Why I cannot make it to the Vic on April 17th...

[Mikeyboy9361]

As a side note the guy who finished 3rd was Alex Dovzhenro (ie the QJ vs AQ suck out).  I really liked his play at the final table and it is easy to see why, check out his record;

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=2244

He can play a bit then!!!

[lukybugur]

Great result, WP! And great report.

[duke3016]

He he - (I wake up with AA - rinse and repeat)

Nice one

[RioRodent]

Clearly not drinking enough... if he can remember all that detail.  

But well played anyway.

[ThinkerJE]

Drinks have been taken, wow vegas is the best place to party, and it is not even the weekend, roll on tomorrow...

[Waz1892]

how on earth do you remember all that detail?

great result and cash.

[Swinebag]

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee


ship it to the thinker

nice one James, delighted for you!!

[ThinkerJE]

Friday, Venetian Deepstack $350 buy in and 651 runners with a 1st prize of over $42k!!!

Went down to Caesars to play the megastack but only 18 people had registered so went to the Venetian instead where there were a few more than that.

Did not last long past the first break and I was out around 457th halfway through level 5.  Lost half my stack when a made a move with a flush draw on a french guy who had flopped a set.  Then when down to 2,800 with 150/300 (50) blinds there were 2 limpers, I find As and shove squeeze, all in behind then first limper is all in.  Up against JJ & AA and no miracle means I"m out.

Great tournament, poker room is great, structure brilliant, prize pool amazing for the buy in, will be definitely playing more of these over the next few days.

Headed back to IP to play 1/2 NLHE cash.  Finished the 5.5 hour session down $180 with the following being the turning point.  I manged to get a guy to commit all in for a pot of over $350 holding AA on a board T83.  I had TT but the ace on the turn killed me.  Played good again and if that hand holds would finish the session well up again.

Then more pai gow and beer.  Woke up Saturday feeling very rough, planning on not drinking today.

[CrizzyConnor]

Great trip report so far (as always) and great cash, just don"t spend it all on strippers  

Go shoot guns or something else more worthwhile

[ThinkerJE]

Saturday, Venetian Deepstack $350 buy in, 426 runners, 12k starting stack and a $27k 1st prize.

11,075 at first break (end of level 3)
No real hands. only JJ to take down the blinds.  Murdered a third of my stack trying to see flops and connect with a monster but no luck.  Had to make a couple of river bluffs to get me back to near starting stack.  Less runners today as there is a $1k event on at the rio, also sitting next to a guy who uses the bullet that shot Wild Bill Hickok as his card protector.  A relative of Captain William R. Massie (who had the bullet lodged in his left wrist after it had exited Wild Bill"s cheek) we got the full history of how he came to use the bullet as his card protector.  A top poker story and history lesson at the poker table.

16,300 at 2nd break (end of level 6)
Raise UTG with TT, 1 caller in SB.  Flop Q73 rainbow and he checks, so I bet 1,600 and he puts me all in, have to fold.  2 limpers in front, I raise it up with AJ to pick up dead money and get 4 callers (!!!).  Flop Q92 and I give it up.  There is a raise UTG and 2 calls before I find AK on the button.  I 3 bet and UTG is all in.  Back to me and I would only have about 2k left if I call and lose.  Its 5k to call into a 10k pot and after a dwell I call and he flips AK for a chop.  Down to 7,500 now and I raise to 1,100 with 44.  2 callers behind and I"m out of position on a 4KJ rainbow flop.  I check to look weak and both check behind.  Turn 6 and I check again.  Matey bites and bets 4k, I move all in for 6,400, he calls with QJ and is drawing dead.  Double up.  Very loose table, very aggressive with some marginal play at times.

22,700 at 3rd break (end of level 9)
No hands, blinding away.  Major suck out.  Down to 9,100 (400/800 ante 75) I shove from mid position and get called by KK behind.  Flop A x A and I am back in it.  Then the same guy shove his remaining short stack and I am forced to call in BB.  A6 vs J6 and a jack on the flop felts him and adds to my stack.  128 left with 45 paid.

