Welcome to the gambling ramblings of Pauly... a writer, traveler, and degenerate

 
Sedentary

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA

Earthquakes and the beach. I'll take it over degenerate gamblers and scorpions.

I spent a full week in Los Angeles and returned to a life of normalcy. Sort of. If I do something for two or three days in a row, it's a routine. More than that? Then it becomes normal. A life of normalcy. Back to writing and working on my side projects (such as Coventry and Truckin') while spending random time playing online poker, despite a minor tremor on Tuesday and a trip to Zuma Beach in Malibu on Wednesday.

The ebbs and flows of online poker. It had been a couple of months since I played every day for a week. Over the first two or three days, I really missed online poker, especially the ecstatic thrill of winning a nice sized pot in a cash game. I forgot that exhilarating feeling the most. What I didn't miss were all the shitwads and the swarm of negativity from the menagerie of sore losers.

My online play over the last week has been divided between on PokerStars and Full Tilt. I play primarily SNGs on PokerStars and stick to the cash games on Full Tilt.

I dabbled in NL games before the WSOP began, but since it ended, I have been multi-tabling limit hold'em tables with an occasional limit Stud table. I like playing three LHE tables and one Stud. Four at once. I've done five, but I feel that I'm at my optimum at four.

Depending on the time of day, multi-tabling LHE and Stud are generating double points because of Full Tilt's Happy Hour promotion. The tables I play always tend to fulfill the Happy Hour requirement of a limit table or a full ring table. You can take advantage of the "late night" Happy Hour (11pm to 1am ET) if you live on the West Coast since it's not as late and at the perfect time for me to play. Since I'm up at odd times, I caught the early morning Happy Hour a couple of times at 6am to 8pm ET.

PokerStars had been running their 2x promotion where you get double FPP points. I have been participating in the Battle of the Planets on PokerStars, an SNG promotion where their tier your level of play based on the planets in our solar system. I had been playing in the Neptune and Uranus category over the last couple of days.

My new addiction is PLO Trubo SNGs. Holy shit. Talk about addictive. Playing PLO turbos is similar to smoking crack dipped in chocolate and wrapped in bacon.

The one I played last night? I had a massive lead at the start of the third level with almost 6K in chips. I busted three players and we were on the money bubble with four to go... at the start of the third level. Talk about heavy action. Of course, I bled chips and pissed away the lead. I flopped quad Queens but couldn't get paid off. I eventually finished in third place.

Any Weeds fans out there? The writer(s) must be huge poker fans because there have been several poker references during recent episodes. The funniest one involved Albert Brooks character, a shady degenerate gambler who likes poker and the track. He was trying to shakedown his son's family by blackmailing them after they convinced him to kill his terminally ill mother. He wanted $10,000 transfered to his PokerStars account once a month. I watched that episode with Change100 and we both looked at each other and said, "Did he just say that?"

Speaking of Hollyweird, I played online poker with a couple of old friends who used to be regulars in the Murderers' Row home game in West LA. Both Shane Nickerson and the Poker Geek joined me at the 5/10 tables. Nickerson was in NYC on an assignment while the Geek was drying out in the adventure capital of the world... Iowa.

I lost a big pot when I turned a gutshot with 8-6o, but then I lost when my opponent rivered quad sevens. Nickerson also lost a big pot that was capped on the river. His Ace-high flush lost to a straight flush. I issued one wicked bad beat at that table. I cracked Queens with 6s-3s wen I flopped two pair.

* * * * * *
Maybe I haven't played online poker extensively for a while, but the banter at the tables has been extra venomous these days. I'm assuming that the increased level of agitation has everything to do with the recession and our state of economic turmoil. These are tough times we are living in with rising gas and food prices. All those bad beats add up. A tank of gas. A week of groceries. Either the barrage of bad beats are draining people's fuck-around money or making a dent into the bankrolls of the folks who had been playing poker for a living. Either way, tempers had been flaring. Fuses are super short these days.

I put a beat on one guy when my K-Q beat his A-9 during one SNG on Stars. Typical story. Four players and I raised from the button. He shoved from one of the blinds. I called, won the pot when a Queen fell, and my opponent flipped out.

Usually, I don't say anything. I ignore the chat. That's my general policy, especially when I'm multi-tabling because chatter is just a waste of time and energy. Depending on the situation during a cash game, I might egg on my anger opponent because my witty repartees can sometimes push them over the tilt cliff and they start spewing chips. And as Sun Tzu said, "If you opponent is angry... irritate them."

Here's something that has been driving the donkeyfish crazy. After I put a bad beat on them or suckout or get lucky or (this scenario is most likely) they misplay their hand and project the blame onto me instead of taking responsibility for their own actions, the feeble-minded ones take a cheap shot and call you something bad such as a donk or idiot.

Most of them write "your an idiot" or "your a f***** donkey" and that's when I quickly shoot back, "It's 'you are' or 'you're' and not your..."

That seems to tilt them even moreso.

Here's one example from a Stud table on Full Tilt over the weekend. I dunno the exact hand, but I outdrew my opponent. And then later on, I felted him. He refused to rebuy and sat there like a crybaby.

bigfattoad: suck shiit
DrPauly: nice comeback, sore loser
bigfattoad: fu coccck sucker
DrPauly: u must be harvard man
DrPauly: a true linguist
bigfattoad: no my father grandfather step grangfather uncles etc ALLL WERE
DrPauly: obviously u were adopted
bigfattoad: YOUR A DOUCHE BAG THATS GOT MORE MONEY THAN BRAINS
DrPauly: first off, it is "you are" or "you're"
bigfattoad: suck my balls women
DrPauly: rebuy
bigfattoad: blow me and i will
DrPauly: im not a homosexual, but it appears thats your tendency
bigfattoad: choke on it i hate you avitar
DrPauly: so full of hate and rage
bigfattoad: your a women no man would ever correct grammer unless he is a fuucin @#$ or an english teacher!
bigfattoad: your a women
DrPauly: not only are you a bad poker player with bad grammar, you have no clue
bigfattoad: and everyone knows women cant play poker
bigfattoad: lick me and die
DrPauly: stay classy. have a nice day

And of course my favorite zinger of the last week was when I missed a flush and backdoored trips. I took a big pot from one guy who typed, "F.ucking fish on here is unbelieveable." To which I responded, "The truth hurts, doesn't it?"


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/31/2008 01:20:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Gristle and Glop

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA

I worked a myriad of dead-end jobs during my vagabond 20s which was bookended by two stints in Brooks Brothers' suits on Wall Street. One of the dozens of transient forms of employment that I humped during the Clinton administration was as a bartender. A mixologist. I poured many a beers and concocted a plethora of cocktails. Liquor is a social lubricant and it was no shocker that people also drank to escape from their harsh and bitter reality. Everyone was seeking to achieve the end results... insobriety.

However, a daring few wanted to do it in style. They wanted to get shitfaced and appeal to their palates at the same time that didn't involving pouring a bottle of overpriced scotch or wine. They sought out a tasty cocktail. Those customers were few and far between since the majority of requests included a "twist" or "extra olives." Occasionally, I tried to impress a female patron with my deft mixing skills and whip up a blue kamikaze to switch things up or something sweet and bitter (like me) such as an Amaretto Sour.

When I was a freshman in college I was lathered in blowjobs courtesy of a drink that I first made out of desperation. Southern Comfort and Lemonade. Those where the only two items I had in my dorm room. Nothing got freshmen chicks and sorority girls wetter than that magical combination. Jesus, I miss 1991.

People change. Tastes evolve and become refined. My favorite poison is constantly changing. And because I travel so much, I have to adapt my tastes to the local fare. I got my first lesson in blending in with the regulars during a trip to Iceland in 2001. I had been demolishing pints of Carlsberg until a new bartender began his shift. He refused to serve me unless I drank Viking, which was a traditional Icelandic beer, instead of the Danish import that I so enjoyed.

Drink of choice. Game of choice. Like booze, my poker tastes have been constantly shifting and changing. Cash games. SNGs. MTTs. Limit. Pot-limit. NL. Omaha. Stud. Hold'em. HORSE. Shorthanded. Full ring. Man, there's so much to choose from these days. That's why game selection is even more important today as it has ever been.

The first time I ever played poker in a casino, it was spread-limit seven card stud on a Mississippi riverboat casino. It was only months after Mississippi allowed gambling and casinos popped up all over Biloxi and Gulfport. I occasionally made roadtrips to Biloxi from Atlanta with my fraternity brothers. Heck, if there was online poker in 1993, that's all I would be doing, but back in the early 1990s no such thing existed. I had a vague concept of the interwebs, didn't even have cable TV, and wouldn't get my first email address until early 1996. Aside from competitive games of spades and nickel ante poker game in my fraternity house, the roadtrips to Biloxi would be the only real gambling action that I'd see until I moved to New York after college and started playing blackjack and poker in Atlantic City and eventually migrated to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods.

My poker origins were Stud. I never even heard of Texas Hold'em existed until I moved to Seattle in 1997 and my friends took me to a casino where they had poker tournaments. We nickednamed that joint "The Nut Sack" and my buddy Singer actually won the tournament a couple of times.

And after Rounders came out in the summer of 1998, we quickly added hold'em to our rotation of games which we played at our home game on Monday nights at the Trout House in Fremont. A group of eight to ten guys and girls (mostly musicians and artsy types who got paid in cash tips as a bartender, barista, or wait staff) were packed into a kitchen and drank cases Labbat's and passed around spliffs of BC commercial nugs. Hold'em was the least popular game compared to wild cards games or a variation of no-peek baseball that I dubbed "Seventy-Five Cent Mexican." That was high stakes for us back then considering most games were 25 cent ante.

Of course, as I sat in the kitchen home game in Seattle in 1998, little did I know that in a decade I would be making my living as a scribe in poker media.

* * * * *
I cannot explain my actions. They just happened. Call it divine intervention. Or pure instincts. But the other morning I woke up in Los Angeles and decided to hop online and check out the Stud cash games. Since then, I have been playing 3/6 and 5/10 Stud on Full Tilt because the players are worse than the ones over at Poker Stars. That 10/20 Stud game on Stars is tough. I have been watching it but not quite ready to jump into that mix. Perhaps in a couple of weeks after playing a bit more and scouting out those players. The 5/10 Stud game on Stars is rather difficult. Although I held my own, I felt that there were times where I was one of the weaker players in that game.

My goal is to gain experience playing as much Stud cash games as possible, so I have been adding a Stud table or two to my daily feeding schedule. The Stud tables count as a "limit" game for Limit Happy Hour on Full Tilt, so I have been gobbling up double points. I have enough points for two Full Tilt bar stools now.

Over at Full Tilt, there is at least one 3/6 Stud table running and most of the time two. The 5/10 game doesn't run as often as I'd like. I played one session of 8/16 Stud and didn't do so hot. I lost 90% of the money on one hand. Flush over flush. Oh well.

On Saturday night, I spotted Sweet Svetlana at the 5/10 Stud table. Full Tilt made the 2008 WSOP Ladies Champion a red pro. Jesus. Who isn't a red pro these days? Well, me and the rest of the unwashed masses.

I won my biggest pot of the weekend in a 5/10 Stud game with rolled up Jacks. I started out with (Jd-Js)-Jh and was jamming all the way to the river. I got three-bet on fifth street with my opponent showing 7d-5s-9c. I had to put him on a straight. I'd find out later via the hand history that he was raising with a pair and a gutshot and made his straight on seventh street. Lucky for me, I boated up when I caught running Aces on sixth and seventh to drag the monsterpotten.

I also played 5/10 Stud with a red pro that I never heard of before... and I cover poker for a living. Seriously, is Full Tilt putting out Craigslist Ads for red pros or something?


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/30/2008 12:53:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Lime Tossing

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA

Sometime last summer, Otis and I invented a game called Lime Tossing. Basically it was two bored gambling junkies looking for action on anything.

Otis and I had a tradition during assignments where we would get a beer at the start of the final level of play that night. In Monte Carlo, the surly somniferous French waiters served us room temperature Heineken, while the barkeeps in the hallway at the Rio kept Coronas on ice for us.

You know the drill. Get a Corona. Get a lime. Not being one to waste a lime for waste's sake, we tried to come up with a way to get an additional use out of the lime instead of just squeezing it for it's tart juices.

That's when lime tossing was invented. As we stood on the top of a stairway leading out to the dealer's tent, there was an ashtray/trash can at the bottom of the stairs. That was our target. Wagers were made on various expected outcomes such as hitting the trash bin, landing it on the ash tray part, or getting it inside the bin.

This summer, there was a table at the bottom of the stairs. We'd try to hit the table as we gambled ungodly sums of money on lime tossing.

Here's just a tease...



Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/29/2008 08:35:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Las Vegas Poker

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA

I actually played poker before I fled Las Vegas for the silicon-lush hills of Hollyweird. During the seven weeks of the WSOP, I did not play one hand of live poker. Zip. I limited myself to a couple of sessions of online poker and that was mostly Saturdays with Dr. Pauly appearances on PokerStars.

The only gambling fix over the previous two months included outrageous prop bets like lime tossing with Otis or sports bets on the NBA finals and the European soccer championships. Both ventures proved profitable. I avoided the pits. No Pai Gow. Zero craps. Blackjack? I have not played in years. Maybe that's why I left Las Vegas a winner?

* * * * *
Red Rock.

The day after the WSOP ended, Change100 and I were on an odd sleeping schedule. It was 8pm and she was sleeping. I was wide awake and headed to Red Rock to watch the baseball all star game. There was a wait for any NL games so I sat down at a 4/8 with a half kill limit table and kept an eye on the game as it went into extra innings. A couple of old timers at my table had bet on the all star game. Who bets on baseball all star games? Degenerates and action junkies. If I knew you could bet on it, I would have. Oversight on my part.

The game was exciting and it captured my attention as I folded and folded. There's a bad beat jackpot at all Stations Casinos sprinkled throughout Las Vegas. When I lived in Henderson (before Red Rock ever existed and before Green Valley Ranch added their poker room) with Grubby, we used to play at Sunset Station in their peculiar 3-6-9 limit game. Sunset was a part of the Station Casino junta which meant that all of the poker rooms in those casinos were linked up in a collective bad beat jackpot. Not only does the table win a massive share... if you are playing in any Station Casino when the jackpot hits, then you also get a piece of the pie.

Every day that the jackpot is not won, the qualifying hand drops which means that the poker rooms get jam packed as the jackpots soar. It was hard to get a seat on those days and guys nearly pissed themselves because they didn't want to miss out just in case the hand hit when they were taking a leak.

It took me a while to adjust playing in the bad bead jackpot games at the Station Casinos. I opened up my hand selection and played any pair and any suited connectors. Never know when you'll get lucky and have quads versus a straight flush situation.

On that night, with the all star game on in the background, I did my best to tilt the locals. I got one guy all hot under the collar when I played 5h-3h on the button to a raise and re-raise in front of me. In all fairness, I capped it. I flopped a flush draw and gutshot. I made a straight on the turn. There was an Ace on the board as well and I won the pot. My opponent mucked and he muttered something about getting his Jacks cracked by ace-rag. That's when I tabled my 5h-3h.

"You called two raises with that?" he said with a quiver in his voice and launched into a rant about how awful of a player I was.

Usually I just shrug my shoulders or give them the stink eye. Since I had been chatty with my end of the table and talking a bit, I was in a chipper mood.

"I don't care what kind of cards you play or don't play," I said. "I'm here to win myself and our table that juicy bad beat jackpot."

That's when a few locals stood up for me.

"Don't knock the kid for trying to make us some money," one guy barked in my defense.

Later that night, I actually made a straight flush, but with 9c-6s. I flopped the OESFD and got there on the turn.

* * * * *
Venetian.

I like being the unknown guy at the table. On the Strip, I dress like a tourist. I drink beer instead of water. I never do chip tricks. I act like a mark.

I like to watch. I observe. That's what I do as a writer. I watch people. After seeing the world's best poker players compete for seven straight weeks, all of that soaks up into my brain while I'm on the job as a tournament reporter. All of that information comes to fruition when I'm at the poker tables.

I can't explain it, but my Spidey senses are at full peak in the weeks after the WSOP. In the previous three summers, I cleaned up at the tables. I always extended my time in Vegas to take advantage of my heightened senses.

It's almost impossible to study Allen Cunningham or that random Scandi with the perfectly messy hair and trying to figure out what they're holding as a monster pot develops in front of you. I always try to guess what they have. I'm right a small percentage of the time. It's not an easy task. After all, those are world class pros.

But when you sit down at a 1/2 NL table at the Venetian, reads and tells are oozing out of people's eyes, ears, mouth, and noses. You know when people hit hands. You can sniff out their weak bluffs and pick off continuation bets.

I was a little rusty and had not played live poker since the WSOP began. But my instincts were hyper-sensitive. I made a couple of Kenny Tran-esque calls including one with bottom pair because I knew the guy missed a flush draw.

I also picked the right folks to bully around. After only one orbit I had a general sense of how each player played and more importantly... the differences in how they perceived themselves, how they projected themselves at the table, and the reality of who they actually were.

Seat 1 was a dealer. He was from out of town and just finished dealing at the Venetian deep stacks events. Most dealers are skilled players but they are action junkies which is their downfall. They play too many pots and make too many bad calls. Seat 1 was a calling station and not going to get pushed off a pot.

Seat 2 was a greasy local in a sweat suit. He looked like he should be sitting in the cheap seats at Aqueduct race track clutching a fistful of losing tickets and chomping down a stale cigar awaiting for the fourth race to go off. He was weak-tight. But cagey too. He limped with big hands like pocket Queens and Big Slick. If you pushed him around, he would only fight back if he had something. I stole a couple of pots from him and got the hell out of the way when he came over the top.

Seat 3 was the foreign guy. Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan. Lickatwatistan. He would play a hand and get up and wander around the room leering at the hot massage girls. I did not blame him. They were sultry and sexy and I wanted a lap dance. I wanted a sensual below the belt rub and not just a neck rub. I actually got jealous when a guy at an adjacent table hired one of the girls for a twenty minute massage. I almost went on Otis tilt and spewed all of my chips.

Seat 4 was a local with a golf tan. Also weak-tight and he did not say on word to me the entire time I sat there. He also didn't chop. A local who didn't chop? I got pissed and raised him when he limped for $1 in the small blind. He could have saved $1.

Seat 5 was your hero. I was killing time before I met some friends for dinner at David Burke.

Seat 6 was a tourist with a short stack and a knack for drinking Coronas very fast.

Seat 7 was the birthday boy. The well groomed kid turned 21 and had a thick Southern accent. North Georgia? G-Vegas? He decimated jack and cokes like John Daly on the back nine at Winged Foot. And he talked loudly even though he thought he was whispering. A guy who can't see straight can be an extremely profitable opponent he can be a boil on your ass.

Seat 8 was the table captain. Twenty-something girl who had recently moved to Las Vegas from her Pacific Northwest enclave. She wore oversized sunglasses more suited for a Hollywood starlet and must have said she played poker for a living a dozen times in the first ten minutes that I sat down. She thought she was hot shit and I drowned out her running commentary of the game since her overconfidence was an obvious beard for her lack of self-esteem. She did plenty of chip tricks and tried to run over the table with raises and snide remarks. Bullies don't like to be bullied. I three-bet her a couple of times and she quickly retreated, but not without a verbal barb. She always had to get the last word in. Don't ya hate that? I had a great comeback that I didn't want to say. It would have been too cruel. "You're a 'pro' today, but within a month you'll be broke and dealing $20 tourneys at Circus Circus."

Seat 9 was the retired Vietnam vet who was in town with his wife and kids. He knew how to play but he lacked casino poker experience. He constantly string bet. He was the perfect guy to overbet on the river because he'd call... "just to keep you honest." Thanks for donating.

Benjo played at a 1/2 NL table nearby. We were both waiting to meet up with our friends for dinner. I looked up and Paul "X-22" Maigrel walked past my table and sat down at Benjo's table. About twenty minutes later, I had cashed out of my game and went over to drag Benjo out of his game.

As I walked up to the table, Benjo and X-22 were involved in a pot. Benjo check-raised him on a King flop with two clubs. X-22 muttered something and folded Jacks. Benjo showed him the semi-bluff with Qc-9c. X-22 was not happy. Benjo racked up his chips and that pissed him off even more.

"Where you going with my money?" said X-22.

"I'm going to dinner," said Benjo.

"I'll remember you!" shouted X-22.

I can't confirm this because my French is awful, but I swore I heard Benjo call X-22 a monkeyface cumstain.

* * * * *
Treasure Island.

We were shitfaced drunk and arrived at 10:30 for their 10pm tournament. It was full but we were alternates including two chicks with fake boobs. Michalski was the first one seated. He busted out before any of us could sit down. I built up a stack early before both Benjo and Change100 were out. I was eliminated shortly after the first break. I made a move with Jd-10d and lost to 9-rag. MeanGene went deep but was the bubble boy.

After the tournament I headed to the Pai Gow tables with Change100. I went on a heater and won during my only Pai Gow session all summer. I wanted to play three hands at once but they wouldn't let me. I originally played my hands plus the dragon every time. I got permission to play the empty seat next to mine. However, I wanted the option to play the dragon. Three hands. Triple the Pai Gow action. The floor would not approve of my request. Alas, I had to only play two.

* * * * * *
Mandalay Bay.

I went to Burger Bar inside Mandalay Bay to meet Flipchip and Poker Prof for dinner. I also hung out with Schaubs who was in town for a wedding.

I killed some time playing 1-2 NL in a game that was a mixture of locals and tourists. I built up a stack early but almost got felted when my Aces lost to Kings. As soon as the dealer spiked the King of spades on the river, my opponent's eyes nearly out of his head. Talk about the biggest tell of the summer. I knew he made his set. He had been check-calling me on every street. He tried to check-raise me on the river. I didn't fall for that trap and checked behind. That saved me the rest of my stack.

* * * * *
Scheckytown.

And then there's the scorpion. Schecky killed a tiny scorpion when I was in Colorado. The scorpion gained entry from the sliding glass door that separated the backyard and pool area from the house. But Schecky got him before he could go deep in the house.

Schecky displayed the conquered carcass underneath a glass in the kitchen. The dead scorpion body looked shriveled up with the menacing stinger still in tact. That might have been the biggest break we caught at Scheckytown.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/28/2008 01:03:00 AM | Permalink |

 
APPT Satellites and Top 10 Referrals

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA


The second season of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) kicks off in September in Macau. Spearhaded by Danny McDonagh and Jeffrey Haas and sponsored by PokerStars, the APPT has become one of the most successful tournament series outside of North America.

And the best part? The entry fees into APPT events are substantially lower (Macau is $3,200) than buy-ins into EPT events. Plus, the US Dollar is doing a lot better in Asia than it is in Europe.

Here's the schedule...

2008 APPT Schedule:
Macau, China - September 1-9, 2008
Seoul, South Korea - September 26-28, 2008
Auckland, New Zealand - October 9-12, 2008
Manila, Philippines - November ???
Sydney, Australia - December 2-7, 2008

For more details visit APPT.com.

APPT Macau will be played at the Grand Waldo Hotel & Casino.

Satellites to Macau are running right now on PokerStars. If you want a free trip to Hong Kong and Macau, an APPT satellite on PokerStars is your best bet.

If you do not have a PokerStars account, you can download the software here.

* * * * *
Traffic was exceptional during the last two months. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Tao of Poker for your daily WSOP fix.

After two months in Las Vegas, I finally had a chance to look at the source of my traffic. People type bizarre shit into google and yahoo and find themselves here.

For example, here are five searches that made me nearly spit out my drink as I sifted through the logs...

Random Hilarious Tao of Poker Referrals...
1. horny older Indian women "F train" Queens
2. annette_15 foot fetish
3. Ylon Schwartz domestic dispute
4. can u get a blowjob from a stripper in the vip room at the glitter gulch
5. is there an instant pill or drink that will make your penis rock hard that really works even if you take medication?

I wish I could make this stuff up. OK, my question is... why would anyone want to get a hummer from a stripper at the glitter gulch?

Moving on...

I wanna say thank you to my Top 10 referrals over the last two months.

Top 10 Tao of Poker Referrals...
1. LasVegasVegas by FlipChip & Poker Prof
2. Wicked Chops Poker
3. Tao of Pauly
4. Pokerati
5. Shaniac
6. Iggy
7. Benjo
8. Pot Committed by Change100
9. Mean Gene
10. Aaron Gleeman

Over the last two months, I was fortunate to get several heady links from Fark, NBCSports, Busted Coverage, and Wall Street Fighter. Thanks for the love!

Special thanks to my favorite Wall Street blog, Dealbreaker, especially Joe Weisenthal, who linked me up several times during the WSOP. Thanks bro. Keep up the stellar work on Dealbreaker where I get most of my late night financial reading fix. I say late because by the time I'm going to bed on the Left Coast, Joe has been up several hours plugging away to get the Opening Bell posts up by 7am.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/27/2008 10:45:00 AM | Permalink |

 
NoTalentTom Wins Saturdays with Dr. Pauly

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA

Wait, have I been running Saturdays with Dr. Pauly for a half of a year? Yeah, it's true. For Week 26, we got 30 runners and the top 5 were paid prize money.

For the first time in two months, I could play without any distractions. CheckRaise70 was Gigli and busted out on the first hand. Derek flopped a set and cracked his Aces. Ouch. Derek doubled up on the first hand and would hold the chiplead for the majority of the tournament.

Derek cracked Aces again a couple of hands later. He flopped a Broadway straight and busted bingofan and Change100, who held A-A and flopped a set. Derek was up to 6.3K.

I went out in 27th place. I became another one of Derek's victims when he busted me. Battle of the blinds. I flopped bottom two. He flopped top two. We got it all in on the flop. I couldn't improve. Derek was up to 8K in chips in the first level after busting the first four players.

Atthe first break, Derek was the chipleader with 16 to go. He dipped to 7.4K with FamilyIce not far behind.

Lizbee bubbled off the final table in 10th place.

The final table players included...

Seat 1: MrMojo (5446 in chips)
Seat 2: MadameMojo (4237 in chips)
Seat 3: Derek (12510 in chips)
Seat 4: dredful (545 in chips)
Seat 5: PokerPhishin (1160 in chips)
Seat 6: NoTalentTom (8675 in chips)
Seat 7: chompy_jr (2648 in chips)
Seat 8: boscodon (7875 in chips)
Seat 9: lightning36 (1904 in chips)

With over 12K in chips, Derek was the chipleader at the final table.

Action started out quick. Three bustouts in the first five hands. Derek took out lightning36, but MrMojo added ammo when he took out chompy_jr.

PokerPhishin took bubble boy honors and finished in 6th place. MrMojo busted him.

Derek continued to run over the table and added to his stack. He busted Madame Mojo in 5th place to rush past 23K... more than 50% of the total chips in play.

Derek spewed some chips and MrMojo took out last week's winner Boscodon. With three to go, Derek held a slight lead, but all three had about 15K in chips. That's when NoTalentTom shifted gears and snatched the lead.

MrMojo was eliminated in third place. He got his money in with a set of Queens against NoTalentTom's flush draw. NoTalentTom got there and MrMojo headed to the rail.

When heads up play began, NoTalentTom had a 3 to 1 lead over Derek.

On the last hand before the break and the fifth overall hand of heads up play, it was all over. Both players were involved in a raising war preflop. They got it all in with...

HermWarfare: As-Kd-8d-6s
NoTalentTom: Jd-10c-9c-9h

Derek flopped a pair, but NoTalentTom turned a straight. It was good enough to win. He won the pot and the tournament as Derek busted out in second place.

Week 26 Money Winners:
1. NoTalentTom - $120
2. HermWarfare (Derek) - $72
3. MrMojo - $48
4. Boscodon - $36
5. MadameMojo - $24

Congrats to NoTalentTom for the victory. Thanks to everyone who played this week. And special thanks to everyone who pimped the event.

See you next weekend.


Don't forget about the Tao of Poker's 5th Birthday celebration on PokerStars on August 5th, where someone will win a free $5K seat to a Borgata event in September.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/26/2008 09:05:00 PM | Permalink |

 
Poker in L.A.: The Chevoit Hills Home Game

By Pauly
Hollywerid, CA

There's someone in my head and it's not me. The poetry of Roger Waters has invaded me.

Before I moved out of Scheckytown, he invited me to play in his home game in Los Angeles. There we were. Both standing in Las Vegas. Less than five minutes from the closest poker room (at Red Rock). Yet we were both excited to be playing poker... in another city.

I wrote about this on Tao of Pauly how a couple of weeks ago, Schecky asked me when I was going to move out of Scheckytown. I guessed that it would be the end of July. I had scheduled a quick trip to Colorado for a music festival right after the WSOP ended, but that vacation was a mere four days. I had to determine how long I would stick around Vegas once I got back from Colorado. Originally, it was a week to ten days. But over the last week, that number shrank dramatically.

On Tuesday morning, I sat in the Denver airport with Change100. We decided that we'd moved out on Wednesday morning. Once we landed at McCarran airport, she changed her mind. We altered our plans and decided to leave Vegas. Immediately. And drive back to the plastic hills of Hollyweird.

I showed up in Las Vegas two months ago traveling light with my backpack, laptop bag, a printer, and a portable putting green. I left with a lot more shit. I always accumulate things. Poker stuff. Schwag. Hats. T-shirts. Bags. Books. Magazines. DVDs. Hats. Cardcappers. Not to mention hundreds of business cards. I have small boxes sitting somewhere in New York City that are labeled 2005, 2006, and 2007. Inside are hundreds of business cards that I collected during that summer at the WSOP.

I grabbed an extra Poker News duffel bag and I shoveled in all of the goods that I accumulated in two months time. Within six hours of landing in Las Vegas, we were ready to bail Sin City. Like refugees fleeing a war torn region, we grabbed what we could and hit the road towards salvation. The City of Angels.

How fucked up is my life when I'm seeking shelter from the darkness of Las Vegas in sunny smog-ridden Los Angeles? The scary thing is... I couldn't wait to see the palm trees that lined Change100's block in the slums of Beverly Hills. The lunatic is in my head.

I cannot explain it, but when I'm in Las Vegas, I have very little desire to play poker. But as soon as I leave, I get the jones. The itch. I want the action. Many moons ago, I'd jump right out of bed because I knew that I'd get to play poker that day. Sure I had to wait 10-12 hours after I woke up to play, but the excitement, anticipation, and adrenaline were all there. That subsided over the years. I lost the enthusiasm. The flame was nevermore.

However, when I woke up on Wednesday. I got some of that old feeling back. The spark. I was excited to play. And it wasn't for the stakes, money, or competition. It was a home game. A social function. I was there to have fun and joke around and get drunk and hang out. I forgot about that pleasant aspect of poker. That's what originally drew me in. The community. Gathering. People sitting next to people. Talking. Having fun. That's social progress compared to the isolation of online poker or the anti-social and ultra-competitiveness of live poker tournaments.

I started out playing poker as a social activity. The evolution of online poker transformed my journey into an isolated experience. I'm sort of trapped in an extremely solitary and lonely existence as a writer. And since I write about online poker, it seems as though I'm a prisoner in a cell. Screaming into the void. Lock the door and throw away the key.

Schecky's home game rotates between the houses of different friends in the LA area that he's had for two decades. Since both he and Jen Leo were away for two months, they were excited to play. Change100 and I were fortunate enough to get the invite. She had played in the game a couple of times. I only played once before... about a year ago. That night it was a combination weekly home game/puppy birthday party where I stepped in dog piss, busted a ninety-year old woman, and got my aces cracked by a girl who was still in high school.

And you know what? I had a fun time.

That's why I looked forward to the home game. It was a Hollywood cliche... hosted at a multi-million dollar house, with not one but three Lexuses (or is it Lexi?) out front, and a catered dinner with organic pizza and hipster food stuffs from trendy Ketchup like kobe sloppyjoes and kobe beef hotdogs.

The best part of the home game is that it is inside someone's home. That week it was Mark's crib. Good music and a random dog darting underneath the poker table. That's what I missed about the Blue Parrot back in NYC...Ferrari's two cats running around and one of them constantly sitting on the ledge of an open window and we'd be taking action to see if the cat actually leaped to its death from 17 stories up.

We had eleven players. Freezeout. Everyone crammed on one table. A bottle of Peroni left a sweat ring next to my chips. I couldn't even tell you how many we had to start out. I never bothered to ask, nor count my stack when I sat down.

The cast of characters was worth the price of admission. An infomercial guru. Former NBA player. A ninety-year old woman. A pregnant travel writer. Former child actor. A foul-mouthed rabbi knocking back Kettle One and cranberry juice in a pint glass. And some dude with a goatee who used to chase after a faded Scott Weiland as he ran naked down 3rd Street.

I won two big pots in the first hour and jumped out to the chip lead. I biggest pot I dragged was with Ac-Qc when my top pair and a busted flush draw was good. And then I squeezed another pot with 10s-5s.

Then it got ugly. I misplayed my Big Slick and limped UTG. Change100 raised and I called along with one other player. Before the flop was fanned out, I reached for ammo. The big blind checked and I fired out the pot despite missing it completely. Change100 moved all in for only a little bit more. I had her way covered and called. She out flopped me with 6d-3d. Ouch. I couldn't improve and coughed up the chiplead.

The next level, my big slick lost to Q-J. I busted out in 11th place. Gigli. Me. It didn't matter. I had fun. I also got to deal a bit. I gave out some nice hands. Like Kings and Aces. Jen Leo got a couple.

Change100 cashed, but took third place wen the rabbi busted her. The drunker he got, the filthier his mouth got. He said some classic lines, such as...

"May the fleas of a hundred camels infest your armpits."

"Fuckin' bitch ass bitch ass BITCH!"

The drunken-foul-mouthed rabbi beat Jen Leo heads up to win. Although I busted out first and played the least amount of poker, I might have had the most fun. I left invigorated to rediscover the parts of poker that I once cherished so dearly.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/25/2008 12:03:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Tao of Poker's 5th Birthday Celebration

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA

The Tao of Poker turns five in August. I never would have envisioned what has transpired the last five years. It's been an incredible and amazing run. I've met several sensational people through Tao of Poker, stumbled into a career as a poker writer, and traveled the world.

And of course, none of that would have been possible without you... the reader.

In order to celebrate the Tao of Poker's fifth birthday, I'm throwing a private tournament on PokerStars with an interesting twist... the first place finisher will also win two nights at the Borgata Hotel & Spa in Atlantic City and they will also gain an entry into a $5,000 buy-in NL tournament during the Borgata Poker Open on September 12th.

That's my way of saying... "Thanks for the support over the last five years."


I'm not joking. $5,000 seat plus two nights in my favorite casino in Atlantic City. All you have to do is win the Tao of Poker birthday tournament. Entry is just $5. Tournament ID is #97513073. Tournament name is Tao Poker 5th B-Day.

Seriously. For $5 you get a chance at winning a $5,000 seat at the Borgata Poker Open plus two nights in the hotel. That tournament is on Friday, September 12th starting at 11am.

Here are the specific details...

1. Tao of Poker birthday tournament is open to all readers.
2. No chops whatsoever for the Borgata Package ($5,000 seat + two nights).
3. The 5K seat is a must play.... meaning you cannot take the cash. You have to play the event on September 12th.
4. Package does not include transportation. You have to find your own way to Atlantic City. So if you live in Sweden and win the seat, you are responsible for airfare.
5. Most importantly... have fun.

I should clarify something... there will be normal prize money. The Borgata Package is in addition to the regular prize pool. So the first place winner has a shot at a decent payday in addition to a $5,000 seat and two nights at the Borgata.

The Tao of Poker birthday tournament will feature some of your favorite bloggers and Tao of Poker characters from past, present, and future. Perhaps even a pro or two might show up.

Mark your calendars. August 5th. 9pm ET. PokerStars. Tao of Poker 5th Birthday Celebration. One faithful Tao of Poker reader will walk away with a $5,000 seat to a Borgata Poker Open tournament plus two nights in the swanky Borgata Hotel & Spa which has the most comfortable beds in the world.

Click here for more information on the Borgata Poker Open starting September 3rd. And yes, I'll be covering the entire tournament series (including the 5K event) for the Borgata poker blog with Friedman and Tropical Steve.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/23/2008 02:47:00 PM | Permalink |

 
The 2008 WSOP: Tao of Poker Review

By Pauly
Denver, CO

Here's links to all of the 2008 WSOP daily recaps that I posted on Tao of Poker..

Day 1: Welcome Back to the Zoo... The 2008 WSOP has reached the pinnacle of greed and poker has become another casualty of the capitalistic mutation of all things cool in the world. If something is cool and deemed cool by the people participating in it, it's just a matter of time before the misanthropes swoop in and ruin everything pure about the game.

Day 2: 4,000 Donkeys to the Rescue?... There's the housing crisis and mortgage fiasco that has infected the Las Vegas valley. Several major construction projects have been delayed due to financing issues, such as Trump's latest vanity project a condo-hotel on the North Strip. He planned on building a second tower, but even Trump is having trouble raising capital. And the future of the $3 billion Cosmopolitan Casino project has yet to be determined since their developer defaulted on a $760 million loan from Deutsche Bank. Yeah, Vegas is in a bit of trouble and 4,000 donkeys are not going to save a sinking ship.

Day 3: Medic Cockblocks Bloch and Full Tilt Antonius... Mike Sexton. Patrik Antonius. Andy Bloch. Kathy Liebert. The Unabomber. Chris Bell. SowersUNCC. amak316. Nenad Medic. It reminded me of a final table from 2004 or 2005. And not like the final tables of the last couple of years where it was a bunch of unknowns, internet pushmonkeys, inbred nits, and the odd assortment of guys who said they were pros but who were really broke-ass mofos.

Day 4: Vultures and the First Mistake... knew one gal who worked marketing for Absolute Poker. Her sole job was to buy off final table players at the WSOP. She had two bags. One had stacks of cash. The other had Absolute Poker gear. Sometimes these negotiations get rough as online sites compete for players. All of this goes on behind the scenes during the hours leading up to the final table. That side of the business is cut throat, nasty, and is just pure anarchy. That's part of the reason why I have a bad feeling about the Final Table Delay. I know the ugliness that goes down the night before the final table. You can imagine all the shenanigans that will present itself during the months leading up to Main Event final table in November.

Day 5: Stakes and Shakes... with staking deals come a whole set of other problems. I've been staked and staked players in the past and it all comes down to a trust issue. Greed always fucks stuff up and that's what staking deals get a little hairy. During the first weekend of the WSOP, one somewhat popular bracelet winner owed another bracelet a six-figure make up. The guy who was stuck had a huge score at one of the PokerStars Sunday tournaments. He used some of his winnings to buy a new car and a trip to Hawaii with his girlfriend. The backer found out and was furious, while the slippery eel avoided him for three days until he got cornered in the hallway.

Day 6: Melting Eskimo's Igloo and Erick Lindgren Wins First Bracelet... Lindgren was one crazy muthafucka. And if he could transcend physical and emotional pain and surpass a rigorous challenge such as that death-defying golf bet, then he definitely had the necessary mental toughness to win a WSOP bracelet. He came close a couple of years ago and missed, but this year he managed to win his first bracelet against one of the toughest final tables in recent history. These days, you never know if you'll get a chance at making a final table, let alone winning a bracelet. Lindgren had his shot and followed through. He begin the final table fourth in chips. Although ZeeJustin held the lead for most of the final table, Lindgren jumped out to a slight lead once heads up pay began. It only took forty hands before Lindgren extracted the last of ZeeJustin's chips and he achieved his greatest moment in poker... a WSOP bracelet.

Day 7: Introducing... Tao of Pokerati, Tao of Five, and Billy Shears... Michalksi from Pokerati and I launched our first ever joint-podcasting venture called Tao of Pokerati. It's our very lazy and ghetto version of a podcast. Episode 1 is around three minutes.

Day 8: Trio of Final Tables, Vinnie Vinh Returns, and the Ghost of Brandi Hawbaker... Eight days into this year's WSOP, the headlines don't sound like something from a sleazy tabloid like Perez Hilton or Wicked Chops Poker. I guess the big story to start this year's WSOP was that there were three amazing tables and Erick Lindgren won his first bracelet. And the fact that the players haven't been bitching about Harrah's deserves some merit. Despite some minor ruffles, the first week of the WSOP rolled along rather smooth. As one pro said, "It took them four years but they finally got their shit together."

Day 9: The Rise of Vinnie Vinh and the First 2008 Ten Bracelet Winners... There were two faces of Vinnie Vinh. One was the masterful poker player who stayed at the front of the pack for most of Day 1 and Day 2 until he late night when he accumulated more chips to end Day 2 as the chipleader. Then there was the erratic side of Vinnie Vinh with random outbursts which obviously stem from whatever inner demons he's wrestling with. Individually the incidents were all minor such as standing up, muttering incoherent things, laughing fits, and other peculiar behavior at the tables. Most of the time I watched Vinh, he appeared in control of the monster within.

Day 10: The Archie Karas Comeback and Vinny Vinh's Final Table...
To final table any WSOP event is a major milestone. To achieve that daunting task under the close scrutiny of fans, media, players, Harrah's suits, and thick-necked thugs seemed almost impossible, yet Vinny Vinh pulled it off. It's a sad and tragic story in one sense and a total reminder of the heinous side of poker and addiction. The Vinny Vinhs, Stu Ungars, Eskimo Clarks, and Archie Karases of the world betrayed their craft. They were given a cherished and rare gift from the poker gods and squandered away their talents in a futile attempt to quench a thirst that can never be satisfied whether it was drugs, sex, craps, booze, or flipping coins.

Day 11: GLOW... It's totally asinine for men to try to buy into an event that is specifically designed for women. I cringe when I hear people bitching and moaning about that. It's like hearing about a flat chested chick trying to sue Hooters because she didn't get hired. The place is called "Hooters" for a reason. The Ladies Only event has the word "only" added for a reason.

Day 12: A Day in the Life of Phil Ivey... The game started right around 6pm. For the next three hours, Ivey could not sit still. He stood up a lot, paced back and forth, and constantly checked his crackberry. I had never seen so much emotion out of Ivey before. His usual expressionless face that was cool as a tenor sax solo from John Coltrane had disappeared and replaced by intervals of anxiety.

Day 13: Unlucky 13 and Mike Matusow Wins Bracelet... Sure, $537,857 was up for grabs. But for some of those guys that money is chump change. It wasn't about the money. It was about pride and bracelets. You see, pre-boom bracelets didn't really mean too much until the media starting hyping it up. We all know about how short-term luck affects poker tournaments, but bracelets are an indication of success over the long haul. The five or six guys who currently have the most bracelets have been regarded as some of the greatest poker players of all time.

Day 14: Daniel Negreanu Wins 4th Bracelet, Phil Ivey Loses 200K Prop Bet, and Vanessa Selbst Beats Aussie Strip Club Owner for PLO Bracelet... The moment after Daniel Negreanu clinched the Limit Hold'em tournament and won his fourth bracelet, he thrust his arms in the air in celebration. He lofted them as high as he could for a few seconds before he dropped them and quickly reached for his mobile device in his pocket. He texted Phil Ivey to tell him to pay up.

Day 15: Tao of Five with Wicked Chops Poker... What I love the best about WCP is that they just don't give a shit what anyone thinks about them and that attitude is why they managed to succeed over the years. Dozens of ripoff sites and hack wanna-bes tried to "borrow" from the WCP model, but they have come and left, since none of them have the snarky wit and an amazing eye for talent. For the last four years, Wicked Chops Poker is among the first couple of sites I read everyday. Doesn't matter if I'm in Las Vegas, Sweden, New Zealand, or Hollyweird... I love Wicked Chops Poker.

