Some news and notes from the second annual Dragon Fruit main event, part of the Wadadli Poker Series (WPS), now in its second yearly cycle:
As most of you know, there are four "Majors" each year in the WPS, and a "tour championship" which to be fair I haven't took the time to figure out why that one is different, although last year they had smaller trophies down to NINTH PLACE and I was distraught when I was knocked out before 9th. So rare to get a 9th place trophy for anything.
Anyway, the "Majors" happen every month or 3, and the hardware is up for grabs. The WPS gets around 30 players per event, it's a $350 Eastern Caribbean Dollar buy in (divide by 2.7 to get freedom bucks) with unlimited rebuys for the first hour and an add on. Average buy ins per person is about 3.
Little sidebar: My "street name" in Antigua is "Poker Pro" because when I first came here a decade ago I told the local cash game I was a pro and made sure it was ok to play because I didn't want to piss off the local magistrates and noblemen, and they thought this was the funniest question they had ever heard, said of course I could play, and called me "poker pro" ever since. Like if I'm walking around downtown St. John's with my daughter and a random dealer or player sees me they will just shout "Poker Pro!" because that's one of our quirky local customs, to scream someone's name that you know when you pass them on the street.
Anyway, this is not a serious place. If you notice the picture below, you will find that there are 3 trophies for the 3-table event. Yes, a second and third place trophy are produced for all 4 majors each year. And you may also notice that the 2nd place trophy is taller than 1st. Again, not a serious place, and a rare shot at a rare piece of hardware.
To conclude, your boy shipped 2nd place. Yes I had a shot to knock out the eventual winner with TT vs. a called off 4d5d aipf, and my word you have no idea how loud an Antigua poker tournament venue gets when "Poker Pro" takes a beat like that at the final table. I'm laughing almost to tears as the raw dialect flies in every direction, at top volume.
Note: I'm not sure why I look incredibly high in the hasty winner (loser?) photo. Was tired & sober and it looks like I took 50mg to the face.