Mike Matusow: Poker Mind In Depth Part XVI

[Content Disclosure: Poker Mind In Depth series]

It's early evening on Day 2A of the main event and Mike Matusow has just busted after nursing a short stack for the entire day. I would have really enjoyed another deep run by Mike in the main event. Last year, I was on the rail for six intense days as Mike fought his way to 30th place out of 6,844 runners, but this year it was not to be. Mike's entire 2009 WSOP can be summed up with the old line: "It just was not in the cards."

On the very positive side of the life ledger, Mike is happier and healthier than he has been in a very long time. I am happy to say that the biggest task in front of Mike in the immediate future is finding a way to hone his game again but this time to have his "A+" game be smoothly integrated into his full and happy life. 

Sure we all wished for another deep run for Mike this summer but I will not be surprised to see Mike back on top of his game once the cards start breaking his way again. And I would point out that the "old Mike" who would have been complaining about never getting a draw and never winning a race; well, that Mike was nowhere to be seen or heard this WSOP.

Mike is doing just fine, thank you very much.

Daniel, on the other hand, is still struggling with the bug, virus, crud he picked up the other day. Keep your head down and yourself hydrated Daniel.

Phil resumes play tomorrow on Day 2B.

____________________

Previous posts in this Series:

Part XV: Daniel Negreanu

Part XIV: Mike Matusow

Part XIII: H.O.R.S.E. Controversy

Part XII: Daniel Negreanu

Part XI: Phil Hellmuth

Part X:   Mike Matusow

Part IX: Daniel Negreanu

Part VIII:  Phil Hellmuth

Part VII:   Mike Matusow

Part VI: Daniel Negreanu

Part V:  Phil Hellmuth

Part IV: Daniel Negreanu

Part III: Daniel Negreanu

Part II:  Phil Hellmuth

Part I:   Mike Matusow

Introduction to Series

OOPS!!! 2009 WSOP

[Content Disclosure: WSOP Overbooking]

The number of entrants in the main event at the 2009 World Series of Poker has fallen from 6,844 in 2008 to 6,494 this year. Now you are going to hear a lot of noise about that number. Because the final "Day One" today cut off entrants at 2,809. Yes, there were players standing in the registration line when that happened. And after several hours of debate the WSOP Commissioner had to say "No Mas!" No Day 1E, no late start for today's late regs. No solution but we are very sorry and, once again, we will look at this issue for next year.

SHREEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!!!

Just imagine that as the sound of a very sharp, very hard nails being dragged across a blackboard. A needle being ripped across a vinyl record. A crystal glass smashing on a stone tile floor, as we discovered that somewhere between 200 and 1,000 players were shut out of Day 1D of the main event. We will never know how many players would have or could have registered for the '09 main event because well my own analysis will wait a few days until I can talk with all of my sources. But I will say now, the players knew Day 1D would be tight. Every one with any sense has got to understand the limitations of tables and dealers.

No matter, in my opinion the record books should read:

2009 World Series of Poker main event registrations: 6,494 *

*right up there with Roger Maris' 61st and all the steroid records; this year's number is forever tainted

Daniel Negreanu: Poker Mind In Depth Part XV

[Content Disclosure: Poker Mind In Depth series]

I spoke with Daniel Negreanu just before he began his main event play on Sunday (Day 1C). Just as we ended our session in one of the back staging areas of the Rio, he received a text message that he had been moved to the ESPN feature table as we both expected he would be. 

Shrink: "So 34 events in the last five or so weeks, you seemed a little frustrated there near the end?"

Daniel: "That's just the way the World Series goes, it's bound to happen at some point. At some time, if you play every day, you just hit a wall. You can get really frustrated, if you just let it all build up. And I hit it a couple of times during the Series. It just comes from grinding and grinding every day."

"Luckily, I always chose the third day one. I get a break away from the Rio and really stay away. That way I can leave any frustration behind and get a clear mind to play the main event."

Shrink: "and you are ready today?"

Daniel: "I think I am, I picked up a touch of a cold, so I am taking some tylenol cold medication but I should be good."

Shrink: "Overall this year, eight cashed, top of that list for the '09 Series."

Daniel: "Yeah, that's more than I ever had before, I had six in 2004. This year I played well, gave myself chances to win. I was a little unlucky in the key stages of a couple of events, but a lot of it had to do with fatigue too. I made mistakes this year, I made a lot of them. I'd look back and think: Wow, what did I do there? Some of that had to do with playing a lot of events. It's like multi-tabling online, you might make more money with a lot of tables open. But you play much better poker, one at a time. I kind of fried my brain a bit at times and when that happened I made some silly mistakes."

