July 11- Day 2

Here is the good news: I made it to Day 2 and did not go out on the very first hand! I was also able to play some of my best poker and laydowns to date. The table that I drew was not bad in the sense that there was only one large chip stack. The chip stacks ranged from 7,000-30,000 and this limited the aggression of the table to a certain extent. In fact, I was not the shortest stack at the table and Seat 4 had a shorter stack at 2,400. On the very first hand, Seat 4 goes all-in and gets 3 callers. I look at my hand and see 4,8 offsuit and feel strongly about going all-in myself but end up folding. What do you know the flop is K,8,4 and the river is a 4. I would have had a freakin full house. The next hand, I get dealt K,9 suited and fold after there are three raisers in front of me. The 15 minutes are a fold fest and my stack dwindles to 3,400. I am dealt 7,9 suited and decide to limp in. There are three callers and with over 6,000 in the pot. The flop is 9,6,8 and gives me a open ended straight draw and a flush draw. It is checked to me and I check. Player in Seat 2 (small blind) raises to 2,500 and it is folded to me. I go into the tank for a few minutes and reraise all-in for 3,400 and player 2 calls. Unfortunately, he flips over pocket sixes for trip sixes and has me dominated thus far in the hand. The turn is a 7 and gives me a two pair with many outs. I now need a club for a flush, any 5 or 10 to chop the pot, the case 9 for a higher full house or 7 for a higher full-house. I proceed to get out of my seat and am ready to head to the rail. The cameras spin around to the table and it's my degree all-in moment. The river is a 9, which gives me a higher full house 9s over 7s and beats my opponents made hand of 6s over 7s. My chip stack is now at 13,600 and has nearly tripled from what I started Day 2 with: 5,500.

The next hour of play, I am able to take down a few small pots and play small pot poker. My stack is now at 17,400 and the other players at the table are nervously glancing at me each hand. I am dealt a middle pocket pair in the button postion and raise to 2500 and everyone folds. I am now at 19,900 and gaining steam. Could the unthinkable occur: a short stack coming from way back. Every few minutes, the cries of "seat open, table xx" can be heard in the poker arena. Minh Ly in Seat 3 has also picked up the aggression in the last hour of play raising uncontested pots. I make it a priority to stay out of his pots and try to be selectively aggressive. With the blinds at 800, 1600 and the antes at 200; I will have to play a hand sooner or later. I am now down to 10,500 and need to win a pot or fall dangerously close to being blinded out. In late middle position, I am dealt k,10 suited and call. It is folded around to the big blind and he raises to 6000. Should I call, I would only have 4,000 remaining. I do not put him on a pocket pair and instead put him on an Ace. I debate for several minutes and think out loud "So you have an Ace maybe Ace, 10 or Jack? No, you have A,K and I call. This is my 2nd degree All-In minute and the cameras are there. Players at the table are debating on what I have. I am going to need a 10 to outright win the pot. The flop is a K,7, 9 with two clubs. Now I also have picked up a flush draw. The turn is a 2. I remain in my seat and anxiously await for the river card. Could this be the hand that propels me over the 20,000 mark and cement my run in this year's Big Show? The river is a 4 of hearts and ends my run at this year's big show. I bust out around 1100th place among the 6100 in this year's Big Show.

Each year thousands descend upon the Rio for a shot at the bracelet and glory and each year thousands walk away falling short. This year, I fell short but took home a lot of experience and played along side with some of the biggest names in the game (Greenstein, Lindgren, Elizabeth, Hilger, Tran, Binger, Ly, Seif, and others) and held my own. For two weeks, the dream stayed alive. Now over, I took that lonely walk into the distance and muttered "I will be back next year!'. Check back next time for my blog wrap up of the big show trip and the most memorable/forgettable experiences from this year's events at the Big Show.

Until Next Time,
Chewey