Event 1- Summer Schedule- Coolored

Played my first event today, a $160 Buy In at Binions which got 178 runners. Starting stacks were $12K. Damn my table was interesting, told the table it was well worth the buy in just for entertainment value. Player banter back and forth, calling the clock, dude raising with 72 and breaking a guy, etc.

I won the first hand of the tourney, never a good sign for me, and only won two more hands during the first three levels. Was as low as 8600 and went into break with 10K or so.

Made it through, the 4th level unscathed but really wasn't chipping up. Could not defend my blinds all day, just junk cards.

Coolored for my stack in level 5 with the following hand:

Blinds were 200/400/50 and I opened UTG for 1500 with two black aces, folds to MP3 and he raises me to 4000, back to me and I push for my remaining 9000 or so. He insta calls and flips two queens, I dodged the flop and there it came on the turn, a queen and I was out the door. Had the player exactly where I wanted him, but sometimes this game will make you sick.

Not much you can do, but say good game and shake the guys hand. Happy with my play today, really card dead or when I was raising nobody would play. On to Venetian for the start of the Deep Stack tomorrow.

First Week WSOP/Vegas Series Schedule

Finally took the time to plan my first week of the poker mania that takes over Las Vegas from late May to mid July each year. Due to some unexpected responsibilities with my kids in Texas, I am only going to be in town about 15 days during this time frame. If any of you have a 13 year old son who might be going down the wrong path, you know what I mean. I am without question a parent first, poker has to come a distance second.

Last year I only played 4 events and spent a lot of time at the 2/5 cash table at the RIO which was very rewarding. I was basically a break even in the tourneys I played. The highlight was going fairly deep in a Venetian 550, finishing 25/704 after wining entry via a $130 single table. The low point was a Caesars $340 when I was cruising along 10 from the money and fell in love with 8's, misplayed the hand every way possible and crippled myself. I also played the first WSOP 1000 which in my opinion was a shove fest donkament and I lasted a whopping four levels.

So here is the schedule. If I make Day 2 in any event, I will not play the event scheduled for that day.

5/27 Binions Classic- $150 Just a practice session, first live event in a month or so, got to give Downtown some business.

5/28 Venetian DSE $340

5/29 Venetian DSE $340

5/30 Day off (Indy 500/Nascar 600) May play the WSOP nightly

5/31 WSOP $1500

6/1 Ceasers $225 Mega Stack- Need to redeem myself from last year and need a change of pace.

6/2 Venetian DSE $550

Thats roughly $3k in buy ins with I am sure some cash mixed in. All I need is a run good one time.

Good Luck to all and see you at the tables.

What would you do

A couple of years back, the WSOP TV coverage had a spot on a handicapped gentleman that basically did not have arms and was playing the Main with his feet. I felt at the time that it was a heart warming story and how cool it was that the guy didn't let his disability get in the way of his desire to play cards.

I think disabilities sadden all of us, and every day I am thankful that neither myself or my kids suffer from them. I don't park in handicap spaces and go out of my way to assist someone who is handicapped and in need of a door opened an elevator held etc.

Yesterday I was faced with a very interesting situation. I am in Texas for a month to get out of Vegas until the WSOP and see my kids and relax. The poker bug got me so I decided to take a little drive up to Choctaw Casino in Oklahoma for some cash.

When I arrived the 1/2 list had about five names on the list, with four tables going. After a brief wait, I was seated in a game and there in Seat 8 was a handicapped guy with no arms playing with his feet. I dont think it was the same guy from the WSOP. I admit it, its hard not to stare and I tried my best not too. I also was quick to notice three table change buttons on the table and it was obvious what was going on. I also texted some friends with the whole "You wont believe this" text. After some thought I tried to do my best and not stare and just concentrate on the game. Fail, of course, and it was all I could think about. I didn't request a table change and as we cycled through players, the table change requests kept coming. Finally after a couple of hours the guy went broke with top two that got flushed out. He left and the game returned to some sense of normalcy.

I struggling with my attitude and the fact that I was tilted while he was at the table and really could care less about the game. I kept trying to focus on I was there to win and take his money, but I backed down the two times he raised me.

Question of the day, what would you do, ask for table change, go on about your business or be uber tilted like I was.