Update on the Bellagio Cup

All,

I just realized that I did not put the final update of the Bellagio cup main event. I know that I sent out text pages as we started day 3. We came into the day with 55 players and a guaranteed 15k. The next level break for 20k was at 50 players. after about 1 hour of play we were down to 45 players. The next level with a prize increase is at 40 players. I started the day with 108,000 with the average around 180k so I needed to build my stack if we had any chance to win the 1.35 million first prize. The first hand was a tough one as I was on the button and had not played a hand yet and the action was folded around to me. I looked down and realized that I had pocket 4s. With the blinds and antes so high just by taking down the pot you win 24k with no callers. With the action around to me and the the pot so big and only 2 hands left to beat with the small a tight player and the big blind with only 40k in chips I pushed the action and moved all in. As I thought the small blind folded and with my image being such a solid player, only paying premium hands, he could fold a big hand as we were only a few spots from the next increase in pay. To my surprise he called, but after he turned over his hand I could see why. He woke up with JJ. so I needed to catch a 4 to win the pot. I didnt catch it so played continued. after that hand we did a table redraw and to my downfall I was put into the big blind at my new table. I only had about 23k left so with the blinds and antes it didnt really matter what I had I needed to move all in.
The guy in first position just called and it went around to Marcel Luske and he called also. I looked down and had A10, a great hand to have when 2 players just called. I pushed the action to try and just play against one player. I moved all in, the first player then moved all in also, and Marcel folded. I turned over my hand and the first player turned over the only hand I didnt want to see AA. I had the pleasure of Jeff Erwin be on hand to watch the 3rd day with his son. It is always nice to have one of the professional poker club members to be on hand. Well the flop came 10,4,3 so now I had a fighting chance if one of the 2 remaining 10s came out I would more then triple up. To my demise a 10 did not come on the turn or the river and I went out in 42nd place with paid over $20,000 so for the club we have 2 tournaments under out belt and 1 cash for a 50% cashing percentage.
I felt very good in my play and was happy to see the articles written about this event. Many of the sites were saying it was the most difficult field of players. I outlasted so many of the major pros and the best players in the world. Our next tournament is the Legends of poker in LA and will be there almost the entire month of August. The Lake Tahoe event was postponed due to the WSOP events in Europe so we may substitute the Beau Rivage event in its place.

Until next cash....