Main Event Memories.

Wages Mama!

It took longer than expected but after some 15 years of trying I finally got to play the $10,000 main event at the WSOP.

I was already having a great trip, coming 2^nd in the first tournament I played at the Bellagio on my first day then having an amazing run at the daily tournaments at Caesars, winning one and also coming 4^{th &} 5^th. I was winning about 20k on he trip but hadn’t considered for one second putting up the entry fee, it’s still too much to me relatively. I did play a super sat and lost a 50-50 for a seat, gutted I didn’t think it would be my year but then the three wise men made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and finally I was going to the show. Not only was it nice to secure some financial backing, it was awesome that it was from 3 players I respect higher than most and are not known for making bad investments, it certainly helped my own self belief. I’ve been making a lot better decisions recently in generally every area of my life, it’s actually nice to grow up a little as one gets older and karma rewarded me with a dream fulfilled. Now the next dream was a share of 9 million.

I used to watch the event at Binions; the first year 1998 saw me marvel as the names of the entrants were hand written onto the wall. Some 350 entrants took their seats back then, little did I think I would play the event 12 years later, get further than over 6,000 runners and not receive a penny for my efforts. One of best mates came 2^nd in 2002 but I’d already gone home skint so didn’t get to watch. The following year moneymaker won it and from then on the main event become not just the dream of a handful of poker players in Europe/America and a small smattering of others but the dream for millions across the planet.

I found out 12 hours before I registered that I was playing but was so knackered from another final at Caesars that I went to sleep soundly without any nerves. I woke up an hour before kick off and decided I better go and register quick as the queue was sure to be massive. In fact there was only 2 people in line before me, the other 7318 entrants were a little more organised.

Day one. Track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q0d_z4hBUI

10 handed 30,000 starting stack and blinds at 50/100 I wasn’t looking to go broke quickly. This became doubly true when after 15 minutes I realised I was the only non pro on the table. Table draws are massively important; for years friends who had played it explained how it was the best value tournament in the world. I realised how true this was after looking at the table opposite me. One drunk player, 2 players in their 70’s who were obviously just there for the craic but the star was the gorgeous Asian girl wearing love heart glasses and laughing herself stupid whilst playing every pot. My table however was mostly Californian pro’s and a couple of internet kids. The table also held one Bill Elder, a full tilt pro and a thoroughly nice man who started the table talk and got a few of us involved in conversations to help the atmosphere become more relaxed; I’d played against before and he was thoroughly nice then. It’s important to me that people remember it’s just a game and you can have good fun at the table even if your cards and play are rubbish. I was disappointed to see so many players in hoodies, earphones, cap, sunglasses, basically a poker burka.

One internet kid raised the first pot, I looked down at KK and put in a small reraise, the table folded and now I was table chip leader (sadly this never happened again). Things swung back I forth, I probably bluffed too much when in pots but I had come to play and I never heard of anyone passing their way to victory. The first break had me rushing for a cigarette and an update from one or two friends who were also playing on that last starting day. Tim C had won a seat on Boyles, 2 years previously he had also won a seat and was railed by moi in my capacity of poker manager for Boyles, now we were discussing wayward bluff’s chip counts and rival players on our respective tables; it was much more fun be a player than a railer.

Level 2 saw me go all-in much earlier in the tournament than I had expected to but you don’t concern with things like that when you think you have the best hand and might get paid off. I had flat called a raise as did 2 others swelling the pot to over 12k; I had about 22k at this stage. The flop was 10 high with 2 hearts, I reraised all in on the flop to protect my 2 kings and scooped the 16k pot without having to sweat the outdraw (if in front obv). I bobbed along playing a lot of pots when we were broken and all reassigned to new tables and it was here I was to experience the biggest regret of the tournament.

The table was much younger and much quieter and in about the third lap without a lot of info on my opponents I decided just to check in the big blind with 7-7 to try and catch a big flop; a 7-6-4 flop was considered by me to be a very big flop and on the turn I was making a 12k bet into a 14k pot which my opponent passed. I had overbet and tbh that was from inexperience; I learned so much during the tournament I think it was worth the 10k in itself. All this poker stuff though has nothing to do with my big regret. The opponent who had passed looked about 17, wore a hoodie and a fake fur Kangool baseball cap/hat thing. He hadn’t spoken a word since I had sat down; his first words were “What did you have?” This happens all the time at the poker table as people are always desperate to know others secrets and often leads to banter, bullshit, exaggeration, chest thumping, lying and more. I choose for the lying option and said I had 7-6, he said he had 4-4 for bottom set. It went on for a while and in the end I 100% believed he had passed bottom set and was a bit sick he had made such a great pass. The table broke again some 2 hours after I had joined it and this time we were moving to the Amazon room, the main room. This meant we had to bag our chips and be escorted through a staff only shortcut and of course enabled the players to have a little bit of last minute banter or just wish everyone luck. The kid rushed to my side and asked for the last time if I really had top 2 pair and I smiled saying yeah of course I did and thought nothing more off it until after play had finished and then I felt a real rush of dread and disappointment in my actions. He had played the hand great (albeit if by my playing the hand a little poorly) and deserved to be told. It wasn’t going to make any difference to me if he was bullshitting or not but karma does make a difference to me these days and I had just been caught up in the emotion of the event to think clearly. I searched for him for the remainder of the time I was in the event, just looked around other tables on intervals, moving etc. I hope one day he finds out and realises how well he played the hand and if he didn’t have 4-4 karma will fuck him!

Moved to my last table of the day and then played pretty well imho. Was again all young internet pro’s and LA pro’s with more banter than on the previous two tables. Funniest hand began with me raising, being reraised twice before moving all in with AK. The LA pro showed me QQ and passed, inside I chuckled at his lay down). I said he could see one card, he was shown a King. The banter exploded on the table as to what I had without me saying one word until I joined in the fun and declared I had Kings. A bigger inquest than went into Watergate followed and then a sartorially explosion of colour in the form of Paul Parker sat down, purple trilby yellow waistcoat pimpin baize strides the lot. As Paul was unloading his chips the first thing he did to a stunned audience was to point at me and declare “ I have known that man for over 25 years playing poker and not once have I known him to lie about his hand, there sits one of the most honest men in poker”. I smiled at his performance and knew I owed him one and was looking forward to a glass of red with him later, a long time friend and opponent.

I bagged and tagged a healthy 49.5k and went to meet Tim at the hooker bar. The hooker bar is named as the hooker bar as it’s historically been a meeting point between poker player and hooker. More relevant to me was it’s also the bar where historically Euro Pro’s have met for a beer after battle and to share war stories, gossip and rounds. The crowds got smaller over the years and the cab rank is more conveniently located for the players but its always great craic and of course you get a side show going on all around you Vegas style. I could only stay for a quick one as wanted to join the wedding reception for Jules and Kez at the MGM as quick as possible. It was a great night to end a great day and with not having to play gain until Sunday I could enjoy some time off to play golf and relax and remind the backers how wise they were.