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update/upcoming plans

29/11/2017

Just in case anyone had thought I'd either A: fallen off the edge of the planet, or more likely B: done a Ronnie Biggs with any loot made on the trip and headed for Costa Rica and a life of drugs, women, sunshine, and relative comfort. For the 2 weeks until all the money runs out, that is.

Fear not, all is (as) well (as can be expected). I've taken a bit of time out to see friends, and relax since the Venetian DSE came to a conclusion. I could have jumped into one of their tiny concluding festival events, but I didn't like the guarantees, and to be frank, (or anyone else for that matter), after busting 20th in the $340, the last thing I really wanted was to plot straight up and jump into another event to potentially win a bowl if it all went to plan, but more likely just torch a buy-in and then leave wondering why I bothered. I felt the better course was to rest up and formulate the next step, whilst totting up the accounts and dotting the i's, crossing the t's etc.

Though I like to keep everything transparent, in broad strokes (as the exact strokes are basically between me and the paying shareholders only) I have to date on this trip played around $9300 worth of events, of which I've cashed for around $5600, which, whilst not the stellar return with 3 new trophies and $80k in the bank is what I'd hoped for, is still not a shabby return given the pretty small sample size of overall events in which I've taken part. It's very easy to play triple this amount of events and brick everything, however confident you are in your own ability. I spoke to one investor earlier, who would be perfectly happy to have me just roll any returns over and spin it up playing more stuff here, and, whilst in principle that sounds great, as I explained to him, I can't mix the financial returns on this trip, and the original bankroll and just "hope" that everyone who has shares would be OK with it, as invariably this would prove not to be the case... especially if I lost. Experience has shown me that most will likely want to roll anything won over to Spring or the Summer WSOP in the hunt for the big score, but of course I can't just assume that, so it has to be done this way, this way being that I play the bankroll out for this trip and everyone gets a statement once I'm done as to what they have to come back, which I hope is the fairest thing. There is however, a little left in the kitty for this trip ($900 ish), so my plan now is...

At my expense, I've (again) extended the trip, and changed both the rental car and flight arrangements to take a shot at the Wynn schedule which is shown above. The Seniors is out, luckily I'm not yet that old, and I can't fire too many shells at the $600 main event with a $900 roll, however I will play the main, though I'm undecided on the flight yet, and it has a nice $250K guarantee. Most of the stakers know me personally, outside of any people who casually pop up on the website to either peruse, stalk, smile, or snipe, and they know my normal M.O in spots like this. If I burn the first bullet in the main by busting, I will fire another one, but I'll make up the difference needed from my own funds, and should I cash in this, anyone with a share will still be on for the same percentage which they originally bought at the start of the trip. It's not right to ask stakers for any extra money once a package is sold, nor to take anything from their profit, even though I think most would be fine with it. It isn't a fortune extra to find, but it's me giving a little back, and saying thanks for the faith to the people who stick with me. Good karma, and all that crap.

So that's what's next. Before then, chill, golf, grub, friends. You know the drill. Better to be here than freezing in the UK since I don't have to be there in the immediate future.

1 Comment

$340 Doublestack $100K gtd day 2

26/11/2017

4 Comments

Event: $340 No-Limit Hold’em DoubleStack
Guarantee: $100,000
Entries: 628
Prize Pool: $175,840
Places Paid: 63
Players Remaining: 113
Min-Cash: $668
1st Place: $36,933

Let's see what happens from 11 a.m.

Off and running and I'm sitting next to a nice Turkish girl who jams first hand with a short stack. I don't like calling with 22 so I let her live.

We go from 113 players to 90 very rapidly. I'm playing the occasional pot and keeping my stack constant. We go to 500/2500/500 and people keep dropping like flies. I'm just pacing myself for now. Lots of short stacks trying to gamble.

The lemmings are at it again. Turkish Layla just lost a chunk with 33 vs 88 on a 772 flop, when a 3 turned, and an 8 rivered. Neither wanted to give up on the flop. Lots of swingy pots going on now, but I'm staying on an even keel.

360K now at 1K/3K/6K

Layla busts shortly after, and is replaced by a kid with a short stack and zero sense of humour. Hopefully I can send him packing.

A guy just jammed on my raise, and showed AK when I folded like it was the Holy Grail. The shove was fine,I don't get into lessons, and of course the hand has it's place in tournaments, but I still believe it's the most misplayed and overvalued hand in Hold 'Em. Most internet kids couldn't fold AK preflop even if you showed them KK. I guess one of us is wrong.

Bubble time. Still on 370K at 1K/3K/6K.

In the money now, it was pretty quick. Now a new bunch of suicide merchants are about to get busy. A whole new crop of weirdos to avoid.

This theory was quickly proved right as a guy on my table reshoves with AQ (which in this spot was fine) and is called for a shitload of chips by a kid with... AJ who simply cant find a fold even with another player behind. The AJ makes a flush. You can't fold AJ right? It's only 106K preflop. Jesus Christ.

59 left after the break as we hit level 19 and 1K/4K/8K. I have 343K.

Up to 405K when I sandbag trip 10's against the AJ kid and let him fire the river with King high. Chipping away.

I still maintain that more bustouts occur in these things at this stage because of people spazzing out with hands they massively over value than at any other time. People simply fall in love with their cards. I try very hard not to ever fall into this trap.

52 players left after the humourless kid on my right shoves with KJ offsuit, the old guy on my left calls him virtually all-in with A5 suited, and Ace high is good to bust him. It's pretty ugly but I always like to see people with a chip on their shoulder go out even if I'd never actually say it out loud. I'm on 440K with average at 314K, and blinds at 1K/4K/8K.

