Good read.... GL at 10-20, tho from what I've heard the games aren't that great.

gogogogogogo GL

Try the 10/25nl at the Wynn. Very juicy game.
I'll probably there tomorrow as well. Come test the water over here. holla

kick some ass soldier

10/20 @ bellagio GL!

Matt,

I've been a creeper of your TR's for a few months now. I just joined 2+2 so I could let you know how much I enjoy them.

I just returned home yesterday after almost 3 weeks of tournament play in Vegas. We probably crossed paths many times without knowing it, as I stayed at the IP the whole time (didn't cost me dime, that's why I stayed there), was actually just getting in as you were tearing up their "poker room", had a couple jogs along Koval, and was at Batistas Monday night crushing as much all you can drink wine after taking the worst beat of my life and getting sent to the rail of the Main Event (I wear a hot pink dress shirt and still had my UB patches on, sulking in a corner booth). I do have a blog, but it's only up to date to July 6th. I'll post it when I've finished, as you were definitely the inspiration to keep track of what I was doing.

I took the trip by myself, and even though I have friends in Vegas and met a ton of people, writing out what happed was very therapeutic in dealing with the emotional swings of just playing tournament poker.

I hope the rest of your summer goes well. I wish you the best of luck, and maybe we'll run into each other next year if we choose to take this crazy ride again.

Terry

P.S. The Fried Green Tomato Tower at Hash House A Go Go is the stone cold nipples. Make sure you get in there before you leave town. Late night sushi at Kensai (sic?) is a phenom too (open til 4am).

Best of luck at taking your shot at the $10/$20 and may you run like God!

Also, do you plan on doing a post trip report like you did from your initial trip (Post #210)? I think that it really helped put in perspective just how expensive it can be to play the game for an extended period of time in Vegas.

Ive really enjoyed your blog since the beginning and really hope you made a big score today. And I rarely hope for any other poker player to win, lol. Thanks for writing.

Taking My Shot

The idea of a 10/20 shot arose after a recent lunch I had with Matt, a rival on the 5/10 tables, but a friend off of them. Matt's a 22 year old college graduate, hailing from the northeast, but ready to start a new life in the southwest. With so many similarities in our past challenges, and future goals Matt had progressively turned from an acquaintance I acknowledged with a friendly hello, to a friend that I discussed strategy and lifestyle choices with.

On this particular afternoon in the Bellagio Sportsbook we were on the topic of the main event. "Did any of your roommates play?" I asked out of curiosity. "Yeah. Actually, I registered and played myself." he responded, catching me completely off guard. It wasn't that I thought Matt's game was -EV in the main, but more that his bankroll was similar to mine and his goals of moving up in mid stakes would certainly be deterred by the 10k hit. "The experience was just incredible," he continued. "I can't really place a price on something I've dreamt about for 7 years."

As crazy as it sounded, he was right. I'd started my personal journey 6 months ago by swearing off the grind. I'd come to Vegas searching for opportunity and risk at the expense of my bankroll. And sure while I'd moved up a level from my normal game, the 5/10 had become my new grind. I no longer felt the adrenaline that comes with a big risk because frankly, 5/10 wasn't outside my comfort zone anymore. In the struggle to reach my monetary goals, I'd lost track of the psychological reasons behind my sabbatical. I'd come out to Vegas because poker had become a grind. Better yet, my life had become a grind. I was doing things that other people wanted me to do and not necessarily spending my time and energy exploring my own happiness. And now here I was out in a foreign city living out my dream, and the biggest risk I'd taken all summer was getting grilled onions on my double double. **** that. It was time to take a shot.

So the next day, for the first time ever, I walked to the back podium, where the big shots register, and put my name on the 10/20 list. I brought 5k in cash and planned on starting my stack at 2500. After a wait of 20 minutes or so they called my name for the must move game. The table was downstairs with the rest of the mere mortals, but that didn't keep my heart from racing immediately upon sitting down. Everyone at the table had a bigger stack then me. Even the old the lady that looked like Rose from titanic was sitting on 3k. An internet kid with 20k in cash and headphones worth half my buy-in was to my right so I had to tighten up my opening range if I planned on playing profitably. I sat snug for the first hour, watching the flow of the table, while getting acclimated with average opening raises, and Cbet prices.

