ThePokerResource.net: A Rounder’s blog

WSOP 2008 Main Event, Day 2 – starting chip stack: $57,575

What a day…what almost was a smooth ride from start to finish ended with a huge debacle with 5 mins left in the night. Bottom line is I end the day with 90k in chips, probably a tad below average. The blinds tomorrow will be 800-1600 with a 200 ante so I still have a lot of play.

250-500 antes of 50

I scan my table and there are no big names or huge stacks. I smooth call a raise from this European kid of 1500 with K7d. I wanted to make a statement b/c generally young Euros are very aggressive and I didn’t want him to run over the table just yet. The BB calls and the flop rolls off 1062 with 2 diamonds. The kid bets 2300 which I call, and the BB folds. The turn brings gin, the Ad, and he checks. I quickly bet 5k which he calls. The river brings a black 7 and now he decides to lead for 11k (yum, yum). I raise to 33k total and he folds after a minute. Quickly up to 75k and feeling good.

I’ve been very active and I open with the 109h in the cutoff. This old man calls on the button and so does another old man from the BB. The flop comes off 556 with 2 clubs, the BB checks, so I lead for 3500 b/c it’s a good bluff flop. Only the BB calls. The turn brings a 6d and the BB checks. I decide to put some pressure on him and bet 7k. He deliberates and then moves in on me for 20k or so. I obviously fold and am not happy about dumping pretty close to all my profit from the first level.

I end the level with about 60k.

300-600 antes of 75

This Spanish kid takes an empty seat with a 120k or so. This guy is absolute animal. Probably the most aggressive player I’ve ever played with. Mainly b/c he’s fearless after the flop, putting max pressure, not just betting but moving in. So I just play real tight hoping to trap. Russell Rosenbloom takes an empty seat and I just smooth call his raise with KK. We see the flop 4 handed and it comes off J74. It is checked to me so I bet 3500 into an 8k pot and only a tight Euro on the button calls. The turn is a nice card, the 2d, I lead for 7k and he folds after about a minute. Nothing major happens the rest of this level and I end with about 70k or so.

400-800 with a 100 ante

The dynamic of this game has changed dramatically. The Spaniard loses a real sick pot after opening like 5 out of the first 7 hands. He raises to 2100 and the old man (who over raises every time he plays) makes it 16k and the Spaniard chips for 100k. After about a minute the old man calls off his last 50k and turns over AKc, but the Spaniard has the two red aces. The flop comes off KQJ all hearts but the turn is the Ks and the Spaniard loses a 120k pot. Now this guy is completely steamed up and I can feel the wheels spinning. I’m praying to catch a hand to double and win a huge pot from him. The Euro kid raises to 2k on the button and the Spaniard makes it 8k from the BB. Then the kid reraises to 12k more and the Spaniard ships for 60k total. The kid calls with KK the Spaniard 97h. The flop is sick, Q107 with 2 hearts, the turn a 3h and the river a 7. The Spaniard busts the kid. This table is so sick! I play real tight now and fold the rest of the level.

Brad Booth comes to the table with a bout 80k all in small denomination chips. This can only mean 1 or 2 things. He either is stealing a lot or he had lost a few huge pots and had to pay out with the big chips. He plays super aggressive but people just keep coming over the top of him and he loses a big pot to the Spaniard who moves in on him on the turn. (He had no idea how sick this Spaniard is). Anyways he gets all the way down to 16k in chips 1 hr at this table and the old man raises to 6k from the cutoff. Brad calls the 6k with a 15k effective stack from the BB. The flop is Q98 and after a minute brad shoves his last 9k and the old man calls him. K10s for Brad and 99 for the old man. The board bricks off and Brad is out. Seriously, this is one of the worst played hands I’ve seen from a big name pro in a long time. The old man opened for 7.5 BBs and he called with K10…unreal. I play real tight the rest of the level and go into the dinner break with about 80k.

500-1000 antes of 100

I’m still playing real tight b/c the table is pretty ridiculous. The Spaniard raises to 2500, I smooth call w/AQs and Mike Wattel (high stakes player) calls from the BB. The flop comes J75, all clubs. They both check to me so I take a stab, bet 6500 and they both fold….whew. I smooth call the Spaniard with 65s and we see the flop heads up. 1082 rainbow, he checks, I bet 5500 and he folds. He is giving me respect and I have become a little “buddy buddy” with him in hopes to play smaller pots. I’m glad I have position on him.

I somehow end the level with 100k. I don’t really remember any significant hands at all.

600-1200 antes of 100

Now the antes and blinds are finally at a good ratio. In other words, it costs 3600 a round and the opening raise is about that. I have really played tight and since the Spaniard has slowed down I want to open up my game a lot. I limp early with A9s, everyone folds and I see a flop with Russell l. It comes off K54, he checks and I bet 1500 to take it down. No one has limped at all for the last 3 hours and I want to see more flops so I’m going to limp more often. Shortly after, I limp in middle position with 78s and see the flop with both blinds. Flop comes off KK5 with 2 diamonds. The SB checks but the BB bets 3500. After about 20 seconds I decide to float him and smooth call. The turn brings a 2h and he bets 7k. I make it 20k total and after about 30 seconds he folds. I know he has to respect me, and now we have played about 8 hours of poker together today. I never got out of line and never raised anyone. I chip up to about 120k. I reraise this new kid who is pretty active with AQ and he folds. This is my first reraise preflop all day.

About a half hour later, I open on the button to 3k with the J8d and only the BB calls. The flop comes off A105 with 2 clubs and the BB (tight Euro) leads for 3300. After about 30 seconds I make it 9k with nothing. Earlier in the day he did the same thing and I folded pretty quickly b/c I had nothing. After about a minute he folds.

I raise with AQ off and the sb calls. The flop comes Q62 with 2 hearts. He checks, I bet 4k and then he makes it 15k total leaving him 40k left. WOW, what a tough spot for me. I’m really burning here. Top pair top kicker (TPTK) is most certainly good here but who knows, this player hasn’t gotten out of line all day. I deliberate for a minute and call. I probably should have just moved in but would feel so stupid if he shows me a set of 6s. Anyways, the turn is the Kd and he checks and I quickly check. At this point all I keep thinking is “NO HEART, NO HEART, NO HEART”. So what comes on the river, the 4 of hearts. I’m disgusted and ready to give up on the hand. To my surprise, he checks, I quickly check and he turns over AJ off for a stone bluff. Wow, I guess I passed the first test but he didn’t pull through on his bluff. (Thank god it wasn’t the Spaniard).

I’m up to my peak at 135k and think to myself, I haven’t played a pot over 50k the whole day and I’m almost up to 150k. I guess I spoke too soon. Now the cooler happens, with about 5 minutes left in the day the Spaniard opens on the button to 3500 and I smooth call with AdQs out of the small blind. Normally, this is a clear reraise but the Spaniard makes huge calls preflop to reraises and I’ve been calling his raises only. I don’t want to play a huge pot here but with AQ, I can’t just fold either. Anyways, the flop comes off QJ5 all diamonds, what a flop for me. TPTK with the nut flush draw. I check and he bets 4k which I quickly call. I don’t want to play a huge pot here and there aren’t that many bad cards so I don’t mind checking to him on all streets. The turn is a 6s. I check and now he fires out 12….whoa, that’s a pretty big bet there. After about 30 seconds I call. I’m not happy about this b/c he’s probably going to fire huge on the river. The river is a 8s and I check and now he bets 33k. DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is not much I can do here. My hand is very big and the last time he bet 40k he showed the old man 8 high for a stone bluff. I don’t think I can fold here so I finally call. I feel like it’s 50/50 he has a huge hand or nothing. He turns over 96d for a flush and scoops this 100k pot leaving me down to 83k. I’m completely demoralized and deflated.

Literally, the last hand of the night the young kid opens for 3100 and I reraise to 11500 with AK off. He takes about a minute and I know he’s thinking of reraising mainly b/c he thinks I’m steaming. I already decided if he does I’m moving in here for my whole 80k. I start thinking about how much of a disaster this could be to bust on the last hand of the night so I finally tell him, “I got it man, I’ll show”. I know, I know, kind of a copout, but seriously. The last hand of the night, people were clapping and everything, tables were bagging chips and I can’t help but think of this disaster about to happen. Finally, he folds and I table AK as promised and he says “nice hand.” I asked him if he was gonna reraise and he said he thought about it for awhile. I knew it. I should have let him so I can gobble up another 20k to my stack. Boo.

Overall, I’m really happy about my play. Had KK once and a few big aces and that’s it. I adjusted to my table and really tried to apply the small ball approach to the game. Sometimes there is nothing you can do when you have a big hand and a cannon has a bigger hand. I got really unlucky with the AQ at the end but poker can be such an unforgiving game. In retrospect, if I reraise with AQ and the Spaniard calls a big reraise I would have busted out. The pot would have been so big that I would have had to bet like 20k and if he decides to raise and with TPTK and the nut flush draw, it’s all in for me and all out. So I guess there is something to be grateful about. Anyways, it’s already 3 am and I start back up at 12 noon.

KK

WSOP 2008 Main Event, Day 3 - starting chip stack: $90k

What an amazing day. I end the day with 376k for an above average stack with 477 players left. I am already in the money and am guaranteed 27k. The day didn’t start off good but ended well. For the record, I couldn’t believe some of the hands played today not only from my table but adjacent tables as well. I will never ever miss or consider missing this tournament again. I have come to the conclusion that the Main Event is the single biggest overlay in all of gambling. I really mean it.

Blinds 800-1600 with 200 ante, starting stack of 90k

I scan my original table and see a Full Tilt Pro (FTP) Mark Vos with a 150k stack. He is the only big name at my table. I don’t get any hands and fold nonstop, raising rarely, but manage to maintain about a 90k stack. The only eventful hand I played is when a huge stack raises and a cannon to my right smooth calls. I squeeze them with K8 off suit making a pretty big reraise and they both fold.

