Category Archives: Professional Poker Players

Mar
01
2009

Another Bust and a Bank Sings Proud Mary

“You sure do know a lot of people who get arrested,” said a co-worker after reading my last blog. I quipped, “Maybe it’s just that your friends can afford better lawyers and accountants.” If I needed any ammunition to support my argument, I found it while cleaning out my closet yesterday. I unearthed an old […]

By java | Also posted in Investment | Comments (3)
Jan
21
2009

How They Broke Tunica

To me, Januaries and Tunica were synonymous. Every year I would prepare for my trip by stopping off at Sam’s Club for a tub of Double-Bubble and hitting the library for books on tape — anything to get me through the 10+ hour drive. It also included the annual cleaning out of my car. One […]

By java | Comments (1)
Jun
23
2008

Mikey, Vanessa, Barry and the Real World

I cringe a little every time a WSOP bracelet is awarded; one more I didn’t get to see in person. But I cringe more for some than for others. I missed Mike Matusow’s bracelet in the Deuce to Seven Lowball. And since this WSOP will be the final chapter in Mikey’s book, I would have […]

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Jun
08
2008

WSOP Vampires and the Man Behind the Hat

Since the WSOP began, I start each day with a bitch-slap by my cat Sammy, delivered at 3:30am. Alarm clocks have nothing on Sammy. Sammy has extra big paws replete with extra toes, and his swat is like no other. Also, Sammy’s need-to-feed is timed more accurately than the CS2 atomic clock. As I stumble […]

By java | Also posted in Poker Bloggers, WSOP | Comments Off on WSOP Vampires and the Man Behind the Hat
Jun
01
2008

Being There

Chauncey Gardener: I like to watch. On Friday afternoon, everyone in the office was quietly cranking away. At 2:00 pm central time, I stood up at my desk and bellowed, “Shuffle up and deal.” It’s been a number of years since I missed the WSOP first siren’s call to poker players around the world. I […]

By java | Also posted in Poker Bloggers, WSOP | Comments Off on Being There
Apr
27
2008

Victories, Contractions, and Stimuli

Congratulations to David Chiu (pictured left), who put in a spectacular come-from-behind performance against Gus Hansen (pictured below) at the WPT Championship yesterday. I was happy to see the WPT Championship draw a pretty healthy crowd; off only slightly from last year. There were a lot of great names in contention down the stretch. Today’s […]

By java | Comments Off on Victories, Contractions, and Stimuli
Feb
10
2008

Gavin Grins, BJ Spins, and Writer’s Block-aids

By now, the poker world has realized that Gavin Griffin has become our first Triple Crown winner; winning events in each of the three major poker tours. In 2004, he won his World Series of Poker bracelet in the $3K PLH event. In 2007, he won the European Poker Tour’s Grand Final in Monte Carlo. […]

By java | Also posted in Poker Media | Comments Off on Gavin Grins, BJ Spins, and Writer’s Block-aids
Dec
04
2007

Ghost in the Machine

This morning I learned that Chip Reese had died in his sleep last night. As I began to compile a post for PokerNews, I had a kind of odd feeling. It’s not that I knew Chip (pictured at the 2007 WSOP) well at all; a nod in the hallway, a smile at the table. I […]

By java | Also posted in Poker Bloggers | Comments Off on Ghost in the Machine