Jaffacake's WSOP 2008 - Final report

Well, the dream is over for another year, and despite feeling like I gave it my all in the 2008 WSOP Main Event, it was with mixed emotion I picked up the $41k return for my 120th place.

This was my third Main Event, and I had yet to get past the first day, but after four weeks in Vegas and with my game in great shape I knew I would have a decent shot at the big one given a fair run of luck (i.e. not run bad!).

As it turned out, I won just one of seven coin flips during the tournament, and didn’t outdraw anyone with an underpair to their overpair, and as such it’s nigh-on impossible to win a tournament when you're running as cold as that.

My final hand was pretty sick, especially as it could have played out in many different ways, and the only way I could lose was if events happened exactly as they did, despite me getting my money in as a four-to-one favourite.

It was Day Five, I’d had a bad day after starting with nearly a million chips, and losing a few significant hands (including yet another coin flip with A-K versus eights for 500k). I got down to 280k and moved to a new table, but from that low ebb I managed to start going in the right direction, pulling a neat squeeze play after the very active Shaun "Sheiky" Sheikhan had raised and another big stack had called behind.

With 400k in my stack and blinds at 8,000/16,000 I was still short, but with the phenomenal structure of the WSOP Main Event I still had plenty of play, and with so many weak players around I felt like I could get back into it.

Then the sick hand...an old Venuzuelan guy made a big raise - 75k to play - and a bigger stack on the button flat called. These two were very deep; the first guy having about 1.2million and the caller more than twice that. Again, this was a nice spot to squeeze, but I got a pleasant surprise when I looked down at my cards in the big blind: pocket kings.

I moved all-in and hoped I looked like I was squeezing, and after a minute’s thought the original raiser flat called the extra 300k or so, giving the bigger stack a decision. Should he call, re-raise or fold...? Eventually he folded A-K face up after confessing he had no idea what to do with his hand in this spot. The old guy tabled a pretty pathetic pair of nines, a horrible play by him considering the big stack behind him was still active and could well have re-raised again and set him in.

Of course, the flop came T-T-9, and while I only had one king to hit, (although two tens would get me there...!), but it wasn’t to be. Horrible play rewarded yet again.

I’m not the best loser, but I hate it even more when the play is so bad. If the A-K had called me I wouldn’t have been so upset at losing as I think his call would be correct if he was closing the action if the raiser folded. However, pocket nines, with a big stack active behind you, is an easy fold with the stacks as deep as they were.

The sickest thing was this hand could have played out so many different ways, every one of which would see me win. The A-K could have re-raised the original bet, I would move all in and the nines must fold, or the A-K could have re-raised once the raiser called my all in and forced him out, allowing me to treble up. Or, the way I think the hand should have played, the nines have to fold to my all in, the A-K calls me and I more than double. As it was, it played the only way I could lose, and lose I did.

Over the five days I think I played pretty flawlessly. I can only think of one bad call I made early on day five, when I should have folded to a four bet all-in preflop, but at the same time I was getting the right price as a two to one dog and had a million chips and was put to a decision for just 250k.

The support and enthusiasm I had from all at Team Ladbrokes was fantastic, with my fellow sponsored pros talking me through hands and strategies, the poker managers looking after my every need and the qualifiers and my friends looking out for me and willing me on. I so wanted to emulate Skalie and make that final table but it wasn’t to be.

The good news is the standard of play is terrible: there are so many weak spots and chips available that all of us should be looking to get in this event next year and take a shot at winning a life changing amount of money. The standard of play in the 100 rebuy on Laddies is far better than what I’ve seen in this tourney, and that should inspire one and all to make it their goal to be part of Team Ladbrokes at the 2009 Main Event and get out here and go for glory.

The short time I spent as chip leader on Day Two, with my name up on all the screens throughout the vast Amazon Room, will always live with me, but unfortunately so will the feeling that with just a little bit of luck - or without any bad luck more to the point - I could have had a real impact on the 2008 Main Event...roll on 2009!

Jeff "Jaffacake" Kimber, Ladbrokes Poker-sponsored Professional