WSOP Summer Part 1: The Grind Begins
- Puddnhead
- Jul 23, 2024
- 11 min read
Updated: Jul 30, 2024
Day 2
Arrived yesterday and got setup for a WSOP Fantasy draft I’m commissioning online. That was fun. Nick Hammer drafted all boomers. I drafted NACHO fucking Barbero. My team is cooler.
After the Wolves game headed out to Paris via the monorail which will be my primary mode of transportation this trip. I’m one of 3 people who use it. It rules. I wish it went downtown.
Tracked down David ODB Baker and handed over $525 for my ODB fantasy league team. Lineup on that one is Benny Glaser, Ren Lin, Adam Friedman, Landon Tice, Brock Wilson, Andrew Lichtenburger, Qiang Xu, and Erik Seidel.
Then I verified my ID with WSOP’s fast track whatever. Gave it a test run by registering for a $200 nightly and trying to print out my ticket. Didn’t work. Had to go back to the desk and have them print it for me. So I’m not optimistic it will work today. Hope I don’t have to stand in a huge line to get my seat ticket.
Min-cashed the $200 nightly. Got coolered with 2 tables left A9s < A6o, then incorrectly jammed 4bb HJ with 76s to bust. Upon review this morning I see that I should fold there.
Up next today is a $500 WSOP freezeout and if that doesn’t work out a $400 2-day at MGM that has a 6pm flight.
Day 3
Yesterday was humbling. Played the WSOP $500 freezeout and just ran bad early. Top boat vs quads then top pair vs flush draw and out.
I did a lot of walking getting groceries and was completely exhausted when I got back to my room finally but went back out to MGM and played the night flight of a $400 2-day anyway. That seems like a mistake.
Pretty unhappy with my play in that one. 2 bullets. Second bullet the deck was hitting me in the face and I still didn’t bag. Made a couple bad calls. Missed a couple bluff spots. Wasn’t taking notes on players. Wasn’t paying much attention to hands I wasn’t in.
I’ll try not to repeat those mistakes. No more walking around with groceries for miles then trying to play poker at night. Addressing the bad calls is more complicated but I’ll work on it.
Today I’m in the $1,000 Mystery Millions. Up to to 50k off a 40k starting stack at the first break. Joe Cada is at my table. I’m in a MN pool for this one so my upside is capped. It’s 14 players and we’re chopping any winnings over $10k. So I’m incentivized to not fire more than 2 bullets which is the minimum required. I may fire 3 anyway. Or hopefully just bag on this first one.
Day 4
Ran bad yesterday.
In the Mystery Millions played a big 3b pot where I started with 38bb and AKo. Took a king high flop with an SPR of 1 and checked back. Villain led a turn 8 for quarter pot and I called. River was a blank and villain led for 18% pot. I raised most of it, he called with a set of 8s, and I busted shortly thereafter.
Watched the Timberwolves take a beating then took the bus downtown and fired a $250 2-day at Golden Nugget several times and ran like absolute shit. Lost every flip and an AJo < K2o plus running AKo into AA. I guess that’ll happen.
Today I’m back in the Mystery Millions with 60k on the first break coming back to 300/600. Good table. Lots of soft spots and one gorgeous lady from L.A.
Day 6
Took it easy yesterday and just played a $240 triple draw mix tournament in the evening at the Orleans. Didn't cash but had a good time and I think I'm getting the hang of those games. Also since it was at Orleans I went to a movie after. Furiosa was awesome. Exceeded expectations.
Today will be more chill and just playing online at the hotel. I satellited into a $1k this morning so I'll be playing that and there's a $400 online bracelet event this afternoon and I'll hop in that too.
Feeling pretty good even though I haven't sniffed a bubble in the bigger tourneys I've played so far. I'll be back in the live streets tomorrow.
Lost big on ACR. Brutal cooler in a $1k I sattied into where a guy was blasting with a gutter and made it on the river to give me 2 pair when the flush draw bricked.
Lost big on WSOP. Cashed a $215 mystery bounty but made a bad call ITM chasing a bounty with JTo vs a 10bb jam when I only had 20bb. Fired 3 bullets in the $400 PKO bracelet event and bricked. First one there was some cooler. The other two bullets nothing memorable.
Day 7
Busted the WSOP $1500 6-max level 4 allin with KK vs 99 on a flop of 874tt 🤮 for heaps 🤮 9 on the river 🤮
Went over to the Venetian to play an MSPT instead of rebuying for a change of scenery.
Week 1 was a bust. Week 2 off to a 🤮 start.
WSOP $1500 6-max: Coolered for heaps early in the day KK vs 99 on 874.
