Mr. Jai-Alai’s World’s Fastest Column

Win a Seat to the WPT Borgata Open Worth $10,000

For those of you that were here on Wednesday night, June 30th, you saw the biggest crowd in the history of our poker room. There were 435 entries into the Dan Le Batard Poker Tournament that night, all chasing a $10,000 seat into the 2010 WSOP tournament in Las Vegas.

Well, many people got shut out of that tournament and you won’t want to miss this upcoming poker event. On Wednesday night, September 1st,at 8 pm, the Le Batard Tournament will feature a first prize of a seat to the World Poker Tour Borgata Open in Atlantic City. This package will total $10,000: $3,500 entry fee, $1,500 traveling expenses, and $5,000 playing money.

Now, the buy-in for our tournament is only $79, which makes it one of the most attractive events in Florida given the size of the projected prize pool and the first prize amount. You will get 4,000 units and we will try to have re-entry for the first hour, unless there are just too many people to allow for it.

It will still be a party, because every Le Batard tournament if filled with their irreverent fun and frolic. Dan’
s co-host and producer Marc Hochman emcees the events. No one can do giveways like “Hoch.” From Twinkies to Marlin or Dolphin tickets, Hoch is hilarious.

So, I suggest you sign up now, get your ticket and your seat for this Wednesday night big event. It will be a sell-out, I’m sure and you don’t want to miss it.

Poker Jackpots Update- Spin the Wheel at Midnight

Don’t forget, live action players and tournament Texas Hold’em players are eligible for the Bad Beat, High Hand and Royal Flush Jackpots. We have already paid out quite a few Bad Beat jackpots to our tournament players.
Plus, we have added a new wrinkle to our Texas Hold’em High Hand payouts, a “Spin the Wheel for $500″ at midnight. From 10 pm to midnight, the person with the high hand will spin the wheel where there are multiple denominations listed, one of which is $500. Our wheel is similar to the ones in the Vegas casinos and always creates some additional excitement.

Here are the new payouts:

Texas Hold’em

2:00pm $200
4:00pm $200
6:00pm $200
8:00pm $300
Midnight Spin the Wheel for a Chance at $500

7 Card Stud
2:00pm $50 and 4:00pm $50

“I hear the player’s yell to their partners during the playing of a point. Can you please tell me what they are saying?”
Ronnie Aranow, Hollywood

Communication is essential in good team play. In a doubles match in jai-alai, the backcourt man usually gives instructions to his partner. There are times that the frontcourter will, also, call off his partner or let him know how close he is to the back wall.

Here are some of the phrases or words that the players shout to each other during the playing of a point:

AIRE - Catch the ball in the air before it bounces.
Voy - Let the ball go, I got it!
TUYA - Yours!
VOY SINO - Yours or mine. If you don’t want, I can take it.
ENTRA - I am out of of position, you take it.
SALE - Be ready for the rebote off the back wall, it’s coming.
ARRIBA - Up, up, lift the ball deep to the backcourt.
LIBRE - Your are free to play the ball (used by the frontcourt player to let the backcourter know that even though he is near the back wall, there is still plenty of room.)

Poker Jackpots Changes

Live action players and tournament Texas Hold’em players are now eligible for the Bad Beat, High Hand and Royal Flush Jackpots.

The Dania Poker Room is now offering a new structure for Texas Hold’em High Hand payouts. And, for the first time, tournament players are now eligible along with the live action players for Bad Beat, High Hand, and Royal Flush jackpots.

Here are the new payouts:

Texas Hold’em
2:00pm $100
4:00pm $150
6:00pm $200
9:00pm $250
Midnight $400

7 Card Stud
2:00pm $50 and 4:00pm $50

Plans for LeBatard Poker Tourney to Win Trip to WPT Borgata Open

Preliminary plans have been made for a September 1st, Wednesday night, Dan LeBatard 790 The Ticket poker tournament where first prize will be a trip to Atlantic City to play in the Borgata Open. This tournament prize will be worth $10,000. The Bogata Open is a stop on the World Poker Tour and has a $3,500 Buy-in. After kicking in another $1,500 for travel expenses, there will be an additional $5,000 in playing cash for the lucky winner. Watch for more details in coming issue.

How much does the jai-alai ball weigh and why does it look like it flies faster than other times?

Kim Kish, Cooper City

The pelota or jai-alai ball weighs between 115 and 130 grams. It is hand made of Brazilian virgin de para rubber with a layer of yarn and two hand-sown goatskin covers. A brand new pelota with a new cover will fly slower and bounce lower than one that has been used for as little as 10 minutes. As a pelota hits the front wall, the friction of the surface wears the cover down, causes the rubber to heat up and expand. This will cause an increased liveliness to the ball and it will actually fly faster. The use of a new or used ball is a very important part of the strategy players use when playing the game. If they are playing against a very strong player with a good forehand throw, especially one that comes directly over the top (picada), they will choose a new or dead ball to minimize his power. The server always gets his choice of balls to use.

