Ok, sorry for the lack of recent updates, tinernet went down in hotel. But I will bring you up to date now.
Monday - time to check out the Rio and the WSOP.
I am such a mark. I walk up to the WSOP entrance and the first thing I notice is Scotty Nguyen walking out. I am star stuck. I continue inside and Allen Cunningham walks past. I am trying to be cool now but it is difficult when so many of your favourite players you see on TV and you respect so much and just hanging around. I calm down afetr a few minutes and then I am okay when I bump into yet anoter poker superstar. I will get the name dropping out of the way now;
Hatchem, Citrone, Vaswani, Phan, Greenstein, Sidel, Bloch, Hawkins, Juanda, Men the Master, Kabbaj, Raymer, JP Kelly & Hellmuth.
There were TV cameras all round Hellmuth, he was down to the final 2 tables going for bracelet number 12, didn"t see any antics though, he just kept his head down and played his cards.
Ok, now that is out of the way, my impressions of the Rio. Mad, I have never seen so many poker tables and so much poker action ever. There are cash games galore, satellites fill up every few minutes, as well as the WSOP events running at the same time. The riffling of chips is so loud and gets annoying after about 30 minutes. I decide to play some single table satellites to try and get into a WSOP event on the cheap. They have different buy ins and only the winner receives tournanmet chips. The structure is pretty fast and aggressive, so need to get busy early. The first satellite was $125 buy in, the winner getting 2 $500 tournament buy in chips and $120 cash. I finished 8th after about an hour of play. You only get 1,000 starting chips, and I picked up no hands and got short (only 2M). Moved in when no action before me and was called by BB. J 4 vs A Q, flop K J 3 (hope), turn A (damm), river 5. Didn"t do anything wrong, need to double up early to take the pressure off and allow you time to pick up hands. I played in another $125 satellite and finished 5th in this one. I was determined not to let myself get short this time and was prepared to gamble more. However I got some cards this time. I find QQ and move in to be called by KK, flop Q (suck out city). A few hands later I raise on button with KQ, BB moves in and I am priced in to call. KQ vs A10, flop K Q x (no jack outdraw either). Second suck out. I now have chips but still short compared to blinds. All fold to SB who raises, I find 66 in BB and move all in. Dwell before reluctant call with A 9. Flop Ace, River Ace. Down to 200, all in SB next hand, double up, move in again next hand with KQ to find KK behind, no suck out this time. No complaints, I don"t think the satellite structure suits my game and I won"t be playing anymore of them. Hopefully I will make some money in the Binion"s events or playing cash to help cover WSOP buy ins. I hung around to watch some poker from the rail before leaving to go to Ceasar"s for the 11pm tournament. Don"t think I will get to the Rio again until Saturday for the $1,500 NLHE bracelet event.
Ok, Ceasar"s, first thing, no pu$$ycat dancers, they only work weekends...
11pm tournament, 111 runners, total prize pool just under $10k.
2,750 at first break (2,500 starting chips). I was down to 1,200 early on. I am trying to play more hands in these faster structured tournaments, but kept having to release when not hitting the flop. Key hand that got me back up was a limp in middle position with Q 10 suited. BB raises and I call in position (BB has been very active and raising with marginal hands when in the blinds). Flop K Q J rainbow (K clubs), BB leads out (I sense this is a feeler bet) I move in and get a insta fold. My read was correct I assume. Last hand before break, all fold to me in SB with A 5, I make up to disguise my ace, BB checks. Flop A 10 2, I check, BB bets I call. Turn Q, I check BB moves all in. I think for a while and whilst I thought I was ahead I am definitely not now. I was either behind from the start, or I have let him catch 2 pair. I fold and he shows A 9, we were both playing the ace sow pre flop. Pleased with the laydown, feel I am playing well and reading the table. Need to get busy now as antes kick in.
Don"t make 2nd break as I am out in 46th after about 2 hours 15 minutes. Key hands laying down 8 8 in BB pre flop to UTG raise, he shows J J. Moved in when I saw an ace and no action in front of me. SB wakes up with KK. So A Q vs K K river ACE (another thinker suck out!!!). Final hand only 3M and in BB. Button raise, I find 2 2 and decide I want to race to get chips or go home. I move in and button dwells before calling with A Q. Flop A 10 3, turn 7, river Q. So it goodbye from me. Again no complaints (I get some many suck outs), don"t think I did anything too bad, probably need to ind a better structured tournament to play, so may give this a miss until the weekend maybe.
Earlier in the day took the bus south down the strip and checked out some of the sights. The MGM is nice, but did not strike me as much as the Wynn or the Bellagio. New York, New York & Paris are just to gimmacky for me, if I wanted to go to France (AND I DON"T) I would go to the real thing. Still not found anywhere to compare with Ceasar"s yet, still my favourite place in Vegas.
After the tournament, got the bus back to Circus Circus to play some cash. However I had to go back to my room to get some dollars, rested my head for 5 minutes and woke up hours later (must stop doing this). This poker lark is quite tiring...
NO BAD BEATS - SUCK OUT CITY!!!
