McKernan dealt a hot hand
Local sportscaster and Internet entrepreneur Tim McKernan is on a roll.
After having lost thousands of dollars playing poker over several years, McKernan says he has recouped all the losses with a big recent run and has won a seat in the main event of the World Series of Poker, the $10,000 buy-in no limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament at the Rio hotel-casino in Las Vegas.
McKernan, co-host of the morning drive-time show on sports-talk station KSLG (1380 AM) as well as the majority owner of insidestl.com and a former sportscaster at KMOV (Channel 4), made it on his third try of the year to get in to the big event, in which the winner last year reaped $8.25 million.
He first tried to win a seat via a yearlong tournament among some local friends, but fell short. Then he thought one of his business partners, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jim Edmonds, would front the $10,ooo entry fee. That would be under the condition that McKernan would give Edmonds, who owns 20 percent of insidestl.com, half of any winnings. But McKernan said in hindsight Edmonds thought it's a stupid investment.
But I think if I really would have pushed, it could have happened,'' McKernan said.
But McKernan didn't have to push Edmonds because he qualified last weekend by winning a pair of satellite tournaments on a poker website. He spent $127 en route to beating out about 235 competitors for one of four spots in the field for the tournament,which starts Thursday.
For me to win those satellites in order to get to go out there is about as big of a thrill as a 31-year-old, who towers over everyone at 5 feet 7, can experience in the 'field of sports,' if you want to call it that,'' McKernan said.
McKernan said he has been playing poker, primarily online, since 2004 and had a horrendous start.
I was losing so much money thousands of dollars,'' he said. If you would look at my checkbook from '04, '05, '06, '07 ... it would be disgusting.''
But he's on a hot streak and says he's now in positive territory financially. He finished third in a tourney this spring at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, which was worth about $2,900 for a $220 buy-in, and said he has cashed for at least $2,000 in three other tourneys in the last month and a half, including the World Series qualifier. That one is valued at $12,500 ($10,000 for the entry fee, $2,500 for expenses). He could have taken the cash instead of the trip but looks at this as possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to play on the big stage.
I've studied the game and am starting to see it pay off a little,'' he said.
And he said he's hooked on the game. He said when he was deciding last year whether to remain in St. Louis doing his radio and website work or take a job offer to work in TV in New York, his wife asked him what he wanted to do.
We were walking in Manhattan and I said to her, 'All I want to do is play poker.' ... I love the game. I understand people who say, 'What he's doing is like betting on sports or playing blackjack or pulling the slot lever.' But that's not the case,'' he said, stressing the strategy used in poker sets it apart from other gambling activities.
This is as good as it gets.''
BUCK'S ON HOLD
Joe Buck won't be venturing into the late-night television talk-show business this year after all.
Buck and Matt Piedmont, a former writer for Saturday Night Live, produced the 30-minute demo for a show that would be more free flowing and less formatted than the traditional fare that opens with a monologue followed by interviews with guests.
But Buck said this week the project, which has been discussed with several networks, has hit a stumbling block.
I had a couple chances I didn't jump on,'' Buck said. It has to be the right fit, and so far I haven't found the right fit. I've had one solid opportunity I passed by.''
Buck said the project is dead for this year.
Going forward, it would be probably something different than what the pilot is,'' he said.
The idea was for the show, with an entertainment emphasis, to air on a weekend night rather than on a Monday-Friday basis while Buck kept his primary job as Fox's lead Major League Baseball and NFL play-by-play announcer.
I've got the greatest job going and I'm not scrambling to get something (else) on the air,'' he said. I want to make sure that when I put something on the air that has my name attached to it that it's something I'm proud of, and that requires a lot of work and that requires the proper fit. So far that hasn't happened.''
RAMS RERUNS
KTVI (Channel 2) is showing condensed versions of some notable Rams games from recent seasons over the next six Saturdays. These are NFL Films productions that give much more breadth than merely showing edited network game tapes.
The package beings at 1 p.m. today with a game from 2003 against Pittsburgh in which Marc Bulger passes for 375 yards and beats his hometown team 33-21. In ensuing weeks:
July 5 (1 p.m.): The Rams overcome a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Seattle 33-27 in overtime in 2004.
July 12 (1 p.m.): The Rams beat the Jets 32-29 in the finale of the 2004 season to gain the last playoff slot in the NFC.
July 19 (1 p.m.): The Rams beat Seattle in the playoffs 27-20 after the 2004 season, becoming the first .500 team to win a playoff game.
July 26 (1 p.m.): Steven Jackson rushes for a career-best 179 yards and leads the Rams to a 24-21 victory over Jacksonville in 2005.
Aug. 2 (noon): The Rams cap their magic 1999 season with a 23-16 victory over Tennessee in the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl recap airs for two hours, the other programs for one hour.
