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Italy: San Remo vs. Vegas Version

info@www.Pokerlistings.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:06:47 +0100

I recently attended the European Poker Tour event in San Remo, Italy. To say it was a success is an understatement. The €5,000 (approx. $7,800 USD) event was a complete sellout.

In fact, it was more than a sellout. It was supposed to be limited to 500 entries and players kept showing up - and showing up - and showing up.

By starting time there were 701 entrants spread over two days. Team PokerStars had several representatives, and the youngest of the group, teenager Dario Minieri, led the tournament for much of the time, before finally finishing in third place.

San Remo is one of the prettiest places I've ever seen. After getting eliminated on Day 1, I did a one-day tour of the vicinity with my friend and roommate Casey Kastle. We explored many of the nearby towns, including Monte Carlo. Some of these quaint villages had extremely old and interesting churches and other buildings, including a castle in one spot.

Unfortunately I had to return to the States after the tournament, so I did not get to go to the European Poker Tour Championship event which was held about a week later in Monte Carlo. Oh well, maybe next year.

I only managed to play in one tournament at the Bellagio in April, the $2,620 buy-in Seniors event. I did manage to finish in 14th place out of 137 players, so I had a modest payday, because 18 got paid. I got in via a satellite, so I had a cheap entry.

Other than that, I played a few tournaments and a couple of satellites at the Caesars Palace WSOPC events in Las Vegas, but was unable to finish in the money.

However, you can never put a price on the fun factor.

I am looking forward to the World Series starting at the end of May, when my place becomes the McEvoy hotel, with numerous house guests coming and going. It's always great to see some of my old friends, but do they really all have to show up at once? Some of them will be sleeping on the couch for sure.

It will be interesting to see if the current recession the U.S. economy is in will negatively impact attendance at the World Series this year. Poker suffers when disposable income is tight, but the World Series is still the ultimate poker competition, so I expect the turnout will still be strong no matter what.

I hope to see many of you at this year's Series, and hopefully meet at least a few of you at the final table.

-- Tom McEvoy

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Lost Luggage and Cracked Queens

info@www.Pokerlistings.com — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:45:22 +0100

Earlier this month I paid a trip to the PokerStars headquarters on the Isle of Man. I got to meet the staff and see what the people who have real jobs were up to. Playing poker, apparently.

There was a special employees' tournament that included me and fellow Team PokerStars player Luca Pagano as bounties. In addition to the frequent player points awarded to the top three finishers, I donated an autographed copy of one of my books for whoever could knock out Luca and me.

I managed to make it to the last table only to go out sixth when my A-9 went down in flames to A-7.

After two days on the Isle of Man, Luca and I were scheduled to depart for Copenhagen to play in the European Poker Tour event at Casino Copenhagen. Our luggage, lost in transit on the way to the island, finally showed up at the airport just as we were leaving.

PokerStars did treat both of us to a new wardrobe during our visit, so it was not a total loss. Fortunately, that was the end of our luggage problems. We both made it safely with our luggage to Copenhagen.

There was a large field of 460 players, with half of the players starting on Day 1 and the other half on Day 2. The survivors then faced each other on Day 3.

Unfortunately for me, my pocket queens suffered an unjust fate when a player who put all his money in against me pre-flop with A-10 spiked an ace on the river to send me to the rail. Luca fared much better and finished 27th, good for a payday as 40 players made the money.

I enjoyed my stay in Copenhagen. It was a little windy and cold, but no snow. My last day in the city the sun finally broke through the clouds, and I took a 2 ½-hour bus tour of the city. There are many fine museums and a lot of interesting architecture, including churches, in Copenhagen.

My return home was long. I had to fly on three different planes and it took me about 18 hours to get back to Las Vegas. I get to rest up for 10 whole days; then I am off to a charity tournament in Portland, Oregon, followed by a trip to San Jose a few days later to play in the Shooting Stars tournament at Bay 101.

Hopefully my queens will crush any A-10 that dares to go up against them and I will make the money, honey, in San Jose.

-- Tom McEvoy

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PokerStars Caribbean Adventure No. 5

info@www.Pokerlistings.com — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:54:50 +0100

I recently got back from the Bahamas where I participated in the fifth annual PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. For the first time this was part of the European Poker Tour.

Already we have broken all previous records for attendance and prize money for a European Poker Tour event. This is quite impressive by itself, to say the least.

As a member of Team PokerStars I get to have a great vacation at the fabulous Atlantis resort and casino while competing for millions of dollars in prize money. I know, I know; it's a tough job but somebody has to do it.

While there was some early speculation that the number of entrants would be slightly down from last year's record of 937, this was quickly proved incorrect. We beat last year's record by almost 200 players when 1,136 players showed up to begin play.

