Poker Review

TeamParty pro Bodo Sbrzesny looks back at his Australian experience – the Aussie Millions and the Australian Open in tennis.

It was a bad day for me when I busted in the main event of the Aussie Millions after a good 1st day. I begun with 57k chips at 48k average. But I was card dead like I never saw it before!

If the “72o-game” was running I could make a lot of money, but in a tournament I shouldn’t play that much with 72o.

After I blinded out pretty much what I really do NOT like, I had to push AK with 13 big blinds and got a call from 33. That’s all beside a few smaller things which doesn’t count that much. But I’m still happy with my game and looking forward for my upcoming challenges.

Ticket for the Australian Open semi final mens

I wrote with my poker students and analyzed some poker hands, updated my website, watched a boring women’s tennis semi final match and asked Naomi from the “Party Poker Events Support” for a ticket for the Australian Open semi final mens.

I was invited for a good dinner at 9pm and was really happy about that! At 3pm I went to the city, walked around and enjoyed the time there. I withdrew some money for the cash game later.

Then I told Naomi I go to sleep before the dinner and I don’t read emails anymore and she should call me if anything is urgent. On 6.58pm I got the message she got GOOD tickets for the 7.30pm match and I went there instantly with Henrik (Australian PartyPoker guy). It was really nice to watch, crazy points, good atmosphere, good weather and really good seats! Thank you PartyPoker for this nice evening!

Play some cash game and enjoy my vodka-lemonade

Now I will play some cash game and enjoy my vodka-lemonade on the table. Hopefully I don’t lose that much more than last year as I missed 20k after the session I remember. At the beginning I had bad luck for about 12k, and the end I lost 8k cause of drunk. But I still had fun and sometimes you need stuff like that… but please not too often.

For the upcoming days here I will play 1 side event and with about 12-15 other players I will go to a sports centre where you can play volleyball, tennis, soccer etc and we will run some small challenges there. If you win or not, it will be FUN, that’s for sure!

The NBC Heads Up tournament was a pretty amazing experience. Not to give anything away (although the results have been posted pretty much everywhere online already), but it didn’t last quite as long as I would have liked it to!

It was a real honour to be invited to be part of the 64 poker players taking part. The night before the tournament started we had a big red carpet and a drawing party at Pure in Caesars Palace to set the brackets.

My nerve failed me in the live environment

I drew the hearts bracket and my first opponent was Dennis Phillips. He’s a really lovely man and he does a lot of work lobbying to have poker recognised as a skill game and thus have appropriate legislation in the USA so we definitely didn’t run out of conversation!

He also knows a thing or two about heads up poker. Our game had little swings back and forth throughout but generally it was pretty standard heads up play – both playing around 80-90% of our buttons and always with a raise and a fair number of three bet pots. I do think that there were a couple of pots where my nerve failed me in the live environment and I didn’t pull the trigger on the river which lost me a few chips here and there.

It’ll be just what the doctor ordered

Ultimately though, the money went into the middle preflop in a very standard way… I won’t say anything else as the TV company may use a clip from it and I’d hate to ruin it!

Once I was done in Vegas, I headed back home to get some rest and catch up on paperwork. I seem to spend a lot of my time away so there are always a million things to catch up on when I arrive home. I have a friend coming to visit from England in a few days and can’t wait. It’ll be my first real visit from a UK friend and as I’ve been a bit homesick, it’ll be just what the doctor ordered.

My time in the United States is now over – after four weeks in casinos I am looking forward to a break and a bit of normality. I am in London at the moment, planning to move on again at the end of the week.

I got a call this evening from a colleague:

“I know it is not quite the Playboy Mansion but I have you an invite to Pageant Media’s E-Gaming Review drinks reception on Wednesday night. Be there for 6pm.”

Back to normality and back to my desk soon!

The Lithuanians are stronger than the Hungarians

I stayed on to watch the final table at the WPT LAPC and witnessed Hungary’s Andras Koroknai take down the title. I called Tony G today to ask him about the influence of Hungarians on the world poker scene. Two years ago I was reporting when Peter Gelenscer took down the Main Event of the PartyPoker European Challenge in Vienna and I re-acquainted myself with Peter who was on the rail in LA cheering his friend Andras on. It got me thinking, these guys are good? Are they the best in Eastern Europe? I was sent on my bike…

“The Lithuanians are stronger than the Hungarians,” said Tony. “I know this small group of Hungarian players are good but I would take Lithuanian poker talent over them any time. Let’s get two teams together and play Hungary versus Lithuania, there would only be one winner. Let’s get it on.”

