[Dog Boy]

And now for the Main Event! I'll be playing the second flight.

Played the Sunday qualifier and made it into the top 30. Competition is definitely better than that in the satellites. The first table I was on had a local pro and four other very strong players. Able to hold my own with them and realized that a number of other players respect my game.

Starting chip count for qualifier is 10,000. I figured if I could build my stack to 50,000 then I'd probably qualify. Most of the night I was card dead. I won less than a dozen hands, but a couple of them were large pots.

Defining hand of the night: Three players in hand. Myself, the BB whom I had taken 7,000 from a couple of hands earlier, and some broad who limped from mid-position.

I had As2s and limped from the SB. Flop brings an ace and two clubs. I push (poor impulse control). The BB calls for 4400 and then this woman calls my all-in for 29,000 (I have her covered). I know she doesn't have an ace because she limped. BB had JJ, broad had flush draw.

After I scoop the pot I have slightly more than 65,000 in chips. From here I set my glide path for descent. I took a couple of other pots, and lost a few with AK/AQ and pocket pairs that didn't improve.

Upon return from the final break I had ~35,000 in chips. Antes/blinds are 400/2,000/4,000. We were down to 34 players and I finally get my rush -- AJ, KJ, AJ, KK. Folded every single one. When they stopped the game, I was down to ~25,000 in chips.

Two primary challenges for me tonight. FIrst was to refrain from getting caught up in too many pots when I had a large stack. The other was folding my way into the money when were were down to 39 players. I was constantly asking myself if I had enough chips to let the shorter stacks get knocked out or if I should play my good cards.

See you guys at the final table! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]