$10,000 World Championship of No Limit Hold’em
Split Loyalties
Sunday 5th July. One week since I arrived in Las Vegas for the longest trip I have ever made here. I originally planned to come just for a week in the middle of the WSOP. However, when I won a seat in the main event via a quadruple shootout on Full Tilt, I rescheduled. My itinerary also included a start in Event #54 as well, where I was delighted to achieve my first ever Day2 and a first ever WSOP (or any major) cash.
Following that up with a crazy run to 3rd in the Venetian nightly and then an outright win in the Rio $340 nightly, I was in confident form and had earned two new nicknames for the week : “Run Good” and “Golden”.
I was finally adjusting somewhat to the Las Vegas timezone but even so I was running a little late as I made my way down Convention Way towards the Amazon room. Normally I would wear a Team Gutshot shirt in any large tournament just to show where my loyalties are, but today I am incognito – the H-Bomb decked out in Full Tilt colours.
I thought about wearing both, but the terms of the Full Tilt package do (naturally) require you just to wear their logos if one is to qualify for various bonuses (eg: $10 Million for winning the Main Event).
It seemed very unlikely indeed that this would come to matter, but I know from 20 years in the markets that it is a bad idea to sell deep out-of-the-money options for free. So on display it was all Full Tilt, although I had a Gutshot cap on hand for emergencies and of course a supply of Gutshot-styled H-Bomb cards.
Run Good Continues
The night before, I had made a note of the location of my table (Orange 92) so I could find it quickly on the day. It doesn’t matter, as such, if you are late but it’s the Main Event and I wanted to play and enjoy every minute.
However, Table 92 seemed to be impossible to find. The tables are laid out in a basically orderly fashion but in place of where #92 should have been was #58.
The reason became apparent, however.
“Are you on Table Orange 92 sir?”
“ Follow me, you’ve been moved to the feature table”.
OMG. I’ve seen the ESPN TV table before on many visits to The Rio, and I have occasionally stopped for a few moments to peer in. But, safe to say, I had never imagined I would be taking part.
It was a bit surreal but, yes, a few minutes later I was being fitted with a mic and being shown where to place my cards to show to the hole-cam and so on.
Does this mean we’re really going to be on TV ? Apparently, yes !
In due course the other players arrived and settled in. The reason for our selection was soon apparent in the person of Daniel Negreanu. I asked Daniel if he’d ever visited the Gutshot (apparently not) and as he did not seem to know who I was, I handed him an H-bomb card.
Wearing Different Hats
The other remarkable thing that happened before the start was that Rich from Full Tilt Events came up to me and explained hats to me. This was just fairytale stuff.
Apparently, so long as I appear in one hand on televised coverage then Full Tilt will pay me $10k if I wear their hat. I am already wearing their shirt, of course, although they actually put an extra-big-for-TV badge on top of the one that is embroidered, and they have to tape over the logo on the back of the shirt in order to comply with the logo rules.
Back to hats. To get the $10k, I have to appear in the TV coverage (not too much I can do to influence that) and I have to wear the baseball cap backwards (that offers superior coverage apparently). It’s $7k if I wear it regular way and since I am wearing the Full Tilt shirt I can have $5k without a hat at all.
Now, you are going to tell me that for an extra $3k you’d wear anything. Well, I am 41 years old and I do not wear baseball caps backwards. I give it some thought and I conclude that since the whole thing is a freeroll then it is better for me to feel comfortable and be able to play my way than to “sell out” for the extra $3k.
Completing the table are two other Full Tilt logo’d players, one Party Poker, one SNAI (Italian poker/gaming company), Jeff Bryan (pokerstars), and two un-logo’d players (although one – Jeffrey Alan – acquired Ultimate Bet colours during a break before this was ruled out of order according to the rules that prevent sponsor-churning).
I was in the big blind for the first hand. It is uncanny hearing the whole action on commentary. There must have been three hundred people in the seating area around the table, of which 299 were supporting Daniel.
Daniel , 4 seats to my left, raised the first hand to 200 (blinds 50/100). As we would discover, he in fact raised EVERY hand pre-flop by the minimum. I had pretty much decided that there was no way he was taking my big blind on the first hand and as it happened I looked down at AT-offsuit so that was an easy decision to make up the raise. Any worse, and I might have reraised immediately.
As it was, I check-raised his continuation on the 9-8-2ss flop and took down the first pot. I usually like to get the check-raise bluff in early whilst there are still enough chips for me to put in a 3rd bluff reraise and still get away if necessary.
I did not receive a round of applause for successfully bluffing with the best hand ...
Good for TV
After a while it became apparent that Daniel was easily the most active player. He literally min-raised every hand that was folded to him, from any position, prompting me to ask “You do know it’s No-limit before the flop ?”.
The three players on his immediate right were very tight so often he was first to raise. When I acted before him, I often raised and in that case he called 100% of the time.
I was certainly the 2nd most active player. I suppose in hindsight, I found the TV-table made me want to play even more H-bomb au-naturel . The signature element of the H-bomb style is the bluff-raise in position. I played a lot of hands especially the pretty looking suited and/or connected small cards.
Of course I wanted to play the powerhouse, but I was only dealt it once and faced a raise and a re-raise to me. I decided to let it go although when the flop came T43 (all spades) I would have flopped an open-ender. It was probably a good thing I was not in the hand as action was very strong on this board, with the Ace of spades being shown.
In the absence of 5-2o, I had to make my big play with 6-3o.
It has been raised to 300 by a tight player and called by another tight player. In late position I felt it was clear to call. The button called and Daniel Negreanu obviously called from the Big blind.
1,550 in the pot. The flop As8s8c. Daniel led for 700 and the next two players folded. Well, imo a weak bet like this needs to be raised, especially in position. I make it 2,600.
What is supposed to happen now is that I pick up the pot. However, the button called and Daniel, indeed, folded.
Hmm. Presumably I am supposed to give up now ? You will probably say that the over-caller is representing a big hand. I’m not one for really giving up.
The turn brought the 9c and I bet 6,000 at the pot. The button seems to dwell up a bit before calling. He’s hiding very effectively under his cap.
The river is the 3c. I guess I could really give up now (although I have improved to a pair of 3s now ! ) but the natural H-bomb tookover and I fire a last 8,000 bullet.
There is much riffling and stacking of chips. Am I going to get this through finally ? That would be sweet ! No. The button comes out with a raise of 14,000 more.
Oh .... So not only did he have a good part of that flop, he actually had a monster. Now I have to Hollywood it a bit and eventually let my hand go. I am congratulated on my tough fold.
I think to myself “if that doesn’t get me on TV, nothing will”. I spoke to the player later when our table broke up. I usually do not ask players at the time what they had (what is the point?) but I think that if you ask at a point when it no longer matters then there is a decent chance you get the truth.
He told me he actually had the quad 8s. We may indeed get to see it on TV. A 3-barrel into quads with 6-high – signature H-bombing right there.
Outlasting Kid Poker
I’m down to 14k or so. I lose some more chips when I raise DN out of the small blind. He calls. I check-fold the 987 flop and he shows me Kings.
Daniel in fact is playing a style where his preflop action reveals NOTHING about his hand. He reasons, with merit no doubt, that he can outplay everyone on later streets.
However, he’s not getting quite the results he wants. He pays off overpairs a couple of times (although he also made a correct laydown with Aces on a double-paired board). His stack is even more volatile than mine.
I am not too concerned about losing half my chips (obviously I would have preferred not to) because I still have 75BB even as we come into the second level but I took a second hit in the following hand.
I raised to 600 with K8o. I didn’t mean to raise, but reflex took over. Two callers from pretty quiet players – Maurizio from Rome and Nicholas (the Quad-8s) on my immediate left.
