Prague

Five years ago, I was on a mission to get to EPT Prague for my 50th birthday in December. Poker, a big birthday, and snow in St. Wenceslas Square for Christmastime! What could be cooler?

Needless to say, after Phil Laak crushed my dreams at the Venetian, I didn’t make it, and now—with PokerStars rebranding their various tournament series around the world—this year will be the last EPT Prague. SO I’ve only got a couple of months to get things together.

Then again, if any devoted readers want to spring for a great birthday gift, just drop me a message @pokermutant on Twitter.

Ignition

A week and a half since the Ignition Casino deposit, and no problem with the check bouncing yet. I wrote up the first of the two Thousandaire Maker tournaments I cashed in the other day as Three Hundred Dollars an Hour.

I had one of those aggravating-even-when-positive results the other day in a $55 buyin, $50K guarantee turbo. There was an $8.6K overlay with 828 entries, with a little more than that  set for first. We were down to 19 players when this happened.

Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be, Particularly That Lender Part

Is it time to start naming name? Asking for a friend.

Beach Poker Club

The Beach Poker Club opened last week in west Eugene with a big party and a 7-day schedule of at least two tournaments a day (including PLO on Tuesdays at 6pm). According to a post on Tuesday morning, they’re planning a 5-day series 19—23 October, with the schedule to be announced.

House-Bound

Except for a home game, I haven’t had a chance to play live since mid-September. Didn’t make the $20K at Final Table because of work, but I’ve been playing online a lot. Got a concert to go to this Friday (no Final Table for me!) and something that’s going to keep me from playing the big game at Portland Meadows yet again. Is there still live poker in Portland?

Deal of the Week: HPT Championship at Thunder Valley

If you’ve got $3,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you’re in luck, because I have a way you can use it (assuming you’re not donating it to me EPT Prague fund).

The Heartland Poker Tour hits Sacramento’s Thunder Valley Casino this weekend, but the big event is next weekend: a $500K Guarantee, $2,500 buyin Championship event with three starting flights. It’s a three-day tournament, with a televised final table (played on Monday, 25 October).

Last year’s Thunder Valley Championship had just a $1,650 entry fee but still put up a prize pool of $672K, with more than $150K for first.

You can still find round-trip flights to Sacramento for less than 400 thjat get you there before noon when the tournament starts (though there aren’t many direct flights left). ALternatively, if you’ve got the time or a couple of people to travel with, the drive is about ten hours. Alternatively, if you don’t want to drive., you can catch an overnight Greyhound bus at 6:25pm in Portland and get to Sacramento at 6:45am ($107 each way) and take a nap.

Still need to get out to the casino and find somewhere to stay.

This Week in Portland Poker

Thought I was going to get to Final Table’s Wednesday $1K Bounty game but if you follow the blog, you know that it’s waaay past its usual post time, so that’s not happening. Rialto still has cash games every night, there are the afore-mentioned $10K games (Final Table 7pm on Friday and noon at Portland Meadows on Saturday). No big series announced to take the place of the fall EPS—and I haven’t heard a peep about the $200K guarantee Final Table planned before this summer’s unpleasantness—but maybe I’m just out of the loop.

Only a Day Away

• It’s ig Poker Oktober at LA’s Bicycle Casino through next week. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are starting days for the CardPlayer Poker Tour Main Event, a $400K guarantee with $1,100 buyin.
• The HPT kicks off its Thunder Valley Championship stop starting tomorrow with the $425 buyin, $250K guarantee Monolith. As mentioned above, the Main Event next weekend has a $500K guarantee.
• Kennewick, Washington hosts the Tri-Cities Poker Championship Friday through Sunday at Lucky Bridge Poker.
• Eugene’s Full House Heads Up Championship runs Saturday and Sunday.
• WPTDeepstacks San Diego opens at the Oceans 11 Casino on Saturday; they have a $200K guarantee Main Event with starting days next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
• The SoCal Poker Classic hits the Hustler Casino next Friday as part of the Liz Flynt Fall Classic. The Main Event is a $240 buyin $200K guarantee with eight starting flights beginning the day before Halloween.
• The next Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza starts Monday, 24 October and runs through Thanksgiving. It opens with a $150K guarantee $250 buyin and has a total of 56 events.
• The World Series of Poker Circuit holes up at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe on Thursday, 27 October. It’s one of the smaller-turnout venues for the WSOPC.
• By contrast, St. Louis is a big destination for the HPT, and its first event is the same day, a $100K guarantee with a $350 buyin.

Remember to keep an eye on the #PNWPokerCal Twitter hashtag and the PNW Poker Calendar for upcoming events!