Season 20 Week 5

HISTORY! HISTORY! HISTORY! HISTORY! HISTORY! HISTORY!

Oh, did I mention the fact we made history at the VPL on tuesday night.

With a call from Jared, to reserve his seat, with three minutes remaining before the first color up, he made the 23rd person to sit at the VPL tables.

That's right! There was a total of 23 people who made it to the VPL for week 5.

Domino effect: with having the most people at the VPL also meant the largest payout in VPL history..............but more on that later.

This tournament also has the honor of being the longest tournament in VPL history.

The tournament ended with the blinds at 600/1200 (first time at that level) at 2:06am. That's right 2:06. The cash game ended before the tournament did (unheard of)

The play was extreme. Two tables of eight and one table of seven.

The table I was at had extreme action right off the bat. After a few hands into the tournament, there was an all-in and a call. Didn't knock out the player but left him severly crippled.

Coming into the break, there was still three tables of action.

This season has shown, pretty consistently, that after 20 players the payout goes to 5 spots (the 5th going towards the points and TOC).

Season 20 has had only one week with less than 21 (week 2 had 18)

Of course with the big number of players comes the big number of points.

The points race right now is very tight. Only 2 points separate the first three spots.

Now down to the action:

This week's bubble contained the following people: Quentin, Alan, Todd, David and TC

Up to this point, very crazy (and sometimes questionable) poker playing.

Someone had to get the honor of bubble boy.

This week that honor belonged to Todd. He left the tournament in 5th place.

Money time: Quentin, Alan, TC and David.

This is the point where the tournament seemed to just creep.

Everyone was in the money, however, nobody wanted to leave. The chips seemed to be floating back and forth from one player to another.

Finally there was a 4th place finisher.

Alan, gracefully left the table in 4th place with a win of $31.

After Alan, again, it seemed that the table ran into a bowl of jello.

I'm not saying there wasn't action. There was plenty of action. The only problem was that shortstacks were doubling up and then losing their chips again.

The chips went back and forth. The chip lead was a roller coaster ride.

With a 4th place finish, all tournaments must have a 3rd place finisher.

This tournament was no different.

In 3rd place with a $39 win was Quentin.

Heads-Up: TC and David.

David came into the tournament with a massive chip lead.

TC battled back as much as possible but in the end, it wasn't enought.

TC ended week 5 in 2nd place with a $97 win.

Which meant, David, was week 5's winner.

This record finish left him with the chip and an amazing $195 payout.

Crazy Fact of the Tournament: I counted 7 pocket pair of aces and only 2 of them got busted.

Can it get any better, we can only wait and see.

Check the points race and come next week to see who will win week 6.

It could be you!

Good luck everyone.

Season 20 Week 4

This week the weather wasn't very nice but that didn't stop 21 people to come out and play their best poker.

That's right, 21 people put up their hard earned money for their shot at glory.

This week marks the middle of Season 20.

This is the interesting thing: 4 weeks into Season 20. 3 out of the 4 weeks the payout had to be adjusted to pay 4 spots.

You know what that means.

This weeks bubble list contained 5 names: Clay, Jason, Jeremy, Angela and Todd.

So who was that brought the needle out of the rain to pop the bubble?

There is an answer to that question.............the answer is Jeremy.

Jeremy exited this weeks tournament in 5th place.

Money time: Clay, Angela, Todd and Jason.

Out of these 4 names, there is only one previous qualifier (Todd).

The first person out of the money was Jason. He left the table in 4th place and $28 richer.

3rd place had a name also. That name belong to Clay. His 3rd place finish earned him $35.

Heads Up: Angela and Todd.

Coming into this battle Todd was the chip leader.

With an all-in from Angela and a call from Todd. The cards flew all the way to the river.

However, Angela was the victor in this battle. She got lucky and hit a Jack on the flop.

This severly crippled Todd.

Unfortunately for Todd, he just couldn't hang on much longer with the blinds already at 400/800. He had to settle for 2nd place along with $89.

That's right, week 4 belonged to Angela.

Her first place finish earned her a guaranted seat in the TOC (now when she sits down at the TOC it will be legit.)

This win was definately earned. Going into this money battle Angela was the short stack. She remained very patient and pushed when she had to.

Then of course, a little luck never hurt. Her catching the Jack on the flop was the pivotal hand of the heads-up battle.

Brandon has now increased his lead by 8. Todd is now 2nd in points.

This goes to show that sometimes an investment in yourself can go a long way. Todd has missed a week. If he would have been blinded in, the points would have been that much closer.

Congratulations to Todd and Angela for qualifying this week.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for coming to the VPL.

The truth is: I can be the person with the ideas but it takes everyone to make the league.

Also if you are reading this: Thank you for taking the time to read the blog.

Who will be the next two to qualify for the TOC. Will it be you: only way to find out is come and play.

Good luck to everyone.

Season 20 Week 3

What can I say. It doesn't get any better than the VPL.

This week tied the all time record of players in a single week.

That's right, the VPL had 22 players banging out for their chance at glory and some money.

This happened with two regular VPL players not in attendance.

Because there were more than 20 players that means 4 places are paid.

This season's bubble time was very interesting because one of the players actually had to leave the table and the game.

With 6 players left, there were 5 live players and one player being blinded in.

With some shifty play one of the live players went all-in and got called to be busted out in 6th place.

This brought us down to the bubble:

Clay, TC, James, Brandon and Joe.

It was James would had to leave early and had his chips blinded off.

It was also James would was blinded off at 200/400 to bust out on the bubble.

This brings us to money time:

Clay, Brandon, Joe and TC.

With a short stack left, it was TC who saw that it was his time to leave the table in 4th place with a win of $29.

