James Calderaro is Driving Ray Qartomy Crazy

Photo:  WPT Champions Club member James Calderaro is having so much fun that he’s literally falling backward with laughter.

Ray Qartomy calls attention to his table, wanting to report that bestbet Bounty James Calderaro has been “raising every single hand since the dinner break,” and hasn’t shown any good hands. (Though pocket nines seem like a solid hand.)

Then Qartomy raises UTG+1 to 3,000, Satheesh Francis calls from middle position, and Calderaro calls from the small blind.

The flop comes , and Calderaro checks. Qartomy bets 6,000, Francis folds, and Calderaro calls.

The turn card is the , Calderaro bets, and Qartomy calls.

The river card is the , Calderaro bets 10,000, and Qartomy calls with for a flopped two pair, queens and eights.

But Calderaro turns over to win the pot with flopped trip eights, and Qartomy seems even more frustrated than he was before, asking, “Why are you calling me with king-eight?”

James Calderaro  –  160,000  (160 bb)
Ray Qartomy  –  175,000  (175 bb)

The next hand, Qartomy raises under the gun to 2,000, Satheesh Francis calls UTG+1, the player in the cutoff calls, and Calderaro calls from the button.

Qartomy says something like, “Here we go again.”

Calderaro points to his cards and says, “This hand’s worse.”

The flop comes , and all four players check. The turn card is the , and Qartomy checks. Francis bets 3,500, the player in the cutoff calls, and Calderaro raises to 18,000. Qartomy quickly folds, and Francis thinks for a bit.

Calderaro, who has been calling Francis “Sunglasses,” says, “Let’s drink, Sunglasses. Let’s drink before you act.” Calderaro takes a sip of his drink, and Francis folds.

Now it’s just Calderaro and the player in the cutoff, sitting side-by-side. As the cutoff thinks, Calderaro sets his cards on the table and says, “Pick one. You can look at it right now.” (Exposing a card would be against the TDA rules, but Calderaro is having a grand old time and doesn’t seem concerned.)

The cutoff eventually folds, and Calderaro takes the pot. Calderaro says the cutoff can still pick a card to look at it, and Jake Schwartz points to Calderaro’s cards and says, “Fives! Pocket fives!”

Calderaro flips over his cards to show for nine high. But Calderaro jokingly says he had a “wrap draw” as he takes the pot. Qartomy continues to fume as Calderaro builds his stack with nine high.

James Calderaro  –  170,000  (170 bb)
Ray Qartomy  –  170,000  (170 bb)