On Friday, March 27th, 42 players stepped up to the plate for our MLB Opening Day Poker Tournament, also marking the WGA Poker Group’s official two-year anniversary! ⚾🎂🍻

The smell of hot dogs filled the air as everyone came out swinging for the fences. But as anyone who’s ever watched a nine-inning poker tournament knows, it’s not about who hits the hardest. It’s about who’s still standing when the final out is recorded.

After several grueling innings, our starting lineup of 42 was whittled down to a final table of ten. Let’s go to the tape. 📼

Watch the full recap video below or continue reading for the detailed play-by-play! 

Aaron Ho vs. Adam Saunders – Play Ball!
With blinds at 8k-16k, Adam “KGB” Saunders called with 8♠️️9♠️️. Aaron “Triple A” Ho, short-stacked, sitting with 4♥️️4♦️️, and absolutely not in the mood for limpers, shoved all-in for 39k. Adam called, and it was off to the races. Or as the real Teddy KGB would say, “Mr. Son of a bitch, let’s play some cards!” 🍪

The fix was in like the 1919 World Series as the board ran out 6♠️️8♥️️A♥️️3♠️️J♦️️, giving Adam a superior pair of eights. And thus, Aaron was sent to the rail in 10th place to sulk in sorrow like Mike McD at the beginning of Rounders. So much for that alligator blood. 🐊 WATCH 🎦

Lisa Dickey vs Jamie Rhonheimer – Seven From Heaven
At blinds of 10k-20k, Lisa “Tricky!” Dickey came out of the bullpen with K♠️️9♠️️, shoving all-in for 22k from under the gun. Jamie “Cashew Lover” Rhonheimer brought the heat right back, moving all-in over the top for 37k with 7♠️️8♠️️. The rest of the table cleared out faster than a team’s dugout after a walk-off homer. We have ourselves a genuine pitcher’s duel on our hands.

The flop: 8♦️️A♦️️Q♠️️. Jamie paired his eight and stepped into the lead. The 9♣️️ turn gave Lisa a pair of nines to keep herself in the ballgame. The river… 7♦️️!

Jamie miraculously scooped with two pair, forcing Lisa to retire from the mound in 9th place. WATCH 🎦

Adam Saunders vs Vince Pavia vs Grant Taylor – Can Adam Turn Two?
🚨🚨🚨 WILD PITCH ALERT! 🚨🚨🚨

At 15k-30k, Grant “Gugliacci” Taylor was down to his last 8k and called all-in with K♦️️4♦️️. Brewers fanatic, Vince “VP” Pavia, completed from the small blind with 8♦️️7♠️️ and Adam checked his big blind option with 8♥️️6♠️️. Adam had them all covered. Could he make the double play?

Flop: 9♥️️4♠️️7♦️️. Vince flopped middle pair. Grant flopped bottom pair. Adam flopped an open-ended straight draw. Vince shoved his remaining 50k into the side pot, but Adam was undeterred. He called, knowing the dealer had some curveballs waiting. The turn: A♦️️. A flush draw now for Grant. Could he find the diamond? The river… T♦️️!

Grant collected the main pot with a flush, tripling his stack. The river also made Adam a straight — good enough for the side pot and sending Vince home in 8th place. That’s going to be a long bus ride back to Milwaukee… 🚌🍻 WATCH 🎦

Joyce Lee vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – “There’s No Crying in Baseball!”
With blinds still at 15k-30k, Jamie hurled a blistering fastball with A♣️️K♣️️, shoving all-in from the small blind. Joyce “JoJo” Lee, pot-committed in the big blind and staring at 3♣️️2♦️️, had no choice but to call, close her eyes, and hope for a free base. 🤞

Flop: 4♦️️9♠️️5♥️️. Joyce found a sliver of hope with an open-ended straight draw. The crowd leaned forward. The 8♣️️ on the turn helped no one. The stadium held its breath as the river card landed. The 7♦️️. As the umpire called “strike three,” Joyce was left staring at home plate in 7th place. Another great finish for this all-star player, proving once again, she’s in a league of their own. WATCH 🎦

Grant Taylor vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – Hey Batter, Batter, Swing!
On the very next hand, Jamie returned to the mound, firing all his chips from the button with A♥️️J♣️️. Grant dug in from the big blind with K♦️️3♥️️, calling off his 70k stack. A solid swing. But is it on target?

