Gray-haired poker TRs: Living the WSOP dream

I'm guessing that clip is gonna cost about 5K. Looks like a new front bumper and a LF quarter panel. Hopefully any scratches on the door can be buffed out.

Amazing how fragile vehicles are these days.

Run better in the tournaments than you did parking you car. 😆

I got a quote of $3,700.00. That's what insurance is for. Plus, insurance pays for the car rental during the 8-10 days they say my car will be in the shop. Fortunately, I have not had an insurance claim in years.

As for how fragile cars are, yes I agree. I felt like I barely tapped the garage and I stopped immediately. I thought there was going to be a smudge of paint scraped off. Turned out to be much more.

Deep stack, ultimate stack, epic stack, platinum stack. I can’t be the only one that wants a short stack can I ?

I’m on the road again

I’ve got a tank full of gas, a Dr Pepper in my cup holder, poker entry fees in my wallet, a poker backpack in the back seat, and poker charts and strategies dancing in my head. Time to put the car in drive and head to my poker tournaments.

♪ ♩ ♫ ♬
On the road again
I just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again
And I can't wait to get on the road again
�� �� �� ��

“The life I love is making music with my friends.” I think making music with my friends refers to the cards I get dealt at a tournament. A-A, K-K and their closest neighbors are definitely my friends. Suited connectors have the potential to be my friends. The uncouth, unsavory, unsuited 2-7, not so much and should be ghosted.

“Goin' places that I've never been.” I figure this fits the agenda I have in store for this road trip. Never been to East Chicago, Indiana. Never even knew the town existed. But I’m on the road to the Ameristar Casino and Hotel in East Chicago, Indiana to play in the MSPT. The last of the four office buildings that I have had up for sale has reached the point where all details have been agreed upon and negotiations have concluded. The closing is scheduled to take place the day after I return home from the MSPT. Once that takes place, my workload will lessen considerably. I won’t be retiring, but there will be significantly less demands on my time. The number of people calling me each day will go from a lot to very little. I will just monitor passive investments, and what real estate (strip/shopping centers) I will still have will be out-of-state and have management companies where I manage the managers without the day-to-day headaches. What this means is I will more frequently be “goin’ places that I’ve never been” as I widen the footprint of my poker journey. I’m not turning pro. I’m not delusional. But the opportunity to play in more live tournaments is happening. The buildup to WSOP 2026 no longer needs to be limited to just studying. The buildup to WSOP 2026 is going to include live tournaments throughout the Midwest over the next 10 months. I’ll still be a poker nobody. But I’ll be a poker nobody who is going to play an increasing amount of NLHE tournaments. Not huge volume, but definitely more volume.

Right now, I am stuck in a massive traffic jam thanks to a massive construction project on the way out of Chicago. Normally this would be annoying and stressful. Normally this would cause the blood pressure to skyrocket. As I sit in my car barely moving, I can’t wait for the fun to begin. I am pretty tired during the drive since I woke up at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m., which is a time of day I am normally not awake. I’m a night owl. Early morning and I do not see eye to eye.

When I finally arrive at the Ameristar Casino & Hotel, I think of former NFL head coach Marv Levy saying to his players, “Fellas, listen up. All you ever ask for is an opportunity. Where else would you rather be than right here, RIGHT NOW!?!”

Ameristar Hotel & Casino, East Chicago, Indiana – pre tournament

I get to the Ameristar Hotel and Casino around 10:00 a.m. This is way too early for normal check-in, but for a $50 fee I am able to check-in early. This is very worth it to me because I don’t want to have to deal with check-in during a 15-minute break during my poker tournament.

I get checked in, and the front desk clerk decides she is the Chamber of Commerce’s welcome wagon. She is gung ho to tell me about every amenity in the hotel and casino. I am polite and listen, but what I am thinking is, “Please stop talking so I can go to my room.” She does not even come up for air as she rattles on and on and on. Finally, she pauses to take a breath and I seize the moment, thanking her for the information and saying I just want to get to my room.

I get to my room and it is very nice – clean, modern. Not that it matters. I just need the room to sleep later tonight.

Room pictures:

View from my room's window:

Next, I walk to the area where the MSPT tournaments will be held. I ask someone about registering, and they tell me I am too early. It is 10:30 a.m. My tournament begins at 12:00 noon. They suggest I come back around 11:00 a.m.

