The photo on the left is of my 30,000 Day 1 starting stack. I started Day 2 with two measly $5,000 chips for a total of 10K. With this short stack I knew I needed some double ups' real quick. My first bit of luck was that I was on a table with mostly short stacks. The other players had 25K, 18K, 33K, 55K and the big stack was 60K. Nobody was in any mood to bust out and the play was very conservative, with most folding to any raise and mostly blind on blind play. I tried to take advantage of this 'weak' table and indeed slowly chipped up to about 21K.
Ivey busted out at the table beside me, with numerous TV cameras following his action. I was able to continue to play without too much concern. At the rate we were going I figured I could make day 3 with a paltry 30K- 40K in chips. Certainly not enough to make a serious run for a "Cash", but enough to give it a shot.
In any case I had a nice double up on the last hand b4 the pre dinner break. My pair of 6's beat an A8, and a young lady was busted. I was now at my high chip count for the WSOP 32K. After the break, play continued as b4. Small chip up's, lots of folding, some action from the Blinds and Button.
Later in the evening with blinds now at 300/600 with a 50 Ante, (Level 7), our table broke and all eight of us, who had played together for 5 hours, were sent to different tables.
What a change! These guys all had huge stacks. 5 had more than 150,000 and only two others were under 30K.
These Big Stacks were playing every hand, and they had the chips to do so. If a small stack made a move, they just sat back and refused to double him up. It was impossible to get it in with other than a top 10 hand.
In any case, the large stacks had the ammunition to take a marginal hand to the river, whereas us short stackers could not or at least were reluctant to do so. I was slowly being bled to death - I prefer a fast death myself.
I did get it in good, twice. Once with A7o , I flopped 2 pair, proceeded slowly and got rivered with a flush. That cost me about 13K. I made the mistake of letting a flush draw get to the river cheaply, but I really didn't have the cards to ship it, at that time. A classic short stack dilema that cost me 12K in chips.
My last hand was an AdTd. I raised the Big Blinds 600 bet to 1500, he re-reraised to 3000 and I shoved my last 11,500. He called with KQo. So I got it in good, was ahead until the BB rivered a King for the pair of Kings against my Ace high.
That's It. That's all. Busted! But, I am still smiling from the experience!
What a great ride this has been. I have no regrets at all. I am proud of making it to late on Day 2. My best guess is that I finished about 3100 out of 7319 players. My decisions were mostly correct, given the cards I had.
I have no doubt that the Poker Players I play with at The York Region Poker League and the Canadian Amateur Poker Tour would also do well at one of these Major events. You just need the Poker Gods on your side!
The experience of playing in the World Series of Poker was better than expected. It was exciting and thrilling and very satisfying.
I'll take this experience and that of the Montreal Open and apply my new knowledge, to future tournaments.
From Las Vegas, Airport, waiting for my flight back to reality.
This is Poker Pilot saying: "Position + Patience = Profits".
