2004 Was a Great Year, Thanks Everyone!
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.



They distracted him by pounded on the door to the room next to his and complaining about a misplaced key; when he opened his door to check out the problem they tried to force Greg back into his room. The 2004 World Series of Poker Champion called upon his lawyer learned, poker sharpened skills of observation; then quickly decided he would take his best shot in the corridor. He shoved the larger of the two to the floor, then the smaller guy pulled out a gun and demanded the money. A surprised Raymer then watched the guy on the floor get up, then he and the second would-be robber with the gun decided to retreat, walking past two hotel security people responding to Greg's shouting. The Bellagio’s surveillance then watched the two leave the hotel and drive away in their car. Raymer identified them from photos and hotel security then completed the ID from the surveillace video and after connecting them with an incidence earlier in the evening. They had been playing in the Bellagio’s poker room. Las Vegas police continue to search the city for the two.
New Year’s Eve is rapidly approaching, just a few hours left for 2004, then we march into 2005 and begin a new round of poker tournaments. The World Series of Poker will be held in its new digs at the Rio Resort located just off the Las Vegas Strip. Even the dates for the WSOP have changed to later in the year, beginning June 2 instead of mid-April. Will downtown Las Vegas be without a major poker tournament for the first time in more than three decades? Not hardly. Barrick gaming, new owners of the Plaza Hotel in downtown Las Vegas, has stepped up and scheduled
Beginning on June 3rd, 2005 will be the
The biggest problem live game players face is waiting for a seat to open up. Hopefully, our learned leaders will decide it isn’t a crime to play online poker and we Americans can join the rest of the civilized world competing in virtual poker rooms without fear of being a law-breaking criminal, having bank accounts frozen and credit cards cancelled.
I met a "snowbird" from England at the Bellagio. More of a bridge player than a poker player. He wisely, unlike the Hendon Mob who waste money on rooms; but, don't pay staff, took my advice and relocated from the Bellagio to a huge suite at the Tuscany for only $59 a night. However, New Years Eve sees the arrival of the $350 a night rate; so, he wisely decided it would be a good idea to leave Las Vegas and see California, especially the Pacific coast. He asked me along for the company. After 10 years in Vegas, I have turned into #1 homeboy, never even left town for a few hours to see the Hoover Dam. A belated seven year itch arrived just in time for me to say yes. As I am the one with computer access and an atlas I am the trip planner.
I liked the idea of a day one drive through Death Valley and somehow finishing the day in Monterey. Day two would include a visit to Bay101 in San Jose on the way to SF. Then, down the coast to Santa Monica, a place I love, and return home to Vegas via Harrah’s Rincon, where I hope to be for the World Series prelim in February.
The Christmas shopping rush is over here in Las Vegas; but, the after Christmas sales have just begun. Today was a trip to the
The latest addition is three stories of marble, giant statues, spiral escalators, reflecting pools, fountains, skylights and more than 160 shops straight out of Rodeo Drive. The Forum provides shoppers with limo drop off and valet parking. Restaurants for hungry patrons include something for every appetite and budget. Take the family to the Cheesecake Factory or sample great seafood at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Rib & Stone Crab, catch a quick lunch at the trendy Planet Hollywood or treat yourself to creations from Wolf Gang Puck’s Spago. If you just need a quick pick up there are numerous espresso and pastry bars. Browse world class art at Peter Max Gallery, pick up a bauble at Bvlgari, perhaps a new purse from Fendi or Gucci. Buy the kids that perfect toy at FAO Schwarz or the Disney Store. The Forum Shops at Caesars, the shopping wonder of the world, is also the most profitable shopping center in the US. The place is always filled with shoppers from all over the world and most are carrying bags filled with just purchased treasures. In a recent survey more than 65% of Las Vegas visitors said they had gone shopping and made a purchase while vacationing here.
The town is beginning to fill up for the New Year’s weekend. The sidewalks along the strip were shoulder to shoulder with tourists watching the dancing Fountains at the Bellagio, the fire breathing Volcano at the Mirage or the Pirate ship battle in front of the TI Resort. Another good news item is the Las Vegas monorail is finally running again after extensive testing and re-certification. Hopefully the falling monorail parts will be no more and the system can provide a quick and convenient means of moving about the Las Vegas Strip. Most of the hotels are sold out for the weekend. The major strip resort’s room rates for the New Year are averaging $600 to $800 per night with a two night minimum.





