Noble Poker

27 Players Left - Final Update

2005-07-14T01:04:00.000-04:00

10pm local time. 27 players are left in the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event - the biggest poker tournament ever. The play will resume tomorrow at Binion's Horseshoe, with the final table scheduled for Friday.

The top five chipleaders, according to an unoffical count by CardPlayer:

Mike Matusow $5,104,000
Phil Ivey $4,600,000
Steve Dannenmann $4,150,000
Tex Barch $3,900,000
Greg Raymer $3,500,000

This is also the final LIVE update on Noble Poker's WSOP blog. This year, Noble Poker sponsored five players in the WSOP. Next year we hope to increase the size of our contingent. You could be one of Noble Poker's players at the 2006 WSOP. Stay tuned for tournament details on Noble Poker.

Thank you for being part of Noble Poker's 2005 World Series of Poker experience.

2005-07-13T21:43:00.000-04:00

A tough lineup at the ESPN featured table. Tim Phan sits next to the 2004 WSOP champion Greg Raymer. The chip lead at the table is actually held by amateur player Tiffany Williamson (right), the only woman left in the competition.

2005-07-13T21:42:00.000-04:00

Phil Ivey is one of the chip leaders as the field drops to 37 remaining players.

Last 39 Players

2005-07-13T21:35:00.000-04:00

5pm local time. Only 39 players are left in the competition. A record-breaking 5,616 players started play in the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event, and only 39 players are left.

The pots are huge, and chip counts are changing rapidly. Play will continue today until there are only 27 players left. At that stage, the tournament will break and continue tomorrow at Binion's Horseshoe. The final table will take place on Friday.

According to unofficial chip counts, Mike Matusow is leading the pack with $4 million in chips. A most interesting contest is taking place at the ESPN featured table, where Tim Phan is sitting next to 2004 WSOP champion Greg Raymer. But according to PokerPages, the chip lead at the featured table is actually held by amateur player Tiffany Williamson, the only woman left in the competition.

6pm local time. The level ends and the 37 remaining players go out on a 30 minute break. During the interval, the $1,000 chips will be removed from play.

2005-07-13T18:50:00.000-04:00

Montana native Douglas Evenhus, 22, won Noble Poker's Maui Jackpot Prize of $18,500. Next year Douglas hopes to play in the World Series of Poker.

Montana student wins Noble Poker's $18,500 Maui Prize

2005-07-13T18:36:00.000-04:00

Joining the Noble Poker team at the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas, Nevada, is Douglas Evenhus, a 22-year-old native of Montana. Douglas is the first player at Noble Poker to receive a $18,500 prize, after winning five straight 10-player Maui Jackpot Sit 'N Go tournaments.

"It's still my dream to play in the World Series of Poker," Douglas says, looking at the players in the biggest poker tournament ever held. "Maybe next year."

Noble Poker is proud to have introduced an industry first - Jackpot Sit ‘n’ Go Tournaments. In addition to the regular prizes that can be won at any Sit ‘n’ Go, players can also win an incredible Jackpot Prize by winning 5 consecutive tournaments. In Noble Poker's $5 Maui Tournament, winning 5 consecutive tournaments gives the winner a Jackpot Prize of $15,000.

When no player won the Jackpot Prize after six weeks, Noble Poker began to increase the prize progressively. When Douglas succeeded where all others had previously failed, and won five Maui tournaments in a row, he received a prize of $18,500.

"In the back of your mind you always think 'what if...'" Douglas says, remembering how he felt when he began to play the Maui tournaments. Douglas won tournaments on a Friday night, and then decided to call it a night. He got up Saturday morning, won two more tournaments, and then he took a break and ate lunch. He even tried to calm himself down by going shopping. Yet, in the back of his mind, he knew that it was possible to win.

"The nerves began to set in," Douglas says. "I kept telling myself, 'Play smart, play smart!'"

When Douglas succeeded in winning the fifth straight Maui tournament, he was so excited that he nearly broke his computer.

Douglas, who recenting graduated from Rocky Mountain College with degrees in Science and Business, has been playing poker since he was about eight years old. "We used to play poker at family get-togethers. We played for nickels and dimes."

Incredibly, Douglas has only been playing online poker for six weeks. Previously able to read players' tells by their physical reactions to cards, Douglas is now teaching himself to see the tells apparent when players bet in online games.

"The Maui prize was nice, but next year I hope to play in the WSOP. That's my dream and my goal," he says.

2005-07-13T12:08:00.000-04:00

A player gets a massage during one of the early days of the 2005 WSOP Main Event.

In What Other Sport Can You Get A Massage While You Play?

2005-07-13T11:58:00.000-04:00

There has been an ongoing argument among journalists covering the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event whether poker is actually a "sport." Some of the newspapers are posting their poker coverage in the sports section, while others place the stories in their lifestyle section. One newspaper actually places its coverage in the money section, as in the bottom line, that is what the WSOP is all about - money.

ESPN cameramen are everywhere, filming every "all-in" call and highlighting players at a rotating "featured table". If ESPN considers poker a sport, isn't poker a sport?

In what other sporting event can competitors eat, drink, and even get a massage while they play?

To ease their muscles while their brains concentrate on the cards, poker players at the WSOP can hire the services of "official chair massage" personnel. For $15 (payable in cash, not chips), players can get a 15-minute massage while they're playing, and not even miss a single hand.

Jamie Arensen is an official chair massage person at this event. She says her massages bring luck to the players.

"Almost everyone I was massaging was winning at the time," she says proudly.

Some players ask for specific masseuses, believing they will bring them luck. Understandably, all the masseuses are women, and some of them are in popular demand, and known to give deep, powerful massages.

"I gave one player an hour-long massage yesterday, and he nearly fell asleep," Jamie says. "The other players at his table got quite annoyed."

Jamie says she has given massages to some of the female players as well. After the WSOP is over, she will find work giving massages at some of the poker rooms and tournaments at Las Vegas hotels.

Tim Phan Leads the Pack

2005-07-13T11:48:00.000-04:00

At the end of Day Four of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event - the biggest poker tournament ever held - Tim Phan of California is the undisputed chip leader. Tim has $3.24 million in chips, ahead of Mike Matusow in second place, who has $2.56 million.

58 players remain in the competition, and the average chip stack is $968,793.

Phil Ivey is in 5th place with $2.027,000. Defending champion Greg Raymer, who led the field for a good part of yesterday before losing some huge pots, is in 31st place with $766,000.

Not far behind Raymer is Adam Friedman from Ohio with $719,000. Adam's parents are cheering him on from the sidelines. "Even if he wins a lot of money, he promised us he will finish university," Adam's mother says.

One of the most surprising players is the only woman left in the tournament. Tiffany Williamson is in 7th place with $1.99 million. Born and raised in South Carolina, Tiffany is an amateur player who won her seat at an online poker site for $72. According to PokerPages blogger Mike Paulle, Tiffany passed the New York bar and speaks Mandarin Chinese.

Chip Count Update

2005-07-13T02:38:00.000-04:00

11:30pm local time. According to CardPlayer Magazine, these are the latest chip leaders in the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event:

Tim Phan $2,500,000
Phil Ivey $2,100,000
Tex Barch $2,000,000
Farzad Bonyadi $1,810,000
Hon Lee $1,800,000
Ray Sanchez $1,700,000
Mike Matusow $1,500,000
Steven Marx $1,450,000
Patrick Hayden $1,400,000
Minh Ly $1,350,000
Greg Raymer $1,300,000

John Kabbaj Sums Up His WSOP Play

2005-07-13T02:28:00.000-04:00

John Kabbaj, Noble Poker's sponsored professional player, was eliminated from the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event just 27 seconds before the end of play on his qualifying flight day. Even so, John had a relatively good WSOP experience this year. John participated in 10 WSOP events this year, and finished in the money three times.

"Things were going good for half the day, but deteriorated into the night," John says, recalling his Main Event play. "After that tournament ended, I couldn't get up off the couch for two days."

"With a field of players of that size, you want to do well, but there was such a long ways to go." John says he is disappointed that he didn't advance in the tournament, but it's more like the disappointment one feels when you don't win a lottery. "It's a long shot to win," he says.

John's WSOP finishes included 32nd place in the $2,000 Buy-In No Limit Hold'em Event, 18th place in the $5,000 Buy-In Shorthanded No Limit Hold'em Event, and 30th place in the $1,500 Buy-In No Limit Hold'em Event.

This was the first time that John stayed in Las Vegas for the entire WSOP. "I can't believe how quickly it went," he says.

2005-07-12T18:22:00.000-04:00

Kenna James in competition on Day Four. He has about $250,000 in chips at this stage.

Day Four: Will Raymer Repeat?

2005-07-12T15:55:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Day Four of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event, the biggest poker tournament ever held. Noble Poker is proud to bring you LIVE coverage of this exciting event, direct from the Rio Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year, Noble Poker sponsored five players who participated in the WSOP. Unfortunately, all five have already been eliminated, but next year it could be you who will play at the WSOP under the Noble Poker banner!

12 noon, local time. We have one hour left at Level 17. There are 21 tables in player and 185 players remain in the tournament. The blinds are $2500/$5000 and there is a $500 ante.

The chip leader in this tournament is Greg Raymer, winner of the 2004 World Series of Poker. Raymer has more than $1 million in chips, and is intimidating the field by knocking out player after player.

“I don't sleep more than 5 hours a night during the tournament,” Raymer tells a reporter. “I fall asleep real easy, but wake up after 5 hours.”

A short while later Raymer demonstrates his powerful style, and his incredible luck in the cards. His opponent in seat #8 goes all-in and Raymer calls. Seat #8 is holding a pair of kings, while Raymer has ace of clubs and ten of spades. The fold turns up three clubs. The next card, sure enough, is the fifth club, giving Raymer a flush. Seat #8 is out of the tournament and Raymer's stack keeps getting larger and larger.

Early Evening Update

2005-07-11T23:53:00.000-04:00

5:50pm local time. There are 40 tables left and 357 players. Players are dropping out left and right at this stage. A player eliminated now will get $18,335 in prize money. The prizes get bigger later on, and will pass the $100K mark when we get to the top 80.

Spectators are being asked to clear the room, as it is now 8 minutes before the dinner break. Spectators must always leave at this point, allowing the players to easily leave their tables and get to the restrooms during the breaks.

6pm local time. Just before the break, Howard Lederer is holding a jack and 9 of spades, while his opponent at seat #8, who has called all-in, is showing an ace and 2 of spades. The flop brings a second 2, and also a second jack. On the river, an ace shows up, and seat #8 is still in the game while Lederer loses a big pot.

6:10pm local time. The players have gone out on an extended dinner break, that is the 351 remaining players.

Media personnel are called to the side for an important meeting. As the field is narrowing rapidly, with less and less tables in play, the media has been getting on top of each other, and it is difficult for dealers, cocktail waitresses and ESPN film crews to get around. Therefore, the media has been given new instructions.

From this point forward, the media is restricted to four "bullpens" just outside the playing area. Ten members of the press at a time will be given special passes allowing them to wander around the tables for five-minute periods. As the tournament organizers explain it, there are less and less tables, but the same number of media personnel. Compared to other sports, in poker tournaments, the journalists are on the field with the players.

Chip leaders

2005-07-11T20:42:00.000-04:00

5:40pm local time. According to CardPlayer Magazine, the chipleader in the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event at this stage is Rod Pardey Jr., with $464K. James Pollack is second with $447K, and Tim Phan is third with $445K. Greg Raymer is currently 9th with $318K.

Afternoon Update: Players Falling Out Fast

2005-07-11T20:31:00.000-04:00

3:30pm local time. Now that we're in the money, players are falling out of the tournament quite quickly. There are only 487 players left. Tim Phan didn't get up to $600K by the Bubble, like he had hoped, but only up to $550K. Not bad at all.

3:35pm local time. 473 players left in the tournament.

3:40pm local time. We're down to 465 players. Greg Raymer is holding a pair of tens. His opponent has a jack and a ten. The flop brings up a second jack. Raymer loses the pot, which totals about $50K. Even so, his stack remains high - about $350K.

4pm local time. We're starting Level 14. The blinds are $1200/$2400, and there is a $300 ante. There are 52 tables in play, with 461 players remaining in the competition.

4:20pm local time. We're down to 448 players. Tournament director Johnny Grooms calls out the number of remaining players as they drop out, one by one. The eliminated players take a card to present to the tournament officials so they can begin the process of collecting their winnings. Foreign players have a bit of a problem. If they don't have the proper authorization of the IRS they're going to see 30% of their winnings deducted immediately. It will be a problem to get it back.

Welcome to Day Five of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event

2005-07-11T18:21:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Noble Poker's LIVE coverage of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event. This year, Noble Poker sent five players to participate in this tournament, the biggest poker tournament ever. Unfortunately, all five players have already been eliminated from the competition. Next year, you could be one of the players to play for fame and glory under the Noble Poker banner. Follow the Noble Poker website for details on all the latest tournaments and promotions.

Day Five - Players Get Into the Money

2005-07-11T18:09:00.000-04:00

12noon local time. We're down to 64 tables and 568 players remaining. That's just 8 more players than the magic 560 mark - 560 players will finish in the money. It's Level 13, with $1000/$2000 blinds and a $300 ante. The tension is really growing as we get closer to the money.

As we approach the magical Bubble (the point when all remaining players get paid), all media except for ESPN personnel are kicked to the sidelines. 8 players need to go before the rest finish "in the money."

