WSOP 2025: 6/5 - 6/9 TR
Last year I decided to take on the WSOP for the first time and play the Colossus, and I had such a good time I've decided to come back!
Previous TR:
https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/108/l...
I will be playing the Colossus again (this time willing to do a second flight or potentially rebuy if necessary), and maybe the $600 NLHE/PLO deepstack as well. I'll likely be a dog in the field for the PLO portion of that one, but I'll have extra bankroll this year and it seems fun so why not? Have a little bit of PLO cash but limited tournament experience and will need to do some quick study beforehand. If I'm not playing the Colossus Saturday I may consider the main daily deepstack. Last year between the two major tournaments I played we got hit with QQ < KK twice and AK < KK so hoping to avoid those this time around!
Instead of being alone this time, my friend Leo will be coming in from NYC to provide some company! He isn't a poker player but will be in town with some other friends for a different type of card tournament (think MtG). Unfortunately, that will take place further up the Strip so we will be staying at the Westgate. The location isn't ideal but can manage the walk downstrip (the hotel also says they have a shuttle bus?). He'll leave Sunday and I'll move down to the Flamingo for the last night. He's already booked reservations for the Wynn and Bacchanal buffets so I'll be going to one or both schedule permitting.
On top of all that I'm hoping to play cash at the new Venetian and Planet Hollywood rooms if I can. Despite the long wait lists and tougher game quality I'd like to try out the Wynn as well since it's close and considered a nice room (not to mention the fabled watermelon juice). The Westgate room would be convenient but seems like a mediocre place to play, with only a single 1/2 table going as I post this.
I'm in. GL, travel safe, run well.
Don't avoid the types of hands you mentioned. Just be on the other side of them this time. 😀
Enjoy the trip. I hope we can both bag the Colossus and make a run.
I like the vibe at the Wynn. Worth a visit, even if you don't play a long session.
I've never been to the Westgate, but it looks like it's within moderate walking distance of that Wynn/Resorts/Fontainebleu cluster. Wynn poker room is actually in the Encore, which makes it a more doable walk from that side.
I’m missing the Colossus this year, which makes me sad, because it’s such a great tournament.
Have a GREAT time, run well, and win lots of monies!!
Enjoy the trip. I hope we can both bag the Colossus and make a run.
I like the vibe at the Wynn. Worth a visit, even if you don't play a long session.
I've never been to the Westgate, but it looks like it's within moderate walking distance of that Wynn/Resorts/Fontainebleu cluster. Wynn poker room is actually in the Encore, which makes it a more doable walk from that side.
It's a trek from the Wynn. It's on the same street that goes up to Circus Circus, which is north of RW.
Subbing. Good luck!
It's a trek from the Wynn. It's on the same street that goes up to Circus Circus, which is north of RW.
Looks like Google maps says about 20 minutes to the Encore? The walk to the Horseshoe will be about double that, didn't fully realize how far the hotel is from everything else. I enjoy walking and don't really mind though.
This reminds me of back in June 2021 when I did the 11 mile Red Rock Grand Circle Loop trail. We rented a car for the day and foolishly couldn't start hiking until 9am since the rental office opened at 8. It was a miserable (and potentially dangerous) finish sometime after noon as the temperatures were around 105-110. We had 3-4 liters of water per person which still wasn't even quite enough. It felt incredible to cool down and recover with a Gatorade in the visitor's center afterwards.
I have stayed at Westgate for WSOP a couple times. The walk to Encore or Resorts is easily doable. I also found it useful to buy a multi-day pass to ride the monorail to get to Horseshoe/Paris/
Monorail is the move to get to Paris/Shoe from Westgate for sure. I stayed at Westgate for a pool tournament about a decade ago pre-Uber and we used monorail to get to all ends of the Strip.
Booked the same dates with a similar schedule. Will be doing some as backup at the Orleans as well. Good luck!
Getting ready to go!
Went to a baseball game last weekend and got a fun gag gift for my friend. I think he'll get a kick out of it:
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Made it, and just in time for Trooper Thursday! (kidding, we have other work to do) The Westgate is pretty nice, no complaints there. Thanks to all who provided advice on the monorail, it was a nice easy ride over to Paris in around 20 minutes. WSOP+ and credit card verification was quick and painless, with only 5 people in line. My friend gets in late tonight so decided to hop in level 5 of the daily deepstack! Have about 40 big blinds to work with so we'll see if we can run it up.
Spin it up!!
Glad to hear verification went smoothly, I was dreading that being a headache once I get there next week
So far so good! The tournament moves fairly fast and was pretty shovy when I sat down, with a lot of low/middle pairs going all in. At one point someone got in AQs for 50+bb (overshove amount uncalled though).