The board ran 2♠️️Q♥️️2♥️️4♦️️7♦️️, a complete whiff for everyone, leaving Jamie’s ace-high intact. Grant, a 2x WGA Poker Group champion, gave everything he had to this game. Double-up after double-up, he had been our feel-good story of the night, surviving on fumes and sheer stubbornness. But all winning streaks must come to an end. And thus, he walked off the field in 6^th place, tipping his cap to thunderous applause. WATCH 🎦

Jeff Meyers vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – Race Around the Bases
Blinds at 20k-40k, Jeff sent his pocket tens T♣️️T♦️️ to pitch one final inning — just 4k on top to make it official. The night’s MVP, Jamie, stepped up to the plate in the big blind with K♣️️Q♣️️ and called his shot like Babe Ruth about to blast one over the fences.

The flop: 8♥️️9♥️️A♥️️. Jeff remained in the lead, keeping his playoff hopes alive. Now for the turn… the Q♠️️! Oh no, turns out Jamie is the Shohei Ohtani of poker, able to dominate from the mound and the batter’s box!  The K♦️️ on the river was just overkill, giving Jamie two pair to cement the win. Where’s a mercy rule when you need one?! And thus, Jeff Meyers finished in 5th place. Next time, try wearing a rally cap. 🧢 WATCH 🎦

Andrew Hill Newman vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – Eight Nothing To It, Baby!
Andrew “Fell Off The” Hill Newman was running on empty, just 5k behind him and the outfield wall directly ahead of him, when Jamie raised to 90k on the button with A♣️️8♥️️. From the small blind, Andrew called off his remaining chips with 8♣️️2♣️️. It was suited, which is the poker equivalent of showing up to tryouts in nice cleats. Appreciated, but means little.

The board ran 6♣️️5♦️️6♦️️5♥️️T,♦️️sending Andrew back to the minor leagues in 4th place. Don’t worry, I get a feeling he’ll be called up again soon. WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs. Adam Saunders – No Repeat for the Champ
Three-handed at blinds 30k-60k, Adam raised the button to 120k, Jamie got out of the way, and Cheryl “Uncle Cher” Guerriero called from the big blind. The flop: 6♠️️J♥️️J♠️️. Cheryl had missed completely, holding Q♥️️9♥️️ for nothing but queen-high. However, the reigning WGA Poker Group champion doesn’t know the meaning of surrender, pushing all-in for 142k.

But before she could even stare down her opponent, Adam snap-called, tabling Q♣️️J♦️️ for trip jacks! Cheryl would need a miracle to keep her title defense alive. The 4♣️️ and K♣️️ fell on the turn and river, changing nothing. And just like that, our defending champion was eliminated in 3rd place. Her second title will have to wait. 🤷 WATCH 🎦

Jamie Rhonheimer vs. Adam Saunders – Game Seven, Bottom of the Ninth, Two Outs…
The stadium lights were humming. Two players. One mug. Every chip on the table.

Jamie had been the star of this lineup all night — pitching, hitting, fielding, what can’t he do?! Adam, meanwhile, had been doing that infuriating thing great closers do where they make it look effortless while everyone around them quietly unravels.

At blinds of 30k-60k, Adam just limped from the small blind. What could it mean? You’d think the scouting report would have circulated by now.

In the big blind, Jamie looked down at 2♥️️2♦️️ and threw his best slider by shoving his entire 300k stack. Unfortunately, this breaking ball didn’t want to break. As it slowly hovered over the plate, Adam snap-called, flipping over K♥️️K♦️️. CRACK! The ball rockets deep into left field. But who knows, if the dealer drops a deuce (tehehe), maybe the ball will go foul and Jamie can continue. 💩

The flop: A♥️️4♠️️8♠️️. Sensing the end, the fans pound the last of their beers. The turn: 8♣️️. The fans start exiting the stadium. That parking lot can be a bitch. The river… 4♣️️. Adam’s pocket kings stood untouched as the ball sailed over the outfield wall, closing out an epic game. Jamie, who had fought relentlessly all night long was retired in 2nd place while Adam rounded the bases as our newest WGA Poker Group Champion! 🏆⭐⚾ WATCH 🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists!

