My Main Event

I'm out.

Funny day of poker, for the majority of it i was in complete control and totally comfortable, then the last 2 hours was a total grind.

When i sat down at the table i recognised one face and quickly realised i was sitting opposite Minh Ly, who appeared in high stakes poker. I couldn't remember much about his game, but someting told me he was pretty tight in that game. Of course he could play totally differently in a tournament, but i figured i would be careful when playing pots against him.

Within the first 30mins, it became apparant that the majority of the table were pretty weak. From my left:

• Old guy who bluffed heavily and badly post flop, but played passively preflop

• American in his 30s who mini raised and check/mini raised a lot with marginal hands "to see where he was"
• American in his 30s who appeared pretty solid, but in a passive way
• Young American who was raising junk in every seat and trying to "play poker" but who wasn't willing to fire more than one bullet after he missed, rendering his style useless.
• Minh Ly - played a lot of hands, and played them all very passively, he check folded when he missed every single time.
• American in his 30s who appeared quite solid, then showed down K4 having limped in mid, he then later proved his donkeyness by calling a 3 bet out of position with T5s and getting it all in preflop for 200 bbs with TT.
• Exceptionally corpulent American fellow in his late 20s who called far too many raises in and out of position, and loved a hero call on the river.
• 50 year old American who limped in with a lot of junk, never raised and called down with marginal hands, overvalued massively - inexperienced in live play.

So yeah... i was pretty pleased with my draw.

At the first break i was down to 15k having lost a few chips trying to setmine, then trying to outplay the loose player who had flopped trips - whoops. This didn't concern me too much as the chips were all still at the table and i figured i could get them back easily enough.

At the 2nd break i had chipped up to 24k without a showdown. In this time i did get a few hands, but also managed to make well timed continuation bets on favourable boards for me. Shortly after the 2nd break i raised to 1600 with AA in the sb after two limpers for 300, and the old guy in the bb shoved for 6.5k, i called he sighed and tabled 44, flopped a gutshot draw and got there on the turn.

Down to 20k, i managed to catch some cards, 3bet squeeze pre a few time and grind my way to 34k at the dinner break - good job.

At the break i spoke to quite a few ppl and a lot of them were saying how they were looking to hang on until day 2. This really wasn't my intention, and i have a plethora of reasons for this, the main ones being:

1. Other people will be playing tight to hang in - exploit them
2. As the tournament progresses the dead money will drop away, i want to get the easy chips now before someone better than them gets them.
3. I'm playing to win, and an effective tourny strategy is not to play to cash, then to shoot for the final table.

After dinner it proved to be tough for me, and i found people hitting some hands vs me, and come the next break i was at 29k - far from the end of the world though.

Just before the final level my table broke and i was moved to a truely horrible seat. I had 3 tight, bad english guys to my right and 4 foreign loose aggro guys with chips to my left. So when i opened light they could 3 bet me, and the guys to my right weren't opening light so i couldn't 3 bet them as effectively.

My stack dwindled a little but i found myself on 27k when i saw a spot to pull a move.

The chip leader raised 3x to 1200 @ 200/400/50 in early (position meant nothing to his range), 40 yr old american who had splashed around a bit called, english guy called. I really felt like it was a good spot to pick up some chips, and despite looking down at J2o i bumped it to 5.5k. Oh god... American guy called.

At this point it is tricky, as i have created a 12k pot and I have 22k back, i have total air and I'm out of position - it's just ugly. I thought he could have a mid pair and was just seeing the flop, so i was prepared to fire again.

Flop J 6 8 rainbow. Oh god....

I just flopped top pair, but i know I'm still bluffing.

I led out for 6k and he instantly moved in. I knew, i just knew that he wasn't bluffing. I really thought he had a set, and even if he didn't, i felt his range was 66/88/JJ+,AJ, which I'm absolutely crushed against. The pot was offering me a great price, but that's irrelevant if you're drawing near dead. After 2mins of pulling my hair out i eventually folded asking him if he had a set and he showed KK.

I blinded down a little then picked up KQhh in late position. I had 13k, an m of 13 with the blinds and antes. The chip leader limpe din UTG - he hadn't limped much. It was folded to me. I think i perhaps made an error here, i limped behind. It is tricky, if i had raised i would have made it 1400 from 400 probably, but creates a pot of 3850 going to the flop with me having 11.5k back. If i miss, which i will do most of the time, i surely have to c-bet most boards, and if he plays back that is say another 2k of my stack invested so I'm down to 9.5k, ie losing 1/5 of my stack. But limping creates other problems....

The sb folded and the bb checked.

