LEGENDS Championship Draws Hollywood Stars, Poker Giants

Transcription

LEGENDS Championship Draws Hollywood Stars, Poker Giants
PAGE
Wendeen Eolis:
Poker Players May
Strike It Rich!
Learn How...
at the Writer’s
Bookshop!
2
PAGE
Card Room
Entertainment
Schedule
11
PAGE
18
POKER PLAYER
Vol. 7 Number 7 September 22, 2003
A Gambling Times Publication Copyright ©2003
Bi-Weekly $3.95
Garden City Casino Hosts LEGENDS
Fifth Speedway of Poker Championship
Draws Hollywood
Stars, Poker Giants
One of the hottest spots to
see stars on September 1
wasn’t in Beverly Hills or
Hollywood – it was in Bell
Gardens at The Bicycle
came to try their hands at the
Cadillac of card games, No
Limit Hold’em! Lou
Diamond Phillips, the unofficial spokesman for the
Hieu Huynh, “Poker King of the Speeedway”, congratulated by Tournament Director Jesse Rogers
This year’s SPEEDWAY OF
POKER V event was a
tremendous success. Every
tournament had more entries
than last year. The 8 day tournament with $120 Buy-ins
attracted 1149 players and
paid out over $190,000. The
star of this year’s tournament
was Hieu Hyunh nicknamed
Mickey Mouse. He set a new
Poker Talk
Radio!
Thursdays
1:00 PM PST,
Mike & Stan with
HEAR IT ON
VoiceAmerica.com
Very Special
Guests!
Sept 18: Steve Lipscomb,
CEO, World Poker Tour
Sept 25: Poker Player
columnist Wendeen Eolis
Both guests LIVE, so
you may call in!
record for most All Around
points during the Speedway
week. He scored 1679 points,
eclipsing Stephen Landrum’s
point total in 1999 of 1203.
Labor Day
“Rocks the House”
at Ocean’s Eleven
This Labor Day, September 1,
2003, 248 players turned out
to compete in
the Limit
Hold’em
event bringing the prize
pool to a
Ming Huang whopping
$55,800. The results were as
follows:
1. Ming Huang . . . . . . . . .$18,970
2. Habib Khanis . . . . . . . . .$8,930
3. Bob Robinson . . . . . . . . .$6,140
4. John Bowlds . . . . . . . . . .$4,740
5. Xiaoen Wang . . . . . . . . .$3,910
6. Jeff Chui . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,070
7. Huy Lu . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,510
8. Dung Nguyen . . . . . . . . .$1,950
9. Gottfried Besenbruch . .$1,670
10. Mark Schlig . . . . . . . . . . . .$550
11th-18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$420
He won 2 Hold’em tournaments and placed 3rd in the
Omaha 8/or better. He was
followed in the All Around
points by 2nd Thawee
Potjanamat (Howie) with the
second largest point total of
all time 1257, 3rd P J Kamali,
4th Cuong Nguyen, and 5th
Vallory Rosenbledt.
Jesse Rodgers, Tournament
(Continued on page 7)
Mel Judah is the Legends Champ, to the tune of $579,375
Casino! This night was the
launch of a three-day poker
championship held at the
Casino every August, and
more than just poker stars
upcoming season of the World
Poker Tour, attended the
Mariani/Buss Charity Event
on Sunday evening to speak
(Continued on page 5)
IPF Promises Fun in the Sun
If the thought of a heavy coat
and snow boots threatens your
mood in November, toss them
in and exchange them for
your bathing suit and shorts.
Enjoy a great and enjoyable
first-class poker tournament
after your day in the
Caribbean sun. The islands
await you!
You can windsurf,
snorkel, hike, go horseback
riding, enjoy great cuisine, or
shop to your heart’s delight.
All this and still play some
great poker! The island of St.
Maarten is a Caribbean para-
dise located 150 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. St.
Marteen is the only completely duty-free island in the
Caribbean – that makes for
great shopping. More than
1.5 million visitors enjoy
extraordinary culinary
delights each year.
This beautiful island locale
during November makes
Maho Beach Resort & Casino
(mahobeach.com) in St.
Maarten the perfect spot in
paradise for the televised
inaugural event of the
International Poker Federation
(IPF). The IPF is a poker
alliance of talent, experience,
and integrity dedicated to the
mission of setting new standards throughout the poker
industry in training and customer service. Players can
expect to be adorned with
(Continued on page 11)
S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 1
If you meet Buddah...
KILLER Poker
By John Vorhaus
There’s an old saying I like: “If you
meet Buddha on the road, kill him.”
What this means, I think, is that anyone who
claims to have Answers should be met with skepticism, or possibly a sharp stick. No one has
Answers. All we have are hypotheses. You may
say, “I know seat six is bluffing, I just know it.”
But the fact is, you don’t know it, not for sure, not
until he shows his cards.
Don’t be seduced into believing you know more
than you do: about poker; about life; about traffic
conditions on the interstate out of town. Why?
Because no sooner do you think you have Answers
than you stop looking for answers. And how can
you expect to find better answers once you’ve
stopped looking?
Here’s what to do instead: avoid closure. Make the
latest possible decision based on the best available information. Never bet out of turn, and
always hesitate just a bit before you act in case
someone behind you wants to cough up some premature useful data.
Rather than rush headlong into a rash act, take
measured, interim steps. Then when your information changes and improves, re-evaluate and update
your decisions and plan new actions. In this way,
decision-making throughout a poker hand (or any
life event) becomes a fluid, dynamic thing, totally
in the moment and not at all enslaved by the past.
Suppose you start a hand with pocket queens. The
information at hand tells you that your chances of
success are good. But there are several raises
from tight players before the flop. Now you have
new information: there are quality holdings out
against you. The flop is all acey and kingy, and
now your latest available information tells you that
your once-promising hand has gone south.
What should you do? Cling slavishly to that earlier
optimistic assessment (outdated information) and
lose a lot of money, or go ahead and fold to fend
off further damage? If you have avoided closure
up to this point, if you’re committed to make the
latest possible decision based on the best available information, you’ll be able to let that hand go
and stay out of woe.
Many players can’t do this. For emotional reasons,
they become hopelessly hooked on old information, and it costs them. The classic example of this
is the magic disappearing ace. Many players holding pocket kings will simply refuse to see or
acknowledge an ace on the flop. They feel that
they deserve to win with their big pocket pair, and
they will back up this misplaced feeling of entitlement with many, many squandered bets.
Don’t you do this. Keep your information up to
date, and keep your information free from emotional taints. Avoid closure as long as possible.
Respond to changing situations—in poker, in life,
and on that interstate out of town. You’ll stay out
of trouble, or at least out of traffic.
As always — go big or go home! -jv
[John Vorhaus, author of “Killer Poker” and “Killer Poker
Online,” abides in cyberspace at www.vorza.com.]
2 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
Poker Players May
Strike It
POKER PLAYER
A Gambling Times Publication
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Stanley R. Sludikoff
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By Wendeen H. Eolis
FO R I D RO M E I N FO D ES I G N
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H. Scot Krause
PROMOTIONS EDITOR
principals of two newly
formed talent management
companies to the tables.
Dan Stone the Chairman of
Professional Sponsorship
Group and Keith Fleer, CEO
of Fifth Street Management
put on full court presses to
attract poker players to their
respective corners--both
entrepreneurs claiming that
they will pursue appearance
fees, endorsement contracts
and corporate sponsorships
for qualified poker players. As
we go to press, Stone tells me
that his company is also planning to create a televised
poker tournament tour. Steve
Lipscomb, founder and CEO
of the World Poker Tour
responds, “It is not as easy as
one might think.” Casino
Editor’s Note: This feature
is an adaptation of material
that is part of Ms. Eolis’
book in progress, Power
Poker Dame.
The buzz around the “Bike”
last week was all about Dan
Stone and Keith Fleer and if
you haven’t heard their names
yet, you are out of the loop on
major breaking news. Player
management is the latest hot
topic on the lips of tournament circuit pros and other
poker world celebrities.
Hundreds of American card
rooms beckon more than fifty
million poker players to sidle
up to their games, but it was
the most recent World Poker
Tour events at the Bicycle
Club Casino in Bell Gardens,
California that brought the
(Continued on page 3)
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e-mail to: srs@gamblingtimes.com All letters that
you wish published here must include the name
of the author—However, you may request that
your name be withheld from publication.
Susie Isaacs
DESIGNER
GAMING JEWELRY
◆
“Milt’s Pocket Aces”
14 kt Gold Cuff Links,
w/two 1/4 ct Diamonds
four 3 pt diamonds,
four 3 pt black diamonds
“The Nutz”
14 kt Gold Hoop Earrings
“High Limit Stud”
14 kt gold Stud Earrings,
w/two 3 pt Diamonds
“Top Set” • “Middle Set”
“Little Set”
14 kt Gold I.D. Bracelet
LIMITED EDITIONS
This is a Banner Year for Poker
If Your Passion is “In the Cards”
BE A WINNER • LOOK THE PART
Custom Orders Available
Including Certificate of Authenticity
Len Butcher
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
lennylv@cox.net
Contributing
Columnists
Nolan Dalla
George Epstein
“Oklahoma Johnny” Hale
Susie Isaacs
Diane McHaffie
James McKenna
I. Nelson Rose
Nic Szeremeta
Mike Sexton
Rich Wilens
John Vorhaus
Guest Columnist
Wendeen Eolis
Poker Player will be published Bi-Weekly by
Gambling Times Incorporated,
Stanley R. Sludikoff, President.
Volume 7 Number 7.
Copyright © September 2003 by Gambling
Times Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without
written permission is prohibited.
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these locations.
teamed up with
Carol Peters, an
experienced manager in the music business. They have
hatched a management
company that expects to
become the pre-eminent firm
in the professional sponsorship of the most sought after
group of poker players.
With Stone and Fleer’s
whirlwind visits at the Bike
barely behind us, the chatter
about player representation
has reached a feverish pitch. It
stretches from Tinseltown to
the Big Apple and it has
crossed the Atlantic Ocean to
our poker brethren in the
grand cities of Europe. Can
poker people become media
Strike It
RICH!
(Continued from page 2)
managers from California to
Connecticut agree that the
success and popularity of the
World Poker Tour has spurred
dramatic growth of the poker
player market.
Bicycle Club Casino
CEO, Haig Kelegian,
expressed the sentiments of
everyone in earshot saying,
“The World Poker Tour has
been great for our business.”
Pointing to the dramatic
increase in the Bicycle’s player pool for Saturday morning
lessons, and to Ocean
Eleven’s swelling numbers at
the tables all week long,
Kelegian expanded on this
point suggesting that “World
Poker Tour has had an incredibly positive impact on card
rooms all around the country.
With the advent of the
World Poker Tour in 2003, the
game of No Limit Texas
Hold’em has been making
national news, weekly, via the
Travel Channel. The World
Poker Tour has also spawned
the initiatives of Stone and
Fleer. In the words of the
walrus, “The time hath
come.” These savvy entrepreneurs are gearing up to make
hay- extolling the virtues of
poker players as
sportsmen/women, speakers,
and spokespersons for corporate America.
Messrs. Stone and Fleer
are poised to promote the new
face of poker with a commitment to make represented
poker players media stars?
Dan Stone is an experienced
Wall Street financial services
executive, the CEO of the
Wealth Effect. He also prides
himself on his abilities as a
coach. He has tapped Warren
Karp, a seasoned poker player
and tournament consultant as
his COO for Professional
Sponsorship Group (PSG); he
expects to win showdowns on
Fifth Street, with the hottest
players on the tournament
trail part of his residing in his
stable. Keith Fleer is a senior
partner at the mega law firm
of Loeb and Loeb. He has
represented entertainers for
more than twenty years, has
close ties with several high
profile poker personalities and
has a seat at the table in all
things Hollywood. Fleer has
stars and if so, who amongst
us will make the cut?
Up until the past year,
poker stories in the mainstream press were few and far
between, except around the
time of the annual World
Series of Poker. And this year
the Binion-Behnen clan outdid itself in its deal with
ESPN for WSOP coverage.
Piggybacking on the homerun
of the WPT for the Travel
Channel, ESPN produced a
series of seven consecutive
“reality shows” that focused
exclusively on the 2003
WSOP main event. While the
WSOP had already succeeded
in making an international
name for itself, not until Chris
Moneymaker won the 2003
World Championship, did the
coveted title in the poker
world cause a mainstream
media feeding frenzy. With a
coverage of the festivities did
more to publicize poker than
any other single event in the
history of the game.
Ms. Eolis is CEO of Eolis International Group
and former first assistant to Governor
Pataki. She has been the subject of
numerous business, and poker feature
stories, in newspapers and magazine,
nationwide, and has been profiled on
Court TV, A&E’s Biography and
GQ Magazine. An acclaimed
lecturer at business conferences,
Ms. Eolis may be reached at
wheolis@eolis.com.
name like Moneymaker, how
could the winner not make an
instant and indelible impression on ESPN’s viewers!
Indeed it did, and ESPN’s
The media’s appetite for
news about Moneymaker has
not quit; his WSOP win has
translated into scores of inter(Continued on page 16)
The POKER ZONE
Featuring the highest reguarly
scheduled tournaments!
Sunday
No Limit Hold’em at 5 P.M.
Monday
Limit Hold’em at 7 P.M.
Tuesday
No Limit Hold’em at 7 P.M.
Wednesday
Limit Hold’em at 7 P.M.
Thursday
No Limit Hold’em at 7 P.M.
The Mirage Cardroom is a smoke free area.
For information call 800-77-POKER or 702-791-7291.
S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 3
Perks and Picks
No END
Poker and football “kick-off” together this month.
Many card rooms combine Sunday and Monday football
promotions and specials so that players won’t miss out
on any of their favorite games-whether it be poker at
the tables or football on the big screen.
The Bargain Bin
By H. Scot Krause
At Sonoma Joe's Casino and Sports Bar,
located in historic Petaluma, California,
during Monday night football games, a
prize board is featured. Players qualify during the preceding week by making aces-full or better and then
receiving squares on the board, indicating scores that
pay the winners $50 a quarter.
The annual “Monday Knight Madness” exact score
contest is on again this year at Excalibur’s Poker
Room in Las Vegas. Players are given the opportunity
to enter one contest ticket each week picking the
exact score of the game at the end of each quarter.
The prize jackpot for each quarter starts out at $250
and if someone does not win that quarter, the $250
prize money will be added to the $250 prize money
for the same quarter the following week. In case of
ties, the money is split evenly among all winners. This
promotion applies to Monday night games only
throughout the entire season and card room players
must be present and actively playing to win. Also, if
you’re planning to be a hotel guest at the Excalibur, be
sure to ask for a Funbook when you check-in. There
are some nice extras and deals in the books.
Also in Las Vegas, poker players at the Palms have a
chance to win cash each time an NFL team scores on
the late Sunday night ESPN game and the Monday
night game. Poker players can enter the weekly drawings for free with the use of a Palms Club (slot club)
player tracking card. A winner is drawn each time a
team scores a touchdown or field goal. Players must
be seated and playing at a table to win. Winners will
take home minimum $50 and a maximum of $500.
The promotion is currently only scheduled to run
through the month of September. If you play slots or
video poker too, the Palms is also awarding double
points every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
in September.
The Oasis in Mesquite is running a similar Monday
Night Football promotion. Seated poker players
receive a number, and every time the score changes
the player with the matching winning number receives
$15. Up to $300 may be given away every Monday.
Food comps at Oasis are relatively easy to come by
too. Play four hours and receive a $6 food comp
voucher good for any food outlet in the hotel.
Those good Las Vegas Station Casino buffet discounts
we’ve mentioned over the past couple months appear
to be coming to an end. The summer discount is still
in effect only at Boulder Station which offers the
Feast lunch buffet daily for $4.99 and dinner buffets
for $6.99. Get’em while they last. September looks
like the end, but they always come up with something
new again, so stay tuned.
That’s it for this week!
H. Scot Krause is a freelance writer, gaming industry analyst and researcher, originally from Cleveland, Ohio. He
and his wife, Donna (and 10 month old son, Zachary) are
seven-year residents of Las Vegas where Scot reports,
researches, and writes about casino games, events,
attractions and promotions. Questions or comments for
Scot may be addressed to: krauseinvegas@att.net
In Sight!
Like the Energizer Bunny,
the hugely popular Endless
Summer tournaments at the
Hollywood Park Casino
(Inglewood) just keep going
and going! According to
rumors, these events (originally scheduled to conclude
in August) may run through
the end of the year. There’s
nothing like summer in
December to keep players
happy! Pass through the
casino any Monday, Tuesday
or Wednesday night and you
are sure to see a full set of
tables in the tournament section. Results for the last two
weeks are shown here.
