DAY 8 in the Big Vegas house

The usual start to the day spending hours trying to even move and dosing up with painkillers whinge whinge. Unfortunately, this happened to be the biggest day of my poker career as I prepared to take my walk down the green mile to the Main Event area.

I started the day on 24,400 and the day started slowly. One very big highlight for me was laying down KK pre-flop for the first time ever for me. Take a read and tell me what YOU would have done in the biggest tournament of the world...

I have 20,000 chips. UTG flat calls and 3rd position makes it 1,500 to go. 4th position calls the 1,500 and I raise it up to 6,000. I have already discounted 4th position as having a big hand. It gets back to utg and he raises allin for 45,000 chips which easily covers me, but may have also covered the other two. I am already trying to make my decision and 3rd position folds. I lift my cards and I would guess those around me saw them. I begin talking about having nightmares about this hand when someone points out that position 4 is yet to act. He takes a good 8 minutes to decide and actually tells me he thinks we have the same hand. Of course, I can't help but think he has KK too which would leave me virtually dead. He eventually folds mumbling that he had a monster, so I am convinced if I need outs, I am struggling. After a good few minutes more, I fold my KK face up. Position 4 reveals he actually had AK. UTG flipped over AA so I had one out.

Well I then got a couple of non-believers to push me around and I was soon up to 70,000. I guess my image was now that I could be pushed off any hand and perhaps they were right.

Nothing happened in session 2 and as is so often the case, I dribbled back to 53k.

Session 3 was where it all happened and with 20 minutes remaining I decided to cave in and have a well-needed back massage. As I paid her off, before sitting down I grabbed a card and half the audience must have seen it was Ad. I then went back to get the other and the other half must have seen Ah. Luckily the short-stack didn't see the audience and we got it all in. He had AK. 3 hands later, precisely the same hand occurred and I managed to get arrogant big-stack to call 60k allin with his AK. Now I was getting loud and emotional and 1prophet came over to watch. I could hardly bring myself to look but heard Jon screaming 'King. King'. My head was spinning and I couldn't get my head round why I would want a King? As the chips were passed over to me, Jon said 'Oh, it was YOU with the AA' LOOOOOOOOOOOL. Ended the session on 126k.

Session 4 also started well and I soon found myself on 160k, but then the well-documented KK hand happened. This hand really is kkilling my kkareer. To cut a long story short, I had reraised pre-flop against the arrogant little mummy's boy and he had called out of position to my Kings. He called some real big bets with the board coming 2334 and won a 90,000 pot from me when he hit the 5 river. This hand will haunt me forever. I ended the session on 101,000 and not feeling happy.

Session 5 I took every outdraw going and I was doing well to keep under control. It was close to my second goal and making day 3 was going to be a big achievement for me, so I stayed quiet and just let them get on with it. Well, not quite. But quiet enough. Ended the day and into day 3 with 79,300 chips. I guess below average but if asked before the tournament would I take it, I would prob have said yes.

Now it was 2am before I got away from the poker area and we had been playing since 12 midday. Whinge whinge body cracking but I need to hit the sack. It was difficult to walk past the heaving whore's bar, but I showed great discipline. I finally got into bed at 3am knowing I had to get up to play my HU league game (final 32) in the morning and then day 3 of the world series of poker. So I need sleep bad.

Now just lately I have been getting calls from a number I hadn't recognised and I sent a couple of texts to them saying I am in Vegas and will cost a fortune for both if I answer. One time I did answer and a lady asked for Nick. I explained she had the wrong number and I would appreciate she didn't ring me again as it is generally 4am when it rings. I just about started nodding off when BRIIIIIIIIIING BRIIIIIIIIIIING. FFS, someone gonna get a mouthful.

"Hello, is the Richard?".
"Yesh, it is".
"Hi Richard. This is Ben from Betfair. We haven't seen you for a while and wondered if you would mind answering a few questions."

I am sure you can imagine how the rest of the conversation went. How the hell can they phone a poker player during the WSOP without thinking that player might actually be at the WSOP. They have a VIP stand here. Just makes you wonder if they are trying to nobble the opposition.

So, I am now steaming again and eventually nod back off. Luckily, the phone went BRIIIIIIIIN DE FEKKKING BROOOOOOOOOONG at 7:30am and I got a text from a mate saying something about a nightshift. I couldn't read the rest as my eyes were stuck together. I do appreciate the best wishes sent and that prob sounds a bit harsh, but it is not the most positive start to the day. Or maybe it was for the best as I was so dosed up woth pills, I may never have woken! LOOOOOOOOL

Have a great little good luck clip which I need to convert and upload later, but for now it is bon voyage and see you later.