A few weeks ago, I posted on a heads up match I had with a spider in a rented car. I'm happy to report that I've returned the car in question to Enterprise and picked up my new rig, a Lexus RX400 hybrid. It's a little soccer mom-ish but it's quiet, surprisingly quick and doesn't beat the crap out of the planet. Plus the folks at Lexus gave me a stupid good price...





Hope everyone had a good holiday!

Edmond

Cliff notes: Edmond plays the WBPT tournament at the Venetian. Busts out with A4o. Watches flight attendants play slots at the airport.


The event

Last week, I was chatting online with one of the folks that run The Poker Atlas and she mentioned the 4th Annual WPBT Holiday Classic at the Venetian on Saturday and suggested I play it. The last blogger tournament I entered was a complete embarrassment documented by Swami54 so the thought of any kind of redemption was compelling. I brushed aside the notion that she might be trying to pull more dead money into the prize pool and told her to put me on the list. Besides what better opportunity to display my superior tournament skills than before a hundred or so scribes committed to documenting hee-haw moves?

The tournament was organized by John "Falstaff" Hartness, a popular blogger. He knew many of the participants and somehow managed to convince 110 entrants to pass on the other big blood sport events in town this weekend--the Bellagio Five Diamond series, the Hatten/Mayweather fight and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Adanthar and SirWatts were over at the $5K Bellagio event, of course, but my skills and bankroll were better suited to this kiddie game down the street so I had a look around.

The overall tone of the event was social—lots of hugs, inside jokes and references to drunken binges. These writers knew each other or all went through rehab together at one point. Entrants included such blogging notables as Dr. Pauly (Tao of), Amy (Aimlessly Chasing), Change100, The Rooster, Miami Don et al.

Falstaff's blog characterizes him as a poker player/redneck, but on Saturday he was sporting a kilt. I thought it was a fine choice for the event, but, however bold, it a little out of character given the description. I know a lot of rednecks and I’m confident that none would be caught dead in a skirt, albeit a leather on, and never at a poker tournament. “Poker player/barbarian” might be a more accurate description of Falstaff, but in any event, he was well-qualified to host this event.


The Venetian

After socializing a little bit, I got a Venetian player card and paid my entry fee. On a whim, I asked the staffer taking my player card info if he wanted my email address. He declined, “Nah…don’t need it.” and continued typing. I think the Venetian folks are more savvy than most, but his reaction was indicative of the gap in thinking about most casino marketers. Five years from now, most marketing will be web-based and the guys who prepare for it will have the advantage. For now, though, I’ll be getting direct mail not spam from the Venetian.

The Venetian is one of my favorite rooms in Las Vegas. It’s a large, elegant semi-enclosed space with 39 tables. The staff is friendly, wait-lists are automated, there’s a comfortable waiting area and the tables and chairs are in top-notch shape. There are about 26 or so flat screen TVs, 21 of which typically have sports running with the balance used to show wait-lists or tournament status. Here's a look at the room...




At 12:30p on Saturday, they had the following games running…

5 tables of 1/2 NL
2 tables of 2/5 NL
1 table of 25/50 NL
1 table 4/8

There was a list for 5/10 and 50/100; the 5/10 NL game got down later in the day.

The poker room is located directly across from the sportsbook (Patriots – 10.5, obv) and adjacent to the NoodleAsia restaurant (good food, slow service; try the moo shu chicken). In any event, it was a good choice for this event—nice room, plenty of space and a staff that seemed happy to have the added activity. I’d recommend the room to another group looking to have a private tournament in Las Vegas.


And they’re off!

At 3p, the 110 entrants were cut loose with 6000 chips, 25/50 blinds and 30-minute levels. I was seated at table 14, seat 3. On my left was Amy from Aimlessly Chasing fame and on my direct right was an Asian guy in a saber tooth lime tee-shirt. Amy’s a successful poker writer (Bluff, PokerNews, PokerPages et al.) and is now in the process of writing a book on Mike Matusow.

Over the course of our conversation/table time, I learned that Amy lives in Austin, TX (see also, nath), she has one of the few known photos of Andy Beal, recently performed a radio duet with Barbara Enright, is a tight player but will shove second pair top kicker to a button raiser and Matusow owns three cats. I’m just a sponge at the table, obv.

I also had one active player wearing Full Tilt garb two to my left. Within a few hands of the starting gun, he lost most of his stack when he played 52 from the small blind to a stiff MP raise and got it all in with turned trips against a turned boat.

