blonde poker forum

Hi all,

I am back after a few Covid and new-baby dominated years for the annual Summer Vegas package! It is somewhat shorter trip this year, as Jack (in fact, today), is now 4.

The package is the usual mix of mixed games events (of which two are the $10k championship events), the Main Event, and two no-limit holdem events. It takes in a few days before the start of the Main Event, and then a number of the events in the now longer spell between the Main, and the end of the Series.

I have run this package on Blonde for most years since 2010, and, with obviously up years and down years, am up overall.

My main grind and study these days is 6-max PLO online. I learnt the mixed games back in 2010, taking four months off everything to study, and regularly study them each year on and off for the couple of months before the Series. I have had regular coaching with Chris Vitch (DeathDonkey) and Christopher George (CeeGee)

There will be comprehensive, updates, with a guide to each game that is new, throughout the package.

The schedule of events is as follows:


Thursday 29th June                            No limit 2-7 lowball championship                                          $10,000

Saturday 1st July                                           Mixed Big Bet Event                                                     $2,500 plus one re-entry ($5,000)

Sunday 2nd July                                  Pot Limit Omaha hi-lo championship                                      $10,000

Thursday 6th July                          MAIN EVENT, Flight D (flight subject to change)                      $10,000

Monday 10th July                                             No Limit holdem                                                            $2,500
        
Tuesday 11th July                                      6-handed Pot Limit Omaha                                               $3,000 plus one re-entry ($6,000)

Wednesday 12th July                                 Short Deck no-limit holdem                                             $1,500

Thursday 13th July                                     No limit holdem Shootout                                               $1,500

Thursday 13th July                               Mixed Stud hi-lo and Omaha hi-lo                                      $2,500 plus one re-entry ($5,000)


Total potential buy-in: $51,500

It is always slightly complicated with potential missed events, and re-entries that are not needed, so I am going to say that...

The max buy-in of the package, and therefore value of the package, is $46,500

(Therefore, in the very unlikely event that all buy-ins and re-entries have been executed before the last event, I would skip the last event)

So, selling for the $46,500 package, at 1.0, prices are as follows:

0.5% = $232.50
1%    = $465
2%    = $930
5%    = $2325
10%  = $4650

I am happy to sell up to 50%. Exchange rate will be locked at time of sending, for sending money back. Payment by bank or Crypto

Any questions, please do fire away.

Stuart

Hi Stu,

I will take 1% please let me know the conversion.

Thanks

Vince

1% booked, message sent

3% please baaaaab

book me 5% please. not really sure how its this time of year again already though!

Hi Stu - great to have you back in the saddle

I’ll take 1.5%

Hi mate, I'll have 3%

All booked

Hi Stu

I’ll have 1% pls

Love the updates this package provides

7.5% please

Send payment deets please

All booked

1.5 % please stu

SOLD OUT

There is some chance more will become available, but, at the moment, sold out

BACK ON SALE

3% avaliable

2% avaliable

Hi Stu,

Can you put me down as 1st reserve for 0.5 % please. If none comes available, no worries.

Good luck out there and I am really looking forward to reading your excellent tourney reports, as always.

Cheers,

Alan

Hi Alan

Definitely, thanks so much. You're first reserve for 0.5%

Happy to reduce to 0.5% to give Al 0.5%, if that’s ok with Stu😁

That's really really good of you, thanks so much

Al (Knotitkay), 0.5% is yours

Stu

Thank you thank you both. Really appreciate it.

Got your PM Stu, will sort by the end of next week.

Cheers.

Sent Stu, have a great time and good luck 😊

Amendment to schedule

I have been thinking that the schedule is a bit "top heavy," with alot of the action early on. It always feels slightly better the other way round,  "GUKPT festival" style, with a build up in buy-ins. Because the two 10k mixed are almost straight away, then there is the potential to be through more than half the total package value ($25k of $46.5k) in effectively the first three days.

So, I propose actually taking out the $10k Pot Limit Omaha hi-lo, replacing with the $1k Mini Main that day, adding a couple of smaller holdem events after the Main Event, and making up the $46.5k package with those three additions, and re-entries. All other events remain the same. I think I'm likely to shift the Main Event starting day to Tuesday 4th July, day 1B.

I will check individually with all stakers, and do say if at all a problem, but I am hoping it feels ok, as substituting a 10k buy-in for smaller ones is I think adding to the value of the package, given it's fair to say the quality of field is in proportion to the buy-in.

Obviously, we never know whether re-entries are needed, and are hoping to miss some events (!), by being in a previous one. Previously, we had a total potential buy-in of $51,500, with a max buy-in (package value) of $46,500. Now, the total potential buy-in is $51,831, of which obviously, in the same way, the max buy-in (package value) is $46,500.

With potential missed events (we're hoping to not play the PLO bounty given its day two of the Main) and missed re-entries, it is possible we will fall slightly short of the total buy-in, in which case I may add one re-entry in the last four events.

New schedule

Thursday 29th June                             No limit 2-7 lowball championship                                                                $10,000

Saturday 1st July                                           Mixed Big Bet Event                                                         $2,500 plus one re-entry ($5,000)

Sunday 2nd July                                      Mini Main Event   *new*                                                                         $1,000

Tuesday 4th July                          MAIN EVENT, Flight B (flight subject to change)                                                     $10,000

Friday 7th July                                      Pot Limit Omaha, bounty *new*                                            $1,500 plus one re-entry ($3,000)

Sunday 9th July                               777 Lucky Sevens no limit holdem   *new*                                  $777 plus two re-entiries ($2,331)

Monday 10th July                                             No Limit holdem                                                            $2,500 plus one re-entry ($5,000)
        
Tuesday 11th July                                      6-handed Pot Limit Omaha                                                    $3,000 plus one re-entry ($6,000)

Wednesday 12th July                                 Short Deck no-limit holdem                                                    $1,500 plus one re-entry ($3,000)
 
Thursday 13th July                                     No limit holdem Shootout                                                                      $1,500

Thursday 13th July                                 Mixed Stud hi-lo and Omaha hi-lo                                               $2,500 plus one re-entry ($5,000)

Note: If we get a good cash in the 10k deuce to seven, I will indeed play the $10k pot limit Omaha hi-lo, as of course then we don't have the problem of being significantly down early on.

all good here, best of luck and safe trip if not already there.

Sounds good to me

I say just do whatever you think is best, no problem

Good Luck Sir

As others have said, I 100% trust your judgement on these things. So, all good with me.

$10,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven

We start today. Bought in and ready to go at 2pm (10pm UK)

They're all fun, but this is really fun.

Quick rundown of the rules

Lowest hand wins. Ace counts as high. Flushes and straights count (and, therefore, are terrible hands). Therefore, the best hand is 75432.

There is just one draw, and thus, just two betting rounds (pre-draw and post-draw). Thus, whilst there is some significant bet sizing and blocker strategy, often the game comes down to poker's purest and simplest spot; "does he have it or not?"

Any dealt (pat) hand 87653 or better is a true premium. Any pat hand 98764 or better is very strong. Obviously depending on the usual circumstances, any hand up to a Jack (JT986) is a contender for playing as pat .

Unlikely victories

The $1,500 version of this event is the event that Matt Perrins legendarily won back in the day. There have been a few winners, who have been incredibly raw at Deuce to Seven, but come through on translating over an overall poker skill.

This brings me onto the new, and most interesting, issue of the game:

Snowing

There is one big bluff you can make in this game. If you raise or 3bet pre, almost always in position, stand pat with no hand (best strategy is to do so with the correct blockers, say like K7722), and then bet when checked to, you are snowing

The snow is what Pez pulled off relentlessly and successfully. However, he shouldn't have been allowed. It carries a real repping problem.

If you are dealt a pat hand pre-draw a big proportion of those hands are "rough" (bad). If you are patting anything up to the worst Jack, then of the times you are pat, over 75% of the time you will have a Ten, or worse. Nearly 50% of the time, you will have a Jack.

These being hands that you would never value bet, it means that any time you do bet your pat hand, suspicion should arise, that you may be snowing.

So, it's that pattern that is part of of the puzzle worth looking out for, to see whether somebody, or people in general, are going against the Vegas 100 degree heat, and snowing today.

$10,000 Deuce to Seven No Limit

Sit down at 1:45pm, foolishly giving out the tell of "I'm very enthusiastic for today."

However, it's fine. No one is here to see it. 12 entrants so far. I guess this is the tournament of late, and max late, entrants.

The one player at my table is the answer to the question "Who is the best deuce player of all time?" Billy Baxter.

He's definitely the most successful, and of course that shouldn't be dismissed at all. However, it would be interesting to know where the Chief old-schooler is in the game today, where, whilst not at all solved like Holdem, alot more strategy is known.

Excellent preamble to the game, Stu

As good as the sweat

Very best of luck

$10,000 Deuce to Seven No Limit

Started 60k, small down to 58.5k.

Funny hand. Peel the first four, of 2h 3h 6h 8h. Very promising, but the problem of all hearts.

Do indeed peel the  Ahrt. A flush.

Still, it's a raise UTG. Big blind calls, draws two.

I draw one, and receive an 8. But it's a heart. I've been dealt six cards, and they're all hearts.
 
There is also the irony of the fact I have "improved" my hand, to the terrible 8 high flush, from the utterly terrible A high flush.

He checks. I have to bet, to pick up the auto folds from the two-drawer.

He calls a JT874.

$10,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven

Wow. Good one, but mad one, in every sense. Some of which you would never expect.

One guy seems raw. I hadn't realised how raw.

He raises button to 800. I have 743xx. Not normally a call with the likely gutshot should I improve with my first card, but feels
worth it against him. Big blind calls.

Draw goes 2-1-1.

I make 76432. Second best hand. Ridiculous.

I check, big blind checks. Button bets 1.5k.

We just have a wonderful spot, having hit massive after drawing two.

Given his rawness, I just go with the basic unbalanced tactic of "if there is a chance of a really big bet being called, it just has to be right."

I make it 14k. Obviously, silly size.

Now, the madness truly starts.

He tables his hand. J8654. He hasn't realised there has been a raise.

Dealer informs him of his mistake.

He now instantly says "call."

In the later discussion, I'm fairly sure he said that he hadn't seen the 5k chips.

It leaves some regret. If the tactic of "just go silly big and hope something silly happens," is correct, then it is actually right to go for truly unlikely "Just make it 45k (or whatever), and see?"

I guess you can't factor in that someone may not see that the biggest chips have been put in

Take the win and move on I guess

75k

$10,000 deuce to seven no limit

Wow. Now a new entrant makes the table

1) Me
2) Billy Baxter's cigar smoking friend
3) Reg
4) New entrant, Jonny Chan
5) Shawn Sheikhan
6) Guy who didn't see the 10x raise

Always worth turning up at the Start

$10,000 Deuce to Seven No Limit

The following line just was spoken at the table (no prizes for guessing by whom)

" So, the night after he won 11 million from the Russians, he was afraid to take the cash on the plane,  so he bought a Rolls Royce."

It beats talk of solvers and GTO

78k

as you may have seen, billy took 2nd in seniors last week for 473 k

$10,000 Deuce to Seven no limit

Table change. The only certainty is that that can't be good news

79k

Absolutely love your tournament reports. Crack on, enjoy, and I look forward to reading more with my morning coffee.

$10,000 deuce to seven No Limit

New table tough, and Pads joins. Party is over.

75k

$10,000 Deuce to Seven no limit

Reasonably quiet 90 minutes, lost a couple of 1 vs 1 vs 1

65k

(Starting stack was 60k, can't remember whether I said that)

$10,000 Deuce to Seven

Down to 52k

Raise 8652 UTG1 to 2,000. Small blind 3bets to 8,200.

Standard call.

He's pat, I'm 1.

He bets 13k. Not so standard. Reasonably, though obviously not completely,suspicious.

I have paired my 8 though, 86528 , so can't do much

52k

$10,000 deuce to Seven

Sigh, down to 35k.

Dealt a pat T9652.

Hijack opened to 2.5k, button calls, small blind (Felipe Ramos) calls.

I squeeze to 13k. Just the hijack calls

Pat-one

I check, he bets 10k

Sigh. He hasn't bluffed all day. It would seem very unlikely to start with a bluff of little more than third pot. He's not bluffing

I do have the big option of the massive move. The check raise all in. It obviously looks really strong. It can carry alot of credit.

Very relevantly, he did make an overly loose, Slightly overly quick call, in a similar spot an hour ago. Of course, that has a negative side. However, he's not a bad player. It could definitely have the positive side, that he may not want to make the same "mistake" again.


