Chainsaw's blog

The Chainsaw Report, Vol. 5

2009-06-14T22:59:30Z

The day started off badly, as there was a huge backup on I-15 starting well before Mandalay Bay. I finally got through it, and made it to my seat just as they were getting ready to start. I had purchased my ticket the night before, just in case I ran late or the event had sold out.

I knew only Chris Bjorin at the table, but apparently several of the players knew me. A few were internet players who had seen people using my picture as an avatar on PokerStars.

The very first hand I get dealt KK in the BB. The UTG player raised Chris called and I reraised. They both called, and I was thinking “No ace.” The flop came a scary A-6-6, I made a continuation bet, and they both folded. I already had a third of my chips committed on the first hand of the day!

I showed the K-K to advertise my tight style of play. The next BB, I defended with J-8 offsuit, and hit a nice flop open-ended with 9-10-K rainbow. I could be drawing dead with many preflop callers, so I checked.

Surprisingly, everyone else checked as well. An eight came on the turn, giving me a pair an open-ended straight draw, and I checked again. This time an older man bet. He was the clueless one at the table, and could have had virtually anything from the few hands I'd seen him play, so I called. The river was a scary jack. It gave me two pair, but now a queen made a straight. I checked again, with intentions to call based on how he acted. He checked behind, and showed 6-7 for the gutshot on the turn. Had I played aggressively on the flop, I would have taken down this pot.

Then my next BB, I defended against a habitual-raiser internet guy, who bragged about playing 21 screens at a time. I had K-Q and thought about reraising, but wanted to keep pots small early in the event. The flop came A-high, he bet and I folded showing K-Q, he showed A-Q and I dodged a bullet there.

The next round I picked up Q-Q under the gun. I tried a Hellmuth here and limped with it, with intentions of getting heads-up with the habitual raiser guy who would be last to act. Another player who had been quiet for awhile raised it up, and I just called, not wanting to commit all my chips this early. The flop came K-J-9 rainbow, I checked, and he made a continuation bet. Everyone else folded, and it was back to me. I decided to call with my gutshot and pair, and there was a chance they held a hand worse than mine like A-Q or 10-10. The turn was a blank, and we both checked. He played it well, because now I thought my Queens actually may have been good. The river was a blank, and I checked again, He made a small value bet and I called to see his A-A. I had survived the Q-Q vs. A-A with 3,100 chips.

I called on a raised pot with A-K on the button and both blinds called as well. The flop came K-high and a short stack shoved all in from one of the blinds. Everyone folded and I called to see K-J, busting the player and getting me back to 6,000 chips.

By the first break I had a respectable 6,125.

Next, I played 7-7 in position against the habitual raiser guy, who continuation bet a J-high flop and then gave up on the turn. I now had 7,000.

We were at the 75/150 level, and a funny hand came up. The clueless older guy nervously said "4,500, I mean 450". The dealer ruled he must bet 4,500. He said he really meant to bet 450, and Chris Bjorin commented he must have a big hand. A short stack with about 4,000, deliberated forever, and finally called with J-J for his tournament. The mistaken better really did have AA, and insisted he wanted to bet 450, as the table accused him of making a cheap shot, as they dealt out the flop containing a jack.

The clueless older guy who had been opening a lot of pots raised again, this time the correct amount, to 450. No one called and I called in position with A-Q suited in clubs. We were heads-up. He bet out on a Q-high flop with two spades and one club. I three-bet, and he called immediately. The turn was a spade. He looked back at his cards. Now, I knew he had an ace and he was checking to see if it was the spade. He went all in for the rest of his chips, and I snap-called. He turned over AK with the Ace of spades. If i can fade this river card, I will have well over 12,000 chips on Level 3, wow. The river was an ugly king. I couldn't believe it; I was crippled and ended the hand with only 2,300.

The habitual raiser guy to my right kept on raising and folded virtually every time he was 3 bet.

I knew I could count on the habitual raiser guy to double me up. He raised yet again, and I just called with A-J suited. the flop came 8-9-10 no suits, He continuation bet again, and I shoved. He turned over K-Q for K-high and my A-high held up to get me back near starting stack at 4,325.

The older guy that I doubled up earlier, was splashing around my chips, and I knew he would go broke before our table broke, and I thought to myself how ironic it was going to be that I wouldn't get even one of my chips back from him. He lost two big pots where we was drawing really thin, and busted soon after.

