playing wpt super satelite at bellagio

[LAPoker 0]

(Sorry Long)Last night I won my seat into the $2600 WPT Super Satelite at the table right next to Daniel's Tourist table. That was a funny site, about half way through our game I look up to see Johnny Chan sit down with a guy who clearly looked like he had way too much money, and not to much common sence, being that it was him and johnny freaking chan heads up. I thought about sitting down with them, but quickly realized that I was a few 100K shot lol. A few minutes later I look into the crowd and see Daniel yelling at johnny in his best Scotty Ngyen voice, all the while with dollar signs in his eyes fixed on the tourist. Smelling blood in the water Gus and Chip quickly appear too. By the way I noticed Mimi blabing and I couldn't stop thinking to myself Jesus doesn't she realize that the guy is playing 100K pots, and he might want some peace and quiet. Daniel is FAR FAR too nice. Anyway, I went on to win my seat focusing on the game rather than the circus around us. Overtaking a tuff aponent heads up who had a 3 to 1 chip lead with HUGE blinds. Played well in the event today, but after 6.5 hours went down with pocket QQ's in a FOUR WAY POT! Forty people short of my goal. Now before you say what the hell were you thinking, I was short stack so there wouldn't have been a choice anyway, but I was the second person into the pot and well ahead of the pocket 10's which had moved in first, the problem came when the small blind picked up AK (bad call) and the big blind picked up KK. With no Q, I hit the road. The Big Blind better have won his seat after scooping a 25K pot with 40 people to go. After warnning Humberto Brenes that he had enough chips he should STOP PLAYING, I left. About 40 minutes later on the break I noticed that he had lost about half of them back. Humberto just looked at me and said "I like to play". I really was hoping to pick up a big hand at some point so that Humberto would come over the top of me (something that he was doing almost every time the guy to the left of me raised), but after three hours that never materialized (I have never seen so many 9 2's). It was a great experience. I played my a game for 6.5 hours at the table not intimidated with Humberto Brenes, a former world champion (I think Noel Furlong), multiple bracelet winners, all the while they were filming the PPT event at the tables next to us. Although I didn't win my seat I picked up valuable experience that I think will definitely help me as I get ready to play the WSOP this summer. I concidered trying another 1 table for tomorows super, but I really need to get some sleep finally, so it will have to wait until next year.

[troutsmart 0]

Thanks for sharing the experience. Good luck with the WSOP this year.Question: Based on you super-satalitte experience, what would say is the best style of play to win? Would you see a lot of flops and hope to pick up a big hand?Would you say playing a high percentage pre-flop game superior?

[LAPoker 0]

Thanks for sharing the experience. Good luck with the WSOP this year.Question: Based on you super-satalitte experience, what would say is the best style of play to win? Would you see a lot of flops and hope to pick up a big hand?Would you say playing a high percentage pre-flop game superior?

The biggest problem that people get into with satelites is the same problem that Humberto had, trying to "win" the satelite. You should try to estimate how many chips you will need to get to the end, and then STOP PLAYING when you have enough. The other thing that I try to aviod is getting into satelites where the blinds increase so fast that it is just a shove in and pray tourney. When I left for Vegas this weekend I really had no intention of playing in the WPT event, beacause when I tried in LA the format was so bad that it was just like playing a slot machine. After learning that you actually had some time to play I decided that I could probably win a seat. In my first one table I lost heads up to Antonio Esfendarie's brother, when his brother hit an 8 to 1 underdog. In the second I didn't get cards, and in the third one I won. They gave us 2000 in chips with 15 minute levels. To answer your question directly I believe in getting my money into the pot when I know I have an advantage. Early in the big tourney yesterday someone in late position raised and the BB called flop comes Q46. The BB checks with the blinds at 25 50 and 300 in the pot, the persone in late position bet 500. The lady in the BB with QJ reraises to $1000. The person in late position moves in. The BB having a screw loose calls. Of course the late position turns over KK, and sends the lady packing. How can you call a preflop raise with QJ. In general I don't like to guess at wheather I have the best hand or not. When I am commiting my chips I know I have you beat. That being said you also obviously have to try to steal blinds, play position, etc. The problem that I had yesterday is that any pot I played would be my last, no chips to fool around with, added to the fact that the guy directly to my left had a ton of chips, as did Humberto two seats over. I just could not take the risk of Humberto coming over the top of me so if I wanted to steal I would have to move all in. I generally don't like to do this, especially not in a tourney with 40 minute levels where you start with 5000 in chips. I still had enough time to get my money in with the best hand on several occasions, and had I won the last hand I would probably be in the Championship.