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StumbleGolden Nugget hosting Olympic-style poker tournament
Americans have star-studded roster in first World Team Poker event
Mona Shield Payne/Special to the Sun
Ten-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Doyle Brunson, 76, looks across the table at the 2010 National Heads-Up Poker Championship Sunday, March 7 at Caesars Palace. Brunson is the captain of Team USA at this week’s World Team Poker tournament.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
Poker no longer will be an individual activity today at the Golden Nugget.
Eight countries represented by teams of up to eight poker professionals will meet at noon in The Grand ballroom at the hotel-casino for World Team Poker's inaugural event.
"I've never played for anything but cash, personal glory or trying to prove myself," said Team USA's Howard Lederer. "So, playing for country is definitely going to be something new. I don't know if I can say how it will affect me or affect the rest of the team, but it's something we as poker players will have to come across."
The red, white and blue squad might be the favorites headed into the tournament because of what poker pro Chris Ferguson called a "dream team" roster. Doyle Brunson will serve as the captain of the team, which is made up of Lederer, Ferguson, Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Harman and Mike Matusow.
The other countries in the $50,000 per team buy-in tournament are Israel, Australia, China, Vietnam, England, Greece and Brazil.
"We will win," Brunson promised. "That's all you need to know."
The team that wins will snag $300,000, while second place is good for $100,000. World Team Poker announced at its kickoff party Tuesday night that Fox Sports Net would televise its events.
The format of the tournament will be the first of its kind for television. Play consists of a three-game mix of no-limit hold'em, limit hold'em and pot limit Omaha.
There will be five tables with a player from every country on each. Team captains are allowed to substitute between hands, which adds a whole new strategy for the game.
Brunson, for example, will try to shield Hellmuth from playing too much PLO because it's not his best game. At the same time, he will want to make sure Harman plays as much limit hold'em, her specialty, as possible.
"It's going to be fun to see what Doyle does as a coach," Hellmuth said. "Everyone respects him so much that I don't think anyone will be upset with his decisions."
Teams exchanged plenty of friendly trash talk Tuesday at the Golden Nugget. Tony G, captain of Team Australia, needled Hellmuth and Brunson as they spoke at the press conference.
Eli Elezra, Team Israel's captain, said he didn't feel threatened by any of the other country's squads and predicted an Israeli triumph.
All the participants were appreciative of the chance to represent their countries.
"We all found poker, a thing that we all love, and many of us never thought we'd play for our country," Hellmuth said. "It's a tremendous honor."
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Once considered the exclusive realm of rouges and mercurial individuals living by an astute combination of skill and lady luck, it has morphed into a most respected highly regarded game. A game whose success is as much dependent on mathematical acumen as a strategic tool paired against emotional response and instinct.Its appeal is broad based.Sometimes flamboyant often outspoken, but always from the heart and always welcomed with a cup of coffee or a kind word by me.I am delighted to see the game represented in an Olympic style team event comprised of ladies and gentleman who's panache and love of life provide a perfect foil to the sport of chance.
@cinimongrl I can assure you that the game is still the realm of rouges and mercurial individuals living by an astute combination of skill and lady luck.
The only morphing is money to the business entities that are skimming the drop, and pimping the coverage.
FSN sucks!!!
We love poker, especially the WPT. Unfortunately, Fox Sports Net is very unreliable, at least on Cox in Vegas (and it's not in HD). When you search FSN's website for poker, you get NOTHING! They bump poker for other games and will never answer email inquiring about poker scheduling.
A rouge is a type of makeup applied to the cheeks, I think you mean "rogue".
Typo sorry and I like them none the less for they were always kind and respectful to me. This from the service perspective on which I base my opinion and experience.I have no knowledge of the politics or business practices mentioned, only the human aspect of interaction always a pleasure and a delight.
Hellmuth needs to be in the Special Olympics, he seems to have a serious Behavioral Disorder. Would love to watch this live at the Nugget.
I just hope Hellmuth gets a more absorbent brand of diaper before they start filming, maybe he won't get so whiny.
Any idea when this is being taped?
What? No Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, etc.
Taping starts at Noon today at the Nugget and lasts until a champion is crowned. Shouldn't last too late, as the structure of this tournament isn't as deep as some other big events.
Skerlahdee-The WTP is going to expand the field for its "World Championship" in September and I'm sure some of those countries will be included. I know Lebanon and Korea are confirmed.