2012 is HERE!

First of all - if you are here to read about our WSOP Championship Satellite Freeroll, click the link or scroll down to the next post for all the information.

*******

New year, new outlook, new goodness, but also the same low stakes big fun you've come to expect.

Hopefully we will have 15 tournaments again - the price and format will stay the same.  $20 buy-in with a single optional rebuy if felted or an add-on if the rebuy isn't used before the break.

I'm also really going to make a concerted effort this year to play more cash games; I know I say that every year, but really, I would like very much to play at least one cash game a month.   I also plan to restrict it to a single 10 handed table, no exceptions, with the first round of invites going to PSP regulars (players that attend most tournaments).

Player of the Year points will operate the same, based only on tournament performance - one point for every place finished based on the number of players (for example, taking down a 15 player tourney would get you 15 points, second place 14, etc) with a 10 point bonus for perfect tournament attendance.   Cash game play will have no affect on the POY standings.

This year, if there is a tie for Player of the Year, the host (that would be me) will automatically award POY to a player if he/she is tied with someone who has won the award previously.   If both players are new to the POY award, we will look at who had more first place finishes.  If that is a tie, then second place finishes and so on.  If all tournaments are exactly tied then the award will go to the player who has played at PSP longer.


No special tournaments are planned at this time, other than our $1500 freeroll on the 14th of January, but I likely will have a single $125 satellite for the World Series of Poker.    Look for it to be a noon Saturday event in April or May.  As usual, our rep will get 60% of whatever they win at the WSOP with 40% of the winnings divided evenly among satellite participants.

I'm also pondering a second cheaper "Go with God" satellite to the WSOP - say $50 entry or so, where the winner takes all and must enter the World Series of Poker and represent PSP, but gets to keep any winnings if they cash.  The idea is, that we wouldn't necessarily generate enough cash in the satellite for the full entry fee, but that the winner would pay the difference and also enjoy any monetary spoils as a reward.   Basically, a satty for a discount into the big show but with no strings attached.  I think it would still be fun to root for someone, if we pay substantially less for the satellite.  Let me know the next time you see me if you like or dislike this idea.

As for the World Series of Poker League, I think it worked very well - but I'm not totally sold on doing it again.  It was quite a bit of work on my part, and I'm not sure all the effort was worth it for a result that would be the same if I simply had a $100 satellite for a WSOP seat.  Be sure to let me know by e-mail or at the satellite on the 14th if you want the League to continue or if a normal satty will suffice.

As usual, all tournaments will be NLHE, except for one or two mixed game tournaments thrown in towards the end of the year.  October seemed to work well for H.O.R.S.E. last year, so we'll probably go that route again.


Very much looking forward to lots of poker in 2012!   Hope you can be a part of it!

WSOP $1500 Free-Roll

Saturday night, January 14th at 7pm -  PSP WSOP League players will gather to battle for a $1000 seat in the 2012 World Series of Poker.

They have paid all year long, $5 extra per tournament to help build a prize pool big enough for a seat at the big show.

They have also been credited extra chips for cashing. (3K for 1st, 2K for 2nd, 1K for 3rd and lower).

Here are their starting chips:

Marc F.     24K (2)
Dog D.     22K (1)
Mike P.     17K (0)
Mike K.    15K (2)
Chris M.    21K (0)
Allen Q.    15K (6)
Jason H.    16K (4)
Noah P.     16K (6)
Robert A.  12K (5)
Amy L.      18K (3)
David M.   15K (3)
Tony G.     11K (9)
Jeff M.        8K  (7)


For each tournament a League member has had to miss, they are eligible to purchase an additional 1K in chips for $5.   (The number of tournaments missed is indicated in parenthesis above).


*******


There has been some inquiry from non-participants as to how they can play on the 14th.

I have said from the beginning that it is never too late to join in, and that latecomers would be welcomed.

Here is how they can do it.

First, to qualify they must have played at least 10 tournaments this year.

For the low entry fee of $110, eligible non-participants will receive 1K in chips per tournament that they have played in 2011.  They will also receive bonus chips based on their cashing - 3K for a first place finish, 2K for second and 1K for third or below.

Here is a list of qualifying non-participants who are eligible to purchase chips.  The number after their name indicates their starting stack.

Barbara N.    19K
Dan G.          19K
Julie A.         19K
Allen R.        18K
Josh F.          19K
Eric T           19K

Non-participants are not eligible for chips based on tournaments they have missed.

League members who happen to fall below 19K (after they have purchased all of their eligible chips) will automatically be raised up to 19K free of charge.

*****

For all the particulars on how the league has worked, and how it will work after our representative goes to the World Series of poker, click here.   For a copy of our staking agreement click here.

*****

It should be a very exciting evening to say the least.

I would love to play strictly with the WSOP structure and blind levels - alas, because there are only so many hours in a night, I will be using the "Blind Valet" software online to calculate a structure that will give us about a 5 hour tournament.

I've talked with most League members and they are a "go" for the 14th - if for some reason you are reading this and I haven't talked to you and the night is no good, please contact me as soon as you can.  In all fairness, this date has been on this blog for over a year now, so unless it's a very dire date for more than a couple people, it is unlikely to change.

Lastly, it should be noted that as of January 1st, 2012, if all league members top off their stacks and all non-league members who have indicated they are coming do so, we will have enough money in the prize pool for a $1500 event!

If you have any other questions on this info, if anything is unclear, don't hesitate to call or e-mail.

See you on the big night!

T2011.15

The last hurrah for 2011 was a doozy, as 22 poker players forsook holiday parties and family time to wallow in degeneracy with each other inside a tiny garage on Pepper street.

The mood was festive, with holiday cookies and the occasional cheesy Christmas song interrupting the music play list.

Speaking of cheesy - a brand new player, Zach J. showed up with an enormous cheese platter!  Awesome!   Zach hails from Erik T.'s game and is a welcome addition who hopefully will return to gamble it up with us next year.

And what are the odds?   Marc F.'s friend Zack H. also joined us as a new and friendly face.  Two Zachs!  At least their names are spelled differently.  Hopefully they won't mind if I call them Bruce.  (Obscure Monty Python reference).

Our first bust of the night just before the break, was non other than last months tournament winner, Julie A.  This is not the first time nor the last I'm sure that last month's champion made an early exit.

With lots of rebuys before the break, it wasn't long before we were down to 2 tables, and then a final table of 9 at just after 11pm.

 What was unexpected was just how long the final table lasted - the tournament didn't end until 12:30.  Yikes!

The good news though, for those that made the final table (as is tradition in December at Pepper street) was that everyone got a prize.   Newcomer Zack H. was first to bust in 9th place, but got a $15 Best Buy gift card for his trouble.

Allen R. went out 8th and scored a $25 gift card from Target.

Next out was Barbara N. who locked up 3rd place in the Player of the Year race and won her entry fee back for her 7th place finish.

My brother the good Dr. David busted next, pocketing $60 plus a couple bounties in 6th place.

Finishing in 5th was the always beguiling Jeff G. taking home $70 plus some bounty monies.

