A blizzard...then a bust out.

Dammit!

How many times am I going to bust out of a Main Event with pocket Queens? It is utterly amazing. 2006 WSOP Main Event. 2007 WSOP Main Event. Aruba Main Event. Borgata Main Event. Beau Rivage Main Event. And now...Chicago Poker Classic Main Event.

Don and I arrived, on time...and discovered we were at the same table. Ouch. We didn't have any real huge stacks on our table...which was nice to see. Things started bad for Don with his 22k in chips. His BB got raised...and he flatted with 44....saw a painted flop and folded to the guys bet. About four hands later he shoved all in over the top of an early position raiser...and got called by AK. Don had....yeah...QUEENS.

The flop came 9-10-J....great flop for Don...reducing the other guy to an Ace and killing the king as an out....or needed Don to make a set...which the dealer did on the turn, pulling a Queen out, and Don was gone. Sucked. Don then went back to the hotel, packed...and left!

My day started like crap too. Raising...getting called, c-betting, and getting jammed on. Happened twice...and suddenly I was short. I hung around for 3 levels...with 10 big blinds or less...until I got it in with KQs...got called by 99. Naked flop, flush draw on the turn, Q on the river. Whew! Double up to 24k.

Blinded that down to 15k. Got it all in with A10. Called by KK and JJ....in a huge three-way all in pot. Oh no! Turned an ace. Triple up to 54k. Wow. Back in it!

Then...20 minutes before the dinner break...with my sister on her way down from Milwaukee to hang out with me and go to dinner, I get those damn queens, in the BB...and with this guy who had been constantly raising my blinds. This guy was creepy looking. He's hard to describe. You know that actor Chris Elliot? Looked a bit like him...like a miniature version...with horrible teeth. And when he'd raise he would make these weird googly eyes. Yeah...I was fixated on this guy. So once again..he raises.

Guy in the SB...who just about everytime he asked "how much are you playing behind" it was guaranteed that he was about to raise...utters that phrase again. So I sneak a peek at my hand. Oh shit! There they are! The dreaded Queens. Dude re-raises from 5100 to FORTY THOUSAND!

Jeezuz. Well, there is no way that is AA or KK. Maybe AK. But not likely. I think he's just using his newly acquired chips to try to muscle this guy. Well...as much as I don't want to be miserable and moody when my sister arrives...I shove all in anyway. I get called in both places. The first raiser has AK. The guy on my right has A10. Offsuit. Yep. You would think I was in pretty good shape there right? Yeah...you would think.

Flop....just killed me instantly. It was like going in to be tortured and someone just meets you at the door and cuts your head off.

"Oh...so I guess we're gonna be skipping the torture today?"

A-10-10 BOOM! Gee...guess I need to root for a queen, huh?
Yeah well, didn't happen. My heart just sank. Wow. 304 started. 66 were left...and I was in excellent shape to chip up to 160,000 and cruise to the money. But instead, I was OUT! This one really stung.

My sister arrived. We went and had dinner, and had a nice talk. It was good for getting my mind off of the bustout. Squirrel got on the phone and got me an earlier flight out of here. So instead of leaving Tuesday afternoon, I am leaving her in 5 hours....another 6am flight. Ugh. But the good news is that I will be home in time to play all those huge tournaments online tomorrow. Who knows, maybe I will finally have a good day of online poker. Sure would be nice!

Sorry I didn't have better news to report tonight. Its done nothing but snow since the minute I walked out of my hotel this afternoon until I just walked back in. Hope my plane is able to get out of here!

Thanks to Steve Frezer, Charlie Cerisi...and all the local guys from here like Jason...and all the great dealers for being so kind to me this week. They all did a fantastic job..and even though I didn't have what amounted to a great trip, it was very pleasant to work with such good people. It's always nice to play in an event where things are run so well.

Have no idea where I am going to next. I do know that I am going to enjoy just being home for a little while. Doing NOTHING. Y'all have a nice Sunday!

MONKEY