Getting Ready for the Main Event

It has been a tough WSOP for me this year.  I’ve had two small cashes, but I’m losing to the series.  The long days of playing have exhausted me.  I have taken a few days off to relax and rest.  I am very excited for the Main Event and will be playing on July 4th.

Hoyt Corkins

Bittersweet WSOP

Todd Brunson and Doyle Brunson at 2009 WSOP - photo courtesty of pokernews.com

This and That: Golf and Poker

This and That: Golf and Poker

I just got back from the 3rd annual World Series of Golf which was held at the Paiute Golf resort in Las Vegas and sponsored by the Mirage Hotel.  In the 3 years that they have had it, this is by far the strongest field. Word is getting out that you can combine golf and poker and gamble at it and it has taken the gambling world by storm.

This year’s event attracted a full field of 125 players, a combination of high limit poker pokers, top golfers and all sorts of hustlers that like to do both. There was actually an alternate list of 8 players that never got in. Here is how it works. Each group consists of 5 players all fairly equal in ability based on the tournament director( in the case that a better player was put into a group then a tee spot on every hole was used for the other 4). Each player started with a $10,000 bankroll on the 1st tee. Each group had a croupier(referee) and an official scorekeeper. On the 1st tee they high carded for the button and in the order of their high cards proceeded to tee off. The order never changed but the button rotated on every hole giving all the players an equal opportunity to check, bet or raise and give them position. Every player would ante $100 and every 3 holes the antes would double, like a poker tournament. Of course as the ante goes up you find yourself in the position to have to gamble when you get low on chips. Player with the button hits his drive and the other 4 players follow. Now everyone arrives at the player who hit first, the dealer. The dealer can now check or bet depending on the positioning of his tee ball. (Example on a par 4 of average length if the dealer hits it in the middle and is first to act he might make a small bet of $300 into a $500 dollar pot, or he could check or if he is 20 yards the farthest down the fairway and his opponents in trouble he could over bet the pot for maybe $800 and take it right there. Now after the dealer acts the players act in the order that they hit there teeballs. (Example: Dealer bets $300, next player hit it in the rough, he folds. Next player hit it next to player A and he calls $300. Next player hit it in the water and he folds. Last player of the 5 some hit it 25 yards past everyone and he decides to move in for all his chips, let’s say it’s the first hole and he’s all in for 10k. Now it goes back to player A and he can call or fold. Same to the 3rd player in the pot. If they both fold then the player who moved in wins a pot of $$11,000. ( his all in of $9900, remember he anted a $100, two $300 bets on the drive and $500 in antes). If of course he is called and one of the players wins the hole the other is eliminated and player who wins pot just doubled up. If they tie the hole then they split the pot, same on a 3 way. There is betting on every shot and the strategy of playing to your golf strength is very important. It is particularly interesting on the par 3’s. Anyway you get the picture, i hope. The antes double every 3 holes so by the time you get to hole#16 they are $3200. Each player also has a caddy or “financial advisor” and they can consult them before every decision or shot. I was fortunate to caddy for my close friend Blair Rodman, A top poker pro and one of the better golfers in the poker community. We acted together on every shot and bet accordingly and i believe we had a big advantage. We were able to read our opponents golf ability and see the betting patterns that they used. Lots of insight. We managed to beat our group and advance to the 2nd day. Blair played really well and his betting was both timely and smart. Each winner of your group advances to the 2nd day and if you get to day 2 you get your buy in of $10,000 back. Now there are 25 players and they are paired in groups of 5 and the same format takes place for day 2. The only difference is you carry over your first day chip count so everyone starts with $50k in chips. Antes are much higher day 2 and so on. At the end of the day 2 there are 5 players left to play in the finals. 5th place was $30k, 4th was $40k, 3rd was $50k, 2nd was $100,000 and 1st was $300,000. Unfortunately Blair got knocked out on the 17th hole day 2. Our own DoylesRoom  pro Shun Yushida, a high limit Bellagio poker pro also advanced to the 2nd round with a highly dramatic playoff win, literally a 2 outer on the river! He also lost in round 2 in another playoff, very close and he played great. The eventual winner was Jody Garaventa from Raleigh North Carolina an 11 handicap golfer and poker pro. His caddy was tournament and poker pro Chip Jett who probably helped him quite a bit. Lots of high limit players participated including Phil Ivey (lost in the 1st round in a crazy playoff) Patrick Antonius out in round 1 also. High limit poker pros David Oppenheim, David Benyamine and Daniel Negreanu advanced to round 2 but were eliminated. There were also a hand full of celebrities that participated. I know that next year will attract even more big names. It was great to be a part of and I am looking forward to more great golf and poker during the WSOP.