Esther Taylor Leads after Day 1 of WSOP Circuit Rincon
March 31, 2009
Harrah’s Rincon in San Diego, California is playing host to the WSOP Circuit Championship which began on Monday. The event saw a low draw of players, only 106, compared to last year’s 148 players. The buy-in for the event was $5,000 and after Day 1 play, Esther Taylor is in the chip lead.
Several big named players entered the tournament but could not manage to make it past Day 1. Steve Billirakis, Michael Binger, Robert Slezak, David Daneshgar, Jason Young and Robert Cheung all competed but did not survive past Day 1. Out of the 106 players competing only sixteen players remained after the end of Day 1.
Esther Taylor is the last female in the competition. Taylor took the chip lead around level ten when she held pocket kings against pocket tens. Taylor doubled up after that hand and finished the day as the chip leader. Her closest competition is Charles Williams who has about sixty thousand less chips.
It will be great if Taylor can continue her streak of great game play. A woman has never won a WSOP Circuit Championship. Kathy Liebert managed to finish third in the 2007 championship at the Rincon and Jennifer Harman finished in second place back in 2005 at the Rio.
Day 2 continued today with the sixteen players returning to compete. Nine players will cash out at the tournament.
Chip Standings after Day 1:
Esther Taylor -- 339,500
Charles Williams -- 279,000
Rick Reavis --202,000
Dwyte Pilgrim --149,500
John Farrell --143,500
Thao Thiem -- 142,000
Josh Prager -- 129,500
Pogos Simitiyan -- 124,500
Christopher Tryba -- 121,000
Lance Oliver --114,500
Jonathan McGowan --94,500
Steve Kim --76,000
Anas Sitthivong -- 64,000
Matt Hyman -- 58,000
Taylor Bell -- 43,000
Mike Heintschel -- 37,500
Jamie Gold’s Team Wins Dream Team Poker Tournament
March 30, 2009
The Dream Team Poker held their tournament this past weekend at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas with an open invitation to any who wanted to compete. A large number of people showed up, 444 in total, which created a total of 148 teams. The overall winning team of the tournament was headed by WSOP champion Jamie Gold.
Each player posted the $500 buy-in which created a prize pool of $220,000. The way the Dream Team tournament works is that forty percent of the prize pool goes to the top twenty five finishers and the remaining sixty percent goes to the top seven teams finishing in the tournament.
The object is to make it far in the competition single handedly and also to finish with the lowest team score. Players receive a score for each person they outlast and each team gets to drop their lowest score. During day 2 game play, each team is given two ninety second time outs which allows the teams to plan a strategy with any team mate at the table.
Several of the top poker pros were in attendance and hoping their team would win the tournament. Tom McEvoy, Phil Hellmuth, Jerry Yang, Johnny Chan and Jamie Gold each had teams in the tournament. Though, McEvoy and Gold were the only two to do well in the tournament.
Gold would make the final table as well as McEvoy but Gold would be the first to leave. Not to worry though, as Gold’s girlfriend, Ashley Nataupsky, was still sitting pretty at the final table. McEvoy would be eliminated as well and Ashley would hang on till she was eliminated in fourth place. It was a great finish as Jamie’s team, Team Aced, would win the championship since all players did very well.
Team Aced split right under $60,000 while Danny Nelson of team Bikerhaven would win the overall tournament as an individual. Nelson earned $13,000 for his finish after a three way chop was decided and then with the win earns an extra $6,000.
Online Poker Strategy – Controlling the Size of the Pot
March 27, 2009
Before you can successfully control the pot when playing No Limit Texas Holdem, you first need to be able to assess the value of your hand. So before you decide what approach you are going to take, figure out what your cards are worth. Say for instance that you are holding AJ of diamonds and the flop comes jack of spades, king of diamonds and 8 of diamonds. Now with a flop like that you know that you most likely have the best hand as well as a nut flush draw. This means that the bigger the pot gets, the better for you.
If you have early position, you may want to check to see what other players are going to do. Having early position when you know you probably have the best hand is a very good thing. Early position not only means that you get free information but it also allows you to control the pot better by having the opportunity to check-raise other players to build the pot up. Especially if a player with later position chooses to bet and other players call. With a check raise you will most likely be able to get players on a draw to fold, hopefully leaving you with the best hand.
The example given above is a simplification. There are many other things you also need to take into consideration such as; how many players you are playing with, how those players have been playing (ie: tight, loose, bluffer etc.), what the other players' chip stacks look like as well as what your own chip stack is looking like. Determining all of these things will assist you in knowing what play you want to make and how you want to go about controlling the size of the pot.
