Poker News

Behind the New Cake Poker Tournament Schedule with Lee Jones

Very shortly, you’ll be seeing the first phase of a new tournament schedule at Cake Poker. We’re very excited about it and we think that once you see it, you will be too.

Online poker sites are coming out with new tournament schedules on a regular basis and it’s reasonable for you to ask, “So, what’s the big deal?” Furthermore, this Guest Column I’m writing is supposed to be editorial space, not marketing information. So, I need to go a bit beyond “Hey, our new tournament schedule is coming out.”

I thought it would be interesting to give you some of our rationale behind the new schedule. This is the first major overhaul of Cake’s tournament offering since the site was formed and we wanted to make major improvements. One of the best things we did was bring in two ultra-bright tournament players to add their input to the process. Specifically, Serge “adanthar” Ravitch and Eric “rizen” Lynch sat with us and gave their perspectives as multi-table tournament (MTT) professionals. Here are some of the cornerstones of the plan that came out of those meetings:

1. Longer late-registration is good. There are lots of reasons for this, but the bottom line is that more people entering a tournament is almost always a good thing. As long as you don’t interfere with the integrity of the tournament, then just about everybody benefits. Moreover, we are careful to make sure that nobody can register for the tournament at a point where they’d have a noticeable edge by coming in late. There’s another reason for late registration: a lot of mid-limit tournament grinders are famously forgetful (at this point, adanthar sheepishly raised his hand). This helps those of you who occasionally forget to register for a tournament that you’d been for waiting all day.

2. Freezeouts are generally better than rebuys. Up until now, much of the Cake Poker tournament schedule has been built around rebuy and add-on (R&A) tournaments. This was based on informal input from many of our network partners. But, when all of us sat down and looked critically at the subject, we were quickly persuaded that freezeouts should represent a majority of our tournaments.

a. Players generally prefer rebuys. When you sit down in a freezeout tournament, you know exactly what your investment is going to be – you’re not trying to out-buy deep-pocketed opponents.

b. R&A tournaments are actually worse for weaker players. This isn’t necessarily intuitive, because many players say, “I’m just going to buy in once and not rebuy. That way, I’m benefitting from all of the rebuys and getting an overlay.” Well, the math simply doesn’t support this argument. Let’s take two players: BassyBob and TiburonTwo. Bob chooses to buy in once and won’t rebuy. Tiburon is prepared to rebuy whenever necessary.

There’s a catch: Bob is not as strong a player as Tiburon. On average, when they get all of the money in against each other, Tiburon is a 55:45 favorite. So, they get all-in once, and 55% of the time, BassyBob is gone from the tournament. Suppose his 45% bet comes in and he doubles up. Well, Tiburon rebuys and waits for another shot at Bob. When they mix it up again, Bob is still a 45:55 underdog. In short, BassyBob must continually parlay his come-from-behind wins to stay in, while Tiburon has the advantage of playing better and the ability to come back, phoenix-like, after BassyBob “busts” him.

The results speak for themselves. When we analyzed R&A tournaments on Cake, the players who didn’t rebuy had virtually no chance to cash. Their original buy-ins are pretty much a gift to the prize pool. This is obviously bad for weaker players and the site in general.

In short, we felt that freezeouts were clearly preferable to R&A MTTs. Our new schedule will reflect this as we roll it out over the coming months.

3. Drafting is good for everybody. The term “drafting” comes from bicycle racing (and now NASCAR). It’s the practice of one racer tucking himself in directly behind an opponent and letting the opponent use extra energy (muscles, gas, etc.) to push the wind aside for both. Suppose you like playing $50 MTTs and Cake Poker has a 7:00pm $50 tournament, but two of our competitors have theirs at 8:30pm and 10:00pm, respectively. That’s kind of a hassle if you want to play all three. After all, you might want to eat dinner, hang out with your girlfriend, or go to the gym somewhere in there. So we said, “Let’s find the most popular $50 tournament on the internet and park our $50 event right behind it.” Now, you can play our tournament along with our competitor’s event and still have time to do your reps on the elliptical machine.

Rather than just vague promises, here are a couple of specifics:
· A nightly $50+5 turbo freezeout at 8:00pm ET with a $6,000 guarantee
· A nightly $150+12 freezeout at 9:00pm ET with a $20,000 guarantee

There’s much more, but you’ll have to wait a few days to see it. And we definitely have more ideas up our sleeves; you’ll be seeing the fruits of those over the coming months. But here’s the bottom line: we now have a bunch of poker geeks planning the tournaments – we want the same things in MTTs that you do. Keep your eyes open – the next weeks and months are going to be very exciting for tournament players at Cake Poker.

Lee Jones is the Card Room Manager of Cake Poker. He has worked in the poker industry for over six years and been associated with professional poker for almost 20 years. He is the author of “Winning Low Limit Hold’em,” which has been in print for almost 15 years.

ESPN’s Andrew Feldman Reviews Poker Hall of Fame Candidates

On Friday, ballots were due for the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame class. A total of nine players were considered for enshrinement and among those voting alongside this author was ESPN.com Poker Editor Andrew Feldman, who shared his thoughts on each nominee.

Barry Greenstein owns three World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and has established himself as one of the game’s top all-around players. He’s also been actively involved off the felts, raising money for charity with regularity. On Greenstein, Feldman noted, “Barry’s pros are being one of the top cash game payers in the world and having a tournament resume to back it up. On top of that, he does a lot for charity and has been a great ambassador for the poker world.” Whether Greenstein’s accolades are enough to land him in the Poker Hall of Fame in the November 7th ceremonies remains to be seen.

“Action” Dan Harrington quite literally wrote the book on poker. Without Harrington, one wonders whether any of us would be where we are today. Feldman commented, “Without Dan Harrington, the newest crop of poker players would be sitting in the dark. There have been books written by a multitude of authors, but no one could do what Harrington did by creating a poker bible and putting theories into easy-to-understand terms.” Harrington took down the WSOP Main Event in 1995.

Two of the game’s younger players, November Nine member Phil Ivey and Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu, have sparked a considerable amount of controversy as to whether they have “stood the test of time,” one factor required for Hall of Fame enshrinement. Feldman remarked, “I believe age is a factor, but it shouldn’t be the deciding factor. Ivey and Negreanu have unbelievable poker resumes and they’re both some of the best players in the game right now, but they need to play out a full career.” Ivey’s first WSOP cash came in 2000, while Negreanu’s was in 1998.

Scotty Nguyen is one of the most recognizable names in the world of poker and took down the $50,000 buy-in HORSE event during the 2008 WSOP. However, he was allegedly inebriated during its final table, telling off competitors and Rio officials on national television. Feldman noted, “Scotty has perhaps the best accomplishment ever by winning the Main Event and $50,000 HORSE Championship. At times he can be disrespectful, but with a player like Scotty who has a great resume, does one misstep offset his entire career?”

Another controversial nominee is Men “The Master” Nguyen. He boasts 65 in the money finishes in WSOP events, good for the second most all-time, and owns six bracelets. Feldman explained what may keep Nguyen out of the Poker Hall of Fame in 2009: “Being second in career cashes all-time means he’s stood the test of time. He’s also certainly played for high-stakes. Whether the industry respects him will determine his fate this time around.”

Full Tilt Poker pro Erik Seidel is also a candidate for the Poker Hall of Fame Class of 2009. Seidel owns eight WSOP bracelets, good for fifth all-time, and owns more than $4 million in earnings from World Series felts alone. Feldman painted a picture of Seidel’s image: “He, single-handedly by being in ‘Rounders,’ has changed the industry. The problem is that you go from bracelets to ‘Rounders’ and a lot of people don’t give him the respect he deserves.” “Rounders,” which starred Edward Norton and Matt Damon, was released in 1998 and turned many on to the world of high-stakes No Limit Texas Hold’em.

Tom McEvoy is fresh off taking down the WSOP Champions Invitational, a tournament that aired on ESPN. Twenty former Main Event winners competed and, at the end of the day, McEvoy reclaimed the poker spotlight. Feldman explained, “McEvoy has changed the game in great ways and has been involved for the last 30 years. He’s authored some great books and has a great resume. For him, along with Dan Harrington and Erik Seidel, they need to get the full respect of the poker community.” McEvoy has received the backing of PokerStars for his Poker Hall of Fame run.

The final candidate for the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame class is World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton. A former bracelet winner and PartyPoker pro, Sexton is one of the game’s top ambassadors and a Guest Columnist on Poker News Daily. Feldman remarked, “Mike Sexton has done everything above and beyond throughout his career. While many would believe he is the ultimate face of poker, they also have to understand that he’s done more on the felt as well. While Sexton is a shoe-in, stranger things have happened.” Sexton led the charge for a group of 500 players shut out of the WSOP Main Event on Day 1D despite having played on Day 1A.

The Poker Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will take place on November 7th during the WSOP Main Event final table. You can catch Feldman on ESPN.com’s “Inside Deal,” which is released every Tuesday.

Barry Shulman Wins WSOP Europe Main Event

After over 16 hours, CardPlayer CEO Barry Shulman defeated Team PokerStars Pro member and crowd favorite Daniel Negreanu to win the Main Event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe. Shulman earned £801,603.

The win marked Shulman’s second WSOP bracelet. The first came in 2001, when the media mogul won a $1,500 buy-in Limit Seven Card Stud High-Low event for $123,000. The London Main Event marked his eighth WSOP final table and 14th in the money finish. His win gave the United States its second WSOP Europe bracelet; both have come by virtue of taking down the Main Event, as John Juanda emerged victorious from the pack in 2008. Other countries that have grabbed WSOP Europe bracelets include Denmark (2), Finland (1), Afghanistan (1), Germany (1), England (1), Canada (1), Italy (1), and Norway (1).

The £10,000 buy-in feature tournament was nearly decided one hour into heads-up play. Negreanu held a 5:3 chip lead and his adversary called all-in after flopping a flush draw with A-5 of hearts. Negreanu turned over pocket aces on the Kd-8h-6h board, but watched as the turn filled Shulman’s flush. The hand propelled the CardPlayer CEO to a 3:1 chip edge.

Later on, Negreanu peeked down at Q-J and Shulman, this time, was dealt aces. The flop came jack-high and Negreanu led out. Shulman pushed all-in over the top and Negreanu tanked, before finally calling once again with a chance to win the tournament. The turn came another jack, giving Negreanu one card to victory in London and his fifth WSOP bracelet. However, Shulman spiked one of two remaining aces on the river to take down the hand with aces full of jacks. In the final hand in London, Negreanu ran his pocket fours into Shulman’s pocket tens. A ten hit the flop and running fours failed to hit, giving Shulman the WSOP Europe Main Event title.

