DC,
Go to the Archives and look for World Poker Challenge - Trip Report. I wrote it from my trip in January 2001. The supers are run every night, but I didn't play any, the rest of the information may be helpful.
Happy New Year
Mark
DC,
I found it in the Other Forum from Jan 2001. Here is all I know or remembered.
World Poker Challenge--Trip Report 1/11-1/16(long)
Posted by: mah (maheide@yahoo.com)
Posted on: Wednesday, 24 January 2001, at 4:09 a.m.
I took this trip to play a few events and I couldn't resist the bargain room rate of $25 a night—even on the weekend. This would never happen in Las Vegas, unless something drastically changed. When I arrived in Reno I was surprised that the Reno Hilton had a free shuttle bus that runs every half-hour to and from the airport. It was a five minute ride from the airport to the hotel.
After I had checked in I checked out the places to eat. For more expensive tastes you could eat at the Stake House, or for casual eats they had a buffet, Chevy's (Mexican), Johnny Rockets (50's dinner), Lindy's (breakfast or lunch only), and in the lower level they had a Round Table Pizza. I ate at Johnny Rockets once, Lindy's a few times for breakfast, and most of my meals at the buffet. I tried Round Table Pizza once, but thought it was inferior to what I am used to eating in Chicago. I never tried Chevy's, since I don't like Mexican food. The Hilton did not have a 24 hour restaurant like most Casinos, but they did have a 24 hour Cafe Expresso for coffee drinks, sandwiches, and pastries to go.
After a late dinner on Thursday night, I decided to try a $40 Omaha 8 or Better satellite. I'm pretty sure the player on my right was the college professor that made it to the final table in the WSOP last year, but it could be his twin. I don't remember his name, but I'll call him the professor. He really is a professor and reminds me of some of the ones I had back when I was attending College. Before the first six hands were played four players were knocked out. The action was the wildest I've ever seen at an Omaha 8 or Better table. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of the chips. The best player that was winning at the table was the lady on my left. She and a very wild player had most of the chips. The professor and I were short stacked, and I had the shortest stack. At the end of a hand I told the professor, " I had a flush and a gun shot straight that never got there." He said, "That's not a gun shot that's a GUT SHOT". Well, as you can see he surely is the professor. Shortly, I was busted out by the wild maniac player and the professor was the next casualty.
After the Omaha satellite I tried a $40 No-Limit Hold-em satellite without any luck. Next, I decided to play the Slingo slot machines. I started with $20 and after a few spins of the reels I hit the Slingo for a 250 coin bonus. After playing for about an hour I cashed out $80 for a $60 profit.
On Friday I had breakfast and registered for the $330 Omaha 8 or Better tournament. There was plenty of time before the tournament so I went back over to the Slingo machines and made a $40 profit. Slots are good!
The tournament started at noon. Each player received $1000 of tournament chips to play. At the end of the first break I was up to $1250. Not bad, so I still had a chance. I was not hitting any flops. It seemed like I always had the wrong type of hand. If I played high cards the flop came low, and when I played low cards the flop would be high. I made it to the second break with $1450 in chips. The blinds are now $75 and $150. I'm going to have to scoop a pot soon otherwise I'll be done. Well, it's now 5:40 p.m. The blinds are $100 and $200. I only have $600 in chips left. Under-the-gun I raise it to $400 with AAA4 with one of the aces suited to the four. I decided to play this hand for two reasons. First I figured by raising and holding most of the aces I reduce the chances of a multiway pot and if the flop comes down with some rags and low cards I'll be in pretty good shape. Secondly, I like my chances now better than waiting to see what I get in the big blind. I get called by Chris Bjorn, in middle position, who is currently the chip leader at my table. Everyone folds. The flop comes Kd Ts 8s. I bet my last $200 and Chris calls. The turn is a Qd and the river is a Jh. I miss and I'm history.
After dinner I played a $40 Pot-Limit Hold'em satellite. The line up looked tough. Susie Issacs, and another well known player (I don't know his name, but I've seen him at the Orleans Open and the World Poker Open last year). I'm going to play no matter who sits down. Even if Ray Zee was there, I'd play him.
Well, the satellite starts off fine. I've got aces in late position. Five players limp in for the $15 blind, and I raise the maximum which was $105. I get called by one player, do you believe it? Anyway, the flop is good for me, 7c 3s 2d. I bet the pot and he folds. Thank you sir for the $120 of your stack. Susie was playing a little over aggressively and doubled through a few players, but eventually lost her stack and she was gone. Now, there was three of us left. We decided to do a $40 save for the next one out. Dennis from Texas was the next guy out. I was the chip leader and the two of us left made a deal. Since, there was $330 to split up. $40 went to Dennis for third, second got $130, and I took $160.
I played one more Pot-Limit Satellite, but without any luck. The table was filled with Vegas sharks talking about last years WSOP. The guy on my right was drunk and make quad jacks. The flop was jack-jack-rag and he made a small bet. The other guy had either aces or kings, I don't remember. Anyway, this guy had the nerve to brag about how well he played his quads. Give me a break. After he made that bet I read him for three jacks. His opponent was going to bet his whole stack anyway. If he didn't have a hand he would have folded. Even more unusual is he gave $40 to the player he beat. Talk about luck. I was lucky if I had a hand with a card ten or better. Well, I survived to 5th place. The blinds were $25 and $50, I had $100 left and went all-in to the right of the button with AJ unsuited and the small blind called with pocket queens.
After breakfast on Saturday, I signed up for the $330 Pot-Limit Hold'em tournament. I couldn't get a hand to play or got them at the wrong times. Here's an example. A player under the gun makes a small raise, he's a real tight player so I know he's got either aces, kings, or ace-king. I call the raise on the button, the big blind then reraises, under-the-gun, reraises again, and I quickly muck my hand. Now, they both reraise each other until the big blind is all in. Under-the-gun had aces and the big blind had tens and he was gone. Good thing I folded because a five didn't come on the board. I couldn't believe that guy with the tens. What was he thinking?
Here's another example of bad luck. I get pocket kings under-the-gun. Since, there's been an average of four to five callers when someone limps, I decide to put in a raise because I don't want someone to break me. Well, my wish came true, no one called and I won the blinds. But, I believe I played correctly because I was playing so tight that if I had limped in my hand would have been marked. I know I'm right, because the player on my left said he had a suited ace and decided to muck it because he thought I had kings. I hate getting big pairs in early position.
The next hand I played was in the big blind. An older gentleman with a cowboy hat limped in from middle position. Everyone else folded. I had the Qc 3c. The flop came As Td 4h. It completely missed me, but I decided I was going to bluff. The reason why is because I thought my opponent was a tight solid player, and you know that it's impossible to bluff a loose player. Furthermore, since he limped in he was either trapping me or just had a hand that didn't hit the flop. There was $125 in the pot, I bet $100. My opponent thought for a few seconds and mucked his hand. Boy, was I lucky this time. I think he was afraid of the ace on the flop, since so many tournament players play ace-rag anyway.
Here's an unbelievable hand. The blinds are $25 and $50. A well known Asian tournament player limps in from late middle position. Note that, he's been playing very well and has approximately $2500 in chips. I'm in the big blind with Jh2c. After posting my blind I have $500 left. I've played hardly any hands, and so far I've not had a flop help me at all. I believe the opponents at my table think that I'm a very tight player. I know that so far I've been a very unlucky player.
After my opponent limps in everyone folds, and I check. The dealer turns over Th, 9d, and 8h. The usual trouble flop, but giving me an open ended straight. I figure if I bet I'll commit myself to the hand and it will be impossible for me to lay it down if the turn does not help me, but if I check I could get a free card and steal the pot on the turn or river if a heart falls or I could make my straight.
I decide to check the flop and my opponent bets $50. I think he underbet the pot to scare me into thinking that he's got a big hand, so I call. When I called I got the feeling from his facial expression that he was surprised by the call.
On the turn comes the 9h. I decide to check with the intention of raising the pot if my opponent bets again to represent the flush. This time he checks.
Here's the amazing end to this hand. On the river the dealer turns over the Qh giving me a straight flush. What are the odds that you can make a straight flush with jack-deuce offsuit?
Should I bet or check? If I check, he may check it back. If I bet too much he'll probably fold unless he has the Ah, but I think he may call a small bet with a Kh. If he has anything less I think he'll fold. At this point there is $225 in the pot. I decide to bet $100. My opponent hesitates for a few seconds and calls. I turn over my hand and announce, "I've got a queen high straight flush." My opponent discards his hand without showing. The player on my left announces,"High hand here." Later my opponent told me he made a mistake and said that he had kings. Too bad he didn't have the ace of hearts so he could reraise me, but the hand you really want your opponent to have is quads.
The blinds are now $50 and $100. I've got JT unsuited and am to the right of the button. I've got $450 left and raise the pot to the maximum of $275 for two reasons. I wanted the button to stay out of the pot and just take down the blinds. Furthermore, I decided I was going to put the rest of my chips in on the flop if I get called. Well, the button calls. I was unprepared for his call because I felt sure that he was not going to interfere if I raised the maximum before the flop. The flop is Ac Ad 4h. I check and he bets $200, so I toss the rest of my chips in thinking that since there is two aces on the flop that he may not have one. I was wrong, he had As 4s. Actually, I should have bet first on the flop with last $200 or folded.
In the evening, I played two 7 Card Stud satellites and finished 4th and 5th. Obviously, I didn't win, but I thought I played them well. So, I decided that tomorrow I would play the 7 Card Stud tournament. After playing the satellites, I dropped $40 dollars in the Megabucks slots for a chance at over 9 million. Zilch. Those machines ate that $40 dollars so fast I almost couldn't believe it. I guess that's why they're called the one arm bandits.
On Sunday morning, I registered for the 7 Card Stud tournament. To pass the time I played the Slingo slots again. But, this time I lost $40 within 15 minutes. I hope my luck changes when the tournament starts.
