Thought I’d do a trip report for my 2nd time playing the Main Event. Played NL cash for about 15 years (primarily 2/5, 5/5 and 5/10) and did well. In 2017 got the PLO bug and began playing that and haven’t looked back. Love the game and have done very well focusing on that. Play 1/3/6 or 5/5/10 and occasionally higher if the line up is good. Have my own business so don’t rely on poker for income, but it has been great for side $.

Usually go to the WSOP for 1 week to play a couple events. Prior to last year had some minor cashes, but nothing special. Some years just played cash when I went. Last year I decided to focus on PLO as opposed to playing NL tourneys and had a couple nice finishes. Have an edge in those events for sure. Lots of Holdem players play them for some reason and have no clue. Got 16th in a $1,500 Mixed PLO/NL WSOP event and 4th in the Aria PLO event during the series. This year did even better. Played 4 events and final tabled two. Took 8th in a WSOP PLO event and 4th in the Wynn NL Seniors Main Event.

Decided to come back and play the Main. Played it a few years ago pre-COVID and busted close to the money bubble. Could have probably coasted into the money as I had $80K after dinner on Day 3 but made a high variance move (some would call a punt) that didn't work out. Chance Kornuth was at my table and abusing the bubble raising every hand. No one was offering resistance as they all wanted to make the $. He raised and a Euro on the button called. I was in the BB with A6 suited and shipped knowing he was light and not thinking button could call without much of a hand. Chance snap folded so he had nothing, but the Euro says "I have to call". He had AK LOL. There was an Ace on the flop and I didn't hit my 6 and I was out. (See Pman we all make mistakes!). Hope to make the money this year. Will try to update after each day.

Playing 1D. Let’s go!

GL!

Sub'd for the sweat. GL!

gl gl

I play tons of plo and have done well for years but always feel lost in plo tournaments like there's something I'm just not getting. Nice runs!

Go get 'em!

GL OP!

my friend busted the main in Level 1 today.
JJ
flopped J77
other guy had 77

Good luck!!

good luck! go get em

got in around 11 last night. Took me about an hour to get registered. Today is supposed to be 10x’s worse. Will update at end of day.

GL. Run pure. Have fun.

+1. Enjoy your time, be present in every hand, and hopefully the poker gods smile on you!

Bagged just over $80k.

Had a pretty bad table draw as everyone was solid. Played with the same players all day. Only 1 splashy player who got hit by the deck and bagged around $175k. He hit 7 trips or sets.

A few hands:

Level 2 - 200/300 - early position raises to $800. I look down at AA and make it $2,200. Button flats and bb who has around $35k goes all in. Initial raiser folds. I reship around $65k and button who has around $50k thinks for a long time and says 1 of you have to have AA or KK and folds QQ face up. Board came 4672Q. Would have been crippled if he didnÂ’t fold.

Level 3 - 200/400 - UTG makes it $800. Action guy mentioned above calls. Folds to me in bb with KJ and I call. Flop KJ7. I lead $1500 and they both call. Turn is a 7. I check, UTG checks and action guy bets $3k. I call as does UTG. River 3. I check, UTG checks and action guy bets $5500. Had to call based on how active he had been and to my surprise UTG snap calls. Action had 107 offsuit. UTG had AK and over called.

Level 4 - 300/500 - folds to button who makes it $1100. I call QJ diamonds in SB and BB folds. Flop AK10 rainbow with 1 heart. I check and he checks. Turn 8 hearts. I lead $2k and button calls. River 4 hearts. I didnÂ’t feel like he had a flush. Bet $5200 and he snapped. Turned over my hand and I was good.

Hopefully I have a better table draw day 2 on Saturday. Coming back to 100 big blinds so still have some play. Will update that evening.

What did bb have in the all in for 30k hand?

Oh sorry, the other AA.

Also if anyone has any general questions about playing the main in general I can answer those today. It’s definitely mentally taxing.

Was the table talkactive or did you just have silent grinders/pros? What's the hardest thing to adjust to when playing such a deep tournament/long day(s)? And have you checked your table draw for day 2 yet?

GL!

Everyone was fairly talkative and friendly. One guy got 11th in the 2019 main event when Ensign won it and had some cool storues(his name is Henry). Table played fast and no tanking. Problem was they were all competent and knew what they were doing with the exception of the one action guy who bagged big because he ran so good.

You have to rub off any bad beats. You are so deep one hand doesn’t matter. One guy got fairly short and gave away his chips with a $20k stack because he was tilting. Also I found it good to refocus on every break (after each two hour level). Walked around and got my blood moving. At beginning of the day I told myself I would get an hour massage from one of the hot masseuses if I made it. That helped get me through the last level.


I got a nice draw. Only one player has more $ won than me on Hendon Mob which is pretty rare. Also only one guy with a bigger stack and only by $5k. Only possible issue is two seats aren’t shown/filled yet and those are the two directly with position on me. Overall pretty happy with it on paper.

Why is it mentally taxing? Because the buy-in is so big?

Guessing it's a combination of the two hour levels and the (relatively) high stakes.

People who have run deep in it talk about how exhausting the event is.

Not the buy in at all. In fact, I don't even think about that at all when playing in it and just try to make the best decision on each hand. It's really just trying to stay focused on every single hand, watch what people are doing, trying to pick up tells, etc. I typically play cash and take breaks, don't pay as close attention when I'm not in hands and cap my sessions at 3-4 hours. It was the same in the other tournaments I ran deep in this year, but the long two hours levels and trying to make sure I''m present and focused for every single hand took a lot out of me by the end of the day.

You have to do that in every tournament.

Why would 1 two hour level be any different than 2 one hour levels? I've never played the Main, which is why I'm asking. The most stressful thing I can think of is the money at risk. Otherwise a tournament's a tournament, I would think.

It just seems longer when you are playing especially after the dinner break. The $10k buy in is gone so you can’t think about that or at least I don’t. Really I just want to take it day by day and make the right decision on every hand.

Bagged 190k+. Will post some hands when I wake up tomorrow

Awesome - I late regged at start of my play today and put 408k in the bag - lets put a hurt on them in Day 3