9, count them, 9 players showed up this time! Including TWO brand new recruits, Jerry and Marc!
With the addition of TWO new players this means our prize pool will reach $3360 if no one drops out! That's two full $1500 seats plus a bit of travel scratch for each representative. NOICE.
Myself, Eric L., Tony, Jerry, Jason and Andrew finished 'out of the money' for 4K in chips apiece.
Eric T finished third scooping up 6K in chips for Step 2.
Marc and Jeff battled for awhile before chopping the money ($80 each) and getting 10K in chips apiece.
So our standings as of right now are -
Andrew - 24K (3)
Jason - 18K (3)
Jeff - 18K (2)
Tony - 14K (3)
Eric L - 13K (3)
Chris - 13K (3)
Eric T. - 10K (2)
Marc - 10K (1)
Allen - 6K (1)
Jerry - 4K (1)
Keep in mind, some have played less tournaments than others - noted in the parenthesis, once people hit 4 tournaments, they can drop a lower score or two if they do better in one or two of the remaining tournaments. Only the best 4 results will count.
Our next Step 1 is Friday night at 8pm on March 31st. It's the fourth of six Step 1 tournaments. Don't miss your chance to grind up some more chips for Step 2!
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
2017 Step 1B
Only five, the bare minimum of players showed up last night to throwdown in our second Step 1 World Series of poker satellite. For two of us it was a quick evening, Eric L and myself busted in fifth and fourth place respectively. We each earned 5K in chips for Step 2. Why 5K? Because we made a deal before we started to take 2K off of first place and give 1K each to fifth and fourth place. We all figured since we were shorthanded we should be rewarded for showing up.
Rest of the payouts, except for first, or normal. Tony finished third, earning 6K for Step 2. Andrew was coolered by Jason and finished second this time around, scooping up 8K in Step 2 chips and also earning $60 back to take the sting out of the entry fee. Jason took down first, winning his money back and locking up 10K in Step 2 chips.
We were all done by 10 PM, so four of us decided to stick around and play and $20 winner take all turbo. All of us except Andrew, who had a hot date I imagine, got to play another two hours. Tony busted out first, Eric exited and third place and then Jason and I battled for a while just after midnight, and finally decided just to chop it up at $40 apiece. Good times, glad we got to play more poker.
So here are the chip counts for Step2 so far after the first two of six Step 1 tournaments...
Andrew - 20K
Jason - 14K
Tony - 10K
Eric L - 9K
Chris - 9K
Jeff - 8K
Allen - 6K
Eric T - 4K
As of right now we have $980 in our prize pool, we are still on track to reach $2560 in time for Step 2, assuming that no one drops out. Jerry has indicated that he might join us, if it does then we will be just shy of $3000, but Pepper Street will front the difference towards a second $1500. Come on board Jerry! We still have four Step 1 tournaments left! Our next one is Friday night at 8 PM on March 10.
Hope everyone can make it!
Rest of the payouts, except for first, or normal. Tony finished third, earning 6K for Step 2. Andrew was coolered by Jason and finished second this time around, scooping up 8K in Step 2 chips and also earning $60 back to take the sting out of the entry fee. Jason took down first, winning his money back and locking up 10K in Step 2 chips.
We were all done by 10 PM, so four of us decided to stick around and play and $20 winner take all turbo. All of us except Andrew, who had a hot date I imagine, got to play another two hours. Tony busted out first, Eric exited and third place and then Jason and I battled for a while just after midnight, and finally decided just to chop it up at $40 apiece. Good times, glad we got to play more poker.
So here are the chip counts for Step2 so far after the first two of six Step 1 tournaments...
Andrew - 20K
Jason - 14K
Tony - 10K
Eric L - 9K
Chris - 9K
Jeff - 8K
Allen - 6K
Eric T - 4K
As of right now we have $980 in our prize pool, we are still on track to reach $2560 in time for Step 2, assuming that no one drops out. Jerry has indicated that he might join us, if it does then we will be just shy of $3000, but Pepper Street will front the difference towards a second $1500. Come on board Jerry! We still have four Step 1 tournaments left! Our next one is Friday night at 8 PM on March 10.
