I performed in six poker tournaments this summer time in Las Vegas. I busted all six.
Don’t fear; this isn’t a nasty beat story! It’s additionally not a woe-is-me postmortem. It’s a mirrored image on what I discovered and why, regardless of no cashes, I don’t remorse taking all these photographs in these half dozen poker tournaments.
I spent a complete of 5 weeks in Vegas, logging over 200 hours on the money recreation tables and banking an honest four-figure revenue when all was mentioned and executed. In contrast to the overwhelming majority of poker gamers who descended upon the town, I didn’t play a single hand of No Restrict Texas Maintain’em or Pot Restrict Omaha (maybe that’s a narrative for one more article). Relatively, each hand I performed was in some kind of fastened restrict blended recreation poker variant. I performed for stakes of $4/8 all the way in which as much as $40/80.
I’ve all the time primarily been a money recreation participant. But, sprinkled all through the second half of my journey have been six match bullets – a $3,540 funding. That’s fairly a bit of change for my comparatively modest bankroll, so I’m grateful that my good pal Poker Corridor of Famer Eli Elezra was sort sufficient to take half my motion 🙏. Whereas that clearly restricted the potential sum of money I may win, it additionally by definition would cushion the blow if I blanked.
Sadly, I did clean, and that type of stings. That mentioned, whereas I didn’t come residence with a bracelet, a last desk end, or perhaps a single min-cash so as to add to my Hendon Mob web page (sure, as of February of this yr, I lastly acquired one!), I did come away with a lot of essential takeaways, and I’d wish to share them with you.
1. Event Poker Can Be Stunning
Over 1,500 poker tournaments occurred throughout the World Sequence of Poker all through Las Vegas. When deciding on which of them I’d play, my selections have been fairly restricted although. Let’s simply say that I had some apparent causes for placing collectively The Final 2025 Summer season Poker Schedule Combined Recreation Poker Event Low Rollers again in late April.
The primary match I attempted my hand at was each the costliest and most prestigious. My schedule simply labored out that manner. On fairly the excessive from having simply concluded a really profitable Combined Recreation Pageant XI, I went into the $1,500 WSOP 2-7 Triple Draw occasion feeling as if the bracelet had my identify on it.
You miss all of the photographs you don’t take.
First bracelet occasion in 4 years; third general.
The one one I can play in (as a result of it doesn’t stretch into shabbat, if I run deep).
Perhaps THIS is the one.
Grateful to have the chance.
Let’s run pure and make good choices. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KAoBEZqouF
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 23, 2025
There’s nothing fairly like enjoying in a World Sequence of Poker bracelet occasion. It’s one thing I had solely executed twice earlier than. The excitement is incomparable. The sensation of “something may occur; possibly it’s MY time!” — that dream very a lot burns inside me.
Did it price me? You wager! A fairly penny once you don’t make it into the cash. However, oh, to only have that feeling! In a way, you actually can’t put a price ticket on it.
Poof, (half of) $1,500 was gone simply 9 hours later, however I wouldn’t commerce that chance for something.
2. Event Poker Can Be Brutal
The factor about match poker – and I think about that is one thing much more on level when competing in a No Restrict Texas Maintain’em or Pot Restrict Omaha match – is you can in precept play flawless poker for hours, and nonetheless find yourself busting out in spectacular trend with nothing to indicate in your efforts.
Whereas I didn’t play excellent poker over the course of my half dozen tournaments this summer time, I do know I performed very effectively. Higher than I’ve ever performed earlier than, as a matter of reality. Even in fastened restrict poker variants although, one mistake – yours or your opponent’s – can imply the distinction between constructing a stack or busting, particularly because the match wears on. If and when one or two key spots don’t go your manner, that may undo the whole lot you’ve labored so onerous for and decimate your chip stack. That’s sadly what occurred to me on a number of events.
One in every of my favourite options of @RealKidPoker‘s vlog is the “Oopsie meter.”
Why?
As a result of there’s no such factor as enjoying excellent poker, even once you’re an enormous lifetime winner and within the Poker Corridor of Fame.
In different information, I busted one other match and I spend an excessive amount of on 🍨 pic.twitter.com/x9KERPObQh
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 27, 2025
3. Some Gamers Don’t Appear to Care About Cash
Once in a while you end up seated at a desk with gamers who clearly do not know what they’re doing, and you’ll’t assist however be blissful about that, but in addition be left shaking your head…
Inside a couple of minutes of late regging to take his seat at my desk within the aforementioned $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw bracelet occasion, a “enjoyable participant” (let’s be good 😉) started asking questions like “so, what precisely are the parameters for elevating?” and “what do you imply aces are not any good?”
One degree later, after betting out on the river, that very same participant proudly turned over a straight to the 7 at showdown, acquired instructed by the supplier “straights are not any good; they depend towards you” and his response was “effectively what ELSE do I have to know?!”
