Feeling Good at WSOP But Aces Cracked Again

I didn't want to alert my friends at PokerListings that I was playing in WSOP Event 2.

Frankly, I didn't want to get my own hopes up I would feel physically up to playing poker.

After playing in my first WSOP event, I can say that I feel as good as I did earlier this year - even though I had my aces cracked yet again to send me from another tournament!

I wasn't really sure about when I would start playing until my fellow Chilipoker team member, Fabrice Soulier, called me on Wednesday. At first, Fabrice asked me how I was feeling and how many events I was going to play.

Then he spilled the beans - he'd made a five-figure bet with some friends of his at a French company (Winamax). He bet them that he and I would earn more cash at the WSOP than their 13-player team would.

Just what I need to get me out of bed. The pressure's on!

The Chilipoker Team:

• Liz Lieu
• Fabrice Soulier

The Winamax Team:

• Michel Abecassis
• Manuel Bevand
• Guillaume De La Gorce
• Vikash Dhorasso
• Davidi Kitai
• Eric Koskas
• Ludovic Lacay
• Antony Lellouche
• Nicolas Levi
• Arnaud Mattern
• Alexia Portal
• Anthony Roux
• Almira Skripchenko

Fabrice Soulier: Feeling confident enough to lay five-figures on him and Liz.

Friday, I went to the Rio to buy in to Event 2, then headed to the Bellagio to play cash games and see how I felt. They weren't able to spread any big games, with $100/200 being the only game I could find. I played for about five hours, treading water and a little bored.

I left at 1:30 in the morning, and I felt fine when I woke up Saturday. I still remembered how to play poker and felt fine after a short session. Mission accomplished.

Sunday, I took my seat in the Amazon Room for Event 2, Day 1b. Harrah's has made some nice improvements that make things seem more organized.

The color-coded tables make it easier to find your way around, the floor seems to be doing a better job, and even the new food kiosks are a refreshing change of pace. Krispy Kreme! How can anyone not love my food of choice? How do you think I stay so thin anyways!!

Some of you may not know that about me, but I am a major junk-food junkie. On Sunday, I came back from a break with potato chips, Doritos, and some Twizzlers, much to the amazement of everyone at my table.

Really, after the first card was dealt the poker adrenaline kicked in for me. It is a different feeling than an athlete must feel during competition because of how long we play for. But all of those hundreds of thousands of hands came back to me, and I felt focused and right at home.

I really played great all day, although I had one big suck-out with jacks versus queens on an eight-high flop. I'd gotten up to $25k at one point during the day, then settled back a bit after the seventh level. Then, of course, my bust-out hand after the dinner break.

Lieu: Sees aces; starts packing up the Twizzlers.

I don't think I have any tells, but maybe I do. I looked down at pocket aces, and for some reason I started packing my things to leave!! Just kidding, but 2008 is the year of perseverance and cracked aces for me, right?

We're at $400/$800 with a $100 ante, I raise after an early-position limp, the flop comes K-T-4. Of course. All the chips get in, he flips over K-T, and I'm done for the evening.

I'll be playing as many Limit and No-Limit Hold'em events as I can, plus the occasional mixed game for good measure. I'm going to work hard to post here regularly, so check back with PokerListings throughout the day to see if I've snuck in a post.

I've really neglected my site, lizlieu.net, during my illness, but head there if you can as well. I might even sneak in a little play at Chilipoker - hopefully as I'm waiting to start a final table sometime really soon!

As always, thanks for all the comments. I have really loved being here at PokerListings, and thanks so much for all of your support.

-- Liz Lieu
Pro Poker Player- Poker Diva

More Blogs from Liz Lieu:

• My Thoughts on WSOP ME Final-Table Delay
• Chiu the Grinder Comes Out on Top
• Not All Gowns and Sunshine
• Submarined by Fish in Monte Carlo