Day 16: Archie Karas Makes Final Table, Italian Pirate Wins Bracelet, and 125 Pounds of Razz Fury... Pesactori is well on his way to becoming the greatest poker player from Italy. Ever. Valter Farina and John Spadavecchia are legends and a part of the old guard. Farina was the first Italian to ever win a bracelet and Spadavecchia is number one on the all-time money list. Both had been crushing games since Max was a little one playing football with his school mates in Milan. But with his second bracelet, Pescatori has the most bracelets out of the Italians. And by the end of the 2008 WSOP, Pescatori should take over #1 on the All Time money list for Italy.

Day 17: Pros Continue Dominance as Barry Greenstein and Kenny Tran Win Bracelets... Perhaps karma was in play tonight. The poker gods knew that the money won on Sunday would go to good use since Greenstein and Tran would be sharing the money with those less fortunate. If a young kid won it, he'd blow it all on strippers and blow and other material items. If a guy like TJ Cloutier or Archie Karas won, they money would get lost at the nearest craps table.

Day 18: Never Trust a Junkie... Action. The rush. The buzz. The sustained high. Doesn't matter the medium. Craps. Poker. Slots. Blackjack. Baccarat. Dog races. NBA games. Video poker. It's the anticipation of the outcome that gets everyone fired up. The moment of truth when life sizzles through your bloodstream and you're jacked up on so much adrenaline it takes you days and weeks and months to come down from the cosmos. The anticipation... the crest of the gambler's high... where nothing else matters as the entire world pauses during that millisecond before your fate is determined.

Day 19: Looking Through a Glass Onion... My inner action junkie is the size of Gary Coleman and wrapped up deep and deep inside buried behind so many layers of complicated phobias, addictions, and other unresolved mental health issues. It takes years and decades to peel off all of the excess layers before we get to the source. But if our souls were glass onions and you could peek through all the layers, we'd see the true essence of existence... and that's to constantly challenge and prove to yourself that you're truly alive. And gambling is one of those opportunities when ordinary activities take on a role of vital significance by simply wagering on the outcome.

Day 20: Scandi Ghosts, Degenadario, and the Tao of Deutschland... I first met Dario Minieri at the 2006 WSOP, when I covered the Main Event for PokerStars. I recall saying something to Otis that some kid (who looks like he's 15, doesn't even shave, and may or may not be a girl) had a shitload of chips. Cardplayer had the official media coverage that year and listed him as Dario Roma. Almost, but not quite. He was Dario Minieri and hailed from Rome, Italy. I asked him his name and he said in a very dramatic and flamboyant voice, "I am Dario! Me English not so good."

Day 21: Donkeys, Pigeons, Possums, and Kangaroos... She could have 'big timed' it and blew off security by entering through the back door like Jen Tilly, Howard Lederer, and Phil Ivey have done many times before. Not for Kathy. She wanted to be treated like any of two thousand other players in the event. She also brown bagged her lunch instead of paying for overpriced kangaroo meat that they pass off as food in the Poker Kitchen. When you lather it in hot sauce and dip it in Ranch dressing it tastes just like chicken.

Day 22: Layne Flack Six Pack and the Luckiest Man... Anyone can get up on a soapbox and judge get on someone for being a drunk or a druggie. Unless you've been there you really don't know how much easier it is to give in to temptation than to make a stand and wrestle with those intoxicating demons. Everyone has a weakness. Puggy Pearson told Flipchip that "Every man has a leak." And if you are a vulnerable person living in a city like Las Vegas, it's only a matter of time before you self-destruct. Implode. Lose your mud. Dive into the abyss.

Day 23: The Killing Fields, Benyamine Wins First Bracelet, and the Corridor of Hookers... Location is the key to any successful business. That's why the Hooker Bar was such a popular hang out. But a few girls are hustling in the hallways leading up to the Amazon Room. That's what is great about that long corridor. Inside of thirty seconds you can crash a Mexican wedding reception, buy a cold overpriced personal pie from Pizza Hut, pick up a copy of Bluff Magazine, and negotiate a hummer from a hooker.

Day 24: Belgium Bracelets and Spanish Sundays... I barreled through the crowded casino on a mission. I weaved past the zombies anchored to the slot machines, and ran by the muppets at the craps tables, and rushed by the slow-moving tourists. I was nearly out of breath when I arrived at the window to cash my ticket. Nothing is sweeter in Las Vegas than cashing a winning sports bet ticket. It's a natural high especially after getting jacked up on adrenaline while sweating the results.

Day 25: Save the Eskimo, Save the World... Attention Hippies, The Eskimo needs your help. Put down the bong. Stop campaigning for Obama (Dick Cheney already rigged the November election, the Beijing Olympics, and the next two American Idols) and get your patchouli-smelling ass down the Rio Casino in Las Vegas because the Eskimo needs your help.

Day 26: The Bucket List, Dumb Hookers, and Phan 2.0... Benjo told me a hilarious story about how Bellagio hookers were trying to cash tournament chips at the cage. Apparently, a couple of horny and angle-shooting poker players removed $1,000 denomination tournament chips out of play. They used those chips to pay off hookers, who were not very bright and accepted the chips in return for sexual favors. Of course they did not read the fine print on the chips where it said it's not legal tender and only a tournament chip.

Day 27: HORSE - Day 1... You've seen those "feed the children" commercials where a bloated and emotionally high-strung Sally Struthers openly weeps for the cameras and guilt trips you into sending her foundation money after seeing photos of emaciated African kids covered in flies. For only the cost of a cup of coffee, you can feed all the starving children in the world. There are campaigns where you send $8 a month or roughly $100 a year. At that equation, one buy-in to the HORSE event could feed 500 starving children for one full year.

Day 28: Horse Day 2, The Procedure Part II, and More Existentialist Conversations with Strippers... Former gymnast. Majored in English at some college in Denton, TX. Got knocked up at 20 and dropped out of school. Had a botched back-alley abortion and can't have kids. Her step-father murdered her mother and knocked up her half-sister. She was a real life Jerry Springer episode gyrating on my lap and spilling Grey Goose all over my Ecco shoes.

Day 29: HORSE Day 3 - Texas Dolly... Shortly after midnight, with the camera happy blooming Friday night crowd on the rail, the grizzled gunslinger took over the chiplead with 27 players remaining in the $50,000 HORSE World Championship. With his trademarked white Stetson cowboy hat, Doyle Brunson was sitting plush with the biggest stack in the room and welcomed all challengers as he flashed a wry smile. One hour earlier, the legendary Texas Dolly limped past the press box with the assistance of his crutch. Brunson made his way out into the hallway and was besieged with autograph and picture requests from dozens of rabid fans who wanted a piece of their hero.

Day 30: HORSE Day 4 - Erick Lindgren and the Killing Floor... One side of the Amazon Ballroom was flooded in the carcasses of the losers in the $1,500 slaughterfest. Call them whatever. Donkeys. Emus. Pigeons. Fish. Pigs. Dogs. Rats. They were causalities and within hours of taking their seats, they ended up on the killing floor. When the survivors trudged through the HORSE area, they tracked donkey blood all over the carpet. Harrahs cleaning crews worked around the clock using an extra-strength extract from special Guatemalan fruit (previously used by porn stars in Hollywood in increase the distance of their cum shots) which helped erase the blemishes.

Day 31: Scotty Nguyen = Horsemaster... The agents were swarming. The media were circling. The backers were licking their chops. A couple of hookers strolled the hallways. Just another night at the WSOP. Around 1:30am, Lindgren made a heroic comeback to almost pull even with DeMichele and Scotty. That's when Scotty lost his shit for a full level. He was drunk and irritated. Happy Scotty was gone and Evil Scotty took his place. He was out in the deep end and he berated dealers and started to head down the path towards utter tiltdom.

Day 32: Whore's Horse Afterthought... If the UIGEA never gets overturn and the U.S. economy continues to go into the shitter, it's a matter of time before the Game Show Network shifts their programming philosophy and broadcasted cage matches live from Costa Rica where Erick Lindgren and Phil Ivey fight each other to the death and then the winner wrestles a grizzly bear with Doyle Brunson booking action. Those poker cage fights are a fusion of UFC Friday Night Fights meets a benzy-induced Philip K. Dick short story. Of course they are sponsored by PokerStars, where you can trade FPP points for a chance to wrestle an alligator. Otis will live blog the action.

Day 33: First 51 Bracelets and More Tao of Pokerati Poker Podcast... Yeah, this might be the year of the pro. Plenty of familiar faces and big names won bracelets this summer, including John Phan who won two. 51 bracelets were awarded to 50 different players.

Day 34: Bluff Party and the Stripper on Ecstasy... Then one honed in on me. Fantasia was her name. Nubile blonde from Texas. She rushed over and hugged me. I could tell by the way she was dancing and slurring the words to the Beastie Boys song Girls that she was deep into a ecstasy trip. Maybe two or three rolls. She gigled every time I touch the back of her neck. She gave me a lap dance or five. She was too wasted to keep track and only charged me for one.

Day 35: Main Event Day 1A - Cokeheads, Crybabies, and the Green Box Conspiracy... One incident happened in the men's room across from the Brasilia Room which I mentioned in the live blog. I overheard one guy sitting in one of the stalls and making odd sounds. I assumed that he was taking a rough dump because I thought I heard squealing in agony. Actually, he was sobbing and telling a loved one his bad beat story of how he busted out of the WSOP. Wow, that blew me away. A grown man brought to tears over one little poker tournament. There's no crying in poker! Alas, he was yet another helpless soul violently crushed in the existentialist meat grinder of the WSOP. If you want a happy hobby, try a ceramics class. If you want to have your balls shaved by a cheese grater every couple of hours, then poker is for you.

Day 36: Main Event Day 1B - Yawn... Varkonyi busted Phil Hellmuth at the 2002 WSOP main event. Hellmuth ranted and raved and said Varonkyi was an awful player. Yeah, some things never change. Hellmuth then made a ridiculous bet that if Varkonyi won it all, then he would shave his head. Well, Varkonyi won and everyone held Hellmuth to his word. At the end of that telecast of the final table, Hellmuth sat down and Becky Binion took an electric razor and shaved it all off as Gabe Kaplan tooled on him and Matt Savage milled around in the background and Devilfish was mugging for camera time.

Day 37: Main Event Day 1C and the Tao of Five with Flipchip... It felt like Ground Hog's Day. The third Day 1. 38th day in a row. My brain is/was/is/was fried. Anyway, the biggest field showed up so far at the WSOP world championship and when action ended on Day 1c, Harrahs dodged a bullet and got more entrants signed up than last year with one more flight to go.

Day 38: The Kitten Fields... The majority of their brethren never made it out alive and perished in the existentialist meatgrinder of the world series of sadism. That's why every PokerStars 'premium' schwag bag can be converted into a makeshift body bag. Poor Otis and Howard and Bartley scrambled across the killing floor every hour to retrieve the leftover carcasses from the plethora of online qualifiers. The bottom of the PokerStars shuttle bus was a makeshift morgue which Otis and his crew constantly filled up every inch with the leftovers. You could see the malnourishment in Otis' eyes. The sorrow. The misery. The agony. And you wonder why Otis writes such sad posts. He can't shake the post-traumatic stress syndrome of being the first on the scene after the initial slaughter. If you have to slosh around knee deep in the fish guts and animal intestines for 15 hours a day, you'd be in a somber mood as well.

Day 39 - Off

Day 40: Main Event Day 2A - Isadario... We are what we are... a gaggle of sex-crazed degenerate gamblers. But that's what I love about America... is that or founder fathers laid out the groundwork so that we can become what we choose to be without the government interfering in our lives. Fly to Vegas. Play in the WSOP. Get sucked out by a donkeyfish. Get wasted. Gamble until sunrise. Fuck a hooker. Eat a buffet. Piss next to Johnny Chan. Buy an ashtray. Buy a tube of cream for that rash you picked up. Good bye Vegas. See you next time.

Day 41: Main Event Day 2B - Formula of Donkey Liquification... You can drink beer while playing poker so it's not a sport. Scotty Nguyen. Men the Master. Minneapolis Jom Meehan. They all like a good cocktail at the tables. Sure, old school professional athletes drank during games like Night Tran Lane and Babe Ruth probably knocked back a cold one in between innings while he stuffed his face with hotdogs. Joe D used to smoke in the dugout and the bat boys used to make sure he had a lit ciggie waiting for him when he came off the field and into the dugout. But today? You couldn't see Pedro Martinez walk to the back of the mound, bend over, and take a huge pull off of a tallboy. I'd love to see Mikael Samuelsson do a shot of tequila on the bench before a line change. But that's just not gonna happen.

Day 42: Main Event Day 3 - Bubbles... An assortment of 1,307 people from all different areas of life... online pros, Vegas pros, amateurs, semi-pros, guys who are muppets who think they are pros, and straight up dream chasers... each walked into the Amazon Room with one thing on their minds... survive Day 3 and advance to Day 4. The simple goal? Be among the 666 players who cashed in the 2008 WSOP Main Event. Once you sign your slip at the end of Day 2 and bag up your chips, all you can think about is making it to the end of Day 3 to almost guarantee a $21K cash. And for online qualifiers or satellite winners, the rest of the WSOP is a freeroll. Almost all of their earnings are pure profit.

Day 43: Main Event Day 4 - Early to Bed and Iggy's Run... Once the cameras are in position, the producer tells the dealer to proceed. Not a floor person or Harrah's staff... but someone from ESPN. The big crowd attracts more people. Staff, players from adjacent tables, media reps. Even the occasional rule breaker who sneaks inside the ropes to check out the action. A massive circle engulfs the table. When the hand is over,one player is usually sent to his death, while all of the vultures disappear and flock to another table where a familiar situation is arising. It's almost like watching pigeons in the park peck and fight over a couple of crumbs. Throw the bread in one direction (all in and a call) and hundreds of pigeons (hungry media) will go apeshit and peck each others' eyeballs out just to grab a crumb. A morsel. Anything they can get their beaks on. As that song goes, birds of a feather are flocking outside.

Day 44: Main Event Day 5 - The Wretched Squall of Hellmuth and Matusow... I waited 44 days for the sure thing. The defining moment of the summer. The one incident that would set the 2008 WSOP apart from the previous four years that have blended into one long blurry flashback of bracelet winners, bad beat stories, excursions to strip clubs, binge drinking at the hooker bar, pot-bellied mulleted children running amuck at the Redneck Riviera, and lime tossing out back with a sad, tilty, and often suicidal Otis. I stumbled upon a story that could have wrote itself before I even got out of bed in the morning. Phil Hellmuth and Mike Matusow. At the same table. Right next to each other. With Hellmuth having position on Matusow. At the featured TV table in front of hundreds of drooling, blood-thirsty fans. They were starving lunatics. Broke dick swine. Some drunk on cheap swill. Others mentally imbalanced. And those were my friends. It was almost like the Romans waiting for the Christians to get tossed to the lions. The featured TV table was standing room only. The spectators were spilling out of the Beast Lounge with limbs dangling over metal rails waiting... waiting... for a meltdown. For a blowup. For the bloodshed.

Day 45: Main Event Day 6 - The Battle for Tiffany Michelle's Breasts... I would not want to be Tiffany Michelle right now. The entire fate of poker and all of Western Civilization has been thrust upon her supple shoulders. Should a 24-year old have that much pressure on her? Tiffany Michelle is poker's most marketable asset right now. Michalksi said that out of the last 27 players, she has the potential for the biggest "Moneymaker Effect." In three years, will I be writing about another poker renaissance in America and citing the "Tiffany Michelle Effect?" Come to think of it, that wouldn't be a bad thing. The poker world could use an influx of young women.

Day 46: Main Event Day 7 - Nonagon... I have seen what money does to people. It destroys lives. It tears friends apart. Too much money and it poisons your soul. Too little money and it makes you do desperate an unthinkable things. And during the pursuit of huge sums of money in the seven and eight figure ranges... your once astute judgment becomes clouded in the fog of war. Poker is a simple game. Played among friends, it can be one of the most entertaining experiences in life. But when poker is played in a tournament for millions of dollars in a forum where dozens and dozens of corporations can profit from it... things can get ugly. There is no longer white and black, just shades of grey. Working for four plus years in the poker industry taught me that the more money that is involved... the more complicated things can get.

* * * * *
Nothing can top my first WSOP in 2005, so it is hard to compare to that experience. However, the 2008 WSOP was my second favorite. I believe that the writing shows that fact.

That's it for now. Thanks to everyone for reading this summer and pimping the coverage.

FYI... ESPN airs the first episode of the 2008 WSOP tonight. Check local listings.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/22/2008 12:30:00 AM | Permalink |

 
The Lost Tao of Pokerati Episodes

By Pauly
Denver, CO


Or maybe, the title should be the "late" episodes of Tao of Pokerati? Michalski uploaded two episodes that are at least a week old.

Episode 28: Exit, Stage Tiffany

Description by Michalski: We're not done yet... still have a few more episodes to share with you, and Brian Balsbaugh and Oliver Tse our agents are in negotiations with French authorities over possible continuation of the show.

It's a 6-minute double-episode — that seems particularly timely with the benefit of hindsight was recorded from the dead-center of an emptied out Amazon room, shortly after Tiffany Michelle busted out in 17th place. Here Dr. Pauly and I survey the atmospheric damage as "the last hope" of the main event exits the building... and I argue that she was the only one of the final 27 players with true Chris Moneymaker potential — meaning her performance wasn't so much about her own abilities to win big cash as it was about the future of poker. Comparisons to Scotty Nguyen and college basketball as well, before one of your not-so-gracious hosts goes through severe WSOP separation anxiety.


Episode 28.5: Fashion Report (featuring Change100)

Description by Michalski: Dr. Pauly chats with Change100 (his personal fashion yogini) about Tiffany Michelle's attire before her Ultimate Bet patchwork became such a major wardrobe malfunction. It's sickeningly cute as this pokerblogging duo draws the fine line between rocker-chick chic and Tijuana hooker — and further fashion analysis tries to differentiate between the new-money stylings of Alexander Kostritsin, typical "online douchebag" and Mean Gene, and the poker-prep ways of Shronk and Brandon Adams.

Stay tuned for a few more lost/late episodes. You can always visit the Tao of Pokerati archives.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/21/2008 10:00:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Boscodon Wins Saturdays with Dr. Pauly

By Pauly
Denver, CO

Congrats to Boscodon. He's been a regular player over the last 25 weeks and won his first ever Saturdays with Dr. Pauly. Congrats!

26 runners this week and the top 3 got paid. Special guest was.... Shaniac! Thanks for playing bro.

As is with my busy schedule, I was unable to play. Sometimes I think that I actually do better when I post and fold. This week? Post and folded my way to 10th place and bubbled off the final table. I was partying it up at a music festival in Denver.

BiskoKid was the runner up last week and this week he managed to win Gigli honors

Hacker 59 bubbled off the money in 4th place.

Week 15 Money Winners
1. BoscoDon - $130
2. UrmaBlume - $78
3. MyLuckyGirls - $52

Congrats again to Boscodon! Thanks to everyone who played and pimped the event.

I will be in California next weekend and expected to play in the 26th week of Saturdays with Dr. Pauly. Wow, have we been running this contest for an entire year a half of a year?


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/20/2008 11:14:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Tiffany Michelle and Tony G Saga: Link Dump

One last bit on the latest Tiffany Michelle and Tony G and Ultimate Bet saga. Here's a cut and paste job of a couple of official statements and blog posts...

If you are like the three people who are late to the game, here's a refresher course. Read and/or listen to the following coverage of the saga...

The Battle for Tiffany Michelle's Breasts by Pauly (Tao of Poker)

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems: The Tiffany Michelle Story by Change100 (Pot Committed)

Ultimate Bet and Russ Hamilton by Nat (NatArem.com)

Episode 28: Exit, Stage Tiffany (Tao of Pokerati)

Download Tiffany Michelle's interview on Poker Road Radio with Joe Sebok, Gavin Smith, and Court Harrington (right click and save as)

* * * * *
And now here's the juicy stuff where things started to get really ugly.

PokerNews Official Statement via Pokerati

Here's excerpts from Tony G blog post titled The Integrity of Poker...

While the game of poker is normally considered to be played across the green felt with chips in hand, the game encompasses a whole world of deals, situations, complexities, and extremes that are never placed in view on the felt. I am deeply distressed over a situation that I feel did not need to happen and it goes against the integrity and trust that I placed in someone that I considered to be a friend and an employee at PokerNews.com and I need to air the events to help myself deal with what has just happened.

Just before the $1K re-buy event at the WSOP, I held a celebration at the Naked Fish and invited many of my friends, including Tiffany Michelle.

Tiffany brought Maria Ho and we had a lot of fun talking and relaxing away from the stress of the WSOP and the Rio. I told Tiffany that I really like what she had done at PokerNews over the last two years and I knew she could be a huge star. We talked about PokerNews putting her into the Ladies Event (that deal was already set) and I wanted to give her a one bullet shot at the $1K re-buy event. She was very happy. I didn't mention anything about her having to sign any paper work and we just agreed on the money terms.

We later had a PokerNews party at Bellagio. I took Tiffany to the VIP box and introduced her to Jeff Lisandro, Billy The Croc, and Jason Grey. Tiffany sat down next to Jeff and they really hit it off. About an hour later Jeff told me he wanted me to put Tiff in the main event. The main event had already started day 1A and Tiff could not get in and she desperately wanted to play. I spent some time talking to Jeff and told him I really couldn't afford to do that, we left it there. We kept talking and Jason got involved in the conversation. A little later, Jeff again said I should put Tiff in the main event and Jason backed him up. I told Jeff he should put some money up because even though Tiff is a good player, she is not someone I would normally stake in this event. I stake many players; Kirill Gerasimov because he is a great player and has made 8 WSOP final tables, Marcel Luske for the first time this WSOP since he is a great player and a great personality and ambassador for the game, those are a few but I know they are qualified to play in this tournament.

As I thought about the whole idea, I thought also about the value PokerNews would receive if Tiff were to make the final table. I really love the girl and she is a star to me, and a great entertainer but not qualified enough as a skilled poker player that I would stake in the main event and if I were to do that, her value would be 80/20 and I know that if she places, she is going to get a huge deal but before she's proven herself, no one would want to touch her with that big of an investment on unproven ground.

As I thought about it all, I said to Jeff that if he put up $4K, I would put up $6K but I would have all the rights to Tiff in terms of endorsement. I know Jason and Tiff both heard me say this. Jeff immediately said yes, that he would do it. I was under a lot of pressure right then because I had run out of cash and even had to borrow money to stake her. I told Tiff that she would have to sign a contract and I wanted it understood that I wanted the rights from anything that might come of her playing and placing in this event; at the time, it was kind of like buying a lottery ticket. I was pretty excited and pumped because I had 35 players in the main event and very high hopes that some of them would do very well and win, of course I was interested in what it would all mean to PokerNews in terms of traffic and new exposure. PokerNews is my dream and a very big part of my life. If I succeed, so does PokerNews, and if PokerNews succeeds, so do I.

The final result was that PokerNews paved the way for Tiffany Michelle's entrance into the main event. The deal was one third for me, one third for Jeff and one third for Tiff and she represents PokerNews.

The first part of the written contract starts like this:

"I, Tiffany Graham, agree that I am an official PokerNews sponsored player."

Unfortunately, my people did not get a water tight contract but that is a matter of deliberation. She is considered to be an official representative of PokerNews, and in all matters of honor and integrity, how can she discard her responsibility to PokerNews and step into a contract with someone else as their official representative? It's noted by others that Tiffany began by wearing PokerNews affiliated clothing and then stepped into Ultimate Bet attire, pretty much concealing her connection with PokerNews as the main event progressed.

When Tiff turned up with UB gear on day 5, it was a total shock to me and all of PokerNews management. You can compare all sides of this and decide for yourself but when I saw her, I was left speechless. I asked my people if she had signed the contract. For me contracts are 20/80 with 80% up to the person that signs up. Unfortunately we cannot enforce things easily via courts, especially with online poker since none of the online poker is based in the US nor does it appear to be a situation that will soon be remedied because the United States appears not to care about integrity and truth or protection for people that play online poker. Every player that has signed with any site could just say, "Go and jump, now I play for UB or Card Player or whoever I want so sue me!" It just isn't going to happen whether it's in the Bahamas or Costa Rica.

People, in principal, especially the people I've had dealings with in poker are honest and Tiff is the first one to break the online poker code - the poker code period, for that matter and drop the ball with me. Even if she did not sign anything, and we had just verbally agreed at the initial talk at the PokerNews party, where are her ethics in business deals?

I tried to call her and eventually got her on the phone. She told me that she couldn't talk to me, that I would have to talk to her agent Katie. I am really pissed. I can't sleep because I don't understand why she would do this to me. Where was Katie when Tiff need $10K to play the main event? Where was anyone at all, including UB, when Tiff needed to find a way into the Ladies' Event or the 1K re-buy event.

Before play on her last day, Tiff called me and I was so happy for her to have made it as far as she did. But I told her that no matter what, she couldn't wear the UB clothing. I asked her to please think about what she was doing to us, meaning her relationship with me and PokerNews, and she said she would think about it.

I keep wondering how Katie, Tiff's agent, would even consider doing this deal with Tiff and how Tiff would not think that her first responsibility for advice and planning should come from PokerNews. I had been working on putting a deal together for Tiff with PokerStars and they had just emailed me. I knew Tiff could become a huge star and I was going to allow her to do a deal that would protect PokerNews also for the main event. We had it all set with PokerStars and she was going to get millions out of it with at least $1M in buy-ins no matter where she finished in the main event. I know that with UB she did not even get a signed contract and I believe Tiff's agent does not have any direct contacts with big sites and UB was her agent's only choice. We asked Annie Duke to get Tiff to pull the gear and Annie agreed. And then Tiff came out with the UB logos all over her for the final devastating day of her main event. UB said that Tiff chose to wear it.

I am not a money hungry person and I don't think about how much I can make but I can truthfully say that on the last few hands I wanted Tiff to bust. I wanted this to end. I felt sick. When she busted It was a huge relief and closure of the situation.

I have never sued anyone and I don't like using my energy on negative things. The court would be the one that decided if she broke a contract with me but I don't like using my energy on negative things. I believe that the time it would take for me to go after her and the hard feelings that would build because of it, that I would lose so much of my good energy that I am not going to prosecute her.

I have a message for Tiff: you are 24 and you have made a horrid mistake. You let me down. You can't live your life like this. I am very hurt that you came out with UB and you could not call me to say, "Hey, here is a deal and this is what I want to do, what do you think?"

Tiff you're off the hook with this, it's over. I have said all I want to say about this.

* * * * *
And here's Tiffany Michelle's official statement...

Tiffany Michelle Official Statement - Thursday, July 17, 2008

It is with great sadness that I've had to see my accomplishment of finishing 17th in the WSOP Main Event clouded by slanderous accusations and inaccurate information. I have been humbled by the overwhelming support from friends, fans and the media and for their sake as well as mine I feel as if I must respond and bring clarity to the situation.

There is no denying the positive press and exposure I brought Pokernews by wearing their logo and being their representative during the 2008 World Series of Poker main event. After such a successful series, I am greatly dismayed by Pokernews' subsequent actions. No one has ever questioned my integrity before this and I am so distressed that Pokernews is using their powerful public forum to spin such a negative recounting of the facts of what occurred during the final two days of the main event.

As we all know, it is standard practice for players to wear multiple logos during the main event. Pokernews was aware of this, having placed their logos on a number of players with sponsorship deals with other companies. Throughout the World Series I saw several players wear the Pokernews logo alongside the logos of online card rooms such as Pokerstars and T6. This makes it very clear that Pokernews supported this practice as a rule and were not against players wearing their logo in conjunction with the logo of an online card room. Like many other people, I wore multiple logos but in no way diminished the presence of Pokernews in doing so.

Unfortunately in this instance, Pokernews suddenly felt that I was in violation of my backing deal by wearing another logo. I have a written contract that has been reviewed by legal counsel – and it is very clearly a non-exclusive contract meaning that while I was expected to wear the Pokernews logo – I was in no way prevented from wearing any other logo. Furthermore Pokernews did not possess any power to make, advise or negotiate any kind of logo or sponsorship deal that came about via my playing the main event. In light of recent allegations by Pokernews, I have had this contract reviewed again by legal counsel to reconfirm my stance – that I in no way was in violation. It was never even said to me verbally until after the fact that there was an expectation of exclusivity. Even in my previous dealings with Pokernews, as their On-Camera Host I have made a point to never agree to any kind of exclusivity with their company as advised by my talent manager. The first I heard of Pokernews' disapproval to me wearing the UB logo was after I already had it on and was playing on the featured table.

It was unfortunate that while I was working hard to try to win the main event (and in so doing help to further promote Pokernews) I was chastised by Pokernews representatives at all hours of the day and night for wearing a second logo. Despite my repeated requests that they go through my manager and let me just concentrate on playing, they insisted on contacting me directly, greatly upsetting me during the most important weekend of my life. These representatives of Pokernews kept repeatedly telling me they had nothing but 'my best interests at heart' yet I felt bombarded by several parties trying to control my decisions and pressure my actions.

A fact that is known to Pokernews is that I was approached by many online poker sites wanting me to represent them during the last few days of the event; however I chose to work with UltimateBet. Tony G even quotes in his BLOG "I had been working on putting a deal together for Tiff with PokerStars and they had just emailed me. I knew Tiff could become a huge star and I was going to allow her to do a deal that would protect Pokernews also for the main event". The fact that Pokernews was willing to work with PokerStars on a joint deal says it all – the contract was NONEXCLUSIVE.

I am a grown woman and I can decide for myself who I choose to associate myself with. That should not be Tony G's decision. Just because Tony G. backed me in the event (and profited quite nicely by doing so) does not mean that he should be able to control or profit from any logo or sponsorship deal I might make or have any say in how I handle my career. I have been around poker a long time and it's widely known that a backer has no say or cut of a player's sponsorship or logo deal. Again, I had seen several Pokernews sponsored players wearing online card room logos already so clearly the backing deal and the logo deals were separate for every other player wearing Pokernews. Why would it be different just for me?

In the end, I completely stand by my decision and I feel that UltimateBet was the one site that treated me with the respect and dignity deserving of someone in my stressful situation. Throughout the whole event they were insistent on wanting me to just concentrate on my play and were clear that the decision in the end was mine and I should do what I felt was best for me.

It is unfortunate that Pokernews has taken the step of publicly accusing me of breaching their contract when I have been scrupulous in fulfilling my obligations. I have always felt that disputes like this should be handled privately and in this case using such a broad reaching platform to air such a dispute seems really inappropriate to me. Still, I want to say how much I appreciate the opportunities that Pokernews has given me. I am deeply grateful to Jeff Lisandro and Tony G for backing me in the event and giving me this opportunity to play in the most exciting event of my life.

* * * * *
I dunno if I said this, but for the record, I have worked with Tiffany on and off for the last two years. Deep down she's a sweet person and that's why it's sort of hard to see her at the center of all of this drama. Despite all of the circumstances, I was rooting for her to go all the way to the final table. Maybe in some ways it's best that she didn't get that close. Imagine the shit storm and PR nightmare that would have happened if all of this drama got dragged on for three months.

The hardest part for me was seeing so many people that I have worked with and worked for make horrible decisions as these events transpired. It's like watching a car wreck unfold and there's nothing you can do about it except turn your head and look away. In a perfect world, all of this stuff would have be resolved behind closed doors.

I expect that this will be my last post on the Tiffany Michelle, Tony G, and Ultimate Bet saga. I have written about this subject at length and there's nothing more for me to add... at this time.

I'm heading to Colorado for the weekend. Poker and Las Vegas will be the last thing on my mind.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/18/2008 01:25:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Monkeys Throwing Shit

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

The poker world is a warm and wonderful and happy place with love overflowing everywhere because everyone in poker gets along with each other and nobody says anything bad behind their backs. There is zero cheating in poker. Online poker is 1000000% safe. And every decision made by the corporations and powers to be is done so for the integrity of the game. It's a magical land of butterflies and bumblebees and unicorns and rainbows and everything else that makes life worth living. And everyone that makes tons of money in poker? They rush to the closest gentleman's club and attempt to rescue as many exotic dancers as possible. And the remainder of altruistic poker millionaires and billionaires hand out $100 Bellagio chips to starving children all over the world.

There is no dark side to poker. Everything is fluffy and fun. To quote Jack Effel, "Guys, isn't this wonderful? This is the World Series of Poker, the greatest tournament in the history of the world!!"

Yeah, Jack. Totally fuckin' awesome.

Man, I was so wrong all these years. The poker world in Las Vegas is nothing like the seedy underbelly that I painted it out to be. That was just me making stuff up in order to mask my own morbid depression. I apologize to "poker" in general for my slanderous remarks over the years. Seriously, quit your jobs right now and move your entire family to North Las Vegas. Immediately. Leave your doors unlocked and flash around wads of cash. Nothing bad will ever happen to you in the land of poker because you'll find the most sincere, coolest, and trustworthy people in the history of the world!

* * * * *
OK, you can stop laughing now and I'll wait a second while you wipe the drool from your mouth.

...

If you were in denial about the shady side of poker, well, all you have to do is to look at the Tiffany Michelle saga to understand that there's more to poker than peeking at your cards and flinging chips around.

Poker is a billion dollar industry and war that is being waged across the planet for the hearts and minds of poker players everywhere. The used car salesmen in Washington have been shaking down the online poker rooms since the inception of the UIEGA. The entertainment industry is trying to squeeze everyone fuckin' nickel out of poker before it moves onto another fad. The entrepreneurs swoop in, rape, pillage, and then get the hell out of dodge with a ton of booty. And the lost souls are standing around with empty pockets and confused looks on their faces.

What the fuck just happened?

Everything that is inherently wrong about poker occurred during the 2008 World Series of Poker. I won't cite examples. I mean there are simply too many for me to rant about. Do your own research.

Poker is a huge net that caught everyone else who fell through the cracks in society. Most people get into poker because they are running away from something else or have no other place to go. Seriously, I'm the biggest example of that. Before poker, I was a failed writer. Totally broke loser and I had to sponge off of my family or girlfriends just to get through each day. And look what happened to me five years later. Poker made me a semi-famous and wealthy man. In normal society I was one step away from being homeless drug addict. But in poker? I'm a success story.

As that saying goes... in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is the king.

Poker is a bunch of misfits, criminals, junkies, and egocentric dweebs. And those are my close friends. You should hear the shit I spew about the inbred dipshits that I begrudgingly have to share a media room or press box with, let alone the professional players that are pedophiles, convicted criminals, and known cheaters that we fluff up on a daily basis only because that's what we are paid to do. Poker media is just like the rest of the media, which is one of the most corrupt institutions on the planet.

I have paid my debts (including a school loan) and vacationed all over the world courtesy of blood money. And it's not donkey blood money, it's the blood money that I have been bribed to whitewash the grimy surface of poker. I have written nice fluffy things about poker for a paycheck, but I have been taking notes on the side as I complied enough material for a couple of books. Believe me, the reason I haven't finished my first poker book is that when I do, I'll seriously fear for my life. I'll become the Salman Rushdie of poker. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

Because of that, everyone is nice to me because they are afraid that I'll write bad things about them. Nothing is worse in life than fake sincerity. And it reeks like a whore who hasn't showered in four days.

I cannot tell you how many lies and half-truths people told me when I dug deeper into the Tiffany Michelle saga. The only way to survive the poker industry is to trust no one and assume that everyone is lying to your face. Perhaps I should post a list of lies and half-truths that people told me over the last week or so? Or maybe I'll just save it for a book.

Here's where I'm gonna piss people off...

I'm still very confused how anyone could turn down a three-year sponsorship deal with PokerStars worth potentially millions of dollars in cash and buy-ins and stick with a sinking ship like UB.

Everyone involved in the Tiffany Michelle saga acted unprofessionally. Everyone. Not one single person is innocent. I'm calling everyone out. Everyone was looking out for themselves at the expensive of Tiffany.

As one person involved in the drama said to me in confidence, "I'm both sad and embarrassed."

What could have been a defining moment in poker was ruined in a maelstrom of ugliness that happened due to a lack of communication and the greed that accompanied bags full of cash.

As a few of us joked the other night, "None of this ever would have happened if Oliver Tse was Tiffany's agent." Oliver could have saved poker.


Oliver hard at work...
(pic courtesy of Benjo)
Nothing good came out of this incident. When I left the Hooker Bar at sunrise after my traditional last drink of the WSOP, my mood was sad, disgusted, and embarrassed over everything I had seen over the last seven weeks.

I'm bitter. I really wanted to go out with a bang. And instead, I left the Rio under a cloud of misery and gloom. The last thing I wrote in my notebook before I left was...

Monkeys throwing shit at each other.

It's gonna take a long time before I get that image of the 2008 WSOP out of my head.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/17/2008 02:38:00 PM | Permalink |

 
More Tao of Pokerati Episodes!

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV


One of my favorite parts about covering the 2008 WSOP was a half-baked idea called the Tao of Pokerati podcast. Stephen Noh suggested that Michalski and I start our own podcast so we went out and did the first one in the hallway. Then another... and another. Along the way we had some special guests such as Benjo, Otis, the Poker Shrink, and Change100.

The best part about the Tao of Pokerati podcast is that they are quick bites and super short clips around 3 minutes in length. It was perfect for our short attentions span (Michalksi is had adult ADD) and the little nuggets were quick sound bites for you to listen to while destroying workplace productivity or background fodder while you play online poker.

Three recent episodes that stood out were...

Episode #19... which we recorded at Sapphire strip club for the Bluff party featuring Otis

Episode #23... we captured the excitement of the Main Event Bubble!

Episode #25... with special guest the Poker Shrink where he discussed his patient Mike Matusow and Aderrall.

The big star of the podcast this summer was Benjo. When he joined the mix, those were some of my favorite (and most hilarious) episodes. I might have to splice together a "Best of Benjo!"

Here's the first 32 episodes...

Episode 1: Game On! (3:16)
Episode 2: Dirty Sklanchez (3:30)
Episode 2.5: Poker Couture with special guest Benjo (1:03)
Episode 3: Milwaukee’s Best Vinny (3:25)
Episode 4: Late-Night Piladies (3:43)
Episode 5: Long Road (3:23)
Episode 6: Lowballin' (3:02)
Episode 7: Brasilia Time (4:23)
Episode 8: Online Sharks::Salmon (3:07)
Episode 9: Do You See What I See? (3:58)
Episode 10: Eurotarded(2:26)
Episode 11: Floorplay (3:21)
Episode 12: Going Halfsies (4:41)
Episode 12.5: Le Donk (1:35)
Episode 13: Energy Bucks (3:37)
Episode 14: Stakehouse (4:41)
Episode 15: Horse Rubbing (2:57)
Episode 16: Generation Bracelet (3:51)
Bonus Episode: Doyle Out featuring Benjo (2:00)
Episode 17: Gold Coasting (2:41)
Episode 17.1: Benjo - Barley Legal (0:55)
Episode 17.2: Benjo - Hooker Tournament Chips (1:05)
Episode 17.3: Benjo - Le Masturbe (1:20)
Episode 18: Triple Crown and Coke (4:54)
Episode 19: Topless Beer Pong (2:44)
Episode 20: Surviving Day 1a (3:58)
Episode 21: Poker for Africa (4:25)
Episode 22: Agent Oranges (7:07)
Episode 23: Bubbilicious (3:46)
Episode 24: Kids in the Hall (4:31)
Episode 25: Maderrall featuring the Poker Shrink (5:32)
Episode 26: Agents, Frenchies, and Polacks featuring Benjo (3:48)
Episode 27: Payouts and Payoffs (5:11)

FYI... You can right-click and Save As to download the MP3s to your hard drive. Or just click the link directly to stream it on your computer.

Michalski is a tad slow uploading the last couple of episodes including a fashion report featuring Change100 and our final WSOP broadcast. Stay tuned for those episodes.

Thanks to everyone for listening.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/16/2008 01:36:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 46: Main Event Day 7 - Nonagon

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Down to nine in the WSOP. Commence the final table delay and start up the hype machine. One of the nine guys I watched play poker the last couple of days will become the next WSOP champion.

Dennis Phillips, Craig Marquis, Ylon Schwartz, Scott Montgomery, Darus Suharto, David 'Chino' Rheem, Ivan Demidov, Kelly Kim, and Peter Eastgate.

It's gonna take a while before we find out which one of them will become poker's next celebrity.

As the poker world holds its breath for three months, the life cycle must continue. I wish that I can put everything on hold over the next three months and follow the Nonagons around and see how they live their lives and find out how celebrity and fame and money alters their already complicated lives.

Over the last four years I have seen what money does to people. It destroys lives. It tears friends apart. Too much money and it poisons your soul. Too little money and it makes you do desperate an unthinkable things. And during the pursuit of huge sums of money in the seven and eight figure ranges... your once astute judgment becomes clouded in the fog of war.

Poker is a simple game. Played among friends, it can be one of the most entertaining experiences in life. But when poker is played in a tournament for millions of dollars in a forum where dozens and dozens of corporations can profit from it... things can get ugly. There is no longer white and black, just shades of grey. Working for four plus years in the poker industry taught me that the more money that is involved... the more complicated things can get.

Tiffany Michelle is the perfect example. Even though she busted out in 17th place, she's still in the middle of a massive tug-o-war. Her story had every element that displays both the light and dark side to poker. TV ratings. Agents. Staking. Online cheating scandals. Corporate sponsorship. Media conglomerates.

I had a front row seat to the circus over the previous seven weeks. I gathered up enough material for a book, maybe be more. After 46 brutal, grueling, ballbusting days, the summer session of the 2008 WSOP came to an end. No bells. No whistles. Not even the UNLV marching band performing a cover of an Elvis Presley tune. Just Jack Effel cheesing it out as usual. The hype has already begun.

The room emptied out the moment the final nine were set. Sure, the bottom feeders were out in full force. The broke dicks. The hangers-on. The poker sluts. The unlucky degenerates always looking for a hand out. The undesirables. They were the only ones left.

The anti-climatic ending was sort of sad in a navel gazing sort of way. Have you ever been the first person to arrive at the party? And you see every single stage that a party runs through as it grows and grows and slowly becomes a rager and you can't breathe because there's zero room to move and you want the party to keep burning until dawn and everyone is pressed up against each other in a sausage fest before the party eventually thins out and the last of the drunks stumble out. When the lights get turned on, you discover that unknown guy passed out in the corner who pissed himself hours ago, and you catch the most random couple making out in the closet. And there's your shitfaced buddy holding court in the kitchen smoking banana peels and clutching a bottle of vanilla extract and taking turns with underaged girls doing shots since that was the last thing in the pantry that he could find that would get him off.

The lights in the Amazon Room were turned on the highest settings for the first time in 46 days. The roaches scattered into the farthest corners of the room. Some of the donkey blood has been steam cleaned while random places will be stained forever with the broken dreams of poker players who had lofty expectations but lacked the ability to survive the struggle in the killing fields.

There are no more cries of "All in and a call!" and "Seat open!" Which means I have heard the last shrieks of animals being led to the slaughter. The area that was once used as the killing floor... is now empty.

I kinda wish they played the final table on Wednesday like originally scheduled. I've gotten so worked up the last 46 days that there's really no climax. If anything, Day 46 was the complete opposite. Instead of walking away with a jubilant feeling like I had moments after when Hachem, Gold, and Yang won their championships, I had an ambivalent feeling. I guess my work is done here. I have no idea if I'll even be allowed to sit ringside at the final table in November. I left dazed and confused and unsatisfied.

