No Bluff Poker

While the game of poker is normally considered to be played across the green felt with chips in hand, the game encompasses a whole world of deals, situations, complexities, and extremes that are never placed in view on the felt. I am deeply distressed over a situation that I feel did not need to happen and it goes against the integrity and trust that I placed in someone that I considered to be a friend and an employee at PokerNews.com and I need to air the events to help myself deal with what has just happened.

Just before the $1K re-buy event at the WSOP, I held a celebration at the Naked Fish and invited many of my friends, including Tiffany Michelle.

Tiffany brought Maria Ho and we had a lot of fun talking and relaxing away from the stress of the WSOP and the Rio. I told Tiffany that I really like what she had done at PokerNews over the last two years and I knew she could be a huge star. We talked about PokerNews putting her into the Ladies Event (that deal was already set) and I wanted to give her a one bullet shot at the $1K re-buy event. She was very happy. I didn’t mention anything about her having to sign any paper work and we just agreed on the money terms.

We later had a PokerNews party at Bellagio. I took Tiffany to the VIP box and introduced her to Jeff Lisandro, Billy The Croc, and Jason Grey. Tiffany sat down next to Jeff and they really hit it off. About an hour later Jeff told me he wanted me to put Tiff in the main event. The main event had already started day 1A and Tiff could not get in and she desperately wanted to play. I spent some time talking to Jeff and told him I really couldn’t afford to do that, we left it there. We kept talking and Jason got involved in the conversation. A little later, Jeff again said I should put Tiff in the main event and Jason backed him up. I told Jeff he should put some money up because even though Tiff is a good player, she is not someone I would normally stake in this event. I stake many players; Kirill Gerasimov because he is a great player and has made 8 WSOP final tables, Marcel Luske for the first time this WSOP since he is a great player and a great personality and ambassador for the game, those are a few but I know they are qualified to play in this tournament.

As I thought about the whole idea, I thought also about the value PokerNews would receive if Tiff were to make the final table. I really love the girl and she is a star to me, and a great entertainer but not qualified enough as a skilled poker player that I would stake in the main event and if I were to do that, her value would be 80/20 and I know that if she places, she is going to get a huge deal but before she’s proven herself, no one would want to touch her with that big of an investment on unproven ground.

As I thought about it all, I said to Jeff that if he put up $4K, I would put up $6K but I would have all the rights to Tiff in terms of endorsement. I know Jason and Tiff both heard me say this. Jeff immediately said yes, that he would do it. I was under a lot of pressure right then because I had run out of cash and even had to borrow money to stake her. I told Tiff that she would have to sign a contract and I wanted it understood that I wanted the rights from anything that might come of her playing and placing in this event; at the time, it was kind of like buying a lottery ticket. I was pretty excited and pumped because I had 35 players in the main event and very high hopes that some of them would do very well and win, of course I was interested in what it would all mean to PokerNews in terms of traffic and new exposure. PokerNews is my dream and a very big part of my life. If I succeed, so does PokerNews, and if PokerNews succeeds, so do I.

The final result was that PokerNews paved the way for Tiffany Michelle’s entrance into the main event. The deal was one third for me, one third for Jeff and one third for Tiff and she represents PokerNews.

The first part of the written contract starts like this:

“I, Tiffany Graham, agree that I am an official PokerNews sponsored player.”

Unfortunately, my people did not get a water tight contract but that is a matter of deliberation. She is considered to be an official representative of PokerNews, and in all matters of honor and integrity, how can she discard her responsibility to PokerNews and step into a contract with someone else as their official representative? It’s noted by others that Tiffany began by wearing PokerNews affiliated clothing and then stepped into Ultimate Bet attire, pretty much concealing her connection with PokerNews as the main event progressed.

When Tiff turned up with UB gear on day 5, it was a total shock to me and all of PokerNews management. You can compare all sides of this and decide for yourself but when I saw her, I was left speechless. I asked my people if she had signed the contract. For me contracts are 20/80 with 80% up to the person that signs up. Unfortunately we cannot enforce things easily via courts, especially with online poker since none of the online poker is based in the US nor does it appear to be a situation that will soon be remedied because the United States appears not to care about integrity and truth or protection for people that play online poker. Every player that has signed with any site could just say, “Go and jump, now I play for UB or Card Player or whoever I want so sue me!” It just isn’t going to happen whether it’s in the Bahamas or Costa Rica.

