Cary Katz hadn’t played Short-Deck before arriving in the Landing Casino, Jeju, South Korea, resplendent in his trademark black jacket and peaked cap.
Not that it matters.
People like Katz don’t fear games of poker, even one without the deuces, treys, fours and fives. Successful men like Katz adapt, evolve and more often than not come out on top.
After testing the water in the HKD 100,000 (USD 13,000) and HKD 500,000 (USD 64,000) buy-in Short-Deck events without coming up with as much as a conch shell, the Poker Central founder, finished second in the HKD 1,000,000 (USD 127,000) buy-in event for HKD 13,920,000 (USD 1,773,722).
The game had flung out a lure, and you could see it, flashing brightly, from his stiff upper lip.
The man who created the ARIA High Rollers, and has cashed in more of them than anyone alive or pushing up tulips, went home to the US, and I get the feeling there was only one thing on his mind.
The Poker Masters is Back
The second edition of the Poker Masters is back, and the ARIA and Poker Central have released the menu.
It looks tasty.
Sep 7 – Event #1: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Sep 8 – Event #2: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Sep 9 – Event #3: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
Sep 10 – Event #4: $10,000 Triton Hold’em (Short-Deck)
Sep 11 – Event #5: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Sep 12 – Event #6: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Sep 13 – Event #7: $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event
Events #1 – #5 are double re-entry
Events #6 – #7 are single re-entry
As you can see, Katz has introduced a Triton Hold’em event (Short-Deck) into the schedule, and I think that’s a good thing for the high roller stratum.
The Triton Poker Series is the father of the Short-Deck Ante-Only variant. The brand has become THE tour for the games biggest winners, but only a select few top-tier pros have given this format a shot because the buy-ins are so huge.
In offering a $10,000 price point (which isn’t Triton’s niche), it allows a broader tranche of players to have a taste of the newest meat in town. If they like the marble; they are likelier to compete in what is fast becoming the most significant high stakes tournament variant in the world.
Last year, Steffen Sontheimer won the Waraire Boswell designed Purple Jacket when he made four of the five final tables, winning two of them, including the $100,000 Main Event for $1.5m, leaving Las Vegas with $2,733,000 in winnings.
“Including Short-Deck is fine since it’s just the ’10k'”, Sontheimer told me in a brief interview.” It’s a little tryout for everybody and won’t influence the overall results. I’d prefer to make The Poker Masters pure NLH since we have the USPO for mixed games, but it’s fine either way.”
A lot of players coming into the Poker Masters spending more time in the zone than out of it. Justin Bonomo has to be the favourite after winning both Super High Roller Bowls and the Big One For One Drop, Jason Koon is another man picking up seven-figure scores at the rate a hammerhead shark picks up jokes about his face from other sharks, and Mikita Badziakouski has just won back-to-back Triton Poker Series Main Events.
Form.
Heat.
Luck.
Call it what you want, it’s essential coming into an event like this.
“I felt good going into the event last year,” said Sontheimer. “I had a great summer doing alright in Vegas; cashing big in Montenegro and Velden, and cashing in Rozvadov. Life was great. For me, it was the first time experiencing Vegas with nice weather. My friends and I got there two days early, and we hung out and had a good time. I felt like my game was great, confidence was at an all-time high at that point.”
The Poker Masters is still in its infancy. Given its annual calling, it will take time to settle into a rhythm, and become one of the genuinely great poker events. The schedule and lineup will ebb and flow depending on the times, and feedback from those involved.
“I loved the idea and the concept of having a week-long grind of those tourneys,” said Sontheimer. “I figured out early that the overall ranking was kinda messed up; pretty much guaranteeing the winner of the Main Event the title. But since you only win the jacket with no money on top, it’s not a big deal. There wouldn’t be any point where I play differently to win the title. My job was to go max $-EV. Everything that comes along with that is a cherry on top. They changed the ranking system for this year which makes sense. They should’ve asked players earlier to start like that right away.”
After Sontheimer won the Purple Jacket, Daniel Negreanu called him the best No-Limit Hold’em live tournament player on the planet. High praise from the undisputed Player of the Decade.
“I felt great getting so many warm words from a legend and poker icon like Daniel,” said Sontheimer. “I always enjoy playing and competing with him. It feels great to be seen as one of the top guys by people that play the same stuff. Whether it is being picked early in a draft, getting asked for swaps by the best players or getting those kinds of articles written about you.”
And media folks looking forward to writing more Poker Masters articles about Sontheimer are going to be sorely disappointed. PokerGO relies on the story arc of poker, and there is no better narrative than a man returning to defend his title.
Not this year.
“I won’t play this year,” Sontheimer confirmed. “I don’t think it’s the best value of the year and I have private things during that week that I value a lot. So I decided to skip and watch some of the streams. I’m a bit sad for sure, but I’m happy with my decision.”
I imagine there are twenty plus other people who are also happy with his decision.
