I had delayed writing this blog entry due to some news received earlier in the week. The week had gotten off to a good start, even though it was due to the fact that 'Team Primate' has little willpower!! Even though we had claimed we had given up online poker in the build up to the WSOP, Sunday morning boredom reared its ugly head and, given the choice between playing a $50 freeze-out on pokerstars or wash the walls of the treehouse, there was only to be one winner. 178 runners started and with 18 getting paid we ran out of luck at a crucial time and finished up 28th, feeling as though we'd never been away.After finishing my treehouse chores we decided that another tourney was in order to keep any cobwebs away and so we took to Sunday's $200 super satellite on Pokerstars. With several hundred runners, the tourney ended up awarding 58 seats of which we were fortunate to win one and so, at 9.30pm, we took to the big one!! 2708 runners started and the tournament went well only for me to run 8-8 on a 8-K-6 flop into K-K and we departed in 254th place for $900. Still a profit for the day - and its back on the wagon again on Monday!!
Then on Monday the camp received bad news. 'Monkey Butler' announced that unless he won a seat into the big one that he wouldn't be travelling with the rest of the party. Although disappointed at the decision, the rest of the team understood the reason why and decided that this week we would rally round and make sure that all of 'Team Primate' would be in Las Vegas.
Tuesday saw our return to the Circus Casino in Manchester to defend our title from last week and as with last week's performance, this week's saw a new first for 'Team Primate'. This week however it was to be for the wrong reason as it was the first time that we had actually quit a tournament before the rebuy period had ended. About half way through level 2 our K-K was beaten in a 5 way pot with J-4, this signalled a downturn in fortune having started the tournament by turning our 1k starting stack into 4k. The table we were situated at was one where every pot was raised preflop - and usually with a 'marginal' hand. This usually led to every pot being 4 or 5 way and, with there only being 1k chips available for £20, it meant that you only had one move - all in. At the table I was at and with the chip stacks that some of my fellow players had, it was decided that discretion was the better part of valour, so when my A-J lost to K-J on the turn 'Team Primate' decided to have an early night.Leaving 'Monkey Butler' at home on both Tuesday and then on Friday to concentrate on winning his WSOP seat, the rest of 'Team Primate' headed to Leo's casino for a NLH rebuy. This tournament went a bit better than Tuesday's, but again, as with the online tournament earlier in the week, losing two hands at the crucial stages meant an exit when down to the last couple of tables. The drive home meant the usual dissection of the evening's play. Overall, I was quite satisfied the way things were going.
Last year we went to Las Vegas not really knowing what to expect - it was the first time travelling to America and it was also the first time experiencing the WSOP. People had told me before I had travelled that whatever I imagined Las Vegas to be like - multiply that by 10 and that would probably be nearer to the mark. They weren't wrong when it came to the tournament itself - a huge ballroom with what seemed like endless row after row of tables. Even though we weren't due to play until day 1b, we had gone along on day 1a to register. The sight of all the tables coupled with the noise of about 2000 people riffling chips was something we'd never forget. This year 'Team Primate' knows what to expect and thinks that we'll be better equipped to survive longer than the 12-13 hours we endured last year. Without giving too much away at this stage we think we've established the differences needed from how we played last year to go further - all we need now is a bit of lady luck at the right times!!Saturday night saw the best news of the week for 'Team Primate' when 'Monkey Bulter' (who I hope will forgive me for giving up his anonymity) won his seat into the main event on a WillHill's satellite - NICE JOB SQUIRE, see you at the final table. Although it now means that 'Team Primate' will not be setting up camp together as 3 of its members will be at the Monte Carlo and 1 will be at the Rio - still it means that if 'Monkey Boy' has a late night in the main event he doesnt have to bother with a taxi back to the Monte Carlo!!
ROLL ON THE 27TH - "TEAM PRIMATE" IS READY TO INVADE!!
