AP Sends 12 Poker Players to Kandyland Party at Playboy Mansion
February 25, 2009
Fantasy becomes reality for Absolute Poker players as free Texas Hold’em tournaments award trips to the exclusive Kandyland party at the world’s most famous mansion. Go to Absolute Poker, where you can combine a passion for Poker with the ultimate male fantasy to win your way to the Kandyland Party at the Playboy Mansion.
Check out Absolute Poker for your Chance to Party at Playboy Mansion!
Absolute Poker is gearing up to make every man’s sweetest fantasies come to life for 12 lucky Texas Hold’em players. The leading free-play online poker site today announced that it’s giving away six trips for two to the Kandyland Party at the Playboy Mansion, getting underway on June 13, 2009.
The event, which is described as the place to "expect an evening of decadence," features the ultimate sensory experience, with a bevy of Playmates, outrageous performances from the exotic Kandy Go-Go Dancers, body-painted Kandy-Models, some of the best DJ’s spinning sexy house and rock mix grooves, an open premium bar, special cuisine, and more.
Absolute Poker is the only online poker site granted access to the invite-only party and valued players at the site can share this once-in-a-lifetime experience simply by playing poker for free.
Beginning February 16th, online poker players are invited to play inAbsolute Poker’s free daily satellites where the top 30 players will secure a spot in a second round tournament the following Sunday. The top 10 players in each Sunday tournament will then win a seat in one of three final events where the top two finishers will each win a Playboy Mansion prize package valued at $6,500.
Each package features includes:
• Two VIP invitations to the Kandyland Party – where you will enjoy VIP treatment with your own private cabana, champagne, personal waitress, and unlimited Grey Goose Vodka
• VIP Tour of the Playboy Mansion by a Playmate
• Money for travel and accommodations
Online poker players should download Absolute Poker’s free poker software at www.absolutepoker.net and enter a daily qualifier for free.
Full details on this promotion can be found at AbsolutePoker.net. Kandyland Party at the Playboy Mansion is produced by Ascendant Marketing & Media, LLC and the Karma Foundation. Playboy is not a sponsor of this event or tournament.
WWE®’s 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® Prize Package from Ultimate Bet!
February 24, 2009
Online poker fans in Canada invited to take part in series of free online poker tournaments for a shot at the ultimate WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® prize package that includes two seats to the event in Houston, Texas, airfare, hotel accommodations, and more.
A pair of tickets to WWE®’s 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® could be just a pocket pair away for one Canadian* Texas Hold’em fan. Leading online poker site Ultimatebet.net has launched free WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® online poker qualifiers. WWE fans can SmackDown their way to the ring in Houston, Texas this April by winning a series of no-charge online poker tournaments.
The free online poker site is holding two online Texas Hold’em tournaments each day from Monday through Friday at 2pm ET and 8pm ET. The top 100 in each daily tournament will secure a spot in the following Sunday’s online poker satellite at 8:30pm ET.
The top 200 from each Sunday satellite will win a spot in the final online poker Main Event, set to get underway on March 16 at 8:30pm ET. The champion of the online Texas Hold'em winner-take-all match will win the ultimate WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® prize package that includes:
• Two (2) tickets to WWE®’s 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on Sunday, April 5
• Round trip airfare to Houston, Texas for two (2)
• Three (3) nights hotel accommodations for two (2)
• $500 spending money
• Meet & greet with a WWE® Superstar in Houston
• Two (2) replica WWE® Championships
• One (1) framed WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® poster
• Two (2) WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® chairs
Ultimatebet.net is the official sponsor of WWE®’s 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® in Canada. Qualifiers are now live at Ultimatebet.net and run until Saturday March 13. WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® takes place on April 5, 2009 in Houston, Texas.
Full details on Ultimatebet.net’s free WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® qualifiers are available at Ultimatebet.net.
*The WWE® 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania® promotion is only open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec, who are 18 years of age or older.
Pokerstars Player Misses Windfall by Seconds!
February 20, 2009
Pokerstars tables began filling quickly as the goal of 25 billion hands dealt came closer to realization. Just imagine, 20 Thousand live online poker tables. (Ever hear the saying 'raking it in'?)
At 4:35:36 am Eastern Time, the 25 billionth hand ever dealt at pokerstars was dealt at table Susliva a fast Omaha Limit (Hi - LO) table.
The players at the table are said to have been in shock!
NeonFrost sat in Seat one.
tupapi777 in seat two.
FrtSpkndMn in the third seat
Seat 4: n47j25sin seat four
Seat 5: chris12080 in seat five.
In Seat 6 Player Confederate sits out opting not to post.
While confederate waits for the blinds to pass, the clock is ticking, virtual cards are in the air. History is made, and the players in seats one through 5 are a part of it. Confederate did not go unnoticed however. He'll have his own place in poker noteriety as the guy that was sitting out when the 25th billion hand was dealt at PokerStars, in fact. It should take no more than a few hours for this player to become a household name amongst the poker community.
As his name pops up in online poker news stories, Confederate, the poker player that missed his blind, funds have started in his honour. Fellow poker players have begun sending him token transfers of a buck or two.
They feel for him, or they laugh at him, it seems to be going either way. Those of us that just missed the big one can relate.
Confederate may have one nothing, but he will at least have a buck or two in his account to try again.. in another 25 billion hands.
Sadly, the first time the hand was dealt, the server became overcrowded there was difficulties, and a redraw was called.
The waiting list for the table grew to as many as 1000 players according to online poker news rail reports. The from Pokerstars, hostjeff asked the players to remain patient.
The hand was dealt, and .... nothing handed.
Players were getting disconnected.. NeonFrost timed out and folded. Bad language followed. The game froze, and the rest of the players found themselves getting disconnected.