From this point, until the Bubble is reached, all tables will play hand by hand. Dealers are required to stand after their hand is completed, and players are required to sit in their chairs. All-in calls must be called out loudly, and dealers must wait until the camera crews reach their tables.

At 12:40 local time, 2004 WSOP champion Greg Raymer calls out the magical words, "Dealers, shuffle up and deal." The action begins.

12:50 local time. One player is out, and there are only seven more to go.

13:50 local time. Only three more players need to be kicked out before the Bubble is reached.

14:00 local time. Only one more player to go, and then all remaining players will be "in the money."

14:10 local time. Young player Tim Phan is taking advantage of the Bubble, and raking in chips hand after hand. The others at his table are afraid to bet against him. Tim has about $517K in chips at this point. "I want to get to $600K by the Bubble," he says.

14:20 local time. We are in the money! The crowd and the players let loose a wild cry of joy. The 561st player, the one who will finish just outside the money, will get an entry to the 2006 WSOP as a consolation prize. But, no money this year.

15:00 local time. Now players are falling out rapidly, as the pace of the action is picking up. Only 530 left at this point. Apparently there are more pros playing at a $1500 Buy-In event taking place simultaneously in the hall.

2005-07-11T18:07:00.000-04:00

Greg Raymer, winner of the 2004 WSOP, in action on Day Five of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event.

2005-07-11T18:06:00.000-04:00

Tim Phan is one of the chip leaders as Day Five progresses.

Evening Update

2005-07-11T02:13:00.000-04:00

9pm local time. We're down to 89 tables and 801 players, with the top 560 going to finish in the money. We're at Level 11, with $600/$1200 blinds and a $200 ante. At this point in the tournament, if you're short-stacked you're in serious trouble, and could easily be blinded out of the action.

Noble Poker's Jason Thomas only has $9K. But at 9:15pm, with only 783 players left, Jason manages to double-up and stay in the action.

The pots are getting bigger, and the chip stacks are getting higher. It's incredible how much some players have, and how little many others have. Players are dropping out steadily.

10:30pm local time. At the end of Level 11, there are 76 tables remaining, with 684 players. With one level left to play tonight, the main question is whether we will get down to the magic 560 number. It is mind-boggling to think that at that point, every single player in the hall will be finishing in the money.

Who are the big players left in the field? Michael Mizrachi has $230K. Graeham Harrison has $350K. Greg Raymer has $140K.

11:15pm local time. There are 657 players left at 73 tables.

11:25pm local time. Noble Poker's Jason Thomas is out of the tournament. He had pocket queens, the seat after him had pocket kings, and the next seat had, you guessed it, pocket aces. Two players knocked out at once. That's the end of the tournament for Jason.

Day Four - Afternoon Update

2005-07-10T21:13:00.000-04:00

Local time 1:30pm. Players are dropping out of the competition all the time. A player at table #18 calls out loudly, "All-in" to get his camera time, and sure enough, the film crews head to the table. This young player is holding pocket kings, and his opponent has a pair of queens. The flop brings a third king, and then the turn brings a queen. The king holds, so the young player may have another camera moment ahead of him.

Noble Poker's players are still in the running. Jason has $15K, and Adrian has $30K. But unfortunately these chip stacks are not large enough at this point of the competition.

Local time 4pm. Adrian holds a pair of kings. The seat next to him has a 7 and an 8, not suited. Adrian loses a big pot when the cards give his opponent a straight.

"If I had gone all-in with the pair of kings, he would have folded," Adrian says. "He had nothing. I should have gone all-in."

That bad beat was enough to get Adrian down to the end of his chips. A hand later he is out of the World Series of Poker.

Jason, meanwhile, has about $20K. But by 5:30 pm, as Level 10 gets underway with $500/$1000 blinds and a $200 ante, Jason is down to $9K. At this point there are 125 tables left in play, with only 1,120 players. The day started out with 1,884 players, so we've lost 760.

Who among the more-recognized poker players is still in this tournament? Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, John Juanda, Layne Flack, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, and Greg Raymer are still in play. Chris Moneymaker is definitely out, and the crowd gave a huge ovation when Dan Harrington was eliminated.

2005-07-10T18:18:00.000-04:00

The chip stack of Howard Lederer keeps getting higher and higher during gameplay on Day Four.

2005-07-10T16:14:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker's Jason Thomas begins action on Day Four at table 135 with just under $27K.

2005-07-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker player Adrian Pitt starts off play on Day Four at table 192 with $35K in chips.

Day Four - 1,884 Players Compete for the WSOP Championship

2005-07-10T16:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Noble Poker's LIVE coverage of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event - the biggest poker tournament ever held.

It is noon local time and players are receiving their table assignments to begin play on Day Four of the championship event. Out of 5,619 players who started, 1,884 remain and are seated at 190 tables. Total prize money is over $52 million, and first prize will be $7.5 million.

Many of the big poker names have already been knocked out of the competition - Negreanu, Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson and others. Last year's champion, Greg Raymer, remains in play with an average chip stack.

Noble Poker is proud to be sponsoring three players who are still in the competition today. Adrian Pitt starts out at table 192 with $35K, after an impressive finish yesterday. Jason Thomas starts out at table 135, and has just under $27K. Raymond Boone, who started play on Day 1a, is short-stacked with $6.8K at table 8.

After just two minutes of play, Raymond goes all-in with his chips. He's holding Ace and 3 of Diamonds, but unfortunately it's not enough.

"I felt I had to make a move," Raymond says. "This was definitely worth the experience and I plan to be back next year," he adds.

"All-in" calls are being heard all around the hall, and players are dropping out quickly. Play from this point on will be with 9-player tables.

The play is in Level 8, with $300/$600 Blinds and a $75 ante.

Evening Update

2005-07-10T02:28:00.000-04:00

It's 9pm local time and there are 114 tables left in the action on the third flight day of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event. The action is at Level 5, with $150/$300 blinds and a $25 ante.

Noble Poker's player Adrian Pitt is currently holding his own at $13.5K.

As more and more tables clear, the action centers on two areas of the main hall at the Rio Pavilion, where the competition is taking place. To understand how tight things are getting, and how tough it must be for the players, take a look at who is wandering around the tables in just one part of the hall:

Table 59 - 2 masseuses in action working on the muscles of tired players
Table 48 - a still photographer aims his long lense at a player
Table 57 - another masseuse at work and a camera crew filming away. (There was just an all-in call here and Seat #1 stayed alive with two pairs)
Table 47 - another camera crew
Table 46 - two reporters standing behind the players

All of these tables are right next to each other, and none of the players getting all this attention are well-known at all.

