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[thanks to B.J. Nemeth for taking this image]
I took a more methodical approach to covering the 2009 World Series of Poker than in 2007 or 2008. For one thing, Full Tilt had hired Shauna as my assistant, to help produce the blog and expand my reach for keeping current on all the Full Tilt pros and their World Series experiences. As a result, I divided my posts into four categories:
- Daily Tilt – a daily update of chip counts and cashes for all Full Tilt pros along with occasional anecdotes.
- Seen and Heard – stories about the people of the World Series of Poker
- Vegas on $2,000 a day – my attempts to “buy” access to the Biggest Story in Town by playing in the Series as well as in satellites and other tournaments.
- Ghost Series – an opportunity to share compelling but otherwise obscure moments and personalities from the 39 previous editions of the World Series of Poker.
It was a memorable series for Full Tilt. Six players won a total of eight bracelets. In each instance, I tried to capture something about the moments just after each achievement: Vitaly Lunkin, Phil Ivey, Nick Schulman, Phil Ivey again, Roland de Wolfe, Greg Mueller, Greg Mueller again, and Matt Hawrilenko.
With Shauna’s help, I was also able to greatly expand my ability to profile Full Tilt’s players and share their experiences of the World Series. The blog include profiles, or at least captured moments, with Eli Elezra, Roland de Wolfe, Roberto Romanello, Marlon Shirley, Markus Golser, Steve Wong, Jon Turner, Phil Ivey, and Phil Ivey’s trailer. I was also able to share unusual stories like how Dario Minieri got married on the spur of the moment . . . twice.
Because of my many years of experience in attending and covering the World Series, along with my knowledge of poker history, I was able to share details you probably couldn’t find anywhere else. My “39 Champions” series provided little-known anecdotes of all the old World Series champs, like what happened to the millions Johnny Moss allegedly won from the Nick the Greek, how a pair of former world champions were briefly suspects in the murder of a federal judge, where satellites came from, and why Ted Forrest owns Hamid Dastmalchi’s 1992 Championship bracelet. I am proud to say I was also your leading source for details such as the fifteen years between WSOP cashes for Bobby Baldwin, and that 2009 was his eighth time cashing in the Main Event. Fifteen years between cashes is nuthin’. Eric Drache went twenty-eight years between his runner-up finishes in the Seven Card Stud Championship. The winner, however, is Vince Musso, who went thirty years between WSOP cashes, making Final Tables in Duece-to-Seven in 1979 and 2009.
But most of my best reporting came from first-hand experience. By actively participating as a PLAYER in the World Series, I was able to share in experiences few others could see, as well as give you the perspective of what it’s like to be INSIDE the action. I shared, for example, a story about how Doyle Brunson tilted an entire table by yawning. I also shared the table banter with many of pokers leading personalities, like the funny argument I got into with Norman Chad.
Some of my best reporting from “the trenches” came during the Razz event, in which I finished runner-up to Jeffery Lisandro’s history-making victory. Naturally, I shared a real-time description for how it felt to be at a World Series Final Table and one in which history was being made. I also explained WHY history was made; it was no accident, based on how Lisandro was playing (and how other players were responding) that he dominated the tournament.
Even with my Razz experiences, it wasn’t all about Final Tables and big achievements. My account of the Razz event actually began with the Senior’s Event, which I had played for the first time (and busted out of) earlier that same day. I also shared my encounter at that tournament with the legendary Archie Karas. And, in what I think was one of my finest pieces of reporting, I reported on John Cernuto’s collapse on Day two of the Razz, based on how I experienced it less than twenty feet away. It was emotional, scary, and chaotic. At the same time, there was a poker tournament going on and I’m surprised even now, when I read it, how my account (written as these things were happening, during the forced 25 minute break, and during the last level before the dinner break and typed, hurriedly, immediately thereafter – after which I joined friends for dinner and played another 8 hours of my most successful tournament ever) includes not only the horror, uncertainty, and relief of watching a friend and colleague in grave condition, but also mentions the pot I had just won and my stack size compared with the chip average.
I tried to be everywhere I could during the series. I told stories from The Undisclosed Location, the hidden Full Tilt suite from which I saw and heard many interesting things. I told stories from the table. I told stories from a pair of charity tournaments, one in which I was jostled by unshaved, tattooed Joan Rivers impersonators and the other in which I was jostled by Mike Tyson, Charles Barkley, and Superman. I even told stories from the Satellite Room where, far from the glamour and fame, fortunes could still be won and lost, and you could still see Chris Moneymaker drunk and steaming.
With the help of Shauna, Full Tilt, a lot of good friends in poker, the great World Series of Poker staff, wonderful colleagues in the media – and some good Razz hands – I’m very proud of the coverage we provided of the 2009 Series. I expect 2010 to be more of the same, only better.
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Loading ...One Response to “#939 – Where Did 2009 Go? – Part II, Everywhere-All the Time at the WSOP”
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Clive Says:
January 7th, 2010 at 11:04 pmTeeHee
Uncle Tilty open-folded his BB on Poker After Dark (he thought a limper had raised). So that’s why FTP s/w does not allow this pro move!
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