A very tough day with no breaks. On the first hand after the dinner break I pick up AJ on the big blind. The button raises, and I go all in with my last 4,000 - he calls with A6 suited. He is drawing only for a tie with a flop of AQQ - the river is a K and it’s a chop.

The final hand comes a little later. I pick up JJ and raise get re-raised and call - the guy shows me 10-10 the first card is a 10 its all over for me this time in Paris.

I lost twice with my JJ vs 10-10 to the same French player. I love this game and will do great soon.

Down to $4,000 in chips. We started with $15,000 this year, since the field was very small and disappointed everybody. I’ve been in this position before, so I’m cool with my stack. I look forward to playing this tournament still, playing well, and hope to be in it tomorrow. During the first levels I couldn’t pick up a hand, when I did someone had a better hand. It was just one of those things. I was agressive, and it’s just part of the game.

I have arrived in Paris, playing the European hall of fame $10,000 buy inn today and the WPT event monday. I love Paris its a great city to spend 1 week a year in so different from many other places in Europe.

I hope to get some results I am overdue and will play the best that I can here. The standard in Paris is not great so its a lot easier and I am poker fit after the WSOP.

I’m out of the 2005 WSOP. Round 3, 4, and 5 wasn’t very successful at all. I didn’t do anything wrong, just couldn’t win any races. Lost a 3 outer, after making the nut flush, and the guy had a draw with two pair. I had one of his pair as well, but he hit. Which put me back to 15k instead of 30k, and just couldn’t find my feet from there. I lost several races, and hands including Aces against A J suited, Billy Gazes got me there. But that’s the way poker is…I had a really good time here, and learned a lot. I think I still have a long way to go in my poker game. The last hand I had A K against Kings, and the flop was A 8 9. So, there is a one outer now, to lose. Sure enough, the turn was a King, and that was very unfortunate, like losing top set over bottom set..well, after the flop. But, that’s poker, and I look forward to Paris toward the end of the month. Thanks for following along.

End of level two, and I have 15,000 chips. Playing my game. There was one really big pot I played for about 16,000 total. I had Q K, with the Queen of diamonds. The flop was A K 10, all diamonds. So I basically flopped second pair, and a Royal Flush draw. The turn was a diamond, giving me the nuts, and my opponent had A K. All the money went in, and unfortunately the river was a King. This pot would have put me in the chip lead, at least for today. That’s the way it goes…you have to take the good with the bad. I played my game, and did everything right. But I’m still alive, and well above average. I guess we’ll see what happens.

End of level one. I played really well on that level. I played about 50% of the hands on that level. I would raise in for 125, blinds were at 25 and 50. Must have raised 50% of the time. I would call a small re-raise most of the time. One big steal early on where I would have been down to 4,000, and that worked out, and got me 12,000. Didn’t have any big hands during the first level. Initially, I was down to 9,000 as my play, or style if you will didn’t work at all at first. Really, really good first level and I’m looking forward to level two.

Out in 10th. It just wasn’t a good level for me, couldn’t win a hand. And when antes are so big it’s really difficult to play. At least I made a move at the end. I was drawing dead so that didn’t work out great, but that’s the game. I’ve had a lot of experience on this trip, and it’s a tough world here. It’s not easy. If it was easy, every one would be winning. I think I’ve improved my skill a lot during this World Series. Now I’m going to look forward to the Main Event and perform well there.

End of Level 8 and I managed to get rid of Erik Seidel at the end. There’s 13 players left. I managed to build up to 71, 000. I had a solid level. There wasn’t anything big, just winning a few pots here and there. Stealing a couple of pots, not really having many showdowns. Playing 1500/3000 with a 500 ante. We should start seeing some people dropping out. We’re going to play one more level tonight. Hopefully we’ll get down to the final seven tonight. It’d be much better to come back tomorrow in the money, than not. They’re paying the top 7, first place is $365,000 and seventh is $30,000. I’m playing really well and it’s amazing. This is the first time I’m ever playing this game, in my life. Kind of learned it through the day and I’m just plugging away. I’m confident.

End of Level 7, and after I got to 50,000 in chips I copped a really bad beat against Erik Seidel. I had a pat 10 All in and he drew two cards. His odds are about , 5 1/2 to 1, 11 to 2 to make it. But he made it. He made an 8. He kept in, otherwise I would’ve knocked out Phil Hellmuth, Greg Raymer, and Erik Seidel so far. Anyhow, there’s a long way to go. We’re through Level 7, there’s probably another couple of hours of play today. We’re down to about 15 players and I’m playing really good. I’m really confident and having a good result. But I need to double up to get to the final table. That’s the plan. And there are still three Australians left. Jeff Lisandro, Jason Grey, and Tony G. That’s pretty amazing out of the field that’s left.