Season 16, Game 5 Recap: Big Blind Ante

 

Before diving into the action, we have to give a big shoutout to Bella’s Pizza Café in Delran for hooking us up with some delicious, fresh pies for the game. Be sure to check them out at Bella’s Pizza Café Menu for your next pizza night! Thanks for the discount!

This game marked the debut of the Big Blind Ante in our league. The adjustment added a new layer of strategy and pace.

Things got off to a chilly start—literally—as Hoagie’s heat decided to take the night off. But thanks to some space heaters and the intensity of the players, the poker room warmed up quickly. Who needs a furnace when you’ve got the fire of competition?

Butter had a rough night after attempting to slow roll pocket aces against Keane. The poker gods seemed to intervene as Keane’s Jack-King outshined Butter’s aces on a dramatic Q-10-9-X-X board, delivering Keane a straight and a healthy dose of karma.

Keane’s good fortune didn’t stop there. He dominated throughout the night, ultimately facing off against Matt “Mamunez” Lopresti heads-up. In the end, Keane secured the victory, solidifying his place as a force to be reckoned with this season. But Matt L now holds the top place overall in the league. 

Pierre failing to make the final table for the first time in three months.  Pete L making his best season yet. The lottery bonus round was claimed by Tina, while Ray C’s strategic decision to bring in Vince as a sub for the second time this season paid off. Vince’s final table appearance gave Ray C a significant boost in the standings.

Mark your calendars! The next game, Turbo 15k Night, is set for February 17th at 7:15 PM. 

S16 game 4: A Festive First: Ugly Sweater Poker Night! 🎅🃏

This month, we celebrated the holiday season in style with our first-ever Christmas Ugly Sweater Poker Game! The atmosphere was buzzing with festive energy, as the table was surrounded by players donning their most colorful and creative holiday sweaters. The aroma of homemade chili simmering on the stove added to the cozy vibe.

🎄 Check out all the colorful Christmas sweaters from this month’s game in our highlight reel: Ugly Sweater Poker Night Video. 

Only one sub in attendance—Tina’s husband, Dan, unfortunately Dan couldn’t find his footing and made an early exit. In true holiday spirit, Samero played the role of Santa, surprising everyone with lottery tickets as early gifts. 🎁 Joe Shinn stepped up his game after a disappointing Halloween attire showing.

Rick continued his incredible streak, making his fourth consecutive final table this season. Meanwhile, Pierre had his sights set on poker league history, hoping to secure his third win in a row, but the cards didn’t fall in his favor at the final table. Pete L has done a complete 180 this season, but can he hold onto the run and finish strong this year. 

Throughout the night, much of the conversation turned to the ongoing drone situation in New Jersey, adding an unexpected twist to the evening’s chatter.

When the dust settled, it came down to a heated heads-up battle between Hoagie and Matt L. Hoagie emerged victorious, taking home the win and further solidifying his commanding lead in the league standings. Pierre remains a close second, keeping the race exciting as we head into the new year.

The night wasn’t over without some extra luck for Roger, who won the lottery bonus! 🍀 

Don’t Miss the Next Game!
Our next game is on January 6 at 7:15 PM, —our first-ever Big Blind Ante game. 

For anyone looking for the perfect poker-themed Christmas gift for a friend or family member, one of our subs, Frank DiRe one of our league subs, has put together a fantastic list of ideas. Check it out here: The Best Gifts for Poker Players.

Happy Holidays, and see you at the tables in January! 🎅♠️

Poker League Update: Season 16, Game 3 - Mystery Bounty Night 🎲💰

Mystery Bounty Night Recap
Season 16, Game 3 brought plenty of action, drama, and big wins as players competed for the highly coveted mystery bounties. The top mystery prize of $200 was up for grabs alongside several $50 bounties, keeping everyone on edge. The game came off the heels of a heated presidential election discussion, leading to lively banter around the table.

Tensions reached a boiling point when Jeff and Tina found themselves debating a hand due to how it was shown. Cooler heads ultimately prevailed, and the two moved on in good spirits. The night also saw brotherly heartbreak as Matty couldn’t let go of his pocket aces, leading to an early exit courtesy of his brother, Mikey Mush.

Subs Steal the Spotlight
Both Foster and Butter had subs filling in for them, and remarkably, both substitutes made it to the final table. 

