Feb 21, 2005 - Gambling Times

Transcription

Puggy Pearson PAGE
PLAYER PROFILE
by Phil Hevener
Take a doctor’s advice— PAGE
Dr. Scott Aigner—
NEW COLUMN!
PAGE
Entertainment
Best Bets
38
18
42
POKER PLAYER
Vol. 8 Number 17 February 21, 2005 A Gambling Times Publication Copyright ©2004 Bi-Weekly $3.95 USA/$4.95 CANADA
Student
Wins
World
Poker
Open—
By Nolan Dalla
No one could possibly have
predicted the startling con-
Becomes If it’s February…
Newest It must be
Instant Commerce!
Poker
Millionaire!
A few decades ago there
was a travel movie entitled,
“If itʼs Tuesday, it must be
Belgium.” In the poker
world February belongs to
clusion to the sixth annual
Jack Binion World Poker
Open championship event.
the Commerce Casino in
Los Angeles, California,
the poker capital of the
world. The big month long
(Continued on page 30)
The most unlikely of dark
horses, John Stolzmann – a
Harrah’s Rincon continues
WSOP
Circuit
later, with the world championship of poker main event.
The championship event is
expected to draw as many as
5,000 entries (or more) and
will last an unprecedented
nine days. The first 42 days of
the WSOP will be held in the
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Bashar “Charlie” Satoot wins $75,201 in the eighth
event of Commerceʼs LAPC XIV
A Word from the
“Mad Genius,”
Mike Caro
Today’s word is...
“TWO”
Turn to page 4 for more
0
74470 05299
9
0 8>
The Harrahʼs Rincon Poker
Tournament, the second stop
on the WSOP circuit, running
February 20 through March
2 will include nine events.
Harrahʼs Rincon is currently
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the World Series of Poker satellite tours. For a $40 buy-in,
players in these tournaments
can win a spot at the $10,000
final event on February 27.
These daily tournaments
are held on the following
schedule: Sunday-Friday:
10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m, and
Saturday:10:30 a.m. and 2:30
p.m.
The WSOP Circuit ends in
Las Vegas at the Rio All-Suites
Casino and Hotel, making it
the only venue that will host
two stops. The 36th annual
World Series of Poker begins
on June 2 and ends 41 events
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
P O K E R P L AY E R
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8 Thu March 10 7:15 p.m.❂BOUNTY LIMIT HOLD‘EM $225+$25
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15 Thu March 17 7:15 p.m. LIMIT HOLD‘EM
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16 Fri March 18 7:15 p.m. LOWBALL
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17 Sat March 19 4:15 p.m. NO-LIMIT HOLD ‘EM** $300+$30 $100,000
Sun March 20 12:15 p.m. NO-LIMIT HOLD ‘EM
Lips Tour — Ladies
$150+$25
18 Sun March 20 4:15 p.m. OMAHA HI-LO
$500+$40
19 Mon March 21 7:15 p.m. LIMIT HOLD‘EM
$500+$40
$500+$40
$500+$40
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EVENT
Thu March 24 2:00 p.m. NO-LIMIT HOLD‘EM—Final
9 Fri March 11 7:15 p.m. OMAHA HI-LO
22 Thu March 24 7:15 p.m. STUD HI-LO
$300+$30
10 Sat March 12 4:15 p.m. NO-LIMIT HOLD‘EM** $200+$25 $75,000
11 Sun March 13 4:15 p.m. STUD HI-LO
$300+$30
12 Mon March 14 7:15 p.m. LIMIT HOLD‘EM
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$300+$30
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Thu March 17 2:00 p.m. NO-LIMIT HOLD‘EM—Final
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23 Sat March 26 4:15 p.m. NO-LIMIT HOLD‘EM
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24 Sun March 27 4:15 p.m. NO-LIMIT HOLD‘EM
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
3
Caro’s Word: “TWO”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“You need to shift gears,”
Taffy teased me years ago.
She had just made a daring
call and guessed right – I
had been bluffing. She knew
I made shifting gears a cornerstone of my poker teachings, and she was speculating
that Iʼd been bluffing too
often and needed to back off
– to shift into a lower, less
aggressive gear.
“How many gears do I
need?” I asked.
“Just three,” she said.
“First, second, and third. You
should stay in second most
of the time and go only to
third when you want to play
more aggressively. When you
need to tighten up, you go to
first. Isnʼt that right?”
Taffy seemed genuinely
proud of her answer. She
reasoned that it was in accordance with my teachings and
that I would be impressed.
I was impressed, but only
mildly. You see, the threegear methodology in poker is
used routinely by many professionals, but thereʼs a much
better way that is taught at
Mike Caro University of
Poker – or, I should say, is
about to be taught on our latest training videos, still in the
scripting stage. Itʼs the MCU
Two-or-Five Gear System.
Itʼs actually two system, but
you should be prepared to
use either one, depending on
which is best suited for your
opponents. Against unsophisticated opponents, I generally use the MCU Two-Gear
System. The five-gear system
is usually reserved for trickier and more observant foes.
The three-gear system that
Tammy defined is fine, and
I recommend it, too. But at
the university level, we often
use two or five gears. Weʼre
about to examine the twogear option. And it flat out
wins money the easy way.
The five-gear solution
is so profound that I even
thought briefly about keeping it to myself. Although
Iʼm committed to sharing all
secrets in the coming years,
this one puts strong opponents off balance so much
that I argued long and hard
with my other self about
whether to reveal it while
Iʼm still playing poker regularly. I should wait another
10 years, my other self
asserted. But, although the
debate was lively, my real
self prevailed, and Iʼm going
to explain the system to you
in my next column. First,
letʼs look at something that
can devastate weak and average opponents.
Why shift?
Keep in mind that the
main reason you need to shift
gears is to confuse opponents
and keep them off guard.
You donʼt want to give alert
opponents an advantage
by being too predictable.
A secondary reason to shift
gears is to adapt to a different group of opponents or to
game conditions. This second
motive means youʼre not trying to confuse opponents as
much as adjust to them. Taffy
was right in saying that a
three-gear system works OK
for these purposes, assuming
you know when to shift.
Ah, but thatʼs the problem!
Most players donʼt know
when to shift – and they
shift basically at random, in
the chaos of battle. When
you shift randomly, just for
the purpose of shifting and
nothing more, youʼre shifting away from your most
obvious strategy, sometimes
unnecessarily. Your most
obvious strategy is usually
the most profitable and you
should use it unless a need
for deception or opponentsʼ
styles dictate otherwise.
Against opponents in a
universe where opponents
never adapt to your play,
you wouldnʼt need to shift
gears. You might change
gears against another set of
opponents, whose style of
play was different, but you
wouldnʼt against the same
opponents who did their
same old thing regardless of
how you played.
Actually, when to shift
isnʼt that complicated. If your
opponents call too much, do
you play more hands? Yes,
you enter pots with more
hands, since you donʼt need
as much strength to make
a profit. Thatʼs because
the hands youʼll be bumping heads with wonʼt be as
strong, either. Generally,
you just need to average a
little more strength than your
opponents to have an edge,
and that means if they play
more hands, you can, too.
You only need to stay a little
more conservative than they
are in your hand selection.
And, of course, you can bet
more hands against them
once youʼre already involved
in a pot. Why? Itʼs because
youʼll get called by worse
hands than you normally
would, so you donʼt need
normal strength to justify a
wager.
Thereʼs more to the topic
of when to shift gears – so
very much more, and weʼve
talked about some of it in the
past. Essentially, you need
to bet more often and play
more hands when opponents
are timid or intimidated by
you. This happens when
you control the game, usually when youʼre conspicuously winning. On the other
hand, you must be more
conservative about your bets
and about which hands you
play when opponents are
inspired. Thatʼs when theyʼll
make correct raises and calls
and bet more rationally.
Opponents are inspired when
their winning or when youʼre
losing – and a combination
of the two can be deadly.
Against inspired opponents,
you need to back off – you
need to gear down. You must
play more conservatively.
The MCU Two Gear
System
There are more factors,
of course, but thatʼs not my
primary topic today. What
weʼre talking about now isnʼt
when to shift gears, but how.
Iʼve given you a few pointers
about when, so here comes
the moment when I fulfill
my promise of giving you a
simple solution. Once youʼve
decided that you either want
to gear up to a higher speed
or gear down to a lower one,
hereʼs the easiest way to do
it.
It all centers around nearly
borderline hands. Borderline
hands are those that afford
decisions that are extremely
close and itʼs not obvious to
you what the better choice
4
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
POKER PLAYER
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Phil Hevener
CONSULTANT
Contributing
Columnists
Nolan Dalla
George Epstein
“Oklahoma Johnny” Hale
Ashley Adams
Susie Isaacs
Diane McHaffie
James McKenna
I. Nelson Rose
Nic Szeremeta
Rich Wilens
John Vorhaus
Ernie Kaufman, Sports
Poker Player will be published Bi-Weekly
by Gambling Times Incorporated,
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Volume 8 Number 17.
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Distribution to newsstands, card clubs, poker rooms and
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
5
Dear ESPN Producers, Writers, Editors, Technical
Advisors and Advertisers for the new TV series,
“ T I LT ” —
CHIP CHATTEr
By SUSIE ISAACS
I am Susie Isaacs, writer and poker player. I
write a regular column for a poker-themed
magazine. I am the 1996 and 1997 Ladies World Champion. I have
been involved in the world of poker since 1985. Since then, my
colleagues and I have worked diligently to bring the sport of
poker out of the backrooms and into the limelight and to reverse
it’s once bad reputation. We have made conscious efforts to put
the years-gone-by reputation of cheating, collusion, and fleecing “tourists” on a shelf of nostalgia where it belongs and to
bring forward the many positive aspects of the game. That mission has been progressing nicely with the tremendous audience
acceptance, approval and appreciation of the World Poker Tour,
Celebrity Poker, The World Series of Poker and other televised
poker competitions (copy-cat shows, the highest form of flattery.)
Poker is not only being accepted as a sport of skill but it is estimated that over 80,000,000 Americans are playing poker in one
form or another from the Internet to the kitchen table to poker
clubs and casinos.
An example of the rapidly growing popularity of poker was
apparent in news stories from coast to coast in December of 2004.
From Connecticut (New London Times) to California (The Long
Beach Press Telegram) articles were running with titles such as
”Poker Gifts, A Sure Bet” and “As Gambling Wins Acceptance,
Sales of Home Games Rise.” Not too many years ago, if a shopper
wanted a poker related gift, they were lucky to find plastic poker
chips. Today, complete sets of clay poker chips, professional
playing cards, poker tables, card shufflers and how-to books and
videos, and other poker products can be found at hundreds of
retail outlets including retails stores you never would consider
for poker paraphernalia, Sharper Image, Toys R’ Us, The Sports
Authority, Barnes and Noble, and Bed, Bath and Beyond!
Today with the “poker renaissance” going at full speed, poker
players from all ages and all walks of life are enjoying the game,
some for fun, some in an effort to become winning players and
some with dreams of becoming champions. Poker is the only activity that brings together people from all walks of life, and from
all financial backgrounds into one social setting. The elderly are
competing with their great grandchildren, women are joining their
husband’s poker clubs, and colleges are having poker tournaments.
I have been hearing a lot about your new TV series “Tilt.” My
first thought was, “Wow! Now a television show about our game,
how much better does it get?” How wrong I was. Why do you want
to undo all the good that is happening in poker during this time
in our history? A show featuring a sleazy character as the star
who is a cheat and who is teaching a young player collusion is a
disgrace. How can you think this would be well received? Surveys
have proven that the demographics for poker players cross all
ages and both sexes. Do you think mothers would want their preteens watching this? Their heros are the poker players they see on
TV, the real ones who study the game, who do not cheat nor set
players up to be cheated. They play with heart and skill and hope
they will catch just enough luck to win a championship. They are
regular people who have families and who are pleased with their
recent recognition. Many have become stars with fans stopping
them on the streets or in airports to ask for autographs. Do you
think they want their fans looking at them and wondering if they
are some of the cheaters as depicted on your television show?
If you’re going to the time, trouble and expense of making a
new TV series on a hot new topic why on earth can’t you make it
a positive viewing experience? I have not heard one complimentary comment about the show “Tilt.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Susie Isaacs’ editorial has the whole hearted endorsement of Poker Player, its staff and writers.
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Susie Isaacs has written about poker and poker
players since 1985. She is the first woman to win
back-to-back titles at the World Series of Poker.
Her latest venture is a line of “Designer Gaming
Jewelry.” Visit www.susieisaacs.com.
6
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
7
Reading People
POwer POKER PSYCHOLOGY
By JAMES A. M CKENNA, PH D.
The personalities of players come through by how
they think and act. In this sense, when you figure
out the personality type of your opponent, you can make certain
predictions. Be careful though. Good poker players are good
actors and know how to pretend to be someone they are not.
There are those who have an opinion about everyone and every
hand. There are those who think a lot, yet are not very aggressive. Still, you will find players who seem to think very little, are
aggressive and like to live on the edge. There’s also the pleasant
social player who plays a good game but who’s there more to be
friendly than to cause any trouble. Finally, there’s the composite
player who’s hard to put on any personality type. Sometimes
these players are aggressive, sometimes passive, and at other
times they can move from tight to loose in a heart beat.
For the sake of brevity, let’s look at five personality types.
There are ROCKS, SYSTEM PLAYERS, ADRENALINE JUNKIES,
SOCIAL PLAYERS, and WINNERS.
Rocks are aggressive and play very tightly based on odds
and what’s the best way to behave. They have an opinion about
everyone else and expect perfect poker playing. There motto
could very well be, “Ready, Aim, Fire.”
At the same time, systematic players are also very structured
in their play. However, they are not as aggressive. They prefer
to stay hidden behind a bush and let others do their betting.
They think a lot and have a system for every hand they play.
Their motto could be, “Ready, Aim, Return Fire.”
Then there is the Adrenaline Junkies. They like action and
are very aggressive. They are there for the excitement and
enjoy getting other players to go on “tilt.” Their aggressive
play lacks forethought and their loose play will build big pots.
Their motto seems more like, “Ready, Fire, Aim.”
The Social Player is there to have fun and be with people.
They don’t want you to notice how well or badly they play.
Rather, they want you to know them by how nice they are, how
well they dress, or that you notice when they are absent. Their
betting is seldom aggressive and they don’t want to upset anyone. You might even hear them apologize when they win a pot.
Their motto is, “Ready, Return Fire, Aim.”
Finally, the winner seems to be more composite and in the
middle of how they respond and how assertive they play their
hands. That’s why it’s hard to put them on a hand. They can be
aggressive with bad as well as good cards. They can play the
odds, yet they can risk when the risk is worth the money. They
seem forever ready to be passive or aggressive. They take aim
and may return fire or initiate fire. Their motto could easily
be, “I’m ready for whatever you are firing.” Or, “Call this if you
don’t like money!”
When I was researching my book (Beyond Tells), I used to
enjoy changing styles to mix up my play. I still do. Sometimes
passive, then aggressive, I would enjoy being tight and then
again changing to experience how loose players feel. I found
that I not only learned how different personality types play, I
also confused players who had me pegged for a loose or a tight
player. So, be sure it’s your opponent’s personality and don’t
get locked into labeling too soon. Get ready, take aim, and make
sure you have the right target before you fire. In other words,
make sure your opponent is really the target that he or she is
displaying and not bluffing.
Sometimes, brevity has the risk being too simplistic. Look for
more detailed descriptions to reading players in my soon to be
published book that goes beyond tells. Once you learn to read a
person correctly, when they change to another way of behaving
they are acting.
James A. McKenna, PhD., has been a practicing individual
and group therapist for over thirty-five years. His knowledge of human behavior combined with over thirty years of
gaming experience gives him a unique perspective on the
psychology of the gamer. His book, “Beyond Tells-Power
Poker Psychology,” will be published soon by Gambling
Times. Write to him at [email protected].
8
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Sam Mudaro, BA, MBA, is a practicing tax
accountant and financial executive originally
from New York with over 35 years of analytical business expertise. He and his wife Eva
are nine-year Las Vegas residents. Sam uses
simulation software to analyze and develop
strategies for Omaha Hi/Lo and other forms of
poker. Reach Sam at: [email protected].
oday I will conclude
the poker foundation
series by with a discussion
of some of the differences
between tournament play
versus live ring game, game
selection and tracking your
results.
Letʼs begin with tracking
your results. Ask the average baseball fan who won
the last or next to last World
Series and most may be
able to tell you. A rare few
will be able to tell you who
lost in the playoffs. Ask
the average sports better
who won the last Kentucky
Derby and they may know.
But ask who finished fourth
and watch the blank stare.
Ask a poker player how has
he done over the last year
and you will probably hear
I am ahead of the game. I
won more than I lost. I am
holding my own. Almost no
one will be able to tell you
I am ahead $2,347.60 as of
last night. Most of us only
remember the main event.
We recall our large wins,
while we tend to suppress
our losses. The point being
if we donʼt keep track of
our progress, we will never
know for certain where we
stand.
We need to know this
information to improve our
game. What kind of information should we keep? In
its simplest form we need
to keep track of our wins
and losses. But that is only
the beginning. I maintain an
Excel worksheet and keep
track of the following information; Date, Start Time,
End Time, Location, Game,
Stakes and Win/Loss. Not
only do I keep track of my
overall financial performance, I can ascertain how
I perform at different stakes,
different games and at different casinos. I found for
example I perform better on
a Sunday afternoon than on
a Saturday evening. I also
keep notes on certain players, on whether it is a holiday weekend, how many
tourists were in the game as
compared to regular local
players, whether the game
was tight or loose, notes on
how I played certain hands
T
Sam Mudaro is the...
Poker Foundations—
Conclusion
and the results.
I also list what I
term are mistakes and what
led me to committing them.
Game selection is more
then deciding between
Hold-Em or Omaha or
which limit to play at. My
records as outlined above,
indicate I have a better win
rate in tight games with
smaller swings then I do
in loose games with large
swings. In most casinos
you will have a choice of
which table to sit at or at
minimum ask for a table
change. Why not sit in a
game that maximizes your
win potential? I will not sit
at a table with a couple of
players that I know consistently out play me. One
may actually refine game
selection down to the seat
level. When given a choice
you will want to sit to the
left of a very aggressive
player to take advantages
of his aggressiveness. You
do this by letting him lead
at the pot and then betting
if he doesnʼt or raising him
when he does.
Can one be a master at
d
both tournament play and
ring game play? Anything
is possible. But it requires
a different skill set to be
proficient in ring games as
opposed to tournaments.
Very few of us can change
gears easily. There are a
number of stages that occur
in a typical tournament and
each requires a different
style. In a ring game there is
predominately one style of
play that works best, selective aggressiveness. Some
skillful players at the higher
limits will start out in a ring
game playing a little looser
than normal as a form
of advertising or baiting
their opponents. They very
quickly change gears and
revert back to standard basic
selective aggressiveness.
There are many good books
out there on tournament
play and strategy. Space
limitations preclude me
from an in-depth discussion
here. Send me an e-mail and
I will send you a list.
Next time we will look at
the overrated deuce low.
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
9
PART 41,
Big Slick
improving performance
By TOM “TIME” LEONARD
Big Slick is the universal nickname for
an Ace/King in Hold’em. Although not
as popular or universal I have heard a suited Ace/King
be referred to as Super Slick Suited or not, Ace/King
is an excellent starting hand in Hold’em. Many of your
opponents will play this hand like it is a pair of Aces or
Kings. They raise and re-raise and cap it when given the
opportunity. As in all of poker, you need to vary your
play or you become so predictable that your more observant opponents will just start eating your lunch. There
is more than one way to play Big Slick. Believe it or not,
you may wish to just limp in with this excellent holding.
I know I do on occasion. I think how you play Big Slick
really relates to understanding what your raise is intending to accomplish.
While raising always gets more money in the pot, its
purpose when made from early position is usually to thin
the field and enhance your chances of winning the pot.
If you raise several players who have already entered
the pot for one bet from late position you may discourage players behind you from entering the fray but the
players who already have one bet invested will invariably call for one more bet. So, instead of just thinking of
Big Slick as a raise, raise, raise hand, maybe we should
consider raising with it from early position but limping in
and treating it as a drawing hand from late position. One
major advantage of limping with Big Slick from late position is deception. Most of your opponents would have
raised with this holding from any position. And what
they always do is what they think everyone else does! If
the flop produces an Ace or King your opponents will not
put you on Big Slick If you raise now they may guess
that you hit the over-card to make a pair but will probably think you hold a weak kicker since you didn’t bring
it in for a raise. Another advantage to just limping is if
the flop comes very coordinated, such as three to a flush
(not your suit) or three to a straight (again, not yours). It
makes it a lot easier to abandon what was a great starting hand but now doesn’t figure to be a winner.
If you always raise from any position with Big Slick,
start evaluating whether you might be better served
by mixing up your play and raising from early position
to thin the field and just limping from late position to
see the flop cheaply. What criteria should you use to
determine whether to raise or limp besides position? I
think a good guideline is how many players have already
entered the pot in front of you If only one or two players
have called the Big Blind, then raise and try to narrow
the field. However, if three or more players have already
called in front of you, then view your Ace/King as a drawing hand and try to see the flop as cheaply as possible.
Our goal for this session is one that becomes a recurring theme to improve your game. Namely, set a goal to
not play “formula poker”. You must mix up your game
to prevent your opponents from putting you in their
crosshairs. Playing the same hand in different ways
based upon your position, knowledge of your opponents
and texture of the game is an excellent way to prevent
becoming predictable I’ve heard opponents who have lost
to my Big Slick when I’ve just limped in with it, express
disbelief that I didn’t raise pre-flop Limping in was, in
fact, how I was able to extract extra bets post flop. Give
it a try... I think you’ll like it! See you next “TIME”.
No stranger to the green felt, Tom “Time” Leonard has played
poker for more than 30 years and has been a serious student of
the game and writer on the subject since 1994. He has regularly
played the cardrooms of Atlantic City, Las Vegas and California.
His experience as a sales and marketing professional have
helped him hone his skills at “selling” a hand and “buying” a
pot. Tom can be contacted at: [email protected].
10
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Student Wins World Poker Open
(Continued from page 1)
23-year-old Wisconsin student
plays hard to net
$1,465,944!
23-year-old college student
– stunned a standing-room
only audience and the entire
poker world by annihilating one of the toughest
final tables in World Poker
Tour history. Not only
was young Stolzmann
out-chipped by one of the
worldʼs top poker players
by a 3 to 1 margin from
the start, two other powerhouse poker superstars held
decisive chip advantages,
What’s better than pocket aces?
A pocket full of cash.
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May 2
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May 10
May 11
May 12
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No Limit Hold ’em
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May 23–26
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
11
DEBBIE BURKHEAD INTERVIEWS...
European Poker in Full Swing
The newly created European Poker Tour may be only
half way through its seven event run but already programmes of the earlier events in Barcelona, Spain,
Dublin,Ireland and London, England have been aired.
These have been going out on the Eurosport channel
which is shown in almost every country
this side of the Atlantic.
Matthew Dodd
ENTREPRENEUR, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA POKER TOUR
Poker in Europe
By Nic Szeremeta
A bonus was the time slot – 9.45 to
11pm in the UK and an hour later on
mainland Europe. This is in contrast to many of the
made-for-TV poker tournaments which have been
shown much later and consequently suffer from low
audience ratings.
The most recent leg of the EPT in Copenhagen,
Denmark could give the programme editors a bit of a
headache. The heads up phase between Holland’s Noah
Boeken and Ram Vaswani, a member of the ubiquitous
Hendon Mob, ran for three hours. The problem facing
the guys in the cutting room is that they have to edit
the entire tournament down to less than 75 minutes.
Noah had gone to the final table short-stacked,
Ram’s stack of around 1 million being two thirds of the
chips in play. And Noah was outchipped 2 to 1 when
just the pair of them were left. Neither he nor Ram
were prepared to either deal or give and inch and in
the end it was the 24 year-old-Dutchman who denied
Ram his first win on the EPT tour.
