WSOP Event #27 - Blondie, Crippling the Dragon, and Pizza

[s33w33d]

And now, the main point of my Vegas trip, the WSOP report for Event #27, the $1,500 buyin no limit hold em tournament. 2,315 players competing made this thing MASSIVE.

Starting stack: T3,000, blinds T25/T50.

Hands 1-2: Folded 83o and J6o.

Hand 3: TT UTG. I make it T150, David “Blondie” Colclough (1 WSOP Bracelet, one of the top Omaha players in the world, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Colclough, and has his own site http://www.blondepoker.com/) in Seat 4 (I’m in Seat 7) calls. Flop A53, Colclough checks, I bet T200, he calls. Turn K, he checks, I check, River K, he checks, I check, he shows 32o (TRICKY!) and I take it down.

Hands 4-9: Folded J6o, T7o, 74o, Q6o, Q7o and J9o.

Hand 10: KQo 2 off the button, folded to me, I make it T125, everyone folds. (The comment was, “What did you have this time, 99?” Actually, I thought I put 6 green chips in but I put in 5. Happens.)

Hands 11-16: Folded K6o, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J6o, 74o, 83h and T2o.

Hand 17: QJo, folded to seat 6 who makes it T300 (6x BB?). I fold, blinds fold, he shows JJ.

Hand 18: Folded 92o.

Hand 19: 99, I limp. 4 callers, flop is 882. Seat 3 makes it T125, and Seat 6 raises to T450. I think a long while and fold, seat 10 and seat 3 call. Board ends up A8822, and Seat 6 shows TT while seat 10 takes it down with AJ. Flipping weirdos.

Hands 20-21: I fold 52o and T3o.

Hand 22: I show this hand only because it shows what a monster Colclough and these pros are. I fold 53o, but 4 players see the flop. KQJ (2 clubs) flops, seat 6 makes it T250, seat 8 and seat 4 (Colclough) call. Turn is an offsuit 9. Seat 6 makes it T500, seat 8 calls, and Colclough makes it T2,000. Seat 6 and Seat 8 sheepishly
fold. Seat 6 claims 2 pair, Seat 8 claims flush draw.

Hands 23-31: Folded K/images/graemlins/heart.gif3/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 53o, 78o, 63o, A8o, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J4o, A2o and 73o.

Hand 32: Limp A/images/graemlins/heart.gifT/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 5 players see the flop of 972 with no hearts. Boo. I fold.

Hand 33: 33. Seat 9 raises T300. Board ends up reading 563K6 (grrr), and Seat 9 shows TT. This would have been nice.

This ends Level 1. Level 2, 50/100 blinds, I begin with T3,125.

Hands 34-35: Fold A/images/graemlins/club.gif5/images/graemlins/club.gif, 85o.

Hand 36: I have A/images/graemlins/spade.gif3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif in the SB. Button calls, I complete, BB checks. Flop is J/images/graemlins/spade.gif5/images/graemlins/spade.gif3/images/graemlins/spade.gif. I have the A/images/graemlins/spade.gif. I bet 300, BB calls, Button folds. Turn is a blank, I check, he checks, River blank, I check, he checks and shows J/images/graemlins/club.gif7/images/graemlins/spade.gif. Weirdo.

Hands 37-45: I fold J6o, J7o, Q4o, J3o, K2o, T7o, J8o, Q9 and 8/images/graemlins/club.gif3/images/graemlins/club.gif.

Hand 46: I fold 97o, Colclough makes it T600, seat 5 calls. Flop is 525, Colclough makes it T1,500, seat 5 goes allin for T1,900 total, and Colclough calls. Colclough has A/images/graemlins/spade.gifK/images/graemlins/spade.gif (no flush draw) and the 5 seat has QQ. Board is 52527 and Colclough doubles the guy up.

Hand 47: I fold A8o.

Hand 48: I fold 94o, seat 1 makes it T425, and seat 3 minraises, making it T850. Seat 1 calls. Flop KQ9, seat 1 checks, seat 3 moves all in and seat 1 instantly calls. Seat 3 shows QQ and seat 1 shows 99. (Ouch!) Turn Q (owww), river 3. Seat 3 cripples seat 1.

Hand 49: I fold 74o.

Hand 50: I fold K8o. Seat 6 makes it T300, Seat 1 calls. Flop QJQ. Seat 6 goes allin for T1,100, Seat 1 calls. Both have T9. LOL.

