The World Poker Open Roadtrip...
We just got back from our trip to Tunica and the World Poker Open. First thing to say about this trip is WOW! I would've never thought the event would be this big from the onset. The first no-limit tournament (Event #2) saw 1200 people and 249 alternates. Before the tournament we were discussing that there would probably be about 500 or so. A little nearsighted wouldn't you say. While none of the HPL members that went won any satellites or any events we did have a good time and had fun playing at the cash tables. Other tidbits below.
Poker Pros and Personality sightings
We saw Men "The Master" Nguyen, An Tran, Chau Giang, Brett Jungblut, Scott Fischman, and Bob Ciaffone. Brett Jungblut and Scott Fischman are a couple of guys from "The Crew" which is a group of young poker pros that are pseudo-led by Dutch Boyd from WSOP 2003 fame.
During Event #2 which was the first no-limit event at the World Poker Open we walked into the Gold Strike's conference center main area where most of the tournament tables were. I spotted Scott Fischman across the way and wanted to go watch his table for a while. I watched about 2 hands when a guy in early position bet out approximately 800 chips. When the action got back around to Scott he fiddled with his iPod for a sec and then commenced to push all his chips to the middle. The other guy immediately called flipping up pocket rockets and Scott then shows the 2
4!!! Nothing came on the flop, turn, and river to Scott got up and quietly left the room. I don't know everything that had happened up to that point but seems like a pretty loosy goosy play.
Another neat moment was when we were checking out of the Gold Strike on Saturday seeing an older gentleman in a ChecknRaisePoker hat speaking with the front desk about something. He turned around and lo and behold it is the venerable Bob Ciaffone who authored my favorite poker book of the moment Improve Your Poker. We spoke for a few minutes about poker and things as such and he was just the most pleasant easy going guy. I wish I would've had my book so he could've signed it. Meeting and having a short chat with "The Coach" was easily the best experience of the trip for me.
Observations and Experiences
Is it me or are casinos the only people that don't know poker is huge. All in all I believe the Gold Strike was a bit nearsighted in the preparation for the event. And this was only the opening weekend. At one point the fire marshal shut down all traffic into the conference center at the Gold Strike because it was so congested and live action poker had to be shutdown everyday at 11am due to the tournament needing tables. It was a bit disappointing.
When we got to Tunica we immediately got into the line for the single table satellites which were a winner take all for a $500 tournament chip sufficient to buy you into one of the smaller $500 events. The format was you got 300 in tournament chips and the blinds go up every 15 minutes. Very conducive format to the loose aggressive player and not to my style. I went out 6th getting my money all-in on the best hand that I received during the session with KJo and ran into an older gentleman's J8s. When he flopped an 8 and no overcards came on the turn and river I was on the rail after about 45 minutes thinking that I should've lit my money on fire so I could have at least got my hands warm. The table broke down after about an hour and fifteen minutes. VERY quick satellites. I felt like cattle standing in line for the slaughter and vowed to not try that again. This was the only tournament satellite that any of us tried because of the mere volume of people you had to wade through to get involved and the format not being very conducive to tighter handed play.
We ended up merely playing 1/2 no-limit at the live action tables in the Gold Strike about once a day because once you got up from the table there was no going back unless you wanted to sit through a 3 hour wait of straining to hear your name being called over the background music of chips rustling and drunk guys speaking of tournament bad beats.
All in all the experience was wonderful more so for the Bob Ciaffone experience and seeing some of the top players than actually playing poker which was surprising. I was just disappointed since I wasn't prepared for the onslaught of people. This was my first time attending an event this size and next time I will be better prepared.
Needless to say the HPL made a good showing at the no-limit cash tables but was less than spectacular at the tournament experience. Oh well... You have to start somewhere. Maybe HPL's breakout will come by beating those Lord Admiral guys!!!
Until next time...
www.huntsvegaspoker.com
huntsvegas@gmail.com
Poker Pros and Personality sightings
We saw Men "The Master" Nguyen, An Tran, Chau Giang, Brett Jungblut, Scott Fischman, and Bob Ciaffone. Brett Jungblut and Scott Fischman are a couple of guys from "The Crew" which is a group of young poker pros that are pseudo-led by Dutch Boyd from WSOP 2003 fame.
During Event #2 which was the first no-limit event at the World Poker Open we walked into the Gold Strike's conference center main area where most of the tournament tables were. I spotted Scott Fischman across the way and wanted to go watch his table for a while. I watched about 2 hands when a guy in early position bet out approximately 800 chips. When the action got back around to Scott he fiddled with his iPod for a sec and then commenced to push all his chips to the middle. The other guy immediately called flipping up pocket rockets and Scott then shows the 2
4!!! Nothing came on the flop, turn, and river to Scott got up and quietly left the room. I don't know everything that had happened up to that point but seems like a pretty loosy goosy play.
Another neat moment was when we were checking out of the Gold Strike on Saturday seeing an older gentleman in a ChecknRaisePoker hat speaking with the front desk about something. He turned around and lo and behold it is the venerable Bob Ciaffone who authored my favorite poker book of the moment Improve Your Poker. We spoke for a few minutes about poker and things as such and he was just the most pleasant easy going guy. I wish I would've had my book so he could've signed it. Meeting and having a short chat with "The Coach" was easily the best experience of the trip for me.
Observations and Experiences
Is it me or are casinos the only people that don't know poker is huge. All in all I believe the Gold Strike was a bit nearsighted in the preparation for the event. And this was only the opening weekend. At one point the fire marshal shut down all traffic into the conference center at the Gold Strike because it was so congested and live action poker had to be shutdown everyday at 11am due to the tournament needing tables. It was a bit disappointing.
When we got to Tunica we immediately got into the line for the single table satellites which were a winner take all for a $500 tournament chip sufficient to buy you into one of the smaller $500 events. The format was you got 300 in tournament chips and the blinds go up every 15 minutes. Very conducive format to the loose aggressive player and not to my style. I went out 6th getting my money all-in on the best hand that I received during the session with KJo and ran into an older gentleman's J8s. When he flopped an 8 and no overcards came on the turn and river I was on the rail after about 45 minutes thinking that I should've lit my money on fire so I could have at least got my hands warm. The table broke down after about an hour and fifteen minutes. VERY quick satellites. I felt like cattle standing in line for the slaughter and vowed to not try that again. This was the only tournament satellite that any of us tried because of the mere volume of people you had to wade through to get involved and the format not being very conducive to tighter handed play.
We ended up merely playing 1/2 no-limit at the live action tables in the Gold Strike about once a day because once you got up from the table there was no going back unless you wanted to sit through a 3 hour wait of straining to hear your name being called over the background music of chips rustling and drunk guys speaking of tournament bad beats.
All in all the experience was wonderful more so for the Bob Ciaffone experience and seeing some of the top players than actually playing poker which was surprising. I was just disappointed since I wasn't prepared for the onslaught of people. This was my first time attending an event this size and next time I will be better prepared.
Needless to say the HPL made a good showing at the no-limit cash tables but was less than spectacular at the tournament experience. Oh well... You have to start somewhere. Maybe HPL's breakout will come by beating those Lord Admiral guys!!!
Until next time...
www.huntsvegaspoker.com
huntsvegas@gmail.com
posted by Huntsvegas Poker at
11:32
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