- Ante Up Magazine

Transcription

- Ante Up Magazine

anteupmagazine.com
YOUR POKER MAGAZINE
SOUTH
MARCH 2010
TM
+
FLORIDA
CHAD BROWN IN JAX
LOUISIANA
STATE TITLE ANYONE?
BORGATA OPEN
FLORIDIANS DOMINATE
WEST VIRGINIA
DARVIN MOON CHALLENGE
GOIN’
DEEP
Florida’s Chris Torina has built his
DeepStacks company into a poker
instructional powerhouse.
MISSISSIPPI: HOYT CORKINS WINS WPT SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP PG. 25
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The Big Easy Poker Room
PUBLISHING LLC
anteupmagazine.com
2519 McMullen-Booth Road
Suite 510-300
Clearwater, FL 33761
(727) 331-4335
PUBLISHERS
Christopher Cosenza
Scott Long
CONTRIBUTORS
SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE
Change is coming.
This isn’t a flashback to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. It’s a prediction.
Change is coming to the southern poker scene, and
not a moment too soon. Whether through legislation in
Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Kentucky or in a courtroom in South Carolina, change is coming. … but it
may not all be good.
It doesn’t matter if this movement is sparked by depleted state budgets, a struggling economy, the fight for
freedom or standing up for American civil liberties; the
point is, poker will evolve in our corner of the country
this year one way or another.
In Florida, under pressure from parimutuel interests
and poker players, both sides of the aisle came together
in January to “decouple” the provisions of last year’s
Senate Bill 788 that aimed to free parimutuel poker
from its cuffs while giving the Seminole Tribe an exclusive compact. That bill failed miserably. But the 2010
legislative session begins this month, and right at the top
of the docket will be to hammer out an uncapped poker deal, as well as expanded gambling throughout the
state. Getting Gov. Charlie Crist to sign these changes
into law may be a struggle, but he’d like to leave the
mansion knowing his state is better off than when he
first took office … and adding millions in found revenue
certainly is a way to do that.
Georgia, like Florida, is desperate for money, and
what better way to get it than to amend the state constitution and propose commercial gambling? The path to
legal poker here lay within two proposals: a full-blown
casino in Atlanta or parimutuel horse racing, which
would no doubt welcome poker rooms. If either passes,
Georgians will vote on their fate in November.
In Kentucky, Gov. Steve Beshear, thinking he’s protecting his state’s horseracing industry, came off as a
hypocrite when he tried to seize 141 gambling site domain names last year. An appeals court brought some
normalcy back to the Bluegrass State at the end of
the year when it overturned a lower court’s decision
to grant Beshear’s wish. Beshear, who almost immediately pushed the case to the Supreme Court, has sent a
chill through Internet poker and many sites have stayed
away until the waters calm. According to Interactive
Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, the organization fighting this case, a ruling from the state’s
highest court could come as early as March 18. Something that seemed so trivial in the beginning, and served
as fodder for many pundits, may bring the online poker
world to its knees.
Five poker players in South Carolina wonder if
they’ll remain free after cops busted their home game in
April 2006. In October of that year a judge ruled Texas
Hold’em was a game of skill, therefore proving it isn’t
illegal gambling under South Carolina law. Ultimately
he ruled in favor of the players, who were guided by
the Poker Players Alliance. Now the state’s attorney
general is appealing the ruling. The implications will
be heard ’round the country as other cases face similar
arguments, including the Unlawful Internet Gambling
Enforcement Act. There is no timetable for when the
appeal will be heard.
Finally, in Rocky Mount, N.C., assailants barged into
a home game, shot and killed the host, then followed
one of the fleeing players across the street and shot him
and a neighbor. The gunmen are still at-large. No motive has been established, but most of these tragedies
almost always point to robbery. If that’s the case, what
if these players had a different option to explore? The
nearest casino in North Carolina is Harrah’s Cherokee,
some 300 miles west of Rocky Mount, where the crime
occurred. But if casinos and cardrooms were legal in
the Tar Heel State, perhaps these guys would’ve been
playing in a secure poker room close to home, instead
of inviting trouble into their home.
Change is coming, and you can help. Whether you
want freedom at the table, or freedom away from it,
you should contact your local representatives and give
them an earful. Don’t know who your local rep is? Go
to theppa.org and click on its resources tab at the top of
the home page. There you’ll find everything you need
to let your politicians know how you feel. You’ll be glad
you did.
We’ll see you at the tables.
Christopher Cosenza and Scott Long
Dr. Stephen Bloomfield
Lee Childs
Marc Dunbar
John Lanier
Bryan Oulton
Dr. Frank Toscano
Tristan Wade
LETTERS
Got a gripe? Bad-beat
story falling on deaf ears?
Drop us a line at letters@
anteupmagazine.com
and tell us about it. Leave
your name and location.
FORUM
Crave some immediate
feedback? Log on to
anteupmagazine.com/
forum to talk poker.
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BORING STUFF
• All material in Ante Up is
copyrighted and all rights
are reserved.
• Any reproduction of
material in this magazine
without consent of the
publishers is forbidden.
• We do not endorse
services or products
advertised, nor are we
responsible for ad copy.
Photo, including cover image, by Rick Laub
UNDER THE GUN
| MARCH 2010 | anteupmagazine.com
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CONTENTS
anteupmagazine.com
NEWS
Mississippi
Florida
Hoyt Corkins, the Alabama
Cowboy, wins the Southern
Poker Championship at
Beau Rivage, his second WPT
title. 25
Complete
SPC coverage,
25-30
• Harrison Gimbel of Jupiter recently won the
PokerStars.net Caribbean Adventure. Now
meet the youngest PCA champ in history. 18
• Record cold temperatures may have hit the
Sunshine State last month, but the tournament trail certainly heated up with big events
at the Isle, Hard Rock Hollywood and . . .
West
Lights, camera
. . . Virginia
West Virginia
Darvin Moon returned to Wheeling Island
Casino’s poker room for the Darvin Moon
Challenge, a series of four no-limit hold’em
tournaments. The player who earned the
most points in the series faced off heads-up
against Moon for a cash prize. 32
. . . Chad Brown hosted a no-limit hold’em
tournament at Orange Park Kennel Club as
it made Florida television history. 22-23
Louisiana
Around the Nation
The Isle Casino at Lake Charles has announced it will host
the first Louisiana State Poker Championships in April.
Among the six events are two bracelet tournaments. 34
Southern poker players enjoyed fantastic success at
the Borgata Winter Poker Open, but none more so than
Floridians, who won five titles. 36-37
HE’S IN
DEEP
MEET THE FACULTY
Members of Team DeepStacks (but not limited to) include Tristan “Cre8ive” Wade, Andrew “Browndog19” Brown and Alex Outhred.
T.J. CLOUTIER
TOM McEVOY
VANESSA ROUSSO
JUSTIN SMITH
ADAM LEVY
Known as Boosted J on- Adam, a.k.a. Roothlus,
Vanessa won the EPT
T.J. is the most success- Tom won the WSOP
Main Event in 1983 and High Roller event t Mon- line, Justin is one of the is a monster online and
ful live tournament
player in history, includ- has authored more than te Carlo in May 2009 for most feared high stakes has made numerous fiplayers in the world. See nal tables live, including
a dozen books of poker $750K. She also owns
ing six World Series of
a WPT event in 2008.
his Q&A on Page XX.
Big Slick Boot Camp.
instruction.
Poker bracelets.
Florida’s Chris Torina is the
founder of DeepStacks,
a company that is redefining
poker education and training.
MEET THE DEAN OF THE U: MIKE “THE MOUTH” MATUSOW
By Christopher Cosenza
Checking is OK
You always hear checking is a weak play,
but Lee Childs says checking in position
keeps the pot size under control. 47
Photo by Ante Up
Mike is one of the DeepStacks Live owners and helped pick the roster of stars that make up the Team DeepStacks constellation.
He has three WSOP bracelets and a WSOP Tournament of Champions title from 2005. You can hear numerous interviews with
Mike on the Ante Up PokerCast at anteupmagazine.com.
University), while taking the name recognition (DeepStacks Live) and
building that as well. … There aren’t many companies if any, that
actually do both. … That’s how we got Mike Matusow.”
Matusow and Torina are now partners in DeepStacks Live, the
company that brings the training to your area. And “The Mouth”
headlines a roster of instructional pros he handpicked that’s second
to none: Tom McEvoy, T.J. Cloutier, Vanessa Rousso, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Justin “Boosted J” Smith, Tristan “Cre8ive” Wade, Alex
Outhred, among others.
“I’ve been playing poker for more than 20 years,” said Matusow,
who owns three World Series of Poker bracelets. “And I enjoy teaching poker. This is something that I can now say is my own. I am strictly
here to really teach people what I know. … People have faith in me.
They know what kind of person I am, and when I tell them we’re
going to sell people a good product they believe in me. The people
who know the real Mike Matusow know I’m a good person to learn
poker from.”
Matusow, a.k.a. The Dean of DeepStacks, is so dedicated to
this company he has severed all ties with other poker instructional
“camps.”
“I like talking with people, if you don’t know that by now,” Matusow said with a snicker. “I love having fun with people. … There’s
going to be an asterisk on it. If you don’t like being made fun of and
being called names by Mike Matusow then don’t join up.”
Matusow and Co. took their act “Live” in late January by bringing
its free preview seminar to Tampa, where hundreds of players converged on Embassy Suites for a chance to meet and learn from poker
giants. Then two weeks later the intensive two-day training seminars
for the paid customers commenced. Players could pay for one day at
$999 or $1,599 for both days.
“You’re getting hands-on one-on-one analysis, strategies and tips,”
Torina said. “But you’re also getting a breakdown to a buildup, meaning most organizations do lecture-based training. You sit in a chair
and watch a Power Point presentation and you don’t really get the
‘oomph’ from it. Ours is customizable. We break you down and then
build you up. It’s like the military. They break you down to make you
a U.S. soldier. Everyone has holes in their games. Even our pros have
holes, but they’ve been able to plug them and identify those holes.
Many people aren’t honest with themselves. … For every table we
have there’s a pro that stations that table. Everyone has a seat;
no one stands. And it’s 90-10 ration, 90 percent at the tables, 10
percent lecture.”
And, as Torina said, what makes DeepStacks unique is
once your live training comes to an end, you can still have
the same pros teaching you online through “Reactive
Training Technology.” It’s a subscription-based education on deepstacks.com that’s customizable to any form of training. Interactive
videos respond to your every move and guide you through scores of
scenarios. This way the DeepStacks education stays with you wherever you have access to the Internet.
“They always say players play and teachers teach,” Torina said. “I
like to consider myself a player, but I find a tremendous amount of
pleasure seeing someone who has learned from my company apply it and do well. We’re one of a kind. The way we teach and
the types of players we bring to teach our
curriculum is one of a kind. We’re the
only poker company in America doing what we do.”
Photos by Rick Laub
C
Chris Torina’s house may be in Altamonte Springs, Fla., but his
home is anywhere a poker student needs help.
This sentiment makes his DeepStacks poker training company float
to the top among a sea of other poker educational options.
“I had the idea during a WPT preliminary event at the Mirage,”
said Torina, 33. “During one of the breaks I heard some of the pros
talking about some of the other boot camps and academies and how
they weren’t going into the other cities, just doing Atlantic City, Vegas and L.A. I was like, ‘Why don’t we just bring poker training into
people’s back yards?’ It would be affordable for them; they wouldn’t
have to fly and spend a lot of money to get to these places.”
Torina, a former cop who began playing poker in 2003, wasn’t
exactly a household name. He had cashed a couple of times in smaller
recognizable tournaments while grinding out a living online and at
the live cash tables. But, like so many other poker players, Torina was
a former athlete who needed a fix, and he channeled that drive into
his passion for poker and poker instruction.
“Playing sports in high school and college I just developed a love
for anything competitive,” he said. “I fell in love with poker watching
it on ESPN. I figured if I wanted to play for a living and make it my
life, I’d have to start a business around it. So that’s what I did.”
Thus, in 2007, DeepStacks was born. By 2008 the business was
crawling, but by Torina’s own admission it didn’t start taking baby
steps until it figured out how to balance itself.
“In ’08 we tested the business model of the preview-to-workshopcamp seminar. … But there were always two things missing: continued education and the big names.”
That’s when Torina revamped his company, splitting it into two
entities: DeepStacks Live and DeepStacks University.
“In 2009 we basically spent (the whole year) developing both. We
developed an online platform for developing education (DeepStacks
PERSPECTIVE
COVER STORY
COVER STORY
COVER STORY
Matusow teaches a group at a recent preview in Tampa.
Go Deep, young man
Chris Torina has turned his passion for poker into a one-of-a-kind
poker-education business called DeepStacks. 40-41
ON THE BUTTON
You’ve just been Boosted!
Online poker phenom Justin Smith, the
Orlando-area on-again off-again resident,
explains his nickname (Boosted J), the
tragic accident in high school that turned
him into a poker player, and his recent
successes on the live felt. 60
10 | MARCH 2010
Don’t be a boob, ignore the tube
If you’re in a tournament where the
final table will be televised, don’t be
distracted by the TV bubble. 45
Which ‘A’ game is yours?
Doc Bloomfield says there are four types
of playing styles, and each has a chance
to succeed. 48
MARCH 9 – MARCH 22
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FLORIDA
CENTRAL
DATES FOR FLORIDA MILLION ANNOUNCED
As first reported in Ante Up in its February issue, six Florida poker rooms have
teamed to host a multiday tournament that will feature the largest
poker prize pool in Florida history:
a guaranteed $500,000 that could
reach $1,000,000. The statewide
event will culminate at Derby Lane
in St. Petersburg on April 10-11.
The participating rooms are Mardi
Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach,
Daytona Beach Kennel Club and
Poker Room, Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track in Bonita
Springs, Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm
Beach and Orange Park Kennel Club in the
Jacksonville area.
Each room offers multiple “Day Ones” of
the $500+$50 buy-in tournament.
Each Day One must have at least
50 players, but no more than 150.
Play will continue until the top 10
percent of the field remains, and
those players will advance to the
championship in April with their
existing stacks. Players who do
not make the top 10 percent are
permitted to enter additional Day
Ones until they qualify. Players
start with 15K units and levels are
40 minutes, and the tournament is
conducted under TDA rules. For more information visit flmillion.com or see the corresponding
ads throughout this issue.
Players Choice Poker
Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track
Feb. 28
March 6
March 6
March 7
March 7
March 13
March 13
March 13
March 14
March 19
March 20
March 20
March 27
March 27
March 28
Daytona Beach
Naples-Ft. Myers
Palm Beach
Mardi Gras
Daytona Beach
Palm Beach
Derby Lane
Jacksonville
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1p
noon
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* Additional dates TBA.
Mike Paulk pocketed
$500 by winning the November monthly event
at Boots N Buckles in
Lakeland, where 125
players participated.
Second-place finisher
Billy Norris, who made a royal flush at the final table, earned $200. Jean
Medbury won $75 for third.
Here are the rest of the top 10 finishers:
Bev Nist, $50; Gary Greenhow, $50; Rut LaClair, $25; Ken Kunkel, $25; Bob Fuller, $25;
Vince Valin, $25; and George Rae, $25.
. ere are the winners of the Ante Up cruise tournament, from left: Jim
H
Donnell from Naples, Dieter Fiebig from Cape Coral and Norman Silverman
of Naples. On the end is tournament director David Hudgins.
Derby Lane
Rockhold
12
Kunkel
In the January Deep Stack event at the
Imperial Swan in Lakeland, Matt “Chicken
Wing” Rockhold won the tournament and
$1,200, besting more than 170 players.
Ken Kunkel won $500 for second, followed
by two-time deep-stack champ Jim Slemons
($250).
Here are the rest of the top 10 finishers:
Anita Miller, $150; Eric Custred, $100; Glen
Stanlick, $75; Barry Bailey, $75; Gary Greenhow, $50; Dave Elkin Jr., $50; and Jeremy
Yawn, $50.
The Law Enforcement Torch
Run to benefit
Special Olympics Florida will
co-host a series
of charity tournaments with
Derby Lane in
St. Petersburg.
The dates
are Feb. 26, March 12 & 26 (all dates are
Fridays). Registration for the $50 event
begins at 6 p.m. with the tournament
beginning at 7. The buy-in gets you 3,500
chips ($20 rebuys can be made for 1,500
chips), a 14-ounce mug good for $1 drafts
and soft drinks at the bar. Top 10 percent
of the 100-player-max field will cash.
For more info go to pokerdawgs.net or
email [email protected] to
lock up your seat.
All in! Poker Series
Amanda Ashmore won the monthly
event on Dec. 12, besting about 50 players
for the trophy and $500 gift card.
Keith Gridley won the next monthly
event on Jan. 16 in Casselberry, taking
home a 32-inch flat-panel TV. Ritchie Hutson won the quarterly on Jan. 31 in Orlando, beating about 60 players for a two-night
stay in Daytona and a $150 gift card.
• On March 27 the ABC Schoolhouse
charity event will be at 7:30 p.m. For more
info visit appliedbehaviorcenter.com.
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FLORIDA
CENTRAL
Charity event at Daytona
The Venetian Deep
invite-only tournament May 15, featuring
Stack Charity Clas2009 WSOP runner-up Darvin Moon
sic will be May 16 at
and Mike Matusow, who will each
Central Florida play in the May 16 event. For more
Daytona Beach Kennel
Club, with the grand prize an $8,500
Poker Scene go to deepstackcharityclassic.com.
Venetian Resort package.
Ante Up is an official sponThe tournament, expected to be the
sor and will give away prizes
largest for charity in Central Florida, has
weekly until the event. The
a $140 buy-in with rebuy and add-on options.
final week’s drawing will
be for a seat in the inRegistration opens March 15. The event benefits C.B.T. (Congregation B’Nai Torah) and
vite-only event. For more
its affiliated charities. New this year will be an details or to enter, visit anteupmagazine.com.
Tampa Bay Downs
Cloutier to teach DeepStacks
course at Silks on March 24
Ocala Poker & Jai-Alai
Tampa Bay Downs is celebrating March
Madness with a 64-player heads-up tournament and four-hour DeepStacks Live instructional course from T.J. Cloutier on March 24.
Cloutier, a six-time World Series of Poker
bracelet winner, will teach his $495 course and
then play in the $120 heads-up tournament.
All matches in the tournament are best two
out of three. The top eight earn cash, with the
winner earning $2,375 in a sold-out field. For
more information call the poker room.
Ante Up publishers Chris Cosenza and
Scott Long recently busted out of a tournament at Ocala Poker and decided to try
their hands at jai-alai. Let’s just say they
won’t be quitting their day jobs.
Treasure Chest Poker
14
From left, Debbie Colton, Pete Vega (the
winner), Cliff Pizzi and John Dolci share the
spoils of winning the Ante Up Team Tournament at the Silks Poker Room on Jan. 19.
Eight teams participated, and Team Ante
Up was a spectacular loser, with Scott Long,
John Lanier and Donny Campbell exiting before the heads-up round.
But Ante Up’s pinch-hitting “ringer” Jeremy Culnen won his first match with a straight
flush. He lost the next two on river suckouts.
Club Poker League
Seasons 4 and 5 came to a close with
Mark Senac, above, and Randy Smith
winning the respective finales. Smith
bested nearly 220 players on Jan. 23 at
Holiday House in Venice for his title.
SEASON 4: Mark Senac, $650; Marie
LeFave, $350; Jerald LeFave, $250; Ron
Springman, $125; Jack Connolly, $125;
Gary Meadows, $100; James Emery,
$100; Leonard Polejewski, $100; Vince
Coleman, $100; Rich Mastin $60; Betty
Coleman, $60.
SEASON 5: Randy Smith, $650, Betty
Coleman, $350; Bob Cunningham,
$250; Jackie Cook, $125; Dave Bradford, $125; Margie Welch, $100; Rich
Mastin, $100; Keith Burgolt, $100; Jeff
Lally, $100.
Randy Smith with
dealer Joseph Sidoti
Jacob Leach beat more
than 100 players at Murphy’s in Tampa to win
the monthly event and a
40-inch TV. He was followed by Nelson Wright,
Cory Pagan, Stephanie McCready, Justin
Ballard, Ron Paar, Shawn Dickman, Matt
Carroll, Doug Gorr and Fabian Baugh.
BATTLE OF THE BARS: D.J. O’Connor,
playing for Azara’s in Clearwater, won his
second BOB title, defeating Eddie’s.
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Hard Rock Hollywood
Hard Rock’s Spring Open
features $360K guarantee
Pierre
Bou-nahra
The Paradise Poker Room at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood continues
with its seasonal-theme series with the
Spring Open, which will have a $360K
prize pool for its 15 events March 9-22.
Here’s a look at the schedule:
Ryan Baroff
BELIZE MAN WINS MAIN EVENT
The Main Event series at Seminole Hard Rock’s Paradise Poker
Room in January drew a player from Belize, and he didn’t waste
the trip.
Pierre Bou-nahra of Belize City, Belize, won $26,250 and
the beautiful glass trophy after surviving the 74-player field in
the $1,100 Heavyweight Division.
In the $350 Middleweight Division, Anthony Ruberto
South Florida of Everett, Mass., bested a field of nearly 100 players to
win $10,200.
Poker Scene
Ryan Baroff of Weston won the $575 Cruiserweight
Division, beating 92 players for $15,807.
DATE
3/9
3/10
3/11
3/12
3/13
3/14
3/14
3/15
3/16
3/17
3/18
3/19
3/20
3/21
3/21
3/22
3/22
TIME
BUY-IN
GUAR.