In an interview with WSOP officials, Negreanu discussed playing with Shulman heads-up: “Playing against Barry is dangerous. There is no pressure on him. That makes him very difficult to play against because I can’t be sure where I am at. I’ve played a lot of hours with Barry and think I have him somewhat figured out. But he’s got at least one advantage against me, which is having no pressure.” Shulman’s son, CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman, is a member of the WSOP November Nine and will hold the third largest chip stack when play resumes in Las Vegas.

Besides Shulman and Negreanu, four other former bracelet winners took to the felts at the Casino at the Empire for the WSOP Europe Main Event final table. Chris Bjorin, a two-time bracelet winner, was sent packing in sixth place after running A-J into Negreanu’s A-Q. Shulman busted Matt Hawrilenko, who has taken down one WSOP event, in eighth place for £87,074.

Team PokerStars Pro member Jason Mercier, who grabbed his first bracelet during the 2009 WSOP in Las Vegas, was eliminated in fourth place after entering as a dominant chip leader. In his final hand, Mercier’s wired pair of sevens could not draw out on Negreanu’s pocket nines. The last decorated player to take to the WSOP Europe televised table was Praz Bansi, who won a bracelet in a $1,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event in 2006. Bansi was the hometown hero and was eliminated in third place.

Incredibly, two members of the November Nine reached the WSOP Europe Main Event final table. Everest Poker pro Antoine Saout was ousted in seventh place after coming out on the short end of a coin flip holding pocket fives against Negreanu’s A-Q of spades. Negreanu made a flush on the river to send Saout home in dramatic fashion. Eliminated shortly before Saout was James Akenhead, who hit the skids in ninth place. Negreanu’s pocket kings staved off disaster against Akenhead’s A-Q and the London native was sent home.

Here were the results from the 2009 WSOP Europe Main Event:

1. Barry Shulman - £801,603
2. Daniel Negreanu - £495,589
3. Praz Bansi - £360,887
4. Jason Mercier - £267,267
5. Markus Ristola - £200,367
6. Chris Bjorin - £150,267
7. Antoine Saout - £114,228
8. Matt Hawrilenko - £87,074
9. James Akenhead - £66,533

Antoine Saout, James Akenhead Reach WSOP Europe Main Event Final Table

Not one, but two members of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine made the final table of the WSOP Europe Main Event. Last year, Ivan Demidov accomplished the feat. This year, Antoine Saout and James Akenhead will battle for the top prize.

Akenhead nearly found his first gold WSOP bracelet in 2008, but took second in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament and cashed for $520,000. In that event, his opponent, Grant Hinkle, was all-in holding just 10-4 against Akenhead’s A-K. However, Hinkle made four tens in the hand and became one-half of only the second set of brothers ever to win WSOP bracelets and the first to do so in the same year. Akenhead is in his backyard for the WSOP Europe festivities, as he makes his home in London. He sits with the second largest chip stack entering final table play with 1.4 million, trailing only Team PokerStars Pro member Jason Mercier’s hefty total of 3.2 million.

Saout owns the sixth largest chip stack in the WSOP Europe Main Event at 701,000. The Frenchmen is also a member of the November Nine and sponsored pro of Everest Poker. Interestingly enough, he won a $50 satellite to claim his WSOP Main Event seat. Last November, he finished sixth in a Spanish Poker Tour event in Marbella for €5,800 and promptly reached another final table in Castellon in June for €780. Saout and Akenhead are the only two non-Americans at the final table of the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas. Saout will take to the felts in Seat 8 on Thursday in London.

The November Nine has another tie to the final table, as CardPlayer Founder Barry Shulman owns the fourth largest chip stack in London at 1.1 million. He is the father of November Nine member and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman, who infamously threatened to throw away the WSOP Main Event bracelet should he win it. The younger Shulman owns the third largest chip stack entering the final table at the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in November.

Daniel Negreanu finished fifth in last year’s WSOP Europe Main Event and scooped £217,200. Now, he’ll seek his first WSOP Europe bracelet in this year’s feature tournament. Incredibly, Negreanu reached the final table in back-to-back WSOP Europe Main Events in London, but is the tournament’s short stack entering today’s finale. Negreanu, a Poker Hall of Fame nominee and four-time bracelet winner, recorded eight cashes during the 2009 WSOP, including a pair of six-figure scores in the World Championship of Omaha High-Low Eight or Better and Six-Handed Limit Hold’em.

Mercier is the chip leader entering the final table in London. The card-carrying member of Team PokerStars Pro hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and won a bracelet this year in a $1,500 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha event for $237,000. Mercier defeated online poker pro Steven “PiKappRaider” Burkholder in that event, which attracted 809 players. In May, Mercier won a tournament during the quarterly Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) for $86,000. Mercier sent six of the final 15 eliminated players to the rail on Wednesday to build his massive chip lead.

The final table kicks off today at 2:00pm local time. Here’s a look at the remaining players and their chip stacks:

1. Jason Mercier - 3,198,000
2. James Akenhead - 1,398,000
3. Praz Bansi - 1,160,000
4. Barry Shulman - 1,090,000
5. Markus Ristola - 784,000
6. Antoine Saout - 701,000
7. Matt Hawrilenko - 674,000
8. Chris Bjorin - 518,000
9. Daniel Negreanu - 438,000

The prizes up for grabs for the nine WSOP Europe Main Event final table members are as follows:

1st Place: £801,603
2nd Place: £495,589
3rd Place: £360,887
4th Place: £267,267
5th Place: £200,367
6th Place: £150,267
7th Place: £114,228
8th Place: £87,074
9th Place: £66,533

Phil Hellmuth Coaching Jeff Shulman for WSOP Main Event Final Table

The conclusion of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is now just six weeks away and an $8.1 million first place prize will be up for grabs. Poker News Daily has learned that CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman is receiving training from Phil Hellmuth.

Hellmuth is an 11-time WSOP bracelet winner, tops in the industry. For 19 years, “The Poker Brat” held the record as the youngest Main Event winner ever at age 24 after taking down the feature tournament in 1989. However, Peter Eastgate shattered that mark last year at the tender age of 22. Hellmuth holds a record 75 in the money finishes on the felts of the WSOP, well ahead of Men “The Master” Nguyen’s second place total of 65. He owns $6.1 million in career WSOP earnings and is a front man for the popular online poker room Ultimate Bet.

Now, Hellmuth will lend his services to Shulman, who holds the fourth largest stack when play resumes at 19.6 million. Shulman told Poker News Daily, “I thought about it for a long time and Phil and I talked about it over the summer. It dawned on me that I wasn’t playing the way I wanted to. Phil and I have a very interesting style of play and we’re somewhat similar. I was looking for someone who could help me without changing my game. That’d be the last thing I’d want to do.” Shulman is making his second appearance at a Main Event final table this decade, as he finished seventh in 2000.

Shulman will don CardPlayer and SpadeClub logos when the feature table resumes on November 7th. The November Nine member shared his take on what aspect of his game needs improvement: “One of the things I’m not good at is short-handed play at final tables. Phil is willing to [help me with] that and I’d like to have him work with me.” The 2009 Main Event is Shulman’s fourth WSOP final table and his first since 2005, when he took seventh in a $5,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em event ultimately won by Dan Schmiech. The tournament’s talented final table also featured Gabe Kaplan, Joe Sebok, Annie Duke, and Greg “FBT” Mueller.

Hellmuth’s poker outbursts have been well-chronicled. His trademark “idiots from Northern Europe” comment has been repeated numerous times during WSOP on ESPN coverage this year. Hellmuth was eliminated when action from Day 4 aired last night and uttered the phrase, “These are some of the worst players in the world over here. It’s just unbelievable.”

Shulman, meanwhile, characterizes himself as quiet at the tables. He told Poker News Daily, “Our demeanors are very different. It makes me laugh watching Phil deal with people, whereas I’m pretty sure I don’t say a word to anyone the whole time. We have totally different personalities, but I need to treat the WSOP Main Event final table like it’s a big deal. If you had Phil as your coach, you’ll get a lot of attention and be successful.”

All but one of the November Nine has signed with an online poker site, as logger Darvin Moon is the lone holdout. The chip leader has been dubbed the tournament’s “wild card,” with many in the industry pulling for Full Tilt Poker pro Phil Ivey to take home the title. Here’s how the field will stack up when play resumes on November 7th:

1. Darvin Moon - 58,930,000
2. Eric Buchman - 34,800,000
3. Steven Begleiter - 29,885,000
4. Jeff Shulman - 19,580,000
5. Joe Cada - 13,215,000
6. Kevin Schaffel - 12,390,000
7. Phil Ivey - 9,765,000
8. Antoine Saout - 9,500,000
9. James Akenhead - 6,800,000

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest WSOP Main Event coverage.

ESPN Inside Deal Features Joe Sebok

This week, the ESPN.com poker program “Inside Deal” welcomed new Ultimate Bet pro and media consultant Joe Sebok. Regular host Bernard Lee was absent, as he was competing in the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Borgata Poker Open.

The show kicked off with “The Soup” and “Community” star Joel McHale serving as a guest host from what appeared to be the E! studios for his “Soup” television franchise. ESPN.com “Inside Deal” host Laura Lane inquired, “Don’t you have two shows of your own and a movie coming out?” Once the opening credits rolled and McHale plugged his movie “The Informant,” ESPN Poker Editor Andrew Feldman took the reigns with Lane for the half-hour.

“Inside Deal” began with discussion of Tom “durrrr” Dwan scooping a $1.1 million pot during the Full Tilt Million Dollar Cash Game at the expense of World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine member Phil Ivey. Dwan also took down a $919,000 pot against Barry Greenstein during filming of the fifth season of GSN’s “High Stakes Poker.” Then, the ESPN show turned to two lawsuits surrounding Full Tilt. One involves the dismissal of former employee Jason Newitt, who alleges he was wrongfully dismissed and denied distributions. The other concerns “Face the Ace,” a Full Tilt-sponsored game show that airs on NBC.

Meanwhile, attention turned to the Borgata, where a man took down the ladies’ event during the casino’s Poker Open. Lee appeared via telephone and told “Inside Deal” hosts, “Federal and State laws mandate that they can’t discriminate against a player.” On the reaction of casino patrons, Lee revealed, “Let’s just say that most players aren’t running over to congratulate him.” Nicole Rowe offered a heads-up chop with Abraham Korotki, who refused. Rowe, the sentimental crowd favorite, was set to undergo breast cancer surgery and ultimately finished second. In response, the Borgata donated $5,000 to breast cancer research.

Sebok then joined “Inside Deal” and revealed the timing for joining Team UB: “I took some time to fly down to Costa Rica. We met with the management team to hash out a number of things. I like to think that me coming onto the team is a symbol that we’re moving on and things are getting better.” The list of screen names associated with the Ultimate Bet cheating scandal was recently released, as was a continued emphasis on Russ Hamilton as its mastermind. 11Management orchestrated Sebok’s signing.

