MY FIRST WSOP - BY ROB YONG

[robyong]

DAY 10: Wednesday 21st June -  $1,500 No Limit
The WSOP kept registrations open for 45 minutes after the start of the tourney, as they wanted the field to reach the magic 2000 entry figure. The atmosphere was the best so far in my opinion, I think this was because the arena was actually full and there were crowds of onlookers asking for the stars autographs and trying to catch a glimpse of their idol playing a pot. Phil Helmuth was generating most interest and the railbirds were 5 people thick just to see the 9 times WSOP bracelet in action. Poker is going to be massive in the UK in 3 years time, without a doubt. I arrived at my table to find no name players on it and the table was very tight except for 2 players, one of them called every single raise with any 2 cards - he was out within 15 minutes. By the first break we had lost over 500 players and I was heading the same wayI had only played 5 pots, including the blinds  and anted down to 1000 chips from 1500, my best hand had been AT. Sometimes you just get a cold deck and miss every flop and there is nothing you can do about it  (I will play more cards than the average person so a cold deck for me is a freezing deck for most players). The blinds were at 50-100 so I was in poor shape, with only 1 move left - All-In. I decided to wait for one of the looser players on the table to raise and re-raise all-in with a hand that I was confident that I was at least 60-40 ahead with. This way I could get some chips if he passed or I was odds on to double if he called me. Some players I speak to define a trouble stack at 4 times to big blind (theory being that you have one decent raise left), but I feel that I have a trouble stack at 10 times the BB,, one Re-Raise left, as with 4 times the BB, the Big Blind nearly has pot odds to call you with any 2 cards unless you have a high pocket pair - also there is normally some clever dick that likes knocking people out with 73 off suit when it you can't damage his stack. Anyway, my opportunity arrived shortly:

Hand 1: I am in the SB. I loose player one off the button makes it 300 to go with the blinds at 50-100, making 450 in the pot. This guy thinks he has won the lottery when he is holding a rag ace (A9 or worse) so I hope I find a hand I look down and see AJh in my hand. This is not normally a hand, which I like to make a move with, as it could be dominated by AQ or AK. However, against Mr Rag Ace it is the daddy and I would be over 2-1 on to double up. I push All-In for my last 900 chips and Mr Rag Ace immediately mucks his hand..I reach over the collect the pot when a voice from the Big Blinds says wait a minute, I am still to act. This guy had not played a hand in 2 hours since he doubled up with AA early on, he was the Rock of all Rocks and I had been stealing his BB every round. I get the sinking feeling when I hear how much is it to call and I know my pretty AJh is going to be in crushed by his pocket aces or kings. He puts his 800 chips in the middle and turns over The Rockets, AA. No flush or straight for me and I am out and the Rock wins again. I don't like Rocks and hate giving them my chips, they are not poker players, they just wait for AA, KK and some of their species even fold QQ to a raise. Often people refer to certain top players as Rocks when they are actually not, these players play very tight early on so they can set you up for big bluffs later on. This guy was the Grandfather of Rocks and the poker gods had to give him AA in the Big Blind when I make my move in the SBbut I am not bitter!

Anyway, that's 4 WSOP events played, 1 small money finish and 11 pages of my journal completed. I have 7 more events left to win my $50,000 back. I still believe I am good enough to do it, maybe win more, but my timing is a bit off at the moment, I keep making the Right Moves against the Wrong Hands in the Right Situations!

1.   55 V and AA limper,
2.   Jack flush V Ace Flush
3.   Straight on the river V my top pair
4.   AJ V AA (SB V BB)
   
In 3 of these hands I got all my chips in first and ran into dominating hands and when I lost to the straight on the river I had made the correct call. I'm happy with how I have played, but not with my results so far. However, for the first time I actually understand clearly why I spend so much time playing poker and find the game of No-Limit Hold'em fascinatingit's the psychological and mathematical side of the game, Of course I want to win, but it is the mental stimulation that does it for me. Lets hope I will be able to write about some big pots that I take down in this journal!