At a nearby table, Howard Lederer is shuffling his chips - his stack isn't all that high. Legendary poker player Doyle Brunson got kicked out of the action hours ago, and actor James Woods is aksi out. Still in the action today: Phil Ivey, Rafi Amit and Marcel Luske.

Level 5 comes to an end and there are 100 tables left. Adrian is back down to around 10K in chips at this stage, and there are probably another four hours of play before the day ends.

Jason Thomas Tells About the "Tight Table From Hell"

2005-07-09T18:47:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker player Jason Thomas finished his play yesterday with a respectable $26.9K in chips and he will resume play tomorrow. Here is what Jason had to say about his experiences:

"Well I made it through day 1! Out of about 5600 entants only about 1800 will remain after today. I have $26900 which should put me in about the middle of the pack.

"I played for about 16 hours yesterday until 2:30am. I think yesterday was the only time I've ever been sick of playing poker!

"I was played very conservativly yesterday, mostly focusing on survival and never showing down a losing hand. I had some big hands early that I didn't get full value from due to being too conservative.

"Finally after about 12 hours I get moved from the tight table from hell. Most everyone was playing so tight, it was hard to accumulate chips. After each 2 hour break I was steadily adding a thousand or two in chips and was up to about $17000 toward the end of the night. Then I get pocket kings. I raise before the flop and get one caller. A third king comes on the flop with 2 diamonds. Not wanting to repeat the mistake of not getting full value for my hand, I decide to slow play it a little. The guy checks to me on the flop and I bet $800 into a $4000 pot! He then check-raises me to $1600 and I call - can't believe he fell for it! The turn is a 4, which pairs the board giving me a full-house, whoo-hoo, no more flush worries! The guy the bets $6000, I think a little bit and call. On the river he asks me how much I have left and I say $11000. He put's me all-in and I call of course and he shows pocket sixes for a big-bluff and I double up!

"I take the day off today and will resume play on Sunday at noon."

2005-07-09T18:25:00.000-04:00

Poker legend Doyle Brunson in action on Day 1c of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event.

2005-07-09T18:16:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker player Adrian Pitt, from Sydney, Australia, opens play sitting next to 25-year-old Rafi Amit, the young Israeli who won $511,835 and a WSOP bracelet in the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha event.

Third and Final "Flight" Day of WSOP Main Event Begins

2005-07-09T18:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the third day of Noble Poker's LIVE reporting from the 2005 World Series of Poker, the biggest poker tournament ever held. Today is officially designated as Day 1C, as it is the third day that players begin participating in the WSOP Main Event. Tomorrow, whoever has managed to survive the three "flight" days will meet in the Rio Pavilion hall and continue playing as the countdown to the Final Table and the 2005 WSOP Champion begins.

First, let's look at Noble Poker's players who competed yesterday, on Day Two of the competition. Jason Thomas finished with a respectable $26.9K, and he will resume play tomorrow. John Kabbaj lost his seat just 27 seconds before the end of Level 7. He went all-in holding an Ace-high hand, and another player had one pair. Noble Poker player Tony Marquis ended his WSOP competition earlier Friday evening.

Competing today under the Noble Poker banner is Adrian Pitt, from Sydney, Australia. Adrian starts out at table #193. By chance, Adrian is sitting next to 25-year-old Rafi Amit, the young Israeli who won a WSOP bracelet this year at Event #35, the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha competition. Rafi says that Texas Hold'em is not his favorite event, and he gets bored looking at only two cards. Rafi shows his boredom by making a huge bet early in the first level. He loses and his chip count is down dramatically.

Adrian, however, plays a tighter game and his chip count increases steadily. Table #193 is one of the first to be transfered, and Adrian takes up his new seat at table #14, at the other side of the hall.

Level 2 begins at 13:30 local time, and there are 189 tables remaining, according to the official clock. An hour later, Adrian's stack is steady at $12.5K. Adrian sits expressionless behind his dark sunglasses, ready for many more hours of poker action.

Evening update on Day Two

2005-07-09T00:59:00.000-04:00

It's 9:15pm local time and play continues at Level 5. The Blinds are $150/$300 and there is a $25 ante. The official clock shows 110 tables remaining.

Jason at table #178 has about $15K in chips. John at table #39 has increased his stack to nearly $28k. What's up with Tony at table #51? Things don't look too good.

In a big hand Tony is holding pocket kings. His opponent in seat #2 has pocket eights. The flop brings a third eight, and half of Tony's stack is gone. A short while later, Tony goes all-in with his remaining $3400. He isn't holding the cards this time either, and that's the end of the WSOP competition for Noble Poker's player from the University of South Florida.

The level comes to an end and the competition is down to 99 remaining tables.

"We've got a really tight table," Jason says during the break. "Everybody is playing tight and there's no real chip leader. I had about $20K at one point and then dropped down to $15K." Jason says he won one more pot just before the break, when he finishes with $17K.

2005-07-08T19:40:00.000-04:00

John Kabbaj is building up his chip stack. It's probably the Noble Poker cap he's wearing that's giving him luck.

Afternoon update

2005-07-08T19:32:00.000-04:00

It's just after 4pm Las Vegas time, and the second day of competition in the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event is in the middle of Level 3, with the blinds $100/$200. Officially, 162 tables are remaining, but dealers are announcing empty seats at tables across the hall, signaling that additional shuffling of the tables will soon occur.

Here's a look at how the three Noble Poker players competing today are doing:

Tony at table #51 has just over $12K.
Jason at table #178 has about $16K.
John at table #39 has $13.5K.

Two hands later, John is up to over $15K. It must be that Noble Poker cap he's wearing that's giving him luck.

2005-07-08T16:04:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker's Tony Marquis wins a big pot and moves tables as the field begins to narrow.

2005-07-08T15:57:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker's Jason Thomas starts play on Day Two of the 2005 WSOP.

2005-07-08T15:55:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker's John Kabbaj is up to about $18K after one hour of play.

2005-07-08T15:53:00.000-04:00

Actress Shannon Elizabeth in action on Day One of the 2005 WSOP.

Welcome to Day 2 of Noble Poker's LIVE reporting from the 2005 WSOP

2005-07-08T15:32:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the second day of Noble Poker's LIVE reporting from the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event, the largest poker tournament ever held.

In the first day of competition, nearly 2,000 players opened play and continued to bet, check or fold for 13 1/2 hours until the field was narrowed to 650 players. Noble Poker's Raymond Boone finished the grueling day with $6,800 in chips, and he will resume play on Day Four.

The second day of competition opened with Carolyn Gardner, the 1983 Women's Poker Champion, singing the national anthem. There was no such opening on the first day.

Noble Poker is proud to have three players participating in the competition on Day Two.

Jason Thomas, winner of Noble Poker's WSOP Super Satellite, goes into the action at table #178 at seat #7. Thirty minutes into the action he is still holding his own with $10K in chips.

