Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Sorry Ralph, can't really manage much in the derring-do department right now due to tiredness & (loss of) short-term memory. I did have quite a day though, one of the most unusual I've ever had since I started playing poker.

As you will have gathered from the animalpoker post, I eventually ran 8th for $1,911 in the Venetian Big O. Day 2 was only memorable for not being memorable, in that it was one of those days we are all familiar with when poker seems unfair. Everyone was getting big hands galore, & I'm just sitting there watching it all & unable to get in the game. The day began with 15 runners, & in truth I did well to somehow outlast 7 of them & reach the FT. Eventually I had to make my move & in fact I had quite a pretty & well-balanced (high & low) hand, but it was drawing super thin v good double suited Aces with nut wheel cards, & there was to be no miracle run-out. For balance, & in case anyone thinks I'm feeling hard done-by, on Day 1 I was all in for my tournament life with two black Aces which had "missed" so to speak on a flop of...


   

My opponent had...

 


Hard to imagine how he does not get the lot there, or at the very least half. But running Kings on turn & river gave me a most unlikely boat (Kings full of Aces) which made the poor fella almost explode with angst, & he spent the rest of the day running round the room in demented fashion telling everyone how lucky I was. He was right, of course but the boot was on the other foot yesterday & he ran very deep. It's how poker works, as we all know.

Anyway, very very pleased to get the trip off to a winning start. I'm ahead of budget forecast too, I had budgeted for 2 bullets but only needed 1 & so Saturday was a "free day" in every sense, as was yesterday (Sunday).

A few photos from the Venetian Big O will follow next.

[tikay]

...and some of the characters on the FT...


The grimly determined looking NY Mets fan was shortie all day until doubling up on my penultimate hand & then busting me the next hand. I was busting a gut to outlast him but it was not to be.

Photo 2 is Nathan (Nathaniel Weisner) about whom many were really rather rude about his hair. All things considered, I don't think I'm really in a position to criticise what people do with their hair. He's a really fun guy though.

The winner is in photo # 3, that's Shawn Rice. Shared tables with him for 2 days, he never put a foot wrong & was a perfect Gent & a gracious winner. It's barely 10 days since he ran 2nd for $140,000 in this (below) so he's evidently a bit handy.




https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=1197491

[tikay]

So I was done by around 3pm & went back to my hotel in a mixed frame of mind, had a bit of a curly lip, but was also quite pleased & proud of myself that I'd got the trip off to a winning start, and more than anything, shown that if the fall of the cards are reasonably kind, I can still hack it at the game. And that feels much much more satisfying than the money, it really does. Funny how the mind works as we advance into the latter years. I've looked forward to this trip - my one-time "retirement gift" to myself - for so long, & I was scared it would be an anti-climax.

There was a nice little $240 Big O at Orleans at 6pm, so I decided to grab an hour's sleep then go play that, especially as it was at The Orleans where I'm staying so don't need to travel.

124 entries & until Late Reg closed I ran unbelievably hot, & was probably chippie when the freezeout started. And like flicking a light switch off, then it changed completely & I had a real struggle to hang in there, I could not get a hand or make a hand. On the Bubble against the Tourney Shortie I had an all high hand that contained a Ten & we saw a flop of real joy...


 


But he somehow got there & rivered a straight & a low. That was as unlikely as that hand I won the day before with Kings Full. What comes round...

Anyway, I hung in for dear life & eventually cashed for $657.

[tikay]

So a remarkable day really. Certainly broke new ground, I can't imagine I've ever cashed in two decent "Live" MTT's in the same day before.

And look away now if, like me, you can't stand folks chirping.

Since resuming "Live" poker in late October, I've now played 6 Omaha MTT's of assorted variants, & cashed in all 6.




£230 UKIPT PLO, 7th of 53, £1,020

£140 APAT ROE, 8th of 166, £300

£250 UK Open 4/5/6 PLO, 21st of 170, £490

£250 Hendon Mob Championship PLO @ DTD, 5th of 46, £1,265.

$600 Venetian Deep Stack Big O, 8th of 118, $1,197

$240 Orleans Summer Festival Big O, 11th of 124, $657.




All of which almost certainly informs us that no matter what skill level we possess, nothing is more powerful than variance.

That impressive looking sequence of 6 cashes on the spin almost certainly ends today, when I step up in class to what in horse racing terms might be considered Group 3 company - the $1,000 Wynn Big O which kicks off at Noon.

After which I'm going to have a really really long sleep, as I'm wrecked, as this image from yesterday amply demonstrates...


PS - that's me enjoying myself. You don't want to see me when I'm miserable.

[tikay]

Just like to give a big blonde welcome to Elliott aka NoseyBonk from the now defunct Sky Poker Forum.

We have a modicum of poker history, but really our commonality is as Eric Clapton fans. What Elliott does not know about EC is not worth knowing.

[Elliot]

Thank you.     
Been meaning to send you some videos but obviously not the 'old way'.    Just stuff from YT people have filmed during the last week of gigs at Nott/RAH.

[tikay]

Thank you.      
Been meaning to send you some videos but obviously not the 'old way'.    Just stuff from YT people have filmed during the last week of gigs at Nott/RAH.

We have Personal Message facility but you have to make 10 Posts before you can use it. Alternatively., just start a thread in The Rail or post on here.

I really was sad to miss EC at his Nottingham gig.

On which note, he's 80 years old & filthy rich, so why is he bothering with (relatively) small gigs in provincial towns like Nottingham?

[animalpoker]

Back to back , well played sir .   Sorry if I spoilered your V finish but I got overexcited,  that never normally happens
Good luck at the Wynn , from my experience that high a buy in will still play exactly the same at the V did in terms of standard based on the Xmas one I played there

[tikay]

Back to back , well played sir .   Sorry if I spoilered your V finish but I got overexcited,  that never normally happens
Good luck at the Wynn , from my experience that high a buy in will still play exactly the same at the V did in terms of standard based on the Xmas one I played there

No worries man and thanks for the reassurance as I was having a little crisis of confidence. Too late now though, have paid in.

Kessler just bust the $1,100 Limit O8 and is having a bit of a tantrum. Hopefully he'll play the Big O now.

[redsimon]

hope you're enjoying Vegas, my idea of bliss is those OrleansO8 cash games

[Knottikay]

Not a bad start for an old fart  (you can use that as a paragraph title in your upcoming book on your retirement years)

Was meant to post something on your goodbye thread next door last night, but was a little 'tired' after a Bank Hol day out, so didnt play at all and forgot.....oops.
Anyway, VBOL out there. And once again, thanks for all your help and support over the years.

[alanc]

Well done on the cashes Tony and as you know, everything comes in sevens! Fingers crossed for you anyways.

[Pokerpops]

Congratulations on your retirement Sir, and on your recent successes.

Long may the run continue

[Supernova]

Congrats on making a good start Tony and looking forward to reading all about whatever you post.
  
In other news I'm the new owner/driver of my 3rd left hip, the latest version is made of concrete/cement impregnated with shed loads of antibiotics. Let's see how this one does!

Have a glorious trip xXx

[Supernova]

Thank you.     
Been meaning to send you some videos but obviously not the 'old way'.    Just stuff from YT people have filmed during the last week of gigs at Nott/RAH.

Welcome to the dark side Elliot.