CP The Inside Straightby CP The Inside Straight Authors | Published: May 16, 2006 |
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Mizrachi Grinds His Way to Player of the Year Lead
But Last Year's Race Showed That It's Never Over Until the Very End
BY BOB PAJICH
With the year only a little more than a quarter gone, the Card Player 2006 Player of the Year (POY) race has already turned into a real grind for the players in second place and beyond.
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi experienced a fantastic start and is the early leader of the Player of the Year race with 3,957 points. His points total is only a little more than 600 away from Men "The Master" Nguyen's 2005 total of 4,604, which was good enough to add a fourth Player of the Year award to Nguyen's collection.
Last year, Mizrachi finished fifth in the points race after leaping to the top of the list early in the year with about 2,800 points, but it was a lead that he wasn't able to keep. John Phan led a handful of players who kept the race tight all year, and eventually passed Mizrachi before barely losing the race to Nguyen in December.
Mizrachi won virtually all of his 2006 points during a three-week span that started at the end of January when he finished second in the Gold Strike World Poker Open, winning $566,352 and 1,320 points. He then won the Borgata Winter Poker Open a week and a half later, taking home $1,173,373 and 1,824 points. And then a week after the Borgata event, he took second in the $2,500 buy-in no-limit hold'em event at the L.A. Poker Classic. It was the cherry on top of the sundae in his early-season run, earning him another $124,402 and 810 points.
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| Kenna James |
In that event, Mizrachi finished second to his closest competitor in the POY race, Kenna James, who has 2,692 points. Most of those points came from finishing second in the PartyPoker Million tournament, where he earned $700,000 and 1,600 points. James also finished ninth at the Aussie Millions, winning $62,763 and tacking on another 120 points to his total.
Annand "Victor" Ramdin recently proved how fast the POY race can change. Before the Foxwoods Poker Classic began, Ramdin sat far down the POY standings with 160 points for finishing ninth in the PartyPoker Million. By winning the Foxwoods Poker Classic, he not only won $1,331,889, but vaulted to third in the POY standings with 2,080 points.
Erick Lindgren is fourth in the standings with 2,044 points. He has won $544,276 so far in 2006 by winning an event at the Five-Star World Poker Classic and by finishing third in the Borgata Winter Poker Open.
With 1,938 points, David Daneshgar sits fifth in the standings. He already has exceeded his point total from all of last year, when he earned $109,381. This year, he already has won $341,510. He has earned all of his winnings and points by playing in tourneys with buy-ins of no more than $3,000. In fact, he won most of his money ($198,000) by taking first in a $2,500 event at the Winnin' o' the Green at The Bicycle Casino. He also won the $1,000 event at the Borgata Winter Poker Open.
Three players are knotted in a tie for sixth in the standings: Nam Le, Mike Schneider, and Alan Goehring all have 1,920 points. All of these players earned their points by winning one major event. Goehring won the L.A. Poker Classic and its $2,391,550 top prize, Le won the Bay 101 Shooting Star and $1,198,300, and Schneider won $1 million when he won the PartyPoker Million.
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Jason Stern sits ninth in the standings with 1,866 points. He has won $588,133 with five top-10 finishes, three of which came at the Jack Binion World Series of Poker Tournament Circuit. His biggest score came in the World Poker Challenge $5,000 event, where he finished second for $529,300 and 1,200 points.
Rounding out the top 10 leaders is Scotty Nguyen with 1,746 points, most of which came from winning the Gold Strike World Poker Open and $969,421. He also finished fourth in the $3,000 buy-in event at the World Poker Open, which nudged his tournament winnings for the year over $1 million.
There's a lot of tournament poker to be played in 2006, and only time will tell if Mizrachi can hold on to the lead rom start to finish. But then again, 2005 Player of Year Men Nguyen had only 1,008 points at this time last year.
The only thing he did was cash in more than 20 events, grinding his way to the top, where he stayed. 
