SpadeClub Winner: Ken 'Handbone' MeyerTalks About His World Series Main-Event-Seat Win, His Beginnings in Poker, and How He's a Retired Pirate |
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SpadeClub member Ken “Handbone” Meyer, one of the two winners of SpadeClub’s first World Series $40K Giveaway and recipient of a $12,000 World Series prize package, looks forward to playing this summer. Handbone, as he prefers to be called, started playing freeroll poker tournaments a little over a year ago and has since built up his bankroll and won a seat to the world’s most prestigious poker event. Card Player recently caught up with Handbone to discuss his upcoming trip to Las Vegas to compete in the World Series main event and how his love and excitement for the game could not be contained.
Card Player: First off, can you tell us a little about yourself?
Ken “Handbone” Meyer: Sure, I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. I was on a Junior High football team called the Pirates; this is when my self-image began to form, as I soon became very rebellious and kind of saw myself as a pirate. When I was 24, I decided to break from my pirate ways, rejoin the civilized world, and become a productive citizen. I’ve been determined and worked very hard at making all the right choices ever since. And, after 10 years, I am now happily married to a wonderful woman who believes in me, and we own our own home.
CP: How did you hear about SpadeClub?
KM: I first heard about SpadeClub after thumbing through an issue of Card Player magazine. Issues are made available for free at my hometown casinos, Desert Diamond and Casino Del Sol. I would pick up the latest issue every time I went there, and I’ve played just about every poker site listed in that magazine. I immediately realized that SpadeClub was poised to become one of the best freeroll sites out there with really decent prizes up for grabs. I just had to be one of the first 1K people to join the Club. That was February 29, 2008, a leap year.
CP: Do you have a story behind your screen name?
KM: Poker is a game of taking everything from somebody else and eliminating them, which brings me back to my retired pirate self. I wanted a name that sounded tough, but also is a slight play on words to denote the game. Thus, to have the best “Hand,” and “Bone” is slang for money. But I also like it because when it’s time to start breaking bones, that’s the first thing you’re going to see coming at you — hand bones. I’m registered as Handbone, Handbone105, or Handbone0105 on almost 20 different poker sites with the same avatar.
CP: How long have you been playing poker, and what was your first experience like?
KM: I’ve played cards since I was a kid. Later, I learned how to play spades, then hearts, then pinnochle. I always thought pinnochle was an old lady’s game, but it sure is a vicious game if have the right partner. I spent the better part of five years being a hardcore pinnochle player and played every single day all day long, sometimes. I tried to quit one time and went through card withdrawals. I had always been intimidated about playing poker at the casinos, thinking it was just a high-rollers game. One day in the White Mountains, I peeked my head far enough into the poker room to realize they were only playing with $1 chips. It was on after that. A little over a year ago, I decided to give no-limit hold’em a try online. My first cash came shortly after on DoylesRoom. May 11, 2007, I outlasted more than 7,000 people in a freeroll to win $2. It seemed silly to everyone else, but I knew right then and there that the ability to do that was worth a lot more than $2.
CP: Do you consider yourself a recreational, amateur, or professional poker player?
KM: Since my first $2 cash, I’ve considered myself a pro-in-training, and I’ve been telling people that I would make it into the next WSOP. I’m not sure how much you have to win to be respected and called a pro by the professionals of the industry, but I won’t really consider myself a pro until I can say poker paid for my house, and I don’t have to work anymore. Since May 11, 2007, I have logged total combined winnings of cash and seats at just over $19K. I currently have a $4K bankroll and a $10K ticket to the WSOP main event, not a bad way to start my second year of training, I think.
CP: Do you think SpadeClub is a good learning ground for people who are looking to start playing?
KM: In a word — definitely. SpadeClub has a lot better quality of players than the other freeroll sites I’ve played, which makes the quality of play better, and they have much better prizes up for grabs, as well. It’s hard to play the other free sites, because you have way too many donkeys in there. I played like a donkey a couple times on SpadeClub, and it made people very mad at me. I was just bored, and I started screwing around and making bad calls to see if I could hit, but it would cause 5-10 minute arguments about how bad of a player I was. I thought it was funny that they would get so mad on a free game. I have more respect for these players now, though, and understand that they take it very seriously. After all, we are all playing for the same reason — to get to the WSOP.
CP: What is your favorite part of the SpadeClub community?
KM: I think my favorite part is how they really act like a caring community to each other; they talk to each other and have this whole support-group thing going. I think that’s great for a starting player to have a forum like that. I haven’t really spent enough time to form friendships with anybody, though.
CP: What do you think of the format for the tournaments on SpadeClub?
KM: I think it is pretty decent format. There is a tournament starting every 15 minutes, depending on what your objective is, like earning points, daily cash, or multi-level qualifiers for the bigger cash.
CP: Does your playing style differ when playing for points versus tokens or cash tournaments on SpadeClub?
KM: Yeah, it does. If I’m just playing for points, it doesn’t really matter to me where I bust out at, as long as I’m accumulating points. But for tokens or cash prizes, I tighten up and play to win.
CP: What advice can you give other SpadeClub members looking to go deep in these tournaments?
KM: Play smart, play well, and tighten up after the first couple of hours. Reduce the amount of times that you challenge a preflop raise. Respect it and you won’t run into aces as often.
CP: Do you have any general advice to share with our readers about succeeding at SpadeClub?
KM: As with anything, repetition is the key and practice makes perfect. I’m living proof of how far you can take it — with nothing at risk.
CP: What is the largest field size and buy-in tournament you’ve played in to date?
KM: The largest field size would be the Sunday $100K guarantee on PokerStars. It frequently maxes out at 22,500 entrants with the prize pool usually topping $200K. I play it almost every Sunday. The largest buy-in would be the Sunday Million or the Sunday Warmup, also on PokerStars. The buy-in varies between $215-$500, but I qualify for usually less than $10, and I’ve cashed up to $600 each time I’ve qualified.
CP: You took down SpadeClub’s largest tournament field so far of 1,312 players to win the $12K main-event prize package. How does that make you feel?
KM: Taking it down is the greatest feeling in the world, no matter how many people are in it. It’s not about how many, really, it’s that I’m one of the first to achieve it. This single win means more than all of my other successes combined, and I’m so glad I did it on SpadeClub!
CP: What is your plan of attack for the main event?
KM: That’s highly classified.
CP: Does the fact that you’re not only playing for yourself but also playing for the whole SpadeClub community put more pressure on you to do well?
KM: The extra pressure only makes me even more determined to achieve something great!
CP: Aside from the potential to win millions of dollars, what do you think is going to be the most exciting thing about playing in the main event?
KM: The most exciting thing will certainly be to sit next to some of the greatest legends of the game. It is my dream to one day be considered on the same level as these top pros.
CP: Do you have any goals for yourself at the World Series?
KM: Since my first win on SpadeClub was the top prize the site ever offered, my goal for the site is the same goal for myself, to make the final table and continue representing the site for the next 10 years and beyond. There are a lot of colorful characters out there, and I want Handbone to become known as SpadeClub’s top pro. That would be my dream job!
Handbone will be accompanying SpadeClub member labotomy at this year’s World Series of Poker. To win your seat with SpadeClub play in the June 29 World Series $40K Giveaway where two more seats will be awarded. For more information and to view all upcoming SpadeClub promotions please visit www.spadeclub.com/promotions.
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