I got dealt Q-Q under the gun, and was worried that my raise might give away my hand, since I hadn't played a hand in a while, but decided to play it straight up. We were at 100/200 now and I made it 600. Two players commented at the table that I was raising under the gun, and I must have a monster, and I really didn't appreciate that during the hand. Only the blinds called, and we saw a flop of 10-high. The SB checked, the BB bet 1000 and I went all in for my remaining chips. Reluctantly, the big blind calls and turns over K-Q. I couldn't believe it. I say loudly,"How can you make that call," knowing a king is about to hit the turn. A crowd gathers around our table, and of course the king hits the turn. Now I am drawing, to a one-outer queen on the river. They deal out the river and it is the last queen! Impossible but true, somehow he hit his three-outer on the turn and I hit my one-outer on the river and get back to 7,300 chips from near death.

From that point, I was totally card dead at this table, folding hand after hand in raised pots. I guess I could have used my image to try and three-bet or shove, but that wouldn't have worked at this table anyway.

Finally I picked up 10-10 in a raised pot on the button. I was going to reraise, but was worried about the under-the-gun raiser and overcaller, plus the blinds were yet to act. The small blind, who had played even less hands than me, reraised almost all in and the other two players reluctantly folded. I folded my 10-10 and he showed K-K. I still had 4,425 left and didn't want to commit it with that hand.

I finally got moved to a new table and knew a few players there. Vinny Pahuja was on the button on my blinds, and the guy to my right, looked familiar as well. The rest of the players were a mystery to me.

We had made the final 1,000 players of a nearly 3,000 field, and I was really short-stacked. It was 150/300 now with an ante. The table folded to Vinny on the button, who raised to about 800. The small blind called. I knew that Vinny knew how solid a player I am, and that if I shoved Vinny will be worried about the player in the SB as well. I shoved for about 3,200 more. Vinny was priced in, but reluctantly folded, the SB folded as well and I picked up the pot uncontested. Nice.

The next hand in the SB I was dealt 9-10 offsuit in a family limped pot. It got checked all the way to the river, and somehow I hit runner-runner flush to win the pot! I was back to about 7,500 yet again,

I raised a pot with A-K and got no callers. I showed the A-K to let these new players know how tight I play. One short stack laughs at this, like he doesn't believe me. The very next hand I get A-J suited. I raise again, and now for some reason I expected the laughing guy to go all in. Before he looked at his cards, I decided if he went all in I would call. He went all in as I expected, and it came back to me. The pot was laying me 2:1 odds, and unless he had A-A, I was pretty much priced in. I called, and he turned over K-K, which was way above the range I had put him on. I hit my ace and somehow had 13,200 after that hand, after struggling the entire tournament going to the dinner break.

After dinner I struggled. I picked up 8-8 and gave up on a J-J board on the turn. Ironically, the next hand I picked up 5-5, flopped a set and got no action. The antes were 50 with 200 400 now so every round depleted your stack by 1,000. I was down to 6,300 going to 300/600/75 ante, then got blinded off some more, waiting for a chance to open-shove. In the BB I got Q-J suited. Someone minraised to 1,450, and there were three callers, If i shoved for about $4000 more I will surely get multiple callers, and be behind. I decided to call, based on the pot odds, and see the flop even though this was a good portion of my chipstack. I whiffed totally on a 10 high flop, and had to fold to a big continuation bet as did the rest of the table.

I had about 4,000 chips left, and was just looking for any chance to get my chips in the pot, when I looked down and saw K-K! I shoved for my last 3,900 and got one caller who was also short and had Q-Q. The flop brought a queen, and I busted out with about 600 players left about ten hours into the tourney.

Today is the $1,500 HORSE. The low buy-in means that there will be players who don't know some or all the games. I hope I can fade that, since I'm still looking for my first cash.

The Chainsaw Report, Vol. 4

2009-06-13T23:38:56Z

Today was the $5K PLO 8-or-better. I have played Omaha-8 or better for many years, but only played the PLO version a few times. The object in PLO is to have redraw hands with a low and to get your money in with, hopefully, a shot at 3/4 of the pot or scooping. Hands with an ace and two other wheel cards, suited aces with low cards, and hands with connected high cards play well in this format.