What about Yevgeniy Timoshenko – is he American or Ukrainian – an Eastern European great? “Timmy rode his bike at the Premier League,” said Tony.

Disneyland is Mickey Mouse compared to making millions

As well as riding the bike, Timmy also bailed out on a trip to Disneyland with me - suppose that is what happens when you get caught up in all night online grind session. Disneyland is Mickey Mouse compared to making millions on the live and online poker circuits…

Talking of the best players in Eastern Europe – qualifiers are now online for the WPT Bucharest at the end of this month. You can qualify online at Gamebokers or leave me a message on the blog and I can provide direct buy-in details. Just got word Jamie Gold is joining the field.

Tony then talked about the US. “For me it is trike time for Roland De Wolfe,” said the G.” I may not have done well at the Premier League but he was really disappointing – no bluffs, playing tight. I may have been dressed as kermit but he looked like a bigger muppet.”

Thats not a nice thing to say about Roland De Vader…

PartyPoker’s huge Monthly Million tournament was played yesterday. The buy-in was $600+40, 1481 players registered and 177 tables went into play. The tournament was a long and hard battle, it lasted almost 11 hours.

The unlucky bubble was silvahbullit who finished 201st – just shy of the money. The next player out in 200th place got $1,200 for his efforts. silvahbullit was shortstacked and ended up all-in in the big blind with T2. He was called by the small blind who had him dominated with TJ. Another Jack on the river knocked silvahbullit out.

MyLilPwny was the final table bubble finishing 10th winning $9,500. bosmar63 raised from an early position with pocket queens but MyLilPwny found pocket kings in the big blind and called all-in. A Queen on the flop made the situation very difficult for MyLilPwny, no King on turn or river got the game ready for the final table.

Final table play lasted almost 2 hours before DegenSicko, cyberkanguru and Redcard21 found themselves in the final 3 positions. There was a mood for a deal to be done, but players decided to wait until just two remained.

It proved to be unlucky for DegenSicko, who was already the short stack. Even though his AQ was the pre-flop favourite, Redcard21 picked up a pair of threes on turn which was enough to knock DegenSicko out in third with $69,000 in winnings.

Here are the final standings:

Screen Name Win Amount(USD)

1. Redcard21 $169,472
2. cyberkanguru $140,527
3. DegenSicko $69,000
4. pokerlady955 $54,500
5. CouldBeGood $46,000
6. rakens $34,500
7. bosmar63 $26,500
8. fnelsson $17,500
9. rocket27 $13,500

Congratulations to everybody who cashed. If you didn’t play, secure your seat at the next Monthly Million from just $1 at PartyPoker.com.

Today is the first round of the NBC Heads Up Championships at Caesars in Las Vegas. I flew in last night and got settled into my hotel, said a quick hello to the people on set and then it was time for the ‘Draw Party’ at Pure.

I’m a very small fish in this pond of sharks

This, unfortunately, was proceeded by yet another red carpet. I think it was a bit easier this time as I kind of knew what to expect but it did make me laugh when I got to the end and had to show my ID to prove I was allowed in. I’m a very small fish in this pond of sharks!

My first round opponent turns out to be Dennis Phillips and as we’re in the last bracket, we won’t be playing until around 8 or 9pm tonight. It should be a fun match and I’m looking forward to sitting down and getting stuck in!

Sunglasses to cover my tired eyes

I think I’ll certainly be wearing my sunglasses at the table, just to cover my tired eyes! It’s not that I stayed late at the party – I was all tucked up in bed by about 1am. The thoughtful person who stayed in the room before me had left an alarm set for 6am. Ouch.

In the dim light of the room I couldn’t find the damn off switch for the alarm and ended up just pulling the plug out of the wall. Not so effective as it turned out at 7.30 when the secondary alarm also went off. Seems the damn thing had batteries in it. Doh!

Every first Sunday of the month PartyPoker’s Monthly Million is played. First Sunday of March is this Sunday so to warm you up for the big tournament, we have a profile of KASABIAN_LSF who won the Monthly Million in February.

KASABIAN_LSF won $200,000 in the Monthly Million and then in late February even won the $50K Guaranteed – what a run!

Here is more from KASABIAN_LSF:

From Royal Navy to second place in Party’s Monthly Million in 2005

Poker became part of my life in mid-2004, just after the internet poker boom. I saw one of my friends playing online and thought I would give it a try. As I was in the Royal Navy at the time I had lots of time to read and study the game when my ship was at sea. I read a few basic LHL books and the Super System.

