Season 21 Week 5

This week was a bit cozier at the VPL.

There were 19 people who put it on the line for their shot at victory and fame.

Some regulars didn't show up..................I think they were scared!

Everyone knows that the poker at the VPL can be very volatile.

Week 5 provided two full tables of great poker action.

Without any further distractions:

Bubble time:
This weeks list contained 4 names:

This list also contains only 1 previous qualifer (Mark).

There will be at least one new qualifer.

Frank, Randy, Mark and Alan

It was Randy who left the table in 4th place.

That means the next list contains.................$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Frank, Mark and Alan

The winner of $48 and 3rd place was Frank.

Heads-Up: Mark and Alan

Thanks to Frank for dealing the heads-up match.

The chip lead kept changing hands in this competition.

The tournament ended at 400/800.

In 2nd place with a tournament earnings of $80 was............................Alan

That means in 1st place, the chip, and $161 was Mark.

Congratulations to Alan for being the next person to qualify for the TOC.

The points race just got a little tighter this week.

Joe is only ahead by 2 points with 3 more weeks left in the season.

Can Clay catch Joe?

Will Joe win the seasons points?

Will there be any new qualifiers?

Do these questions remind anyone of the TV show SOAP.

If you answered yes, then you are showing your true age.

Those of you born after 1987 don't have a clue about the reference. HA HA!

Good luck to everyone next week.

Season 21 Week 4

Half way through season 21 at the VPL with 22 people who took their chances and sat down to play this game we call poker.

This week was truly the game of poker, this weeks heads-up battle was one of the craziest that we have seen to date.

I want to thank everyone who comes before 7:15. We have been able to draw for seats at 7:30.

As soon as we get 10 physical players we draw for first two tables. Kudos for everyone who was on time. Of course the more the merrier at 7:15.

Now onto the report.

This week we start the story off with 5 names: Bill, Joe, Clay, David and Cory

This week the person who went out in 5th place was David.

Coming into the bubble was with an extremely short stack was Joe. Some creative playing and folding, he was able to squeak into the money. Nice playing.

Money time: Bill, Joe, Cory and Clay

With a 5th place already being filled, we now have to fill the 4th place slot.

Don't worry, the VPL doesn't disappoint. We have a name for 4th. That name is Cory.

Exiting the table in 4th place, Cory won $29

It was then time for Joe to say goodbye in 3rd place with a win of $37.

Heads-up: Bill and Clay

Clay has previously qualified and Bill is a new qualifier.

This heads up was wild. There would be an all-in and a call, only to be saved by the river.

This happened to both players. In this heads up battle it seemed that you wanted the worst hand going into it because it was that hand that would hit.

at this point, there are around $22,000 in play. At any one time it wasn't surprising to see one person bet $8,000 only to have it re-raised all-in and called.

The heads-up battle lasted quite a long time.

The tournament ended at 500/1000 at around 1:15am.

In the end, there can only be one.

This week, having to settle for 2nd place with a win of $93 was Bill.

That's right! It was Clay who was victorious in week 4 with a win of $187.

With this win, Clay's VPL winnings for 2009 have exceeded $2,000.

Congratulations to Bill for qualifying this week.

There are now 7 qualifiers for the TOC.

Good luck to everyone next week. Will the VPL continue to put up such impressive numbers?

Only one way to find out. Come and play.

Season 21 Week 3

Is there anything left to say about the VPL that hasn't been said before?

I will give it a try.

Week 3 into season 21 has, once again, tied the all time attendance record at 23.

At the first break, there were only 2 players gone.

Plus 2 regular members were not present.

There was a time when I hoped for two full tables (16 players) and now we are on the verge of three full tables (24). MAXIMUM CAPACITY.

If we get more players we may have to go with an alternate status.

25th player might have to wait for someone to get busted before he/she can play. More on that later.

Let's get down to the nitty gritty.

The VPL always shows great poker playing (maybe not always great character).

This week was no different. This week the river was very picky.

For some, it was a lifesaver and for others it was a reason to start cussing.

This week's poker tale begins at everyone's favorite spot................BUBBLE TIME:

This week there were 5 players name on this list: Randy, TC, Clay, Jared and Alan.

