Friday, July 17, 2009
(Virtual) Penny for your thoughts?
36 players. Want to finish at 5 hours. 30 minute levels. $5,000 starting stack:
How cheap can I be?
To get into the biggest tournament ever, which is only $5, I played a satellite for an hour. At least I didn't bubble.....
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
still here....
What a busy last month it has been. Let's do a quick recap:
1)played in WSOP event
2)watched friend win bracelet which paid me $12,000
3)bought into 3 horses for the main event (1 out on day 1, 2 out on day 2)
3)bought new car (already was planned but now can buy a little more with bracelet money)
4)began preparing for football season (Head Coach of 8 year old team, also managing two football teams -fantasy football teams)
5)began preparing blind structures and tournament software for new season of poker (13 tournaments over 10 months). I completely re-hauled the structure and am using new awesome software.
6)continued my day job and helped my wonderful wife manage our kids and home
Whew.....
I have every evening and weekend planned until November. At least I won't get bored. I'm still planning a write up on everything leading up to Mikey's bracelet win.
I hope you are doing GREAT! I am having the time of my life!!!!
1)played in WSOP event
2)watched friend win bracelet which paid me $12,000
3)bought into 3 horses for the main event (1 out on day 1, 2 out on day 2)
3)bought new car (already was planned but now can buy a little more with bracelet money)
4)began preparing for football season (Head Coach of 8 year old team, also managing two football teams -fantasy football teams)
5)began preparing blind structures and tournament software for new season of poker (13 tournaments over 10 months). I completely re-hauled the structure and am using new awesome software.
6)continued my day job and helped my wonderful wife manage our kids and home
Whew.....
I have every evening and weekend planned until November. At least I won't get bored. I'm still planning a write up on everything leading up to Mikey's bracelet win.
I hope you are doing GREAT! I am having the time of my life!!!!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
More to Mikey's story
This video story has Mike explain how when they were down to 3 handed he took out Ramirez. Ramirez at first thought he won the hand.
Also, the pictures are poor quality because they shot them off the back of my camera. I didn't realize it until halfway through the story, because I kept saying "the photogropher must have been standing right in front of me to take this picture", "and this one too", "and this one too?!?!?!. That's when I realized they took them from my camera which Mikey borrowed for the bracelet ceremony (we had to fly home earlier).
Also, the pictures are poor quality because they shot them off the back of my camera. I didn't realize it until halfway through the story, because I kept saying "the photogropher must have been standing right in front of me to take this picture", "and this one too", "and this one too?!?!?!. That's when I realized they took them from my camera which Mikey borrowed for the bracelet ceremony (we had to fly home earlier).
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
I plan to write up my whole version of this story, it's just been a whirlwind since it happened. Here's another interview with Mike:
Mikey wins it while we rail him all the way.....
copied from here
Email Print
From Laid Off To Paid Off In One Day: St. Louisan Mike Eise Wins World Series of Poker Bracelet And $639,000
By Tim McKernan
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Mike Eise had never been to Las Vegas...and he wasn't planning on going anytime soon.
"I told myself that I wasn't going to go to Las Vegas until I was playing in a World Series of Poker event," Eise said by phone from Las Vegas last night.
He almost didn't get the chance to go to make the trip. Playing in his poker league in West County, Eise was fighting for his life in a heads-up showdown for the last spot on the trip that included a buy-in to World Series of Poker Event 28, a $1,500 No Limit Hold 'Em tournament.
Outstacked nearly 10 to 1, Eise battled back...and he won the final spot...and his first trip to Las Vegas.
The 30 year-old Fort Zumwalt North grad had to take a few days off from his job as a plumber in the Local 562 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union. But, it was going to be all worth it to take his shot.
Eise had won tournaments locally before...but had never won more than $1,900...and had never beaten more than a field of more than 100 people. His wins had come at VFW halls and the Knights of Columbus. Walking in the World Series of Poker room at the Rio was a slight upgrade, and the idea of outlasting more than 2,500 players was, at least in the eyes of an outsider, highly unlikely.
But, not to Eise.
"I found myself comfortable at a poker table. I wasn't nervous. I think in St. Louis we have some of the best poker players around, so I was really at ease."
And, it showed.
Within two days, Eise had gone from just happy to be in Las Vegas to leading a World Series of Poker event. Monday afternoon, when 27 players returned to the Rio, Eise found himself as the chip leader with 16 players remaining.
Eise described the feeling as surreal, but just hours earlier, he experienced a much different emotion. He received a phone call from St. Louis letting him know that he had been laid off.
Winning the tournament went from a nice little idea to a mission. Eise focused on Katie, his wife of 8 years, and their three daughters ages 4,7, and 8. And, he locked in, got aggressive, and outplayed everyone until he got down to the final three players.
Shortstacked and essentially on his poker deathbed, Eise had to move all-in with Ace9. He got called by chip leader Rico Ramirez who also had an Ace...but a lower kicker, and after the board gave Ramirez no help, Eise doubled up and stayed alive.
That allowed him to go from the edge of defeat to the lead on the very next hand. On the button, Eise was dealt 99. He raised. Ramirez called him with Jack4.
The flop came off King-Jack-Jack.
Ramirez checked.
That sent off a signal to Eise.
"He checked. I checked. I knew he was slowplaying. I thought I'd take my free card."
Good thing he did.
The next card to come off was a 9, and Eise had 9's full of Jacks for a full house. This time, Ramirez made his move, leading out with a big bet. Eise came over the top all-in, and Ramirez called.
