tilted behaviour

My final weekend in Las Vegas was action packed full of watching TV, packing, eating, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, gambling, cleaning, more TV and more eating . . . yeah I know I’m boring!

Saturday started slowly with lots of cleaning, packing and watching WPT reruns. Eventually I fell asleep on the couch before awaking to a black night sky. I got dressed, ran upstairs to see Eric asleep, and heading to Del Taco to grab some food before walking over to SouthPoint to watch a late session of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Transformer’s was the first cartoon I ever watched, and even though I don’t have much recollection of the story lines from back in the late 80’s and 90’s, I still love the movies. I thought that this movie was just as good as the last one and maybe even better. The CGI of the Autobots and Decepticons battles were amazing and the story line kept you interested.

I got a phone call mid-movie and used it as a time to quickly run to the bathroom, and it was Eric informing me that he and Chris Boncek were heading to The M Casino. The movie finished and I raced home just before it started bucketing down with rain as we made our way further down Las Vegas Boulevard.

Once we walked into The M we were both amazed at how such an amazing hotel could be located nearly 30 minutes from the Strip. It was grand, and had a somewhat oriental theme to add to a Venetian-type alluring odour that circulated the floor.

We walked through a relatively quiet gaming floor for a Saturday night, and was just amazed at how stunning all the waitresses were. Young and gorgeous were just an understatement as we met with Boncek and made our way to the poker room to play some $4-8 Limit Holdem.

It was a weirdly structure game as the blinds were $1-2 and the opening raise was to $6 and the $10 with consequential streets following the usual betting limits. I was getting scolded over and over for not putting out the right amount of chips, but after a while it finally clicked when I scooped a huge pot holding Q♠ J♠. I two-bet preflop and it was pretty much called round. The flop fell 10♠ 7♠ 4♠ and it was capped by both Eric and me, along with some Asian-tard. The turn dropped the 4♦ and it was two-bet before the 7♥ was checked on the river.

Eric mucked his busted straight-flush draw with 5♠ 6♠ as the Asian-tard mucked a 10. From there on I played fairly tight hitting Jacks-full on the river to take down a big pot, and also taking a few small ones to finish up $58 for the night.

We were home by 3am and I played the PokerNetwork Vic Champs Mini-League eventually getting bored and busting fairly early after building a solid starting stack.

As Sunday rolled round, and only half my packing and cleaning done before departing to Lebanon, I knuckled down and took care of most of it before Marc and Catherine arrived to go gambling at SouthPoint with both me and Eric.

Those three grinded a loss on BlackJack before we went over to Pai Gow Poker where I chipped up $50 and Eric regained some of his profits before returning to the BlackJack table to lose them all!

We headed to one of the restaurants and enjoyed a quick Mexican fiesta before we parted ways to see Eric continue his packing while I watched Rounders before falling asleep to . . .

It hurts, doesn’t it? You can’t believe what fell. All your dreams . . . dashed . . . Hopes down the fucking drain . . . Your fate, he is sitting right beside you . . . That Ace could not have helped you . . . I bet it all!

You’re right, Teddy . . . The Ace didn’t help me . . . I flopped the nut-straight!

With the WSOP now wrapped up and mostly everyone still in here we all wanted to get together to hang out and see everyone off. . . however nothing had been planned (rolls eyes at GG) in comparison to the poker, BBQ and karaoke day from last year!

Once we were all up and ready, we made our way to GG’s to find everyone seated round his poker table like we were the ones holding them up.

Mat put the cards in the air and our 10-handed, 5,000-chip starting bank, $50 sit-n-go was kicking!

Mickey ran Queens into Aces and like a junior Phil Hellmuth, started ranting and raving at how bad he runs. People busted left, right and centre until I eventually perished in fourth place as F-Train finished third while Donnie couldn’t overcome the power of Marc Hodge heads-up.

With GG heading out on some prior obligations, we were left to fend for ourselves and decided that the best option was a friendly HORSE game; in which I took the dealing duties.

I made around $15 in tips before we called it a night.

After DK and myself finally arrived back at the condo following a little directionless driving, both me and Mat decided to join him in seeing the movie Bruno along with Melissa and Eddy.

Having no idea what the movie was about, we grabbed some popcorn and found some seats to find out that it was basically a Euro-version of Borat but with more male nudity . . . up close!

The movie was funny, but very disturbing at times and I only recommend it if you enjoyed Borat and prepared for a plenty of close up male nudity . . . I think you get the picture!

