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#248 – London Journal #14 – Too Young to Rock ‘n’ Roll, Too Tired to Die
It’s about 4:10 AM in London. I started researching my version of the final table of the first WSOP-E Main Event when I left my room at 9:15 AM to meet Harrah’s No. 2 at the WSOP, Ty Stewart. As I described in #247, I wanted to follow him the whole day and night and write about it from his perspective, sharing with you all the decisions he has to make and all the circumstances that figure in those decisions.
It was very interesting and I have a lot of material. It probably won’t be until I return to the States on Thursday that I can even get started on it. Monday is a recovery day and a day to handle other business, and prepare for the Million Dollar Cash Game. Tuesday and Wednesday will be devoted to providing real-time coverage of that unique event. But I have to tell you a little.
It was a big disappointment to everyone, not just Full Tilt, that Gus Hansen busted in tenth, one spot shy of the final table. Gus was on top of his game and would have made great theater. But the result today made even bigger news.
The posters plastered in the London Underground say “The first king of Europe will be crowned in Leicester Square.” The first king is a QUEEN and not even 19 years old at that. Annette Obrestad of Norway, Annette_15 as she is known for all her online success, truly STUNNEd the poker world by winning the first World Steries of Poker-Europe Championship. One day after she eliminated Annie Duke and Annie became the first woman over $1 million in World Series earnings, Annette, with her £1 million first prize, has come with a few dollars of doubling Annie.
But Annie will have a chance to retake the women’s career money lead. Annette cannot play in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, or indeed in any casino in the United States, until sometime in 2010.
It was truly one for the ages. Harrah’s made out big with a newsworthy event and a well-run one. Betfair.com made out as the presenting sponsor and, in a deal put together recently, the exclusive online poker site sponsoring Annette Obrestad. And I did pretty well too, picking up £85 in an SnG with several Harrah’s and Betfair guys during a lull in the tourney and in gathering a lot of great information on what Ty Stewart does at a final table. The answer is A LOT, and he does it with few breaks, rarely sitting down or even standing still. Consequently, I’m exhausted and will continue later.
An eighteen year-old girl winning $2 million and a championship bracelet? Remarkable, isn’t it?
