Posts Tagged ‘T.J. Cloutier’
Alex Outhred Discusses Deepstacks University
Known as “The Insider” for his efforts in cataloging hands at every final table of the early years of the World Poker Tour (WPT), Alex Outhred went on to create the curriculum for and become one of the preeminent instructors for the WPT Boot Camp, which has taught the intricacies of poker to thousands of players. Then, he moved on to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Academy, where he was critical in the implementation of its study guide. Outhred now has some other “pots on the stove,” both inside and outside of the poker world, including a new teaching outlet.
One of his latest endeavors, Deepstacks University, had been keeping him in the recording studios. Deepstacks University is an online and live poker school slated to open at the beginning of November. What makes Deepstacks University different is that it offers players poker instruction for a cost that is vastly less than the various boot camps that are available. It was easy to see Outhred’s enthusiasm for the new teaching tool after only a few moments of talking to him.
“Deepstacks University, in my opinion, is truly a quality product,” Outhred stated immediately. “We have some of the best minds in the game in Tom McEvoy, T.J. Cloutier, Mike Matusow, and the Binger brothers (Michael and Nick). I have played and worked with everyone involved with Deepstacks University and it’s truly an honor to work beside them.”
Outhred’s desire to teach poker stems from his background, which included everything from studying psychology at the University of Michigan to being exposed to the wealth of teachers and psychologists within his family. “It is really a great feeling when you see someone who benefited specifically from your instruction win a big tournament or a WSOP bracelet or Circuit ring. To illuminate poker concepts and theory that play a factor in taking down a title is definitely a point of pride for me, for the student, and the process itself.”
He’s also quick to note, however, that there is something in it for himself. “When I am teaching my courses on Deepstacks University, it does help me out,” Outhred said. “All of the things that I tell students help to reinforce the same ideas in my head, which then run over into my play at the tables. By keeping these ideas and concepts fresh and accessible in my head, I can only play better. An important aspect of this cycle that has developed lately has been bringing fresh lessons that I’m learning at the live tables directly to the Deepstacks University videos.”
With a wealth of players around him (in addition to the professionals listed before, other top pros such as Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Andrew “Browndog19” Brown, Jon “pokertrip” Friedberg, and Liv Boeree round out Team Deepstacks), Outhred has found that there is always room to improve his game. “It’s tough to pick just one (of my associates), but Nick Binger is someone I learn from because I believe we have a uniquely similar style of play,” Outhred said. “We both seem to have that knack for going with our reads and knowing when to drop a big hand or kick into that purely aggressive mode that it takes to do well in tournament poker. Seeing his style of play and the corresponding results embolden my confidence in my own game and my likelihood for future success.”
In the past three years, Outhred has pulled in approximately $300,000 from tournament poker (he was 54th in last year’s WSOP Main Event) and also earned $500,000 from the FOX television game show “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?” The money earned has allowed him to become part owner in a restaurant, Stout Burgers and Beer, in Hollywood, California. The establishment is set to open next month.
“I’ve been thinking about the future and the restaurant was something I wanted to do,” Outhred admitted. “I have been on a bit of a bad streak results-wise since the WSOP last year and I really wanted to see the restaurant and Deepstacks University get off the ground. To be able to do that, I really put my attention on them and put playing high buy-in poker events on hold until next year.”
Starting the restaurant while maintaining a place in the poker world was critical for Outhred: “I wanted to be able to take care of my future and be secure. By getting these things in line, I’ll be able to do that. People sometimes forget that poker will always be there and I didn’t want to be one of the people who forgot that.”
Outhred seems to be demonstrating that someone can combine life and poker and be successful at both. With Deepstacks University and his restaurant set to open for business within a couple of weeks, “The Insider” will be busier than ever and we can only hope to see him back on the felt soon.
Tags: 5, actor, Adam, Alex Outhred, California, deepstack, Hollywood, king, Mike Matusow, player, Poker, Pro, T.J. Cloutier, Tom McEvoy, tournament, usa, World Poker Tour, WSOP
PIC Club, Merge Gaming Network Dissolve Relationship
When the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 was enacted, the goal was to prevent online gaming enthusiasts from financing their accounts. With credit cards unusable and online processors such as Neteller no longer accepting gaming transactions, online poker players looked for other outlets to finance their accounts. In the time since then, PIC Club has stepped up to fill that void.
PIC Club is an online payment processor created last year that allows a player to invest in the company while playing poker at several different sites at the same time. One dollar is deducted from each deposit and put in a special account and represents the player’s investment in the company. A player can put their bankroll on PIC Club and, depending on where the best games are, move their money to different rooms with little or no delay. Over 130 different sites accept transfers from PIC Club for players to use in cash games and tournaments. In addition to offering a deposit option, the service also boasts Team PIC Club, a group of top professional poker players such as former World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion and recent Tournament of Champions victor Tom McEvoy, the legendary T.J. Cloutier, and Poker Hall of Fame member Barbara Enright.
In a recent e-mail to members, PIC Club stated that its business arrangement with the Merge Gaming Network would be terminated. The Network is made up of over 40 poker rooms, including Carbon Poker, Poker Nordica, and ACED, and is currently the 17th most populated worldwide according to PokerScout.com. According to PIC Club, “Transactions to or from the rooms on the Merge Network will cease at 11:59PM (Eastern Time) on October 18th, 2009.”
The e-mail, signed by PIC Club Chief Executive Officer Chuck Kidd, addresses several issues that may face players who remove their money from Merge Gaming Network rooms: “If you choose to withdraw funds from any Merge Room back to PICClub, they will remain in a pending status, subject to review and approval by Merge management and if approved will only be released from the pending status when we receive the funds from the Merge Gaming Network to cover your withdrawal.”
No reason is given in the e-mail for the ending of the relationship, but Kidd’s statement seems to put the onus on the Merge Network: “We regret the dissolution of this business relationship. However, we believe it is in the best interest of PICClub and our Valued Members.” Kidd also states that PIC Club will enter negotiations with the individual rooms on the Network to provide PIC Club’s services to them directly.
DeepStacks University beta goes live
"Serving as Dean of DeepStacks University is one of the most exciting projects I've ever been part of," said Matusow.
"The team, from the experienced instructors to the talented executives running the company, is first class all the way.
"I've been around a long time, seen tons of ideas and projects come and go, but when it comes to online poker education, nothing compares to what DSU has to offer. I'll be able to transfer my years of knowledge, experience and strategy development to you in a way that is not possible anywhere else."
The key feature of DeepStacks University is something the site is calling Reactive Training Technology, which essentially allows players to interact with a training video.
Players are able to use separate "modules" to help work on a specific part of their poker game. The University is scheduled to release new modules every week.
DeepStacks University instructors include the aforementioned Matusow, TJ Cloutier, Michael Binger and Adam "Roothlus" Levy.
"DeepStacks University is going to be one of the best training sites around," said Levy. "With interactive modules letting players really feel a part of everything and a team of top-notch professionals, DeepStacks University is sure to be around a long time."
Special early access offers are available for first time users and registered customers through the beta site found at www.deepstacks.com.
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WPT Legends of Poker Begins Today
Kicking off today from the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles, California is the annual World Poker Tour (WPT) Legends of Poker. The $10,000 buy-in tournament will crown a champion on Wednesday.
Last time out, John “The Razor” Phan trumped online poker pro Amit “amak316” Makhija in the finale of the WPT Legends of Poker. A total of 373 players took to the felts and Phan walked away with a first place payday of $1.1 million. Zachary Clark earned $281,000 for his third place showing in a lively final table that also featured Paul Smith, Trong Nguyen, and Kyle Wilson. In 2007, “Action” Dan Harrington, a former World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion, bested David “The Dragon” Pham heads-up to pocket $1.6 million. That year, 485 players took to the felts.
In 2006, Joe Pelton banked $1.6 million for his win in the Legends of Poker. He defeated Frankie O’Dell heads-up in a talented final table that also featured Hoyt Corkins, Kevin O’Donnell, Randy Holland, and WSOP Main Event winner Scotty Nguyen. A total of 466 runners took to the Bike’s felts three years ago and created a $4.5 million prize pool. In 2005, Alex Kahaner outlasted “Cowboy” Kenna James to earn $1.1 million. It marked the last year that the buy-in was only $5,000 and 839 players threw their hats into the ring. O’Donnell finished sixth in 2005 and Todd Phillips, who directed “Old School” and “The Hangover,” landed in fourth place, earning $250,000.
In 2004, Doyle Brunson showed that he is truly a legend of the game by taking down the marquee WPT tournament, outplaying Lee Watkinson heads-up. Brunson banked $1.2 million for his efforts and solidified his name as among the game’s best only one year after the Moneymaker Boom began. At the time, Watkinson was fresh off a runner-up finish in the Mirage Poker Showdown and earned $578,000 for his second place effort in Los Angeles.
During Season II of the WPT, Mel Judah defeated Paul Phillips in the Legends of Poker. Judah is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner and Phillips won the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic that season for $1.1 million. Also appearing at the final table were Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier, Chip Jett, three-time bracelet winner Farzad Bonyadi, and Phil “The Unabomber” Laak. During the inaugural season of the WPT, Chris Karagulleyan, who outlasted a field of 134 players to pocket $258,000, won the Legends of Poker. Joining him at the final table were Hon Le, Stan Goldstein, Mark Seif, Can Kim Hua, and Kathy Liebert.
The action kicks off from the Bike’s brand new Events Center at 3:00pm PT on Saturday. Players will receive 30,000 in starting chips and blinds will kick off at 50/100. The price of poker increases every 90 minutes, with the six-handed final table panning out on Wednesday.
In the WPT’s last tournament, Team PokerStars Pro member Alexandre Gomes defeated a table full of internet superstars to earn $1.2 million in the Bellagio Cup V. Heads-up, Gomes trumped Faraz Jaka, who affectionately goes by the moniker “The-Toilet” online. Also appearing at the final table was Justin “Boosted J” Smith, who suffered an Achilles injury after celebrating a win in a hand. Newly-minted DoylesRoom pro Alec “traheho” Torelli, Christoffer Sonesson, and Full Tilt Poker pro Erik Seidel all joined them at the final table. The tournament is held annually near the conclusion of the WSOP Main Event, which is held down Flamingo Road at the Rio.
Recent news surrounding the WPT hasn’t been about the Legends of Poker. Instead, attention has been focused squarely on its sale, where news of a second buyer other than Gamynia Limited has emerged. Speculation on the alternate WPT bid has run rampant throughout the online poker community and additional information should be released in the near future.
Keep up to date on the 2009 WPT Legends of Poker right here on Poker News Daily.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, bellagio, California, cent, Dan Harrington, Doyle Brunson, Erik Seidel, full tilt poker, Hoyt Corkins, Kathy Liebert, king, Los Angeles, member, News Daily, oil, Online Poker, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Poker News Daily, poker show, pokerstars, Pro, runner, runner-up, Scotty Nguyen, T.J. Cloutier, tournament, World Poker Tour, WSOP
Sammy George to Play Tom Dwan in London Durrrr Challenge
Sammy “Any Two” George will square off against online poker sensation Tom “durrrr” Dwan in the Million Dollar Challenge that will take place in London next month. George is the first player to take Dwan up on his unique proposition bet. Three more will be announced.
