Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 11:35 am Post subject: WSOP Diary
Hi guys, Ladbrokes Poker send me these through.. thought this one was an interesting read and with the WSOP amongst us, thought you may like to check it out.
Its long but if you want me to continue to post these up, please let me know.
We maybe getting some video from the WSOP through soon as well.
Skalie's Diary …- By Jon “Skalie" Kalmar (UK Sponsored Pro)
Day 4
Saturday 6th of June
Late start today, needed to be at the Venetian at 4pm. Got there a little early and saw Big TR (Trev Reardon) going quite well in today’s event. He’d already doubled up and I shamed him into letting me buy 20% for $250 ($560 buy in). After all, I was trying hard to win him a chunk in my event so I was unable play in his. We’d normally swap a piece. He reluctantly agreed but said it was only fair. It also meant he’d have half his buy in back. I said if I win today it will be hard to cheer you on tomorrow without a piece. He grunted as if to say he thought that was unlikely.
With the blinds at 5k/10k I am sat with 200k. Early on I find pocket nines. I raise to 30k and have pretty much made my mind up that I‘m making a stand with this. I almost change it when a lady in the cut off re-raises all in but hey lets gamble and hope she has AK. Even better she had pocket 7’s and I double to 400k. An added bonus I was moved immediately moved posting a big blind - result!
Players start dropping like flies and before we know it we are down to 19. My stack had dwindled after a move or two and I was down to 280k when the blinds went up to 6k/12k. The chip leader is on my table and raised a pot to 31k. I elect to call with AQ on the button. I’d often re-raise here but no need to take a race and I have position. Besides, I wanted to win a big pot, stealing blinds was not going to get me far. The flop came 8 10 J rainbow. I hoped to re-raise all in on his continuation bet but he checked to me and I pondered what to do. If I bet now, I am committed, besides if the turn slaps me in the face I may get the double up, I check. The turn is a 2 and he again checks. Enough is enough, time to bet, and I push in 80k. He pauses then re-raises. I have around 160k left, and although there is only one card to come I must have a few outs although maybe not the odds. However, what has puzzled me is how he could check twice then re-raise? Why the pause? Had he has decided I am buying it? It dawned on me I could still be ahead, if not, then I have some outs - so I call. Ahead I was. He turned ace 9 and when the river was a blank I was now up to 570k.
Players continued to fall fast and I found myself on the final table with around 800k. Below average, but by no means last. Eventually when the blinds were 15k/30k someone suggested a deal. It was a “Deepstack” crapshoot after all. The chip leader was happy with this and everyone seemed eager. They counted the chips and worked a deal on chip counts. These counts may seem fair but they always favour the big stacks and punish the small. If you’re above average you will get more than your share, below then the opposite is obviously true. My share was 22,400 for my meagre 755k stack. I said I wanted 26k, then I will deal. The rest can sort it out. A guy called Maurice was as sharp as a tack. He was already looking at 35k but knew the rest were desperate to deal and I wasn’t gonna move, he demanded 39k. Eventually they all haggled it out and I was getting my 26k. Not bad, the trip was shaping up nicely.
Considering I had no intention of playing this event it was quite a coup in retrospect.
It took forever to sort out the paper work so I go for some food with Trev who was now on a dinner break. When I returned I was the last to be paid. After everyone else had got their share there was only $25k left. I can’t write what I was thinking at that point.
Trev convinced me to play some 2/5 Omaha.
“They are awful mate, you gotta play it … you can’t lose much” he was right they were bloody awful, however it didn’t stop them getting lucky and I did $2k. Sigh!
One example of an Omaha hand.
A straddle to $10 and I am in the big blind and make up the 5 bucks after 5 people limp in. The straddler checks and the flop comes
.
I am holding
.
It’s hard to get more of this flop with a mini wrap and nut flush draw so I bet the pot. Three people call. The turn is the Jack of hearts. Now I have top pair too. I bet the pot again and the guy to my immediate left re-raises all in. Of course I call and of course I miss everything. He then proudly flips his
J 7
with no draws for a winning 2 pair.
“Well Played”
“Hey I have top 2 pair, how can I pass that”
“Well you can’t mate, that’s kinda my point”
With my new found readies I decide to cut my losses and to return to the Rio and register for a few WSOP events next week. While passing the satellite room I try my luck at a $1030 sit and go. If I win it outright I may play the $10k pot limit Hold em (Not Omaha, never!)
Seven of us have a $500 last longer and a few of us play a 200 bounty, this became quite a juicy prize. I get down to the last 4 and with three of us on around 10k and the other on 20k we chop it up. With 13,500 up for grabs we give the chip leader 4.5k and the rest of us got 3k. A $1500 profit may not be a seat but at least it made up for the Omaha loss. I think I’m starting to spot a pattern in where my winnings are coming from…
As for Trev, he has made day 2 with 173k and 31 left. Not much different to where I was, lets hope its his turn for a nice little cash tomorrow, be nice to get that 5k back for my share )
I don’t ever intend to get deep on my blog but while writing this a news story has just come on the TV regarding a fire in a Mexican nursery. At least 38 kids all under the age of 5 are dead. Makes you realise there are worse things in the world than running bad at poker.
