What is it about ThePlayr.com Team Pro Constant Rijkenberg that is so polarizing for poker players and fans? In listening to interviews with other players words like "crazy" and "scary" are often repeated. It's impressive the persona that Constant has cultivated throughout this San Remo leg of the European tour. I would say he was 'carefully cultivating' said persona, but he plays too wildly to earn the word "careful". My guess is that it's his blatant unpredictability and his cocky demeanor that rubs players the wrong way.
But, while players fear him, fans love him and are drawn in by the excitement that he brings. You never know with him. And fans like that. He's a spectator's player. A star.
My opinion is that he is great for the sport. If I were the International Poker Commissioner (if such a thing existed), I'd groom this guy. I'd put him on a pedestal. I'd make him the Michael Jordan, the Kobe Bryant, the Lebron James of the sport. I'd have t-shirts made. Hats. A Constant Rijkenberg sneaker. I'd try to get him a reality show. Europe's Next Big Poker Star. I'd have him be the judge. He'd be very American Idol/Simon-esqu and say things like "That call was dismal". I'd make him the face of poker. A guy like this could be the best thing that happened to the sport. This is the kind of guy that could attract the casual fan and keep said fan coming back for more.
He may scare other players. But he is a force of nature.
Eleven players remained in the $2,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em event after three days of action-packed poker. Of these, some famous names lurked – Daniel Negreanu, four-time WSOP bracelet-winner was the most recognisable. Read more »
Travis Johnson has become the newest addition to the list of World Series of Poker bracelet-winners after taking down Event #7, the $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em. Read more »
Saudi born American Rami Boukai outlasted a field of 453-runners to claim the $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em/Pot Limit Omaha event and with it prize money of $244,862. The 26-year-old battled his way through a final table lasting nine and a half hours before finally seeing off Najib Bennani to seal his first bracelet win. Read more »
1,459 runners bought in to $1,500 No Limit Hold Em Six-Handed Event but in the end it was American Ken Aldridge who claimed his first WSOP bracelet. Aldridge, known as Teach, won an epic heads up battle with Carmen Cavella to take the first prize of $428,259. Read more »
Phil Ivey, widely considered by many to be the best poker player in the history of the game, has cemented that opinion further by taking some time out from cash games to win his sixth WSOP bracelet and his first since 2003 in NL 2-7 Draw. Read more »
A big field for a small buy-in was what organisers of the $1,000 No Limit Hold Em Event #3 hoped for and boy did they deliver. A whopping field of 6,012 players sat down for the so-called Stimulus Special, a record for any event other than the WSOP Main Event. Read more »
A big field for a small buy-in was what organisers of the $1,000 No Limit Hold Em Event #3 hoped for and boy did they deliver. A whopping field of 6,012 players sat down for the so-called Stimulus Special, a record for any event other than the WSOP Main Event. Read more »
Saudi born American Rami Boukai outlasted a field of 453-runners to claim the $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em/Pot Limit Omaha event and with it prize money of $244,862. The 26-year-old battled his way through a final table lasting nine and a half hours before finally seeing off Najib Bennani to seal his first bracelet win. Read more »
1,459 runners bought in to $1,500 No Limit Hold Em Six-Handed Event but in the end it was American Ken Aldridge who claimed his first WSOP bracelet. Aldridge, known as Teach, won an epic heads up battle with Carmen Cavella to take the first prize of $428,259. Read more »
Phil Ivey, widely considered by many to be the best poker player in the history of the game, has cemented that opinion further by taking some time out from cash games to win his sixth WSOP bracelet and his first since 2003 in NL 2-7 Draw. Read more »
A big field for a small buy-in was what organisers of the $1,000 No Limit Hold Em Event #3 hoped for and boy did they deliver. A whopping field of 6,012 players sat down for the so-called Stimulus Special, a record for any event other than the WSOP Main Event. Read more »
A big field for a small buy-in was what organisers of the $1,000 No Limit Hold Em Event #3 hoped for and boy did they deliver. A whopping field of 6,012 players sat down for the so-called Stimulus Special, a record for any event other than the WSOP Main Event. Read more »
There may have been no entry fee and no million dollar pay day but the competition was as fierce as you would expect from a line up which featured 20 former winners of the WSOP Main Event. Read more »
