May 28 2012, Shari Geller

2012 WSOP

The 2012 World Series of Poker is officially under way at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The series kicked off on Sunday with the Event #1: $500 Employees No Limit Hold'em, starting at just after noon local time. This traditional launch of the series is a closed event honoring casino employees with their own bracelet event.

The tournament began after WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel introduced longtime poker dealer Richard Turnbull to announce the first “Shuffle Up and Deal” of the series. After 11 levels of play, only 46 players were left, led by Chiab Saechao. They will return on Monday at 1:00 p.m. to play down to a winner.

Event #1: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em

The first WSOP event of the year registered 732 entrants, 118 fewer than last year’s record total. The top 81 finishers will share in the over $329,400 prize pool. Those who survived the money bubble are guaranteed at least $820. But all eyes are on the first place prize of $70,859 and the coveted gold bracelet. There were a number of famous names and faces in Sunday’s tournament. Defending champion Sean Drake, pro Karina Jett, WSOP executive director Ty Stewart, and tournament director Matt Savage all took part. Unfortunately, of that group, only Stewart was able to survive to Day 2.

Because of the relatively small starting stack (T3,000), players busted at a blistering pace. Nearly half the field were eliminated in the first three levels. Jett was knocked out when she took her short stack and a weak ace against an opponent’s pocket queens. Savage had an up-and-down day that ended down after he pushed in his last 700 from under the gun. The table folded around to the big blind who called the additional 400. Savage was ahead with {a-Diamonds}{j-Clubs} versus {j-Spades}{5-Clubs} until the board ran out {q-Diamonds}{4-Spades}{8-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{6-Clubs}.

The bubble burst during Level 9 when Joshua Bailey, in the big blind, put his last 500 at risk by calling the all-in bet of his opponent in the small blind. Bailey showed {8-Spades}{9-Hearts} and his opponent turned over {q-}{9-Diamonds}. Bailey stayed behind as the board came {a-Clubs}{k-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{5-Spades}{7-Clubs} and the remaining players were in the money.

Matthew Wilmot propelled himself to one of the largest chip stacks with a tough call just before the end of the day. With blinds at 800/1,600, Wilmot opened to 4,200 from early position and found a single caller in the big blind. The flop came {5-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{K-Clubs} and the big blind open shoved for nearly 40,000. Wilmot tanked and started talking to himself before making the hero call. He was thrilled to see the big blind turn over {q-}{10-}. Wilmot was ahead with {a-Clubs}{q-Clubs} for the ace-high flush draw and stayed ahead after the {3-Diamonds} turn and {7-Clubs} river. He finished the day third in chips with 122,800.

At the end of Level 11, 46 players were left to bag and tag their chips for the night. Saechao leads going into the final day of play with 150,600, followed closely by James Routos with 146,900. Also still in the hunt are one of three remaining women players, Carisa Schweisberger, in seventh place with 76,400; and Stewart, in 10th place with 69,900.

Action resumes at 1300 PDT (2100 BST) and you can follow it on our live reporting blog.

On Tap

On Monday, Day 2 of Event #1 will play down to the final table as the casino employees continue their battle for the first bracelet of the series. Also, the first open event of the series will get under way. Event #2: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em, will start at 1200 PDT (2000 BST) and is expected to boast a large field.

Video of the Day

Be sure to keep your eyes on the PokerNews video page all summer long, because Lynn Gilmartin, Sarah Grant, and Kristy Arnett will be bringing you interviews, updates, and plenty more from the 2012 World Series of Poker.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter and Like us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Shari Geller on Twitter

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Categories: , , , , , , , ,

02:57 min., 6 mai 2012

L'équipe PokerStars Pro Bryan Huang actions sur son succès du poker et ses plans pour l'avenir.


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Categories: , , ,

Robert Iler

Cette année pendant le WSOP, nous serons à l'affût des célébrités sur le feutre. Nous avons juste pris avec Robert Iler , qui a joué AJ Soprano sur les soprano HBO, qui a duré de 1999 à 2007.

Comment avez-vous commencé à jouer au poker ?

J'ai commencé à jouer au poker quand j'étais plus jeune. J'ai utilisé pour jouer à des jeux de carte avec ma grand-mère comme Rami et le gin.

Est-ce votre première fois jouant dans les World Series of Poker ?

J'ai joué à la série mondiale quelques temps auparavant, il s'agit de ma cinquième année ici. Je joue habituellement juste la Main, mais 43 est une chance pour moi, donc je vais jouer beaucoup plus d'événements cette année.

Pourquoi 43 ? Quelle est cette chance à ce sujet ?

Je ne sais pas. Je n'ai pas de réponse. Je vois juste toujours 43 partout où que je regarde, comme sur les horloges, tout et c'est la 43e World Series of Poker, espérons que cela signifie quelque chose.

