Gray-haired poker TRs: Living the WSOP dream

WSOP 2026: (June 9) Daily Deepstack 1:00 pm $250 NLHE (Part 3 of 8)
A sexy woman joins the table, and Wrinkles is smitten ... A poker player trying to eat healthy? ... My 10-10 is dead every step of the hand

Level 3
200/300/300

An attractive woman joins the table. She is a bit older than middle aged, but she is not old. She is very well put together. Sexy yet fun and refined. Elegant yet personable. Wrinkles is immediately interested/smitten. As stated earlier, she is wearing a hat that says “Reclaimed Vintage,” so she will be known as “Vintage.” Whereas Cougar has the slightly hardening look of a woman who very recently used to be beautiful, Vintage is winning the battle against age and still looks great. She removes her hat, and yet every hair remains in place. Wrinkles starts talking to Vintage nonstop. She is quite receptive, is a willing participant in the conversation and seems to enjoy the attention. That doesn’t stop either one of them from betting against each other in a hand.

I look down at K-J in middle position, it folds to me so I bet. I get three calls. The flop is A-8-4. It checks all around. The turn is a 10. I now have a gut shot, so I’ve gained a tiny bit of equity. It folds to me. No one seems to want this pot, so I bet 2,000 which may be overly optimistic given three other people are in the hand. Corvette and Vintage call. I don’t improve on the river and I’m ready to wave the white flag of surrender. Corvette bets, and I fold.

I write down in my notes that Vintage is susceptible to getting pushed off of hands when there is enough aggression sent her way.

Meanwhile, Wrinkles and Vintage have been talking nonstop since the moment she sat down. And this banter is just between the two of them. No other players are a part of their ongoing conversation. It’s like watching someone else’s great first date. Might this be a match?

End of level 3: 45,200 chips.

Level 4
200/400/400

Horse has a fruit bowl to eat. I say to him, “That looks way too healthy for a poker player.”

Horse responds, “I’m trying. This is the first year I’m trying.”

I am dealt 10-10, and I overcook it. I open and Wrinkles calls from the big blind. The flop is J-7-4. He checks. I see his call pre flop and check now as weakness, so I bet. He calls. There is a King on the turn. He checks. I bet. He calls. The river is an Ace. I say to myself, if he liked the Jack high flop, how can he also like the King turn. And if he liked the King turn, how can he like the Ace on the river? He checks again, and I finally get hold of myself and give up. I check back. Wrinkles grimaces that I did not make another bet. Wrinkles has J-J. A set of Jacks. I was pretty much dead every step of the way. He played me like a fiddle.

Corvette busts to Iron Maiden when Corvette goes for a stone cold bluff after the river with only Ace high.

I am dealt 5-5 in the cutoff. It folds to me. I bet and everyone folds.

End of level 4: 37,300 chips (average chip stack is 31,900).

I’ve watched the first round of Hagler Hearns 100+ times. It makes me sad every time because Tommy Hearns was my favourite of the big 4 from the 80s.

I once had dinner with the two great boxing journos Bert Randolph Sugar and Steve Farhood (in San Antonio before Chavez Whittaker) and Sugar told an incredible story about sitting near Tommy’s mother during that fight and seeing her collapse drooling in a fit after he got knocked out.

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I may have told this story in another thread but I'll repeat it. My poker buddy in New Mexico where I lived then was also a big baccarat player at Ceasars. They comped him to some seats to the Hagler/Hearns fight and he invited me to join.

It was the only major fight I've ever attended live and it was truly one of the most brutal fights I've ever seen - no dancing around, just slugging it out.

The extra benefit was we had seats one row immediately behind Red Foxx. He kept us in stitches with hilarious stories and commentary while we watched the event.

When Tommy Hearns fought Sugar Ray Leonard for the first time in 1981, I was a sophomore in college. Tons of hype and build up to the super fight. One of my roommates was from Michigan so he was a massive Hearns fan. Massive! I was a Sugar Ray guy. As a result, every day/night for several weeks, my roommate was constantly at me as to why he thought Hearns was going to mop the floor with Sugar Ray. He was relentless. Nonstop trash talk. The thing is, while I liked Sugar Ray better, I didn't care THAT much.

