Valley couple finds success on poker's biggest stage

Sept. 8, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

MAT-SU - When it comes to poker, specifically Texas Hold' em, Kristi Smith is all-in.

She watches World Series of Poker events on television. She plays in a fairly serious home game. And she's a regular in the tournaments sponsored by the Alaska Poker Association.

Basically, Smith is all about the game that gives a player two hole cards and five community cards to make the best five-card hand.

Earlier this summer the Mat-Su Valley resident had the opportunity to test her skills in one of poker's biggest venues. Smith participated in an event at the 2006 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Nev., and she walked away from the table a cash winner.

Smith finished 57th in the ladies no-limit event, a tournament with 1128 participants. And if that wasn't enough, her husband Brett also left Sin City with a little of Las Vegas' money. Brett finished 185 of 2,891 players in the World Series event No. 17.

Kristi and Brett started playing about two years. They played in a little home game every Saturday night, and soon got involved in some regular home games and the local poker associations.

&#8220I played a lot of video poker, and my husband said, ‘lets try Texas Hold' em',” Kristi said. &#8220And it kind of snowballed from there.”

Brett said he enjoys the competition of poker, and Kristi said it has become a great way to simply meet people.

&#8220I've lived in the Valley for five-and-a-half years, and the first couple years I didn't know anyone,” Kristi said. &#8220Now I can't go to the store without running into someone I've played poker with.”

Kristi said there was actually a fairly large group of women who she regularly played with, that made the trip to the World Series.

Eight women from the Valley played in the ladies event. Kristi did not share a table with any of the other Valley women, but she did sit right next to actress Jennifer Tilly - the winner of the World Series bracelet in last year's ladies no-limit event.

Kristi said Tilly, a player known for her boisterous personality, was very friendly between hands, but all business when the cards where on the table. Kristi almost had a chance to rid the star of a bunch of her chips. She was dealt an ace and king of the same suit - known as ‘big slick' in the poker world - and made a big raise. Everyone at the table folded to her, including Tilly.

That's a hand that most players want to get their chips in with, and so did Kristi. For the most part she said he tried to establish a tight table image. A tight player generally plays few hands, and waits for the premium cards to bet.

&#8220I hardly played any hands,” she said. &#8220When I did play, I was able to steal a lot of the time.”

Brett said he played much tighter at the World Series than he normally would. But he was also playing in a tourney with nearly 3,000. It's the biggest tournament, other than the infamous main event with the $10,000 buy in that the Series has hosted. Before the series, Brett said, the biggest tournament he played in might have had 140 people.

Brett said the overall competition was similar to what he sees at home, and he was surprised at that.

&#8220I thought there'd be a lot of sharks,” he said.

Within about the first dozen hands, Brett had to make one of the toughest choices of his tournament. He was dealt a small pair in late position - position refers to where a player is sitting at the table - and made the choice just to call the minimum bet. On the flop - the first three community cards dealt - Brett was dealt his set, or three-of-a-kind. He re-raised the initial bet, and another player came back over the top of him and made a bigger raise.

&#8220At that point I had to make the choice, if he had the bigger set,” Brett said. &#8220So I went all in. My poker instincts told me I had the best hand.

&#8220It was pretty surreal,” Brett added. &#8220I was pretty nervous on that hand. It was only 20 minutes into play. I didn't want to be done after 20 minutes.”

Kristi and Brett both said the game of poker has found a home in the Valley, and the quality of players is on the rise. Brett said organizations like the Mat-Su Poker Crew and the Alaska Poker Association have allowed he and his wife to become more active and better players.

The Smiths are just part of a Valley poker scene that made a splash at the World Series. Poker regular Danny Walker, of Wasilla, participated in the Series' main event. Brandon Blake, of Palmer, also cashed in a no-limit tourney.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.