Sebok heads PokerRoad, a multimedia company best known for its assortment of poker-related podcasts. He explained the origins of PokerRoad: “It rose out of various radio shows I had done. I wanted to do something else. Playing poker is a blast, but there’s so much more to get into.” On the source of PokerRoad’s content, Sebok candidly explained, “It comes out of our relationships with each other. We spend so much time together, [so] it inevitably comes from that.” Sebok revealed that Ali Nejad has a yet-to-be-completed prop bet that challenges him to eat $45 worth of food at Taco Bell.

On the November Nine, Sebok claimed the bottom three had the two best players in the field, Phil Ivey and James Akenhead. On Jeff Shulman, who sits in the middle of the pack in chips, Sebok noted, “Let’s hope that if he wins, he doesn’t throw the bracelet away.” In the top three, Sebok reiterated that Darvin Moon remains a “wild card.” Many of the industry’s questions about Moon may be answered next week when he joins the “Inside Deal” crew.

Finally, discussion on the ESPN.com poker franchise turned to whether seven celebrities had more or fewer followers on Twitter than Sebok, who has 830,000. Celebrities included McHale, Bill Simmons, Katy Perry, UFC President Dana White, MC Hammer, Justin Timberlake, and LeVar Burton. Sebok is on a “suggested friends” list when new users sign up for the popular social networking tool.

“Inside Deal” is released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

Inside Deal Welcomes Daniel Negreanu, Michael Binger

Laura Lane returned from vacation to bring the poker community its seventh installment of ESPN.com’s “Inside Deal.” This week, Lane and co-host Bernard Lee welcomed Daniel Negreanu and Michael Binger.

The web-only show kicked off its 40 minute run by reviewing nominations for the Poker Hall of Fame. The general public’s original list of 10 candidates was trimmed to nine following the elimination of Tom “durrrr” Dwan from contention on the grounds that the youngster did not stand the test of time, one of several factors required for entry. Lee proposed that the panel clarify its criteria for the future: “I would suggest using a more specific criteria, maybe a minimum age requirement or minimum number of years played.” As it currently stands, the youngest Hall of Fame inductee is Chip Reese, who was 40.

Attention then turned to the findings of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) on the Ultimate Bet scandal, which once again fingered Russ Hamilton as its mastermind. The report included 117 user names and noted that 31 unnamed individuals were also involved. Lee commented, “Russ Hamilton’s legacy has been irreparably damaged. Already, we have seen the effects this summer, when he did not participate in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Champions Invitational.” Hamilton won the 1994 WSOP Main Event, defeating Hugh Vincent heads-up.

Negreanu will captain Team Americas prior to this year’s running of the WSOP Europe as part of the Caesars Cup. On formulating his team, which already includes Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, John Juanda, Jennifer Harman, and Doyle Brunson, Negreanu told the “Inside Deal” crew, “They told me they had this really cool concept they wanted to hold right before WSOP Europe. They asked me if I would be willing to be captain. I’m taking it seriously and trying to put together a team that’s going to work well together.” Last year, Negreanu finished fifth in the WSOP Europe Main Event, a tournament ultimately won by Juanda.

Binger then relived a hand against Jamie Gold during the 2006 WSOP Main Event in which Gold turned a straight after being a 2:1 underdog against Binger after the flop. The Ultimate Bet pro remarked, “It’s really the only time in my poker career that I’ve busted out of a tournament and not been upset. I played that hand as well as I could and was a 2:1 favorite when the money went in.” Binger finished third for $4.1 million, while Gold took home $12 million and the coveted Main Event gold bracelet.

Binger became burnt out while pursuing his PhD at Stanford and turned to poker as a diversion. He earned his doctorate in 2006 before heading straight to Las Vegas to begin his successful poker career. His brother, Nick Binger, is also a staple in the industry and owns over $200,000 in lifetime WSOP earnings. On his relationship with his brother, Binger revealed, “There’s a healthy competition between us. I’m happy for him when he succeeds and I’m sure he feels the same way, but we also push each other to try to go further.”

ESPN.com Poker Editor Andrew Feldman then joined the show. Like this author, Feldman is one of several media members who will vote in the Poker Hall of Fame Class of 2009. Feldman asked Negreanu how his resume stacked up against the other eight finalists. Negreanu responded, “I don’t feel like I deserve to be in the Hall of Fame this year. There are a lot of people who have played for longer than I have that deserve it more.” Negreanu and Lee endorsed World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton. Binger added that Barry Greenstein, Erik Seidel, and Ivey would be his top three candidates.

A special “Twitter: Fact or Fiction” segment aired in which Binger and Negreanu were asked whether Twitter entries made by each other were real or concocted by “Inside Deal” staff. In the end, the score was tied at two. Finally, Binger forecasted that Ivey would win the 2009 WSOP Main Event, labeling the 33 year-old “sick.”

“Inside Deal” is released each Tuesday on ESPN.com. Sign up to receive breaking news from Poker News Daily and you’ll be entered to win autographed merchandise from “Inside Deal” guests.

WSOP on ESPN Ratings Reach Highest Levels of 2009

With Day 3 of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event set to kick off on Tuesday night on ESPN, network officials have announced that ratings for the September 8th broadcast were the highest of the 2009 season.

The preview for next week’s WSOP Main Event on ESPN broadcast features 11-time bracelet winner and 1989 Main Event champion Phil Hellmuth proclaiming, “Turbulence is coming.” However, it’s been smooth sailing so far for ESPN during the 2009 installment of the world’s most prestigious tournament series. The 8:00pm ET hour of last week’s telecast scored a 0.97 rating, while the second hour came in at 1.13. So far, the network is 11% ahead of last year’s resoundingly successful broadcast.

Doug White, ESPN’s Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions, told Poker News Daily, “We’re all very pleased with the ratings thus far. We try not to get too high or low on ratings, but it’s nice when things are moving in a positive direction, so we’re extremely pleased with it.” White was instrumental in keeping the WSOP on ESPN until at least April of 2018 under an extension inked one month ago.

The September 8th broadcast logged a 0.93 rating during the first hour and 0.73 rating during the second hour among males age 18 to 34. The telecast turned in a 0.88 average rating among males age 18 to 49 and 1.03 for males age 25 to 54. ESPN’s broadcast on September 8th netted 954,000 household impressions during the first hour and 1.11 million during the second hour.

ESPN’s WSOP ratings have trended upwards in recent weeks and the network will broadcast its 15th hour-long installment on Tuesday night at 8:00pm ET. On the rise in the ratings, White speculated, “I’d like to think it’s because the quality of our shows are great. Our talent has been tremendous and the production quality has been excellent.” Lon McEachern and Norman Chad once again provide commentary for two hours each week, with Chad recently falling to Full Tilt Poker pro Howard Lederer in a chess match during the popular segment “The Nuts.”

Next week’s Day 3 coverage teases the presence of Hellmuth, Jeffrey Lisandro, Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey, Phil Laak, Humberto Brenes, Joe Hachem, Dennis Phillips, and Andy Black. In it, McEachern dramatically narrates, “With the field now united, it means our next Main Event champion is in the building. Amongst the players still in the hunt are some of the biggest names in the game, including one man who is the clear favorite to become Player of the Year.” McEachern alludes to Lisandro, who took home three bracelets in the preliminary tournaments leading up to the $10,000 buy-in Main Event for nearly $750,000 total.

The 2009 WSOP Main Event final table features an assortment of characters, including fan favorite Phil Ivey and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman, who has threatened to throw away the Main Event bracelet should he win. On Shulman and Ivey’s presence at the final table, White commented, “I don’t know if it sways our audience positively or negatively, but it brings about discussion. People are talking about it and that’s a good thing. It means the final table is on people’s minds. It’s a fantastic opportunity for players to showcase their personalities and skills on the biggest stage in poker.”

Here is a look at the remaining first-run episodes of the 2009 WSOP Main Event on ESPN. Replays also hit airwaves throughout the week on ESPN’s family of stations, so check local listings for more information. All times are Eastern:

September 15th to September 29th: 8:00pm to 10:00pm
October 6th to November 3rd: 9:00pm to 11:00pm
November 10th: 9:00pm to 11:30pm: WSOP Main Event Final Table

Poker Pro Victor Ramdin Gives the Inside Deal

This week, ESPN.com poker show “Inside Deal” welcomed Victor Ramdin. A member of Team PokerStars Pro who is passionate about charity work, Ramdin discusses Scotty Nguyen’s 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) antics and coming to the United States from his native Guyana.

The show began with recap of the latest poker news, headlined by WSOP November Nine member Joe Cada inking a sponsorship agreement with PokerStars. Still unsigned is chip leader Darvin Moon. “Inside Deal” host Bernard Lee gave his two cents on Moon’s future: “He’s said repeatedly that he doesn’t want to sign with a site and so far he’s keeping his word.” Attention then turned to the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) second sale to Party Gaming, the parent company of PartyPoker. As a result of backing out of its first deal, the WPT was forced to pay Gamynia Limited a $1 million penalty. Gamynia is affiliated with the iPoker Network.

After reviewing results from the WPT Legends of Poker, PokerStars Sunday Million, and the Asia Pacific Poker Tour’s (APPT) Macau stop, the “Inside Deal” welcomed Team Ultimate Bet’s Adam “Roothlus” Levy, who called into the show. On his online poker moniker, Levy explained, “It was an XBOX Live name. I just wanted something that sounded cool, so I decided to spell it phonetically.”

Levy rehashed his run-in with Phil Hellmuth during the 2008 WSOP Main Event, noting, “I thought it was pretty epic. It was surreal. I didn’t get offended or anything like that. I knew what I was getting into.” Levy then dove into the lifestyle of today’s online poker players, running into “Saved by the Bell” principal Dennis Haskins at a Los Angeles nightclub, and traveling to the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic.

Ramdin then joined the show in studio and explained his mentality when coming to the United States in 1989: “It was a dream come true. This is like all of our dreams come true – just to come to America.” He has since made a name for himself not only on the felts, but also in the world of charity, where he travels to Guyana to fund heart surgeries with a team of poker stars. Ramdin told “Inside Deal” viewers, “When it comes to charity, I’m all pumped up. I have more energy for charity than I do for poker.” In addition to a lucrative poker career, Ramdin also owns several retail stores in the Bronx and manages real estate rentals.

ESPN.com Poker Editor Andrew Feldman joined the show to discuss the results of viewer opinions on Mount Cashmore, the Mount Rushmore of poker. Viewers enshrined Doyle Brunson, Hellmuth, Stu Ungar, and Chris Moneymaker on the granite face of Mount Cashmore. Others who came close to being one of the top four nominees included November Nine member Phil Ivey, Chip Reese, Daniel Negreanu, and “Binion.” On the latter nomination, e-mailers did not specify which Binion they meant, Jack or Benny.

