I was able to check out the National Championship 1(one) million dollar FREEROLL schedule that was posted up a few days ago, and I see the work that will be cut out for me ...WOW...is all I could say about the 100 players that will get the option to buy into the tournament for $10k. Bill texted me about it and all I could text back was its "The sickest of the sick". Grinder, Lamb and Poker Brat on the top 3...what an experience its going to be. I am looking forward to it, but am also doing as much homework as I can on poker to be at the top of my game come early July. That's right folks...early July as it looks like the freeroll will coincide with the Main Event which is a cool thing as I will be in Vegas during the biggest tourney of the year.
As some of you know, I went ahead and cruised on down to West Palm Beach for the $550 Milly Guarantee they had there, and boy was it a chaotic experience. I got off the plane at about 1pm on the 1st start date, and I was lucky that there was a guy from New York on the shuttle bus that had just left the dogtrack busting out of day 1. I asked him, "So what were the lines like" and got a quick rundown on the chaos and he explained to me that the day 2B was sold out and that the line for Day3 buyins were already forming...WTF...I came here especially for this tourney.
I got to the hotel and immediately jumped in the shuttle to head to the track. I showed up and quickly found the line for the buyins. I stood in the line for about an hour, and I was lucky to get to buy in to the 3rd start day which is day 3A...with only 17 seats left in the pool. "Yes ...I told myself"...I was able to get in. I had heard several people explain to me about the seats/alternates that are given out each day, and I decided to roll the dice and get up early and try to get into day 2A...but at least I was in day 3 no matter what.
I then hooked up with TK, Fish and David Diaz who had all drove up from Miami, and they were all "boxed out" for that particular tourney. They could not get in, and they were some disappointed.
So on Day 2A I get up at 6:00am and head over to the track to get in line...There are about 50 people already there waiting outside and I beat about 10 folks in the line just because the van dropped me off right at the end of the line. We quickly find out that there were about 25 souls that made it pass the first day who had purchased seats for all 3 days so they would be about that many that have guaranteed seats in the line. The track opened at 10am and at about 9:15am they came out and started giving out place cards for the people in line. I got number 57 out of 125 which was actually the 27th alternate since the first 25 were guaranteed seats. That's when the chaos ensued...Barkers walking around holding up seat cards selling them to the highest bidder...I saw several go for $700-$1000 range and then at close to 10:30am I saw the person with place card number 4 sell theirs for $2000...I was STUNNED...REEAAAALLLYY. Obviously my placecard went up for sale and I had a guy offer me $800...then when he realized he would be the 27th alternate...he backed out...wanted to give me $400...Naaahhhhhh...not $400...too much positive EV to sell for that low plus I would need to discuss it with my stakehorse...nahhhhh...I decided to "roll with it" and give them hell at the tables. I got into the tourney midway thru the 3rd level and was pretty stoked about it.
Back to the Chaos...once word got around what was happening...the cops and tournament officials were walking around confiscating any placecards that were being openly "waved" for sale. Your place would be immediately nullified if they caught you. I didn't go out there for Day3A but heard it was 10 times worst...500-600 people out in the parking lot in line starting at about 4am. There was a mad "Bum Rush" at the end when they came out with the placecards and it was every man/women for their self. They just mobbed the front of the building and whoever got placecards got them...and whoever didn't you were "shit out of luck". Just the most bizarre thing I have ever heard off at a poker tourney.
I heard stories of fistfights...several people punched dead in the face...cops taking people to jail...pregnant women out there in line...etc. With all that crap going one, I have to tell you guys about the coolest thing I heard about the whole situation below.