9/8/03
LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20
ENTRY FEE $10
PLAYERS 143
REBUYS &
ADD-ONS 481
ADJ PRIZE FUND
$12,125
Benjamin Foster
1. Benjamin Foster . . . . . .$4,850
2. Michael Sun . . . . . . . . . .$2,425
3. Michael Lin . . . . . . . . . .$1,210
4. Rick Lathan . . . . . . . . . . .$800
5. Michael Gannon . . . . . . . .$595
6. Colman Roy . . . . . . . . . . .$430
7. Wayne Yee . . . . . . . . . . . . .$310
8. Jay Han . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$245
9. Aaron Poorman . . . . . . . .$180
10th. -18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$120
EVENT 38, 9/3/03
7-CARD STUD
9/10/03
OMAHA HI-LO
BUY-IN $20
ENTRY FEE $10
PLAYERS 90
REBUYS &
ADD-ONS 280
ADJ PRIZE FUND
$7,275
Steve Kuhn
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Steve Kahn . . . . . . . . . . .$2,910
John Hu . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,670
Albert Gallegos . . . . . . . . .$875
Richard Eshilian . . . . . . . .$510
N. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$400
Ann Bloom . . . . . . . . . . . .$325
Robert Thompson . . . . . . .$255
Zippy Mayan . . . . . . . . . . .$180
James Mena . . . . . . . . . . .$150
9/9/03
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20
ENTRY FEE $10
PLAYERS 239
REBUYS 662
ADD-ONS 308
ADJ PRIZE FUND
$22,680
Weyland Morse
1. Weyland Morse . . . . . . .$8,280
2. Edward Zeltser . . . . . . .$4,310
3. Bahman Sabahi . . . . . . .$2,155
4. N. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,475
5. Jeffrey Mintz . . . . . . . . .$1,020
6. Jack Goetz . . . . . . . . . . . . .$800
7. Sam Korkis . . . . . . . . . . . .$570
8. Michael Sun . . . . . . . . . . .$460
9. Ziggy Kormandel . . . . . . .$370
10th.-18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$225
19th.-27th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$135
BUY-IN $20
ENTRY FEE $10
PLAYERS 82
REBUYS &
ADD-ONS 266
ADJ PRIZE FUND
$6,750
Tom Hong
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Tom Hong . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,700
Peter Vongsouthy . . . . . .$1,550
Robert Thompson . . . . . . .$810
Derek Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . .$475
Ronnie McMillan . . . . . . .$405
Brandon Osborn . . . . . . . .$335
Bill Henson . . . . . . . . . . . .$270
Ray Mann . . . . . . . . . . . . .$205
9/2/03
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
BUY-IN $20
ENTRY FEE $10
PLAYERS 253
REBUYS 700
ADD-ONS 337
ADJ PRIZE FUND
$25,025
Henry Papazyan
1. Henry Papazyan . . . . . .$9,135
2. James Ido . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,755
3. Jay Moriarty . . . . . . . . .$2,380
4. Jaime Mena . . . . . . . . . .$1,625
5. Karsten Dorawa . . . . . .$1,125
6. Darren O’Loughlin . . . . .$875
7. Ziggy Kormandel . . . . . . .$630
8. Dave Clark . . . . . . . . . . . .$500
9. Richard Cammon . . . . . . .$400
10th.-18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250
19th.-27th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$150
A DV E RT I S E I N
POKER
PLAYER
I T WO R KS !
4 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
Texas Cycalona
Hits Town
September 4 was Ladies
Night at the Bicycle Casino
on Thursday when six handpicked women poker players
competed for a $25,000 seat
in a Bellagio championship/World Poker Tour
event next April. The event
started dull and seemingly
endless, then gradually built
momentum. By the time it
got heads-up between
Cycalona Gowen and Evelyn
Ng, a pro from Toronto,
Canada, it had gotten as
exciting as poker can be.
Cycalona – known to all her
friends as “Clonie,” started
the heads-up match as a big
favorite, became an ever bigger underdog, then fought
back tenaciously to eventual
victory.
Clonie Gowen is stylish
and attractive enough to have
stepped out of a fashion magazine, yet with the friendly
and open nature that reflects
her hometown Garland, Texas
roots. She might be the next
poster girl for women’s poker.
At the post-game ceremonies,
she pledged 2 percent of any
Bellagio winnings to Ng and
1 percent to the other four
women. This event, to be
broadcast some time next
year on the travel channel,
was the first such ladies special. All the women, including Jennifer Harman,
Maureen Feduniak, Kathy
Liebert and Jennifer Harman,
were selected because they
played in prior WPT events.
Cycalona “Clonie” Gowen
is married with two young
children. She recently sold
her travel agency business
and now has the freedom to
play selected tournaments
worldwide.
She has been playing
poker seriously for about 10
years. She came in second to
Humberto Brenes in a $500
no-limit event in Costa Rica,
has a 10th place in a World
Poker Tour championship,
was 16th in a Tunica championship tournament and finished 11th in the $1,000 potlimit hold’em event during
the current Legends.
Talking about her strategy
of repeatedly moving all in
after she was out-chipped 6.51 against Ng, she said it was
the only thing she could do.
Did she pick up big hands
each time? “Sometimes I did,
and sometimes I didn’t,” she
answered.
Legends Of Poker at the Bicycle Club
started the final day with a
huge chip lead of 657k while
Judah, second lowest with
143.5k, had dipped down to
32k at one point before starting his comeback. Judah
wins an automatic $25,000
buy-in to the World Poker
Tour Championship, April 1923 at the Bellagio, Las Vegas.
The six finalists, playing
on the WPT special sound
stage, started with $500 antes
and blinds of $2,500-$5,000.
There was little action until
the next round, with $1,000
antes and blinds of 4-8k. On
the first hand, Laak, whose
nickname is “The
Unabomber” because of the
hooded sweatshirt he favors,
was bluffed out of a $120k
pot by Phillips, who showed a
jack-high busted flush draw.
“Don’t open your mail,”
someone in the audience
shouted, referring to the real
Unabomber’s mail explosives.
EVENT #33 DAY 3 (FINAL DAY)
NO LIMIT HOLD’EM
CHAMPIONSHIP
WORLD POKER TOUR
BUY-IN $1,000 + $60
PLAYERS 309
PRIZE POOL
$1,545,000
1. Mel Judah . . . . . . . . .$579,375
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Paul Phillips . . . . . . . .$293,550
T.J. Cloutier . . . . . . . .$146,775
Chip Jett . . . . . . . . . . .$100,425
Fred Bonyadi . . . . . . . .$69,525
Phil Laak . . . . . . . . . . .$54,075
Huck Seed . . . . . . . . . .$38,625
Phi Nguyen . . . . . . . . . .$30,900
Chris Ferguson . . . . . .$23,175
Bob Stupak . . . . . . . . . .$19,315
Scott Lundberg . . . . . . $19,315
Stan Goldstein . . . . . . $19,315
Toto Leonidas . . . . . . . $15,450
Brandon Wong . . . . . . $15,450
Jim Bechtel . . . . . . . . . .$15,450
Marty Morales . . . . . . .$11,585
Scott Yeates . . . . . . . . $11,585 .
Andy Miller . . . . . . . . . $11,585
Miami John . . . . . . . . . .$7,725
Rick Chase . . . . . . . . . . .$7,725
Hoyt Corkins . . . . . . . $7,725
Mel Judah was born in
Calcutta, India, and now lives
in London. He is married and
has two children. A former
ladies hairdresser who started
playing poker with friends
when he was 14, he has been
traveling the international
tournament poker circuit for
years. Judah has had numerous World Series cash-outs,
(Continued on page 9)
November 15th - November 28th, 2003
Sa 15
Su 16
Mo 17
Tu 18
We 19
Th 20
Fr 21
Fr 21
Sa 22
Sa 22
Su 23
Mo 24
Tu 25
We 26
Th 27
Fr 28
Fr 28
TOURNAMENT
START
BUY-IN ($)
REBUYS
Nolimit Hold`em
Limit Hold`em*
Potlimit Omaha*
Potlimit Hold`em*
Limit 7 Card Stud*
Nolimit Hold`em*
Nolimit Hold`em
Nolimit Hold`em*
Nolimit Hold`em
Potlimit Omaha*
Omaha Hi/Lo*
Potlimit Hold`em*
Limit 7 Card Stud*
Nolimit Hold`em*
Nolimit Hold`em*
Nolimit Hold`em
Potlimit Omaha*
6pm
6pm
6pm
6pm
6pm
6pm
3pm
6pm
3pm
6pm
6pm
6pm
6pm
6pm
6pm
3pm
6pm
1st Freeroll**
150 (+20)
200 (+20)
500 (+40)
300 (+30)
150 (+20)
2nd Freeroll**
1000 (+50)
Final Table
500 (+40)
200 (+20)
150 (+20)
300 (+30)
500 (+40)
2000 (+100)
Final Table
750 (+40)
5 seats for $ 1.000,- sponsored by iPF
unl.
yes
unl.
yes
Freezeout
1
yes
unl.
yes
5 seats for $ 1.000,- sponsored by iPF
Freezeout
Double Chance
2
unl.
unl.
1
2
Freezeout
ADD-ON
yes
yes
yes
Double Chance
Freezeout
* 2% for "Best Allround Player" (50%-25%-15%-10%)
**to qualify for both freerolls on Nov. 15 + 21 you have to register for min. 5 events
3% withheld for tournament dealers.
The tournament
will be Televised
FREE Accommodation for the duration of the
tournament if you play min. 5 events!
Come to the Islands for a
Winter Tropical Poker Getaway!
I n t er n
i o n al
at
ok
F
ed
n
er
In a spectacular, made-for-TV
finish, Mel Judah captured the
$5,000 Legends Championship/WPT event by breaking
Paul Phillips, straight versus
straight. When the board
showed A-6-3-5-4, Judah,
with 9-7, had the high end
while Phillips, with J-2, had
the ignorant end. Phillips
Steven Melton . . . . . . . $7,725
David Lewis . . . . . . . . $7,725
Bobby Hoff . . . . . . . . . $7,725
Jim Mille . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,725
Kenny Nguyen . . . . . . $7,725
Benjamin Cowan . . . . $7,725
AN INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
e ra ti o
For reservation & deposit information:
email: meg.patrick@juno.com or call (702) 524 9221
or email: tom.kremser@aon.at or call +43-664-511 88 11
f-
International Poker Federation
LIMITED ENTRIES
AVAILABLE!
(DAY 3) WEDNESDAY, 9/3/03
Judah Wins
Championship
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
St. Maarten Open
P
to the audience (including
Frank Mariani and Jerry Buss,
co-owners of the L.A. Lakers)
and later returned for the BIG
game on Monday night to try
his hand at the game of champions. Phillips wasn’t the only
celebrity to join in on the
action, as Ben Affleck and
Gabe Kaplan were also seen
enjoying the festivities.
Reflecting the phenomenal
growth of tournament poker, a
growth very largely fueled by
World Poker Tour exposure,
an incredible total of 309
players turned out for the
2003 Legends of Poker
Championship/WPT event.
This represents a 229 percent
increase over the 135 players
at the first WPT tournament at
the Bike last year. The
$1,545,000 prize pool also set
an all-time record for any
Bicycle Casino event.
A small army of journalists
and cameramen descended on
the tournament. In addition to
WPT television cameramen,
there were representatives
from local and network TV
stations, including CBS, ABC,
FOX, KCAL-9 & ESPN. At
the Bike’s front entrance,
floodlights and cameras were
in place to film the arrival of
a stretch limo out of which
stepped … Arnold
Schwarzenegger? No, Shana
Hiatt, rising star commentator
of the World Poker Tour.
The phenomenal World
Poker Tour will bring the
Legends of Poker’s championship event, a $5000+ $80
No Limit “Texas” Hold’em
tournament, to the general
public on The Travel Channel
this spring. Filming “live” for
the WPT began on at 5:00
p.m. on Wednesday,
September 3. Thirteen cameras captured the action,
including tiny cameras that
will reveal the hole cards at
the final edit, allowing viewers to see who is bluffing and
who is not.
(Cont’d from page 1)
Thomas Kremser
Tournament Director
Meg Patrick
Co-Director
Warren Karp
Co-Director
Players are advised to ma
ke
early reservations!
“This tournament does not
affiliate with any other eve
nt
held on St. Martin!”
We guarantee beautiful weather,
great action & great atmosphere!
The IPF reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion anytime at its sole discretion.
www.mahobeach.com
S E P T E MJBUELY
R 21 4
2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 5
The Business of Poker: 2003 WORLDWIDE POKER TOURNAMENTS
The International Poker Federation,
The Poker Academy and Poker Etc.
Chip chatter
BY SUSIE ISAACS
The snowball effect of the World Poker Tour on the
Travel Channel and the seven-part World Series of Poker on ESPN has
caused an unprecedented surge in the popularity and growth of poker
that is phenomenal. Poker room managers from coast to coast are
overwhelmed by their business doubling and tripling. The new interest in
poker has blazed a wide trail for the poker industry.
Prior to the hoopla, three Europeans; Thomas Kremser, the former
poker manager of the Concord Card Casino in Vienna, Austria, (for the
last ten years), Marcel Luske, a high-limit professional poker player and
Poker Player’s European correspondent and part owner of Casino Europa
magazine, Nic Szeremeta had gotten together to discuss the potential for
a new poker business. They all shared a great love for the game and their
joint concern was the direction of poker in general, poker dealers and in
particular the overall integrity of the game. In short, could professionalism
and pride be brought to the game? They decided that it could and formed
a company called the International Poker Federation (the IPF).
At about the same time Margaret Patrick, a young entrepreneur who
previously had worked as Binion’s media liaison, had been dealing on
the tournament circuit. She was disturbed by the lack of professionalism
and pride she saw on the circuit and the multitude
of mistakes the dealers made. She began developing an idea for a poker dealing school that would be
a highly intensive poker dealer-training academy
that would, after six weeks, certify the dealers who
graduated. Thus, developing a “cream of the crop”
pool of poker dealers. Having served in the Air Force
Meg Patrick
for five years, she knew about good training, discipline and pride. She called her idea, “Dealer Boot Camp.”
As the popularity of poker progressed, Meg’s dream also grew. Fate
took over last June when she decided to go to Vienna, Austria, to deal
the Austrian Masters Poker Tournament. There she met Kremser, Luske
and Szeremeta. After much sharing of ideas and discussions about each
other’s issues with the current integrity level maintained by a dominating
percentage of the poker industry, and their dreams for the future of poker,
Kremser said of Patrick, “It’s like peanut butter coming to jelly.” These
four people realized that each one’s plans fit together like a well-cut
puzzle and the IPF had found it’s American partner in Patrick.
The inaugural event of the IPF will take place at the St. Maarten Open
Poker Tournament November 15 through November 28 at the luxurious
Maho Beach Resort Casino. This will be a televised event and the accommodations will be free to those who participate in a minimum of five
events. (See ad on page 5).
Two other poker related businesses which are branches of the IPF
will soon be making their debut in Las Vegas. Poker, Etc. will be a
professional poker service consulting firm. They will offer expertise in
setting up new poker rooms and coordinating/training the staff, running
tournaments and supplying excellent poker dealers for full or part time
services in the poker profession. Poker, Etc. will also work as a conduit
for dealers and management in the poker industry whether in new poker
casinos or poker rooms that want to keep up with the new demands being made on them. The Poker Academy, according to founder Patrick, will
be a highly intensive poker dealer-training course. Those who make the
grade will become “certified” and the Poker Academy will help with job
placement. According to Patrick, “The poker world is presently understaffed and good poker dealers don’t grow on trees. There is no band-aid
fix of drive-through dealers schools. The Poker Academy will teach the
correct method for dealing and dealers will learn from a written curriculum. Our goal will be to supply the poker industry with Grade A, certified
poker dealers, who will be the best. There will come a day when the gold
pin worn by graduates of the Poker Academy will signify those dealers
as the best and they will have an income accordingly.”
Susie Isaacs has written about poker and poker
players since 1985. The first woman to win backto-back titles in the women’s division in the World
Series of Poker, she is the author of “MsPoker, Up
Close and Personal.” Her latest venture is a line of
poker-themed jewelry. See her ad on page 2 and visit
www.buyitinvegas.com.
