Foxwoods Poker Classic - Trip Report 1

[Kurn]

With my backers' cash firmly in hand, I headed down I-95 yesterday morning for the $300 NLHE modified shootout. When I got there, I was glad I had made the drive the night before to pre-register, as the line to sign up was about 400 people long when I arrived at 9:15, and I had only waited 15 minutes to sign up the night before.

The structure was, two beginning rounds - one at 10 and one at 1. Each table plays as a SNG, and plays down to 3. Those three move on to the MTT final at 4 PM. Tough structure, 2500 starting chips, 20 minute levels. My strategy for the first part was to just play it like a normal SNG.

I was card dead for the first two levels. The best hand I got was 66 in the CO (level 2 50/100) which I limped after 2 limpers and folded to a bet on the A-T-9 flop. I did get KK in the BB at the very start of level 3 (100/200) but got a walk. bleh.

At the end of the next orbit I completed 1st in from the SB with T 8 and led out for 200 on a Q 4 3 flop. BB raised to 500 and I folded. He showed AA. (FYI, the complete. lead play is something I do regularly vs average SNG players. Same commitment as minraise preflop, but much more +CEV).

Card dead through the reat of level 3 and 4, and the limpy nature of the table shut down any positional steals I might consider. Still 8 handed at level 5 (200/400/a50) and I have 1750 after posting in the BB. UTG shoves for 825 and I call with AQo. He shows AKo and no Q comes to save me.

I open shove once or twice after that and all fold. Blinds go up to 300/600/a75 and I open shove from the Button with J9s. BB (local semi-pro) shows J5 and folds. I show my hand and say "I had you dominated." I show here because I really needs to get called and win at some point even though this means I might have to tighten my range from ATC to maybe top 50%

Very next hand I pick up AK and open shove. BB calls with 66 and IGHN. I shake hands with all and leave the Sunset Ballroom with no negative emotion. After all, this was just another in a long, long line of SNGs.

Back upstairs in the poker room, I start looking for sattys to fulfill my commitment to my backers, but some things are different than I expected. (my fault, I just expected everything to be the same as prior years). There are no more Act II supers ($150) and the sattys to the $600 events are not $65 wone winner, but $140, 2 winners. I decide that I'll play one $140 and one $65 Act I with my backing, but the word is no satellites until after 2 PM and its only 11:30.

So, on to 4/8 limit. Not much of a wait, but I now get to see how badly Foxwoods is handling the rush of humanity in the poker room.

Not well, it turns out. The floor is not communicating well with the call for open seats on the 100+ tables. The regulars are confused because they're now calling NL seats from a different location, and the floor floaters and the brush are not on the same page.

note: if you have never been in the new FW poker room, there are many areas of the room that are out of sight from the brush, so they rely on walkie talkies.

My 4/8 game begins as a new game at a stud table. The first floor person says we're to play 9 handed, but he walks away and the next floor person, seeing only 8 seats, can't comprehend that with 7 players seated, we are 2 down, not 1 down. Now I have no problem playing a little short, but your typical live low limit donk hates it and the complaints are coming fast and furious. That finally gets settled, and in reality, we only had one really incompetent dealer, which is pretty good for Foxwoods during a big event.

In the end, I play 4/8 for about 4 hours and finally decide to get to the satellites and rack up +$25 for my trouble, eat a couple of slices of pizza and go register for my satty.

$140 10 man SNG, top 2 get $600. 15 minute levels, 2000 chips. Completely clueless drunk in dark shades at the table. I mean, it took the guy forever because he couldn't see his cards. Unfortunately, he busts before I can get any of his chips. Midway through level 2, UTG limps, MP limps, I choose to limp on the button with K 9. Flop comes K-8-3 suits irrelevant. UTG bets 200, MP calls, I call intending on raising any non A turn. Turn is anothe 3 completing the rainbow. UTG bets 200, MP folds, I shove and UTG snap calls with QQ. River is a blank and I am in good shape. To make a long story short, we get down to 3-handed and I have about 10% of the chips but talk the other two into giving me $70 each, so we end that one and I take my save $$$ and sign up for another.

I sit down at my next satellite and see that the Foxwoods cluster-fuck will make this one more interesting. We are supposed to start with 2000, but this dealer has given us all 3000. I say nothing and soon see that I should fare well vs this group of the usual suspects. Young drunk guy shoves every flop for the first 3 hands and gets opponents to fold. 4th hand I raise QQ from MP, YG calls as to 3 others. Flop comes 8-6-3 with 2 diamonds. Blinds check, I bet 800, YG shoves, all fold to me and I call. he shows 98o one . Turns is 7 giving him lots of outs but the river is an A and I am in great shape. No other really interesting hands, 3 handed I knock out the bubble boy, which felt extra good since he was wearing both a hat and sweatshirt proclaiming NY Giants, Super Bowl LXII champs. Take that, Eli!!

So Iam am heading back down on Thursday for the $600 LHE to again try to win glory and cash for myself and my backers.

One comment. Foxwoods runs two of these big events each year, and they coordinate the event tournies well, but have a terrible time handling the additional floor traffic. You'd think by now they'd have figured it out, as many of the floor people have been there for 5+ years.

[Zybomb]

Nice report -- ill likely be down there within a few days leading up to the main event

[Kurn]

Let me know when you'll be there and I'll come down.

They had a decent number of 2/5 and 5/10 NL tables running.

Even some 10/25. I was watching one for a while. Not sure if it was or wasn't him, but a guy at that table looked a lot like Bill Gazes.

[2Tone]

Thanks for the post, and best of luck.

[Talking Poker]

Nice save... way to keep your backers hopes alive!

[Zybomb]

Once I get my dates down (should be in the next day or two) I'll let u know