The Year That Was: 2004

Looking back at the year in review has become an annual tradition at Card Player. Last year Jeff Shulman focused on the phenomenal growth we have seen in our game. That's where I'll start. In 2004 these numbers grew dramatically:

•online and casino poker rooms

•poker players

•tournaments (especially no-limit hold'em events)

•televised tournaments

•entrants to tournaments

•players "hooked" on poker after watching televised tournaments

•millionaires made at the end of the most grueling events

•bad-beat stories told to uninterested friends, opponents, and bystanders

•celebrities crossing over and confessing a love for the game

•poker tools, chips, books, videos, and Card Player magazines distributed

•players saying, "I'm all in"

•players saying, "I call"

•players begging dealers: "No ace, no ace"

Greg "Fossilman" Raymer and David Williams battled for $5.5 million,

the most coveted bracelet in poker, and the title of 'World Champion.'

January was Mississippi Month

Barry Greenstein

The year kicked off in Tunica, Mississippi, with a 24-day tournament that was a foreshadowing of what was to come. The Jack Binion World Poker Open was too large to be held at one casino, thus was co-hosted by the Gold Strike Casino Resort and the Horseshoe Casino. There were 5,796 entrants in the preliminary events. Barry "Robin Hood" Greenstein survived a field of 367 players who each posted $10,200 to enter the World Poker Tour (WPT)-sponsored championship event. The WPT tapings are later condensed into two-hour shows viewed by millions on the Travel Channel, the staple Wednesday evening television choice for U.S. poker players. The winner seemed annoyed (but never disconcerted) by the antics of his heads-up opponent, Randy "The Dream Crusher" Jensen. Barry acted as if he's been there (the winner's circle) before and expects to be there again. Randy seemed nervous. Several times, he raised the wrong amount due to a misunderstanding of how much the blinds were. Greenstein calmly observed and conquered his opponent. Barry collected a whopping $1,278,370 for his effort. He signed checks for the winnings and forwarded them to the many charities he supports. Barry's favorite charity is Children Inc., and I'm sure he is their favorite poker player.

Almost lost in the world of million-dollar prize pools are the bread-and-butter tournaments sponsored by brick-and-mortar casinos throughout the world, but rarely attended by big-name players. The 15-event Tunica Classic at the Grand Casino offered buy-ins that ranged from $115 to $330, excepting the championship no-limit hold'em $550 contest that Barry Shelvin took down when he outlasted a field of 206 opponents to pick up $31,050.

Short Month – Start the Clock

The Super Bowl featured the Patriots (32) and the Panthers (29), but for poker players, the big event took place at the fabulous Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on NBC, opposite the pre-game football show. The peacock network televised the Battle of the Champions to a national audience. This unique event pitted the WPT winners from season one against each other. It was a great success – more than 10 million viewers watched the drama unfold through 17 strategically placed cameras. Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten announced the action and analyzed how former Internet company innovator and entrepreneur Ron Rose won the tournament. Then, Rose made a contribution to poker – he authored Poker Aces, a 180-page coffee table book that provides minibiographies on 89 stars of tournament poker.

Ron Rose

February was the month for a controversy concerning an issue that is rarely discussed, the latitude a player has for making timely decisions. Since tournament poker is a game that is timed (blinds and antes move up after a specified number of minutes), it stands to reason that a player cannot take an inordinate amount of time to make a decision. The WPT introduced the 60-second clock. While I applaud the creativity, I am not a fan of the methodology. A more equitable solution such as a "chess clock" would allocate an equal, aggregate amount of time to all participants. That's fair, but unwieldy.

The system that has existed since day one of tournament poker is the best one. If any player at the table believes an opponent is deliberately stalling or taking unwarranted time to make a decision, that player has the right to "ask for the one-minute clock." Warnings and penalties, while bringing in subjectivity, have worked fairly well, especially when the tournament director is experienced, impartial, and action-oriented.

Doyle Brunson

In an effort to preserve the history of the game and recognize poker's best, the WPT introduced the "World Poker Tour Poker Walk of Fame" during a ceremony on the doorstep of Commerce Casino. The first inductees were Doyle Brunson, James Garner, and Gus Hansen, who cast their hands in concrete around a large depiction of a poker chip. Future honorees will be men and women who play or played the game at its highest level, contribute or contributed to its evolution and popularity, celebrate or celebrated poker in film, television, and literature, or who make or made the game appealing for new generations of poker fans.

