“REPAIR” “REPAIR” - Poker Player Newspaper

Transcription

Wendeen H. Eolis
with the absolutely
latest from WSOP
PAGE
13
Ted Forrest
Player Profile
by Phil Hevener
PAGE
PAGE
Entertainment
Best Bets
45
48
POKER PLAYER
Vol. 9 Number 1 July 11, 2005 A Gambling Times Publication www.pokerplayernewspaper.com Copyright ©2005 Bi-Weekly $3.95 USA/$4.95 CANADA
Greenstein Dedicates Palms Sways in
WSOP Win to Charlie WSOP Breeze
By Paul McGuire
“It’s very easy to do
a good deed.” - Barry
Greenstein
The 2005 World Series
of Poker was approaching
the half-way mark of it’s
six-week long run at the
Rio Casino in Las Vegas,
Nevada. The most touching story to date has to be
about the biggest names
in poker rallying behind a
guy named Charlie Tuttle.
None of them have met him
before, but his tragic story
has been affecting many of
their lives. During a very
special night at the World
Series of Poker, Barry
Greenstein won a tournament for Charlie Tuttle.
Charlie is from
Clarksville, Tennessee and
he’s a twenty-six year old
music enthusiast who loves
hanging out and playing
poker with his friends.
Charlie was dealt a bad
hand in life when he was
diagnosed with terminal
cancer, which he has been
battling this past year. A
couple of weekends ago, he
was hospitalized because
two tumors in his chest
pressed up against his
lungs, causing him breathing problems. I don’t have
(Continued on page 16)
Barry Greenstein wins $128,505 in event 19
With so many players in
town for the WSOP, running a series of parallel
tournaments turned out to
be one heck of a good idea
as action continues at the
Karnig Adrian wins $18,097 in event 27
Poker Player to Appear at Expo
many of the poker bloggers will be found at booth
#106. Everyone will be
happy to speak with you
and answer any questions
you may have. You will
also be able to tentatively
sign-up to receive the
first information when we
launch our subscription
offer to Poker Player. At
(Continued on
page 18)
A Word from the
“Mad Genius,”
press time, we were not
able to complete the time
schedule. You will find
this on our website: www.
pokerplayernewspaper.com
and it will be posted at our
booth, so, if you arrive early
and your favorite writers
are not there, you will know
when they are scheduled to
Mike Caro
Today’s word is...
“REPAIR”
Turn to page 8 for more
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Many of the Poker Player
writers and staff will be on
hand at the WSOP Lifestyle
Expo held at the Rio in
Las Vegas from July 6 to
July 9th. Appearances will
be made at our booths,
#105 and #106, located to
your right in the front row,
when you come in. Our
webmaster, Joe Smith and
Palms, Day and Night. If
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7
Caro’s Word: “Repair”
you, the correct strategy is
to play to survive and not
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
to win the trophy.” It’s time
to do something about it.
First the problem in a
know. I’ve talked about objection to the way most
of them are structured is
nutshell: One thousand
today’s topic before.
profound. And it’s hurting
players put up $2,000 each
It’s World Series of
my head worse everyday.
to enter a tournament. That
Poker time, so maybe
tournament goes
it’s the season
EDITOR’S
NOTE:
on and on until
to think about
one player ends
repairing poker
Mike Caro will deliver a free opening semiup with all $2
tournaments.
nar before the World Series of Poker main
Why repair
event begins on July 7. Seminar time is 9:30 million in chips.
Now, if it were
them? Because,
a.m. at the Rio in Las Vegas – site of this
winner-take-all,
they’re a disasyear’s WSOP.
no problem. We
ter. Yes, I realize
Please help me.
could assume all players
that they’re more popular
able to employ their
than ever. I realize that
A powerful problem were
best, most refined, poker
most are competently managed and unfold smoothly.
I’ve told you before, there’s strategies in pursuit of all
pots. They had the opportuSo, maybe “disaster”
a great problem with the
nity to show off their skills
wasn’t the right word. Let
current payout system
and take their chances.
me think. Wait...
used in the vast majority
Along the way, there
OK, I’ve thought and
of poker tournaments. It
I’ve thought. And I’ve
isn’t just a little, tiny, trivial may have been a few variations from everyday windecided that “disaster” fits. thing – and it isn’t just my
ning strategy, taking into
Look, I’ve sort of slithered
personal pet peeve. It’s a
consideration the strengths
away from my long-standpowerful problem.
of remaining opponents,
ing policy of not playing
Once again, it goes like
whether a better opportumany poker tournaments,
this. Because the winner
nity were likely to come
now that there’s so much
of a typical proportionallater, and more. After all,
exposure. And beyond
payout poker tournament
you can’t buy in again if
some recent regular entries, must win all the chips and
I’ve also appeared on
then give away most of the you go broke (at least in
pure non-rebuy poker tourthree invitational-tournamoney to players already
naments), so you have to
ment telecasts in the past
conquered, the correct
find the best opportunities
few months — the World
strategy is to avoid taking
for the chips you control.
Poker Tour’s special pitting first place!
Fine. But, in general, if it
me, Doyle Brunson, Phil
There’s a penalty for
were winner-take-all, you
Hellmuth, David Sklansky
winning first place – a big
would play pretty much
(the winner), T. J. Cloutier, one! I’ve said this so often
the same way you would in
and Mike Sexton against
and so loudly that even
a regular non-tournament
each other as authors,
many top players and tourPoker Superstars II, and
nament directors now agree game. That means, most
times you’d have an advanthe National Heads-up
with me. But, it’s time to
Championship. So, it’s not
go beyond just nodding and tage, you’d take it. You’d
even use your best strategic
that I don’t play tournasaying, “you’re right, Mad
and psychological weapons
ments, it’s just that my
Genius” or “I agree with
I
to extract every extra penny’s worth of profit from
each hand.
You can’t do it!
But, in a proportional payoff tournament, you often
can’t do that. If you win
first place in our example
tournament, you don’t get
to keep the $2 million in
front of you. In fact, you’ll
probably only get to keep,
say, $500,000. You’ll have
to give away $1.5 million!
And that, my friends, is a
penalty – a penalty for winning.
And what it means is
that your strategy must
change. Sadly, the test
becomes about something
far removed from everyday poker skills. It’s about
modifying those poker
skills and in many cases
sacrificing them. That
means many of the techniques that show off your
talents and lead to extra
lifetime profit must be
abandoned. Why? Because
a great many of those
sophisticated tactics add
risk, while paying off in
the long-run. In a proportional-payoff poker tournament, the correct strategy
is to avoid much risk in the
interest of survival. You
want to survive to claim
some of that free money
that first place will be
forced to give away.
Remember, first place
wins, and first place gives
away. (There is also, oddly,
a similar penalty that goes
with other high-place finishers. But that’s harder to
explain without math, and
we’ll stick to just dealing
with the first-place penalty,
because the conceptual
truth about sacrificing best
strategy to survive remains
compelling.) Because of
this first-place penalty,
you want part of the free
money. You should place a
priority on outlasting opponents, not on aggressively
conquering them.
To put it simply, you
often should play extra
tight in a proportional-payoff tournament, compared
to the way you would play
in a non-tournament game.
Sure, if you have great
skills, you should try to
gather chips, bluff, and use
finesse. But you can’t use
all of your sophisticated
8
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
POKER PLAYER
A Gambling Times Publication
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Wendeen H. Eolis
EDITORIAL CONSULTANT
Phil Hevener
CONSULTANT
Contributing
Columnists
Nolan Dalla
George Epstein
“Oklahoma Johnny” Hale
Ashley Adams
Susie Isaacs
Byron Liggett
Diane McHaffie
James McKenna
I. Nelson Rose
Nic Szeremeta
Rich Wilens
John Vorhaus
Ernie Kaufman, Sports
Poker Player will be published Bi-Weekly
by Gambling Times Incorporated,
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Volume 9 Number 1.
Copyright © July 2005 by Gambling
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This notice will certify that 50,000 copies of Volume 9,
Number 1 of Poker Player were printed at Valley Printers,
16230 Filbert Street, Sylmar, CA 91342. Distribution to
newsstands, card clubs, poker rooms and other distribution points throughout the United States, Canada, the
Caribbean, Central America and Europe.
Pechanga Has Been Feng Shuied
Feng Shui. It’s a term that
has been used by chic designers and Hollywood celebrities in western culture, especially in southern California.
But it has been a part of
eastern practices for thousands of years. Just what is
feng shui? Literally, it means
“wind-water” but equates to
the ancient Chinese art of
orienting objects and space
to promote a healthy flow of
chi. Promoting harmony and
prosperity in this way with its
best guests in mind is exactly
what Pechanga Resort &
Casino looked to employ
when designing and constructing its brand new High
Limit Gaming Area. The
casino celebrated the opening
of its new High Limit area
with a private reception for
invited guests in late May.
To evoke the utmost flow
of chi and the most well
balanced and harmonious
space for its best players,
Pechanga enlisted the help
of famed Feng Shui master
Bill Kane. Having “shuied”
nearly 1,000 homes and businesses with great success,
and most recently, the entire
gaming floor of the popular
Thunder Valley casino in
northern California, Kane
brought his decades of expertise and study in the field
of the Traditional Chinese
Schools of Feng Shui: The
Form, The Compass and the
Flying Stars. Each of these
three aspects carries great
significance when designing
and outlining the flow of a
new space. Kane suggests
that all areas, large and small,
have a distinctive energy
that is guidable by rearranging objects (eg. removing
an ornament from a cluttered room and adding it to
a bare corner of another). To
be avoided is clutter, dark
corners, gloomy colors, low
ceilings, and sharp, pointed
objects.
Since Kane and his team
of Feng Shui-ers had to work
with many immutable items
in the High Limit area (the
235 slot machines, 12 table
games, private cashier area,
VIP lounge area), he had to
find a way to educe a harmonious flow with things he
knew he could alter. First,
they started with the overall
motif of the room. He and
the Pechanga management
went for an earthy, under-
stated, yet elegant feel which
is evident by the etched glass
pillars at the main entrance
of the room, the cascading water feature that adds
a soothing aesthetic feature
and soundscape qualities,
depictions of organic earthly
elements such as leaves and
the oak tree, plus rich textures such as the velvet wall
draperies inside the lounge.
Even the bathrooms are
some of the simplest, yet still
most opulent of any casino,
ushering in a Zen-like state.
Individual stalls with floor
to ceiling doors for complete
privacy are found in both
the men’s and women’s
restrooms. These doors are
made of heavy mahogany
wood with double panes of
frosted glass and real oak
twigs placed in between the
two sheets of glass. Each stall
also has its own private sink
and vanity.
Before the opening of
Pechanga’s High Limit Area,
Feng Shui Master Bill Kane
returned from Asia with a
host of artifacts to place in
the room that are central
to many key beliefs in this
study. Visitors will see a large
Kuan Kung statue, one of
the most prominent Chinese
gods of wealth. This image is
said to promote loyalty and
ensure smooth sailing. Fu
dogs are often found protecting the entrances to Chinese
homes and businesses.
Feng Shui experts say the
energy from the fu dogs is an
extremely powerful, protective synergistic force. The
laughing Buddha, perhaps
the most recognizable of
Asian statues is said to bring
wonderful prosperity, wealth
and luck. He blesses the area
with prosperous energy by
taking away unhappiness and
transforming into happiness.
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experience required. Work involves subscriptions,
newstand sales, advertising traffic coordination.
Minimal bookkeeping and working with accountants.
Small amount of editorial work. Must be familiar
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9
A Visit with Kathy
Liebert-PART 3
CHIP CHATTEr
By SUSIE ISAACS
In the last two issues of Poker Player we followed
the career of poker superstar Kathy Liebert from
Dun and Bradstreet to the green felt. We left off just as she had met
1990 World Poker Champion Mansour Matloubi.
Susie Isaacs: I feel as if we just started a new chapter. Please
continue.
Kathy Liebert: He came up to me and asked if he could buy a
piece of my action. He had been watching my play. I knew he was a
world champion and I was surprised and flattered. I had been doing
so great and he seemed a little surprised at my success. He asked
me if I was from a wealthy family because if I kept playing the way I
was playing, I would need some crown jewels to sell. He tried to help
me but it didn’t work out that way. I was trying to play his style and
it wasn’t natural for me. It actually hurt my game. He had a more
ABC game and I had been playing more the people than the cards.
During the next couple of years I made some final tables and of
course money finishes but overall my results weren’t that special.
SI: Well you have certainly turned everything around. How did
you do it?
KL: I went to visit my father in New York over the holidays. I told
him that I used to win so much and now ...
My Dad, who knows very little about poker said, “If you won the
way you used to play and you don’t win as much now, why don’t you
go back to how you played when you won the most.”
Now why didn’t I think of that? In other words, forget about all
this waiting-on-a-hand stuff. I knew all the solid play had cost me
a lot of the action I had been getting. In 1997 I decided to go back
to my aggressive style and right away I made three seconds at the
Four Queens and went on to have a great year.
SI: You have been quite successful from the beginning of your
career. What do you most attribute that to?
KL: I do play solid and I do play good cards, but I also know when
to bluff. You cannot just play the cards and be a great poker player.
SI: We haven’t even talked about your bracelet or your Party
Poker Million win. You will always have the distinction of being
the first female to win a-million dollar first prize, that is a huge
achievement. Was there a point during that competition that you
knew you were going to win?
KL: I had done well the entire tournament. At fourhanded I
picked up two kings and took a good chip lead. I felt confident then.
From that comfort, I got very low, almost down to the felt. I was
going to be so frustrated if I came in second. I became so determined and focused and I turned it around. After about two hours, it
was all over and I had a tremendous feeling of accomplishment.
SI: Tell us about winning your first bracelet.
KL: Up until just a few years ago, coming in either first or second
in a World Series event meant big money. That was okay with me and
I had several seconds. But now, winning a bracelet has become so
important. So when I won my bracelet it was more than a little thrill!
SI: Kathy, you’re one of the top three rated female players in the
world today. What are your goals?
KL: To be one of the top poker players in the world.
SI: Well put.
KL: You can watch me on “ Battle of the Sexes”.
Battle of the Sexes was filmed in December and the participants,
six male and six female poker players were instructed not to tell
the outcome. However, I could tell by Kathy’s sly grin that the girls
probably won. The final aired the week of March 7 and not only
did the girls win, but Kathy took first place after playing heads-up
against Layne Flack!
Since then Kathy’s television appearances are too numerous to
list. My educated guess is that Kathy Liebert is the most recognized
female poker player on the circuit today.
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Susie Isaacs has written about poker and poker
players since 1985. She is the first woman to win
back-to-back titles at the World Series of Poker.
Her latest venture is a line of “Designer Gaming
Jewelry.” Visit www.susieisaacs.com.
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READS
POwer POKER PSYCHOLOGY
By JAMES A. M C KENNA, P H D.
If you know how to read, you won‘t have many
surprises. This is true in life as well as at the
poker table. I was recently working with a 15-year-old young
man and his family. He was getting into trouble daily at home,
but not at school. It was obvious that he was setting himself
up to be “kicked.” He was genuinely surprised when they got
upset with him. The social skills he lacked at home were his
not knowing how to read his parents and how to “grease the
wheels.” When he would say “No,” he’d be sarcastic or do it
in front of his parents’ friends. He was confused because his
parent always told him to be honest with them and when he
said a truthful, “No,” they would predictably go “on tilt.” What
he was not computing was their previous behaviors when they
were embarrassed or he was being disrespectful.
While learning the odds of making various hands in poker
is an important skill, it is surpassed by the ability to read
people. What’s available are past actions (particularly, if
they are unconscious) that give you a much more valuable
read. What the young man mentioned previously forgot was
how intolerable his parents were to being embarrassed. They
could stand the refusal. They couldn’t tolerate his disrespect.
Once he began to read their need for respect, he learned to
grease the wheels, and call them off to the side before saying a respectful “No.”
It’s one thing to know about the various “tells” in a game
of poker. It’s quite another, though, to read what those same
behaviors mean to different people. Most poker books and
articles don’t take into account the various personality types
and how the same behavior can often mean something totally
different from one person to the next. For example, to place
a bet in softly could mean that the person has a strong hand.
That is particularly true if the person usually throws his or
her bets in. However, it is normal for some players to do this
all the time. The same is true of players who normally look
at you when they bet. Most players are bluffing, that’s true.
However, if the player is action-oriented he or she gets high
on challenges and will stare you down with a good hand.
Learning to read goes beyond merely observing actions.
It’s learning to observe the difference among each person’s
action under different circumstances. Telling people apart
includes the art of telling “tells” apart. A “tell” about a
“tell” is what I call a “Meta-tells.” Going beyond tells and
reading how different personality types behave is learning to
be a bi-lingual reader.
In my book, Beyond Tells, I refer to 1. The Boss, 2. The
System Player, 3. The Loner, 4. The Party Hardy, 5. The
High Roller, and 6. The Hunch Player. The same “tell” can
be quite different with each of these styles. For example,
Mike Caro refers to “Law 7” as “The friendlier a player is, the
more apt he is to be bluffing.” While this is usually an act for
the most styles, it is a way of life for The Hunch Player. When
this latter player is being friendly they are not bluffing. When
they get serious and stop smiling, Hunch Players are usually
on a bluff.
The important skill in reading people is to take their past
behaviors, compare them to their present actions and if you
find them to be inconsistent, they are speaking with a forked
tongue. What the 15-year-old didn’t notice was that his parents were much easier to deal with when they got respect.
Yet, at school he didn’t have this problem. He was able to
read what would get him good grades at school but not at
home. The good news is that everyone can learn to improve
their reading skills—at home and at the poker table.
James A. McKenna, PhD., has been a practicing individual
and group therapist for over thirty-five years. His knowledge of human behavior combined with over thirty years of
gaming experience gives him a unique perspective on the
psychology of the gamer. His book, “Beyond Tells-Power
Poker Psychology,” will be published soon by Gambling
Times. Write to him at [email protected].
12
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Sam Mudaro, BA, MBA, is a practicing tax
accountant and financial executive originally
from New York with over 35 years of analytical business expertise. He and his wife Eva
are nine-year Las Vegas residents. Sam uses
simulation software to analyze and develop
strategies for Omaha Hi/Lo and other forms of
poker. Reach Sam at: [email protected].
T
Sam Mudaro is the...
A Tournament Hand
oday I will further
analyze my decision
to continue to play Qd
Qs 6a 9d after a flop
of Jd 6f 9d while my
opponent was holding Js
2a 4f 7d. Last time we
determined I made the correct decision to play if I put
my opponent on a pair of
jacks and a back door low
draw. For details on that or
other past articles I refer the
reader to the Poker Player
site “pokerplayernewspaper.
com/articles”. Just click on
the link for my name. This
will take you to my
From a Final Table—Part II
past articles.
turn, eliminating any low
One of the questions
possibility. There were only
I raised last time was: What
5 high cards, exclusive of the
would happen if there were
ambidextrous ace to choose
no low? To answer this I
from. I ran all of them just to
kept the flop the same and
be sure. Here are the results:
forced a high card on the
My gut feeling was
correct. Without a low
possibility after the flop
and I am a tremendous
favorite. The only time I
lose is when my opponent
flops a set of jacks. It is
the only high card that
helps my opponent. I win
on average $74.56 and
lose $17.54 for a net of
$57.02. The other situation I was curious about
was: What would happen
if my opponent flopped
two pair? My gut feeling
According to the chart
when my opponent flops
two pair I should muck my
hand. Or should I? Lets
take a closer look at what
I did by replacing that
9d with a 7s. I gave my
opponent two pair, and took
away my flush and openended straight draws. A
triple whammy taking me
from a net gain of $8.60,
to a loss of $22.53. What
would happen if we kept
the 9d and relinquished
my pair of 6’s?
probability for a winning
low given the flops listed
above, are 16.9%, 16.9%
and 14.7%. This is based on
simulation and not mathematical probability. Given
the flop of Jd 6f 7s the
low will get there 45.4% of
them time, almost triple.
If you read my previous article you know I
said I would have mucked
my hand had I known my
opponent flopped 2 pair.
The results presented above
indicate that would have
Flop
J 2 9
J 4 9
J 7 9
Omaha Guru
Win %
Net
Opponent
Win %
Net
J 6 9 9 95.0% 29.65 5.0% (32.65)
J 6 9 T 77.5% 20.91 22.5% (23.91)
J 6 9 J 35.0% (17.54) 65.0% 14.54
J 6 9 Q 100.0% 12.00 0.0% (15.00)
J 6 9 K 100.0% 12.00 0.0% (15.00)
Flop
J 6 7
here would be to muck
the hand. To test this I
replaced the 9d on the
flop with the 7s. The
results were abysmal for
my hand as shown below.
Omaha Guru
Win %
Net
Opponent
Win %
Net
21.9%
78.1%
Omaha Guru
Win %
Net
Opponent
Win %
Net
57.6%
5.89
42.4%
(9.06)
57.6%
5.82
42.4%
(8.99)
59.6%
8.09
40.4%
(11.23)
I must admit I was a little
surprised at these results. By
giving up my pair of 6’s and
maintaining my flush draw
and straight draw I retain
my advantage. So what is
going on her? Most of it
may be summed up with
two words, “low draws”.
The first chart showed the
effect of eliminating the low
draw entirely. By replacing
the 9d with a low card we
increased the probability of
a low, as there are now two
low cards on the flop. The
Hand
(22.53)
19.07
on the flop or turn it is costly to me. The simple reason
being: I am giving up half
the pot, which takes a big
toll on the net win per hand.
So what have we
learned? A high drawing
hand with an over pair,
when drawing to a flush and
straight, is better then flopping two pair especially if
there is no low draw.
You can incorporate this
into your game by being
more aggressive with your
high hand or high draw
when only one card to a
low flops. When there are
no low cards you must be
careful and may only want
to raise with the best high or
high draw.
been an incorrect decision. I
would still be favored to win
even when my opponent
flopped 2 pair! This is true
as long as I retain the flush
and straight draws. Whether
my opponent flopped a pair
or two pair shouldn’t have
effected my decision to call.
When my opponent does
pick up that low draw either
d
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Breaking News from the 2005 WSOP
event past the previously
announced 6,600 places.
Could the starting num-
able source. So I tag Ken
Lambert, Harrah’s Director
of Tournament Poker. He
says “no
dice” to
such chatter, informing
me that higher-ups have
assured him that there will
be no expanded finale. The
6,600 number is firm and
to make sure that players
will have an opportunity
to win seats in satellites
at the Rio Suites property right up to the last
day, Harrah’s is currently
holding out an estimated
1,000 seats, according to
Lambert. “From this point
on, your best bet for a
Wendeen H. Eolis
Editor’s Note: This story
is an adaptation of interviews and material that
are part of Ms. Eolis’
forthcoming book, Power
Poker Dame
No sooner than the
plane touched down on
the tarmac at McCarran
International Airport in
Las Vegas, my mobile
phone is afire with messages from players at the
2005 World Series of
Poker. Record fields of
tournament entrants are
daily occurrences. Highprofile poker players are
fixated on tournaments
that will be televised, and
three more poker player
associations have been
hatched in the WSOP corridors.
Mike Caro, the “Mad
Genius of Poker” and
long-time friend whisks
me away from the airport
with further updates on
the exhilarating madness
that awaits me at the 2005
World Series of Poker. A
full mile away from the
main entrance of the Rio
suites hotel, site of the
World Series of Poker, a
jam-packed parking lot
hails the arrival of players
from across the country
and as far away as all four
corners of the globe.
I enter the convention
center and make a right
hand turn into a grand
hallway fit for a red carpet
affair. Two hundred feet
further, a big sign beckons
new arrivals: “Register
here.” Having been warned
that the final event of the
2005 WSOP may be sold
out, I have already anted
up for the Big Dance
through the WSOP online
registration program. I
have gotten a jump on my
procrastinating friends,
not only by ensuring that
I cannot be shut out, but
also by getting my starting
day, table, and seat number
in advance.
Yesterday’s rumor was
that Harrah’s might open
the number of available seats for the main
ber of punters swell past
8,000? Silently, I note
that with more than $700
a head in entrance fees
taken off the top of the
prize pool for the House,
the mega-resort has good
reason to figure out how
to accommodate every last
poker player on the face of
the earth who wants to be
here!
Journalist that I am,
I insist on checking out
the rumor with a reli-
seat in the Championship
Event is a satellite or a
super-satellite at the Rio
or by using the old-fashioned method of “buying
in” for 10 dimes—sooner
than later. As of June 23rd,
online registration for tournament events has been
closed. Going forward, if
you plan on playing in a
satellite elsewhere between
now and July 7th, beware:
you could find yourself a
winner, but standing on the
rail.
Worry-free about such
matters, I take a spin
through the Rio poker
room. It is a never-been-
seen-before vision: twohundred poker tables under
bright lights glisten before
my eyes. They stand
above plush carpeting with
ample space to navigate
between tables. The room
is immaculately clean.
Beyond the sea of faces
already at the tables for the
$2,500 No Limit Hold’em
competition today, I spot
TJ Cloutier, the towering ex-football player and
long-time player who is
still at the top of his game
in his sixties. He’s already
shown the zillion young
studs in attendance here
Poker at The Mirage is a beautiful thing
The warm, inviting atmosphere draws you in.
The people make you feel welcome.
All your favorite games spread ’round the clock.
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J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
13
O’Flaherty’s Folly
STRAIGHT SKINNY
By RICHARD G. BURKE
Years ago the casinos called it
Racehorse Keno, and I suppose
some still do. We call the game Keno at my local
casino. Anyway, on a Friday afternoon in spring
Patrick O’Flaherty, a middle-aged Dubliner on
holiday, sat on my left at my $4-8 Hold’Em game.
He had signed up for all the larger-stake Hold’Em
games and while he was waiting to be called, he
played low-stakes poker and big-bet Keno.
His Keno tactic was to select two numbers and
bet that both ping-pong balls with those numbers would arise, paying him $1200 for $100.
He had plenty of Franklins for his endeavors:
he counted them and while I didn’t actually
watch, I could hear the bills being counted,
sluff-sluff-sluff, and I guessed that he had thirty
Benjamins. Patrick wasn’t shy about his Keno
bets; he informed everyone at the table that he
wanted both “17” and “29” to hit. His opinion
was that those two numbers appeared more
often than any other two.
After three or four unsuccessful Keno plays, he
won a $100+ Hold’Em pot, so he doubled up on
his Keno bet. Sure enough, his “17” and “29”
were among the twenty numbers selected, for a
payout of $2400!
Had he found El Dorado? Of course, “17” and
“29” weren’t any more likely than any other pair,
but was the Keno payout table in error? Patrick
said he always played those two numbers and was
way ahead.
Between hands I figured his chances. The probability that those two would be among the
twenty ping-pong balls randomly drawn from the
eighty is C(78,18)/C(80,20), which simplifies to
20*19/80/79, or once in 16.63 games.
The expectation is the payoff times its probability
minus its cost, $1200/16.63 - $100, which obtains
-$27.85. Since Patrick’s expected “win” is negative, on average he pays the casino $27.85 per
$100 to see if both his numbers appear in lights.
(The hold for every Keno bet at my local casino
is between 25% and 35%.) The Two-Spot payout
table was correct, and I sincerely doubted that
Patrick was ahead in his campaign.
Paradoxically there’s a 50-50 chance that Patrick
would hit his two numbers within 11 games. The
catch is that it’s always the next 11 games, no
matter how many times he had been unsuccessful
in the past.
Patrick was taking the worst of it not only
because of his negative expectation, but also
because of the fine print. At my casino, the fine
print limits the Keno payout to $25,000. In the
admittedly unlikely event of two or more big winners, they must divide the max payout. Since
most people pick their birthdates, spouse’s birthdates, children’s birthdates, etc., the popular
numbers chosen by the players.
Mr. Burke is the author of Flop: The Art of Winning at
Low-Limit Hold ’Em, 2nd ed., available from amazon.com,
gamblersbook.com, and www.kokopellipress.com. E-mail
your Hold ’Em questions to [email protected].
14
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
“Amarillo Slim,” “Texas
Dolly,” and Johnny Moss.
They look, and act, scared.
And with good reason. I am
on the greatest rush of my
life. Hand after hand I go
all-in, whipsawing the table,
playing low cards with no-
pool of blood. None of it is
mine.
I yell, “Jane!” No answer.
I stumble to the end of the
alley, yell, “Jane!” Again no
answer.
From the inside of a
cardboard box, a bag lady
Easy Money
A Poker Player Murder Mystery by Robert Arabella
When most people hear
“Gunsmoke” they think
of the TV western. Me,
I think of it as a trick to
steal a whole poker table.
This is how it works. No
matter what cards you’re
actually holding you act
like you’ve got the Mortal
Nuts and bet, raise, and
re-raise like crazy. Then,
just before you’re forced
to show down pigs, your
assistant (let’s call her
Miss Kitty) sets off a fire
cracker—KABOOOM!—
making everybody at the
table look around in shock
while I trade the rags I hold
for a pot-winning hand.
I’ve stuffed my pockets
full of black chips playing
“Gunsmoke,” but this night
was not one of them.
“No,” I tell her, “I wasn’t
playing ‘Gunsmoke!’ I just
happened to walk out the
door of those card room just
before they blew up. It’s all
just dumb luck.”
“Your dumb luck just
ran out,” says a voice from
behind. I am knocked
uncon-scious.
Despite my having
cheated in only a handful
of card rooms (well, maybe
two handfuls), the National
Gaming Commission’s List
Of Excluded Persons—
known to all gamblers as
“The Black Book”—makes
me persona non grata in
all legal card rooms. So I
play the underground poker
room circuit, from New
York’s Kick Ace Club all
the way to San Francisco’s
Queen Full, where illegal
card room managers welcome me to their tables.
Except, that is, for The Flop
House, where the room’s
manager, “Casper, The
Unfriendly Ghost,” has left
standing orders to shoot me
on sight.