Est-ce que vous avez joué dans tous les événements autres que le Main Event WSOP ?

No J'ai joué un autre événement de 1 500 $ et ensuite tous les autres événements que j'ai joué a été le principal.

Quel a été votre course plus profond ?

L'année dernière à la Main, je me suis 275th, donc j'ai dit au jour 5.

Quels sont vos objectifs de poker cette année ?

Pour gagner beaucoup d'argent. J'aimerais remporter un bracelet, mais réaliste je voudrais juste gagner une tonne d'argent.

Événements combien allez-vous pour tenter de jouer cet été ?

Probablement entre six et 12 selon comment je le fais sur les Jeux d'argent sur le côté.

Vous avez déménagé à Vegas l'an dernier après le Main Event. Quelles sont certaines des choses que vous aimez à faire à Vegas sans les tableaux ? Les bons restaurants vous aller sur pause ?

Rien de vraiment. J'essaie juste se concentrer sur le poker tout l'été. Mon ami, son nom est Tous Dave américain, il a un service de nourriture ici. Je n'aime habituellement pas manger à la table, mais sa nourriture que je vais manger à la table, puis je n'ai pas d'aller manger pendant les pauses.

Suivre PokerNews sur Twitter pour les nouvelles minute.

Suivez Danielle BarilleTwitter


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Categories: , , ,

May 28 2012, PokerNews Staff

WSOP

It's that time of year again. The World Series of Poker is upon us and the first open event kicked off on Monday. In preparation for the series, the PokerNews Team got together to make some predictions (like we always do). Obviously we're always right, unless we're wrong, but then, wrong doesn't count.

Donnie Peters: Live Reporting Manager

Which under-the-radar player will be the biggest surprise? Chris Bjorin. He may be well-know to poker diehards, but I can't tell you how many times a tournament has made it down to the final few tables, and Chris Bjorin is just doing his thing unnoticed. He always makes several deep runs at the WSOP and there's a great chance we'll be seeing some more of them this year.

Which big-name pro will be the biggest disappointment? Doyle Brunson. Although having him just show up for a few events seems to be all people need not to be disappointed, Brunson just doesn't have it anymore. His age is wearing on him and he's fallen a bit behind the curve both in the mental and physical department. His skills have deteriorated over the years and he just doesn't have the stamina and endurance to play a heavy schedule for days on end. The "Godfather of Poker" hasn't cashed in a WSOP event since 2009. Given that his schedule will be kept to a minimum, we probably won't see him cashing again this year.

I know this all sounds harsh, but it's the truth. In sports, the best players and the legends are able to retire, but in poker you can keep playing forever. That means you just have to keep up with the times or you're going to fall behind. Even if Brunson is my prediction for biggest disappointment, I hope I'm wrong.

Who will win WSOP POY? For me, this is a toss up between two players. Over the past couple of years, I've had the same prediction going in, but it just hasn't worked out. Still, I'm sticking to my guns and going with either Daniel Negreanu or Shawn Buchanan. My first reason is that both of these guys can play all the games and play them well. Second, they're going to play a very hefty schedule of events and the more chances you have, the better. Third, they have both been up towards the top of the Player of the Year leaderboard numerous times in the past.

If I had to choose another person, it would be Jason Mercier for the same reasons I mentioned above. The only thing that's keeping me from pulling the trigger on Mercier is that he's been running bad this year (#ItMustBeEnding), and I've seen these drafts last for quite some time.

Will Phil Hellmuth win #12? Anyone can get lucky, we know that. Phil Hellmuth has the largest ego of anyone in poker, yet he never changes his game or adjusts to the new age. He might make a few deep runs with some run-good, but I don't see him winning gold bracelet No. 12 anytime soon.

How many players will enter the Main Event? After 2005, the number of entrants in the WSOP Main Event has bounced up and down from the previous year. Up in 2006, down in 2007. Then up in 2008, down in 2009, up in 2010 and down again in 2011. You know what gamblers say, right? Never bet against the streak. I'm going to say the numbers are up this year, but only slightly. I'll go just shy of 7,000 with 6,968 players in the 2012 WSOP Main Event. That's 103 more players that in 2011 when Pius Heinz won and seems like a realistic number to reach.

Which member of Team PokerNews will have the most success? Kristy Arnett. She's simply the best one out of all of us and, given the chance to, will shine.

Who, of the known players in the field, will win the Big One? Sam Trickett. When thinking of someone who could win, I want someone who has the skills but also won't let the amount of money they're playing for emotionally affect them. For me, Sam Trickett is the guy. He has amazing skills in no-limit hold'em events and has shown that over the years. He regularly plays in the largest cash games in the world held in Macau with astronomical stakes, meaning the money won't be affecting him as it might some of the other players. That could backfire on my prediction here and Trickett could be out early, but I see him using an aggressive, fearless style of skilled play to power his way through this tournament.

