Here's how we got to this point.
Event: U.S. Poker Championship
Site: Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City
Dates: Sept. 20-Oct. 8, 2004
Field: 187
Winner's Purse: $691,095.90 (What? They can't get to an even 700? Trump couldn't kick in an extra nine G's?)
Top 18 places cashed
Airdate: Uh... soon?
When I did get back, there were seven players left. When you're sitting there watching for that long, you almost inadvertantly start noticing things. It may not get shown enough that it's noticeable, but I'm fairly certain I was able to pick up a tell on one of the finalists.
As players were eliminated, they'd go off into this little corner tucked away behind the curtain for a post-elimination interview. Also, the TV crew would step in and stop the game for a moment to shift people around the table, I guess so the table would look more symmetrical and balanced on camera.
The heads-up battle went about two and a half hours. When you're sitting in the audience, you can see a timer on a monitor behind the players (facing the back, so the tournament MC can see it) counting down how much time is left in each round before the blinds go up. It's every 90 minutes, for the record.
They don't bring the cash out and put it on the table for the final two like they do at the WSOP. Very disappointing. They do have the big check at the end, like at bowling tournaments.
My memory's fuzzy at this point, but the show should end with the last three hands consecutively. (The next-to-last hand is something to see, as I'm convinced both men made their hands. Who knew a 4 could cause so much agita.)
3 comments:
Any recognizable names?
Not at that point, no. The first thing I saw was Huck Seed get eliminated on what I'm sure was a failed bluff on his part that went so badly he didn't even show his cards at the end.
Cyndy Violette showed up and sat in the crowd for a couple rounds. Does that count?
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