6 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
To list your 3 day events contact: Steve Geffner, Managing Editor at: sgeffner@gamblingtimes.com
DATE
EVENT
Sept. 1-19
Sept 13-25
Sept. 17-Oct. 5
Sept 18-21
Sept 17-22
Sept. 18-21
Sept. 22-30
Sept. 24-28
Oct. 1-4
October 1-5
Oct 2-5
Oct 2-6
Oct. 2-Oct. 14
Oct 4-12
October 4-17
Oct 5-11
Oct. 6-12
Oct 9-12
Oct. 9-19
October 9-19
Oct 10-18
October 13-19
Oct 13-20
Oct. 15-19
Oct. 16-26
Oct. 16-18
Oct. 18-19
Oct 22-31
Oct. 23-25
Oct. 23-26
Oct. 23-26
Oct. 24-28
Oct 24-26
Oct24-31
Oct. 27-Nov. 17
Nov. 2-4
Nov. 2-8
Nov. 3-5
Nov. 5-8
Nov. 6-9
Nov. 7-9
Nov. 10-12
Nov. 10-16
Nov 14-24
Nov. 15-16
Nov 15-28`
Nov. 17-19
Nov. 21-22
Nov. 21-30
Nov. 24-30
Dec. 1-7
Dec. 1-18
Dec. 3-5
Dec 3-7
Dec. 4-6
Dec. 8-14
Dec 15-18
Dec. 10-21
2003 U.S. Poker Championships Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City NJ
Tropicana Poker Championship Series Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, NJ
Four Queens Poker Classic
Four Queens Hotel & Casino (AdPg 9) – Las Vegas, NV
Guaranteed Weekend
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
WPT Borgata Poker Open
Borgata Casino, Atlantic City, NJ
CA Ladies State Championship Ocean’s Eleven Casino – Oceanside, CA
Austrian Classics
Concord Card Casino – Vienna, Austria
Northern Challenge
Grosvenor Casino – Manchester, England
Poker EM
Casinos Austria – Baden, Austria
10th Ann Dakotah jim Dandy Poker Fest Spirit Lake Casino - Spirit Lake, ND
October Poker Tournament
Lake Elsinore Hotel & Casino - Lake Elsinore, CA
Oasis Open
The Oasis Resort Casino Golf Spa - Mesquite, NV
Big Poker Oktober
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
European Poker Classic
Grosvenor Victoria Casino - London England
Fall Poker Classic
Canterbury Park Card Club - Shakopee, MN
East Coast Poker Championships Turning Stone Casino Resort, Verona, NY
Poker Classic
Grosvenor Victoria Casino – London, England
Canadian Poker Championship Casino Yellowhead, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Moscow Open
Cosmos Casino, Moscow, Russia
Pot of Gold
Reno Hilton - Reno, NV
“The Seniors” World Champ. of Poker Grand Casino – Tunica, MS
Harbour Lights Festival
Rendezvious Casino - Brighton, England
Ultimate Poker Classic II
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Anniversary Series 2003
Spirit Mountain Casino – Grand Ronde, OR
Nat’l Championship of Poker Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
For Hold’em Players
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
Haig Kelegian Classic
Ocean’s Eleven Casino – Oceanside, CA
European Nations Team Challenge Taleon Club - St. Petersburg, Russia
For Hold’em Players
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
The Bay 101 Open
Bay 101 – San Jose, CA
Irish Winter Festival
Merrion Square Club – Dublin, Ireland
Oasis Open
The Oasis Resort Casino Golf Spa – Mesquite, NV
Wild West Shoot-Out
Cash Casino Alberta, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Fall Poker Tournament
Peppermill Casino, Reno, NV
World Poker Finals
Foxwoods Resort Casino – Ledyard, CT
Southampton Poker Championship Grosvenor Casino – Southampton, England
Masterclassics of Poker
Holland Casino – Amsterdam, Holland
Back Nine #2
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Harvest Poker Classic
Casino Regina – Regina, Saskatchewan Canada
Blackpool Bonanza
Grosvenor Casino – Blackpool, England
Guaranteed Weekend
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
Back Nine #2
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Helsinki Freezout
Casino Ray – Helsinki, Finland
Million Dollar Deal
Sands Casino, Atlantic City, NJ
Let the Good Times Roll
Ocean’s Eleven Casino – Oceanside, CA
St. Maarten Open
Maho Beach Resort & Casino (AdPg 5) – St. Maarten
Back Nine #2
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Casino Seefeld Poker Party
Casinos Austria – Seefeld, Austria
Holiday Bonus Tournament
Commerce Casino – Commerce, CA
Midland Masters
Grosvenor Casino Walsall – West Midlands England
Ho-Ho Hold’em
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
Five Diamond Poker Tournament Bellagio Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas
December Festival
Napoleon’s Casino Owlerton – Sheffield, England
Christmas Cracker Festival
Rendezvous Casino, Brighton, England
Christmas Poker Championship Casinos Austria – Velden, Austria
Christmas Cracker
Grosvenor Casino – Luton, Bedfordshire England
Christmas Tournament
Astoria-Palace Club & Casino, Tallinn, Estonia
Winter Tournament
Aviation Club de France – Paris, France
2004
Poker Derby
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
2004 Crown Australasian Poker Champ. Crown Casino – Melbourne, Australia
5th Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open Horseshore/Gold Strike – Tunica, MS
Tunica Classic
Grand Casino Tunica, Robinsonville, MS
America’s Poker Classic
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
E.S.C.A.R.G.O.
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
Front Nine Poker Tournament Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Front Nine Poker Tournament Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Sweethearts Weekend/Queen of Hearts Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
Front Nine Poker Tournament Hollywood Park Casino, Inglewood, CA
Winning O’ the Green
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
Sport of Kings
Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Back Nine Poker Tournament Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Back Nine Poker Tournament Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
Mini Series of Poker
Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, CA
Back Nine Poker Tournament Hollywood Park Casino, Inglewood, CA
World Poker Tour Championship Event Bellagio – Las Vegas, NV
Stars and Stripes
Bicycle Casino - Bell Gardens, CA
January 2-18
Jan 3-17
Jan 6-29
Jan 8-23
Jan 19-29
Jan 29-31
Feb 2-4
Feb 9-11
Feb 13-15
Feb 16-18
Mar 8-23
March 19-28
April 5-7
April 12-14
Apr 13-May 18
April 19-21
April 19-23
Jun 24-Jul 4
LOCATION
July 12-14
Back Nine Poker Tournament Hollywood Park Casino (AdPg 20) – Inglewood, CA
July 29-Aug 31 Legends of Poker
The Bicycle Casino (AdPg 9) – Bell Gardens, CA
SPEEDWAY of Poker
(Cont’d from page 1)
Director, wants to thank all
the Northern California poker
players for their support over
the years. Garden City Casino
has more tournament players
for their weekly tournaments
than any other casino in
Northern California. Their
Sun. through Thurs. nightly
tournaments at 7 p.m. attract
more than 400 players per
week and set a new record
two weeks ago with over 540
players in one week.
2. Paul Nguyen . . . . . . . . . .$4013
2. Cuong Nguyen . . . . . . . .$4,032
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA
3. Carson Ballantine . . . . . .$2006
3. Kent Lin . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,016
Orinda, CA
San Jose, CA
4. Jill Spaulding . . . . . . . . .$1605
4. Josh Cerone . . . . . . . . . .$1,612
Paradise Poker
San Bruno, CA
5. Tri Nguyen . . . . . . . . . . .$1404
5. Sam Estalilla . . . . . . . . .$1,411
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA
6. Gil Torda . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1203
6. Vallory Rosenbledt . . . .$1,209
SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/31/03
SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/30/03
SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/29/03
LIMIT HOLD’EM
$120 / $100RB
LIMIT HOLD’EM
$120 / NO RB
LIMIT HOLD’EM
$120 / $100RB
PLAYERS 124
REBUYS 113
PRIZE POOL
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara, CA
8. Hung Tran . . . . . . . . . . . . .$601
8. Beth Dimaya . . . . . . . . . . .$605
San Jose, CA
Sunnyvale, CA
9. Vallory Rosenbledt . . . . . .$405
9. Tony Luis . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$405
Hillsborough, CA
Redwood City, CA
10th-13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300
14th-18th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250
10th-13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$300
14th-18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250
PLAYERS 123
PRIZE POOL
$23,800
Abe Clark
Abe Clark
Hillsborough, CA
7. Dao Nguyen . . . . . . . . . . . .$806
PLAYERS 125
REBUYS 113
PRIZE POOL
$23,700
1.
San Jose, CA
7. Laila Karim . . . . . . . . . . . .$802
San Jose, CA
Garden City Casino’s
weekly tournament schedule:
Texas Hold’em
PLAYERS 146
REBUYS 131
PRIZE POOL
Sun 7pm
Mon 7pm
Tue 7pm
$60/$40RBs $40/$40RBs $40/$40-1 RB
Hold’em
Spread Limit
Hold’em
Hold’em
Wed 7pm
Thu 7pm
$40/$40RBs
$60/$40RBs
Hold’em
Hold’em
$28,000
Spread Limit Hold’em
!st Saturday of the month
$120 Buy-In w/ 1 $100 Rebuy
SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/27/03
LIMIT HOLD’EM
$120 / $50RB
PLAYERS 136
REBUYS 133
PRIZE POOL
Val Ibarra
$20,250
1. Val Ibarra . . . . . . . . . . . .$9,560
1. Trinh Nguyen . . . . . . . . .$6,895
San Jose, CA
2. Khoi Do . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,780
1. Hieu Hyunh . . . . . . . . . .$4,674
Atherton, CA
San Jose, CA
3. Mitchell Cogert . . . . . . .$2,390
2. Danny Epstein . . . . . . . .$2,337
Tiburon, CA
Palo Alto, CA
4. P J Kamali . . . . . . . . . . .$1,912
3. Oran Cogdill . . . . . . . . .$1,168
Campbell, CA
San Jose, CA
5. Chien Nguyen . . . . . . . .$1,673
4. CAl Shull . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$934
San Jose, CA
Sunnyvale, CA
6. J J Tran . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,434
5. David Chase . . . . . . . . . . .$817
Santa Clara, CA
Alameda, CA
7. Ken Dang . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$956
6. Michael Khoury . . . . . . . .$701
San Francisco, CA
Modesto, CA
8. Phu Tran . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$717
7. P J Kamali . . . . . . . . . . . . .$467
San Jose, CA
CAmpbell, CA
9. Oran Cogdill . . . . . . . . . . .$478
8. Andy Gamboa . . . . . . . . . .$350
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA
10-12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$350
13-15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$300
16-18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250
1. Ende Wu . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8,064
TAKE NOTE
LIMIT HOLD’EM
$120 / $100RB
Santa Clara, CA
$12,300
9. Douglas Nguyen . . . . . . . .$237
Ende Wu
$8026
SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/28/03
San Jose, CA
2. George Eliovitzh . . . . . .$3,447
San Jose, CA
3. Thawee Potjanamat . . .$1,723
Fremont, CA
4. John Vu . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,380
San Jose, CA
5. Chris Ramayrat . . . . . . .$1,205
San Jose, CA
6. Bernie Grio . . . . . . . . . .$1,035
San Jose, CA
7. Henry Ponce . . . . . . . . . . .$690
San Jose, CA
8. Peter Tamura . . . . . . . . . .$517
Fremont, CA
9. Ray Carver . . . . . . . . . . . .$346
San Jose, CA
10th-13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250
13th-18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$200
Sunnyvale, CA
(Continued on page 11)
SUPER TUESDAYS
PAI GOW POKER SHOOTOUT TOURNAMENTS
$30 BUY-IN $10 ENTRY FEE NO REBUYS
TUESDAYS
SEPTEMBER 23, 30 AND OCTOBER 7
AT
7:30
P.M.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO PLAY PAI GOW POKER 3 TIMES THIS YEAR, MARK THESE DATES DOWN!
No Limit Hold’em Tournament
$2,000 GUARANTEED FIRST PLACE
Saturday Night Hold’em Tournament
$1,500 GUARANTEED
Thursdays at 9 p.m.
$50 Buy-in, $10 Entry, One Optional $50 Rebuy
Starts at 7 p.m.
$10 Buy-in, $5 Entry, $10 Rebuys
7617 Atlantic Boulevard, Cudahy, CA 90201
Club
The Best Little Casino in Southern California Caribe
Management reserves the sole and absolute right to cancel this promotion.
Florence
Commerce
Casino
710 Freeway
Atlantic
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Call for Details (323)560-5995
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S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 7
Player Themes—Part 1
Power Poker PSychology
By JAMES A. MCKENNA, P H.D.
This is the first in a series on player-themes
seen in any casino at any time. Poker has its
share of themes that gather around victims, rescuers, and
persecutors. Certain “time-related themes” will be revealed by
how players spend their time at the tables. Themes apparent
are “Always,” “Almost,” “Never,” “After,” and “Over and
Over.” Such themes were also present in ancient times, as
shown in Greek mythology and stories of the gods.
“Always” Players. This player follows the story line of
the Greek myth about Arachne. She was condemned to an
eternity of spinning webs when Minerva turned her into a
spider. Arachne had angered Minerva because she challenged Minerva to a sewing contest. Arachne was destined
to continually weave her own web. Players who seem bound
to forever chase slim odds play “Always” themes. They play
loose, yet they’re tough. In fact, when they are ahead, it is
as though they aren’t allowed to succeed. They’ll play until
they’re broke. These players are spinning themselves into
corners of their own webs and end up between the proverbial
“rock and hard place.”
Their “tell” is how they will frequently explain their play
after each hand. For instance, after losing to a higher set of
two pairs, one might hear an “always” player say, “If I folded,
I could’ve been throwing in two pairs. Yet, if I stayed, I had a
chance of getting a full boat.” Listen for frequent explanations
that put the player in a bind of always having to do what they
have to do.
Some players seem destined to make the same mistakes
over and over, always avoiding making a decision. Yet, they
seem forever to explain their plays. Meanwhile, when they’re
winning they’re saying it won’t last.
“Wait until later. This kind of luck can’t last too long.”
“Ain’t it awful” is a favorite phrase for this player. People
are always picking on them. They never fail to complain when
dealers are giving them the low card for the bring-in. Or,
they’re convinced that they are being dealt “stiffs” on purpose in blackjack. Listen to the “always” that abound with
this type of player:
“I knew I’d get another four-flush.”
“Every time I get a pair of Aces, I always lose.”
Players with “Always” script themes have these qualities to notice:
Beliefs:
• “I’m not sure, but I think that I am as good as
you”
• “If I am blessed now, I’ll be damned later on!”
• They expect to lose no matter how good
things get.
Skills:
• Good at spinning themselves into webs.
• They always will explain their mistakes, yet
never seem to change or to learn from those
mistakes.
Permissions: • Are allowed to suffer, struggle, be strong and
try real hard. However, they are never allowed
to win or feel good.
• It is OK to work hard and be proud of it as
long as they don’t get too far.
• The proverbial, “Two steps forward and one
step back,” is changed to two steps forward
and two back.
In Part 2, we’ll discuss “Almost” themes, whose players follow the fate of Sisyphus -- trying harder to push the
boulder to the top and never really succeeding. Playing hands
that come close yet hardly ever get there will yield,
“I almost got my straight.” Or, “I almost got a pair.”
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. He
can be contacted at: jim@JimMckenna-phd.com.
8 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
Interview with
Gene Trimble,
Palms Casino
Cardroom
Manager
By Debbie Burkhead,
Poker Player
correspondent
G
ene Trimble hails from
Covington, Kentucky,
a far cry from the glitz of
Vegas but believe it or not,
thatʼs where Gene was introduced to the world of poker.
In 1961 at the tender age
of 20, Gene began playing
poker. Las Vegas casinos
were the only legal places to
play, so he played in home
games and in back rooms,
eventually starting a home
game of his own.
Back in his home town
of Covington, Gene owned
a dry cleaning business and
a couple of GoGo clubs.
Most people visit Las Vegas
several times before making
the decision to move there,
but that wasnʼt the case with
Gene. Itʼs hard to believe
someone would choose to
move across country to a
city theyʼve never once visited, but in 1980, Gene sold
his businesses, packed up
his belongings and headed
for Vegas, sight unseen.
He had no job prospects
when he arrived in Vegas but
a friend from back home was
the cardroom manager at the
Holiday Casino, center strip,
and hired Gene as a poker
dealer. That was 23 years
ago when experienced poker
dealers werenʼt as easy to
come by. One year later he
accepted a day shift managers position at the 4 Queens.
Within five years, he was the
cardroom manager.
In 1994, the 4 Queens
closed their poker room and
Gene moved over as Keno
manager. He was also instrumental in setting up the first
Caribbean Stud pit in Las
Vegas. In 1996, Gene left the
4 Queens and took the position of Keno/Bingo manager
at the Fiesta.
In 2001, Gene opened
the Palms poker room and
is proud to say, “It is one
of the most successful
poker rooms in Las Vegas.”
According to Gene this is
the end of the line and his
future plans are to retire as
cardroom manager of the
Palms Casino.
Debbie Burkhead: The
Palms has been a favorite
among locals since the doors
opened. Who is responsible
for that success?
Gene Trimble: Owner/
President, George Maloof
and General Manager, Jim
Hughes get all the credit for
that. They know what theyʼre
doing and they know what
they want.
DB: How did they achieve
such success so fast?
GT: They created a mix of
tourists and locals that probably hasnʼt ever been accomplished before in Vegas.
They did it with “Smart
Marketing.”
DB: Poker rooms that are
located off the strip have to
rely mainly on local traffic.
How do you keep the locals
coming back?
GT: The right mix of friendly employees and constant
promotions. We canʼt afford
to take our local customers
for granted, without them we
wouldnʼt be as successful.
We listen to what they want
and do our best to provide it.
DB: Give us an example of
one of your promotions?
GT: We have a progressive
high hand of the day promotion. It takes four-of-akind to qualify but players
can win from $50 to $599
every day.
DB: Poker room managers
donʼt always get the support
they need to promote their
room. How do you handle
that?
GT: I have Mark Nelson,
Director of Ancillary
Gaming, to thank for that. He
is very supportive of poker
and believes in promoting
the poker room. He is very
involved in the advertising
of our cardroom promotions.
That is very important to
the success of a poker room.
There is a lot of competition
out there and you need to
make your audience aware of
your existence.
DB: Do you have any plans
on expanding?
GT: At the present time we
have a seven table room
and on Fridays, Saturdays,
Sundays and Wednesdays
we run holdʼem games on
all seven tables. We have the
best graveyard games in the
city. Weʼve been known to
run five games all the way
through graveyard on the
weekends. So my answer is,
yes, Iʼm hoping to expand
in the near future, but we
have no concrete plans at this
time.
DB: Do you believe Internet
poker has had a positive or
negative impact on poker?
GT: I think Internet poker,
by itself, was a negative for
casino poker rooms. But the
mix of Internet poker along
with the televising of the
World Poker Tour and the
World Series of Poker has
given the poker world the
shot in the arm it needed.
The mix is bringing the
kitchen table poker players
into casino poker rooms.
