Joel Smith ran over the competition at Billy's Bar in Vergas, MN to qualify directly for the upcoming Minnesota Poker League championship.  This is a league record 9th time Joel has qualified for a league championship tournament.  You may recall Joel has made 2 final tables at championship events, placing runner up to Bob Hollapa, just missing out on a trip to the Bahamas to play in the World Poker tour in 2007.  He followed up that showing by making the final table in last year's WSOP contest, just missing out again...

Joel has been a very good player, this is something that i have seen over the past few years.  Concentrated and cautious.  At the right time, he will stick his neck out and take your chips. Watch out for Joel Smith...

He is a very good player now and over time I believe he has the ability to become better than the players he faces.  Watch out, you will see him at a major final table soon, making more money in 30 hours of poker than most of us will in 25 years!  GOOD LUCK JOEL SMITH!

IPODS? 

Many pros now have IPODS on early in the game, as far as i see.  Helmuth, Ivey, Fischman, hmmm, who else?...You can't wear them at a final table in any major event.  As popular as they are, there are a lot of players that i can think of that i have NEVER seen wear them.  Brunson, Chan, Cunningham, Gus Hanson, Scotty Nyguen, and many more.

So is listening to music while playing a good idea or bad idea?

Is listening to music distracting?  Perhaps.  But I think they work really well in the early parts of tournaments for most players, because it is relaxing and soothing.  I don't care what you listen to but if it helps you relax and make good decisions, then that's a good thing...

Joel Smith, he wears his ipod early in tournaments.