Next out in 4th, succumbing to a 3 outer on the river, was Mike P. who scooped up $80 and also managed to crack the top five in POY points to finish out the year.

Speaking of Player of the Year, it was a dramatic and exciting finish to this years race between the 2 of the last 3 players remaining.

Dog D. had a 1 point lead over Marc F., but they both had to get through Josh F. to see who would take home the trophy tournament and the POY bracelet.

The three remaining players started flipping for the win just after midnight, the blinds were truly preposterous -  in the end when the dust settled, Dog finished in 3rd for $100 and Marc finished in second for $200.

And we have a tie for Player of the Year!

Crap!

Both names will go on the wall, but Marc has graciously insisted that Dog get the bracelet for his valiant surge at years end.   This generosity embodies everything about the game at Pepper street, and frankly just feels right.   You are a class act Marc!

Oh and by the way, Josh F. took down his second PSP trophy of the year and took home $300.   Well done Josh!

Mark your calendars - our first regular tournament of 2012 is not until January 28th.   But let not your heart be troubled, there will likely be a cash game before that.

Also - WSOP League participants, you know who you are, OUR CHAMPIONSHIP FREEROLL IS SATURDAY NIGHT, JANUARY 14TH AT 7PM.  Stay tuned for a post with all the details that you need to know.  The post will also include information on how non-participants can also get in on the action.

Once again thanks to everyone for coming out and making the game so much fun.  A special mention to new guy Zack H. for staying to help shuffle.   I also greatly appreciate a bunch of you who stayed and participated in the fun little cash game - very enjoyable for early bust outs like me!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a safe and happy new year.  2012 is shaping up to be our biggest year ever, and I can't wait to gamble it up with each and every one of you!

Best,

Chris

T2011.14

With a good friend from up north in town and dying for some pokerz, it seemed like a good a time as any for some Sunday school night tournament action!

Turns out that 21 players, one of the biggest turn-outs all year, didn't need to go to work Monday morning, and showed up to throw down.

We had two new players, courtesy of Daniel SR., who you may not know but who is a long time friend of mine who lives up in Berkeley.  He was recently at a wedding down in L.A., ran into his friend Nate T. and mentioned my online game.  Nate got in touch with me and I mentioned that I also have a live game and wah lah.  Nate also brought his friend John D. - so two friends for the price of one!  Thanks DSR!

Just after the break, first out was "pedal-to-the-metal" Jeff M. who stuck it in the highest gear and floored it, intending to accumulate or get some sleep.   It worked out for the latter.

It was a recurring theme through the night actually, because of the real or imagined time pressure, people were not in the mood to speculate and fold and were calling off light fairly frequently.

At the same time though, some of the early bust outs, yours truly, new player Nate and Berkeley guest Willie F., stuck around for some cash game action which lasted just as long as the tournament.  Even though Willie was an early tournament casualty, he made his money back and more - over $100 by the time the game broke.

Just before the final table we lost Dog D. who went out with 10 players remaining, netting himself 11 points which is just enough to eclipse former front runner Marc F.'s Player of the Year lead by ONE POINT!   This is the closest the POY race has ever been, and it should be an exciting finale in December!

The final table of the tournament was reached just before 11pm and our DVD bubble was a double bust out of Josh and Amy, the latter of which had a teeny bit more chips, one more chip actually, and is owed a DVD when she returns next time.  I was too engrossed in the rockin' cash game to remember to mention it.

Our money-back "bubble" was Dan G., who actually received the usual $40 amount even though the buy-in was only $30.   You're welcome Dan!

Next to fall was the indefatigable Mr. Noah P., who scooped up $60 in 5th place monies.

Finishing in fourth place for $80 was long-time-no-see Tony G. who hadn't made a PSP appearance since February!  He also got to take home an extra $165 in cash as well.  "Why?" You may ask.  Well he didn't know why either, I had to explain to him that Eric T. had cashed in the World Series in June and that this was his share!

Busting in third, for her second cash in a row, and maintained her top five position in points, was "I never cash" Barbara N., who pocketed $100.

The heads up battle was brief but intense; Jeff G. made a bold bluff but got unlucky as Julie happened to connect with the flop.  After a protracted counting of chips, the stacks were close, but Jeff was barely covered.  He got $140 and second place plus $25 in bounty money.

Julie took home $20 in bounties, $210 in first place money and the trophy!   Well done Jules!

The year is almost up, and as mentioned earlier, the Player of the Year race is spectacularly close.  It will go down to the wire at our final tournament which will return to a Saturday night at 7pm on December 10th.

Hope to see you there!

T2011.13

Back to No Limit Hold-Em!

20 players, including two new faces to Pepper St. - Daniel M. and Ethan F. - sat down to enjoy several hours of the good old same old.

Allen R., PSP's very own kid poker, was first to hit the rail after multiple rapid fire coolers took away his buy-in and re-buy before the first break.

The next bust didn't come till well after the break, and from there as usual built from a trickle to a fury by quarter to 11 when we reached our final table.

The DVD recipient, who took home all 3 volumes of the Lord of the Rings Extended Edition (that's over 12 hours of movie and 30 hours of special features people!) was newcomer Daniel M.  I believe his exact words were "Screw the money, I came to this game because of the DVD treasure trove!"

Our money back "bubble" was non other than the very lovely and very pregnant Aredelle P.

Next to go was her husband, who ran his queens unluckily into Dog's kings.  Noah P. picked up $75 for the bad beat and only flipped one table on the way out.  (Just kidding, both he and Ardelle stayed to watch and Ardelle helped shuffle - a big thanks for that!)

Then there were four, two female and two male.   It should also be noted that the final 6 was also 3 boys vs. 3 girls.  My game is cool and happening!

Out in fourth place for $100 was gamble-tastic poker player extraordinaire Jeannie N.

Finishing in third place was the always way too humble Barbara N. who was simply amazed that she had cashed - I had to remind her that she's cashed plenty of times, including this year and is now in fact in the top five for points.  She is also $130 richer.

Speaking of Player of the Year points, Dan G. finally succumbed to the monster stacken of the Dog and pocketed $180 in second place monies and firmly planted himself in the top 5 in points as well.

But it was Dog D. who made the biggest impact in the POY race - meaning, he's actually made it a race.  Marc F. had what seemed to be an insurmountable lead, but then finally missed this tournament, and his next closest competitor took it down for $280 and the trophy!   The tournament ended at 12:10am, not too late!

Now Dog has 165, Marc, who has indicated he may miss the next tourney as well, has 175.   So there is a chance Dog!

Speaking of next time, it will be on November 20th at 7pm on a SUNDAY night - a friend from Berkeley is in town and has no local game up north so he is DYING to play some pokerz.   It will be a tournament - though it will be just a freeze out for $30 with cash game action afterwards.

The final tournament of the year will be the first or second Saturday night of December.

Hope to see you on both nights!

T2011.12

It's been over a year, but once again the card-centric and brain numbing entity known as H.O.R.S.E. a fixed limit mix of five games in a tournament format - returned to the garage around back at Pepper street.

