Today’s tounament sold out, but a miracle….

So Sunday was a day of rest – as I suppose is appropriate. I ended up spending the evening in my room catching up on emails, reading, and watching TV. Escaping the craziness of the casino was needed. I almost went down to register for today’s tournament but decided to do so this morning instead. I heard that they event were not selling out until just before start time.

This morning I was a bit slow to get going but finally went to register at about 9:30am. Sold out. Uh-oh. No late registrations, no alternates. I heard on Saturday that sometimes people will void themselves out of an event because they are still playing in another one or other reasons. I asked about the possibility. The guy behind the desk said it was a WAY long shot but if I was in the right place at the right time, maybe. Wait – so I just get back in line and hope that some random person voids out jut before I come back up? Ummmm.mm yup. Not too promising.

I decided to anyway. And by chance, one of the only people to void out was at the one (of 10) counter I went to RIGHT before me. So I took his spot. I’m probably one of only 2-4 peopl who were able to out of a few hundred who still wanted in. I’ll call it good luck and hope it continues.

The tournament starts in 40 minutes. I’m posting his from the poolside bat here at the Rio. It’s going to be 110 today but this dry heat isn’t so bad.

Until the next one….

Tournament #2 Today

My good friend Samir was out here in Vegas this weekend for a bachelor party. I met him up at Ghost Bar on the rooftop of the Palms Saturday night and we went out for a very late and fun night. Yesterday, Sunday, was a pure day of sleep, recovery, and relaxation – no poker, casino, or drinking for me.  Now it’s Monday morning and I’m about to go sign up for the noon tournament that is today. I was going to play on Saturday but it was sold out by the time I was there. I hope today’s is not sold out as of yet.  This is the same 2nd tournament that I post about below on my original planned schedule.

Tonight I’m going to head to my friend Amos’s house where I’m staying for the rest of my time here. I’ve been in the Rio hotel this weekend, where the WSOP is being held.

I hope everyone had a good weekend.  Happy Monday and to the shortened week.

 

 

A update on Friday’s tournament (and my bust out)

My last two posts were made from my phone during and just after I busted out of the tournament.  Here’s a bit of clarification:

 

So I found myself at a table with three major professional players. At the table when I started was David “The Dragon” Phan. I took the picture to the right from my seat at the table. I didn’t know him or recognize him at first but someone at the table filled me (I’m not sure if that was good or bad) during the just as the first break started. HERE is a brief bio on him.  Very quickly he was executing what is apparently his style: strong, aggressive poker. He tended to raise and re-raise MANY pots. This style is extremely effective but difficult to play well. Since you are raise and re-raising so often, you opponents know that many of those are without strong cards. So when he raises or re-raises you really have NO idea what he is actually holding. You cannot assume he has a strong hand. I fact, statistically, you know that more than half of them have to be mediocre holdings at best. The reason this can be so effective is that when you do have a strong – or absolute monster – hand, some of your opponents may think you are once again, raising with nothing.

 

 

Next to join the table was David Williams. This picture is also from my seat at the table. David is best known for finishing 2nd in the 2004 World Series of Poker (not 2005 as I posted before) and taking down $3.5 million for that showing. This was the year that Greg “Fossilman” Raymer won – he’s the guy that wore those crazy orange glasses with the animal eye reflection on them. Here’s a link on David.

 

 

 

A bit later, someone who I did recognize, know a bit about, and respect sat down immediately to my right: Howard Lederer. Many do not know that Howard is also Annie Duke’s brother. Annie is a top pros as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Phan had been executing his style like a master. He was pushing everyone around with constant raise and re-raises. I re-raised on top of him once or twice and took some chips away. I was holding my own, we were a few levels in, blinds were starting to move up. I knew that I needed to start building my chip stack or else I’d find myself in the very bad position of the blinds just eating me away too quickly. I looked down and found 10-10. David once again was raising, I re-raised before we saw the flop and he called. The flop brought a Jack and two lower cards – nothing scary and no flush draws (2 or three of the same suit, where you need to worry about an opponent getting a flush on you). David checked to me – not uncommon considering I was the raiser pre-flop. Considering his recent playing, I would have expected a bet had he had a jack. I bet, he called. He checked the turn as well. I hoped he didn’t have a jack after all and moved all in. He debated for a while but finally called with a jack and a low kicker (his second card, which plays if I also had a jack… the person with the higher second card sometimes wins depending on the hand).  The turn did not bring me another 10, so I was eliminated.

Later yesterday I played another smaller tournament and placed 45th our of 300, not quite good enough to cash. I then made back most of the money I spent on those two tournaments playing some cash game poker. “Cash game” is where you just sit down with actual cash (or chips representing actual cash) and play as long as you want. You leave anytime you want and if you want to put down more cash you can. Tournament, in contrast, have a set “buy in” amount that everyone pays. You then get a set number of chips which are “play money”. They do not represent actual cash. Everyone plays until there is one winner. Cash is paid out to the top 10% or so of players based on their finishing position. In a tournament, the most you can ever lose is the buy in amount and the most you can win is whatever is paid for first place.

