Dec
13
by Chad Holloway
In just a few days, I will have the opportunity to participate in what is quickly becoming one of my favorite events of the year. On Saturday, Dec. 17, Phil Hellmuth will return to his native Madison, Wisconsin, for the 2nd Annual Hellmuth’s Hold’em with Agrace HospiceCare. While only in its second year, the charity tournament has quickly become one of the premiere poker events in all of Wisconsin.
"It will be tough to top last year's jet-fueled, energy-laced event! But we aim to, when I hit Mad-town for Phil Hellmuth's Hold’em with HospiceCare 2011 on December 17," Hellmuth said. “This is going to be the night to remember in Madison, all to help Agrace HospiceCare and the good it does for the community.”
The event is designed so that all proceeds will go to Agrace HospiceCare. According to their website: “Agrace HospiceCare is a nonprofit, community-based hospice dedicated to providing expert physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families dealing with life-limiting conditions. Agrace HospiceCare is nationally recognized for its comprehensive in-home, inpatient, respite, and residential care, and the hospice services Agrace HospiceCare provides in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities throughout south central Wisconsin."
So what can guests expect at the event? In addition to a tournament, there will be a silent auction and raffle, with a seat to the 2012 World Series of Poker and a two-year lease of a 2012 Zimbrick Honda CR-V LX to be given away in the latter. There will also be plenty of food, spirits, and fun to be had.
Not only will I be attending the event, I have been invited as one of Hellmuth’s guest celebrities, which basically means I socialize with the guests, play the tournament, and do my best to contribute to the poker atmosphere. While I certainly don’t consider myself a celebrity, I guess being a Senior Writer for PokerNews and a member of the poker media has its benefits. In addition to myself, there will actually be some real celebrities there including poker pros Annette Obrestad, Mark “P0ker H0” Kroon, Dewey Weum, Tony “D1rtyR1v3r” Nardi, and Wisconsin native, Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin
For those who may not be poker inclined, there will also be a host of non-poker related celebrities including Former NFL and UW Badgers football player, Derek Engler, professional golfer, Jerry Kelly, Olympic gold medalist Casey FitzRandolph, lead singer of Anthrax, Scott Ian; Madison mayor, Paul Soglin, UW Badgers women’s hockey coach and member of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team, Mark Johnson, and local news anchors Carleen Wild, Charlie Shortino, and Leigh Mills.
I can’t even begin to explain how much fun this event is. Last year, more than 240 players raised $140,000 for the charity, with Kroon ultimately winning the event. This year, a field of 400-plus is expected. Here’s a look at the different ticket options available for the event:
- All-Access Ticket: $1,000/person. Includes poker, food, entertainment, VIP access and admission to a poker academy held on Friday, Dec. 16 where they’ll have the opportunity to learn from the pros. They also receive a free add-on at the first break of the tournament.
- VIPTicket: $500/person includes poker, floor, entertainment, and VIP access.
- Poker Ticket: $300/person includes poker, food, entertainment, and VIP access.
- Entertainment Ticket: $100/person for food, entertainment and excitement.
For more information on the event, including specifics like where it’s at and what time it begins, visit agracehospicecare.org or the event’s official website.
If you can’t make it but would like to keep tabs on what happens at Hellmuth’s Hold’em with Agrace HospiceCare, be sure to follow me on Twitter as I will be live tweeting throughout the day using hashtag #HellmuthHospice.
Nov
29
by Chad Holloway
In honor of the kickboxing match between Lex Veldhuis and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, in which the former KO’ed the latter in Round 2, Mark Hoke of Short Stacked Radio and Chad Holloway of PokerNews have put together a list of fights they’d like to see in the poker world. The compilation and explanation is a bit of satire, so don’t take it too seriously. Although, it would be interesting to know who would win if they actually occurred. Some are forgone conclusions, but some would probably be pretty close.
Here’s a look at some of the top fantasy wrestling/boxing/MMA matches we’d like to see with a brief postulation as to how the action might go down. So, in no particular order:
Prahlad Friedman vs. Jeffrey Lisandro
Mark Hoke: The unforgettable ante showdown in 2006 spawns one of the nastiest beatings on the card. As the two are given their in-ring instructions by the referee, Friedman pulls a chip out of his glove. He flips it into Lisandro’s face yelling “Here’s your ante, b*tch!” Lisandro turns beet red, waits for the bell and then bull-rushes Friedman into the side of the cage, knocks him down, drops about 25 elbows into Friedman’s head and the ref stops the fight at 1:05 of the first round. Lisandro puts the chip in Friedman’s mouth and is carried out by his entourage victorious.
