This is the blog entry I was hoping I wouldn’t have to write at all (though I would have taken writing it later in the week). I’m out of the Main Event.

There’s really nothing too glamorous to report. I started day three with 47.1k during 500/1000/100, and played for two hours without winning a pot that was more than just stealing the blinds. That left me fairly short-stacked. I doubled up once back to 43.4k with Aces against Queen-Jack, then bled back down. Having 25-40 big blinds is kind of a weird stack: you can’t really three-bet anyone light, nor is it really advisable to call a lot of raises, so if the pot has already been raised, you pretty much need to look down at a strong hand in order to become involved. In a live tournament, it’s not uncommon to go a few hours without really ever looking at a strong hand.

I won a couple of small pots here and there but it wasn’t enough to stay ahead of the pace that the blinds were eating away at my stack. During 1000/2000/300, I was down to 23.5k when I shoved Tens in late position and was unable to generate a suckout (despite quietly wishing for one pretty damn hard) against the small blind’s pocket Kings.

That’s poker.

Busting out of the Main Event is kind of a unique experience. Poker players talk about it being the worst day of the year. It’s definitely disappointing, but it can provide some interesting perspective too. As I walked out to my car, I wanted to feel really sad and disappointed. I mean, I wanted to be really upset, but I just couldn’t muster the emotions. I tried. I gave “being really sad” my best shot, but I could only get as far as about “being bummed”. I tried to figure out why this is and what I came up with is that I just don’t see any reason to be really, really upset about busting out of the Main Event. It makes me appreciate the life I have. Doing well in the Main Event would have been awesome, but it’s kind of like icing on the cake of life. I mean, what’s it say about your life if your biggest problem is that you weren’t able to make a deep run in the biggest poker tournament of the year? I’d say it means you have a pretty good life and have a lot to feel grateful for.

Other than just not having a sick amount of luck, I don’t really have much to feel upset about. I feel pretty confident in saying that I didn’t make any big mistakes all tournament. I’m not saying I didn’t make a couple of small ones, I’m sure I did, but I definitely didn’t make any big ones and anytime you can say that, there’s really nothing to be too disappointed about.

I’ve got another three nights in Vegas before I head back to Houston. I feel like I’ve been here forever. It’s been fun, I’m definitely glad I spent the whole WSOP out here at least one time, but I’m not sure it’s something I’d want to do again. Anyway, that’s another entry for another time. I’m gonna spend the worst day of the year rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the zen-like disposition I’ve got right now – it’s not a state of mind that comes easy in this town.