World
Series of Poker T-1
Thanks
for all the kind words in T-2, I plan
on getting progressively more boring as
we head into the T+s so get your compliments
in early. Just to give you an idea how
boring, read on...
Today
was a good day for me, we got the clock
up and running on one of the big screen
TVs; there are going to be two, sitting
very high up and together, angled away
from each other, You'll have trouble reading
the small print (things like 'next level',
when the next break is coming, some of
the banner ads, etc.) but the basics (limits,
countdown clock, players remaining) will
be very clear all over the room. The room
itself all came together today, all the
tables and rails are in, and it's all
NO SMOKING, it's going to be pretty nice
playing up there. The bad news is I really
wanted to get over to Bellagio to check
out their tourney but I've been too busy
with clock stuff.
Tonight
I went downstairs and a $225 limit satellite
was just starting, so I jumped in (it
turned out they had been going strong
all night so I could have waited for a
better table), one prize of $2100 (4 $500
lammers and $100). After winning the first
hand with a flopped flush in the big blind
and no callers of the four limpers, I
literally never saw another hand over
a Ten. I finally got ATo which to me looked
liked pocket rockets, raised, got reraised,
saw the flop and mucked to a bet, and
was short stacked and out soon after.
I was kicking myself for wasting my money
so fast on a satellite (800 chips, start
at 15-30 blinds, 15 minute rounds doesn't
give you much time to sit waiting for
a hand) and vowed not to play any more
satellites. Another one was just starting,
so I sat down again. John Bonetti on my
right, so how bad could it be. This time
I did better, we got down to three and
I would have won it outright when my AQo
raise got called by John in the big blind
with 43s, flop Qxx, but the turn gave
him his flush and I was almost out. I
struggled back to a decent stack and suggested
we all take our buy-ins back, John wanted
to play on so no deal. If I ever write
a tournament strategy book I will have
a whole chapter devoted to the folly of
turning down a deal, I will cite the Universal
Law of Poker which states that he who
turns down the deal must be the first
to leave. A minute later John was gone
and the other guy and I chopped up the
$2100, net profit for the day of $580,
wooooo.
Daniel
mode on:
This
means I now have a freeroll to the employee
tourney on Friday, which I will be winning.
For those interested, I will also be winning
the $1,500 Pot Limit Holdem and I may
win the first 2K Limit Holdem (I may skip
this one in favor of winning the later
$1,500 Limit Holdem).
Daniel
mode off:
The $1,500's are spread out over the month
which I like a lot as it gives me a chance
to play where normally I'd be done after
the first week when they start to get
too expensive.
In
the super sat (7:30pm until Friday, then
4pm and 8:45pm every day) Philip Ivey
took one of the two seats, the other going
to a guy who had never played a tourney
before, the ying and yang of poker at
work. I think Philip will be a very strong
contender this year, I don't know him
but I may ask him to stake me in the 10K.
After
the satellite I wandered out to the FSE
and bumped into Linda Johnson and Jan
Fisher, we went across to the Nugget to
listen to a pretty good band, and I had
a very nice time catching up on stuff
with two of the nicest people I am lucky
enough to know. Neither of them would
stake me in the 10K.
Tonight
I ate in the 'new' coffee shop which is
the original coffee shop now reopened.
The room is very nice and very comfortable,
a sort of modern Victorian look, a huge
step above most of the coffee shops downtown.
Here I had more luck and got the waitress
to steak me, I got the T-Bone, it was
very good. I've also tried the chicken
and ribs and a Denver omelet (not all
in the same sitting), all were excellent,
and decent prices. There is a late night
special NY Steak and eggs for about $4.
The
buffet is closed down right now but is
supposed to reopen when the WSOP starts.
Rumors that it is closed because Mike
Paulle is in the building are completely
unfounded (it's true, he is, and very
good news, he will be writing reports
for WSOP).
I
leave you with this quote from my daily
e-mail from Siliconvalley.com:
"I'm
not saying it's safe for humans. I'm not
saying its unsafe for humans. All I'm
saying is it that it makes hermaphrodites
of frogs."
-- Tyrone B. Hayes of UC Berkeley commenting
on atrazine, a common weed killer that
causes frogs to develop multiple sex organs.
Paul
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