Sunday, November 1, 2009 - P0ker H0
Getting back to the grind after Aruba sure isn’t EZ . The parties were non-stop and the best! The Dan Band was so much fun! The poker was non-stop, and Matt Savage and his staff /dealers ran the best tourneys I have ever played in. All the UB staff need a really BIG thank you for all they did…Melissa, Jo, Gustavo, and Ernesto just to name a few. You and all the other hard working UB employees that came from Costa Rica and all over the world make Aruba the #1 destination in poker.
The best way I know to get rid of the Aruba hang-over is VEGAS BABY !! I leave for Vegas next Thursday to teach at the WSOP Academy, http://www.wsopacademy.com, Nov. 6-8 with Phil ,Greg Raymer, Shawn Rice and a lot of other great pros. Attending one of these camps will surely help take your game to the next level . If you would like to attend our cash academy, coming up Dec. 5-6th, for FREE and get $1000.00 for travel, listen to my radio show every Sunday night at 9pm EST, “The Ultimate Poker Show,” on http://www.roundersradio.com. I will be giving out the passwords for the Sunday night $5.00 and free roll tourneys that can get you eligible for Vegas.
UB is also running steps for a 12k package for Foxwoods and a 17.5k for the Bellagio. I love playing these steps while I’m playing MTTs. The main reason is that when you play steps remember “tight is right”. I find if I am playing these with other MTTs it helps me play a little tighter, and anybody that has played with me knows that I need that. J A couple of nights ago I bought into 3 step 7s for 97.15 each. I lost one and built the other two up to a step 9 and 10. Last night I played the step 10 and chopped the Foxwoods seat with a very good player, “maximilian71”. I was ahead in chips so I got 8,500 he got 7k . My 291.45 investment in the step 7s paid off nicely, plus I still have my 750.00 step 9.
Hope to cya all in the steps soon or better yet loose your hang-over and join me in Vegas Baby…
H0
Tags: Aruba, Bellagio, Costa Rica, greg raymer, Matt Savage, P0ker H0, Phil Hellmuth, Poker Poker Poker, rounders radio, ShawnRice, The Dan Band, The Ultimate Poker Show, ub, Vegas, WSOP Academy
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Sunday, October 18, 2009 - Michaelbinger
Well it has been quite a few weeks. After a frustrating week or two of poker in London I flew from Amsterdam to Aruba on the 3rd. I knew immediately that I was in for a great week. I managed to convince my brother Nick to come out to Aruba for the first time so I had a partner in crime. Plus alot of good friends were going to be there. I really do have more and more fun every year in Aruba.
Day 1 Sun Oct 4: Nick and I rented a Catamaran sailboat (a Hobicat) and managed to capsize it only twice. It’s a bit of a pain to get them right side up in the middle of the ocean but well worth it for the fun and adventure. It was really a blast… we went sailing another 3 times during the week. We hung a few hours on the beach with some friends then headed back to the room to get ready for the opening party. Little did I know what an EPIC night we had in store. Things started off a bit tame (by which I mean a normal fun party), but about an hour or two into it people started getting rather drunk, and well… a massive epidemic of people getting thrown into the pool ensued. I must admit that myself, my brother Nick, and some other team UB pros were the main culprits behind this. We would spot someone in the crowd who we thought should be in the pool, and like savage hunters track them down and throw them in kicking and screaming (FYI they were fake screams… interesting fact: people love being thrown in pools! ). We were good though… we always gave our victim the opportunity to empty the pockets of cell phones and other stuff and give them to a friend before getting thrown in. Before long, it seemed like the entire party was in the pool. The award for toughest fighter goes to the newest UB team pro Joe Sebok… that kid is scrappy and strong… I think it took 4 of us to get him in the pool! But once he was in the pool, he came to see the wisdom of it all!
Day 2 Mon Oct 5: This was day 1A of the main event and we had the day off. A fun mostly lazy day on the beach interrupted only by going tubing. Four of us could go at a time on our own separate tubes and boat driver was on a mission to sling us around and knock us off. Quite exhilarating and fun. Dinner out in town at an awesome restaurant Madame Janette.
Day 3 Tues Oct 6: Time to play poker! We started with 15k in chips and as usual with tournaments run by Matt Savage the blind structure was very good. I finished the day with 41k I think, a bit above average. Off to bed early.