Chad Holloway: Prior to the match, Friedman serenades his fans with his latest rap that goes a little something like this:
“Yo, yo, yo, Ima bout to beat down Jeffrey Lisandro. Fool forgot to ante up, which is why he’s about to get my size 12 up his butt.”
The theatrics don’t sit well with Lisandro and he rambles across the ring before the bell sounds. He lays out Friedman, who’s back is turned, with a running Lex-Luger clothesline. All the while, Lisandro never loses the fedora firmly set upon his head. Lisandro, while satisfied, is promptly disqualified.
Phil Hellmuth vs. Antonio Esfandiari
MH: The palpable animosity between the two finally comes to fruition. Hellmuth sends out Rocky IV style videos to the press of him training with Anderson Silva for the fight. Meanwhile, Esfandiari enjoys his prop bet with Phil Laak of taking a shot of Grey Goose every time someone asks him about the fight during the lead-up. In the best shape of his life, Hellmuth takes to the ring focused and ready. Esfandiari is carried to the ring by eight showgirls wearing a silk robe and accompanied by Sam Grizzle. The bell rings and Hellmuth looks ready for war. But Esfandiari fakes a punch and kicks Hellmuth in the junk leaving him in a curled-up heap. Antonio is disqualified but leaves the ring like a winner arm in arm with Grizzle laughing hysterically while the chorus of boos resonates from the crowd.
CH: The crowd waits in silence for the competitors when suddenly, POOF, a cloud of smoke appears in the middle of the ring revealing Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari. Not a moment later, the arena’s sound system kicks in and AMG’s Bitch Better Have My Money comes on. Hellmuth strolls down the ramps, catering to the crowd; meanwhile, Esfandiari continues to execute magic trick after magic trick in the center of the ring. The jockeying for attention and fanfare continues, with no actual fight happening. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a draw.
Sammy Farha vs. Chris Moneymaker
MH: Hearing of the fight card, Sam Farha tracks down Moneymaker who was hanging out in Tunica and calls him out in front of an entire poker room. Chris refuses but one flip of ashes from Sammy’s cigar into his lap finally gets Moneymaker to agree to the fight. As the bell sounds, Farha takes control of the first two rounds as Moneymaker is still tentative and not really into the battle. But Sammy starts to put a needle to Chris to open Round 3 saying “You owe me 1.2 million dollars, fat boy!” and slaps Moneymaker. Moneymaker finally shows some fire for the first time in the fight, taking Farha down, chokes him out and gets the win by submission. Moneymaker then does the Karate Kid nose-honk to Farha and walks out of the ring with a small grin.
CH: Sammy Farha is not the type of man to dirty his own hands; instead, he hires none other than the muscle-bound Erik Cajelais to mop the floor with Moneymaker. Clearly intimidated, Moneymaker darts around the ring, ducking and dodging the lumbering Cajelais. Farha watches the fight from his man’s corner, eventually grabbing Moneymaker’s leg and holding him for Cajelais. Moneymaker reels around, kicks Farha, then quickly turns and delivers his patented right hook, appropriately called “The Poker Boom,” to Cajelais draw. The man goes down, Farha quickly exits the arena, and the overmatched Moneymaker emerges victorious once again.
Greg Raymer vs. Mike “The Mouth” Matusow
MH: Who can ever forget the 2004 “big balls” trash talk between these two? Many applied to fight Matusow on the card but Raymer shockingly insisted on getting in the ring with “The Mouth”. As the bell sounds, Matusow tries to shake Raymer’s hand but Greg silently refuses. Matusow talks up a storm circling away from Raymer until Raymer fires a right hook squarely into Matusow’s gut. An all-out brawl ensues in the center of the ring with the crowd going crazy. Time expires in the first round and both men go to their corner exhausted. Both realizing neither of them trained hard enough, they agree to simultaneously throw in the towel and the bout is ruled a draw. The crowd gives them a standing ovation as giant beach balls shower the ring.