March Mania

Would the gaming portion of the Horseshoe casino reopen on April 1, or at least in time to host the World Series of Poker (WSOP)? Mismanagement by the former owner was blamed for the 80-day shutdown imposed by U.S. marshals and the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The poker world was deprived of an April Fools' Day joke when things went smoothly. Approximately 900 employees returned to work and the cards went airborne – with Harrah's logo on the tables. The scene was set for what was to become the biggest WSOP slate in history.

Martin de Knijff

The eighth-annual Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament, now part of the WPT schedule, attracted 243 players (the event is limited and sells out quickly). This competition is unique in several ways, including the $5,000 bounties provided to those who eliminate designated star participants, a factor that influences players' strategies. Phil Gordon, a tall man who has a lofty tournament batting average, built a dominating chip lead on day two and left town with the trophy a day later. Reigning World Champion Chris Moneymaker played well to finish second in what many referred to as the "legitimizing" of the likeable professional. The glamorous Mimi Rogers became the first movie star to cash on the WPT when she finished 27th.

No April or May Showers for Us

On April 23, Stockholm's Martin de Knijff, 32, pocketed more than $2.7 million when he wore down 342 opponents in the championship event of the second-annual Five-Star World Poker Classic. The season two WPT climax was held at Bellagio, required a $25,000 buy-in, and distributed a cool $8,342,000 to the top 50 participants. Martin's record for earnings achieved in a single event would last only five weeks.

Greg "Fossilman" Raymer

The WSOP then took center stage, spanned 37 days, and set numerous attendance and prize pool records. Buoyed by a plethora of Internet poker site qualifiers, the championship event attracted 2,576 players, a group so large that half the field was pushed back to begin their play on the second day of the tournament while first-day survivors took the second day off. A $5 million first-place prize was established and captured by an amiable attorney, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer.

Interest in poker is so fervent that ESPN decided to film and broadcast many (I'm thinking 12) of the 32 preliminary events in which stars such as Scott Fischman were born. The former poker dealer, now 24, won two bracelets within three days. One of my favorite players, the alluring Cyndy Violette, bested 223 players to win her first WSOP tournament. After dueling for almost four hours with Pete Kaufman, the Atlantic City professional claimed the last pot, hugged her opponent, and exclaimed, "I did it, I finally did it."

The ladies of poker were held at bay in open WSOP events in 2003, but came back from that drought with five bracelets in 2004 and almost assuredly will never be blanked again. Poker is truly an equal opportunity occupation. It is an international game that has permanently escaped the image of smoke-filled backrooms of local bars.

Establishing the best of the best also became a closely followed game within a game in 2004. ESPN, in conjunction with Toyota, awarded points for paid places in an effort to determine the best overall player at the WSOP. Daniel Negreanu captured the honor and picked up his third bracelet along the way. In 2005 the WSOP venue will be shifted to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino (excepting the last two days of the main event, which will remain in Downtown Las Vegas for tradition reasons).

June Jousting on Land and by Sea

Poker players and significant other swashbucklers, 303 strong, headed to Alaska on Holland America Line's ms Oosterdam. The Card Player Cruises' guests, hosted by Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher, enjoyed excursions, great meals, and plenty of action at the poker tables. The tournaments, directed by seasoned veteran Jody Ivener, attracted 338 players and offered an aggregate treasure pool of $55,500. There will be five cruises in 2005. Additional information is available on www.cardplayercruises.com.

Ben Affleck at the 2004 WSOP

After the ms Oosterdam docked in Seattle, many headed for Commerce Casino in California. If any had their eye on the California State Poker Championship trophy, they only viewed it, because 31-year-old professional poker player Ben Affleck took the hardware home, along with $356,400 and a seat in the 2005 WPT Championship. I believe Ben does some acting, writing, and romancing on the side.

July Fireworks – No Stone Left Unturned

FoxSportsNet, having a keen eye for a long-term positive trend, stepped up to the task of broadcasting a poker tournament nationwide in prime time and real time, a first in the United States. Actually, the signal was delayed by approximately five minutes for security purposes. The crew traveled to Verona, New York, and built an extravagant set (including a soundproof commentator booth) at the Oneida Indian Nation-owned Turning Stone Casino Resort. After ensuring player, spectator, and personnel security measures that would rival those taken at the Tel Aviv International Airport, the combatants began pushing checks in a contest that lasted almost four hours. New Jersey native Phil Ivey, now 27, survived a very tough field, took home his first championship trophy, and signed the winner's check for $500,000. We also witnessed some great play from second-place finisher John "J-Dags" D'Agostino, one of the seemingly endless stream of strong young players in poker.