Kristy Arnett: Producer/Hostess

Which under-the-radar player will be the biggest surprise? Aaron Jones. He's not exactly under the radar, (he's the CEO of LeggoPoker and crushes online cash games) but hasn't found a ton of tournament success. He has less the $400,000 in winnings and no career titles. Granted, he doesn't play nearly the volume as some tournament grinders do, but I think he's prime for a big score or two. He clearly knows what he's doing as far as poker goes, so I think it's just about timing now.

Which big-name pro will be the biggest disappointment? I think Pius Heinz will be a disappointment because there is always so much pressure on the reigning champion to perform the next year. He's been a great ambassador, and he's a very good player, but there will be a lot of eyes on him this year. Hopefully, he can take it in stride.

Who will win WSOP POY? Daniel Negreanu. That might be an easy, cliche-type answer, but it's just what I think. I interviewed him at the very beginning of 2012, and he said he was focused more than ever and that this was going to be his year. I'm going to listen to the guy that calls out his opponents hands on TV. I mean, right?

Negreanu not only has the heart and skill to do well, but also is motivated by the extra incentives of his bracelet bets. He's going to put in the volume it takes to win POY.

Will Phil Hellmuth win #12? No, but if he does, I'd love to see him finish second one more time first. After three second-place finishes last year, I think his head will explode! Come on, he's the guy everyone loves to lose. It's great for poker, and I'm sure his ego will heal.

How many players will enter the Main Event? Hmm... more than last year.

Which member of Team PokerNews will have the most success? I'd have to say Mickey Doft. He's going to win a razz tournament. I'm pretty sure I said that last year, but I'm going to stick with it!

Who, of the known players in the field, will win the Big One? Jonathan Duhamel. He had a great start to the year winning more than $1.2 million during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, including a fourth place in the Super High Roller event and a second place in the High Roller. Duhamel has a knack for performing in high-pressure situations, so I think he's poised to do well.

Chad Holloway: Senior Writer

Which under-the-radar player will be the biggest surprise? Mark "P0ker H0" Kroon. I'm not saying this because we're both from Wisconsin, I'm saying it because this guy suddenly has a renewed passion for the game. He's an old-school player making the transition from playing primarily online to live, and he has had success on the WSOP Circuit; in fact, he'll be one of the players in this year's National Championship.

Throw in the fact that he has scaled way back on consuming alcohol (despite the fact that he is the owner of the infamous Players Bar in Madison, Wisconsin, the place where Phil Hellmuth cut his chops), is getting in shape physically, and is rumored to be backed for a ton of events, well, I think he's going to surprise a lot of people this summer.

Which big-name pro will be the biggest disappointment? Phil Ivey. He'll be at this year's WSOP, but how many events he'll play remains a big question mark. Obviously poker fans are going to be thrilled to see him back in action, but with all the online poker and divorce drama, I'm not sure he'll be able to pick up where he left off (i.e. winning bracelets).

Who will win WSOP POY? If recent year's are any indication, a long-time grinder will finally hit his stride and come out of nowhere to win the title. I want to pick someone who not only plays all the games, but plays them well. For that reason, I'm going to say that Matt Glantz. That man is long overdue for a bracelet or two.

Will Phil Hellmuth win #12? Yes. I thought it'd come last year, and I was almost proven right three times. However, it's much more poetic for him to win bracelet #12 in 2012, don't you think?

How many players will enter the Main Event? 6,700. I think it'll be close to last year's, but won't quite hit the mark. Obviously, I hope I'm wrong.

Which member of Team PokerNews will have the most success? I'm not even sure who is playing what. Is Mickey Doft playing the razz again? If so, he's due for the big cash. Otherwise I'm going to say Lynn Gilmartin. I watched her play an event at this year's Aussie Millions and the girl's got skills.

Who, of the known players in the field, will win the Big One? I think Daniel Negreanu is going to have a big year. I'm not sure why, but I have a gut feeling he's going to win a bracelet. He's got the drive, experience and motivation, so I wouldn't be surprised if he takes home the titanium bling.

Danielle Barille: Strategic Development

Which under-the-radar player will be the biggest surprise? Harrison Gimbel. He's a rookie but has already made quite the scene in tournaments where he was legal to play like Florida and the PCA. I think it's going to be no different at the WSOP.

Which big-name pro will be the biggest disappointment? Jean Robert-Bellande

Who will win WSOP POY? For me it's really a toss up between Chris Moorman and Ben Lamb. I think Benba has the potential to go back-to-back and win POY this year but if I had to choose between the two I would go with Moorman. He made two final tables last year in six-handed events, and I think he will make even more final tables this year.

