The 2008 World Series of Poker: Go For Launch

My time has come.

After graduating college in May 2005, I almost immediately left for six weeks in Las Vegas at the World Series of Poker. Longtime readers of this blog know that trip was a total and thorough disaster, resulting in zero cashes out of thirteen events played, cash game misery, psychological desolation, and the loss of two thirds of my bankroll. Although that trip was clearly catastrophic, I still credit it as a foundation for my subsequent career. Spending six weeks alone in Vegas siphoning off most of a bankroll my first month as a professional player put me on the ground floor. Nothing could ever be that bad again. After that was over, I didn’t know if I could make it as a poker player, but knew I could make it through some pretty rough times.

A year later, I came back to the World Series, once again for the full six weeks. This time I had a small crew of online colleagues along for the ride. We rented a house in Henderson. Everything about the ’06 WSOP was better than the year before. I cashed five times, though I did blow my one great chance at a big score. I made a lot of friends, had a great time, and even got back together with my ex-girlfriend. I finished in the black for the Series. And then my friend Paul got second in the main event, and I was written a check for $240,000 thanks to a pre-tournament percentage swap.

I staggered into the 2007 WSOP. Personally and professionally, I was a broken man. I thought I was retired from poker and was just there to play a few tournaments while trying to figure my life out. Lightning struck the first event I played as I was focused and lucky enough to get 4^th place in the $1500 shootout for my biggest score ever (at the time). I only played five events last year but that score let me know that good things could happen in poker and in my life.

The 2008 World Series of Poker is the one I have been waiting for. Right now it feels like the check-off stage before launching a rocket into outer space. Top-notch tournament strategy? Go for launch. Hunger? Go. Live experience? That’s a go. Comfortable bankroll allowing me to play as many events as I want stress-free? Go. Pressure-packed final table experience? Go. Unrelenting competitive fire? Go. Skill in non no-limit hold em games? That’s a go. Rented house suitable for a summer of poker? Go. Positive attitude? Definitely a go. Healthy lifestyle? Supportive network of friends? All systems are go for launch.

On Wednesday I am driving to Las Vegas. For the first week of the WSOP, I’ll be staying at the Rio with the effervescent Napoleon Ta. Then it’s on to “The Castle of Pain”, or “The House of Pain II” or whatever we end up calling it. In any case, it’s a $3 million, ten bedroom, twelve bathroom, 8600 square foot “mini-castle” in South Las Vegas. We’ll have something like eleven professional poker players in there (ten boys and one girl), a revolving cast of wives, girlfriends, kids, friends, animals, degenerates, etc. Will it be crazy? Certainly. Out of control? Possibly. Stressful? Probably at times. I wouldn’t risk it if I hadn’t done it before – granted on a smaller scale – in ’06.

I am going to play almost every day at the World Series. Estimates right now are about thirty events and $100,000 in buyins. Yes, it is an intimidating undertaking. Most people I’ve discussed this with don’t think I will have the stamina for this heavy diet, and don’t think it’s in my best interest. The prevailing wisdom is that this sort of schedule, combined with six weeks in Vegas in the summer, is a sure-fire recipe for combustion.

I believe I am prepared for everything this entails. Mentally, I have been preparing since I was knocked out of the Shooting Star WPT in March. Psychologically, I am almost peerless. I can handle the worst of luck and the sickest of beats better than any player I know. I know bad things will inevitably happen during the Series, and I believe I can handle anything that happens at the tables. I know it is possible for the best players to have a losing WSOP. I am certain that the only way I can lose this summer is if I am extremely unlucky. Everything else has been accounted for.

I have the skills. I know how well I am playing right now. You would think I would have lost some confidence after a miserable FTOPS – in which I was able to build three monster stacks but made only two insignificant cashes – but it’s just the opposite. I know how unfortunate I was. I also know that I made many mistakes, and I have developed a belief that if I make a mistake in a tournament, no matter how small, I don’t deserve to win that tournament. This summer I believe I am ready to take that next step to perfection.

Most importantly, I have the desire. Probably due to a dearth of significant activity in other areas of my life the last few months, I have been obsessing over the glorious possibilities this summer of poker holds for me. Almost every night I fall asleep thinking about the World Series. I dream about its possibilities.

My time has come.

___

Now on to the over/under predictions:

# of events I play: 29
# of cashes I make: 4.5
# of final tables I make: 1.5
# of final tables for the house: 3
# of bracelets for the house: 1
# of bad beat stories told in the house: 58
% of bad beat stories told by PiMaster: 62
# of Blokus games played by the house: 44
% of Blokus games won by the Gambler: 39
# of times the Allen Iverson “practice” clip is played in the house: 32
# of full-size sushi boats the house goes through at the Orleans sushi place: 3.5
# of crappy meals served 45 minutes after being ordered at that coffee shop on the way to the Rio convention center/WSOP area: 8
# of major management snafus at the WSOP: 5
# of players in the main event: 7250