6:30p
$150
$15K
noon
Invite only $10K
6:30p
$180
$10K
11a
$150
$25K
11a
$350
$30K
noon
$150
$15K
6:30p
$75
$8K
6:30p
$300
$25K
6:30p
$150
$15K
6:30p
$75
$8K
6:30p
$180
$10K
11a (1A) $1,100
$150K
11a (1B) $1,100
$150K
11a, main event final day
6:30p
$75
$8K
11a
$75
$6K
6:30p
$300
$25K
EhSe
BATTL
at t
BEAch
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’e
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h
It
IM
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BUY-IN
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MarcH 8
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MarcH 9
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$
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5
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Follow us on
1-877-ISLE-2WIN
at twitter.com/IslePoker.
•
www.theislepompanopark.com
© 2010 Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Must be 18 years of age or older.
See the poker room for details. Tournament subject to change or cancellation
without notice. All rights reserved. Gambling problem? Call 1-888-ADMIT-IT.
Harrison Gimbel of Florida started playing poker
before he was a teenager. Now, at 19, he
reflects on his remarkable $2.2 million PCA win.
By Garrett Roth
18
Last month Ante Up reported on Harrison Gimbel’s record-setting PCA victory.
AU correspondent Garrett Roth was on the scene in the Bahamas and caught up
with Gimbel after his remarkable victory.
While most teenagers are making minimum wage, Harrison Gimbel is making millions.
Gimbel won the PokerStars.net Caribbean Adventure’s main event
for $2.2 million in January. ... not bad for a kid who just graduated
high school.
Gimbel, 19, was born in Boca Raton and now lives in Jupiter. He
started his poker career like many other players,
with the Moneymaker boom in 2003, when he
wasn’t even a teenager yet. He began playing $5
and $10 home games while sharpening his skills,
but soon began to play online, where he was
known as gibler123.
As soon as he was old enough to play in local cardrooms he jumped in and won the Florida
State Championship at the Isle Casino at Pompano Park, pocketing nearly $68K.
He hasn’t strayed from his online roots. He
had a massive amount of earnings online in
2009, having final-tabled virtually every major tournament, including the Stars $1K Super
Tuesday ($57K), Stars Sunday Million ($47K),
Stars Sunday 500 ($25K), Full Tilt $1K Monday
($45K), Full Tilt Sunday Brawl ($17K) and a handful of other titles
on other sites.
“I’ve only played a few live tournaments in my career, and never
a $10K buy-in,” Gimbel said moments after his victory in the Bahamas. “Live is more fun than online, though, because you can get facial
reads on people and you can interact with them a lot more.”
He had planned on buying directly into the main event, but won a
$1K satellite just a few days before the tournament.
Gimbel’s confidence was evident throughout the tournament as he
steamrolled to the chip lead, increasing his stack to about
1.5 million after the first few days. But it was a hand
with another young gun on Day 3 that helped make
Gimbel the youngest PCA champ in history.
“The most crucial hand of the tournament for
me was a hand I played against Justin Bonomo,”
said Gimbel, who once attended the University of
Alabama.
Gimbel held AC-JC on a board
of 4C-9C-6C. Bonomo bet 70,000 on the flop,
Gimbel after 190K when the 7D dropped on the turn, and
winning the then moved all-in for 700K on the river when the
board paired with the 9D. Gimbel just called on
2009 FSPC
at the Isle. all streets and Bonomo mucked his hand. Gimbel won a 2.5-million-chip pot with the ace-high
flopped flush.
“This hand gave me the chip lead and propelled me to the final table where I never lost
focus,” he said, “I had played with most of the
players before and was extremely confident that I
was going to win.”
Ultimately, Gimbel’s pocket 10s held up
against Tyler Reimen’s pocket eights when they
were heads-up for the title. They both made sets
to add a little more drama, as if the moment needed it.
Gimbel says he plans on spending more time traveling the circuit
and playing in the biggest events around the world.
“I hope at the time this article gets published, I will have found a
sponsorship deal,” he said.
That shouldn’t be too difficult to accomplish given his past successes. About the only thing he can’t do in poker is win a World Series
bracelet, but that’s only because he’s not old enough yet.
PCA photo courtesy of PokerStars/Neil Stoddart
SOUTH
FLORIDA
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JAN. 11-17, 2010 • ISLE CASINO AT POMPANO PARK • POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA
$900 Main Event
1. Steven Karp, N. Miami Beach, $55,854
2. Raj Vohra, Lake Worth, $32,742
3. Daniel Shiff, Aventura, $21,186
4. Terry McKerchie, Davie, $13,482
5. Farhan Madhani, Miramar, $9,630
6. Nigel Murray, Miami Gardens, $8,282
7. Omar McFarlane, Lake Worth, $6,356
8. Larry Kusch, Plantation, $4,622
9. Soren Morales, Miami, $4,430
10. Bobby Binsky, Halandale Beach, $4,237
11. Peter Striano III, Parkland, $4,045
12. Uri Kadosh, Davie, $3,852
13. Charles Bury, Boca Raton, $3,659
14. Steven Dockswell, Lake Worth, $3,467
15. Bradford Borrelli, Margate, $3,274
16. Jose Ricardo, Coral Springs, $3,082
17. Robert Perry, Highland Beach, $2,889
18. Josh Heiman, Boynton Beach, $2,696
19. Srinivasa Yarlagadda, Sarasota, $2,504
20. Scott Zakheim, Davie, $2,311
21. Howard Appledorf, P. Pines, $1,960
22. Clark Brzozowski, Ft. Lauderdale, $1,960
23. Rick Semander, P. Pines, $1,960
24. Hosney Boutros, Ft. Lauderdale, $1,960
25. Ira Silverman, Boca Raton, $1,960
26. Thom Millward, Boca Raton, $1,600
$550 Event
1. Marc Levy, BoyntonBeach, $10,506
2. Howard Becks, Plantation, $9,000
3. Keith Ingham, Boca Raton, $9,000
4. John McCafery, Lake Worth, $9,000
5. Danie Genachte, Deerfield Beach, $9,000
6. Randy Zane, Ft. Lauderdale, $2,925
7. Russ Marco, Pompano Beach, $2,282
8. Mike Favor, New Jersey, $1,697
9. Jerry Kielian, Ft. Lauderdale, $1,404
10. Ory Hen, Cooper City, $1,287
11. Lou Rosen, Boca Raton, $1,229
12. Bill Ryan, Palm Beach, $1,170
20
XX
$230 Event Steven
Karp
1. Robert Transue, N. Lauderdale, $6,241
2. Thomas Cuce, Boca Raton, $6,241
3. Devon Shalmi, Boca Raton, $6,241
4. Jeff Morrison, Parkland, $2,418
5. Ruth Gaskins, Green Acres, $1,860
6. Daniel Genachte, Deerfield Beach, $1,395
7. Hubert Ganter, Tamarac, $1,023
8. James Hamilton, United Kingdom, $744
9. Farhan Madhani, Miramar, $713
10. Bob Panetta, Jupiter, $682
11. Paul Shafran, Boca Raton, $651
12. Joe Conti, Boynton Beach, $620
13. Dave Henry, Coral Springs, $589
14. Georgia Felger, Lantana, $558
15. Karin Powsner, Ft. Lauderdale, $527
16. Roland Garcia, Pembroke Pines, $496
$150 Bounty Event
$330 Bounty Event
1. Danny Heimbender, Boynton Beach, $6,504
2. James Hamburger, Delray Beach, $5,400
3. George Colli III, Suffield, Conn., $5,400
4. Shimon Mordechai, Boca Raton, $5,400
5. Cinda Goodale, Ft. Lauderdale, $1,823
6. David Albertson, Margate, $1,548
7. Amir Ashmawy, Boca Raton, $1,135
8. Keith Ingham, Boca Raton, $826
9. Hosney Boutros, Ft. Lauderdale,$791
10. Larry Kusch, Miami, $757
11. Barry Chazen, Ft. Lauderdale, $722
12. Jason Seaton, Pembroke Pines, $688
13. Sonia Sanchez, Hallandale, $654
14. Paula Holder, Pompano Beach, $619
15. David Evans, Ft. Lauderdale, $585
16. Ira Silverman, Boca Raton, $550
17. Jay Sinterce, Coconut Creek, $516
18. Martin Jorgensen, Pompano Beach, $482
1. Linda Lipkins, Boca Raton, $1,955
2. Moises Natanel, Boca Raton, $1,955
3. Martin Baybutt, Boca Raton, $1,100
4. Keith Ingham, Boca Raton, $1,100
5. Alex Fusco, Sunny Isles Beach, $1,100
6. John Amrhein, Coral Springs, $1,100
7. David Albertson, Margate, $800
8. Jeff Balsewich, Boynton Beach, $500
9. Rick Semander, Pembroke Pines, $257
10. Eric Andrews, Lake Worth, $246
11. Mauro Negerada, Sao Paulo, Brazil, $235
12. Neal Freeman, Boca Raton, $224
13. Noris Barcimanto, Coral Springs, $212
14. Bob Binski, Hallandale, $201
15. Trevor Samuels, Miami, $190
$720 Seven-Deuce: Jan. 24
1. Mohammad Masoud, Homestead, $9,879
2. Raymond Millard, Boca Raton, $9,879
3. Gil Nagar, Cooper City, $9,879
4. Eric Riley, Lake Worth, $4,082
5. Chaim Halpern, Halandale Beach, $2,980
Isle’s Battles at the Beach has $300K guarantee
Catch 81 Foundation Charity Event
Who will emerge as the star this year?
In the 2009 Battles at the Beach 19-yearold Hayden Fortini of Vero Beach won
both $900 events to capture nearly $110K
in prize money.
This year the Battles series, which runs
March 5-15, has added four events to the
lineup for a total of seven tournaments, including a $150K guarantee main event that
has a $900 buy-in.
The main event will take place over three days, with survivors
from Days 1A (March 12) and 1B (March 13) returning for Day 2
on March 14.
Also on March 14 will be a High Heels Poker Tour event that
features a $150 buy-in.
All of the events will be no-limit hold’em, including the $575
128-player heads-up tournament that runs March 5-7. There will
be a Day 1A (March 5) and 1B (March 6) with the remaining players
returning on March 7. For the full schedule see the ad on Page 17.
Winners Danny Diaz and Don Silvestri pose with ex-NFL star
O.J. McDuffie after the tournament at the Isle Casino, which raised
more than $3,000 for McDuffie’s Catch 81 Foundation.
Charity photo courtesy of Ralph Notaro
FLORIDA
SOUTH
2ND ANNUAL ISLE POKER CLASSIC
SOUTH FLORIDA
Mardi Gras Casino
All In Free Poker
Dania Jai-Alai
Rina Aserov from Aventura poses with the
Big Easy Poker Room Custom Harley-Davidson Fat Boy won on Super Bowl Sunday.
Deb Trigoboff of
Coral Springs won
season finale Jan.
10, earning entry
into the Isle at
Pompano Park’s
$900 main event.
The
tournament
drew 180 players, though the final table
met at Smokey Bones in Ft. Lauderdale
on Jan. 15. Trigoboff was followed by
Wendy Middleman-Miller, Adam Goldstein, Troy Parra, Justin Huntsman, Sean
Lavery, Mary Maguire, Sharon Aziz,
Larry Fitzpatrick and Flo Horne.
Ft. Lauderdale’s Dillard Brock and
wife Allison pose with the 50-inch
TV they won Feb. 6.
Flagler Greyhound Track
Michael Lucas, a Miami native who has been
playing in the Flagler’s Magic City Poker Room
for about five years, will never have a day like
this again.
On Jan. 13 his table was the chosen “Hot
Table”and he won the hand. He split the $500
jackpot with his tablemates, and the karma paid
off just 40 minutes later when he hit the Big Slick
Royal Flush progressive jackpot for nearly $195K.
In case you’re wondering, this is the largest
royal flush jackpot paid in Florida. But the largest jackpot of any kind that was hit in a Florida poker room came in 2008 at the Seminole
Hard Rock poker room in Tampa, where the
bad beat was $543K, and the winner got nearly
$283K.
Just a few days later on Jan. 16 the Big Slick hit
again as Denis Kanashiro, at right, won $104K.
NORTH
FLORIDA
CHAD BROWN NO-LIMIT
CHITTY GOES BANG-BANG
Andy Chitty from Savannah, Ga., captures the inaugural Chad Brown NLHE event at Orange Park.
Three days, 213 players and a short
stack at the final table couldn’t stop
Andy Chitty from capturing the first
Chad Brown No Limit Texas Hold’em
Championship and the $53K payday.
“That’s a lot of money,” the Georgia
resident said with a smile. “I think I’ll
pay some bills.”
The tournament featured Brown and
his wife, Vanessa Rousso, the Team PokerStars Pros.
“Everyone was very excited to see
the field for this tournament,” organizer
and tournament director Ant Furnier
said. “The entire company, with the help
of Chad Brown, worked very hard to
provide the players with a great tournament experience all the way around.
“We all look forward to working more
with PokerStars and to providing the
best possible tournament experience for
our current and future poker players.”
Adding to the exictement of this $880
event was the prospect of playing at the
historic televised final table, the first for a
land-based cardroom in Florida.
The event, hosted by Ante Up, is expected to air on Bright House Sports
Network on March 28-29 and eventually
on Comcast in selected markets around
the country.
Host Chad Brown gives winner Andy Chitty the
enormous check for $53,070 after Chitty’s victory.
Vanessa Rousso exited
a few spots before the
money bubble.
22
Brown was eliminated on Day 1.
1. Andy Chitty, $53,070
2. Fremio “Eli” Gomez, $34,240
3. Ken “Chilli” Williams, $19,688
4. “Mo” Gottlieb, $11,125
5. Barry Price, $8,560
6. Thomas Conner, $6,845
7. Horace Thomas, $5,990
8. Josh Doody, $4,965
9. Jacob Harding, $3,935
10. Dave Rittenhaus, $2,910
11. Jonathan Westra, $1,712
12. Andrew Dykeman, $1,712
13. Rod Rentz, $1,712
14. Reece Crews, $1,712
15. Jimmy Lai, $1,200
16. Roger Lacharite, $1,200
17. Rick Trowbridge, $1,200
18. Andrew Taylor, $1,200
19. Randy Burden, $1,200
20. Gary Petro, $1,200
21. Sean Winter, $1,200
22. Pete Mecca, $1,200
23. Edna Green, $1,200
24. Pom Souvannasuth, $1,200
All photos by Hollmann Hollis
Donnie Vann played but didn’t cash.
ORANGE PARK KENNEL
HOLD’EM TOURNAMENT
Putting a TV show together takes a lot of hard
work and coordination. Here are some snaps
from behind the scenes as the crews from Fallah
Productions, Orange Park Kennel Club and Ante
Up Magazine work hard to bring Florida its first
land-based televised poker show in history.
A last-minute mike check before the final-table players arrive.
NORTH
Getting that B-roll footage.
FLORIDA
ANATOMY OF A POKER SHOW
Cameras jockey
for position.
The hosts follow the
action at the table.
The crew that made the television production possible.
Ant Furnier
Vanessa Rousso
on the mike.
Crowd gathers when it’s three-handed.
Ante Up discussing
a final-table hand.
CLUB, JACKSONVILLE
anteupmagazine.com | MARCH 2010 |
A production meeting to discuss procedure.
This broadcast premieres on Bright House
Sports Network on March 28 at 10 p.m. with
additional broadcasts March 29 (11:30 p.m.),
May 9 (10 p.m.) and May 10 (11:30 p.m.). The
show is expected to be shown on various
Web sites and Comcast systems around the
country. Check anteupmagazine.com for
updates in the coming months.
23
NORTH FLORIDA
Pensacola Greyhound Track
It’s been a long time coming, but the poker room at Pensacola
Greyhound Track finally had its grand opening on Jan. 27. The
room was packed with 22 live tables running.
Pleasure Island Poker
Bill Fendley, left, won the
October monthly on Jan. 8
at Fantasy Lounge in Ft. Walton Beach. He defeated more
than 60 players for the seat at
a tournament in Biloxi, Miss.
About two weeks later
Fendley almost repeated as
monthly champ, but was
edged by Loria Walters, right,
when play got to heads-up.
24 | MARCH 2010 | anteupmagazine.com
St. Johns Greyhound Park
Jerry Watterson says
he likes the Mega Stack
events at St. Johns Greyhound Park in Jacksonville. Actually, he loves
them.
And why not? With a
second-place cash in the
$330 Poker OctoberFest
Main Event for $6,500
and a first-place finish
in the $330 December
Mega Stack Main Event
for $6,400, Watterson
has good reason to love
the format.
After getting edged
out by a good friend of
his in October, Watterson headed to the final
table of the 60-player
field on a mission. He
was behind 3-to-1 in
chips against a very tough player in Diane Casino when it
got down to heads-up. He overcame the chip lead and on
the final hand Watterson held A-K to Casino’s A-Q. An ace
came on the flop and Watterson’s king kicker won the tournament and the $6,400 first prize. Casino won $3,400.
JAN. 7-27, 2010 • BEAU RIVAGE • BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI
MISSISSIPPI
SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP
BILOXI
Just a good ol’ boy
Hoyt Corkins, the Alabama Cowboy, keeps the Southern Poker Championship
in The South by winning his second World Poker Tour title and nearly $714K.
Courtesy of World Poker Tour
Corkins’ first WPT title came in November 2003
at the World Poker Finals at Foxwoods in ConnectiHoyt Corkins came to the final table of the
cut. He has more than $5 million in career earnings,
World Poker Tour Southern Poker Championand he said winning at the Beau was very special.
ship at the Beau Rivage as the chipleader. He left
“That was my home casino. I played at Biloxi from
the final table in the same fashion.
1993-95. As a matter of fact I drove back to Alabama
Corkins, of Glenwood, Ala., captured his second
after I (won). It’s just three hours’ drive. So yeah, it’s
career WPT title after besting Jonathan Kantor
a big thrill.”
heads-up to win $713,986, a WPT bracelet and a
Other southern players at the SPC final table
Gulf Coast
seat in April’s WPT $25K World Championship
included James Reed of Newnan, Ga., who
Poker Scene
at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
came to the table as the short stack but went out
“It’s a big thrill to get two WPT titles,” said Corkins, who
fifth ($106,134), and Tyler Smith of Smithdale,
has six career WPT final tables (two firsts, two seconds, a third
Miss., who exited sixth ($86,837).
and a sixth). “There’s only a select group that’s got two titles.”
But there were other tournaments at the Beau, too.
He joined Daniel Negreanu, Gus Hansen and Phil Ivey as The Southern Poker Championship is a monthlong series filled
the only players to have 4,000 WPT points (He has 4,300).
with 32 undercard events as well, and quite a few stories came
On the final hand Kantor limped and Corkins moved all- out of those tournaments, including the Binger brothers (Nick
in. Kantor called with K-10 vs. the A-7 of Corkins. The flop and Michael) who each won a title, Dwyte Pilgrim of Brookpaired Corkins’ ace and it was all over as the turn and river gave lyn, who won two titles, and Laurie Scales of Flowery Branch,
Kantor no help. He received $366,643 for his second-place fin- Ga., who was the only women to win an open event, taking
ish in the $10K main event that drew 208 players. Kantor of No. 29, a $340 no-limit hold’em tournament that attracted 460
Tulsa also won Event 27 ($2,100 NLHE) for $68,443.
players and earned her nearly $27K.
“He’s a very tricky-style player so he was tough to handle
The following pages include all of the results and images
when the blinds got high,” Corkins said of Kantor.
from the 32 leadup events.
25
EVENT 1: $340 NLHE
WINNER: David McElroy
EVENT 2: $340 STUD/8
WINNER: Tim Burt
EVENT 3: $550 NLHE
WINNER: Ronnie George
EVENT 4: $340 LHE
WINNER: Mitch Mitchner
EVENT 5: $550 NLHE
WINNER: Dwyte Pilgrim
EVENT 6: $340 OMAHA/8
WINNER: Jerome Myer
EVENT 7: $550 NLHE
WINNER: Ryan Lenaghan
EVENT 8: $340 H.O.S.E.
WINNER: Matt Fitzgerald
EVENT 9: $340 NLHE
WINNER: Joseph Hebert
EVENT 10: $340 PLO w/RBs
WINNER: Galen Kester
EVENT 11: $345 NLHE
WINNER: Steve Cooper
EVENT 12: $550 LHE
WINNER: Jeramy Govert
EVENT 13: $345 NLHE
WINNER: Dwyte Pilgrim
EVENT 14: $340 STUD 8/O8B
WINNER: Avner Levy
EVENT 15: $345 NLHE
WINNER: Scott Culver
EVENT 16: $340 STUD
WINNER: Charlie Townsend
26
All photos courtesy of World Poker Tour
BILOXI
MISSISSIPPI
EVENT 18: $1,070 H.O.R.S.E.