Noah’s progress on the poker scene has not a little
to do with the fact that he has a coach—high flying
Marcel Luske of Amsterdam. He has even been given a
nickname for his aggressive and fearless play viz”Mini
Marcel.” Noah’s victory in the Danish capital earned
him his biggest pay day to date of EURO 185,000 and
a seat in the EPT final in Monte Carlo. His mentor
Marcel also made the money finishing in ninth place.
All 150 seats for the Euro 2,000 buy-in no limit affair
were sold out and six alternate seats were sold
There will be no field restrictions for the ninth
European WSOP Trial which is likely to be the biggest
ever this year. Apart from the fact that it is one of the
most player-friendly competitions in the European programme—played with two hour time bands and the same
blind structure as the World Series of Poker—it also has
three other major factors in its favour this year.
First is that it is part of the televised European
Poker Tour. Second is that the EPT is being sponsored by giant web site PokerStars.com which will be
sending players who might otherwise not make it to
Vienna. And last but not least it is the last chance to
qualify for the grand final of the EPT which will take
place in Monte Carlo a week later.
And for those who do not win a entry for Monte
Carlo in the trial there is a special EURO 200 satellite
on the final Sunday (13th). Since it began in 1997 the
event has grown steadily but never achieved the size
of field which it deserves.
Irishman Peter Roche’s victory last year was from
an entry of 109. This year, though, an influx of new
faces is expected for the EURO 2,000 no limit hold’em
competition. A field of between 150 and 200 could
take their seats for the three days of action from
March 10th to 12th.
The prize pool at this level would be between EURO
300,000 and EURO 400,000. A full programme of
support tournaments starts on March 1st..
Nic Szeremeta is managing editor of Poker Europa
magazine, the monthly news and views publication from
the Euro side of the pond. To subscribe ( EURO 55 /
$70) email: [email protected], and to find out
what goes on in Europe, go to www.PokerInEurope.com
12
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Matthew Dodd was born in
Newport Beach, California
and grew up in Orange
County. After graduation
from Palm Springs High
School in 1988 he enrolled
in the University of
California, Santa Cruz. His
education came to a halt in
1991 after his introduction
to the world of poker. A
friend convinced Matthew
to accompany him to
Ocean View cardroom one
Saturday night to play in
a $100 freeroll Omaha
tournament and that was
the beginning of the end
of his college days. From
that night on he frequented
the cardroom on a regular
basis.
Matthew was working
part-time as a butcher in
a local grocery store to
help with his education
but due to cut backs he
was laid off. The following Saturday he went to the
owner of the cardroom and
explained he wouldnʼt be
coming back to play due
to his recent lay off. The
owner responded with an
offer to teach Matthew to
deal poker and explained
that he could make more
money dealing than working in a grocery store. The
ownerʼs son took Matthew
aside and showed him the
how to shuffle and pitch
cards. When the lesson
ended the owner told him
to go home, practice and
come back next week. The
following week Matthew
came back to audition for
the owner. The owner told
him his dealing was coming along and to take a
shot at dealing the tournament that night. When the
tournament ended he told
Matthew he was awful but
that would be the worst
heʼd ever be. Once again
he told him to go home
practice some more and
come back next week. The
following week Matthew
showed more improvement, this went on for
four weeks. By the fourth
week Matthew had really
improved his dealing skills
and the owner told him to
come back Monday and
deal a shift. That Monday
Matthew made $250 in
tips. He worked every
Monday for three weeks
and on the fourth week
he was offered a day shift
position and continued
dealing for two and a half
years.
In 1994 Matthew took
a dealing position at San
Manuel Indian Casino.
That was a big change
because Matthew had
never dealt anything but
Omaha and now he had to
deal holdʼem and sevencard stud. He was really
happy about the change
because holdʼem was
faster and easier to deal.
He believed this also made
him a better dealer, heʼd
dealt to the worst, where
there were no controls on
the game and he liked the
fact that San Manuel protected their dealers from
abusive players.
Eight months later
Matthew took a dealing position at the Spa
Casino in Palm Springs
and within three months
they made him a Dual-Rate
Floorperson, working the
pit and dealing poker.
In 1998 Matthew left the
Spa Casino for San Diego
to rejoin his family and
took a dealing job at Lucky
Lady and eventually the
Village Club.
Matthewʼs first taste of
working in a Vegas style
casino came in 2001 when
he received an opportunity
as a pit manager at Pala
Casino. He was ready to
do something other than
deal poker and this gave
him a chance to stay in
the business, not to mention, Matthew and his wife,
Scarlett had started a family and the position came
with full benefits.
In Feburary of 2004
Matthew left Pala to open
his own dealing school. He
talked his dad, Barry into
partnering with him even
though he had no real casino work experience other
than as a player. Their
school is regulated and
registered with the state of
California.
In April of 2004,
Matthew was watching
an episode of the World
Poker Tour when he came
up with another venture
for him and his dad. He
thought the WPT was great
but had one flaw, 99% of
poker players are average
players, not pros, that canʼt
afford or wonʼt pony up
a $10,000 or more buyin. Matthewʼs idea was to
have a tournament with
a $200-$300 buy-in for
the average poker player
that would also be televised, hence the Southern
California Poker Tour was
born.
Debbie Burkhead: How
did you go about implementing your idea?
Matthew Dodd: We took
the concept to local casinos and some were very
enthused but wanted to see
a deal with a television
station. Our next mission
was to convince a local
TV station to televise these
events. Once we got the
television station to agree
to air the event we returned
to the casinos with our proposal.
DB: Was it difficult to sell
the idea to casino execs?
MD: Not once we showed
them the TV deal and the
benefits that came with
having a televised event
from their casino.
DB: What is your main
objective?
MD: To please casinos
with the local market and
to provide an opportunity
for the average poker player to be involved in televised poker. The tour will
also create local hometown
stars and generate another
level of conversation to the
game that is fan friendly.
DB: Were you successful
in securing various sites for
your tour?
MD: Yes, on September
18, 2004 we had our first
event at Lake Elsinore and
on October 17, 2004 we
held our second tournament at Oceanside.
DB: Were the TV stations
Jake, “If Gyp had another
a partner at that game, who
was it? Not Mo, Larry, or
Curly - they couldnʼt wash
their hands let alone play
them. Which leaves Shemp
who underbet every hand.
Even holding wired aces,
“iz dat use been drinkʼ
Valium & Vodka anʼ now,
yore dieʼn.ʼ
I ignore my death notice
and ask, “Gyp were you
running a scam on me with
Shemp?”
He replies, “Well Jackie,
“Not awl aʼ us at da
game wuz kilt.”
“You mean me?ʼ
“No. As a matta a fact I
donʼt. . . .”
“. . . think heʼs going to
make it. You. . . .”
“. . . woodent eider if
“U” is for Underbet
A Poker Player Murder Mystery by Robert Arabella
The Ugly Man is dying. He
holds up the As, “Now
they have to let me play at
the House Of Cards! Itʼs
in the Rules. You show
the Spade, you play. The
gameʼs tonight. All I have
to do now is stand on the
corner. . . .” He starts to
drift off into unconsciousness. I shake him awake,
“What corner?”
“Winslow, Arizona and
such a fine sight to see .
. .” His eyes roll up. I sit
there helpless. Suddenly he
wakes, shakes The Spade
in my face, yells, “Gyp told
me his partner at the table
had an invitation to play at
the House Of Cards. That
was you, you lying son of.
. . ” and dies.
“Gyp told you I had an
invitation to play at the
House Of Cards?” Thereʼs
no reply and no use in waiting for one. I take the As,
and the check, out of his
hand.
Jake asks, “What now?”
“Now?” I answer. “We
need to stand on a street
corner in Winslow, Arizona
and wait for a girl in a flatbed Ford to take us to the
House Of Cards.” I dry
swallow a couple of painkillers and tell Jake, “I need
a drink.”
Iʼve killed three Stoli
shots and downed more
painkillers. I ask Jake a
ques-tion he canʼt answer,
“What did the Ugly Man
mean ʻGyp told me his
part-ner had an invitation
to play at the House of
Cards?ʼ I was Gypʼs partner
and Gyp knew I didnʼt have
The Spade.”
“Is it possible that you
werenʼt Gypʼs only partner?”
“No,” I tell him, “thatʼs
impossible.” But all poker
players know when you
eliminate the impossible,
whatever you have left, no
matter how improb-able,
has to be the truth.
I kill another shot, washing down the last of the
painkillers, thinking this
over. I tell
with rags on the board, he
underbet his hand.”
“How did that hand end?”
“Shemp picked my pockets with Rockets. It was a
bad beat . . . unless Gyp
was running a scam on me
with. . . .
Suddenly I stop breathing, “Whatʼs. . . .”
“. . . wrong,” says Gyp,
ya see. . . .”
PR! Start CPR!
“. . . kindʼs always scamminʼ someone. Ainʼt that.
. . .”
“Clear!”
“. . . besides, it was
kinda funny to see ya lose.”
“You lost too, you and
the others at the game who
were murdered.”
youʼd think it awl out. Da
reel problum iz ya kanʼt
count the numba a. . . .”
“dead. One more failed
shock and weʼre declaring
him dead. . . .”
“. . . jusʼ like me anʼ da
three othas. Nows iz dat. . . .”
“Clear!”
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
(To be continued in the next
issue of Poker Player)
13
WHAT Was I Thinking?
(Part 2 of My No-Limit Hold’Em Experience)
…As I approach Tony, without even looking
at me he points east and says “table 31.” He
FRESH YOUNG FACE OF Poker
By Jennifer Matiran
didn’t even see me. I take a couple steps and
turn back around and ask, “Where do I get chips?” He says
“they’ll bring ‘em to you.” “Oh” I answer. Tony continues
“Good luck kid.” I reach the table and the only seat that’s
open is to the left of the dealer (chair #1).
Just as I’m about to sit a Vietnamese man in seat #7
quickly says “I tek dat seat, I tek dat seat.” Ahh, seniority has first dibs with seating. The dealer who seems is also
Vietnamese points to seat #7 and says “Tek dat seat instay.”
I walk around the table to seat #7, finally, I get to sit down.
What’s that sm- “Chips” I look up above my left shoulder and
see the chip lady. “Oh yes.” I take a hundred dollar bill out of
my wallet and hand it to her. She then puts twenty red fivedollar chips in front of me. “Goo luck.” Sweet lady. “You way
or you pos?” asks the dealer. What the heck are you talking
about? “I’ll wait.” I answer without having a clue. “Tree hand
but un pass.” Ahh, I think I get it. The dealer deals me out; I
will be dealt in after the dealer button passes me. Good, this
will give me a chance to size up my opponents but what’s that
nasty smell? I casually turn my head towards my armpit to see
if it’s me. Of course it’s not you, you showered right before
coming and I didn’t smell it before getting to this table. The
stink I realize coming from seat #6, a man sitting to my right.
I’m NOT going to be able to play in this condition. I need a
miracle. And a miracle I received. A minute later seat #8 to
my left got up to leave and I immediately scooted over to his
seat, away from stinky. Ironically the man in seat 6 said “what
do I stink?” “Oh, no I just like this seat better.” I responded.
Yes you stink, you stink so badly hey buddy, soap and water
are not the enemy. Thank you for letting me move. Thank you!
(Singing to myself) Luck is on my side. Luck is on my side,
hey. Okay, stop goofing off and pay attention!!
Everyone at the table had a stack or two about the size
of mine if front of them except for seat 3 and 5, they were
dominating with at least seven to nine hundred dollars worth
of chips. And they both were professionals, at least in the
chip poetry department (the unique ability to shuffle chips
with their fingers). During my three-hand wait, I noticed that
the ‘dominators’ always went in and that it costs three dollars to do so (the cost of the big blind). I also noticed that
the other players feared 3 and 5. I will not be intimidated,
it’s a walk in the park J-Love, just a walk in the park, play
solid and aggressively ONLY when the times right.
I’m finally dealt in. Thanks for the seven, deuce off suit
Mr. Dealer. I muck. 5 wins that hand without even having
to show his cards. Next, I get pocket sevens. Worth three
bucks. I put a three chips in front of me. I probably should’ve
raised…Stop it, next time, no second-guessing. Everyone
calls and nobody raises. Flop comes J, 2, 5 all different colors. Seat 5 goes all in. All in? You must have three jacks or
something, punk. I muck. In fact, everyone else mucks too.
5 flips his cards over, taunting us and he has nothing but a
useless seven, three off suit. I feel my blood pressure rise.
Stay tuned for part 3 of “My No-Limit Experience.” In the
next section “The Lights Turned On” I will share my unique
views of No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em. Until next time, remember,
“that YOU are the gift the you have been seeking.”
Changing the world one sentence at a time, Jennifer
Matiran believes the pen is, and always will be, mightier than the sword. She hopes to emerge into the tournament circuit of Poker. Contact her with questions,
comments or interesting material at PO Box 2331,
Corona CA 92878, or by e-mail at matiran@sbcglobal.
net. Ms. Matiran has just completed her latest screenplay, her other passion (besides Poker!).
14
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Caro’s Word: “TWO”
is. By “nearly borderline”
Iʼm stretching the definition
to give a little leeway, to
include truly borderline decisions and those that almost
fit the category. With every
borderline choice, thereʼs an
aggressive and an unaggressive decision possible. For
nearly borderline play-ordonʼt-play decisions, play is
more aggressive. For nearly
borderline bet-or-donʼtbet decisions, bet is more
aggressive. For nearly borderline call-or-fold decisions,
call is more aggressive. And
for nearly borderline raiseor-call decisions, raise is
more aggressive. Beyond the
scope of this discussion are
times when you might want
to check-and-raise. But, if
you choose to include that as
part of this lesson, anyway,
consider that check-raising
with a strong hand is a more
aggressive choice than betting straight into an opponent. Also, there are times
when you might consider
raising, calling, or folding.
Though it isnʼt intuitive to
most players, poker offers
some situations where any of
those three choices is about
equal in value. If youʼre in
such a situation, raising is the
aggressive choice, and if you
choose not to raise, then this
system leaves you at your
own judgment about whether
to call or fold.
Fine. Now hereʼs the
secret: Youʼre going to know
when youʼre faced with a
borderline decision, because
it will always feel somewhat
close. Youʼll realize that you
could either do the aggressive thing or not do it. All
you have to do is pause a
moment before acting and
ask yourself, “Does this feel
like a close decision where I
could act aggressively or not
without seeming ridiculous.”
If the answer is yes, this is a
nearly borderline decision.
Either acting aggressively
or not acting aggressively
would be acceptable. But
which is better? Under the
MCU Two-Gear System, you
shift up by always taking the
more aggressive action when
a decision seems nearly
borderline. If you feel that
youʼve become too aggressive against a certain player
or that game conditions
in general dictate a more
conservative approach, you
always take the less aggressive action. Period. Nothing
more to it. End of story. And
itʼs the simplest way to shift
gears there is. Again, it all
centers on borderline decisions and whether – against
a player or a whole table
– youʼve shifted up or shifted
down. There is no middle
gear – and youʼll find you
donʼt need one if youʼre
prepared to shift when necessary.
Hiding in low
When Iʼm using the MCU
Two-Gear System, I usually
hide in low gear until conditions allow me to open up.
And then Iʼm always watching to see if Iʼve overdone
it. If so, I gear back down.
But I need to caution you:
Donʼt let your emotions
dictate which of the two
gears youʼre using during
the heat of poker combat.
Decide before any cards are
dealt. Decide whether youʼre
going to play aggressively
against any opponents – and
which ones. Often, youʼll
shift gears by not really taking individual opponents into
account. Youʼll just shift for
the whole table – and that
makes things simple. But,
whatever you decide to do,
remember: Itʼs only borderline choices you need to consider. Nothing else matters.
Youʼre going to quickly realize an amazing truth about
poker. Most of your decision
are borderline! So, shifting
between the two gears will
dramatically change your
style of play.
Next time, Iʼm going
to tell you about the more
sophisticated five-gear system. If youʼre guessing itʼs
going to be about five different levels of aggression,
youʼve guessed wrong! Itʼs
a truly world-class winning
weapon.
But, for now, I want you
to concentrate on just two
gears. Never shift unless
thereʼs a reason. But often,
youʼll find yourself either
playing too loose or too tight
– and thatʼs when youʼll
shift. When Taffy said you
needed three gears, she miscalculated. Try two gears. Itʼs
an all or nothing approach
that centers only on borderline hands. But itʼs pure
profit.
Mike Caro is widely regarded as the worldʼs foremost
authority on poker strategy,
psychology, and statistics. A
renowned player and founder
of Mike Caro University of
Poker, Gaming, and Life
Strategy, he is known as
“the Mad Genius of Poker,”
because of his lively delivery of concepts and latest
research. You can visit him at
www.poker1.com.
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
15
LESSON 43:
More Straights Than You Think
“Do you know what a ‘double belly buster straight’ is?” Mike
asked me out of the blue.
“No,” I replied, knowing it would have something to do with
straights, but not sure how. To me, belly buster generally has
something to do with a really good joke that makes people
laugh. I suppose a double belly buster could
Lessons from mike caro
university of poker
BY DIANE MCHAFFIE
be a joke that is twice as funny, if it had to do
with jokes, but he had added ‘straight’ to it, so
it had to do with poker -- and straights of a certain kind.
The full name is Double Belly Buster Straight Draw. It means
that instead of just being able to hit one “gut-shot” (meaning
an inside straight) draw, you have two chances of them going
at the same time. For example, if I had a 7-8 and the flop was
4–6-10, I could catch a 5 to have 8-7-6-5-4 or I can catch a 9
for a 10-9-8-7-6.
Mike said that I needed to read Richard Englesteen’s short
contribution to Brunson’s Super/System, which is found on page
514 under ‘Hold ‘em Supplement’. A complete list of all the possibilities of a double belly buster straight is found there.
Overlooking the second straight. Mike says that this concept is really important for beginners to understand, because
they often overlook the second inside straight and throw
hands away in situations where they would have played an
open-ended straight draw, which also has the ability to catch
either of two ranks to complete the straight.
Actually Mike says the double belly buster straight try is
just as good as an open-ended straight try -- if not better,
because it is deceptive and your opponents won’t figure you
to have it.
You need to be able to see when you have the double belly
buster straight and when your opponent could possibly have
it, as well. Here are some more examples of a double belly
buster straight: If you have an A–3, and the flop is 4–5–7, you
need a 2 for 5 4 3 2 A or you need a 6 for 7-6-5-4-3. If you
hold a 5-8, and the flop is 7-9-J, you can catch a 10 for J-109-8-7 or you can catch a 6 for 9-8-7-6-5. If you hold a 2-6 and
the flop is 4-5-8, you can catch a 3 for 6-5-4-3-2 or you can
catch a 7 for 8-7-6-5-4. If you hold an A-7 and the flop is 3-4-5,
you can catch a 2 for 5-4-3-2-A or you could catch a 6 for 7-65-4-3. If you hold a 5-6 and the flop is 3-7-9, you can catch a 4
for 7-6-5-4-3 of you could catch an 8 for 9-8-7-6-5.
Adding to your image. When you make a double belly buster
straight, many players are going to think that you made an
inside straight without realizing that there’s a second possibility for a straight that you could have made. By using the double
belly buster straight, you can add to your image of being a bigger gambler than normal. This, Mike says, gives you an added
advantage that can gain you extra calls in the long run.
Whatever you do, though, don’t give it away that you had
two straight possibilities that you could have made. That
would underplay the psychological advantage that you had.
It’s tempting to want to avoid opponents’ thinking you played
poorly by going for an inside straight, but it’s really to your
advantage if they do. So, don’t point out your double belly
buster try. Tell them you made an “inside straight,” instead.
Being aware. The next time you play hold ’em, practice
being aware, after the flop, of when it’s possible that an opponent could have made a double belly buster straight.
Always check carefully to see if you may have made one as
well. This is something I may have overlooked had Mike not
pointed it out to me. Sometimes we see the obvious immediately, but don’t see other, more obscure possibilities, if we
don’t look close enough.
Diane McHaffie is Director of Operations at Mike Caro
University of Poker, Gaming, and Life Strategy. Her
diverse career spans banking, promotion of major financial seminars and the raising of White-tailed Deer.
You can write her online at [email protected].
16
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
JOE
MEETS
HOBBY
A
Joe
Joe &
& Hobby
Hobby
fiction by
David J.
Valley
PART 2
(Circa 1972) The life of a
recruit is mostly dictated
by the training drill from
five in the morning until
lights out at ten. Even so,
thereʼs time at night to read,
write letters, go to the PX,
or just hang out. I prefer
to lay on my bunk and
read when time permits.
Across the aisle thereʼs
often a poker game after
evening chow. I played a
lot of poker growing up in
L.A. and I think Iʼm pretty
good at it. However, the
barracks game is a redneck
version called Texas Hold
ʻEm. To me if it isnʼt stud
or draw, itʼs phony poker.
I wasnʼt interested. Not so
for Hobby. Although a little
on the shy side, Hobbyʼs
a friendly guy and was
happy to be invited to play;
unfortunately, heʼs sucker
bait and too often a loser.
Itʼs time for big brother to
step in.
When I watched the
game closely I learned it
was basically poker, a lot
like seven card stud, except
you only get two cards.
Five more are turned over
for everyoneʼs use. Hmm,
I thought, I might even
change my mind about the
game; it looks like fun. But
for now, Iʼve got to coach
Hobby. I get the impression
heʼs got money, but even so
I canʼt let the sharks take
advantage of him. “Hobby,
what do you say you skip
your poker game tonight
and come to the PX with
me?”
“Oh, I donʼt know, Joe,
theyʼre expecting me to
play.”
“They can get along
without you for once, come
on.” I gave him a hard stare
so he knew I was serious.
“Okay, Joe.” He looked
at the poker guys and said,
“Iʼll play when I come
back.”
“Hobby, do you know
what a Patsy is?”
“You mean, like a sucker?”
“Thatʼs exactly what I
mean.” I didnʼt say any-
thing else as we walked
toward the PX, but I knew
the wheels were turning
in Hobbyʼs head. He was
quick with his hands, but
upstairs he was a little slow
on the uptake.
“The poker game? You
think the guys are taking
advantage of me ʻcause Iʼm
not a very good player.”
“Exactly!”
“Itʼs alright Joe, I can
afford to lose the money
and itʼs a lot of fun.”
I stepped in front, grabbed
his shirt in both hands and
lifted him so we were eyeball to eyeball. “No it isnʼt
alright! Itʼs not the money,
damn it! Itʼs a matter of
respect. If you want peopleʼs
respect, you canʼt let them
take advantage of you, in
anything.” I set him down
hard and kept on walking.
It was a while before he
caught up with me.
“So what can I do, Joe? I
like to play.”
“I know you do, and so
do I, but the difference is
I know how to win, or at
least how not to lose much
if Iʼm not getting good
cards.”
“Can you teach me?”
“Sure, kid,” I said, as I
showed a deck of cards.
“Poker 101, coming up.”
Over the next two hours,
while swilling 3.2 beer, we
talked poker.
“You already know what
wins. Youʼve got that down,
right?” He nodded in assent.
“Good, the rest of the game
is just mathematics and psychology.” He looked at me
like I was pulling his leg.
“Youʼre kidding, Joe.”
“Iʼm dead serious. Itʼs
figuring the odds of how
likely it is you can get the
cards you want against what
others might have, and then
reading the players.” He
looked at me skeptically as
I continued. “First off, after
you get your first two cards,
what do you do?”
“You bet so you can see
the flop, the three cards.”
He was beaming, pleased to
show off his knowledge of
Hold ʻEm.
“Wrong, Hobby. Iʼve
watched you play and
you do it every time. You
shouldnʼt bet unless the two
cards in your hand with
what will be turned over are
likely to be better than what
the others have.” Now he
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
17
Beating the Game:
Lessons I Have Learned
I have been playing in the middle limit hold em
games for 7 years now. I have had a winning record
in most of the venues I have played in. I am not a
super star although I do have a solid
NEVER PLAY Poker with
a man CALLed “DOC”
By Dr. Scott Aigner, M.D.
game. One of my most favorite places
to play poker in Las Vegas is at the Bellagio. I usually play 30-60 but as most professionals, I will
move up or down a level if the game conditions
are right. This is the most important aspect of my
winning ways. I cannot over emphasize this. Table
selection is the number one reason I can average
one and a half bets an hour in the 30-60 game and
even higher in the 15-30 game. Playing in a game
that you are comfortable in is also very important.
