🏆 New Champion Crowned – Season 17 Wrap-Up - TOURNAMENTS

 

🏆 New Champion Crowned – Season 17 Wrap-Up

Season 17 of the league is officially in the books, and we’ve got a new king of the felt. Foster put together a dominant run across the entire season, finishing with a triumphant points total that secured him the championship title. Consistency was the name of the game, and Foster delivered week in and week out when it mattered most.

As the season closes, the focus now shifts to a massive summer ahead. League players are gearing up to hit Las Vegas for the WSOP, along with several major local events. This group has been grinding all season, and now they’ll be representing the league on bigger stages with real stakes and even bigger opportunities.

🎯 Final Night Recap

The last game of the season didn’t disappoint. Keane made a statement, showing up when it counted most and taking down the final game of the series, earning the $500 bonus in the process. To cap off a heater of a night, he also snagged the lottery bonus, making it one of the most profitable finishes of the season.

🎟️ What’s Next

In total, 12 players have locked up tournament packages, giving them shots to compete in upcoming events throughout the year. From Vegas to local circuits, this league will have a strong presence across the poker scene.

We’ll be tracking results, deep runs, and final tables as the year unfolds — so stay tuned for updates on who’s playing where and how they perform.

The grind never stops… it just gets bigger from here. ♠️🔥

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📅 Looking Ahead

We’ll be hosting a Summer Charity Tournament on July 25th, bringing everyone back together for a great cause and another competitive night at the tables.

Then, the action resets as Season 18 officially launches in September, with a fresh leaderboard, new storylines, and another shot at league glory.

Foster — $3000 (3k WSOP freezeout )no cash

Cicali — $1700 ($1100 mini main $555PLo no cash ) $150 left

Samero — $1500 ($1100 mini main $250 x2 daily no cash ) 

Ray C — $1000 ( mini main no cash )

Matt L — $1000 ($600 Borg Summer Open No Cash ) $400 left 

Shinn — $1000 ( Wsop $250 + $500 tourns  6/6 No Cash) $250 left

Dan — $1080 ($600 Borg Summer Open No Cash ) $400 left 

Pierre — $560

Ed — $560 ( Mini main day c No Cash )

Brian — $560

Butter — $330

Roger — $330

🎟️ Unused Entries from Past Seasons:

9th Horn – $560 (24-25 Season) 

12th Mike Lopresti – $330 (24-25 Season)

Neamand (22–23 Season) – $330

s17 G7 Poker League – Game 7 Recap (Crunch Time is HERE!) ♠️

 This past Monday marked Game 7 of 9 in the Hoagie's Monday Night Poker League, and with just two games remaining, the season has officially reached crunch time. The format for the night featured a $10K starting stack with 30-minute levels, giving players plenty of room to maneuver, but also raising the stakes for those fighting to stay in contention.

At the top of the leaderboard, Foster continues to put together one of the most consistent seasons we’ve seen, extending his lead yet again. Incredibly, he has now made the final table in all 7 games so far, a streak that’s becoming the defining story of the season. 

While the top spot is starting to take shape, the middle of the standings is where the real drama is unfolding. From 6th through 12th place, there is only a 16-point difference, making it anyone’s game heading into the final stretch. One deep run or one early exit could completely reshape the leaderboard in a single night.

As a reminder to all players, no substitutes will be allowed for the final game of the season, so everyone will need to be in their seat and ready to play when it matters most.

The action on the felt didn’t disappoint. At the end of the night, Pierre captured his first victory of the year, taking down Ray heads-up to seal the win. Elsewhere, Pete L attempted to make a savvy move by bringing in his trusted sub, Vinny, but the plan quickly unraveled when Vinny ran into a monster and was eliminated. Ed also had a substitute step in, but that run ended early as well.

There were plenty of big hands throughout the night, including a wild stretch involving multiple quad sightings. Matt Lopresti hit quads and looked poised for a deep run, only to be eliminated just levels later in a turn of events. Not long after, Rick Waldman delivered an even bigger blow by hitting quad Kings, which now stands as the high hand of the year so far.

Off the table, Joe Samero took down the lottery bonus.

In addition to league points, players also competed for seats into this weekend’s charity event, with several players securing their spots for a great cause. For those interested in attending or supporting, you can read more here:
https://nerdthusiast.blogspot.com/2026/04/all-in-for-cure-charity-poker.html

With only two games remaining, every decision, every hand, and every point matters more than ever. The next stop is Game 8 on Monday, April 13th at 7:15 PM, featuring a 15K stack night

s17 G6: Turbo Night Survives the Blizzard

 Mother Nature tried her best to cancel poker night… But Pete L said no way!

This month was Turbo Night, which meant faster blind levels, shorter stacks, and zero time for Rick to “wait for aces.”  A full-blown South Jersey blizzard rolled in and Roads were messy, driveways were buried, and shovels got more action than chip stacks. As a result we had one of the biggest substitute lineups we’ve ever seen. Shout out to Butters for Shoveling the driveway!!!

The Sub Squad Steps Up

Because of the storm we rolled deep with alternates:

• Chuck subbing for Roger

• Donnie subbing for Samero

• Otto subbing for Butters

• Vinny subbing for Keane

• Johnny subbing for Foster

And honestly… the subs didn’t just survive , they almost stole the entire night.

Nearly all of them made the final table. Chuck and Donnie in particular came through huge, earning Roger and Samero some desperately needed league points. 

The Walking Dead (Literally)

Shinn showed up looking like he had just finished a 72-hour survival challenge. He powered through the game anyway a true grinder move.

Meanwhile Neamand was a no-call/no-show… which immediately triggered concern. Thankfully he wasn’t frozen in a snowbank. I ran into him at the gym the next day and he said after shoveling the blizzard he sat down for a minute… and fell asleep for the entire night. Honestly, very unbelievable.

The Results

• Hoagie navigated the madness and took down 1st place

• Matt L hit the Lottery Bonus

• The subs stacked valuable points for their players

Despite the win, the standings barely moved at the top. Foster still holds a commanding 25-point lead in the race for first place heading into the stretch run.

Looking Ahead

Next month we slow things back down

Next Game: March 30
Time: 7:15 PM
Structure: 30-minute levels
Starting Stack: 10,000 chips
Location: Hoagie House

Season 17: G1 The League is Back – New Faces, Old Legends, and a Return to Rick’s Basement

The wait is over—our poker league is officially back in action! This season brings an exciting mix of returning alumni and fresh competition.

We’re thrilled to welcome back some familiar faces:

• Matt Neamand, ready to make his mark once again.

• Scotty Helms, returning to the felt with his signature loud style.

• Ed Pietrzak, one of the OGs from the early days of the league.

Alongside them, we’re introducing a new player: Dan Walters. He wasted no time showing what he’s made of, winning the very first night! Was it beginner’s luck, or are we seeing the rise of a new contender? Either way, Dan has taken an early lead in the season standings.

Adding to the excitement, the next two months’ games will be hosted at Rick’s house. That’s right—it’s the return to Rick’s Basement, a legendary spot for league history.

And don’t forget: our next game will be the Halloween game, and players who come dressed in costume will earn extra chips at the table.

Next Game: October 27th, 7:15 PM – Halloween Game! 🎃🃏

 

"May the Flop Be With You" – Hoagie Poker League Season 16

 

May 2025

The galaxy aligned for an epic conclusion to Season 16 of the Hoagie Poker League, as Game 9 unfolded on May the 4th with lightsabers, chips, and baby news in the air.

Earlier that day, Hoagie revealed some out-of-this-world news with a Star Wars-themed gender reveal—and by evening, he carried that energy straight to the felt.  

🌌 A Tight Table Until the End

As the final cards hit the table, tension was thick. The competition for the top 6 spots—each carrying travel funds for Vegas—came down to the wire. It was a night full of dramatic swings, and in true Skywalker fashion, Mike Lopresti went full Jedi Master on the table, even announcing he would win lotto.

Lopresti crushed the final night by taking home:

• The lottery bonus

• The first-place cash prize for Game 9

• A tournament seat by climbing to 12th place overall—the last eligible spot.

🏆 Passing of the Bracelet

Last year’s champ Shinn handed the bracelet to a winner Hoagie. After grinding all season and surviving the turbo nights, mystery bounty madness, and deepstack marathons, Hoagie secured the #1 spot.

🎲 Final Season 16 Standings & Payouts

The top 6 players earned Vegas travel money and a chance to represent the league on the national felt.

🥇 Hoagie – $3,000 

🥈 Keane – $1,500

🥉 Matt L – $1,500

4th Pierre – $1,000 

5th Jacob – $1,000

6th 🧈 Butter – $1,000

7th  Ray C – $1,080

8th Pete L – $560

9th Horn – $560

10th Waldman – $560

11th Tina – $330

12th Mike Lopresti – $330 

🎟️ Unused Entries from Past Seasons:

• Neamand (22–23 Season) – $330

• TJ (23–24 Season) – $330

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🛸 Looking Ahead to Season 17

The cards will be back in the air when Season 17 kicks off in September 2025. 

Until then, may the run-good be with you.

Season 16, Game 7: The Final Stretch Begins!

 

Season 16, Game 7: The Stretch Run Begins!