When it came down to it, Tupap777 Scooped the Hi pot, with an Ace high Flush as well as the Lo 7432A. However, since NeonFrost was disconnected after timing out, HostJeff says the hand will be reviewed, NeonFrost would have made a queen high flush, netting him half of the $100,000.00 pot!
After what seemed like forever, HostJeff returns a decision that says every player in the hand will be treated as having been all in.
So NeonFrost gets paid after all, Tupapi777 had to slpit the $100 grand, Both NeonFrost and Tupapui win seats and tournament packages into the World Series of Poker 2009, the EPT, The MNonte Carlo Final. PCA 2010 and the World Championship of Online Poker. A package for each worth $50,000.00.
PokerStars announces the Spring Championship of Online Poker
February 19, 2009
Pokerstars announced their newest online poker challenge, a spring break treat for online poker players, the Spring Championship of Online Poker, or S.C.O.O.P today. I love the acronym already.
According to an announcement from Pokerstars, the new SCOOP poker series will offer each and every cash poker player a shot at competing. Whatever level you're playing at, no matter the stake, no matter the game, Stars promises something here for you.
There's a guaranteed prize pool of 30 million dollars, so heck, it's worth a shot huh? At least worth looking into, remember the World Record tournaments, it wasn't even possible for stars to meet the overlay in that game. Pokerstars guaranteed tournament, gotta love em.
Pokerstars has 66 tournaments on offer, at around 22 events. Each SCOOP event consists of three tournaments that are all based on buyin. Every tournament has it's own guaranteed prize pool, and there's no limit on how many of these things you can play.
Ready to Scoop your own Pokerstars Pot? New players download the PokerStars software and enter Pokerstars Marketing Code 4flush and get $50 free with your $50 deposit.
Qualify for the WSOP at PokerStars.com. Sign up now!
Qualifiers weren't available when we last checked the lobby, however the lobby note says they should start Thursday (today) so keep an eye out!
Satellite qualifiers are available from the Pokerstars lobby, under Events > Scoop. Buyins for the SCOOP qualifiers are as little as .25 or just 10 Pokerstars Frequent Player Points.
SCOOP kicks off Thursday April second, check out Pokerstars.com for the full SCOOP schedule.
Poker Ruled a SKILL Game, not a Game of Chance.
February 19, 2009
A judge in South Carolina ruled that Texas Hold 'em poker is a skill game. This ruling is huge in the poker world, not only does it mean that police may be prevented from making arrests at home and other private poker games, it's one of the first legal rulings classifyng poker as more than just a quick gamble on the fall of the cards.
Judge Larry Duffy ruled Today (Thursday) that "there is "overwhelming" evidence that the card game is one of skill, not chance. State law outlaws gambling on games of chance with cards or dice."
Residents of South Carolina have been dealt with police raids in their homes overy poker games. Judge Duffy's order does not change the fact that five men arrested in the big raid five years ago were indeed running a gambling house and will have to pay fines in conjunction with the case, of the 20 peope arrested nearly three years ago, these 5 are the reportedly the last to pay.
Donald Trump Casinos File for Bankruptcy
February 17, 2009
According to online poker news reports, Donald Trump's casino group, Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Last we knew, Trump's group had a meeting scheduled on Monday where the fate of the company would be decided. It looks as though the company's board authorized the bankruptcy, according to reports, due to overwhelming debt, they didn't really have much choice.
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Court documents show that Trump Entertainment filed for bankruptcy early Tuesday morning. The company reportedly had less than $50 million in assets,and almost $500 million in debt.
This is the third time we've seen Trump Entertainment in bankruptcy court, in fact, some of my own first memories of "The Donald" and likely the memories of my generation of "The Donald" begin with his first appearance prior bankruptcy proceedings. What kid could forget the day the richest man in the world filed for bankruptcy?
Even bigger than the bankruptcy proceedings...
Trump fired himself as the chairman of the board, handing in his resignation late on Friday. According to Fox News, Trump disagreed with the decisions made by the board holders. Trumps daughter Ivanka stood behind her dad, following suit and also resigning. Trump offered to buy the company personally awhile back. Trump said his intention when offering to buy Trump Entertainment was to attempt to "reverse its fortunes".
That means that though Trump is no longer with the casino group, the group is still Trump Entertainment, and his name can legally be used in conjunction with it. This proceeding however does not effect real estate owned by Trump in New York and Chicago.
Trump Entertainment operates both the Taj Mahal Casino Resort, and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino located in Atlantic City. Additionally effected is The Trump Marina Hotel and Casino located in the Marina District.
Trump Entertainment isn't the only casino group having trouble this year in fact, much of the land based casino industry is feeling the brunt of this recession (said to be the biggest recession we've seen in 30 years!).
Face it, gas goes crazy, milk gets expensive, we can't afford plane tickets! Harrah's has sold properties to stay afloat, the Mirage and Las Vegas Sands have also been forced into recent property sales, at less than market prices.
The worst part, is the employee cuts in the industry. Thousands of employees have been cut in efforts to save cash, expansion plans have obviously been halted.
Pokerstars Deals 25 Billionth Hand .. and Crashes.
February 16, 2009
Online poker giant Pokerstars gave away a prize package worth more than 26 million dollars during the wee hours of this morning.
The promotion was a hit, in fact, it's rumored that PokerStars software crashed during the event. More noteworthy than the winners and their prize amounts however is the fate of one online poker player. According to poker news reports, one unlucky pokerstars player was sitting out, Confedrate didn't post his blind, as he sat waiting for the blinds to reach him at the table the much awaited 25 billionth hand was dealt.
Confederate, gets zip. The ultimate in bubble's being burst. Due to the fact that he was sitting out, he's the only player that will not be benefiting from the historical moment, and tremendous windfall.
More than 1000 people appeared on the waiting list where the 25 billionth hand was dealt.
