WSOP 2011

By Bill L.

Our annual trip to the World Series of Poker was off to a great start even before I got there.  I was flying in separate this year after a trip to NoCal which included a Giants game, a day of small production Zinfandel tasting in Sonoma and the Nascar race at Infineon so The Fluge was on his own for a few hours until my flight landed.

After his casino host pulled him aside in order to skip the long check-in lines The Fluge was escorted into the VIP area for the platinum guest private registration.  Knowing I was a few hours out he decided to hit the blackjack tables for awhile.  Now I know I understand blackjack – I’ve even played in the World Series of Blackjack in my younger days but I truly don’t enjoy it that much so I mainly stick with poker – but Nick LOVES 21 and is AMAZINGLY good at it.  I’ve watched him play many times now and he consistently beats the house.

In the three hours just waiting for me he was betting big and playing multiple hands.  Just the kind of Big Player the house loves and takes very good care of.  The problem is – Fluge WINS.  So not only did his first three hours of play net cash in his pocket and comps galore but the Casino upgraded his VIP status to Diamond level – the highest you can get.  It can take most gamblers years of play to attain this level but in rare occasion you can become “Diamond in a Day.”

I finally arrive, check in, toss my stuff in my room and make my way down to the tables to find The Fluge and try and get his head into poker mode.  He, like most smart players has no problem getting up from the table, so after coloring up, tipping both his dealer and cocktail waitress we head to the WSOP Pavilions.  We barely make it half way and here comes multiple WSOP bracelet winner Scotty Nguyen yelling FLUGE, FLUGE – Everyone remembers the big guy so we catch up for awhile and wish the poker gods to bring good fortune to us before hitting the registration desk for tomorrow’s event.  We find we’re at tables 107 and 17 respectively and chat with a few of the pro’s we’ve met over the years who are in line with us.

Nick and I decide to meet later at Voodoo Steak on the top of The Rio for our usual pre-tourney dinner.  After ordering we both agree we think we’ve had the same dishes for the past ten years only changing the wine selection based on what’s currently on the list.  I have to say this year’s bottle of a Turley Juvenile Zinfandel was outstanding!  We caught up on multiple adventure possibilities and vineyard happenings before getting to business and finalizing our strategies for tomorrow.  By the time the last bite was gone and the only the dregs of Zin were left we were rock solid comfortable with our game plans for the big event.

“Nick with friend and several time WSOP champion Scotty Nguyen”

I could see from the glimmer in his eyes that a little black jack would be on the agenda for the remainder of the evening so I followed the master to his favorite high-limit table for a few hands of 21.   I could only keep up with his pace for a short while basically breaking even and I left him for the night in the good hands of Yasmine the dealer and Brenda the cocktail server.

Finally- Poker Day is here and Nick and I meet for our traditional breakfast and leisurely reconfirm our strategies from the night before.  I can see Fluge is focused.  Normally with an hour to kill he’d get a few hands in at the bj table – but not today.  It’s all business.  We decided to head back to our rooms for a quick freshen-up and gather our gear for what hopefully will be a marathon of poker.  With a few minutes to go before the start  of the event Nick, being Nick, decided he’d like to get the winner’s vibe form the sacred bracelet podium and jumps the velvet rope and heeds to the podium where the winner’s bracelet resides in waiting and the wall of champions is located.  Maybe we’ll see him up there collecting his own bracelet down the road.

We each head to our tables – stand for Ben “Benba” Lamb’s bracelet presentation for winning the previous event – taking place at that podium Nick just left.  We stay standing for the national Anthem then it’s those famous words – “Shuffle Up and Deal.”  Our event has begun.