WINNER: Jason Stern
EVENT 19: $550 NLHE
WINNER: Nick Binger
EVENT 20: $340 LADIES
WINNER: Linda Keenan
EVENT 21: $550 SENIORS
WINNER: Dennis Otto
EVENT 22: $340 PLO/8
WINNER: James Newberry
EVENT 23: $550 NLHE
WINNER: Johnny Landret
EVENT 24: $550 PLO
WINNER: Michael Binger
EVENT 25: $1,070 NLHE
WINNER: Jason Mercier
EVENT 26: $340 OMAHA/8
WINNER: Jesse Rios
WINNER: Jonathan Kantor
EVENT 28: $1,070 LOWBALL
WINNER: James Van Alstyne
EVENT 29: $340 NLHE
WINNER: Laurie Scales
EVENT 30: $5,130 PLO
WINNER: Scott Clements
WINNER: Chris Bell
EVENT 32: $230 NLHE
WINNER: Manny Minaya
BILOXI
EVENT 17: $550 NLHE
WINNER: Jared Jaffee
MISSISSIPPI
27
MISSISSIPPI
BILOXI
JAN. 7-27, 2010 • BEAU RIVAGE • BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI • OFFICIAL RESULTS
Event #1 – $340 NLHE
Players: 369 • Prize pool: $107,057
1. David McElroy, Pass Christian, Miss., $28,994
2. Steven Curtin, Charlotte, N.C., $16,107
3. Ron Crabtree, Mount Juliet, Tenn., $9,449
4. Jim Petzing, Chicago, $7,302
5. Troy Lee, Brighton, Tenn., $6,228
6. Ryan Gentry, La Jolla, Ca., $5,154
7. Keith Richeson, Cincinnati, $4,080
8. Don Crabtree, Mount Juliet, Tenn, $3,007
9. John Cofhlin, Ft. Pierce, Fla., $1,933
10. Chris Brauch, Tallahassee, Fla., $1,503
11. Ricky King Jr., Biloxi, Miss., $1,503
12. Samuel Whitt, Lima, Ohio, $1,503
13. James Johnson, $1,289
14. Sisoukchith Sounth, $1,289
15. Kevin Dennis, $1,289
16. Larry Bradbury, $1,074
17. Warren Simon, $1,074
18. Perry McGinnis, $1,074
19. Kirk Banks, $859
20. Terry Obrien, $859
21. Andrew Claytor, $859
22. Larry Plummer, $859
23. James Evans, $859
24. Thomas Zilahi, $859
25. Benjamin Mentz, $859
26. Steven Scott, $859
27. Ronald Wellman, $859
28. Bruce McPhillips, $644
29. Martin Berchenko, $644
30. Douglas Carli, $644
31. Rebecca Montague, $644
32. Justin Jones, $644
33. James Mankowski, $644
34. John Willis, $644
35. Robert Comitalo, $644
36. Galen Kester, $322
37. Richard Hensarling, $322
1. Mitch Mitchner, Bonner Sprgs., Kan. $10,267
2. Matthew Colvin, Dallas, $5,418
3. Jerry Yoder, Hickory, N.C., $3,422
4. Dave McElroy, Quincy, Fla., $2,281
5. Art Young, Biloxi, Miss., $1,996
6. LaDarryl Alexis, N.O, La., $1,711
7. Kris Anderson, Terre Haute, Ind., $1,426
8. Joe D’avanzo, Palm Harbor, Fla., $1,141
9. Kevin Gute, Warrensburg, Mo., $856
1. Tim Burt, Grenada, Miss., $8,276
2. Richard Katz, Pittsburgh, $4,598
3. Richard Clemons, Hazard, Ky., $2,989
4. Johnny Livingston, Selma, Ala., $2,069
5. Thomas Pullens, Picayune, Miss., $1,602
6. Bob Brown, Tampa, Fla., $1,379
7. John Gates, Winnsboro, S.C., $1,149
8. Ed Sojack, Dunedin, Fla., $920
1. Dwyte Pilgrim, Brooklyn, $52,040
2. Dan Furnari, St. Augustine, Fla., $28,910
3. James Maddox, Spartanburg, S.C., $16,960
4. Dustin Williams, Shelby, N.C., $13,106
5. Jacob Naquin, Houma, La., $11,178
6. John Cofhlin, Ft. Pierce, Fla., $9,251
7. Tom Franklin, Gulfport, Miss., $7,324
8. Rick Crandell, Overland Park, Kan., $5,396
9. Benny Champlin, Jonesville, La., $3,469
10. Noble Simpson, Jena, La., $2,698
11. Thomas Gray, $2,698
12. Steven Lechner, $2,698
13. Donna Reid, $2,313
14. Keith Crouch, $2,313
15. Melyan Dai, $2,313
16. Rolando Lozano, $1,927
17. Patrick Heneghan, $1,927
18. Stanley Combs, $1,927
19. Arthur Hatcher,$1,542
20. Loren Zens, $1,542
21. Jonathan Holsonback, $1,542
22. Ryan Gafford, $1,542
23. Bobby Gauthier, $1,542
24. Frank Bravata, $1,542
25. Tyler Dixon, $1,542
26. Galen Kester, $1,542
27. Jack Clark, $1,542
28. Michael Macelhose, $1,156
29. Ronnie Hope, $1,156
30. Ed Bridges, $1,156
31. Robert Thornhill, $1,156
32. Kevin Cox, $1,156
33. Larry Daigle, $1,156
34. Anthony Spera, $1,156
35. Douglas Carli, $1,156
36. Leslie Meeks, $1,156
Event #6 – $340 Omaha/8
Event #2 – $340 Stud/8
28
Event #4 – $340 LHE
1. Ron George, Douglasville, Ga., $50,192
2. Davis Weaver, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., $26,772
3. David Diaz, Memphis, Tenn., $15,059
4. Matt Lischke, Athens, Ga., $11,713
5. Matt Lansdon, Montgomery, Ala., $10,040
6. Moh. Morini, Gulfport, Miss., $8,366
7. John Napoli, Daytona Bch, Fla., $6,693
8. Bob Beck, S. Rosa Beach, Fla., $5,020
9. Kenny Milam, La Place, La., $3,347
10. Barry Morrow, Crestwood, Ky, $2,343
11. Michael Barbaree, Banks, Ala., $2,343
12. Vittario Iemolo, Sarasota, Fla., $2,343
13. John Simmons, Tickfaw, La., $2,008
14. Ricardo Ebhardt, Tampa, Fla., $2,008
15. Paul Harris, St. Louis, Mo., $2,008
16. Jeter Brock, Birmingham, Ala., $1,673
17. Sonny Bunce, Kissimmee, Fla., $1,673
18. Thuy Djedjos, Jackson, Miss., $1,673
19. Ron Germany, $1,339
20. Peter Ruszkeiwikz, $1,339
21. Trent Lewis, $1,339
22. Thomas Ballow, $1,339
23. Carl Whitefield, $1,339
24. Ryan Brown, $1,339
25. Dwight Lemoine, $1,339
26. Keith Graham, $1,339
27. Mark Samples, $1,339
1. Jerome Myer, Daytona, Fla., $16,901
2. David Eller, Port Orange, Fla., $9,321
3. Dwight Lemoine, Lake Charles, La., $5,122
4. Jim Rolz, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., $4,097
5. Jordan Stone, Fayetteville, Ga., $3,073
6. Richard Estep, Lake Chales, La., $2,561
7. Sue Friedman, Boca Raton, Fla., $2,049
8. Mike Shands, Birmingham, Ala., $1,536
9. Robert Reardon, Nantucket, Ma., $1,024
10. Shirley Graham, Dallas, $717
11. David Pacheco, $717
12. Salah Levy, $717
13. Samuel Whitt, $615
14. Mike Husar, $615
15. James Sale, $615
16. Victor Marzoug, $512
17. Otis Williamson, $512
18. Brent Carter, $512
1. Ryan Lenaghan, New Orleans, $32,653
2. Chad Melerine, Slidell, La., $18,007
3. Joe Phelps, Diamondhead, Miss., $9,894
4. Matt Lawrence, Tulsa, $7,915
5. Mike Schneider, Covington, Ga., $5,936
6. Leo Boothe, Ferriday, La., $4,947
7. Rich Dombrowski, Gulfport, Miss., $3,958
8. Nick Visconti, Boca Raton, Fla., $2,968
9. Troy Lee, Brighton, Ill., $1,979
10. Dave Mcleroy, Pass Christian, Miss., $1,385
11. Brian Anderson, $1,385
12. Douglas Bruce, $1,385
13. Donald Yaughn, $1,187
14. Daniel Walker, $1,187
15. Sue Whigham, $1,187
16. Dustin Skarra, $989
17. Hanh Nguyen, $989
18. Wendell Arrington, $989
Event #8 – $340 H.O.S.E.
1. Matt Fitzgerald, Houston, $8,643
2. Ken Aldridge, Pleasant Gar., N.C., $4,898
3. Hoyt Verner, Melbourne, Fla., $3,457
4. Patrick Squire, Hoover, Ala., $2,593
5. J. Spadavecchia, Light. Pt., Fla., $2,017
6. Chuck Barker, Richardson, Texas, $1,729
7. Steve Underwood, Syracuse, N.Y., $1,440
8. Dan Walsh, Powder Springs, Ga., $1,152
9. Ky McPherson, Austin, Texas, $864
10. Martin Shapiro, Clearwater, Fla., $864
11. Robert McCay, Waller, Texas, $576
12. Mike Nobles, Houston, Texas, $576
1. Joseph Hebert, Metairie, La., $29,768
2. Norm Ketchum, Lowes Park, Ill., $15,877
3. Pete Ruszkiewicz, N. Prairie, Wis., $8,931
4., Ben Thomas, Baton Rouge, La., $6,946
5. Colen Beck, Valley, Ala., $5,954
6. Dom Spadavecchia, Boca Raton, Fla., $4,962
7. Gary LaDuca, Atlanta, Ga., $3,969
8. Al Krux, Fayetteville, N.Y., $2,977
9. Graham Wheldon, England, $1,985
10. Lacey Coffey, $1,389
11. Charles Haynes, $1,389
12. Nancy Birnbaum, $1,389
13. Paula Halata, $1,191
14. Eddie Rayl, $1,191
15. Andrew Moon, $1,191
16. Raymond Blanchette, $992
17. Jae Chung, $992
18. Neil Davanzo, $992
19. Michael Ellis, $794
20. Ryan Cox, $794
21. Robert Moore, $794
22. Patricia Till, $794
23. Glen Ballenger, $794
24. Sid Webb, $794
25. Nathan Schier, $794
26. Thomas Schaaf, $794
27. Samuel Kennedy, $794
Event #10 – $340 PLO w/RBs
1. Galen Kester, Senatobia, Miss., $22,733
2. Walt Chambers, Baton Rouge, $11,998
3. Brent Carter, Oak Park, Ill., $7,578
4. Robert Salaburn, San Antonio, $5,052
5. David Nowakowski, Voorhees, N.J., $4,420
6. John Spagnuolo, Alpharetta, Ga., $3,789
7. Todd McKellar, Lake Charles, La., $3,157
8. Ronnie Mapes, Destin, Fla., $2,526
9. Dan Clemente, Hernando, Miss., $1,894
1. Steve Cooper, Atlanta, Ga., $33,275
2. Joe Andrulot, Pan. City Bch., Fla., $17,952
3. Peter Palisi Jr., Madisonville, La., $10,258
4. Shane Howeth, Lake Kiowa, Texas, $8,463
5. Grady Yeager Jr., Cape Coral, Fla., $7,181
6. Sam Broadway, Galveston, Texas, $5,898
7. Ryan Cox, New Orleans, $4,616
8. Karen Hayden, Louisville, $3,324
9. Jerry Zehr, Florence, Ky., $2,052
10. Scott Decker, Defuniak Sprgs., Fla., $1,795
11. David Smith, $1,795
12. Theanne Sergeant, $1,795
13. Thien Hoang, $1,539
14. David Harfield, $1,539
15. Bruce MacGregor, $1,539
16. Philip Scurria, $1,282
17. Ronald Surenkamp, $1,282
18. Rick Sherrill, $1,282
19. Marco Jansen, $1,026
20. Joe Defilippo, $1,026
21. Larry Plummer, $1,026
22. Thomas Pullens, $1,026
23. Jacob Markowitz, $1,026
24. Richard Florestan, $1,026
25. Zachary Answorth, $1,026
26. Jennifer Leago, $1,026
27. Christopher Aaron, $1,026
28. Andrew Hansen, $769
29. Timothy Moore, $769
30. Michael Bradford, $769
31. John Eyer, $769
32. Ludek Sisak, $769
33. Brandon Jarrett, $769
34. Jay Weeks, $769
35. Sherrie Aiken, $769
36. Gordon Ransom, $769
37. Curtiss Siegal, $577
38. Anthony Bellao, $577
39. Fred Hill, $577
40. Robert Flowers, $577
41. Anuj Chandna, $577
42. Robert Deppe, $577
43. Anne Amato, $577
44. Luke Gardner, $577
45. Jason Bruce, $577
Event #12 – $550 LHE
1. Jeramy Govert, Atlanta, $6,765
2. Justin Booth, Atlanta, $3,759
3. Mike Davis, Friendswood, Texas, $2,255
4. Trent Lewis, Loganville, Ga., $1,504
5. James Wethington, Raleigh, N.C., $752
2. Kay Jones, Villages, Fla., $15,960
3. Jesus Cabrera, Atlanta, $9,363
4. Thuan Bui, Lenoir, N.C., $7,235
5. Don Hall, Biloxi, Miss., $6,171
6. Chris Brauch, Tallahassee, Fla., $5,107
7. Henry Pena, Houston, $4,043
8. Ted Barrick, Ocean Springs, Miss., $2,979
9. Jason Cluxton, Seattle, $1,915
10. Thaddeus Layton, $1,490
11. John Bazley, $1,490
12. Anthony Pellegrini, $1,490
13. Lacey Coffey, $1,277
15. Justin Allen, $1,277
17. Larry Plummer, $1,064
18. Edward Jones, $1,064
19. David Depena, $851
20. Gio Rocca, $851
21. Shawn Lytle, $851
22. John Keith, $851
23. Larry Conners, $851
24. Douglas Bruce, $851
25. Christopher Pierce, $851
26. Douglas Gambel, $851
27. B.J. McBrayer, $851
28. Joshua Wilcox, $638
29. Matthew Powell, $638
30. Al Krux, $638
31. Rohan Long, $638
32. Michael Smith, $638
33. Tae Lee, $638
34. Roger Barlow, $638
35. Mark Dumas, $638
36. Gregory Wanzer, $638
Event #14 – $340 S/8-O/8
1. Avner Levy, Westville, N.J., $9,603
2. Paul Honas, Las Vegas, $5,442
3. Tony Hartmann, Minneapolis, $3,841
4. Carey Troell, Kingwood, Texas, $2,881
5. Dave Grubb, Wildwood Crest, N.J., $2,241
6. Bo Toft, Yardley, Pennsylvania, $1,921
7. Eric Napolean, Austin, Texas, $1,601
8. James Rosser, Harvest, Ala., $1,280
9. Jean Sparrow, Lake Cormorant, Miss., $960
10. Timothy Burt, $640
11. Yaron Limor, $640
12. Aaron Lasater, $640
1. Scott Culver, New Haven, Ky., $32,145
2. David Diaz, Memphis, $17,340
3. Dan Clemente, Hernando, Miss., $9,909
4. Joe Tehan, Las Vegas, $8,175
5. Eddie Rayl, Fitzgerald, Ga., $6,936
6. Taj Zipperman, Canton, Ga., $5,698
7. Kris Cannatelli, Gulfport, Miss., $4,459
8. Michael Williams, Lebanon, Ky., $3,220
9. Patrick D. Everett, Dayton, Tenn., $1,982
10. James Wethington, $1,734
11. Ronald Bartlett, $1,734
12. Rodney Baker, $1,734
13. John Bindner, $1,486
14. Matthew Blach, $1,486
15. Deborah Lavigne, $1,486
16. David Lovins, $1,239
17. Rolland Young, $1,239
18. Michael Wood, $1,239
19. Michael Schneider, $991
20. James Murray, $991
21. Kyle Milam, $991
22. James Nickell, $991
23. Bob Riley, $991
24. Raymond Engheben, $991
25. Michael Bradford, $991
26. William Straiti, $991
27. Stephen Beining, $991
28. Clyde Clerencer, $743
29. Jeffrey Coutroulis, $743
30. Joseph Mattingly, $743
Event #16 – $340 Stud
1. Charlie Townsend, Dagsboro, Del., $5,108
2. Trent Lewis, Loganville, Ga., $2,837
3. Tennyson Phillips, Moultrie, Ga., $1,702
4. Jason Eskridge, Armuchee, Ga., $1,135
5. Kai Landry, Biloxi, Miss., $567
1. Jared Jaffee, Brooklyn, $49,904
2. Drew Kutler, San Antonio, $26,617
3. C. Pelton, College Station, Texas, $14,972
4. Pat Heneghan, Chicago, $11,645
5. Charlotte Turner, Calabash, N.C., $9,981
6. Mervin Sturdivant, Birmingham, $8,318
7. Shane Smith, Hiram, Ga., $6,654
8. Scott Clements, Mt. Vernon, Wash., $4,991
9. Frank Jordan, Nashville, $3,327
10. Manny Minaya, Tampa, Fla., $2,329
11. Dwayne Clanton, $2,329
12. Pejman Niyati, $2,329
13. Jeter Brock, $1,996
14. Michael Copeland, $1,996
15. Ronald Marks, $1,996
17. Red Miller, $1,664
18. Matthew Lassiter, $1,664
19. Frederick Smith, $1,331
21. John Terry, $1,331
22. Paul Matthews, $1,331
23. Joseph Mattingly, $1,331
24. Michael Pilarski, $1,331
25. Pascal Boutineau, $1,331
26. James Hatfield, $1,331
27. Shane Howeth, $1,331
Continued on next page
MISSISSIPPI
BILOXI
$10K Main Event
Players: 208 • Prize pool: $1.93 million
Reed
Continued from previous page
Event #18 – $1,070 H.O.R.S.E.