Flop 2d 6c Kd

BB leads for 1.6k.... utg folds. Ok what's my play??

I called to control the pot and to disguise my hand a little, i'm representing a draw here or maybe a hand like 67s or 77/88.

Turn 8h

He fires 4k - oh oh, can i fold here? I felt i could, i really did, but it was a tough spot. Because of my smooth call on the flop he could fire another bullet here to chase out the draw, or even on the draw himself. I felt he could have dd or KJ/KT as i had underrepped my hand thus far. At that point i felt there was enoguh in the pot, so shoved for just over 6k more.

He thought for 20 seconds, asked how much it was, then called and tabled 22 for the flopped set! I definitely could have folded, but I'm not sure if i should, although his turn bet was very strong.

GG me 15mins before the end of day 1c.

I hastily left the pokerroom, headed back to the Manadalay where i discovered my friends were at the Rio waiting for me... So after a quick turnaround i headed back and drowned my sorrows until 6am.

There's always next year!

Tomorrow Team Pokerroom have organised a golf excursion, which will be a timely break from Vegas and all things poker! (who am i kidding, I'm going golfing with 70 poker players, i wonder what the no. 1 subject of conversation will be?!)

Until next time,

Neil.

Next stop main event

This morning i rose at the early hour of 12pm and we made a group decision to head to the Venetian to show the girls the sites of Vegas including the gondola ride and of course the forum shops in Caesars.

Having jumped in the taxi at 1.30 and instructed the taxi driver to head to the Venetian, i received a text message from a good friend telling me he was at the ESPN featured table sat next to Erik Lindgren and that he had just doubled. At that point i made the executive decision that we were heading to the Rio to soak up the atmosphere.

On arrival we realised that despite him being sat 10 yards away we couldn't really see anything, so after we head for lunch it was only myself who returned to cheer on my Italian friend.

He doubled early, but a few hours after i left i got the text saying he had busted running AK into 44 on a AA4 flop (he thinks he should have folded) then KK into AA the very next hand.

I headed back to the Rio to eventually register for the main event. As planned i will be taking my seat tomorrow (saturday), although i did have another conundrum when i approached the desk.

"Which day do you want to register sir?"
"Err... isn't sunday sold out?"
"Oh yes it is, but i have been told it will reopen"
"Ok, so why are you asking me which day if only one is available?" - i didn't say this part as I'm sure it would have sounded rather rude...

At this point i got confirmation that sunday would reopen tomorrow night, i backed away from the counter, then realised i really didn't want to go on the word of the cashier, and i just wanted to get going.

"Saturday is fine" i said as i approached the kiosk.

And that was that, gg $10k and I'm in the main event!

With it being the 4th of July there was a concert and fireworks, and team PR made the trip down to the "beach" for a fun show, although few knew who the band were... The fireworks were great, until the final song "Born in the USA" launched into the remix after the first few bars - when i say the remix i'm actually attempting humour as the CD was skipping. Considering they must have spent thousands on the fireworks it was particularly funny that they couldn't fix the CD and for 2 minutes it continued to skip.

It is now approaching midnight, and with play beginning in 12 hours it's now time to rest, but as i type i have 4 friends in the room sipping wine from the bottle and planning a night out... hard to resist, but all i need to remember is that i just stumped up $10k to play in a poker tourny, and if i turned up hungover or even drunk it would be retarded.

Let's hope they don't make too much noise when they roll in in the early hours.

Hopefully my next entry will be one of joy. Neilmc is on 36k after the first day, and we have a bit of a sidebet on, so if you hear about me 4 bet bluffing with 2 minutes to go and going out to AA with 72o - that's why....

Main event experiences

As you'll be aware, yesterday was day 1a of the main event. I headed over to the Rio shortly before play commenced with my friend Neilmc who was playing. Any attempt to watch the play was completely futile, as he was placed as far away from the rail as possible. So instead i took a stroll round the room looking for other team pr members, pros, celebrities, and just to generally soak up the atmosphere.

The buzz around the place was really quite special, and to be honest more so than i thought. Having played in two of the warm up events i figured that it wouldn't be much different - there were actually less people playing yesterday than in the two events i played.

An hour before the dinner break, the buzz had worn off, but i wanted to hang around to see how the team was doing, so headed up to the Pokerroom suite, where snacks and drinks were laid on. I met a few guys who i've only ever bumped in to online - Wieringen, Billy Billiard, and we had a good laugh being entertained by David of PR Promotional fame's stories - the content of which differed dramatically minute by minute.

