Monday, May 07, 2007

Run for the WSOP 2007

Yesterday was my annual attempt to get a seat in the WSOP at the Oaks Card Club in Emeryville, CA. The format is no-limit holdem, with a $100+25 buy in and a single $100 rebuy. The top twenty were paid both cash and points towards a freeroll in which the top five prizes are WSOP seats ranging from the $10k main event down to a $1500 ducat. First place gets 20 points and 20th place gets 1 point. As of the start of the tourney yesterday, the bubble for the top 75 (who would be those invited to the freeroll) stood at 16 points, or a 5th place finish. That was likely to become 17 points after the day was out and possibly become 18 (but that was unlikely). So I went in to the game looking for 4th place or better.

My results were unspectacular, busting some time in the 2nd round after the rebuy period ended. With QQ I raised to 600 with 100-200 blinds UTG and was put all-in for 1500 more before the flop by AJo in middle position. The ace on the turn ruined my day.

More impressive was my father-in-law Tony's performance. Last year, he took 25th place when 20 places were paid. This year, he managed to make it all the way to 8th place, and probably could have done better had his KK not been vanquished by 55 which turned a set. 8th place paid $1,015 and 14 points. The $1k paid for his entry last year, this year, and now he'll be back again next year. The 14 points wasn't enough to make the freeroll, but he was busy weekend after next anyway.

I'll be back again next year.