With time on my hands, I decide to get something to eat at the ESPN Bet restaurant. It’s not overly busy, but there is only one overwhelmed waitress who seems to be struggling to keep up.

I order steak and eggs. I’m not normally a breakfast guy (due to the fact that I am not a morning guy), but I decide a big breakfast makes sense due to there being no dinner break during the poker tournament.

I get a phone call from the buyer of the office building that is being sold in two days. He has questions about something minor and I walk him through it. I remind him that I am out of town and will not be easy to reach the rest of the day. I remind him that my broker can handle anything that comes up. My breakfast arrives and the buyer keeps talking. Eventually I answer everything, and I am then able to dig in to breakfast. It is solid but hardly memorable. Gets the job done but nothing more.

I get a call from my broker. The buyer is making a big deal about something really minor and he wants a credit as though the matter is a really big deal. The buyer wants a $3,500 for the worst-case scenario. I agree to an $800 credit, which is the realistic scenario. We agree that the broker will handle this with the buyer.

My overwhelmed waitress is nowhere to be found when I am done eating and want a check. I walk toward the kitchen and flag her down. The meal is $30.00 including tip.

Images from before the barbarian horde descends upon the poker room

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 1 of 11)
My work world is intruding on my poker world; a set of kings with a quality kicker; I over bet by mistake and get five callers; I’m off to a blistering start; I get moved to another table and my initial table is glad to see me go; top set but I have to slow down

Level 1
100/200/200

Starting stack is 50,000 chips which is very nice and deep for the early and middle stages. There are no shuffle machines, so the dealers need to shuffle the cards every hand. There is a BB ante throughout.

The first hand I play I have A-J and I open for 600 from early position. Everyone folds.

The next hand I play, it folds to me in the small blind. I have 7-9 and I just limp/complete. The big blind checks. The flop is 8-9-rag, which is pretty good for me. I bet and get called. The turn is a J. I bet and get called. The river is a K, and with two over cards to my pair of nines I slow down and check. The big blind bets and I fold, which may be too nitty.

There is a player at the table whose mannerisms are oh so proper. I have no idea where she is from, but her proper demeanors makes me think of someone British. Every action she takes, be it a fold, a call or a raise she verbalizes very elegantly.

The next hand I play, I am dealt A-2 in late position and I bet 600. The big blind, who is wearing a Global Poker hat and sweat top, calls. The flop is 8-9-K, which misses me, but I bet anyway and get called. The turn is a J and it goes check check. The river is a Q. I bet with nothing but air, selling the fact that I have a 10 for the straight (which I do not actually possess). Global Poker folds.

The soon to be buyer of the building who I spoke to earlier this morning during breakfast now calls. I let it go to voice mail. Next, I get a long text from the buyer. The buyer does not seem to grasp what “I’m not going to be very available today” means. From the poker table I text my broker and ask him to handle it (it’s a simple matter that is being overblown). Then I get a text from the broker. He is not somewhere where he has access to the buyer’s phone number. I text the phone number. These distractions are making it difficult to pay enough attention to how my poker opponents are playing, betting, etc. I’m sure the people at the poker table are wondering about the old guy who is way too attached to his cell phone.

End of Level 1: 50,200 chips

Level 2
200/300/300

I get involved in a hand with K-Q. There is an early position open to 600, two callers and then I call from the BB. A case can be made that I should have squeezed, but given the fact that the original bettor was in early position, I decided I wanted to take a flop and assess.

The flop is K-rag-rag. I have a pair of kings. I am still wary of the early position player, but I put out a bet to see what reaction I get. Early position folds, another player folds, and a guy in a red shirt calls. The turn is another K. I bet and Red calls. The river is a rag. I decide to get tricky. I check. Red bets. I check raise chunky, and Red reluctantly calls with a K that is outkicked by my queen. I am up to 68,100 chips.

I get dealt J-J. I open and get three callers. The flop is 8-9-9. I bet and get two callers. The turn is a 10 and we all check. A case can be made that I should have bet with an over pair to the board and an open-ended straight draw, but I was a little wary that someone might have a 9 given the fact that three people called my pre flop bet. The river is a rag, and given no one showed aggression on the turn, I decide to bet. I get called by a guy wearing a Father John t-shirt, and he turns over K-10. My jacks are good. I have 79,900 chips.

