger quips that he folded another AJ but didn't have the heart to tell shortie that as the board played out!
Paul Azinger is a nice guy but not that great a poker player. Within 45 mins he's busted his 21k starting stack. With around 8k left, there's a raise to 1400 and a call, and he just calls in late position. He then folds to a bet on the flop. Weird.
The guy to my right, Jamal Kunbuz (who I've posted about before and ended up finishing 33rd) is pretty active and playing a lot of pots. I get involved with T9 in the BB, calling after the cut-off raises first-in to 1300 and the button and then Jamal calls. The flop comes 689 with two diamonds. Jamal checks and I bet out for around 3k, get two folds and a call from Jamal. The turn is the Ten diamonds which improves me but makes a pretty scary board. Jamal leads for 3k and I'm in a tricky spot. Anyway, I end up calling, hoping for a free showdown and see the river - another Ten. Bingo. Jamal leads for another 3k and I thank my lucky stars before deciding how much to raise. My mind has gone blank however and I'm struggling to remember how much is in the pot. I finally add it all up and decide to raise to 15k. He calls, and mucks as I show. Yes!
I win another tidy pot when I call a guy's river bluff with A9 on a JJ9xx board and I'm up to around 61k in chips and feeling good. Being on one of the higher-numbered Brasillia tables (54) we break soon after and I get drawn on Brasillia 43, seat 2. in a strange coincidence Jamal also gets the same table, seat 3. I would have loved to keep that guy on my right but not to be.
Late on in the level, I raise first-in on the button with AQ. An older guy in the big blind calls and we see a KK9 flop. I check behind. The turn is a blank and he checks again. I decide to fire out just over a half-pot bet which he just calls. The river is an Ace but the guy leads into me for 4k. Hmm. I call and he shows KQ for the flopped trips. Interesting one, and looking back there's not a lot I can beat after he calls the turn and then decides to lead that river. Maybe I could have saved a few chips there - nevermind. I finish the level with around 56k.
Level 2 is 300/600/75 and I start with a couple of nice hands. There's a raise to 2k from the cut-off, the button and SB calls and I call with 88. The flop comes TT8! SB checks and I bet out for 5k but unfortunately everyone folds. I think a check would have been more appropriate as thinking back I reckon one of the late position guys would bet. Oh well, I was hoping that one of them would have a T or an overpair there and get fruity.
I then get AA UTG and raise the table standard 2k. The button and the BB calls. The flop comes J7x with two spades. I bet 5k and get a call from the BB. The turn is a blank and BB checks, I bet 10k and he folds.
That puts me over 70k! Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there...
It's a bit of a blur where my chips went but I remember seeing a load of AJ, AQ, AK hands that don't hit.
I raise AQ from 2nd position and get the SB to call. The flop is K25 rainbow, he checks and I cbet. He calls. The turn is a 3 and I decide to check-behind with my gutshot wheel draw. The river is a blank and I check-behind again. He shows 44 to take the pot. Hmmm, maybe another barrel was required but I remember that for next time.
In late position I pick up AK of diamonds. The guy to my right, who's becoming a bit of a pain, raises first-in and I reraise. He calls and it's heads-up to a flop of 944 with two clubs. He checks and I put in a decent cbet. He thinks for what feels like ages. I have about 40k behind and, sitting statuesque in my usual Joe Navarro stance with elbows on the table and hands clenched under my nose, find myself unable to resist the dire need to gulp (silly, I know!). Not sure if he noticed or used it as a tell but soon after he check-raises me all-in for my stack. I think it over for a while but decide I can't call and muck.
I pick up AK again UTG and raise to 2k. The old guy from the AQ/KQ hand calls and then the tight guy in middle position reraises to 10k. It folds around to me. It feels like he's squeezing but he's tight and still has half the table to act behind him so I give him credit for a hand. At the time, I figured him for AA or KK but realise now that his range is probably a fair bit wider. With just under 35k behind I think I should have shoved this one when it comes back to me.
I'm floundering a little and hate giving up all these pots. On the last orbit before break I decide I really want to win one. I pick the tightest player on the table and decide to raise his big blind whatever. In late middle position it's folded to me and I raise with 84o. Everyone folds. Yes.
What a level! Up to 70k and cruising and then back to earth with a bump. But I still have 33600 in chips and have to forget about it and just get on with things. Level 3 is 400/800/100 giving me an M of 16 and I realise that this is going to be a big level for me.
For the first hour I stay pretty level. Our table is playing pretty tight and steal once or twice, but you can feel the blinds and antes taking what seems like big chunks out of your stack every hand.
Then the guy to my right who had earlier check-raised my AK all-in raises to 3k in the cut-off. I'm on the button with 32k and QQ, and re-raise to 10k. He's been stealing quite a lot but has me covered. He calls. The flop is K92 rainbow, he checks, I bet 12k, he puts me all in. I have 10k behind, hate it, but call. He has KK. Turn comes a Q to give me 1 out, but I miss and I bust. Man, it feels awful as I trudge back to the hospitality room to say goodbye to the reps in there that looked after us.
And so my World Series adventure comes to an end. What an amazing experience though. Everything, from first walking into the Amazon room and seeing all those tables, to just walking around the Rio and stumbling past one poker superstar after another, it's fantastic.
My advice if anyone wins a qualifier - no matter how much you'd like to bank the cash, you just have to go and play in it! There truly is nothing else quite like it. Plus you get to meet some top ITHers - it was a pleasure to meet up with yankees, Tall Paul and chrisjp.
I'll be trying my darndest to get back there next year. Fingers crossed I can get lucky again and it will happen. Hopefully see some of you lot there too!
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