You Heard Me Right: F L O P!

 Linda Johnson is truly - The First Lady Of Poker. As the Lead Partner at Card Player Cruises (if you love poker and/or love cruising Try a Poker Cruise! ) Linda Johnson is the face of the cruise event itself. Throughout the cruise, if she’s not speaking to the crowd, she is meeting people individually or involved in helping manage the largest poker rooms ever to set sail. On the final evening of the cruise, the Party Gaming prizes for their Poker, Blackjack and Slots tournaments were handed out. I then learned a bit more about the Party Poker Millions Tournament cruise and the people involved. At the first PPM Cruise, and award, in honor of long time amateur player Brian Saltus, who was onboard playing, despite his declining health. Then it was time for the 2006 award, who would it be? Only Linda and a few other members of her team knew had been chosen. Linda stood next to Mike Sexton (poker legend and Party Poker Host) aa she was in the process of announce the name…. but it would not be allowed to happen. Mike Sexton grabbed the microphone and annonnce “The First Lady of Poker: Linda Johson”! Talk about catching her off guard - a great laugh for everyone and a nice honor for someone who was playing poker before there was an internet, let alone an online room. Well the whole trip is over and i’ve nearly gotten everything back in the swing of things. The cruise was fun, it was my first, i’ll likely go back. The best part was the poker, dozens of tables every night and a lot of great fun. My plans are to play more live poker, including the first week’s Limit games at the World Series of Poker. I’ll have a final wrap up of the Party Poker Tournament and my experiences at the tournament in the next few days. 

Mike Schneider, a 22 year old American, won the Party Poker Millions V tournament and walked away with the $1 million first prize.  The final 6 players of the 528 starters, began play at the final table at 2pm EST aboard the Holland America Lines ship Westerdam.  The final 6, all American males, included Kenna James, Drew Chitiea, Scott Buller, Richard Joel and Devon Miller.  Miller was the short stack going into today’s play and was knocked out within the first few hands.

Richard Joel went All-In with pocket 8s on the turn, but lost to Drew Chitiea who drew a 2nd King on the river. Joel finished 5th winning $250,000.  Chitea in turn went down to Kenna James, when he went All-In with Q-10, but lost to James 3 kings, finishing 4th. Scott Buller finished 3rd winning $500,000, when his All-In was called and won by Kenna James.  James, is reported to have not had “the cards” throughout the day, when he lost when he was Blinded “All-In”, giving the 22 year old from Minnesota the big win.

Mike Schneider’s contingent of over a dozen, loud and loyal friends cheered him on. These same friends spent much of wednesday night hooping and hollering about how their friend was going win it all.  Schneider sat there, throughout the evening, listening, contemplating, but not saying much at all. Whether just his personality or his game face, Schneider brought the same, quiet determination to the table and walked away a winner.

I guess student loans won’t be a problem for this “Man from Minnesota”.  I never came up against Mike and am grateful. As the 5th Party Poker Millions final ended, it was clear that another exciting tournament had pleased almost all those who had entered.

Personally, I met a lot of great players and nice people in the tournament. Despite my sloppy play (mainly from lack of sleep) the vast majority of players, though tough competitors, are just nice, friendly people.

Finally one word about www.CardPlayerCruises.com: Excellent. Linda Johnson and her staff of dealers and floor people have kept dozens of tournament and money game tables going nearly 24 hours a day.  These folks are not just top professionals, but friendly, helpful and on top their game.  Look for the finals on TV soon, but when you see David Lamb announcing from Table side, realize that he was not just announcer, but the tournament director and a man who is a true poker professional in Reno and a regular member of the team that runs the WSOP every year in Las Vegas.

We’ll I’m off looking for some dead money…..and hoping that it’s not sitting in MY pocket.

AllPokerPlay