Tony Marquis, winner of Noble Poker's WSOP Special tournament, starts play at table #187, sitting at seat #2. He is holding his own after 30 minutes, but then comes a big play.

Tony is in a heads up with seat no. 7. The fold shows 9h, Kd, and 6h. Seat no. 7 bets $300 and Tony calls. The next card is 9c. Seat #7 bets $500 and Tony calls. The river is 2c and Seat #7 bets $2,400. Tony thinks a minute and then calls. He wins the pot after he shows he is holding a second king.

Tony's parents and girlfriend Amanda are standing behind the spectator ropes and cheer the big pot he won, but there is still a lot of action to go. Tony eventually moves to table #51 as the field begins to narrow.

John Kabbaj, Noble Poker's sponsored poker player, arrives a few minutes late and quickly goes into action at table #39. After 1 hour, John is up to about $18K.

In action today are 2003 WSOP Champion Chris Moneymaker and 2004 CardPlayer Player of the Year Daniel Negreanu.

2005-07-07T22:23:00.000-04:00

Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson contemplates a hand during Day One of the 2005 WSOP Main Event.

Afternoon of Day One - The Field Begins to Narrow

2005-07-07T21:03:00.000-04:00

At the end of Level 2 of Day One of the 2005 WSOP Main Event, Noble Poker player Raymond Boone is down to $4,525 in chips. The third level begins without an official announcement - one of the tournament staff says its likely that the fuses on the microphones have blown again.

In the last hand of Level 3, it looks like Raymond's fortunes have changed. He wins the last hand, and it's a big pot, and ends the level with a respectable $11,700.

Level 4 begins and now it's official - there will be a dinner break when the level ends. The original plan had been to forego on dinner, but how can players be expected to last until 2am on an empty stomach. Granted, some players have had food brought to their tables, while others manage to sneak a bite during the between-level breaks, but the one-hour dinner break is truly needed to soothe the mind as well as feed the stomach.

Famous poker players playing in today's field and still in competition include Gus Hansen, Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson, Erik Seidel, Greg Raymer, and Barry Greenstein.

The field is now down to 134 tables, allowing for a row of cash games to take place at the back of the hall. The action continues - the chips click like crickets in a dewy meadow and the cards are dealt with the dealers' well-oiled precision. And the field continues to narrow on this, the first day of the biggest poker tournament in history.

2005-07-07T19:17:00.000-04:00

One of the more colorful players at Day One of the 2005 WSOP Main Event.

2005-07-07T19:15:00.000-04:00

Actress Jennifer Tilly, winner of the WSOP Ladies Event, competes for the larger prize in Day One of the Main Event.

2005-07-07T17:24:00.000-04:00

Raymond Boone, playing for the Noble Poker team, rakes in a small pot during Level One on Day One of the 2005 WSOP Main Event.

Day One, Level One – The Action Begins

2005-07-07T17:19:00.000-04:00

Event #42 of the 2005 World Series of Poker – the $10,000 Buy-in No Limit Hold'em Main Event - has begun. The field is so big that it will take three days until the nearly 6,000 registered players see their first poker hand. This is the biggest poker tournament ever!

Thursday, July 7, is designated as Day 1A. The first 2,000 players take their places for an 11am start at 200 tables in the hangar-like Rio Pavilion hall. Throngs of spectators fill the aisles and media personnel crowd behind the tables. Chips are heard clicking rhythmically as the announcer announces the official opening of the Main Event.

A few rules: Cell phone use is not allowed during play. More importantly, use of the F-word by any player during the game will result in a 10-minute penalty. And finally, players must be in their seats at the start of a hand to be able to participate.

Noble Poker is represented at the Main Event by five players. The first to see action is Raymond Boone, winner of the PokerListings WSOP freeroll tournament. Raymond is assigned to table #174. Positioned at seat number 6, Raymond is surrounded by two empty seats initially, but players later show up to join the action.

The first player is eliminated from the tournament after 10 minutes of play. “Only 5,800 more to go,” the announcer says over the loudspeakers. It is not yet clear exactly how many players are playing in the Main Event, as last-minute registrations are allowed during the first level.

Another announcement comes over the loudspeakers - “No flash photography allowed.” ESPN has exclusive filming rights for the WSOP. Amateur photographers among the spectators snap picture after picture but no digital image came do true justice to the enormity of the hall, and the field in this competition.

Dealers at the WSOP Main Event change tables every 30 minutes. One dealer says that this is “theoretical,” as sometimes dealers stay at a table a bit longer.

After 40 minutes of player the first 2 tables out of the original 200 are shut down, and their players are transferred to empty seats at other tables in the hall. The field is starting to get smaller – okay, just a bit smaller – and here it is still Level One of Day One.

For the players this Main Event will be a real endurance test. The levels are 100 minutes long, with a 20 minute break between levels. There will be no dinner break during the first three days of the competition, and the lines at the restrooms will be quite long during the breaks. With few restrooms near the hall, management of the Rio turns a ladies' room into a much-needed mens' room.

The action continues at table 174, where Raymond has yet to claim a pot. The chip leader is the man at seat #4 with a Middle Eastern appearance, who wins an early big pot against a player whose nickname could be the Cowboy, as he is suitably dressed in cowboy boots, jeans, long-sleeved gray shirt and a black cowboy hat.

Seat #9 throws in a $5,000 chip into the pot and the Cowboy has to think. Does Seat #9 have a straight or not? The Cowboy is not willing to risk it all this early in Level One. He folds.

As Level One draws to a close, spectators are asked to clear the aisles to allow the players to get out quickly and join the lines at the restrooms. With the official tournament clock showing that time has expired, the players at table 174 play one last hand.

Level One of Day One of the biggest poker tournament ever comes to an end. Raymond, Noble Poker's first player to see competition, ends the level down $950.

2005-07-06T22:29:00.000-04:00

World-famous poker ambassador and high stakes player Crandell Addington was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame this year.

2005-07-06T17:52:00.000-04:00

There are plenty of "freebies" at the 2005 WSOP Lifestyle Show, including caps and t-shirts.

2005-07-06T17:46:00.000-04:00

A typical stand at the 2005 World Series of Poker Lifestyle show.

2005-07-06T17:44:00.000-04:00

If you are involved in poker, visit the 2005 World Series of Poker Lifestyle Show at the Rio Pavilion.

2005 World Series of Poker Lifestyle Show

2005-07-06T17:41:00.000-04:00

If you're involved in poker, either as a player or a merchant selling poker-related products, the 2005 World Series of Poker Lifestyle Show is THE place to be in Las Vegas this week. The trade show is taking place in the Rio Pavilion, right next to the giant hall where the WSOP tournaments are taking place. Entry to the Lifestyle Show is free, and there are plenty of freebies to make a visit worthwhile.

