Day 2 of event 54, $1,000 NLH. In the money on day one so that helped the nights sleep. Day two table draw has big stacks, including Alexander Kravchenko , I’m half the average. I have to play short stack poker with only fold or shove options which makes my decisions easy. Raise with player in late position, button calls, I push with 88 in big blind. The original raiser goes all in, button folds, raiser tables 66. Button (Canadian pro) rips him for raising him out of the hand. He had KQ and would have won and knocked me out. That played a role in the big hand that happened later. Tight player in late position that had tripled up a short stack raises. Same pro on the button reraises. I wake up with A 10 of spades in bb. I’m about to fold when the original raiser folds out of turn. Well, I put the button on a bit of a move based on the play earlier, the original raiser is the one that scared me. I try a move and shove, insta call turns over QQ, ouch. (I am an armature) Ace on the flop, huge double to 80k. The button goes berserk. Pointing to me, “he was going to fold until the other guy folded out of turn.” Ends up throwing card at the dealer, throws chips at the dealer, security, floor, one round penalty and he’s lucky it wasn’t more. Meanwhile I’m stacking chips and feeling healthy. Kravchenko played pretty tight and had one bluff picked off. The big starting stack of 120 k on my left gets tabled after an hour. I don’t play a hand for 2 hours with no opportunities ever presenting and seeing 73 and 83 hands over and over.
Under 100 left and I get moved and enjoy a wild next level. David Singontiko on my left, he was enjoyable to play with. I think before dinner break, blinds 2k/4k 500 ante, I’m sitting around 50k. Folds around to me in the sb with A7 I shove, Singontiko in bb calls with 33, I double, he’s down to 50k. A few hands later I raise with JJ he shoves I tank a bit then call, he tables KK we switch again. Few hands later button raises I push with A 10 he calls with KJ. A 10 on the flop 10 on the river for FH. I dwindle due to the large blinds, later shove with A 10 again, different pro tanks then reluctant call with A7. Flop is nothing then yuck 7 on the turn. I start to stand up when the 10 hits the river, gotta love this game. I keep thinking this is as far as I can go, then glance up at the clock and wow, only 3 more to the next pay jump. Under 50, then we break and all get moved after hitting 3 tables at 27 players. We all fill out bio sheets move to a different area and the final table is in sight. Singontiko is now on my right, Will Jaffe on his right. I have been playing short stack poker basically all day. 5k/10k blinds 1k ante. Player gets crippled to 20 k and calls my A9 raise with AQ I’m down to 50k. 7 handed two in front of the big blind I shove with K4 of hearts. Big stack bb calls blind and turns over JJ, no help and I’m out at 23rd. $14,300 cash helps the sting a little. Watched the final table of the big drop the next day, railed Phil Ivey in the 10k six handed, shook Greg Raymers hand, hi to Doyle, Mike the Mouth, overall just had a great time in this poker fantasy camp. I’ll be back