Day 1 Main Event

The first tournament of the year for me yields a 1st place finish. Impressive, but can I do this in back to back tournaments? Less than 24 hours after my 1st place finish, I am in my second major tournament of the year- The New Year Invitational at Harrahs. There are over 1,000 players in this event. In the 24 hours leading up to the event, I play in a rebuy tournament and place 1st for over 8.5k and have not gambled in the pit (table games) or slots. My sole focus is on winning this tournament and to take back to back first in my first two tournaments of 2008. The morning starts with a spirited workout at 7am (physical / not cards or gambling) in the Harrahs Spa which consists of a 55 minute weightlifting session and a 20 minute running session to get the body ready for the long tournament session that lies ahead. 8:30am- I return to the room and shower. 9am- I have breakfast and take a review of the blind structures that will be in play for this tournament. My game plan is to let the table dictate my play; the plan is to do opposite of what the table does- contrarian style. If the table is aggressive, I wait to push. If the table is passive, then I will take the lead and push aggressively. Chip accumulation will be key to surviving and going deep in this tournament because antes will kick in level 2. Harrahs has again changed the blind structure and has introduced more of the luck factor by having antes and blinds kicking in faster.

9:45am- I arrive at my seat: Table 10,Seat 10- what a weird draw- the dreaded 10s. Would this be a sign of things to come. Upon a quick glance at my table, I am the youngest player and the other players range from early 40s to mid 70s. I try to classify players into different player types based on two factors such as age and playing experience. This table had a mix of tight players and veteran players. I did not have an easy draw but am able to formulate a game plan. With a starting stack of 1500 and the blindsat 25-50, I would have to choose carefully my hand selection play because the short chip stack and blind structures do not allow alot of room for being a loose call-station. The first level does not allow me much latitude to play many hands and the only hand I am able to see past the flop is J,10x and I loose to the magical Ace,rag to player X for a pot of 400. Player X quickly eliminates 2 players and amasses a chip stack to 3900. I am able to see alot of other players hands in their respective showdowns. There is one player (Player Z) that always plays an Ace to the river, one player that always plays suited connectors, My biggest targets is Player Z and X. Player Z is a complete tell box and is seated to my immediate left. I can tell when he is getting into the pot and can tell if he has that magical ace in his hand. Observing and exploiting players mannerisms can be very profitable. Level 1 ends and I have 1325.

Level 2 begins with blinds 50-100 and 25 antes. I lose the first three pots that I enter to Player Z through his aggressive betting. I also learn that he bets exactly 2.5 times the big blind when has nothing nut Ace high through his play in hands that I'm not involved in. This will be key to me when we have our showdown towards the end of this level and a showdown in Level 3. My stack is now down to 1125. Player Z eliminates two short stacked players and has amassed a chip stack of about 4100. Player X and Player Z alternate winning pots and this leads me to my realization that when I get position and when both players are not in a pot, I must play whatever hand I have. Through this maneuver, I am able to pick up a few pots and grow my stack from 1125 to 1750. 10 minutes left in the level, I raise to 250 with A, 10 from the button position and am called by player X in the small blind. The flop is A, 8, 10. I check my Ace and player Z bets 250. I know now that he has an Ace as well. I call, The turn is a 5. I check and he bets out 250 again. It seems like he wants action, so I oblige by calling. The river brings a 2 and again I check. Player Z bets out 250 again and I just call. The reason is that I want him to showdown his hand and to send a message to the table that I am not going away. He turns over A,3. My chip stack now sits at 2800. Level 2 ends with my chip stack at 2800.

Level 3 blinds at 100-200 with 50 antes. Player X again is on the warpath and eliminates two player through his chip stack and power play. He is also getting lucky with good flops and good cards. I have a gameplan for him too. Not too much happens in this level in that the chip stacks continue to grow and the short stacks keep getting knocked out. I have 3975 in chips and need to survive 2 more levels to make it to Day 2. Player Z also continues his aggressive play as well.

Level 4 blinds 200-400 with 75 antes. This is chip accumulation level as short stacks are getting busted left and right at every table and the average stack is 3000. It is also do or die time for me as well. I can amass chips now and set myself up for a deep run in Day 2. The first few hands , I limp in and fold on the flop. I am setting up a big pot with Player Z. The fifth hand of the level brings me a pocket pair of 3s. In the button position, I call and Player Z raises 2.5xs the blind to 1050. I know he has an Ace. I immediately raise all-in for 2925 and he calls. I know and announce his Ace to the table before he flips it. This is a very risky all-in as it is for my tournament life but am confident that I have him beat pre-flop. The board holds up and my chip stack is now at 7875. Player Z still has 1100 in chips and I will be back for it later. I am dealt pocket Aces the very next hand and am involved in small pot with Player X (the other loose player) and flip over my Aces to him after the flop for a pot win of 1350. I also win the next two hands pre-flop with my raises. I am not looking to amass more chips and to coast in Level 5. 5 minutes before the end of the level, I call with pocket Kings and do not raise as the two blinds are short -stacked and Player Z has given me the magical clue that he will enter the pot. I want action and I want as many chips as possible as the players after me are all short -stacked. Player Z goes all-in for 1,300, small blind calls, big blind calls. Big Blind has 600 in chips after the call, small blind has 800 in chips after the call. I immediately raise all-in and have everyone involved in this pot covered. There are four players involved in this pot. I have Kings, Player Z has A,8; Small Blind has A,9; Big Blind has A,2 and Player X folded an Ace. There are no more Aces and I have a hammerlock on this hand. I win this pot and eliminate half of the table. My chip stack is now at 15,000. After this hand, I walk away from the table and can literally see Day 2 in my cross hairs. I return to the table with only 5 minutes remaining in Level 5 and am able to win a small pot from player Z and end Day 1 with 15,700 in chips. I have advanced to Day 2 in decent shape and looking to make a deep run and back to back final tables in the first two events of 2008.

Armed and chip stacked for Day 2, see you next time for Day 2!
Chewey