I just lost some when I fired with a draw with two aces on the board, and Lee Watkinson got stubborn with the pair he'd caught and called me down. Fair enough. Suck it up and continue Kevin. Back to 320K or so with 44 players left.

Back to 370K when I bust a player who shoves short (52K) with 56. I call with AQ out of a 300K+ stack, and the flop comes 224 giving him a gutshot. The turn brings an 8 for even more outs, but luckily he misses the lot and I win with Ace high. Thank goodness for small mercies.

41 left as we prepare to hit level 21 and 2K/6K/12K.

I grit my teeth and grind a bit back to pass 400K again.

38 players left and I'm back to 420K. A couple of bigger stacks are now on the table, including a guy I busted the other day who must have rebought. I am choosing my moments and not getting too involved with the players who want to spew chips and swing 200K at a time. Right now we are in the middling area where a silly mistake ruins your chance to win.

Next break and 35 remain. Table is pretty tough and I'm still largely grinding. Average is 448K, and I've got 466, so not too shabby.

Back from break and we are now at 2K/8K/16K. One sunglasses-wearing big stack on my right just called off 155K preflop with 33, and lost. I told him that whatever the other guy has, if no cards that come out are bigger than a three he's probably in fantastic shape. I think it sailed over his head, he possibly didn't see it because he's wearing his sunglasses indoors.

Poker players do (in my eyes) such idiotic things. It doesn't upset or irk me, but it is worthy of note.

One guy bets, and the other player in the pot announces all-in and pushes his stack in. It is approximately 125K, which is obvious to anyone with a degree of common sense. However the question then comes out:

"How much is it?"

From the guy sitting one foot away.

My point is, you're not folding for 128K, but calling for 124K. Use your eyes. And your brain. And don't just ask the dumb question because everyone else is also dumb enough to ask it. It's not cool. You don't get a read on someone, and just because people on TV want to do it every hand, it doesn't make you intimidating, it makes you retarded. Don't be that person. Just use your brain and 99% of the time you don't need to ask. Rant over.

455K with 30 left. Redraw at 27 which is what I'm waiting for.

Up to 3K/10K/20K. This will be the level where it all goes right or wrong.

Redraw now as we hit 27 players. Suits me just fine.

Disaster. I raise with JJ, and I get shoved on. It's borderline, but I decide this is the time to get going and build a stack. I call and he shows KK. Bad read on my part. I lose but have him covered. I drop to 165K, which could be soul destroying after all this work, if I had a soul of course.

25 left and I need to choose the moment. 170K at these blinds won't cut it.

There's a raise, and I jam with AK. I am not in love with it, but with this stack it's now a no-brainer. The guy behind me reshoves, and we both table AK. Much merriment as we chop.

The next hand I raise with KK, and the same guy jams again. This time I call and I have his QQ locked up. No horrors and I get a reprieve and am back to 445K again as we drop to 24 players.

21 left, and we are up to 4K/12K/24K. 400K sounds like a lot, but at this level that stack can drop pretty quickly.

I lose one pot blind on blind, where I flop a pair and have to bet it. He shuffles around and then moves all-in. He's not bluffing, so I fold. Now it's push and pray time.

I look down at 10 10, and a player before me open jams. I have about the same and no-one else is looking short, so I decide I have to go with it and I also jam.

A player behind me then also shoves for less. OK now I don't like it.

We go over, and the third player to shove shows AJ. OK...well played.

I flip 10 10.

The original raiser shows AA.

I end up with no help and my stack is now 2K, at 4K/12K/24K. I've seen events won from here, but many more lost. ho hum.

I actually win my all-in hand with 32 when I make two pair, but bust the following hand in 20th for $1547. Frustrating to feel I played very well and had yet another deep run, but this time I effectively lost 2 big hands with pairs to bigger pairs, the JJ vs KK, and the 10 10 vs AA. As simple as that. Not making excuses, that was just the way it went, and result aside, I'm OK with it. 20th out of 648 players.

Another update to follow shortly. I will decide what is next in the coming 24 hours. Thanks for the messages and goodwill.

4 Comments

$340 DoubleStack $100K gtd Day 1A

24/11/2017

1 Comment

The smallest buy-in event of the DSE to carry a $100K guarantee today, and likely for me the final event of the series, at least in the Venetian anyway. It should attract a big field with two flights, and the standard early won't be great, but with a 25K starting stack, it's certainly a good spot to splash about and get a stack early if the table suits.

So far a largely unsmiling bunch, though nobody is obviously hostile (you'd be surprised in poker tournaments how many people turn up in a terrible mood DETERMINED to have some sort of argument with someone). I've done little but limp and fold in the first level. Standard Kevin. 117/120 at 75/150.

First small pot won. Loosening them up a little bit.

45K and a Baileys and milk at 2.45pm. What could be better?

My 5c 6c got there to make a straight vs some old rock's 77 on a 278 flop. I would feel bad but as said before, I do kind of play poker a little outside the box, and this is how you accumulate chips in these things. He took it pretty well, even though I busted him, and as previously pointed out, I mess around and joke and chat at the table a lot, but in spots like that when I win I say very little. Being a dick when you outdraw someone really isn't a cool thing to do. Ever.

We hit level 5 and 140/174 remain.

Up to 48K. My Israeli friend at the table has got his chips back to normal and has stabilised after a fashion. I've generally left him alone now for a bit. People are now chattier and looser, largely as a result of my diatribe, which is how we like it.

Level 6 and little to say except a pretty Dutch girl just joined up. She proceeds to dust off 20K of a 30K stack on a 10 Q K 6 board with...A8 against KQ. River bricks and the KQ receives an early Xmas present courtesy of her. I'm still on around 48K and splashing about quite a bit, playing the poker I like best, talking and raising. Average is 33K.

