For those of you who didn't see it last Tuesday night Jerry Yang, a previously unknown poker player from Laos and living in California, took down the $8.25 million first place prize at the World Series of Poker Championship Event. For those of us (yes, I did) that viewed the entirety of the fifteen plus hours of PPV coverage, it was very interesting to watch this final table play out. Yang went on the attack from the outset and seemed to throw everyone off their game, including the two notable professionals at the final table in Lee Watkinson and Alex Kravchenko (who was my choice and went out fourth). He's admitted that he knew that was the only way to get out of his eighth place starting position and it seemed to work magically for him.
I've hypothesized that Yang used a "reverse" strategy in this tournament. In most tournament strategy it is thought that you play tight at the onset of a final table and, as the players drop away, relax your starting hand standards. Yang seemed to turn this around from the start of play at the final table, using a hyper-aggressive style early and tightening up late, and it worked perfectly for him. As the players dropped away and his chip stack dominated the table, he selectively chose hands to eliminate his opponents and is a deserving champion.
The next question to answer is what kind of World Champion and ambassador of the game will Jerry Yang be? I don't see him rushing to play in every poker tournament that comes around. He seems as though he wants to do well for his family and for his community (his donation of 10% of his championship purse is an excellent statement to this) and, as such, could be just what poker needs at this point. Yang can show something that many of us involved in the poker world know...that the poker world is filled with players with just as big a heart as they display at the tables, that they can do admirable deeds from within their own convictions and, yes, that a man who has a deep devotion to religion is a part of the poker community and is successful at it.
Some may say that his "prayers" at the tables were disconcerting and wrong and, yes, I would be one of them. After some thought, though, I have to let that go. Yang is a man who simply was caught in the moment and vocally stated what many players potentially do in their heads when they play. I don't think that we will have this type of situation show up at the tables so it isn't a thing we have to worry about.
We will see Jerry Yang at some tournaments, perhaps increasing knowledge about charitable causes, perhaps serving as a spokesman regarding how he quantifies his faith with gaming, perhaps in ways we haven't thought of yet. I believe he will be a gentleman first and will be something that was necessary for the game of poker. And if he doesn't win another tournament, earn another cash or even participate in another game again, he has given us a champion that we can be proud of definitely.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Let The Games Begin!
The World Series of Poker $10K Championship Event (and that's what it is called...the "Main Event" monicker is a television creation) is about an hour away from its start and, from the reports I have viewed, there could be anywhere from 4000 to 12000 players that come to the felt to take their shot at becoming the next World Champion. There are many aspects that will bear watching as the cards fly.
First off is that question of how many players will actually be there. There was a much ballyhooed annoucement last week that TPTB at the WSOP (read: Harrah's) added a fourth day to the action, but this is to alleviate overcrowding and to avoid having to use the much hated Poker Tent there at the Rio. I have long contended that there will be around 5500 players who will be there and, even over four days, this still sounds logical (1500 players over the four days runs out to 6000 players). If the numbers approach last year's record, then we can definitely say that the 2007 has been an overwhelming success.
Secondly, who will win it? Looking back at the winners over this year's preliminary events, it was a pretty even balance of professionals (both notable, as in the case of Phil Hellmuth, Allen Cunningham and Erik Seidel), "unknown" professionals (just look at double bracelet winner Tom Schneider, who played excellent poker to take down the WSOP Player of the Year award) and newcomers who now can say they are a World Series champion. This is the year, though, that I believe a notable professional can take it down. I think Allen Cunningham last year demonstrated what has to be done...patient play, grind it out and, once at the final table, let the game come your way.
I certainly hope that some of the issues that plagued last year (the "mystery" chips, youthful and inexperienced "exuberance" to the point of arrogance, etc.) won't come into play. It would be refreshing to see a couple of known names make it to the final table and battle it out with the hopefuls without any theatrics being played out.
With that, let's get the chips clicking and the cards in the air. About eleven days from now, we will find out who is the champion of the World Series of Poker.
First off is that question of how many players will actually be there. There was a much ballyhooed annoucement last week that TPTB at the WSOP (read: Harrah's) added a fourth day to the action, but this is to alleviate overcrowding and to avoid having to use the much hated Poker Tent there at the Rio. I have long contended that there will be around 5500 players who will be there and, even over four days, this still sounds logical (1500 players over the four days runs out to 6000 players). If the numbers approach last year's record, then we can definitely say that the 2007 has been an overwhelming success.
