On Friday, May 29th, 46 rebels reported for duty and marched bravely into battle for our May The Flop Be With You Tournament. The Empire was strong. The alliance was stronger. And in the corner, someone was definitely using the Force to see their opponents’ hole cards. We saw nothing. We said nothing. 👀

For hours, Jedi masters and Sith lords dueled until only eight remained. Who would be the one to bring balance to the force? Let’s find out!

Watch the full recap video below or continue reading to learn how the entire saga unfolded.  

Mike Carreon vs. Dylan Brody – “I have a bad feeling about this…”
The opening skirmish didn’t waste any time. Dylan opened from under the gun, followed by Mike shoving all-in from the hijack position. The remaining players folded, and Dylan called. Mike tabled  A♥️️T♦️️. Mike was a considerable favorite versus Dylan’s T♣️️9♣️️and poised for a double-up. Dylan, on the other hand, found my lack of faith disturbing.

The flop: 9♦️️5♠️️T♠️️. Top two-pair for Dylan! Looks like the force is strong with this one. The turn 5♦️️and river 8♥️️ would give both players two-pair, but Dylan’s tens and nines remained ahead. Mike “Nacho Plissken” Carreon, one of the most beloved figures in this galaxy, was eliminated in 8th place. The Rebellion pressed on. 🫡 WATCH🎦

Erwin Fraterman vs. Dylan Brody – “It’s a traaaaaap!”
At blinds of 15k-30k, Dylan raised to 90k from under the gun. Erwin, sitting directly behind him and staring at K♥️️K♠️️, did what any self-respecting Jedi would do: he shoved all-in. The rest of the table scattered like Jawas, and Dylan snap-called. Then Dylan revealed his cards… A♠️️A♥️️

Erwin could not believe his eyes. Pocket kings… against pocket aces. It’s like Luke learning the girl of his dreams was his sister all over again. What a bummer.

The board ran 3♣️️7♦️️9♣️️4♣️️J♥️️ — clean as a Stormtrooper’s aim is not — and Erwin “Dutchy” Fraterman was sent to the dark side in 7th place. WATCH🎦

Adam Saunders vs. Nick Stanton vs. Andrew Hill Newman – Can The Reigning Champ Defend His Title?
At blinds of 15k-30k, our March 2026 champion, Adam Saunders, found himself automatically all-in from the small blind for his remaining 7k with Q♠️️6♠️️. Nick Stanton limped the button with J♥️️9♠️️, Andrew Hill Newman checked his option in the big blind, and the two of them silently agreed to check it down and see what happened.

What happened was a board of 8♦️️6♦️️4♦️️4♠️️9♣️️ — a dangerous, diamond-heavy runway that ultimately paired Nick’s nine to give him a higher two pair, nines and fours, just edging out Adam’s sixes and fours. There would be no return for this Jedi. Adam “KGB” Saunders, our freshly-crowned champion, was dethroned in 6th place. WATCH🎦

Nick Stanton vs. Dylan Brody – These Are Not the Outs You’re Looking For
At blinds of 20k-40k, Nick Stanton moved all-in from the under the gun with A♥️️J♣️️ — a perfectly respectable hand, right up until Dylan looked down at A♣️️K♦️️ in the big blind and called faster than the Millennium Falcon doing the Kessel Run.

Unfortunately for Nick, the board ran 7♠️️6♠️️2♣️️Q♣️️9♦️️ — five cards that would stall anyone’s hyper drive from a miraculous escape. And thus, Nick was eliminated in 5th place, frozen in carbonite, and shipped to Jabba to repay his debts. WATCH🎦

Aelred Boyle vs. Andrew Hill Newman – “It’s over, Aelred. I have the high ground.”
At blinds of 30k-60k, Aelred shoved her last 75k from the cutoff with J♥️️8♥️️. Dylan and Eric folded faster than the Galactic Senate under Palpatine, leaving Andrew in the big blind to make an easy call with A♠️️J♠️️.

The flop of 9♠️️A♦️️3♦️️ put Andrew lightyears ahead with top pair. The turn of 8♦️️gave Aelred a glimmer of “A New Hope,” but the 7♥️️ on the river cemented her fate, eliminating her in 4^th place. Not bad for a new recruit! Thanks for playing and we look forward to seeing you at the next battle! WATCH🎦

Eric Champnella vs. Andrew Hill Newman – The River Strikes Back
Three-handed now, and Eric Champnella came out firing from the button at 30k-60k, moving all-in with K♠️️T♦️️. Andrew called from the big blind with J♣️️T♣️️ — dominated, sure, but to quote Han Solo, “Never tell me the odds!”