Back then, if you wanted to watch a big title fight you had to go somewhere that was carrying it on closed-circuit. In Ann Arbor, this was a giant campus auditorium. I was assigned by the college newspaper to go to the fight, and then at its conclusion I would need to hurry up to the newspaper with the results since I believe the fight was expected to end close to our deadline.

So, both my roommate and I were at the fight but not seated together since I needed to be near an exit for quick escape so I could run the results to the student newspaper (no cell phones back in the stone ages).

My recollection is it was a highly competitive fight that ended with Sugar Ray winning by TKO in the 14th round (fights were 15 rounds back in the stone ages).

I did whatever I needed to do at the student newspaper, and then I headed back to the apartment. I got there and my roommate was ruined, just devastated. I said nothing. Silence as a weapon. I think 30 minutes passed, and I said nothing about the fight.

Finally, my roommate blurted out, "I can't take it anymore!!!! Just let me have it!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I smiled and said, "I think you've already suffered enough tonight."

Ha - nice story.

I watched Hagler Hearns the next day when it was shown on British TV. Far easier to avoid the result in pre internet days

Yes, Hearns was ahead on points quite clearly but couldn’t hold off Sugar Ray’s late surge. (Inspired by the famous “you’re blowing it son” talk from Angelo Dundee.

15 round fights in those days. History would have recorded it as a clear win for Tommy at the end of 12. Albeit I far preferred 15 Rd title fights. TBH I thought Hearns got robbed in the rematch in 89. It went down as a draw but I thought Hearns won clearly

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No need to ever attend another one if that was your first. Impossible to live up to

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WSOP 2026: (June 9) Daily Deepstack 1:00 pm $250 NLHE (Part 4 of 8)
Bart Simpson joins the table ... “Welcome back from your one-orbit penalty.” ... Wrinkles drops a hint to Vintage that he is wealthy ... Wrinkles gives me a needle before realizing he has misread my hand

Level 5
300/600/600

Horse continues to call light all the way to showdown. He is someone who will pay you off, but he is too far away from me at the table to be able to target.

A new player arrives and takes a seat two to my left. He is wearing an explosively colorful shirt (think graffiti artist) with Bart Simpson featured on the front. We’ll call him Bart Simpson. He immediately calls out to a server, “Cocktails.” It turns out his idea of a cocktail is a steady stream of Red Bulls.

The post level 4 break ended 17 minutes ago, and Wrinkles still has not returned to the table.

Bart Simpson bets and takes it. Iron Maiden, who has a very large chip stack, complains that Bart Simpson is targeting his big blind. Bart Simpson shows the Ace of hearts and acts hurt, saying innocently (not innocently), “I would never try to steal from the big stack.”

Wrinkles finally returns from break, and he says, “Deal me in.”

Iron Maiden says to Wrinkles, “Welcome back from your one-orbit penalty.”

Wrinkles says, “I had a call I had to take.”

Wrinkles and Vintage pick right back up in their one-on-one conversation. Wrinkles mentions he was the co-founder of a high-end tech company. Bringing out the big guns. Translation: He has money.

Wrinkles opens (he has 5-5). It folds to me in the big blind. I have Ac-8c. I call. The flop is 3c-4c-4h. I have two over cards to the board and a flush draw. I check, he bets and I call with my nut flush draw. The turn is a 7 not a club. It goes check-check. The river is an 8, not a club but it gives me an unlikely top pair. I check, planning to call any bet, but Wrinkles checks back. Our cards are turned over, and he sees the bad news. I got there on the river, although I didn’t get there the way I was hoping. Wrinkles is a bit annoyed and he needles, dripping with sarcasm: “Nice river ... (pause) ... Oh ... (pause) ... and a flush draw.”

Horse bets into the big blind of Bart Simpson, who likes to offer a running commentary of hands at times. Bart Simpson says, “Why are you picking on my big blind?” And then he folds. Horse then says, man to man, “I’m jealous of your shirt. It’s like, Bart Simpson on steroids.”

Bart Simpson is quiet for a change and doesn’t seem to know what to make of this comment. Is it heartfelt or a needle?

Horse then adds, “I really am jealous of your shirt.”

Bart Simpson, back to being a smart aleck, says, “I’m married. You have no shot with me.”

A picture is worth a thousand words, it is every bit true in your trip report!

Just wondering what option/software you are using to create these AI images.