CH: In preparation for the fight, Matusow opted to forgo his meds, putting him in a crazy state of mind. He enters the ring seemingly unable to focus. He is mumbling, twitching, and ogling the ring girls. On the other side of the ring, Raymer is calm, cool, and collected. He signs fossils for his fans while occasionally sipping a Diet Coke. When the bells finally sounds, the two men meet in the center of the ring. Neither throw a punch, rather Matusow verbally berates his opponent as Raymer stands motionless. This continues round after round as Matusow exhausts himself. In the last round, Matusow continues to talk, voice occasionally giving out, as Raymer cocks back his left fist and delivers a haymaker seven years in the making to Matusow’s gut. The Mouth falls to the mat, and for the first time, grows silent as the wind is knocked out of him.
Russ Hamilton vs. Howard Lederer
MH: By the demand of the poker community, Lederer and Hamilton are captured by Dog The Bounty Hunter and rolled into the ring hooded and in handcuffs. The ring is surrounded by hundreds of poker players who are none too happy with the past conduct of either. The ring announcements are made but once Hamilton and Lederer realize they have to fight, both try to climb the cage wall to escape. But every attempt to escape is thwarted with vicious reckless attacks. The two stand back to back in the ring refusing to fight. The scene becomes a near riot until Doyle Brunson walks through the crowd of players and into the ring as the crowd chants “Doyle! Doyle!” Brunson takes the microphone, berates the two of them for ruining poker, gives them plane tickets to Antarctica and has them escorted to the airport by armed guards never to be seen again.
CH: Desperate to restore his reputation, Lederer vows to track down Russ Hamilton and deliver the beating of a lifetime. He travels to Gulfport and finds the 1994 WSOP Main Event Champion grinding a $2-$5 No Limit game. “Hamilton!” Lederer calls from across the room. The entirety of the poker room stops and turns their attention to Lederer. “It’s time one of us goes down once and for all,” Lederer explains. “We’ve done wrong and it is time we paid. The poker world may never forgive us, but we must do . . .” Lederer continues to rant as all eyes are on him, their attention totally captured; meanwhile, Hamilton sneakily creeps about the room, placing the bewildered players’ money and chips in an old UB knapsack. He exits out a side door after he’s cleaned out the players, Lederer quits his speech and bolts for the exit, and the duo meet outside to split the loot. The loser in this match is, of course, the players.
Jack Effel vs. Matt Savage
MH: After Savage rules against Effel in a $65 Tuesday Night Triple Draw event at the Commerce, the war was on. Savage and Effel actually go at it for two rounds splitting each round in a hard-fought battle. But in the third round, a piece of Effel’s wrist tape comes loose and accidentally cuts Savage’s pinky. The referee rules that Effel’s tape wrap was illegal and threatens to take a penalty point from Effel. Neither Effel nor Savage can believe the ruling and appeal to the official not to take the penalty point. The ref refuses their requests but Effel and Savage will not be overruled. Both take swings at the official and drop him. The two walk out arm-in-arm and the fight is ruled a no-decision.
CH: A match symbolic of the World Series of Poker versus the World Poker Tour, the tournaments directors of each are flanked by their respective posses. In Savage’s corner: Mike Sexton, Vince van Patten, Tony Dunst, and the Royal Flush Girls. In Effel’s: Ty Stewart, Seth Palansky, Nolan Dalla, and the Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Sasquatch. The first two rounds of the match are even, and in the third Savage accidentally knees Effel in the family jewels. The illegal blow sends Sasquatch into a frenzy and he enters the ring, winds up, and punts Savage out of the arena in a scene reminiscent to the Jack Link's commercials.
Tony G vs. David “Devilfish” Ulliott
MH: The pre-match hype for this match was incredible with trash-talking flying non-stop. As a matter of fact, it didn’t stop after the bell rang either. Despite Ulliot’s best efforts to actually land a punch, Tony G manages to completely talk smack for the entire first round while avoiding any physical contact. But come round two, Ulliot comes out for a fake handshake and catches Guoga with a roundhouse kick to the shin and stiff right uppercut. The action drops Tony G like a rock and Devilfish records a very satisfying knockout to the adulation of the crowd.
