*** TJ's 2024 WSOP Trip! ...That Might Turn Into A Move?
“They all know me as a small-timer. But that’s about to change.”
It’s that time of year again!
This will be my 5th long trip to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker. You can read about my trip last year, plus a couple bonus Harrah’s Cherokee trips, right here.
This will also be my longest trip yet, a massive 18 days! I’ll be in town June 14 - July 2. On the agenda: some WSOP bracelet events, lots of low stakes NLHE and PLO cash games, great food, and as much poker as I can possibly handle!
Tournaments I’m definitely playing:
6/15 $1,500 Monster Stack (Flight B)
6/19 $340 8-Game Mix, at the Golden Nugget
6/25 $600 Pokernews Deepstack Championship
6/28 $400 …Up to several bullets in the Colossus
Tournaments I’m possibly playing:
6/21 $1,500 Millionaire Maker (depending on how the Monster Stack, and my first week, goes)
6/18 $1,000 WSOP PLO event (If I bag, I’ll pass on the 8-game tournament)
6/26 $600 WSOP Deepstack Event (If I don’t bag in the Pokernews Deepstack Championship)
…And the Daily Deepstack Tournaments at the WSOP are always an option.
On my last two trips, I stayed at an Airbnb in the Arts District. This year, I’ll be staying at an Airbnb downtown. The factors that are most important to me are: walkable food options, on-site laundry facilities, and affordable cost. This year, a 1 bedroom studio condo downtown wins on all three, coming in at just under $84 a night, after all fees. I’ll be able to walk to Fremont Street, and the uncapped games at the Golden Nugget!
For cash games, I’ll be playing 1-3, 2-5, and 1-2-5 PLO in rooms around town. I’ve played in all the marquee, flagship Vegas card rooms, and that’s where I expect to spend most of my cash game hours. However, I’ve never been to Mandalay Bay, South Point, or the Orleans, so it’d be nice to pick up a chip for my collection.
In all likelihood, I’ll also do a bit of eating, while I’m in town. ‘Tis the season for Vegas trip reports, and we’ve got a lot of great ones going right now. If we want to cross the streams, combine our powers, and get a fantastic meal together, PM me! Here’s what I wrote last year, updated to be current for this year:
I would probably fold TT there because at best you're flipping and we can be dominated quite often. Now obvs there's $200 dead money in there and that skews the decision somewhat because we only need 40% equity ish but IDK...I think his shoving range can easily include KK there and he's just not doing it with 99 or below so we're never better than a flip.
1010 is 36% ish against JJ+ AkoAKss. Obvs unlucky on the flip this time and I get that it's close and it's fun to win the big ones so maybe it's worth it. IDK..I'm a nit
Another day, another 8 hour session at Resorts World 1/3. At least this time I somewhat miraculously got unstuck, so that was gratifying.
It starts with run bad. Get Ad8d in on the Kd Qh 3d flop, in great shape against JdTd, but it comes deuce, ten to lose. Get it in as a flip against a shortstack with 88, up against AQo, but we all know I can’t win flips on this trip.
Grind it all the way back to up a couple bucks, then wanted to take something for my time. I got it in good in a big spot, all in ahead on the turn, but I can’t fade the 3 outer, to cut my stack back in half. It was soooo deflating, to finally get unstuck, thinking about racking up any minute, to lose a huge pot on a gross suckout.
My head’s still spinning, and I’m thinking about crying uncle, and just booking the ~$400 loss. Then I open 77 to $15, get 3 callers, and check call the Ks 9s 2h flop. The turn is another 9, which goes check check. River is the 7d, and I decide to get tricky and check. He bets $45, I shove for $350 more.
Hes tanking, and thinking forever. Then he mutters “I guess you could have the 9…” and inwardly I smile a little bit. Is this guy really about to call a 120bb river overbet check/shove with just a king? I only took this line because I thought he wouldn’t be able to fold a 9, if he actually had one.
Eventually he did call, and I was way good. Thank the heavens for 1/3 players making catastrophic mistakes in deepstacked river spots.
On that note, I picked up for a massive 15 dollar winner. It (almost) paid for my Uber back to the Airbnb.
Now bed, because we’ve got the Pokernews Deepstack Championship tomorrow (today). I won’t have as much sleep as I would have preferred, but we’re still gonna give it our best.
Young Asian pro-seeming LAG opens 20 from HJ, button an older weaker tight/passive player 3bets to 65, I’m in the small blind with TT.
I considered 4betting, but I didn’t want to overrep my hand with the Asian guy still to act. He’s one of those regs you find at 2/5 tables…. Folding mostly, then comes in for big preflop 3bets or 4bets, when he plays.
Anyway, I cold-flat the 3bet, now the Asian kid just cranks it… shoves for about $850 total. Button folds.
I’m t
I like this, as long as you are willing to embrace the ride on the variance train.
The issue is that he must have something pretty good to risk it against the OMC, so I don't think he shoves up here with A5s or similar. But I agree that QQ+ seems unlikely, and this sizing stinks of AK.
