Just write a letter to the editor in chief (find his or her name and the company address on the masthead in the early pages of the magaine) describing what kind of articles you’d be interested in writing, and your unique perspective. If I were you, I’d highlight your career in business before poker, and your book — that gives you a point of view that is much different than the majority of players who have known nothing but poker since college.

Whether or not Dan will “allow” you to have a side gig is between you and him.

Tom would not be a good hire. He plays too much to be a poker writer.

Best,
Dan

I appreciate the kind words, but I don’t think my numerous customer service/call center jobs is the resume needed to be a part of the poker media. Also, since my writing skills seem to fall closer to the level of a CraigsList-hired CardPlayer “reporter” than someone of the caliber of Dr.Pauly, Dan, yourself, or even “Anon”, I don’t think I’d be a good fit.

Kevin…

Bellagio Cup III featured Mike Matusow, who can definitely carry 2 episodes by himself even if no one talks back at him.

Tunica featured Men Nguyen and Freddy Deeb talking so much trash at each other for several hours that the entire first episode is guaranteed to be better than “WPT Bad Boys I and II” combined.

–

If and when Phil Hellmuth makes another WPT final table, then that particular final table will be a candidate for 2 episodes.

I think the number of hands would be a minimum requirement for a double episode (can’t show two episodes if there aren’t enough hands to fill the time), but not a determining factor. (As witnessed by the marathon at Fallsview Casino, which is still scheduled for a single episode.)

Kevin, I’ve been impressed by your research, knowledge, and analysis (I know you from 2+2 as well). If I were in a position to hire people in the poker media, I’d ask for your resume.

Mirage – 136
Mandalay Bay – None given, but it took less than 4 hours
Bellagio Cup -142
Legends of Poker – 153
Gulf Coast – 139
Borgata Poker Open – 135
Turks and Caicos – 206
Barcelona – 74
World Poker Finals – 78
Fallsview – 271!
Five Diamond – 53
World Poker Open – 148
Borgata Winter – 118

Not looking at what those hands consisted of, but it seems there could be a few that get the two episode treatment and the infamous “schedule subject to change” can rear its head.

Kevin…

Not so fast, BJ … Kevin relies far too much on accuracy.

Even if those comments are not from you, I am having fun reading them in your voice.

It’s also interesting to see that they’re planning 2 two-part episodes in Season VI, for the Bellagio Cup and the World Poker Open in Tunica. I’m curious why the WPT World Championship isn’t getting this treatment, unless it’s simply because the tournament hasn’t taken place yet. (Unless they focus on pre-final table action, there need to be enough hands played to fill two episodes.)

The government of Ciudad Real gave Harrah’s and El Reino de Don Quijote the go-ahead to start construction about a week ago.

http://www.gamblingcompliance.com/node/12788

Also, the WPT Ladies Championship is scheduled to air August 18 (the week before the WPT World Championship).

Dan, I laughed at your bluntness. “Kevmath, who are you?”

I laughed again when Kevin said, “I wish I was some sort of poker insider/important person Dan, but I’m just someone whose enjoyment/obsession of poker (and use of numerous poker websites) is much better than my actual ability to play.”

Kevin, welcome to the poker media. Your press pass will be waiting for you at the WSOP.

As for “Anon,” that commenter sounds a lot like Oliver Tse. (For the record, that’s a compliment.)

1. The selection process and the associated “politics” is now gone.

2. Given the lack of success of females during WPT Season 6, and given the downsizing of WPT Season 7, the difficulty of finding 4 female players who have made the final 2 tables of WPT open events would have gone up dramatically had Ladies Night remained on the schedule. Replacing Ladies Night with Ladies Championship eliminates that major headache.

3. With GSN not showing any interest in airing any “single-table invitational” theme specials that were aired on Travel Channel in the past (i.e. Father and Son, Bad Boys, Poker by the Book, Battle of Champions), having any televised event that GSN would want that would allow WPT to use the TV arena set-up for consecutive days will allow WPT to amortize the arena set-up cost over 2 events. The WPT Ladies Championship serves that purpose.

1. 12 of the 13 open events have proven to be able to draw over 400 players in order to produce million-dollar first prizes. The only open event on the list that might have trouble drawing 300 players will be Biloxi due to a schedule conflict with the Aussie Millions.

2. The two “backwater” stops where many players don’t want to go, Tunica and Reno, are gone.

3. No more trips to the Atlantic hurricane region (i.e. Biloxi, Turks and Caicos at the peak of the hurricane season, with the exception of the Borgata in mid-September.

4. All Las Vegas WPT events have been consolidated at the Bellagio, which has one of the best venues for tournament poker when the Fontana Lounge is available. The Mirage (with temporary tables at the sports book) and Mandalay Bay (with temporary tables on the casino floor next to the slot machines) are now gone, freeing up the month of May.

5. WPT steps aside of the PokerStars.net/EPT vs Harrah’s/WSOP Europe “death match” by vacating the Spain market, which will be a major battleground between the PokerStars.net and Harrah’s for years to come. (WSOP Europe’s new home starting in 2009 or 2010 will be Caesars Castilla La Mancha, which is located 110 miles from Madrid at the El Reino de Don Quijote resort complex.)

6. WPT appears to have abandoned any effort to penetrate the lucrative Macau/Hong Kong/Guangdong province market, leaving PokerStars.net as the only one active in that market (that is until Harrah’s and/or the Hong Kong Jockey Club can get their acts together by 2010 or so.)

One would now expect PokerStars.net to do something during the month of May, which has been freed up by the WPT. Possible use of the May time slot by PokerStars.net include an Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) event (Macau would be a logical choice) or a Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) event.

Kevin…

My bad on the “Ladies Night” thing — I completely forgot about the WPT Ladies’ Championship (even after reading Kevin’s first comment), which I think is the clear and obvious replacement for Ladies Night. It wasn’t listed on this schedule, and I didn’t consider it while writing my earlier comment. Total brainfart on my end.

So yes, I’d expect the WPT Ladies Night to be gone (in part because of the diminishing pool of female stars, as Kevin pointed out), replaced by the WPT Ladies Championship. So just skip that part of my earlier comment.

While there are no international events currently planned (other than Niagara Falls, Canada), I still hold out hope that another tournament will eventually be added to the Season VII schedule.