MY FIRST WSOP - BY ROB YONG

[Royal Flush]

My Math is not the best but I think that should that be 30 players will get AA first hand??? 6,600 runners, 1 in 220 chance of getting it. Could be wrong though....
Great read again Rob. Seriously, it is getting me so excited about the start of the WSOP. I think some of the TV channels should run it live, maybe two or three TV tables with a 15 minutes delay or something. Surely it would get great numbers?

Something i been saying a while approx 1 in 30 will get KK, and of those it is more likely that someone will have AA on 1 of those tables than not, so dont go all in hand 1 with KK!!

[ifm]

Gus has played 2 events so far....................it wouldn't surprise me if he were broke but lets be honest he could get sponsored for every event if he wanted to play

[RED-DOG]

I dont profess to understand it, and Im in no position to make a judgement, but every time ive seen Gus win anything, he's put his chips in when he was behind and sucked out

[Bongo]

But if he has pot odds then surely it is a good call?

[robyong]

DAY 20: Sunday 3rd July  The Blondites arrive
No poker today so we went to the arena to support Simon Trumper in the $10,000 Omaha. He was chips leader having double the chips of any other player in the field. They played down to 18 players and although Simon's chips decreased over the day, he still managed to get into the money and finished the night with just under $100,000 chips, 7th out of 18. He returns tomorrow and fingers crossed for him to get a good payday. I had a bit of shock when I say that Tikay has modernised his look somewhat, bleaching his hair totally blonde - even blonder than El Blondie. Nice to see some familiar faces like Thewy, Zach, Womble and Ariston over here, although I have to admit, after 20 days over here, I'm finding it hard be the life and soul. I have notices a tired look in a lot of the English players that have been over here as long as me, their expressions say, I've played a hell of a lot of poker, spent loads of my bankroll, and I haven't even got a sun tan to show for it.

I had a good chat with Peter Costa and his lovely wife yesterday. He told me about a very interesting hand that he played with Huck Seed, ex WSOP Champion, in the Omaha. It demonstrates the discipline and focus of these top players. I hope he doesn't mind me writing about it. Basically, Peter made a straight flush, and bet out $4000 into a $5000 pot, Huck Seed had made the Ace Flush and ONLY called the $4000 (their was no possibility of a full house on the board)! Peter, brother of Kim who plays at Gala, Nottingham, is a top bloke; he always has time to speak to you, and is very honest about life on the professional poker circuit. He is also down to the last 18 in the Omaha with about the same chips as Trumper.

The WSOP main event is $10,000, but to do whole 6 weeks will cost you nearer $100,000 or $70,000 if you just play the hold'em events. With cash games and satellites 24hrs a day, a lot of poker players will have blown their bankrolls by July 16th. Of course, a few players will be richer, but the many will be broke, if not in debt.

The walk on the way back from the arena is often a sad one, as well as the bad beat stories, I have heard players begging their friends or family to wire or lend them money, I have even seen players crying after going on tilt in a cash game. The life of the gambler is an emotionally draining one, it sends you into desperation. When you have no money in your pocket, all you want to do is get cash from any source to feed the monster, you promise to stick to a new improved disciplined system, but after a few losses you slide back to old habits. This is the side of poker that the WPT and WSOP do not show on TV. However, when you get THAT win, life is a bunch of roses again and its time to go shopping and blow your winnings, treat your loved ones, and tell everyone how you played your A game.

[RED-DOG]

scarey stuff Rob, another excellent post

[robyong]

Independence day in America and they are celebrating it with a huge firework display in Vegas. Meanwhile, Simon Aces Trumper is down to the last 6 in the Omaha $10,000 buy in.  It looks as if a top 3 finish is the minimum he will achieve, and with a 1st prize of $511,000, Simon is probably wishing he bought 100% of himself, and we are all wishing we bought some of the shares, that he advertised on the Blondepoker forum for this event!

For the rest of us, we had the $1000 Re-buy today. I decided not to go mad with the re-buys and just give it a go by investing a maximum of $3000. Unfortuantely, I had Scott Fishman (triple Bracelet winner) and Daniel Negraneau on my table, both of whom were willing to invest considerablely more! The sight of their pile of $5,000 cash chips in front of them (buy-ins at the ready) could have meant an expensive day for me, but after Fishman decided to put me all in pre-flop with 9T offsuit, I decided to bow out gracefully (I actually called him with JTs and had him in bad shape pre-flop but he spiked his nine), Anyway, I didn't fancy beating my personal record of 19 re-buys in the 20 Nottingham Gala comp!

