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.