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I woke up after a decent night of sleep, but did not need to be back in the casino until 2pm.  Donna and I went to the beach and claimed a cabana for ourselves, then walked on the beach. After walking and taking some pictures, we played some ping-pong, and then sat under the cabana.

Around noon, I decided that it was time to go get ready for the tournament.  It was a wonderful morning just relaxing and doing crossword puzzles on the beach.  Back in the room, I showered and started my mental preparation for the task at hand.

I was annoyed at having to go back the the tournament for what was probably going to be 5 hands of poker.  My mission was clear.  I needed to double up, and double up quick.  With the blinds at T3,000/T6,000 with a T1,000 ante, I had no room to wait.  I needed to move with any hand that was above average (Q7o for those of you who do not know the “computer hand”) and hope for the best.  There was no strategy involved.  If I doubled up, I would still need to play fast.

After getting ready, we went to the buffet for lunch.  Donna repeatedly asked if I was nervous.  I was not.  My decision was easy.  Do I fold or do I go all-in? I must admit, as 2pm drew closer, I was a little nervous.  We made our way to the casino where they remaining chipstacks were posted.  They were as follows:

Martin Hanitz:  312,000

Mark Deacon: 279,000

Mike Vela: 239,000

Caroline Glover:  216,000

Simon Doerslund: 186,000

Stan Mytow: 158,000

Phillip Jones: 157,000

Kirk Wildman: 119,000

Andrew Stern:  89,000

Gretchen Brummer: 53,000

Jim Price: 43,000

Bob Deemer: 30,000

Well, I am definitely the short stack.  Sam Quento, the tournament director, decided that we were going to redraw for seats, and high card for the button.  I was at the same table, but in the #1 seat.  WPT Champion Mike Vela drew the same seat (#10) and was to my immediate right with a large stack.  To make matters worse, I was to start the tournament in the big blind.

Hand #1

There was a raise by the button.  Mike Vela folds in the SB, and I look at:

This is definitely not an average hand, so I muck.  I am down to T23,500.

Hand #2

The cutoff raises to T20,000.  Mike Vela calls from the button.  I am in the SB and look down at:

and I have exactly T20,000 left.  I am getting 2.5:1 pot odds.  I figure that this is the best that it is going to get, so I hold my breath and call for my tournament life.  The board comes K-Q-7-T-3.  I decide to be funny and pull out my pocket jokers and show them.  Mike Vela gets a really puzzled look on his face and cannot figure out what is going on.  Sam Quinto looks at my cards and says, “Oh My God!”.  I think I pulled one over on everybody at the table, and I start laughing!  The preflop raiser shows JJ and Mike Vela shows 55.  Miraclously, my Q6 wins and I triple up to over T60,000!  This is better than planned - I TRIPPLED up!

Several hands later, while still 6 handed, I pick up 77 UTG.  I move all-in and get one caller.  He shows QJs and we are off to the races.  My heart races with joy when I see a 7 come on the flop.  I am now over T110,000 and am in the hunt!  I cannot believe it!

Not having to push any two cards, begin to play more cautiously.  It is not too long before we lose 3 players and we have the final table of nine.  At that time, we were moved into a room where the final table of the main event was playing out.  This was REALLY cool.  They had the area roped off and there were probably 60-70 people all around watching the action!  At this point, I was not nervous at all.  I knew I was on a freeroll because there was no way I should have survived and came back from T30,000 chips.  Life was good.

The top 6 places were paying in the bust-out tournament, and the looked like this:

1st:  $15,000 WPT entry + $1,000 for travel expenses

2nd:  $10,000 WPT entry + $1,000 for travel expenses

3nd:  $10,000 WPT entry + $1,000 for travel expenses

4th:  WPT Celebrity Invitational Tournament entry + $1,000 for expenses

5th:  Battle for the Season Pass IV package for you and a guest + $1,000 for travel expenses

6th:  WPT Bootcamp 3-day Champions Bootcamp Package + $1,000 for travel expenses

If I got a few decent hands, I could make a run at cashing.  We redrew for seats and high-carded for the button, then the cards were in the air.  It took about 15 minutes to lose the first player, then another 20 to lose 8th place.

