Poker Forum > Live Poker
ThinkerJE takes a trip to Vegas
kinboshi:
--- Quote from: ThinkerJE on June 22, 2007, 14:42:04 PM ---
Pot limit really baffled the Americans. They were constantly asking how much they can bet. Another observation is that all bets tended to be pot size, when in no limit the player would have bet less. Example, blinds 25-50, typical raise in no limt 150 (3x BB) but pot raise 175, so everyone was betting the pot, weird.
--- End quote ---
I"m going to bet....errrrr.....how much is in there......what would a good size bet be.......can"t work it out.....how much can I bet.......I know........POT!!!
Jon MW:
--- Quote from: Paulie_D on June 22, 2007, 09:58:05 AM ---
--- Quote from: Jon MW on June 21, 2007, 21:11:47 PM ---
When (I"m thinking positive for you) you cash in your WSOP event I"m sure you"ll be pleased to know that Harrahs seem to have cleaned up their act on the ITIN tax front. It"s very dull and appears to involve several seemingly identical forms all being filled out in triplicate and triple checked, before a bit more form filling and some more checking - but the boredom is the only bad bit, it"s essentially easy and hassle free.
--- End quote ---
Jon, the LPM have a large group heading over to Vegas in a few weeks and, as we will all be playing reasonably large tourneys, I wondered how Harrah"s handled the ITIN situation. Did they get you to fill in the forms in the SAME property or did you have to go elsewhere as has been reported?
--- End quote ---
Just over the hall from the main room - no hassle, just dull and time consuming.
RioRodent:
--- Quote from: ThinkerJE on June 22, 2007, 14:42:04 PM ---
No limit again tomorrow at Binion"s, $100 Poker Classic, before the big one (for me) on Saturday at the Rio.
--- End quote ---
I didn"t realise you were playing the $100 NL at Binions yesterday, or I would have looked out for you! How did you get on? I made between 110th and 120th, of the 574 runners... still a good way off of the money (54 paid), but I had a pretty good tournament.
I"m in the $1500 at the Rio today - Table 83, Seat 9 - if you see this before heding down there and you get the oppurtunity, say hello.
Good luck,
Alan
ThinkerJE:
Friday - Binion"s Poker Classic $100 NLHE
Massive field of 574 runners turned up for this event creating a rather tasty prize pool. However quantity does not mean quality as I was to find out.
3,200 at first break (starting chips 3,500). The 300 drop does not tell the whole story. This was one CRAZY table. First hand no action to me on button who raise with KQ off, SB calls. Flop A J 2 rainbow. Blind check, continuation bet, call. Blind check again, turn 10 (NUTS), bet then call. Blind check again, river K (damm he probably has a queen), bet then call, straight beats 2 pair, up to 5,000. Very loose table. Limp in middle position with Q 10 clubs, flop Q 6 6, bet and call in front. Decide I am ahead and will squeeze them by raising. Initial bettor folds, calling station calls (he must have a 6 then). Managed to check turn and river and he turns over Q 3!!!!! River ace means chop chop, how the hell did he think his Q 3 was good??? One major mistake, loose player who bets every street raises pre flop and I call in position with 66. Flop 10 7 4, he bets, I think my 6"s are good (put him on AQ or AJ) so call. Turn 5, he bets again, my sixes still must be good so call. River 5 he bets again, the 5 can"t have helped him and he had bet every street with ace high 3 hands before. I back my read and call, he had KK and was miles ahead all the time. BAD PLAY THIS. Don"t mind calling the flop but should have folded the turn when he bet again. The clues were there I just did not believe them. A bad read and bad play and I am down to 1,500. Need to double up now and find KK UTG. With action pre flop every hand I limp hoping for a raise behind. Right on cue, guy next to me min raises then button re raises, I move all in, button calls. KK vs A8 (other guy folded AQ), flop A K 4, turn 5 river 4. Double up. Same loose guy raises into my BB, find 10 4 hearts and call. This is reallt loose for me but I was playing the man and knew I would get paid if I hit the flop. Flop 10 8 Q with 2 hearts (this is perfect). I check, he bets, I move all in, insta fold.
