Late last summer (2023), I joined the Cleveland Poker League after seeing my friend and league organizer, Dax Mellon, post about it on social media during the 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event. The CPL awards 2 WSOP Main Event seats each season - one to their Regular Season points champion and a 2nd seat to their Championship Game winner.
Dax's post piqued my interest, so I reached out to him for more information. He told me he had a spot open for the upcoming 2024 Main Event season, and since I had been winning consistently in my online game with CPMG friends, I decided to pony up the money to join the league. After 15 league games, all freezeout No-Limit Hold'em tournaments, I finished middle of the pack (18th) in points. Congrats to Stan Gudalevich for taking home the Regular Season Points title! Admittedly, it took me until about Game #6 to get a feel for the tournament structure and the players in the league, most of whom I was playing with for the first time. Going in, I only knew Caveman, Doza, Krazy Joe and Dax out of the 37 league members.
My lack of success in the points standings meant I'd have to win the championship game to qualify for the other remaining WSOP Main Event seat. The championship game is broken up into two heats - first, the 8th through 37th place finishers in the league points standings battle it out for one of 3 "wild card" spots. Basically, if you finish in the Top 3 of the "wild card" portion of the championship game, you make the final table. The final table also consists of the 2nd through 7th place finishers in the league points standings.
Given the elevated pressure and "big game" feel of the Cleveland Poker League Wild Card / Championship game, I decided to maintain a running blog of the tournament. The tournament was held about a month ago, on June 9th.
Cleveland Poker League - Championship Game for 2024 World Series of Poker Main Event Seat
I start the tournament with 66,900 chips, a stack equal to the number of points I accumulated during the 15 league games. Upon my arrival, I'm dismayed to see my table draw is especially tough, with Andrew Biddinger, Bob Kubec and Rob Makdessi to my direct left and Leo Golubitsky also at the table.
Level 1 - 100/200 blinds
The second hand of the tournament was a cooler between Andrew and Joe Golubitsky on a 4-club board with Joe holdings the Ace of Clubs and Andrew with the King. After folding my first few hands, I called a raise to 500 in the BB with J3o. I flopped a pair of 3s, but folded to a continuation bet. I also called a raise with pocket sixes, but the flop was all over cards. A bit later, I raise to 700 with pocket sevens and get 2 callers. Flop is 6 4 4. I led for 1600 and both players folded. With AdJd, I raise to 800 and get 3 callers. Flop is Ax 4d 2d. I led for 1600 and Leo G calls. Turn [Ax 4d 2d] Ks. I bet 3500 and Leo folds. I chip up a bit to end the level with 71,600.
Level 2 - 200/400 blinds
I pick up AA UTG and raise to 1200. Leo G and 1 other player call. Flop is 2 2 3. I bet 2000 and Leo is the only caller. Turn [2 2 3] J. I bet 3000 and Leo calls again. River [2 2 3 J] K, putting 3 clubs out there. I bet 6500 and Leo folds, thinking I had AK.
Level 3 - 300/600 blinds
Leo G raises to 1800 UTG. I flat call with A3cc in the CO. Andrew 3-bets to 6k on the BTN and Leo and I both call. Flop Ad 7c 6c. Action checks around. Turn [Ad 7c 6c] Kd. Leo and I check, while Andrew continues for 5000. I check-raise him all in and he folds.
I go to the 1st 10-minute break of the day with a healthy 94,700.
Level 4 - 400/800 blinds
I get surpass the 100k mark early in the level, but it's mostly quiet with nothing to report.
Level 5 - 500/1000 blinds
Another quiet level, I end with 94,000.
Level 6 - 600/1200 blinds
There are 3 limpers and I check my option in the BB with As 5s. Flop 7 5 2. Action checks around. Turn [7 5 2] 7. I bet 2k and Rob Bell calls. River [7 5 2 7] 2. I bet 3500 and Rob hits the river with a deuce. Several players bust out at our table - Vova, Joe G, Bob Kubec - and Krazy Joe gets seated to my left and Greg K to my right. Both have big stacks and are very active players. During the last hand of level, I raise to 3k with K9o. Krazy Joe and Leo G call. Flop is Kh 9h Qhx I bet 5k and Krazy Joe comes along. Turn [Kh 9h Qx] Qh. I check-call a 9k bet from Joe. The river is a brick and we both check, but Joe drags the pot with 5h 2h for a flush. I end the level with 46,000.
Level 7 - 800/1600 blinds
I call a raise from Greg K with QTo in position. Flop 9 8 5. Greg continues with a bet and I peel the turn to see what he does. Turn [9 8 5] is a brick and I fold to another bet from Greg. I'm down to 28,500 with 18 players left when we combine to 2 tables.
I go to the 2nd 10-minute break of the day with 24,500, which represents 12 big blinds going into 1/2k blinds.
Level 8 - 1000/2000 blinds
Dan Borison raises to 6k, Greg K calls and I look down at pocket nines in the BB. I ship it for 22.5k and they BOTH call. Flop is huge for me - K 9 3 with two diamonds. Bradley Graves is sitting next to me and I show him my hand. The turn and river are 2 more diamonds, putting a 4-flush out there. Luckily, neither Dan or Greg had a diamond and I score a huge triple up to 75,500. We all laugh at my near misfortune.
