That was as good as it got as I made a big mistake on the player who took over from Paul.
Again everyone seemed to know him but I got the feeling he was a loose aggressive player.
I raised his bb with A245 double suited in my PLO8 rotation.
He called and we both checked the 88J flop. There was 2 spades and I had the nut flush draw but I wanted a low card to turn.
The King of spades turn was checked to me and I bet small.
I was min-raised which should've of set off alarm bells. I flat called wanting to represent just AA.
The river was a blank and he bet the flop. It had grown to 1700 and I had was the nut flush. He could've had a variety of full houses but I thought the bet stinked of a single 8.
I called and he showed KK trash/trash.
The King turn was brutal and I should've folded.
I then was free rolling to scoop 3 pots in a row in the split games but never got my river/3rd draw and just couldn't get all the chips.
Worse news was one orbit later our table split.
I've got a good read on all and now we break into level 5. That was worse then being drawn on the table to start with which before the PLO8 hand I was largest stack.
New seat and I recognised more famous faces but I very quickly put them into new pros and old school pros.
I then made my second biggest mistake.
I called on the sb with a 85 draw in 2-7NL single draw against the chip leader on my right on the button.
We both took one card.
This time I looked. I had already decided to call any bet if I hit as I did with Huck.
Peeking I sneaked a 6 for a 86 low. I only had 3k left so I bet 800 into the 1200 pot.
Thinking back I had planned to make a dummy bluff move if I hit all in to try and entice a call.
Chip leader thought for a bit then called reluctantly.
I tabled 86 and beat his near nut 98. He had been drawing very similar to me and admitted he had to call any bet.
I should've gone all in and that would've taken me up to near 8k but instead I was only just above starting stack.
I kept telling myself that any new players entering would have lower than me right now but there weren't many opportunities for me to accumulate chips and this was a big missed opportunity.
Everyone on the table was picking a variety of stud games (razz, stud and stud8) which I am more than comfortable with but you need to hit on 4&5th street otherwise you get anted out.
Long story short I nursed my stack then bet out on the button on my game choice PLO8. Even at level 6 the antes were small so I could get in cheap or aggressive in position.
A35Q was just what I was willing to stick it in with but the sb and bb both called.
The bb bet out on a 859 flop. I only had 1.2k left so stuck it in and called called by both blinds.
The 5 on the turn gave me outs to a full house to scoop if I was up against a straight and A2.
Sb folded to a all in bet from the bb.
He showed A268 for the nut low draw and flush draw.
Any non flush high I scoop along with a non heart 3.
Trips and second nut low draw was much better than I hoped but the
river was a knife into the heart.
The standard of play was good but tbh I've played tougher hands on-line.
My understanding of Badacey and Baduecy considering I've never played them was brilliant and is actually a easy game to play at the low antes with strong hand selection.
Yes I made the mistake calling the full house with my flush but I would've been very comfortable if I had scooped one or all three of the pots I split when free rolling.
I picked up the betting rules quite quickly and adjusted to the limit nature and US Badugi very well.
If the event is ever on again I will definitely try and visit Vegas to play again but I guess there's loads more busted players thinking the same.
The structure was very good and apart from a typo on the structure sheet which I had to get the TD over for the dealers and whole tournament was spot on.
The only game I didn't get to play as no one chose at the 2 tables I was on, was PLO and Pot Limit draw and A-5 Triple draw.
If I could've got ahead I would've of switched to Stud8 or if old locals in Baduecy.
I gave it a shot and was part of history.