MuckPls vs BigWhale - a WSOP June TR

nasty turn there. thanks for the write up

Thank you for sharing your Salute session. I am always impressed by how detailed your HHs are and how much thought you put into different spots.

That bustout hand seems completely standard and I don't think really anyone is getting away from it. Just horribly unlucky.

Set-over-set on dryish boards is just one of those spots where the chips are going to change hands.

I think Doug Polk has championed a philosophy along the lines of "you don't make money folding sets in hold 'em".

Excepting very specific board textures, I live by that philosophy.

I wish I had anything fun to post about, which has been the reason for not posting currently. Been buried pretty badly in everything I’ve touched the past 24-48 hours including two monster sessions of 17 hours each that included a deep Venetian 2/4, blackjack and some UX.

Long story short we are now stuck for the trip and it’s time for what I know best: recovery mode.

I have a raging headache from playing 17 hours and knocking myself out with melatonin but if that is gone I’m likely firing a tournament today.

Currently in a 1/3 game next to Dunc. Game is pretty lively and drunk game

Hey me too me too lol [emoji846]

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

It’s a 2+2 table!

Awesome! You guys take all the monies 😉

Decided to head to Resorts World today to play their 12:05 am tournament. Currently 45 entries, but will surely be over 100 eventually.

I am not here too often, but this is really a beautiful resort:

And I managed to win back the buy-in and more on Video Poker:

Nice quads.

Quick spin = roulette?

Started off at roulette, Bellagio has one of the only non high limit roulette games left on the strip that has a single zero. Quickly lost $500 and then ran $500 into $2500 at blackjack for a $1500 profit.

Quit job, become roulette pro imo

But I lost on it and won on blackjack [emoji846]

Back in my room at NYNY after a long day, and it's already past midnight. I will try to get out a quick (famous last words) summary of the $200 Resorts World tournament first though. There were a lot of interesting hands, but I will probably have to skip some to not make this post too long.

I was quite card-dead in the beginning and mostly just folded except i had AA once and won a small pot. Then I sadly got moved from my starting table and into a late reg table that had just opened. This is generally never a good thing in a tournament, and it wasn't this time around either. For a $200 tournament, most of the new opponents were reasonably capable. Even a guy who looked like a mega-OMC had some game!

There was one fish at the table though (who busted quickly) and he was involved in a hand where I raise A5dd from UTG to 700 (at 200-300-300). A semi-cute girl of Indian descent calls in MP and BB also calls. The flop comes 5-2-2 and BB blasts straight out for 2100. This seems fishy for me, because who comes out blasting for almost pot if they have flopped trips here for example? I therefore call with my top pair, and the girl folds out.

Turn comes a 7, and BB quickly checks. I don't want to check it through and let it become a guessing game on river, and I can still get value from straight draws and 5x. So I bet 1700, and get a very quick fold. Most likely he was just trying to steal it on the flop.

A bit later we have a raise to 1000 from an active grinder guy (200-400-400) in MP, and I call on the button with K9cc. It's a hand that I would defend in BB, so then I should definitely play it from the button as well. And I thought the chance of getting squeezed behind was almost zero. BB also calls, and we go 3-ways to K-7-7 one club and two spades. After BB checks, the raiser bets 1200 and I am the only caller.

We see an 8 on the turn and he increases the sizing (as expected) to 4600 this time. I don't have an amazing hand, but I still have top pair and if my kicker does not play there are some cards that can give a chop on the river. I also thought this guy would find some creative double barrels, so I call once more and dare him to bet again on the river.

The river is an A which also fills the flush. I didn't love this card, but I didn't have to face any bet as the river goes check-check. I beat his 33, which just proves what I wrote above regarding opponent finding some double barrels with less than top pair.

I then get in two 3-bets with AQhh and A7ss and managed to win both those hands (AQ preflop and A7 on the flop). I also find AKdd in SB after a limp for 600 and a raise to 2600 from the active grinder guy. I 3-bet to 8800 but sadly get the fold.

