WSOP 1D. My Perspective

[Leapus]

OK, guys. Here’s my trip report. So far ……

This is kind of "dumbed" down some for my non-poker friends. Also, please excuse the occasional lack of certain details. This is HARD!!

First of all, the Rio convention center with over 200 tables is a sight to see. Almost worth the trip. Wall-to-wall tables. Wall-to-wall people. And this was only ¼ the field? Geez.

I am seated at Table 26, where I will play for the next 15 hours! The blind schedule is really amazing. You start with 10,000 chips and the blinds are 25/50 for 2 hours. They go up very slowly and you get tons of play. I knew no-one at my table. No obvious pros. Nearby were Huck Seed and D’Agostino. The champ Lennox Lewis was seated as an alternate near my table.

The first round for me was quite frustrating. I seemed to be getting great cards: AK, QQ, AJ etc. but always out of position and always missing flops. Continuation bet followed by having to give up on a hand was the norm. If I had QQ, the flop was always AKx and I met resistance.

Early in the 2nd round, a guy raised from early position. He had raised many hands and this raise didn’t mean a whole lot of strength. There was one caller before me on the button. I look down at T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and decide to reraise to try to take it down there. That early caller called, however, and the two of us saw the flop. The beautiful T [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] rainbow flop comes down. He checks, and I bet my usual continuation bet. He makes a big raise and I go all in. He only has to call 1500 or so more to call so he’s in. He flips over JJ and I take down my first big pot. (Enter sigh of relief here.)

I raise in LP with A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. The button (over aggressive guy) calls. We see an A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] flop. I bet 1000, he min-raises to 2000. I ponder, then push. He mucks after some deliberation. In my dreams, I hoped he mucked a hand like AT or AJ, but he probably had a pocket pair.

Later, I’m in the SB with JJ. MP – very solid, refined player. Made his standard 3x raise. I call and we see a K x x flop. He bets 700 after my check and I raise him 1000. He stares me down for about 5 minutes.

Side Note #1) I mostly play on the internet or in a home game where I know everyone well and am comfortable. Live big tourneys are kind of new to me. I don’t do well with the stare-down. I wasn’t wearing my shades. I try to just look down at the table and make no eye contact. Still, I glance up. I swallow and gulp. I tell myself NOT to move my hands – next thing I know I’m playing with my chips. I tell myself just to not move at all – next thing I know I’m slumping back in my chair, then leaning forward. I wasn’t sure if I should look strong or weak. I wasn’t sure if my actions made it look like I was strong or weak. All in all, it was probably a hilarious overload of tells. His sensory overload finally made him muck his hand. After the next break, I donned the sunglasses once I was in a hand. I have never been a proponent of the shades, but for me, it made it SO much easier to just sit still and give off less of a vibe.

I hover at or around 17,000 for most of the 3rd round. I hit the dinner break with 15,550 in chips with the average at around 13,000.

I take a couple of hits with AK missing and AJ missing against a short stack and am left with about 10,500.

With the blinds at 100/200 +25 ante, I’m in the BB. The UTG+1 raises to 700. He has done this several times and has shown some real winners (85s, T4o, etc…). So I’m thinking, if there is a call or two, I might make a move. Believe it or not, there are 3 callers before I act out of the BB. I decide that if I see any sort of a hand … even some questionable connectors, I’m going to make a move. I actually see QQ! The pot was around 3600 and I made it another 4K to play. I wanted to make it look like I didn’t want a call … on a steal. Each player thought long and hard … but eventually folded. That result was OK but I kind of wanted one caller.

One big stack had been making several raises. He was two to my right. So with the 100/200 +25 he makes it 700 and I call with A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] . Flop comes Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. He makes a continuation bet of 1500 and I make it 5500 (about half my stack – probably should have pushed). Anyway, he then pushes and I’m committed to the call. He shows 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], so we’re both on a spade draw, but he has a pair of sixes. The turn is the 9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] giving me an extra out for the straight. The river is the most beautiful 2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] you’ve ever seen. That pops my stack up to 32,000.

A few hands later, I’m in the BB. It’s folded around to the SB (new to our table, similar stack). He just completes. I look at A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and make it 1000 to go. He calls and we see an A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] flop. He checks then calls my 1200. Turn is a 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. He checks and calls my 2400 bet. River also blank. Fortunately I have the presence of mind to check on the river as he checked into me again. He had A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] for the flopped boat. He thought I’d take another stab at it on the river. Whew! Could have lost a lot more on that one.

BEWARE --------- I am not proud of the following. If you do not have a strong stomach, please stop reading NOW. I must preface the following hand with a little history. Three players to my right is a newbie who swears he has never really played much before. Live or otherwise. And I kind of believe him. He had made some HUGE overbets preflop only to show his aces after everybody folds. Anyway, with the blinds at 150/300 +25, he raises in the cutoff to 800. SB calls. I call with 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. (I knew then I possibly I shouldn’t have, but alas). Flop comes 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Blinds check and he bets 3000. I have him covered some and I make the regrettable push with top pair (no kicker) and a spade draw. He goes into the tank but then eventually calls with his pocket aces! The turn and river are no good and I’m crippled. I was devastated but had to hang in there.

