WSOP Event Cont'd.......

Level 5 23 mins left
A big stack joins the table who I later find out is Eli Berg. He has over 20k. Another one then joins who I later find out is Kevin Saul, a WPT winner for $1.3 million. He has about 20k too, the bugger. Those two are sitting immediately to my right which puts me in a semi awkward position, as I feel that any pot I raise may make them put me to the test by putting me all in. That's ok if I have a really good hand but the cards I've been seeing today haven't been too spectacular.

Level 6, 810 players left, 200/400 (50), $5125 chips
$1100 a round now so I'm looking to jam the pot preflop with a good hand, nothing doing though as I fold, fold and fold again. Down to $4125 now with 38 minutes left until dinner break and 770 players left. I begin to think I may have a Chinese later tonight if I bust out. I'm getting 26 offsuit, 59 offsuit and similar so I'm just paying blinds and antes and losing my 'stack', which consists of about seven chips. In fact I'm happy when I get some change for antes as it looks like my stack is bigger, with loads of green $25 chips.

Level 6, 28mins left, 670 players, $3175 in chips
I don't know whether to hang on and try and get to the dinner break short or push it to either double up or bust. I decide my chip situation is so bad I need to take a stand with any two good cards. The problem is I'm getting absolutely no cards, j2o, 10s, t90, all folded preflop. I make it to the dinner break with $2325 in chips and 570 players left, 300 off the money. I now have 90 minutes to meet the wife, have a bite to eat and compose myself in order to get lucky!

Key Hand 12
Level 7, 1st hand, 565 players left
This is it, I have JQ spades and push all in whilst clenching my buttocks and trying to remember to breathe. I get called by Kevin Saul (the WPT winner) who had 67 of spades. I feel happy that I 've got the flush draw and overs of course. Then the flop comes 8 spades, 9 spades and 5 clubs, giving him and open ended straight flush draw, me a gutshot straigh flush draw, and overards. He hits a 6 on the turn, pairing up and my re draw and a Jack, Queen, ten or spade (17 outs) gives me an ace of diamonds. So that's me out in about 550th place and my World Series dream is over for a year at least.

Summary
I really enjoyed the event, I lasted just over six hours and was about 300 short of the money from 2706 players. I wish I'd taken a few more risks in the hands where I had AK and 99, I may then have been a bit closer to the bubble and maybe even cashed. I found myself pretty low on cards but sometimes when you get the cards you bust out so at least I got good value for my money. I will play in the WSOP again but I've got to earn the $1500 back first online to be able to afford to play next year.
At least I got myself on ESPN, I was sitting behind Blair Hinkle waving when he won his bracelet. Here's the link : http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/wsoptv/index.asp?curPage=6&videocatid=2&videoid=189

Eli Berg to my left knocked Kevin Saul out in a big pot so the WPT winner didn't cash either. Berg got $3140 for his 197th place finish.