Statistical Notes Following MPT 2021 Event #4

Observations following the return of the Las Vegas Spectacular, the fourth event of the 2021 season, held at the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday, July 31, 2021

• This was the first in-person MPT poker event since December 27, 2019
• This was the 12th MPT tournament held in July (though, the first since 2017), trailing only December as the month when the most MPT tournaments have been played
• The Golden Gate is the 11th different venue to host more than one in-person MPT event
• The Golden Gate is the third venue to host more than one Las Vegas Spectacular, joining The Mirage and South Point
• Three of the last four venues for MPT in-person events have been "Golden" (Golden Gate Las Vegas and Golden Nugget Atlantic City have hosted events)
• 
  
• In going 2,407 days between playing MPT tournament, Betdponies trails only Scurvydog, Syrorange3042, and Dorianmac for the longest time between MPT events played, while his 23 MPT events missed in between appearances trails the same three players and Dave for the longest gap in terms on number of tournaments missed in between appearances anyone's MPT career
• Bowchislin and DickHowser were the 68th and 69th different players to appear in at least one MPT event
• Amazon tied TSS777 for 5th place on the all-time appearance list, each having played 34 different MPT tournaments
• Viceroy is the 24th player in MPT history to play in five or more MPT tournaments
• Viceroy and Solotrombone are the 21st and 22nd people to play in more than one Las Vegas Spectacular
• 
  
• At three hours 33 minutes, this was the fourth longest Las Vegas Spectacular
• 
  
• Betdponies became the 10th different person to win a Las Vegas Spectacular
• In winning for the first time since 2010, Betdponies was just short of Syrorange3042's records for most MPT tournaments between wins (41 vs. 43) and days between victories (3,913 vs.4,012). He did tie Syrorange3042 is going 7 tournaments played in between wins, but both are far short of the 17 events in a row Harv29 played from 2008-2011 when he did not win a tournament
• With his sixth career MPT win, Betdponies moved out of a tie with Sass into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time wins list
• Betdponies tied TSS777 and Harv29 for wins in the second most different venues, with 6, trailing only Bigfus' 8 different winning venues
• 
  
• Harv29 finished in second place two tournaments in a row for only the second time in his MPT career, something he also accomplished last season in events on August 9th and 16th
• 
  
• Betdponies moved into 4th place on the all-time player rating list, while Harv29 moved ahead of RowanB to stay in the top 5 in the category
• 
  
• Betdponies earned the most points he has ever earned in a single event in his MPT career, while tying Sionow's August 16, 2020 win for the sixth most points all-time in a single event
• Harv29 took over the top spot in the season long points race, moving ahead of Sass, while RowanB and Viceroy also moved in the top four in points, ahead of a group of four more players separated by on a single point
• RowanB moved to within half a point of Bigfus in the race behind Harv29 for second place on the all-time points list
• Viceroy moved into a tie for 20th place on the all-time points list
• 
  
• Betdponies earned the biggest cash of his MPT career
• Harv29 leapt to the top of the money list for the season, while Betdponies moved into second spot with the biggest cash of the season
• Harv29 extended his lead in all-time Las Vegas Spectacular cashes, finishing in the money for the 8th time in 12 Spectaculars
• RowanB tied Bigfus for the most all-time MPT cashes, with his 30th finish in the money in his MPT career
• RowanB tied Sionow for the second most all-time Las Vegas Spectacular cashes, finishing in the money for the 5th of the 10 Spectaculars that he has played
• RowanB cashed in consecutive Las Vegas Spectaculars for the second time in his MPT career, joining Harv29 as the only players to do so more than once
• Viceroy became the 22nd player in MPT history to cash in more than one event
• 
  
• With 7 knockouts, Betdponies tied Trojanrabbit and Noahcat for the second highest number of players eliminated in a single MPT event, all trailing the 9 players TSS777 knocked out of the 2010 Las Vegas Spectacular
• Betdponies moved back ahead of TSS777 into fourth place on the all-time knockout list
• 
  