Approaching level 7, and the table dynamic has become very weird. One kid just called me preflop, on the flop, the turn and the river with 33. The board read K J 10 8 6. He was winning yes, but even so it's a head scratcher. He's filed away under "value bets" in my mind for later on. Back to 40K at the next break.

It's become a no fold 'em Hold 'Em table, which is kind of commonplace in poker nowadays of course. All the smart kids are doing it, and they clearly know everything. The key for me however, is to adjust and extract value from the fact most people can't see past their own hands. 135/200 and I'm still over average.

And this, kids, is why you probably should stop playing too many pots, and trying to be cleverer than me at the table.

I find KK in the big blind (I know, hard to play yeah?), and an aggressive player who I have already told I will send skint if he keeps playing pots with me, makes it 1200 to go at 75/250/500. The Israeli player thinks and flats the 1200. Folds to my big blind and I make it 5200 by throwing out a 5K chip along with two 100 blacks. Now in these spots, although I always talk at the table and am happy to exploit people's weaknesses, I would never obviously shoot an angle by throwing in the 5K and then hamming it up with a speech. It's borderline.

However, if other people spot an opportunity and now think they can exploit me and any mistakes I might make, then who am I to stop them? It's open season. Please note, I have said nothing whatsoever to influence the action. I have simply let their greed take over.

The original bettor thinks (note, thinks) he catches a slight flicker in me as I throw in the 5200, like maybe it was a mistake on my part. He tanks for a while, and then moves all-in for about 22K.

The Israeli guy now is in a spot, but he also then shoves, hoping that he is also right, that I made an error, and that the original bettor has shoved trying to isolate me and exploit it. The Israeli has QQ, and he also shoves trying to exploit the original exploiter (stay with me). I call. Over we go, and clench everything.

Original bettor: 33
Israeli: QQ
Me: KK

An Ace flops but luckily no-one is home with one of those. I fade the rest, and up to 87K I go. I'm normally very chipper, but there's never a good moment to gloat when you've won the pot, though of course most plebs think a hand clap or a fist pump and a "yes!" is acceptable etiquette (it's not). The original bettor busts out, and the crippled QQ player is also gone shortly afterwards. Chalk up one for the good guys.

I maintain pressure, and later find 2 callers when I raise with 10c 8c.

Flop 6d 7h 9d. Bingo. I make this stuff look easy.

I bet way too much, and get one caller. The turn is the 3h.

I fire again and he now jams. That'll do nicely. I call. He flips over 54. He was drawing dead, and luckily for me, he got there.

171K at the dinner break. Average chips is 51K, and 110/221 remain. Bossing the table and playing well. The plan is to cruise to day 2 and take tomorrow off to play golf! Let's try to run up a huge stack today, and avoid a repeat performance of this spot a few days ago, where it nearly all went sour when I lost every hand with a big stack for 2 straight hours.

Back from break, and 10 minutes in I lose a 50K pot versus the little twerp who called me down with 33 earlier. I raise with 77 and he jams 24K in with the NLH monster that is KQ offsuit. I snap and he rivers a King. Sigh.

I've raised and called a few, missed every flop in the process, however the first hand was the only one that really stung. Still on a very comfy 140K at 100/500/1000.

Level 11 and the old guy on my left has had KK and QQ back to back and doubled up virtually twice. The two players on my left are dreadful, but that also makes them highly unpredictable, and necessitates treading carefully at this point to avoid bleeding chips.

I raise to 2700 with 99, and a guy fidgets around and then makes it 5400. I muck my hand for the min-raise, and show him, and then tell him I think he has Aces. He laughs and tells me my reads are bad...and shows me KK. How we all laughed at the table. Jolly japes.

Level 12 and I'm back to 162K again, mostly with well timed bluffs. The 33 kid has now busted, which wasn't a huge surprise. Whilst of course I'm generalising, in my experience, any guys who play poker who have tattoos on their arms involving playing cards (normally the Ace of Spades) tend to vastly overrate their own ability, have too much testosterone, and invariably get a big stack and then murder it. This is what happened on this occasion, when he outdrew me with the KQ, then gave it all away with 55 on a 346 flop. Not to me, sadly but onward we go anyway.

68 players left now, and we are nearing the end of the level, and the next break.

I've gone on a heater when I upped the raising frequency after I increased my stack to 175K. I bang it with 8s 7s and get repopped by some young hot-shot. I flop bottom pair and he bangs the flop and also the turn. I don't believe him and flat both. The river is an 8 and I make two pair, he bets 22K and I snap him off, to go to 220K with average at 100K.

Move tables again...and I raise one and all pass. Shortly after I get KK (what a life), I limp (emulating my error the other day in the final). This time however, I'm right about it, and I get a raise, and also a call. Now I jack it up, and...they BOTH call! Wow. Big pot. Over we go.

QQ, vs AK, vs my KK. I bust them both and now I'm over 300K. Ker-ching.

Moved to yet another table, with both the Dans here...Bland and Heimiller. I am running pretty well and now have 350K at 500/1000/2000. The average is 140K and 40 players are left, so I am doing more than OK. Dan Bland cripples Dan Heimiller, when DB's flush draw cracks DH's top pair on the flop and it all goes in. On level 15 people are getting twitchy, and I'm not really in the mood to give anyone an easy double up.

Last 6 hands, and little to report. 37 players made it through, and average chips is 147K as we are now bagging up for the day, to come back for day 2 on Sunday. I fluctuated a little, but have a very comfortable stack of 351K, which is 6th highest chips and personally, I think I'm playing well and I've earned the day off tomorrow for my efforts. Golf awaits!