When i eventually left the Rio and headed back to the Mandalay, i was kind of at a loose end. I still hadn't decided which day i would be playing the main event. Originally i wanted to play on Sunday, but due to all the independance day activities it is sold out - so i had a coinflip between friday and saturday.

Prons and cons were drawn up, but i still couldn't decide.

Friday pros: If i bust early there's the party to go to.
I won't have to worry about taking it easy on the Friday night before Saturday
It has been playing on my mind that i need to sort it out asap.

Friday cons: I might miss the party
My friend thinks it may be unlucky for a Brit to play on Independance day..

Saturday pros: Americans will be hungover and play poorly
I can go to the party

Saturday cons: I'd have to have an early night on the friday and miss the party.

Still unable to decide i pulled out the trusty coin, it told me i should play on Saturday, and who am i to go against the coin? Saturday it is!

My two Californian friends from University arrived yesterday for the weekend (Heidi and Dominique), so last night was spent getting them acclimatised to Vegas. We played penny slots, while constantly ordering drinks, trying to win a BMW, then after Heidi demanded we play the game "with the spinning ball on the wheel", we headed over to the roulette table.

Dominique by this stage had a perma grin on her face due to umpteen Gin and tonics, while Heidi was still rather compos mentis, and was intrigued to know what on earth we were betting on. - The answer to that as far as myself and Neilmc were concerned was just the opposite of whatever the beej bet on, as he claims he is the unluckiest man alive. I ran unbelievably well and trebled my initial buy in. If i can run as well as that in the main event, it's all over!

Gl to the team starting today, hopefully i can take advantage of those drunk americans tomorrow!

Main event experiences

As you'll be aware, yesterday was day 1a of the main event. I headed over to the Rio shortly before play commenced with my friend Neilmc who was playing. Any attempt to watch the play was completely futile, as he was placed as far away from the rail as possible. So instead i took a stroll round the room looking for other team pr members, pros, celebrities, and just to generally soak up the atmosphere.

The buzz around the place was really quite special, and to be honest more so than i thought. Having played in two of the warm up events i figured that it wouldn't be much different - there were actually less people playing yesterday than in the two events i played.

An hour before the dinner break, the buzz had worn off, but i wanted to hang around to see how the team was doing, so headed up to the Pokerroom suite, where snacks and drinks were laid on. I met a few guys who i've only ever bumped in to online - Wieringen, Billy Billiard, and we had a good laugh being entertained by David of PR Promotional fame's stories - the content of which differed dramatically minute by minute.

When i eventually left the Rio and headed back to the Mandalay, i was kind of at a loose end. I still hadn't decided which day i would be playing the main event. Originally i wanted to play on Sunday, but due to all the independance day activities it is sold out - so i had a coinflip between friday and saturday.

Prons and cons were drawn up, but i still couldn't decide.

Friday pros: If i bust early there's the party to go to.
I won't have to worry about taking it easy on the Friday night before Saturday
It has been playing on my mind that i need to sort it out asap.

Friday cons: I might miss the party
My friend thinks it may be unlucky for a Brit to play on Independance day..

Saturday pros: Americans will be hungover and play poorly
I can go to the party

Saturday cons: I'd have to have an early night on the friday and miss the party.

Still unable to decide i pulled out the trusty coin, it told me i should play on Saturday, and who am i to go against the coin? Saturday it is!

My two Californian friends from University arrived yesterday for the weekend (Heidi and Dominique), so last night was spent getting them acclimatised to Vegas. We played penny slots, while constantly ordering drinks, trying to win a BMW, then after Heidi demanded we play the game "with the spinning ball on the wheel", we headed over to the roulette table.

Dominique by this stage had a perma grin on her face due to umpteen Gin and tonics, while Heidi was still rather compus mentus, and was intriguied to know what on earth we were betting on. - The answer to that as far as myself and Neilmc were concerned was just the opposite of whatever the beej bet on. I ran unbelievably well and trebled my initial buy in. If i can run as well as that in the main event, it's all over!

Gl to the team starting today, hopefully i can take advantage of those drunk americans tomorrow!

Welcome Party

Wednesday night arrived quickly and the excitment in our camp built as we looked forward to meeting with the rest of the team. When we arrived in the conference room to pick up our PR goodies the place was filled with players from all around the globe laughing and joking with each other in a plethora of different languages.

First up was a photo shoot with all the players, which took a lot less time than it could have done considering the single photographer was dealing with 70 jetlagged poker players. After that the fun began with a buffet being laid on and the first entertainment of the night was in the form of two belly dancers (that's if you don't count Kristian's (PR VIP manager) welcoming speech).