I would play limit cash games and NL tourneys on Party, at weekends and holidays. To start of with I was a losing player because I had bad hand selection (playing too many hands). In early 2005 I turned my attention to SNGS and built a small bankroll, in May that same year I finished 2nd in the Monthly Million on Party for $120,000. That’s when I decided to leave the Navy and Grind Sngs for a living.

A nice holiday for me and my family

In my early days I suppose I was a loose aggro player. As the game is today I think it is very important not to play a certain way and to adopt to what is happening around you. In  some of the higher stakes games players are so aggro that you need to sit back and let the chips come to you!

Some of money will be invested in property, some I will use as a bankroll for mid stakes mtts, Wsop sats, and a nice holiday for me and my family.

My Dream table would be:

• Stu Unger
• Phil Ivey
• Vanessa Rousso
• Huck Seed
• Mike the mouth
• Chip Reese
• Jen Tilly
• Zigmund
• isildur1
• Kasabian_LSF

Play at Bobbys Room Las vegas.

The hand that set me up for the win

The Monthly Million tourney started of well for me as I doubled up early. I raise with JJ early pos, 3 callers – the flop came jx2 , with two diamonds. I bet, 1 caller. I’m sure he has a flush draw, I bet again he calls, 2 of diamonds on the river. I shove 17,000 into a pot of 7,000. He time bank calls with the nut flush.

After this hand I was card dead for a few hours, this isn’t a big problem in this tourney because of the great structure. When the antes kicked in I turned up the aggression with the odd three bet and chiped up nicely. About eight hours in I was moved to a table with several strong players to my left, they made it hard for me to gain chips by stealing so I had to change my game to counter their constant aggression.

This involved changing the pos on the table that I would steal blinds from and four bet bluffing now and again. A hand that has stuck in my mind played out like this: the two big stacks at the table, me and an aggressive Scandinavian player. We both had 6 million chips, he raised my blind, I defended with KQ. Flop KK2, I make a weak lead, he min re raises and I make the call. Turn is an 8, I bet again he calls – river is another 8. I shove and he snap calls with A8. This hand set me up for the win.

My goals as a poker player are to keep playing online in mid/high stakes MTTS, Sat into my first WSOP this summer and play some WPT and WPT live events.

My advice for other players: Read some good books, winning tournaments one hand at a time, Kill Everyone. Join poker X factor and Card Runners. If you know others players talk to them about hands. When your playing poker never rush take your time over every decision.

Next MonthlyMillion is played this Sunday, you can qualify via a wide range of satellites, you can buy in directly for $600+40. To prepare for the Monthly Million we have a new poker lesson on PartyAcademy: How to lay down a big hand.

Over the last 2 weeks, we have profiled the 16 contenders to the Team PartyPoker sponsorship on our official Facebook page. One of these 16 players from all around the world, will win the $100,000 poker sponsorship from PartyPoker.

The $100,000 Team PartyPoker sponsorship deal means that we will bankroll a player for a year on live poker circuit. The events would depend on the individual and his wants for events / travel, so might be very local events or might be global events. This will be discussed between Party and the player.

The player will be a full member of Team PartyPoker for that year, and he will represent Party for his country, play live events in our colors, write a blog on PartyPoker blog, and Tweet / Facebook / socialize in the social media as a PartyPoker representative.

These are the 16 contenders:

Giovanni Rizzo

Giovanni Rizzo from Italy. Giovanni is almost famous, his fans created a Facebook fan page for him while we were featuring his profile.

Gary Biggar

Gary Biggar from Canada. Gary qualified via $2 satellite and was ecstatic to meet his poker idol Daniel Negreanu, to whom he brought a special ice hockey jersey.

Scott Green

Scott Green from Canada. Scott qualified to Las Vegas through a $52 satellite.

Giovanni Safina

Giovanni Safina from Italy. Giovanni qualified to the final table in Vegas and won $150,000+ in process.

Fabian Pongratz

Fabian Pongratz from Switzerland. Fabian’s birthday was on the day of the shoot, he had great days meeting his poker idols and great nights in the Vegas nightlife. Stories of chili and headaches are his to tell.

Scott Wellenbach

Scott Wellenbach from Canada. Scott qualified via freerolls – never made a deposit! And he wants to give all his future earnings to charity.

Uwe Ritter

Uwe Ritter from Germany. Best day of Uwe’s life was meeting tennis legend Bjorn Borg, but that was before Vegas and Premier League. “A late Christmas present”, he says.

Miguel Proulx

Miguel Proulx from Canada. Miguel finished second in Premier League playoffs. He says: “If I had to do it again, I would do it in a heartbeat”.

Kai Schieler

Kai Schieler from Germany. Kai qualified to Las Vegas trip spending less than $4 and was ready to play all the pros.

