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All the young bulls were in the Fountain room at the Bellagio last night to watch the Spanish “Matador,” Carlos Mortensen, kill off five opponents.
The field contained 4 Asian Americans and white boy, Eric Seidel.
This seems to be the most professional TV production of poker. The players entered to a backdrop of the Bellagio water show. The audience was entertained during breaks by Linda Johnson’s trivia questions. The audience included Daniel Negreanu & fiancée, Jennifer Harmon & Mr. Traniello, Mr & Mrs. Bobby Baldwin, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Phillips and the Ariahs. When introduced, Josh was booed by the audience! His wife is as pretty as Shana who must have been cold out on the balcony at 1am.

First blood at 8.45 pm when John Juanda’s pocket 10’s were beaten all the way by pocket queens.

Another 2 hours before Hung La went out in 5th place for $120,000 when his Q-10 was called by Carlos with pocket 8’s. No sooner had I written this hand down than Eric Seidel was all in and out with QJ against As-Ah. Eric only played two significant hands all evening, lost half his stack on the first one and the rest on this one. Still $165,000 to add to his earlier $217,000. I won’t be seeing the Seidels in the 99c store soon.

The midnight hour passed, Paul Phillips shared a flask of the hard stuff with Daniel and Jennifer. Eric Lindgren didn’t have to share with anyone!

3 handed, everyone was hovering around the 2 million chip count. Then Carlos regained his lead when he KO’ed David Pham’s Ac-Jc with pocket 3’s. Unknown, Thang “Kido” Pham, who has a few moves, finally lost when Carlos’, who had been pushing all in every hand, K-10 beat Kido’s K-8. A king on the flop of no help. Kido mockingly pleaded with his wife to let him return to Bellagio in December.

Carlos, with one of the most beautiful wives in poker, had some catching up to do with the celebrity friends in the audience and I am sure he did!!!!