{"id":1483,"date":"2024-12-24T16:08:35","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T17:08:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/?p=1483"},"modified":"2024-12-27T20:59:13","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T20:59:13","slug":"eternal-optimists-at-the-wpt-world-championship-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/2024\/12\/24\/eternal-optimists-at-the-wpt-world-championship-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Eternal Optimists at the WPT World Championship"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Constantly turning the page<\/h2>\n

Tournament players are natural optimists. We have to be because 80-85% of the time, we leave a tournament empty-handed, which means that 80-85% of the time, we are, technically, on a downswing. When we travel to a festival, we know from past experience that we are likely to end it with less money than we started, yet we keep coming back. We go into every festival with the positive idea that this will, or at least could, be the one where we get the kind of big score that makes all the difference. On some level, we know deep down that we will be disappointed almost always, but we don\u2019t dwell on that, choosing instead to dream about winning the big one. We tell ourselves that if we keep showing up, the big one will come.<\/p>\n

\n

going to bed sad and disappointed but waking up fresh and optimistic again<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is the perpetual cycle of the live tournament grinder. For those of us who only or also do online, we are familiar with the same thing on speed: starting every day with the hope of the big win today, then the first notable event experience of the session being the first painful bust or bad beat, followed by more of the same throughout the session, typically ending with the biggest disappointment of all, busting our deepest run to put another losing day in the books. Going to bed sad and disappointed but waking up fresh and optimistic again, the mental slate wiped clean.<\/p>\n

I first went to Vegas in 2008 as a fresher pro, convinced that something great would happen. It didn\u2019t. In the 20 or so Vegas campaigns since, I\u2019ve come back lighter in the net worth department most of the time. There have been a couple of small winning trips and one big one. Yet lifetime I\u2019m well up overall in Vegas, because that one big winning trip wiped out all the losses and then some. See that\u2019s the thing about tournaments: if you keep showing up, the big one should come, and when it does, it makes everything okay.<\/p>\n

Rob<\/h2>\n

As I walked to max late reg my first live satellite to the main event, I bumped into Rob, an English grinder with whom I\u2019ve been crossing paths my entire career. My first ever cash outside Ireland, GUKPT Newcastle 2008, Rob and I both went out on the second-to-last table cashing for the same amount (he was 13th, I was 11th).<\/p>\n

Since then, our paths have crossed constantly; we both try to satellite into everything and have enjoyed considerable success doing so, we have racked up roughly the same amount of live cashes on the Hendon Mob, and he was to my direct left for all of day one in this year\u2019s WSOP Main Event. On this occasion, I was not victorious in the satellite, but Rob won his seat in his first attempt.<\/p>\n

Third time\u2019s a charm?<\/h2>\n

This was the third WPT World Championship at the Wynn. I was at the other two, and although I can\u2019t be sure my memory is fully accurate on this, I think I came back with a few fewer dollars the first time and a few more the second time, due mainly to cashing the Main Event, my first cash in a 10k in North America. The fact I\u2019m not exactly sure of the bottom line indicates that the losses or profits were inconsequential (and also that money is not the prime maker of memories for me). My main memories from both trips were how well the event was run and how friendly people were in general.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, I\u2019m a tournament grinder, always hoping for the next big score, and so it was this time. One nice novelty this year was that for the first time in my career, it was possible to fly direct to Vegas from Dublin courtesy of Aer Lingus. This knocks a good 10-12 hours off the door-to-door travel time (and most of the stress: we even clear US border control in Dublin), and the Aer Lingus service is friendly. It was noticeable that the early flights to Vegas (including the one myself and Lappin traveled on) were half empty, which was nice from the point of view of our increased comfort, but potentially worrying for the long-term viability of the route. I\u2019d strongly encourage Europeans who live in cities that don\u2019t offer direct flights to consider flying via Dublin, one of the best airports in the world (and being treated as a domestic arrival when you land in the US is a massive plus).<\/p>\n

\n

I squeaked through it with just over seven big blinds, in the bottom 1% of the field going into Day 2<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Lappin and I started our campaign in the 1k Prime, getting there in time for the final flight. We went in from the start. Lappin quickly busted and waited for the last possible minute to fire his second bullet, a max late reg one, and I was wishing I\u2019d done the same when I found myself with less than a starting stack at the end of registration. I got a nice spin going, however, only to go into serious reverse late in the day. A series of setbacks was followed by a period of card death as the bubble loomed, but I squeaked through it with just over seven big blinds, in the bottom 1% of the field going into Day 2.<\/p>\n