Which is why I’m surprised when I find myself
sitting in The Flop House,
playing at the Final Table of
“The Greatest Poker Player
Of All Time” Tournament.
My op-ponents are Stu
Unger, Bobby Baldwin,
odds. Their every twitch is
a screaming tell. It’s like I
can hear their cards speak.
This is easy money! With
all the chips piled high in
front of me, just as I am
about to be crowned “The
Greatest Poker Player Of
All Time,” I smell the
blood.
I come to lying in of a
asks, “Are you Ricky?”
Jane’s hair is dyed bright
red. I call her Lucy. She
calls me—
“Yes, I’m Ricky.”
“Here,” says the bag
lady, pressing a flat round
object into my hand “The
redhead, Lucy, she said I
should give this to only
Ricky. That you’d know
where to find her.”
I know what it is without
looking. I’ve spend most of
my life holding poker chips.
From $1 White Castles to
$500 Purple Hearts. Why
would Jane leave me a
poker chip? I hold it up to
the light and change my
question to, “Why would
Jane leave me a chocolate
chip?” It’s a $5,000 dark
brown poker chip, known
to the highest limit poker
players as a “chocolate
chip.” I look at the name on
the chip and sud-denly I’m
scared. It’s not the “chocolate chip” that scares me,
it’s the poker room it comes
from—The Flop House.
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
(To be continued in the next
issue of Poker Player)
15
Motivation
FRESH YOUNG FACE OF Poker
By Jennifer Matiran
How dramatically we can change our results
is largely a function of imagination. In 1960, it was a technological impossibility for man to travel into outer space.
Within ten years, however, the first man stepped out onto the
surface of the moon. The miraculous process of converting
the dream into reality began when one voice challenged the
scientific community to do whatever was necessary to see
to it that America “places a man on the moon by the end of
this decade.” That challenge awakened the spirit of a nation
by planting the seed of possible future achievement into the
fertile soil of imagination. With that one bold challenge the
impossible became a reality.
THE SAME PRINCIPLE APPLIES TO EVERY OTHER
AREA OF OUR LIVES!
“Can a poor person become wealthy? Of course! The unique
combination of desire, planning, effort and perseverance will
always work its magic. The question is not whether the formula for success will work, but rather whether the person will
work the formula. That is the unknown variable. That is the
challenge that confronts us all. We can all go from wherever
we are to wherever we want to be. No dream is impossible
provided we first have the courage to believe in it.”
—Rohn
Can you become the best Poker Player that ever lived?
Just wanting it is reason enough to get it. That’s just how
all this stuff works. If it’s your destiny, you will get there,
oh please believe that. Every single one of us was put on
this earth to do something grand. The tricky part is figuring
out what exactly it is you are to do. Some people live their
whole lives doing something they were not meant to do. Or
they know what they want to do but they are afraid, sad,
and so sad.
T.D. Jakes a speaker on television shared something that
gave me goose bumps the other night. Two women are in an
apartment and a fire starts, the whole apartment is engulfed
with flames, there’s no way out except the window but their
apartment is five flights up. One woman burns to an untimely
death, the other woman survives. Do you know why she survives? The second woman... jumps. She survives with barely
any injuries because she knew that was the only way so she
JUMPED.
Everyone has a chance to learn what their destiny is, what
they were made to do. If you truly haven’t figured it out yet,
that’s okay, keep going, do not settle in the wilderness, keep
going. Believe, choose to believe and be proud of it. After
you figure out your destiny, you still have a choice to live it
or not, to jump or not. JUMP, I know it’s scary, I’m scarred
too but we got to, the light is on our side, it will not let us
down, no, no, it will lift us up so high where we cannot fall.
Some people do not take that chance and you could see it
in their eyes, they become angry, mean and bitter. My Italian
friend Aldo says “stay nice Jennifer, I’ve been around for a
long time and know that the nice people are the strongest
and most fulfilled.” Mr. Aldo you do not even know how much
you helped when I needed and I am honored that you sent
your first e-mail, ever in your whole life to me, thank you.
Can you be the best Poker Player that ever lived? YOU
CAN DO ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU’RE WILLING TO
JUMP...Take that leap of Faith and live your best life not
just “a” life...
Until next time, another cool thing I read, “honesty once
pawned, can never be redeemed.”
Changing the world one sentence at a time, Jennifer
Matiran believes the pen is, and always will be, mightier
than the sword. She hopes to emerge into the tournament circuit of Poker. Contact her with questions, comments or interesting material at matiran@sbcglobal.
net. Ms. Matiran has just completed her latest screenplay, her other passion (besides Poker!).
16
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
WSOP: Greenste
to tell you how serious his
condition was.
I never met Charlie. He’s
best friends with my good
friend Jason “Spaceman”
Kirk. My only real connection with Charlie was issuing him a wicked bad beat
in a WPBT online tournament several months ago.
It was the infamous hand
where I cracked both pocket
Aces and pocket Kings with
2-7o, a.k.a. “The Hammer.”
He was a good sport about
the entire thing and said he
felt honored to have been
on that end of a bad beat
from me.
Charlie’s favorite poker
player is Marcel Luske.
Great choice. When I first
started covering the 2005
World Series of Poker,
Spaceman asked me and
my boss, the Poker Prof,
if we could get Marcel to
call Charlie. Spaceman
knew that a phone call
from Marcel would lift his
spirits. When Marcel was
finally tracked down by
our photographer Joseph
“Flipchip” Smith, I frantically ran outside in the hallway while dialing Charlie’s
mom’s cell phone. I was
in the middle of covering
the final table of one of the
WSOP events, but getting
Charlie on the phone with
Marcel seemed to be the
most important thing in the
world to me at that time.
Charlie’s mom handed the
phone to Charlie who was
lying in his hospital bed.
I spoke for three seconds
and told him that Marcel
wanted to say a few words
with him. I handed Marcel
my phone and he walked
away down the hall. They
spoke for ten minutes while
I bolted back to the final
table to cover the event.
Afterwards, Spaceman
said that Charlie was laughing for the first time in
ages. When Marcel returned
my phone I was overwhelmed with emotion. I
had to step away for a few
minutes to collect myself. I
couldn’t stop from thinking
about how awful Charlie
must have been feeling
and the intense pain he’s
been enduring. I was also
blown away by how amazing Marcel was to take time
out of his busy schedule
to speak with Charlie. In
that swift moment, Marcel
not only became one of my
favorite professional poker
players, but he also became
one of my favorite people
of all time.
A couple of days later,
while in the middle of a
tournament, Marcel stopped
playing to ask me how
Charlie’s been doing. You
might hear a lot of bad
things about gamblers and
poker players. Las Vegas
is a dark city where evil
lurks behind every turn of
the card. That’s why it’s
refreshing to see a random
act of goodness ripple
through the cosmos. From
the Nevada desert to a hospital room in Tennessee,
karmic payback is coming
Marcel’s way.
Charlie was shortstacked
and it looked like he doubled up.
Our friend Felicia Lee
took it upon herself to find
as many pros as she could
and ask them to do something to help lift Charlie’s
spirits. Max Pescatori,
Barry Greenstein, and John
Juanda all took time out of
their busy WSOP schedules
to call Charlie. In the past
few days, Charlie’s breathing problems persisted and
he was unable to talk on the
phone. Barry said he would
send Charlie a copy of his
new book. Max sent Charlie
a care package which
included a copy of Doyle
Brunson’s Super System
2 autographed by Todd
Brunson, Jennifer Harman,
and the legendary Doyle
Brunson himself.
Then when I least
expected it, in one of the
most amazing moments
I have ever witnessed in
poker, Barry Greenstein
said he was going to win a
World Series of Poker event
for Charlie Tuttle. He went
out and did just that. Read
about that below.
During one of the
breaks at the final table
of the $1,500 Pot-Limit
Omaha event, I walked
over to Barry Greenstein
and thanked him for calling
Charlie. His gesture really
meant a lot to Charlie, his
family and friends, and to
a lot of people in the poker
community including players, poker bloggers, and
fans. Barry said to me, “It’s
easy to do a good deed.”
Barry Greenstein understood how the poker boom
had made poker pros instant
celebrities and that a simple
phone call was the least he
could do. Before the break
was over he told me that he
was going to dedicate the
victory to Charlie. At that
point, I rooted for Barry
harder than I had ever done
for any other player.
In order to get in the
position to win this event
for Charlie, Barry had
to outlast a field of 291
players including a final
table that featured a World
Champion in Chris “Jesus”
Ferguson.
In one of the biggest
pots since the final table
began, Barry Greenstein
ended up putting all of his
chips in the pot with a pair
of Kings and a diamond
flush draw. He caught
a diamond on the turn
and doubled up against
Toto Leonidas. Barry was
extremely close to being
eliminated, but hung on.
That was a crucial hand
because he went on a run
right after that. A few hands
later, Barry took down
another huge pot from Toto
and moved into the chip
lead. He never looked back
and played perfectly. He
eventually beat Paul Vinci
to win his second WSOP
bracelet. A few moments
after he won, Barry spoke
to the audience.
“This one is for
Charlie,” Barry said as a
round of applause filled the
room.
Barry couldn’t say
much more because he was
also playing in another
WSOP event, the Pot-Limit
Hold’em tournament in
the far corner of the Rio’s
poker room. On the way to
his table, he barely spoke
about his win to the media
because he was all choked
up. Barry Greenstein is one
of the best poker players in
the world and plays in the
“Big Game” with legends
like Doyle Brunson, Chip
Reese, and Chau Giang.
Barry always has his feelings in check at the poker
table. For a brief moment
though, he was overwhelmed with emotion and
exposed his vulnerable side.
I think a lot of us involved
ein Dedicates His Win
were a little teary eyed.
I had to excuse myself
and go into the hallway
because I was about to
cry. At that moment, the
events at the World Series
of Poker seemed meaningless compared to the battle
that Charlie was fighting.
Situations like this one
make you reassess what’s
really important in life.
Las Vegas is a city built
on greed. Poker is a game
that often attracts some of
the lowest forms of life.
However, in the past two
weeks, there has been a
small group of professional poker players who
have earned my respect and
admiration. Amidst all the
darkness and debauchery, I
have caught a few glimpses
of the bright side of humanity. The hearts of some of
the biggest sharks in Las
Vegas are filled with compassion.
Thank you, Charlie, for
inspiring us all. We’ll never
forget you.
[Ed. Note: We regret
to inform you that two
days after this was written,
Charlie Tuttle succumbed
to his illness. Perhaps he’s
now playing in the “big
game” that Oklahoma
Johnny speaks of often.]
Coverage of the most
recent events in the World
Series of Poker follows,
thanks to Media Director,
Nolan Dalla.
to become a professional
poker player, he acted displeased. “I knew that his
mother would be upset, so I
acted like I didn’t want him
to do it. But, the truth is –
when I heard Todd wanted
to be a poker player, I was
very proud inside.”
From the first day Todd
Brunson walked into a public cardroom, he became an
object of curiosity. Most
new poker players conduct
themselves anonymously.
They make common mistakes, make bad decisions,
and lose money while learning to become better poker
players. No one remembers
beginning players or their
errors. Brunson was in a
different league. He knew
that every decision would
be dissected, every action
evaluated, and every session assessed.
Imagine being the son
of Jack Nicklaus and teeing-off at The Masters. Or,
growing up as Bill Walton’s
son and playing in the
NBA. While these children
of legendary sports figures
failed to live up to the lofty
expectations of the public
and media, Todd Brunson
can now say he has stepped
out of the long shadow cast
by his famous father.
On Thursday, June
23, 2005 Todd Brunson
emerged from the ‘son of
a poker champion’ to ‘a
poker champion’ in his own
right. Brunson topped a
highly-competitive field of
359 players in the $2,500
buy-in Omaha High-Low
event and won his first
gold bracelet. First-place
prize money amounted to
$255,945.
Allen Kessler, an experienced gambler and talented
poker player earned a welldeserved $132,110 as the
(Continued from page 1)
runner up. The winner of
several majors, Kessler was
dissatisfied with the final
outcome but had to feel that
he played his best game
at the highest level on the
grandest of poker stages.
First Place winner Todd
Brunson is a 35-year-old
poker player who has won
10 major events in his lifetime. He also routinely
plays in the biggest cash
games in the world, mostly
in Las Vegas. This was his
first WSOP victory.
Given the magnitude
of his father’s shadow, it
Out of the Shadow:
Todd Brunson triumphs
in Omaha High-Low
championship and wins
first gold bracelet
When Todd Brunson was
23-years-old, he approached
his parents. He told them
that he intended to become
a professional poker player.
After graduating from
Texas Tech University,
Brunson had many career
options from which to
choose. But like his
famous father who made an
identical decision a generation earlier, Brunson figured he could make a much
better living toiling across
the green felt rather than
conforming to a more conventional way of life.
Doyle Brunson later told
the story that upon hearing his son Todd wanted
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
17
DEBBIE BURKHEAD INTERVIEWS...
Frank Meoni
PALACE STATION’S CARDROOM MANAGER
a no-limit hold’em game.
There are some other ideas
that I have but they are still
on the drawing board.
Frank Meoni was born
in 1951 in Yonkers, New
York. At the tender age of
16 Frank’s father retired
and moved the family to Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida, After
Frank graduated high school
he enrolled in a junior college and after his first year
he tested for several fire
departments. He was hired
by Hialeah Fire Department
and retired after 20 years of
service.
Within a year, at the age
of 41, Frank picked up and
moved to Las Vegas. The
decision to move to Las
Vegas was a long time dream
of Franks. During his career
as a fire fighter he and some
of the other guys played
quite often when it was
slow at the firehouse and he
spent quite a few vacations
in Las Vegas. During those
vacations he got to know
the dealers and players after
talking to them it seemed
like a good profession to get
into since he loved poker so
much.
In 1991 the Maxim hired
Frank as a prop while he was
attending dealer school. After
graduation the Maxim hired
him as a full time poker dealer on grave yard. That lasted
until the room closed in 1992
and then he went the to old
Aladdin as a dealer.
In 1993 Frank moved to
California for a dealing and
floor position at the newly
opened San Manuel. Frank
still owned a house in Las
Vegas and was commuting
back and forth on weekends.
In August of 1994, Boulder
opened and Frank decided
to end the commuting and
take a dealing job. Within six
months he was promoted to
a supervisory position that
lasted 11 years.
Frank has recently been
promoted to cardroom manager of the nine table poker
room at Palace Station.
DB: What are you most
committed to as a cardroom
manager?
FM: Guest services and supporting my team. I learned
that in the fire department. If
you don‘t have the support
of your team, bad things happen.
DB: Does Palace Station still
offer daily tournament?
FM: No, not at the moment
but it’s a possibility in the
future. It helps bring guests
into the room so we’re looking into bringing them back.
DB: What live games can
players expect to be spread
on a regular basis ?
FM: We spread $2-$4 limit
hold‘em, $4-$8 limit hold‘em
with a half kill, $4-$8 Omaha
high-low split and occasionally on weekends we spread
no-limit and seven-card stud.
DB: What incentives does
Palace Station offer it’s players?
FM: Our Jumbo Poker
Tournament is one of the best
incentives to play poker anywhere. Starting July 1through
August 31 is the qualifying
period. Players are automatically enrolled in a $200,000
tournament for only 50 hours
of live play. The finals are
scheduled for the second or
third week in September and
all players will receive at
least $40 for just showing up
on the first day of the tournament.
DB: How many players
do you usually get for the
Jumbo Poker Tournament?
FM: We should have
upwards to 2000 players.
DB: Can you explain how
the tournament works?
FM: Players who fulfill the
50 hour requirement will
receive a seating assignment
a couple days after the qualifying period ends. On the
first day of the tournament
there will be four, possibly
five, sessions and the top 75
players will progress to the
finals on noon, Sunday.
DB: How many places does
the event pay?
FM: The winner will receive
$60,000 and there will be
300 places paid.
DB: What should players expect while playing at
Palace Station?
FM: We pride ourselves in
taking care of our customers
and treat them with respect.
We listen to there concern
and advise and that‘s what
makes us successful.
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
which should yield a pretty
purse to the winner.
EVENT 27 (NIGHT)
6/23/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
EVENT 25 (NIGHT)
6/21/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 45
PRIZE POOL
$4,365
PLAYERS 143
REBUYS 90
PRIZE POOL
$46,600
Karnig Adrian
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Karnig Adrian . . . . . $18,097
James Hoeppner . . . . . $9,040
Jim Pieczynski . . . . . . $4,520
Michael Borovetz . . . . $2,940
Wayne Hatcher . . . . . . $2,260
Benjamin Margolis . . $1,580
Joe Guerra . . . . . . . . . $1,130
Andre Beetge
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Andre Beetge. . . . . . . . $1,965
Gorge Teixeira . . . . . . $1,090
Steven Wolter . . . . . . . . . $655
Arturo Morgan . . . . . . . . $435
Vincent Letendre . . . . . . $220
EVENT 25 (DAY)
6/21/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 30
REBUYS 20
EVENT 27 (DAY)
6/23/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $500 + $50
PLAYERS 56
PRIZE POOL
$27,160
PRIZE POOL
$4,850
Jeramie Ocasio
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Jeramie Ocasio . . . . . . $2,175
Rip Fritzer . . . . . . . . . . $1,215
Matt March . . . . . . . . . . . $730
Frank Abbate . . . . . . . . . $485
Gene Dudek. . . . . . . . . . . $245
Arthur Christman
DB: Who deserves the credit
for Stations poker rooms
being poker friendly?
FM: Weldon Russell,
Director of Poker Operations.
He trusts us to run our rooms
the way we believe they
should be run because we
are the ones listening to our
players.
DB: Who deserves the credit
for the friendly atmosphere
in the Station‘s cardrooms?
FM: The dealers and floorpeople.
DB: What is the Jumbo
Jackpot that Station’s offers?
FM: It’s a hold’em jackpot that starts at $100,000
and might be the largest
poker jackpot in the country. It has gotten upwards
close to $200,000. Once
it’s been hit it starts over at
$100,000, it’s a daily progressive jackpot. The first
week you must have four
tens beaten, each successive
week it drops down a hand,
example, week two would
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Arthur Christman . . $10,860
Ivan Holmes . . . . . . . . $6,245
Scott Levy . . . . . . . . . . $3,260
Mark Barre . . . . . . . . . $1,900
Jim Chiado . . . . . . . . . $1,495
Bruce Simberg . . . . . . $1,220
Gordon Fuchs . . . . . . . . . $950
Chris George . . . . . . . . . . $680
PLAYERS 146
REBUYS 96
PRIZE POOL
$46,948
PLAYERS 145
REBUYS 83
PRIZE POOL
$44,232
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Mark Tracy . . . . . . . . $17,712
Todd Dakake . . . . . . . . $8,845
Luis Santoni . . . . . . . . $4,425
Jan Heitmann . . . . . . . $2,875
Yubin Tao . . . . . . . . . . $2,210
Rick Travels . . . . . . . . $1,550
Bernard Nelis . . . . . . . $1,105
Ivan Holmes . . . . . . . . . . $885
Randy Lorensen . . . . . . . $665
Max Stern
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Max Stern . . . . . . . . . $18,773
Kory Knie . . . . . . . . . . $9,390
Ken Goldin . . . . . . . . . $4,695
Richard Rosen . . . . . . $3,050
Daniel Sterk . . . . . . . . $2,345
Marsha Waggoner . . . $1,645
Robert Fogarty . . . . . . $1,175
Anthony Dixon . . . . . . . . $940
Nick Fradet . . . . . . . . . . . $705
EVENT 24 (DAY)
6/20/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $500 + $50
PLAYERS 27
PRIZE POOL
$13,095
Igor Tyagay
EVENT 26 (DAY)
6/22/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 55
REBUYS 24
PRIZE POOL
$15,326
Michail Souza
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
EVENT 24 (NIGHT)
6/20/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
Mark Tracy
EVENT 26 (NIGHT)
6/22/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
DB: Will you be instituting
any changes in the poker
room at Palace Station?
FM: The only changes we’re
going to try, is to develop
18
Palms Sways
Michail Souza . . . . . . . $6,006
Troy Skinner . . . . . . . . $3,425
Dustin Fox . . . . . . . . . . $1,840
Eli Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,075
Jonas Stoss . . . . . . . . . . . $845
Eddie Palmer . . . . . . . . . $690
Eric Weiss . . . . . . . . . . . . $535
Matt Simpson . . . . . . . . . $480
Hermila Duncan . . . . . . . $430
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Igor Tyagay . . . . . . . . . $5,890
Blake Buffington . . . . $3,275
Ken Barnes . . . . . . . . . $1,965
Darrin Grosvenor. . . . $1,310
Robert Fulop . . . . . . . . . . $655
EVENT 23 (NIGHT)
6/19/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 124
REBUYS 72
PRIZE POOL
$39,200
Barbara Enright
1. Barbara Enright . . . . $15,219
*UTB#JH%FBM
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EVERYMONTH
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Swede Wins World
Heads Up Title
Poker in Europe
By PHIL SHAW
There may be a $25,000 heads up challenge in Vegas for the elite, or the lure
of another rematch between Andy Beal and ‘The Firm’.
But the World Heads Up Championship, a €2,000 no
limit hold’em affair sponsored this year by PartyPoker.
com, takes place in Barcelona (and formerly Vienna) as
all European circuit players know, and over the years has
played host to many of the biggest American names as
well as all of the European ones.
This year was another sell-out (lending expectation to a
higher buy-in next year) and in the 128 player knock out
draw were many old hands, such as defending champion
Angel Blanco of Spain, Bruno Fitoussi of France who won
the inaugural title in 2001, three times WSOP bracelet
winner Dave Ulliott, all four members of the Hendon Mob,
England’s Dave Colclough and dual tournament winner
John Falconer also of England. High profile Irish players
Padraig Parkinson and Rory Liffey were also present.
But the winner was a virtual unknown – Swede Peter
Gunnarson, one of the large band of Scandinavian players who have joined the circuit in the past two years who
have become noted for their skill, focus and lack of fear.
He beat the UK’s Simon Nowab in a tightly contested and
highly aggressive final
The last hand came after an hour and 13 minutes play
with the Swede slightly ahead in chips. After a flat call
on a flop of K-5-2 (two diamonds) Simon moved all in
when the Js fell on the turn. Peter spent five minutes
considering his move and eventually called with K-10 and
no diamond draw. He found his opponent with K-6 and
when a T fell on the river it was all over. Peter collected
€100,000, the trophy and the title, and Simon took away
a very nice €50,000.
As might be expected in a knockout event though there
were a number of shock results early on. Holland’s Rob
Hollink, who has racked up over €1 million in tournament earnings this year, crashed out in the first round
to England’s Derek Baxter; Roy Brindley, runner up in
2002 lost out to Pascal Perrault in round two; Hendon
Mobster Ram Vaswani was a first round casualty against
another mobster, Ross Boatman; and last year’s runner
up Mark Banin also made a first round exit against Dave
Colclough.
WSOP: Greenstein
would be impossible to
dismiss the fact that Todd
Brunson’s victory was
indeed historic. Todd and
Doyle Brunson became
the first father-son duo in
World Series of Poker history to win gold bracelets.
The reality is – given that
Todd Brunson already plays
in (and routinely wins) the
highest-limit poker games
in the world, and has now
won a WSOP championship – he deserves to be
judged on his own merits
and accomplishments....just
as though his last name was
‘Smith’ or ‘Jones.’
But that won’t happen.
He will always be judged as
a ‘Brunson.’ And that’s the
toughest scale of all.
RIO ALL-SUITES CASINO
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #21
6/21/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,500 + $0
PLAYERS 359
PRIZE
POOL
$825,700
Todd Brunson
1. Todd Brunson . . . . $255,945
Juarez, TX
2. Allen Kessler . . . . . $132,110
Huntingdon Valley, PA
3. Tom Fischer . . . . . . . $66,055
Las Vegas, NV
4. Manelic Miwaya . . . $57,800
Tampa, FL
5. Larry Reynolds . . . . $49,540
West Hollywood, CA
Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott, who greeted opponents with the
recommendation to book on the next flight, did better and progressed to round three where he must have
thought he was into the money with A-7 on a 8-7-7 flop.
But his opponent Stephen Pearse had pocket 8s so it
was goodbye to the Devil. Since your faithful columnist
also exited on a cold deck against Barny Boatman, might
I suggest best of three for next year?
Despite a few ruffled feathers though, it has to be said
that the TV coverage of this event has been one of the
most impressive poker productions in previous years and
with the introduction of a specialist Austrian firm this
year – ‘Sports TV Production International – this year
should be even more impressive. Watch out for it on
America One in the US, and TSN in Canada through June
and July.
Phil Shaw is Editor of Poker Europa magazine, and
freelances for a number of other publications. He is
available on [email protected].
20
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
6. Allyn Jaffrey Shulman . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $41,285
Laguna Niguel,
7. Glenn Cozen. . . . . . . $33,030
So Pasadena, CA
8. Ben Lang . . . . . . . . . $24,770
San Diego, CA
9. Nat Koe. . . . . . . . . . . $16,515
Irvine, CA
The Fear Factor:
‘Rookie’ Brian Wilson
tops all-star poker
lineup and wins first
gold bracelet
Some generations are
defined by popular slogans.
“The Greatest Generation”
referred to young people
raised during the 1940s who
made tremendous sacrifices.
“Make Love, Not War”
came to define the 1960s
and a cultural revolution.
“Greed is Good” typified
the prevailing attitude during the ultra-materialistic
1980s.
If there’s a slogan which
defines today’s youth, and
more specifically a new
generation of poker players which have recently
flooded into the game, it is
without doubt -- “No Fear.”
There is quite simply a new
breed of poker player which
has trampled on tradition,
ignored conventional thinking, and disregarded the
poker establishment. At the
poker table, these daring
swarms of neophytes have
absolutely no fear.
Shouts of -- “How could
you call with that hand?” –
“I can’t believe the bad beat
I just took” – or “That’s the
worst play I’ve ever seen”
fill modern cardrooms and
poker tournaments like
music inside a symphony
hall. The screams of disbelief are often accompanied
some colorful expletive
intended to humiliate the
so-called ‘bad’ player.
Brain Wilson doesn’t
care. He has no fear.
“I had some players (in
this tournament) tell me
I’m a ‘bad player,” Wilson
said immediately after winning $370,685 and his first
gold bracelet in the $5,000
buy-in Pot-Limit Hold’em
championship. “They had
no idea what I was thinking or why I did what I did.
Now, I’m sitting here and
this is the greatest feeling in
the world.”
In a post tournament
interview, Wilson was
asked about arriving at the
final table and facing a formidable list of poker foes.
Of the nine finalists, he was
the player with the least
amount of experience at this
level. So some degree of
trepidation might have been
expected. But not according to Wilson.
“With all due respect
to these great players,
I wasn’t thinking about
them at all,” Wilson said.
“It didn’t’ matter to me
who I was playing against.
I just played my game and
had no fear about anything. That’s they way
you have to play if you
want to win. If you come
in afraid or scared, you
have no chance to win.”
Wilson’s fearless attitude
was the difference in a ninehour final table that had
a number of lead changes
and exciting moments. The
total prize pool in Event
#20 amounted to $825,700.
The final table included two
former gold bracelet winners – Allen Cunningham
(with 3 wins) and Cyndy
Violette (with one win). In
fact, this was Cunningham’s
second final table appearance (he won Event #2)
so far this year. This was
Violette’s fourth time to
cash and second final table,
as well (she finished second in Event #9). On Day
Three, Atlantic City-based
poker pro Violette arrived
as the chip leader.
The winner, Brian
Wilson, is a 37-year-old
real estate agent originally
from Rockford, IL. He now
lives in Ft. Meyers, FL. He
has a fiancé, who has been
very supportive of his poker
playing. She can now share
Wilson’s glory and the
$370,685 in prize money.
Wilson insisted
that British pro David
Colclough be acknowledged
as a major influence on his
improvement as a poker
player. He played in some
tournaments in Europe earlier this year and came to
develop an appreciation for
Colclough’s poker talent.
Most interesting is how
it all started for Wilson.
“I came out to Las Vegas
last year to attend a
bachelor’s party,” Wilson
said. “I stumbled into the
Horseshoe, and I won a
$10,000 seat into the main
event. I ended up playing
last year and that really
made me more determined
to get more into poker and
to improve my game.”
Have no fear, poker has
not seen nor heard the last
of Brian Wilson. Perhaps it
is Wilson’s opponents who
should fear the worst.
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #20
6/20/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $5,000 + $0
PLAYERS 239
PRIZE
POOL
$1,123,300
n Dedicates His Win
Brian Wilson
1. Brian Wilson . . . . . $370,685
Ft Myers, FL
2. John Gale . . . . . . . . $204,440
London, UK
3. Derek Leforte. . . . . $112,330
Maple Ridge, Canada
4. Allen Cunningham . $89,865
MDR, CA
5. Anthony Cousineau . $67,400
Daytona Beach, FL
6. Steven Liu . . . . . . . . $56,165
UK
7. Cyndy Violette . . . . . $44,930
Atlantic City, NJ
8. Joe Sebok . . . . . . . . . $33,700
San Francisco, CA
9. Burt Boutin . . . . . . . $22,465
Las Vegas, NV
This One’s For
Charlie Tuttle: Barry
Greenstein wins second gold bracelet,
dedicates emotional
victory to cancer
patient in Tennessee
At halftime of the 1928
Notre Dame-Army game,
coach Knute Rockne
reportedly told his players a rousing story about
George Gipp, a great
football player who died
a tragic death. Stirred by
the emotional sermon, the
team returned to the field
and ended up winning the
game. The scene was later
immortalized in a 1940
movie Knute Rockne – All
American starring Ronald
Reagan. “Win one for
the Gipper” eventually
became a catchphrase used
to inspire down and out
causes.
When professional
poker player Barry
Greenstein heard the
heartbreaking story of
a terminally ill cancer
patient named Charlie
Tuttle, he was so touched
that he vowed to dedicate
his victory in the $1,500
Pot-Limit Omaha to
Charlie. During a sevenhour final table battle,
Greenstein played with
unparalleled determination. In one of the most
flawless performances
ever seen in the 36-year
history of the World Series
of Poker, Greenstein
played mistake-free poker
and captured his second
gold bracelet. Although
$128,505 was paid for
first place, money and
fame were the last things
on Greenstein’s mind.
The total prize pool in
Event #19 amounted to
$426,315. The final table
included three former gold
bracelet winners – Chris
‘Jesus’ Ferguson (with 5
wins), Barry Greenstein
(with one win at the start),
and Toto Leonidas (with
one win). Formidable
tournament and live-action
pro Barry Greenstein
arrived as the chip leader.
Barry Greenstein is best
known as poker’s “Robin
Hood.’ He donates all
of his tournament profits
(totaling over $4 million over the past five
years) to various charities – mostly specializing
in helping young people.
He has given money to
charities that support
school programs. He has
donated to social service centers that assist
the victims of domestic violence. However,
his preferred charity is
‘Children Incorporated’
– a non-profit group that
seeks to assist youth living in poverty, many of
them in Central and South
America.
Society defines success
in peculiar ways. In this
age of explicit materialism and celebrity worship, achievement is all
too often associated with
money and status. Barry
Greenstein has different standards. Success
is not calculated by what
is acquired, but by what
is bestowed. When the
cards have been dealt and
mucked, when the decks
have been shuffled and reshuffled countless times,
when the chips have been
cashed out, when the
tournament fortunes have
long ago been spent and
vanished, we shall all be
defined by what kind of
people we were and what
we left behind. Barry
Greenstein continues to
epitomize the kind of
man we all should aspire
to become and be, but to
which we shall all inevitably fall short.
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #19
6/19/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $1,500 + $0
PLAYERS 291
PRIZE
POOL
(Continued from page .17)
2. Paul Vinci . . . . . . . . . $74,520
Shell Beach, CA
3. Chris Lindenmayer . $38,105
Pickerington, OH
4. Toto Leonidas . . . . . $29,640
Los Angeles, CA
5. Tim Martz . . . . . . . . $25,405
Butte, MT
6. Paul Maxfield. . . . . . $21,170
Stoke-on-Trent, England
$423,405
Poker Player
at Expo
7. Chris Ferguson . . . . $16,935
Pacific Palisades, CA
8. Sam Silverman. . . . . $12,700
Las Vegas, NV
9. Eric Bloore . . . . . . . . . $8,470
North Hollywood, CA
Denis Ethier Wins
Stud High-Low Poker
Derby: Former racehorse owner from
Canada eclipses tough
field and cashes
$160,682 ticket
Barry Greenstein
A record 279 players
1. Barry Greenstein . . $135,500
RPV, CA
appear. Some of our writers who have already agreed
to be there include: Mike
Caro, Wendeen Eolis, John
Vorhaus, Susie Isaacs, Nick
Christenson, Byron Liggett,
Diane Mahaffie, Scot
Krause, Jennifer Matiran,
David Valley, Sam Mudaro,
Phil Shaw, Oklahoma Johnny
Hale and more. We’ll also
have free copies of the next
issue of Poker Player. Many
of our ad representatives will
also be on hand, enabling
potential advertisers to get
complete information when
considering future advertising in Poker Player.
Al Intr
l-N od
ew uc
Po ing
ke Ou
rR r
oo
m
“Time to ante-up and
get in the game.”
Founder
Come enjoy the legendary poker action Horseshoe is
famous for in our all-new Poker Room. An entire venue
devoted to the Jack Binion-style of poker.
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Tunica Resorts, Mississippi • Casino Center Drive
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Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem?
Call 1-888-777-9696.©2005, Harrah's License Company, LLC.
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
21
LESSON 53:
Winners in Poker and Life
Lots of people have decided, from watching televised poker
tournaments, that they can make a living at poker. Kids in college are attracted to poker. Just go to any
Lessons from mike caro
university of poker
BY DIANE MCHAFFIE
tournament and you’ll see how their numbers
have grown. Mike says years ago there were
tournaments with only 30 players. You won’t see that now.
Some players won’t be lucky and will discover that it costs
too much to play in the tournaments. Besides entry fees there
are charges for hotels, dining, gas, car rental, and airfare.
They pack up and go back to the life they’re used to. It’s more
comfortable being Jane waiting tables, Edward the doctor, Joe
the mechanic, or Susie the psychologist.
Sticking it out. Then there are those who succeed. Because
the right games dropped into their laps, the right cards were
dealt to them, or they made the decision to stick it out and try
to be a success, their lives were changed forever. They had the
determination and the confidence in themselves to sit at the
tables for hours on end, and make quality decisions about their
hands. Those are the people that reap the rewards.
At Mike Caro University of Poker, Gaming, and Life Strategy,
Mike teaches that the cards probably won’t break even in your
lifetime and that you shouldn’t try to get even for a poker
session or in a real life experience. You will probably get even
and ahead in the long run, but have patience.
Mike also says don’t go out of your way to get even with
someone who bluffed you or did you wrong. He says it doesn’t
matter who provides your profits, as long as somebody does.
See, that’s a new concept for me. I was used to getting even
when someone did me wrong.
A step forward. What you should concentrate on is making
the best quality decisions every minute, every day of your life.
If you do that, you’ll have a better chance to get further in
poker and in life. There will be losses and setbacks, of course,
whether in poker or life, but don’t let it deter you. Don’t let
it destroy your confidence. Trying to get even is a step backward. Mike says, “You are always where you are, and every
step forward from that point is simply a step forward. Period.”
When you suffer a setback, whether in poker or in real-life,
don’t make it worse. It’s so easy to do. We respond or react
in a negative way to a situation when we shouldn’t, because
we’re feeling so miserable that we don’t think it can get any
worse. It just doesn’t register anymore. I can tell you from
experience, it can and will get worse if you let it. Mike calls
this crossing the threshold of misery – when more bad things
happen, but they don’t make you feel any worse, because your
pain is already maximized.
Tomorrow. How many people would be winners in poker and
life, if they didn’t make situations worse or make the wrong
decisions? If people didn’t let anger, frustration, indifference,
boredom, self-pity affect their lives, where would they be? Do
you think that what you do or say today will have an impact
on tomorrow? You bet it will! You need to make a promise to
yourself now, today, that whatever happens, however you are
provoked, you will never make matters worse.
Many times we make decisions based on how much we
have invested in the pot or a business deal or our life.
Everyone has. I’ve done it. But Mike teaches that it doesn’t
really matter how much you have invested. All that matters
is what the value of the “pot” is now and what it will cost
you to pursue it.
What matters is to make profitable decisions, from this
point on, over and over.
Diane McHaffie is Director of Operations at Mike Caro
University of Poker, Gaming, and Life Strategy. Her
diverse career spans banking, promotion of major financial seminars and the raising of White-tailed Deer. You
can write her online at [email protected].
22
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Poker
Game Show
PART 1
“Joe,
guess
what?”
“C’mon, Hobby. I don’t
like guessing games. Why
don’t you just say what
you have in mind.”
“Okay. It’s about my
friend Bailey Mack, the
TV producer I fixed you
up with to sell one of your
poker stories (Payback,
Poker Player Magazine,
Jan. 24, 2005).
“I remember that mess.
I told him to take his job
and shove it. Is he looking
for more advice?”
“You won’t believe it,
but he is. He’s looking
for a writer and technical
advisor for a game show
about Texas Hold ‘Em.”
“I’m definitely not interested in working for him
and furthermore, there are
a lot of guys that know
more about poker than I
do.”
“I told him that too, but
he says most of them can’t
write and they don’t know
anything about TV. You’re
his man; he’s going to call
you.”
“Well, if you hear from
him before I do, tell him to
save his nickel.”
I had forgotten my
conversation with Hobby
when Bailey’s call came.
After his explanation, I
said, “Let’s be frank, I
don’t want to work for
you. I don’t like you and I
don’t invite grief into my
life.”
He replied, “While
we’re being frank, let me
say I don’t like you either.
However, you know the
subject, you can write, and
most important, you don’t
take any crap.”
Hell, I couldn’t argue
with that assessment, and
darned if I didn’t agree to
give it a shot.
I met Bailey and his
cohorts at Mega studios.
We assembled in a fancy
board room replete with
a beautiful long-legged
Eurasian “assistant” who
served coffee. Bailey made
a point of introducing us
and gave me the high sign
that she was mine if I were
interested. He’s making me
suspicious with his excessive sucking-up overtures.
Bailey took the floor
and said, “This is for your
benefit, Joe. These guys
are solidly aboard. I want
to convince you to join
the team.” I sat mute as
he continued his spiel. “I
guess I don’t have to tell
you that poker is one of
the hottest shows on TV.
We’ve done the research
and confirmed its high
audience potential for the
age group advertisers want
to reach. But rather than
just another tournament of
professionals or celebrities, we’ll make it a game
for the average Joe, if
you’ll pardon the expression. It’ll be a 30-minute
time slot in early evening
prime time. We’ve lined up
a network and interested
advertisers. How’re we
doing so far?”
I was playing it so cool,
he probably thought I was
falling asleep. I responded
to confirm I was listening:
“I don’t know enough to
dispute anything you’ve
said, but so far I don’t see
anything in it for me.”
“I’m coming to that,
Joe. We’ll have a known
personality host and a professional tournament director. To enhance the scenery
there’ll be plenty of T & A
with pretty girls in skimpy
costumes. The gimmick
is—our players will be
picked from the audience
before each show. With
the promotions we’re planning, we’ll have a house
full of aspiring poker players dying to cash in on the
big money, but it’s got to
work in a half hour. That’s
where you come in Joe.
What do you think?”
The wheels were turning as he spoke. I could
appreciate the potential,
but saw the difficulty: trying to keep up the excitement level and wind it up
in a half-hour. The trouble
A
Joe
Joe &
& Hobby
Hobby
fiction by
David J.
Valley
was, poker is a mostly a
boring activity interrupted
by occasional drama. If
the cards don’t fall right,
it can be downright dull. I
opined, “Your problem is
to stay within the context
of the game while holding
the at-home TV audience.”
“You’ve got it Joe. How
do we do it?”
“I can work it out, but
this is where we start talking contract.”
“Great, Joe. I’ve
got Legal standing by.
Welcome to the team.”
I responded with less
enthusiasm saying, “Let’s
spare the handshakes
until we put something on
paper.” I called my agent
and we struck a deal. As
soon as I was on the “payroll,” Bailey pushed me for
my ideas. Looking forward
to an otherwise dull weekend, I promised to have
something for Monday
morning.
Some people think best
in a supine position. Not
me. It’s when I’m on the
move that my clogged
brain cells start emitting
ideas like a dog shaking
off water. Pacing about
my condo while sucking
on long neck Coronas, I
wrestled with many scenarios before it finally
came to me. Not a simple
solution, but I was certain
that with some testing it
would work.
Back at the Mega conference room, I began my
pitch. “Okay, I’ve figured
it out so we can ensure
exciting play, and hold the
TV viewing audience.”
The faces in the room
lit up like a turned on
Christmas tree. “We’ll also
be respectful of the game
and fair to the players.”
There was a noticeable
sigh of relief from Bailey.
For the next half-hour
I presented details of my
concept, then said, “We’ll
need to set up a beta test to
work out the bugs and get
a better idea of the timing,
Poker
Game Show
but I think we can do the
live show in about an hour
and edit it to 30 minutes
for the broadcast.”
Bailey had made copious notes throughout
my presentations. I was
expecting a discussion,
but he abruptly rose and
said, “Thanks, Joe. That’s
all for now. I’ll call you
when we’re ready for the
next meeting.” He and
his girl stood and left the
room. The rest of us stared
blankly at each other until
someone remarked, “Well,
I guess that’s it.”
I thought a visit to
Hobby was in order to
let him know what was
happening. I stopped at
the marina, where he
was relaxing on his boat,
Lazybuns. “Guess what,
Hobby?” I said, remembering his line.
“Joe, I don’t like guessing games. Why don’t you
just say what you have in
mind.”
“By God, Hobby, I’m
impressed. You remembered, verbatim, our earlier
repartee.”
“Huh? I still don’t know
what the hell you’re talking about, Joe.”
“It’s about the poker
game show. I just came
back from a meeting, but
I think your guy Bailey is
up to something. I’ve got
the feeling I’ve just had
my pockets picked.”
“You don’t mean to tell
me that you spilled your
guts without a contract?”
“I have a contract, but
I’ll have to take another
look at the fine print.”
(To be continued, next issue.)
Write to author David Valley
at: [email protected]
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23
Floorman!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
TRUE POKER
By Peter “The Poet” COsta
Its not very often that I would
choose to write about anything negative in poker. Even less likely that I would take a
swipe at someone who was obviously a newcomer
to the poker scene. After all, it’s due to the influx
of these new kids that has helped our game to
explode. However…..
I went to the Mirage early on the Sunday (the
day before the WPT event), looking to play a
one-table for the $10K. Already having a seat for
the main event- I was basically playing for cash.
However, it was still early in the day and the
only game at the time was a $175 buy-in, onetable. Seeing a couple of friends sat at the table,
I decided to join them with a promise to gamble
and to have some fun. Then the last player to join
us suggested a last -longer bet. Six of us threw in
$100 each. My promise to gamble had now been
retracted - pride was at stake!
But the fun still came thick and fast. O.K, we all
wanted to win - but we played with as much banter as you can get on a table. Anyhow, now fivehanded, I moved all-in with my shortish-stack.
The new kid was taking a long time in making
a decision. No problem - I stood up and walked
away from the table while he made up his mind
(nipped away from a quick smoke - I really must
stop this bad habit). But suddenly, the game was
no longer fun. He wanted a Floorman to kill my
hand because I was not in my seat! All the players at the table knew what the outcome would be
- but our young friend insisted on a decision.
While waiting - I decided to offer him some
free advise. I suggested that looking to win at
poker by killing your opponents hand, was perhaps a bad reflection as to his skills. Also, that
it possibly showed a lack of faith in his own ability to beat me? I actually felt sorry for him that
he should have such a negative approach to the
game - especially as I had asked all the table
and the dealer if it was O.K for me to walk away!
Should I get angry at this? Should I go on tilt?
Yeah right!
If the last-longer bet was not enough of an
incentive - this incident sure was! So I thanked
him for the incentive. I was now going to play
this one-table like it was the WPT final itself! Two
hands later, the young kid was busted by my one
of my friends at the table. I went to win the lastlonger bet and also chopped the prize money. But
the story does not end there.
When the one-tables for the main event finally
started - I saw the kid stopping by our table as we
played. With $10,500 at stake - I was obviously
playing to win. However, it would be fair to say
that I perhaps had a little extra incentive. Well,
I didn’t quite win it all - but got the lion’s share
from a split. Funny how things can inspire - if
you take the right approach! I think that we both
learnt a lesson that day.
These kinds of incidents are very rare. Even
when you consider the fact that some players are
playing under immense financial pressure - there
still a lot of fun to be had at the poker table. And
these newcomers? Well… they bring with them a
great sense of enthusiasm to the game. Reminds
me a little of myself in my younger days. Oh to be
young and to be a poker player in today’s world!
ENDLESS SUMMER 6/23/05
Wayne Harmon . . . . . $5,840
Arnaldo Espero . . . . . $2,920
Allen Mittelman. . . . . $1,460
Allen Zuckerman. . . . . .$950
George Ban . . . . . . . . . .$730
Lorne Cameron . . . . . . .$510
Larry Decair . . . . . . . . .$365
Ilan Goldman . . . . . . . . .$290
Ray Casal . . . . . . . . . . . .$220
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 124
REBUYS 351
ADD-ONS 175
PRIZE POOL
PRIZE
POOL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Stephane Fitoussi. . . . $4,935
Ken Rackliffe . . . . . . . $2,470
Andy Heaton . . . . . . . $1,235
Bahman Fathi . . . . . . . .$800
Michael Zurn . . . . . . . . .$615
Michael Destephen . . . .$430
Rob Gunnett . . . . . . . . .$310
D.S. Rupero . . . . . . . . . .$245
Mike Miller . . . . . . . . . .$185
$6,040
Sang Chu . . . . . . . . . . $2,415
Bruce Berlow . . . . . . . $1,390
Maurice Azoulay . . . . . .$725
Jim Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$425
Doug Marsh . . . . . . . . . .$335
Newton Deleon . . . . . . . .$270
Shane Bua . . . . . . . . . . .$210
Zack Miller . . . . . . . . . .$150
Ron Vanclief . . . . . . . . . .$120
LIMIT HOLD’EM
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 169
REBUYS 456
ADD-ONS 247
PRIZE POOL
PLAYERS 63
REBUYS 120
ADD-ONS 95
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
$5,280
$16,565
Axel Richter
Newton Deleon . . . . . . $2,110
Brian Struder. . . . . . . $1,215
Jose De Paz . . . . . . . . . .$635
Mark Weiss . . . . . . . . . .$370
Ken Rackliffe . . . . . . . . .$290
Chau Nguyen . . . . . . . . .$240
Wagner Quiambao . . . .$185
Carla Strasburger . . . . .$130
DS Rupero . . . . . . . . . . .$105
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Axel Richter . . . . . . . . $6,630
Larry Decair . . . . . . . $3,315
Guy Rahamim . . . . . . $1,655
Donovan Peters . . . . . $1,075
Elliot Hyland . . . . . . . . .$830
Thomas Farrand . . . . . .$580
Morteza Sepanji . . . . . .$415
Joe Carrera . . . . . . . . . .$330
Andrew Won . . . . . . . . .$250
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 153
REBUYS 403
ADD-ONS 212
PRIZE POOL
$14,590
Wayne Harmon
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 184
REBUYS 489
ADD-ONS 281
PLAYERS 74
REBUYS 132
ADD-ONS 112
Stephane Fitoussi
PRIZE
POOL
Ann Wygle . . . . . . . . . $2,320
Richard Crowell . . . . $1,335
Raliegh Floyd . . . . . . . . .$695
Jerry Singer . . . . . . . . . .$405
Tekeste Aregaye . . . . . . .$320
Traig McKnight . . . . . . .$260
Eun Ham . . . . . . . . . . . .$200
Andy Heaton . . . . . . . . .$145
BUY-IN $20 + $15
$12,350
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
PRIZE
POOL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
$18,125
Gregory Falcione . . . . $7,250
Larry Decair . . . . . . . $3,625
Sasha Barrese . . . . . . $1,815
Scott Lankford. . . . . . $1,180
Lloyd Sicard. . . . . . . . . .$905
Nguyen Nguyen . . . . . . .$635
Nghia Nguyen . . . . . . . .$455
Shawn Kerendian . . . . .$365
LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 66
REBUYS 128
ADD-ONS 105
PRIZE
POOL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
$5,680
Tony Jennings . . . . . . $2,270
Jerry Payo . . . . . . . . . $1,305
Mary Shaughnessy . . . .$680
Regev Farkash . . . . . . . .$400
Joe Russell . . . . . . . . . . .$315
Bruce Berlow . . . . . . . . .$255
Rick Kanishock . . . . . . .$200
Shane Bua . . . . . . . . . . .$140
BUY-IN $20 + $15
PLAYERS 70
REBUYS 119
ADD-ONS 116
PRIZE
POOL
$5,795
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For more information call 1-800-CHUMASH, ext. 3850 or visit www.chumashcasino.com.
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24
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
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Cement Shoes
STUD SENSE
By ASHLEY ADAMS
You remember the old gangster movies—
where the lead mug would threaten to throw the hero
into the river with cement shoes? As a kid, in love with
these old flicks, I used to imagine what that would be like
– sinking fast in a body of water with “concrete galoshes”.
It’s the feeling I still get sometimes at the poker table
when the game is weighed down with rocks – the living
and breathing kind. I had such an experience in Las Vegas
on Memorial Day weekend.
I had traveled to Las Vegas from Boston, determined
to find some decent stud action – having heard that
hold em had pretty much taken over. I’ve been playing
no limit hold em lately – and profitably – but I at least
wanted one shot at my favorite game.
I was in the Mirage meeting someone for lunch. Sure
enugh, there was a $15/30 Stud game going and a second table was starting up. I was lucky – or so I thought.
The new game started with five-way action. My eagerness to play was gradually chilled however by the rocky
nature of the game. I’d wait for solid hands, bet them
and have everyone fold. I’d raise as a semi-bluff with a
high card up and a high card in the hole and I’d get reraised by a sharp player to my left. I’d fold. I’d try raising again when I had a decent hand and everyone would
fold. This went on for about forty-five minutes, by which
time I was called to the main game, down $250 or so.
Good thing. I didn’t want to take much more of the rocky
action at that table.
The main game seemed fine at first. Players were
much more likely to call. There was one bad calling station in the game. The rest had adapted to her presence
by tending to call her raises more frequently, and to call
the initial raise of other players if she was in the hand
– which was most of the time. I figured I could make
some money.
Unfortunately, my plans were not realized. My
attempts to thin the field by raising when I had a
Premium Pair on Third Street were usually foiled by
three or four people who would call, knowing that the
calling station would also be in. They then played very
aggressively and tightly thereafter, attempting to knock
her out with a variety of more advanced strategies – reraising, check-raising and the like. It was possible that
a couple of them were in on this by design. Or it could
have just been an unconscious type of collusion. Either
way, what I had hoped would be a calm profit pond was in
fact a tempestuous sea of betting action.
But here I was, great stud player and author, in the
game I had come to Vegas to find. Could I possibly let
the rough going dissuade me from my mission? Was I
really going to wimp out?
In a word, “YES”! Tough as it was on my ego, much as
my gut demanded that I stay at least until I had proven
that I could beat these guys at their own game, I abandoned the game – knowing that table selection was the
most important ingredient to winning play. I left the
aggressive regulars and rocks, maintaining the bulk of my
bankroll for another game and another time. My $550
final profit from the trip was a testament to the triumph
of my common sense over my emotion at the time.
Ashley Adams is the author of Winning 7-Card Stud,
(Kensington Press 2003). He has been playing 7-Card
Stud for 40 years—and profitably in casinos for the past
10 years. He has played in casinos all over the world,
including England, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Hungary,
Canada and the United States, but plays most frequently
at at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard Connecticut.
Professionally, he is a union organizer and an agent for
broadcasters. He can be reached at: [email protected]
26
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
WSOP: Greenste
saddled up to run in the
second Seven-Card Stud
High-Low (Eight-or-Better)
championship at this year’s
World Series of Poker. For
this event, the entry fee
was $2,000. The total prize
pool amounted to $513,360.
The final table included
one former gold bracelet winner – Jennifer
Harman, a two-time champion. Furthermore, Lance
Edelman was making his
second consecutive final
table appearance in this
event. But it was former
Hollywood actor (and
widely respected tournament semi-pro) Chad
Brown who enjoyed the
chip lead and seemed
poised to win his first
WSOP title.
The winner, Denis
Ethier, is a 50-year-old professional poker player. He
was born in Charlemagne,
Quebec. He bought and
raised racehorses for
many years, mostly trotters who ran at most of
the major harness tracks
scattered along the East
Coast. Many of his horses
ran at The Meadows in
Pennsylvania. He has since
moved and settled down in
Durham, North Carolina.
IN THE WINNER’S
CIRCLE... As he snapped
on the gold and diamond
bracelet presented to all
WSOP winners, Ethier was
visibly thrilled with his victory. When asked why he
left horseracing in favor of
poker, Ethier joked, “I got
tired of losing.”
“I had a lot of winners.....but I had a lot of
losers, too,” he said. “I got
tired of losing money every
day, so I started to play
poker, instead.”
When asked what he
plans to do with his coveted gold bracelet, Ethier
stated that he plans to give
it to his son. “He’s my best
buddy,” Ethier said.
The WIN ticket on Denis
Ethier paid $160,682.
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #18
6/19/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,000 + $0
PLAYERS 279
PRIZE
POOL
$513,360
Denis Ethier
1. Denis Ethier . . . . . . $160,682
NC
2. Chad Brown . . . . . . . $89,838
Los Angeles, CA
3. Jennifer Harman . . . $53,903
Las Vegas, NV
4. T Fu . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38,502
5. Lance Edelman . . . . $31,828
Las Vegas, NV
6. Bonnie Rossi. . . . . . . $25,155
Hemet, CA
7. Phillip Penn . . . . . . . $20,021
Norwalk, CA
8. Tom McCormick . . . $14,734
Fargo, ND
9. Leticia Tanhue . . . . . . $9,240
Chandler, AZ
Do takes the Dough:
Vietnamese-born
Quinn Do wins $2,500
Buy-In Limit Hold’em
Championship
Every road to the World
Series of Poker is different.
Distinctive paths and turns
along the way make every
player’s avenue a unique
story. Sadly, most players
fail to reach their target.
They crash and burn along
the way. They are defeated
in side games and satellites,
and get busted out of tournaments.
Broken dreams litter the
‘bad beat highway,’ which
has become the fitting nickname ascribed to the hallway leading from the poker
tournament arena back to
the Rio’s main casino.
This year, out of the tens
of thousands of poker players who come to Las Vegas
from all over the world,
only 45 will return home
as WSOP champions. The
rest will walk the Rio’s long
hallway, exchanging their
tales of despair with anyone
unfortunate enough to get
trapped and have to listen.
But not all poker tales are
bad. Some have happy endings. Some are even captivating. The latest champion
is a 29-year-old semi-professional poker player and restaurant owner from Seattle,
WA, named Quinn Do.
Quinn Do arrived in
the United States at the
age of 11. He attended the
University of Washington,
where he came within a few
credits of graduating with
a degree in criminology.
Do’s ambition was to work
in criminal justice – and he
considered a career as a private investigator.
It’s very interesting to me
-- trying to understand why
people act the way they do,”
Do explained. “In criminology, you get into people’s
minds. The psychological
part of it really appealed to
me.”
As much as criminology
appealed to Do, he discovered he could make better
money by opening up a
restaurant. Do’s life took
its first major detour when
opened a Vietnamese and
Chinese restaurant, which
turned out to be very successful. That was just the
beginning. His life was to
take another route entirely
when a few friends walked
in one day and started to talk
about poker.
“I was sitting there and
my friend told me she made
a lot of money playing
poker. I already knew how
to play, so I went to some of
the local clubs and played
$10-20 (limit hold’em). I
did that for about three
months. But I really got a
lot better at it when I started
playing online. I did that
for a year before I started to
play in tournaments.”
The total prize pool for
the Limit Hold’em event
amounted to $857,900. The
final table included one
former gold bracelet winner
–‘Captain Tom’ Franklin, a
three-time champion. The
chip leader was Chi Chang,
who enjoyed a substantial
lead against the rest of the
field.
That left Quinn Do to
battle Chi Chang for the
gold bracelet. Most interesting was the fact that for
both players, this was their
first trip ever to the WSOP.
After several events in
which tournament veterans
finished high in the money,
this event was certain to
have a rookie winner.
When heads-up play
began, Quinn Do enjoyed a
2-to-1 chip lead – 630,000
to 315,000. Limits were
15,000-30,000. An hour
later, Do increased his lead
to 3-to-1. Witnessing the
two rivals play was like
ein Dedicates His Win
watching ice melt. But if
Chang’s stack was melting,
Do’s was becoming a giant
iceberg. A slow but steady
stream of chips flowed from
Chang’s stack over to Do,
until Chang had enough and
was forced to move his last
chips into the pot in a losing
battle. Do’s winning hand
was A-7 of clubs, which
flopped a nut flush.
Runner-up Chi Chang
is 43-years old. The early
chip leader normally plays
$40-80 cash games. This
was his first appearance at
the WSOP. It was worth a
whopping $137,265 in prize
money.
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #17
6/18/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,500 + $0
PLAYERS 373
PRIZE
POOL
$857,900
1. Quinn Do . . . . . . . . $265,975
Seattle, WA
2. Chi Chang . . . . . . . $137,265
Los Angeles, CA
3. Mike Davis . . . . . . . . $68,630
Spokane, WA
4. Tony Nasr . . . . . . . . . $60,055
Pico Rivera, CA
5. Tom Franklin . . . . . . $39,000
Gulfport, MS
6. Sammy Arzoin . . . . . $42,895
New York, NY
7. Rodeen Talebi . . . . . $34,315
Dallas, TX
8. Spencer Sun . . . . . . . $25,735
Novato, CA
9. Noah Boeken . . . . . . $17,160
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Demolition Man:
Anthony Reategui
annihilates final table
in No-Limit Hold’em
Shootout, and takes
$269,100 for
first place
If Anthony Reategui
ever decides to quit playing
poker for a living and start
a business, he might consider a career as a demolition
man. He flattened a formidable final table lineup in
such convincing fashion,
that the outcome was foreseeable even when as many
as seven players remained.
When he busted his closest
rival in chips and gobbled
up more than half the chips
in play, it appeared the
remaining players were all
competing for second place.
Reategui effectively busted
seven of his nine opponents, making a shambles
of their confidence and
leaving a wasteland where
their chips once proudly
rested.
Reategui’s victory came
in Event #16. The NoLimit Shootout championship requires different
skills than are required for
standard poker tournaments.
In a shootout, the goal is
to outlast all the players at
your table, much like the
way a single-table satellite
is played. The player who
wins his/her respective table
moves on to play in the
next shootout round, until
the final table takes place
and the champion is determined. Each time a new
shootout begins, all players
start with the same number
of chips. So, ‘early’ chip
leaders are insignificant in
the grand scheme of shootout strategy. Surviving,
outlasting, and ultimately
winning are the goals.
The total prize pool am
Anthony Reagetui is a 29year-old poker pro who was
born in Chicago. However,
he has spent most of his
life in the Phoenix area.