Hope everyone can make it!
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Step 2 FINAL DATE
Okay, so the final date for Step 2 when we throw down for two WSOP seats, will be Saturday, April 29 at 1pm. I’m sending the evite shortly after I write this.
But don’t forget, we still have five Step 1 tournaments to play to earn chips for Step 2. These are the dates, all Friday nights at 8pm - 2/25, 3/10, 3/31, 4/7 & 4/21.
Also, one again I will be hosting a poker lab / strategy session on the afternoon prior to our monthly Saturday tournament, on March 25 at 2pm. I strongly encourage any and all of you who are serious about going deep in this year’s WSOP or other major events to attend. I always learn a ton from you guys and together I think we are all a great resource for getting better and better!
Monday, January 30, 2017
2017 Step 1A
8 players were on hand to take part in the first ever Pepper Street Poker Step 1 tournament in a satellite series to get one or more folks into the World Series of Poker!
Tony, Eric L., Myself, Eric T. and Jason all finished just out of 'the money' earning 4K apiece in chips for Step 2.
Allen Q. locked up third for 6K total.
Jeff G. took second after a lengthy heads-up battle for 8K.
And Andrew persevered to take it down for his money back and 12K in chips for Step 2!
All told we collected $640 for our WSOP prize pool.
Well done one and all.
If we simply keep 8 players we will have $2560 in our pool in time for Step 2.
With this amount we will award two seats, a $1500 and a $1000 seat, with $30 extra going to each representative as a mini-bonus and to help a little bit with expenses.
If we get one more player, our grand total for Step 2 will be $2960, just $40 shy of awarding two $1500 seats. Pepper Street Poker will front the difference if we get another player - so there's still time to jump on board and if you do, there will be two $1500 seats in play.
The next one is looking like Friday night, February 17 at 8pm. Stay tuned for the evite!
 |
| The final two! |
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
2018 WSOP Main Event
This is The Road to Vegas Baby tournament series! (RVB for short)
UPDATE - I will keep this post unchanged for posterity's sake, but I am going to come up with major changes for our Main Event series - mainly I want to implement a tournament series that will also attract regular players who want nothing to do with the WSOP. I think I have a good idea how to do it - stay tuned!
There will be eight Step 1 tournaments over 9 months, Aug 2017-April 2018.
In Step 1 tournaments players compete to earn chips for Step 2.
Step 1 entry is $140. The first Step 1 will be Friday, Aug 4, 2017 at 8pm.
All players win 4K in Step 2 starting chips just for showing up.
Third place wins 6K. (If we have 8 players or more - otherwise they get $0)
Second place wins 8K and gets $70. (If we have 8 players or more - otherwise they get $40)
First place wins 12K and gets $140. (If we have 8 players or more - otherwise they get $100)
When play is 3 handed players are permitted to negotiate a chop deal of these payouts.
*
A Step 1 will not happen with 5 players or less. We will try to reschedule once, if we still don't meet our minimum then that Step 1 is canceled. Players will still have the option to pay their entry fee for a canceled tournament.
If two Step 1's have to be canceled then we will likely cancel this series.
*
Step 2 will take place on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 1pm.
The winner of Step 2 goes to the Main Event (or the next biggest entry event if we don't reach 10K).
If the Step 2 winner cashes at the WSOP, they share with the group - 60% to keep and 40% to be divided evenly among RVB participants.
*
All players must play or pay for a minimum of 5 Step 1 tournaments to qualify to share in the WSOP spoils. Of these 5 tournaments, they must appear physically in at least 3.
Of the 8 Step 1 tournaments, only the best 6 results are counted towards earning chips in Step 2.
Players who play in or pay for all 8 tournaments receive a 15K chip bonus in Step 2.
All players in Step 2 may also add-on 10K in chips for $100.
So if someone finishes first in six Step 1 tournaments, and plays/pays in all 8 Step 1 tournaments and does the Step 2 add-on they would start Step 2 with 97,000 in chips. This is highly unlikely to occur.
If someone never reaches top three in 8 Step 1 tournaments and doesn't add-on in Step 2 they would start with 47K. This is highly unlikely to occur.