I make one MP all-in (no calls) with A T and end up at the last break with about 4500 chips. Blinds are going to be 200/400 +50 so 1100 in the pot. So it’s go time. I call my buddy to think about getting the car warmed up for my departure. First hand back, there’s an EP raiser – the guy that raises a lot anyway. I look to see the A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. It’s an easy push and he reluctantly calls with KJ. I dodge and double up. That gave me some breathing room for at least awhile.

Side Note #2) Side Note #1 was about how I exude a plethora of tells. On the flip side, I have never been one to pick up other’s tells well. Except this night: and it may have saved me my tournament. The guy next to me (on my left) was a young Euro who played fairly tight. I don’t see this too often at this level, but he always looked at his cards as soon as they were dealt to him – regardless of his turn to act. If he had a hand he was contemplating playing, he would lean forward on the table and watch the action ahead of him very closely. If he didn’t like what he saw in his hand, he would lean back and seem quite uninterested. This proved to be quite reliable and quite beneficial. When I was short and the blinds and antes were taking their toll, I was looking for opportunities to push and steal some pots. I was once in the cutoff and it was folded to me. I had KQ and might have pushed in this instance. However, my neighbor was leaning forward, watching the action intently. I had a feeling that a push here would be a disaster. Sure enough, this was one of those times as Mr. I-Have-A-Tell busted the BBs QQ with his Rockets. I know most (all) of you would never look at your cards before it’s time to play. But if you do, DON’T!

I stay hovering at around 11K when there’s a raise UTG to 1300 and a call. That perks me up as I sense a chance for a play. It’s folded to me in the BB and I have 33. Now I’m not a huge fan of 33 here, but it’s 2:50 am, I’ve been playing at the same frickin’ table for 15 hours, I had a lot of chips once before donking them away, and I may still have some fold equity. So I go all-in hoping to take it down or get into a race. Well, fold equity doesn’t mean diddly when the UTG guy has AA. However, nothing a 3 on the turn can’t fix!!! Amazing luck has brought me back from the dead. A few hands later, with time ticking down, I have A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] against the same guy that I had A8s before. He again raised and I called. Flop is 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. He bets, I smooth call. Turn is another under card. He bets a little more and I smooth call. River is the A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and he ponders before betting a sizeable 5,000. He mucks almost as soon as my call hits the pot.

Anyway, a roller-coaster ride to be sure. Finished with about 30,000 (a few above average) and a ticket to return tomorrow at High Noon.

Thanks for listening.

Leapus

[UATrewqaz]

Interesting report, I liked it.

Sounds like you're playing pretty well and picking good spots.

Good luck tomorrow!

[radek]

Nice report. GL tomorrow

[daryn]

wow.. so you're the guy that hit the 3 against 1800gambler. bad squeeze baby.

[Shrug]

Fun read. Best of luck.

[0evg0]

I don't like the A9 push.

Nice job anyway, try to give yourself less of an ulcer next day.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
BEWARE --------- I am not proud of the following. If you do not have a strong stomach, please stop reading NOW. I must preface the following hand with a little history. Three players to my right is a newbie who swears he has never really played much before. Live or otherwise. And I kind of believe him. He had made some HUGE overbets preflop only to show his aces after everybody folds. Anyway, with the blinds at 150/300 +25, he raises in the cutoff to 800. SB calls. I call with 9 3 . (I knew then I possibly I shouldn’t have, but alas). Flop comes 9 8 5 . Blinds check and he bets 3000. I have him covered some and I make the regrettable push with top pair (no kicker) and a spade draw. He goes into the tank but then eventually calls with his pocket aces! The turn and river are no good and I’m crippled. I was devastated but had to hang in there.

[/ QUOTE ]
There is nothing wrong with this push. You were the favorite if villain didn't have As. You lost a coin flip.

Preflop, you could have folded, but the call was OK given the position of the raiser and the size of the raise. You were getting good pot odds. He had raised big before with aces, so there was no reason to think he hd them. Plus, if you are going to play 95s, AA is a good hand for villain to have.

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=1870548
pokenum -h 9s 3s - ah ac -- 9c 5s 8s
Holdem Hi: 990 enumerated boards containing 8s 5s 9c
cards win %win lose %lose tie %tie EV
9s 3s 493 49.80 488 49.29 9 0.91 0.503
Ac Ah 488 49.29 493 49.80 9 0.91 0.497

[Al_Kayda]

Luckbox.

[TyFuji]

I like a push in the A9 hand, I assume that most of the time since he's LAGgy he whiffed in this spot and you take it down. It's tough that he flopped to it.

[kiwi]

[ QUOTE ]
refreshingly honest Luckbox who is playing in the main event, thus making me jealous as hell .

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice report