My Harrahs WSOP experience - $500+60 event.

[Fat Nicky]

Went down to AC Thursday night to play the Harrah's $500+60 WSOP Circuit Tournament behind held on Friday.

First thing I did when I got there was play a satellite. Terrible was the only was to describe it, start to finish. The entry fee was $55+20. $20 juice for the house on a $55 satellite seat. I felt sick to my stomach paying this. And the $55 entry didn't even cover the entire buy in for Friday, still had to pay $10 from your pocket if you won. The structure was even worse, 300 starting chips, blinds start at 10/25 or something, so basically, it was a crapshoot. I finished 5th out of 10, went out when my AJ lost to J9 on a river 9.

Onto Friday. Tournament was supposed to start at 12, but due to Harrahs not being prepared, it started at about 1:30. They only had room for about 500, so anyone registered after 500 people were reserves and entered the tourney as people busted out. They only let reserves in for 1 hr, the rest of the reserves were given refunds. In total, 650 people played. For those that are curious, it was in the ballroom upstairs as well as harrah's poker room. As people busted, players were moved from the poker room to the ballroom.

The tourney structure, like most people have said, was terrible. 1000 starting chips with blinds starting at 25/25, moving up every 45 minutes. Blind sched was 25/25, 25/50, 50/100, 100/200, 100/200 25 ante, 150/300 50 ante, etc. The low starting chip count made it tough, if you played 1 hand and lost, you were short stacked.

Hands of note:
Blinds 25/25, AK in MP. 2 limpers, I raise to 100, 1 cold-caller + both limpers call. Flop comes rags, I bet 1/2 the pot, I take it down.

Blinds 25/50, Pocket 10s in SB. CO raises to 150, he has 300 left, I raise to 300, EP caller calls the raise, 3 to the flop, 1 all-in. Flop is 8 high. EP player bets 700, I ponder for 1 full minutes and call, turn is a beautiful 10, he puts me in, I call, he has pocket Jacks, I 'm up to about 2500 to 3000.

Blinds 50/100, CO RFI for 200, I call from SB w/Q10 suited. Flop is KJ9 rainbow. He bets 200, I call. Turn blank, he bets 500, I raise to 1500, he folds AK face up. I am immediately upset at myself for not getting more out of him. I am up to about 4300 and my table breaks.

I don't catch any hands from that point on and I am blinded down to about 2500 in chips. Last hand at 100/200 25 ante level, I pick up AJ from EP, raise to 700, button moves all in. I don't want to call my chips with AJ, but if I fold I have 1800 left with 150/300 50 ante blinds, so I take my stand, other guy has pocker As, and I'm done.

Overall, not a bad experience, not a good one either.

BTW, the dealers for this tournament were horrid. Several occasions where players at the table had to help the dealer out with side pots and such. Unacceptable.

[VinnyTheFish]

Thanks for the recap. Ironically, we would all expect better from the WSOP. It is a shame for everyone who went.

$55+20 is a joke.

Thanks for the info.

[Fat Nicky]

A big joke and to me, a big disrespect to all players involved. I was going to stay for the $1000 on Sunday, but opted not to after the monstrosity on Friday.