Out in 525th after about 2 hours of play. Couldn"t get going after the break, made a steal attemp in cutoff with A 10, BB moves in and I have to release. Down to 1,900 (about 4M), need to get busy. All folds to button who raises, I am SB and see an ace first card and move all in. Button calls with AQ vs my A6, no help gone. Not best pleased with my play today, the 66 calling was so bad, and if I had kept those chips I ould have doubled them up when I had KK UTG. Absolutely crazy table and very loose play, in fact the lowest standard of play I have seen in Vegas so far (not just from me aswell).
Having finished earlier than I had hoped I decide to head over to the Rio to register for the $1,500 event and so miss the queues tomorrow. I have found a free shuttle bus from Ceasar"s so I don"t need to pay for cabs now (look after the cents and the dollars take care of themseleves).
Now I know I said that I thought the STT satellites did not suit my game, but I thought I would give them I more try. I entered a $175 with 3 $500 tournanment chips & $120 cash to the wnner. Without going into too much detail but suck out city, Q 10 vs K 5 river Q, 4 5 vs 8 9 flop 4, turn 4. I managed to get heads up with 3,000 chips, chip leader had 7,000. The blinds are 300-600 so we decide to chop, I get 1 chip, he gets 2 chips and we take $60 each. So I won $560 for a $385 profit (wow a cash forgot what they were!!!). The chip was used to buy into te 1,500 NLHE event on Saturday and I left the Rio feeling a bot better about things.
Got the shuttle back to Ceasar"s and as it was Friday the pu$$ycat casino was in full swing. I was seduced by their "charms" and decided to hang around a bit. I found a $1, $3 NLHE cash game in the poker room and bought in for $300. Played well (my cash game play is improving all the time) and I was happy with my decisions, however a few river suck outs and some questionable play from my opponents meant that after 4 and a half hours I cashed out for $170, down $130 on the session. It was now quite late and I needed to get back for some sleep before the big one tomorrow as it started at 12noon.
NO BAD BEATS - WSOP TOMORROW
ThinkerJE:
Saturday - WSOP Event 38 $1,500 NLHE
I got to the Rio about 11am to check out where my table was and chill out before play started. The queue to register was out of the door and down the corridor. I think 2,776 runners started after alternates and so it was going to be tough and a long day to go deep in this.
1,975 at first break (starting chips 3,000). No hands, only JJ in cutoff which I managed to win the blinds. Trying to steal when I can but I have a very active table, action to my left and right. No name players on it but solid play all round. Blinds 100-200 when we go back so need to get busy soon, find a hand and commit to it and hope it holds. I have been pleased with my patience, but it is frustrating not getting ant hands. I need to keep my focus and double up to get back in it.
13,600 at second break. MAD MAD MAD. Had a rush of cards and managed to get chips. I was down to 1,075 and got moved tables. Juha Helppi was sitting opposite with a mountain of chips. This guy is pure class, it was an education simply watching his play from the same table. With my short stack I had to start getting funky, moving in when I had the chance to steal the blinds and give me another orbit to find a hand. There was an even shorter stack to my right, it folds to him in the SB, he moves in I find AJ in BB and insta call. AJ vs J7, back up to 3,000 and some breathing space (no much but some). Find JJ in middle position, raise and get one caller. Flop J 9 7, I bet halve my stack and he calls, river blank, I move all in and he folds. Button raises, I find 66 in BB and call. Flop J 6 2 (2 diamonds), I check, he bets about halve my stack, I move all in and he thinks for ages before folding. A shoter stack move all in in middle position, I find AK on button and raise to protect my hand. BB thinks before folding JJ face up. AK vs A9 and best hand holds. Very next hand and the last hand before the break. Helppi rasies UTG and gets a call behind, I wake up with KK in the cutoff. I re raise and Helppi calls (danger), other guy gets out of the way. Flop Q 9 3 (2 spades). Helppi checks and I don"t want to mess around with one of the best players in the world so I move all in. Helppi thinks for ages, about 8 minutes into the break time. He is staring me down and is very imtimidating, but I know I am ahead at this point. he asks me if I have 1010, I reply saying something stupid, I should have kept quiet here as he probably used my response to get a read. It is difficult as he put me under pressure and my instincts took over. I asked him if he had AQ, he then said I could have AK, this went back and forth until he finally folds JJ face up. I say nice laydown and muck my cards. Helppi is world class, he is so intense and makes you sweat every decision he puts you to.
