Pokerati » Ironman tournaments

Top 10 Toughest Tournaments in the World? According to Daniel Negreanu

Dan Michalski — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:58:35 +0000

Daniel Negreanu has an interesting new post up where he breaks down what he believes to be the 10 Toughest Tournaments in the World.

Spoiler alert:

10. WPT LA Poker Classic (Los Angeles)
9. PCA (Bahamas)
8. WSOP Heads-up Championship (Las Vegas)
7. EPT Grand Final (Monte Carlo)
6. WSOP Main Event (Las Vegas)
5. WPT Championship (Las Vegas)
4. NAPT Bounty Shootouts (??)
3. WSOP-Europe Main Event (London)
2. WSOP $25k Six-handed Event (Las Vegas)
1. $50k WSOP Players Championship (Las Vegas)

Click here for Negreanu’s explanations of what makes each of these events special.

Numbers 4 and 2 are the only ones that seem possibly questionable to me. The Bounty Shootouts, indeed, are likely to become great. But it’s not even clear yet where the real championship will take place. (The upcoming version at Mohegan Sun will be the first open one of these.) Likewise for the WSOP’s new $25k six-handed event. High-roller and fast no-limit hold’em action, sure … but again, can you really put something at #2 when it hasn’t even happened yet? I’d rather see an Ironman tourney on that list … even though they aren’t big, yet, I think all who have battled in them can attest they are tough.

UPDATE: Anyone else finds Daniel’s omission of the NBC Heads-Up curious? I wouldn’t think much about it had he not included WSOP Heads-up as #8. Now I gotta wonder if his list woulda been different had he been in the final four this weekend / Annie Duke not won.

Eric Baldwin on a Year’s Worth of Momentum + Ironman Play

Dan Michalski — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 09:33:38 +0000

Another good video from the LAPC … in this one Matt talks with Eric Baldwin (aka “Basebaldy), the 2009 CardPlayer Player of the Year. We, of course, got to know him as he was tearing through a Venetian Deep Stacks field prior to showing what he really was in town to do at the WSOP.

Anyhow, hate to make this all about the LAPC when tourneys are going on around the world — from Copenhagen to Tunica … but this gives a good glimpse at someone who is now a “big name” in poker though few have gotten to know him yet:

In the above video they talk about Baldwin’s efforts to snap his 0-fer history at the LAPC and where “taking it easy” fits in to the upcoming Ironman competition.

Commerce Hold’em Series: Ironman Event and Other Curious Tourneys

Dan Michalski — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:00:17 +0000

The Commerce Hold’em Series just got underway yesterday in California. It’s a 2+ week festival with limit, no-limit, and pot-limit hold’em tourneys … most of them in the $200, $300, and $500 range … and some with fun little twists such as knockout bounties and creative payout structures. They got off to a good start with 1,217 entries on Day 1A in their $220 NLH — with a $500k guarantee — and It all culminates in a $2,580 main event (also with a $500k guarantee).

But the event that’s most intriguing to me: Event #15 — a $1,600 “Ironman” tourney, on Wednesday, Sep 23.

The concept, from a Commerce spokesman:

$1600 Ironman Tournament. 10,000 in starting chips. 1 hour levels starting at 25-50, with slow progressions. Includes 50-75, 250-500, 900-1800 blinds. The key is that there are no breaks! We will play from start to finish without interruption. 3 meals provided as long as you are in the tournament. Must play down to one player. Paying only the final table with 50% for first.

Wow. Awesome. Cool. While part of me thinks this might-should be called the Meth-head Invitational, it will be really interesting to see who plays the best under those conditions. Short-stacked smokers at a disadvantage, but hey … them’s the (only) breaks.

UPDATE: Event #1 seems pretty unique, too. Each Day 1 plays down to 27, and 90 players have already made the money. An additional funky caveat — those who have already busted can re-enter on Day 1B or Day 1C. What-the …