1st – Adam “KGB” Saunders
2nd – Jamie “Cashew Lover” Rhonheimer
3rd – Cheryl “Uncle Cher” Guerriero
4th – Andrew “Fell Off The” Hill Newman
5th – Jeff Meyers
6th – Grant “Gugliacci” Taylor
7th – Joyce “JoJo” Lee
8th – Vince “VP” Pavia
9th – Lisa “Tricky!” Dickey
10th – Aaron “Triple A” Ho
11th – Mike “Nacho Plissken” Carreon

Special thanks to my wife, Nichole, and our dear friend and fellow scribe, Alasdair Thornton, for helping run the tournament. I’d also like to thank Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge for their support and hospitality. Finally, I’d like to thank our amazing dedicated dealers — Jeff Meyers, Matty Tauber, Ross Lazar, Adam Cole, and Cat Galutera. 

From the first pitch to the final out, this Opening Day tournament delivered everything a baseball fan could want: grand slams, improbable comebacks, and enough hot dogs to last a lifetime. Thank you to every player who showed up, suited up, and brought their W-G-A-game to the field. ⚾🌭

Stay tuned for updates via facebook or the e-newsletter. Also, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The next game is on deck for Friday, May 29th. Official invite coming soon. Until then, enjoy these photos from the tournament and GO DODGERS!!! 💙🤍💙🤍

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On Friday, January 23^rd, 2026, the WGA Poker Group held a feast for both the eyes and stomach as 40 players gathered for our National Pie Day Poker Tournament where the cards were hot, the bluffs were flaky, and the pies were plentiful. From apple to cherry to banana cream, we all enjoyed a spread of delicious desserts to fuel our hunger for poker victory. 🍎🍒 🍌🥧

Watch the full recap video below or continue reading for the detailed play-by-play! 

Waco O’Guin vs. Cheryl “Cher” Guerriero
As the final table of eight got underway, Waco moved all-in on a flop of A♣️️K♥️️5♦️️ holding the Q♠️️6♠️️, only to receive a call by Cheryl’s A♠️️J♦️️ for top pair.  Waco would need some backdoor draws to materialize quickly if he wanted to stick around. Unfortunately, the 8♥️️ turn left him drawing dead, making the 6♣️️ river irrelevant. Enough for crumbs, but not a slice of glory — Waco was sent off in 8th place with an empty stomach. WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs. Dave Malkoff
A short time later, Cheryl limped, Dave shoved, and she called holding A♠️️9♣️️, dominating Dave’s K♣️️9♦️️. The board ran J♠️️2♠️️7♥️️T♦️️A♦️️, giving Cheryl top pair and the victory. Sorry, Dave. It’s “Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie” for you in 7th place. WATCH 🎦

Nadia Madden vs Nick Stanton – Ace high good?!
At blinds 15k-30, Nick limped from under the gun, Nadia raised to 60k from the small blind, Cheryl called from the big blind, as did Nick. The flop came down K♥️️3♣️️9♥️️. Nadia led out 60k. Cheryl got out of the way, and after some contemplation, Nick declared “all-in!” for his remaining chips. Nick tabled A♥️️5♥️️ for the nut flush draw. Nadia tabled A♦️️8♦️️ for just ace-high, but as it happens, her eight kicker might just actually play depending on the runout! Nick had a slight equity advantage, but that would change when he bricked the turn on a 4♠️️, completely turning the tables. Nick could now win with any heart, a deuce for a straight, or a five. He could chop with a 3 or 4. Nadia showed a lot of heart and bravery in this hand, but unfortunately for her, it was a heart on the river (Q♥️️) that would give Nick a winning flush and a much needed double-up. WATCH 🎦

Aaron “Triple A” Ho vs. Randi Barnes
On the short stack, Aaron went all-in from early position with K♠️️6♣️️, hoping for a double scoop of poker chips. But Randi’s J♣️️J♠️️ was a powerful pastry of a poker hand, packed with flavor and the 3-to-1 advantage. The flop of 5♦️️4♦️️A♣️️ followed by the turn of 2♥️️ gave Aaron hope with a gutshot straight draw. With 7 outs to improve, he prayed to the poker gods. Unfortunately, his call for help went straight to voicemail when the 2♦️️ fell on the river, leaving Aaron to melt away in 6th place. WATCH 🎦

