MuckPls vs BigWhale - a WSOP June TR

I also think 98% of people are going to download the app (with the exception of the seniors/super seniors events). Which means fewer people you have to share the line with Pig, both to register and to print out a ticket without the app.

We'll see I suppose ... I know WSOP is always a shitsho one way or another so I may be overly optimistic this will help more than it hurts.

I'm Diamond, so reg line was usually very short. I don't know if there's even going to be a Diamond line from now on. And who knows how much time this extra BS is going to take.

In exactly two weeks from today, I will be on my way to Las Vegas for a short WSOP-summer trip. I am definitely excited, but also a bit uncertain about what awaits me. I have never been in Vegas during the summer before, and I have no idea just how chaotic it will be, and how hot it will be outside etc. But with this being mostly a tournament trip, I think it's important to have some realistic expectations.

I do think I am a decent tournament player, however the fields are going to be massive. So a lot of run good & patience is needed, just to perhaps get a mincash or two. I am not nervous about the level of play I will be facing - if anything, I expect it to be mostly weaker than in some of the semi-bigger tournaments here in Malta (with some exceptions obviously). But you just need a lot of things to go right at the same time, and I also need to play my A-game and not get lazy with stuff or lose confidence if I go some tournaments without any results.

Discipline is also going to be very important outside of the tables. I have to accept that (hopefully) long tournament days and huge crowds means that there is a big chance of getting sick. So I need to be very good at listening to my body and not force myself out to play if I randomly don't feel like it one morning or need to catch up on some sleep etc. I also need to be diligent about working out at the gym when I have time & energy, and also take some breaks by going to the pool etc.

Furthermore, as someone who have very weird food habits I must plan everything very well before I go to play, and ensure that I bring a lot of stuff with me to eat & drink during the day. In other words, I will actually have to resort to becoming a backpack grinder.

I still haven't decided 100% on a tourney schedule, but I suspect it will look something like below. But obviously if I bust out of some of these early, there will be entries into other tournaments, or I might go play cash somewhere (long lines permitting). My plan is not to make many re-entries, but maybe I will give myself a second chance in some of the cheaper entries if I feel like it. I will also try to mostly be on time for the tourneys, because I suspect there will be long alternate lists if I am not.

* 9th June: Land late in the evening, just take an Uber over to Plaza (Downtown) and go to bed.
* 10th June: Relaxing first day to get over jetlag. Probably going to The Strip to check out PH and Caesars & WSOP area (+ sort out the app hopefully).
* 11th June: $400 Grand Stack at Golden Nugget.
* 12th June: Switching hotels to New York New York. Possibly no tourney, or maybe enter 4pm $230 Bankroll Builder at The Orleans.
* 13th June: $250 NLH 2-day event at MGM Grand.
* 14th June: Hopefully day 2 of above. If not, play cash (Saturday), or find another tourney.
* 15th June: $500 Salute to Warriors at WSOP
* 16th June: $250 Monday Monster Stack at Golden Nugget
* 17th June: Either $300 Monster Stack at The Orleans, or $300 Midsummer 2-day at South Point.
* 18th June: Likely $250 Daily Deepstack at WSOP.
* 19th June: $400 Mega Stack at The Orleans
* 20th June: No tourney, flying home that evening. Likely just cash games.

Looking at this post, I realize the schedule look a bit light and the trip is a bit too short. That said, I am sure there will be entires into quite a few more tourneys as well if I bust out early from some of the above. I have written down some alternative options as well, but in general these entries will be a bit more spur of the moment.

Things can obviously change based on how I feel and how the results are, but I think above is a decent baseline to work from. No buy-ins higher than $500, but I think that's a fine price point for me and the structures are good enough to where it won't be just a crapshoot. I feel very comfortable playing tournaments with 30 minute levels, and it doesn't feel turbo-ish to me at all.

I will come back with more thoughts as the trip gets closer. And if anyone have any other tourney suggestions (or other good tips), feel free to chime in.

Looks good to me.

I think you’ll make a few deep runs!

Looks like a great sampling of a lot of the venues Las Vegas has to offer. Kind of like a buffet of poker -- Big Whale's Bacchanal Buffet of Poker.

Really looking forward to reading all about it.

I disagree. By the time it actually counts for anything, i.e. making the money, most of the "weaker" players have been knocked out. It would take a very obscure tournament to escape the eagle eyes of the pros out there.

Get some Airborne! If you can't find it in Malta, it's common in the U.S. and there's a CVS pharmacy right next to Paris.

Doublecheck on the Daily Deepstack schedule. Last year they ran Seniors events on every Wednesday. I think it's on Thursdays this year. Check on it because you don't want to find out last minute you'll have to change plans.

Also, I really like those Orleans bankroll builders even though I didn't build anything when I played one last year.

Somewhere between "I'm melting" and "Does anyone have a fire extinguisher?"

It's not a part of the summer poker experience that I enjoy. Luckily we can minimize exposure by using casino interiors for the majority of our routes.

