Michael Craig Blog

WILL THE REAL TED FORREST PLEASE BULK UP?

A side effect of following this weight-loss prop bet story is that I’ve put on about five pounds. I don’t know if it was my discomfort at seeing my friend Ted Forrest in such an extreme condition, or my difficulty coming to terms with the concept of not eating for eleven days, or something else. But I’ve been working on this story – both the physical writing and the intangible “hanging out,” which is my secret weapon for this job – almost full-time since Sunday, and I’m finding myself eating constantly.

I took a break from writing late last night to pick up a pizza. And not just any pizza, either. A pizza the size of a tractor tire, one on which they supposedly ladle toppings with a trowel. Hauling the pizza out to my car was a chore, both due to the unwieldy size and all the releases I had to sign in order to take possession. When I returned to my car, I had a voicemail message from Ted Forrest.

Ted’s been very much on my mind, and not only as a writing subject. I’ve been worried for his health, and, though my fears were slightly lessened by the vitality he demonstrated Tuesday night, they were greatly increased by his ghastly appearance.

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Ted Forrest is Alive and … Well … and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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At this point, I admit that I became too close to a story that was already making me feel uncomfortable. Apart from my shock at Ted Forrest’s appearance, I was now helping him hunt down Mike Matusow. On the one hand, Mike’s a friend, Ted and Mike were friends, and I’d done such errands before. On the other, Matusow now owed Forrest two million dollars. If Ted was willing to go to such extreme measures, who knew what Mike – clearly and publicly profoundly depressed over both the possibility he would (a) owe Ted Forrest two million dollars, and (b) be responsible for Forrest’s death – would do? He already backed out of the televised weigh-in.

Yet, there I was, leading Ted Forrest, his girlfriend, and a martial arts expert to his house. Not only that, I was responsible for what would, under most common-law definitions, criminally be called “trespass” or “breaking and entering.” In some states – there was no opportunity for me to research Nevada law during the drive over – Mike Matusow would be justified in shooting us on sight. And I was the first one through the door.

But come on, this is Mike Matusow we’re talking about, right? He’s not shooting anyone, right? I committed exactly this form of trespass back in 2006 and the end result of that was Matusow winning the Tournament of Champions. I did exactly the same thing in 2007 and that led to us completing a chapter of the Strategy Guide and, incidentally, my meeting Sam Grizzle and becoming his designated driver for the night. (I will try to conclude this story with a series of “flashbacks” to my prior adventures with Mike and Ted, but no promises for now.)

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Forrest & Matusow Meet at the Gates of Hell and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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One wants to die. And he thinks the other could die. I’ve covered a lot of strange stories in poker. I saw Phil Ivey win $10 million in one day. I saw Andy Beal lose $8 million to Ted Forrest and then win it back. I visited Mike Matusow in jail. But those stories were nothing compared to the strangeness of this past evening. And I promise you, the next part of this story is way more strange than this part.

At 7:14pm Ted Forrest stepped on the scale in the Pavilion Room and once again into history for a gambling feat that will never be forgotten. By weighing 138.0 lbs., 50 lbs.pounds less than his weight after a meal at the Commerce in May that led to this bet, Ted Forrest won $2 million from Mike Matusow and Justin Smith.

I make my living with words but the whole thing was so strange that I am going to let pictures tell most of the story. For instance, when I got to the room at 6:56pm, Huckleberry Seed was waiting, holding an elaborate electronic scale.

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of One Wants to Die … and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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At 7:14pm, on Tuesday, July 13, 2010, Ted Forrest won one of the biggest bets in the history of wagering when he stepped on a scale on the stage at the Pavilion Room at the Rio Convention Center in Las Vegas and the number staring back at him was 138.0 pounds. The moment was numbing: exciting, exhilarating, alarming, anticlamactic. But Forrest swears he didn’t do it for the two million dollars. “Somebody I care about very much needed to see that the impossible is possible.”

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Ted Forrest: I Wanted To Show That The Impossible Was Possible and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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I first got the idea that Shauna should play the WSOP Media Event a few weeks ago when I received an email from Seth Palansky issuing an invitation to play on Sunday, July 11. I forwarded it to Shauna with a note suggesting that it might be fun if she played and I reported on what would be her first-ever poker tournament.

After I busted from the Main Event, we got to talking about our future plans for the blog and I asked her if she signed up yet. “No, I don’t play poker.”

Naturally, I was in a bitchy mood so I said, “Well, I told you to.”

“I thought you were kidding.” This was followed by an argument in which I told Shauna she had to enter and she told me she didn’t appreciate being a punch-line for my blog.

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Learn, Chat, and Play … With Shauna? and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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Whatever the composition of the November 9, it won’t include me or starting-table-mate Emily Jillette. We both busted on Day 1-D, Thursday.

Robin Leach, the famous tabloid journalist who operates the Vegas Deluxe web site, asked me and several others to serve as “celebrity columnists” for his blog about what’s new and hot in Las Vegas. Today was the deadline and I thought you might find what I sent him enlightening. I’ll let you know when and if it appears on his blog, but this is the draft I prepared.

Shauna relayed me Robin’s request and, when I asked what he was looking for, this is what he said: “His overview of the WSOP tournament – and what we might expect the final nine table might look like based on what’s happened in previous years. Some musing on why poker seems to get winners out of nowhere and the big-name pros don’t make it to the winners circle – perhaps. I’m thinkng of the logger who got so far. Muse on anything he wants to.”

I turned it into an essay handicapping the composition of the November 9:

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Handicapping the Main Event and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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Just past 2:30 AM, Huckleberry Seed became the latest WSOP Tournament of Champions winner. Seed, runner-up Howard Lederer, and third-place finisher Johny Chan lobbed and dodged bombs for a long time in the Amazon Room as the last players standing. The table talk and the twists of fate should make for excellent television when broadcast on ESPN.

Of course, Huck Seed is no stranger to you readers of the blog. Though to most of the poker world he remains a shadowy, enigmatic figure, I’ve occasionally been able to capture a unique glimpse of Seed’s unique skills, intelligence, and humor:

*When Huck went on a tear in an early Series of FTOPS;

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Congratulations to Huckleberry Seed, ToC Champion and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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Since fall 2007, I’ve been asked by readers of the blog about Uncle Tilty. Uncle Tilty, to you newer readers, is an actual, real life boss of mine at Full Tlt and I have referred to him in at least fifty blogs. For some reason, I’ve gotten the idea that some readers don’t believe he exists. For you, I finaly have proof.

I can understand why there would be questions. For legal and job-security reasons, I’ve never said his full name in the blog. In addition, because he is, after all, the mogul behind an online gaming empire, he probably appears to some people to be a shadowy figure.

He IS a shadowy figure, but he is a REAL shadowy figure.

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of I Snapped a Photo of Uncle Tilty and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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[Much appreciation, obviously, to Richie Blackmore, Ian Gillian, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice.]

We all came down to Vegas
For the World Series of Poker
Playing poker for the Boys & Girls Club
Before the Main Event we didn’t have much time

At the Golden Nugget,
It was thecoolest party in town
‘Til high winds and fireworks
Almost burned the place to the ground
Smoke on the desert, fire in the sky
Smoke on the desert, fire in the sky

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Smoke on the Desert and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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The 2010 World Series of Poker has been a difficult one for most Full Tilt pros, me included. There have been some great Full Tilt performances during the Series, but most Full Tilt pros – along with most poker players – have found mostly disappointment at the Series. My own failures notwithstanding, however, this is a good opportunity to celebrate the achievements of those Full Tilt pros who have excelled at the Series. Maybe, because red pros have waited until the last several events to assert themselves, the best is yet to come.

Through 49 events, Full Tilt pros have won six bracelets, with at least half of those coming very recently. Praz Bansi got things off to a good start for Full Tilt pros by winning the huge $1,500 NLHE Event #5. Considering the number of top pros affiliated with Full Tilt, however, it was a relatively long drought before a second Full Tilt bracelet. That occurred in Event #21, the $1,500 Stud, when Richard Ashby took home the gold.

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BluffMagazine.com contains only a portion of Full Tilt WSOP Scorecard and only a few other Michael Craig blog posts. To read the blog in its entirety, visit http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/

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