Will Phil Hellmuth win #12? Absolutely not.

How many players will enter the Main Event? I'm going to go with over 7,000. Last year the Main Event drew 6,865 runners and the largest Main Event drew 8,773 runners. So I'm going to go somewhere in between and say 7,711 entrants.

Which member of Team PokerNews will have the most success? I'm going to have to go with Kristy Arnett. I think she's going to crush it this year and has had some time to learn strategy from some of the top pros from her podcast.

Who, of the known players in the field, will win the Big One? I'm going to go with Cirque Du Soleli founder Guy Laliberte. I remember watching him play on Poker After Dark with some of the big-name pros and he showed no fear. I think he also has a little extra incentive to bink this tournament since it's for his charity.

Sarah Grant: Producer/Hostess

Which under-the-radar player will be the biggest surprise? Stephen Chidwick. He is a super diligent player who has been working on his game with fervor over the last few years. He has had some pretty good results in 2012 and is due for a big win and a bracelet.

Which big-name pro will be the biggest disappointment? Vanessa Rousso. She is busy with other interests right now and so won't have the focus she needs.

Who will win WSOP POY? ElkY or Eugene Katchalov. Both are super solid players with the kind of bankroll to play tons of events. Both of them have been playing a lot live all year and will be more than ready for a serious grind all summer.

Will Phil Hellmuth win #12? I do think Phil will get it done. He is clearly still working on all his games and tends to chose fields which are smaller which gives him a distinct advantage to capture #12.

How many players will enter the Main Event? 6,889, Last year had 6,865. Obviously last year was pretty crazy and thus is a tough indicator of what to expect this year. However, most players have found themselves settled outside the U.S. and are stoked to come back and grind the Series this year. For those players who chose not to pursue poker full-time, many of them will come to play the main anyways because the value is so sick. So, I think it will be close to last year and maybe a little bit more.

Which member of Team PokerNews will have the most success? If we get a chance to play even though we are so busy pumping out amazing coverage, Kristy is due for a Day 2.

Who, of the known players in the field, will win the Big One? Erik Seidel will win the One Drop. Generally speaking, if there is a buy-in over $25k, he is a good bet to win it. He is a consistent and patient player who will be able to play this event without focusing on the insane amount of money.

Rich Ryan: Senior Writer/Podcast Producer

Which under-the-radar player will be the biggest surprise? Bryan Devonshire. Since finishing 12th in the Main Event last year, Devonshire has been playing in smaller buy-in tournaments, but he's been crushing. He's made ten final tables, winning four events, and has qualified for the National Championship. Devo has all the confidence in the world right now, and that should translate well on the felt.

Which big-name pro will be the biggest disappointment? Viktor Blom, and only because the expectations are too high. The 21-year-old legend has already won a $100K Super High Roller and two SCOOP events this year, so anything less than a bracelet will be disappointing in the eyes of the fans.

Who will win WSOP POY? Tom Dwan. This is the year he finally breaks through and wins a bracelet — maybe two.

Will Phil Hellmuth win #12? Yes, but in hold'em. He won't make it to Day 3 of any non-hold'em event.

How many players will enter the Main Event? 7,050.

Which member of Team PokerNews will have the most success? Chad "Birdshirt" Holloway. He will successfully blind his opponents with the infamous bird shirt and hopefully take down a bracelet.

Who, of the known players in the field, will win the Big One? Andy Beal. One Time!

Brett Collson: Associate Editor

Which under-the-radar player will be the biggest surprise? Paul "paulgees81" Volpe. This is the year Volpe transforms into a poker superstar, à la Dan Kelly in 2010. He plays every game well and will be a familiar face at the biggest buy-ins at the Rio this summer.

Which big-name pro will be the biggest disappointment? Mike Matusow. Hate to say it, but Mike needs to bring his A-game and run insanely well to compete with the top talents in each of the $10,000 Championship events. It ain't 2004 anymore.

Who will win WSOP POY? George Lind. Nobody will touch Ben Lamb's performance from last year, but if anyone has the endurance and willpower to win a Player of the Year award, it's George Lind. The Team PokerStars Pro played 38 events last year and, according to several of his peers, Lind has improved greatly in non-hold'em games.

Will Phil Hellmuth win #12? No. As much as I'd love to see the chaos in the Amazon Room after Phil wins No. 12, the odds are heavily against him.

How many players will enter the Main Event? 5,200. I think we'll see a significant drop off from last year. That is, unless Full Tilt Poker refunds players in the weeks before the Main Event kicks off. In that case, expect around 6,500.

Which member of Team PokerNews will have the most success? Chad Holloway. If his tournament success last summer is any indication of things to come, Chad will make some noise around Vegas this year. Fear the Bird Shirt.