He worked in a car wash
before he discovered poker
six years ago. Since then,
Reagetui has grinded out a
steady income from online
poker games and casinos in
and around Phoenix.
Most interesting is the
fact that Reagetui got his
inspiration to enter the
World Series from Pat
Poels, who won the Omaha
High-Low championship
(Event #4) at this year’s
tournament. “Before, I
used to think I was dead
money in these tournaments,” Reagetui said.
“Then Pat (Poels) told
me, ‘don’t worry about it,
you’re a good player, you’ll
get there.’ So, I decided
to play and got red hot in
this event. And look, here
I am.”
Asked about his plans
for some of the $269,100 in
prize money, Reagetui says
he intends to play more
poker. “The best thing
about winning is that I can
stay in action longer. I can
also play a bit higher, now.
I also told all my friends
that if I won we’d all go to
Hawaii. That’s like six or
seven of us.”
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #16
6/17/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $1,500 + $0
PLAYERS 780
PRIZE
POOL
$1,076,400
Anthony Reategui
1. Anthony Reategui . $269,100
Chandler, AZ
2. Paul Kroh . . . . . . . . $146,380
Battle Mountain, NV
3. Phil Gordon . . . . . . . $75,350
El Paso, TX
4. Young Phan . . . . . . . $64,585
Irvine, CA
5. Kenny Robbins . . . . $53,820
Las Vegas, NV
6. Ted Lawson . . . . . . . $43,055
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Plantation, FL
27
Patriots Play Poker
This 4th of July be proud you’re an American Poker Player.
After all, we invented the game. Poker is more
American than baseball or apple pie. Poker
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
By Byron Liggett
developed with the new nation and is a part of
our heritage and culture. As such, it reflects
much of the American character and personality.
The Colonies were a hostile land in which courage and selfreliance determined success…and often survival. Only the most
rugged, independent, capable risk-takers were attracted to the
New World. American Independence wasn’t a gift. It was won. The
Founding Fathers were courageous competitors who staked their
lives in a No-Limit contest with Britain, the world’s strongest
player. The winners then created a nation based on the principles
of individual freedom and self-reliance. The new nation was
declared a Democracy! In the USA, anyone can have a seat at the
table, regardless of race, sex, or religion. Everyone is equal …as
long as they have a buy-in.
Free enterprise capitalism would “power” the new Republic. It
was a natural, ideal system for a nation of gamblers. Every player
risks an investment to make a profit through wisdom and luck.
Whether you’re talking about Adam Smith, Henry Ford, Bill Gates,
or Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth and Chris Moneymaker – they’re
all champions of the same game.
When sculptor Gutzon Borglum was chosen to design “a monument to America” on the granite face of Mt. Rushmore, he decided upon a colossal work featuring four gamblers.
George Washington, “The Father of Our Country” was a courageous, bold, disciplined risk-taker. Like many “Gentlemen” of
the period, he was fond of horse racing and occasionally bet on
cockfights. One of Washington’s favorite pastimes was playing
cards. A careful competitor, he meticulously noted every penny
won or lost.
Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence
and third President of the United States, was an avid gambler.
Late in life, he wrote to his grandson who was entering college,
admitting that as a young man he was often among “the society of
horseracers, cardplayers, foxhunters, and professional men [gamblers].” President Jefferson’s purchase of the Louisiana Territory
doubled the size of the country. Thirteen states would eventually
be carved from it. Moreover, with the purchase, gambling would
forever become an intimate part of America’s history and culture.
Rivers became principal avenues of transportation and commerce throughout the vast new frontier, igniting the Golden Age
of Riverboats, and riverboat gamblers. The Westward Movement
was led by gold miners, gamblers and gunslingers.
Abraham Lincoln was a product of the early frontier. In his
youth, Abe earned a few cents and the respect of others as a
referee for cockfights. As a young man during his riverboat days,
Lincoln was a penny-ante poker player. Abe eventually pursued a
career in politics to become our 16th President. Although it took a
Civil War, he ended slavery and kept the nation whole. Many consider him our greatest leader.
Theodore Roosevelt was the fourth and final profile on Mt.
Rushmore. Sculptor Borglum included the nation’s 26th President
because he thought TR epitomized the energy, confidence, and
charisma of the American spirit. Teddy admired the rugged men
who built the West. As a young man roaming the West, these were
the men from whom he learned to ride, hunt, drink, and play poker.
He once said, “The gambling cowboy is an excellent figure.”
It’s more than coincidence that all four Presidents honored on
Mt. Rushmore were gamblers. Historians consider the extent to
which a President changed the course of history to be the measure of their greatness. If so, then greatness goes to the gamblers.
Byron Liggett grew-up in the Northwest, working as a
journalist and consultant for cardrooms in the early 1970s.
Moving to Nevada in 1984, he became a gaming writer, editor and columnist for major player and trade publications.
He has also acted as a consultant for most major poker
tournaments to produce press & PR materials.
Write him at [email protected]
28
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
asked & answered:
Quizzes from Mike Caro University of Poker
This series is based on the MCU library of research and advice found at Poker1.com.
Each issue, Mike Caro presents 10 new questions covering a category of poker, targeted for beginner, intermediate, or advanced players. Quiz #23 is about poker tells, targeted at intermediate players. (Answers and explanations appear in the next issue).
Tells
(level: intermediate)
1. When you spot a tell,
you should...
a. Make the opponent
aware that he is being scrutinized, hoping he’ll have more
respect for your game in the
future;
b. Act immediate in accordance with it;
c. Wait before acting;
d. Tease the opponent
about the tell in a friendly
way, so he’ll know what it
is, but won’t feel that you’re
being too critical.
2. If an opponent inhales
from a cigarette and bets,
it’s more likely a bluff if...
a. He doesn’t exhale
noticeably;
b. He decides to quit
smoking right then and
there;
c. His cigarette is unfiltered;
d. You see a huge cloud of
smoke exhaled.
3. In a three-way pot, if a
woman throws chips in your
direction, but the bettor on
the previous round was the
third player...
a. She wants a call;
b. She’s almost always trying for a flush;
c. She’s most likely forgotten that the third player is
involved in the pot;
d. It’s more likely than
usual that she’s weak or
bluffing.
4. Mike Caro calls the sad
“tsk” sound heard when
poker players put their
tongues against the roof of
their mouths, apply pressure,
and release pressure...
a. The power puppy;
b. The suck of poker;
c. Pokerclack;
d. Smack attack.
5. When you hear the
sound described in the previous question, you should
usually fold medium-strong
hands.
a. True;
b. False.
6. Tells can account for
more than half your profit at
poker.
a. True;
b. False.
7. Which is a sign that
a player may have a weak
hand or be bluffing (part 1)?
a. The player is talking,
but seems incoherent;
b. The player is wearing a
striped shirt;
c. The player’s friend is
watching over his shoulder;
d. The player is humming a
tune.
8. Which is a sign that
a player may have a weak
hand or be bluffing (part 2)?
a. The player is breathing
loudly;
b. The player telling a joke
in a natural-sounding way;
c. The player is playing
with his chips;
d. The player was tapping his fingers, but stopped
when you reached toward
your chips to possibly call.
9. Which is a sign that a
player may have a strong
hand (part 1)...
a. The player doesn’t seem
to be paying any attention
to the opponents who must
decide to act first;
b. The player is glaring at
you;
c. The player is conspicuously following the action;
d. The player is reaching
for chips prematurely.
10. Which is a sign that a
player may have a strong
hand (part 2)...
a. The player is staring at
you as you begin to bet, but
smiling;
b. The player sighs as you
begin to bet;
c. The player looks back at
his cards before you can bet;
d. All of the above.
WATCH FOR
ANSWERS IN OUR
NEXT ISSUE!
If you do not remember the questions, you will find them on our
web site—Download previous issues at
http://www.pokerplayernewspaper.com/
to last issue’s questions
backissues
answers
Q #1 ANSWER: (b). Wild Bill
Hickok was not a championship poker player.
Q #2 ANSWER: (d). Bill Smith
was the only player among
those listed (also included,
Dewey Tomko, Mike Caro, and
Linda Johnson) who won the
World Series of Poker main
event.
Q #3 ANSWER: (c). When Tom
McEvoy won the World Series
of Poker main event title in
1983, Rod Peate finished second.
Q #4 ANSWER: (b). When Tom
McEvoy won the World Series
of Poker main event title in
1983, Doyle Brunson finished
third.
Q #5 ANSWER: (b). Among
those listed, only Mike Caro
has never won a World Series
of Poker championship bracelet. (The others listed were
Linda Johnson, Billy Baxter,
and David Sklansky — all
bracelet winners.) Perhaps
Caro’s failure to win is due
to lack of skill or, alternatively, to his reluctance to
play in many tournaments in
the past. You make the call.
Caro will play in the WSOP
main event this year (over
6,000 players are expected
to enter), but has decided not
to enter any of the preliminary events. His free morning
seminar will kick off the 2005
WSOP main event on July 7
at the Rio in Las Vegas. See
details in this issue of Poker
Player. And for more about his
feelings about tournaments in
general and what can be done
to improve them, read his column beginning on the cover.
Q #6 ANSWER: (a). It’s true
that Doyle Brunson won two
consecutive WSOP main event
titles while holding 10-2. Both
EdboWm_dd[hademi
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playing in a high stakes game meant you were risking your life along with your bankroll.
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Time . Some events H ...... Hold’em
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N ...........No Limit
7. 7-Card Stud
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Pn.......Panginque
S........... Stud
5 ...Five Card
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Flamingo Laughlin
8A
Harrah’s Las Vegas
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Z......... Freezeout
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Sh .........Shootout
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DC Dealer’s Choice
HH ... Headhunter
B .......... Bounties
Sp ............ Spread
$17 8A
$30RB(1)$40 11A
$50RB$25AO$5 7P
$50RB$25AO$5
NH
NH
Z
NH
NH
$25RB(1)$10 2P
NH
$25RB(1)$10 7P
NH
$25 12P& L/N H Z
#M ..# of players
maximum
RB ......... Re-buys
AO ......... Add Ons
Cz .............. Crazy
E....... Elimination
WEDNESDAY
Buy-in
$50RB(1)$40
$50RB(1)$40
$60RB$10AO$40
$25
$23
$15
$40AO$3
Time Games
1P&
NH
7P
NH
8P& N H
10A
NH
7P O H/L B
12P& H Sh
11A
L/N H
Buy-in
$50RB(1)$40
$50RB(1)$40
$60RB$10AO$40
$25
$23
$15
$40AO$3
Note: All tournaments are subject to change. Check with the Cardroom for any updates. Cardrooms—
please send your schedules to Tournament Editor Joel Gausten, [email protected]
THURSDAY
Time Games
1P&
NH
7P
NH
8P&
NH
10A
NH
12P&
11A
H Sh
L/N H
Buy-in
$50RB(1)$40
$50RB(1)$40
$60RB$10AO$40
$25
FRIDAY
Time Games
12P
NH
8P&
10A
$15 12P&
$40AO$3 11A
7PWk1& H
$110 7P& O H/L B $25RB$10AO$20 7P&
$60RB(1)$40AO$40 11A
N H $60RB(1)$40AO$40 11A
N H $60RB(1)$40AO$40 11A
$125RB$100AO$100 7P
N H $125RB$100AO(1)$100 7P
N H $125RB$100AO$100 7P
$17 8A
$30RB(1)$40 11A
$50RB$25AO$5 1P
12A
Z
$17 8A
$30RB(1)$40 11A
$50RB$25AO$5 1P
$50RB$25AO$5
NH
NH
$25RB(1)$10 2P
NH
$25RB(1)$10 7P
NH
$25 12P& L/N H Z
Z
NH
$25RB(1)$10 2P
NH
$25RB(1)$10 7P
NH
$25 12P& L/N H Z
$17 8A
$30RB(1)$40 11A
$50RB$25AO$5
NH
NH
Z
$25RB(1)$10 2P
NH
$25RB(1)$10
$25 12P& L/N H Z
HZ
$30(30M) 10A
NHZ
$60(30M) 6P
N H $130RB$100AO(1)$100 7P
HZ
NHZ
NH
$30(30M) 10A
$60(30M) 6P
$130RB$100 7P
HZ
NHZ
NH
$30(30M) 10A
$60(30M)
$230RB(1)$200
HZ
Nevada Palace
Oasis-Mesquite
10A
11A
7P
H
NH
NH
H
NH
NH
H
NH
NH
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
$25RB$10
H
NH
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
H
NH
The Orleans
12P O H/L
NH
7P
12P
NH
8P& N H
12P& N H
•Plaza Casino (p17)
Rio Suite Casino
River Palms
•Sahara
$40RB$20
$40RB$20
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$40RB(1)$40
12P
7P
12P
8P&
12P&
6P&
11A
7P&
O H/L
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
$40RB$20AO$2 11A
$40RB$20AO$2 7P&
Speedway
4P
Stardust
10A
•Sunset Station (p10) 10A
•Texas Station (p10) 7P
Virgin River Casino
6P
L/N H
NH
LH
NH
NH
$23RB$10AO$20
$40
$18AO$2
$40
$20RB$10
H
NH
NH
NH
NH
7 H/L
NH
NH
$19 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
$120RB(1)$100 6P
$40RB$20
$40RB$20
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$40RB(1)$40
12P
7P
12P
8P&
12P&
NH
H
NH
NH
NH
$40RB$20
$40RB$20
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$40RB(1)$40
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
$40RB$20AO$2 11A
$40RB$20AO$2 7P&
NH
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20 6P&
$40RB$20AO$2 11A
$40RB$20AO$2 7P&
7P
H
NH
NH
NH
L/N H
NH
NH
NH
$23RB$10AO$20
$40 12P
$23AO$2 10A
$40 7P
6P
LH
LH
NH
NH
•Sam’s Town (p38)
NV Atlantis Casino
NORTH Boomtown
12P& L H Sh
Cactus Petes-Jackpot
7P
Pi
Circus Circus
Eldorado
Harrah's Reno
4P
H
10A&
Harvey’s Tahoe
•Peppermill (p41)
1P
Reno Hilton
Rainbow Cas. W Wendover
CA Casino Morongo
SAN Casino Pauma
DIEGO Harrah’s Rincon
&
Lake Elsinore
10A
10A
7P
6P
$15 10A&
7P
$15RB$10
NH
L O High
O H/L B
NH
7 Sh
NH
$25RB(1)$10 2P
NH
$25RB(1)$10
$25 12P& L/N H Z
$25
$30(30M)
5P
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
H
NH
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 3P
N H$330RB$200AO(1)$200
H
NH
$18
$25RB$10
$40RB$20
$40RB$20
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$40RB(1)$40
12P
7P
12P
8P&
12P&
O H/L
NH
NH
NH
NH
$50RB(1)$20
$60RB(1)$40
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$40RB(1)$40
12P
7P
12P
8P&
12P&
H
NH
NH
NH
NH
$50RB(1)$20
$125RB(1)$100
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$40RB(1)$40
12P
7P
12P
8P&
12P&
NH
H
NH
NH
NH
$50RB(1)$20
$60RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$50RB(1)$50
$40RB(1)$40
$25RB$10AO$20
$40RB$20AO$2
$40RB$20AO$2
$45RB$20AO$20
6P&
11A
7P&
7P
O H/L
NH
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20
$40RB$20AO$2
$40RB$20AO$2
$45RB$20AO$20
6P&
11A
7P&
7P
Po H
NH
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20
$40RB$20AO$2
$40RB$20AO$2
$45RB$20AO$20
6P&
11A
7P&
7P
NH
NH
NH
NH
$25RB$10AO$20
$40RB$20AO$2
$40RB$20AO$2
$45RB$20AO$20
L/N H
$23RB$10AO$20 4P
L/N H
$23RB$10AO$20
4P
F
$23AO$2 11A
$40
$20RB$10
$15 12P&
7P
NH
$23AO$2 11A
NH
$23AO$2 Varies Varies
Varies
L H Sh
NH
$15 10A&
$22RB$10
7 Sh
$15 12P& L H Sh
7P
NH
12P
H
$15
$22RB$10
F RB$20
F RB$10
$15 10A
H
$15 10A
H
$15
NH
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25 10A
NH
$25
NH
6P
$25AO$10 1P
H
NH
$25RB$20
$25AO$10 1P
7P
$15(24M) 9A
NH
LH
NH
$25AO$10
$65 7P
$15(24M) 9A&
$33RB$30
$115RB$100 6P
$15(24M) 9A
8P
NH
NH
LH
$110 6P
$15(24M) 9A
$25RB$20
NH
NH
2P
$110
$25(30M) 9A
6P
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
$25(30M)
$50
DC
H
NH
H
H
NH
$5RB$5AO$5
$5RB$5AO$10B$5
$15RB$10AO$10
O H/L
$22RB$11 10A
$65 10A
H
NH
$22RB$11
$40RB(1)$20
$30 10A
4P
NH
$12RB$10AO$10 6P&
NH
$25B$5 10A
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
NH
NH
LH
NH
LH
$30
$30
$17
$12B$5
$25RB$20AO$50
HH L H
Mx
NH
$40RB$10
$15RB$10AO$10
$30RB$15AO$15
5O
$10RB$10AO$10 7P&
H
10A&
NH
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
NH
10A
O H/L
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
$35 10A
10A
6P
10A
10A&
10A
NH
N Cz Pi
$10RB$10AO$10 7P&
H
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
NH
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
NH
$60 10A
4P
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
LH
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
6P
NH
NH
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
$20RB(2)$15
LH
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
NH
$35 10A
NH
$55 10A
NH
$35 10A
LH
10A
$35 10A
O H/L
NH
NH
$30 10A
NH
$30 10A
NH
$30RB$10 12P
$60 7P
F
NH
Club One Casino
7P
Commerce Club
•Crystal Park Casino (p42)
NH
$27RB(2)$15 10A
NH
•Diamond Jim’s (p12) 6P
O Pi H
$25RB$10 6P
LH
Hawaiian Gardens
12P
•Hollywood Park (p7) 11A
7P
NH
7 H/L
LH
$15RB$10 12P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 7P
O H/L
NH
NH
•Hustler Casino (p15) 7P
Normandie Casino
NH
H
10A
6P
10A
LH
Sp L H
H
10A
NH
$30
6P
NH
$30
10A 7 H/L Sp
$12
10A& N H
$12B$5
10A
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5
NH
NH
NH
$30RB$10 12P
$60 7P
$20RB$10AO$10
$14RB$5/$10AO$20 7P&
7P
NH
Pn
$27(80M)RB(2)$15 10A
$40
NH
$14RB$5/$10AO$20 10A
7P
7P
$20RB$10 6P Wk4LadiesL H
S H/L
O H/L
LH
$15RB$10 12P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 7P
7P
7P
NH
NH
$125 7P
$30RB(2)AO(1)
$25 6P LH/L OH/L $50RB$20AO$40 11A
$36RB$20 11A
H
$77 11A
$25RB$20 12P O H/L
$55 6P
Sp L
$60RB$40AO 10A
H
1P
$20
$125RB(1)$100 10A
H Sh
NH Sh
6P
NH
7P
H/O H/L
$10RB$10AO$10 11A
$5RB$5AO$10B$5 4P
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
$17RB$5AO$5 10A
LH
$22 6P&
NH
$12B$5 10A
NH$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
HH N H
HH N H
H
H
NH
$15RB$10 6P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 8P
1P
7P
LH
H
H
$48
$36RB$20 11A
$10
$50
H
$40RB(1)$40 10A
Sp L
$40RB$40AO 10A
H
$15 1P
6P
$45RB(1)$40 10A
H Sh
NH Sh
NH
$15 1P
$20
$45RB(1)$40
H Sh
N H $14RB$5/$10AO$20 7P& N H(80M)
Pn
$40 1P
Pn
NH
$15 7P
NH
LH
NH
NH
1P
LH
$25RB 6P
$17RB$10 11A
$225RB(1)$200 8P
Mx
7
Po H
7P
$20RB$10AO$10 1P
$40RB$30AO$30 7P
$27RB(2)$15 12P
$40 1P
$15
LH
Pn
$19RB$5/$10AO$20
$40
$25RB$10 1P
1PWk4
F RB$10
$17RB$10 11A
$330RB(1)$300 4P
NH
NH
$50
$100
LH
N H Sh
$22RB$10
$120
F 5P
NH
$30RBAO
$40RB$40AO 10A
$15 1P
10A
O H/L
Sp L H
6P
$70RB(1)$60 11A
NH
H
$49RB$20AO$40
$70RB(1)$60
2P
10A
H
NH
$50 2P
$25RB(1)$20 10A
H
NH
$50
$25RB(1)$20
Sp L
$15 1P
5P
$55 10A
H Sh
NF
LH
$15
F 6P
$65 12P
NH Sh
NH
$20
$25RB(1)$100
9A
12P
NH
Varies
$40 11A
$65RB$50AO$50 1P
Varies
LH
Varies
$65RB(2)$50
6P
O H/L F
RB$10
$99 11A
$60RB$40AO
H Sh
LH
$55
$60RB$50AO$50
$10RB$5AO$10
$20RB$20(1)
NH
NH
$17RB$5AO$5
3P& Pai Gow
$50RB$20 7P
LH
H
H
LH
$10RB$10AO$10 12P
$5RB$5AO$10B$5 4P
$15RB$10AO$10 10A&
$225
O
6P
11A
$20RB$20(1) 7P
H
H
NH
$30RB$10
$40RB$20
$25
$15RB$10 12P
$17RB$10 11A
$35 7P
$20RB 7P
$10RB$5AO$10
H
F 6P&
O
$12B$5 10A&
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5 10A
$60RB$10 12P
$60 7P
$15RB$10AO$10 7P
H
H
6P&
10A&
10A
NH
NH
Mx
$50 7P
NH
10A
$30RB$10 12P
$40RB$20 7P
7P
$125RB(1)$100
L H $28RB(1)$20AO(1)$20 11A
11A
12P
7P
$30RB$10AO$20 10A
NH
$30
NH
$30
NH
$12
O H/L
$12B$5
NH$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5
LH
NH
NH
CO N T ’ D O N PAG E 35
NH
$17
$30RB(1)$40
$50RB$25AO$5
$25 12P& L/N H Z
Z
H
10A
11A
$17 8A
$30RB(1)$40 11A
1P
$15 4P
NH
$30
NH
$30
LH
$12
NH
$12B$5
O$30RB$20AO(1)$50B(20)$5
Lucky Derby Casino
Oaks Card Club
•Palace Indian Casino
Sonoma Joe's
NH
Pi Z
$12
N H $60RB(1)$40AO$40
N H $125RB$100AO$100
H
•Pechanga (p32) 10A
6P
Sycuan
10A
Viejas
10A
10A
Village Club
Gold Rush
Kelly’s Cardroom
Lucky Chances
$25RB(1)$10 2P
$15
$12 10A
$30RB$20AO(1)$20 11A
$330RB$200AO(1)$200 7P
Z
$125RB$25AO$50
$25
$15 4P
LH
California Grand
Casino San Pablo
Garden City
$17 8A
$30RB(1)$40 11A
NH
NH
H
$15(24M) 9A&
$25RB$20
11A
7 Sh
H Sh
Pi Z
NH
$125RB$25AO$50 8P&
$25 10A
Buy-in
$15 4P
$22RB$20
$25 10A
•Lucky Lady (p55)
Oceans Eleven
10A
CA Artichoke Joe’s
NORTH Bay 101
Cache Creek
$15 10A&
$15 12P&
$40AO$3
Buy-in Time Games
H
NH
NH
NH
NH
•Club Caribe (p12) 7P
$15 12P& L H Sh
$22RB$10
NH
7P
H
O H/L
NH
NH
NH
NH
NH
SUNDAY
$15 4P
6P
$25 10A
9A
8P
CA •Bicycle Club (p3) 12P
L.A.
7P
4P
$40 10A
$18AO$2 10A
$37RB$10 7P
F
12P
7P
12P
8P&
12P&
$125RB$25AO$50 8P&
$25 10A
O H/L B $25RB$10AO$20 10A
N H $60RB(1)$40AO$40 11A
N H $230RB$200AO$100 7P
HZ
$30(30M) 10A
NHZ
$60(30M) 6P
L H $130RB$100AO(1)$100 7P
$18 10A
$15RB(1)$15 11A
$120 7P
SATURDAY
Buy-in Time Games
$100AO$10
H Sh
L/N H
10A
6P
7P
•Mirage (p13)
INLAND
EMPIRE
DAILY TOURNAMENTS
NOW! Get Tournament Listings at our website: www.pokerplayernewspaper.com
11A
H
$10RB$5AO$10
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
33
Learning to be a Winner
SENIORS SCENE
By George “The engineer” EPSTEIN
What is the best way to learn to be a winner at
the game of poker?
Reading Nick Christenson’s review of the new DVD, Texas
Hold’em: The Winning Strategy with Mike Caro (Poker Player,
June 13, 2005), caused me to contemplate that question. Since I
have been teaching poker classes at a senior citizens center for
three semesters, I now have a basis for addressing that question.
By the way, I certainly don’t agree with Christenson that Caro’s
new DVD should “be considered by beginners only.” Categorically,
I would opine that anything Mike Caro (The Mad Genius of Poker)
writes or says – in any media – is undoubtedly of value to anyone
who plays poker and wants to be a winner, whether a new player
or one with years of experience.
Christenson seems to suggest that reading books is the best
way to learn to play poker. There is no question that books by
experts can help you to be more successful. Any form of education is desirable. Having written my own poker book and, more
recently, a booklet presenting an algorithm for hold’em, I realize
that books offer a powerful avenue to learning; after all, that’s
one of the ways we learned in school.
But more important is contact with the teacher in the classroom environment that a video or book cannot provide. Recently
I lectured to a group of yacht club members; they are preparing
for a tournament to benefit a charitable foundation. In this and
all my lectures, I encourage the “students” to ask questions and
make appropriate comments. That sort of give-and-take is missing
when you read a book or watch a video. When one student asks a
question, the others in the class benefit from hearing the answer;
they too learn from that discussion.
By Way of Example. . . On one occasion, when I discussed
the nut flush in hold’em, Allen B., a bright “student” in one of my
classes, exclaimed: “That’s an invincible hand!” That led me to
respond: “No, Allen, not necessarily. It is the best possible flush,
but if there is a pair on the board, an opponent could have a full
house or even quads.” I went on to illustrate this situation. That
sort of interaction is not possible when relying on books or videos.
Teaching Others to Be Winners. While employed as an engineer in the aerospace industry, I have been teaching engineering
courses at UCLA for about 50 years. (I still do.) Now I find myself
teaching poker classes at a local senior citizens center. The one
class has grown to two – to accommodate both beginners and
experienced players; and next fall we will add a Poker Lab. My
students have learned both from my lectures and by reading
my books – and also class discussions about selected items in
Poker Player. Further, as part of each class, we play for chips (no
money); and the final class session includes our own tournament
(with prizes). Then the class is treated to a special tournament
hosted by the Hustler Casino. For many of the students, it’s the
first time they enter a local casino. I call that “the total learning
experience.”
After learning my hold’em algorithm, Phillipe A., one of my
“students,” went on to win or make the final table in several
tournaments in local casinos and in Las Vegas. As his teacher, I
am proud of his accomplishment. Could he have learned this skill
by reading the hold’em algorithm booklet? Or by viewing a video?
Sure, they do help; but getting back to our original question, I
believe the classroom environment – with the opportunity for discussion and actual playing of hands – is the most effective way to
learn to be a winner.
. . . So readers, what’s YOUR opinion?
George “The Engineer” Epstein is the author of The
Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! (T/C Press, PO
Box 36006, Los Angeles, CA 90036). His new algorithm
booklet, Hold’em or Fold’em?, was a big hit at the recent
World Poker Players Conference. George teaches a poker
course for seniors at the Claude Pepper Sr. Citizen Center
under the auspices of the City of Los Angeles Dept. of
Recreation and Parks. He is currently writing a new book
on Rules & Strategies for WINNING at Texas Hold’em.
George can be reached by e-mail: [email protected].
34
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
John Wayne
Gambler, Gunslinger,
Great American
by Byron Liggett
When John Wayne died June
11th, 1979, the Tokyo newspaper headline proclaimed, “Mr.
America passes on”. Ronald
Reagan said of his friend,
“He gave the whole world the
image of what an American
should be.”
From a B-movie actor, he
grew to become an American
legend and cultural icon. In his
movies and in his heart, John
Wayne represented, reflected
and rejoiced in the spirit and
values of America.
Born in Iowa in 1907,
Marion Michael Morrison
moved to southern California
with his parents when he was
six. He picked up the nickname “Duke” as a boy. He had
a paper route, was a Boy Scout
and a member of the YMCA.
An honor student at
Glendale High School and an
outstanding football player,
Duke Morrison won an athletic
scholarship to USC. He played
for the Trojans until a shoulder injury ended his football
career.
Unable to afford USC, Duke
got a job as a prop man on
movie sets. At 6’4”, well-built
and remarkably handsome,
he soon changed his name to
John Wayne and started playing bit parts in B-westerns.
Eventually, director John Ford
became his mentor, drinking
buddy and poker playing pal.
Ford and Wayne formed
the “Young Men’s Purity,
Abstinence and Snooker Pool
Association”. It was comprised
of actors, writers, directors
and producers who liked
to drink, socialize and play
poker. Regular participants
were Ward Bond, legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt,
Ben Johnson, and Johnny
Weissmuller among others.
On one drunken occasion,
Ward Bond bet Wayne that he
couldn’t hit him hard enough
to knock him off an open
newspaper. Duke accepted the
bet, whereupon Bond walked
to the door, spread the newspaper, closed it and laughed, “Go
ahead!” Young Wayne won the
wager when his fist suddenly
exploded through the door,
knocking Bond back.
As a western star, John
Wayne broke with tradition.
