After ending Day 1 with just $9,100 chips, I had a lot of work to do. With the blinds being $400/$800 with antes, realistically, I have low expectations.

But it is a fun stack to play, and I never give up!

I was at a great table, with the only recognizable player being Joe Sebok who I had on my right. I got off to a great start when I shoved in position and in a few limped pots and immediately increased my stack to $12,000.

Sebok gave me a courtesy double-up after I shoved my A7 vs. his 77 to his late-position raise with two weak players on the blinds and the board paired with QQ and 88 making my ace high play.

After that, I was up to $22,000 and unstoppable.

I stole blinds up to about $35,000 and then doubled-up in a semi-amusing hand. Four people limp in at $400/$800 and I make it $5,200 from the SB with 99. The second limper flat calls and everyone else folds.

Flop comes 8-3-3. I bet $7,200 and he puts me all-in for $28,000 more?! I don't get it? I stare him down for a while asking him what he is trying to represent and telling him that I really feel that he's not giving me credit for a hand etc

Reunited with Kingdan on Day 2.

After about 3-4 minutes, I finally call and he shows the T-9o. Miraculously I hold, and now with $75,000 I'm a huge contender to make a deep run in this tournament.

I made one really good re-steal with T-9 after an active older guy, who had been reraising a lot, reraised me to $6,000 after I made it $2,200 and I shoved all in for $30,000 more. He ended up folding 99 face up.

After that, I got up to about $120,000 playing no-showdown poker and get moved to a table that appeared to be MUCH tougher. Lots of good younger internet players with a LOT of chips, including Kingdan who I reunite with after playing him on Day 1.

I decide to keep steamrolling until they give me a reason not to, and at one point raise five hands in a row and win uncontested.

At $800/$1,600 I make it $4,400 from MP with A♥ 6♥. Flop comes 5-8-9 with two clubs. He checks, I fire $6,200 and he calls. The turn is an ace of diamonds and we both check.

The river is a 7x. He checks and I INSTA fire $20,000. How can he put me on a straight here? He ends up calling, with what he later admits to be king-high, and I rake in the pot.

Next orbit I get KK in mid-position after UTG, who's got about $100,000, raises to $5,500 at $1,000/$2,000. I decided to flat call, hoping that Kingdan or another one of the shortstacks squeezes.

$220k stack puts Mizzi in top 10 after Day 2.

They don't and the flop comes down J-8-6 with two hearts. He checks, I make it $7,700 to which he replies with a $22,000 raise in my face. I think about it for a minute and shove all-in for $60k more.

He calls with KK as well and I have the heart freeroll, but the turn is a blank and we chop the pot.

A couple orbits later, after stealing a few pots pre-flop, I raise with A-Ko from MP and get called by the BB, who is the same guy I had a straight on with A♥ 6♥ earlier.

The flop comes down A-8-2 with two diamonds. I bet $6,800; he raises to $20,000 with $40,000 behind and folds to my shove.

I end the day with a stack of $220,000, putting me in the top 10 chip counts.

--Sorel Mizzi

More blogs from Betfair Poker pro Sorel Mizzi:

• Day 1 Niagara: Should Have Shoved on the Flop
• Cutting Down on Mistakes
• Backkkk in Business
• The Run Continues Part 1