North Texas Championships at Winstar

In 2009, one of the largest tournament overlays in the US was the $3,000,000 guarantee at Winstar in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The overlay was something like $600,000 on a 2100 buy-in Main Event. This casino is huge and lies roughly 70 miles north of DFW Airport. This room dominates the Oklahoma and North Texas markets and has about 45 tables. During the day mid-week it is not uncommon to see 20 cash games going. Weekends are jammed packed. I have had a love hate relationship with the place as mentioned in previous blogs.

They are currently in the middle of what this year is now a $3,000,000 guaranteed series which includes a $2,500,000 Main Event. They aligned themselves with Greg Raymer this year after it was scheduled. Fossilman is definitely one of the nice guys in poker.

They have been getting really good Venetian Deep Stack quality numbers for there prelims. Registration is goofy with it opening at 9AM on the day of the event with an 11AM start.

So this morning at 845AM I find myself standing in a 300 person line to register for a $330 50,000 guarantee. Twenty minutes later I am in and have almost two hours to kill. No computerized registration system, pay, show a players card, get a wristband, get a seat plaque. To management, go to the Venetian of WSOP see how it works, buy a software program.

I am home at 4PM so obviously it didn't go well. Chipped up to about 10K from the starting 5K, busted two short stacks with what were really fairly easy calls. Lost T3700 with a 10 high flush to a Queen high flush.

Bust out hand was fairly standard, have queens in middle position and raise 3X, two flatters, flop is 222, checked around, turn is a 7, I jam for 25 big blinds and of course, one of the players has aces. Nice flat with the aces, every heard of three betting. On tilt at this point, but it to will pass.

Poker Update/Kids Start School Today

I am seem to blog every year on this day as the school year starts again. My kids will be in the 7Th and 8Th grade this year. They will go to the same school which makes a much easier drop off and pick up for me. Always a little melancholy on this day, as per my agreement with their mom, we go back to a more regular visitation schedule. Its best for the kids, not fair to go back and forth a lot during school, but still bums me out a bit. As every parent says they grow up way too fast. It seems like it was just yesterday, when my daughter threw a fit on the first day of kindergarten.

Some interesting rumors in the tournament poker world in regards to a WSOP Circuit event to potentially be held at Choctaw Casino in Durant, Oklahoma in January 2011. Durant is roughly 100 miles north of Dallas Fort Worth and I play this room a lot when I am in Texas. Would be real interesting to see what kind of numbers this could attract. It is a very nice room, but they have never hosted anything close to this in the poker world. Would help as I wouldn't have to travel to Tunica and could commute it.

Drove out here to Vegas from Dallas about 10 days ago, because I needed to bring some stuff for my house that just wasnt easily shipped. Not recommended, its too far, too long and if I see another mountain pass and/or road construction area, think I will puke. Major problem with driving here is I have to drive back in a few days, not one of my brighter moves.

I spent some time at the Detox Series at Hard Rock over the last week or so. I am not a Hard Rock regular but it is such a nice room, sad to see it go after this series. Good small setting series to meet a lot of people in the poker world, who maybe I had seen on TV, followed their Twitter, etc. Attended the 2+2 party for the event, had a bunch of laughs playing some crazy mixed games that night. No real success at all in this series. Busted the $100K in Level 4, the ME mega about half way though when I jammed top pair into a set.

I did end up with a seven way chip chop in the Venetian Noon Daily this week which was very plus EV for me. I was the shorty at 7 and the chip leader had a dinner reservation and it didn't take long to convince the table. Ended up with basically a little more than 4Th place money, that's one for the home team.

Cash games have been just a little above break even for me over the last week or so. big 3 buy in win at Red Rock last Sunday, followed by getting stacked at Mandalay Bay, I know MB, why I dont know. You need to a rule sheet to sit down at the place, Break even at the RIO, a few slight wins at Venetian and getting stacked at Hard Rock in one of my largest 1/2 pots of the year. That hand will get its own blog once I quit steaming.

Firmed up some plans

Made some firm plans to take a pure poker trip to my Vegas house this month. Will be in LV, from August 12 until the 25th or so. Going to play several events at the Detox Series at Hard Rock. Excited about this series as its being run by Matt Savage and crew. I am a little past the Hard Rock stage in life but I think there is going to be a good turnout for this series. In between Detox Events, going to be playing a few Venetian Daily's, cash at Venetian/Red Rock and hope to jump in some live PLO games. I have been playing some small stakes PLO High online and am really starting to get a good feel for it.

Here's hoping for a run good trip.