Now don't make the mistake that many new poker players make by believing your top pair is good even if your kicker is crap. Too many players make this mistake and regret it immensely when the player they were up against shows the same top pair with a better kicker, Now if the player you are up against has proven to be a bluffer, staying in may be a pretty good strategy for you. However, if you have noticed that they play pretty tight and win most hands that go to showdown and they have bet, called or raised all the way, you may want to figure out how many hands you could beat and if there are more hands that can beat you than you can beat you may want to lay your hand down or in the very least try to control the pot by keeping the bets small.
Now if you are facing more than one player after the flop, you need to have a real good hand. If the community cards leave many draws out there, a big pot after the flop is okay, but if a you bet your hand all the way and on the river they stay with you, you can almost bet you are beat. The best way to control the pot is to control the bets. For instance, if you want a bigger pot, make bigger bets or by check raising. If you want to keep it small (like if you're still drawing), bet it small. By making a small bet you will not only take control but if you get raised you can guess that they have already made their hand.
These techniques are not perfect and will not work all of the time. Rather they are here to help guide you through creating your own style and technique. Practice makes perfect so if one way doesn't work for you, take note of it and tweak it until you find a style you're comfortable with.
MansionPoker great giveaways in March
March 26, 2009
PRESS INFORMATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gibraltar, Europe (PRWEB) March 10, 2009
Poker’s favourite frog announces MansionPoker great giveaways in March.
MansionPoker.com (http://www.mansionpoker.com), one of the leading online poker innovation experts, has coughed up a new croaky character to spearhead their $50,000 Mad March Giveaway promotions.
The first of the Mad March duo is MansionPoker.com’s very own Weekly Cash Races. Every week in March, running from Wednesdays to Tuesdays with the last weekly event finishing on March 31, the top 20 players get the chance to pocket a share of $10,000 every week… that’s $2,000 for the top weekly earner!
As MansionPoker.com players push for a top 20 spot, they get to keep track of their own daily score with a self-updating leader board, found on the promotion web-page itself.
It’s just this combination of user-comfort and state-of-the-art technology that is transporting MansionPoker.com in leaps and bounds to the top of the online Poker market.
As part of their Mad March Easter promotion, MansionPoker.com is also offering their regular players the chance to play in one of Two Exclusive Rocks $500,000 GP Qualifier Freerolls, each with a $4,500 top package prize to the Rocks $500,000 Guaranteed Event in Kyrenia, North Cyprus.
To be eligible for one of these qualifiers, all players have to do is play any poker game for at least 20 days between March 4 and March 31… it’s a simple play and win situation!
And they haven’t forgotten about the runners up either… every MansionPoker.com player to rank from second to tenth in these qualifier freerolls gets awarded a satellite token, and also plays for the chance to travel to Cyprus and play in the Rocks $500,000 GP Event.
Over £50,000 in Guaranteed prizes plus the chance to fly to Cyprus and play at the Rocks Hotel and Casino Main Event - their generosity knows no bounds.
The home-grown Mad March Giveaway is a true indication of the originality and bounty that MansionPoker.com members enjoy, and of what this exciting poker site brings to the online table.
With both huge money prizes for players to claim plus an improved account handling on the part of the MansionPoker.com Team, members can now spend more time concentrating on cashing in on those fantastic offers.
MansionPoker.com also rewards member loyalty with membership to their prestigious Club MANSION.
Players earn Mansion Club Points for every raked hand played, moving up the levels the more they play. Every level earns a variety of benefits which include impressive point boosts and quality Club MANSION Shop items.
Their unique loyalty scheme rewards members even further for maintaining their club status and their loyalty calculator allows members to work out their own Club Level in seconds - this is quickly becoming the most sought after online poker club around.
MansionPoker.com also continues to offer its fantastic 100% new member bonus of up to $500. New members simply download the easy to use software and play any Real Money game to qualify.
For full details visit http://www.mansionpoker.com/
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For more information:
Contact details: David Chevasco, Tel: +350-200-72550,e-mail:david.chevasco@mansion.com
New Schedule for FTOPS Released
March 26, 2009
Full Tilt Poker has released the new schedule for the upcoming Full Tilt Online Poker Series which is set to begin on May 8th. The tournament will continue until May 17th and feature twenty five events. Twelve of the twenty five events have been guaranteed a minimum prize pool of $500,000.
This will be the twelfth edition of the FTOPS and each year the series becomes larger and more popular. This year the series will begin with a $216 no limit hold’em six handed tournament on May 6th. This event will have a $1 million guaranteed prize pool and satellites for this event have already been arranged.
Most of the events taking place during the series will be Hold’em but will each event will be different. Some will be multi table tournaments while others will be in knockout format, turbo, six handed play, shootouts, re-buys or different blind structures.
Other games included at the series will be Omaha eight or better, razz, stud eight or better, HA and Omaha. H.E.R.O.S. will be featured in this year’s FTOPS instead of H.O.R.S.E. which has been featured in previous series.
The main event will begin on May 17th and will have a buy-in of $535. The prize pool will be a guaranteed $2.5 million. However, this event will not have the biggest buy-in of the series. On May 16th, a $2,620 buy-in event begins which will take place over two days but it will only have a guaranteed $2 million prize pool.
The full list of events including dates and prize pools can be found on the Full Tilt Poker website. Players will also find information on various satellites that can be entered to win seats to different FTOPS XII events.
Mansionpoker.com colours are in fashion with stylish Italian site launch
March 26, 2009
MansionPoker.com will be looking a knockout and turning heads with the roll out of the Italian-speaking version of the site.
MansionPoker.com has been busy striking a pose in its native English-speaking format, becoming an important name in the online gaming arena. While Spanish, German, French, Swedish and Dutch localizations have further galvanised the MansionPoker.com brand.
And now, the hotly anticipated Italian-speaking version joins the fray.
And, as MansionPoker.com has continued to grow and prosper, it hasn’t lost sight of the attributes like the great offers and straightforward thinking that have made it become so successful. The Italian language version is no exception.
The popular 100% new member bonus of up to $500 offer for instance, continues to be offered on all language versions of the site and is a strong draw in catching the attention of potential new players.
They just download the easy to use software and play any Real Money games to qualify. A new world of high-end online poker is literally just one click away. An efficient and ease of use philosophy that carries on through to the functionality of the MasnsionPoker.com site.
MansionPoker.com also showcases a diverse range of attractive promotions for its players. There are promotions such as the popular Febonanza events, were players can win their share of a combined $430,000.
While for the massive $2,500,000 GP Tournament, satellites are currently taking place for players who want to be part of the main event taking place on 8 March 2009.
MansionPoker.com’s mix of stand-out promotions like Febonanza and a highly rewarding loyalty scheme called Club Mansion allows it standout from the competition.
With Club Mansion, players earn Mansion Club Points (MCP) for every raked hand played, and progress up the pre-defined levels the more they play. The more active a player is, the bigger their rewards.
Every level earns a variety of benefits including cash prize freerolls and a range of impressive Club Mansion shop items. Members are further rewarded for maintaining their club status.
Check Club MANSION at http://it.mansionpoker.com/club-mansion/ for more details of one of the most sought after online poker clubs around.
So for players who want Italian online poker at an impressively high standard, under a name they can trust, then they need look no further.
Mansionpoker.com proves it’s better red with Russian site launch
March 26, 2009
Mansionpoker.com proves it’s better red with Russian site launch
MansionPoker.com heads way out East as the brand makes a full roll out for the Russian-speaking market.
Online gaming is a highly competitive industry - those in the leading pack, offer a balanced package and get the fundamentals right. This can then be built on with an exciting variety of promotions and super prize incentives.
MansionPoker.com does exactly that. Performing impressively in its home UK territory, the brand has since been localized to Spanish, German, French, Swedish and Dutch to wide acclaim. And now, the Mansion Poker brand enters the lucrative Russian market.A superb golden carrot, in the shape of the 100% new member bonus of up to $500 is a strong incentive for users considering joining up. Players need only download the easy to use software and play any Real Money games to then qualify for the new member bonus.One joined-up, an exciting world of online poker with great games and unbelievable prizes lays in wait for the player.
MansionPoker.com really is a breath of fresh air in a crowded and competitive arena.Satellites for the $2,500,000 GP Tournament are now running for players who want to be part of the main event, which takes place on 8 March 2009. MansionPoker.com’s mix of stand-out promotions like Febonanza (with up to $430,000 up for grabs) and a highly rewarding loyalty scheme – Club Mansion.With Club Mansion, players earn Mansion Club Points (MCP) for every raked hand played, and progress up the pre-defined levels the more they play. The more active a player is, the bigger their rewards.
Every level earns a variety of benefits including cash prize freerolls and a range of impressive Club Mansion shopitems. Members are further rewarded for maintaining their club status. Check Club MANSIONat http://ru.mansionpoker.com/club-mansion/ for more details one of the most sought after online poker clubs around.
For an Online Poker experience that is both accomplished and professional, Mansion Poker has the package that makes it the only worthwhile proposition for casual players who take part in the occasional flutter as well as the committed hardcore user.
ECOOP number 4 hits MansionPoker.com!
March 26, 2009
PRESS INFORMATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gibraltar, Europe (PRWEB) March 22, 2009
ECOOP number 4 hits MansionPoker.com !
MansionPoker.com (http://www.mansionpoker.com), one of the leading online poker brands, continues to grace the market with its free-flowing, fresh promotions bringing us the fourth edition of the European Championship of Online Poker (ECOOP), and its giveaway prizepool of $4.5 million.
The ECOOP Championship tournaments start on Monday 25 May and ends with a $1,500,000 Main Event on Sunday 7 June 2009.