I am UTG on the next hand. I get a text from the building buyer just as I am dealt 10-10 (the hand I hate more than any other). The big blind is 300, and for some reason I bet 1,100 which is too much. I don’t know why I overbet. Probably because the buyer was distracting me. Five players called my over bet. I say to the table, “I guess my bet didn’t scare anyone.” The flop is Q-J-3. With two over cards to my 10s and five other people in the hand, I don’t see any way I am good. I check, UTG+1 bets and I get out of the way. I have 78,800 chips.

The floor comes over and tells me I am being moved to another table. It’s too bad. I really like this table. The Brit says, “Good luck” in her prim and proper tone. The player next to me says, “Good luck. Thanks for taking all of our chips.”

The buyer calls me again. As I have been doing all day (except for the phone call at breakfast), I let it go to voice mail. I text my broker and ask him to call the buyer and see what he wants. I also ask my broker to remind the buyer that I am not reachable most of today and he can call the broker with questions.

The next hand I get involved in sees three people limp. I have J-J, and I raise substantial. I get called only by the player to my immediate right. The flop is J-10-8. Bingo! Top set. I bet and get called. The turn is a terrible card, a 9. There are now four to a straight. My set no longer looks so potent. It goes check check. The river is a rag, and it goes check check. I hit the breaks once it was four to a straight since I figured if I bet, I would only get called by better. My trio of jacks are good. I have 83,400 chips.

Somewhere along the way we reached level 3, but I did not notice and did not write it down so figure we are in level 3 now and probably have been for a while.

Glad you are getting some reps in the "offseason". There's no substitute for experience.

.

This makes my blood boil. What the hell are you paying a broker for? To handle the bullshit that's what. And he doesn't have the buyers phone number? Ridiculous.

Haven't bought or sold any commercial real estate, but have plenty of residential flips and have told more than a few prospective buyers they're not worth my time. Don't know how you keep your cool.

Good trait to have at the poker table though!

You dont want to be the last man standing, on second thought maybe you do?

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 2 of 11)
A tight fold; three streets of value with top pair top kicker; 15 work texts and phone calls yet I am almost at 2x starting stack; marijuana guy joins the table

Level 3
300/600/600

A guy with a very outdoorsy looking beard opens for 1,200. There is a caller, and I also call from the big blind with K-J. The flop is 2-4-10. I check, Outdoorsy bets, the other player folds, and I fold.

The next hand I get involved in I have K-Q off suit. There is a 1,200 bet, which I call. The big blind, a guy in a trucker hat pops it to 4,100. The initial bettor calls. My read on Trucker is that he is oozing with excitement. I make a tight fold. Eventually Trucker goes all in later in the hand, so I suspect he had the goods.

I get dealt A-K. I bet 1,800. I get one caller. The flop is A-J-4. I end up getting three streets of value and win the hand. I have 96,700 chips.

In the small blind I am dealt A-K again. Early position min raises 1,200, two players call. From the small blind I raise to 7,000. I get two callers. The flop is 6-8-Q. I hit none of it. A new player who is wearing a Chicago Cubs hat seems very interested in the flop even though it goes check check check. My read is he was strong (although I will later on assess that he overplays hands a lot). The turn is a card that I can’t read my notes, but Cubs bets and I fold.

End of level 3: 88,800 chips.

My notes say we went on break for 15 minutes at this point, which seems strange since the structure sheet says breaks are after every four levels. But whatever, that detail seems unimportant. I call my broker and then my real estate attorney to get the latest on what has the buyer so excitable. It turns out that the broker and attorney have solved the problem with the buyer. There is a document that I will have to docusign at some point today.

I must have had 15 phone calls and text on the impending sale of the office building since the poker tournament began. It is nothing short of a miracle that I have somehow almost doubled my original starting stack.

Once I am done with my phone calls, I go to the bathroom. When I wash my hands I notice that inside the sink is the fanciest bathroom setup I’ve ever seen. The gizmo has three buttons. The first is for soap. The second is for water. The third is to dry your hands. It takes me a minute to figure it all out. I say to the guy at the sink next to me, “I think you need a college degree to figure out how to work this thing.”

Level 4
400/800/800

I don’t play during much of this level, as I don’t get dealt anything playable. When I am in the small blind it folds to me. I have 7h-Qd and I just call. The big blind checks. The flop is three hearts. Given that the big blind merely checked pre flop, as well as the flop is scary, I decide to stab at it. I bet 2,000 and get called. The turn is yet another heart. Four hearts to a flush. I have made a flush, but my 7h is not exactly the nuts. I bet and my opponent folds. I have 90,000 chips.

