First WSOP - First TR
Just got home today after a red-eye Westjet flight from LV. I went down to play in a WSOP event for the first time. What a great experience, I'm definitely looking forward to playing in more WSOP events in the years to come, and considering running in some WSOP circuit events this year.
I arrived in Las Vegas on June 8th and stayed at the Monte Carlo on the southern end of the strip. As this was only my second trip to Vegas I don't have a lot to compare it to but, the room was decent enough - clean and the king size bed was very comfortable. I know that nobody spends much time in their hotel room but, for me at least it is important that they have good beds, are clean and quiet. There isn't anything more annoying than hotel rooms with paper thin walls that transmit all the noise from adjacent rooms.
My flight arrived around noon Vegas time and I got checked in and my stuff away by around 2pm. The plan was to grab a bite to eat and head to the Venetian and register for the $400 NLHE Survivor tournament. The format of this tournament interested me as it is identical to a satelite tournament where the top 10% of the field take home the same prize, in this case it was $3400.00. I thought if I could cash in this thing, I'd be free-rolling the rest of the week.
After hiking thru the labyrinth across the street called the MGM, I purchased a 24hr monorail pass and headed north. My plan was to stop at Paris/Harrah's and walk over to Ellis Island for their famous ribs and have one of their micro-brewery beers. (sidenote: I've read many a post by Moose about how good their ribs are so I definitely wanted to check it out). Upon arrival at Ellis Island, I was informed that the rib eatery didn't open until 4pm but that the "list" opens at 3pm ). I guess it is a popular place and it is highly recommended that you get your name on the list so that you don't have to stand in a long line up. Anyway, that wasn't an option for me as the survivor tourney was scheduled for 4pm. All was not lossed as there was still the Ellis Island pale ale to sample! I sat down to a 4 piece southern fried chicken meal with all the fixings and two 16oz glasses of the ale which were very good - thanks Moose! Total bill was $12.46 . I'll have to sample the ribs another time....
By the time I arrived at the Venetian I had walked quite a bit in the desert heat (it was around 114 degrees - a near record for temps in June for LV I was told), and was feeling a little tired. Maybe it was a combination of early morning flight, the heat outside and a partial food coma. After a bit of consideration, I opted to play 1/2 cash instead of the tournament. I didn't want to be too tired the next day when I was planning to play in the WSOP. I figured a few hours of cash games would satisfy the poker gods this evening. The table I sat at was a mix of players but mainly fairly conservative until a couple of inebriated Swedes sat down. After chatting it up with a nice woman from Colorado seated on my left and a few heinekens, I walked out with a profit of $450.00. The poker gods were smiling on me this day...
On Sunday, after a good sleep on a comfy king-size bed, I was pumped to be playing in my first WSOP - Event #18 $1000 NLHE. I decided to head over to the RIO early and have breakfast there. Cab ride from Monte Carlo to the RIO was $10.00 with tip. For anyone that hasn't been, the atmosphere at the WSOP is incredible. It IS the epi-center of the poker universe! If it doesn't get your adrenaline going walking down the plush carpeted hallway with all of the WSOP banners and signage surrounding you - you might want to consider a going back to playing chess or magic the gathering. (I say chess because I use to be past president of the K-W Chess Club, and was very active in the chess community here...never played the other game as I'm too old.) The other thing that hits you right a way is the absolute scale of the WSOP. The events take place on hundreds of tables in a multiplicity of rooms - the "Brasila", the "Amazon" to name a few. And as has been mentioned in other threads here, there is every cash game imaginable being spread here including single table satelite tournaments, MTTS "The Carnivale", and even Chinese poker (I have no idea about how this works outside the fact it involves large sums of cash and the cards/hands are played face up).
After handing over 1000 bones at the registration cage, I was handed my event entry receipts: Table 117 Seat 8 and wished "good luck" by the clerk that took my money. I roamed around a little longer checking out the sponsor booths, perused some WSOP swag, and then had some breakfast at the cafe in the RIO. As the tournament got underway, I sat down and breathed a sigh of relief that there were no pros seated at my table (at least none that I recognized..). Everyone was friendly and excited to be playing the WSOP. One fellow at the table told us he came all the way from Beijing China. Out of the gate I was dealt pocket 10's and took down the first hand at the table after there was a couple of limpers and a moderate raise by moi. The poker gods were still smiling on me this day! After a couple hours of play, my stack had swelled to about three times our starting chips of only 3000. I was fortunate on one hand that was limped around and raised by me with A Q clubs in the cut-off, and was called by three of the limpers. The board had run out Qs 10h 7s. It was checked around to me and I c-bet and everyone called and the turn came 2c. Again it was checked around and I fired a 2nd bullet only to be called around again. The river was a 2h giving me a two pairs. Once more it was checked to me so I figured I was good so I threw out a value bet and it was folded around to the guy to my immediate right. At showdown he presented a flopped two pair 10's and 7's and I had caught up on the river for Q's and 2's. It was a unfortunate for him but, at no time did he show any aggression on the hand. Thank you poker gods!
