February 16 2011, Chad Holloway

This past Sunday, the Main Event of the World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s Tunica kicked off with 480 players. One of those entries was a likable grinder who travels from stop to stop on the long, grueling Circuit in the hopes of qualifying for the WSOP-C National Championship $1 Million Freeroll. His name is Chris Tryba and he is no stranger to poker.

To say that Tryba is a Circuit regular is an understatement. Last August, he left his home in Vegas to follow the WSOP-C and hasn’t returned home since. He simply packed his car, found some friends, and hit the road, driving to whichever casino offered the best action. While it is a tough lifestyle, Tryba has managed to find some success. He has four WSOP cashes in Vegas totaling $48,353 and an even more impressive 14 WSOP-C cashes, good for $170,444. His biggest score of $51,350 came during the 2009/2010 WSOP-C when he finished second to Gabriel Cook in the $5,000 Main Event of the Horseshoe Southern Indiana stop. So far this year, Tryba has strung together six cashes on the circuit and accumulated 65 points on the National Leaderboard.

PokerNews had the chance to catch up with Tryba at the WSOP-C Harrah’s Tunica stop and ask him a few questions about the life of a circuit traveler.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, like where you’re from, how you got into poker, etc.?

I’m from just west of Boston, small town called Sturbridge, where I also started playing cards with friends and family. My parents have never gambled other than an occasional scratch ticket . . . me, well I guess it’s in my blood. I remember around nine or ten I was playing “poker” with a neighborhood friend and I beat him for several albums, Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice” and The Kinks “Low Budget” are the only two I remember. I still have them but haven’t looked at them in a long time.

It wasn’t until after college that I got serious about “real poker” around ’98-’99. I would make an occasional trip to Foxwoods and donate in the pits. One day I stumbled in the poker room and haven’t left yet. At first I found I lost a lot less in the poker room, then I met some good friends, that are still friends today, and we just wanted to crush the game, so we read, talked and got better. All of which I continue to try and do today. It’s not an easy gig!

You’re a regular on the WSOP Circuit. What attracted you to the WSOP-C? What are your goals? Are you aiming to qualify for the National Championship?

I started following the Circuit this year only to qualify for the $1,000,000 Freeroll. It’s pretty much the only reason I continue. Once I set my sights on something, I sort of get tunnel vision.

Have you had the chance to meet any friends while traveling the Circuit?

I have made a few new friends. It is always nice to meet new people.

What can you tell us about your good friend, and fellow Circuit regular, Kevin Calenzo?

Kevin and I have become great friends since we left Vegas in August, that’ll sort of happen when you drive from stop to stop, that, or one of us kills the other. Most people probably don’t know that he travels and sleeps with a teddy bear [laughs].

Have you been to all the WSOP-C stops so far? Which stop has been your favorite and why? Which has been your least favorite and why?

I’ve been to all except Lake Tahoe, which bums me out because that is one of the most beautiful spots on earth and reminds me of my time living in Switzerland. But, as I had my car in Biloxi, Tahoe started the day after that event, and Atlantic City started right after Lake Tahoe, it was a gross scheduling spot.

From a players perspective Hammond was far and away the best due to all the added money. We also rented a decent apartment two miles away, so it was a fun stop. A close second was Biloxi as we rented a sweet spot in Ocean Springs and got to check out the ocean on our drive in over the bridge. My least favorite, hmmm . . . well, I don’t know. They sort of all blur together. I guess they all fit the same category since my main goal is to make money. Unfortunately, that’s not happening.

What has been your favorite moment on the Circuit thus far?

Poker wise, railing Calenzo in his second-place finish in [Southern] Indiana [to Charles “Woody” Moore. Fun times. Life wise was Biloxi. I love the ocean.

Can you give us an idea of what sort of grind it can be traveling the circuit?

Well, you know about the traveling part of the grind for the most part, but when I have to win to eat, I think it adds to the grind a little bit. I've always loved traveling so that part sits well with me. Being able to drive all over allows me to travel with things that make life a little better. However, I don't think the average player, who doesn't travel, understands how difficult it can be.

To be honest, [grinding the Circuit is] probably not going to work for 95 percent of the people out there, maybe higher. But I am single, without kids, and I get to combine two loves, travel plus poker. So it is ok for me. I’m really looking forward to the West Palm Beach stop. I think that’ll be my favorite stop as I’m going to get some scuba diving in as they have the best drift diving anywhere.

What are your plans for the rest of 2011? Can we expect to see you in Vegas come the WSOP?

Well, I live in Vegas so, yes, I’ll be there. Although I haven’t been there since August. Until then, I’ll see you on the Circuit including West Palm Beach, Caesars Atlantic City, and St. Louis for sure, or until I qualify. I figure I’ll need another 55 points, a total of 120 or so, to do it. The ice has to melt eventually.

There are still a number of stops remaining on the 2010/2011 WSOP-C schedule. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for all the updates from the circuit trail.

February 16 2011, Elaine Chaivarlis

We’re not sure how it happened, but it’s already Wednesday, and the only thing we can hope for is that the remaining two days of this work week go as fast as the first two. In tonight’s Nightly Turbo, we’ve got the results from the World Poker Tour National Series in Paris, the details on the Team PokerStars Challengers, and more.