I played my first hand with AK in the co. A younger guy in early position raised a limper up to 100. I called, not wanting to play my hand face up against a good player and knowing I could 4bet profitably if the internet kid to my right thought about squeezing. It folded around and the two of us saw a flop of AT3. He bet 180 and I called. The turn was a 5 and this time he raised his bet to 460. I considered raising, but at that point I'd only be getting called by worse. So I called and the river was a Q. After asking how much I had left my opponent checked. Satisfied with the size of my first 10/20 pot i checked back and won after he announced "King high".

Now with 3400 in chips, I felt I could open up my game and raise a higher percentage of my range. Unfortunately the internet whiz to my left had other plans. Every time I opened he 3bet me. I'm convinced he wasn't even looking at his cards. I was completely owned for the next 2 hours and I never even saw a turn. After bleeding off all of my original profit, the conservative side of my brain started taking over. Maybe I should just quit? I'm clearly not ready for these deep games with consistent 3betting. Think of all the things you can do with $2500. The thoughts were tempting and the idea of finishing the night at 5/10 was very comforting. But I made up my mind that this was a risk I wanted to take, going back at this point would be cowardly.

I was overly estatic when my name was finally called for the main game. No spot in the house could be worse than one I was previously sitting in. My new table was up on the main stage. I'd spent the last 1/2 year peaking up to the "High Stakes" tables from the 1st step, being careful not to go any further and disrupt the energy that hovers over that area. The stage is not very spectator friendly, guarded by walls to protect the anonymity of the big shots and chip stacks large enough to let outsiders know that it's serious business. My table was no exception. The average chip stack was somewhere around 8k and the table talk consisted of deep runs in big tournaments. Even still, the table was loads softer then my previous one, with one particular player especially catching my eye. He was to my direct left and my first hand at the table I saw him call a 3bet with 46o and check it through when he missed the board completely.

I played my first pot when a real tight player opened to 100 utg. I called in the sb with 44, as did the fish in the bb. I flopped gin on 4KK and checked as I thought out the most profitable line. UTG bet 300 and I called, hoping the fish would come along. He folded, and we saw an A on the turn. This time we went check check and the river brought a 2. I bet 580 hoping he was checking the turn for pot control with an Ace. I was right as he called with AQ.

Up to $3500 I spent my folded hands chatting with the fish to my left. He told me he doesn't regularly play poker, gee I would've never guessed, but that he comes to Vegas every year to play the main event. He told me about his wife and kids back in florida, and then he told me about the hooker he had lined up for tonight. Needless to say, I got to know him reaaallll quicckkkk.

But what I really wanted was to play a pot with him. I got my chance when I limped along with TJ on the btn. Five of us saw a 33T flop and the fish led out 60 into 100. I called and the turn was another T giving me a full house. He checked and I bet 170. He called pretty quickly, indicating that he most likely had a 3. So on a 6 river, I bet the whole pot ($460) knowing he'd have trouble throwing it away. "This is charity" he said before announcing call and showing A3 for the sucker end of the full house.

Things were going well as I kept my attention focused on more pots with the fish. Towards the end of the night I opened with QJ on the btn to 120 and 2 players joined me to a flop of 678. I checked back and the turn kept me alive with a 6. The sb bet 200 and utg called, giving me the proper odds to do the same. The river was a nice 10 and this time the sb checked. UTG bet 380 with little hesitation and now I had a choice. I obviously wasn't folding and raising seemed illogical on this board, so I just called. Reluctantly, the sb did the same. UTG showed the 34 for a smaller flush and the sb mucked, meaning my Q high flush was good for another huge pot.

Minutes later I got a text from my girlfriend saying that her flight had landed and it was time to pick her up at McCarren. I traded my chips with the cashier for 53 hundred dollar bills, a $2800 profit. I left Vegas this morning feeling a lot of general mixed emotions. I'm in Colorado for the night with my girlfriend but will do a huge end of the trip report in the next couple days with winnings/losses/expenses/5:10 and 10:20 differences, general feelings towards a summer in vegas and where I want to go personally from here.

I just wanted to end the summer by thanking everyone again who read; especially those who provided feedback, both positive and negative. Both have helped me grow as a story teller and poker player.

Sianara Vegas!
Matt

Thank you for the thread. Have fun in Colorado and good luck!

GG Matt. This is easily my favorite thread on 2+2. Congrats on the 10/20 success! Excited for the recap.