Free food and a free bar was laid on, and the majority of the players didn't need asked twice to leave their seats. My only grumble was that the bar was ill equipped - i mean there were no mint leaves so there were no mojitos to be had!

Marilyn Monroe and Elvis made special appearances and there was an artist on hand for caricatures and even a palm reader - although she claimed i wasn't a gambler, so after that i was a little unsure to believe a word she said!

A few of us managed to keep the jetlag at bay and made it to an in house bar, where instead of drinking and dancing i managed to become in a heated debate with David from PR over how to manage my finances in and out of poker. As i told him today, i was definitely right, even though i have no clue what i was saying.

The fact that i can't remember the conversation, should probably show why playing poker when the bar closed was not a good idea, but decisions like that are far easier to make when sober. I hit the cash tables and an hour later i had doubled my buy in and even at that point i couldn't recall how i had done it. Definitely -ev, but who cares - i won!

Unfortunately all that drinking put paid to the Hoover Damn trip for me the next day, but who really wants to see a big block of concrete anyway, although apparantly they claim that the engineering is similar to that of the pyramids in Egypt.... i think an American may have made that one up!

Ok, next entry I'll include some more poker chat, as mundane as it is, but I've had a few good cash hands in the last week - a stark contrast to my tournament form!

Vegas baby!

Having been in America for over two weeks now, you would think i would have had time for a blog entry.... If i was to say i haven't had time i would obviously be lying, but i have hardly spent a moment resting - ok I'm lying again.

Myself, Neilmc and the beej arrived in Vegas a little earlier than planned and checked into the Rio on Wednesday afternoon, a full 5 days ahead of the rest of the team. The plan was to play in 3 preliminary wsop events - the 2k on the friday, the 1.5k on the saturday and the final 1.5k on the monday. Two out of three isn't bad right?

Our debut in the wsop didn't exactly go as planned. Neil got it in with 2nd set (the 2nd nuts) on the turn and was called by a gutshot draw which duly hit on the river. I had a similar experience in that i couldn't do anything about my exit. I shoved AKs after a limper for 300 and the sb woke up with AA, and unbelievably he held - so rigged.

That night saw us out in the voodoo lounge in the rio - an open aired club. 5am arrived and we still weren't in our beds and the 1.5k event at midday was looking doubtful. "Of course we'll be playing" we kept uttering. I say uttering, i should probably add an "s" and a "t" to the beginning of that word and it would be remarkably more accurate of our state at that moment. 10+ mojitos, 4 hours sleep and 12 hours of poker don't really mix, so when we woke at 11.30, we made the executive decision to give the $1.5k a miss - "It's a crapshoot anyway" was the (still half drunken) consensus.

Saturday and sunday rolled by quickly and we were refocused for Monday's $1.5k event. This time it was Neilmc who busted when running inferior hands into superior ones, losing a couple of 70/30s to bust. I on the other hand had an interesting hand, which i definitely could have played differently, and certainly played one of the streets badly (although it didn't matter).

At 100/200/25 i had 4.8k and opened in 2nd position with JJ to 600. The chip leader who had been in every hand called and the button called.

Flop 2c Ad Tc

Ok, i'm done with the hand, i check, then they both check behind... interesting. At this point i really don't think either of them has the ace, especially the button, as I was sure with the T on the board and the two clubs he would bet an ace. I didn't think the chip leader had it either, as it had been his style to lead at these type of hands.

Turn 6d

I check and the leader fires 1.7k, button folds. I decided at this point i was good, and if i wasn't, gg. If i shove he can only call with an ace, so I felt there was no value in doing so. Sure there are now two flush draws out there, but you can't be afraid of that, he can only have one of them max and more likely neither. I felt if i called here, i could check the river and call an all in when/if it came.

I called leaving back about 2.5k, which may sound strange, but i really thought he was full of it and this was the way to get max value.

River Js

Ok... i have to confess that this threw me, i should have stuck to my guns and checked, but i didn't and moved in, he snapped called and tabled KQ for the nuts - whoops! However, my read was right and had it not been for that river i would have doubled.

The next night saw the arrival of the team, and the first party of the trip followed the next evening - and some party it was.... (to be continued)

Decision made!

As from mid September this year, myself and Neilmc will be based out of Mount Maunganui, New Zealand for 6-8months.

Working 9-5.... going to be a shock to the system, but we feel it will:

a) Increase our MTT volume
b) Increase our winnings
c) Live a more normal life, working normal hours.
d) Be in a warm climate during the British Winter
e) Have a great time.

We're planning on renting a 3 bedroom apartment on the beach and living like kings... it is going to be EPIC.