More 3-betting, when there is a raise from early pos to 2100 from the girl, and an active UK player to my direct right calls on the button. I have AA and make it 8500. In hindsight a bit too low, but I don't mind being slightly explotative with Aces. I had been 3-betting a lot the last hour or so, so I was really hoping someone would pick up on this. But no such luck in this hand, as they both folded. I showed Aces for good measure.

I also played perhaps my favorite hand so far this trip at 600-1200-1200 blinds, when there is a raise to 3000 from another UK player (more recreational), the grinder guy calls, the decent OMC calls on the button and I complete BB with 87o. We go 4-ways to K-8-5 rainbow, and after I check the pre-flop raiser also checks. The grinder-guy also checks, and then the old guy bets out 3500.

Although I only have second pair, this is a great spot for what Bart Hanson calls 'attacking the field bettor'. When everyone have checked (including the preflop-raiser), the person in position can stab much wider than they normally would. And conditions are ripe for me to move him off his hand, simply because I can have K8, K5, 85s, 55, 88 sometimes. Also, should I get called there is a ton of good turn-cards to continue on. A seven gives me two pair, and any 6, 9 and 4 gives me straight draws.

All that said, I make it 11500 and although both the grinder guy and the old guy goes into the tank for a while, we get the fold we were looking for. Nice.

When late registration closed I had 61000 chips, and blinds were going to be 1000-1500-1500. This is the number of entires, and what we were playing for:

After the break though I got a bit card-dead and spot dead. Our table breaks, and I first get moved to another table, then that table breaks again after 10 minutes, and I get seated to the right of 'mrbaseball' at his table. He played decent, and also got some cards while I was there; both QQ and JJ gave him big pots and saw him climb from around 40k to probably around 150k.

Personally I just stayed afloat without winning any huge pots. I 3-bet an active foreign guy once with QJo and got a fold, and I won two small pots when I raise pre, BB defended, but I won it on the flop. So I was hanging in there around 50-60k while blinds increased.

With 32 players left the blinds have increased to 1500-3000-3000, and we see a raise to 7000 pre from early pos. A very splashy German player calls the 7000 and button (active foreigner) also calls. I have 52k left and AQo in SB. This seems like a very easy jam for me, especially since the original raiser was fairly active as well, and if I can just get through him I can pick up almost 30k in the middle.

'mrbaseball' goes into the tank from BB, but eventually folded what he said was TT (I believe?). For what it's worth, I think that is a reasonable fold. Even if he suspects that he could be ahead or flipping against me, he still has the original raiser with a big stack behind.

Either way, the original raiser quickly folds and then the German goes into the tank and asks for a count. Eventually he calls, and after button folds we see that we have a flip against 88. This pot is over 40 big blinds, and winning it can give me a really good chance at cashing.

No such luck though, even though the first card I see is an A. It is however quickly followed by an 8, and opponent also makes quads on the turn. I hastily gather my stuff and head out of there, disappointed with not having the luck I needed in that important hand.

That said, I think I played a very good tournament with hardly any significant mistake. And ultimately you gotta run a bit hot towards the end. I am pretty sure I would have cashed (top 15) if I could have won that flip, but it wasn't meant to be. But well done to 'mrbaseball' for taking home the tournament instead and repping 2+2 properly 😀

I zoomed out of Resorts World and headed out in the Vegas heat towards Venetian instead, where I played a very interesting cash session. That update will have to wait until tomorrow though, as I am proper tired and need to get some sleep if I am going to fire a tournament tomorrow as well.

Cash Games:

Hours played: 16h 00min
Won/lost: -$192 USD
Hourly rate: -$12.0 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: -$852 USD (5 played)

And while we wait for my update from Venetian (need to sleep first), we can take a look at the scenery on the way there:

On 6 hours of sleep:

The game was really bad at Aria + and OMC was pretty much dying at the table. I can’t understand why someone would play, touch chips and cards, while coughing and wiping his nose five times a minute.