• Bowchislin became the 18th different player in MPT history to finish on the bubble, while joining Harv29 and Big Jer as the only players to bubble in their first career MPT event
• Solotrombone failed to cash in three straight events for the first time in his MPT career
• Amazon finished in last place for only the third time in her MPT career
• 
  
• A player who has no nickname in the MPT database won the MPT putting competition for the third time in his career
• RowanB became the second player to record more than one hole-in-one during a round in MPT putting, joining New Norman, who had three in 2016
• RowanB rebounded from a 10 early in the event and finished the back 9 in 23 strokes, tying New Norman for the second best single nine score in MPT history, one shot behind a 22 in 2013 from another player with no nickname in the MPT database
• Betdponies won the MPT Bowling championship for the second time in his MPT career, a title he last won in 2009, the first time the MPT Bowling event was held

Statistical Notes Following MPT 2019 Event #1

Observations following the MPT Las Vegas Spectacular, the first event of the 2019 season, held at the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV on March 31, 2019.

• The Golden Gate Hotel & Casino became the 19th different venue to host a MPT poker tournament
• The 11th MPT Las Vegas Spectacular tied three other MPT Las Vegas events for the fifth largest field in MPT history, with 12 players
• JTinLV moved into solo position of 10th place on the all-time MPT appearance list, after playing in his 11th MPT poker tournament
• Sionow became the 21st different player to win a MPT poker tournament
• Sionow's first place winnings while collecting two bounties left him just $5 short of tying for the fifth highest single tournament payout in MPT history
• Sionow won as much money in this event as he had in his previous eight MPT tournaments combined, while moving into the top ten on the all-time money list
• Sionow's 23 points equaled the sixth highest single event point total, tying Harv29's result in Las Vegas in August, 2011
• Philly Special became the 36th different player to cash in a MPT poker tournament
• Philly Special's 18 points in his MPT debut is the most points any player has earned in their first event since Mr. Lucky in 2011 and tied him for the fourth highest point total in any player's first MPT poker tournament
• With her third place finish, Amazon ended a streak of five straight events out of the money, dating back to December, 2015
• Sionow moved into a tie with JTinLV for 10th place on the all-time points list, both with 90 points for their MPT careers
• Harv29 finished on the bubble for the second consecutive Las Vegas Spectacular and third time overall in Las Vegas
• Grumpy became the 25th different player to finish in last place in a MPT poker tournament, joining Sass, "E", DJ Chuck Chillout, Dorianmac, Pixie, Hammah, Patsy, New Norman, Rover, and French Roulette, as the 11th different player to finish in last place in their first MPT event

Statistical Notes Following MPT 2014 Event #2

Observations following the second event of the 2014 season,  held at the Mirage Las Vegas on July 28, 2014.

• With twelve players, this tournament tied the 2011 Las Vegas Spectacular for the fifth largest field in MPT history
• The Mirage became the eighth different venue, and first in Las Vegas, to host more than one MPT event
• This marked the first tournament since last year's Las Vegas Spectacular to include a player new to the MPT. Regi B, Karen B, Craig, and Rover all made their MPT debuts.
• Skiteacher became the 34th different player to participate in more than one MPT event
• Skiteacher became the sixteenth different player to win at least one MPT event, and the sixth different winner in seven Las Vegas tournaments
• Skiteacher tied Harv29's performance during last year's Las Vegas Spectacular for the fourth biggest single event cash in MPT history, though Harv29's cash was part of a chop of the first and second place prize money
• Skiteacher earned the fourth highest single event point total in MPT history
• JTinLV bubbled for the first time in his seven MPT appearances
• For the first time in 44 MPT tournaments, no one in the top six in all-time earnings finished in the money
• Amazon was the only player in top thirteen places in all-time winnings to earn money in this tournament
• Sionow jumped into tenth place on the all-time points list, while also earning his third cash in six MPT events played
• Harv29 finished in his lowest numerical position, finishing in eighth place, worsting four previous seventh place finishes
• Rover became the ninth player to finish in last place in their first MPT event, joining Sass, "E", DJ Chuck Chillout, Dorianmac, Pixie, Hammah, Patsy, and New Norman

Statistical Notes Following MPT 2013 Event #2

Observations following the second event of the 2013 season,  held at the Mirage Las Vegas on July 29, 2013.

