Thanks for the effort!

I appreciated the comments and the emails. They really helped! Unfortunately, I just can't escape the cards.

I'm back at the hotel now. I took a little time to "de-steam" or what ever the term is for walking off that sick feeling of busting out of a tournament. Disappointment can be so disappointing.

I spent the entire day just a bit below average in chips. I played this tournament tight and aggressive. One interesting fact of the day, in about hours of poker, I only showed my hand four times. I won a ton of pots that never made the showdown. Isn't that how it goes when you are playing TAG?

Because of this, I really only have 3 specific hands to share. All of the other hands involved me picking the right spot to put someone to a very tough decision.

I found a few people throughout the day that liked to limp or min-raise out of position and then beat them over the head what a bad idea that is. This was a great way to keep up a stack just slightly shy of average. I had AA twice. At no time today did I have KK, QQ or JJ. I did find that odd.

The beginning of the tournament, I misplayed some of my bigger hands and failed to get value for them. This left me a bit tilty to start. I started the tournament really not feeling very good. I think there was a bit of the flu mixed with a lot of nerves. The big tournaments, for some reason, make me nervous. I hate that. 351 people is the biggest tournament I have ever played live.

This first hand found me in the BB with KJ. 4 players had limped in and the LB had called. The flop came KJ6 rainbow. I did a little math and it seemed I should bet 1500. This is still early in a deep stack tournament (we started with 10,000). Since I hadn't played a hand before this, I'd lost a few chips to the blinds. This is level 3. I got one caller. The turn was another J. This is where I screwed up. I figured the guy had AK, or KQ because he wasn't very happy to with the J on the turn. For reasons unknown, I put him all in. I'm guessing it was the nerves. I really think I could have got a lot more out of him. I don't know what I was scared of. If anyone can tell me a hand that he could be drawing to that I would lose to, I'd like to know.

This next hand I'd love to hear some opinions if I played this in a way that makes sense. The blinds are 1000/2000. A short stack moves all-in in MP. He's got 3000 in chips. I haven't played a lot of hands, but my stack is also around 1600. The blinds have moved to a spot where there is an all-in every couple of hands. Making moves can be very difficult and tricky. I saw this as an opportunity to make a move. The button, LB and BB this hand had M's of around 15-20. The 2 players between me and the button were short and looking for spots to move. I have KT of clubs. I figured he could move all-in with any ace. Since A-9 and lower are hands that I would be drawing well against, I pushed all-in expecting everyone to fold. I was right and he turns over A3. I connect both the K and the T and collect my only bounty of the day. $5. I increased my stack by 6000. My thinking is, I should have excellent fold equity to most hands, and thus I should be getting 2:1 for my money.

I spent the next while picking those soft spots again and staying afloat and picking up a little bit a time.

With 15 minutes left for the day, I'm actually thinking about whether to fold my way to day two or not. You master tournament players, is this something you should really do, or just play as if the day will go on forever? I really want to know!

In the BB, with the blinds of 2000/4000, I have 27,000 in chips. A lady that has seen more lucky cards come than anyone else in the day raises it to 8000. It folds to me and I find A2. I felt her range of hands was a lot of the aces and bigger kings and queens. I called the bet on a bit of a gamble. With the right flop, I'd either hit or possibly be able to steal it from her. There was also a chance the ace would be good. She wasn't really good as much as lucky. The flop comes A92. The way she looked at the pot, it seemed to me that she hit the ace, but I really didn't get the sense that she was any bigger than that. I was quite sure my 2 pair was in the lead. If she's doesn't have A9, I should be way out in the lead. I push it all in and she calls me. She has A 10! For her, that hand is an absolute monster. She seems really confident, and why shouldn't she be? The turn was a ten. Son of a....I walked that emotion off, remember?

I took a big risk and lost. I feel good because I did die with my boots on. I put my money in when I was ahead. A double up would have been a great way to coast into tomorrow.

I'm heading back over to the venue tomorrow. I'd like to try one of the freerolls.and maybe get a t-shirt. Right now, I'm pretty bummed. They weren't keep track of position yet so all I know is I busted somewhere between 65 and 75. I can find out in the morning when the final count of players is announced at the beginning of the day.

Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts. We'll get them next year!