Back home, a few random WSOP Impressions or I've seen all the fuss and it's no big deal.

Sorry it took so long to post, I got back last night and was pretty wiped out! . . . Where to begin; what I meant in the Title bar is that I played with the best and held my own, and also that Harrahs just sux, can't really say that enough let me reiterate, Harrahs pretty much sux. They bought the Horseshoe last year and along w/ that came the rights to the WSOP. Along with the crazy high cash bar, Players who bought into the events were given a voucher for $10 off of the buffet! How cheap is that! What they don't tell you is that your voucher expires at midnight the day your event ends. Unbelieveable. If you were at the Superbowl, and say the ball is tipped in the air and lands in your lap would you be suprised if it wasn't a regulation (wilson I believe) leather football? What if it was a cheap plastic nurf ball? What would you think? Well the WSOP had the largest payout of any world championship sporting event in the history of the universe and the cards they used were the cheapest, flimsiest, paper cards I have ever seen in my life. Even the print on the faces of the cards is weak. like the printer was almost out of ink! I actually stole the Ace of spades from a box of used up cards to bring home and show my friends. When they finish with these decks they don't need to cut them or drill them they are so flimsy they just fold the cards in half, it easily leaves a permanent crease. The same WSOP 05 hat that cost 22.00 in New Orleans cost $29 here! And to top it all off, they cut the rounds from 1 hr, to 40 mins in my event just so they could "speed it along". That more or less really made the event more of a crapshoot, I totally believe that I had a great shot of making the money, If I could have had around 15 more hands a level, maybe I would have cought some cards. How lame. Basically at Harrah's owned properties everything cost a little more and you get a little less.

Phil Ivey imho is . . . playing better poker than any other human being. He is absolutely incredible! He won his 5th WSOP bracelet a few weeks ago, and was kicking ass in the final 27, out of 5616 players at the main event. I was disappointed that he wore his hat crooked one day, just a smidgen on the gangsta side, but oh well I'll forgive him this one time!

Likewise Greg Raymers accomplishments are, well, extraordinary! He's no Chris Moneymaker!

I never have been one to seek out autographs and such, but I did approach Cindy Violet after I busted out of my event. She was playing $400/$800 limit mixed game, 1/2 2-7 triple draw, 1/2 Padugi! Thats right Padugi, I'll explain in a minute, but first I sat down at an empty table about 7 ft. away from her and waited until she was out of a hand, and asked to get my photo w/ her. She was totally cool, all smiles, even grabbed a railbird and ask them to take the photo, and we chatted for a sec. It was kinda wierd, because at first I felt like, wow she's a really down to earth, cool person, and she definately seems to be, but It didn't seem like she remember me busting her about an 1 hr before so I said, you do remember right? Cindy said, Oh yeah, the fours. I think in the past I have always harbored some silly fake arrogance thing where I would never consider pumping someones ego up by, say, asking for a photo or autograph and I realize now that it's ok. Perhaps it ads a touch of humility, but I think it was important for me to realize that . . . anyways . . .

Poker players as a group conduct themselves very well, you'd think that thousands cardsharks would be hustling every
angle they could! This years WSOP resembled a business convention more than a poker tourney!

To play poker in that event was incredible beyond belief, tournaments are so competitive and the the focus required is, well it's alot of things but exillerating, addictive and exuasting are a few words that come to mind, I loved it. My first table was pretty much dead money, when that table busted I got moved to a table w/ 4 real, situational thinking players, and for the first time something in my game really clicked. In cash games, ring games (non tournaments) you only find that kind of thinking player at the high stakes. I now know that I can hang w/ really, really good players, however my game is only just beginning, I've got a long, long ways to go!

Tournament poker: a high variance, gotta not get unlucky, addicting rush, incredible, and a shot at becoming a poker superstar . . . Cash Games, a much more sure fire job, can be a source of "reliable" income, more predictable, no high octane adrenaline rush, and can be a real grind.

I'm gonna leave you guys with some more photos, some from the Rio's Voodoo Lounge, and my pic. w/ Cindy. Chow for now,

DB

Will check in either later tonight or tomorrow I hope. Now above 3500 unique visitors and climbing! Thanks to everyone who drops me a line!