I was gonna make a post about my experience but Jared Hamby and Cliff Josephy are both still in and they both have huge chipstacks and are guys I play with online a lot. I'm going to go sweat them. I'll make the trip report tonight.

 

Before I head out to meet them for the dinner break I want to thank yall for all of the text messages and phone calls. I can honestly say that I played the best poker of my life and I don't regret not taking the $10,000 one bit. I outlasted about 80% of the field and I couldn't be more proud of myself. This has been an experience I won't ever forget, and I'll definately be back next year.

 

Did you get any TV Time?

 

I think so. Richard Lee, the guy from San Antonio that made the Final Table at last years event was at the table behind me for a lot of today. He got into a pot for all of his chips and the dealer paused the action to get the ESPN cameras rolling before the flop was dealt. After Richard's AK hit to beat his opponents QQ I got All-In to double my chips to cross the 100k mark and the ESPN crew stuck around to film the hands. Afterwards they took down our information in case they decide to air the clip. It would be badass to see myself on TV.

 

Congrats Ben you now have the experience and will be able to do alot better next year. It's alot different when you are there then when you are playing where you are confortable etc...

 

Before I head out to dinner here is my knock-out hands.

Once I doubled up I was the table chip leader, and as such, began to abuse the other players by playing extremely aggressively.

I worked my stack up from 110k to 145k before somebody finally took a stand against me and hit. I raised the Cut-Off seat with KK and got re-raised by the Big-Blind. He had about 70k and I decided to make a very weak-looking re-raise in an attempt to get him to shove over me. It worked to perfection and he showed 77. Good flop, turn is 7, river bricks and I'm down to 75k.

I got up and walked around for about 15 minutes to recompose myself. I went to the restroom and got a drink. I was able to work my stack back up to 90k, still barely above the average, when the knock-out came.

Again it folded to me in late position and I found pocket 3's. I raised and got one caller. The flop came K J 3 all spades. He checked, I bet 3/4 pot, he raised 4 times my bet, and I went into the tank. He didn't re-raise me pre-flop so I couldn't put him KK, JJ, or AK. It was possible he had KJ or AJ, but he probably just calls the flop bet and re-evaluates the turn depending on if he has a spade or not. It was also possible he had a hand like AT with a spade. It was also possible he had a hand like 44 - TT and wanted to steal the pot on the ultimate scare flop. I decided I had to put in a raise. If I just smooth call he'll be able to bluff me out of the pot, and if he has no pair and just a spade draw I'm a big enough favorite that my raise would be for value. Worst case he flips over a flush, in which case I still have 30% equity to make a full house if the board pairs. I move all-in and he goes into the tank. When he didn't beat me into the pot I started feeling really good about where I stood in the hand. I knew I was ahead. Finally he called and showed AdQs for a gutter-ball straight draw and a flush draw. This was the first time I had been All-In for my tournament life. The turn was a red 6 and the river was the 2s. Busto.

All in all I'm very happy with my play. I misplayed a few hands but only in small pots. I played almost perfectly in the big pots, and never got all my chips into the middle while behind. Not much else I can do.

 

do you know what place you got out of the total?

sounds like you did pretty damned good, nice job

 

Hamby from Waco? If so I know him from Denton...

-Daniel/bluestreak98

 

Wow that sucks buddy. But you got further than you expected! Im buying dinner when you get back.

 

That's the one!! He plays online as 'TheWacoKidd'. Check out www.cardplayer.com to follow his progress!! Jared is one of the best tournament players online. He's extremely talented and has had some outstanding results as of late. He's second in the CardPlayer Player Of The Year race.

 

I'll be back on Thursday afternoon. Let's go back to Bailey's. That place is off the chain!

 

It's tough to say. Going to the dinner break their are only 500ish people left, and 1,300 started the day and another 1,300 will start tomorrow. I probably went out 530ish, so I finished in about 740ish of 6,358. Only 621 players will make the $$$.

 

Congrats Ben, hell of a Job.. You the Man, Can I go to Dinner to Mike?

 

I got some pics to share with yall of some of my buddies left in the tournament. They are crappy pics for updating personal blogs, but they are neat.

This is Jason, who went to the dinner break with 100k.

 

do you know what the lowest payout is going to be?

 

Just over 20k.

 

ESPN is reporting 550-621 place will get $20,320

 

**** is wild benji

 

Play is going to end in about 30 minutes. Jared Hamby has ~400k.

 

Great job Ben!!!! So when is lunch?? I hear Mikes buying.