Vegas June 2009 - Day 1

I arrived quite late on Friday having changed at LA - the queue for taxis was absurdly long but they manage to get 12 taxis lined up simultaneously - if we had been at Victoria there would have been rioting.
I am slumming it at the Olde English themed Excalibur which last time I was here had a micro stakes poker room and was family friendly. The poker room is now dealer free - electronic tables only and there is a bar area called Dirty Dicks with some quality dancing girls. Classy.

Went over to the Bellagio where to find my fellow "big game" players who were playing in the 42 runner $1000 2pm tournament. Mark was on the final table and Wilson had only just been eliminated. Mark ended up winning it - an excellent effort.

On Marks' advice I went over to the Rio to buy in to Day 1A of the WSOP $1000 tournament on Saturday. After queuing for about half an hour I got in to Day 1B - the first day was sold out.

Saturday 30th May
Did not get a great amount of sleep but after the standard breakfast buffet at the Venetian Wilson and I headed for the $340 Venetian deepstack at noon and Mark headed for the Rio.
I did not even make it through Level 1. Blinds were 50/100 and we started with 12k chips. They were still taking late entrants but at least 500 runners. I should perhaps have known things weren't going to go my way when I raised my AA UTG and got no callers.
My downfall was 46 in the BB. 1 limper from mid position and a call from the button and SB. Flop comes 578 with 2 diamonds. So I have a well disguised straight. The SB checks and so do I - hoping for action and the limper bets 300 in to the 400 pot. The button and SB fold and I make it 1000 in total. He then raises it 2000 more and I am now putting him on a set or Ax diamonds. I reraise another 5k leaving me about 6k to push in on the turn if the flush card does not come. He then moves all-in and I take another look. The only hand I am behind is 69 - surely he could not have limped with that? Well unfortunately when I call that is exactly what he had. To really rub it in, they were diamonds and he hits the unnecessary flush on the turn. I don't think I could have avoided this.

After this swift exit I headed to Caeasar's for the $380 deepstack. I managed to only lose 3000 of my starting chips when raising with JJ and then betting in to a T97 board. I was reraised and laid it down - he showed TT.
So by the time it was Level 2 : 100/200 I had 11,000 and the were 220 runners left. At the break at the end of L2 I was down to 8000 - had to fold to a reraise after raising with 88. Tried to nick a limped pot with K9s hitting K75 board but after a reraise I had to assume my kicker was no good.
Get no hands and down to 5k on Level 4 200/400 - but then doubled up with QQ in the BB vs a dumb raise from the button with A6.
Level 5 400/800 - still about 10k 148 out of 239 left. Had a difficult decision with T9 clubs. Played it from the button and could have got my last 5000 into a 3 way pot laying me about 3 to 1. I would have been against 77 and AQ. Would have won when a 9 flopped.
Scraped back up to 10k by pushing from late position with 55 after 2 limps - no callers.
Level 6 600/1200. I get a nice double up when calling 2 limps with 98 on the button. The flop is 976. It is checked to me so I bet about half the pot. The SB reraises and once everyone else folds I know I am in good shape. We get it all in and he has 86 - sweet. I am now back with an average stack of 20k.
Got moved to a new table and 2 hands in I pick up A6s in the SB. When all fold I make it 5000 to go. He calls and when the flop is KT8 all diamonds I check fold.
2 hands later I pick up AA. There is a raise UTG but I decide to just call - hoping the man to my left will be tempted to bully me again. He just calls. Flop is A75 with 2 clubs. UTG checks as do I - expecting Mr aggressive to bet. Sure enough he does and UTG moves all-in. I am happy to follow and it is looking good when I have set over set against UTG and Mr Agressor only had a flush draw. Unfortunately he hits.

Next up I go to the Rio to check out the mega satellites. Not tempted by the $1k tournament - only 14 registered an hour before so play the $340 tourny instead. 220 runners. By the start of Level 2 (50/100) my stack is down to 4500 from a start of 5000. Move up to 7500 when my set of 6's gets paid. Get AA in late position. UTG raises to 300 so I make it 1000 to go. He calls. Flop is T96 with 2 diamonds and he leads out for 1500. I am pretty much committed if I raise so I go all-in - unfortunately rather than him having a big draw or a worse overpair he has a set of T's so I am toast.

Finally I play a $275 sit and go. There is nearly a fight in the queue to get seats which add a certain frisson to things. Typically swift structure. 1500 chips each, 20 min blinds.
No hands at L1 of 25/25. During level 2 (25/50) I flop a straight draw having called 2 limps with T9 on the button. I try to nick it when they check a flop of QJ3 but have to fold to a reraise. By the time we get to L3 50/100 I move all-in rom the button with AQ after a standard raise and call. Unfortunately the raiser had KK.