A total of 500 hands will be played between George and Dwan heads-up. The buy-in is a scant $500,000 and blinds will be set at $500/$1,000. According to Matchroom Sport, which is promoting and organizing the festivities, “No player can leave the contest until either the 500 hands are up or the player has bust.” Dwan is currently battling against Full Tilt Poker pro Patrik Antonius in the online version of the Million Dollar Challenge. However, there has been no action in the high-stakes contest since June, leaving many to wonder if the Durrrr Challenge will see an ending.
George hails from London and told Matchroom Sport, “I’m buzzing – what could be sweeter than playing in the world’s biggest heads-up match against Durrrr? I’m stepping up to the plate and putting my money where my mouth is and it will be an honor to represent my country against the best the U.S. has to offer.” George has appeared on “Poker Million,” finishing sixth in its semi-final last December for $20,000 after battling against a talented table that included David “Devilfish” Ulliott, Marty Smyth, Roy Brindley, and Tony G. George finished 21st in the 2009 World Poker Tour (WPT) Bellagio Cup for $23,000. Alexandre Gomes, a member of Team PokerStars Pro and one of the finest Brazilian poker players in the world, won the $15,000 buy-in tournament.
The Durrrr Challenge between Dwan and Antonius kicked off in February on the virtual felts of Full Tilt Poker. The duo has logged 20,647 hands of $200/$400 Pot Limit Omaha and need 50,000 to finish. When the requisite number of hands has been completed, if Dwan is ahead by at least $1, Antonius must pay up $500,000. If Antonius is up by at least $1, Dwan will shell out $1.5 million. In addition, bragging rights for years to come are on the line, as are the spoils of the 50,000 hands. However, mid-June marked the last action in the Million Dollar Challenge, leaving many to doubt its future.
In July, Dwan announced that a live version of the Million Dollar Challenge would be held in London this September. Four players will take him on in the European city in what will surely be one of the most unique live poker promotions ever held. In George, Dwan will battle against a top-tier cash game player who regularly hits the felts in high-stakes games venues around London. No date or location for the spectacle has been announced.
On September 18th, the WSOP Europe tournament series will kick off at the Casino at the Empire in London. The £10,000 buy-in Main Event begins on September 26th. It’s a five day tournament that will feature two starting days. In 2007, Team Betfair pro Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad brought home the gold in London, while John Juanda claimed victory last year.
Antonius was one of 500 players shut out of the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas after Day 1D sold out in July. Also left out in the cold were five-time bracelet winner Ted Forrest, Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier, and “Captain” Tom Franklin, the Chairman of the World Poker Association.
Three more challengers are waiting in the wings for Dwan in London. We’ll have breaking news on the Tom Dwan Million Dollar Challenge as it becomes available right here on Poker News Daily.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, bellagio, Brazil, Captain, cash game player, Chair, Chairman, durrrr, EUR, Europe, european, full tilt poker, game player, king, Las Vegas, London, member, News Daily, oil, Omaha, Online Poker, Patrik Antonius, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Poker News Daily, poker player, pokerstars, Pro, T.J. Cloutier, Tom Dwan, tournament, vegas, World Poker Tour, WSOP
Sammy George to Play Tom Dwan in London Durrrr Challenge
Sammy “Any Two” George will square off against online poker sensation Tom “durrrr” Dwan in the Million Dollar Challenge that will take place in London next month. George is the first player to take Dwan up on his unique proposition bet. Three more will be announced.
A total of 500 hands will be played between George and Dwan heads-up. The buy-in is a scant $500,000 and blinds will be set at $500/$1,000. According to Matchroom Sport, which is promoting and organizing the festivities, “No player can leave the contest until either the 500 hands are up or the player has bust.” Dwan is currently battling against Full Tilt Poker pro Patrik Antonius in the online version of the Million Dollar Challenge. However, there has been no action in the high-stakes contest since June, leaving many to wonder if the Durrrr Challenge will see an ending.
George hails from London and told Matchroom Sport, “I’m buzzing – what could be sweeter than playing in the world’s biggest heads-up match against Durrrr? I’m stepping up to the plate and putting my money where my mouth is and it will be an honor to represent my country against the best the U.S. has to offer.” George has appeared on “Poker Million,” finishing sixth in its semi-final last December for $20,000 after battling against a talented table that included David “Devilfish” Ulliott, Marty Smyth, Roy Brindley, and Tony G. George finished 21st in the 2009 World Poker Tour (WPT) Bellagio Cup for $23,000. Alexandre Gomes, a member of Team PokerStars Pro and one of the finest Brazilian poker players in the world, won the $15,000 buy-in tournament.
The Durrrr Challenge between Dwan and Antonius kicked off in February on the virtual felts of Full Tilt Poker. The duo has logged 20,647 hands of $200/$400 Pot Limit Omaha and need 50,000 to finish. When the requisite number of hands has been completed, if Dwan is ahead by at least $1, Antonius must pay up $500,000. If Antonius is up by at least $1, Dwan will shell out $1.5 million. In addition, bragging rights for years to come are on the line, as are the spoils of the 50,000 hands. However, mid-June marked the last action in the Million Dollar Challenge, leaving many to doubt its future.
In July, Dwan announced that a live version of the Million Dollar Challenge would be held in London this September. Four players will take him on in the European city in what will surely be one of the most unique live poker promotions ever held. In George, Dwan will battle against a top-tier cash game player who regularly hits the felts in high-stakes games venues around London. No date or location for the spectacle has been announced.
On September 18th, the WSOP Europe tournament series will kick off at the Casino at the Empire in London. The £10,000 buy-in Main Event begins on September 26th. It’s a five day tournament that will feature two starting days. In 2007, Team Betfair pro Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad brought home the gold in London, while John Juanda claimed victory last year.
Antonius was one of 500 players shut out of the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas after Day 1D sold out in July. Also left out in the cold were five-time bracelet winner Ted Forrest, Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier, and “Captain” Tom Franklin, the Chairman of the World Poker Association.
Three more challengers are waiting in the wings for Dwan in London. We’ll have breaking news on the Tom Dwan Million Dollar Challenge as it becomes available right here on Poker News Daily.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, bellagio, Brazil, Captain, cash game player, Chair, Chairman, durrrr, EUR, Europe, european, full tilt poker, game player, king, Las Vegas, London, member, News Daily, oil, Omaha, Online Poker, Patrik Antonius, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Poker News Daily, poker player, pokerstars, Pro, T.J. Cloutier, Tom Dwan, tournament, vegas, World Poker Tour, WSOP
ESPN Inside Deal Welcomes Dennis Phillips
This week’s edition of the ESPN poker show “Inside Deal,” which airs on ESPN.com, featured 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine member Dennis Phillips and a revealing phone conversation with WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack.
The show opened in its usual witty style, with “Inside Deal” Host Laura Lane trying to find Phillips to commence taping. ESPN employees and co-host Bernard Lee were all dressed like the former truck salesman, donning red St. Louis Cardinals hats and white collared shirts complete with logos. “Inside Deal,” which is sponsored by PokerStars.net, began its 40 minute show by discussing new legislation introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to regulate online games of skill like poker in the United States. Poker News Daily was sourced on the story, with Lee commenting, “This is a revised bill that Senator Menendez introduced in 2008. The previous bill focused on just skill games. This specifically focuses on online poker.” The bill is numbered S 1597.
Discussion on “Inside Deal” then turned to the recent sale of the World Poker Tour (WPT) to Gamynia Limited. Lee gave his take on what the sale of the hallmark tournament series means for players: “For the Tour, time will tell. For the 2009-2010 season, there won’t be too many changes.” Lee then noted that legalized and regulated online poker in the United States would mean a dramatic increase in qualifiers for WPT events. “Inside Deal” broke down the results of its sponsor’s weekly online poker major, the Sunday Million, and discussed the death of PokerListings founder Andreas Oscarsson.
Pollack called in for “Inside Deal’s” first telephone interview. He gave a preview of the 2009 WSOP Europe festivities, which kick off on September 19th from London. Pollack explained a potential solution for the sellout of Day 1D of the 2009 WSOP, which left more than 500 players shut out of the game’s most prestigious tournament: “We’re going to continue to have pre-registration open months in advance. I think we’re going to allow players to select their start date for the Main Event until a certain point. After that, we’re going to select their start date so the days are properly balanced.” Among those left out in the cold on Day 1D were Durrrr Challenge participant Patrik Antonius, Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier, and five-time WSOP bracelet winner Ted Forrest.
Phillips joined the show to talk about his interactions with members of the 2009 WSOP November Nine and his experience at National Poker Week in Washington, DC. On the latter effort, which was organized by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), Phillips recalled, “I honestly believe there will be a compromise between the two [internet gambling bills in the House and Senate]. They will come together with something. My hope is that in the next 12 to 18 months, this farce of a law they have will be amended.”
Phillips divulged the secrets to his deep runs in the 2008 and 2009 Main Events, where he finished 3rd and 45th, respectively, and relived throwing out the first pitch at a Cardinals baseball game. On November Nine member and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman, who has threatened to throw out the bracelet should he win the Main Event, Phillips commented, “Even if he felt it, to come out and publicly state it is horrible. It’s repulsive to me that he’d consider throwing it away.”
ESPN Poker Editor Andrew Feldman then joined the “Inside Deal” set in Bristol, Connecticut to review Sexy Poker for the Nintendo Wii, which resembles a game of strip poker. Discussion of the game was a segue for forecasting technological breakthroughs in the game, with Lee suggesting that tournament officials mic up every player at a final table and use interactive cameras to divulge tells. Feldman also discussed World Team Poker, whose first match-up pits Phil Hellmuth’s Team USA against Men “The Master” Nguyen’s Team Vietnam. Phillips recalled Danes rooting for Peter Eastgate and Russians cheering for Ivan Demidov during the 2008 WSOP Main Event final table as examples of how team poker may have a bright future.
An unaired exit interview with Dan Harrington following his elimination from the WSOP Champions Invitational aired and Lee broke down Eastgate’s one-outer against Scott Montgomery during last year’s Main Event finale. New episodes of “Inside Deal” are released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.
Tags: 15, 2008, 2009, 2010, 5, Alliance, andreas oscarsson, Andrew Feldman, CardPlayer, cent, Connecticut, Dan Harrington, Dennis Phillips, durrrr, Editor, EUR, Europe, founder, internet gambling, interview, Ivan Demidov, Jeffrey Pollack, king, law, legal, London, member, News Daily, online games, Online Poker, Patrik Antonius, Peter Eastgate, Phil Hellmuth, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Poker News Daily, poker player, Poker Players Alliance, poker show, pokerstars, PPA, Pro, qualifier, Russia, Scott Montgomery, Senate, Senator, skill, St. Louis, T.J. Cloutier, The Sun, tournament, United States, usa, Vietnam, World Poker Tour, WSOP
Tom Dwan Announces Live Million Dollar Durrrr Challenge
Play in the Million Dollar Challenge between Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Patrik Antonius has come to a screeching halt. No action has occurred since June 19th, but Dwan has announced a live version of the Challenge in London this September.
According to an article on Matchroom Sport, Dwan will ante up against four players in the historic European city two months from now. Dwan told Matchroom, “I am looking forward to sitting down and playing some of the world’s best players live in London. There looks to be lots of interest in people wanting to play me, but they never seem to appear online. It will be interesting to see the response [we get] and just who is willing to get it on.” The heads-up matches may take place in conjunction with the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe, which runs from September 19th to October 2nd at the London Clubs International.
