Wasn't planning on writing one, but I was inspired by mavsusc report so gonna give it a go. Most details will be fairly accurate, although chip bets will be an estimate as I didn't write these down. Also, after the few days there will be a lack of pics. Also, no roll pics or show pics as I wasn't planning on a trip report.

Trip Day 1 - July 4

The original trip was planned for the 4th-11th with my brother. My awesome wife allows 1 trip a year (sometimes 2) and this was about our 20th trip. We tried to count the exact number once and we are +/- 1 on the exact number of trips. Good problem to have in my mind.

Had a nice 4th of July parade with the family in the morning, and flew out at 7. Fly out of Milwaukee on Frontier with a brief layover in Denver at night. Good thing our gates were adjacent as the 40 min. layover was only 20 and we were the 2nd to last group to board the plane. Flight into Vegas was more eventful then normal as their were T-storms that night which led to some good turbulence. Quick cab ride to Harrahs for the first two nights.

Played a 1-2 session at Harrahs for about 6 hours. Ran awful. Ran top 2 into a set. Two interesting hands.

Limp 5 6 clubs after 6 limpers from the button. Flop K J 10 all clubs. Big blind who head was bobbing from being drunk and took about 30 sec on every decision just shoves in his chips, everyone folds to me. Get a count it is $170. I end up calling given his ridiculous drunkenness to be shown he flopped the Royal. So besides losing the pot got to sit there for 15 min while he is paid out the $600 bonus. Down to $125 at one point out of $600 buy in. Run it up to $450, had it at $350 when table breaks at 4 am. Decide I was playing good and went to the new table.

2nd hand at new table I am in sb with 77, 5 limps I limp, bb makes it $15 or $20, 4 callers and I call. Flop 7 10 J with 2 hearts. BB bets $25, two callers I make it $125, BB goes all in for $400. I sigh call as I am pretty sure I got coolered but I am not folding getting 2-1 on a set. Shown set of 10s and I go to bed down $600.

Trip day 1 - -600

Trip day 2 July 5. I had planned on going to the Rio to play the $550 4pm satellite for the Main. I had planned the trip with the intent of trying to satellite in. I had played the 2 bovada satellites and took 13th in one. One note on the bovada satellites. Glad I won the $5k for 13th (7th - 41st got $5k, top 6 got ME seats), disappointed that Bovada should have paid out 20 ME seats that night. Bro stays back as he was coming down with a cold. Get to the Rio around 1230, buy into satellite then join a 1-3 cash game.

The 1-3 game was ridiculously soft. Also got to witness the complete incompetence of dealers. Had 2 dealers miscount pots, screw up the button move all in just 1 down. Then had a dealer in this hand. I flop the nut flush draw from the blind. Make the nuts on the river. I lead for $80, donkey pushes out a total of $110. Now as she was counting this I was hoping it was over half my bet so I could raise. Of course she said it is a RAISE. I quickly say all in, guy snap calls and dealer pushes me his stack. After the guy left a player questions whether the raise should have counted, she says "you can raise any amount you want in no limit". Player questions and she says you could raise $1 and it would count. We call floor and his is flabbergasted by the question and looks pissed when he finds out the dealer didn't know. Player though never brought up why the question was asked and I keep the entire pot. Don't know what floor would have done if player would have pushed it further as the loser of the pot was long gone. Run great for 3.5 hours in this soft game and cash out up 1100. Here is a bit of chip porn.