Discussion turned to members of a hypothetical Hall of Shame. Ramdin claimed 2008 WSOP HORSE Champion Scotty Nguyen should be the Hall’s first member: “He’s a world-class player, but he should be setting a better example. I really hated what he did.” Highlights aired of Nguyen lambasting Michael DiMichele while allegedly drunk at the televised final table and included a barrage of edited words. Nguyen has since apologized for his actions.

Ramdin called his favorite “hidden gem” of the poker tournament scene the Bahamas, the site of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure each January. On his nickname “Computer Man,” the poker pro explained, “I don’t know where that came from. I am no computer man.” Also revealed was that Ramdin has a weight loss bet and he likes to stay around 200 pounds. While he’d like to see Ivey win the 2009 WSOP Main Event in November, his second choice would be Eric Buchman, who hails from New York.

Catch “Inside Deal” every Tuesday on ESPN.com. You can also sign up to receive daily news in your Inbox and score free autographed merchandise from some of your favorite pros.

ESPN Inside Deal Features WSOP November Niner Eric Buchman

This week, “Inside Deal,” which airs on ESPN.com, welcomed World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine member Eric Buchman, who will hold the second largest chip stack when play resumes in November.

Talk of recent additions to the Caesars Cup teams opened the show, which is sponsored by PokerStars. Phil Hellmuth and John Juanda will join Team Americas, while Dario Minieri and Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier will become part of Team Europe. “Inside Deal” host and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee gave his take on the selections: “Daniel Negreanu was going to mold his team around team chemistry, solid heads-up play, and high-profile players.” Negreanu and Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad serve as team captains.

Discussion on “Inside Deal” then turned to Doyle Brunson’s Hall of Shame, which features Puggy Pearson, John “Doc” Holiday, Nick “Shoestring” Simpson, Nick Lanette, Stu Ungar, and Nick Vacchiano. Brunson unveiled his Hall of Shame in a recent blog post, with the only criteria for entry being that the person had to be deceased. Lanette earned his induction after biting a dealer’s ear off at the Stardust. “Inside Deal” host Bernard Lee was asked who he would add to the Hall of Shame, dead or alive. His nominee was Tony G, who berated Ralph Perry after eliminating him from the 2006 Intercontinental Poker Championship, among other incidents.

Results from the PokerStars Sunday Million, Asian Poker Tour (APT) Macau, European Poker Tour (EPT) Kiev, and Foxwoods Mega Stack Challenge were displayed before Howard Lederer joined the show via satellite. On the young guns of poker, Lederer told “Inside Deal” hosts, “I feel like 2009 was really the true arrival of the internet player, the player who got started in 2004 and finally got enough live play under their feet.”

Lederer and sister Annie Duke were an integral part of the National Poker Week Fly-In, which took place last month in Washington, DC. On the future of legalized and regulated online poker in the United States, Lederer remarked, “A bit of it is timing and a bit of it is politics. The practical effect of [Congressman Barney Frank’s] bill is that there wouldn’t be any sports betting on the internet, but that doesn’t mean the professional leagues aren’t scared of it.” Lederer was one of a half-dozen high-profile players to turn out to the nation’s capital in an effort coordinated by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) to lobby for Frank’s bill.

Attention then turned to Buchman, who was asked how he was turned onto poker. The WSOP November Nine member responded, “My brother got me interested in it. We’d play in clubs in New York and go to Atlantic City.” He has a pair of runner-up showings in WSOP and WSOP Circuit tournaments, experience that he hopes to parlay into a bracelet in the 2009 Main Event: “Final table experience is invaluable when it comes to improving your game and performing under pressure.” Buchman will have three short-stacks to his left when play resumes in November.

ESPN Poker Editor Andrew Feldman, returning from a one-week vacation, asked Lee, “Inside Deal” host Laura Lane, and Buchman who they would add to the American and European Caesars Cup squads. Buchman noted that he’d add reigning National Heads-Up Poker Championship winner Huck Seed and Carlos Mortensen. Lee suggested Chris Ferguson and Gus Hansen. Lane threw out Erik Seidel and Vitaly Lunkin. Feldman told the cast that he’d add Lindgren to the U.S. team and Patrik Antonius to the European roster.

Viewer questions included whether Buchman would treat the final table as a continuation of play in July or as a new tournament. He responded, “The experience I have playing against these players and the footage I’ve seen on ESPN will help me get reads on players.” Many in the poker industry have questioned chip leader Darvin Moon’s experience. Buchman noted that, despite Moon’s lack of background on the felts, he is a formidable force: “He’s definitely a threat to win. He doesn’t have as much experience as everyone else, but he definitely can play.” In the end, Buchman predicted that he would be heads-up against Moon for the Main Event title.

“Inside Deal” is released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

ESPN Inside Deal Welcomes Barry Greenstein

This week, “Inside Deal,” which airs on ESPN.com, welcomes Team PokerStars Pro member Barry Greenstein. “Inside Deal” is hosted by Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee and “ESPN: The Magazine” contributor Laura Lane.

The show opened with ESPN employees facing Greenstein heads-up for an autographed copy of the poker pro’s book, “Ace on the River.” The irony is that Greenstein signs a copy for players he defeats in major tournaments. Greenstein ran into Lane and Lee in the hall and exclaimed, “Finally, SportsCenter! Booyah!” The lead story was the extension of the agreement between the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and ESPN to broadcast the Las Vegas festivities for at least seven more years. Lee commented, “This is the original reality game show and now it has a guaranteed audience for several more years.”

Discussion then turned to “Face the Ace,” which finished last among major network shows in the ratings for its first two episodes in primetime. Now, the NBC franchise makes a planned move to Saturday afternoons beginning on September 12th. On the failure of “Face the Ace,” Lee explained, “It didn’t capture the general public’s attention. A game show needs to be quick and easy to understand. Heads-up [poker] didn’t lend itself towards that.” Lee indicated that the WSOP Main Event, which began airing last night on ESPN, would make a perfect addition to primetime network television.

Antoine Saout’s signing with Everest Poker then took center stage. This year, WSOP officials will only allow three players to be sponsored by each online poker site at the final table, making for a lively battle among the November Nine. Lee explained, “Truly, someone’s decision can ultimately affect the other players.” Phil Ivey will don logos for Full Tilt as one of the site’s featured pros. Many have speculated that CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman, who has threatened to throw out the bracelet should he win, will wear a Spade Club logo. Spade Club is the subscription-based online poker room managed by CardPlayer.

After results were displayed from the PokerStars Sunday Million, Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) Main Event, and Gold Strike World Poker Open, Greenstein joined the “Inside Deal” team in studio. He gave the scoop on Bobby’s Room at the Bellagio and, on his best game, noted, “I’d like to think I’m even at all of the games.” On his stepson, Joe Sebok, making a deep run in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, Greenstein claimed, “When my son’s in there, there’s emotion involved.” Greenstein also broke down his nicknames, including “Bear” and “The Robin Hood of Poker.”

Dani Stern and Jay Rosenkrantz from the G4 online poker reality show “2 Months, $2 Million” joined “Inside Deal.” On his rise through the ranks of the online poker world, Rosenkrantz told Lee and Lane, “You start out really small and build it up as you’re learning. You’re competing with people at your limits. You run well and, three or four years later, you’re playing at some of the highest stakes in the world.” During the first week of “2 Months, $2 Million,” which debuted on Sunday at 9:00pm ET, the Las Vegas foursome earned $35,700.

Following the phone interview with Stern and Rosenkrantz, Greenstein returned to the set to discuss the differences between cash games and tournaments and give his take on who should be represented on Mount Cashmore, the Mount Rushmore of poker. Greenstein suggested Chip Reese and Doyle Brunson, whom he noted have “stood the test of time.” Greenstein also added Jack Binion and Bobby Baldwin, the latter of whom “kept poker strong in Las Vegas when it could have been taken out of casinos.”

Viewer questions for Greenstein included recapping pots against Tom “durrrr” Dwan on GSN’s “High Stakes Poker” and whether the veteran practices tells in the mirror. Greenstein also discussed the members of the TwoPlusTwo forums raising money for charity and what life was like on the set of the 2007 poker movie “Lucky You.” The Team PokerStars Pro member took up around 20 prop bets during the 2009 WSOP, winning most of them, and explained to Lee and Lane why Hillary Duff, NSYNC, and Avril Lavigne appear on his iPod.

“Inside Deal” is released every Tuesday through the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table on ESPN.com.

Laura Lane Gives the Inside Scoop on Inside Deal

Released every Tuesday on ESPN.com are new 30 minute editions of the hit poker show “Inside Deal.” Hosted by Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN: The Magazine’s Laura Lane, “Inside Deal” has quickly acquired a loyal audience after debuting on August 4th. We sat down with Lane to discuss its success.

Poker News Daily: Tell us how you became involved with ESPN’s “Inside Deal.”

Lane: I write for ESPN: The Magazine and ESPN.com. I also did a lot of sports and entertainment television when I was in college. ESPN knew I liked poker, they approached me, and it went from there.

PND: Can you give us your poker background?

Lane: I first learned about poker from my little brother. We watched it on television and any time I hung out with him, I had to play. Then, I started playing against sports reporters in a weekly game. I got pretty good really fast. I would play every week in college, read books, watch it on television, and ended up playing in a charity tournament during the Sundance Film Festival. Jamie Gold was there giving lessons, so I sat down and got a lesson from him. Paul Wasicka and Todd Brunson were also there. I made it to the final table and finished fifth.

PND: Did you get any advice from Gold?

Lane: I didn’t know much at the time. There were three tables left and he told me to go all-in with the next best hand I got. I picked up K-K and Jamie was sitting at my table. I pushed all-in, Jamie looked at me, and said he’d fold. After that, everyone at the table gave me respect.

PND: How is “Inside Deal” compiled before it debuts on ESPN.com? What work goes into it?

Lane: Andrew Feldman, the Poker Editor for ESPN.com, has good judgment when it comes to news stories. Bernard is the poker pro and has interviewed a lot of the players before. We talk about what stories are good for the week and, ultimately, our producer makes the call on what airs.

PND: The chemistry between Bernard Lee and you seems to be pretty strong. Tell us about working with one of poker’s top minds.

Lane: He’s one of the nicest guys ever. We had a phone conversation before we ever met while he was in Hawaii. I read his blog back in 2005 when he had a deep run in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event and had a lot of questions for him about that. We’re both passionate and it’s nice working with someone who cares so much about the show. We keep talking about how we need a Sunday night game together because we shoot the show on Mondays. We had a barbeque after last week’s show and like hanging out with other.

PND: Has working on “Inside Deal” improved your own game?

Lane: I haven’t tested it out since we started filming the show. However, I’ve been learning so many tips that I probably should have known before, which will help undoubtedly me.

