I have to smile when I think back to a day nearly two years ago when I set down in Nassau. Blogging had been around for quite a while and poker blogs were starting to take hold in the blogging community. Even the concept of live-blogging a tournament wasn’t a new one. John Vorhaus, who I have since come to know, had translated his book writing skills to the ether. Still, with a background in journalism, I thought there was room to cover a poker tournament like NBC covers the Olympics. It’s a sporting event and cultural phenomenon wrapped into a Bahamian package. In short, I thought, if given the chance, I could do something really cool. PokerStars gave me that chance. Of course, if we’re being honest, I was scared senseless when the 2005 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure kicked off.
Your humble blogger (right) looking much younger than he does now, with Isabelle Mercier and some of the top bloggerati at the 2005 PCA
Regardless, that moment was actually the genesis of this blog. Since then, I have been joined by a large group of talented people who have helped me keep things fresh here. Back then, it was just me. And that’s why the PokerStars Caribbean Adveture holds a little nostalgia for me. And that’s why I’m really excited that the 2007 PCA is on its way. I’m not exactly sure why I get excited about 18-hour work-days and not really seeing the sun for seven days. I guess because it’s a homegrown poker players convention like you will see in very few other places.
For instance, last year, a guy named Jay Newnum introduced himself to me. At the time, he was managing Card Player’s forum and had won his way to the PCA on PokerStars. Turned out, he was really nice guy and we hit it off famously. The next day, I got sort of a kick out of the fact Newnum got seated right beside Isabelle Mercier. Mercifully, he was on her left (I’ve been on her right and it’s not a fun place to be).
Isabelle Mercier and Jay Newnum
Since then, Jay has done very well in the world of poker. Not only has he gone really deep in major events, but he took on a much larger role in CardPlayer’s coverage of the WSOP. I hope to see him in the Bahamas next year.
Then there’s Curzdog. About a year and a half ago, I met him in Monte Carlo as a friend of a friend. We ate together several times and I held myself personally responible for him busting out of the event (note: there is a well-documented relationship between eating with me at a dinner break and going busto shortly thereafter). Since then, I’ve seen Curz just about everywhere, including playing cash games with Joe Hachem at the WSOP and at the PCA.
Curzdog with DoubleAs at the 2006 PCA
Curzdog with BBJ at the 2006 PCA
Like I said, it’s more than a tournament. It’s a convention of like-minded folks. It’s everybody’s chance, including mine, to see a bunch of people they really like and play poker. At last year’s pre-party, I ran into Brandon Scahefer, Carl Olson, and Michael Goodman. I realized that I had seen these guys all over the world. I’d seen Schaefer and Olson go first and second at an EPT event. I’d seen Goodman go exceptionally deep in the previous year’s PCA. This year at the WSOP, I spent a lot of time chatting with all three guys as they rocked through the events (including a televised final table appearance for Goodman).
Brandon Scahefer, Carl Olson and Michael Goodman
So, that’s a long way of saying, I’m excited to announce that PokerStars has at long last kicked off the satellites for the 2007 PCA. You’ll find all the information you need by clicking the link in the box at the top of the page.
So, get on the stick and start qualifying. I need some more people to test my dinner break busto theory.
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