Assault on the Bellagio 500$ freezeout!

Daithio

Great tournament, great structure, great cardroom, terrible players. What more could you ask for? My aces got payed every time (which was 4 times incidentally) by pairs as low as 33, the highest being 88 and by chipstacks that could well afford to fold. I also learned alot about poker in the states which will hopefully serve me well in the main event. Most importantly you never know who you're up against, so take a good 20/30 mins to take the table in. At one stage I was seated between a past WPT winner (Arnold Spee) and some muppet who called an all in for all his chips (when he had twice the average and no chips committed) with 33! So it was a bit of a minefield and I had to be careful but thankfully I never found myself with any really tough decisions and with the help of a few cards it all fell into place nicely.

The final table had alot of play in it; average stack with 9 left was about 25k and blinds were 800 - 1500. I had 16k, Ken 22k and Scott about 40k. There were two other big chip stacks and the rest were below what I had. We all got drawn next to each other, and with Padraig speech playing from the rails most of the other players were pretty intimidated. The three of us were playing blinders. Scott, the chip leader for most of the final, was constantly
putting the small stacks under pressure who didn't respond with any fight at all. Ken got very unlucky when his bluff was called by a flush draw (which incidentally was ahead without having to hit) but I still think it was a good bet by Ken and the guy definitely should have folded. He had weakness written all over him and called a re raise for all his chips on a three to one shot with only about a fifth committed and after Ken had been playing extremely solid poker (the only hand he'd shown at the final was AA). Ken was then short
stacked and put up a good fight but eventually went out in 6th for $2500.

I was hitting great cards but adopted a new tactic of mine which is to really overbet them like I'm robbing. Most of the time you don't get paid, but when you do it's big. This still doesn't really account for the extra few chips you accumulate from slowplaying but when players think you're bluffing and putting a load of chips in with bluffs (even though you have the cards) they don't want to play with you and the blinds are easy pickings. So when players start to drop and it's all about robbing the blinds you've established a nice strong image and people know they're going to have to make a decision for all their chips if they get involved. The only non Irishman at the table who put up any sort of a fight was a decent French Canadian player who ended up in third. Down to three and I had 60k, he had 75k and Scott 90k. Scott generously offered a three way split which I was more than happy to take of course, but the Canadian began to dither and think about it for a minute. Padraig read this as a huge insult to Scott as the chipleader, and the two of them decided to retract the offer (Padraig has 50% of Scott) which would have seen us take 13k each. At the time I was steaming with Padraig over this but I'm chuffed now!

As it turned out the Canadian was thinking about how much tax he'd have to pay, not about turning down the deal; being second in chips he would officially have won 13k, but if he'd been third he would only have officially won 7k and the tax would have been less. As it turns out he did only end up winning 7k officially lol. Had to feel sorry for the guy though, he seemed pretty decent. Anyway,sh1t happens and we played on with Padraig cursing and blinding the poor guy from the sidelines about how he'd never seen such an insult in a poker room etc etc. Anyway this really got to him and he gradually bled away his chips to the the two of us and became really short. I'd worked my way into the chip lead so was just sitting back waiting to catch him when I had a hand because he was pretty aggressive and was willing to stick them in on a rob. Then all of a sudden Scott raised, he went all in with 77 for a little more and Scott called with A4. Flop AAQ! Sweetest cards I've ever seen, because I know me and Scott will end up chopping
it so I've just made an extra 10k! It ended up with Scott having 120,000 in chips and me 100,000. Not a heads up hand was played and we split it right down the middle taking almost $17k each.

Great night altogether and it's brilliant for the confidence of all three of us considering it was mine and Ken's first ever Vegas MTT and Scott's first this year. Just dropped $2,000 of it in the crapshoot that was the NLH WSOP tourney on today through a mixture of bad cards and bad play but I don't care :-). Last I checked Donnacha O'Dea was the only Irishman left standing after the other Dave (no O) Callaghan had a good run but went out with about a third of the field left. Hopefully there'll be a few more results for the Irish anyway, with fields like yesterday's I really wouldn't be surprised.

bill_ashmount

Great result, how many entered???

pokertroll

Fantastic result Dave - keep us updated. I assume you are playing the main event now. How are all the other lads getting on? Is Niall going to stay on for the main event?

Will see you there next Wednesday evening. It will probably be quite late as I have to go to a meal for the Tribeca Network WSOP players and meet some loser called Doyle Brunson and another wannabe called Mike Caro.

NickyOD

Very nice report Dave. Everyone in poker over here is very proud of you guys putting up such a good show. Very best of luck in the big one.

Daithio

113 entrants altogether including a good few alternates.
Thanks Nicky, hopefully we can get some more before the few weeks are out!
I'm in for the main one Mark, starting day one which I'm not sure is a good or a bad thing, I'll find out anyway. Niall isn't staying at the moment but that could all change with a result or two.
I've been trying to persuade him but he's being pretty dilligent. I reckon as the time gets closer he'll fold and give in.
It's great craic over here anyway and it'll only get better with more and more coming for the main one. The action in the side games is unreal; there's a serious amount of dumb americans who are playing big enough stakes for fun, with no real aspirations or intent of winning. If we weren't going on the piss every night we'd all be millionaires by now.
We've affectionately renamed the gold coast the gold kip but it's about a fifth the price for absolutely everything ( I got a round of 8 drinks for $17 yesterday!) and 2 seconds from the rio so it's a bargain really. The rooms are grand too, air con, hot showers, tv etc., all you need. Most of the Irish are staying here anyway so it's a bit if craic. I'll see you when you arrive anyway, my phone is working so give us a shout if there's any probs on 0878316431 or when you arrive to find out where we are. See you then.
Oh yeah I think Tom and Mike got invited to that Doyle Brunson guy's thingy too so there'll be a couple of familiar faces to get pissed for free with.

Hitman Actual

Thats excellent stuff, Dave, congrats! Well done to Scott and Ken as well, hopefully this is just a prelude to something huge for the Irish in the coming weeks.

mewso

Great stuff. Keep it up and good luck in the biggie. I have never envied a bunch of lads so much. Wish I was there.

karlh

me too

nice one fellas, keep it up and good luck. fcukin deadly!

Einstein

great news guys, sounds like a right laugh out there!
Keep takin the american's money

DeVore

I honestly didnt think it would be this much fun, the irish are all supporting each other enormously and theres a great friendly buzz here. I just wish I wasnt working so much hahahah....

Dave, Mark, Oscar, Paddy, Scott are all on great form by all accounts.

DeV.