Updates to come from noon.
We start four (!!!) handed, with Ryan Laplante on my left this time, firing his third $1600 bullet in two days. Not the ideal seat plan to start level one of a main event, but you take what you're dealt. 20K chips and a 45 minute clock. Hopefully here for 14 levels. Screen shows 57 players at present, we start at 50/100.
I was about to say that I've either had Ryan or Barry Shulman on my table every tournament this week. Barry just sat down so now I have both of them. This is likely to be a chip up early or explode table the way it's shaping up.
20K just became 14K when I lose a pot to Ryan. He has the nut flush, I have a Queen flush. Ugh. On we go.
Level 2, and this wasn't the start I was hoping for by a long shot. Trips lost to a small straight, and AQ and AK failed to improve. 12K. Teeth gritting time I think, but it's not how you start, etc, etc. I'll just have to hunker down and turn it round.
I was about to say that I've either had Ryan or Barry Shulman on my table every tournament this week. Barry just sat down so now I have both of them. This is likely to be a chip up early or explode table the way it's shaping up.
20K just became 14K when I lose a pot to Ryan. He has the nut flush, I have a Queen flush. Ugh. On we go.
Level 2, and this wasn't the start I was hoping for by a long shot. Trips lost to a small straight, and AQ and AK failed to improve. 12K. Teeth gritting time I think, but it's not how you start, etc, etc. I'll just have to hunker down and turn it round.
As an aside, in a few days I may play the PH $1675 circuit event. It only allows a single re-entry and has two flight days. More importantly it has a $1 Million guaranteed prize pool, and whilst my main focus for the trip has been the Venetian thus far, this is likely too good an event to pass up, and we have a decent amount left in the tank for the trip since we kept the re-entries low and missed a couple of events out.
Ryan is walking on water and just hit a 50K stack in a super weird hand. He hammered it on every street with Ace-rag, with the Ah, and he was getting smooth called the whole way. He runs out a four on the board nut flush, and though he won the hand I'm not 100% convinced he was betting the draw at all, and that he was actually just representing it, and was fortunate that it hit and he got paid. It didn't make much sense. Either way, he's not afraid to bet, and was rewarded. This now gives him a lot of chips, and he'll be raising even more, which doesn't concern me. It's just an adjustment to play is all.
Back to 16K again just as we hit the first 10 minute break. I just got Ryan to put down KK preflop to me, and show when I shoved, which is nice. My profile on the site is common knowledge, so am not going into too much detail about the hand at this point. Suffice to say we've made a recovery, and that's good news.
I feel like my stellar moment just arrived, but it turned sour and we chopped. i guess I could have lost.
3 way to a raise, I see a flop with As 5s. Myself, Ryan (again) and Rich DeNunzio, another experienced player with whom I've played many tournaments. This is now a tough table, but I never expected an easy one in the $1600 main.
Flop comes Ad 2s 4s. I have Aces, and a gutshot straight flush draw, with the nut flush draw also.
Ryan and I get into a raising war, and I ship. He ponders a while and calls, showing Ah Qc. I like this spot a lot with spades and the straight draw even if I'm currently outkicked, but not so much when the Ac comes on the turn. Now I'm not looking so hot. The river is the 2h, making us both a boat, and we chop. Fair enough. I could have been out I suppose. Still on 16K, and now 96/116 are playing.
Level 5 and back to 19K again. More or less where we came in. After the start I had today, I'll take it.
Ryan is walking on water and just hit a 50K stack in a super weird hand. He hammered it on every street with Ace-rag, with the Ah, and he was getting smooth called the whole way. He runs out a four on the board nut flush, and though he won the hand I'm not 100% convinced he was betting the draw at all, and that he was actually just representing it, and was fortunate that it hit and he got paid. It didn't make much sense. Either way, he's not afraid to bet, and was rewarded. This now gives him a lot of chips, and he'll be raising even more, which doesn't concern me. It's just an adjustment to play is all.
Back to 16K again just as we hit the first 10 minute break. I just got Ryan to put down KK preflop to me, and show when I shoved, which is nice. My profile on the site is common knowledge, so am not going into too much detail about the hand at this point. Suffice to say we've made a recovery, and that's good news.
I feel like my stellar moment just arrived, but it turned sour and we chopped. i guess I could have lost.
3 way to a raise, I see a flop with As 5s. Myself, Ryan (again) and Rich DeNunzio, another experienced player with whom I've played many tournaments. This is now a tough table, but I never expected an easy one in the $1600 main.
Flop comes Ad 2s 4s. I have Aces, and a gutshot straight flush draw, with the nut flush draw also.
