Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

This is what happens when you spend consecutive weekends hanging around the Rio, essentially getting paid to watch poker for eight straight hours...

David Sklansky went to great lengths to make sure everybody at his ME Day 1 table (61 I think when I saw him) knew he was reading the paper and talking on his cell phone, I'm assuming so everyone could notice he's just that awesome.

Jim Meehan really is as obnoxious as his reputation indicates. Ellix Powers is as well. Marcel Luske is not.

Howard Lederer is back to being "Bubba" again.

Old women love Daniel Negreanu. I was halfway expecting one of them to bake him a cake with a jumper in it. (You have to watch some BBC to get that)

I've never seen a "straight man" mince around the way Phil Hellmuth does.

The best quote came during an exchange between John Juanda and Negreanu. Juanda was playing an Omaha event and made some crack about not getting any playable hands. Negreanu replies in mock horror "You get four cards! You can play every hand!"

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

I watched some of the NL Two to Seven Draw Lowball event from the rail and the table right in front of me had 77 year old John Bonetti playing. John has a reputation of being a *rick, and he didn't disappoint. A dispute arose over a flashed card and Bonetti called for the floor, when someone arrived who wasn't to his liking he told them to get someone else (Grooms maybe), somone who knew the rules, and as the original guy was walking away affable John made a self-gratification gesture about him. He then didn't like the ruling and continued to rant about the situation for the next 15 minutes.

I'm glad he's mellowed with age. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Was also surprised at how tall Seidel is.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

I sat to the left of Eddy Scharf for all of day 2. He's a low-down, blind stealing mofo [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] Just kidding, actually he was a very cool guy and obviously a solid player. He did steal many blinds from me, but I didn't have any chips or cards to fight back with.

He taught me quite a cool little trick (at least I think it was a trick, not an accident). The dealer was pushing him a pot after yet another blind steal. He tosses his cards just perfectly into the muck hitting the dealer her arm and flipping them over exposing AQ as if to show that he wasn't stealing with trash, which I knew he was most of the time!

He wore his two WSOP bracelets on each arm, probably to intimidate people - it seemed to work! He pretty much stole blinds and came over the top of people all day. He had around 50 or 60K with only 650 people left in day 2 (when I got knocked out). I see he didn't make the money, so something bad must have happened to him in the last hour.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

I spoke with Ellix Powers while there and shook his hand. He told me that he was badly stuck and had to go to Cali for 24 hrs. to get a loan or something from someone. He's a fish. Phil Gordon was a kewl cat and gave me a 5 min. interview (see his site day 1a. for the download). My favorite guy was Matusow. I was at the table behind him and everytime someone in the room cheered he would yell out "Another two outer on the river."

Indy

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

I spotted Ellix at the $2500 limit HE event, standing at the cage apparently in a conversation that was not to his liking. Jim Meehan approached and they talked for a while, also resulting in Ellix looking not happy. He then wondered around the floor as the event was getting started holding about 10 $100's like a dead cat in his hand and complaining to anyone who approached him about how he can't play in any of the events for lack of funds. I'm assuming he was trying to get a stake from Meehan or something. His double socks with sandals were cool. The outer ones were purple.

It looked as though Phil Gordon had by far the largest following among the younger generation. The rail by his table was impenetrable, but the one by the table with four big stars (I think it was Juanda, Lederer, a blank, Todd Brunson, and ??? all in a line) was all clear.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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David Sklansky went to great lengths to make sure everybody at his ME Day 1 table (61 I think when I saw him) knew he was reading the paper and talking on his cell phone, I'm assuming so everyone could notice he's just that awesome.

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I thought you werent allowed to talk on your cell phone at the WSOP?

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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I thought you werent allowed to talk on your cell phone at the WSOP?

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That's correct. They'll kill your hand.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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David Sklansky went to great lengths to make sure everybody at his ME Day 1 table (61 I think when I saw him) knew he was reading the paper and talking on his cell phone, I'm assuming so everyone could notice he's just that awesome.

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I thought you werent allowed to talk on your cell phone at the WSOP?

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He stood up from the table, but made enough of a scene so that everyone on the surrounding four tables knew what he was doing.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Was also surprised at how tall Seidel is.

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Seidel and Luske at forward, Phil Gordon at center, David Williams as the runty point guard, Phil Hellmuth at shooting guard, Howard Lederer off the bench. Doyle Brunson can coach the team. Todd Brunson can be the water boy.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Was also surprised at how tall Seidel is.

