Treasure Island MN - WSOP satellite

[tek]

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Why would Treasure Island hold this event when they dont even have poker (to my knowledge)?

And why hasn't Canterbury had a WSOP qualifier? I would expect them to have one.

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TI might be doing this to get 500 players plus a couple hundred wives and girlfriends in. They will eat, play slots and blackjack after poker. Also, they may get 500-700 new customers.

Two years ago I went to a KQ radio event there. Hundreds of us got a TI players club card. I periodically play blackjack tournaments there.

Canterbury had a WSOP satellite last year but I don't know why they aren't this year.

[Andy B]

What Canterbury had last year was a tournament where you could win an entry into a satellite for a $25k WPT event. I think it was at the Bellagio, but I'm not sure about that, and I don't care enough to look. I don't know how interested Canterbury is in sending people to other casinos. They have definitely been steering away from tournaments, as cash games are more profitable for them, and they don't really need to do much to get people in the door anymore.

I can't imagine that this thing at Treasure Island is going to be especially well-run. I may ask about it when I head down there next Thursday for a non-gambling event. It's probably not worth it for me to ditch work to play in something like this, though.

[tek]

I played the qualifying round tonight. CrazyEyes, were you at Table 9? I was at Table 10 with the polo shirt with the $100 bill design...

Anyway, the tournament was very well run. There were six people working at the check-in table, and they were very organized. Some floor people were from the Rio Casino in Vegas. The TD said the Rio is the "sister casino" to Treasure Island (Red Wing, Minn) whatever that means.

The tables were brand new. There was a table with expensive hamburgers and stuff. Another table had WSOP merchandise.

Dealers seemed well-trained and none had poker dealing experience.

The marketing honcho from Treasure Island told me they plan to have more tournamnets and possibly open a poker room.

On to the important matters...

It's the last hand of Round 1. Blinds are 25 and 50. Five of us limp in pre-flop. Pot is 250.

Flop is 3-5-8 rainbow. UTG Seat 6 checks. Villain in Seat 7 raises to 200. Seat 8 re-raises to 700. Seat 10 calls. I go all in with 4400. Seat 6 folds. Villain calls. Seat 9 and 10 fold.

Villain is getting about 1.5-1 pot odds... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

I turn over my pocket 88. Villain turns over pocket AA.

All the while the TD is announcing the play because it's the first all in of the night.

Turn: 4

River: 2

Villain rivers a straight.

I'm the first one out tonight. I accept my gift bag with Treasure Island logo stuff and walk from the very back of the room amidst a round of applause.

It's ok. My game plan that I formulated as I sat in the buffet before the event was to win Big or lose Big. No weak-tight. No slowplaying. No trapping. If I hit a flop I was going to bet it. Top set and a chance to get a quick 1850 was my plan. The guy who called my all in was giving me gravy. He got lucky. I will make that play again if it comes up.

I'm thinking of going back for the 10AM round tomorrow. It's probably sold out, but if I get there early enough I'll be first on the alternate list. Then I'll run up to Canterbury for the regular NL tourney tomorrow night.

[CrazyEyez]

Oh sh!t, I didn't see you but I remember that hand. I was at table 2 (blonde, green polo/white longsleeve underneath).

I agree, it was very well run. I was impressed considering I had low expectations coming in. The TD was good and I was suprised how well the floor and dealers did considering they have no poker there. The only thing that sucked was how fast the blinds went up and how soon the antes came in, but I knew that going in.

I took a stab at some pots early and failed, so I was depleted right off the bat. Half hour in I raise with KQ and flop AQQ and got paid off by two people - back in business. By the end of hour 2 I was sitting on a little over 20k, with 46 people left. But the blinds were already at 500/1k w/ 100 ante to start rd 3, and we were only getting in one lap or so per level. At this point I went absolutely card dead. Nothing I could even attempt a steal with, as every raiser was getting at least 1 caller. Best hands I saw the next half hour were A-rag twice, but it was already raised when it got to me so I mucked.

Got moved to a new table, blinds up to 1k/2k + 200 ante. I'm down to like 16k. Get KhQh UTG+3, make it 8k, BB calls. Flop A-x-x, all spades. BB bets 2k, I fold. Next hand dealer exposes my 2nd card, gives me a new one - QQ. I go all in, no callers. Next hand A8s UTG, contemplate folding but raise, called by AK which holds up. I had her covered but it left me with about 6k. Next hand get QJo in BB, 2 callers, I check. Flop Q-4-3. I go all in for about 4k more, get insta-called by Q4, I'm out in 28th.

So I went from 2x the average stack to busted in about 40 minutes. Can't really see anything I could have done differently though. It was my first B&M tourney and I had a good time overall. I'm disappointed with the result but fairly satisfied with my play. I'd go back down there if they had another tourney.

Edit: And I dropped a quick $50 trying to ease my pain at the BJ table afterwards.

[flecks]

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I don't know how interested Canterbury is in sending people to other casinos. They have definitely been steering away from tournaments, as cash games are more profitable for them, and they don't really need to do much to get people in the door anymore.


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Is this why they blew off the Triple Crown tourneys this year? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] I've asked several people at Canterbury about it and everyone acts like it's a taboo subject. Strange.

[tek]

The tournament events in the Triple Crown are not exactly big draws these days--Limit, Stud and Omaha...

[CrazyEyez]

Tek, how do those $225's play at Canterbury? I usually play softball wednesday nights but I may give one a shot.

[tek]

You have to really want to play them. You need to get there at 3:30 so you can get in line for the 4:00 line pass handout. Then you chill until 5:00 when you sign up. Then at about 5:30 you can use your free one trip buffet ticket and eat. Then you chill until 7:30, when the tourney starts.

I usually read a book in the upstairs racetrack clubhouse.

The tourney is NL on the first and third wed. I don't play limit--cash or tourneys. You start with 4000 in play chips and the blinds begin at 25/50. Rounds are 30 minutes each.

Entries are usually 140, including an average of 8 alternates. 1st place is usually 8400.

They are good tourneys, but the time committment is huge. If you make the final table you may be there until 2AM Thurs morning.

[tek]

Update: I received a phone call last night from the casino. There is a new satellite for June 6-8. Final round on June 9.

1-800-222-7077 ext 2297 (ticket office)

[CrazyEyez]

Thanks for the heads up.
I forgot to sign up at that info table. I take it that's how you got the call.