Episode 56:

Episode 57: Scents and Subtle Sounds of the Main Event with Snoopy – An impromptu episode (with our British colleague Snoopy) to further discuss odor emissions — stemming from loose bathing habits, flatulence, pungent reefer, and a growing desire for luck — as the main event progresses.

But now we know … the official new name of the biggest annual mass pilgrimage to the desert this side of Mecca is:

the World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky

Mmm, tasty!

Click the link and come up with your own funny pokery sayings that can fit in with Jack’s marketing message that dried beef snacks are a better alternative (from a mom’s perspective) than chips. From our perspective, we’re just happy to be able to provide you a link to a presenting sponsor that honors hirsuteness doesn’t require age verification first. (Hi kids, welcome to poker!)

Anyhow, always interesting and presumably good for the game when a new player sits down. We’ll be sure to let you know what they bring to the table. Click below for the well-crafted official details:

JACK LINK’S® BEEF JERKY TO SERVE AS PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER®

Las Vegas & Minong, Wisc. (May 18, 2009) – There’s a famous saying in poker: “All you need is a chip and a chair.” But with today’s news, the saying may become, “All you need is a stack and some Jack.”

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is proud to announce the addition of Jack Link’s® Beef Jerky as the new presenting sponsor of the world’s longest-running, richest and most prestigious poker tournament.

The tournament will now be known as the World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky.
“The game of poker is all about sharing good times with great friends. Jack Link’s enthusiasts and poker fans are cut from the same cloth – they are fun-seeking, adventurous spirits,” said Jeff LeFever, director of marketing, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. “The World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky is the most esteemed gaming event in the world, and poker’s untamed spirit truly embodies the Jack Link’s brand. Being part of this thrilling tournament is just one more way Jack Link’s is helping people to Feed Their Wild Side.”

Jack Link’s has agreed to a multi-year deal which begins at the 40th Annual World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky getting underway at the Rio® All-Suite Hotel and Casino on May 26, 2009. The WSOP sponsorship is one of the most significant event partnerships for the Jack Link’s brand.

Jack Link’s, the No. 1 brand of beef jerky and the fastest-growing meat snack manufacturer worldwide, leads the nearly $3 billion meat snack category. As the recognized category leader, Jack Link’s offers more than 100 premium meat snack products in more than 40 countries. In addition to its premium products, Jack Link’s is known for its popular Messin’ With Sasquatch advertising campaign which has achieved nearly cult-like status. The commercials feature pranksters playing sophomoric pranks on an unsuspecting Sasquatch.

“This is a great fit between two category-leading brands,” said Ty Stewart, WSOP vice president. “We’ve found a savvy and fun sports marketer who fits our culture and we welcome Jack Link’s to the WSOP family.”

Under terms of the agreement, Jack Link’s will be visible on the tournament floor, including the poker tables, the new Wild Card Café (replacing the No Limit Lounge) and signage throughout the venue. In addition, Jack Link’s is committed to advertising on World Series of Poker telecasts on ESPN. Jack Link’s products will be available for sale throughout the Rio, including the popular poker kitchen.

A WSOP-branded national promotion will also be forthcoming as part of the deal.

JACK LINK’S BEEF JERKY – Feed Your Wild Side.

Headquartered in Minong, Wis., Jack Link’s is the No. 1 U.S. meat snack brand and fastest-growing meat snack manufacturer worldwide. The Jack Link’s brand represents a heritage of quality and consumer trust. Jack Link’s products are available in retail outlets worldwide. Check out www.JackLinks.com for more information on the Jack Link’s brand.

ABOUT THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2008, the event attracted 58,720 entrants from 124 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and awarded over $180 million in prize money. The creation of the new delayed Main Event final table more than doubled ratings on ESPN year over year. The WSOP in December, 2008 was named the 7th most admired sports brand in North America by the Turnkey Sports Survey, trailing only the older and more established NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and PGA Tour among sports properties. In addition, the WSOP has experienced groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker EuropeSM. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit our website at www.worldseriesofpoker.com.

# # #

From the WSOP:

Milwaukee’s Best Light Dealt a Winning Hand as Official Beer Sponsor of the World Series of Poker®

2009 Marks Fourth Year as Official WSOP Sponsor for the “Beer That’s Brewed for a Man’s Taste”

MILWAUKEE (Feb. 25, 2009) – Milwaukee’s Best Light is betting that continuing its relationship with the popular World Series of Poker® will turn into a winning hand for the “beer that’s brewed for a man’s taste.” In 2009, Milwaukee’s Best Light will be the official beer sponsor of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), which featured increases in spectators and participants in 2008, as well as a highly rated, primetime broadcast of the final table on ESPN.