1 Comment

sitting with a bunch of old rocks

23/11/2017

2 Comments

Sounds like an easy table then...surely?

2 Comments

$400 NLH $35K GTD (one day)

22/11/2017

0 Comments

Nice pain. Never mind. On we go. I jump straight into today's event, and onto a table where I recognise no-one except a girl who normally has zero sense of humour, but who on this occasion appears to be extremely drunk and talkative. I rarely trust appearances, but she looks pretty hammered, and based on the hands she's turned over I'd say it's not an act.

Back from break and I snap off a button river bluff with one pair. My 18K starting chips now looks like 22K. The standard in this thing is way worse than the event I just came from. My 22K just went back to 16K when my top pair lost to a set.

91/124 currently, we're at 25/150/300.

Drunk girl just tried bluffing me. It didn't go so well for her. back to 24K again.

I drop to 16K when I find KK, and lose to a flopped two pair. A bit of pot control keeps it small. The table plays very weird, and the bet sizing is all over the place, but on we go. We hit level 6 with 87/130 players at 50/200/400.

Level 7, and I raise with AK offsuit and get 2 callers. Flop 5 5 7. I fire again and get a call and a raise. I go away, and 7 10 offsuit wins. Ugh. 12,500.

I steal one versus the drunk girl and climb to 15K again. This table is weird for sure.

I drop back when I try a reraise with AQ and I get 4-bet. I decide I'd rather be getting it in with a made hand or a draw at the very least. 10K.

Argh. Maybe my first error of the trip. I'm sure someone out there who undoubtedly knows better will tell me otherwise. I call a raise with 9h 10h, and the flop comes 2h 7s Jh. I have a gutshot, and a flush draw. The aggressive raiser bets into me, and I tank for a minute of so then shove It might be a C-bet on his part, or maybe a made hand, but I have ways to win, and there's a decent pot out there.

He snaps, and tables JJ, for top set. Well played Kevin.

Not drawing dead by a long way, but a pair up would kill me. Turn is the 4c for no help, and the river is the Ks, meaning I missed everything and am out.

There's a case for not playing the hand at all, but likewise it's a one day event and I want to build chips and win the damn thing. I took a risk and it bricked. Welcome to poker. I can re-enter, but instead opt not to. Wait for the next $100K event, which is a $340 the day after Thanksgiving, so keep my powder dry and return in a day or two.

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$400 nlh superstack $100k gtd day 2

22/11/2017

2 Comments

Whilst the screenshot shows me second from last in the chip counts, fear not, dear reader. It ain't that dire.

51 players returning
45 get paid
Average stack is 146K, blinds 500/1500/3000. I have 193K.
$30K up top, which of course is what we're shooting for. Updates from 11a.m.

Off we go, and we quickly go from 51 players to 46...and the bubble. I see a huge pot on my first table with quad 3's versus a boat for a huge pot, then I get moved. On my new table, it's folded round to small blind vs big blind (me) and I then get raised to 8K by a shortish stack. I look down at A6 heads up and have him well covered so I apply pressure and ship it. He snap calls for his remaining 68K like folding is never an option and tables... A8 offsuit. He flops an 8. That's a pretty ugly way to start the day. I'm never calling with that hand in that spot for my tournament, but we all play different I guess.

I drop to 115K, and am really not in the mood to mess around. There's a raise and a call next hand on my small blind, so I make it 100K, and they both grumble and fold. Back to 135K, and still on the bubble.

It's quite funny. A few guys are standing up and doing lunges, stretches and other exercise movements. They're not actually not limbering up at all, but in reality are trying to see who is short stacked on the other tables. Funny, yet also kind of pathetic. The money means something of course, but I'm trying to win it, not make a $763 min-cash. If the hand or the situation comes up then the money goes in, simple as that.

I guess my attitude has just been rewarded, we're in the money as someone busts. On to stage two of the tournament now then.

Now 43 players left, and after the pot I lost I'm back in the pack and grinding on 130K at 500/2K/4K as we hit level 16. The lemmings are out again this morning, so I'll be selective and let everyone else make the mistakes for now.

34 Players left and I'm ducking and diving. Poker players in general watch too many televised events, and then try their best to emulate their TV icons by saying silly things like "how much is it?" when it's REALLY OBVIOUS how much it is. One guy just cut out 70K and got asked the question by a player sitting one foot away. So, let me get this clear... you'd fold for 71K, but you'll call for 68K? Sigh. Maybe I'm just getting old and crotchety. It does seem kind of dumb though...right up there with the retarded "lets put one hand on the opposite shoulder when playing because we saw Jeff Madson do it once in the WSOP" move. Stop it! It's idiotic!

I just got moved again back to my original table. lots of big stacks and I'm still toughing it out with 110K at 500/2.5K/5K. Now down to 31 players so time to get busy is going to be very soon with this stack. A few guys here have 600K plus. The pay jumps between say 27th and 10th are, in the grand scheme of things not particularly great. If I say I'm really only shooting for top tow it maybe sounds arrogant, but it's actually the truth.

That I'm shooting for $18K or $30K that is.. not that I'm being arrogant :)

I play a pot cute vs a big stack and he's not sure what to do so checks and gives me a free river. I take a small victory and climb back to 130K again.

We just hit 27 players, and a redraw. I'm talking my way into the odd pot and the odd walk, having seen nothing so far today besides the monster A6. I'm on 140K.

First break. 120K. 26 players left.

And...bust. I must stop playing these hands so badly.

I find QQ with a 100K stack. There's a raise to 14K, Dan Heimiller makes it 45K, and I ship the 100. The original raiser folds his bag of spanners, and Dan looks pained. He knows he's losing, but has (just) enough equity to make the call and hope for a race. He calls and tables 88. Well played Kevin.