The end. The bitter end.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/15/2008 06:57:00 AM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 46: Main Event Day 7 - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Down to the final three tables. 27 players will fight to the death. Only nine will survive and go on to become the next wave of poker celebrities. Which nine will it be? Cantu? Chino? Hot Chips? One or more Scandis?

Featured TV Table:
Seat 1: Joe Bishop (Cincinnati, OH) – 4,855,000
Seat 2: Peter Eastgate (Odense, Denmark) – 9,325,000
Seat 3: Gert Andersen (Herning, Denmark) – 6,740,000
Seat 4: Kelly Kim (Whittier, CA) – 8,840,000
Seat 5: Brandon Cantu (Las Vegas, NV) – 4,740,000
Seat 6: Dean Hamrick (East Lansing, MI) – 2,375,000
Seat 7: Ivan Demidov (Moscow, Russia) – 4,965,000
Seat 8: Niklas Flisberg (Stockholm, Sweden) – 1,330,000
Seat 9: Michael Carroll (Carson, CA) – 1,015,000

Secondary Table:
Seat 1: Scott Montgomery (Perth, Ontario, Canada) – 4,320,000
Seat 2: Tim Loecke (Highland Park, IL) – 2,280,000
Seat 3: Anthony Scherer (Truckee, CA) – 2,385,000
Seat 4: Owen 'ocrowe' Crowe (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) – 3,800,000
Seat 5: Craig Marquis (Arlington, TX) – 11,460,000
Seat 6: Ylon Schwartz (Brooklyn, NY) – 3,655,000
Seat 7: Paul Snead (Kings Park, NY) – 6,600,000
Seat 8: Tiffany Michelle (Los Angeles, CA) – 9,755,000
Seat 9: Phi Nguyen (Hawaiian Gardens, CA) – 1,020,000

Table #3 Outside
Seat 1: Jason Riesenberg (Halbur, IA) – 3,405,000
Seat 2: Darus Suharto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) – 4,510,000
Seat 3: Chris Klodnicki (Voorhees, NJ) – 6,245,000
Seat 4: Toni Judet (Bucharest, Romania) – 5,000,000
Seat 5: Nicholas Sliwinski (Las Vegas, NV) – 4,925,000
Seat 6: David 'Chino' Rheem (Los Angeles, CA) – 8,280,000
Seat 7: Dennis Phillips (St. Louis, MO) – 11,910,000
Seat 8: Albert Kim (Staten Island, NY) – 3,675,000
Seat 9: Aaron Gordon (Brighton, UK) – 1,790,000

* * * * *
11:11am...

In position. The room is almost empty. An eerie calm before the human sacrifice unfolds before our eyes.

My sources at PokerStars say that have not heard anything about sponsoring Tiffany. I'm assuming it will be a last minute decision.

* * * * *
12:01pm....

"Absolutely drama ladened," was how one poker insider described the behind the scenes battle for Tiffany's chest.

She walked in a few seconds ago... with a UB patch. That cost me a lot of money in side bets. Yikes.

* * * * *
12:26pm....

The doors opened o the public and the first person to walk through? An agent slithered through. A mad dash of people trickled through the only entrance. They all wanted to get a good spot on the rail.

Joe Awada is here sweating somebody. I wonder if he has a piece of someone.

Cards in the air. Action was delayed for about ten minutes while Jeffrey Pollack addressed the final 27. He told them that the final nine has to come back tomorrow for a three hour orientation meeting. They will get paid their $900,000 and then they will find out about what will happen over the next three months.

The big buzz is about the shift in strategy once it gets down to 12-11-10-handed. Will people stall and not play a hand in order to become the final nine? Or will they throw all the celebrity hoopla out the window and play it down like a regular tournament? I guess we'll find out. Because of that extra-incentive to play tighter near the final table bubble, I'm setting the O/U at 5:01am.

* * * * *
1:01pm...

Big Stacks: Dennis Phillips with 12.5M, Peter Eastgate, Craig Marquis, Paul Snead, Chino Rheem

Players Remaining: 26

Hot Chips Watch: 7.5M

The first player to bust out was Michael Carroll in 27th place. he had been sporting Lakers jerseys for the entire Main Event. I talked to him once or twice and he was engaging and funny and I wanted to get to know him a little bit better. He was one of the guys I wanted to cover heavily today, but he's busto in the first ten minutes of play.

I'm starting to piece together the battle for Tiffany's breasts... supposedly, PokerStars had a deal in place and she was good to go with them. However, she shocked everyone when she walked in through the back door with her ever growing entourage and sporting a UB logo and wearing a camouflage trucker's hat with a UB patch on the front. Maria Ho is sweating Tiffany today.

MeanGene is covering Tiffany's table for PokerNews. I hung out with him for a bit and Tiffany has been bullied early on and lost two pots. She's a huge target and with all the side drama, I hope her head is in a good spot because it's gonna be a bloody-knuckle brawl.

The sketch-guy is back. An artist has been here the last couple of days lurking in the background and doing pen and pencil drawings. I haven't talked to him yet. I've been leaving him alone to do his thing.

Someone asked me who I'm rooting for. I gotta go with Ylon Schwartz... everyone's favorite future juniper addict of America. He qualified online at is a sponsored by PokerStars. I've been keeping an eye on Tim Loecke over the last couple of days. My buddy Dave King watched him play in the early stages of the main event and on Day 3, he picked him to make the final table. Dave said that he liked the guy's style of play. Tim Loecke is shortstacked and needs to double up other wise he's gonna be one of the next players to bust out.

The goodbyes have begun. Over the last couple of days, I have been in the process of bidding my friends farewell. Some I'll see on the tour later this year. And the ones who I only see at the WSOP, I might not see for a long time. Sort of sad, at the same time, I don't have time to dwell upon it with 26 players to go.

* * * * *
1:48pm...

Big Stacks: Dennis Phillips with 14.4M. Peter Eastgate, Craig Marquis, Kelly Kim, and Joe Bishop

Players Remaining: 23

Hot Chips Watch: 5M

Recent eliminations: Aaron Gordon 24th place; Niklas Flisberg 25th Place; Phi Nguyen = 26th place

A couple of quick bustouts... and there's 23 to go.

Ylon Schwartz doubled up with A-K versus Paul Snead's A-J, despite the fact that Snead flopped trips on a K-J-J board. The turn was a King and Ylon took the lead and won the hand to double up.

I have already lost $50 today in throwing things prop bets and almost another 1K in gambling on the online poker logos on Tiffany's breasts. Bad start to today. Need to make it back. Can you say online tennis betting?

* * * * *
2:22pm...

Big Stacks: Dennis Phillips with 14.4M. Peter Eastgate, Craig Marquis, Kelly Kim, and Joe Bishop

Players Remaining: 23

Hot Chips Watch: 5M

Players returned from a break. Level 20. Blinds 50K/100K with 10K ante.

Ylon took a pot from Tiffany before the break. He's moving up while she's moving down.

Lots of stunned and confused faces today from poker insiders over Tiffany's decision to wear UB. That's fodder for the forum flamers to feast on for the rest of the decade.

On the other hand, PokerStars appears to have won the final 27 branding battle with more than 50% of the remaining field considering only four of them were qualifiers (Tim Loecke, Owen Crowe, Chris Klodnicki, and Darus Suharto). The other eight (including Cantu and Chino) were plucked up over the last couple of days.

* * * * *

3:27pm...

Big Stacks: Dennis Phillips with 14M, Darus Suharto, Joe Bishop, Ylon Schwartz, and Craig Marquis

Players Remaining: 18

Hot Chips Watch: 5M. She's slipped to the middle of the pack.

Recent Bustouts: Oliver Kim 19th, Brandon Cantu 20th, Paul Snead 21st, Judet Toni Cristian 22nd, Tim Loecke 23rd

Holy shit. Several bustouts in the last five minutes. It was hard to keep up. Someone was all in on every table at one point. OK, action has been paused. Down to the final 18 or the final two tables. Wow. That was quick. Stay tuned for the final 18 seating assignments.

With Cantu's elimination, the big names left are Chino and Tiffany.

Ylon up to 10M and jumped into the Top 5.

I heard that all but two of the final 27 players were signed up by online poker sites. The two holdouts? The distrusting Russian who did not want to deal with any agents. And the Romanian guy who wouldn't talk to anyone for less than 500K.

* * * * *
3:50pm...

Action resumed after a short delay while the final two tables completed a re-draw.

Featured TV Table:
Seat 1: Nicholas Sliwinski
Seat 2: Jason Riesenberg
Seat 3: Tiffany Michelle
Seat 4: Dennis Phillips
Seat 5: Scott Montgomery
Seat 6: Dean Hamrick
Seat 7: Gert Andersen
Seat 8: Anthony Scherer
Seat 9: Peter Eastgate

Secondary Table:
Seat 1: Joe Bishop
Seat 2: Chris Klodnicki
Seat 3: Owen Crowe
Seat 4: Ylon Schwartz
Seat 5: Kelly Kim
Seat 6: Darus Suharto
Seat 7: Ivan Demidov
Seat 8: Craig Marquis
Seat 9: David "Chino" Rheem

JC Tran and Shaniac are on the rail sweating Chino and Owen Crowe. Crowe is Shaniac's roomie this summer.

"I'm totally proud of Chino. He's had an amazing summer. He's in the zone right now. By the way, this is the year of the marginal pro. One of them will win it this year," explained Shaniac.

Tiffany is over at the featured TV table. She has Ted Lawson's wife sweating her along with Maria Ho and her agent Katie, not to mention porn star Samantha Ryan. Her ex-boyfriend Hollywood Dan is in the stands as well. He was kicked out of the media area for several reasons including wearing a media badge that was not his.

Greg 'FBT' Mueller has three horses left. Chino, Crowe, and Tiffany. He'd love for them to go 1-2-3. "But you know how poker is," lamented FBT. "They could all be the next three to bust, especially how fast the action has gone today."

With the consolidation of the final two tables, the entire crowd has split up into two distinct areas. They are gathered at the featured table where it's standing room only there and in the Beast Lounge. The secondary table has railbirds standing ten deep. That table has been the worst table at the WSOP to cover an event because it is sort of secluded. Horrendous set up and a total clusterfuck. There's zero room to move and very little space to house the media.

The Poker Kitchen is nevermore. It has been totally stripped down. The only thing left out back is a portable shitter that smells like it hasn't been drained in weeks. When shit and urine bake out in the Nevada sun, the result is a toxic and obnoxious aroma.

* * * * *

4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * *
5:01pm...

Eight minutes into Level 30, Tiffany Michelle was eliminated in 17th place. Poker's last hope is out.

Tiffany Michelle. The last chance star in the darkened sky of poker has faded into oblivion.

It seemed like everyone had something riding on Tiffany Michelle. Harrahs. ESPN. Poker News. Ultimate bet. The G. Lisandro. FBT. Online poker. The entire poker industry. With the weight of world on her back, it hard not to think she buckled under the pressure.

"She had a phenomenal run," said Flipchip.

Congrats to Tiffany for a valiant effort. She posted a stunning run under the most dire of external circumstances.

* * * * *
6:01pm...

Big Stacks: Peter Eastgate with 18.6M, Joe Bishop, Craig Marquis, Darus Suharto, Dennis Phillips

Players Remaining: 15

Recent Elimination: Anthony Scherer in 16th place

Ylon is a shade under 12M. Chino is one of the shortstacks with 3M.

Been watching the home run derby. I'm sitting next to the plasma screen. For the last two days, I abandoned the press box and sat much closer to the action. My area is mostly secluded and I get more work done. Sometimes the press box was too distracting and at this point in the tournament, it's less about social hour and everything to do with hunting down the stories. At the tables. On the rail. In the hallways.

Right now? It's super quiet. You would never know it's the final two tables of the WSOP.

The entire air has been let out of the room. Seems like everyone is depressed and sad about the Tiffany elimination. When you are bone dead tired after seven long weeks... something like Tiffany energizes you. The story is so fascinating and has so many aspects and it really fired up everyone involved. It was sort of magical in a way. With her departure, life returns to its ordinary blandness. Especially since some reporters have commented that the play on the final two tables resembles "an online tournament" or a "$1,500 donkament." I was quick to point out that they might have some semblance of truth to their statements. But there's also $9 million on the line.

* * * * *
6:45pm...

Big Stacks: Peter Eastgate, Scott Montgomery, Darus Suharto, Chino Rheem, Joe Bishop

Players Remaining: 15

We're at a new pay jump...

10-12th place = $591,869
13-15th place = $463,201

Wow, Chino making a tremendous run. he was on the verge of getting busted and ran his stack all the way up into the Top 5. As Shaniac said earlier, Chino is in the zone.

Peter Eastgate is the current chipleader.

Nick told me about the Nicholas Sliwinski story about how he was living on his buddy's couch and down to his last $1,000 and somehow parlayed that into a seat into the Main Event. He's still in the middle of the pack.

Watching Josh Hamilton put on a clinic in the HR derby. That's more interesting than the final two tables. Chris Berman has jizzed in his pants at least four times.

* * * * *
6:51pm...

Owen 'ocrowe' Crowe eliminated in 15th place. Down to 14. Peter Eastgate is the chipleader.

Players are heading on dinner break.

* * * * *
8:14pm...

14 to go. Players will be back from their dinner break soon. The average stack is 9.77M. Here's the updated chipcounts:

Peter Eastgate 18.8M
Darus Suharto 14.8M
Dean Hamrick 12.6M
Joe Bishop 11.8M
David 'Chino' Rheem 11.2M
Scott Montgomery 10.59M
Ylon Schwartz 9.77M
Craig Marquis 9.6M
Dennis Phillips 9.2M
Kelly Kim 6.8M
Chris Klodnicki 6.7M
Ivan Demidov 5.4M
Nicholas Sliwinski 4.565M
Gert Andersen 3.7M

Five more bustouts until the final table is set.

When they come back, action will be on level 31. Blinds 80K/160K with 20K blinds.

* * * * *

9:16pm...

Big Stacks: Dennis Phillips with 18.6M, Ylon Schwartz, Peter Eastgate, Joe Bishop, Dean Hamrick

Players Remaining: 12

Recent Bustouts: Nicholas Sliwinski in 13th, Gert Andersen in 14th

Average stack is 11.4M.

Ylon Schwartz took over the chiplead, before Dennis Phillips got it back when he busted Nicholas Sliwinski. Phillips had a bunch of inebriated and boisterous fans. Sliwinski's crew wore t-shirts that said, "Whose the bully now."

A couple of railbirds stole a couple of stools that a Dutch TV show had been using to conduct interviews with Dutch pros such as Marcel Luske. A secuity guard busted them and dragged the stools across the Amazon ballroom back to where they belongs.

Johnny Chan was spotted sitting in the audience. He was branded up and I betcha he was there to pimp his third-rate energy drink.

Sometimes the behavior of my fellow media reps embarrasses all of us... at the featured TV table there is one girl who is so bored that she's doing Sudoku puzzles. Most of the time, the bored folks are usually playing online poker or updating their facebook profile.

I offered to play Otis a $1K heads up freezeout... lime tossing. He declined. I think he's ducking me.

* * * * *
10:09pm...

Chris Klodnicki out in 12th place. Down to 11. Dennis Phillips is the chipleader and the first player past 24M. Ylon is second in chips. Chino in third.

Joe Bishop's railbird bought a bottle of Dom Perignon for Joe and the secondary table. Ivan the Russian declined. There was extra glasses available and Bishops told the waiter to offer the extras to the final table. A couple of them declined and Ylon told the waiter to give the booze out to fans in the stands.

Mel Judah sighting in the crowd. Andy Bloch was on the rail as well. One old guy asked him for a picture. "Hey' you're the blackjack guy!"

* * * * *
11:30pm...

Big Stacks: Dennis Phillips 28.6M, Ivan Demidov, Dean Hamrick, Craig Marquis, Joe Bishop

Shortstack: Kelly Kim

Players Remaining: 11

Sorry for the lack of updates. I had a last session of lime tossing with Otis. Here are the scores...

Round 1: Pauly 150, Otis 80
Round 2: Pauly 80, Otis 0
Final: +150
Overall: Pauly +220

Otis and I also did a quick podcast about his involvement with the Devil. Benjo stopped by and looked very sad. He said that the WSOP is like summer camp and today is the last day. He was kinda sad when we did our final podcast.

* * * * *
12:01am...

Down to 10. Dennis Phillips is the chipleader with over 30M. Ivan in second.

Wow. Chino busted Joe Bishop in 11th place. Chino was

Chino was so far behind and got there on the river. His friends and buddies on the rail (among them Shaniac, FBT, Joe Bartholdi, JC Tran, Durrrr) went ballistic. It was one of the most explosive moments at the main event when Chino hit his card on the river. Even FBT gave the security guard a hi-five. Since the final ten players would be consolidated on the feature table was set, all of his buddies raced to the final table to secure a seat.

* * * * *
12:25am...

Here's the final 10 including seating assignments and chip counts.

Seat 1: Dean Hamrick 12,460,000
Seat 2: Dennis Phillips 21,500,000
Seat 3: Craig Marquis 12,000,000
Seat 4: Ylon Schwartz 10,500,000
Seat 5: Scott Montgomery 20,635,000
Seat 6: Darus Suharto 16,425,000
Seat 7: David 'Chino' Rheem 10,100,000
Seat 8: Ivan Demidov 18,700,000
Seat 9: Kelly Kim 4,430,000
Seat 10: Peter Eastgate 10,430,000

The fan favorite is Chino with a dozen or so pros and internet legends in the crowd cheering him on.

Cards just went in the air. One more bust out... and everyone gets to go home.

* * * * *
1:15am...

Action has slowed down as expected. Ivan Demidov has taken over the chiplead... albeit by a slim margin. Kelly Kim is the shortstack.

* * * * *
2:15am...

More inaction. Despite a crowded final table, Ivan Demidov and Scott Montgomery have about 20M each and are out in front. Kelly Kim is the shortstack. Most of the younger pros in the crowd are sweating Chino.

SInce action has slowed down, I took it upon myself to engage in as many outrageous prop bets. Ali Nejad and one of his camera guys had a bet to see who could push an inflated six-foot high Milwaukee's Beast can across the empty Amazon Ballroom. Steve Frezer picked the cameraguy. I had Ali. I lost. So fuckin' rigged.

I lost $30 in throwing things bets with Otis and Michalski out back in the area that used to be the Poker Kitchen. I won a few bucks in "golfing" props... specifically hitting empty Gatorade bottles over a wall with a piece of PVC piping. When it came to throwing the PVC pipe as a javelin... I got smoked. Michalski can definitely bring it although he tossed the faux javelin like Lamar Latrell (aka the gay black guy in Revenge of the Nerds).

* * * * *
2:55am...

Drunk guy left the final table area and stumbled across the killing fields. He fired up a cigarette and smoked 1/3 of it as he slowly trudged across the Amazon Ballroom. Of course, he didn't get yelled at.

I have seen plenty of pros and unknowns stand around in the service hallways and smoke during break. Some of them just don't care and light up in front of no smoking signs. The worse is Amir Vahedi who smokes his stinky cigars everywhere.

All quiet on the western front.

"This is so strange. Of course everyone is tired. Or drunk. Or both. They are bringing beers over by the trayfull," said Flipchip.

Yes, still ten players left. Dennis Phillips is the chipleader while Ylon is fourth in chips.

* * * * *
3:27am...

Dean Hamrick bubbled off the final table in 10th place.

The November nine includes... Dennis Phillips, Craig Marquis, Ylon Schwartz, Scott Montgomery, Darus Suharto, David 'Chino' Rheem, Ivan Demidov, Kelly Kim, and Peter Eastgate.

One of those lucky fuckers will be the next WSOP champion.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/14/2008 02:46:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 45: Main Event Day 6 - The Battle for Tiffany Michelle's Breasts

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

I would not want to be Tiffany Michelle right now. The entire fate of poker and all of Western Civilization has been thrust upon her supple shoulders. Should a 24-year old have that much pressure on her?

Tiffany Michelle is poker's most marketable asset right now. Michalksi said that out of the last 27 players, she has the potential for the biggest "Moneymaker Effect." In three years, will I be writing about another poker renaissance in America and citing the "Tiffany Michelle Effect?" Come to think of it, that wouldn't be a bad thing. The poker world could use an influx of young women.

Tiffany Michelle, an actress/musician from Los Angeles and a Poker News employee, is among the final 27 players in the WSOP main event. With the Final Table Delay on the horizon, the WSOP Hype Machine ready to whore out Tiffany to boost ratings. She's the last female standing. She's a heavy fan favorite. She's also a controversial figure and the quality of her play is getting questioned by pros and pundits alike, while her ethics and morals are being examined for her decision to wear Ultimate Bet logos over the last two days.

The 2+2 forums and other knitting circles have been blowing up over the last 48 hours with various 'Tiffany Michelle... Hot or Not?' threads while other threads are havens for Tiffany Michelle and UB haters who have been referring to her as a sellout for wearing UB stuff, not to mention the latest bombs being dropped on the UB scandal since former WSOP champion Russ Hamilton was fingered by Nat Arem as one of the superusers who cheated players out of millions.

There's a circus within the circus. An enigma wrapped up inside a riddle. I'll do my best to connect the dots that I have discovered. Because what's really going on right now is a battle for prime real estate. Whoever holds the center of the chess board will gain an edge. And the center of the board? It's Tiffany's breasts. OK, not just her chest area, but also the spot on her trucker's hat.

YOUR AD HERE and show me the money.

Let's start from the beginning. Tony G and Jeff Lisandro backed Tiffany Michelle into the Main Event. I believe it was a even 1/3 chop. I cannot verify the exact amount, but out of her 33%, she may have sold or swapped percentages with other players and friends such as Greg Mueller. I'm gonna estimate that she has about 30% of herself.

The Main Event is a super long shot. I'm sure when all three parties (The G, Lisandro, and Tiffany) agreed on a staking arrangement, none of them expected that Tiffany would get this far. Otherwise, their contract would have been worded differently and some ambiguous situations that arose during the last 48 hours would have been clarified. For the first few days of the Main Event, Tiffany wore a PokerNews patch. But on Day 5, things changed and The G got angry.

Tiffany is a hot chick who can get some face time on ESPN cameras and she was a perfect target for product placement, specifically around her boobular area. Since she only had a small percentage of herself, she welcomed the opportunity to get some extra endorsement dollars. I can't blame her there, especially since her staking contract did not say she was exclusive to Poker News. Tiffany's agent Katie arranged a deal with Ultimate Bet. Tiffany has previous connections to UB since her boyfriend/ex-boyfriend Hollywood Dave was a member of the UB Black Jack team and Tiffany is also tight with Annie Duke. I dunno how much her personal relationships came into play or it was a simple matter that they offered more than Full Tilt. I also cannot verify how much she was paid to wear UB. It could have been just a contingency deal (if she finishes in X place, she gets Y dollars) or it could have been some sort of deal that included a bonus as well.

On Saturday before cards were in the air, Tiffany added two logos in addition to her PokerNews logo. One UB patch on a hat and another on a hoodie type jacket that she wore. The problem was that her jacket covered up her PokerNews patch. All you could see was UB and no PokerNews. That's where the G had an issue; it was his money (and his buddy Lisandro's) so he was entitled to have Poker News on her breasts. They eventually cleared up that issue and Tiffany proudly displayed a triumvirate of patches... Poker News on one boob, UB on the other, and a "Suited Connections" patch in the middle which happened to be the name of her agent's management agency.

I don't know what exactly went down, but between Day 5 and Day 6, the G and UB got into some sort of spat. Tiffany was still their horse and all parties involved knew it was essential for them to work something out themselves and not be a distraction to Tiffany. After all, the deeper she went, the more money everyone stood to make. Tiffany. Her backers. Her agent. Poker News. UB. Harrahs. ESPN.

While all of that went down, Tiffany took a few punches to the gut on 2+2 for shilling for UB. To make things worse, more fuel was added to the UB cheating scandal inferno. And Tiffany was a byproduct of that fiasco. Do you really want to be be wearing a logo of a company that is in deep shit?

The G is pissed. The masses are pissed. It would definitely be in Tiffany's best interest to pull a Rizen and walk away from UB. Yet, on Sunday once cards were in the air, her boobs had a UB patch and a PokerNews patch. Nothing had changed. She eventually sat at the featured TV table and ended the day among the Top 5 in chips as she closed in on 10 million. Hot Chips with chips. With Hellmuth's and Matusow's eliminations, she was the most popular player left in the mix.


Photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
While everyone flocked to Tiffany's table, I watched the spectacle unfold outside the ropes on what was previously the killing fields. Early on Day 6, I spotted several Poker Royalty (PR) agents talking to Jeff Lisandro. If you have no idea who they are, but they are like the NY Yankees or JP Morgan of poker agents. They were the top dogs in the industry and represented the biggest stars in poker such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, and Greg Raymer. There were many small time agents (like Katie and Oliver Tse and others) with a handful of clients, trolling the hallways at the Rio, but combined they couldn't even compare to the dominating influence that PR had on the poker scene.

After his happy chat with PR, Lisandro found Tiffany's agent Katie and he put his arm around her just like Tony Soprano as they both walked to the other side of the room to engage in a private conversation. I have no idea what exactly went down but I knew something was up. Throughout most of the day, different PR agents and Katie were talking shop. One of my sources confirmed that a deal was being discussed between Tiffany's people and PokerStars.

As soon as I found that out, I started booking action on what site will be on Tiffany's boobs at the start of Day 7 (provided she made the last 27). I'm betting it's PokerStars. Tiffany would be a perfect match for PokerStars instead of UB, especially if she become the next Moneymaker. As of 3am Vegas time, nothing has been finalized. This is all speculation. I might be completely full of shit and Tiffany might waltz into the Amazon Room with a UB patch. Or how about a Full Tilt hat?

Tiffany Michelle is the hottest commodity in poker right now. Word is out on the streets of Las Vegas that she might drop UB due to massive backlash that both Tiffany and UB had been getting. If that's the case, then it boils down to the two biggest online dogs on the block... PokerStars and Full Tilt. Never underestimate FT, they have often swooped and snatched players up at the last possible second.

The breasts of Tiffany Michelle have become a battle ground on the eve of Day 7. If it's this bad right now, what will it be like in the weeks leading up to the final table in November?

I haven't talked to Tiffany about any of this drama. She's getting pulled and tugged in hundreds of different directions from her friends, from her fake friends, from the Man, from everyone in the media, and everyone else who wants a piece of Tiffany. I'm letting her play poker. Unlike the hordes of other media, I have been leaving her alone and focusing on the behind the scenes drama that unfolded when she was playing on Day 6.

Tiffany occasionally winked at me or smiled when I stood on the rail sweating her table on Sunday, which is enough interaction for me. I'm the last person she wants to have to deal with right now as the vultures are circling and ready to peck apart her eyeballs. The pimps are brawling outside the ropes trying to figure out who they're gonna sell her off to and for how much? A hot actress from Hollyweird like Tiffany who is extremely media savvy can go a long way in poker.

I've known Tiffany for almost two years and we've shared assignments for Poker News in several different countries. She gives the best massages in the business and saved my ass in Monte Carlo in 2007 when I had a bum arm and kept me loose enough so I could keep writing. I'm really excited for her in the same way that I was rooting for Jeremiah Smith during his run earlier in the Main Event. However, with all the bullshit that has been going down, I hope she's able to settle down and focus on the next goal... make the final nine.

With Matusow and Hellmuth gone, the onus is on Tiffany Michelle. As much as she never asked for that responsibility, it has fallen into her lap. You would think that this was all about poker. Um, it's not. Behold! The powers of big business. It's probably more important what patch that Tiffany wears on Day 7 than what specific cards that she plays.

The endless war of global domination between online poker sites are being fought out on Tiffany Michelle's breasts. Who will emerge as the victor in this battle? Full Tilt? UB? PokerStars?

We'll find out in a few hours.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/14/2008 06:23:00 AM | Permalink |

 
Tao of Poker & Borgata Birthday Celebration


The Tao of Poker turns five in August. To help commemorate that special milestone, the Borgata will be doing something extra special.

Stay tuned for a special announcement.

If you don't know, the Borgata Poker Open (September 3rd to 18th) will have a $5 million guaranteed $10K event where at least $1.4 million will go to the winner. I'll be down there covering the event for Borgata's poker blog.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/13/2008 11:20:00 PM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 45: Main Event Day 6 - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Sunday is funday at the WSOP. 79 players remaining. They will slug it out until 27 players are remaining. Will the "shorted days" come back to bite WSOP officials in the ass when play drags on until sunrise? Or will the casualties happen at a rapid pace?

I spoke to someone at ESPN and they told me that ESPN had nothing to do with the Hellmuth TV table conspiracy theories that have been popping up on the web. As I speculated, ESPN would prefer to have those two stay as far as way as possible. When Jeffrey Pollack heard about the rumors, he did a thorough and quick investigation of the floor staff which he found that there was nothing wrong. Total confidence. More tin foil hats crushed.

Stat time...

Runners: 6,844
Players Remaining: 79
Prize Pool: $64,333,600
Chipleader: Mark Ketteringham with 5.8M
Big Dogs: Mike Matusow at 1.169M and Phil Hellmuth at 721K

* * * * *
12:03pm...

Cards in the air at 12:15pm.

Tiffany Michelle and Mike Matusow are at the same table... but not on one of the features. Brandon Cantu is on the secondary table.

Hellmuth was supposed to begin day at the featured table and sit out for the first orbit. But he was dealt in. According to Brooks he said the the penalty was overruled.

... more on the Hellmuth saga. According to one dealer, they told me that Hellmuth's excuse for his douchebaggery was all an act for ESPN cameras. He used the old "acting for ESPN" excuse. And the powers to be may have bought it and took back the penalty.

Change100 reported that... "The penalty has been overturned, and we will be issuing a formal statement shortly."

Still waiting to hear it from the horse's mouth.

* * * * *
1:04pm....

Big Stacks: David 'Chino' Rheem with 5M, Dennis Phillips, Nikolay Losev, Mark Ketteringham, and Andrew Brokos

Players Remaining: 73

Recent Bustouts: Matt Matros 78th, The Camel in 75th

New chipleader. Hello Chino. He and Dennis Phillips both have about 5M a piece.

Six bustouts in the first 55 minutes of play.

The major online poker sites were represented at the featured TV table to start the day. McManus qualified on Party Poker so he was sporting Party colors. Hellmuth is UB. PokerStars had a couple of guys and the rest were branded in Full Tilt hats.

"Is it so sad?" said Gloria as I pointed out the empty spaces in the Amazon Room? One corner is the poker table graveyard where the dead carcasses of broken down poker tables are tossed and stashed sway until next year.

The Hellmuth saga continues...

I got confirmation that Hellmuth's appeal was based on two things...

1. It was an act for ESPN cameras.
2. He said that although he was given a warning many times before, it was always an idle threat and nothing every happened beyond that warning. He felt as though the timing of the penalty and that the lack of enforcement of previous warning was also justification for it to be overruled.

Jeffrey Pollack will be issuing a statement shortly.

I think it's bullshit about the reversal on the original ruling made by Steve Frezer. One orbit? It was peanuts. Hellmuth should have taken it like a man. And Harrah's should not have gotten involved. Why stir the pot on such a minor thing in an almost flawless WSOP main event? Talk about stepping in dogshit one block before you walk into church.

Harrah's dropped the ball there. Double standard? Hell yes. If that incident did not have a named pro or a celebrity like Hellmuth involved, the obnoxious out of line player would have been tossed much earlier. Guys like Scotty Nguyen and Hellmuth get away with being jackoffs for the cameras. By not enforcing the "excessive celebration" rule which they added this year, Harrah's is abiding by a double standard. They are pretty much saying that it's perfectly OK to do what you want. Act like an ass. As long as it is for the entertainment purposes.

Ah I forgot to write about the faux apology that Hellmuth made. He left the featured TV table and went to the outer tables to talk to Cristian Dragomir. They shook hands as ESPN cameras captured the moment. PR stunt? Or sincerity? If we could only peek into Hellmuth's mind to find out...

Lisa Parsons went out. Tiffany Michelle is the last woman standing.

* * * * *
2:07pm....

Big Stacks: Gert Andersen, Albert Kim, Brandon Cantu, Aaron Gordon, Nikolay Losev

Players Remaining: 59

Recent Bustouts: Voictor Ramdin 64th, Jim McManud 71st, and David Benefield 73rd

Rapid fire bustouts. 20 in the first 1:55 of play. 32 more to go and I get to go home.

Money jump. The next payout is $115K.

Gert Andersen was one of the first players to pass the 7M mark.

I guess the no smoking rule is no longer in effect in the hallways, even inside the Amazon Room. One guy fired up a cigarette. Someone is smoking a cigar in the hallway, probably one of the random conventioneers occupying the old spaces that used to house the poker expo or the online poker lounges. The hallways are nearly bare with the exception of a few booths. Even the parking lots are empty.

Pokerati was on the ball with the massive UB logo on Hellmuth's hockey jersey for the entire WSOP. It was clearly in violation of the logo policy. Today? It has been covered up in black tape.

The Poker Shrink is sweating Mike Matusow. 'He's fine today. He loves his table. Finally happy with his starting table. He' looking to try to get to 2M by the end of the day. That will really make him happy. He currently has about 1.5M.

Tiffany Michelle was moved to a new table... which will be the next one to break. She still has over 3M. Ali Nejad called her a "fan favorite."

The Beast Girls are on the rail... looking bloated and beastly. Too much time at the buffet, gals...

* * * * *
3:09pm....

Big Stacks: Gert Andersen at 9.5M, Brandon Cantu, Nikolay Losev, Albert Kim, Chris Klodnicki

Players Remaining: 52

Recent Bustouts: Alex Othred 54th, Jeremy Joseph 57th, Thunder Keller 61st

Money jump. Up to 135K.

Players returned from a break and as soon as the security guards opened the doors, a group of about thirty or forty spectators sprinted through the empty room and headed right to the featured TV table. They wanted to get a great spot in the crowd.

"No running!" warned one of the Harrahs staff. "Release the hounds!" screamed Ali Nejad.

"Wow, I have never seen that before," remarked Jack Effel. In four years, that was a a first to me. People so excited to watch poker that it was an all out mad dash. It's not running of the bulls, just a poker tournament.

In one of the first hands after the break, Tiffany Michelle is catching up to 5M. I saw one hand where she dragged a pot with Q-9 and crippled Rafael Caiaffa in the process.

Matusow is up to 2.3M. He hung out with Andy Bloch and the Poker Shrink on the break. The Shrink mentioned that Matusow is the best he's been all main event. Might even be in better head space than the night he won the bracelet. Matusow was amazed that Gert Andersen had over 9M in chips.

"That's the luckiest fuck in the tournament or the biggest donkey in the room," he said before he took his seat.

* * * * *
4:17pm....

Big Stacks: Gert Andersen, Nikolay Losev, Albert Kim, Brandon Cantu, Ivan Demidov

Players Remaining: 44

Recent Bustouts: Phil Hellmuth 45th, Adam 'Roothlus' Levy 48th

Action slowed down a bit, considering there were 29 bustours in the first two hours of play. But in the last three minutes? Three bustouts. Less than 20 to go before the day is over.

Tiffany Michelle is still on a roll. She's back in the top 10 in chips. As I scouted out her table, Adam Levy busted out when his A-10 could not improve against Queens.

Matusow is a vacuum claener today. He's sucking up chips. Up to 3.3M.

Hellmuth has been the shortstack for most of the day. It got really bad for him over the last level. He was on death watch when he slipped under 500K considering the average stack was well over 2.5M. He was all in at the featured TV table with Ah-Qd versus Jh-Jc. The flop was Kd-4h-3h. Hellmuth picked up a sweet redraw when the 10h fell on the turn. Gutshot. Two overs. Flush draw. The result? Nadda. Out in 45th place.


Courtesy of PokerNews.com
With Hellmuth's departure, the featured TV table cleared out. Fast. All eye are on Matusow and Tiffany.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * *
5:21pm....

Big Stacks: Nikolay Losev with 10M, Gert Andersen, Brandon Cantu, Tiffany Michelle, Aaron Gordon

Players Remaining: 44

Players just returned from a break.

Prediction... if Tiffany Michelle advances to Day 7... she'll drop UB and be wearing PokerStars gear. Poor Tiff is getting raked under the coals on 2+2 for selling out her boob to UB.

* * * *
6:21pm....

Big Stacks: Brandon Cantu, Gert Andersen, Albert Kim, Nikolay Losev, Joe Bishop

Players Remaining: 37

Recent Bustouts: Kido Pham

Average stack is now over 3.5M.

Mike Matusow was moved to the secondary table with Ylon Schwartz. I sweated that for a bit with the Poker Shrink. Nothing really to report. Tough table for Matusow.

Tiffany Michelle was moved over to the featured TV table with Kido Pham. People are cheering for her but nothing to the sort of rowdiness from the legion of Matusow fans. She took her first real hit of the day and lost about 1M before she got some of her chips back when she check-raised Ivan. She's now past 6M again and in 6th or 7th place in chips.

"ESPN has spiritual people from all over the world praying for Tiffany. It would make for great TV," said Flipchip.

Greg FBT Mueller was in the crowd sweating Tiffany. No massage girls. He told me that he texted two to get their asses over to see him.

Sometimes I forgot about how hungry I am until I'm reminded by food. One spectator put me on food-tilt when I saw his In & Out drink cup. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Must have food now.

Yes, it's nipply in the Amazon Room, especially in random spots where it's simply freezing.

Room has been buzzing about Jack Effel's terrible floor call on a string bet from Nikolay Losev.

Here's how Change100 described the action:

Chip leader Losev had all of his 100,000 denomination chips stacked up into one tall tower. He gripped the tower, slid it out toward where the dealer button sat in front of his chip stack, and then pulled it back. He then took 15 chips off the top of the tower and bet 1.5 million.

Several players at the table were alarmed at this, especially since Losev had made what appeared to be a string bet only a few hands prior. In that incident, Losev had picked up some chips, cut them down in front of his stack, then returned to his main stack two more times for additional chips before stacking them all together and pushing out his bet. Losev's motions on that hand were ruled by the floor not to be a string bet.

Tournament Director Jack Effel was called over to the table to make a ruling. Losev ended up getting a warning about moving his chips that way, but did not receive a penalty. Since Losev does not speak English, his translator relayed the information to him at the end of the hand.

Felipe from Portugal and I have been doing lots of throwing things prop bets. So far? We're even for the day.

* * * * *
7:21pm....

Big Stacks: Brandon Cantu, Kelly Kim, Gert Andersen, Albert Kim, David 'Chino' Rheem

Players Remaining: 35

Recent Bustouts: Andrew Rosskamm 37th, Felix Osterland 38th

Tiffany Michelle is 6th in chips with over 7M. Matusow still at 3M.

Your past will come back to haunt you when you go deep at the WSOP main event. I overheard one conversation between a couple of people sweating one of the final 40 players.

"He's a total degenerate. He lost tons of money online. Playing tournaments. He would spend thousands every weekend. He spent his school loan. He borrowed money from me, my brother, and my brother's wife's sister's boyfriend who plays for the Padres. We drove up here to collect our debts. He's owed us. For years."

I just wish I knew who they were talking about. Or does it matter? That's a scenario that has been playing out all summer and the main event is no different. As much as Iggy tried his best to keep his identity a secret, it was tough to remain in the background even with 400 players to go. At this point, there is huge media scrutiny and pictures of every remaining player plastered up on Poker News. If any of those guys are deadbeats and owe money on the street... well you know exactly where they're gonna be.

Players are on a ninety minute dinner break.
* * * * *
8:45pm....

Big Stacks: Brandon Cantu, Albert Kim, Kelly Kim, Gert Andersen , and David 'Chino' Rheem

Players Remaining: 35

Players back from dinner break. Tiffany has a shade under 7M. The Mouth is just under average with 3.5M.

Usually the time after the dinner break is some of the loosest of the night. A flurry of players tend to bust out right after the break. With only eight to go all signs pointed to an earlier night than anticipated. I picked 5am as the stop time. That's eight hours away and I hope I'm not right and it takes one hour of play to bust a player. The consensus pick has been... "by Midnight." I hope so, but you never know.

* * * * *
9:55pm....

Big Stacks: Brandon Cantu, Dennis Phillips, Kelly Kim, Tiffany Michelle, Albert Kim

Players Remaining: 33

Um... not much to report. Lots of inaction... only two bustouts in the first hour after the dinner break.

Oh, and Sklansky walked around the Amazon Room with a hooker who trailed ten feet behind him at all times.

* * * * *
11:01pm....

Big Stacks: Dennis Phillips, Craig Marquis, Peter Eastgate, Gert Andersen, and Kelly Kim

Players Remaining: 29

Mike Matusow is out. The fate of the entire WSOP rests upon the supple shoulders of Tiffany Michelle. If she makes the final table... everyone will watch it. If she busts out before that... I doubt anyone would watch it without a Hellmuth or Matusow.

A dejected Matusow sulked for several minutes while the Poker Shrink was nearby to give advice if needed.

I glanced at Ylon Schwartz's bio sheet. By far, his was the funniest out of the final 79 players. Big time pros like Mike Matusow and Phil Hellmuth were too cool to fill out bio sheets. Yeah, I understand some of it's total bullshit, that's why Ylon's was hysterical. Here's a sample...

Name: Ylon Schwartz
Occupation: Frisbee Salesman
Nationality: Betazoid
Education: Boodles School for Future Juniper Addicts
Amateur or Pro: Unclear
Hobbies: Laying in Hammocks
What's on your iPod: "It was stolen at the WSOP."
Proudest Poker Accomplishment: Won a badbeat jackpot.
First thing you do after you win the main event? "Go somewhere my friends would never find me."

How could you not root for Ylon? The poker world needs more wisesasses like Ylon instead of dickheads like... insert pro's name here ______ .

* * * * *
12:02am....

Big Stacks: Craig Marquis, Dennis Phillips, Tiffany 'Hot Chips' Michelle, Peter Eastgate, Gert Andersen

Players Remaining: 27

Matusow busted out on one of the last hands before the break. With Matusow and Hellmuth both eliminated, the majority of railbirds cleared out. A few hardcore Tiffany Michelle fans stuck around, but for the most part, once Matusow busted, the crowds slowly dissolved.

Shortly after the break, Cristian Dragomir, aka Phil Hellmuth's nemesis, busted out in 29th place. Nikolay Losev went out n 28th place. With that bustout, action was over for the day.

Lime Tossing Results.... Otis 150, Pauly 150. We played Inside the Limes... two limes each. I threw first and went way left. Otis nailed his toss to go up $150. On his second throw, he missed wide right. I had a chance to tie it. I totally tilted Otis when I skipped my lime into the $150 zone to even the score. Push! Overall I'm up $70 this summer.

Action will resume at noon on Monday where we play down from 27 to 9. Stay tuned for official end of Day 6 chipcounts.

Top 10 Chip Counts:
1. Dennis Phillips (St. Louis, Missouri) - 11,910,000
2. Craig Marquis (Arlington, Texas) - 11,460,000
3. Tiffany Michelle (Los Angeles, California) - 9,755,000
4. Peter Eastgate (Odense, Denmark) - 9,325,000
5. Kelly Kim (Whittier, California) - 8,840,000
6. David "Chino" Rheem (Los Angeles, California) - 8,280,000
7. Gert Andersen (Herning, Denmark) - 6,740,000
8. Paul Snead (Kings Park, New York) - 6,600,000
9. Chris Klodnicki (Voorhees, New Jersey) - 6,245,000
10. Judet Toni Cristian (Bucharest, Romania) - 5,000,000

Thanks for reading. See ya tomorrow.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/13/2008 02:17:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 44: Main Event Day 5 - The Wretched Squall of Hellmuth and Matusow

By Pauly
Las Vegas. NV

I waited 44 days for the sure thing. The defining moment of the summer. The one incident that would set the 2008 WSOP apart from the previous four years that have blended into one long blurry flashback of bracelet winners, bad beat stories, excursions to strip clubs, binge drinking at the hooker bar, pot-bellied mulleted children running amuck at the Redneck Riviera, and lime tossing out back with a sad, tilty, and often suicidal Otis.