“Poker continues to enjoy growth both as a leisure activity and as a televised sporting event, so we want to make sure Milwaukee’s Best Light is the beer of choice whether fans are playing or watching at home,” said Chad Dern, Milwaukee’s Best Light marketing director. “When we look at opportunities for developing alliances that make the most sense for this brand and help us connect with the right audience, the World Series of Poker is simply the best.”

As the tournament’s official beer sponsor in 2009 and 2010, Milwaukee’s Best Light has the ability to use the WSOP logo on packaging and in all promotional activities, and the brand will have prominent signage during the nearly two-month-long tournament at the Rio® All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Terms of the two-year deal were not disclosed, and all terms herein are subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements.

“Milwaukee’s Best Light has been a great sponsor over the years, activating its sponsorship with advertising and promotions that have truly allowed the World Series of Poker to expand our fan base,” said WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. “We’re excited to have Milwaukee’s Best Light continuing on as the tournament’s official beer sponsor, and we look forward to building on this successful relationship as the tournament kicks off its 40th year.”

In 2008, the WSOP enjoyed a record year, generating the most entries ever (58,720) from the most countries ever (124). Participants also competed for the tournament’s largest prize pool ever ($180,774,427). The final table for last year’s Main Event, won by Peter Eastgate, was staged 117 days after the final nine participants were determined. It took place in front of a live audience and aired in primetime on ESPN with Eastgate receiving $9.1 million and the coveted gold bracelet. The WSOP will run the 2009 final table in the same manner.

For more information on the WSOP, visit www.WorldSeriesOfPoker.com. And for more information on Milwaukee’s Best Light, visit www.MilBestLight.com.

As the 2008 WSOP was coming to a close a few days ago, Pauly and I couldn’t help but notice that there seemed to be no new sponsors that weren’t already around for in the summer. Disappointing, sure — but maybe it’s just the general economy?

I began to speculate that WSOP marketing honcho Tye Stewart must be in BIG trouble, dude! couldn’t have been too happy that the most celebrated deal inked between July and November was an extended contract with Johnny Chan’s All In Energy Drink. About 10 minutes later, though, Jeffrey Pollack was speaking to the crowd, giving specific thanks and extreme kudos to Stewart as the successful, hard-working architect of the The November Nine vision. And indeed, we now know the broadcast returned some admirable TV numbers; and even as players got eliminated, there were lines of people in the Rio hallways to fill the Penn & Teller Theater’s 1,200 seats. So maybe now, with something definitive to sell potential backers in the future, what looked a little disappointing while riding up and down the escalators is actually a sign of better things to come?

Below is a pictorial look at some added value for official WSOP banners (and inflatables) in action:

Milwaukee’s Best Light’s been good to poker (and presumably vice-versa) but their contract is about to expire (if it hasn’t already). Will they re-up? Overall the beer is supposedly the lowest performer for the newly merged MillerCoors (despite having Phil Hellmuth’s picture on cans) yet the WSOP might be all that’s keeping it alive.

All In Energy will be the official mock-amphetamine beverage of the WSOP for at least a few (two?) more years.

As mentioned above … Planters: They go great with Milwaukee’s Best Light!

Capriotti’s is still the official sandwich of the WSOP. It really is pretty good grub, but I wonder how much they spent on that clever marketing phrase.

I still don’t know what Gamma-O is, but they have hot girls pushing some sort of testosterone supplement.

For legal and political reasons, Everest Poker is the lone(ly) little online poker sponsor of the WSOP.

Go Corum! They made a pretty cool looking bracelet this year. Not sure how well their high-end brand of wristwear looks on a grubby paw opening an aluminum can of Milwaukee’s Best Light, however.

Book 4: WSOP Final Table
Episode 4.13: Web Player Down! 4:53

(I was wondering about that beer-bottle label, or lack thereof. Indeed, I can imagine how even the attempt to force someone to drink Milwaukee’s Best Light could spark a little tilt.)

This time Dr.P and I take a leisurely stroll through the Amazon room while discussing bad t-shirts, sunglass technology, and the relationship between Milwaukee’s Best Light, the WSOP, college kids, and Annette_15.