The flop: 9♣️️Q♥️️4♠️️. Open-ended straight draw for Andrew! Suddenly, it was anyone’s game.

The turn: 5♥️️. No change. Only an eight or king could eliminate Eric. But what’s this? Andrew called in reinforcements!

The river… 8♥️️! Andrew’s straight was a direct hit to Eric’s chip stack, blowing it to pieces like the Death Star.. or the second Death Star… or Starkiller Base (can we get a new plot around here?!). Eric exits in 3^rd place. WATCH🎦

Dylan Brody vs. Andrew Hill Newman – The Rematch of the Galaxy
Not so long ago, in a tournament not so far away… These two played heads-up for the championship. That was September 2025. Dylan won. Andrew plotted his revenge.

Would history repeat itself? Or could Andrew redeem himself? The galaxy waited. 🌌

At blinds of 30k-60k, they got it all-in preflop with Andrew at risk. Andrew tabled A♣️️6♥️️. Dylan flipped over A♥️️9♣️️. With Dylan leading, will this story be the same as before or finally have a new ending?

The flop: T♠️️A♦️️K♥️️. A pair of aces for both players, but Dylan’s nine still had Andrew’s six outkicked. The turn: 5♣️️. No help. Andrew needed a six to win outright, or a king, queen, jack, ten, or five to chop. Andrew summoned all his force powers and called upon every Jedi that came before him. “Help me Obi-wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”

Obi-wan appeared as a force ghost, gazed at Andrew with reassurance, then declared… “You are NOT the chosen one.” The river: 8♣️️.

And just like that, Dylan Brody, the winningest player in WGA Poker Group history, broke his own record to become a 4x WGA Poker Group champion! 🏆🏆🏆🏆 Ewoks and droids alike danced the “Yub Nub” as Dylan raised the championship mug in victory once again! Win or win not, there is no try. WATCH🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists! 🎉

1st – Dylan “Tweed” Brody 👑
2nd – Andrew “Fell Off A” Hill Newman
3rd – Eric Champnella
4th – Aelred Boyle
5th – Nick Stanton
6th – Adam “KGB” Saunders
7th – Erwin “Dutchy” Fraterman
8th – Mike “Nacho Plissken” Carreon
9th – Herbert “Herb” Moran
10th – Cheryl “Chery” Guerriero
11th – Mike “Boston Mike” Schaub

A massive thank you to my wife, Nichole, for helping run the tournament at 35 weeks pregnant. If that’s not Jedi-level dedication, nothing is. You are a superstar. 🙏⭐

Also, thank you to Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge for their continued support and hospitality, and to our incredible dealers who kept the galaxy running smoothly all night: Grant Taylor, Andrew Hill Newman, Miller Tai, Ross Lazar, and Adam Cole. This is the way. 🤠

Please stay tuned for updates via Facebook and the e-newsletter, and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The next WGA Poker Group saga is set for Friday, July 24th. Until then, enjoy these photos and may the force be with you!

P.S. The bonus question from the RSVP form that asked ‘Would you rather make out with Jabba the Hutt? Or spend a long and cold night inside the rotting corpse of a tauntaun for shelter?’ was overwhelmingly in favor of tauntaun – 25 votes to 11. Poor Jabba, I guess he’ll never find love…

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On Friday, March 27th, 42 players stepped up to the plate for our MLB Opening Day Poker Tournament, also marking the WGA Poker Group’s official two-year anniversary! ⚾🎂🍻

The smell of hot dogs filled the air as everyone came out swinging for the fences. But as anyone who’s ever watched a nine-inning poker tournament knows, it’s not about who hits the hardest. It’s about who’s still standing when the final out is recorded.

After several grueling innings, our starting lineup of 42 was whittled down to a final table of ten. Let’s go to the tape. 📼

Watch the full recap video below or continue reading for the detailed play-by-play! 

Aaron Ho vs. Adam Saunders – Play Ball!
With blinds at 8k-16k, Adam “KGB” Saunders called with 8♠️️9♠️️. Aaron “Triple A” Ho, short-stacked, sitting with 4♥️️4♦️️, and absolutely not in the mood for limpers, shoved all-in for 39k. Adam called, and it was off to the races. Or as the real Teddy KGB would say, “Mr. Son of a bitch, let’s play some cards!” 🍪

The fix was in like the 1919 World Series as the board ran out 6♠️️8♥️️A♥️️3♠️️J♦️️, giving Adam a superior pair of eights. And thus, Aaron was sent to the rail in 10th place to sulk in sorrow like Mike McD at the beginning of Rounders. So much for that alligator blood. 🐊 WATCH 🎦

Lisa Dickey vs Jamie Rhonheimer – Seven From Heaven
At blinds of 10k-20k, Lisa “Tricky!” Dickey came out of the bullpen with K♠️️9♠️️, shoving all-in for 22k from under the gun. Jamie “Cashew Lover” Rhonheimer brought the heat right back, moving all-in over the top for 37k with 7♠️️8♠️️. The rest of the table cleared out faster than a team’s dugout after a walk-off homer. We have ourselves a genuine pitcher’s duel on our hands.

