if you keep 7xing your stack each day you’ll have the thing won by day 7

Slower structure requires different play.

Great job man! Good luck today!

Some quick musings/notes and then I will post some hands in a separate post.

The WSOP gave everyone a cool card protector to commemorate this being the largest field ever for the main. Came in a nice box too. So for those 8,500 entrants that don’t cash they have a $10k souvenir.

Still haven’t had any name players at my tables. Had another tough table yesterday. Two seats were open and left for late day 2 entrants. Both those guys advanced. If the other 7 people from the start of the day only me and one other guy made day 3.

Seat 9 came in with $13k. He ended up going all in 12 times. The first 11 he didn’t get called. Unfortunately he couldn’t keep ahead of the blinds so he never got over $20k. He would go all in. Win the blinds and then lose his sb and bb. Finally he was down to $8k and went all in and lost and was out.

Another short stack took his seat with maybe $20. He was an old guy maybe 70 wearing a black cowboy hat and had a pic of Doyle Brunson on the brim(actual photo in the hat band). Turns out he saus they were good friends and he was dedicating this event to his friend. He said this was his 30th main event. Don’t know his name but every single dealer knew him. He also only went all in. He would show his hands and I’m not kidding when I say he had AA, KK, and QQ at least 10 times and missed so much value. If I had those hands I would have had a huge stack but he would just win the blinds. When we got to the last five hands he had $30k and said I’m not playing another hand. Two hands later he goes all in and everyone laughs as they fold knowing what he has. Yep showed AA after we all folded. Had like $40k going to day 3.

Looked up my table today. One very know pro with over $6 million in live cashes and once was considered the best online pro in the world. Another guy from China with $2.5 million. Rest of table similar to my results or less. Let’s go!

Some hand history notes:

Level 6 - 400/800

kJ bb. Guy raises to $2k. I call. AQ5 rainbow. I check and he bets $1500. I call with gutter and to see what he does on turn. Turn 4. Check check and I know he doesn’t have A. River 6 and I bet $3200 and he snap folds

Very next hand. Guy makes it $2200. I look down in bb to see KK. I make it $5,400. He thinks a bit and makes it $12k. I just call. Flop J104 with two hearts. I have K hearts. Check, check. Turn Q hearts. His most likely hand in my mind is AK so I check planning to call since I have K of hearts. He checks. River 4 diamonds. I check planning to call depending on bet size. He checks. He had AQ. Preflop should have 5 bet but my hand would have been face up and most likely only gets action from QQ or AA. Ok with how I played it.

QQ - raised 2k. Sb and bb both call. J57 all diamonds. I don’t have Q diamonds. Checked to me so I bet $2k. they both call. Turn 2 diamonds. Check, check, check. River K. Check, check, check. First guy had AJ no Diamond. 2nd guy turns over J5 offsuit for two pairs.

87,100 start of level 7

500/1000

New player limps UTG. Next to act I make it $4k. Button calls and limper calls. Flop Q88 with two hearts. UTG checks. I bet $6k and they both fold . I had AQ.

89,100 start of level 8

600/1200

Guy raises 4K that’s tight. Call with 77. Button calls. KJ7 flop. Initial raiser bets 9 with around 35k. I make it 21k. Button folds. He goes all in and I call. He had AA. Runs out clean

115,500 start of level 9

1000/1500

First hand back from dinner break I open KJ diamonds to $3500. Button makes it $10k. I call. Flop J106 rainbow. I check and he bets $10k. I call. Turn 6. Check, Check. River 9. Check, Check. He had AJ. Probably should have folded to his reraise preflop.

Guy makes it 3000. I have 99 in sb and flat. Bb calls. Flop KQx. Checks around. Turn 3. Checks around. River 4. Checks around. Initial raiser had 1010. So nice flop not to lose anything else in this one.

Very next hand on button I get 99 again. Folds to me and I make it $3500. Sb calls. Flop 975 rainbow. Sb checks and I bet $3k. He makes it $10. I just flat. Turn J. He checks. I bet 11k. He calls. River 5. He checks. He has $40 behind so I put him all in and he snap folds.