After Marc, Mat and myself were the longest lasting PokerNews team in the Media Dream Team, the day finally came round to see us take to the felt in the $1,680 Dream Team Poker Main Event!

Playing on behalf of PokerNews, and for only 30% of ourselves, we were still more than willing to enjoy the day off work to battle it out with the 122 teams and 366 individuals that donned a Dream Team jersey.

I saw my starting 10,000-chip starting bank slip early over the first level until I managed a double holding K♣ Q♥ after I opened to 475 and was met with two callers in the 100-200 level. The flop fell down K♦ 8♥ 3♦ and I lead out for 800 and was met with one call before my 1,000-chip bet was called when the K♥ landed on the turn. The river fell 3♠ and I tried to feign weakness as best as possible before throwing out my remaining 5,000-chip. My opponent sat in the tank as I hit under my PokerNews cap, before he eventually called holding 8-7.

Now up to 14,000, I fluffed a few times after opening, but eventually clawed my way back to 20,900 after opening with Q♠ 10♥ to 750 at 150-300 and found two callers. I lead out for 1,100 on the 3♦ J♠ 8♠ board before my opponent made it 3,300 to go. I really felt that he had a Jack or at worse a pair of nines etc or even a flush draw – consequently I took my time before re-raising all in for a further 11,600 on top. He tanked and tanked before eventually folding A♥ J♥ face up . . . oh yeah, ship the gutter-ball!

I had this annoying player on my left that kept owning my soul and when she opened to 1,200 at 200-400 from under the gun, and I looked down at Aces in the big blind I knew it was a chance to send her packing. I flatted, and check-raised all in on the ten-high board to see her stack shipped towards mine as I moved to over 33,000.

I moved tables, and folded for three full orbits before calling a button all in shove with A♠ 3♠ to be ahead of Q♥ J♣. I flopped a flush draw, and my Ace-high held to climb back to 35,000 after slipping to 28,000 in chips. I then chipped up to 40,500 when my 7-4 in the small blind flopped trips and got two streets of value. As we were about to hit another break, I eliminated a PokerRoad intern (right) when he open-shoved 7-4 and I made the call from the small blind with Aces. I held, but doubled the small blind up next hand when my Nines were outdrawn by his Ace-10 as I headed to break with 38,500 in chips.

I then ran my Kings into Aces and was left crippled with 15,800 before moving tables as we hit the 1,000-2,000-200 level. I stole a few times before doubling with Sevens against Ace-King. With 69 left, and the top 36 individuals being paid, I headed to dinner with 27,000 in chips.

I devoured a sandwich before returning only to bust soon after when my A♠ K♦ was outflopped by the big stack’s A♥ 6♣ when the board ran out 6♠ 5♥ 2♠ 4♦ 10♦ to see me exit in 57th place.

Our team ended up finishing in 60th place, which wasn’t a bad result after Marc was bad-beat twice and Mat was card dead until elimination.

On a side note – congratulations to Pauly and his team Tao of Pokerati for capturing the team title, and to Kenna James for taking out the individual title!

Tao of Pokerati and Kenna James

With a day off between the two previous day two’s and the upcoming day three there was a Dream Team Media freeroll held for anyone that worked in the media.

Marc Hodge, Mat Pater and I teamed up to form team Tilted Behaviour. We joined several PokerNews teams in a battle to be the longest lasting to win a seat into the $1,680 Dream Team Main Event in a few days time.

I busted early when I shoved Ace-Six with my short-stack and was snapped off by Ace-Nine. However both Marc and Mat would hold the fort down and see us take down the longest-lasting trophy and $1,680 freeroll!

A few hours later we all combined once again to take part in the PokerNews Freeroll!

Everyone had a random bounty on their hand to go along with the prizepool, and before the cards were in the air, Garry and I revealed our t-shirts.

GG had both DK and Mel on his team with pictures of me and the words of Sometimes . . . me and my mates . . . we just like to grind, while Donnie, Eric and Mat were on my side with a picture of GG’s mug on it and the slogan of Who the f**k is Garry Gates?. Everyone’s t-shirt however had an alternative slogan on the back with mine saying Mate Ditcher, Mat’s saying Plzzz Mate and Eric and Donnie’s saying Pay Forgetter.

Our T-Shirt Battle

I was out of the freeroll fairly early when my Ace-King was outran by Marc’s Queen-Jack. The flop fan out King-Queen-Queen, but no improvement would fall on the turn and river and I handed over my bounty to Marc. However, I quickly grabbed it back so I could read what it would be . . . Tim Duckworth owes the holder of this card $20!

