I just wanted to get some info out there about the WPBT Winter Classic in Vegas:
1. Now that Harrah’s has purchased the Imperial Palace there’s some concern about how this will impact any deals we’re making with the folks from IP today. By December they could have new management in there or be subject to some other major shakeups. Obviously if something like that happened all bets would be off since it would be very easy for them to bump us off the schedule. In light of this, PokerProf and I decided we might should explore Sam’s Town as our main venue. Dick put on a hell of a tournament for us last year so he’s coming in with a good track record. I’ll be getting in contact with Dick today to follow up.
2. BG announced that he was booked at the IP for Dec 15th – 18th which some folks took to imply that’s when the WPBT Winter Classic was scheduled for. Currently that’s not the case. In fact, we’ve been shooting for doing the tourney on Dec. 10th. In our original planning Dec 17th was thought to be too close to Christmas. Also, the Five-Diamond World Poker Classic II’s main event is on the 17th so the chances of getting any poker pros to swing by and/or securing sponsors for extra goodies drops considerably. At the moment, the date to plan for is Dec. 10.
[UPDATE] I just want to make clear that BG didn’t say that the WPBT was on Dec. 17th (or any time during that week). I think some people read his post and they assumed that if BG was booking those dates then that’s when the WPBT event was going to be. BG and I have exchanged emails earlier this week on this and that was the weekend he was able to get a good deal and it fit into his schedule. I only posted the item here so that anybody who made the incorrect assumption would know the dates we’re actually targeting.
Now with the informational stuff out of the way, how’z about helping PokerProf and I out by posting a little something-something regarding what poker pros you would like to see at this event. With four bloggers now working at FullTilt, PokerProf’s long list of contacts, and Pauly’s urinal friends we probably have a good chance of pulling off something similar to what we did last Dec. with McEvoy, Shoten, Luske, Ng, Pescatori, etc. Who would you most like to see us nab for a meet and greet at the WPBT Winter Classic?
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Hi, my name is Bill Rini and this is my poker blog. I've been blogging about poker and the poker industry since around 2003-ish. Like most people I started out playing poker as entertainment in home games whenever we wanted to sit around and smoke cigars, drink beer, and eat pizza, and needed a good excuse. I started playing online shortly after the first online card rooms opened and it wasn't long before I was playing 20, 30, or even 40 hours a week or more. One day I received a phone call about a program manager position at Tiltware which was the company that consulted to Full Tilt Poker on software development and marketing. After Tiltware I spent about 2.5 years working at Party Poker where I was the poker room manager.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Greenstein, if for no reason other than what he did for Charlie.
You really have to ask me? Phil Gordon, of course. Hank owes me a proper introduction!
Jenn Harmon…she’s so cute and smart I can’t see why we wouldn’t want her there.
Jen Harman
Matt Matros!
Erick Lindgren
Barry Greenstein
Negranu would be cool, too
So…. Dec. 10th is the date we’re shooting for? I would like to know since I’d be leaving on my birthday if that’s the case :)
Definitely Harman, Greenstein, and Max for pros
Hmmmm :-(
So we’ve got some bloggers going the weekend of the 10th and some the weekend of the 17th? That doesn’t sound good…
And is a strip casino still an option? It seemed so much easier on everyone. I could certainly get us back in the Aladdin and I’m confident I can get us a better blind structure.
arg, what’s up with this schedule? can’t we get on the same page here? just saying…..
i don’t care nearly about the tourney as much as i do having folks out there at the same time….would seem a pity to have it all broken up.
my humble two cents, that’s all.
Yeah, can we pleeeeease make it a strip hotel? Even if it has to be the barbary coast, or the montecarlo or the boardwalk…
Not to be nitpicky, but…do we all have to go to Vegas together? If the date picked doesn’t work for some, they aren’t allowed to go on their own at a later time? If I can’t make it, I can’t go back to Vegas till the next WPBT event? Try and stop me. ;)
No date is going to work for everyone. Pick what date works best from the getting pros in, tourney location, etc. schedule and go from there. Anyone who can’t make it then will of course be missed, but we’re always going to have that issue when you’re trying to coordinate the lives and travel schedules of nearly 100 people.
Bill, thanks for taking on this task. I never really pegged you for a cat-herder. ;)
Pauly’s “urinal friends” ?!?!? Too funny!!!
How about Negreanu? Any of the FTP guys would be great.