To bluff or not to bluff that is the question i left with !

The structure meant even with 6000 chips at level 4 we would only have 15 times the BB , i intended to make the most of any early opportunities .

On my table was Joe Grech fresh from his $360,000 payday at Bellagio , right from the off he tried to dominate the table , as he was 3 to my right i let him get on with it , and when he was out of a pot i was raising the players on my left .

I picked up 99 and called Joe down on every street with 4 clubs out there , he had K high , i had the 9 of clubs , good read , Joe was down to 3400 when he found AA in FP and doubled the BB , he got one caller who doubled him up drawing dead on the turn , from there he picked his players and spots and cut through the field to take first place , congratulations .

So what happened to me ? I peaked at 7800 , i lost on a missed draw then came the final hand .

Blinds were 200 400 , i had picked up the blinds once or twice a round until on my previous button the BB reraised all in , i passed and he showed KK . Instead of continuing my raises every round this time knowing the SB was passing i decided to flat call on the button and outplay the BB from the flop , big mistake , you can't outplay someone who isn't even aware of what you are doing and doesn't put you on a hand and just plays his hand regardless of the flop .

Decide for yourselves , and yes i know i should have raised if i only knew i had one to beat but i decided to try a different tactic so it wouldn't look so obvious in later rounds .

I had 45o , flop came 9 Q K all hearts , BB checked , i bet 800 into the 1000 pot to take it there and then ( i had the 4 of hearts ! ) , he called , naturally i put him on a flush draw but as the K and Q were out there and i was sure he didn't have the A , i figured him for the T or J giving him a gutshot as well , turn was the 2 of clubs , peachy i thought , check this time and i'll up the pressure get him off the draw , he obligingly checked and i smoothly bet 2400 , call that if you don't like money , he called , mmmm ok maybe he has a pair with a flush draw like QT , let's watch him on the river , this brought an A , he clearly wasn't happy , great i thought i have been representing a made hand , even if he has a pair if i move in now for my last 3100 he can't call , besides there is 7600 can't check with 5 high , i moved in . He now checked his cards and started to count out the 3100 , about two thirds of his stack then he hesitated and started to ponder " pass i was silently thinking , can't you see all the hands out there that can beat you ? "

He didn't hear and called , ok , what was his hand ?

Full marks if you thought 92o no hearts !

So on a flop with a straight flush i was obviously bluffing so he called me with a hand that needs a 9 or a 2 but not the 2 of hearts to improve on the turn and could need runner runner full to win , having caught the perfect 2 he compounds his error by still refusing to lay down his monster of a hand , and then when the killer A comes that now obviously completes any holding i might have been betting with to beat his two pair he still can't bring himself to do the gentlemanly thing and pass lol .

For those that know me this is being written tongue firmly in cheek , once called on the flop i should have put the brakes on and taken the free card on the turn , i may still have stuck in a bluff on the river which would have been called but would have still had chips , the point of this is it reminds me of when i started and how like my opponent i used to just play my two cards regardless of the flop , today i usually play my opponents cards and get them to pass but there are times like this where they just won't do it !

When i am this far out on their hand i just have to smile .

My next diaries will be following my tournaments at the WSOP , i will not only be detailing my own acheivements , but also if i am unfortunate enough to be knocked out early i will let you know how the other Europeans did and also who eventually won , until then stay focused , play well and never give up .