2Tone Vegas Trip Report #12: Coming up empty at the WSOP

[2Tone]

"You don't hear much about guys who take their shot and miss"
-- Mike McDermott

I hesitated to write this up, but if I’m going to share the good it only fair to share the ugly as well.

One of my closest friends from college who I’ve known for 20 years came into a million dollar payday last year after his family business sold. Months ago, he made me a once-in-a-lifetime offer – he’d pay for us to go Vegas and back me in the $2500 WSOP event.

I was thrilled. After years of going down and railing the WSOP, and playing nothing higher than 4/8, I was going to get my shot at making some serious cash and testing myself against some highly skilled players. A few weeks ago I did a wire transfer of the $2500 to the good folks at Harrah’s, and was good to go.

My buddy and I flew down from Seattle last Thursday evening, and checked into the Rio. Room was standard, comfortable and clean, but nothing exceptional. We grabbed dinner at the All American (fair), and then headed down to the Series to check it out.

I was giddy. Registration was a breeze, and I was given my seat assignment. I checked out the side games, ready to take a shot at 10/20 limit, but the list was 12 deep, and not moving. Next stop was the Palms, where again I sat around for 30+ minutes waiting for a open seat at a game. I was finally able to sit for a spell at the Gold Coast, where I lost $40 or so in a 4/8 limit half-kill game before going to bed early to get plenty of rest tomorrow.

Up bright and early Friday, I had a light breakfast, put on a hoodie from my local indie record story, and headed down to take my seat in the Amazon room along side 1087 other players. 7500 chips, blinds start at 25/50 with 60 minutes levels.

I was seated at one of the highest numbered tables, meaning it would be among the first to break. The first hour went fine – players were solid but reasonable, and there were very few pots that went to showdown. All of us pretty much treaded water, mostly winning small pots with modest raises pre-flop.

After about 90 minutes, the table broke, and I was moved to a much more active, aggressive table. Two players had already busted out, so there were some larger stacks, and they weren’t afraid to tangle.

Bottom line is I was outclassed. There were no weak spots at the table, and these guys were experienced, patient, and aggressive, pouncing on any signs on weakness. About 45 minutes in, a straight took out top two pair and relatively short-stack player was gone, adding more ammunition to the big stacks.

My first real hand of any size came in the small blind. Folded around to the button, who raised 4x the BB, and I called with Queen Jack off. He had been fairly active, and I figured I was ahead of his range. Flop came ten high, I check, and he doesn’t hesitate to bet close to the pot. Being a calling station, I call . Turn is a brick, he bets again, I fold, seven BB or so lighter, and having put up a neon sign that I’m a prime candidate to push around.

Still, at the first break, I had about 7000 chips. My backer swung by, lending some encouragement. At the break, I watched the bracelet presentation to Phil Ivey for winning the 2-7 Draw event. Rumor has it the bracelet won him a $10m prop bet, making the actual tourney prize chump change.

A while after the action resumed, I called a 3x BB raise one from the button with King/8 suited, and the flop came seven,eight,jack rainbow. Checked to me, I bet less than I should have, and was called. The turn came a nine, villain led out pretty big, and I insta-muck.

Half hour later, got aces, raised, and everyone folded.

The end came just before the four-hour mark, with me at about T5500. I limped in early position with Ace/6 of diamonds. Four of us saw a flop, which had two diamonds. I check-called a healthy bet on the flop, as did one other player. The turn was a brick, and the player in the middle position made what I took to be an effort to buy the pot with a T1500 bet. I raised back 2x his bet, pretty much committing myself. I believed I had a reasonable chance to taking it down right there, and if not, had enough odds to justify it.

Wrong. He re-popped it, putting me all-in. We flipped, he revealed his top set, and I crumbled when the river brought no help.

Busting from a WSOP event is a shock – I got up, and then sat on the sidelines in a daze, so disappointed it was all over. I can’t complain about being card dead or any bad beats. The players I was up against were simply better card players. It’s taken a while, but I’m now delighted to have had the experience.

I licked my wounds for a while back in the room, briefly emerging to meet up with TP and wish him luck before his event. For the rest of trip, I hit several of my usual favorite spots including Bare, where I managed not to bleed out this time, Poetry, and Rehab, where cover is now $100. I’d say that’s outrageous, but then the DJ dropped “I’m On a Boat” into the set list, the place went nuts, and I realized I was having a blast as always. And hey – that’s only 1/25th of what I dropped in a poker tournament, right?