WPBT WSOP Results

Chops here.

Well, 7th place only counts in NHL divisional playoff races.  But it was still worth it.

Last night I played in the WPBT WSOP qualifier. The event was organized by Guinness and Poker. You’ll find some results at the end of this post. And a more thorough write-up by Pauly.  But anyway, great event, lots of fun.

But I almost didn’t get to play. Why? Well, let’s just say that people who propagate computer virus should have very bad things happen to them…

Sometime over the past few days, a virus got through my firewall and ruined my Internet connectivity as well as some other important laptop features.  I spent all afternoon on Sunday trying to fix this.  A few Ethernet chords and cards later (and some re-configuration), at around 6pm (tournament start time was 7), I was at least able to get online, get registered on Poker Stars, and get some money transferred into an account to play. 

The event I spent all day f’ing with my laptop to play in was a WSOP qualifier for poker bloggers.  The prize: a seat at Event #2 of the WSOP (the $1500 NLTH one).  78  bloggers entered. 

Some thoughts about the event, totally unorganized:

>> Poker and Ty Pennington.  During the second hour of play, Lady Chops was watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and commenting on every segment.  So my concentration wasn’t at an optimum.  Unfortunately, there was no way I could avoid this arrangement.  Terrible.  “Yes.  That is very nice.  Oh…how sweet.”  All I could do was hope that by having this on, some of the good karma from these do-gooders would by osmosis be passed along to me.  Actually, judging by some of the hands I won at the final table, it was.  “Move that bus!”  Man, I wish I didn’t just type that.  Somebody stop me…move to next point…move to next point…

>> Luck.  You need it.  Looking at my final game notes, I noticed that I won around 70% of my head’s up battles, and was a big dog in a number of those. And at the final table when I got short-stacked, I caught a bunch of miracles to keep me in.  So now that I think about it, “Move that bus!!!”  I think I have stolen my new catchphrase.

>> Showing your bluff.  I used to love to show a big bluff every now and then.  While I wasn’t doing it out of disrespect to anyone, I just thought it was good business.  A way to get action later.  But then at a game last summer, I showed a bluff to the Addict (I’m sure he won’t remember this, but of course I do), and a few hands later totally misread my hole cards thinking I had flopped a set, when in fact the Addict had.  You see the writing on the wall.  I moved all in, get called without hesitation by the Addict, flip my cards over and discover I had in fact NOT flopped a set, and was crippled and knocked out soon thereafter.  So I began thinking: karma.  It’s just bad karma to show your bluff.

And that seems to hold up.  I’ve witnessed so, so, (one more for dramatic emphasis) soooo many times playing online that whenever someone shows his/her bluff they get some terribly bad beat soon thereafter. 

Of course I bring this up cause this happened to me.  I held JJ and for the first time ever, I limp in with it, hoping to trap (most who know me know I raise JJ like, a lot or something).  Amazingly, there were no raises going into the flop (every hand was raised in this game, very impressive).  Flop was K-7-x.  I bet.  Get re-raised by someone.  Folds all around.  I call.  Next card is an 8.  I check (bad move, should’ve bet again).  The guy bets a pretty sizeable bet, and I decide he’s probably got me with the K (maybe two pair) and fold.  He shows a 7-2. 

Ouch.

Now this was a strong player, and I had expected him to do well.  But over the course of the next few blind levels, he was bested on showdowns (one by me where I was on the wrong side of the coin flip) and was knocked out. 

I’m telling you, karma.  Don’t show the bluffs.  There should be a chapter on this in Super System 3. 

>> Poker Stars is like Colecovision.  It took awhile for me to adjust to Poker Stars.  Unlike other sites that I will not be playing any more, Poker Stars didn’t seem rigged to create ridiculously outrageous runner-runner or 1 outer beats.  So this was great.  But the graphics on the site felt like an old Colecovision (so better than Atari) or maybe Wilson Turbo Software.  Eventually I warmed up to it, but some graphic upgrades would be good.

>>  The poker bloggers were cool.  I was very surprised at the funny comments, obscure references, etc. made during play.  I even, amazingly, typed an LOL (those who know me will be very disappointed I did this) because someone made a comment that was legitimately funny.  I immediately punched myself in the nose for typing LOL, but what can I say?  I laughed out loud.  Is laughing a crime?

So the results.

BobRespert (Ann Arbor)
phillsievers
JoeSpeaker
txchach
slim999
hdouble
Chops here
Trip Jax
badblood44

Congratulations to BobRespert at One Too Many. Had a gut feeling he was going to win.  Really liked the way he was playing.  And good luck at the WSOP.

Comments

[Bob]

Nice write up, and thanks for the kind words!

Looks like we have another this weekend. Hopefully I'll see you out there.