2009: My Year in Review

In what is starting to become somewhat of a tradition, I have a couple sentences to write about each month this past year and a little bit about looking forward to the future. Enjoy!

January 09: I began the year in the Philippines with my sister on a trip that I will never forget. From there we went on to Australia, starting in Sydney but then taking a 5 day driving tour down the eastern coast to Melbourne. I managed to make the final table in a side event of the Aussie Millions for $25k. Get in plenty of Australian Open action. Australia is simply the nuts.

February 09: I got a last minute invitation to play in the first German Highrollers cash game for DSF. I didn't run very well and dropped a couple stacks but the experience was awesome! Saalbach is a great location, it's no wonder it was chosen to host an EPT this year.

March 09: Both EPT Dortmund and the Vienna Spring Festival end up without cashes, though I am totally content with my play. Thank God for sebbau sucking at squash otherwise I would have lost a lot more money this month :)

April 09: Online grinding for most of the month, then San Remo at the end of the month, yet another non-cash at an EPT.

May 09: Continue the trip through Italy to Milan for a few days followed by Monte Carlo for the EPT. Have an amazing time (trip report here) and even manage to cash in Monte Carlo. Wheeeee!!! At the end of the month I arrive in Vegas for the WSOP!

June 09: Vegas Vegas Vegas! In what is undoubtedly the best Vegas trip yet, I make a small cash in the $2500 shorthanded event, immediately followed with a cash in the $5k shootout, where Nasr goes on the make the final table only to get rigged out in 5th place. A couple picture galleries here and here.

July 09: My WSOP Main Event unfortunately ends on Day 3, but Nasr, Chris and Marco all go on to make deep runs. I had my first skydiving experience! After Vegas, I go to California for a short trip to get away from poker. What a summer.

August 09: Made a quick trip to Munich to visit my sister and her fiancee and spent the rest of the month just lounging, catching up on tv shows and playing a little bit of online poker. Made a $10k tennis bet with Seb for a match to be played next September, gl me!

September 09: Started the month in Barcelona for the EPT. Had a good time but did not have success in the tourney, that's just the way it goes. Later in the month I went to Hamburg to see the touring Cirque du Soleil show, good times!

October 09: For a change I spent my birthday in Berlin for the first time in years. Our Halloween party turns out to be a blast! From this point on the year gets pretty boring as I decided not to take any more trips until the end of December for Xmas. It feels great to stay home for more than a few weeks at a time, though.

November 09: I get sick twice (!) in one month, good thing I was home for it. Plenty of time for online poker. After all, it is my job!

December 09: Same old same old. Get in as many hands as possible without overdoing it. In my daily routine until just a few days ago when I flew to Kansas for Christmas. I'll spend the rest of the year here before leaving for the Bahamas on January 3rd!

All in all it's been yet another fantastic year, both in poker and other aspects of life. It amazes me how fast these years are flying by, it's almost scary. I often wonder if these will be the years I look back on and just say "Man those were the times!" I want to enjoy them as much as possible and think that I'm doing a pretty good job of it so far. I have never been happier in life and can honestly say I'm living my dream!

As far as goals for the upcoming year are concerned, I would still like to see a significant 6 figure cash at a live tournament. This was something I actually had planned for 2009 but it just wasn't meant to be. Considering I play less than 10 live tourneys a year the odds are obviously against me but I'll do my best!

Thanks to all my loyal readers, I wish you guys a prosperous 2010!