1:30pm – My dad just lost with a set of kings to a small card straight. He’s on life support and guaranteed not to be happy. Blinds are now 150/300 and he has 545 chips.
1:34pm – The first all-in called at my table: 66 v QJ by two very active players. The sixes hold.
1:38pm – My dad just went all-in under the gun with J9o and found AA in the big blind. He’s out in 3108th place.
1:40pm – I just got my first AJo, which I hate. The reason I am still in is probably because I haven’t had this hand yet. However, this time I flopped two pair and I move up to 13,550.
1:42pm - The first elimination at my table just occurred nearly one hour in.
1:45pm – It’s break time! The current leader sasodiits has 55,568 chips. I’m in 1,202th place of 2,907 remaining with 13,100 chips. The average chip stack is 13,412.
1:52pm – We’re back from the break. The blinds are now 200/400. The antes will start in 45 minutes. The first hand back I steal from cutoff seat with K9o.
1:58pm – There were three limpers on my big blind just now and I flopped top pair and a flush draw! The short stack goes all in after my bet is called by another player – I go all-in for the first time in the tournament. The other player folds and I pick off the short stack’s semi-bluff open-ended straight draw. I’m up to 21,001 after a 12,802 pot and I am ecstatic!
2:05pm – I made my first under the gun limp with 55. I bet the safe looking flop and moved up to 22,201.
2:09pm – We went to 300/600 blinds a little while ago. I just noticed. I guess I’m still a little fired up from my big hand.
2:11pm – My pocket aces net me the blinds.
2:13pm – [This is a mistake I made, I almost forgot about it.] I just doubled up someone. He limped under the gun plus one and when I bet my second pair after checking my big blind he raised all-in. He was too short for me to fold. He showed pocket kings and I am down to 15,881. [It would have been better to check to see what happened as there were four people in the hand.]
2:16pm – My kings net me the blinds.
2:22pm – The blinds are now 400/800 and I’m spiraling down. My chip stack is 13,781.
2:25pm – I just moved to a new table and lost any table image I might have. [At the time I was not happy about it either!]
2:38pm - The blinds are up to 400/800 with a 50 ante bringing the pot to 1,650 to start. I’m hurting at 10,931 chips.
2:41pm – I am back in business for now. I eliminated a player with my AQ v his AJ. I’m up to 21,781.
2:46pm – I just hit a set of sixes. There was a raise pre-flop and one other player called in front of my button. I called as well with my 66. I hit my set on the flop. The original bettor bet and the next player raised. I went all-in for the third time today and everyone folded. My reward is a 34,681 chip pot.
2:50pm – There is three minutes to break and I can’t wait!
2:52pm – I got pocket kings in the small blind in the last hand before the break. I re-raised someone and took it down. I have 37,981 at the break and feel magnificent. The chip leader amarillion has 162,871. I am in 318th out of 1389 remaining. The average is 28,070. The first hour chip leader is now in 123rd place.
3:00pm – Blinds are 500/1K with a 75 chip ante. I get AKo on the button the first hand back from break. There are three limpers and I make a big raise. The short stack in the small blind comes over the top. I call and she has AQo. A queen hit the flop and I am down to 21,808 and fuming!
3:03pm – My first pocket jacks net me the blinds, which means a 3,175 pot at this level.
3:15pm – The blinds are now 600/1200 with a 100 chip ante. I have 18,123. It’s almost time for me to move chips.
3:24pm – I haven’t played a hand in the last 14.
3:25pm – I just got AJs and got to play a hand after 15 folds. I get back up to 17,883.
3:30pm – The blinds are 750/1500 with a 150 chip ante. I have the ability to go around the table five times without playing at this level. It’s all-in or fold for me now.
3:31pm – I go all-in with AKo thinking it might be my last hand. The other guy has the same hand and we split the pot. [sigh.]
3:36pm – The blinds just passed and I have 14,083. There are 855 remaining and I am in 788th place.
3:41pm – I am about to hit the blinds again. I feel like I’m on my death march, but I’ve been here before. I just need a double up. It doesn’t help that 11th place in the entire tourney is one seat to my right. Actually, it probably does help, as it is keeping me tame.
3:43pm – I just got QQ in the small blind. Sweetness! I ran into AJo and got 29,116.
3:45pm – The blinds are up to 1K/2K with a 200 chip ante. There is now 4,800 in pot to start.
3:56pm – [Another questionable move by me.] I just had 77 in the big blinds. There was a raise of 4,000 by under the gun plus one. I called, checked, and folded when I didn’t hit a set.
4:00pm – Break time again. I have 15,416 and am 633rd of 656 remaining. The chip leader jumps13 has 358,976. The average stack is 59,435. The first hour chip leader is in 31st and the second hour chip leader is in 23rd.
4:07pm – Back from break and the blinds are 1250/2500 with a 250 chip ante. I have about 2.5 trips around the table remaining. The first hand back I go all-in with A7o and now have 21,166.
4:08pm – SWEET! I just got JJ and went all-in. I was called by AQs and my jacks held up! I might make the $$$!!!!!
4:13pm – I have 42,682 after the blinds passed. We are some 40 people from the money!
4:19pm – 384th of 609 remaining and I am pumped!
4:21pm – I have 37,082 left after the blinds and am in 418th place of 600 remaining. 15 people from the money!
4:22pm – The blinds moved to 1.5K/3K with a 300 chip ante.
4:30pm – In the money!
4:31pm – I have 27,832 after the blinds pass and I am way short.
4:32pm – I go all-in with A5s and double a short with A9o.