WSOP Circuit $365 NLHE

"Shuffle Up & Deal" - WSOP Circuit at Harvey's Lake Tahoe, $365 NLHE starting at 3pm on Sunday. The Seniors event started at 10am. They had 177 players, and have 86 left.
No clue how many tables, but this should be in the 125-175 range. We have ten seats, but only six bodies. Levels are 30 minutes long, and we get 10k chips.

End of Level 1 (25/50) - We now have nine bodies, and the timer shows 195 players. That is impressive considering the Seniors tourney still has 80 players. This weekend's 2-starting field tournament had 651 entries, and just re-started with 81 players.

This level was a whole lot of nothing for me. The only "real" hand that I looked at was 99 UTG. The average age of this table is much younger than I'm used to playing in Reno, as there are a lot of California players here. There are two Kids on my Left who seem to know what they are doing, so I'm keeping my VPIP is very low. Hopefully, this will set up an image for later.

I have 9325 chips.

Level 2 (50/75) -Seat #10 has been filled. Still lots of nothing so far. I did finally raise preflop to 400 with AJo in the Cutoff. Two players called, and I folded on a K-high Flop.

I have seen a decent amount of "splash around" hands, but have played very few of them. Normally, the early levels are when I want to play those hands, but I'm only playing them in the Blinds, Button or Cutoff. Unfortunately, I airballed the few that I played.

I have 8100 chips.

Level 3 (50/100) - First hand of the level, a 50's Lady raised to 300. Two players called, and I decided to 3-Bet to 1100 on the Button with T9c. A Kid in the BB 4-Bet to 3k. It folded back to me, and I called the 1900. He jammed for almost 4k on the K44 Flop, and I'm down to 5100.

In another hand, there were a bunch of limpers, and I called the SB with 83s. Five players saw a Flop of 8c 5h 2c. Checked around to Button, who bet 300. I was the only caller, and the Turn was [8c 5h 2c] 4d. I checked and called the 700 bet. River [8c 5h 2c 4d] 8h. I checked and called the 1200 bet. He had Q5, and I won my first pot of the day.

I have 7500 chips.

Level 4 (75/150) - More quiet time for me, as I really only played one hand. UTG limped. UTG+1 raised to 450. She's a 50's Lady who really doesn't seem to know what she's doing. I called on the Button with 87o, and so did the UTG. Flop 7h 5c 5s. She bet 600, I called, and UTG folded. Turn [7h 5c 5s] Qh, and she bet 1000. I just don't think she's strong here, so I call. River [7h 5c 5s Qh] 7s. She bet 1500. I raised to 3600, and I pray she doesn't shove with QQ. Instead, she called with 88.

I have 13600 chips.

BREAK - Our timer says 232 players, and climbing. The big 2-starting field tourney has popped their Bubble, and is down to 55. The Seniors event is already down to 14 players, so I guess it's a more of turbo structure.

Notable players in our field include Ylon Schwartz and Sam Barnhart.

Level 5 (100/200) - It folded around to me in the SB, and I limped with AJo. I assumed the Kid would raise from the BB, and he did to 600. I called, and Flop was KT6. I checked and called his 800 bet. Turn [KT6] 3. I checked, and so did he after a moment of thought. River [KT6 3] 9. I fired 1125. My A-high might be good, but if he has a small Pair, he should fold it. He was kind enough to cooperate.

My one preflop raise was to 800 with 54d from the Hyjack after two players limped. Only the limpers called, and the Flop was KJ5. They both folded to my 1600 c-bet.

I have 17500 chips.

Level 6 (100/200/25) - It folded to the Cutoff who raised 800. He's a 50's guy who's been a bit of a goofball so far. I'm next in the Hyjack, and 3-bet to 2100 with AQ. He's the only caller, and the Flop is 887. He checked, I c-bet 3100, and he called after some thought. Turn [887] A. He hesitates, and bets 2000. I thought for a moment, and called. River [887 A] 3. He paused, and bet 4000 with 3100 behind. To me, this screamed an 8. But he's played some hands strangely so far, an it's possible he thinks his AT is good. I made the crying call, and he showed 87c. Sigh.

I have 5325 chips.

Level 7 (150/300/25) - Pretty sure I only played one hand. Goofball raised to 1000. I called with 22, and it got checked down. I had a little Club Flush, but his Overcards also had a Club.

They started breaking tables. We have three new players, including a Kid who arrived with over 60k chips. He has already doubled up the 50's Lady with a terrible River bluff when he had no fold equity. She had Top Top (AQ). So now the two big stacks at this table are the clueless 50's Lady and the 50's Goofball.

Isn't tournament poker fun?

I have 4500 chips.

Level 8 (200/400/50) - Folded around to the Button, who raised to 1200. SB (Goofball) called. I shoved All-In for 4100 with 87c. We were 10 minutes from Dinner Break, and it's time to "Go Big Or Go Home". Both of them called, and checked it down. I hit a 7 on the Flop, and it held up against KQ  & T8d.

The former Big Stack busted out about halfway through this level. Not surprisingly, he shoved with a Flush Draw and missed. He got the Big Stack by playing that way, and he lost it the same way. Oh, and of course he gave his chips to the Goofball, who now has a monster stack well over 70k. Good thing I have direct position on him.

I have 12150 chips.

DINNER BREAK - 241 runners for this one, with around 140 left. 27 get payed with 1st being over $17k. The 2-flight tourney is down to 22 players. The Seniors tourney has ended, but the nightly 7pm $140 started.

Level 9 (250/50/50) - First hand back from break. UTG raised 2500. I was Hyjack, and just called with AA, hoping someone behind me would shove. Nobody did, and the Flop was 8-high. He bet 5500, and I shoved for 4100 more. He called with KK, and I got a wonderful double up.