People, in principal, especially the people I’ve had dealings with in poker are honest and Tiff is the first one to break the online poker code - the poker code period, for that matter and drop the ball with me. Even if she did not sign anything, and we had just verbally agreed at the initial talk at the PokerNews party, where are her ethics in business deals?

I tried to call her and eventually got her on the phone. She told me that she couldn’t talk to me, that I would have to talk to her agent Katie. I am really pissed. I can’t sleep because I don’t understand why she would do this to me. Where was Katie when Tiff need $10K to play the main event? Where was anyone at all, including UB, when Tiff needed to find a way into the Ladies’ Event or the 1K re-buy event.

Before play on her last day, Tiff called me and I was so happy for her to have made it as far as she did. But I told her that no matter what, she couldn’t wear the UB clothing. I asked her to please think about what she was doing to us, meaning her relationship with me and PokerNews, and she said she would think about it.

I keep wondering how Katie, Tiff’s agent, would even consider doing this deal with Tiff and how Tiff would not think that her first responsibility for advice and planning should come from PokerNews. I had been working on putting a deal together for Tiff with PokerStars and they had just emailed me. I knew Tiff could become a huge star and I was going to allow her to do a deal that would protect PokerNews also for the main event. We had it all set with PokerStars and she was going to get millions out of it with at least $1M in buy-ins no matter where she finished in the main event. I know that with UB she did not even get a signed contract and I believe Tiff’s agent does not have any direct contacts with big sites and UB was her agent’s only choice. We asked Annie Duke to get Tiff to pull the gear and Annie agreed. And then Tiff came out with the UB logos all over her for the final devastating day of her main event. UB said that Tiff chose to wear it.

I am not a money hungry person and I don’t think about how much I can make but I can truthfully say that on the last few hands I wanted Tiff to bust. I wanted this to end. I felt sick. When she busted It was a huge relief and closure of the situation.

I have never sued anyone and I don’t like using my energy on negative things. The court would be the one that decided if she broke a contract with me but I don’t like using my energy on negative things. I believe that the time it would take for me to go after her and the hard feelings that would build because of it, that I would lose so much of my good energy that I am not going to prosecute her.

I have a message for Tiff: you are 24 and you have made a horrid mistake. You let me down. You can’t live your life like this. I am very hurt that you came out with UB and you could not call me to say, “Hey, here is a deal and this is what I want to do, what do you think?”

Tiff you’re off the hook with this, it’s over. I have said all I want to say about this.

***

PokerNews has released an official statement.

PocketFives.com discussion thread.

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Tony says the last couple of days have been a lot of fun…he’s been hanging with Mike Tyson, Shane Warne, Jeff Fenech. There’s been a lot of boxing and cricket. The scene goes to a ‘cricket hit out’.

Amanda Leatherman takes over the mic as she intros Shane Warne, from 888 Poker, and Tony G. from Sunset Park. Tony’s decked out in shorts and they go into game play against a local Vegas team that plays all the time. The team is very excited to have Shane in their midst as he’s an internationaly known Cricket superstar.

Tony goes into action pitching and Shane does a commentary on Tony’s form, Tony asks, “If I do well, could I get picked somewhere?”

Shane says yes but Amanda quickly changes the subject, “Do you think you’re going to kill these guys out here?”

Shane says it’s one of the most interesting surfaces he’s ever played on and the ball might do some strange things.

The action starts and one of the Las Vegas Cricket Club Members says it’s great because all of them pretty much grew up watching the Cricket greats.

Tony says they could get lucky and win.

Joe Hachem joins Tony as they watch Shane.

The scene flips to Tony showing his moves as a Cricket expert.

Back to Tony and Shane where Shane proclaims Tony to be the absolute star of the show. The final conclusion from Shane is that Tony G. could be a ringer next year. Tony says he’s ready.

Amanda makes a classic blooper and asks Shane which one he thought was better, Tony Hachem or Tony G. Let’s face it, once you see Tony G. in shorts and playing cricket, that’s all you think about is the Tony’s of the world.

The final conclusion is they all had fun. The ultimate goal…have fun.

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Today’s a T-6 video blog - and it’s funny - Tony has a great way of bringing out the humor of poker and the people that play the game.

Tony says he’s got a couple of legends with him today.

Tony introduces Jeff Lisandro and says Jeff grabbed him off the streets and Jeff taught him everything he knows, then he asks Jeff how the saying goes.

