World Series of Poker- Tournament of Champions

by Chad Holloway

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I remember a few years back watching the Tournament of Champions on ESPN where  Annie Duke defeated a stacked final table to take home $1 million.  She outlast some of the biggest names in poker including Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey.  It was literally the best poker players in the world facing off against each other for a winner-take-all prize.  The tournament continued for two more years (although with slightly different formats), but was discontinued after 2006.  I’m happy to say that Harrah’s recently announced that they will be brining back the tournament at the 2010 World Series of Poker.

This is an absolutely great idea.  The tournament will feature 27 players competing for a $1 million prize pool, with the winner taking home $500,000, the second-place finisher receiving $250,000, $100,000 for third, and $25,000 for finishing fourth-ninth.  The field will consist of the three past TOC winners (Mike Matusow, Mike Sexton, and Annie Duke) along with the reigning WSOP and WSOPE main-event winners (Joe Cada and Barry Shulman).  Two spots will be reserved for qualifiers (they may be reserved for online qualifiers).  The exciting part of it all is that the other 20 spots will be given away based on a public poll at wsop.com.

According to Ty Stewart, Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment vice, the WSOP is, “thrilled to reinvent (the Tournament of Champions) around a model that should elevate the game by engaging millions of poker fans.  We have received a lot of input from players and their affinity for the TOC, and we are excited for them and the fans and hope it’s here to stay.”

Here is the catch: only players who have won a WSOP bracelet in the past will be eligible to be voted in, so many of the most successful online pros or cash game players won’t make the cut.   This means no Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan or even our beloved Phil Laak.  At wsop.com, they have a list of the current 521 surviving WSOP bracelet holders for voters to choose from.  The poll is open now and poker fans can vote for their favorite players until the poll closes on June 15, 2010 at midnight.  The tournament itself will take place at the WSOP on June 27 and will be broadcast on ESPN in a two-hour episode on Aug. 3.  

I’m pretty excited to have the chance to vote for some of my favorite players.  Although I can’t vote for my man the Unabomber, I did vote for his lady, Jennifer Tilly, and good friend, Antonio Esfandiari.  I am also encouraging everyone I know (including you) to vote for David “Devilfish” Ulliott.  Its been awhile since I’ve seen the Devilfish and I think he is one of the most entertaining characters in poker.  It’d be great to see him in this tournament, so you all should throw a vote his way.  So without further adieu, here are my twenty votes for the 2010 WSOP Tournament of Champions:

David “Devilfish” Ulliott 

Antonio Esfandiari 

Phil Ivey 

Daniel Negreanu 

Jason Mercier 

Robert Williamson III 

Jennifer Tilly 

Annette Obrestad 

Johnny Chan 

Erik Seidel 

Amarillo Slim Preston 

Billy Baxter 

Chris Ferguson 

T.J. Cloutier 

Scotty Nguyen 

Jennifer Harman 

Erick Lindgren 

Jeffrey Lisandro

 

WSOP Fantasy Poker

by Chad Holloway

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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).

 

Changes for the 2010 WSOP

by Chad Holloway

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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.

So Close Yet So Far = Jank

by Katrina Lim

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The Bahamas are calling!

AARRGGHH!! I played another Sunday qualifier fer PCA and finished 6th! I needed to finish in the top 2 to win my way to the Bahamas!!! ARGH!!! Felt janky fer a good hour or so…ugh. Then I played Left For Dead and after a few successful campaigns, was feelin’ good again. Had fun killing all those zombies! OMG, this game rules! And I was playing online with bro, E-Dog, and Eugene so it was even more fun! I’m also Xsporean on XBOX Live!

So last night I played and won another pre-qualifier so I’m in fer cheap fer this Sunday’s PCA qualifier again! Man, I better qualify this Sunday or else! I can already see the beach, cocktails, trashy mags, and FOOD! Never been to Bahamas! Never been to Atlantis! People tell me it’s paradise! I don’t believe them so I need to find out fer myself. And with lil sis already in, it’ll be such a fun trip!!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I’m hungry! Will be fun eating and chilling and eating some more. Check out the menu, yo!

Big ass bird (Thanks Uncle Joe!) with mama’s famous Chinese stuffin’!! Her secret ingredient? Shitake mushrooms and chestnuts, yo! And we also gotz green bean casserole, fruit salad, homemade mashers, and even sweet potater casserole! Throw in a pumpkin pie and homemade tiramisu and wash it all down with some pinot noir and sparkling cider and you gotz a couple extra pounds, easy! Oh, but so worth it! Thanksgiving is the only day where we’re supposed to overeat and feel good about it! So I only want to do my part and continue this great American tradition! Hmm, I will hafta check if Kobe is on! A Lakers win will complete my holiday.

Then Black Friday! I love Black Friday cuz who doesn’t like shoppin’ fer cheap?! And it’s also a tradition to wake up at an ungodly hour and support our economy! And fer those newbies that don’t know how to handle the masses, please be extra careful and don’t get hurt! Holy hell! Every damn year some poor shoppers let others walk all over them (literally!). Be safe out there! Hopefully, I can drag my sis to come with me to all these places and we can snag some deals! When else can you get yurself a slow cooker, coffeemaker, toaster, etc. for $3 each??!! Ah, Friday starts the holiday shopping season! December is an expensive month fer me. With birthdays on the 11th, 12th, 14th, and 15th, I am a broke bee-at-ch. Jank. Throw in Christmas, and by the new year, it’s true jankity jank. I am really tempted to pick up another PS3 just to have another blu-ray player in the house to go with the new 50” plasma and it comes with free copies of Batman’s Arkham Asylum and Infamous. These 2 games are right up my alley and I’ll also get a free blu-ray of The Dark Knight. Anyway, gonna make my shoppin’ list later today.

Watched the WSOP final table and ESPN sure made poker look like more of a crapshoot than a game of skill. Would’ve been nice to see Phil win it. And what’s up with Jeff “Grizzly Adams” Schulman?! Yo, I know you can afford a razor! I need to find out from Joe Cada how he knows when Ducks and Tres’ are gonna flop sets! You’re a genius! Congrats!

Playin’ some SNGs today and then meetin’ up with BFF fer lunch at the beach. Then gonna go to her neighbor’s holiday boutique tonight with the gang. Should be fun! Have a winning day everybody!