PokerStars 2009 WSOP Round-up Week 2

PokerStars weekly round-up – 8 June 2009

Tom McEvoy wins Invitational

Tom McEvoy (http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/tom-mcevoy/)
demonstrated that age is no barrier to success this week when he won the first Champions Invitational
(http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/wsop/2009/pokerstars-tom-mcevoy-wins-wsop-champion-046292.html)event at the World Series in Las Vegas. It may be 26 years since McEvoy won his main event bracelet but the twenty champ line up, featuring the likes of young gun Peter Eastgate (http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/peter-eastgate/), and legends like Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson were unable to stop McEvoy’s surge to repeat success.

His prize?

A beautifully restored 1970 redCorvette, claimed after he defeated 2002 winner Robert Varkonyi heads-up. He probably took the bus home. McEvoy was also awarded the Binions Cup,presented by World Series founder Jack Binion himself.

Hall of Fame calling?

McEvoy’s success in the Champions Invitational brought new praise for a player who is among those meriting induction to the Poker Hall of Fame.Membership is the ultimate mark of a top high stakes competitor, one who hasstood the test of time. And now it’s a decision that will be made in partby the public, who this year will be able to register their support on theWSOP nomination page(http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/pokerhalloffame/halloffamevoting.asp),and PokerStars is backing McEvoy(http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/tom-mcevoy/) for an invite.

After decades in the game McEvoy is a worthy candidate. The former Michigan nativet urned his back on a comfortable accounting career, moving to Las Vegas towin four bracelets, including the main event in 1983, author 13 successful poker books and be instrumental in banning smoking from tournament floors.

He’s now an invitational winner. Could this be the year of McEvoy?

Good results for Team PokerStars Pro It’s not just Tom McEvoy(http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/tom-mcevoy/) getting results among the PokerStars (http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/) ranks.

Hevad Khan (http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/hevad-khan/), who famously reached the final table of the main event in 2007, finished 11th inthe $2,500 pot limit hold’em/Omaha(http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/wsop/2009/wsop-event-10-hevad-khan-finishes-11th-f-046385.html) event this week, collecting $18,170.

Then Angel Guillen, a new member of the PokerStars fraternity from Mexico finished second in the $2,500 no limit hold’em(http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/wsop/2009/wsop-event-13-pokerstars-angel-guillen-r-046452.html)for $318,200.

That result was matched by team mate Daniel Negreanu (http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/daniel-negreanu/) enjoying good form.

After finishing 10th in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud event(http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/wsop/2009/wsop-event-6-daniel-negreanu-busts-in-10-046344.html)for $36,266 Negreanu narrowly missed out on his fifth gold bracelet when he finished second in the $2,500 six-handed limit(http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/wsop/2009/wsop-event-14-pokerstars-daniel-negreanu-046453.html).

Negreanu was disappointed, something not even the $138,280 prize money could prevent.

FPPS provide ignition Team PokerStars Pro Dario Minieri(http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/dario-minieri/) did it first butnow he has someone to race after second player landed a Porsche Cayman sports car using nothing but Frequent Player Points. Let’s be clear - that’sa super car for free. Canadian Foreign exchange trader Brad “tops10” Sweezey(http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2009/options-trader-opts-for-pokerstars-porsc-046354.html),a PokerStars VIP Club regular from Toronto, made the “purchase”. Explaining his glut of FPPs the 26-years-old pointed to his hobby of playing 16 tables of 2/4 six-max no-limit hold’em - while watching a game of TV of course -sure to ratchet up the FPPs. But with the keys in his hand Sweezey still sawsome room for improvement – he’d prefer a Ferrari. At this rate he might not have long to wait.

All aboard – PokerStars backs F1 PokerStars is no stranger to speed. We’ve paid for two Porsche Caymans, ridden alongside Aston Martin, backed Brazilian stock car racer Gualter Salles (http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/friends/), and even dabbled in international kart racing. That’s land conquered; now we’re racing on water.

Or more accurately Finnish F1 boat driver Sami Salio is(http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2009/pokerstars-like-fish-to-water-046353.html). He’ll have 420 horsepower (capable of 140mph) under his foot thanks to his new PokerStars sponsored boat that should help the 34-year-old, who has been racing since he was just 13, repeat his world championship title of twoyears ago. His PokerStars powered campaign begins next week.