After a couple of early exits our table was broken down and we were finished as a group. The next table I sat down at I quickly recognized Matt Affleck and Melanie Weisner. Matt is the guy that took the badbeat at the 2010 main event against Jonathan Duhamel. He went out in 15th position for half a million. Melanie is the good looking young girl that I've seen on Poker After Dark when it was running prior to Black friday. One memorable hand at the table that I remember is when I jammed all-in the turn with 7c 8c head-up against Melanie after she raised in mid-position on a board that showed 10c Ac 6h 4d. She tanked for a bit and then folded after looking at what she had behind. Here is a hand that I wasn't involved in but, I don't think any of us sitting at that table will forget anytime soon. The action was 5 bet shoved all-in head up with a caller and the hands revealed were AK and AA (the caller). Then this gruesome flop K K K....nuff said! Another hour and a half and we were all marched off to the Brasila room for new seat assignments.
My third table had some more notable pros seated at it, among them Neil Channing from black belt poker.com that resides in London, England and I have seen on High Stakes poker on tv. There were others as well whose names I didn't know and, there was a young guy to my immediate left wearing IveyPoker gear. My chipstack had grown to around 13,000 and I was hovering around average stack throughout the tournament up to this point..(with the exception of jumping out to an early lead at my first table). One of the two most memorable hands that I played came when I was dealt 2c 2h in the big blind. It was folded around to the young pro in the small blind who min-raised and I called. The flop rolled out 4 5 6 rainbow. The action went as follows: bet, raise, 3-bet, I tanked for a bit and then jammed, he insta-folded. Nice! After a few more eliminations and me holding my own, Mr. WPT himself, Mike Sexton sits down at our table. Mike was extremely short-stacked - maybe 5-6 bbs. After the dinner break, I proceeded to bleed of chips for two solid hours…I probably had one of the worst run of cards in memory…I have never seen more 3’s and 4’s playing poker. I tried defending a few of my bb’s when I had running cards, but I couldn’t continue. Anyway, I have a stack of around 5400 when I wake up with Q Q in late position. Average stack size for the tournament has grown to around 18k and we are level 9 with $100 ante and 300/600 blinds. Mike has hung in there and his stack is around 4300. He moves all-in and one of the guys between us moves all-in as well with a stack of around 7000. I do the same with my ladies and my fingers crossed. We open up and Mike shows A 7 suited in spades, young guy flips over J J and I’m ahead with my Q Q. Flop runs out with and A and Mike triples up and my stack is crippled. A little while later I get A K and get it in the middle and don’t improve and I’m out in 306th/ 2071. gg
Over the next few days I go went on a cash game tour of PH, MGM, RIO, and Monte Carlo. I play 1/2 and 1/3. Between cash game sessions I watched some of the WSOP final tables. I watched two Canadians take down two bracelets. Mark Radoja from Guelph won his second bracelet in the $10,000 Heads-up tournament, and Calen McNeil of Victoria, BC won the $1500 Hi-low Split 8 or better. Before I left 6 Canadians had won bracelets – we are certainly punching above our weight this year!
On Wednesday, I decided to head to Caesars and play in NLH event #39 of their Megastack Series for $350.00 and 25,000 in starting chips. These tournaments have a great structure with 30 min levels. After being very short stacked around bubble time, I hung on and managed to finish 13/220 for $1071.00 Here is a question, can someone tell me how much you are suppose to tip the dealers when you cash? I tipped 5%...although the rake is already $50. Or do you even bother tipping when you are the low end of the pay-out?
Anyway, back home now and already looking forward to next year’s WSOP!
I arrived in Las Vegas on June 8th and stayed at the Monte Carlo on the southern end of the strip. As this was only my second trip to Vegas I don't have a lot to compare it to but, the room was decent enough - clean and the king size bed was very comfortable. I know that nobody spends much time in their hotel room but, for me at least it is important that they have good beds, are clean and quiet. There isn't anything more annoying than hotel rooms with paper thin walls that transmit all the noise from adjacent rooms.
My flight arrived around noon Vegas time and I got checked in and my stuff away by around 2pm. The plan was to grab a bite to eat and head to the Venetian and register for the $400 NLHE Survivor tournament. The format of this tournament interested me as it is identical to a satelite tournament where the top 10% of the field take home the same prize, in this case it was $3400.00. I thought if I could cash in this thing, I'd be free-rolling the rest of the week.