Chris Dowling was at my Day 2 table (typically with an above-average stack), and I knew I couldn\u2019t hang around any longer. I got the crucial first double, and then a second, to get back in the game. Halfway through Day 2 I\u2019d clawed my way back up to average stack with about 500 left and was feeling it, but a series of lost all-ins saw me bust just before dinner. Still, I was happy to have secured my first cash of the trip on my first bullet, and with how I played and kept my discipline.<\/p>\n

Variance strikes back<\/h2>\n

That early positive start quickly faded into the rear-view mirror as I couldn\u2019t seem to find a cash to save my life for the rest of the trip. I won\u2019t bore you with bad beats, but it got to the point where I felt I couldn\u2019t win a flip or even a 70\/30. There were many near-bubble experiences, and as I went into the last day, I pointed out to Lappin that if they were paying 15% of the field (the norm in Europe and the WSOP) rather than 12.5% (the norm here), it would be a very different trip for me, with three or four more cashes in the books.<\/p>\n

My Main Event was mainly uneventful. I got horrendous distribution, couldn\u2019t seem to hit flops, and basically won only three pots in the entire tournament. For the record, they were an uncalled three-bet pre-flop, an uncalled cbet against Conor O\u2019Rourke, and a double-up near the end when I slow played Aces. My bust out was a standard quasi-flip where I was slightly ahead pre-flop and led all the way to the river. The Day 1 bust out felt a little weird, but I don\u2019t think anyone in my seat with the cards I was dealt could have gone any further.<\/p>\n

Keeping up spirits<\/h2>\n

When I wasn\u2019t getting punched in the face by the deck and runouts, morale was remarkably high away from the table. I met a lot of friends old and new, and ate with many of my favorite people in poker. Apart from a beer and a half at the media party, I didn\u2019t drink any alcohol, I got out for a run most days, and put in long hours at the table and on the content grind.<\/p>\n

\n

it\u2019s always great to hear positive feedback from people who found it helpful<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Americans are remarkably friendly in general, and are keen to engage with total strangers, which makes a nice change from the more reserved European cities (Dublin aside) where I mostly ply my trade. I ran into many students, or consumers of my training videos and books, and it\u2019s always great to hear positive feedback from people who found it helpful. The video Barry and I put out for free on SimplifyPoker on the optimal approach to the $5m freeroll was a particular hit, with dozens stopping me in the halls to tell me how helpful they found it in the event. Many of those not only cashed but also pulled tickets to the 10k Main Event, a dream come true for many recreational players.<\/p>\n

Kudos to WPT for putting on such an event: my only mild criticism was that the event was only open to Americans and Canadians, so players who traveled from further afield felt left out. The event was such a success overall, however, that I think something similar might be repeated in future (and hopefully open to non-Americans).<\/p>\n

The Irish contingent<\/h2>\n

There was a reasonably sizeable Irish contingent at the event. I ran into Alan and his wife Patricia McLean in the airport on the way over, as well as Gareth McMahon. As far as I know, four Irish cashed the Main, including Gareth, my study buddy Turlough McHugh (who it was looking very good for a deep run at one point on the feature table), former student Stephen Kehoe, and Glenn Keogh. Glenn was one of the chip leaders going into Day 2 and kept the foot down all the way to three tables out, before ultimately bowing out in 17th after a grim spot versus the phenomenon that is Moorman.<\/p>\n

\n

Probably should be over folding in this spot since I got $80 in my pocket?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Special shoutout to Gareth for sending me the funniest bubble message I\u2019ve ever received. It\u2019s not unusual for students to ask me for get-in ranges as the bubble looms. That morning Gar had admitted to me that bankroll management was not one of his strengths, a point reinforced by this message (reproduced here with his permission): \u201c310k going into bb 15k 38 away from the money. Probably should be over folding in this spot since I got $80 in my pocket?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was also great to see the godmother of Irish poker, Annette O\u2019Carroll, finally making it over to Vegas to show off her fearless brand of poker. She ultimately fell just short of the bubble, going out swinging as could be expected from the fearless theologian who has been putting the fear of God into her opponents at the tables for decades.<\/p>\n