Poker- LeBatard Tournament to have WSOP as Prize in June

Everyone knows that one Wednesday a month the poker room fills up with Dan LeBatard fans for the festive celebrity poker tournament hosted by 790 The Ticket. This has become one of the best poker events around. Marc Hochman, Dan’s sidekick and program director, emcees with his own irreverent style, giving away prizes that range from Twinkies to Marlins tickets and even insulting many of the celebs as they bust out of the tournament.

Well, it might have just gotten even better as the June 30th tournament will have a World Series of Poker $10,000 seat as first prize. The entry fee is just $79… and a chance to win a $10,000 seat plus $1,000 in traveling expenses… this is something you won’t want to miss. Check in the Poker Room for any further details. That’s 8 pm on Wednesday, June 30th, the Dan LeBatard Celebrity Poker Tournament… only at Dania Jai-Alai.

CLUB JAI Now Open With Live Entertainment

Those familiar with the Dania Jai-Alai Tobacco Shop (I’m sure all the smokers know it well),located on the west side of the building adjacent to the back wall of the court, will not recognize it on Friday and Saturday nights. It morphs into the new, chic, intimate Club Jai.

Club Jai will feature some of the top local bands in South Florida performing live from 9 pm to about 1 am every Friday and Saturday night. It is Dania Jai-Alai’s first actual nightclub inside the building. We are calling it “a place where people can smoke, joke, relax, unwind, and enjoy some live music and dancing.” Also, you are only a few steps away from live jai-alai, poker and simulcasting, which makes it even more fun. Go in and check it out.

Winter Season Champions

Well, it was a tight race right down to the finish with the Triple Crown being as elusive as in horse racing. Solozabal looked to be in position to take his first Triple Crown only to have Arriaga snatch it away in the Singles Championship by just 3 wins.

Solozabal was still the big winner as he captured the Frontcourt and Most Wins titles. Arriaga won the Singles Championship and Enbil won the Backcourt title. Solozabal, also, took the Campeonato which is the player that finishes in the money the most.

Yes, it was Solozabal’s season and congratulations go out to the big guy, who, by the way, is one of the tallest frontcourt players in the world. He has now become an awesome force on the roster.

Poker

Don’t miss the big $50,000 guaranteed prize pool, $340 buy-in, tournament on Saturday, May 22nd at 12 noon. Lots of money can be won in this big event. Satellites are being offered daily to win an entry. You, also, get a dinner buffet included in your buy-in.

We have confirmed a big charity event to benefit Daryl Gardener’s Kids Foundation starting on Saturday, May 29th. This is to be a 5 week event that will involve a lot of local celebrities and athletes. Most of the money will go to a great cause and it looks like some $10,000 World Series of Poker entries will be included in the prize pool. Check with our Cardroom for the details.

Winter Season Comes to a Close With a Possible Triple Crown

The 2009/10 Winter Jai-Alai Season draws to a close with Solozabal chasing one of the most coveted titles in the sport, the Triple Crown. With the statistics ending at the conclusion of the Tuesday evening performance on April 27th, Solo has wrapped up two of the three championships necessary for the crown: the Most Wins Championship and the Frontcourt title. The Singles plaque will probably come down to the last game. As of this printing, he has a one-win lead over Arriaga.

There are a few players that have won Triple Crowns, like Joey and Arriaga, multiple “Crown” winners. But, it is not easy to dominate in all three categories in a single season and this is something special. Keep your eye on the final Singles games and we wish Solozabal the best of luck.

We invite you to be here Friday evening, April 30th, as the players will salute the fans by running through the audience just prior to recognizing the winter season winners with plaque presentations. This will take place about 9:30 following the 7th game.

Changes for the Summer Season

Many of you have heard that the Dania Jai-Alai schedule will change effective May 1st, the beginning of the Summer Season. The fronton will be open Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7 pm with matinees on Tuesday and Saturday at 12 noon. But, Sundays will no longer have live jai-alai. So, the players get some rest on Sundays and Mondays and return fresh on Tuesday. There will still be simulcasting and poker on Sundays.

Also, there will be 12 games offered on Tuesday through Thursday nights instead of 13. The weekends and Tuesday matinees will have 13 games instead of 14.

Poker Has Big Tournament May 22nd Plus Some Charity Events Coming

Don’t miss the big $50,000 guaranteed prize pool, $340 buy-in, tournament on Saturday, May 22nd at 12 noon. Lots of money can be won in this big event. Satellites are being offered daily to win an entry.

Also, some special charity events are being scheduled in May, with some possible big sports celebrities to be in our midst. Watch for details.