25 Billionth Hand Jackpot Winners:
NeonFrost: Won high pot -- $50,000 and tournament package
tupapi777: Won low pot -- $50,000 and tournament package
FrtSpkndMn: $33,333.33
n47j25s: $33,333.33
chris12080: $33,333.33
From a Dime to a $10 Million Dream in UltimateBet’s 10th Anniversary Year with all new STEP Tournaments
February 15, 2009
Step Your Way to the 2009 WSOP Main Event at UB and Parlay $0.10 into a $10 Million Sponsorship Deal with the Leading Online Poker Site said representatives from Ultimate Bet claimed in an online poker news release.
UltimateBet spring boards its landmark 10th Anniversary festivities with the launch of its hotly-anticipated satellites for the 2009 World Series of Poker and the debut of STEP Tournaments, giving online poker players a shot at qualifying for this year’s $10,000 buy in WSOP Main Event in ten simple steps, and for a tiny investment of ten cents.
Ultimate Bet Poker" src="http://affiliates.chipleader.com/banners/bnrimg.php?id=1333&meth=clickthrough&cmpgn_id=4059&prdct_id=1" border="0" alt="Play online poker with thousands of real people for FREE" width="300" height="250" />If you want to see how far a dime can take you, enter a STEP 1 Tournament for $0.10, and pass through the finish line of STEP 10 to score the ultimate $12,000 World Series of Poker prize package featuring a Main Event seat and $2,000 for travel and accommodations.
If that’s not enough of a gift, Ultimate Bet Poker is sweetening the pot with a mega 10th Anniversary reward that’s doubling the riches for this year’s World Poker Champion; wear the UB logo* throughout the Main Event, have the ultimate fortune of beating out thousands of other hopefuls to pocket the estimated $10,000,000 1st prize payday, plus you’ll also snare a spectacular $10 Million 10 Year sponsorship deal with UB - the home of legendary Pro players Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke.
“STEP tournaments will see UB qualifying record numbers of online players for this year’s WSOP, and with our $10 Million player contract on the table, we’re excited about the prospect of discovering poker’s next big thing,” ,” said UltimateBet Card Room Consultant Annie Duke. “Ten years on, we aim to grow our reputation as the home of the game’s most decorated champions, and our standing as the top choice for the world’s best poker players.”
Celebrating a decade in the online poker landscape is a milestone occasion for UltimateBet, and this year it’s all about giving back to the many loyal players who have remained staunch supporters of the UB brand through the years.
The ten year theme continues with the first 10 players to conquer all 10 WSOP STEP Tournaments set to receive a bonus $8,500 2009 Aruba Poker Classic Main Event package, including a $5,500 entry and $3,000 towards travel and accommodation**, along with the ticket to the 2009 WSOP Championship event, compliments of Ultimate Bet.
In the spirit of UB’s 10th birthday bash, the STEP 1 buy-in has been stripped back to a incredibly low $0.10, arguably the cheapest way for online players to secure their Seat at Poker’s Big Dance, and with hundreds of WSOP seats on the line, here’s how you can get a piece of the action:
PLAY - Enter a STEP 1 tournament for just $0.10. Depending on how you finish, you’ll do one of the following:
• MOVE to the NEXT STEP – Finish in 1st or 2nd place and you’ll secure a spot in a STEP 2 tournament. Finish in 1st or 2nd place of the STEP 2 tourney and you’ll move on to STEP 3, and so on.
• TAKE a FEW STEPS BACK - Depending on the tournament, finish in 3rd (and sometimes 4th and 5th) and you’ll get to play that STEP again without having to shell out cash.
• GO BACK to the DRAWING BOARD – The bad news is you didn’t finish high enough to proceed to the next STEP. The good news is you can enter another STEP 1 tourney for just 10 cents and try again. Or join the fun at any STEP of the way to suit your budget by buying in directly to the tournament with cash.
In short, STEP Tournaments at UltimateBet are great value for money, allowing players to buy in for just a few cents. Finish in the top two to ‘step’ up to a richer game, or finish outside of first and second spot to step backwards with the option to try again. It’s that simple.
A full rundown on UltimateBet’s 2009 WSOP Satellites and STEP Tournaments can be found at UltimateBet.com.
Terms and Conditions Apply
*All UB online qualifiers are automatically eligible for the $10 Million 10 Year sponsorship providing they wear UB branded gear throughout the WSOP. Other players can register with UB on site in Las Vegas to be eligible for the $10 Million sponsorship, but they must also wear UB branded gear throughout the WSOP to qualify.
** To be eligible for the free Aruba Poker Classic Main Event seat, the player must have entered the tournament through STEP 1, and the player must wear UB branded gear throughout the WSOP.
The “World Series of Poker” and “WSOP” are registered trademarks of Harrah’s. No License, affiliation, endorsement, is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. UltimateBet and Absolute Poker are not affiliated, licensed by, or otherwise affiliated with Harrah’s in any way.
“Nets vs. Vets” Cash Game Debuts on Monday
February 14, 2009
Poker After Dark - Eagerly awaited game sure to attract viewers from all age groups
The first of seven weeks of cash games that will air on the 5th season of NBC's Poker After Dark takes place this week as three of pokers most successful online cash game players battle against three of pokers more seasoned veterans of live cash games. Putting up a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $250,000 to begin play are Taylor "Green Plastic" Caby, Cole CTS South, and David Raptor Benefield, all instructors at the poker training site CardRunners.com, as well as long-time cash game players and fan favorites Doyle Brunson, Gabe Kaplan, and Eli Elezra.
Anticipation for this weeks game has been building for some time among members of the Internet community. Caby, South, and Benefield have gained considerable recognition in the poker world for their success playing in cash games online, creating quite a fan base as a result. While Benefield has had some television time as he has played in more tournaments, this will be the first television appearance ever for both Caby and South, so it will be interesting to see how they all fare under the lights and with cameras scrutinizing their every move.
