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RIP Amir Vahedi 1961-2010
January 16, 2010
I attended Amir's Funeral yesterday and wanted to say a few final words about the great personality, spirit, and man that was Amir Vahedi.
I met Amir in 2002 but did not become close until the 2003 WSOP when he won his bracelet in the $1,500 NL and later made the 2003 WSOP Main Event Final Table. I can remember he was so nervous that day as we all would be but he was noticeably more quiet at the table. It really seemed to affect his play and he tried to go toe to toe with Farha and we talked about it later and agreed it was his downfall.
We often talked and laughed about how his life would have been different if he did not bluff away his chips and that HE should have been the first Moneymaker. I think he would have been a great world champion.
It was during that time that he popularized the terms "You have to have balls to play this game" after winning a big pot on the river and my favorite "In order to Live, you have to be willing to die"!
After his passing The poker forums lit up with young players that their first introduction to poker was that 2003 broadcast and Amir's involvement. I am not sure he realized how big of an impact he had on the game.
From 2005-07 he was a Bay 101 Shooting Star and he was a fan favorite signing autographs, taking pictures, and talking to everyone he saw. He is one of the few players that was so gracious and I when was removed in 2008 from the roster he called me thank me for the opportunity and swore that he would rise again. He was often quoted saying the Bay 101 Shooting Star was his favorite tournament.
The last couple of years were tough for Amir. He had some health problems and he was not running good in poker either which lead to financial woes. His last cash listed on Hendon Mob was at the September Commerce Hold'em Series and when he busted on a bad beat I remember him saying thank you Matt for a great tournament. It is easy to be a good winner but Amir found a way to stay classy, friendly, and lovable even when he was running bad!
There was a ray of hope for him as he had found a new hobby/job to occupy his time when not playing poker. He was buying and selling cars and that was the reason he was at the Golden Nugget on January 8th the day he passed away.
I will start off the Commerce LA Poker Classic this Wednesday with a brief moment of silence for Amir at 1pm as so many people he played with in LA over the years will be in attendance.
He was a great Ambassador to the game and and more importantly a great friend that will be missed by us all!
Poker2Nite with Matt Savage Interview
January 08, 2010
Episode aired Wednesday January 6th
LAPC Satellites at Commerce
January 02, 2010
Single Table Satellites for all LA Poker Classic Tournaments will start the Friday before the Classic on January 15th at noon and will run every day until February 26th. The Satellites will run daily starting the 20th at 10am.
$225 buy-in Supersatellites with $200 rebuys for the Main Event are being held every night at 7pm starting January 20th through February 22nd with at least 1 $10,000 Main Event Seat Guaranteed to each.
In addition to winning a seat, the $225 supers will be played to one player and that winner will also get an entry into the $200,000 WPT Celebrity Invitational Freeroll held February 20th.
$1,050 Mega Satellites for the Main Event will be held February 23rd and 24th at 8pm and a Megasatellite Day on the 25th with Megas at 11:00am, 3:30pm, and 8pm.
In addition to the above we are also running 2 $1,050 H.O.R.S.E. Megas for the $10,000 Championship H.O.R.S.E. Tournament, $2,550 4handed & $1,300 8 handed Heads Up Satellites for the $10,000 Heads Up Championship, and a $460 Turbo Mega for the $2,100 Ironman Tournament.
Check LA Poker Classic for more Information, Schedule, and Structures.
Commerce LA Poker Classic January 20th- March 4th
January 02, 2010
51-Event Tournament Packed with "Firsts" for Players
From $335-Buy-In with $1 Million Guarantee to $25,100 High Roller Event--
"New" is the Theme for 2010 LAPC
COMMERCE, CA (Dec. 9, 2009) - It will not be "business as usual" at Commerce Casino for the 2010 L.A. Poker Classic. This year's annual event, which begins Jan. 20 and concludes March 4, will include a total of 51 events, up from 35 offerings last year. Ten of those events are brand new to the world-renown LAPC tournament, and a few are even brand new to major U.S. casino tournament play.
