Won 10K seat into Caesars Classic

I just got notice that I have won a seat in the 10K Caesars Classic in October. Im on my way to Vegas to play for a week at the poker room to get used to the site and the staff. Ive played there a couple times before but just want to feel comfortable for the big one. I also am meeting with Barry Tanenbaum for some coaching.
The first time I played the WSOP which I won on a sat I busted out in the first 20 minutes. I do not intend to go through that again.
Having not played in such high stakes I am a little concerned as I know there are some really good players who are regulars there. But I will try to do my best.

Sweet BK hope it goes well for you, get practising your live game.

Lot of great players here doing big things at the moment.

Hehe, get used to the site? You mean poker room?

Still, thats very awesome - winning a 10k seat is just mindboggling - those are the best tournaments IMO to play and one day id love to try one.

How did you win the seat by the way? You said you got a notice that you won the seat....

good luck too

Well congrats to you baby kahuna!!!

As monoxide said, winning a 10K seat is HUGE. I am glad to hear that a fellow CC member has been able to accomplish this.

Please keep us updated when the time comes for you to play in october. Meanwhile keep on reading up and playing poker to get your poker game in tip top shape.

Good luck to you!

That's awesome -- congrats! And yes, inquiring minds want to know how you won the seat.

Ceaser's Poker room is awesome. Good idea to do some advance scouting. If you didn't know where to look, its easy to miss the entrance.

Look for the PCD lounge and the Sports Book. The door to the Poker room is squeezed in between them. Last time I was there - there was a huge crowd at PCD for somebody named Britney... made it a pain in the arse to get in/out of the poker room.

Best of cards to you! Bring home the cash.

Wow, Super, good luck to you.

Thank you for all your well wishes. I really appreciate it.
This year I went to Vegas for the WSOP. I usually save up and play a couple sats and one event. A lower level one.
I stopped in Binions and played the Binions Classic. Played in about 5 events the closest I came was 9 from the bubble.
I was depressed. My cards werent running good. So I decided to just play some sats at the Rio and get in that way. I play a sat and things look good. This beautiful babe is sitting next to me with a short stack. A real good player shares the large stack with me and an old timer with a medium stack whose range is wide. A/rag, small pairs, any broadway cards. I catch A/Q suited and get the old guy going all in and I call.
The babe sidles up to me touching me on the arm and says;
"you beat him we'll chop it, OK?".
"Oh uhuh" I says.
Now her hand drops to my knee.
He turns over KJ and she is smiling at me.
THe flop comes K,8,J
the hand is removed from my knee. OK I still got an out with the 10. I get the nut straight.
Boom on the turn the K comes. The babe looks at me in horror. Like I was a squashed bug on her windshield. Im decimated.
THe old guy says; Thats the way I play. Im decimated and end up done. The babe acts like she doesnt know me fom Adam. I get up and walk out alone.
I bump into an eldely woman. I excuse myself and she smiles and says;
"Thats OK by the way would you like to enter into a drawing" Nah Ive had it with the Rio. "We're with Caesars" she says. All I hear is TABLE and SEAT. Oh great another drawing for a poker table. My attention is now on Jerry Buss walking with Doyle. Yeah ok. I fill the form out and drop it into the bowl.
As Im walking away she says "Thank you, see you in October!!!".
I walk away thinking Aw shoot I got to come back to pick that damn poker table up?????
Tilly walks by me with Laak. Damn girl are those things for real!!!!
Last week I get an email congratulating me for the win to a seat at the 10K. I say how do I pick up the table. They say nono. The second place guy got the table you got the seat. Dang!!! You mean I gotta play this thing. I never won anything in my life. Get ready Doyle. Hope I dont spill coffee on you.

Sorry for the long post.

Wow lol, thats an fckin awesome story.

You are sooo lucky, it didnt even cost you anything to enter the draw I guess?? So lucky, so sweeeeeet.