1. Jason Stern, San Jose, Ca., $13,270
2. Jim Wheatley, Harrisonburg, Va., $7,372
3. Tyler Peterson, Everett, Wash., $4,792
4. Jim Newberry, Poolesville, Md., $3,317
5. Brian Jordan, Houston, Mo., $2,580
6. Timothy Burt, Grenada, Miss., $2,212
7. Ernest Vidal, Nutley, N.J., $1,843
8. Chuck Barnes, Houston, Texas, $1,474
1. Nick Binger, Las Vegas, $84,300
3. Scott Culver, New Haven, Ky., $25,290
4. Robert Kalteux, Seminole, Fla., $19,670
5. Josh Palmer, Daphne, Ala., $16,860
6. Mark Livingston, Albany, N.Y., $14,050
7. Justin Harrell, Tampa, Fla., $11,240
8. Paul Distefano, Plaquemine, La., $8,430
9. David Kruger, Slater, Mo., $5,620
10. John Bindner, Louisville, Ky., $3,934
11. Walter White, $3,934
12. Dale Eberle, $3,934
13. Douglas Carli, $3,372
14. John Spagnuolo, $3,372
15. Joe Golias, $3,372
16. John Lee, $2,810
17. Fred Sigur, $2,810
18. William Spangler, $2,810
19. Ryan Gentry, $2,248
20. James Arruebanena, $2,248
21. Bruce McGregor, $2,248
22. Bach Vu, $2,248
23. Ky McPherson, $2,248
24. Joseph McGuire, $2,248
25. Robert Toye, $2,248
26. Rolando Lozano, $2,248
27. Christopher Braugh, $2,248
Event #20 – $340 Ladies
30
Smith
Corkins
1. Linda Keenan, Mandeville, La.,$12,197
2. Cindy Manning, Tyrone, Ga., $6,726
3. Judy Bass, Baton Rouge, La., $3,696
4. Cynthia Byrd, Mobile, Ala., $2,957
5. Faith Giordano, New Orleans, $2,217
6. Nina Jennings, Riverdale, Ga., $1,848
7. Lori Bender, Houston, $1,478
8. Marsha Normand, Beaumont, Texas, $1,109
9. Linda Machi, $739
10. Lorna May, $517
11. Kathryn Lewis, $517
12. Denise Kelley, $517
13. Peggy Joyner, $443
14. Natalie Valdwia, $443
15. Michelle Myers, $443
16. Rita Hazlip, $370
17. Jena Delk, $370
18. Sharon Weaver, $370
1. Dennis Otto, Victoria, Texas, $28,329
2. Gregory Maynard, Houston, $15,624
3. Perry McGinnis, Douglasville, Ga., $8,585
4. M.R. Schroeder, Covington, Ga., $6,868
5. David Moore, Alpharetta, Ga., $5,151
6. Phillip Wads, Conyers, Ga., $4,292
7. Steve Nousiainen, Crestview, Fla., $3,434
8. Vincent Phan, Mobile, Ala., $2,575
9. Morris Barrett, Ryan, Okla., $1,717
10. Tony Bruno, Boynton Bch., Fla., $1,202
11. Judy Rhodes, $1,202
12. Ann Champlin, $1,202
13. Roston Stokes Jr., $1,030
14. Michael Wommack, $1,030
15. Gregory Blair, $1,030
16. Edward Jones, $858
17. Richard Dombrowski, $858
18. Colen Beck, $858
Event #22 – $340 PLO/8
1. Jim Newberry, Poolesville, Md., $13,251
2. Sam Bonifield, Keller, Texas, $7,309
3. Walt Lustgraaf, Queen Creek, Ariz., $4,016
4. Joe Didonato, Slidell, La., $3,213
5. Billy Mann, W. Monroe, La., $2,409
6. Robert Wachtel, Atlanta, $2,008
7. Jordan Stone, Faveteville, Ariz., $1,606
8. Warren Davis, Gulf Breeze, Miss., $1,205
9. Yuval Bronstein, Atlanta, $803
10. Henry Paloci, $562
11. Chan Pelton, $562
12. Dan Walsh, $562
13. David Pacheco, $482
14. Michael Schneider, $482
15. Willie O’Reilly, $482
16. Robert Mariano, $402
17. Ky McPherson, $402
18. Joe Brandenburg, $402
1. Johnny Landreth, Lanett, Ala., $39,133
2. Gary LaDuca, Atlanta, $20,874
3. Adam Lippert, $11,742
4. Gordon Alberti, Pan. City Bch., Fla., $9,133
5. Bruce Van Horn, $7,828
6. Robert Iverson, Gulf Breeze, Fla., $6,523
7. Ryan Dangelo, $5,219
8. Van Undergriff, Southlake, Miss., $3,914
9. Michael Usakowski, Belton, S.C., $2,609
10. Nicole Williams, Dallas, $1,827
11. Jesse Rios, $1,827
12. Edward Corrado, $1,827
13. Joseph Andrulot, $1,566
14. Stephan Raphel, $1,566
15. Terry Garner, $1,566
16. Len Emmanuel, $1,305
17. Brennan Benglis, $1,305
18. Jonathan Kantor, $1,305
19. Ronnie Bardah, $1,044
20. Bob Kalteux, $1,044
21. Kris Hawkins, $1,044
22. Christopher Braugh, $1,044
23. Allie Prescott, $1,044
24. Seth Foster, $1,044
25. Don Hall, $1,044
26. Michael Blanovsky, $1,044
27. Kathy Fleck, $1,044
Event #24 – $550 PLO
1. Michael Binger, Las Vegas, $40,856
2. Robert Williamson III, Dallas, $21,563
3. Chee Chen G., Florida, $13,619
4. Seamus Cahill, Dublin, $9,079
5. Jason Mercier, Ft. Laud., Fla., $7,944
6. Brian McKain, Madison, Ind., $6,809
7. John O’Shea, Dublin, $5,675
8. Scott Clements, Mt. Vernon, Wash., $4,540
9. Gene Bauerlein, St. Pete, Fla., $3,405
Event #25 – $1,070 NLHE
1. Jason Mercier, Ft. Laud., Fla., $60,818
3. Scott Evans, Forney, Texas, $18,430
4. Seth Fischer, Palm Harbor, Fla., $14,744
5. Tyler Petterson, Everett, Wash., $11,058
6. Barry Wiedemann, Las Vegas, $9,215
7. Preston Burge, Slidell, La., $7,372
8. Jon Westro, Gainesville, Fla., $5,529
9. Liv Boeree, London, $3,686
10. Gabriel Costner, $2,580
11. Seth Foster, $2,580
12. Daniel Clemente, $2,580
13. Jacob Bezeley, $2,212
14. Michael Caruso, $2,212
15. Steven Crain, $2,212
16. James Maddox, $1,843
17. Mike Phan, $1,843
18. Michael Smith, $1,843
1. Hoyt Corkins, Glenwood, Ala., $713,986
2. Jonathan Kantor, Tulsa, $366,643
3. Jerry VanStrydonck, Rochester, N.Y., $196,829
5. James Reed ,Newnan, Ga., $106,134
6. Tyler Smith, Smithdale, Miss., $86,837
7. Andy Philachack, Garland, Texas, $67,540
8. JJ Liu, Las Vegas, $48,243
9. Daniel O’Brien, Las Vegas, $28,946
10. James Guinther, Boston, $25,086
11. Ayaz Mahmood, Houston, $25,086
12. Ken Harbaugh, Atlanta, $25,086
13. Justin Smith, Los Angeles, $19,397
14. James Mackey, Columbia, Mo., $19,397
15. Vitor Coelho, $19,397
16. Narinder Khasria, Milton, Ont., $15,438
17. Tommy Vedes, New York, $15,438
18. Shawn Quillin, Charlotte, N.C., $15,438
Event #26 – $345 Omaha/8
1. Jesse Rios, Salida, Ca., $10,694
2. Sam Bonifield, Keller, Texas, $5,941
3. Donald Jacoby, Philadelphia, $3,565
5. Keith Ray, Hurley, Miss., $1,188
Event #27 - $2,100 NLHE
1. Jonathan Kantor, Tulsa, $68,443
2. Mike Degilo, Port St. Lucie, Fla., $36,123
3. Darryll Fish, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., $22,814
4. Chander Jain, Houston, Texas, $15,210
5. Seth Foster, Shreveport, La., $13,308
6. Daniel O’Brian, Las Vegas, $11,407
7. Chad Brown, Margate, Fla., $9,506
8. Chad Burns, Spring, Texas, $7,605
9. Derric Williams, Harvey, La., $5,704
Event #28 – $1,070 Lowball
1. James Van Alstyne, Las Vegas, $6,790
2. Mark Gallagher, Houston, Texas, $4,074
1. Laurie Scales, Flowery Branch, Ga., $26,624
2. Mike Windham, Slidell, La., $14,201
4. Carl McGowan, Pearson, Ga., $6,213
5. Jack Clark, Trenton, Ga., $5,325
6. John Riola, Biloxi, Miss., $4,438
8. Jim Wroten, Winston-Salem, N.C., $2,663
9. Terry Davis, Hattiesburg, Miss., $1,775
11. Dawn Marsala, $1,243
13. Robert Allen, $1,065
14. James Knox, $1,065
15. Timmy McDermott, $1,065
16. Boikien Mitchell, $888
17. Daniel Klein, $888
18. Martin Zentner, $888
19. Jackie Watts, $710
20. Ronnie Bardah, $710
21. James Guinther, $710
22. Loren Zeus, $710
23. Vernon Farr, $710
24. Mark Springer, $710
25. Earl Merritt, $710
26. Robert Georato, $710
27. William Spangler, $710
Event #30 – $5,130 PLO
1. S. Clements, Mt. Vernon, Wash., $55,775
2. Ben Roberts, London, $33,465
3. David Callaghan, Dublin, $22,310
Event #31 – $3,120 NLHE
1. Chris Bell, Raleigh, N.C., $117,922
2. Gary Clark, Jackson, Miss., $62,236
3. Robert Kalteux, Seminole, Fla., $39,307
5. Jon Tamayo, Humble, Texas, $22,929
6. Mike Degilio, Port St. Lucie, Fla., $19,654
7. Nick Ceci, Peach Tree City, Ga., $16,378
8. Chris Harder, Annapolis, Md., $13,102
9. Jess Yawitz, St. Loius, $9,827
2. Dave Burroughs, Atlanta, $10,243
3. Chuck Scandrett, Mequon, Wis., $6,009
4. Carl McGowan, Pearson, Ga., $4,644
5. Mike Tockgo, Atlanta, $3,961
6. Trey Brabham, Austin, Texas, $3,278
7. Rhonda Palassie, Marrero, La., $2,595
8. Chris Monroe, Sterrett, Ala., $1,912
9. Robert Spann, Midlothian, Texas, $1,229
10. Paul Fleck, Stockbridge, Ga., $956
11. Fred Vyhnalek, $956
12. Lucian Loyd, $956
13. Cameron Ainsworth, $819
14. Peter Lockwood, $819
15. Duplynn Rhodes, $819
16. Dwayne Clanton, $683
17. Thomas Darce, $683
18. Joe Andrulot, $683
19. Charles Arnold, $546
20. Thomas McCormick, $546
21. Brian Cospolch, $546
22. Richard Dodge, $546
23. Scott Lemon, $546
24. Donald Virash, $546
25. Cherilynn Romano, $546
26. Douglas Gibson, $546
27. Hannaya Vaknin, $546
28. Garry Sides, $410
29. Scott Culver, $410
30. John Riola, $410
31. Ron Brown, $410
32. Geoffrey Lay, $410
33. Ted Barrick, $410
34. John Finnan, $410
35. Ivan Milicevic, $410
36. Andrew Taylor, $410
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WEST VIRGINIA
Wheeling Island
WALTER SHOOTS THE MOON
By Craig Fleck
Kent Walter may not know the experience of
winning the World Series of Poker Main Event
like Joe Cada did in 2009, but he has one thing in
common with the world champ: He beat Darvin
Moon heads-up.
In January the Wheeling Island Hotel and Casino hosted the Darvin Moon Challenge, which
consisted of four tournaments (a fifth event during the week was for a WSOP qualifier and didn’t
have any bearing on the Moon Challenge).
At the conclusion of the events the overall
points leader faced Moon for an additional $2K.
Points were awarded to the top 20 players in each
tournament, which had buy-ins ranging from
$125 to $550. Walter captured the points title by
virtue of his victory in Event 2 ($125 with one rebuy) and won the right to face the 2009 WSOP
runner-up.
“I wasn’t nervous,” said Walter, who had pocketed $6,262 for his earlier victory. “I just enjoyed
playing him. He was a heck of a nice guy. We
chatted like we were old buddies He was a real
down-to-earth guy that didn’t let his winning get
to his head.”
Darvin Moon Challenge
at Wheeling Island Casino
EVENT 1: $125 buy-in
1. Keith Stewart, $5,337
2. Paul Mitchell, $2,672
3. John Roth, $1,670
EVENT 2: $125 buy-in (one rebuy)
1. Kent Walter, $6,262
2. Dan McClasky, $3,133
3. Jerry Humphrey, $1,958
Kent Walter, left, and Darvin Moon
stand in front of the table that’s
dedicated to Moon at Wheeling.
The heads-up match was Jan. 18, which is an
interesting date for Walter. Four years to the day,
he appeared on the game show Ohio Cash Explosion, winning $32K.
Walter hails from Alliance, Ohio, where he’s
a heating and air-conditioning contractor. He’s
been playing poker for four years, sticking with
no-limit hold’em, and frequents the West Virginia casinos. He used a very famous quote to sum
up his approach to the game.
“Poker is not a card game played with people,
but a people game that is played with cards.”
1. Randy Jones, $6,400
2. Derek Dempsey, $3,200
3. David Lipkin, $2,000
1. Lee Erlwein, $14,577
2. Ron Haun, $7,493
3. Richard Robrecht, $4,658
EVENT 5: $130 WSOP satellite
1. Mark Spano, $16K package
2. Chad Putrow, $4,849
3. Richard Wright, $2,425
Two mega bad beat jackpots
totaling $513,899 hit at
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa
One mega bad beat jackpot
hit for $365,408 at
Seminole Casino Hollywood
The jackpot is currently at
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197,581 as of February 15.
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AROUND THE SOUTH
Louisiana
Alabama
All poker players would like to be recognized as the best rounders in their state, and
now those in Louisiana will get their chance.
The Isle of Capri Casino in Lake Charles will host the Louisiana State Poker Championship on April 19-25, highighted by two
bracelet events: the $335 pot-limit Omaha championship (April
22) and the $1,060 no-limit hold’em main event (April 24-25).
“This tournament series is a tremendous step forward for the
poker room at the Isle of Capri in Lake Charles,” said the room’s
manager, Matthew Dodd. “Louisiana, a state with a ton of great
poker players, now has a championship of its own.”
The series will have six events overall and each will have a $10
optional dealer add-on. Registration for all events begins 90 minutes before start time and
alternates will be allowed through the third round.
EVENT 1, APRIL 19: A $120 mega-satellite into the LSPC main event. The event starts at
6 p.m. and is capped at 150 players (1 in 10 win a seat).
EVENT 2, APRIL 20: This $120 NLHE event has a $5K guarantee, will be capped at 150
players and starts at 6 p.m.
EVENT 3, APRIL 21: A $225 NLHE tournament with a $10K guarantee, it’s capped at 150
players and begins at 6 p.m.
EVENT 4, APRIL 22: This $335 pot-limit Omaha championship is a bracelet event that
begins at 6 p.m. and will be capped at 150 players.
EVENT 5, APRIL 23: There’s a $15K guarantee attached to this $335 NLHE event. It begins
at noon and will be capped at 150 players.
EVENT 6, APRIL 24-25: The main event costs $1,060 and will be rewarding a bracelet to its
winner. This field is capped at 130 players and the event begins at noon.
For more information on this tournament series call the poker room at 337-430-2407.
Steve Bass of Lincoln took down All-In
Alabama Poker League’s January title after
defeating “Cowboy” Tony Casey of Vincent.
The final hand during heads-up play was a
true cooler as Bass’ pocket aces held up against
Casey’s pocket kings.
State Championship is coming
AROUND THE NATION
A look at how Southerners fared outside The South
Robert Perry
won Event 2 for
nearly $52K, then
won Event 24 for
$15K.
FLORIDA’S PERRY SNAGS
TWO TITLES AT BORGATA
The Borgata Winter Open in Atlantic City always draws a ton of
players because of its smaller buy-ins and great structures. And this
year’s event, which ran Jan. 20-Feb. 5, was no different as Floridians
dominated, winning five events, including two by Robert Perry of Highland Beach. The only other Southerner to capture a Borgata title was
Steven Curtin of Indian Trail, N.C., who won Event 22, a $400 NLHE
tournament that paid him $26,175 for his victory.
Here’s a look at all of the southern cashers at the Borgata, but if a
tournament isn’t listed that means no one from The South cashed.
EVENT 1, $400 NLHE, 1,563 ENTRIES
30. Angel Llauger, Kissimmee, Fla., $2,016; 61. Patrick Alan Whitmore, Martinsburg, W. Va., $1,327; 78. Mark Commesso, Lake Wales, Fla., $1,061; 98. Joseph
Paul Collis, Martinsburg, W. Va., $849; 102. Daniel Wellborn, Fairfax, Va., $796;
104. Mark Walters, Clifton, Va., $796; 119. Brian Bickmore, Lorton, Va., $796.
EVENT 2, $560 NLHE, 368 ENTRIES
1. Robert Perry, Highland Beach, Fla., $51,759; 6.
Michael Miller, Woodbridge, Va., $8,924; 23. Adel Jo,
Miami, Fla., $1,071.
EVENT 3, $400, PLO, 131 ENTRIES
1. John Binns, Tamarac, Fla., $13,698; 3. Brandon
Paster, Arlington, Va., $4,225; 5. Lisa Vanlandingham, Nashville, $2,668.
11. Phuong Hong, Falls Church, Va, $2,869; 23. Ronald Katz, Aventura, Fla., $1,324.
EVENT 5, $400 H.O.S.E., 178 ENTRIES
9. Donald Rawlins, Charlotte, N.C., $1,360.
EVENT 6, $1,090 NLHE, 452 ENTRIES
1. William Beasley, Hollywood, Fla., $125,482; 15. Albert Winchester, Falls Church, Va., $4,165; 26. Justin
Levy, Boynton Beach, Fla., $2,411; 29. Saulo Pena,
Chesapeake, Va., $1,842; 30. Timothy Pendergrass,
Raleigh, N.C., $1,842; 43. James Morton, Barboursville, Va., $1,622.
EVENT 7, $400 OMAHA/8, 220 ENTRIES
20. Michael Hodson, Hopewell, Va., $560.
a
AROUND THE NATION
A look at how Southerners fared outside The South
EVENT 8, $350 NLHE W/REBUYS, 261 ENTRIES
23. Timothy Williams, Falls Church, Va., $570.
4. Barry Wiedemann, Orlando, Fla., $23,800; 11. James Romoser, Raleigh, N.C.,
$4,584; 24. Steven Buckner, The Villages, Fla., $1,587; 26. Jerry Sales, Winchester, Va., $1,587; 32. Robert Fikac, Sterling, Va., $1,340; 46. Greg Thorson,
Miami Beach, Fla., $987; 64. Ray Shackelford, Fredericksburg, Va., $881.
EVENT 12, $450 NLHE 6-HANDED, 196 ENTRIES
4. Ronald Hicks, Garner, N.C., $5,323; 8. T.J. Shulman, Boynton Beach, Fla.,
$2,281.
EVENT 13, $400 SENIORS NLHE, 261 ENTRIES
6. Randy Hudson, Greenville, N.C., $4,430; 23. Robert Hinkle, Fairfax, Va., $665.
EVENT 14, $200 NLHE W/REBUYS, 1,100 ENTRIES
13. Dwayne Sullivan, Fredericksburg, Va., $1,723; 38. Eric Rockwell, Chesapeake, Va., $580; 45. Ranson Nelson, Fredericksburg, Va., $580; 69. Max Tyson,
Glengary, W. Va., $399; 72. Gregory Best, Burke, Va., $399; 76. James Kinney,
Matthews, N.C., $363, 95. Zackary Woolum, Greenville, N.C., $291.
EVENT 15, $350 PLO, 92 ENTRIES
4. Lisa Vanlandingham, Nashville, $2,409; 6. Brandon Paster, Arlington, Va.,
$1,606; 9. Robert Sheen, Springfield, Va., $803.
6. Oktay Altinbas, Dania Beach, Fla., $5,078; 15. Barry Pevner, Cooper City, Fla.,
$1,016; 30. William Humphreys, Fishersville, Va., $508; 32. William Thornburg,
Mechanicsville, Va., $508.
EVENT 18, $1,625 NLHE, 339 ENTRIES
1. Daniel Garon, Sunny Isles Beach, Fla.,
$143,041; 3. Phillip Vera, Ashburn, Va.,
$40,939; 5. Christopher Bell, Raleigh,
N.C., $29,595; 17. Thomas Livia, Boca
Raton, Fla., $3,453; 20. Randy Lowery,
Atlanta, $2,959.
EVENT 19, $400 OMAHASTUD/8, 141 ENTRIES
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15. Brandon Paster, Arlington, Va., $814.
EVENT 21, $450 NLHE,
209 ENTRIES
MARCH IS FLORIDA MILLION
MONTH IN THE POKER ROOM
2. Donald Freeman, Star, N.C., $13,786; 3. Frank Dagostino, Franklin, Tenn.,
$7,582; 6. Vincent Lee Housden, Stanley, Va., $4,055; 25. Henry Bajer, Mechanicsville, Va., $608.
1. Steven Curtin, Indian Trail, N.C., $26,175;
10. Joseph Defilippo, Indian Trail, N.C.,
$1,135; 13. Duane Cummings, Fairfax, Va.,
$960; 18. Chad Stell, Clinton, N.C., $785;
19. Allie Prescott, Memphis, $654; 22. Eric
Rockwell, Chesapeake, Va., $654; 23. Kelly
Armentrout, Alexandria, Va., $654.
EVENT 23, $350 NLHE,
276 ENTRIES
21. William Beasley, Hollywood, Fla., $602; 22.
Robert Perry, Highland Beach, Fla., $602; 25.
Allie Prescott, Memphis, $602.
EVENT 24, $230 NLHE W/REBUYS, 261 ENTRIES
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Daily High Hand winners receive
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to win great prizes.
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1. Robert Perry, Highland Beach, Fl, $15,190;
CHAMPIONSHIP (EVENT 20), $3,500 NLHE, 766 ENTRIES
14. Lee Childs, Alexandria, Va., $23,294; 17. Joshua Mancuso, Mandevilee, La.,
$14,712; 31. Robert R. Stevanovski, Cornelius, N.C., $9,317; 33. Dao Bui, Sterling, Va., $9,317; 37. Joshua Hillock, Palm, Fla., $7,846; 43. WIlliam Thornburg,
Mechanicsville, Va., $7,846; 52. Sang Kim, Leesburg, Va, $6,866; 58. Raj Vohra,
Lake Worth, Fla., $6,375; 60. Robert Kalteux, Seminole, Fla., $6,375; 66. Ray
Shackelford, Fredericksburg, Va., $6,130; 67. Kris Adam Kawohl, Merritt Island,
Fla., $6,130.
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ONLINE REPORT
NOTHIN’ BUT ’NET
JOHN LANIER • A look at Southern online players and beyond
$5 LOAN SPARKS SHARKEY’S CAREER
Jeff “jshark4” Sharkey from West Palm Beach, Fla.,
is a new face on the Internet poker scene. He won a
PocketFives Triple Crown last year and has had an
incredible three-month run, grabbing second in the
$750K Guarantee on Full Tilt Poker in December for
$104K, first in the Turbo $50K Guarantee on Tilt a
few days later ($18,950) and another second in January in the $40K Guarantee on PokerStars ($24,245).
A $5 loan from a friend earned him entry into a
home game, setting up his poker career. It was a poor
first showing, but he says he’s so competitive he went
home and learned as much as possible just to show his
friends he could play.
He also has received some help from his girlfriend,
fellow poker player Julie “JRisk17” Risk. She’s seen
her presence online grow. In September 2009 she took
down the PokerStars $25K Guarantee for $5,600,
about the same amount she earned for capturing the
Tilt $21,000 KO Guarantee.
AIPS IS BACK: The fifth season of the Ante Up Intercontinental Poker Series on PokerStars has gotten under way and there are two events this month: March
10, 9 p.m. ET, no-limit hold’em and March 27, noon
ET, pot-limit Omaha. The password for these events is
anteup2010, plus there are exclusive satellite freerolls
John “The Razor” Phan
Hoyt “Cowboy” Corkins
that award 10 seats to the next event. Registration for
these freerolls opens two hours before their start. Go to
anteupmagazine.com for details.
POKERSTARS: Here’s your chance to experience the
excitement of playing poker on TV. … by winning
an EPT Barcelona prize package. Qualify online and
you’ll be invited to audition for Royal Street Poker,
the show where you play against celebrities for huge
prizes. To find out more, check out the Royal Street
Poker page on the PokerStars Web site.
POKER NORDICA: A new site that accepts players from
the United States, Poker Nordica is your destination
for some of the largest freerolls anywhere.
The site offers a $50,000 freeroll on the last Sunday of every month for players who have accumulated
5,000 comp points during that month. Every Sunday,
Poker Nordica holds a $10,000 freeroll for players who
have earned 2,500 comp points in the 168 hours leading up to the event. It’s a great perk for just playing.
Nordica, run on the Merge Gaming Network, offers
a futuristic table with easy-to-read cards. Each player
is labeled with their action in hand, such as “Folded”
and “Shows.” Its lobby has a tabbed interface for users to toggle between game types and details for each
table.