2006 Millionaires
The 2006 tournament circuit has been very good to these players thus far:
1. Alan Goehring $2,391,550
2. Michael Mizrachi $1,907,577
3. Annand "Victor" Ramdin $1,431,889
4. Steve Paul-Ambrose $1,388,600
5. Nam Le $1,198,300
6. Daniel Quach $1,164,413
7. Jeff Williams $1,082,070
8. Mike Simon $1,052,890
9. Scotty Nguyen $1,020,720
10. Kenna James $1,005,014
11. Mike Schneider $1,000,000
National Heads-Up Poker Championship on NBC Boiling to the End
With Eight Left, It's Anybody's Game
BY BOB PAJICH
With only eight players left, the last two episodes of NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship should have poker fans everywhere glued to the tube to see who will become the second champion.
Sam Farha, Ted Forrest, Barry Greenstein, Daniel Negreanu, Huck Seed, Chris Ferguson, Jim McManus, and Sean Sheikhan all have their sights set on the championship trophy that Phil Hellmuth took home last year.
If you missed the round of 16, you can still catch these episodes on CNBC through May 26.
Last week, viewers watched as McManus, who famously made the final table of the 2000 World Series of Poker when he was covering the event for Harper's Magazine, made it to the quarterfinals by beating David Chesnoff. He previously defeated Mike Sexton and Josh Lochner to get to this point.
He gets to face Ferguson in the quarterfinals to see who will represent the "Club" bracket in the semifinals. Last year, Ferguson made it all the way to the championship match against Hellmuth. Ferguson had to beat Freddy Deeb, Chip Reese, and Josh Arieh to advance.
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Seed and Greenstein will face each other in the "Spade" quarterfinals. Greenstein had to make it past Cyndy Violette, Tuan Le, and Amir Vahedi. Seed had beaten David Oppenheim, Erick Lindgren, and Scott Fischman.
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Fighting to represent the "Heart" bracket are Negreanu and Sheikhan. Negreanu had to defeat Evelyn Ng, Greg Raymer, and T.J. Cloutier, while Sheikhan beat Doyle Brunson, Gus Hansen, and David Grey.
Farha and Forrest will face each other in the "Diamond" bracket. Forrest beat Erik Seidel, Chad Brown, and Ernie Dureck to get here. Farha beat Rene Angelil, Card Player CEO Barry Shulman, and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi to make the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals will air in a two-hour show at noon EDT on May 14. The semifinals and the championship match will air a week later at 1 p.m. EDT.
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High Stakes Poker:
Season Two
BY RICH BELSKY
The first season of GSN's High Stakes Poker was a roaring success. The show consisted of a rotating cast of poker professionals putting up a minimum of $100,000 of their own money, and then battling each other in $300-$600 no-limit hold'em. Season one players included Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Sam Farha, Barry Greenstein, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Todd Brunson, Jennifer Harman, Daniel Alaei, Antonio Esfandiari, Dr. Jerry Buss, Sean Sheikhan, Dr. Amir Nasseri, Fred Chamanara, and Bob Stupak.
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High Stakes Poker provided viewers with a completely different kind of televised poker. Not only did the players showcase their amazing poker abilities, but viewers were given a glimpse of life and customs inside the elite world of high-stakes cash-game players. Players were miked up so that every conversation that occurred at the table was audible to viewers. Concepts such as "running it twice" and "going south" were not just discussed, but seen in action. We were even treated to a 16-bleeper by Phil Hellmuth after he lost a hand to Daniel Negreanu. High Stakes Poker provided the kind of intimate access to this game that has previously been available to only those who have sat in the "big game."
And now, it's back.
The new season of High Stakes Poker began filming at the Palms Casino in April. This season features many returning veterans, as well as newcomers Mike Matusow, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, and several others.
