I flew to Las Vegas and entered the World Series of Poker in pursuit of poker glory. I left utterly defeated, literally sick and tired of poker. Here's the story.
I arrived in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 27, scheduled to play in the WSOP's $1,500 7-stud/8 event the following evening. I planned to stay two weeks and play in card rooms around the city. I knew that stud cash games were virtually extinct in Las Vegas. So I was looking forward to working on my no-limit hold 'em.
I entered a $65 no-limit hold 'em tournament at the Golden Nugget the night I arrived-a promotional event for my friend Lou Krieger's radio show. I embarrassed myself by getting knocked out nearly first. No excuses-just wildly aggressive, thoughtless play on my part. I then went on to the Silverton casino and booked a small win at this nicely furnished and relatively new room.
The next morning I awoke unintentionally at 5 a.m. Rather than stay in bed and rest, I went for a long walk-ending up at the South Point casino for some no limit play. I lost a little, walked back to my motel, and again resisted rest in pursuit of more poker play. I ended up at the new, spectacularly beautiful M Casino where I lost $100 or so in a combination of limit and no limit hold 'em play.
I went shopping, buying bananas, dried fruit, and bottled water for my WSOP event, made my way to the Rio, bought in to the $1,500 event, and found my seat.
Everyone at my table knew the basic strategy for 7-stud/8-play for scoops, discard three card starting hands that contain one high card, value the ace for its high and low potential, and exploit players in the middle by raising. There were three professional tournament players at my table including two well known ones: Marcel Luske of upside down sunglasses fame, and WSOP bracelet winner David Singer. Unfortunately, there were no clueless opponents to exploit.
I did well right before the dinner break at 9 p.m. and then held my own for the remainder of the first day. At 3 a.m. the tournament director announced we would play three more hands and then quit for the day. Two thirds of the field had already busted out. I was in OK shape for Day 2.
On the penultimate deal, I looked down and saw the seemingly ideal starting hand (2-2)2!
Though I played as aggressively as I could early, I ended up getting busted by the starting hand (5-6)6 when he hit a six on fifth street and I didn't improve. I could have laid it down when he hit his door card since I knew he made trips. But I would have had a tiny stack-hardly worth returning for the next day. I played out the string and was out-exhausted and dispirited. I drove back to my motel and crashed at 4 a.m.
The remainder of my trip could have been triumphant. I could have played in many side games and tournaments to recover my buy-in or at least erode the loss somewhat. I did not. Though I had a few winning sessions, including one playing 7-stud/8 with a double qualifier, I managed to lose another $400 or so in low-limit and low stakes no-limit games and a couple of small buy-in tournaments. (For more details of this downward spiral of a trip please check out my blog at HYPERLINK "http://www.houseofcardsradio.com" www.houseofcardsradio.com)
It all ended on the worst of notes when, early on Thursday, I got violently ill and had to drive myself to the hospital where I was treated for the flu and severe dehydration. They hooked me up to an IV until just a few hours before my flight home. Instead of returning rich and wrapped in poker glory, I arrived in Boston sick, wrapped in a blanket, and poorer.
As I write this, I'm starting to feel better. But I'll need to return to the great stud games at Foxwoods to truly get my mojo back.
Ashley Adams is the author of Winning 7-Card Stud and Winning No Limit Low Limit Hold'em. He hosts the radio show House of Cards, broadcast Mondays at 5 - 6 p.m. in Boston, MA, on 1510 AM, and on the Internet at www.houseofcardsradio.com. Contact Ashley at asha34@aol.com.