Kathy “PokerKat” Liebert
Jonathan “Jcardshark” Little
What is AIPS?
The Ante Up
Intercontinental Poker
Series (a.k.a. AIPS) is
our PokerCast’s fan
tournament series on
PokerStars.com. Square
off against the Ante Up
Nation, including Ante
Up publishers — Scott
“OffDeadline” Long
and Chris “aun2112”
Cosenza.
Don’t have a
PokerStars account?
No problem. Go to
anteupmagazine.com
and click on our online
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signup code STARS600
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HE’S IN
COVER STORY
DEEP
Chris Torina of Florida is the
founder of DeepStacks,
a company that is redefining
poker education and training.
C
40
Chris Torina’s house may be in Altamonte Springs, Fla., but his
home is anywhere a poker student needs help.
This sentiment makes his DeepStacks poker training company float
to the top among a sea of other poker educational options.
“I had the idea during a WPT preliminary event at the Mirage,”
said Torina, 33. “During one of the breaks I heard some of the pros
talking about some of the other boot camps and academies and how
they weren’t going into the other cities, just doing Atlantic City, Vegas and L.A. I was like, ‘Why don’t we just bring poker training into
people’s back yards?’ It would be affordable for them; they wouldn’t
have to fly and spend a lot of money to get to these places.”
Torina, a former cop who began playing poker in 2003, wasn’t
exactly a household name. He had cashed a couple of times in smaller
recognizable tournaments while grinding out a living online and at
the live cash tables. But, like so many other poker players, Torina was
a former athlete who needed a fix, and he channeled that drive into
his passion for poker and poker instruction.
“Playing sports in high school and college I just developed a love
for anything competitive,” he said. “I fell in love with poker watching
it on ESPN. I figured if I wanted to play for a living and make it my
life, I’d have to start a business around it. So that’s what I did.” Thus, in 2007, DeepStacks was born. By 2008 the business was
crawling, but by Torina’s own admission it didn’t start taking baby
steps until it figured out how to balance itself.
“In ’08 we tested the business model of the preview-to-workshopcamp seminar. … But there were always two things missing: continued education and the big names.”
That’s when Torina revamped his company, splitting it into two
entities: DeepStacks Live and DeepStacks University.
“In 2009 we basically spent (the whole year) developing both. We
developed an online platform for developing education (DeepStacks
University), while taking the name recognition (DeepStacks Live) and
building that as well. … There aren’t many companies, if any, that
actually do both. … That’s how we got Mike Matusow.”
Matusow and Torina are now partners in DeepStacks Live, the
company that brings the training to your area. And “The Mouth”
headlines a roster of instructional pros he handpicked that’s second
to none: Tom McEvoy, T.J. Cloutier, Vanessa Rousso, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Justin “Boosted J” Smith, Tristan “Cre8ive” Wade and Alex
Outhred, among others. “I’ve been playing poker for more than 20 years,” said Matusow,
who owns three World Series of Poker bracelets. “And I enjoy teaching poker. This is something that I can now say is my own. I am strictly
here to really teach people what I know. … People have faith in me.
They know what kind of person I am, and when I tell them we’re
going to sell people a good product they believe in me. The people
who know the real Mike Matusow know I’m a good person to learn
poker from.”
Matusow, a.k.a. The Dean of DeepStacks, is so dedicated to this
company he has severed all ties with other poker instructional opportunities.
“I like talking with people, if you don’t know that by now,” Matusow said with a snicker. “I love having fun with people. … There’s
going to be an asterisk on it. If you don’t like being made fun of and
being called names by Mike Matusow then don’t join up.” Matusow and Co. took their act “Live” in late January by bringing
its free preview seminar to Tampa, where hundreds of players converged on Embassy Suites for a chance to meet and learn from poker
giants. Then two weeks later the intensive two-day training seminars
for the paid customers commenced. Players could pay for one day at
$999 or $1,599 for both days. “You’re getting hands-on one-on-one analysis, strategies and tips,”
Photos by Rick Laub; special thanks to the Derby Lane Poker Room
Members of Team DeepStacks (but not limited to) include Tristan “Cre8ive” Wade, Andrew “Browndog19” Brown and Alex Outhred.
T.J. CLOUTIER
TOM McEVOY
VANESSA ROUSSO
JUSTIN SMITH
ADAM LEVY
T.J. is the most successful live tournament
player in history, including six World Series of
Poker bracelets.
Tom won the WSOP
Main Event in 1983 and
has authored more than
a dozen books of poker
instruction.
Vanessa won the EPT
High Roller event at
Monte Carlo in 2009 for
$750K. She also owns
Big Slick Boot Camp.
Known as Boosted J online, Justin is one of the
most feared high stakes
players in the world. See
his Q&A on Page 60.
Adam, a.k.a. Roothlus,
is a monster online and
has made numerous final tables live, including
a WPT event in 2008.
MEET THE DEAN OF THE U: MIKE “THE MOUTH” MATUSOW
COVER STORY
MEET THE FACULTY
Photo by Ante Up
Mike is one of the DeepStacks Live owners and helped pick the roster of stars that make up the Team DeepStacks constellation.
He has three WSOP bracelets and a WSOP Tournament of Champions title from 2005. You can hear numerous interviews with
Mike on the Ante Up PokerCast at anteupmagazine.com.
Torina said. “But you’re also getting a breakdown to a buildup, meaning most organizations do lecture-based training. You sit in a chair
and watch a Power Point presentation and you don’t really get the
‘oomph’ from it. Ours is customizable. We break you down and then
build you up. It’s like the military. They break you down to make you
a U.S. soldier. Everyone has holes in their games. Even our pros have
holes, but they’ve been able to plug them and identify those holes.
Many people aren’t honest with themselves. … For every table we
have there’s a pro that stations that table. Everyone has a seat;
no one stands. And it’s 90-10 ration, 90 percent at the tables, 10
percent lecture.”
And, as Torina said, what makes DeepStacks unique is
once your live training comes to an end, you can still have
the same pros teaching you online through “Reactive
Training Technology.” It’s a subscription-based education on deepstacks.com that’s customizable to any form of training. Interactive
videos respond to your every move and guide you through scores of
scenarios. This way the DeepStacks education stays with you wherever you have access to the Internet. “They always say players play and teachers teach,” Torina said. “I
like to consider myself a player, but I find a tremendous amount of
pleasure seeing someone who has learned from my company apply it and do well. We’re one of a kind. The way we teach and
the types of players we bring to teach our
curriculum is one of a kind. We’re the
only poker company in America doing what we do.”
Matusow teaches a group at a recent preview in Tampa.
41
POK
MARCH 25-29, 2010
SAIL FROM TAMPA TO COZUMEL ABOARD
ROYAL CARIBBEAN’S GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS!
LAST
T.J. CLOUTIER SAILING WITH ANTE UP!
The poker legend, in association with DeepStacks
University, will teach a 4-hour course aboard the
Ante Up Cruise for an optional $199! Price includes
initiation into DeepStacks University’s online school.
OKER CRUISE
BOOK FOR JUST $479!
CONTACT MARY KOLB AT GO TRAVEL (727) 733-3498 • [email protected]
WWW.ANTEUPMAGAZINE.COM//CRUISE
CALL!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Cruisers can enter ONE of the Ante Up Poker Tour satellites for FREE!
THURSDAY
5 p.m.: Open-bar welcome aboard cocktail party!
7:30 p.m.-3:30 a.m.: Room open for cash games/SNGs
1:15 a.m.: $30 Blue Shark Optics turbo tournament
(Pair of Blue Shark Optics added to the prize pool!)
FRIDAY
9 a.m.-3:30 a.m.: Room open for cash games/SNGs
9 a.m.: Free entry satellite for Ante Up Poker Tour event
11 a.m.: $199 T.J. Cloutier instructional camp
Get great tips from a World Series legend!
Registration limited to 50 players.
Book your seat when you book your cruise!
7:30 p.m.: $100 T.J. Cloutier Team Tournament
(One camp attendee will be chosen to be T.J.’s teammate!)
1:15 a.m.: $30 The Poker Depot turbo tournament
(Ante Up merchandise added to the prize pool!)
SATURDAY
Enjoy beautiful Cozumel!
7:30 p.m.-3:30 a.m.: Room open for cash games/SNGs
1:15 a.m.: $30 Desjgn turbo tournament
(Decks of Desjgn playing cards added to the prize pool!)
All prices are per person, based on double occupancy,
cruise only and include taxes and gov’t fees.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Ships Registry Bahamas
SUNDAY
9 a.m.-3:30 a.m.: Room open for cash games/SNGs
9 a.m.: Free entry satellite for Ante Up Poker Tour event
1 p.m.: $350 DeepStacks University Ante Up Poker Tour event
(Earn Ante Up Player of the Year points!)
Royal Caribbean International reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement on all guests if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeds $65.00 per barrel. The fuel supplement for 1st and 2nd guests would be
no more than $10 per guest per day, to a maximum of $140 per cruise; and for additional guests would be no more than $5 per person per day, to a maximum of $70 per cruise.
ANTE UP POKER TOUR
44
ANTEUPMAGAZINE.COM
JANUARY RESULTS
CALDER CASINO
Ante Up Player of the Year bracelet
provided by Madison Jewelers.
Go to www.madison-jewelers.com.
Race for the Bracelet
Points are earned by finishing in the top 10 and
are distributed as follows: 1,000, 700, 500, 300,
250, 200, 175, 150, 125 and 100. Players also
receive a 100-point bounty for eliminating an
Ante Up publisher from an event. Here are the
Ante Up Player of the Year leaders as of press
time. For complete, up-to-date results be sure to
log on to anteupmagazine.com
1. Walt Strakowski Jr., West Palm Beach
2. Luis Cristobal, Coral Gables 3. Jay Roden, Estero
4. Ken Basilio, Ft. Lauderdale
5. Tomas Singson, Orange Park
6. Mitchell Abrahams, Miami
7. Raj Vohra, Lake Worth
8. Robert Beyra, Hollywood
9. Omar Diaz, Coconut Creek 10. Glen Blumberg, Alachua
11. Carleen Heath, Belleview
11. Ronnie Browne, Gainesville
11. Eddie Rosenberg, Miami Beach
11. Matt Ridley, Jupiter
15. Peter Nadeau, Gainesville
16. Alberto Dominguez, Hollywood
16. Steve Mitchell, St. Augustine
18. Manny Leon, West Palm Beach 19. Brian Capobianco, Tampa
20. Scott Long, Safety Harbor 21. Raymond Witt, Lake City
21. Glenn Fullone, St. Petersburg
6,100
2,925
2,600
2,575
2,500
2,425
2,150
2,000
1,900
1,800
1,700
1,700
1,700
1,700
1,625
1,500
1,500
1,425
1,400
1,350
1,300
1,300
Full leaderboard at anteupmagazine.com
Upcoming events
Feb. 27: Hard Rock Hollywood, 11a, $1,100
Feb. 27: Ocala Poker and Jai-Alai, 2p, $100
Feb. 27: Sarasota Kennel Club, 6:30p, $100
Feb. 28: Derby Lane, 1p, $100
Feb. 28: Miami Jai-Alai, 2p, $165
March 6: Dania Jai-Alai, 12:30p, $150
March 6: Seminole Immokalee, 7p, $225
March 7: Ebro Greyhound Park, 2p, $100
March 13: Calder Casino, 11a, $100 ($5K guar.)
March 13: Naples-Ft. Myers, noon, $225
March 13: Melbourne Greyhound, 2p, $120
March 17: Isle Casino, 2p, $350 ($30K guar.)
March 19: Orange Park K.C., 2p, $100
March 20: Hard Rock Tampa, 10a, $100
March 20: St. Johns Greyhound Park, 2p, $125
March 20: Ocala Poker and Jai-Alai, 2p, $150
March 20: Ft. Pierce Jai-Alai & Poker, 3p, $150
March 20: Gulfstream Park, 6:30p, $150
March 21: Palm Beach K.C., noon, $100
March 21: Tampa Bay Downs, 1p, $350
March 25: Mardi Gras, 6:30p, $100
March 27: Hard Rock Hollywood, 11a, $1,100
March 27: Sarasota Kennel Club, 6:30, $100
March 28: Derby Lane, 1p, $100
March 28: Ante Up Cruise, 1p, $350
March 28: Miami Jai-Alai, 2:30p, $165
Updated schedule at anteupmagazine.com
Jan. 9
1. Onin McCalle, Miramar
2. Anna Calder, Hallandale
3. Rich Kelleher, Coral Springs
4. Andre Bryan, Miami
5. Luis Cristobal, Coral Gables
6. Declined points
7. Paul Mendelsohn, Hollywood
8. Declined points
9. Howard Steinberg, Coral Springs
10. Garcia Francisco, Miami
POKE
R TOU
R
Ocala Poker’s final table. The winner was Luras Toro
of Gainesville. ... he’s the guy in the striped shirt.
DANIA JAI-ALAI
Jan. 2
1. Bob Capps, Weston
2. Robert Jones, Miami
3. Nigel White, Hollywood
4. Ken Charles, Quebec, Canada
5. Carl Johnson, Sunrise
6. Paul Sawyer, Miami
7. Charles Taylor, Hollywood
8. Jean Capps, Weston
9. Davis Johnson, Coral Springs
10. Omar Recuero, Hollywood
FT. PIERCE JAI-ALAI & POKER
Jan. 16
1. Joe Fiorito, Palm City
2. Sean Dannullo, Vero Beach
3. Howard Darnold, Ft. Pierce
4. David Cohen, Ft. Pierce
5. George Sanders, Stuart
6. Vinny Piazza, Vero Beach
7. Vincent Mack, Palm Bay
8. Eric Laneve, Port St. Lucie
9. Lucky Rock, Stuart
10. Hien O’Grady, Port St. Lucie
GULFSTREAM PARK
Jan. 16
1. Kevin Payton, Aventura
2. Yves Fequiere, Miami
3. Merom Raoul, Aventura
4. Peggy Penning, Miami Shores
5. Jim Wahl, Miami Shores
6. Gerard Amsalem, Aventura
7. Parry Johns, New York
8. Billy Greisman, Weston
9. Donald Penning, Miami Shores
10. Mitchell Abrahams, Miami
ISLE CASINO
Jan. 12
1. Danny Heimbender, Boynton Beach
2. James Hamburger, Delray Beach
3. George Colli III, Suffield, CT
4. Shimon Mordechai, Boca Raton
5. Cinda Goodale, Davie
6. David Albertson, Margate
7. Amir Ashmawy, Boca Raton
8. Keith Ingham, Boca Raton
9. Hosney Boutros, Ft. Lauderdale
10. Larry Kusch, Miami
MARDI GRAS CASINO
Jan. 21
1. Luis Castillo, Miami
2. Jdyn Howland, Reading, PA
3. Wanda Dry, Oak Ridge, TN
4. Omar Recuero, Hollywood
5. Declined points
6. Steven Frezer, Ft. Lauderdale
7. Stan Cooper, Toronto
8. Carlos Dorca, Doral
9. Allan Rudolph
10. Jacques Gravel, Quebec
MELBOURNE GREYHOUND PARK
SEMINOLE IMMOKALEE
NAPLES-FT. MYERS GREYHOUND
SARASOTA KENNEL CLUB
ST. JOHNS GREYHOUND PARK
OCALA POKER & JAI-ALAI
SEMINOLE H.R. HOLLYWOOD
TAMPA BAY DOWNS
ORANGE PARK KENNEL CLUB
SEMINOLE HARD ROCK TAMPA
Jan. 23
1. Matt Saintsing, Rockledge
2. Chet Bickle, Melbourne
3. Charles Hill, Cocoa Beach
4. Don Bostrom, Cocoa Beach
5. Joe Lavis, Fellsmere
6. Fred Pike, Brevard
7. Robert Duras, Brevard
8. Michael Dorf, Viera
9. Robert Veta, Palm Bay
10. Greg Schebel, Orlando
Jan. 14
1. Jean Sebastian Laurent, Naples
2. John Monti, Naples
3. Russell Bucks, Ft. Myers
4. Lou Cheffy, Naples
5. Vinny Antonio, Ft. Myers
6. Frank Sloboda, Naples
7. Jeff Novatt, Naples
8. Brian Woodworth, Estero
9. Bill Vosney, Ft. Myers
10. David Shorty, Estero
Jan. 30
1. Luras Toro, Gainesville
2. John Guidabon, Nashua, N.H.
3. Chad Calabro, Harmony
4. Guy Bodos, Ocala
5. Charles Driggers, Eustis
6. Barry Chase, Tampa
7. James Murray, Sanford
8. John Clements, Jacksonville
9. Chris Brolek, Gainesville
10. Declined points
Jan. 15
1. Armando Cisnero, Jacksonville
2. Jerry Brunke, Jacksonville
3. James Nighbert, Hilliard
4. Robin Davis, Miami
5. Wally Eadeh, Jacksonville
6. Edna Green, Jacksonville
7. Tim Null, Orange Park
8. Kent King, Savannah, Ga.
9. Jim Harris, Hilliard
10. Bob Anderson, Orange Park
Jan. 23
1. Ken Berman, West Palm Beach
2. Bill Shope, West Palm Beach
3. Jerry Weinberg, West Palm Beach
4. Jeff Morford, West Palm Beach
5. Mike Cadda, West Palm Beach
6. Joe Vaccaro, West Palm Beach
7. Steve Doiyker, West Palm Beach
8. Antonio Pinzari, Lake Worth
9. Randy Gould, West Palm Beach
10. Jason Barker, West Palm Beach
Jan. 30
1. Dominic O’Connell
2. Lenny Theriault
3. Dan Murphy
4. Richard Lopez
5. Isabella Loiacono
6. Randy Spain
7. Ray Ward
8. Sam Hayes
9. Porter Harris
10. Parry Shaw
Jan. 30
1. George Mobassaleh, Miami
2. Alcides Gomez II, Miami
3. Timothy Morgan, Pompano Beach
4. Soo Han, Boca Raton
5. Ory Hen, Cooper City
6. Rich Blanchar, Lauderdale By The Sea
7. Hans Winzeller, Miami
8. Declined points
9. Declined points
10. Raymond Milliard, Tamarac
Jan. 23
1. Omar Arroyo, Haines City
2. Ryan Belz, Tampa
3. Declined points
4. Ben Weissman, Gainesville
5. Johann Castrillon, Orlando
6. Stanley Blacker, Tampa
7. Eugene Stone, Tampa
8. Fabian Foster, Orlando
9. Dante Dalere, Lakeland
10. Paul Dell, Tampa
Jan. 2
1. Sam Semaan, Naples
2. Gloria Anez, Immokalee
3. Sal Lanzieri, Cape Coral
4. Bill Vosney, Ft. Myers
5. Bob Seifert, Ft. Myers
6. Jim Seabasty, Naples
7. Michael Tufano, Ft. Myers
8. Jeff Green, Ft. Myers
9. John Lallo, Ft. Myers
10. Willams Rodriguez, Lehigh
Jan. 31
1. Jamie Wood
2. Joy Pozeck, St. Simons Island
3. John Mason
4. Herb Gartner, Jacksonville
5. Tom Workman, Jacksonville
6. Declined points
7. Declined points
8. T.J. Harris, Jacksonville
9. Debbie Shoemaker, Jacksonville
10. Declined points
Jan. 17
1. Ralph Franco
2. Stan Eleff
3. Declined points
4. Larry Hawley
5. Tom Nguyen
6. Pedro Suarez
7. Mark Sahoury
8. Declined points
9. James Lavine
10. Emilio Full
If you see any mistakes
or omissions please
let your poker room
manager or tournament director know.
Or you can feel free to
contact us at editor@
anteupmagazine.com.
For our new readers, don’t worry, the AUPT will expand throughout The South on June 1.
Insight and analysis on poker in The South
It’s hard not to be distracted by the bright lights of TV.
PERSPECTIVE
SOUTHERN DRAW
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE, NOT THE TV
Y
So just how does a TV camera change the dynamics of a poker
tournament?
When my co-publisher, Chris Cosenza, and I arrived in Jacksonville
at noon on Day 2 of the tournament, 63 players remained. About six
hours later as the dinner break arrived, the tournament was just busting through the money bubble, the notoriously longest part of most
tournaments. That’s a kill rate of about six players an hour. Play was
scheduled to continue until reaching the TV table of six players that
night. It ended at closing time five hours later with more than a dozen
still standing.
The tournament picked up at noon the next day, and didn’t reach
the TV table until more than five hours later. The kill rate had dropped
to one per hour.
In other words, everyone wanted to be a TV star.
Not that we can blame them. For most of these players, this was
their first real chance at seeing themselves on the small screen. Not for
the $10,000 the World Series of Poker charges, but for a modest $880.
And no one wanted to be the one making the call to the wife or the
boyfriend or the grandkids to say, “Sorry, I didn’t make it.”
Good poker players tell the rest of us, “Don’t play to cash; play
to win.” I suspect good poker players would also tell the rest of us,
“Don’t play to make it on TV; play to win.” So I wonder how many of
the players in this tournament, or any televised tournament, miss out
on important chips because they don’t size up the situation, put their
TV ego on the backburner and apply constant pressure to those who
nervously fidget, looking at the TV show’s set being built, imagining
themselves being fitted for a tiny microphone.
Ante Up is working to bring more TV tournaments to The South,
and no doubt many other options are in the works. So when you find
yourself in the home stretch of one, you might be best served to keep
your eye on your prey at hand, not on the feast for which everyone
else is hungry.
