Tao of Poker

WSOP Fashionistas

Tuesdays at the 2006 WSOP will be dedicated to Liz Lieu the Poker Diva. When I was a kid growing up in my neighborhood in the Bronx, Wednesdays were known "Prince spaghetti day." Here at the Tao of Poker, Tuesdays will be Liz Lieu Day. It just so happens that poker's elite fashionista shares today's special pimpage with America's birthday.

I got a record seven straight hours of sleep thanks to the Xanax I popped around 1am. I woke up refreshed after a long weekend in Hollyweird. I picked up my brother at the airport with Grubby and we headed to Green Valley Ranch in Henderson. Grubby had free coupons for Fatburger and we pigged out as we showed Derek around GVR. We watched the end of the Italy-Germany semi-final World Cup match. I had money on the Italians. Afterwards we headed to the Rio. As soon as we entered the convention center, we saw Liz Lieu sauntering by.

Liz busted out of the Event #9 $5,000 NL. She had K-K on the button and reraised. The small blind moved all in for a few thousand more. She figured it was a coinflip. She put the small blind on A-A or Q-Q. She called, praying to see her opponent flip over Queens but he had A-A. Her stack got crippled and was out soon after.

Liz has had a rough 2006 WSOP and she's had her aces cracked twice by K-K in two WPT events (Mandalay Bay and the WPT Championships at the Bellagio). She's ready to bounce back. I expect her to make at least one final table this year and go deep in the main event.

Liz was thrilled that I mentioned her in my Fox Sports article and even dropped my name in her blog. She also blogged that she's giving away a few free tickets to her VIP party at Tryst in a couple of weeks. You have to be a WSOP blogger and write some quality stuff about her to be eligible to attend that special party. That sounds like something right up my alley.

She said she didn't want me to say something nicey nice just to say it. I don't have to because Liz is one of the brightest souls on the tournament circuit. A lot of poker fans idolize other players in iconic rockstar fashion. Most of those "stars" are assholes and scumbags that would slit their mother's throats and drown a sack filled with puppies for a buy-in to the main event.

Liz is sincere and honest. When friends ask me who's the nicest player or who is my favorite pro... Liz Lieu is always at the top of my list.

All my female friends who know nothing about poker but have seen pictures of Liz on my blogs and think that she's got amazing taste in clothing. When I mentioned the Roberto Cavalli dress which Liz had talked about buying on her blog, my friends' jaws dropped. Mine did too when I heard how much a Cavalli cost.

If you are a straight guy or know zip about fashion, Roberto Cavalli is like the Phil Ivey or Tiger Woods of designers. Change100 gave me a crash course in fashion designers and that's why I know about Cavalli. He's most know for creating the infamous J. Lo Oscars' dress a few years back.

Just looking around the tournament area at the Rio, you can see hundreds and thousands of fashion faux pas. I have a ton of respect for Greg Raymer, but I have to question his choice to wear socks with tevas. Most guys are wearing jeans, sweatpants, t-shirts, and hats from online poker rooms that haven't been washed since Moneymaker won the WSOP main event. It's a pleasure to see someone wear something classy and different. This is another reason why Liz Lieu the beauty stands out from the rest of the pack of beasts.

As we said good-bye I asked her where she was headed, "I'm going to play cash games. Probably 3-6."

Of course she means 300-600 Limit at the Bellagio. When I say I'm playing 3-6, I mean the 3-6 donkfest on Party Poker.

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Norm MacDonald posed for pictures and signed autographs in the swanky PokerStars suite. They have free booze, but no Red Stripe. That did not deter me from knocking back a few cold ones. If you don't know PokerStars is buying Norm into several events at this year's WSOP.

Plus Barry Greenstien inked an endorsement deal as he became a new member of Team PokerStars. In the last week, Stars signed up Victor Ramdin and Greenstein. In the first two weeks of the WSOP, PokerStars has aggressively picked up one of the greatest players around in Greenstein and signed one of the best up and coming NL tournament players in Victor Ramdin.

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Derek said he caught a funny situation involving Doyle Brunson and a gaggle of fans. Doyle wheeled out of the Doyle's Room hospitality suite in his pimped-up scooter with a big ass goomba bodyguard at his side. Three autograph vultures swooped in and surrounded the poker legend. Alas, one of them had pens. Doyle looked frustrated with their lack of preparation. But in true fashion, he flashed his epic smile and dug into his pants. He pulled out a sharpie and took the time to sign everyone an autograph. Texas Dolly is always a class act even when autograph whores don't have their shit together.

Derek wandered off while I bullshitted with Dan from Pokerati and Nolan Dalla in the media room. Derek bumped into Friedman in the hallway. Friedman took him over to the Full Tilt Maxim party over in their hospitality suite. Derek described the event as "Almost like a real party with music. I drank two beers. They had all these hot chicks dancing around."

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The next three WSOP events are:

7.5.06 #10 Seven Card Stud $1,500 (3 day event)
7.6.06 #11 Limit Hold'em $1,500 (3 day event)
7.6.06 #12 Omaha Hi-low Split $5,000 (2 day event)

Check out Nolan Dalla's recap of Event #5, the one where Dutch Boyd won his bracelet.