WSOP 2005 Day 2
Day 2 was the $1500 buy-in NLHE event, which sold out at around 2300 entrants. Walking into the tournament room, me and Dave stopped for a second to take it all in: that many players, that many tables, in one room. I said "I've never seen anything like it". Dave said "Nodody has". There were no "name" players at my table. Score. And what a score. After an hour of play I thought I was in heaven, thinking to myself 'this has got to be the softest field in WSOP history'. Everybody wanted to be "Greg Raymer Lite", which is a world series champion, minus the 10K buy-in.
My strategy was to play the first couple of levels slowly and conservatively. There was no need to get into major confrontations that would put my entire stack in jeapordy.
On hand #2 of the tournament, I called all-in, for my entire stack.
The blinds were 25/25, and we all had 1500 or so, since it was, after all, the second hand. I was in MP with KK. 2 players limped, and the third made it 175. I made it 400, and everyone folded except for the original raiser, who called.
The flop was three low cards. My opponent checked, and I bet 600. He went into the tank for a long time, and then moved in. I called. He had JJ, no help for him, and he was eliminated.
So much for slow and conservative.
My notes then say "steal, steal", so I assume that's what I did. Like I said, it was a soft table.
Table change, one of many.
100/200, I had 4700 chips, and KQo in SB. Folded to the button who made it 600, and only I called. The button had finished 21st I think in last year's WSOP main event, either right before or right after our own Bob Jarrett. In this soft field, there were bound to be some sharks, and the button was one of them.
The flop came A27, I checked, he bet 600, I raised 600, and he folded.
100/200 a25. I had 6200 chips. EP limped, I limped on the button with AJo (?), and the blinds completed and checked. The flop came A94 rainbow. The blinds checked, EP bet 400, I made it 1200, the blinds folded, and EP moved in for a little less than the rest of my stack.
"Jesus Christ", I thought. Man, did I ever butcher that hand to have ended up facing that decision. The problem was that I could easily fold, and be left with plenty of chips. The bigger problem was that I didn't really want to do that.
EP was a bit of a maniac. I took my time, and I figured he was either completely bluffing, or he had a huge hand. Eventually I decided to call. I was wrong--he wasn't bluffing, and he didn't have a huge hand. He had ATo, no help for him, and I'd doubled up and then some, all the way to 13K or so.
Card Player Magazine noticed my stack and took my name, which I only gave them right after the words "Team Canuck Poker's...". All the promo stuff I did for Labatt's has taught me a thing or two about marketing myself and Team Canuck, for better or for worse.
Bob's table broke, and he drew a seat at my table. I thought this was another MIND-BLOWING coincidence, like the thing with the cab driver. Bob, however, was unfazed, explaining later that 2 of the 4 of us would eventually end up at the the same table.
The next thing in my notes is: "I bluffed off some chips". I told myself I needed to slow down, so I sat out for a few hands, and went for one of my patented bathroom and smoke journeys. If you're a smoker at the WSOP, you'll learn to weave your way quickly through crowds, and around tables, and you'll become an expert at taking a leak with one hand while smoking with the other. Too much information? Sorry. That's how it was, though.
I returned to find Bob up and walking away from the table. I asked him what had happened, and he paused and said "I got outplayed". I sat down and asked the guy to my right about the hand that busted Bob. He told me that, at the 100/200 a25 level, Bob made it 1000 to go preflop. A guy who I'd pegged as a terrible player then set Bob all-in for around 1800 more. Bob called with QQ, and the idiot showed A3o. I think we all know what happened on the river. Why he would re-raise with A3o after Bob had shown that he was clearly going with his hand is beyond me.
And that's why "I got outplayed" was so damn funny.
150/300 a50, I had about 9500. 2 limpers, and I limped in the cutoff with Kh8h. The button limped after me, and 6 of us saw the flop: KT3, 2 clubs and a diamond.
It was checked to me, I bet 1200, and the button moved in for about 2K more. Folded back to me, and I had a decision. There were 3 problems: the button had been playing a very tight game, and he had to know that I was facing a 2K call into a 5200 pot which is a reasonable call with a lot of hands, and he knew I'd be able to make the call because I'd still have plenty of chips left if I called and lost. So, he EXPECTS to be called.
So I folded my pair of kings, and he showed me pocket aces.