Outstanding, I hope your luck runs as well with the cards in October, and forget the "babes" at the tables playing hoochie, lol. When are you planning to go for your "practise session". I will be in Vegas in September, 15th-22nd, first time for me and the Mrs, ( Vegas that is ) in fact it's the 1st summer holiday we've had in 15 years as we normally follow the young fella on the curling tour. Even Vegas don't compete with a trip to the Olympics and a Gold medal.

I actually am going next week. I'll play in a tournament daily at Caesars. Also hope to meet with Barry Tanenbaum, a well respected poker coach and author. I attended a seminar of his at the WSOP one year and I was impressed. He'll help me in what I want to accomplish.
Then I'll probably go in the latter part of September again to keep in stroke. Knowing "curling" I think you get the idea.
So even though it was a freebie into the 10K I will be spending about 4K in preparation. But what the hell. If I dont do it now, when will I? So I dont hit it. Ill come away a much better poker player and that's what its all about.

No mate, what its all about is enjoying the moment. And to me, it looks like you are going to enjoy every one of them! All the luck and monster cards to you. You are already a good poker player. Trust your instincts.

Nice story, Kahuna. I hope you have a great time and good luck.

Well I landed in Vegas on 8/4 to begin my Oddysey to the Caesars Classic in October.

(WARNING NON POKER PART)
I get on my flight and sit next to a beautiful young lady. I ask if the seat was taken and she says in a tough NY accent "SIDDOWN"! Wow! Then she smiled and man I was smitten. We talked and told me she was from visiting her brother who is in a Federal Pen and has 6 months to go. Ill make it short here but I noticed some tattoos and saw one that said JOE in bold black letters. So I did not want to make some wrong moves here. But she was very nice and that smile was so beautiful. I asked her about her tats and she said she had 6. One on her neck. 2 on her arms, and 2 on her ankles. I said deviously "Uh but thats only 5". She smiled again and looked around and pulled up the 2 most beautiful globes ive ever seen from a low cut blouse and spread them apart and there was Chinese characters between those breasts. You couldnt see them without her spreading them apart. I just stared and she just kept laughing and laughing. I thought this was a lucky sign.

(BACK TO POKER)

So I get in and get to a small tournament at the Caesars ($70). The room is great. A lot of space and comfortable. The staff is very friendly and helpful. August is a slow month and everyone is fighting for customers. I get to know a lot of dealers and floor guys and they seem generally happy that Ill be back for the Classic.
I play the tournament and end up 7th. 3 away from the money. All in all a good nite.
The next day Barry Tanenbaum stops by on his way to his game at the Bellagio. He gives me an hour of his time. Usually he doesnt come to your room unless it is for 2 hours but he is having some work at his house and he makes an exception. $200 for the hour.
Barry is a Card PLayer columnist, Author, Coach, and pro player. I was very impressed by him at a seminar he gave at the WSOP in 2006. He didnt teach me anything that the books by Sklansky, Harrington, et al have been saying. But the extraordinary thing he did was gear it to my personality. He started with the basics then started to "read" me as the type of player I am. Telling me the faults in my thinking and approach. Essentially saying I needed to be more aggressive and become aware of "situations" that I can profit from. Telling me to remember that the players who consistently make the money on the tournament circuit are not getting better cards than the players that dont. But that they are playing better POKER. He then proceeded to give me hints when to do that.
I dont know if I retained anything he said. Certainly it wasnt earth shattering or different from many of you out there has said on the forums. But Barry is a great man with a lot of knowledge and experience. He told me to try and change my play on some cheaper tournaments and see how I do. Around $50 to $100. Hour was up and he went on his way. All was good.
Then I went across the street to Caesars poker room. It was 11:30 by then and didnt feel like playing in the last tournament but thats what I came for and did enter the $70 one. To make this long story short. I ended up with 4 players left and we chopped the prize money. I ended up with $250. A small sum but what struck me is that Barry's words kept spinning in my head and gave me the confidence to play a more aggressive game particularly when the antes were in. Reraises and Shoves at the most opportunal times kept me in the game and always with a nice size stack. Barry said to me if I continue in playing my Survival tight ways I was "Doomed to play continuously with a small stack hoping for good cards". Of course there are more specifics that he gave me. But all in all I am on my way to enter into the 10K Caesars classic with more confidence.