The minute you walk through the doors of the Lifestyle Show you will be pleasantly greeted by a beautiful, and well-proportioned girl from Bodog.net. You will be invited to take your picture on a 2006 Harley motorcycle, your hips held by a beautiful Bodog model.

As the majority of poker players are men, the majority of companies with stands at the Lifestyle Show have beautiful women, many of them with low-cut tops, to lead potential customers to their stands. There are plenty of contests and giveaways, and the women will be happy to sign up one and all.

Raffles are being held at the Lifestyle Show and you can win everything from a Porsche 911 to a Harley Davidson FatBoy. Or maybe you'll win an iPod mini, or possibly a hardback, autographed copy of Super/System 2 by Doyle Brunson.

Free giveaways at the Lifestyle Show include t-shirts, caps, chips, and magazines. Many of the companies with stands at the Lifestyle Show are newly launched; others hope to sell their books, posters, and other poker-related paraphanelia. You can even buy poker sunglasses and poker jewelry. Wouldn't your poker play improve if you were wearing a poker good luck charm?

You can learn how to play poker at one of the online poker instruction sites advertising at the Lifestyle Show. Or sign up for a poker boot camp with Phil Hellmuth and learn with a pro at the “ultimate weekend of poker.”

The 2005 World Series of Poker Lifestyle Show has something for everyone, even for those who view poker as a once-in-awhile leisure activity. If you're in Vegas this week, make sure to visit this exciting trade show.

2005-07-06T17:40:00.000-04:00

Patricia Salter - dealing the cards at the 2005 World Series of Poker

Dealing the Cards – Interview with a WSOP Dealer

2005-07-06T17:36:00.000-04:00

Patricia Salter is one of the many dealers dealing the cards to players at the 2005 World Series of Poker. Patricia is a tournament dealer; when the WSOP ends she'll continue with the poker tournament circuit and deal the cards at other competitions.

In the past, there were smaller World Series competitions and dealers and players knew each other more intimately. Today, dealers face players who come from online poker tournaments and have never played a real tournament of poker, Patricia says.

“At previous WSOP tournaments there were not enough dealers to go around, and we'd have to work 14-hour shifts until three in the morning,” Patricia says. “This year they hired enough dealers so that we work two shifts. But at the beginning of the WSOP, we had more dealers than tables and there were days I didn't deal a hand for hours,” she says.

Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson is the “most gracious player,” Patricia says. “He is always nice to fans, signs autographs willingly, and is happy to stand for pictures,” she says.

Patricia is on her way to deal more cards. Good luck to her and to all the WSOP dealers.

2005-07-06T17:35:00.000-04:00

2005 World Series of Poker - official chip

Noble Poker reports LIVE from the 2005 World Series of Poker

2005-07-06T17:31:00.000-04:00

Today Noble Poker begins its live coverage from the 2005 World Series of Poker. The World Series, also known by its abbreviation WSOP, is the pinnacle of the poker world, and players from around the world, professionals and amateurs alike, have descended on the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, to compete in the $10,000 buy-in Main Event. The winner of the Main Event is expected to go home with a first prize of more than $6 Million, and the fame and glory of being the 2005 WSOP champion. The tournaments of the WSOP are being staged at the Rio Pavilion, and began on June 2. The six-week competition, full of separate events awarding prizes of hundreds of thousands of dollars, culminate in the Main Event.

Noble Poker will report live from Las Vegas through the days of the Main Event. Welcome to our blog, and we hope you'll enjoy it!

Meet Raymond Boone, Noble Poker player at the WSOP

2005-07-04T02:58:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker congratulates Raymond Boone from Southern California, who won the PokerListings WSOP Freeroll on July 2 and a trip to the World Series of Poker's Main Event. Noble Poker interviewed Raymond ahead of his upcoming trip to Las Vegas.

NP: When did you first start playing poker?

Raymond: In 1993.

NP: When did you first start playing poker online?

Raymond: I know it was shortly after the year of 2000 because my screen name was Y2KBFD. I only played for short time because I wasn't winning and really couldn't afford to play at that time. I started playing again in the summer of 2003.

NP: Have you ever played at an onland poker tournament?

Raymond: Yes, Several small buy in tournaments at local casinos and 2 WPT events. I didn't make the money in the WPT events but the experience will come in handy for the WSOP.

NP: Have you been to Las Vegas before?

Raymond: Yes, many times. It's only about a 4 hour drive.

NP: Was it easy to win the qualifying tournament at Noble Poker?

Raymond: It's never easy when you have to go through almost 200 players.

NP: Any memorable moments at that tournament (specific hands you remember?).

Raymond: There were a couple of bad beats I gave, but the most memorable hand was when we were heads up and I had about half the chips of my opponent. I limped in with 10x off suit (x=some rag, I think 3 or a 4) I made two pair on the turn but played it careful. He goes all in on the river. There were lots of ways for me to be beat but after some thought I went ahead and called and took down the pot. From there I felt very confident and determine to win. One more thing, I want to thank all the players who were watching and cheering me on. I think that happened because the other guy was such a huge stack at the final table and running over people. He never chatted, they were calling him a robot - LOL. So I became the underdog to root for. It was a lot of fun and a sweet victory. I am so excited! and look forward to representing Noble Poker at the WSOP.

NP: Give us a little background about yourself.

Raymond: I am 43. Married to a wonderful lady and we have 3 great teenage kids. I live in Southern California. I work for a software company as a Technical Support Engineer.

Noble Poker will report on Raymond's gameplay at the World Series of Poker and hopes he wins the Main Event!

Who Is Winning the WSOP Bracelets?

2005-06-30T06:55:00.000-04:00

Here are some of the latest results from the World Series of Poker:

Event #28 - WSOP Limit Hold'em
Dan Schmiech (Houston, TX, USA) $404,585
$5,000 Buy-In
269 Entries

Event #27 - WSOP Pot Limit Omaha
Phil Ivey (Las Vegas, NV, USA) $630,685
$5,000 Buy-in
134 Entries + 229 re-buys

The win gave Phil Ivey his fifth WSOP bracelet.

Event #26 - WSOP Ladies - No Limit Hold'em
Jennifer Tilly (Harbour City, CA, USA) $158,335
$1,000 Buy-in
601 Entries

Jennifer Tilly, a 46-year-old actress who was an Oscar nominee for her role in the 1994 film, "Bullets Over Broadway," is the first woman to win a WSOP bracelet at this year's competition.

Tilly said she's learned plenty of pointers from her boyfriend, poker player Phil "Unabomber" Laak. "When you're living with Phil, you kinda learn by osmosis," Tilly told CardPlayer.com. "Even in the middle of the night, he wakes up screaming out poker terms. Most guys scream out other girls' names. He'll wake up and go, `I should have bet more on the turn.'"

