Published: July 23, 2006 12:14 am            

Poker Face

New Washington woman wins online poker tourney, heads to Vegas

Joyce Siewert loved her time in the spotlight.

Siewert, known by many in her hometown as “Jot,” became a little bit of a national celebrity last weekend as she took part in a nationally televised poker tournament in Las Vegas.

And she almost struck it big.

The lifelong New Washington native just got back in town fresh off her trip on www.MANSIONpoker.net Speed Poker Tournament held in “Poker Dome” at the Tropicana Resort and Casino on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Siewert qualified for the event by winning an online tournament at her home.

“After I won, I got a letter telling me what I got to do,” Siewert said. “It was really exciting. I had been there before, but this was the first time I had been able to go out there and do something like that. I was excited when I found out.”

Siewert was one of six competitors competing at the table, which was the eighth tournament held in the series. She was interviewed for television on Friday and played in the tourney on Saturday. The show aired for the first time late Sunday night on Fox Sports Net and has replayed a couple of times this week.

“I’m not even a person who likes to have my picture taken,” Siewert said. “So Friday, when I had to do all that television stuff, it really wasn’t too much fun. I just had to sit there and talk into a camera. After that was done, it was great. I loved it — the whole experience was fabulous.”

While being in front of the camera may not have been so comfortable for Siewert, she seemed perfectly at home sitting at the table with her five competitors. She outlasted four others at the table, making the final two, and was nearly even in chips with California freelance writer Reg Brittain when the two players were playing heads-up for a chance at $25,000.

Three times prior to making the final two, Siewert had gone “all-in”, meaning putting all of the chips she had available into the pot — prevailing each time.

But against Brittain in the final two — she wound up falling short as her opponent picked up a pair on the final hand to win the jackpot and advance to the next round of the tourney. The winner moves on to the semifinal round of the tourney next month with a chance to win $50,000. The final table, which will be in March, will award a prize of $1 million to the winner.

“I probably could have won if I had just laid down that one hand,” Siewert said. “But every poker player will tell you that. That’s all it takes.”

Each player that played received a free jacket from the tourney sponsors and also received $500 worth of chips to play in the casino. Contestants also got full airfare and accommodation in a suite at Caesars Palace.

“It’s hard to complain about all of that. The trip itself was fabulous,” Siewert said. “Everything they did for us as contestants was done first-class.”

Poker is nothing new for Siewert and her family. She said she plays regularly with some family and friends and plays in the poker room at Caesars Indiana on occasion. Her son, Ken Siewert, lives in Las Vegas and is a professional player in the city. Now, Siewert’s longtime husband Lloyd wants into the act.

“He’s determined to win one of those online tourneys so we can go back,” she said. “He says he won’t give up until he does.”

Siewert tried to keep a low profile about winning and her appearance on television. She said she didn’t tell too many people outside of her family. But word got around and most of the smalltown of New Wash was able to tune in and watch.

Even the announcers on the televised show joked about “all 700 VCRs in the town are rolling right now” when they talked about Siewert’s appearance.

“Since I’ve been back, a lot of people have said they saw me and congratulated me,” Siewert said. “The radio station in Scottsburg called and asked me to come on. I didn’t want to tell.”

        

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