*
After the completion of all Step 1 tournaments, we will take stock of our prize pool.
The most anyone can put into the Step 2 prize pool is $1220, and the least is 700. That is quite a differential, but players who put in only 700 will be at a SUBSTANTIAL disadvantage going into Step 2. If they (or anyone who has paid less than $1220) can somehow come from behind and take the whole thing down as a short stack, then they will be asked to front the difference between how much they put in and $1220 and parlay that amount into their entry fee or travel expenses.
Any non-representative Step 2 players who do not reach the $1220 mark will have the difference deducted from their payout if our representative should happen to cash in the WSOP.
If the prize pool for Step 2 is over 11K, the remaining amount will be refunded to the players who have put in the most money in effort to make all contributions even. If we are between 10K and 11K the full amount will go to the winner of Step 2.
If our prize pool is between 6K and 10K, 6K will go to first place. This player must enter at minimum 5K worth of events at the WSOP. The extra 1K is for travel expenses.
The remaining amount over 6K will be awarded to the second place finisher in Step 2. Any amount this second place finisher collects at 1K or more must be parlayed into a WSOP entry, subject to the same 60/40 share agreement.
If we are under 6K total we likely will have canceled this series at that point - but if by some miracle we see it through, then we will award as many $1500 seats as we can, then 1K seats and then the Colossus.
If there is any remaining cash after the last Colossus seat is awarded, it will be rolled over into the next year's Road to Vegas Baby! tournament series.
*
As with all satellites in my garage, these events are only open to people that I have personally played poker with before. If a new player comes into my regular PSP game this year he or she will be welcome to join RVB, but they must play in a minimum of three regular Saturday night tournaments first.
For all players there are absolutely no refunds at any time after you have paid a Step 1 entry fee - save for the handful of potentially scheduled refunds above. The other exception would be a catastrophic life event, either a severe injury or a death in the player's immediate family.
At Step 2 all players will sign a staking agreement. Qualifying players absent from Step 2 will be required to sign to receive any payout.
UPDATE - I will keep this post unchanged for posterity's sake, but I am going to come up with major changes for our Main Event series - mainly I want to implement a tournament series that will also attract regular players who want nothing to do with the WSOP. I think I have a good idea how to do it - stay tuned!
There will be eight Step 1 tournaments over 9 months, Aug 2017-April 2018.
In Step 1 tournaments players compete to earn chips for Step 2.
Step 1 entry is $140. The first Step 1 will be Friday, Aug 4, 2017 at 8pm.
All players win 4K in Step 2 starting chips just for showing up.
Third place wins 6K. (If we have 8 players or more - otherwise they get $0)
Second place wins 8K and gets $70. (If we have 8 players or more - otherwise they get $40)
First place wins 12K and gets $140. (If we have 8 players or more - otherwise they get $100)
When play is 3 handed players are permitted to negotiate a chop deal of these payouts.
*
A Step 1 will not happen with 5 players or less. We will try to reschedule once, if we still don't meet our minimum then that Step 1 is canceled. Players will still have the option to pay their entry fee for a canceled tournament.
If two Step 1's have to be canceled then we will likely cancel this series.
*
Step 2 will take place on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 1pm.
The winner of Step 2 goes to the Main Event (or the next biggest entry event if we don't reach 10K).
If the Step 2 winner cashes at the WSOP, they share with the group - 60% to keep and 40% to be divided evenly among RVB participants.
*
All players must play or pay for a minimum of 5 Step 1 tournaments to qualify to share in the WSOP spoils. Of these 5 tournaments, they must appear physically in at least 3.
Of the 8 Step 1 tournaments, only the best 6 results are counted towards earning chips in Step 2.
Players who play in or pay for all 8 tournaments receive a 15K chip bonus in Step 2.
All players in Step 2 may also add-on 10K in chips for $100.
So if someone finishes first in six Step 1 tournaments, and plays/pays in all 8 Step 1 tournaments and does the Step 2 add-on they would start Step 2 with 97,000 in chips. This is highly unlikely to occur.
If someone never reaches top three in 8 Step 1 tournaments and doesn't add-on in Step 2 they would start with 47K. This is highly unlikely to occur.