DB: So what youʼre saying
is, the Internet along with TV
has opened up the world of
poker to a whole new generation?
GT: Absolutely! TV viewers
watched Chris Moneymaker
win the WSOP from a $40
buy-in on the Internet and
take home $2,500,000. The
kitchen table poker player
starts playing on the internet,
gets some playing experience
and then decides to go play
in a casino.
DB: Poker tournaments seem
to be at a peak right now.
Do you have any plans for a
major tournament?
GT: No time soon, but we
have been tossing the idea
around.
DB: If you could change
anything in the poker world,
what would it be?
GT: Nothing at the present
time—poker is at the best itʼs
ever been in Las Vegas.
Legends Of Poker ...at the Bicycle Club
with two bracelets. He narrowly missed getting a third
this year when he came in
second to Men “The Master”
Nguyen in a $5,000 7-card
stud event.
Tonight, he said, players
were stealing his blinds and
he knew he had to make a
move soon. Fortunately, he
got pocket queens just in
time, made a stand and he
was able to move up after
winning that hand.
(DAY 2) TUESDAY, 9/2/03
Paul Phillips Leads
Final Six
“I played as good as I could,
everything went right and
knocking out someone like
Huck Seed at the end was like
a gift from God.” So exulted
the championship event and
$214,700 at the Commerce
Casino’s California State
Poker Championship two
months ago. At the 6:30 raceoff, Jett was still in front with
$155,000, closely followed by
Cloutier.with $146,500 and
Phil Laak, the Irish student,
with about $135,000. The
most spectacular performance,
however, was turned in by
Huck Seed, who started the
day with $19,400 and had
zoomed at that point to
around $100,000.
(DAY 1) MONDAY, 9/1/03
309 Play
Championship/WPT
Reflecting the phenomenal
growth of tournament poker, a
growth very largely fueled by
The Final Six after Day 2: (left to right, top) Fred Bonyadi, Paul
Phillips, Chip Jett, (bottom) Phil Laak, T.J. Cloutier, Mel Judah
Paul Phillips, a 31-year-old
former computer programmer
and currently a self-styled
“dilettante,” who will come to
the third-day final table of the
Legends of Poker
Championship/WPT with an
enormous chip lead of
$657,000, twice that of anyone else. It will be an intriguing final table, too, featuring
the likes of T.J.Cloutier, Mel
Judah, Chip Jett, Farzad
“Fred” Bonyadi…and a student from Ireland.
Second-day play resumed
at 4:15 p.m., with antes of
$200 and limits of 6-12k.
Though it had been decided to
redraw for seats, a number of
players said they wanted to
stay where they were, so it
was back to Plan A, with
unchanged seating from the
night before.
Chip leader was the aptly
named Chip Jett with
$99,900, which he had steadily accumulated during the
nine hours of play on day one.
Jett, a Vegas pro originally
from Scottsdale, Arizona, won
World Poker Tour exposure,
an incredible total of 309
players turned out for the
2003 Legends of Poker
Championship/WPT event.
This represents a 229 percent
increase over the 135 players
at the first WPT tournament at
the Bike last year. The
$1,545,000 prize pool also set
an all-time record for any
Bicycle Casino event.
Some 54 players remained
after the first day’s action. Of
the total entrants, more than
100 of them got there through
the route of super satellites.
Fourteen seats were won just
yesterday, and six more today
Among the faces in the
crowd of players were prior
World Poker Tour winners
Gus Hansen (two WPT
events), Howard Lederer and
Chris Karagulleyan, winner of
last year’s WPT at the Bike.
Other WPT final-table finishers playing today included
Phil Ivey, Paul Darden, T.J.
Cloutier, Stan Goldstein,
Kathy Liebert, Layne Flack,
John Juanda, Chris Bigler,
Vince Burgio, Men Nguyen,
Allen Cunningham and Hon
Le. Also in the field were
world champions Phil
Hellmuth, Chris Ferguson,
Carlos Mortensen, Jim
Bechtel, Johnny Chan, Huck
Seed and Scotty Nguyen;
actors Ben Affleck and Lou
Diamond Phillips; Vegas casino entrepreneur Bob Stupak;
“Positively Fifth Street”
author Jim McManus; and a
galaxy of other world-class
players including such names
as WSOP Hall of Famer Chip
Reese, Humberto Brenes, Erik
Seidel, Randy Holland, Ken
Flaton, Howard “Tahoe”
Andrews, Mel Wiener, Chip
Jett, Randy Holland, “Miami
John” Cernuto, Chris Bjorin,
Jennifer Harman, Marsha
Waggoner, Mel Judah, David
“The Dragon” Pham, Annie
Duke, Louis Asmo, Barry
Greenstein and Amir Vahedi,
currently ranked number one
in Card Player’s all-around
rankings.
Last but not least, there
was a contingent of four players from the private invitational tournament group
known as “Aces & Eights: Jay
“Moose” Moriarty, Dave “E”
Moriarty, Dr. Mike “Zip”
Vitullo and Glenn “Crazy
Man” Cozen, who finished
second to Bechtel in the 1993
championship event. The
lone day 1 survivor of this
group was younger brother
Dave Moriarty, who had been
down to $225 in early going.
A small army of cameramen
descended on the tournament
area. In addition to WPT television cameramen, there were
representatives from ESPN and
at least four local and network
TV stations. At the Bike’s front
entrance, floodlights and cameras were in place to film the
arrival of a stretch limo out of
which stepped … Arnold
Schwarzenegger? No, Shana
Hiatt, the prettiest of the three
WPT hosts.
up on third-place finisher
Scotty Nguyen. Heads-up, he
had close to a 2-1 lead over
Andrew Bloch, and they made
a chip-count deal. Bloch,
with two third-place finishes
in World Poker Tour events,
made the best of his runner-up
finish. “At least I wasn’t third
again,” he said.
The gross prize pool
tonight was $189,000, with 10
percent deducted for the
Magic Johnson Foundation
charity. Another $10,000 was
donated by the Bicycle
Casino. Haig Kelegian, the
Bicycle Casino’s managing
partner, personally donated
$3,000, and another $2,000
came from seven players
(Doyle Brunson, Johnny
Chan, Bobby Baldwin, Lyle
Berman, Chip Reese, Barry
Greenstein and “Chou”) who
were in a high-limit side game
in the top section. Total donation to the foundation:
$33,900. The Bike had another surprise for the two Lakers
owners: custom chips that had
Mariani’s face on one side
and Buss’ on the other.
(Cont’d from page 5)
The event was “hold’em &
stud.” The final table assembled after “Tony” was knocked
out. Anted down to $900, he
finally went with (A-6),
missed a straight draw and lost
to Bloch’s 10s-up. The eight
finalists, all professionals, sat
down to play stud with $100
antes, a $200 bring-in and
$600-$1,200 limits, 14:43
remaining.
EVENT #32
HOLD’EM & 7-CARD STUD
MARIANI/BUSS CHARITY OPEN
BUY-IN $3,000 + $75
PLAYERS 63
PRIZE POOL
$170,100
Mori Eskandani
1. Mori Eskandani . . . . . .$68,040
(Continued on page 17)
EVENT 32
Eskandini is
Charity Winner
It was a great day for charity
and an even greater day for
Vegas pro Mori Eskandani,
who took first place in the
Mariani/Buss $3,000 Charity
Open. He came to the final
table with the chip lead,
stayed in contention throughout and then finished with a
rush, largely through beating
S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 9
LESSON 7:
Protecting Your Hand
I walked between poker tables in Las Vegas. Suddenly, I heard a
player yell, “What have you done to my hand!” So, I stopped and
turned to the table behind me. One man was standing up after
throwing his cards across the table in frustration. They’d slid into
an opponent’s hand, which had been lying on the table unprotected. The careless victim watched in horror as the dealer
scooped up all the mixed cards.
Lessons from mike caro
university of poker
BY DIANE M C HAFFIE
“You idiot, you just killed my full house!” was
the roar heard throughout the cardroom.
Protecting your hands is just as important as any other facet
of poker. It’s actually a must. When you first look at your hand,
do so very carefully, protecting it from prying eyes. At the same
time, you should do one other thing: memorize your cards, so
there won’t be a need to look at them again. The more times you
look at your cards, the greater the risk that someone else could
get a glance at them as well, or your face or actions could give
something away. I can’t stress it enough that you only need one
look at your cards. Believe it or not, they won’t change from
your first look to your second look, no matter how much you
might wish they would.
It’s easier to concentrate on the game and your opponents if
you already know what you’re holding in your hand, so you’re
not distracted by continually looking at your cards.
After you’ve looked at your cards once, place them carefully
back on the table and secure them with a chip, coin, rock, or a
desired token that you have chosen specifically. This keeps the
cards safe from accidents.
Gauging your opponent’s hand. Players will usually protect
better cards more noticeably than they will bad cards. Weaker
players have a tendency to do this more often than others,
although it isn’t uncommon among strong players.
Most players are unaware that they are guarding their hands.
Occasionally, a player will try to deceive you into thinking a
weak hand is a strong hand by overly protecting it. But, that’s
usually not the case. Weak players are less likely to guard a poor
hand because it’s not worth the extra effort.
For these reasons, a closely protected hand is usually a very
strong one. Sometimes, it’s even possible to gauge how strong your
opponent’s hand is by the degree of effort he uses to protect it.
If one of the players is protecting his hand, and you play
before him, it would be wisest not to open with a questionable
hand. If the player opens before you, it would probably be best
to pass if you don’t have a good hand. If you do have a strong
hand, you might consider just checking, instead of betting,
because he’ll probably bet.
Exposing cards. Sometimes players will be negligent and accidentally expose their cards. This usually occurs when they have
a weak hand and don’t expect to play it. They have lost interest
and their attention has wandered.
Generally a player who is involved in a high stakes game will
guard his hand from being seen. If you do witness a player
exposing any of his cards, take notice. It’s probably a purposeful
move. You were intended to have that peak.
Sometimes a weak card may be shown to deceive you into
thinking he has a poor hand, when actually he is holding a strong
one. Very rarely are either of these actions made unconsciously.
By exposing a threatening card, your opponent probably is hoping you won’t bet your hand.
This week’s lesson about guarding your hand and memorizing
your cards has probably not crossed your mind as an important
part of poker. I hadn’t considered it that important, either, until
Mike pointed out how necessary it is. So, protect your hand from
watchful eyes and to memorize your hand. You’ll be amazed at
how quickly this becomes automatic.
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 diane@caro.com.
1 0 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
Small Room Directory
When you’re traveling across the country or around the world, and, you find yourself in
one of these towns, here is where you can get a good poker game and your copy of
Poker Player newspaper. This directory only lists card rooms that have one or two
tables. Call the room for directions and other information.
#TABLES | C A R D R O O M
|
ADDRESS
2 Dealer’s Choice Card Room
13483 Bowman Rd
Auburn
2 Elk Valley Casino
2500 Howland Hill Rd
Crescent City
1 Folsom Lk Bowl Sports Bar & Cas 511 E Bidwell St
Folsom
2 Gold Rush Card Room
106 E Main St
Grass Valley
1 Lucky Buck Card Club
1620 Railroad Ave
Livermore
2 Casino Pauma
777 Pauma Reservation Rd Pauma Valley
2 Old Tavern Cardroom
1510 20th St
Sacramento
1 Golden Gates Casino
261 Main St
Black Hawk
1 SunCruz Casino - Jacksonville 4378 Ocean St
Mayport
2 Casino Princesa
3050 Biscayne Bl
Miami
2 World of ResidenSea
5200 Blue Lagoon Dr #790 Miami
2 Desperados
145 Regal St
Billings
1 Little Nevada Casino
1413 13th St W
Billings
2 Locomotive Inn Casino
216 First Ave S
Laurel
1 Silver Tip Casino
680 SW Higgins Ave.
Missoula
1 Rosebud Casino
Hwy 83 & SD/NE State Ln Valentine
1 Exchange Club Cas & Motel
119 Main St
Beatty
1 Stagecoach Hotel and Casino
Highway 95 N
Beatty
1 Hotel Nev. and Gambling Hall
501 Aultman St
Ely
2 Ariz. Charlie’s Htl & Cas-West
740 S Decatur Bl
Las Vegas
2 El Cortez Hotel & Casino
600 E Fremont St
Las Vegas
2 Nevada Palace Htl & Cas
5255 Boulder Highway
Las Vegas
2 Eureka Casino Hotel
275 Mesa Bl
Mesquite
2 Poker Palace Casino
2757 Las Vegas Bl N
N Las Vegas
2 Pahrump Nugget Htl & Gambl. Hall 681 S Hwy 160
Pahrump
1 Searchlight Nugget Casino
100 North Highway 95
Searchlight
2 The Mill Casino Hotel
3201 Tremont Ave
North Bend
2 Wildhorse Resort and Casino
72777 Highway 331
Pendleton
2 Kah-Nee-Ta High Des Resort & Cas 6823 Hwy 8
Warm Springs
2 Southern Cruz Casino
4491 Waterfront Ave
Little River
1 Miss Kitty’s Gaming Emporium 647 Main St
Deadwood
2 Golden Buffalo Cas and Resort 321 Sitting Bull Lane
Lower Brule
2 Grand River Casino & Resort
West Hwy 12
Mobridge
2 Prairie Wind Casino
Hwy 18, Hwy Contract 49 Pine Ridge
2 Cafe International
758 Peace Porto Dr
Blaine
2 Chip’s Casino
1500 NE Riddell Rd
Bremerton
2 Wizards Casino
15739 Ambaum Blvd SW
Burien
2 Cleopatra’s Wild Goose Casino 1600 Carrier St
Ellensburg
2 Wild Grizzly Casino
902 Ash Street
Kelso
2 Kenmore Lanes Casino
7638 NE Bothell Way
Kenmore
1 Cadillac Ranch Casino
1125 Commerce
Longview
2 Oak Bowl
531 SE Midway Bl.
Oak Harbor
2 Magic Lanes Cardroom
10612 15th Ave. SW
Seattle
2 Riverbend Casino
2721 North Market St
Spokane
2 Great Wall Casino, Rest & Lounge 3121 S 38th St
Tacoma
1 Harry’s Place
3529 E McKinley Ave.
Tacoma
2 Luciano’s Cas-Waterfront Rest 3327 Ruston Way
Tacoma
2 Pete’s Flying Aces
14101 Pacific Hwy S
Tukwila
#TABLES | C A R D R O O M
1 Boomtown Casino
2 Gold Dust Casino
2 Grt Canadian Cas. - Renaissance Htl
2 Casino Sault Ste. Marie
2 Thunder Bay Charity Casino
2 Gold Eagle Casino
2 Northern Lights Casino
#TABLES | C A R D R O O M |
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
Casino Bregenz
Casino Graz
Cas. Innsbruck (Htl Hilton)
Casino Linz
Casino Copenhagen
Bayerische Spielbank Bad Füssing
Spielbank Bad Homburg
Spielb. Bad Zwischenahn
Spielb. Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Bayerische Spielbank Kötzting
Casino Kiel
Spielb. Konstanz
Casino Schenefeld
Casino de Crans-Montana
Victoria Club
Shaftesbury Casino
9825 Hardin Street
24 Boudreau Road
1133 West Hastings St
30 Bay St. W
50 Cumberland St.
11902 Railway Avenue
44 Marquis Road West
ADDRESS
Ft McMurray AB
St. Albert
AB
Vancouver
BC
Sault Ste. Marie ON
Thunder Bay ON
N Battleford
SK
Prince Albert SK
95603
95531
95630
95945
94550
92061
95814
80422
32233
33131
33126
59101
59102
59044
59803
69201
89003
89003
89301
89107
89125
89122
89027
89030
89048
89046
97459
97801
97761
29566
57732
57548
57601
57770
98230
98310
98166
98926
98626
98028
98632
98277
98146
99207
98409
98404
98407
98168
| PHONE
(530) 885-3627
(707) 464-1020
(916) 983-4411
(530) 477-6537
(925) 455-6144
(760) 742-2177
(916) 444-5595
(303) 582-1650
(904) 249-9300
(305) 379-5825
(305) 264-9090
(406) 248-2969
(406) 256-5366
(406) 628-7969
(406) 728-5643
(605) 378-3800
(775) 553-2368
(775) 553-2419
(775) 289-6665
(702) 258-5200
(702) 385-5200
(702) 458-8810
(702) 346-4646
(702) 649-3799
(775) 751-6500
(702) 297-1201
(541) 756-8800
(541) 278-2274
(541) 553-1122
(843) 249-9811
(605) 578-7777
(605) 473-5577
(605) 845-7104
(605) 867-6300
(360) 332-6035
(360) 377-8322
(206) 248-4935
(509) 925-8525
(360) 423-6630
(425) 486-8646
(360) 501-4328
(360) 679-2533
(206) 244-5060
(509) 483-9499
(253) 473-2500
(253) 272-0555
(253) 756-5611
(206) 248-1224
|
PHONE
T9H 4G2 (780) 790-9739
T8N 6K3 (780) 460-8092
V6E 3T3 (604) 303-1000
(800) 826-8946
(877) 656-4263
S7K 4E4 (306) 446-3833
S6V 7L7 (306) 764-4777
ADDRESS
Am Symphonikerplatz 3
Landhausgasse 10, Grazer Congress
Salurner Straße 15
Rainerstr. 2-4, Hotel Schillerpk
Radisson SAS Htl, Amager Boulev 70
Kurhausstraße 1
Im Park 34
im Jagdhaus Eiden Hotel, Jagdhaus Eiden am See
Am Kurpark 10
Untere Au 2
Holstenbrücke 30
Seestraße 21
Industriestraße 1
Case postale 298
16 - 18 Victoria Street
377 High St, Shaftesbury St
#TABLES | C A R D R O O M
2
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
|
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CA
CO
FL
FL
FL
MT
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SPEEDWAY
Of Poker
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(Continued from page 7)
(Continued from page 1)
SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/26/03
7. Howard Andrew . . . . . . . .$780
LIMIT HOLD’EM
$120 / NO RB
8. Fernando Arciniega . . . . .$585
Walnut Creek, CA
Hollister, CA
9. Roger Jenkins . . . . . . . . . .$389
PLAYERS 150
PRIZE POOL
Fremont, CA
$15,000
SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/24/03
LIMIT HOLD’EM
$120 / $100RB
PLAYERS 145
REBUYS 131
PRIZE POOL
$27,600
1. Hieu Huynh . . . . . . . . . .$9,408
San Jose, CA
2. Bud Santmyer . . . . . . . .$4,704
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Thawee Potjanamat
1. Thawee Potjanamat . . .$4,820
4. Fernando Arciniega . . . .$1,881
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5. Tai Nguyen . . . . . . . . . . .$1,646
San Jose, CA
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2. Frank Besbes . . . . . . . . .$2,410
6. Cuong Nguyen . . . . . . . .$1,411
San Jose, CA
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3. Noel Gorgees . . . . . . . . .$1,205
7. John Shiek . . . . . . . . . . . . .$940
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10th-12th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$350
13th-15th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$300
16th-18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250
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7. Geoff Gadingan . . . . . . . .$632
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HOME RUN DERBY
CHAMPIONSHIPS, 8/23/03
10th-13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250
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LIMIT HOLD’EM
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SPEEDWAY OF POKER V, 8/25/03
PLAYERS 89
ADDED $10,802
PRIZE POOL
OMAHA HI-LO
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REBUYS 94
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1. J J Tran . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,780
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S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 1 1
For Poker, Spain’s a “Must Go”
Poker in Europe
By Nic Szeremeta
Poker as we know it is in its infancy in Spain. A
couple of years ago there were a few private
games and that was about it. One of these in Madrid was where
former waiter Carlos Mortenssen served his apprenticeship. It
was a useful stepping stone on his way to becoming the first
Spaniard to win the WSOP Championship event at the start of
the Millennium. But his win did more than add a seven figure
sum to his bankroll.
