Degree Round 1 (of at least 2)
Well, I tried for a walk up seat day 1,2 and 3 to no avail.Â
Day 1 my friends brother whom I drove to the draw got in.Â
Day 2 my friend SocietyRed from the forum whom I met up with got in.Â
Day 3 some older gentlemen whom I befriended while waiting got in.
Day 4 I brought my good luck charm, my friend KC. Now KC is not so much a good luck charm as he is a bad luck absorber - he admits this himself.
We get in line to get our ballots and wouldn't you know it his absorption powers start immediately. He brought the wrong ID and the card he had was expired. He could not get a ballot. Ah well, I got mine and we waited.
The wonderful woman who was drawing names recognized me and wished me luck on the draw.
At the draw she announced 80 guaranteed seats and 90-odd standbys. The draw went on, and on, and on. The number after my number was drawn for a guaranteed seat - the number my friend would have received. We had a good laugh about that one. The 80 seats passed at it was time for the standbys. My number was drawn #117. I registered at the draw area. I called a few people to let them know I was on standby and had a cigarette. After showing up for 4 days, I'd stand outside the Avalon ballroom till midnight if I had to.
I then went to the Avalon to register. A lady asked to see my wristband. I showed it to her and she gave me a release package. She said "Oh you are playing at 6pm." I was a little stunned and asked - "Am I playing at 6 or on standby for 6?". She said "No, you are playing at 6" AWESOME!
Tournament stuff:
Table 7 - seat 6
One of my first BBs I am dealt 2-2 and get to see a free flop of 7-2-10 rainbow. The SB bets 50, I raise to 250, MP calls, LP calls, SB folds. The turn is a 9. I feel I am still ahead at this point so I bet out 250, MP call, LP call. The river was a J. UGH, yuck, blah. I check. MP bets 200, LP raises to 600. Since this tournament is 75% bingo, I assume one or both have been playing an 8 and sadly fold. MP calls the LP raise. LP had the straight and MP had top two pair on the flop. I am down to 1100 chips but am feeling good to my read as I bet when I had the best of it and folded when I was beat.
Later, I was dealt QQ UTG, the blinds were I believe 100-200 so I went all in preflop, first to act. All folded to seat 1 who thought for a moment and says "Why not, it's early" and called, having me covered. He showed 8-8. OMG 88! I am doomed. 88Fingers is going to get outdrawn and busted out by his own hand. Ah well, let's see the board. No 8. I double up and now have approx 2500 chips.
A few orbits later, same situation QQ early position. I know that a lot of people on the table will limp in to see a flop but will fold to a sign of strength. There are a lot of desperate stacks because of this - I am now in good shape at the table with my ~2500. All right - let's go bingo. ALL IN. Seat 1 (from previous hand) looks at me and called. Shows AJo, doesn't improve and I bust him out.
I play TA poker for a long time. No real swings. I make it to break. My friend Jeff was railing me.  He told me before it started "If you make it to break, you'll make the top 20!" Great encouragement but with the break ending I had 4500 ish chips, the blinds were going to 400-800 and I was the BB. M=ugh. But at this point I won the bagging rights/last longer contest between me and my friends.Â
I won a hand, the table broke. Moved around. Now to the meat of the tourney.
I am card dead. I am about to be BB with a 1000 BB. One of the floorpeople come to the table and say "Who is going to be BB next hand". I say I am and he says "Come with me".  I was OK with that because I potentially would get a few more 'free' hands before the BB came to me.Â
I get dealt into the new table UTG. I fold my rags. At the end of the hand the table breaks, I get moved to a new table on the button!
More free hands.
Not much interesting until the following situation occurs. The player UTG has left for a personal break. The dealer deals out the cards and then notices that he did not deal to the UTG seat. The dealer asks the pits what to do. They decided to declare a misdeal. Curiosity killed the cat and I looked down at my :ad :as. All the other players threw in their hole cards face down, I humourously mucked them face up. The announcer said "The first time you were dealt Aces, right". I say yes. He says "Don't worry - you would have lost with them anyways".
CRUCIAL HAND... (suits may be incorrect)Â 27-30 people left
The blinds are now 2000-4000 (200-300 ante i believe). I had just fold off my BB to a raise (95o) and post my 1000 SB and ante after the hand is finished. I have 1050 left in front of me. Just enough to call the BB and add 50 chips. Something happend to the effect of: EP calls 2000, MP raises to 4000, LP either calls 4000 or re-raises. I am now getting at least 5:1 on my money and know "this is it, pretty much no matter what". I look down and see :5c :5s . My friend Jeff is directly up in my view of the balcony. He notices my situation, sees I am in a dilemma and gives the Humberto "all in" push signal. I take this as a sign . I know that if I fold this hand, I am not going to make the final 20 without numerous all in double ups. I call (all in). To my dismay, BB also calls all in. Well, if I win I'm good to go. If not - free t-shirt.Â
Flop
AJ8 (rainbow or 2 suited)
Turn
don't remember
River
The prettiest frickin :5d you ever did see
I flip my pocket cards up and firmly place one finger on each. Until I saw the main pot shoved somewhere else, my hand wasn't moving. I'm looking around "Trips good?" in my head. Trips very good.  I take the approx 12000 main pot.