Other Highlights

• Rick made his triumphant return with teeth fully intact. No cracker challenges were attempted this time.
• Pete L. continues his breakout year, finishing in second place and currently sitting in the top 5 for the season. Pete also struck gold by winning the lottery bonus. Can he maintain his momentum and secure one of the top 6 Vegas spots?
• Keane and Mikey Mush were all smiles after the Dolphins’ big win.
  
  
  
  
  

Hoagie’s Bounty Luck Strikes Again
Somehow, Hoagie managed to snag the top two bounty prizes of the night. With Pete L. and Keane officiating the ticket pulls, all was fair—but that didn’t stop some playful grumbling from the group. Hoagie’s streak of bounty luck seems unstoppable.

The Night’s Big Winner: Pierre
The story of the evening, however, was Pierre, who pulled off an impressive back-to-back victory—a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since Season 14. The rookie sensation is now sitting at the top of the leaderboard and proving he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Looking Ahead

The next game, Regular Bounty Night, is on December 9th and will double as our Holiday Party! Dust off your best—or ugliest—Christmas sweater and join us for a festive evening of poker. The game starts at 7:15 PM sharp.

In other news, don’t miss the latest Nerdthusiast Poker Podcast, where Brian and Hoagie sit down with poker legend Jonathan Little for an in-depth interview. Tune in to hear insights from one of the game’s greatest minds and get tips to elevate your poker strategy. Catch the full episode now at NerdthusiastPoker.com

Season 16 Game 2: Halloween Poker Night - Clowns, Costumes, and Chips!

Welcome back to the spookiest poker blog of the season—our Annual Halloween Poker Game! Season 16, Game 2 was full of tricks, treats, and plenty of chips, as players battled it out for the top spot at the table, all while donning their best costumes. The catch? Everyone had to show up in costume to earn an extra chip bonus at the start of play.

But the real story of the night was a devious plot organized by Samero. He rallied a majority of the crew to come dressed as clowns—all in a not-so-subtle effort to get inside Keane’s head. Why clowns? Keane hates them.  The star of the clown show was easily "The Terrifier" costume, which was a fan favorite and borderline nightmare fuel.

Costume Highlights of the Night:

• Keane showed up as Donald Trump, though his costume couldn’t keep the clowns at bay. Despite the extra chip bonus, his night ended on a mediocre note.
• Ray Mendoza went all out as poker legend Scotty Nguyen, complete with sunglasses and all. Sadly, his play didn’t match the legend’s, and he busted out early.
• Jacob - His Holiness
• Roger - Eazy E 

Newcomer Pierre "The Diceman", outlasted everyone at the table, claiming his first victory in our league. 

We also had a special birthday celebration for Rick, who celebrated by winning the lottery pull for the night. He scratched off a ticket right after busting out and scored a cool $100. Not too shabby for a birthday bonus!

One major twist for the night? This was the first time in a long time that we didn't have any subs. The usual suspects were all in attendance, ready to battle it out for the win.

As always, the food was to die for—our Halloween Menu featured:

• Kill-basa (Kielbasa)
• Phantom Potatoes (Roasted Potatoes)
• Gruesome Greens (Salad)
• And, of course, plenty of Sinister Snacks to keep everyone fueled throughout the night.

Stay tuned for next month’s standard tournament on 11/11 at 7:15 PM. 

Full Video of the costumes here below:

Poker League Season 16 Opener: New Faces, New Drama, and Quad 8's

 Our monthly poker league kicked off its 16th season with a bang, and this one feels different already! We said a bittersweet goodbye to three of our regulars: TJ, Harry, and Scott, who all retired from the table. But their chairs didn’t stay empty long. This season, we welcomed three new first-timers who have already made their mark: Tina "The Cash Queen," Brian "Somehow Samero's Friend," and Pierre "The Diceman."

As usual, subs had to step in for a few players. Ray C, Roger, and Matt L couldn't make it, but their replacements came to play. Sabol, subbing for Roger, stole the spotlight early with an incredible hand of quad 8's, setting the high-hand standard for the season from the jump. And just when we thought nothing could top that, Tim Murphy, who subbed for Matt at the last minute, managed to secure first place for the night after taking out Butter.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing though. Foster, making sure to get his kids in bed early, was the first one out, meanwhile, Jeff Barton had a much deeper run than we’re used to seeing from him. Could this be the start of a new, more serious Jeff? Only time will tell.

Then there’s Mikey Mush. In classic form, he sucked out on a few hands, pulling miracle rivers left and right, and still managed to win the lottery draw for the night. Mush gonna mush.