Just read your entire post - really great. and inspirational too. Have fun in colorado - I'm a boulderite - will you be up at blackhawk - that's a joke if you were just tearing it up in vegas but I had to ask

again - wonderful read and keep on keepin on brothah -

fitting ending to that chapter. glad you were able to book a win. hope to hear the summary soon.

Best TR reports ever man i enjoyed reading them!

Thats awesome brotha I'm real happy for ya.

Lurked this thread from the start, awesome read and glad you had success moving up.

Thanks for the TRs Matt---very nice work & fun to read. Glad you ran well at 10/20. Enjoy the time off with your GF in Colorado---

Awesome writing Matt... No joke you had my heart pumping like it was me taking that seat. Btw your buddy that was with you on the trip how'd he do at the lower stakes tables?

Great read Mr. Matt Moore!

Matt:

Like the White Sox's current winning streak, you've continued to develop the tools of your game and utilize everything at your disposal with massive confidence. I'm speaking of your writing abilities, of course. Your poker play isn't bad, either.

Taking a shot at 10/20 was a terrific climactic point of your trip, second-best only to the idea of playing in the ME itself (and taking it down). It's going to be interesting to see how the view from your seat changes in Ohio, Indiana, etc., now that you've played in Vegas for so long.

I have failed to post my hands and TRs on 2p2 because I know I can't put in the same effort as you have. But I have them in my head and the way my hands are being sounded out mimics how you've done your hands for months. You've done much more than make a nice profit over your time in Vegas, you've entertained and educated a forum full of people who either want to be in your shoes someday (that's me), or people who were in your shoes and can appreciatively relate.

Don't stop now.

lold hard

Do you play at Blackhawk? If so what are the games like these days?

I love the area but hated the ridiculous cap that gave everyone ever increasing odds so no one ever folded

These were the craziest games I've ever played in, drove me nuts at least the pots were huge.

been lurking from the start and just wanted to say that this thread rocks.

Both writing and poker play-by-plays are great. Keep up the good work.

Great thread! I am on the other end of life, my kids grown at the end of a marriage and wanting to take that last great adventure instead of my first. I plan on following your footsteps at some point and have found your trip report very helpful and informative. Keep up the great work. Lot of us here are eagerly awaiting that last summary of it all. Thanks for the info and the entertainment, great post.

Very inspiring TR. I've been following it since the beginning, one of the best threads on 2p2. Since you're sort of at a crossroads, I'll throw in a bit of advice for what it's worth. First, if you haven't read it, read adsman's TR: on changing your life I recommend it for some general life lessons and solid entertainment. Not that you appear to be too in need of life lessons, you seem to have a great head on your shoulders. What I wouldn't give to be in your shoes.

With the state of the economy, the fact that you have a bit of a bankroll to work with, and a lack of anybody relying on you for survival (no wife/kids), I suggest considering taking 6 months to a year (or more) to see the world before diving into the rat race. You could supplement your travel fund with stops at casinos in, Paris, London, Macau, Melbourne, Costa Rica, wherever. I think future employers would likely see your having done this as a positive. You can do this and then decide to go to grad school after, or go into the job market, or perhaps decide to play poker or write for a living, whatever. With your writing ability, do a travel writing blog, who knows what that could turn into.

If you're serious and solid with your girlfriend, consider taking her along. If you can't travel with her, don't marry her. I did this with my wife after she finished grad school and it's the best thing we've ever done. We had great times and faced adversity (and even sheer boredom) together, but grew stronger together for it. If you're not quite there yet with the gf, do it alone and the separation time will tell you a lot about where your relationship is at as well. I can only dream of having found poker before that trip I took with my wife. We had saved up around $20k and travelled for 7 months on it no problem; but a little supplemental income along the way and we could have done quite a few things, more side trips (africa, south america, etc...) that we'd have liked.

Enough rantings from this 40 something dad, but I have really enjoyed your trip report, and I suppose I'd rather read about more adventures from you in the future than how the TPS reports are coming along, so I'm writing this for purely selfish reasons.

It amazes me how many Americans never consider travelling as an option after school, we're so programmed to just get to work and grind, grind, grind, get married, grind, get a house, grind, have kids, grind, retire at 85, die.

Maybe that option doesn't make the most sense for you, but I think adsmans TR will prove that there are other options out there than the traditional path.

Best of luck in the future whatever you decide is best for you, I hope to be reading about it regularly whatever it is. I know you'll be very successful.

Can't wait to read the wrap-up.