Anyway game was really bad, no point in staying so decided to move over here:

Was just gonna post a starting stack pic but doubled like first orbit, let’s go:

It looks like I just can’t get anything decent going at the Bellagio either. Lost for stacks twice after posting the above pic so decided to call it and move over to blackjack. Another $350 win.

Also note the huge baccarat 1k chip they gave me for some reason

Last evening I eventually made it to Venetian, and after grabbing some quick food I got myself on the list for $1/$3. I was going to put my name on the list in the PokerAtlas app, but they had closed down app-registration for some reason (I forgot to ask why). No big deal though, as the list was surprisingly short when I got there and I had a seat within 10 minutes of waiting.

I was off to a good start when a short stacked Asian player puts out a straddle for $6 from UTG, and two people call the straddle. I have KJcc in BB and for some reason only make it $25. It didn't end up mattering for this hand though, as the straddle moves all-in for around $50 and the other two fold. I obviously call and he shows 99 face-up. I tell him it's a flip, and the board runs out T-8-2-2-J. That's a nice river card and we are up immediately:

Opponent buys in short again for $100 and continues playing almost ever hand. That works out to my disadvantage when an OMC opens to $13 from mid-pos and I have 88 in Small Blind. Didn't feel like 3-betting this player profile so I just call and hope the Asian doesn't pick up anything good in his straddle. BB (new to the table) also calls, and then the Asian does indeed jam for around $45. The OMC who raised then makes it $125 and I have to fold.

They had KK (straddle) and JJ (OMC), so the Asian doubles up. At one point he was down to $6 USD, but now he has over $100 and then he wins another good sized pot to take his stack over $200. This becomes relevant for the next hand.

He straddles again from UTG to $6, there are again two callers, and I make it better sizing of $35 this time with my AA. He calls from the straddle as expected, and the first limper also calls. So we have a big pot brewing and go 3-ways to 9-4-3 rainbow. Seems very harmless, and I bet out $55 (into $114). Asian calls, and the third guy folds out. Hand is played well so far, and I like that I explotatively size up a bit here since pocket pairs and 9x is going to call any sizing.

But after that I butcher the hand terribly. Turn is another 9, which in game was not my favorite card. But I think this has to be a continue, simply because this guy is peeling wide. If he has 4x, 3x or a pair below 9x he is going to continue to call. Instead I check, and he checks it back quickly.

That makes me feel fairly certain he does not have a nine, so when the river comes an 8 I throw out $100. But this is a terrible bet, both because I am now losing to 88 as well and furthermore because his range that is not 9x likely won't call. A better play would be to bet super small here I think ($30?) to maybe induce a light call or a bluff-jam. Or I could even check and let him bluff in case he only had 56 or floated wide in some other way.

Instead I bet $100 as mentioned above, get jammed on for only around $45 more and I am not good enough to fold for that prize although I know I am beat. He has a hand that good old 'TheTrooper' would be proud of, which is 97o for trips.

I feel very frustrated with myself as I realize I played the hand terribly, and also annoyed by the runout. Give me a 2 on the turn, so that I can jam and he will with 100% certainty call with his top pair. But ultimately I could have played it so much better, even if I would have lost the same amount (obviously snap-calling river if I check and he jams).

More losing; there is a raise from a middle-eastern looking guy to $15 from early pos and I have K9cc on the button. As I mentioned in my previous post, I think this is a fine call in position simply because 1) I would defend it from BB and 2) The players behind are unlikely to squeeze. We end up going heads-up to A-A-7 one club, and he checks it over to me. Not sure about this one, but I decided to throw out a small bet of $10 just in case I could get him off a hand like KQ or similar. He does however call.