PND: Is it intimidating interviewing poker’s elite like Barry Greenstein, Chris Moneymaker, and Dennis Phillips?

Lane: Bernard has played with everyone, so he doesn’t get intimidated. Andrew has interviewed all of the top players. I’ve interviewed Jamie Gold and wrote articles for All In Magazine when it existed. I interviewed Greg Raymer when I was in college. I’ve interview A-list celebrities like Kobe Bryant and Kanye West, so I’m pretty comfortable.

PND: What feedback have you received from the show from friends, family, and co-workers who have watched it?

Lane: My little sister is honest. She’ll say, “Your hair looks better when it’s half up” and comment on my looks more than anything. Other people give me constructive tips. My mom says she doesn’t understand what we’re talking about. I went over to a friend’s house and they hadn’t seen it yet, so we watched it. They all wanted to know how I did it. Some of my friends are baffled by it.

PND: “Inside Deal” is slated to run weekly until the WSOP Main Event final table in November. What do you foresee beyond that?

Lane: The Main Event is the Super Bowl of poker, but there are so many different tournaments throughout the year. A show like ours could go year-round, but we’ll have to wait and see.

PND: Is there a market for a poker show like “Inside Deal” on television?

Lane: I really hope so. Poker is constantly growing and there are more people interested in it than ever before. People watch repeats of it over and over on networks like ESPN. The market is definitely strong. I would hope that in the next year or so, a show like ours is on television.

Laura Lane Gives the Inside Scoop on Inside Deal

Released every Tuesday on ESPN.com are new 30 minute editions of the hit poker show “Inside Deal.” Hosted by Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN: The Magazine’s Laura Lane, “Inside Deal” has quickly acquired a loyal audience after debuting on August 4th. We sat down with Lane to discuss its success.

Poker News Daily: Tell us how you became involved with ESPN’s “Inside Deal.”

Lane: I write for ESPN: The Magazine and ESPN.com. I also did a lot of sports and entertainment television when I was in college. ESPN knew I liked poker, they approached me, and it went from there.

PND: Can you give us your poker background?

Lane: I first learned about poker from my little brother. We watched it on television and any time I hung out with him, I had to play. Then, I started playing against sports reporters in a weekly game. I got pretty good really fast. I would play every week in college, read books, watch it on television, and ended up playing in a charity tournament during the Sundance Film Festival. Jamie Gold was there giving lessons, so I sat down and got a lesson from him. Paul Wasicka and Todd Brunson were also there. I made it to the final table and finished fifth.

PND: Did you get any advice from Gold?

Lane: I didn’t know much at the time. There were three tables left and he told me to go all-in with the next best hand I got. I picked up K-K and Jamie was sitting at my table. I pushed all-in, Jamie looked at me, and said he’d fold. After that, everyone at the table gave me respect.

PND: How is “Inside Deal” compiled before it debuts on ESPN.com? What work goes into it?

Lane: Andrew Feldman, the Poker Editor for ESPN.com, has good judgment when it comes to news stories. Bernard is the poker pro and has interviewed a lot of the players before. We talk about what stories are good for the week and, ultimately, our producer makes the call on what airs.

PND: The chemistry between Bernard Lee and you seems to be pretty strong. Tell us about working with one of poker’s top minds.

Lane: He’s one of the nicest guys ever. We had a phone conversation before we ever met while he was in Hawaii. I read his blog back in 2005 when he had a deep run in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event and had a lot of questions for him about that. We’re both passionate and it’s nice working with someone who cares so much about the show. We keep talking about how we need a Sunday night game together because we shoot the show on Mondays. We had a barbeque after last week’s show and like hanging out with other.

PND: Has working on “Inside Deal” improved your own game?

Lane: I haven’t tested it out since we started filming the show. However, I’ve been learning so many tips that I probably should have known before, which will help undoubtedly me.

PND: Is it intimidating interviewing poker’s elite like Barry Greenstein, Chris Moneymaker, and Dennis Phillips?

Lane: Bernard has played with everyone, so he doesn’t get intimidated. Andrew has interviewed all of the top players. I’ve interviewed Jamie Gold and wrote articles for All In Magazine when it existed. I interviewed Greg Raymer when I was in college. I’ve interview A-list celebrities like Kobe Bryant and Kanye West, so I’m pretty comfortable.

PND: What feedback have you received from the show from friends, family, and co-workers who have watched it?

Lane: My little sister is honest. She’ll say, “Your hair looks better when it’s half up” and comment on my looks more than anything. Other people give me constructive tips. My mom says she doesn’t understand what we’re talking about. I went over to a friend’s house and they hadn’t seen it yet, so we watched it. They all wanted to know how I did it. Some of my friends are baffled by it.

PND: “Inside Deal” is slated to run weekly until the WSOP Main Event final table in November. What do you foresee beyond that?

Lane: The Main Event is the Super Bowl of poker, but there are so many different tournaments throughout the year. A show like ours could go year-round, but we’ll have to wait and see.

PND: Is there a market for a poker show like “Inside Deal” on television?

Lane: I really hope so. Poker is constantly growing and there are more people interested in it than ever before. People watch repeats of it over and over on networks like ESPN. The market is definitely strong. I would hope that in the next year or so, a show like ours is on television.

Bodog bettors like Ivey

"To win overall and also on head to head, the early money is on the name recognition of Phil Ivey," Bodog.com Sportsbook Manager Richard Gardner said.

"People really believe he will be able to last longer than Darvin Moon, which has moved the line down on Phil Ivey from +350 to +300."

Bodog sets lines for the November Nine on everything from who will win the tournament to who will be the first player eliminated, head-to-head last longers and the suit of the river card in the final hand.

Gardner said a lot of the money wagered on the November Nine came in the first couple days after the final table was set, and the action has since cooled off.

"Most people are waiting until it gets closer to fight time," Gardner said. "There are a few thousand dollars on most of the head to heads, although as mentioned, we do expect a lot more closer to the event.

"Once the episodes featuring the final-table players air on television and the public can become more accustomed to the players, we expect interest and activity to pick up."

In fact, Gardner is predicting more than six figures will be booked by Bodog by the time the Nov. 7 final table rolls around.

"As it gets closer we expect the majority of the handle to come in especially in the last day before the tournament," he said.

Bodog has hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide and although November Nine betting has come from all over the globe so far, Gardner said with the heavy American final table, most of the bettors have been from the United States.

Last week, Betfair's International Public Relations Manager Richard Bloch told PokerListings most of the money wagered on the November Nine on Betfair has been on Phil Ivey so far, moving the odds of him winning down substantially.

Bodog still lists Moon as the favorite to win at 1.7:1. Young-yet-experienced American Eric Buchman is the second favorite at 3:1 while Full Tilt's Ivey sits in a group at 4:1, including Wall Street banker Steven Begleiter and CardPlayer editor Jeff Shulman.

21-year-old Michigan native Joe Cada currently sits at 10:1 with French Everest Poker qualifier Antoine Saout and 51-year-old Floridian Kevin Schaffel right behind at 12:1.

Brit James Akenhead is the long shot at 22:1.

For an up-to-date look at all the November Nine lines on Bodog, check out the sportsbook's poker props page.

Those looking for more on the future of internet sports betting and sportsbooks in general can find it here and here.

Visit PokerListings.com

Matt Parvis Joins PokerNews from Bluff

This week, former Bluff Magazine Editor-in-Chief Matt Parvis transitioned to the same role with PokerNews. Former Bluff Magazine Online Editor Lance Bradley will now assume the role of Editor-in-Chief at Bluff Magazine.

Bradley was the Poker Room Manager for Bodog from 2004 to 2006, according to a press release distributed by Bluff. He then moved onto ThePokerBiz.com before joining Bluff in 2008. Bradley commented in a Bluff article, “I’m very excited about this opportunity. For five years now, Bluff has been at the forefront of the poker industry and I hope to continue that tradition and deliver a magazine and website that poker fans recognize as the leader.” His predecessor, one of the leading faces in the online poker industry, sat down with Poker News Daily to discuss his new role.

Poker News Daily: Can you give us the background of signing with PokerNews?

Parvis: I’ve been with Bluff Magazine coming up on four years. I had nothing but good times and good experiences throughout my stint. From that regard, I’ve been very happy. I have a lot of respect for the people who work there and think that we put out a great product. I like to think that I helped push the bar in terms of expanding the idea of what a poker magazine should be.

When I started with Bluff, they had been in the works for about a year. I stepped in as Managing Editor working with Michael Cassell in London. We helped transform what a poker magazine should be, which is an entertainment portal.

The opportunity with PokerNews didn’t present itself until a day or two after the World Series of Poker. PokerNews has always been a really strong player in the market. They launched about the same time as Bluff, but used a slightly different model. It was poker news every day on your computer. At the time, there wasn’t something providing that information.

PND: In addition to providing news, your new home also hosts freerolls and offers a full forum, among other features. How do you effectively mesh all of these components together?

Parvis: I’m still in the process of wrapping my head around everything here. Everything we do is translated into 27 different languages. We also have to ensure that we’re providing accurate, fair reports on the poker world. We’re all out there trying to get a small number of stories. In poker, we’re all battling for the same stories. It’s not so much about getting stories first. We’re all going to win our battles here and there and be the first to scoop something. Instead, it’s a battle to create a strong voice that our readers can count on.

PND: Can you fill us in on the future of Bluff Magazine?

Parvis: Lance Bradley, who I’ve worked closely with for two years now, is taking over my role at Bluff. He’s in charge of the web content, is extremely capable and competent, and understands the poker industry because of his background with Bodog. Bluff is in good hands. There won’t be any lapse in what they’re able to do because Lance is such a qualified person and we worked closely together. We share a similar vision and idea. Bluff readers can expect a quality magazine and I don’t think they’ll see any lapse or regression by any means.

PND: Tell us about your vision for PokerNews.

Parvis: I will be overseeing the editorial content of the PokerNews.com site. I’ll be working with Garry Gates, who has done a great job of leading our tournament reporting team. It’s very important that all aspects of a business work hand in hand. There should be one center wheel and every spoke coming off of it is a branch of the business. We need to have a centralized focus and a centralized message. The poker industry is still very young in comparison to mainstream media. Poker is, in a way, a step behind, so it’s important to catch up with the rest of the media and strive towards making sure our fans have a voice.

ESPN Inside Deal Welcomes Dennis Phillips

This week’s edition of the ESPN poker show “Inside Deal,” which airs on ESPN.com, featured 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine member Dennis Phillips and a revealing phone conversation with WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack.

The show opened in its usual witty style, with “Inside Deal” Host Laura Lane trying to find Phillips to commence taping. ESPN employees and co-host Bernard Lee were all dressed like the former truck salesman, donning red St. Louis Cardinals hats and white collared shirts complete with logos. “Inside Deal,” which is sponsored by PokerStars.net, began its 40 minute show by discussing new legislation introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to regulate online games of skill like poker in the United States. Poker News Daily was sourced on the story, with Lee commenting, “This is a revised bill that Senator Menendez introduced in 2008. The previous bill focused on just skill games. This specifically focuses on online poker.” The bill is numbered S 1597.