Unveiling my bounty

WTF! I had to pay my own bounty . . . firstly rival t-shirts and now I lose out in a freeroll . . . so ridiculous!

Melissa and F-Train went heads up in the freeroll and chopped the money, but Melissa would officially take it down as we now all prepared for one of the greatest party’s in the world . . . the PokerStars Player’s Party!

With a few hours to kill before the party kicked off, a few of us grabbed some food at the Rio before making our way to the Palms at the Rain Nightclub.

We made the most of the open bar as Donnie and I ventured into the Hachem VIP area to mingle for a while. We paced the dancefloor bumping into a pro here, a media member there and a fellow colleague everywhere else before we waited round for Nelly to come on to the stage at midnight.

He performed a bunch of songs, and soon after we walked out the door to witness some degen gambling by nearly the whole PokerNews crew that remained – apart from the wiser and stronger Aussie boys!

Back to work tomorrow, but here is a rough video I put together of Nelly performing (note – the sound quality on this camera is fairly terrible, so I cut it out and just added some recorded tracks).

Having to start at 5pm was an absolute blessing after the late night / early morning that we had endured, and what made it better was that Donnie, Mickey and myself were all working the same event – Event 37 – $10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo.

Being a World Championship event, the coverage was always going to have to be word-class and by having Mickey and me, along with Marc Hodge on the floor there was no doubt about it!

You probably already know that Stud Hi-Lo is one of the most boring games to blog / report on, and consequently I’m not going to endlessly bore you either. Instead, I’m going to include this funny clip that was launched around the NBA playoffs time.

I find this video absolutely hilarious and when I first saw it on TV I cracked up!

Even if you don’t like this one, there are a bunch more on YouTube featuring puppet Kobe and LeBron as well as Lil Dez.

So it’s the weekend in Vegas . . . but when you’re working with PokerNews . . . a weekend doesn’t exist!

Off to the Rio at noon to take the reigns for the Event 28 – $1,500 No Limit Hold’em; however after the late night / early morning and stomach full of GreyGoose . . . I was a little worse for wear!

There is no real point boring you with the details of the day, but once we were finished Donnie, Mat and me headed to SouthPoint to play some $2-4 Limit Holdem.

We grinded away for a while before a very drunk Marc Hodge joined us and . . . how do you say it . . . spiced up the action!

It was pretty much a game between us four with it being capped nearly every street on every hand. I ran the worst, but enjoyed the comic genius that is titled Marc’s Magic . . .

I have two quad draws
I’m getting crushed
F**king nits!
Drunk guy seat four
I might be from Georgia, but we have calculators
Duckworth, you know I run good and I’m an awesome poker player!

Mat Pater and (a very drunk) Marc Hodge tearing up the $2-4 Limit Holdem table at SouthPoint

Sunday saw me continue with the Event 28 – $1,500 No Limit Hold’em coverage, and just like the previous day there was nothing interesting about the tournament.

No Phil Hellmuth-esque players ran deep, and the tourney wrapped up at 3am with three tables left.

The next day flew pretty quick as we played down to the final table and then to see Mike Eise take down the $639,331 first prize along with the coveted gold bracelet. Here is one of the interesting and colourful hands that took place.

care of PokerNews
Jason Potter Eliminated in 4th Place ($185,444)
Jason Potter shipped it all in from the button for just on a million and Jeff Chang made the call from the big blind.

Potter: Q♠ 10♠ Chang: 10♣ 10♦

With Potter needing to catch a Queen to stay alive or a combination of a flush or straight, the crowd and Potter would erupt seeing the Q♣ as the window.

Like an online glitch, the dealer spread the flop but one card remained hidden. With it reading Q♣- 4♠ the dealer would finally un-stick the two cards and out popped the 10♥.

Jason Potter eliminated in 4th place

Similar to the magnitude of a fireworks display on New Years Eve; the crowd erupted with an ear-splitting and deafening display of claps and stomps that the secondary feature table surely couldn’t handle!

With thunderous noise echoing throughout the stage the A♠ on the turn made it more interesting as it gave Potter additional flush outs to go with the two remaining Queens that could save his tournament life.

The dealer burned and turned a black . . . 7♣ and Potter would be forced to leave the rowdy stage on his way to collecting $185,444 for his 4th place finish.