19,800 at dinner (end of level 10)
No hands, picked up blinds once but blinded off apart from that.  800/1,600 ante 200 when back so need to get going.  95 left.

OUT 74th 30 mins into level 12
Exit hand.  Down to 15k (1k/2k ante 300) shove AT off in mid position and get called by 55, no help on board and I"m out.  Earlier I made a bad call.  After a button limp I make up the SB with K5 and solid BB checks.  Flop KQT and all check, turn 4 and all check again.  River ten and solid BB bets 4k, I call and he has JT.  Of course he had a ten.  Bad call there and I was really annoyed with myself.  What is he betting that I can beat? (as he would not bluff to pick up pot as he is not that type of player), answer not much.  Down to 11k at that stage and on a very busy table there is always action in front.  Need to find a spot and it finally folds to me in the cutoff and I shove 93 hearts and BB calls with KJ, 3 on flop doubles me up but need to wait for a hand to make my next move as they know I am capable of shoving nothing now.  I raise with AJ and solid guy from earlier flats, all in behind and I fold (more worried about solid who folds AK face up...)

Played ok today, made a couple of mistakes and sucked out loads but still could not make the money.  Disappointed to go so deep and yet not push on like I did at Caesar"s.

[ThinkerJE]

Sunday, Venetian Deepstack, $560 buy in with 404 runners and 15k starting chips

21,350 at 1st break (end of level 3)
Trying to keep pots small and stay out of trouble.  Make up in SB with 86, 4 players to flop A86, I check and call the button"s bet.  Turn is another 8 and I check and the button bets again, I flat with my boat.  River brick and I value bet and get called, button mucks, a good start.  Raise UTG with As and get 1 caller and 3 diamonds on the flop.  I check and call his flop bet.  Turn is another diamond giving me the 2nd nut flush flush and I check again and call another bet.  I think I am good and not really worried about him having the nuts, although a big bet on the end would be tough.  River black king and I check, he checks behind and mucks the queen of diamonds, another nice pot.  Then the main pot involves me 3 betting to 1,100 in mid position with and getting called by UTG.  Flop K42 (2 spades), UTG checks and I c bet 2,600 which is called.  Turn (2 clubs now) and UTG checks again, I value bet 4k and it is called.  River and UTG has checked in the dark.  Backdoor flush got there plus any 4 made trips so I just flip my aces to win a 9k pot.  Might have missed a value bet on the end as UTG must have had a big king to be calling pre flop and on 3rd & 4th streets but I was happy to scoop the 9k pot.  Playing solid on a crazy table, this hand was simply untrue.  Guy just sits down after being moved from another table with 22k and limps UTG (100/200).  All fold to BB who raises to 800, UTG is all in for 22k like a flash (got to love deepstack poker).  BB tanks and UTG tells him AK is no good (and gets a warning as the Venetian does not allow any hand discussion whatsoever).  They both start to needle each other and finally BB calls!!!! (and has UTG covered)  BB has AK vs KK of UTG, an ace hits the flop and he goes off on one Hellmuth style.  I watch and hate the play all round.  I hate the monster shove with KK as you should really only get action from AA and why waste a premium hand like that???  I hate the AK call more as UTG must have a pair at least and why race a 22k stack with blinds 100/200???  Why these players bother with a deepstack tournament is beyond me, they might aswell go and play the turbo.

20,950 at 2nd break (end of level 6)
I find KK and get re raised and 2 streets of action on a brick board to win a 6k pot at showdown.  Picking spots and managing to win the pot without showing a card.  No other big hands really, picking up lots of pocket pairs but not flopped a set yet.  Keep patient and solid 249 left with 45 paid.