104k start of level 10

Defended bb to a raiser with 109 clubs. Flop 783 rainbow. Checked and he bet. I called. Turn K. He bet. I called. River 7. Check, Check. He had QQ

Got up to 120k and UTG raises to $5. I call with JJ. Have J diamonds. Flop 345 diamonds. I bet $7 and he immediately jams with around $45k. Probably my biggest mistake of day. I thought he could have 88,99,1010, QQ, KK,AA, AQ or AK likely with a Diamond for last two. Probably should have just folded to look for better spot. Called and had two black QQ. My diamonds were live but ran out clean for him. Knocked me down to around $70k.

Best hand of tourney here. Raise 99 and only bb calls who jas around $60. Aggressive pro. Flop 862. Flop I bet and he called. Turn 6 I bet and he raised. I called. River 2 he goes all in real fast. Also thought if he really had a boat wouldn’t he bet less to make sure I called. Felt like a bluff and that he wanted me to fold. Called and he had 35 offsuit

Bagged over $190k. Let’s go!

Guy raises 4K that’s tight. Call with 77. Button calls. KJ7 flop. Initial raiser bets 9 with around 35k. I make it 21k. Button folds. He goes all in and I call. He had AA. Runs out clean

Sexy

GLGLGL!

good luck today. hope you're running well. nice hand with 99

Busted like 400 from the money. Had $112k at dinner break. Got up over $200 bit last level before dinner was brutal missing flops or getting reraised woth hands I opened they weren’t premiums.

Last hand button who was big stack and raising every hand makes it $12k at 3,000/5,000. I’m bb so $10 out ante and bb. I look down at QQ and ship actually wanting him to call. He snaps with A10 offsuit. He ended up hitting not 1 but two Aces. Pics of bust out hand, when I busted and the card protector all participants got are posted:

Damn, brutal. Got it in good.

At least you can take comfort in knowing you played the spot right and didn't spew.

It's hard to hold. NLHE is a punishing game.

unlucky man. Nice run

I think it was your first Main Event. Overall thoughts on the play and the experience?

I busted too - enjoyed your TR - lets get em back next year.

It was my 2nd. What's funny (or brutal however you look at it) I busted after the dinner break on Day 3 both times. Played it much better this time. Was pretty much in tune with everything going on at the table and think I played great. Came into Day 3 with 194K which was fine. Just never got anything going at all yesterday.

The first hand of the day I raised 55 and got two callers. Flop was KJ5 all spades. I continuation bet and they both folded. That was my high water mark of the entire tourney just under $210K. After that, got dealt unplayable hands or raised/folded, etc. Examples raised KK UTG and had two callers including guy immediately to my left who had to have a good hand to call the raise in that spot. Flop A68 so I checked, he bet, other guy folded and I folded. Stuff like that. Also would get middling raising hands like KJ etc and would raise and get 3 bet so would have to fold. Would call in the blinds with things like 109 to min raise and miss. Just a bad day overall with card distribution which is going to happen. Start of the 2nd level of the day(Level 12) I had 197,500 so had actually chipped up slightly.

That level UTG raised and I look down at AA on button and I raise small just over min raise. He thinks for a long time and folds. Only the 2nd time I got AA all tourney and chopped first one (in earlier report) and got no action here from an UTG raiser. A bit later active guy to my right from Portugal raises to $6K and I three bet to $13K with KQ diamonds. This was probably the key hand of the day (unfortunately). Flop was 852 with one diamond. He checks and I bet $8k. He calls. Turn 4 of diamonds. When he called on flop I was thinking I would just check turn and hope to hit a K or Q on the river, but when the diamond hit I bet hoping to fold out any Ax and have 2 overs and the flush draw. I bet $18K. He calls. River 5. Now I know he has 99 or 1010 but I think I can get him to fold continuing the story. I bet $38K to look like value but big enough he should fold as I haven't shown any bluffs all day. He tanks forever (at least 4 minutes) and finally calls with 99. Lost like $78k on that hand. There was reasoning to the play but could have just played it safe and called pre and lost a lot less.

