WPT Five Diamond Part 2

Editor's note: When we left off last time Liz had lost a chunk of her stack when an opponent got lucky and turned a set. Today she'll take us through the rest of her tournament at the WPT Five Diamond main event.

But what a great way to end the night! Chino and others were prop-betting the Chicago-Philadelphia NFL game, and Mike never shut up the entire hour we were together. I love Mike Matusow!

I ended the evening with $60,800. It's never good to end the day with half the chips you started with, but I feel I played well.

Tournament play is in the Fontana Lounge at the Bellagio, and I was at the raised Feature Table to start Day 3. The blinds were $1,200/$2,400 with a $400 ante.

I was in the big blind for the first hand, and everyone folded to the small blind. He made it $7,000, and I called with A-6o.

The flop came 8-6-3 rainbow, and he bet another $7k. I raised to $18k and took the pot (woo-hoo me!!). It was an action table, which isn't great when you're short-stacked.

Basically, you have to pick up a hand and shove when you have raises and reraises all around you.

Limping aces is risky business.

After a couple hours, I picked up aces and limped in early position. Unfortunately, four other players called with no one raising. The flop came K K 6. The blinds and I checked, and the guy next to me made it $7k. It folded around to me, and I raised to $20k.

He called, and Q came on the river. I checked, and the four seat also checked. 4 came on the river. I checked again, as I could only beat an underpair.

He reached for chips, then decided to check as well. His J 9 gave him a rivered flush, and I mucked my aces.

I picked up aces again, and I doubled up with my last $61,500 against A-Ko. It was the last hand I picked up for awhile, as I just blinded away until I picked up A-Q. I raised UTG, and Hunter Frey called in the small blind.

The flop came 9-3-2, and I moved all-in. I didn't particularly like my hand but hoped he would fold. With two aces he didn't, and I was out about seven places short of the money.

You might think I would be really disappointed busting out so short of the money. Of course I wanted to cash and go deep, but I really felt like I played well.

I didn't feel pressure nor did I feel rusty, but it has been awhile since I was sitting in a big tournament winning and losing pots. It got the juices flowing again, and I think it is a great sign for 2009.

Heading home.

I'll be heading to Vietnam after Christmas for my charity work and other business. I know there are a lot of people suffering all over the world.

There are many people here in Vegas who have lost everything as the housing market has collapsed. People are losing their jobs throughout the United States and really around the world.

Even so, none of us should lose sight of how blessed we are to have what we have. You don't know suffering and hardship until you walk in some of these villages I've been to in Vietnam, yet a smile seems to spread across their faces, the same smile you can find in London or Los Angeles or Vancouver or Atlanta.

I hope each of you can be surrounded by smiling faces this holiday season, and I wish you only the best. Thanks to everyone here at PokerListings for being great friends this year, and thanks to all of you for stopping by here and supporting me.

Have a wonderful Merry Christmas everyone!

Cheers!

-- Liz Lieu - Poker Diva

www.LizLieu.net

www.iPokerCal.com

Drop by Liz's home site, ChiliPoker, and find out how you can earn a heads-up match with the Poker Diva herself. And be sure to take advantage of PokerListings.com's exclusive sign-up bonus.

More Liz Lieu Blog Entries:

• Liz Lieu's WPT Five Diamond Main Event Part One
• Warming Up in the Online Arena
• Who You Callin' a Hamster You Turkey?
• David "Chino" Rheem, Poker Pro