• The tournament marked the third largest field in MPT history, behind only the 2009 and 2010 Las Vegas Spectaculars
• The Mirage is the fifteenth different venue to host a Mattress Poker Tour event
• Skiteacher and I don't care became the 50th and 51st players to play in at least one MPT tournament
• NewNorman became the 33rd player in MPT history to play in at least two MPT tournaments
• Harv29 tied Amazon for fifth on the all-time win list
• Harv29 surged into the lead in the Player of the Year race, as he seeks to become the second two-time MPT Sealy Cup champion
• Harv29's winner's share and bounties mark the fourth biggest cash in MPT history, besting Harv29's 2011 MPT Las Vegas Spectacular winnings
• RowanB earned the highest second place cash in MPT history, with his biggest career cash
• RowanB moves into first place on the season money list, looking to lead that list for the second consecutive season
• Harv29 and RowanB became the third and fourth MPT all-time thousandaires, with Harv29 leapfrogging RowanB to move into third on the all-time money list
• Harv29 earned the third highest point total in a single event in MPT history
• TSS777 busted on the bubble for the first time in his MPT career
• Sass set a new record for most tournaments played without a cash, finishing out of the money for the tenth consecutive time
• Noahcat moved into the top five in career last places finishes, being the first player eliminated from a tournament for the third time

Statistical Notes Following MPT 2012 Event #2

Observations following the second event of the 2012 season,  held at the SouthPoint Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV on July, 28, 2012.

• At nine players, this was the smallest Las Vegas Spectacular, one short of the ten players who participated in the first event in 2008
• South Point became the fourteenth different venue to host a Mattress Poker Tour event and the first new venue since the Palazzo hosted last year's Las Vegas Spectacular
• Amazon became the fifth player in MPT history to record at least three career wins
• Bigfus saw her tournament win streak stopped at two. No MPT player has yet won more than two tournaments they have played in a row.
• Amazon broke the MPT's all-time longest streak for tournaments without a cash, which now stands at nine
• Harv29 failed to cash for the first time in the Las Vegas Spectacular, instead finishing on the bubble for the 10th time in his career
• Amazon took sole position of seventh place on the all-time list for number of cashes, with her third career in the money finish (all wins!)

Statistical Notes Following MPT 2010 Event #3

Observations following the third event of the 2010 season, held at the Las Vegas Hilton on August 1, 2010.

• The field of 15 players was the second largest in MPT history, trailing only last year's Las Vegas Spectacular
• TSS777 extended his lead in all-time wins, becoming the first player to top six tournaments
• TSS777 became the first player to win back-to-back tournaments twice in their MPT career
• Harv29 continued his streak of cashing in every Las Vegas Spectacular, with his second third place finish in the last two years
• Tennis_bum finished in 7th place for the second straight year in the Las Vegas Spectacular
• RowanB finished a career worst 11th place
• Baccarat King tied Betdponies for the most career last place finishes, being first out for the fifth time in his MPT career
• Noahcat was the second player eliminated from the Las Vegas Spectacular for the second straight year
• TSS777 set an all-time record for the most points in a single event, besting Trojanrabbit's mark of 30 in last year's Las Vegas Spectacular by a single point
• TSS777 also set an all-time record with nine kills in a single event, two more than
• Trojanrabbit's record seven in last year's Las Vegas Spectacular
• The nine kills by TSS777 in more than all-but the top six players in MPT history have recorded in their entire careers
• TSS777 jumps into the Sealy Cup lead with 47 points, while Bigfus and Sass remain in contention
• Harv29 leaps into the Player of the Year race with his third place finish
• Betdponies became the fifth player to participate in 20 MPT events
• The seven leaders in career appearances all played in this year's Las Vegas Spectacular
• JTinLV became the fourteenth player to participate in three or more MPT events
• Tennis_bum, Noahcat, Hammah, and Eileen became the 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th different players to participate in more than one MPT event
• 2timeace and mghenry became the 38th and 39th different players to play in at least one MPT event
• Hammah and 2timeace became the 22nd and 23rd different players to cash in at least one MPT event
• TSS777 takes over the season money lead, while Hammah rockets into third place
• TSS777 moves into first place on the all-time money list, passing Bigfus and Sass
• The all-time points race continues to be close, with the top four spots separated by only five points.
• Harv29 moves from fourth to first in all-time points, leading RowanB and Sass by just two points
• After nine events, Baccarat King now averages a (natural) ninth place finish
• 2timeace and Hammah became with 27th and 28th different players in MPT history to eliminate at least one opponent from a tournament
• TSS777 earned the second highest cash in a single event in MPT history
• Hammah became the 20th player with a triple-digit cash in a single event, earning $100 for her runner-up finish