Brunson, Kaplan, and Elezra, of course, are used to all of the hoopla involved in playing on television, as they have done so many times in the past. All three participated in the cash game that took place during Week 37 of Poker After Dark, one in which Brunson continued his streak of never losing in a cash game played on television. Whether he can keep his record intact against this group should be only one of the reasons for fans to tune in this week and watch.
Brief profiles of all six players follow. The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 a.m., February 16, and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the Directors Cut will air late night Saturday, February 21, at 1:00 a.m., right after Saturday Night Live. This show will feature Leeann Tweeden with a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews. Viewers can also watch the match at www.nbcsports/msnbc.com/poker.
The game will start with blinds at $200/$400, but look for antes to be added and the stakes to be raised with the mutual consent of the players. Straddles will be prevalent, and the deuce/seven prop bet will also be introduced very early into the action. The table is cordial and friendly, and despite the large sums of money at stake, everyone clearly appears to be having a good time, making for an enjoyable as well as educational viewing experience.
Poker After Dark Seat One
In Seat one we're treated to Taylor Caby, a Full Tilt Poker Team red player, also one of the founding members of CardRunners.com. Caby is hot, he's young, and he's a poker instructor.
Poker After Dark - Seat Two
21 Year old Cole South from Williamsburg Virginia is also an instructor at Card Runners, in fact, he's a lead instructor. Cole began playing poker in 2005, he's known as a high stakes poker playing frequently found across the table from (hot) popular poker players such as Gus Hansen, Phil Ivey and PokerStars Supernova, David Benyamine
Poker After Dark - Seat Three
Poker After Dark audiences will find Gabe Kaplan seated in the third seat from the dealer. Kaplan has been playing many styles of poker for more than thirty years. He's also well known s a sitcom star, from his days in Welcome Back Kotter.
PAD -Seat Four
Known online as the "Raptor" 22 year old David Benefield, yet another Card Runners poker coach will be playing from seat four. Benefield's biggest claim to fame to date is a 77th place finish in the 2008 Word Seat of Poker main event. Benefield began playing poker 5 years ago in 2004.
Poker After Dark - Seat Five
Fans will be treated by Texas Dolly himself, appearing in seat five throughout this seasons Poker After Dark. Fans will be treated to Doyle Brunson's holding it down against the young guns.
Poker After Dark - Seat 6
Another of the poker greats, Eli Elezra will be making online poker news from seat six. Eli is a native of Israel where he served in the Israeli army 
commando unit. His position in the Israeli army was very similar to serving in the United States Green Berets.
Eli won his first ever World Series of Poker bracelet in 2007 playing seen card Hi/lo. During his life, Eli Elezra has won nearly $2 million in poker tournament prize pools.
Sstatistics courtesy of The Hendon Mob database. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Moore.
Inching Closer To Legal Online Poker In The US
February 13, 2009
From city to city, state to state, the US truly seems to be inching its way closer to legalizing online poker. Several recent court rulings have deemed poker a “game of skill”, while other legislative matters seem to be leaning towards amending the UIGEA.
The most recent maneuver came in Massachusetts, where Governor Deval Patrick’s bill to introduce 3 local, live casinos resurfaced after being rejected a year ago. The bill included a paragraph that made online gambling explicitly illegal, with a max 2-year prison sentence to anyone caught gambling online, or even attempting to gamble online. The Poker Players Alliance stepped in with pleas to the state representatives, who responded immediately by completely removing the section that related to online gambling.
Several months back, in the case of the Commonwealth of Kentucky versus 141 online gambling domains said to be “illegal gambling devices”, the courts ruled that Kentucky would not be able to seize the online gambling domains due to a lack of jurisdictional rights. While they did declare domains to be “gambling devices”, they also ruled that poker was a “game of skill” – another progressive step for online poker players in America.
Another interesting case occurred in the small town of Lisbon, Ohio, where residents are now legally capable of playing online poker. The legislative body of Lisbon, Ohio had not updated their tax laws for many years - since before online poker was even a factor in modern society. In updating the tax laws, the town decided to place a 1.5% tax on online poker winnings. By doing so, the town has made online poker legal for residents, so long as they report and pay those respective taxes.
The Nevada Gaming Control Commission is seeking to move forward post haste with the regulation and legalization of online poker. The head of the board firmly believes that a few minor changes to the UIGEA would allow for the immediate introduction of online poker in Nevada. The Nevada Gaming Control Board would fully regulate online poker in the state, just as it does in live casinos.
They say it’s the little things that really make a difference in this world. If we put together all of these little things happening in legislation in regards to legalizing online poker, as well as the hundreds of other instances not mentioned in this poker news story, it’s safe to imagine that the future of legal online gambling in the United States may become a reality, perhaps even sooner than we had hoped for.
Arrests Actually Made in Connection to Phelps Bong Photograph!
February 10, 2009
We just told you about a South Carolina party yesterday, where Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was allegedly photographed hitting a bong. Phelps came out publicly and apologized for the incident, which some might say is a heckuva admission of guilt.
However, who'd have thunk there'd be arrests made as a result of the photograph. Ok, there was the one sheriff that said he would arrest Phelps if he could prove that the young swimmer smoked the weed in his jurisdiction, but... eight arrests have been made!
Chat about the Micheal Phelps Incedent in our Online Poker News Forum!
Seven people were arrested for their alleged possession of marijuana , the eighth was arrested for dealing.
In an intriguing twist, one of the people arrested weren't even at the party, this guy, who allegedly owns the bong, was bright enough to put up for sale on ebay for a 100 grand.
Way to raise bail money! Except... now your bong, AND your ebay add, are evidence.