This was the first 7 Card Stud tournament I had ever played. I started playing stud about five months ago and thought that it would be a good experience to play the tournament. What's good about this tournament is you only have eight players at each table, so you get some breathing room. Before the first break a got rivered a few times. I thought I was going to be the first one out. I'm down to my last $200 in chips, so I raise with split queens with a jack in the hole. My opponent was on a draw and I caught a two kings to give me kings up. His draw never got there, but he called me all the way to the river.
After the break, the antes are $10 and were playing $50 and $100 limits. I limp in with a three flush for $15. A low three flush that I would not play in a ring game. But, I had to play I was getting anted to death. Anyway, four other players limp in. I get a forth suited card on fourth street and bet $50. A player on my left raises, a call, and I call with my last $50. Fifth street is a blank, but on sixth street I get the king of my suit and make the flush. Maybe, I still have a chance. Wrong! The other player makes a ace high flush to knock me out.
That was the last tournament I played on the trip. Next, I decided to play blackjack. I sat down at a single deck table. The dealer would deal out approximately ¾ of the deck. Unlike the single deck games at Binions in Vegas, you would get to play three hands with four or five players seated instead of two. If a lot of threes, fours, fives, and sixes came out on the first deal with at least two aces left in the deck, I would double my bet. After three hours I was up $250 and cashed out.
After playing blackjack, I ate dinner and played two $40 No-Limit Hold'em satellites. Here's an interesting hand. The blinds are $10 and $25. I'm in middle position with AK unsuited. Under-the-gun limps in, the player on my right limps in, I limp in, and the player one to the right of the button raises $75. We all call the raise.
There is $435 in the pot. The flop comes ace-jack-ten rainbow. It's checked around. The turn is a nine with no flush possible. It's checked around again. On the river is an ace. Everyone checks expect the player to the right of the button goes all-in for $90. The two players before me fold and I think about this for a few seconds.
The only hands that can beat me are KQ, Q8, 87, AJ, AT, A9. Since, he was the preflop raiser he could possibly have AJ or AT. But, he would have bet an AJ or AT on the flop, if he had the straight he would have bet it on the turn, so I really think he has a pocket pair. There's a slight chance he has kings, but I think he would have bet it all preflop. But, I really think he could have ace-queen, queens, or a pair of eights or lower. Furthermore, the pot is offering me 5.8-to-1 to call. I called and my three aces with a king kicker were good. My opponent mucked his hand before I could see it. What do you think he had?
That hand made me the second chip leader at the table. It was not long before there were just three of us left. Even with the good fortune I had winning that big hand, I lost all my chips with an A7 against a pair. The blinds were so high, that I had to play just about any hand.
I played one more No-Limit satellite. I'm on the button with a pair of kings, how often do you get a big pair in position? I was excited. The player on my right bet $100 and I raised $100. He was all-in and I still had $75 left. The flop comes jack-ten-rag. On the turn comes another rag and the river is an ace. He turns over king-queen for the straight. What a let down. Boy, did that suck the big one. Anyway, I get AJ of clubs in early position and bet the rest of my chips. I get two calls and make a flush on the river. Talk about extremes. I got lucky that time. Eventually, I get knocked out and call it a day.
On Monday I went through the usual routine. Ate breakfast at Lindy's. I had steak and eggs, with sourdough toast, grapefruit juice, and coffee. It makes me hungry right now just thinking about it.
Now it's time to gamble. I played the Betty Boop nickel machine. It's a progressive machine with a jackpot of over $214,000 . The machine played with me a little and I lasted about an hour before losing $10. I even gave the Megabucks machine a try for $20. After playing the slots I was ready for some blackjack action.
I sat down at a double deck table and quickly lost $100 and quit. Then I found a single deck table and slowly won $80 after about three hours.
After dinner I wasted $100 at the craps table. Then I signed up for the $10-$20 Omaha 8 or Better game. Just like the tournaments, I was still running cold. The table was not bad. There were a few Vegas pros playing very well, but there were plenty of players drawing to poor lows and small sets. Quite a few players would just buy in for two hundred and lose their chips quickly. I was not doing great myself. But, I did make one good hit. I was on a nut flush draw, caught middle pair on the flop, on the turn I made two pair, and on the river I had a full house that got action from a small full house. I love those guys that play bottom set. It figures, just as I was starting to win the game gets shorthanded and breaks up.
The next day I checked out. But, even without winning any tournaments I had a good time. The trip would have been better if I won a tournament and could brag about how well I played, but maybe next time. I have not given up yet.
Mark,
Thanks, it was a good read. I'm going to give the $330 NL event a shot. Really hate limit tournies, even though I was going to play this weekend, I'm thinking of going up on next monday. Called for reservations and they are all full from the 4th to 8th. Good luck in Tunica...
DC
DC,
You really need to book far in advance. I usually book two months before an event. That's what I did for Reno last year. Last year they placed players at the Flamingo and bused them in for the same rate. Maybe, you can get a room there.
This year I'm going to Tunica because it's close enough to drive to and I've given up on flying with all the wackos that the US has been letting into the country has made it inconvenient. With my luck they would think I'm a drug dealer with all the cash I carry.
Good Luck
Mark
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