Even though Eise had the best hand, Ramirez didn't realize it...and he began to celebrate. Eise had to explain to his opponent and his opponent's fans that his full house had Ramirez' three Jacks beat...and once that fun fact was comprehended, Eise found himself heads-up at a World Series of Poker final table with $639,000 and a bracelet on the line.
"It was surreal," Eise said.
After 30 minutes of heads-up play, Eise had a 3.5 to 1 chip lead on Jeff Chang. Holding 78, Eise moved all-in on a board of 363...and holding AceJack, Chang called. But, the turn came off with a 7, and when the river fired a blank, it was over.
The St. Louis plumber who had been laid off earlier in the day had just won $639,331.
"It's a lot of change. It gets me out of debt. It's definitely a life changer. I'm going to take my 3 girls to Disney Land."
Eise said he plans to play in the WSOP Main Event, which starts two weeks from Friday. But, he doesn't plan to leave his field of plumbing...even with the new found wealth and fame in the poker world.
"I'm a middle class guy. I'm going to handle my money wisely. You won't see me playing in high stakes games all of a sudden. But, I plan to play more tournaments. Right now, I'm 1 for 1."
And, 1 for 1 equals $639,000. Not a bad way to finish off a day when you lost your job.
Log-in and post your comments, or you can email me at tmckernan@insidestl.com.
Email Print
From Laid Off To Paid Off In One Day: St. Louisan Mike Eise Wins World Series of Poker Bracelet And $639,000
By Tim McKernan
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Mike Eise had never been to Las Vegas...and he wasn't planning on going anytime soon.
"I told myself that I wasn't going to go to Las Vegas until I was playing in a World Series of Poker event," Eise said by phone from Las Vegas last night.
He almost didn't get the chance to go to make the trip. Playing in his poker league in West County, Eise was fighting for his life in a heads-up showdown for the last spot on the trip that included a buy-in to World Series of Poker Event 28, a $1,500 No Limit Hold 'Em tournament.
Outstacked nearly 10 to 1, Eise battled back...and he won the final spot...and his first trip to Las Vegas.
The 30 year-old Fort Zumwalt North grad had to take a few days off from his job as a plumber in the Local 562 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union. But, it was going to be all worth it to take his shot.
Eise had won tournaments locally before...but had never won more than $1,900...and had never beaten more than a field of more than 100 people. His wins had come at VFW halls and the Knights of Columbus. Walking in the World Series of Poker room at the Rio was a slight upgrade, and the idea of outlasting more than 2,500 players was, at least in the eyes of an outsider, highly unlikely.
But, not to Eise.
"I found myself comfortable at a poker table. I wasn't nervous. I think in St. Louis we have some of the best poker players around, so I was really at ease."
And, it showed.
Within two days, Eise had gone from just happy to be in Las Vegas to leading a World Series of Poker event. Monday afternoon, when 27 players returned to the Rio, Eise found himself as the chip leader with 16 players remaining.
Eise described the feeling as surreal, but just hours earlier, he experienced a much different emotion. He received a phone call from St. Louis letting him know that he had been laid off.
Winning the tournament went from a nice little idea to a mission. Eise focused on Katie, his wife of 8 years, and their three daughters ages 4,7, and 8. And, he locked in, got aggressive, and outplayed everyone until he got down to the final three players.
Shortstacked and essentially on his poker deathbed, Eise had to move all-in with Ace9. He got called by chip leader Rico Ramirez who also had an Ace...but a lower kicker, and after the board gave Ramirez no help, Eise doubled up and stayed alive.
That allowed him to go from the edge of defeat to the lead on the very next hand. On the button, Eise was dealt 99. He raised. Ramirez called him with Jack4.
The flop came off King-Jack-Jack.
Ramirez checked.
That sent off a signal to Eise.
"He checked. I checked. I knew he was slowplaying. I thought I'd take my free card."
Good thing he did.
The next card to come off was a 9, and Eise had 9's full of Jacks for a full house. This time, Ramirez made his move, leading out with a big bet. Eise came over the top all-in, and Ramirez called.
Even though Eise had the best hand, Ramirez didn't realize it...and he began to celebrate. Eise had to explain to his opponent and his opponent's fans that his full house had Ramirez' three Jacks beat...and once that fun fact was comprehended, Eise found himself heads-up at a World Series of Poker final table with $639,000 and a bracelet on the line.
"It was surreal," Eise said.
After 30 minutes of heads-up play, Eise had a 3.5 to 1 chip lead on Jeff Chang. Holding 78, Eise moved all-in on a board of 363...and holding AceJack, Chang called. But, the turn came off with a 7, and when the river fired a blank, it was over.
The St. Louis plumber who had been laid off earlier in the day had just won $639,331.
"It's a lot of change. It gets me out of debt. It's definitely a life changer. I'm going to take my 3 girls to Disney Land."
Eise said he plans to play in the WSOP Main Event, which starts two weeks from Friday. But, he doesn't plan to leave his field of plumbing...even with the new found wealth and fame in the poker world.
"I'm a middle class guy. I'm going to handle my money wisely. You won't see me playing in high stakes games all of a sudden. But, I plan to play more tournaments. Right now, I'm 1 for 1."
And, 1 for 1 equals $639,000. Not a bad way to finish off a day when you lost your job.
Log-in and post your comments, or you can email me at tmckernan@insidestl.com.
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