4th Street Poker Tour

The Passion of the Most

SpS III Game Fief-cap

Passion. Since June 9th, 2004, that's what's kept this tour alive and thiriving. Let's think about one thing in particular: Cash money. Most of us have enough of it that twenty dollhairs on a thursday night is almost an afterthought. Even if that's not the case, those twenty dollhairs are well worth the investment if the player is worth his or her mustard. Ask yourself this question: Would I play on Thursdays if no cash money were involved? The answer would certainly be 'yes' amongst the 30 or so regulars. Because for most of us, 4th street has become more a battle of wits than a struggle for cash money. Sure, poker is born from greed and ego, but let's not forget about the points. We are constantly trying to outdo one another; the trash-talking between and within the rival sets being the most telling sign that 4th street is a rare phenomenon; constantly morphing according to the people who bring the pash each and every week.

Now ask yourself this questch: Would I play knowing that, each and every week, I would have to stay and run the tournament to the bitter end, keeping track of the blinds, chipping everyone up, resolving disputes, etc.? Probably not. Imagine how difficult it must be to run and play the tourney! Not to mention deal with any shenanigans that might occur, and the Friday morning that follows. Last thursday was fun for me. I got to lord over 4SPT. I got lucky and managed to make it to the final tabe. I actually ended up losing ; shocking, I know. When I lost, I was super pissed and all I wanted to do was go to Benito's and have my "i lost at 4th street and i'm too pissed to go to Q's" rolled taco meal. Alas, I couldn't do that. I had a tourney to run. My only consolation was that I final tabed and it would have been worse had I busted out early. At least I don't have to run the thing next week and each week after that, when the fun levels would surely fluctuate from super duper fun with responsibilities to downright not fun at all with responsibilities. My point here is obviously that Jeff "Complex Slim" Thomas Holsey is a champion of champions and despite the fact that I have apologized to him more times than anyone could count, I didn't fully realize until today how much effort and patience and passion it actually takes to run this puppy each and every week.

On to the recap:

This week's final tabe was rife with personality. There was The Storm, waiting to self-fulfill his own prophecy. There were the brothers Call: Will and Scrubs- two mensches if there ever were any. As is his want, Holsey himself final tabed, albeit with less chips than one would like to work with. There was Richie Rich and his classy blazer; next to him sat The Most, with a nice chip stack and a winning smile. Finally, Shock G and Sir Pick: the BAC brothers. As usual, Degenerates scored high this week.

G-Ritt asserted himself early; a huge stack, he called both Storm and Will Call all-in with a pair of eights and found himself in the lead as they turned over AQ and AK, respectively. An eight flopped and Shock G had wrested the momentum from the table. The Storm informed me that I would have won with his AQo, and I informed him that I would never get involved in a three-man pot with a premium hand. He left quietly, but was later spotted flinging late-night lightning bolts on Bundy. Will Call was out as well; AK looks hot, but it falls hard old friend.

Exiting next would be Scrubs. Who knows if his strategy to push all-in with K10 immediately after Pick announced a raise was a wise one- Johnny called with a pair of Jacks and took him down. Slim was then forced to go all-in with a weak Ace and I took him out with a better one. My run as tournament director/contender ended soon thereafter; I overvalued my QQ and was shocked to see the KK of G-Ritt.

With considerable momentum and green chips on his side, Geritt sat back and watched Richie and Pick battle for a while. The showdown was set quickly, as the card-dead Richie called Pick with an open-ender and instead made two-pair that busted him in 3rd place.

The action was fierce early on last week, so when the two remaining Degenerates found themselves heads-up, the blinds were low and my Benito's feast was well off in the horizon. Pick battled valiantly, showing us all the moves that have made him a tour fave. All-in with QJ against Geritt's delicious kingjackoff, The Pick hit a Q that was met with sighs and groans by everyone in attendance, including our patient hosts for the evening: High Noon and II-Pod. Even the child in Susan could be heard lamenting the luck of Johnny Collins. A big fan of the Dump-it chip, the Pick soon dumped all of his back to Shock-G. As soon as he had built it, his stack was gone after his A5 lost to Geritt's AJ to end an hourlong heads-up battle.