[ariston]

Keep plugging away mate your time will come. I had the same shrinking feeling in New orleans, i reraised a loose player with ak only to hear dewy tomko say how much is it having limped from seat one. Sometimes you just know and there is no worse feeling. Sure you will get the 50k back but you should be aiming for a big profit.

[Bongo]

A great read, thanks for sharing.

[robyong]

I first came to Vegas when I was 22, 11 years ago, I spent the first 9 years visiting this fantastic place twice a year to play Blackjack, until the Poker Bug bit me 2 years ago. Until I learnt to play Blackjack correctly, I never left Vegas with more than $5 in my pocket and my credit cards were always maxed to the hilt. However, everything was cheap, you could eat of $1, get a cab for $2 and it was $29 per night to stay in the best hotels on The Strip. The casinos wanted to attract people to gamble on the slots and the tables and you could live like a king even on a modest budget. Now the town has changed dramatically and everything on The Strip is expensive and the place is full of tourists as well as gamblers. It has the feel of Disneyworld rather that the murky world of gambling and casinos, McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut.there're all here after your money. About 5 miles away from The Strip is Downtown, where Vegas originated. This is still old style Vegas, the casinos are dark and smoky, the food is cheap and the waitresses are still happy with a $1 tip. It is also the home of the famous Binions Horseshoe, previous host of the WSOP and where the final 2 tables of the WSOP $10,000 event will be held, and my favourite place in Vegas, The Gamblers General Store. The good think about getting knocked out of poker tournaments when you away is that you get plenty time to chill, so I grabbed a cab to Downtown with Grumps, , and Chubbs and dropped by the Gamblers General Store to see what new treats then had in stock. They have everything for the degenerate or aspiring trainee gambler here. Every book on gambling, every type of chips, original hotel playing cards, gaming tables and much much more. I left $100 lighter after purchasing Harrington on Hold'em Volume 1 & 2 and Doyle Brunson's Supersystem 2 (Simon Trumper has recommended Dan Harrington's books to me ). We then went over to Binions Horseshoe to see the photos of all the past and present WSOP Champions still framed proudly on the wall at the back of the casino. The atmosphere in the casino was fantastic, you could feel the pressure at all the poker tables, even the low limit games, I couldn't help thinking that the 20 players who reach the final 2 tables in the main event will be having the experience of a lifetime. Imagine, playing here, at the Horseshoe, the most famous poker room in the world, for a first prize of $20m, wouldn't it be great if one the Blonde poker members made it? What about Grumpy John Falkoner's photo on that wall.......Event 5 for me is on Friday, the $2,500 No Limit.

[DTD-ACES]

Great reports Rob , hope the books show you how knowledgeable you are as your reports have revealed .

TK , the actor who played Mr Moryiagi was also in the film about Stuey Ungar .

I have been writing a blog on my exploits and those of the Brits on my site , nowhere near as comprehensive as TK's as i'll leave him to do his excellent job when he finally honours us with his presence !

I wrote an article called Tournament Rollercoaster published last January , basically it follows 2 years in my life as a travelling pro written in the same open style that Rob uses but not as entertaining , if you want to read it there is a link on my home page at www.simonacestrumper.com , by the way TK isn't it about time we swapped links ?

Good luck to all in the Crypto tournament tonight and hope to see some of you here for the big one .

All the best

Having had 3 seconds , it's about time one of us got the bracelet !

ACES

[DTD-Nick.W]

Wow these reports just blow you away!!!!!!!!!
Excelent Post Rob, your playing a good game at the moment we can all see that you deserve a good win soon.
You just need a bit of luck.Good Luck Mate.
Say hi to The burnley /Colchester Boys.

[tikay]

Comments as before Rob - your stuff is blowing away everyone else's.

