Day 1 WPT Festa al Lago $15k

Just finished up play for day one of this year's Bellagio Festa al Lago main event. Despite the comically pathetic turnouts for the preliminary events, there were about 260 entrants today.

Strangely enough, Bellagio has also decided to allow players to buy in during day two of the tournament. This is the first time I've ever seen this in any live tournament.

Players will start with a full starting stack of 60k, and may register up to the end of level 8 (600/1200), which will be the third level of play tomorrow.

I've also begun updating from the table on breaks on Twitter ... which I finally caved and decided to join. You can follow me at @MattStoutPoker since @MattStout is taken by some guy who apparently regrets not acting on his dream to be an astronaut ...

Anyway, I had a mediocre table draw in the beginning, but it was probably pretty average considering the field ... not enough soft spots turn out for $15k main events at Bellagio anymore. The players I knew at the table were Hafiz "hafizzle" Khan, Kathy Liebert, Hunter "HemiPokerSWT" Frey, and Matt Glantz.

Matt Glantz is someone who I go way back with and have a lot of respect for. He's from PA and has been a Borgata regular forever.

He plays the highest mixed games and biggest tournaments, and is a total sicko on top of being a true class act. He doesn't tilt and is always polite and friendly while he takes your money ... or even if you somehow manage to get some from him.

Recently Matt took down the EPT London High Roller tournament for close to a million. There are few players more deserving and I'd like to congratulate him on not just this victory but being one of the nicest yet toughest players in the game.

Anyway, I got off to a slow start in the tournament. We start with 60k at 50/100, so there's obviously no need to be impatient and gamble too much early.

Glantz is a High Roller.

The only big pot I played in the first level came up on the last hand before break. I had Q Q against Matt's J J on a jack-high, three club board. I ended up folding the river after missing, but Matt showed me his hand as a friendly jesture ... especially since the rest of the table had already left for break.

So I had about 12.2 seconds to get baked on that break thanks to that hand spilling over into the break. BAD BEAT!!!

Then Hafiz Khan and I butted heads a bit, but nothing too big. Our table got so tight and boring at one point that Matt Glantz was actually sweating the sit and go satellite that was going on next to us. How sad is that?

Fortunately they broke that table shortly after, and moved me to a much better one. The players I knew there were Hunter Frey, Jason "JCarver" Somerville, Jimmy Tran, and high stakes cash player "aejones."

I managed to chip up pretty nicely at this table, including one huge pot against Jason that I can't talk too much about because it didn't go to showdown and he's already one of my toughest opponents to play against!

I peaked at just under 80k, but ended the day just under starting stack after losing AK v 36 with top two against aejones' backdoor flush. With almost 60k going to 400/800 I'm still in great shape and have plenty of ammo to work with, though.

Matt Stout

Editor's Note: Follow Matt Stout and everything else that's happening at Festa al Lago in the PokerListings Live Coverage section.