Curious though, would you ever flat AA/KK here to incentivize him to 4-bet? Or is your range always be 99-JJ here? If it's the latter, we should call against a competent player, since this is near the best hand we can have in this spot.
Got some breakfast at a cafe, had my coffee, and checked into the tournament at about 10:30.
My stack only went through the blinds once, so I sat in with 29.7k from a 30k starting stack. The registration line was out the door, so I was happy I already bought in.
2,500 entries so far, let’s gooooooo!!
GL TJ !!!
Win them flips boy!
First break, at 23k. We’re 10-handed, so not much to report. I’ve been tight.
Made one bad payoff in a river spot. Sometimes I struggle with the line of raise preflop, bet the flop in position, turn checks through, facing a river lead. Ranges can be very wide, and I want to show down my medium strength hands. Also, a lot depends on the runout, and reads on my opponent.
Anyway, that time he had a flush.
Nobody at my table is busted yet, so nobody over 2x a starting stack yet. Over 3k entries with late reg open 6 more levels, with a long line to register.
Let’s stay patient and focused, and let’s spin!!
IME, am amateur/keen rec who is PFR and then bets flop checks turn and bets river is almost always value
Second break, back above a starting stack with 34k. Stop the presses, I won a flip for what feels like the first time this trip (but probably isn’t). 99 > AJs to bust a shortstack. Just need about 15 more of those, please!
Another meh spot out of position with a good hand facing aggresssion. Open JJ from UTG+1, a stack that has me covered 3bets from HJ. There weren’t any callers in between, so I had no reason to think he was doing it lightly, but I called… and folded to a big cbet on Q-T-4 rainbow.
If it was a late position vs blinds confrontation, I probably would have 4bet and gone with it, but that guy hadn’t really been getting out of line, so I gave him credit.
Still 10-handed, so still playing very tight, especially from earlier positions. It’s slow going, but I’m feeling good, and focused.
Over 4K entries now. Keep grinding!
GL TJ! I did not win this tournament. I hope you avenge me and take it down.
Third break, it was a swingy three levels for us, but we finished on the upswing to sit at 55k.
Lost a big, multi-way pot when UTG opened to 2k, 3 calls, and I call in BB with Th8h. Flop 9h-7d-5d, I check to UTG, who bets 3.5k, and I’m the only caller. Turn makes my straight, but it’s the third diamond, 6d, and goes check check. River is a 4th diamond, 2d, I check, and he bets 12k.
I talk myself into a call, because I want to show down my straight. In retrospect, I don’t think that guy is turning whatever he has into a bluff nearly often enough for it to be a profitable call, and he shows me the nuts, AdAs.
Then I lose another hand where 4 to a flush runs out, and I have top trips, no flush. At least that river went check check.
Now I’m in bad shape, around 10 bb. I get a preflop shove through, then I open shove for 14.5k from MP1 at a 1.2k big blind with QdTd. Maybe a bit light and a bit early… I get called by JJ, but smash two tens on the flop for the full double.
A little later, I defend my BB from a late position minraise with KTo, then check raise the cbet on K-9-4 rainbow. Continue on the K turn, and shove the 7 river, and get paid off.
It’ll be an interesting table dynamic when we get back. I don’t think the chip leader has more than 3x a starting stack, so lots of us are in that 30k-60k range. I’ll have to play very sharp, especially in 3bet pots, because it’ll be very easy to lose pot control.
Registration should be closing with just over 5k entries, pretty nice.
Let’s make it another good three levels, then dinner break.
River is a 4th diamond, 2d, I check, and he bets 12k.
I talk myself into a call, because I want to show down my straight. In retrospect, I don’t think that guy is turning whatever he has into a bluff nearly often enough for it to be a profitable call, and he shows me the nuts, AdAs.
I think this call is also easier to justify in a cash game than a tournament. Those 12k chips have a higher relative value than a similar sized bet would have in a cash game.
Made the dinner break, with 111k. Average is about 95k, there’s 1600 players left, and the bubble pops at 787 players, which we should come close to tonight.
$282k up top 😮😮
We saw some violent confrontations, and major chip consolidation the last three levels. I mostly stayed out of the fray, though I did bust a couple shortstacks. A 9bb open shoves, and I look down at Ks7s, playing about 35 bb at the time. I guess it’s close, but I call, and I’m happy to be up against QcTc, and hold.
Little later I open 44 from UTG, button shoves about 5.5 bigs, and I win the flip vs ATo.
Then lose some pots where I don’t go to showdown, and I’m playing about 43k at 1k/2.5k. A new player with about 130k opens to 8k from MP2, and I look down at black tens.
I guess I only have one move here, so I get it in. He only thinks for a second, then calls, saying, “you’re ahead but I have to call,” and turns up… 7d6d?!?
Well, thank you sir, punt received, and I hold.
I mostly folded to the dinner break after that.
Ready to recharge, refocus, and close this night out strong!