Matt Savage<\/h2>\n

There is nobody in the poker industry I rate more highly or admire more than Matt Savage. We had him on \u201cThe Lock In\u201d recently and joked with him that last year he seemed to be everywhere we went, every time greeting us with words to the effect that it was great to see us and they really appreciated us being at the event. He turned the joke around on us this time by ostentatiously repeating those words back every single time on the numerous occasions he saw us. At one point, we thought this year\u2019s Matt might be the tireless content creation machine that is Lemon, who we kept running into and is similarly high morale and enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Matt Savage, always the wonderful host. [Image: Flickr.com \/ World Poker Tour]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But in the end, this year\u2019s Matt Savage was\u2026Matt Savage. Not only was he a constant feature in the poker room, but he popped up unexpectedly at other times, too. He appeared in lifts we took to and from our room and seemed to materialize through potted plants when I was playing my final event, much to the bemusement of my all-American table, who were left wondering why the big deal that is Matt Savage was singling out the old Euro at the table for such an effusive welcome.<\/p>\n

The thing about Matt is that not only is he, in my opinion at least, the very best tournament director in the world, but he\u2019s also a wonderful host who is interested in everyone. Several times I was with friends he didn\u2019t know when I met him, and he always went to the trouble of introducing himself and making them feel as welcome as I did. When we introduced him to Annette and told him how great her \u201cChip Race\u201d interview was, he immediately went back to relisten to it and gave her instant feedback. In an industry where too many are full of their incompetence, Matt has a knack of making everyone feel important.<\/p>\n

Some other shoutouts<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s always a risk sending even begrudging comments the way of the undisputed king of self-importance,\u00a0 David Lappin, but, as ever, he was a great companion this trip. He\u2019s older and fatter than the spiky young buck I first befriended (mainly on the grounds that someone had to) well over a decade ago, and he can\u2019t walk very fast or even very far these days (it was with a certain sadness I realized that the number of places we could visit together continues to diminish to the smaller and smaller diameter of distances he\u2019s prepared to walk), but his sharpness of mind and wit has not been diminished by the gallons of gin he consumes (as I write this, he\u2019s surreptitiously knackered drinking duty-free gin on the plane beside me). I was delighted to see him get a few days in the commentary booth, a late addition to the official WPT team, and he did an outstanding job. Commentary is something he greatly enjoys, is exceptionally good at, and works hard to prepare for, and it\u2019s great to see him ascending the ranks in that field.<\/p>\n

\n

You\u2019re going to tell me the bustout was an ICM punt.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

One player I was thrilled to see go deep was Jonty Willis. Jonty is always fun and has worn many hats in poker down the years, so it was fitting that he was the one in the Santa hat on the second-to-last table. On comms, Jamie Kerstetter and Lappin joked he seemed to change his costume every orbit, and just after he busted, I ran into him carrying a box that presumably contained those props and costumes, philosophical and jovial as ever: \u201cYou\u2019re going to tell me the bustout was an ICM punt.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was not the time to do so.<\/p>\n

I mentioned him already, but I\u2019m going to mention Lemon Poker again. I first became aware of him when he made an incredible video review of my latest book, Beyond GTO<\/em>, first met him this summer when he interviewed me in Bratislava just after the WSOP, and have seen him so much since he jokes he\u2019s stalking me. He\u2019s always an energy and morale boost to meet, he\u2019s tireless and passionate about his job, he makes amazing reels, and he generally adds immensely to the gaiety of nations. Any festival organizer who wants a tireless worker with considerable social media skills and flair should be knocking on his door to have them at their event.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Scott Stewart celebrating his WPT World Championship victory [Image: Flickr.com \/ World Poker Tour] <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I don\u2019t personally know the winner of the Main Event Scott Stewart, but all the Americans at my 6-max table seemed to be rooting for him (and also predicting he would win), so I think he\u2019s going to be a very positive force for poker in the US. He was certainly great fun at the table so a big congratulations to him.<\/p>\n

Finally, my friend Pargo is always fun to hang out with (he has turned into a real satellite beast, too) and it was really lovely to see Donna Morton again. Donna always brightens up any event she attends and is a treasure in the poker world.<\/p>\n

A narrow miss<\/h2>\n

On our second last full day in Vegas, I was feeling a little disconsolate after another near-bubble in a side event. I met Lappin, who had been called into commentary at short notice after I busted and he finished his commentary stint. We went for comfort tacos, then I somehow persuaded him across the road to Resorts World to max late reg their nightly $200. I was first to bust, and repaired to Walgreen\u2019s on the way home and bought myself an ice cream cone. After wrestling with the wrapping, I got to work consuming it. Glancing left to make sure the road was clear, I stepped out onto it.<\/p>\n