Venetian $1600: Spazzed it off with K5s 4b jam lost to QQ
Wynn $1100 Turbo 100k daily: Spun up a big stack before registration closed but lost a huge pot QJo vs AQo on a queen-high board where I turned an open-ender and jammed. It was a mistake. I should just call turn and still lose a lot of chips but I can check back some rivers and fold some rivers.
Also busted on a bad jam with 66 and 16bb vs UTG8. This should just be a call although it's close, and then fold to the BB jam.
Did chop up a $25k bounty in the mystery bounty pool.
Day 8
Well I’m 2/2 in the daily deep stacks at the WSOP.
No luck in the WSOP $1k Super Turbo Bounty this morning.
Got some Taco Bell and hopped in the $250 daily deep stack at the WSOP. Currently in the money with 127 left and avg chips - which is a whopping 12bb. So this could end soon.
I’m not even all that happy with my play. Mostly because of one hand where I turned the nut straight and then on the river a flush came in. An older guy led into me big and I snap-called. I think I should have taken my time and found the fold. It would have been a tough fold because there was even a lower straight possible on the river. But this guy almost always has a flush there. No way he would be bluffing enough to make it a call. I need to be better in these spots.
Anyway $29k up top and still a chance at that.
Day 9
Skipping the $800 WSOP deep stack to play a $340 triple draw mix tourney at Golden Nugget this morning. Not off to a hot start here at the first break but I’m playing fine.
Not sure what I’ll get into after this. Depends when I bust I suppose.
Last night I had a deep run in the $250 daily deep stack at the WSOP which it turns out is a pretty good tournament. I got 30th out of 1,014 and had a sweat for a final table which is nice. It’s super turboey though with an avg stack 12-15bb the last several hours so you just need to win your flips and I lost the last one.
Anyway we roll on. Back to within budget after firing big on Monday. Long ways to go.
I had heaps a few levels ago but I’m down to peanuts here on the 3rd break in the triple draw tourney. 50ish players and 15 get paid. I could still get hot and spin it up but things are looking grim at the moment.
Doubled up to stay alive with 48 left. Still only 6 big bets.
Caught a card on the 3rd draw to double up and stay alive again. 8 big bets with 36 players remaining
Big upswing just before dinner break. Coming back to 13 big bets in 40 minutes with 30 players left
We’re 5 off the money now and I have heaps again. 21 big bets
We’re on the stone bubble now and I have above avg but there’s a bigger stack to my right
I got a KO and in the money! First non-holdem cash I’ve ever had I think. Now to ship this thing…
Tucker Germain - noice
We’re on break with 12 left. I still have above avg with 12 big bets but I lost a big pot before the break in A-5 where I think I could have saved a bet.
I raised after the first draw with 5-4-2-A-x and got 3-bet. Bricked the 2nd draw and called a big bet. I think I should actually fold there.
Guy at my table was saying he would have paid it off too but the thing is if this guy doesn’t have bluffs then he always has a made 6 or better and my draw to a 6 might not even be good because it’s not the nut 6. A lot of the time I’m dead to 3 outs to the wheel. I think I could have saved a bet. Anyway I bricked the 3rd draw and folded and he showed a wheel.
Jason Krpan - Pho-llowing this closely. Because I’m eating Pho
Nick Hammer - Hurry up and win
5 left now and I’m 3rd in chips.
Right before break I got all-in and made a wheel in 2-7 to survive.
Took 2nd place ICM chop for $7,320. First big cash of the trip!
Nick Hammer - There we go
Day 10
On a bit of a hot streak here with back to back cashes.
Today on the encouragement of some MN poker folks I’m parlaying my score in the Golden Nugget triple draw mix into an entry in a $1500 2-7 triple draw bracelet event. If that’s a disaster there’s a 6pm flight for a $400 2-day at MGM that’s on my radar.
It would be pretty funny to final table a 2-7 bracelet event before I ever final table a holdem bracelet event after putting thousands of hours into studying holdem and like 5 hours into studying 2-7 triple draw.
Played all goddman day and busted 20 minutes before the end of day 1. Played alright, not great. Learned a couple things.
Day 11
After playing like 24 hours of triple draw over the last 48 it’s back to good old no limit holdem.
Sitting here in a sea of shitty poker players in the WSOP $300 Gladiator. The dealers are noobs, the bathroom lines are long, and nobody ever knows when it’s their turn to pay the blinds. It’s the World Series of Poker baby!
Was super tired and did not play great. Lost all my chips in a pretty reasonable spot. AKs with flush and straight draws as 3b aggressor on QT7T. Solver doesn't like leading turn as a jam but solver is never folding with this hand even against a jam so whateva. Made a good decision to rest up and not play any more poker. Made a bad decision to dump $550 in the pit.