SORRY FOR THE LONG POST

Nice WTG

No worries. Long post appreciated.
Good lessons indeed.

No I like long posts, more please.

Very nice both the non poker and poker part. BTW question, what was the 1st place prize for the 4 way chop? how many players? Were you the short stack?

The first prize was $400. I was the Third stack. The First place guy was a Vegas regular and played very good. He told me that I was the guy he was most worried about. Only because I changed gears a lot.

Sorry to point this out... Did you not just win a seat to the 10k game? I'd say that was a win we'd all love to have...

Maybe you should really think about this, and really think about how the luck is running in your direction.

Best of luck.,,,, I don't think you'll need it... You have it already!

Uh thats why I said that. I was so surprised I won ..Cause I never won anything in my life.

OK I get up at 1PM after being so amped up from last nites win. I am tired. I think what am I going to do. I play a little internet for fun but kept running last nites game in my mind.
I go out to eat and go to the Venetian to treat myself at a French Bistro called Bouchon. One of my favorite places in Vegas. I miss the 7PM Caesers tournament and the 8PM at the Venetian. The Venetian room looks so good. But I have left overs in my hand so I go back to the hotel.
I email Barry some questions and he answers telling me I dont know what Im doing yet from the idiotic questions Im asking. Of course he is polite but this is my interpretation. But he teaches me more with the comments he makes and the questions he asks.
I stumble over to the poker room at Caesers. It is blaring music as there is a hot club next door. I walk into the poker room and it is so cool and warm at the same time. It is quiet and you just hear the chips clicking. No wild laughter, no tourists, no whizzing lights, or wanging slot machines-THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE!!!!!!
Just poker. I now know all the staff and dealers and they say hello. The cashier says to me-"hurry up! The midnite is almost full. Theres a 50 max! Hurry up!!!!!" I get out my money and enter. She has decided to adopt me. I fear her.
The table Im sitting at is stone cold quiet. I try to make some Baby Kahuna type jokes and nobody responds. I feel like Tex Ritter is going to sing "Do Not For Sake me Oh my Darling" and Gary Cooper is going to come walking around the corner. I mean it was like High Noon! And everyone was watching everyone. I start figuring people out. I am at a table full of limpers. and whimperers. They are scared out of their wits. I play real tight and then after the first hour of not getting cards I start to sneak in some moves. Raising and reraising. Pouncing on these poor souls. I start to build my stack and from there this table is weary. Small stacks waiting for good cards. I dont let them rest. I dont let them see flops. Just one guy who seems to only play KK or AA. Whenever he bets we all fold.

The antes kick in and it is the signal for me to get evil. I get in position to steal. I am the cut off. I see the blinds looking real unhappy and the button looks like he is going all in. Only the button has only 1800 in chips. I have 6000. Everyone folds to me and I look down and see 7/4 suited again like last nite. Bam I go all in. Button calls. SB and BB fold. I turn over 7/4 of spades and Button turns over AJ. I am happy that I have a chance. Nothing comes from the flop. The 7 comes on the turn and 3 on the river. I turn to look at the guy and he just nods his head. It was deja vu all over again.
Finally I get to the final table where 3 small stacks are looking miserable. The payoff starts at 6. The 3 get attacked by the 3 Big Stacks. They dwindle down when the blinds are 1200/600. FInally we get down to 5. One German, One East Indian, One Spaniard, and One Filipino. And me. For an hour the chips go back and forth. At 3:30AM with equal stacks we decide to chop it. $475 apiece. Wow!!!!!! I didnt expect a second nite of winning. I emailed Barry and told him he created a monster.
Im sure I wont be able to play like this against champions but I cant begin to tell you how terrible people play. Out of 50 people I would say there were only 4 that could play decently. None were of pro quality. People were still coming in with A/rag, KJ, etc and proud of it. They didnt have the first inkling about stealing and fold equity. Their faces would drop everytime I said "All In" after they limped. They wanted to see that flop so bad. But I wouldnt let them.
Im sure guys like Doyle, Ivey, Negreaneu, would be laughing at me after they busted me. Of course I got lucky. But except for that 7/4 I didnt suck out at all. I forced a lot of folds. People were coming up to me after asking what did you have? I would tell them "nothing"! You limp I raise. Of course this will not work always in the future but playing live does something to people. It puts fear in their souls when they could bust out against the ALL IN in public. On Line its so much easier.