Interestingly, Phelps himself has not been charged thus far in this case.
Phelps did however lose his Kellogg's Cereal endorsement deal, his deal with Subway, and was suspended by USA swimming for three months.
According to news reports, the photograph of toking Phelps was taken originally at a University of South Carolina party, sometime in November. . . of last year. The photo wasn't published until February second of this year.
Sheriff Lott with his new "Peace Maker"
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has been criticized by citizens from around the country for singling out phelps and crusading against him on the merit of this one photograph, the good Sheriff says he cannot let the incident slide just because Phelps is rich and famous.
In Response to Sheriff Lott's stance and statements, such as:
"If someone breaks the law in Richland County, we have an obligation as law enforcement to investigate and to bring charges."
Retired Seattle police chief Norm Stamper had this to say:
"No you don't, Sheriff. You do not have to arrest the "someone" you're referring to: the serial Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps."
The Sheriff went on to talk about the discretion given to police officers, and their responsibility to use it.
I'd be willing to bet your pension, Sheriff, that every police officer in the country knows you have no legal mandate to arrest Michael Phelps. Cops understand that without the discretion granted them in law they'd be paralyzed, unable to do their jobs. Unable to make intelligent decisions about who gets a ticket and who doesn't, who goes to jail and who gets a pass.
Phelps loses Endorsement Deal – Will he Turn to Poker?
February 10, 2009
They Said marijuana would ruin your life and you wouldn't amount to anything. The television campaigns share with us an image of lazy teen agers with zombie eyes, affixed to sofa's playing video games or making major mistakes like leaving a friend behind at the party.
Kellogg's Cereal of the Champions, not the Potheads!
Olympic medal winner Michael Phelps, proved them wrong... the young swimmer DID amount to something, in fact, the young swimmer brought home several Olympic medals, and proved his momma proud, just before losing one of his biggest sponsors this week when a contract with Kellogg's Co was ended publicly a week before it would have expired naturally.
It seems Kellogg's was looking for the athletic marketing angle. They weren't it seems targeting the munchies crowd.
Michael was dropped due to the headlines made by the disclosure of a recent photograph showing the swimmer hitting a bong at a party this fall. Spokesperson's from the Kellogg's company reportedly said that the 'bong incident' was not consistent with their public image.
According to reports, to date, Phelps has accumulated more than 5 million bucks in endorsement deals from big companies such as Kellogg, Speedo, Omega (a watch company) Visa, Subway, and Hilton Hotels.
Speculation has arisen in the poker industry, some say Phelps might even utilize industry ties, and become the next Doyle's Room poker star.
Popular gambling news tabloid Gambling 911 said wrote a fun expose on the subject titled: "Michael Phelps Might Need to Become a Poker Pro… Fast!"
"I think it would be cool to play in the World Series of Poker," Phelps once said in respect to joining the poker world. "My game is a little off right now, so I'll have to start improving it a little bit. But I think that would be cool, and it would be cool to meet some of those poker guys."
The Poker Rooms Pretty Forgiving, some Swim Moms, Not so much...
"I am absolutely appalled. Honestly, absolutely appalled, sickened and saddened," said Sherrie Peif, a Windsor, Colo., mother whose 12-year-old son, Braydon, is a swimmer. As a swim mom myself, I brought this up today, some swim parents, such as my own husband were appalled like Peif, others were a bit more forgiving.
Phelp's Coach opted to stand behind him...
"Nobody's perfect," Bowman said in a recent story that ran in the Baltimore Sun, "It's not acceptable, and this is not to excuse it. He definitely, from this point forward, has to decide what he wants to do. But for Michael to go through our trials, our training camp, and then the Olympics, which is unbelievably stressful, without any downtime, that's hard. Still, it's not an excuse."
Pokerstars Security Thwarts Would Be Hackers!
February 9, 2009
The matter of security when it comes to online poker has been brought up many times over the last few years, after all there are online poker players that play just for the fun of it, and then there are professional poker players that make a living playing poker on the internet. At a poker room where security was not the main concern, these players could fall prey to cheaters. The sort of leaches that don't learn the game, and only profit when they cheat other online poker players through the use of Trojan's and other invasive software or devises.
Everyday thousands of poker players use various means to deposit thousands of dollars into their online poker accounts, trusting the poker rooms they play with to protect not only their account balances, but their identities as well. Pokerstars has gone the extra mile and done just that. In fact, Pokerstars was not hacked.
Here's what happened at PokerStars:
A handful of poker players reported to the felt poker forum having received an email from PokerStars telling them that they may have been a victim of an attempted identity theft. As a result PokerStars locked the accounts of effected poker players.
This email is to inform you, your account has been momentarily frozen due
to security reasons.
The alleged criminals behind the scam may have used a keystroke logging device to obtain the username and password information of these players the email explained. Players were instructed to run an anti virus software as soon as possible
a) Please run the Antivirus in your computer and search for any type of
virus or spyware. We have the suspicious your computer(s) can be infected
by a key logger. That is why need to know your computer is clear from
threats.
Now here's the scary part. . .
b) Please change your email password information and any other password
from any online company that you use, in which you can access valuable
private information, your entire personal information could be compromised.
PokerStars is an internationally based company that hires a diverse group of people, many of which are quite fluent in several languages, therefore some of the grammar in the email was questioned when the poker players first learned about the would be incidents. Staff from PokerStars has confirmed the news, the emails are legitimate and players effected are urged to scan their computers as soon as possible. Those players have also been asked to fax proof of their identification to PokerStars to have their accounts unblocked.
Please scan the requested documentation and send to
security@pokerstars.com or fax to:
PokerStars
Attn: Security Department
Fax: 1-800-631-9050 - Toll free for US & Canada
+506-2295-6860 - All other countries** Write your username on all the pages if sending by fax.