Event #25 - WSOP Pot Limit Hold'em
Johnny Chan (Las Vegas, NV, USA) $303,025
$2,500 Buy-in
425 Entries

Poker legend Johnny Chan made history when he become the first player in World Series of Poker history to win ten gold bracelets.

Event #24 - WSOP No Limit Hold'em
Farzad Bonyadi (Laguna Hills, CA, USA) $594,960
$2,500 Buy-in
1056 Entries

Noble Poker Sends University of South Florida Student to the WSOP

2005-06-26T07:40:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker congratulates 23-year-old Tony Marquis for winning the WSOP Special tournament on June 25, 2005. Tony will be traveling to Las Vegas next week to compete in the World Series of Poker Main Event. Ahead of his trip, Noble Poker interviewed Tony.

NP: When did you first start playing poker?

Tony: I started playing with a buddy, James Kicklighter, in a regular weekly home game about a year ago.

NP: When did you first start playing poker online?

Tony: I played play money online for a long time, then got my first bankroll thanks to a money added freeroll sponsored by lowlimitholdem.com. I remember being really, really bad.

NP: Have you ever played at a land-based poker tournament?

Tony: Never, just home games...I'm the ultimate underdog for the WSOP

NP: Have you been to Las Vegas before?

Tony: Yes, I've been twice. I remember sitting down at $5 tables at the Bellagio (they used to exist) when I was 17...I have a goatee so they didn't card me. I can't remember how much I won or loss, I jsut remember drinking lots of 7-and-7s.

NP: Was it easy to win the qualifying tournament at Noble Poker?

Tony: I remember my opponents playing really tight, and when there were four players left I went from short stack to mid-stack stealing a few blinds, but no it wasn't easy, I was shaking like crazy heads up

NP: Any memorable moments at that tournament (specific hands you remember?)

Tony: I remember playing 8-7 suited out of position (with a raise) early in the tourney. My flush hit on the river to a guy with pocket nines who forced me all-in, I still can't believe I called (I thought he had a better flush). I got the chip lead heads up winning some crucial hands (setting my pocket 3's and hitting two pair with Q9). I won with AQ off.

NP: Give us a little background about yourself.

Tony: I am 23 and I live in Tampa, FL. I attend the University of South Florida and I have two more semesters of college before real life sets in. I also write for the school paper so I am excited about keeping a running diary for a column. Also the $57 left me with $11.87 in my bankroll.

Noble Poker wishes Tony the best of luck at the World Series Main Event!

World Series events already breaking records

2005-06-23T06:51:00.000-04:00

As Noble Poker prepares to report live from the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, records are already being broken in the early events.

The six-week series this year has 46 events. Event #2, a $1500 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament held on June 3, 2005, smashed the all-time record for the largest non-Main Event tournament, as 2,305 players entered. 2,200 players started the event, and 105 were alternates. All alternates were seated within the first hour.

According to an official World Series of Poker press release, the 14,439 player registrations recorded through this year's first 21 events exceed the 14,054 registrations filed in all 2004 events. Tournament organizers predict the total number of registrations will reach 23,000 by the time the main event begins July 7, the press release said.

Through the first 21 events this year, the total prize money already stands at nearly $25.5 million. The prize pool at all World Series of Poker tournaments is expected to pass $100 million.

"Record setting" and "biggest of all-time" are expected to be used frequently to describe this year's WSOP, according to Nolan Dalla, Media Director for the World Series of Poker.

John Kabbaj's Advice to New Players: Be Confident!

2005-06-21T03:13:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker's sponsored professional player, John "Large" Kabbaj, is currently playing at the World Series of Poker. He finished in 32nd place in the $2,000 Texas Hold'em No Limit event, and won $9,000. Noble Poker interviewed John about his participation in the WSOP experience.

NP: Is this your first trip to the World Series of Poker?

John: I've missed World Series of Poker only twice since 1995.

NP: When did you previously play at the World Series of Poker and what were your results?

John: The best one was probably last year's No Limit Texas Holdem $3000, where I came 2nd.

NP: In which events will you be competing?

John: I'll play on 17, 24 and 28 of June, all No Limit Holdem Events. I will also play the Main Event and may be couple or more of other tournaments.

NP: As someone who's played at mainland tournaments before, what is your feeling ahead of the World Series? Any nervousness?

John: I don't feel nervous at all, I've been around quite a while. I don't feel excited neither, I'm trying to stay focus.

NP: Does the huge playing field give you any hesitations, or will it mean a more interesting competition?

John: It does mean an interesting competition indeed. It means it will be much better money value and you'll see a lot of different players, old pros and young internet guys. I'm sure it will be a great experience.

NP: What about the prize money? How does the huge prize pool affect your expectations of the World Series?

John: I presume it will be more difficult to win this time, but it can be a life changing win!!!

NP: Any suggestions to the Noble Poker players who qualified at online tournaments?

John: Be confident and don't be intimidated by the new scene.

Noble Poker wishes John good luck and hopes he wins the WSOP Main Event!

Noble Poker player wins $9,000 at WSOP event

2005-06-19T08:12:00.000-04:00

John 'Large' Kabbaj, one of Noble Poker's sponsored professional players, won $9,000 in Event #9 of the World Series of Poker on June 10, 2005.

John finished in 32nd place in the $2,000 Texas Hold'em No Limit event. There were 1,403 entries in the event and a total prizepool of $2,581,520. Top prize in the event was won by Erik Seidel, who took home $611,795.

John, 31, a brilliant and versatile poker tournament pro, won the 2004 Paris Open and came in 2nd at the $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Event at the 2004 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

2005-06-14T13:17:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker wishes Australian player Adrian Pitt the best of luck at the World Series of Poker.

From Down Under to the World Series of Poker

2005-06-14T10:39:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker congratulates Adrian Pitt from Sydney, Australia, who won the WSOP Special tournament on June 11, 2005, and will be traveling to Las Vegas to compete in the World Series of Poker.

Noble Poker interviewed Adrian ahead of his upcoming trip.

NP: When did you first start playing poker?

Adrian: I first started playing poker in November 2004 when attending a work conference in Las Vegas. I wanted to take the opportunity while I was there to play face to face for the first time, even though I had little clue what I was doing, apart from reading about the rudimentary factors involved in playing. So, towards the end of my trip while staying in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, I played in the evening tournaments they held each evening. I entered their $60 buy-in on 3 consecutive nights. The first night I lasted about an hour, which I thought was pretty good. The 2nd night I came in 5th, even leading at my table at one point. The 3rd time though I managed to win! Totally shocked of course...the classic beginners luck I'm sure.

NP: When did you first start playing poker online?

Adrian: After I came back from Vegas, I think I had the bug and started working out how to open an account and play online.

NP: Have you ever played at a mainland poker tournament?

