This is a pic of Phil Ivey sittin pretty with . . . about 1.7 million in chips maybe 85 players left. He's in the back center with the light blue hat on crooked. Layne "back to back" Flack and David Williams were both hanging out sweating him. I overheard a conversation from some donkey who busted out today, that was at Greg Raymers table. He said the "fossilman" had pocket rockets (AA) 7x today, and won on all 7 occasions! Greg's stack is approx. 2 mil! Eric Seidel is at the final table of the $1500 NL tourney that started yesterday. It was supposed to be a 1 day event but due to the size of the field they held the final table today.

For the duration of my stay in Vegas I am going to color code my posts, white will be my ramblings and green will be designated for my personal poker updates, and red for WSOP main event updates.

I'm going to play exactly 3 satellites tonight. Each satellite starts with 10 players, cost $125 and the winner takes all 1k, however often times the last 2 or 3 players will "chop" the purse, they can make any deal that all remaining players agree to. The rounds are 15 mins long and the blinds start at 25 /25, then 25/50/ then pretty much double every 15 mins. Each player starts w/ 1000 in chips, so for round one the gives you a "q" of 20 ("q" = your stack size divided by the total of the small blind + the big blind + any antes). A q of 2o means you could last 20 rounds at the current blind structure and a q of 20 is the minimum that allows you to make most plays (like re-raising preflop) in NL hold'em without being pot committed. (For more great info on q tourney strategy read Dan Harrington on Hold'Em Vol.1 & 2, by for the best texts ever on NL hold'em tourneys). In Satellites the rounds are so short, and the blinds escalate so fast that you really have to push your good hands, basically if you play to tight you'll wind up 45 mins into the thing short stacked and in bad shape.

My First Satellite didn't last to long. Early in the first round I limped in late position w/ 57o and folded to a big raise from the small blind. The next hand that I voluntarily entered the pot on occured during the very last hand of the 1st round, 2 players had already busted. Here's what happened. I was in late middle position w/ QQ, there were 2 limpers in front of me and I decided to make it 125 straight. I figured that I would probably pick up the pot right there, but the guy to my immediate left, who had played relatively loose, reraised me 375 more. He had me slightly covered. I felt like he had a hand and thought that AK was most likely but he might also play AA, KK, or even possibly a hand like JJ or TT that way. I debate going all in, and that move has merit especially because he has position on me but finally decide to just call knowing he'll be pot committed and call my allin plus this might create a good opportunity for a stop and go. If the guy has big slick and the flop comes rags then I'll push all in and scoop a nice pot, the nice thing about this move is your opponet doesn't get 5 chances to pair his A or K, only the 3 on the flop. Incidentally that is why it is sometimes a good idea to go all in w/ AK, it insures you the best chance of getting a pair and not being bet off the pot on the flop, a good move with a very short stack (q<10).>

WSOP Main Event Update The remaining 102 players are spread out over 20 tables. They just got back from dinner break, the blinds are 5k/10k w/ 1k antes, make that 100 players.

I feel good, and am thinking clearly, my focus seems good. One of the neat things about having backers and posting here to the world is that it really helps me analyze my play, and stay focused. If I go on tilt I have to answer to you guys, plus I want to play my best game for those that backed me. Time to go play satellite #2. More to come later
DB