Headed to the satellite. 645 runners, top 30 get a seat, 31 gets $6700. 32nd gets $0. Start with 4k in chips, need 70k to get a seat guaranteed. First table is soft. Only 2 other good players. Run good have it up to 15k after the first 3 levels. After the 5th level the only good player left at my table motions for me to take off my headphones. We talk briefly and agree to swap 5% if we get to even stacks (I had 17k to his 8k at this point). I agree as he was good, and if I bust that gives me a buy in for another satellite if he makes it. Well an AK vs KJ all in pre beat gives me an even stack and I swap with Q. Table breaks, new table not good. I grind on. With about 45 left I have 32k with blinds at 2k, 4k button shoves for less I call with A 2. He has shoved several of my buttons already. He has K9. Flop K 2 X, turn X river 2. I get up to just under 60k. My table is aggressive and I am card dead. Get blinded down to 18k with 35 left. Blinds 4k, 8k. It folds to my button and I go all in with q7. I didn't have enough to fold to a spot and needed to get it in at some point and a folded pot on the button seemed decent. First time I was all in the whole tournament. BB calls with Kx. Flop Ace high, turn a beautiful Q river brick and I double to 40k. Fold more and we bust the money bubble. Now this is where the WSOP does it so wrong. After the money bubble burst we stop playing hand for hand and the blinds went up. I am down to 24k and blinds are 6k/12k. People start stalling, I fold utg + 2, and it folds to a short stack with 18k. Now he says he has a real hand but waits. Now other tables are stalling and the floor is called over and he starts running the clock on these people. However, our dealer let us just sit there. The guy sat there for 17 min on his hand as the whole table just sat and talked (mainly how the lack of hand for hand is bs). Well someone else eventually busts, he folds and we all get a seat. It is such a bad policy to stop hand for hand here. Got approached but 3 people if I was interested in selling seat but chose not to. Little shocked at the payout as I register but get paid $200. The payout was $10,200 for the seat. Still don't know why the extra $200. Q also got the ME seat so I save the $500 too.

I elected to play day 1 C so I could rest on Sunday as we finished around 1 am on Sunday. This would be my 3rd main event as I had played in 2006 and 2012. My first main event in 2006 is memorable for the wrong reason. I busted on day 1 that year. We were on an extended honeymoon with the wife, my brother met us in Vegas after a week in Hawaii. Find out after I bust from them that earlier that day my grandpa had died of a heart attack. They had sat all day with the knowledge so I could focus. 2012 I played bad and busted first day also.

Day 2 - +750

Overall +150

Trip Day 3 July 6.

Got up and scheduled a massage. After massage (sorry guys no happy ending story as I am married) checked out of Harrahs and checked in for 5 days at Flamingo. First time staying there as it was the first time we got this comped. Room was blah, and the AC sucked. Never truly got cold in the room the whole trip. Play a short session at Venetian (up $80) before walking down to Circus Circus for the Steakhouse. First time ever at this steakhouse and it was good. I thought Bally's steakhouse was better but they have since closed. Still was a tasty meal for about $100 with a drink and tip. My price range is not like some and this was our most expensive meal of the trip.



After dinner rested and played a 2 hour session of 1-2 at Flamingo. Down $150. Table was not good and we decided to head up and watch a movie before trying to sleep. Got Draft Day, movie was entertaining enough, although my expectations were not high. Managed to fall asleep around 1 and slept till 7 (6 hours was the most I have ever slept before a main event). Woke up, laid around in bed watching Rounders. Ate a small breakfast of a bagel and banana and it was off to the Rio.

Day 3 - -70

Overall +80

Hope you enjoyed. Tomorrow will be Day 1 of the Main Event.

Also, I see my pics are not showing up. I tried using photobucket, not sure what I did wrong. Copied the site, did the insert picture on the thread and pasted. I thought I followed the steps on the twoplustwo instructional page, but I am not always good with technology so if anyone knows what I did wrong let me know.

Does the board have any thoughts on the OP knowingly taking advantage of a dealer/player not knowing the raising rule?

Nope. Action offered, action accepted as far as I'm concerned

other guy clearly intended to raise, evident by the fact he called the shove. Nothing too shady. I wouldn't have done it, but i'm a sucker.

let's hear the rest of this though. I'm liking it.

Looking fwd to it!!!

I know it already took place, but GOGOGO!

+1 Love Trip Reports!

The 10,200 payout in the satty was for a possible tip from the winners fyi

how would your rate the field strength in the sat? did you only play the one?