— Email Scott Long at [email protected]
Photo by Hollmann Hollis
ou’ve heard it all before.
Steven Lipscomb used Henry Orenstein’s lipstick cameras to
turn the World Poker Tour into a television phenomenon, dispatching Dick Van Patten’s wide-eyed effusiveness and Gabe
Kaplan’s hole-card guessing to the dustbin of TV’s
archives.
The show, and the technology, spurred dozens
of poker shows, from ESPN’s slick coverage
of the World Series of Poker, to Heartland
Poker Tour’s spotlight on poker’s everymen,
to NASCAR drivers and hip-hop artists
open-raising with jack-trey off.
The South is no stranger to the glare of
the
bright lights. Harrah’s Tunica and HarSC
O T T LONG rah’s New Orleans are stops on the WSOP’s
circuit with ESPN, and the Beau Rivage recently
concluded its Southern Poker Championship with a main event taped
for broadcast by the WPT.
Most recently, Ante Up teamed with Fallah Productions, producer
of the successful Windy City Poker Championship TV show in Chicago, to film the final table of the Chad Brown No-Limit Hold’em
Tournament at Orange Park Kennel Club near Jacksonville (see pages
22-23).
“Windy City Poker Championship events that are televised attract
fields that are at least 20 percent higher than non-televised events,”
said Kirk Fallah, creator of the Windy City Poker Championship.
Orange Park Kennel Club had expected about 150 players for its
event. It got 214, an impressive number for an $880 buy-in in North
Florida, which doesn’t have the poker population of, say, South Florida or Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. TV can’t account for all of that, of
course, but judging by the cell phone calls overheard as you walked
through the poker room, players were eager to make the TV cut, and
tell their friends and families to look for them.
45
MARC DUNBAR • What’s going on with our government
POKER PROFITS ARe UP IN THE SUNSHINE STATE
I
f you’ve read my past couple of columns you know 2010 is a year
where Florida is at a crossroads. The day-cruise industry, a long
mainstay for poker players around the state, is hanging by a thread,
seeing its ranks dwindle from nearly 20 to fewer than five. Its flagship
company Sun Cruz, which also has a ship in South Carolina, finds
itself along with a number of others in the industry in
bankruptcy liquidation. One can only wonder if that
industry will still be dealing cards on boats leaving
from Florida at the close of 2010.
While one industry segment is seeing considerable contraction, another is seeing
growth. The parimutuel cardrooms are on
the upswing. The first half of the state fiscal
year indicates a healthy 7 percent growth in
the state’s poker handle, which bodes well for
M
the industry when viewed in light of a continAR
A
ued increase in Florida’s unemployment numC DUNB
bers and other recessionary indicators. A new room
opened in Pensacola and new permits for poker rooms were issued in
North Florida and Ocala. Applications are pending for a couple of
other locations in the Jacksonville area and Homestead.
Despite these favorable overall statistics, there are facilities struggling. The state regulators issued their first shutdown order for a poker
room. Citing a host of operational violations, Jefferson County Kennel
Club’s poker room was the subject of an emergency shutdown order
R
PERSPECTIVE
POKER POLITICS
FLORIDA’S LARGEST LICENSED SCHOOL
FOR CASINO TRAINING
BLACKJACK * DICE * PAI GOW * BACCARAT * ROULETTE
TEXAS HOLD’EM BONUS * ULTIMATE TEXAS HOLD’EM
3 CARD POKER * LET IT RIDE * MISSISSIPPI STUD
CARIBBEAN STUD * MINI TEX HOLD’EM * FLOP POKER
7 STUD * OMAHA * TEXAS HOLD’EM POKER
OUR DIPLOMA’S ARE RECOGNIZED NATIONWIDE
INSTRUCTION BY FORMER SEMINOLE HARD ROCK AND DONALD TRUMP SUPERVISORS
VISA & MASTERCARD ACCEPTED
WWW.FLORIDACASINOCAREERS.COM
until its operational issues were remedied. This room, which has long
been the state’s lowest producer in terms of poker handle, is expected
to remedy the issues and reopen, but it still faces a number of marketplace challenges impacting its success. Hamilton Jai-Alai continues to
see declining handle since the entry of Ocala Jai-Alai’s poker room
into the north-central Florida marketplace.
Where 2010 will take the industry is anyone’s guess. The Legislature killed the gaming compact between the governor and the Seminole Tribe, which sets off a showdown of sorts involving the federal
government, the Florida Legislature and the Seminole Tribe. Until a
determination is made by the National Indian Gaming Commission
on the legality of the Seminoles’ blackjack operation, all indications
are we will sit at stalemate on the changes to Florida’s poker laws to increase the operating hours and lift the betting limits on Florida’s poker
rooms. While rumors are rampant of an imminent shutdown ruling
from the NIGC, nothing has happened since federal officials came
down to Florida to inspect the parimutuel electronic blackjack games.
With the 60-day legislative session beginning March 2, things will
begin to move quickly on the legislative front. In the meantime, check
www.floridagamingwatch.com, which keeps you up to date on the latest news affecting the gambling industry in Florida.
— Marc W. Dunbar is a shareholder with Tallahassee law firm Pennington,
Moore, Wilkinson, Bell & Dunbar, P.A. He represents several gaming clients
before the Florida Legislature and teaches gambling and parimutuel law at the
Florida State University College of Law.
LEE CHILDS • Learn to play the Acumen Poker way
CHECKING IN POSITION DOESN’T MEAN WEAKNESS
P
osition and pot control are two of my favorite topics as the more
I’ve learned the more I’ve seen how powerful they can be when
they work together. When you play pots in position, you have much
more control over the size of the pot and how much it’s going to cost
you to get to showdown. Since most of your hands are not monsters,
you’ll often want to check at least one of the betting
streets so you’re not playing a pot that’s too big for
the relative strength of your hand.
The most common street I find myself doing this
is on the turn since I’m almost always the preflop
aggressor in a hand and will be making a continuation bet on most flops. That being the
case, whether I hit the flop or not, my hand is
usually not that strong to want to bet the flop,
turn and river, so I’ll often check behind my
LE
S opponent on the turn.
E C HIL D
This move allows me to get to showdown for the
same price it would’ve cost me just to see the river (or less). Since the
pot is the same size on the river as it was on the turn, this means any
bet I (or my opponent) make is typically going to be about the same
size as it would have been on the turn. If I bet the turn, I may get
check-raised and be forced to make a tough decision. Plus I may face
a much larger bet on the river because the pot bigger.
Checking the turn allows sets up my opponent to bluff the river.
When I show weakness by checking the turn, my opponent will often
take that as an opening to steal the pot on the river and will bet a
variety of missed draws, second pairs or even make a stone-cold bluff.
Unless I improve my hand, I’m usually just going to call their bet as I
really just have a “bluff-catcher” hand. It’s likely good, but I can’t be
CHILDS
FLOP
too sure my opponent didn’t river two pair or a set, so by simply calling, I get value from those hands I’m beating and I lose the minimum
to hands that beat me.
I recently had a deep run in the Borgata Winter Open main event
and played a hand where I failed to use these tools and paid the price.
I was dealt A-A and after I raised only the big blind called.
The flop was 4-6-9 rainbow. My opponent check-called my continuation bet. The turn was a 10. This is a great spot to check-behind as
I’m usually way ahead or way behind. I made the mistake of making
another bet and my opponent moved all-in. I further compounded the
mistake by calling. My opponent had 7-8, a.k.a the nuts!
Why would I make this play? I know better than this, but I fell
victim to the preflop beauty of those pocket aces. I didn’t consider the
relative strength of my hand and use the power of position to control
the size of the pot. I was clearly in a way-ahead or way-behind situation and should’ve checked the turn and likely just called a reasonable
bet on the river.
Learn from my mistakes and take the time to use position and pot
control to your advantage. If you have a hand that’s likely best on the
turn, think about checking when they check to you. You’ll see the river
and likely get to showdown much cheaper.
You’ll find yourself getting value out of the weaker hands that try
to bluff you and you’ll lose less on those hands in which you’re beat
by an unsuspected higher kicker, higher set, two-pair or even a welldisguised monster!
Decide to win!
— Lee Childs is founder and lead instructor of Acumen Poker. He also is a Lock
Poker Pro and an instructor with the WPT Boot Camp. Check out his site at
www.acumenpoker.net.
TURN
RIVER
PERSPECTIVE
ACUMEN POKER
OPPONENT
DON’T CRACK UNDER PRESSURE!
ASK THE DOC!
Stephen Bloomfield, a.k.a. the Doc, is one of
Florida’s leading psychologists. He wrote Head
Games in the late ’80s to help competitors of
every type use the skills he had learned about
the effects of the mind on performance.
C
H
S
D
After five years of playing poker in Florida, Mississippi, Las Vegas,
Connecticut and occasionally online, Doc is sharing his skills with
Ante Up readers through periodic columns, titled Head Games.
Doc offers support to some of the region’s best professionals and amateur players with one-on-one advising sessions and group workshops.
Email your questions to [email protected]
YOUR ‘A’ GAME CONSISTS OF FOUR STYLES
P
D
oker is a complex game of luck and skill, people and probabilities. I want to throw another factor into the mix: Poker is about
risk, and personality influences how you handle risk.
Some personalities try to manage risk; some enjoy freefall daredevil poker; some like the rollercoaster ride (as
long as the car stays on the tracks); and some
avoid risk altogether.
Each of us has what we call risk capacity
and risk tolerance. These are products of our
personality, our styles and the situations. Risk
tolerance is the amount of risk you want to
take. Risk capacity, on the other hand, is
the amount of risk you need to take.
Poker means continual decision-making
R
.B
E based on incomplete information confounded
I
LOO MF
by personality and probability. Skill plays a significant part and those who say they’d rather be lucky than good
are shortsighted risk-takers against whom I love to play. Making
decisions in an uncertain environment is one of the hardest tasks we
face, and poker players do it voluntarily, continually and enjoyably.
The more proficient we get the more we understand we’re engaged
in situational decision-making.
Poker risk-taking is different from investment, health care and
even military risk (all of which have been extensively studied) because we take risk in a microcosm. We make continual decisions,
and we don’t have the time for complex computer analysis or meetings. There are no life lines.
Colin Powell may have said it best when asked about how he
made key military decisions. Even the most difficult, important and
life decisions, such as sending troops into combat, are made using
a two-part formula: Part 1: Use the formula P =40-70, in which P
stands for the probability of success and the numbers indicate the
percentage of information acquired. Part II: Once the information
is in the 40- 70 range, go with your gut. Powell understood many
decisions are situational and based upon incomplete information.
I imagine that 40-70 percent of the information is about right,
but going with your gut is often misunderstood (see previous column on grokking for a full explanation at anteupmagazine.com).
Real gut risk-taking is not a wild guess, or impulsive, tilt-based decisions. It’s the culmination of experience, skill development and
personality.
Everyone has styles, personality traits and comfort levels, which
defines us as avoiders, adapters, adventurers or attackers. To play at
your peak you have to be able to use each risk capacity/tolerance
style and put your opponents in a style.
I have characterized risk capacity and tolerance into four styles.
Each style is useful depending on different situations and the table.
The percentages are just guidelines. Getting a handle on this will let
you bring your “A” game.
All poker is situational. To achieve peak performance one has to
be able to move through these personality styles and move outside
their comfort zone. Each situation calls for a different style and the
peak performer can play each style.
Know your risk-tolerance and capacity and keep your head in
the game.
— Dr. Stephen Bloomfield is a licensed psychologist and avid poker player.
His column will give insight on how to achieve peak performance using poker
psychology. Email questions for him at [email protected].
AVOIDERS: 5-15% OF THE TIME
This is a weak style of play that’s been called tight–passive. This person is a rock who only plays premium hands
and plays them weakly. This player is more concerned
with preventing loss and protecting his stack than winning. Often this is a recreational player who enjoys the
poker room; doesn’t work on his game and just wants
to have fun. If this player gets a decent hand he can’t
be moved off of that hand or be bluffed. Play this style
against a table of attackers, and then move to a more
aggressive style.
L
PERSPECTIVE
DR. STEPHEN BLOOMFIELD • Poker psychology
D
48
HEAD GAMES
ADAPTERS: 30-40% OF THE TIME
This was the traditional “best” style, advocated by more
experienced players until the Adventurers swooped in.
Typically a tight and aggressive player. This player is comfortable with adapting to the situation and not defining
the situation. He plays a smaller range of playable hands
but will raise and reraise and doesn’t stick to premium
hands. This player calculates the odds and tends to try
to read the table and adapt to the situation. This player
misses some opportunities because of the tight range of
hands and misses big pots because when good opponents are watching he doesn’t get called much.
ADVENTURERS: 30-40% OF THE TIME
Traditionally the loose aggressive player likes to gamble
when the situation calls for it. This style has really taken
center stage, fueled by aggressive Internet styles and
much younger players, who by personality, tend to
play more aggressively. Not adverse to taking chances
and playing a wider range of hands, this player likes to
dominate the table and define the situation, making the
adapter meet his/her demands. This player is a proactive
one that raises and reraises and doesn’t like to limp. This
player controls with aggression. He knows the math and
tries reads but would sometimes rather be read.
ATTACKERS: 5-15% OF THE TIME
The player looks like a maniac and plays any two cards
strongly until he loses and then retreats to a more passive
style as he gets felted. He may look like he’s on constant
tilt. Similar to the loose and passive player, but doesn’t
see the risk, doesn’t weigh the risk factors. Attacks at the
wrong time and tries to be the aggressor with very weak
hands. Mostly calls with a wide, wide range of hands. Play
this player tighter and look for opportunities. Play this
style when the table is full of Avoiders.
By Tristan “Cre8tive” Wade
I
DefinE YOUR
Opponent’s
Range, Act
Accordingly
recently played the Borgata Winter Open’s main event. It was a slow-structured tournament with 75-minute blinds and a wide array of players. I got involved in a very interesting hand early in Day 1. We started with 30K chips. I had been fairly active and I’m sure I
had a crazy image. I was min-raising blind under the gun, every time, for the first two levels.
On this hand the blinds were 75-150.
I was in third position and raised to 400 with 6-6 and a stack of 35K. It folded to the
player on the button (30K), who called. The small blind (45K) and big blind (50K) called
as well. The button played solid until this hand and hadn’t gotten out of line post-flop. The
small blind was one of the tighter players at the table but still active. The player in the big
blind was the most active player at the table. He was a thinking player and capable of anything. At this point everyone’s range (different hands opponents are capable of having at any
given time) is quite wide.
The flop came A-6-8 rainbow. I flopped bottom set on an uncoordinated board. The
blinds checked to me and I bet 900 into a pot of 1,200. The button folded and the small
blind called. The big blind then re-raised to 2,200. With what range of hands would the
big blind raise here? His raise was fairly small and there were two people left in the pot. I
eliminated bluffs from his range because he was giving both of us good odds to call. I also
eliminated A-A from both players’ range because they would’ve three-bet preflop. Therefore,
the big blind must have a pretty strong hand such as AJ-AQ-A8-88. Since the big blind was
fairly active and my image was a little nuts, I reraised him and made it 4,700, which was
2,500 more. I wanted to build the pot and allow him to make a mistake.
The small blind, who had called my initial bet on the flop, went into the tank. He thought
for a little bit and then counted out chips for a raise. He decided to raise 4,800 on top of my
2,500 raise, making it 9,500. The big blind thought for a while and folded.
We were heads-up and I held the third nuts. I immediately ran through his range in my
head. What was the small blind’s range? I had been given a lot of information on the flop.
With all of the action in front of him, the small blind’s range was very polarized. He wasn’t
the type of player who would be bluffing in this spot with 7-9 or another straight draw. He
also wouldn’t play two pair (A6-A8-68) like that. The only hand that made sense in this
player’s range was 8-8.
It’s not easy to fold a set. I had a crazy image. I’m a young Internet player. Nobody ever
believes I have anything! I still had to follow through with the information I was given. I said:
“You have to have 8-8 here. I don’t think you can have anything else,” and I folded. Once the
hand was over the big blind asked if he had 6-6? The small blind said, “No. He was right,”
and he pointed at me. He then turned over 8-8.
This is one example of being able to define your opponents’ range and then make the correct call or fold. Though I had been active and probably had a loose image, I still had to take
into account the action in the hand and the opponent. To be successful in poker you have to
be able to assign ranges to players, and constantly update that range on later streets. Take the
information that’s given to you and eliminate hands your opponent can or can’t have. Once
you get their range down to a group of certain hands, it will make poker a lot easier. Also be
prepared to follow through with your analysis of their range. If you can add these elements
to your game it will make you much tougher to play against.
PERSPECTIVE
Sponsored by Deepstacks.com
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DR. FRANK TOSCANO • A look at how to stay healthy at the poker table
TO HAVE HEART, YOU NEED A HEALTHY ONE FIRST
I
A
M
.D
.
really enjoy playing in live multitable tournaments. I love the challenge of trying to navigate a large field, and if I can make a deep
run, the financial and psychological rewards are superb.
I didn’t always feel this way. Years ago when I entered my first big
tournament I was pretty nervous. I just knew I’d make
novice mistakes that would advertise my lack of experience. As I waited for the tournament to begin,
I studied the blind structure while I nursed an
espresso in the food court.
My most awkward moment in the tournament came just after being moved to a
new table. I was dealt a pair of kings under
the gun. As I calculated a raise I thought,
“This is a great opportunity. Don’t mess it
N
up.” As I reached for my stack, I noticed my
K
TOSCANO
hand was trembling slightly. I dribbled out a
few chips and then tried to hide my excitement by
crossing my arms and leaning on them. I could feel my
heart racing against my hand. Part of my skills set as an ER doctor is
being able to estimate heart rate without looking at a watch. I’m sure
mine was going at least 120.
So why does this happen? And why so fast? Is it something we can
control? Is it dangerous?
First, a few definitions: An arrhythmia is secret doctor-talk for abnormal heart rhythm. The seriousness of an arrhythmia can range
from “no big deal” to “call for help” to “Oh my God! You’re dead!”
When you feel your heart beating abnormally, it’s a palpitation.
You can usually feel your pulse by pressing lightly on the underside
of your wrist near the bone at the base of your thumb. You can also
try to find it in your neck just underneath the angle of your jaw. Don’t
press too hard. Count for 15 seconds and multiply by four. A solid
regular rhythm between 60 and 100 is good.
My racing heart was caused by a number of factors. I was nervous
and I had just picked up a big hand that I didn’t want to screw up. My
stress produced surges of adrenalin that cranked up my heart rate. A
shot of espresso-strength caffeine compounded the matter.
Heart rates in the 120 range are usually not a major problem, especially if you can identify and correct the cause of the extra adrenalin.
FR
PERSPECTIVE
A HEALTHY BET
Anger, stress, caffeine, lack of sleep, dehydration, smoking and some
drugs (legal and illegal) can cause adrenalin surges.
Drink some Gatorade, put out the cigarette and take a deep cleansing breath to see if you can make your rate go down. Resolve to get
more sleep and stop using those nasty stimulants. If these easy fixes
don’t work, see your doctor. A host of more serious medical problems
such as thyroid disease, blood clots in the lung, anemia and fever also
can produce a persistently elevated heart rate.
Once you start hitting rates of 140 or more, it’s time to call for help.
Commonly, rates that high aren’t caused by a simple gush of adrenalin, but by a short circuit in the heart’s electrical wiring. Your friendly
paramedics carry a medication that usually works well to reset the circuit. Young, healthy hearts generally can sustain rapid rates without
suffering long-term damage. But older, weaker tickers can quickly get
overwhelmed by rates that high. Don’t hesitate to call 911.
Irregular rhythms are a different story. Usually a few “skipped
beats” here and there are inconsequential. It would be wise to have
them investigated, but don’t panic. The usual adrenalin-producing
culprits are probably at fault. But a completely irregular rhythm with
no pattern whatsoever is a cause for alarm. Atrial fibrillation (more
secret doctor-talk) needs to be controlled and corrected as soon as possible. Visit your local ER doctor. This is not a problem you should put
off until tomorrow.
So let’s summarize the “no big deal” and “call for help” groups. If
it feels like your heart is thumping hard or fast, try to check your pulse.
If your rate is mildly rapid or you feel a few skipped beats, think about
the various things that could stimulate an adrenalin surge. If your rate
is really high or completely irregular, call 911.
Next month I’ll cover “Oh my God! You’re dead!” and discuss how
you can improve your chances if you get hit with “The Big One.”
In case you’re wondering, my kings ran into an ace on the flop, the
button shoved and I ran away. I got blinded down by weak play and I
eventually fizzled out. I don’t play like that anymore and I’m no longer
nervous about big tournaments. I still, however, like my espresso.
— An avid poker player, Frank Toscano, M.D. is a board-certified emergency
physician with more than 28 years of front-line experience. He’s medical
director for Red Bamboo Medi Spa in Clearwater, Fla. Email your poker-health
questions to [email protected] anteupmagazine.com | MARCH 2010 |
XX
BRYAN OULTON • Learning poker etiquette
Farming isn’t just for vegetables anymore
By Bryan Oulton
P
laying bar poker, besides a nice night out and having fun, allows
you to explore other “careers” to improve your game, such as being a farmer … a data-farmer that is.
What is a data-famer? Well, you might
have noticed some players ask a lot of questions. Some just do that because they want to
know everything about everyone. However,
there are others who practice this vital method to gain information to use against you.
Phil Hellmuth wrote the forward in Ante
Up columnist Joe Navarro’s book Read ’em and
Reap that you are a profiler. When playing the
game, you want to constantly gain information about people and then analyze that data
to come to conclusions during key hands.
