Playing Main Event Tomorrow

. A middle aged guy who played ok and was sitting very deep at 40000 dollars limped UTG for 50 bucks. A good young player then made a small raise to 175. I found AA right behind him in MP and raised to 675 with 11800 dollars behind. To my amazement, the UTG player called 625 more dollars cold after it was folded back to him. The original raiser called 500 more and the three of us saw K93 rainbow. They checked to me, and I bet 1300 into 2100. The limper thought for 30 seconds and raised to 3400 total. The original raiser folded, and I thought for a while and called. It is so hard to put a player on a hand when he limps for 50 dollars and then calls 625 more cold out of position. I think I should either call and commit myself to the hand on the flop or fold right there, in retrospect. It is such a sick spot. The turn was an offsuit 9 for a completely rainbow board. The player thought for 15 seconds and announced all-in for a pot-sized bet of my last 8400. I thought for about two minutes and folded AA faceup. The player insta-tabled AQ for no hand no draw. I finally decided to make a huge laydown because I thought he can have nothing but KK. It seems unusual for him to play Kings full so fast, but my hand is pretty faceup and I know I would move in there if I thought the opponent had Aces. I was convinced the player would never make this bet with AK, and there was an outside chance that the player just went crazy with 98s or T9s preflop.

Anyway, I am playing the main event, day 1c, tomorrow. I've spent the last two days just relaxing and fighting off this cold. I am really feeling well and ready to make something happen in this main event. If you can't get excited about playing this one then you're in the wrong business. I finished 577th in last year's Main Event for around 20000 dollars. It was recorded as "Shannon Shore" so every poker site on record doesn't have me as finishing ITM in that one :( I hope to best that finish this year. Unfortunately, I'll be playing in the Player's Pavilion because I bought in pretty late. I assume that my table will be broken somewhat early because they empty the tent first. Table draw is so, so important in this event, so hopefully mine has lots of online qualifiers. I likely won't have updates until tomorrow night, so follow pokernews.com for updates. I don't think I'll answer my phone or respond to text messages.

SS