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Poker Blog established in 2003 as the first stop for poker news, poker stories, and bad poker advice.

July 23, 2007

WSOP Stories You Won't See on ESPN

by Otis

The World Series of Poker is an immature phenomenon. Like me, its history spans more than three decades. Like me, it is still trying to figure out its place in the world. It doesn't know if it is still simply a gambler's convention. It wants to be something far greater. It wants to be a cultural mainstay, something along the lines of the ball-oriented World Series or the Superbowl. It's somewhere in between and its adolescence is not the easiest of times in its existence. Like any kid moving into adulthood, there's the acne, the hair in places where there was no hair before, and certain atavistic urges that are impossible to explain.

There are a lot of people wishing the WSOP would either grow up or fade into obscurity. Then there others who believe we're seeing a natural process. Whether Darwinism or the hand of an unseen power takes over, what happens with the World Series will happen regardless, and there's not much you or I can do about it.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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July 22, 2007

WSOP Player of the Year?

by Otis

Let's face it. Unless you are part of the full-time poker world, are from Phoenix, or read Pokerati, you probably hadn't heard of Tom Schneider until this year. Hell, I bet only 10% of the people who read this blog actually know who he is now. Yet, Tom Schneider is the 2007 World Series Player of the Year. There's no taking that away from him. Further, there is no taking away the check he earned for getting there. Tom will hold the title--much better than the nickname "donkeybomber" he carries around with him--until at least summer of 2008.

And there's a damn good chance when the next person wins it, Tom will fade back into the same obscurity in which he wallowed up to this point.

Is it right? No. Is it how the New Poker World works? Sadly, yes.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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July 16, 2007

Otis Makes the Big Time

by Luckbox

Check out this little article over at ESPN.com and on the right side, you'll see a video box. Click on "All In Access: Blogger Mania" and see one of our own (with some curious facial hair).

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July 14, 2007

Tossing limes

by Otis

Once the World Series main event gets this deep, my time to play poker is nil. So, to stay in action, Pauly and I spend ten minutes a night in what Pokerati has dubbed "The World Series of Lime Tossing." It's about the only way I can get in action.

Dan found us on the Lime Tossing Ledge and wrote it up for posterity. While my prop bets with Pauly and Dan show me officially down about three small bets, I managed to hustle a Brit to make up the difference. With just a few days left in the Series, my time to put Pauly in his place and run the Citrus Gambit on Dan is getting short.

Monday, however, is a day off at the World Series. I'm currently recruiting players for the WSOPgP (World Series of Pai Gow Poker). We'll see how everybody fares there.

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July 9, 2007

Hirsute

by Otis

Cross posted from Rapid Eye Reality

With limited time and limited mental acuity, I don't have time to properly explain why I'm doing this. To be honest, I don't even want to explain it. It's been a few days since someone said to me, "If I were you, I would kill myself." Since I didn't agree, I vowed to live a life bent on making sure I never said anything to anyone with such vitriol. I've done such over the past few days. Now, I'm taking it one more step. I'm vowing to make sure others feel as good about their lives as I do.

A friend of mine who is with me here in Vegas is on a quest, and far be it for me not to help him. So, I ask my meager readership here to help me. Please, if you can, use your blogs to link to the following blog with the following words.

Linked words: Hairy gymnast
Target: http://suffolkpunchpoker.blogspot.com

Please know, this is important work you're doing. Every Hairy gymnast will thank you.

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July 1, 2007

Hachem's Hundred

by Otis

It was early April in Monte Carlo, Monaco. A sport jacket was enough to shield me from the still chill in the air, and anything that Devilfish might have had on his hands as he threw his arm around me in a mutal drunkard's "I love you, man" salute. I was in a club with half-naked women and drunk poker players. It was some sort of launch party for some sort of poker skin supported by some sort of British players. The drinks weren't free, because anything being free--or even affordable--in Monte Carlo is against the principality's laws.