Nick is way across the huge pavilion of almost 3000 players so I can’t see him but texts are flying back and forth.  Up 2k – down 1k – up 3k.  At the first break after two rounds of one hour each we’ve had no crazy hands just solid poker.  We have 20 minutes to fight the hoard for a bathroom break.  Rounds 3 and 4 – blinds are up and so are we.  Nick about 6k and me right behind at 5k.  Four hours and so far so good.  Rounds 5 and 6 and we’re seeing a large exodus now.  I keep looking around a no Fluge – a good sign.  I get a text and he’s up to 15k.  NICE.  After 6 hours of poker and 40 minutes of breaks it’s dinner break time.  Chip counts are Nick @ 17k and me at @ 16k.  We have 90 minutes for dinner and lines are huge but The Fluge flashes his Diamond VIP card and we walk by the lines right to a table.  That’s how we roll.  Our separate strategies are holding and all is good.  Neither of us has had huge wins or losses – just steady “grinder” poker.

On to rounds 7 and 8 – blinds are getting big and we now have antes.  We’ve outlasted 1800 losers so far but we need to make some moves and add to our stacks.  Nick’s holding around 17k and I’m up to 19k but there are some big stacks at each of our tables.  We’re still alive after round 8 – down to 800 left.  There will be 2 more rounds tonight before chips are bagged and play resumes tomorrow.  We both agree we’re here for the final table and there’s no reason to go into day 2 with a short stack so we are going to attack and go for greatness tonight.  Round 9 we’re still alive but our stacks are dwindling.  Nick’s text says he’s down to 12k.  I’m at 17k and my table breaks and we each head to a new table.  As my luck would have it I’m assigned a new table and there are four huge stacks.  Matt Jarvis is showing off his bracelet from winning event #40.  There’s Ronny “RoNasty” Bardah who went deep in last year’s main event and Pro Matt Stout who I spent many hours seated next to last year.  He looks at me twice and says “Hey – grape guy.” He remembers me but unfortunately his next line is “too bad you’re short stacked.”

Twenty minutes to go I get a tap on the shoulder and my man The Fluge is out.  He played real well but couldn’t catch the cards near the end.  Mike Stanton from the World Poker Tour is there and tells Nick he watched him for awhile and he played great.  Mike was wondering when we’d try our luck in a WPT event.   Fluge is not down though and says he’s off to kill ‘em at black jack.

15 minutes to go and I get a hand.  This is it.  There’s a raise from under the gun and everyone folds around to me on the button.  I’ve got pocket 10’s and go all in for about 20k but the big blind with the big stack snap calls all in – not good –and the first raiser folds.  I turn over my 10’s and he turns over a wired pair of Kings.  The flop, turn and river are no help and I’m out in 400^th place.  Better than 2600 others but not good enough after almost 13 hours of play.

It turns out this year’s winner from our event was Athy Polychronopoulos.  He was the big blind with the big stack who took me out.

Our 2011 WSOP is over – we didn’t win a bracelet but it was a blast as usual.  We’ll get ‘em next year!

PS.  This year’s WSOP Europe is in Cannes in October.  Will there be an Art/WSOP Poker story from the South of France?  Stay tuned.

“Nick with Mike Sexton, voice of ESPN’s World Series of Poker”

By Bill Lowblad

I thought this was going to be the year as I pulled into the PDX garage and “Lucky Man” by the Verve came on the radio. What better sign to start a trip to Vegas on?

Fluge and Lowblad Prepare to Begin World Series of Poker Play as Early Favorites

We were on the early – real early flight and I arrived at the gate just as the Fluge was leaving the Alaska Board Room where he had been taking advantage of the time zones talking with his peeps in Russia, France and Tasmania working on future Adventures. Does he ever sleep?

A few hours later we arrived at the Rio – home to the WSOP. We dropped off our luggage and with a few hours to kill we headed over to the Venetian our customary lucky starting point. I went straight to the poker room where last trip I took a first and a third place in their Deep Stack tournaments and sat in at a no-limit Texas hold-em game to warm up while Nick went to the high stakes black jack tables to win some cash and play enough to afford us our customary comped lunch. Valentino’s is a Great lunch spot – especially if there’s extra cash in your pockets and when the check comes the waiter says “There’s no charge Mr. Fluge – I hope you enjoyed your meal on the house.” That’s rollin Fluge style again!

