Satellite to Expand Tournament of Champions Field

In order to provide opportunities for players who have failed to qualify for this year's Tournament of Champions to play in the Main Event, while maintaining the integrity of that event, The Mattress Poker Tour is pleased to announce a satellite into this year's final event. The qualifying tournament will allow any individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for this year's Tournament of Champions one final chance to qualify for that event.

The Main Event field will be capped at 9 or 10 players (at the discretion of the Tournament Director). All non-qualifiers who are present on Sunday, December 28, 2008 will be eligible to compete for any spots not filled by qualifying players. The buy-in for the qualifying tournament will be determined by the number of available Main Event spots and the number of participating players. The blind structure will be a "turbo" version of the standard MPT structure. The start time of the qualifying tournament will be announced closer to the date of the event.

Any individuals planning to play in this qualifying event should contact the Tournament Director as soon as possible. The deadline for registration in the Main Event is Monday, December 8, 2008.

Pictures from MPT 2008 #7

Pictures from the recent MPT Clash at Caesars, held in the recently renovated Caesars Atlantic City Temple Tower on Saturday, November 22, 2008.


Bigfus and Mrs. Betdponies in early action, while half of the MPT crowd prepares for a nap


A look at the world famous MPT buffet and bar


A flat panel television in the hotel room made keeping track of tournament status easy


The final hand for Bigfus, as her short-stacked preflop all-in move ran into a big hand from the chip leader


TSS777 took over as dealer after busting in 6th place


The trophy and prize money appear on the mattress during heads-up play


Mrs. Betdponies makes a bet, while her mother enjoys the late tournament action


Mrs. Betdponies stayed alive during heads-up play when the chip leader called her preflop all-in with K-8o


Mrs. Betdponies looks on as the final flop reveals Harv29's 2 pair


A closer look at the final hand reveals a strong hand for Mrs. Betdponies before the flop, but with few outs after the flop


The Tournament Director is finally on the receiving end of a trophy presentation!


The champion with his spoils

MPT 2008 #7 - Clash at Caesars (11/22/2008)

Below is a detailed hand history of the recent MPT Clash at Caesars, hosted by Tournament Director, Harv29. Hand history is also courtesy of Harv29.

The participants:

• Baccarat King - Trying to earn a spot in his second straight Tournament of Champions
• Betdponies - Still looking for his first cash of the season
• Bigfus - The MPT cash machine, still seeking her first win
• Ging - Looking to improve on her finish on the bubble of the last event
• Harv29 - Trying to rebound from his first career last place finish
• Mrs. Betdponies - Looking for bragging rights, playing against her husband and mother
• RowanB - Hanging on to a slim lead in Player of the Year race, despite recent mediocre finishes
• TSS777 - Playing in consecutive MPT events for the first time this season and looking to defend his title from the previous event
• Whispering Eye - Making his MPT debut

The Results:

• Harv29
• Mrs. Betdponies (aka Sass)
• Bigfus
• Ging
• RowanB
• TSS777
• Betdponies
• Whispering Eye
• Baccarat King

The Hand History - Key Hands
Round 6
Flop: 9h5cQh

Wandering Eye check, TSS777 check, baccarat king $250, bigfus fold, sass fold, ging call, Wandering Eye fold, TSS777 fold.

Turn: 2h

Baccarat king $500, Ging raises to $1,000, Baccarat King calls

River: 6d

Baccarat king $575, Ging raises all-in, baccarat king calls

Ging shows flush, king high, baccarat king has pair of queens.

Baccarat king eliminated


Chip count estimates at break

• Ging = 6,575
• TSS77 = 3,825
• Mrs. Betdponies = 2,800
• Bigfus = 2,675
• RowanB = 2,450
• Harv29 = 1,625
• Betdponies = 1,425
• Wandering Eye = 625
• NOTE: total is short $500

Round 7
Ging calls, Wandering Eye all-in $625, TSS777 calls, Ging calls

Flop: Qc, 10c, Jh

Check, check

Turn: Jc

Check, check

River: 7c

Check, check

Ging shows 2c for flush, others muck.

Wandering Eye eliminated

Round 9
Betdponies goes all-in for 1,350, called by Ging

Betdponies has 9d8d, Ging Ah5c

Flop: Jh, 10d, Kd

Turn: 8?

River: 6h

Betdponies doubles up


Flop: Qs, 9d, 10d

Betdponies $3,275 all-in, Ging calls, TSS777 folds (A,10)

Betdponies has 9s10h, Ging AdJd

Turn: 7s

River: 8?

Ging wins with J high straight, Betdponies eliminated


Harv29 all-in for $1,075, Mrs. Betdponies calls

Harv29 shows AA, Mrs. Betdponies has Ax10x

Flop: Js6sKx

Turn: Xs (Mrs. Betdponies has spade draw and straight draw)

River: 4h

Harv29 wins and doubles up.



(Next hand)

Harv29 all-in for $2,850, Ging calls

Harv29 has 10c10h, Ging has Ah3h

Flop: Qh2s3c

Turn: 7d

River: Qx

Harv29 wins and doubles up.

Round 11
Ging calls, Harv29 all-in, TSS777 calls, RowanB folds, Ging folds.