It boasts all of the favourite poker games including No Limit Hold-em, 7 Card Stud and Omaha, plus some exciting variations.
Direct buy-ins for the ECOOP Championships range from $100 + $9 to $1,500 + $80 for the grand finale, but MansionPoker.com members get the chance to qualify for these big money tournaments by playing in ECOOP satellites from as little $1.00 + $0.10.
ECOOP qualifying satellites got underway on March 9, so MansionPoker.com members are getting plenty of time to book their seat at one of the 14 tournaments in this prestigious online rendezvous.
For detailed information on Mansion Poker’s ECOOP satellite structure, go to: http://www.mansionpoker.com/promotions/ecoop/index.html
A feather in their cap; MansionPoker.com players have a great track record at the annual ECOOP event, with over 70 winners in its last edition and several of them winning money prizes in excess of $50,000.
A $4.5 million prizepool spread out over 14 big money tournaments is just too tempting to miss for the poker game’s knowledgeable bluffers.
And the $4.5 million ECOOP special is simply the latest in a long line of winning promotions hosted by the expert professionals at MansionPoker.com.
Both the serious and casual online poker players are spoilt for choice at Mansionpoker.com with their big money tournaments and superb account handling. Members have the freedom to spend time concentrating on winning those big pots, as all financial matters are taken care of in a confident and secure manner.
MansionPoker.com also rewards member loyalty with membership to their unique Club MANSION.
Players earn Mansion Club Points for every raked hand played, moving up the levels the more they play. Every level earns a variety of benefits which include freerolls and impressive Club MANSION Shop items.
The MansionPoker.com loyalty scheme is gaining tremendous popularity, especially rewarding members for maintaining their club status. This is already one of the most sought after online poker clubs around, check Club MANSION at http://www.mansionpoker.com/club-mansion/ for more details.
MansionPoker.com also continues to offer an unbeatable 100% new member bonus of up to $500. New members simply download the easy to use software and play any Real Money games to qualify.
For full details visit http://www.mansionpoker.com/
* * * * *
For more information:
Press contact details: David Chevasco, Tel: +350-200-72550, e-mail: david.chevasco@mansion.com
UltimateBet Adds Items from NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice to Auction Website
March 25, 2009
Paraphernalia from NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice show now up for bids on leading online cardroom’s auction site. Online poker players at UltimateBet can use their UltimatePoints to bid on popular items that appeared on the NBC reality show w.
Miami, FL (PRWeb) March 20, 2009 – UltimateBet is giving Texas Hold’em fans the chance to own a piece of television history. The online poker site today announced the addition of various Celebrity Apprentice paraphernalia to its UBAuctions.com website.
“Celebrity Apprentice has been incredibly challenging but equally rewarding,” stated Annie Duke, UltimateBet’s Cardroom Consultant. “I attribute my success in the game thus far to my poker strategy and I’m thrilled to be able to share some items from the show with members of the UB community.”
Duke is currently a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. The world champion poker great heads into week four of the NBC show this Sunday, having outsmarted Andrew Dice Clay, Scott Hamilton and Tom Green in episodes one, two and three, respectively.
Currently up for bids are two wedding dresses from episode two and a memorabilia t-shirt from the first episode. UltimateBet has promised to add more Celebrity Apprentice items to its auction website as the show progresses.
UBAuctions.com is part of RAI$E, UltimateBet’s industry-leading loyalty program that turns an already extraordinary online poker experience into a lifestyle altering one. All depositing players automatically enter the RAI$E program with Ultimate Member status and are granted access to the UBAuctions.com website. The auction site works much like eBay, however instead of cash, poker players use the UltimatePoints they accumulate playing online poker to outbid their fellow UB players on some of the most sought-after auction items.
Full details on the current Celebrity Apprentice items now up for bids can be found at UBAuctions.com.
BlueFirePoker Challenges US Officials to Million Dollar Game of Poker
March 25, 2009
BluefirePoker.com recently announced on their website that they are challenging President Barack Obama or members of the US Congress to a poker game. The government official would face a poker pro to prove that poker is a game of skill not a game of luck. BluefirePoker will put up $1 million against just $1 to prove their point.
BluefirePoker has not given specifics of the game but they have stated that all the money would go to various charities. Each player will be given the same amount of chips to start with and according to the website: “the length of the game must also be long enough to demonstrate the advantage of skill because poker prowess and experience demonstrate themselves over time – in the long run, the better player wins the game because the player’s skills increase the odds of success.”
I don’t necessarily believe that President Obama will take the poker site up on their challenge but it would be a good move for government officials who are in favor of having poker ruled as a game of skill. Those in favor could prove the skill level needed by participating in the challenge.
Hopefully the United States is getting closer to changing the way the government approaches online gambling and the game of poker. The Pennsylvania judge who ruled poker as a game of skill during a recent case helps the matter as well as Barney Frank, who will be introducing legislation in the next few weeks that will address the UIGEA.
