Posts Tagged ‘Mike Matusow’
2009 World Series of Poker – Day 2a Pictures
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
Sometimes things just go way over the top when you’re dealing with the biggest poker tournament in the world. You’ll see some crazy things along the rails, loud player disagreements, whack jobs dressed in all types of getups looking for camera attention. Then you have the times when a table pulls the attention of every player and media outlet in the room.
Actor/comedian Brad Garrett drew a table that was far away from the rail and virtually in the center of the blue section. 5 time bracelet and 1984 Main Event winner Berry Johnston was also at the table. Garrett was laughing it up with the players at the table and anyone who would listen. To the point where his table was completely surrounded by every media outlet with a badge to get there. Witness the picture above and below.
Before long players at the other tables were begging the floor staff to deal with the situation. It will certainly make good TV for ESPN when it airs, but neither Garrett or Johnston would move on to Day 3.
Images from the rest of Day 2a after the jump:
Popularity: 14% [?]
Tags: 2009 World Series of Poker, AlCantHang, Amanda Baker, Berry Johnston, Beth Shak, Billy Argyros, Bloggers on the Rail, Chris Ferguson, Fabrice Soulier, Gavin Smith, Greg Mueller, Jack Ury, Mike Matusow, Roland de Wolfe, WSOP
2009 World Series of Poker – Ante Up for Africa Pictures
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
Each year before the World Series of Poker Main Event, the poker elite, pro athletes, celebrities, movies stars, and recording artists descend upon the Amazon Room to play poker in the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament. They were here to raise both money and awareness for the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The tournament was hosted by poker legend Annie Duke and Oscar-nominated actor Don Cheadle.
Some of the celebrities making an appearance were Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Alexander, Brad Garrett, Sarah Silverman, Jennifer Tilly, and rapper Nelly. Athletes Marlon Shirley, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Mike Tyson were also battling it out. Of course all the top poker pros donated their time and money to the cause.
I’ve posted a few pictures from the day for your entertainment.
Mike Matusow and Chau Giang kid around during the tournament
Good Will Hunting co-stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck hang with Marco Traniello before the tournament began
WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack meets with Don Cheadle
More photos after the jump:
Popularity: 8% [?]
Tags: 2009 World Series of Poker, AlCantHang, Bloggers on the Rail, Chau Giang, Chris Ferguson, David Singer, Don Cheadle, Jeffrey Pollack, Jennifer Harman, Joe Reitman, Marco Traniello, Marlon Shirley, Mike Matusow, Phil Gordon, WSOP
2009 World Series of Poker – Main Event Day 1b Pictures
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
There were plenty of opportunities for more pictures yesterday during the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1b and some great stories. 655 players of the starting 873 survived the day with even more Tilters moving onto Day 2.
Full Tilt sponsored two players in the Main Event with stories worthy of your interest. Marlon Shirley (pictured right) is a two time Paralympic gold medalist, the first amputee to run the 100 meters in under 11 seconds, and an avid poker player. He came to Las Vegas to play in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event and the Ante Up for Africa Charity event. I could tell you the rest of the story but it be better to let a proper writer do that duty. Fellow blogger Michael Craig has a great writeup with Shirley’s story here. Unfortunately he was not able to “outrun” his poker opponents to reach Day 2a and will not win WSOP gold.
Also wearing Full Tilt red and white was Jack Ury, at 96 he’s simply the oldest to ever play in the WSOP Main Event. Ury has been adding to his record each year since his first Main Event in 2007 at the chipper age of 94. He was enjoying himself and the ESPN cameras were a constant audience. Ury will have to get his rest over the next few days before he comes in Day 2a with just over 23,000 in chips.
You can see the rest of the Day 1b pictures after the jump:
Popularity: 8% [?]
Tags: 2009 World Series of Poker, AlCantHang, Barny Boatman, Bill Edler, Bloggers on the Rail, David Pham, Erik Seidel, Fabrice Soulier, Jack Ury, Marlon Shirley, Mike Matusow, WSOP
2009 World Series of Poker Day 30 – HORSE on the way
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
I should be taking every advantage of this lovely Thursday afternoon/evening because it might be the last slow day I have until I hop that jet airplane back east after the “November Nine” is set. Just one little $1,500 PLO8 tournament kicking off today but tomorrow is the granddaddy of big buyin skill games. The $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. is next up on the agenda. We can expect a crush of players, railbirds, and poker media with unreal expectations.
There are three tournaments restarting including two more bracelet winners in the $10,000 Pot Limit Hold’em World Championship and $2,500 Limit Omaha/8 tournament. The Mix Hold’em event begins it’s Day 2 and amazingly only 7 players from the money already. There are some big names coming back with Barry Greenstein leading the field and Eli Elezra ahead of all other Full Tilt pros.
