The Summer Wind - A WSOP Trip Report …… and beyond!

Go Tony!

WSOP Paradise
Day One - Tuesday December 2nd

Travel day. Medellin - Panama - Nassau with Copa. Early 5am start but the flights were good, no delays, both pretty full. Carmela and the kids are with me for the first 7 days.

I had mentally prepared myself before the trip to be price-gouged at every turn and I wasn’t disappointed.

Taxi from airport to Atlantis $70 !!! (To be fair it was a pretty long way)

Check-in at hotel. Our room is in the Coral Tower of the Atlantis Resort. The package only includes 6 nights free and the others I have to pay for. They told me the extra nights would be $175 but it turns out it’s $175 plus taxes and fees which works out to $260 a night. They’ll also charge us $100 extra per night on top of that if they discover the kids who we didn’t declare!

As I said, I was already prepared for this. It’s a one time deal and I really wanted the kids to have this vacation.

The prices aside the resort is spectacular and we didn’t even see the half of it today as we were all tired from the journey.

I went to check out where the poker will be played but they were only just starting to set it up. I did see my old mate Danny from Blackpool though, who is one of the floors here and organizes the dealers. I hadn’t seen him in years so we had a good catch up.

After that I grabbed lunch with the family inside the resort at shake shack which was a pretty decent burger.

This is the Royal Tower with the famous bridge suite as featured in numerous movies.

After a siesta we went out of the resort to get some supplies from the supermarket and caught the end of happy hour at a bar / restaurant called Anthony’s.

The Bahama Mama cocktails were legit but it was the saddest happy hour ever. Regular price $14. Happy hour price $12 LOL

I also tried two local beers; Sands and Kalik, with Sands being the winner by a long way. Kalik tasted funny.

Jesus, that resort looks huge. not sure what I'd ever imagined but that looks bigger than I'd thought

hope you don't get busted with the kids, but guessing it's semi inevitable

WSOP Paradise
Day Two - Wednesday December 3rd

This is our room.

And the view from the balcony

I’m sure there are nicer rooms with better views but it’s fine for us.

We hit the beach in the morning. It’s a little cloudy to start but the sun breaks through later.

It’s part of the resort and they want you to order food and drink from the resort restaurants but we found a better alternative.

Coco Loco! Well that’s what we call them in Colombia anyway. Some locals were selling them on the beach, full of rum of course!

And they hooked us up with fried snapper for lunch brought in from outside. Half the price and twice as tasty as the hotel food.

After lunch the kids wanted to do the water slides which you need a wristband for, so now the hotel knows we have kids with us and will charge the extra. Oh well, will just have to run deep in one of the tournaments.

Swimming with sharks is not just a poker metaphor here!

Paradise really is an appropriate name for this place.

And it looks just as good at night.

On Deck Tomorrow

Bracelet Event #1 $2,750 No Limit Hold’em Mystery Bounty Day 1A

All the circuit ring winners who won the package have to play day 1A. It starts at 12pm. You get 50,000 chips and the first level is 100/200/200

Levels are 40 minutes and you can late reg until the start of level 13 which is 2k/4k/4k

There’s 3 Day 1’s, each with unlimited re-entry, but we’re only going to be taking our one free roll shot.

So what should my strategy be to give me the best chance to bag? Start on time? Or late reg? and if late-reg, how late?

It is huge. Bigger than I expected as well. The resort sits on its own island (Paradise Island) and you have to go over a bridge to get to it.

If, as a parent, you refuse to let the kids go on the water slides, I think they feed you to the sharks. That's why I think they are there.

I'm always a level one, hand one guy despite whatever the pure math might say because I want to play the maximum number of hands possible with the worst players in the tournament, and to me that means being in my seat for the shuffle up and deal. My experience is that most late reg/re-reg entries skew towards the reg/pro side. On the other hand, recs will usually want to be in their seat early. Add it all up and the early levels give you the opportunity to play deep-stacked against a lower concentration of quality opponents. That seems extremely favorable to me, though I confess that I'm ignorant to what the raw math would recommend.