Day 4 Wed Oct 7: Nick and I woke up early to go for a swim in the ocean and then sailing before the noon day 2 restart. The winds were fairly strong and the skies ominous. We got pretty far from shore and decided that a fun way to practice sailing would be for one of us to jump out of the boat and have the other tack back to “rescue”. I was the first overboard and my brother decided to sail past me a few times just for fun before picking me up. Next it was Nick’s turn: he jumps overboard, and almost immediately the winds pick up. I am doing my best to control the small boat, which is going faster than ever. Before I even know what’s going on the front of the boat is plowing into the water and I am at 45 degrees… very close to flipping but I managed to lean back and counterbalance. I turn around and tack back towards Nick just as it starts pouring rain and lightning and thundering. It is getting a bit scary, but as an experienced seaman (this is my 2nd time sailing) I wasn’t fazed 
. I pick up Nick and we decide to head in… the only problem being that it is raining so hard we cannot see the shore. But a good sailor has an internal compass so we made it back safe and sound, in time to play some poker. Sadly the day didn’t go well for either of us. I built up to over 80k early on and was in strong position, but everything just fell apart and I busted in the evening… so I was stuck on a tropical island with tons of fun leisure/adventure activities and a bunch of cool people. Sigh.
Day 5 Thurs Oct 8: Horseback riding! Went with Nick, UB pro Liv Boeree, and Allie Prescott who sadly had to bail at the last minute do to illness. It was a blast, we got to gallup along the beach and mosey through the Aruban countryside. Great big group dinner.
Hung out in the pool for a while around midnight with a bunch of friends and UB pros. Went out to some clubs late night with Joe Reitman and ran into a bunch of great people. Walked home at 5am.
Day 6 Fri Oct 9: Another day of beach bumming and sailing. Good times. Then in the evening to Phil Hellmuth’s party in the penthouse suite. As usual, a great party. Lots of free flowing Dom Perignon, plus a performance by The Dan Band, who were awesome and funny. Oh yes and there was a rapping competition between Jeff Madsen and the Poker Rapper.
Day 7 Sat Oct 10: Lazy day shopping, getting lunch, then went out on the Waverunners. Had a blast once I figured out how to do 360’s. More beach bummery with the crew. Throwing around the nerf football and such. The closing party was that night, featuring another performance by The Dan Band, and another episode of debaucherous pool throwing and frolicking (see day 1).
Day 8 Sun Oct 11: Time to leave 
Until next year Aruba!
So now I’m back home in Vegas, playing some poker at the Bellagio and just catching up on life. Played the 10k HORSE event 2 days ago, which got only 19 players. Busted on day 2 yesterday. Probably playing the 10k PLO tomorrow… check me out on twitter for updates!
Best of Luck,
Michael Binger
Tags: Amsterdam, Aruba, Bellagio, Joe Reitman, Joe Sebok, Liv Boeree, London, Matt Savage, Michael Binger, Phil Hellmuth, Poker Poker Poker, Team UB, The Dan Band, Twitter, ub pros, Vegas
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Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - Scott Ian
It’s September and summer is “officially” over, the kids (if I had kids) are back at school and we’re on a fast train to Xmas, with one really nice stop on the way…Aruba.
I can’t believe it’s that time of year already. Twenty-five days until I’m in Aruba for UB’s tourney of tourneys. This is the big one my friends and it’s not to be missed.
This is going to be my third time in Aruba and I am looking forward to this trip even more than the previous two. It definitely doesn’t get old. It’s the one place I can play poker and relax at the same time. The poker environment in Aruba is as intense as anywhere but it’s much more kickback at the same time. I can only guess it’s the sea, the sun, the air, and the DRINKS! Can I get a bucket of Balashi’s over here right now?? If this is going to be your first time to Aruba, Balashi is the local beer and it’s good. There’s my tip of the week.
My first trip to Aruba was in 2007. I won my seat after winning the VH1 Rock & Roll Poker Tourney. I had just started playing poker seriously at the time and I have to admit I was really intimidated about Aruba. I had no idea what it was going to be like. It was also going to be my first big live tourney!! I was going there without knowing anyone except Phil Hellmuth Jr who I had met for five minutes. My fiancé Pearl and I got there and were immediately welcomed by Jo Priam and all of the UB pro’s, management and staff into the family. It’s that kind of atmosphere. UB really goes out of its way to make everyone feel like a part of the team in Aruba. You’ll see. There’s a reason for such strong brand loyalty and it all stems from how cool everyone that works for UB is. This may sound kiss-assy but it’s true. The hospitality provided for all is five-star.
