TJ Plays a Ton of Poker in Vegas for WSOP! ...And Occasionally Eats
I started a new job a month before the World Series in 2022, so being the new guy I wasn’t able to make the annual pilgrimage to Vegas like I did in 2021 and 2019. Since that point, I’ve been saving my money, NOT taking a vacation, and banking all my PTO to make it a LEGENDARY trip for 2023. I’ll be in town for SEVENTEEN DAYS, June 2 - 19, going solo, with the goal of playing some WSOP events, and as much poker as possible!
When I’m in Vegas, I don’t go to shows. I burn too easily, so I don’t lay by the pool. I’ve never set foot in a spa in my life. I’m celebrating two years sober this month (!), so I don’t do clubs, edibles, or getting wasted on free cocktails (...well, “any more.”) If I’m in town with friends, or teaching casino newbies, I’ll dabble in craps, blackjack, and pai gow… but if I’m playing on money I worked for, with the goal of bringing home more than I brought, I stick to games I can beat. This live-blog/trip report will be heavy on poker content, so as always, I invite strategy discussion.
Vegas is truly a world-class food city if you know where to look. I have several favorite Vegas restaurants I’ll be hitting, and some new places I’m going to try, all inspired by years of lurking in the casual dining thread. It’s much easier to cross places off the list while traveling solo, but it’s also fun to share meals with friends. Like many of you that are still here, I’ve posted on this site for a long time. I could be down to meet up for a meal if you’re in town, shoot me a PM.
I’m staying at a 1 bedroom studio condo in the Arts district, from AirBnB. When you’re staying as long as I am, it doesn’t make economic sense to stay at even the budget options on the strip, let alone resorts. I got my place after all fees for about $81/night. No resort fee, full-sized fridge, kitchen, and a washer/dryer! I don’t plan on doing much in the room besides showering and sleeping, and there’s food options within walking distance. I won’t have a car, which means I won’t have to pay for parking anywhere, and will get around taking Uber everywhere.
The poker bankroll will start at $7k. I’ll be playing 1-3 and 2-5, as well as a handful of low-buyin WSOP events, and possibly some of the daily events around town. If I go busto, I have access to more in the bank, but the plan is not to go busto. I won’t be playing higher than 2-5, so I don’t need to travel with more. My budget for food and Uber for the 17 days is $2.5k, and that’s separate from the bankroll.
Next, poker!
Go get 'em!
There was a humorous moment…. A new (black) dealer pushes in, and there was an offhand comment from someone about race. The guy I identified as a fish uses this opportunity to proudly produce a credit card from his wallet that says “White Privilege Card.”
Oh great, I can’t WAIT to hear this guy’s thoughts about the upcoming election.
The dealer doesn’t miss a beat, says I got one too! …And gives the guy his all-black cut card. And the whole table laughs.
A few minutes later, a floor guy was wandering around, and the dealer asks, “What level do we race off the blacks?” Floor guy says level 8. Dealer says, “Cool, I just need to know what time I’m leaving.” And the whole table laughs again.
Good on the dealer. I'm not sure I could have stayed as composed as the dealer or as you (and I guess the rest of the table). Please, please take the fish's chips!!!
Go TJ Go!
Good start with the 2/5 game, now go build some chip towers!
Tripled up through the fish and one other player!
Defend my 1k big blind for 1k more with Kc5c, flop 9c 7c 2c, I check, original raiser bets, fish calls, I shove, original raiser reshoves, fish calls.
Original raiser had top set, fish had the naked Ac, turn and river clean.
A HUGE stack just came from another table to my left, there’s an above average amount of chips on this table.
55k-ish now.
Well done! Keep it up!
it's the econo lodge + waffle house rungood at work
say hi to rayz, he posted a shirtless pic in his thread so you can use that to id him
Wow, I can't fathom someone having that card in their wallet in this day and age.
Well, sadly, I can. Grrr.
Keep it going, TJ!
Rooting (not the Aussie version) for you, man!
Second break, backslid a bit after that triple up to 35.5k. I picked up AK three times, and lost all 3. Average right now is 47k, so I’m being selective about my spots.
The fish still has a healthy stack, and so does the guy to my right behind him. The huge chip leader directly to my left played maybe 3 hands the last two levels, and didn’t show down. I can tell he’s actively observing the players at our table, his presence is ominous. There’s also a solid player with chips to his left.
Still, I’m feeling good. Not fatigued, trying to be deliberate when I act. Let’s keep it going!
Just closed registration for this flight. 778 entries, currently 252 left, bubble at 117.
Bagging at 19 levels or down to 39 players left, whichever comes first.
I’ve hit a nice rush to start this level 9, sitting on 115k or so now here in the 1k/1.5k/1.5k level.
Let’s gooooo!