This same cannon ships Mark Vos 100k. Mark raises to 5k with KK and the cannon calls. The flop is 1066 with 2 clubs, Mark checks and the cannon pots it for 12500 which Vos calls. The turn pairs the 10 and Vos checks again and the cannon fires 25k, which he calls. The river is the 7c, Vos checks again and the cannon bets 40k, which Vos calls and he doesn’t even have a hand to table so Vos stacks a 200k pot early. I am so disgusted. I can’t believe I’m witnessing this.

A new player sits down and plays pretty snug. He has a 160k stack. Dustin Holmes comes over with a huge stack of 300k and he raises to 4200, which the new players calls. The flop comes 999 and Holmes bets 7k, the new player raises to 24k, and Holmes calls. The turn is a 6c, Holmes checks, this guy bets 40k and then Holmes moves in. After about a minute and a 100k left the new player says I call. Now, before I see the hands I’m thinking the new kid has 1010 or JJ and that he should have checked the turn. But since he bet he’s in a real tough spot. KK for Holmes and two deuces for the new player. OMG!!!! Did I just witness a 350k pot with deuces on a 999 board? I can’t believe what I’m seeing. This is seriously unreal.

Anyways, I finish the level with 85k with not much happening.

Blinds 1000-2000 with a 300 ante

I get moved to a new table and I notice Alex Baladin with a 250k stack. This guy is scary. He’s kind of like the Spaniard but with better control. I literally fold for 2.5 orbits or about 25 hands and then I finally get 99 on the button. A solid player next to the cutoff raises to 6200 and this Swede smooth calls and I decide to make it 22,200 for a reraise of 16k. The first guy folds, and then after a minute this Swede moves in on me. WTF is going on here? I literally take about 4 minutes and replay the hand. I have no idea how this kid plays b/c I just got to this table. It’s a serious disadvantage to get moved to a new table and have a short stack. You have no idea what the dynamics are. Originally, I thought he was an American kid from the East coast or something. I find out later he is Swedish. Anyways, I end up mucking saving myself 52k and really burning.

I open in late position with 44 and the BB calls. He is actually the same player I played with yesterday. The flop comes off 1092 and he leads for 8k which I obviously fold. I’m down to 45k and at my low point.

At this point I’m really getting discouraged b/c I have absolutely no room for error. I’m at a critical point and I really need to get a hand. In the next half hour or so I open a few pots and finally get back up to about 70k. By now I notice this Swede is really sick. Opening way too many pots and people are just letting him get away with it. After this information, I would have instantly called with the nines an hour earlier.

I end this level with 75k or so.

Blinds 1200-2400 with a 300 ante

What a great structure: the blinds increase only 20% with no increase in the antes. I raise fairly early against tight Blinds with K10 off suit and a tight player calls behind. The flop comes AQx with 2 hearts. I’m really burning and stressing out. I pray he has a middle pocket pair or KQ and I bet 12k leaving myself another 45k behind. He makes me sweat it out for a minute before finally folding. Back up to 80k.

I smooth call a raise from the Swede with 10Jh. I have been playing real tight and I know he has to give me some respect. I’m hoping to out play him or flop something big. The flop is A83 and he bets 8k into a 17k pot. I call quickly b/c my intentions were to float him. I know in his range, he doesn’t necessarily have to have an Ace. The turn is a 9, a great card b/c now I have a draw to the nuts. The Swede bets 17k, and I just tank for 2 minutes. If I call and lose I have 51k. This is such a tough spot b/c I have no leverage with chips. I’m really burning. I have visions of shipping on it but think better of it. I’m forced to fold B/C this 17k is so valuable to me to make raises preflop. So much for that feeble attempt. Note to self: don’t mess with cannons when you are short stacked.

I keep folding and folding and get back down to 65k when a kid raises to 8500 and the Swede calls on the button. I look down in the SB and see 2 red Aces…boy, do they look nice. I raise to 20k more leaving myself 35k behind and they both fold. The very next hand, a tight internet player opens for 7k and the same kid calls. I see AQ off suit on the button and call. The flop comes off 973 with 2 diamonds for a complete miss for me but surprisingly they both check. I deliberate, then take a shot with a 17k bet and they both fold. I finish this level with 100k. I know I’m short but in all honestly I’m ecstatic to have this 100k chipping up 33% in the last 5 minutes right before dinner break.

Blinds 1500-3000 with a 400 ante

Now this is a much bigger increase in blinds and antes. I know I need to catch a hand soon. I open for 14k with 98 off suit in late position trying to get a walk but the tightest player on the table calls a 3.5x raise from me. The flop comes off Q73 with 2 spades and I am left with no choice but to fire a continuation bet of 16k, which he quickly folds. Thank god. This is freaking so heart wrenching; every single hand is a sweat.

We are getting close to the money now with about 690 people left and 666 making the money. It’s such a stressful time for me b/c my stack is so small and I can’t make any mistakes or play any form of poker that I enjoy playing with a big stack. I wait all day and play so tight dodging and weaving and then it happens, I double up. The Swede opens for 8500 and I smooth call behind with JJ. The young tight internet kid than raises 22k more for a huge reraise. The Swede folds and I study him for about a minute. He looks so nervous, so I’m pretty sure he has AK. I can’t ship on him for 80k more b/c I’m certain he’s calling me so I finally just call the 22k more. The flop comes a beauty, J107 with 2 clubs. I check, he bets 37k and I instantly move in for 48k more. He agonizes and calls me with AK, with the K of clubs. I’m a monster favorite at this point and bam the turn is another 10 pairing the board and having him drawing dead. Just like that I’m up to 240k and loving life. All my stresses are over with. I’m now above average and can almost guarantee I make the money at this point.

The solid player to the right of the Swede opens for 8400 and I call from the SB with A4 off suit. The BB still hasn’t come back from dinner (he said he fell asleep) and both the Swede and this guy are having a field day on this dead BB. I now have enough chips to look him up or so. Anyways, the flop is a horrible J97. I check and he quickly checks. I was completely done with the hand but bam the Ac hits the turn. I check and he fires 11k. I call. There is so much value in checking the turn with my hand. Every preflop raiser is going to represent an Ace here whether they have one or not. All the value comes from calling when they are bluffing. If I bet, he will certainly fold and only call with a better hand. The river pairs the 7. I check and he takes about 40 seconds and finally fires 24k. I’m pretty sure I got him. If he did have a bigger ace than he would definitely bet smaller for value so either he has a monster or complete air. I call and he tables 105d for 10 high. Just like that I’m up to 300k and feeling even better.

I pick up two aces for the 2^nd time and smooth call a raise from the Swede. If you haven’t already noticed this kid is super aggressive. He’s not like the Spaniard whose aggression is post flop. This kid’s aggression is preflop. Anyways, a real tight passive player from the SB calls. The flop comes 1088 and the SB leads for 7k into a 27k pot. I know I got him crushed b/c I’m almost certain he has a 10 but if I raise he’ll probably fold. The Swede folds and I call. The turn is a 5, he bets 12k and I call. Now, before the river he checks in the dark so now I’m 100% sure he has a 10 and it comes an off suit 9. I bet 16k to ensure a call which he does and I table AA. The Swede looks at me and says “tricky.” I scoop a fatty and cruise on up to 365k.

We are now playing hand for hand, and the solid player, the Swede or I take down every pot in this level. Nobody will play with us. I finally reraise the Swede with 55 which he eventually folds. Whew. I have chips now and am the table chip leader. The money bubble busts and I end this level with 370k………..what an amazing level.

2000-4000 with a 500 ante

I chip up another 35k and then our table broke. I’m really unhappy about this. I have a good feel for our table and have position on the two really good players. My new table has a few monster stacks and right away I raise from under the gun (UTG) with AKs to 13k and this big stack min raises to 26k. This is horrible for me. I have no idea how he plays and a min raise is such a brutal spot. I call in hopes to flop a flush draw to make the nuts. The flop comes off Qxx, I check and he checks. HMMMMM I wonder if he has 3 queens? The turn is a blank. I check, he bets 40k, I fold and he shows me QQ.

I play pretty tight for a half hr and decide to get feisty with A4 off suit on the button. After a tight old man limps early I raise to 16k, which he calls. I actually played with this guy on my first table of the day so I have a little feel for him. The flop comes off Q95 with 2 diamonds. He checks, I bet 20k, and he calls. The turn is an 8, he checks and I fire off 35k with absolutely nothing. To my horror he calls after about a minute. The river is the Kd and he checks a third time. At this point in the hand, I put him on KQ or QJs. Those are pretty close to the range he had. I think about firing big on the river, but I have to fire a huge bet of like 80k to make this triple barrel bluff. I’m burning b/c I can’t win a showdown and if he has KQ he’s definitely calling. He might even call with QJ. I check and he turns over AQ. Damn it, I think if I fired huge enough I would of won this pot. I’m losing my mind here to play so well and then blow off 70k for no reason at all. I bottom out this level at 280k and I’m not happy about it.

I play real tight for the next 40 minutes b/c of image and that stupid bluff. However, with 40 mins left I open it up again hoping to get to 400k by the end of the night. I start off raising to 11k with K6 off suit in late position and a short stack BB calls. The flop comes off Q109 and he checks. I decide to take a small stab and bet 11k trying to represent a big hand. This player has a small stack and by the size of my flop bet he has to respect it more thinking I’m trapping him. He folds after about 30 seconds of deliberation.

I open again in early position with 89d and the same player calls behind me with an 80k stack. The flop comes off A74 with 2 diamonds. I do the same thing and bet 11k which he quickly folds. An orbit later, a big stack raises in middle position and I defend with A9d from the BB. The flop comes off 955. I check and he checks. The turn is a 2h, I check and he checks. The river is the Ah completing a backdoor flush. I know I got him and I fire out 20k quickly which he calls with AJ.

On literally the last hand of the night a kid raises in the cutoff to 11k and I reraise him to 44k from the SB with 84 off suit. He quickly folds and I gobble up the 20k in dead money putting me right back to 376k for the night. I let this kid get away with too much after my failed bluff attempt, so I decided to reraise him here.