Harv29 shows KK, TSS777 shows 99

Flop: Jh5dQc

Turn: Ac

River: Xx

TSS777 is eliminated

Round 12
Rowanb goes all-in for $1,675, Ging calls, Harv29 calls

Flop: 7h10h8c

Ging checks, Harv29 goes all-in, Ging calls

Turn: Xh

River: Xx

Harv29 made a flush on the turn to eliminate RowanB and Ging


Bigfus goes all-in for 1,000 more, Mrs. Betdponies calls

Bigfus Qh2h, Mrs. Betdponies Kh8h

Flop: Ac3d8c

Turn: Qc

River: 6c

Bigfus doubles up.



Harv29 goes all-in, Bigfus calls

Harv29 has 6x6x, Bigfus has AhXx

Flop: As7c10h

Turn: Qh

River: Ac

Bigfus doubles up

Round 13

Bigfus goes all-in with 9s7s and is called by Harv29 with AhQs

Flop: 2dJc4h

Turn: 8d

River: 3s

Bigfus is eliminated

Round 14
Mrs. Betdponies goes all-in for $3,500 (on top of the pot of $2,400).

Harv29 calls.

Mrs. Betdponies had Ad5s, Harv29 had Ks8h

Flop: AsQh7d

Turn: 6h

River: 3d

Mrs. Betdponies doubles up


(Next hand)

Harv29 goes all-in, Mrs. Betdponies calls

Harv29 has Qd5d, Mrs. Betdponies has 10s10h

Flop: 8hQh5s

Turn: 6d

River: 7h

Mrs. Betdponies eliminated.

Harv29 Wins Clash at Caesars

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - The host finally brought home a trophy from the MPT. Harv29 bested a field of nine players, including eight MPT veterans, to become the eighth different player to win a MPT tournament title. With the win and several "kills", Harv29 moves into the "Sealy Cup" point lead for the season and moves atop the career points list. Harv29's also earned his third cash in his last four events and fourth finish in the money this season.

Mrs. Betdponies tied her top career finish with a second place showing, once again finishing the season strong as she prepares for the Tournament of Champions, while Bigfus continues her cavalcade of cashes, with a third place finish. Bigfus has now finished in the money in every MPT tournament held in the state of New Jersey this year, with her record setting sixth cash in this event.

Former series points leader RowanB finished with a disappointing fifth place result, failing to earn money for the third straight event, leaving himself in need of a strong Tournament of Champions to have any hope of earning his first Player of the Year trophy.

Showboat 2007 Champion, Baccarat King, missed the beginning of the tournament and never recovered, earning his second last place finish of the season. This was the one blemish on an otherwise absurdly successful gambling weekend for the MPT's most upscale host. I suspect we'll hear more about this on his blog.

A third member of the Betdponies clan, Ging, seems to be taking over Harv29's former role, as she finished on the bubble for the second consecutive event, but her early eliminations of other players helped her earn enough Player of the Year points to qualify for this year's Tournament of Champions in December.

Stay tuned for the hand by hand account of the tournament later in the week.

Pictures from MPT 2008 #6

Images from the October 25 MPT "Bounty Bowl" in the Bally's Atlantic City Claridge Tower.

Most of the field looks on, while the crowd seems less than enthusiastic with the early play.


Bigfus attempts the RowanB "hide under the bed" technique, while TSS777 tries to figure out how to "read" her; also notice the crowd of interested spectators has grown


Ging and Harv29 await a flop


The final hand, as bigfus was all-in preflop and TSS777 made the call and drew a straight on the river to end the tournament


Harv29 presents TSS777 with his third MPT Championship trophy

MPT 2008 #6 - Bally's Bounty Bowl (10/25/2008)

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - TSS777 returned to the Mattress Poker Tour in style, earning his third career victory in only his 5th event on the circuit. The defending Player of the Year competed in only his second event of the season and secured a spot in the season-ending Tournament of Champions. He will be joined in that event by the hottest player on Tour, Bigfus, who cashed in yet another event with her fourth second place finish and fifth cash of the year.

The participants:

• Bigfus - Trying to become this year's 5th first time MPT winner
  
• Ging - Returns for her second straight event
  
• Harv29 - Looking to move up in Player of the Year standings, while seeking first career win
• Mrs. Betdponies - Trying to stay awake for the duration of the event after a rough previous night
  
• RowanB - Looking to defend lead in Player of the Year race
• TSS777 - returning to the MPT after missing the last 3 events
  

The Results:

• TSS777
• Bigfus
• Ging
• RowanB
• Mrs. Betdponies
• Harv29

October Statistics Update

Revised MPT season and career statistics have been posted following the October, 2008 MPT event. Some noteworthy items appear below.

• TSS777 ties Betdponies for first place on the career victory list
• TSS777 becomes the second player to break $300 in all-time earnings, while Bigfus remains the all-time money leader
• Ging becomes the 14th player on the MPT career earnings list, collecting two bounties
• RowanB holds onto the Sealy Cup point lead, while Bigfus inches closer to the season title and Harv29 slips into third place
• Amazon remains atop the season money list, but Bigfus moves within $15 of the top spot
• Bigfus widens her lead in career cashes, with another finish in the money
• RowanB moves back to the top spot on the career points list, while previous lead Harv29 drops two points behind, into third place; Bigfus moves into second place, a point off the lead
• TSS777 moves into a tie for second place on the all-time "kills" list
• TSS777 improves his average finish to widen his lead in that category, while also extending his lead in average points per event
• Harv29 becomes the 8th player in MPT history to finish last place in a tournament