More International Team Poker News
On the same day the APT had their inaugural international team poker event, the WTP (not to be confused with the WPT) announced their team leaders … with Phil Hellmuth taking the role of Captain America this time.
I may not be able to say it for long, but I’d like to point out that at the moment Pauly, Lana, and I have more team poker titles and prize money than Hellmuth does. Of course who doesn’t, but still … just sayin’.
The beginnings of the World Team Poker league:
Country Team Captain
1 USA – Phil Hellmuth
2 China – Johnny Chan
3 Vietnam – Men “The Master” Nguyen
4 Philippines – Toto Leonidas
5 Lebanon – Freddy Deeb and Dany Joe Georges
6 Australia – Jeff Lisandro
7 Iran – Amir Vahedi
8 Israel – Eli Elezra
9 Mexico – Mario Esquerra
10 Korea – Kevin Song
11 Egypt – Mark Seif
12 Switzerland – Chris Bigler
13 Greece – Chris Tsiprailidis
14 Russia – Ralph Perry
15 Germany – Dan Heimiller
16 Armenia – Chris Grigorian
Karridy says:
August 20th, 2009 at 7:30am
I think this is really stupid. Vahedi, Nguyen, Grigorian? Yikes.
Kevin Mathers says:
August 20th, 2009 at 7:35am
The PokerBowl was more viable than this venture.
lana says:
August 20th, 2009 at 3:14pm
LOL. yay us!
DanM says:
August 20th, 2009 at 10:56pm
I kinda agree … despite the pros involved and Phil Hellmuth’s live pimpage a couple months ago … the WTP seems to have the least likelihood of really sticking and turning into something. Could be wrong … but I gotta think trying to create the true pro “league” is where they are overreaching … as opposed to just throwing a good rockin’ tourney.
Benjo says:
August 21st, 2009 at 6:00am
Is it a coincidence that (almost) all of these guys are expats living in America, or is it on purpose ?
Also, lots of big poker country missing, and lots of small countries present. (UK ? FRance ? Spain ? Italy ?)
Kevin Mathers says:
August 21st, 2009 at 6:11am
A lot of them are regulars at the Bike, which gives them the advantage of playing for their “country” in this “league”.
benjammin509 says:
August 21st, 2009 at 11:22am
Where’s Canada?? Seems like there’s a lot more truly successful pros from the Great White North than there are from some of the other countries represented here.
DanM says:
August 21st, 2009 at 11:35am
I’m willing to cut any operation a little slack on their first go-round … you gotta start with what you’ve got to work with. But you all bring up some good points on where this thing seems plausibly flawed from the get-go.
In fact, it actually is reminding me a bit more of the Poker Bowl … that concept from the start was about having “franchises” that were truly representative of different cities. But in the end, the city thing proved to be too contrived and manipulated to hold any water.