Check out the lineup as the first group took their seats:
Seat No. 1: Daniel Negreanu
Seat No. 2: Michael Mizrachi
Seat No. 3: Fred Chamanara
Seat No. 4: Mike Matusow
Seat No. 5: Phil Laak
Seat No. 6: Antonio Esfandiari
Seat No. 7: Daniel Alaei
Seat No. 8: Sam Farha
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Mike "The Mouth" Matusow was in usual form, reminding the table frequently about how badly they all played. "I'd love to find myself locked in a cash game with a bunch of tournament donkeys … Oh, wait, I am!" Mike yelled after raking in a pot. The players took it all in stride, as ragging on each other is just part of the High Stakes culture. GSN Vice President of Programming Kevin Belinkoff stated, "This is by far the best poker on television. It's the greatest collection of poker players you'll ever see at one table. You'll never see Roger Clemens pitch to Willie Mays, but here you can see Daniel Negreanu push Doyle Brunson all in. It is certainly a sight to behold."
While gunning for the millions on the table, players are treated to a first-class buffet and a fully stocked open bar, both of which are part of the set. There are plush couches and chairs from which invited guests can watch their favorite players, and guests are even permitted to crowd the table when a big pot occurs. It is an amazingly intimate setting, and it makes the show truly unique.
Be sure not to miss the second season, which premieres on Monday, June 5 on GSN.
Venetian Unveils New Poker Room
BY LISA WHEELER
On Sunday, April 2, the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino unveiled its spacious and luxurious poker room. If the goal was to introduce players and fans to "the new face of poker," it succeeded on every level. At nearly 11,000 square feet, this elegant poker room is the largest on the Strip, and is exquisitely decorated with rich leather, cherry wood, and custom cabinetry. It contains dozens of plasma TV monitors with state-of-the-art technology in a smoke-free environment.
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The Venetian initially compiled a list of 120 guests with an initial budget of $250,000. By opening day, the guest list had swelled to nearly 300 and the entertainment expenses topped $400,000. The Venetian spared no expense in hosting the swankiest of Las Vegas grand openings to ensure that its poker room was the place to be and be seen.
VIPs ranged from hotel executives David Patent (vice president of Harrah's) and Robert Daily (World Series of Poker tournament director) to Hollywood actors Shannon Elizabeth and Joe Reitman. More than 100 local and celebrity poker professionals were also members of the elite roster, including Johnny Chan, Annie Duke, and Doyle Brunson, but word quickly spread and unexpected notables arrived.
The night would include a welcoming reception at TAO nightclub, followed by The Venetian Poker Grand Opening Face-Off, a kickoff poker tournament directed by Tim Mix. Professional poker players, celebrities, and VIPs would compete for the Lotus sports car grand prize.
The reception at TAO nightclub included tournament registration, a welcoming committee, and gift bags containing several trinkets, including a liter of BORU Vodka, Zino Platinum Grand Master cigars, Venetian-brand playing cards, tickets for two for Blue Man Group, hats, lavender salts, cream from L'Occitane, and a gift certificate for dinner at Valentino, the resort's Italian restaurant.
Eighty VIPs were also treated to formal digs in the new Venezia Tower. The 12-story addition includes 1,013 suites and is Las Vegas' only concierge-level "hotel within the hotel," boasting a new sense of refinement adjacent to world-class gaming and entertainment. "The rooms are so pimped out," said Phil Laak, "and I have a piano in my room that plays all by itself."
Players and VIPs danced, sipped cocktails, and rubbed elbows upstairs at TAO while waiting for the highly anticipated poker room unveiling. Layne Flack arrived feigning exhaustion. "I walked here," said Flack.
Martin de Knijff asked curiously, "Why?"
Flack responded, "Because you can't drive two cars home."
Guests were ushered from the nightclub downstairs to the rear exit of the poker room, where they were instructed to take their seats. The staff was suddenly slammed with famous guests who also wished to participate in the poker tournament. The initial roster soon swelled to nearly 300 people, but the accommodating Venetian poker room personnel were determined to ensure an everyone-included event and rushed to assign additional tournament seating. All at once, they were saddled with a 30-table tournament and hundreds of eager guests.
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| Lotus |
Robin Leach hosted the unveiling while cocktail waitresses distributed flutes of champagne to everyone in the crowd gathering outside the rails. "Raise your glasses and cheer the new Venetian poker room," toasted Leach. "You've got to love the way they do grand openings in this town." Several hundred spectators lifted their glasses to share in the celebration. The curtains parted and the crowd applauded as the poker room with several hundred seated tournament participants was revealed. Poker Room Director Kathy Raymond welcomed everyone, then turned the room over to her competent staff, which immediately kicked off the event.
