Top Pair Podcast 338: WSOP Recaps, with Dan Michalski and Donna Lawton
In episode 338, Bruce Briggs and Robbie Strazynski are back together again after an extended summer hiatus. Pokerati.com’s Dan Michalski and returning guest Donna Lawton check in to share their experiences playing in a celebrity-laden charity poker tournament and the WSOP Main Event, respectively.
Plus, Robbie recaps his own fun-filled World Series of Poker trip working during the Main Event and Bruce holds down the fort with a recap of his home game action.
Top Pair thanks their sponsor, the Poker Notes Live mobile app, for their support. Be sure to check it out!
Show Time Stamps
| 00:26 | Synopsis |
| 1:13–30:11 | How Ya Runnin? |
| 2:01 | Robbie: “Only” 32 hours of poker play during WSOP trip #2 (vs. 50 in trip #1), broke even. |
| 3:45 | Hosting a $4/8 Dealer’s Choice mixed game at Westgate. Recapping the event, which was attended by a couple dozen people, supported by PokerStars, and featured an appearance by Norman Chad. |
| 10:17 | Robbie unfortunately didn’t make it in time to attend the PokerNews Family of Podcasts tournament plus the story of why, and what Robbie ended up doing instead. |
| 12:45 | What the atmosphere in Las Vegas and at the Rio, in particular, is like during the WSOP from the perspective of someone working in poker media |
| 15:56 | Managed to get a couple home games in back in Israel after returning from the WSOP + session recaps. |
| 19:16 | Bruce: Not too much poker, due to moving house in Salt Lake City. In the one game played, telling the story of an incredibly bad beat in S.O.H.E. |
| 24:25 | Does the alarm ALWAYS go off during every single event at the WSOP? What would happen if there actually was a fire on-site? Also, what happened during the big earthquakes at the WSOP? |
| 32:36–46:22 | Catching up with Pokerati.com’s Dan Michalski |
| 33:35 | Dan represented the Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast brand at the 12th annual “Raising the Stakes for CP” charity poker tournament to benefit the One Step Closer Foundation. Recapping what it was like to play in the event, held at Aria Las Vegas, which Hollywood celebrities he spotted, and the general vibe at the event. |
| 40:53 | Dan elaborating on his experience seeing for years how it’s often home game players who tend to end up doing well at the World Series of Poker. He himself had a regular home game back when living in Dallas years ago. Also, some recent experiences playing home game-style poker in London and “wiping the floor” with the Brits. |
| 46:23-1:03:45 | Catching up with frequent guest Donna Lawton |
| 48:52 | Donna got to play in the WSOP Main Event for the first time in 2019. She recaps her experiences of what it was like. She won her seat via winning a CSOP event. Started on Day 1A in the Amazon Room, made it to Day 2AB in the Pavilion Room, but that’s where her magical run ended. Reflecting on the great experiences of interacting with players like Alec Torelli, Frank Kassela, and hamming it up with Norman Chad. Hoping to start making this an annual tradition. |
| 1:05:19-1:09:48 | Table Talk with George Chao of BBO Poker Tables: All about shuffling; whether it’s worthwhile to invest in an automatic shuffler and a brief survey of the different options available. |
You can subscribe to PokerNews’ Top Pair Home Game Poker podcast on iTunes here, or you can access the RSS feed here.
Follow hosts Bruce Briggs @toppair and Robbie Strazynski @cardplayerlife, also available via email: [email protected]