His victory was splashed in the newspapers and he became
something of a celebrity for a while – something which drew
attention to the country’s patriotic citizens that a game called
poker existed and you could win money playing it. So providing
public poker moved up the gaming industry’s agenda.
The first region where casinos introduced the game was
Catalunya on the Mediterranean coast followed by Madrid the
country’s capital. A small tournament was held at the Gran
Casino, Barcelona in November of last year as a trial run for an
international event in September of this year. This turned out
to be a major success.
Players pitched up from over 20 countries, the fields for
four of the five events were between 110 and 120 and the prize
pool totalled almost EURO 350,000 ($385,000). Not bad for a
first effort.
The Barcelona event had a lot going for it. The city is widely
regarded as one of the “cool” cities in Europe, the weather is
warm, the atmosphere vibrant and it is easily accessible from
almost anywhere. Add to this a commitment by the management to provide the most player-friendly environment they
could create and the ingredients for success were all in place.
Not that the players knew this before they turned up.
The casino had taken the sensible precaution of importing
expert help in the form of tournament director Austrian
Thomas Kremser, former manager of the Concord Card Casino,
Vienna. As a result there were none of the usual hitches which
often afflict card rooms new to the tournament scene.
With such a big influx of peripatetic pros in town it was no
surprise that the locals had a hard time hanging on to their
money. “Flying Dutchman” Marcel Luske from Amsterdam won
the main event, a EURO 1,000 no limit hold’em affair and also
the EURO 200 pot limit Omaha. Despite the fact that there was
a bit of dealing in the later stages of the hold’em he earned
around EURO 50,000 for his visit.
There was also the unusual sight of a woman player winning
– a somewhat rare occurrence this side of the pond due to the
relative shortage of lady players. Marion Flock from Germany
picked up EURO 18,000 for her win in the EURO 200 limit
hold’em with the most successful of the Spaniards Antonio Coll,
collecting almost EURO 10,000 in runner-up spot.
The other events also went to the have-bankroll-will-travel
brigade. Fari Bademansour of England won the EURO 200 pot
limit hold’em and Florian Bergauer of Austria the EURO 100 no
limit hold’em.
Meanwhile over in the cash games there was a little surprise for the poker purists. Due to a quirk in the local law the
dealers have to deal anti-clockwise! In the tournaments the
deal is “the right way round” but for money it is the opposite.
This came as a bit of a culture shock to those not used to it.
And while one may imagine it would take time to become
accustomed to it this turned out not to be true. In fact it took
most players about two hands to adapt… their focus no doubt
being sharpened by the fact that the smallest game on offer was
EURO 20-40, somewhat bigger than the equivalent in US dollars.
Overall the Gran Casino did itself a big favour as glowing
reports of how well it all went, the fabulous food and the buzz
of Barcelona will no doubt be spreading across the continent.
In one step it has put itself in the “must-go-there” bracket.
Nic Szeremeta is managing editor of Poker Europa
magazine, the monthly news and views publication from
the Euro side of the pond. To subscribe ( EURO 55 /
$70) email: NicSZ@connectfree.co.uk, and to find out
what goes on in Europe, go to www.PokerInEurope.com
1 2 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
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.
You may reach him at: realguru@yahoo.com.
L
ast time we did not
look at being dealt a
set, which contained an Ace,
nor had two cards of the
same suit. Today we will
look at exactly the same
hands and determine the
benefit, if any, by adding a
flush draw. The parameters
are all the same except the
fourth card in our hand is
Sam Mudaro is the...
now suited to one of the
cards comprising the set.
One would logically
believe this would increase
our win percent and net per
hand as we have more outs.
Keep in mind that in all
cases we are not drawing to
the nuts, unless the Ace of
our matched suit should fall.
Then and only then, we will
be drawing to the nuts if we
hold a set, which includes a
suited King. With a possible
9 additional outs, indeed our
win percentage does
increase with a suited set.
But, do we win more
money? Here are the results
for another 100,000 hands
dealt while holding each of
the following sets.
Results for 3 of a kind, Suited, without an Ace
Hand
2-2-2-3
2-2-2-4
2-2-2-5
2-2-2-6
2-2-2-7
2-2-2-8
2-2-2-9
2-2-2-T
2-2-2-J
2-2-2-Q
2-2-2-K
3-3-3-2
3-3-3-4
3-3-3-5
3-3-3-6
3-3-3-7
3-3-3-8
3-3-3-9
3-3-3-T
3-3-3-J
3-3-3-Q
3-3-3-K
4-4-4-2
4-4-4-3
4-4-4-5
4-4-4-6
4-4-4-7
4-4-4-8
4-4-4-9
4-4-4-T
4-4-4-J
4-4-4-Q
4-4-4-K
5-5-5-2
5-5-5-3
5-5-5-4
5-5-5-6
5-5-5-7
5-5-5-8
5-5-5-9
5-5-5-T
5-5-5-J
5-5-5-Q
5-5-5-K
Suited
W%
ROI
0.77%
(1.31)
0.67%
(1.35)
0.62%
(1.39)
0.53%
(1.47)
0.48%
(1.50)
0.43%
(1.56)
0.27%
(1.48)
0.31%
(1.49)
0.31%
(1.49)
0.34%
(1.49)
0.43%
(1.51)
0.67%
(1.37)
0.63%
(1.41)
0.55%
(1.41)
0.50%
(1.47)
0.47%
(1.50)
0.41%
(1.55)
0.24%
(1.49)
0.27%
(1.48)
0.29%
(1.48)
0.33%
(1.50)
0.35%
(1.53)
0.59%
(1.38)
0.62%
(1.36)
0.50%
(1.42)
0.47%
(1.47)
0.40%
(1.52)
0.38%
(1.54)
0.23%
(1.49)
0.28%
(1.47)
0.28%
(1.49)
0.25%
(1.52)
0.30%
(1.51)
0.51%
(1.41)
0.48%
(1.43)
0.49%
(1.41)
0.45%
(1.46)
0.37%
(1.51)
0.34%
(1.56)
0.19%
(1.51)
0.20%
(1.49)
0.22%
(1.50)
0.26%
(1.50)
0.28%
(1.51)
As anticipated you actually do
win more hands when your set
is suited. The average win percentage for the group is .32%
versus an average win percentage of .28% for the non-suited
group. That is a 12.5%
increase. Did we win more
money? Yes. We actually lost
only $1.50 per hand suited versus $1.51 per hand non-suited.
Hand
6-6-6-2
6-6-6-3
6-6-6-4
6-6-6-5
6-6-6-7
6-6-6-8
6-6-6-9
6-6-6-T
6-6-6-J
6-6-6-Q
6-6-6-K
7-7-7-2
7-7-7-3
7-7-7-4
7-7-7-5
7-7-7-6
7-7-7-8
7-7-7-9
7-7-7-T
7-7-7-J
7-7-7-Q
7-7-7-K
8-8-8-2
8-8-8-3
8-8-8-4
8-8-8-5
8-8-8-6
8-8-8-7
8-8-8-9
8-8-8-T
8-8-8-J
8-8-8-Q
8-8-8-K
9-9-9-2
9-9-9-3
9-9-9-4
9-9-9-5
9-9-9-6
9-9-9-7
9-9-9-8
9-9-9-T
9-9-9-J
9-9-9-Q
9-9-9-K
Suited
W%
ROI
0.39%
(1.45)
0.35%
(1.48)
0.38%
(1.46)
0.39%
(1.46)
0.32%
(1.53)
0.29%
(1.53)
0.18%
(1.53)
0.22%
(1.50)
0.17%
(1.53)
0.21%
(1.49)
0.23%
(1.52)
0.27%
(1.54)
0.29%
(1.54)
0.29%
(1.52)
0.30%
(1.53)
0.30%
(1.51)
0.30%
(1.50)
0.16%
(1.52)
0.19%
(1.50)
0.16%
(1.53)
0.14%
(1.53)
0.22%
(1.51)
0.30%
(1.52)
0.24%
(1.57)
0.16%
(1.51)
0.28%
(1.53)
0.28%
(1.54)
0.27%
(1.54)
0.18%
(1.50)
0.21%
(1.50)
0.21%
(1.52)
0.21%
(1.51)
0.23%
(1.50)
0.17%
(1.48)
0.20%
(1.50)
0.16%
(1.53)
0.17%
(1.50)
0.17%
(1.49)
0.18%
(1.49)
0.20%
(1.48)
0.21%
(1.53)
0.19%
(1.51)
0.22%
(1.50)
0.24%
(1.51)
A 1-cent per hand savings!
If we consider only the 11
hands containing the 3 kings
the win percentage improves
by 17.9% while we lose 1cent per hand more. If we
look at the 11 sets that contain
only 1 king the win percentage increases by 25% while
the earnings per hand remains
the same.
Hand
T-T-T-2
T-T-T-3
T-T-T-4
T-T-T-5
T-T-T-6
T-T-T-7
T-T-T-8
T-T-T-9
T-T-T-J
T-T-T-Q
T-T-T-K
J-J-J-2
J-J-J-3
J-J-J-4
J-J-J-5
J-J-J-6
J-J-J-7
J-J-J-8
J-J-J-9
J-J-J-T
J-J-J-Q
J-J-J-K
Q-Q-Q-2
Q-Q-Q-3
Q-Q-Q-4
Q-Q-Q-5
Q-Q-Q-6
Q-Q-Q-7
Q-Q-Q-8
Q-Q-Q-9
Q-Q-Q-T
Q-Q-Q-J
Q-Q-Q-K
K-K-K-2
K-K-K-3
K-K-K-4
K-K-K-5
K-K-K-6
K-K-K-7
K-K-K-8
K-K-K-9
K-K-K-T
K-K-K-J
K-K-K-Q
Suited
W%
ROI
0.25%
(1.50)
0.22%
(1.51)
0.23%
(1.51)
0.24%
(1.49)
0.19%
(1.53)
0.20%
(1.52)
0.23%
(1.51)
0.27%
(1.50)
0.29%
(1.50)
0.29%
(1.53)
0.28%
(1.52)
0.27%
(1.54)
0.25%
(1.54)
0.26%
(1.53)
0.20%
(1.57)
0.24%
(1.54)
0.23%
(1.52)
0.26%
(1.52)
0.26%
(1.51)
0.30%
(1.52)
0.32%
(1.51)
0.35%
(1.58)
0.37%
(1.53)
0.32%
(1.56)
0.33%
(1.55)
0.31%
(1.56)
0.26%
(1.56)
0.26%
(1.58)
0.30%
(1.52)
0.30%
(1.55)
0.34%
(1.51)
0.34%
(1.53)
0.34%
(1.52)
0.50%
(1.55)
0.49%
(1.57)
0.45%
(1.58)
0.45%
(1.57)
0.40%
(1.59)
0.37%
(1.56)
0.37%
(1.58)
0.42%
(1.54)
0.41%
(1.54)
0.45%
(1.52)
0.80%
(1.70)
So what have we learned?
We have again proven that
simply increasing our win
percentage does not equate to
winning more money. Sets,
whether suited or not, when
dealt to us, don’t appear to be
worth playing.
In the next of this series
we will look at sets containing
the almighty Ace.
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www.crystalparkcasino.com
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See Casino Manager for free entry information.
S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 1 3
BacK in the saddle Again
By OKLAHOMA JOHNNY HALE
In the last two or three columns I have been
talking to you about Benny Binion, the
founder of the Horseshoe and the man who
created the World Series of Poker which is
played each May at the Horseshoe in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Just last May I played in Benny’s $10,000 WSOP championship event at the old Horseshoe here in Las Vegas,
Nevada, and there were 839 players who each anted up
the $10k for their seats in the big dance— I only out lasted
769 of them. There was $7,690,000 of dead money in the
game when I got knocked out —But on the third day of the
tournament I ran out of luck and chips leaving 69 players
to play on.
Card Room Roundup
The Bicycle Club
7301 Eastern Avenue, Bell Gardens, CA 90201
(562) 806-4646
website: www.thebicyclecasino.com
to the Legends of Poker
With more than 135 tables
Championship/World Poker
featuring both poker and
Tour with its record-setting
California card games, The
$1.5 million prize pool.
Bicycle Casino, also known
Lower limit players can also
as “The Bike,” is one of the
the poker or California
games. After reaching a minimum level of 25 to 30
points (40 points for
California games) during a
calendar month, players are
eligible to redeem their
points for cash. Additionally,
all $8-$16 and below poker
players can cash in on the
“Three Rewards Points for a
First place received $2,500,000.-- But there is always
next year...
Today I would like to tell you about one of the poker players who won the World Series of Poker championship and
the night that I made a mistake and shook my head the
wrong way at Jack “Treetop” Straus.
The quotation that you will most frequently hear associated with Jack is “One day as a lion is worth more than a
lifetime as a Lamb”
Although I mostly agree with that, I do think that there
are days when you need to surrender and run away so
that you can survive to play another day. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.
Years ago, Jack invited me to participate in a movie deal
that he wanted to do, a riverboat poker movie. Later that
kind of a movie was made with Kenny Rogers as “The
Gambler.” I did enjoy seeing the movie, although Jack and
I certainly could have remedied its many technical shortcomings.
The year that Jack won the World Series of Poker, we were
playing together in a satellite for a seat in the big tournament. I didn’t know “Treetop” very well at the time, but I
knew that he was a player to be reckoned with in any game.
So when it got down to just the two of us remaining in this
satellite for a $10,000 seat in The World Series of Poker --- I
had about $4500 in chips and Jack had the other $5500.
I have always tried to be a good businessman, so I suggested that we make an arrangement. I thought that
might be the prudent thing to do. So we started discussing a financial arrangement in which one of us would
play in the Big One.
Jack offered me 25% of anything that he might win in the
big tournament-- if I would surrender all of my chips to
him. I shook my head no and said to Jack “I have 45% of
the chips. Of course, I don’t mind giving you a little edge
on the money, so I’ll just take a third and let you play for
us.” He shook his head back at me and said “No, I won’t
play for less than 75%.” I shook my head a second time.
“A third is the right price, Jack,” I reaffirmed. “Nope” he
repeated. “We’ll have to play.”
He won the satellite and he won the World Series of Poker
championship.. I lost about a quarter of $1 million by shaking my head the wrong way!
Until Next time STAY LUCKY !!!!!!!
Editors Notes: Email Oklajohnny@aol.com for a complete schedule of “The Seniors” WCOP events --”The
Seniors” @ the Grand in Tunica will be Oct 9-18 and
“The Seniors” @ Foxwoods will be November 15.
1 4 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
Come to the Bike for non-stop gaming, 24/7!
world’s largest card casinos.
Open 24 hours a day and
located just 10 minutes from
downtown Los Angeles, the
facility is renowned for its
world-class poker tournaments, generous promotions
and unsurpassed customer
service.
get in on the action as smaller tournaments are held on
an almost daily basis with
buy-ins as low as $10.
The Bike is very promotionoriented and Bad Beat jackpots are offered on all poker
games with jackpots doubled
during select hours of the
Rewards Meal.” This
includes an entree, non-alcoholic beverage and dessert
from The Bike’s exclusive
Rewards Menu.
The Bicycle Casino features a
variety of eateries including
The Deli and The Bicycle
Grill (formerly The Steak
House) where
For poker players
you can enjoy
The Bike offers
lunch or dinner.
hold’em, 7-card
And if you’re
stud, Mexican,
looking for a trip
Omaha, crazy
to the Far East,
pineapple, and
you can visit the
lowball. Limits
Jade Dragon,
for all games
which specialstart at $1-$2 and
izes in Asian
they will spread
dishes from
any limit as long
throughout the
as there are
world. There are
enough people
also two bars, a
who want to play.
gift shop, a fullservice beauty
For those intersalon, and as an
ested California
added service,
card games, there
several
are about 50
masseuses are
tables ofering “no
available on the
bust” blackjack,
casino floor to
pai gow poker,
provide a relaxpai gow tiles,
ing
massage for
Chinese poker,
Poker Room Manager Rick Cloward
a nominal fee.
California bacthe day. All players are also
carat and super pan 9. Limits
on these games run $5 and up. eligible to share in a rewards To find out more about The
program by becoming mem- Bicycle Casino visit their
website at: www.thebicyclebers of the casino’s Classic
The Bicycle Casino is home
casino.com Or, call their
Club. It’s free to join and
to 20 major poker tournawelcome center at (562)
members earn one point for
ments and in early
806-4646, ext. 545.
each hour of play at any of
September they played host
Time...........Some H.......Hold’em
L .................Limit
N ...........No Limit
7 .Seven Card
Stud
O........Omaha
C
events start
O after the hour
D AP ....................AM
E Wk....................PM
..............Week
● Denotes Advertiser
REGION/Cardroom(Ad Pg.)
NV Bellagio
SOUTH Luxor
Mandalay Bay
● Mirage (3)
Nevada Palace
The Orleans
Sahara
● Sam’s Town (11)
Sunset Station
Oasis-Mesquite
Col.Belle-Laughlin
Cactus Petes-Jackpot
Texas Station
NV Boomtown
NORTH Eldorado
H/L ......High/Low
Split
Pi ........Pineapple
Po.........Pot Limit
Pn.......Panginque
S ...........Stud
MONDAY
Time Games
12P H Z (41M)
7P
SQ
8:30PH Z (41M)
10A H Z (30M)
7P
10A
12P
7P
H
H
O H/L
NH
10A
H
10A
Pi Z
7P
HB
7P
Pi
11A O H/L Sp
7P
H
Sp ............Spread
Al .......Alternates
F .............Freeroll
Z .........Freezeout
Q..............Qualify
Sh.........Shootout
TUESDAY
Buy-in Time
$25
F
$25
$25
$60RB$40AO$40
$18
$20RB$10
$20RB$10
Games
$12 10A
$25RB$10AO$20
$15RB$10
$24 11A
7P
O
Pi Z
O H/L Sp
O H/L
Buy-in Time Games
8:30PH Z (41M)
10A H Z (30M)
6P
O H/L
7P
LH
10A
H
12P
O H/L
7P
H
7P
NH
NH
H
CA Casino Morongo
INLAND
EMPIRE Lake Elsinore
10A
5O
10A
O H/L
$10RB$10AO$10 10A
7P
$17RB$5AO(2)$5 10A
6P
H
H
O H/L
H
$10RB$10AO$10 10A
$30RB#10AO$20
$17RB$5AO(2)$5 10A
F RB$10AO(2)$10
12P
7P
● Club Caribe (7)
Commerce Club
Hawaiian Gardens
12P
● Hollywood Park (20) 11A
O H/L
O H/L
$15RB$10 12P
$15RB$10 6P
LH
7 H/L
$15RB$10 12P
$15RB$10 6P
CA Bicycle Club
L.A.
NH
S H/L
CA Bay 101
NORTH Cache Creek
California Grand
7P
H
Casino San Pablo
Garden City
Gold Rush
11A
7P
7
Sp L H
Lucky Chances
Oaks Card Club
Sonoma Joe's
10A
6P
NH
H
$13RB$5AO$10
$25
$15
$12
10A
10A
6P
10A
O H/L
O H/L B
H
NH
$13RB$5AO$10 10A
H
$25 10A
HB
$15
$12 10A 7 H/L Sp
OB
H
$12 10A
$12 6P
H
10A
7P
11A
6P
10A
H Sh
H
H Sh
S Sh
Varies
7P
LH
6P
Isleta Gaming Palace
Sandia Casino
$25 10A
$25 12P
5P
$18 10A
$30RB(1)$20 12P
$20RB$10 7P
7P
$40RB(1)$20 7P
$23RB(1)$10AO$2
6P
$12 10A
O H/L
H/O H/L
$20RB$20(1) 7P
$40
$10 12P
$35RB(1)$30 7P
$35RB$20 7P
NH
SB
$35RB$20 7P
$35RB$20 7P
O H/L
10A
DC
7P
12P
12P
O H/L
7
Ladies S
H/O
H
$10RB$10AO$10 10A
DC
$60
$17RB$5AO(2)$5 10A
O H/L
6P Wk2/Wk4 H
7 H/L
LH
NH
$15RB$10 12P
$15RB$10 8P
$50RB(1)$40
7P
$15RB$10 6P
$325RB(1)$300 8P
H HH
Pn
$36RB$20 11A
$10
$20RB
H
LH
H Sh
$25 10A
$125 7P
$12 10A
H Sh
$15 11A
6P
$10 10A
$25RB$20 12P
7P
$15+$5 11A
F 6P
H
H
H
H
O
NH
H Sh
H Sh
O H/L
Varies
H
NH
HB
H
S
7
O H/L
H
LH
H
H
O
7
H
H Sh
7P
6P
11A
L/N H
Pi Z
H
F
$12
F RB$20
$22
11A
H
7P
N H/O
$22RB$11
H
$20
H
NH
HB
$13 10A
$12RB$10AO$10 6P
$12 10A
H
LH
H/O/S
F
$17
$12
$10RB$10AO$10 11A
H
$10RB$10AO$10 12P
H
$17RB$5AO(2)$5 10A
F 5P
O H/L
H
$20
$40
Pn
LH
H Po
O H/L
$99 11A
Sp L H
2P
H
10A
LH
9A
O H/L
H
$15RB$10AO$10 11A
NH
7P Wk1 Sp L H
$15 1P
H Sh
$55 10A
12P
$25RB$15 7P
7P
$20
$125
$12 10A
O H/L
HB
H Sh
$12 10A
H Sh
$12
$15
$30
$5
$25RB$20
$55
$15+$5
$10
H Sh
$15 11A
H Sh
$15
6P
H
$10 10A
Varies
12P
11A
6P
Men H/O
HB
O H/L
7P
NH
11A
H
Varies
12P
7
Al
O H/L
F RB$10AO(2)$10
1P
6P
$15RB$10
$40 1P
F RB$10
$325RB(1)$300 11A
8P
Pn
H HH
$33
$20RB$10
8P
L/N H
11A
S
$20
$325RB(1)$300
H
$70RB(1)$60
$50 2P
7P
$15RB$10AO$10
$120RB$100 7P
$15
H
O
$50
$50
H
$60RB$40
$55 6P
$60RB(1)$50 1P
6P
NH
$220
H $60RB$50AO(1)$50
O H/L F
RB$10
H
O H/L
7F
$20RB$10
$25
11A
H Sh
$15
11A
LH
$15
11A
$10
$13 1P
HB
$15+$5
H
O H/L
$10 12P
S
12P
$10 12P
NH
S
$35RB(2)$30
$10
10A
10A
H
H
$35RB(1)$15 10A
$20RB$15 10A
7
S
$35RB(1)$15
$20RB$15
6P
NH
$50RB(1)$40
2P
N H/O
$10RB$10AO$10
10A
H Sh
1P Wk1 N H
$10
$60RB(1)$50
$5
$30 12P Ladies H/S
$35RB(1)$30
$35RB(1)$30
$35RB$15AO(1)$20
H HH
NH
$40
3P
2P
1P
3P
1P
S H/L
Pn
$70RB(1)$60 11A
$30
$40
$10
$35 12P
$35RB$20/$30 7P
LH
$5RB$5AO$5
$17RB$5AO(2)$5 3P
F RB$10AO(2)$10
$20
$25
$5 12P
$15+$5
$25
$33RB(1)$30
H
LH
Pn
Mx
O H/L
H Sh
NH
$22RB$11 10A
$23RB$10AO$20
$15 10A
$20RB$20(1)
F$5
H
$13
$70RB$30AO$50
$30RB$15AO(1)$20
H
$10RB$10AO$10
F RB$15AO$15/$30
12P Wk1 H
12P Wk3 H
12P Wk4 H B
$10RB$5
6P
Pi
$8RB$4 6P
$20RB$10AO$10
7P
V
V 7P
H
$5RB$20
HB
H
12P
$35RB(1)$15 12P
$5RB$15AO$25
H
H
$5RB$15 12P
$35RB(1)$15 12P
$15 12P
$15RB$10
$10RB$15AO$25 12P
6P
$40 7P
H
F RB(1)$15AO$100 6P
$15 7P
7P
ND Dakota Magic
7P
OR Spirit Mountain
11A
SD Dakota Sioux
6P
S H/L
$10RB$5
WA Chips Bremerton
11A
4P
10A
5P
S
Cz Pi
H
Varies
$25RB$5 1P
7P
S
H
S
F RB$10 7P
NH
H
$25RB(2)$10 11A
Gold Dust Casino, Deadwood
NH
NH
O
NH
N H $120RB$100AO$100
H
$18
NH
$30RB(1)$20
H
$60RB(1)$50
NH
$40RB$20
N H $40RB(1)$20AO$20
$10RB$10
S
H
$25
$25
O H/L
HB
HB
7P
$40 1P
$25RB 6P
$325RB(1)$300 8P
$15RB$10AO$10 11A
$60RB$40
$15 1P
$70RB$30AO$50
6P
6P
H
H
O H/L
$15RB$10AO$10 11A
$40RB$40 7P
$15 1P
F RB$10
$40RB(1)$40
$40RB(1)$40 6P
$60RB(1)$50
7P
NH
NH
$10RB$10AO$10 10A
7P
$17RB$5AO(2)$5 10A
O H/L
O H/L
H Sh
H
NH
H
H
H Sh
NH
S
8P
O H/L
$12 10A
$22 6P
$12 10A
$15RB$10AO$10 11A
$40RB(1)$40 7P
$15 1P
7P
$88 10A
$15RB$10AO$10 11A
$40RB$40 7P
1P
7P
$10 12P
H
O
NH
LH
HB
$77 11A
$55 6P
$50 7P
HB
H Sh F
H
Cz Pn
H (41M)
H (41M)
Buy-in
$24
$12 10A
F 6P
$12 10A
$12
H
O H/L
S
1P
CAN Casino Regina
Pi Z
O H/L
H
OB
O
$36RB$20 11A
$25RB$20 12P
$20RB 7P
NY Turning Stone
Chips Tukwila
Northern Quest
Wild Grizzly
$12 10A
$25RB$10AO$20
Buy-in Time Games
12P
O H/L Sp
H 2fLOP
H
HB
O H/L
$10RB$5 6P
$20
$20
$15RB(2)$10
$13RB$10
H
$30 7P
H
$60 7P
$20RB(1)$10 6P
$25 11A
$35
H
S
$25 6P
$15 7P
$25RB$5 7P
$35RB$10
NH
$50RB$20 1P
$30RB$10 7P
S H/L
F RB$10 7P
$25RB(2)$10 11A
7P
H
O H/L
$25RB(2)$10 11A
$27RB(2)$20 7P
H
12P
$15RB$15
$10RB$15AO$25 10A
H/L Sp Z
H
NH
H
11A
4P
10A
5P
NHB
NH
H.O.T.
NH
8P
V
GET LISTED!
$35 7P(1st Wk)H
$25
$20
$15RB(2)$10
$13RB$10
11A
4P
10A
5P
NH
NH
H
NH
$110 7P
$20
$20
$15RB(2)$10
$13RB$10
11A
4P
10A
5P
H
O H/L
NH
H.O.T.
NH
H
$25RB$10
$15RB$10
$15RB$10
LH
$5RB$20
$60RB(1)$50 10A
NH
$10
$30 4P
NH
Varies
H $30RB(1)$20AO$200 5P
H
$15
$25RB$5
$25 7P
$25RB(2)$10 10A
$25RB$20
6P
7P
$10RB$5 1PWk1&3 N H E
1P Wk2 H E
1P Wk4 H B E
5P
O H/L $20RB(1)$10AO$50 6P
H
$25 11A
S H/L
Cz Pi
$75RB(1)$75
$100RB(1)$100
$40RB(2)$30
$55RB(1)$45
Pearl River Resort
NJ Tropicana
NM Cities of Gold
Pi Z
O H/L B
$12 10A
6P
$12 10A
$12 6P
Sp L H
H
H
Flop
12P
SB
SB
11A
12P
$50 7P
$60 12P
7P
$12 10A
$20
$15 11A
$15
$5 6P
12P
$55
11A
$10 6P
7P
7P
MN ● Canterbury Park (16) 10A
Grand Casino(Gulfport)
Grand Casino(Tunica)
NH
NO
H
HB
Pn
S H/L
O H/L
LA Grand Coushatta
MS Grand Casino(Biloxi)
H
H
S H/L Sp
$40RB(1)$20 7P
$23RB(1)$10AO$2 11A
$13RB$5AO$10 10A
$25 10A
7P
$15RB$10 12P
$15 11A
Winn-A-Vegas
MI Chip-In's Island
H (41M)
H (41M)
NH
NH
O H/L
O H/L
O H/L
H
IN Blue Chip
IA Isle of Capri
$12 10A
$25RB$10AO$20 7P
$18 10A
$20RB$10 12P
$60RB(1)$40 7P
$13RB$5AO$10 10A
$25 10A
$15RB$10 12P
$15 11A
6P
10A
CO Midnight Rose
FL St Tropez Cruise
7P
$18AO$2 10A
$540
$25 10A
12P
$25
$25
10A
$13RB$5AO$10 11A
$25 10A
$15RB$10 12P
$15RB$10 6P
9P
$40
$15RB$10 12P
$15 8P
AZ Apache Gold
Mohegan Sun
Buy-in Time Games
2P
$12 10A
$12 6P
Ute Mountain
Pi Z
O H/L B
Games
5P
NH
$25 12P H Z (41M)
F
$25 8:30PH Z (41M)
$25 10A H Z (30M)
$45
$120RB$100
$18 10A
H
$20RB$10 12P
O H/L
$20RB$10 7P
NH
SUNDAY
$22RB$20
$25RB$20
HB
H
CT Foxwood's
H
Buy-in Time
SATURDAY
4P H/S H/L Sh Al
6P
6P
10A
6P
Desert Diamond
Fort McDowell
Gila River/Wild Horse Pass
Gila River-Vee Quiva
Hon-Dah Casino
Paradise Casino
$25 12P H Z (41M)
7P
SQ
$25 8:30PH Z (41M)
$25 10A H Z (30M)
$25 6P H Z (30M)
$120RB$100 7P
NH
$18 10A
H
$30RB(1)$20 12P
H
$20RB$10 7P
O H/L
$40RB$20
FRIDAY
$22RB$10
Viejas
Cliff Castle Casino
THURSDAY
$18AO$2 10A
NH
$23RB(1)$10AO$2 10A
6P
NH
$20RB$10
$12 10A
Pi Z
$12 10A
7P Wk1 H
$110 7P
7P
NH
F RB$10
$24 11A O H/L Sp
$24 11A
$25RB25 7P
OH
$25RB25
H
H
O
LH
Blue Water Casino
Bucky’s Casino
Casino Arizona-McKellips
Casino Del Sol
DAILY TOURNAMENTS
Note: All tournaments are subject to change. Check with the Cardroom for any updates.
Cardrooms-please send your schedules to Tournament Editor Steve Geffner,
sgeffner@gamblingtimes.com
Buy-in Time Games
12P H Z (41M)
10A
10A
6P
10A
Sycuan
#M ..# of players
maximum
RB..........Re-buys
AO..........Add Ons
Cz ..............Crazy
E .......Elimination
WEDNESDAY
12P H Z (41M)
$25
7P
HQ
F
8:30PH Z (41M)
$25
10A H Z (30M)
$25
6P
HQ
F
7P
N H $60RB$40AO$40
10A
H
$19
12P
H
$20RB$10
7P
S
$20RB$10
$18AO$2 10A
Harvey's Tahoe
Peppermill
CA Lucky Lady
SAN Oceans Eleven
DIEGO Pechanga
5....Five Card
Stud
Mx ..Mexican Poker
DC.Dealer’s Choice
HH....Headhunter
B ...........Bounties
NH
H
S H/L
NH
H
11A
NH
2P
NH
F RB$15,$10 12P Wk2 H
12PWk4/5
$10RB$5 4P
O H/L
$50
$20 11A
$20 4P
$15RB(2)$10 10A
$13RB$10
NH
NH
O
$20 11A
$20 4P
$15RB(2)$10 10A
2P
O H/L
NH
H
NH
12P
1P
O
S
2P
7P
O H/L
O H/L
$30RB(1)$15
$15RB$10
$60RB(1)$50
$10
$10
12P
S H/L
$50
$20RB$10 5P
O H/L
$20RB(1)$10
12P
Varies
$35
$25RB$5
$30RB$10 3P
H
$115RB(1)$100 12P Wk3 N H
$115RB$100
$10RB$5 4P
2P
$25 11A
$20 4P
F RB(2)$15AO$20 10A
$25RB$20
V
H
NH
NH
49 S H/L
F RB$10
$65RB$50
$20RB$10
$40
$25RB$20
$20
$15RB(2)$10
$25RB$20AO$20
Cardrooms-please send your schedules to Tournament Editor Steve Geffner, sgeffner@gamblingtimes.com
S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 1 5
Our Readers Comment On...