Trip Day 4 Main Event Day 1C

After my first two times playing the Main Event I was determined to do 3 things differently. Play much tighter and play a TAG style as opposed to by LAG style. While I am confident in my abilities and most pros say the Main Event field is soft, I am a semi-pro and had found myself in previous Main Events getting into way to many tough spots trying to play a LAG style. Second, play position much more. Avoid opening from mid to early, avoid playing from the blinds unless either 3 betting or having a very good reason to just call from the blinds. Third, survive. My first two mains I spent way to much time trying to win every pot and not letting the ridiculous slow structure work in my favor. Keep reminding myself of how many big blinds I have and that there was no need to push action in marginal spots.

So, after a light breakfast got the RIO a little after 11. Was seated in the Amazon Room table 440. Played a little 1-3 with my brother while killing time before the start (lost $80 on nothing special) and then we were off. The nice thing about my table was it was by the rail so my brother could get pictures (one regret of my previous two was I had 0 pictures of me playing). Table breakdown was 1, 2 seats solid TAGs, 3 seat solid LAG, me in 4, 5 seat weak, loose passive player, Seat 6 and 7 TAG, Seat 8 weak LAG, and seat 9. The good thing is the best two players were on my right in my estimation. Especially the 3 seat. Not only his style, but also how he handled himself at the table. He got food and a smoothie delivered, was on his phone some of the time, but even when he was he was paying attention to how hands played out. When getting seated with new players I look for things like this to clue me into who is a regular and therefor probably pretty solid. Music plays, a shuffle up and deal from Negreanu and we are off.

Level 1
Win a few small pots then wake up to AA after 8 hole opened and 3 hole flats from the button. I 3 bet to 1125. My 3 bets all tournament were larger than most peoples 3 bets in the tournament, in part of my strategy to play TAG and wanting to take down pots early on. 8 hole calls, 3 hole folds. Flop 4 4 8. I lead for 1650, 8 calls. Now he was LAG and not good, so his range is quite wide here. Turn 9, I decide to check for pot control. Obviously my hand is strong, but I didn't want to play a large pot with essentially just a 1 pair hand. I was also planning on betting most rivers. I figure my hand in that spot is good for usually 2 streets of value anyways. Seat 8 checks behind. River 8. Ugh. Probably one of the few cards I didn't want to see. I check, seat 8 bets 2100. Now this is where I simply think he was one of 2 spots on the table I wanted to play pots with, I don't think he is good. I call, he turns over 5 6 off suit and I win.

Finish level 1 at 36,675.

Level 2
Nothing eventful from my notes except for one hand. Seat 1 opens from late position I 3 bet from the big blind with AQ to 950, he 4 bets to 2650. Now here is where I make a mistake and I knew it and still not happy. I need to either 5 bet or fold here. Fold is probably the play as the player was TAG and also we hadn't seen any 4 bets so far. I do the worst thing and just call. Flop all rags and I check fold. Still don't like how I played that.

Finish level at 32,500.

Level 3
Early on in the level I elect to call seat 1s raise from the big blind with JQ. Now, this is a hand that I should have 3 bet. However, I was tentative given the last hand that he 4 bet me. Flop J 8 4 with 2 diamonds. I check with the intent of check raising but he checks behind. Turn Q of diamonds. I lead for 750, he checks his cards and then raises to 2100. Now this was weird and I think I leveled myself. Why would he check his cards if he had the flush (maybe cause I am a dumbass and thats what he wants you to believe that he was just checking for 1 diamond when he has 2). I call, river is a low brick. I check call 4,500 to be shown AK of diamonds. The checking of cards along with his check on the flop threw me off. When I was replaying the hand before calling I was trying to figure out why he would check a flush draw there and couldn't come up with a compelling reason. I don't hate my call either though. Down to 21k. I win a few pots, 3 bet several times especially on seat 3s opens and grind my way back though to 34,975 by break. No real big spots just found good times for 3 bets and won some pots with c-bets.

Level 4.
I have no notes from this level. Finish it at 34,500. No fluctuations, just won the blinds a few times to stay afloat.

