Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Investors Update - $1,500 WSOP PLO

A belated & mini report.

As you know, I failed to make Level 3.

As promised, there'll be no bad beat tales, or self-pity, just the facts.

I don't recall playing a Tourney, ever, anywhere, in which I was so comprehensively beaten up, or enjoyed less.

Nothing went right. Think I won a small pot early, & that was about it.  

Then I got in an awkward spot with Mr Gamble, 3 way pot, I had K-K-8-8, then Gambley moved in for just a few hundred more. Flop was 8-5-2 (boom, top set), but Gambley rivered his straight with (something like) 3-4-6-7. Would have done my flaky confidence a world of good to go up to 7,000 instead of doiwn to 3,000.

We got 4,500 chips, so it feels a bit uncomfy when down to 3,000, & maybe I pressed harder than I should, but after dribbling down to 2,250 I got myself in what looked a great spot when I flopped top 2 & NFD, & a geezer bet out, I decided this was a great spot to go to war. He had bottom set & held.

The whole experience was horrible, from start to finish. The Table was Non-Talky, there were 2 excellent players & a gamble merchant, & between them I got taken completely out of my comfort zone.

As I left the room, I cant recall ever feeling worse about a Tourney. There were no bright spots, no situations of note, & I failed to make Level 3 in a WSOP Event.  

I said pre-trip that I had changed my style this year, playing for stacks & not just trying to creep into the money, & it served me well in my last 3 UK outings, but it has not worked in Vegas, not at all. Obviously, it increases variance, I know that, but it's been quite challenging to my ego, self-esteem & confidence to tell the truth.

Anyway, it's all about how we handle adversity, which matters a great deal to me, but it's definitely tested me.

The rest of the day was perhaps my most miserable day in Vegas ever, but its all relative.

Onto the next Tourney, ful of hope.

[tikay]

The psychology of poker almost never gets discussed on blonde, so I guess I'm an oddbod, but I'm fixated with it.

Before that WSOP PLO jobbie, I bumped into & chatted with most of the regular PLO Brits, & most of us see each other every day around town, playing the PLO & PLO8 circuit.

It's a lovely feeling to touch base with "running mates", & we all wish each other well every time. They include Robert Price (the Cornwall lad), Jerome Bradpiece, Iwan Jones, Woodley, Lloydy, Kev Allen, da de da.

To bust out first, & then see most of their names in the overnight chip counts stings a bit, it really does. (Not resentful in the least, just, I guess, jealous!).

This is a bit deep, (& an incredible 56 years ago, lol, not that I'm bitter....), but as an 11 year old I had 2 friends on the street where I lived, the 3 of us were inseperable. We all took the 11+ Exam, & two of us passed, & one failed miserably. Guess who failed.

So they went off to Grammar School, & I went to the "Comprehensive", or "Secondary Modern" school as they were then called. Most painful thing ever. 2 years later, & I found my brains & got a spurt on, & it all worked out wonderfully in the end.

Not sure why I made that 56 year old connection, but I did.

[Redbull]

Unlucky, just keep plugging away! There will always be tournaments where literally nothing goes right. Sometimes it's totally out of our hands as you know...

[mulhuzz]

Ul Tikay.

If it makes you feel any better id hve had the under on 56yo, nevermind 56+11.

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

[tikay]

Unlucky, just keep plugging away! There will always be tournaments where literally nothing goes right. Sometimes it's totally out of our hands as you know...

Thanks Nick.

I just felt totally impotent, unable to do a thing right, & everyone was on my case.

I'm fine, 100%, but I wanted to try & articulate my thoughts. I don't do bad beat tales, or endless flop stories, to me so much of the fascination is what goes on in my head.

I'm also mindful that I'm playing, partly, with other people's money. Yes yes, they are grown ups, & have done OK from me in the last few years in Vegas, but it's there, definitely.

Unrelated, sort of, but I know lots of lads who are in 5 figure make-up. I have no position on that one way or another, but it would do my head in if it were me.   

Incidentally, I spent some time with Pete Linton last night, watching him in the $50 $100 PLO cash game. Jeez, that man is fearless, never seen such swings & swongs. BIG numbers, too. I need a bit of his mental fortitude I think. It's not for blonde (what happens in Vegas & all that) but I might drop you a PM, it was just awesome to watch, I was crapping myself just watching him. He was on a table that included Richard Ashby & John Kabbaj, & some American high roller sorts.

[tikay]

Ul Tikay.