Each of Dwan’s four live opponents will battle against the young internet superstar for 500 hands. The buy-in will be $500,000 and blinds are $500-$1,000. Each opponent will take on Dwan mano-a-mano in Pot Limit Omaha or No Limit Hold’em. Matchroom added, “No player can leave the contest until either the 500 hands are up or the player has bust.” Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport, noted, “[Dwan] is totally fearless and ready to take on any player that is willing to face off in the Million Dollar match-up. This will be the most hotly anticipated match-up in modern day poker.”
Dwan’s battle against Antonius on the felts of Full Tilt Poker has largely stalled during the 2009 WSOP. As the Million Dollar Challenge currently stands, Dwan owns a $726,000 lead after 20,647 hands over 25 days of play. One month ago during a session on June 11th, Dwan stormed back from a sizable deficit, making up $376,000 in just 786 hands. Antonius led by $34,000 after play had concluded, but has since relinquished his lead to the aggressive internet star.
Antonius was one of 500 players locked out of 2009 WSOP Main Event when the fourth of four starting days reached its maximum capacity. Others who watched their Main Event title hopes evaporate before the tournament even began included Ted Forrest, T.J. Cloutier, and “Captain” Tom Franklin, who joined World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton to speak to Harrah’s officials on behalf of the shut out players. Solutions included ten-handed tables and a special Day 1E, although in the end no action was taken. Dwan played in the Main Event, but did not finish in the money. He recorded two final tables last year for a grand total of $112,000.
The Durrrr Challenge kicked off on February 18th with a 1,535 hand session. Dwan jumped out at a $134,000 lead, including a hand in which he made runner-runner quad fives. A total of 50,000 hands are required for the contest to reach completion. Dwan and Antonius four-table $200-$400 Pot Limit Omaha and attract a throng of onlookers to the virtual felts of Full Tilt Poker. To date, Dwan has faced off against Antonius, with November Nine member Phil Ivey and poker pro David Benyamine scheduled to follow.
Matchroom notes that Dwan has earned over $10 million online. The internet superstar was one of the top 10 vote-getters for the 2009 class of the Poker Hall of Fame, joining Mike Sexton, Barry Greenstein, Dan Harrington, Ivey, Tom McEvoy, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, Daniel Negreanu, and Erik Seidel. Now, 15 members of the Poker Hall of Fame and 15 members of the media will determine who will be inducted during the final table of the WSOP Main Event in November.
Check out the latest from the Durrrr Challenge.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, aced, Barry Greenstein, Captain, Dan Harrington, Daniel Negreanu, David Benyamine, durrrr, Erik Seidel, EUR, Europe, european, full tilt poker, king, London, member, Mike Sexton, Omaha, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Pro, runner, Scotty Nguyen, T.J. Cloutier, Tom Dwan, Tom McEvoy, tournament, World Poker Tour, WSOP
Bernard Lee at the 2009 WSOP
The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is underway. Already, most of this year’s 57 WSOP bracelets have been awarded. If you have never been to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino during the summer, you owe it to yourself to attend one year to witness the spectacle that is the WSOP. Table after table jam-packed with poker players. A symphony of shuffling chips permeates through air. A room overflowing with hopes and dreams of becoming the next WSOP bracelet winner. Does it get any better than this?
On any given day, up to six different bracelet events were played. Each day started off with a new WSOP bracelet event at Noon, while another often commenced at 5:00pm. Meanwhile, the other WSOP bracelet events reassembled for Day 2 and final tables kicked off at 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Additionally, two multi-table non-bracelet tournaments were played (7:00pm and 11:00pm), while two multi-table WSOP Main Event satellites were offered daily (3:00pm and 8:00pm). All the while, there were single table satellites that occurred all day ranging from $65 to $1,030 down the hallway in the Brasilia Room.
This year, the WSOP started off with a bang, as 201 players registered for the first major event - the $40,000 No Limit Hold‘em tournament. It was created as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the WSOP and won by Russian Vitaly Lunkin. Outlasting poker professionals Greg Raymer (2004 WSOP Main Event Champion) and Isaac Haxton, Lunkin took home the coveted WSOP bracelet in addition to almost $1.9 million. Also during the first weekend, the Stimulus Special (Event # 4, $1,000 No Limit Hold‘em) had a record turnout. The 6,012 participants made up the largest non-WSOP Main Event field in the history of poker. In the end, the tournament was won by poker professional Steve Sung, who took home $771,106.
However, one of the most anticipated events of the 40th annual WSOP was not even a bracelet event. On Sunday, May 31st, the WSOP Champions Invitational brought together all of the past WSOP Main Event winners. Although 34 different players have won the WSOP Main Event (remember, there have been players with multiple titles such as Doyle Brunson, Stu Unger, and Johnny Chan), there are 25 current living champions. Of these, 20 former winners came together in the Amazon Room, making this winner-take-all event one of the most competitive fields in the history of poker.
The winner of this unprecedented Champions Invitational would take home a vintage red Corvette from 1970, marking the inaugural year of the WSOP. More importantly, the winner would have the ultimate bragging rights as “The Champion of Champions.”
At the beginning of the tournament, Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack announced each player’s name one by one, culminating in a historic picture of all of the living WSOP champions. The massive crowd was electric with anticipation for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
After 10 champions were eliminated on Day One, the final 10 players reassembled on June 1st. The field was comprised of a mix of old school and new style online aggression: Two-time champion Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson (finished 8th), “Action” Dan Harrington (finished 3rd), reigning WSOP Main Event champion Peter “Icegate” Eastgate (finished 9th), and 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth (finished 10th). Overall, this final table would be one for the ages.
In the end, Robert Varkonyi, the 2002 Champion, succumbed to the winner of the WSOP Champions Invitational, Tom McEvoy. McEvoy, the 1983 WSOP Main Event champion, is a four-time bracelet winner in his own right and author of 12 books, mainly on poker. However, he is best known as the first WSOP champion ever to have earned his seat into the Main Event via a satellite. By laying the groundwork, the majority of the players can today earn their seats in satellites, whether online or in live casinos.
Clearly emotional after his victory, McEvoy commented, “This is the toughest field I have ever played against.” After the grueling final table, McEvoy received the Corvette and the first-ever Binion Cup from its namesake and poker patriarch, Jack Binion.
I have known Tom for several years. When I first began taking tournament poker very seriously back in 2004, the first book I read about playing No Limit Hold’em tournaments was Tom McEvoy’s and T.J. Cloutier’s “Championship No Limit and Pot Limit Hold’em.” Before every tournament, I still re-read the book to prepare and focus on the upcoming event. This book truly helped set the foundation of my game. I even own a signed copy that I carry with me to every tournament. Congratulations Tom on your historic victory. In the end, the Champions Invitational is an event that all fans alike will enjoy and I will look forward to seeing later this fall on ESPN.
As for my WSOP, I could not have gotten off to a worse start. I played in six preliminary events during the second week, starting with the Stimulus Event. Originally, I was shut out of the $1,000 No Limit event because it was sold out. However, on Day 1B, it was announced that there were six available seats, as several pre-registrations were voided. Thus, I was fortunate to get into the event. However, my K-K ran into A-A during Level 7 and I was sent packing.
The rest of the week did not go much better, as once again my K-K faced A-A (Event #7), Ah-Qh went up against K-K on a Qs-9h-7h flop (Event #11), 10-10 lost to 9-9 on a nine-high board (Event #13), and my A-2 (I had checked my option from the big blind) got tangled with A-8 on an A-10-8-A-9 board (Event #15). Finally, playing in the $1,500 Seven Card Stud event (my only non-No Limit Hold‘em tournament), my aces and eights got run down by a two-outer. On 7th street, my opponent, holding only a pair of nines, hit trips and I could not improve.
Finally, don’t forget to listen to my radio show, “The Bernard Lee Poker Show,” on RoundersRadio.com and 1510 AM in the Boston area on Tuesday nights from 7:00pm to 8:00pm ET and repeated throughout the week. Recent and upcoming guests include Tom McEvoy, Mike Matusow, and Brandon Cantu.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, aced, cent, Dan Harrington, Doyle Brunson, Greg Raymer, Jeffrey Pollack, Johnny Chan, king, member, Mike Matusow, Phil Hellmuth, player, Poker, poker player, poker show, Pro, Robert Varkonyi, Russia, T.J. Cloutier, Texas, Tom McEvoy, tournament, trips, WSOP
Kenna James Wins Dream Team Poker WSOP Event
“Cowboy” Kenna James won the third Dream Team Poker event, held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas down the hall from the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Tao of Pokerati emerged victorious in the team competition.
Tao of Pokerati was the lone team to boast two members in the final 27 players. Dr. Pauly McGuire recorded a 13th place finish, while Dan Michalski earned 17th. Michalski showed prowess of the Dream Team Poker concept after folding pocket kings face up to assure moving on when his team had a chance to secure the first place prize. In the end, Tao of Pokerati earned $33,000 for the win. In Dream Team Poker, each squad’s two best finishes are recorded and the lowest score wins. For Tao of Pokerati, a score of 30 (the sum of 13th place and 17th place) was good enough to take home the title.
Here’s how the team competition stacked up. The buy-in for the third Dream Team Poker tournament was $560 per player, or $1,680 per team:
1. Tao of Pokerati - $33,017
2. Team Simpletrak - $18,106
3. Diaboloco’s - $10,651
4. Machine Team - $7,988
5. Team Puerto Rico - $7,455
6. 7 Kings - $6,923
7. 2 Kings - $6,390
8. The Maven VT 4 - $5,858
9. The Maven VT 3 - $5,325
10. Min Cash Masters - $4,793
In an interview after the tournament with Dream Team Poker emcee Alex Outhred, James explained, “I have to hand it to the Dream Team Poker team, they really run a class event. From all the information they provide, to having them out there, to having the music in the background, they really know how to generate the feeling that this event is all about. It was really special.” In the end, it was a gender versus gender clash, with James defeating Judy Tejwani of SOCRR heads-up. James, who played as part of Poker Host, banked $16,000 for the win, while Tejwani earned $7,800 for her runner-up showing.
The top individual finishers at the Rio were as follows:
1. Kenna James (Poker Host) - $16,473
2. Judy Tejwani (SOCRR) - $7,810
3. Stephen Nelson (I Love it When a Plan Comes Together) - $5,680
4. Peter Mavro (Min Cash Masters) - $4,260
5. Ricardo Felix Matos (Machine Team) - $3,621
6. Bojan Miljkovic (Juzni Vetar) - $3,160
7. Terresa Gallagher (Wicked Chops Poker II) - $2,485
8. David Hornsby (The Hangover) - $1,775
9. James Page (The Maven VT 3) - $1,598
10. Adam Wege (NLP FREE) - $1,598
The event brought out some of poker’s brightest stars. David Williams, Evelyn Ng, and Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo competed as part of Team Bodog. Barry Greenstein and Joe Stapleton joined forces on Team PokerRoad.com. Jerry Yang, Christina Lindley, and Eric Aude formed Team Six Hands, Four Nutz, and a Rack on Tilt. Marsha Waggoner, James Worth, and Young Phan made up Team True Poker and Barbara Enright, Paul Darden, and David Levi brought Team Bookmaker Poker to life. “Captain” Tom Franklin and Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier competed under the Captain Krunch banner, while Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and Rick Fuller battled as part of Bike.com.
