Finished 12th in Bellagio Event Number 10, Roy Winston

[adioking]

Just wanted to give everybody an update on what I've been doing for the past year. I haven't given up on being an affiliate, as I'm finishing up some long overdue projects lately, which should be finished in the next 3 to 4 weeks, dependent on my coders.

Anyways, since I've moved to Las Vegas, I've been focusing on becoming a better poker player. When I first moved here, I started playing $1/$2nl Texas Holdem, and quickly realized that I was crushing the games up until $10/$20nl to $25/$50nl, which are my regular games now.

Recently, I've been trying out tournament play. I've cashed in over 1/3 of the tournaments which I've played in, including my near win in Bellagio Event 10. I was leader in chips with about 18 players left, double the average stack at the time, but a combination of me making a bad play with pocket aces and a lucky flop by Roy Winston cost me 80% of my stack. You can read all about it on Roy Winston's blog.

I'm also starting up my own blog about the events that I play in. I'm having it designed right now, but if anybody wants to see if I've placed in a tournament you can check Cardplayer's player database.

All in all, I held on to place 12th in the tournament, about $215k less than 1st. Hopefully I will get there one day, wish me luck!

[Holis]

Thats awesome Dan.

Was Jason helping you learn?

Ill be out there mid july for the wsop, would love to hook up with you and anyone else thats avail.

I looked at the hand history, how did you play it poorly?

[Ridge]

Nice post man. I read the HH too. He said you had the Ace of hearts but it showed the Ace of diamonds.. Which is right??

Either way, sounds like you are kicking ass, nice job.

[adioking]

I had the Ace of diamonds, I put him on AK or AQ with a single heart, doubting that he had flopped the flush. The odds to flop a flush are so tremendous for a hand like that, but I still feel I played it badly.

With his 3BB raise preflop he could have easily indicated 10 10 or 99. Making top or second set on the flop was much more probable than his flush.

The reason that I say I played it badly was because Roy respects my play, and knows that I'm a solid player. If I had played straightforward poker and reraised his 3BB raise to about 12BB to 15BB he would have folded for sure. However, had any other player reraised him, he may have made the call.

The reason I say that he would have folded is because Roy and I have played together in the past at stakes as high as $20/$40nl and we have a feel for each other's play. Had the hand been heads up or three handed, he may have been willing to call a big preflop raise with KQs, but not 8 or 9 handed, no way.

I tell just about every really big hand to Jason, just because he seems to have a good grasp on things having played poker for so long. No matter how long I play, I'm always interested in other player's insights on how hands play out and what other players may have done or had (if they folded).

During the LAPC I had a big hand that I played against Antonio Esfandiari. Jason was able to give me some good insight on the possible hands that Antonio had in that $22k pot that he folded. Thanks Jason!

[michaelmurphy]

adioking,

i haven't played the vegas games much. how's the difference between the 10/20nl and 25/50nl games there in your opinion?

[mjmurphy53711]

@ michael murphy, that's pretty gross that there is two of us on the forum.

[adioking]

Typically, there's a huge breaking point between the two. During tournament time, you normally get between four and six 10/20nl games going while there is one or two 25/50 games. I play the 25/50 only when i see certain other players playing. What I mean by this is that I know a lot of players from the 10/20 who wouldn't move up to the 25/50 unless the game is really good... so if I see them at the 25/50 then I get my name on the list.

You'll typically see some middle of the road pros at the 25/50, including guys like David Williams, Roy Winston, and a few well known local cash game pros. It seems that the big pros enjoy other games though. For instance, you'll see Devilfish Dave Ulliot playing 25/50nlh mixed with 50/100plo, which always turns out to be a great game for solid players. Mike Matusow enjoys playing 150/300 to 300/600 mixed games too, including holdem, stud, chinese, etc.

But to answer your question, yes... there is a noticeable difference between 10/20nlh and 25/50nlh as far as skill goes.

[kdollar]

Are you planning on playing in any of the wsop events? I am thinking I may play in event #3....the first texas hold-em tournament of the 2008 wsop.

[adioking]

Ya I'll be there on a daily basis. I'm going to play as many nlh events as I can squeeze in. You'll also find me in the side games.

[Holis]

Dan, we hooking up?

You still "owe" me for that suite we shared!