Nadia Madden vs Cheryl Guerriero vs Mike “Boston Mike” Schaub
In this three-way pot, Cheryl limped, Mike completed from the small blind, and Nadia raised all-in from the big blind for her last remaining 1k. The others called and we saw a flop of K♠️️8♦️️6♠️️. Mike and Cheryl checked, leading us to the 3♦️️ turn. They checked again. The A♦️️ river baked up a little drama when Mike led out for 40k, receiving a snap call from Cheryl. Mike tabled T♦️️5♦️️ for a flush, enough to best Cheryl’s top pair with A♣️️T♣️️ and Nadia’s 3♥️️5♣️️. Mike scooped both the main and side pot, leaving Nadia a bitter slice to swallow in 5^th place. WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs Mike Schaub – CRAZY HAND ALERT!
At blinds 20k-40k and four players remaining, Cheryl limped under-the-gun, Nick folded on the button, and Randi completed from the small blind. In the big blind, our chip leader, Mike, turned up the heat by raising to 240k, committing everyone else all-in if they were to call. To his surprise, Cheryl called the raise (leaving herself just 20k behind), while Randi folded. The flop came 6♠️️7♠️️Q♥️️. Mike instantly shoved all-in, receiving a call from Cheryl, who would be at risk of busting. Mike tabled the almighty A♦️️Q♠️️ for top pair-top kicker. Cheryl tabled 9♣️️7♣️️ for middle pair. The turn brought the 8♥️️, giving Cheryl an open-ended straight draw. If she could find a 5, 7, 9, or 10 – she’d survive and become our new chip leader. If not, it’d be closing time. But not today! The dealer unveiled the T♥️️ on the river, causing Cheryl to burst with excitement while Mike stared on in disbelief. As it happens, Randi folded the 7♥️️2♥️️ preflop and would have made the winning flush. Wow – what a hand! WATCH 🎦

Nick Stanton vs. Randi Barnes
From the button, Nick shoved A♥️️8♣️️. Randi wasted little time calling all-in from the small blind with K♦️️T♦️️, putting herself at risk. Mike folded the big blind. It was a sweat for both players as the 9♣️️Q♣️️6♠️️ rolled out on the flop, giving Randi additional outs to a gutshot straight. Unfortunately for her, the A♣️️ on the turn would pair Nick, meaning only a non-club Jack on the river could save her. With 3 outs total, could she survive? The 3♥️️ appeared on the river, securing Nick the win and eliminating Randi in 4th place with nothing but half-baked dreams of another championship. Better luck next time! WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs. Nick Stanton
With blinds at a whopping 50k-100k, Cheryl limped A♥️️K♦️️, only to have Nick shove with 5♥️️5♦️️. Cheryl made the easy call and off to the races we went! 🏇 The flop: 7♦️️7♠️️T♦️️. Nick remained in the lead, but his pair of fives could now be counterfeited if a ten rolled off.  The turn: Q♦️️. Ooh, interesting! Now Nick had to dodge any diamond for a flush, jack for a straight, or a ten, queen, king, or ace for a higher two pair. Cheryl suddenly had a whopping 22 outs to improve, turning the hand into a virtual 50/50 coin flip. But was luck on her side? 🍀 It was! The 2♦️️ on the river completed Cheryl’s diamond flush, sending Nick home in 3rd place with nothing but a large slice of humble pie with a side of bad beats. Oof! WATCH 🎦

Mike Schaub vs. Cheryl Guerriero
In the final showdown, Cheryl limped with 9♠️️9♦️️, followed by Mike shoving all-in with  A♠️️7♣️️ from the big blind. Cheryl made the call and we all held our breath (and our appetites) as the board came rolling out. The flop of 4♣️️Q♣️️8♠️️ helped no one, inching Cheryl closer to victory. The turn of 5♣️️ brought a world of possibilities for Mike, as he now increased to 15 total outs with a flush draw and gutshot straight draw, in addition to the three remaining aces. Tension mounted as the river slid off the deck…

The 4♥️️! And just like that, Cheryl’s pocket nines held up to bust Mike in 2nd place and become our newest WGA Poker Group champion! As a cherry on top, Cheryl would also receive the coveted championship mug 🍒🏆. Congratulations Cheryl, way to go! WATCH 🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists! 

