More funds for winning into the WSOP

So tonight I got to Dubai for the weekend, am waiting for a friend to possibly go out later, and played in a quick “turbo double shoot out” event for $36. I had to look up what this mean a couple of days ago. A double shoot out in this format is 10 tables of up to 10 people each. The tourament starts but unlike most tournaments where the tables are constantly rebalanced to keep the tables full (as people drop out they consolidate tables so you are always playing with a full or almost full table utnil there is only 1 table left)…… unlike that, in the shootout format, each table plays until there is a winner. Then those 10 winners all join a final table.  The turbo just means the levels move up fast so the game only lasts 45 minutes to 2 hours or so rather than longer. The top 2 of this game would win into the $650 Sunday night tournament for the WSOP that I already won my way into.

Well…. I won this one as well. And what Pokerstars does is deposit $650 of credit into my account since I’m arleady in that game…. and I can use that $650 for any other tournament.  So basically I’ve invested $75 in the game two nights ago and $36 in tonight’s and I’m currently registered and paid into the $650 Sunday tourney that gives 25+ full $12,000 WSOP packages away to the top 25+ finishers and if I don’t do that I still have $650 of credits to play in more satellites to win my way in.  I’m feeling good about the possiblities.   You never know, but I feel like with that $111 investment, I might be set up to get a full entry into the series (plus travel and accomidation and Pokerstars party) if the cards keep treating me right.

More later……

Pokerstars Satellites to the WSOP have started

Pokerstars had originally said they would have online satellites starting about a week ago which was apparently delayed. Yesterday they finally did start – on 4/20 which is a good date in general in many people’s eyes. Wink wink to those that know that inside joke.

Last night when I got done with some work phone calls I logged on and saw a $25 unlimited rebuy tournament with a $25 add on. That means that is costs $25 to buy into the tournament and you get 1500 chips. Anytime for the first hour that you have 1500 or less chips, you can pay $25 more for 1500 more chips. So some people get crazy and aggressive hoping to double / triple up quickly knowing they can just dump $50 more in for 3000 chips if they bust out. So you can keep re-buying in anytime for the first hour. Then, at the 1 hour break, anyone can choose to pay $25 more for 2000 more chips.

This format is how I won into the Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure Main Event down in the Bahammas in January – a $100 buy in, a single $100 rebuy, and hte $100 add on. I won 1st place and got the $14,000 prize package and parlayed that into more down at the tournaments.

So last night I did the same – $25 buy in, immediate $25 rebuy so I started with 3000 chips. I built from there and was in 4th place (out of 80 or so that started) at the break and did the $25 add on.  So $75 total invested.  With the total buy ins and re-buys, the game was going to give the top 9 finishers an entry into the $650 6 pm Sunday WSOP satellite. I ended up doing well and holding on to the end so I’m in that one now. Unfortunately, that means I’ll be up through the night playing that, but that tournament will award a minimum of 25 full WSOP packages ($12,000).  If I’m extra lucky and extra good, maybe I’ll win that and have my cheapest WSOP entry ever. I 2007 I won a $200 live tournament in Atlantic City to get in and in 2008 I played on Full Tilt investing around $600 or so before winning my way in.

No matter how good you are it’s never “likely” that you’ll win big in a tournament since they only pay the top 10% or less, but we’ll see. If not, try try again.

I’m hoping a few of my poker buddies will also try to get in this year – Erick, Will W, Jamie maybe….  we’ll see.

Regardless, I’m looking forward to the event and hopefully crazy party weekend for July 4 in Vegas – I’m trying to decide where to stay…. I think some place with a great pool bar/club scene for that weekend…. Tao Beach at the Venetian, Rehab at the Hard Rock, the Palms…  anyone have suggestions?

From Vegas to Atlanta to Dubai to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – in less than 40 hours

Unfortunately, I highly doubt I will have significant time to post a quality update. I’m back in the Middle East on my crazy project which is on a “high burn” right now.

But let it be said:

I played well but not phenomenally. It was a great learning experience of re-realizing that hard focus, having a strategy going into the game and sticking with it or adjusting as required, and not having any drinks if trying to play at the top of my game are all crucial. I already knew all this but hadn’t strayed into the unfocused area while at a table in a while. It was a good reminder.

Spending time with Erick and Jen was wonderful. Two dear friends – Erick I’ve known since 1994 or so and Jen since 2000. I’ve lived with both of them as roommates and know we’ll be in touch for the long haul. It’s fun to have a couple of good friends who enjoy the game of poker as well. They don’t hate me for spending too much time at the tables as long as I don’t completely overdo it.