Overall, I played some amazing poker today. For the first 5 hours I hovered between 45k to 100k and just like that, I got right back in contention with a key double up. It’s amazing how all the tournaments I’ve played prior have helped in my development and my ability to play a short stack. I have seen numerous players absolutely just blow it, moving in and getting it in bad when they can wait for a better spot. I’m especially proud of only being all in once this whole tournament even when I was as low as 45k. I’m really excited about playing tomorrow, and as every day goes by so does the dream seem more and more real. I’m absolutely exhausted and can’t wait to get back to playing again.

Thanks,
KK

WSOP 2008 Main Event, Day 4 – starting chip stack: $376k

WOW!!!  I’m still in and the dream continues, at least for another day.  I end the day with 637k, which is a little disappointing since I was up to 600k after the first level.  Right now I’m absolutely exhausted mentally and physically but it’s all good. 

Blinds 2500-5000 with a 500 ante

I have only a rough game plan for this day.  Obviously, much is dictated by the players at my table and any necessary adjustments will be done on the fly.  Initially, at this level my plan is to play real tight.  We ended Day 3 with 2k-4k and a 500 ante costing 10,500 an orbit.  Now it only costs 12k an orbit, essentially a 15% increase.  Also, I really wanted to get a feel for the table.  The next level of 3k-6k with a 1k ante costs 18k an orbit increasing the blinds and antes 33%.  My intention is to play tight and establish image and then really go after it in the 2^nd level, trying to chip up b/c there is much more to fight for. 

I scan my starting table and see only Hassan Habib as a big name pro.  A big guy from NY (I’m going to refer to him as NY moving forward) has a huge stack of 700k, the rest are a bunch of shorties.  I like my table draw and feel good about playing today.  The old man from day 2 that over raises and sucked out against the Spaniard w/AK vs. AA is at my table.  (Don’t know how he survived this far)   

Half hour into the level NY raises to 15k and I smooth call on the button with AQ off suit.  The flop comes KQ6, he checks and I check.  The turn pairs the 6, he bets 22k and I quickly call.  The river is a blank, he checks and I happily check to get a showdown with the best hand.  Up to 440k right away. 

20 minutes later, Hassan opens for 15.5k and a shortie moves in for 52k total.  I look down at QQ and decide to min raise to 80k or so to ensure it goes heads up.  He turns over AKs and we are raising for a 150k pot.  The flop comes all small.  It bricks off and I bust him to get up to 530k or so.  Wow, this is the first player I busted this whole tournament.  It’s kind of crazy that the field is down to 500 players out of the original 6800 or so and I finally get a bounty.  This is essentially my style of tournament poker.  Bob and weave and play under the radar, wake up with a big hand and play a big pot.

NY opens again for 15k and again I smooth call in late position with AQ off suit.  The flop comes Q56 and he checks.  I bet small, 15k, and he quickly raises to 45k.  The way he raised I’m pretty sure I have him, but I obviously don’t want to play a huge pot and I don’t mind him cutting his own throat on later streets.  The turn is a 10d, he checks and I check.  I’m perfectly happy to give a free card b/c NY comes off as a sicko and very capable of putting me to maximum pressure on the turn by check raising.  Also, I’m satisfied keeping the pot reasonably small so I don’t have to call a huge bet on the river.  The river brings a black 3, he checks and I check.  He turns over A9d for nothing but a back door flush draw and I table the AQ and scoop.  He says “thanks for the free cards.”  I replied, “you scare me so you can get free cards all day against me.”  He smiles and I scoop a decent pot.  NY doesn’t even know that he’s playing right into my hands and a style of poker that I’m most comfortable playing.  Anyways, I’m up to 600k and an even better start.

Blinds 3000-6000 with a 1k ante

Initially, I wanted to be aggressive after it this level but I decide I no longer need to.  My chip position is real good and I’m essentially tied with NY for table chip lead.  There are no huge stacks and our table is not going to break all day.  I play real pretty snug for awhile and I open in middle position with 33 for 18k.  The old man raises to 50k total with about 275k behind.  I deliberate and decide to call hoping to flop a set.  I know that if I flop a set, I’m gonna bust him b/c he is going to move in on any flop.  The flop comes K97, I check and he quickly ships in 275k into a 110k pot.  Man, what a time to put a little 3 ball on the flop. 

I make one weak post flop bluff and shut down, losing another pot.  I’m bleeding chips a bit and back down to 500k but not really worried.  Don’t recall any more hands this level and finish with 510k.

Blinds 4000-8000 with a 1k ante

We get a new player Joel from LA.  He’s originally from the NY but I’ve played a fair amount of cash games with him in LA.  I limp after NY limps with KQ off.  The SB completes and Joel checks his BB.  The flop comes off A63 rainbow and it is checked to me.  I take a weak stab at the pot for 12k into a 40k pot.  Joel now raises it 20k making it 32k total w/a 350k stack.  I think for awhile and conclude that he shouldn’t have raised me here, opening the door for me to out play him.  I know he’s pretty solid and I’m pretty sure his range is AJ, A10 or maybe A3 but highly unlikely to be a better hand than that.  I know If I put some pressure on him he’s very likely to fold so I make it 72k, making it a 40k reraise.  After about 30 seconds, he folds claiming he had AJ.  It’s such a hard spot for him b/c I’m making the pot bigger and making his decision on the turn real big anyways.  He was better off checking and calling.

I open for 33k w/ 73 off suit after a tight player limped utg.  To my horror he reraises to 93k which I obviously fold.  Hoping to get a steal there…oh well.

Last hand before the dinner break.  A new solid players raises to 24k and a same player utg smooth calls and I decide to squeeze out of the BB with Q3 off and make it 80k to go.  They quickly fold and I quickly stack an extra 60k to put me back up to 600k going to dinner.

Blinds 5000-10000 with a 1k ante

Another small jump in blinds and this is the last level of the day.  I really want to chip up to 800k which seems like a reasonable goal.  NY limps from the SB and I check with QJs from the BB.  The flop comes A102 with 2 diamonds, he checks and I check.  The turn brings a Kc giving me the nuts.  He checks and I reach for my stack to bet 10k or so but he reaches at the same time, so I quickly adjust my bet to 20k knowing I’m getting called, which he does.  The river is the 7d making a flush and he bets out 55k and starts talking.  I know I should have probably fold, but I call like a fool and he shows me 23d for a flush.  This puts me down to 500k and I’m very unhappy. 

I limp after a tight player limps utg (same player who limp reraised me), and I call in late position with K2h.  The cutoff calls and a real tight player on the button makes it 30k total.  We all call making this a pretty big pot of 150k.  The flop comes 974 all hearts….booyeah.   The player utg checks and I weak lead for 55k.  Both players behind me fold and the UTG calls.  I’m really nervous that he limped with Axh or something and that he has a bigger stack than me.  The turn brings a Jc, he checks and I decide to check.  The river is the Ah giving me the nuts or known nuts.  I already had the nuts b/c the Ah was out of play.  The player checks and I fire out 100k.  He agonizes, calls and shows Q10 with the Qh.  I scoop this monster and the biggest pot of my tournament to top me off at 780k.  Other tables are playing $1 million pots and this pot at $500k is probably the biggest at my table so far.

On literally the last hand of the night, the same player limps UTG, NY calls and I decide to call with 76d, knowing the UTG has a huge hand and I can win a real big one if I flop huge.  We see the flop 5 handed and it comes off 754 with 2 spades.  The utg bets 35k which NY calls and I call.  The turn is a Kh, he bets 35k again with NY and me calling.  The river is the Qs.  He checks and then NY bets 80k, which I fold to.  I was gonna fire a huge shell on the river to represent a flush but NY bet out and started chirping left and right so I knew he had a monster.  The UTG agonizes and finally calls QQ for NY and KK for the other player.  Set over set.   So I lose 80k on the last hand of the night to finish with 637k.  I get a little lucky there and I’m up to well over a million.  Oh well.

Overall, my play was largely dictated by the players at my table.  I started off strong but never had a premium hand after the first level.  We are now down to 189 people left and tomorrow I’m back to below average but not by much.  I’m obviously excited and as grueling as it is to write after all this poker I look forward to it.  Thanks for the support.

KK

WSOP 2008 Main Event, Day 5 – starting chip stack: $637k

The feeling is so surreal right now. Words cannot express how I feel. 79 left, 2.4 million in chips, probably right around top 20 in chips, and more importantly, the dream is still alive. I already have $77k locked up but obviously I’m aiming much higher. I’ve been playing the best poker of my life and am both mentally and physically exhausted, but in the end it’s all worth it.

Blinds 6k-12k with a 2k ante

I scan my tables and don’t see any big time pros. However, there are massive stacks on my table. I believe I’m the 2^nd or 3^rd shortest stack with 637k. Right away this cannon who has been active raises a lot. This Venezuelan man (“V” moving forward) reraises him and he calls with an 800k starting stack. The flop comes 997. The cannon checks with V betting 150k and the cannon calls. The turn is a 2, the cannon leads for 200k and then V goes all in for 500k total. The cannon tanks for 4 minutes and finally calls, 74h for the cannon and 88 for V. The river bricks off and V wins a 1.5 million dollar pot. Did I just witness this? I mean, come on, we are only playing for $9 million. Believe me when I tell you, some of the quality of play is absolutely atrocious, even now. Unbelievable.

I am forced to play real tight and can’t get anything going. I hover around 500-700k the whole level and never make anything happen. I raise to 35k with AKo and this other cannon calls (moving forward he will be referred to as C2) right behind me. The flop comes QJx and I lead for 55k which he calls. I check the turn and he checks. The river brings a blank. I give up and check and he checks. I announce Ace high and he tables 55. WTF. I knew I should of fired again, damn it. I finish the level with 387k and feeling really disparaged.

