I woke up today in a terrible mood. I still have no idea what I'm going to do. I talk to my wife, some friends, and my father. All gave great input, but ultimately this decision is up to me. Although warranted, I didn't really care that a lot of people would be mad that I came out to Vegas for all this time and didn't even play the Main Event. Those that would be mad are the ones that don't have a clue what this trip is about for me, so I could deal with them. All the great poker I've played and terrible luck I've had the last 10 days has me very apprehensive about playing the Main, but at the same time, I do have the game to sidestep some disasters and maybe make a run at cashing or better. Even a cash would be a good score, and maybe springboard me to more big tournaments. Winning or cashing a bunch of smaller tournaments could do the same though, and I certainly would get more play for my money. Undecided, I throw my stack of 100 $100 bills in the bottom pocket of my cargo shorts and leave, deciding to at least go over to the Rio to check out the series...and maybe register.
Not terribly hungover but not exactly right either, I head out for the day. Lately I've been driving from my hotel to the V (it's literally 2 properties away) instead of walking because I can't deal with the people and the Strip. I walk out the rear entrance, then drive right out the back door to Koval and drive around the corner to the back entrance of the V. It only takes a couple minutes and I have a parking spot in both garages that are there every time. Today I made the mistake of jumping on the strip instead of out the back door...disaster. I had just about forgotten about all the people, everywhere, waddling into the street and crosswalks. It was a stiff reminder of where I was and the environment I was in. As I sat in endless traffic, I watched these people, and wondered how many have taken a 10k chance, and would they if they could? The "Strip People" generally come out here for the experience of Vegas...Giant 5 foot bong contraptions of frozen beverages, going to clubs, sight seeing, and maybe do a little gambling in the process. Myself and the people I've been around most of the time are here for the exact opposite. We're here for the gambling, and maybe do a little partying on the side. It's two completely different universes...F 'em. They look like cattle (some literally) shuffling along the too narrow sidewalk. Being in this mess is not helping my attitude.
It's similar to the way I feel about the Main. It is the biggest, hardest tournament in the world, but there are so many that just come for the "experience" of playing in it, so they can say they did. These people have no concept of how to win a tournament, have no strategy whatsoever, they are just hoping that maybe it's their lucky day and will get the cards to carry them to victory. Even though all the best pros from around the world come to play, more than 70% of the players in the Main fall into the "hope I get lucky" category. Not that everyone doesn't need to get lucky to win the main, it's just that the overall lack of skill in the tourney makes it difficult to navigate.
I run some errands, tool around the Miracle Mile for a bit, and finally eat. I have every imaginable conversation with myself trying to talk myself out of driving to the Rio and handing the big stack of cash over. One more drive down Flamingo and none of this will matter. As I approach the Rio, I'm close to vomiting...again, not from being hungover, just the thought of entering the Main. If I had just another cash or two these past couple of weeks, if I hadn't been so unlucky over this stretch, I really wouldn't have a problem with what I'm about to do. But with so much of my bankroll about to to tied to one tournament, it adds a ton of pressure to the situation.
Walking into the WSOP Pavillion area during the Main is a much different scene than during the other events. Tons of media, fans, groupies (poker groupies are ridiculous, but real), top pros pack the halls and two playing rooms. There's an electricity in the air that clearly wasn't present when I'd been here previously in the week. I get more excited/nervous as I approach the tournament registration room. Armed guards patrol the room as about 100 people like myself are handing over a bunch of cash for hopefully the golden ticket. I'm texting my wife as I'm standing in line, telling her I'm about to throw up on the guy in front of me and I still don't think I want to do this. While in line I see and talk to a few guys I've been playing with at various points of the week. I don't know why, but seeing familiar faces made it easier to walk to the window and register. When I handed over the brick, the cashier left it there for about 10 minutes while she completed all the appropriate paperwork with me. At one point I told her, "Please take that or I'm going to puke all over it". She took a step back and didn't get it. I told her I was kidding (half) and that she was just putting it in my face by leaving the money on the counter all this time.
