Well, seems like it won’t be hard to go to bed early today, as my first tournament was tough, nothing went according to plan.

First hour was calm, adaptive and patient style of game followed but a 30 minute run at the second level (50/100 blinds) to get from the initial 5000 to 7000. 90 minutes of struggling with T2s, 39s and 49s amongst other dismal cards.

Then at last, on the button, my first pair in 2h: a pair of 9s ! I raise to a safe 550, both blinds call and I can at last tell myself “it’s on”. KJ9 on the flop. Small blind checks, big blind goes to 1200 whilst I only have 3800. I go all in ! To my big surprise, the small blind follows me … and so does the big blind !

One shows a KJ and the other a QT. 15,000 in this post though the average was at 9500 since close to half the participants were eliminated. I was expecting to start off comfortably with those 15,000, and was hoping for another pair on the river, however a 2 shows up and brings it all to a stop for me. Meh, we’ll do better tomorrow!

In the end, no regrets. I almost played a perfect poker; the game however was simply not there. The hardest part, mentally, is the powerful desire to see that 9 on the flop. Hopes rise when it turns up, then fall straight back down.

As a consolation, a number of pros were eliminated before me !

For today, all is lost except my honor and a mind of steel!