As usual, the room was a LOT louder, even with only 16 players - because everyone had a million questions during play.  "What's the bring in?"  "What IS a bring-in?"  "Who came up with the idiotic name 'Razz'?" etc. etc.

Eventually things settled down a bit as we got into the groove.  For the first time we correctly froze the button during the stud games, so the blinds in Hold-Em and Omaha stayed correct.  It only took us 7 years to get it right.

Mike P. was first out this time, through no real fault of his own as the poker Gods, who are especially influential in fixed limit, saw fit to have his best hand turn second best on the river more than a few times.

The bust-outs trickled slowly until about 10:30 pm when they finally picked up as the bet sizes increased dramatically.  We final tabled at just before 11, and by 11:30 we had our DVD bubble, the lovely Marissa, who passed on a prize, seeing that she and her husband, the good Dr. David, had already donated a large portion of the DVD collection in the first place.

Shortly thereafter Tom S. became the buy-in return bubble, and took his $40 back.

With four players left, and all of us sitting on ten big bets at most at any one time, I figured the tournament would be over in short order.

Boy was I ever wrong.

All four of us, Mike K., Allen Q., Josh F. and myself played for ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF!

All four of us were chip leader at one time or another.  I started out with the biggest stack, then Josh had it, then Allen took a turn.

It got to be ridiculous.   Chips flew back and forth several times, yet whoever found himself super low inevitably found a way to triple up with the other two checking down a dry side pot, or sometimes even betting into it!

I'm not kidding when I say it was almost one in the morning when the following hand occurred.

I was UTG, I had AK, I raised.  Mike K. on the button flat called.  Allen Q. in the small blind three bet,  Josh then promptly four bet!

This essentially put everyone, except me (I just happened to be the big stack at this point again) ALL IN PRE-FLOP!  The bet levels were enormous, and no one was able to go deep in a hand without committing, FOR THE LAST HOUR!   Yet somehow it took this long to get all the chips in the middle pre-flop.

As I said, I had AK.   Mike K. turned up his 9's, Allen Q. had queens, and Josh, who had been card dead for quite awhile, had AJ.

I didn't like his cards - but manna from heaven, an Ace came right in the window on the flop!

Allen Q. groaned, he had been a 53% favorite before the flop.

I stood to knock out all three players and take it down!

Until...

A nine binked on the river.

End result?    Josh out in fourth - $80.   Allen Q. out in third - $100.

Mike K. and myself almost tied in chips - I dragged a healthy side pot to almost make my money back.

Now it was heads up.

And it was over in one hand.

I flopped middle pair and bet.   Mike three bet.  I called.

I turned two pair, and wasn't folding for anything.    All the chippies went in and when the dust settled Mike K. had a higher 2 pair that he had flopped.

So I got $180, he got $240 and this....

That's right, a unique and highly collectable special trophy for what is likely to be our only non-NLHE event of the year.

Why only one a year?   Simple numbers kids - people moan and groan that all we ever play is Hold-Em, but when the rubber meets the road and I actually do get it together enough to put one of these things on, all of a sudden the regulars disappear, the biggest complainers can't make it, yadda yadda, yadda.

Don't worry, I love it enough, and I've had enough good results (cashing in H.O.R.S.E. 3 out of the last 4 years) that we will do it again.  October seems like a good enough time as any.

Up next, the year is wrapping up fast!  Somehow I'm hoping to squeeze in three more tournaments before 2012 - the first of these will be in 3 weeks; Saturday, November 5th at 7pm.

See you there!

Get ready to H.O.R.S.E. around!

It took 10 months, but I've got that itch again to mix it up.

H.O.R.S.E. is a mixed game tournament with these games -

Hold-Em

Omaha Eight or Better Hi-Low

Razz (Seven Stud Lowball)

Seven Stud High

Eight or Better Seven Stud

If you're having trouble remembering how to play any of these games, read on. (This is the same primer from last year).

All games in H.O.R.S.E. are fixed limit. Yes, in the early days of Pepper Street, we did try a few wacky permutations, throwing in NLHE and PLO8, and even one time early on playing all five games No Limit - for the past couple of years we are back to traditional, and correct, H.O.R.S.E. play.

Fixed limit betting is just that - every bet amount or raise is a pre-set limit. All you have to do as a player is say one of six words, and you can never go wrong.

Fold.

Check.

Call.

Bet.

Raise.

Re-raise.

That's it. No amounts, no controlling the size of the pot.

Even if you're unsure of the bet amount - simply state call, bet, raise or re-raise. Someone at the table can then tell you how much to put in.

In every single incarnation of fixed limit betting in a tournament there is a FOUR BET CAP. Meaning a three raise maximum. (In cash games there is often no betting cap between players that are heads-up).



HOLD-EM

Exactly the same as the game we all know and love, except for bet sizing.

Remember: In Fixed Limit Hold-Em, the Small Blind and Big Blind are the same as in NLHE - but for pre-flop and the flop, the only amount you can call, bet, raise or re-raise is the exact amount of the Big Blind. On the turn and river, the only amount you can call, bet, raise or re-raise is EXACTLY 2 times the amount of the Big Blind.

In all fixed limit games -

The Big Blind or Completed Bet is often referred to as the Small Bet, and 2 times the Big Blind is known as the Big Bet.

In community card games, Pre-Flop and Flop you can only bet the Small Bet.

In stud games, on the first and second round of betting you can only bet the Small Bet.

In community card games, Turn and River you can only bet the Big Bet.

In stud games, on the third betting round and beyond you can only bet the Big Bet.



OMAHA 8 OR BETTER

Similar to Hold-Em, but players receive FOUR hole cards instead of two.

The other big difference - in Hold-Em you can use any combination of your cards and the board. In Omaha you MUST only use two cards from your hand and three cards on board. There are no other options. Read this paragraph over and over until it sinks in.

Finally, the 8 or Better version of the game throws in a high-low aspect of the game.

Let's take a moment to review how a low hand is determined.



A LOW HAND

Is the five lowest cards you can make.

If there is a pair in these five cards, it's a lousy low hand. Pairs count AGAINST a low hand.

Straights and flushes do NOT count against a low hand.

Therefore, the LOWEST POSSIBLE HAND YOU CAN HAVE - THE ABSOLUTE LOW NUTS - is A, 2, 3, 4, 5. - even if the hand is a straight flush.

The strength of a low hand is determined by it's highest card(s).

In determining a low hand, Aces are ALWAYS low.


EXAMPLE ONE:

Which hand is lower?

Hand 1 - A, 2, 3, 4, K

or

Hand 2 - 7, 9, 10, J, Q

Do you get why the Hand 1 is higher? Start with the two highest cards. Hand 1 is called a "King-Four" Hand 2 is called a "Queen-Jack" A king is higher than a queen.


EXAMPLE TWO:

Which hand is lower?

Hand 1 - 2, 3, 5, 5, 6

or

Hand 2 - K, Q, J, 9, 10


Do you understand that Hand 1 is automatically higher because it has a pair? Remember, pairs can render a low hand almost worthless.



EXAMPLE THREE:

Which hand is lower?


Hand 1 - A, 4, 5, 7, 8

or

Hand 2 - 2, 3, 5, 7, 8


Do you know why Hand 2 is lower? Remember, start with the highest cards and work your way down. Both hands are identical for the first three cards 8, 7, 5 - but then, the next card determines the low hand. Hand 1 has a 4, Hand 2 has a 3. The remaining cards don't matter - even though Hand 1 then has an Ace and Hand 2 has a 2 - a 4 is always higher than a 3. Hand 1 is called a "4 - Ace" Hand 2 is called a "3-2", 3 is lower than 4.



Back to OMAHA 8 OR BETTER


In Omaha 8 or Better, half the pot goes to the high hand and half the pot goes to the low hand.

BUT, and this is a big but, for a low hand to claim half the pot it must qualify.

A low hand only qualifies if it contains five unpaired cards, all of which are 8 or lower.

A, 2, 3, 4, 9 does NOT qualify for a low hand and thus would not be entitled to half the pot.

There are many hands (about 40%) in O8 where there is only a high hand winner, who takes the entire pot - this is called "scooping".

As I mentioned, though it bears repeating - all hands, high and low, must be determined by two cards in a players hand and three on the board. This is the ONLY option for determining a hand.

But a player may use two cards in his hand and three on board for determining his high hand and then one or two different cards in his hand and different cards on board as well to determine his low.


Cards always speak in Omaha. Just turn up your cards at showdown if you are unsure - it may take a moment, or two, or even three, to determine who has the best and worst hand - but we will always take our time to insure the correct winner. Even professional dealers sometimes encounter difficulties figuring out who has what, we shouldn't sweat if the wrong player is initially awarded the pot as long as the correct decision is eventually reached.




RAZZ

Seven card stud - low hand wins.

All stud games feature an ANTE. An ante is a small payment from every player before the cards are dealt.

In H.O.R.S.E. there is often a "button ante" for the first few rounds or so. A button ante is a single payment from the player on the button, instead of a group payment, before the cards are dealt.

Players are dealt two cards down and one card up.

The highest card showing, must "bring-in" the first bet. That is, he is forced to put in a specific amount that is known by all. Usually this amount is half or less of the Small Bet amount.

For purposes of the bring-in, Aces are always low. A king would be the highest rank. In the event of a tie in rank, suits are used to determine who brings it in. In order, the lowest to highest in suits are Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades.

A king of spades would always be the bring-in in Razz.

The bring-in is the only instance in all of poker where suits are pitted against each other. Identically ranked hands always tie and chop the pot, a winning hand is NEVER determined by a difference in suits, only in ranks.

The player posting the bring-in bet has the option before putting out the bet to "complete" his bring-in to the full Small Bet amount.

If the player chooses not to complete (very common in Razz, as a face card showing makes the hand unplayable in most situations) then the betting proceeds, with following players having only two options. They can either "call" or "complete". Once the bet is complete, players can "raise" as normal.

On all subsequent rounds of betting, the low hand showing begins the betting, and of course the player may check if he wishes.

If two hands or more hands are identical in rank on a round of betting after the first round, it is the first hand nearest to the dealer's left that starts the betting - suits are not used to determine action.

A players worst five cards at showdown determine the winner - in Razz there IS NO QUALIFIER for a low hand.

Yes, I have seen a pair of deuces lose to a pair of aces. Remember, in Razz, ACES are ALWAYS LOW.



SEVEN STUD HIGH

Antes, dealing and betting is the same as Razz, but it is the high hand that determines the winner at showdown.

Determining the bring-in and who bets first is reversed.

LOW card showing must bring-in. In determining this, Aces are always high. The two of clubs would be the lowest card and would always bring in the first bet. Remember, if ranks are identical, use the suit to determine bring in.

On all subsequent streets of betting, HIGH hand goes first.




EIGHT OR BETTER SEVEN STUD

Antes, dealing, bring-in and betting are identical to Seven Stud High.

The only difference in this game is that if a player has the best qualifying low hand, he wins half the pot.

Remember: for a low hand to qualify (unlike in Razz, where there is no qualifying requirement) a player must have 5 unpaired cards, all 8 or lower in rank.

If there is no eligible low hand at show down, the high hand scoops the pot.

T2011.11

20 players gathered round for the September edition of the 2011 Pepper Street Poker odyssey.

Before we even sat down I knew it was going to be a fun night - my good friend Allen Q. brought me a special gift.

This little beauty, written in 1959, is filled with dozens of gems which I know will help bring my game to the next level. Of course, it doesn't cover No Limit Hold-Em at all, but I'm sure the advice on Five Card Draw and Stud will be invaluable nonetheless.

Most delightful are the "Ten Commandments of Poker" the book gives.

Commandment One - "If you don't have a fighting hand, drop it and wait for another." A surefire way to succeed in NLHE tournaments.

Another winner - Commandment Seven - "Don't play poker with women." That's it. No qualifier, no explanation - just don't play with females, period. Good times.

Fortunately our little game follows neither of these commandments; but the book is still pretty ridiculous fun.

Speaking of ridiculous fun, I eliminated my good poker confidante and friend Jason H. for the first bust-out of the evening when my pocket 8's held against his over cards. With both middle fingers extended, Jason bid a fond farewell and very soon other eliminations followed.

By just after 10 we were down to two tables, and the final table was reached a mere 45 minutes after that.

DVD boy was Allen R., who found himself a bit surprised by his opponents aces after they were turned up in a less than speedy fashion - but he exited gracefully, only flipping a single table and refraining from more than a moderate number of F bombs.

Josh F., last month's first place finisher, cashed for the second month in a row - this time finishing in 6th and reclaiming his $40 entry.

The next player out, was actually two players. Allen Q., short stacked as most of the 5 remaining were, was first to push with a small pocket pair - and he got looked up by two players that had him covered!

Both Eric T. and Noah P. had overcards, but neither of them hit, and Allen Q.'s mighty mighty pocket 4's dragged a huge pot.

Eric T. had a slight chip lead over Noah P., so he collected the $100 fourth place prize while Noah P. had to settle for the fifth place amount of $80.

Three players remained, but not for long - Marc F., a cashing juggernaut this year, extended his lead greatly in the POY race by finishing third and pocketing $130.

And then there were two - the heads up battle was brief but intense, and after only one big swing, Allen Q. was unable to overcome his chip and a chair standing but was happy to take home $180 for second place.

In the end Daniel I. was the sole survivor and champion of September, playing good and running good enough to take it down along with $280 in first place monies.

A big thanks to all who came, especially Marc F. who brought yet another new player - Greg H. - into the game. Marc, you do so totally rule and you are a big part of this game's continuing success. Greg, we loved having you and I hope you'll come back soon.

It also was great to see my old co-worker Christie and her husband Jeff coming to player poker together in our little garage - I know it's tough with kids guys, and I appreciate you making the effort to come and play with us.

Thanks also to Noah P. who stuck around to the end to do a heck of a lot of shuffling. Whether it's your time, or a dollar or two in the funds jar, I greatly appreciate everyone who goes above and beyond to make our game successful.

