Calistri's Corner

I’ve covered a number of tournaments in my life, but none of them working side-by-side with the PokerNews team. What a difference good, talented, fun loving, company makes. All the other media teams looked like they were draggin’ their asses, but Pauly, Change100, the Poker Shrink, and I are rockin’.  Busting my California card room cherry with this crew was a good call.

I’m not really an LA lifestyle kinda gal, but you have to say something good about a community that supports a shrine to poker like the Commerce. And while we might lament about the state of online poker, the 791 Championship starting field speaks volumes about the state of B&M tournament poker. One of the things I was struck with as I looked over the field was how much the caliber of the “average tournament player” has risen over the years. Sure there were “kids” in the field - but almost everyone of them had an online and B&M track record many older savvy pros would envy.  At this point, can you really be surprised when players like Jason Strasser, Nick Shulman, and Alan “Bodog Ari” Engel make it to the money (even with the Commerce’s notoriously shallow payout schedule)?

It was great seeing some of my favorite pros score at the Commerce; Chris Bell (13th), Kristy Gazes (16th), and Bill Edler (7th - TV bubble boy) all came within sniffing distance of the television final table.  As long as I keep doing this, I’m surprised that every time I cover a tournament, I still meet a new player that joins my lineup of favorites. The LA Poker Classic brought Vinnie Procopio (pictured below) into my fav clan. Vinnie is no kid, but this gregarious East Coaster is relatively new to the majors. This was his fourth major tournament - and third cash. You gotta like those odds.Â

I have no idea if Vinne has a nickname, but I dubbed him “The Prairie Dog” on Day Three.  Relatively short stacked toward the end of the day, I kept thinking he busted out. He was never in his chair. He said after three long days of playing, he was focussed on making the money; he wasn’t investing all that time to risk it on a potential bubbling coin-flip.  Vinnie’s motto for Day Three was “muck and move.” He’d muck his hand an pop up out of his seat - to talk with friends, smoke, or call home. Once he made the money, he was still popping up all over the room, but he pushed any edge he had. He made some pretty amazing plays in Day Four and Five and parlayed his way into an 8th place finish.

It’s gonna be a pretty amazing final table, with Paul Wisicka (pictured above), Chau Giang, and JC Tran among the knowns shooting for a $2 million first place. Check out Pauly and Change100’s coverage today at PokerNews.com.

Once I get back home, I’ll download some more photos and memories of LA. But for now, I’ll leave you with my favorite T-shirt of the tournament - worn by John Little (35th).

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This entry was posted on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 at 11:45 am and is filed under Uncategorized.