In Case You Missed It

The 10th Annual European Poker Awards were held Sunday night at the Queenie Club in Paris. Want to know who took home a trophy? Check out our EPA recap.

The World Series of Poker Circuit Tunica stop finished up Tuesday night, and a winner was crowned. Find out how Sam Barnhart navigated his way through the final table in our WSOP-C recap.

While at the WSOP-C in Tunica, Mississippi, we caught up with one of the players trying to qualify for a seat in the National Championship $1 Million Freeroll. Check out the latest PokerNews Interview, to find out more on Chris Tryba and his Circuit grind.

While the Poker Players Alliance didn’t lobby to get the intrastate Internet gambling legislation passed in New Jersey, it will be there if the bill becomes law. Read what PPA executive director John Pappas has to say about the PPA’s role in New Jersey.

*Photo courtesy of the PartyPoker Blog

From Russia, With Love

No, Natalia Nikitina is not the newest Bond girl, she took down the World Poker Tour National Series Euro Finals of Poker Diamond Championship early Wednesday morning. Nikitina was the last woman standing at the end of play, besting the 188-player field, taking home €243,830.

Nikitina battled Alexandre Brivot heads up, with the chip lead transferring hands a number of times before Brivot moved all in with king-jack and was called by Nikitina. Nikitina’s ace-three held and all the chips were pushed her way.

“That was a long and hard contest,” she said shortly after her first live major tournament win, “Three hours before the end I was actually finding it hard to stay awake and keep concentrating on my game but I am delighted to win. I am going to celebrate by buying a BMW 6 Series,” she said shortly after her win.

Sam Trickett, who has had a stellar year so far, was part of the final table, finishing in sixth place, good for €43,545.

Final Table Results

1. Natalia Nikitina – €243,830
2. Alexandre Brivot – €174,170
3. Jean-Louis Tepper – €113,210
4. Benjamin Pollak – €69,670
5. Tobias Wagner – €52,250
6. Sam Trickett – €43,545
7. Ingo Paulus – €34,835
8. Nicolo Calia – €26,120

Head on over to the PartyPoker Blog for more, including an interview with Nikitina.

Team PokerStars Challengers

While we’d like to say we stumbled across the Team PokerStars Challengers while playing online it wouldn’t be accurate, because these guys are playing higher than our $.05/$.10 bankroll will allow us to. We came across a thread on TwoPlusTwo titled, New “team pokerstars pro’ [challenger] ?? and we decided to do a little investigative work. After an email or two to our sources, we’ve figured it out.

Team PokerStars Challengers are three players from Greece, George Kapalas (gkap13), Alexis Zervos (J0hnny_Dr@m@), and Stavros Kalfas (IDOLLS). The Challengers, who will be gradually introduced over the next few months, are professional players who are well known in their local market by their performances online and on the European tournament circuit.

The three have agreed to take on a challenge to determine which one of them is going to be the best overall performer in 2011. Online tournament ROI, most live event cashes, and SCOOP and WCOOP performances are some but not all the categories the three are competing in.

We’ve been told that PokerStars will be releasing more information on the Challengers soon, as well as a way to find out how they’re performing.

Why don’t you sign up for a PokerStars account and rail their tables, or take advantage of our sign up bonus.

Lend a Helping Paw

Every time the Sarah McLachlan SPCA commercial comes on, we have to turn away from the television. What can we say, we’re suckers for animals. On May 21, you can help out the Nevada SPCA at the fifth annual Jennifer Harman Celebrity Poker Tournament at the Peppermill Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. The event will be included in the Heartland Poker Tour’s fall line-up of televised programming.

Players can enter individually for $230, or $2,500 per team, as part of the third annual Throw Down, team competition. Teams will get a pro/celebrity team captain, customized jerseys, and more.

“The best thing about adopting a pet is experiencing their unconditional love. The Nevada SPCA ensures these once abandoned and abused animals are cared for, given loving homes, or live humanely in its no-kill shelter for the rest of their lives. Everyone who participates is actually saving a life, and that means so much to me,” Harman said.

Jennifer Harman, Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Marco Traniello, Daniel Negreanu, Lacey Jones, Maria Ho, Antonio Esfandiari, Joe Sebok, and Barry Greenstein are just a few of the poker pros on slate to attend.

Want to find out more? Check out GreasieWheels.com.

Macau Poker Cup Begins Soon

As if the high-stakes cash games in Macau weren’t enough to get poker players there, the Macau Poker Cup gets under way next week. Officials are calling for a record-breaking week for PokerStars Macau at Casino Grand Lisboa. The Red Dragon Main Event, which begins February 21, is boasting a HKD $3million guarantee and the 321-player record, set in 2010, is expected to be smashed this year.

Both Day 1 flights have 200-player caps and already, more than half of the Day 1a cap is occupied by PokerStars qualifiers. Marcel Luske, Pieter de Korver, Celina Lin, Raymond Wu, and Bryan Huang have been confirmed to attend the event.

Find out more at PokerStarsMacau.com, and while you’re at it, we can’t think of a reason not to sign up for a PokerStars account and qualify for some events.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news and become a fan on Facebook.

We are tired of tiny freerolls, no doubt you are too. If so then check out our $34,000 Monster Pot Freeroll series with Poker770 – only a $20 deposit and 20 poker770 points to qualify.