Turn comes a J, and I am pretty much done with the hand now. He checks, and I check it back. River is another J, and he now bets $25. I only have King high but don't fold immediately. This is extremely polarizing as he only has Ax or nothing. His medium pairs are now counterfeited and might have to bluff in desperation, and although he might have called a hand like KJ on the flop to my small sizing I am just not sure if he value bets it. I end up making the very optimistic call, only to get shown AKo. So that is why he checked on the flop, I guess.

(No less than 10 minutes later this guy gets caught bluffing Jack high on the river into two opponents, so he was capable of bluffing FWIW).

I win a little bit back against this guy in a hand with KQhh where he folds river to my value bet (board was a bit straighty, but I still thought I could get called by worse), and then we have another straddled pot from the Asian.

There is one call for $6, before I make it $30 with JJ from SB. The straddle obviously call, and so does the limper. So we go 3-way to K-7-6, and they both check to me. On this board I can bet small and see what develops, so I throw out $35 and that gets the job done (both fold).

More losing though, when I find A9dd from UTG. I raise to $12, and get calls from a player in mid-pos and Small Blind. The flop comes T-9-T one diamond, and after SB checks I have to bet for some protection/value from QJ and 88/77 etc. I throw out $15, only to see them both calling.

Turn comes the Qd, and although I have turned equity I didn't this was an amazing card versus two callers. Maybe I am being too cautious here though, but I had a pretty bad image and decided to just try and hit my hand. It does check around, but we only see an 8 on the river that is not a diamond. Four to a straight out there now, and I check after SB have checked it over to me. The guy in position bets $35, and I thought for a few seconds but decided to fold. It's just very easy for him to have a Jack here, and if he is good enough to turn a hand like 87s into a bluff on the river then fair play to him (although I doubt it).

Then an OMC raises to $15 from early pos and I decided to call with A8ss in cutoff. Asian calls in SB, and BB also calls. So we haed to the flop of K-T-2 two spades, and after both blinds check the raises throws out $15. Although small, he is betting into three other players and I didn't consider raising here. I just call, which obviously also has some merit in regards to hopefully overflushing someone behind me.

Asian also calls, and we see a lovely 7s on turn. They both check to me, and I am obviously not going to check it back but rather bet small. I throw out $30 (into $105) but sadly get two quick folds.

To break up the text, let us all stop for a minute and think about how much we love this place:

Back to the action now. There are three limps to me and I find nothing less than KK in BB. I raise it up to $22, and the first limper snap-calls while the other two fold out. This is a guy around my age that sort-of looked like a serious player but generally was quite passive. We see a good flop in J-8-2, and considering the many hands that he could have here that semi-connects I should have sized up more than what I did. Instead I just bet $20 (into $50) and he quickly calls.

Turn is an A, which does not scare me at all unless he has like A8s or something. But he would have raised AJ pre for sure, and I still think I can get a call out of Jx if I keep my sizing in check. I bet $30, and he calls again.

River comes another A, which doesn't change anything for me. I still think he has a Jack most likely, and if he has slow played something I will regardless hear from him. But this seems like a clear 3-street value hand for me on this runout, and I am going to bet unless he tells me otherwise. The pot is now $150, and I decided to bet $65 hoping that he doesn't believe me.

He calls immediately, and I confidently turn over my hand only to get shown A9o for trips. Like wtf? I guess the call is not completely horrible as he is in position, have three to a straight and I bet somewhat small on the flop. But what is up with these runouts, seriously? I think I played the hand just like I was supposed to, and I have no issue value owning myself on occasion. It just felt very unfair that he can show up with a crappy A9o there, make a speculative call pre and on flop and still manage to beat me.

We are well buried in the game now and I continue to lose a few small pots (raise pocket pairs, get way too many callers and no sets). I am now in for $700 and feeling slightly frustrated. At the same time it feels like the kind of game where I could get paid off if I connect, especially since I have a very poor image now as a losing player.

A bit later we see a very tight player open to $15 from early pos over a limper, and against that image I am not looking to 3-bet much. So I just call in mid-pos with my TT, and the limper also calls. The flop comes 9-5-2 and they both check to me. Very clear value bet then, so I throw out $25 and BB is the only caller.