I have 22100 chips

Level 10 (300/600/75) - UTG raised 1500. Goofball called from UTG+2. I 3-bet to 5500 with 55, as UTG has been raising often. SB shoves for just over 16k. UTG calls for a little less. Goofball thinks for awhile before folding A2o. (Did I mention he's a goofball?) As for me, Ooops! I know I'm way behind here, but I need to call 11k more to win all those chips. I make the crying call. UTG has QQ, and SB has KQo (not sure why he shoved 16k). The Board runs clean. UTG more than triples up, and I win the small Side Pot of 6150. This left me around 12k chips.

About an orbit after that hand, the guy with QQ had AA against Goofball's KK, and doubled up again to over 70k. Goofball is down under 20k.

Last hand of the level, I raised to 1525 with QJo from Mid. Only SB called, who is the 50's Lady. Flop was K-high. I bet 2200, and she called. Turn was a brick. I bet 3500, which was almost half my stack. She quickly folded.

I have 15800 chips.

Level 11 (400/800/100) - I have 13400 chips, and I'm pretty sure I didn't play one hand.

We are the next table to break, which kinda sucks. I'm the shortstack at the table by a lot. New players to this table have been stunned at the amount of chips at this table.

Level 12 (500/1000/100) - I finally got AKc, and raised to 2600. I got called by the BB, and totally airballed the Flop. He called my c-bet, so I gave up.

This left me shortstacked. A few hands later, the 50's Lady raised to 3000. I was the only caller with KTh in the SB, and I was doing a Stop-N-Go for 4500 more. Flop was 9d 8d 7c. She called with A7d. A Ten hit the Turn, and she missed the River. I got another survival double up, and our table broke after that hand.

My new table has significantly less chips, as there is only one stack over 40k.

My first hand at the table, I raised to 2600 from UTG+1 with AJs. Only the BB called, and the Flop was T98. BB bet 4100, and I jammed for 14200. He quickly called with Q8 for Pair + Gutshot. Turn & River were [T98] 9 7, and I get another double up.

At the end of the level, the 50s Lady got moved to my new table, and she's now a few seats on my Left.

I have 35300 chips, and hopefully I can hold on to them for more than one level.

BREAK - Timer says 80 players left. The big tourney is down to the final two tables. The 7pm had 90 runners, and is down to 20 players. It's almost 10:30, so that is a definitely a turbo structure.

The levels after this break will be 40 minutes long.

Level 13 (600/1200/200) - This table is way tighter than my old table. I haven't had much to play, but I'm not stealing so I can hold on to my chips for a little bit.

I only played two hands. First hand was me raising to 3100 from UTG with AJs. Mid called, and he's a 70's gentleman who's shortstacked. The SB called, and the BB reluctantly called. Flop was 933. The BB bet 4500, and everyone folded.

In the other hand, UTG raised to 4200. He was the one big stack when I sat down, and I've seen him play one hand so far. It folded to me in the SB, and I 3-bet to 10k with As Ac. I tried to make it small enough for him to call, and I will shove my last 15900 on the Flop. He thought for a while before calling the 5800 more. (Did I mention he was tight?). Flop was 8d 5d 3d. He thought for over a minute before folding. Stupid Diamonds.

I have 38900 chips.

Level 14 (700/1400/200) - Towards the start of the level, my table broke, and I got moved to the next table to break. The TD finally took us from ten to nine handed.

I stayed patient, and only played a couple of hands. I raised to 3500 with ATd and AKh, and nobody called. I 3-bet with JJ to 8500, and everyone folded.

I have 45200 chips.

Level 15 (800/1600/200) - I did a very good job of slowly building my stack without seeing a Flop. I kept my VPIP low, and always raised or did the occasional 3-Bet. Nobody ever called.

When our table broke, I got moved to a table with some rather big stacks. Very first hand, UTG shoved for 5200. I was in Mid, and 3-bet to 25200 with QQ. Nobody called. UTG had A7o, and flopped an Ace.

I have 59500 chips

BREAK - The timer shows 43 players left. We are playing three more levels, which should put us right around the Bubble. Hopefully, I'll still be around, but it will be close to 3am.

The 7pm is down to 8 players, which means they're in the money. The Big Tourney is down to 15 players. They're not gonna finish tonight, but I'm not sure when they will stop.

Level 16 (1k/2k/300) - I did a hell of a lot of folding for most of the level.

Towards the end, Hyjack min-raised to 4000. It folded to me, and I called with 54o. I checked in the dark, and the Flop was 9 6 3. He also checked, and the Turn was [963] K. I bet 6500 with my Open-Ended Straight Draw. He min-raised to 11000, but the Dealer told him it was 13k. I called, and the River was [963 K] 4. I checked, and he quickly turned over KJc.

Very next hand, it folded to the Button, who raised to 5000. He's a Kid who's a local pro with a good resume, and he's been raising a lot with his big stack. I'm the SB, and shipped it for 22k with 86c. He quickly called with A7o. The Board was T44 T 4, and we chopped the pot.

I have 24300 chips, and am the clear shortstack at the table. There are 35 players left, with 27 getting paid.

Level 17 (1200/2400/400) - About an orbit into the level, UTG+2 shipped All-In for around 26k. I was the Cutoff, and went All-In for 20300 with QQ. He had AJo. The Board ran out KJ4 J J, and I'm out in 32nd place, five spots away from the money.

I love bubbling at 2am.

And, to add insult to injury, I got up to my room, and realized that my room key was still in the room. So I had to go back down to the lobby to get a spare key.