From: greatbrit Newsgroups: rec.gambling.poker Subject: WSOP 2003, Day not quite 1: Clocking in, cashing out Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 01:56:51 -0700 Today we set up the room for the WSOP, it looks great! This year the ring games are all downstairs as are the single table satellites and the double-shootout tournaments (pay $125 to enter a single table, win it and play in another single later in the day against 9 other winners, win that and you have a 10K seat, piece of cake!). Upstairs they have put down a new carpet and repainted, there is no walkway down the middle any more, it's all tables, the final table is now in the center of the room surrounded by bleachers on 3 sides, with it's own clock and two screens that will have camera views of the cards and the table, this looks like it's going to be a much better deal for spectators. There are clocks everywhere, there's one in each corner and one in the middle, during the day they will all be showing the main event, at night two of them will convert into a clock for the super satellites ($225 + multiple $200 rebuys and a double add-on), and one for the No Limit $225 at 11pm every night until 5/15 (I think). I spent all day getting my clocks sorted out, then we went to the Chinese restaurant 'Gee Joon', newly reopened in the hotel. This is a great restaurant, the service is great and the food is excellent (walnut prawns in a cream sauce was heaven, Peking Duck was great, orange chicken very good), fairly expensive, most main courses about $16. After dinner I went downstairs and played a $65 satellite as I am going to be playing in the $500 employee limit holdem tomorrow (Tuesday). We got 600 chips, 10-15 blinds. Twice I was all in, the first time in a desperation move calling a raise with KJs (after losing most of my chips the previous hand when I flopped a set of 9s, was raised on the flop by a flush draw that got there on the turn). One more caller, flop was AKJ, i bet out, two callers, went all in on the turn, a 4, then a dreaded T on the river and the first guy bet out. I was getting up to leave when he announced he couldn't beat my two pair (geez, am I THAT transparent). He had AT. The next time I raised with KTs, got reraised and called. Flop was TQx with two of my suit, on the river the A of my suit came, I had the nuts, we had all the money in, him with AQ, me with the flush which he hadn't seen. After that it was all good and down to 3 I had 80% of the chips. Heads up I offered the other guy $100 because I am the anti-Daniel and make deals for absolutely no reason, luckily he declined and went out the next hand. So I won $550, tipped $20, and have my buy-in for tomorrow, it was a good day. Quite a few big names showed up tonight (TJ, Chris Bigler, Kathy, John Duthie to name but four), no doubt after having been at Bellagio all day, I didn't look at the side action but it looked pretty full, and the single tables and double shootouts were all very busy, so so far it's all looking very good. I'm expecting 312 for tomorrow's event, and a big turnout (maybe 200) for the nighttime $225 because most people are shut out of tomorrow's (employee) event. I think the first supersat will also be kicking off tomorrow at 4PM, there are two daily, 4PM and 8:45PM. So, so far it's all rose colored glasses for me, the only downer for me being that a lot of my favorite dealers won't be here this year. They've offered to take back the dealers who went on strike last year, but I spoke to one of them today, a good friend and a great dealer, from what he said I don't think many of them will be returning, which is a shame because they were the best in the business. Bed time, for tomorrow is gold bracelet day... Paul