At about daylight, their telling me some "entrepreneurial spirited" kid saw what was happening and "Sized the Day". He shot off to Walmart and brought close to 50-60 of those fold out chairs for around $7...sold them all for $20 as fast as he could get them out his truck...Then he went back and got bottles of Gatorade/Powerade for $1 a bottle..was cleaned out and sold them babies like hotcakes for $5. That was the coolest story I heard about Day 3A's chaos in the parking lot with them fools waiting in line since 4am...somebody made them some money
Oh...back to poker...Day 2A ...They had stopped the night before at like level 15 or something if I remember right. We are at level 14 or so at 300-1000/2000. I am sitting dead on 10 bigs at 20,300 when I glance down at what else...AA ...sitting UTG +2. I had been card dead for several levels, and I heard the lady on my right...sitting on 19,400... complaining to her husband about the same thing. Well she gets quiet all of a sudden and bets out 7k. I tank for a second and decide to do a simple "Stop and Go" and flat here to see if anyone raises behind me or get more people flatting ...and just ship the flop no matter what if nobody raises. Well ...this Tunica Tom looking dumbass who is not paying attention to the action and has "heap" of chips announces, "I Raise" and fires 8.5k into the pot. He attempts to take the few chips back and just call but eventually the floor gets called over and he is told he must min-raise to 12000...the lady ships...of course my chips get in quickly and we get T.T. in with a speech about, "I can't fold...too much in there with my stack...etc". We go to the flop 3 handed with me looking at tripling up to 30+ bigs and prolly getting in the money on day 2 from here easily. Lady tables A-Jo...T.T. tables K-10o...I pitch out my Aces and the flop guts me in the belly quick with the 1st two cards out there being the ten of diamonds and ten of spades...and then the board double pairs with 6"s giving him a boat....."AAAAHHHHHHHHH SHIT....siiggghhhhhhhh" FML...I pack up
So then Mark Rose and I are talking thru the hand when the girls boyfriend starts to chime in about how I played it bad, "What are doing there with Aces...just stick your chips in"...He turns to the guys next to him and says, "That's what you get when you play aces like that"...I guess he was not going to listen to my explanation of being almost an 80% favorite to win the hand...that's when he turns to me and says, "Man...the board double pairs there...all you have to do is shove and get him out the hand and then you and her chop"...pointing to his girlfriend. That's when it hits me the guy was clueless and I just say, "yea dude...we would have chopped there"...LOL...and left it alone.
My day 3 was standard...Had the "missippi machine" at my starting table and we got to bullshit alot and make fun of people. Our table breaks and right before dinner break, I three-bet jam with 11 bbs over a raise and call with AKs...only the caller has AA. Flop comes K high and almost in unison...together we say, "The hand would have played it self" as even if I called there...I am never folding Top-Top there in that spot. I am walking out and I pass the MM's table and he is on the wrong end of a flip...we both hit the rail.
It was a pretty cool trip as the airport/Hotel/Dogtrack were all within sight of each other. I kind of like the dogtracks also. I just don't run well at them. I whiffed the WPT in Jax and now this. Bill Bruce and his team did do a hell of a job under the circumstances with limited capacity. The food was good...It was cool betting the dogs and the checking out the night races ...etc
I picked up a roommate for one night...Thanks Mark Rose for taking that extra bed and helping with the expenses.
We have the hoodies and gear for all those that we told would get them...sorry for the delay. We should also have the patches soon.
We are still working on the forum...trying to get it "Off the Ground"...siiiggghhhhhh
Next up...Gonna try to play the Coushatta events...if your going there hit me up.
I just finished my latest non-poker book, and wanted to give you guys some feedback. I decided to pick up the "Hunger Games" since the movie will be coming out. It really grabbed a hold of me at first, but got kind of ridiculous toward the end. I like the outdoors and the forest/woods ...camping and stuff. It was a cross between "Running Man"..."The Lottery"...and the Reality Series "Survivor". The this futuristic world teenagers are chosen to fight to the death in a "Reality Game" style for entertainment. I read it in 2 days because I wanted to see how it ended...overall I would give it a C+/B-...but I am not buying the other two books in the trilogy...too predictable.
"And it was decreed that each year, the 12 districts of Panem should offer up a tribute of one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to be trained in the art of survival techniques and be prepared to fight to the death" Donald Sutherland as the President of Panem in "Hunger Games"
