Posted by Big Donkey | Filed under Bloggers Corner
Poker’s royalty turned out in force at Pure in Caesars Palace last night for the annual tradition that is the National Heads-Up Poker Championship draw party. For the uninitiated, this is Poker’s version of the Ocsars – well maybe, the People’s Choice Awards – but whatever. The thing is, this is the night where the game’s top players gather together to find out who they’ll be facing in the first round of what has become one the game’s most prestigious events.
All the big names were there – except for those who were still stuck at the LAPC final table; Harman, Lederer, Ferguson, Negreanu, Greenstein, Brunson… Yang? Yup, that’s right - Jerry Yang was gettin’ down with his bad self and partying with the big boys at Pure. I can just picture it now… Jerry with a double martini and a couple of 20-something blondes hanging off each arm… the Pimp Daddy of the party. Uh, no.
In fact, I have to wonder what he was doing at this gathering in the first place. Yeah, I know he’s the reigning WSOP Main Event Champion, but is that really enough to merit granting this poker peon one of the 64 seats at this weekend’s National Heads-Up Poker Championship? Personally, I don’t think so, but then again… I’m the Big Donkey.
Thankfully for Yang, he drew one of the softest match-ups possible for his first round return to the national stage in Las Vegas (he’s been conspicuously absent from the poker scene, if you haven’t noticed… oh wait… that’s why you haven’t noticed). Uh, where was I? Oh, yeah… the Preacher of Poker will sit down against the Godfather of the online poker revolution and the man who first proved that anyone can win a major title, Chris Moneymaker.
Sure, Chris hasn’t really done much since he first burst onto the scene a few years ago, but if I was a betting man (ahem), I’d be putting my money on Money to breeze through this first round match. Other players who I think will benefit from the luck of the draw in the first round include Andy Bloch, who should step all over dancing fool Shannon Elizabeth, Ted Forrest who should easily strike out former Dodger’s pitcher Orel Hershiser (?), and Phil Ivey who, even after staying up all night to claim his first WPT title at the LA Poker Classic, will easily outshine Alisha Kunze. Who?
As far as I’m concerned, the Diamonds bracket should be the most difficult and entertaining bracket of the year, with some amazing first-round pairings including David Pham vs. Brian Townsend, Barry Greenstein vs. Howard Lederer, and Erick Lindgren vs. Eli Elezra. Of course, this is also the most MILF-tastic bracket, with what will surely be the feature table on NBC’s coverage – Jennifer Tilly vs. Clonie Gowen.
Like many other poker-themed shows currently filling up the airwaves, the National Heads-Up Championship is a made-for-TV event, and that’s OK. Sure, the commentary may be insufferable and NBC will spend 10 minutes of every hour pimping their post-strike primetime programming, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be some great poker played by some of the game’s brightest stars. I mean where else can you watch grizzled Sam Grizzle take on the brash Jean-Robert Bellande or revel in the classic Vegas match-up that is sure to be Doyle Brunson vs. Sammy Farha?
What I really like about this event is that it really lets you see how the players’ personalities define their styles. When you watch Negreanu bounce around in his chair like a kid who missed his daily dose of Ritalin you quickly come to understand how he developed his hyper-aggressive style. The same goes for someone like Chris Ferguson, who’s on the complete other end of the spectrum. Jesus plays a slow, methodical game because he’s a methodical kind of guy. Personally, I’m never sure if I find it more entertaining when two similar players meet head-to-head or when you get huge style contrasts staring each other down across the table. Each scenario is dramatic, and each can lead to some amazing poker.
For a poker junkie, this is the definition of Must See TV, and I don’t plan on missing a single second of the coverage. So, break out your brackets and your beer and join me in front of the TV. I’m putting my money on John Juanda to win the whole thing. Any takers?
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