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Seidel and Luske at forward, Phil Gordon at center, David Williams as the runty point guard, Phil Hellmuth at shooting guard, Howard Lederer off the bench. Doyle Brunson can coach the team. Todd Brunson can be the water boy.

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*Wipes spewed Dr. Pepper off of monitor*

vnh.

My fiancee's been wondering aloud every time we watch poker about why so many of the top guys are abnormally friggin' tall. Is it something to do with physical intimidation?

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

Daniel Negreanu: Somewhat to my surprise, a delightful individual. Fun to play with, open, candid and down to earth. We played together during the 1K rebuy, which he bubbled and which I got 5th in, and when he saw me and my friends near the parking lot the next day, he gave our "East Coast Posse" a shoutout and stopped to chat with us and find out how I was doing in the tourney. I played with him again in the Razz event a few weeks later, we sat next to each other, and he gave me a primer in big bet 2-7.

David Grey, Ted Forrest: grouping these two guys together, because they were both at my starting table at the 5K PL. I enjoy talking at the table, helps break up the monotony--and these guys are great for that purpose. I truly appreciate anyone who can carry on a conversation about something other than poker, or about the more interesting, peripheral aspects of poker culture--and these guys deliver in spades. Was a very lively table.

Barry Greenstein: Didn't play with him, but I shared a cab with Kiril G and him one day from Bellagio to the Rio. He seems somewhat joyless. I got him talking a little bit, and he re-iterated a lot of what he's said in public about Daniel Negreanu, saying he's "not a fully developed poker player" and going with his spiel about how the most recognized tourney players aren't really the best poker players, etc. He seems excessively bitter, and I think he needs a good night's sleep.

David Pham: Inscrutable. Inspired terror at the table.

Amir Vahedi: Absolutely [censored] hilarious. Hard to describe how and why, but he had me doubled over in laughter within minutes of joining my 5K PL table after dinner-break.

Paul Phillips: Good conversationalist.

Allen Cunningham: Very low-key, seemingly down-to-earth, also scary to play against.

Tom Franklin: Quite a character. He's super-confident and more than happy to tell you about all that he's accomplished in his life. Fun to play with. We played razz together and got involved in a ton of pots together, with a healthy amount of accompanying banter.

O'Neil Longson: Also inscrutable. He sat next to me at my razz starting table for several hours and didn't seem like anything special--I thought he had one foot in the grave. Of course, he went on to win the tournament.

Phil Gordon: I thought he would be a lot more biiter than he is, based on the Bay 101 WPT performance from a year or two ago. On the contrary, he's convivial, smart, funny and an absolute dead ringer for Nicolas Cage.

That's all I can think of right now, but there's a lot more. of course.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

Off topic, but I thought the fans were in general very ignorant of the game. It made me a little sad actually. ...so many people wandering around wondering what sort of f-ed up kinda poker was being played with four hole cards. Must've been some strange kind of "four card poker." Also, many had no idea there could be pros apart from those that get the majority of TV face time. For example, Layne Flack (who for obvious reasons) doesn't show up on TV at all, recieved almost no notice sitting at the table next to Phil Gordon.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

I got to play with Ellix Powers in a 20 40 game after some of the tables broke on day 1c. I had been waiting for a seat into the game for about 2 hours when one finally opened up. I moved from my 10 20 over to the other table and started playing. About 30 minutes into playing Powers comes and sits down in his seat that he had left for what the table said was 1 to 1.5 hours. He sits down with his chips already there and played maybe 15 hands while he ordered a glass of wine. Once he got his wine he left the room, but not before putting the plastic box over his chips so someone can play over the top of him. His seat is instantly taken buy a man in his mid 50s. We play for about another hour until Ellix walks back to the table and tells the man to fold his hand and get out of his seat immediatley. The man turns around gives him a "what the [censored]" stare and tells him to calm down and let him finish playing he hand. At this point they are at the river in about a 300 pot. Ellix yells out "get outta my seat, your a loser, you can't win". This man is now pissed. The hand ends an the man ends up losing the pot. Ellix says "see, told ya you were a loser, should have saved us some time and just folded" (It was checked around on the river). Ellix has had enough and takes his chips and leaves. Just a complete [censored]!

