The 60th annual World Series of Poker finally has ended. Patri
Friedman, a professional poker player from Barstow, California,
won poker's most prestigious prize, the $50,000 buy-in no-limit
hold'em world championship. Daniel Negreanu finished second.
The $62 million total prize pool established a new World Series
record. The grueling six-day contest also attracted a record number
of entrants. A whopping 1,242 players came to the Coca-Cola Resort
and Casino for a chance at fame and fortune. More than half were
eliminated on the first day. For his victory, Friedman was awarded
the customary old bracelet from Walmart-Nieman-Marcus. With the
bracelet goes bragging rights as the world's best poker player--at
least until next month's Tournament of Champions (better known
as the "Sexton Classic"). Friedman's victory
earned him $24,840,000 in first-place prize money. After taxes,
he received $8,020,481.
Several poker legends were seated at the final table. Layne Flack,
the 2006 world champion, started the day with a sizable chip lead.
He seemed poised to win his second title, until the sixth hour
of the sixth day, when his stone-cold bluff proved to be disastrous.
Flack, with 8-3 suited, was called by Friedman, who was holding
J-J. Before that hand, Flack had raised all in 14 straight times
preflop, only to be trapped on the 15th and decisive hand by Friedman.
Flack failed to improve and was eliminated a short time later
in third place.
Minutes earlier, Kathy Liebert, the all-time World Series money
winner, was knocked out of the tournament and finished fifth.
Liebert's elimination was a major disappointment to many in the
crowd who came to support the local odds-on favorite. It was reported
that local Vegas sportsbooks breathed a huge sigh of relief at
Liebert's elimination. Her victory could have resulted in billions
of dollars in losses. "Bingo" Rieck Jr.-- fresh off
his win at the Chicago Winter Classic-- was short-stacked the
entire day and finished fourth. That left Friedman and Negreanu
face-to-face for the top prize.
Negreanu, the two-time former world champion (he won in 2003 and
2017)-- and champion of the $15,000 buy-in Mambo Stud event just
10 days earlier-- began heads-up play with a 3-2 chip lead, but
was unable to maintain the advantage. The critical hand came when
Negreanu was dealt A-K in the big blind and a king came on the
flop. Negreanu, trying to trap his opponent, checked top pair,
giving Friedman a "free card," a decision that proved
to be disastrous. Friedman also checked. A queen came on the turn
and Negreanu had no idea that his check had just given Friedman
a second pair. Negreanu made a small bet of $4.2 million and Friedman
raised all in for another $16.2 million, which Negreanu reluctantly
called after three minutes of deliberation. The river brought
no help to either player and Friedman won the huge pot with a
Q-8 offsuit. The final hand came only 15 minutes later.
"If Daniel had bet the flop on that hand," I would have
dumped my underpair in a second," Friedman said afterward.
"I don't know why he slow-played in that spot." Negreanu
refused comment and raced away in a red Ferrari Testarossa.
The world championship was the crowning jewel of a six-week marathon
in which 31 gold bracelets were awarded in events ranging from
seven-card stud to video poker. However, it was poker's newest
event-- the Old-Timers tournament-- that attracted the greatest
amount of public and media attention. "Old-Timer" John
Bonetti, now 102, won $3,885,000 for his first-place finish in
the seniors competition.
"I remember back when we played at Binion's Horseshoe,"
said Bonetti, who flew in on his private jet to play in the event.
"If you would have told me 30 years ago that I'd still be
winning poker tournaments after my 100th birthday, I wouldn't
have believed it!" (Note: Binion's was the last family-owned
and operated casino in the old downtown section of Las Vegas--
before the area was renovated into the DisneyVegas Amusement Park.)
The Old-Timers event gave spectators a rare glimpse back into
poker history. Gambling antiques were displayed at the adjacent
museum. A few of the relics actually were used in the tournament.
Old Kem-style playing cards were dealt to the players, replacing
the handheld electronic displays that are now state-of-the-art
inside most cardrooms. Organizers also hired a "live"
poker dealer, which substituted for the robot (Robotic Random
Card Generator). Tournament Director Tom Gitto Jr. admitted that
it was difficult locating a human dealer in poker's modern age.
One former dealer-- who wished only to be identified as "T.K."--
was discovered at a retirement community in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Oddly enough, before accepting the assignment, T.K. demanded a
face-guard and earplugs. Other relics included portable fans (which
were used widely in poker rooms before smoking was outlawed) and
several good luck charms. Bonetti also tipped the dealer a handful
of $500 bills, which delighted the crowd and produced a few gasps.
