2004 is down to the final hours, so time to look back, give thanks and talk about the future. The Poker Prof and I began this blog just before the start of the 2004 World Series of Poker, in fact, it was April 15th. I would never have predicted the success we have enjoyed as a result of our efforts. You, our readers, have made all the work worth it by coming to read what we blog and look at our photographs. Our first thank you is for everyone that has stopped by to see what we are offering. Without you I would have quit this job.

The poker industry has reinvented itself and moved out of the smoke-filled backrooms frequented by the stereotyped degenerate gambler. Poker is now a highly respected sport on prime time television. Families watch tournament poker and follow their favorite players from the comfort of their living rooms, thanks in part to Lyle Berman and the World Poker Tour. New poker stars and millionaires are created weekly. The major Las Vegas resorts, that just a few short years ago were closing poker rooms and turning their backs to the players, are now opening new poker facilities and actively competing for players.

Tournament poker has moved into the big time with millions of dollars in prize money offered to the bold, skilled and sometimes lucky players that win all of their all-ins on any given day. The Internet poker rooms are teaching the game to people that have never touched a playing card or sat in a live game. When Greg Raymer won the 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event and collected a record purse of $5 million he gave hope to the millions of new poker players dreaming of someday winning the big one. Greg, the Fossilman, was the second WSOP Champion to gain his entry to the dance through an Internet satellite tournament. In 2003 Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP Main Event even though he had never played in a live game, only on the Internet. Are these two back to back WSOP Internet Champions a fluke? Maybe; but, maybe they are not. Live tournaments now attract record numbers of players. During the nineties a couple of hundred entrants in the WSOP Championship event was the norm. The 2005 WSOP Main Event is expecting more than six thousand entries. Internet players are experienced in playing and surviving tournaments with large numbers of entrants, so the advantage goes to them. This advantage will be short lived as the live tournament professionals adjust their game to take into account the thousands of players vying for a piece of the prize. The most important single thing to remember when playing in a tournament: Survive!

The Las Vegas and Poker Blog had its share of lucky breaks in 2004. The first was being recognized as legitimate media by Nolan Dalla, 2004 WSOP Public Relations Director. He issued press credentials and we were on our way. We attended every WSOP event with camera in hand and we shot thousands of images. The best of the bunch we complied and posted in a permanent gallery. A very big thank you, Nolan, for your confidence. The WSOP gig resulted in our being invited to cover many tournaments including the Hard Rock Pro/Am Celebrity, Four Queens Poker Classic, the Golden Nugget's Touring Comedians Charity tournament, the Final Table Challenge, the Ultimate Poker Challenge at the Plaza, the Bellagio’s Festa Al Lago, Hard Rock's Hot Tex II, Orleans Open 2004, the Game Show Network's Battle of the Sexes at the Plaza and the Bellagio’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic. We also covered the first (and last!) WPPA tournament at the Orleans; but, that’s another story for another day. Thanks to everyone that allowed us to come into the tournament pit and document the events and players including Nolan Dalla, Matt Savage, Jack McLelland, Doug Dalton, Garret Okahara, Dave Lamb, the World Poker Tour, the Hard Rock and Bonnie Damiano. I’m sure I will remember many others that invited us in.

And finally, I wish to thank all of our fellow Bloggers for giving us a link from their established blogs even though we were a complete unknown. Without being allowed into this exclusive community we would not have survived, much less flourished. Thanks to all of you that came to our first ever World Poker Blogger Tournament at Sam’s Town and made it a great success. It would never have been possible if not for our friends and fellow bloggers, Dick Gatewood and Dr Pauly. I wish to offer a special thanks to the professional players, Marcel Luske, Max Pescatori, Evelyn Ng, Karill Gerasimov, Ron Rose, Charlie Shoten and Tom McEvoy for taking the time away from busy schedules to attend and visit with all of us. You truly made it a special event, one we will never forget!

A special thanks goes to Foiledcoup for having the confidence in our efforts and voluntarily providing his view of the poker industry and the events. He provides our readers with his unique insight into the world of poker through his personal relationships with the players and workers.

And least I forget, I wish to thank Mrs. Flip for her understanding, encouragement and assistance during the long hours I have spent at events and at the computer keyboard. Thanks for proofing the hundreds of articles and correcting the many mistakes.

Oh yea, thanks to the Poker Prof for nagging me into getting off the couch and becoming productive. I am reminded that all the work has been worth it everytime I look at the web logs and realized that thousands of people visit with us everyday. Thanks to everyone that has made 2004 such a big success.