I stumbled upon a story that could have wrote itself before I even got out of bed in the morning. Phil Hellmuth and Mike Matusow. At the same table. Right next to each other. With Hellmuth having position on Matusow. At the featured TV table in front of hundreds of drooling, blood-thirsty fans. They were starving lunatics. Broke dick swine. Some drunk on cheap swill. Others mentally imbalanced. And those were my friends.

It was almost like the Romans waiting for the Christians to get tossed to the lions. The featured TV table was standing room only. The spectators were spilling out of the Beast Lounge with limbs dangling over metal rails waiting... waiting... for a meltdown. For a blowup. For the bloodshed.

The delirious mob anxiously waited to glimpse at the greatest show on Earth and rooted for their favorite villain and their favorite anti-hero.

Many of the frenzied fans took pictures of the backs of the heads of final table players... with flash... despite the pleas from Robbie that "flash photography was prohibited." I'm shocked that a brawl did not detonate in the stands or in the Beast Lounge between the loyal legion of Matusow fans and the smattering of Hellmuthheads.

At a Rangers hockey game in the early 1990s at Madison Square Garden, I witnessed a soused and irate group of fans pummel a poor sod who wore a Flyers jersey to the game. I mean, the Flyers weren't even playing so he had zero protection. New York's finest let the fans tear the jersey off the guy and get a few cheap shots in before they broke it up, then they ejected the clown for inciting a riot.

We weren't exactly center ice at the Garden, but we were on the biggest stage in all of poker with seven dwarfs who were overshadowed by The Mouth and The Brat. I had a front row seat... a strange invitation to watch the madness unfold before me.

Matusow had been on the featured TV table all day. The Poker Shrink was on site sweating his client. He told me that Matusow had taken his meds and they were working properly. You can listen here to our doctor to doctor interview in the latest episode of Tao of Pokerati called Madderall.

"I think the Matusow blow ups are a thing of the past," said a confident Poker Shrink who could tell when the medications were properly administered.

Matusow had a difficult time adjusting to his medications due to his sudden weight loss which occurred after winning a prop bet with Ted Forrest. It took longer than he wanted, but the slimmer Matusow found the correct dosage of Adderall. Too much? He would be bouncing off the walls. Too little? His mind is stale pudding.

During the dinner break, the Shrink hung out with Matusow and a security guard inside the VIP lounge. Hellmuth was at dinner and by default, Matusow was the only other VIP member left playing in the main event. Matusow paced backed and forth and analyzed his table for the Shrink. Matusow specifically said if the players in seat 2 or 3 raised his blind one more time, that he was going after them. Matusow also took a half of an Adderall to focus and settle down before he returned from dinner.

Well, just after the dinner break, Sean Davis raised his blind like he had been doing all day. Matusow did exactly as he promised to the Shrink. He moved all in for his last 540K. Davis quickly called with Big Slick. Matusow sheepishly tabled 10-5 and he knew that he picked the wrong time to make a move. He muttered a couple of expletives under his breath. I guess it was Matusow's day because he had live cards and flopped a 5. The crowd exploded. Erupted. Bursting with fruit flavors. Matusow went berserk. He jumped up and down as his fans clapped and cheered and stomped their feet for their hero. Matusow's hand held up and he doubled up.

"I shifted gears at the right time!" screamed Matusow. "It's time to go to work. I feel good!"

The rush. The excitement. The adrenaline. The confidence. Matusow fed on all if it. The more the fans cheered, the higher he got. Matusow hammed it up for the cameras. I could see dollar signs multiplying in the eyeballs of the suits at ESPN and Harrahs.

"Lemme tell you. I suck!" said Matusow as he worked the crowd like a crooked preacher ranting to a congregation of sinners on Sunday morning seeking salvation in the last place they'll find it.

Enter Phil Hellmuth. The gates of Hades flew right open. When the smoke cleared the room, Hellmuth sat down with about 1 million in chips.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Matusow repeatedly screamed as he jumped up and down like a little kid on Christmas who just got a brand new bike.

Once word got out that Hellmuth and Matusow were seated right next to each other at the TV table, the vultures flocked. Media row had been empty all day except Tassie Devil covering it for PokerNews. All of a sudden, everyone was interested in the potential fireworks.


Photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
I wondered how the dynamic of Hellmuth would change the chemistry of the table? Hellmuth was rather quiet when he sat down. Over the first fifteen minutes, I suspected that Hellmuth was studying his opponents and letting Matusow run the show. The Mouth had been the table captain since he sat down at noon and continued to do so.

"I came out to hang out with my buddy Phil. I He just got here and he told me how great he is. Now I gotta sit here and hear for ninety more minutes!" Matusow yelled out to the crowd as the ate up every single morsel and sound bite like it was the last scraps of food on Earth.

When Hellmuth and Matusow talked, they whispered things to each other with Matusow hiding his face with his hand sort of like when a pitcher and catcher has a mound conference.

Matusow and Hellmuth were the two biggest sharks left in the Main Event. They were obviously avoiding each other. Like a rigged election or a fixed boxing fight when two big names are matched up but both completely dog it and throw half-assed punches and dance around all night because they don't want to get hurt and just want to collect the paycheck. The hardest thing in the entertainment business is giving the voracious fans what they want. At least something... anything... otherwise they'd be a mutiny and hurl empty Beast cans, small coins, car batteries, bar stools, and Everest seat cushions at the stage.

Yeah, it was very obvious after the first twenty minutes that Hellmuth and Matusow were going to avoid each other. They focused on trying to pick off the weaker players. But as Matusow had told the Shrink at the dinner break, "Everyone is a solid player." A few were aggressive that Matusow would try to set up. He took chips off of one of those guys in that fortunate hand when he outflopped Big Slick with 10-rag.

Chino Rheem shifted gears and picked up the most chips in the first hour of the Hellmuth/Matusow dynamics. Greg Mueller had two horses at the featured table. One of them was Rheem and he got happier and happier the more chips that he won.

"Chino? He was on tilt. Full blown fuckin' tilt. His chips were going everywhere. But look at him now," said Matusow.

The featured table players had been playing with Matusow all afternoon and night. They were sort of conditioned to Matusow's bizzaro world. They didn't seem intimidated by Hellmuth at all. In fact, they were gunning for him. In their eyes, Hellmuth swam into their territory. Hellmuth was fresh fish. The hunted. The target.

Hellmuth got pushed off a pot by Aaron Keay and he mumbled something as he folded his hand.

"I object to all of you picking on my friend Phil. Leave him alone!" pleaded Matusow trying to egg on Hellmuth and work the crowd at the same time.

After about seventy-five minutes of the lackluster Hellmuth and Matusow match up, I was disappointed. Let down. Hyped. Much ado about nothing. Like that last Hollyweird flick with your two favorite stars that went nowhere. I wanted a refund. I could have been roaming the hallways trying to figure out who Oliver or other agents were going to rumble over once the day was complete. Watching agents trying to secure clients at the end of the day is sort of like watching a trio of monkeys fuck a football. It's kinda funny but utterly pointless.

And on the last hand of the night... it finally happened. An implosion of Hellmuthian proportions.

Here's what Tassie Devil wrote for PokerNews titled Hellmuth Ends the Day With a Blow-up...

Cristian Dragomir opened with a raise to 80,000 before Hellmuth made it 255,000 to go from the small blind.

"I hope he doesn't have aces," said Hellmuth as Dragomir asked for a count. After a few moments, Dragomir made the call.

They saw a flop of 9c-10c-7s and Hellmuth checked to Dragomir, who thought for a moment before firing a healthy bet of 300,000. Hellmuth sighed in disgust before folding As-Kh face-up on the table.

Matusow laughed and said to Dragomir to show the bluff, and Dragomir flipped 10d-4d! Matusow and the crowd roared in hysterics as Hellmuth jumped out of his seat and stormed around the room berating his opponent for calling his reraise with ten high.

"Listen buddy, you're an idiot!" screamed Hellmuth. "This is the Main Event and you are the worst player in history!" he continued as the crowd was loving every moment of the blow-up.

Dragomir's entourage continued to cheer as Hellmuth continued the barrage. The TD stepped in and issued a warning to Hellmuth to settle down before Dragomir stood up out of his chair to put Hellmuth back in his place with a cry of, "Enough is enough!"

Fortunately for both players the clock ticked over to the end of the level, and the end of the day's play to settle both players down. They eventually shook hands and began to bag up their chips as Mike Matusow summed up the situation best as he shouted, "Thank God for Phil Hellmuth! Thank God for Chris Moneymaker!"

Who would have thought? 10-rag once again outflops Big Slick.

10-2 was cool in the 1970s when The Hustle and platform shoes were in style. The Hammer was soooooo 2004. As we approach the end of the decade, 10-rag is the new bullshit hand. Michalski the opportunist has already started printing up shirts in his garage.

Hellmuth lost control. He berated Dragomir so much so that tournament director Steve Frezer gave Hellmuth a one orbit penalty. Frezer yellow carded Hellmuth for his outlandishly gauche behavior. Finally. Someone stood up to the bully and bitched slapped Hellmuth like a red-headed step-child at a family picnic. Since time expired for Day 5, Hellmuth must sit out the first orbit on Day 6. He wasn't pleased with the ruling.

Lucky for Hellmuth, play was over for the night. He could have steamed off all of his chips if play continued. As is, he ended Day 5 as one of the shortstacks with 79 players to go. Hellmuth got a new table draw for Day 6 and is no where near Mile Matusow.

Warning... tin foil hat time. During the last two hours of Day 5, the winds of the whispers of the 'conspiracy to fix the featured table' swirled around the Amazon Room. Hellmuth's table broke and he headed to the featured TV table with Mike Matsuow. Coincidence?

New World Order. Illuminati. Roswell. ESPN.

I wrote this in the live blog when Hellmuth sat down... I think everyone at ESPN wet themselves with the possibility of a an insane blow up. Then again, I think they were also cringing, because the thought of one of them bust(ing) the other would not be good for ratings. In a perfect world, the two would avoid each other and meet at the final table.

Jimmy Sommerfeld once rigged the final three tables of an event in Reno so the action would go quicker. He was up front with the players and explained what he did so it wasn't really any controversy. But on Day 5 of the WSOP main event? Several people called shenanigans when Hellmuth strolled up to the featured table.

It was a one in nine shot that Hellmuth got the empty seat card that would send him to the TV table. Did someone plant that card? Or was it totally random? It all depends on how you view the world.

Some of my friends have a serious distrust for corrupt institutions and corporations especially when there's millions of dollars and jobs and reputations on the line. All though the poker conspiracy theorists don't have proof, they firmly believe that they know a fix when they see it.

The existentialist in me believes that life is a godless and chaotic universe full of random coincidences. Ergo... that Hellmuth final table draw was totally random. Sorry to crumble your tin foil hats into a little ball. The fix was not in. Or maybe it was? And I'm part of the vast conspiracy trying to help the cover it up. The truth is out there. Trust no one.

Two men entered. Two men left. One rode a tidal wave of confidence. The other? Slid deep into the depths of mega-tilt.

Hellmuth and Matusow both return at noon on Sunday to battle it out to the final 27. They are two of the most recognizable characters in poker and aside from a few Matusow and Hellmuth haters, everyone involved in poker is hoping that both players advance one more day.

Can Hellmuth regroup, peak into the souls of his opponents, and remain bulletproof for one more day? Can Matusow stay focused on his meds and continue his run and make Flipchip look like a genius for picking Matusow to win the Main Event on the night before it began?

The wretched squall of Hellmuth and Matusow continues...


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/13/2008 06:10:00 AM | Permalink |

 
SmBoatDrinks Wins Saturdays with Dr. Pauly!

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Congrats to SmBoatDrinks for taking down the WSOP Main Event version of Saturdays with Dr. Pauly. As it has been the last six or so weeks, I have been heavily distracted on Saturdays due to covering the WSOP. But I've been donking off my chips in the press box and running back out into the killing fields to get stories.

Anyway... thanks to everyone who played and understood why I couldn't give this my full attention the last two months. Rest assured, I'll be back to normal very shortly. I also have some special announcements to make commemorating the Tao of Poker's fifth birthday coming up in August.

Moving on...

We had 27 runners this week. Top 3 got paid.

RealRudeDog was Gigli. I made the final table!

The Final Table:
Seat 1: BiskoKid106 (12790 in chips)
Seat 2: grouse14 (2765 in chips)
Seat 3: SmBoatDrinks (2470 in chips)
Seat 4: Stebweiser (3970 in chips)
Seat 5: kid_canvass (2530 in chips)
Seat 6: DrPauly (5330 in chips)
Seat 7: andynelson (4545 in chips)
Seat 8: MrMojo (2300 in chips)
Seat 9: chompy_jr (3800 in chips)

Yep, second in chips and I bubbled out in 4th place.

Congrats to everyone who cashed and played and pimped the event.

Money Winners:
1. SmBoatDrinks - $135
2. BiskoKid - $81
3. Grouse14 - $54

See you next week!


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/12/2008 11:44:00 PM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 44: Main Event Day 5 - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Down to 189. This is when things get really serious. The money begins to escalate. So does the pressure. The agents will be swarming along with the media and the backers and the hangers on and the vultures and the scam artists and the hookers and the lazy relatives of the players who are going deep.

The circus really kicks into gear today. I'm in position to provide the color commentary live from the killing floor.

Special thanks to Jeremy Firth who brought me two bottles of orange juice to boost my immune system today.

* * * * *
11:01am...

Tiffany Michelle has been decked out in several hipster t-shirts.

"I'm wearing 'lucky' today," she said as she pointed to her black t-shirt with LUCKY is gold lettering. "Yesterday I was at Hevad Khan's table and he asked me if I paid $180,000 to start playing on Day 4. He was surprised that I made it this far. I told him that I blew a lot of guys to get my way in."

Ah, Tiffany Michelle and her self-deprecating fellatio jokes. Just last spring she was give me massages in media row in Monte Carlo. And now? She's one of the five remaining females left in the field.

Tiffany Michelle is an actress and has a representation in Hollywood. She recently picked up a poker agent. I pressed her about the patches. She was evasive but said "We're still working things out. Some of the offers have actually dried up depending n the (online poker) site."

I told Tiffany Michelle that I'm running a pool.... what online site will be on Tiffany Michelle's breasts. The battle for branding of her boobs have begun. I heard Michalski offered her $300 and an expired food comp to wear a Pokerati patch. I told her that I'd dump a ton of cash into her PokerStars account if she says, "This is almost as better as sex with Dr. Pauly!" after she was raked in a pot in front of ESPN cameras. She's going to get a lot of face time today. She's on the secondary table with Allen Cunningham.

Tiffany Michelle is wearing a PokerNews patch since she's the interview girl on PokerNews. Also, Tony G and Jeff Lisandro have a piece of her. She's a horse for the Aussies.

* * * * *
12:07pm...

Cards are in the air. No frills. No bullshit. Just a simple... "Shuffle up and deal!"

Mike Matusow and EPT hottie Kara Scott are at the featured TV table.

ActionBob has so many chips that he was still stacking them up when the first hand was dealt. He is his table's chipleader...

Blue #1"
Seat 1: Tri Nguyen – 592,000
Seat 2: Dwayne Stacey – 372,000
Seat 3: Ylon Schwartz – 870,000
Seat 4: Jason Riesenberg – 735,000
Seat 5: Kyle Carlston – 265,000
Seat 6: Mark Wilds – 241,000
Seat 7: Nathan Hays – 312,000
Seat 8: ActionBob – 875,000
Seat 9: Nhan Le – 336,000

ActionBob is also wearing Full Tilt gear today. He's obe of many players who got snatched up late last night or early this morning.

Friedman stopped by. He said that the only people he saw in the hallways were agents lurking around and trying to set up deals before cards went in the air.

Mark Vos was chowing on a salad at the start of action. Hellmuth swigged Starbucks. I wonder if he got extra bucks for that special product placement.

* * * * *
1:07pm...

Big Stacks: Brandon Cantu, Nikolay Losev, Cristian Dragomir, David Benefield, Davor Lanini

Players Remaining: 177

Recent Bustouts: Ben Roberts, Allen Carter, Joshua Norris, Neil Sweeting, Diren Yildiz, Anthony Meeker, Jerry Cusick, Hai Bo Chu, Anthony Clark, George Rahme, and Peter Traply

Action Bob still with about 900K in chips.

Big hand? Mike Matsuow doubled up at the featured TV table when he won a race. Hellmuth took a hit, while Brandon Cantu jumped into the chiplead.

A friend of mine, Ted, who covers PokerStarsBlog for China told me about one of his players who went deep... Mao Qiu started the day with over 1 million in chips. He's a PokerStars Qualifier and is one of the most known Chinese players. Although originally from China, he got a Masters degree in the US and currently lives in Arizona. He fared well at last year's WSOP and took 240th place. He plays online poker and also has a final table in a WCOOP event. He usually plays $560 SNGs and $5,600 heads up SNGs on Poker Stars in addition to be a regular on the APPT.

Players just returned from a break. Level 20. Blinds are 6K/12K with a 2K ante.

* * * * *
3:07pm...

Big Stacks: Cristian Dragomir, James McManus, David Benefield, Mark Ketteringham, and Nikolay Losev

Players Remaining: 157

Recent Bustouts: Hoyt Corkins, Evan Jarvis, Gus Hansen, Chip Jett, Andy Witek, Robin Larsson, Jesse McEuen, Mao Qiu, Cornel Pazara, Graddus Terwiss Cha Van, Helge Pedersen, William Purle, Bernie Koerner, Tom Cope, Lou Esposito, James Mills, Chad Layne, Chris Barrile, Charles Dolan

Tao of Poker reader Chad Layne busted out during the last level.

Three big dogs out: Hoyt Corkins (Queens ran into Aces), Chip Jett, and Gus Hansen.

Chips have been flying around... Cristian Dragomir took the chiplead and is trying to pass the 3M mark.

ActionBob slipped a bit and has about 800K in chips is up over 1M in chips.

* * * * *
4:04pm...

Big Stacks: James McManus (not the writer), David Benefield, Victor Ramdin, Ivan Demidov, Mark Ketteringham

Players Remaining: 140

Recent Bustouts: Joel Fischbein, Jeremiah Smith, Jon Friedberg, Barry Leventhal

Hellmuth at 610K and Matusow at 660K

Jim McManus, a PartyPoker qualifier from Ireland, is the chipleader. Fun Warren from Party told me that McManus once won a bad beat jackpot on Party.

I had puked up my breakfast earlier. Why? The atrocious play of some of these big stacks. Ah, just kidding. Sort of. I have been sick and it followed me into Day 5. Anyway, Jeremy brought me some OJ earlier and Friedman stopped by and brought me a sandwich which helped settle my stomach.

I gonna guess that I'm not the only puker in the building. Many years ago, during my first season as a tournament reporter, I was covering a WPT event at Foxwoods and it was just before the final table and one of the guys who made it was puking his balls off. Nerves. Some people have nerves of steel like the Scandis. Others loose their mud at any given moment.

One guy on the rail is reading "Book of Bluffs.' The Beat Lounge is packed. I couldn't get upstairs. Ted Lawson and his wife are on the rail sweating Tiffany.

I saw Greg FBT Mueller hanging out by the payout room waiting for Jeremiah Smith after he busted. Hoyt Corkins and big thuggy looking guy walked out of the payment room together. Lindgren has been on the rail sweating one or more of his horses.

I lost $20 in throwing things prop bets with Otis. I also bubbled out in Saturdays with Dr. Pauly.

There are no more cash games in the Amazon Room.

Humberto Brenes did an interview with some sort of magazine. When he was done,a couple of fans stopped to take photos.

Jimmy Somerfeld had been announcing the names of the bustouts, but he had a tough time pronouncing some of the names which sounded hysterical in a southern drawl. He handed the mic over to Nolan Dalla.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * *
5:05pm...

Big Stacks: Terry Lade, James McManus, Mark Ketteringham, Victor Ramdin, Alex Outhred

Players Remaining: 125

Recent Bustouts: Deng Dong, Dan Assor

Terry Lane is one of the first playes past the 4M chip mark. Lane has taken over the chiplead. PokerStars Team Member Victor Ramdin has been sitting on a big stack for most of the day.

Both Matusow and Hellmuth are sitting on 650K stacks. Average stack is 1M.

Chatted with the PokerShrink. His client is Mike Matusow and the Shrink said that his meds kicked in and he's fine and focused. Matusow's plan was to double up early and then double up again late in the night. He is halfway there.

The Beast girls strolling through the room looking bored as shit.

The most crowded area is the secondary table. There's very little space to move in that area. As tables break, the room gets smaller and smaller and the circle of spectators and media gets bigger and bigger. At this point with 124 players to go, there's twice as many media and staff here covering the event than there are players remaining.

The agents have been floating around in the background and in the hallways. Michalski and I saw one potential deal going down, while the rest of the agents are trying to get to the players who are not patched up yet. I was told by one source that some of the players with big stacks were holding out for "better offers." Some of them have lost a ton of chips and their gamble failed.

* * * * *
6:06pm...

Big Stacks: Steve Lade, James McManus, Brandon Cantu, Ivan Demidov, Scott Montgomery

Players Remaining: 113

Recent Bustouts: Allen Cunningham, Raja Kattamuri

Another big dog busted out when Allen Cunningham headed to the rail. In 2006 Cunningham made the final table and just two months earlier Flipchip picked him to win it all that year. This year Flipchip picked Matusow to win it all. At this point, Matusow is alive and well according to his shrink, The Poker Shrink, his meds are working. Matusow is around 700K and gets to play at the same table as Kara Scott. She has about 450K. She's wearing a sleeveless number and I just want to run my fingers down her smooth arms....

Hellmuth is on a mini-run and is now over 1M. He's just below average but he's playing with more... bravado.

ActionBob is holding steady with 1M. He hasn't been playing too many pots. Did I just state the obvious. There was one all in and a call at Bob's table. Tri Nguyen was in a hand and lost a coinflip. "Fifty-fity he said. You lose or you win. I lose."

Friend of Pokerati, Raja Kattamuri, is busto. He's just a friend because Michaslki gave him a patch, but didn't wear it. Had he worn the patch, he would have been a member of Team Pokerati. See, there's a big difference according to Michalski and the pecking order of the pros that he covers in tournaments.

The Beast lounge was packed when I checked it out. I saw Barry up there. He usually works the bar in the hallway and Otis and I see him late nights. He serves us the drinks before our late night lime tossing sessions. Anyway, Barry teh Bartender told me that sales "have been steady" all afternoon.

Greg FBT Mueller was sweating Tiffany Michelle. She has about 2M. Whaaaa? Yes she keeps sucking up chips. Steve Dannenmann was taking photos with fans.

Brandon Cantu has added a fourth tier to his massive chip stack. The top tier is all green 25K chips.

* * * * *
7:07pm...

Big Stacks: Steve Lade, Brandon Cantu, James McManus, Jamal Kunbuz, Ivan Demidov

Players Remaining: 104

Recent Bustouts: Kara Scott, Shawn Sheikhan, Jeff Madsen

Aw, poor Kara is busto. See ya in London for the EPT...

Hellmuth still at 1M. Tiffany up to 3.5M. With Allen Cunningham out, she's getting most of the camera time at the table.

Matusow is at 700K. "No one is putting in a bad chip," he mentioned about the quality of play at his table.

Action Bob still has his head above 1M.

I caught one hand where Mark Vos busted one of Benjo's French players. "I'm done!" exclaimed a happy Benjo. With that elimination, there are no more French players remaining at the WSOP. He can close up shop.

Scotty Nguyen was posing for photos and shaking hands with fans on the rail.He did a free promo for a Dutch TV show. The hostess has a nice pair of bananas. Benjo was taking shots of her cleavene.

Greg FBT Mueller sat in media row at the featured table and got a full on massage.

Two security guards were talking about the final table delay.

Guard 1: "The are coming back in November to play the final table."
Guard 2: "I don't get it."
Guard 1: "They are trying to hype it up, like the super bowl, how they take a week off then play it after all the hype."
Guard 2: "I always hated that. They should play it right away. The games suck because they hype it up.
Guard 1: "Yeah they always suck. Except this year. I won four grand on the Giants."
Guard 2: "I lost a couple of hundred. Was I the only one who bet the Pats?"
Guard 1: "Fuckin' cheaters. They deserve to lose."

* * * * *
9:19pm...

Big Stacks: Nikolay Losev, Mark Ketteringham, Tiffany Michelle, Jamal Kunbuz, Aaron Gordon

Players Remaining: 92

Recent Bustouts: ActionBob

Players are returning from their dinner break. Only one more level tonight.

Yeah, can't believe it either. Tiffany Michelle is third in chips. I missed teh hand, I just saw her stacking up the chips. Unreal. Tiffany making a run.

Oliver is almost eliminated in thr agent sweepstakes. He told me that the last of the players he repped has been eliminated. Although... Change100 saw him and a player talking shop on the dinner break.

I forgot about the funny scene yesterday on the smoker's porch when EPT Denmark winner Tim Vance was trying to explain Benjo the pop culture significance and popularity of Survivor.

Jeff Madsen left the payout room with his hot girlfriend who had some serious sleeve tats.

Both PartyPoker qualifers remaining are from Dublin, Ireland. I wonder if they go to the same church?

With five minutes to go in the dinner break, security open the doors and spectators rushed in to get into position on the rail. There's two rails set up. An inner perimeter or moat area is set up for photographers and media which circles the entire playing floor. There's an outer barrier where the spectators stand. Of course, several unruly ones jump the rail and stand inside the media area. Vin told me that the security guards kick them out but minutes later, they sneak back in. One group of railbirds bullrushed the ropes when their friend was all in. They ran up to the table and security kicked them out. They might have to get water hoses to calm everyone down. Then again, a group of the rent-a-guards are a serious lazy bunch... always looking for an opportunity to sit down. I even saw one guy take out his cell phone and took pictures.

Oh and here's the hot Dutch chick with the delicious bananas...


Picture courtesy of Benjo

* * * * *
10:20pm...

Big Stacks: Jamal Kunbuz, Nikolay Losev, Mark Ketteringham, Tiffany Michelle, Alfredo Fernandez

Players Remaining: 88

Jamal Kunbuz is the new chipleader. The Venezuelan is making a run late in the day. Matt Matros on the verge of 2M in chips.

I sat next to the Poker Shrink at the final table and sweated Mike Matusow, who doubled up on an insane hand. During the break, the Shrink hung out with Matusow and a security guard inside the VIP lounge. Hellmuth was at dinner and Matusow was the only other VIP member left in the main event. Matusow analyzed his table for the Shrink. Matusow specifically said if the players in seat 2 or 3 raised his blind one more time, he was going after them. Matusow also took a half of an Adderall.

Well, just after the dinner break, Sean Davis raised his blind. Matusow moved all in for his last 540K. His opponent called with Big Slick. Matusow sheepishly tabled 10-5 and muttered a couple of expletives under his breath. I guess it was Matusow's day. He flopped a 5 and went nuts. He jumped up and down as his fans cheered on their hero.

"I shifted gears at the right time!" screamed Matusow. "It's time to go to work. I feel good!"

The Shrink chuckled as he sat next to me witnessing a jubilant Matusow playing up for the cameras and the crowd.

Greg FBT Mueller has been sweating Chino Reem. Ah another one of FBT's horses.

Hellmuth was moved to the featured TV table and Matusow lost his shit. He was so excited. So was the crowd. And I think everyone at ESPN wet themselves with the possibility of a an insane blow up. Then again, I think they were also cringing, because the thought of one of them bust the other would not be good for ratings. In a perfect world, the two would avoid each other and meet at the final table.

When Phil Hellmuth won a pot one fan yelled out, "Go Wisconsin, Phil!" Hellmuth won one pot uncontested with Jacks.

"You already picked up three good hands since you got here," bitched Matusow. "I haven't seen three all day."

"I got some money back with eights, honey!" Hellmuth shouted to his wife, who sat right behind me on in media row.

* * * * *
11:20pm...

Big Stacks: Mark Ketteringham with 5.7M, Tiffany Michelle, Jamal Kunbuz, Albert Kim, Nikolay Losev

Players Remaining: 82

Recent Bustouts: Alexander Kostritsyn

The young Ruskie that took down the Aussie Millions, Alexander Kostritsyn, is out. Matt Matros busted a player to move past the 2M mark.

Mark Ketteringham became the first player to pass the 5M mark. Action slowed down substantially. Really surprised that they decided to kill action at the end of four levels. Keep playing. Bust as many as possible. Tiffany Michelle's vacuum cleaner continued to scoop up chips. She has over 3.8M and chasing down 4M. Gulp.

Hung out in at the featured table. It was the Matusow and Hellmuth show. FBT returned since he was sweating two guys including Chino. He got a massage. Again. One of his horses Chino Rheem picked up a lot of pots during that stretch.

"He's a whole different Chino!" shouted Matusow to FBT as he got a masaage.

The featured table was a bit of a let down because I expected huge fireworks. Instead Hellmuth was rather quiet and when the two talked they were whispering things to each other with Matusow hiding his face with his hand sort of like when a pitcher and catcher have a mound conference.

Nolan Dalla chatted up a drunk Romanian in the crowd who is here sweating two players.

Everyone in the Amazon Room whispered about ESPN setting up the Hellmuth vs. Matusow match up. My opinion? Lucky draw.

* * * * *
12:21am...

Players Remaining: 79

Here's the leaderboard...

End of Day 4 Top 10 Chip Count:
Mark Ketteringham (Los Angeles, California) - 5,800,000
Nikolay Losev (Moscow, Russia) - 4,058,000
Albert Kim (Staten Island, New York) - 3,734,000
Tiffany Michelle (Los Angeles, California) - 3,438,000
Dennis Phillips (St. Louis, Missouri) - 3,436,000
Aaron Gordon (Brighton, England) - 3,369,000
Jamal Kunbuz (Venezuela) - 3,327,000
Terry Lade (Ormond Beach, Florida) - 3,225,000
Jeremy Joseph (Buffalo, New York) - 3,100,000
Alfredo Fernandez (Miami, Florida) - 3,053,000

Recent bustouts: Mark Vos went out on the last hand of the night.

Over at the featured TV table, just when I was ready to declare the matchup between Hellmuth and Matusow a dud... Hellmuth had a meltdown after Cristian Dragomir called a Hellmuth raise with 10-4. Cristian Dragomir outflopped Hellmuth's A-K and Hellmuth folded Big Slick face up. Cristian Dragomir showed his hand and that set Hellmuth off. He went apeshit so much so that Steve Frezer gave him a one orbit penalty. Since it was the end of the day, Hellmuth has to sit out one orbit tomorrow.

Play is over for Day 5. Action resumes at noon on Sunday. Thanks for following along.

Here are the Day 4 money winners...

80 Mark Vos Cape Town South Africa $77,200
81 Davor Lanini Parma Italy $77,200
82 Stephen Kenna Dublin Ireland $64,333
83 Lonnie Heimowitz Monticello New York $64,333
84 Alexander Kostritsyn Moscow Russia $64,333
85 Cedric Kolstad Mesa Arizona $64,333
86 Reagan Silber Los Angeles California $64,333
87 Karle Wilson West Chester Ohio $64,333
88 Santeri Valikoski Espoo Finland $64,333
89 Jose Barbero Buenos Aires Argentina $64,333
90 Jeffrey Papola Howell New Jersey $64,333
91 Timothy Taylor Tampa Florida $51,466
92 Geoffery Herzog Jacksonsville Florida $51,466
93 Markus Feurle Bregenz Austria $51,466
94 Robert 'ActionBob' Hwang Barnegat New Jersey $51,466
95 Yde Deutekom Zoetermeer Netherlands $51,466
96 Aditya Agarwal Philadelphia Pennsylvania $51,466
97 Dwayne Stacey Romsey England $51,466
98 Darren Grant Toronto Ontario, Canada $51,466
99 Cort Kibler-Melby Berlin Germany $51,466
100 Marc Podell New York New Jersey $41,816
101 Vito Branciforte Kourtant Germany $41,816
102 Petteri Pirinen Espoo Finland $41,816
103 Tri Nguyen Westminster California $41,816
104 Kara Tobin Hove England $41,816
105 Shahram Sheikhan Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
106 Stephan Hornet Clichy France $41,816
107 Nathan Hays Lincoln Nebraska $41,816
108 Nghia Le Shakopee Minnesota $41,816
109 Greg De Bora Toronto Ontario, Canada $41,816
110 Reggie Lyons Dublin Ireland $41,816
111 Robert Ford Johnstown Pennsylvania $41,816
112 Jeff Madsen Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
113 Steve Pestal Long Beach California $41,816
114 Adam York Bristol England $41,816
115 Keller Hunter Minot North Dakota $41,816
116 Matthew Jensen Los Angeles California $41,816
117 Allen Cunningham Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
118 William Brewin Bristol England $41,816
119 Jens Klaning Aarhus C Denmark $41,816
120 Jeff Kimber London England $41,816
121 Keith Ferrera Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
122 Brandon Becker Loveland North Dakota $41,816
123 Raja Kattamuri Irving Texas $41,816
124 Douglas Ashmore Houston Texas $41,816
125 Dale Hoy Norwich England $41,816
126 Andrew Teng London England $41,816
127 Dan Assor Caracas Venezuela $41,816
128 Brad Johnson Madison Alabama $41,816
129 Jason Su Houston Texas $41,816
130 Jeffrey Anderson Mt. Vernon Washington $41,816
131 Anton Nikaj Putnam Valley New York $41,816
132 Alexander Tinsley Wauconda Illinois $41,816
133 Xiao Dong Deng Edmonton Alberta, Canada $41,816
134 Terry Stewart Duluth Georgia $41,816
135 Brent Sheirbon The Dalles Oregon $41,816
136 Minna Ritakorpi Vantaa Finland $41,816
137 Robert Betts Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
138 Pontus Khosravi Gothenburg Sweden $41,816
139 Karen Manfrede Santa Monica California $41,816
140 Sylvain Coeur Echirolles France $41,816
141 Mikael Johansson Kristianstad Sweden $41,816
142 Andrew Schultz Madison Wisconsin $41,816
143 Keoni Schwartz San Francisco California $41,816
144 Matthew Lessinger Alameda California $41,816
145 Joel Fischbein Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
146 Jeremiah Smith Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
147 Sarkis Akopyan Moscow Russia $41,816
148 Jonathan Friedberg Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
149 Charalampos Tsaoussis Starberg Germany $41,816
150 Barry Leventhal Brooklyn New York $41,816
151 Justin St John Pittsburgh Pennsylvania $41,816
152 Patrick Zamarian Zurich Switzerland $41,816
153 Garth Paul N Ridgeville Ohio $41,816
154 Kyle Carlston Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
155 Christopher Overgard Naperville Illinois $41,816
156 Joshua Freeman Plantation Florida $41,816
157 Noah Kawashige Honolulu Hawaii $41,816
158 Jerry Martin Indianapolis Indana $41,816
159 Cory Albertson Houston Texas $41,816
160 Gus Hansen Copenhagen Denmark $41,816
161 Charles Jett Henderson Nevada $41,816
162 Hoyt Corkins Las Vegas Nevada $41,816
163 Robin Larsson Koping Sweden $38,600
164 Andy Witek Nevada City California $38,600
165 Evan Jarvis Toronto Ontario, Canada $38,600
166 Cornel Pazara San Jose California $38,600
167 Mao Qiu Scottsdale Arizona $38,600
168 Gerardus Terwisscha Van Scheltinga Groningen Netherlands $38,600
169 Jesse Mceuen Akron Ohio $38,600
170 Helge Pederson Odensec Denmark $38,600
171 William Purle Wokingham England $38,600
172 Luigi Esposito Glendale New York $38,600
173 Thomas Cope Westport Connecticut $38,600
174 James Mills Downey California $38,600
175 ChristopherBarrile Marlborough Massachusetts $38,600
176 Chad Layne Henderson Nevada $38,600
177 Charles Dolan Huntington Beach California $38,600
178 Benjamin Roberts London England $38,600
179 Joshua Norris Toronto Ontario, Canada $38,600
180 Bernie Koerner Daytona Beach Florida $38,600
181 Diren Yildiz Namur Belgium $38,600
182 Roy Carter Carrollton Texas $38,600
183 Neil Sweeting Ashtead England $38,600
184 Anthony Meeker Rockville Centre New York $38,600
185 Gerald Cusick Aurora Colorado $38,600
186 Hai Chu Melbourne Australia $38,600
187 Anthony Clark Reno Nevada $38,600
188 Peter Traply Budapest Hungary $38,600
189 George Rahme Burbank California $38,600

Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/12/2008 02:38:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 43: Main Event Day 4 - Early to Bed and Iggy's Run

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

For me, the day started out with a lot of excitement. Iggy was still alive, albeit barely, and trying to make a run. He had a tough draw with Jeremiah Smith and Chad Layne to his right, but Iggy fought admirably and bowed out in the first level of play.

The always humble Iggy thanked all of our friends for the support, love, and coverage even though his secret identity was most likely purged in the process.

Over the last four years, I have been able to detach myself from the actual events transpiring in front of me. But when Iggy went deep, I could not help but to root for the guy. Once he was eliminated, it felt like I also got punched in the stomach. I sort of lost the will to live. I was already sick, but operating on pure adrenaline due to Iggy's magnificent run. Once Iggy busted, I sort of broke down.... physically. The remainder of the Day 4 was a struggle for me. Luckily, play was stopped with 40 minutes to go in the fourth level of play.


EPT hostess Kara Scott
Photo courtesy of Flipchip
With 189 players to go, Steve Frezer stopped the action. The had a soft number of 180 to stop at. However at that specific time on Day 4, the ESPN TV table was the next table to break according to their breaking schedule. That is a whole drawn out process and by the time they got everyone off and got a new nine up on the stage... it would be time to go home.

At this point of the WSOP, a lot of decisions are influenced by ESPN. Rumors were swirling all afternoon about the stopping number. Everyone was trying to ask Jack Effel. He said one thing and (no shocker here) something else totally happened.

I know better at this point. I let the rookies hang on every word that Jack says. I don't because I know that behind the scenes, ESPN makes a lot of these calls. That's why I went up to them and asked about the ending time. After all, it's their party and Harrah's is just working it.

Perfect example. Two players are all in on one table. The dealer has to halt the action and waits for an ESPN producer to give them the go ahead to proceed. They check to see who is all in. Unknowns? Nope. ESPN is not interested and the dealer can proceed with the action while the two unknowns get a little miffed for being snubbed by ESPN's cameras.

Hot chicks? Definitely. Big pros like Hellmuth, Hansen, or Matusow? Then get the hell out of the way because not one but two units rush to the table barreling over anything in the process. Once the cameras are in position, the producer tells the dealer to proceed. Not a floor person or Harrah's staff... but someone from ESPN. The big crowd attracts more people. Staff, players from adjacent tables, media reps. Even the occasional rule breaker who sneaks inside the ropes to check out the action. A massive circle engulfs the table. When the hand is over,one player is usually sent to his death, while all of the vultures disappear and flock to another table where a familiar situation is arising.

It's almost like watching pigeons in the park peck and fight over a couple of crumbs. Throw the bread in one direction (all in and a call) and hundreds of pigeons (hungry media) will go apeshit and peck each others' eyeballs out just to grab a crumb. A morsel. Anything they can get their beaks on. As that song goes, birds of a feather are flocking outside.

Bu tin ESPN's defense, there are several high quality stars left in the field unlike in previous years. They are doing an excellent job of obtaining footage on Day 4in order to help mold the stories that they want to present in the upcoming months.

Ah, when Day 4 ended... earlier than expected... my ailing body was so happy. I knew I could go home and recharge. However, I also knew that Sunday night is when everyone will pay for the decision to end almost 2.5 hours earlier on Friday night.

Why not play the full five hours? Because you never know how long the last day (27 to 9) will transpire. I have covered enough tournaments to know this... you always play it out as scheduled in the early days. That is the best prevention from getting proper fucked on the night before the final table when everyone in the stands is falling asleep as action slows down to a death march.

Alas, decisions like those are beyond my control. All I can do is snipe from the press box.

OK, so what is the good news? 198 players are left in the 2008 WSOP Main Event. Some of them are quite popular among the ladies like super dreamy Gus Hansen. And then there's the bad boys of poker in Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, and Mark Vos. And then there's a few ladies like Kara Scott (yumo!) and the lovely Tiffany Michelle who I have had the chance to work with on and off for 18 months while she did on-air interviews for Poker News.

Here's some info...

End of Day 4 Top 10 Chip Counts:
Jeremy Joseph (Buffalo, New York) - 2,187,000
Nikolay Losev (Moscow, Russia) - 2,110,000
Cristian Dragomir (Bucharest, Romania) - 2,065,000
Brandon Cantu (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 1,981,000
Lanini Davor (Parma, Italy) - 1,958,000
David 'Chino' Rheem (Los Angeles, California) - 1,851,000
Andrew Rosskamm (Cleveland, Ohio) - 1,764,000
James McManus** (Dublin, Ireland) - 1,761,000
Geoffrey Herzog (Jacksonville Beach, Florida) - 1,695,000
Albert Kim (Staten Island, New York) - 1,688,000

** not the writer

Notables:
Shahram 'Sheiky' Sheikhan (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 1,516,000
Alex Outhred (Los Angeles, California) - 1,377,000
Mark Vos (Cape Town, South Africa) - 1,373,000
Gus Hansen (Monaco via Denmark) - 1,367,000
Victor Ramdin (Bronx, New York) - 1,322,000
Allen Cunningham (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 1,141,000
Matt Matros (Brooklyn, New York) - 1,126,000
Jeremiah Smith (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 955,000
Tiffany Michelle (Los Angeles, California) -909,000
Robert 'ActionBob' Hwang (Barnegat, New Jersey) - 875,000
Ylon Schwartz (Brooklyn, New York) - 870,000
David 'The Turtle' Saab (Melbourne, Australia) - 776,000
Jeff Madsen (Los Angeles, California) -690,300
Phil Hellmuth (Palo Alto, California) - 581,000
Mike Matusow (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 458,000
Keith 'The Camel' Hawkins (Middleton Tyas, England) - 406,000
Deng Dong (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) - 388,000
Chip Jett (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 386,000
Kido Pham (Dallas, Texas) - 317,000
Hoyt Corkins (Glenwood, Alabama) - 305,000
Thomas Keller (Scottsdale, Arizona) - 251,000
Kara Scott (Brighton, England) - 247,000
Ben Roberts (London, England) - 214,000
Chad Layne (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 140,000

Action starts at noon on Saturday. See you there!


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/12/2008 12:17:00 PM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 43: Main Event Day 4 - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

They pushed back the starting time one hour... so action for Day 4 will be underway at 1pm Vegas time or 4pm East Coast time.

Stay tuned for live action from the killing floor at the Rio, from the moment cards are in the air until everyone bags up their chips at the end of the night.

For instant text updates to your cell phone, you can follow me on Twitter.

In the meantime, checkout Flipchip's WSOP photos.

Here are some quick stats...

