David Kaye: A Week In Vegas Trying To Break My WSOP Curse

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Every year in Las Vegas, Nevada, the World Series of Poker unfolds as the grandest poker festival on the planet.

Every year for a span of seven weeks, poker enthusiasts, both professional and amateur alike, travel to Las Vegas with the hopes of securing significant cash prizes and the coveted World Series of Poker gold bracelet.

Being a professional poker player, I frequently find myself in Las Vegas around this period. This year would signify my fourth visit to the WSOP. Regrettably, my previous three trips concluded with me returning home to Michigan with a decreased amount of money compared to what I initially had when arriving in Las Vegas. I had optimistic expectations that my fourth experience would bring better luck.

In addition to losing money on each of my initial three visits to the WSOP, my luck in WSOP bracelet events had been non-existent. Throughout the three trips, I participated in a total of 17 WSOP tournaments, only to be eliminated on the first day without any winnings every single time. Seventeen attempts, zero cashes, and no progress to Day 2.

Considering that approximately 15% of participants receive a payout, one would assume that I could have performed well enough to cash in at least once. However, that was all in the past, and my aspirations are set on making 2022 my breakthrough year.

Starting the trip as a spectator, not a player

Despite the series spanning seven weeks, I typically venture out for just one week, which happens to fall at the very end of the series this year. With a limited timeframe of seven days, my goal is to achieve success at the tables.

Once I arrived, my plans took an unexpected turn as my friend and fellow professional poker player, Dominic Choma, was still competing in the WSOP Main Event on Day 4. Dom and I had started playing poker together in our high school home game with friends, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to witness his debut in the WSOP Main Event. As a result, instead of playing myself, I began my trip by immersing myself in the excitement of watching poker.

Despite facing some unfortunate situations on mid-Day 5, Dom managed to build an impressive stack throughout the tournament. Eventually, he was eliminated in 216th place, earning a commendable $53,900. It is worth noting that Dom’s performance was remarkable, especially considering the large number of participants, with over 8,600 players in the tournament.

Now it’s my turn … hopefully

After witnessing Dom’s triumphant performance in tournaments, I eagerly anticipated my own chance. My debut event was the $400 buy-in at MGM Grand, and though I had a small stack, luck was on my side as I managed to secure a spot in the money. Unfortunately, my luck soon ran out, and I ended up finishing in 23rd place for a modest sum of $585. While it may not have been a significant win, I held onto the hope that it would set the tone for the remainder of my trip.

The following day, I went back to MGM Grand to participate in another $400 tournament. Sadly, luck was not on my side this time. I ended up losing both of my entries before reaching the prize money, resulting in a total loss of $800.

Once eliminated from the tournament, I made the decision to visit the Paris Casino, the venue for the WSOP, and engage in some cash games. Choosing a $2/$5 cash game, I joined with a buy-in of $1,000. Throughout the night, I managed to secure a modest profit of $164.

The following day held great significance for me as it marked the pinnacle of my week. I eagerly anticipated participating in my sole WSOP bracelet event during this trip, an exhilarating deepstack event with an $800 buy-in. The game kicked off on a positive note, with my initial stack of 40,000 chips soaring to an impressive 70,000. However, the course of the game soon resembled a turbulent roller coaster ride. I experienced a drastic decline, plummeting to a mere 6,000 chips, only to miraculously recover and reach a staggering 65,000. Unfortunately, my luck eventually ran out, resulting in my elimination from the tournament. Determined to continue, I decided to re-enter the event, but, regrettably, suffered another defeat before reaching the money. When the day came to a close, I found myself facing a disappointing loss of $1,600.

Looking for some late luck

Despite knowing that I wouldn’t be able to end my streak of not cashing in the WSOP tournament on this trip, I remained optimistic about finding success in the $400 tournament at Aria the next day. However, much to my disappointment, I experienced a similar outcome as I was eliminated from the tournament without making any money, even after two attempts. On the bright side, I still had ample time left in the day to join a $2/$5 cash game at Paris. Fortunately, I managed to secure a $795 win, only falling $5 short of fully recovering my losses from the earlier tournament.

With just one more day remaining, I had a final opportunity to turn my trip into a profitable one. Despite being in a bit of a deficit, I held onto the belief that anything could happen. Determined to make the most of my last day, I opted to participate in cash games, specifically the $2/$5 ones at the Aria. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on my side as I ended up losing $1,975 instead of achieving the big win I had been anticipating. Needless to say, it wasn’t the ideal conclusion to my trip.

After concluding the trip, it was time to assess the consequences, which unfortunately amounted to a loss of $4,031. This unfortunate outcome marked my fourth consecutive WSOP trip where I returned home empty-handed, without any cashes in WSOP bracelet events.

Despite the disappointment of leaving with yet another loss, I made a conscious effort to recall the enjoyment I experienced while playing and the privilege I have of pursuing my passion as a profession.

David Kaye, a poker enthusiast and content creator hailing from Mason, consistently contributes a column to Playinmichigan. To stay updated on David’s poker endeavors, you can track his progress through his social media profiles using the username “DavidKayePoker.” He is active on various platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and Instagram.

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