An Abomination

Other than the use of the term "corporate greed," I completely agree with him.

Poker Tournament Schedule Ruins Integrity: Joe Saumarez-Smith
2008-05-12 00:05 (New York)


Commentary by Joe Saumarez-Smith
May 12 (Bloomberg) -- Organizers of the World Series of
Poker, the game's top competition, have thrown players a curve
ball that threatens the integrity of the multimillion-dollar
tournament.
This year Las Vegas-based Harrah's Entertainment Inc. has
changed the event so that instead of playing over two weeks in
July, those who make the final table of nine players will be
asked to come back and finish during two days in November.
This, the organisers say, will allow the final table to be
shown on Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN and give the broadcaster time to
generate publicity that will maximise the audience. The 12 days
in which the estimated 7,000 players are whittled down to nine
will be broadcast in the weeks before the final, allowing viewers
to get a feel for how the players have progressed to the summit
of the poker world.
Players will benefit, the organizers say, because the
additional coverage and raised profiles surrounding the final
table will mean they can demand more cash from sponsors.
For me, and for many others in the poker community, it is an
extraordinarily stupid decision. It is a plan that ruins the
integrity of the tournament and stinks of corporate greed being
placed above the interests of the game of poker.
Consider the possible implications:
-- Players get coaching. If a rank amateur manages to get
through to the final table, then, if they have any sense, they
will employ a top player to coach them for the next four months.
Even if this means giving away 10 percent of their final table
purse, this will be good value for them.

Coaching

This effectively means that the nine sitting down in
November will have a completely different skill level to the nine
that would have sat down in July. Is this fair to the more
skilful players?
-- Increased likelihood of player collusion. Poker isn't a
team game but it is a game where a group of players can gang up,
to their mutual advantage. It's certainly not impossible that
with four months before the final table that several players
could agree to target other players.
-- If players don't agree to collude, it is far more likely
that they make a deal about dividing up the prize money. Last
year there was $22 million final table prize money, with the
winner getting $8.25 million and the ninth-place finisher
receiving $526,934.

Private Guarantee

Even if you are the most skilful player at the table, you
have to accept there is a fair degree of randomness about who
wins. The structure is so distorted toward a massive first-place
prize that players are almost certain to agree on a deal. For
example, every player could privately be guaranteed $1 million in
winnings and agree to play for the rest.
Deals may be a pragmatic way for players to reduce
randomness but it doesn't do much for the integrity of the
tournament.
-- Previous coverage distorts future play. ESPN will be
broadcasting highlights from the run-up to the final table so
players will be able to find out how their opponents play. Table
image is such a huge part of a player's game and television
simply allows people to see through that image.
All these pitfalls, just to boost ESPN's ratings and
Harrah's sponsorship revenues? It's not even as though either of
those companies add money to the tournament. Competitors are
playing for each other's entry money minus the rapacious 6
percent deduction made by Harrah's for entry and staffing costs.

`Fantastic Idea'

Not everyone agrees with me.
``I'm not sure I buy any of the theories,'' said Seth
Palansky, a spokesman for the World Series of Poker at Harrah's.
``Various theories have the amateurs and professionals both at a
disadvantage. A lot of the theories are conspiracies and not
reality and I would say wait until Nov. 9 to see how it works.''
Rob Tobias, a spokesman for ESPN, said the schedule ``will
add a new element to a very successful and popular event. We look
forward to documenting all of the exciting stories that make the
World Series of Poker Main Event the seminal competition in all
of poker.''
Tom Schneider, who was World Series of Poker player of the
year in 2007, said at the official launch, ``I think it is
fantastic idea, and I can't wait to make a final table like this.
Two years ago, who came in fourth? You probably don't remember.
In this format, everyone who makes the final table will be
remembered. They will get promoted properly and everyone will get
the attention that they deserve.''