Recovered a bit and ended the level with $147.5k but never was able to build after that. Had $112K at dinner and the bust out hand was shortly thereafter. Guy that busted me had like $700K and had just doubled up another guy right when we came back from dinner that also had around $100K. That guy raised, he reraised and when the guy shipped he said I have my favorite hand so I have to call and punted $100K to double the guy up with A4 suited. Short stack had AA. That shows who I was dealing with and would always get QQ in against him. Unfortunately got unlucky and he hit not one but two Aces.

Anyway, I feel I played well and had a good time. Will definitely be back next year. A buddy of mine said you could have just folded most likely to the money and I said that's not what I'm here for. Good luck to anyone else still in.

No dinner next year on Day 3 obv.

Hope everyone had a good year. Stoked for the WSOP again. Thought I'd update since my last post after last years main event and give y'all an updated sweat/report.

After last years main had some more good runs and was able to final table a large field main event mtt in September and came in 3rd for a $115k plus cash so 23 was a great year with 3 nice final tables.

Started off 24 hot and have made 3 final tables this year already including winning a WSOP circuit ring in one of the smaller $400 ring events. Which brings us to today. I'll be playing the WSOP Tournament of Champions today in LA and thought it might be a good time for another report. First goal is to bag tonight in this tough field.

Let's go!

GL!!

GL, Dreams, I'm in for your reports!

Good luck. Look forward to reading all about it.

Just under 1,200 people qualified and there were a lot of questions about how many people would show up since it was in LA rather than Vegas. At the close of registration there were just under 600 who made the trek.

You start with $40k in chips and to say the day didn't start that great would be an understatement.

Level 1 - 100/200/200

There was one Limper and I raise KQ diamonds $800. Flat behind, button calls and limper calls.

Flop J24 rainbow. One Diamond .
Bet 1200. Guy to left makes it 2400. Others fold, I call.

Plan to continue on any 10qka or diamond. Turn 3 hearts putting 2nd heart on board. Check , check.

River black 5. I lead out $2500 to represent wheel. He snaps with AJ. Oops.

Hand 2 - UTG makes it $500. I flat 55 spades and clubs. Guy to my immediate left and bb call. Flop A23 with 23 clubs. Checks to me and I bet $1200 and all fold.

Hand 3 - UTG opens $600, I look down at AJ and make the tight fold. button 3 bets $1600. Flop A103 with two spades. Initial raiser checks then button bets and first guy calls. Turn K spades. Check check. River offsuit 5. Initial raiser shows 22 and button shows AQ with Q of spades. Very tight check by that guy with Q of spades in his hand. Another example of why playing AJ in a raised pot can get you in trouble if I would have played it because hard to fold when an A hits.

Hand 4 - Next hand I Raise QQ and get 3 callers. Flop A53. Bet out and all fold.

Missed some hands where I saw flops and folded to bets after missing the flop.

Level 2 - 2/3/3 - start of level $34.4k

Hand 5- Opener to $700, make it $1800 with AQ, guy to my left flats button. Sb makes it $4800. Original raiser goes all in. Me and the other two all fold. Reraiser said he had KK, to my left said he had AK suited and three bettor showed QQ and had made a great fold.

This level had no other hands of note just missed flops.

Level 3 - 2/4/4 - 25.6k

Hand 6 - Guy raises and several call. I call with 66. Flop A65 with all clubs. Checked to me and I bet. Initial raiser calls. Turn 9 offsuit. I go all in. He tanks and calls with A8 8 of clubs. Q spades on river. I actually put him in an A with a club but thought higher than 8 but good for me.

Other than that missed more flops.

