Action Bob’s Blog

Sorry Its obviously been a long time since I’ve updated my blog here.

Just a quick rundown of my first leg out to the WSOP.  I made the trip out on May 31.  Played the $1500 NL event and busted quickly.  Then next day there was no event at the WSOP I was interested in so I decided to play the $1000 NL at the Venetian.  Turns out to be a good decision as 3 days later, I went on to win the tournament.  I got down to heads up against Shawn Rice with a very slight chip lead.  I took about 91k in a deal then we played for a few thousand extra heads up.  I went on to win that as well to start my summer off on a very good note.

I then took a day off from everything and played the next 1k event at the WSOP.  I went to day 2 with an avg chip stack but busted very quickly after getting all in on a 449TJ board with 64s vs KQ.   Then next day was my final event of the trip playing the 5k NL Event.   It drew what I felt was a very nice crowd with almost 800 players and I made a nice run that fell short in 44th place cashing for about 17k.

I’m home now taking a couple weeks off, then back to Vegas later in the month for the final leg and hopefully a serious run in the main event.

Just a quick update as I’ve been back home from Vegas for about two weeks now.  I haven’t really played any cash games at all as I’ve needed a bit of a break but I did play a few events from the Borgata Summer Open.

I played two 1k events in which I didn’t cash in either to bring my current tourney cashless streak up to 13.  But I fnally cashed in the $1500 event on Saturday.  I made day 2 then made the final table, but ultimately busted in 9th for a very minor payout.   With about 25 blinds left in the BB, I reraised all in vs. a button raise and she has AK.  Sigh.

I’ll be playing the 1k this Friday, then the 3k main event on Sunday.  After that, I’m heading back to Vegas for the WSOP main event.

Played the 1k Deepstack event today at Venetian.  This had to be one of the softest 1k tournaments I have ever seen.  To make a long story short, I ran my 15k up to 50kish at the 300-600 level, proceeded to get all in with 88 vs KK on for a 100k pot on the Q86 flop and lost.  0 for 8 tourneys this week.  I cant wait to get the heck out of this place.

GG Vegas.  See you again in 3 weeks.

Today was the roughest day of my trip.  This being the fifth and final WSOP event I will play before heading home and coming back for the main event, I was really hoping for some better luck.  Well, luck was something I didn’t have much of today.

I didnt win a pot at all for most of the first 2 levels.  I was down to 10k from our 15k starting stack when I made a call of a very large all-in shove from the SB after a mis position raise and I had called with 88.  The raiser folded and I ended up calling and running into TT.  Unfortunately I think I slightly misjudged his range and thought for sure he’d have flatted TT in that spot from the SB and I heavily weighted his range towards AK and JJ (and possibly QQ).  I had pretty much ruled out AA and KK.  Oh well… certainly not the last time I’ll make a bad call based on my incorrect analysis.

It was a pretty tough starting table that included Scott Seiver (defending champ in this event), Jonathan Little (two time WPT champion) and Justin Bonomo.  Fortunately we also had one of the fishiest players ever sitting to my left.  So moving on, we’re at 75-150 blinds and I’m down to 2600.  I reshove over Scott Seiver’s cutoff raise with 63s and he folds getting me back over 3k.   Then I pick up JJ in my BB and move all in vs the fishy players UTG raise and the button cold call.  They both call.  When the flop comes Qc 5c 8d and the fishy woman checks, and the button fires I’m certainly not happy.   The woman folds, and the button shows 8c6c to give me hope.  I fade the 14 outs twice and triple up to over 9k.  I work my stack all way back over 20k when at 100-200 theres a limper, followed by Seiver’s limp.  I make it 1200 on the button with KK, and the first limper folds but Seiver shoves in for his last 7k.  I quickly call and he shows Ac8c.  Flop is good for me but the Ace on the turn does me in and I’m back down under 15k.

Back to work, I work my stack back up to 32k when the real disaster hand happens.  At 150-300 I open three from the button with QQ to 850, the fishy woman behind me makes it 2000 with 12k behind.  Its folded back to me I set her in for her other 12k.  She then thinks for several minutes and finally calls with TT.  Three bricks on the flop were exactly what I wanted but the dreaded Ten on the turn comes.  I felt like I got punched in the gut.  From what would be a very nice 46k stack to 18k.

I worked my stack up and down a little from there but never got a whole lot going again, finally getting all in with AQ vs KK and losing my final 9k.   A very disappointing day as I finally felt like I played my A+ game for the first time this trip and just had horrible luck.  O for 5 in WSOP events.  Sigh.

I’ll probably play a Venetian Deep stack event or something at Bellagio tomorrow before heading home on Tuesday.

Today was the $2,000 NL event at the WSOP.    I’m now 0 for 3 this series, but at least today I made the first break.  In fact I made the dinner break with about twice average chips but it was all downhill after dinner.   I basically lost every pot I played after dinner, and it ended with me raising AQ at the 300-600 level when I had about 18k left and getting it in against the big fish in the SB who had called on the AT7 flop.  He had 77 and out I went.  I wasn’t unhappy with my play here.  This was the same guy who had just raised QTo, then called the reraise out of position and eventually getting it all in vs.  AA on the KQx flop and he managed to win.

Tommrows event:  $2,500 NL.  Lets hope we can finally get something going on this trip.

WSOP day 2 and nothing much has changed.  Basically a repeat of day 1 here.  Today I played the $1500 6 handed NL event and once again failed to make the first break.  I then made it over to Bellagio for the start of the 2 PM 1k daily event.  I actually made it to the second break at which point I phoned home.  My conversation with my wife pretty much sums up my week so for.

Me:  Hi Dear, I’m at the Bellagio playing the 1k afternoon event.  We’re on the second break now.

Donna:  WOW, you’ve really gone deep in this one.

Needless to say I busted the very first hand after the break when I moved all in from the BB for 19 blinds vs a button raise with A3 and he tanked and finally called with AQ.

Next up on Thursday is the $2000 NL Holdem event.  Hopefully better news to report then.

Arrived Monday afternoon and basically spent most my day getting settled in here.  Played a bit of 80-160 and lost a little then decided to get some rest for my first day of tourneys.

Today was the $1,500 NL event.  It drew about 3000 players I think.  I was out early level 2.  We started with 4500 in chips and basically my day was two hands.  With about 4000 at the 50-100 level one of the pretty bad player opens in MP for 300.  I call in the cutoff with 99.  The BB moves in for 1700, and after the initial raiser folds I call pretty quickly after getting a count.  He has QJs and wins the race when a Queen flops.

My bustout hand was maybe slightly more interesting.  Same level, I’m down to about 2100 in the SB.  Cutoff open limps, Brandon Cantu limps on the button behind him, I call with Jc9c in the SB and the BB checks.  Flop comes 9d8d6c.  I check, BB checks, the cutoff who has a pretty decent stack bets 500 into the pot of 400 and Cantu folds.  This is a pretty crappy spot to be in.  If I have more chips I can probably just fold here but I think with my stack size here and top pair with a playable kicker and 2 backdoor draws I just have to go ahead and stick it in which I do.  The BB folds and the bettor calls with AA and I don’t improve.

My buddy Brian just busted about the same time, so we both sign up for tomorrow’s event then head over to Bellagio for cash games.  When we arrive, I find out they are having daily $1000 tournaments at 2:00 and allow buyins until 6:00 or so.  So I buy in mid second level and get the full 10k stack with 50-100 blinds so its not too bad.  My table is really soft including the old guy who just keeps open shoving for 100+ blinds when he gets a big pair and then shows it.  Well played, sir.   Not a whole lot interesting here.  I bleed off some chips early.  Then at 100-200 I open raise with 8d6d and get one caller.  We get it all in on the Jd 6c 4d flop.  He has AcJs so I’m actually a small favorite but miss everything and bust.

I then get into the 80-160 game sitting next to Brian.  We chat a little, he wins his baseball bets (yay!), and I get involved in some of the strangest hands I’ve played recently.   UTG+1 open raises, lady calls, I call in BB with AdJd.  Flop KJx all spades and its checked around.   Turn is some random non spade low card, I bet and both call.   River is another random low non spade card, I bet and get called in both spots.  UTG shows AK (wtf!) and lady mucks.

A few hands later, one limper I raise with AdKh, the AK idiot calls as does the BB and the limper.   Flop comes Kd9d2h.  Checked to me, I bet, idiot raises, lady cold calls, I 3 bet and both call.  Turn 3d.  Lady checks, I bet, idiot calls, lady folds.  River Jh.  I bet, idiot thinks for several seconds and calls…. I show my hand and he shows QdTd!!!!!!  WOW.  Just WOW!  I play a couple more orbits and with my head spinning I go back to my room to rest up for Wednesday’s event.  A rough start to the week but a long way to go.  Hopefully better luck tomorrow.

I am heading out Monday for Vegas for my first leg of the WSOP.  I will be there for 8 days playing pretty much everything I can find the time to play and will try to update here as much as possible.   Stay tuned!