Pictures from MPT 2010 #3

Pictures from MPT 2010 Event #3 at the Las Vegas Hilton, held in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, August 1, 2010.


Harv29 appeared in full Elvis regalia to celebrate the tournament in the last Las Vegas home of The King


Elvis29 poses for photos


The paparazzi looks on during Harv29's entrance


A rare wet bar during the MPT provided ample liquid refreshments for the competitors and fans


A wide selection of snacks was also on hand for the players


The large Las Vegas Hilton suite provided plenty of room for the competitors to enjoy the tournament


Another reminded that players had plenty of refreshments on hand


Jacques, the MPT Monkey sat guard over the trophy and prize money


TSS777 in the black hat in the foreground of the Mattress the he dominated, with (clockwise from TSS777) Bigfus, Sass, JTinLV, and mghenry still alive


Play at the table in the later stages, with Betdponies dealing, while hammah, tennis_bum, 2timeace, and Harv29 continue and Eilleen looks on


hammah gets ready to bet, while tennis_bum and Harv29 watch and Betdponies deals


Play at the Mattress, shortly before the final table


JTinLV took over dealing at the final table


A crowd gathered to watch the final table action, while Harv29 look to the bar for inspiration


(clockwise from left) 2timeace, TSS777, and hammah late in the tournament, while JTinLV deals; note the Kill Phil hats, as all the players pictured were regulars in that tournament series


Jacques bring the money and trophy to the table as heads up play begins


TSS777 and hammah share a laugh shortly before the final hand


Don't let the smiles fool you during heads up play, since both players wanted to win their first MPT Las Vegas Spectacular title


Player watch as the final river card is revealed


TSS777's pocket 6's made a straight on the river after both players were all-in preflop on the final hand


Elvis29 returned for more pictures after the event ended, seen here presenting the spoils of victory to TSS777


Amazon lives up to her name


Amazon poses for a more conventional photograph with Elvis and Jacques

MPT 2010 #3 - Las Vegas Hilton (8/1/2010)

LAS VEGAS, NV - It was a tale of two tables and TSS777 had the best of times. From the start of the third annual Mattress Poker Tour Las Vegas Spectacular it was clear that one table would be more lively than the other. When the winningest player in series history quickly built a big stack by eliminating his most unpredictable opponents he was well positioned to earn his second MPT title of the season and first Las Vegas victory. At the same time, hammah rebounded from a disappointing early exit in 2009 to take command of the more sedate "Feature Table" and came close to taking the MPT chip trophy back to California for third straight Las Vegas event. Ultimately, veterans of the Las Vegas Advisor Kill Phil tournament series swept the four paying positions, while perennial MPT money machine, Sass, fell just short of the money.

Feature Table

• hammah
  
• Tennis_bum
  
• 2timeace
  
• Harv29
• Betdponies
  
• Eileen
• RowanB
  

Satellite Mattress

• Bigfus
• Sass
• JTinLV
• Amazon
• mghenry
• noahcat
  
• Baccarat King
• TSS777
  

With loose aggressive players noahcat and Baccarat King acting before him and notoriously tight passive MPT veterans to his left, TSS777 sat well in the early going and even better when he chipped up against the tournament's biggest wild cards. With Baccarat King and noahcat's early exits at the hands of the early chipleader, TSS777 took command of the mattress. Back on the table, play was less exciting in the early going, with players exchanging small pots until Hammah took a big chunk of Betdponies stack right before the first break. Only five players had more chips than they started with when the action resumed, and only two players had chipped up significantly in the early rounds.