It's close. But he did call a squeeze to 13k. His draw was likely to be good, and i block his worst value bets (a T and a 9)

Fold

$10,000 deuce to seven

Sweet sweet ten minutes, either side of the end of level six break.

Up to 110k.

1) Down to 34k, UTG1 opens to 3k. i have 7432. Very close to shipping. But the premium nature of my hand is actually more important for the implied odds of hitting a 5,6 or 8, than it is for some small edge all in. Small blind squeezes to 13k. He'll be pat. We both call.

Pat-1-1.

Massive Squeeze.

We make it. 87432

Checked to me, I bet my 20k. Small blind does indeed call. With a 97.

Up to 82k

2) Dealt a 86432 pat in small. Massive. The number 6. (Sixth best hand in game). Same player who doubled me up raises to 3k UTG1. I 3bet to 9.5k

He calls. Pat-1.

I check, to check raise

He bets 20k. Nice.

Check raise to 67k, all in..

No instant super snap call. Nice

He tanks into the break. Folds.

110k

$10,000 deuce to seven no limit

Not a great structure, and either sick, or overly loose play.
(Welcome to the table, Eli Elezra)

There will be further movement, either up or down!

112k

The "further movement" prediction has so far proven to be incorrect

109k, end of level 8. Two levels to play

$10,000 Deuce to seven

Real sickener. Massive one.  Down to 75k.

Raise hijack with 9732 to 5.5k. Darren Elias squeezes to 22k.

Call. Standard

Pat-one

I make it, 97432

He checks. I bet 45k

He tanks. He calls. Beautiful.

It's 90%+ I'm turning over the winner here. In fact, in my mind, it felt near 100%

He has 96543.

Puke. Hand play is standard. Unless he was truly thinking of folding. But I think even if he was "thinking" of it, he never actually folds.

So, it's standard, but just really nasty to catch the hand he has pipped by one. In a 135k pot

Back to drawing board. One level to go

Get that run bad out of the way while you're still in.

Smart thinking.

Now kick on.

$10,000 Deuce to seven no limit

Won nice one vs Eli penultimate hand

Bagging 85.5k at the end of a fun, but exhausting day.

Need sleep

1pm tomorrow. Let's go

Great stuff. Loving the updates. Tomorrow you’ll be fresh at the restart - and as Tal says, with the run-bad behind you.

A most enjoyable read, thanks Stu.

The 97 v 96 was so brutal, but unavoidable. Still plenty of time though.

Oddly, whilst reading these updates last night, I was watching the Final of the $1,500 2-7 No Limit which was Live Streamed on Poker Go, was utterly fascinating. I never recognized Jason Mercier at first, he's gone from full on hairy to bald.

I couldn't help but wonder if he had any bets with Vanessa Selbst this year..

Good luck Stu.

Please feel free to take all the WSOP rungood I am owed.

These updates are always so good, thank you

$10,000 Deuce to Seven

Thanks guys, day two begins at 1pm.

Table draw is interesting (although I'm not sure can be correct, as it has us as four handed, and other tables as six)

It's:

1) Me

2) Chris Vitch. I hit the irony again of playing the guy who coached me in this game

3) Michael Moncek, monster chip leader. Talk was going round of some completely wacky hands he has played. Although Chance Kormtuh did add "Maybe he'll play normally now he has chips. We'll see.

4) Robert Wells. Who actually comes up as Welsh. A mystery Welshman.

EDIT: I guess actually being 4 handed, we'll get either one or two new entrants. Helmuth has been telling his many fans that he's ready to "hop in." Let's see.

Great informative updates , thanks for taking the time
Very best of luck in all events

$10,000 Deuce to seven

This is my first visit to the new venue, having been absent last year. Being an avid fan of the WSOP, though, I am staying at the Rio, for old time's sake.

I do have one complaint about the new venue. I know that alot of themed Vegas hotels get a bad rep, for being nothing like the place they are meant to resemble. But, with it's friendly locals, helpful staff, and waiters who don't look down their nose at you if you order the wrong bottle of wine, this place "PARIS" is the worst imitation of the lot.

Good Luck Stu and run well as we all love your updates on here so hopefully this chapter keeps going for another day or so.

 ;cheerleader;

👏🏻

Good luck!!

You're choosing to stay at the Rio?

Didn't declare that before asking for staking, I note.

 ;ifm;

I have a clear advantage this year, because I know the layout of the Rio very well

$10,000 Deuce to Seven

Start delayed by half an hour, because of a big dealer shortage, and two hour delay, on this morning's mass Holdem event


It turns out that an event that they themselves called the COLOSSUS, took them by surprise when alot of people turned up.

Any good stories this year?

Last year, word was that an announcement was made of "3 and 6 in the well" and a dealer took out the threes and sixes from the deck and put them in the well.

Also, when a colour up was announced after level 4, a dealer put all the stacks on their table into separate piles of colours.

Not sure how true either story was, but it was discussed at basically every table I was at.

Everyone loves a good anecdote, irrespective of the veracity.

Haha! Seems like these stories get recycled every year. I heard the colour up story earlier this month - ant tbh I didn’t disbelieve it. The dealers were pretty awful at the beginning of the WSOP, but have probably improved now. A little. Perhaps.

I saw this elsewhere on a Discord server from a Sky Poker friend who is playing (or trying to play) Colossus...

"Colossus start 10am. 11.15 and we still haven’t seen a card

But the other room started on time so are now 2 levels ahead"

$10,000 Deuce to seven

Surviving impressively into Day two

The delayed start has been further delayed

$10,00 Deuce to Seven

Finally Started. Actually 7 handed, with 3 new entrants. Don't recognise them. 154 entrants is quite impressive gor this event

Moncek with a massive chip lead of 450k on my direct left. Let's see what he does.

Deuce to seven No Limit

Win a 1 vs 1, but have to raise fold next hand

93k

$10,000 Deuce to Seven

Down to 72k

Cutoff raises to 8k at BB3k.

I have the ugly 7654 in the big blind.

It's just about a call. Disadvantage is obvious, but it's better than a 2-draw.

I sadly make the straight. 87654.

Bluff 10k into 22k. Has to be right without complete bottom of range, to try to pick up the auto folds.

(Note, my blockers are actually *not* that great, as I somewhat block his pairs)

He calls.  72k

$10,000 Deuce to Seven

Lose 1 vs 1 vs Vitch

61.5k

$10,000 Deuce to seven no limit

Out. Complete sickener. Vs Mercier.

Have pat 87432 in small blind. Massive

Hijack raises, he calls cut-off. I ship 62k

Hijack folds, he calls. Beautiful.

There's actually a very good chance he's drawing dead. I'm better than 90% to win at this point.

He has 5432. He's live, but just a 7 or 8. I'm 82%, for a 135k pot.

He does his whole squeeze.

His 18% gets there. He makes the nuts. 75432

It really hurts. There's no escaping that.

Onto the next one

Brutal

$10,000 Deuce to Seven no limit

Thanks guys.

I always hold is as really important as a poker player to 1) Allow myself to initially feel the pain, but 2) Make sure that the pain is over after 30 minutes. It's a game of cards.

Luckily enough, I'm within my 30 minutes :) ..


It's actually even worse.

- From the point he tank calls, there's actually a fantastic chance he's dead. Most tank calls will be a 9 or a T. The only tank calls that are not dead are specifically a wheel gutshot.

- Once he is live, he's drawing to an 8 or 7. We have a 7 and 8. Six outs from 42 cards is 14%.

- I think a fair estimate is that he's 40% to be live, And,so, 40% to have a 14% chance

- Slightly contrived to choose our point of measurement of "after he tank calls," but if so, we're 94% to win the hand

30 minutes up soon. Onto Tomorrow

This is Jason Mercier. He eats 6% shots for breakfast.

He must have smelly feet or attract wasps or something like that, just to even it out a bit.

Rotten luck, Stu. Win what's next instead, like an absolute chip monster.

ran terrible in 2 huge pots, best of luck tonight in the big bet.

looks like you were right about moncek, ridiculous first day chip lead to busting 27th, 7 short of a min cash.

Get em in good, the rest is out of your hands, unlucky, onwards and upwards

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

There must be more dealer problems, tournament delayed till 4pm.

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Getting over for the start of the Big Bet Mix. Start delayed till 4pm, chaotic couple of days at the WSOP!

All WSOP tournaments are fun, but my goodness, this may be the most fun. "Big bet" means exact that. This is effectively all the games that aren't limit.

Let's have a run down of the games.

No Limit Holdem

We've heard of that one

Pot Limit Omaha

And of that one. My strongest.

It's between the next two, though, for the most random, or the most crazy.

Pot Limit Triple Draw

Effectively a sick mix of triple draw and no limit single draw, this one plays really big. It should anwyay, but people don't play it too well, and so it plays even bigger! This will be the one that busts someone early, and doubles someone up early.

Three draws, three betting rounds of up to pot. Potential carnage


No Limit single draw

The most old school of poker games. The one from the films.  Dealt five cards, a betting round, before one draw.

The interesting spot, and bluff potential, in this one, is to draw two. What must you have if you draw two? Trips, really. So, if you have, say, a pair of Tens, you may want to keep, say, ATT, draw two, And rep trips.

No Limit single draw Deuce to seven

Shall we just say, let's hope Mercier in still in the 10k version of this?

Pot Limit Omaha hi lo (eight or better)

The good old PLO8. Pot split between the best high hand, and (as long as it's available), the best low. Only in this mix could it not stand out as crazy!

BIG O

See above. And add a card.

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

The World series of poker chaos continues. (It's fine, the underlying reason is that their numbers aren't record breaking, presumably thus carrying good news for the Main).

Someone was in my seat, with my stack. I mean, I imagine they're a better player than me, but I had to object.

Moved to a random seat. We're four handed, with Robert Mizrachi (he's better than his brother), and two unknowns.

An aside

As an aside, do we have any thoughts/suggestions on what Day to play the Main? Initial thoughts:

- I feel it matters less than people think, but obviously is worth it thinking about.

- Unless there is a very strong reason, Monday 3rd July (1A)
or Tuesday 4th July (1B) is probably preferred, as that opens up the option (which we don't want but is worth thinking about) of playing the PLO Bounty, should we bust before the end of Day Two

- I imagine that we don't want to play on the 4th of July? It feels like an American recreational may not want to play on that day?

- Therefore, initial suggestion of (if available), playing Monday 3rd July, Day 1A

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Five handed now. It feels like there are alot of good tables to be at in this room, but we're not at one of them.

Started 35k. Couple of small losses in Big O. Got 32k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Down to 25k

Pot Limit Omaha

Raise  Kc Kd Qs Qc

Unknown opponent defends big.

Flop second nut flush, on 7c 3c 2c

Check -check

7c 3c 2c 9h.

Check, I bet 900 into 1.2k, call

7c 3c 2c 9s 9d

Check. I bet 2k into 3k.

He check raises to 7.5k

Ouch.

It's a fold. This is a way under bluffed spot, even amongst regs online. Your bluffs have to effectively be low flushes, turned into a bluff.

I don't feel that's happening. Fold

No Limit Holdem

Open Qs Qc Hijack to 400. Mizrachi 3bets the button, to 1.2k
I'm actually not completely sure how out of line he would want to be playing No Limit Holdem in a 6 game rotation. At the moment, however, the decision feels easy. Call

Js 7s 2h

Check- check

Js 7s 2h 2c.

Close one, whether I want to be value betting, or bluff catching.

I decide to do what I would against his brother, and let him do the betting.

Check, he bets 1.8k into 2.7k. Call

Js 7s 2h 2c Tc

Check. He bets 3.2k into 6.3k.

Just has to be a call. I beat some value, obviously.

He has Jh Jc, for top House. Ok, that's what was going on with the flop check.

Sigh

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Small win from Mizrachi in PLO. 29k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Quiet. 26k.

Have received some wonderful Deuce to seven, Big O, and single Draw, starting hands. However, none of them have been in the correct game.

$2,500 Big bet mix

Sigh, down to 7.5k

I have 25k at 100-200(300).

No limit Holdem. Cutoff, Raise Ks Kc to 500. Button (unknown) 3bets to 1.4k. He has 17.5k.

Not completely thrilled. He hasn't been out of line. But, have to get it in, obviously.

Four bet to 3.5k. He's all in. Call

He has it. Aspades Ad

No help, Qh Ts 7c 4h 3d

It does feeling a bit gutting, in this great mix, to not only get done by No Limit Holdem, but by No Limit Holdem's classic spot

$2,500 Big bet mix

They've taken a level away from today, so that it's not a horribly late finish. Correct decision.