Players Remaining: 474
Total Entrants: 6,844

Top 10 in Chips:
Jeremy Joseph 1458000
Jeremiah Smith 1079500
Mark Ketteringham 950000
Kyle Carlston 932500
Dag Martin Mikkelsen 931000
Alan Jaffray 908500
Owen Crowe 900000
Alexander Kostritsyn 887000
James McManus 875000
Chris Barrile 873500

Notables:
Matt Matros 822500
PearlJammer 726500
Sheiky 724000
Brandon Cantu 710000
Tracey "xTraCEY" Nguyen 476500
Phil Hellmuth 475000
Victor Ramdin 471000
Mark Vos 468000
Hoyt Corkins 439500
Mike Matusow 438500
Evelyn Ng 414500
Thayer Rasmussen 394000
Allen Cunningham 386500
Gus Hansen 355000
Magnus Petersson 352000
Jeff Madsen 349000
Bill Blanda 347000
Hevad Khan 338500
Alex Outhred 326000
Hasan Habib 326000
Chip Jett 318500
Pat Poels 257500
ActionBob 253000
Johnny Chan 252000
Tiffany Michelle 249000
Bertrand Grospellier 181500
Iggy 180K
Kara Scott 171000
Carmel Petresco 158500

* * * * *
12:22pm...

In position. The room has been reconfigured to accommodate ESPN cameras. Entire rows of tables have been eliminated to allow a smoother flow of traffic for floor staff and media. Most of the orange section has disappeared. The space in front of the press box is virtually empty, except for the two massage chairs in there trying to pick up some more clients.

Claudia the dealer is among those who will be flipping over the cards and deciding the fates of several hundred players who will succumb to the killing fields.

About thirty minutes before the restart, players were allowed inside and they slowly trickled inside.

* * * * *
1:22pm...

Iggy Watch: Iggy drew a tough table, but it is in the green section next to the Beast Lounge, which means it will be one of the last tables to break on Day 4. Two to Iggy's right, is the legendary Jeremiah Smith, who is second in chips. On Iggy's right is Las Vegas local Chad Layne. He told me that he's a huge Tao of Poker reader. He has over 780K in career tournament earnings, but he admitted that he's not a pro, not even a semi-pro.

I'll be keep close tabs on that table, along with ActionBob's table. He's sitting right next to Mike Matusow. He should get some TV time as ESPN cameras are naturally draw to the ramblings of the Mouth.

Dealer of the year, Jenna, did the honors... "Shuffle up and deal!"

Cards were in the air at 1:09pm. Five levels today. Two hour levels.

Within fourteen seconds (timed by Vin), there was an all in and a call.

* * * * *
I caught a crazy hand on the featured TV table. Jean-Robert Bellande was all in with As-Qd against 10c-9s. He was mugging for the cameras before the dealer proceeded with the hand.

"Please don't send me home with a ten of diamonds!" he pleaded.

The audience was a mixture of a few hardcore Hellmuth fans and the majority were rabid Bobby Bellande fans for his stint on Survivor. They laughed and cheered and hung on their hero's every word. It was almost as if Hellmuth was invisible. For the first time in a very long time, Hellmuth was overshadowed at the featured table. Hellmuth might be a big swinging dick in poker with 12 11 bracelets, but outside of poker he's an unknown. But Bobby Bellande, he's a reality TV star. Seriously. Over the last two days, he attracted the most railbirds out of anyone else in the room. Sure he's at the tail end of his world wide 15 minutes of fame, but regardless, he had the real spotlight on him and his face was beamed into the homes of every TV in middle America. They watch more reality shows than poker (I'm mean does anyone watch poker these days on TV?) and it showed that poker is so minor compared to the real entertainment industry.

"Please don't send me home with a ten of diamonds!" he pleaded as ESPN cameras followed his every move.

The dealer fanned out Ac-8h-2d.

"No Jacks! No jacks!" he screamed as he stood up.

The crowd laughed. The loved every second of it.

The turn was the 6s.

"Oh shit," said Bellande. "Please, no sevens!!!"

The river was the 7s. In a display of poor sportsmanship, the dejected Bellande threw his hat on the table. The crowd went apeshit. A chorus of "Boos!" rained down from the stands.

"Aw! Sick fuckin' beat!" one guy yelled out. "Just like playing on the internet."

Seriously, the spectator was correct. That was a RiverStars hand.

* * * *
2:22pm...

Iggy Watch: Iggy is out.

Here's two hands from Iggy... his final two. Iggy was UTG+1 and moved all in for his last 100K. Felix Osterlandin the small blind asked Iggy how much he had. Iggy had been hiding his big chips (the 5K orange ones) behind his bigger stacks. Iggy pulled out his orange chips and Osterlandin peeked at his cards then folded. Jeremiah Smith was in the big blind. He looked at his cards then tanked for a minute before he folded and said something like, "Next time I'll call."

Iggy won the blinds and antes. On the next hand, Iggy insta-shoved from UTG. Action folded around to Jeremiah Smith in the small blind. He looked at his cards and quickly called. Chad Layne folded from the big blind. The dealer yelled, "All in and a call on Green #7!"

Action was paused while ESPN's cameras scrambled to get into position. Iggy tabled Ac-Js versus Jeremiah's 9s-9h. Classic race. Iggy slid on his shades and tilted his head down to avoid a close up shot. The dealer fanned out the flop of 7c-2d-2s. I stood behind Iggy and could see him breathing heavy as the floor person asked the dealer to pause for a few seconds while ESPN could get into better position.

The turn was the 10c. Iggy needed help. It seemed like five minutes before the river card was dealt. The 8s fell and sealed Iggy's fate. Iggy sighed as Jeremiah stood up to shake Iggy's hand. Iggy took his elimination like a real man and wished Jeremiah good luck. He quietly collected his things and made his way to the payout table. In one eye he looked dejected and in the other he looked relieved.

I dunno the exact place of his elimination. Otis and think it's around 401 or so. Stay tuned for that information.

Within moments of Iggy's elimination, Professional Keno Player Neil Fontenot called to give Iggy a shout out. Iggy is his favorite poker player and MMA blogger.

* * * * *
3:22pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph at 2M. Jeremiah Smith, Matt Matros, Owen Crowe, and Raja Kattamuri

Recent Eliminations: Iggy, Johnny Bax, Iwan Jones, Frankie O'Dell, Keith Hawkins, Adam Schoenfeld, TMay420, Dave Colclough, Mike Wattel, Jean-Robert Bellande, Kirill Gerasimov, Robert Mizrachi, Jason Lester

Players Remaining: 363

Jeremiah Smith opened from early position and tossed out a raise from his massive tiers of stacks. Chad Layne called as did three other players. Smith turned to the table behind him and said, "Do any of you guys want to call to?"Justin Scott from the big blind jammed and it looked like a squeeze play. Smith and Layne folded as did everyone else. Scott tabled Queens and said, "Don't think I'm stealing, Big Chips!"

Otis has been hiding out in the press box because the Devil is still in the tournament. I haven't seen Otis this spooked... ever. Even when he ate Keno crayons, he had a huge smile on his face.

Oliver Tse wanted me to know that he did not rep Fernando Gordo, the guy who didn't show up yesterday and got blinded down. "I don't rep any Argentines," he said.

Pokerati's Pat Poels' Aces held up against AC legend Bill Blanda. Poels a bot bit above average.

I hung out with the Poker Shrink and ESPN's crew. I mentioned to the cameraman that I was sweating Action Bob.

"He's sitting right next to Mike Matusow. I feel sorry for him," joked the cameraman.

A slim Thunder Keller was seated at that interesting table as well.

Homer just got great news. After being here for 42 days, his press badge was officially approved.

There's no love for no names by ESPN. One table had an all in and a call. The dealer held up action until an ESPN producer came over to see who was all in. They two players fighting for their tournament lives were unknowns so he told the dealer to proceed since ESPN wasn't interested in filming the action.

The magic number today is 175. Jack Effel told the Poker Shrink that he'll make a decision at the end of level four. If they are close to 175 players, action migtht be suspended. Effel doesn't want to stop action once it gets into level five. So we'll have to wait and see what happens during the first level after the dinner break.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * *
4:27pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph at 2.35M. Jeremiah Smith, Allen Cunningham, Matt Matros, and PearlJammer are all in the lead pack.

Recent Eliminations: Johnny Chan, Elky, Maya Geller-Antonius, Hasan Habib, Bill Blanda, Magnus Petersson, Chris Bjorin

Players Remaining: 324

Johnny Chan is out.... so Hellmuth is the last champion standing. Patrik Antonius' wife is also busto.

Allen Cunningham is making a run. He jumped up to second in chips after crossing over into the 1 million territory. Gus Hansen is over 800K and the Great Dane is gunning for a million in chips. Carmel Petresco has a nice stack and she has chips. Almost 1M!

Hellmuth is under 200K, while Matusow is up to 400K. ActionBob is around 300K and won a pot with Kings.

Chad Layne is in a tough situation. To his right? Jeremiah Smith. To his left? PearlJammer who got moved into Iggy's empty seat. They both have over 1 million in chips to his 300K.

* * * * *
5:29pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph with 2.7M. David Saab, Clint Schafer, William Soffin, Eric Bamer

Recent Eliminations: Pat Poels, Carmel Petresco, Thayer Rasmussen, Jani Vilmunen

Players Remaining: 294

New world order. There's a new batch of chipleaders. Joseph is still out in front, but the pack caught up to Cunningham, Jeremiah, and Pearljammer.

Hellmuth doubled up in the last hour and has 420K. Tiffany Michelle is at 325K. Kara Scott at 285K.

Spectators several deep on the rail most of them have been sweating the area near Hellmuth and Matusow and Hansen... hoping to get glimpses of the few familiar faces in the crowd.

* * * * *
6:30pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph with 2.5M and... David Saab, Allen Cunningham, Suresh Prabhu, Tim Taylor

Recent Eliminations: Dag Martin Scandi, Mike Souza, and Alan Jaffray

Players Remaining: 279

Gus closing in one 1M. Hellmuth started to talk trash with some of his table mates after a relatively quiet start. He chowed down on a couple of PizzaHuts pizzas in between hands.

The Poker Shrink has been hovering over Matusow's table. He told me, "Mikey is a little off today."

Matusow made a questionable call on one hand and lost some chips. That fire dhim up and he started grinding away and moved back up to 350K. He started trash talking a bit with one player.

"You knew Scotty told that guy 'If you call it's all over baby?' Well I'm not saying that..." snapped Matusow. He got his opponent to call and won that pot. Shrink mentioned that Matusow was one of those players who played better when they were behind. Mikey loves being the underdog.

Shrink mentioned that Action Bob was "absolutely quiet over the last level." ActionBob has been waiting to strike.

Brandon Cantu has been dominating his table. he has several towers of chips.

The agents have been swarming. Tiffanny Michelle was gobbled up on one of the breaks.

* * * * *
7:30pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph, David Saab, Keoni Schwartz, Lanini Davor, Mark Ketteringham

Recent Eliminations: RainKhan, Tino Lechich, Van Nguyen

Players Remaining: 239

Matt Matros took a hit and slipped under 1M.

Hung out at Matusow and ActionBob's table. Bob is past 350K. I caught a hand where Matusow pushed all in on the flop on a nine high board with two diamonds. His opponent Thomas Keller had Matusow covered and tanked for several minutes. Not one, but two ESPN cameras captured the action as two boom mikes crossed streams high above the table. At that point there were three "all in and a call" on adjacent tables. The crowd around the table got bigger and bigger. Players from other tables walked over to check out the action. Whenever a large cluster developed on the floor, it attracted more and more curious people. A thick wall of people surrounded Matusow's table and somehow Gus Hansen snuck in there as well and stood behind the dealer.

The spectators on the rail elbowed each other for position. A few stood up on their toes to get a better view. A couple of people tried to snap photos from a far.

"All in on table 33!" a dealer yelled. That was the fourth table to have an all in since the hand began.

Matusow sat still and barely breathed. He didn't move at all. Keller finally called and Matusow quickly tabled Aces.

"Do you have Queens?" asked Matusow

Keller flipped over tens and Matusow jumped out of his chair and pumped his fist.

The turn was the King of hearts on a board of K-9-8-2.

"A Jack would have made things more interesting for me, the passerby," joked Gus Hansen as he walked away from the table knowing that Matusow would double up.

Over at the featured table... is now Victor Ramdin along. The secondary table is Iggy's old table with Chad Layne, PearlJammer, and Jeremiah Smith. Layne busted one player and Smith lost 600K in the previous level and got flustered. He regained his composure at the break and got some of his chips back.

Hellmuth slipping into tilt. He lost a pot and went ballistic. "Idiot from Northern Europe calls a raise with 5-7!" he screamed then stormed off. "Idiot can't even spell P-O-K-E-R. Calls a raise with 5-7?"

Tiffany Michele busted RainKhan. he shoved on the flop. She had top pair and it held up. The ESPN cameras caught the hand and definitely will broadcast that bust out.

Sheiky still in. He kicked an empty water bottle at me. He didn't apologize and I gave him the evil eye.

* * * * *
9:31pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph, Brandon Cantu, Keoni Schwartz, David Saab, Nikolay Losev

Recent Eliminations: PearlJammer, Evelyn Ng, Thierry van den Berg, Tracey Nguyen

Players Remaining: 216

Before dinner break, Jeremy Joseph was the big stack with Brandon Cantu not far behind.

ActionBob wandered over, "Do you think I got a tough table?"

Gus Hansen was moved into the nine seat. Action Bob had Matusow to his direct right and Thunder Keller. The rest of Bob's table was solid and everyone wondered if they would get moved to the featured TV table.

Players just returned from dinner break.

There will be one more level of play tonight.

* * * * *
10:31pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph, Andrew Rosskamm, Brandon Cantu, Geoffrey Herzog, Alfredo Fernandez

Players Remaining: 197

Chip Reese Jett has been flying under the radar all day. I totally forgot about him until I walked past his table. He recently busted someone and has just under 500K.

ActionBob flopped a set of sixes and cracked Aces. He's up to 650K. He's gonna need lots of bullets if he's gonna play against The Camel, Gus Hansen, The Mouth, and Thunder Keller.

Gus Hansen has a tough time keeping still. He hasn't been playing too many hands and after he folds, he floats around and checks out the action on adjoining tables.

Mark Vos and the crew on Table #1 are the loudest in the room.

Bond18 and his lady stopped by the press box. I told them about Vos' latest hijinks.

"Vos is still left? That douchebag!" said Bond18.

"Shhh! Everyone can hear you. Someone will write what you said," said his girlfriend Celina.

"I'm not saying anything everyone knows. We're good friends and he'll be the first to admit that he's a douchebag."

That got a hearty chuckle from the press box.

One more hour of play left tonight.

* * * * *
11:00pm...

Total shocker. Play was suspended with 189 players to go. No explanation. There was 40 minutes left in the level and I assumed we were playing it down. I'm a little surprised.

"We really should have played it down," said Nolan Dalla.

Even though I'm sick as a dog and wanna get out of here, I think they should have played five full levels instead of 3.5+ levels.

Anyway, action resumes at noon on Saturday. Jeremy Joseph is still the chipleader.

Thanks for following along!


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/11/2008 02:10:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 42: Main Event Day 3 Recap - Bubbles

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

An assortment of 1,307 people from all different areas of life... online pros, Vegas pros, amateurs, semi-pros, guys who are muppets who think they are pros, and straight up dream chasers... each walked into the Amazon Room with one thing on their minds... survive Day 3 and advance to Day 4.

The simple goal? Be among the 666 players who cashed in the 2008 WSOP Main Event. Once you sign your slip at the end of Day 2 and bag up your chips, all you can think about is making it to the end of Day 3 to almost guarantee a $21K cash. And for online qualifiers or satellite winners, the rest of the WSOP is a freeroll. Almost all of their earnings are pure profit.

Making Day 4 of the WSOP for pros means that they have a chance to get unstuck for the WSOP and for the year. Plus if they had a good summer already, it's a chance to pad their tournament earnings for the year.

Iggy was among the 666 players who cashed in the 2008 Main Event. That's an impressive feat. It was back in 2006 when two buddies of mine went deep, Ryan and Stormy. Of course Ryan got some TV time when he busted Jesus, albeit for like forty-six seconds. The ESPN cameras were all around Iggy's table over the last two nights. There's a good chance his image might have been captured for the ages. One night many years int he future, Iggy will be sitting at the end of an old man's bar, look up at ESPNClassic and see episodes of the 2008 WSOP. There's Iggy, bullying a lesbian.

The big story on Day 3 were the million dollar stacks that emerged. Jeremiah Smith was the first player to pass the 1 million mark. Jeremiah is a great guy that everyone in the media has been pulling for because essentially, he started out as one of us. He parlayed an internship at Full Tilt into a career in poker. He's traveled the world covering tournaments for Poker Wire and then worked with Full Tilt in other writerly capacities. Working for Full Tilt has its perks, such as getting to pick Howard Lederer and Allen Cunningham's brains on tournament poker.

Whatever Jeremiah has been doing... it's been working. Although he didn't end the day as the chipleader, he still managed to end Day 3 in the lead pack. Jeremy Joseph (uh oh, I was always told that you can't trust a guy with two first names, especially in poker) ended Day 3 as the chipleader while Owen Crowe, Alexander Kostritsyn, and Dag Martin Mikkelsen. Yep the young Ruskie who won Aussie Millions and Dag Martin Scandi are among the chipeaders.

Also advancing to Day 4? Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, and Mike Matusow. Two world champions and The Mouth. I guess the big story on Day 4 will be surrounding which pros makes a run and goes deep. Will Matusow implode? Will Hellmuth blow up? Can Johnny Chan ride the high from his energy drinks all the way to the final table?

* * * * *


Hey, I've been slacking in mentioning the Tao of Pokerati podcasts. Michalksi uploaded a bunch. Here's a couple of recent ones including one recorded inside a strips club...

Episode 19: Topless Beer Pong
Episode 20: Surviving Day 1a
Episode 21: Poker for Africa
Episode 22: Agent Oranges
Episode 23: Bubbilicious
Tao of Pokerati Archives

* * * * *
Ah, here's who cashed on Day 3:

475-482 ? Unknown at press time

483 Rolf Slotboom $25,090
484 Edmund Chan $25,090
485 Daniel Barlin $25,090
486 Jeffrey Palarino $25,090
487 Jeffrey Norman $25,090
488 Judith Raney $25,090
489 Edmond Mekertichian $25,090
490 Gary Herstein $25,090
491 Andreas Jorbeck $25,090
492 Ruben Juarez $25,090
493 Beisheng Chen $25,090
494 Albert Riccobono $25,090
495 Daryn Firicano $25,090
496 Gerald Macleod $25,090
497 Sean Fennessey $25,090
498 Howard German $25,090
499 Christophe Gross $25,090
500 James Peera $25,090
501 Lei Cai $25,090
502 Ronald Jenkins $25,090
503 Francesco De Vivo $25,090
504 David Silk $25,090
505 ??????????? $25,090
506 Bryan Bevis $25,090
507 James Grimes $25,090
508 James Maltz $25,090
509 Luke Vrabel $25,090
510 David Stucke $25,090
511 Robert Jarman $25,090
512 Michael Vonada $25,090
513 David Gee $25,090
514 George Wedemeyer $25,090
515 Todd Pierce $25,090
516 James Eccles $25,090
517 Chris Grigorian $25,090
518 Chau Giang $25,090
519 Douglas William Smith $25,090
520 Hamid Jahangard $25,090
521 Serj Markarian $25,090
522 Derel Asher $25,090
523 David Sacks $25,090
524 Michael Perez $25,090
525 Brian Montag $25,090
526 Bob Slezak $25,090
527 Vimy Ha $25,090
528 Wendell Olsen $25,090
529 Vlad Teposu $25,090
530 Wooka Kim $25,090
531 Gjorgji Chuchuk $25,090
532 Jason Kang $25,090
533 Rory Chinn $25,090
534 Dan Glimne $25,090
535 Robert Kovar $25,090
536 Farzad Rouhani $25,090
537 Janne Runtti $25,090
538 John Strzemp $25,090
539 Mark Tenner $25,090
540 Matthew Mezvinsky $25,090

541 Stephen Landrum $23,160
542 Rene Refsgaard $23,160
543 Eugene Neto $23,160
544 Soren Jensen $23,160
545 Michael Johnson $23,160
546 Jesse Kremer $23,160
547 Soren Knudson $23,160
548 Michael Offerman $23,160
549 Valdemar Kwaysser $23,160
550 Jason Ashley $23,160
551 Andreas Torbergsen $23,160
552 Stephen Austin $23,160
553 Henning Granstad $23,160
554 Ernesto Margolis $23,160
555 Adam Grovenstein $23,160
556 Zelong Dong $23,160
557 John Kapovich $23,160
558 Alex Smith $23,160
559 Henrik Thuesen $23,160
560 Gary Hamilton $23,160
561 Paul Coles $23,160
562 Si Vo $23,160
563 Jody Garaventa $23,160
564 James Lowe $23,160
565 Michael Grabmugg $23,160
566 Robert Crawford $23,160
567 Yonghui Jiang $23,160
568 Rickey Welch $23,160
569 Karen Mengden $23,160
570 Kermit Mallette $23,160
571 Brian Brubaker $23,160
572 Michael Frandsen $23,160
573 Steven Levy $23,160
574 Va shon Watkins $23,160
575 Jason Nadeau $23,160
576 Jerome Mercado $23,160
577 Martyn Sands $23,160
578 Brett Houghton $23,160
579 David Rosenbloom $23,160
580 Thomas Culberson $23,160
581 Justin Truesdell $23,160
582 Pierre Marceau $23,160
583 Robert Anderson $23,160
584 Jeremy Symington $23,160
585 Jan Heitmann $23,160
586 Nathan Doudney $23,160
587 Izakron Young $23,160
588 Olivier Decamps $23,160
589 Bijan Shahbaz $23,160
590 Jesper Anderberg $23,160
591 Brandon Foster $23,160
592 Brett Richey $23,160
593 Rubens Bicalho $23,160
594 Daniel Marchand $23,160
595 Age Spets $23,160
596 Raymond Yee $23,160
597 Matthew Kennedy $23,160
598 Rasmus Vogt $23,160
599 Wilbur Futhey $23,160
600 Thor Hansen $23,160
601 Benjamin Zamani $23,160
602 Magnus Persson $23,160
603 Johan Slutter $23,160

604 Sharon Levin $21,230
605 Darren Nelson $21,230
606 Ryan Monastyrski $21,230
607 Matthew Bucaric $21,230
608 Weiwan Liang $21,230
609 Emad Tahtouh $21,230
610 Berk Aydin $21,230
611 Jeffrey Hakim $21,230
612 Alioscia Oliva $21,230
613 Jonathan Lane $21,230
614 Cuong Nguyen $21,230
615 Milan Andrejkovics $21,230
616 Bill Gazes $21,230
617 Francis Rusnak $21,230
618 Brandon Adams $21,230
619 John Henck $21,230
620 Allen Bari $21,230
621 Jose Roberto $21,230
622 Senovio Ramirez $21,230
623 Nadav Benjosef $21,230
624 Adam Richardson $21,230
625 Vanessa Rousso $21,230
626 Ryan Jones $21,230
627 Les Jesudason $21,230
628 Wolbert Bartlema $21,230
629 Todd Jatras $21,230
630 Mats Clavell $21,230
631 Julian Meer $21,230
632 Nicholas Goodall $21,230
633 Nathaniel Eaton $21,230
634 David Trinh $21,230
635 Jason Gray $21,230
636 Brian Pinkus $21,230
637 Michel Leibgorin $21,230
638 Shan Jing $21,230
639 Michael Berra $21,230
640 Patri Forwalterfriedman $21,230
641 Douglas Janney $21,230
642 Claudio Rinaldi $21,230
643 Messaoud Bouchaib $21,230
644 Walter Bizarro $21,230
645 Patrick Pezzin $21,230
646 Kenneth McKusick $21,230
647 Rui Cao $21,230
648 Juan Hernandez $21,230
649 Bryan Tiffin $21,230
650 Carl Restifo $21,230
651 Men the Master $21,230
652 Pascal Guerillot $21,230
653 Matthew Clark $21,230
654 Tam Gourlay $21,230
655 Roy Vandersluis $21,230
656 Fernando Gordo $21,230
657 Sasa Stancic $21,230
658 David Gallis $21,230
659 Robert Parkin $21,230
660 Robert Melnyk $21,230
661 Lorenz Roder $21,230
662 Dale Sing $21,230
663 Tommy Brown $21,230
664 Herik Abrahamsson $21,230
665 Justin Phillips $21,230
666 Joe Conti $21,230

Congrats again to Iggy. Well done, sir! Day 4 starts at 1pm on Friday.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/11/2008 06:41:00 AM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 42: Main Event Day 3 - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

1,307 players returned for Day 3.

Here's the leaderboard...

Top 10 Chip Counts:
1. Brian Schaedlich (Cleveland, Ohio) - 801,000
2. Peter Biebel (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) - 531,000
3. Alex Outhred (Los Angeles, California) - 486,800
4. Baja Kattamuri (Dallas, Texas) - 411,100
5. Hunter Frey (Houston, Texas) - 397,000
6. Jeremiah Smith (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 386,000
7. Steven Goosen (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) - 362,100
8. Patrick Fortin (Quebec, Canada) - 355,900
9. Reagan Silber (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 355,500
10. Kellen Hunter (Minot, North Dakota) - 354,100

Iggy has 86,700 and looking good... stay tuned for live updates.

* * * * *
12:01pm...

Everyone left in the WSOP is inside the Amazon Ballroom. Nine of these lucky fuckers will go onto the final table.

Lots of prop bets flying in the press box about what time the money bubble will break. The top 666 players will win prize money.

Otis thinks it will be 12:44am. I like that number. Benjo also thought it would be late. A few folks think they money bubble won't break until tomorrow.

Several PokerStars qualifiers are pestering the PokerStars bloggers to get them in the blog. That's such a tough task to do and usually the guys who asked to get covered are the one who will bust early.

So who is left in the mix that you might know? From Team PokerStars... RainKhan, John Duthie, Vanessa Rousso, Elky, Chris Moneymaker, Noah Boeken, and Victor Ramdin who has a lot of chips. Also in the mix... Phil Hellmuth, Action Bob, Johnny Chan, Gus Hansen, Jen Harman, Allen Cunningham, Patrik Antonius, Mike Matusow, Mandy Baker, Hoyt Corkins, Tex Barch, Bobby Bellande, Chris Bjorin, MrSmokey1, Barny Boatman, Bill Blanda, McLovin, Scott Clements, Dave Colclough, John D'Agostino, Gigabet, Bill Gazes, Chau Giang, Phil Gordon, Andy Griggs, Tony Hachem, Chip Jett, Johnny Bax, Gant, Alezander Kostritsyn, Alex KGB Kostritsyn, Jason Lester, Matt Matros, Nenad Medic, Mike Meredith, Tiffany Michelle, Dag Martin Scandi, Men the Master, Evy Ng, Carmel Petresco, Brandon Schaefer, Thayer Rasmussen, Erik Seidel, Rolf Slotboom, Jason Strasser, Emad Tahtouh, Pearljammer, and SirWatts.

They will play five levels today. Two hour levels. 800/1,600 blinds with a 200 ante.

Cards in the air at 12:04. No frills start today. That's how I like it. Let's just play poker.

* * * * *
1:01pm...

Big Stacks: Brian Schaedlich, Peter Biebel, Alex Outhred, Raja Kattamuri, and Jeremiah Smith

Recent Eliminations: Chris Moneymaker, Jen Harman, Patrik Antonius, Noah Boeken, Giagbet, Arnold Spee, and Russell Rosenblum

Players Remaining: 1,161

Iggy Watch: Down to 76K. He is wearing the Fisherman's hat for good luck.

Within seconds of cards going in the air, a faint cry of "All in and a call!" rang out. Over one hundred players busted out in the first hour.

Rolf arrived to his seat late. Hellmuth was on time and his wife was on the rail sweating him on. Although, Jeff Madsen was AWOL when action began.

One of the floor guys told me that Moneymaker busted... one of the first big names to do so. I caught Hellmuth in the middle of a race. His Big Slick versus a short stack with nines. Hellmuth turned a King and he busted his opponent to add more ammo to his stack.

The secondary featured table included Bobby Bellande. And Johnny Chan is up at the featured TV table.

One fan was super excited to meet Johnny Chan. She was in hysterics in the hallway telling her friends. "Ohmygod! I said hello to Johnny Chan. And he said hi back!"

Another guy in the hallway was doing the walk of shame as he complained about a bad beat.

"Two cards in the deck. I was a 96% favorite and lost," he said almost in tears.

There is one cash game running right now and the tables in the red sections are quickly breaking.

Gus Hansen was walking around in between hands and talking with Phil Gordon. Sitting down, Gordo is almost taller than Hansen standing up.

Mike Matusow was moved to Jen Harman's table... and that didn't last long. Harman was eliminated. I felt bad for her. She was trying to leave as quickly as possibly and someone stopped her for a photo request. Busting out of the Main Event is the worst feeling of the year for many pros... yet for folks like Harman, they have to remain in cool in the public eye, accommodate the request, and smile as much as they just want to die.

Gaz is sweating cricket legend Shane Warne. "Warney is gonna win this," boasted Gaz.

Borgata's Dale Pinchot started out with 80K but slipped since the day began.

* * * * *
2:02pm...

Big Stacks: Alex Outhred, Jeremiah Smith, Peter Biebel, Dustin Holmes, and Raja Kattamuri

Recent Eliminations: Liv Boeree, YellowSub, Heidi Northcott, Barny Boatman, Anthony Rivera, Scott Clements

Players Remaining: 1,062

Iggy Watch: At 72k the last time I checked...

Jose Canseco's busty girlfriend went busto along with British hottie Liv Boeree.

Shane Warne has 150k and sitting at the same table as Vanessa Rousso.

Brian Schaedlich entered the day as the chipleader, but he lost a massive pot. Alex Outhred is out in front.

"Smells like ass out there," said Snake as he crawled back into the press box.

Players are heading on their first break of the day.

* * * * *
3:03pm...

Big Stacks: Jeff Kimber, Sigurd Eskeland, Jeremiah Smith, Peter Biebel, Raja Kattamuri

Recent Eliminations: Erik Seidel, Paul McKinney

Players Remaining: 974

Iggy Watch: At the break he was down to 70k and said, "Time to get frisky." He won the blinds in one hand and then made a move on John D'Ags. D'Ags raised and Iggy popped him for re-raise. D'Ags tanked and then folded. That hand pushed Iggy close to 100K. He's since then lost some blinds and antes and down to 90K.

Hot Chicas: Carmel Petresco wore all white yesterday. Today? All black. Tiffany Michelle added chips and increased her stack to 145k by the break. She devoured two PizzaHut pizzas at the break next to me in the press box. About thirty minutes into the next level she jumped to 180K. "People just want to give me their chips," she said.

Hellmuth pushed passed the 200K mark, but I must say, it's been rather quiet over there.

I sat down near Iggy's table. I could keep an eye on him and the table across that had Men the Master and Jason Strasser. Behind that table? Carmel Petresco.

* * * * *
4:04pm...

Big Stacks: Jeff Kimber, Sigurd Eskeland, Jeremiah Smith, Geert Jans, Alex Outhred

Recent Eliminations: Mandy Baker, John D'Agostino, Will Durkee, and Matt Sexton

Players Remaining: 900

Iggy Watch: Around 95k right now. Iggy put J-Dags on tilt. Iggy keeps re-popping J-Dags, who looks frustrated. He said, "I'm ready to punch a wall." At the same time Tuscaloosa Johnnny walked by and said, "Iggy looks like he's in pain." Which was sort of odd since J-Dags was the one withering in pain. He recently busted out. A guy with about 350-400K in chips was just moved to Iggy's right.

Hot Chicas: Tiffany Michelle trying to pass the 200K mark.

Eric Morris from Bluff has been hanging on with a shortstack all day. Jeremiah Smith was moved to PearlJammer's table and is in the middle of a massage.

Shane Warne wears pink flip flops. Gank is going cowboy and has been wearing a cowboy hat.

The entire Red Section has been wiped clean. No more tables there as the number of remaining players dipped under 1,000. Less than 300 to go before the money breaks.

I hung out in the Beast Lounge. It was 50% capacity and the only people who were drinking had brought their own six pack of Michelob Ultra and camped out up in the Lounge. No one was reading. On Day 2B, the Lounge was the temporary library.


Up in the press box, I was looking out into the field. "Check out that weird looking dude," said Spaceman.

"Which one? There's like a hundred freaks that I can see from here," I said.

Bobby Bellande has been spending more time away from the table on his cell phone or entertaining Survivor fans. One elderly couple wandered over to him to play their respects.

"Is this tougher than being on Survivor?" one of them asked.

"No way. This is way tougher," said Bellande.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * *
5:05pm...

Big Stacks: Sigurd Eskeland, Jeff Kimber, Jeremiah Smith, Karle Wilson, and Sylvain Coeur

Recent Eliminations: Brandon Schaefer, Tony Hachem, Tex Barch, Matt Glantz, Phil Gordon

Players Remaining: 852

Iggy Watch: 60K. Iggy is the last friend I'm sweating since Brandon Schaefer busted out shortly before the break.

Hot Chicas: Tiffany just under 200K. Kara Scott and Carmel both have 220K.

Players recently returned from a break. Hellmuth was posing for photos with his adoring fans in the hallway.

Hundreds of players spilled past the press box. A couple of them carried Stabucks or RedBull. I saw lots of unfamiliar faces so the few pros stood out, like Emad and Gank and Hassan Habib.

200 more eliminations and we make the money. Midnight's under is looking good if they can bust a hundred per level.

Only 40 tables in Orange are being used as the staff started breaking the section in front of us. Which is sad, because that means the Mike Matusow show will be gone as well. he looked super jumpy and speedy after the break. I dunno if his meds kicked in or if they are wearing off.

back by popular demand...

Last 5 Pros I Pissed Next To...
1. Mel Judah
2. Chris Moneymaker
3. Brad Booth
4. Carlos Mortensen
5. Men the Master

* * * * *
6:06pm...

Big Stacks: Sigurd Eskeland, Jeff Kimber, Jeremiah Smith, Karle Wilson, Vito Branciforte

Recent Eliminations: Andy Griggs, Steve Z, Eric Morris, Josh Prager, Dennis Waterman, Juan Maceiras, and Richard Ashby

Players Remaining: 792

Iggy Watch: 77K. It was tough to see Iggy's chips because I stood in a weird angle behind the guy in Seat 2 who had a massive wall of chips stacked 30-35 high. Iggy picked up one small pot while I sweated him.

Jeremiah Smith has built a castle of chips.... stacks on top of stacks. Victor Ramdin was getting a massage and relaxing.

Steve Frezer set the money bubble bursting at 1am. Orange section is down to 25 tables.

There's a guy in a Duke hat sweating Vanessa Rousso. Across from her is Shane Warne who is doing chip tricks.

Men the Master was shortstacked until he woke up with Aces and doubled through Jason Stasser.

The area leading out to the poker kitchen smells like puke. I think someone blew chunks back there.

Benjo told me that the poker kitchen is closing tonight. I went in there and it was bare-bones. They didn't restock a lot of items so I have a feeling Benjo is correct.

The cash game area is very lame. Only a couple of low stakes NL games running. Any middle stakes and high stakes games have shifted over to the Bellagio since they are running Bellagio Cup events.

* * * * *
7:07pm...

Big Stacks: Alberto Font at 773K, Sigurd Eskeland, Jeff Kimber, Jeremiah Smith, and Vito Branciforte

Recent Eliminations: Shane Warne, Toto Leonidas, Anahit Galajian

Players Remaining: 747

Iggy Watch: 115K for Iggy. He flopped top set against one of the Scandis. He bet it hard (with two flush cards) and pushed the kid off the pot. As Iggy left for dinner break, he joked, "I'm gonna fold my way into the money!"

Hot Chicas: Kara Scott at 200K. Tiffany took a hit and slipped to 70K. Carmel is chasing down 300K. Evy Ng at 200+.

Warney went out in a three-way pot. He had a middle pair against overcards (both opponents). He was a head but lost. Gazman was sweating him all day and he left with Warney.

Robert Varnkoyi sighting on the rail. Marcel Luske took a stroll through the press box.

Space is getting tight. Less than 20 tables in the orange section. Nolan Dalla had to get on the mic and gave the "ESPN has right of way speech" and warned media outlets from clogging up the aisles.

Simon told me that there's a Party Poker qualifier who has a big stack. His name? Jim McManus... from Dublin, Ireland. He's not the writer and author from America.

Players just went on a dinner break. Action will resume around 8:30pm.

* * * * *
8:19pm...

Big Stacks: Chipleader is Jeremiah Smith with 766K... Alberto Font, Sigurd Eskeland, Jeff Kimber, Vito Branciforte are out in front.

Recent Eliminations: Nicolas Levi (a couple of hours ago)

Players Remaining: 733

Iggy Watch: 115K... and looking for some help.

Jeremiah took over the chiplead over the break without playing a hand! Actually official chipcounts were released during the dinner break and Jeremiah is out in front.

Benjo told me how Elky had 4K at the dinner break yesterday. In just two levels, he ran it up to 140K. Anything can happen at the WSOP. One guy at Iggy's table started with 2.6k and played three full levels and still has chips.

Players just returned from the dinner break. The room is super quiet. Only three cash game tables running all the way in the back. Only 18 tables are left in the orange section.

* * * * *
9:19pm...

Big Stacks: Chipleader is Sigurd Eskeland with 750K... Jeremiah Smith, Karle Wilson, Alberto Font, Jeff Kimber are out in front.

Recent Eliminations: Alex Kravchenko

Players Remaining: 702

Iggy Watch: Iggy took a small hit and slipped to 85K. "A-K no good again," he said. The average stack is 194K. I asked Iggy what was on his iPod. He said, "Jack Johnson. I want to have his baby."

At least one dealer is rooting for Matusow... because if he makes the final table, he promised that he would buy the dealer a brand new car. Michalski is wishy-washy on that promise. He said, "These are the same dealers who really thought that Jamie Gold was going to tip them $1 million."

Alex KGB walked past the press box six minutes into the level. I assume he was one of the first players to bust out before the break.

Men the Master and Chau Giang are at the same table. Men and another player have been talking smack all day. They got into a raising war and Chau Giang made a move and shoved all in over the top of both of them. Men and the other guy folded and Chau took down the pot without saying a word to men.

Benjo and I saw Bobby Bellande all in with K-K against K-K. He held the Kd and flopped two diamonds but could not suck out.

Carmel has 270K and Kara has about 220K.

* * * * *
10:19pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremiah Smith, Sigurd Eskeland, Alberto Font, Robert Georato, Karle Wilson

Recent Eliminations: Nenad Medic, Josh Prager

Players Remaining: 673

Iggy Watch: Iggy went back up to 115K. Van Nguyen, who is Men the Master's wife, was seated at Iggy's table.

I saw a mother drag her two kids (about 3 and 4 years old) down the hallways and just outside the Amazon Room. She made them stand in front of the door as she snapped a couple of photos with gallons and gallons donkey blood spilling in the background. I always thought Las Vegas and especially the WSOP were not for young children. I had to ask friends who had kids if I was overreacting. I asked Otis if he would ever bring lil Otis to the Amazon Room?

"In here? Never," he quickly said. "I don't even want to bring him to Las Vegas."

Action slowed down when the money bubble approached. The spectators on the rail increased dramatically as the night progressed. After dinner, a new perimeter was established and the railbirds were standing five and six deep. Some areas were so thick you didn't even try to cross that clusterfuck in the middle of the room.

Action has been hand-for-hand for about twenty minutes.

Zeke wandered by the corner by Iggy's table where I was standing with Otis, Mean Gene, ad F Train. "Hmmm, which blogger are you guys sweating?" he asked. I told him it was Daddy from Snailtrax.

Anarchy prevails during hand-for-hand. Players are leaving the tables to run outside to smoke or piss. Others are on their cellphones calling their loved ones and telling them that they are about to make the money. Some players are sweating other tables.

Otis sent me a text that Oliver was spotted sleeping in the hallway. Poor Oliver was working so hard that he fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, sitting down, with his laptop on his lap.

* * * * *
11:21pm...

Big Stacks: Jeremiah Smith = 1 Million

Players Remaining: 666 .... Money Bubble Bitches!

Iggy Watch: He's giddy on the verge of making the money.

The hand-for-hand process was long and drawn out. Level 14 ended in the middle of it, but Jack Effel freezed the blinds at 1,500/3,000 and a 400 ante until the bubble broke. Once everyone was in the money, he sent everyone on a thirty minute break where they colored up the 100 chips.

What do media reps do during hand-for-hand? Some stew on the sidelines and bitch and moan that they can't get inside the ropes. Others hang out and bullshit with other media reps. The Wicked Chops Poker guys take photos of hot railbirds. Otis thinks about sad stories to write, Michalski disappears and does who knows what. Benjo runs around and tries to get pictures of his Frenchies (or of Oliver passed out in the hallway). Ian is playing old school video games on his laptop, while 76.3% of the reps in the media room are playing online poker. I wonder if any horny and enterprising guys went to the hooker bar and nailed a working girl during the lengthy hand-for-hand process.

Steve Chung = Bubble Boy.

That's it... we're in the money! Congrats to Iggy. He won at least... $21,230.

Juan told us about one guy who cashed today... but did not show up. Fernando Gordo from Buenos Ares, Argentina started Day 3 with 137,900. He was blinded off all day and still made the money! Unreal. Luckiest guy in Vegas. I wonder where he is? Michalski thinks he is one of the players that Oliver represents.

You can listen to the excitement on the bubble in the latest episode of Tao of Pokerati called Bubbilicious.

* * * * *
12:21am...

Players Remaining: 607

I put Otis on lime tossing tilt. We played our new version called In Between the Limes. There are five zones... two $20, two $80, and one $150 zone. Otis threw first and nailed the $80 one. I stepped up and dropped the lime in the $150 zone. It bounced once and stayed in.

"Fuck!" screamed Otis. I knew right away he was on lime tilt. Mega lime tilt. He tried to get his money back right away by going double or nothing. I could smell the desperation in his eyes. I couldn't take any more money from the guy. He had been getting kicked in the junk all day with prop bets so I gave him some mercy. I took the lime money and ran.

Pauly 150, Otis 80. Final. Overall +70.

Oh and there's the WSOP still going on, but we stopped watching it to drink Corona and lime toss. Iggy is still in.

* * * * *
1:22am...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph, Jeremiah Smith, Mark Ketteringham, Dag Martin Mikkelsen, Sarkis Akopyan

Recent Eliminations: Men the Master, Bill Gazes, Brandon Adams, Vanessa Rousso, Emad Tahtouh, Thor Hansen

Players Remaining: 536

Iggy Watch: He's up to 160K. He just got moved tables.

Hot Chicas: Tiffany up to 194K after her Kings held up. I think I'm falling for Kara Scott. She's rockin the WSOP hoodie because it's so cold in the room.

As soon as players returned from the break, the flurry of bustouts began. Shortstacks shoved and many of them became statistics. Over one hundred players were eliminated in the first hour after the bubble burst.

* * * * *
2:22am...

Big Stacks: Jeremy Joseph, Jeremiah Smith, Owen Crowe, Alexander Kostritsyn, and Dag Martin Mikkelsen

Recent Eliminations: Chau Giang, Farzad Rouhani

Players Remaining: 474

Iggy Watch: 180K or so to end the night.

Hot Chicas: Tiffany Michele, Carmel Petresco, Evlyn Ng, and Kara Scott all advanced to Day 4.

Tables started breaking in the Blue section. One kid with a several racks of orange chips walked past Mike Matusow's table. The Mouth stopped him and said, "Ho wdid you get all those fuckin' chips? Playing good or just fuckin' lucky?"

The last hour of play was fast paced with cries of "All in and a call" going dwn about every other minute. The field raced to get under 500. And when it was over, around 474 players remained.

Play is over for today. Day 4 will begin Friday at 1pm local time.

Thanks for following along. See ya tomorrow.



Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/10/2008 01:38:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 41: Main Event Day 2B - Formula of Donkey Liquification

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Should we take a glance at the history books to get an indication of the days to come?

Benjo crunched the numbers on Day 2s from 2006 and came up with his now famous Formula of Donkey Liquification which almost precisely predicted the number of eliminations on Day 2A and Day 2B this year.

"Day 2 is all about being a donk show," said Benjo.

Almost 2,000 were decimated on Day 2B. Erased. Destroyed. Dunzo.

I hit up my archives from the 2006 and 2007 main event to try to figure out what will happen on Day 3 and the ensuing days.

* * * * *
Flashback. 2007. Day 2B.

I wrote about Gus Hansen's sick puppy and the cryptic journey of Vinny Vinh where he told Lance from the Poker Biz... "If I win this year, I die. So I'm not gonna win."

Here's what I wrote last year...

He showed up, to everyone's surprise. He was eating an ice cream bar as he looked over his table as the rest of his opponents unbagged their chips. He moved all in on the second hand of the day... and busted out. Then he vanished into thin air. No one has seen him since.

Vinny Vinh and his missing chair was one of the big stories last summer. And Day 2B was the closing chapter in his 2007 saga.

* * * * *
Flashback. 2006. Day 2B.

Used car salesman Dimtri Nobles ended the day with a monster stack. We also were introduced to he most adorable little thing since Webster... Dario Minieri.

Here's what I wrote two years ago on Day 2B...

Who the fuck is Roma Dario? I don't want to steal Wicked Chops Poker thunder and bust on Card Player, but I have to in this instance. I've been following Dario Minieri since Day 1. He's a PokerStars qualifier from Rome and we've been covering him on PokerStars Blog. He speaks only a little English. CardPlayer didn't even have him on their radar for most of Day 1, even when he had a ton of chips in front of him. On Day 2B, they had his name wrong and listed him as "Roma Dario" up until 10pm. At one point they had both Roma Dario and Dario Minieri on the Top 10 Chips Leaderboard.

Little did we all know that little Dario would grow up, win a bracelet, and take a whirl on the Isabelle Express.

* * * * *
Flashback. 2005. Day 2.

And then there's the groggy halcyon days...

I woke up to the sounds of things breaking. My wake up call this morning was a "domestic dispute" and it involved a meth-addicted couple up on the third floor of my unit at the Redneck Riviera. It looked like a scene from a bad romance movie. The skinny guy with bad tattoos was standing outside while his girlfriend threw all his stuff off the balcony and shouted obscenities. The last remains of a VCR were scattered on the walkway while he dodged the heavier items. Dozens of articles of clothing were spread out while several onlooker gawked until Las Vegas metro police showed up. I expected to see a COPS camera crew jump out of a production van. Just another Sunday morning. Don't any of these people go to church?

* * * * *
What did I learn from wasting an hour on warm fuzzy flashbacks while The End by The Doors played on repeat?

Day 2 was really an extension of Day 1 and the big stories don't develop for another day or so. Plus, it's not until Day 3 when the field is combined for the first time and they flirt with making the money late in the evening

The big question... will the (Day 1a + Day 1b = Day 2a) players have an advantage over the (Day 1c + Day 1d = Day 2b) players?

I'm gonna say yes and point towards the NFL... does the bye week help or hurt your team? The extra time to physically rest and the extra time to prepare gives bye week teams an added edge. And as far as poker goes, I think it was Dan Harrington who pointed out that it will be hard for someone over 40 years old to win the WSOP due to the physical requirements it takes to go deep into the main event.

"You try sitting in a hard chair for 15 hours," said Flipchip. "It's not as easy as you think. Then do that for two weeks straight."

Flipchip is one of the folks who think poker is a sport. I think it's more show business and entertainment than a sport.

Here's some reason why I don't think poker is a sport....

You can get massages in the middle of playing poker so it's not a sport. It's one thing for pros to get worked on at halftime, on the bench, or in between sets in tennis. But you don't see Derek Jeter up at the plate with a hot masseuse working on hi neck. And you won't see a hottie massaging LeBron's toes when he shoots a free throw.

You can drink beer while playing poker so it's not a sport. Scotty Nguyen. Men the Master. Minneapolis Jom Meehan. They all like a good cocktail at the tables. Sure, old school professional athletes drank during games like Night Tran Lane and Babe Ruth probably knocked back a cold one in between innings while he stuffed his face with hotdogs. Joe D used to smoke in the dugout and the bat boys used to make sure he had a lit ciggie waiting for him when he came off the field and into the dugout. But today? You couldn't see Pedro Martinez walk to the back of the mound, bend over, and take a huge pull off of a tallboy. I'd love to see Mikael Samuelsson do a shot of tequila on the bench before a line change. But that's just not gonna happen.

I could go on an endless rant about if poker is a sport or not, but I kinda want to go to bed before sunrise, so I'll leave that discussion for another time.

Ah, before I go, congrats to Brandon and Iggy for advancing to Day 3.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/10/2008 06:38:00 AM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 41: Main Event Day 2B - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Benjo remarked that Day 2B will really be the worst day on the killing floor. Let's hope that Iggy doesn't drown in donkey blood.

Stay tuned for coverage of everyone's favorite blogger in addition to all the hot chicas who advanced to Day 2B.

466 players from Day 2A advanced to Day 3. 2,678 are in the mix on Day 2B. If you use Benjo's Formula of Donkey Liquification... at one hundred per hour... we should be down to around 1,800 at the end of the day. I'm predicting that number will actually be lower... somewhere in between 1,500 and 1,600.

Stay tuned for live updates from the trenches.

* * * * *
11:00am...

In position early today. I walked in and the entire room was set up. Kudos to Harrahs to getting everything in the Amazon Room in order. I have no idea how the other areas are running since every orifice will be filled on Day 2B... Tropical Room, Brasilia, Buzios, and the Poker Room. Heard a rumor that they will play 11-handed in the buffet if need be.

When I walked in the floor staff was quelling a potential dealer riot. I didn't know what was going, but I think that the dealers were bummed that they thought they were all going to get stiffed a down.

Rob was wandering around and he overheard one dealer bitching and moaning about players. She called him out for not showing players in their true light. He told her to go read my blog.

Anyway, Charlie and another floor person had some sort contest where they picked a section of dealers. Charlie's section was Orange and they had to yell out "Aces!" His opposing floorperson had the blue section and they had to shout out "Kings!" Who ever yelled the loudest won. Charlie did his best to fire up is section but the Kings won. Aces cracked by Kings. Bad beat for Charlie.

Ian commented that the scene we witnessed resembled some sort of bizarre corporate team building ritual.

One hour until game time. I can taste the fear already.

Benjo said that I incorrectly published the wrong Formula of Donkey Liquification. For day 2B it will be about 170 casualties an hour. Adjust your wagers accordingly.

OK Benjo keeps increasing his number... it's now at 200 per hour.

* * * * *
12:01pm...

The doors opened up at 11:30pm and players trickled inside. The early arrivals are often the first to bust out.

ESPN told me that the featured TV table will include Moneymaker and Clonie. Jerry Yang will be on the outer feature table.

Playing today? Iggy, Matt Parvis, Joe Hachem, Phil Hellmuth, Shannon Elizabeth, Evelyn Ng, Liz Lieu, Burt Boutin, Archie Karas, Mike Matusow, Jeff Madsen, Nenad Medic, David Singer, Isabelle Mercier, Michael Binger, John Juanda, Howard Lederer, Ice Man, Carlos Mortensen, Allen Cunningham, Antonio Esfiandari, Unabomber, RainKhan, Men the Master, Gus Hansen, Johnny Chan, Tiffany Michelle, David Einhorn, and Jen Harman.

I wonder if Dario will be sweating Isabelle?

Kimberly from ESPN had a birthday today. She got to do the honors... "Shuffle up and deal!"

Cards in the air at 12:06pm. Five levels today. Two hour levels. 250/500 blinds with 50 antes.

* * * * *
1:01pm...

Recent Bustouts: John Juanda, Michael DeMichele, Sully Erna, Shirley Williams

Players Remaining: 2,194

Iggy Watch: Down to 32k after he lost some chips to Joe Bartholdi.

Hot Chicas: Tiffany Michelle sits in like forty-seven different positions at the poker table. Hmmmmmmm. Liz Lieu is seated next to a guy in a black fedora. Three guys at her tables wearing PokerStars hats. Carmel Petresco is playing today. She always looks so sad at the tables... like her cat just died.

Within minutes of cards being in the air, you could hear the cries of "All in and a call!" which were followed up by "Open seat!"

Matt Parvis is sitting right next to Sklansky. Johnny Mushrooms is on the corner and a perfect spot for me to sweat him.

The entire Amazon Room is packed. I wandered over to Brasilia. That's packed. I walked up to the tables in front of Buzios. Every seat is taken. Poor Jen Harman is used to playing the biggest cash games in the world in the lavish Bobby's Room at the Bellagio. Now, she's sitting out in front of the damn seafood restaurant. She could almost lean over and touch the lobster tank.

As I left Buzios, a couple of diehard media reps were checking out the action including Aaron and Foiled Coup. He was trying to snap a photo of Jose Canseco's girlfriend before something bad happened.

As I returned to the Amazon Room and walked down the long hallway, I saw players who busted out of Day 2B less than one hour in. Ah, the walk of shame. I have never lost $10,000... in one sitting in a poker tournament, so I couldn't tell you about the misery and anguish that accompanies a humiliating elimination from the WSOP.

I also spotted Dario. I wonder if he was going to sweat Isabelle?

It's tough being a railbird. Tony Hachem was sitting on the sidelines sweating his kin and getting a massage. He looks hella hungover.

Norm Chad was actually taking notes. I thought he wandered around on the floor with a notebook just for show like a couple of other media reps do to pretend to look busy. He's left-handed.

Micon is sporting an ugly red Hawaiian shirt with Indiana U. branding all over it. If Bobby Knight saw that fashion faux pas, He would choke Micon and then toss him from practice.

Tao of Poker reader Andrew Webking was just moved into the Orange section.

* * * * *
2:02pm...

Big stacks: Henning Granstad, Curt Kohlberg, Igor Ioffe, Howard Berchowitz, and Dylan Linde

Recent Bustouts: Jerry Yang, Lacey Jones, Matt Parvis, Beth Shak, Amnon Filippi, sbrugby, Rizen

Players Remaining: 1,935

Iggy Watch: Up to 42K after taking down a pot. Joe Bartholdi is sitting at Iggy's table. He's sporting a scarf. Iggy can't lose chips to an American-born scarf wearer. David Singer just sat down at Iggy's table.

Hot Chicas: Lacey Jones is busto. A guy wearing a pink band and a pink headband sat down next to Liz. Carmel is wearing a white hoodie which she has up. She looks like a fallen angel among the lecherous oafs in hell.

Jerry Yang has been eliminated on Day 2. His reign is over. Slippers told me the hand A-J versus A-9. No divine intervention for Yangwhen a nine fell on the flop.

There's a guy on the rail with a video camera. He's been taping footage of different things, like Adam Schoenfeld. Why?

I think Clonie is busto. I spotted her outside holding court in the smoking section with a circle of people around her as she recant her heroic victory in the 5k at the Bellagio.

Andrew Webking and Barbara Enright started out in the poker room and they were moved to the Orange section. Here's what happens... They break tables in Orange and move those players to empty seats in Blue. Then they moved the poker room players into those Orange tables which were broken. They will do that with Buzio's and will eventually start with the other rooms (Tropical and Brasilia) until eventually everyone is in the Amazon Room. That's a huge clusterfuck and anyone trying to cover specific players will have a tough time today.

Jimmy Sommerfeld gave Nolan Dalla a tough time as he passed the press box. "Wow, Nolan is on site today. Ain't no baseball games goin'?"

Saw another AA vs AA hand at Micon's table. Chop it up.

* * * * *
3:03pm...

Big stacks: Henning Granstad, Curt Kohlberg, Howard Berchowitz, Carlos Mortensen, and MrSmokey1

Recent Bustouts: Peter Jepsen, Shannon Elizabeth, Sheets, Matt Savage, Clonie Gowen, and Eric Hershler

Players Remaining: 1,793

Iggy Watch: 43K and holding steady. ESPN cameras on his table capturing David Singer, who has been eating soup since returning from break.

Hot Chicas: Shannon Elizabeth is gone. Liz Lieu has 55K. Evy has 69K. Isabelle has 52K and glowing. Tiffany Michelle's table broke. She had over 100K when she moved. Gloria brought her some food. "She wanted a pretzel and they (poker kitchen) were out so I got her a pepperoni pizza." Tiffany loves PizzSlut. She was sporting a Public Enemy shirt today.

Schecky doubled up before the break.

Johnny Mushrooms was also eating soup. He was involved in a hand that he won with a river bet. His opponent folded and he dragged the pot. As the dealer grabbed his cards (which he didn't show), she accidentally flipped them over and everyone could see his hand. He just shrugged his shoulders. I know a lot of players who would have bit the dealer's head off for something like than. Johnny Mushroom is always calm and cool and breezy at the tables.

Matusow was short and down to 5,200. He told the Poker Shrink that he's on a "tight table but with good players."

With all of the poker room and Buzio's table broken, they are starting to break tables in the Tropical Room. Phil Hellmuth was in there and moved to a table in front of the press box. His wife is sitting on the rail. ESPN cameras were hovering around the Poker Brat's table.

FoiledCoup saw Vince Van Patten at the Bellagio last night. He asked VVP is he still had a job. "Yes," said the co-host of the WPT. "But I haven't checked my email in three hours."

I wandered up to the Beast Lounge. Man, it was packed. So were the stands. Everybody loves Moneymaker. He's up there on the featured TV table and it's standing room only. Press. Agents. Fans. People taking photos with flash. The Lounge was crowded but packed with non-drinkers. One side is the "library" or reading section where bored friends and family sit up there with a book or magazine. One young woman thumbed through the Obama issue of Rolling Stone. An old guy read a mass paperback called "Justice Denied." And a very lonely attractive woman with a huge rock on her finger sipped a cocktail as she starred off into space. Dreaming about being anywhere but here. I know that feeling well.

* * * * *
4:04pm...

Big stacks: Terry Lade, Henning Granstad, Evan Woodington, Johnny Bax, Igor Ioffe

Recent Bustouts: John 'Schecky' Caldwell, Jack Ury, Rene Mouritsen, Brad Booth, Brad Daugherty, Mel Judah, Howard Lederer, Bill Chen, Nick Binger, Steve Dannenmann

Players Remaining: 1,699

Iggy Watch: 45K. Iggy's table was broken. He no longer has David Singer and Joe Bartholdi at his table. Iggy said that Singer admitted he had never seen 'The Godfather' before. Anyway, Iggy is at the table next to Micon's.

Hot Chicas: Kara Scott from the EPT has over 100K. According to Change100, Carmel Petresco doubled up. She's not as sad as before. Tiffany Michelle up to 120K. Liz Lieu slipped a bit.

Schecky ran into Aces and went out.

Jack Ury, the oldest guy in the room, was eliminated.

"I've been here two days too long," one WSOP worker said as I passed by. I know that feeling.

Phil Laak is wearing a shirt hat says "Who's your daddy?"

Ramzi Jelassai is at Hellmuth table. Again. At the WSOP-Europe Main Event in London in September, the two were jawing back and forth with each other. The brash young Brit stood up to Hellmuth's bullying antics.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * *
5:05pm...

Big stacks: Terry Lade, Henning Granstad, Johnny Bax, Evan Woodington, Chad Layne

Recent Bustouts: Isabelle Mercier, Erik Cajelais, Josef Berec, Matt Hawrilenko, Jeff Shulman

Players Remaining: 1,530

Iggy Watch: He said he was angry and hungry during the color up break. He was around 40K the last time I checked.

Hot Chicas: Liz at 45K. She folded a set of tens on a flush board when two players in front of her were all in. Good fold. One had a flush and the other a set. She was last seen getting a massage on the break. Tiffany slipped to 20K after she had her Aces snapped off.

I went to the Beast Lounge to check out the status of Moneymaker. A couple of fans were taking pictures of the back of his head. Money was at the same table as David Einhorn. There was one person napping in the lounge, while a couple of others continued to read.

I sweated some of Allen Cunningham's table. He was short and the ESPN cameras hovered.

There was a Michaela Johansson sighting in the hallways. Dave King was giddy when I told him about the Swedish bombshell's appearance on Day 2B as a railbird.

Players just returned from a color up break. No more 25s in play.

Bond18 jumped up to 56K and then took a major hit. He's at Bobby Bellande's table.

* * * * *
6:06pm...

Big stacks: Terry Lade, Henning Granstad, Evan Woodington, Steve Austin, Chad Layne

Recent Bustouts: David Einhorn, Curly Seal, Cory Zeidman, Diego Cordovez, Irv Gotti, Lee Childs

Players Remaining: 1,512

Iggy Watch: Iggy final won a pot... his first of the day. It pushed him past the 55K mark. Then he slipped back down to 46K.

Hot Chicas: One of the PokerStars qualifiers at Liz Lieu's table was eliminated and replaced by a young Scandi.

Benjo's math is right, well his re-adjustment that is. About 200 players busted out per hour in the first four hours of play.

Micon was mugging for ESPN cameras. As Iggy said, "It's the Bryan Micon show." ESPN was loving it. At one point he was yapping with that cowboy guy (the scavenger which Michalksi likes to make fun off) and offered to give him his $10 food comp.

On the break Micon asked for for any good luck tips. I told him to think of the number 8. Any eight. 88. 888. 8 is a lucky number for Asians.

PokerStars threw one bitchin' party n Monday night. I'm talking to folks who went there who are still shaking off hangovers.

I found my boy, Diogo Borges! He's got over 100k in chips. I fuckin' love that guy. Diogo! Say it ten times really fast with me... Diogo Diogo Diogo Diogo Diogo Diogo Diogo Diogo Diogo Diogo!

I also found McLovin. He's an Irish player that I always forget what his real name is. But he's a dead ringer for McLovin.

I saw two more typical all ins on Day 2.... Big Slick versus Kings. Kings won both times.

Gus Hansen was moved to the featured TV table and all the ladies are swooning. The Unabomber was moved to the secondary table.

Joe Hachem was getting a massage the last time I stopped by his section. Slippers used to deal to Joe all the time in Australia. He said that he found the perfect sunglasses... Oakleys with a built in iPod headphone and bluetooth. You can definitely go sunglasses shopping at the WSOP by just walking around the Amazon Room. I never noticed that until Slippers pointed it out.

PokerNews and PokerStars lost Brandon Schaefer. No one can find him. "How is that possible? He's the tallest Asian in the room?"

* * * * *
7:07pm...

Big stacks: Terry Lade, Darryl Bonconi, Henning Granstad, Alexander Kostristyn, Chad Layne

Recent Bustouts: John Murphy, Antonio Esfiandari, Imperium, Michael Binger

Players Remaining: 1,278

Iggy Watch: Iggy has about 42k. "Big Slick no good," he texted me. One guy to his right went crazy and spewed 200k in chips but Iggy didn't get any of those. "I think he's going to go to the bathroom and cry," joked Iggy. Hey I saw it happen on Day 1. Grown men crying when they got busted out of the WSOP. A guy in a black cowboy hat sat down at his table. I told him that was a good thing. he rather play against him than some crazy Scandi with perfectly messy hair.

Hot Chicas: Tiffany Michelle was in trouble before she doubled up to 28K. Liz Lieu down to under 40K.

I wandered the hallways and they were practically empty. That surprised me but then again, the Tropical Room was empty and there were only four tables in the Brasilia Room, but those quickly broke. They already started converting the red section into cash games. The entire field is finally inside the Amazon Room.

One guy flopped a set of Queens and doubled up against A-Q. He was definitely East Coast. Jersey? Staten Island? When he won he said, "Lock it up!" Then he turned to the rail and screamed, "Yo Chucky! Lock it up!" Steve Frezer walked by and said, "Uh oh, here's the first Chucky shout of the night."

I saw three Beast girls walking down the hallway in unison, in size order, shortest to tallest. They all carried Starbucks cups. Is that against the rules? Beast models drinking a different product?

Antonio Esfiandari rushed past me as I walked into the Amazon Room. The speed and brisk manner of his walk told me one thing... busto.

I saw Paul "Cigar" McKinney triple up in a hand. He was all in and avoided elimination when he rivered trips with A-K.

Just met Lara Miller. Her friend country singer Andy Griggs is still in with 70k. He never played poker two weeks ago and the folks at Doyle's Room gave him a crash course. He survived Day 1 even though that was his first tournament experience. Amazing.

* * * * *
8:53pm...

Players Remaining: 1223

Iggy Watch: Iggy has 66.5k at the break. He took a bad beat on his meal but he's recharged and ready to play. Got to chat for about five minutes and he's in great spirits.

Hot Chicas: Kara Scott slipped under 100K. Three minutes before th dinner break began. I spotted Liz Lieu heading towards the door. For a sec, I thought she busted. But, she had a smile on her face, so I assumed she was pulling a veteran move and leaving a few minutes early for break.

Two more levels to play. Players just returned from break. Within seconds, the cries of "All in and a call" rang out and nearly drowned out the clattering of chips. Everytime you hear "Seat open!" another donkey dies. Another statistic.

Hellmuth's table attracted the most media before the dinner break started. They wanted to get in good position to sweat the Poker Brat.

* * * *
9:55pm...

Big Stacks: Peter Biebel, Mohamad Kowssarie, Alex Outhred, Darryl Ronconi, Steve Lade

Recent Eliminations: Tony Bloom, Andrew Robl, Bernard Lee, Ayaz Mahmood, Carlos Mortensen

Players Remaining: 1,107

Iggy Watch: Iggy at 77k. His table broke and now he's sitting right next to Jason "Strassa2" Strasser at new table. Otis swears that the devil is also sitting at the table.

Hot Chicas: Liz Lieu doubled up shortly after the dinner break.

The view from the press box... I'm chomping down on my six-pack of Oreos as I look out onto the floor. There's a warm of press surrounding Phil Hellmuth's table. The ESPN crew has been hovering around Hellmuth's table ever since he arrived. Random photographers from every possible outlet have been fighting for elbow room and looking for the perfect shot of Hellmuth on the verge of a meltdown. He's like a volcano ready to explode. And if/when he does, everyone wants to capture it.

It's never hard to find Phil Hellmuth. He's one of the guys that I never have to look up his seating assignment. I just follow the cameras.

The rail is strong tonight with a couple of hot blonde across from me sweating orange #45. Where's the hombres at Wicked Chops Poker when you need them?

Donkeys getting desperate are the donkeys getting decimated. Seeing lots of A-rag pushes versus middle pairs. Pairs holding up and A-rags getting creamed.

* * * * *
11:02pm...

Big Stacks: Raja Kattamuri, Peter Biebel, Alex Outhred, Jasan Su, and Darryl Ronconi

Recent Eliminations: Joe Hachem, Phil Laak, Johnny Mushrooms, Archie Karas, Dan Shak, Matt Vengrin, Iceman

Players Remaining: 988

Iggy Watch: Iggy is at 68.5k.

Hot Chicas: Liz Lieu is sitting up on her knees which gives her extra height at the tables. She's towering over her opponents. Across the way, Carmel Petresco flirted with the chip leaders. For the first time all day I saw her actually laugh.

"Hey Otis, your qualifier with the giant penguin stuffed animal is gone," I said.

"How can a guy with a penguin bust out? Life's not fair," he said.

Major suckout on table next to Iggy's where the lovely Kara Scott is sitting. I just heard a "Nooooooooo!" and then the guy slapped his hand on the table. He stormed out of the room. Two minutes after the hand, the remaining players at the table are making fun of the sore loser.

AC legend Action Bob is playing next to Iggy's table. He said, "I'm trying to actually so something on the west coast."

* * * * *
12:03am...

Big Stacks: Raja Kattamuri, Peter Biebel, Alex Outhred. Alexander Kostristyn, Victor Ramdin

Recent Eliminations: David Sklansky, Rafe Furst, Bruce Buffer, David Daneshgar, David Oppenheim, Harley Hall, and blogger Loretta8

Players Remaining: 909

Iggy Watch: Change100 counted Iggy's chips and said that he was down to 57k. An ESPN crew hovered around his table for a few minutes.

Hot Chicas: Liz down to 30K, while Kara Scott is back over 100K.

Another online douchebag jumped and screamed, "Hold! Hold! Hold!"

And when his handheld up he screamed and clapped. What happened to excessive celebration rules?

Of course an hour earlier a different guy was in a similar situation. He made a big scene about it. But he lost the hand and slapped his fists on the table.

Wow, so that's how these guys act in public? I can only imagine how they act when they are at home playing online poker.

One of the floor guys said that Tiffany Michelle and her boyfriend Dave Stann happened to get on the same table. He was moved there, I think. Anyway, that must suck because there are over 100 tables left and they got seated at the same one. Anyway, someone complained that they were texting each other at the tables and they were given a warning. That behavior was not allowed or tolerated. They have been on their best behavior since.

Michalski and I taped another episode of Tao of Pokerati which we did from the hallway. Michalski has been set up out there all night and trying to get some work done. Thought it would be funny to rip off Poker Road and tape something there.

Lara Miller told me about her friend Any Griggs. He was playing today and a true novice. He had Hellmuth giving him pointers on the break. I wandered by Griggs' table and he was all in. He was ahead with Ace-high against a straight and flush draws. He dodged several bullets and has chips. "He's gonna make the money," said a jubilant Lara. I told her that she jixed him right there. Anyway, regardless, it's an interesting story especially since he's sitting across Men the Master.

French pro Nicolas Levi and David Singer have been battling all night. Whenever Homer sweated the table, Singer lost a pot. Benjo offered Homer $2 to continue to sweat the table.

* * * * *
1:03am...

Big Stacks: Alex Outhred, Peter Biebel, Raja Kattamuri , Victor Ramdin, and Reagan Silber

Recent Eliminations: Bryan Micon, Liz Lieu, David Singer, Amir Vahedi, Tom Chambers, Burt Boutin

Players Remaining: 855

Iggy Watch: Iggy made a moved on the California female cop. He opened for a raise. She popped him. He moved all in. She tanked then said, "This is a professional laydown." She folded and then flashed Iggy her hand... Kh-Kd. He tabled Ac-Ad. He had around 88K after that hand.

Hot Chicas: Liz is out. Booooo. Kara Scott's table is near the press box. Kara's smile illuminated the room like a million fiery suns. I'd pay $124 just to be the PokerStars patch on her bosom.

Nicolas Levi finished off David Singer. I gotta say, I never saw so many media reps happy to see a player bust out.

I asked a couple of Poker News floor reporters what they felt about today's field...

"These players are terrible," mentioned Slippers. "They are worse than last year."

"I see a lot of bad plays. Tons of people overvaluing top pair top kicker," commented Anthony.

We finally found Brandon Schaefer. He's sporting a Seachickens t-shirt. He had a nice stack and trying to cash in another event this year. I made a bet a couple of years ago that Brandon would win a bracelet before his best buddy Carl Olson... who someone in the media once dubbed, "The White Phil Ivey."

Michalski has been doing undercover agent research. He's been trying to slap patches on random players including one Dallas guy, Raja Kattamur, who held the chipleader.

Action for Day 2B is complete. Day 3 will start at noon.

Seriously, congrats to Iggy for going deep. Well done sir! Now, stay sober, get some rest, and if you survive one more day, you'll cash!


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/09/2008 12:58:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 40: Main Event Day 2A - Isadario

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

I spotted Tom Sexton just before Day 2A started. He was friends with Stu Ungar and he was at the Rio to take a photo of Madeline Ungar who did the "Shuffle up and deal" honors. We chatted for a bit and he mentioned that Harrah's paying out 666 places is ridiculous.

"Are you religious or something?"

"Sort of, but I think it's wrong because poker players are more superstitious than they are religious."

"Superstition is their religion," I said.

Jesus freaks and superstitious gamblers will unite in their battle to get Harrah's to change the payouts.

I thought Harrah's should have paid out an extra place... for 667. OK, since they're running a business and don't want to pay any extra money, how about they only pay out 665?

Ah, at any rate, the payout numbers were released. Can you say Top Heavy? Here's the breakdown...

2008 WSOP Main Event Payouts:
1: $9,119,517
2: $5,790,024
3: $4,503,352
4: $3,763,515
5: $3,088,012
6: $2,412,510
7: $1,769,174
8: $1,286,672
9: $900,670
10-12: $591,869
13-15: $463,201
16-18: $334,534
19-27: $257,334
28-36: $193,000
37-45: $154,400
46-54: $135,100
55-63: $115,800
64-72: $96,500
73-81: $77,200
82-90: $64,333
91-99: $51,466
100-162: $41,816
163-225: $38,600
226-288: $35,383
289-351: $32,166
352-414: $28,950
415-477: $27,020
478-540: $25,090
541-603: $23,160
604-666: $21,230

Thanks to Pokerati. I just cut & past from there. If the numbers are wrong, please blame them.

* * * * *
The reason everyone was talking about Isadario was that nothing major was happening on Day 2A.

1,252 started Day 2A and around 450+ players advanced to Day 3. As Benjo predicted about 100 players an hour would bust.

A special-ed teacher from Cleveland emerged as the chipleader late in the evening and former PokerWire reporter Jeremiah Smith was in the front pack for most of the day. But it was hard to get very excited about leads on Day 2. Or Day 3 or 4 for that matter.

It's still the early stages of the tournament and stories are still developing. That's why gossip ruled Day 2A.

The big story was not what happened inside the ropes. It's what went down across the street inside the Rain nightclub. Everyone was talking about it. Dealers. Players. Bloggers. Photographers. Floor people. Railbirds. Masseuses.

Dario cockblocked Bill Chen and sucked face with Isabelle. In front of several hundred people.

The worst part? MeanGene had to see his eternal poker crush swapping spit with a scarf-wearing Porsche driving former Magic the Gathering player while a Michael Jackson song boomed over the bong-rattling sound system.

As Otis said, "That's like telling MeanGene there's no Santa Claus."

"Santa Claus?" I protested. "It's like telling MeanGene there's no Chirstmas!"

I was more amused than aroused, despite what my drunken twitter said. I didn't think it was a big deal. Maybe it's because I'm on the tournament trail and I see and hear all sorts of wild and crazy hook up stories... on the WPT, on the EPT, and down in Australia. Amy Calistri should write a book about all the get drunk and get laid stories on the circuit. Some of them are hilarious. Others are hideous. And some are out right embarrassing.

But Dario and Isabelle? It was nice to see two lovebirds go at it. At the bar. Ten feet in front of me and Change100.

So many people in poker are miserable. The rest of the poker world can't stand each other. That's why it was refreshing to see a major public display of affection.

Love. Love. Love.

Ok, maybe it was more like lust. Lust. Lust.

For the parties involved, it was just another night. Isabelle has been very open about her conquests and trysts which she bared in book that was published a couple of months ago. Benjo read it in French and I'm awaiting a translated copy.

But for a lot of sexually repressed Americans, it was a big deal. Huge. 2+2 thread worthy. With bad cellphone pics. After all, we love to hear about who's fucking who. And if people are not having intercourse, they wanna know who's fucking over whom. High school drama. Sex. Lies. Videotape. Online poker. Masturbating to pics of Keeley Hazell via Wicked Chops Poker. It all comes full circle.

We are what we are... a gaggle of sex-crazed degenerate gamblers. But that's what I love about America... is that or founder fathers laid out the groundwork so that we can become what we choose to be without the government interfering in our lives.

Fly to Vegas. Play in the WSOP. Get sucked out by a donkeyfish. Get wasted. Gamble until sunrise. Fuck a hooker. Eat a buffet. Piss next to Johnny Chan. Buy an ashtray. Buy a tube of cream for that rash you picked up. Good bye Vegas. See you next time.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/09/2008 06:27:00 AM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 40: Main Event Day 2A - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Day 39 was a rare day off but I managed to spend some time at the lavish PokerStars party at Rain nightclub. Heard a rumor that they dropped $1 million, or as one famous online player joked, "Ah that's just one day of rake." Heard a rumor that Paris was invited but I dunno if she actually showed.

The big show was watching Isabelle and Dario make out at the bar in front of me as a drunken menagerie of sunburned Scandis snapped multiple cell phone pictures.

1,252 survived the Day 1a and 1b and will be playing today. That's the number on the screen. I heard there is 2,676 playing tomorrow. Cannot confirm that just yet. Stay tuned for official numbers.

Back in position to provide updates to you, live, from the killing floor. I have a new pair of boots, donket repellent, and I was administered shots that will protect me from most forms of malaria, Avian flu, small pox, and E. coli.

* * * * *
12:01pm...

"Today is really going to be the killing fields," said Benjo in his outrageous accent. "I checked last year's notes. On Day 2, at least one hundred players per hour were getting killed off. Today will really be a slaughter."

Benjo knows his shit. He's been a war correspondent on the European Poker Tour where he saw plenty of strong American and British players get decimated baby-faced Scandi's with bankrolls rivaling the GDP of piss-poor South American dictatorships.

Stu Ungar's widow Madeline was here speaking about the Ungar Foundation. She said a few things... "Stuey is going to be gone ten years in November. I started a foundation in the honor of Stu... because of the addiction that he suffered. His daily routine... it took a toll on his life. Nobody ever lets him go... There is hope for everyone who is suffering.

Madeline then did the "Shuffle up and deal honors."

Today is for Stuey.

Five levels on Day 2A. Two hour levels. Blinds are 250/500 to start. 1,252 players remaining.

Cards are in the air at 12:08pm. An eerie silence fell over the room over a low hum of chi shuffling.

Seconds later I heard a faint cry, "All in and a call on Seat 7!"

Here's who is in the mix today: Emad Tatouh, Bill Edler, Alex KGB, Chau Giang, Robert Varkonyi, The Eggman, PauL Wasicka, Barry Greenstien, Billy Baxter, Finnish boy toy Partik Antonius, Scotty Nguyen, VietHotie, Bill Gazes, Erik Seidel, Vicky Coren, John Duthie, Vanessa Rousso, Erick Lindgren, Ray Romano, Hoyt Corkins, Steve Z, Kathy Libert, and Shane Warne.

* * * * *
1:01pm...

Big stacks: Mark Garner, Ben Sarnoff, Brandon Adams, Kellen Hunter, Jeremiah Smith

Recent Bustouts: Bill Edler, Anna Wroblweski, Jens Voertmann, Tony Licastro, Philip Hilm, Stuart Paterson

Shorties: Gobboboy

Players Remaining: 1,144

"Alexia Portal is the only one in the world that I will let me tell a bad beat story," said Charlie the floor guy. The French actress is in the Green section and I have been brushing up on my French to impress her. Voulez-vou coucher avec moi?

A flurry of shortstacks went out in the first thirty minutes. They had been hanging on for dear life to make Day 2. Now that they are here, they pulled the trigger. Several shorties doubled up while a horde of them were nevermore. Their tiny little flicker of light was coldly extinguished. Seat open, table #21.

"She's out," remarked Feldman as I looked up and spotted VietHottie on her cellphone with an ESPN camera crew following her out the door.

Oliver Tse told me an "on the record" story about an email he sent to big wigs at CNBC and ESPN about poker agent reforms. He's sick and tired of being bullied in the hallways by his competitors. Being a poker agent is tough business. Poor poor Oliver has been swimming with sharks in the hallways for five weeks and that have been slowing snapping off chunks of his flesh.

Just when I was trying to find a way to end the conversation, one of Oliver's clients came up to him. It was not even fifteen minutes into Day 2a and he was out. "Already?" said Oliver as a blanket of despair fell over his face. The old guy told him the bad beat story and I slowly tiptoed away.

* * * * *
2:02pm...

Big stacks: Hunter Fry, Kellen Hunter, Jeremiah Smith, Mark Garner, Brother of the Grinder, Brandon Adams

Recent Bustouts: Gabe Thaler and Sweet Svetlana

Shorties: Barry Greenstien

Players Remaining: 1,063

Scotty Nguyen is sitting at a table in front of Phil hellmuth's mural. He has been entertaining his table by throwing things at Hellmuth's face which is followed up by a devious cackle.

Change100 told me about the guy who's name is "Grassnugg." No fuckin' way. Tropical Steve mentioned that there is a table in his section that reeks of weed. Of course, he's in the green section. So cliche.

My buddy Borge Dypvik, the Norwegian thugger, has been spotted at the featured TV table with Chau Giang. Chau is decked out in Full Tilt gear. I hung out and watched the table for a bit. Chau played a lot of hands. A hot chick in a red tank top with firm breasts thumbed through a Day 2a player's list. What the fuck? How the hell did a spectator get a list and not a bunch of us in the press box? Just another one of the many clusterfucks here at the Rio when some information fails to get passed along.

The Beast Lounge was about 60% filled but only two people were actually drinking. One poker wife sat there and read a book from Oprah's book of the month club.

There are six cash game tables in the red section and none of the other rooms (Tropical or Brasilia) are being used.

Alexia Portal is at a table with Joe Beevers (Hendon Mob) and Patrik Anotnius. Benjo gave me some background on the French actress. She's been in some films and TV movies but she's most known for her stage work. She travels around France doing plays and in her spare time, she plays poker. She's a sponsored player from Winamax.

"I stopped counting everyone who has been coming up to me and asking, 'Benjo! Who is the hot French girl with the Winamax patch!'" he said.

I was also told to keep an eye on a guy known as the "Furious Frenchman." His real name is Thomas Fougerom. He doubled up early and has chips.

Tony Holden, one of my favorite authors (not just poker but overall writing as well) chatted it up with fellow Brit Vicky Coren. She's playing at a table in front of the press box. She's going for the cowgirl look. Sexy British chick wearing a straw cowboy hat? We have to keep MeanGene away from her section. He might explode, especially after witnessing Isabelle devouring Dario.

The Blue section is the main battlefield today. It's the spot of the most causalities. As I passed through the war zone, I could hear, "All in and a call!" or "Seat open!" They quickly removed the slumped over bodies, toss them in a dumpster behind the poker kitchen, while bottom feeders roll the dead bodies for miscellaneous $10 food comps, watches, car keys, and shoes.

Benjo and I caught one hand. A-K versus K-K. "You're gonna see a lot of that today," mentioned Benjo. "Lots of people shoving with A-K preflop and hoping to get lucky with such small stacks." The victor in the hand we saw was the A-K. He flopped an Ace and the guy with Kings was miffed. There were two queens on the board. Of course, as it always happens, one clown in Seat 2 piped up, "I folded a Queen." No shit, sherlock? You should have called with Queen-shit and snapped off Kings and Big Slick.

The floor guys are eating pizza on their break. From Metro. Smells delicious and makes me miss NYC pizza. I hope my brother eats a slice for me today.

Three media reps are playing online poker in the press box.

* * * * * *
3:03pm...

Big stacks: Hunter Fry, Kellen Hunter, Michael Johnson, Robert Mizrachi, Adam Hudson

Recent Bustouts: Scotty Nguyen, Alexia Portal, Perry Friedman, John Myung, Greg "FBT" Mueller

Shorties: Barry Greenstein, Paul Wasicka

Players Remaining: 937

I got caught up in the bottleneck traffic jam in the hallway as everyone waited for the doors to open and let everyone get back to their tables after the first break ended.

At least four hundred players were stuffing their faces with pizza. The geniuses at PizzaHut makes out like fuckin' bandits. Installing those stands in the hallway was a grandslam. $6 for cold pieces of stale bread, government cheese and fourth-rate ketchup? Disclaimer: I consume at least three or four per week but I am not a paid endorser, nor do I own any stock in Tricon Global which owns PizzaHut, Kentucky Fried Pigeons, and TacoSamonella.

Betfair hired smoking hot models that are 6 foot 5 inches tall without heels. They are decked out in tight, sexy stewardess outfits. They handed out some sort of spam.

The hallways are for shilling. I have seen hookers hawking their wares and I expect to see a couple of porn slappers arrive shortly.

Olive Tse was standing in the back of the angry mob in the hallway negotiating a deal with one player. Another unlucky soul was eating a boxed sandwich from the fridge in the souvenir shop. OK, the Capriatti sandwiches in the Poker Kitchen are OK, but I wouldn't touch any of those vending machine/gas station sandwiches that are sold in the souvenir store. Some of them have been there since Week 1. I wanted to do a nasty food prop bet competition where the person who could eat the most bunk sandwiches without puking or going to the hospital to get your stomach pumped wins. I offered Otis money to eat one of those and even he declined a potential prop bet.

The camera crews were following Scotty Nguyen out into the hallway. It's sort of like a funeral procession. When you see the crew moving quickly towards the exit, someone just died. Seat open Table #4!

* * * * *
4:04pm...

Big stacks: Robert Mizrachi, Brandon Adams, and Jeremiah Smith

Recent Bustouts: The Eggman, Lee Markholt, Harry Demetriou, Barry Shulman, John Shipley

Shorties: Paul Wasicka

Players Remaining: 892

A spectator stood on the rail for twenty minutes with a video camera shooting footage of the orange section. A couple of other railbirds took photos with flash. Neither were ejected. Sometimes it is better to cover the WSOP as a spectator. Some of the best stuff I got this year was outside the ropes and in the hallways and on the rail.

The entire red section has been broken and converted into cash games. The infection has spread to the orange section where a whole row of tables has been extinguished.

Sad news for all of you Finnish poker fans. The Eggman is out. Patrik Antonius took a hit early but got some of his chips back.

Foiled Coup showed me a picture of a hot South American woman still left in the event. "I was stalking her table for ten minutes trying to get a photo but she wouldn't look up. She said 'If I smile, will you go away?'" Foiled Coup agreed and he got his picture and left. He has no idea who she is.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * *
5:05pm...

Big stacks: Jeremiah Smith, The Brother of the Grinder, Brandon Adams, and Mark Vos

Recent Bustouts: Paul Wasicka, David Grey, Susie Isaacs, Steve Brecher

Players Remaining: 847

I watched Vanessa Rousso's table. She's on the outer feature table. She's sporting a pink trucker's hat with a big fatty PokerStars logo. She's one of the few horses still left in the mix for PokerStars. Although the blue section has over a hundred Stars qualifiers remaining. A peculiar guy with a pedophile's smile asked me if I knew "what is that girl's name?" I told him it was Brandi Hawbaker. He snapped a couple of photos of Vanessa as I walked away.

I overheard two masseuses talking. One told the other a slots bad beat story. Seriously, the masseuses tell the most bad beats out of anyone who works the WSOP. More so than having to hear media reps bitch and moan about their bad beat stories. That has to be the worst.

Billy the Croc is still in the hunt. He has a bunch of good luck crocodiles sitting in front of him.

Hoyt Corkins was moved to the featured TV table. He took a seat next to Chau. I didn't see my boy Borge. I think the Norwegian thugger is busto.

Patrik Antonius has had a rollercoaster day. He was down to under 15K and then jumped up to 90K according to Shamus.