Erick played in the Venetian Deep Stack 7 p.m. tournament the day after I left and out of 130, made it to 6th place. An awesome showing and, I’m guessing, his first Vegas tournament win. I’m hoping he’ll try to win into the World Series with me this year.

Pokerstars starts the WSOP satellites in a week or two. Wish we well. I hope to win enough there or in other online tourneys between now and then to pay for the Main Event and my travel. Can I make it 3 years in a row? I hope so.  Who wants to come party during my days off from the Main in early July?  Bring it. Cocktails out at Tao Beach (pool club at the Venetian) sounds perfect to me.  Maybe mountain bike rentals and get out of town for some good downhill some place?
Two new things I need to commit to so I’m going to do it publicly:

-Play within proper bankroll management limits – unless specifically making an exception to attempt the WSOP entry. But otherwise – no more playing above my limits based on the bankroll.

-Don’t drink more than 1 drink (per 2 hours) if playing to win.  If having more than that, it’s only entertainment, and therefore play at low buy in tables with an amount that’s just as fine to go play blackjack with.

These are two things that I know I should stick to but simply don’t sometimes. Time to stop that.  There you go. I said it.

I have to get back to the work here in Saudi Arabia. I actually need to do 5 hours of work in the next 4, then hit the hotel before a car picks me up for the 4-5 hour ride to Dammam / Jubail – two towns on the east coast I have never been to. I have a meeting out there tomorrow morning. The drive there and back should be interesting. It will be my first glimpse of Saudi Arabia outside of the immediate Riyadh area.

I wish I had a camera. Still no repair on my new one and didn’t feel like bringing my old nice but large one.

Watch for Vegas pictures here once Jen sends me hers.

Warmest regards to everyone…..

Tuesday Update

So we’ve just been doing the Vegas thing with lots of poker mixed in. Yesterday we spent some good time at the Palazzo and Venetian pools – quite a scene. Lots of pretty people, drinks, and fruity drinks. It was warm and sunny and a nice break from the Vegas casio scene. Even being outside on the strip is loud and crowded and full of crazy tourists. The nice pool was a mental break well needed.

The Palazzo is a great hotel and casino. I’d never been here at all. The casino is well lit, open, big rooms with high ceilings, well ventilated, and classy. The room is incredible and I got a well comped deal – not free but cheap. I’m getting a bit spoiled on this trip in relation to my old stomping grounds – The Imperial Palace.

Poker has been going fine but nothing incredible. I busted out og the tourney I hit yesterday after a gal kept calling my strong hands that I’d raised or re-rasied with her inferior hands – and then getting rediculously lucky and winning. Everyone was getting quite frustrated with her rish of poor play and great luck.

Now I’m going to play a small single-table satellite to try and win a spot in the noon Venetian deep stack tournament. The noon yesterday had 290 which is a great sized field. That deep stack, larger field is what I wanted some live practice time with out here so I’m look forward to today.

Erick arrived last night and it is great to see him. It’s been since the World Series out here in 2007 since we last hung out. I thought it was 2008 – wow time flies. Erick and I lived together in Nashville for a few years. I’m glad we’ve put the effort into staying in touch. Having.a mutual interest in poker has been a fun way to run into each other out here.

I’m writing this update from my Blackberry with reviewing so please pardon any typos and lack of vernacular eloquence. And mis-spellings – that is my downfall and I don’t have the viel of spell check to hide behind when posting this way.

No big Bellagio game today

I arrived last night at midnight. A taxi to the Marriott I stayed in for one night, worked for a couple of hours, and went to bed. 7 a.m. Came all too fast. I checked out, dropped my bags off at the Palazzo where I’m staying the rest of the time and headed to the Bellagio. I gave it one shot to win a satellite into the noon $1,500 touney but no luck. I had horrible cards and played tight finally winning a few big pots just as the blinds and antes were getting very large. By that time, due to the blinds and antes, many people were in all-in or fold mode. I had to push with AQ and lost to QQ. That’s enough of a shot at that tourney.

There are lots of good tournamnets going on this week both at the Bellagio and the Venetian. Jen made it to town and is hanging with our buddy Amos. Erick arrives tomorrow. I’m up in my room about to grab lunch and then work for the afternoon.

It’s gorgeous weather here. 75+. 80 tomorrow which I think will need to be a pool day.

And what’s up with N. Korea? They just need to settle down. I mean jeez! Can’t we all just get along?