Episode 11: Floorplay

I didn’t get to the Rio until way late yesterday — like 11:30 pm — so you’re getting yesterday’s episode today … which seems strangely appropriate considering in this episode Dr. Pauly and I are watching Vinny Vinh and his ever-encouraging railbirds at and around the final table in the $1,500 limit event from the Milwaukee’s Best Light No-Limit Lounge.

Episode 3: Milwaukee’s Best Vinny

One thing that hasn’t changed in the halls of the Rio Convention Center is the plethora of inflated Milwaukee’s Best Light cans with little inflated feet. Those things are pure targets for people who want to stab, punch, kick, and otherwise creatively deflate them, though I believe this is officially discouraged.

Yesterday, as staff put the final touches on everything, the MBL cans were being inflated and positioned in the halls. I did catch one, however, that didn’t make it to inflation yet or was possibly defective. Maybe he had too much of himself already. Can down.

John Sigan (seen here with his wife, Diana) from the Cleveland area qualified for the main event by winning a series of freerolls on Milbestlight.com. And then, lo and behold, when he went out in 622nd place — one short of a $20,000 payday — he qualified for the Milwaukee’s Best Light Bubble Playoff … where he will be competing against 10 other invitees (they added two to make room for Ted Forrest) for a seat in next year’s main event.

Hear the interview below, (along with a tactless, failed attempt to get a promo spot for Beyond the Table):

[display_podcast]

As a Pokerati commenter points out, it was none other than North Texas’s Vandy Krouch who delivered the decisive blow — making a calculated decision to kill one poker player for the sake of saving dozens (if not hundreds) of others.

From CardPlayer:

Hand-for-hand play was started fairly soon into the day’s action. Ted Forrest was eliminated in the first of what would be a series of 15 drawn-out hand for hand sessions. Some pros took full advantage of the timid play of the short stacks. Lee Watkinson out-chipped all of the players at his table, and he simply tapped them in each of the 15 hands, without looking at his cards. Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi made a resteal from the big blind with the always-dangerous Q-3, pushing his opponent off with an all-in push. John Sigan of Strongsville, Ohio was this year’s bubble boy, busting out when his Q-Q was cracked by Vandy Krouch’s 6s 5s on a 8c 6h 4s 7d 4d board. Sigan, along with the previous eight finishers, will have a chance to play a freeze-out tournament, the winner of which will receive an entry into the 2008 main event, and a year’s supply of Milwaukee’s Best (though for some the latter might not be a great incentive).

The biggest deal today is HOWARD AND SUZIE LEDERER’S barbecue (w/ STEPHEN Z) the final table of the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha World Championship … with DOYLE BRUNSON looking to put the screws to Phil Hellmuth:

Seat 1 – Doyle Brunson – 510,000
Seat 2 – Patrik Antonius – 650,000
Seat 3 – Marco Traniello – 420,000
Seat 4 – Rene Mouritsen – 775,000
Seat 5 – Tommy Ly – 1,895,000
Seat 6 – Jonas Flug-Entin – 445,000
Seat 7 – Steve Sung – 175,000
Seat 8 – Stephen Ladowski – 360,000
Seat 9 – Robert Mizrachi – 1,090,000

Click here to follow the Best of Omaha, semi-live.

If you want to follow it closer-to-live, it’s being video broadcast today. Mean Gene tells me word is that the event won’t be sequestered … instead it will be broadcast without the hour delay, but no hole cards visible.

Meanwhile, at the secondary final table of $1,000 SHOE, PAT POELS (above) looks to reclaim the ARIZONA POSSE bracelet lead as he is gunning for his third. He was chip leader for most of the day yesterday, but took a big hit right at the end.

The Final Table:

Seat 1: Vladimir Shchemelev – 168,000
Seat 2: Chip Jett – 40,000
Seat 3: Dao Bac – 266,000
Seat 4: Imre Leibold – 250,000
Seat 5: Patrick Poels – 53,000
Seat 6: Raymond Davis – 235,000
Seat 7: Adam Geyer – 293,000
Seat 8: Michael Craig – 161,000

Click here to follow today’s most important mixed-games action.

Mad props to fellow Andy Beal stalker blogger MICHAEL CRAIG (left), who has made his second final table of the WSOP (and also has some ARIZONA roots apparently). CHIP JETT (right), who I believe hails from Arizona originally, is fighting to hang.

