Dan Benesh is going to WSOP

World Series of Poker - Main event, at the Rio in Las Vegas. $10,000 buy-in, first prize somewhere between $4 and $12 million. I am going to be one of those hero stories that you hear about (if you hear about me at all). I played in a tournament that cost me $20. It was $4 to enter, and $4 for rebuys and add-ons. I demolished it, ending up with 100,000 chips at the final 4, while the other 3 had no more than 20,000. That won me entry into a $200 tournament, where first place was $4000 cash, and a $10,000 buy-in to the WSOP main event.

Things weren't looking good at first. 67 entrants meant there was no prize for 2nd place. It was all or nothing. That is kind of discouraging at times, but someone has to win. Like a lottery, but with much better odds, and controllable outcomes at times. After the first hour, I was essentially even in chips (2500) and had to take my cat to the vet. My friend Jon took over while I was away for 45 minutes, and when I returned, he had parlayed my chip stack up to more than 7500 chips. So now I was 5th place, with about 40 people left.

The blinds were moving up slow enough that I had chances to make plays on people. This caused my chips to fluctuate. I was as high as 12,000 and as low as 5000. Finally, we got down to the final table of 10 people, but things were not looking good. I had only 8000 in chips, and I was in 9th place. However, right off the bat, I doubled up. That put me back into the middle-upper of the pack of players. Then, for some reason, after this 5 minute break, people just went nuts! About 5 people busted out in the span of 5 hands, and we were down to 5 people left, and I was 3rd.

The chip leader was from France, and he was playing retarded - going all in for 80,000 when the blinds were only 800/1600. We were all just waiting to pick him off. However, when one person finally called him, he ended up losing. We all took some small pots off of this loose chip leader, and kept stealing blinds from one other person who just seemed to not get any cards. Eventually, this person went all-in and was taken out, and we were down to just 3 of us. It was dantml (me, 25000), Betterfuture (US, 45000), and _________ (France, 95000). The Frenchman are crazy when it comes to poker.

The blinds are just killing me, and I eventually get down to 15,000 and the blinds are still 800/1600. I realize that I have to start agressing. And so I do. I steal some blinds, and then double up once through the chip leader, and I'm back at 45000. Then comes the key hand of the tournament. Right before the 4 hour mark arrives, I get pocket 8s. Blinds are 1000/2000, and I raise to 5000. Small blind (France) calls me, while other guy folds. Flop is K64... he checks to me, but he's been check-raising me all night, so I'm worried, so I just check. The turn is a 3. He bets out 20,000 at the pot of only 13,000. This seems like a ridiculous bet, and I determine that very likely he does not have a king. He either has A5, A6, or 55, all hands which I want him to fold RIGHT NOW. So, I go all-in. However, he calls - I am now very scared - however, he has 55, and I dodge the 10 cards on the river that could kill me, and I am now chip leader with 93,000 in chips. And break for 5 minutes.

After the break, I try to make a play on Betterfuture. He doesn't fall for it, and I give away 12,000 for no reason. We are all pretty even at this point when the following hand comes up. I am in the big blind with A2. France calls the big blind of 2000, and Betterfuture folds. I check. The flop is AA7. I check, to trap him, and he bets the minimum. I make it look like I am unsure of my 7, and I just call. The turn is a king. I check, France goes all-in, and I call very quickly. The turn was very nice for me, as it hit his K7 hand quite nicely. I rake in a huge pot, and now I have 120,000 in chips, and Betterfuture has only 50,000. He is a good player, though, and he chips me away until we are generally even. He takes 5 small pots off of me, but then I take one big one. This continues for about ten or twenty strenuous minutes. Spectators are complaining that we are boring and that we are taking too long.

Then, I have 81,000 and he has 89,000 in chips, the following hand arises. I have AT and I just call the big blind of 3000. He raises to 6000 and I call that, too. The flop is A74. I think I am first to act, and I check. He bets 6000. Typically, when he steals, he only bet 3000. So, this time, I think he has a good hand. BUT, I think my AT is better than his hand. So I go all-in. He considers his options... and calls! At this moment, I am very scared he has AJ, because he thought so long. Instead, he has A9!! All I have to do is dodge 3 outs, and I win the majority of the chips.... A74...8...Q. At this point, I am in total shock. I'm sitting there by myself like this --> :O ... next hand he goes all in for 9,000 and I have 74, so I fold. Next hand I fold J3 to him. Next hand he goes all in, and I call with AJ, and he has J8. Perfect. Jack flops. No 8 comes. I win. Above is a picture of the instant when I officially won. I never want to forget this.

Everyone who needs to know already knows about this event pretty much knows, but those are the dirty details, and now I will never forget (as if I would anyway). July 7th I go to Vegas, and I can be there as short as a few days, or as long as 11 days, depending on how far I go in the tournament.

I will blog every day when I'm there to keep everyone informed of the happenings. Later.

Dan