Last edited by The Shark on Fri Jun 19, 2009 12:19 pm; edited 4 times in total
I had said on this trip I was not drinking or gambling till the 25th of June. Barring a few bucks in a poker machine while waiting for my supper I have stuck to this. However due to Trev’s imminent departure and James Aikenhead’s birthday I decided to make an exception. I’d had a little result so I think I deserved it anyway.
We booked a bungalow at the MGM’s Wet Republic Pool (Basically a fancy Kebana) and about thirteen of us were in attendance. Kebanas and bungalows are basically free but you must commit to a minimum spend, and on a weekend this was $3000 plus tips and tax. We all chipped in $300 that easily covered it.
The Wet Republic pool is one of the grooviest and ‘Hip’ places to be in Vegas on a weekend afternoon. I have been before and frankly its very loud and crap ravey davey gravey music just doesn’t do it for me, however, the good company and the scenery meant I would put up with it for one day.
The group attending were in the main young successful poker players - most of whom were single. With a pool full of nubile young ladies you’d expect them all to be steaming in with their best chat up lines. No, they joined the volleyball game.
With about an hour to go we checked out the bill to see what the current spend was. $1100 bucks, hmmmmmm better start drinking boys. We order several bottles of champagne and a bottle of vodka and we were soon over the required $3k. The champagne was basically used to re-enact a winning formula 1 drive. It was at this moment that the girls began to flock round our bungalow. It then dawned on the lads that the girls by the pool were not in attendance with their boyfriends but mostly were on the lookout for free drinks and attention from young men with money to splash about. Most were probably strippers there to drum up business for their club that night. Had they bought the champagne on arrival then maybe volleyball would have been the last thing on their mind.
Last edited by The Shark on Fri Jun 19, 2009 11:37 am; edited 1 time in total
Tomorrow will be my 1st 2009 WSOP event, the $1500 Pot Limit – Event 20. To not make the same mistake as last time, I decided I will definitely just play the Bellagio $1000 today. I’m not getting stuck in a 2 day event again. On my table were Karl and Sunny from the Hit Squad along with Joe Grech.
I never really got into things. Hit a full house and got my stack up to 15k from 10k but I could tell this would not be my day. With the blinds at 200/400 Sunny raises to 1200 and gets one caller, I have AQ on the big blind and elect to re-raise to 3600. Sunny re-re-raises me back another 6k. I think about gambling but lay it down anyway. A few hands later I pick up A 10 in the cut off, one guy limps and I raise to 1200. Sunny re-pops me again. Sod it! I’m all in. Marginal I know but I needed to gamble sooner or later. Sunny flips JJ and no ace comes to my rescue.
With a slight hangover and my back giving me some severe gip I was not overly disappointed to return to my hotel room for a movie and a lie down. I didn’t want to play cash today, not after the way my cash game was running. Best not to be playing a big event harbouring thoughts from the previous day’s session.
After a few hours and a Chinese for dinner I go to the satellite room for a $500 SNG satellite. With only 2000 chips there is not much room for error. With 5 left I have 4500 and the blinds are on 150/300. I raise with A 8 of hearts. The old guy who hit everything early on re-raises to 1800 and he has me covered. With only 1 prize in these you have to gamble at times. I call and the flop comes queen high with 2 hearts. Not bad! I move all in and he calls flipping his pocket queens for top set, oh dear. However a 4 of hearts on the turn gave me the nuts, wahooooooo! Though a 4 of spades on the river gave him Queens full of fours.
I don’t ever intend to get deep on my blog but while writing this a news story has just come on the TV regarding a fire in a Mexican nursery. At least 38 kids all under the age of 5 are dead. Makes you realise there are worse things in the world than running bad at poker.
Wise words and a very necessary attitude, in my opinion, in order to never let tilt be a factor in your decision making process.
Two major events today. It’s both my first WSOP event and secondly I check out of the Rio. I don’t know which I am looking forward to the most.
I got up early and left my bags with the bell boy. Richard “Strummer9” Herbert arrives today and we are sharing a suite at the Palazzo, the Venetian’s sister hotel. He blagged them for a top notch room quoting me as a huge gambler in order to get an upgrade. Boy will they be disappointed.
I sat down for the $1500 pot limit in the Amazon room and was joined by Lee Childs, a fellow final tablist of the WSOP Main event back in 2007. (Did I mention I once made the final table of the WSOP main event, seems like a long long time ago now)
Things start ok, and I have got my stack to over 6k from 4.5k. Towards the end of level 1 with the blinds at 25/50 there is a raise to 125. Three people call so I join in with 79 in the blinds. The flop was a delightful Q 7 9 with 2 clubs. I bet out and the initial raiser re-raised to 600. The button decided to push in for as much as he can (its pot limit remember) and I figure he has a flush draw The initial raiser maybe has an over pair or AQ so I re-raise trying to isolate. The button did indeed have a flush draw however the other guy had pocket queens and I was basically drawing dead. DOH!
Short stacked, I passed my way round till the big blind. Lee Childs (the former WSOP finalist, did I mention I once made the WSOP final……………….) raises to 150. I look down and see AK of diamonds. I re-raise and he sets me in. He wasn’t passing pocket queens to me and they held up knocking me out.
