In return for my sponsorship dollars I want/expect the following things:

• The player must be active on social media, blogs, and forums
• The player must be approachable and accommodating when it comes to interviews
• The player must have an impeccable reputations
• The player will not turn off new players
• The player must be friendly and talkative at the tables

The above criterion is obviously my “wish list” and very few players can actually say they fit into each of those categories, so I’m willing to overlook one or two flaws if they make up for it in another area.

These are the players I would be willing to send the farthest corners of the globe to play in poker tournaments, and the dozen players I want representing my brand.

Here are the final six (my role-players):

Allen Kessler

You really couldn’t ask for a more active player on your roster than “Chainsaw.” Kessler will rep your brand any chance he gets on social media, he will play in ANY tournament, and thanks to his “Complainsaw” personality he is a pretty well-known player.

Liv Boeree

Liv is another one of those players that just seems to always be center stage. She has some really good results during her career, has been on TV from reality shows, to tournament appearances, to presenting, and has the good looks and bubbly personality that any brand would be happy to have.

Sam Grafton

Grafton is my choice for the funniest player in the game. Grafton is unique (Google his name and go to images), well-liked, and when of the best interviews in poker. Oh, and he is a top-notch player to boot.

Phil Laak

Laak is the older, slightly more eccentric version of Sam Grafton. I used to be very anti-Phil Laak and thought his antics were bad for the game, but over the years I’ve come around to him –mostly because, unlike players who yell and act obnoxious, you can’t just duplicate Laak’s level of insanity at the poker tables.

Matt Glantz

Glantz is one of the most measured, thoughtful people in poker. His recent takes on different issues in the poker world have catapulted him from solid player to one of the leading voices in the game.

Mike Sexton

Like Glantz, Mike Sexton is just one of those people who don’t rush to conclusions and take their time to think what is best for the game. Sexton and Glantz should be every single player committee, panel, or discussion group involving poker.

In return for my sponsorship dollars I want/expect the following things:

• The player must be active on social media, blogs, and forums
• The player must be approachable and accommodating when it comes to interviews
• The player must have an impeccable reputations
• The player will not turn off new players
• The player must be friendly and talkative at the tables

The above criterion is obviously my “wish list” and very few players can actually say they fit into each of those categories, so I’m willing to overlook one or two flaws if they make up for it in another area.

These are the players I would be willing to send the farthest corners of the globe to play in poker tournaments, and the dozen players I want representing my brand.

Here are the first six (my Superstar Dream Team):

Daniel Negreanu

No team of sponsored pros would be complete without Daniel Negreanu, arguably the most famous poker player in the game. Negreanu is a true ambassador for poker, willing to chat with anyone at any time, almost always in a good mood, and extremely outspoken when it comes to his ideas for bettering the game.

Phil Hellmuth

Hellmuth is another must-have player for any team of sponsored players. There is no better self-promoter in poker than the Poker Brat, and whether people love him or hate him, he brings people into the mix.

Sam Trickett

Trickett is young, successful, and one of the few alpha-males in poker. I would say that along with Negreanu, Trickett is the only player who satisfies all of the criteria I listed above.

Antonio Esfandiari

Antonio is outgoing, and can play to the younger players with his prop bets and antics, and he is able to flip a switch and become a very serious commentator on the game.

Vanessa Selbst

Hands down, Vanessa is the best female poker player in the game. Selbst is also very active in the poker community, with a presence on social media and forums, where she is always offering up insightful opinions.

Viktor Blom

Plain and simple, people want to know what is going on with Isildur1. Blom is definitely a bit of a loose cannon, and capable of vanishing for months on end, but I’m willing to overlook his eccentricities to bring him on board, as he creates an instant buzz.

Thomas “Srsly Sirius” Keeling Bluff Interviews

Thomas “Srsly Sirius” Keeling, better known for his satirical poker songs on YouTube, was hired as the Bluff Magazine Multimedia Director prior to the 2013 WSOP and in that role he developed one of the most interesting interview formats I’ve seen. Basically, during the editing process Keeling eliminates all questions and the interview turns into a monologue of sorts for the interviewee.

What really made these videos standout was the decision to let some of the most polarizing people in the game speak their mind; from Chino Rheem, to Dutch Boyd, to Matt Marifioti.

You can watch all of Keeling’s videos here: http://www.bluff.com/news/author/thomas-keeling/

Doyle Brunson cashes in the Main Event

If you’re going to announce your retirement and then come back the least you can do is perform at a high level, and that is precisely what Doyle Brunson did in the 2013 WSOP Main Event. Brunson cashed in the Main Event for the xx time in his career, and now has cashed in the tournament in each of the last five decades.