Fat People Exposed at the Bus Stop –
March 25, 2009
Fitness First, Netherlands based, took it upon themselves to intrduce a fresh new approach to marketing their clubs - public shaming.
When someone sits on a bench to rest while waiting for the bus, the ad literally shows the person's weight in red numbers for the world to see.
If this was about anything other than profit and fat shaming they would at least attempt to offer discounted memberships to those that were impoverished. Mused a flabbergasted blogger.
How many poor people do you know that have memberships to exclusive fitness clubs? They will sell you the line about tough love, and play on your emotions but the sooner they part you from a dollar they happier their profit margins are. This is not a out a concern for the public good and continually framing the body image debate in this manner is a strawmans argument.
UltimateBet Reveals the “X” Factor in their 10th Anniversary Festivities
March 24, 2009
The Leading Online Poker Site Celebrates a Decade as the Destination of Choice for Millions of Loyal Poker Players with an “X”-tra Special Bonus of Epic Proportion Worth a Staggering $10 Million.
It’s official! A new look of the Roman “X” reveals UltimateBet’s 10th Anniversary theme, setting the gladiatorial tone as UltimateBet’s catch cry “Let the Games Begin” ushers in 10 months of magnificent celebrations fitting for UB’s historic 10 year milestone, including a mammoth $10 Million sponsorship on the table for anyone player to grab at this year’s World Series of Poker (“WSOP”).
Ten years online has seen UltimateBet emerge as one of the most enduring names in the online poker business, and 2009 is primed to be a landmark 12 months as the leading online poker site clocks up ten years of premier service and a decade of dealing out some of the most dynamic online promotions to be enjoyed anywhere on the net.
“This year, in UltimateBet’s 10th year online, we remain dedicated to giving our players the ultimate online poker experience, while offering a range of unique promotions and life-changing prize money on the table,” said Annie Duke UltimateBet Card Room Consultant. “Our ten cent WSOP STEP qualifiers are just the beginning of a slew of exciting initiatives to be rolled out over the coming months that are sure to capture the attention of players across the globe and keep them coming back well beyond our 10th Anniversary.”
Remaining true to its word, UltimateBet (“UB”) has unveiled its latest spectacular online promotion, “From a Dime to a $10 Million Dream”, in which players can win their way to the World Series Of Poker (“WSOP”) for a tiny ten cent investment. There’s no need to just imagine a world where one spare dime is all it takes for a shot at a $12,000 WSOP prize package. Right now, UltimateBet has the real deal with $0.10 STEP qualifier tournaments, which means players can afford to invest a pocketful of dimes until they climb the ten steps required to emerge a winner and secure a seat at this year’s WSOP Main Event.
And if all that wasn’t enough of a gift, UB is upping the ante for all UB online qualifiers (and players who register with UB during the WSOP in Las Vegas); battle your way to the top and become the 2009 WSOP champ to snag an extraordinary and exclusive 10 Year sponsorship deal with UltimateBet worth an epic $10 Million! Join the ranks of Ultimate Bet Poker Pros Phil Helmuth and Annie Duke to become the newest UltimateBet Pro player.
All players have to do to qualify for the $10 million promotion is register and wear UB gear throughout the entire WSOP Main Event, and take 1st place to walk away with the multi-million payday. * All final table finishers stand to pocket extra cash for their effort, with a series of payouts as follows:
1st $10 million paid over 10 years
2nd $400k paid over 5 years
3rd $300k paid over 3 years
4th -9th $150k paid over 1 year
To keep the 10 year party rolling, UltimateBet will also be awarding an extra special bonus of an $8,500 Aruba Poker Classic 2009 Main Event package to the first 10 players to conquer all 10 WSOP STEP Tournaments. **
This bonus prize package bumps the overall winnings up to a grand total of a whopping $20,500 worth of landbased tournament buy ins, not counting all the prize money that’s on the table at these mega events… and all for just one DIME.
So, if you think you’re skilled enough to battle it out to join the ranks of “Phil the Emperor” in Las Vegas, step up to the challenge at UltimateBet and be part of a monumental battle for WSOP glory this July. Players who prove their courage at UB’s virtual felt will join Hellmuth’s invasion of the world’s biggest poker arena to conquer the WSOP Main Event.
With 22 WSOP qualifiers created via UB’s STEP tournaments to date (as of midday 23/3/09), you could go one better and score your seat in the world’s most prestigious poker tournament through UltimateBet’s $0.10 WSOP STEP Tournaments to bank a bonus Aruba package and take your shot at the $10 Million sponsorship… plus you’ll also be a privileged guest at UB’s 10th birthday celebrations during the WSOP.