We became fast friends with Phil and Debo and Poker Ho and Shawn Rice and Annie and her man Joe and Hollywood Dave and Wisco and Jim “Krazy Kanuck” Worth and Robert Williamson III etc etc. I got to play a lot of poker and even got some lessons from these masters while having a blast every night. It was a great way to go to poker school.
My first big tourney started OK and about half way through level three I ended up getting all my money in post flop with a set of J’s on a Q high board. Poker Ho was standing across the table from me and saw me shove and gave me a “You got the nuts?” kind of look. I raised my brows back at him thinking I was about to double up when the caller turned over his pair of Q’s and I was done. Oops. My first tourney and I’m out set over set. I wasn’t bummed at all; at that point in my poker career there was no way I could’ve folded. These days my Spider-Sense would’ve been going off like a fire alarm and I’d make an amazing lay down. At least in my dreams that’s what happens.
So I bust out on day one and I’ve got a week in paradise. That’s what’s great about Aruba. And, there’s so much poker going on non-stop that you’ll never be looking for a game. Last year I was heading to Aruba a different poker player. UB had signed me and I’d had a year of lessons and tourneys and thousands of hands played. I also knew everyone going in so it was basically going to be a poker vacation with my friends. Once again the whole operation was first class. I have to mention Matt Savage and his crew as well because he is a huge part of making this a great event. Matt’s tournament philosophy is to give the players great value for their money and this structure provides that.
I made it to day three last year and was grinding towards the bubble. I was short stacked about twenty-five from the money when I shoved UTG with KK. The BB talked and talked for three minutes and he finally calls with AJ. I was hoping to take the blinds and antes and keep grinding but a double up would’ve gotten me past the bubble for sure.
He flops and A and the turn and river show me no love at all and I am out. I couldn’t believe it. I had never made it to a day three before and I just couldn’t accept that I was done after all that work. I was going to win it; I couldn’t be out. I got up quickly and headed out of the room. I dimly remember Debo saying something to me from his table as I descended into a darkness that I was not familiar with. The walk back to my room took five minutes and by the time I got there I didn’t know what to do with myself. Pearl was in the room and she asked me what happened and I couldn’t even speak. I was sitting there with my head in my hands in disbelief that someone pulled the emergency brake and my tourney was over. Pearl told me she’d be down by the pool and to come meet her and the rest of our friends down there when I was ready. She’d also never seen me like this and decided it was probably best to get out of the way. It was the weirdest feeling, my sane brain was saying “dude, calm down it’s just a game and you’ll get’em next time” and my insane poker brain was saying “SCOTT SMASH AJ, SCOTT DESTROY YOU AAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Interesting conversation my brain was having with itself. After a half an hour of trying to calm down crazy Scott-Hulk I got off my sorry ass and found Pearl at the pool. I grabbed a lounge chair, set it down in the shallow end of the pool, was handed a GIANT Pina Colada by Victor Bigio and I let Aruba wash the insanity away. And it did! Twenty minutes later my anger had melted away and it was all fun the rest of the trip. That’s Aruba.
Year three coming up, see you there my friends.
Cheers,
Scott
Tags: Annie Duke, Aruba, Debo, Hollywood Dave, Jo Priam, Krazy Kanuck, Matt Savage, P0ker H0, Phil Hellmuth, Play Poker, Robert Williamson III, ShawnRice, ub, Wisco
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Monday, July 27, 2009 - Debo34
Aruba is just 9 weeks away. This will be my 7th straight year that I fly to Aruba for the best poker tournament on the planet. In my opinion, no poker venue that I have ever been to can compare to Aruba. Matt Savage and crew do an amazing job with all the tournaments and side games and there is never a shortage of action if you are looking for it.
Aruba was the first trip package that I ever won online, and for that will always be special. I had only played poker online for about 2 months when I won my first trip to Aruba. I remember on the flight down there all I could think about was poker, poker, poker. That changed shortly after my plane touched down in Aruba. It didn’t take long to form friendships with players that I had been playing with online, and find other fun stuff to do on the island besides play poker all day. People I consider close friends almost 8 years later like fellow team UB members Mark Kroon and Shawn Rice. Guys like Tracy Scala, Robbie Cunningham and Mike Foley are all guys I met in Aruba my first year, and call friends today.