Now the leading candidate for POY, Shock-G earned his 4th victory well. Shitfaced as he was, he still found a way to shift gears and perceptions enough to come out on top. COngrats to him, and muchas gracias to Suze and Chad for the food, drink and shelter.

Recap, McGillacutty Style.

WS III Game 8 Recap by Most, The

In the largest tourney the 4SPT has seen in months, more than a few questions were raised, and re-raised. All of them will find their answers here:

When is the last time we have seen a Degenerate-less final tabe? (over 7 months ago)

Did Cheyenne seriously take it down last night? (Yes)

What was Holsey referring to on the night in question when I dealt the final tabe? (My lips are sealed; too controversh)

Was Dr. DILIH wearing precious metals in his sleeves? (maybe)

Did I actually park on the street last night instead of the garage, did I really get a parking ticket and what is that noise in my trunk? (yes, yes, golf balls)

New Tricks, Same Old Dog

No Leash Can Hold This Dog

WS05 Game 1 Recap

To celebrate the arrival of the second Winter Season 4SPT schedule, we decided to shake things up a little bit. In the past year and a half that we've been hosting games, the level of play seems to get increasingly tougher as each week passes. Therefore, I felt it would benefit everyone to add a few more chips to the mix and get us all playing within a schedule closer resembling that of what is being played at casino tournaments. I conferred with the 4th Street Poker Tour Rules Committee and devised a new schedule that I feel keeps the balance of the home game feel (keeping it within the 4-5 hour range) while adding a new dimension of play (deeper stacks and more chips in play).

Oliver Twists His Way to First Major Title

Do You Eat Rabbit?

Fall Brawl II Recap

Falls were made for Brawls. Seasons were made for Majors. And the Slosser brothers were made for playing short stacks.

The 4SPT Majors are where players come out to shine and this year's Fall Brawl II was no different. We had Alison "The Sandwoman", Kevin "Seattle Slew", Chris "Eastwood", and King Richard all looking to become the first player to win a season title and major championship. There was Dino "The KCBP", and Charles "The Canadian Mint" looking to become the first ever two time major winners. Von Sandman and Richie Rich both sit atop the Tour all-time win list, but neither have secured a major title. So many storylines that all failed to follow through, as this year's Fall Brawl II had a final featuring two players battling for their first ever 4SPT win. 

He Will Call

We Call Him Will

FS05 Game 12 Recap

Last week Will Call was as close as he'd ever been to his first Tour win when he caught lightning in a bottle to hit draw after draw. However, the cork came undone down the stretch and he lost all his thunder as the Complex Crew busted him in 3rd place. Looking for another shot at victory, Will came into Oak Street determined as ever.

The Complex Flush Out Will Call

C-Mint Joins the 4 Win Club

FS05 Game 11 Recap

Basic tournament strategy states if your opponents are going to draw on you, you need to make them pay. Well the Tour found out this week that there is no price Will Call won't pay to hit his dear draws. On a night where he made High Noon look like Dan Harrington, Will Call hit an improbable yet amazing amount of his draws.

295 Dollar Baby

Silence of the Wou

FS05 Game 10 Recap

Wou-Tang has a posse. With my departure from Globe, Jeopardy's upcoming one, and the Big Boss Man dropping from the ranks of the regulars, the GIK Clan has found themselves short on members.  However, Wou-Tang has set out to build a crew bigger and better than the previous generation. Recruiting players from all across the Globe, Wou-Tang introduced the Tour to his new clan members, Rob V, Tae, Izzy, and Caroline at Richville. With a new group backing him in the venue where he earned his nickname, the Wou-Tang set out to silently assissinate the rest of the field.

Eliot Closes the Book on Another Win

Eliot Wagers a Win

FS05 Game 9 Recap

There's an oft repeated quote in poker, "You can't win a tournament in the first hour but you sure can lose it." Yet on this night it can be said that the tournament was decided not in the first hour but on the very first hand.

KCBP Tunes Out II-Pod

Dino Smokes the Competition

FS05 Game 8 Recap

Chad "2-Trick" showed up to the Box Office with his own soundtrack going off in his headphones. He walked out with a second place finish and new nickname - "II-Pod."

