July News & Notes

- If I had to use one word to sum up my WSOP '12 experience, it would be "disaster". In addition to airballing my two $1500 WSOP Events, I also went 0/8 in Single Table Satellites ranging from $125 - $325. Even though those were winner-take-all, there is usually a deal when it gets to heads-up. However, I never got to heads-up, as the best I did was 3rd place twice.

In other larger tournaments over $100, I went 1/8, with my min-cash at the Golden Nugget HORSE tourney being my only cash. For my last three days in Vegas, I played in three of the $235 Daily Deepstacks at the WSOP. In my first one, I couldn't get anything going, and basically ran out of chips before the second break. In the last two, I was out just before the first break when my Two Pair ran into a Straight. The first one was on the Flop, and the second one was on the Turn.

I played a few cash games, but they went just as well. Overall, I was -$353 in eight session of either NL, Omaha-8, or Mixed Games. On Sunday night, I went back to the Imperial Palace for the $3/$6 Mixed Game. Unfortunately, things didn't go as well as they did in my first visit, and I lost $95.

The only bright spot was the Daily Donkaments, but it wasn't as good as last year. Between both weeks, I ended up playing 25 donkaments. I had a couple of days I did only donkaments. Other days I would play one or two before I played in a bigger tournament, or after I quickly busted out of a bigger tournament. Unfortunately, I only had four cashes in those 25 donkaments, two big ones and two small ones. Overall, I was +$490 (or 28.9% ROI) in the donkaments, which is a rather mediocre number compared to what I expect from myself.

- While in Las Vegas, I signed up for a Twitter account, @GregDudePoker, (which is the same as this blog). A bunch of the players from Cleveland use Twitter, so I got an account to communicate with them while out there. I'm not big on social media, and I have no clue how often the account will be used. If Twitter is your thing, feel free to follow me. If not, I do have my most recent tweets on this page.

- In local poker news, I discovered that another poker room has been closed. Sands Regency only had three tables, and just spread $3/$6 Limit with the occasional $1/$2 on weekends. I made a scouting trip up there yesterday. The poker room is completely dismantled, and is now full of slots. I would guess the room has been closed for a couple of months.

Poker and gambling in general is in real bad shape in Reno. This is no longer a tourist town, expect on weekends. There are too many casinos to support the locals. Downtown is a ghost town, except for weekends. All the poker rooms are hurting, except the Peppermill, and they aren't as busy as they were last year at this time.

I'm predicting there will be more closings in this town, especially over the winter. There will definitely be a couple of poker rooms converted to slots. And I wouldn't be surprised if one of the downtown casinos shuts down over the winter.

EDIT (07/15) - Actually, the Sands Regency did close their poker room, but they still have two poker tables located in the Pit, next to some Blackjack tables. The old room did allow smokers, and I'm sure the current tables also allow for smokers.