*** 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:
Nice, I'll be there June 15- July 2, mostly cash games, may play a couple tournaments at GN/MGM/Orleans. Staying at MGM. Run good!
(bump?)
Somebody buy TJ a (root) beer when he's in town for the pokerz. I have had to cancel my (never fully confirmed) trip again this year. Was maybe hoping to get one or two nights (of the original 7 planned), but even that isn't going to fly, unfortunately.
Looking forward to reading about all your tournament cashes and cash game shenanigans!
One more day at work!!
After all, what’s the worst that could happen in just one more day of work?
…chuckles nervously…
(bump?)
Somebody buy TJ a (root) beer when he's in town for the pokerz. I have had to cancel my (never fully confirmed) trip again this year. Was maybe hoping to get one or two nights (of the original 7 planned), but even that isn't going to fly, unfortunately.
Looking forward to reading about all your tournament cashes and cash game shenanigans!
That’s so annoying. Happened to me a few years back. Can you ringfence a time slot for later in the year or even next year?
I sense something. A presence I've not felt since ...
I feel a disturbance in the Force. A disturbance that I believe ... a disturbance that I believe ... yessssssssss ... a disturbance that I believe can only mean TJ is about to storm Las Vegas.
May the Force be with you, TJ.
One more day at work!!
After all, what’s the worst that could happen in just one more day of work?
…chuckles nervously…
Work was blissfully uneventful. Good, even. Maybe that was just my mood permeating through, though.
I have now clocked 92 hours over the last ten calendar days, plus TWO DJing gigs on my one day off. Pretty exhausted right now, but I think I’ll feel better when that check clears in Vegas in a couple weeks!
And now I don’t even have to THINK about that place for THREE more weeks 😀
I sense something. A presence I've not felt since ...
I feel a disturbance in the Force. A disturbance that I believe ... a disturbance that I believe ... yessssssssss ... a disturbance that I believe can only mean TJ is about to storm Las Vegas.
May the Force be with you, TJ
Trust your feelings!
I’m finishing packing right now, then somehow I’ve got to contain my excitement and get some sleep tonight, because I have an early flight tomorrow morning!
Best of luck TJ.
Concerning your move, ship that stuff. Don't drive a truck across the country - you'll drive yourself batshit crazy.
Hyped for you, TJ. Your enthusiasm for Vegas is infectious.
We know there a lot of ups and downs in poker, but I predict you're going to have at least a couple nice binks on this trip!
Hyped for you, TJ. Your enthusiasm for Vegas is infectious.
We know there a lot of ups and downs in poker, but I predict you're going to have at least a couple nice binks on this trip!
I second the call for TJ to "have at least a couple nice binks on this trip!"
As the Hannibal Smith character on the TV show/movie The A-Team often says, " I love it when a plan comes together."
Getaway Day is FINALLY here.
Once again, I find myself in Raleigh’s cute little international airport.
Also once again, I gotta throw shade at this lovely little city I live in, because I grew up in Atlanta, with the busiest airport in the world.
Lots of people hate Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, but I maintain it’s a marvel of efficiency and logistics. It gets a LOT of people where they’re trying to go, as quickly as is feasible.
The Raleigh airport here today is as busy as I’ve ever seen it, on a Friday morning the week after school lets out. I arrived about an hour before, had a long-ish wait through security, and got to the gate about 10 minutes before boarding started.
This will also be the first time I fly in to Vegas with the sun up. I usually go at night, and see the neon strip from the sky.
This just means we have a full day of activities when we get there!
I’ve got my good book to read, and I’ll catch y’all on the flip side.
Guy in the row in front of me can’t wait to get his gamble on.
Limp/call A8o from UTG+1, yikes.
Pierced nose and pierced eyebrow. So we know he makes bad decisions, and sticks with them.
I wanna play in that game!
Have fun mate
Best of luck TJ.
Concerning your move, ship that stuff. Don't drive a truck across the country - you'll drive yourself batshit crazy.