I move to the Venetian to play some cash and wait for Strummer. He was sharing a taxi with John “Kunkuwap” Tabatabai and the driver had given them the complete Vegas tour much to the frustration of John. When we checked in and were told we were in fact stopping at the Venetian and not the Palazzo but we could still check in there. Strummer disgruntled at this insisted we got a room at the Palazzo despite the assurance from the girl the rooms were identical. Eventually she found us a room on the 9th floor.
This hotel was busy and the queue for an elevator was immense, about 20 people got in our lift rather than wait for the next. As we were on one of the early floors I couldn’t resist pressing floor buttons accidentally on purpose with my elbow for the people left in. Hey! Made me giggle anyway. I must admit the rooms here are spectacular and probably on a par with the Wynn. And Strummer’s insistence on a room was rewarded with a spectacular view of the Vegas convention centre roof. It looked just like a factory.
I went back to the Venetian to finish off my cash game. Things improved and I ended up only losing 100 bucks, result! A series of runner runner hands and set ups were taking their toll. I then get lucking on a hand.
A guy raises my big blind to 30. No one else is in the pot and I look down at 7 9 of hearts. I decide to get jiggy and re-raise to 90. He thinks and re-re-raises to 210. He has around 1800 so I call and hope to hit a juicy flop. No chance, the flop comes King high. I decide to bet out 400 in the hope he has queens and he puts me on AK. Well if he had me on AK then queens was a bad call which is what he did. The turn is a 7, I check hoping he checks behind which he does. I pray for a 7 or 9 but instead the river pairs the King. I push and he reluctantly passes murmuring something about aces. Phew!
Tomorrow is the $1500 shootout and I am looking forward to it, hopefully I will play better than I did today.
Last edited by The Shark on Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:09 pm; edited 1 time in total
Today was the $1500 pot limit and I was determined to last longer than yesterday. Played like a rock in level 1 but that isn’t difficult when all you see is Q3 and 9 2.
Still, with my starting stack and the blinds at 50/100 I call a 300 bet with JcQc. Seven of us see the flop of 10h . Everyone checks to the button who moves all in for nearly 2000. Everyone else passes so I make the call hoping he has a pair and a draw. Unfortunately he had 8 9 and nothing came to rescue me.
A few hands later 2 people limp into my big blind and I check my 6 3 of hearts. The flop is 10d . I call a bet to chase my flush and the turn card is the 10 of hearts giving me the flush. My opponent moves all in and of course I call. I am in good shape against his Q 10 of clubs until the river brings another 9 giving him a winning full house and sending me too the rail.
I make it over to the Venetian just in time to enter the $500 deepstack. I did well in one of these last week and thought maybe it could be a lucky venue. With 15k starting stack things indeed were going well and I had accumulated over 70k by the second break. I moved to a new table and was pleased to finally pick up a real hand with KK. I was obviously thrilled to get action when pocket 8’s pushed all in and I made the call. I was less than thrilled when the board came 5 6 7 9 3 costing me a 50k pot.
Things didn’t improve, losing with AQ to an all in push by Q 10 when a 10 hit the river. I finally exited when getting the lot in with AQ of hearts only to run into pocket kings.
After exiting 2 comps in 1 day, and the second looked very good for another cash, I was done with poker for today and decided to skip a cash game. I joined Strummer and Big Trev in the bar for a few drinks and contemplated a day off tomorrow.
JP Kelly has made the final of the $1500 pot limit and it would be great if he can take the bracelet back to the UK, so today I intend to just watch that.
Day 9
Thursday 11th of June
No WSOP events for me now until Monday so was intending to play cash but was struggling for motivation and felt pokered out. Strummer was suffering similar motivational problems so we decided to eat in the room and watch a movie.
Half pound burger, an extra large bucket of buffalo wings, and extra large meat lovers Pizza, bruschetta and large fries and a small salad.
Decided to go for a comedy, you don’t need anything too deep when playing poker later and went for a movie called “Sex Drive”. This is the funniest film I have seen in a long time, if you haven’t seen it and enjoy light humoured coming of age American comedies, you will love it.
Keeping an eye on the WSOP updates I noticed that not only was JP Kelly on the final of the $1500 pot limit event but he was the chip leader. I jumped in a taxi and shot over to the Rio to watch. Everyone was there. It has to be said when a Brit makes a final everyone seems to come out in support. After all, the winner normally gets the dinner bill and if your running bad a hot meal is not to be sniffed at. A broke poker player can last weeks without paying for food if he’s shrewd enough.
Needless to say JP brought home the Jewellery. He looked cool and composed on the table and when I arrived, there only ever looked like one winner. Truly one or the best British talents and a well deserved winner.
About 18 of us piled in taxi’s and headed over to the Craftsteak at the MGM Grand, one of my favourite restaurants. Now I know I wasn’t supposed to be drinking for a few weeks but to be fair I always said if someone got a major result…
Had a few beers in the bar and then stuffed ourselves on large chunks of dead cow and then pondered on the size of the bill. Nick Gibson set a spread at $2600 and like a mug I sold on the spread market for 0.20c. Boy was I wrong, $3900. Thanks JP, but you might have to win another now.