Secondly, who will win it? Looking back at the winners over this year's preliminary events, it was a pretty even balance of professionals (both notable, as in the case of Phil Hellmuth, Allen Cunningham and Erik Seidel), "unknown" professionals (just look at double bracelet winner Tom Schneider, who played excellent poker to take down the WSOP Player of the Year award) and newcomers who now can say they are a World Series champion. This is the year, though, that I believe a notable professional can take it down. I think Allen Cunningham last year demonstrated what has to be done...patient play, grind it out and, once at the final table, let the game come your way.
I certainly hope that some of the issues that plagued last year (the "mystery" chips, youthful and inexperienced "exuberance" to the point of arrogance, etc.) won't come into play. It would be refreshing to see a couple of known names make it to the final table and battle it out with the hopefuls without any theatrics being played out.
With that, let's get the chips clicking and the cards in the air. About eleven days from now, we will find out who is the champion of the World Series of Poker.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
The End Of An Era
Over two and a half years ago, I started writing for PokerNews (and I am not going to glorify them with a link in this article). I had been writing about poker for about a year at that point and, when they said they liked my work and wanted me to write EXCLUSIVELY for them, I was more than happy to take part in the work. Thus started what has been a great journey which will only get better.
Over the past 2 1/2 years, I have written over 600 (and that's conservative) articles that have been repeated around the world, for which I am grateful (if you don't believe me, Google it...Earl Burton and Poker, or you can go to PokerNews and put my name in their search area). I covered tournaments from LA to Mississippi and wanted to do more (I actually pushed PokerNews to cover tournaments...I was told it wasn't "financially viable" as they got no extra signups to earn them money from reporting tournaments). I covered the last two World Series and really wanted to be there for this one.
When PokerNews started covering tournaments in 2007 (and, I must add, this is not going to be a full time thing...don't expect to see them cover every WPT, WSOPC or even major tournaments that are outside of those), I was somehow left out of the mix. When I wrote a three part preview of the WPT Championship that they asked to be cut to one article (which were run on this blog), flags went up. When I tried to repeat my 2006 series on the WSOP for this year's event, that was squelched as well. That was perhaps a warning of things to come.
I was a major part of making PokerNews what it is today...I can remember a time when it was me and a certain editor I won't mention were the only pieces. Apparently he forgot those times...I am no longer working with PokerNews.
I am not alone in this exodus from PokerNews, though. I am comforted by the fact that Tim Lavalli (the Poker Shrink) has also ended his association with them. Apparently there is much more going on than what I, sitting 1500 miles from the WSOP, knows about...which was one of my main bones of contentions to start with.
It is unfair to ask readers to read pieces that are written by someone who isn't there, giving them the stories as if they are. In the first 15 days of the WSOP, I wrote 38 articles like I was there, but did nothing other than read the live updates and create a story around them. Then I saw these stories chopped to nothing more than a scorecard that you could get from any site anywhere. That was the final straw.
I talked to two well respected poker people and they commiserated with me. Apparently it went to a length that it was mentioned to TPTB at PokerNews that I mentioned it. Well, PokerNews felt it was "insubordinate" of me to mention their transgressions and, thus, I am gone.
What is wrong is that people I consider great friends have not come to the defense of a fellow writer. Apparently they are more consumed with their efforts than the (correct) objections of a comrade who should have been backed. But perhaps that is the current state of poker reporting.
So, instead of the (edited) writing you saw over the first part of the WSOP, you now have a film student with no prior poker experience doing stories. I'll leave that to creative people to figure out who and what. It is the end of an era and perhaps it was overdue. There's quite a bit more that I could say but, for now, I won't. You can be sure of this, however...I am going to write about the poker world and I will find a new home soon.
Over the past 2 1/2 years, I have written over 600 (and that's conservative) articles that have been repeated around the world, for which I am grateful (if you don't believe me, Google it...Earl Burton and Poker, or you can go to PokerNews and put my name in their search area). I covered tournaments from LA to Mississippi and wanted to do more (I actually pushed PokerNews to cover tournaments...I was told it wasn't "financially viable" as they got no extra signups to earn them money from reporting tournaments). I covered the last two World Series and really wanted to be there for this one.
When PokerNews started covering tournaments in 2007 (and, I must add, this is not going to be a full time thing...don't expect to see them cover every WPT, WSOPC or even major tournaments that are outside of those), I was somehow left out of the mix. When I wrote a three part preview of the WPT Championship that they asked to be cut to one article (which were run on this blog), flags went up. When I tried to repeat my 2006 series on the WSOP for this year's event, that was squelched as well. That was perhaps a warning of things to come.
