Get the Throne Ready
Sebok, here, yet again to provide my little poker maniacs the breakdown on what is happening in Vegas this summer. Specifically, I want to give all you card rats the scoop on what has gone down in our little WSOP bet so far. Y’know, the one where those two idiots (Gavin Smith and Jeff Madsen) are going to have to carry me into the RIO Amazon Room for the Main Event this year — dressed as, ahem, Court Jesters. Yeah, that’s the one. As I write this, I have just busted out of Event #35, $1,500 No Limit, in 96th place.
Good for a small cash, but not much else, and good for nothing at all in our bet …
Let’s get to it though, and I’ll give you a recap of each of our Series so far …
Gavin Smith – 0 points
Gavin has had the best individual showing of any of us to date, with a 2nd place finish in Event #4, $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em. He played like a champion and I really thought I was going to see my buddy pick up his first bracelet, but, alas, it was not to be.
He showed a ton of moxie in battling back repeatedly from being the short stack for the last thirty or so players, and I was damn proud of him. Time after time he got his money in bad and somehow was able to get lucky. Just kidding, buddy. The most beautiful thing of all this though: The event did not count for ANYTHING in the bet. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Zero.
Hahahahahahaha. I’m sorry. Wait. Hahahahahaha. Almost done. Hahahahahahaha.
Wow, excuse me for that. I just had to get it out of my system. But such a bad beat for Gav. He would have put us right behind the eight ball, right out of the gate. Whew … we dodged a huge bullet there. Other than that, Gavin also cashed 25th in Event #21, $5,000 HORSE … also good for absolutely nothing in the bet. Excuse me while I stifle this laughing fit …
Jeff Madsen – 60 points
Young Jeffrey has had the toughest go of it overall this year at the WSOP. It’s gotta be real hard for the kid. Think about it: He waltzed into last year’s Series, made four final tables, and took down two bracelets. Easy stuff, right? Wrong. It’s nearly impossible to match that amazing feat of a year ago, even if you are some kind of poker wunderkind, as Jeff is. Everything has to come together perfectly somehow, even if just for those few weeks.
Still, Jeff did get his first cash out of the way last week, hitting Event #20, Seven Card Stud Hi Lo, for 25th place. He was lucky enough to have designated this as one of his Joker events for the Series, and thus not only picked up double points for it being a $3k buy-in, but also double on top of that for the Joker love … thus his 60 big ones.
I’m expecting at least one other big cash out of MadDog before the Main Event starts, so look for Jeff to pick up a few more points as we roll through this WSOP…
Joe Sebok – 225 points
Let’s face it. We all knew we were going to end up here. You knew it. I knew it. Gav and Jeff knew it. Well, truth be told, I wasn’t so sure, but I am definitely stoked to be sitting atop the leaderboard at this point in the bet. It’s the one shining point in my Series thus far …
My first cash ended up being an absolutely HUGE one right out of the gate. I finished up in 11th place in Event #13, Pot Limit Hold’em. The only thing that kept me from the final table, and basically ending the bet right there, was Humberto Brenes and his idiotic shark — when he bad beat me with his 8-3 vs. my K-J, all in before the flop. Don’t get me started on this knucklehead and his antics. Where I am from, when you get it in with the good ol’ 8-3 for your tournament life and suck out, you just sit back down and be quiet. Shhhhh. Not Mr. Brenes though. He screamed for all the cameras and fans. A little humility, please. You should try it sometime, Humberto …
I digress though. Despite the beat, I was still able to pick up 160 points in the bet and a quick lead for some added applied pressure for my combatants. I then scored a few more points in Event #21, No Limit Hold’em Shootout, when I managed to best my opening table and make the cash. I wasn’t able to beat my second one, though, and thus narrowly missed another final table. Still, picked up a few more points, 25 this time, and kept fighting the good fight …
In Event #31, Heads Up No Limit Hold’em, I was able to move to the round of 64, thus accruing a few more valuable bet points. I was clipped there, though, by a damn good young player who goes by “gbmantis” online. I kept building up points all the same, this time to the tune of 40 more. Things were looking good … at least in the bet.
Sebok – 225
Smith – 0
Madsen – 60
So there you have it, kiddies. I have been having an easy run of it so far, but things can change at that drop of a hat. And since Gavin’s final Joker event is this weekend’s $50k HORSE, anything can — and probably will — still happen. Stay tuned for all the hijinks and to see these two bozos, er, worthy opponents, carry me into poker at the
Peace,
J
Joe Sebok is the Co-Host of Pokerwire Radio.