My first table seemed like a fairly reasonable draw. Two players barely understood the game. One guy called a pot-sized raise with only a 2-3 low draw and a gutshot on the turn and needed an ace on the river to get half. The other player just shipped his stack to Amnon Filippi on a flushed board on the turn with only a set.

Eli Elezra joined our table late and got involved in a lot of hands and got really lucky on a few pots to build an early stack.

I saved my rebuy chips until the third level, On level 2, I got involved in two key pots. I defended my big blind with some low cards and a pair of kings, with one suit in hearts with one of the low cards. The flop came with hearts and a pair and I called James VanAlstyne’s all in for the rest of his chips. He had aces but I hit my flush to take down a small pot, and James used his add-on chip.

Next came a key early hand. The flop came 7-7-2 and Eli, who had raised preflop, made a continuation bet. I called with the nut low and backdoor draws with A-3-5-6. Amnon called with A-3-3-9. The turn was a lovely four. Now I had the super wrap and the nut low. Eli checked, I bet the pot and Amnon called. The river was another seven and we checked it down, Amnon had backed into a full house with his A-3 low and I got quartered.

We got moved shortly thereafter and i arrived at the action table of the tournament. Seat one was Miami John, seat 2 Eli, seat 3 Rolande DeWolfe, seat 4 John Guth, me in seat 5, seat 6 Mike Baxter from high-stakes poker, then Jeff Lisandro.

Several pots were potted and repotted before the flop. One hand Jeff and an aggressive player got all in with A-A-3-7 vs. A-2-K-K for over 100K preflop.

I maintained my chip stack at this table and got involved in one key pot with Jeff. Roland opened for a raise, I called with A-2-9-10, and Jeff called with A-5-6-10. The flop came 7-10-10. Roland bet the pot, I shoved all in and Jeff reshoved, Roland folded and i was hoping Jeff didn't have the dreaded sevens. I was in great shape. The turn was a low card, and I was almost freerolling. If Jeff hit one of his full house cards, I would automatically win the low. If another low card hit other than Jeffs cards I would win 3/4, and I would also win 3/4 if a nine hit.

The river six chopped a fairly large pot, and I moved shortly thereafter.

I couldn't get anything going at my new table and was one of two short stacks. I called a raise with 2-4-Q-Q double-suited in a multiway pot. I paired my four on the flop and had an overpair (queens). It was checked around, and I gladly took the free card. The turn paired my two and gave me two pair and a flush draw. When they all checked again, I shoved all in. Somehow I was called with 5-8-K-K no suits. He basically called over half his chips with a 5-8 low and one pair of kings. We chopped the pot and I won some of the dead money from the other players.

We were playing 400/800 blinds and I had about 9,300 chips so I needed to make a move. The under-the-gun player opened for 2,000. I shoved all in with A-2-2-7 for my 9,300. 7,300 more is a lot, and I had a very good table image, so there was a chance he would just fold if it got back to him. No other players called, and he finally called the rest of my stack with a modest A-5-6-J.

The flop was a pair so I had the lead with two pair. I needed to fade a 5 6 or J on the turn and river, and had backdoor nut low draw. The worst possible card hit the turn, the dreaded Jack, and sealed my fate.

Today is the $1,500 2,800-player no-limit. If that doesn't go as planned, there is always the $1,500 HORSE on Sunday....

The Chainsaw Report, Vol. 3

2009-06-10T20:38:52Z

There was quite a line at the registration area for the $3K HORSE event. I had been anticipating this event, since I know all the games well, and because it has a mid-range buy-in, it attracts people not skilled in all the games.

I had been sending Twitter messages back and forth to Shannon Elizabeth to be sure not to miss this event, and was happy to see her in line. We had met briefly last year during some of the mixed-game events and also at the WPT Celebrity Invitational and her play really impressed me for someone who had so little experience in playing tournament poker.

I got to my seat and recognized only a few faces. “SamEnole”, an internet limit-games specialist, Bob Gollick, a stud specialist from the Commerce, Tad Jurgens, a great cash-game and tournament mixed-game player, and Tommy Hang, high-stakes cash-game player.

There was an older gentleman next to me who played very tight solid, and some wildcards.

During the first round of limit hold’em, I lost with two premium starting hands, but I managed to scoop two Omaha 8-or-better hands and held my own during the stud games to finish the first break at a respectable 11,000 chips.

After we came back from break, I lost every hand I played in stud 8-or-better, one of my better games; where I would have premium starting hands like A-A-3-5-5-6 and lose on the river to someone who made a set of twos on a pair of twos with a low draw hand.

