Good thing we're not going to Punta Cana for a tan!

Beautiful day in Punta Cana today -- unfortunately nothing but thunderstorms and rain for next week when we're there. That's OK, we're not going to the Caribbean for a tan, are we?! lol Luckily the weather forecast for the casino at the Hard Rock is "clear and dry" during the CPT Punta Cana tournament.

CPT Punta Cana organizer expects at least one of our players to win some money

Here's the first episode of Living the Dream TV where we'll be following five online tournament champions that won their way to the CPT poker tournament in Punta Cana.

In the first episode, CPT Punta Cana organizer Leon Groenewoud looks forward to the event at the Hard Rock Casino next week and speculates on how our players -- Daniel, Derek, Neal, Steven and Phil -- will do at the live poker tournament.

Beginning November 4th and continuing throughout the CPT Punta Cana tournament until November 8th, there will be daily video reports here with the day's tournament results as well as interviews with the Living the Dream players and other players at the tournament.

Video: LTD TV E01: Organizer looks forward to CPT Punta Cana poker tournament

Five online satellite tournament winners won their way to the live poker tournament at the Hard Rock Punta Cana

The five online tournament champions that have won their way to the Caribbean are: 32 year old Austrian poker pro, Daniel Montagnolli; Neil Slade, a builder and recreational poker player from Hampshire UK; Derek Scallon, a Chicago poker pro and film producer, Steven Loney, a businessman who plays poker for fun, and Phil Cardella, a Pittsburgh CAD designer and purely recreational player.

Living the Dream TV, Episode 2 (The Team Arrives in Punta Cana) will be online November 4^th.

Recreational poker player played smart to win his way to Punta Cana

Phil Cardella, 29, won the last CPT Punta Cana online satellite tournament series to be held this fall and picked up the last of the $4100 prize packages.  He’ll join the four other players at the Hard Rock Punta Cana November 4th – 9th.

“There were only 8 players at the final table, but it was challenging as always,” Phil said after his online tournament win.  “I think when we were 5 handed me and one other person had at least half of the chips in play between the two of us and I figured we'd go heads up, which we did.”

Phil, a CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) Designer by trade, said he felt he had played smart throughout the poker tournament.

“I can't really recall any one play in particular that I would say was smart. I do remember the last hand though!  I had A-10 diamonds and I believe they had KK. I flopped a flush draw and caught it on the river. Wouldn't really say that was smart, it just went my way this time.”

He does recall one play during the poker tournament that he could have regretted.

“We were heads up and I had a 3:1 chip lead and went in with 33 pre-flop. I lost to two overs and then we were even in chips at that point. Wasn't long after that that I won though.  It all worked out in the end!”

When asked if he had any advice for online tournament players, he said “Learn how to lose because it happens quite frequently.”

“I’m hoping for some great weather in Punta Cana, and a good time,” he said from his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “And some extra cash to take home would be nice!”

Poker documentary film producer joins online winners in Punta Cana

Derek Scallon, 32, is a professional poker player in Chicago and produced a poker documentary film a couple of years ago. He's one of five online tournament champions that will be travelling to the Dominican Republic next month to play in a major live tournament, CPT Punta Cana.

“I played the qualifying tournament quite awhile ago, so I don’t remember too much other than it was a fun tournament and I was happy to be able to qualify.”

“I'm pretty excited about Punta Cana. I'll be going with my girlfriend.”

Derek produced a documentary film about online poker. IMDb

Bet Raise Fold tracks the origins and evolution of the Internet poker industry during the 2000s and its impact on a new generation of poker professionals. It examines the conflict between the US government and online gambling that eventually led to 'Black Friday,' the government shut-down of online poker in the United States. The rise and fall of the billion dollar industry is woven with the lives of three major characters: Danielle, a young mother from Minnesota who used online poker to support her family; Tony, a polyamorous Las Vegas tournament pro who hosts the World Poker Tour on television; and Martin, a math genius and poker savant from Australia who used his poker winnings to travel the world.

Bet Raise Fold is a coming-of-age story for an entire generation of young poker professionals. The film follows Danielle, a young mother from rural Minnesota who used online poker to support her family; Tony, a Las Vegas tournament pro who co-hosts the World Poker Tour on television; and Martin, a world-traveler from Australia obsessed with understanding the intricacies of the game. These players used online poker to build a life, only to have it all stripped away in one fell swoop by forces beyond their control.

The independent documentary, financed by a group of 12 high stakes online poker players, debuted to great acclaim at the 2013 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, and launched worldwide via VHX on June 30. Gravitas Ventures acquired the North American and international VOD rights after observing strong audience reactions and Internet buzz.



Join Derek on his Punta Cana adventure -- check this blog November 4th - 9th for daily updates from the Hard Rock Casino Punta Cana!

New Online Satellite Tournament Series Sending Winner to WPT Venice

As five online satellite tournament winners get ready for their trip to the CPT Punta Cana in just a few weeks, another satellite series has just begun at Intertops Poker and Juicy Stakes Poker and this one will send the winner to Italy for the WPT Venice National in December.

The WPT National Venice will be played at the oldest gaming establishment in the world, the luxurious Casino de Venezia. The tournament begins December 4th and the Final Table will be December 7th.

Step 1 tournaments in the three-tier series begin today and continue until October 17^th.  You can buy-in at any stage or win your way to the Final to be held Sunday, October 18^th at 1:00 pm Eastern.

The winner gets a $2200 prize package that includes €990 buy-in to the WPT National Main Event, four nights premium accommodation in Venice, and $500 to help with travel expenses.

WPT National Venice Online Satellite Tournaments

Step 1 ($2+$0.20)
1 ticket for Step 2 awarded
Daily October 7th – October 17^th, 13:00,  19:00, 21:00, 23:00 CET  (7am,  1pm,  3pm,  5pm EST)

Step 2 ($10+$1)
1 ticket for Final awarded
Daily October 7th – October 17^th, 21:00 CET (3pm EST)

Final ($100+$10)
$2200 WPT Venice prize package awarded
Sunday, October 18^th, 19:00 CET (1pm EST)

Enter these tournaments at either Intertops Poker or Juicy Stakes Poker.

The winner of another online satellite tournament series last spring competed in the WPT Venice in April. Lukas W, a 28 year old civil servant from Germany, enjoyed his trip to Venice but was eliminated early in that tournament.

“At the end of Day 1 I was busted,” he wrote in the Living the Dream poker player blog. “It was time to enjoy Venice with my girlfriend!”