Playing on behalf of PokerNews, and for only 30% of ourselves, we were still more than willing to enjoy the day off work to battle it out with the 122 teams and 366 individuals that donned a Dream Team jersey.

I saw my starting 10,000-chip starting bank slip early over the first level until I managed a double holding K♣ Q♥ after I opened to 475 and was met with two callers in the 100-200 level. The flop fell down K♦ 8♥ 3♦ and I lead out for 800 and was met with one call before my 1,000-chip bet was called when the K♥ landed on the turn. The river fell 3♠ and I tried to feign weakness as best as possible before throwing out my remaining 5,000-chip. My opponent sat in the tank as I hit under my PokerNews cap, before he eventually called holding 8-7.

Now up to 14,000, I fluffed a few times after opening, but eventually clawed my way back to 20,900 after opening with Q♠ 10♥ to 750 at 150-300 and found two callers. I lead out for 1,100 on the 3♦ J♠ 8♠ board before my opponent made it 3,300 to go. I really felt that he had a Jack or at worse a pair of nines etc or even a flush draw – consequently I took my time before re-raising all in for a further 11,600 on top. He tanked and tanked before eventually folding A♥ J♥ face up . . . oh yeah, ship the gutter-ball!

I had this annoying player on my left that kept owning my soul and when she opened to 1,200 at 200-400 from under the gun, and I looked down at Aces in the big blind I knew it was a chance to send her packing. I flatted, and check-raised all in on the ten-high board to see her stack shipped towards mine as I moved to over 33,000.

I moved tables, and folded for three full orbits before calling a button all in shove with A♠ 3♠ to be ahead of Q♥ J♣. I flopped a flush draw, and my Ace-high held to climb back to 35,000 after slipping to 28,000 in chips. I then chipped up to 40,500 when my 7-4 in the small blind flopped trips and got two streets of value. As we were about to hit another break, I eliminated a PokerRoad intern (right) when he open-shoved 7-4 and I made the call from the small blind with Aces. I held, but doubled the small blind up next hand when my Nines were outdrawn by his Ace-10 as I headed to break with 38,500 in chips.

I then ran my Kings into Aces and was left crippled with 15,800 before moving tables as we hit the 1,000-2,000-200 level. I stole a few times before doubling with Sevens against Ace-King. With 69 left, and the top 36 individuals being paid, I headed to dinner with 27,000 in chips.

I devoured a sandwich before returning only to bust soon after when my A♠ K♦ was outflopped by the big stack’s A♥ 6♣ when the board ran out 6♠ 5♥ 2♠ 4♦ 10♦ to see me exit in 57th place.

Our team ended up finishing in 60th place, which wasn’t a bad result after Marc was bad-beat twice and Mat was card dead until elimination.

On a side note – congratulations to Pauly and his team Tao of Pokerati for capturing the team title, and to Kenna James for taking out the individual title!

Tao of Pokerati and Kenna James