Wednesday Apr 08, 2009 12:06 PM
SpadeClub Member Wins a $25,000 Seat in the WPT Championship Event
Exclusive Member Takes Home a $25,000 Seat in the 2009 Five-Star World Poker Classic at Bellagio
SpadeClub’s Bellagio Championship Series events came to a close on April 4 with the Bellagio Championship Series Finals. Exclusive member Michael “carabelli” Grishman defeated more than 100 of SpadeClub’s top players to win his $25,000 seat in the 2009 Five-Star World Poker Classic at Bellagio. When asked if he was excited about his win, Grishman said, “I still cannot believe I won! I am having trouble falling asleep at night because I am so excited. I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas to arrive. I know my excitement will only fuel my ability to focus at the tournament. I want to play well and admirably represent SpadeClub.”
Card Player had the opportunity to ask Grishman some questions about his life and what he thinks of SpadeClub.
Card Player: Tell me a little about your life outside of poker.
Michael “carabelli” Grishman: This year I will celebrate my 33rd wedding anniversary to my wife Jo. We have two wonderful grown children, Adam and Jenni. In September, Adam will marry Tiffany, and I will have a wonderful daughter-in-law. I have practiced dentistry for almost 30 years. Twenty five years in Washington, D.C., and the last five years in Portland, Oregon.
I love to go fishing here in the Pacific Northwest, and I will be going on my third fishing trip to Alaska this summer. I enjoy camping and biking. I love sports; including basketball, football, hockey, and baseball. I love music, reading, movies, and live theater. This year I became a mentor to a 12-year-old foster child. We get together often, and I hope I can make a difference in his life.
CP: What was your first poker experience like?
MG: About four years ago, a friend told my wife that her husband had a poker game in their home every other week. My wife knew I always wanted to play poker with people on a regular basis as a social activity to have fun and make friends. I called Ed [the friend’s husband] and asked about joining his game. I asked if it was a “serious” game or if it was pretty low-key. He told me that all of the people playing in the game were “experienced players” and advised me to read a book or two or else I would lose a lot of money. So, I read a book and went to play in the game. I ended up losing the first few times I played, which motivated me to read more and play more. I played on an online site for play money. I eventually started to win more and was able to hold my own at this low-takes home game.
CP: Do you have a story behind you screen name?
MG: It is a dental reference, which describes an anatomical structure, The Cusp of Carabelli, on certain teeth. I chose it only because I like the way it sounds.
CP: What was your general strategy going into this tournament?
MG: I wanted to play tight and aggressive in good position in the beginning of the tournament. I wanted to focus hard on the playing habits of the other players at the table. I didn’t play any other tables during the tournament so that I could stay very focused. In the past, I thought that knowing when to change gears during the tournament was difficult for me, but my strategies seemed to work for me on Saturday. Of course, getting good cards and having luck probably helped a lot!
CP: How will your play differ when you play in the 2009 Five-Star World Poker Classic at Bellagio?
MG: At this point, I think I need to play the way that got me here. I do not have a lot of live tournament experience. The large number of players, and playing against professional poker players, I imagine can be very intimidating. There will be much more pressure than playing at my desk at home. I just want to make sure that I at least have a lot of fun in this once-in-a-lifetime event. Any tips at all would be very much appreciated!
CP: Are there any poker players you are excited to play with?
MG: I would love to be at a table with Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Daniel Negreanu, Scotty Nguyen, Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, Phil Gordon, and a lot more — but all at the same time, of course! I am sure my wife and daughter would rather see me play with Gus Hansen!
CP: What are some of your other poker accomplishments?
MG: Winning this tournament and prize is definitely my biggest poker accomplishment. My wife sent me to the World Series of Poker Academy in July 2007 as a birthday present. It wasn’t as successful as I would have liked to be, since I didn’t win a seat in the main event. It was certainly the most fun I have ever experienced in poker — until now, that is.
CP: What got you interested in SpadeClub?
MG: My daughter gave me a subscription to Card Player magazine as a birthday present shortly after I started playing. I responded to the free trial to play on SpadeClub, and after one month, I decided to pay for another month. I found I liked playing on the site, and I continued to play. When SpadeClub offered a discount to prepay for a year, I jumped at the offer. It was a very reasonable price for the opportunity to learn and try new strategies without the risk of losing a lot of money. It is a lot of fun, and the majority of people who play on the site are very nice and respectful. I have been overwhelmed with the nice things people have said to me as a result of winning the Bellagio Championship Series tournament!
CP: Do you have any general advice to share with our readers about succeeding at SpadeClub?
MG: I think the greatest advice is to play a lot of hands. There is no substitute for experience. Pay attention to others play and try different strategies. Books are helpful, but playing is better.
CP: Do you think SpadeClub is a good learning ground for people who are looking to start playing?
MG: I think it is a great place to learn. You can play as much as you want for a very small investment. The quality of play is better than on the play money sites that do not require a monthly fee. With SpadeClub, you cannot lose, only win!
CP: Anything else you would like to add?
MG: I just wanted to thank everyone at SpadeClub and Card Player magazine for making this whole experience possible.