Getting back to the Rio we grabbed our bags and checked into our suites – Comped suites that is. Nice to travel with a high roller. Next we wandered back to the WSOP hall to register and pick up our table assignments for Monday’s Event #49 of the 2010 World Series of Poker. We see Jesus (Ferguson that is), Mike Sexton, Phil Ivey and other famous pros. I give a wave to the Unibomber who amazingly remembers us from the two celebrity events he played with us in Portland and I head across the hall to say hello and see if Jennifer Tilley’s playing this year. As soon as I get a couple of steps in I almost get taken out by a scooter . Doyle Brunson flies by, says “Sorry, it’s a rental and I’m not used to it” and keeps on going. With this close call Nick and the Unibomber’s best friend Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari crack up. Maybe staying in one piece is where I used up my luck.

I hung out in the poker area while Nick went to the Rio’s black jack tables. After a few hours I get a call letting me know Nick’s VIP host has made dinner reservations at the Voodoo Lounge on the 50th floor. Sweet!

We meet up at the elevators and I can hear the magical “clinking” sound emanating from Nick’s pockets that only can be made by a large quantity of $1000.00 dollar yellow chips. It has been a short but sweet trip to the tables and dinner is “on the house.” We ride up the glass elevator to the 50th floor at the top of the Rio and there’s our table with a great view of all Las Vegas. Before we can sit down there’s Don Cheadle and Annie Duke at the bar and Cheadle yells out to Nick– “Hey are you playing in the charity event this year?” Nick has to tell him not this year as it conflicts with his next sportscar race – but count him in for 2011. We had an incredible meal and I had the wine honours and matched a great Heitz Marthas Vineyard cab with our prime steaks. Awesome.

This was an early night as we wanted to be sharp for the WSOP tomorrow so our only gambling the rest of the evening was $100.00 each in the Megabucks slots. No luck there but you have to go for it when in Vegas. One of Nick’s fellow high stakes black jack players tries to lure him back to the tables and bring his luck with him but the WSOP is priority and we’re done for the day.

Monday starts with a team breakfast – we have one more of the FGA poker series regulars with us for the first time – Jon “OSU Playboy All American Football player” Sandstrom. I pass out the black FGA – WSOP 2010 team polo shirts (Great Job Randy) and we go over the rules while we eat our pre game breakfast.

We meet back in the Amazon room for team photos and get to our tables for the 12:00 start. Nick draws table 6, Jon table 41 and I’m at 203 which means I’m going to move around a lot as they break the higher tables first when people drop out. There are over 2600 entrants for today tournament and pros are being followed by the press as they sit in with the amateurs. I’ve got a Dane and a Swede at my table and press is standing around ready to record great plays. We stand for the national anthem and then it’s shuffle up and deal. I’m up a little at the first break after 2 hours and look around for the rest of team FGA. Jon’s up a little but Nick is nowhere to be found until you see Shannon Elizabeth talking to him in the corner. I wander up to hear how she hardly recognized him with the facial hair but she “loves it.” Nick has been hit hard in the chip stacks when a lucky player catches an inside straight and Shannon is telling him to put it all on the line. If you’re out early you gave it a great shot but if you double up a few times you’re right back on target. When we get back to playing I see the big man walk by as he’s done (how can you not listen to Shannon Elizabeth?) But that’s OK – his black jack friends need his luck back in the high stakes area.

I’m still doing well when they break our table and send me to table 197. That stinks as now I’ve got to learn each new players ability but since it’s still a high number I’ll move again real soon. Yes a few minutes later this table breaks and I’m sent to another new table 26. If I do well here I can stay for awhile. No big hands but I do add to my stack and make it to the next break. Jon’s doing well and has a little more than me. We talk about our hands and text the Fluge to see how he’s doing. Killing them for cash at black jack as usual.

The next hour and 55 minutes are uneventful. I make a few plays but nothing exciting and it’s 5 minutes to the dinner break. I think I’ll play it cautious and only play a great hand and of course I get a great hand (KJ suited on the button) I’ll be happy with the antes and blinds and raise. I get a call from the big blind and we see the flop. KJ and a rag. I LOVE it. The big blind checks and I make a big bet. He calls. Now I’m wondering what he has? The turn brings a 7 of clubs with the rag being a 4 of clubs puts 2 clubs on the board and I get a little nervous of a big blind special. He checks and I go all in. He thinks for a moment and calls and turns over AQ but not clubs. His only way to beat me is with a 10 for a straight. Single digit odds but that’s how things go and a 10 hits the river and my tournament is OVER just as we break for dinner. There are only around 800 left so I at least beat 1800 others.

I find Jon and he’s doing well as our last hope. We call the Fluge and meet him for a quick dinner as Jon has 45 minutes until the next round. We have a quick meal and discuss our hands and listen to some great stories of black jack until it’s time for Jon to head back to the WSOP. Nick heads back to his spot in the high stakes area where his new “Entourage” is waiting for him. It’s simply amazing how he builds a following. I grab a quick shower and head back down to catch the action with the Fluge and can hear the roars from across the crowded casino and know immediately where to go. Blackjacks are flying out of the deck and Fluge is collecting more and more big chips to add to his stack. Of course the dealers and cocktail waitresses are getting huge tips and everyone is Happy. I watch for awhile, play a little cash game poker then call it a night.

I get the call that Jon is out at 11:30 after 11 and a half hours of play with the field down to 400 players. Great Job! He gives me the update that Nick is still rollin hot and Jon’s off to the dice table.

Next a.m. Nick is at my door with a goodie bag of WSOP gear. How nice. It’s amazing how cool he looks after what I’m sure is a long night. He’s a big winner at black jack and gave it a great shot at poker but he’s catching the next flight back to Portland as there’s some new Adventure waiting.

Jon and I catch later flights and this year’s WSOP is over. We’ve had a blast even though we’re not wearing a bracelet. We had great meals, met up with friends from the poker world and in Nick’s case met a whole new following of FGA fans.

Next year could be our year! I’m already excited to return. I’m sure Don Cheadle is looking forward to next year’s Ante up for Africa event and Shannon Elizabeth can catch up on Fluges adventures.

Another Fluge Global Adventures year is now in the ‘books’. The FGA team was able to experience many new (and some old) adventures and even participate with some charities along the way. 2009 was quite a year.

Following such exciting adventures in 2007 and 2008 that included a trek to Everest Base Camp, triathlon and biking athletic tests, a Summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Sports Car Club of America Championship racing, a Gumball Rally race across America and even the hunting of the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland, 2009 was equally testing.

The year started out in the spring when Nick Fluge and Bill Lowblad entered the World Poker Challenge. It was a change from the previous three consecutive years at the World Series of Poker but a new and challenging venue existed to be conquered. Bill performed up to his usual high standards and Nick was even able to crack the “Final Top Four Tables” while playing against some of the best ‘hold-em’ players the world had to offer.

Regular Zine subscribers might remember that Fluge spent the winter in the south of France learning oil painting, ceramic painting and glass blowing. Well, while his talent might have been a bit thin, it didn’t stop him from opening an art gallery which has included many of his personal works as well as some by other well known artists. While the Gallery adventure is only a ‘temporary’ project – it has allowed Nick to share both art and Scotch with friends and other interested guests.

Things quickly turned to youth – as FGA was honored to sponsor the Concord Elementary School Outdoor School which included a writing contest for the kids; “One World Infinite Adventures”. Outdoor school was an opportunity for elementary school students to learn more about themselves and the environment around them through hands-on activities and projects in an outdoor environment.