The flop: 8♦️️A♦️️Q♠️️. Jamie paired his eight and stepped into the lead. The 9♣️️ turn gave Lisa a pair of nines to keep herself in the ballgame. The river… 7♦️️!

Jamie miraculously scooped with two pair, forcing Lisa to retire from the mound in 9th place. WATCH 🎦

Adam Saunders vs Vince Pavia vs Grant Taylor – Can Adam Turn Two?
🚨🚨🚨 WILD PITCH ALERT! 🚨🚨🚨

At 15k-30k, Grant “Gugliacci” Taylor was down to his last 8k and called all-in with K♦️️4♦️️. Brewers fanatic, Vince “VP” Pavia, completed from the small blind with 8♦️️7♠️️ and Adam checked his big blind option with 8♥️️6♠️️. Adam had them all covered. Could he make the double play?

Flop: 9♥️️4♠️️7♦️️. Vince flopped middle pair. Grant flopped bottom pair. Adam flopped an open-ended straight draw. Vince shoved his remaining 50k into the side pot, but Adam was undeterred. He called, knowing the dealer had some curveballs waiting. The turn: A♦️️. A flush draw now for Grant. Could he find the diamond? The river… T♦️️!

Grant collected the main pot with a flush, tripling his stack. The river also made Adam a straight — good enough for the side pot and sending Vince home in 8th place. That’s going to be a long bus ride back to Milwaukee… 🚌🍻 WATCH 🎦

Joyce Lee vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – “There’s No Crying in Baseball!”
With blinds still at 15k-30k, Jamie hurled a blistering fastball with A♣️️K♣️️, shoving all-in from the small blind. Joyce “JoJo” Lee, pot-committed in the big blind and staring at 3♣️️2♦️️, had no choice but to call, close her eyes, and hope for a free base. 🤞

Flop: 4♦️️9♠️️5♥️️. Joyce found a sliver of hope with an open-ended straight draw. The crowd leaned forward. The 8♣️️ on the turn helped no one. The stadium held its breath as the river card landed. The 7♦️️. As the umpire called “strike three,” Joyce was left staring at home plate in 7th place. Another great finish for this all-star player, proving once again, she’s in a league of their own. WATCH 🎦

Grant Taylor vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – Hey Batter, Batter, Swing!
On the very next hand, Jamie returned to the mound, firing all his chips from the button with A♥️️J♣️️. Grant dug in from the big blind with K♦️️3♥️️, calling off his 70k stack. A solid swing. But is it on target?

The board ran 2♠️️Q♥️️2♥️️4♦️️7♦️️, a complete whiff for everyone, leaving Jamie’s ace-high intact. Grant, a 2x WGA Poker Group champion, gave everything he had to this game. Double-up after double-up, he had been our feel-good story of the night, surviving on fumes and sheer stubbornness. But all winning streaks must come to an end. And thus, he walked off the field in 6^th place, tipping his cap to thunderous applause. WATCH 🎦

Jeff Meyers vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – Race Around the Bases
Blinds at 20k-40k, Jeff sent his pocket tens T♣️️T♦️️ to pitch one final inning — just 4k on top to make it official. The night’s MVP, Jamie, stepped up to the plate in the big blind with K♣️️Q♣️️ and called his shot like Babe Ruth about to blast one over the fences.

The flop: 8♥️️9♥️️A♥️️. Jeff remained in the lead, keeping his playoff hopes alive. Now for the turn… the Q♠️️! Oh no, turns out Jamie is the Shohei Ohtani of poker, able to dominate from the mound and the batter’s box!  The K♦️️ on the river was just overkill, giving Jamie two pair to cement the win. Where’s a mercy rule when you need one?! And thus, Jeff Meyers finished in 5th place. Next time, try wearing a rally cap. 🧢 WATCH 🎦

Andrew Hill Newman vs. Jamie Rhonheimer – Eight Nothing To It, Baby!
Andrew “Fell Off The” Hill Newman was running on empty, just 5k behind him and the outfield wall directly ahead of him, when Jamie raised to 90k on the button with A♣️️8♥️️. From the small blind, Andrew called off his remaining chips with 8♣️️2♣️️. It was suited, which is the poker equivalent of showing up to tryouts in nice cleats. Appreciated, but means little.