Playing Poker to Fight Mental
Deterioration as We Age
SENIORS SCENE
By George “The engineer” EPSTEIN
In the July 14 issue of Poker Player, my column
on “Play Poker: No More Alzheimer’s” elicited comments from
readers. I’m not surprised. Alzheimer’s disease and other forms
of mental deterioration are of ever increasing concern, especially as our population ages and we live longer (and, hopefully,
healthier) lives. My point was — and still is — if you are a senior
citizen, playing poker will help you ward off the onset of that
horrible Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or
mental deterioration that often come with aging.
Alzheimer’s Disease is a Growing Concern. One reader
sent me a clipping from the Los Angeles Times (August 19,
2003) with the headline: “Alzheimer’s Cases May Triple.” By
the year 2050, more than 13 million people in the U.S. are likely to suffer from this terrible disease. (Currently, there are
about 4.5 million afflicted in the U.S.) According to Dr. Jeffrey
Cummings of UCLA’s Alzheimer’s disease center, it “will
become an increasingly frequent disease and a major challenge to society and to public health.”
Drugs are Being Developed. Scientists are developing
drugs that replace a key chemical in the brain found to be deficient in Alzheimer’s sufferers, and therapies with vitamin E to
fight off free radicals that can attack brain cells or neurons.
Could be BIG business for the pharmaceutical manufacturers —
probably exceeding Viagra in profit potential. Personally, I’d
rather not depend on drugs unless I have to.
Better Ways. Another reader e-mailed me an article from
the Washington Post (June 19, 2003): “Mind Games May
Trump Alzheimer’s.” This one I really warmed to. It referred to
the same study I had cited from the New England Journal of
Medicine. Perhaps the most interesting part of the Washington
Post article was a quote from Joe Verghese, a neurologist at
the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Referring to elderly
patients with memory complaints, he said: “One thing I advise
is for them to increase their participation in cognitively stimulating activities.” Joseph Coyle, a professor of psychiatry at
Harvard Medical School, explained why this is so: “Using the
mind actually causes rewiring of the brain, sprouting new
synapses — it may even cause the generation of new neurons.”
Now, that makes good sense. . .
So Play More Poker. . . All the more reason that we seniors — and those approaching retirement — ought to play more
poker. By the very nature of the game, poker is truly “cognitive
stimulating.” Of course you want to be a WINNER at the game
while you’re protecting your mental health. . .
One key to that is to remember to play — or invest your
chips — only in starting hands that have a good chance of ending up taking the pot. (My book lists the starting hands that
fall into this category.) That’s often true in life too. That’s why
top baseball players don’t swing at every pitch; they wait for
the “right one.” Of course, that takes self-discipline, especially
patience. Then too, to be a consistent winner, you want to be
alert — to give your full attention to the game so you make the
right decisions. Self-discipline and alertness involve mental
processes that contribute to keeping your mind healthy —
while they also help you to leave the poker table a WINNER!
So what’s your opinion?
George “The Engineer” Epstein is the author of “The Greatest
Book of Poker for Winners!” A retired engineer who received
many industry and government awards and commendations,
he continues to be active by consulting, editing an international technical newsletter, teaching an engineering course at
UCLA, and serving as an officer in a professional engineering
society. One engineering society has a scholarship in George’s
honor. In writing his poker book, he applied the lessons
learned while working as an engineer to solve problems. He is
currently writing his next book on The Four Rules for Success
in Life and Living. He can be reached by e-mail:
geps222@msn.com
1 6 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
(for widely different reasons)
who have also
stepped beyond the
mold of “fifteen minutes of fame.” Tom
“Amarillo Slim” Preston,
Johnny Chan, Howard
Lederer, Annie Duke, David
Ulliot, and Tom McEvoy are
among them, demonstrating
the range of personalities and
achievements that draw media
interest. Preston has made his
name as a stunning gambler
(though lately more for his
legal troubles than for his
gambling prowess), the
orange toting Johnny Chan
produced a memorable scene
and a name to remember
(Orient Express) in his cameo
for Rounders. Phil Hellmuth
has used his personal website
to turn unfocused self-promotion into stylized marketing
genius, including advertisements for “a poker night with
Strike It
RICH!
(Continued from page 3)
views and offers the
Tennessee accountant never
dreamed of before have been
thrown his way-- including a
high profile services contract
with PokerStars, home of the
biggest poker tournaments in
cyberspace. It was on Poker
Stars that Moneymaker
turned a $40 super satellite
entry into a $10,000 seat at
the WSOP’s “Big Dance.”
Dan Goldman, Vice President
of Marketing of PokerStars
crows, Moneymaker is the
hottest property on the poker
scene, today.”
In addition to Moneymaker,
there have been a few players
Phil,” and prominent display
of his book, “Play Poker Like
the Pros.”
The duo of Howard
Lederer (one of the few top
players in both side games
and tournaments) and his
take- no- prisoners- at- the
–poker- game “little sister,”
Annie Duke, have created a
wave of attention; currently
they are showcased in the
newly released book, Poker
Face, their middle sister Katy
Lederer’s account of growing
(Continued on page 19)
Book reviews
Internet Poker
by Lou Krieger and
Kathleen Keller Waterson
ConJelCo 2003
ISBN 1-886070-17-2, 202pp, $14.95
“Internet Poker” begins
with the standard introductory
material chronicling the
advance of online poker and
providing some information
describing what this book is
all about. The authors then
move on to provide an
overview of nature of playing
poker online, including information about which sites are
most popular (at least at the
time the book was written),
and informing the reader how
online poker generally works.
The next section covers the
game of poker in general,
explaining the basic concepts
such as betting, blinds, antes,
how the game proceeds, split
pots, etc.. The authors then
provide about five pages of
strategy information on several of the most popular
poker games that are played
online. Due to their brevity,
these descriptions are necessarily incomplete, but they’re
pretty decent as far as 5 page
descriptions go. I especially
liked the information on playing 7-stud/8, as this gets
across some important concepts in an economy of
words. The section concludes
with commentary on the play
of sample hands from the
demo versions of Wilson’s
“Turbo” poker software,
which is provided on an
included CDROM.
The subsequent section,
titled “The Nitty-Gritty of
Playing Online” contains the
real meat of the book, in my
opinion. It is here that the
authors provide us information about how to evaluate
various different online casinos and games, selecting a
screen name, funding an
online account, and similar
issues. This information is
very useful for those who
don’t have any experience or
confidence online.
The final section covers a
number of issues, including
record keeping, legal issues,
and money management. In
the chapter titled
“Guaranteeing Yourself an
Honest Game,” Krieger and
Watterson discuss the right
issues, and on the big topics I
think they’re absolutely on the
right track, but much of the
information they provide
comes up short
in detail. As
one example,
while I believe the
dangers posed by opponent
poker players also being computer hackers is minimal, I
don’t think the authors exploration of this topic does a
good job of explaining why
this is the case. I know that
the average reader of “Internet
Poker” doesn’t want a
detailed exegesis on the
nature of Internet security,
but I think most players
could benefit from being
better informed on this topic.
Similarly, regarding legal
issues, while anything written in a book would be
immediately out-of-date,
some guidance would be
useful. As of the time of
publication, is it or is it not
legal to place a wager over
the Internet from a computer
in the state of Nevada, for
example? Where can I turn
for up-to-date information
on this topic? There’s very
little here in the way of useful
guidance.
Even though in some places
the book doesn’t go as far as
I’d like, the information they
do provide seems well-considered. This book is primarily
aimed at those readers who
are new to poker altogether
and want to play online. A
secondary market would be
those who have played in live
poker games but are uncomfortable about playing online.
(Continued on page 17)
Let’s
continue along
the road of
identifying weaknesses in our
game and then proactively
setting a goal to eliminate
them. Done properly, this will
result in stronger play at the
tables and therefore bigger
cash outs at the cage. We’ve
all heard the maxim of “Play
live cards in Stud and high
cards in Hold’em.” If you
start out with little cards in
Hold’em, unless the flop nails
your hand, you’re going
uphill all the way. What
about pairs? Since the odds of
being dealt a pair before the
flop are 16 to 1, they tend to
look pretty good, especially
after you have mucked complete rags for an hour. Of
course, high pairs are pretty
good. What about the rest of
the pairs? We’ve all seen
players play bottom pair all
the way to the river even in
the face of over-cards on the
board. Bless them---for this is
the type of player that adds to
our bottom line. OK, so they
suck out on the river for a
winner once in a while! But if
you maintain your discipline
they will return those chips.
As a general rule, when you
play small pairs from early or
mid position you need to flop
a set to proceed. Let’s say you
decide to play a pair of threes
from early position and you’re
fortunate to see the flop for
one bet. The flop comes 7-7Jack and now you think,
“Well, two pair isn’t the worst
hand to have.” The turn produces a Queen and you still
have two pair. Are they any
good? Well, we’ve all heard
the answer to that. It depends.
The point I’d like to make here
is, how have you found yourself in this position to begin
with? The answer, of course, is
because you played an inferior
holding from poor position.
Book reviews
(Continued from page 16)
I believe “Internet Poker”
will prove satisfactory for
both audiences, but will be
most appropriate for the least
experienced players. For
those who have some experience playing poker online,
there are a few good tips, but
this isn’t the book’s primary
audience. Still, since it’s very
reasonably priced, there may
be enough information
included to make the book
worthwhile. There’s still plenty of room, though, for an
advanced book on the topic
of Internet poker.
—Nick Christenson
Let’s set a goal of not playing small pairs from early
position. Actually folding
small pairs in early to mid
position! Wow,
we’re tightening
up now! OK,
we’ve set an
admirable goal.
How might we
police what pairs we
play from what position?
Again, this has much to do
with the texture of the game
and your knowledge of your
opponents which might lead
you into playing a hand out of
position to take advantage of
a situation. However, you
might consider adopting a
guideline on how to play pairs
to keep you out of trouble.
Top pairs don’t present a
problem. If you’re fortunate
enough to snag a big pair--you raise, or re-raise.
I
play eights or better from
second position, a minimum
of sevens from third position
and so on until you reach
Tom “TIME” Leonard is no stranger to
the green felt. His poker and business
career have spanned 30 years and he is
fond of saying that his experience as a
adhere to it, you will not find
yourself in early position
with a pair of threes looking
at a flop of higher cards and
sales and marketing professional have
helped him hone his skills at “selling” a
hand and “buying” a pot. Tom can be contacted at: thleonard@msn.com
mproving Performance
Here’s a suggestion on the
play of pairs dependent upon
their size. Under the gun,
meaning you are first to act
being to the left of the Big
Blind, only play a pair of
nines or better. In a full game
in this position you are either
the first of nine or ten players to make a decision. On
that basis, in an upraised pot,
playing fours in the cut off
seat. At this point if no one
has yet entered the pot, a
raise with any pair might be
in order. At least this system
will give you a general
guideline to only play lower
pairs from later position.
Yes, this is rather simplistic.
However, if you embrace it
and summon the discipline to
being seduced to continue in
hopes of hitting your set on
the turn or river. Remember—
not putting yourself in
harm’s way is much of the
battle! Now go to the cage
and cash in all those chips
that weren’t donated to
someone else’s pot by playing small pairs from early
position.
Legends Of Poker ...at the Bike
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Andrew Bloch . . . . . . .$39,125
Scotty Nguyen . . . . . . .$20,410
Aaron Katz . . . . . . . . . .$11,905
Richard Dunberg . . . . .$10,205
Bob Golick . . . . . . . . . . .$8,505
Paul Darden . . . . . . . . . .$6,805
Vinnie Vinh . . . . . . . . . .$5,105
Mori Eskandani used to
have a food-processing
business, which he says he
wasn’t very successful at,
and he began playing poker
seriously 16 years ago. His
biggest tournament win was
about $70,000 at the Hall of
Fame. He also has a couple
of wins at both the Four
Queens and Caesars Palace,
and this past January won a
$1,000 stud event at the
Bellagio. Stud and hold’em
are the only games he’ll
play. He plays cash games
far more than tournaments,
generally stud from $100$200 to $400-$800 at the
Bellagio.
Tonight he suffered a bad
beat at the $100-$200 level
and was down to $800, but
climbed back fast, becoming the chip leader at the
$200-$400 level. “I had a
lot of hands, but you have
to be lucky to win a tournament,” he said. Asked to
describe his style of play, he
said a lot of people think
he’s aggressive, but he really mixes his play up a lot.
EVENT 31
Sunar Wins In
Weird Finish
The conclusion of Legends
31, the All-Around Points
Playoff, was more an economic summit than a poker
tournament. With three
players left, James Mena
had the lead and in line to
win the top prize of a 2003
Hummer listed at $53,500.
Which he didn’t really want
and instead asked for offers
from Mike Sexton and
Surinder Sunar. Thrown
into the complex mix were
the resale value of the car,
the California state tax liability, the value of the seats
in the Championship/WPT
event for the second and
third spots, Sexton’s commitment as a WPT commentator and the fact that Mars
was at its closest rendezvous
with earth in 60,000 years.
After lengthy negotiations, a
deal was made and Sunar
was declared the winner.
And don’t ask this writer for
details because he couldn’t
explain them if he tried.
Let’s just say that all three
are top-notch players who
had lots of chips and any of
them could easily have won
the tournament had it been
played out.
The points playoff was a
$100 + $20 buy-in event
which anyone with 10 or
more points could enter.
All entrants received $300
in chips plus 10 times their
points total. This was a
departure from prior years
where the point leader automatically won. With this
format, anyone with 10
points could theoretically
win. At the same time, the
more points a player accumulated, the greater advantage he or she had.
Interestingly, the highest
points finishers at the final
table were Spring Cheong
and Rocky Enciso, only in
32nd and 72nd place
respectively.
EVENT #31
H.O.S.E.: HOLD’EM,
OMAHA HI-LO,
7-CARD STUD,
7-CARD STUD HI-LO
CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-AROUND
POINTS PLAYOFF
BUY-IN $100 + $20
PLAYERS 160
PRIZE POOL
$84,795
PART 5
(Cont’d from page 9)
onship. Sunar, a native of
India now living in London, is
a former electronic engineer.
Having lost some of his
patience for tournaments, he
now plays mostly side games,
limiting his tournament play
largely to championship events.
Tonight, he said, he was
never in trouble during the
tournament. He mostly was
“cruising” during the earlier
H.O.S.E. rounds because limit
games are not his cup of tea,
and he came into his own once
he started playing the no-limit
he prefers.
EVENT 30
Casino Arizona
Host Wins
Surinder Sunar
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Surinder Sunar . . . . .Hummer
James Mena . . . . . .Seat + $120
Mike Sexton . . . . . .Seat + $120
Rusty Mandap . . .Seat + $120
Tony Cousineau . . . . . . .$4,630
Rocky Enciso . . . . . . . . .$3,550
Phi Nguyen . . . . . . . . . . .$1,855
Toto Leonidas . . . . . . . . .$1,080
Ben Tang . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$925
Spring Cheong . . . . . . . . .$775
German Levya . . . . . . . . .$620
Al Korson . . . . . . . . . . . . .$465
Sirous Baghchehsaraie . . .$310
Jim Ferrel . . . . . . . . . . . . .$270
Ron Faltinsky . . . . . . . . . .$270
Warren Karp . . . . . . . . . .$230
Stan Goldstein . . . . . . . . . .$230
Unknown . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$230
Surinder Sunar is one of
Europe’s top players, though
he has yet to win a World
Series bracelet. He came very
close this year when he finished second to Johnny Chan
in the $5,000 no-limit hold’em
event, cashing out for
$112,000. Other major cashouts include about $100,000
for winning the British Open
and $150,000 for a second at
the Taj’s U.S. Open champi-
“I’ve been in the trenches
a long time and I’m overdue,”
Casino Arizona host Paul
Sherr said after taking down
the 30th event of Legends
2003, $1,000 _ hold’em and _
Omaha hi-lo. Sherr, who said
he’s made many final tables
recently, only to “go dead,”
hit a hot streak in late going at
the final table to build up a
big lead. It had been cut to a
mere 1k when the four finalists made a deal, but that was
enough for the title.
Meanwhile, Tom
Brownscombe, with a final 27point lead, is to be congratulated for finishing first in the
$75,000 Best All-Around
Points race. He receives a
$5,080 buy-in to the No-Limit
Hold’em Championship/
World Poker Tour and an entry
into the points playoff invitational tomorrow (Saturday).
Eighteen places will be paid,
with the winner getting a 2003
Hummer.