This tournament is a unique event because the high price point and Bahamas location likely means a low concentration of pure recs in general. It's not as if there are going to be a lot of terrible players flying out to the Bahamas to fire an (almost) $3k buy-in. That being the case, maybe just go in whenever you're comfortable. You could target extra sleep or maybe just a specific stack depth that you feel super comfortable playing. If you are very comfortable playing NLHE on a 50 or 100BB stack then maybe plan to jump into the tournament at the start of the corresponding level. I don't think there's going to be an abundance of "value" in an event like this, though I could be overestimating the field. Therefore I think the idea of playing from level one has reduced appeal.

If you just want to roll the dice, you could come in max late reg and plan to shove any favorable spots in the first couple orbits. That might be the max hourly option.

Sorry if you realise this anyway but the wrinkle is that it’s a Mystery bounty, with day 2 qualification needed for access. So day 1 survival is at a super premium

Obvs you are right in everything else you write and that’s always my approach too I remember being heartbroken after getting to Wsop Senior’s event at like 10.15 and hearing there’d been 3 bust outs at my table already

I don't think we need to deviate significantly from our default MTT strategy in a mystery bounty until after the envelopes are being drawn. There is added value in covering people in the late stages, so maybe we prioritize accumulation over mere survival, but broadly you can treat it like a conventional MTT until the envelopes start flying. At that point the math changes dramatically and we are incentivized to chase knockouts very aggressively. I happened to make day 2 of the NAPT mystery bounty last year and witnessed some crazy bounty hunting from thinking players, to an extent that caught me off guard. Prior to bagging, the event played like a conventional MTT.

seen this on Twitter earlier and forgot you was there already had to come back and see if you bagged

You don't have access to bounties if you don't cover anyone's stack and additionally you will be targeted so much if you get through the day with a short stack.

In a mystery bounty you definitely want to register as early as possible as then you have more time to build a covering stack

WSOP Paradise
Day Three - Thursday December 4th

Can’t think of a better tournament preparation than an early morning walk on the beach with the ocean lapping at my feet.

Onto the serious stuff. Here’s the tournament room. First the poor folks side:

And then the Triton side where they’re playing a $75k PLO 6-max today:

My opening table draw:

They seem to be mostly ring winners like me. I dont know any of them.

Off we go. I went for the on-time shuffle up and deal (performed by Ari Engel) start.

Level 1: 100/200/200 (50k starting stack)

My first BB the button opens for 500, SB 3-bets to 1,200. I look down to see AK and 4-bet to 3,000. BTN folds, SB calls.
Flop: 8-7-6
SB leads out for 5,000
I let it go.

I open for 500 UTG with KQss.
UTG +1 3-bets to 2,000
I call.
Flop: 4-5-7 (with 1 spade)
I check. He bets 2k. I call
Turn: T spades
Check, check
River: A spades
I lead out for 4k. Villain raises to 12k. I raise to 35k. Villain calls

The old guy (Laurence Lubliner) to my right is opening for 4x ???

New dangerous guy Yang Wang ($3.7 million in earnings) joins the table in seat 5 on my immediate left.

4 players eliminated in the first level.

Level 2: 200/300/300

Yang knocks the 6 seat out and he’s replaced by another tough player David Kaufmann ($1.5 million earnings) from Germany

Open A4dd and let it go to a 3-bet

Win a small battle of the blinds pot with Q8 on a 4-5-6-Q-T board

Level 3: 200/400/400

Old guy to my right doubles against Yang with AA v QQ then seat 1 finishes Yang off. (He must have re-entered as it looks like he bagged)

Another German fills the 8 seat and we’re a full 8-handed table for the first time.

Folded 88 on a 2-5-6-T board in a 3-way pot. Villain bet flop and turn. Good fold. The other 2 players finished the hand and villain had 56 for two pair.

