Professional & Celebrity Poker Articles

Michael Binger Wins Harvey's Lake Tahoe Championship

2008-11-16T20:46:00.000-08:00

World Series of Poker Circuit at Harvey's Concludes with Largest Turnout in its Five-Year History

The largest turnout in the five-year history of the World Series of Poker Circuit at Harvey's Lake Tahoe generated $1,418,132 in prize money spread over 13 tournaments. The annual attraction which is held on the south shore of beautiful Lake Tahoe right at the Nevada-California border attracted 2,163 entries. This surpassed last year's record of 2,128 entries. The ten-day tournament series concluded with the $5,000 buy-in championship event.

The winner was Michael Binger, from Las Vegas, NV. The 31-year-old professional poker player overcame a severe chip disadvantage while heads up at the final table and won his first major poker tournament victory. He collected first place prize money totaling $181,379. Following his victory, Binger was presented with a gold ring, the coveted token of achievement for all WSOP Circuit championship tournaments. Binger also received a buy-in to the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event, plus $1,000 in spending money.

Binger is perhaps best known publicly as the third-place finisher in the 2006 WSOP Main Event (won by Jamie Gold). For that effort he won more than $4 million. With his victory at Lake Tahoe, Binger now has more than $5.7 million in career tournament earnings, all accrued within the last three years. What many may not know is that Binger also holds a PhD in physics from Stanford.

The championship event attracted several big names. Last year's winner and 2000 world poker champion Chris "Jesus" Ferguson entered the tournament, along with Johnny Chan (the 1987 and 1988 world champ) and Jerry Yang (the 2007 world champ). Former WSOP gold bracelet winners who played at Harvey's Lake Tahoe included Robert "RCW" Cheung, Scott Clements, Dan Heimiller, Kathy Liebert, Jeff Madsen, and Max Pescatori. Evan Schwartz -- the only player in history to have won multiple WSOP Circuit events at Harvey's Lake Tahoe – also entered.

The tournament was played over a three day period. On Day One, the 125-player field was reduced to 55 players. As 18 players approached a guaranteed payout on Day Two, buzz began to circulate that Chris Ferguson might become the repeat champion. A victory by Ferguson would have been notable since no player has successfully defended a title at a major tournament (defined as buy-ins of $5,000 and higher) since 1989. That's when Stu Ungar won back to back Super Bowl of Poker titles in 1988 and 1989 (coincidentally at Lake Tahoe). However, Ferguson's achievement was not meant to be. He ended up as the 11th-place finisher.

On Day Three, the final table was played on the second floor at Harvey's Lake Tahoe, alongside the Hard Rock Café. With several hundred poker fans in attendance, tournament pro Binger arrived as the early chip leader. However, four players were relatively close in chips which made it a wide open event.

Two-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Scott Clements was the first player of the final nine to exit. He was short stacked and was eliminated just a few hands into play. Clements, who has over $3 million in tournament winnings since 2005 added $13,444 for his ninth-place finish.

A few hands later, Bill Bostick was eliminated. This was Bostick's second time to cash at this year's Harvey's Lake Tahoe series. He also cashed twice in events on the Heartland Poker Tour held earlier this year. Bostick, an automotive consultant from Minnesota drive away with $18,566 for eighth place.

With the two lowest stacks out of the way, play tightened down for the next hour. Then, Travis Erdman was finally knocked out when he played a hand perfectly, but still lost. Erdman has pocket kings (with a spade) and moved all in after three low spades flopped. Unfortunately, Ty Stewart had two spades, good for the made flush. Erdman still had outs, but missed. Nevertheless, Erdman tied a record by making it to the final table of the Harvey's championship three years in a row. This is only the second time this has happened on the WSOP Circuit (Note: Lou Esposito, of Howard Beach, NY first made three straight final tables at Harrah's New Orleans). The investment manager from San Francisco added $24,968 to his poker portfolio.

Next, tournament journeyman Allen Kessler took one of the sickest beats imaginable. He moved all in with pocket aces and was called by Ty Stewart holding pocket sevens. The first four board cards were inconsequential. Then, an unlucky seven fell on the river, eliminating Kessler. The Philadelphia native who has more than 90 tournaments cashes on his poker resume collected $31,370 for sixth place.

Tay Nguyen was short on chips and moved all-in on a straight draw on what turned out to be his final hand of the tournament. He missed the draw and had to settle for fifth place. Nguyen, an accountant from Sacramento, logged $40,653 into his profit column.

Poker pro Mike McClain has long been known as the face for poker's "agony of defeat" moment. Five years ago, his despair was captured and immortalized on ESPN's WSOP broadcasts when his bad beat was shown on film and repeated countless times in contrast to Chris Moneymaker's "thrill of victory." Unfortunately, McClain endured yet another agonizing defeat in this tournament when his pocket queens were cracked by Ty Stewart's straight. McClain, who finished ninth in the 2004 WSOP Main Event, settled for fourth-place, which paid $53,777.

Down to three players, Stewart had the biggest stack, while Jake Solis and Michael Binger jockeyed for position to get heads-up. The tug of war went about 40 hands before Solis finally moved all-win on what turned out to be a three-way pot. Solis had 7-7. But Binger ended up with the best hand with a pair of queens, taking the last of Solis' chips. Solis, a 30-year-old salesman and father of two, racked up a commission totaling $77,464.

The final showdown began with Stewart holding a 4 to 3 advantage over Binger. It appeared that the final table might be completed in a lightning-fast pace, clocking in at less than four hours. This would have shattered the previous record as the fastest WSOP Circuit final table ever (which is about five hours). However, heads-up play lasted more than 60 hands. Binger was the more patient player, refusing to commit his final chips unless he was confident enough with his hand.

Such patience came at a price. Binger gradually lost his chips and was down by an 8 to 1 margin at one point, before staging a stunning comeback. Displaying a never-say-die attitude, Binger seemed always make the right decision when faced with what were a number of razor-thin calls. For instance, Binger made a major-league call with third pair on board, snapping off a stone-cold bluff by Stewart, which swung the chip lead in Binger's direction for the first time.

Then, Binger caught a number of big hands which left Stewart in desperate shape when the final hand of the tournament was dealt. That came when Stewart made second pair with eights against Binger's top pair – nines. By the thinnest of margins, Binger won the last pot of the night and achieved a personal milestone with his first major tournament win.

As the runner up, Ty Stewart received $112,675. The 32-year-old middle-limit cash game player from Sacramento was pleased with his play and received a long ovation from the crowd, including Binger. Had Stewart caught just one or two key hands while heads-up, he would have been the winner.

But the night was indeed Binger's who was visibly thrilled with his victory, far more even perhaps than the prize money. "It's amazing. I told (a friend) that the next time I see him I would be wearing WSOP Circuit ring. And that's exactly what happened here," Binger said.

"I visualized this victory coming. It was a sort of mind over matter thing. The power of positive thinking," Binger said. "I was down at one point (when heads-up) and told myself to stick with it. I played well, and the cards finally turned around for me. This is a very meaningful win for me because to win (on the WSOP Circuit) is considered a major tournament and it's part of the World Series."

When asked what he next goal might be, Binger didn't hesitate. "A gold bracelet," he answered.

Note: It should be noted that runner-up Ty Stewart is not the same Ty Stewart who is an executive with the World Series of Poker. They are unrelated and merely share the same name.

by Nolan Dalla

World Series of Poker Europe, presented by BetFair, off and running at The Empire in London

2008-09-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

Biggest names, bracelets, broad TV exposure, and the chance to dethrone the queen.

The 2nd annual World Series of Poker Europe Presented by Betfair has arrived, and so have the biggest names in poker from all across the world. With ESPN set to televise this year’s WSOPE Main Event in the U.S. and across Europe, the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe will become the most broadly televised poker tournament ever – and the first European poker tournament to receive TV coverage in the United States.

“We had tremendous success at the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe, but are convinced the changes to this year will result in an even better tournament,” said WSOP Director of Marketing Ty Stewart. “Registration is tracking ahead of last year and the lineup of names and the addition of another bracelet event have brought an electric buzz to start off this tournament.”

This television exposure and the chance to win the most prestigious prize in all of poker – a WSOP gold bracelet – is drawing the biggest names in poker. “Betfair are delighted with the launch of the WSOPE. The player feedback has been tremendously positive and we look forward to this being the largest and most successful tournament in Europe this year,” said Ben Fried, head of poker for Betfair.

Among the players registered to participate in the 2008 WSOPE include the following professionals:

- 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth
- 10-time WSOP champion Doyle Brunson
- 10-time WSOP champion Johnny Chan
- Defending WSOPE Main Event Champion Annette Obrestad
- November Nine finalists Craig Marquis, Ivan Demidov, Peter Eastgate & Kelly Kim
- Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Allen Cunningham
- Layne Flack, Patrik Antonius, Gus Hansen
- Josh Arieh, Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch
- Robert Williamson III, Barry Greenstein, Chris Ferguson
- Mike Matusow, Max Pescatori, Vanessa Rousso
- David Williams, Eric Seidel, Michael Mizrachi
- Robert Mizrachi, Nenad Medic, John Tabatabai
- Sorel Mizzi, David Benyamine, Tuan Le
- Eli Elezra, Steve Zolotow, Ted Lawson

Last year, 18-year-old Norwegian Annette Obrestad bested a star-studded field to win the inaugural WSOPE Main Event and take home the largest prize ever for a female in any sporting contest, £1 million. Obrestad, who celebrated her 20th birthday yesterday, returns to defend her crown, against what promises to be another tough field of the game’s best poker players.

The 2008 WSOPE features four gold bracelet events, a £1500 No-Limit Hold’em that opens the tournament today and tomorrow (two start days), plus a £2500 H.O.R.S.E. event (9/22), a £5000 Pot Limit Omaha (9/24) and the Main Event (9/26), a £10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championship.

Betfair, presenting sponsor of WSOPE and the only online authorized and official online location where players can win seats for World Series of Poker Europe, continues to run satellites and qualifiers on their website, betfairpoker.com, with a last chance qualifier scheduled to run tomorrow (Sunday) at 6:00 PM.

by Nolan Dalla

WSOP's Nolan Dalla Discloses Why 2008 World Series of Poker's Final Table Is Delayed

2008-09-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

Nolan Dalla, of the WSOP, is the guest on WomensPokerYak, and tells why the Final Table in the World Series of Poker has been delayed until November. WomensPokerYak.net, hosted by Dianna Donofrio, is one of the channels on Yaktivate.com.

In an exclusive interview on WomensPokerYak.net, Nolan Dalla, World Series of Poker's Media Relations Director, talks with podcast host Dianna Donofrio about his journey to the world of Poker and then shares his thoughts of the 2008 WSOP final table being delayed till November and the thoughts of the famed "November Nine" who will be playing. In every other Poker tournament, the entire tournament is played straight through to the end. When it was decided that the final table of the World Series would be delayed 4 months, Poker players everywhere were asking why. Dalla answers the question.

Donofrio, with her love of poker and people, engages Dalla as he reveals his path from politics to poker. His political life started in Washington, DC with the State Department, on to the American Embassy in Bucharest, Romania witnessing the fall of Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and then back to DC working for the Turkish Embassy.

Dalla reflects on his early years at the University of Texas, playing poker and betting sports, using his winnings to help pay for his education. It was there he earned a degree in Political Science, followed by a Masters Degree program in Public Policy Administration at UT-Arlington. He then moved on to Washington, DC and worked on the staff for a U.S. Senate committee. Sitting behind a desk and playing the administrative role was not to be a part of his future life style. He was looking for something more exciting ... and poker was the answer. The people and the players were interesting to Dalla. He found that poker was more than just a game. It is a lifestyle and a lifestyle to which he gives profound dedication. Dalla takes great pride in his role of the Media Relations Director for the World Series of Poker (worldseriesofpoker.com). Dalla believes "Gambling is the greatest metaphor of life. Whether in gambling or life -- I find that the harder you work, the better your chance of success."

Dalla knew that when Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event, poker would forever be changed and change it did. Poker exploded and so did the World Series of Poker. Dalla's career as a poker writer began in 1994 when he started writing for Card Player. His column "Tales from the Felt" quickly became one of the most popular columns. Over the years, Dalla has written hundreds of columns -- and many of them on poker strategy. He has also written for The Intelligent Gambler and many gambling-related websites. In December 2001, Nolan began his association with Poker Digest. He is also the lead sports gambling columnist for Casino Player magazine. Dalla contributed a chapter to the popular Lou Kreiger book, Poker for Dummies. He additionally created poker's "Player of the Year" Tournament Rankings, using a mathematical rating system he devised which is now used all over the world. Dalla has authored several books: One of a Kind, The Rise & Fall of Stuey "The Kid" Ungar and The Man Behind the Shades.

Dianna Donofrio is President of PokerGivingBack and an executive with DGHoldings, a company that has an interest in the gaming industry. Donofrio brings her talents, knowledge and poker friends to her listening audience. Formerly on the staffs of US Senator Birch Bayh, Gov. Matthew Welsh and ombudsman to former Mayor Russell G. Lloyd (all of Indiana), she now devotes her time, passion, and energy to organizing Poker Charity Events, playing poker and podcasting on http://www.womenspokeryak.net/, one of the many channels on Yaktivate.com. Regarding having Nolan Dalla as her guest in this podcast, Donofrio says, "Nolan and I have been friends for ages and when Nolan shared his thoughts about the delay of the Final Table, I was honored."

Donofrio also announces that WomensPokerYak is now being sponsored by DOingPoker and looks forward to her listeners checking out the exciting fun and new free-playing poker site.

Podcast listeners will soon be able to enjoy listening to these future guests on Donofrio's podcast show, WomensPokerYak: Lisa Tenner, owner Tenner & Associates and co-owner Card Player Cruises; Leo & Ivy Chu, owners of Hollywood Park Casino; Jamie Gold (when he gets back to the states); "Dutch" Boyd, professional poker player; plus Susie Isaac, two time WSOP Ladies Champion.

Yaktivate.com is an internet marketing organization and global media network that features podcasts on channels that reflect a wide range of topics -- from politics to health to Poker and beyond. Yaktivate.com is always on the lookout for new podcasting talent and for businesses that are seeking an effective and cost-effective manner to reach their niche marketing audience.

APT Triumps in High-rollers event in Macau!

2008-09-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

JC Tran, Quinn Do, and Nam Le sign for APT and Strike Gold!

AsianLogic Plc and the Asian Poker Tour are delighted to announce the signing of three top pros to their stable following the APT Macau, which concluded on the 31st August at the glamorous Galaxy Starworld. JC Tran, Quinn Do and Nam Le have inked contracts to represent the APT on the world poker circuit. The deal couldn’t have got off to a better start with Nam Le winning the PokerStars.net APPT Macau High Rollers event for US$474,358. If that wasn’t enough, his fellow newly signed ambassador Quinn Do finished third for US$153,846 as the APT ambassadors dominated the US$19,250 buy-in tournament.

“I’m truly delighted to have won and so happy to have got my deal with the APT off to the best possible start,” said Nam. I’m looking forward to representing the Tour around the world. It wasn’t looking great for me in this tournament at one stage but I was always confident that I would bounce back.”

Tom Hall, CEO of AsianLogic Plc said: “We have big plans for these guys and are happy they signed with us to spread the word about the APT worldwide. We expected success but such a result for two of the ambassadors so quickly is brilliant!”

At only 25 years-old, Vietnamese-American Nam Le is already considered by many to be a major threat at live tournaments. Nam already has a couple of first place finishes under his belt – the 2006 Bay 101 Shooting Star WPT Championship and the 2006 Scotty Nguyen Poker Challenge II, as well top place finishes in several WSOP and WPT events. His most recent finish was at 4th at the 2008 LA Poker Classic WPT Championship where he earned USD $411,770.00. Le’s total winnings to date exceed $4.3 million.

Quinn Do finished 20th overall at the APT Manila and won USD $7,500 in prize money. Quinn decided to play poker full time in 2004 after his time at the University of Washington and after dabbling in the restaurant business. Since turning pro, Do has been a regular at major live poker events and won a WSOP bracelet in 2005. Other notable finishes by the Vietnam-born Do includes a 2nd place finish at the Bellagio Challenge Cup Championship in 2005 and most recently, a 2nd place finish at the 2008 LA Poker Classic WPT Championship where he went home with USD $909,400. Quinn Do’s total poker winnings to date have exceeded USD $2 million.

J.C Tran didn’t fare so well in the High Rollers event at the APPT Macau but needs little introduction. Tran is currently the top-ranked player in the world on the Bluff Magazine/ESPN power rankings. After starting out by playing in local card rooms, he has won and cashed in big money tournaments and has total winnings of a staggering USD $6.7 million to date. His most recent victory was at Event #49 of the 39th World Series of Poker 2008, where he won a bracelet and USD $631,170.

The Asian Poker Tour (APT) is Asia’s biggest and original poker tour. The Tour was recently acquired by AsianLogic (AIM:ALOG). As part of the new organisation of the APT, four events will be held across Asia in 2008. Next year, the Tour plans to increase this to a total of six events. Each tournament is set to attract live players as well as internet players who will qualify via online satellites. Each main event will offer a minimum guaranteed USD $1 million prize pool. The official web site of the APT is http://www.asianpt.com/.

AsianLogic is a leading online and land-based gaming company focusing on the Asia-Pacific markets. The Company is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM: ALOG). AsianLogic owns and operates eight online casino brands and two online poker rooms as well as land-based sportsbook operations through its MegaSportsWorld brand. It is a specialist in Asia-specific games such as Mahjong, Cho-Da-Di, Do-Di-Zhu and 13 Card Poker. The Company owns and operates the Asian Poker Tour. The Company also maintains a corporate advisory team specialising in the gaming sector which is an active investor in gaming-related businesses as well as providing consultancy and analytical services. AsianLogic enjoys strong commercial relationships with leading gaming providers including Playtech, ID Games and LVS. Founded as ESL in 2002, AsianLogic employs over 300 employees, the majority of whom are based in the Philippines.

Ivobank Extends European Reach With Online Payments

2008-09-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Faster online payments for France, Italy and Germany

Ivobank, an online banking service specialising in online payments and money transfer services, launched its product offering in more countries across Europe today. Offering faster and cheaper cross-border and online payments, Ivobank is now available in France, Italy and Germany as well as the initial launch countries (UK, Spain, Ireland and Canada).

Launching in more countries means that even more online bankers, gamers and shoppers throughout Europe can take advantage of the benefits offered by an Ivobank account.

Customers can take advantage of secure and fast online payments, 24/7 customer support via telephone, online Live Chat and secure email, and competitive rates of interest on deposits held (up to 4.5% AER). On top of this, Ivobank allows customers to move money instantly from their account to friends and family overseas for free, making it very attractive for international money transfers. For example, parents can now transfer money to a child who may be studying in France, or European property owners can now send maintenance money overseas to management agents without the inconvenience and cost of exchange fees and delays. All senders and recipients need to do is to open Ivobank accounts, which is quick and easy to do online.

Timothy Sawyer, Managing Director of Ivobank, said: “More businesses and people are now choosing to bank online, make payments and transfer money on the Internet. Following our successful launch in the UK, Ireland, Spain and Canada, we are looking forward to opening up our rapid payments service to more customers across Europe and plan to introduce our service to even more European countries shortly.”

Customers in France, Italy and Germany will also have access to a virtual debit card - The Ivobank Virtual Card - which can be used to make purchases online anywhere that MasterCard is accepted. Every time customers use the card a new card number is produced and customers can set a transaction limit for each card number -- this means that once the transaction has been made, the card cannot be reused, increasing security for online shoppers.

Online gaming merchants and businesses can benefit from competitive rates of interest on deposits held (up to 4.25% AER) while all funds transferred by customers are indemnified and settled immediately, 24 hours a day seven days a week. Low transaction fees and multi-currency settlement with localised payment options make Ivobank an attractive option for companies based in these new countries.

Customers in France, Italy and Germany can find out more or apply for an Ivobank account online at http://www.ivobank.com/. There is no sign-up fee and no minimum deposit.

Ivobank is authorised and regulated by the FSA and adheres to the Banking Code.

Fortune Poker Is Sending One Lucky Player Around The World!

2008-09-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

That's right, Fortune Poker will be sending one lucky player around the world!

With Online Poker's explosion of popularity, FortunePoker.com has stepped up their game and is bringing players a promotion that exceeds all expectations. Beginning September 1st, 2008, players of all kinds will compete for the chance to represent the room in 5 major poker events around the world: The Canadian Poker Tour Invitational in Dominican Republic, World Poker Tour's Bay 101 Shooting Star in California, Europe's San Remo Event as well as the Scandinavian Open in Copenhagen, and last but not least, the Asian Poker Tour in Macau. The finale, which takes place the first week of December, will also sponsor 4 other players to one of the above events.

What's unique about this series, is that poker players of all levels will have an opportunity to participate in the event. Players with the top 75 Raked Hands at the Ring Game tables will be awarded a seat into the finale, satellites to the event run weekly for all the Multi-Table Tournament players, and there is even a monthly freeroll giving away 3 seats to the finale at the end of each month. With an anticipated 500 players in the December Event, it is a guarantee that players will be putting on their A game to claim the estimated €38,000 sponsorship package.

Along with the Around The World promotion, Fortune Poker is offering an array of incentives for players to join their respectable team; including, a massive 200% up to €1000 deposit bonus, a €150,000 Rake Race as well as daily freerolls and guaranteed tournaments.

For more information contact:

Jennie Khan
Marketing Manager
FortunePoker.com
jen@fortunepoker.com

Titan Poker Players Shine in First Day of Asian Poker Tour Macau

2008-08-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

Presence of Titan Poker Players Hard To Miss!

The presence of Titan Poker, the largest online poker room on the iPoker Network, at the $1,500,000 Guaranteed Prize Asian Poker Tour Macau was impossible to miss, and poker players from Titan Poker had a strong showing on the first day of the tournament. Outlasting poker notables such as Doyle Brunson, Todd Brunson, Johnny Chan, Kenny Tran, Liz Lieu, Huck Seed, John Juanda and others, Titan Poker's players pushed into Day 2 and were listed in the top players vying for the huge cash prizes.

Masaki Ichikawa from Japan and Julio Diaz from Spain, both strong Titan Poker players, were among the top ten chip leaders as 69 players in total advanced to the second day of the tournament.

Titan Poker fielded a team of 17 players from around the world, including players from Malaysia, Australia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany, and Italy.

'This is an amazing experience,' said one of the Titan Poker players from Germany. 'I am so grateful to Titan Poker for the chance to play poker in such an exciting location.'

Titan Poker regularly rewards its players with massive cash prizes and seats to huge overseas poker events, such as the Aussie Millions, the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, and currently has a delegation on its way to compete in the Asian Poker Tour - Macau. It awards more than $16,000,000 in monthly prizes and will stage a $2,500,000 Guaranteed Prize Tournament on September 7th, its biggest ever guaranteed prize tournament.

Poker World Stars Shine on Women's PokerYak Podcast

2008-08-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Diana Donofrio, host of WomensPokerYak.net, welcomes top names in the world of poker to her podcast. In this series, she interviews Evelyn Ng, Bob Daily, Debbie Burkhead and Nancy Todd Tyner. Donofrio, who is a poker star in her own right, invites listeners to learn about the world of poker and the gaming industry by eavesdropping on her conversations with these poker greats. This podcast is part of the Yaktivate.com family.

Dianna Donofrio, host to one of the hottest new poker podcasts on the internet, WomensPokerYak.net, is joined by amazing guests in this new series of her podcast, found on Yaktivate.com. WomensPokerYak.net brings Donofrio's quick and lively wit to play as she interviews Evelyn Ng, Bob Daily, Debbie Burkhead, and Nancy Todd Tyner, the latest additions to her podcasting family. She showcases each as podcasts stars besides being stars in the poker world.

Evelyn Ng, professional poker player starts off this series. Ng shares her views on women's participation at the 2008 World Series of Poker and how she started as a dealer in the early years. She has done a fantastic job at promoting herself and her name. Despite not winning a tournament, she is one of the most recognizable female poker personalities. She has been on numerous television shows including Poker Royale, Poker After Dark, NBC's National Heads Up Poker Championship and the World Poker Tour.

Robert Daily joined an elite group at the 2005 and 2006 World Series of Poker as its' Tournament Director. Under Daily's leadership the 2006 WSOP'S Main Event set an astounding record with 8,773 players and is yet to be broken. 2007 brought Daily to the felts at the WSOP, but this time as a player. He set a record by becoming the only former WSOP Tournament Director to have ever played and cashed at the 2007 WSOP Main Event $10,000 Buy-in. Daily talks about his early years as a grandson of a Texas United States Senator, his travels around the world, early entry in gaming and women's continued growth in the poker industry.

Following the Daily podcast, Donofrio spotlights Debbie Burkhead, columnist for Poker Player Magazine, PokerPlayerMagazine.com. Over the years Burkhead has managed to amass quite an impressive list of poker accomplishments and cashes. She plays tournaments that have a comfortable buy-in, usually under $1,000, and often wins her seat through satellites. Her lifetime earnings stand at over $145,000- not bad for a retired cash player who plays only for the love of poker.

Nancy Todd Tyner is the 2008 WPT Ladies Champion and Past President of the American Association of Political Consultants. If ever there was woman who sets an example enhancing the image of women taking that next step into the poker world it's Nancy Todd Tyner. As you listen to her interesting life you hear the full story. Poker and Politics has (with the emphasis on has, as in past tense) been traditionally a "man's world". Tyner crossed the barriers in both worlds. For more info on Todd Tyner go to NancyToddTyner.com or TheHaydenScholarship.com.

Donofrio has been a poker industry leader for 20 years and brings her talents, knowledge and poker friends to her listening audience. Formerly on the staff of US Senator Birch Bayh and Gov. Matthew Welsh (both of Indiana) and ombudsman to former Mayor Russell G. Lloyd of Evansville, IN, she now devotes her time, passion, and energy to Poker Charity Events as President of PokerGivingBack, playing poker and podcasting.

Donofrio's friends are many. Future guests/podcast stars on her WomensPokerYak channel will include Nolan Dalla, Media Director, World Series of Poker; Susie Issacs, two time World Series of Poker bracelet winner; Lisa Tenner, Co-Owner Card Player Cruises and owner of Tenner & Associates; plus Jamie Gold, 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion.

Asian Poker Tour Underway at Star World, Macau!

2008-08-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

APT to host Asia’s largest cash game, minimum buy-in HK$1 million!

The cards are in the air at the Galaxy Star World Hotel and Casino in Macau as Day 1A of the eagerly awaited APT Macau finally got underway! ‘Godfather of Poker’ Doyle Brunson and the legendary host of Benny Binion’s 1970 World Series of Poker ® Jack Binion, who joined Asian Poker Tour Tournament Director Matt Savage to ‘Shuffle Up and Deal’ as a world class field took their seats. Jack Binion, standing alongside Doyle Brunson, addressed the players as they took their seats. “This is the future of poker,” said Binion. “This is so exciting and significant - you can see the potential and feel the energy.”

A formidable line-up of players are at the Star World for the landmark USD $5300 (US$5000+$300) event. Amongst those spotted include Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson, Liz Lieu, J.C Tran, Kenny Tran, John Juanda, Nam Le, Quinn Do, Steve Sung, Huck Seed, Michael ‘Chino’ Rheem, Mel Judah, Mansour Matloubi, Harry Demetriou, Carter Gill, Richard En and APT Philippines champion David Saab. You can follow all the action LIVE at http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2008-apt-macau/main-event/ with a selection of videos available at http://www.thenutz.tv/ . Information can also be found at the official website http://www.asianpt.com/

Amongst those choosing Day 1A include Doyle and Todd Brunson but there was considerable interest on the rail as Saab and JC Tran got drawn on the same table and locked horns. The APT Macau is making history by offering US$1,500,000, the largest guaranteed prize pool ever to be offered in Asia, with the first prize also guaranteed at US$500,000.

On Friday 29th August at 7pm, the Asian Poker Tour will make history again with Asia’s largest cash game, coverage of which will be televised and distributed worldwide at a later date. The details are simple, minimum buy-in is HK$1,000,000 (US$130,000), starting blinds are HK$3,000 - $6,000, straddling and blinds are raised at the discretion of the players. Even the most conservative estimates suggest that HK$15 million (well over US$1.5 million) will be at stake, MORE than the guaranteed prizepool of the APT Macau tournament!

Amongst those taking part include Doyle Brunson, Todd Brunson, Johnny Chan, Nam Le, JC Tran, Kenny Tran, John Juanda, Steve Sung, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Waki, Yamazaki, Gary Benson and Bruce Parker. Doyle Brunson has already wired in HK$2,000,000 (US$260,000) and quipped “that’s just the start.”

Chris Parker, CEO of the Asian Poker Tour, will also be taking a seat in the lions den.

“I’m so glad we have such soft tables!” joked Parker. “In all seriousness, we were astounded by the interest in the high stakes cash game – everybody wants a piece of the action. We set the mimimum buy-in at HK$1,000,000 but anybody who knows anything about Macau or the potential of poker in this area of the world knows this will be small stakes by the end of the night. It is going to be something very special – when it airs we predict you will witness record breaking pots! You think the action in Vegas is big, just wait and see what comes out of Macau!”

Allstars Counting Down to the Asian Poker Tour, Macau

2008-08-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

Legends Jack Binion and Doyle Brunson To Shuffle Up And Deal

The excitement is building ahead of the second leg of the 2008 Asian Poker Tour in Macau. The event is being held at the bustling Galaxy Star World Hotel and Casino, running from August 27 to 31, 2008. The first card of the Main Event will be dealt at 2.30pm on Thursday 28th after a welcome reception and satellites tournaments tomorrow. The latest development sees a surprise visit by the legendary Jack Binion, host of the first World Series of Poker® at the Horseshoe in 1970. Binion and 'Godfather of Poker' Doyle Brunson are going to join tournament director Matt Savage to call "Shuffle Up and Deal" to open the prestigious event.

This afternoon Doyle Brunson took part in a book signing, and, after lines and lines of people queued around the block to meet the legend, he was in no doubt about the significance of his visit.

Brunson said: "I have been to so many tournaments and so many places in the world but I have to say I am so impressed with The Asian Poker Tour and Macau. This is the first time I have been here."

"I thought Las Vegas was the gambling capital of the world but I was wrong, it feels like coming home."

Member of the "November Nine" on the final table of the 2008 WSOP®, Michael 'Chino' Rheem, is playing the APT Macau and he joins a formidable line-up of star celebrities, champions and legends taking part. Chinese-born 10 time WSOP® bracelet winner and 'Rounders' film legend Johnny Chan will be in a field that also includes Todd Brunson, Liz Lieu, J.C Tran, Kenny Tran, John Juanda, Nam Le, Quinn Do, Steve Sung, Huck Seed, Mel Judah, Mansour Matloubi and APT Philippines champion David Saab. All have their eyes on glory and history at Asia’s richest tournament. The buy-in for the main event is USD $5300 ($5000+$300). The event organizers have also extended an open invitation to Olympic mega-star and poker nut Michael Phelps. Experts believe that the Vietnamese contingent will be strong and are the ones to watch out for with JC Tran, Kenny Tran, Le, Do and Lieu leading the charge.

The APT Macau is making history by offering US$1.5 million, the largest guaranteed prize pool ever to be offered in Asia, with the first prize also guaranteed at $500,000. Many of the big names are also expected to take part in an exciting HK$1,000,000 high stakes cash game on Friday at the Galaxy Star World Hotel and Casino, more details of which will be announced in the near future.

Chris Parker, CEO of the Asian Poker Tour said: "We’re delighted that so many world class star celebrities names want to be part of the Asian Poker Tour. To have Vegas legends Jack Binion and Doyle Brunson in Macau to kick-off off the tournament is truly significant. Both are pioneers and were around at the start in Vegas and it really says something that they want to mark what we think will herald the start of a poker explosion in Macau. With the presence of online qualifiers from around the world too, the Asian Poker Tour has a very bright future. We’re proud to make history by holding Asia’s biggest guaranteed tournament."

Joining the celebrities and stars are poker players from all over the world who have won seats to the event by qualifying through online satellites at numerous online websites.

David Saab of Australia won the top prize of US$280,000 at the first leg of the Asian Poker Tour in Manila on June 1st. He recently finished 46th in the WSOP® Main Event, winning US$135,100, and hopes to add a second APT championship to his poker celebrity accomplishments. The APT has also created a special leaderboard that rewards players who take part in every leg of the tour.

Further details about the APT Macau, including the schedule of events are available on the official website at www.asianpt.com (http://www.asianpt.com).

Ryan Osborne Wins WSOP Circuit Event at Caesars Atlantic City

2008-03-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

Computer Programmer Makes Late Decision to Play in Tournament and Wins $72,500

Last in Chips at Start of Final Table, University of Washington Grad Wins Huge Late Hand, Earning First Major Tournament Victory

In poker, it can be said that the very first decision one makes is the toughest, especially when it occurs long before the start of a tournament. Indeed, the most critical judgment any player makes is the decision to actually play. Many tournament winners who have achieved fame and fortune contemplated doing other things on what turned out to be a fateful day.

Ryan Osborne, a 27-year-old computer program manager knows the feeling. A few days ago, he was at his home in Orlando, FL hanging out with his friends when he was talked into coming to Atlantic City to play in a World Series of Poker Circuit event. A colleague mentioned that the first few events held at Caesars would be an excellent investment opportunity. With huge turnouts expected, a trip to Atlantic City seemed just the right move at the right time for the young player who had to that point achieved some success in tournaments, but who had yet to earn his first major victory.

Two days later, Osborne was standing near the final table, high-fiving his colleagues, $72,500 richer for having made a wise decision. Osborne topped a competitive field and overcame a number of disadvantages along the way – including being short-stacked during much of the final table – en route to his biggest payday ever. On a cold and cloudy day on the Atlantic City boardwalk, never had the sunshine back in Orlando looked so stale by comparison.

The $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament (Event #2 of ten events on the schedule) attracted exactly 500 entries, generating a prize pool totaling a quarter-million dollars. After 491 players were eliminated on the first day, nine finalists returned to the feature table to continue on day two. New York City poker player David Zeitlin arrived with a substantial chip lead. However, the large number of players with a near-average ship stack made the final table a wide open competition. Osborne, the eventual winner arrived dead last in chips. Players and starting chip counts began as follows:

Seat 1: Victor Johnson 195,000
Seat 2: Artie Smith 171,000
Seat 3: Bryce Carroll-Coe 260,000
Seat 4: Jake Neff 346,000
Seat 5: Sallie Stohler 234,000
Seat 6: Adam Steinback 267,000
Seat 7: Ryan Osborne 154,000
Seat 8: John Doran 225,000
Seat 9: David Zeitlin 654,000

Players were eliminated in the following order:

9th Place – About 20 minutes into play, the classic hold’em confrontation came up when Artie Smith with Q-Q raced against Sallie Stohler, with A-K. All suspense was shattered when a king flopped, giving Stohler a higher pair. An ace on the river was overkill, making two pair for Stohler. Smith became the day’s first elimination. A furniture maker who has “three children and four dogs” living at his North Carolina home, Smith picked up $5,000 for ninth place.

8th Place – Victor Johnson went out next when he was getting seriously low on chips and moved all-in with A-Q. Ryan Osborne had Q-Q and called immediately. The pair of ladies held up, which meant a dreaded walk for Johnson off the final table pier. The 49-year-old retiree from Middletown, NY collected $7,500 in prize money for eight place.

7th Place – The next player to hit the rail was John Doran, from nearby Woolwich Township, NJ. Doran was desperately low on chips and saw a four-way pot develop when he was dealt J-7. Hoping to quadruple up and jump back into contention, Doran called the bet but failed to improve. Doran ended up busting out in seventh place, good for $10,000 in prize money. Doran, a mortgage broker had previously made it to a final table at the WSOP in Las Vegas.

6th Place – When six-handed play began, the chip lead was shared by Sallie Stohler and David Zeitlin, who were about even. Then, Stohler lost a big pot when Jake Neff doubled up. Adam Steinback was not so fortunate. In fact, he took a bad beat when he was all-in on his final hand of the tournament with A-Q against Jake Neff’s A-10. Neff had barely enough chips to cover the bet and was absolutely delighted when a ten fell on the turn – hitting a three-outer good for a pair. The previously dominated hand ended up winning the pot, which meant a rude departure for Steinback. The 23-year-old poker dealer – who had previously won other poker tournaments held in Atlantic City – ended up collecting $12,500 for sixth place.

5th Place – Meanwhile, Jake Neff was on fire. He had doubled up twice in just five minutes. Then, he managed to double up again, taking K-J up against A-K. Neff spiked a jack which catapulted him into a close call for first in chips. When Bryce Carroll-Coe fell below 100,000 in chips with blinds and antes escalating, he decided to make a bold move with 9-5 and jammed the pot with a raise. David Zeitlin made an instant call – and flipped over K-J. The flop destroyed any hopes Carroll-Coe had of staging a comeback. The board cards showed A-Q-10 and gave Zeitlin a straight. Carroll-Coe was gone. The guitarist from Detroit, MI ended up with a royalty check totaling $15,000.

4th Place – Sallie Stohler is usually quite busy this time of year. She works as a full-time political consultant based in Washington, DC. She advises many successful Senatorial and Congressional candidates. But Stohler also likes to play poker in her spare time and she decided to make a weekend visit to Atlantic City. That turned out to be a wise investment of both her time and money as she ended up cashing out for $17,500. Unfortunately, Stohler went card dead in her final half hour at the table and ultimately went out holding 2-2 against A-J. A jack flopped, meaning defeat for Stohler. Remarkably, Stohler has a very impressive record of results given her limited exposure to tournaments. She also finished in-the-money in the 2007 WSOP main event.

3rd Place – The three remaining players were relatively close in chips, which meant anyone could still win. Yet the $48,000 money swing between first and third places did not dissuade some aggressive play by the finalists. After Ryan Osborne won a big hand against David Zeitlin (who had been chip leader most of the way), Jake Neff put a final nail in Zeitlin’s coffin. Neff’s A-K ended up hammering Zeitlin’s A-8. A king flopped, which was the decisive card in bouncing Zeitlin out of the tournament. Zeitlin, an ex-lawyer, is certainly no stranger to the pressure of making it to the final table. He finished as the runner up in the Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em World Championship at last year’s WSOP held in Las Vegas.

2nd Place – When heads-up play began, Jake Neff (with 1,700,000) enjoyed about a 2 to 1 chip lead over Ryan Osborne (with 780,000). The two finalists battled back and forth for nearly an hour before the tournament’s most exciting hand unfolded. Essentially, the outcome of the two-day event came down to a single card.

It all started when Osborne raised pre-flop, Neff re-raised all-in, and Osborne called. Neff showed 8-8. Osborne revealed A-10. Once again, the standard confrontation (a pocket pair versus two overcards) would determine the fate of the finalists. The flop came K-J-9, presenting some added possibilities for Osborne. Short of hitting a pair, this was still a favorable flop for Osborne. But Neff, holding the only made pair, still had the lead. A seven on the turn created even more outs for Osborne, with added straight possibilities. Then, Neff hit the card he dreaded most – a third eight which made trips. However, the final board showed 7-8-9-J-K which meant Osborne had rivered a straight, which scooped the largest pot of the tournament.

The river eight was the tournament’s most decisive card and accelerated Neff’s defeat. Desperately low in chips, Neff was finally eliminated a few hands later, making Osborne the champion.

As the runner up, Jake Neff collected $38,250. No stranger to being a poker bridesmaid, the Philadelphia-based marketing manager previously came in second at the United States Poker Championships.

1st Place – Ryan Osborne was paid $72,500 for first place, plus the coveted gold and diamond ring, presented to each WSOP Circuit winner at this year’s Caesars Atlantic City series. A native of Seattle, Osborne is a University of Washington graduate. He now lives in Florida where he works in the computer field.

“I’m going to pay for my sister’s wedding,” Osborne stated when asked what he would do with part of the prize money. “I told her before we started this tournament that I would pay for her wedding if I won.”

When told that weddings can sometimes costs tens of thousands of dollars, Osborne remained optimistic about his future plans in poker. “Well then, I might have to play in a few more poker tournaments, too” he said.

Poker Tells, or "Why They Call it Acting"

2008-03-01T18:24:00.001-08:00

by Matches Malone

I'm here today to tell you about, well, "Tells." Those physical reactions, both voluntary and involuntary, given off in reaction to the cards in your hand, or on the board. An involuntary tell shows up in a physical reaction, either a facial tick, a jittery hand, an arched brow, or a sly smile, to name a few.

Voluntary tells are more frequent, and where the acting comes in. Acting is one of the few professions around where you're actually paid to lie. The same could be said of poker. The art of deception occurs more frequently on your way to winning No Limit Hold 'Em tournaments.

So, how can you know when your opponent is bluffing? Most acting tells can be boiled down to the following statement: Weak is Strong, and Strong is Weak. If he slams his chips into the pot, his hand is probably not that great. If he acts disinterested or relaxed, he may have the nuts. A stare down may occur when your opponent is attempting to psyche you out, as he doesn't believe his cards are good enough. If he looks away after he bets, chances are he likes his holdings.

Verbal cues are important as well. A chatty person that suddenly clams up after the flop, likes what he sees. Conversely, a quiet player that starts talking is attempting to cover something, most likely, a bluff. It may also be important to listen to what he or she is saying, as an abrupt subject change could be another indication of either a strong hand, or a cover up.

One should remember that not only he who hesitates is lost, but he who is lost, hesitates. Watch for betting patterns, and when they break. The way that someone stacks their chips may be significant. Do they keep nice even stacks? Or, are their chips stacked randomly, and without purpose? This would be an indication of a tight or loose player, respectively. Sometimes, a player will be nervous when they bet, and knock over a chip stack. This usually shows a surge of adrenaline in the body, indicating what they believe to be a strong hand. Be wary. Also, watch for players that fidget with their chips. Some will do the one handed chip stacking they just learned on tv. Although, this may be part of a routine the player has. Be observant of this tendency, and react accordingly.

Another type of betting tell comes after a poker player loses a big pot. He may not be on tilt, however, he may be steaming. Which is one step below full blown tilt. A steaming player will tend to loosen up his starting hand requirements, and start betting with everything an anything, in a futile attempt to win back the money he just lost in the big pot. These players are easy to spot, as well as the ones that continue betting after winning a big pot, falsely thinking they have achieved some momentum. It is at times like this you should remember that patience is a virtue, and there is no shame in waiting for a good starting hand.

What Else To Watch For

At the beginning of a hand, everyone is dealt two cards. My theory is, they aren't going anywhere, so, you don't have to look at them until it is your turn to act, and maybe, not even then. I look for other players looking at their cards, and the initial reaction they have. The eyes truly are the windows to the soul, and in many cases, your hold 'em hand as well. Where do they look after they see their cards? A quick glance at their chip stack may indicate they're about to bet. Most of the time, you'll see players getting ready to toss their cards in the muck, when it is their turn to act. There's that word again. However, most of the rest of the tells you'll see, will be involuntary.

Flop Sweat

There is a scene in Total Recall where an agent comes in, and attempts to convince our hero, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, that his current hero fantasy is exactly that, a fantasy. And it would've worked, too, if it hadn't been for the bead of sweat dripping from the temple of the agent, portrayed by Roy Brocksmith. In the reality of the movie, a person in a virtual reality simulation wouldn't sweat, and the agent was lying, as Arnold was indeed attempting to rescue Mars from itself.

But I digress. A demonstration of flop sweat is only slightly related to sweating after the flop. Look for players still in the hand that become suddenly interested in the board, by either leaning in, or glancing at their poker chips, as if ready to bet as I mentioned above. Conversely, someone may grab their chips before it is their turn to act. This may be an indication of weakness, and an attempt at intimidation. Do they look at their cards again after the flop? This could mean they may have paired, or, if three of the same suit come out, they have a fourth card of that suit. Rest assured, if someone has two of the same suit in their hand, they will indeed remember, and won't have to look at their hand again.

Also check facial reactions. I have a tell that I have yet to get rid of, wherein I smile when I my hand is made, although, I am working on it. Look for similar facial expressions in your opponents when the flop, turn and river hit the felt. Another subconscious act occurs when a player leans back in their chair after betting, appearing disinterested. This is generally a sign of strength. Proceed with caution. Player's hands shaking when he grabs his chips? A surge of adrenaline could be the cause, which usually comes from being excited from their hole cards. A player's demeanor may shift as they become anxious, ready for a confrontation. This could be an indication of a marginal hand. I usually ask a question of this player, attempting to bring out further tells. A head tilt to the right, or taking their eyes off of you, will probably mean a bluff. Touching of the face could be another indicator of a lie.

What Does All This Tell You?

Focus. Take in everything that's around you. Watch for patterns, both in body movement as well as betting., The above should be enough to get you started There are several more tells, however, most of these are individual to a particular player. I could let you know what they are, but of course, that would be telling.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Next time, I'll write about poker. Be there. Aloha.

Disclaimer: The above tournament tactics will probably not work in a cash game. Let me know if they do.

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a few years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

Patience is a Virtue

2008-02-07T22:51:00.000-08:00

by Matches Malone

Good things come to those who wait, and revenge is a dish best served cold. Nowhere are these three bromides more relevant than at the poker table. In a game where ultimately, you'll only be playing about a sixth of the time, you should consider turning waiting into an art form.

I play only in tournaments, and consider myself to be always in the tournament, even if I'm not currently in the hand at play. I pick up the most information on others when I don't have cards in front of me. I look for obvious tells, as well as betting patterns, keeping in mind that when a pattern breaks is the most important thing to figure out, and what to do with al that information once I have it. I keep my head in the game, as it were.

Which is why I don't understand when people bring books, newspapers, racing forms or sudoku puzzles, to the table, just to name a few. I’ll be one of the first to admit that my game is almost 100% psychological, and giving me a weapon like this is akin to you telling me you want me to have all your chips.

However, it is a slow process. In fact, Sam Farha has said that Texas Hold'em is a boring game. Personally, I don’t see how this can be true. You’ve got eight, sometimes nine other players at the table when it’s full, acting and reacting to the cards in front of them. What are they doing with the cards in front of them? I played a hand the other day, totally blind, based on information that I had about the two players to my left, as they were in the blinds, and I was on the button.

This was after the rebuy period had ended, and we had taken a break. About four hands after we had started back up, the button came to me. Now, most at this particular table were of the type that couldn’t wait to see what cards they had in front of them. As for me, I don’t think my cards are going to go anywhere, so, I don’t really look at them until it is my turn to act. However, on this hand, I didn’t even do that, as everyone had folded to me. I grabbed a handful of chips of my stack, counted out 600, and pushed them in. “600,” I announced, and looked at the small blind who mucked immediately as I knew she would. The guy in the big blind looked at me, looked at his cards again, and finally figured out that they hadn’t changed, and tossed them to the dealer.

After the dealer pushed the blinds to me, I said to the table, “I should probably look at my cards,” which I did, and saw that I had an Ace Ten off suit. How did I pull off this almost psychic feat?

Easy. I can tell you in one word: Observation. The eyes are truly the window to the soul, and most players can’t hide their initial reaction to their holdings, and these two were no different. I had picked up almost imperceptible nuances of disgust from observing facial reactions during the tournament up to that point, and used the information to my advantage.

Now, these weren’t obvious tells that you’ll read about in any book, as they were specific to these particular players. And I probably won’t see them again anytime soon. It is about here that I should give you some sort of warning like, “Don’t try this at home.” As I honestly can’t tell you what I would’ve done had either of them called, and we had seen a flop. What I can tell you is that I would’ve followed my pre flop raise with a post flop bet, however, I can’t rightfully tell you that they would’ve folded at that point, as we never got there.

Could I have done this, had I too been reading or distracting myself in some other way, instead of paying attention to the game at hand? Probably not. So, to review, wait, observe, and wait some more. At some point your patience will be rewarded, and hopefully, you won’t be bored.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Next time, I'll write about poker. Be there. Aloha.

Disclaimer: The above tournament tactics will probably not work in a cash game. Let me know if they do.

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a few years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

2008-01-13T21:43:00.000-08:00

The Three P's of Poker

by Matches Malone

The Three P's of Poker are: Patience, Persistence, and Point of View. Okay, poker would be a fourth P, however for purposes of this discussion, does not count. Because obviously, you wouldn't be reading even this far if you didn't want to know about poker. And, you've probably already read about the Five C's, which I wrote about back in October of '05, and started me down the long journey to where we are now.

Patience

Recently, I saw a promo for a set of nature books aimed at the children's market. Right in the middle, there was a bear standing in the middle of the stream, waiting for something. After a couple of seconds, a salmon jumps seemingly into the bear's mouth, and he eats it.

I thought to myself, "Wow. Bears play poker, too!"

Ever been at a table where someone plays almost every hand, bets wildly, and takes almost everyone else out of their game? You may have heard the term calling station before, however, this is a variation. This person will raise with nothing, and with the nuts, and you seemingly can't tell which is which. They'll call every bet, and they'll make every raise, and they can't be bluffed. You might have heard the term maniac applied to this type of player.

It's at this point, you have to be patient, and wait for a monster, or in this case, the fish.

Like the bear.

Wait for the salmon to come to you, move all in, and take the pot away from them. If it's a tournament, you may or may not have to deal with them again, in case they had your money covered, however, it might make them think twice about going upstream again.

The next time you sit down at a poker table, ask yourself the question, "Are you patient like the Bear, or a maniac like the Salmon?"

Persistence

The top pros all have this in common. Because if at anytime they had given up because of a few bad beats, or wild swings in their bankroll, you wouldn’t be following them online and on TV. I find this quality is especially important after taking a bad beat in a tournament. If it doesn’t bust you out, your attitude playing the hands following your bad beat will dictate whether you get back into the tournament, or end up on the rail in the next orbit or two. Knowing that bad beats are part of the game, means that how you handle them is key. You can play through your bad beat, and remain focused on winning, or you can steam and eventually go on tilt, and bust out momentarily thereafter if you haven’t already. If you do end up busting out, by all means, enter the next available tournament, and continue to play your best game.

Persistence also applies to how you play throughout the tournament itself. Or more likely, how you play the hands you’re dealt. I never vary my bet according to the strength of my hand, and I also believe that if a hand is worth betting, it’s worth raising. I choose an amount that’s roughly three times the big blind, and also take into account the size of the antes, if any. Of course, there’s a P that you want to avoid, and that’s Predictable. Don’t get yourself into a routine where you become an easy read for the others at your table. Your persistence can be shown by never giving up, and being consistently inconsistent.

Point of View

You perceive yourself in a certain way, however others my perceive you differently. You have your point of view, and they have theirs. This will necessarily affect how a given opponent will play a hand. You may have tells that you don’t even know about. Or, there may be things that you do that aren’t tells, that others will read as such. Understanding these things will bring you to the next level of play. Understanding your opponents’ POV of yours, will bring you to the next level of play above that.

You can get to the next level above that, when you start to manipulate others’ POV of you. We’ll leave that for another article, and at another time.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Next time, I'll write about poker. Be there. Aloha.

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a few years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

2007-10-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

The Five C's of Poker

by Matches Malone

Having recently completed a discourse at church of the five C's of The Bible, I felt it only natural that Poker may have the same five C's: Confidence, Character, Connection, Compassion, and Commitment.

Confidence

I believe that I'm the best player at any table that I sit down at. It may or may not be true, however, it's what I believe. You may believe that you're the best player at the table, and if I'm not there, it might be true as well. Someone has to be the best, it might as well be me. Call this what you want, hubris, arrogance, or smugness. Call it what you want. I call it confidence. This part of the game goes to what some call the third level of play, "What can I make you think that I have?" Confidence shows at the table in the way you act, the way you look at your cards, and how you bet, among other things. And it's very tied into the next C.

Character

There's a scene at the beginning of Batman, the one with Michael Keaton as the title character. Without going into the relative merits of the movie itself, Batman has just apprehended a purse snatcher, and lifts him up into the air, atop a five story building. The criminal believes he's about to die, and pleads for his life. In what he thinks will be his last breath, he looks Batman in the eyes and screeches, "Who are you?" Now at this point, it should be obvious to everyone in Gotham City, not to mention the movie going audience, that he is indeed, Batman. For emphasis, he throws the criminal onto the roof, spreads his cape like wings, casts an ominous shadow on the far wall and utters, "I'm Batman." He knows who he is, and he's not afraid to let everyone else know, either. When I sit at the table, everyone knows, it's me, including myself. Know who you are, and why you're there. I'm there to win the tournament. Which brings me to

Commitment

You're dealt two cards. Look at them. Remember them. They won't change for that hand. You don't need to look at them again. When the action comes to you, you have three choices, depending on how strong you believe your hand to be. Call, raise, or fold. I believe any starting hand worth a call is worth a raise, so, for me, I'm committed to one of two choices, raise or fold. Most of the time, I fold. Why? My hand isn't up to snuff, relative to my position, size of the blinds, and the bet before me. However, if I do raise, I'm committed to the flop, and maybe beyond. This commitment goes further, if it's the first hand I play. I go all the way to the end, and make sure everyone else at the table knows that I can't be bluffed out. This allows me to project a certain table image that I spoke of above. It also allows me to connect.