Day two started for me at 08:30 am.The muffins were better today, bought from Seattle’s Best, rather than the factory ones from the previous day. The Pit Bull was replaced by Red Bull. Evy was back to her usual sweet self. She experimented with different shades of make up from Lee's $5K collection. I suggested a Gene Simmon’s Kiss face. After her session Evy came over for a hug. Obviously she didn't find Mr. Right from the selection of toothless wonders in the Plaza sportsbook. Next up, Jen and Kathy. These three were the 10:00 am girls. With only one round for each player left they realized that not only did they have to play against the men for a team prize of $5K each, they were playing against each other. The top three point scorers of each sex reaching the final with a prize of $40K to the winner.
The players have to keep changing clothes to give the impression the series was filmed over six weeks, not 36 hours. The best dressed male or female was Antonio Esfandiari.
I sat with the make up girls again. The talk is not of poker but the players appearance,"X needs to cover their ears," "Y should be wearing long sleeves," "Z’s hair is too much," I loved it.
Seasons greeting and a bah humbug to everyone. I’m in the full jolly spirit of things handing out coal to relatives and glowering at people who try to send good cheer my way. I've spent the past few days improving the
The players were sitting hunched in their seats,
He played every hand never folding a one,
Whilst the rest of you were Christmas shopping or driving to LA, I was blending in backstage at the "Battle of the Sexes," a new seven part poker series, to be on GSN, filmed over two days this week at the run down Plaza. Ceiling tiles either missing or discoloured from water leaks. Players reported mold in the bathtubs. Want to know what Evybabee is like at 08.30 am? What the WSOP champion had for lunch? Then read on.
Karina Jett and Clonie Gowan, both Mothers, are more familiar with the daylight hours. In fact, Karina looked liked she had been up for hours, so perfect was her make up and hair (that’s another plug for Lee). Lee told me she had been up since 05.30 am. Note to TV networks planning on filming a poker event: A 2:00 pm start works better for the players. Chris Moneymaker was the winner of the ‘tired look award’ amongst the dozen players. He has lost a lot of weight since his WSOP triumph.
Jennifer Harman, looking for some TV exposure after missing most of the WSOP because of her well documented health problem, informed me she was still exhausted from her fourth place finish to Daniel Negreanu on Saturday. "I never had chips so I played under pressure for two days."
The Poker Prof and I just returned from a fast trip to the Southland, Los Angeles, that is. We combined some business interest with a holiday visit for Mrs. Flip and made the one day turn around without incidence. Traffic was light to moderate, even our return across LA at evening rush hour on the infamous I-10 was quick. We will have a major announcement in the near future as a result of today’s events, providing everything continues on track. We stopped in at Hollywood Park Casino and looked around hoping to see
Tables filled with players and floor people constantly calling names from the wait list for any empty seats. The trip was hastily conceived so we had no time to contact OJ in advance, maybe next trip we will not be so rushed.
Scott Fischman won the first "Young Guns of Poker" WPT event on Sunday at the Bellagio. The event was an invite only shootout with the oldest player only 24 yrs old.
Jennifer Harman, Evelyn Ng, Karina Jett and Clonie Gowan play against four male professional counterparts. Amazing that Foiledcoup doesn’t seem to know who the guys are. I will be there with the camera and shoot photos of the action, if possible. Of course, I can always take more photos of Foiledcoup and the girls. Seems that every time I look through the view finder there is Foiledcoup and one or more of the babes of poker smiling into the lens.
Foiledcoup will provide a complete report including photos of the WPT Young Guns of Poker Tournament held Sunday evening at the Bellagio. The group of invited players topped out at twenty-four years of age. They competed for a $25,000 + $500 seat in the WPT World Championship at the Bellagio in April, 2005. The winner of the tournament and seat was Scott Fischman.
I don't know when Flipchipro is planning on buying his Christmas gifts; but, our run in to Christmas has been shortened by the addition of the Young Guns of Poker at the Bellagio Sunday and a Battle of the Sexes being filmed at the Plaza Tuesday and Wednesday. The latter will feature my favourites, Karina Jett and Evelyn Ng, as well as Jennifer Harman, who agreed last week to join our stable. This means we will follow Jen's progress in any tournament she plays; plus, she gets to have her photo taken with me! Clonie Gowan is the fourth women who will take on four male players.