A total of 122 teams and 366 players entered the Rio event, down sharply from the 148 teams and 444 runners who turned out for Dream Team Poker’s last competition, held at Caesars Palace in March. Among those in attendance was newly-minted Absolute Poker pro Lacey Jones, whose team took down the WSOP media event held last week. Jones commented in a press release, “This is my third time playing a Dream Team Poker event and I have had the most fun playing these events than any other poker tournament. I can’t think of any better way to enjoy the game of poker than to play with your friends and have them cheer you on!”
Visit the official website of Dream Team Poker for more information.
Tags: 2009, 5, absolute poker, Adam, Alex Outhred, Barbara Enright, Barry Greenstein, bodog, Caesars Palace, Captain, Columnist, David Williams, Evelyn Ng, interview, Jan Fisher, Jerry Yang, king, Las Vegas, Linda Johnson, Marsha Waggoner, member, News Daily, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Poker News Daily, Poker.com, Pro, runner, runner-up, T.J. Cloutier, tournament, vegas, WSOP
Dream Team Poker WSOP Event Attracts 366 Players
The third Dream Team Poker event, held down the hall from the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), attracted 366 runners for a total prize pool of $177,000. Roberto Diaz from Team Reckless leads the way entering Day 2, when 27 players will take to the felts.
The field that turned out for the Dream Team Poker’s second open event was actually smaller than its last outing, which took place at Caesars Palace in March. Across Interstate 15, a total of 148 teams and 444 players turned out four months ago. This time around, 122 teams and 366 players entered, a drop of 17%. Nevertheless, play was fast and furious, as 27 players representing 26 teams survived the first day and will return on Monday to determine a champion. Tao of Pokerati is the lone squad to boast two players remaining.
The top overall team will earn $33,017. The runner-ups will take home $18,106, third place will pocket $10,651, fourth place will earn $7,988, fifth place will bank $7,455, sixth place will receive $6,923, the seventh place team will see their bank accounts grow by $6,390, eighth place will pocket $5,858, ninth place will earn $5,325, and tenth place leaves the Rio with $4,793 from the $560 per person buy-in event. The field of 366 players included 59 women and three all-female teams: Kegslist.info (lead by Lacey Jones), Tush Pushers (lead by Pam Brunson), and Wicked Chops Poker II (Lead by London Gallagher).
Here’s how the field stacks up entering Day 2 of the Dream Team Poker tournament:
1. Roberto Diaz (Team Reckless) - 332,000
2. Jordan Hill (Team Winner Winner Chicken Dinner) - 252,000
3. Ricardo Felix Matos (Machine Team) - 235,000
4. Matthew Woodward (Team 2 Kings) - 220,000
5. Peter Marvo (Team Min Cash Masters) - 193,000
6. Adam Wege (Team NLP FREE) - 177,000
7. Peter Lubrano (Team The Maven VT 2) - 165,000
8. Paul McGuire (Team Tao of Pokerati) - 158,000
9. Kenna James (Team Poker Host) - 140,000
10. Bryan Kessler (Team Those Guys) - 133,000
11. Terresa Gallagher (Team Wicked Chops Poker II) - 125,000
12. James Page (Team The Maven VT 3) - 124,000
13. Daniel Michalski (Team Tao of Pokerati) - 113,000
14. Bojan Miljkovic (Team Juzni Vetar) - 100,000
15. Glyn Ottofy (Team Poker) - 95,000
16. Brad Tolliver (Team Donkey Show) - 87,000
17. Andrew Colas (Team Poker Blazers) - 82,000
18. Maximilian Gsottschneider (Team Puerto Rico) - 81,000
19. Michael Shackelford (Team Sinistrals) - 79,000
20. Mary Jo Zogman (Team Team HTP) - 60,000
21. Omar Vachhani (Team Diabolocos) - 46,000
22. John Sayre (Team Home Gamers) - 40,000
23. Michelle Richey (Team Simpletrak) - 37,000
24. Antonio Ferreira (Team BOSS) - 37,000
25. David Hornsby (Team The Hangover) - Unknown
26. Judy Tejwani (Team SOCRR) - Unknown
27. Stephen Nelson (Team I Love it When a Plan Comes Together) – Unknown
Notable poker pros who entered the event, but did not survive to see Day 2, included Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, Evelyn Ng, David Williams, Barry Greenstein, Gavin Smith, Liz Lieu, Jerry Yang, Marsha Waggoner, David “The Maven” Chicotsky, Susie Isaacs, Tom McEvoy, “Captain” Tom Franklin, T.J. Cloutier, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and Amir Vahedi. Also taking to the felts was former Major League Baseball star Jose Canseco, whose book “Juiced” ignited the crackdown on steroids in the game.
The tournament’s individual winner will earn $16,473 and the top 19 spots pay out. In order to curb collusion, Dream Team Poker events award prize money to the top players and teams. In addition, no team members are seated at the same table until 14 to 16 runners remain. No indication has been given as to when Dream Team Poker will hold its fourth event.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, Adam, Barry Greenstein, Caesars Palace, Captain, David Williams, Evelyn Ng, Gavin Smith, Jan Fisher, Jerry Yang, king, Linda Johnson, Liz Lieu, London, Marsha Waggoner, member, player, Poker, Pro, runner, runner-up, Susie Isaacs, T.J. Cloutier, team member, Tom McEvoy, tournament, women, WSOP
Pollack speaks out on WSOP sellout
It was a day that the people behind the WSOP brand are not soon to forget either.
"I'll say that it was the most difficult decision I've had to make in my four years with Harrah's," said WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack today.
When every last player was counted the 2009 Main Event field was made up of 6,494 entrants, which was down 300 players from last year's event.
Pollack said it was in the WSOP's best interest to have as many customers in the Main Event as possible.
"The last thing we want to do is deny people entry into our events," he said. "We simply hit our operational capacity. It was unfortunate, but it was a reality.
"People who think we would gladly turn away hundreds of players and potentially break last year's prize pool aren't giving us credit as businessmen."
According to Pollack, the WSOP is already looking at methods to avoid the situation that arose Monday.
"I'm not going to apologize for what we did," he said. "We had four start days with plenty room in all of them. Preregistration has been available since March. You've been able to register at the Rio since the last of March. Many of the players that got turned down had plenty of opportunity to register weeks ago."
Although there were several options for WSOP organizers to try and fit everyone in, including playing 10-handed, none were deemed fair to the rest of the field.
"We went through a wide range of very creative solutions, but couldn't find any that didn't affect fairness or integrity," Pollack said.
Management has already started to plan next year's WSOP and have promised to figure out a way that players won't be turned away from the Main Event again.
"We will do a number of things differently in terms of our messaging around registration," said Pollack. "We're already looking at having a bigger footprint in the Rio for more capacity and we're going to re-do some of our contingency planning.
"We need to anticipate these situations weeks in advance not just hours."
When asked if he thought players had learned their lesson, Pollack responded that it wasn't the WSOP's duty to teach players anything.
Pollack also quashed rumors that big-name players like Patrik Antonius were able to get into this year's Main Event while the average Joe was left out in the cold.
"Patrik Antonius, T.J. Cloutier, Captain Tom and many other notable players were left out," said Pollack. "Has there been a system of VIP customer management at the WSOP? Absolutely. Did somebody get in after we announced a sellout yesterday? Not to my knowledge."
Finally Pollack mentioned that despite the fallout from the Main Event sellout, he still thought the 2009 WSOP was the best that he'd been a part of.
"I think people are going to remember the 2009 WSOP for having more entrants than ever before," said Pollack. "Every member of the November Nine will walk away with at least $1 million and we had some great bracelet stories this year with Phil Ivey winning two and Jeffrey Lisandro winning three.
"Demand for the Main Event was so high that we had to sell out. That isn't a bad thing because it says that poker is alive and well."
Visit PokerListings.com
Tags: 2009, Captain, EUR, Jeffrey Pollack, king, member, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, player, Poker, Pro, T.J. Cloutier, tournament, WSOP
Debate Over WSOP Main Event Shutout Rages On
Note: This article reflects the views of the author and not those of Poker News Daily.
The 40th Anniversary World Series of Poker (WSOP) has brought us some fantastic moments to this point. The triple bracelet assault of Jeffery Lisandro, the double bracelet wins of Phil Ivey, Brock “t soprano” Parker, and Greg “FBT” Mueller have made it a truly exceptional tournament series. However, events that unfolded yesterday have potentially tarnished the good time.
For the first time ever in the Main Event, WSOP officials closed off registration for players once the field size for Day 1D reached an incredible 2,809 players. The resulting shutout meant that such veteran players as T.J. Cloutier, and “Captain” Tom Franklin would not be seated for the $10,000 buy-in tournament. Professional Mickey Appleman commented that he had played the past 30 Main Events, but he was shut out as well.
Harrah’s and WSOP officials scrambled to try to find a way to accommodate players and get them into the tournament. After the announcement that the final Day One was sold out, approximately 500 players were asked to meet with WSOP officials in a conference room. Once gathered, WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack apologized profusely to the players who were denied entrance and tossed out several ideas for admitting them, including playing a Midnight to Noon session as Day 1E.
While Harrah’s and the latest incarnation of the WSOP management have made mistakes before in the running of the greatest poker tournament on Earth, the company made the correct move on Monday. WSOP registration opened in March. This allowed players that wanted to play in the Championship Event a full three months to get their names on the list and send money to Harrah’s in order to ensure their position. Admittedly, poker players are not the most time-conscious beings that inhabit the planet, but three months to do anything is a pretty good leeway.
Secondly, for those who had actual plans to play in the Main Event, yet were seeking a strategic edge from observing the prior action, the procrastination cost them. The first two days had player numbers of 1,116 and 873. The players should have figured that there would be a stampede on the final day.
Finally, why should Harrah’s change the rules for a few versus the masses? One of the potential resolutions Harrah’s considered was ten-handed tables. Harrah’s rejected this, however, because the other three Day Ones had not played under that handicap. Allowing alternatives after eliminations was discussed, but Harrah’s, once again standing its ground, rejected this idea. Adding a day or allowing a special session would be awarding the few versus the many.
This isn’t to say that Harrah’s and WSOP officials got away scot-free. In the history of the WSOP Main Event, no player who could put up $10,000 has ever been denied entry. Additionally, the WSOP ceded some of the power to the players by allowing them to pick which day they wanted to play, causing the mob that descended on the Rio on Monday.
With all of the hubbub dying down, Harrah‘s can correct the problem fairly easily. It is a great power that the WSOP conveyed to the players to allow them to choose which Day One they wanted to play in. Because of a multitude of things - player indifference, strategy, etc. - the hordes wanted to see the first few days and then join in a mad rush to get the final seats. By taking the seating power back from the players and assigning them to one of the four first days of play, Harrah’s and the WSOP could have avoided this situation.
It would have helped this year. Adding in the estimated 500 players who were denied entry to the WSOP Main Event, the field would have broken the 7,000 mark. This would have demonstrated that the effects of a recession, which have plagued Las Vegas, would have no effect on the marquee event in poker.