CH: Tony G and the Devilfish are arch rivals when it comes to smack talking, so the two decide to take it a step further with an old-school boxing match at the Aussie Millions. Tony G, accompanied only by his German shepherd, Zasko, makes his way to the ring on a bike where the Devilfish is already waiting, playing the guitar and harmonica for a group of 21 year-old Australian girls in the front row. In the actual fight, the two veterans pound each other, exchanging blows, as each become bloodied and bruised. The Devilfish, known for being in a scrape or two, decides enough is enough and reaches into his trunks, pulls out his two gold knuckledusters, dons them, and delivers a punch that lands squarely on Tony G’s forehead, knocking him out and leaving an imprint that reads, “Fish.” Unfortunately for Ulliott, the ref sees the illegal knuckledusters and awards the match to Tony G.
Viktor “Isildur1” Blom vs. Daniel “jungleman12” Cates vs. Tom “durrrr” Dwan
MH: Millions of dollars have changed hands between these three and the first ever triple-threat MMA-style match was signed for the card. Durrrr lands the first punch on Cates and Blom laughs while making a side-bet with durrrr for 100k that he can’t knock Cates down in under a minute. Cates actually takes a dive to cost Blom the money. Infuriated, Blom goes after Cates. While Blom is trying to twist Cates like a pretzel, durrrr walks over to the side of the cage and collects a 200k side bet from Phil Ivey that he could get Blom to lose it. Jealous, Blom lets up on Cates and makes a 500k bet with Ivey that he can make durrrr eat his own toe. Ivey takes the action and Blom slams durrrr against the cage and goes to work. Durrrr tries to fight Blom off but ends up with a toe in his mouth. Refusing to submit, durrrr offers 1 million to Cates to help him beat up Blom and then give up the fight so he wins. Cates accepts and the two beat Blom down ending his evening. But then Cates turns on Dwan and clocks him with a shocking roundhouse kick knocking him out. Cates goes out to the crowd and picks up 2 million from Erick Lindgren for betting against him in the fight.
CH: Do any of these three know how to fight? My guess is no; nonetheless, the triple-threat match is one of the most highly anticipated on the cards, with online railbirds literally taking to the rail of boxing ring for the best view of the action. Delayed 45 minutes so the participants can place bets, Daniel “jungleman12” Cates is first to make his way to the ring carrying his newly created “World Championship” belt, followed by Dwan and Blom.
The fight itself is more hype than satisfaction. This is the live fighting realm, not battle-bot fighting as in the film Real Steel, and everyone knows both Blom and Cates suck when it comes to live play. Dwan, on the other hand, is accustomed to the bright lights and fanfare and dispatches both opponents with ease, submitting Blom with a cross-faced chicken wing and knocking out Cates with a diamond cutter.
Annie Duke vs. Daniel Negreanu
MH: The main event of the evening has the crowd evenly split between Kid Poker and Duke. As the two are brought the center of the ring, Daniel giggles and offers Annie a chance to call off the fight.
Annie responds with a slap to Daniel’s face and the crowd erupts. The bell sounds and Daniel refuses to throw a punch while Annie tries to tear Daniel apart. Daniel continually restrains Annie and then lets her go which only infuriates Duke even more. After two rounds of this, the crowd is getting restless due the cycle of Daniel refusing to do any serious damage. The bell sounds in the third round and Duke decides to take a different tact. She walks out to the center of the ring and stands still daring Negreanu to take a shot. Daniel just can’t bring himself to do it and asks for the microphone. He then apologizes to Duke in the middle of the ring. Duke is stunned and reaches out to shake his hand and graciously accepts his apology. Daniel takes it and then puts her in an arm bar forcing her to submit and giggles like a schoolgirl skipping out of the ring victorious.
CH: The animosity between the last two fighter is palpable. Their bad blood goes back many years and are finally culminating in a real-life fight. No more war of words. Unfortunately for Negreanu, this is a no-win situation. Either he’ll be known as the man beaten by a woman, or the man who beat up on a woman. Negreanu realizes this and quickly hires a proxy to fight in his stead. While he’d like to bring in Joan Rivers, he knows she is too old and brittle. Instead, he brings in Melissa Rivers, Joan’s daughter, someone more Duke’s age.
Negreanu allow his crooked smile to creep across his face as the bell sounds and Rivers tears across the ring like a bat out of hell. Duke is surprised by her opponent’s speed and is unable to avoid Rivers’ kick to the abdomen. Duke keels over as Rivers grabs her hair and tosses her to the corner. Negreanu pins her arms as Rivers delivers slap after slap across Dukes chest. When all seems lost to Duke, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan rushes into the ring in his blue speedo, carrying the American flag and his trademark 2x4. “USA, USA, USA,” the crowd chants.