After hiking thru the labyrinth across the street called the MGM, I purchased a 24hr monorail pass and headed north. My plan was to stop at Paris/Harrah's and walk over to Ellis Island for their famous ribs and have one of their micro-brewery beers. (sidenote: I've read many a post by Moose about how good their ribs are so I definitely wanted to check it out). Upon arrival at Ellis Island, I was informed that the rib eatery didn't open until 4pm but that the "list" opens at 3pm ). I guess it is a popular place and it is highly recommended that you get your name on the list so that you don't have to stand in a long line up. Anyway, that wasn't an option for me as the survivor tourney was scheduled for 4pm. All was not lossed as there was still the Ellis Island pale ale to sample! I sat down to a 4 piece southern fried chicken meal with all the fixings and two 16oz glasses of the ale which were very good - thanks Moose! Total bill was $12.46 . I'll have to sample the ribs another time....
By the time I arrived at the Venetian I had walked quite a bit in the desert heat (it was around 114 degrees - a near record for temps in June for LV I was told), and was feeling a little tired. Maybe it was a combination of early morning flight, the heat outside and a partial food coma. After a bit of consideration, I opted to play 1/2 cash instead of the tournament. I didn't want to be too tired the next day when I was planning to play in the WSOP. I figured a few hours of cash games would satisfy the poker gods this evening. The table I sat at was a mix of players but mainly fairly conservative until a couple of inebriated Swedes sat down. After chatting it up with a nice woman from Colorado seated on my left and a few heinekens, I walked out with a profit of $450.00. The poker gods were smiling on me this day...
On Sunday, after a good sleep on a comfy king-size bed, I was pumped to be playing in my first WSOP - Event #18 $1000 NLHE. I decided to head over to the RIO early and have breakfast there. Cab ride from Monte Carlo to the RIO was $10.00 with tip. For anyone that hasn't been, the atmosphere at the WSOP is incredible. It IS the epi-center of the poker universe! If it doesn't get your adrenaline going walking down the plush carpeted hallway with all of the WSOP banners and signage surrounding you - you might want to consider a going back to playing chess or magic the gathering. (I say chess because I use to be past president of the K-W Chess Club, and was very active in the chess community here...never played the other game as I'm too old.) The other thing that hits you right a way is the absolute scale of the WSOP. The events take place on hundreds of tables in a multiplicity of rooms - the "Brasila", the "Amazon" to name a few. And as has been mentioned in other threads here, there is every cash game imaginable being spread here including single table satelite tournaments, MTTS "The Carnivale", and even Chinese poker (I have no idea about how this works outside the fact it involves large sums of cash and the cards/hands are played face up).
After handing over 1000 bones at the registration cage, I was handed my event entry receipts: Table 117 Seat 8 and wished "good luck" by the clerk that took my money. I roamed around a little longer checking out the sponsor booths, perused some WSOP swag, and then had some breakfast at the cafe in the RIO. As the tournament got underway, I sat down and breathed a sigh of relief that there were no pros seated at my table (at least none that I recognized..). Everyone was friendly and excited to be playing the WSOP. One fellow at the table told us he came all the way from Beijing China. Out of the gate I was dealt pocket 10's and took down the first hand at the table after there was a couple of limpers and a moderate raise by moi. The poker gods were still smiling on me this day! After a couple hours of play, my stack had swelled to about three times our starting chips of only 3000. I was fortunate on one hand that was limped around and raised by me with A Q clubs in the cut-off, and was called by three of the limpers. The board had run out Qs 10h 7s. It was checked around to me and I c-bet and everyone called and the turn came 2c. Again it was checked around and I fired a 2nd bullet only to be called around again. The river was a 2h giving me a two pairs. Once more it was checked to me so I figured I was good so I threw out a value bet and it was folded around to the guy to my immediate right. At showdown he presented a flopped two pair 10's and 7's and I had caught up on the river for Q's and 2's. It was a unfortunate for him but, at no time did he show any aggression on the hand. Thank you poker gods!
After a couple of early exits our table was broken down and we were finished as a group. The next table I sat down at I quickly recognized Matt Affleck and Melanie Weisner. Matt is the guy that took the badbeat at the 2010 main event against Jonathan Duhamel. He went out in 15th position for half a million. Melanie is the good looking young girl that I've seen on Poker After Dark when it was running prior to Black friday. One memorable hand at the table that I remember is when I jammed all-in the turn with 7c 8c head-up against Melanie after she raised in mid-position on a board that showed 10c Ac 6h 4d. She tanked for a bit and then folded after looking at what she had behind. Here is a hand that I wasn't involved in but, I don't think any of us sitting at that table will forget anytime soon. The action was 5 bet shoved all-in head up with a caller and the hands revealed were AK and AA (the caller). Then this gruesome flop K K K....nuff said! Another hour and a half and we were all marched off to the Brasila room for new seat assignments.
