7 Days of Hell are over!!!!

(Senor Monkey and Poker Legend Amarillo Slim, Table 62, seats 3 and 4)

SWEET!!!

And my nightmare week-long run is history! Regardless of what happens today in the restart.

When I log on to do a blog post, there are always a bunch of comments that require me to either approve or deny publishing, and I always click on APPROVE, unless there are some that are just either overly offensive or inappropriate, which has only happened twice.

Today I read and published two very, very nice messages. Sometimes I get these lingering feelings in the back of my mind that everyone at the table wants me to die in a house fire...and when I read messages like todays, it actually makes me feel great. This guy who made the final table with me last week, who I point blank asked...out of left field, based on some kind of strange personality read I was making..."Are you an accountant sir?" and found out that, indeed he was (or had been) sent me the nicest message on here. By the way, if you all don't know how to see these...they appear as "comments" under each blog post.

I love it when a fellow player either writes it here or tells me in person that "Monkey, you made this tournament so entertaining and fun for me. It would never have been the same. I don't play much and never thought it could be this fun." Comments like that make me feel a lot better about the goofiness I often bring to the Final Table or when we are in the money. Its pretty much the only time I get really nutty like that...because at that stage of the tourney...hey, thats what we played 10 to 15 hours for, right? Its time to celebrate a bit, have some fun...and go for the big prize. All the pressure is off. Plus I just feel like I play lights out when I start my shot drinking.

In my last post I was coming off of three consecutive days of very frustrating outcomes. My roomie, Mike "Fast Talker" Terrill, who is starting to earn a new nickname...."Destructo"...asked why I didn't do a post yesterday? Simply put..."Well, sometimes when you can't find anything good to write about the best thing to do is NOT post at all." You people can only handle so much negativity. And frankly, I can only handle writing about so much. "Destructo" is becoming what my wife would deem a 'bad influence' I think. The thing is, I am able to identify his abhorrent behavior and not get sucked into it. I mean, I have my own little 'issues' without adding more to my 'portfolio.' Couple of Mike's little 'gems' include coming in one night at...mmm...a place that rhymes with ATM BLAND....and just reaching up and punch/slapping one of the glass sconces in the hallway that cover the light and shattering it into a hundred pieces(maybe less, maybe more). Um....nice one 'destructo'...the purpose? Then a few days ago...I come in from a late night, and in my bed, literally laying on my pillow is a picture, a very large picture...that had been torn off of the wall in the hallway here at the ....uh...hotel that rhymes with ALICE CREATION....of a train. They have a train station theme at this place...and the pictures had been causing Mike much disdain for days. The next night he snuck it back to its original location. This kid is a damn head case. He has his moments of hilarity, but he clearly needs help.

Talked to Squirrel yesterday on my dinner break. She tells me a few interesting things. (a) My dogs are going nuts. The one who is usually good (Jasper) has regressed about three years to his puppy days, and acting like a complete psycho...and the younger one (Mollie) is being the good dog. Huh? Well, this is about 2 hours before she catches Mollie eating a HOLE in our bedroom wall! Wow, dogs are really a trip. Me being gone for a month HAS to be the stimuli for this bizarre behavior. Then she goes on to tell me that her "Mom has been trying to read your blog..." followed by painful moans. Hahahah....everytime I write this, I think to myself..."good gawd I hope Cheryl's parents don't read this!" She tells Squirrel, "He sure does say some awful things about people...and what is the deal with this Kai guy? The things they say to each other are horrible!" Too funny. So Squirrel has to explain to her Mom that the point of that is to come up with the WORST possible things imagineable to say to each other to bring the other guy good luck. It has worked very well for me so far. Not as well for Kai...as in Day 2 yesterday when he was forced to try and weather the 'ShitStorm from Hell' and didn't come out alive. Kai is out. It sucks. But as I head back today for Day 2 and another attempt at a Final Table, a big score, and hopefully the overall lead in Venetian's Player of the Year contest...I am in serious need of another Kai Landry Pre-Game Pep Bash! To Squirrel's Mom, LaDelle, I say this..."I love you Mom! By reading my blog you may find things out about me that make you appreciate me more, scare you a little, and understand me in ways you never thought you would. And hopefully you will also be able to see just how much I love your daughter and fight this day-to-day battle called 'poker' to bring happiness, joy and financial security to our little world."

