*** 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:
so stoic tj is the reporter i want to read trip reports from
with that mind set no doubt you will confidently crush this without needing to rush it
provide them ample opportunity to simply hand it over
Busto in level 7.
Lost about half my stack when I flopped top pair and a gutshot, and ran into top two.
Then I went broke with a combo draw, Qh8h on Th 9s 3h, check/shoved with it, but ran into top set, and couldn’t improve.
So it goes. I think my decisions were fine, and I don’t really regret the spots I found.
Now, it’s Friday night at the WSOP, so we’ll play some 1/2 PLO for as long as we still feel good,
Then back to the tourney grind tomorrow.
Dang it TJ. Maybe try the hash browns scattered smothered and covered instead of the grits tomorrow for breakfast to get on the right side of variance.
Dang it TJ. Maybe try the hash browns scattered smothered and covered instead of the grits tomorrow for breakfast to get on the right side of variance.
This.
I don't like all them fancy hashbrown upgrades, but those WH hashbrowns are the gold standard hashbrowns and should not be dismissed lightly. Just the right amount of grease ...
PLO can be a uniquely frustrating game when you run cold for a while. Not even talking about crazy variance runbad in big individual pots, which happens often enough. Just getting uncoordinated hands over and over, or completely whiffing flops when you have any kind of connectedness.
There was a wait and only 1 table of 1/2 PLO running, so I sat 5/5 with 1k. It was a great, splashy game, and I absolutely felt comfortable with my opponents to be playing there. Two separate guys ran stacks up to 8k, all while I kept folding or missing hands. You can absolutely print in that game, if you can make some hands.
So like I said, ran very cold. I swung from in for 1k down to 500, then would hit a big double up to be about even, at least 3 separate times. But in the end, sitting on about +200, I went broke in a fairly standard PLO cooler. Flopped top trips, rivered the 2nd nut boat, ran into the nuts. What can you do.
So that’s discouraging. Still, gonna fire the tourney again tomorrow. They got over 1100 entries between the first two flights today, and the next two should be bigger.
I think I’m only gonna fire a third bullet at the 10 am. The 30 minute levels makes a big difference compared to the 25 minute levels in the 4 pm.
So if I don’t find a bag, I’ll head back to PLO.
Feeling so… unseyatisfied.
But tomorrow’s a new day!
Hash browns for breakfast tomorrow. Definitely hash browns. Tom and I know what's up.
You got this.
I have taken the advice, and constructive criticism I’ve received in this thread, very seriously under consideration.
Got the hashbrowns covered (cheese), chunked (ham), and topped (Bert’s chili). Some have argued that it ceases to be hashbrowns once you top it with chili. I maintain that the hashbrowns are the delivery vehicle for the chili. Similar to a bun for a hotdog, or a tortilla for a burrito.
I also got a shower and a shave this morning, so I’m feeling about as good as I can be, today.
Bullet number 3, enhanced with Waffle House hashbrowns rungood, let’s spin!
Gogogo! is guaranteed by the addition of Bert's chili!
Such an aggressive attitude bodes well for the day!
First break, still basically right at a starting stack.
Not much to report, I’ve been tight, and playing small ball. Made one bad river payoff where I bet the flop in position, check check turn, facing a river lead, with marginal showdown value. It’s a line I struggle with, and probably pay off too much, but ranges can be sooooo wide. Anyway, that one didn’t work out.
Another spot, where I rivered a non nut flush multi-way on a paired board first to act. I checked, it checked through, and my flush was good. Maybe some missed value, because another guy had a straight, but like I said: playing small ball, and trying to show down, and not get blown off good-not-great hands.
Still, feeling good, and I have some reads. Wish I was further along than where I am, but not gonna force it.
Made the second break, but I’m on life support when we get back, on only 23k coming back to 1k/1.5k.
It’s been an unpleasant experience at this table. I see why some people play in headphones… because some tourney donks say the dumbest ****.
I never wear headphones when I play, because poker is a social game of gathering information, and I like feeling I’m fully engaged at the tables.
There’s one player who is clearly drunk or high on something. Taking forever to act, getting the action wrong, and generally saying the dumbest, most banal ****, to the annoyance of everyone.
I was fine with his presence at the table when he was giving away his chips, but he got me for most of my stack with T9s > AKo all in preflop. That put me on the respirator, and I kept trying to find a reasonable spot to get it in… but I kept getting the WORST cards.
I passed up a couple marginal but probably bad spots, like A2s over an EP raise, K5o over a limper… because if I’ve played this long, I wanted it to be a situation I felt good about.
I finally found ATo from the small blind over a limper, and held vs 96s (lol).
So I’m gonna grit my teeth, stay serene, and play whatever chips I have left the best I can possibly play them. For as long as it takes.
Pushbotting went well, and we made the third break, with a workable stack! 113k coming back to 2k/4k.
Won two flips for stacks, then lost a flip that wasn’t for my stack, then won a 60/40, then was on the right side of a preflop cooler, when JJ > TT. That’s basically how my last two hours went.
The annoying, terrible player is sitting on like 280k, because there’s no justice in the world of tournament poker. He hasn’t been playing as poorly as he was in the beginning, certainly not as bad as when I had him down 60/40 for stacks… but if we tangle again, I won’t be afraid. Our table’s probably breaking soon, though.
They’re closing registration for this flight and announcing the prize pool soon. I definitely won’t fire a 4th bullet in Flight D if I bust this. I’ve got chips and a chair, we’ll take it as far as I can.
I’m feeling very redeemed, that even though it was frustrating being so patient, I found the right spots to be where I’m at now. I’m feeling good, playing good, and running good, let’s keep it going!
lucky level 13
feel some really good things coming on for you today
Gogogogogo
Breath in slowly saying h a s h
Breath out slowly saying b r o w n s
The other players will never know what hit 'em when their stack disappears!
Hand for hand now.
Average is 198k, I have 317k.
Hashbrowns working their magic.
Don't get in their way! Gogogo!
In the money!
174 players left at the start of level 16. We’re playing 20 levels today, or if we thin the field to 58 players before that.
Feeling focused, and determined.
imagine a propeller in the middle of your chest
when you take a deep breath it spins one direction
and while slowly controlling the exhale it turns the other way at your will
Fourth and final break for the night, before 4 more levels, then bag.
I have 416k, average is 260k. I think I have a good feel for what my opponents are doing, and capable of.
Taking it one hand a time.
Achievement unlocked: Acquire 100k chips.
Go TJ go! Nice comeback so far.
Fourth and final break for the night, before 4 more levels, then bag.
I have 416k, average is 260k. I think I have a good feel for what my opponents are doing, and capable of.
Taking it one hand a time.
GLGL! I just came home from a 14 hour playing day to bag a €400 tournament myself, and we are ITM when we start day 2 tomorrow.
Well that settles it, I gotta order the hashbrowns tomorrow.
Bagged 650k even.
Average for our flight when it ended was 434k. BUT, our flight was the largest of the 4, so we should have the highest average. By any measure, I’ll be in good shape to start day 2 tomorrow. Flight D is finishing up now, which is when they’ll publish the prize pool and chip counts.
It’s been a long, exhilarating day. As much as it pains me to walk away from a Saturday night cash game, no PLO for me tonight. I’m gonna grab a bite, try to decompress, and get a great night’s sleep for tomorrow.
**** yes! Nothing better than a day 2!!!!