After the hand, he complained about how “horribly he runs.” Yes, it’s amazing how poorly you can run when you play a 2-gap suited connector, 5-high, out-of-position. But as is often the case when someone “runs bad”, I stepped in to get him back on track.


Edmond helps a player in need

A few hands later, FT guy had doubled up but was still pretty short. With the blinds still at 25/50, he raised from EP to 150. There was one caller to me on the dealer button with 55. I called and we saw a flop. Pot was 500-ish.

Flop was AK5. Nothing wrong with that, obv.

The shorty/raiser checked and the caller behind bet 300. I begged the gods to please let one of these guys have a big ace and raised to 1000. Short-stack called (WTF?) and the other guy folded.

The turn blanked and shorty shoved all-in for 750. I called with bottom set, of course, and he flipped up a set of aces. Oh, nifty. The first hand I play is set over set confrontation with the guy I’ve pegged as an indiscriminate donkey. I’m now sitting with about 4000 chips. Excellent.

Shortly, thereafter, a player at my table was the first out from the tournament and was awarded a DVD of Gigli for his ill-timed semi-bluff, flush draw shove. Not sure if it was the full or wide-screen version.


It’s about giving back

We moved on to level 2 and with the blinds at 50/100, I was on the DB with 33. Three players limped to me, I called and the big blind (my set v set nemesis) checked his option. Call the pot 600.

The flop was K36. Cool. My nemesis (the BB here) bet out 400. Oh, really? It folded around to me and I re-raised to 1200. He shoved (uh oh…here we go again) and I called expecting a set of sixes or a 45 draw. My people reading skills need some work—he showed KTo drawing pretty much dead. Blank, blank and he was on fumes and again, beefing about how poorly he runs.


Overbetting, it’s what I do

A few hands later I had AJ in middle position and raised to 350. The DB called and we had an 8500 pot. The flop came AKJ and I opted to bet out 750. He folded before I could even get the chips out. Bah…I guess it’s better than seeing action from a flopped straight.

After an uneventful level, we took a 10-minute break and came back to 100/200/25 ante. I was comfortable with 8000 chips but it was gonna start sorting out here pretty quickly.

Still at 100/200/25, a EP guy raised UTG to 650. I called from the CO with 88.

Flop was JA5, two hearts. He checked to me. I bet 1200 and took the pot. What? Of course I hit that flop…

A couple of hands later, a short-stack limped to me with AKo. I raised to 650 expecting to see a shove but he folded. Can someone please have a hand?


My end game reveals itself yet again

I treaded water throughout the remainder of the level and had 9000 chips when the blinds spiked to 200/400/25. Within moments I managed to bleed off a quarter of my chips with the following hand.

Limped to me with 87 on the DB and unwilling to fold or raise like someone that’s read Bond18's tournament series, I called and saw an A75 flop with two other players. They both checked to me and I took this as an invitation to bet 1500 into a 2500-ish pot. Both quickly called. Ok, gross…done with this suited POS. Next card was a blank…check, check, check. Ok, please let me show down my eights. No such luck…one of the other players potted the river and I bailed.

After that shameful mess, I was down to 6000 chips and found myself in middle position with A7. I raised to 1200 and the player two to my left made the “Well, I guess this is where I go home” speech which, based on his breezy confidence moving his chips in, I translated “I have A8o+” and folded. Down to 4000 chips. Crap.

The blinds worked around to me…no spot to shove…J2 with a raise in front…53s UTG…now I was in the big blind. The table folded to the SB who’d given me a walk at least twice in the last level. No such luck now…he raised. I looked down at A4, shoved and he insta-called called with K9.

55/45…I’ll take it.

Q22KT. Ok, great…nice playing with you guys. I shook everyone’s hand and packed up my stuff. I briefly contemplated beating on a cash game but knew it would just culminate in a bad hangover and odd sports bets. I opted instead to head back to the airport and catch the 9p flight home.


Fleeing the scene

I’m pretty sure there’s nothing more depressing than waiting for a plane in the Las Vegas airport on a Saturday night after busting out of a tournament. The gate area was deserted except for four flight attendants playing slots and one-by-one some stragglers showed up to catch the flight. And as I was recapping the day on my laptop it occurred to me, what’s more depressing…playing airport slots on a Saturday night or observing and writing about it? I’m gonna go with the latter. Whatever, it’s material…

Edmond


Afterword: You can read a brief recap of the final table here...Tao of Poker