1^st – Cheryl “Cher” Guerriero
2^nd – Mike “Boston Mike” Schaub
3^rd – Nick Stanton
4^th – Randi Barnes
5^th – Nadia Madden
6^th – Aaron “Triple A” Ho
7^th – Dave Malkoff
8^th – Waco O’Guin

Special thanks to my wife, Nichole, and our dear friend and fellow scribe, Alasdair Thornton, for helping run the tournament. I’d also like to thank Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge for their support and hospitality. Finally, I’d like to thank our amazing dedicated dealers — Tyler Wong, Jeff Meyers, Adam Cole, and Matty Tauber. 

From the very first bite, this tournament was a recipe for suspense, skill, and sweet victories. Thanks to everyone who played, chewed, and bluffed their way through our National Pie Day Poker Tournament! See you at the felt for the next slice of action in March! Please stay tuned for updates via facebook or the e-newsletter. Also, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Until then, please enjoy these photos from the tournament while your blood sugar goes back to normal. 🍰📉

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On Friday, November 14th, 2025, 40 players declared “I’ll be there for you” during our November Friendsgiving tournament!  🛋️☂️⛲

Just like a classic “Friends” Thanksgiving episode, the night had everything: dramatic twists, hilarious punchlines, and enough tension to make us all shout “Oh… my… God!” 😱 After several hours of play, we arrived at our final table of ten. Now let’s see who carved up the competition and who ended up looking like a fool with Monica’s turkey stuck on his head. 🦃😵‍💫

For our YouTube channel, we’re going to try something new. Instead of individual clips of key poker hands, they will all be edited into one compilation with chapters and timestamps for easy viewing. Watch the entire recap below (complete with “Friends”-style opening credits and transitions!) and/or read on for more details.

The first knockout came when reigning champion, Dylan “Tweed” Brody, opened with K♥️️Q♠️️. On the short stack, Elias Madias went all-in with K♠️️J♠️️. Dylan wasted no time in calling, and off we went!  With his hand dominated, Elias would need a lot of help to stay alive. Unfortunately, the board ran out 2♠️️2♣️️7♣️️9♥️️Q♦️️, putting a metaphorical beef in his poker trifle and sending Elias home in 10^th place. WATCH 🎦

Hungry for more, Dylan opened from under the gun, only to have Ross Lazar shove all-in from the big blind. Dylan snap-called, tabling K♦️️K♠️️.  A tough hand to beat, but fortunately, Ross had the perfect moist-maker against this type of hand as he revealed the 6♥️️7♥️️. However, his excitement dwindled as the flop came Q♠️️9♦️️3♠️️, leaving little for Ross to work with. But hope came in the form of the 5♠️️ on the turn, bringing a double-gutter straight draw. Now with six outs, Ross needed a non-spade four or eight on the river to survive. Alas, the 2♣️️ fell, securing the pot for Dylan once again and leaving this Ross to curse “My sandwich!” to the heavens in 9^th place. 😤🥪 WATCH 🎦

Next, Nick Stanton raised all-in with A♥️️Q♦️️, only to have Aaron “Triple A” Ho re-raise with A♠️️K♣️️ from mid-position. To everyone’s surprise, Jonathan “Jojo” King would overcall the three-bet from late position, also holding A♦️️Q♣️️. With Nick at risk and the main and side pot gathered, a flop of K♠️️6♣️️7♠️️ hit the felt. First to act, Aaron shoved his remaining chips into the side pot. Despite the mountain of moolah in play, Jonathan had no choice but to fold. At that point, Aaron and Nick tabled their hands to determine the main pot. The nail in the coffin came on the turn of K♥️️, followed by the 3♣️️ on the river, cementing Aaron’s victory and packing Nick with the rest of the Thanksgiving leftovers in 8^th place. WATCH 🎦

Down to table scraps, Gautham Nagesh shoved all-in with K♥️️9♠️️ from the small blind, receiving an auto-call from Vince “Birthday Boy” Pavia in the big blind holding 7♥️️8♠️️. Unfortunately, Gautham would get bamboozled when the wicked wango card fell on a flop of 8♥️️5♣️️Q♠️️, giving Vince the lead. The 2♦️️ and 6♥️️ on the turn and river changed nothing, ending Gautham’s run in 7^th place — just like Joey Tribbiani’s career as a game show host. WATCH 🎦