Or get rid of it. Vegas will sell you new stuff. Depends how attached to and the level of quality your current stuff has.
Good luck, safe travels. Also sending the "couple of binks" hopes your way.
Got a picture of the Sphere from the plane! That’s when it started to get real for me. I’m HERE.
Landed safely, with the same number of doors we started with! …I counted.
…It never gets old.
Next stop: Venetian!
It’s tradition, I always start poker off in Vegas at Venetian.
Here’s what I wrote last year, all of it still applies:
Why start at Venetian? I’m aware Sheldon Adelson was a terrible human being, even as he’s rotting in hell. I know they don’t treat their players great, and 5 + 2 drop is kinda BS. So why play there?
Well, it’s a big room, with great table selection at the stakes I’ll be playing. Generally competent dealers, and a floor that keeps lists moving. Out of all the resorts, I like the food options here the most. But the real reason I start every Vegas trip at Venetian?
I’ve run SCORCHING hot here in the past.
My first long trip to Vegas, I started here and ran $300 —> $1200 the first night, with the big hand being TT > AK > KK all in preflop (skill game, obv ). I had a +3200 Labor Day weekend at 2/5, including a $1700 craps hit. And then, of course, winning the biggest pot I’ve ever won at 2/5, $2700 or so… middle set held vs bottom set and the nut flush draw, all in on the flop. That was the start of a heater flopping 4 sets in an hour and a half, getting paid on three of them.
So yeah, I’ve always been fond of the place.
If you’ve never seen the architecture and decor at the Venetian, it’s quite stunning.
I plan to play more at 2/5 this trip, but like I said earlier, avoid getting buried on the first day. We’ll stick to 1/3 for now…. Unless we win, in which case we might press it up to 2/5. Or if we lose, in which case we might move up to chase 😀
The first rule of any casino trip, but ESPECIALLY a long trip, is, enjoy yourself, sure… but whatever you do, don’t get BURIED on the first day.
I had an online coach back in the day, and one of his pithy sayings that stuck with me was: “There’s only one way to really learn a lesson about bankroll management: the hard way.”
So we’ll be keeping it easy today, playing 1/3 NL, making sure my reads and instincts are dialed in. I need to switch to hold’em mode, because I’ve been playing mostly PLO when I’ve played the last couple months.
Then we’ll grab a bite somewhere, walk to the Shoe, and buy in for some WSOP events!
Then walk back to Venetian, pick up my bags, check in to the Airbnb, and get a good night’s sleep for what’s on deck tomorrow: Flight B of the Monster Stack!
Good luck. Hope you have a great trip and a lot of run good!
“I’ll have a greyhound… hold the vodka.”
(I.e. just grapefruit juice)
New year, same jokes, still funny!
The first rule of any casino trip, but ESPECIALLY a long trip, is, enjoy yourself, sure… but whatever you do, don’t get BURIED on the first day.
I had an online coach back in the day, and one of his pithy sayings that stuck with me was: “There’s only one way to really learn a lesson about bankroll management: the hard way.”
So we’ll be keeping it easy today, playing 1/3 NL, making sure my reads and instincts are dialed in. I need to switch to hold’em mode, because I’ve been playing mostly PLO whe
Are you buying in to the WSOP tournaments with cash in the reg line, or using the kiosks? Curious about the waits in the reg line if you go that route. Good luck!
I’m waiting in line and paying cash. I don’t trust the tournament accounts or kiosks, or the 3% fee or whatever it is.
The tournament cage is open 24/7, and lines are much better at night, or during vampire hours. The morning of a big weekend event is the worst possible time.
Give a try - Weera Thai!
They have a couple of locations and you can get them thru Uber Eats as well.
Good luck TJ. The Venetian poker room holds a special place in my heart as well.
Gogogo. Run like the sun!
GL GL GL - I'll be right be right behind ya! GL to us this week - run good!
Venetian is my favourite room in Vegas, even if I think Aria is better run.