Hand 51: I fold 72o, seat 5 makes it T300, seat 6 calls and seat 8 squeezes for T800. Seat 5 calls while seat 6 folds. Flop is J6J, seat 5 goes allin, and seat 8 calls. Seat 8 flips over 99, and seat 5 flips over A/images/graemlins/heart.gifJ/images/graemlins/heart.gif. Seat 8 eliminated.

Hand 52: I limp with 77, 5 callers, then the button makes it T2,000. Eeep. We all fold.

Hands 53-54: I fold Q7o and T4o, on hand 54 there’s an allin between the short seat 1 and seat 2 where seat 1 shows 66 and seat 2 TT. No help. Seat 1 eliminated.

Hands 55-62: Folded 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 63o, 63o, QTo, K/images/graemlins/club.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gif, A9o, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gifT/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T5o.

Hand 63: I have TT. I make it T325 UTG, 4 callers. Flop is K/images/graemlins/club.gif2/images/graemlins/spade.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gif, and Seat 6 (the Big Blind) moves allin for T6,000+. Everyone folds. I thought a while before folding, wondering if he was on a flush draw, and also to just think about how I could have played better. Grrr. Seat 6 spends minutes badgering me “DID YOU HAVE A KING?!?!?!” No moron, I didn’t.

Hands 64-65: I got T9o in the blinds, saw flops of KQ6 and KKQ but got forced out on the flops.

This brought Break 1 and the end of Level 2. I’m now at T1,800, unfortunately. Grrr. Level 3 begins, T100/T200 blinds. I need to move. Now.

Hands 66-72: Folded 22, Q6o, J9o, J7o, 93o, J/images/graemlins/club.gif3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 98o.

Now the table breaks. I move to a table full of pros with huge stacks. Yum, good doubleup chances.

Hand 73: Folded K3o.

Hand 74: Folded K6o. Seat 4 makes it T600, and Seat 5 makes it T1,200. Seat 2 after thinking goes allin for T5,450. Seat 4 agonizes and folds, and Seat 5 calls. Seat 2 shows AQo (!?!?!), seat 4 had folded QQ and seat 5 shows KK. Naturally the board goes A9874.

Hand 75: I have K/images/graemlins/spade.gifT/images/graemlins/spade.gif in the big blind, Seat 10 makes it T500 and Seat 1 minraises to T1,000. I agonize and fold.

Hands 76-77: Folded 42o and A2o.

Hand 78: I have 77, Seat 9 makes it T700 and Seat 2 makes it T2,200. Again, I fold.

Hands 79-84: I fold T3o, QTo, 84c, T9o, J2o.

Hand 85: I have KQo in the SB, seat 10 makes it T600 and seats 1 and 2 call. I decide to fold.

Hand 86: Folded to me in the button, I have KJo, I move in, winning the blinds, getting up to T1,500.

Hands 87-88: I fold K5o and K/images/graemlins/spade.gif6/images/graemlins/spade.gif.

Table breaks again.

I get moved to a table with David “The Dragon” Pham http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Pham and apparently Hellmuth had earlier been busted by seat 10 (I’m in seat 9). Seat 8 is a drunk tattooed freak with T20,000+ and has drank about 6 jack and cokes already. Aiii.

Hand 89: 22. Raises left and right, all the money gets in between seat 3 and drunk boy in seat 8 on a board of K8/images/graemlins/heart.gif6/images/graemlins/heart.gif2. Seat 3 shows AA, Drunk Boy shows Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif7/images/graemlins/heart.gif. River is the K/images/graemlins/heart.gif. Puke.

Hand 90: Fold A6o, Drunk Boy and Seat 10 see the flop. JT8, Drunk Boy bets T500, seat 10 minraises T1,000, Drunk Boy calls. Turn Q (JT8Q), Drunk Boy checks, seat 10 bets T1,500, Drunk Boy calls. Board is JT8Q8, both players check, Drunk Boy showing KQ and beating Seat 10’s AJ.

Hand 91: I wake up to J/images/graemlins/club.gifJ/images/graemlins/spade.gif UTG+1, Drunk Boy limps, I move allin for T1,500, David “The Dragon” Pham moves allin for T2,775, Drunk Boy folds. The Dragon shows AK and the Q24 flop seems good. STAY LOW! Turn is a 3 (oh dear, no 5 please), and the 6 rivers. (WAIT WAS THAT A FIVE? NO WHEW!). I double up to T3,400, Pham is crippled to T1,275.