We got to Las Vegas yesterday and it is really good to finally be here. I think I have a love/hate affair with the city of sins but i will only expand a bit on the love - as the city has everything you could ask for; world class entertainment, world class restaurants and of course the World Series of Poker!
The shows and the restuarants are half the reason of why I go to Vegas every year and I would probably not come here if it were not for them. All lot of my friends have never been to the Cirque de Soleil shows even though they have been here like 3-5 times. I find that unbelievable and its a much bigger offence than not going to a strip club when in Vegas. Imagine that!? Going to Vegas and not visiting a strip club!?
Well, now you know how a feel about that. If you are in Vegas or are planning to go there please, for the love of god, visit at least one of these shows. Preferably "O", "Le Reve" and "Mystere" in that order.
As I said we arrived in Vegas yesterday and we are planning to stay here a little bit more than a fortnight depending on how long I can make it in the big one (the Main Event). Today we woke up pretty early for once, I blame it on jet lag, and we took a stroll in the heat to the Rio to register for a couple of events. The first one is starting tomorrow and I am really looking forward to the 10k$ PL holdem event. It is a tournament that should suit me well. After that, we visited the SPA here at Ceasars Palace for some relaxation and a massage. I have to say that they have a top notch SPA here. Also the room is great and so is the service. I have to say that Ladbrokes has done a good job once again:) and to be honest I think its hard to find any other site that takes care of their players like that.
For tonight Im just gonna take it easy and go to bed early. Who knows, maybe I will hit the gym tomorrow before the tournament starts?
I will try to update as much as possible when I am here and I will let you know how it goes in the tournament.
Had a lie in today and watched Grand Torino with Clint Eastwood.
Awesome, at 199 years old Clint is still the man, the best film I have seen for some time. On the telly afterwards was Legend staring Tom Cruise and directed by Ridley Scott. How either of them became the Hollywood giants they are today after making that dross is beyond me.
For months now my back has been a major problem. Years of bad posture sat on my couch or around a poker table has taken its toll. In April I stumbled across a gadget in Vegas. A kinda tenz machine for your back. You put these jelly pads on and a little machine sends small electric shocks though it. It has been a godsend and frankly I struggle to play an hour without it. I had a major panic yesterday when my little godsend of a gadget broke. It still worked but the socket to plug the charger into was goosed and when the charge ran out, so was I. Nothing else for it, today I needed to buy a new one. The only place I knew I could buy one was a shop at the strip near the MGM. This was miles from anywhere a taxi could drop me off. With this in mind, I thought I would play as long as possible and then go and get it. I had already decided no tournaments today just cash.
The tables at the Venetian were busy so I decided to try the Bellagio. When I got there they were incredibly busy. Sod it! I will walk to the MGM and get my gadget. Now a walk from the taxi drop at the MGM to the strip means walking almost the entire length of the casino. It is probably about as far as walking from the Bellagio to the MGM. The place is enormous. If you stop there and leave anything in your room you simply buy another rather than walk back. Once, I was on the phone to Kila a little drunk, got out of the lift at the wrong floor and it wasn’t till I walked all the way to the end of the corridor that I realised. I was gutted, knackered and drunk. I very nearly decided to sleep outside of whoever’s room it was. No exaggerating it must have been close to a half-mile diversion.
The day had been a hot one and the walk seemed unappealing. Me and sunshine don't mix. I am milk bottle white and prefer it to the pillarbox red the sun sends me. I get sun stroke picking post cards. I swap seats on a bus when it turns a corner.
I decided to play the $1000 at the Bellagio instead. Well, what a great decision that was. Having joined late the blinds were 100/200 and I was on the big blind with 10 jack of diamonds. Someone raised to 600 and a Russian guy had called on the button. I decided to see the flop and was thrilled to see . Top pair, up and down straight and a back door flush. I was ready to gamble with this and indeed got the Russian to push all in. I was less than please to see him flip the Q 10 of hearts for the nuts straight and redraw to the flush, as if the nuts was not enough.
On around 4500 I soon got moved to a new table and found QQ under the gun. I limp in, hoping for a raise and the double up I craved. Five more players limped too and I was beginning to regret my move. However, the big blind obliged and bet 1000. I gave it a little Hollywood and eventually pushed all my chips in, trying to look like a mid pair. I was hoping to get action but trying to give off an image of someone who was happy to take it down. I needn’t have worried, the big blind had pocket kings and I was again faced with the trip to the MGM albeit with a less bulky pocket to hinder my walk.
I found the shop and bought my prize. A huge weight felt like it was lifted from my shoulders, so feeling a little cheerier I decided to play some cash while I was there. I put my name down for the 5/10 NL game and played 2/5 NL while waiting for the game to start. It never did and I eventually gave up and returned to the Palazzo 700 bucks up. I wanted to drop my back machine in the room before I left it somewhere. (This typically being something I would do)
In the room I was met by a bitterly disappointed Strummer, he had played the $1500 FL event today and was mumbling incoherently about the many fish at the Rio.
To cheer him up we had dinner at the French restaurant in the Venetian.
Finally found a restaurant that sells chateaubriand. I have to say it was fantastic.
There is running bad and running bad. Sometimes nothing goes right.