*
After the completion of all Step 1 tournaments, we will take stock of our prize pool.
The most anyone can put into the Step 2 prize pool is $1220, and the least is 700. That is quite a differential, but players who put in only 700 will be at a SUBSTANTIAL disadvantage going into Step 2. If they (or anyone who has paid less than $1220) can somehow come from behind and take the whole thing down as a short stack, then they will be asked to front the difference between how much they put in and $1220 and parlay that amount into their entry fee or travel expenses.
Any non-representative Step 2 players who do not reach the $1220 mark will have the difference deducted from their payout if our representative should happen to cash in the WSOP.
If the prize pool for Step 2 is over 11K, the remaining amount will be refunded to the players who have put in the most money in effort to make all contributions even. If we are between 10K and 11K the full amount will go to the winner of Step 2.
If our prize pool is between 6K and 10K, 6K will go to first place. This player must enter at minimum 5K worth of events at the WSOP. The extra 1K is for travel expenses.
The remaining amount over 6K will be awarded to the second place finisher in Step 2. Any amount this second place finisher collects at 1K or more must be parlayed into a WSOP entry, subject to the same 60/40 share agreement.
If we are under 6K total we likely will have canceled this series at that point - but if by some miracle we see it through, then we will award as many $1500 seats as we can, then 1K seats and then the Colossus.
If there is any remaining cash after the last Colossus seat is awarded, it will be rolled over into the next year's Road to Vegas Baby! tournament series.
*
As with all satellites in my garage, these events are only open to people that I have personally played poker with before. If a new player comes into my regular PSP game this year he or she will be welcome to join RVB, but they must play in a minimum of three regular Saturday night tournaments first.
For all players there are absolutely no refunds at any time after you have paid a Step 1 entry fee - save for the handful of potentially scheduled refunds above. The other exception would be a catastrophic life event, either a severe injury or a death in the player's immediate family.
At Step 2 all players will sign a staking agreement. Qualifying players absent from Step 2 will be required to sign to receive any payout.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
WSOP 2017
This is The Road to Vegas Baby Tournament series! (RVB for short)
For the first half of 2017 we will shoot for awarding as many $1500 seats as we can in the 2017 WSOP.
Here's how...
We will have six Step 1 tournaments from Jan 2017 through May 2017, most will be on the last Friday of each month at 8pm.
Entry for each tournament is $100.
Players will compete to earn chips for Step 2.
Just for showing up and entering, players get 4K in chips.
Third place gets 6K
Second place gets 8K and $60
First place gets 12K and $100
If we have less than 5 players we will cancel and try to reschedule.
If we have to reschedule more than one Step 1 we will cancel the series and all players will be refunded.
Of the six Step 1 tournaments - only a players best 4 results will count towards chips in Step 2.
Players do not have to play all six tournaments, but they must pay entry for a minimum of FOUR tournaments in order to qualify for a share of the WSOP spoils, and they may be required to pay a little bit more, up to a maximum of $80 more, if we are less than $500 away from awarding an additional seat.
Once players have paid and entered for FOUR tournaments, the fifth and sixth tournaments are free-rolls (with the possible exception noted above.) Tournaments #5 & #6 will still include cash payouts to first and second place, $100 and $60 respectively, drawn from the general pool.
For each entry they pay they will receive 4K in chips in Step 2 even if they are unable to play every Step 1.
Step 2 tournament will take place towards the end of May on a Saturday afternoon - the winner of Step 2 will get to go to the $1500 event of their choice and also receive up to $500 in travel expense money.
Depending on how much cash there is in the prize pool, second and third places may also receive seat awards. All details will be hammered out and voted on after the prize pool is finalized but before Step 2 takes place.
The primary aim of this series - RVT I - will be to award as many $1500 seats as possible.
-----
As always, all satellite participants have to be people that I have personally played poker with before. This first series in 2017 will be restricted entirely to only PSP regulars - meaning they've played at least half a dozen times over the past two years.
The Main Event Series, starting in July 2017 for entry into the 2018 Main Event, will be opened up to any and all who have played in the garage in the past, and we will also allow newer players who have showed up in the garage for the first time in 2017.