We were now on the bubble.  Seven players left and six prizes to give.  Being the bubble king that I am, I make a proposal that was done from the first Battle for the Season Pass.  I ask if everybody would be willing to throw $100 into the middle.  Whoever bubbles, gets the $700 - which is a nice consolation.   Caroline Glover, an 82 year old sweetheart, immediately agrees.  I explain to everybody the proposition, and everybody agrees except seat 1 who is from Norway.  After explaining what it really meant, he was still hesitant, but agrees.  We all give $100 to Mike Vela.  I am one of the short-stacks, but at this point, I am 100% comfortable.  If I bubble now, I will get $700 for my efforts.

We played 7 handed for awhile, when I am in the SB and it is folded to Andrew on the button, who shoves all-in.  I peek down at AK and shove my stack all-in.  Caroline folds, and Andrew shows 75o.  After an Ace hits the flop and I knock him out, and we are all in the money.  This is absolutely astonishing for me - especially coming back from T23,000 chips.

The play from here on out was pretty straight-forward.  I stole some blinds, made some all-in bets and held my own.  I built my chip stack up to 425k at one point (and had about 20% of the chips in play).  I lost a few hands, but moved when it was right.

At some point we lost the 6th place player - who won a 3 Day Champions Bootcamp worth $3000.  I really did not want this prize, as I have already been to a Champions Bootcamp.  I also did not want 4th place - the WPT Celebrity Invitational.  I wanted either 5th place (Battle for the Season Pass IV package) or one of the top three prized (15k or 10k buy-in).  After being on the ropes, I was now within striking distance of a $10,000 seat.

Mike Vela, who came to the final table as the chip leader, was now short stack.  One hand was folded to him in the SB.  He did not hesitate and shoved all-in.  I knew that since he was short-stack, he would make this move with any two cards.  I had already determined that if he pushed, I was going to call with any above-average hand.  I pause for a second, and peek down at AJo.  I insta-call.  Here is my chance to bust a WPT champion.  He shows pocket 66 for a legitimate hand and we are off to the races.  My hope is shattered on the flop when I see 886.  I lose the majority of my chips and I am now back to all-in mode with a mere 80k chips.

Several hands later, I am down to T25000 in chips and in the small blind.  The cutoff raises to 80k.  I look down at T7s.  I look left and see that Caroline is going to call or go all-in. I would be getting 3:1 for my 25k.  If I had 2 live cards, I would be getting a good price to call, so I call.  Caroline goes all-in and the cutoff calls.  Caroline shows KK, the cutoff shows JT and I show my T7.  The flop comes Q T 5 and I pair my T, but am still behind the JT.  The turn is a J, and the river is another T, eliminating me from contention.  Both Caroline and I go out on the same hand, but since she had more chips, she finished 4th and I finished 5th.  That is the way I wanted it as I win a free entry into next year’s Battle for the Season Pass IV, a $6300 value! Woo Hoo! Not bad for starting with T30k chips!

Note:  I am writing things as the come to mind.  Please excuse any typos and grammatical errors!  I will proof the entry later.

Today we begin the bust-out tournament.  They offer this “second chance” tournament  to all people who have busted out of the main tournament, hence the name “bust-out tournament”.  This tournament is more accelerated though.  You start with T10,000 chips, and the levels are only 30 minutes long.

I made my way to the casino and received my seating assignment.  I look over, and there is Crispin Leyser in seat #1.  The chips were distributed and the cards were in the air.  I had a few decent hands in the first level and was able to build my chipstack to T15,000.  I then lost a few hands and was back to T10,000.  I oscillated between T10,000 and T15,000 for most of the first two levels.  After that, I went absolutely card cold.  Whenever I got a playable hand, I opened for a raise.  I was then re-raised by a player in position, and a lot of times, there was a three-bet.  I had to lay the cards down.  I was getting pretty low in chips.  My stack approached T5000 - Yikes!

Our table was broken, and wouldn’t you know it - I was brought right into the big blind.  At my new table was professional Jules Leyser (wife of Crispin).  On my first hand at the new table, there was a raise from MP.  I looked down and saw

It was the best hand I had seen in 3 hours.  I reraised all-in.  The guy thought about folding, but after some thought, called and showed

My JJ held and I doubled up to about T10,000.  Whew - now I had a few chips to play with.  Two hands later, I am on the button with:

It is folded to me, so I raise to T1700.  The SB shoves all in for T3800.  I have to call T2100 more.  I am getting about 2.5:1 on my money.  Not too bad if I have live cards.  I decide to play and call his all-in.  He shows

We are in a coin-flip situation.  When the board comes

4-7-7-7-J, I take him out and add to my chipstack.

I went card cold again for awhile when I found myself in this hand.  I was in the BB and it was folded to the SB, who completes.  I look down at:

I think about raising, but decided to see a free flop.  The flop comes

The SB leads out for T5000.  I have the nut-flush draw, plus 3 aces as outs if he has top pair.  That gives me 12 outs.  I decide to make a move and I push all-in for T26,000 making him think about HIS tournament life (I had him covered by T5200).  He calls and shows 8-3 for 2 pair!  I only have 9 outs.  The turn and river come

I double the small blind up and I only have T5200 left.  I need to move with any 2 reasonable cards.

My prayers are answered a few hands later when I pick up

in the cutoff.  It is folded to me and its a no-brainer push.  I go all-in.  The button folds, and professional Jules Leyser ponders.  She finally calls.  the BB then is in a quandary.  He wants to call, but after much thought, he folds.  Jules shows

When the board comes A-7-4-3-K, my AQo holds and I double up again.  This hand turned out to be turning point #1 for me in the tournament.  The BB folded pocket 3-3 and would have turned a set.  This would have knocked me out of the tournament.  Instead, I am alive and kicking again.

I picked up a few pots here and there and built my stack back to about T40,000.  The next big hand I am in is when I am in the BB.  A player from EP player goes all-in.  A person in MP goes all-in for less.  I am in the BB for T1600, and it is T6400 to call the biggest stack.  I peek down at A8s and decide that for 3:1 odds, I am going with the A8s.  The EP players shows 85o and the MP player shows KQo.

The flop comes A-A-2.  Cool!  I flop trip Aces.  My joy was short lived when the turn and river comes J-T for 2 perfect runner cards to make the straight.  UGH - what a terrible beat.

Our table was broken and we were down to 36 people (163 started).  I was quiet and had very few playable hands, but people kept falling.  Soon there were 27, then 18.  When we were down to two tables, I was seated with WPT World Poker Finals champion Mike Vela. The tournament was to be played to the end of level level 16 (8 hours) and then break for the evening.  Again, unfortunately, I was VERY card cold.  I would kill to see any face card - but alas, one never came.  At the end of level 16, we were down to 12 players, and I had T30,000 chips.  The average stack was T90,000.  I was the tournament SHORT stack.  I did make it to day two, with 11 others.

The top 6 places pay in this tournament.  I am by far the longest shot to cash.  I need to move with any facecard that I see tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

Goal number one was accomplished - I survived day one.  You certainly cannot win any tournament without getting to day two.  I was looking forward to today because I was extremely card cold yesterday.  They redrew seats for today, and I must day, my draw was NOT very friendly.  I was seated with professionals Rick Fuller and Crispin Leyser.  Rick had a pretty large stack.  He was #7 in chips.  I just needed to wait and exploit the weakness in his game that I picked up from the live learning labs.  As far as Crispin, he had an average stack, plus I like him.  He is fun to play poker with.Rick did not show up for the start of the tournament.  This was nice because the table played standard poker.  Whenever he arrived, the game would change dramatically.  About  half way though level 6 (the first for the day), he entered.  I was right in that he pushed the action.  During the whole first level, I had ONE playable hand.  That was 44 in the SB.  It was folded to me, and I raised.  The BB folded.  I won the BB and the antes.  Yippee Skippee!