Notable players included Jennifer Tilly, "The Professor's" wife Suzie Lederer, Mike Boston, Warren Karp, Barry Shulman, Jack McClelland, Carlos Mortensen, Todd and Angela Brunson, Patrik Antonius, Liz Lieu, Chip Reese, Chip and Karina Jett, Jennifer Harman and Marco Traniello, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Elezra, Sam Farha, Gavin Smith, and Thomas Keller. The room contained a "who's who" of famous poker players, Hollywood celebrities, and casino executives.
As the tournament tables broke, live games were opened and it seemed that no one wanted to go home. At 2 a.m., the room was still packed with live games.
By 4 a.m., the tournament was down to the final table, and Beatrice Stranzinger soon found herself down to her last four chips. Stranzinger is a local high-limit hold'em professional who usually plays the $80-$160 limits. "I've had my eye on her lately," said Tournament Director Tim Mix, "and she's been cleaning up around town."
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| Beatrice Stranzinger and Carlos Mortensen heads up for the Lotus (pictured left) |
Stranzinger used her four chips to come back and eventually eliminate two players in a single hand. In the end, she went heads up against Carlos Mortensen, who had a 2-1 chip lead.
Shortly after 5 a.m., the young, blonde Stranzinger succeeded in taking down the World Series of Poker champion and posed for cameras while holding the winning hand of J-6 suited. She was awarded the key to a 2006 mustard-colored Lotus and retired to her complimentary suite for a much needed rest.
The following morning, the room was alive with seven limit and no-limit hold'em tables in action, and the first official daily tournament with more than 30 participants.
The Venetian poker room houses 32 tables and features a wide array of games, including Texas hold'em (both limit and no-limit), stud, and Omaha. Game limits run the gamut from $4-$8 to $4,000-$8,000. There is a high-limit area with seven tables, and a VIP lounge located inside the sportsbook. Additionally, two relaxation sections equipped with butler service and food service are accessible to players.
Stand Back and Make Way for the Professionals
The Professional Poker Tour Picks Up Right Where the WPT Left Off
BY BOB PAJICH
The Professional Poker Tour (PPT) has finally found its time slot. The new show that features only the proven best tournament poker players will premiere on Wednesday, July 5, at 9 p.m. local time on the Travel Channel. The series starts a week after the finale of the fourth season of the World Poker Tour airs, which ensures that the Travel Channel will air 44 straight weeks of poker. The PPT will air for 24 weeks.
The PPT, which was created and produced by WPT Enterprises, is an invitation-only series. Players need to carry a PPT card in order to play in the events. The player's card is similar in concept to the card that professional golfers need to earn to play in PGA Tour events.
Players who are lucky enough to have earned PPT cards play in freerolls in which the winner receives $200,000. Different criteria were weighed when the 250 PPT cards were awarded. One-, two-, and three-year cards were given to players.
Three-year cards went to all WPT champions, anyone who made more than one final table on the WPT, players who finished first, second, or third in the $25,000 WPT Championship event, the top 10 players on the WPT Player of the Year list, all winners of the World Series of Poker championship event, the top three finishers in the 2003 or 2004 WSOP championship event, the top 10 players in the Card Player 2002 and 2003 Player of the Year standings, the top 10 players in Phil Hellmuth's Champion of the Year standings for 2002 and 2003, members of the Poker Hall of Fame, and members of the WPT Poker Walk of Fame.
Two-year cards went to players who finished fourth, fifth, or sixth in the WPT Championship event or the WSOP championship event in 2003 and 2004. One-year cards went to players selected by the advisory committee, the top 10 players in the European player standings, and the WPT commentators.
In addition, eight cards go to the host casino and 10 are awarded by WPT Enterprises.
Each tournament will have a prize pool of $500,000, provided by the PPT producers, and only the top six players will get paid.