Tags: 5, Captain, Jeffrey Pollack, king, Las Vegas, News Daily, Phil Ivey, player, Poker, Poker News Daily, poker player, Pro, T.J. Cloutier, tournament, vegas, WSOP
2009 WSOP Main Event to Pay $8.5 Million First Place Prize
Despite turning away more than 500 players on Monday, the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event will shell out $8.5 million to its victor, who will be crowned in November. The total number of entrants nearly topped 6,500.
The top 648 places will pay out, with the 63 best on the leaderboard earning at least six-figures for their efforts. The tournament is the third largest of all-time, trailing only the 6,844 who turned out for last year’s feature event and the 8,773 who posted the $10,000 buy-in three years ago. The final starting day attracted a whopping 2,809 entrants, pushing the total to 6,494. Day 1A of the 2009 WSOP Main Event attracted 1,116 players, while Day 1B, which occurred on the Fourth of July holiday in the United States, generated a cozy field of just 873. A total of 1,696 poker players showed up for Day 1C on Sunday, leading to Monday’s sellout.
The Main Event’s runner-up will see their bank account boosted by $5,182,601. Third place will pocket $3,479,485, while fourth place takes home $2,502,787. The fifth place finisher in the 2009 WSOP Main Event will receive a check for $1,953,395, edging out the sixth place player’s payday of $1,587,133. Seventh place will grab $1,404,002, while eighth place will earn $1,300,228. The final member of the November Nine will receive $1,263,602. The event’s total prize pool swelled to just over $61 million. However, that figure does not include interest on the money paid out to November Nine members, who will reconvene at the Rio that month to play down to a winner after a 100 day respite.
A bevy of brand name poker pros were shut out of Day 1D after the field reached its capacity, according to the Associated Press. Among those left out in the cold were Durrrr Challenge participant Patrik Antonius, who, along with Tom Dwan, has been blanked at the 2009 WSOP. Antonius made the final table and finished seventh in last year’s $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em, earning $124,000. In 2007, Antonius finished third in the World Championship of Pot Limit Omaha for $311,000. Antonius’ back has been ailing him for much of this year’s tournament series. Now, the Full Tilt Poker pro will likely resume his battle against Dwan in the Million Dollar Challenge, which is nearing its halfway point. Dwan played on Day 1D and finished with a stack of 24,000.
Also on the outside looking in was 2006 Poker Hall of Fame inductee T.J. Cloutier, who owns six WSOP bracelets. Cloutier was the runner-up to Bill Smith in the 1985 WSOP Main Event and won his first bracelet the following year in a $1,000 buy-in Limit Omaha tournament for $72,000. Other bracelets have come in Omaha High-Low, Pot Limit Hold’em, Seven Card Razz, and No Limit Hold’em. Ted Forrest joined him on the rails, unable to register for the sold out Main Event. Forrest has five WSOP bracelets, three of which he won during the 1993 tournament series (Limit Seven Card Stud, Limit Razz, and Limit Omaha High-Low).
WSOP officials employed 308 tables to accommodate players on Day 1D, the most for any tournament so far. The end-of-day report focused on turning away over 500 poker hopefuls: “This issue will most certainly be discussed following this year’s tournament as the WSOP attempts to accommodate as many players as possible, while encouraging and emphasizing the importance of early registration – particularly into widely-popular events such as the Main Event championship which are in serious danger of reaching full capacity.” The Miranda Room, Brazilia Room, Rio poker room, and Buzio’s Seafood Restaurant were all used to accommodate players.
The tournament now begins the first of two Day 2s. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP Main Event.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, Associated Press, Brazil, Dang, durrrr, food, king, leader, member, News Daily, Omaha, Patrik Antonius, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Poker News Daily, poker player, Pro, runner, runner-up, T.J. Cloutier, Tom Dwan, tournament, United States, World Championship, WSOP
Jose Canseco Enters Dream Team Poker WSOP Tournament
Poker News Daily has learned that former Major League Baseball star Jose Canseco has entered the third Dream Team Poker tournament, which will be held on July 12th and 13th during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Canseco, whose book “Juiced” helped fuel the steroid hunt in professional baseball, will take to the Dream Team Poker felts along with teammates Shane McDowell and Josh Clark. Canseco’s team, dubbed “On Tilt,” is one of over 100 that have already registered for the event, which will be the first of its kind at the WSOP. Each three-man Dream Team Poker squad will battle for individual and team prizes in the two-day contest, which comes with a price tag of $560 per person.
Attendees of PokerPalooza, formerly the WSOP Gaming Life Expo, will notice a wall of jerseys hanging outside its entrance. The spectacle has been on display all week, runs from floor to ceiling, and has become a popular stop for poker fans. Dream Team Poker officials are expecting over 300 players total at the Rio, including Daniel Negreanu, whose Team Poker VT has already paid its buy-in. 2007 WSOP Main Event Champion Jerry Yang will be in attendance, as will Team Bodog, which includes Evelyn Ng, Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, and David Williams.
Last time out, Dream Team Poker held its first open tournament at Caesars Palace. The event attracted 148 teams and 444 players, selling out the Caesars poker room. In the end, Team ACED, led by 2006 WSOP Main Event Champion Jamie Gold, took down the title. Although Gold has since parted ways with the Merge Gaming Network site, his name is forever entrenched in Dream Team Poker history. Gold and company pocketed $59,000 for recording the top team finish and Danny Nelson from Team BikerHaven.net grabbed $24,000 for claiming the individual title.
Coming in second place at Caesars in the team competition were the Claddaghs, who earned $33,000. Other top finishers included The Clones (third place for $15,000), Party at the Mansion (fourth place for $10,000), and the Hellmuth Busters (fifth place for $6,000). One-third of the 2008 WSOP November Nine turned out at Caesars, as did Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson, Paul Wasicka, Mike Matusow, Erica Schoenberg, and T.J. Cloutier. Also in attendance was Bonomo, who along with Matt Parvis and Eric Morris took down the inaugural Dream Team Poker event as part of Team Bluff.
Each player will begin with 10,000 starting chips and blind levels last 40 minutes. The price of poker begins at 50-100 and antes kick in at Level 3, when blinds are 150-300. A 10 minute break occurs after every three levels and teammates are not seated at the same table until 14 to 16 players remain. Teams that registered prior to July 1st received a customized jersey and play begins at 2:00pm Pacific Time on both July 12th and 13th. Individual payouts amount to 40% of the prize pool, while team payouts make up the remaining 60%.
Other players slated to enter the third Dream Team Poker tournament include Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok (Team PokerRoad), Gavin Smith (Team Zurvive), Pamela Brunson (Team Pushers), Liz Liu (Team Chili Poker), and Barbara Enright, Paul Darden, and David Levi, who will make up Team Bookmaker Poker.
July 12th also marks Day 5 of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, which kicked off on Friday with the first of four starting days. A total of 1,116 entrants took to the felts on Day 1A, down from 1,297 last year. Today’s field is expected to be smaller due to the July 4th holiday in the United States. The $10,000 buy-in tournament will play down to its final table on July 15th, when it will be paused for four months. Last year, Danish poker pro Peter Eastgate earned $9.1 million for the victory and became the youngest WSOP Main Event winner ever at age 22.
The Dream Team Poker event will be held inside the Amazon Room, home of the 2009 WSOP. Registration is now open at the Rio cage and can be paid via casino chips, cash, or cashier’s check. We’ll have full tournament results for you right here on Poker News Daily.
Tags: 15, 2008, 2009, 5, aced, Barbara Enright, Barry Greenstein, bodog, Caesars Palace, Daniel Negreanu, Danny Nelson, David Williams, Eric Morris, Erica Schoenberg, Evelyn Ng, Gavin Smith, Jamie Gold, Jerry Yang, Joe Sebok, Johnny Chan, Matt Parvis, Mike Matusow, News Daily, Pamela, Paul Wasicka, Peter Eastgate, Phil Hellmuth, player, Poker, Poker News Daily, Pro, T.J. Cloutier, Team Bikerhaven.net, Todd Brunson, tournament, United States, WSOP
PokerStars Pushes Tom McEvoy for Poker Hall of Fame
The 2009 Poker Hall of Fame class will be inducted in a special presentation during the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table in November. PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site, is feverishly campaigning for Tom McEvoy to grace the stage at the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio.
The general public can pitch their choices for the Poker Hall of Fame until July 2nd. A Poker Hall of Fame nomination form available on the WSOP’s official website allows voters to submit a nomination along with 250 words justifying why that player deserves the prestigious title of Hall of Famer. In the first week of open voting, the general public submitted over 1,000 nominations. McEvoy, a card-carrying member of Team PokerStars Pro, commented in a press release distributed by the online poker site, “Being voted to the Poker Hall of Fame this year would be the best moment in my career by far. It would be better than winning four WSOP bracelets, the Champions Invitational, and even the Main Event!”
The first of McEvoy’s four pieces of hardware came in 1983, when he won a $1,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em event for $117,000, besting a field of 234 players. Later in the 1983 WSOP, he took down the Main Event for $540,000, besting a final table that also included Doyle Brunson and WSOP bracelet winner Rod Peate. In 1986, McEvoy was back in the spotlight in a $1,000 buy-in Limit Razz tournament for his third WSOP bracelet. In 1992, he took down his fourth and final bracelet in a $1,500 buy-in Limit Omaha event for $79,000. All told, his bracelets have come in three different genres of poker.
Although it was not a bracelet event, the WSOP Champions Invitational, which will play out on ESPN as part of the network’s coverage of the 2009 festivities, attracted 20 former Main Event winners. In the end, McEvoy blasted through the talented field and took home a mint condition 1970 Corvette (marking the first year that the WSOP was held) and the Binion Cup. McEvoy battled through every Main Event winner since 2000 as well as National Heads-Up Poker Championship victor Huck Seed (1996), 2008 WSOP HORSE Championship winner Scotty Nguyen (1998), and Ultimate Bet pro Phil Hellmuth (1989). “The Poker Brat” was the youngest WSOP Main Event winner ever, a record that stood for 19 years until Danish pro Peter Eastgate took down the 2008 installment at the tender age of 22.
McEvoy has 37 in the money finishes over his WSOP career at the time of writing, tied for the 26th most ever with “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, Nguyen, and Steve Zolotow. His four WSOP bracelets are good for the 19th most overall, putting him in a ten-way tie with Mickey Appleman, Bobby Baldwin, David Chiu, Arthur Cobb, John Juanda, Lakewood Louie, Daniel Negreanu, Amarillo Slim, and Seed. McEvoy owns $1.3 million in career WSOP earnings, in the Top 100 overall. Fellow Team PokerStars Pro member Greg Raymer pitched, “Tom has participated in every stage of poker’s evolution on the felt, online, from WSOP to EPT. He has chronicled it and taught us all how to play better poker and, most importantly, he’s still winning!”
McEvoy has authored a bevy of poker literature, including “How to Win No Limit Hold’em Tournaments,” “Championship Tournament Poker,” and “Championship Hold’em.” Co-authors on his various publications include T.J. Cloutier, Brad Daugherty, and Don Vines. He showed his prowess of the game by taking down the Professional Poker Tour’s Bay 101 event for $225,000.
PartyPoker has unleashed a campaign to send its ambassador and poker room consultant, World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton, to the Poker Hall of Fame. Sexton turned many of today’s rising superstars onto the game through his insightful analysis during WPT events. Sexton won a WSOP bracelet in 1989 in a $1,500 buy-in Limit Seven Card Stud High-Low event for $104,000, besting a final table that included Sid “The Kid” Herald and Men “The Master” Nguyen.