My third table had some more notable pros seated at it, among them Neil Channing from black belt poker.com that resides in London, England and I have seen on High Stakes poker on tv. There were others as well whose names I didn't know and, there was a young guy to my immediate left wearing IveyPoker gear. My chipstack had grown to around 13,000 and I was hovering around average stack throughout the tournament up to this point..(with the exception of jumping out to an early lead at my first table). One of the two most memorable hands that I played came when I was dealt 2c 2h in the big blind. It was folded around to the young pro in the small blind who min-raised and I called. The flop rolled out 4 5 6 rainbow. The action went as follows: bet, raise, 3-bet, I tanked for a bit and then jammed, he insta-folded. Nice! After a few more eliminations and me holding my own, Mr. WPT himself, Mike Sexton sits down at our table. Mike was extremely short-stacked - maybe 5-6 bbs. After the dinner break, I proceeded to bleed of chips for two solid hours…I probably had one of the worst run of cards in memory…I have never seen more 3’s and 4’s playing poker. I tried defending a few of my bb’s when I had running cards, but I couldn’t continue. Anyway, I have a stack of around 5400 when I wake up with Q Q in late position. Average stack size for the tournament has grown to around 18k and we are level 9 with $100 ante and 300/600 blinds. Mike has hung in there and his stack is around 4300. He moves all-in and one of the guys between us moves all-in as well with a stack of around 7000. I do the same with my ladies and my fingers crossed. We open up and Mike shows A 7 suited in spades, young guy flips over J J and I’m ahead with my Q Q. Flop runs out with and A and Mike triples up and my stack is crippled. A little while later I get A K and get it in the middle and don’t improve and I’m out in 306th/ 2071. gg
Over the next few days I go went on a cash game tour of PH, MGM, RIO, and Monte Carlo. I play 1/2 and 1/3. Between cash game sessions I watched some of the WSOP final tables. I watched two Canadians take down two bracelets. Mark Radoja from Guelph won his second bracelet in the $10,000 Heads-up tournament, and Calen McNeil of Victoria, BC won the $1500 Hi-low Split 8 or better. Before I left 6 Canadians had won bracelets – we are certainly punching above our weight this year!
On Wednesday, I decided to head to Caesars and play in NLH event #39 of their Megastack Series for $350.00 and 25,000 in starting chips. These tournaments have a great structure with 30 min levels. After being very short stacked around bubble time, I hung on and managed to finish 13/220 for $1071.00 Here is a question, can someone tell me how much you are suppose to tip the dealers when you cash? I tipped 5%...although the rake is already $50. Or do you even bother tipping when you are the low end of the pay-out?
Anyway, back home now and already looking forward to next year’s WSOP!
Comments
Nice read and glad to hear you had a positive experience.
Not that it has happened often, but unless I finish in the top couple of places, I do not leave a tip. IMO significant enough of the entry fee is already being taken out to begin with.
Dealers have a low salary, and they hate it if they are stuck dealing tournaments because many winners neglect to tip them a single cent, unlike if they were dealing a cash game. If one wants to tip nothing even after cashing, then online and electronic tournaments are good for you. For example, I've started playing electronic tournaments at OLG Slots recently and cashed several times already, but the PokerTek virtual dealer refuses my tips.
Stop drooling, you pricks.
I had the same thought on the 400 survivor and played in it even though I hadn't really had a chance to settle into my room yet. Bad idea. I finished 3 out of the money and felt like crap.
As for tipping, some of those tournies also withold some % for the dealers already and I would never tip in those. Not sure I understand the comment about admin fee. Is that in addition to the rake? If so then ya no tip.
Congrats on making the money.
Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk 4 Beta
lol...no he wasn't wearing a judo/karate gi this time...just a t-shirt with the blackbelt poker.com logo. He was a nice guy to talk to and is quite funny.
Another observation I made of many of the pros (particularly the younger ones like Weisner), they sure are pre-occupied with texting and tweeting on their handheld devices while seated at the table...so much for paying attention to betting patterns, tells etc...or maybe they are just amazing at multi-tasking...likely the later I guess.
lol..im so old all i can do is find a good spot for my reading glasses between hands, and to add insult to injury i dont even own a cell phone..lol:D
Congrats on a successful trip.
Oh, and Wetts is a cheap phuck
At least Im consistent, I dont tip in cash games either.
boomstick