Other changes to make the tournament more exciting for viewers have been enacted. Instead of showing only the final table, the entire tournament will be shown from start to finish. Every time there's an all in, cameras will be rushed over to the table to catch the moment.
At the final table, players will have to think and act fast, thanks to a 90-second time limit for each decision. A player may go to a "time bank" once during the final table. Five PPT events have already been played at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Commerce Casino, Bay 101, Bellagio, and The Mirage. The show is hosted by two-time 2005 WSOP bracelet winner Mark Seif and actor/poker enthusiast Matt Corboy.
The show has taken a bumpy path to the television screen. While shopping for a broadcast deal, WPT Enterprises filed suit against the Travel Channel in September, claiming that the Travel Channel had interfered with WPT Enterprises' right to negotiate an agreement with another broadcaster.
It took until the end of January for the Travel Channel and WPT Enterprises to resolve their differences and come to an agreement.
Poker Dominates Cellphones
Poker Game Titles Top Best-Seller Lists
BY BOB PAJICH
There are hundreds of games people can download into their cellphones to play, but there's one type of game that's dominating the cell market: poker.
According to Telephia's Deck Monitoring Report, which measures how well mobile games are doing, more than 20 percent of the top deck slots across the major carriers are occupied by poker game titles.
In February and March, the top four carriers in the United States – Cingular, Verizon, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile – each had at least two different poker titles on their top 15 best-seller lists, and three out of the four carriers had at least one poker title in their "featured" deck.
Card and casino games represent 17 percent of the total revenue share for mobile games, with an average price paid of $3.85 per game in January. Puzzle and strategy games performed best in January, generating 29 percent of the revenues for mobile games.
Telephia is a company that keeps track of trends and statistics for the mobile phone industry. The Deck Monitoring Report keeps track of what games cellphone users are buying and playing.
Poker Superstars Invitational Rolls On
Top names will duel it out for 11 more weeks on FSN
BY BOB PAJICH
The magician is being a wizard, Card Player's head honcho a thief, and the commentator a savant as the Poker Superstars Invitational 3 (PSIT 3) continues.
The show, which airs on FSN on Sundays at 8 p.m. local time, isn't even a quarter of the way through its 34-week season. After nine first-round matches, Daniel Negreanu, Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari, Card Player Media COO Jeff Shulman, and Todd Brunson appear to be picks to make it to the "Super 16" round.
Esfandiari just about punched his ticket to the second round after earning 17 points by capturing a first and a second in his first two matches. Shulman did the same by earning two firsts and a third in his first three matches of the first round, which gives him 25 points with two more first-round matches to go. Brunson is moving as steady as a train through his first few first-round matches, already earning a first and a third.
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| Daniel Negreanu | Antonio Esfandiari | Jeff Shulman | Todd Brunson |
On the other end of the spectrum, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow is looking not only for his first victory as he goes into his third match of the first round this Sunday, but also his first points. He sits at the bottom of the leader board with zero points after being the first person eliminated from each of his first two matches.
After starting strong, Mike Sexton's going to have to finish strong in his last two round-one matches. He leaped to the top of the leader board by winning his first match, but could add only one more point to his total after playing in two more events, thanks to fifth- and sixth-place finishes.
The next 11 weeks will show the public just how the first four days of the PSIT 3 panned out, and who made it to the second round of 16 players. The 16 players who earned the most points in the first round advance to the second round. Players received points according to the place they finished in all five of their first-round matches: 10 points for first, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, one for fifth, and zero for being the first one knocked out. The winner of each of these matches also received $10,000.
CardPlayer.com is keeping track of and tallying all of the PSIT 3 action at www.CardPlayer.com/pokersuperstars/. The page can be found under the "Tournaments" tab on the front page of the website. Each week after the show is aired, the leader board is updated and a summary is posted at www.CardPlayer.com.
Tips From 'The Circuit'
Loose-aggressive table image in tournaments
CardPlayer.com's hit radio show The Circuit brings you updates, interviews, and strategy from the biggest names in poker.