Mike Matusow will be my player to watch today in the Omaha/8 tournament where he sits 18 out of 23 remaining. Matusow won his second WSOP bracelet in 2002 playing this game and knows how to pull up from the shortstack.
The last sane day of the WSOP, I intend to enjoy it.
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My blogging brethren over at Wicked Chops Poker spend their days entertaining millions, perhaps billions and trillions of readers each day. They’ve been sitting in media row each day to bring the hard hitting stories from the depths of the Amazon Room. Today they are paying back some of their loyal readers with a freeroll on Full Tilt Poker.
The WSOP has introduced an event during the Main Event called Dream Team Poker. It’s a concept recently developed and getting great reviews. Three players team up and play a tournament against other teams. Prize pool payouts are based on individual AND team performance. The configuration prevents teammates from finding themselves at the same table unless they get really deep.
Wicked Chops Poker is giving you the opportunity to play in this event on their dime, as their second team. The top 3 finishers will win the prize, if one of those players is unable to attend it moves to the next player(s). Kind of like Miss America scandals.
I’m signed up and will be playing from the great big Amazonian Amazon Room.
Tourney Name: WCP Dream Team WSOP Freeroll
Tourney ID: 95494430
Date/Time: June 25, 20:00 ET (8pm ET)
Password: VikkiBlows
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Chip counts for the restarts after the jump:
Mike Matusow shoots for bracelet #4 today in Omaha/8 Event #46
Popularity: 43% [?]
Tags: 2009 World Series of Poker, AlCantHang, Bloggers on the Rail, Jeff Madsen, Mike Matusow, WSOP
2009 World Series of Poker Day 12 – It’s Ladies Night
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
Mike Matusow signing copies of Check Raising The Devil outside the Amazon Room
It’s Ladies day here at the 2009 World Series of Poker as the $1,000 Ladies Only event kicks off at noon. There will be some top pros scattered throughout the Amazon Room including actress Jennifer Tilly who’s picture is plastered all over the Rio advertising this event. We’ll be on the look out for some idiot men who will no doubt try to play the event in disguise.
The big event today, no offense to the ladies, is the $10,000 Limit Omaha/8 Championship which will bring a different kind of exclusive group of players. It takes a special kind of person to master LO8 and these players will be trying to collect some hardware. Mike Matusow took yesterday off from playing just to make sure he was ready to hit this event with everything in his arsenal. If he’s got everything dialed in he has to be one of the favorites in the field to take it down.
We will have two more bracelets won at some point in the day. The $2,500 No Limit Hold’em and $2,500 Limit Hold’em both finished up before hitting their final table but will play down to a winner today. Phil Ivey is still in the NLHE field but severly shortstacked when he walks in the door. I suspect we’ll see an early push from the legend looking for his second bracelet of the year.
On a personal note, I’ll be trying to win my way into the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event today when we throw down in the Battle of the Blogger Tournament of Champions at 20:00ET (17:00 Amazon Room time). I’ll be going up some of your favorite bloggers and some of the best players in the group. My odds are very long and chances slim but I’ll be doing my damnedest to take a day off and play the big game.
Chip counts for the restarts after the jump:
Popularity: 16% [?]
Tags: 2009 World Series of Poker, AlCantHang, Battle of the Blogger Tournaments, Bloggers on the Rail, Mike Matusow, WSOP
2009 World Series of Poker – Day 3 From the Rail
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
Day 3’s interesting story began with Mike Matusow and ended with players making the cash in the $40k and huge field for a non-NLHE game. There were players spread across the Amazon and Brasilia rooms throughout the day so the mileage on my legs quickly escalated.
Mike Matusow entered the day by entering the $1,500 Event #4 Limit Omaha/8 tournament which kicked off prompted at noon. Matusow was also set to start Day 2 of the $40k tournament but was in desperate straights as one of the shortstacks. He would have two hours in the LO8 game to build a stack before he would switch games and try to hit a few double ups to get back in the game.
His first piece of luck came with his Event #4 seat draw. There were 918 players in the tournament taking up most of the Amazon Room and half of the Brasilia room, yet he drew a table which was just a few feet from his $40k seat. He made some noise early with some scoops and 3/4 pots, he was looking comfortable and dialed in when he switched seats and prepared to battle away.
Early on he caught aces and found someone willing to double him up. A little breathing room grew to a big stack when again hit big with set over set. Dr. Tim Lavalli, who worked with Matusow on his biography, told us in media row that “The Mouth” was dialed in. Only bad luck would do him in today.