With blinds at 15k-30k, Mike Spangler moved all-in from under the gun with 6♣️️7♠️️ for his remaining 30k, receiving a call from Stephen “Stevie” Belden in the small blind and an auto-call from Aaron in the big blind. Aaron checked his option, leading to a flop of 9♣️️J♦️️6♦️️, giving Mike a pair of sixes. After the flop checked through, a 3♣️️ hit the turn. Stephen bet 60k, leading to Aaron quickly folding his “smelly cat” of a hand. Stephen revealed 8♠️️8♦️️ for a higher pair, leaving Mike just five outs to improve. Could he do it?! As it turns out, “six-seven” may be the hottest meme of the year, but it’s as useless as an airplane’s left phalange. With the 10♦️️ on the river, Mike would have to settle for 6^th place… and officially change his name to “Mike Crapbag.” WATCH 🎦   

Next at risk was our final bounty player, Jonathan, using the seductress powers of “Chloe the Copy Girl” to summon K♣️️Q♠️️ in an effort to separate Ross and Rachel during their infamous “break.”  After raising 2x from the small blind, Dylan defended from the big blind with A♥️️7♦️️. The flop came 9♠️️7♥️️6♥️️. With just King high, Jonathan moved all-in, receiving a call from Dylan with his flopped middle pair.  The turn – 7♠️️! With three-of-a-kind, Dylan had Jonathan drawing dead, forcing him out of the tournament in 5^th place. And thus, all of Ross and Rachel’s exes were finally eliminated, ensuring our two love-seeking lobsters could stay together forever. 🦞💘🦞 WATCH 🎦

As the clock turned to midnight, could Vince make his birthday wish of doubling-up come true?  After Aaron opened from the cutoff, Vince called all-in from the big blind. Unfortunately, Vince’s 7♥️️5♥️️ was dominated by Aaron’s K♥️️5♠️️. As the dealer slowly dealt the flop, the window card revealed a “seven… seven… SEVEN!!!” It looked like Vince might actually get his wish… until the 7♠️️ slid over to unveil a K♦️️ and 2♠️️ hiding underneath, giving Aaron top pair and the lead. The 6♠️️ and 8♦️️ on the turn and river were no help, eliminating Vince in 4^th place as he screamed, “Why, God, why? We had a deal. Let the others grow old, not me!” 😩🎂 WATCH 🎦

Down to just Dylan, Aaron, and Stephen, we saw several shoves and brave (some might say foolish) calls, leading to multiple lead changes. Starting it off, Steven shoved from the big blind with A♠️️J♠️️, receiving a call from Aaron with just 2♥️️4♥️️ due to the overwhelming pot odds. The flop came 5♠️️K♣️️6♦️️, adding a gutshot draw for Aaron. The turn came 8♣️️, upgrading his draw to a double gutter. With 14 outs, could Aaron hit? Like Joey after eating an entire turkey, the meat sweats began to pour down Stephen’s face. Alas, the 6♠️️ fell on the river, guaranteeing his survival. WATCH 🎦

Next, Aaron open-shoved from the small blind with K♣️️K♥️️. Dylan wasted no time calling with A♠️️3♣️️. Aaron was at risk, but quickly breathed a sigh of relief when he hit a set on a flop of J♥️️K♠️️4♦️️. The 7♣️️ and 9♦️️ on the turn changed nothing, giving Aaron a vital double-up. WATCH 🎦 

Moments later, the monster stacks clashed as Dylan decided to gamboooooool by calling all-in with 9♥️️T♥️️ from the big blind after the current chip-leader, Aaron, open-shoved from the small blind holding A♦️️K♥️️. With his shorter stack, Stephen prayed for a knockout so he could ladder up without a fight.  Little did they know, Dylan had the poker gods on speed dial as a T♦️️ appeared in the flop’s window, followed by a Q♥️️ and 4♣️️. Now with a gutshot draw along with his overcards, Aaron had ten outs to improve. The turn – 3♦️️. The river – 3♣️️. And just like that, Dylan doubled-up and regained the chip lead. Incredible! WATCH 🎦

