Thoughts about the World Poker Association (WPA)

O.K., time to continue after my shameless advertising blog entry. That one was on top long enough. Let's talk poker again ... and advertise again. Huh?

Well, this time it's different! I would like to tell you about the World Poker Association (WPA).



The WPA is a non-profit organization dedicated "To assure the integrity of tournament poker by establishing fair and consistent rules and procedures and thus to increase the opportunities of individual and organizational members worldwide."

Some of their founding members are:

• Jesse Jones, Founder
• Blair Rodman (Author of "Kill Phill")
  
• Joe Beevers (Hendon Mob)
  
• Barny Boatman (Hendon Mob)
  
• Barry Greenstein (Author of "Ace on the River" just to name one accomplishment)
• Phil Hellmuth (Well, I think everybody knows him)
  
• Tony Guoga (better known as Tony G)
  
• Rob Hollink
• Steve Brecher
• Kenna James

I am sure many will follow. Hopefully the big poker tours and online casinos will join too. That would make it a real success. But it's an organization for the players - so it's the players that count most.

Is there any sense in creating an organization for a sport that is made of a lot of individuals? Sure it is! Especially because the poker players are all individuals they need a strong voice.

Look at the WSOP and the WPT - those are commercial organisations. They want to increase their profit. There's nothing wrong with that but they earn their money from the players. And those players should have the ability to stand up against some things that aren't right. Maybe you followed the discussion with the papers all the participants of WPT tournaments have to sign (and the Boycott of the WPT by players like Ferguson, Bloch and others). Things happen that may hurt the players rights severly and there has to be an organisation to help them. Another example is the WSOP. They already learned from last year and built a council of players and other people involved in tournament poker to address the issues that came up last year (restrooms, meals, breaks etc.).

A strong voice can help all of us. And even here in Germany we may take advantage of this. Hopefully in the future we won't find those crapshots tournaments anymore but an increased number of good tournaments with good rules (like Bregenz and Schenefeld).

I would like to urge you to go over to the WPA Website and have a look at their stuff. And they already have posted a lot of information. Think about supporting them by becoming a member (it's just $50 a year). And if you don't want to become a member but think they are doing a great job then just spread the word around and give the information to others. Let's help them to make this a success!

"The formation of the WPA is one the most important steps in lifting our game to a truly professional status. I truly urge all players to join and help grow our great profession." — Joseph Hachem, 2005 WSOP Champion

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Great Tournament in Schenefeld

That was a great tournament! Like Bregenz they are well organized and make you feel welcome. Marcus Jost, the tournament director, took some time to talk to the new people and make them feel at home much more. Seems like they were really surprised about the success of their tournament. Originally it was planned for 50 participants but they extended it to 66 people (11x6). Tommorrows game had a waitlist. All types of players: young, old(er), experienced, novices... Among the players most of the german nations team - including Michael Keiner, Katja from 50outs (and her partner Jan).

I liked the format as they allowed only one rebuy and one add-on (which could be used as a rebuy). Michael and Katja had a tough table as they were seated next to each other with one more member of the nations team on the same table. Katja's partner Jan was seated at my table together with some other guys that knew each other very well. This made it a fun and entertaining table. Due to the position of the table we could be sure that the table wouldn't be broke soon.

The structure was decent with 2000 starting chips and blinds starting at 20/40 (levels lasted 25 minutes). Unfortunatly I didn't get anything playable for a long time. I must have made the impression to be a supertight player. For that reason I collected only the blinds as I went all-in several times later in the tournament. I was shortstacked and supershortstacked for most of the time. To give you an impression how bad my run of cards was: I didn't saw a single showdown until my very last hand! I was happy not trying to force my play with lower quality hands as I wouldn't have succeeded with those hands.

There was just one hand that could have changed a lot if I decided to play it: I had KQ offsuited in middle position. With blinds at 1000/500 and a 4500 stack I was willing to go all-in. Jan raised UTG and another player raised all-in. With just Jan's raise I still considered my all-in but not after the second player went all-in. I folded and LP raised all-in. Jan called. He showed AQ, the second player showed AJ and LP showed AA. Amazing! But this hand wasn't over yet. I don't know the correct order anymore but after the river the board showed 8-9-10-J-Q. A three way split! And my KQ would have won all :-(( But still it was correct to fold here ... how often do hands like this happen?

