Robert Varkonyi on Day 1 of the Seniors Championship
Chris Moneymaker's improbable win at the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2003 began the poker boom that brought many of us to the game of Texas Hold'em, but one year earlier another unlikely champion claimed poker's biggest prize.
The 2002 Main Event was won by Robert Varkonyi, a mild mannered investment banker from Brooklyn, and had ESPN and PokerStars been involved in that event, it may have been his victory that launched poker into the mainstream.
The 52-year old Varkonyi is in the building today, competing in the Senior's event in pursuit of his fourth WSOP cash, and perhaps even his second bracelet.
As one of the most decorated players in attendance here this morning, we will be sure to track Varkonyi's progress as this Day 1 continues.
Johnny Chan is One of the Sharks Circling Here at the Seniors Chamionship
One of poker's most memorable moments was the hand that ended the 1988 WSOP Main Event, when Johnny Chan flopped the nut straight and played it to perfection to felt Eric Seidel.
The man known as the Orient Express is in the house today, in search of an astounding 11th gold bracelet, and a recent hand had Chan reliving history.
Chan held the and with the board reading by the turn, he was in the familiar position of playing a pot with nothing less than the nuts.
When a third club arrived on the river, Chan led out for a bet of 900, and an opponent with bad timing and worse luck decided to make his stand against the champ, raising for the rest of his chips. Chan snapped him off with the nuts, and the shell shocked senior could only toss his useless into the muck before exiting the Pavilion.
Mark "Pegasus" Smith, Winner of Five WSOP Circuit Rings, is Playing Today's Seniors Championship
The WSOP Circuit has become a proving ground for many of poker's most accomplished tournament players, providing a steady stream of low buy-in events for grinders to hone their skills, and Mark "Pegasus" Smith has earned his reputation as one of the Circuit's shining stars.
One of the staples at every poker tournament is the use of sunglasses to shield one's eyes, and while there are many types of shades to choose from, players in the know have made Blue Shark Optics the recognized leader in the industry.
As the official poker eyewear provider of the World Series of Poker, Blue Shark Optics designs cutting edge sunglasses designed specifically for the game, and today Blue Shark owner Kerry Karoutsos is hoping to see through his fellow seniors.
We caught up with Karoutsos recently and watched him drop a small pot with the board showing , after he checked the river holding . His opponent took it down with for a flopped pair, but despite the early setback, Karoutsos' appeared to be in good spirits, conversing amiably with the player who dragged the pot.
Marcel Luske may have a reputation as one of the best-dressed men in poker, but he can't boast that title today. Without a doubt, the best-dressed man in the tournament today is a colorful Vegas character known as The Duke of Fremont. With his vintage-style fedora, crisp suit, and golden jewelry, The Duke stands out among any field of poker players.
The Duke scored a recent bustout, as a short-stacked player moved all in preflop for his last 475. The Duke was the only caller, and his was ahead of his opponent's . The board ran out , and the river was an unnecessary to give the Duke a set. After the elimination, he was up to 5,500.
Tom McEvoy Flashing One of His Four WSOP Bracelets
Among the sea of seniors spread around the Rio here today, there are a number of decorated professionals plying their trade.
We saw a pair of former Main Event winners each take down a pot using standard postflop aggression.
First, Robert Varkonyi opened to 400 from under the gun, receiving calls from two other players. On the flop, the 2002 WSOP Main Event Champion led out with a bet and his willingness to continue earned him the pot.
It was Tom McEvoy's turn next, and the winner of the 1983 WSOP Main Event showed that he still has some moves. McEvoy opened for 450 in early position, and after the big blind called the flop fell . Both players tapped the table, and the dropped on the turn, prompting McEvoy to fire a bet of 450 into the pot.
His opponent quickly called, as he did McEvoy's bet of 400 on the river. The player rolled over for top pair/top kicker, but McEvoy revealed the for two pair on the turn, using Varkonyi's favorite hand from his 2002 run to win a decent pot midway through the first day of play.
Kerry Karoutsos, Owner of Blue Shark Optics, is Feasting on the Fish Here on Day 1
We noticed Kerry Karoutsos drag a pot his way, and after a quick count we determined the owner of Blue Shark Optics has built his stack to over 13,000 midway through the day.
With his trademark mirrored shades protecting him from the prying eyes of his tablemates, Karoutsos has steadily increased his stack with a combination of preflop patience and postflop aggression. We will be sure to track his progress throughout Day 1, as the official eyewear provider of the WSOP tries to take down his first gold bracelet.
We got a few details on the elimination of Steve Baldwin, which happened last level with 100/200 blinds and no ante. After a player had limped from early position, the most active player at table raised to 600.
"Dad shoved for 2,400 on the button with ," WSOP bracelet winner Eric Baldwin said. The raiser called with offsuit and the flop came down . Neither the turn nor river helped Papa Baldwin and he was sent to the rail.
With thousands of seniors taking their seats here today, many made the trip through the Rio's winding halls aboard their trusty scooters. From high end Rascals to the red rentals made available by the hotel, there are dozens of motorized vehicles lining the rail, creating a veritable parking lot of pint-sized roadsters here in the Brasilia Room.
While this has created a bit of gridlock for those hoping to sweat their favorite senior, Scooter Row has made it quite convenient for the recently eliminated to make a hasty getaway. Every few minutes or so another scooter putters past, a somber senior flooring it as they exit the tournament area at the brisk pace of 3 miles an hour.
Hoyt Corkins (Seen Here in Earlier WSOP Play) is Looking to Best his 4th Place Finish From Last Year's Seniors Championship
Fresh off of a 27th place cash in Event #22: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha, the Alabama Cowboy himself has been spotted here at the Senior's Championship, and with a big stack of chips already accumulated, he is looking to make another deep WSOP run. After last year's 4th place finish in this very same event, Hoyt Corkins is hoping his huge edge over a field comprised largely of amateurs can combine with a little run good to propel him to another final table.
We watched Corkins raise to 600 from late position after the action folded around to him, and both of the blinds called to see a flop of . The small blind checked, the big blind fired out a bet of 800, and both Corkins and the other player folded quickly. Despite this minor setback, Corkins still has a huge stack relative to the average, and with his wealth of experience and the depth of his skills on the felt, it is likely he will be among our end of day chip leaders when play concludes.
and with the board reading 
by the turn, he was in the familiar position of playing a pot with nothing less than the nuts.
into the muck before exiting the Pavilion.
, after he checked the river holding 
. His opponent took it down with 
for a flopped pair, but despite the early setback, Karoutsos' appeared to be in good spirits, conversing amiably with the player who dragged the pot.
was ahead of his opponent's 
. The board ran out 
to give the Duke a set. After the elimination, he was up to 5,500.
. Both players tapped the table, and the 
dropped on the turn, prompting McEvoy to fire a bet of 450 into the pot.
offsuit and the flop came down 
. Neither the turn nor river helped Papa Baldwin and he was sent to the rail.