Blinds 8k-16k with a 2k ante

I’m back to walking on eggshells. Absolutely stressed out beyond belief. This solid Asian kid opens to 48k and I defend from the BB with 108s. I haven’t been getting any hands so I’m hoping to get lucky here. I start the hand with about a 400k stack. The flop comes Q62 with 2 spades. I check and he checks. I didn’t know if I was gonna push in with my flush draw but he checked. The turn pairs the 6 so I lead for 75k praying for a fold but he deliberates and calls. At this point, he probably has a pocket pair between 66 and QQ or just Ace high. The river brings a 3d and I’m absolutely distraught but I manage to muster up the sickest bluff and bet 150k on the river leaving myself 100k if he calls. He deliberates for 40 seconds and folds. THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I get back to 550 or so and just bob and weave. Don’t know how I stick around so long but literally get absolutely no hands. I see monster pots left and right and can’t believe how bad the hands are. Anyways, I continue to play my game and just maintain my stack. I end the level with about 680k by raising a few pots and gets walks. I never had a premium hand but manage to chip up a bit and feel real good about it.

Oh on a side note I witness a real sick hand this level. This new player arrives in seat 2 and has been coming over the top relentlessly (and apparently he has hands). Well, the button raises and, C2 calls from the SB and he reraises big from the BB. The button calls, then C2 moves in and he moves in behind. JJ for C2 and AA for the BB. The flop comes J75, turn J, and river x. Then about 5 minutes later, the same guy that lost with the aces raises to 45k and the Asian kid makes it 110k to go. The SB (Italian kid, same guy that min raised me yesterday when I had AKs and he had QQ and flopped a set) calls the 110k cold. The flop comes AJ5 all diamonds. It goes check, check, bet 150k, all in for 1.5 million, call all in from the initial raiser, and the Asian kids with a 1 million stack tanks and folds AK off no diamond. The hands are two red Queens for the Italian and AJ for the initial raiser. The turn brings a 10d and the Italian scoops a 2 million dollar pot. However, he played his hand absolutely atrocious given the effective chip stacks. I make a note of this and pray to get some chips so I can really punish him. Suddenly, my 500k stack doesn’t look that grim seeing what happened to this guy with the AA and the AJ within 5 mins. He had 1.3 million and is now out. Wow.

Blinds 10k-20k with a 3k ante

The blinds increased a lot this level b/c the antes increased. It’s costing me 63k an orbit so essentially I have 11 orbits if I fold every hand. Anyways, again I hover around and never getting anything going. Finally, I see 2 red aces in the SB and V limps from the button. I make it 65k to go and both the BB and V folds. F This!!!!

Shawn Sheikon comes to my table with a $1.2 million stack. He starts playing real fast the first few orbits or so and chips up to about 1.5 million. The sick thing now is that all the stacks are so healthy that people are opening for 75-80k when they should open for 50-65k. As a result, all the pots are going to be huge. I’m not liking this at all b/c I’m so short and every pot is so critical I can’t afford to make a mistake. Anyways, Shawn raises on the button and then the Italian comes over the top and he folds. The very next hand Shawn opens in the cutoff to 75k and the Italian smooth calls from the button. Then, V reraises 350k more from the SB and Shawn tanks for a minute and goes all in. The Italian folds and V instacalls. JJ for Shawn and AA for V. The board bricks off and V cripples Shawn leaving him about 80k in chips and V stacks a 3 million dollar pot. Shawn busts out shortly after. I really think Shawn made a horrible mistake that hand. Like me yesterday when moving to new tables you don’t have a good feel of what’s happening and what’s going on. Sure, it looks like he’s playing fast and the over-raise seems like a steal from V. But I know V isn’t capable of this and since Shawn doesn’t know he has to fold here. He has been here about 45 minutes and he chipped up 300k w/o any risk. So why would u play a $3 million pot and even a chance to get eliminated with only jacks preflop? That is so dumb. We are down to about 105 players in the Main event of the WSOP with a real healthy stack and even if you are a world class player you might be in this position once every 10 years on average. Think about that last statement: be in this position about once every 10 years. So essentially, he didn’t take into account risk vs. reward in its simplest form.

I finally make a play and reraise the 75k bet from the Italian to 275k with Q10s. He quickly folds and I pick up a crucial 125k in chips. I have yet to reraise anyone all day and I knew my image would most likely win me the pot.

I don’t remember any other big hands but I fluctuate between 500-600k the whole level and on the last hand before dinner break I open for a raise after looking at a 10. Unfortunately, C2 calls and I look down at an off suit 5 and we see the flop heads up. It comes 932 and I fire 130k, which he calls. I’m freaking out here and I know I have to fire another shell. The turn brings an 8 and I fire 200k leaving myself about 300k. He quickly folds asking “can you beat 7s?” Naturally, I reply “I had 10s”. I don’t know if I have the heart or stupidity to move in on the river but I’m glad I didn’t have to make that decision. On to the dinner break with 835k, still short but I’m super excited about my stack.

Blinds 12k-24k with a 3k ante

This is the last level of the night. I try to start off with a bang but get slammed. I raise w/junk and get reraised, so I fold. I raise and fold to a continuation bet. I’m bleeding chips and still haven’t any hands yet. I’m all the way down to 525k and a new player raises to 75k in late position and I move in for 450 more with AKo from the SB. He tanks but finally folds.

I raise to 60k from the button with QJh and C2 calls from the SB. The flop comes A102. He checks and I make a small information bet of 60k on the flop, which he calls. The turn is a Qs, he checks and I bet 100k here. I’m keeping the pot relatively small based on my chip stack but also representing an absolute monster too. I bet the turn to get information but more importantly to get a free showdown on the river. If I check the turn, C2 might bet 200k on the river which I can’t call. In essence, I’m getting information as cheaply as possible and playing my position. The river is a blank and he checks and I check and QJ is good. Back up to 800k.

The very next hand I raise to 65k with AdJc. The SB, a player named Justin Young, reraises to 200k. I know he is was watching the last hand he understands my small raise preflop isn’t a necessarily a big hand. He also thinks I’m playing weak tight today so I account for all of this and take about a minute to decide what to do. I think about shoving but would feel so stupid if he beats me into the pot with a dominating hand. I lean toward folding but I feel AJ is too big a hand here against his range. I finally elect to call and play my hand in position. The flop comes J24 all hearts and he ask me “How much you playing?” I reply, “about 600k”. He then announces all in. I literally take about 5 minutes and think things out. I would feel real stupid if he had two black Queens or an over pair with no heart. Obviously, if I had the Ah I would beat him into the pot. I just felt he had a heart draw only, a middle pair with a heart or complete air here. There are so many hands I can beat but this is for my whole tournament life. I finally muster the courage and call. He flips over A10 with the 10 hearts and I have to fade a heart twice for my whole tournament. The turn brings a 10d and the river Ac. I scream and all my boys scream. I just F’N doubled to 1.6 million in the Main Event with 80 some players left. Now that’s what I’m talking about! You guys don’t understand how much adrenaline I had waiting for my fate. I can’t even express it in words. What a rush!

An English players raises to 75k, V calls from the SB and I defend with KJc from the BB. The flop comes 1085 rainbow, V checks and I take a stab with a 140k bet. The English player started the hand w/about 700k so my bet on the flop is perfect for a variety of reasons. First, he is going to instantly shove if he has a hand, and if he doesn’t he has to fold. Second, by me leading into the preflop raiser gives credibility to the strength of my hand to V. After the English man folds, V takes about a minute and folds AKs face up. I get away with one here and chip up a little bit more.

The Italian who is bleeding chips opens for 60k on the button and I defend for only 36k more with 107c. I have chips now so I can see a few flops. The flop is A62 with 2 clubs. I check, he bets 60k and I call. The turn is an 8d, I check and he bets 60k. I was thinking about raising here but if he’s only gonna bet 60k I’ll call every time on my draw. The river is the 3c giving me a flush. I go ahead and bet 250k knowing he’s not good enough to fold and he agonizes and calls with AQ. Sweet.

On literally the last hand of the night the Italian moves in for 188k from late position and I look down at JJ from the button. I call him and both blinds fold. The flop is A44, turn J, river x, and I bust him for my 2^nd casualty of the tournament.

I end the day with 2.4 million and like I said before, the dream is still alive. To put what 2.4 million is in perspective. I am sitting with 120 players’ starting stack from day 1. That’s a lot of people but yet I’ve only eliminated two. What an amazing journey so far and I get to play day 6 of the WSOP main event. Have I gotten lucky? Sure, I didn’t lose the JJ vs. AK hand on day 2 and I didn’t lose the AJ vs. A10 hand last night. Oprah Winfrey on her show once quoted the great Roman philospher Seneca and said, “luck is preparation waiting for opportunity.” Based on her definition of luck, I have prepared most of my adult life for an opportunity like this in hopes to get “lucky”. Based on that definition of luck, I have prepared most of my adult life for an opportunity like this in hopes to get “lucky”. I have played countless tournaments live and online in preparation for this moment. I’ve developed my ability to play a short stack and I never panic in situations others do. I have gone through all the unlucky hands that cost me tons of money in tournaments. I have lived and learned from all my mistakes in the past. I have lived through all my past failures and successes good and bad and my time is now. I’m definitely gonna seize this opportunity and play my best. I haven’t received any gifts except the JJ hand. All day every day I grind it out, I bob and weave, I play small ball but most importantly I survive to talk and write about it. In this tournament, survival is the most important thing. Given the size of my stack I believe I’ve been all in 4 times the entire tournament. I’ve dwindled down to about 15 BBs both on days 3 and 5. I somehow manage to chip up and win the key pot at the key time. It’s so hard. There is so much luck here and I don’t take any of this for granted. If I survive day 6 it will be down to 27 players. But if I don’t, it was one hell of a ride and most importantly I have played the best to my ability each and every day. I appreciate all the support and prayers as we go through this journey together.

Thanks again,

KK

WSOP 2008 Main Event, Day 6 – starting chip stack: $2.4 million

This is truly amazing!  Words can’t express how I feel.  I didn’t get much sleep and I can’t fall back asleep so I’m rewriting my day 6 blog.  I’m sitting at 8.8 million, 5^th in chips and getting set for the biggest day of my life.  Today, 18 players will be eliminated and only the final 9 can come back to play in November.  This is it and I’m ready for it.