Thus far there are no reports of money having been lost, an investigation involving usernames ThirstyCa318 or MainMan Andy seems to be underway.
Also for our records we would appreciate if, you let us know if, you know
or have received assistances from: ThirstyCa318 or MainMan Andy.
Before, I let you go, I need to ask you for confirmation of the following
things:
No official statement has been made by PokerStars at this time.
The Following was reported by Poker News Team over the weekend:
Hello,
Greetings from PokerStars.
This email is to inform you, your account has been momentarily frozen due
to security reasons. Wee are just trying to confirm everything is okay
with it.As part of the investigation, I need to ask you if, by any chance you
belong or have received assistance (received a file or attachment) from a
digital forum where people help each other with technical/computer
problems? If so, please let me know the names or usernames of the persons
you know from this site.Also for our records we would appreciate if, you let us know if, you know
or have received assistances from: ThirstyCa318 or MainMan Andy.
Before, I let you go, I need to ask you for confirmation of the following
things:a) Please run the Antivirus in your computer and search for any type of
virus or spyware. We have the suspicious your computer(s) can be infected
by a key logger. That is why need to know your computer is clear from
threats.b) Please change your email password information and any other password
from any online company that you use, in which you can access valuable
private information, your entire personal information could be compromised.c) Please send us a clear photocopy of a government issued photo ID (front
and back).Please scan the requested documentation and send to
security@pokerstars.com or fax to:
PokerStars
Attn: Security Department
Fax: 1-800-631-9050 - Toll free for US & Canada
+506-2295-6860 - All other countries** Write your username on all the pages if sending by fax.
I will be looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards,
Roberta C
PokerStars Security
In another email, later published on the forums, Pokerstars asks players if they have accessed their poker accounts from the Netherlands recently:
"Greetings from PokerStars.
Thank you so much for replying back to our email.
I am afraid I must confirm our records show your account was accessed from Netherlands on 1/16/2009 at 4:38:30 AM. We just wanted to confirm if, you were the person who accessed the account on that date. At the moment it is pretty hard to determinate how the hacker had access to your information. For these type of cases most likely is through a key logger. Usually these type of viruses are sent via an attachment (photo, file, etc) or you used a computer which was previously infected. Fortunately, we have been able to catch it on time.
In order to reinstate please confirm your computers are free of threats and that you have changed your email password (we also recommend you to change any other private information).
As soon as we receive a clear photocopy of a government issued photo ID (front and back), the account could be reinstated. This is the only way we have to verify you are the account holder and not someone else that could have got in hold of your information.
Please scan the requested documentation and send to security@pokerstars.com or fax to:PokerStarsAttn: Security DepartmentFax: 1-800-631-9050 - Toll free for US & Canada +506-2295-6860 - All other countries
** Write your username on all the pages if sending by fax.
I will be looking forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your understanding and for your cooperation.
Best Regards,
Roberta C
PokerStars Security "
__________________
Extraordinary match features six of the game’s top mathematical mindsets
February 8, 2009
Poker After Dark: “Brilliant Minds” Debuts on the ninth of this month.
This week on NBC’s Poker After Dark viewers will witness six successful professional players highly regarded in the world of poker for their 
analytical thinking and mathematical prowess in a match which is being called “Brilliant Minds.” The match brings together two familiar faces in Chris Ferguson and Andy Bloch, and four newcomers in Brandon Adams, Bill Chen, Jimmy Warren, and David Sklansky. Each will put up $20,000 and compete for the $120,000 winner-take-all first prize.
Ferguson and Bloch tangled in the finals of the 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, with Ferguson taking home the title. Chris, who earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA, is 1-6 on PAD with a victory in Match 7. Andy, who is now being referred to by many as the best player in the world without a World Series bracelet, holds two electrical engineering degrees from M.I.T. and a law degree from Harvard. He is 0-3 on PAD, coming close in Match 25 before losing a heads-up battle with Gabe Kaplan.
Adams and Chen both lead double lives, splitting their time between playing poker and their chosen professions. Brandon holds Master’s Degrees in Finance and Real Estate, and teaches Applied Game Theory at Harvard. Bill was the winner of two World Series of Poker bracelets in 2006, one of only two players that year to do so. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from UC Berkeley, and his day job is developing mathematical models for an investment firm on the markets his company trades in. Both are also published authors.
Sklansky has won three World Series of Poker bracelets, but is probably best known for the many books he has written about gambling theory and poker. Though he does not hold an advanced degree, he is known as “The Mathematician” for his extensive knowledge of math and how it applies to the game. Warren may be the least known among this group, but he is well-known at the Las Vegas high-stakes cash game tables, where he has been making his living for many years. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University and worked as a research physicist before becoming a professional poker player.
Brief profiles of all six players follow. The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 a.m., February 9, and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the “Director’s Cut” will air late night Saturday, February 14, at 1:00 a.m., right after Saturday Night Live. This show will feature Leeann Tweeden with a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews. Viewers can also watch the match at www.nbcsports/msnbc.com/poker.
The conversation in this match is very different from what has been heard during previous PAD matches, and those who are interested in mathematical aspects of the game will be fascinated by it. This week’s players possess a level of intelligence that most people would envy, and as such this is a very unique matchup and one that viewers are sure to enjoy.