Flop 974-all hearts. Checked-around. The 6c on the turn gave me an open ended straight draw. I bet 1,600 and both players called.
The river, 5d, made me the straight. I am losing to T8 for a better straight and to a flopped flush but overall I think there has to be a decent chance I have the best hand.
I contemplate the check-call; perhaps a missed flush will take a stab ? I decided to value-bet instead and put out 2,400. Maurizio min-raises me to 5,000 and Nicholas folds after some time (he folded 8d7d he says).
Hmm. I don’t like it but I am getting 5.5:1 on the call. I am sure some of you will say that makes it an easy fold. However, I think there must be SOME chance he has a set of 5s, say (especially with the 5h). I hope I might be splitting even. I call and get shown KhQh for the flopped flush.
Down to 7k. I will need some help to recover from here !
The only player struggling more than me is Negreanu ! He’s not quite as aggressive (in a raising sense) as I expected and he seems prepared to get quite deep in a hand calling down. I guess when those hands work out, he adds quickly to his stack but in actual play he ended up getting quite short.
As reported on pokernews, he lost his last 8k in a pot with pocket 3s on the button. He called a cut-off raise and a SB re-raise, then called all-in when the SB fired the TT7 flop. He had a considerable dwell before calling. He apologised to the table.
“Take as long as you like” I said, “This is my best chance to make day2”.
He eventually called the clock on himself . I think he thought the SB had him beaten, but in the end decided to go for hope over belief and find the SB with AK. The player had Queens, which held.
With Daniel out, the TV cameras were soon given a rest. At the end of Level 2, therefore, our table broke and I had 7,250 chips to take to my new table.
Out of the Frying Pan ....
I arrive at table Orange 73 in the midst of a huge pot where none other than 2005 Champion Joe Hachem finally put in a 4th raise all-in on the turn which read AA3Q. His opponent made a gut-wrenching fold.
What have I got myself into here ?!
Joe Hachem 3 seats to my left, Brazilian pokerstars team pro Maria Mayrinck on my right.
It’s another friendly table, which is great. I ask Joe if he remembers visiting us in Clerkenwell, which he says he does. He places my H-bomb card just behind his chip stack, so you may get a glimpse of that on TV as well.
Actually, the very first hand I actually play I get dealt the Hachem Hand (7-3o) in the big blind.
I almost play it just for karma value. There are several limpers until finally Maria Mayrinck does put in a sold raise from the SB to take me off the hand.
This is such a shame as the board eventually read 6-4-3-7-7 and the action was checked on the flop. Hachem called a bet on the turn then bet when checked to on the river.
Maria called after some thought with AK-high, which was good. At this point I would have had 7s full of 3s ! This hand was actually the basis of the “slow roll” comments that were reported on pokernews and it was a running joke for the next few hours.
Back in the H-Zone
I was pretty short now especially after giving up two small pots to re-raises. I entered my comfort zone: shove time. My first shove with AQ was met with all folds.
When I finally picked up a hand – pocket Kings – I was so short that I opted for the limp. No action at all behind. Joe Hachem made up the SB and I picked up a small pot on the flop.
Joe, like Daniel, was opening nearly every pot. He typically opened for 800 at 150/300. In one such pot, my Main Event life was finally at risk for the first time. Joe made it 800, the player to his left called. Folded to me in the SB with AJo. I figure to be ahead of Joe, and his LHO has not shown strength. I push for 5k or so. Joe folds and the other player calls pretty quickly.
Joe said “he has Kings” but in fact I was shown AJ-suited.
This is déjà-vu. Last year I went out shoving AQ and being called by AQ-suited.
This year, the flop brought us BOTH a backdoor flush. Last year the backdoor completed for my opponent, but this year I survived to chop although our dealer seemed unable to split the pot correctly. I nearly ended up losing chips in this coup until we finally got the floor over to make it right.