Level 5.
As I had said I had been 3 betting in position fairly frequently with good success. 3 hole opened from late position, I 3 bet with A9 hearts, and he flatted. Now usually he had been folding to my 3 bets so the fact he flatted alerted me that his hand strength was stronger than his normal opens. Flop A 3 4 rainbow. He check, I decide to check behind. As I said I felt his starting hand was stronger than normal and wasn't sure my hand was good. Turn A. He checks, now this is a tough spot. I don't think I can get 2 streets of value here. I think two bets only one gets called. I also think that I can actually bet about 3/4 of pot on the river and get called given my image and my line here doesn't make a ton of sense for an A. I check. River makes all these thoughts meaningless as I river the 9. He leads for 3200. I tank a bit before raising to 11200. He tank folds. After the day was done we immediately talked (we hadn't talked all day in fact I am not sure I talked at all as I had headphones on and sunglasses). He said he had 10s there. He was quite close to actually reraising given how the frequency of my 3 bets and given my line. Damn.

Seat 5 busted out this level and same with seat 6, the only casualties of the day for our table. Seat 5 is replaced with a good LAG with 70k in chips. I am in small blind with AJ in a folded pot and I make it 1400. Seat 5 makes it 4500. Now seat 5 since coming to our table has been very aggressive, running it over and making larger bets than our table had seen most of the day. I am sitting on about 38k in chips and elect to call. I am unsure if this was the right play against this guy. Flop 4 4 5. Given that flop I was going to check call. He elects to check. Weird as he had been very aggressive and bet about 85% of the time when given the option to be aggressive. Turn J. I check confused by his flop check. He checks behind. Now I am totally confused (hey idiot this is why you play pots in position!). River brick. Given that I am confused by this whole hand now, don't want to inflate the pot with a hand that has really good showdown value I elect to check and call almost all river bets. He checks behind and he shows A 10.

Final eventful hand of the night. About 25 min left in the level I got 42k. 2 hole limps (weird as we almost never had any open limps all day). 2 hole had about 60k in chips. 3 hole makes it 1400 (he has just 14k behind at this point). I look down at AK suited. Now I elect to raise here for a few reason. First, I want to figure out if I am just crushed by 2 hole as if he did limp big I really don't want to see a flop and end up flopping top pair top kicker and be drawing either dead or near to it. Also, I want to isolate 3 seat and play for his stack. Given his aggression I either have him dominated or flipping vs most of his range. I make it 4900. 8 hole donk ships it in for 13k everyone else folds. 3 hole tells me later he had 9s. I call to see the mighty 6 4 offsuit. Flop 6 4 3, turn 3 river brick and I ship a 30k pot the wrong way. I briefly make a comment about wow did you really think I would fold in which jr. Eminem (he had a Detroit hat on and was a wannabe tough guy) mouths off at. My end of the table just laughs at his play with me given I am never folding there, he continues to mouth off and gets warned by the dealer. I end the day at 29950. I played well, stuck to my game plan and really should have been at 60k. But, I survived and moved onto day 2.

Trip Day 5
Nothing too eventful. Was planning on watching the Germany vs. Brazil match from the Ceasars sportsbook (didn't realize it was under construction) so headed over to the Venetian. Played a short 1-2 session (+120) while waiting for the game to start. We left after Brazil failed to show up for the first half. Went back played a session at Ballys (-350). Lost a huge pot when I 3 bet got called in 3 spots, flop K Q 10. I got a set of Kings which are no good. Ate dinner at the Bellagio buffet. Usually we save this for our last night, but since I was hoping to be playing we did it on the last free night. I love crab but living in the midwest it is ridiculously expensive so getting king crab all you can eat is my main feast there.

After dinner played a session at Bellagio. Nothing to eventful, +310. Headed back to room at 1 for some hopeful sleep. Slept actually 6 hours again, was excited to wake up and see it was 8 instead of 4. Checked my seat assignments, looked up players. Got breakfast at the flamingo buffet (had a coupon and figured could eat an omelette, some fruit and with the coupon was cheaper than most breakfast options). Took shuttle to the Rio and we were off for day 2.

Day 2 coming tonight or tomorrow. Hope you enjoy.

