WSOP Beginning

May 2005

Poker has been pretty depressing for me this year as of May 2005. I have not had any big cashes in the tournaments from February on. In fact, reverse trends caused me to rethink my dedication to this silly game of ours. I had tried to win a seat for the WSOP on PokerStars for over two months with no success. It was really weighing on me and my bankroll. Then my boss tells me that he has to be overseas for the week of the final event of the WSOP. That option is now gone (thank God I did not win a seat). Anyway, I talk with Mrs. Grip and we agree that I should go experience the WSOP and I make plans to go out for the first weekend and play in the $1500 NLHE and $1500 PLHE events. I honestly cannot comfortably afford the $5000 weekend alone after the rough start to 2005, so I go out and gather TeamGrip for the weekend and sell 50% of these events to numerous friends and fellow players. Last thing, I decide that if I do not play well in LV, I will put the chips down for the remainder of 2005.

I reserve my SWA ticket and Rio room with two buddies (one player - Crazy Tom and one non-player from KY - BKE). We meet up at the Nashvegas Airport for the last flight out on Thursday night. We land in LV at 10:00 pm, check in and I head straight to the poker Mecca, the WSOP. I turn the last corner in the convention hall and then see the mass of people. TWO lines, one to register as a player and one to pay the entry fee into the events. The decision to come to LV at the last minute really hampered my ability to preregister and prepay on line, so into line one I go. Crazy Tom thinks that I am nuts for standing in these two lines with no guarantee of getting a seat in the NL event, so he heads with BKE to the casino.

One hour and thirty minutes later, I am now an officially registered player for the WSOP. Go to line two. Line two was the worst of the two and rumors abounded that the event was sold out and I was wasting my time. But, hey, that is why I am here, so any chance to get into the event, I will take it. About two hours into the line I am about to break through into the main poker room and Ken Lambert comes out and announces that all players now in line will be registered as alternates and they will only sign up 200 alternates at that. CRAP. I start counting the players in front of me and I come up with a rough number of 130 or so. Okay, you are going to get in, probably by the end of the first round, no later than the middle of the second round. Another hour goes by and I finally get to the cashier and pay my entry fee. I am alternate 126. That should put me at the table around the end of round one with a slightly less than average stack. No problem.

I promptly go to the single table satellite area and play in two single tables. Do not cash in either, but would have had the chip lead in the first one three handed if my AK did not lose to AQ. Sigh, no problem. Get to the room at 4:00 am just when BKE was going to bed. No sign of Crazy Tom, who is still soaking in LV, and playing blackjack (which ends up being good for us - room comped).

BKE get up at 9:00 am and we are talking when Crazy Tom comes cruising into the room. Not to bed mind you, just the room to freshen up. He headed straight down to play in a couple of single table satellites for the PLHE to be held on Saturday. I order room service, shower and put on my tournament uniform, St. Louis Cardinals gear and Ipod, ready for battle.

I get down to the Tournament Room about 11:30 am ready to go to the alternate area when I see a large group of players looking at a list on the wall. I wander over and look at the list. IT IS A SEAT LIST FOR REGISTERED ALTERNATES. What Ken L. did not say was that the list the previous night was capped at 2000 (10 per table) and that the 200 registered alternates were now being seated at the start as all tables no wwould begin 11-handed. WOOHOO, I am in and do not have to wait. That really got me stoked and now I was really ready for battle.

Gyndok and I make our last longer bet, JM from Nashville and I chat for a few moments, we each find out where our seats are at and now it is time for war. My first WSOP event. Not to give much away, but all the effort and time paid off this time.

Next post, the best tournament poker playing of my life, and the crushing end to my first bracelet dream.....

Good luck and see you at the felt.