SORRY FOR THE SMALL PRINT. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY PC.

Loved your story and congratulations. Sounds like something we all strive for. Having our names drawn out of a hat for our big chance for fame and glory. Best of luck.

Excellent trip report, keep them coming and keep punishing those limpers.

Really enjoying these trip reports Kahuna, keep the storys coming and keep kicking it at the tables.

I could be wrong here, but wouldn't you want to tell them AA - JJ, AKs - A10s or something strong to skeer them in case you see them again?

Granted if you see them again you could tighten up, but telling them strong hands just makes them worry more/fold more often.

Great Job and thanks for sharing that awsome story. LOL. The flusie sitting next to you being nice trying to get you to chop is sooooooo Vegas....ahhhhh. I miss that palce

No K because this; If people dont hear what they want to hear they will make it up anyway. In other words you keep them guessing. You tell them AA or KK it confirms it for them. You tell them what they dont want to hear they dont believe you. Then they dont know what to believe. They wonder if what you tell them is the truth. You have them at the end of your string.

Great job man
dam some 1 that accuactly gives me a smile whit suchs a big story

good luck at caesar's baby kahuna....pretty interesting story yu got der about how yu got in...

If I won this coupon, I'd consider my skill set. When I try to sell it at a discount. My theory? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Well met with the Caesers promo people today and they confirmed that yep it was me that won the seat and gave me all the documents to enter the 10K Classic so it was not a dream and it is a reality now.
I will be back in October but will come back in September to do more live practicing in the Tournament Room.
This trip has already been succesful. The party poker did have to come to an end. I entered into the Midnite event again with 50 people. I busted out in 13th as I was short stacked and went all in against the UTG who raised 2.5 the blind. All nite if he had a made hand he would raise 3 times the blind. If he had a drawing hand like A/K, A/Q, A/J or A/10 he would just raise 2.5 times.
I knew he would fold if I went all in with 6/6 and even if he did he still would have to make his hand to beat me. Unfortunately the Cutoff called my 5300 all in. The UTG folds. I knew I was beat.
He turns over 10/10 and gives one of those yahoo only he does like a yelp. I want to b-slap him. Flop comes 5,7,8, and on the turn I straighten out with the 9. Bad for me that 3 spades come out on the flop and he has the 10 of spades. So he has the spades and if a 6 comes, a higher straight. He doesnt yelp anymore when he sees my straight. But Q of spades comes on the river and I am done.
I win that one I get the blinds (900) the antes (675) and the UTG raise (1500). I win that and I have a future. I decided by going all in at that moment and winning I would have a chance to win the whole thing. The old Kahuna would have folded those 6/6 but I was not going to sit around with a small stack praying for AA or KK. I was going to make my move.
Well like I said this trip was pretty succesful. 4 tournaments. One I come in 3 from the money. 2 tournaments I chop the prize money and another one I end up 13th and beating more than 70 % of the field. I think I more than accomplished my goals.
Tomorrow one last day in Vegas. The tourists are coming in for the weekend. How do those girls get into those tube tops? One last day for me to play a tournament. Wish me luck.

I want to know how they keep those tube tops up.
Most of the ones that wear them have ... well... not much there.

Hope you get some great cards today to crush the field. So, are you +$ so far?

Congratulations on the ticket win, sorry to hear that you busted out so quickly, but thats just way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Better Luck Next Time!!

Thanks! Yeah Im about $400 winner.