MAIN DRAW 195 of 224

This is the big one. It is only played once a month and it costs $320 to enter. Most players earn tickets by winning satellites, as was the case for me. I only played three hands of signifigance.

One guy played every hand to see the flop and was quickly down to $435 while I was at $1470. He went all in after four limpers, and I went against him with my AK. He held ATs. He flopped a flush draw, but it was the dreaded T on the river that beat me and brought him back from the dead. I was now just over $1000, and I just waited for a premium hand.

I got KK, and went all the way to showdown. One opponent bluffed at the end when the board paired tens, but not enough to take me all in. The rest of the board showed a Q and a possible heart flush. I held a heart, so the $100 was an easy call. He showed A6, no hearts. Guys like this will help you build a stack in tournaments. I was now at a more respectable $1750.

My next big moment came when I got AA in the big blind. I was hoping someone would make a big play, but there were only callers. I had to tip my hand in order to narrow the field, so I made a modest raise, which brought only two callers. The flop came 39J rainbow. The guy who cracked my AK liked it enough to go all in. This guy has been showing some crappy cards on his way to building a nice stack with such gems as 82s that flush up on the river. I fear the J9, but I'm hoping it is KJ. What else can I do but go all in? If I get cracked, at least I die with my boots on. Of course, he shows J9, and I am a goner.