The sat was weak early on no doubt. Now, I only played at 2 tables so tough to gauge. But my second table was probably 2/3 solid. Granted I got moved there with about 150 left out of the starting 645 so a lot of weak player probably had busted.

Ah thanks we were all confused. I did leave a tip but the $200 threw us all off who were in line.

Was what I did 100% ethical. No, but as others have said he intended to raise. Dealer called raise and thought it was a raise (which is still laughable). This is actually why the player who called floor after the hand told me why he didn't say anything during the hand because he recognized what the intent was.

Nice TR, looking forward to day 2. Shame about the 64 hand

I bet Jr. Eminem said something about knowing the other players in the hand all had big cards so his 6 4 was live if he was called. That is the most tilting explanation that players use.

Good read, nice job so far.

Great read +++

Sent from my SPH-L710 using 2+2 Forums

Trip day 6: Main Event Day 2c

I don't have the names of the players (other than the few I remember) at my table as I just put in my notes the information on the players. Seat 1 was a loose, passive. Seat 2 was a solid mid level pro, Seat 3 was Miltiadis Kyriakides who just took 3rd in the 10k PL Omaha. I was looking to avoid being out of position against him. He was LAG and good. Seat 4 and 5 were both solid TAG. Seat 6 was Chantel Mcnulty, decent looking and was TAG, seat 7 me, seat 8 was a weak passive. Seat 9 was empty but was filled soon.

Buffer gives the shuffle up and deal and we are off.

Level 6. Starting with 60 big blinds was not ideal, but I had to keep reminding myself who cares where the avg is right now you have 60 big blinds and that is a plenty workable stack. I pick up a few small pots then get AA all in pre vs. seat 9 A8 for 11k.

Big hand of the level happens late in the level. I raise 68 suited from cutoff, button calls, bb in seat 2 calls. Flop K J 8. I cbet for 1800. Button folds bb calls. Turn is a 6. I bet 3500, call. River is a low brick. I bet 6500 he tank calls. Bust out Chantel on a blind vs. blind when I have AK vs her Ax and I end level at 70,025. I breathe a sigh of relief that I ran good when I needed to get my stack up and enjoy a nice break.

Level 7. Unfortunately the table goes from ok to bad quick. Seat 6 is filled by Bryan Devonshire, seat 2 busts early in this level and is filled by Ronnie Bardah. Seat 8 busts and is filled with a good old guy who was a very good TAG. I continue with my TAG style but also looking to 3 bet in good spots.

Key hand of the level occurs when Kyriakides opens for 1400. Devonshire 3 bets it to 3500. I wake up to KK and make it 8500. Kyriakides goes all in for 17k Devonshire folds and I call to see AK hearts. Flop Q 10 x with 2 hearts. Seriously wtf kind of flop is that. Literally the only flop I am still "ahead" but not a favorite to win. Turn ends the drama with a J. 38k pot the wrong way and it keeps a very strong player alive. End level at 48,300.

Level 8. Come back from break frustrated still. Kyriakides was a problem player at my table and now his chip stack is back to being quite workable. Also, bit frustrated by knowing my stack should be quite healthy. But, I kept reminding myself you have 60 big blinds to start the level, just keep grinding. Key hand of the level comes when I flat an early position open from Kyriakides with 99. Flop q 3 2 with 2 spades. He leads for 2400 and I call. Kyriakides was cbetting almost 90% of the time and figure my 99 is ahead of a good chunk of his range. However, when reflecting I should have raised the flop. Kyriakides is aggressive enough to keep betting the turn and putting pressure on and I should have raised there to define if I was ahead or not. Turn is a 9 of spades. Now is a bit of dilemma as it could be a great or awful card for me. Kyriakides leads for 5100. I elect to just call. Only bad river is a 4th spade at this point, if I am ahead then I am way ahead, if behind then raising is just bad. River is a 2. He leads for 11500. I raise to 31500. He tank folds saying you must have a set of 3s (damn I hate when my hand is that face up). End level at 73,600. Off to dinner break.