I got back on track when I defended a queen in razz and wound up with a seven low. I was winning lots of razz hands and got back to over 12,000, but lost all my profit on a 2-3-4-6 Stud-8 starting hand which didn't pan out.

By the second break, I was at 9,800 chips.

I lost the first two hands back from the break. The stakes were now 300/600, and with 9,000 starting chips and very few players eliminated, every hand played to the river could cripple you. In an Omaha 8-or-better hand I flopped the low draw and turned kings and treys. The river made a K-high straight draw possible, which is what my opponent had. After losing two pots, I was down to 6,675. Tad then scooped me when he raised 2-3-5-J in early position against my A-3-3-6 in one of the blinds. He had a 3-5 low to my 3-6 low and two pair to my unimproved aces. I was notched slightly on both the high and low and down to 2,400 after playing only a few hands!

We got back to my cash cow, the razz round, and I made a wheel in five cards and won the next razz hand again to skyrocket back to 7,000 chips.

Then disaster struck in the Omaha round again. I raised A-A-4-6 under the gun and only Keith Sexton called. The flop came down 5-5-K with no suits, and I bet out. He called fairly quickly. There was a decent chance he held a five, or even a pair of kings, so I check-called the queen on the turn. This play also lets Keith bluff a bad queen or king in this spot. A jack fell on the river, and I knew Keith would bet again even if he had one of those hands so I checked. He bet as expected and I called. He said you have to win and turned up his cards. He had an ace, some low cards and... a 10. He had misread his hand and was bluffing with the nut straight! I was back to 3,300 by the next break.

We got to my favorite game, razz, and I found a nice A-6-7 to play. I was heads-up with one opponent. We caught similar cards to fifth street and by sixth he had me notched by a jack versus a queen. The river would decide it. I had only 200 chips left when he bet the river. I knew he had at least a J-low, so I needed to improve. I paired my queen and folded for the 200! He had improved to a 9-low, but I was drawing live if I hadn’t paired the queen on the river.

My strategy to save that last 200 worked well, as I parlayed that into about 1400 in another razz hand, but eventually lost those chips in a stud hand.

Tomorrow is the $1,500 Shootout. Check my next Chainsaw report for my thoughts on that....

The Chainsaw Report, Vol. 2

2009-06-09T20:31:30Z

Date: Jun 9, 2009

Day 2 WSOP 10K Omaha 8 or better, I came into day 2 right about the middle of the pack of the remaining 140 or so players.

My Table included Sammy Farha in Seat 2. Thang Luu, who won the bracelet in this event earlier in the $1500 in Seat 6, and Tom Koral, limit internet cash-game specialist.

Sammy was splashing around chips as he always does, once calling three bets preflop with 4,5,6,J. His chip stack went up and down for a while until I busted him in a three-way pot when I raised with A234, and he reraised all in in a multiway pot. I hit a set of fours on the flop and the low on the turn and finally busted Sammy.

Thang Luu was playing hyper aggressively, raising many pots and betting or raising every street with marginal hands. People just called him down when they realized he was doing this. He finally went out as well. The entire table was befuddled as to how that style won him two bracelets in this same game.

Tom Koral played slow and steady and built up a nice stack.

Daniel Negreanu moved to our table right before it broke, and I managed to win two pots from him, the first being the hand with Sammy, when Daniel finally folded on the turn, and the second being a three-heart flop where I held the bare and the nut low draw. Daniel bet the flop. The board paired on the turn. and Daniel bet again and I called as did one other player. The low finally came on the river, and this time Daniel checked. The other player in the pot bet out what looked like the nut low, and I called, assuming I was getting quartered. Daniel checkraised with what appeared to be a full house based on the action, the other player called as did I. To my surprise. Daniel only had a flush, the other player had the full house and I won the low uncontested.

I finally got moved to a new table along with Tom Koral. Players I knew here included Pat Pezzin (who I always call the best player at the table that noone knows), Chris Bjorin, who I have tons of experience with in live cash games, BoostedJ (Justin Smith) a 21-year-old intenet phenom who plays the biggest cash games online, and Billy Gazes, another player who I have a lot of history with.

Billy was opening many pots as the raiser, but I had position. I picked my spots and played a few hands with him blind-vs-blind in position. Overall, I did well on the pots I played with him.

