2009 WSOP: The Calm Before the Storm, and Playing Big Draws

Yesterday was a day off. Or rather I should say it was a day away from the Rio because it wasn't a day off. Some other freelance work kept me occupied during the afternoon.

Today is another day off. The last preliminary event finishes up alongside the Ante Up for Africa tournament. I don't see many well-known names in the final fifteen of that last preliminary event. It's a safe bet that all eyes will be on Ante Up.

An interesting discussion that's come out in the last few days is one that I had with my friend Zeke several weeks ago. Zeke contended that the "World Series of Poker" has really become two different entities -- the $1,500 no-limit hold'em tournaments, which are like "WSOP B", the minor leagues of the World Series or the amateur hour at the World Series, and the bigger buy-in and "other game" tournaments, which are like "WSOP A" or the major leagues of the World Series.

While I agree with Zeke, I don't think it's so much because the pros shun the donkaments. We always have a decent smattering of pros in the donkaments. It's just that NLHE appeals to the masses in a way that razz or limit O8 never will. The pros are therefore a much smaller percentage of the field in the donkaments than they are in the "other games" events. Their skill edge in the "other games" events is also much higher than it is in no-limit hold'em, a game that has been exhaustively studied and taught in books and on the internet.

The pros didn't set the World Series up this way. The amateurs did by not taking an interest in anything except NLHE. Personally I'm fine with that. I prefer the fields of the games I play not to be 3,000-person lotteries.

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I got some pokering time in late last night. Alceste is in town. We wound up in a 1-3 NLHE game at Wynn. Now, it's been a long time since I played any NLHE cash. Twice a similar hand came up that I wasn't sure how I was supposed to play.

Case 1 - AdJd in position. I called a raise to $15 from a LAGgro donk that was also called by one of the blinds. LAGgro donk had shown a willingness to call down light after the flop -- she value-towned herself a couple of times for no good reason other than an unwillingness to lay down any kind of hand. The flop hit me very hard, {Qd} {10h} {2d}. The blind checked and LAGgro donk bet $40. I was playing about $300 and was covered by both opponents.

Case 2 - QsTs in position. A tight, passive player in early position raised to $17 and was called by one person. I also called to a flop of {As} {9s} {8c}. The tight-passive bet $30 and the other player called. Again I was playing about $300 and was covered by both opponents.

Meh, what the hell. Let's throw in a PLO hand also.

Case 3 - $1-$2 PLO, I was playing $300 and was covered. There was a pot raise ($8) that was called in two spots before action came to me in the small blind. After squeezing out {Ad} {As} {4d} {5s}, I re-potted to $42 and was called by two players. The flop came down {6s} {Jc} {3s} and I had first action.

The question, in each case, is how should I play my hand? Discuss amongst yourselves. I'll be back tomorrow with my own thoughts and what I did in each case.