Blank, blank, blank, blank....Eight. That's me done in 24th for $1123.

Nothing to do but shrug it off and continue. I know I'm playing just fine, so just keep on doing it. I collect my winnings, and buy straight in for today's $400 one day DSE event.

2 Comments

$400 NLH Superstack $100K gtd day 1a

20/11/2017

8 Comments

Once more unto the breach dear friends...

One friendly face at my starting table, in the shape of the younger, fitter, nicer, and more Italian Vince Calenti lookalike with whom I've played a few times this past few weeks. Just kidding, love you Vinnie xo

There are two 100K gtd events left in the deepstack, this being the first of them. I'm feeling like it might be fast and loose with an 18K stack and a passive looking bunch staring impassively back at me. maybe not, we'll see how it goes.

I open the first pot with 33 and get two callers. It goes to the river and there's a bet of 1500 (at 50/100) and a call, and I have just 33 on a 9 9 Q 10 2 board so I fold.

They show AK and 33. Marvellous.

Level 2, and fast and loose may be the order of the day for sure as UK legend and calling station extraordinaire Albert Sapiano joins the table immediately to my right (thank goodness). I like Albert, who can be a nightmare to play against because he sees just about every flop for any price, but he's amiable enough, and is good for the game. I give him an introduction for the benefit of the table and inform them he is about to change their lives. He proceeds to win about 5 pots in a row with dogshit 5 gappers,and quickly goes up to around 25K. I didn't say he'd change their lives for the better.

He just hit 30K with A2 by hitting a runner runner wheel with two Kings also on the board. He bet 4K on the river and I think the old guy who called him nearly had a heart attack when he flipped his hand over and showed the straight. Anyway, the focus of these updates is supposed to be me, so let's hope I can get him to double me up nice and early. I kind of have the best seat in the house right now.

Level 3 now, and I'm on 17K after winning a small one. Albert is up and down like there's no tomorrow, but still on a dangerous 26K.

It's still the Albert show here on table 16. He just jammed with 78 on a 2 9 10 J 5 board, and the Russian lady on my left paid him off with J 9 for her whole stack. I think I just need a $100K bankroll. It gives you an amazing sense of freedom to be able to see every flop and punt every draw in tournaments! He's on 45K, and I'm trying to stay with him on a less impressive 18K.

83/100 players currently.

Having Albert on the table is a double edged sword. There is literally no hand he won't call a raise with if he feels like it, and once he's in a pot with anything, he's like woodworm...you can't get him out. This has drastically changed the table dynamic, so now there is very little raising going on preflop, and most flops are seen 5 or 6 handed. I can adjust to it easily enough, sure, but I think it'll still be the big payoff hand where I have to clench everything and hope he doesn't ping a miracle against me. We just saw a flop with 8 players, that should give you a clue how the table is playing!

Finally found my mojo and won a few at the first break. 26K. Albert's menacing stack of blues is to my right.

Back from the break. I find KK against a tight player who has dropped a bit and shoves with AK. I fade the normal outcome, and have built up to a respectable 37K now. Albert is currently tucking into a huge plate of salmon and rice next to me, so is a trifle distracted at least for now.

Level 5 begins, and...snap! I manage to take a hefty chunk from my erstwhile companion's stack, when I catch the second nut flush on the turn and check it. I bet 4K on the end and luckily Albert has made a straight and raises me 15K. I have the second nuts but am not folding that to Albert 999 times out of 1000, so I call and scoop. 62K. Sitting pretty. An added bonus was that my buddy Steve "the angel of death" was dealing and he managed to let me win one. Cocktails all round. Albert is wounded, but still dangerous. I'll try to finish him off later. For now I'm happy to just drag the odd pot or two, and keep climbing.

Level 5. I'm on 64K. 86/130 remain and average stack is 27K. Motoring along.

Level 7, and I've dropped to about 57K. I've laid a few hands down to Albert's bets, as he's getting tired now and more swingy and aggressive as he comes to terms that he can't win this thing in the first 7 levels. He won't win, but could seriously hurt my chances of winning along the way, so like letting a boxer punch himself out and into tiredness, I'm letting him wear himself out with calls and raises. He had a stack of almost 70K at one point... it now looks like more like 23K because he only has the one gear and won't back off.

Aside from my slightly puzzled/constipated look in the freeze-frame of the video above, here is an update.

Albert is no more. He went to 20K, and on a board of 9 J K 10 6 he jams with J 9, only to be shown a flopped straight. He's always fun to have in the game (unless he cripples you), and he sends the whole table off balance. Now he's gone we have to re-adjust and start playing properly again. I'm biding my time and am still at around 70K or so, so going nicely.

Level 8, and we go up to 75/300/600. I'm on 70K which is just great. People all around are discussing hands and ranges, how people "have" to have a particular hand in a particular spot, and also what they are folding. To me, poker is largely about mis-information, or giving no information, whilst exuding an image that projects totally the opposite of this. We're all different I guess, but there's a ton of free info to be hoovered up, and utilised, since people want to broadcast their thought process.

81K. I'm in the zone and exercising my right to perform some selective larceny on the table. I'm likely chip leader here, and am trying to keep the pressure on everyone, as we approach level 9 and the dinner break. Average is 41K and I'm very happy if this table doesn't break.

Of course. My table just broke.

Me and my big yap. I get moved to a new line up including Dan Heimiller, and a huge stack directly to my left. This bunch looks a lot tougher.

OK, so maybe it's Kevin's day today...