Based on our experiences of Day 1c dinner break we came up with a different plan for food. On day 1c my brother at the front of the line at the All American Bar and Grill, however when I got there all the diamond and above people get seated first and we ended up waiting 45 min to get a seat. Not the ideal downtime you want. We ended up sharing a table with 2 main event players who were stuck in line and came looking for open spots at table. They did pay for our meal which was generous of them. Still ended up misisng the first few hands of the new level. So, end up getting the Rio buffet and getting the buffet of buffets 24 hour pass. Figure that would make for an easy dinner the next day and I wouldn't have to worry about getting a seat at a restaurant and the food coming out in time.

Level 9. Feeling good with food and a good chip stack with 73 bigs. Two key hands in the level. I raise with 9 10 suited from hijack, button, small and big blind (Bardah) call. Flop 10 8 4 with 2 clubs. I bet 3200 and Bardah call. Turn is a 2 no club. I bet 6400 Bardah calls. River is a non club 8. Bardah leads for 12k. Here I am trying to figure out what makes sense. Missed clubs, missed straight draw, maybe a really good 10 that he wants value out of in case I check back a 10 (which was my plan) or some sort of weird set or 3 of a kind. I am confused but figure it was reasonable he would be some missed draws and I call. I am shown 8 5.

Other key hand of level I raise with KK from mid position sb and Kyriakides calls from the bb. Flop Q 9 2. I bet 3100 and Kyriakides calls. Turn 3. I bet 6k and Kyriakides calls. River 8. Kyriakides checks and given his ability to have 10 J, 2 pair, or just bomb with air I check. I am unsure if this is a good play long term but my stack couldn't stand a healthy check raise without crippling it. Kyriakides turns over q3. Mother ****er!!! Down to 49,700 going into the final level.

Level 10 Come back from break and where the **** is Kyriakides. On the last hand I left before break as it was 3 bet preflop by Devonshire and with 90 seconds left till break when Kyriakides and another player called I knew the hand would take longer and might as well avoid the crowds if possible (if you ever saw the bathroom breaks on day 1c or day 3 you would know what I am talking about). Apparently the flop was J x x, and it went check around (Devonshire said he checked QQ there), turn 6 and Kyriakides and other player get it all in with Kyriakides having a set of 6s vs a set of JJ. Devonshire folds, river Q. Seat 9 busts also early on in the level and we are joined by Haralabos Voulgaris. I win some pots, keep picking up chips with 3 bets.

Played one hand vs. Voulgaris. Obviously not looking to get overly involved in pots vs him. I raise with 10 J, he calls. Flop K 9 2. I cbet he calls. Turn is a 7 giving me a double gutter. I lead again for 8k and he folds. Felt good cause I stayed aggressive. Was interesting listening to the conversation between Voulgaris and Devonshire. Devonshire is really into draftkings and fantasy sports and listening to those two discuss computer models and what they put in was intriguing.

Have my stack up to 94k at one point when this happens. Devonshire 3 bets from button, I am in small blind and make it 14,500 to go with AK. Devonshire has just 28k to start the hand and goes all in with AQ, I call. Flop 7 4 3, turn Q, river X. FML, twice now I had two of the best players all in in 70-30s and lose. Nit up the last 30 min as my table was not good and was hoping for a good draw the next day.

End level with 51,500. Was very frustrated as I played really well during the day and got unlucky in a few spots. It is tough when I was probably the 4-6th best player at the table, get it in good and can't win. However, Devonshire did lift my spirits with this. At the end of the day he showed me the stats from the day (he was putting in the hands on his ipad). He says, I like the way you play and shows me we had the same stats in regards to VPIP, and aggression factor. Also, Bryan introduced himself and throughout the rest of the tournament would say hi and then my name. Pretty solid memory and just overall kindness towards a complete unknown like me.

After day 1c the good guy on my right when we were talking after the day was over said I had given him trouble all day long and he wasn't comfortable all day with how I was playing. With both of these compliments I did feel comfortable that I was doing some things right in terms of aggression. Also, I guess heading into day 3 and never having been all in is probably a good sign. However, starting with just 32 big blinds will mean I need some serious run good early on in day 3. Lets see if this happens....

