10th

I got 10th. 10th might be the most frustrating place in poker tournaments. I didn't make the final table. I didn't make a big score. I was in incredible position for the biggest result of my life with 12 left but I got coolered by the eventual champion and busted shortly after.

I was disappointed after, of course - these opportunities don't come up that often. But I think I played perfect or very close to it today, and I have no regrets. I didn't take any bad beats.

I've figured it out. I know how to play poker tournaments. It took me a long, long time, but I now know what to do. This was possibly the best structured MTT with the toughest field in online poker history. If I can make it deep here, I can make it deep in any no limit hold em poker tournament in the world.

I'll post the complete hand histories over the next few days. It was an incredible poker tournament, maybe the most enjoyable I've ever played. No one did anything stupid the whole second day. The guy who won it is a 200-400 NL behemoth. You could argue getting 10th in this event holds more respectability than getting 10th in the WSOP main event.

TheMasterJ33 went on an incredible rollercoaster, moving from the shortest stack with 78 left to the chip leader with 29 left to busted in 16th place. PiMaster took a cooler and got 26th. Certainly it was disappointing for none of us to make the final table after we were all positioned to do so, but I'm proud of all of us. And damn, it was so much fun.

I love poker. I need to take a break right now though, or I'll lose. I will try to avoid it until the Barcelona EPT, and play very little in September. I made it to where I want to be, strategically, in both cash games and tournaments. I'm there.