I just looked down at this. Note out of my professionalism I even managed to get a snap for you guys. There's a raise before me to 2600, and I bump it to 12,500 after two players call the raise.

Worryingly, the big stack on my left now dwells up, and then calls the 12,500. Even more alarmingly, a short stack now jams for 15K, which means that no-one who already called is allowed to re-raise, and now to complete the clusterfuck, Dan Heimiller on my right now also CALLS the 15K. A big pot already and I don't like playing KK four way with an all-in short stack. Jesus!

The flop comes ten high, I'm first to act, and I ship. It's a BIG overbet into two other big stacks, and it screams like I'm trying to buy is as there's no side pot.

The big stack asks for a count and some time, and then calls. Dan goes away. The big stack flips over...JJ, and the short all-in tables AJ. Any chance I can run good when it matters?

Oddly...yes. I'm now on 190K at the dinner break :) My chicken fried rice never tasted so good.

Back after dinner, and the screen shows average chips of 48K with 54/148 players remaining and blinds of 100/500/1000. I have around 185K. Let's see if we can spanner this up.

I guess I should keep my mouth shut, though of course I won't. I lose a 90K pot with AK vs KK first hand when I get moved to a new table (again). No-one else had folded an ace and I still couldn't get there when I also flopped a straight draw. Back to 135K. Ho hum. That was a big chunk which I could have done without losing. I'm still more than comfortable, but am grinding a bit more now.

Jesus. Down to 80K when I raise with Qh Qd, get 3 callers and it comes 567...all clubs. I lose 20K there, and a little more a bit later when I flop the nut flush draw with a gutshot, and it all misses. An Asian kid with shades and bad jewellery doesn't want to fold second pair. That's an ugly way to lose over half my stack in an hour.

This is truly the stuff of which nightmares are made. I've come back from dinner and have lost quite literally every single hand I've played. Every one. And I'm not spewing chips, it's just gone bad every time. Grit. Teeth. And carry on. 35/148 left.

Up to 200/800/1600 at level 12 with 34 players left. this has really been a soul destroying 2 hours, where I've largely stayed out of any trouble, and yet every hand I've played hasn't worked out for me. I guess I rise above it, and continue to go forward. 65K.

I've yet again been moved tables, dropped to 55K, which is now below average, and find myself facing a daunting new line up including Dan Heimiller (again), and also Bob Whalen, another able-bodied and aggressive U.S tournament veteran with whom I've played a lot.

I limp with 4h 6h, deciding I can't be waiting for Aces, and it gets jacked to 6500 and called. I decide to take a flop and hope I'm due a miracle sooner or later. We see the flop 3 way with over 20K in the middle.

Flop comes 2h 3d 5h. It really don't get much better for our boy.

The original bettor makes it 20K. A weak player behind raises to 40K...and I jam for 75K or so. The original bettor looks truly pained, and after 2 minutes, he gives up (what he later said was KK, for what it's worth).

The 40K raiser announces all-in...even though we are heads up and I'm already all-in before him. Always a good way to spot the inexperienced. I just don't want him to flip over a bigger flush draw, or a set. Drawing dead is how I'd prefer him.

He tables AA, with the Ah. OK, looks safe enough surely.

Turn is an ace. Oh holy fuck. Could life really be this cruel today. Now he can win with a heart (not the 3h, which makes me a straight flush) or a pair up for a boat, or an ace for quads.

It's the Queen of clubs, and I'm safe. I'm back to 160K. However, it was a nasty moment.

Well, that was a HORRIBLE part of the day for me, and I'm glad I weathered it. I'm finally back in decent shape again. The dream continues. 28 players remain.

Back to it, and again I'm feeling like it's Lemmingsville. Some of the play is aggressive but REALLY bad now, with 70K-120K pots being won with one pair. A lot of these guys are all over the place, and are not going to win, but can decimate my stack and ruin MY chances, so I'm being conservative until I have something super strong. The Asian kid who wouldn't fold second pair to me earlier just blew half his stack when he lost to KJ offsuit on a K 3 5 8 9 board. I don't know what he called the other player's 20K river bet with if he couldn't beat a pair with a crappy kicker.

He just gave me some chips also when my AQ on a queen high board extracted some value. He doesn't like to fold, and I intend to exploit it in a while.

Maybe I should do this for a living. I just busted him when I sandbagged 10 10 vs his A 10. The board came 4 6 9 and he couldn't help himself. I snapped him off and he missed the ace, I'm over 215K at 400/1200/2400 with average at 121K and 22/148 left.

Another table move...I'm guessing the last one of the night. Now 19 players left. I'm on 210K. I have a crazy Arabic guy on my left with a lot of chips. Great.

Bob Whalen just got hamstrung by the Arab when his AJ couldn't beat A5 when the Ace flopped and the 5 rivered, he wasn't a happy bunny. You've got to know your players. Some of these guys are simply NOT folding, and I'd rather make day 2 with a decent stack, than get into a pissing contest with someone who is 92% testosterone. I'll beat them when it means something. At least that's the plan.

Well, bag up we did. What a rollercoaster! I've earned a free day tomorrow for golf and catching up with friends, and hopefully some rest before day 2 on Wednesday. All for the one bullet. Huzzah.

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WSOP circuit PH $1675 main event $1m gtd day 1b

18/11/2017

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Rocking and rolling at PH today after a bit of down time of a few days. This won't be a picnic, but the guarantee is certainly attractive, and we came to play, so off we go. This will likely be negotiating a minefield, so right now nothing more than maintaining average, and making day 2 is the early expectation.

