Vegas June 2023 (WSOP)

Day 7 - Aria 8-Game Mix

Last Updated: 2023-06-14 11:46:51

Another nice run, but just short for the second day in a row.

I slept in after being up until 3am the night before, and Joann went to the pool herself because I wanted to buy in around the start of this one at 11am. Didn't actually get down there until quarter after 11, but there was no line at the buyin cage and I actually got an unsold seat. When I bought in there were only 55 players, a little disappointing, but I knew it would grow.

Also notable that we were playing 7-handed instead of 6-handed. This is only potentially an issue for 2-7 Triple Draw because you normally play that 6-handed since so many cards get used. Sometimes they have to reshuffle the deck even at 6-handed because there aren't enough cards, so you worry there will be a lot of reshuffling 7-handed. Only happened one time in all the time I played tho, so not really an issue.

Hardly played a hand before getting moved to create a new table, I believe I played a couple of the aforementioned 2-7 that didn't work out and was down to 26k of my 30k starting stack.

My first two big pots came just before the first break.

First I drew out an 8-6 low playing 2-7 to beat an 8-7 that had patted the last draw.

Then playing Omaha 8/b I raised out with A-2-4-8 with hearts, flop came 679 with two clubs. I check call a bet, a 5 comes giving me a straight and a nut low. I lead out on the turn and the river 4, get called both times and scoop!

Then the final hand before the break I picked up half of a 3-handed pot playing 3-3-4-8 (kids, don't try this at home..) and flopped a set that held up in spite of flush possibilities on the board. I was correct they both had A-2 and not a whole lot else so I quartered them.

34,400 at the break after being down to half my 30k starting stack at some point before that late run. And we were up to 93 players and rising.

Playing limit hold'em I get hammered on back-to-back hands playing JJ and TT. Both times I raise out early to act, with the jacks I get two callers and they both flop a king. I did call the flop bet, but went away on the turn when there was a raise and a re-raise. Then with the 10s one caller, I bet every street and just got called on an ace-high flop until I check-called the river ... and he was playing 5-4 suited, flopped a pair, turned flush and straight draws and caught two-pair on the river. Ugh.

2-7 generally was not kind to me. First I lost a hand that was bet every draw and checked down on the river with my 8-7-6-5-3 losing to 8-7-6-3-2. Then I was drawing to the nuts after the first draw but bricked the second and third draws.

Down to just around 14k at that point.

Once again, tho, just before the break I had a great run of cards. Playing 7-card stud I rivered a flush in a big 3-way pot and then twice caught two-pair to take down a couple of medium sized pots (folded out my opponent before the river both times I believe).

Back up to 34,600 at the break.

Final tally was 125 players paying 17 places.

Drop 10k from my stack playing NLH when I flop an open ender and two overs but miss the turn and river, but get most of it back in a Razz hand where my 9-low was good.

Flop a set in limit hold'em and can't get paid, catch an 8-perfect (8-5-4-3-2) on first draw in 2-7 but other guy drawing two and goes away after second draw.

Then, finally, a monster pot goes my way.

Playing 2-7 with 2-2-5-7-T I call a raise and there is another caller so 3-handed. We always like when we can discard a card other people will want, especially a 2 or a 7! We're at 1500/2500/2500 blinds and antes so the raise was to 5000.

Everyone draws 2 and I catch a 6 and a blank. Since I improved and they drew 2 I lead out for 2500, person in the middle calls, original raiser makes it 5000, guy in the middle decides not to call another bet.

I spike a 3 on the turn giving me the 3rd nuts. I lead out again, this time he calls and draws one again. Since I'm first to act I throw out the river bet before he even gets his card, he calls and doesn't like the bad news I give him...

Just like that my stack is just under 60k.

Chopped up a couple of 3-handed stud 8/b pots, on the second one I was convinced I was freerolling a guy who was showing a couple of 9s while I had a made low and was betting every street. In the end he ended up spiking a slightly better low but I caught two-pair. I also had straight and flush outs, but if I had missed everything my pair to that point would have lost to the 9s and that would have been a huge loss for me.

