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Commerce Casino University of Poker Graduation Tournament
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Daniel L. Cox
Editor,Poker Insider Magazine
© August 1, 2009
Updated Aug 13, 2009
Commerce, CA - Last November 4th, The Commerce Casino in Los Angeles introduced the Commerce Casino University of Poker (CCUP). The Commerce has taken the concept of the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour’s Poker Academies and incorporated them into weekly two-hour sessions for both beginning and intermediate players.
The Casino bills the CCUP as a “tuition-free institution where you can study all you want, never lose a penny, and laugh till you can't stop.” On July 30,th, the Commerce Casino concluded the inaugural school year of their successful series with a freeroll tournament.
After months of studying blinds, antes, tells, poker lingo and winning strategy the first class of Commerce Casino's University of Poker got to see how their education would stand up under real world conditions. Keeping the event low-key and intimidation factor to a minimum, the tournament was offered to the over 1,000 graduates of the 2008 - 2009 school year.
The tournament was billed as a $2,500 Free Roll, but adding unlimited $20 re-buys for the first hour and a $20 add-on, the prize pool ultimately reached over $4,000. The entire final table had a payday, with 10th
place taking home nearly $100 and over a thousand dollars going to first place. Having attended the first Intermediate class last November, Roger invited me to attend the Graduation Tournament. At one point Roger said, "This is great. No matter who wins, I can say it was one of my students."
One hundred fifty players came together to play in the ballroom of the Commerce Casino. Re-buys were available for the first three levels and over a hundred players took advantage of this opportunity to add additional chips to their stacks.
When it was all said and done ten players finished in the money and the results are below.
"We designed this tournament to be like the final exam with no grades," said Dave Mosikian, the Commerce Casino's Player Relations Manager. "People can really see what progress they've made. It also gives them some tournament experience in a non-threatening format before they venture out to the tables on their own against more experienced players. But the months they've put in at the University of Poker will definitely now
give them confidence and a leg up when these players get out on the casino floor."
The skill level at my table was surprising. Some of the players were experienced, skilled players who had taken the classes to improve their game, while others were playing in their first tournament. The gentleman on my right was a complete novice, still did not understand the basics of blinds, bet size or check/raise/call procedures when the bet came to him. Two people to my left were skilled players, properly playing angles, making bluffs
and orchestrating expert moves, such as slow plays with Aces to sucker in the unwary, while others just got "lucky" with poorly played hands hitting miracle outs.
The graduation tournament is what is in store for the students who sign up for the "No Beginner Too Green" and "Intermediate" classes being taught at the world's largest poker casino, on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The Level I and Level II classes alternate weekly for 8 hours of total instruction available. There are no prerequisites, no 12-hour entrance exams, no term papers, and best of all, no cost to attend. It's
a free University that teaches students how to play poker and win money. At Commerce Casino's University of Poker, you can avoid taking the expensive path of "paying for your lessons" in a poker game-- where every mistake has a price tag.
The professor is none other than the highly respected 'Poker Comedian,' Hollywood's 'Instructor To The Stars,'
CCUP's Poker Professor Emeritus, Roger Rodd. He teaches the game to the Hollywood elite and served as behind-the-scenes poker coach for the movie "Lucky You," giving Eric Bana and Robert Duvall the look of consummate poker professionals.
Commerce Casino's University of Poker (CCUP) is a tuition-free institution where you can study all you want, never lose a penny, and laugh till you can't stop.Below is a list of classes. The new "semester" begins immediately. To register for classes or for more information, go to CCUP Course Schedule.
NO BEGINNER IS TOO GREEN!!!
In the Beginner's Class, Rodd demystifies all facets of poker for any aspiring new player. Starting with the ranking of hand values and continuing through an explanation of fundamentals and blinds, students will soon be fluent in the colorful jargon of the game. The class ultimately moves into actual casino formatted poker playing, with the initial goal to establish the concepts of hand values, antes (blinds), betting fundamentals and
rounds. Upon unanimous student comprehension, the class is taught the process of how pots are built and awarded, with an emphasis on Texas Hold 'em. Through the use of visuals, lecture, Q& A, and classroom mock poker games, the pupils are then ready for their "Final Exam" - a student-only freeroll tournament for cash and prizes, as well as the "CCUP Valedictorian Award."
INTERMEDIATE HOLD 'EM--TIME TO STEP UP YOUR GAME
If you are already a player who does not need to learn "from the ground up," but you are getting "ground up" either in a live game or online, CCUP offers an Intermediate Class. CCUP presents the class for the existing home game, online, or casino poker player who wants to improve results or go to the next level. As Mosikian notes, "CCUP wants to educate Intermediate players on how the pros play 'top set against
a double double, an overpair in the two hole, and a donkey playing an airball who just picked up color with one to come.'" Categorized by four criteria; Limit, No Limit, Tournament Play, and Cash Game Play, each class will focus upon the singular and common aspects of that format of play. A comprehensive menu of necessary elements for winning play will be closely detailed and examined, as will specific strategic situations. Combining oral and written questions with a student-only freeroll tournament,
CCUP will present prizes and the cherished "CCUP Graduate Student Valedictorian Award."
All sessions are taught in a private room with no intimidation or distractions. Enrollment will be limited to 25 students in order to insure maximum personal attention. Beginner's Classes meet on Tuesdays from 8
PM - 10
PM, while Intermediate Classes are on Wednesdays from 8 PM - 10
PM.
Commerce Casino, seven miles south of downtown Los Angeles, is located at 6131 East Telegraph Rd., Commerce, CA 90040, just off the Santa Ana (5) Freeway at the Washington Blvd. exit. Phone (323) 721-2100. For more information, go to Commerce Casino.
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