Who, of the known players in the field, will win the Big One? Patrik Antonius. He doesn't show up to the Rio often. But when he does, there isn't a better player in the place.

Remember to keep up with all the WSOP coverage all summer long and follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow PokerNews Staff on Twitter Google Plus

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Categories: , , , , ,

02:00 min., 5 mai 2012

Tony Tartaglia n'a pas eu peur de tout le monde dit au sujet de sa superbe femme de 14 ans. Temps de lui mettre à l'épreuve.


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Categories: , ,

May 27 2012, Brett Collson

The Weekly Turbo

Did you miss any of the top poker news stories this week? Well you've come to the right place to get caught up. We're covering Dan "Jungleman" Cates' WSOP Main Event challenge, Australia's move toward legalized online poker, and more.

Poker Players

The Generous Jungleman

For the second straight year, high-stakes superstar Dan "Jungleman" Cates is buying one lucky player into the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Cates, 22, is giving away a Main Event seat to a person who performs a good deed and records it on video. All applicants must upload the video to YouTube and then Tweet the video to Cates. There is no limit to the number of entries per person, but all videos must be submitted by June 20.

The winner will receive a seat to the WSOP Main Event, free air travel and a free room at the Rio. Cates will also throw in a free poker lesson.

"I will never forget when I was playing low stakes in college and I don’t take for granted any success I have had," says Cates, who played in his first WSOP last year." I want to give something back to those who are just falling in love with the game or haven’t had the opportunities I am lucky to have had."

Last year, Cates held a raffle for the WSOP Main Event seat. He tweeted his location around Vegas leading up to the event and gave away tickets for the random drawing.

The full set of rules for this year's contest can be found at the PartyPoker Blog.

Daniel's Weekly Rant

As usual, Daniel released his Weekly Rant on Wednesday. This week, Negreanu announces a WSOP contest for his fans where he's giving the first place winner the opportunity to win 1 percent of what he cashes for during the WSOP. There are other prizes up for grabs too. He also plugs the $25,000 fantasy poker draft, then breaks down a hand he played at the WPT World Championship.

Big One for One Drop Gets Tougher

High-stakes online cash player Jens "Jeans89" Kyllönen is the latest poker pro to throw his hat in the ring for the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop at this summer's World Series of Poker.

Kyllönen, one of the biggest winners on PokerStars this year, told Pokerisivut.com that he intends to put up the entire buy-in himself but may sell some shares as the event gets closer. Players are required to post a $50,000 deposit upon registering for the event, after which the complete buy-in fee must be settled two weeks before the day of the event.

"Basically I had a good amount of winnings from this year, and I decided to go for this once in a lifetime opportunity, said Kyllönen."The list of players seems very nice, and the charity aspect brings a nice extra value to the tournament. The most important reason for me to play this tournament is, however, the chance to take the lead from Juha Helppi in the Finnish all-time money list."

In addition to the 30 players who have confirmed their participation for the event, players like Phil Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari, Sam Trickett and Andrew Robl have expressed interest putting up the seven-figure buy-in. Unfortunately, the World Series of Poker says it will not release an updated list of confirmations until next month. During the May 9 conference call with the media, WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said the total number of confirmed participants was around 40. The event will be capped at 48 players with no exceptions.

Read more at HighStakesDB.com.

Poker Legislation

Good News, Mate

Efforts to legalize online poker in Australia are reportedly in the works, according to several news reports from Down Under this week.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the Australian government has informed the gaming industry that legislation to allow online poker and sports betting could be applied in the next six to 12 months. From there, sources believe that online poker will be introduced on a five-year trial period.

The newspaper said it has obtained documents showing that the government had briefed the Australian gaming industry. The Telegraph also published an email sent by Merrill Lynch gaming analyst Mark Bryan to his clients which briefed them about the government's plans.

"In-play live online betting: Many in the industry indicated that they expect this to be legalized alongside poker in the next six-12 months following overseas precedents," Bryan wrote. "It seems (Communications Minister) Stephen Conroy's department recently provided a brief on draft legislation."

Online gambling has been illegal in Australia since the activity first burst onto the scene in the mid-1990s, but offshore sites have been able to work around Australian legislation. Companies providing online real-money online gambling could face a fine of more than a million dollars under the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act, but no charges have been made in more than a decade since the law was enforced.

Read more at the Daily Telegraph.

Operators Settle with Spain

Spain has now raised more than €60 million in back taxes from online gambling companies seeking licenses to operate in Spain when the new market opens next month.

Betfair announced Wednesday that it "has satisfied all requirements set out by the tax authorities and will be making a payment of not more than €10 million." Paying off the retroactive taxes puts Betfair near the front of the line when Spanish licenses are granted.