Ryan and I get into a raising war, and I ship. He ponders a while and calls, showing Ah Qc. I like this spot a lot with spades and the straight draw even if I'm currently outkicked, but not so much when the Ac comes on the turn. Now I'm not looking so hot. The river is the 2h, making us both a boat, and we chop. Fair enough. I could have been out I suppose. Still on 16K, and now 96/116 are playing.
Level 5 and back to 19K again. More or less where we came in. After the start I had today, I'll take it.
We lost Barry. He flopped top two vs Andre the Giant`s bottom set and couldn`t improve. We`re at level 5, 50/150/300.
Just took a hit with QQ in a biggish pot. It felt like I was up against AK, and even more so when the King hit on the turn. I gave it up. 13K.
I'm pretty card dead on level 6, so am grinding. A beard has just joined the table with huge headphones and no less than three seat cushions. Seems nice enough. Ryan has played few hands since he got up to 50K, and seems happy to just stay above average for now.
I've gone from 13K to 11K,and we're nearing the end of level 6. It's not ideal, but the levels are slow by comparison to the other events, so I can be a bit more picky and not be forced to play a hand I shouldn't at this stage.
Back to 16K after a ding-dong battle with Rich. I jam the turn and he goes away. 118/162.
Back to 13K after I lose a pot to Andre when I raise with 99 and he repops it for 25% of my stack. I dwell-fold and he shows me KK.
Next break and I'm back to 16K again.
Back from beak and now we're at level 7, and 75/250/500. 107/167 remain.
I lose with 10 10 vs AK when he outflops me, and drop to 12K. Then I steal one to get back to 13,500.
I just look down at QQ, and one player raises to 1k, another 3 players call. I 3-bet to 4500, one player (Andre) calls the 4500, and the original bettor goes all-in with similar chips to me. I have around 8K left with around 22K now in the middle (31K if I call, 40K if Andre also calls behind), so this is never a fold in this spot now. I call, and Andre folds AK. The original bettor turns over...AK. Sigh.
The fact a few of his outs are gone always seems to mean nothing. The ace is the first card in the window and I'm out.
Mixed feelings. I think I played fine, had the measure of the table, and played the pot I needed to win to be in contention for day 2. It didn't go my way, but poker is a lot like that, and I'm not going to pillory myself because I lost the key hand. It's irritating but also part and parcel of tournaments. Some people would re-enter, and I have the roll to do it in the budget, but think it's a bad bet for $1600 as you're effectively playing catchup. I'll call it a day, and decide on the next event. It was scheduled to be the DSE $250 with 3 x day ones, but I still think the WSOP circuit event with a $1 million guarantee is looking like favourite. To be continued.
Just took a hit with QQ in a biggish pot. It felt like I was up against AK, and even more so when the King hit on the turn. I gave it up. 13K.
I'm pretty card dead on level 6, so am grinding. A beard has just joined the table with huge headphones and no less than three seat cushions. Seems nice enough. Ryan has played few hands since he got up to 50K, and seems happy to just stay above average for now.
I've gone from 13K to 11K,and we're nearing the end of level 6. It's not ideal, but the levels are slow by comparison to the other events, so I can be a bit more picky and not be forced to play a hand I shouldn't at this stage.
Back to 16K after a ding-dong battle with Rich. I jam the turn and he goes away. 118/162.
Back to 13K after I lose a pot to Andre when I raise with 99 and he repops it for 25% of my stack. I dwell-fold and he shows me KK.
Next break and I'm back to 16K again.
Back from beak and now we're at level 7, and 75/250/500. 107/167 remain.
I lose with 10 10 vs AK when he outflops me, and drop to 12K. Then I steal one to get back to 13,500.
I just look down at QQ, and one player raises to 1k, another 3 players call. I 3-bet to 4500, one player (Andre) calls the 4500, and the original bettor goes all-in with similar chips to me. I have around 8K left with around 22K now in the middle (31K if I call, 40K if Andre also calls behind), so this is never a fold in this spot now. I call, and Andre folds AK. The original bettor turns over...AK. Sigh.
The fact a few of his outs are gone always seems to mean nothing. The ace is the first card in the window and I'm out.
Mixed feelings. I think I played fine, had the measure of the table, and played the pot I needed to win to be in contention for day 2. It didn't go my way, but poker is a lot like that, and I'm not going to pillory myself because I lost the key hand. It's irritating but also part and parcel of tournaments. Some people would re-enter, and I have the roll to do it in the budget, but think it's a bad bet for $1600 as you're effectively playing catchup. I'll call it a day, and decide on the next event. It was scheduled to be the DSE $250 with 3 x day ones, but I still think the WSOP circuit event with a $1 million guarantee is looking like favourite. To be continued.
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