I was a major part of making PokerNews what it is today...I can remember a time when it was me and a certain editor I won't mention were the only pieces. Apparently he forgot those times...I am no longer working with PokerNews.
I am not alone in this exodus from PokerNews, though. I am comforted by the fact that Tim Lavalli (the Poker Shrink) has also ended his association with them. Apparently there is much more going on than what I, sitting 1500 miles from the WSOP, knows about...which was one of my main bones of contentions to start with.
It is unfair to ask readers to read pieces that are written by someone who isn't there, giving them the stories as if they are. In the first 15 days of the WSOP, I wrote 38 articles like I was there, but did nothing other than read the live updates and create a story around them. Then I saw these stories chopped to nothing more than a scorecard that you could get from any site anywhere. That was the final straw.
I talked to two well respected poker people and they commiserated with me. Apparently it went to a length that it was mentioned to TPTB at PokerNews that I mentioned it. Well, PokerNews felt it was "insubordinate" of me to mention their transgressions and, thus, I am gone.
What is wrong is that people I consider great friends have not come to the defense of a fellow writer. Apparently they are more consumed with their efforts than the (correct) objections of a comrade who should have been backed. But perhaps that is the current state of poker reporting.
So, instead of the (edited) writing you saw over the first part of the WSOP, you now have a film student with no prior poker experience doing stories. I'll leave that to creative people to figure out who and what. It is the end of an era and perhaps it was overdue. There's quite a bit more that I could say but, for now, I won't. You can be sure of this, however...I am going to write about the poker world and I will find a new home soon.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Tired Of The Bitching
I just wrapped up my writing for the day, the twelfth day of the World Series, and I thought it would be a good idea to roam around and check out some of the other work by bloggers who ARE actually sitting at the World Series of Poker, rather than sitting in their living room writing about it. Boy, am I disappointed.
I really get sick and tired of hearing people whine in their blogs about how "tough" it is to cover the WSOP. I had done it for the past two years and, if I had my way, I'd be doing it again this year. I also went through those twelve to sixteen hour days, the hassles of people (both associated with the event and otherwise), questionable eating habits, the sleep deprivation and everything that I am reading about this year. You know what...if you don't fucking love poker, then get the hell out of there and let those who do (and perhaps have more of a care about the game than you do) take your place. It would be better for those who read about the sport as well as the game itself.
Yes, I am still bitter about not being in Vegas for the WSOP this year. But I am also trying to make the best out of it. Those who gripe about having to be there, well, they shouldn't be. Go ahead and leave now and maybe those who actually give a fuck can take over the guardianship of portraying poker as well as possible.
I'm not saying sanitize what goes on at the WSOP. But there is a line between telling a story and trying to make everything more tawdry than it is. It takes a little more work to present a good story than to pander to the lowest common denominator and most aren't willing to make that little extra effort. And if you don't like what you are doing, then leave...no one's forcing you to stay there.
I have some ideas for media coverage that I am working into a concise plan and many in the industry probably will not like it. But if poker is to become a major entity (perhaps even a major sport?), then it is necessary to do some of the things I am thinking. I'll tell you more about them after that plan is finished and in the hands of the proper people.
With that said, have to congratulate Phil Hellmuth on #11. He was killing the final table, got up to a point at one time when he had more than the remaining three players had total, and charged to the championship. Doyle Brunson himself called Phil, "the greatest no limit tournament player ever"...don't think you can get higher praise than that.
I really get sick and tired of hearing people whine in their blogs about how "tough" it is to cover the WSOP. I had done it for the past two years and, if I had my way, I'd be doing it again this year. I also went through those twelve to sixteen hour days, the hassles of people (both associated with the event and otherwise), questionable eating habits, the sleep deprivation and everything that I am reading about this year. You know what...if you don't fucking love poker, then get the hell out of there and let those who do (and perhaps have more of a care about the game than you do) take your place. It would be better for those who read about the sport as well as the game itself.
Yes, I am still bitter about not being in Vegas for the WSOP this year. But I am also trying to make the best out of it. Those who gripe about having to be there, well, they shouldn't be. Go ahead and leave now and maybe those who actually give a fuck can take over the guardianship of portraying poker as well as possible.
I'm not saying sanitize what goes on at the WSOP. But there is a line between telling a story and trying to make everything more tawdry than it is. It takes a little more work to present a good story than to pander to the lowest common denominator and most aren't willing to make that little extra effort. And if you don't like what you are doing, then leave...no one's forcing you to stay there.
