Mid WSOP Update...few more cashes

My last blog I left off heading into the $1500 NL Shootout. I drew a pretty decent table for this and was really happy with how I went about playing it. I managed to have the Chip lead and get 3 handed and just literally run over the other 2 guys. I was in a zone and they only could win hands when they flopped big. I got heads up with a nice guy named Joe and he gave me a few compliments about my game and said it to the dealers too that he needed to get lucky to beat me…and that always feels good as a player to get respect…so thanks again Joe if you read this! So I went on to win my first table and was guaranteed $5k, I had the rest of the night to relax which was pretty nice, considering I haven’t had much time off. Going into the second table and Day 2, there wasn’t many good table draws, as alot of beasts won their tables. I had Scott Montgomery, Elky, Sabat, Mattros, BHanks and a few others to deal with. I actually managed to double up really early when I 3bet KK and Mattros 4bet TT and somehow the flop came T high but the turn was a K, and I felt great having a big stack. I got all the way to 4 handed and lost a key pot where I played a hand way different than I normally do…and I still like my line it just didn’t work out and I lost a big pot and ultimately got short and played another hand, this time against Montgomery where I check raised the flop and overshoved the turn and he tank called w TT on K694ss board and I missed my spade draw and live ace. I busted 4th and kind of regretted playing those 2 hands that way, it just wasn’t my style and neither one worked.

I played the 2-7 Championship $10k buyin and felt extremely comfortable the whole time. Day one I had Huck, Lindgren, Bord, Raymer, Rolland and Deeb at my table and held my own all day and bagged chips. Coming back for Day 2, I had Eli, Giang, Lind and Seiver to deal with. I was able to chip up and felt like I was playing great every hand. They finally break our table and I ran a nice bluff on an unknown guy but then a hand or two later I lost a big one. Tom Scheider was extremely short and shoved all in, I decided to isolate with a 76 draw and John Monnette right behind me shoved, I was priced in to call as he was pretty short and I had to draw 1, he stood pat w a T8 and I drew an A…and that started my downfall. I couldn’t recover and again needed to draw a good card for my tourney life, 10 away from a huge cash and I couldn’t hit…I busted in like 24th or 25th and was really bummed about this one. It would of been huge for me to make the $ or FT this one!

Next up was a big one again, the $5k Shootout and my table was pretty absurd. Myself, Jetten, Waxman, Dewitt, Hall, Marchese, Brooks, and Nickdawg. I was happy with my play again and actually chipped up nice, got 4 handed again and decided to go with a read against Dewitt in a big spot, and he tanked forever and called and I was behind w AT on 96AK he had 96. I didn’t hit and got short, lost a flip and busted 4th…ughh, coulda got heads up and had a shot…o well.

My parents were coming into town and I was playing the $1500 on Saturday…they have never watched live before and wanted to see everything, so they got to see the whole WSOP setup and watched me play a little on Day 1. I went on to bag chips and they came for Day 2 as we got close to the $, I was extremely short with like 12k at 600/1200. I got lucky w 99 against AA and doubled up, and from there I never really looked back…I just chipped up constantly and we were losing players fast. My first step back was when this kid who limped 90% of the time limped and was just talking about how he wanted to go home a few hands before this, I look down at 88 and shove, folds to him and he decided to call w JcTc and the flop was clean but he hit a J on the turn and I lost half my stack and was not in good shape anymore with 10 big blinds. My parents were such soldiers, staying on the rail for like 12 hours! I bagged about 10 big blinds at like 3am and went onto Day 3 with 35 left and $600k plus the bracelet goin to 1st place! I needed a double early and I was patient and got it in with 88 after busting a guy shorter than me…I won a flip and felt like I was def final tabling this now. We redrew at 27 and I lost a hand or 2 and the blinds were so high I got back to 11 bb, the button raised, I shoved 33 from the sb, he called with 99 and I was out 23rd. I had an amazing time with my parents here and it was a fun ride again, but the run good ran out…and it felt different this time…I kinda accepted the fact that I was saved with a suckout on Day 2 and won a few races to even be there…so I wasn’t as upset as normal, although after I doubled on Day 3 I expected a final table. $19k for 23rd and onto the next one! 3rd cash of 2011 and alot of events left.

The $2500 today went great for an hour, up to 10k then AJKHoosier beat my QQ with KJ for 7k and I dont think I won a hand after that. It’s ok, I really didn’t want to miss the Amazing NHL Awards show tomorrow anyway! It’s my 3rd year going and what an awesome time its gonna be!

Next tourney should be Thursdays $5k 6 Max NL…pretty sure I recall this one giving a nice boost to my career back in 09…lookin forward to it!

Thanks again everyone for the support on twitter, facebook and thanks for reading!