Men “The Master” Nguyen, who had come by to give “The Dragon” Pizza goes “WHY DID YOU CRIPPLE DAVID?! I AM NOT PIZZAMAN!!!”. I guess I don’t get any pizza.

Hand 92: I fold 32o, David Pham goes allin for T1,275, and Drunk Boy calls him. Drunk Boy has A/images/graemlins/heart.gifT/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Pham has KK (“I’m steaming!”) Naturally, the flop goes T667A, and Pham shakes my hand and those at the table.

Hands 93-95: I fold Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif9/images/graemlins/spade.gif, T3o, and T9o.

Level 4 comes, Blinds T100/T200 + T25 ante.

Hand 96: I fold J6o.

Hand 97: Seat 6 limps, then to Drunk Guy, limps. He’s been splashing, involved in every hand I’ve witnessed at the table. I’m 2 off the button, and look down at A/images/graemlins/diamond.gifK/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. I’m about half of average stack, and I know this guy needs to be priced out, so I make it T1,400. I hear Seat 1 go “I’m All-In.” Ooooooooooooooooops. Folded to the Drunk Guy, who thinks forever and folds. In the meantime I count the pot. T225 in antes, T300 in blinds, 1 caller (T200) and Drunk Guy (T200). I’m in for T1,400, T1,875 to call, and I don't see how I can fold here. Seat 1 is in for is in for T3,275 (he has more than I do), so the pot will be T7,475. I’m basically getting a 2.5x up if I win this race.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S NOT A RACE???????? AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!

Yeah, he has Aces. The flop gives a glimmer of hope with KQ4, turn 4, river Q (WAIT WAS THAT A KING?) Boo. I shake everyone’s hand and wish them a good tournament.

So as it turns out I played 97 hands.

I voluntarily put money into the pot 11 out of 97 hands, for a 11.3% VPIP.
I raised preflop 6 out of 97 hands, for a 6.19% PFR.
Of the 2,316 players in, they were down to 1,500 players left when I busted, so I still outlasted a good 1/3rd of the field. Not that this counts for anything, but just showing how busto people go in these things. It’s really a donkey minefield.

Obviously the critical hands are the A/images/graemlins/diamond.gifK/images/graemlins/diamond.gif hand (I can’t fold here can I?!) and perhaps the TT hand. I really didn’t get anything of poker substance. Am I being too tight? Maybe, but I don’t exactly see where I could have done anything very different. Maybe I handle TT UTG differently? (Had it twice).

[Uncle_Billy]

This might sound like a dumb question, but how did you keep track of the hands so closely?

Also, interesting there are no mentions of other players styles and such in the early stages. My first reaction was that there may have been lost opportunities to take advantage of your tight image somewhere (play a player), versus just playing your cards...

But I'm a breakeven micro donk so what do I know...

[Cornell Fiji]

Pretty cool that you did this. Did you get any funny looks taking notes after every hand? Do you think this impacted upon your table image? Can you please go deep in the main event and make a post with 1,000+ hands?

Here are my thoughts:

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 63: I have TT. I make it T325 UTG, 4 callers. Flop is K24, and Seat 6 (the Big Blind) moves allin for T6,000+. Everyone folds. I thought a while before folding, wondering if he was on a flush draw, and also to just think about how I could have played better. Grrr. Seat 6 spends minutes badgering me “DID YOU HAVE A KING?!?!?!” No moron, I didn’t.


[/ QUOTE ]

I am probably calling here.


[ QUOTE ]
Hands 66-72: Folded 22,

[/ QUOTE ]

Was the pot opened before you? If not, I am shoving.

[ QUOTE ]

Hand 85: I have KQo in the SB, seat 10 makes it T600 and seats 1 and 2 call. I decide to fold.


[/ QUOTE ]

With the huge pot odds I don't see how this fold could be correct. Push and pray that someone isolates or that the first two people get squeezed and the 3rd player has rags

[ QUOTE ]
A/images/graemlins/diamond.gifK/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Call on the end in the last hand could not be more automatic, although I might raise less (800-1000) preflop (let him call with his AT) and commit to almost always getting it all in on any flop against the drunk guy. I would also have called an all in if my 800 chip bet was reraised.

[s33w33d]

[ QUOTE ]
This might sound like a dumb question, but how did you keep track of the hands so closely?