Onwards and upwards we went.  In level 7, I had only two playable hands all hour.  The first was when I picked up AQ in early position.  I was starting to get short-stacked, so I just shoved all-in.  I really hate going all-in with AQ, but I did it anyway.  Everybody folded and I picked up the blinds and antes to keep me afloat for another round.

The second had was when UTG raised to T2100.  Everybody folded to me on the button, and I looked down at AQs again.  I hesitated, but being as card cold as I was, I decided to shove my whole stack in again.  After some thought, the BB folded, so I picked up the blinds, antes, and an additional T2100.

During level 7, Rick’s aggressiveness caught up to him, and he got busted.  Who replaced him?  TJ Cloutier!  Nothing like swapping one pro out for another.  A little later, Crispin pushed all-in and lost.  When the next table was broken down, who sat down at our table?  Chip Jett.  Geesh - as we knock pros out, they are being replaced with more pros.

I had no more playable hands in level 7 and none in 8.  Level 9 was to be the last level before we broke for lunch.  With 5 minutes left, I was in the BB.  The cutoff limped and the SB completed the blind.  This would be a good time to wake up with a good hand and shove all-in.  I peeked down at:

No such luck.  I check.

The flop comes

Everybody checks around.  The turn is:

Well, now I have top pair, but I do not like my kicker.  I think for a minute and decide that this is as good as it is going to get. I have T11,500 and I bet T3500 (a mistake - I should have pushed all-in if I were going to commit over 1/3 of my stack).  The button raises to T10,000 and the SB folds.  I make another critical mistake and do not ponder the whole situation.  More specifically, I do not think about what I can beat and what I cannot beat.  If I had stopped and thought it through, I would have clearly seen I was beat and should have folded.  The only thing I can beat here is T6 or lower.  How likely is it that the cutoff played one of these hands?  Highly unlikely.  Anyway, I had already pushed all-in and the cutoff insta-called and showed

for trips.  A ten did not materialize on the river, so I was out in about 80th place.  It is difficult to defy odds all day.  Statistically speaking, one should be able to play about 20% of their hands - not three hands in four hours.  All in all, I played nine levels (hours) with under 10 playable hands.  Oh well, everybody goes through these phases and it was my turn.

Later that night, Donna and I played in a single-table-tournament, and Donna won!  I placed 4th.  Tomorrow, the bust-out tournament begins for all of the “losers”.

I woke this morning and felt terrible.  I had a headache, sore throat, and achy body.  The last thing that I wanted to do was to play poker.  But, with more than $200,000 in prizes on the line, I needed to give it my best.  Donna felt about like I did.  I wonder if it had something to do with getting seasick yesterday?

Today’s schedule was to do live learning labs in the morning, break for lunch, then to play five levels of the main tournament.  One of the added bonuses of having a pro analyzing the action is that you can get good edges on them if you ever play against them in a tournament.  I got a really good read on Rick Fuller during one of our labs.  He explained that in a certain situation, he does something 100% of the time.  I just hope I could get against him to exploit that part of his game.

After the labs, Donna and I went to lunch.  I still did not feel well, so I took some aspirin and hoped for the best.  My goal was just to survive to day two.

Each table had a pro sitting in seat 5.  My draw was table 7 seat 6.  I was right next to Professional Bill Elder.  We started with T20,000 chips and the levels were 60 minutes long.  This makes for a very nice tournament structure.  The players at our table were straight-forward and the play was very mechanical.  There were no loose-aggressive players making outrageous bluffs.  Play was very standard. By the end of level 4, we still had not lost any players.  Bill Elder (the pro) was the first person at our table to bust out.

As for my cards, I only have 4-5 playable hands in FIVE hours of play!  I was a little irked, but  hey, it happens.  I ended the day with T15,625.  Not too good, but certainly better than that alternative - being out!

While I was playing, Donna got a picture of these two guys who greet everybody as they enter the resort.  Here, they are sharing a biscuit.