Was this the start of a run-good ? Could be, because Joe says he folded pocket deuces.
Apparently not, as I made a new chip-low. In the BB with 43o in an unraised pot vs the button I bet the turn with bottom 2pair. My opponent called with middle pair and when the river counterfeited me, I check-called a small bet to be on only 4,025.
Any Two Cards
I fold a couple of hands and eye my diminished stack as if to will it to grow. Joe asks me “What are you waiting for ?”
I perk up. “Good question” , I answer. “ Any two cards, I guess. I heard any two cards can win.”
It’s folded to me so it seems the right thing to throw it all in: “4,000 all-in”.
All fold, and I show the 4 of spades. “Four thousand for a four. I was hoping for a quadruple up”.
Next up, a glimpse of light. In the Big blind with AJ again. The cut-off raises and I shove. She announces “it’s a bad call if I am dominated” and makes the call. I fear AQ, but am shown QJ-spades. It all comes safe. In fact by the river she needs only a red Queen as I pick up a backdoor club draw.
Up to over 8k. I miss one good opportunity to shove with pocket 7s and I also decide not to commit my chips with KJ on a J98 all club board. A huge amount of chips go in on the turn in that hand so although we don’t see a hand, I suppose KJ was losing there.
I make it to the dinner break on 7,500 chips. This is 25BB so it is not all over.
I want to stick around partly just for the Joe Hachem show. It could happen.
Ace-King No Good
The crucial hand comes about 1hr into level 4. I find AK in early position and make a raise to 700. Joe Hachem re-raises to 2,100. He hasn’t RE-raised a lot (whereas his open-raise range is enormous) so he must have some hand. However, with 25BB and only crushed by AA and KK, I think my move is automatic here. I 4-bet shove for a total of 7,800.
Joe has a little think. He had been a bit late back after dinner because Jonny M and Louise had accosted him and told him to go easy on the H-bomb.
Joe still hadn’t called after a minute or so. This was good news. “I know you hate a slow-roll Joe, so I feel good about the hand now”.
“I feel I owe you a double up”, he says.
I reply: “It’s win-win for me. In fact, it’s win-win-win. If you fold I win, or I can hold and win, or I get knocked out by Joe Hachem”.
He calls.
For the second time this WSOP I am all-in with AK vs pocket 9s. “That’s a slow roll !” cries Maria Maryicnk. Joe says he thought the small raise-shove could mean he was crushed. In the end he probably reasoned that with 5-2 a bit part of my range and AJ seemingly my favourite hand on the evidence to date, that he has to call.
In fact, getting 2-1 I don’t imagine he is ever folding pocket 9s to my stack.
I hit a King on the turn, but not before a 9 on the flop leaves me drawing dead.
A shake of the hand later, and an H-bomb card to the circling reporters, and it’s the end of the road for me.
Looking back on the event today, I did not play a style appropriate to the huge stacks. But, unlike most other times when I have come out of a deep-stack feeling that I blew it, I was actually pretty comfortable with my approach today. It was very high risk, and it did not work out, but it was my natural game.
If it had worked, it would have been an amazing story. In fact, it was one amazing story.
If I look back at me “TREAD carefully” plan I see that I scored very well on E and A. I did not feel nervous at the TV table. It was tremendous fun playing with Negreanu and Hachem. I managed to spread the H-bomb legend a little wider (Hachem to Maryinck: ”You haven’t heard of the H-bomb?”; Maryinck to Hachem: “I’m from Brazil. We don’t have even have electricity. I came to the WSOP on my donkey”).
Not so well on T, R and D. Obviously bluffing 6 high into quads for half your stack isn’t ideal. I was, in hindsight, a little too quick to get involved. But even now I cannot bring myself to regret any of it. You can’t run good forever, but it is better to have H-bombed and lost than never to have H-bombed at all.
Next year ....
No comments:
Post a Comment