Zimba Blog:
My 1A day/night lasted until nearly 4 a.m. as I was drawn to see the completion of the heads-up match between Nick Binger and David Bach in the $5k PLO Hi/Low. The atmosphere was quite unique as there were no other tables or staff going in the entire Amazon room. Just the final table staff and press with 25-30 railers. Each and every one of them pulling for the popular Nick Binger. Give David Bach credit as he had a great attitude and table demeanor in the face of overwhelming support and cat calls for his opponent for each blind won or pot halved. The supporters included many pros and industry insiders like Michael Binger, Liv Boeree, Lee Childs, Jeff Madsen, Dan Shak, Kevin McBride, Xuan Liu, Gloria Balding and others I didn’t immediately recognize. The scene was fun and intimate, like a glorified home game with plenty of razzing, but playing for $397k first prize and a gold bracelet. Unfortunately they hit the hard cap of 10 levels and must return to complete their heads-up match at 3 p.m. today.
After my massive 5 hours of sleep, I took an extra 30 minutes to check in with various family members who feel disconnected when I get consumed by my long hours working. I noticed they all had an unfamiliarity with the dynamics of media work at the WSOP so I figured I would give some details to fill it in.
Anyone who wants a World Series of Poker media pass must apply several months in advance, to give the WSOP team time to vet and determine worthy recipients. For instance, I was initially turned down, but upon appeal was granted a pass once they gained further information to supplement the application.
There is a definite hierarchy of media, as ESPN has the video coverage that trumps all others with their crew and staff. PokerNews reporters are the official online informational team delivering chip counts and news. Established media outlets like Bluff magazine have a sizable team that gets preference while there are international teams from multiple European countries reporting for their poker communities. And then there are the smaller and more independent media consisting of bloggers, writers, and poker affiliate sites of one kind or another.
The poker media is typically gathered in one of three areas. There is a media room 100 feet from the Amazon room where you go to get official updates, your credentials and deal with WSOP staff. To me is has a cold and disconnected feeling, but their two big screen TV’s can be handy for watching the occasional sporting event like the World Cup.
Most media occupy one corner of the Amazon room in the L shaped two-tiered guard-railed section that rises above the playing level. It’s crowded, with laptop after laptop lined up, but tens of reporters and writers come and go on their various business like bees in a hive. A select few media have stations around the “mothership” main stage or areas that support the ESPN video coverage.
The media pass allows access behind all roped areas, except some limitations for final tables. This year the WSOP initiated rules to limit lingering reporters at a single table or engaging players in conversation of any significant duration, although enforcement has been pretty lax so far.
For Day 2, Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi set things in motion giving the traditional “shuffle up and deal” along with personalizing the send off with “It’s time grind” and that he felt sorry for whoever was to his right today. Unfortunately for Mizrachi, he promptly lost ⅔ of his starting stack with J-10 on a board like A,10,7,10, 6 to a guy who had A,10. Time to grind it back.
Interestingly, Erick Lindgren was seated next to Patrik Antonius, the fellow married Full Tilt Poker pros weren’t wearing any Full Tilt gear when I saw them. Their wives were also playing across the room at different tables. When Erick and Patrik’s table broke early, Erick got the more advantageous position across the aisle from the lovely and pregnant Erica Schoenberg.
Jean Robert Bellande is playing today decked out in his Rise sponsorship gear. He is a remarkable study of a player defying the paucity of his cash game or tournament results to be a big personality and draw who consistently finds backers to fund his playing.
I also found out the #1 chess player in the U.S. and currently ranked 6th in the world, H. Nakamura is playing today, giving poker a go for his analytical skills.
Into the second level of Day 1B, there isn’t much to report yet. There were 560 players that advance to Day 2A from Day 1A’s 897 entrants (62%).
The numbers of entrants for Day 1B appear to be similar to Day 1A, although tournament officials are expecting bumper crowds for Saturday and Sunday.
More later...
My 1A day/night lasted until nearly 4 a.m. as I was drawn to see the completion of the heads-up match between Nick Binger and David Bach in the $5k PLO Hi/Low. The atmosphere was quite unique as there were no other tables or staff going in the entire Amazon room. Just the final table staff and press with 25-30 railers. Each and every one of them pulling for the popular Nick Binger. Give David Bach credit as he had a great attitude and table demeanor in the face of overwhelming support and cat calls for his opponent for each blind won or pot halved. The supporters included many pros and industry insiders like Michael Binger, Liv Boeree, Lee Childs, Jeff Madsen, Dan Shak, Kevin McBride, Xuan Liu, Gloria Balding and others I didn’t immediately recognize. The scene was fun and intimate, like a glorified home game with plenty of razzing, but playing for $397k first prize and a gold bracelet. Unfortunately they hit the hard cap of 10 levels and must return to complete their heads-up match at 3 p.m. today.