Mental Marathon

But 2006 winner Jamie Gold summed up many people's feelings.
``It is supposed to be a mental marathon, and you aren't supposed
to get a break of several months in between,'' he told Card
Player magazine. ``It's making it two separate events instead of
one poker tournament, which I thought was part of the allure and
the great competitive nature of the event.''
For me, poker has clearly benefited from the involvement of
big corporations like Harrah's and ESPN, whose mass marketing has
undoubtedly brought new players into the game. But there are
things you can mess with and things you cannot. This year's
changes have overstepped that line.

(Joe Saumarez-Smith is chief executive officer of Sports
Gaming, a U.K. management consulting firm to the gaming industry.
He also owns European online bingo companies and odds comparison
Web sites. The opinions expressed are his own.)

Lee goes where only Hank has gone

No one else has won two titles in “regulation” season. In Season 1 when we played 20-something tournaments everyone had multiple titles. Last year Tim, Candy, and Bak had two each - and Hank had 3. In Season 2 Hank, Sean, Candy, and Shelley all had 2. But, in an eight game season it's a much tougher feat.

There’s no pic from the last tourney and I have no idea where the one from the previous win is. But, one of these if from a 5CD tourney which is appropriate since the last one was 5CD/KCL, and the other has a slight edit to make it “number one,” baby! (Not my best photoshop work, like Hank with Daniel, but it works.)

Sorry Lee. For some reason when I searched my computer for Lee pics most of what I got was naked pictures of Stacey Lee Coldren and I have no idea who that is, but to be fair, it was a better surprise than finding naked pictures of you.

Lee’s most recent win also vaunts him to first in kills with a commanding lead. HORSE is a tough game in which to gather kills with means PLO is the last real opportunity to make up ground. Hank retains the points lead and with my early exit in Event 6 Lee is the only one with a chance to catch him. Both Hank and Lee have a chance to sweep all three trophies.

The other good news from Lee’s win is the TOC probably will be held at the house with the keg because of the non-champs I have 39 points, Tim has 36, Phil has 24, and Candy has 22.

The interesting part is Tim is the only one who likes PLO and is the odds-on favorite to win Event 7. Of course Candy has a history with HORSE. Which mean if the Palmer’s sweep the last two both Phil and I would likely limp in without wins.

Not to say my goal Saturday isn’t to take Tim out because, by the way, it kinda is. Good luck Tim!

Funny ads for Gutshot

Jim Wins - Another TOC Seat Locked Up

Razz did not disappoint, in terms of being an extremely frustrating game. With eight people, three played extremely loosely early on – it worked out for two people but not for me. Tim was first out and escaped the Turkey trophy temporarily since I forgot to bring it to Hank’s. Bak and I were next followed by early chip leader Lee, Event Four’s Champion. The obvious favorite, Hank, bubbled, just as he had done on-line the day before in a Stars field about eight times larger than ours.

Phil battled back from life support, and the likely first out, all the way back to cashing, and finished third. Jim and Shelley played heads-up for about 30 minutes. Jim pounded her bring-ins with raises. She eventually “went with” a hand, as you often have to do in lowball, and paired low cards twice. The “Ricky Bobby” of the GPT now has two first-outs and one Championship, securing his seat in the Tournament of Champions, which increasingly looks like it will be held at his house!


So far the TOC looks like this: Hank, Baklava, Lee, and Jim. With Hank’s two titles there is one At Large bid available. Of the non-Champions, I lead in points with 38 ahead of Tim with 28, Candy at 19, and Sean at 18 (with just two tournaments).

Hank is well in the lead with 57 points to score his third Player of the Year trophy in four seasons.

"I am Jack's wasted life"

ShipItHolla

Can Anyone ELSE Win Stud/8?

Hank won Stud/8 for the kajillionth time. Season 1 we played everything twice and Hank one once and Bak and I chopped the second late in the season. I think Hank is the only player in the GPT to actually hold the Stud/8 title in four seasons. He overcame a large chip lead by Candy who held sway over the table from the time it was four-handed.

