My "Dream Weekend" at the Commerce
By Debbie Burkhead

The Ladies Poker Dream Weekend at the Commerce was another fun-filled weekend for the ladies. A best-all-around award is presented to the lady who earns the most points in all three events. In previous years, the Commerce has awarded various prize packages. This year the Commerce decided to have a championship signature diamond pendant designed for the best-all-around winner. This custom designed diamond necklace will become the traditional overall championship prize. Drum roll please: And the winner is... Niki Andrew!

Niki is a professional poker player that works as a prop player for the Commerce and her specialty is seven-card stud. Niki and I became friends a few years ago while playing $15-$30 stud at the Mirage. Although experienced in live action play, she is a novice to tournament poker but she didn't let that stop her from winning the seven-card stud event and returning the next day to take fifth place in the limit hold'em event, capturing enough points to claim the best-all-around award. I would like to congratulate my friend Niki, she is one of the best stud players I know. If you're wondering what happen to yours truly, I finished in 10th place.

My 10th place finish gave me 14 points and a shot for the best-all-around player award. The next day was limit hold'em and if my nines-full had held up, who knows, Niki might be congratulating me. Oh, well that's poker!

The festivities included bounty prizes, daily buffets and lots of champagne. Just ask Linda Johnson. Her table was having so much fun that the noise pollution police were almost summoned. Daily bounty prizes were not cash but very nice gifts, hand picked by Cheri Dokken. Bounty players included some of the biggest names on the poker tournament circuit and the previous days winners. The oldest poker player award went to 91-year old Roxanne Leabow, who was celebrating her 72nd wedding anniversary. Her 90-year old husband was also playing poker at the Commerce. When Leabow was introduced she received a standing ovation. Her secret for marriage longevity is: The couple who plays together stays together.

The camaraderie among the women players and the support from the local cardrooms is as good as it gets in California. Ocean's Eleven's Billie Brown generously donated three seats to the California Ladies State Poker Championship on September 20-24 as bubble prizes. The Bicycle Club was represented by 25 of their women players and all were wearing logo-ed sweater outfits compliments of Haig Kelegian, the owner of both the Bike and Ocean's Eleven. That support speaks for itself.

Back to my poker...I played the first freeroll event for $10 and only made it to four tables. I came back the next day for the seven-card stud event, made it to the final two tables and was eliminated in 10th place. The antes were $200, the bring-in was $500 and the betting was $1,000-$2,000. A player brought it in for $500, another player completed the bet to $1,000 with a 10 showing and I raised it to $2,000 with pocket queens. On the turn she checked, I bet and she called. She hit an ace on fifth street and bet into me, I hit a blank and called all-in, knowing I was beat when she hit the ace. When the cards were turned up, I was right, she started with A-J-10 and when she hit the ace I was beat. Sixth street brought me no help and she caught a jack on the river for aces-up. I needed a queen to win but no such luck, I hit a five of clubs. I received $105 for my 10th place finish and had one more day to compete, and if I got lucky, I could still win best-all-around.

Day three was limit hold'em. We were playing $15-$30 and half way through the first level I called a raise with pocket nines. The flop came A-J-J, my opponent checked, I bet to see where she was and she just called. The turn card was a nine and low and behold I was full. She bet, I raised and she called. I knew what I needed to know, she didn't have me beat. The river came a king, she bet, I raised and she called. She showed me pocket kings for kings-full and took the wind right out of my sail. To make a long story short, I never won a hand and was eliminated shortly before the first break. So much for best-all-around.

Win or lose, I always enjoy myself and I recommend any lady interested in tournament poker to try one of these weekend adventures. These are not pressure tournaments and most everyone is there for the good time. Don't misunderstand, we ladies want to win but win or lose we still have a good time.