Tournament Details

Whether it’s through battle or divine right, kings find their way to the throne. In poker, there are many people who may try to lay claim to the poker crown, but only the WPT Fathers and Sons tournament can dub the true royal family of poker. It’s a format you’ll find nowhere else: fathers and sons with 200,000 in chips playing tag-team no-limit hold’em. Here’s how the table looked then the event kicked off.

Seat 1: Barry and Jeff Shulman
Seat 2: Dick and Vince Van Patten
Seat 3: Doyle and Todd Brunson
Seat 4: Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok
Seat 5: Steve and John Stolzmann
Seat 6: Mike and Romeo Simon

With the blinds at 3,000/6,000, it was clear from the very beginning that Dick Van Patten wanted to be in action. He limped in with 7h4h, perhaps not caring that his son Vince had never been able to play in a WPT event. Romeo Simon checked his option in the big blind with Kd4d. Vince, from the rail, called out, “Cocktails!”

The flop could not have been better for the Simons: Ad7d9d. Rather than slow play his stone cold nuts, Romeo bet out. Dick, perhaps not realizing his son had not yet had the chance to play a hand in the event, smooth-called with his second pair. The turn could not have been worse for Dick. The 4c gave Dick two pair. When Romeo led out again, Dick called. The Ks on the river changed nothing. Again, Romeo bet, and again Dick called to see he’d been behind the whole way.

“Nothing you could do,” Vince said to his dad. In just the first few hands, the Van Pattens had lost more than half their stack. “We’ve only been playing for three minutes and you’ve got nothing left,” Vince mused.

“But what action!” Dick smiled.

A few hands later, Todd came in for a raise with JdJc. Back around to Dick, he looked down at JhTc. As he considered what to do, Vince said he might as well move All-In. With barely any chips left, Dick slung in his last few to see how dominated he really was. When Todd turned over his cards, the younger Van Patten saw his chances of playing in a WPT event vanish.

“Disaster,” Vince said.

Indeed, it was. The board offered a brief hope of a chopped pot, but it was not to be. The Van Pattens made their way out of the room. “I feel real bad Vince didn’t have a chance to play,” Dick said.

With Dick’s exit, the teams tagged up and switched players. “You chopped old Dick Van Patten up. I hope you’re all proud of yourselves,” Barry Greenstein said as he sat down at the table.

While there would be a small amount of action, the players would switch back to the original five before the next serious hand developed.

Romeo came in for a min-raise to 20,000 with QhJh and Todd smooth-called with KhKs. In the big blind, Steve picked up AsAd and made it 80,000 to play. Todd sprung what he thought was a trap. “All-In,” he announced. Steve couldn’t say, “Call” any faster. The flop came Kc7c9h. Steve would have to catch his ace. The six of hearts on the turn meant nothing and the four of hearts on the river meant the Stolzmanns were gone.

Doyle bid Steve goodbye and said, “Welcome to my world.”

“His only mistake this time was getting unlucky,” John said.

Four-handed, the Brunsons held a commanding chip lead over their opponents. “I know Doyle is a menacing figure, but you can’t let him run over you,” Joe said to his dad.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get in with the worst hand and suck out,” Greenstein said.

A few minutes later, Doyle limped in for 10,000 with Ah4c. Quickly, Greenstein made it 30,000 to play with Td8d. Doyle called and they saw an action flop: AdTh8h. Doyle thought he was a setting a trap when he check-raised Greenstein All-In. He knew he was in trouble when Greenstein called instantly with his two pair. Doyle didn’t improve on the turn or river and handed the chip lead to Team Greenstein/Sebok.

It would not be long before the Simons doubled up the Shulmans and found themselves on the short stack. Under the gun, Mike raised it to 40,000 with AhTd. Greenstein sat in the big blind with JsJh and moved All-In. Mike called in a shot and put his stack on the line. The board came QsTs3c3h5d and the Simons exited in fourth place.

Just moments later, the hand repeated itself. Barry Shulman came in for a raise with AdTs. Joe Sebok looked down at JhJc and moved All-In. Shulman called. When the flop came jack-high and the turn paired the board, the Shulmans were out.

It was now down to two of the best father/son tournament combinations in the world. Team Greenstein/Sebok went into the heads-up match with a 3-1 chip lead against Team Brunson.

The two master teams battled back and forth in a duel that was fitting of a fight for the throne. Both Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok kept the pressure on the two Brunsons. When Sebok came in for a raise with AcTc, Todd looked like he’d had enough. He moved All-In with Qs8s. The board didn’t bail out the Brunsons and Team Greenstein/Sebok climbed onto the poker throne.

However, there remained one piece of unfinished business. In poker, there is no such thing as two winners. So, the World Poker Tour sat Greenstein and Sebok across the table from each other for a heads-up battle. It was something that had never happened before - and would not happen this time either.

“In the spirit of not wanting to play heads-up against my dad, I’m going to move All-In in the dark,” Joe said.

Barry responded in kind and moved his money into the middle. One at a time, the father and son flipped their cards to reveal AsQc for Barry and Kc2s for Joe. Once again, it seemed clear the teacher would beat the pupil. The board confirmed it and ran out QsTd4cThAh.

“Ace on the river,” Barry said, both calling the hand and the title of his celebrated book.

For his “win,” Barry collected a $25,000 seat for the WPT World Championship. Chances are, he’ll share that just like he’s shared his poker wisdom with his son.

After all, Joe is next in line to the throne.