Event 49 Day 2 / 330 NLH Event

After a grueling Day 1 of Event 49 at the 2008 WSOP, PAA sweepstakes winner- Jim Forsythe is in the money. A field of 2,700 has been narrowed down to 215. The cards have not been kind to Jim but he has managed to play his way into a money finish in Event 49. Before the end of Day 1, Jim gained momentum in Level 8 with a key double up by out-flopping his opponent with a higher 2 pair (Kings & 8s). Jim has not seen too many pocket pairs or premium hands such as A,K ? A,10 and every chip or pot that was won has been a struggle for Jim. He is seated at Hevad Rain Khan?s table and the action thus far has been very aggressive.

Day 2 begins with Level 12 blinds at 1,000-2,000 with 300 antes. Jim is dealt pocket Aces with a 27,000 chip stack in mid-position and raises it to 12,000. A player from the cutoff position re-raises to isolate Jim. This is the first premium and perhaps best starting hand that Jim has been dealt thus far in the tournament. Jim is the overwhelming favorite and insta-calls. The chip leader of the table flips over pocket Queens and the table is in disbelief as the pot is worth over 60,000. The flop brings 4, 6, Queen and Jim is trailing big time in this hand. A double up for Jim seemed nearly impossible. The turn and river are of no help and Jim is sent to the rail with a 214th finish in Event 49 of the 2008 WSOP. Jim did the best that he could and in a post event interview stated that the magnitude of his accomplishment was just beginning to set in. Congrats, Jim on your 214th place finish. The bar has definitely set for Team Poker Across America for the remaining 2008 WSOP Events.

Later that evening in the $330 No Limit Event, Jay and I embarked on the quest for another PAA money finish. Players started with 5,000 chips and blinds at 25-50. Both of us start the tournament in the tournament area that is located by the main casino floor and throngs of people come and go watching the tournament. Everyone that goes to the main WSOP Arena has to pass by our tables. Early on, I?m not comfortable with this as random people are able to see and watch your every hand within inches from you. Level 1 ends with Jay growing his stack to nearly 20,000 and Chewey clinging to a 4,875 stack. Jay has caught quite a few straights and flushes while I have been clawing to a few split pots and completely ambushed by the tables aggressive, loose style.

Level 2 and 3 are both good for Jay and I as we both grow our stacks to 30,000 & 8,700 respectively. In our tournament area there is over 20 tables and nearly 2 other tournament areas that have the same amount of tables as well. Jay takes a hit in Level 5 (blinds at 200-400) and I pick up the pace with timely raises and a few semi-bluffs to increase my stack to 21,500. This new found stack is short-lived for me as I take a few hits and manage to spew my chips to all of the 4 short-stacks at my table and manage to end Level 6 with 10,650. At one point, I was down to 3,000 in chips. I manage to outflop my opponent pocket jacks with a set of threes and sent one of the biggest threats at my table packing to the rail with huge suckout. Hey, that?s poker- I can get lucky sometimes and even celebrate in the process and there was a crowd that witnessed my celebration pump. Yeah, even Jay noticed and so did all the other tables in the area. I?ll leave this celebration pump to your imagination.

Finally we are moved to the main tournament arena and the field has been narrowed to less than 100 players and the top 36 would get paid. It is nearly midnight and all players are getting tired! Not me, I pick up the aggression and begin attacking each pot as blinds are 800-1600 with a 200 ante. Each pot is now worth at least 4,400. I grow my stack form 10,650 to over 31,000. Jay maintains his stack at 35,000.

Level 8- Jay gets out flopped and rivered and is eliminated in 40h place. My heartbeat skips a beat as I realize that I too could get eliminated at any hand. I close my eyes and try not to think about the grueling task that lies ahead- the march to the final table in the next few hours. We are now down to 38 spots and hand for hand play begins. My stack is around 30,000 and the average is 35,000 with several short stacks remaining in the field. It is now nearly 2:30 AM and all eyes lie on the task ahead- accumulate chips or get eliminated. The bubble is burst in three intense hands and I have cashed in my first 2008 WSOP Event. Team Poker Across America has claimed back to back money finishes in 2 WSOP Events thus far.

Level 9,10, 11 I begin my steady climb up the leader board from 30,000-40,000-50,000-65,000-85,000 and finally I cross the 100,000 chip mark in Level 12 and the field has been narrowed down to 11 players. Each player eliminated from this point forward will double up the prize money for the remaining players. I am dealt A,10 suited in the big blind position and it has been raised by an UTG player and All-In push by the button position. I smooth call the 20,000 bet with the blinds at 3,000-6,000 and 500 antes. The UTG player and I check it down and he manages to beat me through pairing his A,2 on the river and we are down to our final table. Did I mess up in not re-raising, I don?t know but this will be a hand that will be revisited and analyzed in a future blog.

It is now 4 AM and we are all guaranteed a $2,000+ payday and first place is worth nearly 30,000. I am eliminated in two hands with A,10 vs 4,4 and finish in 10th place and my first cash and final table finish of this year?s WSOP. I am happy and sad at my feat as I felt that I could have won this event. I was playing to win and not to survive. Thus far, I have placed 15th and 10th in 2 WSOP events thus far.

Don?t forget to checkout the below video for highlights from Jim?s Day 2. I am on the prowl and heating up for the 2008 WSOP $10,000 Championship Main Event. In the next blog, footage from the 2008 Main Event, My EXCLUSIVE interview with a TV Star and Golden Nugget The Grand Poker Series Video.

The Chewey Machine is in Effect!
Chewey