4 great levels and one awful one...

There was a lot of action today. I went in slightly below average and really wanted to make something happen early. I got off to a great start at a pretty weak-tight table. Early I reraised a late raiser with ATs and he folded, then I had a ton of steals. I was up to about 180k after level 1 without coming close to a showdown.

Hand #1 - 2000/4000/500

Ross Boatman (well known english pro) is the only other guy really playing pots. He recently went on a big rush and has about 300k. I raise to 12k on the button with red AA. He calls in the sb. Flop comes As9s7x. He checks, I bet 17500, he makes it 45000. I really think he has a strong hand here and the best way to get the money in is to push. I push. He thinks forever and folds. He later told me he had a pair and a flush draw.

Hand #2 - 2000/4000/500

I raise A4o to 12k. Jason Lester pushes for 40k more. I'm getting almost 2-1 and I've been really loose so far so he should be pushing a pretty wide range. I call and he shows TT. Flop 774, turn 7, river A. I'll take it.

I win a bunch more pots and am up to about 300k when I get moved to a new table. This table sucks. Victor Ramdin (won the WPT foxwoods, final tabled a couple other recent ones) is to my left, as is a very aggressive young guy. Juha Helpi is also there, a very solid pro.

Hand #3 - 3000/6000/500

I open-limp in the sb with 96s. BB checks. Flop's 875r. He calls down my bets and shows 87. I'm surprised and impressed he didn't lose more...

Hand #4 - 3000/6000/500

We're starting to get closish to the bubble. Early guy makes it 23k, I don't think he has a hand. Tight guy cold calls. I raise 60k more from the button with QJo (I would've done it with anything, I'm not putting more money in this pot). Everyone folds quickly around to tight guy who immediately folds and shows JJ(!!!!!).

I have some resteals and get restolen from a bunch on the bubble and when the bubble breaks I have about 500k. 44k is a pretty sweet payday, plus I'm still above average! I get as high as 600k before things start to go badly. I get reraised a few times and have to fold. I call some raises with pairs and things and get horrible flops everytime. Ramdin's been playing a ton of pots and I run my overpair into his aces. That pot could've gone a lot worse, but I was still down below 300k. I then pick up AA and KK back to back and just get the blinds.

Hand #5 - 5000/10000/2000

Folded to me on the button and I have A7o. BB is way too tight and super short and will probably fold almost everything. SB is good and aggressive, very capable of restealing. I've been talking to him a fair bit, he's a pretty nice guy also. I ask how much he has, he counts down his 170k. I guarantee he will now resteal with a ton of hands. I raise to 30k, he pushes, I call. He shows 85s. Flop's 87x and I don't catch up. Down to 100k.

I push J5o the next hand from the CO and pick up the blinds. On the last hand of the day, I push 33 utg and again pick up the blinds. So I finished today with 141k. Pretty damn disappointing after being up to 600k, but still a pretty successful day. I was really happy with how I played for the most part. Towards the end I may have misplayed a couple hands, but things really just went terribly. Now I'm going to need some serious luck early tomorrow.

Chip counts and table/seat assignments can be found here. Ramdin is chip leader and to my left which really sucks. On the plus side, my table should be the first to break, so if I can get some chips at least I won't be stuck at that table too long.

Steve