Unlike the elaborately dressed,
impeccably groomed screen
idols Tom Mix, Gene Autry
and Hopalong Cassidy, Wayne
portrayed “real” cowboys as
depicted by novelist Zane
Grey and artist Frederick
Remington. As a man facing
great odds against evil-doers
throughout the Depression Era
‘30s, WWII and the Cold War,
Duke became America’s Hero.
Director John Ford fondly
recalled, “The Westerns were
especially fun” Out on location, “the stars in the desert
sky, good beef on the grill, and
some music. We didn’t talk
film at night. It was off limits.
We played poker or dominoes.”
Young Wayne worked hard,
drank hard and played hard.
A biographer writes, “Duke
thrived on working with the
cowboys and spent most of his
evenings playing poker with
them. Poker games lasted late
into the night, even though the
company had a 4:30am call the
next morning.” Nevertheless,
Wayne was always ready for
action.
Rejected for military service during World War II
because of his football injury,
John Wayne devoted himself
to making inspirational war
films. He so epitomized “G.I.
Joe”, America’s fighting man,
that years after the war when
Japanese Emperor Hirohito
visited the U.S. he insisted on
seeing John Wayne as a show
of respect to America’s combat
soldiers.
John Wayne made dozens
of films, many of them westerns and war pictures. He was
always the American savior,
defender of the weak and
innocent, righter of wrongs,
deliverer of justice. Whether it
was The Alamo, The Fighting
Seabees, or The Green Berets,
John Wayne’s movies honored
America’s fight for freedom.
Off-screen, Duke liked to
drink, fish and play poker
with his friends. An actress
reported, “I was invited to
play poker with John Wayne
one night... When I left, I was
nearly bankrupt because I’m
not a very good player.”
Actor Montgomery Clift
occasionally joined the nightly
poker game. According to him,
“they laughed, drank, told dirty
jokes, and slapped each other
on the back” in what he called
a “machismo thing”. The
group was no less civil when
actress Maureen O’Hara took a
seat at the table.
Apparently, Duke could
play the game well. His wife
Pilar said that, “in one all-night
poker game” with the owner/
trainer of the Big Screen’s
first Lassie, “Duke won all the
Lassies.” She recalled, “The
next day the man was devastated. That was his livelihood.”
Typically generous and big
hearted, Wayne returned the
dogs.
In 1963, John Wayne
bought a 135-ft., WWII Navy
minesweeper for $110,000.
Named the Wild Goose, it
became his sanctuary and club
house. It had a crew of eight,
several guest rooms, and he
equipped it with a wet-bar
and poker table. He spent as
much time on it as possible
and every summer sailed
Puget Sound and the San
Juan Islands with family and
friends.
During the making of the
Sons of Katie Elder, he and
Dean Martin became drinking
and poker buddies. Dean was a
frequent guest aboard the Wild
Goose.
When Pilar, his wife of
many years left him in 1973,
facing age and fading stardom,
America’s Hero struggled. He
drank and spent money recklessly. A friend reported, “I
watched him lose $11,000 on
one roll of the dice in Vegas
one night.”
Duke made his last picture,
The Shootist, in Carson City,
Nevada, in 1976. Old and ill,
he was asked how he wanted
to be remembered, Duke
replied, “Feo, Feurte y Formal”
– a Spanish proverb meaning,
“He was ugly, strong and had
dignity.”
John Wayne defined what it
was to be an American. And,
both in his movies and in his
personal life, poker played an
important role.
e-mail: [email protected]
Time . Some events Wk ..............Week H ...... Hold’em 7. 7-Card Stud Pi ....... Pineapple S........... Stud DC Dealer’s Choice Sp ............ Spread Z......... Freezeout #M # of players max DAILY TOURNAMENTS
(CONT’D FROM PAGE 33)
start after the hour & . Add’l gametimes L ................. Limit O .......Omaha Po.........Pot Limit 5 Five Card Stud HH ... Headhunter Al ...... Alternates Q .............Qualify RB ......... Re-buys
A, P ........ AM, PM
on this day. Call N ...........No Limit H/L High/Low Split Pn.......Panginque Mx ..Mexican Poker B .......... Bounties F .............Freeroll Sh .........Shootout AO ......... Add Ons Cz .............. Crazy E....... Elimination
● Denotes Advertiser
REGION/Cardroom(Ad Pg.)
MONDAY
Time Games
TUESDAY
Buy-in Time Games
AZ •Apache Gold (p41)
Blue Water Casino
Bucky’s Casino
Buy-in Time Games
6P
12P
•Casino Arizona-Scottsdale (p43) 11A
Casino Del Sol
10A
Cliff Castle
6P&
NH
HZ
S Sh
Fort McDowell
Gila River/Wild Horse Pass
Gila River-Vee Quiva
12P&
12P
11A
NH
NH
7B
Harrah’s Ak Chin
Hon-Dah Casino
Paradise Casino
6P
Flop
CO Midnight Rose
Ute Mountain
6P
H
CT Foxwoods
8A&
NH
$60 7P
$10RB$5 10A
$15 11A
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
$25RB$20
$20 11A
$10 6P
7P
H
NH
O H/L Z
H Sh
NH
HB
H Sh F
NH
$60 8A&
6P
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
$15+$5 11A
$55 6P
H
12P& N H
8P
O H/L
$75 6P
$70RB$30AO$50
7P
10A
$20RB$20(24M)
$10RB$10 6P
HB
7P&
F 6P
$45 7P
O H/L B
NH
H
N H Sh
NH
$13RB$10AO$20 12P& N H
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
12P Men H/N A I$25RB$10AO(1)$20
$15+$5 11A
HB
$15+$5
$25RB$15 7P&Ladies H Cz Pi
$10 6P
O H/L
$35 7P
$20RB(2)$10 1P
$25
NH
NH
Pi
H Sh
NH
H
Buy-in Time Games
3P
2P
$25RB$10AO$30 1P
$60 4thWk10AN H
$10RB$5
$15
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
12P
NH
NH
$25RB$15AO(1)$10 12P
3P
1P
11A
$13RB$10AO$20 12P&
H
H
O H/L
$25RB$15 12P
$10
$13 1P
F
12P
12P
$25RB$5AO 6P&
6P
NH
H
7P
NH
$20RB$20(24M)
7P
N H/O
$10RB$10AO$10
$40 12P
NH
NH
$100
$45 3P
7P
$45 1P
$45
NH
NH
NH
$45 5P
$45
$45 1P
12P
$65 6P
8P
N H Sh
NH
L/N H
$45
$65 12P&
$70RB$30AO$50
11A
NH
$150
NH
$10RB$10AO 7P&
NH
6P
Pi
$35RB$15AO$25 4A,6P& LH/NH
$20RB$10AO(1)$10
7P
NH
$40RB$20AO 12P
NH
$100 10A
Varies
NH
12P
Varies
$40RB$20 1P
$35RB$15AO$25 11A
NH
LH/NH
$10RB$10AO$10
$10RB$10 10A
NH
$10RB$10
NH
LH
$25RB$10
$35RB$15AO$25
10A
H Sh
12P Wk1 N H
$12
$120
Varies
$75RB$40AO$40
$10RB$5 6P
$35RB$15AO$25 11A
NH
LH/NH
$30RB$20 6P
$35RB$15AO$25 11A
NH
LH/NH
$25RB$10 3P
$35RB$15AO$25 2P
Varies
$25 12P
NHZ
$25 12P
NH
$25 12P
NHZ
12P
$25 2P
LH
NHZ
F$5RB(2)$5AO$5 12P
$25 12P
NH
NH
$10RB$10AO$10 12P
$50RB$10AO$10 12P
MO Harrah’s St Louis
Isle of Capri
1P
9A&
NH
NHZ
$100 30M 1P
$30 9A&
NH
NHZ
$100 30M 1P
$30 9A&
NH
NHZ
$100 30M
$30 9A&
NHZ
$30 9A&
NHZ
$30 9A&
NHZ
$30 9A&
MS Copa Casino
Grand Casino(Biloxi)
Grand Casino(Gulfport)
NH
$95
12P
H/O
1P
7P
NH
$80 50M 1P
N H $20RB$15AO$25/$50 7P
NE Rosebud Casino
7P
NH
NJ Tropicana
Trump Taj Mahal
7P
6P
NH
NH
$30RBAO 7P
$120 6P
NM Cities of Gold
6P
7P&
11A
NH
NH
•Seneca Irving
10A
7P
7P
NH
NH
NH
•Seneca Niagara
Turning Stone
10A
12P
N H $35RB(1)$30AO(1)$30 10A
LH
$60 7P
S
OR Chinook Winds Casino
4P
H
Wildhorse Casino Resort
SD Dakota Sioux
6P
Gold Dust Casino, Deadwood
Rosebud Casino
7P
WA Blue Mountain Casino
$25AO$(1)$5
$25Z 4P
Pi
$25Z 5P
12P
H
$5RB$15 12P
5PWk4LadiesN H
H
$15RB$10
NH
$80 50M 7P
N H $20RB$15AO$25/$50
S H/L
$130RB$100 70M 1P
HB
$15RB$15
NH
7
NH
$30RBAO 7P
$65 6P
NH
NH
$40RBAO 7P
$65 6P
F RB(1)$15AO$100 6P
$20RB$20 2P
$25 30M 11A
7P
Cz Pi
H
NH
Varies
$20RB(1)$10 6P
$15RB(1)$15 7P&
$25 30M 11A
$35
H
NH
NH
$25 6P
$20RB(1)$20 2P
$25 30M 11A
$35RB$30AO$30 10A
$35RB$30AO$30 7P
$60
NH
NH
$60RB$50 10A
$60RB$50 7P
7P
NH
NH
NH
NLH
NHB
$120 10A
$50AO(1)$25 7P
NH
7P
$30RB$10 7P
F RB$10 7P
F(100M)
$25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5 4P
6P
1P
$100 50M 4P
2P
$30RB$10AO$10
LH
NH
7
$10RB(3)$5AO$5
$30RB$10AO$10
NHZ
$30
NH
$30RBAO 4P
$120 6P
NH
NH
$120 70M 2P
$35
NH
$30RB$10AO$10 7P
NH
$60RBAO 12P
$225 6P&
$230 70M 2P
S
$15RB$10
NH
$100 50M
NH
NH
$55RBAO
$120
$30RB$10AO$10
NH
NH
$65RBAO 12P
$340 6P
O H/L $20RB(1)$10AO$50 6P
H
$15RB(1)$15 7P&
NH
$25 30M 11A
H $30RB(1)$20AO$200 5P
N H $50RB(2)$25AO(1)$35 2P
NH
$25 30M 7P
H
H
NH
$20RB$10 5P
$15RB(1)$15 2P
$18 30M 11A
12P
O H/L
H
NH
Varies
$60RB$50
$35RB10
$25RB$10 7P
NH
NH
$60 12P
NH
$20RB$5 7P
NH
$60
NH
NH
$35RB$10
$85AO(1)$40 12P
N H Sh
$50
11A
NH
$85 11A
NH
$120
7
S H/L
$10RB$5 7P
F RB$10 7P
O H/L
H/L Sp Z
$10RB$5 7P
$25 7P
H
NH
$10RB$5 2P
2P
H
NH
$20RB$10
$30RB$10 3P
H
8A
NH
$45RB(1)$10 8A
NH
$45RB(1)$10 8A
NH
$45RB(1)$10
4P
1P
NH
H
$25RB$5AO$50
$18RB$10
$10RB$5 4P
2P
$30RB$10AO$10 6P
V
H
NH
$20RB$10
$40
$30RB$10AO$10
11A
NH
O H/L $25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5 4P
H
$18RB$10
NH
$60 7P
$65RB(1)$40
$25RB$5AO$10 4P Tahoe H/L $25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5 4P
6P
N H $33RB(2)$15AO$15
6P
H
NH
N H Sh
7P
$10RB$5
7P
NH
NH
$25AO(1)$5
$50Z
11A
NH
$45
$130RB$20
N H/O
NH
11A
7
2P
12P
7P
$13
$55
$15
$20RB$20(24M)
Northern Light Casino Hotel
Shooting Star Casino
Dakota Magic
$40
H
12P& N H Sh
$45 12P& N H
7
NH
OK Comanche Red River Casino
H
$45
$45
$25AO$(1)$5 6P
ND 4 Bears Casino
$15+$5
$45 1P
NH
Varies N H
NH
NY •Seneca Allegany
HB
NH
$55AO$(1)$5 6P
Isleta Casino & Resort
Route 66 Casino
•Sandia Casino (p8)
$13RB$10AO$20
$45
NH
Grand Casino(Tunica)
Pearl River Resort
$15
NH
NH
6P
7
H Sh
$45 5P
Fortune Bay Casino
5P
$20RB$10
$25
NH
10A
F RB$15AO$15/$30
$75RB$40AO$40
$35RB$15AO$25 4A,6P& NH
$55
$45
$65RB$10AO$20 12P&
$60 8A&
H
O H/L
7F
Buy-in
$150
11A
$110 2P
NH
SUNDAY
$15RB$5AO$10
1P
7
O H/L
H
NH
$55 6P
12P
$75RB$10AO$20 6P
IL Hollywood Casino-Aurora
MN •Canterbury Park (p55) 10A
NH
$45 6P
NH
$45
$45 6P
NH
$45 Varies N H
H
4A,6P& LH
$60 11A
$10RB$5 10A
$15 11A
$60 8A&
6P
MI Chip-In's Island
Gold Strike Casino Resort
NH
NHZ
H Sh
Buy-in Time Games
12P
$130 7P
NH
$10RB$5 10A Cz Pi Z
$15 6P& O H/L
NH
NH
NH
NH
Palm Beach Princess
Pompano Park Casino
Seminole Hollywood Casino
St Tropez Cruise
NH
$130 11A
$10RB$5 10A
$30 11A
SATURDAY
$25RB$5AO$25
NH
LO H/L
NH
LA Grand Coushatta
Horseshoe Casino-Shreveport 6P
$20
$25
$45 3P
6P
$45 1P
$45 12P
$45 6P
$45 6P
NH
Buy-in Time Games
O H/L
HB
$60 8A&
NH
NH
6P&
FRIDAY
$25RB$15 7P
7P
NH
1P
12P
KS Harrah’s Prarie Band
Buy-in Time Games
NH
Derby Lane
Palm Beach Kennel Club
NH
DC
H
THURSDAY
$20RB$20
FL Dania Jai-Alai
IA Catfish Bend
Isle of Capri
Winn-A-Vegas
WEDNESDAY
$35 7P(1st Wk) H
$110 7P
H
H
$25RB(1)$5AO(1)$5
S H/L
$10RB$5 4P
O H/L
$50
$30RB$10AO$10
7P
NH
$20RB(1)$10
$15RB(1)$15
$25 30M
$35
F RB$10
Chips Bremerton
Chips La Center
1P
9A
12P
N O H/L
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
N O H/L
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
N O H/L
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10 1P
$20 9A
$20 12P
NH
NH
NH
$20RB(1)$10
$20
$20
Chips Lakewood
Chips Tukwila
Goldie’s
9A
4P
11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20 9A
$20 4P
$13RB(1)$10 11A
NH
NH
NH
$20
$20
$28RB(2)$10
Little Creek Casino
Muckleshoot Casino
Northern Quest
7P
7P
10A
LO
NH
NH
$15RB(2)$10 7P
$45RB$20 7P
$25RB(2)$10 10A
L/N H
NH
NH
7P
$135RB$20 7P
$25RB(2)$10 10A
NH
NH
NH
$45
$45RB$20
$25RB(2)$10 10A
5P
NB
$35
NH
F RB(2)$15 10A
NH
$25RB(2)$10
Suquamash Clearwater Cas
Wild Grizzly
11A
5P
NH
NH
$20 11A
$13RB$10 5P
$20 11A
$13RB$10 5P
NH
NH
$20 11A
$13RB$10
NH
NH
$20
$25RB$20
CAN Casino Regina
8P
NH
NH
V
$25
$110RB(1)$100 7P Wk2 N H B
$25RB(2)$10 10A
NH
$20 11A
$13RB$10 5P
NH
NH
$15RB(2)$10 10A&
NH
$20 11A
2P
$25RB$20AO$20
Debbie Burkhead interviews Frank Meoni
be four nines. This continues until it gets hit then it
starts over at $100,000. The
Jumbo Jackpot really creates a lot of excitement when
the hands get down to four
sixes or fives, you can feel
the excitement. The lower it
NH
gets the more players come
in to play. The good thing is
there are five Station Casinos
involved, Palace, Boulder,
Sunset Station, Texas and
Santa Fe and all players playing at the time the Jackpot
hits in any one of the five
rooms receives a player share
of the jackpot.
DB: How does the comp system work at Palace?
FM: We have a comp system that is connected to
all Station Casinos using a
players card. Comp dollars
accrued can be used in any
Stations but you must redeem
you comps at the casino in
which they were earned. The
comps accrue separately but
may be used together anywhere.
DB: Anything you want to
add to this interview?
FM: Yes, we also have highhand jackpots for Omaha
high-low split and sevencard stud which is currently
at $27,000. These jackpots
start at four eights beaten and
these are also progressive
jackpots but the high hand
stays the same.
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
35
Perks and Picks
It seems a new poker room opens in Las Vegas just about
in time for every new issue of Poker Player. This week is
no exception. As we’ve been anticipating, the poker room
at the Stratosphere is now officially open.
The eight table room which is entirely non-
The Bargain Bin
Card Room Roundup
Bicycle Casino
7301 Eastern Ave., Bell Gardens, CA 90201
562.806.4646
www.thebike.com
By H. Scot Krause
smoking is adjacent to the Race & Sports
Book and is primarily spreading low-limit
($1-2, $2-4 and $4-8) Texas Hold’Em games. Currently a
$3-6 Omaha game is also being offered. Poker room players earn comps at the rate of $1 per hour with a maximum $12 limit per day. For more information call 1-800998-6937 and ask for the poker room.
While visiting the Stratosphere, sign up for the
Ultimate Rewards players club. New members who sign
up for the Ultimate Rewards card can then participate
automatically in a new promotion called “You Win.” Earn
between 1000 and 7500 points on the day of sign up (and
including the following day) ending up with an overall slot
or video poker gambling loss (amount of loss is inconsequential) and you will receive an offer in the mail for
1 to 3 free room nights (based on the number of points
earned) good for a return trip. If you end up with a win
instead; good for you! Chances are the marketing database will pick you up anyway to send you future offers.
Earlier last month (June) the Silverton Hotel Casino
(I-15 and Blue Diamond Rd. in Las Vegas) got underway with a new six-table poker room designed with
custom chairs and plasma TVs. The room is non-smoking, although the casino is planning (pending gaming
approval) to open an outdoor “patio table” that would
permit smoking. If you haven’t been to Silverton lately,
you won’t recognize the place. The look and feel is more
like that of a rustic lodge with cozy new bars and great
restaurants, a Bass Pro Shop and an underwater live
mermaid show. Check the poker action, but don’t miss
the rest of the place!
Still scheduled to open later this summer is the poker
room at Station Casinos owned Green Valley Ranch
Station in Henderson, NV. In the meantime, check the
place out ahead of time during the free Whiskey Beach
Friday Night Pool Parties running every Friday from 7:00
p.m. to 10:00 p.m. throughout the summer. Swimming
is encouraged and Budweiser and Redbull are party cosponsors for all guests who are age 21 and up.
In downtown Las Vegas, Binion’s Gambling Hall (formerly Binion’s Horseshoe) continues to evolve. The
final tables of the World Series of Poker will still be held
here for the final time this year in mid-July. Some readers may not recognize that Binion’s still houses one of
the largest poker rooms in all of Las Vegas boasting 42
tables of hot poker action. Club Binion’s (the slot club)
no longer offers cashback but is currently running 4
x points on Tuesdays and Thursdays and on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays, players who earn 2500 points
receive $10 cash with no points deducted. Or earn
10,000 points and receive $25 cash. Make it to 25,000
points and pick up $100 in free cash. New members signing up for Club Binion’s during the month of July receive
an all-American, patriotic, flag baseball cap. Existing
members can collect a cap by earning 500 points with
no points deducted from your account.
That’s it for this week!
H. Scot Krause is a freelance writer, gaming industry
analyst and researcher, originally from Cleveland, Ohio.
While raising his two year-old son, Zachary, Scot reports,
researches, and writes about casino games, events,
attractions and promotions. He is an eight-year resident
of Las Vegas. Questions or comments are welcomed.
Card room managers are also invited to send your specials and promotions to: [email protected]
36
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Whether their business is
hosting poker or selling fruit,
every successful business
enterprise values the importance of staying ahead of the
pack when it comes to pleasing customers. And very few
gaming establishments can
match the innovations, atmosphere and enormous gaming
opportunities found at the legendary Bicycle Casino.
A Southern California
destination for 21 years, the
Bicycle Casino was leading the charge of the poker
revolution long before TV
cameras lit up the green felt.
Located in Bell Gardens (just
10 minutes from Downtown
Los Angeles), “The Bike”
Well, the bike has that in
abundance! In addition to
hosting more major tournaments throughout the year
than any other area casino,
the Bike features some of
Southern California’s most
successful daily games (See
the daily tournament schedule
in this issue of Poker Player
for more information.) Despite
ever-growing competition in
the SoCal casino world, the
Bike continues to maintain a
solid crowd comprised of new
players and seasoned vets. It
is not uncommon to find yourself sitting next to player who
has made the Bike his or her
home since the 1980s, while
a look around the poker room
Make the
luxurious
Bicycle
Casino your
cardplaying
destination.
has consistently stayed at the
top of its game by offering
enough personalized care,
technological advances and
groundbreaking tournaments
to give any Las Vegas haunt a
run for its money!
Priding themselves on
offering a relaxed, familyoriented environment, the
Bicycle Casino poker crew
oversees over 100 tables
in a spacious, airy room.
Elegantly designed, the space
also includes “The Freedom
Court,” a special, atriumstyled smoking area connected
to the Asian Games area.
These special features (as well
as exceptional dining choices,
regular entertainment...and
even a full-service beauty
salon!) help make the Bike a
one-of-a-kind experience.
But what about the poker?
will show more than a few
young couples walking around
holding hands. The days of
poker being a smoky, backroom pastime are over, and
the Bike is one place where
anyone, regardless of gender
or experience level, can play
with pride, confidence and
a true spirit of fun. Curious
newcomers are encouraged
to attend “Poker College,”
a casino-sponsored class on
basic strategy and technique
hosted by poker mainstays
Ruben and Sharon Silvas.
And, of course, there’s
also the generous “Casino
Rewards” program. Players
enrolled in this program see
a percentage of their money
returned to them based on
their hours of play. When
players put in 25 hours in any
poker non-jackpot game on
the Plaza during the qualifying
period, they’ll earn up to $25!
If they play for 26 hours and
up, they will receive $5 for
every additional hour. Players
in any jackpot game held on
the Plaza and earn $3 for each
additional hour after the 25hour base qualification. How
many other casinos literally
pay their customers to play?!
The Bike is also a leading destination for the area’s
growing legion of women
poker stars. Over the years,
the casino’s quarterly Ladies
Only (“Queen”) tournaments
have gone from quaint gatherings to full-on media events
with 400 or more players.
The Bike also boasts the distinction of hosting the only
all-women event on the World
Poker Tour. The next major
women’s event, “Queens of
Clubs,” hits the tables on
September 11.
At press time, the Bike is
going full steam ahead with its
annual Mini Series of Poker
(MSOP). As anyone who has
experienced this event will
surely tell you, the MSOP
provides all of the exhilaration and excitement of “The
Big Game” without the steep
entry fee or trip to the Strip.
The Bike’s next major event,
the 2005 Legends of Poker
tournament, is slated to begin
August 4. Bike poker personnel predict that the event will
draw well over 5000 enthusiast players.
Staying true to its commitment to providing the
poker community to the best
experience possible, the Bike
has raised the bar once again
with the introduction of www.
thebike.com. Designed as
a bridge between the online
and brick-and-mortar poker
worlds, this new site offers
free online gaming as well as
“Live at the Bike,” an online
stream of live poker action
from the Bike that can be
viewed right on your computer screen. Since its launch last
February, the site has already
attracted over 1 million hits a
month and shows no signs of
slowing down.
Whether you’re on line
or at the tables, the Bicycle
Casino has everything you’ll
ever need to win it all!
For more information on
the Bicycle Casino, please call
(562) 806-4646 or visit www.
thebike.com.
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Showing Your Stuff
POKER COUNSELOR
By John Carlisle, MA, NCC
Poker veterans and poker Internet
forums have been filled with differing opinions on
whether to show your hole cards when it is not necessary. Conservative players may show only premium
hands in order to advertise that they play only great
starting hands. They hope that this will enable them
to use their tight reputation to their advantage at later
points in time. Other players like to proudly display
their bluffs, thus casting doubt in their tablemate’s
minds after the next big raise. Many players will never
show their cards unless they are winners of the pot to
avoid giving “free information”.
Showing/not showing is purely psychological in
nature. The choice to show is based on your hunch
of its effects on the players at the table. Thus, you
have to project what you think the emotional and intellectual reaction of others will be if you show. If you
can accurately predict how your opponents will use
the information you’ve given them, then you have
gained a slight psychological advantage.
I sometimes do show bluffs, but only if I have a
specific target in mind. Before I show, I have already
identified the player (or two) who is likely driven by
emotionality. Perhaps I’ve already witnessed or sensed
their frustration and impatience in previous hands.
After I display my bluff, I intentionally shoot this player
a wry smile. My display of pride over the successful
bluff will usually aggravate the player’s already frazzled feelings. Newer, more inexperienced players are
most often the easiest targets for such psychological
gimmicks. Their lack of experience already has them
in a defensive mode. They have difficulty swallowing
being out-played, and a drive for vengeance to save
face will begin to grow. The next time I have a nice
hand, I know that my “mark” will desperately play his
draws in an attempt to recoup some lost confidence.
I would certainly advocate showing bluffs during
online play. The Internet version of poker carries completely different psychological aspects. Without faces
to read and body posture to inspect, your opponents
are seeking any insight that they can gather about you.
Advertising a bluff or two will ignite a fuel in the opposition, and callers are sure to line-up with any raise
that you make. Take advantage of the fact that the
Internet is filled with newer players who will inevitably be swayed by your attempts to manipulate them.
With sly play, it should be pretty simple to get them to
see you as a maniac (or tight, as the case may be).
On the other hand, I’d advise that you keep the
cards to yourself if you are uncertain if it will produce
the outcome that you’ll induce. Savvy poker players
will see right through your attempt to get them to
tilt/alter their perception of you. Likewise, there may
be times where you do not want to garner any extra
attention. You may be best to sit back for a while in
order to avoid becoming the focus or target. Overall, it
is imperative that you know why you are showing free
cards before you do it. If showing will help you get to
your end goal, then give it a try. If it will not help (or
if you are not sure why), slide your cards to the muck
and collect your winnings!
Now go make it happen.
In addition to being an avid poker enthusiast, John is a
certified Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. He has
a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from West Virginia
University, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology
with a minor in Sociology from Lock Haven University.
You can ask the “Poker Counselor” your question at
[email protected].
38
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
tactics. Remember, this
common type of tournament is more about choosing your most powerful
payoff strategy than about
choosing your most powerful poker strategy.
And I think that isn’t
what a tournament should
be about. A tournament
should be about winning
first place. Of course, you
hope to win first place,
even in these common
tournaments, but to pursue
maximum profit, you really
want to stumble into first,
not target it. That’s sad.
Peppermill
Poker
Room
Expands
The Peppermill’s Poker
Room has expanded
again. Due to the huge
popularity of poker and
the upswing in players participating in its
live poker games, the
Peppermill has added five
more tables to their Poker
Room. The expansion
is set to be complete by
Friday, June 24.
Besides increasing the
number of tables to 13,
the Peppermill’s newly
renovated Poker Room
will sport a state-of-theart check-in and waiting
list system never before
seen in Northern Nevada,
the very same system
installed in the poker
room at Wynn Las Vegas.
Plus, players will enjoy
more comfortable seats,
more room between seats
to spread out, thirty plasma screen televisions to
watch and improved table
side food service.
In addition to expansion, the Peppermill has
focused on improving
what is already considered Reno’s premier
poker room by increasing
the number of daily progressive jackpots, including Reno’s biggest Bad
Beat jackpot, offering free
poker lessons and adding
a ladies only tournament
to an already packed tournament schedule.
There’s a solution
Fine, but there’s a solution.
I’ve given it before and
now it’s time for our poker
community to stop merely
agreeing and implement. It
is an extension of the shootout concept.
This will fix the problem.
All tournaments should
be such that the table winners advance. You can put
whatever number of players you’d like at the first
table. If you want to pay 11
percent of the field, make
the first tables all nine-
handed. The winners earn
something and advance.
Since only the winners get
paid, everyday poker skills
are rewarded. You try to
win first place, not avoid
it. In the second round, all
the tables are composed of
previous table champs who
have already been paid. If
you want more payoffs, you
make these six-handed. Or
you can keep them ninehanded and have fewer second-tier winners. Whatever.
I don’t care. It’s the concept
that matters.
