Confessions of a Grinder

1.8 Million, 1.2 Million, 900K, 700K, 600K. Nope. These aren’t populations of unheard-of Eastern-European countries. These are dollar amounts of today’s prizes at the SHRPO. Indeed, it’s a day of big numbers at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open – big monies to be bagged, big bets, big pots, big bluffs and bigger ba… never-mind. Every major tournament demonstrates that only the best survive. Why? Why does every Cinderfella have his sob story, while the sharks keep gobbling more and more meat? The Answer – Opportune Poker: Having your array of opponents locked down on reads based on bet sizes, tells and fold equity. After two amateurs were recently eliminated in the $10 Million Guarantee $5300 buy-in event, we have four musketeers clamorously striking swords with sparks flying. Four different characters crawling their way through a vendetta of stare-downs, bluffs, instinct-plays, and  ‘I-thought-you-thought-that-I-thought’s. We have the calm Blair Hinkle sitting with 136 BBs, the aggressive Mukul Pahuja sitting with 64 BBs, the grim Justin Bonomo with 84 BBs, and the jovial easy-going Ray Qartomy sitting with 71 BBs. At this stage, it is very difficult for me to pick my favorite. I salute Finkle for his perseverance and solidity managing to maintain the chip-lead at the end of the day on all three days, Bonomo for his skills, Pahuja for his relentless aggression, and Qartomy for his relaxed nothing-to-lose approach. Although it’s anybody’s game, I  still root for my fellow Indian, Mukul Pahuja.

Blair Hinkle

Mukul Pahuja

Justin Bonomo

Ray Qartomy

Meanwhile, in the $100,000 buy-in High-Rollers event, one player, Steven Silverman, shines while the other ends up on a new high! Silverman took gold and close to $900,000, while my man JC Tran took home $526,000-pocket change! I immediately fell into one of my silly day-dreams. How would it feel if I were the chip-leader at the WSOP Main Event going into the Nov 9 Final Table as the best player at that poker table, AND almost win the high-rollers event finishing second at the SHRPO? Then, it hit me that my man JC Tran is actually doing it! What an incredible feeling and what an amazing player! We congratulate Silverman for his win, and the four remaining musketeers at the Ten-Milly event. Just remember guys – Do not do anything that will make you go back to your home town and say “I Got Silly At The Ten Milly”.

Touché!

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