TKPT St Maarten: Serious Poker & Serious Fun

Next week, I'm going to a big poker tournament with a group of online poker players that won their way to the Caribbean. They'll be playing in the Main Event at the TKPT tournament in St Maarten. Like I did when we took other online satellite tournament winners to Punta Cana and to Seefeld, Austria, I'll be publishing a series of videos starting April 27th.

The web video series will follow five online satellite tournament winners from Intertops Poker  and Juicy Stakes Poker competing in the TKPT Caribbean Main Event.

This is the third time we’ve taken a bunch of online tournament winners to a big live tournament. It’s interesting to watch the guys adjust to the different kinds of players they encounter at international tournaments. Tim and Chris were with us at CAPT Seefeld so it’ll be good to hang out with them again!

I'll be hanging out with the five online players -- Tim O'Keefe, Chris Perkins, Elena Stover, John Curcurcu and Gabor Kresco -- as they compete in the Main Event and as they enjoy everything else the tropical paradise has to offer.



In the preview video, tournament organizer Thomas Kremser talks about what to expect next week.

“The tournament attracts both professional and recreational players from around the world. It's serious poker,” said Kremser, “but there’s also be some serious fun to be had!”

Kremser is organizing island excursions for players like zip lining, ATV touring and a party bus with DJ and open bar.

In February, I went with Living the Dream to CAPT Seefeld in Austria with a group of online satellite tournament winners. Before that, we went to CPT Punta Cana. The next poker adventure will be in July when winners of current online satellite tournaments will go to the European Poker Championships at CAPT Velden in Austria.

Three Strikes and They're Out

There was no joy in Seefeld after Day 1, the mighty Living the Dream team had struck out. Sadly, all three of the players from Intertops and Juicy Stakes bust during the first day of CAPT Seefeld.

Daniel Montagnolli, who was playing pretty aggressively for the early hours of Day 1 was the first to go. He bust at the first level. Chris Perkins was playing pretty tight but was prepared to get aggressive if and when the situation was right. At level 5, just before the dinner break, he went all in when he later realized he probably should have folded. And he was out. That left Tim O'Keefe as the only member of our team still at the table after the dinner break. Then, 11 hours after they first sat down, he was out too.

Video: Living the Dream: CAPT Seefeld, Episode 4 – Three Strikes and the Living the Dream Team is Out

Somewhat overwhelmed by aggressive German players, all three team members are out after Day 1.

Living the Dream Team Warms Up for the Main Event at CAPT Seefeld

Living the Dream team members Daniel, Tim and Chris, were a little shaken after busting out pretty early in the 550 Euro tournament they played on their first day in Seefeld, Austria. They'd all won their way to Austria in online satellite tournaments at Intertops Poker and Juicy Stakes Poker. Good players. But that first day in Austria? Bad cards… weird moves by other players… What can you do?! Then after a good night’s rest – and a better understanding of how their competition plays -- they were optimistic about their prospects heading into the 2000 Euro Main Event that began Friday afternoon.

Tim was up to 42K at the second level and if that had held up he could’ve been sitting pretty. “Hey, I’m saving it all for the Main Event!” he laughed as his team mates consoled him in the casino bar afterward.

Chris was getting good cards early in the 500 Euro tournament he played as a warm up. He was up to 40K quite quickly. Then he made a squeeze play that didn’t quite work out. He shoved it Ace 5 suited in the small blind and was called by Ace-ten. He was out.

“I got my stack in with monster draw,” said Daniel after he too was out. “I opened with a straight on the flash draw. Unfortunately he flopped a straight.”

Daniel had committed himself to a check race and there was no way to fold. He was free to join the team in the bar to re-group and prepare themselves for the 2000 Euros Main Event the next day.

Video: Living the Dream: CAPT Seefeld, Episode 2 -- What are Ya Gonna Do?!

Daily video reports from CAPT Seefeld will continue through this weekend

Intertops and Juicy Stakes Welcome First Four Members of the ‘Living the Dream Team’ That Will Compete in the CPT Punta Cana

Intertops Poker and Juicy Stakes Poker have completed four of six CPT Punta Cana online satellite tournament series and awarded four champions an all expense paid trip to the live tournament in the Caribbean.  Two more satellites – one which begins today and another beginning September 23, will send two more players to Punta Cana and add two more online champions to the Living the Dream Team.

So far the Living the Dream Team include: Austrian poker pro Daniel Montagnolli; Neil Slade, a recreational player from Hampshire UK; Derek Scallon, a Chicago poker pro and film producer, and Steven Loney, a businessman and casual poker player.

Daniel recently quit his job to become a full-time poker player beginning September 1.  Daniel was in the Caribbean last fall too when he came third in the CPT/WPT in St Maarten and won $1600. His biggest win to date was the No Limit Hold’em Championship Event at the 2007 Legends of Poker in Los Angeles where he came 25th and won $25,150. Montagnolli is listed on the Hendon Mob’s United States All Time Money List. He’s been active at PokerStrategy.com where he’s known as Monze. Daniel shares his thoughts on his satellite tournament win on the Living the Dream poker blog today.

Neal Slade, a 44 year old builder and father of two from Hampshire, UK, plays online poker a couple of times a week trying to satellite into live events – has won seats at WSOP events, WPT, UKIPT, GPS this way. His goal is to play an EPT tournament. This will be his second live poker tournament in Dominican Republic -- he won a seat at the CPT Punta Cana two years ago and came in 6th, winning $9000.

Derek Scallon, a professional poker player from Chicago, produced a documentary on online poker called Bet Raise Fold in 2013.  He placed 122nd in the $10K No Limit Texas Hold’em World Championship at the 2006 WSOP 2006 and won $ 51,129.

Steven Loney, a toy business entrepreneur, just plays poker for fun but will be seated at the Main Event in Punta Cana with the rest of the Team thanks to some lucky cards and some smart moves at the online satellite he won in May. Steven wrote about that experience in the Living the Dream poker blog.

Intertops Poker and Juicy Stakes Poker are hosting two more online satellite tournament series that will award two more $4000 CPT prize packages and add two more online champions to the Living the Dream Team roster. One series begins today and the final series begins September 23. Step 1 tournaments ($2.00 + $.20) are held daily at 14:00, 17:00, 20:00, 23:00 and 02:00 GMT in both poker rooms. Win your way to the Finals (September 6 and October 4) or buy-in at any point in the 3-tier tournament.