The win put Hank's average finish at 1.33 with two titles and a runner-up. He also overtook the kill lead with 6 after scoring 2 kills. Candy got 2 and I got 2 in the tourney.

Hank's win guarantees that at LEAST one SEAT in the TOC will go to the point-leader with no titles.

Hank is running away with the POTY race with 50 versus Baklava's 29 points in the second spot. Among non-title holders I'm third with 28, Lee is next at 21, and both Candy and Sean have 18.

The TOC Has a Home

With the new system for TOC seats the line-up is wide open and no one is guaranteed to make the cut - which put the location of the TOC into some jeopardy. But fear not - the TOC now has a home.


We had nine players which was a decent turn-out for low-ball - and more than O8 last year. Although Jim Ricky Bobby played fast he could not race out of the tournament before Poor Sean. Sean got nicked early holding #3 against Tim's #2. Shortly after Hank made a crying call against Jim to knock him out and two players were gone before the first hour ended. All the way from Daytona and all Sean got was a feather on the turkey trophy - and a night of partying in Gainesville.

The table combined at seven and I got my first kill of the season knocking out Candy, who was focused on her newly minted HORSE chip from last season. Shelly was next after moving AI over Tim's raised. I then re-raised to shut Tim out of the pot and outdrew Shelley - SHELLEY! Next out was Tim to set up the bubble.

We played four-handed for a while - Bak can add a comment to tell you how he went out because I really don't remember. I may have had something to do with it. Three way Lee was short-stacked and finally moved-in over a Hank raise. I pussed out and threw away a pat-9 and both drew three times before Lee won with a Jack-low vs. Hank's Queen-low - and I missed a chance to knock another player out and cripple the last remaining. Lee battled hard but Hank eventually took him out and collected his second kill of the tourney (and season).

Heads-up lasted forever. We started with almost identical chip stacks and chopped the money, playing for a TOC seat. After building a chip-lead I decided to gamble on a nut-draw with one card to go against a pat-hand and missed. After being crippled I steadily built back up against a series of unplayable hands and we got close to even again. After being whittled down I decided to gamble with a two-card draw to a 65. Hank stood pat and I drew two useless cards. Hank revealed a 7-low as I look my last two cards - and hit the impossible draw - runner-runner 23. Me, Hank, and the Guitar Hero all threw up in our mouths a little bit, but mostly Hank. Lucking out like that made it easier to take getting knicked on the last hand - a 765 vs. a 764 was a more fitting end to a 90-minute heads-up match than drawing two on the end to a pair or something like that.


This is an interesting brain teaser because when I set up the counting problem I get an answer I know can't be right. Assume Hank has a 75 with a 3 and a 4 in his hand. My outs are three-4s, three-3s, and four-2s, but they have to come perfect-perfect. Keep in mind, I don't have 10 outs after drawing that first card because if I catch an out first the rest of those become pair cards and I lose them - see, this is tricky. I think I know the answer but I had to rig it and couldn't set it up as a counting problem. Probably only Bak has a chance of figuring this out but if you do post it.

GPT Event 2 - Sunday November 4, Hank's House, Ace-to-Five Triple Draw

A couple of reminders:

It's at Hank's house. If you need directions reply-to-all and he'll get your e-mail.

If you show up at my house whatever you're playing won't be ace-to-five.

Daylight savings time ends Saturday night. That means 'tis the season of our discontent, and if you don't set your clock back you will be waiting an hour at Hank's house for the tourney to start.

My First Royal -- Ever

... in Stud of all games.

I was playing a HORSE cash game when it happened. Started with K-6-K, and hit four runners to the royal. Crazy. Only 7 more to catch up to Hank...