6.5k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

No limit single, 5 card, draw

Tricky one. This is basically the only poker game I haven't studied. There's zero videos, coaches, and very little information

Dealt 9933x in small blind. UTG raises to 800 six handed, cutoff and button call.

I have 6k

It's two pair,but a rough spot. If I play, it's little more than just a four outer to a house, as two pair isn't going to win four way

I could attempt to iso. UTG has been fairly loose. However, it's a slightly ahead- way behind scenario. Either slightly ahead of something like AA, or way behind something like Aces up


Fold

$2,500 Big bet mix

No limit single 5 card draw is indeed creating the carnage pots.

But not for us

5.8k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Someone playing the wrong game was always eminently possible in this event.

It happened

The poor two seat called down AAKK2.

A good hand in 5 card high. Not a good hand in the game we were playing, no limit Deuce to seven.

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

I guess they weren't completely dead, calling down with two pair in Deuce to Seven.

If opponent had bluffed a straight, it could have been the greatest call of all time

$2,500 Big bet mix

Up to 9.8k

$2,500 Big bet mix

When I think about it, there are probably more gifts in this tournament annually than any tournament on the poker schedule

We haven't received any yeti this year


9.5k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Fairly quiet. 10.2k


Table is far more towards the over -calling, overplaying, over -bluffing end. Correct to play fairly ABC

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Grinding, Small increase, 13.8k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Negreanu sits down, Having bust the 10k deuce, and enquires how long he has to rebuy

I think he'll be getting his chips in light


Nice little increase, small pots, Ive got 21.2k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Yep, Negreanu lasted 3 hands. To be fair, he got it in with AA in Big O

$2,500 Big bet mix

Relative to what could happen (and indeed has between other seats), this is actually very uneventful.

21k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Pot limit Triple draw

5 handed, UTG opens, I have (K)7432 hijack. Beautiful draw, but no need to 3bet. Call. Cutoff and button call

They actually all draw 2. 2-1-2-2

We don't catch, but do pair the 7. Especially now, there can't be many live cards left in this deck for these guys.

I haven't studied four way spots too much. I think this has to be an auto bet from me.  If it's close, the pairing of the 7 must swing it

I decide to bet 60% pot. Bet 3.6k into 6k. Two folds, UTG calls.

Miss . 7432A. He pots, for 13.2k.
 
It feels bluffy. But there's nothing I can do, but fold

18k

$2,500 Big Bet mix

Pot limit Triple draw. Puke

I had just got up to 45k

Raise 8732. Small blind pots to 5.4k

 He's splashing way too much. He just got in the AK72 one suit in PLO, with no fold equity.

He has 20k total. There's a case that I'm ahead of his range and should get it in. But, my edge vs his range is thin

I call

I make 98732.

Im basically certain he's going to pot after the first draw. He does, it leaves him 2k behind.

All in, he calls.42k pot

He draws one. Good news.

If he had patted, I've got a nasty decision. I think I would have broken.

We're now all in, with the two draws to come

Second draw: He draws one, I'm pat.

He pats pretty quickly. Massive sigh. I decide to pat. I'm only 12 outs to improve. He's been all over the place, and his quickness of pat may be an attempt to make me break

He has made 86543. It's nasty. He was in  bad shape. He had at least a gutshot; it's not impossible that he had an open ended straight draw

(In terms of my decision to break, I was actually drawing dead)

(He actually declared "86 perfect," when actually he had the opposite, the worst possible 86. Obviously not an angle at all, but obviously an indicator that the field is still nice!)

Shame, that was a big pot.

25k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Lovely Big O round. Up to 42k

$2,500 Big bet mix

42k. One level to go. Re-entry was not required (can we chalk that down as a win?)

Thank you Stu for these splendid updates, much appreciated

Grinding away well, good luck

$2,500 Big bet mix

Pot limit Omaha hi-lo

Nice. Clicked the right button every Street.

Cutoff Raises to 2k. Defend Big with  Ahrt Qc Qd 5c

Jd Tc 8d

Check- check

Jd Tc 8d 2h.

I bet 3k into 5k. He calls

Something about his re-check of his cards,and the flow of his call,make it really feel that two of his cards are A3

Jd Tc 8d 2h Js. That's a nice card.

I check, he bets 10k into 11k

He's not repping well. Feels like this is going to be a call. Need to check. Do his A3s have enough with them to get through the turn, but need to bluff the River? I guess there's enough AK3 and so on, despite me blocking AQ3 hands.

His polarising size is good news. Surely most of his houses bet the two pair or set that they are on the flop. He's not really repping much more than A22 here.

But, we then come to the whole problem, that if he is aware that this is a poor bluff line, does it mean it's one that he won't take? I have to decide that it's just more likely that he's not considering it a poor bluff line.

Call. He has AQ53.

Up to 58k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

5 more hands. 48k

$2,500 Big bet mix

Finished for the day. 48,200. On one hand, it's arguably below par given the opportunities of this tournament. But, on the other, I'm happy given the circumstances

That was a grind. I don't want that to sound like I think this is some kind of tough gig. It's a game of cards, and this tournament is a very fun version at that. But, in the poker sense, that was a grind. Guy on my left had what has to be the room chip lead from wire to wire. Everyone was too loose, just had to wait for hands, which didn't really come.

Our most successful game: Big O

Our least successful game: Pot limit Triple draw

Most fun game:  Apart from the losses, probably Pot Limit Triple draw

Least fun game: No Limit holdem. Think they could take it out the mix, really

2pm tomorrow

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

I'll probably hit a pattern again of doing briefer, chip count orientated updates on day two, just for full focus mode

Well done for carrying your bat, Stu.

On to tomorrow.

That was a disciplined recovery Stu. Well played.

WSOP reporting shows your stack at a healthier 78k - is this correct, or are they teasing us?

Sadly it's a tease. Or hopefully a prediction of the future

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Delayed again. Starting soon. Rumours of the Mini Main event line stretching to the next casino.

Didn't recognise names, but do recognise faces. It's going to be "gambly"

48k to start

$2,500 Big bet mix

No limit Deuce to seven

Hmm

Pat T9732 on the cutoff. Raise to 3k, button calls. Draws one.

1-Pat

He bets 33k. Hmm. It's 4x pot. It's actually solver approved, but hardly ever happens.

No info to go with. Obviously pot odds little better than 1:1. Have to think that in this "fresh" environment, he's more likely to choose the first big overbet as a value attempt. Not at all sure though. I do block the very best hands.

I fold

46k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Didn't initially recognise any names, but they're all very talented. They're playing big pots.

No other hands to speak of yet.

45k

$2,500 Big bet Mix

Quiet, on a loud table

42k

$2,500 Big bet Mix

Pot limit Omaha

600-1200(1200)

I'm in the big with Td 8d 7c 6c

Hijack raises to 3k. Button calls. Call will be slightly overly loose.

I'm close to squeezing, which obviously would include playing for it all pre if caught.

I just call.

Ks Qd 7s.

A whiff.

Checked round

Ks Qd 7s Qc

Check, hijack bets 6k into 10.2k. Button folds, we fold

33k

Pot limit triple draw coming next.

$2,500 Big bet Mix

Chop a BIG O three way. Small win.

40k

$2,500 Big bet mix

Chop another BIG O.

43k

$2,500 Big bet mix

Good big O round.

I am all in on the last hand, and get three quarters. This is a game where the most common good outcome is to 1.5x your stack.

So, we get the 50% addition, and are up to 62k

Holdem now

$2,500 big bet Mix

65k first break. Tough table

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

57 in the money, 114 left

$2,500 Big bet mix

Three bet Ac Tc button Vs hijack in no limit Holdem, and take it

68k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

65k, playing No Limit single draw. Next to break (decent news)

102 left, 57 in the money

$2,500 Big Bet mix

Table change. But not a good one. Deeb, Mike D, Jeff Gross

64k. This table must have played quick. They're on pot limit triple draw

2500 Big Bet Mix

Creeping up, 77k. Big O continues to be our favourite game, by a mile

Deeb Sadly made a very correct fold when I bet KQTT9 on J92T turn.

Probably toughest table in the room now.

2500 Big bet Mix

Jeff Gross busts, Bryce Yockey joins. Got tougher

2500 Big Bet Mix

I make personal history and beat Deeb in a hand

105k

Let's go

2500 Big bet Mix

Nice 2-7 single draw round, up to 125k


84 left, 57 in the money

It was simply a matter of time. Let’s hope that the tide has well & truly turned. Keep it up Stu.

2500 Big bet Mix

Up to 137k

2500 Big bet mix

Lost two PLO, but then turned  Ahrt Ks 4d 2c into a bluff on river of

 Aspades Qh 6h 3c Th

Got it through

140k

2500 Big Bet mix

130k, 69 left, 57 in the money

2500 Big bet Mix

Good news/bad news

Bad news- I had written a full update and then the WiFi went

Good news- It was a nice update...

Up to 260k. Sweet cooler vs Deeb in pot limit Triple draw. Made 86542 Vs 86543 on the turn.

The sicko nearly folded,but couldn't quite do it

260k, let's go, 67 left

2500 Big bet mix

Only bad news is the table. Ryan Reiss joins.

270k

2500 Big bet mix

Up to 295k

2500 Big bet Mix

Ugly Deuce to Seven hamd

230k

2500 Big bet Mix

Table change. Only recognise Kane Kalas

240k. 4 off money

2500 Big bet mix

A good friend comes to the table.

Sadly, that friend is Matt Ashton

240k

2500 big bet Mix

We're in the money

245k

2500 Big bet Mix

Lovely no limit Holdem hand last hand before dinner break. Up to 360k.

Raise  Aspades 5s to 7.5k button at BB3k

Matt Ashton defends small.

Kc 5c 4h.

 Matt checks, bet 8.5k into 20k. Call

Kc 5c 4h 8d.

Check check

Kc 5c 4h 8d Ad

He checks. I bet 25k into 37k.

He check raises to 90k

Don't love it. I sized pretty big. Think I'm going to be calling. There are very few bluffs, but he'll find them (I imagine they're sevens, nines, potentially 65 suited).

I semi- tank call. He has actually value raised worse. Ks 8s.

Potential small nitroll from me. Feel Slightly bad given its Matt

But let's go. 47 left, average 280k, we've got  360k

Only bad news is phone may run out of charge. Will maybe Just post chip counts from now.

$2500 Big Bet mix

Really nice run, up to 595k

Table not so bad. Pearl jammer joins but Matt bust

Just won small pot limit Triple draw

635k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Up to 625k

$2,500 Big Bet mix

Zinno sits down

625k, 36 left, average 365k

This is a pleasant one to wake up to.

Good luck

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Last two levels of day now starting

570k, 33 left, average is 393k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

655k. Average 455k, 29 left

Sorry for lack of hands. Hectic day, often five handed

Congrats Stu, get that FT sorted now.  Good luck. 

$2,500 Big bet mix

610k, approaching last level

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Bluffed a nice Big O 3way with AKj42 on a very dry 993 rainbow

715k

Perfect Monday morning reading material.

Don’t worry about the absence of hand breakdowns, the chip count updates have been riveting.

$2,500 Big Bet mix

620k, last 18 minutes

26 left, average 500k

$2,500 Big Bet mix

Finished. We made day 3. 

553k. Dead on average with 24 left. Average is 548k

Cheers guys. Lovely day

been following for last hour, a fantastic monday morning.. went to bed last night 33k. woke up and pokernews had you listed busted in 63rd.  logged on here to see you smashing it. very impressive after being so low early day 1. reckon you sleep well tonight.

very best of luck tomorrow stu.

Excellent day and most enjoyable read with my morning coffee.

Bookkeeping

- I guess we're not playing Day 1A of the Main. Will probably play Tuesday, 1B

- We missed the 1k Mini Main

- I think I may add something like a Wynn 1k on Wednesday, the Main Event break day, if that's ok?

Play what you want, more the merrier is my view, cant see anyone complaining

Love the updates

Good Luck tomorrow Sir

Began the day on 48,000, ended with 553,000. Quite the day that. 

Bloody lovely Monday morning coffee reading.

As others have indicated......play what you want/when you want. Plus please don't worry about reporting on day 3. FOCUS on the main job in hand. VBOL Sir.

Gl tomorrow don’t have a piece this time but still wish you all the best 

Outstanding day Stu, all the very best tomorrow😀

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

Thanks So much guys.

May just go chip counts today.