Keane handed over the league bracelet to last season's champ, Shinn, who made a brief appearance at the table before an early exit. It’s not the way you want to start as defending champ, but it’s only the beginning of what promises to be another wild season.

Our next game is set for Monday, October 14th at 7:15 PM, and it’s one of the most anticipated nights of the year—our annual Halloween game! Don’t forget to come in costume for a chance to earn an extra 5,000 chips.

Season 15: Game 9 Winners

 

Monday Night Poker League: Season 15 Championship Recap

The much-anticipated final game of Season 15 of the Monday Night Poker League did not disappoint, with drama and excitement unfolding from start to finish. The evening started with a major controversy when Jeff Barton was unable to attend, sparking heated discussions online. The controversy intensified when Jeff refused to accept a Halloween prop bet for the next season.

As the game commenced, the usual suspects made their early exits, clearing the way for the night’s final showdown. Rick wore his Fold Check Raise shirt and almost folded his AK late in the day. The championship showdown saw two of the league’s top players, Shinn and Hoagie, battling it out until the end. Hoagie’s pocket kings fell to Shinn’s pocket aces, cementing Shinn’s victory. Hoagie walked away with the lottery prize for the night.

Another storyline of the night was Ray C’s determined effort to overtake Samero and secure the fifth spot, which would earn him a trip to Vegas. Needing nothing short of a victory to achieve this, Ray C managed to win the entire night, thus clinching his spot in the top five and ensuring his place in Vegas.

Congratulations to Shinn for his overall season victory, marking his first league championship. Good luck to all the players heading to Vegas. For the rest of you... Get Better and see you next season.

Top 12 Players and Their Payouts

1. Shinn - $3,000 + vegas ( played 2x $1500 monster stack no cash)
2. Hoagie - $1,700 + vegas ( venetian $8610 - 41st)
3. Keane- $1500 + vegas ( Played monster stack no cash)
4. Matt L-$1,000 + vegas( Wsop 1k Mystery bounty - no cash) ( $280 last season still )
5. Ray C- $1,000 + vegas ( colossus + orleans no cash )
6. Samero - $1040 ( played bmore wsop 5/26 + Wsop ME satte online- no cash one bullet, played borgata fall bounty no cash )
7. Jacob- $1040 ( Played $500 almighty no cash Played Boprgata Fall no cash)
8. Ray M - $560 (played borgata mystery bounty 1/16/25 no cash)
9. Rick- $560 ( $150 last season 22-23 season)
10. Butter- $560 ( played borgata fall no cash )
11. TJ - $330
12. Foster- ( played bmore wsop satte 5/26 no cash )

Players from Last season with outstanding tournaments ( Neamand $330 22-23 season)

As we wrap up Season 15, the anticipation for the Vegas trip and the upcoming season is palpable. Stay tuned for more updates and recaps as our league members take their game to new heights on the Vegas felt. Good luck to all, and may the cards be ever in your favor!

Season 15: Game 8 deep stacked

Deep Stacked, Monday night poker league, game 8 of 9 unfolded with all the drama and excitement you'd expect from the MNPL. This was a night of early exits for some of our top players, shaking up the leaderboard and setting the stage for a tough finale.

Samero and Matt Lopresti, both contenders for the top spots, were among the casualties of the night. Three substitutes stepped up to the plate. Bickford filled in for Butter, who is currently living it up on the WPT cruise tour . Chuck took over for Ray C, and Chris Cote bravely played for Waldman, who was apparently getting his teeth pulled and decided to share a rather graphic photo with the group. Thanks Rick.

Despite Waldman's dental woes, his substitute managed to snag a much-needed second place, and to top it off, he won the lottery for the night. We were all hoping his luck would rub off on us when the ticket was drawn, but alas, it was not to be. Scott and Harry, however, continue to hold down the bottom spots, while Keane and Jacob are locked in a fierce battle to break into the top 5 and secure their spot in the Vegas package. At the end of the night, Roger took down first place, even after almost mucking earlier in the night, in the highly debated "Im Out" situation w/ Samero.

Dr. Shinn hobbled over Hoagie with hsi broken foot and now holds the lead going into the last month. However, there's a twist in the tale. Due to a kids' soccer game, Shinn may not even make it to the final showdown. Oh, the suspense!