There are absolutely no refunds at any time after a player has paid a Step 1 entry fee - one exception is a catastrophic life event, meaning a life changing injury or the death of an immediate family member or an event of similar magnitude. Another exception of course is if we don't get enough players to finish the series.
Because this is a situation where there is a chance, though admittedly remote, where large sums of money may be in play, all participants will be required to sign a staking agreement prior to the awarding of any seats. Additionally all players are individually responsible for meeting their obligations to the IRS should there be a payout of any meaningful amount.
For the first half of 2017 we will shoot for awarding as many $1500 seats as we can in the 2017 WSOP.
Here's how...
We will have six Step 1 tournaments from Jan 2017 through May 2017, most will be on the last Friday of each month at 8pm.
Entry for each tournament is $100.
Players will compete to earn chips for Step 2.
Just for showing up and entering, players get 4K in chips.
Third place gets 6K
Second place gets 8K and $60
First place gets 12K and $100
If we have less than 5 players we will cancel and try to reschedule.
If we have to reschedule more than one Step 1 we will cancel the series and all players will be refunded.
Of the six Step 1 tournaments - only a players best 4 results will count towards chips in Step 2.
Players do not have to play all six tournaments, but they must pay entry for a minimum of FOUR tournaments in order to qualify for a share of the WSOP spoils, and they may be required to pay a little bit more, up to a maximum of $80 more, if we are less than $500 away from awarding an additional seat.
Once players have paid and entered for FOUR tournaments, the fifth and sixth tournaments are free-rolls (with the possible exception noted above.) Tournaments #5 & #6 will still include cash payouts to first and second place, $100 and $60 respectively, drawn from the general pool.
For each entry they pay they will receive 4K in chips in Step 2 even if they are unable to play every Step 1.
Step 2 tournament will take place towards the end of May on a Saturday afternoon - the winner of Step 2 will get to go to the $1500 event of their choice and also receive up to $500 in travel expense money.
Depending on how much cash there is in the prize pool, second and third places may also receive seat awards. All details will be hammered out and voted on after the prize pool is finalized but before Step 2 takes place.
The primary aim of this series - RVT I - will be to award as many $1500 seats as possible.
-----
As always, all satellite participants have to be people that I have personally played poker with before. This first series in 2017 will be restricted entirely to only PSP regulars - meaning they've played at least half a dozen times over the past two years.
The Main Event Series, starting in July 2017 for entry into the 2018 Main Event, will be opened up to any and all who have played in the garage in the past, and we will also allow newer players who have showed up in the garage for the first time in 2017.
There are absolutely no refunds at any time after a player has paid a Step 1 entry fee - one exception is a catastrophic life event, meaning a life changing injury or the death of an immediate family member or an event of similar magnitude. Another exception of course is if we don't get enough players to finish the series.
Because this is a situation where there is a chance, though admittedly remote, where large sums of money may be in play, all participants will be required to sign a staking agreement prior to the awarding of any seats. Additionally all players are individually responsible for meeting their obligations to the IRS should there be a payout of any meaningful amount.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Every journey begins...
...with a single step. And this will be a long journey indeed, all the way to the The World Series of Poker.
From January 2017 through May 2017 - selected poker players from Pepper Street will battle it out over 6 tournaments (Step 1) to accumulate chips for a final showdown (Step 2) in May that will send one or more lucky souls to the greatest tournament poker series on earth.
There, if they should happen to cash, they will then share their spoils with the rest of the players that helped them get there.
The first Step 1 tournament will be on Friday, January 27 at 8pm.
Should be a grand time for all. Stay tuned as the adventure unfolds.
From January 2017 through May 2017 - selected poker players from Pepper Street will battle it out over 6 tournaments (Step 1) to accumulate chips for a final showdown (Step 2) in May that will send one or more lucky souls to the greatest tournament poker series on earth.
There, if they should happen to cash, they will then share their spoils with the rest of the players that helped them get there.
The first Step 1 tournament will be on Friday, January 27 at 8pm.
Should be a grand time for all. Stay tuned as the adventure unfolds.
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