Flight C just started at 4 pm. If I bust, I won’t late reg flight C, that’s just too long a day. I’ll play cash for as long as I feel good, then fire flight D tomorrow.
However, I’m not thinking about busting right now… I’m eyeing that bag!
207 left, I have 100k, average is 75k.
Busto in level 12, in about 130th place. Took a pretty tough beat, but that’s poker.
Playing about 80k in 1.5k/3k, one limp and I isolate in position to 8.5k with As9s. Small blind 3bets to 18k, limper folds. I don’t like playing easily dominated aces in 3bet pots, but it’s soooooooted, and I’m getting a great price. I flat, it comes Ad 9d 3h, he leads 20k. I ship, he snaps AQo, turn J, river Q :(
I got my last 23k in with 99 over a raise to 7k from the same guy, he had QQ and it held up.
As I was shoving, I said out loud I’m not here to mincash, and I’m fine with the decision.
Gonna take a walk, clear my head, and get some food.
As tempting as it is to sit back at 2/5, I’m really not rolled for that for this trip, so I’ll sit 1/3 for as long as I feel focused, and fire flight D tomorrow!
Walked up to the food court, and decided on Gordon Ramsay Burger. Went with the mushroom burger, which comes with Gruyère cheese and arugula, and I had him throw some bacon on there as well.
The patty was on the small size, but that IS a tasty burger!
It came with this buttery, oily aioli that was also tasty. It was $26, but I gave them my Caesar’s card, and apparently donking around in the poker room rates me high enough to get a comped burger.
Now, time for some more poker, let’s see if we can get back in the black for the day!
tough break, good run. hope tomorrow is even better
you geeeeet'em teej
I played for 5.5 hours…
Not bad for 300 cap 1/3!
Finished +840.
I don’t know why I put myself in tight, aggro deepstacked games, taking thin gambles for high variance…. When I can autopilot, play tight, and print at 1/3 practically stress free.
Some people have zero concept of pot odds, hilarious bet sizing, and zero awareness of who at the table you want to float or play back at in position, and who you don’t want to speculate against. If anyone is wearing WSOP-branded apparel, they’re guaranteed to be awful. AND all that even included running into a tough cooler for a 250 bb pot.
So yeah. I’m not too proud to slum it at “only” 1/3.
Now, bed…. And we’ll catch y’all refreshed and ready for flight D tomorrow!
nicely done!!
Busted Flight D the last hand before the first break.
I didn’t play particularly well. Too loose, cbetting spots with air and no hope of folding out the field, etc. The big hand I lost, I called with a draw and got whipsawed into calling off shortstack shoves, and didn’t get there.
They’re up to almost 1200 entries for this flight, but I think I won’t fire a 3rd bullet. Gonna take a break, and see if we can recreate some magic at 1/3.
And wait PATIENTLY to make some hands.
Sorry about the tourney, but well done on the cash. Keep it up!
Those whom the poker gods would destroy, they first make proud.
After confidently boasting that I print money at 1/3, they decided to see how I like it when I whiff every flop, opponents reliably flop trips on my overpairs, interspersed with wave after wave of card-deadedness.
The funny thing is, I came up as an online grinder, so I have a healthy appreciation for sample sizes and variance. At my peak, I was setting goals of 2k hands a session, and 40k hands per month. A long day of live poker is like a fart in the middle of a hurricane. I could look at my longer term graphs, and count how routinely I’d go through 10 buyin downswings… and shudder, and resolve to play on an even deeper roll.
I played allllll day today, and I think I flopped either one or zero sets in 15 hours, minus breaks.
So yeah, I lost today. The games were great, and the opponents were exploitably bad, but I just couldn’t beat them.
I actually finished on a late night rally to claw back some of the ground I’d given up. That turned a disastrous day into just a rough day. When the spot busted at 3 am, I said that’s when it was time for me to pick up, and start fresh tomorrow. It broke the game when I left.
So that’s the plan. Tomorrow’s my last full day here, and I truly enjoy getting to play live poker. Gonna get some sleep, and play lots more tomorrow!
Sorry for the run bad. I hate it when that happens. Best of luck tomorrow (today)!
I woke up around 1, and headed over to the casino. I was looking forward to going to Brio, the Italian place, but I waited at the hostess stand for about 8 literal minutes, and nobody came. That doesn’t bode well for the service I’d receive dining in, so I went to the food court instead.
Readers of this thread know that when I get pizza, I usually go with the meat special. Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza has something called the Charcuterie pizza, and it’s closer to what you’d see on an Italian sub. It’s pepperoni, prosciutto, salami, capicola, and basil.
That, plus a soda, was $27… even better that I was able to get it comped on my player’s card.
Now I’m back in the exhibition hall doing battle at 1/3.
Let’s get it!
GL GL