16,600 at 3rd break (end of level 9)
Card dead and a crazy action table means it is difficult to get into the pot first.  Blinded down to 10k and shove AQ in early position, shorter stack is all in behind, AQ vs AK queen on the flop for another suck out.  600/1,200 (100) when back so need a double up soon.

14,500 at dinner break (end of level 10)
No hands, no spots, blinded down, find AQ again and shove to no action, 800/1,600 (200) so very short now, 110 players left.

OUT 93rd 7 mins into level 12
Very annoyed with myself for my bad play in letting myself get so short on chips.  I had a tough table and no cards but I should have manufactured a spot the level before my exit, even shoving blind UTG would have been a better option.  I was down to 5k with 1k/2k (300) blinds & antes and I am really mad with myself by now.  UTG raises and big chip daddy 3 bets from mid position.  I figure that no one will give him action so I chuck my last 5k into the pot and hope to quadruple up against just one player, I have not looked at my cards.  Everyone else folds and my 23 off is up against 99 no suck out this time (which would not have been deserved anyway) and I am gone.  I was so pi$$ed with my play, I never let myself get that short and even in the unusual circumstances I should have got grooving earlier.  I definitely won"t be letting that happen again.

Have a couple of drinks when I finally calm down before more pai gow losses and an early night before the next Ventian deepstack on monday.

[ThinkerJE]

Monday, Venetian Deepstack, $350 buy in, 768 runners, $49k first prize and 12k starting stack

5,375 at 1st break (end of level 3)
Lost 3/4 of my stack on the following hand.  Raise in early position to 250 (blinds 50/100) with 55 and button 3 bets to 700 and I make the call.  Flop and I check my middle set and call his bet of 1,100.  Turn is and I check, he moves all in for 6,500 (monster overbet).  Wow was not expecting that.  Tank, don"t have him on a flush (why bet so much?) or a straight (only getting called if you are beat), overpair with big heart is very possible and in the end thats what I put him on, either AA or KK with a heart.  So I call and he shows.......

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just the jack high flush draw then.  Of course hits the river and I am down to 3k.  It was a good call and a good trap on the flop to get him to bluff into me drawing pretty thin.  Still made me feel sick.  Although the deepstack structure allows time to recover and my 3k stack is still playable.    Down to 2,500 I raise early to 400 (75/150) with JJ and get 4 callers.  Flop QT4 rainbow and I shove my remaining chips, 1 call behind then a re raise behind him.  I must be dead and heads up vs AQ I suck out again with a jack on the river.  Not too displeased with the play, perhaps pushing into 4 players was a touch optimistic but if the AQ 3 bets pre flop we get it all in anyway, and with only 1 over card and my chips I could not afford to fold this spot.

OUT 550th 23 mins into level 5
No hands down to 2,825 with blinds 150/300 (25) and I am looking for a spot to push first.  Find in cutoff and shove, called in BB by 66 and no help from board felts me, fairly standard play all round at that stage.

The early flush loss rather knocked the wind out of my sails today and could never really recover from that hit.  Venetian has $1k buy in tomorrow so back to Caesars for another megastack event.

[Mikeyboy9361]

Great reads James.

[Cyntaf]

You really are.......................................a shining star
So pleased for you James......now let"s have another one.

[ThinkerJE]