Aside from providing a great show, the FSN telecast was educational to those who have watched WPT events and decided to emulate the stars of tournament poker. Many spectators don't fully incorporate the fact that the hands shown are selected for excitement and a small percentage of played hands are shown. FSN showed every hand, thus viewers saw how many hands were uncontested (one raise and all fold).

The World Poker Tour stopped in July at the Aviation Club de France. In a hotly contested battle, the calm and collected Surinder Sunar outlasted the contumelious Tony Guoga to win the Grand Prix de Paris title and €679,860 (as I type, that amount converts to $919,170).

The Mirage Hotel and Casino opened its doors to the WPT for the Mirage Poker Showdown. A field of 281 entered the main event. As July turned to August, Eli Elezra nudged out Lee Watkinson and actor/poker commentator Gabe Kaplan to become yet another poker millionaire.

In memoriam: On the fourth of July, we lost my friend and a man widely acclaimed as the best writer in poker, Andy Glazer. In November, top tournament pro Ken "Skyhawk" Flaton succumbed to a fatal heart attack. A month later, high-stakes player Barbara Gold left us. Card Player mourns these and all losses to our poker family in 2004.

August Smolders on the Left Coast

For 15 years Larry Grossman has led the pack with his terrific You Can Bet On It! radio show. The weekday afternoon production is broadcast on Las Vegas radio (1460 AM) and streams live over the Internet. In 2004 Larry enhanced his "pigskin prognosticators and more" format with a weekly poker segment (a first in radiobroadcasting). His guests included Doyle Brunson, Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson, Annie Duke, Erik Seidel, and other greats of poker. Larry's show is a must hear. It is archived on CardPlayer.com.

James Van Alstyne

After capturing the sparsely attended World Poker Players Association championship event at the Orleans Hotel and Casino, James Van Alstyne drove downtown to the Plaza Hotel and Casino. He deftly handled his competition to chalk up the inaugural Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge. The action was telecast in one-hour segments for 26 weeks as a nationally syndicated series. With many new players getting exposure, Chad Brown (assisted by guest hosts) doing a fine job of commentating, and Matt Savage professionally directing the action, this production made for good viewing.

The Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, California, gave us Legends of Poker, a series of tournaments that began in late July and concluded in September. Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson, 71, put the heat on his 666 opponents to collect the cash. Management at the Bike was thrilled that a true living legend walked away with the trophy, $1,198,290, and a seat in the WPT grand finale that will be played at Bellagio in April 2005. In this $5,000 event, Brunson trailed by a 3-to-1 count when play became heads up, but chipped away, took command, and coasted home. The final table moved right along – four players were eliminated in the first half-hour of play. Fortunately, heads-up play was relatively protracted (90 minutes). What would the Travel Channel do if a chip leader went all in on the first hand of play at a final table, was called by his five opponents, and won the hand? Take it away, Shana!

Fall Fury on the Felt

Carlos Mortensen

Professional poker players are piling up frequent flyer mileage these days. Many flew from California to Atlantic City, where they began playing at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. For the second straight year, the luxury resort hosted a WPT-sponsored tournament. Players chose from 11 restaurants and rejuvenated their bodies in a 50,000-square-foot spa facility. Daniel Negreanu continued his intensive assault on the record books, turning away 301 opponents en route to a $1,117,400 payday. David Williams, the runner-up in the championship event at the WSOP, also placed second in this tournament. Don't feel too sorry for the young Texan. David accumulated more than $4 million in prize money for the year and has a great future in poker.

In yet another of the WPT's interesting innovations, the public was invited to enjoy a WPT viewing party, where attendees received strategy suggestions, won prizes, and socialized with fellow poker aficionados. There was no cost to attend and the first 1,000 guests received a commemorative WPT poker chip.

Finally, the players could avoid jet lag if they chose to, since the United States Poker Championship took place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Note to Mr. Trump: Any winner of this event has the stuff to become your apprentice; of course, he might not take the pay cut. ESPN positioned its cameras and 187 entrants vied for the title that New Jersey's John Aglialoro garnered, defeating the youthful Joe Cassidy.

Tobey Maguire

Tobey Maguire, 28, spun a web over his 122 opponents to snag his first major win at Hollywood Park Casino's Phil Hellmuth Poker Invitational, a $2,000 buy-in event that netted the actor/poker player $95,480.