Can't wait for the next one! Looks like there won't be time on my schedule for another tourney in September - but we might squeeze in a cash game. Also, the next tournament that we do have will be No Limit Hold-Em, but I'm thinking that at some point before the end of the year to have at least one either PLO8 (Pot Limit Omaha 8) by itself or a PLO/PLO8 mix or maybe even a H.O.R.S.E. tournament. Of course if we don't get at least 1 table, then I may reconsider for NLHE anyway.

T2011.10

It was a warm but not un-Godly hot afternoon.  

Before the tournament madness could commence, there was first a day long extravaganza of live poker action and much grilling of various meat products.

My burgers were popular enough, but especially outstanding were the rib eye brought by Mike K. and an other worldly creation called "Cheddar-wurst" (sausage stuffed with cheese) brought along by the always food-fantastic Dog.

While we stuffed ourselves, we also grinded the cash game.  I was stuck almost $60 for a while, before recovering a bit in a big scoop in Omaha/8, my nut low improved to a set of threes as well, and I finished down only $15.

The big winners in the five and six handed play seemed to be Marc F. and Dog, but no one finished down too significantly.  It was a mellow afternoon of beef and chip splashing.

But soon the sun faded, and I had work to do to set up.  I was helped out with the chips by Marc and my brother and Mike K. both jumped on to the grill as well.

Incredibly, with all the food, family and friends - Josh F. brought along his lovely wife as did Mike K. PLUS his kids, to the great delight of my daughter - we started the tournament on time.

23 fine folks squeezed into the garage, including out of town visitor Renee, a resident of Scottsdale Arizona and a friend of Ardelle and Noah P.

It was shaping up to be a bumpy night as shortly after our first bust out, Tom S., the second bust out Amy L. departed in spectacular fashion.  Her pocket kings tripped up on the flop, as did the pocket tens of Noah P.    After all the chips were in, Noah was dead to one card in the deck, which unbelievably hit on the river as a tremendous chorus of incredulity erupted around the table.

One outers happen frequently (it seems) online, but there is something about a 1 out of 52 shot hitting in a live environment that makes the atmosphere absolutely electric.

Believe it or not, once the garage was charged with that energy after Amy's cooler, it didn't subside for a good while.

The second eyebrow raising hand came a little while after - Dog, was poised to drag a large pot and make another deep run, his two pair filled up.   Unfortunately for him, the next cards brought Julie A. a STRAIGHT FLUSH - sending Dog to the rail in head-shaking fashion.  (He wasn't shaking his head, but everyone watching the hand unfold no doubt did.)

I myself had a bit of a suckout - with 12 big blinds I was first in with KJ and looked up by mongo stack Josh F.'s pocket jacks.  

He was a 68% favorite pre flop, but the flop brought me an open ender and the lower end hit on the turn for a sick double-up.

The final table formed just after 10:30 and less than an hour later we were in the money.  

Dan G. was our DVD bubble, falling just shy of the monies but scooping up the two Kill Bill movies as a consolation.

Getting his money back, plus a bounty - making him exactly even for the night was longtime PSP vet, Robert A.

Relatively new player Matthew S., who has now cashed in all of the three tournaments he's played at Pepper St., busted out next - scooping up $80 for fifth place.

Next to fall was Julie A., she of the straight flush earlier in the evening.  She took home $110 of fourth place money.

I was happy to snap call Noah P.'s shove when I had Q7 suited - with only 8 big blinds behind there wasn't much else I could do.   The good news, I was live, the bad news - the board blanked and knocked me out.  I gathered up $150 from the cash box and sat back down to watch the heads up duel between Noah and Josh.

Josh, it must be said, put on a poker clinic last night, accumulating early and using his stack like a cudgel with perfectly timed selective aggression at all the right targets at the right times.

At the final table he was behind a mountain of chips that carried him to the final two.

The pendulum swung a few times in heads up action - but both players, Josh and Noah P., were truly at the mercy of the deck, thanks to the mega-turbo (get out by midnight or else) structure at Pepper Street.

When the dust settled, Noah P. got the bad end of the coin flip, but he seemed happy enough to take home $210 in second place money, plus $30 in bounty chips.

It was 12:17 am, a record length tourney for this year at PSP, when Josh hoisted the trophy above his head and let out a primal scream of victory.  Well, okay, when he smiled and graciously shook Noah's hand.  Josh collected over $300 as well, reaping the reward of a 23 player prize pool where everyone either re-bought or added on.

It's my understanding that he only took up the game recently, but last night Josh demonstrated great poise and an outstanding feel for position and the range of his opponents holdings.  Well done Josh!  You're a fast learner!

Once again, thanks so much to all who helped out during the day, and thanks to each and every one of you for being so friendly and fun and making our little home game such a success in the way that matters most.

Our next Tournament will be on Saturday night, 7pm, September 10th.

Hopefully there will be another tournament towards the end of September, the first NLHE event of the year - H.O.R.S.E.!  Yes, it's been long enough, hopefully we can get two tables, but I'll be happy with one.

We are also long overdue for a cash game - hopefully we can squeeze one in on a Friday night sometime soon.

T2011.9

The weather was chilly, but the mood was warm and friendly, outside under a breeze filled patio cover in the back yard at Pepper Street.

There were 22 players, but only two tables - as the host was surprised by more than a couple of very late entries, including one friendly fellow who wandered in after the 7pm starting time without so much as an evite response or a phone call!

Pepper Street will always welcome unexpected players; but the host also hopes that Saturday night's surprise was a vivid enough demonstration of the affect that an unannounced gambler has on him. I was happy to see another player, but I was a bit vexed at having to go 11 handed at two tables. Adding a third table wasn't really an option once the action was underway.

All the same, it wasn't as big a deal as it initially appeared. Though the seating was tight, 11 handed tournament play is still standard in many rooms in California and Vegas, and no one seemed to mind in the least.

All the same - make sure you call if you're coming at the last minute!

After things settled down the action was hot and heavy, with a number of all-ins and rebuys before the break. Still, no one was felted until after the first four levels. The first to fall was Julie A., who took it much better than the second to bust Amy L. who smashed a beer bottle to the ground in disgust at her exit. (Just kidding! It was an unfortunate coincidence that a different player knocked over one of Pepper Street's notoriously tippy service trays just as Amy stood at her tournament demise.)

Our final table formed just before 11pm. Jason H. was our DVD bubble, and he politely declined to pick up his prize as it was almost 50 feet away and inside the garage.

Yours truly was the "buy-in" bubble (meaning I got my $40 entry fee back), finishing in sixth place.

I was one of two players knocked out against Allen R.'s big slick, but I had less chips than Mike P. so he finished in 5th place and took home $75. Mike has played well this year, but last year's Player of the Year had yet to cash until last Saturday. Been there! It's good to get that out of the way!

Next to scoop up some monies was cashing machine Dog - who gained a HUGE amount of POY points, plus $100, with his fourth place finish. Marc F. is still out in front, but not by much.

After doubling up early at the onset of final table play, which gave him a big ass stack, Dan G. was able to battle is way into a third place finish for his third cash of the year, pocketing $130.

