**** TJ's 2026 WSOP Trip! ...And Continued Sundry Poker Adventures ****
Hello again, friends!
I’ll start this thread by channeling my inner karaoke DJ, and invoking the timeless lyrics from the
Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. A resteal spot may have been a bit punty, got it in 60/40 behind.
Over at Aria on the list for PLO now.
Win a good bit at Aria PLO cash, +2375.
…Needed a good day.
Back home, toying with the idea of their $800 1-day tourney tomorrow.
We’ll see.
I forgot to show y’all what I had for dinner last night!
I was waiting over 2 hours for a PLO seat on a Friday night, so I walked over to Moneyline, the pizza/sports bar place near the book.
I asked the guy if I thought I was hungry enough for the 10 inch Detroit style all meat. He’s like no, dude, that thing easily fills 4 people. So I appreciate him saving me from myself.
Went with the French dip sandwich instead.
The horseradish sauce was a tart surprise, that I would have asked for without, if I saw it. But it was still very good.
The sandwich was $27.
Made my way over to Aria this morning, to late reg the $800 daily.
Got in near the end of level 4. Started with some runhot, as I got AA in against AK preflop for a quick double, and I’m right in this thing. Chip leader at my table, for the moment.
On the first break now, let’s goooooo!!
Second break, right on schedule, with 82k from the 30k starting stack.
I have a good seat on the only other chip leader on my level, direct to his left. He’s run and played very well to amass his chips.
…Partly at my expense. I’d say I’ve played him to a draw, with the hands that have gone to showdown, and the hands that haven’t.
Almost 300 entries for a 1-day event, with late reg closing after this break.
Feeling good, and locked in.
Registration closes with 302 entries, currently 162 players left, bubble at 38, $46k up top.
Let’s make it a nice day today!
Third break, it was a swingy 4 levels for us, but we’re on 84k, coming back to 2/4.
Had to make a big river fold in a pot I was building OOP.
Then I got into a blind vs blind flip for my tournament life: 99 > AQo.
Shortly thereafter, I flipped top two, missed my flop checkraise, and bet turn, shoved river, which wasn’t called.
Just got moved to a new table, so all new reads.
69 players left (niiiiice), let’s go!
Put it on em TJ
Busted, about 9 players off the bubble :(
I open A7o from the cutoff, and get shipped on from BB for about 70% of my chips. I mull it over, make the call, he has A5s. 5 in the flop, and I’m left with scraps. Really would be nice to hold up in my 70/30’s.
Fold through the blinds, then get my last 7 bb in with KK against the chip leader’s T9s, do hold that time.
Then I reshove over a short stack with 88, he has AQs, and I win that flip.
That’s about where I’m at, when a tight player minraises to 10k from the HJ, and a loose, bad aggro player 3bets, to 25k, and I’m in the bb with KQo, and about 77k back.
I make a read, and reshove. The unexpected part of the plan happens when the tight player 5bet shoves herself. Oops. Uh oh.
The button folds, I’m up against AKo, and I don’t improve. Out.
Maybe I could have folded to a mincash. But I made a read, made a decision, and went with it.
No regrets.
I don’t know what happened with the forum being inaccessible for a few days, but we appear to be back.
I’ve been saving what I want to post in a Google doc, so I could fill it all back whenever we’re back up.
After I busted the tournament last night, I wanted to settle some unfinished business. At Moneyline. The pizza/bar area in Aria.
They told me the 10 inch Detroit style all meat pie feeds 4 comfortably. They cautioned it takes about an hour to bake.
I hadn’t eaten for breakfast or lunch, so I was pretty hungry.
It was REAL good, for $34.
I did real yeoman’s work, eating 5 of the 6 slices. The bartenders were impressed.
I went back to the poker room to play cash, and it was a pretty annoying session.
I made some hands early, and raced out to almost +3k. Thinking about quitting, then I got involved in the hand that would have broken the game.
I was facing an $1100 all in on the turn, with multiple draws working. I calculated I had 12 clean outs, then made the call.
Unfortunately, my opponent had 3 of those outs in his hand, and I didn’t improve on the river.
A bit dejected after that hand, I got in another all in confrontation a bit light, and punted.
That’s when I picked up, at “just” +400. I’ll take it, I was done being ready to play.
Slept in a bit, then made my way over to Horseshoe for the Salute to Warriors $500 NL event!
This is one of those great price point, great structure (40 min. levels), that’s sure to guarantee a HUGE turnout.
I’m getting this update out on dinner break, the 4th break of the night.
I chipped up steadily, and played from ahead for most of the day today. The preferred way, I might add. I highly recommend.
My first big hand was 3betting AA, and getting a cold flat from the button. I bet/bet/shoved the 8-8-3-6-2 runout, and got called by 99.
A couple hours later, I pick up the AA again, this time from my BB. Folded to button who limps, SB completes, and I 5x it, they both call.
Continue for 80% of pot on the Q-8-4 rainbow flop, button calls. Turn is a 9 that puts two clubs out, I bet again, and this time he raises, for a committing amount.
I guess JT or some junky two pair is possible. But after seeing how that player had played, he could definitely be aggro with just 1-pair hands.
After taking about 90 seconds, I shove. He calls, with 8c5c, for the pair that turned backdoor clubs.
River clean. The most important part. DON’T leave out that step!
A player loses most of her chips in one hand, doubles up from life support, then opens in EP. I have KQo on the button. Consider 3betting, but just call, as does BB.
It comes K-T-6 two diamonds, BB checks, then the tilting player overbet 2x pot shoves. Hmmmm.
I reshove, BB gets out of the way, she has KJo, and I win.
So I have 141k coming back to 2k/4k, about an average stack. Registration is closed, and they haven’t announced a prize pool yet, but we are playing 17 levels tonight.
5th and final break of the night, before 2 more levels, then bag.
I have 188k, average is 248k, and we’re about 200 eliminations away from the bubble. Maybe it happens tonight, maybe not. Paying 672 places, $208k up top.
It was a tense three levels after dinner, but I’ve been patient. Being very deliberate about my decisions. Passing up marginal spots that could be trouble.
Seen some impressive punts, and one chip leader who’s shown down two hands the whole last 2 hours. They were AA both times, to eliminate a player.
Being very thoughtful about what I’m opening, from where, and what the plan is if I get played back at.
Busted, about 100 players from the money, an hour away from bagging. It was a stupid, stupid spot that’s gonna haunt me for a while.
I’d worked back up to almost an average stack, then I have J5s in the big blind. MP just lost almost all his chips, and open shoves his last 4bb. Button calls. I think my BB calling range has to be almost any 2, so I make the call as well.
I dark check, to unofficially give colluding overtures, to try to bust this player. It comes J-4-2, with one of my backdoor clubs
The button immediately and confidently bets 40k. I sigh. I really wanted to just get to showdown, but I have top pair.
I checkshove, he snaps, with AJ, I don’t improve, and just like that, I’m out.
I had an opportunity to fold J5s preflop. I had an opportunity to fold J5s post flop. J5s is not a good hand… it should be folded, usually.
That was my last tournament of this trip. I had high hopes of it being my summer saver. That closes the very ugly book on tournaments this trip.
But not unexpected. Anybody that plays tournaments knows it’s a very simple math problem. These things happen.
I slept in, and wake up in Vegas, for my penultimate day here.
As bad as the tournaments have gone this trip, I’m actually doing okay at cash.
So for today, we’re just gonna play cash. I’d been playing all 1-2 PLO, and it’s been going well. The 5/10 rock games at Aria are a significant step up.
I only played one session there last year, and I remember feeling like scared money. However, in the year since, I’ve played higher, and gotten comfortable with more multi-k stacks at the table.
But it plays deep, and you gotta be rolled for it. I wouldn’t even sit that game with less than 2k.
So in the twilight of my trip, I’m gonna take a shot, start with 2k, and stop loss at 3k (…maybe 4k, if it’s a good game).
And if I bust that shot, I’ll whimper back to 1-2.
End of trip perfect time for a shot take. Good luck.
The shot last night went well, +870.
Every time I had a big hand, I’d bet it really strongly, but everyone would fold. Makes me think I’m not bluffing enough.
It was a pretty good game all night long, but I probably stayed too late. I picked up around midnight, despite knowing I had to check out by 10 the following morning.
Took the trash out, packed up, checked out, then went right back to Aria to drop my bags before I head to the airport.
I got seated in another 5/10 rock game this afternoon, and it also went okay, +420.
I was up more, then played a big pot preflop with AKQJ double suited. Got it in against KKQJ, so I guess he’s a favorite, but I’m fine with 4 cards working. Unfortunately I lost that one, to put me about back toward even.
Racked up, then I said, ya know what? I have DUTIFULLY stayed out of the pits this whoooooole Vegas trip. Let’s take a 1k shot at some dice, on my way out of town.
…And it was a train wreck. I point-seven-out’ed twice, only hit one number the whole session, and vaporized 1k in barely 20 minutes.
Now I remember why I stay out of the pits.
Grabbing some dinner now, before I head to the airport.
Blazed it.
Your last hand: yeah he's a favourite, but it's only 53/37/10 tie assuming that his KKQJ was badugi. It's 58/35/7 if he has the other two suits.
We've all gotten it in way worse than that.
Craps has been bad everywhere (and I would know)... they must have Danny Ocean'd the dice to come up 7 whenever they want. Those movies have been on constantly since I got back.
Safe travels home my friend. Was great to see you.
As always, a Hall of Fame trip report. Thanks for your commitment to posting live. Enjoyed it immensely.