Apparently the updates had me out in 64th. But, I think they'll be More reliable today

Day 3 Seat Draw;



Horseshoe   1   1   Jonathan Borenstein   United States   754,000

Horseshoe   1   2   Federico Quevedo   Costa Rica   305,000

Horseshoe   1   3   Stuart Rutter   United Kingdom   553,000

Horseshoe   1   4   Steve Zolotow   United States   429,000

Horseshoe   1   5   Jon Shoreman   United Kingdom   472,000

Horseshoe   1   6   Hye Park   United States   719,000

Chip Counts going into Day 3;


 
1 Jon Turner Las Vegas, NV, US 1,433,000 Horseshoe / 2 / 3
2 Michael Noori Tarzana, CA, US 1,103,000 Horseshoe / 4 / 2
3 Dimitrios Michailidis GR 960,000 Horseshoe / 3 / 4
4 Erick Lindgren Vista, CA, US 803,000 Horseshoe / 4 / 5
5 Jonathan Borenstein Teaneck, NJ, US 754,000 Horseshoe / 1 / 1
6 Benny Glaser Southampton, , GB 746,000 Horseshoe / 4 / 4
7 Tomasz Gluszko Plewiska, , PL 745,000 Horseshoe / 3 / 3
8 Hye Park Edgewater, NJ, US 719,000 Horseshoe / 1 / 6
9 Daniel James Godamino, GB 714,000 Horseshoe / 3 / 1
10 Stuart Rutter Birmingham, GB 553,000 Horseshoe / 1 / 3
11 Julio Belluscio Buenos Aires, , AR 524,000 Horseshoe / 2 / 6
12 Jon Shoreman LONDON, , GB 472,000 Horseshoe / 1 / 5
13 Xu Zhu Beijing, CN 440,000 Horseshoe / 2 / 1
14 Steve Zolotow LAS VEGAS, NV, US 429,000 Horseshoe / 1 / 4
15 Travis Pearson LAS VEGAS, NV, US 415,000 Horseshoe / 4 / 1
16 Pearce Arnold WASHINGTON, DC, US 327,000 Horseshoe / 3 / 6
17 Alberto Fonseca San Jose, , CR 316,000 Horseshoe / 2 / 5
18 Anthony Zinno BOSTON, MA, US 308,000 Horseshoe / 3 / 5
19 Federico Quevedo San Costa, , CR 305,000 Horseshoe / 1 / 2
20 Bryce Yockey Los Angeles, CA, US 303,000 Horseshoe / 4 / 3
21 Michael Savakinas Fairborn, OH, US 301,000 Horseshoe / 4 / 6
22 Tamon Nakamura Tokyo, , JP 241,000 Horseshoe / 3 / 2
23 Jason Berilgen HOUSTON, TX, US 201,000 Horseshoe / 2 / 4
24 David Funkhouser Las Vegas, NV, US 77,000 Horseshoe / 2 / 2

$2,500 Big Bet max

We'll be delayed again. They changed us from Horseshoe to Paris, and it seems most haven't found out yet

$2,500 big bet Mix

Wow, it's one minute to the start, and only me and two of the other 23 are here.

The others are ten minutes away in Paris, having not checked the obvious, Kevmath Twitter, to see that we've been moved casino!

$2,500 Big Bet mix

2:14pm. Four players still not here for the 2pm start.

Think we'll be off soon

I know that the WSOP is a huge logistical challenge, but there does seem to be a lot of self-inflicted chaos involved in this year’s event

$2,500 Big bet mix

Lose small PLO8, 520k

$2,500 Big bet mix

Take PLO8 blinds, 540k

$2,500 Big bet mix

630k

$2,500 Big bet mix

595k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

690k

$2,500 Big bet mix

760k

$2,500 Big Bet mix

Was up to 850k

Lose completely massive No Limit Holdem all in to Zlotow. 900k pot.

I have Kc Jc on Jd 8c 4d

He raise-calls it off with 9d 7d, and gets there for it all


400k

New table. Toughest. All the stars apart From Benny

405k

$2,500 Big bet mix

345k

$2,500 Big Bet Mix

350k

Playing PLO8.

Big blind in flop games is 12k.

$2,500 Big Bet mix

Nice small PLO win vs Lingdren

400k. First break. Average 711k, 18 left

$2,500 Big bet mix

330k

Onto pot Limit Triple draw

$2,500 Big bet Mix

325k

Still 17 left

Onto deuce to seven no limit

$2,500 Big bet mix

345k. Hanging around

16 left.

PL hilo, big blind is 20k

2500 Big bet mix

440k

Down to 13

2500 Big bet mix

400k

Plo, big blind 20k

2500 Big Bet mix

Wow.

Up to 1.375m.

Average is 1.1m with 12 left

Pulled massive bluffs back to back hands in pot limit triple draw. Will write later

That was an exhausting 5 minute tank from Zinno, and an even more exhausting 6 minute tank from Lindgren

Two tables now

Gowannnn

2500 Big Bet Mix

1.15m, dead on average with 11 left

Going into deuce to seven NL

Benny chip leader

2500 Big bet Mix

1.15m, down to 10

2500 Big Bet Mix

Lose fairly monster cooler in Deuce to seven no limit vs Lindgren

98642 vs 96543

Down to 630k. 9 left

2500 Big Bet Mix

730k, 9 left

2500 Big Bet Mix

Out. 8th. Gutted....

$2,500 Big Bet mix

It was two nasty coolers sadly, from the peak of 1.375m

Deuce to Seven

At big blind of 30k, raise to 75k from UTG 5 handed with 98642. Greek guy ships 225k cutoff, Lindgren ships his 510k from the button.

It's close-ish. But it's unavoidable. (Checked with Glaser after, who is good for an honest answer, and he agrees)

Its a call and pat. Greek guy draws one.... But our big sweat is all going to be on Lingdren - what does he do, what is his confidence level as he does it?

He pats in a fairly resigned manner. Wow. This is going to be close then.

But, he has us. 96543

Down to 600k..


No Limit single draw

Big blind of 40k, we have AAxxx in the small. Glaser raises button to 100k.

All lovely.

Ship. He tank calls (Tank doesn't mean anything, it's fair to "slow roll" in this game with a drawing round to come.

Draw 3. Glaser waves his hand...it takes half a second to take in..Glaser is pat. Wow. He has a straight, flush or house.

He has the flush. AQT43 of spades.

We're basically gone. First two cards are a T and 3 , and we are.

8th. Will update amount once I find it.

Gutted. Thanks for the support, it means alot

we'll play Wynn 1k tomorrow, and Main Thursday

Sounds grim Stu. 

Presume that is single draw on the 98?  Don't know what I'd do as don't really play it enough.

I was going to post something about not flipping with Benny Glaser as he always wins.  Glad I didn't now.

Good luck later on and in the main.

Always going to be "Gutted" when you get so close

Lets look at the positives, your playing well and you still have tournaments to play

Enjoy Wynn

Great effort Stuart. That result is a lot better than a slap in the face with a wet fish.!  8).

Enjoy your Wynn tournament later.

That was an excellent deep run Stu. You must have been mentally exhausted, but still found your way out of two seriously short-stacked positions during the course of the 3 days. Gutting because you were one coup away from a seriously good score.

I love playing at Wynn/Encore. It’s the only place I’ve found where you can get a very good double espresso Americano at the tables. I also love that you want to jump back on the horse again and play today - but please only play if you’re truly feeling right about it. No-one would begrudge you a day off after such a grind.

Either way, we’re all rooting for you. Good/better luck!

great effort stu. must sting ,but going forward your confidence must be very high after such a deep run.

Whilst that was a disappointing ending you have to be proud of the run.

I’ve never met you but your WSOP reports are a must read every year. Looking forward to your ME adventures.

Does writing up the hands whilst at the table help?

Great run, Stu.

Extra bostin.

Keep up the good work.

Nice run Stu, shame about the unfortunate set of hands to bust out but there's nothing that could be done. Well played. 

Did you manage to stick firmly to the 30 minute rule? :D

Looking forward to the next one :)

Just out of curiousity could someone explain this one to me? What are the spots in 5 card draw where tanking becomes standard?

It definitely does. I'm definitely not perfect at instantly getting over the bad ones, so help there. But yeah, love analysing the spots on day one.

Day before Main

Right, no good at Encore. The sleep means I'm late for the $1,100, and no turbo

Heading back to Paris to see whether we can get into a satellite

Every spot basically. So, it kind of feels like a slow roll because it's the last betting action,  but it's completely fine. An action (the draw) still to come, so it's effectively the turn. So, for balance, you just tank everything.  Same with Deuce to seven. To be fair to Benny, I kind of knew. It felt like "Sorry, I'm going to have to throw in the obligatory few seconds, but this isn't going to be good news for you mate."

Day before Main

Ouch. We ran really bad getting into anything. No good at Wynn, no single table satellites at the WSOP, leaves us only one option...

Into the $400 Daily Deepstack

30k to start

Day before Main

$400 daily Deepstack

45k at 4k big blind

$400 Daily Deepstack

Up to 50k, 188 left, from 488 entrants

$400 Daily Deepstack

Ouch, no good.
 
Shoved Aspades Tc cutoff for 8.5 bigs at BB6k.

Button calls Ac Jd

No sweat on 2s 3d 9h Qs Kd

Day before Main

So, a rest before the Main tomorrow. 12pm start.

We have Horseshoe Red, Table 525, Seat 1.

All run bad out the way with the one seat

Bookkeeping

Our 8th place was $14,870.

We are in for:

- $10,000 Deuce to Seven
-$2,500 Big Bet Mix
- $400 Daily Deepstack

So, $12,900 total

Will try to find a one-dayer on Thursday, which will be our break day, after Day One

$10,000 Main Event

Right, this is the day. It never fails to be exciting, I feel very lucky to be here.

Always a big sweat on the table draw, especially because it's reasonably likely that we'll be able all day.

And....

It seems encouraging. I think I have achieved the unlikely feat of being the youngest of the 8 players

All the kind of conversations you want to hear - would you fold AA to an all in first hand, and so on. And they seem like nice guys too.

Won small one first hand, 61k from 60k

$10,000 Main Event

Been trying to remember my Main Event history from over the years, to see what we might be adding to. I think its

2009- First one. But no day two. Set under set late day one

2011- Late day two

2014- The big run. 59th. Bluffed by Warbs late day six the big regret. But, alot of fun

2015-  A min+1 cash

2018- A gutting exit on day 3

2021- Sneaked over just on time for the Covid-delayed November main event. Day three exit. But worth the money to see the ridiculous entrance of Helmuth to my table.

2023- Question mark :)

$10,000 Main Event

Lost small, 59k. But yes, including the table news, this is a very good start to the day.

One stack in play From a player who hasn't turned up, so that could be a good player. Or, it could be Helmuth.

$10,000 Main Event

Ooh. We don't want to be moving table. This just happened (we're not in pot)

- Seat 4 cold calls 3bet
- Seat 4 bets river on A23K9. Shows KT. Declares "King high." Wins. Looks confused.

$10,000 Main event

Ah, slightly worse news. Scandie kid sits down. I think it's that Liberta who went deep in the big PLO. He'll know the difference between a pair of Kings and King high.

58.5k

$10,000 Main event

Up to 65k.

My big blind. Button raises to 600, dead small blind. I have Ac Qd. Actually decided to 3bet to 1.6k. Button is a caller, and I think is going to be honest.

Qs 7d 2c.  Beautiful.

Bet 2.5k into 3.6k. (No interest in balance in any of these sizes)
He calls

Qs 7d 2c 5c

Bet 4.5k into 9k.

A reasonably quick call. Potential 7 with backdoor flush draw likely

Qs 7d 2c 5c Ks

Hmm, we did not want to see a King.

I decide to bet small. 4k into 18k. It's interesting just how much potential there is for him to turn something into a Bluff, but it feels so unlikely

He actually folds fairly quick. Guess it was the 7 with the backdoor flush draw

$10,000 Main event

Guy on my right is telling us all how be hunts deer all over his property. It beats talk of GTO and solvers

66k

He is probably on a Stag do....take advantage  8)

$10,000 Main Event

64k

Will be fairly quiet. There's alot of interesting showdowns, which are worth taking in

$10,000 Main event

59k. Slightly anticlimactic first level. All fine, tons of time obviously.

Table maybe not as golden as first thought. 6 spots I think are your classic Main event qualifiers - nitty, transparent, but nothing too crazy.

One guy is Spanish and Seems good.

The guy who declared "King high" with a pair of Kings is actually German, and seems like the interesting one.

Chinese lady joined after an hour, and has played a total of Zero hands

$10,000 Main event

Very pleasant table. Everyone talking the whole time, even, surprisingly, when they're in fairly big pots

63k

$10,000 Main Event

Down to 55k

Raise Kc Qc UTG2 to 700 at BB300. Mid position calls. Big blind squeezes to 2.1k.