PokerNews.com’s MyStack App

The MyStack App allows players to update their chip counts to PokerNews.com on their own. This was extremely helpful in getting correct chip-counts for the players who used it, and as more and more players start to use MyStack it should ease the burden of tournament reporters, allowing them to focus on other things instead of constantly updating chip counts.

You can download the MyStack App here: http://www.pokernews.com/mystack/

Nolan Dalla’s blogs

Nolan Dalla has been blogging on his website for a while now, but during the WSOP his blog really came to the attention of the poker community and Dalla seemed to be a bit more prolific with his writings. There are some absolute gems on Dalla’s blog, ranging from everyday rants to backroom poker stories.

I highly recommend visiting Nolan’s blog at http://www.pokernews.com/mystack/

Ladies prove 2012 wasn’t a fluke

After a really slow start the ladies picked-up the pace at the 2013 WSOP following the Ladies Tournament, winning two open-event bracelets for the first time since 2004, and as I write this Jackie Glazier is in 12^th place with 68 players remaining in the WSOP Main Event. It was good to see women poker players build on their 2012 success at the WSOP.

Prediction #1: Phil Hellmuth will make two final tables but wins ZERO bracelets

Through 61 tournaments Phil has three cashes and a single final table.

I was off a bit on this one as I believed Phil was going to have a strong WSOP without winning a bracelet. It turns out Phil had his worst WSOP tournament series since 2002, when he cashed twice and made two final tables.

Prediction #2: Germany will win at least three bracelets

Another prediction that almost got there (although I still have three Germans alive with about 30 runners to go in the $10k PLO tournament) as we have seen two German bracelet winners in 2013:

• Martin Finger in Event #21, the $3,000 No Limit Holdem tournament
• Nikolaus Teichert in Event #56, the $2,500 No Limit Holdem tournament

Prediction #3: Two open bracelets will be won by women

With virtually every tournament now in the books the ladies have one open-event win, which belongs to Dana Castaneda who won Event #54, a $1,000 No Limit Holdem tournament. We still have the Main Event, but after last year’s slew of final tables, 10^th and 11^th place showings in the Main Event, and wins in an open-event and the Seniors Tournament, this has to be seen as a disappointing year for the ladies at the WSOP.

*Late update: Loni Harwood won Event #60, making my prediction come to fruition. Harwood was easily the top-performing female of the series with three final tables and one win.

Prediction #4: A recent (2003-now) WSOP Main Event Champion will win a bracelet

We had some close calls with this one; most recently Jonathan Duhamel’s 8^th place finish in the $50k Poker Players Championship, but it looks like WSOP Main Event champions will once again be shutout from bracelet ceremonies, unless Duhamel can pull off a win in Event #61, where he is near the top of the leader-board with just over 30 players remaining.

Prediction #5: The WSOP Main Event attendance will be 6,022.

Still not there yet, but I don’t have a very good feeling about this prediction as the 2013 WSOP has been well-attended from start to finish. Even though Day 1a attendance was down a touch from 2012, I still think this is looking more like a 7,000 player filed now.

Phil Hellmuth will make two final tables but wins ZERO bracelets

This was a tough one to write because I have Phil on my fantasy team, but I have a feeling he will still be sitting on 13 bracelets at the end of the WSOP, although I do expect him to have a strong series. If you’re looking for a well-known player who will win a bracelet might I suggest Phil Ivey, who was snake-bit at final tables last year.

Germany will win at least three bracelets

There are simply too many talented young German players for this not to happen. From heavy-hitters like Marvin Rettenmaier, Tobias Reinkemeier, Pius Heinz, and Phillip Gruissem, to the lesser-known but still talented Benny Spindler, Dominik Nitsche, Ole Scemion, Max Altergott, Fabian Quoss, and Martin Finger, there is a strong chance that Germany leaves Las Vegas with a lot of gold.

Two open bracelets will be won by women

Last year we finally got an indication of what women are capable of achieving in the poker world, and it looks like the WSOP hex that had been cast over the ladies has finally been lifted.  While I feel confident that women will perform well in the preliminary events, what I really want to see is a known female player make the WSOP Main Event final table.

A recent (2003-now) WSOP Main Event Champion will win a bracelet

I’m surprised this hasn’t happened yet, but doing a little research WSOP Main Event are batting .000 in WSOP tournaments after their win. Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem, Peter Eastgate, Joe Cada, Jonathan Duhamel, Pius Heinz, and Greg Merson are all capable to good players so there has to be a bracelet waiting to be one by someone from that group.