With only two games left in the season, the battle for points is heating up as the league inches closer to its final showdown. Game 7 featured 30-minute rounds, giving players more time to make moves—but for some, it still wasn’t enough to survive the growing pressure of the standings race.

Rick “The Grinder” seemed out of sorts on the night, possibly feeling the effects of one too many gummies. His usual steady play was off-kilter. Meanwhile, the lottery draw saw a split pot between Keane and Butter, unfortunately both pulling duds. Get Better.

This month, the newcomers made a statement with deep runs, showing that fresh blood can shake things up late in the season. Brian Horn has been on fire, making his fourth final table appearance of the season, but once again fell just short—this time finishing in second place. However, the night belonged to Tina, who secured her first-ever league victory, putting herself right in the mix as the standings tighten up.

With the top six players winning seats to Vegas and the top 12 earning a tournament prize, every chip counts from here on out. Tina and Brian are now battling in the middle of the pack, looking to climb into the top tier as we head into the final two games. 

Next Up: Deepstack Night - April 14th - 715 Pm

Season 16, G 6, Turbo Poker Night : Egg Video Goes Viral

 Hoagie Home Game: Season 16, Game 6 - Turbo Night Turns Viral!

The Hoagie Home Game crew has been known to crack a few jokes, but this time, we cracked something even bigger—viral success! For weeks, league members saved up empty egg cartons, and before the cards hit the felt on Turbo Night, we scrambled together a short poker-themed clip featuring eggs as our currency. What started as a yolk turned into an internet sensation, with our video hatching a whopping 15 million views worldwide after Draftkings shared the video! Talk about an eggs-traordinary result! full video here

Turbo Night Takes Off

With the blinds moving at lightning speed, Turbo Night put everyone in the hot seat from the jump. Rick decided to use a sub for the night, with Tim stepping in—but his tournament life was over-easy as he busted out early. Knowing Rick, he’s probably still steaming over it. Meanwhile, Vince—now officially dubbed "Vinny Subz"—filled in for Jeff and showed once again why he's the go-to replacement at the table.

High Hand Update: Shinn Scrambles the Competition

The season's high hand record got an upgrade when Shinn cooked up quad Kings with a Jack kicker, taking control of the leaderboard. That’s a tough one to beat, but with three games left, anything is possible. Mikey Mush, on the other hand, avoided his usual bad luck and won the lottery for the night. Maybe his luck is finally starting to hatch?

Final Table Fireworks

Newcomer Brian Horn has been heating up, going from a slow start to cracking the top three for the night. It was an eggs-hausting battle at the top, with Ray C and Hoagie going head-to-head for first place. In the end, Hoagie scrambled Ray and secured the win—launching himself into first place overall. With only three games left in the season, the leaderboard is still wide open, and it’s anyone’s ball game.

Special Shoutout

A massive thank you to Faded Spade for sponsoring our Hoagie Home Game and sending us the brand-new Faded Spade FX cards! These high-quality decks have been a game-changer, adding a touch of pro-level flair to our already legendary poker nights.

What’s Next?

Mark your calendars—the next game is 30-Minute Round Night on Monday, March 3rd, at 7:15 PM. 

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. 

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:

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 4 - Bounty Night

Game 4 - Bounty Night Madness!

It's time for another thrilling recap of our poker shenanigans, and Game 4 brough the house down! Literally, because it was the last game at Hoagies house. But fear not, poker league will take place at – Command Center 2.0. starting in 2024.

So, let's dive into the bounty-fueled chaos that was Game 4. Picture this: a poker night without subs. It finally happened, everyone was there even Scott showed up! The action kicked off fast and furious and players were dropping like flies. It was a true bounty night, with everyone's sights set on that sweet cash bounty bonus.

Rick also got an early Christmas gift with his Fold, Check, Raise T Shirt!

In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it turn of events, we found ourselves at the final table in under 2 hours. That's faster than it takes Keane to regret leaving a MNF football game early!

Roger won lottery bonus for the night.

Final Three - Samero, Shinn, and the hot-streak Harry. It was a showdown of epic proportions. Samero went heads up twice in a row, but this time, Shinn swooped in and closed the deal with a victory heads up. Sorry, Harry, your hot streak will have to sizzle for another day. Samero now is king of the stats for the time being, but the RHS class of 2001 is hot in pursuit.

And in a bittersweet twist, this was our last game at Hoagies house. The poker gods have spoken, and they've ordained Command Center 2.0 as the new poker haven. The movers are doing their thing, and we're gearing up for a fresh start in the new year.

Next Game 5 - Monday Jan . 8 - is just around the corner, and it's our charity night! The stakes are high, and the winner gets a golden ticket – a seat to play in event 20, the Charity Series of Poker $225 event at The Borgata in January.