In everyday society, stereotyping is wrong.
But in poker, stereotypes are an important starting point when profiling players. A 250-pound male attorney with a pinky ring is probably
going to have an aggressive personality and style of play. Utilize stereotypes and then massage the data. As you play against a particular
player more than once, maybe they have a different feel for you. Try
to understand others will have a preconceived notion of you based
on appearance, stated profession, etc. Use this information to your
benefit.
Then throughout play, continuously gain data, not just through
your own questions, but the conversations of others. Some of the info
may be superfluous due to the established relationship of the players
conversing, but you can always pick up on things. Just as in life, the
more you know the better chance you give yourself.
As you continue your growth as a player, you’ll always utilize this
tool, so continue to develop it. You might have noticed some more
experienced players you know seem to take a keen interest in others, especially new players. This isn’t because they truly want to know
about these players; they’re data-farming.
As you transition into real money events in casinos, or expand your
buy-in levels, this will be a major assistance to your success.
— Bryan co-owns All In Free Poker, a league based in Pompano Beach, Fla.
PERSPECTIVE
FREE LEAGUE, FREE ADVICE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Correspondence from the Ante Up Nation
Allen should apologize for column
I’ve read Chaz Allen’s article for the second time today. I have to
say his “methods” of teaching dealers on how to count is very poor.
That method of placing chips of a basic count is ridiculous. It maintains what we call in the industry a weak dealer. I would actually be
surprised to expect anyone from any poker room from anywhere to
call him for this instruction.
He really insulted the poker employee community by insinuating
our knowledge was weaker than this improvement. As an experienced
instructor he should have accessed before enrollment whether students
could count and do math by using their brains. The math being done
is on a first- and second-grade level. The dealers should know how to
handle and cut chips to a great degree. As being a pro Class 3 casino
table games dealer this is extremely important. If the casino is having
problems getting the dealers to keep count of the rake instead of their
tokes, then those dealers should be fired. Whoever hired those dealers
didn’t properly access the dealer upon auditioning. I think Mr. Allen
needs to apologize to all of us reading his column.
Marvin Rosen, via email
Former Bally’s employee of 18 years
Ante Up keeps hitting it out of the park
Email us at [email protected] if you
have something to say. Be sure to give us your name
and hometown and we just might print it.
• • •
I listened to the Ante Up PokerCast twice this weekend (well, the
interview with Greg Raymer at least). I just have to say he is my new
favorite interview ever (11-20-2009).
Man, I learned so much from that interview about Badugi and
poker in general. I’ll even actually listen to it again probably. And it is
a rare occurrence that I listen to a podcast episode more than once, let
alone more than twice. Thank you guys for having him on, and thank
you, Greg, for coming on. I wish more poker pros could interview like
he does especially with strategy.
Of course, having Lee Childs on for the Hand of the Week is great,
too. Thanks for having Raymer on and for getting Childs to participate so much. These are the things that make your PokerCast so much
better than everything else out there. Hands down. Justin Huerkamp, via email
• • •
After almost five years you guys are a big part of my Friday. I love
what you guys are doing and I’m so happy the magazine has been accepted and other avenues are taking off for you. In particular, thank
you for taking the time to add the Easter Eggs at the end. I really love
them and recognize it takes more time editing, so thank you.
Nick a.k.a. Slickcity, via email
Great job guys with the new format and layout. I just looked at
the new issue online and it’s great. I’m so glad you’ve moved beyond
Florida poker. You guys fill a void in the poker world in The South and
with the Average Joe or occasional player. So many of the other publications and podcasts talk to you like you’re on their level and can be so
critical of someone if they’re not a known “pro” and make a bad play.
Like the way ESPN ripped apart Darvin Moon in its podcast. Keep up
the outstanding work and thanks for all the advice and help.
Everett Clark, Tennessee
VERBAL IS BINDING
51
GOING GLOBAL
SNAPS FROM THE ANTE UP NATION
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Al Katzwill
of Kissimmee reading
his Ante Up
while riding
the White
Rail Train in
Alaska.
G, a dealer at
Ocala Poker
in Florida,
took his copy
of Ante Up to
the Commerce
Casino in L.A.
Mike Cantor holds Ante Up in front
of the Palm Beach Casino in Cannes,
in the South of France.
Bobby Gorman climbed to the roof of
the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi, Miss.
to show off his Ante Up.
Email a photo of yourself with a copy of Ante
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WHERE TO PLAY
CARDROOMS
56
FLORIDA
LOCATION
TOURNAMENTS
JACKPOTS
EVENTS/PROMOTIONS
CALDER RACE COURSE
Phone: (305) 625-1311
www.calderracecourse.com/poker
Guarantee of at least $1K every day except
Fridays, including $5K Mondays ($150, 7p, $50
bounties) and $5K Saturdays ($100, 11a).
Royals pay $500 (double if flopped)
and Mega Bad beat is any quads;
mini is aces full of jacks.
AUPT, March 13 ($100, 11a). Aces
cracked, first 10 starting at noon
($100 in limit games, $200 no-limit).
DANIA JAI-ALAI
Phone: (954) 927-2841
www.dania-jai-alai.com
Daily ($25-$150), including $15K guarantee Fridays, ($100, 6:30p); Omaha/8 on Thursdays ($70,
5:30p). Minis: $30, $50, $100, any time.
High hands pay $50 hourly 1-8p;
royals $500 (Omaha $250). Bad
beats paid in cash games only.
$50K guarantee, March 20 ($320,
noon), see ad Page 16 for details;
AUPT, March 6 ($150, 12:30p).
DAYTONA BEACH KENNEL CLUB
Phone: (386) 252-6484
www.daytonagreyhound.com/pokerroom
Daily, including Wed. Ladies ($25) at 1 p; Sat.
deepstack ($225, 2p) and PLO/8 ($120, 7p).
SNGs: $40-$220.
Check Web site for details on high
hands and bad beats, including the
NL $100K Bad Beat Countdown.
WSOP satellite, March 21, ($150,
1p). Florida Million satellites,
March 7 and 28 ($550, 1p).
DERBY LANE
Phone: (727) 812-3339 ext. 7
www.derbylanepoker.com
Daily, (1p, 4p and 7p Su-Th and 2p, 6p and 8p
F-Sa), including daily Florida Million satellites.
Daily royal flushes and mini bad
beats. Full calendar of jackpots varying day-to-day. See Web site.
Florida Million satellites, March 13,
19 & 20 ($550, 2p); AUPT, March 28
($100, 1p).
EBRO GREYHOUND PARK
Phone: (850) 234-3943
www.ebrogreyhoundpark.com
Big Stack Sundays, ($100, 2p); Mon. & Wed., ($40,
3K chips, 7p); Thurs., ($20, 3K chips, 7p); Tue. &
Sat., ($10, 3K chips, 7p).
Royal flushes. Also, the bad beat is
quad deuces.
Bonus Days ($100 paid to high
hand every 15 minutes) March 5,
12, 19 & 26.
FLAGLER GREYHOUND TRACK
Phone: (305) 649-3000
www.flaglerdogs.com
Sundays, low-rake bounty event ($40, 1p).
Monday night is a $75 NLHE event (7p).
SNGs: $65-$800
High hands pay $150 all day; nonheart royals win $1K, heart royals
pay $2,500.
$500 progressive hot table paid
at 3p & 9p; Big Slick Royal progressive (details on Web site).
FT. PIERCE JAI-ALAI & POKER
Phone: (772) 464-7500
www.jaialai.net/poker.php
Mon. ($75, 7p); Wed. ($100, 6:30p); Sat. ($100,
1:30p); Sun. ($55, 4p). Deepstack third Sat. every
month ($150, 3p). SNGs: (Thu.-Sat., $65-$110)
Bad beats are aces full of queens in
hold’em ($23K at press time), quads
in stud and quad jacks in Omaha.
Ante Up Poker Tour, March 20
($150, 3p). See Web site for list
of new promotions.
GULFSTREAM PARK
Phone: (954) 457-6336
www.gulfstreampark.com
Daily, ($60-$150, 6:30p), including bounties M-WF, plus the Saturday Special, ($150, 8K units).
SNGs: $60-$120 (10 players, pays three spots).
Bad beat: aces full of jacks; hourly
high hands, M-F, 2-10p, starting at
$250 ($500 4p, 6p, 8p); royals: $500
($150, 6:30p, 8K units); $50K Cash
is King series (See ad, Page 13).
HAMILTON JAI-ALAI & POKER
Phone: (800) 941-4841
www. hamiltondownsjaialai.com
Super Bounty Sunday ($35, $10 bounties,100player cap, 2p); Rake Break Saturday ($40, no rake,
5p, 2K chips, $20 add-on gets 2K more)
Spades royal pays $1K (mini royal is
$100). Bad beat is aces full of kings
and pays $5K.
First to Hit pays players who are
first to hit certain high hands during the day. Details on Web site.
ISLE CASINO AT POMPANO PARK
Phone: (954) 972-2000 x5123
www.theislepompanopark.com
Daily ($40-$720), including bounty events (T, Th,
Sa. & Su., 7p) and $10K guarantee Tuesdays ($230,
2p, 13K chips, 30-min. blinds). SNGs: $60-$225
$30K drawings on Feb. 28 (see site
for details).
Battles at the Beach, March 5-15, see
ad Page 17. AUPT, March 17 ($350,
2p, $30K guar., $100 bounties).
JEFFERSON COUNTY KENNEL CLUB
Phone: (850) 997-2561
www.jckcpokerroom.com
Operations have been temporarily suspended.
Please call the room for an update.
MARDI GRAS CASINO
Phone: (877) 557-5687 x3167
www.playbigeasypoker.com
Omaha/8 Tuesdays ($100, 6:30p, 5K chips); Deepstack Thursdays, ($100, 6:30p), 10K chips but 5K
more for $40 add-on. SNGs: $25-$110.
High hands, $100 hourly, 8a-2a,
$50 3a-8a, double in no-limit. $500
at noon, 3p, 6p, 9p & midnight.
Florida Million satellites, March 7
& 14 ($550, noon); AUPT, March 25
($100, 6:30p).
MELBOURNE GREYHOUND PARK
Phone: (321) 259-9800
www.mgpark.com
Daily, ($65-$120), including Saturday Super Stack
($120, 2p, 10K chips) and the Sunday 150 ($65, 1p
2,500 chips). SNGs: All day, buy-ins vary.
Bad beat is only in hold’em and
requires aces full of jacks be beaten
by quads or better.
($120, 2p, 10K chips); Also, Wed.
is Ladies Night at Club 52.
MIAMI JAI-ALAI
Phone: (305) 633-6400
www.miamijaialai.net
($20-$165), including a $10K guarantee (Feb. 28,
$165, 2:30p) that features 8K chips and 30-minute
blinds.
Progressive royals and rolling
quads of the day progressive; see
Web site for more information.
Hourly $100 high hands (win three
in a day get extra $500).
MICCOSUKEE RESORT
Phone: (877) 242-6464
www.miccosukee.com
Fridays ($65, 8p). Super Saturday no-limit hold’em
tournament ($65, 8p) gets you 3K chips.
Spade royal flush pays $16K as of
press time.
Call for information.
NAPLES-FT. MYERS GREYHOUND TRACK
Phone: (239) 992-2411
www.naplesfortmyersdogs.com
Sun. bounty ($125, 2p); Mon. ($65, 7p); Tue. ($50, 7p);
Wed., ($65, 7p); Thurs. ($65, noon & $50, 7p); Fri. ($65,
7p). Deepstack is every other Saturday, ($225, noon).
Royals pay $1K (diamonds, $5K).
Mon. & Wed. high hands, $200
every two hours. See site for more.
Fla. Million satellites, March 6 & 27
($550, noon); AUPT, March 13 ($225,
noon). Best hand day March 11.
OCALA POKER AND JAI-ALAI
Phone: (352) 591-2345
www.ocalapoker.com
Daily ($30-$500); SNGs: ($45-$500).
World Poker Tour satellite for April’s WPT World
Championship, March 14 ($250, noon)
See Web site for continuously
updated information on high
hands and bad beats (quads).
WSOP Main Event satellite, March
20 ($150, 2p); Ante Up Poker Tour,
March 27 ($100, 2p).
ORANGE PARK KENNEL CLUB
Phone: (904) 646-0002
www.jaxpokerroom.com
Daily ($30-$150), but Mega Stack (March 6, 2p),
is $225, which gets you 10K chips and 30-minute
blinds. Also HHPT event March 6 ($150, 2p).
Royals $250 (spades $500); Bad
beats for mini and full. See Web site
for details, plus a Super High Hand.
Florida Million satellite, March 13
($550, 2p); Ante Up Poker Tour,
March 19 ($100, 2p).
Phone: (561) 683-2222
www.pbkennelclub.com
Daily ($30-$120), noon & 6:30p Sun-Thurs.; 1 & 6:30
Fri.-Sat. Fla. Million super sats. March 3, 10, 17, 24
($30, $20 rebuy), plus SNG sats. daily (3p & 8p, $65).
Visit Web site or call for information
on daily high hands and bad-beat
payouts and qualifications.
Florida Million, March 6, 13, 20
& 27 ($550, 1p); AUPT, March 21
($100, noon).
PENSACOLA GREYHOUND TRACK
Phone: (850) 455-8595
www.pensacolagreyhoundpark.com
Weekly ($65-$120). Every Saturday ($120, 2p) and
Sunday ($120, 3p) will be a $5,000 guarantee.
Hold’em and stud bad beats (any
quads) and in Omaha (quad jacks).
Mon.-Fri. 1st 20 full houses or better,
$25-$200. Plus, at 7p, Tue., Thurs. &
Sun. first 75 full houses or better.
* SNG = single-table tournaments; all tournaments are no-limit hold’em unless noted. Poker room managers email [email protected]
TOURNAMENTS
JACKPOTS
EVENTS/PROMOTIONS
SARASOTA KENNEL CLUB
Phone: (941) 355-7744 ext. 1054
www.skcpoker.com
Daily, plus Fri. ($100, 1p, 25K chips, 25-minute
blinds); Sat. $12K guarantee with minimum of 10
spots paid ($230, 2:30p). SNGs: $35-$300.
High hands $599 Fri. & Sat.;
progressive jackpots in all games.
Bad beat is quad fours ($160K).
($100, 6:30p).
SEMINOLE CASINO BRIGHTON
Phone: (866) 222-7466 ext. 121
www.seminolecasinobrighton.com
Mondays and Wednesdays, ($20, 6:30p) with an
optional add-on. SNGs: $25, $65, $110.
Quad aces ($50), straight flushes
($100), royals win min. of $1K.
Mega-Bad Beat (quad 10s).
Wed., Rolling Cash Fever, 8p,10p &
midnight drawings for up to $1,500;
St. Patrick’s Day drawing for $500.
SEMINOLE CASINO COCONUT CREEK
Phone: (866) 222-7466
www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com
Friday bounty ($150, 7:30p), bounties are $50 and
players start with 8K chips and 20-minute blinds.
SNGs: $55, $85, $135.
Mega-Bad Beat (quad 10s) was
$367K as of press time.
See Web site for details or call
poker room for current offers.
SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOLLYWOOD
Phone: (866) 502-7529
www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com
Daily ($75-$1,100), including the Big Slick (Feb. 27)
& $360K Guarantee Spring Open (March 9-22, see
ad on Page 11 for details). SNGs: $60-$1,050.
$500 (no-limit) or $250 (limit) added
to high hand (Sun-Thurs., 10a, 1p,
4p & 7p). Mega-Bad Beat (quad 10s).
AUPT, March 27 ($1,100, 11a);
March 10 (free, noon) Player Appreciation $10K Invitational.
SEMINOLE HARD ROCK TAMPA
Phone: (866) 502-7529
www.seminolehardrocktampa.com
Daily ($100-$550).
SNGs: $125-$1,075.
Mega-Bad Beat (quad 10s). Royal
flushes on weekdays pay all players
at table $50, but $250 in spades.
($100, 10a). Win a “Man Room” in
March; call for details.
SEMINOLE HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC
Phone: (866) 222-7466
www.seminolehollywoodcasino.com
SNGs: $50-$100 and are now jackpot eligible.
Mega-Bad Beat (quad 10s).
In-house bad beat is aces full of
jacks beaten by quads. Starts at
$2,500, capped at $10K.
SEMINOLE CASINO IMMOKALEE
Phone: (866) 222-7466
www.theseminolecasino.com
Wed. ($35, 7p); Thurs. ($50, 7p); Fri. ($60, 7p); Sat. KO
event ($50, 1p) & DeepStack ($115, 7p, 25K chips,
25-min. blinds); Sun., Winner Take All ($30, 7p)
Mega-Bad Beat (quads 10s), plus
Immokalee players get $100 if
Mega hits at any Seminole room.
Ante Up Poker Tour, March 6 ($225,
7p, $1K added and winner receives
Ante Up cruise package for two).
ST. JOHNS GREYHOUND PARK
Phone: (904) 646-0002
www.jaxpokerroom.com
Daily ($30-$150), plus a two-day $330 Mega Stack
(March 27, 2p) that gets you 20K chips, 30-minute
blinds).
Royals $250 (spades $500); Bad
beats for mini and full. See site for
details, plus a Super High Hand.
($125, 2p).
TAMPA BAY DOWNS
Phone: (813) 298-1798
www.tampabaydowns.com
Daily ($20-$540), including team event third Tuesday of month (March 16, $240 per team, 6:30p).
SNGs: $100 and up, starts with four players.
All quads and higher win cash all
the time. Look for double- and
triple-multiplier times and days.
AUPT, March 21 ($350, 12:30p);
TJ Cloutier DeepStacks camp,
March 24 ($495, story Page 14).
TAMPA GREYHOUND TRACK
Phone: (813) 932-4313
www.luckyscards.com
Daily ($45-$200), at 1p and 6:30p, including $115
Sunday Challenge (Last Sunday of month, 1p, 14K
chips). SNGs: $65-$200.
Quads ($75), straight flushes ($200)
and royals ($599). Spade royal progressive. Call for more details.
Friday Bounty ($150, 7:30p, 8K
chips, 20-minute blinds). Aces
cracked noon-2p pays $100.
Cash in on a sure bet
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CARDROOMS
LOCATION
WHERE TO PLAY
FLORIDA
57
WHERE TO PLAY
CARDROOMS
LOUISIANA
LOCATION
TOURNAMENTS
JACKPOTS
EVENTS/PROMOTIONS
AMELIA BELLE CASINO
Phone: (985) 631-1745
www.ameliabellecasino.com
Schedule pending state approval in mid February.
Tournaments will be Saturday-Tuesday, and will
generally cost $60.
Bad beat (aces full of tens beaten
by quads) was $92K at press time,
Call for information. Promotions
tied to state approval.
BELLE OF BATON ROUGE
Phone: (800) 676-4847
www.belleofbatonrouge.com
No tournaments yet, but $4-$8 limit and $2-$5
no-limit hold’em cash games.
Bad beat (any quads) was $162K at
press time.
BOOMTOWN NEW ORLEANS
Phone: (800) 366-7711
www.boomtownneworleans.com
Tue. (11a) freeroll for players with 20 hours of play
in the room, otherwise it costs $10; Wed. ($35,
7:30) and Thurs. pot-limit Omaha (7:30p, $50)
Bad beats in hold’em, stud and
Omaha.
Check Web site or call for
promotions information.
COUSHATTA CASINO
Phone: (800) 584-7263 x7336
www.coushattacasinoresort.com
Daily ($15-$230), including Tue. ($15, 6:30p) with
rebuys & add-ons; Thurs. ($85, 7p); Fri. ($20, 7:30p)
with rebuys, and Sat. ($230, 2p).
Bad beat was $35K at press time.
Seven Clans Poker Cup, March 23-27
(Buy-ins: $200 (3/23); $300 (3/24);
$1K (3/25) and events are at 10a.
CYPRESS BAYOU CASINO
Phone: (800) 284-4386
www.cypressbayou.com
Wed. ($40, 6:30p); Saturday Super Bounty, ($60,
3p) with two $20 rebuys and two $20 add-ons.
Bounties are $20 and Super Bounties are $100.
Bad beat: quads.
Aces cracked, first Thursday of the
month (noon-10p); Tournament of
Champs (June 5), call for details.
ELDORADO CASINO SHREVEPORT
Phone: (318) 220-5274
www.eldoradoshreveport.com
Daily ($50-$125), including Saturdays ($125, 11a)
and Tuesday rebuy event ($75, rebuys are $25-$50
with $25-$50 add-ons at first break, 6:30p)
Bad beat: quads ($104K at press
time).
Royal flush progressives pay by
suit. Fridays is Aces Cracked, 4a6p, pays $100.
HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS
Phone: (504) 533-6000
www.harrahsneworleans.com
Wednesdays ($120, 11a)
Bad beat: quads.
Aces cracked Wednesdays and
Thursdays. Call for details.
HORSESHOE CASINO BOSSIER CITY
Phone: (800) 895-0711
www.horseshoebossiercity.com
Daily ($100-$400), including last Saturday of
month ($300, 10:30a) and last Sunday ($400, 2p).
Bad beat: quads ($41K at press
time). Plus mini-bad beat pays 10%
(aces full of 10s).
Numerous promotions that
change daily. Call for details.
ISLE OF CAPRI LAKE CHARLES
Phone: (337) 430-2407
www.lake-charles.isleofcapricasinos.com
Tuesday ($90, 6p); Friday ($60, noon) and shootout, $6K guarantee, ($140, 7p); Saturday ($225,
noon).
Bad beat is $50K; “Minor Jackpots”
pays quads ($25), straight flush ($50)
and royals ($125), 24/7. Call for details.
Splash Sundays: $100 each hour,
noon-2p, 4-6p and 8-10p. High
hands pay $50 M-Th. (mid.-4a).
PARAGON CASINO
Phone: (800) 946-1946 x1975
www.paragoncasinoresort.com
Mondays ($20 w/rebuys, 7p), Thursday bounty
event ($20 with $15 unlimited rebuys, 7p) and
Fridays ($60 with one $50 rebuy, 7p)
Loosest bad beat in the state: Aces
full of eights. In Omaha straight
flush must be beaten.
High hand pays $50 every halfhour Wednesdays (noon-2:30p
and 9-11:30p).
OAKLAWN RACING & GAMING
Phone: (501) 623-4411
www.oaklawn.com
Daily, including SNGs ($30), on PokerPro tables.
Bad beat paid on all hold’em cash
games. Call for details.
$100 high hands paid every three
hours (Sun-Thurs., 11a-1a).
SOUTHLAND PARK GAMING & RACING
Phone: (870) 735-3670
www.southlandgreyhound.com
Mon.-Tue.-Wed. & Sat. ($20, 2p), 3K chips and
15-minute blinds.
Bad beat is aces full of jacks beaten
by quads.
Player Rewards cards offer comps
based on play and 10% gift shop
discounts. Call for offers.
ARABIA TEMPLE NO. 12
Phone: (757) 487-1614
www.takeitdownpl.com
Mon.-Wed.-Thurs.-Fri. ($25-$105), including
freerolls and SNGs at 6:15p and Olde Town Classic
($105, 25K chips, 20-min. blinds) on Fri., 7:30p.
Call about the bad-beat details.
WSOP Satellite location, check
Web site for details.
THE POKER PALACE
Phone: (757) 488-4912
www.thepokerpalace.net
Tuesdays ($50, 7:30p) and Saturdays ($65 plus
rebuys, 1p; also $75 plus rebuys, 7p).
Bad-beat qualification decends
from aces full of jacks when
jackpot reaches $10K.
Call for information/promotions.
VICTORY POKER LOUNGE
Phone: (757) 472-1203
www.victorypokerlounge.net
Wednesday.-Thursday.-Friday., including SNGS
($30, $50 and $125).
Bad beat is kings full of nines ($7K
at press time).
There is a nightly $200 high hand.
MOUNTAINEER RIVER POKER ROOM
Phone: (304) 387-8458
www.mountaineerpoker.com
Daily at 12:15p and 7:30p ($50-$225).
WSOP satellite, Feb. 28 ($125, 2p, 8K chips,
20-minute blinds)
Bad beat (aces full of kings) was
$103K at press time.
$30K Invitation Only freeroll
(March 14, 11a), first place wins
$10K guaranteed. Call for details.
TRI-STATE RACETRACK AND GAMING
Phone: (800) 224-9683
www.tristateracetrack.com
Generally events are Sun. (2p), Mon. (1p), Tue. (7p)
& Wed. 7p and buy-ins vary ($40-$125). Big Stack
is last Sunday of month ($560, 10K chips, 2p).
Bad beat totals vary by game, but
hold’em (aces full of jacks) was
$49K at press time.
Call for details.
WHEELING CASINO
Phone: (304) 232-5050
www.wheelingisland.com
Sun-Fri. ($40, 10a); Sat. ($150, 3p, 6K chips), plus
tournaments every night ($40-$65, 7p).
Bad beat was $56K at press time.
Full House Frenzy Sundays: Each
player with a full house gets a
ticket entered into a $400 drawing.
ARKANSAS
VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA
58
TOURNAMENTS
JACKPOTS
EVENTS/PROMOTIONS
Thursdays, ($70, 7p) with one optional add-on.
Mini bad beat (quads over aces
full) pays 10% of full bad beat (any
quads), $61K at press time.
Call for details.
BEAU RIVAGE RESORT AND CASINO
Phone: (228) 386-7092
www.beaurivage.com
Daily at noon & 6p ($120-$340), including $120
Super Stack on Friday (noon) and Mon.-Thurs.
(6p), with 10K chips, 15-minute blinds.
Royals pay $200 but spades wins
$500.
Spring Break Classic, March 26April 11 (See ad on back page for
details and schedule).
BOOMTOWN CASINO BILOXI
Phone: (228) 436-8999
www.boomtownbiloxi.com
Mon.-Wed and Sat. ($45-$65), plus last Wed. of the
month features a bounty event ($100, 7p).
Bad beat is aces full of kings (More
than $50K at press time). Mini pays
10% (aces full of jacks).
Aces cracked (Tue., Thurs., Fri. &
Sun.) pays $50 (11a-midnight), plus
player entered in $500 drawing.
GOLD STRIKE CASINO AND RESORT
Phone: (662) 357-1136
www.goldstrikemississippi.com
Daily ($60-$340). $10K guarantee first Sun. of the
month ($340, 1p), 10K chips, 30-minute blinds.
Third Sat. is $5K guarantee ($100, 6p, 8K chips)
Call for current bad beat and royal
flush jackpots.
Delta Gold Classic (Feb. 25-March
10). See site for details. High Heels
Poker Tour, Feb. 27, $230, 11a.
HARD ROCK BILOXI
Phone: (228) 374-7625
www.hardrockbiloxi.com
Daily at 3p ($25-$55). Chip stacks, bonus chip
offers and blinds vary. Web site has all details.
SNGs: $75, $125, $235, $550.
Bad beat is aces full of queens
beaten by quads ($126K at press
time). Full house drawing Feb. 28.
Royal flush wins Hard Rock Poker
Room jacket; straight flush wins
Hard Rock Poker Room hat.
HARLOW’S CASINO
Phone: (662) 335-9797 x144
www.harlowscasino.com
Tuesdays, USPT event ($65, 7:30p); 2nd & 4th
Saturdays of the month ($100, 5p); first Friday of
month ($250, 8p).
No jackpots.
Call for any promotions.
HARRAH’S TUNICA
Phone: (800) 946-4946, x33760
www.harrahstunica.com
Daily at 1p & 6p ($60-$105), including Deepstack Fridays ($105, 6p) featuring 15K chips and
20-minute blinds.
No jackpots.
HOLLYWOOD CASINO BAY ST. LOUIS
Phone: (866) 758-2591 x4026
www.hollywoodcasinobsl.com
Daily ($30-$55) including a pineapple tournament
on Thursdays ($45, 6:30p) with 2,500 chips, 20minute blinds.
Bad beat and mini bad beat available. High hands win $50 Wed. &
Thurs. (10a-6p). Call for details.
Aces cracked on Tue. (10a-10p)
wins $100 or $150 progressive up
to $200. Ask about Funday Sunday.
HOLLYWOOD CASINO TUNICA
Phone: (800) 871-0711 x5005
www.hollywoodtunica.com
Daily ($10-$70), including Sunday $1K guarantee
($10 gets 500 chips, $5 dealer toke gets 1,500
chips, $10 rebuys and $20 add-on for $10K, 2p)
Hold’em bad beat (quads or better)
must be in $3-$6 or higher ($59K)
and there’s a new Omaha jackpot.
Aces cracked Wednesdays and
High Hands Thursdays spin the
prize wheel ($25-$500).
HORSESHOE CASINO TUNICA
Phone: (662) 357-5608
www.horseshoetunica.com
Daily ($55-$550), including first Sat. of the month’s
$10K first-place guarantee ($550, 4p) with 12K
chips and 30-minute blinds.
Bad beat (quads) in hold’em was at
$100K at press time.
Hourly high hands in hold’em can
win $25-$500 depending on the
hand made. Call for details.
ISLAND VIEW CASINO
Phone: (228) 314-2230
www.islandviewcasino.com
Fridays ($50 with $25 rebuys, 6:30p)
Straight flush progressive Fridays
(7:30p-8a). Bad beat is aces full of
queens. Call about Beat the Dealer.
Splash the Pot daily ($25 every 30
minutes, 10a-6p) and $50 high
hands Mon-Thurs., Sun. (7p-mid.).
IP CASINO RESORT & SPA
Phone: (888) 946-2847 x8554
www.ipbiloxi.com
Daily at noon ($60, 4K chips). Earn extra chips by
playing live action between 8a-11a to receive an
extra 1K chips for each hour played.
High hands pay $75 hourly Tue. &
Thurs. (midnight-4p). Hands must
be at least a full house.
Aces cracked pays $100 (Tue.-Wed
4p-mignight). WSOP satellite coming in April, call for details.
ISLE OF CAPRI BILOXI
Phone: (228) 436-7967
www.biloxi.isleofcapricasinos.com
Daily ($15-$50), including bounty rebuy event on
Saturdays ($30, 3p), featuring 3K chips, 20-minute
blinds, $20 rebuys, $25 add-on and $20 bounties.
Bad beat available in numerous
games, but hold’em (aces full of
queens) was $81K at press time.
Royals win jacket; aces cracked
(Mon & Wed., 10a-mid.) wins $50
or wheel spin.
SAM’S TOWN CASINO TUNICA
Phone: (800) 456-0711
www.samstowntunica.com
Daily ($20-$80), including a $3K guarantee on
Saturdays ($20, 7p).
SNGs: $60-$120.
Bad beat is any quads ($32K at
press time).
SNG bad beat is aces full of sixes
and is $2K at press time, but increases $200 every day it’s not hit.
SILVER SLIPPER CASINO
Phone: (866) 775-4773 x3766
www.silverslipper-ms.com
Thursday bounty ($75, 7p), 2K chips, 15-minute
blinds, $25 bounties.
SNGs: $45, $65 (2K chips, 10 players).
Bad beat is $75K in hold’em, $2K
for Omaha. Mini is aces full of
deuces ($550 to loser).
Aces cracked can earn you from
$50-$150 depending on the day
and time. Call for details.
SILVER STAR CASINO (PEARL RIVER)
Phone: (601) 650-1234
www.pearlriverresort.com
Daily, ($35-$60), including a $2,500 guarantee on
Saturdays ($85, 2p). Events on M-T-W-Th start at
7p; F-S-Su start at 2p.
Bad beat in hold’em (quads),
Omaha (quad 7s) and stud (quads).
$3,500 freeroll is last Sunday of
every month (5p). Check Web site
for details.
DIAMOND CASINO SAVANNAH
Phone: (912) 897-3005
www.diamondcasinosavannah.com
Friday (night cruise) and Saturday (afternoon and
night cruises), $110.
EMERALD PRINCESS II
Phone: (912) 265-3558
www.emeraldprincesscasino.com
Texas Hold’em Saturdays, call for details.
CARDROOMS
LOCATION
AMERISTAR VICKSBURG
Phone: (601) 630-4996
www.ameristar.com/vicksburg
WHERE TO PLAY
MISSISSIPPI
GEORGIA
HARRAH’S CHEROKEE
www.harrahscherokee.com
Phone: (828) 497-7777
Tournaments and cash games on PokerPro tables.
SNGs: Tuesday and Sunday ($115).
NORTH CAROLINA
59
M
E.
CO
HE
A G A ZI N
There’s a very compelling reason why you started playing poker. Can you
share that story with our readers? Yeah, I was in a motorcycle accident.
Actually I had been watching the WPT and World Series of Poker
whenever it was on TV, I was like a fan. But I really didn’t know much
about it. I didn’t know a pair vs. ace-king was 50-50. I thought aceking was like 80 percent. (laughs) … It was a pretty tragic motorcycle
accident my senior in high school, so I had to quit my part-time job. I
just hung around the computer all day long. I didn’t even really go to
high school very much in the last semester of my senior year because
I had all of my credits done. So I was talking to an old friend of mine
and he was talking about how he was making a couple thousand dollars a month playing online poker and he would teach me. I put some
faith in him and I had like $50 or whatever any broke high school kid
has. (laughs) I put it online and he taught me how to grind it up playing, you know, I started playing 1-cent/2-cent limit hold’em full ring,
and kind of mastered that game before moving up. And I guess I’m
still moving up. (laughs)
You made the final table of the WPT Bellagio Cup V and finished third for
nearly a half-million. Though that was in July, TV viewers only just saw that
broadcast recently. What happened to your knee during that final table? (In my
accident) I tore my right ACL and had surgery. I also broke my ankle
very badly and had to have metal implants and screws put into it. But
what they didn’t know was I partially tore my left ACL, so that never
got worked on. So at the final table (my friend Mike Matusow) pushed
me around a little bit (in celebration) and got me off-balance. … I just
stepped the wrong way and I heard a loud snap. I didn’t know how
bad it was going to be and I was just waiting for the pain to ensue. …
I kinda just hobbled back to the table and kept it elevated with some
ice on it. I still haven’t gotten it fixed. I can walk fine, not much pain.
But when I find a free three-four weeks in my schedule I’m going to
try to get it operated on.
Do you need to carry one of those medical cards that says you have metal in
your leg so you can get through the metal detectors at the airports? No. I got a
card from my doctor but (the detector) never goes off.
You had a lot of success online before you turned 21. How psyched were you
to finally turn 21 last year and get to play in live casinos? That was a big thing
coming up to my birthday, turning 21. Most kids like to turn 21 to be
able to go drink and go party, and that’s all great. But my big thing
was I could finally go play live. I went to the Commerce to play before
when I was like 19 … but I actually got kicked out of the Venetian
one time. There was an amazing game too, and that was back when
I was 19, too, and I was trying to play $200-$400 no-limit with Jamie Gold and David Williams. It was a pretty amazing game and I
couldn’t play.
So what was the first legal live poker you played in the States? It was the
WPT (Southern Poker Championship) in Biloxi. That was the very
first event I played.
How did you get your nickname Boosted J? There’s no special or unique
story really. It’s just one of my friends from the car scene, I was really
into cars before poker, and boosted applies to like a turbo-charged car,
and I like turbo-charged cars. And the “J” obviously stands for Justin.
You live in Florida and in L.A. Was the move west to be closer to the live action? Yeah, and the lifestyle in general. I live in Hollywood and there’s
always stuff going on, great restaurants, clubs, nightlife, shows.
What’s the biggest difference between live and online play for you? Live
there’s so much more information to decipher. You’ve got people’s
body language. Dynamic is huge. There’s a completely different dynamic playing live than online.
a
Photo by Rick Laub
ON THE BUTTON
W
UPM
Justin Smith, a.k.a. Boosted J, is a member of Team DeepStacks and one of
the most feared poker players online ... and on the felt. He talked with Ante Up’s
Chris Cosenza to discuss the tragic motorcycle accident that sparked his poker
career, dog massages, torn ACLs, his love of clothes and his lofty goals for 2010.
T
60
TE
N
WITH BOOSTED J
T H E I N T E R VIE
@A
&
QA
AR
Tables & Felts - Accessories
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ON THE BUTTON
National Spotlight on Justin “Boosted J” Smith
Justin Smith started his
career playing for pennies;
now he stares down the
greatest players in the world.
Was it tough making the transition when you turned 21? Well, I had played
live at the (PokerStars.net Caribbean Adventure) for two years so I had
some experience. We had some huge cash games there during those
two tournaments. So I wasn’t completely new to it. I pretty much knew
what to expect.
What’s your favorite game and what limits? Deuce-to-seven triple draw. …
As of this past World Series we started playing pot-limit triple draw,
which is an extremely sick game. (laughs). Very, very, very, very sick, for
very, very, very, very sick limits. Very sick game for very sick limits. We
played as high as $500-$1,000 blinds, so the pots got up to $500,000.
And who’d you play with? Well, the people I can tell you about are Durrrr (Tom Dwan), Freddy Deeb and Viffer (David Peat).
How do you rank being named FTOPS III player of the year in your career? That
was big when I was like 19, but now I’m on to bigger and better things.
I’m trying to be WPT player of the year this year.
And what would that mean to you? That would mean a lot. I would rather
win something but hopefully I win a WPT and THAT makes me player
of the year. That would be ideal. I’m trying to win a WPT and a World
Series bracelet this year.
How many events will you play at the Series this year? I played like 23-24
last year, and I did a lot of multitabling. So I had the $10K heads-up,
the $5K PLO and the $2,500 H.O.R.S.E. going all at the same time.
How’d you do that with the heads-up since you get a hand every few minutes? I
just played the heads-up and just blinded off the other two. And every
time I came to PLO I just shoved all-in and in H.O.R.S.E. I just played
a little bit loose.
I hear you have more clothes than your wife, Anita … is this true? Yeah.
That’s what I spend money on. I’m pretty tight with money like in certain ways, but like I’m very loose with money in other ways. I just like
clothes. I like to look good I guess.
Is she envious? A little bit. She actually just went shopping yesterday.
She feels like she needs to step up a level.
62
The shopping in L.A. must be incredible. Yeah, it’s ridiculous. I always go
to Beverly Center or Rodeo Drive. But mostly Beverly Center. Most of
the people in the stores are familiar with me. (laughs) They always call
me and say they have new stuff in.
Does your dog really have his own bed? Like a mat, like a nap mat like
when you were in kindergarten. … I live in Hollywood, and people
there are very picky about their pets. Like you can buy a suite and your
dog can have a suite with a TV. It’s a little bit crazy. I don’t do that, but
you can do whatever you want to do (for your pets). … You can get your
dog massages and facials. (laughs) It’s crazy.
You have a very healthy diet. How difficult is it to keep up with that when you’re
traveling or spending tons of hours in the cardroom? It’s not as tricky if you
have a wife. (laughs) First thing she does is goes to the grocery store and
as long as we have a refrigerator then we’re pretty much set. … She
finds out where she can get me like a chicken wrap because I’m allergic
to soy flour so I can’t eat much bread. … I just like to eat healthy in
general. It keeps me sharp poker-wise and I’d like to live a long time.
(laughs)
Is it true if you bust someone or take a big pot online that you type “You got
Boosted!” into the chat window? I sorta used that at one time.
Well, now that you’re playing live poker, would you say that to someone across
the table from you? Because you’re not really a big guy. I think I’ve probably
said it being funny to friends. And I know for sure people always sat it to
someone at the same table as me, and be like “Yo! You just go Boosted!”
But I would almost never say anything maliciously.
You’re starting to get a lot more exposure now. How hard is it to have the limelight thrust upon you considering you started in poker out of necessity and not
with the aim of being famous? There’s additional scrutiny toward you as a
person and a player. Just like anybody in the public spotlight you have
to be very limited in exactly what you say, or how you say it, or how
you play I guess. I mean I don’t care how anybody thinks I play. I hope
people think I’m a bad player.
IMPDI
Continued from previous page
I AL !
EC RS
SP FFE
O
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Play it cool
March 26 - April 11
MARCH 26 – APRIL 11, 2010
DATE
EVENT# TIME
March 26
March 27
March 28
March 28
March 29
March 30
March 31
April 1
April 2
April 3
April 4
April 4
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Sunday
April 5
April 5
April 6
April 7
April 8
April 9
April 9
April 9
April 9
April 10
April 10
Monday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday
Friday
Fri. Night/Sat.
Saturday
Saturday
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
5PM/7PM
12PM
12PM
4PM
12PM
12PM
12PM
12PM
12PM
12PM
12PM
4PM
12PM
4PM
12PM
12PM
12PM
12PM
4PM
8PM
12AM
10AM
2PM
GAME
BUY-IN
Satellites begin/Nightly Tournament
No-Limit Hold ‘Em Deep Stack
High Heels Poker Tour Ladies Event
No-Limit Hold ‘Em (1-day event)
Women’s Center for Non-Violence
Charity Event (1-day event)
Stud 8 or Better
No-Limit Hold ‘Em Deep Stack (1-day event)
Mega Satellite
Mega Satellite
Midnight Mega Satellite
Last Chance Mega Satellite
No-Limit Hold ‘Em Championship
A Feeling Like No Other.®
$500 + $55
$300 + $45
$200 + $30
$200 + $35
$300 + $45
$200 + $35
$300 + $45
$300 + $45
$300 + $45
$100 + $25
$50 + $10
$200 + $35
$200 + $30
$300 + $45
$200 + $35
$300 + $45
$200 + $35
$200 + $30
$200 + $30
$100 + $20
$200 + $30
$2,400 + $100
Single Satellites ranging from $45 - $270
for Championship Event will be held daily.
$100 + $25 with one $100 re-entry, No
Limit Hold ‘Em events nightly at 7PM.
Super Satellite, $80 + $20 entry/$50
re-entry, daily at 5PM, March 27 – April 8.
Registration begins at 5PM on March 26
and is open from 8AM – 9PM daily. For
tournament details, call 228.386.7254
or visit beaurivage.com.
MGM MIRAGE’s AAA four-diamond
destination awaits on the Mississippi Gulf
Coast. Play and stay with your special $59
weekday and $99 weekend room rates.*
For reservations, call 1.800.827.8520.
Resort & Casino • Biloxi, MS
dining • gaming • entertainment • shopping • golf • pool • spa
1.888.750.7111
|
beaurivage.com
All events are two days unless otherwise noted. *Limited room availability. Five hours play per day with your Players Club card is required to qualify for your special hotel rate. Schedule pending
Mississippi Gaming Approval. The Mississippi Gaming Commission reserves the right to investigate any and all complaints and disputes regarding tournaments, promotions and drawings. Such disputes
and complaints will be resolved in accordance with the Mississippi Gaming Control Act and Mississippi Gaming Commission Regulations. Management reserves the right to cancel, change and modify
the tournament, promotion or drawing with prior notiﬁcation to the Mississippi Gaming Commission, but must do so at least three (3) days prior to the commencement of the activity.
When you need to win, you need to quit. Gambling problem? Call 1.888.777.9696.

- Ante Up Magazine

Transcription

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