A full rundown on UltimateBet’s 10th Anniversary 2009 Series, the $10 Million sponsorship deal, 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 register with UB and 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.
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.
Asian Poker Tour Breaking Runtime Records!
March 24, 2009
The Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival To Run For Record Breaking 12 Days This August
Asia’s first festival of poker!
(Manila, Philippines) – The Asian Poker Tour, http://www.asianpt.com/ Asia’s original poker tour, is delighted to announce that it has been given approval by authorities to expand its popular Macau event. Last year’s six day event will be transformed into a record breaking 12 day extravaganza creating Asia’s first festival of poker. The Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will run from August 12–23, 2009 at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Macau. The success of the Asian Poker Tour sponsored poker room at the Starworld has led organizers to lay out these ambitious plans that represent another huge leap forward for poker in the region.
Last year, the event attracted some of the most famous names in the game including Doyle Brunson, Jack Binion, Johnny Chan, John Juanda, Huck Seed, Liz Lieu, Todd Brunson, Kenny Tran and Poker Pack members Nam Le, Quinn Do, JC Tran, Steve Sung, David “Chino” Rheem, and Kwang Soo Lee. The 2008 Asian Poker Tour Macau Main Event was won by 20-year-old US hotshot Yevgeniy Timoshenko, who scooped US$500,000 after emerging triumphant from the star-studded field that featured players from over 40 countries.
This year’s Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will be bigger and better with 12 days of non-stop poker action and fun. The Main Event has been extended, with the first of three day ones getting underway on August 19 and the televised final table scheduled for August 23. The buy-in is set at US$4,300 (US$4000+$300).
Aside from the Main Event, the Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will feature the largest range of side events ever seen in Asia - guaranteed to make the poker fest even more exciting and appealing to players at all levels. Organizers and tournament director Matt Savage promise a lengthy and varied side event schedule that will appeal to all tastes, details of which will be confirmed in the near future.
High-limit games and sit-n-go tables will run throughout the duration of the festival. Last year’s event hosted a HK$1,000,000 (US$129,000) high rollers game and this will be repeated but with the Asian Poker Tour sponsored poker room at the Starworld now witnessing six figure $US pots in games on a daily basis the stakes will be significantly raised! More details on this feature of the festival will also be confirmed in near future. As well as the action on the felt, the play off the felt promises to be extremely lively too with The Asian Poker Tour looking to top the legendary award winning party at the Macau event in 2008.
Asian Poker Tour CEO Chris Parker, is excited about bringing Asia’s first poker festival to Macau: “The Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will feature a side event schedule never seen in Asia before, including several new formats that will stir the curiosity of poker enthusiasts at all levels. We believe Asia’s first festival of poker will establish Macau as an essential stop on the international poker circuit.”
The last Asian Poker Tour event was held in the Philippines in January 2009 and was won by Manila rounder Neil Arce, who scooped US$185,000 for first prize after overcoming a field of 262 players from over 40 countries. The runner-up was the Republic of Korea’s Steve Yea, who repeated his second place in the Asian Poker Tour Macau 2008.
Like 2008, online qualifiers are also expected to flock to the StarWorld as the Asian Poker Tour continues to gain support from leading online poker networks hosting satellites to the Main Event. The Asian Poker Tour is supported by Full Tilt Poker, iPoker Network, Titan Poker, DafaPoker, PKR, PartyPoker, JBet Poker, Everest Poker, Microgaming Network, 888, 32 Red Poker, National Poker League and the Japanese Poker League. Full details can be found at http://www.asianpt.com/
New Player Added to Team PokerStars
March 24, 2009
The largest online poker room in the world has signed yet another player to their massive poker pro team. Team PokerStars recently announced the addition of Johnny Lodden to their online poker team. Lodden had signed a short term sponsorship deal with PokerStars in 2008 and now Lodden has become a full fledge member of the team.
At only 24, Lodden has been playing online at PokerStars for years so it was only natural that he eventually join the PokerStars Team. Lodden is from Norway and becomes the first Norwegian player to join the PokerStars Team.
According to the PokerStars blog, Lodden has been playing high stakes games online since he was twenty and it was in 2006 that Lodden cashed out for the first time in a European Poker Tour event. Since that time Lodden has cashed out eight times in the EPT and is usually at every event.
Lodden plays at PokerStars under his full name and the site also has posted a full biography of the poker player. Lodden also has his own website, JohnnyLodden.com, where he blogs about his latest poker tournaments and adventures in the poker industry.
Lodden joins a long list of poker pros that play at PokerStars. Such players as Dennis Phillips, Daniel Negreanu, Vanessa Rousso, Dario Minieri, Chris Moneymaker, Joe Hachem, Greg Raymer…the list could go on and on. As more members are added to the PokerStars Team, the online poker giant only gets bigger and better.
