Poker: Partying with 'The Brat Pack'

Remember when I said back in my recap of the Caribbean Adventure that Danny Negreanu needed his own sitcom?

After seeing the PartyPoker Million (or Cruisin' Mexico, or whatever the WPT is calling it now) Wednesday night, I'm convinced he needs it.

I've even got it figured out: Erick Lindgren, the "American Idol," can play the straight man, we can center it around poker games, and just for fun let's put one episode out on a boat in the waters of Mexico.

Wait, that was the PartyPoker Million...

The two rising stars of poker's "Brat Pack" were the star attraction in the quirky tourney, which took place on a cruise liner specifically charted for the event, was limit poker for a change, and had lots of lovely beverages. Not only was it fun, it had some great poker. Would Barry Greenstein or "E-Dog" win a second WPT title, or would Danny finally bust through and take one home? (Yours truly was hoping for the latter.)

The starting lineup:

1. Chris Hinchcliffe - $1,765,000 2. Erick Lindgren - $595,000 3. Daniel Negreanu - $560,000 4. Steve Zolotow - $380,000 5. Scotty Nguyen - $310,000 6. Barry Greenstein - $220,000

This week's Kevin Walker Award goes to rookie chip leader Chris Hinchcliffe, who won his way via a $25 satellite and kept on battling to the top. His story is the true thesis of poker: that anyone can win. Still, it wouldn't be a cakewalk at this table.

Tough competition, indeed, but surprisingly, the big guns didn't rule the day, as veteran pro Scotty Nguyen was the first to go. He went all-in holding A-5, but was called by both Barry (K-Q) and Danny (T-9). The flop came K-J-9-Q-7, and Barry and Danny exchanged blows, but Barry had two pair and Scotty went over the rail.

Unfortunately, he had no time to get comfortable. With limits going up, he went all in with K-9, walking right into Erick with A-Q. The flop came 9-3-3, holding out some vague hope, but the queen on the turn silenced any future for Barry Greenstein. Still, you can't fault a guy who is a good poker player and gives all his winnings to charity.

Steve Zolotow is one of those players who waits and waits for good hands. But that strategy can backfire if good hands don't come and the blinds get bigger, which is exactly what happened to him. He risked it all with Q-8, running right up against the Brat Pack boys: Danny with K-6 and Erick with Q-9. The board went J-3-2-2-4, Danny took home the pot with king high, and the Cinderella story was over.

(The hand also led to the line of the night: "You want the red card?" Danny jokingly asked Chris, referring to the cry for help in the "Hollywood Home Game," for which he's the pro lifesaver.)

Now it was a showbiz match if there ever was one: the two good friends and very talented poker players battling it out for the top spot on the ocean. Personally, Negreanu is my third-favorite poker player (and, as we discovered, a very funny stand-up comedian, as yours truly once was), and Lindgren had already won a WPT major, so I was pulling for the adorable Danny to rule. The two seemed a bit shellshocked that they were left together and having a great time of it. If ever one could call a tie in poker, this would've been the moment.

Still, both had over a million in chips, and both are crafty and tough to beat. It was anyone's match. The chips and the lead flung back and forth in the space of mere hands, until the American Idol finally shut down his buddy.

Danny held A-4 against Erick's A-3 -- pretty much a dead heat, the way you'd think it should be for two classy players and close buddies. 7-5-3 gave Erick a low pair, however, followed by J-5, and Danny's chance at a seat in the WPT Championship died on the stage as his amigo picked up his second WPT title this season.

The final standings:

1. Erick Lindgren - $1,000,000 2. Daniel Negreanu - $675,178 3. Chris Hinchcliffe - $441,463 4. Steve Zolotow- $259,684 5. Barry Greenstein - $194,763 6. Scotty Nguyen - $129,842

It wasn't what I'd hoped for. Still, aside from Danny winning, I really couldn't imagine a better ending. I still had a smile on my face.

A very good situation comedy, indeed.

Stay tuned next week for the recap of the final WPT event before the championship: Reno Hilton's World Poker Challenge. It's all coming quickly to a close in this season of the World Poker Tour -- but you never know what the next card will bring!