So what’s for dinner, when you make the dinner break at the World Series?
There’s options in Paris, and Horseshoe, and the ridiculously overpriced and meh Horseshoe food court. You’re fighting the crowds at all those places, though. I have a secret, however… that I’ll share with readers of this TR.
Go through the Horseshoe, down the escalator, past all the rubes standing in line at the food court. Go out the front door, cross over Flamingo, and you’ll find yourself in a shopping center with a pretty legit Italian place, Battista’s Hole in the Wall. Family owned since the 70’s. They’re usually busy for dinner, but if you’re going solo, you can get a seat at the bar.
Started with the side salad with Italian dressing, and bread.
For my entree, I had the meat lasagna, with a side of creamed spinach.
Very meaty and cheesy, which is how I like it. The whole meal was $38.
I’ve made it past the dinner break at a World Series event, and I’ve cashed a World Series event. I’ve never bagged chips for Day 2 in a multi day event, though. I think it’s time to make a new first!
We’re playing 5 more levels today, or down to 15% of the field, whichever is later.
I’m feeling good, I think I’m playing good, and I’m running good. Let’s close this night out strong!!!
run well, go hard
Crazy first level back for me. Fold a few hands, then this happens:
The guy who punted earlier with 7d6d opens to 10k at 2k/3k, I make it 24k with 77. He calls.
Flop 8-6-5 rainbow, he checks, I go 25k, he shoves for 81k. I think a moment, and decide that even if I’m behind, I have too much equity to fold. So I call.
He says again, “you’re ahead again, I got nothing,” and turns up, wait for it, QJo. Turn T, river 9 :( :( About a 230k chip pot.
I’m left with 4k chips, UTG+1, with a 3k big blind. I can fold one for free, then I get one more for free, then I’m all in dark if I haven’t found one by then. I decide queen-anything plus, and I’m going with it.
Turns out to be Q9o, so here we go. CO raises behind me to isolate, big blind flats.
Flop Q-8-4, soooo you’re telling me there’s a chance? Flop check checks. Turn K, didn’t like that, but they’re still checking. River 3, check check, and I’m good for the more than triple up, to 19k.
It goes right back in on the next hand, when I find 99 under the gun. Better than I could have hoped for. Folds to the BB, who calls with A4, and I hold. 39k now, in the big blind.
…And I get a walk!
41k in the small blind, and I have KK. An open to 10k, one call, I send it in. Opener has QQ, and I hold, and I’m right about back where I started!
Swongs are real.
…And, as I’m writing this, a misstep. Short stack shoved 26k UTG, I shove my 110k with AKo, guy with 60k behind me wakes up with AA, oops.
62k now, at 2k/4k.
Still workable. We’re gonna do our best. Fortunate to still have life.
On our 5th and final break for the night, then two more levels, and bag. I have 159k, average is 172k, coming back to 3/6/6. Very workable, if not exactly comfortable, yet. No need to force anything.
I won two more flips since my last update, 33 > AQo, then ATo > 55. I know it’s irrational, but I gotta say, I am fearless when it comes to flipping tonight, because I know how due I am. I was not all in at risk in both of those flips. If it comes down to another one, I won’t be afraid.
I had 1.3 big blinds left, and came back! Everything’s gravy at this point.
My buddy, the spectacular gomer who did me so dirty to put me in that spot, later blasted off in impressive fashion, with Js6d on Jd 5d 2d. Ran into Qd4d, all in drawing dead to a running boat, which he did not get.
890 players left, bubble at 767. Trying not to get too high or too low, emotionally. Just gonna keep playing my game.
run well, go hard!
Hand for hand now
A little under 200k at 4/8
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:
Bagged up 180k even, coming back to 5k/10k blinds tomorrow. Average is 200k. Not a ton of room for error, but I feel good about my stealing and reshoving ranges at this stack depth.
Well, it was quite a day, and we’re all in the money to start tomorrow.
A mincash is worth $1,201, and we have 767 players returning tomorrow. But the pay jumps are so slow, we have to make 189th place to secure even a $2k cash.
Point being, any cash is nice, but we’re still a very looooong way from any notable kind of score.
I anticipate chips to fly around right from the jump tomorrow. The levels go from 40 minutes to 60 minutes tomorrow, so we can patiently pick our spots.
$282k up top. Top 4 make 6 figures. That’s what we have our eyes on, focused on the prize!
Gonna get some rest, a good breakfast tomorrow, and back at it alllllll day, for as long as it takes!
Wooo! Congrats. Stay calm and pick your spots carefully on day two.
It's 60 minute levels on day two, but stacks will be short and people will be playing fast, so carnage will be swift.
Hoping to see the day three bag in about 24 hours...
Good stuff - great start. Definitely an ideal time to run good in the first few levels tomorrow. Got to be prepared to get the chips in and gamble to get a big stack given how slow the $$ moves are
Congrats on making day 2. My suggestion is when the room is going to gamble it up, it is time to slow down. Make sure you're a 60/40 favorite at least.
Let's go!
