Start of the WSOP

Went down to the Venetian yesterday to play in the noon mega satellite. Tried to win $2300 in tourney chips to be able to take care of my tourneys for the duration. things didn't go so well. I managed to chip up very early on my first table. had 3d3h in the big blind and 6 players limped. I checked it to see a cheap flop and hope to get lucky. Flop comes As 3c 6s. Nice!! SB checks and so do I hoping someone likes that Ace. And they do. UTG bets out and 3 people call. I decide to raise all in and UTG calls. I turn over a set and he shows AK. Good double up for me as the dealer bricks the turn and River. That would be about it for me as I really had nothing else to speak of other than the unlucky beat I had right before the first break.

the blinds are 100-200 and there are I think 3 limpers and i'm in the SB and look down at 2d 5d. I limp and the BB checks. I check in the dark (using your move Ringgo) and the flop comes As 5h 5s. I'm hoping someone will like the Ace and bet it but they don't. The turn is a 6, not sure what suit, and I bet 1000 (my stack was about 3400 before the hand) and get 1 caller. I know my hand is good as long as I can dodge a non board spade or an Ace. Of course an Ace comes on the river and I can't do anything. I check and the guy bets enough to put me all in. I show my 2 5 and tell him he got lucky. He shows A 6 off suit and I should have doubled up right there because he is calling anything I bet. It shouldn't amaze me at all, but the amount of people who call preflop with Ace rag just amazes me. I mean, even if you hit your ace, you are behind because of your kicker. Just amazes me at the skill level of these people. And they say the economy is bad. They should come to vegas and see the people who are putting up $300 at a time to give their money away.

After the break I get nothing to play until I get 99 and shove all in for about $1800. Will (the Poker Monkey to those of you that know him) tells me that he should call in this situation. I know he has A K or A Q. He decides to flip a coin to determine to call me as he didn't want to bust me. It comes up heads and he calls. flop comes Q A Q. I don't catch up and I collect my things and I'm out. Didn't play bad, just didn't get any cards after my pocket 33's.

To top it off, I lost $300 somewhere along the way from pulling my phone in and out of my pocket. Severly pissed off about that.

Went down today to register for the 1K event at the Rio. Walked the halls and decided to check out the action in for the 40k event. The rails were overflowing as everyone was trying to watch the likes of Huck Seed, Doyle Brunson, Chris Moneymaker and others. This being my first WSOP, it was cool to walk the event and see all the tables. It truly is an experience for the first time player. So I go over and buy in and decide to play a $100 satellite. The table is extremely soft and I don't lose a single hand except for one which cost me winning the whole thing instead of chopping it. We are 4 handed at this point and I get 77 in SB. Everyone folds and I put in enough chips to put the BB all in. He calls and shows A 6. I forget the flop but I know he hit a 6. The turn was a brick and the River was an A. Damn. Should have added another 900 to my stack and been chip leader with 3 to play. 3 hands later 2 players go all in and I wake up with AA. I push all and end up felting them. Had I won the previous hand, that would have been the tourney and I win the full $1000. Instead, we decide to chop when we get heads up as we are basically even in chips as I only have $200 more than him. I'll take it. $125 to win $560. Tip the dealer a $20 and head home. Not a bad way to start the WSOP. Think I'll head down and try to play another $125 before event 4 starts.

I draw a good table as I find that mine is on the outside row 3rd table down on the rail. the only downside is that I drew seat 8. I can't stand seat 8. I hate the corners more than anything. It becomes hard to see the cards at some times and I hate having to lean in to see as I feel that can be a tell sometimes. I like being able to just look down without moving to see where I'm at. We shuffle up and deal at 12 noon and hopefully my next blog will be me writing on Sunday saying that we are on to Day 2 on Monday. The structure is very good as the blinds are 60 minutes long and you start with $3000 in chips and the first blind is 25-25. Should make for a lot of poker to be played as long as I can dodge the certain shove fest that will ensue from a lot of the players. Should be a soft field as I'm sure a lot of the more established players might shy away from this one.

Talk to you all next time when I'm chipleader heading into Day 2!!!!