He'll have a big hand. Starting to think he's the potential value (either him or the German). Definitely a peel. MP folds

Jd Tc 5s

This would be a sweet one to hit. He bets 2k.

Doesn't feel I need to raise. AK and AQ may well give up the turn, and i can very possibly nick it. He'll be QQ+ alot now I think

Call

Jd Tc 5s Th

A shame. He bets 5k. Fold

$10,000 Main Event

Zero fireworks yet actually. Nobody is below 50k, or above 70k

$10,000 Main Event

45k. Losing every small pot. All good

$10,000 Main event

Back to exactly starring stack.

Raise 9c 9h cutoff to 700. Button calls, German calls

8h 5h 4d.

I bet 1.3k into 2.6k. Both call

At a complete guess, feels like button has hearts, and German has a pair and a gutshot.

8h 5h 4d Ks

Close. I decide to bet. 3k into 6.5k. Both call

8h 5h 4d Ks Qc

We both check. Button thinks. I'm folding if he bets. He, and four other spots, have Been incredibly steady.

He eventually says " I missed, but I'm too chicken to bluff at it.

Interesting that he thought about it. Feels like he was probably never going toll bluff that time. But, maybe he will next time

60.2k

$10,000 Main Event

56k first break.

It's just incredibly nitty. Which is fine. Interesting to see whether that changed at any point

$10,000 Main Event

54k

$10,000 Main Event

65k. Won two hands in a row.

First one is the interesting one.

Raise 8h 6h MP.  Direct left calls, Spanish BB calls

9h 6s 2h. I bet 1.5k into 3.3k.

Direct left guy is one of the very pleasant, very nitty ones. He raises to 4k.

To be honest, with two pair possibilities unlikely anwyay, this really feels like a set

Call, obviously

Get there

9h 6s 2h Kh.

With the set likely, big must be right. i bet 7k into 11.3k. Maybe I can go a little smaller, given I know his outs are reduced by one. Just really didn't expect him to fold the a set, at least on the turn.

He did indeed fold a set of nines. Or, at least says he did. But, given all the circumstances, no reason to doubt him.

Sigh. Potential regret on the turn sizing, but I guess he's always folding the river non-improved.

$10,000 Main event

Well, we'll definitely be one of the most relaxed tables in the room. Alot of conversations in the pot- some borderline, with people giving quiet commentary as to what they think might be going on. But, all part of a fun, pleasant,nice table

68k

$10,000 Main event

Dinner break. 76k. Slow and steady.

We actually had two bust outs. Both a little crazy. It's funny, however tight people play for most of the day, you never know when they may lose their mind

$10,000 Main Event

Up to 82k

$10,000 Main Event

Up to 82k

Playing this 300-500 (500) level, and then the last level of the night is 300-600(600)

$10,000 Main Event

78k

A guy just 3bet AA in position, and checked behind 3 streets on

Kc Td Ts 3d 7s

It's that kind of day

$10,000 Main Event

Raise  Ahrt 4h to 1.2k at 300-500(500)

Spanish pro in small blind, and American not -so-pro in big blind, call

Ac Ts 3c

Both check, I bet 2k into 4.1k, just the Spanish guy calls

Ac Ts 3c Kd

Check -check

Ac Ts 3c Kd 5d

Spanish guy bets 3.7k

Feels like it's going to be a fold, because the King swings it. King means that Qc Jc is not a bluff, and there is no need to Bluff with Kc Jc or Kc Qc.

It might be a call if he had defended the Big because he has more club combos, but against a small blind defend, it probably only leaves him 9c 8c, and (potentially not even) 7c 6c

Fold. 72k

$10,000 Main event

I think the thing that most defines the day is not so much that people play nitty, but that people are more than happy to effectively tell everyone that they are going to play nitty


77k

$10,000 Main Event

88k

$10,000 Main event

82k approaching the end of level four (it's a day of 5 two hour levels)

$10,000 Main Event

Last level. There's at least two of them who I think will now be doing anything to make it through.  Although I now think there's probably two who will be doing something about that

82k

$10,000 Main event

Sigh

Open Qd Qs UTG to 1.3k. UTG2 (solid nit) and UTG3 (goodish) call.

UTG4 squeezes to 4.5k.

He has 30k total (50 bigs)

He's the good seeming youngish pro. He pulled one big bluff, although hasn't done much else

Obviously in solver land, this is a shove, but this is playing differently. It's a small sizing. Not quite sure what to think,but veer slightly more on its small because he is short, and wants the action. But, not sure

I call . Just UTG3 calls.

Kh 7c 6d

Both check, he bets 5k into 16k.

Hmm. I mean, there is just such potential for a good bluff here.  I block AQ though.  Can it be JJ? Was his small sizing to allow himself to fold with JJ? Can it be other two queens?

I think I have to fold. Problem is, it's likely to be one of two things:

- He's mainly solid, and it is what it seems
- It's a nice Bluff line, and so it's going to continue, and he's going to bet something like 40% pot on the turn


Fold. 75k

$10,000 Main Event

Boom

Pulled the nice one that I felt i had the credit for

Ks 5s in the big blind, Spanish guy raises cutoff to 1.4k. New York guy (Slightly loose passive , calling a little too wide) call button.

I almost feel that, on one hand, the Spanish guy may well 4bet, but on the other, he will give my 5bet More credit than usual. Things are different in the main.

He does 4bet, to 14k (he has about 120k, we have 76k)

I think I have to. I've been reasonably steady.  I think he's going to be suspicious, but I think ulitmately he just has to come to the conclusion that he doesn't know.

It's a long tank. Was willing the two cards to get into the muck.

He folds

92k

$10,000 Main event

Aguero playing in this room apparently!

Just finished, 92k. Really good fun table and day, classic Main event day 1 table

Nice work Stu, really solid first day and a beautiful late move
Day 2 woohoo

Lovely bag and tag.

Well done

Nice job Stu

Another great morning read. It’s clear that you were really enjoying yourself at this table - perhaps in contrast with the brain-straining of the $2500 Big Bet?

great stuff again stu

How much was your 5-bet in the K5 hand?

Oh Sorry, forgot to say. Made it 27k

Exactly. They're both alot of fun. Just in very different ways

Day between Main 1a and Day 2

So, tomorrow is a slightly tough decision what to do, because

- I'm sure that the value would be to play the Mega satellites here. It probably is anyway, but especially as we're approaching last chance saloon to get into the Main Event

- However, i strongly suspect they may not happen. Just feels like a crazy day is guaranteed tomorrow, and they need the space

- So, I think best plan is to play the Venetian $1k ($800+$200) mystery Bounty from 11am,  potentially one re-entry, and then come across if it does appear that the 1k or 2k mega satellite will happen

I’m pretty sure that we’re all going to be happy with whatever decisions you make, Stu

Good luck

Go with whatever you want Sir, your there to play

Nice day 1 well done

Day between Main days

The numbers have been insane. That's overall a great thing, but it's led to some insane lines, and some situations that close to unavoidable chaos.

The mega satellites (potentially Either 1k or 2k) at the WSOP should be amazing today, but I still aren't completely sure they won't be canceled, and may be mad.

Therefore, tried Venetian, for the $1k Bounty tournament. Walked in, saw a line of people who looked they had been waiting for hours, and a glum looking Frances Obduan told me "it's going to be two hours yet."

To the WSOP we go

Day between Main 1 and 2

Well, we hit the Big surprise of today.. Zero line at the WSOP.  I didn't understand that at all, but apparently the Deepstack was canceled, and that makes all the difference.

We're in for $1,100. 10k to start. 1/10th of the field "gets in" (or, for us, obviously, gets the 10k chip)

Day between Main 1 and 2

Hmm.

Big blind 300, button raises to 700. He has our 10.2k covered. Seems solid. Defend Aspades Jc

Js Td 3c

Check, he bets 800 into 1.6k. Call

Js Td 3c 3s.

Check, he bets 900 into 3.2k. Very strange sizing,
obviously.

Is this more likely just meaning he has Tens full, or is this setting up a river bet? Anyway, turn decision is easy. Call

Js Td 3c 3s 7d.

Check. He bets 4k into 5k.  (Will leave me with 3.6k if i call and lose).

Hmm. There's very little to go on. Have to go with that, to look at, he seems solid. 98 getting there is of some relevance. Fold.

Have 6.4k now

Day between Main 1 and 2

Couple of raise and take it, 7.3k

Day between Main 1 and 2

Sigh, out.

Down to 6.2k at 400BB, have Ts Tc on the button. Hijack raises to 900. Standard i guess. Too early for satellite strategy to come in. Ship 6.2k. He has Aspades Kc

The window card is enough. He gets there on

Ks 9c 5d 6h 2d

Re-entering

Day between Main 1 and 2

In at 600BB, up to 11.2k

Stu please don’t try and read these guys in the satellite, anything goes 😂

Day between Main 1 and 2

Sigh, no good. 12k , 20 bigs at 600Bb, in big.

Chinese guy on my right has already had a few different sizes, and some tells. I just haven't worked out what they are yet.

Folded to his small, he Seems a little jumpy. Makes it a confusing 2.6k.

We have Ahrt Qh.

There's something going on. Which polarises him. I guess having an ace blocker in aspot where they're polarised is quite significant. But, i don't love this somehow.

Ultimately, he's put in 4.33 bigs, and we're picking up a chunky 3.8k if he does fold (or, obviously he may call worse). Must be right to ship, just don't want to think of these spots as standard when there is some live stuff going on.

Shove. Insta call.

Ouch. Actually , after that, quite happy to see his Ac Ks

But we get no sweat.

9s 8d 7c 4s 3d

Will now play the $2175 at 7pm, which they say will probably happen.

Going to find the Tower at Horseshoe for strategy discussion .

Sorry, it very probably is as simple as this!

No sorry’s please, I love it

Main event news

They've already broken the record. That's insane, especially because there will be significant additions with the rest of today, and then the two day twos. Possibly very significant.

It's confusing. Each year, I think, surely the Main can't be as good value this year. Poker is tough.  Surely there must be, say

- 100 absolute super stars, whose names we all recognise
- 500 top grinders, whose names we mainly recognise
- 2000 European, online winning players
- 3000 good American grinders

And that makes up half the field.

But, somehow, there's not. It feels far more like you are playing against the whole of America. Easy to forget, that, even though every country in the world is represented, America still makes up most of every table.

The field definitely changes, and gets tougher, day by day. But, at the moment, it looks great

https://www.pokernews.com/news/2023/07/wsop-main-event-first-hand-bad-beats-44023.htm

you mentioned the age old question  " would you call all in very first hand with aces" ,  seems like an ok time to ask while you are not in middle of a tourney.

sure some people will say its mad not to, i read pads (fairly sure it was him but not 100%) saying he snap folds when it came up last year.

Got to ask you what are your thoughts on the Phil Helmuth entrance today? good for the game or just too OTT?

VBOL on Day 2 btw.....loving the reportage as per. If you get the chance to bump into Mr Hartigan, wish him good luck too please.

James Hartigan? Is he playing? If you get a chance to let me know table draw, then definitely do, would be great to see him!

The Helmuth entrance is definitely both of the above! It was ridiculously OTT; that I can could count as just being funny, but actually the clincher is that he said 4pm to the poker media, and then (I'm sure deliberately) made them wait forever til after that, til he actually came in.

But, it has to be good for the game. I've loved it here this year, but have wondered in a small way, does tournament poker lose its magic? Same on the UK scene, just a bit. And it's nothing more than that there are so many tournaments, with all the re-entries, flights, max late reg, and so on. So, to see Helmuth still loving it all is definitely refreshing. I actually prefer him to Ivey, as a character. Ivey you feel somewhat sorry for, as he just appears like he doesn't want to be there. Like, it's a drag for him. Maybe that's not the reality at all, maybe it's just in his body language. But, in the battle of the Phils, I choose Helmuth over Ivey.

It's definitely a very good question. But, I call.

Some will say this is a tournament of survival, and it is. But, you have to make chips at some point. In fact, whilst there is not the pressure to *always* make chips, then there definitely is the need to *often* make chips. A gradual, constant upwards curve of winning small pots without showdown is the dream,but it's a near impossible reality.

So, I don't think you can pass up an 80/20. It's just too plus EV. I would maybe put the borderline, at about 68/32. Guy moves all in blind first hand, and you have whatever hand is 68/32 vs a random hand (Maybe 99 is?)

Day between Main 1 and 2

Sat ready for the $2175 7pm satellite. 20 minute levels for the first four levels, then 30 minute levels. 15k to start

Day between Main 1 and 2

Everyone does indeed to be playing it as a way to get in late, rather than as an attempt to get the 10k in chips.