First break: 80k
Players remaining: 436 / 484

Level 4: 300/500/500

I open JJ UTG+2 for 1,100. Guy on my left calls, cut-off calls, button calls, SB spills his coffee on the table and on his cards and then 3-bets to 5,600.
I think he’s trying to squeeze and 4-bet to 21,100.
The button calls, not having seen my 4-bet with the coffee spill.
SB shoves all-in for about 70k.
I don’t think he has Aces or Kings. I also don’t think he has a pair smaller than mine. Do we want to take the flip?
Hell yeah!
He turns over exactly what I expected to see. AK

My first BB the button opens for 500, SB 3-bets to 1,200. I look down to see AK and 4-bet to 3,000. BTN folds, SB calls.
Flop: 8-7-6
SB leads out for 5,000
I let it go .

I open for 500 UTG with KQss.
UTG +1 3-bets to 2,000
I call.
Flop: 4-5-7 (with 1 spade)
I check. He bets 2k. I call
Turn: T spades
Check, check
River: A spades
I lead out for 4k. Villain raises to 12k. I raise to 35k. Villain calls

The old guy (Laurence Lubliner) to my right is opening for 4x ???

New dangerous guy Yang Wang ($3.7 million in earnings) joins the table in seat 5 on my immediate right.

4 players eliminated in the first level.

Level 2: 200/300/300

Yang knocks the 6 seat out and he’s replaced by another tough player David Kaufmann ($1.5 million earnings) from Germany

Open A4dd and let it go to a 3-bet

Win a small battle of the blinds pot with Q8 on a 4-5-6-Q-T board

Level 3: 200/400/400

Old guy to my right doubles against Yang with AA v QQ then seat 1 finishes Yang off.

Another German fills the 8 seat and we’re a full 8-handed table for the first time.

Folded 88 on a 2-5-6-T board in a 3-way pot. Villain bet flop and turn. Good fold. The other 2 players finished the hand and villain had 56 for two pair.

First break: 80k
Players remaining: 436 / 484

Level 4: 300/500/500

I open JJ UTG+2 for 1,100. Guy on my left calls, cut-off calls, button calls, SB spills his coffee on the table and on his cards and then 3-bets to 5,600. I think he’s trying to squeeze and 4-bet to 21,100.
The button calls, not having seen my 4-bet with the coffee spill.
SB shoves all-in for about 70k.
I don’t think he has Aces or Kings. I also don’t think he has a pair smaller than mine. Do we want to take the flip?
Hell yeah!
He turns over exactly what I expected to see. AK

The runout is clean. Stop the press, we won a flip! Knockout. Would be good for a bounty tomorrow, but not today.

Level 5: 300/600/600

Lose 10k in a blind vs blind pot. I make a straight on the turn. He makes a flush on the river. Lost the minimum.

A dangerous French player replaces the German in seat 8. Emilien Pitavy ($2 million earnings)

Lost 12k 99 v TT on a 2-4-8-J-8 board. Again probably lost the minimum.

Level 6: 400/800/800

Knocked out a short stack out. A2 vs KJ. Why no bounties today?

A large breasted lady in a pink one-piece outfit joins the table in the 2 seat and immediately tries to order a watermelon juice. Tell me you’re from Vegas without telling me you’re from Vegas.

It appears she can play though. She’s opened 3 pots already including from the button against my BB which I couldn’t defend with 92.

Martin Kabrhel is here. You can tell as he’s always the loudest voice in the room. He’s playing the $75k PLO and it’s not long before a ‘not like that’ is heard, followed later by a huge ‘vamos’

160k on 2nd break
Players remaining: 432 / 582

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

The button flats. SB makes it 4k. I look down to find JJ in the BB and make it 16k. Button folds and SB calls.
Flop: T-7-4
Villain leads out for 30k with about another 40k behind.
I set him all-in and get the sinking feeling when he insta-calls and turns over KK
Turn: 9
An eight would be nice [emoji120]
River: 8 [emoji44][emoji44][emoji44]

Let a couple of small ones go against the German David. Don’t really want to get involved in a big pot with him.

Win a small one against the pink lady. A4 vs A2 on a K-3-3-4-6 board

Level 8: 600/1,200/1,200

New tough player Frank Lagodich ($1.6 million earnings including a bracelet) joins the table on my right in seat 3 and immediately 4-bets his first hand.