8,050 at third break. Card dead again. When I did raise I got called and the continuation bets were not gettong through. I was down to 4,000 and short staked again. All fold to the button who limps for 400. I am the SB with 22 and move all in for 4,000. BB folds, button calls 3,600 more with QJ off. Flop Q 7 5 (damm damm and double damm) turn 7 (I will get my coat) river 2 (wow wow wow). It was the case 2 aswell and another had been passed. Back up to 8,000 but need to keep moving with blinds 300-600 with 75 ante. Pleased with my concentration and focus, I feel I am playing well and if I double up I am back in it. I need to keep my patience as the hour long levels allow plenty of time to find a hand.
12,325 at dinner break (30 minutes after last break). Found AA UTG, I raise, shorter stack goes OTT with AK, AA holds. Then find KK in SB. All fold to button who limps again (he did this alot with all kinds of hands). I raise as I am sure he will call, but he folds. Take down the blinds and antes which are significant at this time and don"t want to see an ace on the flop. 540 players are left and I am back in this, I need to stay out of trouble and do nothing silly without getting too passive though. Aggression is the key at this level of poker.
7,300 at next break. Not much happened the last hour and a half. Table was broken and moved to new table that included high stakes cash player Ryan Daut with a truckload of chips. Raise with JJ no action, take blinds and antes to give me another orbit to find a monster. Called 1,000 in BB with 87 spades (2 other callers). Flop J high with 2 spades. Check to raiser intending to move all in when it gets back to me. However other caller beats me to it and I have to fold, the raiser passed. Moved in in earlt position with AJ diamonds, no action. I think my table image is solid and rock like which helps in stealing the blinds, the players behind will need a big big hand to call. Blinds 600-1,200 with 100 ante when we go back, only 3M need to move soon. On button 1st hand back and will move in with ATC if no action to me. 360 players left, 270 get paid, yet again need to double up to get back in it.
Out in about 310th (ish) after 11 hours and 40 minutes of short stacked grind and no cash (absolutely gutted). Action before me every hand, could not get in first. Had to fold hands I would have pushed with like 88, A5, AQ when there was action before me. Final hand I was down to 4,400, finally all fold to me and i was thinking of pushing regardless in this situation, looked down to find 88. I go all in and gut to my left calls, blinds get out of the way. 88 vs A7 (with 2 other aces passed) so I am big favourite. Flop 9 7 2, turn 7 (killer, I feel sick), river blank and I am gone. NO BAD BEATS - JUST REPORTING THE FACTS. If the 8"s hold I would be up to 11,500 and in good shape to cash at least. I tap the table say nice hand and slump away feeling very sick. I get down after any tournament I get knocked out of but this was the WSOP and this is the worst I have felt ever (poker related). On reflection I am very pleased with my play and concentration. I don"t think I made any major mistakes and I did as well as I could. The tabe I was at went crazy during this period. It was very active and had some monster beats. Raise by 99, called behind, flop 9 7 2, bet by set, all in holding QQ, insta call, river Q (sick sick). Next hand raise by JJ, re raise by someone holding the half wilson, call. Flop 7 4 2 turn 7 river 8 (sick sick sick). I really enjoyed playing in the WSOP, the standard is on a different level but I feel I can compete at this level and did not do anything stupid.
I was really tired after the event, the long sessions of concentration really take it out of you, so I had a few beers and hit the sack.
NO BAD BEATS - BRING ON WSOP 2008
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