Me and Strum decide to play the $500 “Deepstack” (lol) at the Venetian. If we get knocked out we will stay here all day and play cash. Obviously Strummer insisted we eat first therefore we joined the tournament about an hour after the start during level 2.
Now I paid first and he’s directly behind me. It’s reasonable to say that the other way round he’d have my seat and me his. He gets to sit next to Lucy Liu’s good looking super model sister and I get the Yeti’s ugly fat brother. No kidding, I am no slim line chappy myself and sometimes I forget to shave, but this guy was what I could only describe as the love child of Chewbacca and Jabba the Hut. To make things worse, I have about 6 inches of space to squeeze into between him and the next guy.
Card dead again - but I stay patient and I am thrilled when the table eventually breaks… for more than one reason. It’s very easy to be patient when you quite literally pick up nothing to get involved with. With the blinds at 200//400 I am down to 11k and am excited to pick up pocket aces. Under the gun raises to 1200 and I am greedy to double up so flat call hoping for a squeeze behind. No problem, the guy 2 seats down makes it 4k. Folded back to me I push all in and he makes the call with pocket queens. For once, the queen didn’t come on the river. In fact, I need not have waited that long - it was straight out on the flop and the one hand I had, and in fact the only hand I played, was my last.
*******Warning poker content*******Warning poker content *******Warning poker content *******
I moved to the cash table and sat on the 5/10 NL game with $3k. One guy had a pile of cash with what must have been close to $40k. (At the Venetian any game of 5/10 or above has no max buy in). Normally anyone sitting in with this much money tries to push everyone about. Keeping pressure on, hoping to get lucky once, and get the lot. (Surprisingly, this guy was not Scandinavian although normally he would be) In fact, he seemed to be playing quite steady. However it didn’t stop him scaring everyone else who joined the table into leaving so evenetually I asked for a move.
My new table was much better but I struggled to catch a hand and even worse, respect! Eventually I raise with AQ and get 2 callers. The flop of QQT was lovely. I bet out hoping for someone to get jiggy and I wasn’t to be let down. The 1st guy looked at his cards and considered a pass before calling. I checked the turn and he bet $120. Now I am sure he was on nothing and simply didn’t believe me. If all I do is flat call he will no doubt bluff the river. With this in mind, I raise to $300 and he runs for the Hills.
The problem with running bad is you get scared. You are so sure you will get out drawn and it affects your play and your reads. This was a perfect example of how you do the wrong thing.
With KJ diamonds I raise to $40 and get 4 callers. When the flop comes A Q 5 rainbow I was first to act and check. The guy to my left makes it 120 and 2 others make the call. I decided to call knowing if the 10 comes I can check and am guaranteed action. The turn was the 10 of diamonds meaning I have the nut straight and the nut flush draw. I check and the better makes it 200 to go. To my disappointment the others get out of the way. Knowing my hand is disguised I make it 600 and try to give the impression I am making a move. However, my opponent had been racking his chips ready to leave prior to the start of the hand and was in no mood to gamble and passed. Oh well, I was now a few hundred bucks up but more importantly I had won a tasty hand and I was feeling confident.
I raise straight after with A 4 of spades and the flop is A K 4. My only caller is a clown at the other end of the table desperate to outplay me. Knowing this, I bet out $80 and as expected, he calls. The turn is the 3 of spades giving me the nut flush draw too. Again I bet out and straight away he re-raises to 600. I move all-in and it’s about 600 more for him to call, which he does. The river missed my flush and I announce 2 pair hoping it’s still enough, it was. I can only assume he decided to trap with AQ or had made a draw on the turn himself. Maybe KQ of spades?
I have taken down the biggest cash pot of my trip thus far. Sheeeeeeshhhhhh
Momentum flowing, I soon raise with 10 j clubs. The 2 to my right both call and the next guy re-raises to 170. I ask what he has and he said 1300 more. This guy was aggressive pre-flop but often lost his bottle there after so I call but to my disappointment so do the others. The flop comes 9 high with 2 hearts. I think about representing a mid pair, maybe 10’s or jacks but I know that both of these hands may check the flop so I check hoping they check behind, they do. The turn brings a third heart I realise the only way to take it down is a bet. I push out 300 representing the mid pair or made flush and they all quickly fold…lovely.
It’s amazing at times but when I have momentum and confidence I seem to be able to bully almost any table. People who have been sticking it to me all day seem to lie down at times and leave me too it. This was one of those times. No one seemed to want to play a pot against me until a kid sat to my right with around $7k. (At this time I was sat on about $6k)
I had straddled to $20 and everyone passed to him in the big blinds. With 97 spades I make it 90 to go and he calls. When the flop comes 8 4 3 (2 clubs) he checks to me. I bet 120 and he re-raises to 330. Now I am sure he is at it. This is not a flop for a raising hand and he knows it. Considering he is deep stacked, a $330 raise here is hardly committing.
Confident he doesn’t want to get too jiggy with me I re-re-raise to $800 and he immediately passes saying nice hand. I show him only to make it known I mean business and he should think twice before bluffing me again. The clown moves a seat to my left, immediately one becomes available, clever little sod.