Gemini

WSOP 2026: (June 9) Daily Deepstack 1:00 pm $250 NLHE (Part 5 of 8)
Vintage turns up her sex appeal to blistering hot and breathlessly invites Wrinkles to enter a hand against her... I bluff the flop, I bluff the turn, and then I river two pairs

A few minutes later, an amazing performance takes place. It folds to Vintage in the small blind (Wrinkles is in the big blind). Vintage starts flirting like crazy. She completes her blind, turns to Wrinkles, looking intently into his eyes, and then she flutters her eyelashes and smiles a wide inviting smile and says in a breathless, sexy voice, “Do you want to play?”

HELL YES HE WANTS TO PLAY!!!!!

Wrinkles checks. Even if he has A-A he does not want to push her out of this hand. The game is on. Let’s play. Vintage continues to stare into Wrinkles eyes. I’m not sure if Vintage is about to start kissing Wrinkles passionately, or if she is now ready to take all of his chips. Wrinkles seems to think she is looking at him as though he is a Greek God. I think otherwise. I think she is looking at him like a lioness in the jungle eyeballing dinner. I may not know much, but I am certain that there is no way Wrinkles is going to win this hand.

The flop is turned over, and it goes check-check. The turn card is shown and Vintage flashes a million dollar smile and bets. Dazzled by the wattage of Vintage’s smile, Wrinkles brain must be melting, and his heart must be pumping like crazy. Wrinkles poker senses are on overload, and he folds. Like I wrote one paragraph earlier, there was no way Wrinkles was ever going to win this hand against this temptress.

Bravo. What a performance by the sultry Vintage.

End of level 5: 39,300 chips.

Level 6
400/800/800

Bart Simpson complains that he has already been coolered twice today and he doesn’t want any more bad beats.

I get into what turns out to be a big hand with Bart Simpson. It folds to me on the BTN. I have A-2, and I open the betting. Bart Simpson calls. At this point it is becoming apparent that he will call wide and has a knack for knowing when he is good with modest holdings. The flop is 2-4-7. I decide to continuation bet, and Bart Simpson calls. The turn is a 10. All I have is bottom pair, but I decide I will take one more crack at bluffing. I bet. Bart Simpson, who seems to be reading my soul, calls. I decide I am done with my charade. Then comes a beautiful card ... an Ace. A glorious Ace on the river. I have made two pair out of nowhere. Now I bet for value. Bart Simpson folds and says, “I had you until the river. Lucky river.” Yes it was. I have 49,200 chips. I also need to be careful against Bart Simpson who seems like a really good player who appears to know exactly where he is at in uncomfortable situations. I’m not loving that he is two to my left.

WSOP 2026: (June 9) Daily Deepstack 1:00 pm $250 NLHE (Part 6 of 8)
Horse’s act of kindness gets incorrectly needled by Bart Simpson ... A shovefest “virus” breaks out ... With Kh-Jh I call a short stack’s all-in ... Vintage busts and I suspect Wrinkles is devastated

Horse pulls out a bag of individually wrapped lifesaver candy. Bart Simpson asks for one. Horse tosses two his way from the other end of the table. Then this conversation takes place.

Bart Simpson: “I’m not drafting you on my fantasy baseball team.”

Horse: “Why not?”

Bart Simpson: “You can’t throw.”

Horse: “I threw it backhanded.”

Bart Simpson: “Oh.”

Horse: “You’ve gotten your last lifesaver from me.”

Bart Simpson: “Thanks. I was just kidding.”

Meanwhile, Wrinkles and Vintage continue their uninterrupted, nonstop banter, oblivious to what is going on elsewhere at the table.

Level 7
500/1,000/1,000

Horse and Iron Maiden, who have been battling one another all day at the opposite side of the table get into a pre-flop betting war. Horse is all-in with A-A. Iron Maiden has Kc-Qc. The Aces hold, Iron Maiden is crippled but still has some chips.

We seem to have arrived at shovefest time. Three hands in a row short stacks go all-in. Wrinkles stops talking to Vintage briefly and says to the table, “It’s a virus.” Hmmm, I never really thought of it that way.

I get dealt Kh-Jh suited. I open the betting from the BTN for 2,500. Bart Simpson from the big blind shoves all in for 14,400. I am pretty sure I should be calling this-sized bet that I more than cover given what I am holding. Still, K-J suited is hardly the nuts. It is suited. Given the chips I have already committed, the fact that Bart Simpson has only 14 big blinds, and the equity I suspect I have against a player who I know is willing to make this move somewhat wide, I make the call.

I am curious what studied LVL members think of this call. Let me know.

In any event, Bart Simpson shows Ac-10s. I have 44% equity, which makes me think I made the right call. Unfortunately, I don’t get to pat myself on the back very long because I do not improve on the flop, turn or river.

In my notes I wrote, “27.8 big blinds. Still be patient.”

Bart Simpson is all-in against Country Club who has barely been noticeable all day. Both make a flush on the river, but Bart Simpson made the nut flush while Country Club made second nut flush. I was really hoping Bart Simpson would get eliminated. He is a tough customer two to my left. I want him gone.

Iron Maiden has A-Q and gets it all in against Vintage who makes kind of a light call from the big blind with K-8. Vintage outflops him, but Iron Maiden rivers a straight to stay alive.

A short time later, Vintage busts. I hope Wrinkles will be OK.

End of level 7: 25,800 chips.

Definitely not studied, but this one seems quite close to me. Let's do some potodds first. I assume his jam for 14400 was in total, including his Big Blind.

2500 in the middle + your 2500 = 5000 + 13400 more = 18400
You must call 11900, not quite 2:1 in potodds but not insanely far away.

But, you are suited, you have described Bart Simpson as a decent player, and you still have plenty behind even if you lose. I think it's fine to call given these factors, even if he will have you dominated on occasion.

It depends on how wide he is shoving but unless he’s nit then it’s a call in a turbo structure IMO with the dead money in there.

There are lots of hands you’re flipping with (22-1010) a few hands you’re dominating K10 QJ Q10 suiteds, plus some random spaz…K9 Q9 type hands.

The other thing you might want to consider (depending on how many bb the SB had, would be to simply shove the KJss there from the button for max fold equity)

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WSOP 2026: (June 9) Daily Deepstack 1:00 pm $250 NLHE (Part 7 of 8)
I put an aggressive late-reg player to the test ... UTG opens, UTG+1 shoves, I have A-10 on the BTN, the small blind calls, and Bart Simpson laments his fold from the big blind with A-6

Level 8
600/1,200/1,200

I write down in my notes at the start of the level, “21 big blinds. Still OK. But a hand would be nice.”

I have A-Q in the cutoff. I bet. Everyone folds.

New York or Nowhere has been to my immediate left all day yet has barely been noticeable to me. He busts and Silver Fox (to my immediate right) gets crippled in the same hand by Horse. Silver Fox busts the very next hand at the hands of a Bart Simpson full house. All of the original crew on my side of the table are now gone.

There is a new guy on the other side of the table who recently showed up with (late reg) five pink 5,000 chips and has been playing every hand. He opens the betting fairly big. I did not write down in my notes what I had (bad trip reporter), but I go all-in. New Guy folds. He says he had a pair. I have 30,400 chips.

I look across the table and see that the once crippled Iron Maiden has rebuilt his stack mightily.

In the last hand before break, UTG bets, UTG+1 raises all-in. I have A-10 off suit on the BTN. I can’t imagine I am good against an UTG open and UTG+1 shove.

I give it some thought, but it seems like I am up against a ton of firepower and I let my hand go. The small blind calls. The big blind folds. The initial bettor folds. UTG+1 has Q-Q. The small blind called with K-9. As it turns out, I would have won the hand given the runout of cards. But I strongly think this is being results oriented.

I am once again curious what LVL thinks of my fold.

On this just described hand, Bart Simpson folded from the big blind with A-6. He says he would have called the UTG+1 shove if the small blind had not called. He says the small blind call made him fold. He is beside himself that he did not get to call since his A-6 would have defeated the players in the hand and tripled him up. If he would have called with A-6 (if the small blind had folded), that means he must think I should have made the call with A-10 since the small blind had not yet acted. My A-10 seems too thin to make the call in my opinion given an UTG open and UTG+1 shove. Am I being too much of a nit?

I mark in my notes that this hand is something I am uncertain about. Nonetheless, I think folding was prudent.

End of level 8: 27,400 chips.