Find a game that fits your basic style and it is just
like having home field advantage.
My results might be skewered slightly because I
usually go to Las Vegas during the major tournaments, but I doubt that this has been a major reason
for my results. My results in L.A., Tunica, locally,
as well as everywhere I have ever played has been
same. In the middle limit games I consistently win.
I have learned that the ego of a lot of players
won’t allow them to play less than their usual limits.
Even the weak recreational player will continue to
play in a tough 30-60 game rather than dropping
down to a much better 15-30 game. They have no
sense of table selection and will sit down at the
first seat that becomes available at the limit they
like to play. Use this information to your advantage.
I will go around the room when I am on the list and
look for the best game available. I am specifically
looking for the right player mix that works well with
my basic strategy.
My ability to change my game had to be a major
factor in the games I played, prior to my travels.
This is another aspect that is under rated by most
poker players. You have to be able to change gears
and adjust to your opponents’ game. This is one of
the main reasons I have done well in tournaments.
There was no choice on table selection in the smaller
poker rooms I frequented. I had to sit in the game
that was spread or I didn’t play. It was that simple. I
found a way to win by adapting my play based on my
opponents. I also base my style and hand selection
criteria on my opponents’ basic game. You have to
vary your play based on the aggressive or passive
play. Starting hand requirements are a baseline and
a guide. If you play by the book in every game you
play, you simply will not win.
Finally when choosing a table I also try to find
the best seat at the table to take advantage of my
opponents. Obviously this situation is not something you can control but you can make a request
for the next available seat change. I highly recommend that you make this request even if you later
decide not to change seats when your turn comes
up. There are certain rules that everyone must follow in regards to a seat or table change. Learn what
they are in the room you are playing in and then
use them effectively. It really does make a difference in your results.
Dr Aigner is a board certified Urologist. He has multiple final table finishes in major tournaments including a WPO bracelet in 2001. You can contact him at
http://www.PokerStrategyForum.com
18
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
19
PRACTICING
Makes Money
STUD SENSE
INTENSE! RIVITING!
LIVE ACTION WEBCASTS
By ASHLEY ADAMS
My daughter’s a dancer. She’s 14 and pretty darn good.
But her knees had been hurting her from all of the
activity. So I took her to a physical therapist. He told
her that her enthusiasm for dancing had exceeded her
body’s capacity. At first, we thought that her budding
career might be over. But he prescribed some exercises
designed to strengthen and loosen the right muscles
– so she could continue to improve as a dancer without
hurting herself from overuse. They’ve been working.
Her dancing has improved and her pain has subsided.
Got me to thinking about poker... Many of us play
dozens of hours a week and hundreds of hours a year
without spending much time at all thinking about things
we can do to improve our game. Sure, we read the articles and the books. We may even engage in an interesting strategy discussion from time to time. But exercise?
Forget it. Surely that can’t help with poker.
Well, I disagree. I think there are physical and mental exercises that can really improve our game. So I’ll
give you a few. Let me know in a few months whether
they’ve helped. I’ll bet they will.
Get up and stretch: This is the single best activity I
can do at the poker table (yes, even better than that slick
one-handed chip shuffles). Literally stand up after a hand
is over, walk around for a few minutes, miss a few hands,
maybe go for a glass of water or even a snack. Think
about what’s been going on for the past hour or so at
the table. Are you focused, relaxed and playing well? Or
are you stressed out, anxious, tired, zoned out or on tilt?
Throw in a five to ten minute brisk walk. Get your blood
flowing and your head clear before you come back. Do
this every hour or two whether you feel like it or not.
Figure out an opponent: Wait for a hand when you’re
not involved. Rather than read the newspaper or stare
at the TV or the waitresses, focus on one specific opponent – preferably someone who’s in a lot of hands. Try
to figure out how he plays. Does he play low pairs?
Does he play straight draws? Is he aggressive with flush
draws? Does he slow play Premium Pairs? Is he an ABC
(by-the-book) player or does his play vary? See if you
can eventually put him on a hand. Try to keep track
of his play until you can accurately figure out what he
started with and why he bet the way he did.
Remember cards: 7-Card Stud is a game about live
cards. So how can you play an A-game if you don’t
recall what’s been folded. Work on this. As a card is
folded commit its rank to memory. Say it to yourself
and keep track of the rank of each folded card throughout the hand. Oh, you do this already? Good for you.
Now do it when you’re not in a hand – to practice it. Oh,
you’re perfect? Good. Now start recalling, at the same
time, how many of each suit got folded. Start with the
longest suit that is folded on Third Street. Master that
and work in another suit. Keep at it until you can recall
accurately how many of each rank and each suit are
folded. This is something you can work on even when
you’re not at the table by the way. So if you find yourself with nothing to do in between your poker sessions,
get out a deck and practice.
Ashley Adams is the author of Winning 7-Card Stud,
(Kensington Press 2003). He has been playing 7-Card
Stud for 40 years—and profitably in casinos for the past
10 years. He has played in casinos all over the world,
including England, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Hungary,
Canada and the United States, but plays most frequently
at at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard Connecticut.
Professionally, he is a union organizer and an agent for
broadcasters. He can be reached at: [email protected]
20
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
WEDNESDAYS–SATURDAYS, 6 P.M. TO 10 P.M. THEBIKE.COM
7301 Eastern Ave., Bell Gardens, CA 90201 • (562) 806-4646 • www.thebike.com
The Bicycle Casino reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at its sole discretion.
No Purchase necessary. Call the Welcome Center for Details.
On the Internet:
“Live at the
Bike”
every Wednesday through
Saturday from 6:00PM –
10:00PM, P.S.T.. Log on to
their website, www.thebike.
com, and you can watch
the famous and wanna-be
famous poker players who
will be taking their chances
with real money, not tournament chips. According
to Managing Partner, Haig
Kelegian, “What makes
this exciting and different is
the fact that itʼs real.....real
money, really high stakes.
Tournament poker is great,
but doesnʼt translate dollar
for dollar. We are focusing
on real players who have
their money on the table...
and its unscripted, unedited and uncensored. Thatʼs
exciting!”.
Thanks to a combination
of talent and vision from
the Bicycle Casino, and 2
innovative partners, iStreamPlanet and Joker Gaming,
LLC, fourteen cameras will
pick up all of the action and
drama of the game, including playersʼ cards and their
faces, while skilled commentators call the action
play by play. Poker enthusiasts world wide will have
their chance to experience
the Bike, thanks to web
availability and cutting edge
technology.
Casino Operations
Officer, Hashem Minaiy
agrees. “Along with poker,
reality TV is hotter than
ever before. “Live At The
Bike” is the perfect combination of both”. Youʼll
see the excitement of the
win, and the agony of
defeat, and itʼs often not
pretty” Real risk, raw emotion. Thatʼs real poker,
and youʼll feel like youʼre
sitting at the table with the
best of the best and those
who just havenʼt mastered
the game yet. Talented
commentators, including
Tournament Coordinator,
Denny Williams and Shirley
Rosario will entertain and
call the action, along with
insight into the playersʼ and
their strategies.
Student Wins WPO
as well. Then, there were
two other dangerous foes
to contend with, since both
had approximately the
same number of chips as
Stolzmann. On the scale of
tournament hills to climb,
this was Mount Everest.
Of the six finalists coming
into Day Four of the main
event, John Stolzmann was
the youngest and leastexperienced player at the
table. To suggest that after
six hours, he would end
up with the coveted gold
and diamond bracelet, and
be the focus of television
cameras and multiple press
interviews at the end of a
grueling but exhilarating
tournament, would have
been far-fetched, to say the
very least.
This yearʼs annual poker
classic held in Tunica,
Mississippi, hosted jointly
by the Horseshoe CasinoHotel and Gold Strike
Casino-Resort, was memorable for many reasons.
Based on attendance figures
and prize money, it was
the largest poker tournament ever held outside of
Las Vegas. A whopping
8,702 players entered 20
tournaments. The total
prize pool was $12,369,522.
Only the World Series of
Poker has higher numbers.
Furthermore, the 1,449
players who entered Event
#2 at this yearʼs tournament constituted the biggest poker tournament ever
held, apart from the WSOP.
Tunica has clearly become
one of pokerʼs biggest and
brightest destinations.
Detailed results, as well
as event-by-event commentary follow below.
University of
Wisconsin Student
John Stolzmann
Pulls Off Stunning
Final Table Upset—
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DPNFTUP5IF.JSBHF
&OKPZPWFSTUVGGFETBOEXJDIFTTVNQUVPVTNBU[PI
CBMMTPVQBOEMPUTPG/FX:PSLBUUJUVEF
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
21
Poker’s been played at the corner of
Park and San Pablo in Emeryville CA
since 1895, 110 years! Today, there’s more
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
asked & answered:
Quizzes from Mike Caro University of Poker
By Byron Liggett
action at The Oaks Card Club than ever.
Throughout its history, The Oaks has remained one of
the premier card clubs in the Bay Area. Open 24/7, the
expanded casino features 40 tables. “The action never
stops,” reports Casino Manager Larry Thomas.
The Oaks has remained an action attraction because
it offers variety, including Poker, Pan, Twenty-one, and
several Asian games. In addition to weekly Hold’em and
Omaha Hi/Lo competitions, there are Sunday tournaments to win a seat in World Series of Poker.
The Oaks is a landmark. If you’re from the Bay Area,
your father, grandfather and great grandfather probably
played at The Oaks. Or, if you’re a poker player and just
visiting the Bay Area, The Oaks should be as much an
attraction for you as the Golden Gate is for lovers.
If you want poker and romance too, consider the
Chinook Winds Casino Resort, in Lincoln City, Oregon.
Just off highway 101, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it
offers the beauty and majesty of the Oregon coast. The
décor celebrates the Northwest and honors the Siletz
Tribe of Native Americans who own the resort.
There’s a large heated pool, sauna and spa. If you can’t
fall in love here, you’re dead. In between wining, dining and
romancing, you can play poker. The Chinook Winds has a
handsome poker room to satisfy your other passion.
Around Seattle, your Action Meter may point north,
held there by a magnetic poker field called the Tulalip
Casino, near Marysville, about 30 minutes north of the
Space Needle on I-5. They have 20 poker tables and
games from $2/4 to No-Limit and everything in between.
Shift Manager Port Parks was called away from the
phone during our conversation. When he returned,
he apologized, “I had to take care of a player in the
$200/$400 game.” Parks reports the room, open only
one year now, still fills up every weekend. “Hold’em is the
main game, but there’s also a lot of interest in Omaha
Hi/Lo,” he says.
Tournament and Live Action will be the feature at the
Peppermill Hotel/Casino, in Reno, Feb. 26th - March
6th. Those are the dates of the popular annual Spring
Poker Tournament. The Peppermill’s Spring Tournament
is always a favorite because all the events are affordable
(most events are $100 to $200 buyin), yet because of the
large numbers of participants, the prize money can be
very exciting. And, if you really want a thrill, they always
have just about any kind of live game you can ride.
It’ll be lights, camera, ACTION! at the Reno Hilton
March 10th-April 1st. That’s when super stars, Hollywood
stars, shooting stars, and wanna-be stars all gather for
the World Poker Challenge 2005. It’s BIG! The players
are big, the games are big, the chip denominations are
big, the stacks are big, and the bucks are big. Win anything here and you get a Big Bundle!
In Sparks—which some call Reno’s better half—people
play poker at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. An especially
friendly, comfortable poker room, it’s often referred to
as “The Social Club.” Director of Poker Activities, Doc
Newman, keeps his customers busy—or is it the other
way around? Whatever happens at “The Social Club”,
the players all have smiles on their faces. It’s because
“We treat ‘em right,” Doc says. So, if you want some feelgood action, go see the Doc.
Byron Liggett grew-up in the Northwest, working as a
journalist and consultant for cardrooms in the early 1970s.
Moving to Nevada in 1984, he became a gaming writer, editor and columnist for major player and trade publications.
He has also acted as a consultant for most major poker
tournaments to produce press & PR materials.
Write him at [email protected]
22
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
This series is based on the MCU library of research and advice found at Poker1.com.
Each issue, Mike Caro presents 10 new questions covering a category of poker, targeted for beginner, intermediate, or advanced players. Quiz #13 is a review of selected
questions covered in the first 12 quizzes for beginners. The next series of 13 quizzes
will be for intermediate players. (Answers and explanations appear in the next issue).
Review of concepts
(level: beginner)
1. In seven-card stud,
often you should simply fold
starting cards whose ranks
aren’t in sequence. If you
do begin with no pair and
three cards that aren’t in
sequence, it’s better if they...
a. rank as high as possible;
b. have all the same suit;
c. aren’t the same ranks
you see exposed as the upcards in opponent’s hands;
d. all of the above.
2. In hold ’em, if a pair
flops...
a. it’s impossible for anyone to have four of a kind so
far;
b. it’s impossible for anyone to have a full house so
far;
c. it’s impossible for anyone to have three of a kind
so far;
d. it’s impossible for anyone to have a flush so far.
3. What are the odds
against beginning with a pair
in hold ’em?
a. 16-to-1;
b. 25-to-1;
c. 47-to-1;
d. 3-to-1.
4. In the movie “The
Cincinnati Kid,” the form of
poker used to determine the
world champion was...
a. hold ’em;
b. five-card draw;
c. five-card stud;
d. seven-card stud.
5. The nickname of
renowned world champion
and Hall of Fame player
Doyle Brunson is...
a. Oklahoma Straw;
b. Houston Hailstorm;
c. Tennessee Stallion;
d. Texas Dolly.
6. If your opponent bets
with a suddenly shaking
hand, it’s a sign that...
a. Your opponent has
made a big hand;
b. Your opponent has a
medium-strong hand, but is
worried;
c. Your opponent has
probably seldom played
poker before;
d. Your opponent is bluffing.
7. You should go into a
game...
a. hoping to play hands;
b. eager to make correct
decisions;
c. certain you’re going to
win;
d. unwilling to accept a loss.
8. If first place pays
$100,000 and second place
pays $60,000, then...
a. The final two players
are fighting over $100,000;
b. The final two players
c. The final two players
d. The final two players
are fighting over $40,000.
9. Opponents who just sat
down are...
a. usually very aggressive
at first;
b. usually going to bluff
at least once in the first five
hands;
c. not very choosey about
the hands they play;
d. easier to bluff.
10. In hold ’em, the most
profitable starting hand is J10 of the same suits...
a. true;
b. false.
WATCH FOR
ANSWERS IN OUR
NEXT ISSUE!
If you do not remember the questions, you will find them on our web site,
www.gamblingtimes.com/poker_player
When you arrive at the page, click on the “curto last issue’s questions
rent issue” and scroll to page 35
answers
Q #1 ANSWER: (b). If there’s
a showdown, you must show
your losing hand to anyone who
was dealt in, if they request to
see it.
Q #2 ANSWER: (d). According
to most house rules, you can’t
remove chips from the table
during play, except to buy food
or beverages – or to tip the
dealer or servers.
Q #3 ANSWER: (a). Yes, it
is considered unethical to
slow down your play late in a
tournament to increase your
chances of making the money
while players at other tables
are eliminated.
Q #4 ANSWER: (a). Leaning
over to get a better look at
another player’s cards is
unethical and often considered
cheating, even if that player
could have done a better job of
concealing the hand.
Q #5 ANSWER: (a). If verbal
declarations about your hand
at the showdown don’t matter and only the cards spread
determine the winner, the rule
is called “cards speak.”
Q #6 ANSWER: (a). Criticizing
the play of opponents at your
poker table is impolite and
usually unprofitable in the
long run.
Q #7 ANSWER: (b). If you ever
have two cards of the same
rank and suit in your hand, you
should immediately tell the
table about the problem and
show your hand. All money
will be returned. Usually, a
new deck will be brought into
the game for the next deal.
Sometimes, the deck will simply be made right, but in any
case, a new deal will result,
and the last one won’t count.
Q #8 ANSWER: (b). It’s never
OK to throw chips into the
pot in a way that makes the
amount of your bet confusing.
Don’t make the dealer count
the pot unnecessarily.
Q #9 ANSWER: (d). If the rule
is that “verbal declarations
aren’t binding,” this means
that anything said is ignored
and only physical actions
constitute checking, betting,
Only a winner knows
the road to riches
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24
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
25
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26
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Time . Some events H ...... Hold’em
L ................. Limit
N ...........No Limit
7. 7-Card Stud
O .......Omaha
H/L ...... High/Low
C start after the hour
O A, P ........ AM, PM
..............Week
D Wk
gametimes
E & . Add’l
on this day. Call
•Denotes Advertiser
REGION/Cardroom(Ad Pg.)
NV •Aladdin (p37)
SOUTH Cannery Casino
Circus Circus
Club Fortune
Col.Belle-Laughlin
Golden Nugget
Split
Pi ....... Pineapple
Po.........Pot Limit
Pn.......Panginque
S........... Stud
5 ...Five Card
MONDAY
Time Games
10A& N H
NH
10A
11A
L/N H
12P
7P&
11A
7P
Horseshoe
2P
•Imperial Palace (p17) 1P
•Mandalay Bay (p19) 10A
6P
•Mirage (p11)
7P
10A
11A
7P
Time
10A&
10A
11A
Games
NH
NH
L/N H
WEDNESDAY
Buy-in
$30
$25
$40AO$3
Time Games
10A& N H
10A
NH
11A
L/N H
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
$60RB(1)$40 2P
$40RB$10 7P
$25RB$10AO$10 2P
NH
$50 7P
NH
$25 12P& L/N H Z
HZ
$30(30M) 10A
NHZ
$60(30M) 6P
L H $130RB$100AO(1)$100 7P
H
NH
NH
O H/L
NH
NH
NH
Buy-in
$30
$25
$40AO$3
NH
$24
H
$110
L/NL $60RB(1)$40AO$40
N H $125RB$100AO(1)$100
12P O H/L B
NHB
7P
•Plaza Casino (p29) 12P
NH
8P&
NH
6P&
11A
7P
TUESDAY
Buy-in
$30
$25
$40AO$3
#M ..# of players
maximum
RB ......... Re-buys
AO ......... Add Ons
Cz .............. Crazy
E....... Elimination
$24 12P
7PWk1&
L/NL $60RB(1)$40AO$40 11A
N H $125RB$100AO$100 7P
The Orleans
River Palms
•Sahara (p8)
Al ...... Alternates
F .............Freeroll
Z......... Freezeout
Q .............Qualify
Sh .........Shootout
NH
$24 12P
HB
$25RB$10AO$20
L/NL $60RB(1)$40AO$40 11A
N H $125RB$100AO(1)$100 7P
•Jokers Wild (p40) 2P
NH
NH
7P
Luxor
12P& L/N H Z
Nevada Palace
Oasis-Mesquite
Stud
Mx ..Mexican Poker
DC Dealer’s Choice
HH ... Headhunter
B .......... Bounties
Sp ............ Spread
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
$120 7P
$27RB$10
$40RB$20
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$60RB(1)$40 2P
$50RB$25 7P
12A
NV Atlantis Casino
NORTH •Boomtown (p30)
NH
LH
NH
12P& L H Sh
Cactus Petes-Jackpot
7P
Pi
Circus Circus
Eldorado
Harrah's Reno
4P
H
•Harvey’s Tahoe (p9)
•Peppermill (p17)
Reno Hilton
Rainbow Cas. W Wendover
10A&
1P
9A
8P
10A
CA Casino Morongo
SAN Casino Pauma
DIEGO •Harrahs Rincon (p9) 10A&
&
THURSDAY
Time Games
10A& N H
10A
NH
11A
L/N H
$25RB$10AO$10 2P
NH
$50 7P
NH
$25 12P& L/N H Z
FRIDAY
Buy-in Time
$30
$25 10A
$40AO$3 11A
12P
NH
$24
7P& O H/L B $25RB$10AO$20
11A
L/NL $60RB(1)$40AO$40
7P
N H $125RB$100AO$100
$60RB(1)$40 2P
$50RB$25 7P
$40RB$20
NH
NH
12P
7P&
11A
7P
$60RB(1)$40 2P&
$50RB$25
$25RB$10AO$10 2P
NH
$50 7P
NH
$25 12P& L/N H Z
Games
NH
L/N H
NH
$25RB$10AO$10 2P
NH
$50
$25 12P& L/N H Z
HZ
$30(30M) 10A
NHZ
$60(30M) 6P
Po H $130RB$100AO(1)$100 7P
HZ
NHZ
NH
$30(30M) 10A
$60(30M)
$230RB(1)$200
HZ
H
NH
NH
H
NH
NH
H
NH
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
H
NH
12P
7P
12P
8P&
HB
NHB
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
$35RB$15AO$5 11A
$35RB$15AO$5 7P&
7 H/L
NH
NH
$19 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
$120RB(1)$100 6P
$27RB$10
$40RB$20
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
12P
7P
12P
8P&
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
$25RB$10
NHB
HB
NH
NH
$40RB$20
$27RB$10
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
12P
HB
7P O H/L B
12P
NH
8P&
NH
12P
7P
12P
8P&
O H/L B
NHB
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20
$35RB$15AO$5
$35RB$15AO$5
$45RB$20AO$20
6P&
11A
7P
7P
O H/L
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
$35RB$15AO$5 11A
$35RB$15AO$5 7P
7P
H
NH
NH
NH
$40 10A
NH
$18AO$2 10A L O High
7P& O H/L
$20RB$10 6P
NH
$40 10A
$18AO$2 10A
$32(30M)
F
NH
NH
$40
$23AO$2 10A
LH
$23AO$2 11A
6P
NH
$20RB$10
$15 10A&
7P
$15RB$10
$15 12P& L H Sh
$22RB$10
NH
7P
7 Sh
NH
$15 10A&
7 Sh
$15 12P&
7P
$25 10A
$40AO$3
12P
10A
11A
7P
$60RB(1)$40 2P&
$25RB$10AO$10 2P
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
$40RB(1)$20
$60RB(1)$40
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$25 12P& L/N H Z
$25
H
NH
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 3P
$50RB(1)$20
$125RB(1)$100
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
12P
7P
12P
8P&
N H$330RB$200AO(1)$200
H
NH
NHB
HB
NH
NH
$18
$25RB$10
NH
NH
$35RB$15AO$5 7P
$45RB$20AO$20 7P
NH
NH
$35RB$15AO$5
$45RB$20AO$20
$50RB(1)$20
$60RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
NH
$23AO$2 11A
NH
$23AO$2 Varies Varies
Varies
L H Sh
NH
$15 10A&
$22RB$10
7 Sh
$15 12P& L H Sh
7P
NH
12P
H
$15
$22RB$10
F RB$20
F RB$10
H
NH
NH
$15 4P
$22RB$20
$25 10A
H
$15 4P
H
$15 4P
H
$15 10A
H
$15 10A
H
$15
NH
$15 4P
6P
$25 10A
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25
NH
6P
$25AO$10 1P
H
NH
$25RB$20
$25AO$10 1P
7P
$15(24M) 9A
NH
LH
NH
$25AO$10
$65 7P
$15(24M) 9A&
$33RB$30
$115RB$100 6P
$15(24M) 9A
8P
NH
NH
LH
$110 6P
$15(24M) 9A
$25RB$20
NH
NH
2P
$110
$25(30M) 9A
6P
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
$25(30M)
$50
DC
H
NH
H
H
NH
$5RB$5AO$5
$5RB$5AO$10B$5
$15RB$10AO$10
O H/L
NH
NH
$15(24M) 9A&
$25RB$20
NH
5O
$10RB$10AO$10 7P&
H
NH
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
NH
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
6P
NH
NH
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
$20RB(2)$15
LH
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
10A
LH
$35 10A
NH
$35 10A
NH
$55 10A
NH
$35 10A
LH
10A
$35 11A
•Pechanga (p26) 6P&
Sycuan
10A
Viejas
10A
NH
LH
NH
$15 6P&
$12 10A
$12B$5 10A&
LH
NH
O H/L
$20 10A
$12 6P&
$12B$5 10A&
NH
H
O
$25 10A
F 6P&
$12B$5 10A&
H
LH
NH
$25 10A
$22 6P&
$12B$5 10A
CA •Bicycle Club (p5) 12P
7P
L.A.