Schedule looks solid. Based on your thought process and cash HHs, I think you will be a clear long-term winner in your events. The one reminder I would give to cash players is to understand that signing up for these tournaments means you might be in the same venue for 10-12 hours if things go well. Do whatever you need to do to fight off the fatigue and restlessness. For me, that means staying hydrated, standing up occasionally, taking very short walks to stretch out, snacking during breaks. I have seen a lot of players fold mentally and punt off chips because, on some level, they decided that they no longer really wanted to be there. Once you make the initial commitment, stay committed. That's the best way to maximize your outcomes.

Thanks, all good advise. As I have touched on briefly in TRs though, 99% of what I play here in Malta are actually tournaments. So I am well used to sitting down for hours and playing, and not punt away my stack. That said, it can still happen on occasion and it's important to be mentally present in the tournament whether it's hour 2 or hour 10.

Good point. I have been using a spreadsheet online to check tournament schedules though, and it seems there is a regular $250 Daily Deepstack on the 18th.

Orleans have a lot of great tournaments yes, could probably have played there for 10 days straight and been happy!

Figure I’d post an update as well, mine will be regarding a story involving PLO friend who I have mentioned a couple of times in previous TRs.

PLO friend is currently somewhere on a remote island in Asia enjoying life and time off from poker and Vegas for 4 months. He is supposed to arrive back to Malta on the 9th of June. He messages me this morning and it goes something like this:

- Hey Muck, I’m back from Asia on the 9th. When are you leaving for Vegas?
- On the 12th of June
- KLM flight via Amsterdam?
- Yup.
- Alright, let’s do it, I’m probably booking my tickets for the same flight tomorrow and staying 1.5 months.

Absolutely crazy life… so yeah guess I’m sharing rooms for 2 weeks!

BigWhale, don't recall if you are from Malta like MuckPLS. If so, will be a very different hot than home. But IMO, a more comfortable hot.

But I seem to recall you might be from more northern part of Europe.

Yup, summer arrived in Vegas today.

I've done the give-up thing in a tournament. It was on Day 3, and I felt pretty accomplished on Day 2 and making the money. I had also never made a Day 3 before. It's a bad thing to tell yourself "This is good enough".

Last year the Senior Daily Deepstacks were the same as all the others, except it was full of old people. I think even the structure was the same, but the starting chips and start time may have been adjusted to accommodate old fossils somewhat.

We both live in Malta, BigWhale is from Norway and I’m from Sweden.

Sort of the same, I need snacks now and then like fruits, a bar, water and so on. For me, always a backpack with stuff I might need on my back when leaving the hotel room.

Leaving the Nordics this friday evening and landing saturday in Vegas, rent a car sunday or monday to go shopping for all the things I might need during long hours at the tables.
I like to go a bit off strip to do this shopping.

Welcome to the backpack club.

Take a hat/cap for when you walk outside. Very, very easy to burn in the summer.

Yes, I will do this, as even with my impressive head of hair it's probably warranted (irony warning 😆 )

Wouldn't have suggested it otherwise 😆

GLGL and hopefully catch you out there on the one day we're both there.

Then ime BW will be fine. It will be hot, and BW will feel it’s plenty warm but with good hydration, so overload if drinking alcohol also, should not have big issues.

My Vegas keys are utilize shade when you can, there is always AC nearby on the strip and Fremont so use it if needed, try to stay out of crowded close quarters so there is air flow, acclimate by easing into things and of course hydrate then hydrate some more.

Yeah I am not too worried. Especially for my part, as my schedule will consist of 90% cash games. I will stick to the night shift grind, my plan is to wake up around 11 pm and play full night and sleep when its warm.

FWIW there's a CVS pharmacy right next to PariShoe. It's a little weak with regard to the usual things you might go to a pharmacy for, but it does have snacks, protein bars, etc. Fresh fruit, prob not. But if it saves anyone the nightmare of driving in Vegas, it's terrific to have nearby. Last time I was here a couple weeks ago, the HS entrance to the parking garage was blocked, you had to enter from Paris. Don't know if that's still the case.

Things I’m thinking about while waiting for my WSOP trip to begin #13

I have a very slight hand tremor. It doesn’t occur with any regularity or for any particular reason. Just every once in a while, it appears briefly. Totally random.

Once in a while it takes place at the poker table. It usually draws a comment.

“I saw your hands shake when you bet and I knew you had a monster, so I folded.”

or

From a neighboring player not in a hand, “I saw your hand shaking so I knew you were bluffing. You should hide it better.”

Here’s the amazing thing. Every time someone has ever commented how they interpreted my hand tremor, their interpretation of my cards was completely wrong. Every time. As in 100% of the time. So, if my hand shakes a tiny bit, I don’t concern myself with it since I know it’s not a tell and especially since other players have always read it wrong. I don’t know why they always get it wrong, but they just do. It’s too bad the tremor does not appear with more regularity since it seems to totally result in other players misinterpreting what it means as it relates to the perceived strength or weakness of my hand.

They have always been wrong only for the times it was mentioned. Maybe every time it was noticed and not mentioned they got it right. Since when it happens is random but the person responding is likely consistent in their interpretation, it will randomly help and hurt equally.

Wrong thread? 😀

Wrong thread. I'm very sorry.

This gives you the right to derail my thread one time in return.