Day 12
Already fired one bullet in the $300 Gladiator and busted. Feeling great and playing great today though, so instead of rebuying I’m heading over to the Wynn for an $1100 daily.
The Wynn will have a tougher field but it’s hard to get too pumped about grinding 15 hours in the Gladiator and probably cashing $1000 at best.
In other news I currently have the top 2 entries in ACR’s $100 WSOP fantasy league. I entered 5 teams in that one. So might have a sweat there but a long way to go.
My first table here at the Wynn is actually very soft but I’ve been running bad so far and down to half starting. I hope I don’t bust here. It would be a shame to waste this table draw.
And immediately busted. Squeezed KK in the BB, only SB fish calls. He jams on 974tt with 97o and holds 🤮
WSOP $300 Gladiator: Lost most of my chips calling a limp-raise with QJs and then paying off top set with 2nd pair
MGM $500 PLO Mystery Bounty: Played a little tighter than most preflop but was again a calling station postflop and made some horrendous calls
Wynn $1100 daily: First bullet I busted on a cooler. 2nd bullet I had a stack at points but again called it off bad 3 times and missed the money.
Day 14
Yesterday was grind online day and lost money betting basketball. Came out ahead on ACR with 2 cashes and a final table but lost money on the day firing several bullets in an online bracelet event and the aforementioned dumb bet on the Mavs.
Today I’m playing an $800 daily at Aria, probably hop in a WSOP daily if I brick this one.
Just on a starting stack at the first break but happy with my play. Took a good line in a 3b pot where I c-bet with top pair on the flop then checked back turn when my opponent made a straight and was able to find the fold on the river when he led for half pot. Good stuff.
Aria $800 daily: Played well. No dice.
MGM $240 bounty: Final tabled. 8th place for $525
Day 15
Switched rooms this morning and it’s a definite downgrade. I can hear the people the next room over talking at normal volume. So that’s going to be annoying.
Took the morning off of poker but came out to MGM for the 6pm flight of an MGM $400 2-day and I’m playing the most dogshit poker I’ve played all summer. I guess I’m tired? Calling it off with the next to no equity, picking horrible spots to bluff. I just had a huge stack and bluffed it all off vs a guy who I had seen not take an obvious bluff spot earlier who in this hand led into me in a 3b pot. Just a pathetic showing tonight.
I still have a bit above a starting stack here on bullet #3.
Opened AJo BTN off 25bb, SB jams his last 6bb blind, I call. He flips up 88 and flops a set. I deserved that one.
Calmed the fuck down and caught some cards. Chip leading the flight now on level 12 with double day 2 avg chips
Stone bubble and I have about what I had when I took the last picture, after lots of fireworks. Had it up over 600k, back down to 434k now.
Interesting bubble dynamic where we have an absent player at my table with 3.8bb. So everyone could guaranteed fold into the money if they fold 2 orbits. I’m guessing somebody else bubbles.
First bag of the summer
Day 16
Day 2 of a $400 2-day at MGM today. I have 450k and in good shape. Probably going to play a daily deep stack at WSOP after this unless I final table it and am here all day.
50 players left on the first break, coming back to 520k at 5k/10k blinds. I had it up to 670k but doubled a guy up with 2nd pair top kicker vs his top pair.
Over a million with 33 left
We’re redrawing with 3 tables left. Up to a 4 figure score but still not in the black for my 3 bullets.
23 left and I’m officially in the black but I just doubled up an 11bb stack ATs < JJ and down to 34bb
Ug just turned the nuts against a strong player and barreled and he tank-folded. On break with 700k coming back to 15k/25k and 23 players left
Won a nice one right out of the break with A6o multiway where I made trip 6s on a pretty scary board and up to 1.15 million
Nick Hammer - Mike Wilklow that's sick phat titties
Big KO JJ > 77 to send me over 2 milly and bring us down to 2 tables
Holy shit just caught a huge punt. Raised A4s btn, SB 3-bet 3x, I called. KQ4tt flop and I had the nut flush draw. SB bets, I raise 3x, he snap-jams. I’m expecting a huge flip and instead he flips over ATo no flush blocker. Over 4 million with only 15 million in play.
On break with 11 left and I have 4.55 milly out of 15.1 milly total in play
Final table now. 9th place is $3,255
KOed a guy 2nd hand of final table KK > A7o. Chip lead grows.
7 left
Got another KO. 6 left
Tucker Germain - dude! Awesome!
5 left
4 left but I’m no longer chip leader. 2.9 million
I’m the short stack now with 8.5bb. Going to need a double here soon.
Busted 4th for $10,205 - A8s < QQ. Flopped the ace and the flush draw to go with it for max pain. Runner runner straight got me.
Tucker Germain - bummer way to go out but nice run and cash dude.
Camren Wiswell - Nice cash Mike!
Comments