Opening day had to be spread over two days to accommodate the overflow, and some of the early added events had to be cancelled as a result. When the smoke cleared a member of Team PokerStars had captured the main event and $2 million in prize money.

Bertrand Grospellier, better known as "ElkY" on PokerStars, was the lucky winner and played tremendously down the stretch, especially at the last table. 2007 Player of the Year David Pham came to the final table with the chip lead, but eventually had his two pair knocked off by ElkY's flush and had to settle for fourth.

In addition to the main event there were four other events, with buy-ins ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. In the last event former marketing director of PokerStars Dan Goldman came in second for over $30,000.

My own results were somewhat disappointing. I finished the first day with about $49,000 in chips. This was above average. Everyone started with $20,000 in chips with a great structure and relatively small blind increases every 75 minutes.

I thought I was on my way to at least a money finish when I inched my stack up to around $63,000 on the second day of play, but it was not to be. I lost a series of small pots and with the blinds getting higher and higher, I made one mistake on one hand and that was the end of my tournament.

The blinds were now $1,000/$2,000 with a $300 ante. I was on the button with pocket sevens. There was a very aggressive player at the table who had been raising with a lot of marginal hands. He had just raised the previous hand for about the third time in the last four hands.

A player on my right called the initial raise of $4,500. I decided now was the time to make my move. I was sure the player on my right would fold, as I had a rather tight image and he had been playing with me all day. It was just a question of whether the initial raiser, "Mr. Loose Goose" I'll call him, would fold or not.

When I re-raised I had about another $37,000, so I had fold equity. Unfortunately, he called rather quickly and I knew I was in trouble. The player on my right folded quickly as I expected and we turned our cards over before the flop. AAARRRGGGHHH this time he had a real hand - pocket kings. They held up and I got up.

I had to settle for 270th place. Since they paid 120 I fell well short of the money. I kept thinking about last year when they decided to pay 180 players and I finished 182nd. I had A-K versus 77 on a flop of K-K-7 and failed to improve.

Therefore, both years pocket sevens were my unlucky hand. Oh well, I can hardly wait until next year's tournament. Next to the World Series of Poker Main Event - my favorite tournament of the year.

Tom McEvoy

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What is it like being a poker pro?

info@www.Pokerlistings.com — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:58:38 +0100

This is probably the one thing people want to know about the most, so let's start here.

There is much more to being a poker pro than playing in big games. Although as a member of Team PokerStars I occasionally get sponsored to play in certain events, there is a whole lot more to these games than simply showing up.

When I'm scheduled to participate in an event out of the country, I have to clear my personal and business calendar to give myself the time to go. It is essential that I have peace of mind and a chance to recover from jet lag so I can play at the top of my game.

Now, if several events are scheduled close to each other, I really have to block off a large chunk of time from my various affairs.

The last five weeks are a great example. I was one of 20 or more poker pros who participated in a WPT Boot Camp in the Bahamas. This event quite literally took seven days. Five days at the event and another two for traveling.

Afterward, I didn't even get the chance to go home. I had to go straight from the Bahamas to Ohio. I played in a tournament at the Argosy, an Indiana riverboat, and worked with a student friend of mine on his poker game. Altogether I was gone for 13 days.

I only get five days at home, and then I am off again to Michigan to spend the holidays with family members. Then back to Las Vegas for five days before heading back to the Bahamas. I will be playing in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, and doing interviews, commercials, attending parties and lots of picture-taking.

Just reading this schedule is exhausting. Being the person who has to do the traveling is even more exhausting. Would I trade my schedule for anything in the world? Not a chance.

This is what it is all about! Being invited to and participating in these events make it all worthwhile. I know it's a tough job but somebody has to do it.

It's not all solo traveling. Two weeks ago, at the WPT Boot Camp, I was able to mix business with pleasure. I had the opportunity to take a guest with me and I gave my daughter the chance to travel as my companion.

She was delighted to go, and we had a lot of quality father-daughter time together when I wasn't teaching or playing in the Boot Camp tournaments. So, it's not all rush, rush, rush with no reward.

There are times in these events when I meet amateur players who have read my books and would like to get to know me better. Some of them are shy or apprehensive about approaching me and the other pros, but it has been my experience that the majority of fans and amateur players are quite respectful and try to avoid taking up too much of our time.

I've met a lot of people on these trips with whom I've stayed in contact and become friends. Getting to know them has been an unexpected perk of my hectic schedule.

Like anything, being a poker pro has its good points and its bad points. In short, it's what you choose to make of these experiences that determines if this is the lifestyle for you or not.

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