[/ QUOTE ]

I actually took notes in a notepad.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, interesting there are no mentions of other players styles and such in the early stages. My first reaction was that there may have been lost opportunities to take advantage of your tight image somewhere (play a player), versus just playing your cards...

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I think thinking about "Style" after 20-30 hands is a bit tricky. Obviously I didn't spend enough time at either the 2nd or 3rd table get a good gauge of style (except that Drunk Boy was playing every hand), and the first table seemed to be straightforward.

Obviously I tried to take advantage of my "play" with KQ, but the TT hand (second one) where I raise UTG and get zero respect for my raise made me question my perceptions at the table.

[s33w33d]

[ QUOTE ]
Pretty cool that you did this. Did you get any funny looks taking notes after every hand? Do you think this impacted upon your table image? Can you please go deep in the main event and make a post with 1,000+ hands?

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately that's it for me. My work schedule prevented it, sadly. I just went out there to play in the 500+40 at the Wynn on Friday, WSOP on Saturday, then 1-3NL at Wynn Sunday-Monday. Someday, I promise.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hand 63: I have TT. I make it T325 UTG, 4 callers. Flop is K24, and Seat 6 (the Big Blind) moves allin for T6,000+. Everyone folds. I thought a while before folding, wondering if he was on a flush draw, and also to just think about how I could have played better. Grrr. Seat 6 spends minutes badgering me “DID YOU HAVE A KING?!?!?!” No moron, I didn’t.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am probably calling here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? With 2 actives behind? He's shoving into a T1,350 pot, and I have T2,000 roughly. Presuming the other 2 guys fold, it's T2,000 to call a T3,350 pot. What's his range here? A flush draw (especially with overs) is a favorite to me. The board is K/images/graemlins/club.gif2/images/graemlins/spade.gif4/images/graemlins/club.gif. To open-shove this flop, you have to have something. Say he has A/images/graemlins/club.gif5/images/graemlins/club.gif, a perfectly "normal" hand. His overcard + flush draw + gutshot means he's ahead 52.3%-47.7% (presuming I have the T/images/graemlins/club.gif, I didn't write that down.) About the only hand I'm thrilled to see here is something like 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. TT just isn't beating anything on this board.

Although, I'd love to see your insight for calling here. I could be dead wrong.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hands 66-72: Folded 22

[/ QUOTE ]

Was the pot opened before you? If not, I am shoving.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was hand 66, and I was the button. Seat 10 (UTG) made it T500, Seat 8 (SB) went allin for T900 total, Seat 10 called T400 more. They both showed AQ. Board was K7437. So yes, the pot was opened before me. On the button, if unopened, I probably would have shoved.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Hand 85: I have KQo in the SB, seat 10 makes it T600 and seats 1 and 2 call. I decide to fold.


[/ QUOTE ]

With the huge pot odds I don't see how this fold could be correct. Push and pray that someone isolates or that the first two people get squeezed and the 3rd player has rags

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A/images/graemlins/diamond.gifK/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Call on the end in the last hand could not be more automatic, although I might raise less (800-1000) preflop (let him call with his AT) and commit to almost always getting it all in on any flop against the drunk guy. I would also have called an all in if my 800 chip bet was reraised.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was my philosophy. Sucks he has Aces, but what can I do.

[gobboboy]

You limp too much.

[TIEdup14]

too tight = yes

[s33w33d]

[ QUOTE ]
You limp too much.

[/ QUOTE ]

I limped 7 hands out of 97. That's a good 7.2% VPIP-PFR. Is that too much?

How would you have played this differently, out of curiosity? What spots would you have picked to get jammy that I missed?

[s33w33d]

[ QUOTE ]
too tight = yes

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you be more specific? One of the reasons I posted a true complete hand history was to get some specific feedback.

I feel it is very easy to make these sweeping general statements about play that don't really serve to help.

Please help me be less of a nit. kthxbai.

[curtains]

[ QUOTE ]
Pretty cool that you did this. Did you get any funny looks taking notes after every hand? Do you think this impacted upon your table image? Can you please go deep in the main event and make a post with 1,000+ hands?

Here are my thoughts:

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 63: I have TT. I make it T325 UTG, 4 callers. Flop is K24, and Seat 6 (the Big Blind) moves allin for T6,000+. Everyone folds. I thought a while before folding, wondering if he was on a flush draw, and also to just think about how I could have played better. Grrr. Seat 6 spends minutes badgering me “DID YOU HAVE A KING?!?!?!” No moron, I didn’t.