3 hands before the next break playing PLO and I'm in the big blind. The relatively short stacked button min-raises to 3k. I should point out that for "big bet" games the blinds and antes are roughly half what they are for the limit games, so even tho we're at 1500/3000/3000 for limit games we're only playing 800/1500/1500 for PLO and NLH (this is standard for 8-game mix tournaments).

Small blind folds, I look down at A-K-K-T with two hearts and pot it to 9800. He calls off around half his stack.

Flop comes 2-7-J with two hearts, easy all-in for me, he shrugs and calls and turns over A-Q-J-small with no hearts.

4 of hearts on turn seals it for me and I take out a short stack. Then I'm asked to buy up all the 100 chips since I already have a lot of them and I'm probably second in chips at the table at the time at 87k.

48 players left, 31 from the money. 78k is average stack so I'm in great shape.

Couple of 2-7 hands don't work out for me and I quickly drop to around 60k just after the break.

Lose 2-pair to better 2-pair in 7-card stud, down to 30k. Not good.

Chop an Omaha 8/b pot then take one down on the turn, back up to 40k and moving back in the right direction. Then a monster pot...

In the big blind again playing NLH at now 1500/2500/2500 a middle position player makes it 5500 to go and the small blind jams all-in and I look down at A-K. I snap call, original raiser folds and the small blind flips over K-10 suited.

Ace on the flop, ship it! Full double up! I'm back up around 90k just like that. And down to 34 players, half getting into the money now.

Pick up a few chips in Razz when my hand kept getting better and his kept getting worse, then pull off a big bluff.

Limit hold'em, the woman who replaced the guy I took out raises and I call in the small blind (guy who doubled me still between us) with 9-10 off. Big blind folds.

Flop came J-8-4 so an open ender for me, I check-call a bet.

Turn pairs the 8 and I lead out hoping to steal the pot. She frowns and calls.

River pairs the four and I snap bet.

She's disgusted, folds A-J face up. Whew!

I'm now at 145,500! Well above average stack of 110K. Fantastic shape! Until...

Same guy as last time, same game, worse result this time.

I start out with 2-7-2 in stud 8/b so I'm the bring-in. I defend when the guy with the 9s from before completes showing a 9 again just to see what happens.

I catch a four, him a face card. I check-call his bet.

I catch an ace on 5th street, he catches a middle card. I have to feel like I'm ahead and lead out, he calls.

I pair my four, I have two pair and a low draw, he catches another 9. I lead again, he calls.

I spike an ace on the river. I think I'm scooping this pot because he can't make a low and probably at best has two pair. I lead out, he raises. WTF. I call.

He rivered a 9-high straight. I get scooped. Half my stack dusted off.

15 from the money.

Blinds and antes take more of my chips, playing PLO in a blind I look down at J-3-J-3. I'm under 10 big blinds, call a min-raise against that same guy.

Flop 3-4-6, I flop a set but he leads out and I'm worried I'm up against a bigger set as he's not likely min-raising with a bunch of small cards.

He bets small, I call.

Turn is a jack! Can't be up against a bigger set now, I'm all in!

He has 2-5-X-X for a straight, board doesn't pair for me, done. 12 from the money.

Argh!

That was rough, but I don't think there's much I could have done differently. In these games you constantly have to put chips at risk on drawing hands, that's the nature of them.

And I'm going to do it again Wednesday!

TORSE at MGM Grand! HORSE with 2-7 triple draw in place of hold'em. Very much looking forward to this variation!

Oh and when I busted out it was early 3rd period in the Knights game, and Joann had just ordered herself some takeout dumplings. I ran up to the room, dropped my stuff, grabbed my tablet and briskly made my way to NYNY to get pizza before the game let out. It was already a blowout, Knights were clearly bringing Lord Stanley's Cup to Las Vegas, I needed to be there before the crowd.

Massive police presence, all of the crowd I saw was joyous but in good behavior. Unlike the city from which most of my sports teams hail from I doubt they had to grease up any lampposts to keep revelers from trying to climb them :-)