Poker News Daily’s very own Dan Cypra is one of 16 media members that will vote for the Poker Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009. In addition, living Hall of Fame members will cast their votes in September once the final list has been compiled.
Tags: 15, 2008, 2009, 5, 540, AMARILLO, Ambassador, analysis, Annie Duke, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Greg Raymer, HORSE Championship, king, member, Mike Sexton, News Daily, Omaha, Online Poker, online poker site, Peter Eastgate, Phil Hellmuth, player, Poker, Poker Hall, Poker News Daily, poker site, Poker.com, pokerstars, Pro, runner, runner-up, Scotty Nguyen, T.J. Cloutier, Tom McEvoy, tournament, World Poker Tour, WSOP
Leonardo DiCaprio to Star in Online Poker Movie
Move over, “Titanic,” there’s a new sheriff in town. Hollywood heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio will star in an untitled film about internet gambling outfits in Costa Rica, according to the Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly.
The screenplay will be written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, who both served in the same capacity in the 1998 film “Rounders,” which turned many of today’s poker prodigies onto the game. According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), “Rounders” marked the first official writing credits for Koppelman and Levien. The duo has also teamed up with DiCaprio to bring “Beat the Reaper” to the big screen. The film, which will be released next year, has the following plot according to IMDB: “ER doctor Peter Brown’s life is turned upside down when he crosses paths with a mobster who appears to know him from his former life as a hitman.”
No release date has been given for DiCaprio’s online poker movie. An article on MTV.com noted that DiCaprio’s plate is quite full: “DiCaprio has an enormous list of films in pre-production. For the time being, at least, he’ll be working on Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception.’ Whenever he’s finished with that, he will probably have developed five more projects.” IMDB notes that DiCaprio has 21 films in development.
Whether the film will focus on online poker, casinos, or sports betting remains to be seen and various websites pitch the movie in several different ways. Tokwiro-owned online poker rooms Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker are both based in San Jose, the Central American country’s capital city. A report by CBS News program “60 Minutes” identified the offices of the sites as being located in a “strip mall.” Both Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker comprise the CEREUS Network, which was formed in November.
Action Poker, the flagship site of the network of the same name, has offices in Costa Rica. Joining the site in the tropical nation is Doyle’s Room, which opened the 2009 calendar year by jumping to the USA-friendly Cake Poker Network. Ten-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson, whose “Texas Dolly” moniker has made him one of the industry’s foremost faces, is the site’s namesake. Also holding a presence in Costa Rica is PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site. According to PokerScout.com, which ranks online poker site traffic, PokerStars has a seven day running average of 22,000 cash game players. It happily accepts customers from the United States.
“Rounders” starred Edward Norton and Matt Damon. The movie was released five years before Chris Moneymaker became a household after the Tennessee accountant defeated Sammy Farha in the 2003 WSOP Main Event. Since then, Koppelman and Levien have kept their love for poker alive, teaming up for ESPN’s short-lived series “Tilt,” which starred Michael Madsen as Don “The Matador” Everest. “Tilt” premiered in 2005, ran for one season, and featured appearances by poker superstars including Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Erik Seidel, and T.J. Cloutier. Negreanu is fresh off a cameo in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”
Finally, Koppelman and Levien wrote “Oceans Thirteen,” which came out in 2007. It was the third installment of the franchise, which stars Damon, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts. “Oceans Thirteen” returned to its roots in Las Vegas as the team sought revenge on casino owner Willy Blank (played by Al Pacino). The movie also stars Don Cheadle, who founded Ante Up for Africa along with Norman Epstein and “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke.
We’ll have more information for you on DiCaprio’s online gambling movie as it becomes available right here on Poker News Daily.
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40 years of the WSOP: The new millenium
Jack had no way of knowing how the WSOP would explode in popularity, bringing thousands to his casino in search of fame and fortune and said he expected a slow, steady 10 to 15 percent growth rate.
The last winner of the twentieth century was Jesus himself, Chris Ferguson.
He took home $1.5 million after outlasting 512 other players in the 2000 Main Event.
Poker author and fifth place finisher Jim McManus chronicled the final table in his book Positively Fifth Street.
The final battle between Ferguson and T.J. Cloutier was epic, with T.J. overcoming Ferguson's huge chip lead only to lose when his A-Q was out-flopped by Fergusons' A-9.
In the preliminary events, Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey and Howard Lederer each won their first bracelet and Ferguson won another in 7-card stud.
Carlos Mortenson won the title in 2001 playing at the first final table with nine players, including poker standouts Mike Matusow, Phil Gordon, Phil Hellmuth and Dewey Tomko.
An unknown patent attorney Greg "Fossilman" Raymer came in 12th in the $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo event that year.
2002 saw a whopping 39 preliminary events, three of which were won by Phil Ivey.
Robert Varkonyi was the Main Event champion, besting 631 hopefuls on his way to winning a then-record $2 million in his first ever WSOP event.
"I won my buy-in in my first ever single-table satellite," Varkonyi told PokerListings.
"I was extremely surprised to make the final table, it was completely unexpected. I was totally pumped with adrenaline, not nervous, just totally out of control excited to be there."
The fact that Varkonyi was a recreational - not professional - poker player caused some to doubt his chances, including Phil Hellmuth, who Varkonyi had doubled through earlier with Q-10 against his A-K.
During the televised final table, Hellmuth memorably promised to shave his head if Varkonyi were to pull out a win.
Eventually Hellmuth was forced to get a trim, but the name Robert Varkonyi was really lost in the shuffle with what happened next.
There is no poker aficionado who does not remember every moment of the 2003 Main Event.
The final nine, outlasting the record 839 who started, included Sammy Farha, Dan Harrington, Jason Lester, Amir Vahedi, David Grey, and David Singer.
But in their midst was a mild-mannered accountant who had dreamed of playing the Main Event since he saw the movie Rounders years earlier.
When Chris Moneymaker turned his online-qualifying win into $2.5 million, poker would never be the same.
Somewhat forgotten was the fact that Layne Flack had his second consecutive two-bracelet WSOP that year or that Ferguson, Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Men "the Master" Nguyen and John Juanda each won two bracelets as well.
Women poker players did well in 2004 with Kathy Liebert, Cyndy Violette and Annie Duke each winning bracelets in open-field events.
But the story that year was the phenomenal increase in Main Event participants due in no small part to Moneymaker's historic win.
A total of 2,576 played and of course Greg Raymer won the $5 million dollar prize. Just like Moneymaker, Raymer had won his seat through an online satellite at PokerStars.
The 2005 WSOP was held outside of Binions for the first time, though the final two days of the Main Event took place in the old haunt.
Aussie Joe Hachem came out on top of the 5,619 person field, taking home $7.5 million.
His supporters' cheers are now legendary as was the final table that had a wide array of talent from the recently paroled Mike Matusow to the loveable everyman Steve Dannenmann.
The final table was also the site of the memorable meltdown from Ireland's Andy Black.
Raymer made a believer of everyone by coming close to repeating, finishing 25th in the big show.
Jennifer Tilly became the first celebrity player to win a bracelet and Doyle and Todd Brunson became the first father/son combo to win bracelets the same year.
If it were not for Jamie Gold, the 2006 WSOP would be remembered for its Player of the Year, Jeff Madsen.
Madsen became the youngest bracelet winner in history taking down the $2,000 NLHE, then won his second bracelet in Short-Handed NLHE six days later.
He also had two third place finishes - one in Omaha 8 and another in Stud Hi/Lo, an astounding feat at any age.
But Gold's $12 million win, outlasting the largest Main Event field ever at 8,773, is the story of 2006 as much for Gold's brash and controversial style as for the legal dustup that his win caused when another player claimed Gold had promised him half.
As if preordained, 2007 Main Event winner Jerry Yang was the anti-Gold. Quiet, pious, unassuming, Yang won $8.25 million with an aggressive, steam-roller approach to the final table that his co-finalists could not match.
With 6,358 players entering, there were 2,415 fewer than the previous year, only the second time in WSOP history that the number of entrants to the Main Event decreased.
Steve Billirakis was crowned the new-youngest bracelet winner in history, breaking Madsen's record from the previous year. Hellmuth won his record 11th bracelet and had a then-record 63 WSOP cashes.
Last year's WSOP set records for attendance (58,720), countries represented (118), and prize pool ($180,676,248).
It also saw the introduction of the November Nine, which ratcheted up the interest in and attention to the final table.
For poker purists who had been decrying the lack of "professional" winners of the Main Event, this final table had many players for whom poker was not just a hobby.
Runner-up Ivan Demidov went on to place third at the WSOP-Europe, David "Chino" Rheem is a respected pro, and eventual $9.1 million winner, the taciturn Dane Peter Eastgate, has proved himself a worthy title-holder.
2008 had a rash of memorable bracelet winners in preliminary events from the brothers Hinkle (Grant and Blair) to first-time bracelet-winners Erick Lindgren, David Singer, Kenny Tran, Nenad Medic, David Benyamine, JC Tran, and John Phan all breaking their "one of the best to never win a bracelet" record - now currently held by Andy Bloch.
So what is in store for 2009? What records will be set, which will be broken? Who will be the big story, the one talked about another forty years from now?
Will a big name take the big title, or will another "relative" unknown take poker's biggest prize?
For those answers and a whole lot more, follow PokerListings' Live Reporting from the Rio throughout the 2009 WSOP.
Related Articles:
- 40 years of the WSOP: The beginning
- 40 years of the WSOP: The 70s
- 40 years of the WSOP: The 80s
- 40 years of the WSOP: The 90's
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Dream Team Poker Announces Tournament During 2009 WSOP
Dream Team Poker will present the third tournament in its history in July. Fresh off a sold out event at Caesars Palace, the team gaming concept will make its way to the Rio from July 12th to 13th during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). The buy-in is $560 per person, or $1,680 per three-man team.
The last time out, 148 teams and 444 players mobbed Caesars Palace for a sold out tournament, the first one held by Dream Team Poker that was open to the general public. In the end, Team ACED, which consisted of then-ACED Poker pro Jamie Gold, Ashley Nataupsky, and Houston Waldie, dominated the field and banked nearly $60,000. Other teams that finished in the money included The Claddaghs (second place for $33,300), The Clones (third place for $15,984), Party at the Mansion (fourth place for $10,656), and the Hellmuth Busters (fifth place for $6,660). Players who hit the felts included Bodog Poker pro Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, Ultimate Bet personality Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, David Williams, Paul Wasicka, and T.J. Cloutier. Needless to say, the poker world was out in full force.
Dream Team Poker CEO Daniel Delshad will now bring his company’s popular concept to the world’s biggest stage: The 2009 WSOP. The tournament will take place concurrently with the end of the $10,000 buy-in Main Event, which will air as part of ESPN’s coverage of the festivities. Delshad told Poker News Daily, “After the success of our Caesars Palace event, we were able to get some time with WSOP officials and discuss an opportunity to bring Dream Team Poker to the Rio. To be able to get a turnaround that quickly is a testament to our success and the WSOP bringing new ideas to their game.” The WSOP Main Event will play down to its final table on July 15th and then be paused until November for the second straight year. On July 12th and 13th, the featured tournament will be playing out Day 5 and Day 6.