They both laugh as Jeff explains that he taught Tony everything Tony knows - not everything Jeff knows. *The laughter is a great part of this picture*

Tony turns to Croc and explains that Croc is a legend in Australia and has been cleaning everybody out for a long time.

Croc says it’s all pretty exciting because they had 12 T-6 Poker members play a Pot Limit Omaha event with 381 starters and after day 1 they lost more than 75 percent of the field and they still had 6 T-6 members.

Tony G., Croc, Jeff Lisandro, and Julian are still in (fellow Aussies), looking for the gold bracelet.

Tony goes on to say they all played the H.O.R.S.E - Tony says they were all obviously a little bit outclassed, just a different level of play…*Tony’s phone rings* Both Croc and Jeff disagree with Tony. Tony checks his phone again…there is laughter and joking around the phone call.

They talk about the $50K horse event and the conversation goes to the useage of “unlucky”…they are having fun with “outdrawn” and Jeff says he started with the best hand but didn’t finish.

Tony queries, “…isn’t it all about finishing, not starting?”

They have more fun as Jeff talks about guys that write books about starting hands but none of them write books about finishing hands.

They talk about high limit and Jeff says that it’s easy to be on top of the world while you’re winning.

Croc jumps into the mix and expounds about them both making a final table and he hasn’t made one yet.

They continue to banter about the tournament, starting hands, and coming in from behind and making the best hand. Tony says the Italians and Greeks are all coming in from behind - and Tony G.’s a straight shooter.

They end the blog with more banter and laughter.

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Tony is in the Duece to 7, it just started a few hours ago. Tony says he’s at a sick table. Lyle Berman, Texas Dolly (Doyle Brunson), E-Dog (Erick Lindgren) and Adams are there, it’s a lot of fun and a lot of stories are flying.

It’s a re-buy event and Tony came in with $5K and rebought straight away so he’s in for $10K. He played an all-in hand with E-Dog and Doyle where they all ended up all-in and Tony made a pat 9 and they both drew. Tony won the pot so he was up to about $60K - after that he dribbled off some chips and he’s down to about $35K but he’s happy because he hasn’t spent that much. They have one more hour of re-buys so that’s a three hour re-buy period. Phil Ivey is in for $100K already, he was moving in blind every hand. It took him awhile to get going.

Tony exclaims, “It’s exciting…it’s unbelievable!”

Tiffany asks Tony about the overall appearance of the field and refers to it as being the “funnest’ event that it looks like a bunch of guys that Tony plays with all the time and doesn’t even feel like a World Series of Poker event.

Tony agrees that more of these events would be fun; that a no limit holdem event with 4,000 players is too much of a grind, it’s boring and it’s more fun to come in and play the great players if you can afford it.

Tiffany and Tony share a humorous touch on affording the game.

Tony updates the Stud event. He made it down to around 35 players and he picked up Aces when another player picked up Kings and the Kings won. Tony lost a big pot and then he ’tilted up a bit.’ Tony missed the cash and blew up a little bit. “When you blow up you can also go well you know…”

Tiffany advises Tony to not blow up, not spend a bunch of money, “and just get out there and play your game.”

Tiffany Michelle from PokerNews.com live blogging with Tony G.

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Tony’s playing in the Deuce to 7 Draw - day two - and he made the dinner break, “It’s exciting!” There are 21 players left and unfortunately he’s got a small stack left but he says that’s been the pattern for him. He feels he’s been “playing well…playing long and having a lot of fun…”

Tony says he needs to get a good break and make the final table this time.

Tony came into the second day short stacked and built up a pretty good stack to about 200 or around 180 thousand so he had a good run right at the start. After that he says he’s been battling. He played with Doyle Brunson all day yesterday and survived and played with David Benyamine and Mike Matusow all day today. He says they’re having fun but he needs to just have a really nice run and enjoy himself, he thinks that’s the key and he’s looking for good results.

Tony says the field is fantastic. Doyle’s still in there and it’s all phenomenal.

Out of the 21 players left, 14 will cash.

Tony knows it’s been a tough field but that’s what he wants. He wants to play the tough players, he says he’s not here to play the donkeys, there are too many of them around.

Tony’s going to dinner, have some wine, and he’ll be back in the game.

*Melissa Castello from PokerNews.com live blogging with Tony G.*

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Tony’s in a suit, looking damn fine to start the day.

Tony G. and Mike Matusow right before the final table. They share a great moment of camaraderie.

Mike talks about looking at the field of 28 players left in the event and when he looked it over, he said there were 27 of the best players in the world.