LH
NH
$15RB$10 12P
$60 7P&
NH
NH
$30RB$10AO$20 10A
N Cz Pi
$10RB$10AO$10 7P&
H
$15 6P&
NH
$12 10A 7 H/L Sp
$12B$5 10A& N H
$15RB$10 12P
$25RB$20 7P
NH
NH
$15RB(1)$10 12P
$60RB(1)$10 7P
8P
NH
LH
NH
$15RB$10 12P
$25RB$10 7P
$60RB(1)$50
$27(80M)RB(2)$15 10A
$40
NH
$14RB$5/$10AO$20 10A
7P
7P
•Club Caribe (p40)
NH
$27RB(2)$15 10A
NH
6P
O Pi H
$25RB$10 6P
LH
Hawaiian Gardens
12P
•Hollywood Park (p5) 11A
7P
NH
7 H/L
LH
$15RB$10 12P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 7P
O H/L
NH
NH
•Hustler Casino (p13) 7P
Normandie Casino
10A
Village Club
NH
Oaks Card Club
•Palace Indian Casino
Sonoma Joe's
$25RB$10AO$10
$25RB$10AO$20
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
Gold Rush
Kelly’s Cardroom
Lucky Chances
NH
NH
LH
California Grand
Casino San Pablo
Garden City
$60RB(1)$40
$50RB$25
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
NH
Cache Creek
$25RB$10AO$10 2P
NH
NH
Po H
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
11A
NH
$60RB(1)$40 2P&
1P
NH
$24
Pi Z
$12
L/NL $60RB(1)$40AO$40
N H $125RB$100AO$100
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
$35RB$15AO$5
$35RB$15AO$5 7P
$45RB$20AO$20 7P
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
CA Artichoke Joe’s
NORTH Bay 101
NH
12P
10A
11A
7P
$25
HB
NHB
NH
NH
NH
•Diamond Jim’s (p8)
NH
$24
Pi Z
$12
L/NL $30RB$20AO(1)$20
$330RB$200AO(1)$200
NH
12P
7P
12P
8P&
O H/L
Club One Casino
7P
Commerce Club
•Crystal Park Casino (p29)
$25 10A
Buy-in
$30(30M)
10A
•Lucky Lady (p9)
Oceans Eleven
NH
$25 12P& L/N H Z
$60 10A
4P
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
INLAND •Lake Elsinore (p39)
EMPIRE
SUNDAY
Buy-in Time Games
5P
$27RB$10
$27RB$10
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
$35RB$15AO$5 11A
$35RB$15AO$5 7P&
SATURDAY
Buy-in Time Games
NH
$24
O H/L B $25RB$10AO$20
L/NL $60RB(1)$40AO$40
N H $230RB$200AO$100
HZ
$30(30M) 10A
NHZ
$60(30M) 6P
N H $130RB$100AO(1)$100 7P
•Sam’s Town (p38)
Stardust
10A
•Sunset Station (p6) 10A
•Texas Station (p18)
Virgin River Casino
6P
DAILY TOURNAMENTS
Note: All tournaments are subject to change. Check with the Cardroom for any updates.
Cardrooms-please send your schedules to Tournament Editor Joel Gausten,
[email protected]
L H $28RB(1)$20AO(1)$20 11A
11A
12P
H
6P
Sp L H
$50 7P
$40RB$40 6P
1P
6P
10A
NH Sh
NH
11A
H
$20
$45RB(1)$40 10A
$20RB$10 6P Wk4LadiesL H
$15RB$10 12P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 7P
7P
NH$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
LH
Sp L H
H
$20RB 7P
12P
NH
HZ
S Sh
Fort McDowell
Gila River/Wild Horse Pass
Gila River-Vee Quiva
12P&
12P
11A
NH
NH
7B
Harrah’s Ak Chin
Hon-Dah Casino
Paradise Casino
6P
Flop
$15RB$10 12P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 7P
$60 7P
$10RB$5 10A
$15 11A
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
$25RB$20
$20 11A
$10 6P
NH
$30RB(2)AO(1)
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
O
$50RB$20 7P
H
H Sh
$40RB(1)$40 6P
LH
$40RB$40AO$40 6P
NH
$15 1P
6P
$45RB(1)$40 10A
H Sh
NH Sh
NH
H/O H/L
6P
11A
$20RB$20(1) 7P
LH
H
H
6P
H
AZ •Apache Gold (p31)
•Casino Arizona-Scottsdale (p33) 11A
Casino Del Sol
10A
Cliff Castle
6P&
S H/L
O H/L
LH
H
H
NH
$15RB$10 6P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 8P
LH
NH
NH
$17RB$5AO$5
O H/L
LH
$22RB$11 10A
$65
LH
NH
NH
$15 10A
$12RB$10AO$10 6P&
$25B$5 10A
H
$20RB$10
7P
7P
NH
Pn
NH
LH
$10RB$10AO$10 12P
$5RB$5AO$10B$5 4P
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
$20RB$10
$20RB$20
$14RB$5/$10AO$20 7P& N H (80M)
$40 1P
Pn
$15 7P
NH
$25
$25 6P LH/L OH/L $50RB$20AO$40 11A
$36RB$20 11A
H
$77 11A
$25RB$20 12P O H/L
$55 6P
H
$10RB$5AO$10
7P
Blue Water Casino
Bucky’s Casino
NH
Pn
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
H
H
NH
1P
LH
$25RB 6P
$17RB$10 11A
$225RB(1)$200 8P
Mx
7
Po H
H
$22RB$11
H
LH
NH
$20
$17
$12B$5
HH L H
$30RB$10
$27RB(2)$15 12P
$40 1P
$15
LH
Pn
$19RB$5/$10AO$20
$40
$25RB$10 1P
1PWk4
F RB$10
$17RB$10 11A
$330RB(1)$300 4P
NH
NH
$50
$100
LH
N H Sh
$22RB$10
$120
$125RB(1)$100
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
7P
$14RB$5/$10AO$20 7P&
7P
HH N H
HH N H
$10RB$10AO$10 11A
$5RB$5AO$10B$5 4P
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
H
NH
O H/L Z
H Sh
NH
HB
$15 1P
$20
$45RB(1)$40
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
LH
H
H
$48
$36RB$20 11A
$10
H
$50
H
$60RB$40
H Sh
$15 1P
$60RB$50AO$50
$10RB$5AO$10
$20RB$20(1)
3P&
NH$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
O H/L
H Sh
10A
LH
11A
H
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
$15+$5 11A
H Sh F
DA I LY TO U R N A M E N TS CO N T I N U E O N PAG E 29
7P&
F 6P
NH
HB
O H/L
H
$30RBAO
$25RB$20AO$50
$99 11A
Sp L H
6P
$70RB(1)$60 11A
NH
H
$49RB$20AO$40
$70RB(1)$60
2P
10A
7P
H
NH
Sp L H
$50 2P
$25RB(1)$20 10A
$120RB(1)$100 7P
H
NH
H
$50
$25RB(1)$20
$60RB$40
$15 1P
5P
$55 10A
H Sh
NF
LH
$15
F 6P
$65 12P
NH Sh
NH
$20
$25RB(1)$100
12P
Varies
LH
$65RB(2)$50
$65RB$50AO$50 1P
$10RB$5AO$10
$25RB$15 7P
7P
O H/L
HB
$20
$25
$130 11A
$10RB$5 10A
$30 11A
NH
NHZ
H Sh
$60 11A
$10RB$5 10A
$15 11A
12P
NH
Cz Pi Z
O H/L
NH
LH
6P
$25RB$5AO$25
$130 7P
$10RB$5 10A
$15 6P&
Pai Gow
F 5P
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
$13RB$10AO$20 12P& N H
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
12P Men H/N A I$25RB$10AO(1)$20
$15+$5 11A
HB
$15+$5
$25RB$15 7P&Ladies H Cz Pi
$10 6P
O H/L
$20RB(2)$10 1P
$25
NH
Pi
H Sh
NH
H
3P
2P
$25RB$10AO$30 1P
$60 4thWk10AN H
$10RB$5
$15
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
12P
NH
$25RB$15AO(1)$10 12P
3P
1P
RB$10
H
O H/L
7F
$20RB$10
$25
H Sh
$15
NH
$13RB$10AO$20
HB
$15+$5
$150
11A
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
11A
NH
O H/L F
H
H
O H/L
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
$25RB$15 12P
$10
$13 1P
H
$40
H
$13
27
More Mazel...
SENIORS SCENE
By George “The engineer” EPSTEIN
Clark M. Clifford
In my last column, I explained that good luck
—“mazel”—was essential to winning at poker, even if you are
very skilled at the game. I gave two examples where mazel
made the difference between winning a good-size pot and coming in second—a loser. Here’s another example where I had a
lot of mazel.
Planning to Take a Break for Dinner: Playing middle-limit
hold’em at the Hustler Casino, I decided to take a break and
eat my dinner. It had just been served to me at the table – a
piping hot bowl of Wor Won Ton soup with lots of delicious
ingredients. (The food and service at the Hustler Casino are
excellent.) So I went to the men’s room to wash my hands,
planning to sit out the game while I enjoyed the food. I had a
copy of Poker Player, and would read it while enjoying the good
food. As I returned to the table, the dealer saw me approaching and dealt me in. I started to protest, but then decided to
take a look at the cards: pocket sixes. Now that’s certainly not
the best of hands, but it does offer possibilities. It’s a drawing
hand that usually must improve to trips to be a winner. I was in
a late position and there had been no raises; and several players had called the blind bet so it was a multi-way pot. Oh well, I
thought. My dinner will wait a minute or so. I called, too.
The flop brought a third six—trip-sixes! There were also a king
and a jack on the board, and two hearts. An early-position player
made the postflop bet; three others called. When the betting got
to me, I raised – hoping to force out some marginal hands so my
small trips would have a better chance of winning the pot. Seat
No. 3, the original bettor, reraised. Oh, oh, I thought. Maybe he
has trip-kings or trip-jacks. Maybe I should have passed that
hand by and started my dinner, as I had planned...
Certainly, I had to call, as did one other player. The turn
brought a 4 of clubs – nothing exciting. I was hoping for another six, of course. Seat No. 3 made the big bet; we both called.
Another 4 would be great; hopefully there won’t be a third
heart, I thought. Nope; the river card was the 5 of clubs—no
full house but
no heart flush
either. The
board now
showed:
Again seat No. 3 came out betting. The other player folded.
(He probably was drawing to a heart flush.) Of course, I had to
call with my trip sixes, hoping he didn’t have trips higher than
mine. Seat No. 3 proudly turned up king-jack of clubs. He had
flopped two-pair, kings and jacks. My trip sixes took the pot;
and it was a good-sized pot!
As I scooped up the chips, I announced to the dealer: “Deal
me out.” And I turned away from the table to enjoy my dinner...
Yes, I Certainly Had Mazel: I was lucky that I returned
to the table just as the dealer was dealing the cards for that
hand. A moment later and he would have passed me by. I was
lucky that I had been dealt the pair of sixes that improved to
trips on the flop. I was lucky that the two-pair didn’t fill up.
And I was lucky that that another heart didn’t fall on the board
after the flop. You gotta have mazel. . . Isn’t there an old song
that goes something like that?
. . . So readers, what’s YOUR opinion?
Cold War Warrior
and Poker Player
George “The Engineer” Epstein is the author of “The
Greatest Book of Poker for Winners!” A retired engineer
who received many industry and government awards and
commendations, he continues to be active by consulting,
editing an international technical newsletter, teaching an
engineering course at UCLA, and serving as an officer
in a professional engineering society. One engineering
society has a scholarship in George’s honor. In writing his
poker book, he applied the lessons learned while working
as an engineer to solve problems. He is currently writing
his next book on The Four Rules for Success in Life and
Living. He can be reached by e-mail: [email protected]
28
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
by Byron Liggett
Few men left a greater imprint
on American foreign affaires
in the half-century following
World War II than did poker
player Clark Clifford. A close
confidant to U.S. Presidents,
he was one of the principal
architects of Americaʼs Cold
War strategy.
An attorney, Clifford came
to Washington D.C. in 1943
as a Navy Lieutenant. He was
soon assigned to the Truman
White House and began,
as columnist James Reston
once described it, “rescuing
American Presidents from
disaster.”
Clifford attended the
Potsdam Conference near
Berlin where the Allied leaders, President Harry Truman,
British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill and the
Soviet Unionʼs Joseph Stalin
divided up post-war Europe.
By 1946, it was clear to
Churchill and Truman, as
well as Clifford, the Russians
wanted a Communist empire.
Churchill, during a visit to
the U.S. that year, gave his
famous speech warning the
world that an “Iron Curtain”
had fallen across Eastern
Europe.
Clifford recalled that traveling by train to Fulton, MS to
give the speech; Churchill said
to the President, “Iʼve read in
the press...Harry, that you play
poker.” “Yes, Iʼve played a
good deal,” Truman answered.
“I played my first poker game
in the Boer War,” Churchill
retorted. Clifford and the others present were impressed,
“None of us could remember
when the Boer War was but it
sounded like a long time ago.”
“Is there any possibility
that we might have a game
on the trip?” Churchill asked.
“I guarantee you we will,”
Truman assured him. “From
the way Mr. Churchill had
talked we thought he was
going to be a pretty good
poker player. It turned out he
wasnʼt,” Clifford said.
After an hour and a half,
Churchill excused himself
for the restroom. President
Truman told the other players, “Men, youʼre not treating
our guest very well. Looks to
me like heʼs lost about $300
dollars.” One of the players
explained, “If you want us to
play our best poker for the
nationʼs honor, weʼll have this
guyʼs pants before the evening
is over.” Clifford remembered
the Presidentʼs response,
“Well, give him a good time,
but donʼt let him go home and
say he beat us in the American
game of poker.”
As the Cold War heated-up,
friend and special counsel to
the President, Clark Clifford
played a key role in developing Americaʼs post-war foreign policy. He helped draft
the Truman Doctrine speech
in which the President warned
against Soviet expansion in
Europe. He participated in
creation of the Marshall Plan
to rebuild post-war Western
Europe and make it a strong
ally in the fight against communism. He helped with
formation of NATO to provide
for Europeʼs protection. And,
he played an important part in
establishing the CIA.
When President Truman
wanted to escape for some
R&R, heʼd take a small staff,
Clifford among them, to Key
West, FL. Nearly every night
there was a poker game,
Clifford recalled. Asked if
Truman was a good player,
Clifford said, “He understood
the game well, but he was too
optimistic a poker player. He
would stay in too many hands.
You can get a lot of enjoyment
out of it, but you canʼt win
playing that kind of poker.”
But, Clifford emphasized, the
President was only in it for
the relaxation and good fellowship.
Clifford said that when
President Truman couldnʼt get
away from the White House,
he often took a small group
on the presidential yacht, The
Williamsburg, for a weekend
of poker. Each player would
buy in for $500. One $500
rebuy was permitted. Ten percent was raked from each pot
and put into a “poverty bowl”
which was distributed to play-
ers $100 at a time to players
who lost their second buyin.
Among the Cold War
warriors of the Truman
Administration, Clark Clifford
was considered the best poker
player. “Iʼm not sure I was
the best poker player in the
group,” Clifford told an interviewer many years later, “I
think I was possibly the most
careful player in the group.”
Pressed about it, he admitted,
“I probably came out about as
well as anybody else.”
Clifford turned down
appointment to the U.S.
Supreme Court and an offer
from Missouri Democrats to
run for the Senate to open
a private law practice in
Washington D.C. in 1950. He
was also the personal attorney for the young Senator
from Massachusetts, John F.
Kennedy.
As a candidate for the
White House in 1960 and
afterwards as President,
Kennedy often called on
Clifford for advice and assistance. Less than 24 hours after
becoming President, Lyndon
B. Johnson called for Clifford.
In 1968, he became Johnsonʼs
Secretary of Defense.
Cliffordʼs relationship
with LBJ became a casualty
of the Vietnam War when
he opposed the Presidentʼs
policy of escalation. When
Nixon won the White House,
Clifford urged him to end the
war. For his years of service
on behalf of the country,
Clifford received the Medal
of Freedom, the highest award
given a civilian.
Retired and late in his
years, attorney Clark Clifford
was wooed and won by the
Bank of Credit and Commerce
International (BCCI). The
company wanted the impeccably honest and honorable
statesman who had the right
image and connections.
Tragically, when BCCI was
nailed for criminal practices,
Cliffordʼs was a prominent
name in the scandal. It was a
humiliating end to the honorable, unselfish career of a
great American.
Until his death in 1998,
Clark Clifford believed, “The
United States under Trumanʼs
leadership saved the free
world.”
e-mail: [email protected]
Time . Some events Wk ..............Week H ...... Hold’em 7. 7-Card Stud Pi ....... Pineapple S........... Stud DC Dealer’s Choice Sp ............ Spread Z......... Freezeout #M # of players max DAILY TOURNAMENTS
(CONT’D FROM PAGE 27)
start after the hour & . Add’l gametimes L ................. Limit O .......Omaha Po.........Pot Limit 5 Five Card Stud HH ... Headhunter Al ...... Alternates Q .............Qualify RB ......... Re-buys
A, P ........ AM, PM
on this day. Call N ...........No Limit H/L High/Low Split Pn.......Panginque Mx ..Mexican Poker B .......... Bounties F .............Freeroll Sh .........Shootout AO ......... Add Ons Cz .............. Crazy E....... Elimination
● Denotes Advertiser
REGION/Cardroom(Ad Pg.)
MONDAY
Time Games
CO Midnight Rose
TUESDAY
Buy-in Time Games
12P
H
7P
$10 12P
8P
LH
$100 8P
NH
Derby Lane
Palm Beach Kennel Club
1P
12P
NH
H
6P
$45 6P
$45 6P
NH
LO H/L
H
Palm Beach Princess
Pompano Park Casino
Seminole Hollywood Casino
St Tropez Cruise
6P
H
$55 6P
H
12P
8P
NH
O H/L
7P
10A
NH
DC
Ute Mountain
CT Foxwoods
FL Dania Jai-Alai
IA Catfish Bend
Isle of Capri
Winn-A-Vegas
$75 6P
$70RB$30AO$50
$20RB$20M24
$10RB$10 6P
WEDNESDAY
Buy-in Time Games
NH
S
$40 7P
$10 12P
$150
O H/L
NH
$45
$45 1P
$45 12P
$55 6P
12P
$70RB$10 6P
6P&
NH
$25RB$5AO 6P&
LA Grand Coushatta
6P
NH
H
MI Chip-In's Island
Gold Strike Casino Resort
4A,6P& LH
MN •Canterbury Park (p21) 10A
7
Fortune Bay Casino
Northern Light Casino Hotel
Shooting Star Casino
NH
6P
$35RB$15AO$25 4A,6P& NH
12P
NH
12P
H/O
$15RB$10
12P
H
$10RB$15AO$25 6P&
$25 12P
MS Copa Casino
Grand Casino(Biloxi)
Grand Casino(Gulfport)
Grand Casino(Tunica)
Pearl River Resort
5P
7P
NH
NJ Tropicana
7P
6P
NH
NH
$30RBAO 7P
$120 6P
6P
7P&
NH
F RB(1)$15AO$100 6P
$20RB$20 2P
7P
NM Cities of Gold
Isleta Casino & Resort
•Sandia Casino (p4)
NY Turning Stone
NH
$100
6P
$45 6P
$45 6P
NH
NH
H
NH
$55
$45
$65RB$10 6P&
NH
$20RB$20M24
N H/O
$10RB$10AO$10
1P
NH
$150
NH
$10RB$10AO 7P&
6P
Pi
$35RB$15AO$25 4A,6P& LH/NH
$25AO$(1)$5 6P
Varies
NH
$10RB$5 6P
$35RB$15AO$25 11A
7
$25Z 4P
Pi
$25Z 5P
12P
H
$5RB$15 12P
$5RB$15AO$25 12P
H
$35RB(1)$15 12P
S H/L
$10 12P
S
$45
$45 1P
$45
NH
$45 1P
NH
6P
$45 1P
12P
$300 6P
8P
N H Sh
NH
L/N H
NH
12P& N H Sh
$75 12P& N H
12P
$25 12P
7
NH
$30RBAO 7P
$65 6P
NH
NH
$40RBAO 7P
$65 6P
Cz Pi
H
Varies
$20RB(1)$10 6P
$15RB(1)$15 7P&
$35
H
NH
$25 6P
$20RB(1)$20 2P
$50RB$20 1P
$25RB$5 7P&
H
$35RB$10 7P
NH
Dakota Magic
7P
S
F RB$10 7P
NH
7P
$30RB$10 7P
7
S H/L
OR Chinook Winds Casino
4P
H
$25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5 4P
6P
6P
Gold Dust Casino, Deadwood
Rosebud Casino
7P
S H/L
NH
$40RB$20AO 12P
NH
LH/NH
$30RB$20 6P
$35RB$15AO$25 11A
NHZ
H
12P
$25 2P
NH
O H/L $25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5 4P
H
$18RB$10
NH
$100 10A
NH
$35 7P(1st Wk) H
NH
LH/NH
NH
12P
Varies
$40RB$20 1P
$35RB$15AO$25 11A
NH
LH/NH
$10RB$5 7P
F RB$10 7P
$25RB$5AO$10 4P
6P
$110 7P
LH
NHZ
$50
$10
NH
NH
$45
$45
$45
$130RB$20
2P
N H/O
$10RB$10AO$10
$10RB$10 10A
NH
$10RB$10
NH
LH
$25RB$10
$35RB$15AO$25
10A
H Sh
12P Wk1 N H
$12
$120
Varies
$25RB$10 3P
$35RB$15AO$25 2P
5PWk4LadiesN H
$25AO(1)$5
F$5RB(2)$5AO$5 12P
NH
$10RB$10AO$10 12P
$25 12P
NH
$50RB$10AO$10 12P
NH
$10RB$15AO$25 10A
5P
LH
NH
$60RB(1)$50 10A
$10
NH
7P
NH
$30RB$10AO$10 7P
NH
$30RBAO 4P
$120 6P
NH
NH
1P
O H/L $20RB(1)$10AO$50 6P
H
$15RB(1)$15 7P&
S H/L
O H/L
H/L Sp Z
S
$15RB$10
$10RB$5 7P
$25 7P
H
S H/L
H
H
$30RB$10AO$10
$65RBAO 12P
$340 6P
$20RB$10 5P
$15RB(1)$15 2P
12P
11A
NH
$25RB$5
$10RB$5 2P
2P
H
NH
$20RB$10
$30RB$10 3P
$25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5
$10RB$5 4P
O H/L
$50
7P
NH
O H/L
$10
$30RB$10AO$10
NH
NH
H $30RB(1)$20AO$200 5P
N H $50RB(2)$25AO(1)$35 2P
H
NH
$60RB(1)$50
2&7P
$60RBAO 12P
$225 6P&
$25RB$5
Tahoe H/L $25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5 4P
N H $33RB(2)$15AO$15
H
$10RB(3)$5AO$5
$30RB$10AO$10
$95
O H/L
LH
NH
7
$50Z
$15RB$15
6P
H
Buy-in
NH
S
$20RB$20M24
HB
$10RB$5
7P
$45
$65 6P&
$70RB$30AO$50
10A
$30RB$10AO$10
H
SD Dakota Sioux
Buy-in Time Games
12P
$10 12P
$25AO$(1)$5
NH
1P
Wildhorse Casino Resort
SUNDAY
Varies
$25 12P
H
Buy-in Time Games
F RB$15AO$15/$30
NHZ
ND 4 Bears Casino
WA Blue Mountain Casino
Chips Bremerton
Chips La Center
10A
SATURDAY
$60
11A
NE Rosebud Casino
Trump Taj Mahal
NH
7P
7P
NH
H
N H Sh
NH
Buy-in Time Games
$20 7P
$10
7P
$40 12P
$20RB$10AO$10
$55AO$(1)$5 6P
NH
H
Buy-in Time Games
FRIDAY
$15RB$5AO$10
IL Hollywood Casino-Aurora
KS Harrah’s Prarie Band
NH
S
THURSDAY
NH
NH
O H/L
H
Varies
H
$55RBAO
$120
$20RB(1)$10
$15RB(1)$15
$35
F RB$10
4P
1P
NH
H
$25RB$5AO$50
$18RB$10
$10RB$5 4P
2P
$30RB$10AO$10 6P
V
H
NH
$20RB$10
$40
$30RB$10AO$10
1P
9A
12P
N O H/L
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
N O H/L
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
N O H/L
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10
$20
$20
Chips Lakewood
Chips Tukwila
Goldie’s
9A
4P
11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20
$20
$28RB(2)$10
Little Creek Casino
Northern Quest
Suquamash Clearwater Cas
Wild Grizzly
7P
10A
11A
5P
LO
NH
NH
NH
$15RB(2)$10
$25RB(2)$10
$20
$13RB$10
7P
10A
11A
5P
L/N H
NH
NH
NH
$25
$25RB(2)$10 10A
$20 11A
$13RB$10 5P
NH
NH
NH
7P
$25RB(2)$10 10A
$20 11A
$13RB$10 5P
NH
NH
NH
NH
$45
$25RB(2)$10 10A
$20 11A
$13RB$10
NH
NH
5P
$15RB(2)$10 10A&
$20 11A
2P
NB
NH
NH
NH
$35
F RB(2)$15 10A
$20
$25RB$20
NH
$25RB(2)$10
8P
V
$25RB$20AO$20
★ $12+$3 Buy-in (Multi-rebuys)
FRID
No-Lim AYS
it Hold
’em
SATUR
No-Lim DAYS
it Hold
’em
Starting
at 7:00
PM
BLUE LIN
E
Alameda Blvd.
