The Bellagio Five Star Classic Main Event.

Hi guys, thanks for all the well wishes. Just gone out 150th or so, top 125 got paid I think so not ideal place to go out. i was card dead all day but took a big hit early on so i felt i needed to wait for a hand. level one cost 44k in blinds and antes so I knew i was up against it. heres the hands:

Level 1: I RR 30k with AK, and the BB moved all-in for all my stack. I passed and he showed KK. Maybe I should have took a shot here.

Level 1: I raised with QJ on button £15k, the small blind called and the BB went all-in. It was £45k to make the call, he showed me 88 when I passed, perhaps I should have took a shot here but i was worried about the SB, I felt he had I big hand and was maybe slowplaying me, so I passed.

Level 2: I raised with KQ in position V 1 limper (who was mixing it up). I put a £17k raise in, and he just flatcalled - trouble. He checked, I bet 30k and he moved all-in.

Level 2: A loose played raised and I moved in for my last 50k with 33. He dwelled and called for all his stack with TT. I was suprised he called. Even if he had A high he would have won on a 99442 board.

Overall, I would say I played great aggressive poker for 2 days, and "chocked" today, anytime anyone put any pressure on me with button raises or I was re-raised I bottled it. I never played back at the button once when he made repeated steal raises (I did really had bad offsuit hands such as J3 94 72 etc though) which is normally how I accumulate chips. I can't explain why I choked, I would normally call an all-in RR with QJ for only 1/3rd of my stack in a shot, and why pass AK (altough he did have KK).

Hung myslef to day I'm afraid, better to go out fighting than play weak passive poker. One hand there was 3 limpers in pot (22k worth of dead money) and found TT in the SB, I flatcalled cause I was worried the UTG limper had AA, KK. Turned out he had A7 suited, I would normally just move-in and take the dead money.

I think its interesting for players who have never played these events to read how a normally super aggressive player can lose his confidence and rock-up when the pressure is on. If you asked any of the 8 players who were at the table, I would think they would label me as a tight-passive player after the last 3 hours play.

Anyway, the beauty about poker is that there is always another prestigous tournamant the following month. When I was knocked ot the first thing I thought was that I QUIT, but now I have had time to review, I know that I can win one of these big events if I can make a few adjustments. I've had a lot of advice from people over here but the butterflies got the better of me on this occasion, I'm afraid.

Many thanks to all the well wishers on Blondepoker, its much appreciated. Rob