
No, I haven't fallen off the planet. A few days of what was supposed to be R and R after the last event weren't terribly relaxing. Had a few jobs and some running about to do, but am feeling suitably rested and ready to dive into the next $1500 event. Staring shortly.
Got moved to a new table in Brasilia almost as soon as the event kicked off. It felt a bit like sitting on Stonehenge. With the exception of the nice Asian kid next to me who seems happy to engage in a bit of chat, most of the rest of the table are headphone,sunglasses,hoodie-wearing robots, who don't seem even keen to say hello or thanks to the dealer when they finish their down. Takes all sorts I guess. Along we plod.
Midway through level 2 and my 4500 is 3500, mainly by virtue of having pairs and not flopping sets. There's the standard min-raise frenzy I was expecting in the WSOP, and on this table in particular. Though you can go death or glory early on, I still feel the conservative approach at this stage is always the best one. Find a hand, back into a bigger hand, get paid off by a worse hand. Simple.
That theory just paid off, when I played JJ cute, and picked off a river bluff from king high. The board admittedly was scary, but I was feeling it and was a pretty easy call. 3500 is now 5100.
Break time and I'm still at 5k. Approx 1400 players at present.
Drifted down coming up to end of level 3. A few more useful players have been seated. Still just playing the plodding game. On about 3800.
Interesting hand just unfolded on my table, illustrating either the value some internet players place on starting hands, or possibly how little $1500 is valued in a WSOP event. Blinds 75/150. Cut-off makes it 300. Button (David Vamplew) makes it 700. Cut-off now makes it 1800, and the button tanks then ships 7k. The cutoff beats him to the middle. They now table the Monster AJ offsuit, and A10 offsuit respectively. One flops a ten then the AJ rivers a straight. Surreal stuff, but not really my style of getting it in at this stage.
Just found my first real hand of the tournament, and had to fold it to the very active big stack on the river who basically moved me in for my tournament. It chopped down to 1500 but I was still in at least.
A few flare ups on what was originally a pretty good natured table. One guy drinking a bit and playing and winning a lot of pots. A few players are getting upset at him talking and the time he's taking on most hands. Personally I don't have a huge problem with it. It's wasn't super unduly long, but a couple if the online guys I think are more used to acting in 10 seconds and more than that, especially combined with chat doesn't sit well with them. The floor was called and much merriment ensued. Just wish people could all act more nicely to each other and most of this bickering wouldn't be an issue.
Just lost JJ to 93 when he flopped 2 pair, and immediately after AJ loses to 99 when the short 99 pushes and I brick. I'm back on 1k coming up to the end of level 4 break.
Shoved w AK and got called by both a short KJ and also JJ. Spiked an ace so on 2.5k at second break.
Back from break. Raise with 66 and someone ships. Fold. Raise with 22 and someone ships. Fold. 1700.
Bit of swordplay and back to 3100.
30 mins to the dinner break, and I'm card dead. Down to 2200. There are double up spots to be had but I've yet to catch one. Patience.
Diner break. I'm on 1500. Not ecstatic but at least I'm still alive.
Back from break Ivey moved to my table and I have no chips. Marvellous.
That's actually hilarious. FIRST hand back. I find aces. I'm chatting to Ivey about a story from years back where a guy I knew was using his name to get a free buffet comp, someone raises ahead of me. Wonderful. We get it in.
Me AA. Him KK.
I said " would you like your King on the flop or the turn?".
Flop 7K7. Turn 7. River 3. That's the end if that. Nice hand etc etc.
Sigh. 2 days then the next event. Stay out of trouble until then.