When he busted not too lengthy thereafter, he walked away extra dazed than upset, muttering to himself “effectively, that was a $1,500 lesson, I assume”.
He simply as simply may have discovered that lesson for a LOT much less cash, however I suppose paying a hefty premium wasn’t too huge a deal. 🤷♂️
4. Combined Recreation Poker Gamers Flock Collectively
I observed plenty of the identical faces enjoying within the smaller one-day three-figure buy-in tournaments round Las Vegas this previous summer time, and whereas some have been locals many have been fellow customer/vacationer faces I bear in mind having seen in summers previous. Whatever the venue, strolling into the match space all the time introduced a smile to my face as a result of I all the time acknowledged plenty of fellow blended recreation poker lovers.
It didn’t matter whether or not it was a triple draw combine, a triple stud combine, a H.O.R.S.E., or a T.O.R.S.E., if there was a low-buy-in blended recreation match being unfold in Las Vegas this summer time, individuals confirmed up… numerous the identical individuals.
I can’t assist however hope that that is one thing that properties across the metropolis and out of doors of Las Vegas be aware of. Gamers WILL present up for those who unfold low-limit blended video games and well-publicize a collection of such tournaments! You’ve simply acquired to unfold them within the first place, and growth – the gang of loyalists will come and patronize your institution. It doesn’t all the time need to be Maintain’em, Maintain’em and extra Maintain’em with an occasional spritz of PLO.
5. There’s a Skinny Line Between Momentum and Distress
One in every of my favourite locations to play poker in Las Vegas is Resorts World; it has performed host to seven of our 11 Combined Recreation Festivals prior to now. All of the sellers there are fantastically proficient relating to blended video games, which makes enjoying in a blended recreation match there that rather more of a pleasurable expertise.
They staged a $400 H.E.R.O.S. match there this summer time, and it’s one of many two I ran deepest in. All the pieces was going effectively, and I as soon as once more felt “that is the one”… till one thing went catastrophically mistaken at a crucial juncture.
I had 7A | 542 on fifth avenue in Razz, and my opponent’s board learn XX | 974. I used to be main the betting all through the hand and couldn’t perceive how or why he saved calling.
He acquired dealt a 3 on sixth avenue (I caught a meaningless 8); and instantly the betting acquired capped. The river failed to enhance my hand any additional, and another capped spherical of betting later I used to be instantly left with crumbs as he revealed his gap playing cards: A2J. An audible “whoa!” escaped the lips of each participant at our desk. Completely shocked (however not tilted), I had lower than 2 huge bets remaining after paying him off.
It STILL took the sphere an hour to get rid of me after that! So yeah, I’m rattling pleased with my general efficiency! However what do I’ve to indicate for that comparatively good run? Nicely, simply that story, I assume. 🤷♂️
6. You Miss 100% of the Photographs You Don’t Take
Even when my last match of the journey got here round – the $240 R.O.S.E. at Orleans – I used to be nonetheless brimming with confidence. I had performed effectively in all 5 of the earlier tournaments I had fired at, regardless of going 0-5. I had all the time had loads of chips to play with all through every match till that “inevitable” second got here the place I misplaced a giant hand then summarily acquired eradicated shortly thereafter. So, right here was my last alternative to get a “summer time saver” and nonetheless go away Vegas a (larger) winner.
I ended up making one other comparatively deep run, ending 32/145 gamers. Solely 18 made it into the cash although. A tantalizing virtually (half of) $8K rating for first remained effectively out of my attain.
I despatched the unlucky information to Eli and to my spouse, and as I sat indulging in two scoops of Baskin Robbins goodness, the ideas that finally grew to become this text began bouncing round my head.
Regrets? Nah… I’ll Be Again, and I’ll Rating Massive Subsequent Time!
Sure, I may’ve skipped all six occasions and saved $1,770 (my half of the buy-ins). And sure, coming residence with $3,270 in income appears to be like much more spectacular (particularly to somebody “regular” — i.e., not a poker participant — who’s by definition results-oriented) than “simply” $1,500 in revenue.
However that’s not how match poker, or life, works.
Every match was a shot. An actual probability to win (half of) $9K, $12K, $20K+. Why wouldn’t I take that shot?
Even after going 0-for-6, I’m not executed with tournaments. Removed from it. The truth is, I’m extremely pleased with how I performed this summer time. I imagine I made higher choices, extra constantly, than I ever have within the dozens of tournaments I’ve performed prior. That type of development doesn’t present up on a Hendon Mob web page. But it surely issues.
Tournaments are a scenario the place it’s not as a lot that “the whole lot must go proper” as a lot as “as little as doable must go mistaken”. As a result of I do know that I overwhelmingly made nice choices.
I led out effectively. I raised effectively. I referred to as effectively. I folded effectively. I do know that my greatest present weak spot is lacking bets on the river. Oh effectively.
We’ll get ’em subsequent time!
