WSOP Day 20 - Jon Kalmar

WSOP Day 20 - Jon Kalmar

22nd June 2009

Time to move again and this time it’s to Caesars Palace. It was good to stop in the Vegas house but Bullet Pete is on his way over and they needed the room. At least I got to wash all my cloths before leaving. Unfortunately Cess was unwilling to do the ironing for me.

Ladbrokes have organised my room from the 25th of June so I nipped in yesterday to make sure I could add a few days at the start. One of the advantages of losing lots of money in casinos is that you can get a Diamond rewards card. This does not entitle you to as much as you would think but it does get you a free room upgrade if available and you get to jump a queue or two. Knowing this, I nipped in to Diamond registration to add my few extra days.

“No problem Mr Kalmar, you will be charged the same rate of $179 a night�
“Thanks for all your help� I said while dropping a $100 bill on the counter for him.
“Now I believe I can get an upgrade? If available of course.� I said.
“Yes of course Mr Kalmar, would you like a view of the Bellagio fountains, some where near the elevators�
“That would be marvellous thank you�
Money really does talk in Vegas.

This morning Nick dropped me off at Caesars, however my room wasn’t quite ready. I left my bags with the bell boy and joined Nick at the Bellagio for the daily $1000 event. The field was very disappointing. Only about 18 had registered and I was sat next to Nick. On my table was also Kevin O’Leary and Julian Thew. First level - the blinds are 25/50, Kevin was busy almost every hand and he raised under the gun to 125. An old lady called and I re-raised to 400 with 9 10 of clubs. It was folded round and both Kev and the old dear made the call. The flop came 7 8 2 with one club. Checked to me I bet 1000, which Kev immediately re-raised. Now I know he has a big hand. Even if I was holding aces here I probably have to fold. So like a complete fish I push all in. He calls immediately and flips over 78 for top 2. I miss everything I head back to Caesars to see if my room is ready. Not the quickest $1080 bucks I been through but it’s up there.

I got to my room and was quite impressed. Not as nice as the Palazzo and the view of the fountains was disappointing compared to the convention centre roof Strummer had arranged for us earlier in the trip, but it will do. (Have to say that tip was the best $100 I have spent so far on the trip.)

I have a quick power nap and wake up wondering what to do with myself. Kila joins me this weekend and I have to say I can’t wait to see her. I decide to unpack, after all, the poor girl will have plenty to do for the first few days with my ironing without having to do that too. (Blame Ces Babe) I am now feeling up for a cash game and wander over to the Bellagio for some 5/10 no Limit. Within the first 20 mins I am $1000 down and really wishing I hadn’t bothered. However, I persevered and was rewarded when I finally flopped a set in a cash game. AND GOT PAID, crikey!

Ok so he only had $400 bucks but it still felt good and before long I was in profit. By midnight I was $800 up and starting to get hungry. I nipped to Noodles where I bump into the Devilfish. He generously bought me dinner and proceeded to tell me his bad beat story from Bobby’s room. (Bobby’s room is the high stakes poker room at the Bellagio, the minimum sit down was $60,000 but most have at least $200,000) Now I don’t normally want to hear a bad beat story but he had just bought dinner so I could hardly refuse to hear it. I really should have asked about the terms and conditions before sitting down.

He basically lost to a one outer in Pot limit Omaha. I nearly said “That’s nothing listen to this…………………..� but considering it was close to a $400,000 pot I didn’t think he would want to hear about my dry run on the set front. He had managed to break even by the end so maybe……….

I returned to the cash game and managed to get my stack up to over 6k, although I only finished up around 2k after an ill conceived bluff (Fish called me with 3rd pair ffs) It was result none the less and was good to get a profitable day for once.