Recently in Team Moneymaker Category

I first met Serge Grenier at the reception for the Team Moneymaker players. He stood out from the other team members for the fact he spoke to me in French. Putting to use what little French I still had in my head, like taking the covers off an old ‘57 Chevy to take it for a spin, I discovered that Serge was from Quebec and was an engineer. To continue the analogy, it wasn’t a long drive.

Serge Grenier

But quiet as he may have been on day one he quietly put together a stack good enough to survive the day. Back today and it’s a similar story, up to 80K and keeping out of trouble.

Another who has made it this far and is doing his best to keep pace is David Trinh, a pharmacist from Toronto. He did have a shade over 20K before just doubling up. Whilst Darren Keyes, whose wife Michelle is watching closely from the rail, reached the first break of the day with close to 90K.

David Trinh

Along the way we’ve lost a couple of others form the team, including Claude Elam from North Carolina, making his second World Series appearance.

There’s no team work in poker but there is camaraderie between players who have arrived in Las Vegas via the same qualifying route, be it in a freeroll or a special event like the $39 Team Moneymaker competition. This is displayed in none more so than in Mickey Parkinson one of those winners who qualified for $39.

Mickey Parkinson

Earlier I ran into Mickey, a nurse from Alberta in Canada, and probably the most cheerful looking member of the team. Today she started with her short stack on table Orange 25. She called me over with news of her tournament so far but in the space between then and the break she had busted. At one point the dealer asked her if she was okay...

“I’m very quiet... but I’m having a good time!”

Sadly that would all come to an end before I got chance to catch up with her at the break – so long Mickey.

Sprinkled across the field today in both the Amazon and Brasilia Rooms are the members of Team Moneymaker, each of whom won their seats for $39 – the same amount Chris Moneymaker paid when he won a satellite in 2003 which ultimately led to World Series glory.

Darren Keyes, from Toronto, is one of that team. At the dinner break he reported back on his progress, starting first with a certain player known to most in the game.

Darren Keyes of Team Moneymaker

“Another member of Team Moneymaker told me ‘You got TJ at your table’” said Darren. “Sure enough I turn around and see TJ Cloutier sitting at my table.”

Darren’s start was a slow one, dropping down a few grand before a few hands came along to bump up his confidence and his stack. But like a lot of guys new to this cut throat environment the tendency is to worry, and when raise after raise comes along you start to think you’re the weak link at the table.

Looking for a break and down to 15K, a pot against that man TJ Cloutier himself came along. Darren picks up the action...

“TJ limped in from the cut off seat and the button and small blind both called. I checked from the big blind with 2d8d and the flop came 2c7s4s - everyone checks. The turn brought an 8s for a possible flush and TJ bet out 800. I made the call figuring he was bluffing with one spade.

“The river is a 7h and I check to TJ. He bets out strong with 2,500 and I just totally feel he is bluffing. I make the call and he says ‘you win’. He announces queen high and my pair of 8's gets me back into the tournament.”

But you can’t beat a Hall of Famer and not expect to take a little flak later...

“Later I limped in the small blind with pocket nines. Alan Barrie in the big blind raised to 900 and I call. The flop came 9-Q-J with two hearts. I check and he checks. The turn card is an eight, I bet out 1,200 and he calls.

“The river is another eight and I check to him to induce a bet and he bites, with $1,900. Now I think about a re-raise but eventually decide he might have queens or kings. So I said ‘well, this might be a wussy play, but I'm just gonna call’.

“He turns over aces and I win the pot. TJ said ‘Wussy? I'll say it was wussy!’ So now TJ thinks I'm a wuss!”

By the dinner break Darren has 45K. “Happy thoughts, happy thoughts!”

There are other members of the team still in the fight today. Mickey Parkinson, a nurse from Alberta in Canada, played her way close to 30K earlier today. She’s down a bit but still looks like the experience is a fun one, sitting with 21K.

Russell Spaid from Pierre, South Dakota is in a similar way, up to 31K, whilst Quebecois Serge Grenier, just arrived at his new table in the Amazon Room from the Brasilia Room, carried in a bag of chips worth 55K.

Of course at the centre of all this is Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker himself playing today and up to 68,000. No check that, 80,000.

Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker with Donald Hobbs watching from the rail

Just a few moments ago Moneymaker hit a five-outer against a short-stack to build his own pile of chips to 80,000. While he stacked his chips, an opponent said, "Chris, when you pull the horseshoe out, do it slowly. You don't want to cut anything."

Chris barely thought before responding, "Nah, you gotta yank it. I'll probably take some ribbing for that, but I'll take it, as long as you ship me the pot."

Donald Hobbs is sweating him on the rail, preparing for his World Series debut tomorrow. Donald, Chris and all the Team Moneymaker players got together for a ‘boot camp’ yesterday, as the PokerStars video blog team report...

Watch WSOP 08: Moneymaker Boot camp on PokerStars.tv

There were two parts to Chris Moneymaker’s master class this afternoon. The first related to 15 guys and gals who had won their seat to the world series in a $39 Moneymaker satellite – the same amount that Chris himself spent to win his seat five years ago. The second part of the session related to a young guy by the name Donald Hobbs. It’s a story worth telling.

Back in February 2007 Donald was driving his car near his home in Kentucky when he was involved in an horrific accident that caused his car to burst into flames. Donald literally dragged himself out of the wreckage, suffering 70 per cent burns. As you’d expect he still bears the scars of that day today. But there was another tragic twist to this tale.

Donald had been a haemophiliac since he was a young boy, a painful illness that prevents the blood from clotting, making any mildly adventurous pursuit potentially life threatening. The fact that he had survived the crash was a miracle in itself. That he survived despite his haemophilia was impossible to put into words.

It was during his recovery in Cardinal Hill hospital near Cincinnati that Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker entered the story. Donald’s therapist Michelle Rose began playing poker with her patient, one of his favourite games, hoping it would aid his recovery.

Chris Moneymaker sharing a few tips with Donald Hobbs

A friend of hers who worked the World Series tried to get an autographed picture of his favourite player Chris Moneymaker to him. Chris was not only happy to oblige but when he heard the story of this guy from Kentucky, just a few miles over the state line from his own home in Tennessee, he did more than just send a picture. He went to see Donald in hospital and played some poker with him, playing with straws.

It was then that Chris made a promise, that if Donald was feeling better, and could handle the trip, he’d bring him to the World Series. Not only that but he’d buy him in. That’s got to be a pretty good incentive to work at getting better.

Cut to the lounge at the Palms hotel where Chris is hosting a get together for the Team Moneymaker players. A mixture of veteran players and rookies here to pick up a few tips from a man who knows what he’s talking about.

“I don’t want to change how anyone plays. I just want to help you get through day one” he said, before starting with the basic. Like, was anyone nervous? Two people raised their hands...

“That’s two honest people in the room then..!”

So with the help of Bill Chen, some last minute instruction began – the results of which we’ll learn in the next two days. As for Donald he looked a little in awe of it all - the time spent with Chris, the opportunity right around the corner to play in the biggest game in town.

Chris Moneymaker getting things started

“Chris taught me a couple of things, gave me some advice” said Donald. “We practiced for 30 or 40 minutes a few days ago and it was awesome! I was figuring things out and when we played a few hands together I even caught him bluffing, he was like “there ya go!”

Donald had played with friends at home before this but never against professionals, especially those he’d seen on TV.

“I played a game with Chris and Doyle Brunson and won $50. It was great! I lost it the next week of course!”
Sounds like a guy getting the hang of things.

His brother Dwayne, watching in the wings, who has spent most of his life looking after his brother, described him as a rebellious kid from Kentucky.

“This has really pushed him to get better” said Dwayne. “His attitude has changed and he’s made real improvements. This has really pushed him to get better.”

We hope so. Donald is one determined guy. We wish him and the rest of Team Moneymaker good luck when they take their day 1 seats this weekend.

It's been five years since Chris Moneymaker turned a $39 satellite entry into $2.5 million and the 2003 World Series of Poker championship. Yesterday's Cinderella story is today's legend.

Since the big day in May 2003, Moneymaker has sat on Team PokerStars Pro. Now, to celebrate the five year anniversary of Moneymaker's achievement, PokerStars is giving everyone a chance to get into the World Series for...wait for it...$39.

From now until until the middle of June, PokerStars is running twice-daily $39 qualifiers into the Team Moneymaker finals. There, on June 15, the top 15 players will get entries to the World Series Main event to play on Team Moneymaker. The winners will receive: