Moneymaker makes good on
his name
29 September 2003
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
I have seen and heard about people getting into
online poker tournaments by entering with a
buy-in of $40.00, and winning some big-time
money. My question is how, or where, do they go
to get in? M.J.
A few months back, I penned a column stating
that an amateur could not possibly compete
against the best poker players in the world.
Poker sovereignty requires massive deception,
lying, stealing, and a whole host of other
necessary plunger virtues, which in combination
can drive other (amateur) players off the pot. I
now shudder to recall that I wrote something
like: Against the teeth of the pros, your hide
is still a red meat moment.
Well, MJ, I have to soften my position. No,
check that. I humbly chow and choke on my words
above. Not only can it be done; it HAS been
done, by a rookie of just three years playing
experience, a man named, aptly if incredibly,
CHRIS MONEYMAKER.
The poker world was forever changed on May 24th,
2003, when Chris Moneymaker, who had never
played in a "live" tournament, won the main
event in the 34th annual World Series of Poker
Championship at Binions casino in Las Vegas. And
yet, this Cinderella story is not exclusive to
Binions on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.
Online players playing on the World Poker Tour
(Travel Channel) are not only making the final
table, but also winning some WPT events.
Moneymakeršs win launches a new era in poker,
where not only can you become a skilled poker
chiefly by playing online; you can become the
World Poker Champion. I'm still eatin' here, a
little nibble of delicious roast crow.
Today, humans weaned on a computer, playing in
$40 online buy-in tournaments, are eclipsing the
seasoned expertise borne by playing countless
hands in a smoke-filled casino.
The final World Championship Event Texas Holdem
(No Limit) has a buy-in of $10,000, but of 839
players, only 63 paid the full $10,000. The
others qualified by winning satellite
tournaments at Binions or online poker
tournaments. Chris Moneymaker qualified at a
tournament held at pokerstars.com, for which he
paid an entrance fee of only $40. Besides
pokerstars.com, other online poker sites are
paradisepoker.com, partypoker.com and
ultimatebet.com.
But a caveat, MJ, when it comes to playing poker
online: Nevada gaming regulators, getting their
cue from the federal government, have issued the
bureaucratic mumble that Internet poker sites
are illegally allowing American citizens to
play. Nevada law now expressly prohibits players
betting on the Internet. As you might expect,
regulators and the law enforcement jockies have
not prosecuted individual players, yet.
Being modestly alert to real world happenings, I
do not and can not condone even a mild fracture
of pertinent statutes, but do understand that
the adventurous among us may calculate a
risk/reward ratio that reflects the Moneymaker
formula of $40 to make 2.7 million through an
online route, despite the possible decline in
cordiality between them and the feds.
Dear Mark,
Concerning Texas Holdšem, what does the term
"nut" mean? Mayo L.
Mayo, old pal, youšve hit a 3-bagger. The "nuts"
is an unbeatable hand, given the cards that have
been dealt and played. Then there is the "nut
player," one who plays only premium hands. And
finally, therešs the "nut", the minimum stake
(money or overhead) needed to continue playing
this nutty lifestyle.
Gambling quote of the week: "I got lucky along
the way. I also bluffed a lot during this
tournament, but somehow I got away with it."
Chris Moneymaker, 2003 WSOP Winner
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