$335-Buy-In No Limit Hold'em, Four-Day-Start, $1,000,000 Guarantee will open the 2010 LAPC on Jan. 20 with a new $335-buy-in No Limit Hold'em, four-day-start tourney featuring a glorious $1,000,000 guarantee. This event allows players to re-enter on subsequent days if they bust out early. A similar event held in September during the Commerce Casino Hold'em Series drew a record-breaking 3,967 players and resulted in a total prize pool of $753,730 divided between 369 people finishing in the money.
$1,000 Rebuys and $1,000,000 Guarantee
On Feb. 13, the $1,065 No-Limit Hold'em event featuring $1,000 rebuys and another $1,000,000 guarantee will be underway at the World's Largest Poker Room.
$1,065-Buy-In, 2-7 Triple Draw
It will be Feb. 14 when Commerce Casino holds its first ever $1,065-buy-in, 2-7 Triple Draw game as part of the L.A. Poker Classic. This game, considered a form of lowball, rewards players holding the worst hand out of five cards after three draws.
$1,065-Buy-In 8 Game Mix
Also making a first-ever appearance at Commerce Casino on Feb. 16 is the $1,065 buy-in 8 Game Mix. This event which takes traditional H.O.R.S.E and adds Pot Limit Hold'em, Triple Draw and No Limit Hold'em to the rotation and is sure to test the poker prowess of even the most experienced players.
$1,065-Buy-In Badugi
When Feb. 15 rolls around, LAPC Tournament Director Matt Savage will introduce to Commerce Casino the game of Badugi, which originated in Asia. This is an import Savage brings with him from managing tournaments on the western edge of the Pacific Rim, and will be the first time the game is included in a tournament at a major casino in the United States. The $1,065-buy-in game is a unique version of lowball where the goal is to hold the lowest four-card hand in different suits, called a Badugi, after three draws.
$1,585 Buy-In Chinese Poker 1/2-High 1/2-Low
Also making a LAPC debut from across the Pacific Ocean is the Feb. 17 Chinese Poker 1/2-High 1/2-Low event with $1,585 buy-in.
$545 Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better and 6-Handed $1,065 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys
The 2010 LAPC "new" theme remains strong with a $545 Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better event on Feb. 8, and $1,065 Pot Limit Omaha game on Feb. 19 which includes rebuys and will be played 6 handed so as to add excitement to the tournament.
$2,100-Buy-In Ironman Tournament
The "endurance" game that is poker becomes even more physically demanding on Feb. 21 with the LAPC $2,100-buy-in Ironman Tournament. A testament to mental focus and physical endurance, the Ironman Tournament has no scheduled breaks. Meals are served at the green felt, and players step away from the table at their own risk. Poker players soldier on without respite until only one remains, and to that one goes the kudos and cash.
$25,100-Buy-In High Roller
The 2010 L.A. Poker Classic then puts a wrap on "firsts" with a Feb. 28 High Roller event featuring a $25,100-buy-in is one of few such events held in the poker world. This final challenge at Commerce Casino could very well draw poker's elite to the tables for a heart-pounding battle in a high-stakes match.
Crafted For Both Professional and Recreational Players
Savage meticulously constructed the new LAPC schedule after analyzing trends in the poker world and receiving input from players throughout the year. "We thought it was important to create an LAPC schedule that caters to both professional and recreational players alike," he said. "That is why we have kept many of the LAPC's traditional events and added new games to the mix. Overall, we believe this new, expanded schedule will help Commerce Casino's LAPC remain a premier event in the poker world."
Start times vary for events. All events with more than 100 players will be conducted over two days unless noted. There will be approximately 13 hours of play for events beginning at 1 p.m., and 10 hours of play for events starting at 4 p.m. Final tables for most events will return on the following day at 3:30p.m. unless otherwise instructed.
LA Poker Classic Schedule, Structure, and Payouts can be found at LA Poker Classic or by calling (323) 721-2100 and asking for Casino Services.
Happy New Year!
January 01, 2010
Resolution #1 to be more active on my website!