David "Chino" Rheem, Poker Pro

I'm rooting for Chino, but the reason is a bit complicated.

When I first heard about the long delay with the Main Event final table at the WSOP, I was more than skeptical.

I didn't like it at all, and my biggest problems were the risk of something happening to one of the players (which didn't happen, or hasn't yet, anyway), plus the change in the players.

With the final table about to start, I think the biggest problem is that no one really cares.

I'm certainly not that interested in what will happen with these nine players. In fact, the only player I have any real connection to is Chino.

I'm a friend of his, but we're not close buddies. I first met David "Chino" Rheem at the Bellagio about five or six years ago. He'd arrived from Florida I think, and he was young.

Many young players can be cocky or obnoxious, but Chino has never been like that.

I've noticed from the first time I met him how respectful he is to women. That may not sound like a big deal, but it is. Poker rooms and casinos can be a rough place for women who are there trying to grind out a living.

Chino: Still courteous after all these years.

Men like Chino make it much more pleasant. Chino has a great way about him at the table as well. He can be funny and sarcastic in cash games, and he's one of those guys who makes the hands fly by at times.

Of course, all the while he's staying sharp at the table.

We haven't played too much together. He's more of a No-Limit player whereas I'm more Limit, but we have played some together. In Macau, he told some folks that he didn't want to play Limit with Liz because she would whip your ass!

And he's right! But why am I pulling for Chino? Because he's a typical poker pro.

When most people think of a poker pro, some think of players they've seen on television like Daniel, Gus, Barry or Jennifer. Other hard-core poker fans may know online superstars like Patrik Antonius, Annette Obrestad or Tom Dwan.

But most poker pros are more like Chino.

They call us rounders or grinders, us poker players, and Chino has been one of us for many years, even though he is still young.

We worry about our bankroll constantly. We hunt for our comps in the poker room, regardless of what stakes we play. We run hot and cold.

We fight our personal demons while we try to stay sharp at the table. We find it hard to have good friends in the poker room. We back players and are backed when times get tough. We fly high when times are good and crash in the dirt when times are tough.

Lieu: We are Chino.

We poker players, we are Chino.

I bumped into Chino recently, and he hadn't changed a bit. He was still the courteous young man, funny and friendly and focused.

He has a great chance heading into the final table, but he'll be up against eight great players who will be fighting him to the last chip.

I'll be pulling for Chino to take it down. He's one of us.

Cheers!

-- Liz Lieu - Poker Diva
www.LizLieu.net
www.iPokerCal.com

Drop by Liz's home site, ChiliPoker, and find out how you can earn a heads-up match with the Poker Diva herself. And be sure to take advantage of PokerListings.com's exclusive sign-up bonus.

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