According to the rules of the VPL with attendance of 21 and over, there are 4 payouts which means 5th place will go home empty handed.

This week, the 5th place spot went to Jared.

MONEY TIME: TC, Alan, Randy and Clay

This money list will have two new qualifiers.

Making his way off the table in 4th place and a win of $31 was Alan.

Having to bow out gracefully (well not so gracefully) was TC in 3rd place with a win of $39.

HEADS-UP: Clay and Randy.

This was quite the battle with both players being very good poker players.

In the end there can only be one winner.

So ending week 3 in 2nd place with a win of $97 was Clay.

The winner of week 3, the chip and $195 was Randy.

Congratulations to both Randy and Clay for qualifying for the TOC.

This week proved to be very tough because the tournament ended at 500/1000 level after 1:15 am.

It has been said before and I will say it again, the VPL is the place to play poker.

Good Luck to everyone next week.

Season 21 Week 2

The VPL relaxed a bit this week, playing host to 19 players.

We did run two tables. Don't let the fact that we didn't have 3 tables this week fool you.

I'm proud to say that we got the cards flying around 7:43 (not too shabby because of the really late starts last season. That problem has been remedied).

You would think that the smaller amount of people, the quicker the tournament will end.

That would be the case in a normal tournament. The VPL is not your normal tournament.

This week the blinds were capped (500/1000) and the tournament didn't end, again, until after 1am.

This week's winner was...............................................now you know you're going to have to keep reading to find this out.

The magic bubble. This week the following names appeared on this list: Joe, James, Brian and Quentin.

Along with the needle to pop the bubble, it was Brian who manged his way into 4th place.

Money time: Quentin, James and Joe

This week the battle was in the money. These players would not give up. One would double up. The stacks would get low and then just as quickly rise up once again.

This 3 way battle was very long and every one of these people earned their money this week.

3rd place needed a name..............and it got one. Joe was the person to exit the felt in 3rd place with a win of $48.

Head's-up: Quentin and James.

An interesting scenario. Different players with different attitudes.

But in the end, there can only be 1.

It was James who had to settle for 2nd place with a win of $80.

This made Quentin the winner of week 2, the chip and $161.

Here is what made this a real cinderella story. At one point, Quentin was down to $200. Went all-in to triple up to $600 (the blinds at this time were 300/600)

He tripled up and then he doubled up. Then came back to win the entire tournament. If I hadn't witnessed this with my own two eyes...........hard story to beleive.

Congtratulations to James and Quentin for being the newest players to qualify for the TOC.

At the VPL, expect the unexpected and believe the unbelievable.

This is the place where poker stories (good and bad) are born.

Good luck to everyone next week.

Season 21 Week 1

This is it! The start of a brand new season for the VPL.



That's right, Season 21 is under way.



What a way to start off Season 21.



This week the VPL was host to 20 people who sat together in harmoney (well...............I don't know about harmony) to play nicely (well...........I don't know about nicely) and see who would take this weeks prize.



This week was crazy because for the first time in a very long time, the blinds were capped at 500/1000.

* if one more person would have come then the cap would have been raised to 1000/2000.



This week's game also proved to be one of the longest games. This week the tournament finished after 1:00am.



It was the battle of the wills, because when the break came only 2 people were out, but that isn't where we begin our tale this week.



That's right bubble time: Angela, James, Joe and Mark



This week it was James who was the magician and made himself disappear when the bubble popped. He left the table in 4th place earning 18pts.



This week the money got distributed to: Angela, Mark and Joe



Very interesting position here. Who is going to be heads-up?



I would like to see the result of Joe vs Angela.



Unfortunately for me that didn't happen because it was Angela going out in 3rd place with a win of $51.



Head-Up: Joe vs Mark.



This battle was very interesting. Two players with two unique styles of play.



The blinds were capped at 500/1000 before a winner was declared.



There were a few times with an all-in and a call..........only to see a double up.



In the end, there was a final all-in and a call.



When the river hit the board, it was Mark who saw himself on the lower end.



Mark finished in 2nd place with a win of $85.



That means that Joe was the winner of Season 21 Week 1 with the chip, and a win of $170.



Congratulations to Joe and Mark for being the first two players to be qualified for the TOC.