Bellagio hosted the Doyle Brunson North American No-Limit Hold'em Poker Championship. This WPT contest concluded the third Festa al Lago, a series of 11 events, and honored the renowned Brunson. Carlos Mortensen defeated a tough field. How tough? David Pham, John Juanda, and Erik Seidel were three of his five final-table opponents. The native Ecuadorian built a solid lead, lost it, regained it, poured on the pressure, and prevailed in the six-hour battle.

In the "what's next for poker" category, People magazine selected the 50 sexiest men alive and decided to tap one of poker's finest, Gus Hansen. Ben Affleck and rounder Matt Damon also made the list. If you're struggling with Gus' selection, how do you feel about Donald Trump making the list?

November News

Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott was featured in Card Player Europe, which debuted as a monthly magazine in September 2004.

Matt Savage, who has quickly climbed the ranks to become a high-profile tournament director, invited poker professionals and celebrities to participate in the Monte Carlo Millions. Jani Sointula defeated Juha Helppi to win $400,000. Phil Ivey placed third. The $14,000 buy-in event was limited to 80 players (27 had won WSOP events) and garnered international broadcast rights.

It was a big week for Savage, who exchanged wedding vows with his beautiful bride, Maryann, while in Monaco. Actually, it was a big month for Matt, who was appointed tournament director for a new television show to be aired beginning in January 2005 on GSN (formerly the Game Show Network). The Poker Royale Battle of the Sexes was taped in December at the Plaza and will air as a six-episode series.

Annie Duke

Annie Duke might be the busiest player in poker. She's raising a family (four children), plays high-stakes cash games, intersperses numerous media engagements, and leads all women in poker tournament earnings. In early November, NBC decided Annie's real-life adventures would make a cool sitcom, especially with Lisa Kudrow playing the lead (Kudrow is also a well-educated business entrepreneur who is raising a family). Look for this show and ESPN's Tilt to start a run of televised shows feasting on the popularity of poker.

On the heels of the WPT's formation of the Professional Poker Tour (for an explanation of the PPT, see Mike Sexton's column in Volume 17, No. 25), the innovative management team came up with WPT Boot Camp. This intensive two-day program will be offered in select cities throughout the United States and will offer an integrated curriculum that will include live lectures, archived tournament footage, and situational strategy. Information and registration forms are available at www.wptbootcamp.com.

These intensive learning programs appear to be another popular poker trend. Howard Lederer ran a fantasy camp in 2004, and will run another in early 2005.

Closing With a Furious Flourish

Phil Ivey

Bellagio hosted the Five-Diamond Poker Classic in December. Daniel Negreanu scooped up pot after pot on day four of the championship event. He took a commanding lead into the final day of this $15,300 WPT event that attracted 376 entrants. The 30-year-old Canadian used his chip lead to win going away. Negreanu became the all-time leading money winner on the WPT (with $3.7 million), took down $1,795,000 for the Five-Diamond victory, and catapulted past John Juanda and David Pham to garner Card Player's prestigious tournament Player of the Year (POY) title.

Marcel Luske

Overseas, a 20-person panel named Marcel Luske player of the year at the European Poker Awards in Helsinki, Finland. The "Flying Dutchman" made six final tables in Europe, had an excellent WSOP, and cemented his position with a triumph in Barcelona. Finland's Jani Sointula captured rookie of the year, and Dave "Devilfish" Ulliot was honored for lifetime achievement. Hmm, academy award-type ceremonies for poker? What's next, a trip to the White House for the winner of the WSOP main event?

We concluded a fabulous, unprecedented year, and I believe we have great things to look forward to in 2005:

•The interest in poker and its improved image will combine to attract corporate sponsors

•New televised poker shows will spring up; some on major networks

•Harrah's and ESPN will launch the World Series of Poker Circuit, a series of tourneys at Harrah's casinos across the country, concluding with the Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas

•The snowballing popularity of poker will help to protect us from anti-gaming, politically driven demagogues

•More poker learning tools and seminars will become available

•Publications and news media will enhance coverage of the game that has captured the nation's fancy

•Charities will continue to profit from poker

I began by referencing categories that continue to break records. The numbers that were posted in 2004 will almost certainly fall in 2005. We have mo (momentum) and mojo (an ancient, powerful force) on our side. Fortunately, neither shows signs of lessening its grip.

May your new year be filled with prosperity and picture cards!