Nick had a similar problem with John Juanda, he moved all-in pre-flop with 92 offsuit in a raised pot with 5 callers! Some of the pros were treating this tournamant as a way of having a bit of a gamble and play cards they would not normally play (last year Daniel Negraneau had 27 re-buys and won it!). For the rest of us, I think we should stay away from these type of events in the future and let the big boys fight it out to be Champion Re-buyer. A few people were saying they were being disrespectful to the other players on limited budgets, but I can understand why they do this, just letting off a bit of steam away from their normally high-stakes pressurised environments.

Only 3 days till we play in the main event, and no poker scheduled in between. This event is our last chance to get a few dollars back before we return to sunny England. Although the field will be 6600, I hope some of the English players go far, I am not sure how many we have in, but I bets its over 70 players, a mix of experience operators and some eager amateurs! In 12 days time, someone will be picking up $15m, 14 other people will be millionaires and 10% of the field will have made a profit, however small.

Being honest, personally, I feel too tired to look at 2 hole cards after 20 days here, I'm probably not in great frame of mind to play a big event like this, and if I don't get through the first day. I'll be flying home to see my family and friends ASAP. I don't want to discourage other players from doing the whole nice yards next year, and I'd probably feel different if I had done a bit better, but I'm absolutely shattered. I have the upmost respect for the guys that do this for a living, playing every day under intense pressure. For 8 years, I worked 80+ hours a week in business, and that's a walk in the park to 20 days of bad beats and silly mistakes!

This WSOP has illustrated the growth in poker, unprecedented fields and prize pools, a new venue and its big business. I hope the some of the players who win the big money in this year's main event are some of the guys that really need it, the seasoned pros who have been broke and broke again, just managing to scrape together their $10k buy-in at the last minute, instead of some part-time $20 dollar internet qualifiers. Lady luck, smile on those who have contributed their lives to the game, and help make it what it is now, but have bugger-all to show for it!

[Maroon]

Hi all.

My first post on here.

Rob, I just read the whole of your report in one go and for someone like me who has only taken up poker 3 months ago this is am amazing report which gives an insight that no other book I have read comes close to. I play mostly online and have only played 3 live tournaments so far but you are allowing me to travel forward in time, experience wise, with your honest reports and analysis. I would have to of lost a lot more money to see what you have just given me. Thank you.

I may not be the most experienced player but I can recognise intelligence and desire, both of which equate to potential. You have enormous potential to get where you want to be so don't beat yourself up over bad beats or mistakes when you are fatigued. Bad beats you can't control and mistakes are just lessons in disguise that if used properly will benefit your game. I hope you go all the way, mate.

Thanks once again for the reports.
I wish you and all the Brits the very best of luck.

[TightEnd]

Hi all.

My first post on here.

Rob, I just read the whole of your report in one go and for someone like me who has only taken up poker 3 months ago this is am amazing report which gives an insight that no other book I have read comes close to. I play mostly online and have only played 3 live tournaments so far but you are allowing me to travel forward in time, experience wise, with your honest reports and analysis. I would have to of lost a lot more money to see what you have just given me. Thank you.

I may not be the most experienced player but I can recognise intelligence and desire, both of which equate to potential. You have enormous potential to get where you want to be so don't beat yourself up over bad beats or mistakes when you are fatigued. Bad beats you can't control and mistakes are just lessons in disguise that if used properly will benefit your game. I hope you go all the way, mate.

Thanks once again for the reports.
I wish you and all the Brits the very best of luck.

What an excellent first post. Welcome Maroon.

[Maroon]

Thanks, Tightend. 

[ifm]

Agreed, very good.
Welcome

[Robert HM]

Welcome to the forum Maroon. This whole thread ought to be bottled it is quality stuff, thanks Rob.

Where abouts are you Maroon and where do you play live?

[TightEnd]

Perhaps after the WSOP is over someone with administrator status at Blonde could gather up Rob's posts from Vegas and link them all  in the "Articles" section as a series via the front page, as DC's articles appear when published?

I think reading them will stand the test of time. I certainly will remember to re-read them before I go out in a year's time

[Maroon]

Thanks all for the welcome.

I live near Brighton and so far have played at the Rendezvous in the Marina.  Might try the Grosvenor this Friday though.

Cheers all.

[tikay]

First, welcome aboard Maroon, lovely post Sir.

Next - Yes, we WILL consolidate Rob's 2005 WSOP Journal into an "article". I have read hundreds of Vegas Trip Reports, & none betters Rob's - even the late Andy Glazier, who was THE main man before his untimely death.

Once the 2005 WSOP is over, we will sort Rob's tome out & let you guys know. I saw him today, he's in great form, but realistic as ever. Truth is, he can't wait to get home, but that's all part of it's fascination, the total self-honesty. Only an idiot could not learn something from Rob's efforts to enlighten us to the real Vegas story.