The WSOP Main Event attendance will be…

6,022. While I’ve seen the over/under line set at about 6,466 I see this as being a down year for the WSOP Main Event. The reality of the situation is that the WSOP has been bucking the trend for too many years as it is, and at some point something has to give. After last year’s anonymous final table, and the relative dispassionate response the media had for the tournament I’m expecting a smaller turnout for the WSOP Main Event in 2013.

In 2010 my choices were:

#10 – Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) Main Event

#9 –PokerStars’ WCOOP Main Event

#8 – NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship

#7 – PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

#6 – European Poker Tour Grand Final

#5 – World Series of Poker Europe Main Event

#4 – Aussie Millions

#3 – World Series of Poker $50k Mixed Event

#2 — World Poker Tour Championship

#1 — World Series of Poker Main Event

Alright, this list definitely needs some shuffling considering at least three of these tournaments need to be removed from the list entirely. So let’s take a look at the final five choices on my new revised most prestigious tournaments list [Read Part 1 HERE]:

#5 – The European Poker Tour Grand Final

While the EPT has seen its growth stagnate in the past two years, the tour is still going strong and some would argue, more prestigious than the World Poker Tour. The Grand Final is definitely on every tournament poker player’s “must-play” list, evidenced by the huge fields the event has attracted… Being held in Monte Carlo helps of course!

#4 –The World Poker Tour $25k Championship

I still count the WPT Championship ahead of the EPT simply because the buy-in is $25,000. Even though the field sizes have shrunk over the years, the WPT Championship attracts the very best players in poker year-after-year.

#3 – The PokerStars PCA Main Event

The biggest jump on the list goes to the PokerStars PCA. This event not only has a $10k buy-in and million-dollar first-place payouts, but the tournament kicks off the tournament year, occurring in early January, and is the first tournament that impacts the Player of the Year races.

#2 – The Big One for One Drop

One tournament was all it took for the Big One for One Drop to vault to the #2 spot in poker tournaments, so there is still hope that another event can be created that can rival the WSOP. One Drop’s massive prize-pool, million-dollar-buy-in, and record-setting first-place prize (buh-bye Jamie Gold!) are more than enough for One Drop to debut at #2.

#1 – The World Series of Poker Main Event

Really, is there even anything I need to say here? The WSOP Main Event is THE poker tournament, and has been since 1971. While some of the other entries have very little space between them, the difference in prestige between the WSOP Main Event and every other tournament is vast.

In 2010 my choices were:

#10 – Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) Main Event

#9 –PokerStars’ WCOOP Main Event

#8 – NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship

#7 – PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

#6 – European Poker Tour Grand Final

#5 – World Series of Poker Europe Main Event

#4 – Aussie Millions

#3 – World Series of Poker $50k Mixed Event

#2 — World Poker Tour Championship

#1 — World Series of Poker Main Event

Alright, this list definitely needs some shuffling considering at least three of these tournaments need to be removed from the list entirely. So let’s take a look at the first five choices on my new revised most prestigious tournaments list:

#10 – The PCA Super-High-Roller

A new entry to the list, the PokerStars PCA $100,000 buy-in Super-High-Roller tournament has become the king of the high-buy-in tournaments. This past year 57 entries were registered for the tournament (47 entries and 10 reentries) crushing the 32 players form 2012 and the 39 from 2011.

#9 – The WSOP $50k Poker Players Championship

The first tournament to try to use a high-buy-in as an exclusionary tactic, the $50k Poker Players Championship is still one of the most coveted titles, especially with the Chip Reese trophy going to the winner.

#8 – The PokerStars’ WCOOP

Up one spot from my 2010 list, the PokerStars WCOOP is THE online poker tournament every player wants to win, and the only one to offer the winner a multi-million-dollar prize.

#7 – The Aussie Million Main Event

The Aussie Millions has been on the decline in the past few years, most likely due to the current poker economy and the travel expenses associated with travelling to Australia. Still, the Aussie Millions is one of the first tournaments poker players would name other than the WSOP Main Event.

#6 – The World Series of Poker Europe Main Event

The WSOPE Main Event is an enigma for me. The hype and media coverage surrounding the tournament is massive, yet the player interest just isn’t there. Overall, I would say the WSOPE Main Event is highly prestigious, but at the same time the most-overrated tournament in poker.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series where I list the five most prestigious tournaments in poker –according to me of course.

