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January
Poker Tournaments at a Glance by Bernard Lee -
26th January 2009
(Credit:
Poker News Daily)
How time flies! I cannot believe
it is once again the start of a new year. It seems
like just yesterday that we rang in the new millennium.
In 2009, we begin a new era with the inauguration
of our 44th President, Barack Obama. I am hopeful
that the new administration will bring positive
changes in the future for the United States of
America. We all should wish him the best over
the next four years. At the beginning of his term,
President Obama obviously has a lot more pressing
issues, but I do hope that he, a well-documented
poker player, revisits poker legislation and sides
with the poker playing populace.
On
the poker tournament trail, the start of the year
always brings lots of action from multiple events
from all over the world. Here were some of the
events held in the month of January:
Pokerstars
Caribbean Adventure (January 5-10): Originally
a World Poker Tour (WPT) event, the PCA is currently
part of the European Poker Tour (EPT). As a poker
player who suffers through cold winters, my entire
family (especially my kids) eagerly anticipates
this event every year. The PCA is held at one
of the best resort destinations in the world:
the Atlantis Resort and Casino on Paradise Island
in the Bahamas. This year, the Main Event attracted
1,347 players, over 200 more than last year. This
event continues to grow every year with the largest
field outside of the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
In
2009, the PCA Main Event was won by a relatively
unknown Canadian player, Poorya Nazari, who took
home $3 million for first place. This year, there
was also a $2,000 event, $5,000 event, and $25,000
High Roller event. Each of these additional events
was won by a well-known poker professional: Hevad
Khan, the sixth place finisher at the 2007 World
Series of Poker Main Event, took down the $2,000
event, while Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier
won a PCA event for the second consecutive year
(he won the Main Event last year) by capturing
the $25,000 High Roller event. However, the most
notable victory was by Peter Eastgate, the 2008
WSOP Main Event Champion. Eastgate wasted little
time proving to the poker world that his WSOP
title was no fluke by capturing the PCA’s
$5,000 event.
Southern
Poker Championship (January 2-19): During the
PCA, the WPT Southern Poker Championship (originally
called the Gulf Coast Poker Championship back
in 2007) had preliminary events running at the
elegant Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi,
Mississippi (this casino is truly a true hidden
gem). However, four days after the PCA Main Event
ended, the WPT Southern Poker Championship Main
Event began with 283 players. The tournament was
just short of the 288 players needed for a first
prize of $1 million. However, the Beau Rivage
kicked in the extra money to even out the top
prize. Eventually, Allen Carter (AawwNutz) from
Brownsville, Texas outlasted the field to take
home his first WPT Main Event title, the $1 million
first place prize money, and a $25,000 seat into
the 2009 WPT Championship, held at the Bellagio
in Las Vegas this coming April.
Aussie
Millions (January 5–20): Another January
event held at a beautiful location, albeit halfway
around the world, is the Aussie Millions. Held
at the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia (which
is the hometown of 2005 WSOP Champion Joseph Hachem),
this tournament has become a desired destination
for many players over the past few years. Once
again, this tournament held a $100,000 preliminary
event which was won by David Steicke from Hong
Kong. In the $10,000 Main Event, Australian Stewart
Scott outlasted 680 other competitors, collecting
almost $1.4 million for his victory.
WSOP
Circuit in Tunica (January 20-February 4): After
the WPT Southern Poker Championship, many players
drove north on US 49 and Interstate 55 instead
of flying Down Under to play more poker. At Harrah’s
in Tunica, Mississippi, the WSOP Circuit made
its latest stop, holding 25 events ranging from
No Limit Hold’em to HORSE, culminating in
a $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event. Last
year, unknown Bart Tichelman from Atlanta, Georgia
won $415,595 and a WSOP Circuit ring.
Borgata
Winter Poker Open (January 15-31): Previously,
a WPT event, the Borgata Hotel and Casino has
scaled down its Main Event to a $3,000 buy-in;
however, the casino is guaranteeing a prize pool
of $2 million, or 667 players. Held at one of
the true gems of Atlantic City, players can experience
multi-day, deep stack tournament poker for a discounted
price, but still potentially earn a huge first
prize. Last year, poker professional Gavin Griffin
won the WPT Main Event title to make poker history
– becoming the first winner of the triple
crown of poker: a WPT title, an EPT title, and
a WSOP bracelet.
Pokerstars
EPT Deauville, France (January 20-24) and LAPT
Vina del Mar, Chile (January 20-22): If your home
is in Europe or Latin America or you enjoy travelling
around the world to exciting new locales, the
EPT Deauville and LAPT Vina del Mar, Chile are
sponsored by Pokerstars. Moritz Alexander Kranich
from Denmark won EPT Deauville’s Main Event
for a little over $1.1 million, while Fabian Ortiz,
from Argentina, became the first Latin American
to win an LAPT event by capturing Vina del Mar’s
crown and $141,426.
As
for me, after taking an extended break in December
to recharge my batteries, I am looking forward
to a successful 2009 campaign. So far, so good,
as I recently made a deep run in Biloxi. After
playing in the PCA, I registered for the Southern
Poker Championship. I played well on both Day
1 and Day 2, ending both days in the top 12 in
chips. For a time during Day 2, I was even the
chip leader. Unfortunately, I finished a disappointing
23rd place on Day 3 when my 9-9 lost a race to
A-K after a king hit the flop. Nevertheless, I
am looking forward to my next event at the Borgata
and beyond.
Good
luck to everyone in 2009!
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