"Betfair expects to be awarded a license covering its sportsbook and certain casino products and intends to apply for a poker license shortly thereafter," the company said in a statement. "Under the terms of the licences, operators will pay a Gross Gaming Revenue tax of 25% on Spanish operations — a tax that Betfair has already been paying since May 2011 when Spain’s new gambling act was introduced.

On Monday, bwin.party agreed to pay up to €33.6 million in back taxes to the Spanish Tax Ministry. Sportingbet announced one day later that it will make a payment of €14 million plus surcharges and interest of up to €3.2 million. PokerStars, 888 and bet365 are expected to follow before the new market opens.

Read more at Betfair.com.

Online Gambling Bill Advances in Delaware

A bill that would allow Delaware residents to gamble online was passed by a committee last week and is headed to the House for a vote.

The Associated Press reports that the House Gaming and Parimutuels Committee cleared House Bill 333 after hearing testimony from industry experts about the security of Internet wagering. The bill would allow sites to offer games such as poker, blackjack, digital slot machines.

HB 333 calls for a centralized online gambling platform to be regulated by the state Lottery Office. Delaware casinos have been struggling to compete against casinos on the East Coast, and the Department of Finance estimates HB 333 would generate $7.75 million in revenue for the state next fiscal year.

The Associated Press has more.

Poker Business

Gold Star to PokerStars

PokerStars has been selected as one of the United Kingdom's Best Workplaces by The Great Place to Work® Institute, a consultancy company specializing in workplace assessment and enhancement.

The institute, which has given the awards annually in the U.K. since 2000, assesses the practices of more than 5,500 companies around the world on set of criteria to identify the very best in leadership, people management and positive workplace culture.

PokerStars was ranked No. 22 among the large companies in 2012. The world's leading online poker room employs 1,200 people worldwide, with half in the U.K. and the company's headquarters in the Isle of Man. The company says it is distinguished by its "robust employee benefits and rewards, strong professional development opportunities and a diverse workforce."

“As a fast-growing company, attracting and retaining talented people is critical to our business, so we are dedicated to ensuring our employees are well supported, nurtured and rewarded,” said Lynn Hunter, director of HR at PokerStars. “This is the first time we’ve participated in the Great Place to Work survey, so it’s especially gratifying to know that our efforts are contributing to the success of our business, and that employees consider PokerStars to be a Great Place to Work.”

Other companies listed among the U.K.'s Best 25 Workplaces were Admiral Group, Capital One, McDonalds, Microsoft, Volkswagon, Starbucks, Nike and Ikea.

The full list can be found at the Great Place to Work website.

The Lost Episodes

The NBC Sports Network, formerly Versus, will air two weeks of a never-before-seen Poker After Dark in June, a source close to the show told PokerNews this week.

The $200,000 buy-in cash game will begin airing Monday, June 4 at 12 a.m. EDT. The lineup of pros includes David "Viffer" Peat, Eli Elezra, David Oppenheim, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, and Tom Dwan. Footage of the game was shot in 2010 and was scheduled to air last year, but the show was cancelled by NBC in the aftermath of Black Friday.

Earlier this year, Mori Eskandani of POKER PROductions told PokerNews that he feels like there will be a "bunch of [poker] shows coming back" in the next year or so. Eskandani added that there was a "90 percent chance" that the NBC National Head Up Championship will return next year after taking a one-year hiatus in 2012.

Judge Delays Black Friday Defendant Sentence

According to Pokerati.com, the sentencing for Black Friday principal Brent Beckley has hit a snag because of a court order filed by District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.

Beckley, the co-founder of Absolute Poker who was indicted by the Department of Justice on April 15, 2011, pleaded guilty last December to violation of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and bank fraud. Under the plea agreement, Beckley was expected to spend up to 18 months behind bars, well below the maximum prison sentence of 30 years he faced for the original charges.

Kaplan, however, has indicated that the court will consider taking harsher action against Beckley on the ground of "aggravating circumstance.” Kaplan's order states that Beckley "deliberately and unlawfully conspired to circumvent, and circumvented, governing laws of the United States in order to conduct or facilitate an unlawful business or businesses involving billions of dollars from which those businesses gained many millions of dollars."

Beckley's sentencing hearing was scheduled for Monday but has been pushed back to June 28. Read Pokerati.com for more.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on Twitter Google Plus

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

ANZPT Perth 2012 vainqueur

Posted by PokerFront On 08:44 0 commentaires

01:30 min., 6 mai 2012

Félicitations à Mat Carlsson, qui a juste été couronné champion de la ANZPT Perth 2012 !


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Categories: , ,

02:53 min., 4 mai 2012

Nicki Pickering vous vient de Perth en Australie pour le dernier hebdomadaire de PokerNews.


