LOOK MA!! I'M ON TV!!

For those of you that care to watch the WPT events, this weeks episode was at the Bay 101 Casino for the Tour's only bounty event, the Shooting Star. (Basically, if you knock out specific players, typically high-profile pros, you get $5000.) This makes for one of the best tournaments of the year and marks the the first full event where I was there as a reporter for www.lifesabluff.com and pulling in more Random Questions interviews than ever before. One of those was Jennifer Harmon (yes, you silly person, stop now and click the video links on the right to find it.) who did a GREAT interview and then finished the event third to the eventual winner SteamRoller/Bounty Hunter, Brandon Cantu and Steve "Mugglylicious" Sung. While I thought the coverage of this event was really quick and bang, bang it was a lopsided final table with Cantu running the table with the chiplead from start to finish...and by no small margin either. Anyway, you can see me on TV decrying the shot that knocked Jen out 1 hr. 41 mins into the show. Shaggy brown hair and a goatee in a checkered black n' white short sleeved button-up and a long sleeved black undershirt in the second row. Much to the WPT crew's credit, they kept me hidden behind the Pot Size graphic or in the "fuzzy" space in the shadows. Still, it was a great time. Should I find something...I'll post it here.

I got one of the new Sprint/Samsung Instinct 'iPhone killers' since my work perk was removed...so look forward to grainy 2 MP photos and videos send from your favorite shutter-bug otter-man/boy.

The chins are feeling better after some meds to clear them up. They are gaining energy at a rapid pace. Its possible they might spontaneously burst into plasma energy at any moment.

Lil' Otter starts school in less than a month and her Grandmother starts another Nanny tenure in Dallas very soon. Wow...where does time go, and what did I do with it? Its hard to believe she just turned 5 in April. Its hard to believe "SuperMom" is on her last gig before retirement (maybe). I just can't stand it some days...I really need a break to make it out of here or up in the world here. In the mean time, pray I just keep it together. Thank God Piggy is here with me, I'd be a complete basket case/degenerate otherwise.

Bay 101 Shooting Star Tournament Photos!

Hey Folks! Got them all up and posted. The charity events, the $2k and the $10k at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/runtcake/

Also, check out the new Random Questions Interviews going up over on www.lifesabluff.com! The old ones are under the "Interviews" Tab.

The LAPC and the Bay 101 Shooting Star.

Well, I may not get to play them this year, but I will certainly be at both this year doing some coverage for Life's A Bluff. In fact, you can already see some of the LAPC "Random Questions" live interviews posted there right now. I apologize in advance for some of the crappy light and sound, but its a "one man and a cam" operation and we are still working the kinks out.

The LAPC had a huge field that was packed with pros and arguably some of the best local players in the world. When I walked in on day one, I think I saw possibly 2 tables out of 63 that were "weak". That would mean they only had one named pro...but you never know just what that means. Phil Ivy battled a final table that included 11 WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, WPT Champ Nam Le and another WPT final table veteran to make the final 6 one hell of a final table and no walk in the park for the 8 time final tablist (but yet to win) Phil Ivy. He outlasted them all though and finally pulled down that WPT trophy at one of the biggest events on the circuit.

Just a couple of weeks later comes the Bay 101 Shooting Star. This unique event features a $5k bounty on all the "Shooting Star" pro's heads as well as a $1 million dollar guaranteed first prize and awards for chip leaders at the end of Days One and Two. Many pros mark this as their favorite stop on the tour due to the very fan friendly nature of it and the change up it gives to the standard tournament format. I like it, because I played it last year. This year, my move to the peninsula as well as personal commitments and bankroll issues during the juicer qualifiers appears to have knocked me out of the running for the cool million this year, but "I'll be back."

What I will be doing this weekend is more coverage of the 2nd Annual Coyote Creek Golf Tournament hosted and founded by tournament director Matt Savage. Hopefully, we'll get some fun coverage of pros on the links and some interview footage away from the felt. (I wonder if I can ride along with the beer girls?) Immediately following that I'll be making a quick run up the road to cover the Leo Brien Foundation Charity Poker Tournament in Santa Clara hosted by the 'Silent One' Todd Brunson. Now this should be a blast. Typically, these events feature wild play, drinks and hilarious situations and its all made even more fun by the fact that it goes to a great charity. (see link for details) Its already selling to the rafters and many of the pros are still trying to confirm their seats so look for this to be a charity blockbuster! I'll have to get Greasie Wheels Productions to do my next charity tournament!! (They also handle the Jen Harmon Nevada ASPCA No Kill Shelter tournament that LaB did artwork for and have a hell of a year of new projects in front of them from what I hear.)

Hopefully I'll have a ton of new photos and stories for you after this event to match some of the ones over the last year or so. Man, its hard to believe I have been blogging everything for almost two years now. Who'd have thunk it?

Day 1b. Stopped in for a peek and to "flex" that Lifesabluff.com media street cred.

The nightmare scenario! 5 bounties, 6 total pros, 3 other guys that could get rich if they weren't scared to death. Chip Reese elminated Jen harmon and Gus Hanson in one hand catching a flush against Hanson's KK and Harmon's set of Tens. Total players: Seat 1 Gus Hanson, 3 "Miami" John Cernuto, 5 Amir Vahedi, 7 Jen Harmon, 8 Nedad Menic, 9 Chip Reese.

MiMi Tran and Joe Pelton. MiMi got knocked out...when I left, lil' Joe remained!

John Juanda and Ted Forest...neighbors.

Tough Table again...The Grinder and Patrick Antonius.

Eric Sidel is F'N TALL!

Mr. Chan is not amused.

Lloyd and Sam! The guys that REALLY run tournaments at the Bay 101.

Tod Brunson lets his hair down! Fresh off a 3rd in the 2k event, bust out level 8, Day 1b.