First I will start with famous people who I saw. Name dropping is always fun.:) Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie) was playing but I'm not sure how she did. Brad Garrett(Everybody Loves Raymond) was playing at the table right in front of me. He made an exit in the 4th round. He was getting tons of media attention. Jennifer Tilly was there but I don't know if she was playing or not. Past that, I saw most of the pros including TJ, Johnny Chan, and Gus Hanson who took Brad Garrett's spot at the table when Brad was eliminated.

I had to show up at the convention center early to get my seat and table assignment. I drew table 137, seat 2. The convention center was absolutely packed. It was worse then the hallways in the Corel Centre at intermission. I made my way to the table just before 11:00 when the tournament started. My table was right beside a roped off area (most of them were) and the spectators were 3 deep packed around the outside. It was crazy!

I felt like I drew a pretty good table. I had a guy from Empire Poker on my left, and a guy from Poker Stars to the left of him. To my immediate right there was a player from Poker Stars as well. Across the table was a player from Party Poker. He was going to be one of my targets. Besides that, we had several Europeans, including a couple of Pro's. I'm not sure of their names but I recognized at least 2 of them.

The first 2 rounds were great for me. I was catching good hands, and mixing it up, slow playing and fast playing which was making me some extra bets here and there. I had AA once and KK 2 times in these rounds and all 3 times my hands held up. I didn't make a single mistake and was pretty happy with my play.

Then came round 3. This round started off much the way round 1 and 2 did. But this was my first big mistake. Not because I lost a big pot, but because I could have made a lot more. I limped in with 22 from middle position. The Button raised me up 1-1/2 the blinds. Not nearly enough to drive me out of the pot. I called and the flop came down 5 2 8 with 2 clubs. I checked, and he bet so I called. Then the K of Clubs came down. A good card for me as the K might have hit his hand and I could win a huge pot. This time he fired out a probe bet and I called. Finally the river came a 5 of clubs. This was awesome for me, as I had a full house and hopefully he had a flush. He bet out 2500. I threw in my 5000 chip meaning to raise, but since it was only one chip and I didn't announce raise, it is deemed a call(I knew that but for some reason wasn't thinking). Anyways, he turned over A Q of clubs for the A high flush and I took down the pot with my full house. I know I could have taken him for a lot more if I had of announced raise. At that point I was sitting around 27k and then things went bad.

In the SB I got 99. Folded around to the dealer who raised it 4 times the BB. He was doing a lot of stealing so I came over the top of him with a significant raise. Then the BB went all in and I had to lay my 99 down. The BB showed AA. Later in the round I raised from early position with AK to 3.5 times the blind. The SB called. I hit an A but he hit a straight with his 67 off suit (he called my raise with that?). That lost me quite a few chips. Later in the round I limped in with J 10 of hearts. The flop came 8, 9, 4 all rainbow. The same guy as above raised, and I thought about just calling with my open ended straight draw, but thought he might just have two overs and I could win the pot right there with a reraise which is what I opted for. He thought forever and then went all in. I had seen him do this before with trips so I folded. Like that, I was down to 16k. Then just before the break I was dealt AK. I raised, the BB reraised (loose player) so I put him all in for his remaining 8500. He called and turned over KK. I missed my flush and was down to 7500.

For 2 rounds after that I basically treaded water. I was getting absolutely no cards and was being eaten alive by antes and blinds. I tried a couple raises with mediocre hands and even laid down 99 to AA preflop when I was reraised again. I was down to about 4500 in chips when I made my come back. Going all in a few times and not getting any callers. I finally doubled up on a 50-50. I had 2 overs and the caller had 10-10. I hit an over and was back around 10k. From then on I ground my way all the way up to 20k which is where I ended the night. 14 hours of poker later.

We got home to the hotel around 3:20 AM and now it is 11:30 AM. We go on a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon today and then I think a lot of relaxing. Some of the guys arrive this morning and some later tonight so we will probably meet them for a drink or two to celebrate me getting to day 2.

Day 2 is on Sunday so this will be a good break. Luckily the other 2 days have to play the exact same amount of time as us, so they will have less rest going into Day 2.