I have some ideas for media coverage that I am working into a concise plan and many in the industry probably will not like it. But if poker is to become a major entity (perhaps even a major sport?), then it is necessary to do some of the things I am thinking. I'll tell you more about them after that plan is finished and in the hands of the proper people.
With that said, have to congratulate Phil Hellmuth on #11. He was killing the final table, got up to a point at one time when he had more than the remaining three players had total, and charged to the championship. Doyle Brunson himself called Phil, "the greatest no limit tournament player ever"...don't think you can get higher praise than that.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Lacking Excitement For The WSOP
The cards are flying, chips are clicking, murmured voices, shouts of victory or vanquish...all are going on now at the World Series of Poker, which started today. Yours truly has landed in...his couch in Austin, writing about action I am not seeing and depending on a smattering of two sentence statements to build a story.
That is easy enough...in fact, it is so easy that nearly anyone can do it. Which is the insult to someone, like myself, who has covered the poker world for quite some time now and, for reasons unknown, cannot be sitting there to be in on the biggest yearly event in poker.
I have gotten some folks who have commiserated with my position, and for that I thank them. But it still is something that bugs the recesses of my being that I CANNOT COVER IT LIVE. It still isn't done yet...there are things that are working and, potentially, I could at least make it there for the Main Event. However, there has been an announcement that there will be no audience for the Final Table, so that isn't very good.
However, I will do the best I can with what I am READING. I emphasize that point because, as I believe, you can only do the best job possible by actually seeing what is happening, talking to the people, friends and family surrounding the players and capturing the scene as it happens. I certainly wish that it was that way....
That is easy enough...in fact, it is so easy that nearly anyone can do it. Which is the insult to someone, like myself, who has covered the poker world for quite some time now and, for reasons unknown, cannot be sitting there to be in on the biggest yearly event in poker.
I have gotten some folks who have commiserated with my position, and for that I thank them. But it still is something that bugs the recesses of my being that I CANNOT COVER IT LIVE. It still isn't done yet...there are things that are working and, potentially, I could at least make it there for the Main Event. However, there has been an announcement that there will be no audience for the Final Table, so that isn't very good.
However, I will do the best I can with what I am READING. I emphasize that point because, as I believe, you can only do the best job possible by actually seeing what is happening, talking to the people, friends and family surrounding the players and capturing the scene as it happens. I certainly wish that it was that way....
Monday, May 28, 2007
Memorial Day, The WSOP And Other Thoughts
It is Memorial Day, a day which, as a former Marine, means quite a bit to me. Since our involvement in Iraq (among other battles), the true meaning of Memorial Day has become very relevant to those who haven't served in the armed forces. A heartfelt "Semper Fidelis" to my brethren serving now, past and future, as to all of the men and women who have served in the other branches.
At the end of this week, the World Series will kick off once again. It will be very interesting to see just what will happen. The Mirage Poker Showdown for the WPT last week "only" drew 309 players to the felt, perhaps because of the preparations that players need to make to be able to put their complete concentration on the six weeks of the WSOP. I think this week's WPT Mandalay Bay Poker Championship will be interesting to watch as well, as far as their numbers go.
The first week of the WSOP will be critical to getting a read on what will happen for the entirety of the event. Last year, it was not uncommon for the $1500 and $2000 events to pull in over 2,000 players. Will those events pull in the same numbers this year, or will the after effects of the UIGEA crush American participation and give rise to a significant number of foreign players making their mark? And just how much did online poker add to the astronomical fields of the events for the past couple of years? Many questions out there...we should have a read on it within the first week of the event.
Add in the tournaments at the Bellagio (the Bellagio Cup III, a new WPT event), the Venetian (the second Venetian Deep Stacks event), and even Binion's (the First Annual Binion's Poker Championship) and there is plenty of poker action in Las Vegas, regardless of your bankroll or possibilities. I would expect to see many professionals, semi-pros and even those taking their first shots at the tournament experience to be criss-crossing Vegas like Christmas shoppers looking for the best deals during the holidays!
Oddly enough, I am having a time of it with bringing my poker game back to playing online after the Hold 'Em Radio weekend in Las Vegas. It is tough to play .25/.50 NL online after playing higher levels live, albeit Limit poker. But it is one critical point that many players can forget sometimes...you have to play within the bankroll that you have. Sometimes, though, it's just not as enjoyable and definitely not as profitable! Enough bitching...I'm playing well and not losing, so that should be a good thing.
