The World Series is Almost Over..

"It's gone by fast."
-Matt "Ch0ppy" Kay

It's so sad to look at the WSOP schedule and see there is only 2 events left. The 2500 No limit event and the Main Event (10k. The Big One!).

I've got 3 small cashes so far this summer but I was hoping for at least 1 final table. One of my best friends in poker and my roommate, Kevin Macphee final tabled the 2500 Hold em/PLO split earlier this series. Everyone living in our house had a good time railing him even though he exited early in 5th place. Kevin is extremely well rounded in poker and also made a deep run in omaha hi/lo event. I railed him in that where he sat beside Phil Hellmuth (The Other Pokerbrat) and had a few drinks on the sidelines. Heckled Phil a bit all in good fun. Phil knows I'm a big fan.

I busted the 3k triple chance in a ridiculous hand where I check-called a 4x pot shove on the flop (10k into 2400) with k-j on a k-6-7 board. I could have folded this hand and still had 80 big blinds but I'm playing to win. My opponent had 10-8 with a flush draw and got there right away. So disapointing to bust day 1 of such a good tournament but I made the right decision and that's what counts. I've been really unlucky this series. Winning what seems to be few of my all in showdowns.

The World Series of Poker is a lot like summer camp for a lot of players. Groups of friends rent houses and apartments for 6 weeks all going to the same place everyday to grind. Its hard to walk 50 feet in the Rio (WSOP host) and not run into 5-6 people you know.. Everyone has the same goal. The same dream. Everyone wants a bracelet. We all relate to each other in a way that's hard for people outside of the poker world to understand and we're all in the same place for a short time. It feels pretty amazing to me.

I'll be heading back to Toronto after the main event. Hopefully I'll be a round a few more weeks. 2500 event tommorow though. I'm pumped. 2 more shots at a bracelet!

Simon Charette