Gary To

Gary To from Canada. Gary made it into Premier League Poker by winning the free roll without having to deposit any money.

Marco Fantini

Marco Fantini from Italy. Marco plays poker professionally, owns a poker club and has been playing some high stakes cash games while in Vegas.

Marten Haferkorn

Marten Haferkorn from Germany. Here he tells about his dream of playing WSOP.

Paul Riggott

Paul Riggott from UK. Paul qualified to Premier League via $52 satellite, got through to the final playoffs where he finished 5th. “Best $52 spent in my life”, says Paul.

Fredrik Keitel

Fredrik Keitel from Germany. Fredrik got to Vegas on an invite from PartyPoker’s Palladium Lounge as he is a high stakes cash player at our tables.

Pontus Anderberg

Pontus Anderberg from Sweden. Pontus watched Premier League Poker on TV few years back, loved it and grabbed the chance to play in one of the qualifiers.

Talal Shakerchi

Talal Shakerchi from UK. Talal did great winning the initial heats but lost early on the final table.

It was a good day at the WPT Invitational Final Table and I’m just crawling into bed for a sleep before heading off in the morning to Las Vegas.

There were some interesting personalities at the final table. I always love seeing Thor Hansen because he’s really one of the true gentlemen of the game. I first interviewed him some time ago in Europe and ever since then I’ve been a fan. Whether he’s in a brilliant mood or not, whether he’s just busted from a tournament or not – he is unfailingly polite, generous with his time and lovely in my experience and that is really appreciated. Not mentioning any names but there are definitely people who could learn from him!

Talk about pressure!

LeRon Washington, the man who won the Final tonight also seemed to be one of those ‘good people’ types that are always a pleasure to clap for when they win something. In fact, both of the guys at heads up, both qualifiers, seemed really overwhelmed to be there at the WPT, on a final table with Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten there commentating on THEIR play. Talk about pressure!

Once the table was all done, it was time for a quick drink at the bar (neat whiskey as always…. love a bit of Glenlivet before bed) and then some rest. I’m heading to Vegas in the morning to get ready to find out who I draw for the first round of the NBC Heads Up. Truth be told I’m a bit nervous and hoping to shake the anxiousness before I sit down at the table to play. Wish me luck!

It was a good day at the WPT Invitational Final Table and I’m just crawling into bed for a sleep before heading off in the morning to Las Vegas.

There were some interesting personalities at the final table. I always love seeing Thor Hansen because he’s really one of the true gentlemen of the game. I first interviewed him some time ago in Europe and ever since then I’ve been a fan. Whether he’s in a brilliant mood or not, whether he’s just busted from a tournament or not – he is unfailingly polite, generous with his time and lovely in my experience and that is really appreciated. Not mentioning any names but there are definitely people who could learn from him!

Talk about pressure!

LeRon Washington, the man who won the Final tonight also seemed to be one of those ‘good people’ types that are always a pleasure to clap for when they win something. In fact, both of the guys at heads up, both qualifiers, seemed really overwhelmed to be there at the WPT, on a final table with Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten there commentating on THEIR play. Talk about pressure!

Once the table was all done, it was time for a quick drink at the bar (neat whiskey as always…. love a bit of Glenlivet before bed) and then some rest. I’m heading to Vegas in the morning to get ready to find out who I draw for the first round of the NBC Heads Up. Truth be told I’m a bit nervous and hoping to shake the anxiousness before I sit down at the table to play. Wish me luck!

Do you accept the challenge of the Gladiator?

PartyPoker’s Gladiator clambers into the arena today, for another epic show due to last all March. Sparks will fly as PartyPoker players wield their chips in a 30 day show of strength.

Just prove your mettle by playing PartyPoker’s cash games and tournaments, and earning as many points as possible.

You can qualify to the exclusive freeroll, you can win cash prizes and you can even win the $12,500 WSOP Main Event package, if you just flex your strength by earning PartyPoints during March.

Earning points is easy in PartyPoker’s action-packed amphitheatre – where the tables are busy 24/7.

Check out the video from our TeamParty Gladiators Kara Scott and Bodo Sbrzesny:

Start your Gladiator adventure on the Gladiator promotion page, where you read full details and opt-in.

A Gladiator would rather sweat in training than bleed in battle, so stay tuned to the PartyPoker blog, and the PartyPoker Facebook page for exclusive gladiatorial training.

Since cash games are the quickest way to slay your targets and rise to the top in the Gladiator promotion, why not treat your game to a quick tune-up with PartyAcademy’s guide to dominating cash games.