Random Thoughts

Hats off to The Bicycle Casino for coming up with a new concept for supersatellites at the recent Legends of Poker tournament. A supersatellite is simply a small buy-in tournament in which a player can win an entry into a larger buy-in tournament. Supersatellites are the most critical method of getting entries for big buy-in championship events.

Bicycle Casino Tournament Director Denny Williams created a separate points race and prize pool strictly for supersatellite players. The winner of the "super" points race during the monthlong event received $10,000 in cash; second place was worth $3,000, and third place, $2,000. It proved to be very successful, as more than half the entrants for the $5,000 buy-in championship event were supersatellite winners. What is amazing is that all six players at the final table (World Poker Tour events have only six players at the final table) won their way into the event by winning a $120 supersatellite!

Congratulations to Chris Karagulleyan and David Pham for their success at the Legends of Poker. Chris won the $5,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em championship event (which had 134 entrants and was the second event on the World Poker Tour), and looked good doing it in more ways than one (he wore a coat and tie at the final table). Nice going, Chris.

Pham (Card Player's Player of the Year in 2000) won the best all-around player award - and did so with the largest point total in history. He made eight final tables (including two wins, two seconds, and two thirds), a feat never accomplished before at one tournament. Great job, David! Honorable mention goes to Men "The Master" Nguyen and Daniel Negreanu for winning three events each, and David Levi and Phil Ivey for winning two events each.

Two-time World Champion Johnny Chan was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame recently. Chan is a successful high-stakes player and the all-time leading money winner at the World Series of Poker. His accomplishments in poker are phenomenal, and include the greatest feat in poker history: two wins and a runner-up finish in three consecutive years in the $10,000 buy-in championship event at the WSOP ('87-'89). His talent on the green felt is extraordinary, and more than deserving of Hall of Fame status. Congratulations, Johnny!

Sponsorship for tournament poker is what many players hope for and talk about all the time. Some believe it will happen, while others have serious doubts. With the advent of the World Poker Tour, we have far and away our best opportunity to bring sponsorship to tournament poker.

Because of television, the popularity and growth of poker could rise dramatically. If successful, the WPT will benefit the entire poker industry. We, meaning everyone in the poker community, should support the WPT. This is our shot. I seriously doubt that anyone else will shell out millions of dollars (as Lyle Berman and Lakes Gaming are doing with the WPT) in an effort to turn tournament poker into a televised event.

The WPT is first-class all the way. Its charter members (those who host WPT events) are also doing their part. They are contributing substantial amounts of money and putting forth tremendous effort to make their events and the WPT a success.

Players want corporate sponsorship for tournaments, but it's not going to just "happen." To attract sponsorship on a big-time level, the country has to embrace poker, and I believe this will happen. The WPT needs your support, especially this first year. You can help by stepping up to the plate now. Here's how:

• If you're a big-time player, you should play the WPT events at every opportunity.

• If you're not a big-time player, you can play a supersatellite when a WPT event comes to your area.

• You can qualify for two WPT events online (UltimateBet's tournament in Aruba and the PartyPoker.com Million).

• If you have any ideas or connections regarding potential sponsors for the WPT, I'm sure the WPT (www.worldpokertour.com) would love to hear from you.

• Be positive and excited about the WPT. Talk it up.

• Watch (and tell your friends and family to watch) the WPT when it airs on TV next year.

• Casinos may help by hosting promotions in which their customers can win paid entries ($25,000) into the WPT championship finals next April at Bellagio.

Opportunity for sponsorship is knocking on the door, but the door has to be opened. We may not get another chance. Let's do our part and support the WPT.

Take care.