The board ran 6♣️️5♦️️6♦️️5♥️️T,♦️️sending Andrew back to the minor leagues in 4th place. Don’t worry, I get a feeling he’ll be called up again soon. WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs. Adam Saunders – No Repeat for the Champ
Three-handed at blinds 30k-60k, Adam raised the button to 120k, Jamie got out of the way, and Cheryl “Uncle Cher” Guerriero called from the big blind. The flop: 6♠️️J♥️️J♠️️. Cheryl had missed completely, holding Q♥️️9♥️️ for nothing but queen-high. However, the reigning WGA Poker Group champion doesn’t know the meaning of surrender, pushing all-in for 142k.

But before she could even stare down her opponent, Adam snap-called, tabling Q♣️️J♦️️ for trip jacks! Cheryl would need a miracle to keep her title defense alive. The 4♣️️ and K♣️️ fell on the turn and river, changing nothing. And just like that, our defending champion was eliminated in 3rd place. Her second title will have to wait. 🤷 WATCH 🎦

Jamie Rhonheimer vs. Adam Saunders – Game Seven, Bottom of the Ninth, Two Outs…
The stadium lights were humming. Two players. One mug. Every chip on the table.

Jamie had been the star of this lineup all night — pitching, hitting, fielding, what can’t he do?! Adam, meanwhile, had been doing that infuriating thing great closers do where they make it look effortless while everyone around them quietly unravels.

At blinds of 30k-60k, Adam just limped from the small blind. What could it mean? You’d think the scouting report would have circulated by now.

In the big blind, Jamie looked down at 2♥️️2♦️️ and threw his best slider by shoving his entire 300k stack. Unfortunately, this breaking ball didn’t want to break. As it slowly hovered over the plate, Adam snap-called, flipping over K♥️️K♦️️. CRACK! The ball rockets deep into left field. But who knows, if the dealer drops a deuce (tehehe), maybe the ball will go foul and Jamie can continue. 💩

The flop: A♥️️4♠️️8♠️️. Sensing the end, the fans pound the last of their beers. The turn: 8♣️️. The fans start exiting the stadium. That parking lot can be a bitch. The river… 4♣️️. Adam’s pocket kings stood untouched as the ball sailed over the outfield wall, closing out an epic game. Jamie, who had fought relentlessly all night long was retired in 2nd place while Adam rounded the bases as our newest WGA Poker Group Champion! 🏆⭐⚾ WATCH 🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists!

1st – Adam “KGB” Saunders
2nd – Jamie “Cashew Lover” Rhonheimer
3rd – Cheryl “Uncle Cher” Guerriero
4th – Andrew “Fell Off The” Hill Newman
5th – Jeff Meyers
6th – Grant “Gugliacci” Taylor
7th – Joyce “JoJo” Lee
8th – Vince “VP” Pavia
9th – Lisa “Tricky!” Dickey
10th – Aaron “Triple A” Ho
11th – Mike “Nacho Plissken” Carreon

Special thanks to my wife, Nichole, and our dear friend and fellow scribe, Alasdair Thornton, for helping run the tournament. I’d also like to thank Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge for their support and hospitality. Finally, I’d like to thank our amazing dedicated dealers — Jeff Meyers, Matty Tauber, Ross Lazar, Adam Cole, and Cat Galutera. 

From the first pitch to the final out, this Opening Day tournament delivered everything a baseball fan could want: grand slams, improbable comebacks, and enough hot dogs to last a lifetime. Thank you to every player who showed up, suited up, and brought their W-G-A-game to the field. ⚾🌭

Stay tuned for updates via facebook or the e-newsletter. Also, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The next game is on deck for Friday, May 29th. Official invite coming soon. Until then, enjoy these photos from the tournament and GO DODGERS!!! 💙🤍💙🤍

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On Friday, January 23^rd, 2026, the WGA Poker Group held a feast for both the eyes and stomach as 40 players gathered for our National Pie Day Poker Tournament where the cards were hot, the bluffs were flaky, and the pies were plentiful. From apple to cherry to banana cream, we all enjoyed a spread of delicious desserts to fuel our hunger for poker victory. 🍎🍒 🍌🥧

Watch the full recap video below or continue reading for the detailed play-by-play! 