And then there were two. Tom L. played like a man on a mission, raising and shoving with expert timing; but in the end fell just short. Still, second place and $200 was not a bad night's work whatsoever.

This night belonged to PSP's very own Kid Poker, Allen R. who was far more excited about the trophy than the $300 and was genuinely and charmingly jubilant at his well earned victory.

All in all it was a great night, a bit too windy for my tastes, but everyone was really friendly about it and truly didn't seem to mind.

Thanks to the players who stayed late and showed support - we even had a 3 handed cash game going for awhile! And to top it all of, even Tom S. showed up around midnight to say howdy! Good times.

Our next tournament is right now up in the air for August - it may get pushed to September. I will try to send out an evite as soon as I can. Hopefully we'll also get a cash game in at some point, Fridays are looking better than Saturdays this month.

Don't forget to email me if you want to play in my Poker Stars Home Game league - Flatline. Click here for more information.

Until our next game, may all your cards be live and your pots be monsters! (Can you tell I've been watching the World Poker Tour?)

T2011.8

For the first time this year, the friendly players of Pepper Street gathered outside on the patio instead of inside the garage. A delightfully balmy breeze made for a lovely evening under the stars. Hopefully we can have at least a couple more of these poker al fresco nights before it starts to get cold again.

First out was none other than yours truly - playing just about as bad as can be; running a disastrous all in bluff and then squandering my rebuy with more of the same before finally shoving with AK and running into queens which held. Bad Chris! Bad!

Ah well, the good news was is that for me it's still a lot of fun to run the tournament, and with time on my hands I was able to stay on top of things pretty well and make sure that those who weren't spewing chips like a crazy person (that would be everyone else in the tournament who all made it past the break) enjoyed themselves fully.

The first to bust after we got back was the loverly and gamble-tastic Miss Jeannie N. From there, the drop offs as usual started in a trickle and eventually snowballed as 11pm approached.

One thing has changed recently with the way we break tables - instead of breaking the third table at 14, I now break it at 18. This is because we now have two large tables capable of comfortably accommodating nine bodies each. This leaves the third table free for cash game action - which unfortunately last night didn't materialize despite my best and probably annoying efforts.

The final table formed at just after 11, and it wasn't too long after that the structure upended our bubble boy - Mike P. Instead of some crappy DVD, this time there was a very special bubble prize that Dog procured earlier in the day -



That's right, an autographed jar of Marky Ramone's marinara sauce! Mike P. was ecstatic as he hoisted the jar aloft and taunted the poor souls who were stuck with mere cash.

The first of these to bust thereafter, and get his $40 back, was the always amicable Dan G.

Next to fall, perhaps because he had to get up at 630am the next day and take his kid to Sea World, was Matthew S. who pocketed $70 for fifth place.

Out next was Jason H. with $90 and fourth place bragging rights.

In third place was Marc F. , who has extended his lead in the POY race even further with this cash and also took home $120.

Second place went to long time PSP player Stephen B., who believe it or not made this night his first tournament of the year, except for a WSOP satellite awhile back. He took a bad beat on the final hand, his A6 falling to Amy L.'s A3 on the river - but he handled it graciously and took home $180.

Amy L. was a bulldozer all night long, never surrendering the chip lead and never looking back. She got the trophy and $300, with the final hand finishing literally at 12:01pm. Well done Amy!

As usual a big thanks to all that stayed late and helped not only with the shuffling (Dan G. and Noah P.) and the dealing (Jason H.) but also with clean up (Dog, Marc, and others I'm sure I'm forgetting) which is always a bit more when we take the game outside. Thanks a heap fellas!

Our next tournament is the last Saturday of THIS month! That's right, Saturday, July 30th at 7pm, hopefully outside once again. We're staying clear of Carmageddon (my new favorite word) weekend! Hope you can make it!

Once in a lifetime...

Yes, that dork in the sunglasses is me. No, I didn't actually wear them when I was playing, but I did have Allen take a shot of me looking "cool" for posterity. The official photographer came around and snapped one similar to the shot below.
Yes, as you probably all know and recognize - this is my actual poker face. Tres' dork.

In any case, a grand time was had by all - including Pepper St. regulars Dog and Jason H., as well as Noah P. (can't seem to find a picture of him) who didn't play in a WSOP event, and yet somehow still managed to enjoy themselves.


No, I didn't know they were doing this. But how can anyone not be giddy in the face of this...


A veritable ocean of poker players and an overwhelming din of shuffling chips. My table was right up against the stage - so I got to see tournament director Jack Effel up close and personal for his announcements. And I got a very good look as well at congressmen Joe Barton from Texas, who had the honor of yelling out "Shuffle Up and Deal!" at my event.
I must say, and some of you know this about me, as a facist rightwing nutball (not really,

but on some stuff yeah, I'm evil) it did my heart good to finally, finally, FINALLY see someone from the right side of the aisle stand up for poker.

Rep. Barton has co-authored a bipartisan bill to legalize money transactions between banks/credit card companies and online poker sites. Here's hoping it goes through Joe! All of you should write your congress people and tell them to make it so! If you haven't already, click on the banner on this site to the right and join the Poker Players Alliance today!

Yes, I digress, but this stuff is important for poker players, especially us recreational ones. Numbers don't lie, attendance for the WSOP is up over 20% overall this year, it is crazy that our government wants to stand in the way of our right to be degenerate gamblers! (Or to put it another way, keep us from the beautiful game of skill that is poker).

Speaking of skill, Pepper St. Poker had two other players besides me (who wasn't even playing for the league after all) representing the humble garage out back - and both of them lasted longer than my mere 8 hours and 43 minutes.


Allen Q. almost made day 2, almost. After nearly ten hours of playing poker (plus a 90 minute dinner break and several other breaks, making for a 14 hour day) he got his money in way ahead, only to have trash call him down pre-flop and hit on the flop. Cest' le' pokerz.

Eric T. did all of us more than one better, getting to day 2 with 10 big blinds, and then incredibly accumulating and making it into the money! Of all the years I've been doing this, in my home game, online with friends, and elsewhere - I've sent 9 people to the big show, including myself. This is the very first time someone has cashed. We are not worthy Eric!



Every PSP player who participated in the satellite that Eric won will be pocketing $165, and Eric himself will be taking home around $2000. Hopefully this will give some incentive next year for those of you who have been a bit unsure. The great thing about poker and this event, is it is truly a game where anyone on any given day can sit down with the best and beat them, at least in the short term.


After the WSOP, there was still plenty of poker and other activities. Dog took it upon himself to take two food challenges. First, there was the firecracker burger at Aria's SkyBox, which featured Ghost Chili, a substance three times hotter than jabenero peppers. He had to first sign a waiver before he could indulge, just in case he passed out or something. The waitress was super paranoid about touching Dog's dishes and then accidentally wiping her face. Dog himself also wore rubber gloves and had pepto at hand.



