Day 1

The second major tournament of my 2008 campaign is underway in Las Vegas at The Harrah's Caliente 100K Invitational. At Stake, 1st place worth over 40K and a seat to the 2008 WSOP. I arrive at my tables 5 minutes before the start of the tournament and immediately get the stink eye from a majority of the table. I later look at the mirror and then realize that I can look intimidating at the table. I pretend to not hear the other conversations at the table and continue to listen to my ipod. Through the various conversations, I gather that one player is playing in their 1st tournament; another is a Las Vegas regular, two players play in their home games and are playing this to try their luck out; another player is a tournament regular; and two others hail from New York and are cash game specialists. Blinds begin at 25-50 and you start with 1500 in chips. The first three hands, I lose after raising pre-flop and get out flopped. I change my playing style and immediately start to call and not raise in order to play more flops. My early read on the table is that people want play pre-flop and not worry about the flop.

Level 2 comes around and my stack is down to 1,100. I have lost three hands thus far to Player X, who is a tight-solid player. Thus far, I have played nearly 40% of all hands and have not gotten far. My table image is loose and people think that I am the typical young-aggressive online type of player. Under the gun, I get A,J suited and limp in for 100. Player X in the big blind raises and there are three callers. The flop brings A,J,7. I bet out 100 into a pot of 500. All three players call me. Bear in mind that my table image is loose. The Turn is a J. I check and the button bets out 500 and I call. It is now heads up. The river brings a 6. Player X checks and I bet out 400. It is immediately re-raised to put me all-in and I call with my last 500. My full house holds up against the Player X's trip 6s. My stack is now at 3100. The next few levels, I am able to play lots of small-pot poker and am able to pick up the blinds. My stack grows to 4600. I am fourth in chips at our table and am able to climb to 3rd. The mood of the table is to survive the first break and regroup. My philosophy is the opposite: now is the time for me to strike and gain chips. This sets up the "Glass Dealer Button's" http://www.glassdealerbuttons.com hero call of the day:

The very last hand before break; it is folded around to me. I limp in for 200 in the button with 3,5 offsuit and the big blind raises all-in for 2800 with the blinds at 100-200. This player has always been deliberate about how he acts before entering a pot and all of a sudden shoves in without thinking and is leaning away from the table. From his body language and stillness, I gather that he is not on a strong hand. Could he have A,K- no. With A,K he had limped in a few times. He knew that I was not strong but I also knew that he did not have a big hand. He was one of the players that did not play strong after the flop. Wait, he had a tendency to bet out his small pairs based on earlier pots. I put him on pocket twos and call him. The rest of the table oohs and ahhs and is watching my every movement and in unison believe that I am bluffing and about to fold. I say out loud "you have two's and I call". He flips over twos and I flip over 3,5 . The flop is 5, K 8 and the turn and river are blanks. The players at the table are stunned and immediately a few of the players say that is the sickest call witnessed and is like Gus Hansen. Even the dealer tells me, wow-what a read and call.

Now on to the break and I now have every one's attention at the table. With the last pot, I am now the chip leader at the table and am ready to play- my way. Welcome to the Chewey Show! The next few levels, I continue to play small-pot poker and position poker. When I get a premium hand and raise, I show my cards to set up my later plays. I chat it up at the table and can tell that everyone is very uneasy with my playing everyhand. I continue to do this and amass a huge stack. I have advanced to Day 2 and only 20% of the field remains, we are down to 400. I am looking forward to a making a deep run in Day 2 and go all the way. Lately, I have been watching a lot of Friday Night Lights-Season 1. Through watching the series, I realize that you must go through adversity and become a stronger person/player to survive. Pressure makes you better and this is so true for me. As the saying goes: "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts- Can't Lose". This is why I prepare and am always looking to gain information on other players and people at the table. Thus far, reading body language and adapting to different playing styles has helped me to advance to Day 2. Check back for my next entry on Day 2 of the tournament.

I will call your All-In!
Chewey