Waco O’Guin vs. Cheryl “Cher” Guerriero
As the final table of eight got underway, Waco moved all-in on a flop of A♣️️K♥️️5♦️️ holding the Q♠️️6♠️️, only to receive a call by Cheryl’s A♠️️J♦️️ for top pair.  Waco would need some backdoor draws to materialize quickly if he wanted to stick around. Unfortunately, the 8♥️️ turn left him drawing dead, making the 6♣️️ river irrelevant. Enough for crumbs, but not a slice of glory — Waco was sent off in 8th place with an empty stomach. WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs. Dave Malkoff
A short time later, Cheryl limped, Dave shoved, and she called holding A♠️️9♣️️, dominating Dave’s K♣️️9♦️️. The board ran J♠️️2♠️️7♥️️T♦️️A♦️️, giving Cheryl top pair and the victory. Sorry, Dave. It’s “Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie” for you in 7th place. WATCH 🎦

Nadia Madden vs Nick Stanton – Ace high good?!
At blinds 15k-30, Nick limped from under the gun, Nadia raised to 60k from the small blind, Cheryl called from the big blind, as did Nick. The flop came down K♥️️3♣️️9♥️️. Nadia led out 60k. Cheryl got out of the way, and after some contemplation, Nick declared “all-in!” for his remaining chips. Nick tabled A♥️️5♥️️ for the nut flush draw. Nadia tabled A♦️️8♦️️ for just ace-high, but as it happens, her eight kicker might just actually play depending on the runout! Nick had a slight equity advantage, but that would change when he bricked the turn on a 4♠️️, completely turning the tables. Nick could now win with any heart, a deuce for a straight, or a five. He could chop with a 3 or 4. Nadia showed a lot of heart and bravery in this hand, but unfortunately for her, it was a heart on the river (Q♥️️) that would give Nick a winning flush and a much needed double-up. WATCH 🎦

Aaron “Triple A” Ho vs. Randi Barnes
On the short stack, Aaron went all-in from early position with K♠️️6♣️️, hoping for a double scoop of poker chips. But Randi’s J♣️️J♠️️ was a powerful pastry of a poker hand, packed with flavor and the 3-to-1 advantage. The flop of 5♦️️4♦️️A♣️️ followed by the turn of 2♥️️ gave Aaron hope with a gutshot straight draw. With 7 outs to improve, he prayed to the poker gods. Unfortunately, his call for help went straight to voicemail when the 2♦️️ fell on the river, leaving Aaron to melt away in 6th place. WATCH 🎦

Nadia Madden vs Cheryl Guerriero vs Mike “Boston Mike” Schaub
In this three-way pot, Cheryl limped, Mike completed from the small blind, and Nadia raised all-in from the big blind for her last remaining 1k. The others called and we saw a flop of K♠️️8♦️️6♠️️. Mike and Cheryl checked, leading us to the 3♦️️ turn. They checked again. The A♦️️ river baked up a little drama when Mike led out for 40k, receiving a snap call from Cheryl. Mike tabled T♦️️5♦️️ for a flush, enough to best Cheryl’s top pair with A♣️️T♣️️ and Nadia’s 3♥️️5♣️️. Mike scooped both the main and side pot, leaving Nadia a bitter slice to swallow in 5^th place. WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs Mike Schaub – CRAZY HAND ALERT!
At blinds 20k-40k and four players remaining, Cheryl limped under-the-gun, Nick folded on the button, and Randi completed from the small blind. In the big blind, our chip leader, Mike, turned up the heat by raising to 240k, committing everyone else all-in if they were to call. To his surprise, Cheryl called the raise (leaving herself just 20k behind), while Randi folded. The flop came 6♠️️7♠️️Q♥️️. Mike instantly shoved all-in, receiving a call from Cheryl, who would be at risk of busting. Mike tabled the almighty A♦️️Q♠️️ for top pair-top kicker. Cheryl tabled 9♣️️7♣️️ for middle pair. The turn brought the 8♥️️, giving Cheryl an open-ended straight draw. If she could find a 5, 7, 9, or 10 – she’d survive and become our new chip leader. If not, it’d be closing time. But not today! The dealer unveiled the T♥️️ on the river, causing Cheryl to burst with excitement while Mike stared on in disbelief. As it happens, Randi folded the 7♥️️2♥️️ preflop and would have made the winning flush. Wow – what a hand! WATCH 🎦

Nick Stanton vs. Randi Barnes
From the button, Nick shoved A♥️️8♣️️. Randi wasted little time calling all-in from the small blind with K♦️️T♦️️, putting herself at risk. Mike folded the big blind. It was a sweat for both players as the 9♣️️Q♣️️6♠️️ rolled out on the flop, giving Randi additional outs to a gutshot straight. Unfortunately for her, the A♣️️ on the turn would pair Nick, meaning only a non-club Jack on the river could save her. With 3 outs total, could she survive? The 3♥️️ appeared on the river, securing Nick the win and eliminating Randi in 4th place with nothing but half-baked dreams of another championship. Better luck next time! WATCH 🎦

