Q: Describe your feelings about your experience at this year's World Series of Poker.
Karina: Due to the increased popularity of poker, I had many opportunities this year to try my hand at a wide range of poker-related media activities. I hosted European TV shows and explored the expanding market of the World Wide Web. These were very enjoyable pursuits, but did not afford me my usual amount of time to play World Series events. But, you can't have your cake and eat it, too. The highlight of my WSOP was playing in the main event for the first time. I believe I did well, outlasting more than 2,000 people (due to a day three start), and I am looking forward to improving my finish next year.
Chip: I think the event went amazingly well, considering the huge numbers of participants that the staff had to accommodate. I originally thought Johnny Grooms was cutting his own throat by accepting the position of tournament director. I thought it would be an impossible task to get anything that big and with so many unforeseen variables to run smoothly. But with the help of a carefully chosen support staff, Grooms amazed everyone and put on a six-week how-to course for running big-time poker tournaments. Great job, Mr. Grooms! And on a personal note, I had my first-ever winning World Series, and got to see some first-rate poker played by some of my friends. On two separate occasions, Layne Flack narrowly missed needing two hands to count the number of bracelets in his collection. If his final-table luck ever breaks even, he might get a nickname like "Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back" Flack. My predictions about the strong group of players from North Carolina held up, as Dennis Either won a bracelet and Mike Gracz followed up his World Poker Tour victory with a WSOP win. Honorable mention goes to Chris Bell, who set the record for number of events entered without a cash.
Q: Congratulations on your strong finishes in London. Describe the experience of being the first husband and wife duo to reach a final table together in a big buy-in ($10,000) event.
Karina: This trip was certainly an eye-opening experience for me. I got a chance to walk in Chip's shoes for once and see what it feels like to have a chip lead and then have it slip away. I also got to see firsthand the ultra-aggressive no-limit hold'em styles of some of the top European players. They play a wide-open brand of poker, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to send a few top names to the rail on my way to my eighth-place finish. The only downside was that our hotel was in middle of the garment district, and I missed out on some fantastic shopping because I lasted so long in the tournament.
Chip: The London Open was a terrific event from start to finish. The organizers and sponsors did everything in their power to make the players feel at home, and Matt Savage and his staff did an excellent job (as usual) of running a first-class tournament. Based on players' reactions, I expect this event to be huge next year. So, sign up early. Don't get shut out! Regarding Karina and I both making the final table, this was really a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and while we were disappointed not to win, we are trying to see the bright side of it and be happy with our performance.
