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#1
02-23-2006, 02:14 PM
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WPT Commerce Day 1
Commerce is a zoo. It used to be that you could call a few weeks before and get a room easily, or at least get one at the Wyndham down the street. No chance in the poker world of today. The hotel at Commerce is almost always sold out. The tables are packed. The amount of money on the tables is incredible. The Wyndham was booked for the main event. I ended up staying in Whittier, about 12 miles from the card room.
For some reason, Commerce starts their events at 3:30 pm. I guess this is ok for the preliminary events, as some players might decide to skip out of work early to play. But, in the 10k WPT event, I doubt for many players work is an issue, and the late start makes for a late finish. In a 6 day event this makes stamina a real factor. It’s another example of how this is becoming a young mans’ game. One good thing about most tournaments these days is that they start on time. Unfortunately, I’d misjudged the miserable L.A. traffic, and was still in my car at post time. But, that’s not a big deal in big stack events. One great thing about this event in particular is that, even with 692 starters, they let us play 9-handed right from the start. This makes a huge difference, both in terms of comfort and the nature of play. The fewer the players, the more poker becomes a game of skill and less of a hand-holding contest. There’s enough luck in tournaments as it is. The Commerce is the poker capital of the world, and they do a lot of things right. I wish Harrah's, the Bellagio, and most of the other venues would get out of the 10-handed mentality. I liked the texture of my table. Only a couple of players I recognized. We started with 20k in chips, 25/50 blinds. As I generally do in big stack events, I played a lot of hands early, hoping to establish an image, and perhaps trap somebody in a big pot. Some players choose to play tight early and use that image once the antes start to be able to open up their game and pick up some easy pots. I like to play a lot of pots early with a variety of hands, and play them in different ways. My goal is to create confusion in my opponents. This tends to lead them to either play their hands predictably, or to simply avoid getting involved without a big hand, which allows me to pick up a lot of blinds and antes. One of the best compliments I ever got, as far as poker goes, came from Hal Kant, a name many young players won’t recognize. Hal was the lawyer for the Greatful Dead, as well as a nice guy and good player. He told me that he was never as confused in a poker game as he was when playing with me. I’d bounced up and down for a while when I raised from the button with 87 offsuit. The player in the BB called. The flop came K-7-7. He checked and I made a small bet. When he called I knew he had a king. I made good-sized bets on the turn and river, which he paid off, showing me the king. He was not happy, and I knew he’d be gunning for me. A while later I limped up front with AJ, a play I sometimes use instead of a raise, especially early with no antes. He called behind, as did a few others. The flop came Ad-8d-2c. I bet and he called. I made a small bet on the turn when a third diamond hit, and he called. I made another small bet on the river and he just called, showing the the 7d-3d. Whew, he let me off cheap. A few hands later the same guy was involved in a pot in which he checked on the river. The player to my right asked him “You check?” The first player heard that as a check and exposed his hand, which was middle pair. The floorman ruled that the second player still had a right to bet, as he should have, and he bet. The first player folded, but I had the feeling he was a bit off kilter. Players in that frame of mind can make tournament-ending rash decisions. Sure enough, the next hand he called a huge all in with TT on an 8-6-3 rainbow flop and lost to a set. I wasn’t happy to see him go, because I wanted a shot at his chips. I was more unhappy when Daniel Negreanu filled his seat. Not the best trade. A strange hand came up between the player on my right, and John V., the player who had busted the guy in Daniel’s seat with the set. On a board of Q-Q-9-3-9, the player to my right, upset about being counterfeited on the river, turned up 88 and mumbled “play the board.” John looked and said “eights?”, and threw his had toward the dealer. Instead of mucking his hand like she should have, the dealer looked at him like he was crazy. He quickly saw his mistake, retrieved his hand, which contained an ace, and was awarded the pot. Dealer mistakes can make a huge difference in tournaments. In Melbourne, they were testing a computerized table that had no cards or chips. I liked it. I think it’s the way of the future. It would eliminate dealer mistakes, speed up the game, and provide protection against a lot of forms of cheating. Daniel had about 25k. He got involved with John V. in a pot raised to 600 pre-flop. On a board of 9s-8s-4h, Daniel bet 600 and John moved in for about 23k. Daniel made a great read and called with As-Js, which was a small favorite against John’s Q9. However, Daniel missed, which didn’t break my heart. Nothing personal, but I don’t want him behind me with a big stack. One thing for sure, he didn’t act like a Phil in that spot. He was willing to risk most of his stack in a spot where he figured to be a small favorite. I think more good players have this mindset these days, especially ones who play a big stack well. A little while later Daniel made it 600, and I called from the blind with 7s4s. The flop came Ks-8s-5d. I checked, he bet 700, and I moved in. I didn’t think he had a hand he could call with, but he called quickly for his last 8000, showing me a set of 8’s. I was about a 2-1 dog, and didn’t get there. I drifted down to about 15,000. The player on my right had played few hands, and I was playing very aggressively, especially against the players to my right. He limped from the SB, and I raised to 600 from the BB with AK. He re-raised to 2500. I didn’t give him credit for a big hand, rather figuring he was taking a stand against my aggression. I moved in. He quickly called and showed me KK. Oops. Time to get lucky, which I did, flopping 2 aces. I was back over 30k. I had one more shot a t Daniel. I raised on the button with J9 and he called. The flop came J-T-4 with two hearts. I made a good-sized bet and he called. The turn was a small heart. I bet big again and he called. The river came another heart and he moved in. I had to fold. He said that he probably had me beat anyway with AT with the ace of hearts. Damn, he probably would have called a big bet on the river if he’d missed. The player to Daniel’s left busted out, and was replaced by Phil Laak, who had over 50k. Daniel finally got broke with AQ vs QQ when a queen flopped. I picked up a few pots on bluffs, and made a nice call with 44 to go to the last break with 40k. The last level was 200-400/50. I raised to 1200 with TT. Phil Laak re-raised to 5000 and I called. The flop came T-7-2 rainbow. I often like to lead at pots in this situation, but I didn’t see what hand he could check here, so I went for the trap. He checked behind me! AK maybe? The turn was an ace. Perfect. I checked, and he checked again! The river was a baby, and I bet 7000. Phil called and I took down a decent pot, but, whatever he had, I have to give him credit for saving a bunch of chips. Jerry Buss came to the table. I’d been watching him on High Stakes Poker, and knew that he telegraphed his hands. He raised and I called on the button with 22. If he had a big pair and I flopped a set, I’d bust him. If he had two high cards, he’d let me know if he hit. The flop came small cards and he disgustedly checked. I bet and he mucked. I ended the day with 59,450, which put me in good shape. Blair Rodman 
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#6
02-23-2006, 07:45 PM
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Re: WPT Commerce Day 1
'In Melbourne, they were testing a computerized table that had no cards or chips. I liked it. I think it’s the way of the future. It would eliminate dealer mistakes, speed up the game, and provide protection against a lot of forms of cheating. '
Ugh, I would rather play on the internet...
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#7
02-23-2006, 07:51 PM
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Re: WPT Commerce Day 1
[ QUOTE ]
Jerry Buss came to the table. I’d been watching him on High Stakes Poker, and knew that he telegraphed his hands. He raised and I called on the button with 22. If he had a big pair and I flopped a set, I’d bust him. If he had two high cards, he’d let me know if he hit. The flop came small cards and he disgustedly checked. Blair Rodman [/ QUOTE ] i noticed that about Buss on "High Stakes Poker" as well. nice play.
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