Always feels Slightly against the spirit to play a "satellite" as not actually an attempt to play the event (More bizarre in fact, for an event that you have starred playing!). But, these definitely look like pretty good spots

14.5k

Day between Main 1 and 2

Nice

We're ten handed. Raise Ac Jd MP to 500 at 100-200(200). Hijack calls, big blind defends

Jd 8d 2c.

Bet 1.2k into 1.8k. Hijack folds, big blind calls

Jd 8d 2c Ts.

Big blind checks, bet 2.5k into 4.2k. Call

The body language and timing somehow feels like we have a pair plus draw situation.

Jd 8d 2c Ts 5s

Lovely river. He checks. I decide to bet 3.5k. There's just about enough JT/Maybe J8/ a slither of J5, that I don't think I can go big.

We get the tank call, so hopefully hit the sweet spot of the amount that would be called

22k

Day between Main 1 and 2

19k. Can't do too much 10-handed that isn't down the line

Day between Main 1 and 2

Ouch. At BB400, MP raises to 1.1k, cutoff makes it 4k. We have Qs Qd. And 19k.

Cutoff has been very steady, and it was somehow a confident seeming 3bet.

No satellite considerations yet. I think we have to go with it. Any chance of picking up 6.1k dead must swing it.

Commit by making it 8.2k. He's all in, call.

He has it. Aspades Ac.

No good, on 2h 3d 8d Ts Kc

Going to make one re-entry

Day between Main 1 and 2

Back in. 15k at BB400

Short field, but nice field. Don't recognise a single person

Day between Main 1 and 2

Up to 22k. 32 entrants

Day between Main 1 and 2

Up to 27k, big blind is 800

Day between Main 1 and 2

Sigh, lost the really big flip.

Qs Qc in Big blind, I have 27k and get it in for 25k effective Vs Aspades Kc. 52k would be a stack with a great chance of getting there.

Tc 5c 2c

Feels tough now

Tc 5c 2c Ts

Real hope

Tc 5c 2c Ts Kh

Sigh. Down to 2k

Day between Main 1 and 2

First step of miracle recovery complete.

Win Kd Jc vs Ks Tc, button vs big blind, on

2s 3d 4h 9s 4d

Up to 5k

Registration closed. 38 entrants. Will be 9 "seats"

Day between Main 1 and 2

Well, if we can pull it off, it will have been a semi -miracle.

All in with Ks Qc vs Ac Qd.

We get there on 2s 5d 9s 3c Kd

Up to 11k

Day between Main 1 and 2

Ooh nice, up to 44k (average for a seat will be 75k).

Aspades Kc vs Ad Qc

Survive on 7s 3s 2c Ts Jc

Day between Day 1 and 2

7 "seats," and an 8k prize for 8th

Will go fairly quiet, full focus, down to 5 handed (with 20 left) for some reason

Day between Main 1 and 2

42k, 16 left, 8 "in the money"

Day between Main 1 and 2

38k, 15 left, 8 in "the money"

The semi-stalling has semi begun in two seats

Day between Main 1 and 2

51k, 14 left, 8 in the money

Stalling gradually increases

Day between Main 1 and 2

55k. 14 left

This was quick down to 14. It's not going to be quick any more

Day between Main 1 and 2

Wow, weird.

All stalling (completely fine). Have 60k. Have Ks Tc in the small blind.

On Irish guy, he's stalling. (Fine)

French guy on his right says "clock."

Wow. I mean, there's just no way that that is natural, no way that it isn't very significant

- It's really hard to believe that he is simply impatient, and has asked for a clock. He seems decent, the stalling is to be expected.

- It's really can only be one thing. He knows he is going to raise, is light, and is trying to feign "impatience". I think it just has to be. It can't be anything else.

Irish guy folds after this "clock" call.

French guy raises to 6k

I was right. But It didn't work out. i 3bet bluff to 17k. He 4bets all in, and shows 3s.

Funny. Frustrating that I called his rubbish act of the "clock" call. Ulitmately, I guess he owned me by getting the big decision right.

60k now, average is 48k with 12 left

Down to 11

Down to 10

47k at BB4k, going to be very close

37k. Struggling

French sunglasses guy trying to outplay everyone, which is a completely ridiculous thing to do

Down to bubble, but I think 40%+ that i bubble

All playing well, apart from the French chip leader, who is more interesting in being the boss

Got 6 bigs, 36k

I'm the shortest

Fairly sure French ego kid will call me light, just for the fun of it

(He's on my direct left)

Blinds through me, down to 25k

I'm shortest, next shortest are 40k and 50k

Probably 60% to be me

French guy stared me down, and gave Irish shortie an insta -walk

Hes 100% trying to make me bubble

It's going to be between me and Aussie, we've both got 2.5 bigs

Aussie all in vs french

French anti sweats himself, says "hope you win," and stares me down. So so boorish.

Aussie wins

Coming to my big

Down to 7k, 1.16 bigs

It's got really ugly with the French guy. American on my right being really cool, and calling him out, completely correctly


Ugly spot

Got 7k, four hands to my big

Wow. Quadrupled up

 Ahrt 9c, all in, 3 call and we flop

9d 9h 9s

Got 36k.

Likely to be safe

Quads! Four of them!

Did you ask the French guy if he folded a nine?

Made it. Down to 8. 8k guaranteed.

Now another bubble for the full 10k.

Important to take smaller bubble seriously. Hopeful that someone won't

14k now

Still 9, got 24k

Zut alors

We made it. $10k

c,est magnifique mon ami

💪👍😎

Kind of hoping our French friend blew up and mini bubbled.

it's always the bloody French!

have fun do wins please.

Great comeback Stu!

Main satellite

So, yes, made it, got the 10k

We got lucky! Required winning a four way all in on the bubble with A9, and, ridiculously, flopping 999. And then, on the second mini bubble (difference between 8k and 10k), being all in with AA vs J6 on KJ6J, and indeed Getting there on the KJ6JA.

Rest of it was all a bit rubbish. Don't think I'll play any more satellites. The full recap

- In hindsight (and it should have been more obvious at the time what the consequences might be, it all started in the "clock" pot. French guy pulls his (completely ethical) little trick of calling the clock,  I take it as weakness and 3bet, he out plays me, 4bets and wins

- Now, the body language starts, and doesn't really stop for the next hour. Stare downs that became so regular, that it actually became an effort not to engage. It should actually have dawned on me what effect this would have on the play of the satellite as I get shorter, and French guy's commanding chip lead increases. I don't know want the French is for "English guy bubbles." But, he wanted it

- Irish guy, others shortie, now makes a real point of befriending him. Irish guy was lovely, this was all completely innocent from him. Rob texts me "damm, you need to befriend the French guy." Rob is completely right. But, this is where satellites just have a flaw. A battle of who is friends with whom is a ridiculous one.

- French guy blind raises my blind every time. French guy stares me down as he gives the Irish shortie a walk. i just keep my head down, and hope to get through

-But now I sense that the American guy on my left is sensing it all. And it turns out, he really is. He turns out to be a legend. In fact, too much of one. In the middle of him saying all the right things to the French guy about how what he is doing is completely unethical, something bizarre happens. He, completely needlessly and completely incorrectly, moves in for his safe 85k stack with AK. I'm almost sure he knows how unnecessary this is. I'm almost sure he was doing it out of some ethical responsibility, mixed with some high emotion. What makes it even more bizarre is that he surely knows the French guy will spite call him. He does, with J6. American guy wins. I still don't feel completely sure what happened there, but, whilst unnecessary, it was really cool of the American guy.

- Heated discussion continues, three way. French guy tries
to make it into an ego battle, about how he will bust me in the Main event tomorrow. I am definitely a little flustered, for this to be Going on in the middle of a tough bubble, but try to Keep completely calm, and explain a couple of times, i could not be any less interested in the ego battle. American guy still really goes for him. All in a fair and correct way

- Its all a bit of a shame on what had been a really friendly table, even if it did bring some interesting drama during a tense spot.

- French guy to be fair, i think did by the end realise that he wasn't in the right. (discussion went on, in a softer way, during the smaller bubble). To be fair, whilst an ego player, I don't think any part of intended to actually cheat. He was just enjoying the "playing God" situation that a satellite brings to a monster chip leader, albeit doing so clearly in an unethical way.

Anyway, all that matters is the result. Definitely would have made it more gutting to bubble.

Onto day two of the Main tomorrow, where, as they say in France, que sera, sera.

Jeez. Horrible situation. Horrible French guy - who probably has erectile dysfunction and personal hygiene issues. Can’t think of any other reasons for such unethical behaviour. Well, apart from the fact that he’s French. Did he start on you only once he realised that you’re “le roast boeuf”?

Loving the updates as always. Really looking forward to Day 2. Trusting that you’re currently pushing out some serious zeds…

just hendon mobbed tonights table for anyone interested. stu is seat 9.

seat 1 ronald mcginnity  has biggest stack, and by far best finishes , 486k total cashes. 30th in main 2015 plus some very deep runs in huge fields.

seat 2 steven  filipovic 140k total cashes , most from a 1st place  for 53k in 2018.

seat 3 raphael poss 3k total cashes.

seat 4 sebastian harasim 44k total cashes.

seat 5 hiroki nakagawa zero cashes.

seat 6 william mitchell 132k total cashes.

seat  7 shawn beaupre 2k total cashes.

seat 8 alida veliu she has  324k total cashes going back 17 years. half of that one cash in 2013

best of luck stu

Thanks So much for this. And thank you that it seems to bring good news! Ironically,  outright zero in cashes (seat 5) I would say isn't necessarily good news! Always have to wonder what is behind that. Will update

Bookkeeping

We are in for

-10k Deuce
- 2.5k Big Bet Mix
- $400 Deepstack
- 2* $1.1k mega
- 2*$2175 mega
- 10k Main event (result currently unknown!)

So we are in for $29,450

We are out for

-$14870 Big Bet mix
- $10k in satty

So we are out for $24,870, with Main still to come

Grinding away well Stu

Very best of luck

Main event day 2

More delayed starts. 12:20 and still waiting. Nice to talk to the table, they all seem pleasant

Think we've run good on the table draw again, and don't think we'll be breaking for a while.

$10,000 Main event


Very encouraging signs. Limps, small bets, surprising check downs, etc

Won the first hand. Raise  Ac 8h button , big blind defends

 Ahrt Kd 8s.

He checks, I just go big (almost no need for balance at these tables). Bet 3k, quick fold

91.5k

$10,000 Main event day two

We're giving the table an 8.5 out of 10.

Think the value will all be in nittiness, missed bluffs and missed value, rather than outright gifts

$10,000 Main event day two

Nice

Seat 5 raises hijack on my big, to 1.8k

5h 2h. Defend. Just about.

Ts 5c 2c

Check -check

Ts 5c 2c Qs

I lead 1.8k. Feel that the play Vs these guys is to get them to call the AK/AJ/KJ, and bluff a blank River. Their value range on a blank River is narrow (mainly AQ and KQ).

Ts 5c 2c Qs 8d

That's not far from being a blank.

Check, he bets 4k.

Gives off no tells. But value range is narrow. I don't think will realise that AK has showdown value

Call. He has Kh Jh

Up to 98k

Some good image beneifts to that (it received more surprise in the table chat than calling with a bluff catcher should)

Scribbled notes

I'm actually going to scribble some notes in short hand. They'll
make very little sense. Even less than the updates.  But, i guess no better place to do them than in Here

2- potential tell of arm to wrist when bluffing
3- looked confident when had it with AA. happy to go 3 SOV with AA, but with ridic transparent sizes . Folded to XR after betting 33% flop
4- can look nervous when has it. Nice value sizing of 80% pot fairly thin
5- opened to 1.8k with KJ, 1.6k with K9. snap checking behind early streets with zero interest in bluffing
6- stubborn bad call downs. Zero thought to turning light call downs into bluff. Transparent lead 33% turn with KJ on 884K
 Bad fake tell of looking annoyed with monster. Didn't reship Aq BB vs but for 15bb
7- opened to 2.5k at 800BB. Does he have different sizes? Snap confident "5 thousand" squeeze with KK pre. Checked Qxx . snap"ten thousand " on Qxxx(80% pot)
8- snap checked behind QQ on AxxAx . 3bet Qq to 2.8k, 3bet Ak to 2x. Strength seems proportional to sizing

$10,000 Main Event

Hmm nasty

Seat 4 raise to 1.7k on my big. We have Ad Kd. Three bet to 5.1k

He calls. This, and every other action, is snap. Strange


4s 2c 2s.

Bet small, 3k. Setting up river call if turn goes check -check.

