Day 1

Well, the WSOP may be over but the 2008 season for poker has just begun. I was invited to the Harrahs 75K invitational a month ago and was not even sure if I would be able to attend the invitational. Fast forward to July 23, the Monday before the tournament. Many events have taken place since the Big Show such as work, business ventures, etc that need my attention and could cause me to miss playing in a tournament that was given away a seat to the 2008 Big Show and cash. That night I have a weird dream that I should go and one of my buddies also has the same dream that night. As the week progresses, it does not appear that I will be able to go. All rooms are booked up and there is no more space in the tournament as I have waited to close to the deadline. I keep trying and finally on Thursday night, I decide to call Harrahs one more time and after a few minutes on the phone, there is a space open for me in the tournament. In a matter of fifteen minutes, my weekend goes from catching up on work to getting ready for my first tournament of the 2008 campaign and a shot at winning a seat to the 2008 Big Show along with a hefty amount of cash to boot.

Could this be destiny beckoning? Timing is everything and a little bit of luck can definitely propel you to the top. Day 1 of the invitational is upon us and I look at the tournament arena as if it was another stroll in the park. The numbers don't matter, 2000, 2500, 3000; it doesn't matter. One hand , one table, 10 players at a time and the tournament clock is all that matters. Play my game, one hand at a time. In this tournament, you start out with 1500 in chips and the blind structures are aggressive. My first table is a very good draw for me as I discover that there are 3-4 players that have less than one year of experience and that this is their first tournament to date. Most of the other players at the table believe that I play online alot and gearing up for me to be aggressive. I show up two minutes before the tourney starts and remain stoic up until the first hand is deal. The first hours of blinds past by and I have played one hand thus far and am ready to switch my game. Two of the rookie tournament players are the chip leaders at our table and I plan to begin my assault on the chip leaders. With my head bopping to my ipod,I project my onlione image. If my image is a online player, then that is the image that I will project. I am dealt pocket Aces and blinds at 50, 100 I raise All-In for 1,150 after two limpers and everyone folds. I flash my Aces and scoop up a pot worth 450. Not a big pot but I am ready to play. It is time to turn on the after burnersThe very next hand I raise from middle position with suited connectors and pick up another pot. The next 5 hands, I manage to win and add over 2100 to my chip stack and my chip stack is at 4100. I lay low for the next 30 minutes as the table chip leaders duke it out for a few small pots.

Blinds at 200,400 and I'm dealt 6,7 suited and I raise from the button position to 1200. I get two callers and the flop is 6, 5,8 clubs, giving me middle pair with a straight and a flush draw. The big blind bets out 600 and I re-raise to 1500. The big blind goes into the tank and moves all-in for his remaining 2300. I insta-call and put him on two high cards and he flips over A,K. The turn is a 2 and the river is the King of clubs giving me a flush and increasing my stack to over 7,900. In the next level, eliminate three players from the table and the common cry of seat open, table 30 is a recurring phrase heard from the dealer First break is upon us and I am at over 13,000 and am third in chips at our table and among one of the overall tournament leaders. I end Day 1 with just under 20,000 and advance to Day 2 with a boat load of confidence and preparing for a deep run in this tournament.

At the end of Day 1, a field of 2000+ (unsure of what the final count is, have heard rumors of 2500) is now down to 400. Here is a preview of my Day 2 blog: I do finish in the single digits in the tournament and have a payday. The path to 2008 is underway and Chewey is looking to cash and make a deep run in this tournament.

On the prowl,
Chewey