An uneventful level one, and I play very few pots in the next either. We're seated in the spa section of the Mezz in PH, so it's white marble floors and bright lights. Luckily it's not freezing in here, and it's also nice and quiet. A few familiar faces at my table but largely unknowns, and virtually no-one but me is talking, so I'm waiting to see if there are any early bonuses to be had, but so far it appears not. It looks like it's going to be a grind so far, which is OK.

Today's flight has 341 players so far and counting. My table is currently 8 handed.

Maybe it's not such a grind. I just saw a woman with As 3s beat a guy who called a decent raise with Js 4s. They both turned a flush on a paired board and somehow managed to play a 25K pot with a 20K starting stack at 75/150 when he bet the river and she raised him all-in, and he still called. Good to see.

Just before the 15 minute break as level 3 ends, I double up a short stack when my 33 cant hold against his steal-shove with 10 8 offsuit. Luckily his short stack was around only 1100, so it's not good but is just a minor irritation. 17K at end of L3 as we go on break.

Hurrah. Kevin wins his first pot. It was a tiddler when an aggressive Brazilian (I think) guy presses my big blind and I give him a spin with Ks 10s. The board ends up J J A 10 9 and I still win, so at least we know he'll be raising with horseshit.

His trend continues, and I make a vocal note of it, in a light hearted way. He chops up some poor kid when his 75 offsuit raise rivers a gutterball 8 high straight. Hopefully I can catch him at some point. 17,500 and now 38 entrants.

Monster pot in which I'm not involved. Ad Ah (Brazilian), 9d 8d (impassive sunglasses player) and Kc Qh (tilting kid who lost to the Brzilian). Flop is Queen high, all diamonds, and they all get the chips in. Obviously.

Crazy Brazil makes a set on the turn, but the 9d 8d holds and busts two of them. This table so far just looks like sit around and wait patiently to get paid.

Just tried raising in position and got 4 callers. I think the talking at the table and the English combined with humour is generally a good mix, but occasionally it induces too much action as in this case. Luckily my 5c 4 c makes two pair, and I'm back up to 21K again.

Another huge one, as a solid player on my left finds 33 on a 235 flop and it all goes in against 22 and AA. Threes hold and another two bust. Easy chips.

I win again with two pair and get up to 24K. I seem to be getting a lot of callers whenever I raise, so I'm not getting too out of line. 421 entrants today and still climbing. Long way to go.

A large 'Murican beard with a backpack, a baseball cap, and a good 300 lbs of body weight just joined us. It looks like every table on the WSOP circuit main gets allocated at least two of these guys.

Level 6 and it's 25/150/300. I'm on 23K now. Quite a few have busted and I've now got the table talking, which is a far better dynamic. Looks like only one person is determined to not participate.

It's tough to play solid poker when the rest of your table appear to be on acid or something. Just saw another 30K pot where the only girl at the table called 2K with Jh 7h (as you do), and flopped a shitty flush vs Kh Ks. The flush holds. Eye-opening stuff indeed at 50/200/400.

Another beard arrives, and punts off half of his 20K start stack in the first 3 hands by being ultra aggressive. Let's see how that approach works out for him against people who don't fold.

A lot of players seem (to me at least) to always play these things in such a formulaic fashion, like, poker is "meant" to be played this way. As most of you know by now, I wholeheartedly disagree with this approach. I think it's situational, and that's why I do unorthodox things. I just had 99 in the big blind, and folded to a 10K shove from the small blind with 2 players behind me, the girl who think J7 is worth 2K, and the beard who has gone down to 10K, appears to be going red, and is tilting slightly. She folds, he snap calls for most of his money, flips AQ, and hits the Queen. I'm pretty convinced if I call or overshove, then he calls anyway before a blood vessel pops. Situational...like I say.

I'm back to 18K when my set-mining approach doesn't work out. Level 8, and 75/250/500.

Nearly 5 and a half hours into this thing, and I'm playing fine but haven't caught a break yet. I'm not hitting any cards so am being patient. A few of the players on my table are good players but it's very weird for a $1675 main. Some are playing it like it's a $30 re-entry event, and if they catch any piece of the flop, then it's worth a 20K stack. I'm averse to play like this, so am just waiting to get doubled up by one of the coconuts with more money than sense.

One guy makes a remark about me talking a lot yet not playing any hands, which gets a laugh from the table. He raises the next pot and then is forced to fold, and I tell him that I just find my method preferable to playing 65% of pots, and losing 55% of them, which gets a bigger one. For the cherry on the cake, I limp with rags the next hand and then reraise two people to take it down and go back up to 20K again. Easy game this.

Now on the last level before the 60 minute dinner break. It's 100/300/600 and we have 476 entrants and counting.

Approaching the break, and I drop to 15K reraising with AK, missing the flop and getting two all-ins so folding. I then get 77 and call a raise, only for a big stack to jam 35K in with 99. He is called by A 10, and i would have flopped a seven, but lose when it runs out 5678J. As I said, you just have to dance through the minefield.

On the break I bump into a nice kid who was on my table a few days ago. He basically didn't like playing pots with me because he never knew where he was and said as much. He only won one biggish one against me, where he called flop and turn and then rivered a gutshot...his only out. We exchanged hellos and I asked if he was playing (he looked to be considering it after I mentioned it the other day).

"Yeah", he replied. "I got about 60K. You?"

"Not as much as you" I replied, and off I went to lunch wondering if I need to stop overthinking stuff, and just jam two cards more often like everyone else seems to be doing. It's working out for them generally.

The 60K kid I mentioned earlier just walked past me as he was exiting and tried to tell me his bad news. I nodded a bit but was generally just marvelling at how you can decimate a 60K stack in that short a time, when I've been grinding 20 or 30% of that for hours.