In addition to sponsoring the week long Outdoor School trip, we asked the students to share with us their ultimate adventure, or life dream, in an essay for the first ever Fluge Global Adventures “One Word…Infinite Adventures” writing contest.

Among the essays were career aspirations, dreams of meeting heroes, hopes of world travel, and of course, becoming the next American Idol! The common thread was that they all have faith in their goal and a passion for achieving it. These are the traits that make for a true Adventurer.

Nick Fluge returned to the World Series of Poker for one event at mid-year and while he played strong – he was eliminated early. Given his high standing in his 2006 WSOP “Main Event” this was disappointing but his thoughts were focused on his first Professional Sports Car Race.

Certainly, the training and strength of team, has paid dividends in sports car racing circles. Not only did Nick win a 3rd consecutive class championship (GT1), but he now owns 4 track records at PIR (the most of any individual driver). He also moved into the professional ranks by driving against some of the world’s best sports car drivers in the summers’ Trans-Am Championship race. Fluge’s qualifying position of 6th put him in the thick of things throughout the event.

With help from Matt at Speed Sports and Todd at ProDrive, Fluge is always prepared with gear and with driving acumen. However, great thanks go to Steve Gatrell and his entire ProFab team (Spence, Patrick, Leo, and others) for keeping the Derhaag running in world class condition. A special thanks to Aimee who often creates the greatest parties and BBQ’s for many of SCCA’s participants.

Fluge worked with Youths at Risk and the Regional area Santos youth soccer teams/league by assisting Ruma Perez (group organizer) with a check but more importantly inviting the kids to his pro race and proudly running the Santos banner along with that of FGA.

August heat led to one of the zanier of FGA’s adventures. Nick Fluge and Bill Lowblad entered John Deere’s in farm country’s “Combine Demolition Derby”. Local farm competitors viewed them as city slickers – but were still orderly – until the combines started moving. Fluge was quickly taken out by a variety of machinery and while Bill continued admirably – he was also prevented an overall win due to losing much of his rear tire/wheel/suspension combination which is so critical.

Not a win – but a wild experience!

While finishing behind 1000′s of competitors, Nick Fluge, a late entry, was strong enough to finish the event and still have a number of entrants behind him. While he hadn’t trained for this specific event and chose to enter only the day before the race – he credits his trainers, Yelena King and Troy Carter with always keeping him in shape to do such a thing – even without much preparation.

The final event of the year continues periodically and will through early 2010. It’s the Fluge Poker Championships – named after the Poker Man himself. Here, local friends and acquaintances meet to play Hold-em often throughout a year period with the winner taking home a special FGA Award. As of this writing, Bill Lowblad is holding the lead position but is being threatened by the likes of James (IceMan) Marlow who has won or finished very highly in the last several events. Fluge is holding his own in the middle of the pack – but is being challenged by the up and coming Poker Star, Troy Carter.

Rumors suggest the Amazon may be the next hurdle for Team FGA. Kayaking, battling deadly snakes and other regional flora and fauna could be a part of such an adventure – but as we say each year – only the future will tell the final story.

It seems like only a few months have passed since last year’s World Series of Poker. I guess time passes more quickly when you’re part of the Fluge Global Adventures team and hang with the Man of Adventure himself, our Lead Adventurer Nick Fluge.

Our “High” Rollin WSOP adventure begins the moment we exit McCarren Airport and instead of turning right into the throng of “less” adventuresome individuals herded into the seemingly never-ending cab lines, we turn left and hop into our awaiting limo to kick back Fluge-style on our ride to our WSOP hotel.

After checking in we decide on getting a little pre-event practice and head to probably the finest poker room in Vegas – The Venetian Poker Room for some No-limit holdem. The Venetian is a great place to play. You really have no excuse to get up from the tables as they literally cater to your every whim while sitting and playing.