I scooped a nice pot off Chris Bjorin after struggling for a while on a short stack, and had about 70K in chips when disaster struck.

This disgusting hand took place with about 35 players left and 18 getting paid, 18th being almost $27,000.

Bjorin Back From the Dead

Day 1 chip leader Chris Bjorin was all in by fourth street, and there was action between Allen Kessler and Justin "BoostedJ" Smith on the side. Kessler bet the turn, and Smith called. On the river, Kessler let his opponent make the bet before calling.

(Here's what actually happened) We are playing 6,000 12,000 limit. Bjorin raised preflop, BoostedJ called and I called from one of the blinds. On the flop, I bet out, Bjorin raised Boosted called and I three-bet and Bjorin went all in and Boosted called and I called. On the turn I bet and Boosted called, On the river I check called.

Bjorin: A455
Kessler: A210J
Smith: A224

The flop comes 3 4 J 6 on the turn, and the river came the one outer deuce to cripple me. Going to the river I have 3/4 of a massive pot if any of these cards fall. The last ace, any 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, J, Q or K.

The worst possible card is the one-outer Deuce giving Bjorin a wheel, and the main pot, and quartering the side pot with BoostedJ.

There is one four left as well. This gives me 1/4 of the main pot chopping the low, and 1/4 of the side pot as well. This isn't really that bad as I only put in 1/3 of the chips in the main pot and half of the side pot.

There are four sevens left, which also gives me 1/4 of the main pot and gives Bjorin a straight, however in this scenario I win 3/4 of the side pot with BoostedJ.

In the Pokernews update, they initially had Boosted's cards wrong (he had A224; they showed J224) I actually got 1/4 of the sidepot.

Bjorin managed to scoop the main pot with his straight to the six on top and the wheel on the bottom. The two other opponents chopped up the side pot, Kessler's sixty-four taking the low, and Smith's set of deuces good for the high. Kessler was none too pleased to see that deuce on the river take away a full half of the main pot from him.

(Actually the deuce gave BoostedJ trip 2's and counterfeited my low, giving him 3/4 of the side pot)

After that big exchange, Bjorin has 115,000, Smith has 155,000, and Kessler is down to 25,000.
The pot contained about $150,000.

Here are the possible outcomes.

1) River 2 (one left) I lose the entire main pot and 3/4 of the side pot and am left with $25,000
2) River 4 (one left) I get about $30,000 from the main pot and about $7500 from the side pot and am left with $60,000.
3) River 7 (4 left) I get about $30,000 from the main pot and about $22,500 from the side pot and am left with about $75,000.
4) Any other river card than those 6 cards. I win 3/4 of both pots and have about $125,000

I went out a few hands later with an A35 hand all in preflop vs two high hands and high cards came out.

Today is the 3K HORSE, an event I have been looking forward to.

The Chainsaw Report, Vol. 1

2009-06-03T21:05:05Z

I had waited 5 events for the 10K stud and had skipped a few other events prior to it to be sure there wouldn't be a conflict.

I have done very well in stud events over the years, final tabling the WSOP stud Championship (then $5,000) in 2006 and winning or final tabling several other stud or stud 8 or better events.

I bought in for the event about an hour early and at first was disappointed with the turnout; but knew there would be a late rush. The final tally of 142 would wind up to be off by about 10% from last year's 158 entries.

With an hour to go before the tournament, I had just enough time to be a guest on Dennis Phillips' radio show. The show went pretty smoothly and will be broadcast later this week. his show can be found on the internet as well.

I wasn't happy with my table. I knew all but one player at the table and all were fairly solid. I looked around and saw several tables i'd prefer over mine.

I liked the new starting stack of triple the buyin, and the 200/400 starting level was high enough to have some importance. The increases after that were very slow 250/500, then 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 600/1200 etc. The structure seemed well thought out and gave everyone ample play to build a stack.

Seat 1 was Hasan Habib who has a bracelet in stud 8. Seat 2 was Cory Zeidman who final tabled a stud event with me at the Commerce a few years back. Seat 3 was a player from the East coast who I'd played with several times in AC and Foxwoods. Seat 4 was Alan Boston. Ive made several last-longers with Alan when he was offering 6 to 5; and have yet to lose one. We didn't even discuss a last-longer today. Stud is supposedly Alan's best game, as he only plays the stud tournaments and the main event. Seat 5 was the stranger I'd never seen before. Seat 6 a stud tournament regular, and seat 8 Thor Hansen, a veteran tourney player.

