ARUBA...Day 4...and a Fantastic Finish!

Hi gang.

Gavin Smith comes up to me last night, says..."Monkey, I went and checked out your blog. I started reading and realized, Holy shit this is long...too long! Ever think about just shortening it? I couldn't finish it!"

Hey, believe it or not I DO try to cut it down as much as I can. In fact, in reading entries/posts from last year its clear to me that I have actually gotten better about editing certain aspects of this thing.

I've also developed another theory. There are those of you who I am pretty sure just log onto the website so they can see if I have a new entry that they can skip to the bottom and click the box that says 'KILL ME.' Me and Jason Young both agree on this theory. He tells me I should laugh at it. So, well...okay I will laugh at it. But I still think its pretty fucking juvenile and ridiculous..but oh well. I guess if that person's life is SO devoid of excitement that this is where they find their joy....wow! Nice life!

Meanwhile, it is 4:22am down here in Aruba. Its about 86 degrees right now, and I am out near the pool, poaching the only available internet signal so that I can get you guys a quickie update. I have just had a wonderful finish to a day that started HORRIBLY.

First of all, Jason Young did NOT make it down here, which kind of sucked, was looking forward to hanging out with him. Prescott is here, but he is wrapped up I guess with his 'other' friends...which is cool. Joe Cutler showed up the day after I did, with his large contingent of people, some of whom I had never met before, Steve Karp, Will "The Thrill" Failla, a kid named Jonas Wexler, another named Matt Waxman (both of whom final tabled the WSOP $5k 6-handed this summer)...and shit Im drawing a blank right now because I'm just really tired. Oh...Tristan Wade and Tony...they call him 'Terminator' Big guy, bald, really funny! But its been really cool getting to know yet another big group of very good poker players who also happen to be very funny and fun to hang out with. Its so much more entertaining to take these poker trips and spend your time with guys you like being around.

There are a lot of good players down here, in fact. But then there are also a lot of complete...and I mean...COMPLETE...clowns. I can't get into some of these hands and situations I have seen the last three days, because frankly I am just beat right now. It was a long day. It started with my second attempt at the rebuy Mega. Yesterday I got in for the buy in, NO rebuys...and just an add on....was looking good...but then got low, and couldnt win a coinflip when I got all in. Today, much worse. Bought in...and before I ever won a damn hand had rebought four freaking times. It sucked. Took the add on at break...and sat around til finally I had AJ, which given the hands I was getting was looking a lot like AA to me. Well, I ran right smack into AK. Wonderful. And I was done!

Went and played a SNG. 7 handed, and at 300/600 had to get it in with 22...A3 calls. Ace on the river. Awesome. Then me and the 7 other guys went and had a really nice steak dinner at a place called El Gaucho in downtown Oranjested. The place was nice. The food was KILLER...and the service was amazing, which I found highly unusual for a carribbean locale. Usually, the service tends to be painfully slow. We had Jeremy McGloughton joining us...Will the Thrill, him and Jonas ended up playing Liars poker at the end of dinner...and it got very 'spirited'! I did the figuring out of the bill, and instead of telling everyone it was 66.50 each...I messed up and told them $60. Shit. $6 times 7 other guys....and YEAH...I fell $45'ish short. But it was my fuck up, and I wasn't going to hit them up for another 6 bucks. So I ate the difference, and even left the server more than the 15% they had added to the check. It was a great time...and was worth the extra hit. These guys are all really cool and a lot of fun. And everyone really enjoyed the meal.

We left and went back to the Radisson. I really did NOT want to play a $650 SNG....to get into the Main. Really kind of wanted to play a $120 or $230 to try and work my way up. But time was running out. And there was really very few players around. So I finally caved in. Before we played, I ironed out a deal with a guy who I am not sure wants me naming him on here, so I won't. I have known him for a long time...hes a damn good guy, and plays with his, wife, who is also really cool and a good player. In fact, tonight she ended up bubbling (11th) the 7pm $550 tourney. Really felt bad for her.

After two whiffs in the Mega it was looking like I was going to be on the outside looking in for the Main Event...and that was simply unacceptable. The last and only other time I came down here with Squirrel, back in 2005, I had the same thing happen. Didn't get in...played some other tourneys...and had to sit out the Main. It was a bummer then, and I didn't want to go there again. So this guy offered to buy half of my action ($2750) for 40%. Figured my backer would be okay with that....we would pony up the other $2750 and play for 60%. Well, even before we started the SNG, I agreed to honor that deal, even in the event that I WON the SNG.

Well, guess what? In a lineup of one of the best SNG's I have played in a long time....we would get to 1000/1500 blinds (yeah, I know...weird blind numbers right? But thats what they were) and three handed...and it was ME, this other guy...and Renea (wife of Harold Mahaffee (think thats his last name), the cool couple who wear the Harley stuff, and have lots of tattoos, and who invited me yesterday to bring Cheryl down next year and stay at the house they rent every year down here) left. Wow, and Renae was really short. I felt bad for her. We also had $600 in the last longer. The winner got the seat and $150, and 2nd place got $650.

Renae moved all in and I was pretty much priced in to call her, even though I was holding 5s8s, which so happens to be Allie Prescott's favorite hand. So I made the call. She had A7. Flopped a 7. Nice hand Renae. Oh shit...I rivered an 8. Wow, felt kind of bad...but then again, I have been running pretty bad here all week and am down about...mmmm....well, enough to make me kind of depressed! So I needed this.

So me and this guy were heads up, and almost dead even in chips. Thats when I came up with what I and everyone thought was a damn good deal for both of us. And one that my backer could find smart. I agreed to take the seat, let him take the $650 and $150 in cash. We split the last longer money. So he would net $1100 in cash. Then...instead of him now having to give me $2750 for 40% of my action, he would get 50% of my action, not have to come out of pocket a penny, nor would I have to pony up ANY money (nice!). And an even better part....should I cash, there is no makeup of the buyin, because there wasnt one made! I also get a 5% sweat on HIM in the Main Event...and he is fully capable of making a deep run. So I am playing for 50%, and of course I will cut my backer in on my share should I make a deep run and win some loot. So all in all, the day had a perfect ending almost. Granted, I am still down a bit for the trip...but hey, I am in the BIG ONE...and feeling very excited about it. All the guys were there too, as they were waiting for me, so we could all drive back to our resort together. Its always fun to win when all your pals are there.

So anyway....thats kind of your quickie update. I have a lot to tell you about where we are staying and the guy who is serving as our 'host' while we are here. But that will have to wait till later. And we have managed to get out and see some of the 'non poker' side of Aruba..and I will fill you in on that as well. Later though. Even though I'm really excited about tomorrow, I need to TRY and get some sleep!

The field is filled with lots of Pros, and a large number of players in general. Today was Day 1a and they got 182 players. I think they were at 460 as of tonight. So with some late walkups, they should top 500 players I think. First place is 1 million dollars. Oh.....I hope I have a good Day 1. But if things don't go my way, I will just have to accept it, and try to enjoy the rest of my week down here.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

MONKEY