Steve Brecher Wins Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship
March 23, 2009
The final table of the Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship concluded this past Saturday after a marathon session of poker. Kathy Liebert was the only Shooting Star left when she began heads up play against Steve Brecher. Brecher was able to hold out and eventually knock Kathy out of the competition and take the first place win.
When final table play began, Brecher was in the chip lead with Kathy down in fourth. Chan Vu was short stacked and was the first to go followed closely by Thao Le. After those two were eliminated it would about four hours later before anyone one else would leave the table.
Tony Behari bluffed on his hand and was called by Kathy who had a full house so his chip stack was cut short and he was left with a very small stack. Kathy would take the rest from Tony a short while later with her pocket tens.
Kathy then had the chip lead and it would be another two and a half hours before Steve would take a good chunk of Kathy’s stack. Steve went all in with A-Q against Kathy’s A-K but Steve held the better hand.
Three way continued for a while until Chris Moore held a low chip stack. Moore decided to go all in with A-K on a 9-5-4 flop and was called by Steve with K-3 suited. Steve got a flush on the river and sent Chris home in third.
Steve and Kathy continued to play into the wee hours of the morning, setting a new record along the way. The record for a WPT final table in hands played was 303 but Kathy and Steve made it to 319 before a winner was named.
On the final hand Kathy was knocked out with Q-T after going against Steve’s A-9. The last hand took place at 4:20 am and Steve was named the winner. He won the top prize as well as an extra $5000 for knocking out Kathy, the last Shooting Star.
Final Results:
$1,025,500 -- Steve Brecher
$550,000 -- Kathy Liebert
$291,500 -- Chris Moore
$230,000 -- Tony Behari
$180,000 -- Thao Le
$135,000 -- Chau Vu
Absolute Poker’s Liv Boeree Sets Sights on PokerNews Cup Alpine in Austria
March 20, 2009
Liv Boeree, professional poker player and Absolute Poker ambassador, looks to conquer Poker News Cup atop the mountains of Austria
Miami, FL March 18, 2009 – Absolute Poker’s Liv Boeree is getting ready to conquer the poker tables and the ski slopes, all in one shot. The online poker pro is heading to the 5-star Hotel Alpine Palace, located atop the majestic mountains of Austria, for the 2009 PokerNews Cup Alpine.
“I am so excited to be going to the PokerNews Cup to represent Absolute Poker,” stated Liv Boeree. “A week of skiing and poker in the Austrian Alps? What more could I ever want?”
While Boeree dismisses the prospect of winning the tournament as a reason for playing in the event, with a number of recent wins under her belt the Absolute Poker ambassador looks to be a major contender in the Austrian tournament. Most recently, Boeree made the final table in Event #7 of the 2009 Aussie Millions poker series. Her 7th place finish among a field of 449 players netted the poker pro $18,900 AUD (about $13,000 USD).
In a little over two years, Liv Boeree has secured multiple top-10 finishes in a number of first place wins in Texas Hold'em tournaments across London. In May 2008, Boeree claimed the top spot in the Ladbrokes European Ladies Championship, besting a field of 53 players for $30,000 in cash and positioning herself as a top female poker player.
Boeree won’t be the only Absolute Poker player attending the first-class poker tournament. The online poker site recently ran satellites guaranteeing a number of $8,000 PokerNews Cup prize packages. Qualifiers for the Super Satellite started at just $10+1, a small price that attracted a large mix of players.
The 2009 PokerNews Cup Alpine tournament poker series gets underway on March 21, 2009.
Day One Complete at PokerStars LAPT Punta del Este
March 19, 2009
Day one of PokerStars LAPT stop in Punta del Este has ended. A total of three hundred and twenty seven players entered the tournament each posting the $3,700 buy-in. By the end of day one Oliver Rowe is leading in chips while Alberto Andres Font Rytzner is right on his tail.
With so many players entered, the prize pool is sitting at $1.1 million. By the end of the day sixty four players are left to come back for day two. The top thirty six will take home cash and first place will win almost $300,000.
Several top poker pros came out to compete in the event including: Dennis Philips, Humberto Brenes, Victor Ramdin, Greg Raymer and Andre Akkari. This is just a few of the pros who made it out and those mentioned above did not make it past day one.
Several players who did well in the LAPT Mexico event are still in the running for the top prize. Bolivar Palacios Vasquez, Leonardo Emperador, Pavel Naydenov and Alex Brenes all made the final table at Mexico and are hoping to make the final table at this event.