Things started off well. I raised with kings and Alan smooth-called with buried aces. I bet 4th street and made kings up on 6th. I bet 6th and he raised me. I called and he bet out on 7th street. I said I'm at least calling and called, happy to see he only had the one pair. He criticized my play on the hand, although I thought he could have played the aces stronger earlier in the hand.

I got my first of 6 or 7 flush draws i would see in this event vs Hasan. I played it strong and bricked out. I was down to 28,500 now after winning one hand and losing another.

Thor Hansen was hitting hands like crazy. He showed rollups twice, and paired his doorcard on 4th or 5th street at least 5 times in the first few levels.

The nest hand i got involved in, I started with Kings again and made aces up on 4th. I raised to open the pot and was called by Cory, and the bring-in who had a deuce. When I hit the ace on 4th i bet again, and was called only by the player with the deuce who now showed 2, 3. Fifth street the other player caught an 8 for a totally hidden set of 8's. My aces up didnt improve and I was down to 25,500.

It seemed like I was the bring in about 3 times as often as any of the other players. At one point, Thor commented, "I hate being under the gun every hand!"

Midway though level 4, i finally was rolled up, and won a nice pot off the stranger in seat 5. I bet out weak on 5th, and got him to raise and bet 6th street. I bet out on 7th and he called. I was still at 26,700 at this point and not in that bad shape.

The last hand before the dinner break, I start with 10 J Q K then open paired my King on 5th. I shouldn't have bet on 5th since my opponent paired his doorcard, but I had a fairly strong hand even if he had trips.

I made my straight on 7th and check called losing to his full house. I was down to 20,100 at the dinner break,

After the dinner break, disaster struck, I opened with JJ3 the Jack showing and the 3 suited with one of my jacks. By sixth street, I had 2 pair and a 4 flush. I bricked on 7th street and check called a hidden flush. That hand dropped me to 14,300, about half of my starting stack.

Then, I started with 10 10 3 and bet an Ace on 4th against only Cory. I made one more bet on 5th and we checked it down, My one pair actually held up as he had a smaller pair and a draw, and I was back to 17,500.

Now, we were at 600 1200 so every hand was costly if played to the river. I defended a flush draw as the bring in against an ace in steal position. by 5th street I had 10 J Q K and 4 hearts vs his broken board. He bet out 1200 and I raised to 2400. On 6th street, he bet out 1200 and I bricked. I called, as I assumed he must have had a fairly strong hand to call my raise on 5th and then bet out. In fact, all he had on 6th was an A-high flush draw. On 7th street, he bet out 1200 again, I said "if you were playing against me you would hit this hand" I slid the card and it was another blank, a black 2. All i had was king high at this point, and I couldn't even beat his A-high board so i folded. At this point he turns over his hand to show he missed his draw as well, and started laughing at me and ridiculing my play of the hand. This didn't really bother me, though I obviously could have won the hand by raising my King high on 7th. I thought I played the hand fine.

I played yet another flush draw in a multiway pot. By 6th street I had a pair and the flush draw, and of course i brick again on 7th. After these 2 missed flush draws, I was down to about 10K in chips.

With antes of 100 and bringins of 200, the chips went very fast. I played a few hands to 4th street and folded, and by the end of the round was down to 4,800.

We had played 6 hours, and I'd only won 3 hands on 7th street. The kings up vs Alan, The full house, and the unimproved 10's vs Cory.

I had 5 or 6 flush draws, never making one, made one straight that lost, never made trips other than the full house hand, and lost my only aces up hand.

We were now at a 200 ante 800/1600 and I had to play a hand soon or be anted out. I got down to about 3400 and raised to 800 with buried 7s and a queen showing. Hasan reraised with a king showing and I was committed to this hand for my last few chips. I caught his king on 4th as a blocker. by 7th street I asked Hasan if I was drawing live. He said if you catch 2 pair
you're good. I bricked on 7th as was the case most of the day and was out of the tournament.

This was a far cry from what id hoped for, but I really didn't have many hands. I had just enough time to see the awards presentation to Tom Mcevoy in the Champion of Champions tourney. He had been heads up with my "twin" Robert Varkonyi for the title. Tom was presented a nice trophy and a restored Corvette.

Today is the $1500 NL. Hopefully this one will pan out better.