(Continued on page 19)
S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 1 7
Entertainment Listings
Entertainment RePORT
By LEN BUTCHER
Let’s start off with a review. Think Ringling Bros.
circus, Fellini on acid, and more sex positions
than the Kama Sutra, and you will have an idea of
what “Zumanity,” the hot new show at New York-New York, is all
about. Like all Cirque du Soleil productions, it is creative, unique
and entertaining, and the opening-night audience responded
with a standing ovation. I have to say it was well-deserved.
But before I get into the actual production, let me say that
the refurbished theater is one of the best theaters in town to
watch a show. The stage’s runway extends deep into the audience, allowing the performers to get up close and personal.
There is also the nice touch of having love seats interspersed
among the regular seating, and we were fortunate enough to
get one. Very cozy.
As for the show itself, the cast consists of 50 very talented
international performers, featuring everything from a midget
and two very oversized women in very scanty outfits, to a guy
who looks like Mr. Universe but who moves like Michael Jackson.
And let’s not forget the two women who do a very sexy swim
scene in a large container with distorted glass -- every man’s
fantasy.
How hot is the show? Let’s just say I was told a number of
couples were seen leaving early, with room keys already in
hand. This is one show you don’t want to miss.
Glenn Schaeffer, head honcho of Mandalay Resort Group,
which owns Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus,
will get to play a role he’s familiar with on the new NBC series,
“Las Vegas.” Schaeffer’s role is that of a casino mogul who
runs the Montecito Casino. James Caan stars as the head of an
elite casino surveillance team. Schaeffer plays the boss of
Caan’s character.
Mandalay Bay has opened its new Moorea Beach Club, a private area for topless sunbathing. At night, however, it will turn
into an ultra beach lounge open to the public. The name comes
from the island next to Tahiti.
Open during the day (8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.) to Mandalay Bay
guests over 21, Moorea Beach Club gives free admission to
women Sunday through Thursday. Men pay $25 during the week
and $35 on weekends. Day beds for four rent for $125. A pavilion,
an enclosed VIP area with its own pool and ultra-amenities, costs
$350 a day and $500 on weekends. Admission to the nightclub,
which opens at 10 p.m., is $35 for men and $15 for the ladies.
On Sunday, Sept. 28, at 5 p.m., Las Vegas entertainers Lance
Burton, Clint Holmes, Mac King and Michael Goudeau will perform at Sam’s Town Live on the Boulder Strip to raise funds for
the Boy & Girls Club of Henderson and the Variety Club of
Southern Nevada Tent No. 39 (The Children’s Charity).
Cocktails will be served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. while clowns perform. Pianist Michael Spadoni will perform throughout the dinner
hour which begins at 6:30 p.m. The show will start at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets to the gala event are $150 per person or $1,500 for a table
of 10. There will be seating for 680 and a raffle instead of the traditional silent auction. Prizes include four nights at the RitzCarlton at Lake Las Vegas and tickets to a Cirque du Soleil show.
For tickets through the Variety Club, call Executive Director
Denise Brodsky at (702) 249-0341, or buy your tickets through
the Boys & Girls Club’s development director, Kim Spore, at
(702) 565-0364. Dress code is semi-formal (suit & tie for the
gentlemen and dresses for the ladies).
Around Town… Nancy Sinatra and Peter Fonda, co-stars of
the 1966 motorcycle film “The Wild Angels,” reunited for Harley
Davidson’s 100th anniversary celebration, at a local HarleyDavidson shop… Michael Jordan and entourage showed up at
the House of Blues Foundation Room (Mandalay Bay) for
Godspeed… Robin Leach, he of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous
fame, celebrated his 62nd birthday in the company of six topless showgirls from the Aladdin’s “X” revue and the Rio’s
“Showgirls” at Mandalay Bay’s new topless Moorea Beach Club.
Len Butcher, a 25-year resident of Las Vegas, is an
online columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and
a former Managing Editor of the Las Vegas Sun and of
Gaming Today. Reach him at lennylv@cox.net
1 8 P O K E R P L AY E R S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3
Poker Player Advertisers are shown in RED along with their ad’s page number
To list your event, contact Len Butcher, Entertainment Editor at lennylv@cox.net
CALIFORNIA
Agua Caliente Casino
Commerce Casino
Crystal Park Casino & Hotel (13)
Comedy Shop
Arena Patio
With top comics every week. Karaoke follows
Jokers Comedy Night every Thursday at 8 p.m.
Ballroom Dance Party
Thursdays 8 p.m. to Midnight, Sundays 2-6 p.m.
Cambodian Dance Party
Karaoke
El As De Oros Night Club
Hollywood Park Casino (20)
Pechanga Resort & Casino
8:30 p.m. Featuring three top comedians
weekly.
Longshots Sports Bar
Fridays 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Nightly, except Tues., Wed.
Presents Banda Nortina Sats 8 p.m.-3 a.m.
Features Live Music and Dancing
Guitars & Saxes-Smooth
Jazz
Nightly.
An Evening with Journey
Sept 28, 7 p.m.
Frankie Valli
Sept 26, 9 p.m.
Ray Fournier
Sept 28, 9 p.m.
CONNECTICUT
Foxwoods Resort Casino
MISSISSIPPI
Gold Strike Hotel Casino (Tunica)
Grand Casino (Biloxi)
Grand Casino (Tunica)
Grand Casino (Gulfport)
Horseshoe Casino
Saturday Night Fever
Sept 4-Oct 5, 8 p.m.
Clint Black
Sept 20, 8 p.m.
Alice Cooper
Sept 27, 9 p.m.
Vince Gill
Sept 27, 9 p.m.
Michael Bolton
Sept 27, 9 p.m.
NEW JERSEY
Taj Mahal Hotel & Casino
Tropicana Casino & Resort
(Atlantic City)
Whisper
A fusion of music, dance and acrobatics. 8 p.m.
NEW YORK
Turning Stone Casino
Starship feat. Mickey Thomas Sept 27, 8 p.m.
NEVADA-LAS VEGAS
Bellagio Resort & Casino
Boulder Station Hotel & Casino
Excalibur Hotel & Casino
“O”
Hal Ketchum
Thunder From Down Under
Tournament of Kings
Flamingo Las Vegas
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Gladys Knight
7:30 & 10:30 p.m. (Dark Wednesday, Thursday).
Oct 3, 8 p.m.
7:30 p.m. Fridays through Wednesdays. 11:30
shows Fridays/Saturdays.
6 & 8:30 p.m. daily.
7:30 p.m. Tuesdays thru Saturdays.
Mamma Mia
7 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays; 8 p.m.
Fridays; 7 & 10:30 p.m. Saturdays, Mondays.
Steely Dan
Sept 27, 8 p.m.
Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
Magician Lance Burton
7 & 10 p.m. Tuesdays, Saturdays. 7 p.m.
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays. (Dark
Sunday/Monday).
Palace Station Hotel & Casino
Laugh Trax comedy club
7:30 & 10 p.m. Tuesdays thru Saturdays.
Palms Hotel & Casino
Kid Rock
Plaza Hotel & Casino
The Comedy Zone
Sahara Hotel & Casino
Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino (11)
Stardust Hotel & Casino
The Mirage Hotel & Casino (3)
The Platters, Coasters and Drifters 8 p.m. nightly
Wolfcreek
The Orleans Hotel & Casino
Texas Station
Sept 25-Oct 12, 9 p.m.
The Temptations & the Four Tops Sept 25-28, 8 p.m.
Siegfried & Roy
Impressionist Danny Gans
Sunset Station
Sept 21, 9 p.m.
9 p.m. Tuesdays thru Sundays.
Manhattan Transfer
Sunday thru Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Friday/Saturday
7:30 p.m. & 11 p.m. (Dark Wednesday/Thursday).
8 p.m. (Monday thru Friday)
Sept 25-28, 8 p.m.
Derek Scholl & The Shooters Nightly, 10 p.m.
Love Shack
Fridays and Saturdays, 10 p.m. & 2 a.m.
LAUGHLIN
Colorado Belle Hotel Casino
Riverboat Ramblers Strolling Fridays & Saturdays, 8 p.m.
Dixieland Jazz Band
Flamingo Hilton Hotel Casino
A Really Big Shew,
A Tribute to Ed Sullivan
Sept 11-Apr 11, 7 & 9 p.m.
River Palms Hotel Casino
Joey & Maria's Comedy
Italian Wedding
5:30 p.m. dinner show nightly.
Riverside Hotel Casino
Gallagher
Sept 24-27, 8 p.m.
MESQUITE
Casablanca Hotel & Casino
Oasis Hotel Casino
Suzy Haner Adult Hypnotist Oct 17-18, 8 p.m.
Champagne On Ice
Sept 23-28, 8 p.m.
PRIMM
Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino
Brooks & Dunn
Sept 19, 8 p.m.
RENO
Atlantis Casino Resort
Eldorado Hotel Casino
Reno Hilton Hotel Casino
TK Band
4-9:30 p.m.
Lonny Lawless
10 p.m.-4 a.m.
Burn The Floor
Championship dance couples. 7 & 9:30 p.m.
Ongoing.
Kalin & Jinger's Illusionarium 8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 7 p.m. Sunday.
claims to have a
totally separate
philosophy and
mission) to create a
new world order at the
tables, making poker as
prestigious as our favorite
sports. Will PSG and/or
Fifth Street Management
guide poker players to new
riches. Only time will tell.
The proof will be in the pudding – offers of appearance
fees, endorsement contracts
and corporate sponsorships of
buy-ins at big ticket poker
tournaments.
In my next article, I’ll
introduce you to the principals in play and give you my
take on their reported business models and game plans.
Strike It
RICH!
(Continued from page 16)
up in a family of gamblers.
Media interest in poker
extends beyond our shores.
The charismatic David Ulliot,
a tough-as-nails- at- thetable-English charmer, has
captivated print and broadcast
reporters across the pond.
There is little doubt that the
singing poker player and
“piano man” will soon have
them eating out of his hand,
on this side of the ocean too.
David Ulliot is not the
only one over forty who
catches the eye of the media.
T.J. Cloutier continues to
bring crowds to their feet with
his reads on opponents.
Knowledgeable reporters have
come to appreciate his awesome talents too. Tom
McEvoy, WSOP World
Champion 1983 (with a total
of four WSOP bracelets) has
parlayed his playing achievements and visibility into a
writing career on poker strategy books. And like
Moneymaker, McEvoy holds
court on Poker Stars as “the
man to beat”.
There are numerous other
players who have garnered
publicity for their poker pursuits. Anyone who is featured
anywhere-- from a hometown
newspaper to the New York
Times is an ambassador of
the game-- for better or for
worse. Circuit pros and
recreational players, card
room managers and casino
executives, poker writers and
authors have all contributed
to the current television ratings. Poker players are wild
with glee at the mere thought
of becoming stars akin to
their own heroes in the world
of sports. Finally, businessmen Stone and Fleer seem
ready to do their bidding.
The coming of player representation is the fruit of collective labor of all those, past
and present, who have
brought poker to its present
gushing level of popularity.
Dan Stone and Keith Fleer
talk big about the emerging
world of management companies. I say to them, “welcome to our world.” Whether
or not they will be hot stuff
remains to be seen, but make
no mistake about it, they are
competing (though each
Legends Of Poker
EVENT #30
HOLD’EM & OMAHA HI-LO
BUY-IN $1,000 + $60
PLAYERS 65
PRIZE POOL
$65,000
Paul Sherr
1. Paul Sherr . . . . . . . . . .$26,000
2. Don Kim . . . . . . . . . . . .$14,950
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
(Cont’d from page 17)
Jim McManus . . . . . . . .$7,800
Amir Vahedi . . . . . . . . . .$4,550
Jim Schmidt . . . . . . . . . .$3,575
Steve Badger . . . . . . . . .$2,925
Mike Sexton . . . . . . . . . .$2,275
Paul Darden . . . . . . . . . .$1,625
Chris Karagulleyan . . . .$1,300
Paul Sherr, 49, began
playing poker at a University
of Florida frat house and has
been playing seriously since
the mid-70s. After working
as a newspaper ad salesman,
he became a host (prop) at
Casino Arizona the day it
opened five years ago. He
plays all games there, though
Omaha is his game of
choice.
Tonight he gained a measure of revenge over Steve
Badger, who won the $2,500
Omaha hi-lo event at the
1999 World Series when
Sherr came in third. It’s the
first time he’s encountered
Badger since then. Sherr
also has a $1,000 Omaha hilo win at the Four Queens in
1996 and a few victories at
second-chance events at the
Orleans. In tonight’s event,
he said he had to struggle
and hang in there until he
finally got his rush. “I’ve
been way overdue for a
win,” he said. “I hope this is
the start.”
LIVE from 1-2 PM Pacific Standard Time
And repeated 12 hours later
A New Gambling Talk Show
Poker Talk with
Mike & Stan
Mike Caro, America’s Mad Genius, is the world’s leading poker
writer and founder of Mike Caro University of Poker.
Stan Sludikoff is the founder of Gambling Times and
the Editor/Publisher of Poker Player newspaper.
This new talk show will first be heard on on the Internet at
VoiceAmerica.com
You may also tune in to:
www.gamblingtimes.com
or, www.poker1.com
This is a series of 13 shows with guest interviwees every
Thursday afternoon beginning July 17, 2003.
Our guest for September 18 will be Steve Lipscomb, CEO of the World poker Tour
Our Guest for September 25 will be Wendeen Eolis, Poker Player Columnist
Both guests will be LIVE, so while listening to the live
broadcasts, you may call in, TOLL FREE, to ask questions at:
1-888-335-5204.
Online listeners may ask questions by instant messenger to: sludikoff@yahoo.com All messages
must have the persons name shown, however, we will withhold that on the air by request.
S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 0 3 P O K E R P L AY E R 1 9
_______________________________
ALL EVENTS:
$20+$10 Buy-in
w/Multi Rebuys
_______________________________
Monday, September 22 • 7:15 pm
Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Tuesday, September 23 • 7:15 pm
No-Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Wednesday, September 24 • 7:15 pm
7-Card Stud • $5,000 Guaranteed!
1 2 E V E N T S • O C TO B E R 1 5 - 2 6 , 2 0 0 3
$600,000
DATE
Estimated Prize Pool!
TIME
EVENT
BUY-IN
REBUYS
GUARANTEE
1
Wednesday, Oct. 15
7:15 PM
No-Limit Hold’em
$100 + $20
One
$30,000
2
Thursday, Oct. 16
7:15 PM
7-Card Stud Hi-Lo
$100 + $20
One
$20,000
3
Friday, Oct. 17
7:15 PM
Limit Hold‘em
$100 + $20
Multi
$40,000
4
Saturday, Oct. 18
5:00 PM
Omaha Hi-Lo
$100 + $20
One
$20,000
5
Sunday, Oct. 19
5:00 PM
No-Limit Hold’em
$200 + $25
One
$40,000
6
Monday, Oct. 20
7:15 PM
7-Card Stud
$200 + $25
None
7
Tuesday, Oct. 21
7:15 PM
Limit Hold’em
$200 + $25
None
8
Wednesday, Oct. 22
7:15 PM
Omaha Hi-Lo
$200 + $25
None
9
Thursday, Oct. 23
7:15 PM
7-Card Stud Hi-Lo
$200 + $25
None
10
Friday, Oct. 24
7:15 PM
No-Limit Hold’em
$500 + $40
None
11
Saturday, Oct. 25
5:00 PM
Limit Hold’em
$300 + $30
Multi
$75,000
12
Sunday, Oct. 26
5:00 PM
No-Limit Hold’em
$200 + $25
Multi
$60,000
Monday, September 29 • 7:15 pm
Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Tuesday, September 30 • 7:15 pm
No-Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Wednesday, October 1 • 7:15 pm
Omaha Hi-Lo • $7,500 Guaranteed!
Monday, October 6 • 7:15 pm
Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Tuesday, October 7 • 7:15 pm
No-Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Wednesday, October 8 • 7:15 pm
7-Card Stud Hi-Lo • $7,500 Guaranteed!
_______________________________
National Championship of Poker
No Events Scheduled Oct. 13 - 22
_______________________________
Monday, October 27 • 7:15 pm
Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Tuesday, October 28 • 7:15 pm
No-Limit Hold’em • $12,500 Guaranteed!
Wednesday, October 29 • 7:15 pm
7-Card Stud • $5,000 Guaranteed!
3% of prize pool distributed to tournament staff for gratuities.
$3 from every $100 of prize pool money goes to tournament staff tip pool.
Custom NCP Winner Jackets • Final Table Gifts • Food Coupons to All Entrants
Free Logo’d Jackets* • T-Shirt & Hat Giveaways • Lakers & Kings Ticket Giveaways
Endless Summer Tournaments
scheduled through December 17, 2003!
For tournament information, call Robert Thompson at (310) 330-2800 x-2077
*Must enter three events
25 Minutes to
Downtown L.A.
PRAIRIE AVE.
Sepulveda
Manchester Blvd.
LAX Hotels
layer
Special Pates!
Room R at Crystal Park
t
t $35/nigh
le service.
Starting a
FREE shutt
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FORUM
HOLLYWOOD PARK CASINO
CENTURY BLVD.
30 Minutes to
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Based on
3883 W. Century Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90303
(310) 330-2800 ♠ (800) 888-4972 ♠ www.playhpc.com
©2003 Hollywood Park-Casino. All rights reserved. Management reserves the right to cancel promotions at its sole discretion. No purchase necessary for promotions. See Casino Manager for free entry information. Gambling Problem? Call (800) 322-8748