So over the past 7 years poker has been just a piece of the excitement in Aruba. Parties, poker, scuba diving, golfing, and of course the great nightlife are all reasons why Aruba is such a great poker venue.
This year I will be looking to improve on my best Aruba finish that I had last year. Last year I finished 22nd and walked away scratching my head. I wasn’t happy with the way I played my last few hands, and made some mistakes down the stretch that cost me. I felt like I really had a chance to win the tournament last year. With the great structure of this tournament I feel like I am going to make a deep run this year as well.
Hope to see you on the island
Debo
Tags: Aruba, mark kroon, Matt Savage, Poker Poker Poker, poker tournament, ShawnRice, ub
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Sunday, June 7, 2009 - Gene Bromberg
The $10,000 Omaha/8 World Championship event just started over in the Brasilia Room, and to say the field is stacked would be an understatement. Walking through the room the question wasn’t “Who do I know here?”, it was “Who DON’T I know here?”. Seated at one of those tables was Annie Duke, who arrived to find Greg Raymer, Ted Lawson and Bruno Fitoussi at her table. As well as Thang Luu, who won the $1,500 Omaha/8 event held last week. He also won that event last year. And came second the year before that. Annie at least has Luu on her left, but seated directly to her right is the 2004 World Champion:
Also in the field today are Michael Binger, who scooped a pot as I shot this pic:
And a jovial Brandon Cantu:
Also in today’s field is tournament director extraordinaire Matt Savage, who of course has helmed the Aruba Poker Classic the past two years and turned it into one of the best-run and best-structured tournaments in the world. Matt played in the $1,500 Omaha/8 event last week–cashing in 60th place–and once again he’s put down the microphone and taken to the felt.
Tags: 2009 world series of poker, 2009 wsop, Annie Duke, Brandon Cantu, bruno fitoussi, greg raymer, Matt Savage, Michael Binger, Poker Poker Poker, thang luu, ub wsop, ultimatebet world series of poker, ultimatebet wsop, world series of poker, WSOP
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Sunday, May 31, 2009 - Shawn Rice
Hello Fellow UBers
It’s World Series of Poker Time again.
I don’t know if you have been or not but it’s massive ball rooms filled with tables with people from all over the world trying to win a bracelet. I was lucky enough to get 2nd in 2004 on the first televised event. It aired the other night on ESPN Classic and to be honest with you I can’t watch the end of it. It makes me sick to think of how close I was and not win one. On the good side, I feel by not winning it made me a much better player, I have worked very hard on my poker game in all areas. I have made it my mission to be the best player I can possibly be. I try and learn poker all the time anyway possible. I have not only taught at many poker camps over the years but my favorite part is listening to the world class pros that also teach. When people ask me who taught me poker it’s a very very long list mixed with many names you know like Annie Duke, Hoyt Corkins, Amarillo Slim, Mark “P0ker H0″ Kroon and Gary “Debo34″ Debernardi and the mental aspects of dealing with pokers ups and downs from Howard Lederer and many you may not of heard of like Chris “Brsavage” Savage, Paul “Beanie” Nobles and Aaron “Loewa79″ Loew. I have also learned a lot from players with lots less skill. Don’t think you can’t learn from players with less skill because you can learn from their mistakes as well instead of you having to learn the hard way. I found out over the years that I really do love to teach this game I very much love. I am not going to give a list of names of whom I have spent many hours on the phone with helping them with their poker game because I don’t want to turn this into a bragging blog but I can say that I am most proud of that part of my poker career. I love seeing my friends doing well and kicking ass in the poker world. This will be a life changing experience for many poker players whom will attend. It’s a great value for the good players as there will be tons of money to be won. I hope if you attend you win your share.
I am going to play a few events and play tons of cash games while I am there. I have learned over the years it’s hard to make steady money playing bigger buy-in tourneys. The cash games is where the steady money is without the major swings that a tourney has. I have been working a lot on my cash game play over this past year and hope I can take what I have learned and apply it and come away with a very successful series.