We’re knocking down the competition and decide against our previous tradition of a steak house dinner and ask for the “poker room table side butler service.” We actually have dinner served by our personal butler while still taking money from the competition! How can you beat that?

I continue on with more poker but Fluge, always looking for the next adventure, decides to take his winnings from poker and beat up on the blackjack tables. We’ve planned to call it a night early in preparation for out next day’s WSOP event that is expected to last a grueling 13+ hours so I cash in my winnings and head off to the blackjack tables in search of our Lead Adventurer. I start scanning the room but before I get far, I actually hear calls of “Way to go Nick,” “Nick your en-fuego!” and find our man at the high limit table with a massive stack of chips and his own private peanut gallery. Tom, the only other player at the table is giving kudos to Nick for his stylish play. River the dealer who has his own large stack of chips from the exceeding generous largess of our Lead Adventurer is almost bursting with gratitude. Meghan, the beautiful cocktail waitress is asking if there is “anything else I can get for you “Nick?” The Pit bosses are watching with a keen eye as chips keep moving in a steady rhythm from the dealer’s tray onto the stacks in front of our man. I weave my way through the gathered ogling crowd watching the rare winner in Vegas and am introduced to the crowd. I let him know “it’s time to head out” to the immediate disapproval of everyone surrounding us. No more tips for River and Meghan, no more cosmic Karma for Tom, no more chances for the Pit bosses to recoup their looses and no more Fluge for the crowd of onlookers. The last bet brings a few more chips onto Nick’s pile and and a final gratuity for River as well.

After cashing out we exit the casino only to find the ever present Saturday night taxi line stretching as far as the eye can see. That of course doesn’t faze the FGA crew in the least and we quickly give a high-roller handshake to the valet and a limo materializes from no-where and we are whisked off to our hotel in style.

We start off event day with a great meal and head on to the Amazon Room at the Rio for Event # 2 No-limit Texas Hold’em of the 2008 World Series of Poker. Everywhere you look there are the faces of celebrity pro’s you see on tv each week. Phil “The man with a record 11 bracelets” Hellmuth, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, previous main event winners, Jerry Yang, Carlos Mortensen, Jamie Gold and Scotty Nguyen. We see our friend Jennifer Tilly along with High Stakes Poker competitors Barry Greenstein and Eli Elezra.

Over the loudspeaker and on the omnipresent tv screens around the room, we’re told that our event is the largest single event in WSOP history outside of the Main Event itself. 3929 competitors. Wow!

I’m at Amazon Blue table 49 and Nick’s at Amazon Blue table 19. We’re in the same row so I can see the big man from where I sit. We give a thumbs up to each other and wait for those famous words, “shuffle up and deal.”

On the first hand, reigning WSOP Main Event champ Jerry Yang is decimated and left with only 1 chip.

The first two rounds are fairly uneventful for me and I see Nick is still in his seat. We hear the ever present call of “seat open” from around the room which signifies another player has hit the felt. Thirty minutes into his event, Phil Helmuth, possibly the greatest NL hold’em tournament player is GONE. 12:32 Alan Cunningham, player of the year, GONE. 12:39 Marcel “The Flying Dutchman” Luske, maybe the only player in the room who could compete with the Fluge on the suave level, GONE. 1:03 2006 World Champion Jamie Gold, GONE. 1:06 Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, GONE. Right before the first break, Scotty “Bring me another Carona” and past World Champion Nugyen, GONE.

Nick and I meet briefly at the break, but no real big hands for either of us. We’re still in there while others are dropping like flies.

Round 3 begins and tables are opening right and left as the blinds go higher. Full Tilt star John Juanda GONE, The lovely Jennifer Tilly GONE. WPT champ Eric Lindgren GONE. Eli Elezra GONE, Robert Williamson III GONE. Round 4 comes and goes with little action for me, but I’m still alive and I look down and Nick is still sitting tall in his seat. The break arrives and we discuss our hands that would never appear on a televised event for their lack of excitement. We’ve really have been biding our time and haven’t received any cards that would lead to a make a break hand.

