WSOP Main Event (2009)
Matt L. - "bowski4"
My experience at the WSOP was incredible. I am so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to play in the Main Event. I was able to be successful throughout the tournament for a few different reasons. One way that I was able to be successful was by playing tight and/or in good position at the table. Using position to my advantage I was able to pick up more pots without hitting flops.
I was respected throughout the tournament because I always showed premium hands when I had to show. Because of this it was assumed for the most part that I had a big hand if I was betting. However when I would first arrive at new tables I would not try to bluff because being a 21 year old kid that is what they would expect. Another thing that helped me greatly was Erick Lindgren's book. Lindgren really puts into perspective how to attack the table you draw. He gave me great ideas of how to go about accumulating chips early in the tournament, and how to take advantage during the bubble time. And finally after those two strategies were in place I just had to go with my reads and trust them. I never went away from my reads and I also stayed as calm as possible throughout the event, making sure not to get too high or too low.
Some of the interesting tables I drew included Dan Shak, Jason Alexander (George Costanza), and top pro Kenny Tran at the feature table. I played pots with all off them, but none of which were big by any means. I really liked being at the feature table with Tran because he was very talkative and him and I had a few different conversations. He even made a $400 prop bet with a guy at the table about guessing my age. Tran guessed closer so he won the bet. Jason Alexander was very nice and he even took a picture with my grandmother, which she loved and now made the backround on her cell phone. Through the whole process I am so thankful that my "Granny" as I call her, was there watching the whole time. She sure was a trooper.
As it grew close to the money I was not even thinking about it because I was trying to give myself a chance to make a run at the final table. Right after making the money I had about 300,000 chips, which was about average, and I was focused and ready to make a run at this tournament. This was when I ran into some terrible luck. With the blinds at 2,500/5,000 I made a standard raise of 15,000 from the cutoff with King Queen of hearts. The big stack to my left called on the button all other action folded. The flop came out 9, 10, Jack rainbow. I had flopped the nuts with an aggressive player behind me, perfect! So i checked the flop trapping him and he fired out for 25,000, and I called. On the turn came a second diamond which was not much of a concern to me, so I kept my trap going looking to check raise him but he checked as well. on the river fell another diamond and i then led out for 60,000 thinking there was no way he could have hit running diamonds and hoping he would raise me. He thought for a moment then pushed me all in. After a minute of thinking I decided to stick with my read as I had done the whole tournament so I called. He flipped over Queen Six of diamonds and I became sick to my stomach. I was thinking that I just doubled up to around 600,000 but instead I was going home. It took me days and days to finally be happy about my accomplishment to even cash in such a great tournament. But the "what if" really had me upset that I didnt make it further in the tournament. Either way though now I am proud of what I accomplished and I hope to play in more World Series events for years to come. It was a truly amazing experience and I am so grateful that ClubWPT gave me the chance to play in it.
