WSOP
2004
T6-T9: Warning: On-Line
Dealers Hired For WSOP
A
couple of days ago I played in TARGET,
this is a tournament put together each
year by some rgpers, this year there were
23 players, $200 entry fee each, the winner
gets cash that he must use in WSOP events
or satellites, the rest of the losers
share a little in anything he makes. The
event was hosted by Mirage in their poker
room, and they kindly included free comps
for the buffet. It was a lot of fun, I
got to meet some of the rgp names I didn't
know, and some I hadn't seen for a while.
One $200 buffet and a couple of hours
later my off TARGET experience was over,
I'll be back to give my donation again
next year.
Yesterday
was a heartbreaker, I played in the $1,500
No Limit Holdem, over 800 players and
81 places paid. I started off with David
Pham to my left, I would raise, he would
reraise, I would fold. I would raise,
he would call, then he'd outplay me on
the flop. Eventually he got short stacked
and started moving in every few hands,
he moved in for the last time when I called
with JJ in the BB. I think I played my
best ever poker, but 9 hours later, and
10 from the money, it was all over. The
first ugly scene occurred when I had quite
a lot of chips and a guy went all in with
his KT, I called with my QQ, and flopped
a set. But he rivered a straight. Instead
of having a great chip position I was
now down to a fairly short stack. Then
I picked up AK and raised, only to see
my neighbor move all in with his TT. He
had me covered and I was now short stacked
enough that I had no decision to make
and called. K55 flop looked pretty good,
and I was already calculating that I would
once again have a very nice stack, pretty
much guaranteed to get into the money,
and who knows how far. But a fourth heart
on the river and his Ten of hearts flushed
me down the drain. I thought this stuff
only happened on-line! Still, it's given
me great confidence that I can compete
with the big boys, so now I can go on
to lose all my money by playing many more
events than in previous WSOP years.
No
more tournaments planned until the 2K
Limit next Thursday, so more time to enjoy
Vegas, although I'll try some evening
events, and maybe another super for the
cash, plus some single tables to try to
pay for some more events.
My
friend came into town yesterday so for
the last couple of days I've had fun doing
touristy stuff like walking the strip
and playing one cent slot machines that
suck up $20 bills in some clever stealth
mode, we were none the wiser. Tonight
we ate at Mon Ami Gabi (the outdoor restaurant
at Paris), a great people watching spot
with decent food. This town is crowded,
everywhere, with teenage brides and grooms
at every turn. Watch for a new baby boom
within the next nine months, more likely
within six.
Yesterday
we met a guy at the bar while we were
playing video poker. He told us about
the delightful bar he works at, and that
if we ring the doorbell and mention his
name they will let us in. Finally my chance
to join an exclusive private club. He
also said that when we leave we should
be sure to turn left, not right, very
mysterious, and oh yes, to never take
any money out outside, or even inside.
We checked out the bar today, it's 'an
older establishment' about four blocks
down Fremont Street past the El Cortez,
and about three blocks further than I
would ever care to venture. I doubt I'll
be visiting any time soon, turns out the
doorbell is just to keep out the less
well heeled crowd.
Paul Westley
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