Love the update! Can't wait for next edition!

Looking through my notes, was one hand in level 10 prior to the AK vs AQ that helped me chip up. I raised KQ suited from utg, folds to Devonshire who calls. Flop K 9 4. I check behind. My thought is I am probably only good for 2 streets of value here. Also, it does conceal some of my hand strength. Turn is a 6, he checks I bet 3500. He thinks and calls. River is 2. He checks and I fire 6500. At this point Devonshire goes deep into the tank and thinks for a solid 3 minutes while staring at me. Which is uncomfortable as we are right next to each other. He even is going beyond looking at my breathing to looking to see if my legs are moving. I just stare with my headphones on and sunglasses at his chip protector. After the 3 min he calls I say KQ and he taps the table.

It must have been at once educational and terrifying to play at a table like that. Great write up. Devo seems like a really good guy.

Trip Day 7 Main Event Day 3

Begin the day 1412 out of of 1864 going into the day with 51k in chips. Table draw was great. Seat 1, 3 and 7 were mid stakes pros, no other pros. Also, only 3 at the table were over 100k so not a ton of deep stacks. Looking at the table break order we were about the 25th to break as for the first time I was in the Brasilia room, so figured we would play at this table a bit.

Level 11. First hand of the day and I have the button. Folds to me and I had determined I would probably raise blind here as the big blind was an old guy and started with 30 bb so probably a good spot to steal. Of course all of this thought was for naught as I wake up to QQ, raise it to 3600 and big blind calls. Flop 10 2 3 with 2 to a suit. BB checks I bet 4500 and big blind check raise shoves. WTF? Old guy just check raise ships it. I think for about 30 sec and figure if I got trapped so be it, but with 30 bigs and an overpair from a button raise I need to go with it. I call, and he flips over 44. Turn and river are bricks and I essentially double up (he had 48k to start the day) and I am at 100k in chips.

Very next hand player (starts the hand with 68k) opens in mid position to 4k. He was older and wasn't one of the mid level pros either. I wake up to AK and make it 11500. He calls. Flop 10 5 2. He donk leads for 11k. This is such a dry flop I feel the donk bet was either an ace trying to bluff, or some sort of middle type pair or maybe a weakish 10. I reraise to 41k. He thinks and puts in the rest and I call the extra 16k. Woops guess I misread that donk lead and he flips over 77. He says I couldn't believe you had two big pairs in a row. Yes sir, cause we have played all of 2 hands now at the table but you have a read on me. Turn though saves me with a K, river brick. Two hands in and now I am at 170k with over 100bb now.

I win a few more pots and with 20 min left in the level our table breaks. Wasn't expecting that, they busted 200 people not even in the whole level.

Head to new table with 180k and this is not what I wanted to see. At this time the average stack is 120k, so I have 50% over the average. I come to the table and I am 7th in chips on the table and looking around the table it is a bunch of young players and was a very aggressive table. Yuck...go from a great table to this. End level 11 at 181k.

Level 12 - Blinds 1k, 2k. I am ridiculously card dead at the new table. Between the time I first arrived at the table with 20 min left in the level and the first 30 min of this level I play 0 hands. Never a raise, never a call, folded every blind. Now, given I was a new player at the table and came with chips I assume my table image now is ultra tight. So, I know if given the right spots I can continue my 3 betting style and it should be very successful because of my image and chip stacks. The other good news as I observe the table is the most aggressive player is on my right.

I find some good spots to 3 bet. 3 bet the person on my right with 10 J suited, pocket 7s, AJ, KK, A6, K10 all in this level. At one point the person on my right opens and puts his stack in front of me saying I know you will get these anyways. Was pretty funny. Never get resistence but I can start to tell my 3 bets are getting some suspicious as the 1 hole (learned later it was a guy by the name of Adam Coates) came close to 4 betting twice. End level with 208k going into the 1200,2400 level.