Steve Rassi was crippled by Jennifer Harman. His only way of playing was to go all in. Jennifer called him with A,Q; Steve looked confident as he showed Q,Q. However, Jen flopped an ace. Daniel came in for the kill the next hand. Steve took home $217K plus a TV appearance in the spring.
The big news in the poker blog world this week is
The Bellago’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic WPT sanctioned championship tournament was played this evening at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino here in Las Vegas. The final six players from the field of 376 entries sat down to determine a champion at approximately 5:00 this afternoon. The event was filmed for later broadcast on the WPT series on the Travel Channel. A large crowd of fans were there when the doors opened at 3:00 and patiently waited for the 4:30 seating to begin. The Bellagio had set up a large screen in the outer ballroom and provided seats, drinks and snacks for everyone.
After considerable thought, Nam Le called from his stack of approximately three quarters of a million. They both turned up their hole cards and Humberto showed a 10,J of diamonds for a made flush while Nam showed a 8d, Qs giving him a straight flush possibility with the 6 of diamonds. The turn and river did not help either player and Humberto doubled up. Nam Le went out in short order when he went all-in with a K,Qo to Vinny Landrum’s K,Jo and Vinny caught a J on the turn. Nam was eliminated in the sixth spot for $152,468. Steve Rossi was the next player to go down. He was out in the fifth place and collected $217,812. Play continued for another hour with Daniel often using his considerable chip lead to overpower the table and take the blinds and antes.
The final table is now down to three, Daniel Negreanu, Humberto Brenes and Vinny Landrum. Daniel has a commanding lead with Humberto second and Vinny the short stack. This is exactly how the tournamnent ended. Vinny went out in the third spot and earned $462,851. Humberto played heads up with chip leader Daniel Negreanu and finally went all-in. Daniel won the hand and became the 2004 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic champion. Humberto collected $898,475 for second. Daniel takes home the top prize of $1,795,218 and is assured of the Player of the Year honors
Coming into today’s contest were well known professionals James Van Alstyne, Howard Lederer, Barney Boatman, Ted Forrest and Johnny Chan, whom went out in the eighth spot. The WPT Five Diamond No Limit Hold’em Championship began on Tuesday, December 14th, with 376 entrants paying $15,000 + $500 to enter the tournament. The winner will receive $1,795,218 from the prize pool that totaled $5,470,800. The winner will also get a $25,000 buy-in for the Bellagio’s WPT Championship in April, 2005. Second place will collect $898,475 and third will take down $462,851. The top fifty finishers received prize money with 41-50th collecting $21,781.
The Championship on Saturday brings to a close the 2004 Bellagio’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic tournament but it isn’t the last day of WPT poker. On Sunday, December 19th, in Ballroom 6 at the
Every holiday season the Las Vegas resorts spend millions to decorate their facilities. Although it is sometimes difficult to see the Christmas lights against a background of neon the town gets caught up in the holiday spirit and puts lights in front of lights. Covering the
Casinos would be manned by reduced crews and most employees would be out of town visiting family. Locals would joke about our slowest week (Christmas) and busiest week (New Years) coming back-to-back. Not so anymore. The resorts are full of people enjoying the holidays here in Las Vegas. We now offer world class shopping so everyone has an excuse to be here and where else might you get lucky and pay for Christmas in one pull of the handle? From our slowest period to one of our busiest in just a few short years. What a Christmas present for Las Vegas.
I can’t wait to do it again. We are already in the preliminary planning stages for the next one. Hopefully we can offer seating for everyone and even increase the number of professionals and special guest. I will provide updates on our progress and planning.
David “Devilfish” Ulliott $610,000
Imagine this scenario. You are drawn seat 3 in a tournament. You arrive at the table to find Gus Hansen (seat 4), Antonio Esfandiari (seat 5), Evelyn Ng (seat 6-A double bad beat as you cannot see her!), Scotty Nguyen (seat 7), Hemp Seed (seat 9) and Ted Forrest ahead of you in seat 1. This is what happened to our reader with the highest IQ,
I?m still running around the clock with the WPT main event being held this week; but, I put off my tourney report long enough. I want to write it up before I forget the details.
Marcel: ?I?m going to a poker tournament event where Charlie will be speaking would you like to come??