Brandon Adams - Poker After Dark Seat 1
Full Tilt Poker Pro
• Born in New Orleans in 1978, Full Tilt Poker's Brandon Adams now resides in Cambridge, MA
• Semi-professional cash game player, playing NLHE as high as $200/$400, and appeared on the 4th season of GSN’s High Stakes Poker
• Career tournament winnings in excess of $510,000
• A college graduate at the age of 19, holds Master’s degrees in Finance and Real Estate, and now teaches Applied Game Theory at Harvard
• Has written 2 books, one entitled
Broke: A Poker Novel
Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson - Poker After Dark Seat 2
Full Tilt Poker Pro
• Nicknamed “Jesus” and one of poker’s most recognizable players
• World Series of Poker Champion in 2000 and owner of five WSOP bracelets
• Career tournament winnings in excess of $7.42 million, and ranks 18th on the all-time money list
• Runner-up in both the 2005 and 2006 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and the winner in 2008, bringing his record in this event to an unprecedented 16-3
• Earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA in 1999, and is a former ballroom and swing dance instructor
Andy Block - Poker After Dark Seat 3
Full Tilt Poker Pro
• Holds two electrical engineering degrees from MIT and a law degree from Harvard
• Finished 2nd to the late Chip Reese at the 2006 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, and was runner-up to Chris Ferguson in the 2008 NHPC
• Lifetime poker tournament winnings in excess of $4.07 million
• Former member of the MIT blackjack team, the subject of a book entitled Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions
">Bringing Down the House
• Began wearing his unique hat full time to play poker about 2 years ago, but wore it prior from time to time as part of an Irish rock star costume
Bill Chen Will be sitting in Seat 4 at the Poker After Dark table.
• Discovered he had a gift for mathematics at an early age, as he was a Rubik’s Cube champion in junior high school and was studying calculus in the 7th grade
• Owns two WSOP bracelets, both in 2006, and was one of only two players that year to win more than one
• Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $981,000
• Earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from UC Berkeley in 1999, and works for an investment firm that makes mathematical models on many of the markets his company trades in
• Along with Jerrod Ankenman, co-authored the book The Mathematics of Poker
">The Mathematics of Poker published in 2006
In Seat 5 - Jimmy Warren from Doyles!
• Long-time successful professional cash game player, with emphasis on all forms of limit poker
• A Dartmouth College graduate, he earned a Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University and worked as a research physicist before moving to Las Vegas with girlfriend Jeannie in 1986
• Has derived 100% of his income from playing in cash games since then
• Profiled in Card Player magazine as one of the top ten 7-card stud players in the world
• One of the first pioneers to apply a scientific approach using mathematical and computer skills to winning professional poker
Sklansky, David: (Seat 6)
• Born in New Jersey to the father of a Colombia University math professor, which may help explain his keen interest in math and how he applies it to the game of poker
• Winner of three WSOP bracelets
• Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $1.25 million
• Is associated with the 2+2 Publishing empire, owned by Mason Malmuth
• Has authored or co-authored 13 books on gambling theory and poker, with The Theory of Poker
">The Theory of Poker, published in 1987, perhaps his most respected work
Dennis Oehring serves as the Public Relations Coordinator for the firm Poker PROductions. Statistics courtesy of The Hendon Mob database. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Moore.
CEREUS Poker Network Reports $32 million in Bad Beat Jackpot Payouts at Absolute Poker and UltimateBet
February 6, 2009
15,002 players paid for losing hands at Absolute Poker and UltimateBet’s Bad Beat Jackpot tables.
It turns out that in online poker winning really isn’t everything. The CEREUS Poker Network, home of leading online poker sites Absolute Poker and UltimateBet, today released payout data on its popular Bad Beat Jackpot offering. Over $32 million was handed out at the two online poker rooms' Bad Beat Jackpot tables since the game was initially launched in 2007. The $32 million figure was reached on January 31 when an Absolute Poker player named HIPLO pocketed $132,888.80 after losing a hand of Texas Hold’em holding four nines. The data reported today does not include money won at the tables through regular Texas Hold’em play.
Absolute Poker introduced Bad Beat Jackpot to its lineup of online poker games on June 22nd, 2007. UltimateBet followed with its own offering just a few months later. Since then, both online poker sites have become two of the most popular destinations for players looking to grab a piece of the multi-million dollar Bad Beat Jackpot pie. The Bad Beat Jackpot data released today by CEREUS reveals the following numbers:
• $32,665,751.03– The total value of Bad Beat Jackpot payouts at both Absolute Poker and UltimateBet
• $1,605,573.30 – The total Bad Beat Jackpot winnings handed out so far in 2009
• $ 16,435,623.88 – The amount of money handed out to the recipients of bad beats
• $ 8,272,211.92 – The amount of money won by hand winners of qualifying bad beats
• $ 7,957,915.23 – The amount of Bad Beat Jackpot money shared by players seated at the table where the bad beats occurred or at tables with the same stakes
• $325,212.40 – The single highest Bad Beat Jackpot payout to a single player on the CEREUS poker network
• 15,002 – The total number of players paid at both online poker sites to date
Bad Beat Jackpot is just like regular Texas Hold’em but with a slight twist. When seated at a Bad Beat Jackpot table, if a player loses a Texas Hold’em hand holding four 8s or anything better, they’ll win a large piece of the Bad Beat Jackpot.
To help the jackpot build, $0.50 is collected from qualifying hands at Bad Beat Jackpot tables. The jackpot keeps growing until someone hits a qualifying bad beat, at which time a large percentage of it is distributed amongst the bad beat victim and the participants in the online poker hand. The next player to lose a hand holding four 8s or anything better will win a large piece of the new jackpot. The participants in the bad beat hand also share in the jackpot.
Absolute Poker and UltimateBet both reside on the CEREUS Poker Network. CEREUS, which launched to rave reviews on November 25th after more than 12 months of development, delivers a secure, responsive and flexible online poker gaming experience to members of the AP and UB communities. The new poker platform is backed by leading technology and a 24/7 Security Center to deliver a watertight gaming experience for everyone at the tables.
Complete details on Absolute Poker and UltimateBet’s Bad Beat Jackpot offerings can be found at absolutepoker.com and ultimatebet.com.