Below is a list of the top ten of the sixty four players left going into day two play:
Oliver Rowe -- 136,000
Alberto Andres Font Rytzner -- 135,125
Angel Guillén -- 111,200
Ibuki Fukui -- 105,900
Mario Salvagno -- 102,800
Lisandro Pablo Gallo -- 94,300
Samo Muhia -- 90,400
Andre Ventura -- 85,800
Maximilian Heinzelmann -- 83,600
Vialaret Ezequiel -- 78,100
Rory Cox Wins Cancelled LAPT Event
March 18, 2009
Late last year the Latin American Poker tour made a stop in Nuevo Vallarta for a poker tournament. Several poker pros competed as well as citizens of Nuevo Vallarta. During the tournament players enjoyed themselves and played their round of poker until play got down to eighty nine players left. It was then that the local authorities shut down the tournament and stopped all game play.
The gaming commission had told authorities to shut down the tournament and the players still remaining in the tournament were escorted from the poker room. When this occurred, PokerStars gave each player $5,000 and told them to wait until they could figure out what to do.
An online free roll was then held to bring the eighty nine players down to nine for final table play. It was expected that the final nine would play at the LAPT Chile event earlier this year but that did not happen. Instead the players competed this past Tuesday at the LAPT Uruguay stop with PokerStars adding an extra $50,000 to the prize pot.
When final table play began Cox held a strong chip lead, holding almost more than the other eight players combined. Everyone managed to hold on till the first hour was up. Victor Ramdin would be the first eliminated when he went up against Helen Prager.
Alex Brenes went out next after putting his pocket nines against Pavel Naydenov’s A-Q. After Brenes exit the players really started to get knocked out of the competition. Bolivar Palacios was out in seventh, Martha Herrera in sixth and Steven Thompson in fifth. Leonardo Emperador was knocked out next by Cox then Naydenov was also knocked out by Cox.
Heads up play then began between Cox and Helen Prager. Cox had an almost five to one chip lead over Prager but Prager soon doubled up and after a short dinner break became the leader. It was nearly two hours after Prager took the lead that the final hand would be dealt.
Prager moved all in with K-7 and Cox called with A-10. The board went A-J-8-4-J and Cox’s Aces gave him the win. Cox won $15,000 while Prager took home $11,000 for her second place finis
Samuel Chartier Wins WSOP Circuit Caesars Event
March 17, 2009
The World Series of Poker Circuit made a stop in Atlantic City this past weekend to hold a tournament at Caesars. Two hundred and eight players participated in the $5,150 buy-in tournament and it was Samuel Chartier managed to outlast the field and take the $322,944 first place prize.
When final table play began, Chartier was one of the players with the shortest chip stack. But Chartier was able to fight and gain a good deal of chips to make it to heads up play with John Nixon. On the final hand Nixon’s Ace Ten was not enough to beat Samuel’s Ace Jack and he was out in second place.
In an interview after the tournament Chartier commented: “It’s amazing. I can’t describe the feeling I have right now. I knew the final table lineup was pretty tough so I hoped to pick up a few good spots to put my money in, and that’s what I managed to do.”
The prize pool was just over a million dollars so each player at the final table was able to earn a good chunk of change for their efforts. Not only did Chartier win the $300,000 plus first place prize but he also won a seat to the 2009 WSOP Main Event.
Final Results:
1 -- $322,944.00 -- Samuel Chartier
2 -- $177,619.20 -- John Nixon
3 -- $90,828.00 -- Frank Vizza
4 -- $70,644.00 -- Michael Michnik
5 -- $60,552.00 -- Alex Bolotin
6 -- $50,460.00 -- Matt Brady
7 -- $40,368.00 -- Jason Young
8 -- $30,276.00 -- Chris Klodnicki
9 -- $20,184.00 -- David Zeitlin
Harrah’s Entertainment Bans Profanity from WSOP
March 16, 2009
Reports have been scattered across the internet over the past few days stating that Harrah’s Entertainment has banned swearing from the World Series of Poker. Profanities will no longer be accepted at the table and if used the player or players will be penalized.
Many have speculated that the new rule of no profanity was added because of the Scotty Nguyen incident last year during the WSOP HORSE event. For those who do not know Scotty had drank a little too much and spouted a ton of profanities and was pretty embarrassed afterward. I did a little research of my own and it appears that the ruling against profanity has been a rule for quite some time. It seems as though Harrah’s has brought the rule to light in the hopes that they may not see another incident like Scotty’s.
Under the tournament rules of the WSOP, number 36 comments on the restriction of profanity. It reads: “Harrah’s prohibits the use of obscene or foul language in any public area of the casino at any time. Any player who uses such language or makes a foul, profane, obscene or vulgar statement, or speaks abusively or in an intimidating manner to another player, a dealer or Tournament staff member, will be penalized. These penalties will be levied based on Rules 31, 52, and 53.”
Pretty much, Harrah’s maintains the rights to kick you out of the tournament, building, give a verbal warning, take your chips with no refund or any other punishment they deem appropriate. This rule may make it difficult for some poker pros to play their normal game. The WSOP can become a heated affair especially if those involved lose a big hand. It will be interesting to see who breaks the rule and what will happen when they do.