Adrian: The 3 events I played in at the Mandalay Bay have been the only face to face experience I've had.

NP: Was it easy to win the qualifying tournament at Noble Poker?

Adrian: Difficult question to answer. I can't say I had any really stressful moments. I only had a couple of bad beats against me, so on balance I would have to say it was relatively plain sailing. Luck was certainly on my side as I won virtually all of the critical hands that I needed to.

NP: Any memorable moments at that tournament (specific hands you remember?)

Adrian: I think the moments I remember most from the tournament were the times I could easily have been taken out, but was blessed. On several occasions I had gone all-in and would get called by a couple of players. I would lose to the player who I had covered, but win against the other player. If it was the other way around I would have been wiped. The net was, I often made money in those situations. The last few hands were all a blur to me now as they went by so quickly. I know I got the right cards making it much easier to know what to do, and folding poor cards never put me at risk of being committed to a bluff.

NP: Give us a little background about yourself.

Adrian: I'm 44 years old and live in Sydney, Australia. I have an economics degree, but have spent my working life in the trading & investment industry. I've traded and analysed currencies, commodities, stocks and futures. The last 2 years has seen a change of direction for me in that I am now running a publicly managed futures fund for the investment bank I work for. I'm finding that poker and trading are so similar. It all comes down to assessing risk and reward, cutting your losses, and playing up your winners. At this stage though, with so little real experience in poker I have only just begun my education. Going head first into the WSOP event will be a fantastic opportunity for me, one that I could never really get back in Australia.

Noble Poker will be reporting on Adrian's play at the World Series of Poker in July and wishes him good luck in the Main Event!

Go straight to the World Series of Poker!

2005-06-06T09:19:00.000-04:00

You are invited to participate in Noble Poker's World Series of Poker Special, which will take place on Saturday, June 11, 2005, at 21:00 EST. You can win a World Series of Poker package valued at $13,500. We cover travel and accommodations and you'll be competing a first prize of more than $6 Million in this year's Main Event in Las Vegas in July 2005.

No satellites – no hassles – the winner of this tournament goes straight to the World Series of Poker. This tournament is guaranteed to start with 100 players, so your odds of winning are incredible!

Buy-in to this tournament for only $52 + $5. The tournament is already listed in the Noble Poker software – you can find it under the Specials Tab of our scheduled tournaments.

Your trip to Las Vegas is just one WSOP Special tournament away. Move quickly and register today to ensure your place.

2005-06-01T13:40:00.000-04:00

Jason Thomas from Toledo, Ohio, will be representing Noble Poker at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Interview with Jason Thomas, Noble Poker player at the World Series of Poker

2005-06-01T13:34:00.000-04:00

Jason Thomas won Noble Poker's WSOP Super Satellite on April 30, 2005 and will play in the $10,000 Main Event of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas in July. Noble Poker will be following Jason's poker play, in hopes that he brings home the first prize, expected to be over $6 Million. Noble Poker interviewed Jason ahead of his trip to Las Vegas, which will be his first-ever.

NP: When did you first start playing poker?

Jason: When I was around 12 or 13, I started playing quite a bit with my relatives. I really didn't start playing seriously until 9 months ago.

NP: When did you first start playing poker online?

Jason: 9 months ago.

NP: Have you ever played at a mainland poker tournament?

Jason: I play in a weekly home tournament, but I plan to play a few real ones before the WSOP!

NP: Have you been to Las Vegas before?

Jason: No.

NP: Was it easy to win the qualifying tournament at Noble Poker?

Jason: I liked having a larger buy-in and a fairly small number or people. The competition was very tough when it got down to 3 or 4 people, but was easy enough before that to gather some chips.

NP: Any memorable moments at that tournament (specific hands you remember?)

Jason: At one point early in the tournament I played a terrible hand from the big blind where I flopped top pair + weak kicker. I stupidly checked and called all the way to the river and let someone draw to a straight relatively cheaply. At that point I was down to around 350 and the blinds were 50/100.

A couple of hands later I went all-in with AQ and I got 3 or 4 callers. My AQ holds up and I am back in the game. After that I vowed that I wouldn't play weak and scared anymore.

The final table was 3 handed for a very long time, which was very stressful. I was fortunate to have the chip lead by a large margin to be able to bully the other 2 players. Once it was heads-up, the other player started making a comeback. I wanted to try to end it quick, since I had a feeling I was probably out-matched. I had KT in the big blind. The flop was T82, I bet half the pot and get called. The turn was another T, and I bet half the pot again and was called. The river put a 3 flush on the board, but I hoped I was still ahead and went all-in and was called with 2 pair. I was really in shock that I won it and I still really can't believe it.

NP: Give us a little background about yourself.

Jason: I'm 34-years-old and living in Toledo, Ohio. I have a degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Toledo. I work as a software developer. I am married with a 3-year-old daughter. I hope to make enough money from poker to enable me to quit my day job and start my own business.

Noble Poker wishes Jason Thomas good luck, and hope he wins the 2005 World Series of Poker!

2005-05-28T09:33:00.000-04:00

WSOP

Let Noble Poker take you to the World Series of Poker

2005-05-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

Noble Poker is proud to announce a World Series of Poker Super Satellite on May 30, 2005 at 8pm EST. The winner of this Super Satellite will win a prize package valued at $13,500, which includes entry to the WSOP Main Event, flight & accommodations in Las Vegas.

The World Series (WSOP) is the most exciting competition of all and the pinnacle of the poker world. First prize at the WSOP is expected to be more than $7.5 million.

One lucky Noble Poker player already won his WSOP Main Event seat at our Super Satellite in April. You can guarantee your WSOP seat this weekend!

Here's how you can get to the WSOP:
** Daily 10-player Sit&Go Tournaments ($31.50 + $1.50)
** Daily 20-player Sit&Go Tournaments ($15.75 + $0.75)
** Daily Multi-Table Qualifying Tournament at 19:30 ($21+ $1). For every 15 players, one seat will be given at the Super Satellite.
** Daily Multi-Table Qualifying Tournament at 23:30 ($10.50 + $0.50). For every 30 players, one seat will be given at the Super Satellite.

The action has already begun! The satellites are open for registration in the Noble Poker software. One trip to the World Series of Poker will be awarded at the Super Satellite for every 45 players. These are incredible odds!

Direct buy-ins to the May Super Satellite are $300 + $15, but you can win your seat at a satellite tournament today!

See you at the table and good luck!

Noble Poker reports on the World Series of Poker

2005-05-28T04:39:00.000-04:00

Hello Poker fans,

Noble Poker is proud to take you to the World Series of Poker this July. Watch this space for the latest news and live commentary straight from the 2005 WSOP in Las Vegas.

See you soon!

Ellis
Director of Communications at Traffic Sales
Exclusive Marketing Agency for Noble Poker