Wednesday, July 15, 2009 - Jim
It has passed fifty days since the Series started and thirteen days since the first card was dealt on the air at the Main Event.
I´ve been following very closely as many Events as I was able to, trying to catch up all those little details of our players who have been making the difference. I´ve heard several nice stories from our outstanding VIP players as well.
Today, it continues the play down to the November Nine, in a few hours we will all know the nine names who outlasted other 6485 players in the pursuit of the most prestigious bracelet (and some $$$ of course!). I was just feeling in the need to look back for a moment and review the glory and tears:
At this year Series I´ve felt so identified with our Pro´s and I´m really proud of them, maybe in 2008 I didn´t pay enough attention to what was going on, but I have to say it was somehow special this time.
Brandon Cantu did an incredible job!!!… one bracelet, runner-up in the event #39, a total of three cashes this year. I have plagiarized some of Gene Bromberg´s pics so we can take a with us a nice memory.
What can I say about Matt Graham? the impressive title of Pot Limit Omaha World Champion, good for 2 cashes at the Series. We´ve definitely got young players with talent in here both Cantu and Graham picked up their career´s second Bracelet. Way to start at Team UB!
We were also sweating hands with Annie at the Final Table of the Omaha Hi/Lo World Championship, and Michael Binger in the same scenario at the No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball World Championship (I have absolutely no clue how is this game played?)
The face punching Liv as well as Adam “Roothlus” Levy did a couple cashes each, I think after the pics I saw, I´d rather fight Liv at the Poker table than the Boxing Ring.
Our lovely Tiffany didn´t give us the pleasure of her presence at the Main Event, nonetheless she took our breath away in several of the first events. 
…Back to where we were… the 9 players who will make it to the Final Table of the Main Event. Even though I´m so excited about seeing such an important stage of the Series, I have to say I feel exactly as Gene described in a previous post, a “Bittersweet”. Just a few days ago Phil gave us a spectacle entering the Rio as real Caesar, and last saturday we say him busting in 436th place, he was not there to make a deep run, we all know he was playing to win.
Many times we only see his never absent tirades at the tables, I think I´ve seen his true spirit of competition during the last 50 days. Let´s see what´s coming for 2010 WSOP. If you didn´t make it to Vegas this summer, you can still feel the hot sun in Aruba, and play some poker of course!
Tags: Bracelet, cards, Pro, Series, Vegas, winner
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Tuesday, July 14, 2009 - Brandon Cantu
In a previous blog, I mentioned that my second place finish was not going to be the highlight of my 2009 World Series of Poker and greater things would be coming. Less than a week later, I was final tabling my second consecutive event and making a run at my 2009 goals; to secure sponsorship and to win a major tournament. This was my chance to build a legacy and to receive respect from my peers as a top-level player.
I will admit it right off the bat – PLO 8-or-better is not by best game. As a matter of fact, I needed to study the board for an extended period of time to see where I was at every once in a while. However, I know how to play the game and I was able to roll through this event in similar fashion to my Bay 101 WPT title. Though I consider myself very competitive, looking at the final table, Lee Watkinson and a French player, Mathieu Jacqmin, were clearly the best players. I don’t think that is very debatable.
I was feeling pretty good throughout the entire event. On Day 2, I was at $1 million in chips and had about 33% of the total chips in play. Going into the final table, I was still sitting in first place with $1.1 million in chips and was still pushing hard. At one point, I started to slide a bit.
I then switched gears and waited for premium hands and the right spots to press. With patience and some good play, I reached my second Heads-Up for a bracelet spot, in under a week. At this time, I knew I had to close.
Heads-up play started with Watkinson as massive chip leader. Lee had about $2.5 million to my $900k. I even got down to about $600k at one point. My strategy was to chip away, gain some momentum and work my way back into it. I slowly grew my stack to $1.5 million and from there I was ready for the kill. I WON. I ended up taking it down for my second WSOP bracelet!!! It couldn’t feel better. Money comes and goes, but bracelets can never be taken away from you.
