Me and Phil

Well Phil Hellmuth and I have at least one thing in common. We both busted out the the WSOP Main Event on the first day. The difference, of course, is that Phil now has 10 WSOP bracelets while I have some number fewer than that.

I started play on the second of four "first days" of the tournament at seat 4, table 133 with 2181 other players in the room with me. Sitting across from me was Eric Froehlich, sporting his two WSOP bracelets, one on each wrist -- very stylish I must say.

Doyle Brunson, playing that day as well, got a royal entrance and standing ovation after which he kicked things off with a quiet "dealers, shuffle up and deal!"

Less than seven minutes into the game, we heard the announcer state, "congratulations, anyone still seated will NOT be the first person eliminated."

Play at our table was generally conservative with the exception of Eric and a woman directly to his right in seat 8. I didn't see very many good cards for the first hour and a half but took a few blinds and won two other pots, the second with pocket Aces (which didn't go to showdown so didn't have to show.)

Two hands after those pocket rockets, I look down to see another big pair of Aces in my hand! Woo hoo!! Here's how the hand went down:

Ron UTG (seat 4) with Ad Ac - stack 10,900, blinds 25-50
Raise to 150
Fold to Eric Froehlich in seat 9 who raises to 450
Fold to Ron who calls
Pot is 975

Flop comes 10h 7c 2h
Ron bets 600
Eric raises to 2600
Ron calls
Pot is 6175

Turn comes 2s
Ron bets 3000
Eric calls
Pot is 12175
River comes Qs
Ron bets 2500
Eric goes all-in, Ron calls (an additional 2350 -- all-in)
Eric shows Qh Qc for a full house
Ron shows Ad Ac for two pair
Ron shakes everybody's hand and heads for the exit door.

Now, there are a number of ways I probably could've played this hand to avoid the situation I ended up in but, all told, I have few regrets. Obviously, I would've liked to have lasted longer and gotten more table time in but, as they say, that's poker.