Tomorrow he and his wife KARINA are hosting an party at a Las Vegas strip club, by the way:

Another player to watch … RAYMOND DAVIS (left — not from Arizona) has also been kicking butt this year, and seems due for big score. LUCKY LIU (right) just missed the final table. He is STEVE WONG’S poker mentor. Shout out … nice go, LL!

Both TOM SCHNEIDER and MICHELE LEWIS are competing in the $1,500 Limit Hold’em Shootout today. Tom made the final table in this event last year, and Michele made a final table in Limit Hold’em, and cashed in a No-Limit shootout.

Since shootouts dictate that only one in 10 move on, Pokerati swears we don’t want to see them at the same table for the sake of PHOTOGRAPHIC CONVENIENCE.

DONKEY BOMBER wants to cash really bad in this — the deeper the better — to lock up Milwaukee’s Best Light Player of the Year. He’s trying to hold off JEFF LISANDRO, who is well-chipped going into Day 2 of the $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em w/ Rebuys event. Interestingly enough, these two have a pending $5,000 bet — not on who will finish higher in the POY standings, but over the NUMBER OF ENTRANTS into the main event. Tom has the under on 5,850.

If you have an opinion about the rightness of Ladies events, JENNIFER NEWELL has an interesting article — and new perspective on tournaments lacking a Y chromosome.

Looks like something out of E.T., no?

This presumably has something to do with why a fourth Day 1 for the main event was added. Really would be unfair to any players who had to start in the “poker superstructure.”

As the WSOP rolls on, the cash games are getting bigger and bigger — but where are the pros? Follow coverage of the LIVE ACTION at PokerWorks.

Dallas Dealer BETH LAIRD, seen here with ALLEN CUNNINGHAM and STEVEN Z(olotow) in the $1,000 2-7 Triple Draw w/ Rebuys.

RAFI AMIT won that event in the early Monday a.m. As they tend to do in mixed games, the ARIZONA POSSE represented … with DANNY FUHS just missing the final table, but still scoring a POSITIVE EV cash.

(Sorry Como, can’t Google- hide your name any more … When you register for the WSOP, that becomes a matter of semi-public record.)

UPDATE: Numbers corrected above. Interestingly enough, the first tourney was the last super-satellite into the last WSOP-qualifying satellite on Full Tilt. Como played both events back-to-back, from about 6 pm to 1:30 am.

So out of however many hundreds of pros and thousands of amateurs in the main event, he is now someone whose progress Pokerati will be following — and we couldn’t be happier. Go Como! Make the final table and maybe we can get you a jersey.

In addition to him, below are other the players we care about might possibly be watching in a couple weeks:

Batfaces
Troy Phillips
The Big Randy
Scott Fawcett

Rounder Clubbers
Chris Como

Dallas Homies
John Knauf
Gregg Merkow
TJ Cloutier
Clonie
Rodeen Talebi
Scott Levy
Lloyd Shinn
Paul Lackey
Richard Ferro
Marco Palacios
Webber Kang

Tom Schneider and the Arizona Posse
Tom Schneider
Big Robert Goldfarb
Pat Poels
Kyle

North Texas Expats
Doyle Brunson
David Williams
Chantel McNulty

Bloggers
Richard Brodie
??

Pretty Girls (who can play)
Michele Lau

Pretty Girls (who can’t play)
There’s no such thing in poker, right?

Team Miwaukee’s Best Light
Robert Williamson III

Michele’s and Dan’s Fantasy Teams
(not covered elsewhere on the list
Phil Hellmuth
Steve Wong
Nam Le
Shannon Shorr
Joe Sebok
Marcel Luske
Joe Hachem
David Plastik
Alex Jacob
John Juanda
Eric Seidel
Danny Wong
Jeff Madsen
Harry Demetriou
Justin Bonomo

Problem Children
Eskimo Clark
Vinny Vinh
Brandi Hawbaker
David Sklansky
Bill Chen

Women Possibly Playing in Lingerie
Jennicide

Texans with Criminal Charges Pending against Them
Richard Lee

Ooh, yikes. That’s a lot of people to follow. Maybe we won’t cover everyone after all — hopefully most of them will go out early on Day 1 make it into the money and get seated at the same table! But you know what … though the list above is probably plenty, let me know if there’s someone playing who I left off … and leave any other names (and home town) below that you’d like us to track. We’ll see what we can do.