The very next hand, MP limped, I made it 1200 to go with 99, the guy to my left (same guy who'd just had the aces) flat called, and everyone else folded, including the limper.
Heads up to the flop: 8K6, with 2 spades. I checked, he bet 1200, and I folded. He told me that he had As5s, but didn't show me the hand, and I didn't believe him when he told me. Regardless, I didn't play that hand very well.
My stack was dwindling, which is what I assume the words "going down" meant in my notes.
During a break, I bought a can of Coke just outside the tournament area. Here's how that went:
me: How much do I owe you?
her: Three dollars.
me: Three dollars?!?
her: (looking somewhat ashamed) Yes.
me: (looooooong pause) For a can of COKE?!?
Unreal. Gouge gouge gouge. That's what Harrah's is doing. 3% from every entry tips the house. EVERYBODY tips, including the guy who busts out on the first hand. How generous of him. Also, no free buffets for the tournament players this year; instead, we were given discount vouchers. And, of course, the three dollar cans of coke. Sickening.
I made the dinner break with around 5600, well below average, but pleased that I'd lasted so long. Dave had a bigger stack, and unfortunately Ralph and Bob had busted out.
There were around 480 players left, with the top 200 getting paid. I wondered: could I do it? The answer was: no. But I'll give you the hands anyways.
200/400 a 50 (I think, I'm not sure what the antes were at this or any other point, to be honest). I was down to about 4800 when I picked up AKo in the BB. 3 players limped, the SB moved in for around 3200, and I re-raised all in. Everyone folded, he had pocket eights, I lost the race, and was crippled.
Same level, I had 1100 in EP and I picked up 77. I moved in, got called by AJ, lost the race, and that was that. I think I busted out around 450th, beating almost 2000 people and still not making the money. That is an unusual feeling.
I registered for the $225 second-chance tournament. 225 players, 18 paid, I finished 25th. I went out on a very bad beat in a pot that would have launched me to the final table, had I won it. Do you want to hear about it? No, me neither.
The last of my notes says "I played great today". I wasn't kidding; I was, and am, very pleased with the majority of my decisions throughout the course of the day, despite missing the money in both tournaments. I was feeling very good about my chances in the pot-limit and the limit events over the next 2 days.
My strategy was to play the first couple of levels slowly and conservatively. There was no need to get into major confrontations that would put my entire stack in jeapordy.
On hand #2 of the tournament, I called all-in, for my entire stack.
The blinds were 25/25, and we all had 1500 or so, since it was, after all, the second hand. I was in MP with KK. 2 players limped, and the third made it 175. I made it 400, and everyone folded except for the original raiser, who called.
The flop was three low cards. My opponent checked, and I bet 600. He went into the tank for a long time, and then moved in. I called. He had JJ, no help for him, and he was eliminated.
So much for slow and conservative.
My notes then say "steal, steal", so I assume that's what I did. Like I said, it was a soft table.
Table change, one of many.
100/200, I had 4700 chips, and KQo in SB. Folded to the button who made it 600, and only I called. The button had finished 21st I think in last year's WSOP main event, either right before or right after our own Bob Jarrett. In this soft field, there were bound to be some sharks, and the button was one of them.
The flop came A27, I checked, he bet 600, I raised 600, and he folded.
100/200 a25. I had 6200 chips. EP limped, I limped on the button with AJo (?), and the blinds completed and checked. The flop came A94 rainbow. The blinds checked, EP bet 400, I made it 1200, the blinds folded, and EP moved in for a little less than the rest of my stack.
"Jesus Christ", I thought. Man, did I ever butcher that hand to have ended up facing that decision. The problem was that I could easily fold, and be left with plenty of chips. The bigger problem was that I didn't really want to do that.
EP was a bit of a maniac. I took my time, and I figured he was either completely bluffing, or he had a huge hand. Eventually I decided to call. I was wrong--he wasn't bluffing, and he didn't have a huge hand. He had ATo, no help for him, and I'd doubled up and then some, all the way to 13K or so.
Card Player Magazine noticed my stack and took my name, which I only gave them right after the words "Team Canuck Poker's...". All the promo stuff I did for Labatt's has taught me a thing or two about marketing myself and Team Canuck, for better or for worse.
Bob's table broke, and he drew a seat at my table. I thought this was another MIND-BLOWING coincidence, like the thing with the cab driver. Bob, however, was unfazed, explaining later that 2 of the 4 of us would eventually end up at the the same table.