"I mean if you ask me how to play some of those hands I would say: Man, never play it that way! But that is exactly how I played it. Oh well. I misread my hand a couple of times and I just never do that. At the Omaha 8 final table, I thought I was playing with a pair of jacks and a live 2-7 low. I got checked into and bet out, I made a value bet when I didn't have a live deuce at all. I was playing only a seven and a pair of jacks, neither of those were going to win. Not the type of mistake I usually make."

"Ah, text message, I am playing the feature table. Not something I really like."

Shrink: "Why not?"

Daniel: "Well it's slower, not just the TV stuff but players slow down to get their share of camera time. But when I am trying to focus and just grind it out, what I want is a nice, quiet and private table to just get to work and not a lot of cameras and fans and commotion. But it's off to table one!"

*     *     *

Late afternoon update: Daniel was actively working at the feature table but just not finding a rhythm or many good flops. He busted out of the 2009 main event before the dinner break, ending his World Series for this year.

Daniel's final 2009 WSOP comment via twitter:

"Nose dripping like a water faucet, head pounding. So bizarre. Must have caught something. I played uber bad at the wsop. Had no chance."

____________________

Previous posts in this Series:

Part XIV: Mike Matusow

Part XIII: H.O.R.S.E. Controversy

Part XII: Daniel Negreanu

Part XI: Phil Hellmuth

Part X:   Mike Matusow

Part IX: Daniel Negreanu

Part VIII:  Phil Hellmuth

Part VII:   Mike Matusow

Part VI: Daniel Negreanu

Part V:  Phil Hellmuth

Part IV: Daniel Negreanu

Part III: Daniel Negreanu

Part II:  Phil Hellmuth

Part I:   Mike Matusow

Introduction to Series

Mike Matusow: Poker Mind In Depth Part XIV

[Content Disclosure: Poker Mind In Depth series]

I spent some time with Mike Matusow on Day 1A of the Main Event. Mike was at the Rio to sign books and greet the WSOP fans at the PokerPalooza extravaganza. Our conversation wound around the book signing, some time in the VIP lounge talking with Mike while he harangued the Chinese poker game, which he apparently took for $50,000 the day before. And we had some off-the-cuff discussions about post-Series book promotion. Finally, Mike registered for his seat for today's Day 1B. Here is cobbled together coverage of Mike's preliminary event WSOP and his preparation for his start today in the main event.

Why Day 1B?

That was a Full Tilt request made just the night before, they actually wanted Mike to play Day 1A but they made that request at the party the night before and Mike told them that was too late to ask him to play the next day, so he agreed to Day 1B. Why all the moving about? Well as you all know, the Day One television coverage is all about "who" ESPN chooses to focus those cameras on. And they always give a lot of coverage to the players seated at the two feature tables. Yesterday on Day 1A, Mike would have definitely been selected to sit at one of those tables, the field was very lite in poker celebrities, particularly entertaining ones. Today is a toss-up but don't be surprised if Mike is featured on Day 1B. Those table selections are not random.

And you thought the WSOP was all about poker. No folks, this is show biz!

[Update: Yeppers, feature table for Mikey]

The preliminary events you played?

Mike entered 16 of the 54 preliminary events he was eligible to play, which means just on a numerical basis, he played more tournaments this year than in previous years. He was happy with the number of events he chose to play but not so much with the results.

"You can't be happy with only one cash in 54 events or one in 16 for that matter. But I played well and was just not getting cards or opportunities. Last year, I got locked up in several big events, particularly in the main event, with really tough, tight tables. This year it was more the cards and the opportunities. I did what I could with what I was dealt, sometimes that is not enough."

This year feels a bit like 2005.

"Well in '05, I monied in event #1 and then was blanked until the main event. I made the final table in that one and won a million bucks and got a seat in the Tournament of Champions, which I won for another million. Yeah, we could certainly do something like that again."

How are you feeling?

"You know I like to take some time off before a big event, I want to rest and not play poker. I also want to get off some of the medications and then restart the prescription regime fresh for the main event. So it has been six days since I played any real poker. I was at the Ante Up for Africa tournament but that was about fun not poker. So coming into the main event, I am as ready as I can be, now we have to hope for some cards."

Phil Hellmuth plays Day 1C tomorrow.