\n

he died doing what he loved most, eating ice cream after max late regging a small nightly tournament\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The screeching of brakes alerted me to the fact that a car with no headlights had eluded my gaze, and as the thought \u201cSo this is how I die\u201d flashed through my mind, it was not my life I saw, but the ridiculousness of such a death. I imagined my wife and kids feeling ridiculous having to answer the \u201cso how did he die?\u201d question with \u201ccrossing the road eating ice cream in winter in Vegas\u201d and Lappin delivering my eulogy: \u201cHe was a man who crossed many boundaries and roads in his life, but East Convention Center Drive in Vegas was one too many. But at least he died doing what he loved most, eating ice cream after max late regging a small nightly tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it happened, the car managed to swerve around me, leaving me and, more importantly, the ice cream intact and unscathed. Less than a minute later, I was crossing the next road (this time being more grown up and sensible enough to wait for the go signal that takes longer to come in the US than anywhere else I\u2019ve ever been), and who should materialize but Lemon, who filmed the occasion for posterity.<\/p>\n

The famous final scene<\/h2>\n

After that near death experience, layered on all the tournaments I\u2019d bricked since the Prime, I decided to take a mini break on the last full day. Rather than enter the 3k 6-max from the start, I took the morning and afternoon off and max late regged. When I got K-Q in against recent \u201cChip Race\u201d guest and current GPI number one Jesse Lonis\u2019 A-K, I thought this would be a fitting end to the trip, but my luck turned and I spiked the queen. The ever-gracious Jesse quipped that I got the maximum shoving preflop because: \u201cYou weren\u2019t getting another cent on that queen high flop.\u201d<\/p>\n

From that early fortune, I powered on. After my Queens held against Tens, I had double the average with the bubble approaching, but lost pretty much every pot from that point, ultimately busting in 30th when my A-T got drawn out on by T-8 on the river. It was something of a consolation prize to end the trip with another cash at least, but not that much. With over $200k up top, there was that sniff of the next big score I mentioned tournament players are always living for.<\/p>\n

\n

The increasingly polarized atmosphere in the US is not pleasant to witness as an outsider.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As we packed up to leave to the soundtrack of Bob Seger\u2019s \u201cThe Famous Final Scene,\u201d Lappin and I mused on whether this might be our last ever Vegas trip, at least for a few years. Some of my European friends have already decided to stop crossing the Atlantic for the foreseeable future. The increasingly polarized atmosphere in the US is not pleasant to witness as an outsider. I have American friends who were best friends for years, in some cases decades, who no longer speak to each other and have blocked each other on social media as they now find themselves on opposite political poles.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s probably no country I\u2019ve enjoyed visiting more than the US over the course of my life, and no single nationality I\u2019ve enjoyed engaging with more than Americans. They remain, as I said earlier, wonderfully warm open people as a whole, so I\u2019m optimistic things can swing back to the point where most people can at least agree to disagree. Right now, it hasn\u2019t quite reached the point where I no longer want to visit, but it\u2019s possible the polarization and unpleasant atmosphere it creates will worsen to the point where I no longer decide to come.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the future is guaranteed to nobody, and as I move into my seventh decade on the planet, I have to give more careful consideration to where I want to spend the time that remains, and who with. But like I said right at the start, tournament players are natural optimists, and as one, I\u2019m optimistic that when next year rolls round, I\u2019ll be excited to cross the Atlantic again.<\/p>\n

Rob Sherwood<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve known Rob Sherwood pretty much my entire career. As I said earlier, we played on the same table at the very first event I cashed outside Ireland, a GUKPT, and have run into each other down the years all over the world. Any time we meet we have a pleasant chat, as we did on our way to play our first satellite this trip. He\u2019s always impressed me as a grinder with real work ethic, who keeps showing up. He has stood the test of time and moved successfully with the times, adapting as we all need to do to survive.<\/p>\n

So I was thrilled to see him going deep, all the way to heads-up, and notch not just the biggest score of his career, but one that more than doubled his lifetime live winnings. We both started the trip as eternal tournament optimists hoping this would be the big one: at least one of us was right!<\/p>\n

The post Eternal Optimists at the WPT World Championship<\/a> appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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