I haven't been playing online at all through the first three weeks of December due to commitments with
Flux Stables in Atlantic City. We decided to take 8 of our players to the WSOP circuit event at Harrahs and let them play games ranging from MTT's to cash games.
Getting the opportunity to meet some of the guys first hand and interact with them was priceless. Its surprising to say, considering we put 8 randoms into a house for 12 days, but everyone got on tremendously well and really had a great time. We had two guys playing the early MTTs while the rest of us dove into the cash games.
When you put 5 very good online cash game players into a casino full of fish you expect them to crush it and crush it relentlessly. Sadly, at the beginning of our trip we were the ones getting crushed. We ran horribly, flopping top set in 3bet pots and having to fold on rivers, bricking 17 out super draws against TPGK and not being able to flop a set for love or money. (I personally flopped 3 sets during my time there in what must have been about 65pps). Despite the early setbacks, the attitude of everyone was superb.
Before I get too far into the trip report, I need to let you guys know about the house we were staying in. It is a three story house that includes an elevator, a pool table, the most amazing walk in showers and a toilet that makes every other toilet ive seen look like a hole in the ground. Nothing is better when you need to hit the restroom than a warm toilet seat greeting your cold ass. Top it off with a hot tub outside that could fit the entire offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys and we were in heaven. The only downside to the hot tub is the run from the hot tub to the house in what feels like sub zero temperatures.
Joe, one of our MTT players, managed to bring some success to the trip when he made not one but two final tables. First, he final tabled the $570 event and was in contention for the $40k first prize up until the point he got unlucky with AQ v A9 aipf. Sadly we couldn't fade the 9 and despite Joe making a couple of hero calls to split pots to stay afloat, he finally got it in with 66 v KJs only for the other guy to flop the nut flush. Ez game. Only a few days later he was back at the final table of the $230 event. He went into the final table as one of the chip leaders but due to the structure being a little quick, Joe was forced to flip regularly and after going 0 for 3 in flips, he hit the rail in 8th place. Nevertheless, the achievement was impressive and he has certainly given his reputation a boost with his strong showing.
With Mao and Zachvac playing the 5/10 and 10/20 games we made a solid recovery towards the end of the trip and the knowledge that we learned from each other can only stand us in good stead at our regular online tables. The experience was certainly a good one and I really cant wait to either take part in the Oklahoma or Vegas trips scheduled for early 2011.
Outside of live poker, I managed to make day 2 of the 2 day $216 miniFTOPS event. However, after losing with AK v AQ v J6s on the last hand of day 1, it was never going to happen for me and I made my exit about 2 hours into day 2. I need to really put in a lot of hands this week so from tomorrow onwards I will be grinding like crazy. Hopefully I will be able to end 2010 on a positive note.
