And the beat goes on....

I played what may be my last poker tournament before heading to Las Vegas - the $100 Entry/$40 Add-on at Big Slick - and took first place against a field of 27 players. Notwithstanding the hands where luck came my way, I am pleased with my level of play and focus.

The bad news: I have been watching the early parts of the 2008 Main Event on YouTube. (Search "2008 wsop 1a," then 1b, 1c, and 1d.) It was a freaking zoo! There were stupid calls - not power raises, not short-stack desperation moves, but dumb calls - virtually every hand. This means that the likelihood of having your good hands cracked by garbage is much higher than it should be. And I am not talking about just the amateurs. Many of the big name pro players turn into calling stations early on Day 1. This is much scarier than any concern about playing against quality competition.

Well, with a bit of luck maybe my rush will hold up. Stay tuned.