Simon - I agree, can't believe we have not already done so. I will drop a note to Rhow today & ask her to sort it.

[carmy]

I really enjoyed reading your diary posts Rob... keep up the good work

[robyong]

DAY 12: Friday 23rdst June Missed Opportunities and Bad Play
I was having a great dream about building my own casino on the strip and was just at the part when I was asking Celine Deon to cut the ribbon at the grand opening, when I was awoken by a knock at the door at 11.45am (I was playing at 12pm). It was the three musketeers, Grumps, Chubbs and wanting to change some euros for dollars. I had slept sweetly for 14 hours and in 5 seconds transformed from Las Vegas Casino Baron back to me, not so bad though, cause I'm playing No Limit Hold'em at the WSOP today!  When I arrived at my table I only recognised Bruno Fitoussi 3 to my right which meant that I was going to have my blinds put under pressure all afternoon. Today was a day of missed opportunities for me, I ended up going out 500th out of 1,056 runners but I felt I should have won a lot more chips and been in much better shape. As usual in my journal, here are a few key hands I played (or misplayed!):

Hand 1:
In the first level of 25-25, I am under the gun with AhTh, the sort of hand that I'd like to play against the Blinds but not that I want to waste too many chips with. I limp and everyone passes to the BB. 8 times out of 10 this happens over here because the American players seem to limp with AA and KK under the gun more than we do back home. The flop comes A 6 9, BB checks and I bet 100, he calls (I feel he has a weak Ace or 2 Pair), Turn comes a 2, and he checks and I bet 200 to show strength, but he calls, river a K, and I don't want to put any more money in this pot, but he doesn't let me off and bets 1000. I think I'm behind to 2 pair and still make a terrible callhe turns over AJ to beat my AT. Down to 1200 chips and I played this hand like a sucker.
Hand 2:
I had built back to 3000 chips by the next level of 25-50 with some nice solid cards; I had AK twice and flopped top pair, and had re-raised with pairs and not got called. However, the very skilful Mr Fitussi had been stealing my Blinds and my Button (it wasn't personal, he was stealing everyone else's as well!) so I felt I needed to make a stand. I had 2 rocks to my left and when he raised $150 again to pinch their blinds I looked down to see Ad7d, I called because I had position on him and made up my mind that I was going try and outplay this perennial poker thief on the flop. The flop came down rags, , he bet $300 and I re-raised him $600 but to my disappointment he flat called, I need some help here, next card and I'm not bluffing at this pot anymore, I'm done with it, its history, he can have it, BUT then he checks to me. He must have 99 or TT or maybe even 67 suited (its so hard to put the top players on hands) and he is scared I have a bigger over pair or have hit a set on him, or maybe I have A5he does not look confident. There is 2000 chips in that pot that I am going to lose unless I can make him pass. I make my mind up that my hand is not A7, it is pocket Queens, and I move-all for 1900 confidently. Bruno has about 1700 chips left and I soon feel like I want the ground to swallow me up as he looks at me, and looks at me, and looks at me. Seconds feel like minutes, minutes like hours. I now know he has at least A8 or 99 and I can't believe I am going out this early again, on a stone-cold bluff.  I feel like he can see right through me, like my Dad used to look at me when he could smell cigarette smoke on my clothes when I was 12.  I feel like saying, Bruno, please stop staring at me, just call and let me leave the table in peace. Then to my shock, Bruno mucks his hand, pats the table and says nice hand. I try to look disappointed and moan out loud to the Rock on my left, I didn't think he could pass his over pair, what a great laydown, I never get paid when I flop top set.

Hand 3:
A loose player raises SB 400, blinds 50-100, I have AcAd and just flat call looking to slow play, risky, but every time he has been re-raised he had passed, and I want him in. The flop comes ThJhQh - nightmare for AcAs. We check it down  and he turns over KsKc - what an idiot I am, if I had put a small re-raise pre-flop he would have moved all-in and I would have doubled up. Even if I bet on the flop he may have moved-all in with and over pair and a straight draw (although I may have passed)? Is it bad timing or am I playing like a 20 re-buy player!