Chip Counts at First Break:

• TSS777 = 7,575
  
• hammah = 5,025
  
• Bigfus = 3,025
  
• Amazon = 2,775
  
• Eileen = 2,650
  
• RowanB = 2,425
  
• Tennis_bum = 2,375
  
• JTinLV = 2,375
  
• Harv29 = 2,175
  
• Sass = 2,125
  
• mghenry = 2,125
  
• 2timeace = 2,050
  
• Betdponies = 800
  
• noahcat = 0
  
• Baccarat King = 0
  

The table and mattress alternated eliminations as the blinds grew bigger, with Eileen being first eliminated from the table. RowanB also fell out shortly after the break, losing with A-K against Harv29's Q-Q a few hands after doubling the short-stacked Betdponies when his A-J lost out to the A-5 of the multiple Main Event winner. Shortly afterward, Betdponies and Bigfus joined fellow MPT regular RowanB on the rail and the final table was set.

Chip Counts as Final Table Began

• TSS777 = 12,975
  
• hammah = 7,500
  
• Harv29 = 4,900
• Sass = 3,550
• 2timeace = 3,325
• mghenry = 2,275
  
• Tennis_bum = 1,750
  
• Amazon = 1,200
  

Play was fast as desperate short-stacks tried to double up and were quickly dispatched to the sidlines by the bigger stacks. After 2timeace eliminated mghenry and Tennis_bum on the same hand, TSS777 did most of the damage, eliminating the last five players, doing so in just over half an hour. Harv29 hung on for his third straight cash in three MPT Las Vegas Spectaculars, the only player to achieve that feat, while 2timeace took on the chip leader and lost his promising chip position to fall to fourth, still earning his first MPT cash in his first MPT appearance. Hammah's solid play throughout the tournament kept her in position to win before falling short to the big stack of TSS777. Hammah went out fighting, trying to steal blinds during heads up play, but running into TSS777's pocket sixes. After flopping a ten for a glimmer of hope, the river brought a straight and back-to-back MPT titles for TSS777 for the second time in his career.


The results:

• TSS777
• hammah
• Harv29
• 2timeace
  
• Sass
• Amazon
• Tennis_bum
• mghenry
• Bigfus
• Betdponies
• RowanB
• JTinLV
• Eileen
  
• noahcat
• Baccarat King

Statistics Posted Following MPT 2009 Las Vegas Spectacular

Notable observations following the third event of the 2009 season.

• The 16 player field bested the previous largest MPT turnout, surpassing the previous record of 13 players, at the July 2008 Showboat House of Blues event
• 7 players made their MPT debut in this event, bringing the total number of different players in MPT events to 33
• Trojanrabbit became the 11th different MPT event winner
• Trojanrabbit's $185 cash was the biggest payout in MPT history
• Sionow, Stan, and Trojanrabbit became the 16th, 17th, and 18th players to cash in MPT history
• Trojanrabbit became the second consecutive California-based winner of the Las Vegas MPT event
• Harv29 is the only player to cash in both Las Vegas MPT events
• Hammah became the 10th different player (in 17 MPT events) to finish last
• RowanB extended his "cashless" streak to 7, dating back to his third place finish in last year's Las Vegas event
• Trojanrabbit took over the Sealy Cup point lead by earning a record 30 points in the Las Vegas event
• Sass took the points lead among series regulars, upping her season total to 29 points with her 6th place finish
• The large field and revised scoring system for 2009 meant that both first place finisher, Trojanrabbit, and second place finisher, Stan, surpassing the previous record for most points in a single event, previously held by Amazon during the July 2008 Showboat House of Blues event
• Harv29's third place finish, combined with the early exit of Bigfus, meant he moved back into the all-time MPT points lead
• Harv29 also tied Bigfus for best average finish among MPT regulars
• Harv29's $70 cash moved him into second place on the all-time MPT money list
• RowanB broke a streak of 4 consecutive tournaments without eliminating a player (he does hold the all-time record drought for "kills" at 6, a mark he shares with Sass and Harv29)
• The 7 players eliminated by Trojanrabbit set a new record for "kills" in a single event, surpassing the previous record of 6, set by Baccarat King and Amazon

Pictures from MPT 2009 #3

Pictures from MPT 2009 Event #3, held in the Rio Las Vegas Masquerade Tower Rooms 32020 and 32022.