After my massive 5 hours of sleep, I took an extra 30 minutes to check in with various family members who feel disconnected when I get consumed by my long hours working. I noticed they all had an unfamiliarity with the dynamics of media work at the WSOP so I figured I would give some details to fill it in.
Anyone who wants a World Series of Poker media pass must apply several months in advance, to give the WSOP team time to vet and determine worthy recipients. For instance, I was initially turned down, but upon appeal was granted a pass once they gained further information to supplement the application.
There is a definite hierarchy of media, as ESPN has the video coverage that trumps all others with their crew and staff. PokerNews reporters are the official online informational team delivering chip counts and news. Established media outlets like Bluff magazine have a sizable team that gets preference while there are international teams from multiple European countries reporting for their poker communities. And then there are the smaller and more independent media consisting of bloggers, writers, and poker affiliate sites of one kind or another.
The poker media is typically gathered in one of three areas. There is a media room 100 feet from the Amazon room where you go to get official updates, your credentials and deal with WSOP staff. To me is has a cold and disconnected feeling, but their two big screen TV’s can be handy for watching the occasional sporting event like the World Cup.
Most media occupy one corner of the Amazon room in the L shaped two-tiered guard-railed section that rises above the playing level. It’s crowded, with laptop after laptop lined up, but tens of reporters and writers come and go on their various business like bees in a hive. A select few media have stations around the “mothership” main stage or areas that support the ESPN video coverage.
The media pass allows access behind all roped areas, except some limitations for final tables. This year the WSOP initiated rules to limit lingering reporters at a single table or engaging players in conversation of any significant duration, although enforcement has been pretty lax so far.
For Day 2, Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi set things in motion giving the traditional “shuffle up and deal” along with personalizing the send off with “It’s time grind” and that he felt sorry for whoever was to his right today. Unfortunately for Mizrachi, he promptly lost ⅔ of his starting stack with J-10 on a board like A,10,7,10, 6 to a guy who had A,10. Time to grind it back.
Interestingly, Erick Lindgren was seated next to Patrik Antonius, the fellow married Full Tilt Poker pros weren’t wearing any Full Tilt gear when I saw them. Their wives were also playing across the room at different tables. When Erick and Patrik’s table broke early, Erick got the more advantageous position across the aisle from the lovely and pregnant Erica Schoenberg.
Jean Robert Bellande is playing today decked out in his Rise sponsorship gear. He is a remarkable study of a player defying the paucity of his cash game or tournament results to be a big personality and draw who consistently finds backers to fund his playing.
I also found out the #1 chess player in the U.S. and currently ranked 6th in the world, H. Nakamura is playing today, giving poker a go for his analytical skills.
Into the second level of Day 1B, there isn’t much to report yet. There were 560 players that advance to Day 2A from Day 1A’s 897 entrants (62%).
The numbers of entrants for Day 1B appear to be similar to Day 1A, although tournament officials are expecting bumper crowds for Saturday and Sunday.
More later...
First Zimba Blog: I Want That Feeling, One Time!
Second Zimba Blog: Sunday Poker Diatribe
Third Zimba Blog: Thoughts and Experiences with Cheating in Poker
Fourth Zimba Blog: The Myth of Money Won in Poker
Fifth Zimba Blog: Poker Super Powers - The Cloak of Invincibility
Sixth Zimba Blog: The Good News About The Portuguese Prodigy
Seventh Zimba Blog: Finding Your Place In Poker
Eighth Zimba Blog: Poker Empathy
Ninth Zimba Blog: Poker - A Global Game
Tenth Zimba Blog: 10 Things I Learned From My First Week Not Playing Poker
Eleventh Zimba Blog: The Blame Game
Twelfth Zimba Blog: Commentary On FSG 218 Pros List
Thirteenth Zimba Blog: Poker News or Perspective?
Fourteenth Zimba Blog: WSOP Memories Redux
Fifteenth Zimba Blog: WSOP Memories Redux, pt. 2
Sixteenth Zimba Blog: Grandfathered In
Seventeenth Zimba Blog: Full Tilt Poker and the $60 Million Cost of Business
Eighteenth Zimba Blog: WSOP Bracelet - What is it worth anyways?
Nineteenth Zimba Blog: Down the Rabbit Hole
Twentieth Zimba Blog: Full Tilt Poker Misplayed Their Hand
Twenty-first Zimba Blog: U.S. Poker: 180 Days and Degrees
Twenty-second Zimba Blog: Women's Event: Life EV Trumps Poker EV
Twenty-third Zimba Blog: Zimba WSOP Blog: The Calm Before The Storm
Twenty-fourth Zimba Blog: Zimba WSOP Blog: Day 1A
Twenty-fifth Zimba Blog: Zimba WSOP Blog: Day 1A Late Night Rail
