At the start of 2014, I MUST admit I USED TO BE feeling more or less pessimistic about poker. The web options here within the US has been steadily deteriorating, and playing in casinos takes more effort and patience than I usually care to muster. Once upon a time, I had fancy ideas about making poker my profession, but as once a year goes by, that goal feels less and not more attainable.
I am a recovering academic, having completed a Ph.D. in Psychology at UCLA in 2009. I STARTED studying poker when I finished my degree, and before long, I had dropped any sensible career plans and devoted all my energy to playing a card game on the web. I USED TO BE diligently working my way up the stakes when Black Friday came along and destroyed all our hopes and dreams and bankrolls. Reluctantly, I returned to the educational sector and feature been cobbling together an income from teaching and editing gigs for the past couple years. But I still attempt to slot in as much poker as I WILL manage, and that i relish every opportunity to get the hell out of the States and play on PokerStars!
I was super excited for a tropical island getaway to the Bahamas, and that is the second one year I've tagged along to PCA with my boyfriend, Mickey Petersen. Mickey is a member of Team PokerStars Online, and you'll learn all about him on this recent PokerStars short film (I even have a bit part as supporting actress!):
Once we got settled on the Atlantis resort, I immediately began grinding an entire schedule of online tournaments. It was raining once we got to town, but even if the sun came out, I preferred playing online to hitting the beach or riding the waterslides. I spent my first five days at PCA happily clicking buttons, minus a pair short breaks for live cash games or drinks with friends. I missed out on getting a suntan, and that i definitely didn't partake in my justifiable share of Bahama Mamas, but my antisocial efforts paid off; one fine day, I took down "THE MASSIVE $27.50" for $6,570.94!
That win provided me with a pleasing confidence boost going into the PCA Women's Event. Although an $1,100 buy-in is at the larger side for me, I allow myself the occasional splurge for a fun live tournament, particularly when there are ladies involved. After I got to my table, my first order of industrial was accepting a different delivery from Team Online's Daleroxxu - an exquisite bottle of Taittinger Rose Champagne! I vowed I MIGHT drink it if I won the development (and in addition if I didn't).
A cool thing I've found about ladies events is that the majority players have a real and vested interest within the female poker community. Persons are friendly and considering conversing - and never solely for the aim of prying information from their opponents. When my tablemates started talking, it turned out that many knew one another by their screen names from playing within the satellites and weekly $55 PokerStars Women's Sunday tournaments. I LIKE that online women's tournaments are starting to foster a community that spans both online and live arenas.
I maintained a tight stack as much as the dinner break, when everyone headed to the PokerStars party. Mickey had just busted from the $25K High Roller, which was a bummer, but no less than it meant he could come party with us! We even got to fulfill two of my biggest idols, EPT Live commentators James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton. I HAVE BEEN watching the livestreams and bothering these guys on Twitter for a pair years now, so I enjoyed the chance to hassle them in person.
The open bar was tempting, but I responsibly limited myself to 1 party drink, and this allowed me to stick vigilant, as play stretched into the wee hours. I FINISHED the night third in chips, with 17 players left and nine spots paying.
Day 2 began with excitement and tension within the air, as everyone was keenly conscious about the looming bubble. As some of the chip leaders, my plan was to place pressure on basically everyone else, and that i accumulated a large number of chips while the shorter stacks were forced to play more cautiously. When the bubble broke and we moved to at least one table, I were so hyper-focused that it barely had an opportunity to sink in - this was my first final table at a live event!
The final table was the hardest I'VE ever faced at a ladies event - or at any live event, for that matter. There have been several accomplished pros within the mix, including Fatima de Melo, Amanda Musumeci, and Loni Harwood, and that i was proud that I'LL hold my very own among this talented group. After an extended and arduous day of ups and downs, I FINALLY finished in second place for $14,460! This was my biggest cash and best live finish to date, so I USED TO BE more than happy with the result. Of course, I MIGHT have preferred to win, but to accomplish this well at my first live final table was enough of a win for me!
After the tournament, Mickey and that i had a wonderful dinner at Nobu after which went out for some celebratory drinks. I met some amazing people at PCA this year or even got some top-secret strategy tips from Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst, who was also celebrating what could have been the most productive PCA performance of anyone ever. I ULTIMATELY got to reward myself with some tropical cocktails, and of course, we didn't forget the lucky pink champagne!
Before PCA, I USED TO BE unsure if I'd be playing much poker in 2014, but after winning over $20,000 in a single week, my outlook for this year has become decidedly brighter! Those funds will certainly help bankroll some more poker trips, and i am heading over to London to look Mickey in a few weeks. I'm looking ahead to stepping out for some posh games on the Hippodrome, and we'll even be hopping over to eire for UKIPT Dublin on the end of February. Maybe I'll see a few of you there!
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: PokerStars Caribbean Adventure]
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