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Categories: , ,

May 04 2012, Chad Holloway

Online Railbird Report

Last week, Andrew “EireAbu” Grimason took over the top spot on PokerStars’ yearly leaderboard with almost $1.3 million in profit. Unfortunately for him, his reign lasted just one week as Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky continued his heater and won $138,172 this week, giving him $1,343,986 in winnings thus far in 2012 and putting him on top.

While all eyes were on Sulsky, a few other players were making waves in the online realm. One was Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies, who won $347,000 in one day. “Phisherman36” and “muha84,” also had great weeks, winning $272,506 and $141,841 respectively to become the two biggest winners of the week.

Benny “toweliestar” Spindler finished as the biggest loser after dropping $169,343 in 914 hands spread across 22 sessions, while “LhhmMaoly” (-$141,907 in 11 sessions/382 hands), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$140,823 in 49 sessions/3,199 hands) and Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies (-$123,164 in 9 sessions/671 hands) rounded out the top four losers.

Sahamies Wins $347,000 in a Day Filled with Big Action

On Thursday, April 26, Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies played two sessions, one in the afternoon and one in the evening, destroying the $100/$200 and $200/$400 pot-limit Omaha games. In fact, he profited $347,000 in just seven hours of play.

He took on most of the high-stakes regulars and took down some juicy pots. In his biggest, Sahamies ($55,541.75) was playing three handed when he opened for $800 on the button. David “Deldar182” Eldar ($15,980.25) made the call from the small blind, but Viktor “Isildur1” Blom ($58,443) opted for a three-bet to $3,320 from the big blind. Sahamies called, but Eldar four-bet to $14,100. Both his opponents made the call, and the flop fell {K-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}. Eldar led out for his last $1,880.25, Blom moved all in, and Sahamies called off for $41,441.75.

Showdown

Blom hit the flop the best with a pair of kings and a wrap but needed to dodge Sahamies' flush draw. Unfortunately for Blom, the {8-Hearts} spiked on the turn to complete Sahamies' flush. The meaningless {A-Spades} was put out on the river and Sahamies was shipped the $127,059 pot.

In another hand, Sahamies ($54,826) was playing $200/$400 PLO heads up against “RaiseOnce” ($50,012). The former opened the pot on the button with a raise to $1,360, which was met with a three-bet to $4,240 by the latter. Sahamies made the call before raising “RaiseOnce’s” $6,800 bet on the {9-Spades}{3-Diamonds}{4-Clubs} flop up to $29,038. “RaiseOnce” responded by moving all in for $45,772 total and Sahamies called.

Showdown

Sahamies was way out in front with his flopped set of nines and stayed there as the {7-Hearts} was put out on the turn followed by the {J-Spades} on the river, and Sahamies took down the $100,022 pot.

Ben “Ben86” Tollerene joined Sahamies as a big winner on Thursday, banking $270,000, and Daniel “w00ki3z” Cates, won $152,000 upon his return after a long absence from the online felt. “Yiyi01” and “RaiseOnce” were the day’s biggest losers, dropping $216,000 and $204,000 respectively.

Interestingly, the day’s biggest pot didn’t involve any of the aforementioned players, nor did it occur at a PLO table. Instead, it happened at a six-handed $200/$400 no-limit hold’em game when “LhhmMaoly” ($86,488.85) opened for $1,200 under the gun and was immediately met with a three-bet to $3,600 by Niklas “ragen70” Heineckerragen ($114,281.89). The rest of the field got out of the way, “LhhmMaoly” four-bet to $11,200, and a call ensued, bringing about the {4-Hearts}{3-Spades}{10-Hearts} flop.

“LhhmMaoly” wasted little time in betting $7,200, Heineckerragen called, and the {J-Clubs} appeared on the turn. Again Heineckerragen called a bet from his opponent, this time $14,200, before the {7-Spades} peeled off on the river. “LhhmMaoly” slowed down with a check and opened the door for Heineckerragen to move all in. “LhhmMaoly” called off for $53,888.84, creating a pot worth $173,573, but he could only muck when Heineckerragen rolled over {Q-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}.

After a Slow Weekend, Sulsky Makes a Splash on Monday

The weekend was uncharacteristically slow online, but things picked up on Monday when Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky won $107,000 playing $25/$50 PLO. That was also the day “!P0krparty¡” put in an incredible 7,579 hands, though it didn’t do him any good as he finished as the day’s biggest loser $96,000 in the red.

Ben "Sauce123" Sulsky. (Photo courtesy of pokermag.tv) Ben "Sauce123" Sulsky. (Photo courtesy of pokermag.tv)

In Sulsky’s ($19,689.09) biggest pot of the day, action was three-handed when he opened for $150 on the button, “Phisherman36” folded the small blind, and “!P0krparty¡” ($18,427.11) three-bet to $505 from the big. Sulsky made the call and then watched “!P0krparty¡” fire out $700 on the {8-Spades}{3-Hearts}{4-Clubs} flop. Sulsky responded with a raise to $2,177.80, “!P0krparty¡”three-bet $6,360.06, Sulsky four-bet $19,564.38 and “!P0krparty¡” called off his remaining $11,562.04.