We keep having table
winners until there’s a final
RESULTS
PLAYERS 72
REBUYS 52
COMMERCE CASINO 6/18/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
PRIZE
POOL
BUY-IN $194
PLAYERS 29
REBUYS 13
PRIZE
POOL
$8,148
1. Ed Mayor . . . . . . . . . . $4,074
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
2. Toshiko Nelson . . . . . . $2,444
BUY-IN $194
3. Harvey Hunnicutt . . . $1,630
Irvine, CA
$4,462
1. Michael Trubo . . . . . . $2,677
Pasadena, CA
2. John Villanueva . . . . . $1,785
Paul Lim . . . . . . . . . . . $5,051
Roland Viola . . . . . . . $2,766
Albert Hanley . . . . . . $1,804
Tigran Akopyan. . . . . $1,202
Ali Chowdhury . . . . . . .$721
Adam Panagos . . . . . . . .$484
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
$12,707
Matthew Infante . . . . $5,336
Craig Erickson. . . . . . $2,922
Jeff Otstot. . . . . . . . . . $1,906
Steven Akagi . . . . . . . $1,270
Won Choi . . . . . . . . . . . .$762
Al Alsaraf . . . . . . . . . . . .$511
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $97
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $194
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $194
La Mirada, CA
PLAYERS 24
PRIZE
POOL
$4,656
1. Thomas Beccari . . . . . $2,793
2. Guy Magar . . . . . . . . . $1,863
$6,014
1. Jason Kim . . . . . . . . . $3,007
Van Nuys, CA
2. Michael Bahnsen . . . . $1,804
Garden Grove, CA
3. Eric Arreca. . . . . . . . . $1,203
$10,864
1. Karlo Gharabegian . . $4,562
Glendale, CA
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $97
BUY-IN $97
PRIZE
POOL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
PLAYERS 21
REBUYS 14
PRIZE
POOL
$6,790
1. Yoon Sain . . . . . . . . . . $4,074
2. Kevin Sateri . . . . . . . . $2,716
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $194
PLAYERS 19
REBUYS 7
PRIZE
POOL
$5,044
1. Cyrus Farzad . . . . . . . $3,026
2. Adam Singer . . . . . . . $2,018
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $194
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 26
PRIZE
POOL
BUY-IN $291
PLAYERS 69
REBUYS 34
$29,973
Kevin Sateri . . . . . . . $12,588
Bedo Danayan . . . . . . $6,893
Donald Rubenstein . . $4,495
Richard Park . . . . . . . $2,997
Hoan Ly . . . . . . . . . . . $1,798
David Horenstein. . . . $1,202
BUY-IN $194
PLAYERS 31
PRIZE
POOL
PLAYERS 72
REBUYS 40
PRIZE
POOL
PRIZE
POOL
$12,028
Burbank, CA
PLAYERS 23
PRIZE
POOL
Placentia, CA
1.
.
3.
4.
5.
6.
PLAYERS 78
REBUYS 53
$5,044
1. Won Choi . . . . . . . . . . $3,026
2. Jeffrey Otstot . . . . . . . $2,018
2. Anthony Guadagni . . $2,498
Torrance, CA
3. John Villanueva . . . . . $1,629
La Mirada, CA
4. Abraham Lavega . . . . $1,086
Sylmar, CA
5. Armando Jimenez . . . . .$651
Sylmar, CA
6. Gabriel Hernandez . . . .$438
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $194
PLAYERS 25
PRIZE
POOL
1.
$4,850
Yo Kang
$2,910
Los Angeles, CA
2. Rene Flores . . . . . . . . $1,940
Los Angeles, CA
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $97
PLAYERS 59
REBUYS 40
PRIZE
POOL
$9,603
1. Benny Youhanian . . . $4,320
Toluca Lake, CA
2. Ung Lee . . . . . . . . . . . $2,400
Timonium, MO
3. Jon Engelson . . . . . . . $1,440
Los Angeles, CA
4. John Cardwell . . . . . . . .$960
5. Roger Duarte . . . . . . . . .$483
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $1947
PLAYERS 39
REBUYS 22
PRIZE
POOL
$11,834
1. Dennis Ty . . . . . . . . . . $5,561
Monterey Park, CA
2. Shargon Youhanian . . $3,195
Toluca Lake, CA
3. Sang Um . . . . . . . . . . . $1,893
La Cenada, CA
4. Ben Nguyen . . . . . . . . $1,185
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $291
PLAYERS 63
REBUYS 39
PRIZE
POOL
$29,682
1. Manuel Regis . . . . . . $12,466
Los Angeles, CA
2. Sang Liu . . . . . . . . . . . $6,826
Los Angeles, CA
3. Tae Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,452
Los Angeles, CA
4. Ed Mayor . . . . . . . . . . $2,968
Placentia, CA
5. Susan Joseph . . . . . . . $1,780
6. Lester Chavez . . . . . . $1,190
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
39
Summer Dreams
Here it is again, summertime promises. Namely,
summertime promises because during the warm
summer months there is too much to choose
from to do. Additionally, with the weather here in
Southern California-so nice during summer-it is
the envy of many locations that lack the creative
WSOP Results
7. Dariush Imani . . . . . $32,290
8. Allen Goldstein . . . . $25,835
9. Erick Lindgren . . . . $20,450
2. Steven Hudak. . . . . $159,970
Owings Mills, MD
3. David Cossio . . . . . . $79,490
El Paso, TX
4. Ajay Shah . . . . . . . . . $69,550
Belgium,
Dealer Vibes
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
By Donald W. Woods, Jr.
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
EVENT #15
5. Freddy Deeb. . . . . . . $59,615
Las Vegas, NV
6.
7.
8.
9.
6/16/05
Sharbel Koumi. . . . . $49,680
Marco Traniello . . . . $39,745
Elia Ahmadian . . . . . $29,810
Yoshitaka Oku . . . . . $19,870
BUY-IN $1,500 + $0
resources to compete. Just jump
on any freeway going west and run
right into a beach pool of water.
Start your trek going north there’s
Hollywood, Ca. the place where dreams
are both realized and forgotten. Long known for
our pretentiousness as well as our opportunities
for self-expression-some of which is well deservedduring the summer months lacks no shortage of
variety for entertainment. At this moment one
of the most contagious entertainment vehicles is
casino gaming. This explosive phenomenon seemingly has no ceiling right now, with many racetracks around the country trying to grab hold of
a piece of the alternative gambling source. Why
would the racetrack have to resort to grabbing
the coat tails of the casino world? Like any thing
else in this world things change. What was good
yesterday is passé today. We humans need; require
and or search for something new to experience
so that the status quo of today becomes a relic
of the past tomorrow. That is why no one can say
how long this casino party will last, in particular
the poker extravaganza highlighted by ESPN in a
sports forum today. There’s an expression in the
‘hood, “get in where you fit in”. That means to find
your place on the “boat” of what’s happening now!
Now that most schools are out and many people
take vacations, here’s a piece of advice. For those
of you who play the lower limit cash games in
poker, it would be advisable to devote most of
your time to tournament play. Why? Because other
than the expectation of some sort of “jackpot” in
the lower limit games, the likelihood that a financial win fall will be forthcoming is far fetched at
best. However, if you utilize that same intestinal
fortitude toward tournament play trying to better
your game as well as playing with a better class of
player, it will go a long way toward improving your
overall understanding about the game. Similarly,
if you then sneak in the “money” as some of the
casino “rats” has done from time to time, the
financial increase will help your bankroll for future
endeavors.
For the next three months or so they’ll be
opportunities forthcoming for many of us to
change our current gaming climate. If the initiative
and the wherewithal are aligned with the heart
and nerve-just like this poker phenomenon-there
is no telling where the summer months will land
you. Don’t be afraid to win! To be a winner means
to be separate from second best. When the summer months are over and the smoke clears to find
the winners from the losers, just remember, there
is no Quit in a winner.
Donald W. Woods, Jr. is a 9 year professional dealer.
Some of his diversified interests include, track and
field coach at the high school level yielding a championship in 2002. He is currently penning an original
script, outside the poker arena, for his maiden voyage
to movie-land. For more information, contact him at
[email protected]
40
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
PLAYERS 450
PRIZE
POOL
$621,000
T.J. Cloutier
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
T.J. Cloutier . . . . . . $657,100
Steven Zoine. . . . . . $352,620
John Bonetti . . . . . . $175,215
Neal Wang . . . . . . . $153,315
Jason Berilgen . . . . $131,410
John Hennigan. . . . $109,510
Dustin Woolf . . . . . . $87,610
Todd Brunson . . . . . $65,705
Tony Ma . . . . . . . . . . $43,805
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #10
6/11/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,000 + $0
PLAYERS 569
PRIZE
POOL
$1,046,940
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
Mark Seif
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
EVENT #12
Mark Seif . . . . . . . . $181,330
William Shaw. . . . . . $93,770
Alex Borteh . . . . . . . $46,885
Robert Mizrachi . . . $40,675
Quinn Do . . . . . . . . . $34,465
Aram Zerounian . . . $28,255
Kathy Liebert . . . . . $24,840
Samrane Siharath . . $18,630
MJ Partin . . . . . . . . . $12,420
6/13/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,000 + $0
PLAYERS 212
REBUYS 395
PRIZE
POOL
$1,180,080
Reza Payvar
1. Reza Payvar . . . . . . $303,610
Los Angeles, CA
2. Toto Leonidas . . . . $160,185
Los Angeles, CA
3. John Myung . . . . . . . $83,755
Vienna, VA
4. John Cernuto . . . . . . $73,285
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #14
Las Vegas, NV
5. Tommy Garza . . . . . $62,820
Reno, NV
6/15/05
6.
7.
8.
9.
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $1,000 + $0
PLAYERS 595
PRIZE
POOL
$541,450
Josh Arieh
1. Josh Arieh . . . . . . . $381,600
2. Chris ‘Jesus’ Ferguson . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $210,460
3. Ron Graham . . . . . $115,640
4. Tony Sevnsom . . . . . $92,510
5. Max Pescatori . . . . . $69,385
6. Arturo Diz . . . . . . . . $57,820
7. Dave Cololough . . . . $46,225
8. Doug Lee . . . . . . . . . $34,690
9. Erik Seidel . . . . . . . . $23,130
Rodeen Talebi . . . . . $52,350
Jay Helfert . . . . . . . . $41,880
Robert Schulze. . . . . $31,410
Eric Liebeler . . . . . . $20,940
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #9
6/10/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,000 + $0
PLAYERS 1403
PRIZE
POOL
$2,581,520
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
Steve Hohn
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Steve Hohn . . . . . . . $156,985
Mike Wattel . . . . . . . $88,800
Al Ruck. . . . . . . . . . . $51,440
Jonathan Paul . . . . . $39,525
Peter Phillips . . . . . . $32,485
Sheila Gralak . . . . . . $25,450
Men Nguyen . . . . . . . $20,035
Giacomo D’Agostino $14,080
Jeff Shulman . . . . . . . $8,665
EVENT #11
6/12/05
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $2,000 + $0
PLAYERS 540
PRIZE
POOL
$993,600
Erik Seidel
1. Erik Seidel . . . . . . . $611,795
Las Vegas, NV
2. Cyndy Violette . . . . $295,970
Atlantic City, NJ
2005 WORLD
SERIES OF POKER
EVENT #13
3. Perry Friedman . . . $196,455
San Marcos, CA
4. Morgan Machina . . $170,380
6/14/05
Mission Viejo, CA
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $5,000 + $0
PLAYERS 466
PRIZE
POOL
$2,190,200
Edward Moncada
1. Edward Moncada . $298,070
Tulsa, OK
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Paul Sexton . . . . . . $147,145
Harry Demetriou . . $123,915
Soulier Fabrice . . . $103,260
Chris Wunderlich . . $77,445
Bill Blanda . . . . . . . . $51,630
asked & answered:
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E
plays were in situations
where the action was reasonable, however.
Q #7 ANSWER: (c). Jack
Keller was one of the most
dominant tournament poker
players in the 1980s and
early 1990s.
Q #8 ANSWER: (d). Nobody
played eight days straight
at the Golden Nugget in Las
Vegas in 1991 against a littleknown billionaire and won
$53 million. It didn’t happen.
28
Q #9 ANSWER: (a).
Famous poker player
Bobby Baldwin won the
WSOP main event championship in 1978 and went
on to become a major Las
Vegas casino executive.
Ante Up
Q #10 ANSWER: (d).
Bob Stupak, then owner
of Vegas World (now
expanded and called the
Stratosphere), declared —
with much fanfare — that he
was the best poker player
in the world in 1984.
The Apache Gold Poker Room Shark Club. As a member, you’ll get official jackets, shirts
& hats. Quarterly free-rolls. Paid entries in our weekly tournaments. $100 cash on your
birthday. Hotel discounts. Cash promotions every Wednesday through Sunday, and
cash drawings the first Saturday of each month. Tournaments every Wednesday and
Thursday at 6 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm. In San Carlos, five minutes east of Globe on
Hwy. 70. For hotel or FunBus® reservations, call 1-800-APACHE 8. Go For The Gold.
Poker room closed Monday and Tuesday. Must be 21 or older to participate in any gaming activities. apachegoldcasinoresort.com
BACK ISSUES, SPECIAL FEATURES & UP-TO-THE MINUTE POKER INFO—
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
41
Eliciting a Tell
1. Jason Griffin . . . . . . . $5,292
Imagine yourself playing in a major no limit tournament. Sitting with a medium stack on the button,
you look down at an Ace 10 suited. This hand is
good enough to raise with given that only the blinds
remain. You raise three times the big blind. You are
watching the small blind as he con-
3. Robert Molnar . . . . . . $1,617
2. Eric Potuzak . . . . . . . $2,940
NY
NEVER PLAY Poker with
a man CALLed “DOC”
By Dr. Scott Aigner, M.D.
templates for a few seconds and then
moves all in. He has a short stack and the raise is
just a little more than double your initial raise. You
noticed that he was a little forceful when he put his
chips into the middle (acting strong). The big blind
folded. You are now in a quandary and have a tough
decision to make. Does your opponent have a real
hand or is he just making a move? Needing more
information you decide to observe him for a while
and look for more tells. At the same time you think
about his previous hands and how he played them.
I was faced with this very situation not too long
ago. Studying an opponent for tells (or signals) is
easy to do. Everyone exhibits body language. It is a
major form of communication although we normally
do not consciously think about it. Body language is
either dominant, submissive, or neutral. Mike Caro
wrote the definitive book on tells. The main theme
in this book is that one acts weak when strong and
strong when weak. A good player takes time to study
an opponent when he has a close decision to make.
As the pressure builds up the opponent might forget
about his acting job and his real holding might be
unmasked.
One way to add even more pressure on an opponent (and allow more time to recall prior situations) is
to talk. Continue to observe him as you try to get him
to respond in a verbal fashion and even more importantly by eliciting body language that reveals the real
strength of his hand. In this situation I felt that my
opponent was pretty weak. Even though he had on
his poker face his body was as stiff as a board (a sign
of fear or weakness). All of my prior observations of
him were much different than I was observing now.
He was trying to act strong but with added pressure
on him he might show more signs of weakness.
“Man, I think you are weak,” I said to him. He
became just a tad stiffer (he is scared). I waited a
little while and then said, “I just can’t fold this hand”
and watched his reaction again. His respiratory rate
had quickened because he was not breathing during all of this time and needed air. I also noticed that
even his arms became rigid too. Everything screamed
to me that he was weak. “I call!” He turned over Jack
Deuce suited. I led until he rivered a deuce to win the
pot. It was not the outcome I was hoping for but I did
make the right read and the right play.
Anyone can learn to read body language but eliciting tells takes it one-step further. It is one of the
skills that makes a great player great. I recommend
that you read Caro’s book and do a little research
online too. Just time alone increases the pressure an
opponent is feeling. Adding conversation can elicit
more tells. In no limit hold em tournaments one hand
can be the difference between winning and losing.
Learn this skill and it will help you make the right
decision more often.
Dr Aigner is a board certified Urologist. He has multiple final table finishes in major tournaments including a WPO bracelet in 2001. You can contact him at
http://www.PokerStrategyForum.com
42
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
PRIZE
POOL
East Hartford, CT
Ruffs Dale, PA
NO LIMIT TEXAS
HOLD’EM
2. Glenn Latona . . . . . . . $6,200
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Little Egg Harbor, NJ
3. Phillip Duca . . . . . . . . $3,410
Naples, FL
Bay Shore, NY
6. Thomas Towers . . . . . . .$882
4. Paul Biebergal . . . . . . $2,480
New Canaan, CT
7. Victor McCoy. . . . . . . . .$735
Randallstown, MD
Bayside, NY
5. Lavelle Snead . . . . . . . $2,170
8. Cecelia Spencer . . . . . . .$588
Verona, PA
Lowville, NY
6. Adam Waldbaum . . . $1,860
9. Scott Adams . . . . . . . . . .$441
PLAYERS 87
PRIZE
POOL
Olney, MD
4. Chris Bindshedler . . . $1,176
5. Leon Bennett . . . . . . . $1,029
HARRAH’S ATLANTIC CITY
6/19/05
$31,000
1. Jason Schoengold . . $11,160
Keystone, CO
Atlantic City, NJ
$87,000
7. Richard Cohen. . . . . . $1,550
1. Jared Davis . . . . . . . $31,320
Philadelphia, PA
2. Michael Bernat . . . . $17,400
Arlington Heights, IL
3. Richard Cohen. . . . . . $9,570
Huntington Valley, PA
6/10/05
NO LIMIT TEXAS
HOLD’EM
Huntingdon Valley, PA
8. Joseph Simmons . . . . $1,240
Philadelphia, PA
9. John Tamulis . . . . . . . . .$930
Sewell, NJ
PLAYERS 62
4. Jason Harrison . . . . . $6,960
Hedgesville, VW
5. Thomas Bintliff . . . . . $6,090
Chatsworth, NJ
6. John Zoldak . . . . . . . . $5,220
Staten Island, NY
7. Edward Slusarek . . . . $4,350
South Amboy, NJ
8. Michael Sukonik . . . . $3,480
Warminster, PA
9. Behrooz Jamshidi . . . $2,610
Philadelphia, PA
6/18/05
NO LIMIT TEXAS
HOLD’EM
WHAT HAS YOUR POKER ROOM
DONE FOR YOU LATELY?
$599
PLAYERS 109
PRIZE
POOL
$54,500
1. Mark Little. . . . . . . . $19,620
Valley Stream, DE
2. Wayne B. Lewis . . . . $10,900
Atlantic City, NJ
3. Ronnie Michael . . . . . $5,995
Stoneham, MA
4. Andrew Chiodili . . . . $4,360
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5. Todor Blazevsa. . . . . . $3,815
Wayne, NJ
6. Thomas Bintiliff. . . . . $3,270
Chatsworth, NJ
7. Steven Rush . . . . . . . . $2,725
Meadowbrook, PA
8. Philip Napoli . . . . . . . $2,180
Staten Island, NY
9. John MacDonald . . . . $1,635
Kearsburg, NJ
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6/17/05
NO LIMIT TEXAS
HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 150
PRIZE
POOL
$37,500
1. Jonathan Tear . . . . . $13,500
Forest Hills, NY
2. Jason Harrison . . . . . $7,500
WV
3. Michael McNally . . . . $4,125
WED
Long Island, NY
4. Harry White. . . . . . . . $3,000
Hughsville, PA
5. Benjamin Delucia . . . $2,625
Wantaugh, NY
6. Mark Sheratsky . . . . . $2,250
Edison, NJ
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7. Andrew Zuzolo . . . . . $1,875
Spring Valley, NY
8. Judith Frame . . . . . . . $1,500
Cape May Court House, NJ
9. Matthew Collins . . . . $1,125
Philadelphia, PA
6/16/05
NO LIMIT TEXAS
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PLAYERS 98
PRIZE
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$14,700
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Palms Summer Series
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Chris Coles . . . . . . . . . $7,605
Massoud Nikjouian . . $3,800
Johnny Jones. . . . . . . . $2,470
Gregory Amoils. . . . . . $1,900
Dean Stevens . . . . . . . . $1,330
Mark Hangen . . . . . . . . . $950
Wai Kei Liu . . . . . . . . . . . $760
Gerald Treglio . . . . . . . . . $570
EVENT 23 (DAY)
6/19/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $500 + $50
PLAYERS 27
PRIZE POOL
$13,500
Yuan Wei
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Yuan Wei . . . . . . . . . . . $5,895
Faye Sonntag. . . . . . . . $3,275
Blake Buffington . . . . $1,965
Athir Kassab . . . . . . . . $1,310
Igor Tyagay . . . . . . . . . . . $655
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Michael Borovetz . . . . $2,900
Jason Shubin . . . . . . . . $2,030
Kam Wong . . . . . . . . . $1,450
Terry Brooks . . . . . . . . $1,160
Michael Urcia . . . . . . . . . $870
EVENT 21 (DAY)
6/17/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 71
REBUYS 49
PRIZE POOL
$23,280
Shannon Medlock
1. Shannon Medlock. . . . $9,310
2. Robert Swickard . . . . $5,355
PRIZE POOL
4. Mark McPherson . . . . $1,630
$50,634
5. Zack Fritz . . . . . . . . . . $1,280
Roy Brindley
6. John Robertson . . . . . $1,050
7. Anthony Rila . . . . . . . . . . $815
EVENT 20 (DAY)
6/16/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 156
REBUYS 106
3. Ned Cruey . . . . . . . . . . $2,795
PLAYERS 52
REBUYS 37
1. Roy Brindley . . . . . . . $20,269
PRIZE POOL
2. Arthur Hatcher. . . . . $10,125
$17,266
3. Robert Swickard . . . . $5,065
Keith Quilty
8. Jim Rye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $580
4. Mike Ruter . . . . . . . . . $3,290
9. David Kiker. . . . . . . . . . . $465
5. Gerald Treglio . . . . . . . $2,530
EVENT 20 (NIGHT)
6/16/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
6. Tony Choi . . . . . . . . . . $1,770
7. Talia Khio . . . . . . . . . . $1,265
8. Charles Cannon . . . . . $1,015
9. Michael Carroll . . . . . . . $760
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Keith Quilty . . . . . . . . $6,756
Howard Andew . . . . . . $3,970
John Robertson . . . . . $2,070
Nick Nadeau . . . . . . . . $1,210
Mark Friend . . . . . . . . . . $950
Jino Nakamuna . . . . . . . $775
BACK ISSUES, SPECIAL FEATURES & UP-TO-THE MINUTE POKER INFO—
EVENT 22 (NIGHT)
6/18/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 164
REBUYS 108
PRIZE POOL
$54,400
Jan Matuny
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Jan Matuny . . . . . . . . $21,088
Paul Guastello . . . . . . $10,555
Krisha Augerot . . . . . . $5,275
Thomas Becnel . . . . . . $3,430
Harold Langer . . . . . . $2,640
Justin Nguyen . . . . . . . $1,845
Benjamin Fineman . . . $1,320
John Reiss . . . . . . . . . . $1,055
Zachary Dalton. . . . . . . . $790
EVENT 22 (DAY)
6/18/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 80
REBUYS 48
PRIZE POOL
$23,832
Jason Weiner
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Jason Weiner. . . . . . . . $9,935
Faye Sonntag. . . . . . . . $5,710
Joe Chang . . . . . . . . . . $2,980
Anthony Mccombs . . . $1,740
Will Huggins . . . . . . . . $1,365
Jeffery Moore . . . . . . . $1,115
Jefffery Jonna . . . . . . . . . $870
Len Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . $620
Scott Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . $497
EVENT 21 (NIGHT)
6/17/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 182
REBUYS 117
PRIZE POOL
$58,006
Mark Gierish
1.
2.
3.
4.
Mark Gierish . . . . . . $23,206
Salah Alsayegh . . . . . $11,600
Brian Gates . . . . . . . . . $5,800
Paul Guastello . . . . . . . $3,770
Test your skills in the No Limit Hold ‘Em Arizona State Poker
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WE’VE GOT YOUR GAME
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Owned and operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
Please gamble responsibly.
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
43
PART 52,
Profit
improving performance
By TOM “TIME” LEONARD
Since profit is the main motivating
force for most serious poker players,
today let’s discuss where that profit comes from.
It’s obvious that it needs to come from your opponents. Forgetting for a moment the rake, poker
is a zero sum game. What you win is what your
opponents lose. We’ve all heard the old adage that
most of your profit comes not from the brilliance
of your own play but from the mistakes made by
your opponents. This is absolutely true and is the
reason why I continually harp on knowing your
opponents’ tendencies and clocking the table to
evaluate the strength or weaknesses of each of
them. Have you identified the calling stations in
your game that you can continually value bet and
earn extra money? Have you identified who is
tight and plays only premium hands so that when
he brings it in for a raise under the gun you can
avoid getting involved with marginal hands? Have
you identified the weak--tighties who will lay down
a hand to almost any raise? In order to maximize
your earning power you must take advantage of
your opponents’ frailties. Of course, first you have
to identify those frailties before you can begin
attacking them. So….the first order of business
when you sit down is to start clocking your opponents to determine where the soft spots exist for
you to exploit.
Certainly understanding the foundations of solid
play such as hand values, the odds to various
draws, utilizing position, discipline etc. etc. are
critical to winning play. However, if you want to
move beyond break even to a modest winner you
need to realize that your real profit comes from
exploiting your weaker opponents. If all players at
the same table were of equal skill then the cards
will dictate who will win and who will lose. Nine
or ten players of exact skill level would be a rare
event indeed. That being said, it becomes obvious
that you need to identify and attack the weak and
avoid the strong. This is a simple concept which
is ignored to the detriment of many. If you’re not
currently “playing the player”, ask yourself why
not. It is where the profit comes from so start
focusing on your opponents to determine who
you should be attacking to gain an edge. An edge
which will translate to profit.
Our goal for this outing is to always remain
acutely aware of where our profit comes from in
poker. Don’t allow your ego to convince you that
those extra chips you’ve accumulated are the
direct result of your brilliant play. You get those
extra chips by exploiting weaker players’ frailties.
So………identify them, set them up and then take
their money. Do you remember that old aphorism
that a fool and his money will soon be parted?
Hell, they were lucky to get together in the first
place. It’s your mission, if you choose to accept
it, to see to it that those fools do get parted from
their money and parted, more importantly, in your
direction! See you next “TIME”.
No stranger to the green felt, Tom “Time” Leonard has played
poker for more than 30 years and has been a serious student of
the game and writer on the subject since 1994. He has regularly
played the cardrooms of Atlantic City, Las Vegas and California.
His experience as a sales and marketing professional have
helped him hone his skills at “selling” a hand and “buying” a
pot. Tom can be contacted at: [email protected].
44
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Bike’s MSOP Kee
The five week Mini-Series
of Poker at the Bicycle
Casino in Bell Gardens,
California keeps rolling
along nicely. The series of
events started on June 2nd
and will end on July 6, just
before the start of the World
Series of Poker. This issue
of Poker Player covers
the middle segment of the
events up to the time we
reached our deadline.
MINI-SERIES OF POKER
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#21
6/22/05
PRIZE
POOL
$54,450
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#14
6/15/05
HOLD’EM
SHOOTOUT
PLAYERS 150
PRIZE
POOL
$22,500
Scott Samarel . . . . $20,145
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#19
6/20/05
OMAHA HI-LO
PLAYERS 111
PRIZE
POOL
$22,200
Newton DeLeon . . . . $9,000
7-CARD STUD
PLAYERS 46
PRIZE
POOL
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#13
6/14/05
$23,000
LIMIT HOLD’EM
SHOOTOUT
PLAYERS 134
David Kim . . . . $8,880
PRIZE
POOL
$13,400
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#18
6/19/05
Meng Chng . . . . $10,350
POT LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 52
PRIZE
POOL
$26,000
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#20
6/21/05
Seyed Mazarel . . . . $5,360
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 363
Lucky
Chances
Casino:
“Battle of
The Bay”
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#12
6/13/05
7-CARD STUD HI-LO
Jorge Walker . . . . $10,350
PLAYERS 190
PRIZE
POOL
$95,000
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#16
6/17/05
LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 139
PRIZE
POOL
$34,750
LUCKY CHANCES CASINO
Mark Nasser . . . . $38,000
BATTLE OF THE BAY 6/10/05
NO LIMIT SHOOTOUT
BUY-IN $500 + $50
PLAYERS 120
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#11
6/12/05
Mario Esquerra . . . . $13,900
PRIZE POOL
$60,000
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#15
6/16/05
Amadeo DeLosReyes
1. Amadeo DelosReyes $19,000
Walnut Creek, CA
3. Greg Pincombe . . . . . . 5,000
Redwood City, CA
PLAYERS 177
PRIZE
POOL
$17,700
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SHOOTOUT
2. Bradley King . . . . . . $10,200
Burlingame, CA
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 250
PRIZE
POOL
$37,500
4. Scott Laird . . . . . . . . . $4,080
Oakland, CA
5. Tony Regis . . . . . . . . . $3,570
San Bruno, CA
Henry Ferguson . . . . $7,080
6. Jim Viguzzo . . . . . . . . $3,060
Palo Alto, CA
7. Rudy Puente. . . . . . . . $2,550
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Sacramento, CA
8. Marianno Garcia . . . . $2,040
San Francisco, CA
9. Jonas Tobias . . . . . . . . $1,500
San Francisco, CA
Young Song . . . . $14,435
POKER
PLAYER
IT WORKS!
eps Rolling Along
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#10
6/11/05
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#9
6/10/05
BICYCLE OF CASINO
EVENT#8
6/9/05
OMAHA HI-LO
POT LIMIT HOLD’EM
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
PLAYERS 223
PRIZE
POOL
$22,300
Kenneth Boulton . . . . $8,325
PLAYERS 264
PRIZE
POOL
PLAYERS 503
PRIZE
POOL
$26,400
Norai Khodadian. . . . $9,900
$50,300
Adam Singer . . . . $18,105
Fast Answers
About
Anything
POKER!
pokerplayernewspaper.com
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J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
45
Tunica, MS, PART 1
POKer east
of the pecos
Palms Summer Series
7. Robert Craig . . . . . . . . . . $605
8. Scott Epstein . . . . . . . . . . $500
9. Sam Parish . . . . . . . . . . . $430
By DONNA BLEVINS
Less than an hour south of Memphis, Tunica is known as the South’s
Casino Capital and has everything for the serious and recreational
gaming enthusiasts. With five of the nine casinos offering poker,
there is a game and limit for nearly every poker player. With prearranged reservations, most of the casinos offer free limousine service
to and from the Memphis Airport.