Cheryl Guerriero vs. Nick Stanton
With blinds at a whopping 50k-100k, Cheryl limped A♥️️K♦️️, only to have Nick shove with 5♥️️5♦️️. Cheryl made the easy call and off to the races we went! 🏇 The flop: 7♦️️7♠️️T♦️️. Nick remained in the lead, but his pair of fives could now be counterfeited if a ten rolled off.  The turn: Q♦️️. Ooh, interesting! Now Nick had to dodge any diamond for a flush, jack for a straight, or a ten, queen, king, or ace for a higher two pair. Cheryl suddenly had a whopping 22 outs to improve, turning the hand into a virtual 50/50 coin flip. But was luck on her side? 🍀 It was! The 2♦️️ on the river completed Cheryl’s diamond flush, sending Nick home in 3rd place with nothing but a large slice of humble pie with a side of bad beats. Oof! WATCH 🎦

Mike Schaub vs. Cheryl Guerriero
In the final showdown, Cheryl limped with 9♠️️9♦️️, followed by Mike shoving all-in with  A♠️️7♣️️ from the big blind. Cheryl made the call and we all held our breath (and our appetites) as the board came rolling out. The flop of 4♣️️Q♣️️8♠️️ helped no one, inching Cheryl closer to victory. The turn of 5♣️️ brought a world of possibilities for Mike, as he now increased to 15 total outs with a flush draw and gutshot straight draw, in addition to the three remaining aces. Tension mounted as the river slid off the deck…

The 4♥️️! And just like that, Cheryl’s pocket nines held up to bust Mike in 2nd place and become our newest WGA Poker Group champion! As a cherry on top, Cheryl would also receive the coveted championship mug 🍒🏆. Congratulations Cheryl, way to go! WATCH 🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists! 

1^st – Cheryl “Cher” Guerriero
2^nd – Mike “Boston Mike” Schaub
3^rd – Nick Stanton
4^th – Randi Barnes
5^th – Nadia Madden
6^th – Aaron “Triple A” Ho
7^th – Dave Malkoff
8^th – Waco O’Guin

Special thanks to my wife, Nichole, and our dear friend and fellow scribe, Alasdair Thornton, for helping run the tournament. I’d also like to thank Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge for their support and hospitality. Finally, I’d like to thank our amazing dedicated dealers — Tyler Wong, Jeff Meyers, Adam Cole, and Matty Tauber. 

From the very first bite, this tournament was a recipe for suspense, skill, and sweet victories. Thanks to everyone who played, chewed, and bluffed their way through our National Pie Day Poker Tournament! See you at the felt for the next slice of action in March! Please stay tuned for updates via facebook or the e-newsletter. Also, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Until then, please enjoy these photos from the tournament while your blood sugar goes back to normal. 🍰📉

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On Friday, November 14th, 2025, 40 players declared “I’ll be there for you” during our November Friendsgiving tournament!  🛋️☂️⛲

Just like a classic “Friends” Thanksgiving episode, the night had everything: dramatic twists, hilarious punchlines, and enough tension to make us all shout “Oh… my… God!” 😱 After several hours of play, we arrived at our final table of ten. Now let’s see who carved up the competition and who ended up looking like a fool with Monica’s turkey stuck on his head. 🦃😵‍💫

For our YouTube channel, we’re going to try something new. Instead of individual clips of key poker hands, they will all be edited into one compilation with chapters and timestamps for easy viewing. Watch the entire recap below (complete with “Friends”-style opening credits and transitions!) and/or read on for more details.

The first knockout came when reigning champion, Dylan “Tweed” Brody, opened with K♥️️Q♠️️. On the short stack, Elias Madias went all-in with K♠️️J♠️️. Dylan wasted no time in calling, and off we went!  With his hand dominated, Elias would need a lot of help to stay alive. Unfortunately, the board ran out 2♠️️2♣️️7♣️️9♥️️Q♦️️, putting a metaphorical beef in his poker trifle and sending Elias home in 10^th place. WATCH 🎦

