Another day, another tournament

I wake up at 7:30, groggy, grouchy, and wishing I hadn't hit the mini-bar at 4 am for a late meal of potato chips and jelly beans. The last thing on my mind is poker, and yet, I am signed up for the noon event, yet another $1500 no limit tournament.

I do everything wrong: I don't eat, I bake in the 100 degree heat for two hours, and I don't even try to nap. I'm so pessimistic about my chances I swap an unprecedented 7% of my action with Stephen. My strategy for the day is to pay tight for half an hour, and then play ridiculously agressively, trying to either bust out early or run up a big stack.

When I sit down at the table, however, my mind miraculously clears. Within minutes I have a deep understanding of each player's psyche. In the 2,3, and 4 seats, tight old guys with no imaginiation. In the 5, someone who will never fold--never, ever try to bluff him. The 6-seat is good, and the 7 is an Asian woman whose play I instantly admire. 8 and 9 are bananas, European businessmen on their first trip to Vegas ever.

I feel like I have X-ray vision and can see their cards. I re-raise two limpers with 4 3 offsuit and take a nice pot. I have A 8, raise in the cut-off and get called by the button. The flop is A 7 5. I check, since if he has an Ace, he probably has a better kicker than my 8. He bets 200. The turn is a 4 and I check again. Oddly, he makes a big overbet of 2100. I think for a while and can't imagine he would overbet this much with a really big hand--why not try and suck me in? I call and he shows 5 6 for a pair and a straight draw. My 8 really hurts him; he can't make two pair and one of his straight cards is in my hand. I bust him, and then trap an old guy when I flop a set.

I hit another huge rush of cards, doubling up yet again. At the end of the first hour, I have quadrupled up, and play a pot for 8,000 where I have AK and my opponent has K J. Everything goes well until my opponent hits is only out, a Jack, on the river. If I win that pot, I have the tournament lead with 1500 players!

Unfortunately my hot streak ends, and I am left scrapping and fighting for every chip for the next four hours. At the dinner break, with 80% of the field gone, I am left severely short-stacked and when I return I go broke.

Oddly, I am still in a fantastic mood. I go outside to the pool for a free rock concert. Half the people are in bathing suits in the 90 degree heat. Hundreds of inflatable beach balls are being batted around. Everyone is in a typical Vegas good mood, and their enthusiasm is contagious.

It's midnight and time to sleep. There is, of course, another tournament at noon tomorrow. I'm sure I'll muster the enthusiasm for it, althought it's difficult now to imagine playing another 12-hour day so soon.