26^th August 2010

After two years of consistent performance, it's great to see Jay Sookoo get to the top of the BLUFF SA Poker Player Rankings.  For me to be dethroned from the top of the rankings is the right result for a few reasons. 

Firstly, I have played a very limited number of events over the past year and I have relied too heavily on my past results, so it is good that the top spot now belongs to someone else.

Maybe coming off the top of the rankings will inspire me to play a few more tournaments and hopefully motivate me to get back to my old winning ways.

Well done Jay, but don't get too comfy in my spot.

Take a look at how the rankings have been shaken up with the results of the past month, with the results from All Africa Poker, Royal Swazi Rumble and Matrix Millions.

Rhino

8 August 2010

While many have spent the week recovering from serious bad beat hits and celebratory hangovers after the All Africa Poker Tournament last weekend, others have been preparing for the next round of tournies which are taking place across the country.

Among these tournaments are the GrandWest Casino Series of Poker, which is taking place this weekend in Cape Town, and the satellites for the SilverStar Casino set to take place on Monday 9^th August, and of course the Ace High Royal Swazi Rumble VI Freeze Out taking place from 20^th to 22^nd August.

Someone recovering from pain of a different kind, is international poker pro Phil "The Unabomber" Laak, who was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident this past week while on holiday in Oregon.  News of the accident was broadcast across Twitterville, not only by Laak (from the emergency room!) but also by his best friend Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari via their Twitter accounts.

Esfandiari tweeted : "At hospital with poor @RealPhilLaak in Oregon. We went a little 2 crazy atv'ing in the doons. Broke 7bones. Ouch," and included a Twitpic of an injured Laak in his hospital bed.

From the photo on Laak's Twitter account, this was a pretty serious accident.  "The Unabomber" sustained severe lacerations around his right eye, with a significant amount of swelling and some bruising. His right arm has been immobilized in a temporary cast and the fractures appear to be internal and not compound, which bode well for recovery. In the photos, Laak appears to be in good shape overall, but could also be under some medication to alleviate any pain issues.

Laak was in pretty good spirits during the ordeal (or had really good pain meds!), Tweeting throughout, http://twitter.com/RealPhilLaak: "Atv accident, massive arm injury and lacerations to eye in oregon. Life is good."

Get better soon Phil, hope that check/raise/all in hand is still in good shape.

Rhino

All Africa Poker - on the other side of the table

So, that was All Africa Poker from a player's perspective.  My debut at this tournament ended for me in 16th position .... aaaargh!  So close to the money.   In my exit hand I had J J but came up against Chris Convery's K K, he spiked the King on the flop and that was the end of my tournament. Ryan Brauer didn't get to celebrate his 30th birthday with a cash either, but Neil Andrews made me look good by reaching the final table and ended in 7th position.

Play continues as the final 6 players duke it out for the Million Rand first prize.  Bennie Lingenfelder is the only threat to my top position on the Bluff SA Rankings, as he currently has 587 points, a win or second place could move him right up at the top.

That's all from the flop side today!

Rhino

All Africa Poker - on the other side of the table

So, that was All Africa Poker from a player's perspective.  My debut at this tournament ended for me in 16th position .... aaaargh!  So close to the money.   In my exit hand I had J J but came up against Chris Convery's K K, he spiked the King on the flop and that was the end of my tournament. Ryan Brauer didn't get to celebrate his 30th birthday with a cash either, but Neil Andrews made me look good by reaching the final table and ended in 7th position.

Play continues as the final 6 players duke it out for the Million Rand first prize.  Bennie Lingenfelder is the only threat to my top position on the Bluff SA Rankings, as he currently has 587 points, a win or second place could move him right up at the top.

That's all from the flop side today!

Rhino

28th July 2010

Time is flying this year and it’s hard to believe that seven months have already passed!  It feels like yesterday that the All Africa Poker team were heading down to Piggs Peak Casino in Swaziland, to run and film the March tournament, and here we are again with preparations in full swing for the second AAPT for 2010.

My favourites for this tournament : Ryan Brauer - as always - and then you can’t discount Jay Sookoo, who has been playing great poker recently. Of course with Jarred Solomon and Greg Ronaldson coming off hot performances at WSOP 2010, they are up there among the local supporters’ top players.

I always have to put money on Neil Andrews, the brilliant SuperSport and Betting World presenter, and sometimes brilliant poker player - he’s hoping to beat his 30th place finish from last year, let’s just hope he uses some of the tips I’ve taught him!

I am finally heading to Swaziland as a player.  What a novel experience that will be for me.  It will always feel like home, even though I have never played an All Africa.  This is my first one, so wish me good luck!