At this point I make a note in my notebook that states, “This table is tougher than my first table. This table really battles for pots.

A new player arrives at our table wearing a marijuana t-shirt. His stay will be erratic, baffling and short-lived.

My broker is actually amazing at his job. Best broker I've ever dealt with. He just happened to be somewhere that he didn't have the phone number at his fingertips and he wanted to get ahold of the buyer ASAP so he'd leave me alone. I was fine with him asking.

As for keeping my cool, I try to keep emotion out of these situations. I find it serves no purpose to get heated.

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 3 of 11)
Marijuana Guy sets all of his chips on fire; the air conditioning breaks down and it’s blazing hot; playing 9-9 when the flop has an over card

Level 5
400/800/800

I don’t have any notes on this level. I don’t know if it means I didn’t play any hands this level. Or it may mean I got my earlier levels messed up. I blame the marijuana t-shirt. It must have impaired my judgment.

End of level 5: 86,600 chips.

Level 6
600/1,200/1,200

Marijuana boy crashes out of the tournament in spectacular fashion, playing hands erratically and badly. After he is gone, one of the players who was seated near him says to the table, “I can’t even imagine what was going through his head while he was here.”

Around this time the air conditioning stops working. It becomes unbearably hot.

I have been pretty card dead for a while, but it hasn’t impacted my chip stack much because I have been extremely disciplined and haven’t played many hands.

I get dealt 9-9. Finally, something playable, although it is also a hand that can get you in trouble if you’re not careful. A player before me limps, and I pop it to 5,100. In all honesty, I would be thrilled to take it down without seeing a flop. I get two callers. The flop is 4-8-J. Yes, there is an over card to my nines, but I was the pre flop aggressor, so I bet 10,000 and get two folds. I have 96,800 chips.

Next is a hand I may have played too timidly. I am dealt K-10 suited. I have played very few hands of late since I’ve been very card dead. I bet 4,000. Given I have been inactive for quite a while, I expect my bet to get a lot of credit. Instead, an older Indian gentleman raises to 15,000 from the big blind. He has not been playing many hands. He hasn’t gotten out of line. His bet seems out of character if he is betting light, so I read this as extremely strong. I fold.

End of level 6: 87,800 chips.

I like this fold. I don't think you played it timidly at all. Sure, you have position, but you can find better hands to defend your pre-flop raise with vs a BB 3bet. Chip accumulation is important, which is why we raise KT suited in position, but chip preservation is vital as well, which is why we can fold it when shown significant aggression.

Enjoying the report. Hoping for a favorable outcome!!!

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 4 of 11)
The air conditioning still doesn’t work and poker players are understanding (that’s a lie, everyone is complaining); what to do with 2-2 and then 3-3 against a player who opens pre flop massively large

Level 7
1,000/1,500/1,500

I’m still not getting dealt much of late. I open from late position with Ah-Js for 4,500. The button calls. The flop has no A or J, but it does have three spades and I have the jack of spades. I bet, and a villain -- who looks like comedian Drew Carey -- folds. I have 98,300 chips.

The air conditioning still is not working. It’s a sauna. There are frequent announcements that they’re trying to get it fixed. There is a lot of complaining.

When I am in the small blind it folds to the button who raises way too big. He bets 8,000 when 3,000-4,500 would be the norm. I have 3-3, but given the massive over bet, I fold. The very next hand I am the button, and the same player sees everyone fold to him and once again he goes with the same massive pre flop bet of 8,000. I have 2-2, and I fold. I don’t know what to make of the enormous bet sizing which has come out of the blue (he had not done this before), but I decided against calling with the smallest pairs possible.

End of level 7: 90,300 chips.

Really enjoying this!

Also, I completely agree that getting out and playing is the best way to improve and work on your game.

Studying is important and has value, but actually playing is the best way to improve.

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 5 of 11)
Hurray, the air conditioning has been fixed; I make a rookie betting mistake; I cross the 100,000-chip mark; my tablemates help me with a work technology issue while at the poker table

Level 8
1,000/2,000/2,000

The air conditioning is finally fixed.

