late last week the main event of the world series of poker kicked off where nearly 5800 entrants forked over $10k to buy in and test their luck. i recall last year while at the event that the notion of their being more than 5000 participants was mind-boggling but the mark was easily surpassed. since there's so many players, the tournament organizers removed the world series from its traditional home at binions in downtown to the rio on the strip. its kind of sad that the tournament can no longer be played in the old and dank horseshoe but the size really demanded that the tournament take place in a cavernous convention center.

the usual suspects among my friends all won their seats via the miracle that is internet poker. handsome ran into terrible luck when his rockets went up against a wired pair that rivered a set. benson--who finished in the top 35 at last year's main event--was uncharacteristically strong early on but couldn't rally after his wired queens sucked out against 53 offsuit. the mook and the chess master, possibly the best natural card players of the group didn't survive the last day. all of our hopes currently rest on the shoulder of the lone survivor, yak, who is sitting in the top ten of chip stacks.

yak, who busted out of last year's main event when he flopped a set and the guy he was playing against flopped the nut flush, is eyeing the $7.5 million grand prize provided that he can battle through the remaining 560-odd players. as for me, i've been quietly killing the low limit games on party poker and the $200 no limit games on golden palace. although its not enough to even cover the buy in for the world series, i've pocketed just short of 2 g's in the last 3 weeks, almost enough to cover my vacation expenses next month. not exactly a king's ransom but its skrilla that i won by skills and sack, plus a little luck. most importantly, its tax free shit that the man don't get a cut of. cause being a non-homeowning single is all about being raked over the coals when the tax man comes to collect.