I’m considering playing another event that is today since I’m not in day 2 of yesterday’s game.

More later.

Did anyone (Leigh Ann?) catch Martinez Sanchez’s match against Williams in Wimbledon? Wow.

And THAT was a quick tournament

Grrrrrr. David Phan, already with a monsterous chip stack was pushing everyone around, raising and re-raising no matter how strong or weak he was. I was up a bit when pocket 10s came. He called my raise. The flop came with one over card. I pushed, he called rather than re-raised. I pushed on the turn when no scare card came. He debated for a while and finally called with a jack and a weak kicker.

I’m going to go shake it off. I’m feel good about my play. Another day.

Later.

My first table – godd GOD!

Just my luck – sitting to my right: Howard Ledderer (sp?) – one of the best. Across the table – David Williams (2nd in the main event behind Greg Raimer in… What… 2006?) as well as David Chen – yet another pro. 2 hrs of play and I’m even on chips. Back to it. No fear.

Made it to Vegas

A very short post to say I made it to Veags. I’m now in my hotel room and have a few hours of work to do before getting some rest before starting the tournament tomorrow.
Most importantly, I’m posting this entry from my phone. I wanted to see if it worked for future updates.
Until tomorrow…..

My planned tournament schedule

Just a quick post for those curious about what I’ll be doing out there.  The World Series of Poker is actual over a month of poker tournaments – over 50 of them actually.  The full schedule can be found by clicking HERE.  I’m flying out tonight (Thursday) and plan on playing in two 3-day tournaments and then start the big Main Event.  Here’s the plan:

Friday – Sunday, June 27-29 (or until busted out): Event 48 – No Limit Hold Em

Monday – Wednesday, June 30 – July 2 (or until busted out): Event 52 – No Limit Hold Em

Thursday, July 3: World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold’em – Day 1A

July 4-7: Days 1B, 1C, 1D, and a break day – I do not play in the main event these day

July 8: World Championship – Day 2A (if I pass through Day 1A)

July 9: Day 2B (I do not play in the main event this day)

July 10 – 14: World Championship  Days 3-7

 

People are predicting between 7,000 – 10,000 players in the Main Event this year.  At the end of Day 7, there will be 9 players left – the FINAL TABLE.  In the past, there would be a one day break, then the final table. Then 2 months of TV editing, then broadcasting of the events in October or so onward.

This year is different: after Day 7, the tournament goes on pause for 4 months. 2 months of editing for TV and 2 months of broadcasting the events so the public can catch up.  Then the final table will be played for 2 days in November – the 9th and 10th. The 9th will play from 9 players down to 2.  The 10th will be heads up until there is one winner. I’m not clear yet on if those days in November are live or delayed broadcast. I would imagine they would be broadcast after the actual ending so that no one in the game has a chance to see what cards people were holding at this final table until it’s all over.

More later.

 

My 1st Blog Entry: World Series of Poker – the road here

My first blog. Oh yeah. Here we go.

First off, come back to http://howardconnell.wordpress.com/ as you wish as I’ll be posting updates as the events progress…..

As I write this, I’m feeling “old” for one of the first times I can remember.  I don’t know how to create a blog. Learning on the job – that’s what consultants do, right? Being behind the times makes me feel old (what’s an RSS feed anyway?) plus my body is racked with pain from my move this past weekend. 40 can’t be too far off.

With the World Series coming up, I thought this blog would be a good opportunity to catch up with the times while also keeping people up to date.  Who knows – maybe some random people will run into it as well. Might this prove to be a more effective medium than blanket emails? You tell me. This way, those who want to find out what I’m up to can but those who don’t need not be bothered by unwanted emails about the fun or depressing times I’m having when, in all actuality, you could give a rats ass about what I’m doing (but are too nice to say so).  So I guess emails would prove quite effective for those who do care and the blog simply exists for those who don’t care.  Now you don’t have to. Fine. Be that way.

So – for those of you who don’t know – on Thursday, June 26th I’m headed to Las Vegas until mid-July. But why, pray-tell, why oh WHY would someone enjoy themselves in Sin City, the barrage that is so purely and soley Las Vegas – what some consider to be a cacophonous hell hole of lights, glitter, debauchery, wasteful excess, drunken stupors, insane windfalls, and depressing stories of despair – for almost three weeks straight without even a travel companion? (I don’t count Angelina, my svelte, synthetic lover who folds up in my carry-on – and I don’t think you should either). Personally, I’ve come to enjoy that place in ways I never thought I would. A love of poker certainly helps. The smoke-free rules in all poker rooms and interesting caliber and type of player you find there – as opposed to in the rest of the casino – helps as well. Being a foodie and searching out great dining adds to the experience always. I do hate that it’s a wasteful island in the middle of the desert; maybe I could create a position or firm helping casino operators make their overall properties and operations more sustainable in the long run.  OK…. food for thought post-WSOP.