After extensive e-mails and phone calls with
In the meantime, a few people had already arrived on the scene and fortunately the food and meeting new people was keeping everyone occupied. So around 10:30 am the rest of the pros arrive and although no-one said anything I?m sure they were hesitant about the small groups of people scattered around the room. Then, about five minutes later while pacing in the hall like a patient waiting for the results of a tumor biopsy, I hear a commotion from around the corner? either a pack of bloodthirsty Huns from a Credit Card commercial were decending upon the Casino or the bloggers had arrived. Leading the pack was none other than Pauly with about two dozen Internet scribes in tow. I spent most of the time jumping around from person to person and actually got to meet
After everyone got into the room we mingled for about 15 minutes and around 11:00 am the day?s events got underway. We started with Charlie, who gave a 20 minute speech on the rather complex philosophical system he developed which allowed him to live a better life and be a better poker player. The speech was rough in spots but judging by
The only thing I clearly remember from all of this was almost every answer at some point included, ?Like most poker question, it depends?? About 12 minutes into Tom?s presentation I found out the pros had to get a move on to be at, as Bill so eloquently put it, ?some small Four Diamond?s thingy over at the Bellagio.? So, that wrapped up the morning presentations.
then I was moved to the circular hay-bailer of poker tables with the unholy trinity of
For some closing thoughts, there were a lot of cool conversations though-out the day and plans were already being put into place for the next Vegas shin-dig. I wish I had a chance to spend more time chatting with
I stopped him as he was entering the temporary poker room at Bellagio to play his heads up semi final which he won. He was sweated by his sister's, Annie Duke and Katy Lederer, the author of my favourite book of the year "Poker Face." Katy looks a bit like singer Natalie Merchant.
The Championship $15,000 + $300 No Limit Hold’em final event got under way today at noon. The Bellagio’s Five-Diamond World Poker Classic tournament is now down to deciding the 2004 champion. The tournament seated 376 entrants playing for a share of the $5,740,800 prize pool. The winner of the championship will receive $1,796,218 and a $25,000 seat in the 2005 Bellagio WPT Championship in April. Today's tables were filled with professional and novice players trying to survive to the final table and a piece of the money. Some of the early eliminations included Marcel Luske, David Williams and Antonio Esfandiari.
Many of poker’s elite remained at the tables. Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese, Gus Hansen, Greg Raymer, Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Ted Forrest, Scotty Nguyen, Jennifer Harman, Annie Duke, Cindy Violette, Tom McEvoy, Lyle Berman, Daniel Negreanu and Minneapolis Jim were playing their ‘A’ game and accumulating stacks of chips. The event includes everyone that is someone in poker. Our photographer and Foiledcoup are covering the tournament so we will be providing photographs, details of the play and Foiledcoup’s unique take on the big time poker tournament scene.
Another day in paradise; or, how I spend my days here in Poker Central. Today, Monday, the eve of the Five-Diamond championship event, saw the
The final regular event #13, $3,000 + $100 Buy-In Pot Limit Omaha, played the final table today. The winner, Hilbert Shirey of Winterhaven, Florida, was also the chip leader coming into today's final table. He takes away $109,415 for his victory. Second place finisher, Vegard Nygaard of Oslo Norway, collected $62,914 and Galen Kester of Tunica, Mississippi, received $32,825 for third place.
The final match for the $25,000 Limit Hold’em Heads Up got underway about 6:00 pm and didn’t end until close to midnight. Howard Lederer and Jeff Lisandro played heads up poker for almost six hours before Jeff had finally taken all the chips. He and Howard played textbook poker hour after hour with only a couple of brief table breaks. They traded the lead too many times to count. As the match wore on, the rail began filling with fans straining to see the poker show being played out. The last hour had a crowd of fans and other players gathered around the table. Even Penn, of the famous comedy duo of “Penn and Teller,” came in and sat in a front row seat. Jeff receives $194,000 for his win while Howard gets $97,000 for second. The event featured sixteen players putting up the $25K entry fees.
Most of poker’s rich and famous are at the Bellagio for the final event. Looking around the tournament room many of poker's best known stars were playing. Antonio Esfandiari was performing at a table in the Super Satellite. One of poker’s sexiest ladies and toughest tournament players, Evelyn Ng, was working to acquire her bargain Super satellite seat. The cash games in the Bellagio’s poker room are filled and have waiting lists for seats. The Five-Diamond tournament has been an exciting event to photo and document. Everyday I look forward to the poker contests, the colorful players, the constant live action, the crowds of spectators and especially getting to socialize with some of the living legends of the sport and some of the rising young stars. As I have said before, I am very lucky to live in Vegas and spend my days recording and documenting the history of the sport of poker. When you find something to do that you enjoy you never have to go to work.
The WPBT Holiday Classic photo gallery will be available late Tuesday. We have selected the photos and have them set. The captions are being entered. The gallery will be proofed one last time and then released. We hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed taking them. Another WPBT tournament is already in the planning stages. We will provide more information once some of the details are worked out. We are planning a bigger, better event, if that’s possible. The first one will be very hard to beat.
If you make your own cards some of the photos may be just what you are looking for.
The Bellagio’s Five-Diamond World Poker Classic played the final table for Event #12, $3,000 + $100 buy-in No Limit Hold’em, Sunday evening. The winner of the largest first place prize money to date at the Five-Diamond was David Pham of Cerritos California, taking home $414,419. Second place went to Alan Goehring Henderson, Nevada winning $197,456 while Dan Alspach from La Jolla, California completed the top three and received $101,720. The event featured a large field of 420 entries vying for a share of the $1 million plus prize pool. In addition to the first place money, David receives a $25,000 entry in the 2005 Bellagio WPT Championship. Another big plus for David for his victory was the points he was awarded propelled him past Daniel Negreanu and John Juanda to the top of the Player of the Year standings. If David remains at the top of the list it will be his second Player of the Year honors.
Another of the $25,000 Limit Hold’em Heads-Up matches was completed on Sunday evening when Howard Lederer, after taking time to sign Foilcoup's book, eliminated John D’agostino. Hilbert Shirey of Winterhaven, Florida is the chip leader going into today's final table for event #13, $3,000 + $100 Buy-In Pot Limit Hold’em. The tournament attracted a field of 94 players competing for the first prize money of $109,415 from a total prize pool of $273,500.
I would like to thank Max Pescatori for spending the entire day with the bloggers at Sam's Town yesterday. Max,in EU bandana, also cajoled Evelyn Ng into attending just to listen to Charlie Shoten's presentation and Max allowed Felicia Lee to return home to Arizona with a cowboy hat!
This week in review is a list of “thank you’s” owed to the many people and companies that made the World Poker Blogger Tour Holiday Classic held Saturday at
The first World Blogger's Poker Tour Holiday Classic Tournament is now over; although, I suspect that many of the participants remain in Vegas and are continuing their poker holiday as I write. The event began today at 10:00 am with a meet and greet breakfast that filled the meeting room with more than thirty of the most influential poker bloggers from all around the country, mixed in with some very well known professional poker players. Sounds like a party. The hosts for the tournament were Pauly from
The tournament began promptly at 1:00 pm in the Sam’s Town Poker Room under the direction of Dick Gatewood, Poker Room Manager. The field was limited to thirty players that included mostly poker bloggers and a few professionals. Max Pescatori and Charlie Shoten shared a table with the likes of Pauly and Felicia Lee (Felicia Lee is a Professional Player that blogs). Unfortunately, I was the second player eliminated when my pocket aces were run down by Max’s Ah,Jh when the turn brought the third heart and a flush. Probably a good thing since I was back on the camera documenting the tournament. For a complete list of the order of finish go to Pauly’s Blog,
Dr. Pauly went out on the bubble after coming into the final table as the chip leader. The crowd stayed until the last hand was dealt and the awards were passed out. We will be adding a gallery of the best from the more than three hundred images we are sorting from the blogger tournament.
This is the eve of the World Poker Blogger Tour Holiday Classic Tournament 2004 scheduled for play at 1:00 pm Saturday at Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino. We are expecting thirty of the most influential Internet poker scribes to be in attendance beginning at 10:00 in the morning. The complimentary breakfast will be a greet and meet event that will introduce the bloggers to some well known members of the professional poker community in town for the Bellagio’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic WPT sanctioned tournament. Needless to say, I am quite nervous about all the happenings tomorrow and as one of the tournament host I am quite busy with the many details that are required to make this a success. The Poker Prof and I are most thankful to
Another great poker day at the Bellagio’s Five Diamonds World Poker Classic. The $2500 + $100 Buy-in Pot Limit Omaha event #9 played the final table; while event #10, $2500 + $100 Pot Limit Hold’em played the first day. Many poker celebrities and TV tournament stars wandered through the tournament area. The Poker Prof, Foiledcoup and I were entertained by the European Champion, Marcel Luske, a most affable storyteller. During the conversation David “Devilfish” Ulliot and Charlie Shoten joined our group outside the rail. The professional players would always take the time to greet and shake hands with the many awestruck fans.