All the best to the AAP team, Michael Collet & his production crew (these guys put in 18 – 20 hour days over the weekend to make this tournament work so seamlessly!) and of course, to the players who make the tournament such an entertaining show!

Rhino

28th July 2010

Time is flying this year and it’s hard to believe that seven months have already passed!  It feels like yesterday that the All Africa Poker team were heading down to Piggs Peak Casino in Swaziland, to run and film the March tournament, and here we are again with preparations in full swing for the second AAPT for 2010.

My favourites for this tournament : Ryan Brauer - as always - and then you can’t discount Jay Sookoo, who has been playing great poker recently. Of course with Jarred Solomon and Greg Ronaldson coming off hot performances at WSOP 2010, they are up there among the local supporters’ top players.

I always have to put money on Neil Andrews, the brilliant SuperSport and Betting World presenter, and sometimes brilliant poker player - he’s hoping to beat his 30th place finish from last year, let’s just hope he uses some of the tips I’ve taught him!

I am finally heading to Swaziland as a player.  What a novel experience that will be for me.  It will always feel like home, even though I have never played an All Africa.  This is my first one, so wish me good luck!

All the best to the AAP team, Michael Collet & his production crew (these guys put in 18 – 20 hour days over the weekend to make this tournament work so seamlessly!) and of course, to the players who make the tournament such an entertaining show!

Rhino

Ryan Dreyer

16 July 2010

Fantastic news about Greg Ronaldson reaching 450^th place in WSOP 2010 $10,000 Main Event … but we all understand the gut wrenching feeling which you get knocked out at this point. 

Shot Greg on the win, and to quote fellow Bluff Mag contributor, Darren Miller's Facebook comments to Greg : “You did well to chip up on your Day 4 table. Really well. Nothing you can do about being card dead against big stacks. Sorry you didn't go deeper, but a cash is a cash. Take the positives home, leave the rest in the Encore suite.”

They’re down to the final 27 players at the RIO Hotel in Las Vegas, those massive tournament rooms have emptied out, and for those few hundred odd supporters of the players, there is a surreal and eery quiet in the halls – completely unlike the massive crowds of less than a week ago.

It'll be interesting to see who makes it through to the November Nine final line up - they are not only guaranteed of over one million dollars each, but their sponsorship & endorsement opportunities are enormous.  Michael Mizrachi is always a good one to back, but he's currently sitting mid-field in chips, so we'll wait and see. 

Keep warm!
Rhino

9th July 2010

While the WSOP in Las Vegas is most well known for the poker tournaments and enormous prize money, often the antics and activities behind the scenes provide more entertainment!

Phil Helmuth is famous (or is it notorious) for his grand entrances when taking his seat at the World Series of Poker Main Event. This year was no exception. In previous years, he has arrived decked out in his themed gear, including a NASCAR driver, General Patton, or Julius Caesar, and always surrounded by a bevy of women. Many thought his Roman entrance would be hard to top, but this year he arrived as an MMA fighter complete with an entourage of fighters, ring girls & even UFC Octagon Announcer Bruce Bugger to announce his arrival.

 6^th July 2010

 On my final day in Las Vegas, I was interviewed by Tikay (Tony Kendall) of SKY POKER TV.  He’s almost as old as Terry Paine, so I had to keep the interview short, couldn’t keep him out too late!

 All the best to all the South African’s playing in the $10,000 Main Event – hope to be reporting on many of you as you head towards the final table & a repeat of Ray Rahme’s & Warren Zackey’s brilliant performances of the past few years.

4th July 2010

Ryan Dreyer

Well, it’s day two of the $2,500 No Limit Hold'Em WSOP event. We had five players that I know of playing: Greg Ronaldson, Conrad Coetzer, Rayan Nathan, Benjamin Cole and Sandy Koor. Of the field 0f 1,942 players there are about 400 players left.

Greg Ronaldson is still in with 13 000 chips. With the blinds at 400/800, Greg is a little on the short side, but we know he is a grinder and the short stack is a small hurdle for him to overcome.

The second remaining South African, Conrad Coetzer has 36,000 chips and is cruising along comfortably. Hopefully the boys can find some form today and make some waves.

Unfortunately, Sandy Koor took yet another sick beat and was eliminated. When I say sick I mean SICK! The hand went down like this. Sandy raised with A-A from early position. He got one caller. The Flop came A-J-9. Sandy Bet, the other player raised, Sandy re-raised and both players went all in. Sandy had A-A-A the other guy had 9-9-9. Set over set is always tough. However, the turn was a dreaded one outer, a 9. So sandy lost with A-A-A to quad 9s. I feel for you Sandy, but all you can do is get your chips in ahead.

Benjamin Cole & Rayan Nathan are still in but unsure of their chip stacks.

Rhino