Wednesday, August 09, 2006
The 2006 World Series of Poker, Jamie Gold and Allen Cunningham
Okay, this is the rare post on something other than the slot machine world. I'm going to talk today about the 2006 World Series of Poker.
This has become Christmas Eve in the sport of gambling. The final table at the World Series of Poker Main Event is set. Tomorrow, a new King of Poker will be annointed.
The gambling community holds its collective breath. The king is dead; long live the new king and all that stuff.
Actually, the old king has been dead for about two weeks. Joe Hachem busted out in the first few hours of his defense.
Frankly, I was glad to hear that. I have a friend who's met Hachem since his title win last year and (apparently) Hachem is a real asshat.
But let's talk for a minute about this year's presumptive asshat.
Coming into the final day, the current chip leader is some guy named Jamie Gold. He has 25.65 million in chips.
I don't know a thing about this Gold fellow. All I do know is he's already hired his own bodyguards. I guess that story about Greg Raymer being held up a couple of years ago had Mr. Gold thinking.
Also, Jamie has told a friend he's "gonna win". Why do I think that all nine final players have told someone that?
I mean, I can't imagine one of them telling a friend, "Well, I'm losing it all quick tomorrow, but at least I'm a freaking millionaire. Slap me some skin..."
Allen Cunningham is in second place.
Yes, that's Allen Cunningham of Hendon Mob fame. Yeah, those British guys that all dress in black, wears sunglasses and scowl like they're in some Guy Ritchie movie. Those guys that had their asses handed to them in that Hendon Mob vs. the U.S.A. All-Stars event last year.
Cunningham is the last established professional in the tourney. Holding 17.77 million in chips, he's in a strong position to take the others down.
You would think he is the odds-on favorite. But being an old pro never seems to matter at these main event final tables, so Cunningham's probably the last one that will win. I guess one pro still doesn't have great odds against eight lucky amateurs.
The other seven amateurs are:
Richard Lee - 11.82 million chips
Erik Freiberg - 9.6 million chips
Paul Wasicka - 7.96 million chips
Doug Kim - 6.77 million chips
Rhett Butler - 4.815 million chips
Michael Binger - 3.14 million chips
Dan Nassif - 2.6 million chips
I'm guessing Erik Freiburg will win. Gold and Cunningham are such obvious choices. And Richard Lee sounds like a civil war general.
I saw where Cunningham described Erik Freiburg as a tough player. I get the idea Freiburg would have more chips, but he's been unlucky in a couple of situations. That often carries through a tournament.
Still, all it takes is for one or two hands at the final table to go his way.
I'll update in the next day or two to see how good I am at prediction. If I'm as lucky at that as I am at hitting slot machine jackpots, Frieburg will be the first one out.
He might not even show up for the final table.
This has become Christmas Eve in the sport of gambling. The final table at the World Series of Poker Main Event is set. Tomorrow, a new King of Poker will be annointed.
The gambling community holds its collective breath. The king is dead; long live the new king and all that stuff.
Actually, the old king has been dead for about two weeks. Joe Hachem busted out in the first few hours of his defense.
Frankly, I was glad to hear that. I have a friend who's met Hachem since his title win last year and (apparently) Hachem is a real asshat.
But let's talk for a minute about this year's presumptive asshat.
Coming into the final day, the current chip leader is some guy named Jamie Gold. He has 25.65 million in chips.
I don't know a thing about this Gold fellow. All I do know is he's already hired his own bodyguards. I guess that story about Greg Raymer being held up a couple of years ago had Mr. Gold thinking.
Also, Jamie has told a friend he's "gonna win". Why do I think that all nine final players have told someone that?
I mean, I can't imagine one of them telling a friend, "Well, I'm losing it all quick tomorrow, but at least I'm a freaking millionaire. Slap me some skin..."
Allen Cunningham is in second place.
Yes, that's Allen Cunningham of Hendon Mob fame. Yeah, those British guys that all dress in black, wears sunglasses and scowl like they're in some Guy Ritchie movie. Those guys that had their asses handed to them in that Hendon Mob vs. the U.S.A. All-Stars event last year.
Cunningham is the last established professional in the tourney. Holding 17.77 million in chips, he's in a strong position to take the others down.
You would think he is the odds-on favorite. But being an old pro never seems to matter at these main event final tables, so Cunningham's probably the last one that will win. I guess one pro still doesn't have great odds against eight lucky amateurs.
The other seven amateurs are:
Richard Lee - 11.82 million chips
Erik Freiberg - 9.6 million chips
Paul Wasicka - 7.96 million chips
Doug Kim - 6.77 million chips
Rhett Butler - 4.815 million chips
Michael Binger - 3.14 million chips
Dan Nassif - 2.6 million chips
I'm guessing Erik Freiburg will win. Gold and Cunningham are such obvious choices. And Richard Lee sounds like a civil war general.
I saw where Cunningham described Erik Freiburg as a tough player. I get the idea Freiburg would have more chips, but he's been unlucky in a couple of situations. That often carries through a tournament.
Still, all it takes is for one or two hands at the final table to go his way.
I'll update in the next day or two to see how good I am at prediction. If I'm as lucky at that as I am at hitting slot machine jackpots, Frieburg will be the first one out.
He might not even show up for the final table.