Since the casinos are spread out along the banks of the winding
Mississippi River, the area is different from a Las Vegas or Atlantic
City strip. To accommodate the geography of the River, the casinos
are positioned in several clusters, separated by the wide expanse
of Mississippi Delta. The requirement that the casinos are, in fact,
afloat, is all but invisible to the casual observer.
The five casinos with poker rooms are the Horseshoe, Gold
Strike, Grand, Hollywood and Sam’s Town. Over the past few
months, the Horseshoe, Gold Strike
and the Grand have gone through
major corporate ownership changes.
It is my hope that these major corporations will retain the southern
charm of these properties while
enhancing them through their corporate power and strength.
EVENT 19 (NIGHT)
6/15/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
EVENT 17 (NIGHT)
6/13/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 167
REBUYS 108
PRIZE POOL
$49,664
David Brewer
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
David Brewer . . . . . . $19,874
Douglas Evans . . . . . . $9,935
Neil Channing . . . . . . . $4,965
Jason Huynh . . . . . . . . $3,230
John Shuey . . . . . . . . . $2,485
Ernest Ward . . . . . . . . $1,740
Joel Fuji . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,240
Janet Pak . . . . . . . . . . . . . $995
Talia Khio . . . . . . . . . . . . $745
EVENT 19 (DAY)
6/15/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $500 + $50
$19,885
Alan Katzen
Horseshoe Casino & Hotel - On June 13, 2005, Caesars
Entertainment merged with Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. creating the world’s largest public traded gaming company. Harrah’s
Entertainment now owns or manages (through various subsidiaries) more than 40 casinos in three countries, primarily under the
Harrah’s, Caesars, Grand, and Horseshoe brand names.
In the midst of this merger, Horseshoe recently unveiled its new
Poker Room, an entire venue devoted to the Jack Binion-style of
poker. Larger than the original, it houses 16 tables, plasma televisions,
and offers easy access to a variety of food outlets, including the new
Ace High Snack Bar. Home to many high stakes players, Horseshoe’s
legendary poker room spreads a wide variety of games, from low limit
to No-Limit Hold’em, Omaha hi-lo, Stud and Pot Limit Omaha.
The 65,000-square-foot casino has more than 2,000 slot machines
and 70 table games. In addition to poker, you’ll also find other games
including blackjack, craps, roulette, and Caribbean stud. The Horseshoe
Hotel has more than 500 hotel rooms—including a 14-story all-suite
tower. Poker rates are available. Check out www.Harrahs.com.
Gold Strike Casino Resort - As of April 2005, Gold Strike is a
wholly owned subsidiary of MGM MIRAGE, who owns and operates 24
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The 14-table Poker Room is located on the second level of the
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well as $1-2 No-limit Hold’em. You will also find a jammin’ $4-8 Omaha
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The entire month of January 2006 is dedicated to the World Poker
Open, with the televised final table championship taking place on
January 26th. Check out www.GoldStrike.com.
A true entrepreneur at heart, Donna Blevins is a marketing consultant, professional speaker and trainer, as well
as a poker journalist. She looks forward to meeting you
at the final table. Contact Donna to advertise in Poker
Player, to cover your poker tournament or with article
ideas - [email protected].
46
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Alan Katzen . . . . . . . . $8,945
Thomas Macey . . . . . . $4,970
James Schmidt . . . . . . $2,985
Robert Craig . . . . . . . . $1,990
Julies Corsino . . . . . . . . . $995
EVENT 18 (NIGHT)
6/14/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
EVENT 15 (NIGHT)
6/11/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PRIZE POOL
Manuel Teixeira
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Manuel Teixeira . . . . $21,325
Denis O’Mahoney. . . $10,670
Geran Sanders . . . . . . $5,335
Roberto Macatangay . $3,470
Mark Hanna . . . . . . . . $2,670
Richard Neross . . . . . . $1,865
Andre Woloszyn . . . . . $1,335
Dan Yaffe . . . . . . . . . . . $1,065
Randall Garza . . . . . . . . $800
EVENT 17 (DAY)
6/13/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $500 + $50
PLAYERS 187
REBUYS 127
PRIZE POOL
$60,916
Norman Ketchum
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
EVENT 15 (DAY)
6/11/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 110
REBUYS 65
PRIZE POOL
$24,735
Ross Romash
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Ross Romash . . . . . . . . $9,835
Frankie Havard . . . . . $5,690
Vincent Santacroce. . . $2,970
Michael Botros . . . . . . $1,730
David Templeton . . . . $1,360
David Hedley. . . . . . . . $1,115
Freddie Fields . . . . . . . . . $865
Cameron Warren . . . . . . $620
Randy Edmonson . . . . . . $550
EVENT 16 (NIGHT)
6/12/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 116
REBUYS 79
PRIZE POOL
$38,950
Khio Talia
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Craig Gray
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Craig Gray . . . . . . . . $15,120
David Levi . . . . . . . . . . $7,565
Richard Kath . . . . . . . $3,785
Gregory Jamison . . . . $2,460
Roy Brindley . . . . . . . . $1,890
Garry Bush . . . . . . . . . $1,325
Sonny Tran . . . . . . . . . . . $945
Gia Truong . . . . . . . . . . . $755
Mohammad Hamid . . . . $565
EVENT 18 (DAY)
6/14/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 159
REBUYS 113
PLAYERS 199
REBUYS 138
PRIZE POOL
PRIZE POOL
$52,768
$65,378
Yucel Emino
Michael Borovetz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Yucel Emino . . . . . . . $21,088
Ernest Ward . . . . . . . $10,555
Ben Akiva . . . . . . . . . . $5,275
Daniel Goldman . . . . . $3,430
Paul Berthiaume. . . . . $2,640
Michael Anderson . . . $1,845
William Eichel . . . . . . $1,320
Dennis Willing . . . . . . $1,055
Brian Beck. . . . . . . . . . . . $790
EVENT 16 (DAY)
6/12/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PLAYERS 75
REBUYS 45
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Ming Lee
PLAYERS 91
REBUYS 59
PLAYERS 83
REBUYS 50
PRIZE POOL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Ming Lee . . . . . . . . . . . $9,310
Christopher Ingemae . $5,355
Frank Dielso . . . . . . . . $2,795
Michael Alberti . . . . . . $1,630
John Henderson . . . . . $1,280
Alan Young . . . . . . . . . $1,050
Alex Nulsen . . . . . . . . . . . $815
Tom Becnel . . . . . . . . . . . $580
Lee McNeill . . . . . . . . . . . $465
$29,100
PRIZE POOL
$25,802
Johnny Palushaj
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Johnny Palushaj . . . . $10,320
Jerry Nakamura . . . . . $5,935
John Robertson . . . . . $3,095
Antonio Advincula . . . $1,805
Christopher Giles . . . . $1,420
Michael Gambony . . . $1,160
William Eichel . . . . . . . . $905
Ismael Fuentes . . . . . . . . $645
Michael Borovetz . . . $26,133
Cecilio Virgen . . . . . . $13,075
Jason Antonelli . . . . . . $6,540
Edmund Liu . . . . . . . . $4,250
Mohammad Hamid . . $3,270
Christopher Defalco . . $2,290
Jason Atwood . . . . . . . $1,635
Glyn Banks . . . . . . . . . $1,310
Lorne Lawrence . . . . . . . $980
EVENT 14 (DAY)
6/10/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PRIZE POOL
$23,280
Khio Talia . . . . . . . . . $13,570
Kevin Chan . . . . . . . . . $6,790
Oliver Butterick . . . . . $3,395
Tim McClury . . . . . . . $2,205
Bryan Chan . . . . . . . . . $1,700
Faye Sonntag. . . . . . . . $1,190
Sandra Wilson . . . . . . . . $850
John Vanderberg . . . . . . $680
Alex Rodriguez . . . . . . . . $510
EVENT 14 (NIGHT)
6/10/05
PALMS CASINO
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
SUMMER SERIES
BUY-IN $200 + $30
PRIZE POOL
$37,380
Norman Ketchum . . $24,356
Michael Ruter . . . . . . $12,185
Alen Patatanyan . . . . . $6,090
Derek Harrington. . . . $3,960
William Borsellino . . . $3,045
Jay Morgenstern . . . . $2,130
Champie Douglas . . . . $1,525
Edmund Liu . . . . . . . . $1,220
Paul Westley . . . . . . . . . . $915
PLAYERS 51
PLAYERS 41
PRIZE POOL
9. Andy Lambo . . . . . . . . . . $517
$53,350
PLAYERS 156
REBUYS 100
Brian McCann
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Brian McCann . . . . . $11,640
Brent Fisher . . . . . . . . $6,695
David Tannenbaum . . $3,490
Gerald Cheatham . . . . $2,035
John Hedrick . . . . . . . $1,600
Khio Talia . . . . . . . . . . $1,310
Ivo Donev . . . . . . . . . . $1,020
Adam Smith . . . . . . . . . . $730
Frank Debus . . . . . . . . . . $580
Welcome to the new
Crown Jewel of world poker.
World Poker Exchange presents the London Open, August 3rd-6th.
It’s the one tournament that is, quite simply, not to be missed. Revel
in exclusive VIP entertainment outings every night. Private concierge
services at your beckoned call. A minimum $2 million pot.
International television coverage. Preferred accommodation packages.
All in the company of celebrity players from both sides of the pond.
Seats are limited.
Register now at worldpx.com/london20 The clock is ticking.
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
47
was a genuine eyeopener Ted Forrest
remembers, discovering there were people
who – get this now – actually made a living playing
poker.
This was before he hit
Las Vegas for the first time,
maybe 16 years ago, back
before he joined the fraternity of people who support
themselves, and quite nicely, thank you, with hours
spent at poker tables.
It
in the World Poker Tour’s
Mirage Poker Showdown
the last several days of
May when he took second
in the $10,000 buy-in no
limit hold ‘em championship and a day later moved
over to the final table of
the Professional Poker Tour
tournament. He won that
one.
Doesn’t get much better
PLAYER
TED
BY PHIL HEVENER
Forrest
Profile
“I had made, ooooh,
small change in college
playing poker and then I
come to Las Vegas and
find out there are people
doing this for a living. It
was, like unbelievable.”
Things have evolved dramatically since then. With
five World Series of Poker
bracelets and victories in
World Poker Tour events to
his credit, Forrest is regarded as one of the best at this
“unbelievable” business.
And let’s not forget his
regular presence in some
of the biggest cash games
played anywhere, games
built around the presence
of personalities such as
Hustler publisher Larry
Flynt and billionaire Dallas
banker Andy Beal.
Before Las Vegas and
everything that the last
dozen-plus years have
brought him Forrest had a
previous life, as a psychology student in Syracuse,
N.Y. – “I suppose that’s
been helpful with the playing.” He left Le Moyne
College to go in search of
endeavors more appealing
to the person he was then.
His father was an English
professor so there had been
a big break with respect to
tuition, but Le Moyne and
life there wore a little thin
after a while.
The skills he came to
develop at poker tables
since then have handed
him moments worthy of
anyone’s highlight reel.
Like his recent big finish
than this, he may have been
thinking. First and second
place prize money added up
to about $804,000. Not a
bad couple days of work.
“The WPT tournament
was a great final table,
especially when it got down
to playing three-handed.
Each of the three of us had
the chip lead at one point.
– myself, Chris Bell and
Gavin Smith who won it,
and all three of us was the
short stack at one point. At
various times it looked like
any one of the three of us
would win or finish third.”
Arching his eyebrows,
replaying the final table in
his mind, “This might be
one of the few tournaments
that I ever finished second
in and not been disappointed.”
PPT tournaments are
open by invitation only to
qualifying pros. Based on
their performances in WPT
events. Forrest remembers
The PPT’s Mirage final
table as a long round of
nine or ten hours, “but with
a nice structure so you got
some play to it.”
As for the last hand at the
PPT final table: “I had two
8s and Randy Jensen had
ace-8. I was the chip leader
at that point. We got all the
money in pre-flop. The flop
comes 4, 5, 7 and I’ve got
the two 8s and Randy has
ace-8 He needs an ace to
Poker Player is pleased to welcome Phil Hevener back to its pages.
Hevener was the Managing Editor of Poker Player from July 1983 to
December 1985. Phil wanted to produce his own publication, which he
did with Larry Hall. They called it, “Las Vegas Style.” A popular journalist who writes for many major publications, Phil was replaced in 1985 by
Gary Thompson, who is now the spokesman for Harrahs Entertainment.
48
win and a 6 to tie. So he’s
screaming for a 6 and out
jumps the 6 of clubs. At this
point we’ve got what looks
like a split pot with the 6,
but there are three clubs on
board and I’ve got the 8 of
clubs in my hand. Still to
come was the jack of clubs,
which ended up giving me
the win.
Big money and high
drama, all in the same
hand..
“Winning that one took
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
a little of the sting out of
finishing second in the
other.”
There was just enough
time to take a couple of
deep breaths before getting ready for all the action
associated with the 36th
annual World Series of
Poker.
Forrest is a previous winner of multiple gold World
Series bracelets. Last year
he took first place in the
seven-card stud tournament
and a $1,500 buy-in no
limit hold ‘em tournament,
the latter attracting a field
of more than 830 players.
Besides his recent first and
second at The Mirage He
has also won or placed at
the final table in three other
WPT events over the last
year and a half or so.
“So it’s a good time to
be rounding into form,” he
says. “Let’s see if I can
back it up with a strong
World Series.”
Going into the recent
Mirage tournaments,
Forrest says he adjusted his
style, deciding to generally
go with stronger hands “so
that when I was in there I
pretty much had a hand to
back me up.”
This may have ratcheted
up the intimidation factor
that was evident to some
analysts whenever Forrest
was in a big pot.
“I think players sensed
I had a stronger hand than
on average and that may
have led to people being
more inclined to get out of
the way somewhat. One of
my strong suits has always
been a pretty good ability
to adapt to changing conditions at the table, and in this
case (going with stronger
hands) looked like what
was going to be necessary
to get the job done.”
This year’s Series offers
the opportunity to play
more tournaments than in
previous years when he
was splitting poker time
between different locales.
“I’ve always been pretty
busy going back and forth
between Vegas and LA
playing in Larry Flynt’s
game at the Hustler Casino.
This year the game has
been on vacation so hopefully I can play in some
more tournaments, but I’ve
been hearing rumors we
may get it going again. I
sort of have mixed feelings because I want to get
Larry’s game cranked back
up, but I would also like to
play in some more tournaments.”
The Flynt game usually
ranges from limits of oneand three-thousand to fourand eight-thousand.
The poker in Forrest’s
life did not always involve
such breath-taking stakes.
He was working at a hotel
near the Grand Canyon
years ago after leaving
school, enjoying the dollar
limit games that generally
coincided with payday,
usually doing well, usually
managing to win at least as
much as his check.
Those games also
brought him to a life-changing moment.
“One of the worst players in those games,” he
remembers, “made a trip to
Caesars Palace and came
back talking about how he
won something like $275 in
a one and five stud game.”
Talk about inspiration.
Forrest gave the situation
some thought, deciding, “if
this guy can win, then I’m
certain I can win.”
He had seldom been
so certain of anything. “I
started making occasional
trips to Laughlin and Las
Vegas, playing like one-four
stud, going up as high as
maybe three-six or foureight hold ‘em.”
He smiles, giving this
a shrug. “I did pretty well
and began to get the feeling I could make a living
at poker, so I moved to Las
Vegas.”
Forrest advanced slowly,
“probably more slowly
than I had to but I tried
to wait until I considered
myself one of the best players around at a particular
level. I suppose I played
six months of poker before
I ever jumped in a five-ten
game.”
Forrest is one of the
crew of Vegas poker pros
who have participated in
the high stakes Texas hold
‘em games that pitted them
against Beal, the Dallas
banker. These were games
with limits of five and six
figures. Most of the action
took place in the Bellagio’s
poker room. Beal went
home months ago and has
apparently not returned.
There have been onagain, off-again efforts to
create the “biggest game
ever played” with Beal in a
starring role, Beal and the
group of Vegas pros each
putting up $40 million. But
the Paris peace talks that
ended the Vietnam war
came off with fewer hitches
than the efforts aimed at
getting both sides back to
the table.
Forrest remains confident
it will all work out one day.
Why?
“Once hold ‘em gets
into your blood, it doesn’t
leave. Let the players
beware. I think that when
Andy is ready, he will show
up and play a strong game.
I think the big game is
gonna happen . . . “
Forrest hesitates, his
thoughts turning a corner,
“But to be honest, I think
that in the next few years
the big game is going to
happen with or without
Andy. You know, there is
so much money coming to
poker tables everywhere
because of these on-line
poker sites. The games
figure to get higher and
higher.”
There will be people
making big money and
anxious to invest it in other
games.
Forrest explained,
“There are a lot of new,
young Internet players coming up. Most people may
not know who they are yet,
but they are very strong
Wendeen H. Eolis: Breaking News from the 2005 WSOP
that maturity and experience are valued assets and
that it is staying power that
brings genuine respect for
your game.
In a widening loop
around the tables, I note
that old-timers seem scarce
against the throngs of
twenty-something newlyminted wannabees. The
road-gamblin’ Texans of
yore are outnumbered by
thousands of recreational
players with full-time jobs
that only dream of turning
pro.
No matter the debates
surrounding each and
every event until the very
last minute, as to the number of players that will
sidle up to the table, nothing matches the frenzied
private bets among players
and tournament staff on
the size of first-place prize
money for the main event.
I push Lambert to make a
prediction. He tells me that
the optimists are hoping
it will hit 10 million. He
smiles broadly, but says
nothing when I ask if the
odds makers are in trouble
with the over at 8 million.
Sitting in the middle
of the poker room, I eye
the tables, the dealers,
the crowd, and the ESPN
crew that is moving about
like a synchronized cast of
characters in a play. Ken
Lambert and his trusted
right hand Johnny Grooms
talked to me about this
historical moment in the
poker world. They give me
answers to the right questions even before I pose
them.
Rooms at the Rio Suites
are still available. As of
late, they are selling like
hotcakes even though they
are double the price of the
old Binion’s Horseshoe
rate. Ken adds that the
$109 tariff on weekday
nights and $179 charge for
weekends are true bargains
compared to the hotel’s
year-round rates. Next,
Ken schools me about the
rules for player sponsorships during this year’s
tournaments. He cautions
that there will be no repeat
of last year’s efforts by
certain poker companies
to “buy the final table,”
offering players the chance
to wear their logos for big
bucks once they’ve proven
their mettle in the event—
trying their darndest to
make the finalists look like
a billboard for their corporate entities.
This time around at
the WSOP, players must
obtain sponsors prior to
the beginning of the tournament in order to wear
their logo apparel for televised poker shows. Then
they must meet Harrah’s
requirements which allow
a maximum of a threeinch square patch on one
visible garment. If you
dare to come with more,
the excess logo(s) will be
taped.
Talking about televised
poker action, tournament
staff chuckle that the players’ are totally smitten by
the chance to play poker
on the tube. One dealer
mocked the rush of reporters by poker pros, saying, “You’d think that the
opportunities to mug for
the camera would guarantee a future fortune. “Don’t
assume that.” There are a
lot of one-stunt wonders
out there who get found
out pretty quick.” For the
time being, however, the
press seems as anxious
for interviews with players—pros and unknowns
alike—as players are for
the attention. Everyone
is lapping up the current
poker madness that reigns
here.
Poker players and poker
dollars are flying into town
at lightning speed, with
unknown 21-29 year old
males frequently accounting for nearly a third of
the field in major events.
I can’t help but yearn
for the good old days of
poker when Jack Binion
announced the name of
each and every player in
the main event as they
strolled to their seats,
greeting their fellow gladiators by name as they took
their places. The poker
gods read my thoughts; the
elite of the poker world
and longtime friends are
gathered here this evening
for a roast of John Bonetti.
The gravelly voiced,
tough-talking original from
New York has made his
mark on the tournament
trail, having started down
that path at age 65. Bonetti
is no quitter. Neither bad
streaks at the felt nor a
rare and frightening form
of cancer could keep this
man down. He keeps on
cashing. The three-time
WSOP bracelet winner has
added to his stash another
$175,215 with a third
place finish in a $5000 No
Limit Hold‘em event here
at the 2005 WSOP.
The belly-laughs at the
Bonetti roast come fast and
furious with Mike Sexton’s
rapid patter setting the
tone. Sexton tells the
crowd that John Bonetti’s
passion for the game
has earned him a record
number of penalties for
uttering the F-bomb word.
Sexton doesn’t let up. He
points out that Bonetti
has the lone distinction
of a penalty for use of the
f-word during a tournament break, moments after
a hand that didn’t please
him. And Sexton finishes
him off with a claim that
dealers keep a dart board
on hand in the break room
in a lame effort to make
mincemeat of the killer
poker player.
At the end of the day,
however, John Bonetti’s
foibles pale in comparison
to his heart for the game,
his courage in facing life’s
trials, and his faithful
friendships throughout the
poker world. Here, here to
the 2005 World Series of
Poker and John Bonetti, an
old world poker hero with
talent to handle the modern game.
Wendeen Eolis has cashed
four times with record-setting performances at the
WSOP, including twice in
the main event. She has
appeared on the WPT
televised Ladies Night II
event and was elected to
the inaugural of the WPT’s
Professional Poker Tour.
Her accomplishments in
business, politics, and
poker have been profiled by
major print and broadcast
media including the New
York Times, Wall Street
Journal, A & E’s Biography
and most recently on
the Travel Channel. You
may contact Ms. Eolis at
[email protected]
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
49
‘Trust’ is the Key to
Poker Success
BacK in the saddle Again
By OKLAHOMA JOHNNY HALE
I wrote a column the other day
about how to win when you are
playing poker, and I gave you folks a couple of
winning poker tips.
Tip No. 1: Observe and study the poker game
that you are planning to play that day.
Tip No. 2: Rate the poker players that you will
be playing with that day.
Folks, I want to tell you that I am writing a new
book that I think I will call, “Sixty-five ways to
improve your life and your poker game.” I have
decided that I will not re-invent the wheel on
winning tips for poker players.
The readers of “Back in the Saddle Again”
here in Poker Player newspaper will just be getting an advance opportunity to read some of the
tips that I plan to include in my new book.
I hope to release the new book soon. If any of
the folks would like information or reserve their
advance copy, contact me at Oklajohnny@aol.
com
Trust. This is Tip No. 3 from my new book.
Folks, This is a good rule or tip for living as
well as playing poker. In order to accomplish anything in this life, we must learn to trust.
First, we must learn to trust our self. Second,
we must learn to trust others. Third, we must
learn to trust God as we envision the God to be.
When we are first born, we must trust our parents or care providers for all our needs, wants
and our desires. When we first learn to sit, crawl,
stand alone, and everything else, we must trust
others to help us or to catch us when we fall.
When we go to school or church we must learn
to trust our teachers, proctors and advisers to
give us correct information.
We must trust the mailman, the policeman,
the doctors, lawyers, the plumbers and all who
have control or have influence over our lives. We
must trust the machines, the telephone, our car
to start, the lights to work, the water to be in
the pipes and the toilet to flush. We must trust
our government to protect our country, even on
our money that says “In God we trust.” We must
trust our wives, husbands and those that love us.
But I think most of all we must learn to trust
ourselves. And, oh yes, in poker, this is the rule
of trust.
We must learn to trust the other poker players
to be honorable and most of all trust the poker
players to be creatures of habit.
Trust the poker player to do the same things
over, and over, and over again. If he has a tell—
and he does—you must learn those tells. Trust
the poker player to do the same thing today,
tomorrow and next week... and he will.
I give you my Oklahoma Johnny’s {Poker
Guarantee}: At the end of the game you will be
counting the money, if you trust the poker players’ tells and actions to be the same, in today’s
game and in tomorrow’s game, and forever.
Until next time, remember to STAY LUCKY!!!
Editor’s Notes: You may contact OK-J at his e-mail
[email protected], or play poker LIVE, ONLINE
with Johnny, Carol and Sarah at www.seniorpoker.
com. Johnny’s book, “The Gentleman Gambler,” is in
its third printing. Contact Johnny for your copy.
50
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Book reviews
One of a Kind
by Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson
Atria Books 2005, 320pp, $25
ISBN: 0-7434-7658-1
Genius is an overused
word, but in the history
of the game if there is
one poker player to whom
the term could be fairly
applied, it is Stu Ungar.
In a relatively brief tournament poker career,
Ungar amassed a staggering record of success.
Part and parcel with his
great proficiency for card
games, however, were
serious personal problems
which led to his untimely
death in 1998. His story
is chronicled in the much
anticipated book, “One
of a Kind”, by Nolan
Dalla and Peter Alson.
The authors trace
Ungar’s life from his
upbringing in New York
to his arrival in Las
Vegas. The authors
reveal to us his domination in the game of Gin
Rummy and his quickly
acquired prowess in the
game of poker. We learn
a great deal about what
shaped Stu Ungar through
the formative events
of his youth. Through
these pages we are told
not only about his wellknown exploits as Ungar
the legendary card player
and his antics as a selfdestructive drug addict,
but we also see Ungar
the family man.
Many biographical
works quickly develop
into hyperbole in an
attempt to glamorize
their subjects. I greatly
appreciated the fact that
Dalla and Alson felt comfortable enough with the
story they had available
to them to forgo such
excesses. It is quite clear
that their interest was
in doing justice to all
aspects of Ungar’s character. They obviously felt
confident enough in the
intrinsic power of their
narrative to let the events
of Ungar’s life speak for
themselves, and this confidence is well placed.
How much insight do
we gain into Stu Ungar’s
character from “One of
a Kind”? The book provides considerable context for both the subject’s
remarkable successes as
well as the ruinous lifestyle he led. At the same
time, I don’t think anyone
ever really understood
either what it was that
made him such a proficient card player or what
prevented him from interacting in a healthy manner with any other part of
the world. I believe that
any attempt to unravel
this mystery on the
authors’ parts would have
been misguided.
The serious poker players out there who have
marveled at the amazing
prowess he displayed
at the table might be
disappointed that less
detail regarding Ungar’s
gambling exploits is
provided here than they
might hope. One has to
remember, though, that
Ungar’s poker career
ended years before reporters routinely recorded
final table hand histories
and hole-card cameras
brought us
a complete
record of
the play of
major poker tournaments. Dalla and Alson
have elected to provide
these sorts of details only
where they are certain
they can substantiate the
events as they actually
happened. As a consequence while there may
not be much in the way
of strategy for serious
poker students to learn
from this book, we can at
least be confident that the
events as they are transcribed here actually did
occur.
Do we admire Stuey
or revile him? Do we
praise his skill or decry
his behavior? I believe
the conclusion everyone must come to is that
nearly all the extreme
reactions to this person
are appropriate, and all
of these aspects are represented in this book.
Undoubtedly, “One of a
Kind” will be considered
the definitive story about
poker’s most enigmatic
figure. This is much less
a book about poker than
it is a real-life dramatization of the archetypical
battle between humanity’s
best and worst aspects. I
found it to be a well-written story about a fascinating personality, and I
highly recommend it.
—Nick Christenson
Any poker player 21 years
or older may play in this
event.
Sponsored and approved
by “The Seniors”
The Second Chance No Limit Hold’em Charity
Poker Tournament Hosted by the President of “The Seniors”
Charities Carol Ann Hale... to be Held July 10-11-12 at
Players receive $5,000 in chips for $1,000 + $60 Buy-in.
A contribution of $50 to the “Seniors” Charities
(tax deductible) will get contributing players an additional
$5,000 in tournament chips to be used anytime
during the first two limits of play.
SATELLITES ARE STARTING...
For details, call the Orleans Poker Room–
(702) 365-7150 or (888) 365-7111–
or Oklahoma Johnny (702) 364-4700
web: www.OK-J.com
e-mail: [email protected]
* based on 200 or more players--if less or more than 200 players play the payoffs
will be in accordance with official posted payouts posted in the tournament area.
table. But we probably
want meaningful secondand third-place payoffs,
so here’s what we do. We
engineer the table counts
in advance, so we have
only four late-stage tables
of whatever numbers of
contestants needed. There
will be four winners securing additional winnings and
then we have two heads-up
matches. These can occur
simultaneously -- or consecutively for added drama
in major events. The two
losers share third-place
prize money. The two winners fight over who gets
first place money and who
gets second.
Details and
advantages
One objection I’ve heard is
from managers who believe
that it will take more dealer
resources to conduct a tournament this way. It won’t.
Although it’s true that you
won’t be able to consolidate
tables and you’ll be using
dealers for a small number of players later in the
rounds, remember, eight out
of nine players will be gone
soon. If structured rationally, you’ll need less dealer
resources, not more.
A big advantage of this
type of tournament is that
it gives players at every
table a chance to experience
the skills required to be a
champion. In traditional
tournaments, only the final
table becomes short handed,
then heads-up. The finalists
have never been tested in
these key skills – the very
skills that will determine
who wins. Instead, they’ve
been stuck at full-handed
tables until the very end.
Now, full-handed may be
fun, but it’s a vastly different game than short-handed
and heads-up. Since those
latter two conditions are
what’s encountered when
the money really matters,
why not give players an
opportunity to experience
them along the way?
Plunderers of payoffs
And there you have it.
Problem resolved. Again, I
believe it’s simply a disaster that proportional-payoff
tournaments dictate that you
can’t play your best everyday game and that you have
to sacrifice poker skill in
pursuit of the payoffs. And
I believe it’s a disaster that
tournaments don’t reward
the best players of poker, but
the best plunderers of payoffs. Those plunderers must
sacrifice the pride of putting
the first-place trophy at the
highest premium. They must
go after profit, instead.
But, you know, whether
to go after profit or try to
win a tournament shouldn’t
be a choice we need to
make. It’s unconscionable
to make players wrestle
with that decision when
there’s a solution.
And I’ve given you a
solution for this disaster. I
believe the solution should
become the norm. If it
doesn’t, then, well, gosh
darn it.
