Let's load up this son-bitch and give it another go then.
This morning we are currently playing 6-handed, with mostly familiar faces at the table. A few pots of 5-8k in the first 20 minutes but I'm not seeing anything worth getting involved with yet so am letting everyone take shots at each other. I'm sure I'll get my chance soon enough.
So far 75 entrants. Our table is joined by CardPlayer owner and WSOPE former champ Barry Shulman, with whom I've played plenty over the years. One guy at the table is already short and jams with A2, gets called by KK, the board runs out 88AA3 for maximum knife-twisting pain.
I've won a few small pots, then lost two versus Shulman. I normally know where I am with him, of course he has the money to play a thousand of these things, but he tends to overbet and overplay everything in my experience, making the pots overly expensive. I get away cheap and am on 16k as we hit level 3.
I always find the mindset of people in poker fascinating. Of course everyone plays for different reasons and can do what they like, but often their comments reveal a ton about their personality or their approach to not just poker, but life. A pot just came up where one kid raised and was called, the flop came 245 and the raiser bet out, only for the other guy who had 99 to jam on him. At the time there was about 1200 in the pot preflop, and after the flop the all in shove was about 5k. The first bettor reluctantly called tabling 75 offsuit, which lost. All standard stuff, but for me the interesting bit was that when the 75 looked pained, called, and flipped his hand, Barry said "in a bounty tournament that's an automatic call", like it really was the most natural thing in the world. I couldn't disagree with this logic more, though as I say everyone's opinion can be different.
Barry just went spiralling out after playing too many hands aggressively, and finally shoving with A5 off.
Almost at the first break and I'm back to 15k starting stack. 90 starters and 77 remain currently. Yesterday was a long slog but sometimes with tournaments you just have to strap in and see where it takes you. They're hard to win within the first hour, though I've seen plenty of people try.
Break time. 17k. Off for some sun.
Back from the break and we kick off with a 3 way all-in preflop. JJ vs 1010 vs KJ offsuit. I really am playing in a different event I think...
Just found aces and managed to not lose with them. Up to 21k.
Nothing to report, everyone's swapping a few chips around. One man-mountain who might actually be the male model Fabio hiding behind welding mask sized shades is doing his best statue impression. The guy next to me is eating combination fried rice from Noodle Asia with chopsticks, and one slightly wild guy with beer-bottle glasses I've played with before just asked the dealer "how much is it?" when the guy to his immediate right threw out 1400, and announced "fourteen hundred." Baffling I know. 72 from 100 remain at 150/300/50 as we hit level 5.
Just made it 525 with JJ, and got raised to 1500 and reraised to 3500. In the bin, and we spent 10 minutes with the 1500 player deliberating and giving it the "will you show me if I fold?" treatment.
No. He won't. And you're folding anyway.
This morning we are currently playing 6-handed, with mostly familiar faces at the table. A few pots of 5-8k in the first 20 minutes but I'm not seeing anything worth getting involved with yet so am letting everyone take shots at each other. I'm sure I'll get my chance soon enough.
So far 75 entrants. Our table is joined by CardPlayer owner and WSOPE former champ Barry Shulman, with whom I've played plenty over the years. One guy at the table is already short and jams with A2, gets called by KK, the board runs out 88AA3 for maximum knife-twisting pain.
I've won a few small pots, then lost two versus Shulman. I normally know where I am with him, of course he has the money to play a thousand of these things, but he tends to overbet and overplay everything in my experience, making the pots overly expensive. I get away cheap and am on 16k as we hit level 3.
I always find the mindset of people in poker fascinating. Of course everyone plays for different reasons and can do what they like, but often their comments reveal a ton about their personality or their approach to not just poker, but life. A pot just came up where one kid raised and was called, the flop came 245 and the raiser bet out, only for the other guy who had 99 to jam on him. At the time there was about 1200 in the pot preflop, and after the flop the all in shove was about 5k. The first bettor reluctantly called tabling 75 offsuit, which lost. All standard stuff, but for me the interesting bit was that when the 75 looked pained, called, and flipped his hand, Barry said "in a bounty tournament that's an automatic call", like it really was the most natural thing in the world. I couldn't disagree with this logic more, though as I say everyone's opinion can be different.
Barry just went spiralling out after playing too many hands aggressively, and finally shoving with A5 off.
Almost at the first break and I'm back to 15k starting stack. 90 starters and 77 remain currently. Yesterday was a long slog but sometimes with tournaments you just have to strap in and see where it takes you. They're hard to win within the first hour, though I've seen plenty of people try.
Break time. 17k. Off for some sun.
Back from the break and we kick off with a 3 way all-in preflop. JJ vs 1010 vs KJ offsuit. I really am playing in a different event I think...
Just found aces and managed to not lose with them. Up to 21k.
Nothing to report, everyone's swapping a few chips around. One man-mountain who might actually be the male model Fabio hiding behind welding mask sized shades is doing his best statue impression. The guy next to me is eating combination fried rice from Noodle Asia with chopsticks, and one slightly wild guy with beer-bottle glasses I've played with before just asked the dealer "how much is it?" when the guy to his immediate right threw out 1400, and announced "fourteen hundred." Baffling I know. 72 from 100 remain at 150/300/50 as we hit level 5.
Just made it 525 with JJ, and got raised to 1500 and reraised to 3500. In the bin, and we spent 10 minutes with the 1500 player deliberating and giving it the "will you show me if I fold?" treatment.
No. He won't. And you're folding anyway.
Investors and casual observers will be overjoyed to know we're finally making money and can all plan our retirement. I just overjammed with AK vs JJ to get my stack up to 27k, and bust a guy collecting $300 for my efforts. Start picking out colour swatches for the Aston Martin upholstery guys.