13K for me, coming back to 100/400/800, which is fine, but means with 16 bigs I'll be choosing my battles carefully, but also won't be call/folding very much either. The table is the right one to get paid on, and I wouldn't see a raise, and a shove from me and then a call from something like A J or A 10 as a huge surprise the way it's been playing. For now it's an hour spent with a turkey bacon avocado club sandwich, with Chipotle sauce.

Back from break and there's no let up in the war of attrition, so I'm biding my time and not wasting anything. I don't want to be dropping so low that a shove is suddenly an easy call for 3 players, so I'll conserve ammo, and ship if the situation dictates it. Screen now shows 505 players today at level 10, and reg is open for another 3 levels. You've gotta love Caesar's Entertainment in their quest for value.

As an indicator of the mindset here, blinds are now 100/400/800. It gets raised to 2K, and then repopped to 6500. Two players still call the 6500 (with around 25-30K stacks each), and 87 finally wins the pot vs JJ when he flops a draw, jams, and then rivers an 8 high straight. I'm reading a different manual altogether to some of these guys I think.

The room is steadily emptying out as more and more tables are broken. I have a feeling we won't be far behind them, which is not great news. As I said, sometimes it just becomes situational, so on my big blind there's a raise to 2200 and a call, and I jam 9K in with A3. It has the desired effect and they both fold. Also I know both of these guys are good enough not to bleed off chip unnecessarily, and I also know neither of them want to give me a bigger stack, as they've played with me quite a bit before. Back to 14K again. as we now go to level 11 and 100/500/1000.

New table, a mix of friendly and unsmiling. I find myself of the left of...none other than Barry Shulman, again, along with some Asian whizz-kid, who I'm being told is winning every other tournament he plays. Fun times. 12.5K.

Level 12 now, and whilst it'd be nice to make level 15 and day 2, accomplishing this with no chips is never going to be the way it'll go for me. Do or die stuff...time to double. I think a rough count would be around 220 players remain from the original 500 or so.

Just raised with 66 and got one caller with a flop of 99J. I get moved all-in and can't find the call for my stack. I might have shoved had he checked but the bet cuts my ways of winning in half. My table breaks again, and I'm now facing a new set of big stacks on my third seating. 9K at 200/600/1200.

I find the spot on level 13 when there's a small raise from a big stack, and a call. I have Qc 10c and see a flop of Jc 2c 3h. First player checks, and I jam with an over and a flush draw. The original bettor calls and player 3 folds. He flips KJ with no clubs so I'm live to a queen or a club. I hit neither on the turn and river, and after 9.5 hours on level 13 I'm eliminated. I picked up around 3 premium hands in this entire time, and dodged around but couldn't find the spot to get paid. My exit would have put me back to around 22K again but we couldn't do it. Frustrating when card dead, but there it is. The maniac in me knows I could re-enter, but that ain't happening. I'll keep the powder dry and it's back to the Venetian, for the multiple flight $400 Superstack event on Monday.

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Update

17/11/2017

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There I am...looking like I'm loving life. This was actually just before I busted 10th in the $600, so I guess I must have known something.

Thus far on the trip, I've played 9 events, spent around $6500, and have cashed for almost 3K. Not a huge sample size of course, but it's pretty much all been deep runs and spinning out late, with one big pot as a favourite for all the marbles and a shot at a $40K payday. I can't grumble. Well, I can, but I'd be wrong in doing so.

I decided to miss the Venetian $250 event with 3 x day ones in favour of the WSOP circuit main event tomorrow, which has a $1M guarantee. The buy in is chunkier, but also so is the potential payday if we can close it out, and we're not here to win small, so the smart choice is to rest up a bit, play that fresh, and try for a deep run. There are also some good value Venetian events to play in the upcoming week, so there's no pressure to simply play what is on offer each day.

I've taken a bit of time here to see some good friends I don't get to spend enough time with normally, eat (and cook) nice food, play golf, decompress, and generally get back more to being my old self again. Playing poker for large, or even vast sums of money has never been something I've considered particularly stressful. It simply needs to be approached professionally, despite my image of being a bit wild and wacky at the table in tournaments. The hours, stress, difficult commuting lower earnings and general pressure of working for somebody else full-time for a while, are something I'm glad to once again be free of, despite meeting some great people and learning a lot along the way in the last two years of employment. Yes, it's daunting to be back on a more uncertain path in life, but also refreshing to be in charge of my own destiny once again. Either way, I guess I'm saying it's good to be here, and I'm feeling relaxed and focused. No one ever turned round on their deathbed and said "I wish I'd worked longer hours and commuted more".

In general I have a small and very supportive group of friends, investors and general well-wishers both in poker and in life, which is always a help and by design the way I want it. I've largely managed to cut myself off from toxic influences as much as one ever can, and although the odd one slips under the radar now and then, the fact they need to vent or be poisonous either online or in person (about anything) says a lot more about them than it does about me. The way you treat others speaks volumes about who you really are. I guess older age just mellows you a bit. I'm normally more than happy to enter into a battle of wits, because luckily most people turn up unarmed, but nowadays I'm a lot better at just letting it wash over me and deciding it's not worth the hassle. It's not like any of us are getting out of here alive in the end anyway, and I'm more about being content and at peace now, than in explaining to someone how awful their words or actions look, or show them up to be, One thing that turning on the internet nowadays glaringly displays on politics, social media, or just about any subject, is that people don't actually need to be right in order to rant or display their viewpoint, they just need access to a keyboard and to be able to spout, however wrong they clearly are to any rational person. In a hundred years none of it will matter, so leave them to it.

PH $1675 tomorrow at noon.

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$1600 NLH Main Event $400K GTD Day 1B

15/11/2017

2 Comments

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.

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.

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.

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