I am absolutely useless, useless but incredibly busy. I suddenly realised I hadn't posted anything for just about ages. Covering the WSOP in Vegas is like being a non-stop cash player, you don't do days any more, just sessions. Each day just melts into another, about a week ago I had covered two days of the WSOP only to realise I had not eaten properly in almost 48 hours, it's incredibly unhealthy.
So what's happened since last time I posted? Well, the scarf boy, Dario Minieri managed to win a bracelet, getting insanely lucky to get all-in with 4s -s against kings and the board to come out Js-8s-2x-4h-4d. At the same time he was unlucky in Baden two years ago, and also unfortunate in San Remo, but now he has the bracelet that establishes him.
I also saw Alexandre Gomes, a Brazilian, 'Jerry Yang' his final table, he got all-in with 7-6 against A-Q only for the board to come out A-Q-J-6-6 and then managed to crack aces with A-T to win the bracelet. It gives hope for all of us.
Meanwhile on my birthday, I ended going out with some of the PokerListings crew to Phil Ivey's party at the Golden Nugget downtown, watched some explosive fireworks that lasted ages before having to listen to some awful karaoke, including Dutch Boyd sing 'Puff The Magic Dragon', a song about something imaginary, like the chances of people getting their PokerSpot money back.
After this, we went to get a taxi to the UltimateBet party at the Palms (previously I've said how bad UB are, but free booze is free booze), there was a clear lack of taxis around, and so we checked to see how much it was to get a limo, and seven of us squeezed in, only having to pay $55 for the trip.
We got straight into the party which wasn't too busy, it had a pool and a beautiful view of the strip, while I randomly found myself on chatting on a rotating bed to three Irish girls who'd just got into the party and had no idea what was going on. Phil Hellmuth turned up and was a pleasant enough chap, he'd just managed third in the HORSE event and there seemed to be a certain air of satisfaction about doing so well in a mixed event when he's often derided for his non-hold'em skills.
I got a text from Gary 'Mclovin' Clarke saying the Irish were celebrating Marty Smyth's bracelet win in the $10,000 PLO. They were all just at the bar at the Rio, no fancy parties and flashing lights for the Irish, it detracts from the drinking. We ended up taking half the party back to the bar with us where even more drinking continued until about 8am.
I then started work at 12.
That was not ideal.
After working and somehow still being alive, I met Kara Scott and Nick Weatherall at the Cardrunners party and watched Nick team up with Brian Townsend against Stinger and one of the other guys, I can't remember which.
The game? Beer pong.
If you've not played beer pong, it's a pretty simple game, you have 10 plastic cups half full of beer arranged like skittles on two opposite ends of a table. The aim is to throw ping pong balls into the cups, and if it lands in, then the other team has to drink that cup. (You have a cup of water to wash the ball in.) Each team has two ping pong balls, and if you both get a cup, you get an extra go. Also, if you bounce the ball off the table and get it in the cup, it counts as two cups, but once the ball bounces, the other team can hit the ball away. First team to make the others drink all their beer wins.
They played $200 a cup (but not before Brian Townsend had originally thrown down two $5,000 chips and offered to play for that) The others played really well, eventually winning by three cups. Then they renegotiated and ended up playing for $1,000 a cup, Stinger and the other guy were even persuaded by Brian to give them 2:1 odds! Brian and Nick managed to win the second match by a single cup putting them back up overall.
After this, we went to the Sapphire Lounge which was a strip club, but was holding the 'Bluff' magazine party, it was good fun, but I think some of the strippers had taken advantage of the free bar and were more than a little tipsy.
Highlight of the night? Kara Scott getting a lapdance, it was hilarious.
I came back around 6am, having sobered up and decided to play a little online, I ended up dropping three buy-ins, including one horrible cooler of a hand where I raised Th-8h-7d-7c and got all-in on a Kd-9h-7h flop against K-K-x-x, I turned the flush and he rivered quads. I lost a couple of sets vs combi-draws, hit a wrap and made a straight on the turn against a set only to have him fill up on the river, and also had two pair all-in on the turn vs an overpair + flush draw which counterfeited me on the river. I did manage one suck out with A-A-4-6 against T-T-2-2 on a 7-3-2 board by catching my gutshot.
Either way, I'm on a 15 BI downswing since I've been in Vegas, perhaps,I'll put some hands on the PHA board, or maybe I just send them to a few people and ask if I'm just running bad. I don't particularly want to moan about bad beats, but it's getting to the point where I might give up playing PLO for a while, despite getting some advice from Brian Townsend which was, “Just play Omaha, it's the best game out there.”
Song of the day. 'Song For Sunshine' by Belle & Sebastian. Honey sweet apples, they're rotting away.