The next thing in my notes is: "I bluffed off some chips". I told myself I needed to slow down, so I sat out for a few hands, and went for one of my patented bathroom and smoke journeys. If you're a smoker at the WSOP, you'll learn to weave your way quickly through crowds, and around tables, and you'll become an expert at taking a leak with one hand while smoking with the other. Too much information? Sorry. That's how it was, though.
I returned to find Bob up and walking away from the table. I asked him what had happened, and he paused and said "I got outplayed". I sat down and asked the guy to my right about the hand that busted Bob. He told me that, at the 100/200 a25 level, Bob made it 1000 to go preflop. A guy who I'd pegged as a terrible player then set Bob all-in for around 1800 more. Bob called with QQ, and the idiot showed A3o. I think we all know what happened on the river. Why he would re-raise with A3o after Bob had shown that he was clearly going with his hand is beyond me.
And that's why "I got outplayed" was so damn funny.
150/300 a50, I had about 9500. 2 limpers, and I limped in the cutoff with Kh8h. The button limped after me, and 6 of us saw the flop: KT3, 2 clubs and a diamond.
It was checked to me, I bet 1200, and the button moved in for about 2K more. Folded back to me, and I had a decision. There were 3 problems: the button had been playing a very tight game, and he had to know that I was facing a 2K call into a 5200 pot which is a reasonable call with a lot of hands, and he knew I'd be able to make the call because I'd still have plenty of chips left if I called and lost. So, he EXPECTS to be called.
So I folded my pair of kings, and he showed me pocket aces.
The very next hand, MP limped, I made it 1200 to go with 99, the guy to my left (same guy who'd just had the aces) flat called, and everyone else folded, including the limper.
Heads up to the flop: 8K6, with 2 spades. I checked, he bet 1200, and I folded. He told me that he had As5s, but didn't show me the hand, and I didn't believe him when he told me. Regardless, I didn't play that hand very well.
My stack was dwindling, which is what I assume the words "going down" meant in my notes.
During a break, I bought a can of Coke just outside the tournament area. Here's how that went:
me: How much do I owe you?
her: Three dollars.
me: Three dollars?!?
her: (looking somewhat ashamed) Yes.
me: (looooooong pause) For a can of COKE?!?
Unreal. Gouge gouge gouge. That's what Harrah's is doing. 3% from every entry tips the house. EVERYBODY tips, including the guy who busts out on the first hand. How generous of him. Also, no free buffets for the tournament players this year; instead, we were given discount vouchers. And, of course, the three dollar cans of coke. Sickening.
I made the dinner break with around 5600, well below average, but pleased that I'd lasted so long. Dave had a bigger stack, and unfortunately Ralph and Bob had busted out.
There were around 480 players left, with the top 200 getting paid. I wondered: could I do it? The answer was: no. But I'll give you the hands anyways.
200/400 a 50 (I think, I'm not sure what the antes were at this or any other point, to be honest). I was down to about 4800 when I picked up AKo in the BB. 3 players limped, the SB moved in for around 3200, and I re-raised all in. Everyone folded, he had pocket eights, I lost the race, and was crippled.
Same level, I had 1100 in EP and I picked up 77. I moved in, got called by AJ, lost the race, and that was that. I think I busted out around 450th, beating almost 2000 people and still not making the money. That is an unusual feeling.
I registered for the $225 second-chance tournament. 225 players, 18 paid, I finished 25th. I went out on a very bad beat in a pot that would have launched me to the final table, had I won it. Do you want to hear about it? No, me neither.
The last of my notes says "I played great today". I wasn't kidding; I was, and am, very pleased with the majority of my decisions throughout the course of the day, despite missing the money in both tournaments. I was feeling very good about my chances in the pot-limit and the limit events over the next 2 days.
Comments
I can see the downside of being a beginner at this...
ScottyZ
This nicely addresses one of the most difficult, and possibly one of the most important, concepts in poker.
"People think mastering the skill part is hard, but they’re wrong. The trick to poker is mastering the luck."
Man, you're like the King of Foreshadowing. :cool:
ScottyZ
Too funny, just too damned funny!!! Been there, done that...not on that scale mind you but still it has me chuckling!
LOL, I guess no one caught this line...