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Yesterday PokerStars smashed the previous World Record of the biggest tournament organized.
The previous record was 35000 people, where people had to pay an $11 buy-in to join.
The new record set yesterday had a smashing 65000 people in the tournament. You could join for a buy-in fee of $1, that’s it. Or you could play in a freeroll satellite tournament to get in for free.

I managed to do just that.  I a satellite where 25000 people registered, they awarded 1000 tickets to the World Record attempt. So all you had to do is beat 24000 others, simple as that
Well at the beginning I had 2 bad beats when I got rivered against a straight and a higher pair, but after that I managed to crawl back into the lead slowly. With the blinds getting higher every 3 minutes, I had to push myself all in a couple of times to get some needed chips. But I was wisely enough to only do it when I thought I had a 80% chance of winning the pot. I won my all-in times 100%.
As we got closer and closer to the last 1000, I stopped taking some risks I did take before. Others did the same, at the time I got pocket Aces, I raised to 4 times the big blind, to see everybody folding. I did win the pot, but it wasn’t that much.
Not that long after I ended up in the first 1000 and won my ticket to PokerStars World Record attempt.

So yesterday I started playing against 64999 others hoping to end up high. There was $130000 to be divided over 16250 players. $13000 was for the winner! The smallest price was $2.
After 5 minutes of playing (started out with 2000 chips), I got the big blind and holding 910. With another 2 10’s on the flop I made trips and made a big raise. One guy followed. On the turn I made another big bet, just leaving me 600 chips, to see what he would do. Again he called, leaving him just 100 chips. I went all-in on the river, and saw my trips beaten with a straight he made on the river. Damn I hate those river players! With only 500 chips left, my chances for ending up high where very small. But after 30 minutes of playing I did manage to hang on, but still with a small amount of chips.
One time I went all-in and won, but another player who had lesser chips than me won from me, so in total I just won 100 chips more than what I’ve put into the pot.

After1 hour, the first break came up, I was still in play, but in the last 1000 places of the 40000 people left. Just a few hands after the break, I got pocket 8’s, and made raise. I got re-raised to an all-in, so I called. 88 against AK. With a king on the flop I needed a 3rd 8 to stay in the tournament, but I knew my chance of cashing big was over. The turn gave me nothing and the river dropped me out.
Too bad, If I hadn’t got rivered early in the game, I think I could had a better chance in finishing high.

Anyway, congratulations to PokerStars for the new record, I’m proud I was one of the people that attended the event.

Did you play in the tournament? Won any money? Do you also think they should organize another attempt in a few months?

The last 2 days I played some cash games instead of freeroll tournament.
And I must say it’s paying off.

Yesterday I played about 20 hands of the 50 I’ve gotten. In the first hand I made the highest pair on the table with my king and with a Queen as kicker I was pretty sure I won the pot. So on the river I made a 10 cent bet hoping to get called, but my opponents folded one by one. Winning me 4 cents.

A bit later after that small win I got rivered against a guy holding 3 8 with a set of 3’s against my 2 pair from the flop with 10 J, costing me around 20 cents.

I managed to cut my losses bit by bit and with a Full House on the flop (QQ9, holding Q9) I slow played till the river and then I made a value bet hoping someone would call the Ace on the river for the highest pair.  One player made the call, costing him an extra 8 cents.

After I left the cash game yesterday, I was 24 cents up.

Today I also played in a cash game. I did a $1 buy-in and waited to start playing till the big blind got on my spot, giving me time to observe my opponents.
I quickly managed to see 2 fish at the table. They only raised when having very good odds. And they both folded when having nothing. From the 8 opponents, I thought there’s one guy that knew how to play. The others played on luck.
Example, holding 89 suited with a flush draw on the flop and a pair of nines, I made a good bet. But I got called by a guy who holds 3K. On the turn a 4 of clubs came, not helping me. This time I doubled my initial bet, but again I got called. On the river he paired his king giving me no chance of winning. A very costly game.
With a few other hands like this, I started to see my $1 buy-in shrink to only 20 cents. Then I played 35 suited against one of the fish who made a raise pre-flop. I called. With a 489 flop, I made nothing. But knowing he’s going to fold if he didn’t paired anything, I made a small bet. I also can’t imagine he would make a raise pre-flop holding 89 or 910. My prediction came true, he folded, probably something like QK or AJ.
Almost back at half my buy-in.

The other fish I played similarly, me checking constantly and just calling his bets, earning me even more as I had trips and he 2 pair. On the river I re-raised him to call my all in. He did and I was back where I started.
So at the time I left the table I got back from an 80 cent loss to a 44 cents win. If I didn’t got rivered early in the game, I suppose I could ended up more, but I’m quite happy with the result of today’s play.

Tomorrow I’m taking a day off, got some other more important stuff to do, but Thursday or Friday I’m back at the table