Joe Tall
08-21-2006, 02:41 PM
http://www.gutshot.com/images/tournamentcoverage/joe_tall_me1c.jpg
Pic of me at the Main Event that was put up by Gutshot.com Day 1C coverage.
Cross posted from my blog. (http://www.joetall.com/blog/)
My WSOP Main Event experience was over before I knew what hit me. There is something about busting out of a tournament that drains you. It’s the finality of the experience that leaves you empty inside. I was heartbroken. I played very well in the beginning then all went down hill instantly. Here’s my story:
I get to the Rio a little late to find that they haven’t started yet. 12:05PM and they are just about to deal. I find my seat and I’m ready to go. The first few hands everyone seemed nervous and scared. The 6th and 7th seats at my table were empty. Two stacks of chips being blinded off every orbit. Yes, this means two players paid $10,000 to play in this event and did not show up or have not shown up yet. This also means that every orbit there will be two dead hands with free money put up for the blinds. Two $10,000 chip stacks of dead money! I only wish I had a better seat to take advantage of this. I was in the 10 seat and would be in early position with blinds in the 6th and 7th. However, these two seats gave me quite an indication to how my first table would play.
Weak. Very, very, weak.
The 2nd orbit with the blinds in the dead money spots, everyone folds to the HiJack (3 seat) and he open limps. He wasn’t being sneaky either. He just wanted to see a flop and when the cut-off and button folded, he was confused when there was not flop and he won the hand. This is where I came up with a game plan. It worked perfectly. Yet, I could not overcome the luck factor.
I played the WPT event at Foxwoods in April. I was lucky enough to play Day 1 with Alex Jacob, who came in 2nd for $660k. Alex was a pain in the ass to play with that Day. He moved to my table early on Day 1, just at the end of level one. He was in the HiJack when I was on the button. He raised non-stop preflop when he was in late position. He didn’t raise much, say 2.5x the big blind but it was effective. He started to accumulate the blinds. It took some time to adjust to his play and once I did, he re-adjusted. He folded to pressure from behind. He made sure he had it next time there was pressure.
This would be my plan at my WSOP first table. I started raising five green chips ($125) with the blinds at 25/50 when it was folded to me in mid to late position. Non-stop, I raised, sometimes I had it, and mostly I didn’t. But it didn’t matter, it worked. I started to accumulate all the green chips on the table. I was such the bully that when the dealer pushed me another set of blinds he said, “Are you going to let anyone else play?” I said nothing in return but I figured this was as good as of a time to re-adjust before they do. I started to tighten up with a stack of about $11.7k.
This is where it all went to play and pot at the same time.
I finally get some legit hands and they call as I wanted them to do. Two folds to me and the dead money 6th and 7th seats are in the blinds. I have a stack of about 11, 250 after a missed steal and a few blinded out orbits. I look down to find AQo and raise to $200. I get three callers who all have position on me! The pot is $875 going to the flop 4-way.
The flop comes A63 with two hearts and I lead out $500. Only the button calls. The turn is the 2 spades and I bet $1000 into a $1875 pot, only the button calls. At this point I think he has an Ace with a weaker kicker and not the heart draw. The river is another Ace! I’m sure to get paid here and bet $2500. He calls! I flip over my hand thinking how big of a stack I will have as the button flips over AK and takes it! The whole table was shocked. He called every street with a monster. I couldn’t believe it but I was rest assured to regain my composure. I had plenty of chips, over $8000 so I was in good shape.
The very next orbit I pick up another great hand and raise toe $200 again with AK. I get two callers that both have position on me. Three of us head to the flop with a $675 pot. The flop comes A62 all clubs. I do not have a club.
I lead out $500 and the next player raises to $1000, the other player folds and it’s on me. Now, I may have made a mistake here but I felt strong on my read that the other player had an Ace with a club. A hand like: AxJc, AxTc, etc. and I was ahead. I’ve talked to several other players and there have been mixed reviews to what I should have done. I was in a over aggressive mode so I decided to put the pressure on and put in another $2000 for a total of $3000. The player looks back at his cards, this is where I’m sure he has such the range of hands and calls. The turn comes 4 of clubs! Damn it!
I check, he bets $4000 and I fold leaving me short, just under $4000 and soon after I get tangled up again. Everyone folds to me on the button where I make it $150 with Q9 of spades and only the big blind calls. The flop comes K83 with two spades and he checks, I bet $400 and he calls. The turn and river are checked through and I miss everything. He flips over J8 of hearts and takes it down with the 8 on the flop. Now I’m short and the level is going up to 50/100.
I struggle to make anything happen and I’m blinded down to $1700 or so when I raise all in with KK and get called by 44 and double up. I’m excited at this point but still short stacked. I play super tight and get blinded down a bit. Then it ends in an instant. I have about $2200 after getting blinded down and missing a flop with AJo. I’m in the small blind when a mid-position player makes it $200, he has a fairly large stack. All fold to me and look down at JJ and shove my chips in. The big blind folds and the big stack thinks and thinks and calls. He has a red KQo. The flop comes Axx with two spades. The turn is the torturous Q of spades which gives him the higher pair put gives me a flush draw as I have the Jack of Spades.
The river was the 2 of hearts and my WSOP is over.