Pre-game talk with Kill Phil Forum folks, Trojanrabbit, JTinLV, and Hammah
(Photo courtesy of Judykq)


NMChop talks shop with Noahcat, while Dorianmac listens in
(Photo courtesy of Judykq)


NMChop, Sass, Bigfus, Noahcat, and the back of Harv29's head as play begins at the feature mattress
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


On the feature mattress, Tennis_bum looks set to rake in a pot, while Betdponies and NMChop watch and Harv29 looks puzzled
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


Away from the feature mattress at the start of the tournament, where Janek13, Trojanrabbit, Hammah, Stan, and RowanB started off
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


Early action from Table 2, as Stan, RowanB, Sionow, and JTinLV look on
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


The more modest traveling MPT bar, after a few bottles of champagne and wine were consumed


Ever wonder what a Rio suite would look like with the furniture removed? This is what happens when you need the chairs, couch, and table in the adjoining room


The MPT Monkey guards JTinLV's chip case


Betdponies watches the board while he has Bigfus on the ropes
(Photo courtesy of Judykq)


...and Bigfus is apologetic when her AJ beats Betdponies' AK, while NMChop looks on
(Photo courtesy of Judykq)


The always smooth MPT Monkey tries his luck with the ladies
(Photo courtesy of Judykq)


The tournament pauses for some additional monkey business, as RowanB helps cover for the MPT Monkey's shenanigans


The "Final Four", Stan, Harv29, Sionow, and Trojanrabbit, right after the bubble burst late in the tournament


Harv29 deals late in the tournament, as Sionow and Trojanrabbit wait to see the flop


The hand that eliminated our Tournament Director, as Trojanrabbit "re-sucked" on the river when Harv flopped a pair after his short-stacked all-in


The trophies and prize money, dwarphed by Trojanrabbit's massive chip stack as heads-up play begins


Stan watches Harv29 deal a flop as he is blinded all-in against Trojanrabbit


The winning hand!


A rare look at the MPT Photographer in action, while the winner celebrates and JTinLV puts away his chips
(Photo courtesy of Judykq)

MPT 2009 #3 - Rio Las Vegas (8/2/2009)

LAS VEGAS, NV - A record setting field of sixteen players gathered for last weekend's Mattress Poker Tour Las Vegas Spectacular II and when all the cards were dealt, online poker star and Kill Everyone co-author Trojanrabbit emerged victorious. Trojanrabbit was one of seven players making their MPT debut during this event, as was second-place finisher Stan. Tournament Director, Harv29, became the only player to cash in both Las Vegas MPT events with a third place finish.

The tournament got off to a fast start for Trojanrabbit, when he caught veteran poker player and MPT rookie, hammah, attempting to resteal and his A-K held up to put him into the early chip lead. By the first break, all of the chip leaders were at the satellite table 2, while play was more steady at the feature mattress, particularly after Noahcat's aggressive play in the early stages did not pay off. Defending MPT champion, Janek13, also busted early in the tournament, helping Stan hold the chip lead with over 5,100 chips at the break. Trojanrabbit and dorianmac also had added substantially to their chip stacks, while Harv29 and Sass were dominated the early action on the mattress, before Sass moved to table 2.

As the tournament continued, the poker author showed a textbook example of how to bully players with a big stack. While he admittedly "ran good" and had strong enough hands to call a few times when re-raised, he kept pressure on his opponents throughout the tournament, steadily accumlating chips while carefully avoiding confrontations that could have put a big dent in his stack. Trojanrabbit took a commanding lead in the tournament, one that he would never relinquish, while playing 6-handed when MPT veteran RowanB moved all-in preflop against a short-stacked Sass in the big blind, only to be called by 'rabbit's pocket aces. The rockets held up and knocked both Sass and RowanB out, while bursting the bubble.

