A couple of memorable moments of the 2008 World Series of Poker came while playing the $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em Event #8. This was my first time playing pot limit in a live tournament; notable pros at the table included Roy Winston and Chad Brown. I'm in a 3-way hand where I flopped a set of sixes…I am sitting on the button…both players in the hand check to me…dry flop…I check. The turn comes an ace, the original under-the-gun raiser fires out a normal sized bet, the other player folds, I just call (trap, trap!). River comes a blank, the original raiser checks to me, I bet out a nice fat bet 85% pot bet. She takes her time and calls the bet. She showed top pair of aces, weak kicker. Not the most advanced play in the world, but checking my flopped set allowed me to squeeze out a nice spot in this situation. I increased my stack early on in the tournament by around fifty percent.

I had the privilege of having the seat to my left empty the entire first level of the tournament. What do you know?…up walks Dario Minieri. He sits down to fan fare from Roy Winston, Chad Brown and the others at the table. Everyone eager to shake his hand and congratulate him on his WSOP bracelet win earlier in the week. The table just got much harder and everyone there knew it. I didn't acknowledge him in the least bit; I kept my normal, guarded demeanor and continued watching the hands as they were playing out in front of me. Dario was forced to wait for the big blind to come around. Everyone folds to me in the small blind, I look down at deuces. Dario's chips had not been blinded away or in play up to this point, so he had the original 4,000 chip starting stack. I had already chipped up a bit as I mentioned with the set of sixes hand. At this point I'm sitting with around 5750 in chips.

After thinking the play out in my head and deciding on my desired line of action, I decide to complete from the small blind, blinds 50/100. He pots it to 300. Showing my lack of experience playing any form of PLH in live tournaments I ask the dealer, "How much would a pot raise be dealer?" "900 total sir." I think about it and look over at Dario with death and destruction in my eyes and in a forceful manner said, "Raise, pot." He looks down at his cards and insta-mucked his hand. I'd be lying if I told you differently, but…they broke up the table and moved me the very next hand. My confidence (and aggression levels) at all-time high levels, I ended up playing well and building a gigantic stack throughout the tournament. Things didn't go my way on the second day and I winded up busting out with 5 tables left, 35th place. Another poker battle and another great experience. I can't urge all of you out there enough to come out to the WSOP this year and enter the arena. On top of a potentially profitable situation, the WSOP will also be a great learning experience.

It's one thing to talk a big game and it's another thing to actually play hard-nosed hardcore poker. Don't let big-name players like Dario Minieri intimidate you into playing passively and scared. Small blind to big blind, deuces are the nuts against a super LAG world-class player. Stand your ground and give it your best; don't let anything or anyone stand in your way. It is crucial to keep a confident attitude and think, "Come at me hard, I'm coming back at you even harder." If it's a kill or be killed situation, I'm going to have blood on my hands.

David "The Maven" Chicotsky co-owns and operates a state of the art poker training center in Las Vegas alongside former #1 ranked PocketFiver Ari Engel. Feel free to contact The Maven for details regarding private training at www.TheMavenVT.com

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