I recently played event 1 of the WSOP circuit at the Horseshoe casino Hammond. His was my first WSOP event of any kind, although I have played other tournaments and did well, I cashed in my first circuit event. Not a lot of money, but it was an accomplishment in my eyes in any regard. But what I really learned was that I can play against anyone. At one point there was a local pro at my table (has won many large events for millions), for the most part I wanted to stay out pots with him but as we neared the bubble my chip stack was short so I knew soon I would have to just pick a hand and take a stand. I look down and see a moderate hand and I had position, he was under the gun and open the action for 2.5x BB, action folded around to me and I push (which would require the 90% of his stack, blinds folded, and he thinks for several minutes and folds face up a bigger hand. Even though this is a common scenario that I have played out thousands of times, it was then I really realized, I can play with the best and I have a chance! The mistake I made was showing him the hand, i took his reaction after the hand of showing his cards and giving a strange look as a "please can I see your hand" and he took it as taunting him for a bad fold, which was not my intention. So I learned two things!