Chad was able to quietly make his way through the field as he tuned out the competition to secure a seat with the Final Eight. However, when the Final Table started, II-Pod turned up the volume and quickly doubled-up through Max, not once but twice. With his new found stack, II-Pod found himself in a Heads-Up Showdown for the second time in his 4SPT career. It was no easy task as he was facing a three time winner in the KCBP who also happened to be experiencing the benefits of the 4th Street Karma Tour.

The 4SKT has a strong history and usually follows through with a win for those who go out of their way do something for the Tour, whether it be making a donation, planning a trip, supplying the Tour some much needed equipment, or giving the Tournament Director a ride to work. It was on this ride to work on Thursday morning that Dino informed me that he was going to take down his 4th win later on that night. Usually I tune out such statements (because I hear them from Richie every week). But this time, as I thanked Dino for the ride and headed into work, I could feel something in the air, something beyond my control was setting things in motion that would later lead the KCBP to his 4th win on 4th Street.

We headed into the Heads-Up Showdown with Dino as the chip leader but Chad wasn't too far behind. However, right before we dealt what were to be the remaining hands of the night, II-Pod had a sudden change of heart and switched up his gameplan. No more headphones. Going away from what was working all night, Chad stripped off his headphones so he could concentrate on taking Dino out. But the rest of the railbirds sensed that Chad had messed with the balance, he had upset the superstition gods, something that would never have happened had Susan stuck around. And just like that, Chad's momentum seemed to hit a brick wall...the KCBP's relentless raising. Before he could even reach to put the headphones back on, the KCBP had Shuffled II-Pod's Mini stack into a Nano.

Some might say it was his agressive play that led the KCBP to his 4th win but I say it was the 4th Street Karma Tour's hand that held him up at the top.

Radish is Bad as Can

He got a little weird.
He got a little British.
He got his 2nd 4SPT win.

FS05 Game 7 Recap

This is Radish, he's as bad as can and he knows he's the best...

Early action at the Castle had Eliot "Radish Head" sitting as the chip leader of the tournament. Knowing he was the best at that moment, Radish used the power of the chip stack to make aggressive moves at nearly every turn. And when the rest of the table, who for the most part were now short stacked, refused to play with him he turned his attention to fellow crew member and fellow chip leader, Mr. Pick.

He's big and he's strong and he knows he is better and he knows what he gets...

The Pick remarked, "You're such an idiot!" as he was forced to fold back-to-back hands when the Radish came over the top of him by pushing All-In. Not going to let Mr. Pick take control of the table or his emotions, Radish showed the Pick his big hand, trip 4s, and his strength by exclaiming, "I'm NOT an idiot!" As soon as he scooped the pot he was moved into table 2 where Dino was showing everyone that he too could be big and strong...and better.

He knows what he knows and he knows what he have and he knows what he gets...he gets better...

Running table 2 all night, Dino was nearly even in chips with the Radish. They were both way out in front of the rest of the field. The hand of the night occurred shortly after the Radish moved into the KCBP's territory. The two chip titans clashed in a pot that started out slow and ended with a bang. With an unrasied pot and a flop reading 2c3s5h, the KCBP led out with a bet and was immediately met with an All-In re-raise from the Radish. Thinking long and hard, the KCBP needed a little extra time to try and figure out what Eliot could be making such a huge move with in this spot. With his pocket 10s, Dino finally decided to make the call. Still not knowing what Eliot had, he asked "A4?" But the Radish knew what he had - 46 for the nut straight. He knew what he got - all of Dino's chips. He got better...

And he's a tough guy... and he knows. And he knows he's the best he can...

The Radish rolled into the Final Table, and after taking down the co-chip leader, he rolled with ease. Holding a more than comfortable lead, the rest of the Final Eight already knew they would be playing for second and knew it would probably be in record time. With more chips than the rest of the table combined, Eliot continued to be the tough guy by taking out players left and right. Before he could blink, he was sitting across from the Bookie in one of the most lopsided Heads-Up Showdowns to date; Radish held $21,800 of the $23,000 chips in play. Even the Bookie wouldn't open a line for this Showdown!

On the second hand of Heads-Up play, Eliot made quad 4s to knock the Bookie out and show once again that he was bad as can this Thursday night and he knew it.

*If you don't know where the inspiration for this recap came from do yourself a favor by clicking here and here.