On to Day 2...

Man, what a day. Right out of the gate I was up to 37k. Pocket 3s and flopped a set. Had pocket Ks about 6 times. Paid off a couple times, but got stung when Tracee from Idaho turned a str. I could have gotten away from it, but the way she bet, oh well. That hand put me back under 27k. Then the roller coaster began, down to under 20k back up to the mid 20s. Our table was a blast, lots of talking by Carlos from TX in seat 5, the 'princess' P(something) in seat 2 and the bald guy from NY in seat 4. We didn't lose our first guy until just before the 4th break. Then we lost John from Falls Church in seat 1 and then the French fella in seat 3.

I finished the night just under right at 9500. We play 4 levels on Wed and the blinds will be 250/500 with a 50 ante. Short stacked I'll be looking to double or triple up early. With about 30min left in the night I was right around 15k. I looked down at AA in the BB and was looking at a raise from the 3 seat who just sat down. I reraised all in and he called with AQoff. The dealer announced all in at 13 and a call. As usual a ton of people came over from other tables, the espn crew who had been around our table all day was there as well. I just looked at the table and covered my ears. I saw a flop of Qxx and was thinking, 'please not like this'. Sure enough a Q hit on the river. I really didn't react. I laughed and said, 'that's poker.' Everyone at my table didn't really say too much, their looks said it all. I wasn't out, but only had about 3k left. Now I needed to double up and princess P doubled me up all pre flop, she had 6s and I flopped a Q with QQ. With 10 min left the tourney director drew a card, 'folks, it's a 3. There will be 3 more hands and then we'll bag out chips.' The very last hand of the night Oliver from Germany in seat 7 raised pre, I called and saw a flop of Q7x. I had A7. He bet out and I put the rest of my chips in. All the other tables were bagging their chips and Oliver thought about it. I was like 'not like this Oliver' 'I hit that flop', he ended up folding and said he laid down 9s for me. I believed him.

Well, it's on to day two. Spend the next couple days relaxing with the family and get ready for Wed. Thanks again for all the messages, know there are so many out there routing me on helps a ton!

D Day!

D Day June 6 1944... I just read Eisenhower's message to the troops that were about to make the biggest sacrifice anyone could ask in a man. The message starts out:

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The 
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you...

These words couldn’t be truer for me today. It’s been many months since I won my seat and I can’t count the number of people are behind me. All the messages, emails and calls have been great. I know you all will be there when I'm playing!

In just about five hours they'll be announcing those words, 'shuffle up and deal'.

I woke up early this am when Anna came in our room, but luckily Kathy was able to take her out and I was able to get another couple hours of sleep. I'm just looking over a couple sites that wrote/blogged/tweeted about yesterdays day 1b play (only 873 runners). Gotta love Daniels 'eye of the tiger' write-up. He talked a little how he approaches this tourney, if the table is soft, attack. Play more aggressive, see more flops and punish the weak scared players. How am I going to approach the Main Event? I think I've got that question 100 times. It's hard to say, last time I did play pretty timidly. Anyone who has played with me knows that’s not my game. If I get chips, look out. I’ll be playing a lot hands, seeing flops and punishing folks when my 78 hits a flop and cracks their AA. Who am I kidding it’s the Main Event. This isn’t any tourney. I’m sure for the first hour I’ll rein it in, identify a few soft spots and try to exploit em’. With 300 BB’s there’s going to be a lot of play so there is no reason to get stupid and try to be cute, like limping with AA and get wacked!

The goal today is just to get out of day 1. There are only 4 2hr levels and 20min breaks between them. There’s also a dinner break after the end of the second level. Hopefully I’ll be writing tonight and sitting around 80k! Today is my D Day and I'm READY!

Main Event (ME) starts Friday!

The wait is almost over. In less than a week I'll be waking up, if I was able to sleep, getting ready to head to the Rio to start the ME. Almost 100 days since I won the seat! Can't say it has flown by, but it did go pretty quickly.

The goal for me is just get out of day 1, play smart and have fun. If it's not my time, that's OK. Back in 06' when I played I made a couple bad plays and it cost me. Not this year!

I've been watchin almost the entire series this year, actually been watching everthing. BluffMag.com/espn360 live feeds of final tables, pokernews.com's updates/videos, wicked chops, micons updates, rawvegas video, wsop.com's updates/videos/pics, all the poker players tweets and more. Yes, I'm a total dork.

As I mentioned I played back in 06 and played the same day, 3c. That was the same day Phil Helmuth played that year. Was funny when watcging the espn coverage later that year to see he got ko'd by the same guy who sucked out (caught runner runner flush to my turned straight) on me at my first table. That year he me he made a grand entrance. Well it sounds like this year won't be any different. Just read a tweet from him he sent last night from the UB party. An early tweet he mentioned he was rocked, so I'm sure he was try to make this a surprise but let the cat out of the bag... Here's the tweet:

From: @phil_hellmuth
Sent: Jun 30, 2009 5:43a

Sunday July 5 i show up to
WSOP as 'Caesar: with 100 models, 11 muses w body paint, a chariot w 2 horses, and a drummer dropping rose petals

sent via txt

This should be a show, how funny would it be to be at the featured table when he arrives.

Until next time...

Confirmation received...

Congratulations! This is to confirm receipt of your funds in connection with pre-registration for Event # 57, World Championship No-Limit Hold’em in the 2009 World Series of Poker®. Your assigned starting date is Sunday, July 5th, Day 1C. You must complete the registration process at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in order for you to receive your table and seat assignment.

Received yesterday...

Two weeks and counting...

Went to the bank this afternoon and wired the $$ over to Harrah's. Made it under the wire, the deadline was midnight tonight...

3 Weeks until the WSOP

Wow, only 3 weeks until the ME (main event). Been working my butt off at the new job, started in Feb. Sucks being away from the family, drive up on Monday's and head back down the VA Beach either Thurs night or Friday afternoon. I have been playing a bit. Planning on playing the 150 seat on FT, hopefully I can get seat for Kathy. Would be cool to see both of playing in the ME.

Been following all the coverage of the events, Bluff's coverage with ESPN's 360 coverage has been great. Watched Brock Parker (Tsoprano)last night take down his second bracelet in 4 days!! That is sick! Also been keeping track of Lee via FB and Twitter. Twitter has blown up online for poker players, everyone is doing it! It's great reading the tweets real time chips counts. I'm planning on doing it when I out there as well. Hopefully I'll be in more than day!

Off to work....

21k feet and 80 miles out...

I'm stil in the qualifier, 35 left and I'm 12th in chips. Crap! What happens when we land, do I lose my connection?

35,888 feet and 508mph - Technology, wow!

Here on Virgin America flying from Washington Dulles direct to San Fran, just amazed at technology today. I look over to my left and the guy in the Seat next to me is watching a live baseball game, the guy next to me is watching a movie on his ipod and here I am writing this blog and playing in the Tues Main event Qualifier. I won a sat just after we took off. Played a $50 buy-in with 28 people in it, I was down to 400 very very early and ended up coming back and won a seat. 127 in this one and were down to 85, I'm in 43rd. This has to be the most roller coaster tourney I have ever been in. 60 hands in and I've been seeing too many hands, need to simmer down. Crap, in a hand and have AQ, flop a Q and A on the turn, I push... Writing while I play, the push took it down. Now in 32nd. That was a good hand.

Another tech wow was walking to the bathroom and waiting in line. I look over and see someone on FB and also chatting live via a web cam with her girlfriend. Look back again and the girl on the cam sat up and flashed her friend. Very attractive girl on the computer, but the girl who got flashed was better looking!! Must be a San Fran thing....