Gray-haired poker TRs: Living the WSOP dream

Are they posting over / under odds on any of the sports books ? 🙄

Oh and be sure to weigh in the Morning ... that is the voice of weight loss experience talking LOL.

I truly don't understand the lack of sports book action. Anyone in LVL care to create a line on my weigh-in weight?

I’m going to play the WSOP next month for the first time. I’m playing the $1000 NL Seniors event.

Are you allowed to wear headphones while you play? Can you eat at the table? Can you look at your phone?

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I'm not exactly a high volume WSOP player, but I'll answer to the best of my ability:

I don't see why you would be forbidden from wearing headphones, but I'd advise against it. If you have headphones on you will miss table talk that could prove useful. Also, if you have headphones on with music, you probably aren't concentrating enough on how the other players at the table are playing. Putting your opponents on playing styles, betting patterns, levels of aggressiveness or passiveness is accomplished by hyper focusing on every hand, not just the hands you are in.

I suppose you can eat at the table, but there are some unwritten rules. Either eat with a fork or spoon, and if you have to pick up food to eat do so with a napkin. You shouldn't directly touch your food since you will then be touching the cards, which makes them sticky and isn't appreciated by other players at the table. Also, if you are busy devouring food at the table, that means you aren't concentrating on the hands being played. There are enough breaks to eat snacks/food at that time, and if you last long enough there will be a dinner break.

As for your phone at the table, some rules to follow: 1) you cannot look up poker charts, 2) you cannot text someone who is also at your table, 3) you cannot text someone asking for their opinion on how to play a live hand, and 4) if someone calls you, if you want to take the call I believe you have to stand up and walk away from the table. I personally turn off the volume on my cell phone ringer and check voice mails while on break. In addition, and yes I am pounding away at the same point, I wouldn't be playing with your phone at the table, because if you are doing that it means you are not focusing on how the other players at the table are playing.

Most importantly, have fun. Don't build up your first WSOP tourney as more than it is. You are simply playing cards. Enjoy it. Soak in the atmosphere. I have never played in a seniors event, but I hear the players in those tables tend to be very friendly.

I wish you well.

The verification line that I think I saw was much shorter than the registration line. Still looked like a couple three dozen people tho.

Meh, I'll just say it - don't eat at the table. If you must have a snack or protein bar, there's a break every 2 hours.

Unless, of course, you have a health reason that can sometimes justify eating at the table. I wouldn't be eating a full meal, but a protein bar or a piece of fruit should be okay. Maybe not a full sized Reuben though.

Sorry, bugbear of mine. I do have this issue and sometimes have to eat urgently to combat crashes. COVID was a nightmare back in 2021 when I couldn't even eat a banana at the table, but I could stand behind my chair and eat it because my table was "on the rail".

I eat at the table all the time. I don't eat meals that require me to touch my food, but I eat at the table. Nothing wrong with it if you don't hinder the flow of the game or make a mess. The people who do those things are going to do them regardless 😉

I'm a regular cash game player and haven't played a live tournament in decades, so I am used to eating at the table. I forgot about the regular breaks for tournament play, so yeah it makes sense that I can snack and eat during those. I can't stand grease on cards and chips, so I do keep my fingers clean.

Listening to music often helps me concentrate on the cards and bet sizes. Sometimes, I find that people's conversations distract me from the game. For example, I get drawn into conversations, though I find I play the best and my table image is the best if I am quiet and don't talk much. But yes, I agree there can be important information to be gleaned by listening to what players say. So, I don't listen to music the whole time, and try to pause it when people are talking about their hands.

As for my phone, I use it to take notes on hands and players. Occasionally, I'll ask ChatGPT to refresh me on some points I am trying to keep in mind during my play.

Thanks for your replies!

The conclusion of Operation Weigh Loss

The time has come. Weigh-in time.

What should be my walk-out song? Eye of the Tiger by Survivor? Dream On by Aerosmith?

Nah, I don’t need no stinkin’ song. I’m all business. No gimmicks needed. Oozing confidence. Get me a damn scale.

But first, a rehash for those joining the party late. Twelve days ago, I weighed in at 195.4 pounds. I consider 200.0 pounds my danger-zone, line in the sand. This didn’t leave much cushion for the weight gain I anticipate while I am at the WSOP, eating badly, unhealthily, fatteningly.