After the 20 minute break we head back to the tables for Round 5 and 6 leading up to the dinner break. This is the period where trouble begins as the low stack tend to go all in and if luck versus skill goes their way you can get in trouble with a good hand. I make it through round 5 alive but hurt a little in chips as I donk one hand to guy with 3 pairs of sunglasses and can’t defend my blinds against the ever present raises. I still have not had a decent hand wired in hours. I look over and Nick is still going at it but I can’t tell from this distance what is in front of him. He looks back for a second and his body language gives me the feeling that we are pretty even with each other so far. I really want to make it through round 6 and regroup at the dinner break. The first 30 minutes of the hour round are uneventful with my stack staying roughly the same. I see Nick is alive as well. Next hand, I’m in late position and finally find a wired pair of 10’s. I raise and everyone goes out except a short stack in the large blind. The flop comes 447 and the large blind goes all in. Who knows what he has, I’m hoping maybe A-K but I’m pot committed and call. Would you believe he has A-4 for trips. My 3^rd 10 never appears and he doubles up and I lose half about 1/3 of my stack. Three hands later what do I find, another wired pair of 10’s. I’m on the button and raise a healthy amount. This time it’s the short stacked small blind that calls. The flop comes AK rag and I know I’m in trouble. He bets out and I have to fold as I’m sure he has either an Ace or King. I’m the short stack at the table now but there’s only 20 minutes till the dinner break. Three hands later what do I find? My third wired set of 10’s in less than 10 hands. I’m tempted to throw it away as 10’s appear to be the anti-christ right now, but I figure this was meant to be and go all in. As I do, we hear that Jennifer Harmon the Queen of the big Cash games has just gone out with pocket 9’s, not a good sign. I get a caller and his pair of King’s take me down. I look over and find Nick’s seat empty and he has been eliminated as well.

Another 10-15 minutes for both of us and who knows what we may have been. We outlasted over 3200 of the players only to fall short. But what a great time.

I’ll wrap this up to at least let you all know that the FGA crew can get right back in the saddle and we headed back to the Venetian to take out our frustration on the tables there.

To make a long story short, I did well in the cash poker games and yes, your one and only Lead Adventurer kicked some major butt again. When we cashed out, I was looking for a private security guard to walk us out to the waiting limo as the Fluge was carrying a stack of Benjamins that would equal the height of a George Burns special sandwich at the Carnegie Deli.

There may be another event yet this year, but if not people will fears us in the 2009 events.

The 2007 World Series of Poker officially hit the FGA Adventure radar last Saturday, June 9. Nick Fluge and FGA Adventurographer and Vigneron, Bill Lowblad both charged the RIO in Vegas with a large measure of bravado (but perhaps not quite as much ‘knowin when to foldem-)!

The WSOP which runs a number of events in June and July, sports between 3000 and 9000 players at each of it’s events – this one was no different. With players estimated at about 3000, Fluge and Lowblad took their seats alongside WSOP all time bracelet winner, Phil Hellmuth, perhaps the only man with a bigger ego than the PDX team. After several hours of play and many eliminations of players – Fluge met his match with a strong flush (beaten on 5th street by a full house)! Lowblad played on amidst the challenge of knowing he alone held the hopes of FGA riding to a victory. After more hours of gritty play and with over 2000 players eliminated, Bill also met his “Bad Beat”. He spent the rest of the weekend beating the locals at the small games throughout the city.

All in all, not a bad start – but not what FGA wanted – the victory! BTW – Phil Hellmuth won his 11th title and proved not only to have the biggest ego – but also the best play (or maybe luck)? Never fear, Lowblad and Fluge return on June 20 for another Series event and expect even bigger things.

“Phil Hellmuth’s ‘close friend’ – the blonde, trying to take Fluge’s 2007 WSOP money!!!!”