Vegas June 2017 (WSOP)

Day 6 - A rough day at Aria

Last Updated: 2017-06-20 13:52:01

As great as the first three poker days of the trip were, the 4th day was just brutal. This is gonna be short because there just isn't much to tell.

I was filled with confidence going into the seniors event at Aria. In the few I've played in I've been fairly successful and as I mentioned in yesterday's BLOG I've generally felt I had a decent advantage over the field. Dunno if I'm right or wrong about that, would need an unbiased opinion on it, but it doesn't matter a whole lot if the cards don't cooperate at least a little...

15 minutes in I'm down 2K in chips, the biggest loss for me came when someone raised into me and I reraised with AK off. Button called as did the original raiser. Flop came 7-8-9 with two clubs, I got out of the way as the other two went at it. At the end of the hand the original raiser drew out a straight with pocket 6's, but it was the other guy who led out on the river with a busted straight and flush draw with A-J of clubs. I was fairly surprised that the guy who caught the straight just called instead of raising the river, with two sixes the only hand he should have been worried about was specifically T-J so IMHO he missed some value on the end. This is why I feel good about playing in these, as I think about it you see a lot of missed value opportunities in these senior tournaments. Anyway...

Later I lost the minimum to the same guy when he flopped a set of 6s (as I eventually learned) while I flopped top pair and rivered top two pair with A-Q suited. But losing the minimum means I was down to 12K of my 20K starting stack about 30 minutes into the tournament.

It never got any better. Couldn't steal a pot, couldn't hit a flop, couldn't get a fold on a continuation bet. Down to just 7700 at the first break.

Eventually I got all in with A-Q, ran into A-K and I was done just 2.5 hours in. I really don't believe I won more than three pots and none of any significance. What can you do...

With an afternoon to kill Joann and I did our liquor run at Total Wine and More. We stocked up for the year plus I have to fill up the brand new bar in our basement with some things we don't necessarily drink very often but we'll be well stocked for any guests going forward.

Dinner at the Bellagio Buffet. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think we're done with the place. A few years ago I would have told you it was the best buffet around.

They've made all the drinks self serve. So now I'm supposed to tip someone who doesn't even keep my drink full for me any more? All they have to do for my extra money is grab a few plates off our table once in a while? No, Sheryl, if you're reading I'm not going to stop tipping... I'm just not going in the first place :-(

The food was just OK, but they've shrunk the number of things to choose from. For example there were fewer options at the carving station. They used to usually do exotic stuff like venison or bison for dinner service, when they didn't they would have several options at each carving station instead of one or two as was the case this time. We paid $45 a head for what didn't appear to be any different from their less expensive lunch selection. Very disappointing, definitely not worth what we got charged.

And I have to get my own drinks? Seriously? This is B-E-L-L-A-G-I-O, people!!!

On to the 7pm. I thought the seniors event went poorly...

Registered about 10 minutes late and I was alternate 37. Didn't sit down until about an hour after I registered.

A little frustration before I even sat down. They only have so many tables, the seniors event was down to 83 players when I registered. They're 10-handed, so every time they get down to a multiple of 10 they can break down a table and start up a new table for alternates for the 7pm. Given a choice, I'd much rather sit at a brand new table with equal chip stacks.

They get down to 80 and alternates 15-24 get to sit down. That was a nice chunk ahead of me gone!

Then they get down to 70 and they're still on alternate 28 so I'm getting my new table. Great!

But...no table break. Down to 68. Still no table break. Down to 67. No table break...and they send all the seniors players out on a break. WTF?!?!?!?

They've got all these people standing around waiting to get into this tournament (I KNOW the waiting list was well into the 60's and probably 70s-80s, and people are already starting to ask for refunds) and they can't get a table broken down before the break to get people more seated?

I'll say this, I saw the three tournament directors immediately have a conversation when that break started and it looked a lot like one of them was talking TO another one as opposed to talking WITH him, so maybe "she" was explaining to "him" what should have happened there...

And I'm not getting my new table. While the seniors are on break my number gets called. That parts not a big deal, really, but it's not my preference and in the context it's annoying.

I sit down, first hand I'm late to act in the 4 seat. 1 seat raises out, I look down at pocket queens. I want to be heads up in this spot so I repop it. Folds around to 1 seat, he reluctantly calls. A-high flop. Of course. Gotta see if he has an ace, I bet, he calls. Yup. Check it down, he shows his A-9, I'm down 4K first hand out of the gate. Awesome.

I'd certainly accept the argument I should have fired another bullet on the end but my sense was that this guy looked like he probably wasn't folding any ace in that spot. Obviously I know now with just a 9 kicker there's a reasonable chance would have, but he easily could have had a better kicker than he did and could have been slow playing two pair (board was all small-to-middle) so I think it was wise to give up on that one.

Something like 40 card-dead minutes later I pick up QQ again. I get 1000 chips out of them (blinds plus a limper all folded). Very next hand give 700 back with AK.

BUT...FINALLY...

Pocket 10's, I just call a raise preflop. Flop 10-high, I check, original raiser c-bets, I call. Check-check ace turn. I lead out on a river that was a straight card for 2200 or so, dude goes over the top for more than half my stack, I shove because I'm not buying he has a straight...he tank-folds. He was probably getting 5-1 or better on the call, but I give him credit for the discipline.

All downhill from there tho. Not a lot of cards, couldn't buy a pot, got check-raised a couple of times on C-bets. Down to 11,800 at the second break (first break had been about 15 mins after I sat down). Down to 15 bigs after the break, shoved over the top of a guy who had been playing about 40% of hands with KQ suited...and run into QQ. Of course he had QQ in that spot.

Case Q on the river. Nothing like a little overkill.

As I type this I'm planning to play in the WSOP Stud 8/b tournament at 3pm. I'm still mentally waffling on it but Joann is saying to go for it so I'm probably going to head over soon to register early since they're running a $1K event at 11am. It will probably be a zoo over there today.