At some point, I saw a friend order four bottles of booze from the bar at a price that I dare not reveal. She'd put it on her own credit card and was hoping to recoup it later. I was moochinig, in part because I couldn't afford to catch a nice buzz on my own, and, in part, because everybody else was doing it.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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June 27, 2007

Notes from the floor

by Otis

"If you get a bloody nose, they won't let you back in the box."
--WSOP dealer

Poker is a game of time. I once told my wife if I don't have six hours to dedicate to a live game, I can't play right.

Time for me at the World Series is in short supply. I've been trying to find six free hours to play and coming up short. I've played one six-hour session since I've been here.

That's just not enough.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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June 21, 2007

Face in the crowd

by Otis

I knew it because I had stopped taking pleasure in my friends' success. Instead, I felt a nagging envy that set my mind wandering to places it shouldn't be. In the past, friends' success would be cause for celebration, a mutual endorphin rush that comes from the home team winning. My feelings had started to become the equivalent of the former leadoff hitter watching his replacement steal another base. The home team may be headed to the playoffs, but for the guy on the bench, it's just another reminder that he won't ever have a chance at being in the Hall of Fame.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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June 18, 2007

G-Vegas in Vegas

by Otis

The G-Vegas underground scene has briefly transplanted itself to Vegas. Walking around the Rio is like walking into the Depot or Gaelic game on any given night. A guy that G-Vegans sometimes affectionately call "Rebuy" won $300K in an event a couple days ago. Late last night, I ran into several other G-Vegas players sitting at the Hooker Bar.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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June 8, 2007

WSOP: Under the table

by Otis

"Do you know Otis?" one member of the media asked another.

"Know him? I've practically slept with him."

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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June 5, 2007

Huggles for everybody!

by Otis

I was minding my own business when the girl walked up. She was on the phone and hidden behind a pair of big, dark sunglasses. The first thing I noticed--seriously--was her toes.

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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February 28, 2007

World Series of Poker News

by Luckbox

NASCAR, meet WSOP.

Starting this year, it sounds like you'll be able to wear 32 different patches during the World Series of Poker if your heart desires. Harrah's has significantly reduced the restrictions when it comes to personal advertising. Here's what you can and can't wear:

More in this Poker Blog! -->
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February 13, 2007

The 2 Million Chip Mystery

by Luckbox

Two million chips magically appeared at the tail end of the 2007 World Series of Poker and, for awhile, it seemed like not a whole lot would be said about it. That's until Amy Calistri and Tim Lavalli did their best Sherlock Holmes and shined a bright light on either an unfortunate mistake or a horrible case of cheating.

It's been six months since they first blew the lid off this case and now they're back with a great update. It's a must-read.

Two Million Chips: Six Months After by Amy Calistri and Tim Lavalli

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January 10, 2007

WSOP Goes Crazy

by Luckbox

The 46 event schedule at the 2006 World Series of Poker was long... but not varied. Despite the wise addition of a $50,000 HORSE event (which was, unfortunatley, too compacted), the Series was loaded with too many Hold 'Em events, especially NLHE events.

It seems the people running the whole shebang got the message.

There are 55 different events this year. Prior to the Main Event, there are 12 standard NLHE events with open fields (there's also a Casino Employees event and a Women's event). There are also three 6-handed NLHE events, two NLHE Re-Buy events, one NLHE Shootout, one NLHE Heads-up and one Mixed HE event (limit and no limit). Both the Heads-up and Mixed HE events are brand new this year.

The fun part this year seems to be the variety. In addition to the return of the wildly popular $50,000 HORSE event (which is now five days instead of three) we get a more reasonably priced $5000 HORSE event. Event #5 is an interesting $2500 O8/Stud 8 mixed game. There's also a 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball Rebuy event that sounds like fun... for those who actually play the game.

The other addition this year will be space for about 80 more tables giving the Harrah's folks up to 300 tables and seats for up to 3300 at a time (if they choose to start events 11-handed). With that in mind, there are only three Day 1s and only one Day 2. Last year, there were four Day 1s, two Day 2s and an off day before Day 3 even started.

I guess I could take more time and compare this year's schedule more closely to last year's... but I'm a journalist in real life and don't feel like playing one at home. Look for smarter people to bring you more in depth analysis. In the meantime, here's a link to the World Series of Poker 2007 Schedule.

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