We go on break.

I walk down the hall to WSOP Express and grab an overpriced roast beef and cheese sandwich, chips and a bottled water. It is somewhere between adequate and forgettable.

clear fold with A10o unless you/they are super short.

I certainly thought so. I thought it was strange how upset Bart Simpson was that he had to fold A-6.

WSOP 2026: (June 9) Daily Deepstack 1:00 pm $250 NLHE (Part 8 of 8)
New late reg guy busts in one hand with 6-6 ... I shove with bottom pair ... Bart Simpson bets light from UTG+1, and I shove with Q-Q

Level 9
1,000/1,500/1,500

I have 18 big blinds. Late reg is over. There are 619 players remaining out of a total pool of 1,296 entrants.

There is a new player at the table with the late reg five pink 5,000 chips. I have battled for eight levels and now have 27,500 chips. He has just showed up and has 25,000 chips. I’m not venting. I have come to terms with, and now accept, late reg without complaint. I would have bought back in if I’d been knocked out prior to the end of late registration.

The new guy goes all-in the first hand back with 6-6 and loses to 10-10. That was a quick 250 dollars.

I have A-8 suited. I open 4,000 and only Bart Simpson calls. The flop is K-J-8. I go all-in. Bart Simpson asks what I have. I give him a smile. He says, “You’re not going to tell me.” I smile again. He unhappily folds, showing 7-7.

Another new guy with late reg chips busts quickly when his 8-8 loses to Wrinkles K-K.

Bart Simpson opens the next had from UTG+1. Before I look at my cards in the big blind I say to myself that an UTG+1 open from Bart Simpson does not necessarily mean a huge hand since I know/suspect he is playing a pretty wide range. It folds to me, and I look down at Qc-Qs. I go all-in, which is an over bet, but I know that Bart Simpson has shown a tendency to call light in the time he has been at the table. He seems to embrace variance in an effort to go big or go home. (Actually, go big or go to the next tournament/cash game). Bart Simpson calls with Kh-9d. I am a 70-30 favorite (71.96% equity).

The flop is Kc-8c-7h.

I’ve got big problems (13.33% equity)

The turn is 4c. That helps a bit. I have 25% equity. Any Queen or any club.

The deck chooses not to save this drowning man, and my chip stack is mine no more. I’m out.

I wish everyone well and head out.

This is two tournaments in a row I have busted holding Q-Q. Last tournament I ran into A-A.

This tournament I got it in good and lost (Q-Q versus K-9). This is easy to deal with. Getting it in good is all I can do. In the end, I was supposed to lose 28% of the time. This was part of that 28%. Twenty-eight percent happens. That said, the evil Poker God of Variance has now made his first appearance at my 2026 WSOP. I hope this is the last time he looks down from over my shoulder and decides to run roughshod over my expected equity with 100% malice and 0% compassion.

Had my hand held, I would have had about 72,000 chips at a time when tournament average was 56,000. I would have been a long way from the money bubble, but I would have had enough chips to maneuver more freely. It would have been nice to hold and see what I could do with a very playable stack.

In the end, I got it in good. I did my job.

Artificial Intelligence is getting scary smart

I was creating some Artificial Intelligence drawings for this thread tonight. At one point, A.I. gets my instructions very wrong. I explain what it got wrong and how to correct it. A.I. offers a mea culpa, gets back on track, and delivers a perfect rendition of the scene I was trying to create.

Then, out of nowhere, A.I. writes, "Are you putting together another one of your Vegas tournament updates for a 2+2 forum report?"

I have never told A.I. that the pictures it has been creating are for the LVL section of 2+2. It figured it out on its own. Well done.

It may only be a matter of time until A.I. offers to write my trip reports for me.

have you asked it what it thinks of the A10 fold & KJhh call?

Maybe I should look into this; would save me a lot of time for sure 😀

Next up, the Colossus. Four Day 1s if needed, and I am prepared to fire two bullets each day if necessary. I don’t think I will max late reg for 12.5 big blinds. But if I bust in an early, middle or somewhat late level I am prepared to fire a second bullet.

The Colossus is what my entire WSOP schedule is built around.