The Circuit broadcasts from all World Poker Tour events.
The following is a discussion between co-hosts Gavin Smith and Joe Sebok, and guest Mark Seif on the advantages of a loose-aggressive table image in tournaments, as broadcast on The Circuit from the World Poker Classic.
Mark Seif: My game is pretty wild, but I think it's perceived as a little wilder and more maniacal than it really is.
Gavin Smith: Likewise.
MS: I think that table image has helped me a lot throughout my career, and it helps Gavin, too.
GS: You're playing a lot of pots, and you're going to be involved in a lot, and you're going to be mixing it up. But the bottom line is, when all the money's in the middle, you're going to have a hand.
MS: Right.
GS: When it gets to be a big pot, you're not in there with nothing. You've got a hand at that point.
Scott Huff: What other advantages does that style of play afford you in reference to tournament poker?
MS: We pick up a ton of orphan pots.
Joe Sebok: There's so much dead money, so much dead money.
GS: I think probably the most valuable thing about our style is that people just don't pick on your blinds as much as they do on other people's blinds. They're going to leave them alone if they know you're going to defend.
JS: They know you're coming after them.
GS: They're looking down at a queen-ten, which is supposed to be an automatic raise for guys on the button when everyone folds to them. And they're like, "Well, I've only got queen-ten and I know Mark's gonna call me. I don't wanna get mixed up and lose a whole bunch of chips on a queen-ten here. I'm just going to let 'em go."
JS: You know Mark's fighting back with anything. And people also don't defend their blinds as much, because they know Gavin's coming. They know he's firing another barrel. They don't know where they stand. They don't have a clue. So, unless they connect, they have to let it go. You really put people in a position where they have to have a hand to play against you. And as soon as you know they have to have a hand, you can let go of your hand as soon as they come back and try to get aggressive with you. So, it really makes it difficult to play against.
Tune in to The Circuit and put it to work for your game.
Adam from the UK has … sort of:
Scott,
Although you have received much praise for your show, I feel it necessary to write to you with a small criticism. Specifically, I am referring to the show for the World Poker Challenge with your guest Mark Seif and your co-hosts Joe(y) Sebok and Gavin Smith.
I work in a quiet office as a computer programmer and need to look like I am working my arse off to hit the usual stupid deadlines, when in reality, I am listening to your show. I would like to know how you expect me to achieve this when you leave me crying into my keyboard with laughter. Please have some sympathy for those of us listening in on the sly.
Many thanks.
World Poker Tour PSP Game in Stores
Game Contains New Features, Including Advanced AI System
BY BOB PAJICH
The World Poker Tour PSP (PlayStation Portable) game by 2K Sports is now available. Starring in the game are Erick Lindgren, Evelyn Ng, Lyle Berman, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari and Phil Laak – and a new artificial intelligence system that will adjust to a player's style.
And, of course, PSP players can play each other either online or while in the same room on the PSP. Tournaments can now accommodate 1,000 players. The game doesn't spread just Texas hold'em. It also has Omaha, pineapple, double-flop hold'em, super hold'em, billabong, Tahoe, and Shanghai.
Other game features:
• A completely revamped and innovative artificial intelligence system allows gamers to challenge more than 1,200 different characters, all with their own unique playing styles and behaviors.
• Gamers are able to bump up their career earnings and unlock custom clothes and invitational events found only in the PSP version.
• Players can create more than 4,000 custom variations of poker, and choose to play against computer opponents or take their custom poker game online to battle for poker supremacy.
• With online play connectivity, gamers can connect wirelessly with other PSP systems, or online to compete against players all across the country on both the PSP and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.
• The PSP version of WPT features exclusive tournament and final-table venues that PSP players can host online for both PSP and PS2 players of WPT.
The game is rated "T," for teen.