Blinds 15k-30k with a 5k ante

I actually play at the featured table today and can’t believe what’s going on.  I’m playing with the great Phil Hellmuth but he is short stacked.  I believe I’m 2^nd in chips.  The atmosphere is so intense, there are hundreds of spectators b/c of Hellmuth, but thank god my friends and Jocelyn are here to support me.  Every day now they come down to support me and sweat me.  Anyways, I open for 85k utg with Ac4c and Hellmuth calls from the SB.  He just won a few pots and is up to 1 million.  The flop comes 854, he checks and I bet out 75k into the pot thinking I have the best hand.  The turn brings a K, he checks, I bet 100k and he calls.  The river brings a J, he checks and I check.  This hand I actually didn’t spend the time to give him a range.  I should have immediately put him on a pocket pair around the small cards and fired a shell on the river when the J hit.  He tables 66, scoops and the crowd is cheering.  I calm down and play tight for a half hour or so. 

I bust someone for my 3^rd bounty.  I raise on the button w/AK to 100k and a tight small blind with about an 800k stack calls from the SB.  Immediately I give a hand like AJ, AQ or possibly a pair like 8s.  I’m not exactly sure, but when a tight player smooth calls for about 13-15% of his stack you know it’s got to be pretty big.  The flop comes Q10x, he checks and I check.  The turn brings the J, giving me the stones.  He checks, I bet 150k, he instantly moves in and I beat him into the pot.  He turns over J9 and he is drawing dead.  I win a decent sized pot to chip up to 3 million.

I win a pot from Hellmuth when I raise UTG with AK to 90k and he defends from the BB.  The flop comes K56, he leads for 90k and I call.  The turn brings a Q and he checks so I bet 150k.  He deliberates and finally calls.  He gives me a speech how he has a pocket pair but he makes sick calls and this and that, how people bluff him millions and that’s why he gets all the chips etc., etc.  I think to myself this guy is telling me more than he should about the strength of his hand.  I was worried he had KQ but now I think he has about KJ or something.  He checks in the dark and the river pairs the Q.  I know I have him and decide to bet 250k.  Given his stack, he can call here w/o hurting him too bad.  He quickly calls and disgusted when I table AK.  He claims he had 33 and made a bad read.  I just don’t believe his hand was that week.  I guess we will have to wait when it airs on ESPN in a few months.  He is furious and I’m loving every moment of it.

The last hand before the break he raises in the cutoff to 70k and I repop to 170k from the SB with AQ.  He is fuming and disgusted.  I know he essentially has about a 600k stack and my raise is so strong.  I also know he can’t just call.  He either moves in or folds and I’m gathering the maximum information for as little amount of money as possible.  When he mucks he yells out “KK I’m gunning for you”.  I reply “Why, I didn’t force you to call me with your 3s?”  He just gets quiet and we are off to break and having a blast.

I finish the level with about 4 million.

Blinds 20k-40k with a 5 k ante

I limp utg with 22 and a fairly tight player raises to 180k total.  We are both deep b/c he just doubled up and he has about 3.7 million.  I know his hand is big b/c I limped utg.  A lot of players limp with huge hands and so I have some protection with my limp.  I elect to call and the flop is a beauty: 1023 with 2 spades.  I decide to lead for a small bet of 250k knowing he’s probably going to raise.  He makes it 750k and I deliberate on what to do.  It’s funny, I basically have 2^nd nuts here b/c 33 is highly unlikely but yet I’m still scared he could have 1010.  Finally I decide to reraise 1.5 million and he immediately mucks.  I chip up another 1 million and sit around 5 million.  What a start to this day.  I pick up aces, raise utg, they all fold and I show.  I get KK in the BB against sb.  He limps, I raise and he folds.  I raise with AK again and get a walk. 

I smooth call a raise from the same kid with AQ earlier w/JJ on the button.  The flop comes 523, he fires out 300k and I call.  The turn is an 8, he checks and folds to a 400k bet from me.  I know he’s getting tired of me and that he’s going to make a huge mistake later.

Blinds 25k-50k with a 5 k ante

We move now from the featured table but I play with the same players.  Hellmuth busted so obviously they want other faces up there.  I raise with AQh to 150k from late position and the same kid earlier makes it 450k from the SB.  Normally, this is an easy fold but I know this kid is tired of me.  I also know that if I repop this sicko might just say f it and ship his 3 million, so I call with position.  The flop is another gem, J109 all hearts giving me the nut flush.  He takes about 2 minutes and I start to pose, portraying weakness.  He finally he says all in for his 2.2 million dollar stack and I obviously beat him into the pot.  AJ vs. the nut flush.  He essentially has a 2% chance of winning here needing a paired card on the turn and then a 4 outer on the river.  The turn brings a 9, pairing the nines and I almost puke.  He now has 4 outs to win a 1-11 shot and he misses when the 2h comes on the river.  Just like that the big dog is up to 8 million and shooting up the leader board.

Nothing much materializes this level.  I maintain my stack and just play tight.  I no longer need to manufacture pots or do anything risky.  I’m going to just put it in cruise.  I go to dinner with about 8.3 million, good for 3^rd in chips with about 34 left.

Blinds 30k-60k with a 10k ante

This is a pretty big jump from the last level but it’s ok.  I’m still table chip leader but this Russian to my right comes over with a 6 million stack.  This guy is an animal and I’m glad I have position on him.  I make a mistake and smooth call the Russian’s raise to 180k.  Nobody is seeing a flop so I’m assuming we are going to play the hand heads up but to my horror two people behind smooth call and then we see the flop 4 handed.  I should have reraised here small to like 425k total to make sure everyone behind folds.  I actually watched Scotty Nguyen make this play about 3 years ago at the LAPC main.  It was one of the best things I learned for tournaments.  Anyways, the flop comes 753.  The Russian checks, I check and this kid bets 400k.  Everyone folds to me and I call.  The turn pairs the 7, and I check and he checks.  The river is a deuce and I lead for 600k.  In his range I put him on either a set or pocket pair like 88s-10s.  At this point I decide to try and extract value from the pocket pair and then fold if he pushes or raises.  He tanks and says all in for 980k more.  The pot at this point is 3.6 million and I’m getting a sick price to call.  I literally take about 5 minutes and then I ask him “Will you show if I fold?”  He says nothing.  I just know this kid is not raising all in with a pocket pair that he would love to just call with.  I know that he has to have a full house.  I finally go with my read and lay down QQ face up and he shows me pocket 7s for quads.  This is probably one of my best lay downs ever…a world class lay down in fact.  I’m steaming b/c I misplayed my hand and almost lost the max.  I’m not going to make the same mistake I did 3 years ago and call off all my chips w/QQs.  Burning now b/c I’m down to 6.5 million.

The very next hand I limp utg with 55.  The button and both blinds call.  The flop comes J95 all clubs.  The sb checks, the Russian bets 200k, which I call and the SB calls.  The turn brings an off suit 8.  SB checks, the Russian bets 400k and I decide to raise to 900k total, making it a tiny raise.  I do this to eliminate the 3^rd player and represent a monster here.  The sb folds and the BB calls.  The river brings a 3h.  He checks and I deliberate if I want to extract value however the 8 makes Q10 which he could obviously have or even a baby flush so I check.  He shows 89 and I scoop a decent sized pot.  I get back all my chips I lost the hand before and then some.  I played this hand perfectly.  The kid in the SB had the QJ with the Qc.  I got him to fold with his 12 outs against me and got the guy with the 4 outs against me to call.  Anyways, back up to 8 million and feeling good.

I squeeze on the last hand of the level when the kid raises to 175k, the Russian smooth calls, I make it 625k with 84s from the button and they both fold.  I know my raise shows so much strength and my image is squeaky tight.  It was the perfect time to get that 500k in the middle.

Blinds 40k-80k with a 10k ante

Play has slowed down tremendously.  I top off at 9.5 million but I just play real tight and pick a few spots to maintain my stack.  I decide not to push it.  The Russian blows it and goes out 28^th with 83h vs. the kid’s A5.  What a cannon.  I finish the night with 8.8 million and can’t wait for tomorrow.

Today the deck ran me over and boy was it worth the wait.  All those days I agonized short stacked and having no hands to this.  I received 2 gifts for huge pots that propelled me up the leader board.  I decided to just maintain and not go crazy even with a big stack.  So many people do that.  Me, I’m very happy with an 8.8 million dollar stack.  My goal was to maintain it and that’s it.  I had a game plan that was smart and now tomorrow I just need to execute again.  It’s going to be a real long day b/c it’s going to take forever to eliminate 18 players.  I hope that I get there.  I really do.  The journey continues and I’m ready as ever.  Thanks again for all the support.

KK

WSOP 2008 Main Event, Day 7 – starting chip stack: $8.8 million

Wow!  I finally got there and boy did I ever!  What an amazing ride and the beauty of it is that I still get to come back for 1, possibly 2 more days.  This is so surreal guys.  It’s crazy b/c now I’m doing interviews and I even signed my first autograph a few days ago.  This is absolutely insane.  Its Thursday morning now and day 7 happened on Monday night.  Honestly, I’ve been sleeping about 5 hours a day on average for 6 straight days and now after the fact I really don’t remember too many of the hands.  I do know I was absolutely card dead the whole day and yet I still managed to squeak into the final table.

Blinds 40k-80k with a 10k ante (There is still 45 minutes left in this level from last night)

I get to my table which is the main featured table.  I am seated in seat 4 and have position on the two Denmark kids, one named Peter (my pick to win if it’s not me).  I have Brandon Cantu in seat 5 with a 4.8 million dollar stack.  Initially I was very concerned about him having position on me but the fact of the matter is I’m 2^nd in chips on this table and way above average with an 8.8 million starting stack.  As I sit down I just feel nauseous, I’m hot and uncomfortable and I feel like I’m going to pass out on numerous occasions.  I start sweating profusely.  If you guys don’t already know I sweat all the time anyways.  However, the sweat drenches my white Dodger hat and now my Full Tilt sticker isn’t sticking on that well.  Full Tilt is making us wear our hats backwards B/C there is going to be a lot of head shots for the ESPN crew.  I get very self conscious of my sweat and my sticker not sticking that I kind of get in this uneasy panic. 

