Event 2 - NLH 8-handed

Dear herd,

It is with unmitigated excitement that we gallop into the 2013 World Series of Poker. Take a moment to inhale deeply, not only for relaxation, but as the last breath of fresh air we will have for many hours. We are diving into what can only be described as a cesspool of human vice and degeneracy. It is amazing to me that no one seems to have a sponsorship from any of the hand sanitizing companies.

Today's game is the old familiar game of no limit hold them. The only difference between today's game and the general game is that we will be playing eight- handed. This means that slightly weaker hands will play than in the 10-handed version.

More importantly, it is early in the tournament season, this is a mid-week game, this is a $5000 entry, and it is a 5 PM start. Each of these four elements will narrow the playing field resulting in a much higher level of play. The vast majority of the field will be professional poker players, so we will fit right in.

An interesting sidenote is that from my experience the professional poker players are far less likely to employ the masseuses in the room. There will be many masseuses walking around the room providing massages for two dollars a minute. However, again only in my limited experience, the professional poker players tend to be very expense focused. They do not have investors paying for their massages, so they do not make use of such services. I like to make use of the massage service for several reasons. First, it lets everyone know that I am not a professional. This means that they can take advantage of me, but also means that they cannot predict what I will do as much as I might be able to predict what they will do. Second, while getting a massage, the player is sitting in seat that is backward. Accordingly, the player's chest is leaning against what would normally be the back of the chair. The results of this is that the speed and depth of the player's breath is largely hidden from everyone else. On the same note, the massage creates body movement provided by an independent third-party and screws with all of the body tells that might otherwise be available. Third, and really the only point that matters, I really like to get a massage.

Today we start with 15,000 in chips playing 25 50 with no ante. Let the cards fly, and hopefully you will not hear from me for two hours.

All the best,
Eric Kurtzman

Sent from my iPhone