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The Joker in Vegas
Joker161:
It's 20 minute blinds (20k starting stack), so I'll need some luck. It's also the sort of tournament where this sort of thing happens. Call, call, call and then I raise with AK from the SB. Fold, then all in. Hmm. Don't fancy putting over half my stack in on a bit of a gamble. I fold. The first big hand for me is a five-callers hand where I have 44 and hit the set. I get up to 30k. Nothing big after that until the break, and I'm on 21k.
First hand back after the break, it goes all in, all in, all in (third one has me covered) and I have KK in the SB. The other three hands miss everything and so I nearly quadruple. There's a nice bloke on my left and we've been chatting all afternoon. He's here for a stag. Two of them have been here two days and the rest are coming tonight. He said that he needed two extra days 'to get his eye in'. I don't think he was talking about poker! Anyway, he was doing quite well, but then lost quite a lot in a race. Blinds are now 2k/4K and I make it 10k from the button with 97s. He goes all in for 19k. He has A9. Oops! I get lucky and hit a straight. So I'm on about 80k now, average 55k and 30 left from 80 runners.
Joker161:
Then the killer blow. A loose player to my immediate right raises my SB. I fold some rubbish. Next hand he raises again, and I push all in with AJ. He snaps with KK. Annoying. The move was fine, but there would have been better spots. Blinds were getting messy, though. I was down to 11k after that and the blinds were up to 4k/8k. I trebled up with T8 with a ten on the river. Then I get my 37k in with 88. Someone dwells a bit and says 'I have to call; it's my favourite hand'. He has KQ. King on the flop. A shame about the AJ hand. By the time I go out there are only 18 left and they pay nine.
Joker161:
I'm still not feeling 100%, so decide to eat something really straightforward. There's a "NYC's finest" Italian that looks OK, so I go there and have spaghetti bolognese. It appears to be $32 on the menu and I question it with the waiter. "That's for four. You should have the starter portion." Fine. It arrives and I have to ask him if he's got the wrong one because, as far as I can see, this plate feeds four too. Especially if the 'four' are planning on having a main course. Anyway, I get about half way through it and obviously need nothing more to eat.
Joker161:
I then decide to get a taxi to the Rio to buy my entry for the $1500 tomorrow. They have live WSOP action on ESPN in the hotel room, and the story all day has been the massive queues for registration. Apparently, what with it being 4th July and the US economy doing well (you wait a year - I could write an essay on it here, but best not) it has been a record day for Day 1C of the Main Event. Late entry finished just as I get to the Rio, so there is exactly one person ahead of me in the queue. Clearly a good decision because it will not be like this an hour before the event tomorrow. Anyway, I hang around and watch Will Kassouf for a bit. He is quite amusing. I'd love to be on his table giving him some back. Might be unwise, but good fun. I bump into Tom and Lucy from APAT. Had a nice chat. Apparently he's made Day 2 of the ME, and that all happens tomorrow. Looks like I might come over to the Rio early after all so I can rail him a bit before my event. That reminds me - my event doesn't start until 3pm, which is a bit annoying because if all goes well I'll be there until 2am. I go to the back of the Rio to find the usual shuttle bus stop. There doesn't appear to be anyone waiting, and the area is labelled 'Uber'. Hmm. I go and get a taxi, and the driver says they've stopped the shuttle. I suppose it's been two years and I did wonder why they offed a free service. I wasn't too sure what was in it for them. Still, the taxi drivers must be happy.
Joker161:
On my return to Caesars, I go back to the Poker Room and decide to play some cash to keep me awake. I last until about 10.30pm and end up $100 up, which was nice. The two key hands happened in the first ten minutes. I get QQ, raise and get a couple of callers. Flop has a king on it and I bet and get one caller. Turn is another king. Check/check. River is a queen. Handy. I bet, he thinks for a bit and calls. Next hand I get KK and make the "Standard Vegas $1\$2 pre-flop raise" of x4 BB. I get FIVE callers. F**k. Queen high flop. I bet. They all fold. So weird. Bed time.
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