Anyways, I play very tight and reraise Peter from the SB once with AcJc which he folds quickly.  We played together a lot yesterday and have a mutual respect, not playing big pots against each other w/o big hands. 

No memorable hands occur and I maintain about an 8.5 million dollar stack.  The break can’t come any sooner.

Blinds 50k-100k with a 10k ante

My gf Jocelyn brings me a new black FTP hat and I put it on.  It’s snug but not wet and I feel so much better b/c I’m no longer self conscious of my sweat and the sticker.  I’m very grateful for her to know exactly what I need to make me feel much better.  I no longer have the nervous jitters and ready to play some poker.

The blinds hardly go up this round and I’m loving how deep I am.  I play real tight and just see how the table develops.  Peter raises my BB from the button to 300k and I defend with A9d.  The flop comes 923.  I check and he checks.  The turn brings the 5h, making a backdoor flush draw.  I lead for 400k and he calls.  The river is the 6h completing a back door flush draw and I check and he checks.  I table A9 and he turns over the same hand.  Cantu is shocked at how we played it and comments on how little the size of the pot is.  Peter understands small ball poker against another big stack.

I just maintain my stack and watch these guys play some fairly large pots.  I raise in the cutoff to 275k with 22 and Cantu announces “950k.”  That’s a huge raise so I just felt he was light here.  I deliberate if I want to make a sick reraise but the tightest player on the table Dean moves in for 1.5 million more.  I obviously fold and Cantu goes into the tank with about 3.3 million behind.  He agonizes and starts saying “why do I put myself in these positions. Do I want to gamble here?”  He then turns to Dean and says “if you lose, this will be one of the sickest bad beats ever.”  He tanks for 5 minutes and finally he yells “I call!”  AA for Dean and 105 off suit for Cantu.  HUH, 105 off suit for another 1.5 million more and only 3.3 behind.  Did I just witness this blow up from a big name pro with 20 players left in the WSOP main event?  WTF is going on?  Anyways, the board bricks off and Dean scoops an absolute monster with AA.

Blinds 60k-120k with a 15k ante

We redraw now b/c it gets down to 18 players.  I draw to the secondary table and I’m actually quite relieved.  I really don’t remember many hands but I start to lose chips a bit.  I get down to about 7 million or so but I keep my cool.  I am so card dead and just play ABC poker.  I haven’t done anything creative like squeezes or reraises light and I bleed chips down to about 6.5 million.

Blinds 80k-160k with a 20k ante

I was hoping to open it up this level and I start in early position with AK off to 360k.  Craig reraises me to 1.1 million.  I elect to reraise here to 2.8 million straight, he tanks and finally folds.  A round later, a very tight player Owen Crowe opens for 325k and I reraise to 900k total with AKo.  He deliberates and folds.  The very next hand Owen opens for 325k and I reraise to 900k with QQ.  He tanks this time for a minute and finally folds.  Well I quickly chip back up to 10 million straight and start to feel real good.

Chino raises my BB to 375k and I defend with A3h.  The flop comes 1053 all diamonds.  I check and he fires 450k.  I elect to call B/C his flop bet seemed weak to me.  I’m hoping to represent a bigger hand later in the hand.  The turn is the 8d and I check with the intention of giving up.  The river brings the 4s and I decide to represent a big flush and put a small bluff bet of 525k.  He quickly calls with the Q5d and I obviously muck.  Bad play for sure.  It’s obvious he’s going to bluff if he didn’t have the flush on the turn.  This was just stupid.  If I were to bluff I have to bet huge which would also be stupid.  I should have saved the 525k or the 450k bet on the turn.  So dumb, so dumb.

I lose a few hands here and there and blind down to about 5.5 million.  Craig opens for 425 and Chris reraises to 1.1 million.  He had just did this exact thing a few hands ago and reraised twice in the last orbit.  This is just like me when I had AK, AK, and QQ in about a 6 hand window.  I now look on the button with JJ and this is just a painful spot.  I know 100% Chris is not raising light here b/c of his previous reraises so I deliberate for about 2 minutes.  I know the best case scenario for me is JJ vs. AK and even than I don’t like it.  I have no chips invested in the pot and it takes all my strength to fold the best hand I’ve seen all day.  After, Chris says to pick a card and I pick a red Ace so I know he has to have AKh or AA.  Oh well.

Blinds 100k-200k with a 30k ante

I’m getting a bit anxious b/c I’m so card dead and since we are playing 6 handed each on both tables I’m starting to feel more pressure.  I raise with 1010 utg to 600k and Darus smooth calls after asking me how much I have left.  I know this is a medium strength tell but as soon as he calls I feel Craig is going to try and squeeze here.  Sure enough he raises to 1.7 million and everyone mucks to me.  Immediately, my instincts say move in for the 4.5 million total and a 3.4 million raise.  However, at this stage and this amount of money I begin to study a bit.  I stare at him and honestly this guy is nails.  I get nothing, I really sensed strength and I tank for about 3 minutes.  I can’t believe this BS is happening.  UGH!  What a predicament I’m in.  I’m only playing for 9 million.  I finally trust my read and not my instinct and fold.  Darus then shows AQ and folds.  Craig than tables 73c for a successful squeeze.  He shouldn’t have showed me that hand.  I picked up some information I hope to use at the final table.  Either way, I’m still bleeding chips and starting to really feel the pressure.

We are now 11 handed and Chino limps and I limp from the sb with Ac3d.  The BB, Darus checks.  The flop is 652 with 2 clubs and I take a stab and bet 325k into the pot.  Darus folds and Chino calls.  The turn is the 4s and I lead for 500k with bottom straight.  Chino deliberates than raises 800k more.  This is absolutely BS.  I know he likes to limp with suited connectors and I know that he is capable of making a play here.  He had just lost a pot like 2 hands before when he flopped the nut straight and lost to runner-runner full house.  This is an absolutely brutal spot for me.  With the flush draw he could have the 7c with maybe the 9c or even the 78 suited.  I’m really in a tough spot but folding on the turn seems way too weak.  I can call and test to see if he will triple barrel bluff or give up.  The river paired the 6 and I check and he bets 1.2 million into 3.3 million pot.  I’m just so confused and burning.  After about 2 minutes I finally call.  He shows the 78d and scoops a fatty.  This just sucks.  I’m now down to 3 million and really stressing out.  11 handed and I’m really, really short.

I blind down for two orbits and hovering about 2.5 million or so.  Joe Bishop raises, Darus reraises from the BB and Joe quickly calls.  The flop comes Q56 and Darus bets 2.3 million and Joe says “Let’s play for all these and moves in.”  Darus tanks for 2 minutes and then finally calls with KK and Joe tables AQ.  The Kings hold and Joe is down to about 7.5 million from his 15 million dollar stack.  The very next hands Joe raises to 700 and I look down at 88 on the button and move in for 2 million total.  Joe goes into the tank and then finally says “I call”.  78d for him and 88 for me.  What a great spot for me.  I had no idea I was in this good of shape.  The flop comes A1010 turn 7 and river 2 and I hold to put me at 4.5 million.  The very next hand, Chino opens for 550k and Joe says “all in!” for his last 4.5 million.  Chino calls.  22 for Chino and A3 for Joe.  The flop comes A35, turn Q, river 4, and everyone screams b/c now we combine for the final 10 and play down to one more.  This is such a disaster for Joe.  He compounded his mistake when the tightest player on the table reraised him out of the blinds.  He literally lost 15 million in chips in 3 consecutive hands and busted out 11^th.  Wow.

The final 10 playing down to 9.  Blinds still 100k-200k with a 30k ante

I start the final 10 with a 4.5 million dollar stack.  The next lowest has about 9 million so the pressure at this point is unbelievable.  I know I’m a huge favorite to bust out first and everyone is eyeing my stack.  That’s ok.  I know how to play short and I’m going to play my best game no matter what.

On the very first hand Craig opens to 525 and Ylon makes it 1.1 million more.  Craig than reraises to 4 million straight and Ylon moves in and Craig ultimately folds.  I knew he didn’t have much and this guy is not playing smart IMHO.  I literally fold for 2 orbits and blind down to 3.3 million.  Peter opens to 700k when Dean (real tight player) reraises to 1.9 million.  Then Craig out of the SB pushes all in for a total of 6 million.  Peter deliberates and folds AK and then Dean calls with QQ.  OMG!!!! Could it be, AQ vs. QQ with 2 aces gone?  Dean is an enormous favorite and the flop comes off Jxx with 2 hearts.  Craig has the Qh and the suspense is killing me.  The turn is another heart and the crowd roars with an ooooooohhhhhhhhh!  They wait literally about 2 minutes before turning the river and it is the 5h.  Craig backdoors a flush to scoop this 12 million dollar pot.  WTF is going on?  How can Craig put in the 4^th raise with a hand as little as AQ?  This is absolutely insane and I almost squeaked into the final table on a monumental mistake but to no avail I go back to my seat.

Blinds 120k-240k with a 30k ante

I fold for another orbit then find JJ utg and I’m so burning about this.  It’s a 10 handed game and there is some chance that there is a better hand behind.  However, I know I’m going to get called by hands like 1010 and 99 hundred percent of the time so I move in for 2.9 million and get a walk.  I fold again for an orbit and then move in late position with AK off and get another walk.  These are the only 2 hands I played in the 2 hours waiting for the 10^th player to bust.  It’s already 2am and everyone is absolutely exhausted but I know I’m not giving up.  No F’N way, not now, not ever.

It is funny b/c as the night continued and it was approaching 3am.  Peter and Ivan look at my stack and I know they are just waiting for me to break and do something stupid.  I look at both of them and reply “If I double this up to 6 million we are gonna play until 6am boys.”  If you could have only seen the look of horror in their faces.  It was truly priceless.  LOL!