The Pot Limit Hold’em event was slowly reducing the field down to tomorrow’s final table. Well known professional players remaining in the tournament was Antonio Esfandiari, Charlie Shoten, Carlos Mortensen, John Juanda, Eric Seidel, Joe Awada, Humberto Brenes and Steve Simmons. Another of the Heads Up Limit Hold’em matches was underway between Mimi Tran and David Oppenheim with both players having equal chips. Yesterday in the Heads Up play Erick Lindgren was defeated by John D’agostino.
Bring in extra security as "Miss Poker World," Evelyn Ng, is coming to play at
The Bellagio’s Five Diamond Poker Classic Event #8, $3000 + $100 Buy-In No limit Hold’em, ended today with Jerry Young of Diamond Bar, California the winner. Jerry collected $329,384 for first place. He defeated Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen of Bell Gardens, California after the two had gone heads up for more than an hour. The final hand had Men all-in to Jerry’s slight chip lead. Jerry turned over pocket sixes and Men showed pocket Queens. The flop came 6,2,2 giving Jerry sixes full of deuces to Men’s two pair. The turn was a seven and the river offered no help. Jerry had won his first major tournament. In addition to the cash prize he received a $25,000 + $500 Buy-In for the 2005 Bellagio WPT Championship. Men earned $156,049 for his second place finish. He was the chip leader coming into the final table with $334,000 in tournament chips. The third place money of $78,024 was taken by Steve Crockett of Costa Mesa, California. The event didn’t conclude until 10:30 in the evening.
The heads up Limit Hold’em $25,000 + $300 Buy-in matches started today with Jennifer Harmon eliminating Barry Greenstein, Eli Elezra defeating Daniel Negreanu and Howard Lederer outlasting Craig Singer. Additional pairings were Jeff Lisadro and Bruno Fitoussi, Carlos Mortensen and Erik Saegstrom, Mimi Tran and David Oppenheim, Erick Lindgren and John D’agostino and John Juanda and Allen Cunningham. Heads up play will continue with today’s eight winners matched against each other. The prize payout for this event is $194,000 for 1st, $97,000 for 2nd, $48,500 for 3rd and $8,500 for 4th.
He did say that he no longer does much lawyer business other than for himself. While we were talking WSOP main event second place finisher, David Williams, came strolling through the tournament area and posed with Greg for our photographer. At one of today’s two remaining Pot Limit Omaha tournament tables was Mike Sexton, Commentator and spokesperson for the World Poker Tour. The crowds at the rail were five and six deep. The center of the Poker World is at the Bellagio. If you are a fan of the world of professional tournament poker then you need to be here, too. We will continue to photograph and report all the action. The Poker Prof is busy compiling a Five Diamond gallery that will feature the best of the hundreds of photographs we have taken at the event and the first offerings should be available soon. Event #10, $2,500 + $100 Buy-In Pot Limit Hold’em, begins play on Thursday at noon.
The $1500 + $70 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo event at the Bellagio’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic has crowned a champion. Dao Bac of Garden Grove, California outplayed a field of 129 entries to claim the $75,078 first prize money. Farrad Rouhani of Germantown, Maryland finished second and received $37,539 while Andy Blumen of Las Vegas was third and earned $18,770. The prize pool for the event totaled $187,695 and paid the top 16 finishers. Notable professional players that finished in the money included John Juanda of Marina Del Ray, California in tenth place and cashing for $2,815, Men Nguyen of Los Angeles was twelfth for $2,815 and Max Pescatori from Las Vegas came in fourteenth and received $1,877.
The final table action will pick up tomorrow at 3:00 pm and continue until one player remains.
I met up with two fellow, albeit superior, bloggers at the Bellagio yesterday. Both have animal names so I photographed them in the green surroundings of the Bellagio’s tournament room sign in desk.
He actually reads my blog and has wisely informed his friend the Bloch (Andy) to do likewise. He hopes to receive a Full Tilt jacket off Andy for Christmas.