My WSOP search continues and perhaps I will have some good news to report on that front soon. If not, well, I'll have to sit out the Big Dance this year. There are worse things that can happen in life...
EB
At the end of this week, the World Series will kick off once again. It will be very interesting to see just what will happen. The Mirage Poker Showdown for the WPT last week "only" drew 309 players to the felt, perhaps because of the preparations that players need to make to be able to put their complete concentration on the six weeks of the WSOP. I think this week's WPT Mandalay Bay Poker Championship will be interesting to watch as well, as far as their numbers go.
The first week of the WSOP will be critical to getting a read on what will happen for the entirety of the event. Last year, it was not uncommon for the $1500 and $2000 events to pull in over 2,000 players. Will those events pull in the same numbers this year, or will the after effects of the UIGEA crush American participation and give rise to a significant number of foreign players making their mark? And just how much did online poker add to the astronomical fields of the events for the past couple of years? Many questions out there...we should have a read on it within the first week of the event.
Add in the tournaments at the Bellagio (the Bellagio Cup III, a new WPT event), the Venetian (the second Venetian Deep Stacks event), and even Binion's (the First Annual Binion's Poker Championship) and there is plenty of poker action in Las Vegas, regardless of your bankroll or possibilities. I would expect to see many professionals, semi-pros and even those taking their first shots at the tournament experience to be criss-crossing Vegas like Christmas shoppers looking for the best deals during the holidays!
Oddly enough, I am having a time of it with bringing my poker game back to playing online after the Hold 'Em Radio weekend in Las Vegas. It is tough to play .25/.50 NL online after playing higher levels live, albeit Limit poker. But it is one critical point that many players can forget sometimes...you have to play within the bankroll that you have. Sometimes, though, it's just not as enjoyable and definitely not as profitable! Enough bitching...I'm playing well and not losing, so that should be a good thing.
My WSOP search continues and perhaps I will have some good news to report on that front soon. If not, well, I'll have to sit out the Big Dance this year. There are worse things that can happen in life...
EB
Friday, May 25, 2007
Hold 'Em Radio Weekend
Hello all,
Well, a week in Vegas was well spent. Hope you all heard the weekend live tournaments on Hold 'Em Radio (www.holdemradio.com) as there was some great play that went on there. It was truly a pleasure to meet all of the listeners that we have and, yes, take their chips in person rather than online! Yours truly went very deep, but not quite deep enough, on the Saturday tournament (finishing 13th) and, on Sunday, I was the table announcer for the final table. Congratulations to July2 and RCGott for taking down those places!
As far as my own play other than the HER events, I did OK. My cash game vibe seemed to be running well and I was up on those games, but the tournaments just seemed to escape my grasp. That's the way it works, though...in the train of tournaments, if you can cash in half of them, you're making something.
Hold 'Em Radio has been down for the past week, which is unfortunate after such a great weekend as we had. It seems the site was hacked on Friday and, after delaying as much as possible, was taken down for a rebuild. As of this morning, the stream for the site is running and we will be back on the air come Friday night.
Now comes the time when I call on the readers of this blog. Last year, I spent the entirety of the WSOP for PokerNews, who now seems to think that I can sit in Austin and give you the same coverage that I gave last year. I encourage you to bombard the PokerNews site and ask "Where is Earl Burton?". Perhaps they may get the message.
Until later...
EB
Well, a week in Vegas was well spent. Hope you all heard the weekend live tournaments on Hold 'Em Radio (www.holdemradio.com) as there was some great play that went on there. It was truly a pleasure to meet all of the listeners that we have and, yes, take their chips in person rather than online! Yours truly went very deep, but not quite deep enough, on the Saturday tournament (finishing 13th) and, on Sunday, I was the table announcer for the final table. Congratulations to July2 and RCGott for taking down those places!
As far as my own play other than the HER events, I did OK. My cash game vibe seemed to be running well and I was up on those games, but the tournaments just seemed to escape my grasp. That's the way it works, though...in the train of tournaments, if you can cash in half of them, you're making something.
Hold 'Em Radio has been down for the past week, which is unfortunate after such a great weekend as we had. It seems the site was hacked on Friday and, after delaying as much as possible, was taken down for a rebuild. As of this morning, the stream for the site is running and we will be back on the air come Friday night.
Now comes the time when I call on the readers of this blog. Last year, I spent the entirety of the WSOP for PokerNews, who now seems to think that I can sit in Austin and give you the same coverage that I gave last year. I encourage you to bombard the PokerNews site and ask "Where is Earl Burton?". Perhaps they may get the message.
Until later...
EB
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