I was surrounded by my great family and friends; Uncle Mike, Grandpa Ron, Esther Taylor, Gavin Smith, Devo, Rick Fuller and many more. Thanks to everyone for all the support.
Looking back, things worked out interestingly for me. Based on my experience and skills, I should have won Event #39 $1,500 NLH event and not the PLO 8-or-Better. Battling against Lee Watkinson, who is just an amazing player, in an event that I am not as strong in, was not the ideal situation. It all worked out though. Success can be measured in subjective levels. For me, it is not all about measuring final tables. Rather, it is calculated by setting my goals and subsequently focusing and working hard to achieve them.
I am playing well. I am feeling good. Life is pretty good right now.
Brandon Cantu
Tags: Bracelet, Poker Poker Poker, poker tournaments, WPT, WSOP
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Sunday, July 5, 2009 - Brandon Cantu
Reflecting back at the beginning of this World Series, I had been running stale. I picked up an early cash in event #7 – $1,500 NLH, but it was insignificant. Reviewing the last few weeks, it was apparent that my head just wasn’t where it should be. As the WSOP suddenly neared the Main Event, I woke up the other day and felt a sense of urgency and with that urgency, I found clarity. Since that day, I have felt locked in with my game. The timing couldn’t be any better. I wanted to put together a series of good events rolling into the Main Event.
Fast forwarded to now, Event #39. There’s been a huge gap in cashes. I registered for the $1,500 NLH feeling good. For whatever reason, I thrive in these high register tournaments and 2,700 showed up to play this one.
Started Day 3 with 26 players left. I came into the day really short, and just had to sit back and wait to pick up hands. Before, I probably wouldn’t have maintained composure and been so patient but, my game is getting better and I was able to keep my cool. I couldn’t be aggressive, so I had to find the right situation and the right hand(s) and go with it. I was fortunate enough to double up a couple of times. It was then time to put the pressure on the other players. I felt like the best player in tournament. I felt like it was mine to lose.
16 left. I really felt like the other players were now starting to get scared of me. I started running over the game at this point.
As the Final Table was set, I was ready to earn my second bracelet. I wanted it badly when I got to this point. I started the final table with $800,000 in chips and in 6th place of the remaining 9. Like always, my friends came out to support me, Gavin Smith, Jeff Madsen, Rick Fuller, Esther Taylor, Allie Prescott, to name a few.
Playing solid and picking up steam, I played my way to Heads Up portion vs. Ray Foley. I had a chance to win this thing a couple of times and was in great spots to do it. Heads Up with my AQ vs. A7 for the win. Flop came 5 8 8, turn 6 and river 5!!!!! Unbelievable. This moment was extremely hard to take. Just as I felt I was going to win, I chopped the pot. Shortly thereafter, we got in. I had K 9 vs. Foley’s 10’s. I spiked a King on the flop, but the turn brought another 10-ball and for a second time, I just couldn’t close.
On the final hand, I held J7 off, and raised $300,000. Foley called and we saw the flop. Flop then came J 3 9 rainbow. Foley checked, and I made it $400,000. Foley instantly shoved. I tanked it for a little bit. I knew for sure that he could have a Jack with a better kicker than mine. I sensed it, but I just didn’t think that I could lay down top pair. In other situations and previous events and years, I would just ship that instantly. But, I am getting calmer, thinking deeper, and evaluating situations to fullest. With serious reservations, I still went ahead and made the call. Foley showed J Q and I was in serious trouble. Turn and River came 10 and 5, which was no help to me. Foley won.
Ray Foley played great heads up. He deserved the win. Second place, is not the bracelet result that you would typically look for and be thrilled with. However, I felt my game shift, my mentality shift, and my stamina shift. I feel really good right now. Again, now is the perfect time to lock-in like this and I fully expect major things coming up. This will not be the highlight of my World Series, mark my words.
Brandon Cantu
Tags: Bracelet, Main Event, Poker Poker Poker, WSOP
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