“Hoooooooooooo,” Hacksaw bellows as he clobbers Rivers over the back of the head. Negreanu, clearly panicked and intimidated (he is Canadian after all), bolts up the entryway. On top, he stops and looks back at Duke and Hacksaw. “This isn’t over,” Negreanu say. “I challenge the two of you to a tag-team ladder match at the WSOP. My partner . . . fellow Canadian Bret “The Hitman” Hart.” Cue the music as Hart makes his way to the walkway and stands side by side with Negreanu.
Ok, I admit, that one got out of hand.
*Picture courtesy of PokerNews.
What wrestling/boxing/MMA matches would you like to see? Use the comments section below to let us know. In the meantime, be sure to follow @HokesHouse and @ChadAHolloway on Twitter. Also, don’t forget to like Short Stacked Radio and PokerNews on Facebook!
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Tags: poker fights
Oct
27
by Chad Holloway
When I heard that PokerNews would be live reporting the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, I knew I’d be selected as one of the bloggers; after all, I lived just a hop, skip, and a jump away in central Wisconsin. I'd never been to this particular venue before, which is basically in Chicago, so I was more than willing to go. In fact, if I've never been somewhere before, I'm always willing to depart on a new adventure.
After making the three-and-a-half hour journey, I arrived at the Horseshoe on Thursday, the day before the Main Event. I got there at noon for the sole purpose of playing the $350 buy-in Omaha Hi/Low event, which I consider to be one of my stronger games. I promptly registered in the lobby and made my way into The Venue, the Horseshoe’s gigantic theater. When I say this place is big, it’s an understatement. It was like being in a stadium, and believe me when I say everyone who is anyone has played on their stage. Some of my favorites who have performed there, as evidenced by the framed photos in the lobby, are Joel McHale, Tracy Morgan, Hank Williams Jr., and Brad Garrett, just to name a few.
Once I tracked down my seat among the 99 tables, I unpacked my things and settled in for a day of O8. Unfortunately, my tournament proved to be very uneventful. I had no significant hands and pretty much blinded away, with my elimination coming just shy of the dinner break. While I hated to bust, it opened up my evening, so I decided to head to the hotel (the Horseshoe Hammond does not have a hotel on their property) and meet up with my co-worker for the event, Paul Oresteen.
I’d like to say that something interesting happened that night, but nothing could have been further from the truth. Instead, I got a good night’s sleep and prepared for Day 1a of the Main Event. Now, I’ve been to quite a few WSOP Circuit stops before, but I wasn’t quite prepared for the large turnout that piled into The Venue. An astounding 912 players threw down $1,600, already surpassing the field from 2010. Not only was I impressed by the field’s size, I was taken aback by the quality. Some fairly big names turned out for their shot at WSOP Circuit gold including Kathy Liebert, Allen Kessler, Chad Brown, Dwyte Pilgrim, Josh Brikis, and Mark “Pegasus” Smith (check out my interview with Pegasus here).
I also enjoyed seeing a lot of poker players from my regular circle. Being so close, plenty players from Wisconsin made the trek to Chicago, including Mark “P0ker H0” Kroon. For those who don’t know Kroon, he is an old-school player who jumped on the online poker fad early on. If there were godfathers of the online realm, he would be one of them. Kroon was actually eliminated on Day 1a on the third hand when pocket kings cracked his pocket aces. Lucky for him, there was a rebuy option and he tried again on Day 1b.
Even though it was smaller than the first flight, Day 1b still attracted 703 players, bringing the total to 1,615 players — the largest turnout for any Main Event in WSOP Circuit history. I must admit, I am a big fan of the re-entry. Not only did it increase the field and juice the prize pool, it allows players who’ve suffered a bad beat to give it another whirl. Kroon was the perfect example of this. As previously mentioned, he busted early on Day 1a from a sick beat and then reentered on Day 1b. He ended up finishing in 16th place and totally redeem himself, all thanks to the re-entry option. Without it, Kroon would have traveled all the way to the event, played three hands, and then likely have been so tilted as to never return. Can't say that I'd blame him.
For a look at the WSOP-Circuit Hammond results, click here.
Now, I wish I could relish you with tales of intrigue and entertainment from Hammond, but the life of a poker blogger is not always glamorous, especially when a tournament is in full swing. I worked a lot, and used any downtime to sleep. However, there were certainly a few things I enjoyed during my visit. Here are some cliff notes and random thoughts regarding my time in Hammond:
- The staff was great. Friendly and courteous, they weren’t shy about handing out comps. As far as the tournament goes, the staff at the event was comprised of the best professionals in the industry. That includes floors, dealers, and everyone else involved with putting on the almost two-week long affair.
- Speaking of comps, we ate the buffet for free every night. The food was good and there was a great selection, which isn’t always the case with casino buffets. I really liked the fact that their selection was broken down into five categories: Asian, Latin, Italian, Seafood, and American Grill, not to mention the desert bar.
- The Horseshoe Hammond is huge. Riverboats casinos tend to be a little cramped, but this one was bigger than some land-based casinos I’ve visited. Tons of slots, dozens of table games, and a nice poker room made this a top-notch gaming establishment.
- I didn’t like the fact that the property charged for alcohol and other beverages like juice and Red Bull. One of the cocktail waitresses even told me that they’re likely to start charging for soda and water soon. I understand wanting to maximize profits, but I spend enough in casinos without having to fork over $3 for a glass of orange juice.
- I almost forgot to pick up a $1 chip for my collection. You see, I grab a chip from every casino I visit as a sort of souvenir. Luckily, I remembered on the last night there and grabbed a white $1 Horseshoe chip.
While the venue was great, the city of Hammond itself wasn’t very impressive; in fact, I found it to be a little grimy. Being situation on Lake Michigan, the Horseshoe Hammond is nestled among factories, a marina, and railroad tracks. The combination of factory fumes, pollution, and aquatic life didn’t soothe the senses, and it wasn't exactly easy to get “a breath of fresh air.” Add to the fact that the area was a bit dated and rundown, and there didn’t seem to be a lot to do off the casino property. While this certainly bodes well for the casino, it wasn't exactly conducive to someone looking to get away from the constant chorus of slot machines. Anyway, this was rendered a moot point given my busy schedule, but I still labeled Hammond as derelict.
All in all, my jaunt to Indiana wasn’t that bad. The poker scene in the Midwest is second to none, and I expect the Horseshoe Hammond to continue setting the standard for WSOP Circuit success. Large fields, lucrative prize pools, and a well-run event makes the WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond a must for any poker player. While I wouldn’t go to Hammond for a vacation, I’d head there for the poker action any day of the week; with that said, I’m sure I’ll be back sooner than later.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @ChadAHolloway.
Oct
8
by Chad Holloway
On October 1, 2011, I made the three-hour drive between my house and Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota (just South of the Twin Cities). Canterbury was actually the first poker room I was ever in, way back in 2002. I hadn’t paid a visit in over five years, but I thought I’d head up there for their annual Fall Poker Classic, which has grown in both size and prestige in the past few years.
The Fall Poker Classic is Minnesota’s premiere poker series, spanning 16 days and 32 events. For a look While I wasn’t able to stay for the entirety, I took a few days off to play in some events and try my luck in their clever “Survival tournaments,” which are designed to offer a no-limit/pot-limit cash-game like experience in a state that allows neither version (more on this later).
I arrived at Canterbury Park about an hour before the first tournament, Event #1 $300 No Limit Hold’em, and promptly made my way to the cardroom, which is inside a massive race-track facility (Canterbury Park is a premiere horse-racing track). After registering, I made my way to the tournament floor and was immediately impressed. They had a nice spread for the players that included a continental breakfast, quality tables, professional dealers, and cultivated a comfortable space for a poker tournament. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much luck in that tournament. I got off to an early start, but then I picked up pocket queens and called in opponent’s all-in preflop bet. He held 10-9 of diamonds and ended up hitting trips to take a chunk of my stack, which was followed closely by my elimination.
That evening I tried the $100 NLHE bonus event, which was essentially a Turbo. I have a lot of experience in those and did quite well. However, all my hard work was for naught as they paid 30 spots and I busted in 32nd place. I nursed a short stack for a long time before trying to steal with A6o only to run into pocket queens in the big blind. I was pleased with my play, but bubbling is very demoralizing.