Dean opens for a raise and someone reraises him and he folds.  He is now down to about 4 million in chips and I know the gap is shrinking between me and him.  Craig keeps mixing it up and I know he’s going to make a key mistake soon.  After about another hour Dean open pushes for 3.6 million from utg.  Craig reshoves for 6 million and everyone folds.  AJ for Dean and QQ for Craig.  What a reversal of fortune.  The flop comes K10x turn K and after another 5 minutes the river blanks off and just like that we are 9 handed.  And I did it.

I REALLY DID IT!!!  I made no mistakes from 13 on and I was shortest from 13 on but I never lost sight of the prize and I really am so proud of this accomplishment.  I have a huge task ahead but in the mean time I get 4 months to soak it in and get all this media exposure doing interviews, etc.  This is truly amazing.  I feel real bad for Dean, he played real solid and he lost as about a 19-1 favorite on a Jxx flop and 2 Aces exposed.  Then he gets it in as a 70-30 dog against Craig and loses to the same person and out on the final table bubble.  What a horrible thing to happen to him. 

Now that it’s all said and done,  I played some amazing poker for 7 days and now I get 4 months off and a chance (not a big chance but a chance none the less) at $9 million and to become the next world champion.  I wish I had just a tad more in chips like 5 million but my goal was to just get here.  I had to change strategies as my reversal of fortune flipped between days 6 and 7.  I made a few minor mistakes along the way but overall I stayed the course and never faltered.  I will say that all my past experiences in these spots really helped me to maintain the course and never give up.  I thought I executed a great game plan each and every day.  If I ran just a bit better I would have a real chance at this thing. 

Overall the whole experience has been truly amazing.  Each and every day I would get up and it wasn’t until days 5-7 that I felt I had a real chance at this.  To put all this in perspective, I am one of the final 9 players of the 6,844 people that entered.  WOW!!!!  I have been all in about 10 times, and out of all those eliminations I only have 4 bounties to account for.  But I did it and we did it together.  I survived each and every day, and each day I survived so did the dream.  I have prepared so long for this moment and I never lost focus of the big prize.  There is only two more days left and in between I’m gonna enjoy every moment of it.  It’s so surreal and it still hasn’t sank in yet.   I know you guys rode the ride from beginning to end and I thank you all for that.  Hopefully, I get to write two more blogs and not just one.  Thanks again for all your continued support and prayers.

Much love,

KK

Ok back to reality I remember now why I stopped playing tournaments. It’s the pain, especially when the stakes are so high. However, a lot of interesting hands happened so here we go.

Level 12, 1000-2000 with 300 ante

I chip up pretty easily without much confrontation. I re-raise the button out of the SB with 2c3c and he folds after some consideration. I win another pot when I call a raise after another person calls on the button with 10d9d. The flop comes off J108 rainbow and it gets checked to me so I check as well. I have a big hand, but not huge, and don’t want to play too big a pot here. The turn comes a Qs and Mr. C (Mr. Cannon the 2^nd) bets 15k which I call and the other player folds. The river comes a brick and he checks and I check to gladly take the pot here. I’m up to 190k and Mr. C just lost a huge pot and is down to about 63k. He limps in late position, I have AK on the button and raise to 11k. He then limp re-raises to 31k total. I decide to move in here considering the situation and his range probably has an Ace a lot of the time. In this spot there is no way I have the worst of it and I decide to race for a 130k pot. He calls with 99 and the flop comes off Q10x turn x river 10 and I lose out on this monster pot. I end this level with 130k and I’m not feeling good.

Level 13, 1200-2400 with 400 ante

I raise on the button to 6800 with QQ and the BB re-raises me to 25k total. He has about 115k and I have him covered by 30k or so. I decide to move in here. He folds and I show him QQ. I sensed a bit of weakness and I really felt he was making a play anyways so I just wanted to end it there. This pot puts me at about 165k or so. 30 minutes later, I raise to 6500 with the QdJd and Mr. C defends. The flop comes off KK2 rainbow and he checks so I bet 7500 and after about 30 seconds he re-raises to 15k more. I take about 40 seconds and decide to re-raise 25k more to represent a King here. After about 1 minute he folds. He claims that he had QQ, which I believe about 60% here. I saw him lay down AA on a KQQ board between SB and BB where there were 3 bets pre-flop. I really don’t think I can lay down the AA hand there. I was actually impressed. Anyways, I’m really dialed in because I just 3 bet light on the flop where I never do. I just really felt that I could win the pot there. I chip up to 200k during this level.

Level 14, 1500-3000 with a 500 ante

This level was the death of me. It’s costing me 9k a round and I literally fold for the first 2 rounds. The third round I raise with 77 to 8k and Nam makes it 25k total. I deliberate for about a minute and decide to see a flop for 17k more. The flop comes of K62 and I check fold to an 18k bet. I have no idea what he has but I decide to just fold this hand. I blind down to about 160k and than I raise to 9k with KK and Jack Boghessian moves in for 61k. I call and he tables AhQh. The flop comes off 345 with 2 hearts. What a terrible flop for me… I’m already feeling sick. The turn pairs the 3 and the river comes the 2h to give him both a straight and the nut flush. OK so I lose my 2^nd 140k pot of the day. I’m down to 100k now and I’m already feeling the pain. A tight player in seat 9 who has been very active this level amassing a healthy stack now raises to 9500 and I re-raise to 26500 with Q10. I think this is where I made a mistake in this tournament. I’m trying to represent a huge hand here by re-raising kind of small and to try to win it obviously pre-flop. I know this player is a thinking player and so my re-raise represents so much strength. Anyways, he calls the extra 17k. The flop comes off K10x and I have 75k left. After about a minute he decides to bet 40k, essentially putting me all-in. I’m really sick and I fold here. Last year or the year before I know I would have just folded my hand here because 100k is still a manageable stack but now having 75k puts me in a crucial situation. This tournament I really played with my instinct and made some plays I never ever tried before but to do this given my chip stack is just plain stupid. I mean, it could be considered genius but the consequence is too severe. I can try this play if I still had a 150k stack or so. Anyways, this is where I really think I blew it so to speak. After this hand I blind down for 2 orbits and finish the level with about 55k.

Level 15, 2000-4000 with a 500 ante

We are really getting close to the money now and I’m nursing a short stack. I’m ok with it because playing a short stack is one of my biggest strengths. I dip to as low as 41k with 67 players left (63^rd getting 22k). I’m really in a stressful situation here. I played for 3 days and to go out here is just a really sick feeling. I move in the cut off with Q10 for 41k and Antonio Esfandiari literally takes 2 minutes before he folds out of the SB. I finally get a walk and pick up the 10500 in chips to put me at 52k. I fold for another orbit and move in the cutoff with 99 in the exact same spot the round before. Antonio takes 30 seconds this time and finally folds. I wanted a call here. 2 hands later I pick up QdJd with 51k and open push. The button calls me with AcQc. The flop comes off K9x turn Q river a blank and just like that I’m out 67^th out of 665. Good for zero dollars and a waste of 3 days of poker. Folding here is really close in fact, given the consequence of losing this pot. However, there is no insurance that I would have a better spot to get it in. There was only one shorter stack as well. The blinds were going up to 3000-6000 with a 1k ante in 20 minutes; this would mean it would cost me 18k a round. I have 51k here so I would literally have less than 3 rounds.

Overall I think I played some of my best poker in my life. Do I have any regrets? Yes, I should have folded the Q10 instead of getting too fancy. I didn’t give enough warrant to my chip count and consequence of losing that hand. Do I think I became a better tournament player? Absolutely. In fact this is the first time after busting out of a tournament of this magnitude that I can say that yes I became a better player over the last 3 days. I played with more heart than I ever have and I really feel that this time around I was in a prime position to go real deep. But after a lapse of judgment at the end I came up a tad short. I won’t let this happen ever again. Honestly, some people would say I wish I just lost in the first day so I didn’t waste my time and that it wouldn’t hurt so much. Initially I felt this way but after some reflection I’m completely comfortable with the outcome and the result. Sure there is a lot of disappointment. After running such a long race, finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and to just come up lame down the stretch, it really hurts. All in all, I’m excited for another opportunity of playing another major tournament this year.

Thanks everyone and your support. Again I am sorry for the disappointment that we all share together. It’s extra tough when you feel that you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and everyone is hoping for you to do well. Anyways, thanks again everyone.

KK

I’m excited to play and I know I need to get off to a good start because I’m a bit below average. So I start the day in seat 5, Joe Tehan is to my immediate left with 63k. The stacks on my table are very reasonable with the low stack at about 17k. Joe has the big stack and I’m right in the middle with 27k. The blinds start off at 200-400 with a 25 ante. I fold for the first round and then I raise after just looking at a 10d in late position. The button calls and everyone else folds. The flop comes off K105 with 2 spades and I make a continuation bet of 1500 which he calls. The turn comes a Qs to put a flush out there and I look down and see another 10………wow. So I check my set and he bets pretty big 4k. Now, I’m pretty sure I have the best hand here but he could have AJ with no spade so I just call. The river comes a 9h…what a horrible card. I check, he checks behind and my set is good. SWEET!!!! Up to 33k and feeling good.

Shortly after, I raise with K7s in late position and seat 2 calls behind me. From what I’ve seen before I label him a cannon (I’ll to refer to him as Mr. C). The flop comes 10106 and I make a continuation bet of 2k, which he calls. As he calls he grabs a big stack of chips. From my experience, it’s a weak tell so I think he’s floating me with no hand here. The turn comes an 8 and now I have a gut shot draw. I decide to put him to the test and bet 5500. After 30 seconds he folds. Whew. Up to 40k and I’m feeling real good. I literally fold for an hour and end the level with 32k.