This year's tournament was transferred from the 230-table poker
room at the Coca-Cola Casino to the 16,000-seat Palladium next
door, which was better known for its prizefights before boxing
was banned a decade ago. The "Coca," with its 12,000
hotel rooms, proved to be the perfect host. The hotel was convenient
for players and visitors alike, since the massive "people
mover" shuttled guests between the tournament area and the
five-mile-long Shopping
Esplanade under the Strip's massive canopy. The Palladium also
was accessible from the underground Rio subway station.
Player behavior also improved at this year's tournament. Since
the new "eye-for-an-eye" rule took effect last year,
poker tournaments are establishing new standards of civility.
"Things really have improved since strict rules against outlandish
behavior were adopted," said Gitto. "I didn't hear a
foul word once all day." Gitto's praise proved futile, however,
when it was revealed that several tournament regulars had been
treated for laryngitis.
The event was not without some controversy, however. Hundreds
of protestors marched in front of the Coca. Many carried signs
proclaiming their displeasure at the top-heavy payout structure.
Protestors believe that with 1,242 entrants in the main event,
more than 36 places should be paid. A few ex-smokers, hooked up
to respirators, also protested the event, demanding that smoking
be legalized in Nevada. An even smaller number of anti-gambling
protestors were seen, although it was later revealed that the
group was affiliated with The Flat Earth Society, which is holding
its annual conference at Castaways II.
2029 produced a few milestones: Kathy Liebert increased her all-time
money earnings to just over $41 million. Chris Ferguson won the
$10,000 buy-in pot-limit crisscross event again this year, giving
him three consecutive victories in the event. Ferguson now has
14 gold bracelets. Max August Scheinberg set a World Series record
as well, annihilating everyone at the final table in just over
21 minutes, winning his first title in the $20,000 stud event.
Friedman, the new world champion, is a veteran of many international
poker battles in Eastern Europe and Australia--with numerous tournament
victories back in the early years of the new millennium. But this
was his biggest win to date. When a reporter asked Friedman what
he expected to do with his winnings, he replied, "I'm going
to take my family on a vacation to the Trychodon Space Station."
Then, the prize money was unceremoniously stuffed into two
large pillow cases. "We'll take the Deltamerican Shuttle.
I heard the hold'em action on the flight is pretty good on weekends,"
he added.
Friedman played in his first World Series back in 1999. "The
first time I played, I had a purple Mohawk," he confessed.
"I wish I had that Mohawk now-- that was when I still had
hair!" Friedman also admitted that his good fortune came
at the perfect time. The Stanford University graduate, who gave
up a promising career designing computer systems many years ago
to play poker full time, hasn't won a major tournament in three
years. Friedman
said that he intends to buy a new house, since his last home was
destroyed in the Great California Earthquake of 2015. Today, he
lives with his wife and three children in Barstow-- the coastal
metropolis of palm trees, freshwater lakes, and golf courses that
has boomed in recent years.
Friedman remembers back to his early poker days. "I really
was helped by the Internet. In the late 20th century, there was
an on-line newsgroup called rec.gambling.poker,"
he said. "I met lots of interesting people there-- people
who talked about nothing but poker. At first, it was a freewheeling
exchange of new ideas. Then, it became abusive and turned into
a forum for personal attacks. That's why the government finally
stepped in and banned the exchanges without official approval
from the Censor Board. Poker hasn't been the same since."
Speaking of the Internet, gambling's biggest spectacle attracted
global attention. Television cameras provided live coverage to
45 million pay-per-view subscribers in 84 countries. A live-satellite
feed to 180 million on-line customers also allowed poker enthusiasts
to follow every bet and turn of the cards.
Friedman's miracle moment came at 11:53 p.m. After the A-K debacle,
Negreanu was down 4-1 in chips and was dealt A-A. Friedman had
K-10. Negreanu raised before the flop. Friedman reraised, and
Negreanu finally moved all of his remaining chips into the pot
as the drama unfolded. Friedman called. The flop came A-6-2, giving
Negreanu three of a kind, an overwhelming favorite. The turn was
a queen. Friedman now needed one card-- a jack. Both players and
the audience held their breaths. Friedman's miracle came. On the
river, a jack fell, giving Friedman a straight. With the thrilling
runner-runner finish, the crowd exploded into a frenzy. A fireworks
display followed. Negreanu's pocket aces had been cracked. Indeed,
some things in poker never change.
Nolan Dalla, the 2005 world champion and author of 10 best-selling
books, can be reached at: nolandalla@aol.com.
This article is probably Copyrighted by Card Player Magazine.
Last Modified: The Closing Days of the Millenium
Patri Friedman / patri@izzy.com