If it makes you feel any better id hve had the under on 56yo, nevermind 56+11.

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Ha, thanks.......

The smart money is on the overs. In fact, I think it's a push - as far as I can work out, it would be either 55 or 56 years ago this month. 57 years ago tops. And I can remember the letter "("YOU FAILED") as if it were yesterday. We all had to go buy new sachool uniforms for our new schools, & my Step Mother, not being exactly the loving sort, sent me with the 2 lads who passed. We walked into the shop, & the bloke in the shop measured us all, then disappeared only to return shortly with 3 Grammar School jackets. That was a bit awkward too.
     
It's all good for the backbone of course.   

[tikay]

No idea why this suddenly came to mind, but as you probably know, I was more than a bit backward as a young kid. They call it learning difficulties these days (or, in many poker players vocab, retards morons or spazzes), but in those days we were just called "backward" or "mentally retarded"). 

Anyway, I had a paper round - well 3 actually, 1 in the morning & 2 in the evening. I got half a crown per week per round (half a crown = 2/6, or 12.5p).

I'm doing my morning round one day, along Acton Vale, & I got stopped by an Inspector Bloke for the local Council, who wanted to see my permit.

What permit?

Bla bla bla. It seems youngsters (schoolboys) needed a permit to do paid work.

So I go get an Application Form from the Town Hall. It says I need a Medical before I can get a Permit, so I get booked into the local Clinic where they do these things.

I sit in the Waiting Room, full of assorted types, men & women of all ages, & the Nurse calls my name out. "ANTHONY KENDALL?" I put my hand up. 

She comes across, very stern. I'm a bit scared actually, & my hands are shaking, as they do to this day when I'm even slightly nervous, even at the start of Live poker Tourneys. 

Anyway, she says "strip to the waist Anthony".

I'm a bit nonplussed. Remember, I was not the brightest of sorts.

"Strip to the waist?"

"Yes yes, you've stripped to the waist before, surely, whats the problem?"

"What, here?"

"Yes yes, whyever not?"

And I'm thinking, what, HERE?

Anyway, she disappears, & as I was wholly submissive to authority at the time, I decided I had better strip to the waist. Which I did, with some embarassment & unease, & I stood there going bright red. And everyone in the room was sort of half staring at me, & half everting their gaze.

What seemed an hour later, but was probably only 4 or 5 minutes, Nursey returns, & SHOUTS at me.

ANTHONY, what ARE you doing?

Pardon?

Why are you stood there like that?

Because you told me to

Good God ANTHONY, when I say strip to the waist, I mean your jumper & shirt, not your socks, trousers & pants.

It had never occurred to me that "strip to the waist" could have any other meaning. 

[typhoon13]

Unlucky, just keep plugging away! There will always be tournaments where literally nothing goes right. Sometimes it's totally out of our hands as you know...

Thanks Nick.

I just felt totally impotent, unable to do a thing right, & everyone was on my case.

I'm fine, 100%, but I wanted to try & articulate my thoughts. I don't do bad beat tales, or endless flop stories, to me so much of the fascination is what goes on in my head.

I'm also mindful that I'm playing, partly, with other people's money. Yes yes, they are grown ups, & have done OK from me in the last few years in Vegas, but it's there, definitely.

Unrelated, sort of, but I know lots of lads who are in 5 figure make-up. I have no position on that one way or another, but it would do my head in if it were me.   

Incidentally, I spent some time with Pete Linton last night, watching him in the $50 $100 PLO cash game. Jeez, that man is fearless, never seen such swings & swongs. BIG numbers, too. I need a bit of his mental fortitude I think. It's not for blonde (what happens in Vegas & all that) but I might drop you a PM, it was just awesome to watch, I was crapping myself just watching him. He was on a table that included Richard Ashby & John Kabbaj, & some American high roller sorts.

Evening Squire

Just a few little rambles

Pleased your enjoying yourself out there

Dont get involved with playing with other peoples money [unless its bookiebashers] but surely it adds pressure to your train of thought and judgement, surely it must make you play tighter [if thats possible with you]

I have just played 3 WSOP events and ran extremely badly throughout but have learnt to say "sod it" i can't afford to dwell on failure else it will cloud my judgement going forward. I don't think punters realise how much damage clouded judgement holds.
I learnt very quickly to let go of rubbish vibes through my day job else i would of been trampled on by the multi nationals they hold no fear and i try to always march forward with the same sentiment.

If you run bad its sad but get straight back in and kick some arse, don't dwell

Gotta be init to win it

Very best of luck sir

[tikay]

Damn, I rambled, & now I'm out of time again, I had planned to do the Investors Report for the Big O @ Golden Nugget on Wednesday, but it will have to wait now, as I'm due @ Golden Nugget @ Noon for the Omaha 8 or Better. It's a Limit thing, so Investors will be relieved to know it is NOT on the Stake.

Back tonight, with more Updates, & I might eventually get round to replying to everyone's Questions over the last few weeks. Not enough hours in the day & all that. I still have a question from Skippy from 3 weeks ago to answer, & loads more since. I'll get there.

[tikay]

Registered for the GN Nugget, and have the nut worst seat, with Lord Aggro to my immediate left, and Little MissThou Shall Not Pass A Single Hand Pre Flop to his left.

Monsta queue in both Starbucks, too (GN have two) so no latte.

But on the plus side, am smack in front of the plasma TV, so can watch the football with ease.

All good on balance.

Today will be the first time ever I cash in a Limit affair.

[tikay]

I scooped the first two hands I pushed.

Crisis of confidence? What crisis of confidence?

Lol @ how fickle the mind is.

[Karabiner]

Is there much worse than losing with a proper hand to bottom set in PLO?

Keep doing the right stuff and things will even out (says the man on a 35 bi downswing )

No pressure but I'm depending on you to get me out of it.

[tikay]

Somehow, the table discussion topic has become bad beat stories.

Started with a lady bemoaning her luck in last week's WSOP $10,000 Stud, lol, followed by a geezer who had "the worst bad beat in history" yesterday.

But another chap topped that, then another, eventually some guy says " that's nothing, wait until you hear THIS one".

Have tried to make out I am from Kazakhstan and don't speak the language.

[Tal]

Somehow, the table discussion topic has become bad beat stories.

Started with a lady bemoaning her luck in last week's WSOP $10,000 Stud, lol, followed by a geezer who had "the worst bad beat in history" yesterday.

But another chap topped that, then another, eventually some guy says " that's nothing, wait until you hear THIS one".

Have tried to make out I am from Kazakhstan and don't speak the language.

When they've finished, say:

"That's NOTHING! I've flown ten hours to the party and fun capital of the world to pay $300 to sit at a table with you miserable sods"

[celtic]

No idea why this suddenly came to mind, but as you probably know, I was more than a bit backward as a young kid. They call it learning difficulties these days (or, in many poker players vocab, retards morons or spazzes), but in those days we were just called "backward" or "mentally retarded"). 

Anyway, I had a paper round - well 3 actually, 1 in the morning & 2 in the evening. I got half a crown per week per round (half a crown = 2/6, or 12.5p).

I'm doing my morning round one day, along Acton Vale, & I got stopped by an Inspector Bloke for the local Council, who wanted to see my permit.

What permit?

Bla bla bla. It seems youngsters (schoolboys) needed a permit to do paid work.

So I go get an Application Form from the Town Hall. It says I need a Medical before I can get a Permit, so I get booked into the local Clinic where they do these things.

I sit in the Waiting Room, full of assorted types, men & women of all ages, & the Nurse calls my name out. "ANTHONY KENDALL?" I put my hand up. 

She comes across, very stern. I'm a bit scared actually, & my hands are shaking, as they do to this day when I'm even slightly nervous, even at the start of Live poker Tourneys. 

Anyway, she says "strip to the waist Anthony".

I'm a bit nonplussed. Remember, I was not the brightest of sorts.

"Strip to the waist?"

"Yes yes, you've stripped to the waist before, surely, whats the problem?"

"What, here?"

"Yes yes, whyever not?"

And I'm thinking, what, HERE?

Anyway, she disappears, & as I was wholly submissive to authority at the time, I decided I had better strip to the waist. Which I did, with some embarassment & unease, & I stood there going bright red. And everyone in the room was sort of half staring at me, & half everting their gaze.

What seemed an hour later, but was probably only 4 or 5 minutes, Nursey returns, & SHOUTS at me.

ANTHONY, what ARE you doing?

Pardon?

Why are you stood there like that?

Because you told me to

Good God ANTHONY, when I say strip to the waist, I mean your jumper & shirt, not your socks, trousers & pants.

It had never occurred to me that "strip to the waist" could have any other meaning. 

Haha, brilliant. There is a scene from only fools that has that exact scenario.