4s 2c 2s Qc.

Check, he bets 7k. Also snap.

Hmm. Definitely has some AQ, but hard to see KQ or QJ spades making this sizing, this quickly.

Call

4s 2c 2s Qc 9d.

Check, snap check. He has  Aspades Qh

Maybe should fold turn. All good.

Down to 82k

2- no arm to wrist when he probably had it
4- minbet river to try to avoid check -decide spot
5- insta called off 5bb with Q3off
6- missed bluff in obvious rec bluff spot. Potential just 100% ABC
8- 3bets are 2.8x with QQ, 2x with Ak and 2.5x with Qq. Tiny 20% bet flopping top set. Decent River value for 40% pot with second pair. All sizes probable transparent

$10,000 Main Event

Ah, complete yuck. Ran AA into set of fives blind vs blind vs lady on my right

Down to 60k. Still lots

Table great

$10000 Main event day two

75k first break.

Wow. Even more "classic Main Event table" than day one..

Probably will keep updates short. Just SO much going on. Seat four is a good player, but apart from that, there are incredible deviations from standard in every seat.

One of the Scribbled notes, on seat 7, says "let him speak, he basically says what he has."  That is no exaggeration. Wow.

Going back to 500-1000(1000)

4- bet 40% four way turn after xxxx. Seems happy to go transparent sizings
7- what are his non snap actions? Is he really just 5x Xring all range to protect?
8- open to 2.1 with Ak

Main event day two

70k

Main event Day two

72k

There will be movement. Alot of nitty things, but anything that isn't nitty is creating pots that shouldn't happen, of sizes that definitely shouldn't

2- didn't cbet in 3way squeezed pot with aa on dry board. Looked comfortable but "pumped" when squeezed with Aa.
No hand to wrist. Sized to 4.1x . Realised to make correct stubborn call river with bluff catcher

Has missed cbet in 3bp with aa and Ak on low dry boards. Cbet thus more likely a bluff

3- stubborn call vs squeeze.. made "see where he's at" raise on Qjj flop with a Q.

4- are all sizes transparent?

7- only non snap action has been checking flop OPP with a gutshot. Didn't bluff me when missed. xred 4k to 10k vs squeezer with KK. Didn't 3bet KK sb vs hijack, didn't back raise vs tiny squeeze. Scared check on safe turn. Hesitated flop and turn slightly.

Called clock when semi -had it but sounded nervous. Said "time." Watch out for non clock, or other ways of saying it.

Bet pot with A4 on AKx. All in for 1.2x pot with A4 on Akx4

New 5- missed cbet and missed DCB on 226Q without SDV
Squeezed Qjs from bb to 5x

Isn't checking anything with any SDV

New 6- did he make a see where he's at raise on the turn in 3bp?

8- another 2.4x squeeze with JJ. Hesitation before decision to open is genuine.

Main event day two

70k, half way through second level of day.

The Scribbled notes Will make no sense, but the Main cliff is, seat  7 is doing million different interesting things, and we'll be looking to play against him

Main event Day two

Second break.

Alot of things could have happened. None of them have yet

A disappointing but fine 62k

7 opens now

4x- Ak, TT and Ak
2x -At

*attack small open*

B20 river with J on ktxq9, super snap big raise vs obvious aj

1-  didn't 3bet AK From BB vs cutoff open

4- transparency continues. Full pot with top two on river. Said "98" in questioning tone, Seemed confident . As wide as bottom pair for turn lead for small size

New 5- super snap call from SB after limp vs BB 3.2x
Very transparent 15% block sizing river with trips on flush board, river.
Correct double barrel with trips despite flush turn

Main event Day two

Surprisingly uneventful.

58k, half way through 600-1200(1200)

Main event day two

Hmm just nothing to do really

54k

$10000 Main event

After a very quiet time, a nice two.

UTG open to 2.5x , UTG2 call, we have Kc Qs in the big blind.

Ks Js 9c

Check, UTG bet 4.2k, UTG2 call.

Close to a fold. Just about a call.

Ks Js 9c 4s

I think I have to get jiggy here. Queen of spades is such a big blocker, because they are early positions (they have fewer small spade combos). And the other big reason to turn this into a bluff is that it replaces a check -fold, rather than a check -call

I bet 11k. UTG calls

I think, if the river doesn't make me a flush, or doesn't give me other show down value, this is going to be it. You don't come to run big Bluff lines, but if the spot comes up, then...

Anyway, river saves the heart rate

Ks Js 9c 4s Qd

I think I'm 60% behind, but I have too much to turn into a bluff

Check- check

He mucks. We got lucky.

Very next hand, folded to my small blind. Big blind of course same guy.

Limp 6s 5d

Kd 7c 4d

Bet small, 1.5k. Call

We get there

Kd 7c 4d 8s

It's going to be a check raise. Range isn't far from being broken down into hands that will probably call once anwyay (second pair or worse), and hands that will 1) Bet, and 2) Face a puke decision, and potentially have to call down, when we check raise, and bet the river.


Check, he bets 3.5k. On that basis, I may as well make this fairly big. He's the only seat with real reason to be suspicious of me. Wonderful spot


Check raise to 13k.  Fairly quick call.

River isn't great

Kd 7c 4d 8h Jd

The great thing is, the fear of being bluff raised is so much less here. That allows me a block size, but I think I'm facing suspicion here.

I decide on 15.5k, into 30k

We get called, and win. The semi-long tank I think tells me that I was maybe 3k off the sweet spot of getting the max, but I guess not so far.

Up to a chip peak of 110k. Let's go

Main event Day two

Dinner break

Up to peak of 142k

Got three really nice streets of value vs lady in seat 8.

Raise from CO, she defends small, I call big with Kc Jd

Js Ts 7d 6d 5c

I lead flop for 4k (with less to fear, in terms of being messed around with) important to extend leading ranges

CO folds, lady calls

Bet 6.5k on turn. Quick call. It feels like a made hand type quick call more than a "I want to see the Next card quickly" quick call.

River is close, but find the 6.5k. Just. She calls, and has Aspades Tc

Main Event day 2

134k, half way into 4th level of Day two

Table getting tougher. Only three survivors from the start, although they are the two on my right who have been, albeit a confusing one, a goldmine of information

Day Two of Main

Really nice level, 190k

Still alot going on, keeping all eyes peeled.

The underrated unique feature of the Main is that you often keep the same table for so long, sometimes the whole day. So, with the info often being extensive, it's worth talking in!

Day two of Main

Going nice, 215k. Approaching end of level four. Last (two hour) level of day is 1k-2k(2k)

Day two of Main

Really nice. 225k


Going into last level

Day two of Main

190k

Day two of Main

178k

Day two of Main

Couple of small losses, 151k

Day 2 of Main

Finished

199k

Exhausted

More later

Break tomorrow

Brilliant work Stu.
Very interesting to see how much info you retain on each player!
Enjoy your well deserved rest

wow, well done stu. looking forward to hearing about it whenever you fell like writing more. enjoy day off , you certainly deserve it.

Great news to get up to.  Good luck in day 3, and enjoy the day off.

Another great morning read - looking forward to many more.

Fabulous stuff, Stu. Rest well

whilst I enjoy seeing them, I think I understand more than enough to worry that deeper on anyone checking their table mates online would find this. Bit awkward then :D

unnecessary self inflicted levelling. maybe just notepad on phone or email drafts to yourself is the best place.

it's all irrelevant if you manage to just get Aces and sets a lot though, so feel free to just do that repeatedly.

seat 1 anne liu 37k stack .      total cashes 66k

seat 2 patrick beuter 201k stack.       total cashes 101k

seat 3 terence sanders 274k stack.    total cashes 18k

seat 4 daniel martin 65k stack.    total cashes  19k

seat 5 mike matusow 263k stack.   total cashes 10 million plus

seat 6 joshua weissman 223k stack. total cashes just over a million. 650k of this was 10th main event 2016

seat 7 chris hovey 77kstack.  total cashes 64k

seat 8 stu

seat 9 josh prinsky 63k stack. 28k total cashes. only 3 cashes in all. 2 were in 2007.

Future Hall of Famer (possibly)

Thanks sooo much mate

Yes. It's an interesting. I think this is the day that it makes sense to stop any strategy/thoughts/plans. As you say, just in case. This actually came up at WSOP Europe as well, and we made the same decision.

Will revert back for other events. Realistically, on say, a stud/Omaha hilo final table, no one is going to have the time to, or gain anything From, looking at day one and day stud/Omaha hilo updates

Main event day 3

12pm start. 199k. Matesow the obvious name at the table

There was a danger that I was going to get jealous of your run in the main.  Not much chance of that happening now.  Good luck today

Main event day 3

One hour in. Won a medium one, lost a medium one.

Matesow hasn't paused for breath in one hour, taking the whole time

198k

Using slightly more impolite methods to make sure he doesn't talk at me. He's doing it at people even in pots. Hearing stud hilo histories from 2013 is not what you need in a big decision!

He's "picking" on other people now

Main event day 3

202k

(So, Just to confirm/repeat, from earlier, we've decided to just go very simple updates from now, just in case Blonde poker is the victim of some detective work in the Day break before the FT!/

Main Event day 3

10,043 entrants (Poker is not dead)

3573 left

Go well Stu.

I’ve been refreshing and following all the updates. Keep going and love all the updates regardless of detail!

Main Event day 3

Boom, let's go

Up to 283k

We're running good

UTG has 80k and raises to 5.5k. We are UTG2, and call Ts Td.
Matesow call small blind.

Kc Tc 6s


Checked to me, bet 8k. Matesow call, UTG player check raise to 28k.

I make it 65k. Matesow fold, guy is all-in. Tiny hesitation is enough to make me feel comfortable that we haven't run into the one hand that beats us.

He has Ac 8c.

It's a big pot (175k)

We fade it

Kc Tc 6s 8h 4h

Really nice

I've actually knocked three players out this tournament. (Two were small on day two).

Main event day 3

First break. 279k

10,043 entrants, 3105 left, 1507 in the money

Table 7/10

Main event day 3

293k

Main event Day 3

New entrant in seat 4 has given Matesow a couple of needles about his "famous blowups."

Think it was 95% friendly, but it has led to someone Never witnessed before- two minutes of silence from The Mouth.

Main Event day 3

I'm always a bit of a fish about famous online names.

Im 90% sure that the new 1 seat is Limitless, the Polish online superstar guy. Looked at pictures and still not 100%>

He's wearing a GG patch. Would that fit?

Loads of GG branded 'photos of him.


(https://i.imgur.com/wGvSG6S.jpg)



(https://i.imgur.com/qHylIcQ.jpg)

Thanks so much mate, I've always said you were my favourite person on Sky Poker.

It's him. It was slightly confusing, as he looks 99% the same, but wasn't 100%. But if the actual guy has got a big GG thing, it's him.

280k

Main event day 3

Table pretty tough now

275k

Main event Day 3

280k, half way through level 12. We (apparently) play down to money today.

It's confirmed, it's Limitless. Proving, that if there is Someone who is an expert on the top of online poker, it's Tony Kendall.

Main Event day 3

Down to 245k.

Limitless out

Day three of Main

238k

Seat four continues to needle Matesow

Day three of Main

Bit of a downwards curve, 225k

Day 3 of Main

221k first break

Going back to 55bigs at 2k-4k(4k)

Day three of Main

225k.  2474 left, 1507 in the money.

Day three of Main

243k, bang on average with 2474 left

Day three of Main

245k

Seat four makes a losing river call, and Matesow needles him back

Day 3 of Main

225k, half way through level 13 (2k-4k). 2241 left, 1507 in money

Day three of Main

Dwindling a little, 210k

Day 3 of Main

210k. Card dead. All fine

Table probably about average for the room. An Austrian online genius, whose name I should probably know, has joined

Day three of Main

Dinner break.

173k when we come back. Under some kind of pressure at 2.5k-5k(5k). All good

Day three of Main

Waiting to go back. 34 bigs when we do.

I guess it's always possible to think "this is the crucial part of the tournament," but you'll know what I mean by saying that!

Day 3 of Main event

162k

Main event day 3

150k. Need a hand

Day three of Main

Sigh, we lose all-in to the shortie, but it's a crucial one

Get it in with Qc Qs against his Ad Td, for a  102k pot

The pot will end with us having basically around 100k, or 200k...

No good

Ac Jd 9d

Flopped near dead

Ac Jd 9d 8c 7d

Down to 100k. Big pressure

Day three of Main

Down to 93k. Really had just so little to work with.

We've lost 90 in 30 minutes since dinner. 1917 left, 1507 in the money.