Daniel Negreanu has not picked his Day 1 yet.

____________________

Previous posts in this Series:

Part XIII: H.O.R.S.E. Controversy

Part XII: Daniel Negreanu

Part XI: Phil Hellmuth

Part X:   Mike Matusow

Part IX: Daniel Negreanu

Part VIII:  Phil Hellmuth

Part VII:   Mike Matusow

Part VI: Daniel Negreanu

Part V:  Phil Hellmuth

Part IV: Daniel Negreanu

Part III: Daniel Negreanu

Part II:  Phil Hellmuth

Part I:   Mike Matusow

Introduction to Series

1º Jacaraípe Tattoo Festival

Vem aí primeiro envento de tatuagem do município de Serra - ES, o Jacaraípe Tattoo Festival. Durante a convenção serão realizados sorteios de tatuagens e piercings. Confira abaixo as informações, categorias e regras do concurso de melhores tatuagens.



Categorias do concurso de melhores tatuagens
Série de desenho preto e branco
Série de desenho colorido
Melhor tatuagem Tribal
Melhor tatuagem Colorida
Melhor tatuagem nas Costas
Melhor tatuagem Feminina
Melhor tatuagem Oriental
Melhor tatuagem New School
Melhor tatuagem Old School
Melhor tatuagem Portrait
Melhor tatuagem Preto e Cinza
Melhor tatuagem Comics
Melhor tatuagem Realista
Melhor tatuagem feita durante o evento

Data: 17, 18 e 19 de julho de 2009
Local: Shopping Jacaraipe de Verão na orla de Jacaraipe, Av. Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, 100.
Telefones: (27)9935-7536 8119-1017 ou 3052-1282
Orkut
Organização: Oficcina Tattoo Studio

Regras do concurso

Wand Tattoo, Arte na Barra

Meu nome é Wand Tattoo, sou tatuador há cinco anos e sou proprietário do estúdio Arte na Barra Tattoo Clinic. O Arte na Barra Tattoo oferece aos seus clientes toda a qualidade e criatividade dos seus profissionais com a garantia dos mais altos padrões em bio-segurança. Oferece também uma infinidade de desenhos em todos os estilos, além de trabalhos exclusivos. Localizado na Barra do Jucu, em vilha velha E.S. estamos desde 2004 prestando um serviço com a qualidade e o respeito que você merece.

Arte na Barra
E-mail:wandtattoo@artenabarra.com.br

WSOP Burnout: Second Notice

[Content Disclosure: Another Shrink Warning]

Just over a month ago I offered some advisory comments to my fellow media members regarding the inevitable WSOP burnout from long hours, bad food, poker playing and ridiculously high standards for tournament reporting that nearly no one reads. I received several comments from my writing buddies, but nearly no one took my advice. Hats off to Dr. Pauly who actually did take time off and is now fresher than yesterday's bagel. Today I want to expand on those cautionary comments to include the 6 or 7 thousand plus players who are about to descend on the World Series of Poker.

First, you should be resting. Resting does not include clubs (night or gentlemen's). You might consider some exercise, again that would mean a gym not a gentlemen's club. There are parties in full swing this week; the barbeques are fine, the all night drunken rolls with or without running Twitter commentaries are not. Those of you who will not take this advice, please do tweet all the details, I can use the drunken data points for my research.

Getting back to the Series, remember, you are the one who said:

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"I have been running bad the whole series, but now the main event is here."

"I am going to focus and be prepared to play" is not a line that should be followed by "Another round for the table."

Yes, Las Vegas is a lot of fun, lots and lots of fun. But not the night before the Super Bowl, if you are playing. This really is the World Series of Poker and if you are good, skillful and lucky; it will last nearly two weeks, you really think it is wise to go out and party the night before you or someone upchucks ten thousand dollars?

*     *     *

Back to my buddies in the poker media. Repeat after me. Nothing happens on Day One, not Day 1A or 1B or C or D. There is not reason to further stress yourself out to report on anything but the funny hats and stupid costumes. Also no one makes the money on Day Two, not Day 2A or 2B. Lots of stuff happens but nearly none of it is worth reporting. Things get serious on Day Three, so pace yourself and next year remember all the resolutions you made this year. You know: eat right, use the gym, don't play poker after a 12 hour day writing, finish your screen play and read that book on Omaha 8. But for now -- go to back to bed!

That's all for now, the outcall masseuse has arrived with the pizza and wings.