So the World Series is on to Day 3. Lots of good players are going to get deep this year. That is a result of a great structure. A lot will, of course lose along the way. 8.5 million bucks will await the first place winner, and as much as I would have liked it to have been ME...I will simply have to wait another year. Besides, I really do NOT think I am ready to be a household name yet. I kind of like flying under the radar, being well known and sometimes respected ONLY by those I interact with daily, play with at events and who read my blog. Running into people in grocery stores, airports, movie theatres, gas stations...and constantly being harrangued...harrassed and bothered, all while being expected to be nice to everyone...I'm just not sure if I have it in me yet. So I will let someone else become 'that guy!' Excuse me, or girl! There ya go Jena...I'm leaving the door open for your chances! I had a percentage of a couple guys...Kai Landry and Bryan Lanoix. Kai took a header, but Bryan has a healthy stack heading into Day 3....so go Bryan!!!!!

So...lets cut to the chase, because I would like to snag an hour or two down at the pool before heading back at 4. The two previous tourneys were VERY frustrating. In Monday's tourney I played well all day. Very well. Then when it mattered most, I played like a retard. Needing only 5 points to take over 1st place in the Best All Around contest, we were sitting 14 from the money, I had 81k, and was watching this German guy keep waking up with AA and taking people out. So what happens? With the blinds 1500/3000, sitting in the BB...with HIM in the SB....he raises me to 9k. I look down at AQ. I have enough chips to play it like a SMART PLAYER...but what do I do? I shit the bed! Instead of either just flatting the raise and seeing a flop...or re-raising to say 20k....I go all in! And of course, he has AA again. The flop was 10-10-4....an Ace hit the turn of course and I was out. I went into a two hour pit of despair and self-loathing. I played that about as BAD as I possibly could have. I really beat myself up over that one. The following day...I would end even worse, only I didn't make a bad play. Another 11 hour affair without cashing would ensue. And when my 85k in chips went through a 7 orbit 'card dead' process, and I was sitting there with 32k and the blinds at 2000/4000...I was forced to call the UTG's all in holding 10-10...for about exactly what I had in my stack. Then the tables chipleader calls also and I figure I am dead meat. I begged for them to BOTH have AK. The chipleader nodded at me, to let me know that this WAS what he had. I felt pretty good when the first shover turned over 99! Wow, could I really win this and triple up to over 100k? Which was the average at the time? Nope, of course not. Not only did an Ace flop, but also a 9. Jeezuz...and with none of us holding a single heart...and four of them out there on the turn ...could I catch one on the river?(for a chop) Or a one outer 10 of spades? Of course not. And that was that...I was out, again...12 from the money. And about to kill myself. I then went and did what I did the night before...played and lost two SNGs. My money situation in the last 7 days has been brutal. Nothing like making a good score and then getting just murdered for about 25% of what you just won. Well...there is ONE good way to heal that.

WIN ANOTHER TOURNAMENT!

So yesterday, I arrive almost on time, after an hour at the pool. And to switch things up, I decide to shave off my goatee. This has resulted in slump-busting victories in the past. I draw a table in back, one of the early breaking tables...and immediately find two players at my table I want to kill. One guy is chewing his gum in that annoying fashion...AND taking FOREVER to act on every hand! The other guy has this weird nervous twitch...and these bug eyes, and holds his mouth and lips in a way that you can't look at without wanting to clobber. Then the noise starts. We are out by the sportsbook and that bar with the video poker...and one of the machines is making some annoying, repetitive song/sound. I lose it! All three of those things combined has me coming unglued, so I put on my iPod and escape the insanity of it all. Again, thanks Squirrel for that Christmas gift two years ago...and Mom for the BOSE this year for my birthday!!! Very handy!!! Then...about 15 minutes later, they break our table!!!! Thank God! And I get moved to Seat 4, Table 62, PERFECT! Won't be leaving there for a LONG time! Now, if the players can please just be good.

