More Thoughts From Vegas

Last Friday, while still in Vegas, I decided that I'd not leverage my lammers into a WSOP event entry. Rather, I'd venture back downtown to Binions and sign up for the $250 HORSE tournament that was scheduled for 2pm. Falstaff had mentioned it in his blog as a "thing to do," and far be it from me to disagree with someone so wise. Sadly, I would question his wisdom later after he skipped said tournament due to cash game misfortune. Still, I was happy to give it a shot; I'd performed moderately above average in online HORSE cash games and tourneys so I felt I wasn't completely dead money. Perhaps mortally wounded money, but there was still a pulse.

I had the pleasure of seeing Glenn, Felicia and Tonya (MissT74) while I was there. I seem to always run into Glenn and Felicia during the summer trips when the WSOP is going on. But never at the Rio. Probably not a coincidence. ;)

While nothing very spectacular occured during this tournament, I did learn something very valuable about big-time tournament play. There's really no time when you can get away with making a big mistake and live to talk about it. I ended up busting in 85th of 225 after a horrible Stud/8 hand that crippled me.

The structure was a really good one, I lasted for about six hours of play and by the end of it felt mentally exhausted. Think about that for a second. Six hours. It's really not a long time, especially considering WPT and other big time tourneys can take 4 or even 5 12+ hour days to complete.

I gained a ton of respect for the guys (and gals) that can play their best poker for such long periods of time on consecutive days. That's the mark of a real pro. I believe that on any one given hand, anyone can make a superstar play - a heroic call or a savvy laydown. But to do so over the course of thousands of hands and tens of hours of play takes a mental discipline I've not seen in very many people.

Hell, after two hours of online play, I need to get up and walk around for a few minutes. I have to think I perhaps had more mental stamina in my earlier years, which shouldn't be too surprising. The multi-day tournaments end up favoring the poker youth in ways I used to think weren't too significant. But after the Binion's tournament, I've changed my opinion.

Next up in the trip report, less poker and going back to Skool.