Here we go again!

It's already been a year since my wild ride at the 2011 World Series of Poker.  I decided that this year instead of just posting updates on Facebook, I would venture into the blogosphere to keep anyone who's interested updated on my progress in 2012's WSOP - which means I'll probably bust-out on the third hand and spend the rest of the weekend at the Voodoo pool at the Rio Hotel --  but either way it should be a fun.

For those who don't know, I've played every year in the WSOP since 2007.  There are over fifty different poker tournaments played throughout the month of June at the WSOP, ranging from 7-card stud to games called RAZZ and Omaha.  I always play in the popular No-Limit Hold 'em events.  That first year I was fortunate enough to "cash" by coming in 79th place in a field of a little over one-thousand players.  (In tournament poker, everyone buys-in for a set amount, which varies from event to event, the money is collected and becomes the prize pool.  Generally, the prize pool is distributed to the final 10% of players -- the lion's share going to the top 5 players.  Unlike cash games, your chips don't  represent money and you can't buy back in.  Lose all your chips, you hit the pool. )  That same year, feeling good from placing in the tournament and winning $5,126 - which was split between myself, my brother and a couple friend's who chipped in for the $1,500 buy-in fee - we decided to roll the dice and enter the Main Event! The buy-in is $10,000 and the field was over six-thousand players strong.  It was a roller coaster ride that ended on day 2 (of a a 7 day event - yes poker is tiring!).  I didn't cash, but had a great time.  I played again in '08, '09 and '10 all of which ended with me in tears in my room in the fetal position.  Then came last year...  I rolled out to the desert solo to play in Event #43, No-Limit Hold 'em $1,500 buy-in.  Somehow, by some miracle and combination of good cards, good luck, good playing, no bad luck and good vibes from all my friends and family, I found myself sitting at the final table.  In what was called one of the most raucous final tables in recent memory - a crowd of fans actually doing the wave every time their favorite, Andre Akkari, won a hand - I managed to reach chip leader with over 7 million in chips with only four players remaining.  In the end I finished in 3rd place out of over 2,000 entrants and winning nearly $300,000.  I have a feeling that would have been the right time to have a blog...

I leave LA this morning for the 5 hour (or so) drive to Las Vegas  with fiance' Sandra and dog Sasha in tow.  The plan is to arrive around 4pm-ish, check-in, convince the hotel staff that Sasha does way less than the maximum 50 pounds they allow for pets, relax by the pool in the 115 degree heat, grab some dinner then cram for the tournament on Saturday.  I have several books on poker strategy  that I like to devour before I sit down at a table filled with top-tier players.  I like to refresh my brain on calculating pot odds, figuring out my odds at hitting an inside straight on the turn, how best to play middle-pair's from early position - real fun stuff like that.

So, stay tuned and I'll keep you updated and informed during the tournament and will do my best to give you a feel of what it's like to play in the most famous poker tournament in the world!