One of the benefits of being a ClubWPT VIP member is getting the chance to qualify for a seat into a World Poker Tour Main Event. Recent, ClubWPT ran a qualifier for a $5,000 WPT Borgata Poker Open package which was won by Howie E. from Maui, HI. As that event starts this weekend, we thought we’d catch up with Howie and find out a little about him, his prior poker and WPT experiences and how he feels about his chances at Borgata.
The 56-year-old runs his own photography business called Howie From Maui in his home state of Hawaii, where he moved in 1987 from Philadelphia. Living the single life down in Kula Hawaii, the Rutgers grad has been playing poker for about five years and on ClubWPT for just over a year. This is his first ClubWPT qualifier win, but not his first WPT Borgata Poker Open. Howie played this event in 2009 and had this to say about how that trip to Atlantic City went:
“At the end of Day 1, I was in 34th place with 117,325 chips. I got knocked out on Day 2 when I reraised the chip leader on my table with KK. He called with 10-10 and hit a 10 on the flop.”
Undaunted by that brutal beat, Howie is back in Atlantic City right now playing some of the preliminary BPO events before heading back into the Main Event to try his hand at winning millions and joining the exclusive WPT Champions Club. As to what his thoughts are on his chances?
“I’m feeling pretty good after winning my way in through ClubWPT, and the way I played in the tournament.”
You can see for yourself how Howie fares by following WPT Live Updates from the Borgata starting this Sunday, Sept 16, and also on the Borgata Poker Blog. So, to Howie we say gl, tid, one time, ship it and various other poker acronyms and slang.