Discussion on “Inside Deal” then turned to the recent sale of the World Poker Tour (WPT) to Gamynia Limited. Lee gave his take on what the sale of the hallmark tournament series means for players: “For the Tour, time will tell. For the 2009-2010 season, there won’t be too many changes.” Lee then noted that legalized and regulated online poker in the United States would mean a dramatic increase in qualifiers for WPT events. “Inside Deal” broke down the results of its sponsor’s weekly online poker major, the Sunday Million, and discussed the death of PokerListings founder Andreas Oscarsson.

Pollack called in for “Inside Deal’s” first telephone interview. He gave a preview of the 2009 WSOP Europe festivities, which kick off on September 19th from London. Pollack explained a potential solution for the sellout of Day 1D of the 2009 WSOP, which left more than 500 players shut out of the game’s most prestigious tournament: “We’re going to continue to have pre-registration open months in advance. I think we’re going to allow players to select their start date for the Main Event until a certain point. After that, we’re going to select their start date so the days are properly balanced.” Among those left out in the cold on Day 1D were Durrrr Challenge participant Patrik Antonius, Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier, and five-time WSOP bracelet winner Ted Forrest.

Phillips joined the show to talk about his interactions with members of the 2009 WSOP November Nine and his experience at National Poker Week in Washington, DC. On the latter effort, which was organized by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), Phillips recalled, “I honestly believe there will be a compromise between the two [internet gambling bills in the House and Senate]. They will come together with something. My hope is that in the next 12 to 18 months, this farce of a law they have will be amended.”

Phillips divulged the secrets to his deep runs in the 2008 and 2009 Main Events, where he finished 3rd and 45th, respectively, and relived throwing out the first pitch at a Cardinals baseball game. On November Nine member and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman, who has threatened to throw out the bracelet should he win the Main Event, Phillips commented, “Even if he felt it, to come out and publicly state it is horrible. It’s repulsive to me that he’d consider throwing it away.”

ESPN Poker Editor Andrew Feldman then joined the “Inside Deal” set in Bristol, Connecticut to review Sexy Poker for the Nintendo Wii, which resembles a game of strip poker. Discussion of the game was a segue for forecasting technological breakthroughs in the game, with Lee suggesting that tournament officials mic up every player at a final table and use interactive cameras to divulge tells. Feldman also discussed World Team Poker, whose first match-up pits Phil Hellmuth’s Team USA against Men “The Master” Nguyen’s Team Vietnam. Phillips recalled Danes rooting for Peter Eastgate and Russians cheering for Ivan Demidov during the 2008 WSOP Main Event final table as examples of how team poker may have a bright future.

An unaired exit interview with Dan Harrington following his elimination from the WSOP Champions Invitational aired and Lee broke down Eastgate’s one-outer against Scott Montgomery during last year’s Main Event finale. New episodes of “Inside Deal” are released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

Vanessa Rousso - Poker Player Profile

Vanessa Rousso is a member of Team PokerStars, and no doubt one of the best female poker players in the game today.  Rousso – who’s been ahead of the learning curve her whole life – graduated with an economics major from Duke University after just two and a half years,  and then moved on to Law School at The University of Miami. During Law School, Vanessa was a member of the editorial board of the University of Miami Law Review, and was also in the top 5% of her class. Despite the accolades, Rousso didn’t finish Law School, instead deciding to shift her focus to poker.

With eleven World Series of Poker cashes and a $700K score in PokerStars’ World Championship of Online Poker to her name, Vanessa Rousso - “LadyMaverick” in the cyber world - is a solid player both live and online. Her biggest pay-day came in 2009 at the EPT Monte Carlo $25K No Limit Hold’em High Rollers event which she chopped 3-ways for $750K. Vanessa’s other successes include a victory in the 2006 Borgata Poker Open $5K No Limit Hold’em event for $285K, 2nd in the 2009 NBC Heads Up Championship for $250K, and 7th in the Five-Star World Poker Classic $25K No Limit Hold’em event for $263K.

In addition to her endeavors at the tables, Vanessa Rousso is also extremely active away from the felt, as a pro-gambling activist and part-time sex symbol. In 2007, Rousso flew to Washington, DC to participate in the Poker Players Alliance’s efforts to convince Congress to reverse the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Act, which prevents US based players from making legal online gaming transactions. She provided support for Barney Frank and Robert Wexler, two of the most vocal American politicians actively supporting legislation which will allow players to process bets from inside the US. In 2009, “LadyMaverick” put her sex appeal to good use, appearing in a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.

Excellent as a player, spokeswoman, and icon of the game, Vanessa Rousso is poised to represent poker all over the world for the foreseeable future.

PokerListings Founder Andreas Oscarsson Murdered in Sweden

PokerListings founder Andreas Oscarsson was shot to death in Sweden on August 3rd, according to a post that appeared on the popular news site. He was not involved in the day-to-day duties of the site when he was murdered, but rather served as an advisor to the industry staple.

An article that appeared on the website of Bluff Europe stated, “Whilst details/sources still remain uncertain, word is out that a 20 year old man by the name of Andreas Oscarsson was shot down last year in the exact same town in Sweden.” PokerListings’ Oscarsson was 36 years-old and threats had been reportedly made on his life. Posters on the poker forum TwoPlusTwo from Sweden noted that local police were talking with Oscarsson’s two year-old son for any leads he may be able to provide. He was reportedly in the room at the time of the murder. The birth of the child coincided with Oscarsson’s departure from day-to-day duties at PokerListings.

A statement posted on PokerListings’ website recalled, “Andreas was a very generous person to those close to him, a brilliant internet marketing guru, and a savvy business entrepreneur - always looking to break new ground and break new records.” Bluff noted that relatives joined Oscarsson and his son in the Swedish house. He was found dead on August 3rd in his bed. Police did not comment on how many times Oscarsson was shot, where he was hit, or if his son was awake at the time of the murder. A translated Swedish newspaper article that appears on TwoPlusTwo explains that a window in Oscarsson’s bedroom was open.

TwoPlusTwo member Loctus, who lives in Sweden, commented, “Police [have] been talking on the radio about it saying that it’s quite probably [something] from his past that has caught up to him in this unfortunate way.” Many members lamented at the news and expressed their deepest condolences to his family. On the future of the investigation into Oscarsson’s death, Bluff reported, “As of now, there are no further details except that police are uncertain of the exact motive, but reports emanating from Sweden suggest ‘concrete threats‘ were made towards Oscarsson, according to friends and colleagues in Stockholm and Gothenburg.”

No further update was given on PokerListings’ website at the time of writing. The outlet is one of the leading sources for poker news and information. It lists over 1,000 websites about poker and includes analysis of each from its team of editors. Like Poker News Daily, PokerListings is now gearing up for coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table, which kicks off on November 7th from the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio. The action will air on cable station ESPN on Tuesday, November 10th at 9:00pm ET.

Oscarsson’s wife reportedly has flown to Sweden from her home in New York City while the investigation unfolds. Despite no longer being with the company, Oscarsson served as an advisor and left an indelible mark on the industry. We here at Poker News Daily would like to express our sincere condolences to Oscarsson’s family and everyone at PokerListings for their loss.

We’ll keep you up to date on any further developments as they unfold.

Betfair: All bets on Ivey

In fact, Betfair's International Public Relations Manager Richard Bloch says of the approximately $20,000 U.S. already bet globally on the November Nine, better than 50 per cent has been put down on Ivey.

"There was a lot of action starting the minute the final table was set," Bloch told PokerListings. "We do expect that to slow down a bit now and then pick up again in the days before the final table plays out."

The odds on Ivey winning the Main Event started out at 8:1 on Betfair, but have since moved down to 7:1.

While the Full Tilt pro will enter the final nine seventh in chips, he is now the third favorite to win behind chip leader Darvin Moon (4.4:1) and American Eric Buchman (5.7:1), who had more than $1 million in career tournament earnings heading into the 2009 Main Event.

"Obviously the chip lead is important," Bloch said. "But people put a lot of weight on experience at the table."

The odds have remained steady for former Wall Street banker Steven Begleiter (7:1) and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman (8:1), who both sit close to the top of the chip counts.

The same is also true for smaller stacks like 21-year-old Michigan native Joseph Cada (15.5:1) and 51-year-old Floridian Kevin Schaffel (17:1).

However, there has been some movement at the bottom.

While Brit James Akenhead will come into the final table with the shortest stack, he is now a big favorite over French Everest Poker qualifier and fellow short stack Antoine Saout, with Akenhead moving from 19:1 to book the win down to 17.5:1 in just a few short weeks.

"We have two million customers, 50 per cent of which come from the UK, so there has been a lot of money bet on Akenhead," Bloch said. "Probably by some of his friends."

The odds on Saout have continued to hover around the 21:1 mark.

Bloch said he would expect the action to pick up even more as the Nov. 7 final table approaches and with rumors of Ivey himself having millions on the street in prop bets, an even higher percentage may be focused on the seven-time WSOP bracelet winner.

"We expect people with huge prop bets against Ivey to be using the site to lay off those bets," he said. "We will probably see ten times the action by the time the final table rolls around."

Visit PokerListings.com

Inside Deal Debuts on ESPN.com, Features Chris Moneymaker

On Tuesday, the first installment of Inside Deal premiered on ESPN.com, hosted by Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN The Magazine contributor Laura Lane. The first 30 minute episode to air featured an appearance by 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker.

Inside Deal is presented by PokerStars.net, whose logo appears on virtually all on-screen graphics. In addition, the site aired two Americas Cup of Poker commercials and one traditional television ad. The opening segment of ESPN.com’s Inside Deal began with Lane asking Lee what Moneymaker’s real last name is. Moneymaker joined the duo and responded, “You don’t know that I changed it in 2003? It’s Berman.” Chris Berman is known to many ESPN fans as one of the original anchors of the SportsCenter franchise.

The set of Inside Deal is similar in feel to SportsCenter and makes its home at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. Poker news took center stage to open the show and featured a preview of 2009 WSOP Main Event final table. On November Nine member Phil Ivey’s legacy, Lee commented, “I think this will cement his legacy that started back in his days in Atlantic City.” Then, attention turned to CardPlayer Magazine Editor Jeff Shulman’s comments that he’d trash the Main Event bracelet should he win. Lee retorted, “He has the right to say whatever he wants, but he should be acting more like a poker ambassador.”