There’s only one player that Mike didn’t know the name of, but Tony knew his name - an Italian player - so everyone at the table is a big name.

Tony and Mike talk about the fact that they knew the table wasn’t expected to be televised but the location of the final table was disappointing, there is no place for spectators to sit and watch. Mike dubs the table as the Black Box Junior of Hellmuth of last year’s corner because there were 8 bracelets, 12 WPT titles, and over $26M in tournament winnings at this final table.

Tony says it’s a big mistake but is interrupted by Mike…it’s hard to tell who will out talk who. The conversation continues into the TV side of poker, Harrah’s policies and fees charged and insurance coverage appears to be an issue with final table taping.

Tony says Nolan Dalla came up to him and told Tony that he had to put a show on because every final table had been boring. Tony realizes that bureaucracy and red tape cuts into the fun of the competition…Nolan has no choice.

Tony suggests that they not be negative and Mike cuts in to say that he will play his best. They talk back and forth about who will be playing with them - Mike does most of the talking. Mike says, “If I don’t win, I don’t know who to pull for…”

Tony interjects and tells Mike that it’s his blog to butt out…*laughter as they shoulder bump each other*

Tony has the microphone and camera back to himself as he expresses the fact that Harrahs has to wake up and realize that if they get some power players in there and they can make a show out of poker and get the crowd in there and get excited, they need to do it.

Melissa and Tony talk about the fact that if fans want to come in and watch, they should be able to. Tony says that players are looked upon as a commodity.

Tony goes on to say that “…this is life, we’ve got to enjoy it, we’ve got to play well…and hopefully, we’ll win.”

Tony invites Barry Greenstein to the blog. Barry talks for a moment about the players left in the event and Barry states that it will come down to one player having a good night in the end. He says he hopes, “I’m the one with the good night.”

Barry and Tony talk about the fact that there was no scheduled event to go up on stage and the ‘insurance’ for the crowd being insured. Barry says poker is a very dangerous sport…

Tony invites Erick Lindgren (E-Dog) to the blog and they visit.

Tony and Melissa talk about Tony’s game plan and Tony talks about pulling off a huge bluff and he’s really happy about that. And then it’s time to go, Tony’s in action.

Melissa Castello from PokerNews.com

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Two hours after the beginning of the final table of Deuce to 7 Rebuy, Tony’s back for an update with Melissa Castello.

Tony says he’s on his bike, even though he hasn’t got the clothes on for biking today.

Tony says he came in a bit conservative and didn’t push his stack. He said he had some really nice hands like 2-3-4-5…drawing to the nuts a few times and he went for the draws but always ended up with pairs. “That was depressing.”

Tony said he could have pushed earlier and it’s possible he could have gotten people to lay their hands down but, of course, it’s more risky and he’d look pretty silly if someone had a really good hand behind him. He tried to play careful and hit. He missed about eight draws. On the last hand he did push all in, he had around 140 and Erick…E-Dog…called. Tony had 8-2-3-5 against a 9-7 draw. Tony hit a deuce and paired again and Erick hit a 5.

Tony says it just wasn’t a good day and things didn’t go well…the big stage wasn’t there. Tony said on another day he could play more aggressive, do more pushing, but the cards just weren’t there. He could have hit a couple of times and things would have been different.

Tony plans on taking a 24 hour break. His next tournament will be the PLO. For now, he’s off looking for his bike to ride back to Bellagio…he says it’s a big bike.

Melissa Castello reporting from PokerNews.com

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Tony just won his first match. He played Sebastian Rotenberg from Germany and his opponent decided to play a lot of big pots with Tony early on. The match lasted about 20 minutes and Tony said he kind of steam rolled Sebastian but it’s nice to have a soft, easy win the first time.

Tony will be back about 5 p.m. to play another match, while he was playing Sebastian, another competition is going at the same table - four players playing heads-up - and Tony will take on the winner of the other match. Tony says he doesn’t watch the other match to see how the players play because poker is a hobby for Tony and he wouldn’t take it that seriously - he wants to have fun and enjoy himself and that’s how everybody should take it.

Tony said he took most of yesterday off except at 7 p.m. he kind of sneaked in and bought into the PLH/PLO because you can buy in right at the end now. He said he doubled up quickly and he had a big pot - tens against A-K - last night and unfortunately the Ace popped out and he was on his bike. He said it was an early night, at 10:30 he was back in his room getting to bed at midnight.