In the end he couldn't quite finish it off. With 3 bites left he smartly called it quits - as there was only bragging rights and a free beer at stake. He was in severe pain, his bald head glistening in sweat and bright red. I was in awe. The next day he confided to me that he paid an even steeper price at 4am in the form of a spectacular gastro-intestinal detonation. Had he known that such a horrific cost was going to be endured, he would have simply had those last three bites. Ah well.

A far bigger pay day than a free beer was at hand for his next challenge - this.



Yes, that is a 9 pound bowl of the Vietnamese classic - Pho. With a progressive jackpot of around $900 to be paid to anyone who could consume this monstrosity in 87 minutes or less (the name of the offending restaurant being "Pho 87") this was just too juicy a proposition for the good Dog to pass up. Unfortunately, the noodles were also too juicy, despite Dog's rapid drinking of the broth and consumption of the meat, he couldn't quite stomach the fierce expansion of the pasta, and so too this challenge had to go un-beaten.

But for all of us on this trip, the destination (or the cash you might say) was secondary to the journey. We all played additional deep stack tournaments, and Allen and I even tried our hand at a $200 Pot Limit Omaha 8 or better event at the world famous Binion's gambling hall.



I played nearly as long as I did in the WSOP and busted out in heart breaking fashion with AA28 double suited against a garbage hand that had a mountain of chips behind it to call me down and flop a monster draw which hit on the turn.

Still, it was a very memorable time for many reasons - most of all that I surprised myself at how well I played in an event that I just assumed I was dead money in. My years upon years of home cash game play in fixed limit O8, combined with a half decade of NLHE study and dedication, paid off big time as I held my own against these PLO8 specialists. For me, this was just as memorable as the WSOP in it's own way; the best time I've had from a pure playing standpoint in any event ever.

In fact, and I know I say this with every Vegas trip report, but this really was the best time ever. 5 days was probably too much, I was dead tired at the end, but I wouldn't change it for anything. The memories and these photos, courtesy of Allen and his kick ass low light camera, are truly priceless.


Look very carefully above and below. Where's Waldo?




Above - The money approaches. (My favorite shot of the trip.)


Jason finally breaks his stoic and intimidating table demeanor. And the next shot reveals why, Allen and Jason are at the same table in a 1000 player deep stack event. Hmmm.



Later, Allen reaches the money and min-cashes. The rest of the table is just as excited as he is.



Later, he takes it down at Binion's. Okay, he actually just poses in front of their famous pile of a million bucks. Benny Binion started this back in the early 70's and you can still do it today.









Someday...

I've got a Golden Ticket!

So last Saturday, when I was in Vegas for work, after busting out of a 10pm turbo tournament at my beloved Treasure Island poker room (terribly structured tournaments, but always a friendly crowd and dealers, plus it's truly smoke free) I sauntered over to the Rio.

After seeing The Bear (Barry Greenstein) at the final table of the 10K Limit Hold-Em event, I plunked down my hard earned satellite money and bought a seat into event #43, a $1500 No Limit Hold-Em nooner, scheduled for this upcoming Saturday.

But Chris, you say, you told us you didn't win one of your home game satellites, what up?

Well, I didn't win a live satty, this is true. But online, I managed to squeak out a spot at the big dance after all.

But Chris, you say, everyone knows that the online pokerz are finished in the USA, surely you must be on drugs!

Well, my friends from up north (and a few down here as well) have been playing online for years - rake free. We keep track of the money ourselves and play with play chips, through Poker Stars Home Games on Poker Stars dot net. (As an aside, if this sounds like your kind of racket, be sure to mention it to me the next time we see each other.)

So this spring we had an 18 tournament series, every Monday night for over three months, to choose a representative to play in the World Series of Poker, and yours truly managed to ship it.

So now it will be me, Allen Q. and Eric T. who will be gambooling it up with the best in the world come this weekend.

Also joining us from Pepper Street will be Dog, Jason H., Noah P. and very possibly Marc! Allen R. has also indicated that he might be about. If you have any opportunity to come along, you really should - the World Series is a blast, even if you don't play in it. There are also lower buy in non-bracelet events to play in as well, starting at $235 and going down to $135, I plan to partake at 2pm on Friday, Dog and Jason I believe will be splashing around in the 2pm on Saturday.

But even if you can't come along for the gambling madness, you can keep up with our adventures via' the magic of Twitter!

See what happens with me, Eric, Dog and Allen respectively by following @PepperStChrisM, @PepperStEricT, @PepperStDog and @PepperStAllenQ. Jason for some reason has decided to call his twitter account @PepperStPiquant, so be sure to enter that to find him. I'll also be harassing Noah P soon to create a twitter account which presumably will be found @PepperStNoahP when he gets around to it.

If all this seems like too many people to keep track of, you can simply do a search for #pepperstpoker, which we will be including in all of our updates. This search will bring you all the most recent events - which will include our statuses, chip counts, and even pictures! It's the next best thing to being there!

Allen is very optimistic about his chances, as for me - let's just say I'm more of a glass half empty kind of guy when it comes to tournament poker. The good news is for me, after I bust out, I plan to play a heck of a lot more poker, including tournaments at the Venetian and Binion's, so there'll still be lots to follow even after I exit my big event.

Speaking of big events, our next Pepper Street tournament won't be until Saturday, July 9th at 7pm. So if you don't follow our tweets, you'll have to hear about it first hand, which could take awhile!

T2011.7

Very nice!

23 players gathered around a slightly better arranged table configuration, still in the garage because it wasn't quite warm enough for al fresco. Hopefully we can play under the stars in July!

It was well over two hours before bust out number one. PSP regular and all around swell fellow Robert A. was the first casualty and exited graciously with a smile and both middle fingers raised in a silent salute.

What began as a trickle soon escalated to an avalanche of tournament victims - with a number of dominated hands sucking out. Particularly horrific, at the final table which formed just after 1030pm, was a three way hand which saw my baby ace bink a three outer against Jeannie N.'s Kings and Barbara N.'s Jacks.

This set the stage for our DVD bubble, which current second place Player of the Year Dog D. scooped up - the perennial independent film favorite "Coffee and Cigarettes."

First to cash, or rather, get their buy-in back was crafty John S.

Next up the ladder, in fifth place with $80, was cashing machine Mike K., who I must take a moment to thank profusely for taking on dealing duties for the remainder of the evening.

Finishing in fourth place for $90 was friendly newcomer Matt S. who was brought on board by Eric T. Thanks so much Eric for bringing in a new player!

Third place went to the inflictor of bad beats extraordinaire, yours truly, for $120.

After a surprisingly long heads up battle, considering the blinds were actually bigger than the garage by midnight - Eric T. emerged to take down his second PSP tournament in a row, winning $310 and another trophy to match the one from May!

Marc F. lost more flips, and so had to settle for $180 - but Marc wins in my heart for bringing 2, yes 2 new players into the fold. The super lovely Jeremy and Brit H. We are not worthy Marc!

I know I sound like a broken record, but I am so, so, so grateful to all of you for being so cool and making my little home game such a success of good times. Really, I've never been to a nicer home game, and that's why I love hosting so much.

