Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Table draw day 2, only name I know is seat 9, won a few bracelets in mixed games


433 1 Jiaqi Xu 17,300
433 2 Jyri Merivirta 21,900
433 3 Anthony Kendall 6,500
433 4 Dmitrii Valouev 88,900
433 5 Gary Kosakowski 39,300
433 6 Marc Durand 64,500
433 7 Anoput Phimmasone 39,600
433 8 Allan Le 66,300
433 9 Tom Schneider 60,100

Thanks Simon, looks like I have quite a choice of players to bully.

[tikay]

There have been scores of questions on the Diary during my Vegas trip, I will answer them all sonest. Vegas is such a 24 hour thing for me, I'm out & about 12 or 15 hours per day, then I'm doing Blogs & stuff, so I just cant manage everything. 

Apologies for delayed replies.

[scotty77]

GL on drawing the button!

[mondatoo]

Capture the flag, glglgl.

[tikay]

GL on drawing the button!

Ha! Yes, could be quite crucial, that.

Was chuffed to bits to see your success the other day. Blog incoming.

[tikay]

Some thoughts.

When I do this self-examine thing, people mis-interpret it & assume I am moaning, or "down", but I do it all the time, it fascinates me endlessly as to how the mind works.

So I return today with a stack of 5 Big Blinds. I almost cringe with embarrassment when I see my name right down there at the bottom, repeatedly. Because it generally is.

I have a reasonably good technical understanding of PLO8, but I have very little gamble in me, & I'm easily pushed around. These are facts. 

To be the never-ending low-stack is a bit galling. I know why it happens, but I seem powerless to do anything about it. I just don't have the gamble or imagination to get my chips in unless I have certain types of hands. How people in PLO8 play 7-8-9-10 sort of hands I wil never understand. And because we can trundle along in PLO8 with much lower stacks than other formats, I let my stack get very low before pushing. 5 Bigs is too low though, obv.

This is my 4th WSOP PLO8 Event, & I've cashed in 2 of them for a total of around $21,000. Sample size, yeah yeah. 

During the winter, I played some 4,0000 PLO8 small-stake (£3, £5 & £10) DYM's, & did so profitably, not by much, but an average of around £0.30 per game, which came to north of £1,000. I thought & hoped it would help me with ranges when I came to the WSOP, but if anything, it did the opposite, as they play so different. 

Truth is, I understand the game reasonably well, but I just need good cards, or that little bit of luck, to maintain my stack. Without those, I'm not good enough. Yesterday, I had bad cards all day. My luck was neutral really, as I never played many hands, but I ran OK when I did. Having Taylor Paur stealing all my spots was challenging, too. My oh my, he don't 'arf apply the pressure. 6 WSOP Cashes this year so far, & a Bracelet last year, too. Lovely kid, liked him very much, & loved his game, & ability. Not ideal to have on my Table though.

I was quite surprised when I saw the chip counts this morning, Richard Gryko & Somny Osman are both still in, & with very good stacks, as I never saw either of them yesterday. I get so absorbed, I cant believe I never saw either of them.

Would love to see Mr Gryko win this.

For me, cashing today would make a world of difference to my trip, & my Investors would then not be far adrift, but it's a bit of a long-shot, to put it mildly. 500/1 to cash, I'd say, but for sure, I will never give up without doing my best. Seriously, if I can get my double up, I'll likely cash. If I don't, it's busto city.  Finding a spot today wil be dead easy of course, it has to be with 5 Bigs. If any Big Stack opens in front of me, (my perfect scenario as we'll likely be heads up) I'll get mine in with almost anything. Can never be in terrible shape really. 

I had a whole bunch of texts & PM's yesterday, wishing me well, from folks who know me really well, & understand how I torment myself in these spots. They were really appreciated, & you know who you are.

And in case anyone thinks otherwise, yesterday was one of my most enjoyable poker days ever. A whole day - 12 hours - playing a WSOP Event? It don't get much better, just to walk in that room takes my breath away, & I adore every second of it.

[tikay]

In PLO, I played my first two WSOP Events this trip, a $1,000 & a $1,500.

The structure was fine, no complaints, we had 3,000 & 4,500 chips respectively, & we started at 25-25, & then 25-50.

Even so, you need to start getting a wriggle on in Levels 3 & 4, it is amazing how quickly a few missed draws can decimate a PLO stack.

I did not run too well in either as to starting material, but I did not play too well, either. In fact I played awfully in the $1,000, tried to press too hard, too soon. But at least I found my gamble.

Coming into the WSOP my PLO confidence was high, as I've cashed for north of £10,000 (in aggregate) in my last three PLO Tourneys, all of which were Festival Sideys (UKPC, GUKPT, UKIPT), & I made the Final in all three. Sample size, & run of the cards again, really.

So I don't really know what to think.

If I had to bet, I'd say I need to keep to low stakes stuff, where I can just about turn a profit. Oddly, I have been a profitable player, Live & Online, in the 4 card games for 2 years now. Just small-ball, but that's just fine. 

[tikay]

OK, we start in 45 minutes, time to go grab me a Starby, for the long (?) grind ahead.

This could be my shortest Day Two ever. 100%, within the first orbit I'll be doubled or bust.

[Big_D]

With you all the way mate, best of luck!

[bobby1]

all the best mate.

[Tal]

Can I have £1 at 250/1, please?

[horseplayer]

Can I have £1 at 250/1, please?

[celtic]

All the best today!

[Tal]

Can I have £1 at 250/1, please?

You'll be referred to trader. They quite like my money, so I should be fine. Sonour will have the Bandit running around Birmingham with a pocket full of shillings.

[horseplayer]

Can I have £1 at 250/1, please?

You'll be referred to trader. They quite like my money, so I should be fine. Sonour will have the Bandit running around Birmingham with a pocket full of shillings.

Lisa has managed to get 3k on in various shops after outlaying a few hundred at the local Krispy Kreme.