Now in 11 days, I have, to my recollection not flopped a set. This must be close to a mathematical impossibility but there you are. I finally get one when I raise with AA, unfortunately my opponent had a mid pair and the ace was enough to scare him away regardless. (grrrrrrr))
At one point I was $4k up but a few coolers (the deepstacked kid now to my left slow played KK and rivered the set when I had 2 pair, sigh) and I was happy with $2.5k profit. Easily my best cash session of the trip.
My very last hand I get AA and say “OK, may as well raise it last hand and all that”
Now with the action I had been giving I was certain of at least 2 callers, but alas they all folded to me. Better than getting em cracked I suppose!
Day 13
Monday 15th of June
Today is the $2000 NLHE at the Rio. I’m feeling very confident and ready for a result. With 6000 chips, there is a little play with but not much. I do nothing special but by the break I get my stack up to around 10k. I have never been at a table where so much raising and re-raising went on. Everyone seems to have forgotten how to play flops nowadays and it amazes me how much people are ready to risk before getting any real clues of their opponents hand. Especially considering that we were not exactly deepstacked.
With the blinds at 75/150 I call a raise in position with 67 of hearts. After my call my opponent checks his cards, I know it’s not a pair and I know he is not suited. Of course this may be a ploy but unlikely. The flop comes 4 8 J and he checks to me. I bet out 900 and he thinks then calls. The turn is a 3 of diamonds putting three to the flush out. Now he decides to bet out 1300. Firstly I am not sure a made flush bets here, as it is most likely to be the nut flush if he has it. Besides, he checked his cards earlier before the flop. He doesn’t need to do this with suited cards. I know he has to give me respect for betting out with a flush draw and I make it 3000. He quickly folds.
Now I rarely show my cards in this situation however Men the Master had just sat down at the other end and I know he’s paying attention. I decided to show my hand hoping it will get me action later down the line. (Unfortunately he got knocked out before my chance)
We were joined by a kid sat 2 to my left who constantly squeezed or tried to bet everyone off their hands. Knowing this, I needed to close him down, I can’t have someone getting too busy on my left. The blinds are 100/200 and I limp on the button with Q8 of hearts and I expect him to raise from the big blind. He doesn’t disappoint making it 800. I call and the flop is K 6 2 rainbow. He bets out 1200 and I call. If he shows any weakness on the turn I will pounce. The turn is a 2 and I stand up to look over the dealer to see exactly what he does next but more importantly so he knows I am watching. He fiddles with his chips and changes his mind on his bet several times before betting 2600. Got him! I make it 6000 and he gives it the Hollywood dwell before eventually passing. Again, I show this time to make him and everyone else think before trying to make moves on me and tell him I was sure I was good. He protests I wasn’t but I still don’t believe him )
Despite not putting a single foot wrong, I was still unable to accumulate chips. It’s ok making these moves but you cant get away with them all day, eventually you need to hit something and get action. On around 20k I raise to 1800 with the blinds on 300/600 and the guy from the above hand moves all in. Again, I stand and look down on him, he cowers and I am sure he didn’t want a call. It was 8400 more and I make the call, I was right he had AJ. The flop can K 10 3 but a Q on the turn and queen on the river meant I was gonna need to play short stack for a while.
Eventually it is folded to me on the button and I make 2500 to go with the blinds at 400/800 the small blind thinks and re-raises to 5600. I am not passing and push my last 9k in the middle. He sighs and makes the calling flipping 78 of clubs. Nice move against someone who is never gonna pass eh! Flop comes 8 2 A 9 J and my boast about taking this one down were premature.
I congratulated him on an awesome move and will have to settle for winning tomorrows 1500 instead.
I cannot play better and feel more confident. If I can play for 9 hours and get this close to the money with no cards and no luck then when things do change who knows what will happen.
On the main feature table John Duthie was just finishing off his semi final in the 10k heads up event. He was looking in awesome form with incredible focus. John may have had people criticize his style for some time but I assure you no one will have an easy time against him heads up. I really do hope he brings home the bracelet tomorrow.
Add that to the fact Roland De Wolf won a bracelet yesterday - shares in the Wynn casino shot up 20 points. I am sure I even saw Steve Wynn wander to the Rio card room floor at one point to cheer John on.
Another notable performance is Jeff (JaffaCake) Kimber going well in the $2.5k PLO. Eleven left and he is well above average. The Brits could get 5 bracelets in one week. JP, Roland, John, Jeff and me )
Set Watch
I am starting a new section of my blog called set watch. I have been in Vegas 13 days now and have flopped only 1 set. That was Aces against pocket 10’s, MARVELOUS!
Here are how all my pairs faired today
JJ – Flop is K 9 8. I bet out and am forced to pass to a heavy re-raise
99 – Flop J T 3 is checked down I win a small pot
99 – Flop 10 4 2. I raise pre-flop and bet flop to take it down
KK – No call of course
22 – I limp. Guy next to me raises and Men the Master moves all in. I pass the other guy calls with queens. Men has AK. Flop is J 7 10 turn a 2 (still not flopped though) river a jack. Doh!
QQ –Flop of 6 3 2 I bet out he folds
AA – I get jiggy and flat call a raise. Flop of 2 3 7 checked to me, I bet and they fold.
JJ – No call
88 – Vs AJ see above, we know how that ended, sigh!
