SpadeClub.com, the innovative new online poker community, offers a risk-free way to win at poker with no deposits and no buy-ins. Click here to find out more.
Pete “PeteNice22” Ghalam, of Florida, learned to play poker just five years ago when a power outage forced him and his friends to find something to do. He fell in love with poker and recently took down SpadeClub’s $3,000 end-of-beta tournament on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008. Card Player met up with Ghalem to talk about his first big win on SpadeClub.
Card Player: Was there a particularly key hand that you played in the tournament that helped lead you to victory?
Pete “PeteNice22” Ghalam: Yes, I was about below the average stack, right around the money bubble, and was in position and got pocket queens. I was able to get in all of my chips with three callers, and it held up, which put me pretty close to the top of the chip leaders. From then on, I just went on a roll and was able to stay in the top five of the chip leaders.
CP: What do you think of the format of the tournaments on SpadeClub? Do you have a favorite tournament?
PG: I like them a lot; I think the structure with the one monthly fee is great. It keeps the swing to a minimum while still offering a good upside. So far, my favorite way to play is by building up my points in the sit-and-gos, then using those points to try to qualify for the $5K and the $40K.
CP: Have you participated in any of the community features on SpadeClub? If so, what do you think?
PG: I go and look at the leader boards and recent winners, and I’m currently working on my profile. I think it’s pretty cool, it’s something that a lot of other online poker websites don’t offer. I think it’s good information, and a good way to get to know people out there that you’re playing with.
CP: What is your next goal on SpadeClub?
PG: To get myself up on the recent wins and the leader boards.
CP: What’s the most money you’ve ever won?
PG: The $850 first-place prize I won from the beta! That was definitely the biggest field I’ve ever taken down.
CP: Do you have any plans for this money?
PG: Yes! I have a classic ’69 Chevel that I want to work on and I’ll use the rest to keep playing on SpadeClub. [SpadeClub allows users to immediately use winnings to sign up for or extend Exclusive memberships.]
CP: Do you have any general advice to share with our readers about succeeding at SpadeClub?
PG: To start playing, because it is a competitive website with good upside potential, and it has interesting stuff like the community aspects that other sites don’t offer.
Sign up for SpadeClub now to take advantage of a 14-day free trial. Barely more than a week remains until the first-ever $40,000 tournament, which awards $10,000 to the first-place finisher.