Caesars Atlantic City and 10-Time World Series Bracelet Winner Johnny Chan Host WSOP Circuit Tournament
BY BRETT DOBIN
Atlantic City has seen a ton of poker action over the past few months with the addition of three WSOP Circuit events. The events took place at the Showboat, Harrah's, and Caesars. The legendary Johnny Chan hosted the Caesars event. Chan was on hand to do a book signing the night before the main event, which drew countless numbers of fans and admirers. He was more than gracious as he signed autographs and posed for pictures with players and fans throughout the tournament.
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The main event coincided with another main event at the World Poker Challenge at the Reno Hilton, but Caesars still managed to attract 99 players for a $960,300 prize pool. Nine spots would be paid, with the winner receiving $345,708. The pros who came to play in the main event included Chip Jett, Nick Schulman, and FullTilt team members Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, John D'Agostino, and Andy Bloch.
Ferguson came to the final table in second chip position, and went on to finish in sixth place. He now holds the record for most final-table appearances at WSOP Circuit events.
Atlantic City cabdriver Chris Reslock won the main event of the Circuit event in December at the Showboat. He also won a ring in a smaller buy-in event at Harrah's, and took second in one of the preliminary events at Caesars. Oddly enough, Reslock was the first one knocked out of the main event when his set of sevens lost to a rivered set of queens. He shook hands with his assailant and said, "That's poker."
After the dust settled, the final table included legendary New York player Mickey Appleman and Herbert Cheng. Cheng made the final table of the Harrah's WSOP Circuit main event, and is hot off of winning the Borgata Ultimate Satellite tournament. He received all-expense-paid buy-ins for the $25,000 World Poker Tour Championship at Bellagio, the $10,000 Foxwoods Poker Classic, the $10,000 World Series of Poker main event, and the $10,000 Borgata Poker Open. Cheng also held the honors of knocking Johnny Chan out of the tournament after his pocket aces held up against Chan's pocket tens late on day two.
The final table lasted 13 hours, and Jeffrey King, from Colchester, Connecticut, emerged victorious. King is a veteran tournament player who began playing in tournaments in 2001. His biggest tournament cash prior to this event was at the 2005 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic. He finished 16th and won $64,000. The final hand came at 3:13 a.m. when King flopped a set of kings and made a full house against runner-up Ralph Porter.
Brett Dobin covers the Atlantic City poker scene. Contact him at [email protected] with news or information on area happenings.
A Sneaky Way to Improve Your Position
Being on the "button" in no-limit hold'em is the best position at the poker table, because you get to act last after the flop, giving you the chance to see what your opponents do first. This enables you to get a "read" on them.
OK, that's common knowledge. What's also common knowledge is that late position is preferred over early position, because once again, you get to see what your opponents do before it's your turn to act.
Of course, being on the button is better than being in plain late position, because the button guarantees that you will be last to act post-flop.
OK, here's what is not common knowledge: Once you understand position and its implications, you can begin "improving" your position and setting yourself up to win more pots.
I like to use a technique called stealing the button, which is leveraging your late position when you're not on the button, thereby getting all the same benefits as if you were on the button.
Being second to last to act isn't nearly as good as being on the button, especially considering that there are usually only three or four players seeing a flop at an eight-man table. So, what you do is make a reasonable preflop raise when you're in late position, forcing the player on the button to fold. Having done this, you'll be last to act after the flop (hence the name "stealing the button").
To "steal the button," follow these five steps:
1. You need a playable hand, one that at least has outs.
2. Force out the player on the button (and possibly the player to his right) with a decent-size raise. If you make a weak raise that doesn't scare anyone, you've failed.
One of the secrets of this process is to always pay attention to the preflop betting patterns of opponents on your left. If you're sitting on the right of "Tight Tim," who sees flops only when he's got pocket pairs, then you can steal the button quite often. On the other hand, if you're on the right of a loose player, you won't be able to steal the button nearly as often.
3. After the flop, your opponents will usually check to you. If someone bets into you, be careful. That's a red flag. Since you made the preflop raise, players will have a tendency to check, and that's what gives you the power to either bet and try to steal the pot right there, or, get a free turn card by also checking.
4. Don't get pot-committed. Don't get stubborn and bet any amount, hoping to bluff out someone with a real hand. Remember, you need a playable hand to steal the button in the first place.