The following day I played Event #2 $150 NLHE, but it was fairly uneventful and I busted in Level 4. Since I couldn’t play the evening’s Seniors Event, I decided to try out the “Survival Tournaments,” which are essentially a no-limit hold’em cash game with a twist. You see, in order to satisfy state requirements, the game must be a tournament format. So, each player would buy in for a predetermined amount (i.e. $300, $500, $1,000, etc.) and would get chips totaling that amount. The game would then begin and would last for a predetermined time (two hours, three hours, etc.). When that time is up, the game is over, and players cash out whatever amount they have in front of them.
It is a really intriguing and clever concept, and it worked really well. I usually don’t like playing with a time limit, but in this instance it seemed to inspire action. My opponents had the mentality that they needed to see as many hands as possible because the clock was ticking, which proved especially true in the last half hour. Basically, they were playing a turbo tournament strategy in a cash game. Not a good idea. I employed the standard cash game strategy of playing tight and waiting for a hand, and I got paid each and every time. I ended up playing two of these Survival Tournaments, and that ultimately contributed to me coming home with more money than when I left.
On Tuesday, I played Event #3 $200 NLHE and was doing quite well. I slowly chipped up, hit a couple sets, and then received a crucial double when a short stack moved all in with A6, I shipped all in over the tops with queens, and a guy holding AK called. My queens held and that pot put me right back in it headed to the dinner break. An hour later, we returned and I proceeded to lose every single hand I played, busting in 33 place when 20 got paid. Another close, demoralizing finish.
I should also note that there were a few notables in attendance in CardRunners’ Michael Schneider and “Minneapolis” Jim Meehan, the latter actually finishing as runner up in Event #7 for $9,533. My visit to the Fall Poker Classic came to an end after that as some pressing matters caused me to leave a couple days earlier than expect, but I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Thanks to the Survival Tournaments, I returned with more than I took, and I had the chance to meet a lot of fine people, like Michael Hochman, Senior Director of Card Casino Operations (you can check out my interview with him on PokerNews).
Here are the results for the first week of the Fall Poker Classic:
- Event #1 $300 NLHE / 244 entries / $71,004 Prize Pool / Henry Holderness ($17,680)
- Bonus Event $100 NLHE / 256 entries / $24,832 Prize Pool / Mike Levine ($6,186)
- Event #2 $150 NLHE / 235 entries / $34,193 Prize Pool / Aaron Johnson ($8,513)
- Bonus Event $100 Seniors NLHE / 153 entries / $14,841 Prize Pool / Al Giardina ($3,857)
- Event #3 $200 NLHE / 219 Entries / $42,486 Prize Pool / Adam Dahlin ($11,047)
- Bonus Event $100 Ladies NLHE/ 91 entries / $8,827 Prize Pool/ Lori Cosner ($2,471)
- Event #4 $200 Omaha Hi/Lo / 131 entries / $25,414 Prize Pool / Casey Schams ($6,608)
- Bonus Event $100 NLHE / 233 entries / $22,601 Prize Pool / Eric Eelkema ($5,628)
- Event #5 $200 Mix Limit O8/Hold’em / 81 entries / $15,714 Prize Pool / Doug Fink ($4,400)
- Bonus Event $100 All-in or Fold NLHE / 74 entries / $7,178 Prize Pool / Keith Lindgren ($2,010)
- Event #6 NLHE $200 NLHE / 244 entries / $47,336 Prize Pool / Nate Fair ($11,787)
- Bonus Event $100 Mix Limit O8/Hold’em / 127 entries / $12,318 Prize Pool / Ryan Pick ($3,202)
- Event #7 $300 NLHE / 234 entries / $68,094 Prize Pool / Blake Bohn ($16,955)
- Bonus Event $100 NLHE / 300 entries / $29,100 Prize Pool / Gerald Cunniff ($7,239)
If you ever get the chance to go to Canterbury Park, be it for the Fall Poker Classic or just to play, I highly recommend it. They run a nice poker room and it proved one of the most satisfying poker experience I’ve had. If you’re interested in keeping atop the Fall Poker Classic, be sure to follow them on Twitter @CanterburyPoker. You can also follow @ChadAHolloway as I’ll be tweeting the results daily.
*Picture courtesy of Minnesota Poker Magazine.