Unfortunately bad luck is the one bullet no one can dodge when it’s ready for you. Matusow caught some hits to his stack then lost out in a battle of the blinds when Keith Lehr insta-pushed with Ace-crude and his 7’s went down in glorious flames with the spiked ace. He shook the beat off long enough to get his shortstack in the middle in the LO8 only to lose as a favorite again.
Bad luck catches up even to the best when they are in the zone.
The punctuation on the story comes in the experience of first time WSOP player Chris King, Full Tilt qualifier into the $1k Stimulus tournament. He has a story to tell his friends before he even takes his seat in Day 1a. We were sitting in the suite doing a profile interview, taking down some information and chatting with fellow FTP blogger Michael Craig. A casual conversation in the quiet room where Matusow’s name even came up.
We were wrapping up and Matusow, turned up to 11, came through the door full of sound and fury. Chris King’s first experience at the world series of poker was getting first hand details from the man himself on the bad turn of events over a short time span. An experience and lesson on bad luck that he can take into his tournament on Saturday.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Tags: 2009 World Series of Poker, AlCantHang, Bloggers on the Rail, Mike Matusow, WSOP
Mike Matusow: Check-Raising the Devil (Autobiography)
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
Everyone in the poker world is familiar with Mike Matusow and his famous “meltdowns” from the coverage on TV and stories all over the internet. He had the famous flip out on WSOP Champion Greg Raymer, the time spent in prison shortly afterward, then his victory in the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. These stories are well known and well publicized.
The mistake most make is judging Matusow completely on the stories and his reputation. As with most, his life is much more than his reputation. It’s been several years in the works but you will finally have the chance to read Mike Matusow’s story straight from the man himself.
Mike Matusow: Check-Raising the Devil, his new autobiography, is due out on May 12th and will give the reader more background into the man you only see on television or the internet. Short review after the jump.
Popularity: 54% [?]
Tags: AlCantHang, Bloggers on the Rail, Mike Matusow
Mike Matusow and Andy Bloch video interviews
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
The last chance for a Full Tilt red letter pro to final table the WPT World Championship rested on the shoulders of Jennifer Harman. Unfortunately she busted before they halted play for the day in 11th place. Ross Boatman also ran deep for the Hendon Mod, Jeff Madsen made the final two tables but David Grey busted early in they day.
Poker legend Scotty Nguyen goes into the day with a chip lead. He is looking for his 7th WPT television table and second WPT victory.
While no big name Full Tilt pros will be sitting at the final table, that doesn’t mean we don’t have a few video interviews / snippets left for your enjoyment. After the jump you can see Mike Matusow all fired up and Andy Bloch going through nailing a straight flush.
After the jump.
Popularity: 35% [?]
Tags: AlCantHang, Andy Bloch, Bloggers on the Rail, Jennifer Harman, Mike Matusow, WPT
2008 Five Diamond Poker Classic Day 4
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
Nick Schulman led most of Day 4 at the 2008 Five Diamond Poker Classic
Photo credit: WorldPokerTour.com
The 2008 Five Diamond Poker Classic is down to the final two tables and three Tilters are representing. Nick Schulman spent a large part of the day with the chip lead but took some hits as the day went along. Robert Mizrachi is sitting 9th in chips and Mike Matusow is looking to add to his Foxwoods WPT final table from earlier in the year.
Allen Cunningham, David Oppenhein, and Andy Bloch all came up short on Day 4 but added to the list of Full Tilt pros cashing in the $15,000 Main Event. Day 4 played down from 55 to 18, Day 5 will kick off at noon Vegas time and they will play down to the final 6 for the TV table.
Chip counts and payouts after the jump
Popularity: 6% [?]
Tags: AlCantHang, Bloggers on the Rail, Mike Matusow, Nick Schulman
2008 Five Diamond Poker Classic Day 3
Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail
Mike Matusow playing in the 2008 Five Diamond Poker Classic
Nick Schulman leads the long list of Team Full Tilt members heading into Day 4 of the Five Diamond Poker Classic at the Bellagio. He is joined by Allen Cunningham, David Oppenheim, Andy Bloch and Mike Matusow. Several Tilters were knocked out near the bubble and four made into the money but not onto Day 4.
Several World Series of Poker Main Event champions were also eliminated on Day 4. Poker legends Phil Hellmuth and Johnny Chan joined the tournament host Doyle Brunson on the rail after the bubble burst. 55 players start out the day still holding onto a chance to win the $1.5 million first place prize.
After the jump you will find chip counts for the Tilters going into Day 4.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Tags: AlCantHang, Bloggers on the Rail, Mike Matusow, Nick Schulman
