WPT Championship Part I and the WPT Ceremony of Champions
WPT Championship Part I and the WPT Ceremony of Champions
Where in the World? Bellagio, Las Vegas
Quality over Quantity
Is there any better casino in the world for a high-stakes poker tournament than Bellagio? The famous fountains dance in the background of the Fontana lounge, providing a break time respite from any bad beat, and the poker room has the center of the poker universe - Bobby's Room, hovering in the background. Bellagio also has the habit of attracting every top flight player in the world whenever a $10,000+ poker tournament is being dealt under its roof.
That was the case during day 1A and day 1B of the World Poker Tour Championship. There was a problem though; a large fraction of the dead money that is usually present in the room was nowhere to be seen. Whether you want to blame the overall state of the U.S. economy, the UIGEA, or any other number of conspiracy theories that are in circulation, any way you slice it, the numbers were down at the WPT championship. In 2006 the event drew 639 participants, and this year there was just 545. Just as many professional players were in the room, but the number of amateurs was largely diminished.
That is not good for poker, but it is good if you're watching poker. This year's edition of the WPT Championship was one of the most entertaining poker tournaments to watch from start to finish in the last two years. At no point in the tournament could you consider the field weak. Day 1A was stacked, Day 1B was even more stacked, and when the survivors from both those days combined, it was the most impressive day 2 field ever. The pro's-per-capita (average of 6 per table) left at that point was just amazing. Yes, all these players enter the main event every summer as well, but they are usually surrounded by thousands of donkeys. The WPT Championship featured quality over quantity at its tournament-poker-finest, and although you couldn't help but cringe a little when the final number was announced, you also couldn't help but look away from the impressive field.
WPT Ceremony of Champions
At the end of day 2 at the WPT Championship, every prior champion of every WPT open buy-in event was invited to the "O" Theater just a few steps away (think of it as bracelets on layaway). A cocktail party preceded the activities and a few of the players were on a mission to score enough free drinks to get them through the ceremony. In this regard, the champion of the ceremony had to be Mark Newhouse. He was the one (WPT) bracelet winner in the crowd who really looked like he was celebrating something, and he definitely drew a concerned eye or two from the corporate WPT crowd running the show - observational humor at its finest.
The flow of drinks was cut off after a while and the crowd reluctantly left the cocktail party to take their seats in the theater, where Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten got things started, and did an admirable job hosting the ceremony, considering the tough crowd they were playing too. I can't imagine a group of adults with a shorter attention span than professional poker players. They can sit in the same place for hours and days on end, but, if you take the adrenaline-rush of thousands or millions of dollars out of the equation, then staying put for the length of one hour becomes almost unbearable.
The WPT did a great job at keeping things moving. There was a small worry that all 96 players were going to be awarded their bracelets individually, which would have resulted in a small riot. But in a smart move, the bracelets were awarded by season and disaster was avoided. About 70 percent of the champions were present, and Season VI had by far the fullest representation (just check out the pictures). Doyle Brunson was the one player who gave a speech, and he received a standing ovation before and after his short period of oration. I have never seen a man who garners as much respect as Doyle does when he walks into a crowded room, and it still leaves me in awe every time. Doyle did not give a speech about his WPT Legends title, but rather about his dear friend, the late Chip Reese. It was a touching tribute from one legend to another.
Each season's champion was also recognized, by short mention, and Howard Lederer was noticed as the unofficial Season I champion. Lederer was present to accept his bracelet, as was Phil Gordon, which was strange to see, considering they haven't played in a WPT event for two years. It has to make you wonder - Did the WPT time the settlement between the remaining unrelenting five (Lederer, Gordon, Annie Duke, Chris Ferguson, and Andy Bloch) of the ungrateful seven (add Joe Hachem and Greg Raymer who later dropped out of the lawsuit) to coincide with the Ceremony of Champions? It could have been pure coincidence, or the fact that the new release form was implemented just in time for the WPT's marquee event of the season (click here to read the full news story). Whatever the case, it was strange to see Lederer at the Ceremony of Champions, just as it was strange to see Lederer, Ferguson, and Bloch playing in the tournament. Familiar faces in unfamiliar places.
Up Next: (Almost) One of the Most Impressive Final-Table Performances ever, and the Deal Movie Premiere Party.