As for the reigning champ, Keane, the pressure is on. If he doesn't clinch victory in the final game, he'll have to bid farewell to his cherished bracelet. Mathematically, Keane still has a fighting chance.

Mark your calendars for the championship game at 1 PM on Sunday, May 19th.

Season 15 Game 7: Deep level night

 In what's usually one of the longest nights of the season, our poker night on March 4th ended surprisingly early, wrapping up by 11:30 PM. The 30-minute round levels seemed to speed up the action, with several players busting out faster than normal.

It was a tough night for some of the leaderboard regulars, as Keane, Samero, and Matt L found themselves hitting the rail early. This opened the door for Shinn and Hoagie to make moves up the ranks. Even Pete managed to stick around for the whole game and make it to the final table!

In a hilarious side challenge prop bet, Rick the Grinder attempted the saltine cracker challenge, aiming to eat 6 crackers in 1 minute. Let's just say he won't be entering any eating contests anytime soon!

On the bright side, Harry managed to snag the lottery bonus for the night. Vince, subbing for Butter, made a deep run and showed that his sub services are in high demand. Butter was sick and won't make it next month as well as he won a free cruise to a WPT poker tour event next month. GOOD LUCK

Tim filled in for Mikey Mush, who was off celebrating his birthday in AC. In the end, it was Shinn who faced off against Vince, ultimately securing his second victory of the season. With this win, Shinn is now in second place, right behind Hoagie on the leaderboard.

Mark your calendars for the next game on April 1st at 7:15 PM, Big Stack night!

Also mark your calenders Saturday July 20th Hoagie will be hosting a cash game for the Mike Tyson / Logan Paul Fight. 730PM

Season 15 Game 6, Turbo Night

 Turbo Night Madness

Tonight was Turbo Night, with blind levels lasting just 10 minutes, the action was hot and heavy like Scott at Karaoke Night!

The night started off with a bang as Samero, our early front-runner, suffered an unexpected early loss. Samero's tumble from first to third in the overall points standings was a shock to us all. ( not really ) Jacob took a bad beat from Scott and his antics began.

We had some new faces at the table tonight, with Vince stepping in for Ray M and Tom Brant subbing for Pete. The big news, however, was the return of former league champion Chuck Aquino. Chuck wasted no time reminding us why he's a force to be reckoned with, going on a tear and eventually facing off against Ray C in a tense heads-up battle.

In the end, it was Ray C who emerged victorious, claiming a much-needed win. Chuck, subbing for the absent TJ, put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell just short of the win.

Scott hit the jackpot by winning the lottery. Perhaps those new Trump Golden Sneakers he's been eyeing are finally within reach!

As the dust settles, Matt Lopresti and Hoagie find themselves locked in a dead heat for first place with 80 points each. The competition couldn't be tighter as we head into our

Next game on Monday, March 4, 10k Stack with 30-minute blind levels.

Side Note: The WSOP 2024 Schedule has been announced and is discussed among Hoagie and Keane on their Nerdthusiast Poker Podcast

Season 15: Game 5, A New Home

Game 5 of the season was special, marking the grand opening of the new poker mancave, "Hoagies Command Center 2.0."

The poker gods had a sense of humor that night, as Rick found himself in a nerve-wracking situation. Home sick and anxiously awaiting the arrival of his substitute, Tim, Rick was sweating bullets. Tim, almost falling victim to a case of mistaken addresses, narrowly avoided arrest and eventually joined the game. Tim embraced the style that is Rick, and played tight as can be.

Both Harry and Foster had substitutes in tow. Foster's sub, Vince, emerged as a strong force, first taking out his son TJ and then ultimately reaching the heads-up showdown.

Joe Samero, who unfortunately busted early in the game. Despite the setback, Joe held onto the top spot in overall points in the league. But the wolves are onto him.

Pete employed a new strategy, leave with 6,000 in chips still in and play and make the final table. The strategy worked as he doubled his league points from the comfort of his own house.

Ray won Lottery for the night!

A side note echoed through the poker mancave at the final table – a wish for Mark, known as Butter, to "Get Better." He faced a three way all in but was denied in his GTO skills to emerge vicorious.

As the hands unfolded, the spotlight shifted to Matt Lopresti, who took down first for the night. His triumph earned him more than just bragging rights – he secured an entry into the prestigious Borgata Charity Series of Poker event scheduled for January 20. Good Luck Matt!

next game will take place on MON February 19th, designated as Turbo Night.