Connection

You've committed to your hand. The flop comes down, and hopefully it connects. But that's not all. Are you connected to what's going on around you? Did someone have a bad reaction to the flop? A minor nuance, a faint smile or frown. Did they blink or shrug? Are they talking a lot, and suddenly, clam up? If you're not aware of what's going on around you, you're not connected, and you have no business being at the table. If it's not a tournament, put your chips back in the rack, get up, and walk away. You're probably having an off day, since you are the best player at the table, right? I only play in tournaments, so, I can't do this. If I don't feel connected, I better get back in it fast. The last time I felt this way, I got up from the table, went outside, and took a walk around the casino, before I sat back down. This gave me time to eat an orange, and refocus. I missed two hands, however, I didn't lose any blinds, and was able to reconnect, and go on to win the tournament. How did this make me feel?

Compassion

There's no room for this at the poker table. Except when you bust out your fellow player, as you shouldn't throw it in his face. Get up, shake his hand, and be cordial. Alternatively, if you get busted out, go over to the other player, and congratulate him. In between, take them for all they're worth. With the proper table image, again, what I spoke of previously, you can even get them to smile as they give you the last of their chips. Remember to shake their hand.

Conclusion

Ok, this is a sixth C. However, it's not really part of the other five. To review, your character will promote confidence that your connection and commitment will allow you to have compassion.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Next time, I'll write about poker. Be there. Aloha.

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

2007-08-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

Playing in the Bicycle Casino WPT Legends Poker Tournament

by Matches Malone

I started the day well, at home, looking for a book to read on the long bus ride to The Bike, and found the latest Robin Paige mystery that I have yet to read, and at the same time, noticed that I hadn't finished the previous one, so, I picked that up too.

I finished that one about the time the bus dropped me at the corner of Eastern and Florence, which is a short block away from the main entrance of The Bicycle Casino located in Bell Gardens California, and the site of the Legends of Poker WPT tour event every year. I was there to play in the Media Invitational Event. This tournament was named after Doyle Brunson, who won the event two years ago, and I was hoping to see him there, as all past Legends winners were invited to attend as well. The part I missed was the fact that it was all past winners of any Legends event, so, the only face I recognized in the tourney itself was Mel Judah, whom I spied in the high roller section earlier.

When I arrived, I walked around, got my bearings, and found out I was an hour early for check in, so, I picked up the latest issue of Card Player with Jamie Gold on the cover, as well as the latest issue of Poker Player, found a quiet place to read in the deli, and sat down to try to scope some of the latest poker tips.

I read this newspaper cover to cover, starting with Mike Caro's current strategy article, and finishing up with John Vorhaus' column, which usually appears on the last page before the full page ads on the inside and outside back cover. It was an interesting read, as always, made even more interesting, when he sat down at my table at the start of the event. We got to talking about it, and he even asked me for contact info, which was cool. As a result, his strategy columns also appear in this magazine.

As for the tourney itself, it did not go well for me. In addition to John, Jennifer Newell of American Poker Player magazine was seated two seats to his left. Two other media types were at our table as well, along with five no name winners of previous Legends events over the past ten years, filling out our table of ten.

The first hand, I was deal AQo, and mentioned that I never liked playing the first hand, although, after John and another called, and a really blank flop, my continuation bet took down the pot. If only they were all that easy.

I played a few more pots before the hand that took me out of the tournament. I say took me out, as I didn't bust out, however, this left me short stacked, which is never a good place to be. In those previous pots, I picked up a straight on the river in one of them. I was head to head with one of the aforementioned Legends, so I felt pretty good at that point. Had another pot that I took down with a 'check in the dark,' a play I use on occasion. John remarked that it's the most powerful play in poker, although, I'm not sure if he was being sarcastic or not?

So, I'm under the gun, and after my usual remark of, 'I'm first to act? I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star!!!' I look down and find pocket Kings. I come in for my standard raise, and Jennifer calls. Three folds to the Big Blind, who promptly moves all in.

I call, 'Time,' and immediately go into the tank. I put Jennifer on AK, which I find out she indeed had after the hand played out. It's at this point that I got myself into trouble, and over thought the situation. The odds are that if she has an Ace, it's 25% there's no other player at the ten handed table with another Ace, much less two. Knowing this, I call.

And immediately regret my decision and run into the other 75%. Mr no name Legend Big Blind did indeed have pocket Aces. Fortunately, I had him covered, but unfortunately, not by much. This put me on the short stack at the table, and I found out after the break, that I was the short stack in the tournament as well. I did manage to win another pot that got me back to around what I started with, but with the blinds at 200/400, that didn't last too long. Found a hand that I liked, moved all in, and even got two pair on the turn, however, that filled out the guy's straight, and I busted out around 60th out of an original field of over 120.

You can decide whether or not I didn't embarrass myself too severely. I did manage to last longer than John, who had busted out several hands before.

What all this means is, when the main event started a few days later, I was on the rail, instead of an active participant, as The Bike's hospitality extended only so far. 466 others put up $10K, creating a prize pool of $4,520,200 for them to play for.

460 bust outs later, and we were down to our final televised table of six: Hoyt Corkins, Randy Holland, Scotty Nguyen, Frank O'Dell, Kevin O'Donnell, and Joe Pelton. Three of those names you've probably heard of, and the other three you haven't. I'll let you decide which three. After several hours of play that will be boiled down to about 20 to 30 hands when this tourney is televised, Joe Pelton from Newport Beach CA took home a check worth over 1.5 million dollars. It should've been me.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Next time, I'll write about poker. Be there. Aloha.

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

2007-04-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

The Poker Player Who Knew Too Much

by Matches Malone

I may have touched on this here, as well as elsewhere before, however my recent experience confirms that it is possible to have too much information. With an average of a new poker book coming outevery week, and literally millions of websites both selling and giving away the latest Texas Hold'em "Secrets", whom should we believe?

Much of the information out there conflicts with other information available elsewhere. Phil Hellmuth Jr. and Matt Matros have both admitted in various places that much of poker is a crap shoot. In fact, Phil goes so far as to contradict himself in the same book. Again, I ask, who should we believe?

Ultimately, I believe in myself. I wouldn't be sitting here, writing this to you, if I didn't. I also have several others that believe in what I write, otherwise again, you wouldn't be reading it. What I'm attempting to say here in my borderline psychotic way is simply this: Develop your own style. If what you come up with the first time doesn't work, try something else. Eventually, you'll find what works for you, and you'll become a winning player.

And then you might be, the poker player that knows too much....

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

2007-04-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

Without A Net

by Matches Malone

It occurs to me that in my entire tournament career, I've only played in two tournaments without a rebuy, not counting freerolls. As opposed to three strikes and you're out in baseball, in an NLHE tourney, sometimes you only get one bad beat. The difference is striking. The wild west atmosphere of the rebuy period is gone, and
suddenly, you're confronted with an entirely different game, and playing style. All the chip stacks are the same, and most don't move all in during the first several levels, if at all.

I believe as David Grey does, that it's better to bust out early, than to spend a few hours making it close to the money, and then not to cash. Which is what I did last week. What this means is, I won't be playing for awhile, and as such, I may have to miss the WSOP again this year....

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net