CAN Casino Regina
123 E. Artesia Blvd., Compton, CA 90220
(310) 631-3838 ♠ www.crystalparkcasino.com
Fh
E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2i 0 0 5
f E R P Li AY
f ER
i
PfO K
29
If It’s February,
event, which started in
January is the Los Angeles
Poker Classic, a series of
25 tournaments, culminating in a $10,000 buy-in
championship. The championship, a WPT event,
will be followed by a WPT
Invitational and then the
finals of the PPT event that
started earlier on the 8th
and 9th. As we finalize this
issue of Poker Player we
have the first eight events
to bring you. It will take
the next two issues of Poker
Player to give you full
coverage. See the results
below.
Mixed Play and
Intuitive Calls Earn
Charlie Satoot a
Shootout Victory
Local pro Bashar
“Charlie” Satoot, mixing
his play and making some
gut-feeling calls, ended up
as chip leader and tournament winner when a
four-way deal was cut in
the eighth event of LAPC
XIV, the $970 no-limit
holdʼem shootout. Some
big draw-outs helped
too. In all, Bashoot was
responsible for eliminating
four of the six players who
were knocked out before
the deal.
Bashoot is on a roll
now, having coming
in second in the limit
holdʼem shootout two
days earlier. A little below
average in chips when the
final table got underway,
he played aggressively at
the outset to build up his
stacks, then changed gears
as play progressed.
A key hand for him
came when Todd Berman,
another poker player,
moved in for $1,525. All
Satoot had was 9c-8c,
not a holding he would
normally call with, but
he somehow sensed that
Berman had a “trouble
hand.” He called, turned
a straight and knocked
Berman out.
Satoot and Steve Hohn,
another poker player,
shared the lead for most of
the tournament, but then
Susan Trabue, a movie
and TV stuntwoman, made
a late surge and finished
second. When the deal
was made, Satoot had
10,850 in chips to 8,750
30
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
for Trabue, 6,125 for
Hohn and 5,400 for Scotty
Brown.
Even with a chop, this
was the longest final table
to date, nearly five hours.
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
2/1/05
POT LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $500 + $40
PLAYERS 226
PRIZE
POOL
$135,800
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
2/2/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SHOOTOUT
BUY-IN $1,000 + $60
PLAYERS 210
PRIZE
POOL
$203,700
1. Bashar Satoot. . . . . . $75,201
Burbank, CA, United States
2. Susan Trabue . . . . . . $37,497
John Murphy
1. John Murphy . . . . . . $78,056
Studio City, CA, United States
San Jose, CA, United States
3. Steve Hohn . . . . . . . . $19,148
2. Fred Lavassani . . . . $40,085
Overland Park, KS, United States
4. Scotty Brown . . . . . . $12,222
3. Men Nguyen . . . . . . . $20,043
Shelby Township, MI, United States
Bell Gardens, CA, United States
5. Dante Pugliese . . . . . . $8,148
4. Saul Eskin . . . . . . . . $12,659
N-Hollywood, CA, United States
Frenso, CA, United States
6. Kenny Cruz . . . . . . . . $7,130
5. Mickey “Mouse” Mills$9,494
Newport Beach, CA, United States
Ocean Beach, CA, United States
7. Tommy Hang . . . . . . . $6,111
6. Jay Yu . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,384
Lynwood, WA, United States
8. Todd Berman . . . . . . . $5,093
7. Steve Dunning . . . . . . $5,274
Foothill Ranch, CA, United States
Anchorage,, AK, United States
9. Brandon Wong. . . . . . $4,074
8. Travis Green . . . . . . . $4,220
Clovis, CA, United States
Irvine, FL, United States
9. Minh Nguyen . . . . . . . $3,376
John Murphy, 22,
Takes Pot-Limit After
Freddy Twin’s 88k
Bluff Fails
John Murphy, a 22-year-old
northern California poker
player, and Freddy “the
twin” Lavassani were virtually tied in chips when they
got heads-up. Then, five
hands into the match-up,
Lavassani sensed weakness
when Murphy, last to act,
checked a board of 10-7-610. A king rivered. With
just J-9, Lavassani bet the
$88,000 pot. After some
hesitation (“Just making
you sweat,” he told his
opponent later), Murphy
called with K-10. Murphy
now had a 5-1 lead in chips,
and five hands later he had
them all.
Meanwhile, Lavassani,
with his second runner-up
finish, moved into the lead
in the all-around points
race.
Murphy, who has been
playing full time since out
of school, finished 13th in
last yearʼs World Series
championship and won a
$2,000 Mirage Showdown
event. Usually a fast player, he said he tried not to
risk his chips in this event
and gradually built them up.
“I played well, and everything went well.”
Lake Elsinore, CA, United States
Aces in Three-Way
Pot is Key Hand
As Amir Vahedi is
Shootout Winner
Aided by a run of good
cards at the final table, top
pro Amir Vahedi won the
sixth event of LAPC XIV,
limit holdʼem shootout.
When the final table got
underway, J.C. Tran, with
6,000 in chips, and Bashar
“Charlie” Satoot, with
5,900, were the leaders,
while Vahedi was below
average with 2,500.
That changed on the
third hand. Amir had aces,
Satoot had kings, Tran AQ. The pot was re-raised
pre-flop and Vahedi bet all
the way into a board of Q2-9-3-4. When the smoke
cleared, he had a slight
lead, and was at or near the
top after that all the way.
Pocket jacks would also
prove lucky for him, and
unlucky for two other players who both went out on
that hand.
When the event got
heads-up, Vahedi had
16,500 chips to 11,500 for
Satoot, and a deal was cut.
Vahedi is a genial, cigarsmoking player who talks
up a storm at the tables and
isnʼt afraid to gamble. He
has a World Series brace(Continued on page 31)
It Must be Commerce
let for $1,500 no-limit
holdʼem, a World Poker
Finals win in no-limit and
a sixth place finish at the
WSOP championship event.
Afterwards, he said he was
aggressive at earlier tables
to get into the money, less
so at the final table.
He also had special
praise for Tran, whom he
said was a player to keep
on eye on, though he admitted surprise that Tran had
played his A-Q to the river
in that key hand.
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
1/31/05
LIMIT HOLD’EM
SHOOTOUT
BUY-IN $500 + $40
PLAYERS 280
PRIZE
POOL
$135,800
that lasted 67 hands.
Darden proved to be a
very elusive quarry, surviving seven all-ins before
Heim could finally collar
him.
Heim has made a lot of
final tables, finishing in
every slot from second to
18th, but this is her first
win. Her best prior finish
was a second in Legends
in 1996. She also came in
fourth in stud/8 at LAPC
last year. This is her favorite game, and she gave up
holdʼem for a while, but
returned to that game when
stud became scarce in tournaments.
Darden shook his head
afterwards. “Was I unlucky
or what?” he asked. Well,
Heim may had her share of
luck, but she also played
extremely well in facing
down Darden, a top pro
with two wins at the U.S.
Poker Championship and a
WPT victory.
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
1/30/05
Amir Vahedi
1. Amir Vahedi . . . . . . . $49,832
7-CARD STUD
HI-LO SPLIT
3. Wendy Huang . . . . . $12,900
Mike Lee, 124k.
Sabahi has been playing no-limit holdʼem for 30
years, when he knew it as
“French poker.” He said he
had to struggle until the final
three tables when he made
some moves and got some
big hands to surge ahead.
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
Ali Sabahi
1. Ali Sabahi . . . . . . . . $240,319
1/29/05
2. Fred Lavassani . . . $116,822
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
3. Raymond Davis . . . . $57,410
BUY-IN $300 + $30
PLAYERS 881
REBUYS 1413
PRIZE
POOL
Bell Gardens, CA, United States
4. Joon Le . . . . . . . . . . . $34,045
$667,554
La Habra, CA, United States
Shoot it out
on the World Poker Tour.
BUY-IN $500 + $40
Sherman Oaks, CA, United States
2. Bashar Satoot. . . . . . $25,402
showed up for LAPC XIV
event No. 4, $291 no-limit
holdʼem. The guarantee was
$225,000, and first place
alone, $240,319, exceeded
that amount.
The event ended in a
four-way deal with Bahman
“Alli” Sabahi, 54, a general
merchandise importer originally from Iran, declared the
winner. Itʼs his first major
tournament victory. He came
to the final table a big leader
with 245,000 chips, and by
the time the time the table
got down to five, he had
close to half of the 1,148,000
in play.
When the deal was
cut. Sabahi had 515k in
chips, followed by Freddy
“Twin” Lavassani, 280k;
Raymond Davis, 187k; and
PLAYERS 1956
PRIZE
POOL
$94,575
Alhambra, CA, United States
4. Phillip Penn . . . . . . . . $8,146
Norwalk, CA, United States
5. Mohammad Hamid . . $6,111
Chicargo, IL, United States
6. J C Tran . . . . . . . . . . . $4,753
Sacramento, CA, United States
7. Paul Vinci . . . . . . . . . . $3,395
San Luis, CA, United States
8. Chris Tsiprailidis . . . . $2,716
Syracuse, NY, United States
9. Jim Cromie . . . . . . . . $2,173
Paul Darden is Cuffed
by Lady Cop Liz
Heim After Three Big
Drawouts
Paul Darden was coasting
along with a comfortable
lead for most of the final
table in tonightʼs 7-stud
hi-lo event. Then he heard
sirens as Liz Heim, a patrol
sergeant with the L.A.P.D.,
pulled him over. First she
took the lead when she hit
a third four to beat his two
pair. Then she crippled
him when a river ace gave
her aces-up, outrunning his
queens-up. And, on the
final hand, he started with
split kings and she caught a
bunch of clubs to flush him
out of the tournament after
a marathon heads-up match
Liz Heim
1. Liz Heim . . . . . . . . . . $36,883
Diamond Bar, CA, United States
2. Paul Darden . . . . . . . $18,915
Hamdem, CT, United States
3. Dr Max Stern . . . . . . . $9,458
4. Saundra Taylor . . . . . $6,242
Washington, DC, United States
5. Roberto Flood . . . . . . $4,729
Pico Rivera, CA, United States
6. Paul Honas . . . . . . . . . $3,783
7. Brian Hegstag . . . . . . $2,837
8. Henry Uranga . . . . . . $1,892
Harbor City, CA, United States
9. Roy Whiteaker. . . . . . $1,419
Commerce, CA, United States
881 Players Sets
Commerce Record;
Importer from Iran
Wins the Event
With the poker explosion
shattering records everywhere, Commerce Casino
had its biggest tournament
to date as 881 players
World Poker Tour Shoot-Out Satellites.
All satellites start at 11 a.m. each Saturday
through March 19th. Register after the
conclusion of the previous satellite, limited
to the first twenty players registered. $100
buy-in plus $5 entry fee. Play-off winner
goes to the Bellagio with paid entry fee and
$3,000 for travel. For further details, call
1-800-APACHE 8, ext. 3618. Go For The Gold.
Must be 21 years of age to participate in any gaming activities. apachegoldcasinoresort.com
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
31
Perks and Picks
There is no end in sight. More new poker rooms continue to open
up in casinos around the country and existing rooms are expanding at an incredible speed! Among the latest to enter the fray is
the Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico whose official
grand opening was held February 5th. Its state-of-the-art poker
room includes special promotions, events and
giveaways. With a sophisticated and comfort-
The Bargain Bin
By H. Scot Krause
able design, special amenities, and a variety
of games, the new poker room is one of New
Mexico’s finest.
“Poker is among the most popular casino games today and our
players have said that they would love to play the game here at
Route 66 Casino. Now they can,” said Dan Ihm, marketing director
of Laguna Development Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary
of Pueblo of Laguana) which owns and operates Route 66 Casino.
“Our room includes many popular games and variations on the
game. In addition, we have added several amenities to make our
room the most player friendly. For example, ours is a non-smoking
room, we have an exclusive bar for our guests and we use automatic shufflers that create the fastest games in town.”
Route 66 Casino’s poker room includes 12 tables that offer
Texas Hold’em, Omaha High and Low, and 7-Card Stud. Other
games include two mini-baccarat tables, one Pai Gow poker table
and one four-card poker table. The poker room also includes
two $25 blackjack tables. In addition, the Route 66 Casino poker
room offers no limit games and a maximum buy-in of $100 and
members of the Fast Cash Reward program will earn units for
every hour of play.
The décor of the room includes dark woods with a special
glass railing to a separate poker bar area. It also includes inroom food and beverage service from a select menu in addition to the bar. The cocktail servers are dressed in elegant and
sophisticated black dresses that complement the room’s look and
ambiance. Four plasma screen televisions allow guests to view
the most exciting sports action and news.
Route 66 Casino’s 167,000-square-foot property includes more
than 1,200 slot machines, 20 table games, a bingo parlor, the
Hungry Cowboy Buffet, the Cabaret Dell Rhea, the 2,800-seat
Legends Theater, which features headline entertainment, and a
retail shop. The Route 66 Casino is adjacent to Interstate 40,
parts of which are formerly the historic Route 66. The property
is just 10 minutes west of Albuquerque.
News from the Las Vegas card tables…
The Rio will be the home of the 2005 WSOP (World Series of
Poker) with the exception of the Finals, which will still be held
at Binion’s downtown. In anticipation of the WSOP the new card
room is now open at the Rio with 10-tables spreading $2-$3, $3$6, and $4-$8 Texas Hold ‘em and $2-$5 No-Limit Hold ‘em. In
addition, the Rio’s poker room will spread any game customers
want to play, including Seven Card Stud and Omaha. No-Limit
Hold ‘em Tournaments take place at noon daily ($40 buy-in).
The newly remodeled Silverton Casino with its beautiful lodgelike atmosphere has also announced that a poker room will be
opening soon. While visiting, be sure to check out the all-new, free
Azure Exotic Underwater Fantasy Show. Live performances take
place on the hour Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from
5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturdays from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and
Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesdays are dark.
And yet another new card room… in addition to the newly
expanded casino, the Santa Fe Station has opened its Poker
Room.
That’s it for this week!
H. Scot Krause is a freelance writer, gaming industry
analyst and researcher, originally from Cleveland, Ohio.
While raising his two year-old son, Zachary, Scot reports,
researches, and writes about casino games, events,
attractions and promotions. He is an eight-year resident
of Las Vegas. Questions or comments are welcomed.
Card room managers are also invited to send your specials and promotions to: [email protected]
32
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Card Room Roundup
Aladdin Resort & Casino
3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 785.5555
www.aladdincasino.com
Without a doubt, 2005 is
already proving to be the
greatest year in the evolution
of poker. As the game continues to earn widespread attention throughout the world,
more and more eager players
are being introduced to one
of the most
Currently, the Aladdin
spreads No-Limit Holdʼem
with $1-$2 blinds (buy-ins
range from $40 to $100) as
well as $2 - $5 blinds with
$100-$300 buy-ins. Limit
games at the Aladdin include
$2-4 Omaha eight or better, $2-5 Seven-Card Stud,
the Mirage) and key poker
sites around the world (Dalton
helped create the hugely
successful Masterclassics of
Poker tournament in Holland).
Aided by crew of friendly,
courteous dealers, Dalton and
the Aladdin are sure to continue building a strong player
base of locals and tourists
alike.
In the weeks to come, the
Aladdin poker crew will be
gearing up for the roomʼs first
Poker Operations Manager Edna Dalton welcomes you to the Aladdin!
unique pastimes (and possible
career choices) in the world.
Unlike most other sports,
poker is truly a game for anyone, regardless of age, background or physique. Poker has
also become a hot commodity
among a legion of younger
players, and it is not uncommon to see a novice twentysomething player win it all at
some of the worldʼs biggest
poker events. Of all the casinos on the famous Las Vegas
Strip, no other place hosts
more of tomorrowʼs poker
giants than the legendary
Aladdin Resort and Casino
Located at the heart of the
Strip, the Aladdin is all that a
Vegas guest could ever want.
The Aladdinʼs 34-acre resort
boasts 2,600 oversized rooms,
a 500,000-square-foot retail/
dining/entertainment area and
a 100,000 square-foot gaming
area. Due to heavy customer
demand, the Aladdin launched
a 12-table poker room late
last year. In only three short
months, the poker area
has quickly become on the
Aladdinʼs most popular attractions, adding another chapter
to the casinoʼs celebrated history.
and $2-$4, $3-6 and $4-$8
Holdʼem. Not surprisingly,
these games are most popular
among players ages 25-32,
who make up the vast majority of the Aladdinʼs clientele.
Newer players prefer to learn
and play in game in the casinoʼs relaxed, non-intimidating
environment. Of course, those
looking for high-limit games
are welcome, too. A special
high-limit table is located in
Aladdinʼs London Club, located upstairs from the poker
room floor.
Additionally, the Aladdin
hosts two daily No-Limit
Holdʼem tournaments
Monday through Thursday
at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The
tournaments consistently draw
upwards to 80, many of whom
arrive early to take advantage
of the roomʼs complimentary
breakfast.
While the Aladdin poker
room is still a relatively new
attraction in town, the roots
of the operationʼs success
run deep. Edna Dalton, the
Aladdinʼs Director of Poker
Operations, comes to the
casino with over 25 yearsʼ
experience in both Vegas
hotspots (the Golden Nugget,
major event, a two-day NoLimit Holdʼem tournament
slated for April 16 and 17.
Buy-ins are $500 for the first
day and $1000 for the second.
When not finding excitement on the casino floor,
Aladdin guests are welcome
to explore a seemingly endless
array of entertainment options.
Perhaps the casinoʼs most
popular non-gaming attraction,
the 7,000-seat Aladdin Theater
hosts some of the cityʼs biggest
concert acts. (Artists as diverse
as Bob Dylan and Maroon 5
have been known to hit the
Aladdin stage.)
As for the future, the
Aladdin is in the planning
stages of a major renovation
set to launch later this year.
Changes include relocating the poker room to make
it more accessible from the
casinoʼs valet parking area.
With the Aladdin on the
rise in the poker scene, there
are even more reasons to take
a trip to the gaming capital of
the world!
For more information
on the Aladdin Resort and
Casino, please call (702)
785-5555 or visit www.
aladdincasino.com.
8. Dan Gutenplan . . . . . . .$160
9. Daryl Smith . . . . . . . . . .$125
ENDLESS SUMMER 1/27/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 173
REBUYS 532
ADD-ONS 238
PRIZE POOL
BUY-IN $20 + $15
$17,915
PLAYERS 157
REBUYS 402
ADD-ONS 224
PRIZE POOL
$14,875
Glenn Smith
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Glenn Smith . . . . . . . . $5,950
Neil Wight . . . . . . . . . $2,975
Leo Kay . . . . . . . . . . . $1,490
Larry Sebert . . . . . . . . .$970
Randall Sussman . . . . . .$750
Steve Elvis . . . . . . . . . . .$525
Randy Mellon . . . . . . . .$375
David Williams . . . . . . .$305
Lance Foshe . . . . . . . . . .$230
David Taylor
1. David Taylor . . . . . . . $7,165
2. Lloyd Sicard. . . . . . . . $3,585
3. Larry Handelman . . . $1,790
4. Donald Wilson . . . . . . $1,165
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
LIMIT HOLD’EM
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
BUY-IN $20 + $15
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 77
REBUYS 156
ADD-ONS 116
PRIZE POOL
PLAYERS 166
REBUYS 443
ADD-ONS 237
PRIZE POOL
PLAYERS 56
REBUYS 98
ADD-ONS 74
PRIZE POOL
$6,630
$16,075
$4,330
Lam Hoang
Stephane Fitoussi
Harry Hudson
Lam Hoang . . . . . . . . $2,650
Irene Williams . . . . . . $1,525
David Phillips. . . . . . . . .$795
Suwicharn Laomoon . . .$465
Aziz Ahmed . . . . . . . . . .$365
Peter Parker. . . . . . . . . .$300
Keith Morris . . . . . . . . .$235
Carl Hirsch . . . . . . . . . .$165
Don Kowalewsky . . . . . .$130
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Stephane Fitoussi. . . . $6,430
David Daneshgar . . . . $3,215
Peter Lenavitt . . . . . . $1,605
Jordan Harris . . . . . . $1,045
Justin Anderson . . . . . . .$810
Roy Beasley . . . . . . . . . .$565
Ripton Hylton . . . . . . . .$405
Tom Broz . . . . . . . . . . . .$320
Spencer Maze. . . . . . . . .$240
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Harry Hudson . . . . . . $1,735
Young Ghun . . . . . . . . $1,000
Silvia Herrera . . . . . . . .$520
Vincent McBride . . . . . .$300
Jason Razavi . . . . . . . . .$235
Larry Stone . . . . . . . . . .$195
Harold Kay . . . . . . . . . .$150
Ali Razavi . . . . . . . . . . . .$110
Joe Prez . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$85
5. Vincent McBride . . . . . .$895
6. Mike Gross . . . . . . . . . . .$625
7. Barry Bergida . . . . . . . .$445
8. Edwin Pairavi . . . . . . . .$360
9. Bob Adalian . . . . . . . . . .$265
POWERFUL ADVERTISING REACH...
POKER PLAYER
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 91
REBUYS 185
ADD-ONS 154
PRIZE
POOL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
$8,170
Gladys Simpson . . . . . $3,270
Adam Feierstein . . . . $1,880
Zach Rosenfield . . . . . . .$980
Harold Kay . . . . . . . . . .$570
Carlos Berrios . . . . . . . .$450
Roger Kindred . . . . . . . .$365
Roger Hickey . . . . . . . . .$285
Mike Halioua . . . . . . . . .$205
Petronius Kiam . . . . . . .$165
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 151
REBUYS 372
ADD-ONS 213
PRIZE POOL
$13,985
David Daneshgar
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
David Daneshgar . . . . $5,595
Richard Bakovic . . . . $2,795
Lewis Young . . . . . . . . $1,400
Robert Flannelly . . . . . .$910
Lisa Sheppard . . . . . . . .$700
David Diangleo . . . . . . .$490
John Boylan . . . . . . . . . .$350
Isidro Agurre . . . . . . . . .$280
Uno Kim . . . . . . . . . . . . .$205
LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 80
REBUYS 149
ADD-ONS 108
PRIZE POOL
$6,400
Mark Duckworth
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Mark Duckworth. . . . $2,560
Lewis Young . . . . . . . . $1,470
Sayed Mazarei . . . . . . . .$770
Suwicharn Laomoon . . .$450
Keith Morris . . . . . . . . .$350
Johnathan Azoulay . . . .$290
Jerry Payo . . . . . . . . . . .$225
Just make the final table and be one of nine to win
a $10,000 entry to the major poker event in Las Vegas.
