Larry in the World Series of Poker

It was a well structured online tournament which increased the blind bets at a comfortable pace. The players acted quickly so we got in a good number of hands per round. I was selectively aggressive -- the way you are supposed be. I did very well -- making very few costly mistakes. I was able to keep my stack up in the top 20 or so players for most of the tournament. I had my share of some good pots, and lost a few of course.

I paid attention. I made player notes. I thought about everything. I was focused and excited. My son Max watched the last hour and we screamed and yelled as I won and lost pots. No one could hear us. We screamed at people to fold their hands when I bet with nothing. And they did. But they couldn't know. We had our best internet poker faces on. Can't do that the same way in the real thing.

Railbirds watching the final table were gambling on which 3 players would wind up winning it. I had one of the smallest stacks of chips, but someone correctly picked me and the other two winners. My key hand was a semi-bluff bet for all my remaining chips on a 4 flush (I hadn't made my flush yet). I got one caller and needed to pull the club on the last two cards and did!

When it got down to only four people left I was almost crying. I REALLY wanted to win. I was hoping two of the other remaining players would go after each other so I could slip into the winning 3 spots. And two of them did! One guy with the second highest stack spent it all on a crazy and unsuccessful bluff when he really didn't have to. Not the time in the tournament to be doing that -- and against the largest stack! So I was in!