Now on the respirator, Aaron moved all-in from the button, receiving a call from Stephen in the big blind. Stephen tabled A♠️️7♠️️ while Aaron revealed Bill and Ted’s favorite hand: “6♣️️9♥️️, dudes!” The flop of 8♦️️9♦️️T♣️️ was an excellent adventure, giving Aaron the lead with a pair of nines. However, Stephen now had an open-ended straight draw, giving him 10 outs and 36% chance to improve. We all held our breath as the 5♥️️ and 5♣️️ landed on the turn and river, allowing Aaron to double-up and party on another day. WATCH 🎦

Stephen was forced to make his last stand with 9♥️️5♥️️, shoving from the small blind followed by a call from Aaron in the big blind with A♣️️5♠️️. Now it was Stephen’s turn to hope for a miracle nine on the board. Unfortunately, it ran out Q♣️️A♥️️7♦️️8♠️️4♣️️, floating Stephen away in 3^rd place like the Underdog balloon during the Macy’s parade. 🎈🗽 WATCH 🎦

At last, it was time to PIVOT to the heads-up match! In this battle of titans, 2x WGA Poker Group champion, Dylan Brody, faced off against WGA Poker Group founder, Aaron Ho. Who would win our version of the Geller Cup while the other becomes just another “moo point?” 🐮 

With a nearly 2:1 chip advantage, Dylan slowly chipped away at Aaron’s stack until there was hardly anything left. At blinds 50k-100k, Dylan raised to 200k from the small blind, followed by Aaron shoving for his last 285k. Dylan called and tabled K♥️️7♥️️.  Aaron was behind, holding J♦️️9♠️️. It looked like a Friendsgiving miracle when the J♠️️ flashed in the window as the flop was turned over. However, it was just a tease as the K♦️️ and 3♣️️ followed, landing Dylan firmly in the lead with top pair. The Q♠️️ on the turn gave Aaron a gutshot straight draw and a total of nine outs as we headed into the river. Could he do it?! The answer… no! The 6♣️️ on the river meant Aaron would have to settle for 2^nd place while Dylan claimed the championship mug once again, setting a new WGA Poker Group record as a 3x champion! Congratulations Dylan! 🎉👑🔥 WATCH 🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists! 

1^st – Dylan “Tweed” Brody
2^nd – Aaron “Triple A” Ho
3^rd – Stephen “Stevie” Belden
4^th – Vince “Birthday Boy” Pavia
5^th – Jonathan “Jojo” King
6^th – Mike Spangler
7^th – Gautham Nagesh
8^th – Nick Stanton
9^th – Ross Lazar
10^th – Elias Madias

Special thanks to my wife, Nichole, for helping run the tournament as well as to Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge. I’d also like to thank our amazing dedicated dealers — Adam Cole, Jeff Meyers, Grant Taylor, and Henry Harper. 

From the appetizer to the final dessert, this Phoebe buffet of a poker tournament had it all. I’d like to give thanks this Friendsgiving to all of you for making this WGA Poker Group so special. Let’s do it again soon… or more specifically, in January. Please stay tuned for updates via facebook or the e-newsletter. Also, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Until then, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, and please enjoy these photos from the tournament! Gobble gobble!  🦃🍽️

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On Friday, September 12th, we rolled out the red carpet for our Emmy Edition Tournament where 48 hopefuls dressed in their finest show swag took their seats and dreamed of walking away with poker’s equivalent of a golden statue: the WGA Poker Group Championship mug! 🏆

Like any awards ceremony, the night had its share of dramatic speeches, surprise twists, and performances worthy of primetime. So let’s cue the orchestra and see who took home the hardware from this star-studded final table. ✨

Short-stacked in the big blind, Robert “Arjay The Writer” Webb made his all-in entrance with J♣️️4♣️️. Three co-stars joined the scene, leading to a flop of 8♠️️5♠️️K♣️️. Dylan “The Druid” Brody bet, Mike “Nacho Plissken” Carreon called, and Waco O’Guin folded. The turn: T♣️️. Check-check. On the river: 2♥️️. Dylan fired again and Mike stepped aside. Robert’s Jack-high was no match for Dylan’s 9♣️️8♦️️ for a pair of eights. And with that brief but memorable performance, Robert was out in 8^th place.