The blinds increased more and more. Finally I moved all-in with J9o one before the blinds (1400/700 with 4800 left) and got called by the BB with JJ. No help and out on 26th position. (Prizepool was over €16000 with ten places getting paid).
Jan was shortstacked too for a long time but went on a little run after the three way split to recover somewhat. Katja went out in the mid-30's and Michael was still in the tournament with an average stack as I left at 1am. I lasted 4.5 hours and 8 levels but really wished to make it into the money. Not only because of the money but also because it was interesting to play with those people.

I talked to Michael during the break and we had some interesting topics. He gave me some nice insights about what's going on in the german poker scene. I think if you're interested in better and more opportunities for poker in Germany then you should check his webpage in the near future or get on his mailing list.

Schenefeld is definitly one center for poker in Germany ... to bad the Bavarian casinos are so old-fashioned. I'm sure they will oversleep the great Hold'em hype totally :-((

BTW - if you are from Munich it isn't that expensive to get to Hamburg. My dba flight was about €60 and the hotel (Klövensteen) is nice and I got it for €60 (via hotel.de). Non-alcoholic drinks had been free for tournament players. Today they had some small snacks during the break. For the €200/300 tournaments they offer a full buffet meal for free.
First cash game offered after the first table was broke was a 10/20 Hold'em. But they are willing to offer any if there is enough request.

Addition on Tuesday, March 14th: Just read Michaels report and found out that he won the first event. Im really happy for him as he was on a dry run in the past!

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Beware of a paired board

Wow - I can't remember any time I busted out of a tournament on the first hand!

It was the $69+6 NL $7000 guaranteed at Full Tilt. They had 122 players and the first hand I received in EP was Ah7h. Due to the position I just called it. Here's how the hand developed:

3 callers, the BB checked. Flop came Qh 4h 9h giving me the nut flush. As any bet would have been suspicious here I checked. It was checked to the LP who bet 90 on a 165 pot. BB folded and all the others folded. Heads-Up now.

Turn was 9c and paired the board. Now here comes my bad mistake. I should have realised that any pocket Q, pocket 4 and of course a pocket 9 had beat me here. I checked again and he bet 150 on a 345 pot. Mistake no. two and three. I should have bet here instead of checking. Not that it changed anything - but it would have been the correct play (maybe I could pretend holding QQ's). And after he bet to my check it would have been time to fold the hand. He wasn't offering me good pot-odds so there was no need to continue here. But of course it is hard to lay down a nut flush. Now on to mistake no. four: The river was an Ad and I checked again. He bet 615 and I raised all-in to 1230. He called and showed pocket 4's for a full house.

What a bad beat! NO ... this wasn't a bad beat! This was just the worst hand I played in my entire life. He deserved to win this and I deserve to lose it. I was out 116 of 122. Just 6 people lost their money faster then me.

I think the biggest mistake was to check to much early and to raise late. I should have bet the flop and take the 165 (as he would have probably folded). It was more difficult after the second 9 but again I think betting would have been the better option. And there was definitly no reason for a raise on the river (even a call would have been wrong).

Well, this session was intended to be a practice lesson for tommorrows live tournament in Schenefeld. It was a short but intense lesson... :-((

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CeBIT time is poker time

Ah that's great - it's CeBIT time and I will be able to play poker again :-))

Some years ago I allways went to the "Spielbank Hannover" during CeBIT for some great BJ. The place was a zoo in that time and they had great conditions. It was the first time I saw a guy winning 5000 Euros and losing them again in about 2 hours at the BJ tables. At this time I was playing 5-120 with cardcounting and managing a 500 Euro win was a great success for me. Well time have changed ... as has the "Spielbank Hannover". They changed to CSM's long ago and the "good conditions" were gone. So for some years it was just CeBIT for me.

Remembering that the "Casino Schenefeld" near Hamburg started with Hold'em not long ago I checked their website and was delighted to see a poker tournament during CeBIT time. I built my schedule around that event and caught a cheap flight (€60) from Munich to Hamburg.

I will play the €100 Event on Thursday and will visit CeBIT on Friday. As these are rebuy tournaments the €200 and €300 events (Fr./Sat.) are currently above my range.
According to the 50Outs blog some notable german players might be there too (like Michael Keiner and some others from the german nations cup team).

I would love to meet Michael in person as we had some nice email conversations in the past. So I hope he will play the €100 event ... wait - did I say that? Am I nuts? Anyway - I encourage you to read his articles (if you can read german) at isa-casinos.de as they are well written and contain valuable information! And I will enjoy the tournament regardless of the competition.

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