On a nine high flop with two hearts, two guys got it in with Jh10h and 4h6h. A rivered four wins the pot. I said "wow...I can't believe your dogshit beat his dogshit." Sometimes when you're being ironic it slips through the net. I believe he took it as a compliment.
Level 6 and I've hit 34k thanks to some decent timing and a few good spots. I'll settle for it right now.
38k, making a semi hero call with second pair. Crazy "how much is it?" guy wins a massive three way pot with bottom set (222), and is probably on 80k. He'll keep.
On a nine high flop with two hearts, two guys got it in with Jh10h and 4h6h. A rivered four wins the pot. I said "wow...I can't believe your dogshit beat his dogshit." Sometimes when you're being ironic it slips through the net. I believe he took it as a compliment.
Level 6 and I've hit 34k thanks to some decent timing and a few good spots. I'll settle for it right now.
38k, making a semi hero call with second pair. Crazy "how much is it?" guy wins a massive three way pot with bottom set (222), and is probably on 80k. He'll keep.
A quick selfie of me rocking the Ferris Bueller wasitcoat with a wry smile and the giraffe vying for camera space. Just prior to the break I find KK vs 99 and win a decent pot, an ace on the turn slows us both down, but gets me up to a comfy 51k. 55 players left from 115.
Funny table dynamic now. Two French guys on the table, one I have seen before and he plays pretty horribly. Another newcomer just jammed 15k with KJ, was called by 99, rivered a flush, then complained he didn't stack the other guy for the $300 bounty! Sometimes people can say things in jest but I'm pretty sure he was being serious and doesn't know quite how crass his comment sounded. lol live poker...
Still hovering round 49k as we hit level 8. Average is showing as 35k. The KJ flush guy just got his aces decimated by 22 on a Q33 flop when he checked it and a 2 turned. it was 15 minutes ago and he's still in shock.
Shortly after we see a three way all in for around 45k allin preflop. KJ off vs 99 vs 88. 999 wins and I'm still wondering what planet some of these guys are on. Really.
Ker-ching. Just busted one of the Frenchies for another $300. Just over half today's buy-in recovered. Up to 59k. 43/121 left.
Last level before dinner and we're at 400/800/100. Table has been filled with more new players and a few of them have 80k+ stacks. New learning curve.
Funny table dynamic now. Two French guys on the table, one I have seen before and he plays pretty horribly. Another newcomer just jammed 15k with KJ, was called by 99, rivered a flush, then complained he didn't stack the other guy for the $300 bounty! Sometimes people can say things in jest but I'm pretty sure he was being serious and doesn't know quite how crass his comment sounded. lol live poker...
Still hovering round 49k as we hit level 8. Average is showing as 35k. The KJ flush guy just got his aces decimated by 22 on a Q33 flop when he checked it and a 2 turned. it was 15 minutes ago and he's still in shock.
Shortly after we see a three way all in for around 45k allin preflop. KJ off vs 99 vs 88. 999 wins and I'm still wondering what planet some of these guys are on. Really.
Ker-ching. Just busted one of the Frenchies for another $300. Just over half today's buy-in recovered. Up to 59k. 43/121 left.
Last level before dinner and we're at 400/800/100. Table has been filled with more new players and a few of them have 80k+ stacks. New learning curve.
Just coming up on the dinner break, and 32/124 are left (reg is still open). I'm on about 60k.
Squeezed in a little food on the break although 30 minutes is far from ideal in which to eat. Volcano shrimp and a pineapple basil Mojito helped while away the time.
Off we go again and we have been joined by Ryan LaPlante, who won a PLO bracelet this year. Seems a nice kid with a good temperament. I've lost one pot versus a beard who wasn't folding his KQ offsuit. Still on 60k or so, and we have 26 players left. My table breaks and again I'm looking at new faces.
Cute quiet girl who played 1A on my table and jammed twice and busted is here. I finally got her smiling, though it cost me 3000 chips. Sorry, but I consider it a worthwhile expense. She probably has 130k or so today so is healthier than me.
We're 10 minutes from the last level of the day, still at 600/1200/200. I'm on 58k or so and haven't seen much action since I moved tables. That's fine, I'm not spewing chips either.
I've been pretty inactive for the final level of this (12), save one hero call with ace high versus a woman who doesn't seem too abundant in the humour department going by her demeanor. We are down to 18 players and are now on the final 6 hands before bagging up for the day. I'm on 65k, which isn't at the top tier of chip counts, but is ample to move and shake with once we return for day two in the morning.
Off we go again and we have been joined by Ryan LaPlante, who won a PLO bracelet this year. Seems a nice kid with a good temperament. I've lost one pot versus a beard who wasn't folding his KQ offsuit. Still on 60k or so, and we have 26 players left. My table breaks and again I'm looking at new faces.
Cute quiet girl who played 1A on my table and jammed twice and busted is here. I finally got her smiling, though it cost me 3000 chips. Sorry, but I consider it a worthwhile expense. She probably has 130k or so today so is healthier than me.
We're 10 minutes from the last level of the day, still at 600/1200/200. I'm on 58k or so and haven't seen much action since I moved tables. That's fine, I'm not spewing chips either.
I've been pretty inactive for the final level of this (12), save one hero call with ace high versus a woman who doesn't seem too abundant in the humour department going by her demeanor. We are down to 18 players and are now on the final 6 hands before bagging up for the day. I'm on 65k, which isn't at the top tier of chip counts, but is ample to move and shake with once we return for day two in the morning.
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