I fought hard, fought as hard as I could, but I just couldn’t get it going today. We didn’t arrive in Atlantic City until about 5:00am. We checked in, bought in, and then tried to get some sleep before the day’s play at 11:00am.

I had already decided to sleep as long as needed and then I’d show up when I was fresh and ready. With 30,000 in chips, and 25-50 blinds to start, it seemed like the best way for me to do well in the tournament. Obviously this isn’t optimal, but I didn’t have much choice since the WPT didn’t leave much time in between events to be fully prepared.

When I got to my table, I was surprised, no shocked, to see Kido Phan AGAIN at my table, along with Nam Le. There were almost 600 players in this tournament, yest they must have done a very poor job of randomizing the later tables. We all bought in at the same time, but that should not mean we end up at the same table. There was another gentleman at our table that also bought in at the same time we did.

Kido looked beat down- he didn’t sleep. Nam was tired, JC was also tired as he was at the table next to ours. Nam slept through level 3, JC slept through the first two levels as did I.

When I got there, Kido was down to about 7,000. Nam made it 350 to go from under the gun and I called with QQ in the next seat. Another player called, and Kido made it 3500 to go. Nam folded, so I decided to play the hand against Kido and put him all in. He had AK, and I won that race, busting Kido.

After that, I was playing my standard game, although I didn’t have a lot of energy to get a solid read on my opponents which may have cost me. I laid down AA on a board of 3-4c-5c-4s-2c in spot where I could have been bluffed. I also lost a sizeable pot with JJ versus KK in a spot where I could only be in bad shape if my opponent had an over pair AND one of them was also a diamond. He did.

Down to about 12,000, I doubled up with Jh 10h on a flop of K-Q-9 against 99. After that, I played my typical cautious game, but wasn’t connecting with flops and my opponents were hitting big time.

I was back down to 10,000 with blinds at 250-500 and a 50 ante, but I still felt comfortable. I wasn’t able to pick up anything and whittled down to about 4,000 before making my move.

The first move came in the big blind. All folded to the small blind who limped in for 500. I had Q-7 and went all in- he folded Kh 10h!

The very next hand, the SAME guy limped on the button. I made it 2500 with AK and he went all in with A-2. I won that pot and was back in action. Then the final hand of the night: Guy, a player from Vegas, limped for 500, I limped behind him with Ac Qc, and the player next to me made it 2600. Guy and I both called.

The flop wasd 9c 3c 2s. Checked to the raiser who bet 6000. Guy called, and I decided to play my hand now since I couldn’t fold on the turn. Also, I was hoping to either get three way action, OR, get Guy to fold a hand that may take away some of my outs. Both called my 6150 all in raise. One with 10-10, the other A-9. Turn and river blanked. Had I won that pot I’d be at 45,000.

I was really hoping to hit this hand as 45,000 would feel like a bazillion going into day two. Nothing I could have really done differently here, so that’s that, the streak is dead.

I got a good night’s sleep last night and am looking forward to getting home. As it appears now, I think the next event I’ll be playing won’t be until the Commerce in late February. A nice break in between which will help me get caught up on some work that I’ve been neglecting while I’ve been busy working at the tables.

I may not play any poker at all till the Commerce, we’ll just have to see. I may decide to play at Bellagio a little bit, but more than likely I’ll just be vegging out, watching hockey, finishing my book, etc. Originally I had planned to play in the Poker After Dark show on Feb 1-3, but that has been postponed. Also, I haven’t heard any news lately on the upcoming Poker Superstars show.

As for bloggin’, I’ll probably go back to updates about 3 times a week now that there will be little poker played. I should be fresh and ready to take over the #1 spot in the Card Player of the Year award down the stretch. The WSOP is a huge factor in that race, so I’m looking forward to that, although, I much prefer playing the WPT.

Crapshoot tournaments aren’t my strength, and while the WPT is a crapshoot at it’s best, the WSOP preliminary events are all short stack events, aside from the 50,000 HORSE. I’ll be forced to make significant adjustments to my pre-flop strategy that cuts into my edge, but I know what I’m doing so I’ll be ready…