Next to leave the table in 3rd place with a win of $37 was Clay.

Heads-up: Joe and Brandon.

Joe came into this battle the chip leader.

He was able to hold on and claim the victory.

Brandon's 2nd place finish earned him $93.

With this win, Joe won the chip as well as $187.

Congratulations to Joe and Brandon who became the next two to qualify for the TOC.

There are now 6 qualifiers after 3 weeks.

Congratulations to everyone who made the money.

See you all next week. Good luck to all.

Season 20 Week 2

This week the VPL hosted 18 people.

Always good action. Again this week we had 3 tables of excellent poker action.

The VPL is the place for the best poker action around.

We start at the bubble with four very good players:

Alan, Todd, Jared and Brandon

The magic needle belonged to Jared who left the table in 4th place.

Money time:

Brandon, Alan and Todd

Next to find their place at the felt was Brandon. Brandon's 2nd place finish earned him $45.

Head's up:

Alan and Todd

2nd place belonged to Alan with a win of $76.

Week 20's winner of the chip and $153 was Todd.

Congratulations to Todd and Alan who became the next qualifiers for the TOC.

The points race is tight.

Come next week to see who will be ahead in points after week 3.

Good luck everyone.

Season 20 Week 1

This is it! Season 20.

What a way to start off season 20. The VPL hosted 21 people.

Didn't anticipate that number. We started off with two tables. Then had to stop the clock and re-draw for three tables.

We started the tournament with three tables of seven.

Because there are 21 people 4 places are getting paid and the blinds are capped at 1000/2000.

Also this week the bubble had 5 people instead of 4.

Those people were: Brian, Steve, Nick, Michelle and TC.

The bubble was brought out by Nick.

Money time: Michelle, Steve, TC and Brian

Next to leave the table was Michelle. Her 4th place win gave her $35.

3rd place belonged to Steve with a win of $53.

Heads-up: TC and Brian.

The blinds didn't even get up to 500/1000.

Brian left the heads-up game in 2nd place with a win of $89.

TC was the winner of the chip and $178.

Congratulations to TC and Brian to be the first two qualifiers for Season 20.

Good luck everyone next week.

Season 19 Tournament of Champions

This season there were a total of 12 qualfiers for TOC for season 19.

There were two players that could not make it. Jeremy and Jason both sold their seat.

Jeremy's seat went to the next person in line which was Quentin. He bought it.

Jason's seat was offered to the next person after Quentin which was Brian. Unfortunately, Brian was out of town and had to decline. In order we went.

The next person was Angela. She accepted.

Angela was the winner of the TOC for season 18 (also by buying her way in).

Let's get down to the nitty gritty. Because it's the TOC, there are 4 places paid, which means the bubble has 5 names on it.

Those names, in no particular order, are: Steve, Joe, Angela, Bill and Quentin.

As always there is a bubble boy. This TOC, the honor went to Joe. Joe went out in 5th place.

Money time: Angela, Bill, Quentin and Steve.

3 out of the 4 players are previous bracelet winners.

4th place has it's place right after 5th. Also 4th place has a name to along with it. The name belonged to Steve.

Steve went out in in 4th place with a win of $60.

Now it becomes a battle of the bracelets.

Very good players and very good play. With any tournament there has to be a 3rd place person.

This Tournament wasn't any different. The person who went out in 3rd place with a win of $91 was Bill.

Heads-Up: Quentin and Angela

If this sounds familiar, it's because it is. The TOC for season 18 had Angela and Quentin going heads up. Also they both bought into last seasons TOC.

Chips flew back and forth. Ultimately there is a champion to be crowned.

The champion for season 19 TOC was Quentin.

Quentin's first place win netted him the coveted bracelet along with $302.

Angela's 2nd place finish had her taking home $151.

Congratulations to everyone who qualified for the TOC for season 19.

Hope to see everyone for season 20.

Good luck!

Season 19 Week 8

This is it! The last chance to qualify for the TOC.

This week was the week to play at the VPL.

This week is was the week to determine who would win points and who would win the 2nd spot to qualify for the TOC.

This week the VPL hosted 15 players who played their last chance for the TOC.

This week had two races: one for the points and one for the 2nd chance to qualify for the TOC.

This week TC came into the tourney with the lead of only 3 points ahead of George.

This week determines who gets the money for the points. The winner is......................well this will be disclosed later in this blog.

okay without further interruption, we start at the bubble.

4 players: Steve, Bill, James and Jason.

This group included 3 previous qualifiers.

Someone had to pop the bubble and that someone was Steve. That's right, Steve bowed out gracefully in 4th place.

Money time: Jason, Bill and James

This makes this very interesting because Bill and James have both previously qualified.

This is how it went down:

James was the dealer.

James went all-in on the button. Jason in the small blind also goes all-in. Bill in the big blind calls both all-ins.

Pre-flop Bill was chip leader.

Went the final card came on the river, it was Bill who won all the chips.

James ended in 3rd place with a win of $38.

Jason finished the tournament in 2nd place with a win of $64.

Bill had them both out chipped from the beginning and won the tournament by taking them both out. For his efforts, Bill won the chip and $128.

Okay back to the points: it ended up that TC went out 3rd. George went out in 6th. At this point, they are tied in points, however, Joe could get 4th place (12 points) to win.

This didn't happend, Joe went out with 9 points.

This means that TC and George split the points pot. The pot is $243.

Each will receive $121.50.

Excellent Season. Congratulations to everyone

Jason qualified for the TOC in week 8.

There are 12 qualifiers for the TOC.

Good luck to everyone.

Hope to see everyone for Season 20.