I set a goal of 190.0 pounds or lower. Twelve days to lose 5.4 pounds or more. Skeptics said that wasn’t enough time. I scoffed. I gave up Dr. Pepper. I gave up snacks. I ate healthy (broccoli became my friend). I ate less. Much less.

That’s enough recap. Back to present day.

I fearlessly approach the scale. I scowl at the scale. I sneer menacingly at the scale. I sense the scale quivering with fear. All I need is 190.0 or lower. I stand on the scale and it reads …

BOOM!

I thought I was taking the path to losing 5.4 pounds, and instead I ended up taking the highway to losing 12.1 pounds. I just dropped 12.1 pounds in 12 days. Twelve freakin’ days!!!!!!!

To use a baseball analogy, I didn’t just get my bat on the ball, I knocked the ball out of the F-ing park.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h56lOLbR...

Next stop: Gluttony in Las Vegas.

Holy crap....figuratively and maybe literally.

That's honestly a very surprising drop. Good for you.

Congratulations on the weight loss. Goal #1 achieved!

Great job!!!

I expect you to gorge yourself on great food and Dr Peppers next week!

When I told Mrs. rppoker this morning that I had lost 12 pounds, she congratulated me, said she could see a difference on my stomach but then added, "If you keep watching your weight in Las Vegas ..."

I interrupted her to say, "I intend to eat very badly in Las Vegas."

Mrs. rppoker then said, "But if you eat vegetables ..."

Once again I stopped her mid-sentence, and I said, "I didn't do all of this to eat vegetables in Las Vegas."

And yet, Brunson had Casper, his lucky card protector!

P.S. - Congrats on your highly successful weight loss!

The countdown has begun, I fly to Las Vegas tomorrow morning

OK, that's a wrap on my pre-WSOP ramblings, actions and thoughts clanging around in my head. I fly to Las Vegas first thing in the morning.

The rest of today will consist of wrapping things up at work (pretty much done), getting a haircut, going out to dinner with Mrs. rppoker, and then packing.

I'm in a better place this year than I was heading into last year's WSOP. I am better studied today than I was in 2024. I am pain free today, whereas in 2024 I was battling leg and hip pain. Today my weight is the best its been in forever, so I get to gorge myself full of fattening food guilt free.

While I will be writing as best I can while at the WSOP, same as last year I will not start posting my TR entries until I leave Las Vegas and get back home. The reason is that it is hard to write entertainingly after a 10-12 hour poker session. I'll write drafts in real time, but the editing will take place back home. It makes for better writing from me and hopefully better reading for you.

Like last year I suspect the following posts may still occur while I am at the WSOP in real time: 1) pictures from my sidekick rpphotographer, and 2) the occasional bread crumb from me.

I shall return in full force on the other side of my 12-day stint at the WSOP. Is this the year I finally sun run in a WSOP event? I'll let you knowing starting 12 or so days from now. One can hope and dream.

Let her know it's really difficult to even find a vegetable in Las Vegas -- let alone one you'd want to eat with the exception of roasted brussels sprouts with bacon 😉

Best of luck, rppoker! Travel safely, run well, play well!

Looking forward to any updates you're able to provide. Don't feel obligated to miss rest/breaks/Dr Pepper for us though.

There's always the celery stick in a Bloody Mary.

Have a safe flight bro! Hoping you run hotter than the sun!

GL! Hoping your trip yields more crumbs than even the flakiest croissant.

well done on the weight loss. Hopefully...even if you eat whatever you like in Vegas...you can pick up where you left off when you get back and consolidate the weight loss?

good luck at the tables

rpphotographer here. rppoker has asked me to man the thread over the next 12 days while he immerses himself in the WSOP.

We are currently at Chicago's O'Hare airport killing time in the United Club while waiting for our flight.

rppoker got breakfast, which included his first Dr Pepper in almost two weeks. He wept tears of joy.

From the cell phone camera of rpphotographer

We start with something that has nothing to do with the WSOP, but we'll put it in the category of "there's something you don't see every day!"

Today we saw tattoo guy. He had tattoos on his entire skull and entire neck.

Next, views from high atop the friendly skies.

And finally we land, and I give you the cliche shots, but it's a good cliche.