Day three of Main

Boom, a double up, that at the time definitely felt one of the sweetest ever


Raise Kc Ks hijack to 11k.

Big blind defends

7s 6c 2h

Nice

He leads 12k. He's been doing this alot, and yet to see evidence as to what it is.

I have 83k, and make it 30k, to induce.

Fairly quick all in from him

He has 8d 5s

We hold

7s 6c 2h 6h Jd

Let's go

Day 3 of Main

New table

Looks semi- encouraging, but I guess in the wrong way (stubborn, action)

1818 left, 1507 ITM, got 193k, average 333k

Day 3 of Main

167k

Would say my chance of cashing is maybe 65%.

That was a very pleasant table, they all have been, although this one is icy serious.

Day three of Main

1737 left, 1507 in the money

Atmosphere becomes that bit more tense, that bit more nervous excitement

Got everything crossed for you Stu. Give us a hand eh?

Day three of Main

142k. Hanging.

Very possibly going to have to be all-in to make the money, at least in a non-desperate fashion

Day three of Main

Ten second clock every hand given to someone behind me

Day three of Main

132k, last break of day

It's going slower. 1701 left, 1507 in the money

Day 3 of Main

1647 left, 1507 in the money

Day 3 of Main event

129k

1611 left, 1507 in the money

Day three of Main

98k. 1566 left, 1507 in the money

Table completely stall free

Day three of Main Event

1552 left, 1507 in the money. Previously, they were updating the number down by the 20. Now, they are by the 1.

The crowd has grown

Day three of Main event

98k. 1538 left, 1507 in the Money.

A few stalling warnings being handed by a floorman who is practically running around, and has a name badge saying RABBIT

Day three of Main event

28 minutes on the clock. They haven't made a clear decision, but we surely play down to the money tonight

Day three of Main

Wow wow

I have Ks Kd in the small.

UTG opens to 12k. UTG1 3bets to 27k. (Already quite a worrying size)

UTG3 thinks for ever and 4bets to 80k (From 500k). 4 bettor is a, at a guess, 55 year old American guy.

All 3 have actually been very  tight. I think, even if were somehow 3 hours ago, this is a case for a fold. But on a bubble situation, this is a fold.

Both others fold. I practically beg him to show

He shows

 Aspades Ac

Day three of Main event

Oh wow, an unexpected decision - we are playing 2 More hands, and then bagging for the night.

This led to a chorus of boos around the room, which lasted long enough that I wondered whether they would change the decision.

They didn't.

We'll be coming back I think single figures from the bubble

Day three of Main

We're bagging 84k. The board shows 1518 players left, it will be a couple less

Day three of Main

Hmm the Kings fold... It's close


The fact he's got AA doesn't necessarily mean it's right. So close. The players are

UTG- solid, done nothing out of line
UTG1- been Very tight,
UTG 3- 55 year old, been tight

They're all playing about 500k, so the cold 4bet could definitely lead to him getting all in..

However, the factors against it are that we obviously more than 2.5x up, and that is a slightly smaller than normal min-cash

Really close . It would be results orientated to conclude that his hand makes it right. The only way to know the correct decision is to somehow know what his range is overall

Totally understand the rationale for why it may or may not have been the correct fold. But with the benefit of knowing he had the AA, it proved to be an excellent decision. VWP sir

must be tough getting dealt nothing playable in last few hours, well done staying in and best of luck tomorrow. does seem mental not to play on till bubble bursts. do they redraw tables? i guess that now at least you will get to see exactly where you stand once the chip counts are released, and can see hopefully a dozen real shorties who are forced all in first orbit or two. you must be ready for a cold beer after a long 3 days. whatever happens , you still have some great tourneys to come , and your not on a building site in shepherds bush at 9am on a monday morning.

UTG vs utg1 utg2 utg3 and the words cold in there. Kings is the same as pocket sixes :D


I felt I played with great discipline today, all whilst I was sleeping.

Fun way to wake up and check updates.


gogogogo please need to eat

Thanks so much Phil/Henry/titaniumbean

Yes, the decision to not play I think is strange. Are they almost doing it for the drama?

I'm seat 6, and its a draw for button. So, some size of sweat there. Although, it will be quick, only 0.6% of the field to be knocked out. We may not even have to pay a blind

12pm start

1517 left 1507 paid

stu in 1394th

kings first hand then ...

will post table up in a bit

Seem to be hundreds (?) of players with smaller stacks than Stu...




https://www.wsop.com/pdfs/reports/21741/EV76%20START%20DAY%204%20COUNTS%20BY%20CHIPS.pdf

yeah 112 lower than stu with 7 till bubble

seat 1 stephen friedrich    total cashes 225 k

seat 2 euan mcnicholas  total cashes 500k

seat 3 neil cullen  total cashes 42k

seat 4  henry chan total cashes 92k

seat 5 julio carpes total cashes 0 hendon mob. checked twice and redirected to carpet shop both times

seat 6 stu

seat 7 thomas eychenne total cashes 1.8 million

seat 8 gerardo griffa total cashes 76k

seat 9 amit goldin total cashes 11k

good luck tonight stu

Run good today Stu

Day three of Main

Thanks guys.

Right, sat down ready to start.  Think we're 11 til money, not 10. Which would mean there has been a false knock out? :)

So, obviously no chickens are being counted, but the spot of getting in my 10bb after the bubble bursts is an interesting one.

First of all, it's funny how emotionally it feels less significant, can almost feel like some kind of "bonus." The two situations are worth almost exactly the same ECV, but compare getting in 60k after the bubble, to somehow getting in a 60k starting stack on the first hand of the first day, and you would see completely different reactions from the players involved!

The main question is, does the fact its the Main Event alter the correct range to get in at all? There can definitely be a "relief of bubble bursting" factor where players are happy to get it in lighter. Maybe that is less in 2023, but it's definitely a factor. So, the question for me is, is there an expectation from opponents that a player with my stack situation will get it in shorter? I think maybe my answer is that I should adjust with a small tightening of range.

Day four of Main

First sweat was always going to be where the button is drawn to...

Seat 9, three to our left. Semi good news

Day four of Main

First hand, fold

Euan Mcniholas (Seems a very nice guy) stalls (completely fair)

Still not hand for hand, which I think has to be a strange decision.


Second hand, fold

Some serious stalling going on now

Down to 1515 ,so lost 3 already

Day four of Main

Fold third hand

Clock called for the first time

Good banter around the table, as people joined in the "10,9,8" countdown

Day four of Main

BIZZ the floorman comes back for the second clock on someone.

"If he does it again, he's going to see that I'm serious.

Big blind Next hand. We've only lost 3, still 7 til money

Day four of Main

Down to 1511, four off money

Ive had no decisions. It's almost definite that I'll pay this, and only this, round of blinds.

BIZZ the floorman has quickened his pace to a stride. Maybe a run soon.

BIZZ came to do his job seriously today. Every time he does his clock, he emphatically finsihes it with "THAT'S A DEAD HAND,"  as if the player who clearly is always folding, will be disappointed to hear it.

Day four of Main

Hand for hand now.

My small blind next hand

My guess is that this will take four hands

Any ace gotta go with it with that stack mate don’t be afraid

Day four of Main

1510 left, 1507 in money

Hand for hand now. Long waits between hands.

My small blind next. French guy in big is the big stack, and has been doing all the correct big stack things

BIZZ the floorman now in a heated discussion with a dealer with his arms in the air

You would think that the guy who came back with 14k is the one who most wants the bubble to burst, but I think he has been overtaken by BIZZ

Day four of Main

Fold small blind, no decisions.

Seat 1 is interesting. Older American guy, doesn't seem to care for the bubble. Picking some battles with the French big stack.

He Seemed to be doing fine, but, when folding AJ to a 3bet from the French guy, he did so face up, which doesn't seem very wise.

won a $800 venetian deepstack last week for 47k

Day four of Main

Button next hand. Would be amazed if we pay the blinds in the money again.

An all in is announced. Two pair vs trips.. the shorter stack has two pair, and loses.

Walks out to a potentially slightly harsh "And it looks like we have an ELIMINATION" from Jack Effel. Room didnt celebrate at all, would be interesting to see what the atmosphere is like on the direct bubble

Passing the time talking with Euan about the upcoming Coventry GUKPT. I mean, this may be exciting currently, but really it is just a preamble to when the poker world goes to the casino under the RICOH arena

Thanks So much, that definitely fits

Day four of Main

Confirmed one elimination that hand. Cutoff next hand. Two to go

Colossus is just a poor man's Goliath

At another table..

Aa all in vs 86

Flop 543

The entire room rooting against him

5439K

He's safe

WSOP site reports that a guy had 16 of his 19k stack in the BB/Ante - And got a walk! What the hell?

"another all in in blue section"

"Shes a little nervous Here

Effel loving the mic in his hand too much


"Right now aces are good, but he can catch a king or 9."

"We have an elimination, we're one away."

(Presumably that open ender hit!)

Day four of Main

Effel: "All right, we are on the official bubble."

I would think 70% chance, on each hand, of a bust out

couple of hands on pokernews are bonkers.. 200k stack calling all in on river with just top pair.

Day four of Main

Fold KJoff cutoff at my table

Semi significant hand at our table. French Big stack has taken some hits.

Dealers are standing up after each hand, like some dealer version of "The Stand up Game."

Day four of Main

The sweat from the other tables begins, to be narrated by Jack Effel....

Day four of Main

"Guys we got three all in and calls. All in the blue section."

Day four of Main

"ok, we have a player all in in the eight seat. All the money is in, the cards are out "

"trips vs a pair of jacks"

Confusion as to who the shortie is

Shortie survives

Effel blames the confusion on the dealer

Day four of Main

"ace king vs pocket queens"

Shortie has AK

"Ace on flop"

Shortie survives

One more. Can they all survive?

Day four of Main

"We got one more shot here"

Queens vs Aces

All in player has the aces....

Day four of Main

Room shouts "queen," gently

Shortie, however, survives.

Next hand. Hijack

Day four of Main

Effel:

"Players, I know this is one of the most epic poker tournaments in all of history, but I need you guys not standing on chairs."

Kc5c hijack. Fold

Frenchie raise and take it

Day four of Main

The length of a football game into the day, it's Maybe starting to become understandable why we didn't play through the bubble last night

Day four of Main

This is fun. 15 minutes between hands. Part high pressure spot, part waiting around and Getting to know the table

(Obviously will go into near silent mode again when we make the money)

Euan and I have estimated the probability of all surviving as 30% so far, so let's see if it continues to get More unlikely

"Three all in and calls"

"We have aces against Kings"

Kings is shortie

Board is clean

"We have an elimination."

(We're in the money)

Two more to sweat now, but it just becomes an issue of 1) Whether they're chopping the 15k, and 2) whether GG are handing out any consolation promotions

Top grinding Stu. Well done sir

Weeeeeeeeeeee

Now for a rush

happy spinning , very well played

Heard this note was passed around one of the tables...Stu...nice try, but I don't think they're gonna buy that you have a girlfriend.

Day four of Main

"We have a third elimination ladies and gentlemen"

"We're going to have a little fun with these three eliminations."

They're going to play one hand for a free seat into Next year."

"Let's take a look at the flop and take it real slow."

This is being sweated by the room and crowd as much as the Main event hands!

Well done, Stu.

Now run disgustingly well. Like almost to the point you feel compelled to apologise well.

Day four of Main

Right, (near) silent mode now

Taking 64k in the money. 8 bigs

Let's go

As the famous cliché says, our next big hand will be the important one

+1

+1

Got one through

84k

Spin ‘em up!

Day four of Main

Boom let's go

Run pure

Aces in small. Hijack open, Button all in for more

Hijack fold,, button has 77

Ace high flop. Safe by turn

One time. 170k. Still fairly short but a chance

2 hours blinds and 20 bigs. blooody loads of time. back to sleep   ;tk;

Let’s f’kin go!

Lovely post bubble double up 😜 good luck mate😁

Day four of Main

Up to 220k

Great turnaround.  Kipping early tonight, hoping to see a million when I get up.

Just glanced up at the TV which has the WSOP delayed live stream up from the bubble.

Laughed when I realised I could see Stu updating us on his phone, on the TV, whilst it was H4H as he was stood in the camera shot rotflmfao

ETA: At least, I thought it was Stu, but I'm not 100% sure...if he is wearing a Grosvenor Poker.com hoodie then it was him, if not, it looked like him...

Day four of Main

285k

Well, that's just about the chip peak, and incredibly sweet timing and circumstances to make it.

Still, semi short obv (average 480k), there will be movement

chip and a chair in donkaments. fk the average we got infinite people still to get through. run horsey run!