Level 9 - 1500/3000 blinds
Rob Makdessi raises to 8500 in EP. I push all in for 77k with AKo and he folds. I end the level with 84k
Level 10 - 2000/4000 blinds
I get a BB special, flopping 2-pair with 73o that holds on a scary board. The very next hand, it folds around to me in the SB and I raise to 9000 with Kh Th. Krazy Joe calls. I flop a King, but we check down to river and I win a small one to get back over 100k.
Level 11 - 3000/6000 blinds
Nothing notable to report, but I chip up during this level to 120,500.
Level 12 - 4000/8000 blinds
Rob Bell raises to 20k on the button. I look down at As Qd and make the call. Flop J T 4, two diamonds. I check-fold to a 24000 bet. I end the level with 96,500
Level 13 - 5k/10k blinds
Rob Makdessi raises to 25k. I’m in BB with AKo and go all in for 106k. He folds. I end the level with 147,000.
Level 14 - 6k/12k blinds
Nothing to report.
Level 15 - 7k/14k blinds
During this level, I make the "Wild Card" final table with 94,000. The final 3 from this final table move on to the Championship final table. I move all in 3 hands in a row - with AT, AJ and AQ - with no takers, but pick up a much-needed 63k in blinds.
Level 16 - 8k/16k blinds
8/16k - During the last hand of the level Rob Bell raises to 30k. I move all-in for 131k with TT. Andrey also moves AI right behind me and Rob calls. Andrey and Rob both have KK and I flop a Ten to triple up! This was definitely the key hand of the tournament for me.
Level 17 - 10k/20k blinds
I end the level with 383k.
Level 18 - 15k/30k blinds
I raise to 65k with Ah 3h. In the BB, Rochelle goes all in for 110k. I'm priced in and have to call and am a dog against her pocket nines. However, luck is on my side again when I flop an Ace to knock her out of the tournament. A few hands later, Rob Makdessi min-raises to 60k. I’m in BB with QTo and make the call. Flop is T T 5, two spades. I check, slow-playing my trips and Rob leads for 100k. He has roughly the same amount behind, so I go all in and he folds.
I'm the massive chip leader of the Wild Card portion of the tournament when Andrey busts on the Championship Final Table bubble. Rob Makdessi and Greg K are the other wild cards to make the Championship final table alongside me.
After playing 7+ hours in the Wild Card game, I have to adjust a bit with the blinds and stacks re-setting. I begin the final table with what I started with originally, the 66,900 that I earned in points throughout the season.
FT Level 1 - 100/200 blinds
I calls raises pre-flop with pocket 8's and pocket 4's and miss the flop each time. I end the level with 62,600.
FT Level 2 - 200/400 blinds
Rob Makdessi raises from EP and I call on the BTN with Th 8h. I miss the hand and bluff the river with a 4500 bet. Thankfully, Rob folds. I end the level with 66,300.
FT Level 3 - 400/800 blinds
Quiet level for me, I end with 63,300.
FT Level 4 - 600/1200 blinds
I'm on the BTN with Ad Jd and raise to 3100. A few callers, but I brick the flop and have to fold. I end the level with 57,700
FT Level 5 - 800/1600 blinds
Greg K raises UTG to 4200. Joe Ciani and Roman call. I have AKo and move all in for 67,600. Joe agonizes for several minutes and folds JJ face up.
I head to break with 79,600 and walk out to my car to hear him discussing the hand with several players, wondering what I had. Your spoiler is above.
FT Level 6 - 1k/2k blinds
I raise to 4.5k in late position with Ah 9h. Joe Makdessi calls from the SB. Flop Ad Kd Jx. With 2 diamonds on the board, I continue for 6.5k and Joe calls. Turn [Ad Kd Jx] Tx. I check and Joe bets 11.5k. I think this is a perfect card to bluff, as it's an easy fold if he raises. I raise to 26.5k and Joe folds an Ace face up. I show him my A9 and he asks me ‘are you suicidal?!?’ LOL! I end the level with 101k.
FT Level 7 - 1.5k/3k blinds
Early in the level, I lose a sizable pot against Leo Shuster with 9c 7c. A bit later, Roman raises to 7.5k and I call with Js Ts. Flop is A Q X. Check-check. Turn [A Q X] is another blank and he bets 10k. I put in a min-raise for another 10k because I didn't think he had an Ace and he folds. Despite winning the hand, I end the level with 77.5k
FT Level 8 - 2k/4k blinds
I wait for my spot, but it's a quiet level. I end with 77.5k.
FT Level 8 - 3k/6k blinds
Still waiting... I end the level with 50.5k.
FT Level 9 - 4k/8k blinds
I’m sitting on about 60k when Greg raises to 20K. I call with KQ in the BB and take down the pot with a bet. I end the level with 87,000.
FT Level 10 - 5k/10k blinds
I end the level and head to break with 81,000.
FT Level 11 - 6k/12k blinds
Joe Ciani goes all in for 70k. I look down at two red sevens and with just over 5 big blinds, I decide to go all in as well for 63k. I'm pleased to see Joe flip over A3, but he spikes an Ace on the flop to knock me out. After an 11.5 hour day of poker, I'm mildly disheartened with my 6th place finish, but still earned a nice payday. I'm proud of the way I played, especially at the final table.
Joe Ciani would go on to win the Final Table and earn his seat into the 2024 World Series of Poker Main Event. CONGRATULATIONS, JOE!
I'm really looking forward to competing in the Cleveland Poker League again next season. Thanks to Dax and all the players (new friends) that I made.