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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I got to play with Ellix Powers in a 20 40 game after some of the tables broke on day 1c. I had been waiting for a seat into the game for about 2 hours when one finally opened up. I moved from my 10 20 over to the other table and started playing. About 30 minutes into playing Powers comes and sits down in his seat that he had left for what the table said was 1 to 1.5 hours. He sits down with his chips already there and played maybe 15 hands while he ordered a glass of wine. Once he got his wine he left the room, but not before putting the plastic box over his chips so someone can play over the top of him. His seat is instantly taken buy a man in his mid 50s. We play for about another hour until Ellix walks back to the table and tells the man to fold his hand and get out of his seat immediatley. The man turns around gives him a "what the [censored]" stare and tells him to calm down and let him finish playing he hand. At this point they are at the river in about a 300 pot. Ellix yells out "get outta my seat, your a loser, you can't win". This man is now pissed. The hand ends an the man ends up losing the pot. Ellix says "see, told ya you were a loser, should have saved us some time and just folded" (It was checked around on the river). Ellix has had enough and takes his chips and leaves. Just a complete [censored]!

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hah. thats a sweet story. truly one of the great characters of the game.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Phil Gordon: I thought he would be a lot more biiter than he is, based on the Bay 101 WPT performance from a year or two ago. On the contrary, he's convivial, smart, funny and an absolute dead ringer for Nicolas Cage.


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PG is a very nice guy. I ran into him at a bar in Georgetown about 6 months ago and he bought my friends and I some drinks and said "see, nobody from PartyPoker would ever do this."

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

$1500 Pot limit Omaha event

In my days up to the event I went in thinking, I know these guys are pro players. But my full house will still beat their flushes.

Lee Watkinson in seat 3, Barry Johnson in seat 5 I am in seat 6. First table! First Hour! At the time I did not know who these guys were other than the looked familiar and I knew I should know who they are. Imagine my surprise when I learned Barry is a world champion (86?) and Lee has cashed for like a Zillion bucks in the last year or so.

Barry got into an argument with the dealer on the size of a pot bet. He was getting really pissed and he was not even in the hand! 2 hands later Barry hit his straight on the turn, went all in, board paired and top set sucked it out on him. KARMA?

The only real tough decision of the my tournament was vs. Lee I had 2 rag hearts on a big board with 2 hearts and lee bet the pot into me. If I was going to call I might have just went all in with the size of my stack. If he had bigger hearts, there was no backdoor for me. I fold.

Got trapped by some guy set over set. Put my dead money in on a one outer, How nice.

Saw Eric Sidel, Man that dude is tall! Saw Huck Seed, could not help to think that if the drug stuff was true, how sad.

Saw a lot of fragile ego in that room. It was a room full of guys used to being the best in the game they play every weekend.

…………………………..

Later that afternoon, me and my boys go to the bellagio for some 4-8, beer, and buffet (crab leg magoo!).

The big game was running

Chau Chang, Phil Ivey, Ted forest, Doyle, Chan

The weird colored chips they were playing with were so foreign to me that it looked like they were using some oddball colored set off ebay. I understand there was a few million in play. They were playing before we got there and were playing after we left.

Doyle took a rack of something with him. 1Ks? 5Ks? 25Ks? Who knows??

Stuff I will tell my Grandkids someday. (even if they don‘t care)

Jdoe

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Was also surprised at how tall Seidel is.

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Seidel and Luske at forward, Phil Gordon at center, David Williams as the runty point guard, Phil Hellmuth at shooting guard, Howard Lederer off the bench. Doyle Brunson can coach the team. Todd Brunson can be the water boy.

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Daniel can be the cheerleader

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Saw Huck Seed, could not help to think that if the drug stuff was true, how sad.

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Wha?

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

Marcel Luske was absolutely cool. Obviously a guy very comfortable with himself. Definitely a class act and a genuinely nice guy.

Meng La? Who knows? He's made out of stone.

Luca Padrano (sp?) was also pretty cool, even though he played three hands just a tad shaky and suffered a river beat on each one (one of which was to me).

Simon (last name?) from London is a real character and a very nice guy, and does the best DeNiro impression I have ever seen. Apparently, he used to do it for a living. He did it at the feature table, so it will probably make the final cut on ESPN.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

pagano

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

Agree.. Greenstein seems like a naturally miserable, unhappy person.. Donating to charity makes himself feel better about himself for his lack of something else (esteem?).

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Agree.. Greenstein seems like a naturally miserable, unhappy person.. Donating to charity makes himself feel better about himself for his lack of something else (esteem?).