WSOP 2026: (June 10) $500 Colossus NLHE, Day 1A (Part 1 of 12)
The Arctic cold beneath an air vent ... Our dealer deals a hand before the tournament has started ... I make a straight ... Sicily is active and opens one hand UTG with 5-8 ... Sicily likes to splash the pot ... Sicily turns down a massage because he is afraid he will fall asleep

The starting lineup:

Seat 1: An accomplished player with some decent WSOP results. He knows all of the WSOP/poker rules and doesn’t hesitate to call dealers out when they aren’t following proper procedure. He is “Mr. Rules.”

Seat 2: A regular guy wearing a Public Broadcasting System shirt. He is “PBS.”

Seat 3: He looks like my cousin, so he is “Cousin Rob.”

Seat 4: He is “Bouncy Legs,” because his legs start bouncing when he likes his poker hand.

Seat 5: He is “M&M’s” because a pack of the candy is sticking out of his pocket when he joins the table.

Seat 6: Me.

Seat 7: A good-natured guy who speaks broken English. He is from Sicily, Italy, so he is “Sicily.”

Seat 8: When he first arrives at the table he asks, “Which is Seat 8?” That obviously becomes his name.

Seat 9: A guy who looks familiar who arrives at the table with a gigantic cup of coffee. He is “Jumbo Coffee” although his true identity eventually comes out.

Mrbaseball from LVL stops by to say hello. He is at the table next to mine.

Level 1
100/200/200
50,000 starting chips

I am playing in the Horseshoe Ballroom. My table is directly beneath the Daniel Negreanu 2013 Player of the Year banner. My table is also directly underneath an air vent that is pumping out what feels like 60-degree air. It is icy cold. Walk 10 feet away and it’s not so bad. I start with a hoodie. Eventually I will decide the hoodie is not enough.

For some reason, our dealer starts dealing cards before the shuffle up and deal announcement is made. We finish the first hand, and then we tell the dealer the tournament has not actually started yet. We stop play.

We start five-handed (well, actually, re-start).

When I am in the small blind almost immediately, I make a straight on the turn and win a nice pot.

When I am the BTN, it folds to me. I have A-8. I open the betting and Sicily calls. The flop is K-Q-9. I’ve missed it completely, but I make a continuation bet and Sicily folds, saying he had a 9.

Mr. Rules corrects the dealer on something or another. It will not be the last time.

Next, I open the betting with K-8. Sicily raises. I call. The flop is 6-7-7. I check, Sicily bets, and I fold.

It doesn’t take long during level 1 for me to write in my notes that Sicily likes to see flops. Lots and lots of flops.

Sicily is listening to music and he starts singing along softly. I say to him, “So you provide us with entertainment.” Sicily does not understand. “You’re singing,” I say. He still doesn’t understand, and he apologizes. I say, “It’s OK. You can keep singing if you like.” At various times throughout the day, he will in fact sing softly to the music playing in his ears.

In a hand in which he opened the betting from UTG, Sicily wins at showdown with a straight thanks to his 5-8. OK, good to know that he is raising UTG with 5-8.

I am in the small blind with 4-6. It folds to me, and I complete the blind. Sicily raises. Duly noted, don’t just limp from the small blind against Sicily. Fold or raise.

Sicily likes to splash the pot a la Teddy KGB in Rounders.

The inexperienced Where is Seat 8? claims after a hand that he had 25 outs post flop but missed them all.

In a hand versus Where is Seat 8?, Sicily checks dark prior to the flop being revealed. Where is Seat 8? bets. Sicily folds and announces that Where is Seat 8? had K-Q. Someone asks Sicily how he knows what Where is Seat 8? has, and Sicily says, “I looked.”

PBS opens the betting. It folds to me in the big blind, and I have K-8. I call. The flop is K-J-7. I bet, PBS calls. The turn is a 4. I bet, he calls. The river is a 2, and I decide to opt for pot control, although I intend to call any bet. It goes check-check. He has A-J, and I drag the pot. I have 54,100 chips.

TJ texts me that he has already busted his first bullet, but he is going to buy back in.

Sicily tells me that he played in a cash game until very late last night/this morning. A few minutes later a massage lady stops by and asks Sicily if he’d like a massage. Sicily says in his broken English, “No massage. Tired. Will make me sleep.”

I have 5-5, and I mean to limp, but I mistakenly min raise. Everyone folds. OK, that worked out well.