I want to thank everyone who supported me in the event, the guys at GutShot.com for covering me when they had a chance and to all my family and friends!
Pic of me at the Main Event that was put up by Gutshot.com Day 1C coverage.
Cross posted from my blog. (http://www.joetall.com/blog/)
My WSOP Main Event experience was over before I knew what hit me. There is something about busting out of a tournament that drains you. It’s the finality of the experience that leaves you empty inside. I was heartbroken. I played very well in the beginning then all went down hill instantly. Here’s my story:
I get to the Rio a little late to find that they haven’t started yet. 12:05PM and they are just about to deal. I find my seat and I’m ready to go. The first few hands everyone seemed nervous and scared. The 6th and 7th seats at my table were empty. Two stacks of chips being blinded off every orbit. Yes, this means two players paid $10,000 to play in this event and did not show up or have not shown up yet. This also means that every orbit there will be two dead hands with free money put up for the blinds. Two $10,000 chip stacks of dead money! I only wish I had a better seat to take advantage of this. I was in the 10 seat and would be in early position with blinds in the 6th and 7th. However, these two seats gave me quite an indication to how my first table would play.
Weak. Very, very, weak.
The 2nd orbit with the blinds in the dead money spots, everyone folds to the HiJack (3 seat) and he open limps. He wasn’t being sneaky either. He just wanted to see a flop and when the cut-off and button folded, he was confused when there was not flop and he won the hand. This is where I came up with a game plan. It worked perfectly. Yet, I could not overcome the luck factor.
I played the WPT event at Foxwoods in April. I was lucky enough to play Day 1 with Alex Jacob, who came in 2nd for $660k. Alex was a pain in the ass to play with that Day. He moved to my table early on Day 1, just at the end of level one. He was in the HiJack when I was on the button. He raised non-stop preflop when he was in late position. He didn’t raise much, say 2.5x the big blind but it was effective. He started to accumulate the blinds. It took some time to adjust to his play and once I did, he re-adjusted. He folded to pressure from behind. He made sure he had it next time there was pressure.
This would be my plan at my WSOP first table. I started raising five green chips ($125) with the blinds at 25/50 when it was folded to me in mid to late position. Non-stop, I raised, sometimes I had it, and mostly I didn’t. But it didn’t matter, it worked. I started to accumulate all the green chips on the table. I was such the bully that when the dealer pushed me another set of blinds he said, “Are you going to let anyone else play?” I said nothing in return but I figured this was as good as of a time to re-adjust before they do. I started to tighten up with a stack of about $11.7k.
This is where it all went to play and pot at the same time.
I finally get some legit hands and they call as I wanted them to do. Two folds to me and the dead money 6th and 7th seats are in the blinds. I have a stack of about 11, 250 after a missed steal and a few blinded out orbits. I look down to find AQo and raise to $200. I get three callers who all have position on me! The pot is $875 going to the flop 4-way.
The flop comes A63 with two hearts and I lead out $500. Only the button calls. The turn is the 2 spades and I bet $1000 into a $1875 pot, only the button calls. At this point I think he has an Ace with a weaker kicker and not the heart draw. The river is another Ace! I’m sure to get paid here and bet $2500. He calls! I flip over my hand thinking how big of a stack I will have as the button flips over AK and takes it! The whole table was shocked. He called every street with a monster. I couldn’t believe it but I was rest assured to regain my composure. I had plenty of chips, over $8000 so I was in good shape.
The very next orbit I pick up another great hand and raise toe $200 again with AK. I get two callers that both have position on me. Three of us head to the flop with a $675 pot. The flop comes A62 all clubs. I do not have a club.
I lead out $500 and the next player raises to $1000, the other player folds and it’s on me. Now, I may have made a mistake here but I felt strong on my read that the other player had an Ace with a club. A hand like: AxJc, AxTc, etc. and I was ahead. I’ve talked to several other players and there have been mixed reviews to what I should have done. I was in a over aggressive mode so I decided to put the pressure on and put in another $2000 for a total of $3000. The player looks back at his cards, this is where I’m sure he has such the range of hands and calls. The turn comes 4 of clubs! Damn it!
I check, he bets $4000 and I fold leaving me short, just under $4000 and soon after I get tangled up again. Everyone folds to me on the button where I make it $150 with Q9 of spades and only the big blind calls. The flop comes K83 with two spades and he checks, I bet $400 and he calls. The turn and river are checked through and I miss everything. He flips over J8 of hearts and takes it down with the 8 on the flop. Now I’m short and the level is going up to 50/100.
I struggle to make anything happen and I’m blinded down to $1700 or so when I raise all in with KK and get called by 44 and double up. I’m excited at this point but still short stacked. I play super tight and get blinded down a bit. Then it ends in an instant. I have about $2200 after getting blinded down and missing a flop with AJo. I’m in the small blind when a mid-position player makes it $200, he has a fairly large stack. All fold to me and look down at JJ and shove my chips in. The big blind folds and the big stack thinks and thinks and calls. He has a red KQo. The flop comes Axx with two spades. The turn is the torturous Q of spades which gives him the higher pair put gives me a flush draw as I have the Jack of Spades.
The river was the 2 of hearts and my WSOP is over.
I want to thank everyone who supported me in the event, the guys at GutShot.com for covering me when they had a chance and to all my family and friends!