My advice is this; if you find yourself getting ready to utter these words or terms, STOP, stop now, and just talk normally. Here is a look at the final five entries on my list [Read Part 1 HERE]:

Bink

Both of my kids used binks and they were among their first words; I never thought I would see a resurgence of this term at a poker table though. You didn’t bink anything you won. Of all the synonyms for winning (triumph, victory, glorious conquest, prevail, succeed) how did poker players start using the most childish?

I can’t believe I’m going to…

Call or Fold, doesn’t matter which one you end this sentence with they are both equally as dumb. Guess what? Everyone at the table can believe you were going to call (or fold) and since you’re doing it right now you’ll either need to accept it or disregard reality.

Grind/Grinding/Grinder

We get it; you play a lot of poker. The problem is you play so much damn poker that you grind every day; most people simply call this work.

Click-it-back

Of all the words/terms on this list this is by far the one I loathe the most. When I heard Joe Cheong use this to describe his WSOP bustout hand I nearly threw my mouse across the room like I used to in 2005 when I played online poker and used the dumbass precursors to phrases like “click-it-back”.

Cute Hand Nicknames

Snowmen, Pocket Rockets, American Airlines, Walking Sticks, and even the wittier and abstract Gay Waiter and Jacking-Off, need to go. No more shouts of Presto from 40 year-old men, no more Ducks, just say what your hand is. The nicknames are not there for brevity and 99% of the “cutesy names” aren’t even worth a chuckle.

My advice is this; if you find yourself getting ready to utter these words or terms, STOP, stop now, and just talk normally. Here is a look at the first five entries on my list:

-aments

If you add the suffix –aments to words in an effort to disparage whatever it is you are playing please stop. This was funny when Barry Greenstein first used it to describe online tournaments (Donkaments) but it’s gotten out of hand and it’s now just another tired poker expression.  Even worse is when people add an LOL prior to their –aments, which is simply overkill.

So Sick

This one drives me as nuts as all of the FML’s on Facebook because people hit traffic or Dunkin Donuts screwed up their coffee order. Oh you poor thing, you lost to a flush draw in a $5 online tournament, or you ran Pocket Kings into Aces playing $1/$2 No Limit at the casino. It’s not “So Sick” its normal; it happens every day, so deal with it.

One Time

Really, just ONE time? That’s all you’re asking for? You only want to win when you’re behind a single time? Has anyone who has ever said “one time” only ever uttered this phrase ONE TIME?

I put you on…

Realize that every time you say “I put you on xx” you are basically saying I can’t read hands. The only time people use this expression is when their opponent outplays them and they think by having a specific read they won’t look as dumb to the other players in the game who all knew the guy had the stone-cold-nuts.

Tilting/Tilted

Tilt is a perfectly fine term, but it’s not alright to self-apply, and it’s really not alright to use it to describe non-poker events. Getting a flat tire is not “tilting”; the daily tournaments in the casino don’t “tilt you”; you go on tilt and that’s it! If you say, “That’s so tilting” you’re not on tilt because people who are on tilt don’t have rational thoughts like “I’m on tilt.” God this term is so tilting to me…

Read Part 2 HERE

Understanding Your Strengths and Weaknesses

You’ll notice all of the poker players I listed above are pretty damn successful, so don’t think that if you’re a hedgehog you are at a disadvantage to foxes –we’re human after all and not woodland animals, so knowing that you are hedgehog can keep you from rolling up into a ball when a truck is bearing down on you!

That being said, you have to understand that strength lies in your mastery, whether it’s a specific game type (6-max instead of Full Ring tournaments) or whether that means implementing a hyper-LAG style of play. But, understanding your weaknesses is also important and will keep you out of tough spots that other hedgehogs may not be able to avoid.

Foxes on the other hand will have fewer weaknesses, but they will also not have the same level of expertise in one area like a hedgehog. So, while you may be better at adjusting than a hedgehog, or look at situation with a more open mind, you also need to realize that a hedgehog could teach you a thing or two about their particular area of expertise.

Adjusting to Foxes and Hedgehogs

So what do we do when confronted with capable foxes and hedgehogs in a poker tournament? The key is to realize where the danger lies and be very aware that foxes can be unpredictable and hedgehogs do what they do at a very high level. For both adjustments (foxes and hedgehogs) I will use the same basic scenario, a blind steal.

When you teal the blinds of a fox there is no telling when they will attempt a re-steal, it will be more random and calculated, relying on surprise to achieve their ends. Conversely a hedgehog may be more predictable, perhaps letting you steal once, shooting you a glare the second time, which should basically tell you they are about to roll into their ball. Their way of dealing with a blind-stealer isn’t as calculated as a fox; it’s more a matter of doing what they do best.

 Read Part 1 HERE

Read Part 2 HERE