Well, to start,  I blame Lorenzo, Dan, Schwarzbart, Martin, Ben, Chen, Piazza, and my other buddies from business school as the instigators. Having seen a game or two on ESPN and hearing my buddy Charlie or cousin Travis talk about playing poker with their buddies, I had a feeling I’d enjoy playing “real” poker.  I’d only played the no-stakes 5-card draw games someone might start after hearts or gin was over. I wanted in.

Then the boys asked me to join. So – duh - I did. I learned the basics. Quickly. As I soon found out, basics don’t get you very far. It was my first game over at Dan and Devon’s place. Beer #1 (of many – the standard at these booze and betting evenings of manly fun) had just been cracked open and sipped. We’re just getting started and I get caught up in the excitement, not knowing what I was doing and called the famous “all-in” on Martin.  With nothing to show for it when he called. I immediately was both out of the game and exposed as a complete “rookie”.  OK – time to learn.

The next blame goes to Dan and Lorenzo who took me to the Oaks Card Room in Oakland for the first time a few months later. The Oaks is special place. I use “special” here in that same sense that you’d use it to describe a kid in the neighborhood who isn’t quite all there, scares you at times, ain’t exactly MIT material, but is a real sweetheart once you get to know him. You warm up to him after a bit. Then he’s just your favorite thing in the world before you know it.

I warmed up to the place, had a blast and, more than anything, was fascinated with the social aspect of this odd little place. People from all walks of life – and I mean all walks - sit at tables as equals competing, bantering, and generally having a great time. Factory workers, lawyers, Berkeley undergrads, hustlers, homeless, senior citizens, doctors, mechanics, sex workers, teachers, and everyone in between. You just never knew. But they were brought to common ground and equal footing at the poker table until someone showed you who was boss. Personality and skill were what mattered there – not what you did, where you came from, or what you looked like.  Oh – and to many of these characters it seemed that bling mattered. A great deal. Oh the bling! Gold rings, diamonds in gold rings, Rolexes, fake Rolexes, diamond earrings, necklaces, gold teeth (YEAH BABY!) and more. Themes of luck, money, and other classy touches really wooed me.  Hey everyone – do me a favor – if I ever pull out poker tainted bling or fashion – just go ahead and shoot me.

Marie, Tracy, and Sasha – my Berkeley grad school housemates – can attest that I spent a few late nights at the Oaks from time to time. There I was schooled a few too many times and – hating not being good enough to win but knowing it was a skill I could learn – it was time for studying and practice. 

Fast forward past graduation, a new job, and a move to Atlanta. While working in Omaha, Nebraska for six months in 2006 I was able to play No Limit Hold Em in a real casino for the first time and put my further studies to the tests.  Once or twice a week after work I’d head over to the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa and play in the poker room.  Stacy – a co-worker who I met at the tables before we even realized we were co-workers – showed me the true meaning of tight and aggressive poker during some of our nights there.

Fast forward to Spring 2007. Working on a project in Manhattan, I took advantage of being in the big city and stayed many weekends. One weekend I decided to head to Atlantic City for a day. Some tournaments that could lead to the World Series of Poker Main Event (a $10,000 entry fee) were going on so I thought I’d check it out. I entered into one tournament that day. About 200 people played. The top two finishers would win a full $10,000 entry. I was one of those two.

 

 

The picture above is of the Main Event room in 2007. The one to the left is me in the Cal hat at one of the tables on day one that year. Erick – my good buddy from Nashville – came to watch me play in and take photos of the WSOP last year. He’s a bad ass professional photographer – check out www.eafoto.com   

Out of 6,358 players, the top 621 would cash – or be “in the money”. 621st place was $20,000 – the minimum winning.  I ended up finishing in about 950th place by my calculations. Not a bad run for the first big tournament. Damn that hand, too……  AK of clubs just as I was needing to make a move – and was caught and smacked down by AA. Out of the tournament only hours before making the money. Reading it all back through, I should have been able to lay that hand down and assumed he had a big pair. It wasn’t time yet. I vowed to Erick that I would try to win my way back in again. That was just too damn fun and I wanted to go back next year.

Having Erick out there last year was great – but who’s joining me this year? Erick? Bloomer? Tiernan? 

This year, while working on a project in New Jersey, I headed back to Atlantic City on two weekends to try a repeat of 2007. I was not about to pay $10,000 to enter anything but I would just love to get back in by winning it.  No such luck. But a month or so later I headed online to see what I could do. Within a few tries and just a few hundred dollars investment I won a package covering the full entry this year plus some travel money.

So here I go again. Let’s see how the cards treat me this year. I’ll do what I can on the skill side but the cards still have to be with you.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Feel free to post comments below – at the very bottom there is a link for comments.

This is Joe Hachem after winning in 2005: