WSOP Stats (Post-Boom)

As a mailman, I listen to various podcasts to pass the time while I'm delivering my route, including some poker podcasts. They often mention how many WSOP Bracelets and Final Tables a players has. But for older players, many of those successes came before the poker boom, which started with Chris Moneymaker's win of the 2003 Main Event.

To me, since the poker world changed in 2003, there should be WSOP stats that start after the poker boom. I've had this thought for a few years now, but have never found those stats.

So over the summer, I started playing around with this idea in my spare time. I ended up making a huge spreadsheat with results over the last 10 years, all the way back to the 2003 Main Event. I included all bracelet events except for the WSOP Circuit National Championship and the Casino Employees event. The National Championship is relatively new, and really has nothing to do with the WSOP. And with apologies to Chad Holloway, nobody of any significant has done anything in the Casino Employees event.

I decided to jot down all 1st and 2nd places, along with any 3rd places and Final Tables of player names that I recognize. Why 1st, 2nd, and 3rd? I don't know; Gold, Silver, and Bronze I guess. Here are what I determined to be a Final Table, which I believe is the same as the WSOP uses.

Rants & Raves: Reno Tournament Series

Hi!   I'm still here.

I haven't been writing because playing poker in Reno isn't very interesting to me these days. I'm keeping the blog open for the information in it, and just in case I have something to write about.

Well, something happened last Sunday that got me to sit down and type.

Grand Sierra started their Fall Pot Of Gold tournament series on Thursday, and it goes through today. However, it was announced on last Sunday that the series has been cancelled after four days. The reason was due to excessive overlays for the guaranteed events.

The big $100k weekend event, which had five starting heats, had a $30k overlay. The  tournaments that I played included a $10k Omaha-8, a $10k HORSE, and a $15k NLHE. They all missed their guarantees by a decent amount. I would estimate that GSR had to pay around $40k in overlays for all event over the first four days. Due to gaming regulations, management's only choices were to continue the series or cancel the whole thing. And with a $200k Main Event and various other smaller guarantees, it's not that surprising that they pulled the plug.

Never Give Up, Never Surrender

Grand Sierra just finished up their Spring Pot Of Gold tournament series last week. I didn't get to play much due to my work schedule. So I thought I would try something different, and play the two Limit Omaha-8 tourneys that started on the two Saturdays at 4pm. I don't get to punch out from work until 4:30, but late registration is for two hours.
For the first one,  I got to the table about 5:30, and there was 39 entrants. Things didn't go well, as I couldn't scoop a pot to save my life. I busted out around 6:45, and finished in 29th place.

For the second one, I got there just after 5pm. The Main Event was running, so I expected a smaller field for this Omaha-8 tourney. But I didn't expect to see just one table going. I registered as the 10th and final player, and got my 8000 chips in the 150/300 level. (Remember, this is a Limit tournament. The 150/300 is the Small Bet/Big Bet. The blinds are 75/150.)

I was extremely card dead for this tournament, and basically blinded off for a while. It took me almost an hour and half to win my first pot. I hit a Full House with QQXX on a Q66 Flop. The SB bet out. I just called, and so did another player. Turn [Q66] J. SB checked, and I bet. Both players folded, and the SB showed a 6. Drat!

Hand Of The Day #101

$1/$2 NLHE ~ Eldorado ~ 04.11.13

Full table on a Thursday evening. The play has been mostly limpy with the occasional preflop raise to $8 or $10. I'm UTG+1, and look down at A8d. I bought in for $100, and I'm up to around $160. I've been trying to play position, so I should fold this. But I don't listen to myself, and limp in.

Nobody raised, and six players see a Flop of Qh Jd Td. Pretty sexy Flop for me, as I have an Omaha-esqe draw with the Nut Flush and Double Gutshot. I like to bet my big draws, so I bet $10. If the Turn hits my Flush, then I can check, and hope someone hit a smaller Flush. If I hit my Straight or miss everything, then I can keep betting.

Three players called, and the Turn is [Qh Jd Td] Kc. A beautiful card, as I now have the Nut Straight, and the Nut Flush Draw. I bet $20, and I really hope somebody raises. Fortunately, a 70's gentleman cooperates, and raises to $70. The other two players fold, and I quickly shove my last $130. He calls, and asks if I have an Ace.

I say, "I've got a freeroll, baby," as I show my cards.

Reports Of My Demise Are Greatly Exaggerated

~ Yes, I'm still here. I've been saying for the past six months or so that I'm losing interest in blogging, and that I'll probably be posting less. I've have over 400 posts on this blog, and I highly doubt I will get to #500. I have no plans to close the blog, but posts will only come along when I feel like it.

~ Now for an update on how my year has been. First of all, I'm trying to take my recreational play more seriously. I've set a goal this year of $10k profit. That is far ahead of anything I've made in the past. It may seem like a big number, but it's only $2500 every 3 months or roughly $835 each month. That doesn't seem too unreasonable.

I'm also trying to follow stricter bankroll requirements, rather than just playing whatever I feel like. I started out just playing $1/$2 and small tournaments under $200. Right now, my "pile of cash" is up to the level where I can play bigger cash games ($2/$5 NL or $10/$20 Limit) once a week, and I'm occasionally taking a little out for gas and groceries.

Here are the monthly numbers:
+$2144 January
+$697  February
-$1019 March
+$842  April

Shootout At The Peppermill

No, this isn't a post about the shootout on the Las Vegas Strip that happened on Thursday morning. Although, that is a bizarre coincidence.

The Peppermill is having one of their little tournament series this weekend, One of their events is $145+$40 NLHE Shootout. It was a surprise to see this on the schedule, as it's rare to see a variety tournament in Reno. Fortunately, this happened to fall on my off day (Thursday), so I how could I miss it?

For those who don't know, a Shootout plays like a normal tournament, except they don't balance the tables. You stay at your table, and it plays down to a winner. The winner of each table goes to the Final Table with their chips and plays to a winner. Everyone at the Final Table has made the money.

Since a Shootout has never run in this town, I'm not sure how they are gonna handle this tourney. The one thing I can predict is they will probably screw it up

"Shuffle Up & Deal" - 10k chips and 30 min levels. Tables have nine chips stacks. But... There are currently only three tables, which is really sad. We have only three players at my table. Reno is so pathetic.

The Big Poker Question (Or Luck vs Skill II)

First of all, here are my stats from last month's Las Vegas trip. This is a good example of the topic of this post.

Donkaments < $100: 8 tourneys, 3 chops/wins, +$1005, 173% ROI

Tournaments >=$100: 5 tourneys, 0 cashes, -$860

Cash Games: -$104, 18.5 hrs

Pit Play: -$108

2012 was my first losing year as a poker player. There were various factors, including running terrible in Omaha-8 games (-$1187, 66.5 hrs, 26 sessions). I also lost a decent chunk in Pit games (again), although it was a little less than 2011.

But the biggest factor in my losing year was the tournaments, and that's what this post will focus on. Here are the numbers.

Donkaments <$100: 183 tourneys, 49 cashes, 30 wins/chops, +$5438, 43.9% ROI

Tournaments >=$100: 69 tourneys. 6 cashes, 4 wins/chops, -$7466, -46.1% ROI