Sionow, returning for his second MPT after playing in last year's Las Vegas event, played a patiently aggressive tournament, catching his opponents attempting to steal blinds on a few occasions and lasting long enough to earn his first MPT cash. The MPT host and defending season champion, Harv29, earned his first cash of 2009 after chipping up early and hanging around to finish third. Stan, who built a big early chip stack and continued to accumulate chips when he moved to the more passive feature mattress, took some hits at the final table that put him far behind when heads up play began, but prooved he was no novice in his first MPT outing. Still, the night belonged to Stan's brother-in-law, who taught the MPT field how to play like a pro.


The participants:

• Betdponies - Three-time Main Event Champion, in search of his first regular season MPT cash since March, 2007
  
• Bigfus - The most successful player in series history, but coming off a rare out of the money finish following her breakthrough win in June
  
• Dorianmac - Returning for his second MPT and looking to improve on last year's early exit
  
• Hammah - World Series of Poker veteran and California cash game specialist, making her MPT debut
  
• Harv29 - Tournament Director and defending Sealy Cup champion, in search of his first cash of the 2009 season
  
• Janek13 - Winner of the last MPT event
  
• JTinLV - Las Vegas local and cash game specialist; also supplied the chips for this event
  
• Judykq - Video Poker star, making her MPT debut
  
• NMchop - Actually awake for this year's Las Vegas event, making him sure to improve on last year's finish (or non-start)
  
• Noahcat - A true wildcard in the field, moving on the MPT stage after practicing in local cash games and during her last trip to Las Vegas
  
• RowanB - A Sealy Cup leader at one point during last season, who has fallen into a record-setting slump for failing to cash
  
• Sass - One of the most consistent players in recent events, but feeling the pressure of most MPT starts without a win
  
• Sionow - Professional vacationer, taking time during his 55 days away from home to join the festivities
  
• Stan - A late addition to the tournament roster, accompanying Trojanrabbit to the event
  
• Tennis_bum - Long-time Las Vegas Advisor forum contributor and veteran poker player who is finally available to buy into a MPT event
  
• Trojanrabbit - Online poker pro and co-author of Kill Everyone: Advanced Strategies for No-Limit Hold 'Em Poker Tournaments and Sit-n-Go's, meeting some of the folks from the Kill Phill online forum that he contributes to
  

The results:

• Trojanrabbit
• Stan
• Harv29
  
• Sionow
• RowanB
• Sass
• Tennis_bum
• NMchop
• Dorianmac
• Judykq
• Bigfus
• Betdponies
• JTinLV
• Janek13
• noahcat
• hammah
  

Pictures from MPT 2008 #4

MPT Tournament Director Harv29 hosted the first annual Las Vegas Invitational in his room at Main Street Station in Downtown Las Vegas last weekend. Below are some images from that event.

Players get ready to take their seats just before the tournament begins

Play begins on our largest single mattress event to date
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


Players look on before a flop early in the tournament
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


JTinLV collects the first ever MPT "High Hand" bonus, with a Royal Flush on the river to oust former MPT Champion, Mtohio


A closer look at the high-hand winner
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


Two past champions "race" early in the tournament as Rowanb's pair of 10's falls behind Betdponies' A-K after the flop, but improves on the river to oust the 3-time series winner


Most of the large field survived the early blind levels before play opened up as the blinds rose
(Photo courtesy of Sionow)


Click on the picture to make sure you are seeing clearly, but these two hands ended up all-in preflop in the middle stages of the tournament and Scurvydog attempted a "steal" preflop and had the right price to call Mrs. Betdponies attempt to "re-steal"


Inspired by the setup as the House of Blues suite during the previous event, the MPT now has the capability of displaying the tournament information on the television in any hotel room


This tournament featured another bonus for the winner on top of the trophy and prize money, as the champion earned a complimentary "MPT Las Vegas Spectacular" glass


A close up look at the commemorative glasses from this event.
(photo courtesy of Sionow)


The final hand featured two strong hands for heads-up play with substantial blinds, though Scurvydog's ace did not factor into his winning hand when he made a straight on the river to leave Bigfus with her third second place finish this season


Our new champion, Scurvydog