Finally, I was actually home on a Wednesday to watch the WPT. Not a bad episode, but not a great one either (damn voice-over commercials), although it was pretty entertaining witnessing the drawing power of Tuan Le and Humberto Brenes antics. I felt kind of bad for the other guy…well not all that bad; his payday was none too shabby.
While I watched, I had it in mind to play a bit of poker. I didn’t really feel like spending any money because I wanted to pay more attention to the TV than poker, so I registered for the WSOP 400 FPP qualifier that sent 9 people to the round 2 on Sunday. 3 ½ hours later, I bubbled out in 10th. Yeah, that sucked, but honestly I shouldn’t have even made it that far. I started out well, but two separate 5 to 1 shots sucked out on me before the first break, and from then on it was scratch and claw poker the whole way. Every time my stack would work it’s way to ‘almost respectable’ the blinds would shoot up again and I would be short, which forced me into making moves I wouldn’t normally be making. Even though my cards were crap in comparison to the cards I was up against, the poker gods saw fit to reward me with some seriously long shot suckouts, but only enough to keep me afloat. Example, my A8s vs. A9o. My shortness forced me to push, and I sucked out a straight. In my defense, I felt terrible at the beats I was handing out, and I knew I was living on borrowed time, but with my pitiful stack I had to gamboool in many spots, so I don’t feel too bad in general about how I played.
I’ll get there sooner or later, I’m sure of it. Although, 19 months into my poker playing life, it’s looking like it may be later.
In further nonsensical news, it seems I have been found out. Looks like he’s about to bubble as well, but he’s hanging on for at least one more week.
Here is what I’ll be thinking about today as I wander off for work: Is there a high ranking poker god of Vietnamese descent? After watching Tuan Le last night, and watching Toto Leonidas (wait a minute, I don't think he's Vietnamese...oh well he's a drawing master so worth mentioning as well) in the US Poker Championships these last few weeks (add to that last years USPC), I think they have some kind of special link to some sort of Vietnamese drawing god. Or, is it just the fact that there are quite a few great players that are Vietnamese and we just happen to see one or the other on a good day at the final table on TV?
One thing is for sure, if I ever happened to be at a table with Toto or any of the others, here’s how things would go:
1) Soil myself
2) Excuse myself and go clean up
3) Go to confession + make small sacrifice to any and all poker gods
4) Return to table and hang on for dear life
Have a great day, and may you all avoid all bubbles.
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