Listen to Podcast of 2009 Event #2 Postgame Interviews

Listen to the Tournament Director interview MPT 2009 Beach Bash at Bally's winner Janek13 and runner-up Sass.

Be sure to check out all of the MPT podcasts at: http://mpt.podomatic.com/.

Pictures from MPT 2009 #2

Pictures from MPT 2009 Event #2, held in a crummy room (aren't they all?) in the Claridge Tower at Bally's Atlantic City.

Tense moments on the bubble, as players wait for a flop


Donuts were available during the tournament, which gave players the busted out early some consolation


A modest MPT bar also kept part of the field in good spirits


Janek13's aggressive betting frustrated TSS777 in the early stages of the tournament


The MPT Monkey made his debut during this event


TSS777 reacts to a positive development as he fights with Sass to stay alive during 3-handed play


How quickly fortunes can change in the late stages of a fast tournament, as the tables turn and Sass enjoys her position and TSS777's mood changes


Frustration again, for the former champ, who believes he is beat during this hand


The misery of the short stack late in the tournament, as TSS777 bemoans his lost chips and perhaps a lost opportunity to win the tournament


Folding just isn't much fun


The prize money and trophy appear on the mattress as heads up play begins


Lack on inputs on the second-rate Claridge Tower television forced players to look to a small laptop screen to follow blind levels


The final hand, as Janek13 and Sass vied for their first MPT victory


The Tournament Director congratulates Janek13 on his first Tour title


The MPT Monkey poses with the winning board

MPT 2009 #2 - Bally's AC (7/3/2009)

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Playing in only his third MPT event, Janek13 made his first cash in series history a memorable one. After winning a huge pot in the early stages he put his opponents to tough decisions throughout the tournament, playing and unpredictable mix of starting hands and keeping his more experienced opponents off guard. However, Janek13 never relinquished the chip lead until the late stages of the tournament, and then quickly put himself back into a lead the he would never give up again.

Sass, playing her first tournament after dropping the Mrs. Betdponies moniker, stepped out of her husband's shadow by earning her second consecutive cash of the 2009 season. She played patiently during the early stages of the tournament, then increased her aggressiveness in the late stages, while also recognizing when her opponents lessened their starting hand requirements to make some astute calls when the money was on the line.

The play of Sass and Janek13 helped frustrate multiple MPT champion TSS777, who put himself in position to win in the late stages, but was unable to close out the tournament. His third place finish marked his first MPT cash in which he did not win. Despite his disappointment with this finish, it did prove that TSS777 continues to be a force to be reckoned with in MPT events.

Finishing out of the money for the first time since the tournament during last year's Fourth of July weekend was MPT 2009 Event #1 champion Bigfus, who ended a MPT record streak of six consecutive cashes. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, MPT 2008 Event #1 champion RowanB extended his streak of out of the money finishes to six, breaking a tie with Harv29 and Betdponies for the most consecutive MPT events without a cash. The aforementioned Harv29 and Betdponies also continued their early season struggles, while Mrs. TSS777 became the ninth different player to finish last place in a MPT event.


The participants:

• Betdponies - trying to win a regular season event for the first time since March, 2007
  
• Bigfus - looking to follow up on her first series win and extend her streak of cashes
  
• Harv29 - hoping for a good result to put himself back in contention to defend his Player of the Year title
  
• Janek13 - returns to the MPT after a year absence; in search of his first MPT cash
  
• Mrs. TSS777 - making her MPT debut and hoping to beat her husband
  
• RowanB - looking to avoid the longest streak of futility in MPT history
  
• Sass (formerly Mrs. Betdponies) - trying for her third cash in her last four events
  
• TSS777 - looking to rebound after two out of the money finishes; hoping to tie Betdponies for the most wins in series history
  

The results:

• Janek13
  
• Sass
• TSS777
  
• Bigfus
• RowanB
• Betdponies
• Harv29
• Mrs. TSS777
  

Listen to Podcast of 2009 Event #1 Final Hand

Enjoy the latest feature of the MPT, as you can now listen to podcasts from key moments of our tournaments. Our first audio offering is the final hand from Bigfus' dominating performance at the Showboat in MPT 2009 Event #1.

Listen to this clip and be sure to check http://mpt.podomatic.com/ for updates after each tournament!

Pictures from MPT 2009 #1

Pictures from MPT 2009 Event #1, held in room 2068 of the Orleans Tower at Showboat Atlantic City.


Contenders in the middle stages of the tournament, as Betdponies looks on after his early elimination


Whispering Eye studies the "table" while Harv29, Big Jer, and Betdponies look at the camera


Once again, the MPT bar was well stocked


Bigfus watches Harv29 count chips during heads-up play, while Whispering Eye looks concerned as his short stack is on display


Bigfus waits to see if her hand will hold on the river


After the final river card, Bigfus tries to grasp what has happened


As the result sinks in, the new champion expresses her emotion


Bigfus can't wait for the trophy presentation to get her hands on the coveted prize that she finally earned for herself


The final, as 4s 2s takes the lead on the flop and holds on


The champion with her trophy and winning hand

MPT 2009 #1 - Showboat AC (6/13/2009)

Atlantic City, NJ - Season three of the Mattress Poker Tour kicked off with a bang, as the most consistent player in series history finally secured the coveted black chip trophy, while also taking home a black chip's worth of prize money. Bigfus won the first hand of the afternoon, eliminated defending MPT Main Event Champion, Betdponies, before the event was an hour old, and never looked back to win her first event in 15 series tries. Bigfus widened her lead as the series' all-time leading money winner and passed Harv29 as the all-time points leader in MPT history.

The normally passive Bigfus was involved in pots throughout the tournament and displayed a more aggressive style, raising with strong draws and opening up her starting hand requirements in the late stages when the blinds grew large. She proved she has learned from her series record five second-place finishes and will be a force to be reckoned with during the 2009 season. Bigfus also secured her astonishing sixth straight cash and eighth in the money finish in the past nine events, dating back to last season's first event, in April 2008.

The win by Bigfus overshadowed the solid play of Whispering Eye, who became the second straight player adorned in San Diego Chargers garb to finish runner up to a series regular, and the debut of Big Jer, who travelled with the Tournament Director from Virginia to be part of this event. Big Jer played patiently until busting with AJo against KQo from Mrs. Betdponies, as the blinds forced players to take chances with preflop all-ins. Mrs. Betdponies secured her second cash in the last three events.


The participants:

• Betdponies - Defending Main Event Champion, looking to rebound from mediocre regular season in 2008
  
• Bigfus - Arguably, the most successful player in MPT history, but still seeking her first win
  
• Big Jer - Joining the fray for the first time
  
• Harv29 - Looking to build on strong finish in 2008 and defend his series points title
  
• Mrs. Betdponies - Trying not to upset her husband with her play
  
• RowanB - Needing to get back into form after four consecutive finishes out of the money
  
• Whispering Eye - Seeking redemption after early exit in his first MPT outing
  

The results:

• Bigfus
• Whispering Eye
• Mrs. Betdponies
• Big Jer
• Harv29
• RowanB
• Betdponies
  

Event 1 Cash and Sealy Point totals

Here are the standings after Event 1:

$100 - Bigfus
$45 - Whispering Eye
$30 - Sass

16 - Bigfus
9 - Whispering Eye
7 - Sass
4 - Big Jer
4 - Harv29
2 - Rowanb
1 - Betdponies