The 2006 World Series of Poker

Three and a half weeks ago I got my corneal ulcer, and I haven't been right since. I've been living a diminished existence. I don't like going outside and exercising, because I can't see right. I don't like hanging out with people, because I can't look at their faces and it makes me uncomfortable. Basically I don't like doing anything except sedentary activities where I don't have to look anyone in the eye or look at anything more than eight feet away.

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on

- Gorillaz, "Clint Eastwood"

That pretty much sums up my feelings leading up to this year's World Series of Poker. Last year's WSOP was a soul-eating, ego-deflating, devastating adventure that almost killed my love of the game along with nearly destroying my bankroll. I'm not sure what was the low point -

• busting myself by pushing in with 97o after a guy limped with aces in the 5k NL
• losing a 4k pot with JJ against Q8o all in preflop on Party Poker
• busting myself by pushing in with ATs against aces in the 2.5k NL
• hearing "Pour Some Sugar on Me" 12 times a day while staying at Harrah's
• busting myself by pushing in with 88 against aces with 11 left at the Palms after being chip leader with 15 left
• getting tooled by Ram Vaswani in the 3k NL
• nearly busting myself by pushing in with kings against aces on day 2 of the main event
• hearing a terrible cover band do Tequila Sunrise at 4 AM at the Gold Coast one July morning
• finding myself on tilt for basically the first time ever

It was bad times, it was no fun, I was unlucky, I was probably in over my head, I didn't have a big enough bankroll to be there, it almost wiped me out, but it was last year and this is this year. No more Def Leppard. No more crappy cover bands at the Gold Coast. No more Graveyard Specials (sadly). No more lying in a hotel bed watching back-to-back episodes of "Yes, Dear." The house will be loaded with a revolving crew of talented, supportive poker-playing friends hellbent on winning bracelets. My bankroll is big enough that I think I can stomach dropping 50k without panicking. Emotionally that would be difficult but I think I can handle it.

But I don't think I'm going to drop 50k, I think I'm gonna bust loose and do something huge.

Yesterday I wired $45,000 to the Rio. I preregistered for the following events:

Tuesday June 27 1.5k NLHE
Wednesday June 28 1.5k PLHE
Thursday June 29 1.5k Limit HE
Friday June 30 2.5k shorthanded NLHE
Saturday July 1 2k NLHE
Tuesday July 4 5k NLHE
Thursday July 6 1.5k Limit HE
Friday July 7 2.5k NLHE
Monday July 10 1k NLHE
Tuesday July 11 2k PLHE
Wednesday July 12 50k HORSE
Thursday July 13 2.5k shorthanded NLHE
Friday July 14 2k NLHE
Sunday July 16 2k NLHE Shootout
Tuesday July 18 1.5k NLHE
Wednesday July 19 2.5k PLHE
Friday July 21 2k NLHE
Tuesday July 25 1.5k NLHE
Friday July 28 10k NLHE World Championship

Assuming I don't make a huge run in the main event, I will also likely play several of the 1.5k events scheduled in August. I'm also considering the 5k PLHE on July 22 and will make a gametime decision on that one. Then there is the Bellagio Challenge Cup, including a 10k main event, in early August. Assuming I don't go deep at the WSOP and haven't lost my bankroll, I'll probably play that one as well.

The house will cost $30 per night plus $10 for every room. Someone staying alone would pay $40, and someone staying with two other people would owe me $33. The house is available to us from June 25 through August 9.

And now some over/under estimates I have set for the trip:

# of WSOP events I play: 21
# of WSOP cashes I make: 3
# of WSOP cashes from the house: 12
# of WSOP final tables reached by the house: 2
# of WSOP bracelets won by the house: 1
# of World Cup games I will watch: 7
# of World Cup games I will watch decided by terrible officiating: 6
# of times Jose's mom will break up the soccer game: 83
# of times I hear "Pour Some Sugar on Me": 3
# of times I watch a full episode of "Yes, Dear": 0
# of times I watch a full episode of "Lost": 23
# of 100 degree days: 43
# of 110 degree days: 9
# of rainshowers: 1 (it has never rained while I have been in Vegas)
# of 200 games I will bowl: 1
# of 250 games the Gambler will bowl: 2
# of laptops found in the house at its peak: 11
# of times the Gambler says "I hate my job": 49
# of times the Fish says "yet again": 74
# of times I use the phrase "incongruous romanticism" in a blog entry: 0
# of times I use the phrase "So the turn comes the Tc" in a blog entry: 3

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The few times I've played poker recently, I've gotten really lucky. I don't think I've been playing well at all but it's hard to lose when you hit every draw and then pull out a one outer for a 4k pot. A big question I have to think about is will I play live 25-50 or even 50-100 NL this summer. We'll see.

June 16 evening: 1.5 hrs, +3223
Tuesday afternoon: 2 hrs, +5256
Tuesday night: .5 hrs, -747

Year to date: 133,627