GILROY
– A chip and a chair.
That phrase will be tested in the next week as some of the best
No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker players converge in Las Vegas for the
35th World Series of Poker.
GILROY – A chip and a chair.
That phrase will be tested in the next week as some of the best No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker players converge in Las Vegas for the 35th World Series of Poker.
Ausencio Quezada will be in the field of up to 1,500 hopefuls when play begins Saturday at Binion’s Horseshoe Casino. The Gilroy resident qualified for the event, with its $10,000 buy-in, by claiming the title of a satellite event at the Garlic City Club in March.
For the first time in tournament history, first-day play has been split into two flights. The first 700 or more entrants play Saturday starting at 1 p.m., the second half of the field on Sunday. Quezada, who will travel to the tournament with Garlic City Club manager Raul Rivas, will not be told of his starting date until Saturday morning.
Rivas, who has finished second in each of the last two years in the World Series satellite at the club, will be at the event to introduce Quezada to the tournament staff as well as to enter Friday satellites offered at Binion’s to earn a chair in the World Series tournament.
“Maybe by Friday or Saturday, the tournament could be sold out,” cautioned Rivas. “Last year’s tournament had 839 players, with the top 42 players finishing in the money. I’ve heard that if the tournament approaches 2,000 players, the top 200 would be in the money.”
Tournament Directors Matt Savage, from Bay Area 101, and Jim Miller will start the event with the familiar “shuffle up and deal.” Play continues until only one player has a chair and all of the chips.
The explosion of interest in No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, spurred by televised tournaments throughout the year, has led the tournament staff to plan for a doubling of players buying into the action and a chance at the estimated $3.5 million dollar first-place money. Included in this year’s field will be many celebrities from the music and film industries.
Last year’s champion, Chris Moneymaker, collected $2.5 million for the five days of betting and bluffing. This year’s tournament has expanded to seven days. Wednesday’s competition will continue until 36 players remain. Thursday’s play will conclude with a Final Table of nine for Friday’s showdown.
Johnny Moss was the champion of the first two years in the series. ‘Amarillo Slim’ Preston took the title in 1972 in a field of seven.
The field jumped to 52 by 1982. Brad Daugherty came out on top in 1991 when the event offered its first One Million Dollar prize. Chris Ferguson won the first 1.5-million dollar prize in 2000.
“I’ve never been in a tournament with this many players before,” said Quezada of the upcoming challenge. “It’s unbelievable how many players are coming. Nothing compares to what you will do at this tournament, The play, the psychology with the guys. It’ll either make or break you.”
Quezada, a bus mechanic for the Morgan Hill Unified School District by day, has spent the past few weeks playing in tournaments, including three events each week at the Garlic City Club.
Does Quezada learn anything from televised poker?
“No, I don’t watch them,” said the South County hopeful. “I don’t think you learn anything from those shows. I have my own agenda. It’s a lot of luck, anyway.”
