Bub Wins Again … and So Does Layne

I just got back from the PartyPoker Million, which was hosted by Card Player Cruises. Even though I stunk it up in the tournament, I had a lot of fun. I highly recommend going on a poker cruise if you haven't yet done so. A total of 177 players entered the limit hold'em tournament. After the second day of play, the field was down to the final 18. This meant it was Calcutta time. A Calcutta is similar to betting on a horse race, but instead of betting on horses, you bet on players. Chris Bigler bet on so many players that he needed both Chip Jett and Howard Lederer to finish in the top two to show a small profit. Luckily for Chris, his wish came true.

The World Poker Tour taped the final table, which will be the only limit hold'em event in the WPT television series during the first year. Dan Coupal, Tim Lark, Maureen Feduniak, Joe "Cowboy" Simpkins, Chip Jett, and Howard "Bub" Lederer all made the final table. Chip was the chip leader (that sounds funny) for most of the event, but Howard hung around, got big hands at crucial times, and won his second WPT event and $263,850. Good job, Bubbly! I would love to see a Howard Lederer/Gus Hanson heads-up match in the $25,000 buy-in WPT championship - if I am not there.

Prior to cruising, I played in the $200,000 WPT freeroll at Commerce Casino. I had the most fun I have ever had playing poker during this event. For some reason, probably because it was a freeroll, I didn't play the event like I would a real tournament. Many celebrities played in it, including my favorite comedian Sarah Silverman. It was a blast. The two best lines I heard during the event didn't come from a comedian, but from a wannabe comedian, Paul Phillips. After Paul knocked out rock singer Meatloaf, he told him not to fly out like a "Bat Out of Hell," which was one of Meatloaf's popular records. After Dick Van Patten bet $800 on the river, Paul thought for a while. Everyone thought he was debating whether to call, but he was really thinking of a witty remark to make. Paul finally said, "Dick, 'Eight is Enough,'" and folded. Paul, don't give up your day job of … not working.

Oh, yeah, let me tell you what happened in the event. Mickey Rooney finished seventh (the television bubble). Layne Flack had 10 times the amount of chips of the second-place player when the final table started. Others at the final table were poker professionals David Chiu, Tony Ma, and Men Nguyen. The celebrities were "The Poker Pundit" Andy Glazer and Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss. Layne and Jerry played heads up, and Layne eventually won a long duel. That is about the 50th no-limit hold'em tournament win for Layne in the past year (well, not really, but it seems like it). Way to go, Layne!

John Juanda won Phil Hellmuth's Champion of the Year award. To read more about it, turn to Page 106.

The World Poker Challenge is the last stop on the World Poker Tour prior to the $25,000 buy-in WPT championship at Bellagio. To qualify, a player needs to win the $5,000 championship event at the WPC, one of the no-limit hold'em events at Bellagio in April, a supersatellite, or a one-table satellite. Or, a player can come up with $25,000 cash. I am hoping to qualify in one of the first four ways.