Level 4 3/5/5 45.2k

Hand 7 - UTG raiser I flat 1010 and bb calls. Flop A92 with two spades and checked around. Turn offsuit 5. Bb leads, initial raiser folds and I call. River A spades and he bombs quickly pot size. I call and he says you are good and mucks so I didn't have to show. I used a timing tell on this one. When he snap bets ion a scary card like this it's typically always a bluff.

Level 5 3/6/6 - 59k

Hand 8 - Early open. I Flat 33 on the button. Bb calls. J82. Bb checks, raiser bets,I flat. Turn J. Check, check. River 6 and she bets pot. Call and she snap folds so I didn't have to show. The check on turn and large bet which seemed designed to get me to call caused me to call it.

Level 6 - 4/8/8 - 85k
Sorry I went through a few levels with no notes so next hand I notated was level 10.

165,000 at dinner break

Level 10 new table 1/2/2

Hand 9- 1 Limper and I make it 6k with 910 diamonds on button SB flats and limper calls. Flop 883 two spades. Both check to me and I bet $6k. Sb folds and limper calls after some thought. Turn K hearts. He checks and I bet $18k. I'm putting him on small pair. He counts his chips and I'm thinking he may go all in but he ultimately folds. Whew!

Level 12 - 170k no hands noted

Level 13 2/4/4

Hand 10 - Raise K9 clubs and get 3 callers. Flop QJ3 with QJ clubs. Bet flop and only SB calls, turn 5 diamonds. I bet and he calls. River 2 clubs. Bet and guy pays me off. When he sees my hand he flings his cards at the dealer. He was steaming for awhile.

Hand 11- He did get some chips back a bit later when I raised QJ on button and he called BB. Flop 107x with two hearts. Decided to check as he was short now and thought when he checked he might jam if I bet since he was gunning for me. Turn J and he leads into me small. Just call. River pairs the 7 and he leads pretty small. Don't think I'm getting called by worse so just call and he has KJ.

Level 15 (last level). 105 left and 100 get paid. 20 min left in level and they tell us 3 more hands until bagging after this one. I'm at another new table.

Hand 12- Asian guy raises 1 off button and I'm in SB and look down at KQ spades. Three bet and he calls. Flop K95. I lead and he calls. Turn J which I don't like. Check, check. River 9. I value bet quarter pot and he thinks for a bit and calls. I roll my hand over expecting to win and he rolls over AK😂.

Bagged over $160k. Avg is $113k. 104 left and 100 get paid so coming back to money bubble today. Let's go!

Will check back before I start to see if any questions but if not will update after day 2.

Also min cash at 100 is $2500 and winner will get $200k.

Thanks for sharing all of the hands. Hope you run well the rest of the way.

Good luck!

Any plo tournament tips?
Long time winning plo days player but very little experience with plo tournaments.

Well done, and lots of solidly played hands.

The above is always a great live tell - when someone instantly bets on a card that should warrant some pause, it's often a bluff. If he have like KK here or made trip Aces, he would take a few seconds to think on what the best sizing is etc.

The biggest thing is I play some of my draws much slower where as in a cash game if I flop a 5 card wrap with a flush draw I'm perfectly willing to get it in. A basic example would be a Q93 flop with two spades and you have 10Jk with spades and a guy pots into you (and pretty much always has a set). In a tourney I'm more apt to call and see a turn. I see so many people just jam in it and get called and then the board pairs and you are dead and out of the tourney.

I also focus heavily on position and fold a lot of early position hands I might play in a cash game. I'll also limp a lot of hands I'm willing to play to a raise but would not want to raise, get potted and have to call off on. I see a lot of people pot a hand like 8910J with a suit in early position then get repotted by AA and basically then have their tourney life depend on the result of the hand.

Last tip is absolutely never show your hand to the table unless you have to. I won a lot of hands without showing and a couple pros were always fishing asking what I had or did I have X? One of the biggest mistakes I saw yesterday was a couple people showing their hands when they didn't need to. Gave me some great info especially when they were bluffing.

When they ask you what you had, how do you answer?