Hungry for more, Dylan opened from under the gun, only to have Ross Lazar shove all-in from the big blind. Dylan snap-called, tabling K♦️️K♠️️.  A tough hand to beat, but fortunately, Ross had the perfect moist-maker against this type of hand as he revealed the 6♥️️7♥️️. However, his excitement dwindled as the flop came Q♠️️9♦️️3♠️️, leaving little for Ross to work with. But hope came in the form of the 5♠️️ on the turn, bringing a double-gutter straight draw. Now with six outs, Ross needed a non-spade four or eight on the river to survive. Alas, the 2♣️️ fell, securing the pot for Dylan once again and leaving this Ross to curse “My sandwich!” to the heavens in 9^th place. 😤🥪 WATCH 🎦

Next, Nick Stanton raised all-in with A♥️️Q♦️️, only to have Aaron “Triple A” Ho re-raise with A♠️️K♣️️ from mid-position. To everyone’s surprise, Jonathan “Jojo” King would overcall the three-bet from late position, also holding A♦️️Q♣️️. With Nick at risk and the main and side pot gathered, a flop of K♠️️6♣️️7♠️️ hit the felt. First to act, Aaron shoved his remaining chips into the side pot. Despite the mountain of moolah in play, Jonathan had no choice but to fold. At that point, Aaron and Nick tabled their hands to determine the main pot. The nail in the coffin came on the turn of K♥️️, followed by the 3♣️️ on the river, cementing Aaron’s victory and packing Nick with the rest of the Thanksgiving leftovers in 8^th place. WATCH 🎦

Down to table scraps, Gautham Nagesh shoved all-in with K♥️️9♠️️ from the small blind, receiving an auto-call from Vince “Birthday Boy” Pavia in the big blind holding 7♥️️8♠️️. Unfortunately, Gautham would get bamboozled when the wicked wango card fell on a flop of 8♥️️5♣️️Q♠️️, giving Vince the lead. The 2♦️️ and 6♥️️ on the turn and river changed nothing, ending Gautham’s run in 7^th place — just like Joey Tribbiani’s career as a game show host. WATCH 🎦

With blinds at 15k-30k, Mike Spangler moved all-in from under the gun with 6♣️️7♠️️ for his remaining 30k, receiving a call from Stephen “Stevie” Belden in the small blind and an auto-call from Aaron in the big blind. Aaron checked his option, leading to a flop of 9♣️️J♦️️6♦️️, giving Mike a pair of sixes. After the flop checked through, a 3♣️️ hit the turn. Stephen bet 60k, leading to Aaron quickly folding his “smelly cat” of a hand. Stephen revealed 8♠️️8♦️️ for a higher pair, leaving Mike just five outs to improve. Could he do it?! As it turns out, “six-seven” may be the hottest meme of the year, but it’s as useless as an airplane’s left phalange. With the 10♦️️ on the river, Mike would have to settle for 6^th place… and officially change his name to “Mike Crapbag.” WATCH 🎦   

Next at risk was our final bounty player, Jonathan, using the seductress powers of “Chloe the Copy Girl” to summon K♣️️Q♠️️ in an effort to separate Ross and Rachel during their infamous “break.”  After raising 2x from the small blind, Dylan defended from the big blind with A♥️️7♦️️. The flop came 9♠️️7♥️️6♥️️. With just King high, Jonathan moved all-in, receiving a call from Dylan with his flopped middle pair.  The turn – 7♠️️! With three-of-a-kind, Dylan had Jonathan drawing dead, forcing him out of the tournament in 5^th place. And thus, all of Ross and Rachel’s exes were finally eliminated, ensuring our two love-seeking lobsters could stay together forever. 🦞💘🦞 WATCH 🎦

As the clock turned to midnight, could Vince make his birthday wish of doubling-up come true?  After Aaron opened from the cutoff, Vince called all-in from the big blind. Unfortunately, Vince’s 7♥️️5♥️️ was dominated by Aaron’s K♥️️5♠️️. As the dealer slowly dealt the flop, the window card revealed a “seven… seven… SEVEN!!!” It looked like Vince might actually get his wish… until the 7♠️️ slid over to unveil a K♦️️ and 2♠️️ hiding underneath, giving Aaron top pair and the lead. The 6♠️️ and 8♦️️ on the turn and river were no help, eliminating Vince in 4^th place as he screamed, “Why, God, why? We had a deal. Let the others grow old, not me!” 😩🎂 WATCH 🎦

Down to just Dylan, Aaron, and Stephen, we saw several shoves and brave (some might say foolish) calls, leading to multiple lead changes. Starting it off, Steven shoved from the big blind with A♠️️J♠️️, receiving a call from Aaron with just 2♥️️4♥️️ due to the overwhelming pot odds. The flop came 5♠️️K♣️️6♦️️, adding a gutshot draw for Aaron. The turn came 8♣️️, upgrading his draw to a double gutter. With 14 outs, could Aaron hit? Like Joey after eating an entire turkey, the meat sweats began to pour down Stephen’s face. Alas, the 6♠️️ fell on the river, guaranteeing his survival. WATCH 🎦