UB has already started tourneys for the Aruba Classic, This will be my 7th year playing this event and let me tell you it’s the best tourney you could ever wanna play. Matt Savage will be the tourney director and he runs the best structured tourneys anyone could ever ask for. Everyone is there having the time of their life, The nightlife and the beaches are awesome and you have a good chance of winning close to a million dollars. A few years back I got 12th, I was the chip leader and lose a monster race with Layne Flack, I had AcQc vs JJ, we get all in preflop and flop come Jack high with 2 clubs and I could not improve and I was cripples and out shortly after, I will let ya know when I am over it, 1st that year was a million dollars and filmed for the WPT. P0ker H0 got 11th that year and it would of been a blast if we both made that final table.
Come by and say hello to any of the UB pros while we are there, We love hearing from you and I am involved with a bunch of great people.
Proud UB Team Member
Shawn Rice
Tags: Annie Duke, aruba classic, espn, Matt Savage, Poker Poker Poker, Poker Pros, ub, WPT, WSOP
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Monday, March 2, 2009 - Scott Ian
If you haven’t heard yet, my online Home Game is March 11 8:30PM EST and it’s me, Slash, Kirk Hammett from Metallica, Jerry Cantrell from Alice In Chains and Vinnie Paul from Pantera, Damageplan, Hell Yeah, and Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke rounding it out to 7. We have 20 seats open for you to win. Click here for more info http://www.ultimatebet.com/poker-promotion/scott-ian-home-game and I’ll see you at my Home Game!!!
Had a good day one at the WPT Invitational yesterday. For a charity/ celeb tourney the structure was good and the blinds didn’t skyrocket instantly for an all-in fest. Matt Savage is the man!! The table I was at for 6 1/2 hours was pretty tight and no one really jumped out in front. Kevin Wiseman from the show Alias chipped up pretty good and was a good player. Late in the day Mekhi Phifer (Dawn Of The Dead!!) sat on my left and I got to talk to him about making what I consider to be the best horror movie re-boot ever. Dare I say I may even like the new Dawn Of The Dead better than the original. Blasphemy!!!!
Mekhi, whose charity The Vine Group raised over 80K, told me that getting to make dawn was one of those situations that as an actor he couldn’t believe he was being paid to be there it was that much fun.
Towards the end of the day I was pretty short-stacked after being card dead for what seemed like a week when I woke up with AKs on the button. One raise to 6K in front of me and I shoved (blinds were 1K-2K, 400 ante) and took it down and on the next hand had AA and I took the blinds and antes to get up to 50K. I got moved from my table for the last hand and ended up UTG with Chris Ferguson and Phil Laak on my right. Phil had a big stack, Chris short-stacked. I had 73 and folded and that was the end of the day. Ended up with 49,500 for day 2.
I made sure to get to the Commerce Casino on time today as I was starting in the BB and it was going to be 3K with a 500 ante. The field was down from 432 to 120 and the tables weren’t as soft as they were on day 1. I still had Ferguson and Laak on my right and actors Jon Hamm from the show Mad Men at around 140K and Kevin Wiseman at around 85K. We were 7 handed. Things started off really slow for me and I folded for 2 rounds which brought me down to 34K. They broke our table and the second hand I picked up at the new table UTG was A8os and I open shoved. The BB called with 75s and the flop came A 10 8. Turn was a 7, river bricked and I doubled up. I got moved again right after that hand. Just when I was really starting to like that table!
At the next table things were quiet for a few hands and then in middle position I picked up 99 and raised to 10K. Blinds were 2K – 4K 500 ante. BB calls. Flop comes J82 rainbow. I bet 15K, BB raises to 30K, I shove he calls. 99 vs A8. Turn 2, river 8. I flipped the table over and burned the hotel to the ground.
Well, I did in fakey land in my brain. There were around 100 left and if I double there I’m gonna make a deep run. Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men…..Damn you Poker, why do you mock me!!!!
So I raced home from Commerce and jumped in the Sunday 200K 40 minutes late with $2790 in chips and I’m currently at $4894. Hope this goes better than the live tourney.
Cheers,
Scott
Tags: Alias, alice in chains, Annie Duke, Damageplan, Hell Yeah, Jerry Cantrell, Kevin Wiseman, Kirk Hammett, Matt Savage, Mekhi Phifer, Metallica, pantera, Phil Hellmuth, Scott Ian, Slash, Vinnie Paul, WPT Celebrity Invitational
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