Come play in Casino Arizona’s No Limit Hold ‘Em Points Challenge.
Tournaments are held every Monday - Friday and the last Saturday of the
month, now through April 30, 2005. Qualifying players will go on to
compete in the Semifinals, held May 7th, 2005, with top players
advancing to the Championship Challenge on May 8th, 2005. The top nine
players receive a $10,000 entry to the major poker event in Las Vegas.
Call Casino Arizona for details.
Casino Arizona reserves the right to cancel or alter this promotion at any time. All winners will be responsible
for any tax liabilities.
WE’VE GOT YOUR GAME
101 & Indian Bend Adjacent to Scottsdale
480-850-7777 www.casinoaz.com
Owned and operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
Please gamble responsibly.
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
33
Live Games are Boring?
A pack of seven or more college-aged young men converged on one of my favorite Las Vegas card rooms
recently. They waited impatiently for seats at the
tables, hounding the floor manager while jockeying up
and down the list to get to the felt as quickly as possible. Once they did get a seat, it seemed
as if they did not stay long at any one
POKER COUNSELOR
By John Carlisle
table. They had an insatiable appetite for
action, and they incorrectly assumed that
there must be more action on any table than the one
that they were currently on.
When one of the youngsters found a seat next to me,
I intentionally struck up a casual conversation in order
to “pick his brain” to understand who he was and how
he thought. It did not take long for me to catch an easy
read on his mindset when he boldly quipped, “Live
games are boring!” He went onto explain how he logs
tons of hours playing several tables online simultaneously. He further described his wild home game that
involved an inordinate amount of crazy bluffs and all-in
moves. His face lit up with excitement when he spoke
about those intense playing experiences. When he
turned his attention back to our medium-limit game in
the casino, his unenthusiastic reaction was even more
prevalent.
With the popularity of televised no-limit tournaments booming to a once unimaginable rate, poker has
taken on a much different reality for many new players.
Those tightly edited shows display nothing but sheer
excitement, bold bluffs, and tough lay-downs. Most players will tell you that online play is already generally
looser and wilder than what you will find in most brick
and mortar card rooms and casinos, and the ability to
play many tables heightens the distortions. With these
factors together, online play comes close to producing
that heart-thumping altered reality that is often seen
on the televised events.
To optimally play this new generation, the first key
is to identify them. Do not hastily assume that all
younger players fall into the Internet, hungry-for-action
typology. Many youthful players are well studied and
practiced, and misidentifying them can be rather costly
to your bankroll. Instead, look for evidence to back up
your hunch –- are they easily distracted with shifting
eyes and misplaced attention, do they look for action
on other tables, or do they seem disappointed to see
many folds in front of them? Talking with them in a
comforting tone can help pull information, too. Once
you have them identified, expect them to over-think
and over-play their hands. After a round or two passes
them, expect their patience to wear thin. They are then
likely to play too many hands and make too many plays.
Even in limit games, they will play in the “sexy” manner
that they see on TV and on the Internet. They are often
found trying to trap or bluff an inordinate amount of
time. If you play your steady, measured game against
them you will inevitably come out on top. A key is
keeping them at your table, as their instincts lead them
to want to continually jump tables. Keep them engaged
with conversation while bolstering their confidence with
compliments. Outlast them, and you will be sure to take
their chips by the end of the evening.
Now go make it happen.
In addition to being an avid poker enthusiast, John
is a certified Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania.
He has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from
West Virginia University, and a Bachelor's degree
in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lock
Haven University. You can ask the “Poker Counselor”
your question at [email protected].
34
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
From Preacher to Poker Manager
by Donna Blevins
You find the most interesting people in unexpected
places. The place... the
Gold Strike Casino Resort
in Tunica, Mississippi.
The person... Robert
McGovern, the Poker
Manager.
On the surface, softspoken Robert McGovern
appears to be an ordinary sort of guy... 6ʼ tall,
with a wife, Ginger and
19-month-old daughter,
Haylea. Letʼs go deeper.
Robert McGovern calls
himself, “A Mississippi
boy... raised with deep religious beliefs... destined for
the seminary.”
As a football player in
high school, Robert struggled to maintain his Caverage... not so he could
continue playing football
but because he wanted to
stay out of advanced placement. One of Robertʼs
high school teachers saw
Robertʼs genius and counseled him to challenge his
freshman college courses.
Despite the fact that no
one had ever successfully
passed the challenge testing
for his selection of courses,
Robert took and aced the
tests. On his second day of
college, he was declared a
sophomore.
When his mother died
despite his prayers and
deep religious beliefs,
Robert lost his faith. He
dropped out of school,
and for all pretences, went
to hell in a hand basket...
grew long hair, pierced
his ear and started playing
poker.
Then as fate would
have it, after the doctors
declared that his grandmother would be completely paralyzed if she lived
at all, Robert made a pact
with the Lord at her deathbed. At that very moment,
his grandmother stirred.
She opened her eyes,
looked at her grandson, and
said, “Get your hair cut,
and get rid of that earring.”
During his grandmotherʼs hospital convalescence, a nurse convinced
the newly clean-cut Robert
Poker Manager Robert McGovern with Donna Blevins
that a nursing career was
the answer to his unstable
work situation. So, he was
off to nursing school.
When Mississippi casinos opened in 1993, Robert
took a semester off to deal
poker and make a living.
He first went to work in
Vicksburg, and remembers
thinking, “If I am going
to deal, I want to be the
boss.”
Robert met he wife while
chatting on line. Robert
insisted she send him “a
copy of her driverʼs license
to verify her age and a
copy of her birth certificate
to make sure she was born
a girl.” At the same time,
her brothers, who worked
in Dallas law enforcement,
had run a full background
check on Robert.
When he visited Ginger
in Texas, Robert went to
her church even though he
had abandoned his. Robert
said that was the first time
he could tell anyone at
church that he dealt poker
for a living without experiencing a judgmental reaction. They were interested
in him and what it was like
to deal poker. His work did
not define who he was, it
was just what he did.
After Robert and Ginger
were married in 1999,
they made their home
in Mississippi. With the
responsibility of a wife,
Robert worked more and
more shifts dealing and
drifted away from nursing
school.
Just after 9-11, Robert
made the move to Gold
Strike. Three years and
one day from when he
started with Gold Strike,
he became poker manager.
When asked how they
liked their poker manager,
without fail, each dealer
sang his praises. One
summed it up, “Robert
remembers what itʼs like
to deal poker and understands that life happens
while you are at work.”
In fact, Robert told us
thereʼs a worry tree at
the employeeʼs entrance.
“When you come to work,
you hang all your personal
problems on the worry tree
and deal with work. When
you leave work, you hang
all of your work stress and
problems on the worry tree
before going home.”
When we asked Robert
how he felt about his
daughter following in
his footsteps and going
into the gaming industry,
he said. “I hope Haylea
would finish college
before entering the gaming
industry in a managerial,
while collar position. If
however, she decided to
become a dealer, I would
fully support that decision.
Itʼs a very good living
with minimal stress to take
home at the end of the
workday.”
Editorʼs note: You
can reach Donna at
PokerPlayerNews@
yahoo.com
WPO
JOE
MEETS
HOBBY
You should fold the rest.”
“How do you know this,
Joe.”
“Most of it is logical, but
Iʼve been reading about it
too. I found a book in the
library that explains Texas
Hold ʻEm.”
“I didnʼt even know we
have a library.” Hobby
replied, which was no surprise to me.
“Thatʼs where I get the
books I read when you guys
are playing poker. And,
I learned that youʼre not
playing the game the way
the professionals do. You
guys all ante, but in the
real game only two players make an ante. Theyʼre
called the little blind and
big blind; but itʼs probably
sible combination for
two cards. “Hereʼs what
you have to remember,
Hobby. There are 13 pair
of the same cards, like aceace, king-king, and down
the line. Then there are 78
combinations starting with
ace-king and down, plus
another 78 combinations
when they are the same suit.
That gives you 169 possibilities. If you want to play
conservatively, you should
only bet before the flop if
you hold cards from the top
one-third of the combos.
The best is ace-ace and the
worst would be king-four. If
you want to be more risky,
or if there are only a few
guys playing, go into the
queen and jack combos.
PART 2
(Contʼd from page 21)
Youngest-Ever Jack
Binion World Poker
Open Champion
Seizes First Major
Tournament Victory
and $1,465,944
No one could possibly have
predicted the startling conclusion to the sixth annual
Jack Binion World Poker
Open championship event.
The most unlikely of dark
horses, John Stolzmann – a
23-year-old college student
– stunned a standing-room
only audience and the entire
poker world by annihilating one of the toughest
final tables in World Poker
Tour history. Not only
was young Stolzmann
out-chipped by one of the
worldʼs top poker players
by a 3 to 1 margin from
the start, two other powerhouse poker superstars held
decisive chip advantages,
as well. Then, there were
two other dangerous foes
to contend with, since both
had approximately the
same number of chips as
Stolzmann. On the scale of
tournament hills to climb,
this was Mount Everest. Of
the six finalists coming into
Day Four of the main event,
John Stolzmann was the
youngest and least-experienced player at the table. To
suggest that after six hours,
he would end up with the
coveted gold and diamond
bracelet, and be the focus of
television cameras and multiple press interviews at the
end of a grueling but exhilarating tournament, would
have been far-fetched, to say
the very least.
looked at me dumbfounded,
like I was asking for the
impossible. “Have you got
a clue what Iʼm talking
about?” I waited.
“Well, I know if Iʼve got
a couple little cards, itʼs not
as good as having a couple
of aces.”
“Thatʼs right. So, you
should not call before the
flop if youʼre holding two
poor cards. In fact, you
should only bet if your
cards are better than average.” We spent the next
hour looking at all the pos-
simpler the way you play
it.”
Over the next few days
Hobby and I had more
poker skull sessions. He
learned the fundamentals
of playing the odds, betting
strategy, and a bit about
reading others. I watched
him play and was pleased to
see it was working. He was
no longer the patsy, in fact
he often came out a winner.
The money didnʼt mean
much to Hobby, except as a
confidence builder. He took
on a more assertive attitude
and gained the respect of
some of his peers. Little
brother was doing alright.
Write to author David Valley
at: [email protected]
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LAKE ELSINORE HOTEL & CASINO
2/3/05
OMAHA HI-LO SPLIT
BUY-IN $35 + $5
1 $30 RB
PLAYERS 84
REBUYS 67
PRIZE
POOL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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7.
8.
9.
$5,000
Thomas Watkins . . . . $1,900
Patrice Arundel . . . . . . $950
Dave Edwards . . . . . . . $500
Art Kronenthal . . . . . . $400
Oscar Portillo. . . . . . . . $350
Jim Kurashima . . . . . . $300
Jack Tejwani . . . . . . . . $250
Renato Patiag. . . . . . . . $200
Nannette . . . . . . . . . . . . $150
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For hotel reservations call Billie Robbins at 541-966-1549
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
35
Mind Games
I was watching a very popular movie about pod people
on the television recently. What really caught my
attention was the fact that a group of people were
trying not to fall asleep for fear of becoming pod
people, and having a decidedly tough time of it. More
importantly, they were failing at an alarming rate. Pod
Dealer Vibes
By Donald W. Woods, Jr.
people are associated with being brain
dead: unable to think for themselves.
People listen! Someone somewhere is
always trying to persuade, sell, tell, and
entice you into something even as I speak.
The problem with that is many times it is erroneous,
misleading or outright false information. No matter,
dissect the information and or research the information if you are not aware, but make a decision. The
point being is to exercise that brain of yours to extract
your own conclusions based on the information provided. Apparently, it is a very difficult task for some
who have had a lifetime of available media rhetoric to
review.
Just recently, I overheard a conversation at the
poker table. One player was inquiring to another about
the prospects of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball
team without their star player Kobe Bryant. It took
the other player all of two seconds to retort a line
straight off of ESPN news heard earlier that day. Now,
I am not certain but either that reply was genuine or
ESPN thinks like this player or that this player thinks
like ESPN. For my money, the ESPN analyzed opinion
swayed the player so much that he quoted it as his
own.
So, what am I trying to say? Try to formulate in your
minds the proper reply or response for the appropriate
questions. I am a little concerned about the growing
apathy toward allowing others to THINK for us. Now,
to provide some insight, some background, some information is fine, however, let the final decision be from
you. The thought of some of these people in positions
of “higher” power manipulating the thought process of
the many is scary. The notion that this movie and real
life mirror each other is depressing for me. We might
as well be pod people if the independent thought
process were not included. This includes infomercials
on how to get rich, buy homes with no money down,
and the latest “sure thing” at the track. Trust your
instincts more for your intuition has your best interest
at heart for sure! In the future, make a very concerted
effort to incorporate all your available assets, and
FEEL being one of them.
In the future, you will probably think a lot differently
about things when you come to the understanding
that you are as capable as the next person is. When
all things are equal with respect to the knowledge
necessary to succeed, pull the trigger on your thought
process. I would also suggest that you block out the
noise of the naysayer who starts every sentence with
a negative. After all, if some one really knew everything about everything they would probably choose to
keep it to themselves for fear of one of us getting a
hold of it. Then you know what would happen... that’s
right—there would be a new Poker Champion.
Donald W. Woods, Jr. is a 9 year professional dealer.
Some of his diversified interests include, track and
field coach at the high school level yielding a championship in 2002. He is currently penning an original
script, outside the poker arena, for his maiden voyage
to movie-land. For more information, contact him at
[email protected]
36
N OV E M B E R 1 , 2 0 0 4
Student Wins Jack
This yearʼs annual poker
classic held in Tunica,
Mississippi, hosted jointly
by the Horseshoe CasinoHotel and Gold Strike
Casino-Resort, was memorable for many reasons.
Based on attendance figures
and prize money, it was
the largest poker tournament ever held outside of
Las Vegas. A whopping
8,702 players entered 20
tournaments. The total
prize pool was $12,369,522.
Only the World Series of
Poker has higher numbers.
Furthermore, the 1,449
players who entered Event
#2 at this yearʼs tournament constituted the biggest poker tournament ever
held, apart from the WSOP.
Tunica has clearly become
one of pokerʼs biggest and
brightest destinations.
The JBWPO championship event lasted four long
days. A record 512 players
entered the tournament,
which began on January
24th. After Day One, 161
players remained. Among
the early bust-outs was last
yearʼs champion, Barry
Greenstein. The 2004 winner doubled up at one point,
but was eliminated when
he moved ʻall inʼ with a
straight and flush draw,
was called by his opponent, and missed making
his hand. The tournament
continued on Day Two and
played down to the final 27
– which was the number
of players who received
prize money. Finishing
just short of a payout was
2003 JBWPO champion,
David “Devilfish” Ulliott.
Twenty-one players were
eliminated on Day Three.
The six finalists arrived at
the final table for Day Four,
with Las Vegas-pro Chau
Chiang as the chip leader.
A full house of spectators
crowded into the second
floor ballroom of the Gold
Strike. An additional 1,500
or so poker fans packed
into the nearby Millennium
Theatre to watch the final
table on close-circuit television. Tournament Director
David Eglseder opened
the proceedings and was
joined by WPT announcer,
Linda Johnson. Linda
Machi, a gospel singer from
Gulfport, Mississippi sang
the National Anthem.
6TH ANNUAL JACK BINION
WORLD POKER OPEN
FINAL EVENT
1/27/05
CHAMPIONSHIP NO
LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $10,000 + $200
PLAYERS 176
PRIZE
POOL
$4,832,773
1. John Stolzmann . .$1,465,944
Madison, WI, United States
2. Chau Giang . . . . . . $773,448
3. Daniel Negreanu . . $384,322
4. Scotty Nguyen . . . . $336,282
Henderson, NV, United States
5. Mike Mizrachi . . . . $288,241
Hollywood, FL, United States
naments in the past, added
$13,037 to her poker bankroll. Meanwhile, a tearful Angel Word accepted
first-place prize money
of $25,261, the gold and
diamond bracelet given to
every tournament winner, a
crystal trophy for the ladies
championship, and a bouquet of flowers. Who could
have known that reading
an ad in a newspaper a few
weeks earlier could have
led to such a big surprise.
6. Raja Kattamuri . . . $240,201
Irving, TX, United States
7. Tracy Scala. . . . . . . $192,161
Del Ray Beach, FL, United States
8. Jason Tate. . . . . . . . $144,121
9. Mike Liras . . . . . . . . $96,080
Touched By an Angel:
Angel Word Wins
Ladies Championship
in Record-Setting
Event
Angel Word, a registered
nurse from Bowdon, GA
won the largest ladies tournament ever held in the
South. She was the winner of the Ladies No-Limit
Holdʼem championship
at the 2005 Jack Binion
World Poker Open, held in
in Tunica, MS. In terms
of crowd excitement and
player enthusiasm, it was
– by far – the highlight of
the 18-event tournament, to
date. Every showdown and
turn of a card brought the
standing-room only crowd
to its feet. Fortunes and
chip leads changed multiple
times during the three-hour
slam-bang finale. At the
conclusion, Angel Word
was in tears. In short, it
was everything anyone
would ever want to see at a
tournament final table. Too
bad the television cameras
were not there to capture
the drama.
The real story of Angel
Wordʼs first tournament
victory started, not in
Tunica, but at a casino in
Philadelphia, MS. A few
weeks ago, Angel picked up
a flyer at the casino. She
saw an advertisement for
a poker tournament called
the “Jack Binion World
Poker Open.” She also saw
that the tournament offered
a Ladies Championship
event.
Liz Brown, from Denton,
TX was the runner up.
Brown, who finished high
in some online poker tour-
WORLD POKER OPEN
EVENT #18
1/23/05
LADIES NO LIMIT
HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $200 + $25
PLAYERS 433
PRIZE
POOL
$82,440
Angel Word
1. Angel Word . . . . . . . $25,261
Bowdon, GA, United States
2. Liz Brown. . . . . . . . . $13,037
Denton, TX, United States
3. Trudy Wells . . . . . . . . $6,518
Temperance, MI, United States
4. Karen Clark . . . . . . . . $5,704
Mayfield, KY, United States
5. Tracey Malvestuto . . . $5,040
Champaign, IL, United States
6. Jewell Spooner . . . . . . $4,200
Madison, MS, United States
7. Thuy Nguyen . . . . . . . $3,360
Tampa, FL, United States
8. Gyla Whitlow . . . . . . . $2,520
Houston, TX, United States
9. Seneathia Porter . . . . $1,680
Birmingham, AL, United States
Poker Rookie Jess
Yawitz Teaches the
Pros a Thing or Two:
St. Louis teacher
wins Event #17 and
$334,701 in prize
money
Consider the following Day
One starting table in the
$3,000 buy-in No-Limit
Holdʼem event:
Seat 1: David “Devilfish”
Ulliott
Seat 2: John Juanda
Seat 3: Anonymous cash
game pro
Seat 4: Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Seat 5: Paul Wolfe
Seat 6: Freddie Deeb
Seat 7: Anonymous cash
game pro
Binion World Poker Open
Seat 8: Chad Brown
Seat 9: Jess Yawitz, who
has been playing
holdʼem for exactly
eight months!
Of these names, which do
you think made it into the
money? Which do you think
made the final table? Of
these names, which do you
think won first place and
$334,701 in prize money?
If you guessed Jess Yawitz
– please see the nearest mental health professional.
Yes, Jess Yawitz – a 58year-old former teacher from
St. Louis, MO – did the
unthinkable. He crushed a
tough field of 386 players
and ended up with the Jack
Binion World Poker Open
gold bracelet for Event #17.
Runner up Dr. Andy
Philachack officially collected $172,747 in prize
money – quite a performance
for his first major final table.
Meanwhile, new champion
Jess Yawitz was ecstatic.
Although he learned to play
poker as a child, he has only
played holdʼem for about
eight months. Poker on
television influenced him to
come and play in events like
the JBWPO.
“I have never played
holdʼem in cash games or
home games before,” Yawitz
said afterward. “But I decided I wanted to give poker a
shot. At 58-years-old, I donʼt
have the luxury of starting
slow. When I play, I put the
pedal to the metal.”
Perhaps next time the
likes of Hellmuth, Juanda
and Devilfish sit down at a
table – itʼs Jess Yawitz they
should fear.
WORLD POKER OPEN
EVENT #17
1/22/05
NO LIMIT TEXAS
HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $3,000 + $100
PLAYERS 386
PRIZE
POOL
$1,082,671
Jess Yawitz
1. Jess Yawitz . . . . . . . $334,701
St Louis, MO, United States
2. Andy Philachack . . $172,747
Garland, TX, United States
3. John Phan . . . . . . . . $86,374
4. Eddy Scharf . . . . . . . $75,577
Cologne, Germany
5. Nick Frangos . . . . . . $64,780
Mars Landing, NJ, United States
6. Billy Duarte . . . . . . . $53,983
Berthoud, CO, United States
7. Mark Rose . . . . . . . . $43,186
Edna, TX, United States
8. Victor Eskew . . . . . . $32,390
Atlanta, GA, United States
9. Farzad Rouhani . . . . $21,593
Germantown, MD, United States
Terry Garner wins first
place and $102,306 in
third-ever poker
tournament
The longest final table at
this yearʼs Jack Binion
World Poker Open was
bound to be the highly-contested $2,000 buy-in Limit
Holdʼem event. Clocking
in at just over six hours, the
finale featured a dominant
first-time win for a family
dentist from Hattiesburg,
MS. For the nine rivals,
watching the deck run over
Garner was about as enjoyable as getting a root canal
without the Novocaine. At
times, flustered opponents
openly gasped when Garner
revealed monster hands,
which time after time
proved to be unbeatable. It
seemed – whatever Garner
needed, he caught -- and
then some. You could bank
on the fact that if Garner
had two diamonds in his
hand, the flop would come
all diamonds. If Garner had
Q-Q against A-K, heʼd not
only win with the pair of
ladies, but a Queen would
come for overkill. His big
pocket pairs always held
up. It was though Garner
was coated in Teflon, drilling deep into the gums of
his eight opponents, tapping
into raw nerve endings with
every big hand.
Garnerʼs win amounted
to $102,306, the coveted
gold and diamond bracelet
awarded to each event winner, and an entry into the
$10,000 Jack Binion World
Poker Open championship,
now just two days away.
With his wife watching and
cheering every hand that
was dealt, Garner made the
victory seem far too easy.
Of the 16 events thus far
played at the JBWPO, this
seemed the most effortless.
WORLD POKER OPEN
EVENT #16
1/21/05
LIMIT TEXAS
HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,000 + $80
PLAYERS 170
PRIZE
POOL
$311,239
Terry Garner
1. Terry Garner . . . . . $102,306
plus $10,000 Championship
event seat
Hattiesburg, MS, United States
2. Minh Nguyen . . . . . . $56,422
Lake Elsinore, CA, United States
3. Barry Shulman . . . . $31,001
4. Doug Booth . . . . . . . $24,801
Bowling Green, KY, United States
5. Cecilia Reyes . . . . . . $18,601
Madrid, Spain
6. Frank Kassela . . . . . $15,501
Germantown, TN, United States
7. Daniel Elwell . . . . . . $12,400
Nashville, TN, United States
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F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
37
alter Clyde “Puggy”
Pearson has always
felt at home around the big
game, the big gamble.
The 1973 winner of the
World Series of Pokerʼs
championship Texas hold
ʻem event, was born in a
“shack in Tennessee,” one
of nine children in a family
so poor “we had to move
every time the rent came
due.”
Pearson, 77, has used this
line more times than he can
W
I say to the women talkinʼ
like this, how come all you
broads werenʼt sayinʼ those
things back when I was a
young whipper-snapper, and
they go, well, you didnʼt
have any money in them
days.”
He waits for the smiles,
the laughs that always come
and then itʼs off to the next
subjects:
PLAYER
Profile
Remembering the day he
played golf with “Titanic”
Thompson on a Par 3 in
Tennessee. “Seems to me that
he played left-handed . . .”
Remembering a grandparent warning him to be
careful about getting old
“because it wasnʼt gonna
be any fun . . . and now I
know what he was talking
about.”
Remembering how he
was warned that the good
life was mostly luck and to
work hard at staying lucky.