I have Q-Q. I open 600. Sicily makes it 1,500. I pop it to 4,500. Sicily folds. I have 55,600 chips. I’m off to a nice start.

By now it is apparent that Sicily is very, very active. I seem to get this to my left a lot.

Sicily is in a hand versus Bouncy Legs. I suspect Sicily is in trouble because I can see Bouncy Legs is tap-tap-tapping his legs beneath the table. Sicily has a straight, but Bouncy Legs has a better straight.

End of level 1: 55,200 chips.

This is a cultural difference between Europe and USA. Here we mostly gather up the entire bet amount in one stack, and then push it out - or splash it out at the table in a controlled single motion.

Personally I really dislike the American 'Limit-betting' motions, and think the European method must be much easier for the dealers to relate to. With the exception that it might be harder to count sometimes. Furthermore, I think the US-style borders on string-betting 95% of the time, and an opponent easily could look over at you while putting out the bet to try and get a read.

Personally i seldom splash, but I make sure when I play in the US to announce the amount at the same time if I put out a huge amount in one stack.

WSOP 2026: (June 10) $500 Colossus NLHE, Day 1A (Part 2 of 12)
Mr. Rules earns table ridicule ... Sicily is running over the table ... Straight versus straight versus straight ... Mr. Rules scolds the dealer .... Bouncy Legs physical tell is blatantly obvious to me, and I correctly make a big fold against him

Level 2
200/300/300

Sicily loses a hand. He is quietly grumbling to himself in Italian. What I hear him say is “Italian word, Italian word, Italian word, Italian word, Italian word, runner-runner.”

Our dealer does not know how to make change.

Mr. Rules calls from the big blind, and when we are about to go four players to a flop, Mr. Rules says, “Watch out if the flop is 2-7-7.” The flop is 2-7-Q. Someone bets, and Mr. Rules folds, earning him ridicule from a couple of his tablemates.

Sicily has started playing every hand, and he is running over the rest of the table. I tell myself to tighten up and wait for cards, knowing I’ll get paid off.

In a Casino Royale hand, Where is Seat 8?, PBS and Bouncy Legs all make straights, but Where is Table 8? has the nuts.

Mr. Rules scolds the dealer for always forgetting to make change.

We get to seven-handed when Cousin Rob arrives at the table. At this same time I write in my notes that PBS slow plays his big hands. In Cousin Rob’s first hand, he is dealt A-A. PBS has K-K, but he plays it slow, which keeps him from going broke in the hand. When Cousin Rob starts stacking his new chips from this hand, Sicily says enthusiastically, “Welcome to table.”

PBS opens the betting from UTG+1. I see Bouncy Legs going rat-a-tat-tat with his legs beneath the table, and he raises. I have A-Q, and I fold. Once the hand goes to showdown I see that Bouncy Legs had A-A. I want to announce my pre-flop fold and take a bow, but of course I do nothing of the kind. I will have to be the only one at the table who gives myself props for the fold. No reason to share Bouncy Legs physical tell with the rest of the table.

End of level 2: 54,300 chips.

WSOP 2026: (June 10) $500 Colossus NLHE, Day 1A (Part 3 of 12)
I have A-A, flop a set and get multiple streets of value from the aggro Sicily, but I might have gotten too cute after the river ... I can’t take the freezing cold and put on a jacket on top of my hoodie ... Chatting with mrbaseball on break

Level 3
200/400/400

Everyone at the table is complaining how cold it is due to the air vent directly above us. Mr. Rules says, “They should name this table The Ice Box.”

I am dealt A-A, and I get in a hand with the extremely aggressive Sicily. Chips go in the middle pre flop. I flop a set and get value after the flop and turn. Sicily is being very sticky. The river is harmless. I decide to make it look like I am trying to buy the pot, and I bet 80% of the pot. Sicily tanks before grudgingly folding. Maybe I got too clever for my own good.

A new dealer arrives, looks up at the air vent and says, “Cold.” I finally can’t take the freezing cold anymore, and I pull a jacket out of my backpack and put it on over my hoodie and shirt. While I am still cold, the jacket makes things more tolerable.

End of level 3: 57,500

We go on break. I chat with LVL's mrbaseball. It comes up that we both live in the suburbs of Chicago, although we are on opposite sides of Chicago from one another.