Our next one is early next month, Saturday, July 9th at 7pm. Yes, it will be No Limit Hold Em again. I, like many of you, really miss the mixed games - but many more of you prefer the Cadillac of poker. The numbers don't lie! So that's what we gonna do!

If you don't think you can make the next tournament, let not your heart be troubled, there is a good chance I'll have a second tournament at the end of the month as well.

Be sure to check out our Player of the Year Standings, where you can see that the race is heating up - also remember that it's never to late to join into our World Series of Poker League for 2012, which we're playing right now. Click here for the details, and let me know if you want in - I will allow latecomers to buy in for the regular price of only $5 for every tournament they've missed so far, and of course next January the price will go up to $10 per tourney.

Speaking of the World Series, I should mention that I actually did win a seat after all, in my online league which I run along with two of my closest friends up in Berkeley. You may have seen the sign in the garage for Flatline Poker. It's what I play with my friends on Poker Stars Home Games. We play with play chips, but we keep track of real money ourselves. If you are missing online poker badly, be sure to email me or talk to me at the next game. We have a brand new season starting up in August, and we are always looking for new players. We are going to play 20 once a week tournaments on Monday nights for $14 +$1, with the $1 going to a championship tournament at the end of the season.

We recently finished a WSOP season $10 + $5, with the $5 going to a WSOP seat, and crazy enough I shipped a seat for a $1500 event, (Event #43) which I will be playing on the SAME weekend as Allen Q. and Eric R. who are representing Pepper Street Poker in Event #45 on Sunday, June 26th at noon. My event is the day before, June 25th, also at noon. So far we have Jason H. and Dog D. committed to come along for the fun, as well as Marc F. who has penciled in the date and Allen R. who has indicated interest. As I've said before, if you've never been to the WSOP and you love poker, it's an amazing site to behold. We would love to see you there!

T2011.6

It was a record breaking night at Pepper Street as 26, that's right - 26, players squeezed into the cozy confines of the garage around back.

A lucky 9 were chosen to take a seat at a brand new table - courtesy of my good friend Mark who was ESPN's Technical Director of last years World Series of Poker; he provided me with the very same felt that graced the television feature table!

Behold!

As you may recall, the 2010 WSOP hosted a Tournament of Champions, an invitation only tournament that featured - Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Chris Ferguson, Allen Cunningham, Johnny Chan, Scotty Nguyen, Barry Greenstein, John Juanda, Erik Seidel, Jennifer Harman, Huck Seed, Dan Harrington, T.J. Cloutier, Sammy Farha, Howard Lederer, Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem and Antonio Esfandiari.

So yes, all of those players have played on the very same felt that now sits in the garage. Not to mention anyone and everyone who final tabled in any of the 57 WSOP bracelet events last year, including the likes of Tom Dwan and other similarly talented folks.

As far as a home poker table goes, I guess we win. Pretty damn cool.

Speaking of cool, it was just a little bit too chilly to play under the stars. Hopefully we can do that next month. Though it was cold outside, the action heated up inside after the break. Jeff M., who, in this humble writers opinion, is easily in the top handful of players at Pepper Street (a very small group in my my mind, a group in which I do not include myself) has had a pretty unlucky 2011 so far and was first out; variance will inevitably swing the other way soon Jeff!

Even with 26 players, I predicted early on that my patented super-awesome blind structure (designed to give everyone plenty of fun poker to play, but to still get people home early enough to not face the wrath of an angry spouse) would do it's job - and it did. As Marc F. as my witness, I declared the under over for the end of the tournament to be at 12:15. Read on, to see how close I was.

Yours truly busted out exactly midway - 13th, and the final table formed at around 1040pm, at the same time - a cash game broke out on one of the smaller tables!

Let me just take a moment to give acknowledgement and gratitude to the truly amazing Mike P., who has been invaluable at filling in the gaps that I leave when I try to play and run things at the same time. From re-buys to just generally keeping things correct, thank you so much Mike for being so kick butt last night - especially getting the cash game going and taking care of everyone.

The DVD winner, aka the bubble before the bubble, was Bill Kelly, who snagged the latest Star Trek movie for his collection.

The "bubble" who gets his entry fee back, and last night also got his bounty back as well - was the always crafty yet amenable Allen R.

First to make money was Jason H. who pocketed $90 for fifth place. Next was cashing machine Mike K. who vaulted into the Player of the Year top five with a fourth place finish worth $120.

Perennial PSP favorite Robert A. navigated past the multiple tournament land mines all evening long before finally succumbing to the monstro-blinds and snagging $150 for finishing third.

And then the final two - many would say it was a coincidence, but others would say it simply had to be. Our two World Series of Poker seat winners, Allen Q. and Eric T. were the only ones left when the dust had cleared.

As their stacks were very close at the onset of heads up play, I reminded them that they had the option to chop the cash and play for the trophy, they declined and preferred to flip a coin. Again, I will defend my blind structure to the death - even in the face of rumblings and grumblings (of which there were a few last night); I will absolutely not have people in my garage at 3am for a $40 tournament. A huge part of what makes this tournament so great, is that it literally is for bar tab stakes (and a very small bar tab in L.A. for that matter.) We are here to have fun, and if we happen to improve our game along the way that's great, but our goal is not honing our No Limit Hold-em prowess through a grueling gauntlet marathon of ruthless poker, where the best warrior always wins. Our goal first and foremost is to enjoy ourselves and that MUST include getting home at a reasonable hour.

I set the over under for the end of the tournament at 12:15pm, the final hand went down at 12:13. I know, I was WAY off.

In the end they both got it in with live cards and Eric was the binker with Allen being the binkee. $200 went to Mr. Q and $350 went to Mr. T, along with his first PSP trophy in only his third monthly tournament at Pepper Street! Congratulations Eric!

Allen Q. graciously mentioned to me at the end of the evening, that he felt really good that Eric got the extra $150, as Eric had only won $1000 even in his satellite while Allen had pocketed $1200. "Now he gets a little help with his room and food" said Allen. Yes indeed, it worked out pretty good for both of them.

Another HUGE thanks is in order for the official recruiter and all around really cool guy (who also ALWAYS stays late to shuffle and help clean up) Marc F. who brought ANOTHER new player last night, the jovial Chris S. who seemed to enjoy himself and hopefully will be back soon. A big thanks as well to super cool gal Julie for bringing her friend John R. into the game. I didn't play at his table, but he seemed to be having fun and I also hope he'll return soon.

The next one will be here before we know it - Saturday, June 11 at 7pm. Hopefully it will be nice and hot during the day so we can have a divine evening out of doors; especially if we get a crazy number of people like we did last night! I have to say, even though it is a lot of work, I find it very gratifying to put on these events, even more so when we have close to 30 players!

After the 11th, it's off to Vegas! Jeff M. has informed me that he will very much try to make it, and Allen R. mentioned that he would like to make the trip as well. So that's potentially six Pepper Street degenerates in Sin City at once! The mind boggles. See my post below for my plea, I hope you can join us for a whole lot of fun for the weekend of June 25! (I'll be there for the Monday and Tuesday beyond as well). Hope to see you then!