Hello form the Hi-Lo

Sorry for not having posted for a while but have been busy with other, dare I say it more important stuff than poker. This meant that I missed most of the early events at WSOP. However, I will be playing every day from now on. Even thinking about playing the $1500 PLO tomorrow. With having now changed this to a re-buy event, I suppose I could gamble and try to accumulate chips before the Hi-Lo final? Not sure if this is wise but I do have 4 hours before the final starts! Anyway, we will see how I feel in the morning.

As for the Hi-Lo event - I must admit that I have grown to love this game. Having just missed out last year in the $5K, I put full effort into this one. Anyway, after playing the $3K limit holdem which started the same day as the hi-lo, and busting within 90 minutes without winning a hand, I expected some better luck.

The first level was full of fun as it ended with most players being at level chips except for yours truly who had a monster stack of 4K. Those $25 chips can sure look intimidating during the early stages!. As the blinds increased in level three, I lost a couple of big pots that sent me spiraling down to 1500. But no need to worry, one scoop can change all that. In fact, two scoops put me into comfort zone at 6K.

Moving tables for the first time, I get greeted with the news that ten players had already been busted from my new seat. Charming! By the third hand, I understood why as I lost three big hands and went down to 1500 again. But you know what? Limit can be very volatile and therefore, you should never think of defeat - no matter how small your stack is. Anyway….a couple of nice pots later, and I was back to square one at 6K.

As play continued, I never really had much danger of reaching the chip lead or from busting. Although I did again go down to about 2K late in the day, it was a short stay in danger zone. Just before the end of the first day, a little rush came my way and I was in comfort zone again with 26K and in about 18th place from the remaining 46 players.

The second day began with my taking down the first three hands and almost doubling up to 50K. Not much happened after that until I won a big pot that put me in a strong position with over 120K. However, two monster drawing hands within a few minutes sent me reeling instead of taking a big chip lead. But you know something else? Many of the chip leaders during this event never even made the last three tables! So how could I be upset and not taking the chip lead?

With about 15 players remaining, I was looking good to make the final. Sure enough, the final ten came easy enough. With one very low stack (Joshua Tieman) now on the BB, the final nine loomed. Now all-in and with just the river to come, it‘s not looking good for Josh. But to be fair, Josh had played great all the way through the event and he deserved his bit of luck as the river saved him. But the problem was, I was now in danger of missing out! In fact, dealt A-A-4-7 on the BB, I committed to the hand by three betting Phil Helmuth’s button raise. It was sweet to see another Ace on flop. However, Phil had picked up the nut flush draw with his K-K-X-X and it would not have surprised me if the flush hit. In the end, my hand was good and the danger of busting had passed. Josh eventually busted in tenth place and we go at it again tomorrow.

BTW, thanks for all your good wishes - I just hope to have a fair crack at it!