Very next hand I get 66 and limp in under the gun hoping to push all in to a raise. I still have enough to make someone pass and it has to look strong in this situation. The next guy makes it 2300. Someone else moves all in for 15k. The button thinks forever then passes, obviously I pass. All three of them had AK. The board come A 9 3 8 6 nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Come back tomorrow for more stories in my quest to flop a set.
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Skalie's Diary …- By Jon “Skalie" Kalmar (UK Sponsored Pro)
Day 14
Tuesday 16th of June
Today is the $1500 no limit and I’m sure my luck will turn. Things started badly and I was down to 2500 from 4500 by level 2. Peter Gould had joined the table. He was still in the 10k FL event and decided to play just to kill an hour or so before play started.
He was playing like a maniac and scaring people off hands, handing out several beats. (Cracking AA with K3 springs to mind).
With the blinds at 50/100 there is a raise to 250 that is called by 4 players. I look down and see pocket 10’s and push all in. I get 1 call from pocket 8’s and when the board comes 5 4 2 5 k I double up. Soon after, I see AK of diamonds and raise to 300. The short-stack calling station calls and Peter Gould moves all in. I call as does the station. I am up against A5 from the station and A7 of Peter. The flop is A58 with 2 diamonds. “Gimme a diamond to finish it” I ask and the 10 of diamonds appears and I scoop the lot. I am now sitting tidy with around 14k.
Peter is on the big blind next and I know he will push his last 2k in regardless. I raise with KJ and everyone folds to him and he pushes in blind. I call and was not thrilled to see him flip pocket aces (What are the odds?). They hold up and again he pushes all in blind next hand and got no help with his 89 of spades against the AJ of his opponent.
Still with 12k I’m in great shape. I peel off a flop with 9 10 and am I up against the 2 blinds. The flop is rainbow. We all check. The turn comes a Q of spades and the small blind bets out 300 and we both call. The river is the K of clubs and I now hold the second nuts. It is checked to me and I bet 900. I get re-raised from the small blind to 2700. Now this guy was aggressive and the only hand beating me was A 10, a hand he would surely have raised with pre-flop. I cannot possibly be this unlucky again. I decide he may have made 2 pair on the river. The very most is the same hand as me 10 9. I push all in and he calls with his A 10 for the nuts. FFS.
The very next hand I get 88 and limp ready to push to a raise. None came instead the board came A Q Q. I had to fold to a bet on the turn even though it only came a 2.
The very next hand after that I get QQ and again I limp looking for action. The guy to my immediate left raises to 525. Everyone folds and I push for another 2.5k. He calls and his AJ wins after flopping the ace.
I am really ready to scream. If anyone tells me to stay positive I may swing for them.
One thing I have learnt today is never ever, EVER think your luck is ready to turn, you could be very disappointed
Jeff Kimber, Ross Boatman and John Duthie are currently playing their Finals at the Rio. I would normally hang around to watch but I just couldn’t get out of the place quick enough. I may go back later but due to the fact I am on antibiotics I couldn’t celebrate with a drink even if I wanted too. I do however wish them all the very best of luck and hope 2 more golds come back to Blighty with them.
Set Watch
Obviously another day without flopping a set
JJ - I raise and lose to AJ on an Ace 9 9 Q 2 board
44 – QK7Q7 I pass on the flop
TT – I double up but still no set
88 – As above AQQ2 I fold to a bet on the turn
QQ – Final hand against the mighty AJ. Sigh!
Day 15
Wednesday 17th of June
I played cash today and I have never seen so many sets. Unfortunately not one of them was in front of me. This run is really starting to take it’s toll and if it doesn’t end soon I fear for my sanity.
It is extremely difficult to motivate yourself to write something when you have only bad things to write about. Strummer is running no better and he has changed his flight to depart a day early, and god knows I feel like joining him. I haven’t won a bean since he arrived and I’ll be glad to see the back of the jinxing %*^*d ). I made him promise to take all the bad luck back with him - all of it. He is playing some online sats this weekend for the main event I hope to see him back if truth be known, just don’t tell him.
In the 5/10 today I was $2k down in the first hour. Cooler after cooler, outdraw after outdraw. After getting my pocket aces cracked on the turn in a heads up pot by pocket queens I nearly lost it. I got up for a walk and I have to confess I broke one of my rules for the trip and played some craps. Losing $1000 never felt so good.
Bad, I know, but trust me if I had hung around the cash table I would have lost more.
I returned fired up ready to smash the table and after a few moves I pulled $1k back, however it wasn’t to last and I soon ran top 2 pair into top set. I decided enough was enough and decided to quit $3200 down (admittedly $1000 was at craps).
Tomorrow is another day..
Set Watch
I would love to list the sets I have run into but I would be typing so much I’d have no more time to play.
22 – 4673K board
99 - A J 6 10 I raise have to pass on turn after betting flop
77 – K J 10 I call raise and pass on flop
55 – 4 J 9 same thing
77 – 9 10 J J A I had folded on flop
TT – 3 4 7 A K Reraised flop had to check it down but it did hold up, crikey!