Now registered, I figured F it, I'm here, I'm in the Main like it or not, so I might as well enjoy it. I walked through the Pavillion and Amazon room, hoping to get acclimated with the circus that is the Main Event. After finding my seat assignment for the next day, I walk to the stage where they're handing out the last 2 bracelets won. I only watch because one of the guys is from Maryland so I cheer him on. While there, I got to meet and take a picture with Doyle Brunson, the man who literally wrote the book on modern poker. Again, I'm usually not a fanboy and wouldn't normally take pictures with poker "celebs", but this is different. Doyle is the man, and was very friendly and gracious in taking the pic with me. After this, I walk over to the feature table to see who's playing. It's at this time, I realize there's a very familiar guy standing next to me, it's last years 2nd place finisher, Darvin Moon. No one recognized him, as he's much smaller than he looks on TV. I immediately ask him, "Are you going to represent Maryland in a big way again this year, Mr. Moon?" He says he hopes so and asks if I'm from Maryland, as I'm wearing an O's shirt. I tell him I am, and that I'm playing the Main as well tomorrow. He gives me the very basic advice of, "Make sure you get it in good, and that it holds up when you do. That's the only way I got as far as I did last year...my hands held up." I thank him for the advice and wish him well. He asks my seat assignment for tomorrow and says he'll try to stop by and sweat me for a while. I don't believe him, but it was nice of him to ask. I walk around a bit more, being a fan and taking it all in. Tomorrow will be different, I'll be one of the players, trying to avoid the crowds and everything associated with it. I won't see any of this, focused only on the task at hand. I leave the Rio feeling a little better than I did earlier. It was done now, nothing I can do but play the best poker of my life and try to become the next World Champion.
The rest of the afternoon is spent catching up on the blog and generally relaxing. I decide to strap on the ipod and go for a walk on the Strip in a different direction. I figured I hadn't been to MGM and needed to expel some nervous energy/get some excercise, so I took the 2 mile hike. Weaving in and out of the cattle, walking way faster than a tourist, zipping past the card-smacking girl hawkers, I determine that this is exactly how I need to play the Main. I need to be aggressive, but have the wherewithall to sidestep the sightseers. I need to take each step carefully, but always progress and move forward. It's easy to get stuck behind a crowd, and I can't let that happen...on the strip or in the Main. After arriving at MGM, I decide to cross the street and check out New York, New York. I figure if the roller coaster is running, I can ride it to really shake out the nerves...and I love roller coasters. I find my way to the Coney Island part of the property and pay the $14 to ride the coaster. Yes, $14 for one ride. While standing in line for the front car with my headphones on, I realize I look like a GD pedophile. Damn, I hope I'm not that creepy old guy parents warn their kids about! Anyway, once seated in the front car, I take my phone out, deciding it would be a great idea to take a picture of the Strip from the top of the hill. Just as we're departing the terminal, the attendant yells, "Hey! You're going to lose that phone, put it in your pocket!" I basically tell him to F off, I've ridden a roller coaster before. This was a bad idea. As we reach the top of the hill and I get a couple quick snaps, I realize with the way the safety bar is positioned, I can't get my phone back in my pocket anyway. "Shit!", I say to the kid next to me, "I AM going to lose my phone. That guy was right!" The kid giggles and we rocket down the first hill. Vegas looks awesome from up here, just as on an airplane, you can't see all the crowds and traffic...it's very pretty. As I think this we hit the loop section of the coaster and my sunglasses fly off. I'm able to miraculously grab them with my pinky, just as my ipod comes out of my pocket! We're upside down and I see it hanging in front of me by the headphone cord. I somehow grab the ipod in the same hand that my sunglasses are hanging from when we get jerked around a corner and it jars my phone loose. In a move reminiscent of the Matrix, I pin the phone mid air to my elbow with my opposite wrist. The kid next to me thinks I'm screwing around and doing all this on purpose and he's cracking up. Luckily, the 3 things I need most (other than sleep) for tomorrow are secured as we pull back into the terminal. "That was close!" I say to the kid. "That was awesome!!!!" He screams back at me. "Only a little, that was a near disaster for me." Thankfully, he didn't run and tell his parents that some weird guy was talking to him on the roller coaster. Walking back to the hotel, I feel good. That really did get some of the nerves out, just not the way I had expected.
I go to Spago at Caesars for dinner. I had a Lamb Chorizo pizza that was pretty good, but not phenominal. I write for a while, read for a while, but can't really get tired. Chip comes over around 1am to talk about the next day, and what my strategy will be. I tell him I really just want to stay out of the way on Day 1, as the donkeys will let chips fly recklessly. I hope I don't have to play Ivey, as he may be the only player I'd realistically be intimidated by. We'll see what happens in the morning...
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