It is very tough for me to consolidate 6 days in Las Vegas. In total, I played in 3 deepstacks, 1 bracelet event, 1 "normal", $60 tournament and several cash games, both no limit holdem 1/3 and omaha 4/8 with a half kill. Not big games, but big enough to win or lose a few hundred in. I had several successful sessions, including one at Caesar's Palace where I won enough to buy into their deepstack for $240 and also have some cash left over. As it turned out that was to be my only tournament cash, coming in 20th place out of 181 entries for $471. I consider that my "freeroll".
If I was to summarize my play it would be this:
1. Played sqeaky tight in the first bracelet event. Can you blame me? I was fortunate to survive for 11 hours as the cards were not good to me, with only 10 pairs, the highest pocket 10's. It was not a game I was used to with the long blind structure working for me, but it was a tight aggressive game with raises before nearly every flop. Only saw maybe 5 limped pots all day. I felt pretty good about my play, and finishing 460th out of 2300 players I outlasted over 3/4 of the field. My last hand was a shove with KQ off, called by 9/9. You have to win those kinds of races.
2. Made a stupid mistake in the $60 Mirage tournament. I was over-confident as have cashed the last 3 times played there. I was running good, bluffing, playing aggressively and getting good cards. There was a senior citizen regular in seat 10 that I totally misplayed. I raised with 8/8 (my favorite pair to hit a set), and he re-raised. I called, the flop was A/K/x, and we both checked. The turn, bingo, 8, I bet my set, about pot size, and he came over the top all-in. Without taking time to really think things through, I called to see his pocket kings. Well played Sir! What was I thinking? If I had slowed down, or even under-bet the pot, could have escaped. There is no hand he is raising with preflop that he does this with except pocket aces or kings.
3. Both RIO deepstacks were not good to me. Never really got any traction and forced to commit with non premium hands. Worst call was shove (he had AK), my call for nearly all my chips with A/9 suited. I guess I was thinking back to bracelet event where 8/7 shoved, KQ called, I folded A9 suited, and flop came A/A/X. Even then, I finished both tournaments in the upper 1/3 of players....usually around 1200 registered.
4. Best tournament for me was Caesar's. Not as tough competition, caught some great cards (AA 3 or 4 times). Key hand was this: button shoved with a big stack, I am in small blind with J4, big blind and I both are very short stacked and we are on the bubble. Before I can act, the dealer sweeps the all-in's cards into the muck. He loudly protests, the floor rules that the BB amount 6K must stay in the pot, but his hand is dead. I pause, decide to complete the blind. BB checks his option (later said he had an ace, and almost shoved). The flop is jack high, I go all in, he folds and I pick up 18,000 plus antes. That was enough to ensure my cashing in the tournament as two players shortly went out.
5. Cash games were tough for me. Other than the 1/3 at Caesar's, where I made over $300, did not have another NL win. Not big losses, but losses nonetheless. I did have some success in omaha. After dropping $200 in 1/3 NL, I took my remaining $60 over to the 4/8 omaha. Cashed out a couple of hours later for $360. Total net win $100 for the day. I headed back to the room, sick as a dog, swilling theraflu all night.
6. Overall, played o.k., but not brilliantly. With decent cards I stand a chance, but cannot seem to "outplay" the big boys.
The WSOP is a wild ride, and the top players from the whole world are there. You have to play darned good and get lucky, and catch decent cards to hope to win. A lot of fun and a good bucket list item. Had a great time visiting with my buddy Don and wife Penny.
Also, it was fun seeing the big pros like Barry Greenstein, Joe Hachim, Greg Raymer, Erick Lindgren walking around. Quite a show.
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