Other news focused on the sellout of Day 1D of the 2009 WSOP Main Event and over 500 players being unable to enter poker’s most prestigious tournament. Lee explained, “Poker players are known procrastinators,” and offered up several solutions to prevent the problem from occurring in 2010. Talk of a Rounders sequel also permeated the Inside Deal news segment, as did the results of the PokerStars Sunday Million, complete with an on-screen graphic showing paydays from a three-way chop.

Moneymaker then joined Lee and Lane and discussed his recent success in Omaha. Moneymaker explained, “It’s hard to find myself playing Hold’em anymore.” He was then asked whether it’d be better for the game if an amateur or pro won the 2009 Main Event. Moneymaker commented, “To have Ivey come back and win it would be great for poker.” Moneymaker recalled his Main Event satellite win on PokerStars. Curiously, he was actually trying to finish fourth in the qualifier to take home $8,000 in cash. The top three spots paid Main Event seats, but Moneymaker was about $8,000 in debt. Nevertheless, he wound up winning the Main Event and igniting the modern poker boom.

Moneymaker also discussed how the play of amateurs has evolved since 2003. The champion explained that the game has become considerably more aggressive: “There was no such thing as a 4bet in 2003. If you were 4bet, it was aces or kings.” He also fielded a question from a viewer in Hershey, Pennsylvania about how to play suited connectors. Moneymaker explained, “Keep the pots small pre-flop” and “Don’t commit more than 5% of your stack pre-flop.”

ESPN Poker Editor Andrew Feldman joined the show to discuss who would appear on the Mount Rushmore of Poker. Moneymaker offered up the quartet of Jack Binion, Doyle Brunson, hole card camera inventor Henry Orenstein, and either Stu Ungar or Chip Reese. Lee made cases for Binion, Brunson, Ungar, and Moneymaker, while Feldman argued that Reese, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth should also be in the conversation.

An unaired hand from the WSOP Champions Invitational was reviewed. In it, 1983 Main Event Champion Tom McEvoy raised to 6,000 pre-flop with K-10 of clubs. 2002 winner Robert Varkonyi re-raised to 18,000 with pocket fives. McEvoy made the call to see the flop come 6-7-J. Varkonyi shoved all-in and McEvoy quickly mucked, leaving Feldman to comment that Vakonyi’s actions represented “a bold move on a scary flop.” Lee and Moneymaker gave analysis of the hand, which did not air as part of Tuesday night’s ESPN telecast of the Champions Invitational. McEvoy ultimately won the tournament, taking home a vintage Corvette and the Binion Cup.

Finally, Moneymaker was “under the gun” as part of a rapid-fire question and answer segment. Moneymaker revealed that he made $250 online during the car ride up to Bristol and his favorite tournament is the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Bahamas. He noted that, while moving from Nashville to Memphis, he lost his Main Event bracelet for two years, but it now sits in a box in his closet. He also discussed his craziest fan experience, his best chip trick, and the starting hand that gives him the most trouble (pocket jacks).

Inside Deal is posted every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

Letter from the Editor: The New PokerNews.com

I think it's safe to say that poker players are creatures of habit. We stack our chips the same way, often play the same slate of tournaments online, and always book winning sessions. Ok, well, that last one may not be entirely accurate…

ESPN.com Poker Show Inside Deal to Debut Tuesday

The web-only poker show “Inside Deal” will make its debut on ESPN.com on Tuesday. Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee hosts “Inside Deal” and its premiere features 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker.

ESPN.com Poker Editor Andrew Feldman and ESPN The Magazine Columnist Laura Lane will flank Lee, who told Poker News Daily that he is looking forward to “Inside Deal” premiering on Tuesday: “This is a show that is needed in the industry and it’s unique in its time. It’s going to be a solid show with ESPN production value. It’s really going to start setting the standard for poker shows.” “Inside Deal” will be rolled out weekly on Tuesdays for three months, culminating with the final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in November.

Poker fans will be able to submit questions to “Inside Deal’s” hosts and guests through mediums like e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter. A press release distributed by Lee’s publicist notes, “Fans will also be given an exclusive chance to participate in a sweepstakes where one lucky winner will experience the November Nine in a unique way.” Lee plans to interview as many of the final nine in the WSOP Main Event as possible and told Poker News Daily, “Moneymaker is going to be our first guest, which is always a draw. Our host, Laura Lane, is an up-and-coming journalist. She’s really good and people will be very surprised.” Moneymaker’s monumental win in the 2003 Main Event over poker veteran Sammy Farha helped propel the game into the global phenomenon that it is today.

“Inside Deal” is sponsored by PokerStars.net and will focus on the lifestyle of poker players in addition to in-depth interviews, breaking news, and the latest tournament recaps. Despite “Inside Deal” debuting in an online-only format on ESPN.com, Lee believes that the table is set for a recurring televised poker show on the cable network: “With everything that goes on in poker, there is news every week. During the WSOP and leading up to the November Nine, there’s absolutely a market for this to be on television. There is an audience out there. Look at how many people watched last year’s Main Event. A live poker series would be a good lead-in to future ESPN shows.”

Lee hosts the “Bernard Lee Poker Show” weekly on RoundersRadio.com and 1510 AM The Zone in his native Boston. He is a poker columnist for ESPN.com and the Boston Herald whose book “The Final Table” can be found on the shelves of industry enthusiasts around the world. Lee stormed onto the poker scene in 2005, when he finished 13th in the Main Event for $400,000. He recorded two final tables in WSOP Circuit Events in early 2008, including a fourth place effort in the Horseshoe Council Bluffs Championship for $37,000. He also finished as the runner-up to Dale Robinson in a $1,060 buy-in preliminary tournament at Caesars Indiana for $40,000. He is currently an instructor for the WSOP Academy.

In the eyes of many, Lee’s most impressive feat was winning tournaments held during the Foxwoods World Poker Finals three straight years between 2006 and 2008. He won a $4,800 buy-in event in 2006 for $368,000, a $1,850 buy-in event in 2007 for $239,000, and a $530 buy-in event in 2008 for $22,000. Lee is a staple at live poker tournaments across the East Coast. “The Final Table Volume 2” debuted in December in time for the holiday season amid resounding fanfare. The book chronicles hands from his Boston Herald newspaper column of the same name from 2007 to mid-2008.

We’ll have full coverage of the debut episode of “Inside Deal” right here on Poker News Daily.

November Nine Profile - Jeff Shulman

Editor of CardPlayer magazine, Shulman has over $1m in tournament winnings prior to the November Nine spot that guarantees him at least $1.2m. Our editors could have millions in tournament winnings if they wanted but they're too busy producing this high-quality magazine and website.

ESPN 2009 WSOP Ratings Fall 4%

The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) debuted on cable station ESPN on Tuesday with a $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the prestigious series. In the end, ratings fell by 4%, but were up in several key demographics.

In 2008, the WSOP on ESPN began airing one week earlier than this year’s festivities. Nevertheless, ratings in 2009 were off by 4% for the premier episode and household impressions were down 2%, according to ESPN Media Contact George McNeilly. However, numbers for two key demographics increased year over year, an encouraging sign for the Bristol-based cable network. McNeilly told Poker News Daily that viewers were up 2% among men ages 18 to 34. In addition, the number of men ages 25 to 54 who tuned into the 2009 WSOP on ESPN grew by an astonishing 16%. Meanwhile, in men ages 18 to 49, the number of viewers was on par with last season’s telecast. Six players at the $40,000 buy-in tournament’s final table were in their 20s, with 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer serving as its elder statesman at 44 years-old.

Despite overall ratings being down, McNeilly remains optimistic about the remainder of the 2009 WSOP on ESPN schedule. He commented, “We have a long season of outstanding events and great storylines to go.” Last year, the finale of the 2008 WSOP Main Event, which occurred after a 117 day delay at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, turned in a 1.9 rating, up 46% from the rating that conclusion of the 2007 Main Event received (1.3). The latter tournament featured Jerry Yang defeating Tuan Lam. In total, pushing the final table of the Main Event back to coincide with its television broadcast paid off. Instead of viewers asking how a player won, they were left wondering who would win poker’s most prestigious title.

In 2008, the average rating for the 32 episodes that made up the WSOP broadcast was 0.9. That figure represents 919,000 households and 1.55 million viewers, which were up 13% and 15%, respectively, in comparison to 2007 figures. Next Tuesday, the WSOP Champions Invitational will air. The invite-only tournament attracted 20 former Main Event winners to the Rio to battle for a vintage Corvette from the Imperial Palace car collection and the Binion Cup. The tournament’s final nine include Dan Harrington (1995 Main Event Champion), Carlos Mortensen (2001), Huck Seed (1996), Tom McEvoy (1983), and Doyle Brunson (1976 and 1977). The spectacle kicks off at 8:00pm ET on ESPN and runs for two hours.

ESPN’s poker offering will also include the annual Ante Up for Africa charity tournament. The $5,000 buy-in event that raises money and awareness for the crisis in Darfur will pan out on television screens around the country on August 11th at 8:00pm ET. The tournament featured a “who’s who” of the celebrity world, including Mike Tyson, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sarah Silverman, Doug Benson, Nelly, and Jason Alexander, whose “Seinfeld” reunion on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” later this year has been the talk of the television industry.

ESPN will air 24 hours of the 2009 WSOP Main Event between August 18th and November 3rd. On November 10th, the conclusion of the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament will play out, with chip leader Darvin Moon taking on a final table that also includes Full Tilt Poker pro and 2009 two-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey and controversial CardPlayer Magazine Editor Jeff Shulman. The latter has threatened to trash his bracelet should he win due to an ongoing rift with Harrah’s, which owns the rights to the WSOP. Other members of the November Nine are James Akenhead, Kevin Schaffel, Steven Begleiter, Eric Buchman, Joe Cada, and Antoine Saout.

Hintze Departs, Parvis In as PokerNews EiC

PokerNews.com Editor-in-Chief Haley Hintze today announced her departure from the position, as part of an ongoing transition in editorial outlook...

ESPN to launch a new Poker show

ESPN will be offering more poker coverage than just the $40.000 No-Limit Hold’em, Ante up for Africa and the Main Event this year as they will broadcast totally new web-only poker show called the ESPN Inside Deal. The show is presented by PokerStars and will have its debut on August 4 on espn.com.

-Moneymaker on the move

Chris Moneymaker will be the first guest on the show which will give the poker fans a behind the scenes look at poker lifestyle and the whole poker scene. Other confirmed guests will include Daniel Negreanu and Joe Hachem.

The show is hosted by ESPN The Magazine’s Laura Lane, professional player and ESPN.com columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN.com poker editor Andrew Feldman.

During the three months of the series, fans will be able to see the completion of the WSOP Main Event final table. There will be interviews and analyzes of each member of the November Nine as well. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the show by submitting questions to their favorite pro players. Fans will also have an exclusive chance to participate in a sweepstakes where one winner will experience the November Nine in a unique way.