Played fairly tight to start and managed to chip up a little after flopping top pair with KTo after a button raise and getting the BB to fold an Ace turn. Started to run low after raising AKs UTG, getting 4 callers and folding a Jack flop.
At 600/1200, starting with ~18k raise TT in the CO, the Korean player to my left min 3 bets (or just slightly larger), and we get it in vs 88 and hold for a double up! Will have just over 25BB after coming back from break.
Unfortunately not much to say about after the break. Folded trash down to just over 10BB, shoved over 2 limps with AK and ran into KK. Hope that's one less beat to encounter in tomorrow's Colossus! Going to play cash the rest of the night and relax.
hope the trip is fun. very short...it'll go by in a flash! no time to sleep
Have you tried a Landmark satellite? 70 bucks could win you a free entry into the Colossus.
Here we go!
After ending the tournament last night I headed over to Planet Hollywood to grab a Cuban from the Earl of Sandwich, then checked out the new poker room. Not a ton of tables going but it was a pretty nice room. They served the New Belgium Voodoo Ranger IPA which I enjoyed. I joined the list for 1/3 right around when they were looking to start a new table. As everyone sat down, I was the only one to buy in for 100BB.
Other reports have suggested that PH has a bit of a problem with inexperienced dealers, and that is absolutely true - more on that in a bit. However, on the whole a majority were pretty good and I had a nice time.
Got off to a decent start after getting KQs in the small blind and raising to 20 after 3 limps. Flop comes KT5, bet 20, small stack check raises all in for 35 more, and we beat 54. Then a little bit later I raise ATs from the HJ to 10, and the fairly active button makes a weird small 3 bet to 25. I make the call and the flop comes a nice AT5. I wasn't really sure if this was a particularly good play but once I saw the first two cards come out, I immediately felt like I needed to check raise to get it in with an AK or AQ type holding. He folded to that unfortunately, but the next orbit the exact same preflop sequence happens from the same positions, and he shows AK after I fold to the 3 bet.
After that though I can't really seem to get any hands and lose a bit after missing many flops multiway to end down -$84. There are a few friends from Northern Ireland at the table and they appear to be drinking quite a few beers and ripping fireball shots! One gets into a minor spat with the previously mentioned 3 bettor in a somewhat bizarre situation. There is a bet and call on the river with 4 to a flush on the board. Top pair is shown and the Irish guy shows an 8 to complete the flush, but not the other card. The dealer starts pushing the pot to the flush, and after both of the winner's cards go into the muck the other player makes a fuss, saying (correctly) that both cards need to be shown and the hand is dead. I personally would have let it go with a warning but the floor is called, though keeps the one card hand as a winner. Everyone is in agreement the dealer should have not pushed the pot until both cards are shown.
Then the Irish guy seems to tilt off the money anyway but getting it in against the same guy on a 4 to straight board with two pair. He leaves the table and says he's going to get more cash. It is unclear as to whether he is actually coming back and shortly after a guy is sent over to fill the empty seat. He is decked out in Texas Card House gear and (even if he's not really a grinder type) I'd prefer the other guy back. Problem is, the dealer who started the game entered in everyone's cards in the wrong order at the table and did not mark this person as a guest so the seat is considered empty. Most players did not have players cards and some didn't even understand what they were for! The current dealer suggests why not have him play a hand or two temporarily to see if the guy comes back? :laugh It's unclear what to do and after this stalemate he walks off quickly and gets placed in another game, and the Irish guy never comes back...
Eventually my friend lands and I have to head back to the Westgate to get him into the room. The last remaining Irish guy is absolutely hammered, constantly missing blinds and is extremely difficult to hear. He knocks over a recently ordered full beer on the floor, apologizes for being "a wee bit drunk" and soon decides to call it a day lol, as do I. Upon getting back the place is abuzz with Celtic football club fans, seem like a fun bunch!
Up early at 6am but started the day off right with a Peppermill brunch! I had the chorizo and eggs, which was solid.
In the Horseshoe Grand Ballroom today as opposed to Paris last year. So far flopped top set with QQ third hand but didn't get much out of it and have taken down a number of small pots. Seems like a fairly easy table so far.
Made it to first break with about 58k off a 50k starting stack. It's a bit hard to focus though with this guy constantly staring you down.
In the only real hand of note a new guy to my left (who was very helpful directing the inexperienced dealer), raised 1k UTG at 200/400. Button calls and I come along with KQ of spades. Considered squeezing but decided to play it safe early in the tournament. Flop comes QT9r, I check and call a bet of 1100 after button folds. Turn is some sort of low card (can't remember) that adds a flush draw, check again and he bets 5600. It seemed a bit large and bluffy so I call again. River brings in a Jack completing my straight, though beat by AK. He then bets 10k which is an easy call and I beat 78 of spades!
I miscounted my chips, actually have 63k
Also, Joe Cada just showed up to the table...