DOUBLING UP
ESPN and FSN Midwest will televise the Cardinals-New York Mets game Monday night from Busch Stadium, and the ESPN coverage is scheduled to be shown locally.
ESPN's weeknight telecasts generally are blacked out in the markets of the competing teams to avoid affecting the ratings of the local telecasts, but ESPN has a provision in its contract with Major League Baseball that it can coexist'' with the local broadcast three times a season, and it is exercising that right this time.
Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Orel Hershiser (analysis) and Steve Phillips (analysis) do the ESPN telecast. The game begins at 6:05, 70 minutes earlier than normal, to accommodate ESPN.
dcaesar@post-dispatch.com
Poker game on
poker game by a group of people at the same time. Participants to the entry fee into a bonus pool, there is another point fee to the organisers (poker game stations). Prize money for the pond that is the entries took the final winners of the prize money. All the participants in the poker game will be distributed at the beginning of the same amount of chips. Poker game is aimed at everyone else s chips are won over; their chips all Shuguang people were eliminated. Who adhere to the final, the competition is the champion!
With the regular poker game (Cash Game, Ring Game) difference is that the risk poker game is only the initial entry fee. Because the risk is limited, so poker game can give a good starting point for beginners, learning and stimulate feelings of the poker game.
Single-table poker game single-table poker game, the English called Sit N Go or One Table Tournament , referred to SNG, is a board above the poker game, are generally 9-10 audience participation.
Multi-table poker game multi-table poker game, the English called Multi Table Tournament , referred to MTT. Multi-table poker game that is more than one table at the same time the poker game. When some participants were kicked out of the game, some of the remaining contestants will be other arrangements to other tables Couzu number to ensure that
Poker) program, are a series of championships. Many in the audience were entering to a certain number of chips. They use these chips to play until Shuguang be eliminated. With blind levels rising, the competition will also speed up the process . To the additional (rebuy) championship, in the additional period can be, when the chips Shuguang hands, you can choose to buy some chips or out but in the knockout round, first to you on the Shuguang, Will be eliminated immediately.
Championship quite exciting and a little trial, may be changing your life.
Satellite poker game (Satellites)
Satellite poker game (Satellites) is a not use too much cash you can win a major poker tournament admission seats in the competition. Multi-table (Multi Table Tournament) and single-table (Sit n Go) as the main form of poker game. Single-table (Sit n Go) poker game you have to win to get a seat, so there are great uncertainties. More tables (Multi Table Tournament) poker game have more chance of survival (although the single-table game that is the consensus).
2003 was little-known Chris Moneymaker in Pokerstars (Poker Star) site for 40 dollars, to participate in online satellite competitions, the layers of customs clearance, was finally transported to Las Vegas poker in the World Cup finals. Results beat experts from around the world, gain the first place-yong from 2.5 million U.S. dollars prize money. Chris Moneymaker won the World Poker Championship, he resigned from the accountants, officially become a professional poker hand.
Entry fees and charges
participate in the poker game players must pay the entry fee (add to the number of Jiangchi) and handling charges. Each player to pay the entry fee will be formed Jiangchi. Fees used to pay to the host (poker game stations). For example, if you participate in a $ 10 +1 of the game, you need to pay 11 yuan, 10 yuan invested Jiangchi, one yuan to the poker game is at the charges. If there are 100 players participating in the $ 10 +1 multi-table poker game, the Jiangchi will be as high as 100 X $ 10
Start chips
each player in the entry fee and pay a fee in the future will start to share the same number of chips. General poker game points for the 1500 chips. PartyPoker (gathering of poker) for the 800 chips, Pokerstars (Poker Star) for 1500 chips.
Increase the amount of blind
With the ongoing poker game, people were gradually eliminated, the remaining players a bargaining chip in the hands of a few and more will follow. In order to ensure that competition does not permanently continues, the Board of the blind will gradually increase. This is generally the Licensing Board after a few, or on time and improve.
Competition prize money allocation ratio
standard single-table poker game bonus share is as follows:
The first was a 50 percent bonus Jiangchi second Jiangchi get 30 percent of the third prize was a 20 percent bonus Jiangchi
Multi-table poker game bonuses based on the ratio between the different circumstances change.
Poker game rules
poker game under the competition schedule start. In the poker game, if not timely registration of the participants, they will lose qualified poker game.
Single-table poker table filled competition rules, the game immediately. These are pick-playing game.
No middle rest time.
In a single table poker games, participants can choose to sit down like the location.
Participants in a single table poker game at any time before leaving the board, will not be any punishment.
Multi-table poker table poker game rules and more need for scheduled game, you can publish in the poker game before the start of registration. Poker game a few minutes before the start of closing all the poker game of the registration exercise. Poker Before the game, you will receive voice and image tips. In multi-table poker game, a random distribution of seats.
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