Final hand...
Announcer announces 21 people left, one more till we qualify for round 2
I am UTG and get dealt :ah :kh. I am looking at the cards... swearing at the cards.Â
There are about 5 of 9 people that have me covered, including the BB and almost certainly the SB. Damn you AK - damn you! I stare and stare, chuckling inside. As Jeff says "When life gives you a dilemma, make dilemma-nade". So, I folded. I had enough chips to pay for the BB and SB (which would reach me during the level) and then hopefully either hit AA or KK or blind out trying. Our tables hand was rather uneventful.
Then the announcer says, "It's over. Let's give a great big hand to the 21st finisher."Â I start my happy dance.
I am now playing in Round 2 Monday at 8am. Report to follow. I need some sleep.
Day 1 my friends brother whom I drove to the draw got in.Â
Day 2 my friend SocietyRed from the forum whom I met up with got in.Â
Day 3 some older gentlemen whom I befriended while waiting got in.
Day 4 I brought my good luck charm, my friend KC. Now KC is not so much a good luck charm as he is a bad luck absorber - he admits this himself.
We get in line to get our ballots and wouldn't you know it his absorption powers start immediately. He brought the wrong ID and the card he had was expired. He could not get a ballot. Ah well, I got mine and we waited.
The wonderful woman who was drawing names recognized me and wished me luck on the draw.
At the draw she announced 80 guaranteed seats and 90-odd standbys. The draw went on, and on, and on. The number after my number was drawn for a guaranteed seat - the number my friend would have received. We had a good laugh about that one. The 80 seats passed at it was time for the standbys. My number was drawn #117. I registered at the draw area. I called a few people to let them know I was on standby and had a cigarette. After showing up for 4 days, I'd stand outside the Avalon ballroom till midnight if I had to.
I then went to the Avalon to register. A lady asked to see my wristband. I showed it to her and she gave me a release package. She said "Oh you are playing at 6pm." I was a little stunned and asked - "Am I playing at 6 or on standby for 6?". She said "No, you are playing at 6" AWESOME!
Tournament stuff:
Table 7 - seat 6
One of my first BBs I am dealt 2-2 and get to see a free flop of 7-2-10 rainbow. The SB bets 50, I raise to 250, MP calls, LP calls, SB folds. The turn is a 9. I feel I am still ahead at this point so I bet out 250, MP call, LP call. The river was a J. UGH, yuck, blah. I check. MP bets 200, LP raises to 600. Since this tournament is 75% bingo, I assume one or both have been playing an 8 and sadly fold. MP calls the LP raise. LP had the straight and MP had top two pair on the flop. I am down to 1100 chips but am feeling good to my read as I bet when I had the best of it and folded when I was beat.
Later, I was dealt QQ UTG, the blinds were I believe 100-200 so I went all in preflop, first to act. All folded to seat 1 who thought for a moment and says "Why not, it's early" and called, having me covered. He showed 8-8. OMG 88! I am doomed. 88Fingers is going to get outdrawn and busted out by his own hand. Ah well, let's see the board. No 8. I double up and now have approx 2500 chips.
A few orbits later, same situation QQ early position. I know that a lot of people on the table will limp in to see a flop but will fold to a sign of strength. There are a lot of desperate stacks because of this - I am now in good shape at the table with my ~2500. All right - let's go bingo. ALL IN. Seat 1 (from previous hand) looks at me and called. Shows AJo, doesn't improve and I bust him out.
I play TA poker for a long time. No real swings. I make it to break. My friend Jeff was railing me.  He told me before it started "If you make it to break, you'll make the top 20!" Great encouragement but with the break ending I had 4500 ish chips, the blinds were going to 400-800 and I was the BB. M=ugh. But at this point I won the bagging rights/last longer contest between me and my friends.Â
I won a hand, the table broke. Moved around. Now to the meat of the tourney.
I am card dead. I am about to be BB with a 1000 BB. One of the floorpeople come to the table and say "Who is going to be BB next hand". I say I am and he says "Come with me".  I was OK with that because I potentially would get a few more 'free' hands before the BB came to me.Â
I get dealt into the new table UTG. I fold my rags. At the end of the hand the table breaks, I get moved to a new table on the button!
More free hands.
Not much interesting until the following situation occurs. The player UTG has left for a personal break. The dealer deals out the cards and then notices that he did not deal to the UTG seat. The dealer asks the pits what to do. They decided to declare a misdeal. Curiosity killed the cat and I looked down at my :ad :as. All the other players threw in their hole cards face down, I humourously mucked them face up. The announcer said "The first time you were dealt Aces, right". I say yes. He says "Don't worry - you would have lost with them anyways".