Official chip counts aren’t always the most accurate, you know … and they seldom have info on “unknowns” that you may care about, like Como and Tom.

In a nutshell, I just never got any traction. It was like riding a bull out of the gate — up and down and in control of my chips, but never firmly saddled. With my mind as clear as it could be after a morning pep talk with various yokels in web-server tech support … I got hit early when my two pair lost to a better two pair (my fault for playing A-8s) and then my “top top” lost to two pair played very passively, not giving much indication of what I was up against. But that’s OK, no panic — just shifting gears more often than I’d like. Would get down to the proverbial “chip and a chair” holding a single 500 chip in the second level. And then — call me an angle-shooter if you will — I pulled a tricky to stay alive:

Blinds were 50/100, and I had K-Js in middle position. UTG comes in for a raise to 300, and I decide this is the hand I gotta go with. I flip my chip into the pot (with a high arc) saying, “One chip!” Though I gave this overchip underraise about a 20 percent shot of working, the dealer took the bait.

“Sir, excuse me, but you did not say ‘raise.’ This is going to stand as a 300-dollar call.”

Oh, right. Sorry. Oops. I understand.

Everyone else folded, and it’s heads up as we see the flop. I couldn’t have missed more — not even runner-runner flush outs — and when the other player fires out, I fold, leaving me with two black chips change. In my mind I had doubled up, now with an M=0.667.

With this, I started to believe … just maybe possibly …it was my destiny to win. Yep, I’d be following in Tom’s bracelet-bound footsteps … doing Milwaukee’s Best Light, Put a Bad Beat on Cancer (decided to go with the official charity of the WSOP) and The Batfaces proud … all while providing inspiration for all of blog-kind! The belief continued to germinate as I climbed well out of the hole and started to get comfortable after winning a couple races.

While unable to post during the event, I was able to text-message some play-by-play to friends and colleagues. (And interestingly enough, Jack Effel announced specific rules at the start of the tourney relating to this ever-more-common practice for providing chip counts.) Here’s what my “top friends” got as Big Tourney Day progressed:

1:07 pm (pacific)
Hurt kinda early. Lost two pair to 2 pr twice.

1:08 pm
Down to 2 chips and a chair.

1:09 pm
Made it to level 2. M=5

1:33 pm
Literally down to chip and chair. But lasted longer than tom!
[Ed. Note: Tom Schneider and I had a $200 last longest bet, which he smartly hedged by saying we had to make it to Day 2 for either of us to collect.]

1:50 pm
Doubled up from 1 chip to 2. 500 to 200

2:12 pm
Oh boy. I went from 200 to 2250″ seated next to barry greenstein, whose advice i took last night.

2:21 pm
2250. Seated next to barry greenstein on 217. he said advice still good, but sometimes cards don’t cooperate.

2:26 pm
Turned my 200 into 2250. Did i already report this? I arguably shot an angle with an overchip underraise to stay alive.

2:29 pm
Walking back in room. I smell weed. Someone was clearly smoking on break.

3:04 pm
1900 left. Chips that is.

3:17 pm
Just got KOd. My 10-10 lost to AK on the river.

3:20 pm
If i win that hand i think i am good to win the tournament.

Upon further reporting, we have learned that Rob did indeed bust out of the $1,500 NLH event. Bummer. Especially from a Pokerati photography perspective. Of course, assuming Rob has further poker aspirations, he can always qualify for the main event via Milwaukee’s Best Light freeroll here. (In theory, at least.)

Fortunately, here at the World Series, you can always rely on ImageMasters to provide you with the shot you need. At least that’s what they tell us. But they didn’t get a shot of Mariano either … perhaps because Pokerati didn’t ask for them to take one, but still:

With that said, Pokerati, you know, likes to sell out be on the journalistic front lines, and thus we’ve partnered up with Milwaukee’s Best Light. On our team of players we have one blogger (me), one pro (Robert Williamson), and one Hollywooder … Rob Mariano. Today is Rob’s day to play under an MBL banner … he’s in the Event #15 — $1,500 NLHE. We just had a little introductory get-together at the Rio Starbuck’s (seen here) because that’s how sponsorships roll.

“Boston Rob” reminds me a lot of Gonz. Except that he seems nice. Last Pokerati checked on him, his starting stack was unchanged, and he had folded a bunch of hands.

UPDATE: He has a few more chips than before, but still isn’t sitting in a way conducive to my “casually” capturing the MBL logo. But I did manage to get this shot in the interim: