One of Pokerati\’s goals for 2008 is to re-introduce the phrase \”in your kitchen\” to the poker lexicon. (Basically it means \”having someone\’s number\” — and the ability to play head games to the point that you have a specific opponent making all the wrong moves against you.) While we haven\’t yet heard it much at all around the various tables in Las Vegas, we are delighted to see the whole kitchen concept starting to rear its head in England, where our good friends at PartyPoker have introduced the idea of \”bageling\” Phil Hellmuth.
Click below to read all about how its been shaking down in the Party Premier League in Leyton, where on non-poker days the Party-sponsored Leyton Orient have been kicking arse and are looking strong as they seek promotion from League One to the Champions League. Though things aren\’t going as well for my beloved Wigan, the likelihood that they could be relegated as my second-beloved Leyton gets promoted, thereby putting them in the same league is kinda exciting regardless of all the great poker that is getting played overseas.
I still find it funny that the currency used in the Party Premier League is dollars, not pounds.
THE FINAL DAY OF THE $1 MILLION PARTYPOKER.COM PREMIER LEAGUE!
THE TERM ‘BAGEL’ IS ADDED TO THE POKER DICTIONARYLondon – 16th February 2008 – The PartyPoker.com Premier League has reached its final table! Four players confirmed their spots from their league positions, while four players have taken part in heads-up matches for the last two places in the finale. Tony G, Andy Black, Alexander Kravchenko and Marcel Luske automatically made the final for finishing in the first four spots, while Roland De Wolfe and Annie Duke won their way through after heads-up matches. At the final table one point is the equivalent of 1,000 chips with Tony G and Andrew Black going into the final in dominant positions. Tony G finished top of the league with 38 points and takes 380,000 chips to the final table. Live reporting of the final takes place at http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/
One of the main stories of tournament has been the failure of Phil Hellmuth to spark in any way. The Poker Brat finished top of the league table last year and dominated the event by winning four heats. This year he has finished last with zero points (a bagel) twice and the 11 time WSOP bracelet winner has been ridiculed all week by his rivals who are reveling in his misery. The tournament has also not been kind to defending champion Juha Helppi, who has struggled to get going in a format in which he typically excels. In contrast, an aggressive style was the downfall of Tony G in 2007 but in 2008 the bookies’ favourite has steamrollered his opponents by winning three heats. The week has also been great for Andy Black who has also dominated proceedings with a hat-trick of victories.
The final heat was hugely eventful – Roland De Wolfe needed just one point to win an automatic place at the final table and adopted a very conservative style only to bust out with zero points. This meant that against all odds Marcel Luske got the prestigious final table spot. Vicky Coren’s chances of making the play-off matches depended on the Devilfish or Helppi not winning but the Fish triumphed and “Tea Cup†Coren was sent to the rail. The two heads-up matches saw De Wolfe play Scharf for a place in the final and Duke take on the Devilfish. De Wolfe took out Scharf, while Duke won a thriller against the Devilfish.
FINAL TABLE CHIP STACKS – 1.5 MILLION ON TABLE
Seat 1 Annie Duke (USA) 190,000
Seat 2 Andy Black (IRE) 330,000
Seat 3 Marcel Luske (HOL) 210,000
Seat 4 Roland De Wolfe (ENG) 200,000
Seat 5 Tony G (AUS) 380,000
Seat 6 Alexander Kravchenko (RUS) 260,000Eddie Hearn, Head of Online Gaming at Matchroom Sport said: “Tony and Andy may have the advantage going into the final but there is a lot of play left. There are 1.5 million chips at the final table and the blinds start a 1,000/2,000. The structure will ensure it will be a grueling battle.â€Â
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “Phil Hellmuth holds the record for the number of wins in the Premier League but he nearly broke the record for the most zeros in the tournament this week. The players have taken to calling nil points a bagel – the hotel is nearly out of their supply as the jokers send them via room service to their rivals’ rooms. The banter has been fantastic all week and the Chinese poker action in the stretch hummer the players have to take them around London has been ferocious.â€Â
The groundbreaking format developed by Matchroom Sport, features 12 of the world’s best players playing in a unique league event for a $1 million prize pool. The event started at 3 Mills Studio, London on the 10th February and will be first broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK in late March. Commentary for the final will be provided by Jesse May and Phil Hellmuth. Each player took part in six six seater games in the preliminary stages. The leading four players then progressed to the final table with the next four battling it out in heads-up matches for the final two seats.
Each player bought in for $60,000, with PartyPoker.com adding $280,000 to make the pool $1 million, up from $500,000 last year. Nine of the twelve players from 2007’s successful event returned with the new faces being “Flying Dutchman†Marcel Luske, Annie Duke and Alexander Kravchenko. As before, eleven-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth led a top field that also includes Dave ‘The Devilfish’ Ulliott, Tony G, Andy Black, Ian Frazer, Roland De Wolfe, Vicky Coren, Juha Helppi and Eddy Scharf.
2008 PARTYPOKER.COM PREMIER LEAGUE POKER FINAL POINTS TABLE
Tony G (AUS) 38 pts
Andy Black (IRE) 33 pts
Alex Kravchenko (RUS) 26 pts
Marcel Luske (HOL) 21 pts————————————————-
Roland De Wolfe (ENG) 20 pts
Annie Duke (USA) 19 pts
Dave “Devilfish†Ulliott 19 pts
Eddy Scharf (GER) 19 pts————————————————–
Vicky Coren (ENG) 17 pts
Juha Helppi (FIN) 11 pts
Ian Frazer (ENG) 9 pts
Phil Hellmuth (USA) 8 pts9 points were awarded for a 1st, 5 points for 2nd, 3 points for 3rd, 2 points for 4th, 1 point for 5th and a bagel (zero) for 6th.
2008 Prize Money Breakdown
Final Table ($520,000)
Winner $250,000
Runner-Up $120,000
Third $60,000
Fourth $40,000
Fifth $30,000
Sixth $20,0002008 Prize Money Breakdown
League Stage ($480,000) 12 Matches
Winner $18000 x 12
Runner-Up $10000 x 12
Third $6000 x 12
Fourth $4000 x 12
Fifth $2000 x 12
Sixth $0A BAGEL = ZERO POINTS IN A PREMIER LEAGUE HEAT
————————————————————————————–
2007 PARTYPOKER.COM PREMIER LEAGUE POKER FINAL PRIZE MONEY
Juha Helppi (FIN) $151,000
Eddy Scharf (GER) $91,000
Phil Hellmuth (USA) $65,000
Liz Lieu (USA) $43,000
Vicky Coren (ENG) $35,000
Ian Frazer (ENG) $35,000
Andy Black (IRE) $18,000
Kenna James (USA) $17,000
Kirill Gerasimov (RUS) $17,000
David ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott (ENG) $14,000
Tony G (AUS) $7,000
Roland De Wolfe (ENG) $7,0002007 PARTYPOKER.COM PREMIER LEAGUE POKER FINAL TABLE LINE-UP
Phil Hellmuth (USA) 350,000 chips
Eddy Scharf (GER) 310,000 chips
Juha Helppi (FIN) 260,000 chips
Ian Frazer (ENG) 250,000 chips
Liz Lieu (USA) 230,000 chips
Vicky Coren (ENG) 200,000 chips2007 PARTYPOKER.COM PREMIER LEAGUE POKER FINAL POINTS TABLE
Phil Hellmuth (USA) 35 Pts
Eddy Scharf (GER) 31 Pts
Juha Helppi (FIN) 26 Pts
Ian Frazer (ENG) 25 Pts
——————————————
Liz Lieu (USA) 23 Pts
Vicky Coren (ENG) 20 Pts
Andrew Black (IRE) 18 Pts
Kenna James (USA) 17 Pts
——————————————
Kirill Gerasimov (RUS) 17 Pts
David ‘Devlifish’ Ulliott (ENG) 14 Pts
Tony G (AUS) 7 Pts
Roland De Wolfe (ENG) 7 PtsPartyPoker.com is a popular member of PartyGaming Plc’s growing suite of online games that includes PartyCasino.com, PartyBingo.com, PartyBets.com, PartyGammon.com, Gamebookers.com and EmpirePoker.com.