Level 7, 300-600 with 75 ante

I raise to 1700 with JJ UTG and 3 people call, including Mr. C (he definitely lives up to the billing putting max pressure and now has a 65k stack). The flop comes off 1096 with 2 diamonds and I check trying to play a small pot. The 3^rd player bets 5k, Mr. C calls and now it’s up to me. I deliberate for about 1 minute. I think folding, calling, and raising are all viable options because that flop is so bad for my hand. I just felt I had the best hand. But if I raise here I’m committing to this hand, so I elect to call. The turn comes an 8h putting a 4 to a straight on the board. I check, the 3^rd player checks and then Mr. C bets 14k. Now I go into the tank. I have 26k and I literally take about 5 minutes to decide what to do. I just felt that given his image and his range I really felt I had the best hand. At this point I gave him either 2 pair, a flush draw, or a straight. Anyways, I call the 14k leaving myself 12k left and the other player folds. The river is a 3h, I check and Mr. C puts me all-in after about 20 seconds. I call for my whole tournament and he says my favorite words in this spot “nice call.” He tables K2d for a busted flush draw and I scoop an 80k pot with the whole table looking at me in pure shock. I mean, I could’ve made the dumbest call there or the greatest, but I’m just glad I made it.

I raise to 1800 with 99 in late position and Joe T makes it 5k to go. Given our stack sizes it’s a clear call so I do. I know he’s not messing around with me and he hasn’t re-raised all day so I know he either has a big over pair or AK. The flop comes 823 rainbow and I check and Joe bets 7.5k. I take about 1 minute and call. I thought about raising it small but I decide to call. If Joe bets big on the turn I’m giving it up. The turn comes a 10 and I check and he checks. River is a 9…….BAM!!! I lead for 15k and he folds QQ. I mean that’s such a sick lay down. This guy plays so damn good.

I raise to 1800 in the cutoff with 99 again and Joe T re-raises to 5k. Déjà vu (LOL). I call and the flop comes A109 and I check and call 8k. The turn comes a 10 to give me a full house and this time I lead for 10k. I think Joe probably has AK here and I know he’s going to check the turn for pot control but I want to extract the max. He calls. Now I know for sure I have him exactly where I want him. The river is a 4 and I lead for 18k. He takes about a minute and calls me. Just like that the big dog is up to 130k going into the break. THAT’S WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!

Level 8, 400-800 with 100 ante

This level I don’t play any pots and build my stack up to 145k pretty easily. The average at this point is only about 55k so I’m very healthy, probably top 10 in the tournament. I finally lose a big pot here. Everyone folds to the small blind who opens pushing for 12k and I look down from the BB to see AcQc. I think for about 30 seconds and call. He tables KQ and I’m pretty excited to get up to 160k or so. The flop is 10 xx with 2 clubs. The turn is a blank and the river is a Kh. So sick. He just hit a 2 outer to double up to 30k and I drop down to 125k.

Level 9, 500-1000 with 100 ante

Mr. C busts out during this level and we get Haralabos. He puts on major pressure raising and re-raising a lot of pots. I defend my BB to him with the 67 of clubs. The flop comes 598 with 2 diamonds and I check and he bets 5500. I make it 20500 and he quickly folds. I’m ok with that because that flop has a lot of draws. Nothing really materializes in this level and I go card dead, but maintain 130k.

Level 10, 600-1200 with 200 ante

Honestly, I don’t really remember playing a big pot or any pot for that matter in this level. I raise like twice every 3 orbits and limp maybe once every other orbit. I maintain my stack and finish around 130k.

Oh yeah, I remember one hand. I limp in the SB with QQ and Tad Jurgens in the BB makes it 3k more. I fully expected this and I just smooth call. The flop comes off J74 all spades, and I have the Qs. I check and call a 6k bet. I feel he is strong here and I don’t want to play a huge pot. The turn comes a 5s, I check and he checks. The river is a blank and I check trying to induce a bluff and he checks. He says “Ace Jack no spade.” I show him my queens and he is shocked (and so is the whole table). Sometimes, I play hands like this mostly to control the pot and for deception so I get free flops out of the SB.

Level 11, 800-1600 with 200 ante

Finally, the last level of the night. I didn’t play any big pots here either but I want to talk about such a sick hand between Haralabos and another player. This Asian kid opens on the button for 4500. He has about 90k and Harb has about the same. Harb has been hammering this guy, re-raising him and out playing him post flop. You can actually see it in his eyes that he wants to win a pot from Harb. Anyways, the flop comes 457 with 2 hearts. Harb checks, the Asian kid bets 6k and Harb raises to 20k. The kid calls, the turn is a Js and Harb bets 37k. This kid takes about 30 seconds then moves in for 78k and Harb insta calls. Harb shows 77 and the kid shows A8 off-suit. ARE YOU F’N KIDDING ME?! This kid played solid for 9 hours and he just blows up in a spot where there is no fold equity (and Harb has to have a hand here 100% of the time). The river is a Kh and Harb just won a 200k pot. This is so sick. I never get gifts like this. With 30 minutes left in the night I get moved to the sickest table ever. Antonio Esfandiari in seat 1, Anna Wobrewski in seat 2, Phil Ivey in seat 4, David Singer in seat 6, and David Benyamine in seat 9. Thank God there is only 30 minutes left in this level. Anyways, I fold for my first round and finally play a hand when I re-raise Anna W with 46 off on the button. She folds and I pick up this pot. 3 minutes later the day if over.

I ended up finishing with 158,800, which probably puts 23rd. Average is around 100k. I really felt I played great today. I stuck my head out with my Jacks but I really felt good about my play. I never had any big hands, I picked up QQ once and KK once. I’m just excited to be still in with a healthy stack. I hope I get a good table tomorrow. I really feel that I’m zoned in right now and playing great.

KK

I haven’t blogged in a long time and I really wanted to start writing more this year. So here we go.

Wow, what a difference a day makes. I arrived late on Friday debating whether or not to play the last super satellite of the night for many hours. This year I’ve played one tournament all year and last year I probably played about 10. The 3 years prior I would play about 30-50 tournaments a year. Last year I decided to focus more on cash games and on building a bankroll that way, while in previous years I would dream about the big score and the glory of taking down a major. I guess when you get close so many times, coming up short and ultimately losing, the disappointment starts to become too much to take. I play a fairly straight forward tight aggressive style, but when I put all my chips in I rarely have the worst of it so losing was very destructive to my mental state, especially when it happens so deep into tournaments. I guess this is the nature of tournament poker. However, I’m not going to bore you with bad beat stories.

Anyways, I enter into the satellite 30 minutes late and we start with 3k in chips (so 30k late would be the average). There were 563 entrants and they gave away 51 seats. With about 100 people left I have 55k when the average was around 15k or so and I’m almost guaranteed a seat as long as I don’t do anything stupid. And a few hours later, just like that I’m in. I have a really good feeling about this tournament, I feel fresh and have a renewed passion for tournament poker and am just plain excited.

After much needed rest I arrive about 10 minutes late for the tournament and miss my favorite words: “shuffle up and deal.” I scan the table and notice a few tournament players but no big names except Steve Brecher, an FTP pro. We start with 20k in chips and blinds are 25-50 with 1.5 hour levels. WOW, now that’s a lot of play. My table is really tight, a lot of raise and take it, and not too many re-raises. In fact, we don’t bust a player until 30 minutes before the end of the day. That’s pretty tough when everyone is playing that tight and you look around and see monster stacks everywhere.

The first few hours were pretty boring. I play through the first level and end up with about 18k. Nothing really materializes and I don’t play any big pots. In the 3^rd level (100-200 blinds) I raise on the button with Qc8c to 600 and the BB, who I already know is going to re-raise, makes it 2k to go. I played with this guy yesterday and I labeled him a cannon because he continued to raise when he had 70k and we were playing hand for hand in the super. Surprisingly, today he played pretty solid poker. Anyways, I expected this raise and I decide to re-raise to 6100 leaving myself 9k left (I never ever do this, in fact this might be my first time ever 4 betting light). After about a long minute he folds. WHEW!!!!!!! That was risky.

So now I’m back up to 18k, and in the next level with a 25 ante I decide its time to start playing faster. We have been playing for 4.5 hrs and no one has yet to bust. So sick. Anyways, I re-raise two diff times with no hands and pick up pots. So far tonight I have re-raised 4 times and twice I had air but all 4 times no one called. No huge fluctuations for me or anyone at my table for that matter. Still have about 20k.

The player I 4 bet earlier raises to 1k in our last level with the blinds at 150-300 and a 50 ante. I defend from the SB with 99 and flop comes off K25, all hearts. I have the 9 of hearts and I check, and he checked. We have played a few small pots earlier with a lot of checking and continuation bets so I’m pretty sure I have the best hand here. The turn comes a K, I lead for 1500 and he calls. The river comes a black 8 and I lead for 1500, again trying to extract value and maintain pot size, but he comes over the top for 5k total. I quickly called because I’m pretty sure he can show a bluff here a lot of the time but to my disgust he shows me AJh. He flopped the nuts. I’m feeling sick, down to 13k and not happy with only 40 minutes left in the round.

I start this hand with about 14k, raise UTG to 800 with the J10c and the BB defends. The flop is AQ9 with 1 club and I bet 1100 which he calls. The turn comes a 5c which gives me a flush draw along with my open ended straight draw. He checks, I bet 2.5k and he min raises me to 5k. I call leaving myself with 8k. I close my eyes and literally pray to make a hand. To my delight the 8d comes on the river giving me the nuts. He leads for 6k and I quickly move in for my 8k total. He calls and shows AA. OUCH!!!!!!!! But now I have 28k with about 15 minutes left in the day. I crippled the man and he busts 2 hands later.

Overall, the texture of my table was real weak tight but no one played big pots the whole night. There was only one other big pot where both players had sets in the hand. Given how the day went and the situation of playing with the same players all day I’m really excited about ending the day with 27.5k. I made a few re-raises earlier but I never really had a hand all day. Tomorrow we redraw so I hope I have a better table. I’m especially proud of my 4 bet even though that’s really risky. I want to add this to my repertoire and use once in a while in special circumstances. We lost about a 3^rd of the field today, so I’m going to be slightly below average tomorrow. Most importantly, I’m really motivated to play my best poker and am excited about playing for such a large amount of money (1^st place gets a little over $1.5 million).

Hopefully, I’ll have a lot of good things to write tomorrow.

KK