blonde poker

Shades on, IPOD on, I look like and intend to be a rock who is going to wait for hands early on. I say to myself minimum AQ to play any pot. We have 780 runners, Rounds 1: 80 tables of ten, Round 2: then 13 tables of 6, Final: 2 tables of 6 and 7, only the winner goes through each round and gets in the money. Luca Pandiani is the only player I recognise at my table until the number 1 player in 2004, Daniel Negraneau, comes and sits next to me on my right., Daniel raises out of position with 93 off, re-raises someone with pocket 22 and starts to run over the table with cards that would give David Sklansky a heart attack. Sod it, change of plan for me, shades off, IPOD back in bag, all ideas of tight play out of the window, If Negraneau doesn't need them - neither does the Yongsta. I just cannot be a rockas suited connectors just smile at me. As I move all-in with 75 spades on a Ks 8s 9h flop I feel freed on all my inhibitions (they all pass fortunately including a guy holding A4 of spades!). Negraneau tells me he is running bad and he has lost 3 pots of 1m each over at the Wynn this week, but he's still in profit - just. I want to say that he I wish he would hurry up and bust out so I get these rocks chips and he does, moving all in with Q9 on a JT2 flop. Down to 6 players. Here are a few hands a played, probably badly according to the books I have read:

Hand 1: I get KK under the gun, I limp, Luca moves all in for 50% of my stack, I call, 5 players left.

Hand 2: I get AA under the gun, I raise, no action, Damn, should have limped again.

Hand 3: I have 89 offsuit on the BB, I call 1 small pre-flop raise against a loose player, Flop 567! He bets, I call, next card 7, he moves all in, I call. He has A7. 4 people left.

Hand 4:  I limp with JT off suit under the gun, get 3 callers, I guy wants to raise but calls and moans about me limping in all the time. Flop 894, I check, 1 guy bets, 1 guy calls, I move all in. They all pass, thankfully. I'm pushing my luck with these draws, but my position looks like I have an over pair so the can't call.

Hand 5: Down to 3 players, 1 guy raises, another guy moves-all in, I have AQ spades, chance to knock both of them out and go through to my first WSOP money finish..I fold. They turn over QT and 44 - Ace on flop, I would have won and got through - damn. At least I am heads-up but maybe I made error here as it would only have cost me 40% of my stack.

Hand 6: Been heads-up for 10 minutes, Blinds are only 100-200 and I have 8000 chips, my opponent had 6000. He is an absolute Rock (but he has has 2 WPT final table finishes). My strategy is it to play small pots and steal his chips slowly until.I find JT on the button, I raise 800, he flat calls, whoops, I put him on AQ ish, as he would have re-raises me with AK or a pair based on his play so far, this guy would never slowplay. Flop, KQ2, I am up and down. He checks, I bet my draw $1000, he smooth calls, I know I am in serious trouble but Turn comes a beautiful big fat Ace, I have the nuts and I hope  he has hit 2 pair,. He bets $1500, small bet, he's slowplaying me! I annouce all-in and he calls immediately and turns over KQ (2 pair on flop!), I flip over my TJ to show the nuts and the river comes blank. I am through to my first ever WSOP money finish, although I think it only $3000, it still feels good!!!

I play Round 2 to at 7pm, Thanks to Daniel Negraneua for coming to my table, no shades or IPOD and playing he loose aggressive style, or I may have anted my chips away. No matter what happens now I sticking to my style of   playing cause I've seen the number 1 player in the world play with any 2 cards!