Remembering his role in
the origin of what became
the World Series, the casino
industryʼs best known and
longest running annual promotion
Pearson has traveled to
wherever the good game
was, always returning to
Las Vegas.
He won the World Series
of Pokerʼs championship no
limit Texas hold ʻem event
in 1973, beating Johnny
Moss with an ace high and
was inducted into the Poker
Hall of Fame in 1987.
Moss, of course, is in the
Hall as well.
“I think there was 13 of
us playing then. Jimmy the
Greek had a piece of me.”
Pearson now avoids those
marathon stints at the poker
table that were once part of
his routine, but heʼs still a
familiar face at Las Vegas
card rooms where heʼll stop
Poker Player is pleased to welcome Phil Hevener back to its pages.
Hevener was the Managing Editor of Poker Player from July 1983 to
December 1985. Phil wanted to produce his own publication, which he
did with Larry Hall. They called it, “Las Vegas Style.” A popular journalist who writes for many major publications, Phil was replaced in 1985 by
Gary Thompson, who is now the spokesman for Harrahs Entertainment.
38
PUGGY
Pearson
BY PHIL HEVENER
remember but still has a
standup comicʼs knack for
making it sound as fresh
as yesterday.
As a poker player he
eventually came to prefer
the highest of high rent
districts, so to speak, looking for a seat in the biggest
games in any room even
before he knew what the
game was.
“Puggyʼs a natural people
person,” says two-time
World Series winner Doyle
Brunson who, with Pearson,
is one of the few living
individuals voted into the
Poker Hall of Fame.
“Puggy didnʼt know
much about the games,”
Brunson says, “but he
knew people. He was like a
jungle animal,” devouring
opportunities as he came to
them.
Conversationally, Pearson
remains up there with the
best, flitting lightly across
several generations of the
people and circumstances,
that helped shape the steady
evolution of poker as part
of the casino business.
He still lives in the same
house he bought in the
early 1960s in the affluent
Scotch 80s neighborhood of
Las Vegas.
Following “Puggy”
through a conversation is
like chasing a butterfly
across a summer field of
distractions. He can change
directions on a dime, darting from subject to subject.
“People tell me I still
look good,” he smirks, “and
by for a couple hours a day,
two or three times a week
for one of the medium level
games.
Brunson recalls Pearsonʼs
“jungle animal instincts”
in the poker world at a
time when the “scufflers,
gamblers, hustlers and
rounders” still held sway,
generally undeterred by the
requirements of regulators
who would come to mandate a veneer of respectability.
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Itʼs not hard to imagine.
Almost anyone who was
anyone in the gambling
world when Pearson arrived
in Las Vegas came from a
background of mostly illegal gambling.
Pearson is one of the surviving few who can speak
with authority about the
roots of the World Series of
Poker.
He was there when it
happened, when the seed
was planted at the Holiday
Casino in Reno . . . “by an
old Texas poker player, a
hustler, McCorquodale was
his name. He came out here
and got broke, went back to
Texas and eventually come
out here with a pocket full
of money. What happened
then was he went up to
Reno and got himself the
poker room at the Holiday
Casino.”
As time went by, Felton
“Corky” McCorquodale
would also end up in the
Poker Hall of Fame, an
eventual honor that had
nothing to do with the circumstances, circa 1967,
that led him to discuss the
possibilities for generating
casino revenue by inviting a
group of mostly Texas gamblers to Reno for a tournament.
Horseshoe Casino founder “Benny” Binion and
his son Jack made the trip
from Las Vegas since they
already knew most of the
invited gamblers.
But letʼs not get ahead of
things.
Pearson was explaining
during a break in his regular morning card room routine at the Bellagio, “Corky,
he calls me and says Puggy,
why donʼt you get a bunch
of them guys Joe Bernstein,
Tommy Abdo, Red Winn
and all them other guys that
were around here . . .
“He says to me why
donʼt you bring them up
here. Thereʼs a lot of live
money around here. I told
him Iʼd see what I could do
and I went and looked up
Jimmy “The Greek” who
was hustling me something
fierce to be part of this betting thing he was doing.
Anyway, so we went on up
there . . .
“Jimmy liked the idea of
a poker tournament because
he remembered how well
Benny had done with Nick
the Greek and Johnny playing that big long-running
game at the Horseshoe.”
One thing led to another
and Binion decided he
wanted to bring the tournament to the Horseshoe
if that was all right with
McCorquodale.
Corky eventually said
yeah, to go ahead.
“Soooo,” Pearson
remembers, “that was how
we started the World Series.
That game in Reno, that
was it, that was the beginning of it.”
How did they happen to
use hold ʻem to decide the
Horseshoe championship?
“Because Corky and
Johnny Moss and all them
guys,” Pearson says, “they
was from Texas and thatʼs
what they played down
there.”
Pearson punctuates that
explanation with a look that
suggests, could anything be
clearer?
Former World Series
director Eric Drache notes
that hold ʻem was on the
verge of becoming extinct
until its exposure in televised high limit events such
as the World Series and
World Poker tour turned it
into something of a national
craze.
Pearsonʼs tosses off
wisecracks in a down home
twang as heʼs describing
this effort to recruit players
for a card game.
“I knew their ways and
their signals better than
they did since I was the one
getting all the money back
then, so I says to them,
all right all you half-ass,
would-be scufflers and
gamblers why donʼt we go
up there and each of you
put up five or ten thousand and whoever gets up
with it, theyʼre the winner,
theyʼre the champ.”
Pearson concedes “poker
has been cleaned up a lot”
over the decades since he
first found his way to Las
Vegas in the early 1950s.
“I traveled all over the
country hustlinʼ pool after
I got finished with the last
of my three hitches in the
Navy.
So what did he do in the
Navy?
“I was a dish washer, is
what I was . . . that and settinʼ up poker games, runninʼ
a poker game. Pokerʼs the
reason I went in the Navy.”
How about elaborating
on that?
“Weeeeell, during the
Player Profile: Puggy Pearson
early 40s, I was hustlinʼ
pool and shininʼ shoes
and sellinʼ papers . . . All
them suckers would come
in the pool room to drop
off their money and there
were solders, sailors and I
said to myself that I had to
get closer to where all this
money was.”
Which is what led
Pearson to decide he should
do his bit for Uncle Sam.
Looking for opportunity is
the way he thought of it.
“Itʼs like I always said,
“Iʼll play any man from any
land, any game that he can
name for any amount that I
can count.”
He gives that a big grin
and continues, “But wait a
minute, youʼve gotta read
the real small print over here
in the corner where it says,
providing that I like it.”
But heʼs not through yet
and raises a hand adding,
“Itʼs not what you play
and itʼs not how good you
play, itʼs how good you get
off that first tee, how you
match up, whatever it is
youʼre doing.”
Pearson remembers getting to know Horseshoe
founder Benny Binion better than a half-century ago.
“Could have been in Las
Vegas, but, waiting a minute . . . “ might have been
back in Dallas, upstairs in
one of those places where
he had a joint. I donʼt
remember the street.”
Doesnʼt matter, Pearson
was on the scene in Las
Vegas “years before some of
the Johnny-come-latelies like
Moss and Doyle and Chip.”
The first time Pearson
saw Vegas . . .
“Yeah, it had to be in the
early 1950s, I was hustling
pool in Los Angeles, over
there around Sixth and
Main, used to take a street
car out to Gardena, and
then one day me and this
buddy I was hanging out
with decided to take a bus
to Las Vegas.
“Yes sir,” he says, “Las
Vegas was the place to be.”
Thinking about that for a
moment as the expression
on his face seems to say,
still is for that matter.
Harrah’s Rincon
Rioʼs convention facility. Only
the final two days (July 14
and15) will be held at Binionʼs
in downtown Las Vegas.
One of pokerʼs most
respected and beloved innovators, Jack Binion will act as
tournament host. Binion brings
his proud family name and
decades of experience in the
gaming industry to the World
Series of Poker Circuit, which
unites the treasured traditions
of the past with the excitement
of the present, making for a
triumphant future ahead for all
poker players and people who
love the game.
“In 2005, the World Series
of Poker begins its evolution
from a month-long special
event into a year-round sport,”
said Ginny Shanks, Senior
Vice President of Acquisition
Marketing for Harrahʼs
Entertainment. “The road to
the World Series of Poker
Championship will be a challenging one. But unlike professional football, basketball, golf
or auto racing, even the greenest of amateurs can mount a
challenge for the title.”
Players will earn points
based on their performance
in all circuit events at each
of the venues. At the conclusion of the circuit, the top
100 point-earners (the top 20
point earners from each circuit
stop) will receive a freeroll
invitation into the 2005 World
Series of Poker “Tournament
of Champions,” where a single
winner will take home a top
prize of $2 million. The 2005
Tournament of Champions
will take place soon after the
conclusion of the World Series
of Poker Championship event,
and will be held at the Rio. All
championship events will be
taped and aired on ESPN.
“This circuit is going to set
a new standard of excellence
in poker,” said Ken Lambert,
World Series of Poker Circuit
Director. “For the first 35
years, players had to travel to
Las Vegas to play in the best
tournament in the world. Now,
we are taking the World Series
directly to them. This way,
even more players and fans
of poker will have a chance
to come and experience the
excitement of the fastest-growing sport in America.”
WPO
8. John Bonetti . . . . . . . . $9,300
9. Amir Vahedi . . . . . . . . $6,392
WORLD POKER OPEN
EVENT #15
1/20/05
NO LIMIT TEXAS
HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,000 + $80
PLAYERS 369
PRIZE
POOL
$687,539
John Hoang
1. John Hoang . . . . . . $212,187
Alhambra, CA, United States
2. Martin Vallo . . . . . . $109,519
Copenhagen, Denmark
3. Davood Mehrmand . $54,759
Frankfurt, Germany
4. Tony Seunsom . . . . . $47,914
5. Bob Hume . . . . . . . . $41,070
Orlando, FL, United States
6. Tony Cousineau . . . . $34,225
Daytona Beach, FL, United States
7. Gavin Griffin . . . . . . $27,379
8. Dale Hackney . . . . . . $20,535
9. John Bolten . . . . . . . $13,690
Thursday, March 3rd · 7:15pm
Omaha H/L Split · $35 Buy-in · $5 Entry Fee · One $30 Rebuy
Friday, March 4th · 7:15pm
No-Limit Hold’em · $60 Buy-in · $15 Entry Fee · Two $40 Rebuys
Saturday, March 5th ·
No-Limit Hold’em · $55 Buy-in · $10 Entry Fee · No Rebuys
Sunday, March 6th · 2:00pm
No-Limit Hold’em · $5 Entry Fee · Multi $10 Rebuys · Two $10 Add-ons
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
39
The European Seniors
We have been invited to return again this year to Paris
and host the second annual of ‘THE
EUROPEAN SENIORS’ on Monday the 7th
of February 2005.
BacK in the saddle Again
Book reviews
Winnerʼs Guide to
Omaha Poker
by Ken Warren
Cardoza Publishing, 2003
ISBN 1-58042-102-4
222pp, $19.95
By OKLAHOMA JOHNNY HALE
Believe it are not—they smoke in Europe—
but the wonderful management of the Aviation Club have
again honored “The Seniors” World Championship of
Poker” and agreed that this years WCOP poker tournament
will be non-smoking.
Remember last year about this time we took our
European poker tour and we hosted the inaugural of “The
European Seniors” at the world famous Aviation Club on
the avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris, France.
This year I want to honor our troops by visiting
Normandy where so many of our heroes gave their lives for
the liberation of France and all of the other enslaved countries of Europe during the terrible days of World War II.
Then I want to throw some more coins into the River
Seine just for luck. I know, it will just be another real honeymoon for us in Paris. But I am sure that we will find time
to go to the Palace at Versailles, and visit Notre Dame, as
spend a lot of time at the Louvre.
We will only stay a little over a week this year because
we must return and complete the arrangements for the big
poker happening in Las Vegas and Oklahoma.
We have been asked by Dr. Henry Jay Bindson, president
of the Las Vegas Lion’s club to help them arrange a poker
charity tournament for the benefit of the Diabetes Lions
Club in Conjunction with Diabetes Alert Month in March.
Then we are arranging to go back to my home town in Tulsa,
Oklahoma and host he grand opening of poker in Oklahoma,
at the Cherokee Nations Enterprises {CNE} in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. And then I have been asked to coordinate the
“The Centennial Charity Classic” on Saturday the 30 of April
at the Golden Nugget in beautiful downtown Las Vegas.
The no limit poker tournament at the Golden Nugget will
be an official part of the centennial celebration marking
the 100 birthday of Las Vegas.
I have been requested to advise the mayor of Las Vegas,
His honor {Oscar Goodman} of a few of my “Oklahoma
Johnny” poker tips! I will be the Mayor’s poker advisor so
that he will be sure to succeed. I will lay you 8 to 5 that the
mayor will make it to the final table of this event.
Mr. Brooke Dunn, Sr. Vice President of Shuffle Master,
has arranged for his company to act as sponsor of the
Centennial Charity Classic. Shuffle Master’s Deckmate will
have a poker table in the Parvillion of the Golden Nugget.
Mr. Samuel A. Culotta, Jr. Senior Vice President of
Development of the YMCA of Southern Nevada has worked
long and hard to make this poker happening a great success.
They have invited and expect over 500 supporters of
the Y to be present at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas on
April the 30, and to contribute $500 or more each to help
the Y and other Las Vegas charities
Carol, I have invited a few folks to come and be with us and
I would like to extend a warm invitation to all of our friends to
come and have a great time at the first ever CENTENNIAL
CHARITY CLASSIC. Honey, it will be cold in France in
February so pack me some of my Oklahoma long johns.
“Oklahoma Johnny” poker tip of the week... Here is
one on my new years resolutions: I know that the YMCA is
often referred to as just the “Y”—so in honor of the YMCA
and the Centennial Charity Classic, this year I will only play
poker on the days that end in Y.
Until next time, remember to STAY LUCKY!!!
Editor’s Notes: You may contact OK-J at his e-mail
[email protected], or play poker LIVE, ONLINE
with Johnny, Carol and Sarah at www.seniorpoker.
com. Johnny’s book, “The Gentleman Gambler,” is in
its third printing. Contact Johnny for your copy.
40
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Warren begins his book
with some background
material before providing
a general introduction to
the intricacies of the game
of Omaha. He makes the
assumption that readers
of this book know how to
play Holdʼem, so Warren
provides a lot of information to his audience by way
of making comparisons
between the two games.
Some of the comparisons
the author makes are
astute, some I donʼt quite
buy, and some seem downright contradictory. For
example, Warren asserts
that bankroll requirements
are higher for Omaha than
Holdʼem while simultaneously suggesting that
Omaha bankrolls experience lower fluctuations.
Because of the number
of cards involved and the
“two from your hand, three
from the board” rule novice
Omaha players often make
mistakes in reading their
hands. Warren provides
three chapters devoted to
practicing this skill, with
chapters on high hands,
low hands, and high and
low hands. I believe these
three chapters could be
helpful to an Omaha novice
who needs some practice
in this area. At this point,
Warren turns his attention
to strategic information. A
brief chapter on odds provides a gentle introduction
to the authorʼs suggestions
regarding hand selection.
With some exceptions, these
suggestions are roughly in
line with those of other
authors, but I believe that
overall better advice thatʼs
more coherent exists in
other books. It is only at
this point in the book that it
becomes clear to the reader
that Winnerʼs Guide to
Omaha Poker is focused
on limit Omaha High/Low
Split poker. Thatʼs fine, as
thereʼs more than enough to
be written about this game
to fill a book, but comments
by the author earlier on confused me as to whether this
would be the case or not.
The book concludes with
chapters on “outs”, which is
essentially about post-flop
play, a chapter on tournaments, and playing Omaha
on the Internet. Despite a
few reservations Warrenʼs
post-flop advice seems fairly
decent to me, but I was bothered by the final two chap-
ters. The tournament chapter
uses Holdʼem play for its
examples, which seems quite
out-of-place. The Internet
chapter seems replete with
errors and inconsistencies.
Some of these may be due
to the changing landscape of
online poker, but I believe
many of these instances are
just due to a lack of careful
research.
In the end,
sloppiness
is my main
objection to the book as a
whole. Warren writes statements that I donʼt believe
to be strictly true. I would
expect that the author generally has an understanding of
the subtleties that underly
the statements he makes, but
these are not communicated
clearly to the reader. As a
consequence, I believe that
beginning Omaha players are
quite likely to be misled by
many of the things he writes.
There isnʼt anything
here for intermediate or
advanced Omaha High/Low
Split players, and I believe
that beginners will be better served by other books
on this topic. Itʼs certainly
possible that a concerted
effort to make the book
more coherent combined
with careful editing could
make “Winnerʼs Guide
to Omaha” a respectable
source on the subject, but
because this hasnʼt happened, I canʼt recommend
this book.
—Nick Christenson
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If It’s February, It Must be Commerce
5. Conrad Ehart. . . . . . $26,702
9. Paul Vinci . . . . . . . . . . $1,816
7. Bruce Levitt . . . . . . . . $2,624
Phillips Ranch, CA, United States
San Luis, CA, United States
Beverley Hills, CA, United States
6. Dani Pourat . . . . . . . $20,027
7. Minh Luu . . . . . . . . . $16,689
8. Hailu Gabriel . . . . . . $13,351
Las Vegas, CA, United States
9. Gary Vick . . . . . . . . . $10,015
Northridge, CA, United States
‘Unknown’ Benny
Dumas Wins Up And
Down Omaha Hi-Lo
Session
Nut lows counterfeited, nut
highs outdrawn on the river,
key hands taken down with
two deuces. Just another
typical day at the office for
Omaha hi-lo.
When the field in this
event got down to four, all
the players were non-pros.
Andrew Wang, an auctioneer, led with 76,000 in chips,
slightly ahead of Gasem
Haldy, who is a childrenʼs
social worker supervisor. In
the 40k range were Peter
Brownstein, retired from the
insurance/financial planning
business, and Benny Dumas,
who would only say he is in
“sales.”
The only one of them to
list any poker achievements
was Brownstein, who has a
second in razz and a fourth
in stud at the World Series,
along with Omaha hi-lo
wins elsewhere.
The four then made a deal
for all the money except for
$6,000, and play continued.
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
1/28/05
OMAHA HI-LO
BUY-IN $500 + $40
PLAYERS 234
PRIZE
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$113,400
Car Dealership
Manager Wins 7-Stud
After 3-Way Chop
Ends Long Battle
It took 47 hands for this
eventʼs 7-card stud final
table to get down to four
players, and nearly as long
to get to get to three, with
all four finalists grabbing
the chip lead at one time or
another.
Finally, Max “Italian
Pirate” Pescatore was eliminated. A quick chip-count
deal was then made, and
James Carroll, a used car
manager at a Cadillac dealership, who held a big lead
with 103,000 chips, was
declared the winner.
Quan Duong, a retiree,
came in second with 41,000
in chips, just ahead of
Houston restaurant consultant Bradley Williams, who
had 40,000 and finished
third..
Carroll began playing
poker in home games when
he was 13. His interest
in poker had been dwindling until he lost a leg
due to illness last year.
Recuperating at home with
little to do, his attraction
was rekindled when he
began watching poker on
TV. He now plays up to 10
tournaments a month, with
five final tables and some
small wins to his credit. He
plays all games, but this is
his first stud tournament.
8. Ki Suk Hong . . . . . . . $1,756
Fontana, CA, United States
9. Bill Apostolakis . . . . . $1,317
Long Grove, IL, United States
BBQ Owner Dannie
Perry Tops Huge Field
of 799 in No-Limit
First Event
This is by far the biggest
win for Perry, whose cash-ins
include a third in an LAPC
event last year, along with a
frustrating number of bubble
finishes in other major tournaments. He describes himself as an aggressive player
who knows when to brake
based on timing and the stages of the tournament. In
early going at the final table
he played cautiously. The
breakthrough hand for him
came with six players left.
Starting chip leader Peter
Nam moved in with pocket
queens. Perry called with A-4
and made aces full.
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
1/26/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $300 + $30
PLAYERS 799
PRIZE
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$232,509
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Dannie Perry
Dannie Perry . . . . . . $83,718
Henry Antanesian . . $40,689
Danny Morgan. . . . . $19,995
Noah Jefferson . . . . . $11,857
Peter Nam . . . . . . . . . $9,300
Van Nguyen . . . . . . . . $6,975
Michael Lesle . . . . . . . $5,812
Frank Rite . . . . . . . . . $4,650
John Hoang . . . . . . . . $3,487
COMMERCE CASINO
L.A. POKER CLASSIC
1/27/05
7-CARD STUD
BUY-IN $500 + $40
PLAYERS 181
PRIZE
POOL
$135,800
Benny Dumas
1. Benny Dumas . . . . . . $41,990
Quartz Hill, CA, United States
2. Andrew Wang . . . . . $21,563
Hacienda Heights, CA, United States
3. Gashem Haldy . . . . . $10,782
Covina, CA, United States
4. Peter Brownstein . . . . $6,809
IL, United States
5. Wing Wong . . . . . . . . $5,107
Rowland Heights, CA, United States
6. Keith Ohara . . . . . . . . $3,972
Carlsbad, CA, United States
7. Hieu Ma . . . . . . . . . . . $2,837
S El Monte, CA, United States
8. Peter Swearingen. . . . $2,270
James Carroll
1. James Carroll . . . . . $34,233
Alta Loma, CA, United States
2. Quan Duong . . . . . . . $17,557
3. Bradley Williams . . . . $8,779
4. Max Pescatori . . . . . . $5,794
Milan, Italy
5. Dave McAfee . . . . . . . $4,389
Poway, CA, United States
6. Gevork Kasabyan . . . $3,511
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
41
Entertainment
Listings
Entertainment RePORT
By LEN BUTCHER
Some great entertainment around the country this month and if you’re a Tony Bennett
fan, you’ll want to make sure you’re in Las
Vegas when he plays the Golden Nugget Feb. 18-20.
His career has been pretty amazing when you consider he
has endured and flourished through the Big Band era, rock
‘n’ roll, hard rock, and rap. At 78, he’s still going strong. What
I find ironic, in a way, is that although I am, and have always
been, a fan of Bennett’s, he’s the only interview I have done
in my life where I walked out halfway through.
What happened was that during the course of the interview, he mentioned a period in his life when he couldn’t get
any work. He was a young man with a family so things were
pretty rough. I asked what he did to get through that difficult time and did his wife work.
For some reason, he became very agitated and asked me
why I was prying into his private life, which was the farthest thing from my mind. Ask anyone who knows me well
and they will tell you I’m obsessed about my own privacy
and that of others.
Anyway, accused me of wanting to dig into things that he
didn’t want to talk about. I wasn’t going to listen to something
that wasn’t true, especially when I had asked him a simple
question in response to what he, on his own, had told me.
The next day, after a few phone calls back and forth, we
got it sorted out and we continued the interview with no
hard feelings on either part. Certainly an interesting guy.
Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in 1926 New York, he
attended the High School of Industrial Arts in Manhattan,
where he continued nurturing his two passions -- singing
and painting.
As a teen, he sang while waiting tables, then performed
with military bands during his Army enlistment in World War
II. Bennett’s big break came in 1949 when comedian Bob
Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich
Village in New York City.
As Bennett recalls, “Bob Hope came down to check out
my act. He liked my singing so much that after the show he
came back to see me in my dressing room and said, ‘Come
on kid, you’re going to come to the Paramount and sing with
me.’ But first he told me he didn’t care for my stage name
(Joe Bari) and asked me what my real name was. I told him,
‘My name is Anthony Dominick Benedetto,’ and he said, ‘We’ll
call you Tony Bennett.’ And that’s how it happened. A new
Americanized name, the start of a wonderful career and a
glorious adventure that has continued for fifty years.”
If your tastes run to comedy, and you happen to be in
Southern California, another entertainment icon is performing at Pechanga Casino Feb. 18. His name happens
to be Dr. William Henry Cosby, Jr., better known as Bill
Cosby. Here’s another guy who is still going strong after
more than 40 years.
I had the pleasure of meeting Cosby and his beautiful
wife Camille a number of years ago at the home of Robert
Culp, who Cosby co-starred with in the 1960’s hit TV series,
I Spy, a role that put Cosby on the map. The stand-up comedian won two Emmy awards for his portrayal of an undercover CIA agent. He was also the first African American to
star in a weekly dramatic TV series.