The first 300 teams that register will receive customized jerseys to don when they hit the Dream Team Poker felts. Although the number of tables that the tournament will have available has not yet been determined, a crowd surpassing the 444 players who showed up to Caesars is not out of the question. Delshad was elated at the event’s timing: “It gives us a lot more time to promote it. For us, the real excitement is to be in the Amazon Room at the same time as the Main Event. It’s a step higher than just being at the WSOP.” Registration for Dream Team Poker’s WSOP tournament will open on July 3rd. The organization will also have a booth in the halls of the Rio throughout the seven week WSOP festivities.
Among those who have expressed interest in creating a team is Jason Lilly, the individual winner in Dream Team Poker’s inaugural tournament, which was held at the Hard Rock in November. In addition, Joe Sebok has asked for Dream Team Poker officials to reserve him a spot. The tournament’s rules will remain much the same. Delshad told Poker News Daily, “People will still be wearing jerseys, but we’ll be on a bigger floor. We are still going to have time outs for players to talk to teammates who have been eliminated. We look at this as a good opportunity for people to continue to learn about the strategy of team gaming.” Taking down the invite-only Hard Rock event was Team Bluff, which consisted of Bonomo, Eric Morris, and Matt Parvis.
Delshad revealed to Poker News Daily that Dream Team Poker has plans to take the brand outside of the United States, as it has revolutionized the notion that poker is an individual sport. Team scores are determined by adding up the position that each player finished in. Only the two best scores are counted and the team with the lowest tally wins. Teammates are not seated at the same table until 14 to 16 players remain and any team that is represented in the final 27 runners receives a time out. Players also compete for individual prize money in addition to banking on their team’s success.
Poker News Daily would like to thank Delshad for giving our readers a unique insight into the Dream Team Poker concept.
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Bernard Lee on Poker and Golf
Spring has definitely arrived. This year, the weather in New England has been at times unseasonably warm, as the temperature has already reached into the 60s on several occasions. Although New England golf usually doesn’t get into full swing until mid-April, most golf courses in the area opened in mid-March this year. I have not played very well at the beginning of this season; however, it is still early and therefore, I am treating these first few rounds like pre-season golf.
Every year in April, my golf craving exponentially increases after watching golf’s first major championship on television, The Masters. What an incredible Sunday charge by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson that came up a little short. In the end, it was a fantastic finish with a three-way playoff among Kenny Perry, Angel Cabrera, and Chad Campbell. Congratulations to Angel Cabrera for winning his first green jacket and second major. However, while I was watching, I began to wonder why so many people who play poker also love to play golf. I believe that there are many similarities that may account for this overlap.
The most obvious parallel between poker and golf is the gambling or betting aspect. In poker, betting is an integral part of the game. Without betting, poker players would rely solely on their cards to determine the outcome of the hand. However, betting adds another dimension and allows a player to win the pot without the best hand. In golf, gambling can be part of the culture, whether it is a friendly Nassau bet or a high-stakes skins game. Some players feel that gambling makes golf more interesting during a random weekend round. However, I think the similarities go well beyond just the betting aspect.
First, in both poker and golf, a player can aspire to greatness. However, no matter how much you practice and work on your game, it is virtually impossible to perfect either poker or golf. The ubiquitous phrase about Hold’em, “A minute to learn, but a lifetime to master,” is very apropos for both poker and golf. Six-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner T.J. Cloutier once said that the minute he feels he can’t learn anything more about poker, he would quit. Last time I checked, Cloutier was still playing and has no plans to retire anytime soon. Overall, poker has so many intricacies, nuisances, and different situations that it is virtually impossible to master the game fully.
The same holds true in today’s world of golf. Overall, the slightest deviation in your golf swing can send the ball off course, resulting in a bogey or worse. Even Tiger Woods, currently the number one golfer in the world and possibly of all-time, has yet to reach perfection. Even though he may be the most gifted player on tour and diligently works on his game daily, Woods, or any player for that matter, has yet to achieve the perfect round by making 18 birdies and eagles. Thus, perfection in poker or golf is basically impossible.
Although mastering the game is unattainable, poker and golf inevitably seem to produce their share of miraculous moments. In poker, until you are officially drawing dead, there is always a chance. How many times have you witnessed runner-runner flush or a miraculous one-outer on the river? Even on the world’s greatest poker stage, Peter Eastgate hit a one-outer versus Scott Montgomery during the 2008 WSOP Main Event final table to eliminate Montgomery in fifth place. In golf, a player may be facing an impossible shot, but you can never count them out. They can chip in from off the green or sink an improbable 45 foot putt like Justin Leonard during the 1999 Ryder Cup to cap off the U.S team’s unbelievable comeback versus the Europeans. These miraculous plays make for unforgettable moments in both poker and golf.
Additionally, these incredible moments make you want to come back time and time again. Even though you may suffer from bad beats or putts that lip out, you always come back for more pain and suffering. In poker, you can have a horrible day in which you lose every race and get no playable cards. However, after you flop quads or hit that one-outer on the river, you eagerly anticipate playing in your next tournament. In golf, you can shoot a dreadful round and miss fairway after fairway, green after green, and putt after putt. Nevertheless, after hitting that one pure shot, you cannot forget the euphoric feeling, making you return to the golf course for another round.
Finally, many poker players and recreational golfers are former athletes. Thus, poker and golf allow them to satisfy their competitive edge. To succeed, players must utilize their sports experience by slowing down and focusing on the moment. In poker, each hand is critical, especially in No Limit Hold’em, where every hand could be your last. In golf, you must stay focused on the moment in order to deliver the perfect shot at the absolute right moment. As my instructor always says, “One shot at a time.”
Well, I’m sure there are even more similarities between poker and golf, but I have to go, as I have a tee time. I wish everyone good luck in poker (I hope you always go in with the best hand and never get unlucky) and golf (hit ‘em long and straight and may your putts never be left short).
Tags: 2008, 5, bad beat, EUR, Europe, european, golf, king, Peter Eastgate, player, Poker, poker player, Pro, runner, Scott Montgomery, T.J. Cloutier, tournament, WSOP
40 Years of the WSOP: The 80s
Part poker genius, part enigma, Ungar would amaze and baffle throughout his lifetime and his first of two back-to-back Main Event wins ushered in the second decade of the WSOP.
There were 73 entrants that year, including players from outside of the U.S for the first time.
In the end, Ungar beat a final five that included Johnny Moss and runner-up Doyle Brunson to take down the $365,000 top prize.
"Stu Ungar's first WSOP victory in 1980 marked the beginning of a new era in poker," said Nolan Dalla, author of One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey "The Kid" Ungar, The World's Greatest Poker Player.
"It arguably slammed the door shut on the good old days, symbolized best perhaps by Ungar actually defeating the representation of all that the WSOP was before, personified in Doyle Brunson.
"The magnitude both actual and symbolic of this victory cannot be overstated. Ungar not only went on to revolutionize poker and strategy, he quickly became an icon for his eccentricities and unprecedented accomplishments."
1981 saw barely a ripple of an increase in Main Event entrants, as 75 ponied up the $10K buy-in.
This year is best remembered for Ungar's successful defense of his title, which was aired as an hour-long broadcast as one of CBS' sports specials.
"All one must do is look at the champions before and after Ungar," Dalla said. "The previous winners were mostly table-hardened, nerve-tested older men in cowboy hats from the American South.
"But Ungar, being young, from New York, Jewish, and unlike any of his contemporaries in the way he acted at the table, left an indelible impression on the game unlikely ever to be equaled."
The very next year was one for the books. With over 100 entrants, the 1982 WSOP Main Event had its biggest top prize ever at $500,000 and an all-star final table including Brunson, Dewey Tomko, Jack Straus, Berry Johnston and Brian "Sailor" Roberts.
The legend of "a chip and a chair" was born that year when Straus came back from a single $500 chip to win it all. Bill Baxter and David Sklansky each won two bracelets and Vera Richmond became the first woman to win a bracelet in an open-field event.
The biggest change for the WSOP came in 1983 with the introduction of the satellites, which is exactly how Main Event winner Tom McEvoy snagged his seat.
McEvoy told PokerListings he had tried to win a seat in one of the four $100 satellites held at the Bingo Palace earlier that year, just as eventual runner-up Rod Peate had.
He was unsuccessful and therefore signed up for a one-table $1,160 satellite at the Horseshoe, but not before some quick thinking.
When McEvoy saw that up-and-coming player Johnny Chan was signed up for the same satellite, he approached Chan.
"I don't want to play it if you're going to play it," he said to Chan. "So if you're going to take the seat, I'll wait until the next one."
Chan sat out and McEvoy beat out David Sklansky, James Doman and six others to win his seat to the big show.
"Winning the Main Event did not have the impact then, of course, that it does now, with so much money at stake," McEvoy said. "Then there was not much TV coverage to speak of. Winning wasn't nearly as dramatic as it is now."
1983 also saw the first bracelet won by an African-American as Carolyn Gardner took the Ladies 7-Card Stud event. Two new games were introduced, Match Play and Omaha, and the heads-up Main Event match between McEvoy and Peate set a record at seven hours.
CBS did not cover the Main Event in 1984, so future Hall-of-Famer Jack Keller's championship win, and the fact he had also won a bracelet in stud, did not get widespread attention.
Then in 1985, Bill Smith won the Main Event, but runner-up T.J. Cloutier is by far the more famous figure today.
Johnny Chan won his first bracelet that year and Johnny Moss, who went on to win his ninth and final bracelet three years later, made his last Main Event final table.
Twice runner-up Berry Johnston finally won the Main Event in 1986 and in 1987, ESPN took over coverage of the WSOP, introducing the viewing public to Johnny "The Orient Express" Chan for the first time.
A year later, a watershed moment in WSOP history occurred when ESPN aired Chan's final table showdown with Erik Seidel at the 1988 Main Event, bringing him back-to-back titles.
The scene was immortalized in the movie Rounders years later, becoming one of the main catalysts to poker's big boom with a whole new generation of players wanting to be Matt Damon and stare down Chan.
But even before Rounders came a win for the ages.
It was 1989 and a 24-year-old Wisconsin student named Phil Hellmuth became the youngest champion in WSOP history, derailing The Orient Express and closing out the 1980s.
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Casey Reese, Son of Chip Reese, Dies of Drug Overdose
The son of the late Chip Reese, Casey Reese, has passed away from an overdose of prescription drugs, according to comments by Daniel Negreanu and Doyle Brunson on Full Contact Poker and Doyle’s Room. He was 20 years old.
On Tuesday, the following text appeared in Brunson’s official blog on his online poker site, Doyle’s Room: “It happened again yesterday, only this time it was Chip’s only son, Casey Reese. Casey was found in his apartment from an apparent overdose of prescription drugs. I had seen Casey a few days ago and he looked great. He was very handsome and extremely personable. I will always remember the closeness between Chip and Casey.” Brunson heard the news from his nephew and felt that he “let Chip down, but I don’t know what I could have done to help Casey.”
The news was confirmed by Negreanu, who posted in a thread on Full Contact Poker that speculated something might have happened to Casey. Negreanu noted that he was at the Bellagio when he heard the news and wrote on Full Contact Poker, “Everyone took it pretty hard. Kid was 20 years old, an incredible baseball pitcher, super smart, good looking kid... very sad. Chau [Giang] was a very good friend of both Chip and Casey and while he came down to play poker, he just couldn't do it. It was a shock. People were both sad and also pretty angry at the same time.”
