Sleep With the Fishes, Dine on the Whales

So, feeling like this after I busted the Main Event: I decided to go touch the mountains, that for the last few years I've only looked at from the windows of the Rio, way off in the distance under a haze. We headed to the Red Rock Mountains.  So named because the iron in the rocks have oxidized red. Red. Went Hiking. In and around the mountains. Saw some big vistas. And little critters: Little Hands: Plant life: Hidden streams: Natural Monoliths: Trees: Trees: Trees: Big Critters: Teeny, tiny, hidden chip 'n dale critters (look by the tree): Sunbathers: Mine shafts: People: Lichen: Old West balconies: Melting Mountains: Mining Towns: Old Wagons: More ranges: Soaring Opera: Quick Nevada Wedding Chapels: Quick Nevada Burials:

At the Cabana at Mandalay the day before Monkey and I were talking about how bad you'd have to run to bust the Main Event early.  I said I'd need a lot of coolers/bad beats.  Maybe three or four massive ones.  Don't tempt the poker gods with hubris.  They showed me exactly how many I'd need to run through a 50k starting stack. This will not be me this year. ( Another bit of hubris, I've had friends post hand histories usually turning monster stacks into crumbs late in a tournament, and I admit I suspected they were somewhat made up or at least exaggerated.  Part of me just didn't believe they could run so bad.  Well, now I'll believe anything.  This run bad may sound unbelievable but I did live it.  Just gross). I had to Curb My Enthusiasm What a day.  Crushing spiritually.  Kept saying this will turn-- it has to turn.  And part of me loves running bad early, because if I survive, and I keep surviving the potential is...

At the Cabana at Mandalay the day before Monkey and I were talking about how bad you'd have to run to bust the Main Event early.  I said I'd need a lot of coolers/bad beats.  Maybe three or four massive ones.  Don't tempt the poker gods with hubris.  They showed me exactly how many I'd need to run through a 50k starting stack. This will not be me this year. ( Another bit of hubris, I've had friends post hand histories usually turning monster stacks into crumbs late in a tournament, and I admit I suspected they were somewhat made up or at least exaggerated.  Part of me just didn't believe they could run so bad.  Well, now I'll believe anything.  This run bad may sound unbelievable but I did live it.  Just gross). I had to Curb My Enthusiasm What a day.  Crushing spiritually.  Kept saying this will turn-- it has to turn.  And part of me loves running bad early, because if I survive, and I keep surviving the potential is...

Bullet number one of the 888, the first big tournament in my package started out rather nondescript.  You get 5k in chips and 30 minute levels.  Essentially, the Harrahs weekly I grind all the time with just a little bit better structure.  Should be in my sweet spot. We started five handed, max in this tournament is 8 handed, and a guy I recognized on my left seemed to be the best player of the other four.  I hit some big early hands, turned a straight and flopped a flush, both times my opponents showed and had nothing.  Hate getting monsters too early. An older gentleman at the table I decided to target kept hitting hands so maybe a bad choice.  I tried to bluff him once after he bet pre, he c-bet the 9 high flop and then he checked turn and river.  I had A10 and some back door possibilities.  I thought I had some showdown value but there were also some small pairs and better Aces,  I might be able to fold out so I bet.  He called w...