Jan
13
by Chad Holloway
Barry Greenstein makes for a great WSOP Fantasy Poker HORSE pick.
I’ve been doing a lot of work in preparation for this year’s upcoming WSOP Fantasy Poker season. One project I’ve undertaken is sifting through WSOP stats since 2005 (which is the year Fantasy Poker began) and compiling a list of the best players in each poker variation. I just finished the H.O.R.S.E. stats and came up with what I determined to be the most valuable Fantasy Poker H.O.R.S.E. players at the W.S.O.P.
Before I get to the list, let me explain the criteria I looked at. First, I looked at the amount of money earned in H.O.R.S.E. events by each player. This meant literally making a list of every player to have ever cashed in an H.O.R.S.E. event at the W.S.O.P. I then made note of their finishes and the number of final tables they made (all important criteria in Fantasy Poker). After looking at all the stats, here are the players I consider being the top ten Fantasy Poker H.O.R.S.E. players:
10.) Doyle Brunson
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $407,904
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 1
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 3 (8th, 16th, & 22nd)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 23rd
9.) Huck Seed
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $569,769
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 2
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 2 (5th & 7th)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 15th
8.) James Van Alstyne
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $439,899
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 2
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 2 (1st, 2nd)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 22nd
7.) Mike DeMichele
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $1,251,174
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 1
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 2 (2nd, 17th)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 7th
6.) David Bach
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $1,436,646
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 1
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 2 (1st, 11th)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 5th
5.) Freddy Deeb
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $2,360,462
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 1
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 2 (1st, 14th)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 1st
4.) David Singer
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $791,605
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 2
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 4 (6th, 6th, 37th, 41st)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 11th
3.) John Hanson
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $1,641,679
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 2
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 2 (2nd, 3rd)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 4th
2.) Barry Greenstein
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $825,693
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 2
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 4 (6th, 7th, 12th, 43rd)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 10th
1.) Phil Ivey
Total H.O.R.S.E. earnings: $851,022
H.O.R.S.E. final tables: 2
H.O.R.S.E. cashes: 4 (3rd, 4th, 12th, 24th)
H.O.R.S.E. Money List Rank: 9th
I wrote a full-length article on the H.O.R.S.E. Fantasy Poker studs that will appear in Poker Pro Magazine, so check that out in the coming months. Also, I’ll be doing this with the other poker variations so you can check back here and in Poker Pro Magazine for information on the all-time top performing Fantasy Poker players. I honestly believe this’ll catapult Fantasy Poker into a whole new realm.
In other Fantasy Poker news, I’m working on a big project that I can’t talk too much about yet. Basically it’d be the best free Fantasy Poker League on the web with top notch competition and great prizes. Once things flesh themselves out, I’ll be sure to write a bunch more on it, so keep checking back. Other than that, I’ll be watching Poker After Dark this week, rooting for the UnaBomber against the likes of Antonio Esfandiari, Annette Obrestad, Mike Matusow, and Phil Hellmuth (Erick Lindgren has already been eliminated).
Jan
7
by Katrina Lim
Happy New Year!! It’s been a while and I’ve been running all over Vega$ and CA for the holidays. And while my pals are in the Bahamas now for PCA enjoying themselves without me, my new year has started on a good note! I’ve had 3 winning sessions thus far. Playing some live $1/$2 and $2/$5 and have been able to bank a few grand in a few days. Not too shabby at all. I feel really good about 2010. I really believe this is going to be a great year for me!! Less bad beats = more $$$ = more ballin’. About time.
I’ve already looked and booked my LA Poker Classic Schedule too. February is going to be tourney central at the Commerce. Can’t wait! I know qualifiers are also gonna start soon for the EPT and I will be aiming to make it to San Remo and Monte Carlo in the Spring.
As for the new year, I ended up staying in the condo to watch the fireworks on tv, but I could hear them outside loud and clear. It was a bit disappointing. Would’ve been better if every hotel on the Strip participated. The family had a fun time in Vega$. Dad and I played together, Mom shopped like crazy, and sis and Boogs roamed around but enjoyed playing video games too. Played a lot of L4D & L4D2. I really need to get back on the COD: Modern Warfare 2 track. I also wanna get started on Borderlands. So many games, too little time.
The diet is off to a good start and I promised BFF I would really try hard. She thinks I can drop the weight quickly as long as I stick to “her diet plan”. This is pretty much no carbs for 4 weeks and eating smart. I’ve loaded up on raw veggies, peanut butter, and cheese. And drinking a lot more water too. Ugh. Eating a lot of salads too! I really like Panera so when I’m craving fer a big ass burrito, I’ll go to Panera instead and get the ½ soup, ½ salad. Yummy! Ordering salads at the casino too. Ugh. Rabbit food is jank!
BFF will be back in Vega$ again next weekend and we’re gonna hit the restaurants again and watch Lion King. Two weeks ago we went to Julian Serrano and Mesa Grill and my fave, Mon Ami Gabi. We also had dinner at Nora’s in Summerlin. It’s our favorite place and the sommelier loves us now! Good food and great wine! Can’t ask fer more than that! We also went to QUA spa at Caesar’s for some relaxation. Got a much needed massage. Always a great time with BFF! I love you, BFF! Then the following week I’ll be cruising along the Mexican Riviera. I’ve never been on a cruise before so I’m excited but a bit nervous too. 7 days on a boat? Hmm, don’t know if I’ll make it. We hit Cabo, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Hope to take a land excursion. Haven’t decided which one yet. Dad says I will be fine cuz they have a casino onboard. Hmm, ok.
So my calendar is pretty much booked til the end of February. The family will be back in Vega$ the last week of March again as I got a 4 day comp at Palazzo. More fun awaits! In the meantime, just grinding as usual. 2010 is good thus far. Only 358 days left so I betta enjoy it. Happy New Year to all and may this year bring better health, more happiness, less bad beats, and more food! Now go win!
Jan
3
by Phil
Wow. What a great x-mas. In fact it may have been the best one ever. My girl got me the coolest gift EVER. I am the proud new owner of the coolest red (with white stripe down the middle) very sleek and sexy long board. Complete with a foot leash and a wet suit. Wow. I really am the luckiest guy on earth. 2 or 3 years ago I took my first surfing lesson. I had a blast that day and have been meaning to get a board ever since. But being the degen that I am I never seemed to get around to it. (Somehow I did manage to get the surf rack so I would be ready when that day arrived.)
And voila, the day arrived without me even seeing it coming. I can not wait to go and play around the water a bit. Hanging out in the ocean can be about as fun as it gets and with my new toy I feel like a 10 year old kid.
Lets see.... Other than that... What is going on??!?
Oh yes, Antonio's New Year's Eve Party. It was a lot of fun, the party was great and the gambling that followed was also quite fun. At one point Mike the Mouth had to leave the party for another party. He assured us that he would be right back! Unlikely with traffic the way it can be in Vegas on that night. Rast rose to the occasion and bet him 1000$ that he could not get back to the house by 3:30 a.m. (1.5 hrs). Mouth took the bet and promptly collected when he rolled on in at 3:05 a.m.!
Also, other than a playboy mansion party the ratio of girls to guys was the highest I had ever seen. One of my favorite bets of the night was after things had died down and the party was mostly over. (5 am or so. Yes, it actually ended that early!) The degens started betting on what the ratio was closest to. I love degens, I really do. Another great bet was when Antonio bet Robls if Rast thought this was the best party that Antonio had ever had. Rast thought it was and Antonio collected.
The view was perfect for fireworks. And the vibe could not have been better. What a great way for me and my girl to bring in the new year.
Oh yeah, I nearly forgot.
Sometimes when one of us owes another 100 dollars we will "roll it up or down" to either 0 or 1000. And somewhere in the mix a series of bigger and bigger 50 50 bets started happening. All done with dice.
I have been having a long struggle with not doing flips anymore (In 2008 I got really hammered.) But for some reason I could not resist. Every time I joined the fun I lost, and being the sick degen I am could not stop. Lose big or get unstuck was my mantra. I managed to get stuck and unstuck a total of 3 times before things just went haywire and I could not lose. It felt amazing that ride ... it really did.
When the dust had settled Antonio was even, I was up 9k, Rast was up 3k and someone else was up 13k. Robls lost 25k to us. Gross. Well, gross for him that is. For me I have officially ushered in the new year on a 9k up note from 50 50s.
Anyway, that's it for now!
Phil
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Dec
31
by Chad Holloway
The 2010 WSOP will see several changes from last year.
Can you believe that final table of the Doyle Brunson World Poker Classic? It was the last World Poker Tour event of 2009 and it definitely ended the year on a high note. The final table was a laundry list of poker pros including Shawn Buchanan, Scotty Nguyen, Josh Arieh and eventual winner, Daniel Alaei. You may best remember Alaei for his performances on High Stakes Poker on GSN, but he is quite an accomplished tournament pro as well, adding a WPT title to his two WSOP titles. Congratulations to Daniel Alaei.
In other news, I see the WSOP released it schedule for the 2010 series as well as a number of changes. This year there will be 57 bracelet events running from May 27-July 17, 2010. Here are some of my thoughts on the upcoming series and newly implemented changes:
Expanded capacity- I was at the WSOP last year and was amazed by the sheer size of everything. Poker tables as far as the eye could see; however, as it turned out it still wasn’t enough. After the Day 1D Main Event debacle, where players were shut-out for the first time ever, the staff has decided to add more tables (about 20% more) and utilize their biggest space, the Pavilion Ballroom (58,000 sq ft). I thought the Amazon Room was tremendous so I can’t wait to see the Pavilion. Needless to say, this year’s event is going to be huge.
No Food Tent- Instead, the staff is using the Miranda Room to develop a food court. This is a great idea. The food tent last year was nothing special, over-priced and way too warm for comfort. Hopefully, they will add to their selection. Definitely a positive change here with a lot of potential.
$50k H.O.R.S.E. Format Change- The decision has been made to transform the format from H.O.R.S.E. to an 8-game mix. The Chip Reese Trophy is still up for grabs and I think this is another good change. Unlike last year, this event will be broadcast on ESPN, brining the prestige back into the mix. Furthermore, most of the top pros have been enjoying the 8-game mix online and in big cash games, making it the best test of poker skill for all-around players.
Deep Starting Stacks- Last year the players really seemed to enjoy getting 3x the buy-in starting stacks with slower blind structures. This allowed players to get more play for their buck, and I’m glad the WSOP staff kept it.
More $1,000 Buy-in Events- I was there for the $1,000 “Stimulus Special” last year and it was amazing. Literally too many people too count, with multiple eliminations occurring every minute. It was obviously popular and realistic for the average poker player in today’s economy. It was a fantastic idea to expand on a successful tournament and provide the players with an affordable shot at a bracelet.
$25k 6-Handed No Limit- This is a brand new addition to the tournament schedule. With such a large buy-in, the event will likely attract the biggest names in poker. This should be a field stacked with pros, which always makes for intense competition and entertainment.
I always get excited when the new WSOP schedule is announced. It’s a great opportunity to check out the changes and begin planning what events are worth playing. This year was no different and I don’t know if I’ve ever been this excited for a WSOP. If the new changes are any indication, this may just be the best WSOP yet.