Yo. Whattup young brethren. My new year started well, no, I don't mean the NYE kiss, I mean the first stop on the tournament trail for the year, the muthafuggin Bahamas yo.
This was my 2nd year up in that bitch, and this time around the weather was rather shitty, and unfortunately I was stationed down the beach semi-far from the Atlantis. I'll blame that on G Smith.
I cashed last year in 94th in this tournament and I was determined and ready to far exceed that finish. Things went smoothly for the first few days, and play was as I expected it to be. Most of my tables were almost entirely sub - 23 year olds and for many of them this was their first professional poker tournament ever. Its sick how the level of play has really stepped up, 19 year olds now are as good and better then the majority of players were 5 years ago. It's not even fair to compare, everyone is good now. So, you have to elevate your game.
This tourney I played solid but hit a rough patch near the money and didnt have a lot of chips. I was down to about 60k at 2k 4k blinds after bluffing off some chips, and was able to double up with A5 vs. AQ with a 5 on the flop. Obviously. Then I doubled up in a small blind vs. big blind situation with A9 vs. QQ, Ace on the turn. Also Obvious. Then I reshoved a few times over preflop raises and was able to build to about 450k +. Then a crazy italian player bluffed in a huge pot when I had a set. All of a sudden I was at a million chips from 60k, all in the matter of about 1 level of poker! Sickness.
I was able to ride those chips all the way down to the last few tables. Play was very strong but not incredible, and I shouldve kept building a sick stack but things didnt go perfectly. I found myself semi-short and short all through day 4. Day 5 we came back with 24 players and I could never get anything going. I eventually busted in 19th with AJ vs. 44 preflop. Argggh so frustrating! Its sick because when I tell someone I won 90k and got 19th place, it sounds fantastic to them, and its great and all... but you and I know as poker players that when you get that close to 2.2 million for first, you really want to win! Or at least get top 4 and make a million!
But it's ok. I can tell from how I'm playing that this is gonna be a big year... things just feel better and I'm not making unnecessary mistakes as much, or at all.
Right now I'm depressed in my room after busting out of the WPT main event here in Biloxi, Mississippi. Its my first trip here, and I'm a little mad Im not still in going into day 2 tomorrow. I was making a little run and had 50k at 300 600 blinds. Decided to play an all in pot with A2dd on a Q26dd board. The pot was raised and 5 handed, and after the flop I decided to check-raise the original raiser, essentially committing to the pot. I got raised all in and was up against QQ. Oh well again, I couldve played that slow, but sometimes you make concious decisions to play a hand a certain way... if I win that im cruising.
Next I'll head to Borgata to play a few events.. and then comes LAPC which I'm looking forward to verrrrry much. Its my hometown and it's going to be a sick series. Last year I had a great series there and I expect even more from myself this year. I have high standards people, I really am after that 7 figure score this year!
Oh and for those who don't know already... me Gavin and Sebok have a last longer bet for the main event of the LAPC. Last place has to tattoo the other two guy's faces on his body! 2nd place has to get the winner's face as a tattoo. This is just sick, retarded stuff... and they dragged me into it. Sebok has been tryin to call it off recently, but I've switched over to saying fuck it, lets do it... I think it might motivate me just as much as a million dollars would ... lol.
Until next time homefries