On a flop of A♠️️A♣️️8♦️️, Waco shoved with 8♥️️5♠️️, only to be snap-called by Dylan’s A♦️️3♠️️. Despite what the graphic says, Waco had a 0.1% chance to win by going runner-runner for quads. Unfortunately, the turn and river of 3♣️️ and 7♠️️ were no help, leaving Waco to be written out of the script in 7^th  place. A crowd favorite gone too soon.

Vince shoved with K♦️️J♦️️, flopping top pair on J♣️️3♠️️Q♠️️ and looked destined for a comeback story. But when the turn of 4♥️️ and river of A♥️️ hit the board, Andrew “Stephanie” Hill Newman revealed A♠️️9♠️️ for top pair, stealing the scene and sending Vince home in 6th. The Academy can be so cruel.

Guy “River Rat” Yosub went all-in with J♦️️2♥️️ on a flop of T♠️️8♣️️K♣️️, hoping to win the award for “Best Bluff.” After Dylan exited stage left, Mike swooped in like Kanye at the VMAs to call with 8♠️️8♦️️ for a set and hogged all the glory. The 7♣️️ and Q♠️️ on the turn and river would officially roll credits on Guy, drowning the River Rat in 5th place.

With K♦️️6♦️️, Trevor “Larry David” Kess shoved all-in against Mike’s Q♥️️5♠️️ on a flop of 2♣️️8♣️️5♦️️. The turn 4♠️️ gave him a gutshot straight draw, but the river 10♠️️ would mark a series wrap on Trevor, bowing out in 4^th place.

In a limped family pot, the flop came T♦️️2♥️️5♦️️. Dylan bet, Mike shoved all-in, Andrew folded, and Dylan called. Mike revealed 2♣️️2♠️️ for a flopped set, but Dylan showed 3♦️️4♦️️ for an open-ended straight and flush draw. Despite his powerful made hand, Mike only had a 60% chance to win. Dylan’s sun run would continue as the turn of A♠️️ completed Dylan’s straight. Devastation!  But Mike wasn’t out yet… With 23% equity, he could still make a full house or quads on the river. Everyone held their breath as the 8♣️️ hit the river, sealing Mike’s exit in 3^rd place. A brilliant run by the first-time final table finalist and I have no doubt we’ll see Mike as a nominee again soon.

Alas, time to hand out the big award!  During heads-up play, Andrew shoved with J♥️️6♣️️ against Dylan’s J♦️️4♦️️. Andrew would start with a slight advantage, though it’s important to note that their kicker will often not play, causing a split pot one-third of the time. The flop of 7♦️️J♣️️3♦️️ gave both top pair but Dylan an almighty flush draw. But how lucky can one man be? Apparently, very lucky! Like Seth Rogen at the Emmys, it was a clean sweep when the turn of 2♦️️ hit the felt, completing Dylan’s flush! Drawing dead, the J♠️️ on the river only added insult to injury as Andrew was forced off the air in 2^nd place. Sorry bud, blame the FCC…

It’s official, the award for “Outstanding Poker Performance” goes to…

Dylan “The Druid” Brody!

With fearless bets, a red-carpet-worthy poker face, and a knack for stealing the show, Dylan claimed his second career WGA Poker Group title. A true star, proving once again that, sometimes, sequels can be better than the original. 📺

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists! 

1^st – Dylan “The Druid” Brody
2^nd – Andrew “Stephanie” Hill Newman
3^rd – Nacho “Plissken” Carreon
4^th – Trevor “Larry David” Kress
5^th – Guy “River Rat” Yosub
6^th – Vince Pavia
7^th – Waco O’Guin
8^th – Robert “Arjay The Writer” Webb
9^th – Jojo “Jojocoin” King
10^th – Mike “Boston Mike” Schaub
11^th – Aaron “Triple A” Ho

Special thanks to my wife, Nichole, for helping run the tournament as well as to Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge. I’d also like to thank our amazing dedicated dealers — Tyler Wong, Randi Barnes, Joe Boothe, Henry Harper, Vince Pavia, Christian Bersani, and Lisa Dickey. 

From bold bluffs to shocking rivers, this tournament delivered all the beats of a prestige drama and the laughs of a late-night talk show (the ones left anyway).  I can’t wait to see who gets nominated next time.

Our next tournament is planned for November. Please stay tuned for updates via facebook or the e-newsletter. Also, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Until then, please enjoy these photos from the tournament and remember to thank Sal Saperstein on the way out. 🎭

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