Mike Caro is widely
regarded as the world’s
foremost authority on
poker strategy, psychology,
and statistics. A renowned
player and founder of Mike
Caro University of Poker,
Gaming, and Life Strategy,
he is known as “the Mad
Genius of Poker,” because
of his lively delivery
of concepts and latest
research. You can visit him
at www.poker1.com.
Player Profile: Ted Forrest
players. The interesting
thing about the Internet is
that these players experience a very sharp learning
curve because they are
playing so many hands an
hour. They may be playing
four games at a time being
dealt two- or three-hundred
hands an hour.”
The net effect of all this
playing time?
“They are getting 10
years worth of experience
in just a year or two. Poker
is definitely a place where
a smart person has a good
chance at being successful. I think there are more
and more people exploring
poker for this reason.”
Forrest thinks about this
and continues, “Poker has
never been more convenient. You want to sit there
in your bathrobe and play
you can do that. You’re not
gonna have anyone yelling
at you and you can curse at
your computer.”
He smiles and scrunches
his face into a look that
asks, could anyone want
more than this?
Has Forrest treated himself to anything special,
considering the extent of
his recent success?
He shakes his head. “I’m
going to wait till after the
World Series to treat myself
to anything special. First,
there is the job to be done.
I’ll just take each day as it
comes, decide if I should
play in a tournament, or, if
there’s a good side game
should I play that?”
There is also “the
unknown” as he puts it
. . . whether the California
game at Flynt’s place
will start back up or not.
Serious big money poker
pro cannot afford to overlook that kind of opportunity.
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
51
Entertainment
Listings
Entertainment RePORT
By LEN BUTCHER
“You can’t be a sexy person unless you have
something sexy to offer. With me, it’s my voice:
the way that I sing, the way I express myself
when I sing.” These are the words of Thomas John Woodward, better known to you as Tom Jones, who will be appearing July 8 at the
Grand Casino in Tunica and the next night (July 9) at Grand Casino
Gulfport.
I won’t soon forget the first time I interviewed the international
star. He was performing in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, in the days
when the headliners performed two shows, one at 9, the other at
midnight. I called to set it up and he told me he’d be happy to do it,
as long as I didn’t mind conducting the interview in the hotel steam
room. “I like to relax after my shows,” he said, “so how about we
meet there at 3.” We’re talking 3 in the a.m.
When I arrived, Tom was comfortably ensconced in a swirl of
steam, sweat rolling off the body that millions of screaming women
around the world would love to see. We talked and sweated for
almost an hour, but it gave me a good look at the man (both literally and figuratively) who has been, and continues to be a star, after
40 years in one of the toughest businesses in the world.
He is unassuming, down to earth, gracious, a good talker and
a good listener. He told me of growing up in his hometown of
Pontypridd, South Wales, where he admitted he was a “bit of a
rebel. I was more interested in music and sex than anything else,”
he said laughing. This was in the ‘50s, when rock ‘n’ roll dominated
the airwaves.
Tom is first and foremost a rocker with a true rhythm and blues
soul and he soon found that he had a great voice . Not only that, he
could sing just about any kind of music and people loved to listen
to him and watch him perform. He said he was fortunate at a very
early age to meet a man named Gordon Mills, who become his manager. Around that time, when he was only 16, Tom married his childhood sweetheart, Melinda and they had a child a year later.
His first break, he said, “was when I recorded It’s Not Unusual,
which was written by Gordon. It was actually considered too risqué
for the BBC Radio, but the offshore pirate station, Radio Caroline
broke it and within a year, it had become an international hit. Pretty
amazing.” Because of it, Tom soon found himself opening for the
Rolling Stones. There was no looking back and by the end of 1970,
Tom’s records had sold over 30 million copies.
This past March, Tom celebrated 40 years in show business and
is still at the top of his game. In our first interview, I asked him how
he enjoyed the fame and fortune. “It’s difficult to adjust to,” he
said, “and one of the hardest things is to be on the road, away from
my wife. My son Mark comes with me on the road, which is good for
him, but all if it is very difficult for Linda (Tom’s wife). “She’s stuck
at our home in Los Angeles and doesn’t really know anyone and her
husband and son are on the road 90 percent of the time. It’s very
lonely for her. She asked if we could bring in a nanny from Wales
just so she would have someone to talk to from home, which we did,
so that helps, but it’s still hard. “And it doesn’t help when she picks
up a tabloid and there’s stories about women throwing their panties
and room keys at me.” Tom said it’s all very tempting, but he keeps
his mind focused on his music. “I love what I do and intend to keep
doing it as best I can for as long as I can.”
If you’re really curious about some aspects of his personal life,
here’s a few I found out. He’s been married for 47 years, has two
grandchildren, one each from his son and daughter, likes watching TV,
playing billiards and darts, working out, and watching boxing matches. His favorite singers are Brook Benton, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee
Lewis, Al Jolson and Tennessee Ernie Ford. He hates shaving, changing flat tires, and getting up early in the morning. My kinda guy.
Whether you like gospel, pop, rock, rhythm and blues, rock-abilly, country or contemporary urban sounds, Tom Jones can do it
all, and do it better than anyone. Don’t miss his show at the Grand
Casino hotels July 8 and 9.
Len Butcher, a 25-year resident of Las Vegas, is
an online columnist for the Las Vegas ReviewJournal and a former Managing Editor of the Las
Vegas Sun and of Gaming Today. Reach him at
[email protected]
52
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
Poker Player Advertisers are shown in RED along with their ad’s page number
To list your event, contact Len Butcher, Entertainment Editor at [email protected]
CALIFORNIA
Agua Caliente Casino
Comedy Shop
Commerce Casino
Arena Patio
Ballroom Dance Party
Crystal Park Casino & Hotel Cambodian Dance Party
(42)
Karaoke
El As De Oros Night Club
Ana Gabriel
Fantasy Springs Resort
KC & the Sunshine Band /
Harrah’s Rincon
The Commodores
Hollywood Park Casino (7) Finish Line Lounge
Pechanga Resort & Casino (32) Joanne Shenandoah
CONNECTICUT
Babyface
Foxwoods Resort Casino
Larry the Cable Guy
Mohegan Sun Casino
MISSISSIPPI
Gold Strike Hotel Casino
Aga Boom
(Tunica)
Rainbow Bridge
Grand Casino (Biloxi)
ZZ Top
Grand Casino (Tunica)
ZZ Top
Grand Casino (Gulfport)
Horseshoe Casino (Tunica) (21) Michael Bolton
NEW JERSEY
X, an Erotic Adventure
Taj Majal Hotel & Casino
Tropicana Casino & Resort 70s Soul Jam
(Atlantic City)
NEW YORK
Billy Ray Cyrus
Turning Stone Casino
NEVADA-LAS VEGAS
Magician Steve Wyrick
Aladdin Hotel & Casino
Donn Arden’s Jubilee!
Bally’s Resort & Casino
O
Bellagio Resort & Casino
Binion’s Horseshoe Hotel & Honky Tonk Cowgirls
Casino
Vinnie Favorito
Boulder Station Hotel &
Bobby Goldsboro
Casino (10)
The Dells, The Dramatics &
Cannery Hotel & Casino
Rose Royce
Thunder From Down Under
Excalibur Hotel & Casino
Gladys Knight
George Wallace
Flamingo Las Vegas
Bottoms Up
The Second City
Golden Nugget Hotel &
Julio Iglesias
Casino
Clint Holmes
Harrah’s Hotel & Casino
Imperial Palace Hotel &
Legends In Concert
Casino (23)
Blue Man Group
Luxor Resort & Casino
Midnight Fantasy
Mandalay Bay Resort &
Casino
Mamma Mia
Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
Magician Lance Burton
B-52s
Impressionist Danny Gans
The Mirage Hotel & Casino (13)
David Spade
The Orleans Hotel & Casino Rich Little
Palace Station Hotel &
Laugh Trax comedy club
Casino (10)
The Comedy Zone
Plaza Hotel & Casino (17)
The Platters, Coasters and
Sahara Hotel & Casino
Drifters
Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino Next Movement
(38)
George Carlin
Stardust Hotel & Casino
Rick Thomas
Dave Koz
Sunset Station (10)
Love Shack
Texas Station (10)
LAUGHLIN
Riverboat Ramblers Strolling
Colorado Belle Hotel Casino Dixieland Jazz Band
Dave Mason
Flamingo Hilton Hotel Casino
Ramada Express Hotel Casino Comedy Express
Superstars Live in Concert
Riverside Hotel Casino
RENO
The Palmores
Atlantis Casino Resort
Smokey Joe’s Cafe
Eldorado Hotel Casino
8:30 p.m. Featuring three top comedians
weekly.
East L.A., Live Wednesdays 9 p.m.; Top comics,
Karaoke Thursdays 8 p.m.
Thursdays 8 p.m. to Midnight, Sundays 2-6 p.m.
Fridays 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Nightly, except Tues., Wed.
Presents Banda Nortina Sats 8 p.m.-3 a.m.
July 31, 8 p.m.
July 21, 8 p.m.
Live Jazz, Tues. 8 p.m.
July 24, 7 p.m.
July 21, 8 p.m.
July 24, 7 p.m.
Thru July 25, 7 p.m.
July 27, 8 p.m.
July 29, 9 p.m.
July 30, 8 p.m.
July 8, 9 p.m.
July 1-Sept 4, 8 p.m.
July 22, 8 p.m.
July 22, 8 p.m.
Ongoing, Wednesday through Monday, 7 & 10 p.m.
Sat-Thu, 8 p.m.
Fridays through Tuesdays, 7:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Ongoing, 7 & 11 p.m. (dark wednesdays)
Ongoing, Tue-Sat 8 p.m., Fri-Sat 8 p.m.
July 29, 8 p.m.
July 23, 8 p.m.
Fridays through Wednesdays. 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Tuesdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays, 2 & 4 p.m.
Thursdays through Tuesdays, 8 p.m.
July 21-22, 9 p.m.
Monday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays, 7 & 10 p.m.
7 p.m. Nightly
Tuesdays through Sundays, 8:30 p.m.
7 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays; 8 p.m.
Fridays; 7 & 10:30 p.m. Saturdays, Mondays.
July 30, 9 p.m.
8 p.m. (Monday thru Friday)
Aug 5, 9 p.m. & Aug 6, 10:30 p.m.
Tuesdays thru Saturdays, 7pm; Tuesdays &
Saturdays. 7 & 10 p.m.
July 29-31, 8 p.m.
7:30 & 10 p.m. Tuesdays thru Saturdays.
9 p.m. Tuesdays thru Sundays.
8 p.m. nightly
July 20-24, 8 p.m.
Jun 2-15, 8 p.m.
Ongoing, 2 & 4 p.m.
July 29, 8 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, 10 p.m.
Fridays & Saturdays, 8 p.m.
July 23, 9 p.m.
July 23-31, 8 p.m.
Jun 21-Aug 31, 8 p.m.
10 p.m.-4 a.m.
Jun 9-Sep 4, 8 p.m.
Bodog Charity Event in Hawaii Salutes Troops
Bodog.net has announced
plans to hold a celebrity
“thank you to the troops”
charity event for the 110,000
men and women of the
U.S. military currently in
Hawaii, many of whom
are awaiting or returning
from deployment in the
Middle East. The four-day
event (July 21-24, 2005),
entitled “Bodog Salutes
Our Troops: A Tribute to
American Heroes,” will
be held in Oahu, Hawaii,
and will include celebrities, musicians, comedians,
professional athletes and
troops interacting in various
activities including a poker
tournament, family picnic,
and softball game. There
will also be a comedy show
and concert held at the world
famous Waikiki Shell for
8,000 military members and
their families. All proceeds
from the event will benefit
the military charity Fisher
House Foundation.
“Bodog Salutes our
Troops is an opportunity
to give something back to
the men and women who
have risked their lives in
the interest of protecting
our freedom,” said Calvin
Ayre, Bodog founder and
CEO. “Giving these troops
a little entertainment and
leisure time is the least we
can do for their sacrifices,
and we are thrilled to be
involved with Fisher House
Foundation, a charity that
truly supports troops in their
time of need.”
“We are honored to welcome all of the celebrity participants who will visit our
island for this event,” said
Kathy Giannetti, Leisure
Activities Director CPRP
CPP, U.S. Military. “Every
little bit helps in keeping
morale high, and this event
will be a real treat for the
soldiers stationed here.”
The celebrity events
will bring together the ser-
vice men and women of
the NAVY, AIR FORCE,
MARINES, ARMY and
COAST GUARD based
at Hickam Airforce Base,
Schofield Barracks, Pearl
Harbor, and Kaneohe Marine
Corp Base. One of the highlights of the weekend will
feature an inter-service poker
tournament with finalists
playing with celebrities at
Camp Bodog on the beach.
The finals, which will be
held at world renowned
Kahala Mandarin Oriental
resort, will be overseen by
world famous poker tournament director Matt Savage.
The tournament will feature
approximately 15 celebrities,
10 Bodog.net players and
over 60 U.S. Troops going
head-to-head in No Limit
Texas Hold ‘Em, with the
top celebs and troops squaring off at the final table.
“Fisher House Foundation
is delighted to be working with Bodog on this
event to salute the troops,”
said James Weiskopf, Vice
President of Fisher House
Foundation. “It’s a wonderful way to combine fun
and entertainment while
giving a little something
back. So many families will
benefit and that’s what our
Foundation is all about.”
Stratosphere Opens New Poker Room
June 23, 2005- Las VegasThe Stratosphere Casino
Hotel and Tower recently
opened the eight- table
Stratosphere Poker Room.
The room features a wide
spread of games, daily
no-limit hold ‘em tournaments and player incentives,
announced American Casino
& Entertainment Properties
officials.
“The surge in poker’s
popularity coupled with
constant guest requests
convinced us to open the
Stratosphere Poker Room,”
said Bobby Dunning, manager of poker operations
for the Stratosphere Casino
Hotel and Tower. “We want
to do poker right. We created
a fun, friendly atmosphere
with a no abuse policy that
will cater to all poker players, from novice to veteran
professionals,” he added.
The Stratosphere Poker
Room is spreading a broad
range of games including:
$2-$4 and $4-$8 limit hold
‘em; $3-$6 Omaha high-low
with a half kill; no limit hold
‘em with $1 & $2 blinds,
with a minimum $40 and a
maximum $200 buy-in; no-
limit with $2 & $5 blinds,
with a minimum $100 and a
maximum $500 buy-in and
$1-$5 seven-card stud. The
Stratosphere Poker Room’s
policy is to accommodate
players by spreading whatever the players’ request.
No limit hold ‘em tournaments are held twice a day,
Monday through Friday.
The morning tournaments
are held at 9 a.m. with a $22
buy-in and one $20 re-buy.
Evening tournaments start
at 8 p.m. with a $44 buy-in,
one $40 re-buy and one $40
add-on.
The Stratosphere Poker
Room is conveniently
located next the Sportsbook
just steps from valet and self
parking. The room is nonsmoking.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday
August 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th
Thursday, Aug. 4th · 7:15pm
?
?
?
?
Friday, Aug. 5th · 7:15pm
?
?
?
Saturday, Aug. 6th · 4:15pm
?
?
?
?
?
?
Sunday, Aug. 7th · 2:00pm
?
?
?
?
?
?
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
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53
Cash and Burn
In the natural ebb and flow of tournament poker, you routinely see
KILLER Poker
By John Vorhaus
a tightening of play as people get
within shouting distance of the money. Those with
short stacks cast nervous eyes about, looking for
other short stacks and measuring the distance of
approaching blinds. “Can I make it?” players wonder.
“Can I make it to the money without taking a chance,
or must my money move in order for me to cash?”
These players are looking for an excuse not to play.
They’re looking to make good laydowns. They don’t
want to bust out of a tournament (out of the money)
on the strength of their own bad choice.
It has long been known that this business of chasing a payday is borderline ridiculous in tournament
poker. The real money is in the top three spots,
and if you’re playing for any payout, no matter how
small, you’re seriously undervaluing what your time
is worth. Say you put a hundred bucks into a fivehour tournament and cash a bottom-money payout
of $140. That’s eight bucks an hour. You can do better playing quarter-ante stud. Hell, you can do better
working at Wendy’s. Still, people who would rather
win $40 than lose $100 routinely limp to the money,
and breathe a huge sigh of relief when they get there.
Then they go nuts.
After nursing their short stacks so long and so
well, they’re suddenly looking to gamble, and they
don’t much care what they have. (They can’t much
care for, of course, they’re still short-stacked.) Now...
at last... too late... they’re trying to win the tournament. Having made the money, they experience a
momentary lapse of reason that sees them making
big moves with small hands. Hence the expression
cash and burn. They get their payday, but they don’t
get the big payday, not unless they get lucky.
You, I assume, are not interested in making eight
dollars an hour. You, I assume, are in it to win it. So
your strategy for this trans-money zone should be
different from theirs, and designed to take advantage of the predictable failings of others.
The first thing you must do is be not afraid to fail.
There will be times that you make a strong move and
have it backfire, due either to a foe’s hidden strength
or just sheer bad luck. But train yourself to not fear
this. Remember the eight dollars an hour.
Before the money, players will fold better hands
than yours -- sometimes much better -- rather than
risk busting out on the bubble. Attack short stacks
with semi-strong holdings. Give them a chance to
make those great laydowns they’re so fond of. Try
to get your money in first in unopened pots. Put the
squeezers’ feet to the fire.
After they make the money, cash-and-burn players
will start going to war with all sorts of inferior holdings. Be careful what you choose to do battle with.
Of course, the rising blinds will be putting pressure
on you as well, but at this point the squeezers will
start playing K-9, Q-T and any pocket pair. Snug up
if you can. Don’t be afraid to get involved, but try to
have quality hands when you do.
Above all, recognize that if you make the money
many times, but rarely make the big money, you’re
probably doing something wrong. I know it sucks to
bust out on the bubble, but playing not to lose is not
the same as playing to win.
[John Vorhaus is the author of Poker Night and
the Killer Poker book series, and news
ambassador for UltimateBet.com.]
54
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
2005 WORLDWIDE
POKER TOURNAMENTS
NOW! Get Tournament Listings at our website:
>Denotes Advertiser; Poker Association Events also denoted: t=World Poker Tour,
s=World Series of Poker and e=European Poker Tour.
To list your 3-day events contact: Joel Gausten, Managing Editor at: [email protected]
DATE
EVENT
LOCATION
>May 28-Jul 10 No Limit Hold’em Summer Series Palms (AdPg 27), Las Vegas, NV
>Jun 3-Jul 8 MSOP
Bicycle Casino (AdPg 3), Bell Gardens, CA
Jun 3-Jul 15
World Series of Poker 2005
July 1-31
U.S. Open Ch’ship of Poker
Jul 4-10
Celeb Poker Summer Breeze Festival
Jul 11-29
Rendezvous a’ Paris
Jul 14-24
San Diego Summer Splash
Jul 16-31
The Orleans Open
>Jul 16-Aug 1 Larry Flynt’s Grand Slam of Poker IV
Jul 25-29
Grand Prix de Paris
Jul 27-30
Diamond Poker Classic
Aug 1-7
European Poker Championships
Aug 3-6
WPX London Open
>Aug 4-Sept 4 Legends of Poker
Aug 8-14
Grosvenor UK Open
Aug 24-27
Bodensee Poker Championship
Aug 28-Sept 4 Speedway of Poker VII
Aug 29-Sept 22 Borgata Poker Open
Sept 6-25
Calif. State Poker Ch’ship
Sept 19-22
Fahrenheit Poker Festival
Sept 26–Oct 2 The World Masters
Sept 26–Oct 4 Austrian Classics
Sept 29-Oct 10 Fall Pot of Gold
>Sept 29-Oct 16 Big Poker October
Oct 5-9
Canadian Poker Championship
>Oct 8-21
Fall Poker Classic
Oct 9-19
Russian Poker Championships
>Oct 17-30
Nat’l Ch’ship of Poker
Oct 20-23
Autumn Tournament
Oct 20-23
Island Poker Tourn. Puerto Rico
Oct 23-27
Doyle Brunson’s N. American Poker Ch’ship
Oct 27-Nov 18
Foxwoods Resort Casino
Nov 2-12
Fall Poker Roundup
Nov 4-20
Holiday Bonus Tournament
Nov 5-12
MasterClassics of Poker
Nov 13-20
The Hold’em Series
Nov 14-20
Northern Lights
Nov 16-20
Anniversary Tour
Nov 21-27
Midland Masters
Nov 23-27
Anniversary Tour
Nov 23-27
Anniversary Tour 2005
>Nov 24-Dec 11 Turkey Shoot/Ho Ho Hold’em
Nov 29-Dec 18
Five Diamond World Poker Classic
Nov 30-Dec 5
Campionato Italiano di Poker
Dec 1-4
Irish Christmas Poker Festival
Dec 5-11
Christmas Cracker
Dec 6-11
Christmas Tournament
Dec 12-18
Helsinki Freezeout
Dec 16-20
Anniversary Tour 2005
POKER
ON
TV
sRio Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
The Orleans, Las Vegas, NV
Rendezvous Casino, Brighton, UK
tAviation Club de France, Paris, France
Sycuan Resort & Casino, El Cajon, CA
Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Hustler Casino (AdPg 15), Gardena, CA
tAviation Club de France, Paris, France
Casino Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan
Grosvenor, Grosvenor Victoria Casino, London, UK
Old Billingsgate Market, London, UK
tBicycle Casino (AdPg 3), Bell Gardens, CA
Grosvenor Casino Luton, Bedfordshire, UK
Casinos Austria, Bregenz, Austria
Garden City Casino, San Jose, CAAug 29–Sept 18
tBorgata, Atlantic City, NJ
Commerce Casino, Commerce, CA
Rendezvous Casino at the Kursaal, Southend-on-Sea, UK
Grosvenor Victoria Casino, London, UK
Concord Card Casino, Vienna, Austria
Reno Hilton, Reno, NV
Casino Yellowhead, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Canterbury Park Card Club (AdPg 55), Shakopee, MN
Korona Casino, Moscow, Russian Federation
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 7), Inglewood, CA
Grand Casino, Vilnius, Lithuania
Wyndham Condado Plaza & Casino, Puerto Rico
tBellagio, Las Vegas, NV
Mashantucket, CT
Wildhorse Resort Casino, Pendleton, OR
Commerce Casino, Commerce, CA
Holland Casino, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Aviation Club de France, Paris, France
Grosvenor Casino, Blackpool, England
Olympic Casino Latvia at Radisson SAS Hotel
Grosvenor Casino Walsall, Walsall, West Midlands, UK
Reval Park Hotel & Casino, Tallinn, Estonia
Olympic Casino Lietuva at Reval Hotel, Vilnius, Lithuania
tBellagio, Las Vegas, NV
Hit Casino, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Macau Sporting Club, Cork, Ireland
Grosvenor Casino Luton, Bedfordshire, UK
Astoria-Palace Club & Casino, Tallinn, Estonia
Grand Casino Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Olympic Casino Latvia @ Radison SAS Hotel, Riga, Latvia
World Poker Tour. Wednesdays,
Saturdays & Sundays. (Check local listing for times). Travel Channel.
Thursdays. 10:00 PM. E!
Celebrity Poker Showdown.
Daily 6/29, 6/30, 7/3-7/7, 7/9-7/14/2005.
(Check local listings for times). Bravo.
Ultimate Poker Challenge.
Fridays & Saturdays. (check local listings
for times/channels).
Poker Superstars Invitational.
Sundays. 8:00 PM. Fox Sports.
European Poker Tour.
Wednesdays-Fridays. (check local listings for times). EuroSport.
E! Hollywood Hold’em.
Southern California Poker
Tour. Thursdays. 11:00 PM. KDOC.
Keith Rice, a five-year
veteran of the poker
industry in Deadwood,
said while the majority of their business
consists of local
players, that
changes in the
summer.
“This a
major tourist area
from mid-June
all the way through
August,” Rice said. “We
have the Sturgis bike
As
we have seen
in past articles, many
of the northern states
in the U.S. play host to
various forms of poker all
the way from the Great
Lakes west to the Pacific,
and among these states
in Deadwood and on
native American reservations in South Dakota.
According to Eliason,
one thing that has
changed over the years
is the maximum wager
limit, which was originally $5 per wager. The limit
1
Deadwood
Gold Dust
2
Silverado
3
Miss Kitty’s
4
Cadillac Jack’s
5
Old Style Saloon #10
6
Franklin Hotel
7
Elsewhere in
South Dakota
Royal River
8
OPEN
HOURS
CITY
By Jason Zinzilieta
rally every August, so
that’s a huge deal here.
We see a major influx
of bikes most of the
way through August,
# OF
TABLES
GAMES
HIGH
LIMITS S/NS
Sat 10a; Sun-Thurs 11a
5
H
20-40
N
Mon-Fri 12p; Sat-Sun 11a
5
H Oh/l
5-50
N
Daily 8a
4
H 7h/l
2-10+
S
Mon-Fri 12p; Sat-Sun 11a
4
H DC
5-50
N
Daily 11a
3
H 7h/l
2-10
S
Thurs, Sun 4p; Fri, Sat 12p
3
H 7h/l
2-10
S
Flandreau
Fri-Mon 2p
6
H 7h/l Oh/l
2-100
N
Dakota Sioux
Watertown
Fri-Sun 11a; Mon 1p;
Tue, Wed 4p
5
H DC
5-10
S
9
Lode Star
Fort Thompson
Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 5p; Sun 1p
5
H Oh/l P
5-10
N
10
Rosebud
9 mi. N. of
Valentine, NE
Mon, Tue, Fri 6p; Sat 12p
4
H Oh/l P
2-5
N
11
Grand River
Mobridge
Thurs 2p; Fri 6p; Sat-Sun 4p
4
H Oh/l P DC
5-10
S
12
Fort Randall
8 mi. W. of
Wagner, SD
Tues-Sun 12p
3
H DC
5-10
N
13
Prairie Wind
Pineridge
poker room scheduled
to open in July
S/NS - Poker room allows smoking (S), non-smoking (N), or both (B)
Days open, hours of operation, games offered and tables may vary
which has offered poker
for several years is South
Dakota.
Poker, along with
blackjack and slot
machines, was legalized in Deadwood, South
Dakota in 1989 after a
constitutional amendment to allow gaming in
the small town passed a
statewide referendum the
year before, according to
Larry Eliason, executive
secretary of the South
Dakota Commission on
Gaming. Native American
gaming began soon after
in other areas of the state,
and today several of the
state’s casinos offer poker
rooms to their clientele.
Gaming is only allowed
was moved up to $100
per wager after another
successful ballot initiative in 2000.
Today, South Dakota’s
poker rooms range in
size from three to six
tables each, with Texas
hold’em, Omaha and stud
played almost everywhere. Pineapple and
various dealer’s choice
games are also played in
many rooms, and most
offer various limit and
spread limit options in
wagering.
Deadwood plays host
to several of South
Dakota’s poker rooms,
one of which is located
in the Gold Dust Casino.
Poker room manager
there. We’ve been having
$250 and $500 buy-ins
basically since day one,
but with this new legislature in there, they’ve
decided to put everything
over $100 as far as a
buy-in for a tournament,
which is not a bet, on
hold, so the maximum we
can have right now is a
$100 buy-in tournament.”
However, Rice was
optimistic the $100 buy-
SOUTH DAKOTA
Poker Rooms in South Dakota
MAP # CASINO
wet playing lower-limit
live games to learn basically how to play somebody that’s sitting right
across from them, instead
of in front of a computer
screen.”
Rice said other players
who play in his room are
“regional” players, and
all three types of players
– local, regional and tourists – combine to keep his
room busy, even with the
state’s $100
maximum bet
but there’s two weeks
where it’s nothing to have
300- to 400,000 bikers
in Sturgis, and that overflow comes right into
Deadwood.”
As the boom in poker
has occurred over the
past few years, Rice said
his players have been
getting younger, but the
older players continue to
play as well.
“Actually, a lot of the
mainstay, older players
have stayed in, but we
do see a big influx of
younger players, ranging anywhere from 21 to
25 years old,” Rice said.
“New players have seen it
on TV, are playing online
and want to get their feet
limit, which
Rice said
doesn’t affect
live play.
“We get a lot of regional action, like Colorado,”
Rice said. “They have a
maximum $5 bet limit
(in Colorado), and a lot
of those players like to
come up here just to
stretch it out a little bit
and be able to play a
little higher limits.”
“We’ll play anything,
even up to $5-$50 and
higher,” Rice said. “We
get some of those players
in here on a regular basis.
It’s nothing to run a
$10-$20 or $5-$50 game
on a Friday or Saturday
night.”
Tournaments were
another matter where
the $100 limit was concerned, but according to
Rice, the rules concerning buy-ins changed at
the beginning of 2005.
“(The $100 limit)
didn’t apply to tournaments until the first of
the year,” Rice said. “We
were trying to set up a
city-wide tournament,
basically a Deadwood
shootout, and some of
the legislators in the state
got wind that the buy-in
would be more than our
regular $100 bet limit,
and there’s some question about the wording in
in limit for tournaments
would change soon.
“I think we will probably be able to go back
to what it was before,”
Rice said. “The tournament directors have gotten together and basically
we’re sending representatives to discuss the difference between a buy-in
and a bet. Just because
you’re buying in for a
tournaments doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re
going to bet that much,
unless you go all in on
the first hand. It’s just a
question of wording. I
think we will be able to
go back to what we’ve
been doing in the past,
which is a lot of the bigger tournaments.”
As for the future, Rice
thought business would
continue to grow industry-wide.
“I don’t think it’s going
to go anywhere but up,”
Rice said. “As long as
the kids don’t get burned
out on it, don’t spend
their bankroll unwisely,
those players continue
to return, and we’ll have
new players coming in as
they hit 21 and want to
try their luck at some live
action poker.”
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
55
56
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
J U LY 1 1 , 2 0 0 5
57
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Transcription

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