Level 13. Begin the level on a downswing. Lose an all in vs. a short stack on a coin flip. Lose when I got 4 bet. Then lost 2 when I opened and my cbets got raised on ugly flops. Down to 155k. Guy on my right opens to 5100, I 3 bet with QQ to 14100. Coates in the one hole makes it 45k. Guy on right folds. Well, I was expecting to get 4 bet some more, and this is a good hand. I don't think Coates is doing this light, but given my previous feel that he was frustrated by my 3 bets I think his range is 9s and above, AK AQ, maybe AJ but not likely. I think for about a minute, decide to go with it. Coates doesn't snap (internal fist pump as now KK is only hand that has me crushed!). He thinks for 2 min and calls with AK. We are off to the races and I am all in for the first time all tournament. Board runs 10 x x turn J, river brick! Up to 320k!

Other interesting hand of the level, lady who was in 3 hole who just got 5 bet by the guy on my right preflop, opens from hijack to 5100, I make it 13,600 with KJ suited from button. Flop Q 10 2 with all spades. (I got clubs unfortunately). Now with this flop, I was planning on betting the turn and river. I figure it gives me an opportunity to make a hand, and I think the line is stronger than bet flop, bet turn, and I wasn't willing to 3 barrel on the river anyways. So, I check behind. Turn now is a 4 of spades. She checks and this is where I screwed up, I needed to bet and continue. However, for whatever reason I froze. I thought maybe the bet would be transparent as a bluff, but really it would make sense that I am betting a mid spade at least. River with an offsuit K. She checks again, and now my line makes almost no sense if I bet, and I got showdown value. I check behind and she tables 66 with the 6 of spades. Misplayed that one. Lose a few other pots here and there and end level at 257k. Heading to dinner with blinds going to be 1500, 3000 so 86 big blinds. Great 3 levels though of the day and happy to know we have maybe 30 min left before the new table breaks.

Level 14. Nothing eventful happens before table breaks. New table is ok. 2 good players with decent stacks. One is pushing the action from the 2 spot, I am in the 7 spot so in ok position in that he is not on my left but not on my right either. Guy in 6 seats is constantly checking the clock as he has 180k in chips and we got under 1,000 left. He is also reading/checking a good luck card his 2 little kids made for him so I can tell he really wants to make the $ (of course we all do, but it seems like even more so for him). He opens a pot to 8k, I see AK suited and make it 22k. He thinks for ever and just calls. I feel like he has a strong hand, but also has no interest in playing a huge pot or making some tough calls. Flop 3 4 6. He checks I bet 27k. He takes like 2-3 min and calls. I feel like he is in the 9s - Qs range with JJ or QQ being most likely but that he doesn't want to play for his tournament. Turn Q. Well if he doesn't have QQ I think I can get him off his hand, he checks. I bet 45k. He doesn't think long and ships it. I think for just a bit, say nice set of Qs and fold. He tables QQ. I truly believe given everything if he didn't hit a Q I get a fold. Ugh.

At 220k when this hand happens towards the end of the level. I open utg with 22 6500. Large stack from the 2 seat makes it 17k, I call. Flop 2 5 K. Hell yea! I check he bets 25500. I click check raise to 51k. He thinks for about 1 min and 3 bets to 101k. I think for just a bit and figure if I got coolered than so bet it and ship in the rest of the stack. He completely snaps, ****....The complete snap made me think set of KK I flip over my set and he has AA. YES!!! Turn and river are bricks and I am well over 400k!. End level at 463k.

Level 15 - Blinds 2k,4k. Level lasted only 70 min. as the bust outs are going fast and ESPN wants to be able to film the money bubble action on day 4. Nothing eventful happens and I bag 443k with 747 players left. Was a crazy day that so many things went right. Won my 2 all ins, including a coin flip, and didn't take any bad beats in key spots.

As I head back I know cashing is almost a guarantee which is a great feeling. I slept almost 6 hours and my brother and I check out of the Flamingo. Our flights are suppose to leave at 7:30 but I am not planning on making the flight. Plan on being in and booking a room at the Rio on dinner break.

great read

Not 1, but two fantastic Main Event Trip Reports. Thanks for posting.

Awesome read, seems like you played well to set up a decent run at the $$

Great TR so far, keep it coming.