No playable hands or RFI spots

Level 9: 1,000/1,500/1,500

Open to 3,500 with 77, get 3-bet by German David to 11,000. I call.
Flop: Q-9-8
I check. He bets 8k. I fold
I’m like 0 for 6 against him.

Dinner break: 240k
Players remaining: 334 / 654

Huge line for the free players buffet. I eventually get in there:

Level 10: 1,000/2,000/2,000

3rd hand back after dinner and I get JJ again in the SB
German David opens for 4k, cutoff made it 14k, I 4 bet for 40k. David folds, cutoff goes all-in for 70k. I call.
He has KK
JJ vs KK again? No help from the board this time.

I get about 20k back from the same guy a couple of hands later. He opens for 4k, I 3-bet to 10k with TT, he calls.
Flop: 9-6-6
He checks, I bet 10k he calls.
Turn: A
Check, check
River: 9
Check, check and we’re good

Another ‘Not like that’ can be heard coming from the Triton PLO

Level 11: 1,500/3,000/3,000

Not possible to put the NFL game on TV [emoji30]

Lady UTG opens for 6k, cutoff calls, I 3-bet to 25k from the BB with AQ
The lady goes all-in for 50 something, cutoff folds, I call.
AQ vs 99
Ace on flop.
Where’s my bounty? That’s 4 today.

The 1 seat opens for 6k UTG. I 3-bet to 15k from the button with ATss. He calls.
Flop: K-3-Q with two spades
Villain shoves all-in for 40 something. We call. He has 3-2ss WTF ? He’s ahead and has 2 blockers.
Turn: 7s
River: Js to give us the royal flush for good measure.

A couple of hands later there’s been an open to 6k and I 3-bet with AK. Villain calls.
Flop: 4-5-J
Check, check
Turn: 6
He bets 13k, we call
River: K
He checks, we bet 20k, he calls. We’re good.

Another tough German joins the table on my left. Fabian Niederreiter ($1.1 million earnings)

Level 12: 2,000/4,000/4,000

Lose 45k doubling the short stack up. I 3-bet his open with 66. He shoved for a little more with QT. Queen on flop.

Lose 50k doubling up another short stack. He opens on the button. I 3-bet from the small with 88. He shoves. I call. He has QQ

Button opens for 8k. I call from the SB with 76ss. BB folds.
Flop: K-5-3
I check, he bets 4,500 I call.
Turn: 8
Check, check
River: T
I lead out with air for 20k
He tanks for an age and finally folds.

280k on 4th break at the end of late reg
Players remaining: 248 / 755

Brekstyn Schutten ($6.2 million earning and 1 bracelet) max late reg in seat 7

Level 13: 2,000/4,000/4,000 (double level)

I open Schutten’s BB with AK. He shoves with A3. 3 on flop. He doubles. I lose 50k
Fcuk the max late reg guys [emoji30]

Level 14: 3,000/5,000/5,000

Knock out a short stack AQ vs 66 with a Queen on flop for 42k

Button opens for 11k. I just call in BB with AQ with A hearts
Flop: 9-4-5 all hearts
Check, check
Turn Q
I bet 12k, villain calls.
River: 6
I bet 25k, villain calls with 96 for two pair [emoji30]

Level 15: 3,000/6,000/6,000

Took a couple of RFI spots that didn’t work out. Very card dead.

165k on break at end of level 15. Avg is 262k
Players remaining: 146 / 759
114 spots paid

Level 16: 4,000/8,000/8,000

Finally get my German nemesis David.

I open the button to 17k with Q9cc
He shoves the BB for 100k
We call. He has A3
9 on turn.

Our table breaks. The is my new table:

The Hey@@@ guy is Martin Zamani who has a monster stack with over 1.5 million.

1st hand at new table get AA and open for 16k but no callers.

Double up a short stack for 60k. A8cc vs QJ he hits a flush on river.

9 from the money. Everyone tanking like crazy now.

Level 17: 5,000/10,000/10,000

4 from the money now. I open AQ two hands in a row and have to fold to all-in 3-bets, both for around 150k. This table way more loose and aggressive than my original table.