Casey passed away nearly 16 months to the day after Chip, who died on December 4th, 2007 in his Las Vegas home. At 56 years old, the elder Reese was the owner of three World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and took down the inaugural $50,000 HORSE Championship in 2006 for $1.7 million. He defeated Full Tilt Poker pro Andy Bloch heads-up in that event; Phil Ivey, Jim Brechtel, T.J. Cloutier, David Singer, Dewey Tomko, Patrik Antonius, and Brunson were also at the final table. Chip also won bracelets in 1978 in a $1,000 buy-in Limit Seven Card Stud High-Low contest and in 1982 in a $5,000 buy-in Limit Seven Card Stud tournament. He logged over $2.2 million from WSOP tournament play.
According to ESPN, last December, Reese was “complaining of pneumonia symptoms, but never went to a hospital and died in his sleep He was found by his son… at his Las Vegas home.” Chip was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1991, at the time the youngest player to hold that honor. ESPN added, “Brunson and Reese eventually became business partners, investing in everything from oil wells and mining to TV stations and racehorses and becoming sports betting consultants.”
A 28 page thread developed on online poker forum TwoPlusTwo bidding farewell to the poker legend Chip Reese. Andy “BKiCe” Seth expressed his remorse of the loss of an ambassador of the game: “Is this real? I've never met Chip and don't really even know much about him, but for some reason I feel like a good friend just died.” Pictures of Reese playing in high-stakes tournaments around the world pervaded the thread, as did anecdotes of players’ past experiences battling against the giant of the game.
The HORSE Championship trophy is named in Chip's honor to this day. In 2008, it was won by Scotty Nguyen, who pocketed nearly $2 million for his victory. Nguyen defeated Mike DeMichele heads-up, capping an eventful run through a final table that also included Erick Lindgren, Barry Greenstein, 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship winner Huck Seed, and World Poker Tour founder Lyle Berman. Winning the tournament is a prestigious honor and players will receive their next opportunity when it kicks off on June 26th from the Rio in Las Vegas during the 40th annual WSOP.
We at Poker News Daily would like to express our sincere condolences to the entire Reese family.
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Team ACED Wins Dream Team Poker Caesars Palace Tournament
A total of 148 teams, or 444 players, entered Dream Team Poker's second tournament, which was held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas over the weekend. It was the first installment open to the public and, when the final cards were dealt, Team ACED took down the event for nearly $60,000.
2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Jamie Gold headlined Team ACED, which also included Ashley Nataupsky and Houston Waldie. The team's name is a reference to Gold's sponsorship by the Merge Gaming Network site of the same name, an agreement he inked in February. The Network accepts players from the United States and also includes Carbon Poker, IronDuke, Poker Nordica, and Rumble Poker, among others. ACED recently sponsored a charity fundraiser for Children Uniting Nations that was held after the Oscar festivities in Los Angeles and emceed by Gold.
Gold actually took ninth in the event, while Nataupsky finished in fourth. The 2006 Main Event winner commented in a press release distributed by Dream Team Poker on Monday, “It’s the most fun you can have without $12 million on the line. My WSOP bracelet is in a vault, but my Dream Team Poker trophy will be on my mantel for all to see.” Gold bested a field of 8,773 players in poker's most prestigious tournament in 2006 and took home the largest prize ever given out at the WSOP.
In order to preserve the integrity of the game, Dream Team Poker also awards prizes for the top individual tournament finishers. At the Caesars event, Danny Nelson emerged victorious from the pack, taking home nearly $24,000. Heads-up, he went toe to toe with Philip Rousseaux for 45 minutes in front of a throng of onlookers. In the final hand, Rousseaux pushed with J-8 on a board of K-8-4, only to see he was dominated by Nelson's K-9. A six on the turn and a seven on the river sealed the win for Nelson, who played as part of Team BikerHaven.net.
Teams were given jerseys to hit the felts with, creating a unique atmosphere. A team's overall score is determined by the two best finishes of its members and teammates are not seated at the same table until 14 to 16 players remain in order to stunt collusion. The runner up finish by Rousseaux was enough to earn The Claddaghs the second best team score and its corresponding $33,000 prize. Here were the top five teams at Caesars in the second Dream Team Poker tournament, a $550 per person buy-in affair:
1st Place: Team Aced - $59,940
2nd Place: The Claddaghs - $33,300
3rd Place: The Clones - $15,984
4th Place: Party at the Mansion - $10,656
5th Place: Hellmuth Busters - $6,660
The top five individual finishers were:
1st Place: Danny Nelson (Team BikerHaven.net) - $24,063
2nd Place: Philip Rousseaux (Team Claddaghs) - $13,320
3rd Place: Jerry Percival (Team Runner, Runner) - $7,922
4th Place: Ashley Nataupsky (Team ACED) –$ 6,666
5th Place: John Regis (Poker Masters) - $5,328
The very first Dream Team Poker event was held at the Hard Rock Casino in November and was won by Team Bluff, which consisted of Matt Parvis, Eric Morris, and Bodog poker pro Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo. Despite being open to the general public, the second installment of Dream Team Poker brought out some of the top names in poker. Former WSOP Main Event Champions in attendance over the weekend included Gold, Jerry Yang, Tom McEvoy, Ultimate Bet pro Phil Hellmuth, and Johnny Chan. Also making the trek to Caesars were three members of the inaugural November Nine: Dennis Phillips, David “Chino” Rheem, and Kelly Kim. Other poker pros that competed included Todd Brunson, Paul Wasicka, Full Tilt Poker front man Mike Matusow, Erica Schoenberg, T.J. Cloutier, David Williams, and the last woman standing in the 2008 WSOP Main Event, Tiffany Michelle.
No date for the third Dream Team Poker tournament has been announced. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest on this unique spin on the game.
Tags: 15, 2008, 5, aced, Ashley Nataupsky, bodog, Caesars Palace, cent, charity, charity fundraiser, Danny Nelson, David Williams, Dennis Phillips, Eric Morris, Erica Schoenberg, Houston Waldie, Jamie Gold, Jerry Percival, Jerry Yang, John Regis, Johnny Chan, Kelly Kim, king, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Matt Parvis, member, Mike Matusow, News Daily, Paul Wasicka, Phil Hellmuth, Philip Rousseaux, player, Poker, Poker News Daily, Pro, runner, T.J. Cloutier, Team Bikerhaven.net, Tiffany Michelle, Todd Brunson, Tom McEvoy, tournament, United States, vegas, woman, WSOP
Bodog Unveils 2009 WSOP Prop Bets
If you've ever wanted to rail your favorite poker stars without having to be at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, head to Bodog. The online poker site and sports book recently opened up betting on the WSOP. The festivities at the Rio begin on May 27th.
Among the wagers available on Bodog is what poker pro will win the most money during the 2009 WSOP. The leader in the clubhouse is 11-time bracelet holder Phil Hellmuth, who is currently going off at 5:2. Other players that are available to bet on include Doyle Brunson (7:2), David Sklansky (12:1), Barry Greenstein (5:1), Mike Caro (12:1), Phil Gordon (10:1), T.J. Cloutier (6:1), and Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu, who is fetching 3:1 odds.
The question of “Will Phil Hellmuth win his 12th bracelet at the 2009 WSOP occurring in Las Vegas beginning May 27th?” is paying +300 for Yes and -500 for No. Hellmuth made three final tables last year, taking third in the $1,500 buy-in HORSE event for $93,000. You can also bet on whether Brunson or Johnny Chan will score their 11th bracelets. The +300 figure means that a player must bet $100 to get back a total of $400. The -500 figure means that a player must bet $500 to get back a total of $600.
A special last longer wager is also available on the prestigious $50,000 buy-in HORSE Championship, which was infamously won last year by Scotty Nguyen. He has 5:1 odds in the bet, the favorite among the pros available. Others include Brunson (6:1), Hellmuth (7:1), Chan (7:1), Freddy Deeb (11:2), Phil Ivey (6:1), David Williams (11:2), Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo (11:2), and Negreanu (6:1). Deeb won the event in 2007 and the late Chip Reese took down the inaugural HORSE Championship in 2006. The trophy given to the winner of the event is named in his honor.
Another unique bet asks wagerers to select what pair will rack up the most winnings in the 2009 WSOP. Patrik Antonius and Kathy Liebert are the current favorites, going off at 4:1. Other pairings available include Doyle and Todd Brunson (6:1), the husband and wife team of Marco Traniello and Jennifer Harman (6:1), father and son Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok (9:2), brother and sister Annie Duke and Howard Lederer (15:2), Bodog pros Evelyn Ng and Justin Bonomo (15:2), Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly (6:1), mother and son David and Shirley Williams (6:1), engaged couple Chad Brown and Vanessa Rousso (10:1), and Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Tiffany Michelle (9:2).
Players can even bet on what game will be played when the final hand is dealt during the HORSE Championship. Hold'em, Razz, and Seven Card Stud are all paying 5:2, while Omaha High-Low and Seven Card Stud High-Low are both going off at 15:4.
Bettors will also be keeping their eyes on the female contingent in the Main Event, as a special women's-only last longer bet is available on Bodog. Jennifer Harman and Kathy Liebert are the current favorites; both are 5:1 to remain in contention in the Main Event the longest. Others include Duke (7:1), Tilly (10:1), Cyndy Violette (7:1), Isabelle Mercier (7:1), Clonie Gowen (7:1), Ng (7:1), Liz Lieu (7:1), Mimi Tran (7:1), Katja Thater (7:1), Rousso (7:1), and the last woman standing in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, Maria Ho (10:1).
One prop bet on Bodog centers wholly on Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande's finish in the Main Event. Bellande was a contestant on CBS' “Survivor: China,” one of the 18 seasons of the show that have aired. “No Money” is paying 1:20; finishing in the money, but no better than 10th place is paying 8:1; making the final table is paying 150:1; and winning the 2009 WSOP Main Event is fetching 1,000:1 odds. Bellande took 442nd in the Main Event last year.
The first wager listed in Bodog's poker section is, “Will Scotty Nguyen reach his stated promise that he will earn $4,000,000 or more in combined winnings at this year’s WSOP?” Yes is paying out +2,400. The bet stems from an interview Nguyen had with PokerListings that he would retire from poker if he does not amass $4 million in winnings at the 2009 WSOP. Whether he will follow through on his promise is anyone's guess.
Tags: 15, 2009, 5, Annie Duke, Barry Greenstein, bodog, CBS, cent, Chad Brown, China, Cyndy Violette, Daniel Negreanu, David Sklansky, David Williams, Doyle Brunson, durrrr, Dwan Michelle, Evelyn Ng, Freddy Deeb, HORSE Championship, Howard Lederer, interview, Isabelle Mercier, Jean-Robert Bellande, Jennifer Harman, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Sebok, Johnny Chan, Justin Bonomo, Kathy Liebert, Katja Thater, king, Las Vegas, late Chip, leader, Liz Lieu, Marco Traniello, Maria Ho, member, Mike Caro, Mimi Tran, Omaha, Online Poker, online poker site, Patrik Antonius, Phil Gordon, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Phil Laak, player, Poker, poker site, pokerstars, Pro, Scotty Nguyen, Shirley Williams, T.J. Cloutier, Team PokerStars Pro, Tiffany Michelle, Todd Brunson, USD, Vanessa Rousso, vegas, woman, women, WSOP