Tuesday, Caesars Palace Megastack, $235 buy in, 482 runners & 15k starting stack

32,900 at 1st break (end of level 3)
Monster field due to lower buy in and $1k event at the Venetian.  2 major hands got the chips both against the same guy.  I raise in mid position with 77 and he min re raises me in the SB.  I figure this smells of a bigger pair and I call to hit my set.  BINGO flop JT7 rainbow and he bets 700 into me and I call.  Turn 8 and he bets 2k and I call again (99 is possible which has just made the straight but I think it is more likely he has QQ, KK or AA).  River ten to comple my boat and he checks to me.  Now I know I am ahead and I need to find the right value bet to be called.  I make it 3,500 and he calls and shows KK.  Nice pot, knew where I was all along and managed to get paid on the end.  Later on the same guy raises in late position and I 3 bet to 1,900 in SB with AK, he calls.  Flop AQ4 rainbow and I lead out for 2,300, he thinks for ages and finally calls.  The dwell got me thinking as AQ is definitely in his range so I will need to be careful.  Turn is a ten and I check to control the pot and he fires 3,300.  Now I have picked up a middle pin draw to go with top pair top kicker which may be the best hand still as the dwell followed by a quick fire on the turn felt weak, like a float or a worse ace, so I call.  River 2 putting 3 spades on board and I check and he moves all in for 2,200.  I don"t like it as I cannot beat much now but have to call for such a small amount (to win a big pot) and I fear he may have AQ.  He mucks and quickly exits and the AK is good.  Weird hand, if he had a worse ace then he overplayed it and could still have chips left at showdown therefore I think he had either a queen or complete air and did not put me on a big ace.  Anyway his chips were gratefully received.  Good stack and table image, no need to do anything silly at this stage.

39,500 at 2nd break (end of level 6)
No major hands, not getting involved much, playing quite tight & solid.  Call in position with AQ and see a flop 662.  I call the c bet from matey and catch a queen on the turn.  It goes check check and the river is a ten, he leads out and I call to take a nice pot (he had nothing and I was ahead all the way).  Well above average chips and in good shape.

14,900 at 3rd break (end of level 9)
1k/2k (300) when back so need to get very busy.  3 hands killed my stack.  I raise with 99 and new guy to my left flats.  Flop J72 and I c bet which is called.  This felt weak and the turn brings an ace which I represent by a bet which he calls again.  Damm, river blank and I check and he moves all in and I have to fold.  He just sat down so I had no read on him or his play so I had to assume I was beat (although based on later play he was a complete loon so I probably had the best had and he was making a move on me to get me to fold).  It would be a serious hero call in that spot and no need to make it, he may even be bluffing with a jack to get me to fold a weak ace and I would still be beat.  That hurt then there is a raise from the solid cutoff and I call on the button with 44, loon SB and tight BB also see the flop 89T which does not interest me.  They all check and I take the free card.  Turn 4 and I hit my set.  All check and I bet 5k from the button.  SB & BB both call and the river queen and tight BB leads out, he must have a jack (and may even have king jack) so I have to fold again.  This is an easy fold but it still hurts my stack and any blank and I win a nice pot (this was a turning point in the tournament).  The 3rd hit occurs when I raise with 99 and 3 callers see a KQ2 flop and I am done with the hand.  All check and turn is 8, all check again and river is 7, button bets and all fold, he shows AJ for ace high bluff.  I cannot commit anymore chips to this pot with my stack and the fact it is far too likely that there is a king or queen out there.  Maybe I played it a little weak, although a c bet would mean committing to the pot which I was not willing to do at this stage.  So a pretty rubbish 3 levels where my chip stack was crippled but I was still alive and in with a shot.  I made a nice move when there was 2 limpers and I look down at 56 off and shove all in to pick up the dead money.  Once crazy loon on left got knocked out I was able to open up a bit and shoved 85 off on the button to pick up the blinds.  Need a double up really soon.

OUT 120th at end of level 10
UTG limps and I push all in for 14k with JJ, he thinks and finally calls.  JJ vs 22 and jacks hold for a badly needed double up to 30k.  Then moved tables and raise in early position with QQ, 3 bet behind and then short stack is all in behind him.  Figure I need to go with this and shove all in, insta called, QQ vs AK vs 77 (SS) ace on flop and I am dead (77 actually tripled up with a flush, sick).  No too mad about today, lost a race when I have been winning most of them all week so far, it happens.  The only hand I could have played different was the 99 against the loon, don"t mind my flop bet with 1 overcard but should probably just give up when the ace comes, especially as I had no information on the looney tune.  Went deep again and if the queens hold I am in very good shape again, happy with my general poker play and will give the megastacks another go tomorrow.