Next, Aaron open-shoved from the small blind with K♣️️K♥️️. Dylan wasted no time calling with A♠️️3♣️️. Aaron was at risk, but quickly breathed a sigh of relief when he hit a set on a flop of J♥️️K♠️️4♦️️. The 7♣️️ and 9♦️️ on the turn changed nothing, giving Aaron a vital double-up. WATCH 🎦 

Moments later, the monster stacks clashed as Dylan decided to gamboooooool by calling all-in with 9♥️️T♥️️ from the big blind after the current chip-leader, Aaron, open-shoved from the small blind holding A♦️️K♥️️. With his shorter stack, Stephen prayed for a knockout so he could ladder up without a fight.  Little did they know, Dylan had the poker gods on speed dial as a T♦️️ appeared in the flop’s window, followed by a Q♥️️ and 4♣️️. Now with a gutshot draw along with his overcards, Aaron had ten outs to improve. The turn – 3♦️️. The river – 3♣️️. And just like that, Dylan doubled-up and regained the chip lead. Incredible! WATCH 🎦

Now on the respirator, Aaron moved all-in from the button, receiving a call from Stephen in the big blind. Stephen tabled A♠️️7♠️️ while Aaron revealed Bill and Ted’s favorite hand: “6♣️️9♥️️, dudes!” The flop of 8♦️️9♦️️T♣️️ was an excellent adventure, giving Aaron the lead with a pair of nines. However, Stephen now had an open-ended straight draw, giving him 10 outs and 36% chance to improve. We all held our breath as the 5♥️️ and 5♣️️ landed on the turn and river, allowing Aaron to double-up and party on another day. WATCH 🎦

Stephen was forced to make his last stand with 9♥️️5♥️️, shoving from the small blind followed by a call from Aaron in the big blind with A♣️️5♠️️. Now it was Stephen’s turn to hope for a miracle nine on the board. Unfortunately, it ran out Q♣️️A♥️️7♦️️8♠️️4♣️️, floating Stephen away in 3^rd place like the Underdog balloon during the Macy’s parade. 🎈🗽 WATCH 🎦

At last, it was time to PIVOT to the heads-up match! In this battle of titans, 2x WGA Poker Group champion, Dylan Brody, faced off against WGA Poker Group founder, Aaron Ho. Who would win our version of the Geller Cup while the other becomes just another “moo point?” 🐮 

With a nearly 2:1 chip advantage, Dylan slowly chipped away at Aaron’s stack until there was hardly anything left. At blinds 50k-100k, Dylan raised to 200k from the small blind, followed by Aaron shoving for his last 285k. Dylan called and tabled K♥️️7♥️️.  Aaron was behind, holding J♦️️9♠️️. It looked like a Friendsgiving miracle when the J♠️️ flashed in the window as the flop was turned over. However, it was just a tease as the K♦️️ and 3♣️️ followed, landing Dylan firmly in the lead with top pair. The Q♠️️ on the turn gave Aaron a gutshot straight draw and a total of nine outs as we headed into the river. Could he do it?! The answer… no! The 6♣️️ on the river meant Aaron would have to settle for 2^nd place while Dylan claimed the championship mug once again, setting a new WGA Poker Group record as a 3x champion! Congratulations Dylan! 🎉👑🔥 WATCH 🎦

Here is a summary of the tournament results. Congrats to all our finalists! 

1^st – Dylan “Tweed” Brody
2^nd – Aaron “Triple A” Ho
3^rd – Stephen “Stevie” Belden
4^th – Vince “Birthday Boy” Pavia
5^th – Jonathan “Jojo” King
6^th – Mike Spangler
7^th – Gautham Nagesh
8^th – Nick Stanton
9^th – Ross Lazar
10^th – Elias Madias

Special thanks to my wife, Nichole, for helping run the tournament as well as to Jay Moriarty and the Burbank Moose Lodge. I’d also like to thank our amazing dedicated dealers — Adam Cole, Jeff Meyers, Grant Taylor, and Henry Harper. 

From the appetizer to the final dessert, this Phoebe buffet of a poker tournament had it all. I’d like to give thanks this Friendsgiving to all of you for making this WGA Poker Group so special. Let’s do it again soon… or more specifically, in January. Please stay tuned for updates via facebook or the e-newsletter. Also, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Until then, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, and please enjoy these photos from the tournament! Gobble gobble!  🦃🍽️

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