Full Tilt Poker Crowns First Victor In FTOPS XI
February 5, 2009
The Full Tilt Online Poker Series has returned to Full Tilt Poker, now in its 11th installment – FTOPS XI. Event #1, $200+$16 NLH got underway last night, February 4th, at 9pm ET, and just moments ago crowned the first victor of FTOPS XI – “muckducks”.
6,275 participants took the tables Wednesday evening to battle it out for their share of the $1,000,000 Guarantee, enough to boost the prize pool to $1,255,000 as the action got underway.
The massive field dwindled, slowly but surely, as 6,000+ fell to a final table of 9. One-by-one, the final participants were sent to the rails to watch anxiously as, at last, it came down to two, highly skilled, and likely exhausted, competitors.
By 9:45 am ET, heads-up challengers “muckducks” and “sticky seat” had seen the chips filtered back and forth quite a few times. Eventually, the final hand came.
“Muckducks” held a 2-to-1 chip lead over “sticky seat”, with about 20m to 10m. “Sticky seat” found himself holding As-Kc, an exceptional starting hand that lead him to an All-In push. Looking down at J-T suited, “muckducks” made the call.
As the board came down, “sticky seat” looked like the sure winner, grabbing a Pair of Queens, lead by his Ace high, to take the lead. But the River completed a Queen high Straight for “muckducks” that put an end to a long, weary night of poker.
The 1st place prize of $216,512.60, along with the honorable FTOPS bracelet, goes to “muckducks”. For his exemplary effort, “sticky seat” walked away with a 2nd place cash of $131,147.50.
Full Tilt Poker FTOPS XI Event #1, $1m GTD, Final Table Results
1st – muckducks - $216,512.60
2nd – sticky seat - $131,147.50
3rd – John Newcombe - $84,336
4th – two8off - $65,887.50
5th – headbang - $49,572.50
6th – Almerud - $37,022.50
7th – song1234 - $28,865
8th – ich_bin_pro – 21,962.50
9th – amster_ATX - $16,315
Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS XI) Is Back
February 5, 2009
Last night, Full Tilt Poker began its 11th installment of the renowned Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS XI). The online poker series features more than $15 million in guaranteed prize pools over 25 Pro-hosted events.
The action got underway last night, February 4th, as Full Tilt Pro Howard Lederer hosted Event #1, $200+$16 NL Hold’em with $1,000,000 guaranteed. FTOPS XI will continue with multiple daily events until the FTOPS XI Main Event – $500+$35 NL Hold’em, $2.5 million Guarantee – hosted by Full Tilt Pro John Juanda on Sunday, February 15th.
New to the FTOPS roster are two unique events. First is Event #12, a $1,000+$60 NL Hold’em tournament with a ‘Second Chance’ twist. All participants who falter within the first hour will be allowed to re-buy for free. Second is Event #18, a $200+$16 Pot Limit Omaha tournament played in Heads-Up fashion.
Overall, FTOPS XI will feature a wide diversity of tournament styles and poker variants, including Knockout and Shootout tournaments with Stud, Razz and H.O.R.S.E. on the menu. Of the 25-event schedule, 6 will feature guaranteed prize pools in the 7-digit range. These are:
Event #1: $200+$16 NLH, $1m GTD - Feb 4 @ 9pm
Event #10: $300+$22 NLH, $1.5m GTD – Feb 8 @ 6pm
Event #12: $1,000+$60 NLH Second Chance, $1.5m GTD – Feb 9 @ 9pm
Event #17: $300+$22 NLH, $1.5m GTD – Feb 8 @ 6pm
Event #22: $5,000+$200 2-Day NLH, $2m GTD – Feb 14 @ 2pm
Event #25: $500+$35 FTOPSXI Main Event NLH, $2.5m GTD – Feb 15 @ 6pm
At the time of writing, Event #1 of FTOPS XI, which saw 6,275 entrants, is still underway and has dwindled to the final two players battling it out one-on-one. The leader, “muckducks”, holds a 2-to-1 chip lead over heads-up opponent “sticky seat” – 20m to 10m.
Full Tilt Poker Signs First Swedish Red Pro, Michael Tureniec
February 3, 2009
Full Tilt Poker is well known for having the largest, most impressive team of professional poker players in its Full Tilt Pro roster. The recent signing of Michael Tureniec, however, is a landmark event for the online poker room, inking a deal with its first ever Swedish Red Pro.
Michael Tureniec, just 23 years old, has been playing poker for the past five years. His online poker presence has proved tremendously successful for the young Swede over that time. It wasn’t until the last few months of his career, however, that Tureniec discovered massive success in live tournaments.
Michael has pocketed more than $1.25 million in live tournament cashes in recent months, starting with a £525,314 ($1,042,910-USD) 2nd place finish in the European Poker Championships of the EPT on October 1, 2008. The very next month, Tureniec went on to claim his first crowned victory, finishing 1st in the Master Classics of Poker for $225,231.
Tureniec (pictured left) started the new year off with a proverbial bang as well, taking a 19th place cash of $46,643 in the Spotlight NL Hold’em Championship Event of the Aussie Millions.
Full Tilt Poker was quick to enter negotiations with Michael Tureniec’s agent, Vegas Group, resulting in the recent announcement of his addition to the Full Tilt Red Pro roster. According to Michael, joining Team Full Tilt is quite literally a dream come true.
“It feels great to be the first Swede to sign with Full Tilt Poker,” Tureniec commented. “This is naturally a large step forward in my poker career." The young poker pro from Solna, Sweden will represent Full Tilt Poker, exhibiting branded attire throughout his sponsored trips to live poker events around the world.
Michael Tureniec joins an esteemed group of Full Tilt Red Pros that includes Scott Clements, David Colclough, Perry Friedman, Scott Fischman and many others; not to mention exclusive Full Tilt Pros Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, John Juanda, Erik Seidel, Jennifer Harman and more of today’s top pros.
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