Heads Up Quarter Finals

My quarter finals match is against Lee Nelson, who is an American Expatriate who now makes his home in New Zealand. He is the author of several books including Kill Phil and Kill Everyone, and won the Main Event of The Aussie Millions in 2006. The first match started out close with both of us trying to play small ball. I took a small lead then got lucky in a hand when we both had aces, and I hit my kicker after we were all in. The second match went the other way; I ground out a pretty good lead then lost after my money went in ahead. I clawed my way back to almost even and after flopping top pair turned three of a kind, while he slow played a flush. The third match went on for 90 minutes and had taken a good lead with about 70% of the chips when I limped on the button with AQ suited. He raised all in, and I called. He tabled A8 and the flop and turn were blanks and the river brought a Q.

My next match started out well and I took an earl lead playing lots of small pots. When he was down to 25% remaining in chips I looked down at AK and limped from the button. He raised 3BB and I re-raised him all in. He insta-called and flipped over 99. The board came blanks and he made it back to even. A few hands later He raised from the button 3bb, I looked down at JJ and re-raised. He went all in and I called. He showed K Q. In the window came a K and I was down 0-1. The second match a slowly ground him down 20% of his chips and again lost a coin flip A Q to 77. I got him down to 20% again and finally closed him out with QQ Vs. JJ, I flopped a Q and breathed a sigh of relief. The third and final match I started out well and took an early lead and again got him to 25% in chips and looked down at AQ in a raised pot and put him all in. He called with 10 10, and I did not improve my hand. He had a slight chip lead on me when I raised from the button 3 BB with K 9. The flop came 9 5 2 and he checked, I bet pot sized and he called. Then came a K on the turn and I bet the pot again, and he moved all in. With top two and the second nut flush draw I called and he flipped over A 6. I finished in a tie for third.

I would like to recognize a good player and a great guy I met down here from Key Largo Florida. Steven Miller, Ph.D. is a marine biologist, and aspiring pro poker player who really did well He finished 15^th in the main event, cashing 100k and got his money in good with A J against Max Pescatore's K 10. Steven was looking good until the river when a 10 fell.

Tomorrow I am taking the day off to go Kite Boarding and we have the closing party tomorrow night. The I head to Hong Kong for a night, followed by Borgata.

The Oracle