5. Sometimes you don't need to raise to steal the button. Oftentimes, the blinds will be high enough that you can figure that simply calling the big blind will get you the button (this is especially true when you're to the right of a tight player). Also, someone in front of you might raise the pot enough that all you have to do is call the raise and you'll get the button.
Here are the two types of situations in which you do want to steal the button:
1. You sense weakness and want to steal the pot on a bluff or with a hidden hand (for example, suited connectors).
2. You have a good hand that you want to play post-flop.
Do not steal the button when:
1. You have a poor hand and sense that someone else has a strong hand.
2. You think someone to your left will call a raise no matter what; that defeats the purpose.
Try this tactic out in your next home game and see how it works for you. For more step-by-step poker techniques, check out http://www.freepokernewsletter.com/.
Cory: Lately, I've been running bad, losing to two-outers, and so on. I'm sure you know the drill! I've noticed that it is really hard getting players off marginal hands before the flop, and any kind of drawing hand after the flop. I am playing mostly in lower buy-in tournaments, where a lot of the players aren't very good. Would it be better to save up a bankroll and play more expensive tournaments, where I still may run bad, but will feel more comfortable with the quality of play? Or, should I stick it out where I'm at? I'm getting tired of feeling comfortable only with quads!
Scott: First of all, I don't blame you for being frustrated! I believe that your instincts are correct: You can't get over the hump of "I have to make a flush to win!" until you start playing in the bigger buy-in tournaments. Smaller tournaments can often be card-catching contests; if you want to experience great play, you're going to have to find your way into the more expensive tournaments.
I got lucky, finding financial backers who gave me the chance to play at a higher level before my bankroll would allow it. Assuming you don't have someone willing to invest in you, I'd say "yes" to your question. Spend a couple of weeks saving up for a bigger buy-in tournament, or try to play your way in by using satellites and supersatellites. While you're saving, take some time to "sweat" the big tournament, analyzing the play and identifying as many factors as you can before risking your own money.
John: I read an article about an upcoming tournament in my hometown in Puerto Rico, in which there will be a handicap (as in golf) for all of the invited professionals. It said that the professional players would start the tournament with 25 percent fewer chips than all of the other players. Do you think this is a real handicap, or is it easy to overcome if you are pro? How would the handicap affect your style of play, and more importantly, how can I take advantage?
Scott: I'll start with the first question. Yes, the 25 percent handicap would narrow my options. I'd usually be risking about that amount on speculative hands – drawing hands or flat-out bluffs. Without those options, I would start from a more defensive stance. However, it is no-limit poker, and if I can win a big pot early, I can quickly negate the handicap. In other words, you may start with an edge against the pros, but it won't last long.
As a nonpro, you can use the additional 25 percent to take exactly the type of gambles I'm talking about. Use the margin to play looser, more aggressively, or even to chase a draw or two if it will help to create an even bigger edge.
World Poker Tour to Hit the Big Screen
Movie to Use the WPT as a Set
BY BOB PAJICH
Jerry Maguire got permission from the NFL to make its movie more realistic. Jimmy Fallon rooted for the real Boston Red Sox in the movie Fever Pitch, and Major League has the New York Yankees play the thorn in the side of the hapless Cleveland Indians.
And now, the World Poker Tour will soon take its turn as a literary device in Deal, a movie starring Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, and Bret Harrison. Right after the WPT World Championship at Bellagio ended on April 24, the WPT set was loaded onto a truck and shipped to New Orleans, where Deal is being filmed.
The WPT's Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten, and Courtney Friel will play themselves. The film's conclusion takes place at a fictional WPT Championship event.
Produced by Michael Arata and Louisiana-based Crescent City Pictures, Deal, directed by Gil Cates Jr., tells the story of an ex-gambler, played by Reynolds, who teaches a hotshot college student how to be a great player. Harrison, who stars as the college student and online wiz, is the star of Fox network's comedy The Loop.
Poker Player, Know Thyself
BY TIM PETERS
BEYOND TELLS: POWER POKER PSYCHO
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