First Blood.....

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June 18th 2011

Published: June 20th 2011

So after some difficulty travelling i have arrived in vegas...and have started with a bang.

too sleepy and jetlagged to meet up with the lads i hibernated night 1... and boy has it paid dividends..

day 2 in vegas started with a trip to venetian to play the $550 entry deepstack event. i was getting Ak AQ and AJ frequently... but with dry boards it was costly and found myself down to a half stack by the second level.

Not good. I ended up going out with K 10 on a board of K 6 9 K 7 ... only to be called by k6. wasnt meant to be but i felt unfulfilled for the day so figured i may head over to the rio where to wsop is playing

For those who havent heard recently online poker had been banned for US players and thus only real live games are available for the YAnks... who make up around 70% perent of the market. not good for an online player like myself... as potential money pits have been drying up.

so there has been a fear that without on line qualifying etc.. this years WSOP may be a ghost town. dont worry its not. in fact the main event sattelites are flourishing as the this is the only way that the masses can gain entry. and being the weekend the tables were pumping. there are $1000 single table satellites (winner take all) $550 qualifiers and $330 ones. There are so many tables that Buzio'a restaurant outside seating area has been replaced with poker tables to accomodate the rush!! Ridiculous

Even though i had already won my main event seat i love these satelites and wolus take to 10k cash which is possible so whacked down the $330 to have a go. there were 104 runners which equated to 3 seats available. Jono asked me if there had been a change in the environment in the US poker scene and before i could cite the buzios rest example of the desperation... i witnessed at bloke go all in after a raise and a re raise with 10 8 off suit. geezus!! $330 down the drain!!! QQ called and ko'ed him... lucky as the 10 and 8 actually bothe hit...so did a Q though... christ i thought... im back at crown in melbourne

With the donkey poker all around me i pit the beast to sleep like Makybe Diva... waiting for the cards to make a run. hadnt seen much by the time we were down to 50 but was averaged stacked and feeling ok. with 4 tables left i made a good fold when i raised my BB to a late limper. holding 66 i knew i was behind and open folded showing the sixes and the bloke was honest enought to show KK. i was wrapt that it went down like that with my opponent offering me all his worldly advice on how i should play etc afterwards "dont go silly young man.... etc" "play tight you are still a chance here" etc... More than happy to look like a donkey tourist i played the role to perfection. The 66 fold was the key to the rest of my game from here on in. pretending to use the man on my right as a mentor, even tank folding 88 to an all in and call. (which i was always doing) showing him my hand, with oscar winning pained expression on my dial. This poor bloke didnt know that he was an unwilling support actor in the performance. and he and the rest of the table were about to be 'punk'd" by yours truly.

with the 88 fold, post hand discussion went on between me and my 'mentor'... (as the hand would have held up as the other two all ins were AK vs AQ. the rest of the table joined in with the discussion .... all hearing my hand etc... this was great. i now had the whole table sucked in to the table image in wanted to scuplt. supoer tight scared money player who will be rock solid when i eventually shove. no way known im getting called on my first all in. all i need is a decent pot to steal and ill be well chipped for a possible final table.

sure enough it comes when my mentor of all people raises a once limped pot. i put him on AJ and when i looked down at 22 i knew this was my steal. hell... i could make him fold 10s down i figured, maybe JJ. he hates my all in and reluctanly calls. i know im good for know. please brick the flop.... he turns over A8 of diamonds and the table is shocked by his call... (imagine... ive been taking advice from this so called mentor...who is about to stack off with a weak ace) well if the table was murmuring with his hand they went into disbelief when my 22 rolled over. i know if the hand holds this tournament is mine... even with 31 remaining. The twos hold up i double through my disgusted 'mentor' and the table now thinks im a spastic. This is perfect for me... they will now happily call my next few raises. and they WILL be behind. i hadnt seen AK of anything above 99 yet. i know they are coming too... look out bitches its about to get violent

and here it comes. a pot forms with two limpers. once again in have 66 remember that hand? wisely this time call too, and the blinds to the same. its a 5 way pot. please show me a 6 on the flop is all i can think to smash a monster. BINGO! The flop lands 6 6 J. i have the stone cold nuts. i cannot be beaten 4 of a kind. while im working out how the play the hand for maximum value the BB bets the pot. first limper shoves.... wow... this in unbelievable. all the work here is done for me! i just need to make the other guy call I wait 2 minutes and ask for count on the BB stack. i need him to have AJ or a flush draw... hopefully ace high to maximise. i put in and hope, sadly he folds... i make my apologies to the shover for the theatrics and table the nuts. POW. the table is in shock. the donkey got luky they think.... or are they getting duped? intertesting....

to add insult to injury i credit the play to my mentor who is sitting to my right still with very little chips. "remember when i had 66 before ands you had KK.... i did it differnt cos of you" he hates it. Then hates me more when i knock him with out to his ealy position shove with KQ. he has 6 3 and is spiiting chips. "how do you not put me on an ace?" i dont answer. we are down to 2 tables. Time to go back to sleep and make i run to final table. i can win this

i make an importany fold just before the FT with AK... which allows me to get there. im about 7th in chips but know i havent seen the big hans yet. i make i few all ins with ace rag to chip up and watch the opponents drop off. Ther are some big ko's KK Vs AK with and ace on the river etc... and i have hung arounf to be fith or so in chips with 6 or 7 left. there are 3 shortstacks. i dont want to attck them. i want to arttackk the 2nd and 3rd high stacks. they will play tight and not want to play me. there is one bigstack he can eliminate the small fry. all is going to plan and im finding myself i a great position. one of the bigger stacks makes a raise and i look down at AQ . i am going all in praying for a fold. He is likely to call with 10s or jacks and its 50/50. im not putting him on AA or KK with his bet size. the only hand i dont want to see is AK. he calls.... gulp... i now know its AK and im in terrible shape. sadly i'm correct he turns over AK. Three outs to win... id played well and arent disapppointed in a 6th finish i think...

BAMMMMM! i spike a Q on the flop look the fuck out. if this holds i am home for a seat. please no king.... please... could it be that i come from behing for a change. its usually me getting robbed when dominating someone. BANG! Q on the turn. its over.. and the river K is harsh for the poor bloke who thumps the table with what Rhonda the dealer dished out. wow. ther are now 3 big stacks and 3 small. play smart and this is easy

two hands in two small stacks go all in. i see 88 and min raise to signal to my largher stacked mates. that i got this one. My two opponent both table KJ. super... and with the window cars being an 8 we are down to 4. shortly after the last player was eliminated and i won ion first place with $10200. how easy is this game. will play the $1 bracelet event tomorrow now... what a great bankroll builder early i can really have a go at these big tourneys now

the ball is rolling .... wish me luck

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