[/ QUOTE ]

I am probably calling here.


[/ QUOTE ]


This hand makes no sense of course, if you are UTG and BB moves allin for 6k, you have a few people left to act after you, yet you write that they all folded.



The final hand is a joke of course, even discussing the possibility folding is insane.

[Makonnen]

Between hands 65 and 90, your M was hovering between, best as I can guess, 3.5 and 5. If I were first to act on several of those hands, I would have shoved--QT, 9T, etc. You're still busting on the AK v AA hand in the end, but you can't let your stack get down to nothing while waiting for a premium hand.

[s33w33d]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Pretty cool that you did this. Did you get any funny looks taking notes after every hand? Do you think this impacted upon your table image? Can you please go deep in the main event and make a post with 1,000+ hands?

Here are my thoughts:

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 63: I have TT. I make it T325 UTG, 4 callers. Flop is K24, and Seat 6 (the Big Blind) moves allin for T6,000+. Everyone folds. I thought a while before folding, wondering if he was on a flush draw, and also to just think about how I could have played better. Grrr. Seat 6 spends minutes badgering me “DID YOU HAVE A KING?!?!?!” No moron, I didn’t.


[/ QUOTE ]

I am probably calling here.


[/ QUOTE ]


This hand makes no sense of course, if you are UTG and BB moves allin for 6k, you have a few people left to act after you, yet you write that they all folded.



The final hand is a joke of course, even discussing the possibility folding is insane.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's not clear? I raised and got 4 callers, one of which was the BB. The BB just jammed immediately on the flop and everyone folded.

[curtains]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Pretty cool that you did this. Did you get any funny looks taking notes after every hand? Do you think this impacted upon your table image? Can you please go deep in the main event and make a post with 1,000+ hands?

Here are my thoughts:

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 63: I have TT. I make it T325 UTG, 4 callers. Flop is K24, and Seat 6 (the Big Blind) moves allin for T6,000+. Everyone folds. I thought a while before folding, wondering if he was on a flush draw, and also to just think about how I could have played better. Grrr. Seat 6 spends minutes badgering me “DID YOU HAVE A KING?!?!?!” No moron, I didn’t.


[/ QUOTE ]

I am probably calling here.


[/ QUOTE ]


This hand makes no sense of course, if you are UTG and BB moves allin for 6k, you have a few people left to act after you, yet you write that they all folded.



The final hand is a joke of course, even discussing the possibility folding is insane.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's not clear? I raised and got 4 callers, one of which was the BB. The BB just jammed immediately on the flop and everyone folded.

[/ QUOTE ]


You said he bet and then everyone folds. Then you started talking about your thought process. Sounds as though you were somehow closing the action. I would definitely not call with just TT and so many people left to act.

[s33w33d]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Pretty cool that you did this. Did you get any funny looks taking notes after every hand? Do you think this impacted upon your table image? Can you please go deep in the main event and make a post with 1,000+ hands?

Here are my thoughts:

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 63: I have TT. I make it T325 UTG, 4 callers. Flop is K24, and Seat 6 (the Big Blind) moves allin for T6,000+. Everyone folds. I thought a while before folding, wondering if he was on a flush draw, and also to just think about how I could have played better. Grrr. Seat 6 spends minutes badgering me “DID YOU HAVE A KING?!?!?!” No moron, I didn’t.


[/ QUOTE ]

I am probably calling here.


[/ QUOTE ]


This hand makes no sense of course, if you are UTG and BB moves allin for 6k, you have a few people left to act after you, yet you write that they all folded.



The final hand is a joke of course, even discussing the possibility folding is insane.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's not clear? I raised and got 4 callers, one of which was the BB. The BB just jammed immediately on the flop and everyone folded.

[/ QUOTE ]


You said he bet and then everyone folds. Then you started talking about your thought process. Sounds as though you were somehow closing the action. I would definitely not call with just TT and so many people left to act.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right. I wrote it out of order. I thought a while and folded, then the other guys folded. I'm a bit curious as to what the heck he was doing that hand, especially all that badgering about asking me if I have a king.

[Bulldog]

[ QUOTE ]
Level 3 begins, T100/T200 blinds. I need to move. Now.

Hands 66-90: I fold.


[/ QUOTE ]

This cracked me up.