With ten minutes to go, Charlie the floor guy got on the mic with ten minutes to go in the level. He asked all the spectators to clear the room so the aisles are clear when players head out on their break. Some unruly railbirds stood their ground, which happens all the time. That's when Charlie busted them. "Some of you do not know what the definition of a spectator is. A spectator is anyone who is standing around watching something. If you are watching something, you must leave the Amazon Room immediately."

Steve Frezer uses different tactics. He gets on the mic and asks security guards to kick out the stragglers.

Players went on an extended break because of the color up. There was extra time to make sure there was no shenanigans.

The featured TV table and secondary table are being switched up. I saw that Ray Romano's table had chip bags on it. Looks like he's being moved to the TV table. I hate to see Chau go.

* * * * *
6:06pm...

Big stacks: Hunter Frey, Jeremiah Smith, and brother of the Grinder

Recent Bustouts: Trond Eidsvig, Robert Varkonyi, Alex Bolotin

Players Remaining: 774

Robert Varkonyi standing on rail after busting out. Whew. No shaving heads for me. He's with his wife and I dunno who he's sweating.

Norwegian Trond Eidsvig is out. He's probably back in his room crushing shorthanded PLO tables.

Feldman told me that Vanessa Rousso forgot her ID and was not allowed into the PokerStars party despite the fact she's all over the walls and part of their branding. The bouncer would not et her in even after the powers to be were shown her wiki page.

Michalski stumbled into the press box at 5:20pm and he held a glass of Scotch. He insisted that he wasn't drunk. He thinks he's Hemingway covering WWII in London.

"I learned this from D'amato,He sits around and drinks Martinis all day."

Benjo took a whiff of the glass. "This is disgusting. It smells so bad. Where's your cigar?"

Michalski told me to write about the weather because that's what Hemingway would do. It's hot. Hot. Fuckin' hot. Jen Leo said its 118 degrees according to her car. Change100's car said it's 115. Things melt in this type of heat including small animals.

Nolan Dalla rarely discusses specific hands. He told us how Billy Baxter folded 9-9 on a board of J-9-5-2 and two diamonds when his opponent check-raised all in on the turn. Baxter told the guy, "I know you have a set of Jacks." Then Baxter folded. The guy didn't show. Nolan thought that most of the players in the room couldn't lay that down.

* * * * *
7:07pm...

Big stacks: Hunter Frey, Brian Schaedlich, David Rheem, Patrick Fortin, Martin Klaser

Recent Bustouts: Michael Criag, Mark Karam, and James Hoeppner

Players Remaining: 702

"What did I tell you!" said Benjo about his prediction that 100 players an hour will bust. "I'm a genius, obviously."

Orange is down to 18 tables. Tony Hachem was sitting at the same table was fellow Aussie Mark Vos... until they got broken.

Author Michael Craig is busto, but Patrick Antonius' wife is still here. She was sitting at the same table as Voitto Rintala, a Finnish speed metal dude with special contact lenses that give him freaky eyes. I first met him on the EPT.

Is Bill Gazes a hippie? He has a shirt on that says, "No war." Above that is a Full Tilt patch.

One player is wearing a NY Knicks Nate Robinson jersey.

I stood in the hallway for a bit and watched Phil Hellmuth get stalked for an autograph. There's a big Beast can in the hallway. Someone from Gam-O put one of their stickers on it.

Robert Varkonyi and his wife Olga were standing on the rail chatting it up with Norm Chad. They stood next to a handful of young Scandis sweating on the godfather of Norwegian poker, Thor Hansen.

Patrik Antonius and Joe Beevers were moved to the secondary TV table. Everyone Loves Raymond is at the featured TV table. He won a pot while I was there. The crowd is about 2/3 full and no one in the Beast Lounge is drinking. The three Beat girls opened up a box and started passing out free decks of cards. One of them said, "This job is soooo ghetto."

One kid was in a hand and stood up. He had huge sweat rings. Who said poker isn't stressful?

Players are going on dinner break shorty.

* * * * *

8:58pm...

Big stacks: Brian Schaedlich, Hunter Frey, David Rheem, Jason Riesenberg, and Robert Mizrachi

Recent Bustouts: Leo Boxell

Players Remaining: 665

Not much to report. The players just returned from their dinner break. Two more levels or four hours of play.

I overheard two dealers exchanging dealing bad beat stories. A guy was complaining about the malodorous guy in Seat 1.

"He smelled like a wet dog."

One woman complained about the "weird guy" who sat in the five seat and kept staring at her and gave off a negative vibe.

"You know, you just look at someone and you know he's evil?"

She was happy to get off that table.

* * * * *
9:59pm...

Big stacks: Brian Schaedlich, Hunter Frey, David Rheem, Farhad Sinaei, Patrick Fortin

Recent Bustouts: Erick Lindgren, Barry Greenstein, Billy Baxter, Jesse Jones, Shaun Deeb, athy Liebert, Billy the Croc, Ted Lawson

Players Remaining: 603

ESPN cameras chased Erick Lindgren after he busted out. He rushed past the pressbox and ESPn was right behind him. They grabbed him before he left the room and reluctantly twirled around for a quick interview.

"Hey America. I'm so fuckin' happy," he joked at the cameras before he flipped them the bird.

Busting out of the main event is the worst feeling in the world. Lindgren wanted to sneak out instead of getting his most humiliating moment of the year spliced together accompanied by a witty remark from Norm Chad. Instead he got run down by the cameras.

Over at the featured TV table, Ray Romano looks bored shitless. I spotted a pregnant woman drinking a can of Beast. Keep on rockin' in the free world.

Curly Seal from Australia is playing a big NL cash game.

The Orange section is down to 6 tables... and one more is about to break.

Laurie the dealer is on the second table with Joe "The Elegance" Beevers and Snoopy's model friend Patrik Antonius. Beevers has all his chips in one long phallic stack. The Elegance must have penis envy. Willie Tan was on the rail sweating them.

Jeremiah Smith has been one of the chipleaders for all of Day 2a. He's one of the good guys in poker. He used to work as a tournament reporter for Poker Wire. He was an ideal reporter because he was so tall that he could peer over the tables. He also did some excellent writing for Full Tilt Poker in different capacities.

I saw your most cliche all-in of NL poker. Big Slick versus pocket tens.

Oliver Tse and I chatted on the rail as we wondered why Chau Giang went from being a Doyle's Room guy to being a Full Tilt dude.

* * * * *
11:29pm...

Big stacks: Brian Schaedlich, Hunter Frey, Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Adams, Mark Vos

Recent Bustouts: Ray Romano, Johnny World Hennigan, Vicky Coren, Sverre Sundbo, and Nick Schulman

Players Remaining: 549

No love for Johnny World. He won Antes Up for Africa, donated his winnings, and he gets zero positive poker karma. He's out on Day 2a. And the only celebrity left playing today is busto. Ray Romano is out.

"I need to make some money," said one of the massage girls. "Spread the word how good I am."

Spread the word? Spread your legs sweetie. Lots of horny poker players. After six weeks, they'd bang the laziest hooker at the Redneck Riviera.

The weary eyes wander. The pain. The anguish. The loneliness. My fellow media reps who have been here for too long. They are thinking about their warm beds back home and how they hate living in hotels or in short-term housing all over Las Vegas. They have the blank stare, like that crazy homeless person on the corner of 86th and Lexington that used to lazily panhandle for change. The dead ones look right through you. Life is on autopilot. They checked out shortly after 50K Horse. Sure, they could look at a stack and rattle off 39,575. But couldn't tell you what they had for breakfast last Thursday.

Some of them retreat into the bottle and get sauced at the hooker bar. And some folks like Snake watch porn. Youporn specifically. Others escape by jumping into the online poker world. SNGs and overpriced water are the daily diet of your average media rep.

And Otis? His disappears every couple of hours and wanders off alone. I'm gonna follow him one day and figure out where he goes. My guess? Pai Gow.

The entire Orange section has been broken. Under 550 players remain. Might get to under 500 before the night is over. That would be on pace for 100/hour which Benjo had predicted before the day started, although the bloodshed has subsided a bit.

A couple of big names are left... and those attract the ESPN cameras... such as the perfect Patrik Antonius.

Feldman told me that a slew of pros are playing 1K/2K HORSE on Full Tilt right now... Gus Hansen, Eli Elezra, Benyamine, Matusow, and Rob Hollink.

And according to Foiled Coup, Clonie Gowen won the 5K at the Bellagio tonight. Congrats... wait, Clonie won a tournament? Right now, it's raining frogs in The Valley while an Aimee Mann song plays in the background.

* * * * *
12:07am...

Big stacks: Brian Schaedlich, Jeremiah Smith, Hunter Frey, and Brandon Adams

Recent Bustouts: Joe Beevers, Dario Alioto, Hal Lubarsky

Players Remaining: 513

Welcome to the After Midnight edition, where the only ones who are reading this are complete degenerates, stalkers, insomniacs, and the random sick fucker who Googled "Jerking off on Shannon Elizabeth's feet" happed to stumble upon this foggy piece of real estate on the web.

Everyone is still giggling about the hook up last night. Whispers. Cracking jokes. You have it.

Warney has chips. Gaz stopped by the press box and told me that cricket god Shane Warne has a good stack. If he goes deep this year, this could mean a huge boom for cricket markets like South Africa and India. If Warney plays poker, so will they.

Nicotine and poker... it's the milk and honey for many poker players. I see them sprinting across the killing fields to run outside for a quick smoke. A drag.

One really bored spectator sat down on a chair at an empty table in the Orange section and starting clipping his nails.

* * * * *
1:11am...

Big stacks: Brian Schaedlich, Jeremiah Smith, Hunter Frey, Brandon Adams, and Ronald Adams

Recent Bustouts: Julian Gardner, Ciaran O'Leary, Dan Schmiech, Haralabos Voulgaris

Players Remaining: 469

With about an hour to go, the first set of blue tables were broken. I doubt they will break that section for Day 2B with so many players in that flight.

Dr. Chako sighting at the Rio. First time I've seen him since he got back from Iraq! Good to see him in one piece.

Sweated a very unique table... Sir Watts, Jason Lester, Brandon Adams, Mike Meredith, and Voitto Rintala.

Young gun YellowSub is still in the hunt. Erik Seidel was playing under the radar. Almost did a double take when I saw him.

Jeremiah Smith was getting a massage late in the night. He looked very relaxed with a big stack. Didn't seem nervous at all when we spoke on the last break.

Lance was spotted playing Scrabble online. I asked him if it was NL. He said it was hi/lo.

I wandered over to the featured TV table. I had a six-pack of Oeros. I stood up in the Beast Lounge and looked out over the final table. The crowd was practically empty. Eight people in total including Robert Varkonyi and Olga, and a security guard keeping an eye on the last bracelet in the display case. And the eight people in the Lounge are all ignoring the featured table. They are looking out over at Patrik Antonius' table.

The forgotten event? The Casino Employees event is being played out in the high limit section in the cash game area. PokerNews isn't even covering the last bracelet event. I wandered over it's the final three at the final table. A dozen or so of their friends are on the rail.

Go read Wicked Chops Poker to see lots of tits and ass.

Action is over. The survivors advanced to Day 3 on Thursday. Day 2B starts on noon on Wednesday. Iggy is playing. Stay tuned for Iggy updates throughout Day 2B.

Thanks for following along. Have a great night. See ya tomorrow.

Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/08/2008 02:32:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 38: The Kitten Fields

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Over the last four days, a massive PokerStars shuttle bus carted troops from basecamp at the Palms to the front lines at the Rio. At nights, the bus left the parking lot of the Rio with battled tested and wounded qualifiers in PokerStars hats and shirts, the few survivors who advanced to Day 2 after a gruesome rumble.

A jihad. A brawl. A melee. Seat open, table 28.

A couple of invincible ones walked away without a scratch on them. Not one blemish as they heroically blazed through a minefield and avoided any missteps, while unfortunate others hobbled out of the Amazon Room mangled and battered and some where wheeled out on life support. They were the lucky ones.

The majority of their brethren never made it out alive and perished in the existentialist meatgrinder of the world series of sadism. That's why every PokerStars 'premium' schwag bag can be converted into a makeshift body bag.

Poor Otis and Howard and Bartley scrambled across the killing floor every hour to retrieve the leftover carcasses from the plethora of online qualifiers. The bottom of the PokerStars shuttle bus was a makeshift morgue which Otis and his crew constantly filled up every inch with the leftovers.

You could see the malnourishment in Otis' eyes. The sorrow. The misery. The agony. And you wonder why Otis writes such sad posts. He can't shake the post-traumatic stress syndrome of being the first on the scene after the initial slaughter. If you have to slosh around knee deep in the fish guts and animal intestines for 15 hours a day, you'd be in a somber mood as well.

When the online qualifiers won their seats they thought they won a ticket to the big dance. What they really won was a one way trip to nothingness.

After the third day you get numb to the smell of donkey blood and you ignore the bottoms of your jeans stained with oodles and oodles of spilled blood so much so that a steady stream bisects the Amazon into two parts. The French media have been calling it "Une riviere remplie du sang des anes." That loosely translated into Donkey Blood River.

You can try to repress those horrific memories of the anguish in the killing fields and stash them next to your suicidal thoughts, but they always bubble up to the surface and ambush you when you least expect it. I have a few flashbacks everyday. I can't escape the faces of the ones we left behind. Like the young kid from that small farming town in Kansas. He barely shaved. Had a girl back home. They were fixin' to get married. He texted her every break until... it was his time to go. He exploded into a thousand little pieces. Never saw it coming. Sucked out on the river. One moment he was smiling and excited to be at the same table as Jesus. The next moment, he was a statistic. Seat open, table 23.

Every night, I am unable to sleep, haunted by the screams of the tortured souls as they were blindly led to the killing fields. The main event is sort of like a quagmire of a war. You can see it on TV but you have no idea what the butchery is like unless you have been there and swatted away the malaria-ridden mosquitos and dodged the shrapnel from exploding donkeys. I am haunted by the deafening screeches of innocents boys and girls getting their hearts ripped out of their chest while the media vultures do nothing to stop the atrocities and live blog every single moment of the maulings.

Donkeys make a distinct yelp when their throats are slashed. Whenever I am reminded of that shrill sound, I hear Wagner's Die Walküre in the background as my world fades to black and a I pass out only to be woken up in a thick pool of the losers' blood. I get dirty looks from my fellow media reps when I track blood up into the press box. We have a "Welcome" mat at the foot of the stairs and I always forget to wipe my feet.

It was a dull moment at the WSOP until Mike Matusow livened things up for ESPN's cameras and bit the head off of a kitten that had wandered up on stage. One of those third rate energy drinks got a brilliant guerrilla marketing idea and decided to slap a patch on a kitten and let it loose at the featured TV table. It would get face time and free advertising. After all, everyone loves kittens, right?

Matusow' meds weren't working properly. One of the side affects gave him intense munchies and hallucinations. He thought the kitten was a meatball sub, so he ripped the patch off the kitten and then bit the head off. That's was shocking move that horrified and excited ESPN execs. They finally found a way to make poker interesting for middle America.

Animal sacrifice and poker.

Once you get the politically correct Peta freaks out of the way, the dollars start rolling in. Next year, there will be there new events added. The one I'm waiting for is the Mixed Hold'em/Kitten Eating event. One round of Hold'em followed by a round of kitten consumption.

Editor's Note: Not one kitten was actually harmed in the writing of this post. But just to remind you, that every time a Full Tilt pro gets sucked out on, a kitten dies.

* * * * * *
Happy pill time. Has yours kicked in yet?

The world is a happy place of joy and jubilation. I'm not always dark and coldblooded and miserable wandering around pondering the complexities of life. I can see the good in things. The light amidst the darkness. The world can be a happy place where dogs and cats and PokerStars and Full Tilt pros live in harmony. And guys like Tony G and Barry Shulman join a bowling team and raise puppies together.

The WSOP is my own personal utopia. This is the happiest place on earth where 72 virgins dressed like Britney Spears roam the hallways singing Kum Ba Yah and Give Peace a Chance. Fairies like Anna Wroblewski run up to Eskimo and sprinkle fairy dust on his head and he magically transforms into Patrik Antonius. And according to Shronk, when Patrik Antonius folds his cards they turn into doves and fly away.

The Amazon Room at the Rio Casino is the place where dreams are fulfilled. Close your eyes. Make a wish. Leave all of your friends, family, jobs, responsibilities, and fly to Las Vegas and all of your problems, fears, phobias, and character flaws will disappear into thin air.

Remember that first time you drove to Las Vegas from Los Angeles? And you saw the lights magically appear as you headed over the pass. You were less than an hour away and the Luxor light shot up into the darkened sky and that was the beacon of hope. Hope. Promise. Faith. You used to be so filled with hope and anticipation. Willing to leave your old life behind and immerse yourself into Candyland and Disenyland and whatever fairytale land you want to escape into.

Purple flickering lights. Pink cocktails. Gingers with red hair. Wads of greenbacks. Hookers in baby blue dresses with orange purses filled with yellow condoms. Buy a ticket and take the ride. Hump a stripper. Hug a porn slapper. Double down on a 14. Make a Jack-high Pai Gow.

Jesus turned water into wine. But Las Vegas is the only place where you can magically turn $10,000 into $9 million. One lucky mortal will become a god if they can become the last one standing in the killing fields.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/07/2008 07:07:00 AM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 38: Main Event Day 1D - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Ground Hog's Day. Again. Day 1d.

"Full house today," Said Jack Effel.

Today will be the busiest day so far of the Main Event. Every bit of the casino will be used because everyone signed up for Sunday instead of Thursday or Friday. The result? Tables in Buzio's and the poker room. I heard they might have to use the actual hooker bar. Staff was seen clearing out the working girls to accommodate more tables as one of the flunkies from that third-rate energy drink was seen spamming the hooker bar with their product.

Man, I'd be wicked pissed if I had to pay $10,000 to play in front of a smelly seafood restaurant. It's one thing if you have to play there on a $1,500 event. But this is the world championship.

Plenty of shiny happy people will be descending over the killing fields that have paved over and resodded with sunflowers, tulips, daisies, and yellow jessamines. Lots of puppies running around and butterflies and moonbeams and lucky stars and good old wholesome poker and strangers stopping strangers just to shake their hands.

As Jack Effel said, "This is the greatest tournament on the planet!"

6,813 players bought into the Main Event. Only one will be crowned the champion, 6,812 will go home as chumps.

* * * * *
12:01pm...

The intro music always makes me want to puke. Journey? Brown Eyed Girl by that drunk Van Morrison? That's what I put on when I tried to hook up with drunken sorority girls. Whomever made the WSOP mix, please identify yourself so you can be ridiculed by the masses.

I love it that as media reps, we get a press release that Hellmuth will be arriving at 2:20pm in a tank. So much for spontaneity.

I got a list of notables in today's field: God (aka Hellmuth), golfer Paul Azinger, UFC fighter Chuck Lidell, Johnny Chan, Scarf Boy Dario Minieri, Bryan Micon, Phil Laak, Mario Ho, Jen Harman, Shannon Elizabeth, Jen Tilly, Carlos Mortensen, Allen Cunningham, Andy Bloch, Phil Ivey, RainKahn, Shaniac, David Williams, Layne Flack, DonkeyBomber, Gus Hansen, Cyndy Violette, MrSmokey1, Men the Master, and Phil Gordon.

Jeffrey Pollack introduced Robert Wexler who mentioned Senator D'Amato and they got all political. Preaching to the inmates. No one was listening. They just wanted to donk off their chips and not hear a couple of sleazy used car salesmen get up on their soap box and blame other politicians for America's woes.

Cards are in the air at 12:06pm. Five levels today. Levels are two hours long.

Welcome to the wank fest. I hope you brought your lube and extra tissues. Don't forget about donkey repellent.

Early numbers...

Day 1a: 1,297
Day 1b: 1,158
Day 1c: 1,928
Day 1d: 2,471
Total Registered for Main Event: 6,814

* * * * *
1:10pm...

Gus Hansen must have money on the Wimbledon. Homer told me he's been paying more attention to the match than on playing poker. Rafael Nadal was ahead by two sets until Roger Federer stormed back. Tennis seems so much more interesting that writing about nice guys having their throats slit by clueless donkeys.

Jerry Yang almost lost half his stack. Already. Yoda, don't go busto in round 1. ESPN cameras are camped out around his table.

I found Heather standing in the back service hallway. She looked totally bored and I asked her what she was doing.

"Waiting for Phil Ivey," she said.

Her job was to make sure Ivey wore his baby blue Full Tilt hat and a logo on his shirt.

"Do you think he'll show before 1:30?" I asked.

"I hope so," she said. "I want to watch the end of the Wimbeldon."

* * * * * *
2:02pm....

Big stacks: Thomas Keller, Doug Lee, Gary Germann, Brian Haveson, and Ray Henson

Recent bustouts: Tim Vance, Paul Wolfe

Main Event Totals: 6,837 and counting...

How about this for irony. Apparently there's a couple of thugs shaking down agents at the WSOP. One guy demanded $1,000 from Oliver to stop harassing him and his clients. I heard that another agent was bullied last night.

Jerry Yang had a yo-yo start to the 2008 WSOP. He had slipped to 5K at one point as the media circled his table on the Jerry Yang Death Watch. He was all in and survived to double up. He has around 14K and still spewing out yoda-like sayings.

Every bit of area is being used for poker today. Tropical and Brasilia. Buzios and the poker room. Parts of the blue section are ten-handed while everyone else is playing nine-handed.

Know what would suck? Playing eleven-handed inside the buffet. Don't laugh. I heard that it was a potential emergency plan just in case 4,000 people wanted to play today.

* * * * *
3:03pm....

Big stacks: Thomas Keller, Doug Lee, MrSMokey, Antonio Esfandiari, and Allen Cunningham, Shaniac.

Recent bustouts: Scott Lazar, David Williams, Joe Pelton, Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell, Sam Simon

Main Event Totals: 6,842

UFC guys can kick my ass but they're not that great at poker. Both Chuck Lidell and Forrest Griffin are out. In Griffin's defense he won a fight last night and showed up all kinds of fucked up.

I spoke to Matt Savage on the break. He's the former tournament director at the World Series of Poker and playing in today's field. I asked him about his table. "Usually I sit and observe everyone and pick out who the bullies are. But today, I realized that I was the biggest bully at the table."

Jack Ury is sitting next to John Friedberg. Ury has to be in his 90s with super-thick lens the size off two ashtrays. Firedberg has traditional sunglasses. The two seemed to be enjoying some banter.By the way, Grandpa is sporting a Full Tilt hat and a medical alert bracelet. In case of Emergency, call Jesus.

Today is the biggest field at the main event. And it feels like it. Finally begins to smell like Christmas.The energy levels were low the first three days, but today, the room has a zestier buzz. Even when the Brasilia Room was filled in previous events, it always seemed to be the laid back pill popping cousin to the flashier Amazon Room. But today it's hopping. Plenty of pros in that area like the DonkeyBomber who is on a mission to destroy as many as the enemy before they ambush him and gouge his eyes out with donkey hoofs. Donkeys have hoofs right?

I am sitting up from a high and can gaze out into the killing fields. Like a Union general sitting on a horse on a hill overlooking Gettysburg on the morning of the massacre. One moment you see one. The next you don't. They disappear and get lost in a heap of guts and innards of sheep, emu, fish, and other small rodents. You ever wonder what those guys in black shirts who push those large trash barrels around actually do? They retrieve the run over carcasses which are liquidated and transformed into energy drinks. Getting jacked up on the blood of their opponents.

Seat open. Hee-haw. Seat open. Thanks for the juice. Seat open.

"I saw Jeffrey Pollack and and Steve Lipscomb in the hallway acting like buddy-buddy," said Benjo. Just now, Pollack and Lipscomb walked into the press box. They said hello to Michalski.


Eskimo courtesy of Benjo
Eskimo Watch: Brought to you by Benjo. Eskimo is playing in the Brasilia Room and has 28K in chips. Michalski saw Eskimo playing a satellite at like 4am earlier this morning. Wonder if he won his seat?

Benjo told me about a conversation that he had with a PokerStars rep...

Benjo: So, I heard that the next Team PokerStars Pro member gonna be... Eskimo Clark

Rep: Absolutely. The guy has the tournament record, the respect of the community, also the longevity : you know he's gonna be around for a long time. There's no one else PokerStars could think of to be the next Team member.

Benjo: So he's the hottest pick of the moment, right?

Rep: Yeah, the bidding war with Full Tilt is absolutely crazy right now.

* * * * *
4:04pm....

Big stacks: Shawn Conix, Christopher Overgard, Thomas Keller, MrSmokey1, Phil Ivey

Recent bustouts: Annie Duke, John Murphy, and my main man Ray Davis

Main Event Totals: 6,844

When you are crossing the killing floor and head to the exit with an ESPN camera crew following you... it's not a good thing. Annie Duke rushed past the press box with a crew right behind them. Feldman wondered if she was out. Yep. Annie busto.

I wandered past a table with ESPN cameras. I scanned the table and did not recognize anyone. I saw a guy who sort of looked like DonkeyBomber. That's when I realized it was former NY Yankees pitcher David Wells. I wonder if Boomer is popping pills and knocking back beers on the break? Top 5 guys that I wanna party with...

Laurie is dealing the featured TV table which happens to have Phil Hellmuth in a general's outfit. No tank. But three military vehicles filled with Hellmuth and his entourage showed up to drop him off at the back door.

I noticed a very bored Texas Dolly sitting at the table closest to the rail. He has a lot of railbirds trying to snap photos and get his attention.

Back by popular demand...

Last 5 Pros I Pissed Next to...
1. Mark Vos
2. Amnon Filippi
3. Jesper Hougaard
4. Chris 'Armenian Express' Grigorian
5. Huck Seed

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * * *
5:05pm....

Big stacks: Shawn Conix, Eric Sonstegard, C K Hua, Andrew Bradshaw, and Jan Skampa

Recent bustouts: Andy Bloch, Patrick Bruel, Phil Tom, Jose Canseco, Noel Furlong

Shorties: Jerry Yang, Donkey Bomber

Main Event Totals: 6,843

According to Pojo, Shannon Elizabeth pulled out a Sudoku book and was doing puzzles in between hands.

Micon and Newhizzle told me a funny story about how they went over to the 2+2 booth in the Expo. Micon tried to "bury the hatchet" with Mason, but Mason didn't have any time for Micon and told him to bug off.

Jerry Yang is short again. He has been wearing a Full Tilt hat but he does not have official sponsorship. In a interview with ESPN's Andrew Feldman, he Jerry Yang he was not a Tier 1 player but a Tier 2 player on a tournament to tournament basis. What did Yang do with his winnings? He a bought a Viper and a minivan and a new suit.

Michele Lewis snapped a photo of me going to take a piss. The cougar was on the prowl.

Vinny Vinh still has chips. I wonder if Vinny and Eskimo had a last longer?

* * * * *
6:26pm....

Big stacks: Victor Ramdin, Shawn Cunix, Jason Katsutani, David Oppenheim, and Richie Smith

Recent bustouts: Phil Ivey, DonkeyBomber, Jen Tilly, Grant Levy, Chainsaw Kessler, Vinny Vinh, Eskimo

Shorties: Dario Minieri

Players Remaining: 2,079 out of 2,461.

Main Event Totals: 6,844

Total prize pool is $64 million. Juice is over $4 million. $9.1+ million for first place. Top 666 players get paid. 666th gets 21K.

Not enough dealers? I spotted at least one floor person in the box dealing hands.

Ran into Oliver Tse. He was telling me about his run in with someone trying to extort him. He mentioned that Harrahs wants to keep the agents in the parking lot, but for now, they have free reign of the hallways. He started rambling on about mafia 101 tactics used by his competitors in the industry. "If you screw with me, I'll screw with you!" said an irate Oliver.

Jen Tilly made the walk of shame past the press box. She had her head down and had the look of complete and utter disgrace that thousands of players will make today as they head for the exit. She's busto along with Phil Ivey. He showed up late and busted out before dinner break. No bracelet for Ivey this year.

Found out that the oldest player in today's event is Jack Ury. He is 95.

And... this just in... both Vinny Vinh and Eskimo are out.

* * * * *
8:01pm....

Big stacks: Brad Tisdale, Shawn Cunix, Tom Ly, Mohmad Koowssarie, and Victor Ramdin

Recent bustouts: George Danzer and David Woo

Shorties: The Grinder

Players Remaining: 1,884 out of 2,461.

So more people are left at the dinner break than were in Day 1a or Day 1b. Can they get down to 1,200 tonight?

A couple of the tables in the red section were broken down and converted to cash games.

The quiet in the Amazon Room during dinner break is always soothing. Sort of like a walk on the beach at sunrise.

666? I wonder if any religious groups will be protesting en masse on paying out the anti-christ. "I'm surprised they didn't change the number?" wondered the poker cougar Michele Lewis. "They like the controversy and the attention."

They should have done 667 and paid the extra place out of the massive juice that Harrahs took from the players.

One European member of the press plays seven NL tables at once during dinner breaks.

Read Michele Lewis' latest girl on girl article with Maria Ho over at Wicked Chops Poker. Click here.

* * * * *
9:02pm....

Big stacks: Shawn Cunix, Mohamad Kowssarie, Aaron Kanter, and Carlos Mortensen

Recent bustouts: The Grinder, Aussie Sarah, John Phan, Tim Pham, and Jean Gaspard

Shorties: Newhizzle

Players Remaining: 1,884 out of 2,461.

Lance told me a weird story about his hockey team in Canada who used to hand out boxes of donuts and put them in their opponents locker room. After the game they would send over Polaroids of the same donuts around their penises which they took earlier that morning. The opposing team inadvertently ate cock donuts. Man, I love Canadian senses of humor.

Benjo and I were about to make a last longer between Vinny Vinh and Eskimo but they busted out before we could make the bet. The battle of the degenerates.

Michalski and I got cornered in the hallway by the Oliver Tse tractor beam. He just draws you in and its like quick sand. The more you struggle, the worst it is. Oliver always had interesting things to say about the state of poker, but sometimes he overstates things and starts the rerun through the same points.

I headed to the Brasilia Room with Michalski. He had to get Pat Poels a Pokerati patch to wear. In true Michalski fashion, he was a tad late and caught Poels one hour into Level 4.

While I waited for Michalski to slap a patch on his buddy, I stood on the rail and sweated Shaniac. He listened to his iPod and I wondered if he was listening to Dylan. I don't like to both players while they are sitting down.

I noticed that only 44 tables were in use in Brasilia. The back two rows were reserved for the 7pm nightly. Shamus' desk was located next to that event. I joked with him that PokerNews gave him the shitty assignment of covering the nightly.

The wives and girlfriends of those players in the Brasilia Room were seated up on the stage. Some of them read books or thumbed through magazines and the rest looked bored out of their minds. A few decided to drink and were getting sloppy. Booze kills boredom.

PizzaHut is one of the biggest winners at the WSOP. They put out a crappy product and sell it for a ridiculous price and no one complains. They sell out their cold pizza every time. Since one of the Pizza Hut stands is in front of the Brasilia Room, those railbirds are often found chomping down on a personal pan pizza. Fleece the friends of the fish. If people are dumb enough to piss away $10,000 of their own money, well their friends will also be willing to pay money for barely edible food stuffs.

By the way, first place pays $9.1 this year. The winner (provided he/she is an amateur) will jump to #10 on the all time poker money list. Erik Seidel is 9th with $9,241,731.

* * * * *
10:03pm....

Big stacks: Shawn Cunix, Mohamad Kowssarie, Aaron Kanter, Tom Ly, Carlos Mortensen

Recent bustouts: Jesus and Maria Ho

Players Remaining: 1,683 out of 2,461.

Jesus has left the building.

Speaking of Jesus, Jerry Yang is up to 40K. He survived a rough patch early and and has been sailing smoothly since dinner break.

I asked Benjo who was on his radar. He was following two legendary French players in Pascal Perrault and Fabrice Soulier. That have almost 2.7 million in combined tournament winnings.

After the break I wandered through the killing fields and checked out what people were wearing. PokerStars qualifiers are noticeable, but it's not like 2006 when 1 out of 5 players was decked out in Stars gear. There were tables in 2006 that had 8,9, and even 10 Stars guys. This year, Stars has the most qualifiers in the field. I didn't see as many cowboy hats in the field like there were the previous three days. Lots of Yankees hats and tons of Hawaiian shirts.

I forgot to write about the guy who was playing with his luggage sitting behind him. I dunno if he had just landed or waiting to leave as soon as he busted.

Some of the players dig the free "seat cushion" that they got courtesy of Everest Poker. Some of them could care less and toss them in the corner. The vultures scoop up three and four and who knows what they do with them. When one table broke, one guy asked if the new table would be giving out a new seat cushion. He wanted two and felt that he should get a new one every time he changed tables.

"I spent $10,000 and all I got was this fuckin' lame cushion? On a sight that I can't even play on?" complained one guy in a thick Long Island accent.

* * * * *
11:11pm....

Big stacks: Shawn Cunix, Jason Katsutani, Carlos Mortensen, David Oppenheim, Aaron Kanter

Recent bustouts: Karina Jett and Doug Lee

Players Remaining: 1,620 out of 2,461.

Players returned from a break. It was their last of the day. I stood in the middle of the crossroads as the security guards finally let the players back inside. One by one, the sharks, fish, donkeys, rugrats, and other trickled back inside. Some of them were shoving overpriced food into their mouths. Voracious appetites of poker players. Binge drinking on dinner breaks. Binge eating on 20-minute breaks. Chain smoking like a German sitting in a cafe along the Champ e'Lysee.

Overheard on the Dealer's Smoking Porch: Bad beat exchange.

Dealer 1: "Can I borrow $250? I had my Kings cracked by Nines last night. It cost me four buy-ins"

Dealer 2: "I loaned you $200 last week. And another hundred on Friday."

Dealer 1: "That? I used it to buy in (insert random casino name) nightly tournament. You staked me. It wasn't a loan."

Dealer 2: "What? I never stake dealers. That was a loan. Not only are you a bad poker player, you are a horrible liar."

Finally, as the night approaches midnight, it's rather calm and relaxed in the press box. I might be able to get some work done, as long as Feldman doesn't yap my ear off.

* * * * *
12:12am....

Big stacks: Shawn Cunix, Jason Katsutani, Bill Blanda, Carlos Mortensen, David Oppenheim

Recent bustouts: Dario Minieri

Players Remaining: 1,422 out of 2,461.

The after midnight edition. This is when we let it all hang out. Especially Otis, who likes to let his doodle dangle in the wind from time to time. Otis the doodle dangler from G-Vegas. He likes to write sad stories about the horrors of scraping donkey carcasses off the killing floor.

Dario is out. George Danzer is out. They both like scarves. They are both busto.

More Midnight lime tossing with Otis. The results? Michalksi crashed and he won. Michalski 1, Pauly 0, Otis 0. Michalski +20 and Otis and I are even overall. Benjo had exclusive media rights and was the only press at the event.

The bustouts are coming a little slower than Harrahs wanted because Day 2B is going to have substantially more players than Day 2A.

"Each section red, blue, green, and orange, has its own personality. It's distinct," mentioned Flipchip. He's right. I think it has everything to do the lighting.

Otis mentioned that 1,060 PokerStars qualifers played in the Main Event. That was about 50% of those who won seats. That number was much lower last year. I have to say that PokerStars was the X-factor in getting over last year's number. Without their qualifiers wanting to play... the totals would have been under 6,000 and everyone would be declaring the death of poker.

Steve Freze got on the mic and mentioned that someone had lost their wallet and can claim it at the podium.

"Good luck finding any money in it. I betcha it's cleaned out," I said.

"Maybe his credit cards are still there?" said Vin.

"In this crowd? They're all crooks. He'd be lucky to get his Subway Club card back."

Gus Hansen wandered over to talk to Shannon Elizabeth while ESPN cameras caught every moment. I betcha Nadia got to ride the Great Dane gravy train.

My woman from Pot Committed is bummed that she got dropped from Google. And those cool cats at Up for Poker did too.
* * * * *
1:20am....

Big stacks: Dylan Linde, Steve Austin, Christian Choi, Jason Katsutani, and Richie Smith

Recent bustouts: Shaniac, CK Hua, Eugene Todd, Fabrice Soulier, Cyndy Violette, Layne Flack, Melissa Hayden

Players Remaining: 1,386 out of 2,461.

Action is done for the day. Weeee! Happy 4:20 to any of you East Coast potheads.

Thanks for following along for the last four days of Ground Hog Day. It's been a pure pleasure to give you the action. You have been a great crowd. See you tomorrow night.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/06/2008 02:22:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 37: Main Event Day 1C and the Tao of Five with Flipchip

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

It felt like Ground Hog's Day. The third Day 1. 38th day in a row. My brain is/was/is/was fried. Anyway, the biggest field showed up so far at the WSOP world championship and when action ended on Day 1c, Harrahs dodged a bullet and got more entrants signed up than last year with one more flight to go.

I could do a recap but just read the blog from Day 1c. It's better than anything I can whip up.

Iggy survived the 1,928 person field and advanced to Day 2. Plenty of hot chicas that I know all played... such as Liz Lieu, Lacey Jones, Michele Lewis, Tiffany Michelle, Isabelle Mercier, and Kara Scott.


Liz... (courtesy of PokerNews.com)

* * * * *
On Day 1c, I spent a lot of time with Flipchip talking about a variety of topics. I recorded some of our conversation and decided to use excerpts for a new installment of Tao of Five.

Flipchip has been photographing the WSOP for over three decades. I have been working with him since 2005 and he's known around town as the best in the business.

How did you get into photography?

Flipchip: I liked it when I was a kid. I hauled around my grandmother's Browning and took pictures of things other than relatives which labeled me as weird. When I served in Vietnam, the military is when I saw my first real camera. A Nikon OM1. I hardly knew which way to point it. They gave it to me. They needed photos of dead people and I just happened to be standing there. I ended up with the camera and the film. I went out and took the pictures. If there wasn't any dead people, we'd fake it. We'd have people act dead. It was like being in a movie. I was like a movie director. 'OK, you guys lie down.'

I took photos of dead people. On both sides. I figured those (photos) were used for propaganda. We were so confused we really had no idea anything what was going on. We knew that the country hated us. When I came home I was told not to wear my uniform and not to go to a civilian church. When we got to the airport, people would spit on us. We got to fight in one of the big mistakes. America doesn't like losers. That's the sad part. Nobody likes losers.


Can you capture the essence of humanity with your camera?

Flipchip: Anyone who has played in any poker tournament knows that feeling the moment you find out you're out. You're empty. The world is over. You don't want to walk out, you want to run out. You want to disappear. We see all that heartbreak. That's what I try to do with the camera. I try to capture that look of the moment that they know it's over for this year. The dream is gone. The life has gone from the eyes. I do that every time I hear an "All in and a call!" I can get one of those photos of the light going out. I do about a thousand photos a day or more during the WSOP. We get 54 winners photos and 30,000 loser photos.


From up here in the press box, as you look out into the sea of players on Day 1c, what are you thinking?

Flipchip: You see all these thousands of people in the Amazon room, pick out a face and ask them where hey got an extra $10,000 in this economy to come over here to play cards. I look at these average joes and wonder where the hell they got the money to play in the WSOP? Anyone who knows anything about stats and fall out rates and dead money knows that you have slighter better odds than buying a lottery ticket. Here, there are some people would couldn't win it if you gave them a seat at the final table.


What's one of the biggest differences of the WSOP from twenty and thirty years ago?

Flipchip: Back in the 1980s every table was a killer table. You knew everybody there. There would be a few rich guys, mostly Texans, that would come and tell you right up front, 'I know that I can't win it. But I can go home and say that I sat next to Doyle Brunson and TJ and I won a pot from them...' They paid to have that memory and have those bragging rights.

In the 1970s and the 1980s it was about poker. Now today, it's about sponsorship money and a hundred million dollars to the corporations. They turned the WSOP into a huge profit center. It's no longer about poker or the player. It's about the corporate branding of the WSOP. That's kinda sad to see it happen. I guess in today's world it had to happen in order to survive. Well it's also good for us, because without that we would not have a job. It's blood money, very much so.


What was the difference between the mob that used to run Vegas or the suits in corporations who run it now?

Flipchip: When the mob ran the joint, and the joint means 'the town', we had a lot less potholes. It was really easy to get a comped meal. You didn't need to have players cards or prove you've done whatever. You just had to have juice. Jucie meaning that you knew someone named Dominic. We all know a Dominic around here. I know two or three. That was like your golden ticket. It would get you free food, it would get you free rooms, it would get you whatever you wanted.

They had a very direct way of dealing with things around here. They're business methods are very successful and they're very blunt and direct. If you screw up with those guys they break your arms or kill you. I thought it was better then. Las Vegas was a better place.

The downfall of Las Vegas, and there are lots of reason, but Howard Hughes was one. He came to town with the idea of cleaning it up. He ran out the guys that we knew were crooks and bad guys and they were part of the landscape. He brought in his set of crooks. The only different was that they were suits and you didn't know they were crooks. I prefer the guys with the baseball bats. They got more things done and were more fun to be around. They had lots of great stories of the old days.

But the new Vegas is a world spectacle. It's worth coming here to see this marvelous thing that people have built in the dessert.

Don't forget to check out Flipchip's photos.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/06/2008 08:53:00 AM | Permalink |

 
CSuave Wins Saturdays with Dr. Pauly - Limit Omaha Edition

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Yeah, I apologize for the major brain fart. I scheduled a LIMIT Omaha tournament instead of PLO. So so so sorry to all of you action junkies.

23 runners. Top 3 paid. And we crowned another multiple champion when CSauve took it down.

I was not Gigli. That honor went to Tuco2271. I busted out in 17th place. Not pretty.

The final table included boscodon, Derek, PokerVixen, Bayne, Mr Nick UK, kid_canvass, Dream Of, BigHeeb, and CSauve.

Dream Of was the Bubble Boy and went out in fourth place.

The Money Winners:
1. CSauve - $115
2. kid_canvass - $69
3. BigHeeb91 - $46

Congrats to CSauve for taking it down. I was swamped all day and didn't have much time to play, let alone sweat the final table. Thanks again to everyone who played and pimped.

Again, so sorry for the mixup. We will be back to PLO next week.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/06/2008 05:51:00 AM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 37: Main Event Day 1C - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Welcome back to the World Series of Poker live from the coolest place on the planet... Las Vegas. I'm so happy to be here and really couldn't think of a better place to be. This is such a magical place filled with rainbows and butterflies and unicorns and adorable puppies and kittens and articulate strippers who do the NY Times crossword in ink and are saving up for medical school because they want to save all the dying children in Africa.

And winning the WSOP? It's the quickest way to the fulfillment of the American dream. Money. Power. Sex. Sponsorships deals. TV commercials. Private jets. And your very own reality TV series.

Today is the third day of Day 1. They call this Day 1c. I call this Ground Hog's Day. Ned? Ned Ryerson! Needlenose Ned. Ned the Head.

* * * * *
11:01am...

I arrived early as the staff set up the room much faster than the previous two days. They would be ontime for Day 1c.

I popped into the Brasilia Room. Every single table had a dealer. 60 tables in there used for the first time in the Main Event.

Updated unofficial numbers...

Day 1a: 1,297
Day 1b: 1,158
Day 1c: 1,700
Total Registered for Main Event: 5,730

Notable players in the mix today? Tony G, Mike Sexton, Bryan Micon, Burt Boutin, Gavin Griffin, Mike Matusow, Mel Judah, Max Pescatori, Liz Lieu, John Juanda, JC Tran, Joe Hachem, Isabelle Mercier, Huck Seed, Zee Justin, Alex Jacob, Amnon FIlippi, Evelyn Ng, David Sklansky, David Chiu, Paul Darden, and Jeff Lisandro.