Turn comes another 2, which is a good card as I now beat 95 if he somehow limped in that (probably unlikely though). So after he checks I decided on a fairly big bet of $75 (into $99), simply because I think 9x is his most likely holding and that it will not fold. He thinks for a bit and then announces 'all-in'. I groan, and ask for a count. It's $104 more, so I am getting a decently good price here ($104 more to win $278).

I start talking the hand out loud, and say that it's unlikely that he limped in 2x from early pos, and he would have raised 99 for sure (he was at times raising pre). So that leaves only 55 and A2s that I am losing to. That is too narrow of a range to fold against, especially as he might just be going crazy with A9 thinking it's the nuts against me. So I call, and the river comes a J. He seems unwilling to show and announces 'five' before turning over Q5o. That is obviously a very silly play, because if he thinks the hand is good he can just continue to call me down. Instead he turns it into a bluff that can only get called by better.

After that big hand I am suddenly only down $120, which feels much better (and the free coca-cola from the drink station at the poker room also helps!)

Then we play a fun one when I find KJcc in mid-pos and raise to $12 as always. Asian calls in cutoff, button calls and BB call. We see a very interesting Q-9-2 flop with two clubs. I have a gutshot, a flushdraw and an overcard. As soon as I saw that flop I knew that check-raise would be my play here, simply because I have checked a lot of multi-way flops this session (to give up). And my hand in general benefits from as much fold-equity as possible.

BB checks, I check, and then the Asian stabs for $25. The others fold, and it's back on me. I check-raise to $90, and after spending some time in the box he ends up calling. Turn comes Ac, which means that we have the nuts. I like that, but I wasn't a huge fan of the Ace as that might scare him if he has QJ or similar. Regardless, I have to bet to set up a river jam, so I throw out $100 (into $230-ish). He thinks for a bit but sadly folds. Too bad the turn wasn't a low club, but I'll take it as this pot takes me almost back to even.

That is a very good feeling, and after winning another small-ish pot with 9Thh (I rivered trips, but got no callers), I am actually back into profit. It feels amazing, but also slightly frustrating because you always wonder what could have been. At the same time, I was destined to lose a lot of money in those two hands with AA and KK, so although I played the first one bad I think it didn't make a huge difference to the amount lost.

As it had been a long day I decided to just take the small profit of $30 after 3 hours and 45 minutes. I took the Monorail back to MGM Grand, and walked over to New York New York.

Once inside I got the sudden urge to do some quick Video Poker before bed. Only $200 dollars on some Double Super Times Pay (Double Double Bonus). A few hands into the session, this happened:

Woah. A Royal Flush holding just two, and although no multiplier I am suddenly $1000 richer. I played on for a bit longer and also had another decent hit, before cashing out with an $1105 profit from the machine. That felt great for my bankroll, as losing in both cash and tournaments can be costly over time.

Today the plan was/is to play the $300 'Monster Stack' at The Orleans, and that will likely happen. But I probably need to late register a bit, as I have a few things I want to do before that (quick gym sesh + need some new clothes). So I will head out of here and try to be efficient so that I can make it to The Orleans around 12 at least (starts at 11). Hopefully I won't run into some huge alternate list or similar then.

Cash Games:

Hours played: 19h 45min
Won/lost: -$162 USD
Hourly rate: -$8.2 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: -$852 USD (5 played)

Great write up!

Hi BigWhale. I was in seat 4 of your Saturday session at Horseshoe. Fat guy with glasses. I almost asked you if you ever posted on 2+2. I've mentioned before that reading your HH's in here lead me to start watching Crush Live Poker videos on YouTube. My win rate has more than tripled. Thanks again and run good!

Nice hit! It's been something like three years since I hit a royal.

Oh, nice! Were you the guy I put on Jacks that one hand where you cold-called my 3-bet? Apologies if I called you an OMC in the write-up.

CLP is the nuts yes 😀