Will next week bring the same action? Only one way to find out.........come to the VPL and try



your luck.



Good luck to everyone and we will see you next week.

Season 20 Tournament of Champions

This was it! The biggest payout for a TOC to date.

A very good TOC.

Shouldn't be any surprise because the VPL is where the best poker is played.

14 players qualified for Season's 20 TOC.

Congratulations to Clay for winning the points. For this great effort, he won $280.

Let's get on with the action.

First to leave the tables was Todd at 15-30.

After the color-up saw a number of people leave:

TC, Michelle, James were the people who 25-50 level was not good to.

At the next level 50-100 the following people saw their chips leave with allins and calls:

Randy, Andrew and Brandon

No one left at the blind level 75-150.

It was a different story at the next level of 100-200:

David and Clay both had to leave.

This brings us to bubble time: 150-300.

This level included: Jeremy, Brian, Alan, Joe and Angela

Going out in 5th place was Brian popping the bubble.

At the same leve it was Jeremy leaving in 4th place with a win of $70.

Next to go (at 150-300) was Angela in 3rd place with a win of $105.

Head's up - Alan and Joe (at 200-400)

Chips passed back and forth but the in the end, there was a victor:

Joe ended his TOC in 2nd place with a win of $175.

That's right we are adding a new bracelet winner to the list.

Congratulations to Alan for winning Season's 20 Tournament of Champions.

This win earned him the conveted bracelet as well as $350.

Congratulations to everyone who participated this season.

Let's hope season 21 brings new records and higher payouts.

On a side note, congratulations goes out to Angela. She has been in 3 TOCs and has taken a 1st, 2nd and a 3rd. She has made the money every TOC she has entered.

Hope to see everyone next season!

Season 20 Week 8

This was the final week of Season 20.

Let me tell you, what a season it has been.

First, The VPL had set a record this season. Week 5, was the first time in history that there was 23 people in one night. That tournament also set a record for the longest tournament. That week ended at 2:06 am. with the blinds at 600/1200.

Now in week 6, again, the record was tied at 23.

This season the record was set and not only tied once but tied twice.

That's right week 8 proved to be one of the biggest weeks to date. Also one of the tightest battles for points to date.

Week 8 had 23 people battle it out for the money. And we are talking big money.

We crowned the winner of the biggest points pots in VPL history.

That winner was.....................................that's later in the blog.

As per the rules, after 20 people there are 5 places paid (4 payouts and the 5th to the points/TOC pot).

This week also showed that after the final card was laid, there were 5 people with over 100 points. This feat was previously unheard of in the VPL.

Okay there are 5 people on todays list. That's right..............the bubble list:

James, Clay, Steve, Randy and David.

Hard fought battle proved to be a little too much for our 5th place finisher.

The person who won 19 points for 5th place, and popping the bubble was Steve.

Money time: Clay, Randy, James and David.

With a win of $31 and a 4th place finish was James.

James ended up with a total of 108 points without having a Q by his name.

Next to leave the table in 3rd place with a win of $39 was Clay.

That means the qualifers are David (already previously qualified) and Randy.

Randy is a new qualifier for the TOC.

Going into heads up with a crazy chip lead was David.

The heads up wasn't very long as Randy only had a few bets left, which meant that Randy finished in 2nd place with an impressive win of $97.

That meant that David was the winner of week 8 with a win of $195.

At the end of the tournament, it was Clay who ended up with the most points. He finished week 8 with a crazy 129 points.

This was the biggest points pot to date: Season 20 points pot ended up being $280.

Congratulations to Clay with the win of $280.

Now there are 14 people qualified for the TOC: Clay, Alan, TC, Todd, David, Angela, Brian, Joe,Brandon, Jeremy, Andrew, Randy and the two non-points qualifiers are James and Michelle

What can I say about Season 20. This season has proven to be no less that incredible.

With attendance records being set and tied along with a record for the highest points payout.

Simply put: AWESOME!

Now if all 14 players come to the TOC, the following will be the payouts:

1st - $350

2nd - $175

3rd - $105

4th - $ 75

This is the TOC to win.

Only way to find out who wins. You have to come and see.

Everyone is welcome to come watch. Good luck to everyone.

Let's hope Season 21 sets new records.