AA – 2 8 10 Q 5 Lose a fortune to pocket queens, induces and tilty crap session
TT – J Q 7 4 Have to fold to bet on turn, he showed me pocket jacks (must be nice)
99 – 2 3 4 T K Bet flop and have to check it down, he had K5 obviously
55 – 3 7 2 3 6 folded to raise on flop. Some one had pocket 7’s, obviously
Day 16
Thursday 18th of June
I was intending to play the $2000 NL event today at the Rio but due to recent form I decided to un-register and take a couple of days off and play the $1500 this Saturday.
Hopefully this will give me the break I need for the event.
Strummer left today (the bok) and tomorrow I check out of the Palazzo and move to the Vegas house with Nick Gibson (gwibbo) and JP Kelly. The Vegas house is where I stopped for the 2007 WSOP and the 2008 Five Stars events. I ran well both times so here is hoping it’s a lucky omen for me.
Basically, I spent the day dosing around the room watching movies. I saw Watchmen again, one of my favourite films. Hopefully a winning story will be coming soon.
Most of the comments and feedback I get on this blog are positive, and I appreciate that and it is often uplifting. One guy was complaining about my whining and to be honest he’s right, however I will only post the truth of what is happening while here, if I’m not winning - I can hardly pretend I am, can I?
Some people read the blog and I dare say find the fact someone else is not running well as reassurance that anyone can have a tough time playing the game. You can be as good as anyone at this game but it is no guarantee for success. I know I am not the only person running bad, I could make a long list here of fellow players struggling and that will always be the case. I expect Saturday to be the turn I have been waiting for.
Just been watching Durrr play on Full Tilt. The kid is an immense talent but obscenely sick. Along with playing 4 tables against Patrick Antonius in the Durrr challenge for mind blowing stakes he also played Phil Ivey heads up on a further 2 tables for even more. I think he dropped around half a mill to Ivey but is crushing Patrick when I last looked. In addition to this it is reported that Ivey has made over 5 Mill in prop bets for his recent bracelet wins. Must be tough!
Day 17
Friday 19th of June
I moved into a Vegas house with Nick Gibson and JP Kelly. It is situated about 5 miles west of the strip and it’s a breath of fresh air to leave the noise of Vegas behind and still have it so close. Every time I stop here I question why I don’t rent a house for my Vegas trips instead of surrounding myself with the temptations than distract you from the poker. Maybe I should get more organised in future.
Almost on arrival Nick challenged me to game of pool. “Nine ball only played in this house” he said. Now I am no complete mug at pool but I know Nick is better. Coupled with the fact it’s a version of the game I am not used too, it was also his table and cures. He had quite an advantage. I negotiated a four frame start in a first to 10 match and we played for 100 bucks. Now as I said, he was better but not four frames better, I won 10-8.
He then haggled over the handicap and I only got a 3 start for the rematch, 10-9.
After further haggle I had to settle for 2 game start (I was 200 up). Getting a very lucky 9 ball in the deciding frame to take victory made it all the sweeter. 10-9
Having to accept just a 1 game start in the next I managed to take a 5-2 lead. Unfortunately he then started to find some form and my winnings were reduced to just 200 bucks. 7-10. A two game start in the next match up was not gonna help, he was still playing well and I was struggling to pot a thing. After losing 10-5 I complained about my bad back (to be honest it’s the best its been since I got here, amazing what a few days away from the tables does) and we finished pool for the day locking up my $100.
For supper, Nick’s girlfriend Cess had got us some steaks to bang on the bbq. Why can you not buy steak like this back home in the UK? If someone threw one at you it would cause severe physical harm. They are GREAT. I know I need to cut down on my red meat but its impossible when you come here, the food is just too damn good.
After food we played a quick game of Hearts for $50. If you have never played it there will be a free copy on your PC.
“How many points for the Queen of spades Nick? 13, oh well looks like you got it again. Hey I learn these new games quick.
Join the guys and girls from the forum for a friendly game of Poker every Monday
and Thursday evenings. The buy-ins are low and new players whether beginner or expert
are always very welcome.
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(c) 2002-2010 Online Betting Guide (OLBG), part of Invendium Ltd 21/03/10 11:17:19
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)
. Everyone checks to the button who moves all in for nearly 2000. Everyone else passes so I make the call hoping he has a pair and a draw. Unfortunately he had 8 9 and nothing came to rescue me.
. I call a bet to chase my flush and the turn card is the 10 of hearts giving me the flush. My opponent moves all in and of course I call. I am in good shape against his Q 10 of clubs until the river brings another 9 giving him a winning full house and sending me too the rail.
. Top pair, up and down straight and a back door flush. I was ready to gamble with this and indeed got the Russian to push all in. I was less than please to see him flip the Q 10 of hearts for the nuts straight and redraw to the flush, as if the nuts was not enough.
rainbow. We all check. The turn comes a Q of spades and the small blind bets out 300 and we both call. The river is the K of clubs and I now hold the second nuts. It is checked to me and I bet 900. I get re-raised from the small blind to 2700. Now this guy was aggressive and the only hand beating me was A 10, a hand he would surely have raised with pre-flop. I cannot possibly be this unlucky again. I decide he may have made 2 pair on the river. The very most is the same hand as me 10 9. I push all in and he calls with his A 10 for the nuts. FFS.