The very next hand I pick up AQ again UTG and just fold. There’s a reason they call it the car park hand!

One away from the money. Hand for hand now. We have around 200k. Average is 330k

Zamani is just stealing the 25k in blinds and ante every hand. Hope the bubble doesn’t last long.

The bubble bursts after 6 hands and we’re In the money [emoji383] but still not done. We’re playing down to 10% tonight because a 14 hour day isn’t enough for them [emoji30]

Time banks and shot clocks introduced now.

I get a 200k pickup knocking out the guy to my left with KK vs TT aipf. Clean runout.

That table breaks and i pay double blinds moving tables and then we reach the 10% number of 76 players remaining not long after.

Another day another bag [emoji3]

We bag 490k which is right around average but good enough for 27th place in this flight.

The app now has a cool chip graph showing how your stack progresses against the average.

So a fifteen and a half hour day. That really is too long but we have two days r and r now before day two on Sunday.

Great result and awesome summary. Thank you

That's great. Congrats on a strong Day One!

Ace write up mush.

Best of luck rest of tourney

Congrats on a strong day 1!

What’s the biggest envelope in the mystery bounty on Day 2?

Great write up. Congratulations on the bag, run it up when play commences!

They sure are funny lookin'.

Thanks. I really don’t know. I guess it depends how many entries there are today and tomorrow. There should be a couple of 250k and some 100k bounties though i would think. There’s going to be 50 x $25k main event seats as well but you can take the cash, which I would definitely do.

Congrats! The best is yet to come!!!

WSOP Paradise
Day Four - Friday December 5th

Oh, think twice, ‘cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise

Didn’t get much sleep. Very grueling day yesterday. I started on time at 12pm and by the time we bagged it was almost 3:30am.

Weird thing I actually felt a little nervous playing for the first few hands yesterday, not sure why, can’t remember ever having felt nervous playing before.

Maybe I wanted to do good for the 11 people that drafted me in poker.org’s pick 3 fantasy game. (I was not one of the 11 lol)

Very happy with my play yesterday, although it was far from error free. Got lucky in a couple of sports, got unlucky in some more, but importantly kept calm and rode the swings into a decent bag.

I had two goals for this tournament. The first one was to bag, which we achieved. The second is to win at least one bounty on day two, just to give myself the chance to pick a big envelope.

Explored more of the resort today. This is a different beach. I think there are 4 in total.

I actually really enjoyed playing yesterday. It was a relaxed atmosphere, probably due to the location and vacation vibe.

We had some fun on our table as we were talking about the water slides, then when someone busted the guy that bust him sent him packing with a ‘enjoy the water slides’ needle and from then on every time someone busted it was ‘enjoy the water slides’.

The tournament setup is really first class here. The app is improved from the summer. Tables, chips, cards all perfect. The tournament room is spacious and most importantly has a comfortable climate. There’s water refill stations and chairs and couches to sit on during break. But the most notable is the quality of the dealers and floors. It’s a mostly Euro crew, probably about 85% euros but they’re really excellent. Very impressive, and a night and day difference from the day one summer dealers we have to out up with at the WSOP. (The re-start crew is good of course)

Also found a whole new swimming pool today and tried the lazy river, which was also a crazy river as parts of it were rapids which was fun.

On deck tomorrow: Enjoying the water slides [emoji3]

What’s the temperature?

Right around 25 degrees celsius / 75 fahrenheit with little to no deviation between daytime or night.

Glad you are having fun and the family was able to join you.

My first time in a casino was when my mother took me to the Bahamas (Nassau) when I graduated high school (~40 years ago). The first night, I put a dollar in a slot and got six quarter back -- I was thrilled and stopped. The next night I played BJ (must have been really low stakes), and a guy put $50 down in front of me and walked away. I won the hand and was done gambling 😉 It was a ton of money! (I also hooked up with a guy who turned out to know my brother at Georgia Tech, but that's for a different forum. LOL.)

I can't imagine how different it is now. I hope I get to go back and play poker some day!