Event #6, $2000 + $80 No Limit Hold’em, finished this evening at the
The final table was down to six players when the hand was dealt. The first to act was Phi Nguyen who bet $40K on his pocket Jacks, the one seat folded and Thomas Mathiesen called with his pocket Kings. Michael Mizrachi, from the button, raised $40K with his pocket Aces. The small blind folded and the big blind, Gioi Luong, raised all-in with his pocket Kings. Phi Nguyen called all-in, Thomas Mathieson called all-in, and Michael Mizarachi called all-in. The chip leader, Gioi Luong, had everyone covered. They turned up the hole cards and the crowd of fans watching from the rail gasped so loudly that the tables from today’s event emptied with everyone crowding around to see the action. The flop brought 3,9,4 rainbow. The turn was another 4. The river was a 2. Michael’s pocket rockets took the $600,000 pot; eliminating Thomas Mathiesen and Phi Nguyen. Gioi Luong lost about half his chips and Michael became the new chip leader. The crowd went wild and was about as loud as any I have ever seen at a poker tournament.
Suddenly everyone was on a cell phone saying, “You’re not going to believe this hand. Pocket Kings, Pocket Aces, more Pocket Kings and Pocket Jacks with six hundred thousand in the pot, four players all-in!”
The fifth event of the Bellagio’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic concluded Sunday evening. Bill Seber of Houston, Texas survived the field of 245 entrants in the $1500 + $70 Buy-In Pot Limit Hold’em tournament and takes home $142,587. Scott Fischman of Las Vegas finished second and collected $71,295. Gabriel Thaler of Cupertino, California was third and received $35,648 while Maurice Atlani of Paris, France takes $21,389 for fourth. Additional professional players that made it into the money includes Jesse Jones going out thirteenth for $3,921, John Juanda receives $3,921 for fourteenth place and David Plastik collects $3,565 for seventeenth.
First place money is $273,040 plus a $25,000 + $500 seat in the 2005 WPT at the Bellagio. Today’s event is $1500 + $70 Buy-In 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo. Tuesday’s event will be $3000 + $100 Buy-In No Limit Hold’em contest that promises a large field of players trying to get a piece of a large prize pool.
There are a couple of cool stratagy posts this week; first, part of Hank’s recent uber post is a section on
The Poker Prof and I went to a reception and awards ceremony for one of our favorite charities,
Steve Wynn owns and exhibits one of the great collections of fine art while the Bellagio continues to show the its’ collection of art. World class art galleries are found in the many shopping resort shopping malls located throughout the city. In fact, some critics think of Las Vegas as the finest example of modern art in the world today. I tend to agree. The city is definitely a work of art. In fact, it is a huge piece of living art that continually renews itself. You must visit Vegas often to see what changed in the last few weeks or you’ll miss an entire phase of the ever changing landscape.
The third event of the Five Diamond Poker Classic, $1500+$70 Limit Hold’em, is complete and we have a winner. Proving that he is a true professional capable of playing with anyone was more important than the $121,057 first place money for winner David Williams. Coming off a second place finish in the WSOP Main Event where he collected $3.5 million makes today’s prize money seem like chump change. Winning the event by defeating a field of 208 players, including many well known pros was priceless. David went into the final table as the chip leader with $140,000 while John Esposito was second in chips with $98,000 and Gioi Luong came to the table with the third largest stack, $88,500. The second place finisher in the tournament, Richard Shreckengaust, received $60,528. Gioi Luong was eliminated in third place and won $30,264.
The Bellagio’s Five Diamond Poker Classic Event #2, $1,500+$70 Seven Card Stud played the final table Thursday evening. The field of 110 entries was topped by Thor Hansen of El Segundo, California. Thor received $64,018 prize money from the $161,050 prize pool. David Feder of Battle Creek, Michigan finished second and received $36,812. The top three was rounded out with Jeff Burdsall of Las Vegas taking down $19,206 for thied. Scott Fischman of Las Vegas finished fifth and collected $9,603 while Mikhail Smirnov of Moscow, Russia was eighth and received $4,802.
The play will continue today until nine final table players remain. The final table will begin play on Friday at 3:00 pm.
The
The Bellagio’s Five Diamond Poker Classic is a World Poker Tour sanctioned stop. The $15,000+$300 No Limit Hold’em Championship final table will be filmed and shown on the Travel Channel. The Five Diamond Tournament Director is Jack McClelland, a poker industry veteran. Jack and his staff spend many long hours on the tournament floor managing all the events and ensuring that the tournament is smooth and trouble free.
Yesterday Caesars Palace announced the opening of a 15,000 sq. ft. poker room in March. The MGM is already building a 25 table room and I told you of the Hard Rock’s plan to open a 12 table room ASAP. These will join the recently re-opened rooms at the Gold Coast, Aladdin and Ballys. With all these rooms opening you can imagine the demand at dealer schools to learn poker dealing.