My inexperience shows and I screw up. It folds to me in the small blind. I have K-9. I mean to raise. Since I already have a 1,000 chip out for the small blind post, I throw in a 5,000 chip thinking I am raising to 6,000. I know that when you do this from non blinds positions it’s just a call. But I thought that since I had two chips out there it was a raise without announcing it. The dealer advises me that I have just called. The big blind, who is wearing a Notre Dame t-shirt asks me if I meant to raise. I don’t say anything. Notre Dame checks. I totally whiff the flop, but I bet anyways and Notre Dame folds. He then asks me again if I meant to raise pre flop. I say yes, and he explains the rule to me.

The next hand I play is from the button with A-K. It folds to me and I bet 7,500. Notre Dame from the small blind calls. The flop is 9-9-9. Notre Dame checks, I bet, he folds. I have 100,300 chips.

When we are not involved in a hand that takes a while, I get into a conversation with Notre Dame and the player to his immediate left who has been wearing a mask the whole time at the table. I mention that I need to docusign something for work, but I can’t get the document to open because of poor Internet service in the poker room. Mask says he was having the same problem until he connected to the hotel’s wifi, which he says there is no charge for. I ask Notre Dame, who is seated next to me, if he could show me how to do this. He quickly gets it done, and then while I am seated at the poker table I get the document signed. Technology is our friend.

End of level 8: 96,000 chips.

We go on a break. The rebuy period will be over as soon as we start back up. No need for me to pay for a second bullet. I just saved/made money. As I replay the recent levels in my mind, it feels like I have had very few playable hands. And when I do get into a hand with a quality A, I have been missing the flop recently. The good news is I have been able to continuation bet and get folds since I have been playing so few hands of late, so my aggression looks strong. I call my real estate broker to make sure the docusign went through, and it’s all good. During the break I notice for the first time there is a free pop machine (+EV). Unfortunately, no Dr Pepper (-EV). I get a Coke.

Who's a good boy? K9 rules!

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 6 of 11)
Two ladies join our table, and one of them seems hellbent on giving her chips away; this same lady insists we have met before, but I am quite certain we have not; pre flop there is a bet, a call, a massive raise and I have to decide what to do with A-J; Q-Q is an ace magnet and I bet anyway

Level 9
2,000/3,000/3,000

When I am in the big blind with 4h-Qh, it folds to the small blind who limps. I check. The flop is 2-2-5. The small blind checks. I see free money, plus the flop certainly can have hit my range. I bet 2,000 and the small blind folds.

In the small blind I have J-K. It folds to me. I bet and Notre Dame folds from the big blind.

Two older women join the table. Both have large stacks of chips. One of them proceeds to light her chips on fire with very questionable calls over several hands. Before she spews off her chips light, I get involved in a hand with her. She bets 3,000. Another player pops it to 10,000. I look down at A-K and raise to 32,000. Both players fold and the woman comments to the other woman that this table is playing very differently (more aggressively) than the table they just came from. I have 110,000 chips.

The woman who is spewing chips asks me if I remember her. I am honest and say, “No. Where do you play?” She tells me where she plays. I have never been to any of those places. She continues in her belief that we know each other. I have no recollection, but I don’t say so. If she wants to believe we have met, I don’t see the harm.

I look at the big board on the wall and see that this tournament had 306 entrants, 162 players remain, and 36 will cash.

End of level 9: 110,000 chips.

Level 10
2,000/4,000/4,000

I am dealt A-J in the big blind. Before I ever get to act, there is a bet, a call, a massive raise. I don’t think I am doing very well against the massive raiser, and I fold a pretty good hand.

Next hand I am dealt Q-Q in the small blind. It folds to me. I bet 10,000. Notre Dame calls. The flop is A-4-5. Not ideal, but I use my tight table image and bet as though I have a premium A, and Notre Dame folds. I have 128,000 chips. The average chip stack is 121,429.

End of level 10: 118,000 chips.

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 7 of 11)
Flopping middle set and turning a boat, but I can’t find a buyer; I cross the 200,000-chip barrier; I’m on a major rush

Level 11
3,000/6,000/6,000

I am the button and it folds to me. I have Q-10 suited, and I bet 15,000. Notre Dame and Mask both fold from the blinds. I have 123,000 chips.

Our table breaks. I move to my new table, and Notre Dame is in the seat to my immediate left, just like he was at our last table. I tell him, “You can’t get rid of me.”

There are 108 players remaining. Still a long way to the money (top 36).