You just read Poker News from HighStakesNews.com

ESPN to launch a new Poker show

ESPN confirms online poker show

On Wednesday ESPN confirmed they will be airing a new web-only poker show called the
ESPN Inside Deal.

The show, which is presented by PokerStars.net, will debut on Aug. 4 on ESPN.com. It will give poker fans a behind the scenes look at poker lifestyle.

Inside Deal will be hosted by ESPN the Magazine contributor Laura Lane, pro player and ESPN.com columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN.com poker editor Andrew Feldman.

The three month series will conclude with the completion of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table and along the way they will interview and analyze each member of the November Nine. Poker fans will also get to watch never-before seen hands and features from the WSOP broadcasts.

Throughout the series fans will have the opportunity to submit questions to their favorite professional poker players through email, Twitter and Facebook. Fans will also be given an exclusive chance to participate in a sweepstakes where one lucky winner will experience the November Nine in a unique way.

2003 WSOP Main Event winner Chris Moneymaker will be the first featured guest for the show. One of the most well-known figures in poker Moneymaker parlayed a $39 satellite win on PokerStars into a $10,000 Main Event seat and eventually the $2.5 million for first place. Many poker pundits speculate that Moneymaker was responsible for the poker boom and this has since been termed the "Moneymaker effect."

Other featured players for Inside Deal will include Daniel Negreanu and Joseph Hachem.

Visit PokerListings.com

2009 WSOP on ESPN Debuts Tuesday

Tonight marks the return of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) on ESPN. At 8:00pm ET, the network will air the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP.

A star-studded final table will take to the felts in the event, which was the second on the 2009 WSOP schedule. It attracted 201 entrants and, as has been heavily touted in commercials for the program, generated a $7.7 million prize pool. The final table features some of the top names in live and online poker. Here’s how the chip stacks will look when final table play in Event #2 of the 2009 WSOP kicks off on ESPN this evening:

1. Isaac Haxton - 5,955,000
2. Vitaly Lunkin - 4,565,000
3. Lex Veldhuis - 3,805,000
4. Greg Raymer - 3,345,000
5. Alec Torelli - 2,340,000
6. Justin Bonomo - 1,685,000
7. Dani Stern - 1,300,000
8. Noah Schwartz - 660,000
9. Ted Forrest - 560,000

Lunkin won a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event during the 2008 WSOP and banked $628,000, defeating Brett Kimes heads-up. Raymer won the 2004 WSOP Main Event, becoming the third amateur in a row to take down the feature $10,000 buy-in tournament. Torelli, who recently signed with the Cake Poker Network site Doyle’s Room, is fresh off a fourth place showing at the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Bellagio Cup V for $271,000. Bonomo is a Bodog pro making his third WSOP final table appearance. Forrest owns five bracelets and was famously shut out of the Main Event this year after Day 1D sold out at over 2,800 runners. Finally, Stern will compete as part of G4’s “2 Months, $2 Million,” a poker reality show that debuts on August 16th.

With the all-star cast lined up for the final table of the kickoff WSOP on ESPN event, show producer Jamie Horowitz commented in a conference call last week, “This is the most excited I’ve ever been for a season of the WSOP, not just because we get to kick it off with new events we’ve never done before, but also because we’re doing a record number of hours of [the Main Event] this year.” In fact, ESPN will broadcast 24 hours of the world’s most prestigious poker tournament. The final table will take place on November 10th and air just hours later on the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

Tuesday is once again poker night on ESPN. Here’s the schedule for when you can tune in to catch the action in high-definition. All times are Eastern:

July 28th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: $40,000 Special Anniversary Tournament
August 4th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: WSOP Champions Invitational
August 11th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: Ante Up for Africa Charity Tournament
August 18th to September 22nd from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: WSOP Main Event
September 29th from 8:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
October 6th from 10:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
October 13th to November 3rd from 9:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
November 10th from 9:00pm to 11:30pm: WSOP Main Event Final Table

This year’s November Nine, who comprise the final table of the Main Event, include two brand name pros, Full Tilt Poker’s Phil Ivey and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman. Ivey has already won two bracelets at the 2009 WSOP, while Shulman threatened to throw his piece of hardware in the garbage if he won. Horowitz explained the allure of this year’s group: “It’s long been discussed in the modern era of poker if a pro could win the Main Event. Having Phil Ivey as part of our November Nine has added a new level of interest to poker. There’s an elevated sense of excitement for this season.”

Ivey is ESPN poker commentator Norman Chad’s perennial pick to win the $10,000 buy-in Main Event. He explained to reporters why Ivey has become one of the industry’s staples: “Anytime you’re playing with a pro, there’s going to be a sense of intimidation, but there’s some mystical magical quality about Phil Ivey that actually elevates him above the rest. He has an amazing table presence that’s unequaled in the game.” Chad told Poker News Daily on the Ante Up for Africa red carpet that he expected Ivey to win the charity tournament as well.

We’ll look forward to seeing the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP unfold tonight on ESPN and ESPN HD.

Jeff Shulman - Poker Player Profile

The Editor of CardPlayer Magazine, Jeff Shulman resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s 34 years-old and finished seventh in the 2000 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, banking $146,000 when he was just 25. That tournament was ultimately won by Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, who firmly entrenched himself as one of poker’s top stars. Shulman is a member of the November Nine of the 2009 WSOP Main Event and will return to the green felts that month to play down to a champion, who will find their bankroll boosted by $8.5 million.

Immediately following the final elimination in July of the Main Event, Shulman ignited controversy by claiming that if he won he might “toss out” the tournament’s celebratory bracelet instead of wearing it. Many in the industry speculated that Shulman’s comments stemmed from the fact that Bluff, not CardPlayer, received media rights to the WSOP. However, Shulman retorted to reporters, “It’s my lack of respect for the WSOP and the management and what they’ve done to all of the players. I don’t like it.”

Shulman’s comments have polarized the attitudes towards the Nevada native among those in the industry. Some have inquired why the CardPlayer Magazine Editor entered the tournament, while others have questioned whether he should return to the Rio in November for the final table of the Main Event. He has since formulated alternatives to trashing the bracelet, including auctioning it off for charity, holding a tournament for players shut out of the 2009 Main Event and awarding the bracelet to its winner, and giving the piece of hardware away on Spade Club, CardPlayer’s subscription-based online poker site.

Shulman’s last final table appearance at a WSOP event prior to the 2009 Main Event came in 2005, when he finished seventh in a $5,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em tournament for $50,000. Shulman finished 12^th in the Season III World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship, taking home $94,000, and owns nearly $400,000 in career earnings on the WPT circuit.

He’s the son of CardPlayer owner Barry Shulman and has become one of the most influential figures in the industry. Shulman’s nonchalant attitude is in stark contrast to the serious nature of most poker players. When asked if this easy-going mantra gives him an advantage over other players in the game, Shulman candidly explained to reporters gathered around him at the WSOP, “I feel like I’m on Adderall and everyone else is on Xanax.”

CardPlayer is one of the world’s premier poker magazines and has over 20,000 subscribers. Besides its American version, Shulman and company produce CardPlayer Europe, which distributes nearly 13,000 copies across 40 countries. CardPlayer features live coverage of top tournaments around the world, including WPT events.

2009 WSOP Main Event November Nine Features Phil Ivey

After 56 events and 13 days of play in the Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event was determined.

A total of 27 players came back to the Amazon Room at Noon on Wednesday with dreams of being at the final table of the most prestigious poker tournament in the world. Everyone remaining would receive $352,832, but the true focus was on making the final table, which once again will be delayed until November. Leading the pack was newcomer Darvin Moon, a logger from Maryland, who held slightly over 20 million chips as play began.

Leo Margets, who came to the start of play on Wednesday as one of the shorter stacks in the room, was the first to depart in 27th place. She was followed by notable players including Antonio Esfandiari (24th place for his largest WSOP cash ever) and Day Six leader Warren Zackey, who dropped from the tournament in 22nd place after his pocket deuces were out-raced by Ian Tavelli’s Qs-Js.

Tavelli’s aggressive play eventually caught up with him after he ran pocket nines into Steven Begleiter’s pocket kings. After the board didn’t bring him either of his two outs, the 21-year old Tavelli was eliminated in 17th place ($500,557). Almost immediately after Tavelli’s departure, one of France’s top professional players, Ludovic Lacay, was defeated by Jeff Shulman in 16th place. After Lacay’s elimination, everyone at the tables was guaranteed $633,022.

As the field continued to dwindle down, both Moon and Begleiter used their chips to climb to astronomical levels at the tables. Moon never seemed to be in jeopardy during play on Wednesday and Begleiter, using the chips he had earned from Tavelli, continued his march up the leaderboard. For all of their work, however, most of the eyes in the Amazon Room followed poker professional Phil Ivey.

The perennial pick by ESPN commentator Norm Chad to win the Main Event, Ivey had come to the 2009 WSOP with his skills at their highest point ever. He captured two bracelets during the six weeks of preliminary tournaments and had been at or around the top of the Main Event leaderboard since it began. Starting the day with over 11 million in chips, Ivey seemed content to sit back and maintain his stack, scouting potential opponents should they reach the November Nine final table.

After over 11 hours of battle, the final table of the Main Event was determined. The unlucky Bubble Boy was pro player Jordan Smith, who fell in tenth place ($896,730) at the hands of Moon. Facing a raise to 650,000 from Eric Buchman and a call from Moon, Smith popped a 2.6 million bet into the pot, which was called by Moon after Buchman folded. The seemingly innocent flop of hit the table, at which time the fireworks went off. Smith checked his option to Moon, who put four million chips out, and Smith moved all-in over the top. Moon called and tabled pocket eights for top set; Smith dejectedly turned up . After the turn and river failed to come an ace, the November Nine was determined.

These are the nine players who will gather at the Rio in November to determine the next WSOP Main Event Champion:

Darvin Moon (Oakland, Maryland) – 58,930,000
Eric Buchman (Valley Stream, New York) – 34,800,000
Steve Begleiter (Chappaqua, New York) – 29,885,000
Jeff Shulman (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 19,580,000
Joe Cada (Shelby Township, Michigan) – 13,215,000
Kevin Schaffel (Coral Springs, Florida) – 12,390,000
Phil Ivey (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 9,765,000
Antione Saout (Paris, France) – 9,500,000
James Ankenhead (London, England) – 6,800,000

With such professional players as Ivey, Shulman (Editor of CardPlayer Magazine), and Ankenhead in the mix, some are concluding that this will be one of the strongest Main Event final tables of the past few years.

Play will pause on the Las Vegas leg of this year’s WSOP, but there are still four events to go. The 2009 WSOP Europe, which will be held in London beginning in September, will offer a chance for the survivors of the Main Event to tune up their games. The November Nine then will emerge from their respite. All are now millionaires, but the eventual winner takes the $8.5 million first place prize.