Saturday - WSOP Event 38 $1,500 NLHE
I got to the Rio about 11am to check out where my table was and chill out before play started. The queue to register was out of the door and down the corridor. I think 2,776 runners started after alternates and so it was going to be tough and a long day to go deep in this.
1,975 at first break (starting chips 3,000). No hands, only JJ in cutoff which I managed to win the blinds. Trying to steal when I can but I have a very active table, action to my left and right. No name players on it but solid play all round. Blinds 100-200 when we go back so need to get busy soon, find a hand and commit to it and hope it holds. I have been pleased with my patience, but it is frustrating not getting ant hands. I need to keep my focus and double up to get back in it.
13,600 at second break. MAD MAD MAD. Had a rush of cards and managed to get chips. I was down to 1,075 and got moved tables. Juha Helppi was sitting opposite with a mountain of chips. This guy is pure class, it was an education simply watching his play from the same table. With my short stack I had to start getting funky, moving in when I had the chance to steal the blinds and give me another orbit to find a hand. There was an even shorter stack to my right, it folds to him in the SB, he moves in I find AJ in BB and insta call. AJ vs J7, back up to 3,000 and some breathing space (no much but some). Find JJ in middle position, raise and get one caller. Flop J 9 7, I bet halve my stack and he calls, river blank, I move all in and he folds. Button raises, I find 66 in BB and call. Flop J 6 2 (2 diamonds), I check, he bets about halve my stack, I move all in and he thinks for ages before folding. A shoter stack move all in in middle position, I find AK on button and raise to protect my hand. BB thinks before folding JJ face up. AK vs A9 and best hand holds. Very next hand and the last hand before the break. Helppi rasies UTG and gets a call behind, I wake up with KK in the cutoff. I re raise and Helppi calls (danger), other guy gets out of the way. Flop Q 9 3 (2 spades). Helppi checks and I don"t want to mess around with one of the best players in the world so I move all in. Helppi thinks for ages, about 8 minutes into the break time. He is staring me down and is very imtimidating, but I know I am ahead at this point. he asks me if I have 1010, I reply saying something stupid, I should have kept quiet here as he probably used my response to get a read. It is difficult as he put me under pressure and my instincts took over. I asked him if he had AQ, he then said I could have AK, this went back and forth until he finally folds JJ face up. I say nice laydown and muck my cards. Helppi is world class, he is so intense and makes you sweat every decision he puts you to.
8,050 at third break. Card dead again. When I did raise I got called and the continuation bets were not gettong through. I was down to 4,000 and short staked again. All fold to the button who limps for 400. I am the SB with 22 and move all in for 4,000. BB folds, button calls 3,600 more with QJ off. Flop Q 7 5 (damm damm and double damm) turn 7 (I will get my coat) river 2 (wow wow wow). It was the case 2 aswell and another had been passed. Back up to 8,000 but need to keep moving with blinds 300-600 with 75 ante. Pleased with my concentration and focus, I feel I am playing well and if I double up I am back in it. I need to keep my patience as the hour long levels allow plenty of time to find a hand.
12,325 at dinner break (30 minutes after last break). Found AA UTG, I raise, shorter stack goes OTT with AK, AA holds. Then find KK in SB. All fold to button who limps again (he did this alot with all kinds of hands). I raise as I am sure he will call, but he folds. Take down the blinds and antes which are significant at this time and don"t want to see an ace on the flop. 540 players are left and I am back in this, I need to stay out of trouble and do nothing silly without getting too passive though. Aggression is the key at this level of poker.
7,300 at next break. Not much happened the last hour and a half. Table was broken and moved to new table that included high stakes cash player Ryan Daut with a truckload of chips. Raise with JJ no action, take blinds and antes to give me another orbit to find a monster. Called 1,000 in BB with 87 spades (2 other callers). Flop J high with 2 spades. Check to raiser intending to move all in when it gets back to me. However other caller beats me to it and I have to fold, the raiser passed. Moved in in earlt position with AJ diamonds, no action. I think my table image is solid and rock like which helps in stealing the blinds, the players behind will need a big big hand to call. Blinds 600-1,200 with 100 ante when we go back, only 3M need to move soon. On button 1st hand back and will move in with ATC if no action to me. 360 players left, 270 get paid, yet again need to double up to get back in it.
Out in about 310th (ish) after 11 hours and 40 minutes of short stacked grind and no cash (absolutely gutted). Action before me every hand, could not get in first. Had to fold hands I would have pushed with like 88, A5, AQ when there was action before me. Final hand I was down to 4,400, finally all fold to me and i was thinking of pushing regardless in this situation, looked down to find 88. I go all in and gut to my left calls, blinds get out of the way. 88 vs A7 (with 2 other aces passed) so I am big favourite. Flop 9 7 2, turn 7 (killer, I feel sick), river blank and I am gone. NO BAD BEATS - JUST REPORTING THE FACTS. If the 8"s hold I would be up to 11,500 and in good shape to cash at least. I tap the table say nice hand and slump away feeling very sick. I get down after any tournament I get knocked out of but this was the WSOP and this is the worst I have felt ever (poker related). On reflection I am very pleased with my play and concentration. I don"t think I made any major mistakes and I did as well as I could. The tabe I was at went crazy during this period. It was very active and had some monster beats. Raise by 99, called behind, flop 9 7 2, bet by set, all in holding QQ, insta call, river Q (sick sick). Next hand raise by JJ, re raise by someone holding the half wilson, call. Flop 7 4 2 turn 7 river 8 (sick sick sick). I really enjoyed playing in the WSOP, the standard is on a different level but I feel I can compete at this level and did not do anything stupid.
I was really tired after the event, the long sessions of concentration really take it out of you, so I had a few beers and hit the sack.
NO BAD BEATS - BRING ON WSOP 2008