Showdown

Sulsky flopped top pair with an open-ended straight draw but needed to improve against “!P0krparty¡’s” pocket rockets. The {2-Clubs} turn allowed him to do just that as it completed his straight draw, leaving “!P0krparty¡” drawing dead headed to the river, which was the {10-Diamonds}. With that, Sulsky claimed a $36,887 pot.

In Sulky’s second-biggest hand, action was six-handed when “Fake Love888” ($16,342) opened for $150 under the gun only to have David “Deldar182” Eldar ($4,821) three-bet to $585. Action folded around to Sulsky ($45,540.84) in the big blind and he called, prompting “Fake Love888” to four-bet $2,050. Eldar decided to get out of the way, Sulsky called, and the flop fell {J-Clubs}{J-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}.

Sulsky ended up check-raising “Fake Love888’s” $1,800 bet up to $5,111, and the former chose to move all in for $14,292 total. Sulsky made the call and the cards were turned up:

Showdown

It was a classic ace-versus-kings situation preflop, but “Fake Love888” was in the lead with a flopped trip jacks; however, that changed when the {K-Spades} spiked on the turn. Suddenly Sulsky held kings full of jacks and “Fake Love888” needed either an ace or jack on the river to win the $33,331 pot. Unfortunately, the {6-Spades} blanked and the pot was sent Sulsky’s way.

“!P0krparty¡” Gets Back on Track

After finishing Monday as the biggest loser, “!P0krparty¡” turned around and became the biggest winner on Wednesday when he booked a $122,000 win, which he accrued over an unbelievable 11,500 hands.

In one of his biggest pots, action was six-handed at a $25/$50 PLO table when “Phisherman36” ($14,937.50) opened for $175 under the gun. “0Human0” ($5,504) and Andrew “EireAbu” Grimason ($18,526.27) were both next to act and called, and after the button and small blind folded, “!P0krparty¡” ($18,057) three-bet to $960. His three opponents called and it was four-way action to the {K-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}{3-Clubs} flop.

“!P0krparty¡” led out for $2,150, “Phisherman36” raised to $10,372 and “0Human0” called off for $4,544. “!P0krparty¡” then moved all in himself and “Phisherman36” called off his remaining $3,595.50. The {4-Clubs} was then run out on the turn, followed by the {Q-Hearts} on the river, and “!P0krparty¡” rolled over {A-Spades}{Q-Spades}{K-Hearts}{3-Hearts}, which was good enough to win the $36,391 pot as both his opponents mucked.

Grimason ended up dropping $168,000 on the day, making him the biggest loser. What’s worse, it also dropped him from the top spot on PokerStars’ yearly leaderboard behind Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky. Ironically, Grimason won the day’s biggest pot.

It happened at a six-handed table when “!P0krparty¡” ($31,906.31) opened for $200 from the cutoff. Action folded to Grimason ($24,321.45) in the big blind and he three-bet to $685, which was met by a four-bet from “!P0krparty¡” to $2,340. Grimason opted for a five-bet to $6,505, which led to the {8-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} flop after “!P0krparty¡” called. At that point, Grimason led out for $13,092, “!P0krparty¡” moved all in and the former called off his remaining $4,724.46.

Showdown

Grimason was ahead with aces and eights but needed to dodge the straight and flush draws of “!P0krparty¡.” He managed to do just that on the {5-Clubs} turn and {3-Hearts} river. With that, the $48,705 pot was pushed to Grimason.

Biggest Weekly PokerStars Winners/Losers

Week’s biggest winners (4/27-5/3): “Phisherman36” (+$272,506), “muha84” (+$141,841), Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky (+$138,172)

Week’s biggest losers: Benny “toweliestar” Spindler (-$169,343), “LhhmMaoly” (-$141,907), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$140,823), Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies (-$123,164)

Year-to-date winners: Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky (+$1,343,986), “bernard-bb” (+$1,263,693), Andrew “EireAbu” Grimason (+$1,243,350), Jens “Jeans89” Kyllönen (+$1,154,544), Phil “MrSweets” Galfond (+$1,150,270), Ben “Ben86” Tollerene (+$1,123,469)

Year-to-date losers: “Zypherin” (-$1,796,952), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$773,975), “1Il|1Il|1il|” (-$766,003), “VietRussian” (-$562,061), “long90110” (-$557,059), “julia753” (-$526,609)

Data and hands obtained from HighStakesDB.com

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook now!

Follow Chad Holloway on Twitter Google Plus


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.