Hand 4:
Blinds 50-100, early position Rock raises and gets 2 callers, I am on button with 2h2d, flop , I have a set, at last! Triple up time is here, initial raiser bets 400, gets one caller. What do I do - move in or slow play to get 2 people chips? No straight draw there but one of them may have 2 clubs. I could move-in and get 1 caller and double up? I'm just about to flat call and try to milk them when I little voice says stop being clever, Dickhead, and I move it my 3000 stack. To my dismay both of them fold and I win an average pot, the original raiser turns to me and says he mucked AQ and he put me on a flush draw, but didn't want to gamble, eh??? I feel sick, why didn't he call then? Another missed opportunity.

Hand 5:
Blinds 100-200, early raise of 600, I am on BB with QhJh, my opponent most likely has AQ, AK, AA, KK, QQ, JJ maybe TT. I am putting 400 in to win 900 and he covers my 4000 stack. Flop comes JdTh9h, I have top pair, and a straight flush draw. I think my J may be good as I don't believe this player would have raised with AJ in seat 2, Most likely he has AK and even if he has AA I can hit any of 4 Kings, 4 eights, 3 queens, 2 jacks and 7 hearts, giving me 20 outs x 2, making me a still a big favourite. I move-all all my chips and he calls instantly with QcQs and I miss my massive draw (although I was not in as good shape as I had calculated, as a non heart K or 8 would split the pot and a queen would give him the set). Out in 500th place.

I am sitting in the coffee bar at the Rio at 7pm posting this journal on a wireless GPRS laptop. Isn't technology amazing? I am wondering why I moved All-In 13 times in 4 hours today, more than the rest of the players at the table did put together, maybe I should learn from a comment from the French Master, Bruno Fitussi, when I raised his BB with 56s- He looked at his cards, contemplating making a move on me until I said, If you move in, Bruno, I promise you I will call, he looked at me through is tinted glasses, and cooly said, of course, as he mucked his cards. What he actually politely meant was, you are a Maniac.

[RED-DOG]

As you know Rob, I play a lot of poker, but every time I read one of your posts I cant wait to get bck to the table and play again. Believe it or not, reading about your game helps me to analyse my own

Good luck

Tom

[tikay]

Awesome Rob, awesome. I bet you have learned a lot during this WSOP already.

The KK v AA happened to me in Vienna recently, & I felt the same - why oh why did I not RR him - he woulda moved in for sure, bingo! But we don't KNOW that he's got a monster, so it's not a bad play, it's just rotten timing.

Enjoyed the "imagined my A-5 was QQ" trick. I have tried imagining my J-5 is KK but it don't seem to work for me - the dealer refuses to play along, & insists that it really is J-5. I say "no, lets imagine it's KK", but it dont cut any ice.

Keep them coming please Rob, you have gained much respect and a huge following over here. We- blonde, Gala Notts, & your mates - are all very proud of you.

[Jimmy B]

Great thread Rob - keep em coming and good luck!

[ariston]

More please rob. Love the play with the JQh. Even though he did have the queens you were still a marginal favourite in the hand. You call with these connected suiteds to catch flops just like this and you missed your outs.

[Karabiner]

Another great report Rob.

You have an ability to paint vivid pictures with words.

Thanks, and please keep them coming.

[AdamM]

What's interesting Rob, is that when I started out at Nottingham you were one of the players that I was out played by and always seemed two steps ahead of me. It's encouraging to see that you have to analyse and rethink your game the same as I do, that you have insecuritys about your game, and that you too find yourself facing players that seem two steps ahead of you. I hope you come back from the WSOP with confidence in your game and a healthy profit and I hope when I get my shot I can approach it with the same healthy learnig attitude you seem to.