Well, that would be too much to ask of course, after all...this is the SUMMER in VEGAS...and the mutant count still remains very high. Today's psychopath would be seated in the six hole. Any ace is playable for this guy. And any raise of his BB is a calling spot. He had a dubious knack for sucking out on the river...and four people would be sent packing by this mule. Unfortunately, this guy liked me, I guess we played together at some table a few days before. I didn't remember, but he sure did. And he liked me, so I figured the best thing for me to do was keep this clown on my good side. I sat there, very patient, not mixing it up with these fools. We had, of course the 2 required 'limeys' at the table to keep things interesting. They all play so strange. I have developed a very specific strategy for these Venetian Deepstack events. Play a lot of cheap flops early, try to hit a monster...then extract as many chips as humanly possible. Don't go broke when most bad players go broke. Don't overbet big hands. Try to reach twice or three times the average by Level 4...then just shift gears and play Top Ten hands only. Its been working. I have reached nearly every dinner break this summer. Then...hope to God you don't go card dead for 6 levels! I find that patience is the key element in these things. Eventually, a hand WILL come that will get you back to where you need to get, if you play it right. This would be the case in this tourney.

I was sitting on around 15k in level 5 when I went on the 'Heater From Hell' for about a half an hour. I'm not going to get into the hands...its not really important...but I shot up to 60K....on a span of about 10 hands. And yeah, on a couple I GOT LUCKY! Whatever, I'll take it. On one, I limped UTG...with AJ. Had a smaller stack raise right behind me. Back to me, I SHOVE ALL IN. The guy groans...but "has to call" and turns over KK. Oooops. I flop an Ace. Nice. Then turn an Ace. Nicer. Then...just in case...river quads! Sorry dude. On another, guy raises...I re-raise half his shortstack with AK. He goes all in. Shit. I'm priced in. He has KK also. Ace on the river. Sorry dude. On another...UTG+1 raises. Button flats. I look at A10 in the BB and call. Flop comes A-10-9. I check. Next guy checks. Button bets 4k. I raise to 12k. First folds. Button tanks. Then moves in. I call. He has AQ. I hold. Sorry dude. It was a great little run...and now I had three times the average, and started thinking about ending this scheid I'd been on.

Thats when things kind of went to shit. Got into one of those 'ruts' where you raise with AJ, AQ, 77, KQ...and people are moving all in behind you...forcing you to make those 'smart folds.' After a bit of that, followed by the long periods of being completely card dead...I found myself holding only 16k in chips...with the average now 100k and 42 players left, with 34 getting paid. It is now midnight. Shit! Here we go again. And while all this is going on I have had poker legend...and maybe the oldest human being alive, Amarillo Slim moved to my table and sitting right next to me. He came in with 30k, then luckboxed his way to 80k, only to drop back down to 22k...then wakes up with AA against an AK shover...and KK against a JJ and AJ shover...to get a huge stack build up. He's a cute old guy, and funny at times...but he slows the game down something fierce. Still, he has earned the right, hasn't he? Some of the part time newbie dealers didnt know who he was...and were being kind of rude to him in regards to getting his blinds and antes up.

Well I get my 16k all in vs the BB with Q5s...he calls with A3. Dammit. I hit a Q on the river. YES! Back up to 35k. Then, when Slim limps in for 6k...and I look at A6...I think that maybe, just maybe..if I go all in...everyone else will fold and I can at least get heads up with him. He had, afterall been limping in with some freakishly bizare hands. I get my wish, he calls with KQc. Ouch...not liking that race. He flops a KING. Damn...I start to gather my stuff...turn card...ACE! River a 6 and I am up to around 80k now! YES! Still short...but now we are 4 from the money. UTG raises me to 16k and I look at 77 in the BB. Hmmm....I decide to flat it. Flop comes Q-10-3. Not getting stupid here. Check. He bets big, I fold. Show 77. He shows me AQ. I think if I had shoved preflop there the guy would have called. I thought it was a good play by me.

Our table breaks. At my new table I pick up A10 UTG...and move all in. I get a walk, and a huge, much needed pot. Then...on the bubble...the small stack goes all in behind a raise...the BB wakes up with QQ and calls. First guy has JJ. He hits a jack. Wow! Then find out he is from Ocean Springs. Good for him...a little local flavor. Well he plays the next Blind vs Blind hand terrible and leaves himself with a meager 8k with the blinds at 5k/10k and a 1k ante. Thats when Senor Monkey picks up AA UTG....I decide NOT to get CUTE and screw myself...and just MOVE IN for 75k....the poor guy finds 10-10 and has to call. No one else does. The Aces hold up, I actually win with a four-card flush...but whatever, that poor guy is out, the bubble is bursted, and we are all in the money at 36 players! The sense of relief and joy I felt was kind of unlike me. But to have grinded like I did for the last four or five hours and make the money...I've never been happier to see $750 coming my way! At that point I didn't care if I went out next....just to get into the money was very satisfying.

So our table breaks. I get moved to one with Slim and his 400k, and Shawn Rice on my right with over a million. Yikes. I am still sitting on only about 80k. On our first hand I look down at AA UTG. Nice. Lets gamble here. I limp for 12k. Jamaal, who I made a Final Table with last week, and who I have a very fun, competitive relationship with now....limps in behind me, and Shawn checks in the BB. He says "May the worse hand win!" and when 9-5-2 hits the flop it has the makings of just that! He checks. I check. Jamaal leads for 25k. Shawn calls 25k and I get a little nervous. But whatever. I move all in. Its another 36k to call. They both tank and finally fold and I show the AA. NICE FREAKING POT!

Then...when the cutoff raises another 21k...and Shawn calls on the button, I fold my SB....just think, for another 21k...I could have tripled up with my 9-10 when the board runs out 10-10-7-10-2. SHIT! First guy had a pair (never saw it) and Shawn had KK. Damn! So on the very next hand, on the button, when Jamaal raises to 26k....and I look down at 9h10h...and the night drawing to a close....I decide, you know what? Who wants to come back with a third of the average. I've already cashed another level...and if I lose, I lose...at least I can play at noon tomorrow. So I call. The flop comes J-8-3. Not bad. HE CHECKS! Thank you! I check. 7 on the turn gives me a straight! Sweet. But also puts two clubs out there. He bets 40k. I raise to 80k. He calls. He doesnt even see me bet 36k all in in the dark as the 5 of clubs hits the river....uh oh!!!! Please dont have two clubs! He calls. He has 99. I win a HUGEEEEE POT! And when he limps on the next hand and I look down at AK suited I just push all in, afraid that if I don't, he may try to pull a move and move in behind me when I raise. So I just take that option away from him....and take down another decent pot!

When we bag up our chips, we have 21 players remaining. The average is 292k and I have 245k. Feel very good about how the night ended. Feel very good about my chances. To pass the leaders in the Overall Standings, I think I need to finish 8th or higher today. It is now 1:41pm and I have robbed myself of the valuable pool time I so crave and desire in order to get you all up to date...but hey! The amount of people who have come up to me and said "Hey you're Monkey!?? I read your blog man, and really like it!" has propelled me to meet the obligation of keeping you all 'in the loop.' I really appreciate all the support. And the Facebook Nation has really been supportive...getting all those shout outs during the game helps to keep me determined and focused. I really, really want this one today. No chop deals (or at least bad ones!) on this one. I want 1st and I want that trophy and I want that lead in the Overall Title Chase!!!!

MONKEY