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Dude, knock it off.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

Sorry.. I'll keep the truth to myself next time. Sorry I offended you. I'll try again:

Barry Greenstein is the greatest person on earth.. I love this guy.. He's so nice and so kind to everybody he encouters, even complete strangers! He's probably the great poker player to ever live. I love Barry G, he's my hero and my idol.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Agree.. Greenstein seems like a naturally miserable, unhappy person..

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Why, because of his facial expression? Ever meet somebody who was totally different than what you expected based on the way they dressed?

All of what you're saying is speculation about a specific individual.

He's a guy who does good things for those who need help. Don't dismiss his actions by saying he is actually just doing them to fulfill some sense of inadequacy. I'm sure he still does more for these people then you ever will. It'd be like if some guy helped a woman who was stranded, gave her a lift, went out of his way, and then the woman says "I don't have to thank you, cause you were just doing it to get a chance at f_cking me."

In closing, BLOW ME!

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

It's merely from his attitude and the stories I've read from people on here who've encountered him, including his childish blowup at the WSOP this year.

Nearly everyone that says they met him says he's a bitter dick.

Don\'t feed the trolls
 

Sekrah is a troll. He's been stirring the pot for a month. Just don't respond to his inflamatory posts.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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It's merely from his attitude and the stories I've read from people on here who've encountered him, including his childish blowup at the WSOP this year.

Nearly everyone that says they met him says he's a bitter dick.

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I've sent him emails a couple times with various questions. He responded to them with a helpful, sincere tone. Maybe he comes across different in person, or maybe people are just pot stirrers???

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Nearly everyone that says they met him says he's a bitter dick.

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I'll take your/their word for it...... FWIW, I wouldn't want people treating me like a god just because I play poker well. I would get annoyed with celebrity status. Unless its a totally hot chick or something.

I still don't think his charitable work should be discredited though.

Re: Don\'t feed the trolls
 

Just telling it like it is.

I'll withhold the truth next time so I don't hurt your feelings, okay?

Re: Don\'t feed the trolls
 

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Sekrah is a troll. He's been stirring the pot for a month. Just don't respond to his inflamatory posts.

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Thanks for the heads up. I don't come around here much!

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

rumor mill: heard he ate way to X-TACY and made him stupid [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

I caught a couple hours of the ME right when they were playing down to the bubble. As I was leaving the Rio, I saw what appeared to be a homeless man wandering through the hall. On closer inspection, I realized it was Ellix Powers.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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pagano

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Yeah, I knew something was wrong, but it was late, and Google seemed like a pain in the ass just then.

Thanks.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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[ QUOTE ]

It's merely from his attitude and the stories I've read from people on here who've encountered him, including his childish blowup at the WSOP this year.

Nearly everyone that says they met him says he's a bitter dick.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've sent him emails a couple times with various questions. He responded to them with a helpful, sincere tone. Maybe he comes across different in person, or maybe people are just pot stirrers???

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here. Barry has replied to both of the e-mails I sent him and his replies were prompt, candid and very helpful.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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Later that afternoon, me and my boys go to the bellagio for some 4-8, beer, and buffet (crab leg magoo!).

The big game was running

Chau Chang, Phil Ivey, Ted forest, Doyle, Chan

The weird colored chips they were playing with were so foreign to me that it looked like they were using some oddball colored set off ebay. I understand there was a few million in play. They were playing before we got there and were playing after we left.

Doyle took a rack of something with him. 1Ks? 5Ks? 25Ks? Who knows??

Stuff I will tell my Grandkids someday. (even if they don‘t care)

[/ QUOTE ]


Great story. $5,000's (known as "flags" because of their red, white and blue colors), I assume.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

So Doyle had $500k at the table? Man that's sick.

I wonder when they are going to bump "The Big Game" up to $6,000-$12,000.

Certaintly a matter of time.

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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It's merely from his attitude and the stories I've read from people on here who've encountered him, including his childish blowup at the WSOP this year.

Nearly everyone that says they met him says he's a bitter dick.

[/ QUOTE ]

O Yeah.
What
A
prick!

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

well you've got the tall guys, but poker has a lot of real short guys too, which is not always particularly obvious on tv

Re: Stories/impressions of name pros at the WSOP?
 

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rumor mill: heard he ate way to X-TACY and made him stupid [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

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he ate his way to exstacy? delicious...