Transcript for game #12171262122 requested by baklava724
*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #12171262122:
HORSE (7 Card Stud Limit, $1/$2) - 2007/09/20 - 17:55:48 (ET)
Table 'Verbiest II' 8-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: TDandH ($27.70 in chips)
Seat 2: feebe ($39.60 in chips)
Seat 3: Geppetto43 ($48.95 in chips)
Seat 4: oreoc1943 ($33.85 in chips)
Seat 5: PLO_OLP ($49.30 in chips)
Seat 6: baklava724 ($103.05 in chips)
Seat 7: ragmuppet ($27.80 in chips)
Seat 8: mv_drive ($79.20 in chips)

*** SHOW DOWN ***
baklava724: shows [Kd 6s Kc Jd Ad Qd Td] (a Royal Flush)
feebe: mucks hand
baklava724 collected $20.30 from pot
ragmuppet said, "nh"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $21.30 Rake $1
Seat 1: TDandH folded on the 4th Street
Seat 2: feebe mucked [7c 8c 6d 6c 2c Qh 3c]
Seat 3: Geppetto43 (button) folded on the 4th Street
Seat 4: oreoc1943 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 5: PLO_OLP folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 6: baklava724 showed [Kd 6s Kc Jd Ad Qd Td]
and won ($20.30) with a Royal Flush
Seat 7: ragmuppet folded on the 5th Street
Seat 8: mv_drive folded on the 3rd Street

GPT 2008 Kicks Off - New Season, Same Result...

The 2008 Season of the GPT kicked off with a nice turnout of 15, which comfortably fit on the Main table in the renovated Poker Room and one satellite in the study. It would be easy to credit Bak’s win with his starting table, which included all the newbies, but he came to the Final Table short-stacked and was all-in several times. For those keeping score, this is the GPT’s fourth season, and Bak has won the opening Hold’em tournament three times.



The final table was a familiar affair and save for one hit-out, the cash would have included all top finishers from the last three seasons. Still, the cash table was an all-star line-up of Bak, Hank, Sean, and T-Bone (that’s the alphabetical order as well as the actual finish). On the final hand Hank limped on the button and Bak raised, Hank moved in and was insta-called by Bak - who was holding aces – “Aces! Who get’s Aces heads-up!?!”


Sean continued his killing ways taking out three players in his quest to repeat as GPT Hitman, and he finished in third. Bak’s first place finish was good for five total kills, and Hank continues to knock out the minimum relative to high finishes with one kill in hold’em.

Jim continued his Ricky Bobby approach to poker, and his name now adorns the inaugural Turkey Trophy. The first out in each of the next seven events will have his or her name on a tail feather. Jim already has threatened to take more spaces.

A quick note on the standings – they are updated but need to be edited and I have not done that yet. Right now the points are not reflected on the page but will be updated eventually, it’s just a pain. Again, points will be an issue if Bak wins another event (or someone else wins two).

We do not have a date for the next tournament but it will be at Hank’s house, and it’s not likely to be a flop game. We used to put HE and Omaha together in part to keep newbies coming back, but our more regular crowd and leisurely pace means we can spread the games out. Again, the schedule is still not final but it will include a variety of flop, draw, and stud games.

Poker is More Than Hold’em.

GPT Event 1 - Hold'em

You know you wanna win this...

HE Tune-up

GPT 2008 - Event 1 - Sunday - 1pm

GPT 2008 - Event 1 - Sunday September 30 - 1pm - Bearded Mike's house

No Limit Hold'em - $25 buy-in - No Rebuys

Here is an outline for the season with some notable changes to the GPT format.