I am dealt Q-Q, and I bet 20,000. The table big stack calls from the big blind. The flop is Q-K-2. I have middle set. The big blind checks. I don’t want to lose my customer, so I just check back. The turn is a K. My set just improved to a full house. Big blind checks. I bet small for a mere 10,000. Big blind folds. Unfortunate.

The very next hand I am dealt A-Q. I bet 18,000 and no one looks me up. I have 167,000 chips. Average stack is 141,667.

When I am in the big blind I have A-7, but that doesn’t matter since I get a walk. I have 170,000 chips.

Notre Dame gets knocked out.

The table big stack opens for 17,000. He gets one call. I am still to act. I have A-K and I raise to 50,000. Both players fold. I have 224,000 chips.

I am card dead no more. I am on a rush.

I make a note that this latest table seems pretty passive. There are 90 players left. The average stack is 170,000 chips.

End of level 11: 224,000 chips.

Seems like this is shaping up for a deep run 😀

I would however like to ask about sizing. Why make it 3.3x pre with QQ (and 3x with AQ) when you only made it 2.5x with QTo earlier? Hopefully you are not varying your sizes based on hand strength, because good players will eventually pick up on that.

The AK 3-bet also seems way too small, although it obviously depends on the stack sizes for the other involved players. But even just going a conservative sizing here (3x the original raise + the caller) would be 68000. Granted, tournament sizings are often a bit smaller, but I am surprised that both players folded to your small squeeze.

Lastly, keep in mind that with middle set on K-Q-2 we unblock top pair, which makes it a a great candidate to bet 😀 In addition to getting calls from all Kx hands, we can also get value from JT. Generally, if you are thinking of slow playing - bet small instead. Pot seems to be 48k, so a bet of 10-15k doesn't seem unreasonable here.

Been following this thread on and off for a while. Always a good read. I was at that 300 opener as well but didnt get anywhere.

One thing I noticed is when you word your preflop raises. You aren't "betting".

You're raising the blinds or opening. Just a minor nitpick to me but always stood out.

On that same note, since you've been studying. Your raise sizes are a bit large for today's tournament scene. At least in the later levels as stacks get shorter. Can just min 2x instead of 2.5/3x if following the GTO route.

Regarding bet sizing, 3x was my standard. I was not changing bet sizing based upon hand strength. Any deviations were either mistakes or my notes may have been wrong.

I agree the AK 3bet was too small. I don't know why I didn't bet bigger.

On the middle set hand, yes I was slow playing the hand. Your point about min betting instead of checking the hand seems very reasonable.

Much, much earlier in this thread I used to write "raise" when I was first to act pre flop, and I was told this was incorrect. It was mentioned to me that this was a "bet." The phrase "Open" is certainly something I can incorporate instead, although it won't be until this MSPT trip report is done since I have already written everything up.

Yes, my 3x bet sizing is big by today's standards. My pre tournament plan was to start at 3x when stacks were large in relation to the blinds and then size down when stacks get shorter, and I never made the adjustment. I kind of like throwing the curve ball of doing something different than the norm in the early stages (I'll get into this in my aftermath comments), but yes downsizing to 2x or 2.5x in later stages makes sense.

MSPT Day 1: $300 Epic Stack Kickoff NLH (Part 8 of 11)
My blistering card rush ends and the deck goes ice cold; the air conditioning is working too well and the room goes ice cold; getting hammered by the blinds

Level 12
4,000/8,000/8,000

I stop getting quality cards.

I play one hand this level. The table big stack limps, I have Q-J suited in the small blind and I call. The big blind checks. The flop is Q-5-2. I bet and both opponents fold. I have 212,000 chips with 72 players remaining.

Now the air conditioning is working too well. It’s an icebox.

Pretty quickly we are down to 63 players.

End of level 12: 212,000 chips.

We go on break. For the first break all day, I don’t have to deal with anything related to the impending office building sale.

Level 13
6,000/12,000/12,000

They are really pumping up the blinds. Last level was 4,000/8,000/8,000. Rather than increase the blinds to 5,000/10,000/10,000, it double jumps to 6,000/12,000/12,000. I guess this is a necessary evil in order to make this a one-day tournament, but the big jumps are a killer when you go card dead as I have.

I don’t get dealt a single playable hand this level. To make matters worse, my table is 6- and 7-handed much of this level for some reason, meaning I get absolutely hammered by the blinds.

End of level 13: 112,000 chips.