CRUCIAL HAND... (suits may be incorrect)Â 27-30 people left
The blinds are now 2000-4000 (200-300 ante i believe). I had just fold off my BB to a raise (95o) and post my 1000 SB and ante after the hand is finished. I have 1050 left in front of me. Just enough to call the BB and add 50 chips. Something happend to the effect of: EP calls 2000, MP raises to 4000, LP either calls 4000 or re-raises. I am now getting at least 5:1 on my money and know "this is it, pretty much no matter what". I look down and see :5c :5s . My friend Jeff is directly up in my view of the balcony. He notices my situation, sees I am in a dilemma and gives the Humberto "all in" push signal. I take this as a sign . I know that if I fold this hand, I am not going to make the final 20 without numerous all in double ups. I call (all in). To my dismay, BB also calls all in. Well, if I win I'm good to go. If not - free t-shirt.Â
Flop
AJ8 (rainbow or 2 suited)
Turn
don't remember
River
The prettiest frickin :5d you ever did see
I flip my pocket cards up and firmly place one finger on each. Until I saw the main pot shoved somewhere else, my hand wasn't moving. I'm looking around "Trips good?" in my head. Trips very good.  I take the approx 12000 main pot.
Final hand...
Announcer announces 21 people left, one more till we qualify for round 2
I am UTG and get dealt :ah :kh. I am looking at the cards... swearing at the cards.Â
There are about 5 of 9 people that have me covered, including the BB and almost certainly the SB. Damn you AK - damn you! I stare and stare, chuckling inside. As Jeff says "When life gives you a dilemma, make dilemma-nade". So, I folded. I had enough chips to pay for the BB and SB (which would reach me during the level) and then hopefully either hit AA or KK or blind out trying. Our tables hand was rather uneventful.
Then the announcer says, "It's over. Let's give a great big hand to the 21st finisher."Â I start my happy dance.
I am now playing in Round 2 Monday at 8am. Report to follow. I need some sleep.
Comments
Congrats on advancing. Good luck this morning!
My Day 2 trip report is brief lol, so I'll add it here. I met up with PokerJAH before the break. Talked for a bit then played.
Won a few small pots but no big scores. Near the end of Round 3 I had 525 total chips. Dealt A-10o on the button. All folded to me, I was happy to challenge the blinds with this hand. ALL IN!
Called by my hand, pocket 8's - who not only beat me but beat me in grand style. Quads on the flop.
Good experience, fun at all times. Out about 100-120th.
Got the T shirt.
stp
Red
i recognize your card cover!!!
i was at your table in round 1 at table 7 seat 1.
i remember the hand in level 2, blinds 50/100. you were utg and went all in for 1100. i thought with an m of 7 you were desperate, maybe a coupla high cards. i thought about my pocket 8s for a second. i thought about just calling and seeing if someone else would also call and we'd have a checkdown (maybe!).  but then i thought my 8s were good and that i'd rather have your chips (no offense) than have them go to someone else since it was early. so i went all in (2400) and it got folded around.
i didn't think players were allowed to get good cards when their m is below 10
the hand that busted me out....level 3: antes 25, blinds 100/200, 10 players, initial pot was 550. with my stack of 1900 (before the ante), my m was about 3! i think this is where my memory of the hand is different than your recollection. i was either utg or ep and saw AJo. dilemma, do i raise my usual amount, fold, or push all in. no guts no glory! i pushed....
was folded around to you....you thought for a few seconds....either hollywooding or really wondering if i had a monster, i couldn't tell. but you decided to call and it was folded around. then you show qq...again! aarrrgghh!
the flop was a bit exciting since a jack came....but then nothing on the turn and nothing on the river....then i had the walk of shame to contend with.
congrats on moving on...too bad about the second round.
i have replayed the 2 hands i've played with you for the past 2 days...having nightmares about it as a matter of fact....you single handedly made my analyze my play and i've learned a lot. too bad i didn't know you were from here. i knew blazin72 was playing the same session, but i couldn't remember what he looked like
2007 here i come! unless it's the wpt first!
I feel kinda bad now that I busted out a fellow forumer - but all is fair in love and poker.
ty for the congrats... with the blinds structure moving as fast as it did, I see no fault in your play. I was kinda freaked (as you could tell) that you had 8-8. Ironic when that hand busted me in round 2.
The first time I had Queens, you could have laid it down giving me credit for the higher pair, but as you said - in that tourney "no guts no glory".Â
My actual thoughts were something to the effect "Am I going to give him back all his chips this time? I won a lot of chips with the previous QQ. Does he have me beat?? DOES HE HAVE 8-8 AGAIN???Â
I'm glad I help you analyze your play. But honestly do not over analyze that tournament. A super turbo MTT freeroll is not a good judge of overall poker skill. In a "real" tournament I would not have pushed UTG with the queens. Raised - yes, pushed - no.
I look forward to playing with you again soon in a tournament more sooted to some strategic play. I'm thinking Oct '06 Fallsview WPT. This time we'll both be at the final table!
... but if you pull out those pocket 8's again...