• $25 buy-ins, no re-buys
• Starting chip stacks of $3,000 (vs. $2k previously)
• More varied locations - primarily my house but also Hank's
• This season will be known as the 2008 Season, and will stretch to May. There will not be a Fall/Spring.
• There will be eight (8) "Sanctioned" Tournaments - the winner of each tournament will secure a seat in the Tournament of Champions. So, all you Hold'em and Omaha specialists will have a chance to play me and Hank in Dealer's Choice without showing up every week, or necessarily being good at anything else...
• If, as usual, Hank wins more than one event there WILL be alternate seats. The previous POTY point system will be used for both Player of the Year and to determine alternate TOC players if someone wins multiple events. For example, if Baklava wins both Hold'em and Omaha, the player with the highest point total who did not win a Sanctioned Tournament will get a TOC seat. Note, we may add another Sanctioned Tournament if someone wins multiple tournaments during the fall. However, a 9th event would only be a hold'em event (either six-handed or a heads-up tournament).
• We have stretched the season so that the pace is not overwhelming, and everyone has a reasonable chance to play and win a TOC seat, regardless of their schedules/responsibilities.
• Because the season has been lengthened it may include "unsanctioned" events. These will look and play like our normal tournaments, and will count for POTY points, but will not be for TOC seats. We simply have to limit TOC seats to 8, but we don't have to limit how many tournaments we play if the football and basketball seasons allow it.
• This is a tentative list of sanctioned events for the 2008 season, and all but the flop games are subject to change. Note, O/8 is not on the list because last year it was our single worst attended tournament of the year (and Lance doesn't live here anymore). If there is legitimate demand it may be added back.
  o Flop games: NL Hold'em, PL Omaha.
  o Draw games: Limit 2-7 triple draw, PL A-5 triple draw, NL KCL/5-Card Draw rotation.
  o Stud games: Stud, Stud Hi/Lo 8, Razz.

Sunday Sunday Sunday, playaplaya. Shipit. Holla.

Florida Player - Roothlus in Card Player

Online Poker: Interview With Adam 'Roothlus' Levy

"Stupid Americans?" Look in Le Mirror, Frenchie

Royal Flush #7

I am good at hitting royals, it's what I do...

---

Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com.

Pros and Cons for Royals

Pro - being on the toilet at the time.

Con - playing in limit.

PokerStars Game #11542335078: Tournament #58559556, $10+$1 Hold'em Limit - Level V (150/300) - 2007/08/17 - 18:55:24 (ET)
Table '58559556 1' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: zizijoon (3125 in chips)
Seat 2: F1Fan40 (1930 in chips)
Seat 3: parmen (1775 in chips)
Seat 4: cardpro (3655 in chips)
Seat 8: Knekk (1085 in chips)
Seat 9: millencolin7 (1930 in chips)
Knekk: posts small blind 75
millencolin7: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to millencolin7 [Ah Qh]
zizijoon: folds
F1Fan40: folds
parmen: folds
cardpro: raises 150 to 300
Knekk: folds
millencolin7: calls 150
*** FLOP *** [Kh Th 7c]
millencolin7: checks
cardpro: bets 150
millencolin7: calls 150
*** TURN *** [Kh Th 7c] [6s]
millencolin7: checks
cardpro: checks
*** RIVER *** [Kh Th 7c 6s] [Jh]
millencolin7: bets 300
cardpro: folds
millencolin7 collected 975 from pot
millencolin7: shows [Ah Qh] (a Royal Flush)
millencolin7 said, "royal #7"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 975 | Rake 0
Board [Kh Th 7c 6s Jh]
Seat 1: zizijoon folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: F1Fan40 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: parmen folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: cardpro (button) folded on the River
Seat 8: Knekk (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: millencolin7 (big blind) collected (975)

Oh by the way, Hank Won

BNE (Best Name Ever)

Owner Name:

"Not Today"

Winning first hand back from break - 600 chips
Standing on an 85 and getting raised - 2,000 chips
Talking shit to a World Champion - Priceless


*** THIRD DRAW ***
millencolin7: stands pat
FossilMan: discards 1 card
millencolin7: bets 300
FossilMan: raises 300 to 600
millencolin7 said, "hit out?"
millencolin7: calls 300
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FossilMan: shows [8c 5c 2d 6h 4s] (Lo: 8,6,5,4,2)
millencolin7: shows [5d 2h 4d 3d 8h] (Lo: 8,5,4,3,2)
millencolin7 collected 3450 from pot
millencolin7 said, "not today"