A talented guy, he produces, directs, acts, writes books,
tours the country guest speaking, does stand-up comedy,
records best-selling albums and continues to develop projects for both television the big screen.
But he’s probably best remembered for his role as the Dad
and husband on the Bill Cosby Show. No matter how you look
at him, he’s a very funny guy and always delivers on stage.
Len Butcher, a 25-year resident of Las Vegas, is
an online columnist for the Las Vegas ReviewJournal and a former Managing Editor of the Las
Vegas Sun and of Gaming Today. Reach him at
[email protected]
42
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
Poker Player Advertisers are shown in RED along with their ad’s page number
To list your event, contact Len Butcher, Entertainment Editor at [email protected]
CALIFORNIA
Agua Caliente Casino
Comedy Shop
Commerce Casino
Arena Patio
Ballroom Dance Party
Crystal Park Casino & Hotel Cambodian Dance Party
(29)
Karaoke
El As De Oros Night Club
Bonnie Raitt
Fantasy Springs Resort
Smokey Robinson
Harrah’s Rincon (9)
Finish Line Lounge
Hollywood Park Casino (5)
Pechanga Resort & Casino Bill Cosby
(26)
CONNECTICUT
Freddie Jackson
Foxwoods Resort Casino
Dave Chappelle
Mohegan Sun Casino
MISSISSIPPI
Gold Strike Hotel Casino
Eddie Money
(Tunica)
George Jones
Grand Casino (Biloxi)
Three Dog Night
Grand Casino (Tunica)
Gerald Levert
Grand Casino (Gulfport)
Horseshoe Casino (Tunica) Brooks & Dunn
NEW JERSEY
Brooks & Dunn
Taj Majal Hotel & Casino
Tropicana Casino & Resort Beth Tinnon
(Atlantic City)
NEW YORK
Phil Vassar
Turning Stone Casino
NEVADA-LAS VEGAS
Donn Arden’s Jubilee!
Bally’s Resort & Casino
O
Bellagio Resort & Casino
Binion’s Horseshoe Hotel & Honky Tonk Cowgirls
Casino
Vinnie Favorito
Boulder Station Hotel &
Dave Mason
Casino (6)
Cannery Hotel & Casino (16) The Association
Thunder From Down Under
Excalibur Hotel & Casino
Gladys Knight
George Wallace
Flamingo Las Vegas
Bottoms Up
The Second City
Golden Nugget Hotel &
Tony Bennett
Casino
Clint Holmes
Harrah’s Hotel & Casino
Imperial Palace Hotel &
Legends In Concert
Casino (17)
Blue Man Group
Luxor Resort & Casino
Midnight Fantasy
8:30 p.m. Featuring three top comedians
weekly.
East L.A., Live Wednesdays 9 p.m.; Top comics,
Karaoke Thursdays 8 p.m.
Thursdays 8 p.m. to Midnight, Sundays 2-6 p.m.
Fridays 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Nightly, except Tues., Wed.
Presents Banda Nortina Sats 8 p.m.-3 a.m.
Feb 27, 8 p.m.
Feb 19, 8:30 p.m.
Live Jazz, Tues. 8 p.m.
Feb 18, 7 & 9:30 p.m.
Feb 18, 9 p.m.
Feb 18, 9:30 p.m. & Feb 19, 8 p.m.
Feb 18, 9 p.m.
Feb 18-19, 8 p.m.
Feb 26, 8 p.m.
Feb 12, 8 p.m.
Feb 24, 8 p.m.
Feb 18-19, 8 p.m.
Ongoing, Tango’s Lounge, 7 p.m.
Feb 18, 8 p.m.
Sat-Thu, 8 p.m.
Fridays through Tuesdays, 7:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Ongoing, 7 & 11 p.m. (dark wednesdays)
Ongoing, Tue-Sat 8 p.m., Fri-Sat 8 p.m.
Feb 19, 8 p.m.
Feb 26, 8 p.m.
Fridays through Wednesdays. 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Tuesdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays, 2 & 4 p.m.
Thursdays through Tuesdays, 8 p.m.
Feb 18-20, 9 p.m.
Monday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays, 7 & 10 p.m.
The Orleans Hotel & Casino
Burt Bacharach
7 p.m. Nightly
Tuesdays through Sundays, 8:30 p.m.
7 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays; 8 p.m.
Fridays; 7 & 10:30 p.m. Saturdays, Mondays.
Feb 26, 8 p.m.
8 p.m. (Monday thru Friday)
Feb 18, 9 p.m. & Feb 20-21, 10:30 p.m.
Tuesdays thru Saturdays, 7pm; Tuesdays &
Saturdays. 7 & 10 p.m.
Feb 10-13, 8 p.m.
Palace Station Hotel &
Casino (6)
Laugh Trax comedy club
7:30 & 10 p.m. Tuesdays thru Saturdays.
Plaza Hotel & Casino (21)
The Comedy Zone
9 p.m. Tuesdays thru Sundays.
Sahara Hotel & Casino (21)
The Platters, Coasters and
Drifters
8 p.m. nightly
Mandalay Bay Resort &
Casino
Mamma Mia
Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
Magician Lance Burton
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Impressionist Danny Gans
The Mirage Hotel & Casino (11)
Dana Carvey
Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino
(38)
Stardust Hotel & Casino
Sunset Station (6)
Texas Station (6)
LAUGHLIN
Love Comes to Vegas with
Rudy Love
Wayne Newton
The Temptations &
The Four Tops
Rock ’n’ Roll Hypnotist Thom Kaz
Love Shack
Riverboat Ramblers Strolling
Colorado Belle Hotel Casino Dixieland Jazz Band
Little Anthony & the
Flamingo Hilton Hotel Casino
Imperials
Ramada Express Hotel Casino Todd Luxton & The Cadillacs
Oak Ridge Boys
Riverside Hotel Casino
RENO
The Palmores
Atlantis Casino Resort
Tony Vee
Boomtown (30)
Siegfried & Roy Present
Eldorado Hotel Casino
Darren Romeo
Brad Garrett
Reno Hilton Hotel Casino
Feb 11, 10 p.m.
Jan 24-Feb 9, 8 p.m.
Feb 24-27, 8 p.m.
Fridays, 10 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, 10 p.m. & 2 a.m.
Fridays & Saturdays, 8 p.m.
Feb 12, 7 p.m.
Feb 13-16, 8 p.m.
Feb 22-27, 7 p.m.
10 p.m.-4 a.m.
Jan 15-30, 7 p.m. & 4 a.m.
Thru Feb 27, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.
Feb 20, 8 p.m.
Debbie Burkhead interviews Matthew Dodd
pleased with the ratings?
MD: Pleased was an
understatement, they were
ecstatic. They received the
best ratings they had ever
received in those time slots.
DB: What happened next?
MD: With two tournaments
in the can and good ratings
in the San Diego market
we went to Los Angeles to
broaden our audience.
DB: Was LA as accepting
of your idea?
MD: LA was a much
tougher nut to crack then
San Diego because they
are the number two market
compared to San Diego
who is 26 in the market
standings but we did secure
a deal with KDOC for
2005.
teach your students to deal?
MD: Poker, blackjack, pai
gow and mini-baccarat.
DB: How long does it take
a student to learn all the
games?
MD: Our poker course is
three weeks and our tables
games course is six weeks.
DB: What poker games are
your students qualified to
deal once that graduate?
MD: All variations of
Texas holdʼem, Omaha,
and seven-card stud.
DB: What percentage of
your students go on to deal
asked & answered:
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E
in a casino?
MD: Our placement rate is
76 percent. We have some
students that just want to
learn to deal but arenʼt
really looking for a job in
the industry and others that
lack the diligence of going
through the process of finding a job.
raising, folding, or providing the strength of a hand.
You should never abuse this
rule in order to take advantage of trusting opponents,
though.
Q #10 ANSWER: (b). Tipping
dealers when you win a
DB: Do all your students
graduate?
MD: Eventually, but we
donʼt let them leave until
they are proficient at all
games. Our students can
also come back anytime
and practice or refresh their
skills until they get a job.
Caribbean
NE-Canada
Bermuda
Alaska
22
meaningful pot is theoretically optional, but expected
– and almost all respected
professional players do it.
For most dealers, who are
paid minimally, tips are
their primary source of
income.
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DB: When will your show
air?
MD: Our first show taped
at the Golden West Casino
in Bakersfield, California
and will air on KDOC
March 3, 2005 at 11 p.m.
DB: How many casinos are
booked for 2005?
MD: Six, at present. We
are booked through the end
of May and we plan on
adding five more casinos,
for a total of 26 events to
finish out the year.
DB: Do you plan on
branching out from the
Southern California area?
MD: Yes, absolutely. In
2006 our goal is to create several regional tours
nationwide that will also
be regionally televised and
culminate into a tour champion of all the tours.
DB: What are the locations
of the prospective regions?
MD: We hope to have
tours in the Pacific
Northwest, the Southeast,
the Midwest and New
England.
DB: Will the events be
aired outside of the United
States?
MD: Yes, we just signed a
deal with Sky Broadcasting
that will air in Western
Europe and the United
Kingdom.
DB: As for your dealing
school, what games do you
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
43
The So-Called Coin Flip
Now that more of us are switching from limit to nolimit hold’em, we need to focus our attention on the
decisions that matter most, namely
whether to make or call big bets or
KILLER Poker
By John Vorhaus
all-in wagers. With the able help of top
math craftsman Tony “Flawless Victory” Guerrero,
I’ve been looking at some no-limit numbers of note,
and if you look at them with me, you might find
altered, or at least informed, the way you go about
making your all-in decisions.
Consider, for instance, the so-called “coin flip” confrontation of overcards versus a pocket pair. Most
players and even TV commentators call, say, 8-8
versus A-K “a coin-flip.” While I’m not fussy about
precise numbers -- a thumbnail grab is to me more
useful than exact odds to many significant figures -- I
think it’s misleading to imply that this is a true fiftyfifty proposition, and that those inclined to gamble
would happily take either side of the action. In fact,
the pocket pair, no matter which pocket pair, is always
at least a 52-48% favorite over any two overcards.
Sometimes, as in the case of Q-Q versus A-K offsuit,
the edge is much higher, 57-43%. While that may be
in the neighborhood of a coin flip (if you define neighborhood loosely enough) it’s not a neighborhood you’ll
find profitable if you’re consistently on the wrong end
of the odds.
Does this mean you should always make a big move
with pocket pairs, knowing that you have a measurable edge against overcards? Obviously not, since
overcards aren’t the only sort of hand out there
against you. There might also be overpairs, and if you
run into a bigger pocket pair, you’re on the order of a
4 to 1 underdog, and facing an uphill climb.
But you do want to have in your arsenal the ability
to make big bets with pocket pars, so do two things to
minimize your exposure to overpairs. First, naturally,
avoid making big moves with small pairs. Even pocket
eights face six dominating pocket pairs; pocket deuces face twelve. The less headroom you leave in the
deck, the better your chances are of getting called
by the overcards you seek and not the overpairs you
fear. Second, save your big pocket pair moves for late
position when there are fewer hands left to act, and
therefore fewer chances of running into a dominating
pair. Acting late also increases your chances of winning without a fight, and those fold-outs give your big
moves with pocket pairs a lot of extra equity.
If I play small pairs at all, I play them as a drawing
hand, hoping to flop a set and trap other players for
all their chips. Just because 4-4 is a theoretical favorite against some hypothetical A-K or A-Q doesn’t give
me (or you) license to go nuts. Yet we see all kinds of
players, especially those new to the game, getting terribly frisky with these hands -- moving all-in under the
gun with small pairs and hoping for the magical power
of the “coin flip” to see them through to victory. This
is hazardous in a cash game, where you can at least
reload if it goes horribly wrong. In tournaments, it’s
suicide, unless you’re confident that everyone will fold
-- but then you’re on a pure steal and it really doesn’t
matter whether your cards are high or low, paired or
unpaired, red, black, blue, green or silver.
Bottom line: Pocket pairs play best for big raises
when they’re not early and not small. Otherwise, play
them to hit a set, or better yet don’t play them at all.
[JV’s latest books, POKER NIGHT and THE KILLER
POKER HOLD’EM HANDBOOK are available now in
bookstores or through www.vorza.com.]
44
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
2005 WORLDWIDE
POKER TOURNAMENTS
To list your 3 day events contact: Joel Gausten, Managing Editor at: [email protected]
DATE
EVENT
LOCATION
Jan 26-Feb 24
LA Poker Classic
Commerce Casino, Commerce, CA
Feb 1-13
Euro Finals of Poker
Aviation Club de France, Paris, France
>Feb 9-13
Pechanga Open
Pechanga Resort Casino (AdPg 26), Temecula, CA
>Feb 11-13
Sweethearts Wknd/Queen of Hearts Bicycle Casino (AdPg 3), Bell Gardens, CA
Feb 15-20
French Open
Deauville Casino, Deauville, France
Feb 20-27
Bregenz Open
Casinos Austria, Bregenz, Austria
>Feb 20–March 1 Harrah’s Rincon Poker Tourn (ESPN) Harrah’s Rincon (AdPg 9), Valley Center, CA
Feb 21-27
Midway Medley
Grosvenor Casino Walsall, West Midlands, UK
>Feb 26-Mar 6 Spring Poker Tournament
Peppermill Hotel and Casino (AdPg 17), Reno, NV
>Mar 3-20
Winnin’ o’ the Green
Bicycle Casino (AdPg 3), Bell Gardens, CA
Mar 4-11
Bay 101 Shooting Star Tourn. Bay 101, San Jose, CA
Mar 10-12
No Limit Hold’em EPT Event
Concord Card Casino. Vienna, Austria
Mar 10-12
E-WSOP Trial
Concord Casino, Vienna, Austria
Mar 10-Apr 1
World Poker Challenge
Reno Hilton, Reno, NV
Mar 11-28
Masters Ch’ship of Poker
The Orleans, Las Vegas, NV
>Mar 12-22
Rio Las Vegas Poker Tourn (ESPN) Rio Hotel & Casino (AdPg 9), Las Vegas, NV
Mar 15-20
EPT Grand Final
Casino Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Mar 21-28
Sussex Masters Easter Festival Rendezvous Casino at the Marina, Brighton, UK
>Mar 22-Apr 2 Spring Poker Roundup
Wildhorse Resort Casino (AdPg 35), Pendleton, OR
Mar 29-Apr 3
The Poker Classics
Grosvenor Victoria Casino, London, England
>Mar 30-Apr 10Sport of Kings
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 5), Inglewood, CA
Mar 31-Apr 24
3rd Ann. 5-Star World Poker Classic Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
>Apr 11-May 1 Stars and Stripes
Apr 12-17
Southern Classic 2005
Grand Casino Gulfport, Gulfport, MS
Apr 18-24
Torneo di Poker
Hit Casino, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
>Apr 20-May 17 Plaza World Poker Classic
Plaza Hotel & Casino (AdPg 36), Las Vegas, NV
Apr 24-May 2
WSOP Warm Up VI
Garden City Casino, San Jose, CA
>Apr 26-May 10 Harvey’s Lk Tahoe Poker Tourn (ESPN) Harvey’s Resort Casino (AdPg 9), Stateline, NV
May 1-31
World Ch’ship of Poker
May 5-10
Oasis Open
Oasis Casino, Mesquite, NV
May 6-22
Heavenly Hold’em
May 8-15
Paris Open of Poker
May 11-15
Western Canadian Poker Classic Casino Yellowhead, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
May 12-22
Spring Pot of Gold
>May 21-30 Harrah’s New Orleans Bayou Poker Challenge (ESPN) Harrah’s Casino New Orleans (AdPg 9), New Orleans, LA
June 1-5
Estonian 5th Open Ch’ship
Astoria-Palace Casino, Tallinn, Estonia
>Jun 3-Jul 8 MSOP
>Jun 3-Jul 15 World Series of Poker 2005 Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Jun 6-12
The World Masters
Grosvenor Victoria Casino, London, England
Jun 18-30
Fiesta al Lago
Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
July 1-31
U.S. Open Ch’ship of Poker
>Jul 2-17
Larry Flynt’s Grand Slam of Poker IV Hustler Casino (AdPg 13), Gardena, CA
Jul 11-29
Rendezvous a’ Paris
>Aug 4-Sept 4 Legends of Poker
Aug 28-Sept 4 Speedway of Poker VII
Garden City Casino, San Jose, CAAug 29–Sept 18
Aug 29-Sept 18 Borgata Poker Open
Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ
Sept 6-25
Calif. State Poker Ch’ship
Sept 26–Oct 2 The European Championships Grosvenor Victoria Casino, London, UK
Sept 29-Oct 10 Fall Pot of Gold
>Sept 29-Oct 16 Big Poker October
>Oct 17-30
Nat’l Ch’ship of Poker
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 5), Inglewood, CA
>Nov 2-12
Fall Poker Roundup
Wildhorse Resort Casino (AdPg 35), Pendleton, OR
Nov 4-20
Holiday Bonus Tournament
Nov 13-20
The Hold’em Series
>Nov 24-Dec 11 Turkey Shoot/Ho Ho Hold’em Bicycle Casino (AdPg 3), Bell Gardens, CA
Nov 29-Dec 18
Five Diamond World Poker Classic Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
Nov 30-Dec 5
Campionato Italiano di Poker
Hit Casino, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
POKER PLAYER:
IT’S ON THE INTERNET!
The entire publication of Poker Player, ads and all, is now available on
the internet. You can read the Current issue and all of our back issues, in
their entirety, by going to: www.gamblingtimes.com/poker_player.
all manner of games and
tournaments have become
available to a growing
throng of poker fans
eager to test their skill
in the American capital of gaming.
While many
of Las Vegasʼ
card rooms
are naturally
concentrated
on the Strip,
there is plenty of poker
action off the Strip as well,
he drive is much
like any other after
crossing the Hoover
Dam on Highway 93 – just
a few small towns and casinos spread out along the
road in the desert – until
you crest a hill and all of
Las Vegas, including the
Strip and its unique build-
T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Greater Las Vegas
Santa Fe Station
Fiesta
Ultra New Town Tavern
Arizona Charlie’s
Palace Station
Plaza
Horseshoe
Golden Nugget
El Cortez
Boulder Station
Sam’s Town
Gold Coast
Rio
Palms
Orleans
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Las Vegas Boulevard
(The Strip)
Sahara
Circus Circus
Stardust
Mirage
Harrah’s
Imperial Palace
Flamingo
Bally’s
Bellagio
Aladdin
Monte Carlo
Excalibur
Luxor
Mandalay Bay
By Jason Zinzilieta
whether itʼs downtown
on Fremont Street, along
Boulder Highway or scattered around the greater
Las Vegas area. One of the
larger off-Strip poker rooms
is located at the Gold Coast,
OPEN
HOURS
# OF
TABLES
GAMES
NL?
HIGH
LIMITS
S/NS
HOTEL
24/7
24/7
Daily 5p
Daily 10a
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
8
4
2
2
9
9
18
9
3
9
9
8
10
10
23
H O
H
H
H
H Oh/l
H 7
H 7h/l Oh/l
H
H 7
H O
H 7
H O
H
H
H Oh/l
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
6-12
4-8
no-limit only
4-8
4-8
4-8
10-20
10-20
1-6
4-8
4-8
4-8
6-12
4-8
10-20
N
S
S
S
S*
N
N
N
S
S*
S
N
N
S
**
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
24/7
15
9
10
31
10
10
8
7
30
12
9
20
11
10
H
H 7
H 7
H 7 Oh/l
H
H
H 7
H 7
H 7 O
H 7 Oh/l
H 7
H 7 Oh/l
H
H
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
1-4-8
4-8
6-12
10-20
4-8
4-8
4-8
4-8
Various
4-8
4-8
6-12
4-8
4-8
N
N
S
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Hotel - Hotel/motel physically attached to casino
S/NS - Smoking (S) or non-smoking (NS) poker room
* - Some non-smoking tables
** - Orleans allows smoking daily 3am-9am only
Days open, hours of operation and tables may vary
ings, is spread out before
you on the desert floor in
one glance. Everything
about Las Vegas – the history, the gaming, the possibilities – seems to strike
at once, whenever someone
sees the glittering city for
the first time.
Poker has played a large
part in Las Vegasʼ history
– sometimes a bigger role,
Okahara said. “But the trend
is non-smoking and I think
as we progress, people are
more health conscious, and
I think it plays a big factor.
Iʼve taken polls here in the
room and most of our players prefer non-smoking, but
theyʼre non-smokers. Who
knows how many people
arenʼt satisfied with the fact
NEVADA-PART III
sometimes less.
Most if not all of the
great poker players
of the past several decades
have darkened the doorsteps
of the Las Vegas card rooms
that have either come and
gone or endured, and it was
here that the modern poker
boom was born, with the
Poker Rooms in Las Vegas
MAP # CASINO
tive about going down to
the Strip, and I think itʼs
just convenience more than
anything is what makes it,
where we get our players.
We do get some share of
tourists, but weʼre mainly a
locals place.”
Besides managing the
Orleans poker room for
the past year and a half,
World Series of Poker in
1970 and the World Poker
Tourʼs first tournament and
television broadcast only a
few years ago.
Because of the explosive
popularity of poker recently,
the gameʼs role in Las Vegas
over the past few years has
grown at a tremendous rate.
Poker rooms are opening up
or expanding quickly, and
about a mile west of the
Strip on Tropicana Avenue,
where poker room director
Garrett Okahara, who also
directs the Orleans on the
strip, says being located
away from the Strip doesnʼt
affect his business.
“Weʼre a locals property,”
Okahara said. “We like it
that way. I think a lot of
the locals are a bit tenta-
Okahara is also in charge of
the newly re-opened card
room at the Gold Coast,
which presents some unique
challenges.
“My major hurdle right
now is just trying to get
(the Gold Coast room) off
the ground,” Okahara said.
“Iʼve got a lot of good people working for me, and we
handle it pretty well. Itʼs the
responsibility of going back
and forth between rooms,
keeping on the same page
with all your staff and making sure everythingʼs being
done correctly, providing
the best customer service
that we can.”
Besides the popular daily
and weekly tournaments,
many rooms in Las Vegas
are spreading live no-limit
Texas holdʼem games these
days, and the Orleans and
Gold Coast rooms are no
exception to this growing
trend.
“Itʼs pretty phenomenal,”
Okahara said. “Just about a
majority of the card rooms
in town nowadays spread
a no-limit game. We do it
every weekend, sometimes
during the week, and weʼd
like to get more no-limit
games. Itʼs as important
as tournaments, no-limitʼs
become very popular and
itʼs a new trend.”
Another trend spreading
throughout Las Vegas and
the rest of the country is the
elimination of smoking in
many card rooms, something Okahara said he thinks
about every day.
“Iʼm from the old
school, where you smoke,
you drink, you gamble.
It all goes hand in hand,”
we donʼt
have
smoking here
-- we donʼt know that. Itʼs a
good debate.”
Like many others in the
industry, Okahara thought
the future of poker would be
good - for a while, at least.
“I think that weʼre going
to sustain this level for probably a number of years,”
Okahara said. “Obviously,
I donʼt think it can last forever – thereʼs going to be
a saturation period at some
point, but I donʼt think itʼll
be in the near future. When
somethingʼs popular youʼve
got to jump on it and take
advantage of it, and hopefully provide an enjoyable
atmosphere for people to
play, and hope they come
back.”
With the number of new
card rooms rising in Las
Vegas, did Okahara think
Las Vegas was reaching the
saturation point of poker?
“I donʼt believe so,”
Okahara said. “I think itʼs
pretty much starting to
take off. I think itʼll sustain
itself for at least a couple of
years. The same thing happened several years ago –
everyone was opening card
rooms because it was popular, and then after so many
years it started to decline
and they started closing the
rooms down, which will
probably happen again in
the future. I donʼt know
when, though. We hope that
at least it stays this way for
at least several years. But
itʼs going well, all the rooms
are doing well, and itʼs a
good thing for poker.”
F E B R UA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 5
45
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48
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Feb 21, 2005 - Gambling Times

Transcription

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