Internet Satellite Qaulifier
In The Real World: The Adventures of an Internet Satellite
Qualifier at the WSOP
Courtesy of Bluff Magazine
Scott Weikel, who runs his own consultancy and recruitment firm
in New York, jokes: "What with the downturn in the economy
earlier this year, I had a lot of time to play poker." Well
it certainly paid off. Scott played a five-dollar satellite tournament
on PartyPoker which led him to, eventually, Vegas and the World
Series of Poker. Although Scott is no beginner and had qualified
for a smaller tournament at the Bellagio the previous December,
this was the WSOP for God's sake - The Big Stage.
"PartyPoker really made me feel at home," says Scott.
"They booked me in at the Stardust and when I got to the Bellagio
the whole team was there to welcome me, with golf shirts and baseball
caps and so on."
"I've got my special lucky hat and shirt, but PartyPoker said,
"If you wear our merchandise instead, and get to the final
table, you'll get a good bonus," so I was like 'okay!'
Despite his warm reception, however, there were hairy moments to
follow. "As I sat down on the first table there was Amir Vahedi,
one of the best tournament players in the world, sitting in front
of me and I thought: 'uh oh'. It was intimidating, sure, but extremely
exciting."
And how did Scott cope with the venerable Vahedi? "Oh we knocked
him out quite quickly, " he laughs.
Towards the end of the day Scott was awestruck to find himself
on the same table as the world's greatest living gambler, the legendary
Amarillo Slim. "I mean, the honor! This man is an icon of the
game. Anyway, we were in to the last couple of minutes of the first
day, and I was getting nothing but rags. The big blind was coming
up and I just didn't want to pay it, so I'm stalling for time, waiting
for the bell. Slim leaned over and drawled, "Son, we all know
what you're tryin' a do, just play your goddamn cards."
CLICK
HERE TO SIGN UP AT PARTY POKER TODAY!
"So obviously I paid the blind and got Ace/King, went all
in and ended up splitting the pot with another guy. I survived the
first day by the skin of my teeth."
Scott finished a very respectable 910th or so, out of a cast of
thousands; but for him it was all just an unforgettable poker adventure.
"I got a bit of training from a coach - big numbers guy, who
taught me about betting strategy and money management, and so on;
and I'd practiced in Atlantic City beforehand. But nothing can prepare
you for the whole experience:
"I just remember sitting opposite Paul Darden with Phil Helmuth
behind me; there were ESPN TV cameras all over the place and I was
thinking: 'wow'…sure its nerve-racking, but its an amazing
experience - a poker player's dream."
|