Tony has been getting to the gym, feeling healthy and just enjoying himself. He says it’s really good that you can take two hours off now to play the afternoon events [buying in late].

Tony hasn’t played any of the NLH events yet. He says it’s grueling when you are looking at getting through thousands of players and that’s just not what he wants to do. He would rather play the best players and the tougher games.

Tony has had one final table so far and he’s sure he will get another one, he’s hoping it’s the HORSE. He’s not even certain for the main event…he feels it’s just too long.

He’s off to play at 5 p.m.

Melissa Castello from PokerNews.com

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Tony welcomes us to his blog by introducing Kirill Gerasimov - a Russian player - and Tony tells us that Kirill is his best friend. Tony says that Kirill had a bit of an accident in Russia, that Tony sent him on his bike.

Tony has Kirill show both of his arms and he’s wearing a type of splint that covers his arms and wrists, allowing a cut out for his hands.

Kirill says, “Bad beats.”

Tony responds, “Bad beats from Tony G. and bike times.”

Tony goes on to explain that when you do ‘get busted’ you have to be very careful and drive very slowly.

Tony asks Kirill how things have been. Kirill hopes it’s a big World Series for him and Tony follows up with, “You’ve just arrived, despite the big injury, you want to win.”

Kirill agrees…he definitely wants to win.

Tony tells Kirill that Kirill is the best Omaha player in the whole world and tells Kirill it is good to have him there…the meaning is good to have him here as a friend and on the blog.

Tony says that he has been running a little cold the last couple of days but today is a big day for him and he has to do really well and he’s got to send a few Russians back…*they both laugh*

Tony says there are a lot of foreigners today and he’s after the French as well, some of the Germans…and obviously all of the Americans, he wants to eat all of those as well. *Kirill breaks out in laughter*

Tony says he wants to play some big pots and raise - reraise. And Tony adds, “Feel the power…”

They speak for a moment longer about the game of Omaha and it’s time to go.

Check back for more Tony G. video blog

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Tony welcomes you to his blog, introducing a couple of others that he grabbed off the streets. Apparently they are dealers at the Crown Casino. They deal mostly poker at the Crown and Tony asks them if they just quit their job and come to the World Series.

Yes, they are in Vegas for a couple of months.

Tony turns the conversation to Macau and asks if they will be heading there. The first response is no and the other response is that the word is the action is pretty soft in Macau.

Tony asks Michael Gazzardi if he’s the big sicko on T6 Poker. The response is, “Yeah…I’ve been playing on T6 Poker since it started…”

They talk about cashing out from T6 Poker - in the neighborhood of 30 to 40K - and the fact that he picked up $60K for the WSOP buy-ins. Michael “…can’t wait to ******* play one of these events and drill them!” Tony tells him ‘no swear words’ but Tony and the guys are laughing and enjoying the gusto of winning playing poker.

Tony says it’s not easy to play them [the events] because of liquidity problems and how that has all been resolved and everything’s looking good now. Everything is all sorted out now and T6 Poker has come through.

They laugh about how sick you have to be to win the rack(?) race. There is more joking and fun about the race, no sleep, and how one player started off in front but Michael caught him and passed him. Tony says the guy must have been so depressed, he wasn’t even coming. But Michael says he is coming and they’ve actually become friends.

The missing guy is Sheba and they call to him to come, Tony tells Sheba there’s 40 grand ticking away.

Tony turns to James Burgoine, he got 20K, and Tony teases James about not having much ability because he busted early today. Tony tells him “…we need all the donkeys in there…”

They continue to joke about the guy that got 40 and didn’t show up. Then Tony says, “Alright, bike time,” and James leaves as Tony turns the conversation to Michael and the fun continues with Sicilian heritage and the “Jeff Lisandro pedigree.”

They talk about the limit holdem tournament and they are still laughing about the donkeys they know out there. Tony sends Michael out to his bike.

Tony continues the blog with his own tournament progress, he busted up in the PLO, it’s very depressing, he played a very long time and got Aces back to back and lost both very big pots. “I was biking…I can’t afford a bike so I have to walk back to the Bellagio…”

Today Tony’s playing a new event and he’s missing the first two hours - he’s playing $2,500 buy-in six-handed event. He says he’s going to have fun and push his stack, he may be out pretty quickly but if not, he’ll get a big stack and get fat and bully everyone.

“Take care, play well, and enjoy poker! Bye.”

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