Kirk Morrison is here. Wow. I have not seen him since the first day.

"Guess who just wheeled in here?" said Aaron. He pointed to Orange #37. It was non-other than smut magnet Larry Flynt.

* * * * *
12:01pm...

The majority of players were seated at noon. They immediately started ruffling chips. Nervous? Bad habits? Trying to look like a bad ass?

Jack Effel explained the rules. One of them was not to use profanity. Effel listed players, dealers, staff... but did not mention the media. Awesome.

Jeffrey Pollack got on the mic to bust out the rhymes. He introduced Andy Grigs who showed up with acoustic guitar and a big fat Doyle's Room patch on his shirt. Everything is for sale at the WSOP. By the way, play online poker at PokerStars.

I verified the spelling of his name with Feldman.

"Grigs is with one g or two?"

"Who cares?" said Feldman.

When I walked in at 11am, Grigs was doing a soundcheck. When he was done, I yelled out, "Play Freebird!"

Cards are in the air at 12:07pm.

Five levels today. Two hour levels. Biggest field to date. Let the bloodshed begin.

* * * * *
1:01pm...

Hot Chicas: Liz Lieu, Lacey Jones and everyone's favorite cougar Michele Lewis is playing today. Stay tuned for updates.

Blogger Update: Iggy and LJ are at the same table. Lucko is sitting right behind them.

Prop Bet Loser of the Day: Garry Gates. Poor poor Garry. He made a bet with Evelyn Ng in Guitar Hero. Garry lost and had to dress up in a toga and fan Evelyn and feed her grapes.


Garry got in trouble with Jack Effel who made him stop fanning.


Johnny Mushrooms is in the mix today along with my editor at Bluff, Matt Parvis.

Jerry Yang wandered through the crowd and shook everyone's hand.

"I'm just gonna take out my cock and walk around for a level. Will ESPN want to tape that?" wondered Otis.

Insert micropenis joke here _____.

FYI... I fucked up Saturdays with Dr. Pauly. I set up a Limit Omaha event instead of PLO and did not realize this until thirty minutes before hand. I wanted to cancel this week but I could not. Sorry about the mixup.

* * * * *
2:02pm...

Big stacks: Carl Henriksson, Clonie Gowen, Joe Hachem, Ryan Hughes, and Sam Farha

Recent bustouts: Larry Flynt, Michael Gracz, Huck Seed

Players Remaining: ?????

Main Event Totals: ???? Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Tiffany "Hot Chips" Michelle is in the mix today with 26K. Liz Lieu has 24K. Evy has 26.5K. Lacey slipped to 16K. I lost Michele Lewis.

Schecky is playing today. He was already moved tables.

I did another hat count in the Amazon Ballroom.

Cowboy Hats: 9
PokerStars Straw Hats: 8
Cowboy Hats with PokerStars Branding: 1
Black Fedoras: 2
Yankees Hats: 7

I saw a suck/resuck hand. Queens versus Aces. All in on the flop. Queens flopped a set. Aces sucked out with a runner-runner Wheel. Ouch.

Matusow is holding court at the TV table and the interns are keeping everyone out with the exception of spectators. No agents. No media. No hot models.

One guy had a book underneath his chair... Caro's Book of Tells.

* * * * *
3:03pm...

Big stacks: Carl Henriksson, Juan Maceiras, Clonie Gowen, Bryan Devonshire, and Joe Hachem

Recent bustouts: Lars Bonding

Shortstacks: LJ

Players Remaining: ?????

Main Event Totals: 5,800+ and climbing. The Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Tiffany Michelle was moved into the Orange section. She's up to 38K. Both her and Evy are within eyeshot. Lacey is under 15K. Isabelle at 16K. Liz Lieu at 24K.

Senator Al D'Amato sighting in the pressbox. Michalski was glad handing him.

Hallways are always congested on the breaks. With the addition of the different booths hawking stuff, you often get stuck in a mini-traffic jam of people. Harrahs should have inserted either a petting zoo or a real stripper pole to alleviate the pain. Maybe both. Strippers and puppies. What a wonderful combination that can end world hunger. Flop a royal flush and get a free lapdance. Crack Aces and get your picture taken with a puppy.

We have a couple of new episodes of Tao of Pokerati both of which have cameos from Otis. Episode 19 was recorded at Sapphire strip club.

Episode 19: Topless Beer Pong (feat. Otis)
Episode 20: Surviving Day 1A (feat. Otis)

In a weird twist of irony, Schecky is sitting right in front of the spot where the CardPlayer guys sit in the pressbox. Eric Morris from Bluff is sitting at his table along with Kevin O'Donnell.

Welcome back to the World Series of Shiny Happy Things.

This is the place where dreams are fulfilled and ordinary guys and gals like you and me can turn $1 into millions and millions at the turn of the card with only a minimal understand of the complexities of poker and without even knowing how to calculate pot odds and outs. I love this game. I was so devastatingly wrong about images of bloodshed, gore, and utter misery. Everyone left in today's event is happy and smiling and enjoying all the delicious All In beverages and they can't wait to use their generous $10 food comp provided by Harrahs.

Ah, and as soon as players busted out, tables in the red section were broken and converted from tournament tables to cash game tables. Churn 'em and burn 'em.

Michalski arrived. He smells like smoke after covering a fire in the dumpster out back. He's always on the job. Head over to Pokerati for the breaking news of the big WSOP inferno.

* * * * *
4:04pm....

Big stacks: Clonie Gowen, Rhett Butler, Carl Henriksson, John Strzemp, and Jeff Madsen

Recent bustouts: LJ, NeverWin, Mike Sexton, Daniel Alaei, bracelet winners Davidi Kitai and Italian Pirate Max Pescatori.

Players Remaining: ?????

Main Event Totals: ???? Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Lacey under 15K. Tiffany "Hot Chips" Michelle has 34K. She made a crazy move. "Dirty move indeed," was what one player described it. Liz Lieu surged to 37K. Isabelle has 16K and looking boonylicious. Evy has under 25K . I found the poker cougar Michelle Lewis. She has 18K.


Lacey. Nice.
LJ is out. Her Kings were outflopped by Big Slick and took a hit. Then She ran her Queens into a set of sixes and was out. Iggy won the table last longer (I assume they had one). He had about 18.5K. Lucko behind them lost a pot and slipped to 22K. And for all of you Schecky fans, he's sitting on 21K.

I took the back hallways and found Doyle Brunson in the corner by the noodle kitchen taking a nap on his scooter. I wish I had a camera for that random, yet special moment.

Archie Karras is playing today. He lost a pot and slipped to 23K. He has a guy with a mohawk at his table.

As I walked through the crowd, two guys were exchanging bad beat stories about how they got busted on Day 1a and 1b. It was almost as if they were trying to brag about the worst beat.

Oh, and congrats to CSauve for winning Saturdays with Dr. Pauly (the Limit version)!

6009 and counting for the Main Event.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * * *
5:05pm....

Big stacks: Carl Henriksson, John Strzemp, Clonie Gowen, Brian 'sbrugby' Townsend, and Chris Moneymaker

Recent bustouts: Ut Nguyen and Chad 'lilholdem' Batista

Players Remaining: 1,665

Main Event Totals: 6,065... the Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Tiffany "Hot Chips" Michelle has 33K. Liz Lieu is up to 44K. Isabelle is up to 30K.

Johnny Mushroom shas 23K. "Some guy sitting at my table has a 'How to play online poker book' by Doyle Brunson. that seems to be the standard," he said.

Grubby sighting in the press box. He's in between slot tournaments. Bond18 also stopped by. He won a Bellagio tournament last night. He's unstuck for the year and paid off his backers and feeling great.

I chatted with Ted from PokerStars Blog China. He told me to check out a few of his players such as Mai Qiu, Terry Fan, and some online guy named Loo Cha.

For a few minutes during the break, the room is calm. The dealers are sitting down watching the empty tables. As soon as the surly security guards open the doors, the lambs and sheep and donkeys and emus are led into the killing fields. Within minutes a dozen will succumb and a dealer will shriek, "Seat open!"

* * * * *
6:06pm....

Big stacks: Michael Martin, Diogo Borges, Clonie Gowen, Jeff Madsen, Leonardo Emperador

Recent bustouts: Lucko, Gavin Griffin, Vivek 'ISeeDeadPeople' Rajkumar, Dmitri Nobles, Joe Reitman, Mimi Tran, Terrence 'NotJohnny' Chan, Edward Moncada, and 2008 bracelet winners Joe Commisso and Scott Seiver.

Players Remaining: 1,602

Main Event Totals: 6,065 unconfirmed... the Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Evy Baby crushing her table. Up to 60K. Liz Lieu at 39K. Tiffany Michelle slipped to 30K. Lacey on a mini run and up to 19K. Isabelle Mercier making Team PokerStars proud with 40K. Smiles all around from her and anyone walking past her. Her table is just an oasis of warmth. I feel all warm and fuzzy whenever I get within a fifteen foot radius of Isabelle. The poker cougar have been clawed. Michelle Lewis is busto. Schecky was moved to her table and he's sitting on 22K. I can't believe I squeezed Scheky into a Hot Chica report. I watched him for a bit and the guy folds like a champ.

Blogger Update: Lucko is out when he lost a race, according to MeanGene. Iggy's table broke and he's playing near the pressbox. I can see the back of his little head and his tiny feet dangling off his chair.

Matt Parvis has 23K and hanging in there.

Oh my. I found my new favorite player. Diogo Borges. Say that 45 times really fast. Diogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo BorgesDiogo Borges.

Whenever I feel brave, I roam the hallways. It's always a risk because it is a dangerous place where people of questionable morality hangout, conduct business, and try to do everything possible to fuck the skanky girls working the Sapphire booth. Two of the hussies were engaged in a deep discussion on Empiricism and their favorite position to make whoopee in. One of them repeatedly sang the praises of being on top. Her friend disagreed.

"Nothing beats doggie style," I heard as I slowly sauntered by eavesdropping into their conversation as a sloppy guy in a cowboy hat and a drink asked to take a photo.

Two guys stood in line at the ATM discussing a bad beat. Obviously. I said hello to the German lady who tended bar in front of the satellite room. That's another place to catch bad beat stories.

Pojo told me about the hot dealer on Red #14. I have seen her since Day 1 and she must get hit on by horny donkeys 99.9% of her day. If I was her boyfriend I'd be standing on the rail with a shot gun.

The buzz in the entire room was at the crossroads smack the middle. Chris Moneymaker sat at the corner table that attracted a bevy of spectators that stood five and six deep on the rail. Gawking. Whsipering. Wondering. Projecting. The ESPN camera crew filled a hand that Money was playing. That attracted more curious folks as I elbowed with the masses to catch a glimpse of the betting action.

"What's going on here?" said one guy with a bag full of schwag from the expo.

"That's what's his name?!?" his buddy said.

"Yeah. The guy in the black hat. He won it. Right?"

"He's been sponsored I think. By PartyStars."

I squeezed my way through the mob of rabid fans snapping photos of Moneymaker as flashes went off every other second. I caught my breath and watched Joe Hachem's table. There was an ESPN crew nearby, but they all sat down and looked bored. Nothing going on except Hachem having a relaxing chat with his tablemates.

I walked over to the featured TV table. The vigilant Harrahs interns were still policing the area. It was almost like a neighborhood watch and they kept out the agents and branded models trying to get free advertising on TV.

On my way back, I passed through Archie Karras' table. He's up to 27K.

* * * * *
7:07pm....

Big stacks: Michael Martin, Brad 'Yukon' Booth, Diogo Borges, Clonie Gowen, Chris Moneymaker

Recent bustouts: Sam Khouiss, David Chiu, Bracelet winner Jesper Hougaard, Issac, ZeeJustin, Haxton, and Matt McCullough

Players Remaining: 1,500+

Main Event Totals: 6,179 unconfirmed... the Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Evy past 63K and in the zone while listening to her iPod. Liz at 39K. Isabelle down to 35K. And Tiffany Michelle is at 30K.

Iggy Alert: 17K and zero anti-semetic slurs

Here are unofficial numbers...

Day 1a: 1,297
Day 1b: 1,158
Day 1c: 1,928
Day 1d: 1,796
Total: 6,179

Wow, Moneymaker making a serious run this afternoon. He's been playing under a ton of scrutiny, like always. Tons of railbirds and even more media sweating him and critiquing every hand he plays.

I spotted Kirk Morrison sprint past the press box. When you are running out of the tournament area, it generally means it is not a bustout and rather a run to the bathroom or a much needed cigarette break. "He's been playing like every hand," mentioned Change100 who is seated in front of Morrison's table. His stack has been up and down all day. But that's how he plays.

I saw Joe Awada playing in the Blue section. He was playing at Otis' 2/5 table at the Palms the other day and now he's in the Main Event.

Archie Karras up to 32K. Wonder if he'll shoot dice with TJ on the break?

Players are going on a 90 minute dinner break. Time to binge drink with British writers. That's what they fondly call 'Tea Time'.

* * * * *
8:46pm...

Big stacks: Michael Martin, David Singer, tsarast, Brad Booth, Diogo Borges

Recent Bustouts: Marco Traniello, Bart Hanson, and Joe Tehan

Updated numbers: 1,447 players left out of 1,928 runners on Day 1c. Almost 6,200 for the main event and a big satellite is going off at 9pm.

As players returned from break, I found Iggy in the hallway getting a massage. GMoney was sweating him and thwarting any paparazzi trying to snap a photo of the Blogfather during a moment of relaxation and rejuvenation. Iggy has 17K and patiently waiting to pick his spots.

From the pressbox, Isabelle Mercier floated past us as little pixies sprinkled dust to illuminate the path to her table. She carried a glass of wine (I know it so French and so cliche even though she's from Montreal), and she clutched a $2,000 hand bag that makes jealous fashionistas wetter than Manila in monsoon season.

Players are back from a break. Two more levels tonight.

* * * * *
9:47pm....

Big stacks: Henning Granstad, David Singer, Diogo Borges, tsarast, and Jason Kang

Recent bustouts: 2008 bracelet winner JC Tran, Bryan Devonshire, Steve Paul-Ambrose, Kevin O'Donnell, Anthony Lellouche, and Jeffrey Lisandro

Players Remaining: 1,341

Main Event Totals: 6,200 unconfirmed... the Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Liz Lieu elevating her stunning self to 48,000. She's looking all cuddling after the dinner break. Lacey Jones at 24K and trying to get something started. Tiffany Michelle has been slowly losing chips since her sick move earlier in the day. And Isabelle? 39K. I walk by her table to bask in her warmth.

The entire field is inside the Amazon Room. No more Brasilia tables. Most of the red section is inhabited by cash games. Marcel Luske stood on the rail and mingled with fans while a camera crew followed him. This is just Marcel's world and we're renting in it. Too bad that the Flying Dutchman went busto. Another one of Tony G's horse bites the dust. Ah he ran several good races this year and made The G some cash.

The Saturday night railbirds are out in full force. Some of them walk slowly in a Valium haze while others are channeling their inner paparazzi cameraman and snapping photos (with flash) of anyone and everyone.

Archie Karras is back up to 30K. No word is he played craps with TJ on dinner break.

* * * * *
11:01pm....

Big stacks: Henning Granstad, Arnaud Mattern, Bakes, Andrew Tisler, and Serj Markarian.

Recent bustouts: Keith Sexton, Paul Darden, Jonathan Kalmar, TJ Cloutier, Ester Rossi, Kirk Morrison, and Mark Gregorich

Players Remaining: 1,160

Main Event Totals: 6,400 unconfirmed... the Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Liz Lieu up to 50K. Lovely Lacey Jones at 25K. Tiffany Michelle back up to 40K. And Isabelle a bit under 40K. Every time Isabelle loses chips, a little bit of Mean Gene dies. Evy has four stacks of mulit-colored chips.

OK, so Harrah's just dodged a major bullet. The Main Event will go over last year's numbers although they limped over the finish line. Despite the fact that the numbers are up, the Green Box Conspiracy continues.

One problem over, a new one pops up. Only 1,200 players advanced to Day 2 from flights 1a and 1b. A thousand might advance tonight and another 1,200 might advance on Sunday. That's a big difference in flights 2a and 2b with 1,200 versus 2,200. Players will be a bitchin'.

I heard floor people grumbling about not being able to play in the Employees event. Supposedly the reason against it was because since they had access to the chips, then they could steal them and cheat.

Mustapha is bummed that Paul Darden busted.

This is the most crowded I have seen the Amazon Room during the Main Event.

* * * * *
12:12am...

Big stacks: Henning Granstad, Bakes, Andrew Tisler, Arnaud Mattern, Mike Souza

Recent bustouts: Marcel Luske, Andre Akkari, Tony G, and David Plastik

Players Remaining: 1,098

Main Event Totals: 6,400+ unconfirmed... the Green Box Conspiracy continues

Hot Chicas: Isabelle has some competition at her table. Not only does she have a guy in a Green Bay Packers hat and against a guy in a Johnny Bench shirt, she also has EPT hottie Kara Scott. Yumo! Two thumbs up from me. Wait Isabelle, who?


Kara Scott
Courtesy of PokerNews.com
Yes, the G is nevermore. He got on his bike and pedaled home. Brazilian Andre Akkari is also a casualty. Benjo was excited that a French player was in the Top 5 in chips.

I found ActionBob. He's sitting at a table with Sheiky and Eric Morris from Bluff. ActionBob has a healthy stack.

Iggy is sitting next to a guy wearing a straw PokerStars hat. Across from Iggy's table is a online guy from Norway named FishOnTilt. Tilt is kryptonite for poker players. Some love to snort it. Others smoke it. Others avoid it.

* * * * *
12:45am...

I lost a round of Lime Tossing with Otis. He nailed it. Otis 1, Pauly 0. Overall, we are tied.

Day 1c complete.

Iggy and Schecky both advance to Day 2b.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/05/2008 02:34:00 PM | Permalink |

 
2008 WSOP Day 36: Main Event Day 1B - Yawn

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

In my four years of covering the WSOP, Day 1B was one of the smallest opening day fields that I had seen. It honestly did not feel like the most prestigious tournament in the world with regards to atmosphere and energy.

I have covered enough tournaments to know that Day 1s are always historically snoozefests. Nothing really happens on Day 1 and the big stories won't develop for several more days. The only noteworthy news on Day 1s usually surround which pro busted out early. Sometimes you are shocked at the news. Other times, you shake your head and think, "He/she busted on Day 1? Again?"

Day 1b eliminations included several former WSOP champions; Jamie Gold, Greg Raymer, and Tom McEvoy all bit the dust. A couple of 2008 bracelet winners also failed to advance to Day 2. That list included Daniel Negreanu, Brazilian Alex Gomes, and Kenny Tran.

For a while, I sweated two former world champions who sat within one table of each other. Jamie Gold and Robert Varkonyi were both in Seat 1. Talk about a tale of two champions.

Even with Gold's discounted first place prize (he had to give up an undisclosed amount to Crispin Leyser), he still picked up a ton more cash and a flurry of publicity. Varknoyi only won $2 million for his victory six years ago. His fifteen minutes of fame happened a couple of months too late. Timing. It's everything. Especially with celebrity. But does the Varkonyi Effect sound as cool and hip as the Moneymaker Effect?

At the 2002 WSOP, Varkonyi had to survive a field of 631 players. At that time it seemed like such a massive field. That number broke the record set from the year before. And the top 45 players won prize money. Among those who cashed at the 2002 Main Event? David Sklansky and Tom 'DonkeyBomber' Schneider. Seriously. DonkeyBomber finished in 36th place that year. And you know about some dude named Phil Ivey, right? Ivey took 23rd. Big Game regular Miny Ly? He took 9th place. And Tony G's whipping boy Ralph 'sticky fingers' Perry finished in third place that year.

I started to get into poker just around the time that the main event was televised on ESPN. The production quality was awful. Gabe Kaplan and Phil Hellmuth did some of the commentary. They did not use hole cams and the graphics are ancient. But even without all the bells and whistles, the stories were still compelling. I taped it on my VCR back when people actually used VCRs and I must have watched that episode over and over.

Varkonyi just doesn't get the respect that other champions had gotten from the players, media, and fans. Call it bad luck. Poor timing. The way some people talk, they think he won his world championship in the 1970s when the fields were super small and you won a bracelet for essentially taking down a three table SNG.

Varkonyi is not a big time tournament player. He doesn't even consider himself a pro and dabbles with poker. He plays very few events on the circuit and does not have any sponsorship with a major online poker site. In fact, a quick glance at Varkonyi's Hendon Mob stats will tell you that registered a mere seven cashes since 2002. His two biggest score were in the WSOP main event... five years apart.

Varkonyi earned $2,085,118 over his career. Subtract the $2M he won at the Horseshoe in 2002, and he has only won a mere $85K in six years. His resume has unimpressive final table finishes at two rinkydink tournaments in LA-based casinos.

Varokonyi's greatest feat was not his victory in 2002, rather his 117th place finish in the 2007 WSOP that included 6,358. Varkonyi outlasted over 6,000 players in 2007 compared to 631 in 2002.

I have vivid flashbacks of a pregnant Olga Varkonyi going deep in the 2005 main event, as Robert Varkonyi morosely stood on the rail and sweated his wife. It must have been both an enthralling and humiliating experience to witness his wife make a run and finish in 238th place and get more media coverage for her spurt than he did when he won the whole damn thing.

Olga also cashed in this year's Ladies event. Sadly, since 2005 Olga has more WSOP cashes than her husband, the former world champion.

Well on Day 1b of the 208 main event. Robert Varkonyi made he cut and advanced to Day 2 while his wife busted out and had to sweat him on the rail for the rest of the night. I'm sure Varkonyi would love to cash in the main event in consecutive years. He's on the right path to do so. He has already outlasted the likes of Negreanu, Fossilman, and Ted Forrest.

Varkonyi busted Phil Hellmuth at the 2002 WSOP main event. Hellmuth ranted and raved and said Varonkyi was an awful player. Yeah, some things never change. Hellmuth then made a ridiculous bet that if Varkonyi won it all, then he would shave his head. Well, Varkonyi won and everyone held Hellmuth to his word. At the end of that telecast of the final table, Hellmuth sat down and Becky Binion took an electric razor and shaved it all off as Gabe Kaplan tooled on him and Matt Savage milled around in the background and Devilfish was mugging for camera time.

So now it's time to me to issue a challenge. If Robert Varkonyi makes the final table and is one of the final nine players... I will shave my head (what little hair I have left) for charity just like Hellmuth.


Original content written and provided by Pauly from Tao of Poker at www.taopoker.com. All rights reserved. RSS feeds are for non-commercial use only.
posted by Pauly at 7/05/2008 08:28:00 AM | Permalink |

 
WSOP Day 36: Main Event Day 1B - Live Blog

By Pauly
Las Vegas, NV

Welcome back to the slaughterhouse as we celebrate America's birthday.

I got early word that 1,114 runners were signed up as of 11:00am. That number will jump a bit. I dunno if they will get as many as yesterday, which was 1,297.

Stay tuned for live updates.

* * * * *
11:00am...

In position for Day 1b. I'm sort of sleep walking through today. I glimpsed at a preliminary list of players in today's field. That includes the Boatman brothers, Finnish Boy Toy Patrik Antonius (aka Snoopy's model friend), Bill Edler, Nordberg, Bruno Fitoussi, Kristy Gazes, Jamie Gold, Thor Hansen, Orel Hershiser, Kenna James, Alex KGB Kravchenko, Kathy Liebert, Erick Lindgren, Tom McEvoy, Daniel Negreanu, Greg Raymer, Erik Seidel, Vanessa Rousso, Kenny Tran, Lee Watkinson, Vicky Coren, Matt Hilger, Jesse Jones, and Robert Varkonyi.

* * * * *
12:01pm...

Doors opened at 11:40, which was twenty minutes earlier than yesterday. The intro music was extremely... flamboyant. It sounded like something you'd hear at Plato's Retreat. Who picks the music here? Awful. They have a specific playlist from a single mix and depending on the day, they play specific tracks.

Anyway, players trickled in as soon as the doors opened. The early birds. As Benjo remarked a few weeks ago, the players who arrive early are almost always donkeys and dead money. Pros never show up on time, let alone twenty minutes early.

Ah, the eager beavers. They want to soak up every ounce of the WSOP experience which includes being bombarded by loud and obnoxious music. I have on noise reduction headphones and I can't drown it out. The WSOP has always been known for its high cheese factor and today is no exception.

Some country western singer got on the mic to sing the Star Spangled Banner in honor of July 4th. He also asked veterans or current soldiers to stand up so we could give them a round of applause and thanks them for their service and dedication.

Jeffrey Pollack asked players to wave mini flags that they were given depending on their country. He asked them to wave them for the cameras. That sort of backfired. Another interesting concept that failed in the execution stage.

Pollack introduced 2007 WSOP Champion Jerry Yang who spoke to the crowd. In his yoda-like vernacular, Jerry Yang referred to the Commissioner as "Jeffrey Pole-lock"... I almost fell off my chair. He then uttered the famous words, "Shuffle up and deal!"

Cards went in the air at 12:08pm. Five levels today. Levels are two hours.

The Brasilia Room will not be used today. And the Red section is not even full according to Poker Shrink. Stay tuned for official numbers.

And yes, the Green Box Conspiracy continues. They are covering up the official numbers. Trust no one. The truth is out there. Otis was the gunman on the grassy knoll. Check the Zapruder film.

* * * *
1:01pm....

Recent Eliminations: Ted Forrest

The Suicide King went out after he flopped a set of deuces and lost to a guy who had a big draw and got there. Forrest was an early casualty. He had a $1 million prop bet with Phil Ivey that he'd win a bracelet this year before Ivey did. Ivey has yet to play the Main Event, while Forrest's 2008 WSOP is over. Unless... he gets a dealing job with the Wynn and then becomes eligible to play in the Casino Employees Event.

Had a chance to chat with Pat Dittmar. He's an interesting cat who is head of trading at TradePointTechnologies.com. He recently published a book called Practical Poker Math... which focuses on basic odds and probabilities for hold'em and omaha. Check it out when you can. He gave me a free copy and autographed it.

He's probably one of the most intriguing people I met so far at the WSOP. He's a former ship captain that worked trading routes in West Africa. According to his bio he's run with a "colorful assortment of ships' Captains, mercenaries, black marketers, spies, and Angolan diamond smugglers." Sounds like my kind of guy. That's what is great about poker... it brings all sorts of characters from the farthest corners of the world.

Hal Lubarsky is back. He was the blind player who played in last year's event with the help of a friend who whispered the cards in his ear.

I did a quick run around the room. I sweated a couple of Scandi players such as William Thorson (latest PokerStars team member and his screen name is 'William' which indicates how long he's been playing on Stars) and Borge Dypvik the Norwegian Thugger. "Oh he's finally old enough to play?" mentioned Change100 when I told her I found one of my favorite Scandi young guns.

I also did a quick hat count...

Black Fedoras: 1
PokerStars Straw Hats: 4
Cowboy Hats: 11
Cowboy Hats with PokerStars Patches: 2 (by Tom McEvoy and Vicky Coren)
Pink Cowboy Hats: 1

Almost an hour into today's event, smooth sailing so far. Kind of mellow for 4th of July. I expect the drunks to start trickling in over the next couple of hours.

I caught one bustout hand between two unknowns. Aces versus Kings. "That was kinda boring," said one player at an adjacent player who stood next to me to sweat the action.

Still awaiting on official numbers.

* * * * *
2:02pm...

Big stacks: Stephen Ladowsky, John Robbins, Giles Smadia, Michael Guzzardi, and Kristy Gazes

Shorties: Tuan Le

Recent bustouts: Daniel Negreanu, Andy Black, and Sebastian Ruthenberg

I got some unofficial numbers...

Day 1a: 1,297
Day 1b: 1,164
Day 1c: 1,458
Day 1d: 1,304
Total Registered for Main Event: 5,223

Those number are subject to change and will increase.

Kristy Gazes busted a player and she almost doubled her starting stack.

I spotted Anguila from Spain playing in today's event. He's wearing his trademark blue scarf, shades, and listening to his iPod.

FTrain told me about Jamie Gold's table. They started with 25/50 blinds instead of 50/100. Ooops.

I wandered over to the featured TV table. Erick Lindgren is there. He's a quiet guy and not as animated as Scotty Nguyen, so I expect them to rotate him off an put someone else up there. I checked out the Beast lounge. Not that many drunks up there yet. It has half empty.

ESPN's cameras were camped out at Orel Hershiser's table getting some b-roll of everyone's favorite pitcher. Of course, the Michale Jordan of cricket, Shane Warne from Australia, is here playing in today's event. In Las Vegas, he has the odd Aussie media rep sweating him. In Australia, he has legitimate paparazzi following his every move.

Jay Greenspan sighting. He looked great because he's not stuck in the trenches logging long hours like he had to do in previous years. He was here with his lovely wife.

Did John Duthie bust? Duthie raced across the Orange section and went out the side door. Usually you can tell by the pace of the walk whether a player is a) eliminated; b) has to take a piss; c) jonesin' for a smoke. As it turned out Duthie had to take a leak.

And don't forget to take a peek at Flipchip's photos from Day 1A.

* * * * *
3:03pm....

Big stacks: John Robbins, Raul Paez, Giles Smadia, Steve Brecher and Stephen Ladowsky

Recent bustouts: Dewey Tomko

What do I see from the pressbox? An ESPN camera crew stands off to the side awaiting instructions from their feild producer who is scanning the Orange section looking for something interesting for the cameras. I guy in a Bellagio sweat shirt threw his hands up over his head. I assume it was a bad beat or he folded the nuts. Sam Grizzle stood up and hitched up his pants. He shook his head and shifted the toothpick in his mouth. A LA douchebag in an Ed Hardy t-shirt called over a cocktail server. A Scandi looking guy with huge headphones scanned his iPod for a song as he held up the action on table #32. Felipe from PokerNews stopped in the middle of two tables and bent down to get into better position to snap a photo. A guy wearing desert army fatigues at an Hal Lubarsky's table jumped up and pulled a small digital camera out of his pocket. He took a photo of the cards on the table. The gentleman put his camera back into his pocket, shook his head, and walked away from the table. I assumed that it was a bad beat. He head to the rail. The causalities are mounting.

"All in and a call on table 16!" one dealer shouted. Thirty second later, "Seat open on Table 16."

I had an awesome ten minute shat with Steve Rosenbloom. Awesome guy and one of my favorite sports writers. He's one of the few legitimate writers here. He gave me a bit of advice on writing and we also chatted about his hometown Bears. He also referred to Red Bull as "tastes like lion piss."

* * * * *
4:04pm....

Big stacks: Raul Paez, John Robbins, Michael Watson, Helge Stjernvang, and Giles Smadia

Recent bustouts: Scott Fischman and Tuan Le

Main Event Entrants: 5,278 and counting


Anguila
Photo courtesy of Filpac from PokerNews.com
Fear the Eel! Javier "Anguila" Etayo is from Madrid but writes a poker blog in English called Runner-Runner. It's one of my favorites and they few that I constantly read. We first met at the EPT Barcelona in September and he has been here for several weeks. He was excited about Spain's victory in the European Championships. He had a nice score in March when he won his first ever live tournament. He took down the Campeonato Espana De Poker event at the Casino Barcelona for $63,923.

Anguila is playing at Matt Hilger's table. He just lost a pot but he's still above average. Juan from the PokerNews Spain site told me that Anguila has been running hot and destroying the local tournaments in Madrid. Stay tuned for more Anguila updates.

Norm Chad stopped by a table to chat. Wen he left two guys made fun of him and the entire table burst out laughing.

Not very much to report in the second level. To quote F Train, "It's dead out there."

AlCanthang sighting in the Amazon Ballroom.

* * * * *
4:20pm...

Today's smoke break is sponsored by PokerStars!



* * * * * *
5:05pm....

Big stacks: Patrik Antonius, Mike "SirWatts" Watson, Raul Paez, Johnny Caruso, and Aliaksandr Yalouskikh.

Shorties: Orel Hershiser, David Bach, and Julius Colman

Recent bustouts: Greg "Fossilman" Raymer and Kenny Tran

Players Remaining: 1,044

Updated unofficial numbers...

Day 1a: 1,297
Day 1b: 1,158
Total Registered for Main Event: 5,301

As I chatted with Rigs and AlCantHang, a 60 year old woman walked past me in a wedding dress. OK, that was a tad peculiar but not the weirdest thing that I had ever seen in Las Vegas. During the drive to work today, I commented to Change100 that Day 1a lacked the circus-like atmosphere in that players weren't dressed up and doing goofy shit. Sure, there was that guy dressed up like a wizard, but aside from him that was it. No fake nuns. No Joe Sebok in a bear suit. No guys wearing Elmo masks. I haven't even seen that guy with the chef hat. Just an ordinary field of rodents and other assorted sea life.

I'd love to see a guy show up in a donkey costume. I'd buy that guy a beer for sure.

Nollan Dalla got on the mic and asked everyone to give Howard "Tahoe" Andrew a round of applause for being the only guy in the room to have played in every WSOP since 1974. Dalla told me that Sklansky argues that he should be mentioned too because he has been at every WSOP since 1971. However that is a technicality because Sklansky admits that he only played cash games the first couple of years and did not play in any events.

Players recently returned from the second break. I hate breaks on Day 1s because the hallways are crowded with guys doing one of four things... smoking, eating, pissing, or talking on the phone. Sometimes they do all four at once but often a combination of any two. I once saw a guy eat a slice of pizza, smoke a cig, while pissing and telling someone a bad beat story on the phone.

During breaks the massage girls huddle up in the corner, sit down, relax, and exchange masseuse bad beat stories. One of the hot ones complained about one guy who smelled very bad. Another talked about the old creepy guy who wanted his feet massage. I know what you were thinking. It wasn't Sklansky. And the other wondered when Gus Hansen would be here so she could "work on his muscles."

The WSOP is a cacophony of bad beats. Players. Dealers. Floor staff. Writers. Masseuses. Even the working girls at the hooker bar get sucked out from time to time. Chugging cock is so fuckin' rigged.

* * * * *
6:06pm....

Big stacks: Patrik Antonius, Mike "SirWatts" Watson, Christina Hall,Stephen Ladowsky, and Redmond Lee

Shorties: Jamie Gold

Recent bustouts: David Bach, Julius Colman, Ram Vaswani, and David Levi

Players Remaining: 99

I found MeanGene in the corner and we chatted about total number of entrants.

"1,100? Whoa...." he said. "But it's Fourth of July."

"Stop making excuses!" I yelled.

Change100 mentioned that they need 2,000+ runners the next two days to breaklast year's number.

I bumped into DaveShoelace in the hallway. Everyone's favorite British writer was playing heads up poker in the Ladbrokes Lounge.

"I took up your advice and played PLO at the Mirage," he said. "Then two guys with cowboy hats who never played PLO sat down and all I could think was... fantastic!"

DaveShoelace is not playing in the main event. He's among a group of foreign players who come to Vegas for a few weeks during the WSOP but don't play in events. They play cash games and stake other players.

At Table #1, Jamie Gold is sitting in Seat 1. Two tables away at Table #11, Robert Varkonyi is sitting in Seat 1. Talk about a tale of two champions. Jamie Gold's mom said hello to me as she wandered by to see how her son was doing.

Tao of Poker reader Tim Jaxon has about 32k in chips. He's sitting right in front of MeanGene. He also had a cool cardcapper/good luck charm which was an old school pocketwatch. He said it had an interesting story that he'd tell me someday.

My favorite Norwegian thugger Borge Dypvik appeared fascinated with woman's softball. He kept a keen eye on plasma screen. Either he has a big bet with Phil Ivey, or the kid has a fetish for softball players.

The ugliest hand of the day? All in on an Ace high flop between Q-7 and 6-2. Of course the 6-2 won.

I walked past Kristy gazes table and she flashed her superstar smile.

"What is on your iPod?"

"Ryan Adams. You listen to him?" she said.

I shook my head.

"What's on your shirt?" she said and pointed at my chest.

"It's the drummer from Phish."

"You're such a hippie," she said as I walked away.


Phish in Las Vegas circa 1996

* * * * *
7:07pm....

Big stacks: Patrik Antonius, Mike "SirWatts" Watson, Erick Lindgren, brother of the Grinder, and Ron Adams

Shorties: Bill Spadea

Recent bustouts: Jamie Gold and Olga Varkonyi.

Players Remaining: 909

Wow.... Robert Varkonyi outlasted his wife Olga this year.

In competitive eating news, Joey Chestnut defended his crown in the Nathan's hotdog eating contest. He and Kobayashi were tied and they had to go into overtime for a five hotdog eat-off. Chestnut won consecutive titles.

According to WSOP fashionista Change100... Tiffany Michelle and Mario Ho walked through the room. Ho was wearing super short shorts. As they strolled through the Orange section, every guy's head turned to look. Even the stone cold faced Alex KGB Kravchenko had to turn to look. That's you know when you are hot... when Alex KGB stops what he's doing in the middle of a hand to peer up at Ho's goodies.

I can hear the rattle of the chip racks in the background over all the other noises in the Amazon Room. When the rattling racks gets closer and closer to the press box it means that tables are breaking, The entire red section has been converted to cash game tables and they began breaking tables in the orange section.

ESPN cameras hovered around Lee Watinskon's table in front of the pressbox. Since he was the biggest named pro at the final table last year, Lee is on ESPN's radar.He's even chatting with ESPN host Lon McEachern. I can see Billy the Croc at the far end of the Orange section. You can't miss him with his Crocodile hat.

The girl wearing the pink cowboy hat is still in. Vicky Coren was also wearing a straw cowboy hat and she's still alive as well.

I went to sweat Erick Lindgren on the featured table. I was stopped by three different Harrah's interns. They each asked to see my media credentials.

"You are unable to conduct or solicit any business with players on the table," he said.

"Me? I'm worst than an agent. I'm the media. I'm just here to get the story. And you know what, our little exchange is the story. Thanks," I said and left the area.

Harrahs is keeping the agents away from the TV table. Finally. They are policing the area and cleaning it up sort of like when crack swept into NYC in the 1980s and things got ugly. The city eventually cleaned up the streets because as we all know, crack is whack.

Harrahs is trying to keep out the seedy element from the TV table. That also included those skanky models that different companies send to sit in the stands are try to get free face time. You can't get something for nothing, right?

These peanuts are making me thirsty. And up in the press box, one European media guy is playing six tables of online poker... at once... on two different sites.

Players are going on a dinner break until 8:30pm.

* * * * *
8:42pm....

Big stacks: Patrik Antonius, Markus Golser, The brother of the Grinder, Redmond Lee, and Erick Lindgren

Shorties: Jacobo Fernandez

Recent bustouts: Orel Hershiser

Players Remaining: 881

As players made their way back to their seats from dinner break, Hal Lubarsky was led through the maze of empty tables by his whisperer.

One random player tried to smooth talk a masseuse. He wanted to tell her about how much money he won last night her response? "Do you ever feel like we're just rats in a maze?"

I stood at the crossroads in the middle of the Amazon Ballroom. The remaining 900 or so players rushed past me to take their seats. They had two more levels to survive before they advanced to day two. With four tedious hours ahead of them, the players shifted back into playing mode. The hats when up. The shades back on. The iPod cranked up. A couple of players finished up last minute phones calls.

"I'll call you as soon as I bust," said one pessimistic guy in a LA Dodgers hat.

"I outlasted David Negreanu and Fossilman," another player bragged.

As soon as cards were in the air, one dealer immediately screamed out, "All in on table 21."

Overheard on the smokers porch: Two dealers talked about the casino employee event.

"You playing?"
"Only if I get staked. You wanna buy a piece?"
"Maybe, you have to be better than the idiots I dealt to yesterday."

* * * * *
9:43pm....

Big stacks: Patrik Antonius, Brian Schaedlich, Ron Adams, Mike "SirWatts" Watson, Alexander Meidinger

Shorties: Sam Grizzle, Robert Varkony

Recent bustouts: Marc Goodwin, Nordberg, and Matt Brady

Players Remaining: 819

One player showed up in a robe and sat down in an empty seat at table #21. Nice. Finally someone with a sense of humor. Within minutes there was another all in at that table.

Sam Grizzle still chomping down on his toothpick, while Erick Seidel got a massage.

The voice from the sky boomed, "Open seating for 20/40 limit hold'em."

And yes, that was the most exciting things that I saw in the last twenty minutes.

"Nothing is happening," mentioned Maridu, a writer from Brazil.

She titled her latest blog post "tranquilo." I don't speak Portuguese but I know enough Latin to tell you that it means tranquil or calm or quiet. All three proper adjectives to describe the action, or lack of action. Last night, the hour after the dinner break featured a flurry of eliminations.

A very attractive woman with a tight red cocktail dress stood on the rail. She was two-fisting it with a glass of champagne and some sort of vodka drink. Her friend in an equally stunning dress stood behind her. They totally looked out of place... I think they were at a wedding down the hall and wandered by accidentally.

Only half of the cash games tables are filled which is a surprise for 9pm. But then again, the 4th of July holiday has had an obvious effect with the lack of railbirds and players looking for cash games.

At the featured TV table, there were lots of empty seats. It was hard to get people to watch because there weren't too many spectators milling around in the first place. Even the Milwaukee's Beast lounge was sparse with more people watching Erick Lindgren and eight unknowns branded in Full Tilt or PokerStars hats than wanting to knock back cans of Beast.

The cute dealer was at Blue #47. One guy was trying to angle shoot and say that he did owe what he really did.

Nolan Dalla got on the mic and mentioned that Tom McEvoy won the WSOP 25 years ago and that he was the first satellite winner into a WSOP event. The crowd gave him a warm round of applause.

I shouted out, "Give him a free food comp!"

McEvoy is a Team PokerStars player and he's is still alive along with Vicky Coren. Both outlasted fellow PokerStars players Fossilman and Danny Boy.

When I wandered into the poker kitchen, I could hear random pops from nearby fireworks display, perhaps from Mandalay Bay? I ran into two readers from St. Louis who wanted to know where the hooker bar was located.

Check out MeanGene's latest post about the 4th of July... Happy Birthday Indeed. Very politically honest.

* * * * *
10:44pm....

Big stacks: Brian Schaedlich, Anders Berg, SirWatts, Marc Karam, and Rob Eckstut

Shorties: Blair Rodman, Jacobo Fernandez and Sam Grizzle

Recent bustouts: Patrick Bueno, William Thorson, DanDruff, and Ross Boatman

Players Remaining: 738

Main Event Entrants: 5,558 and counting (according to Benjo)

French high stakes cash game player Patrick Bueno was eliminated before the final break. One of the cute chicks from the French press walked over to Benjo to tell him about the hand. "Bueno busto," she said.

See you, don't need to speak French to understand poker lingo in France.

I asked Howard Swains from PokerStars Blog about his thoughts on Day 1b. "Oh today has been one of the best days of my life," deadpanned Howard.

I love British humor. Biting sarcasm. Harsh realities.

"Actually, today is much like any other day," he eventually added.

Nothing out of the ordinary. He did mention that Brits were not very keen on celebrating the 4th of July... for obvious reasons.

When I asked Homer if he felt that the fourth of July was nauseating fro Brits he quoted Dazed and Confused...

"Okay guys, one more thing, this summer when you're being inundated with all this American bicentennial Fourth Of July brouhaha, don't forget what you're celebrating, and that's the fact that a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males didn't want to pay their taxes."

God bless America.

As players went on a break, several sprinted to the bathrooms or outside to fire up a cigarette in the smoking area. The others c