Poker News

Victory Poker Launches February 1st

One day prior to Super Bowl XLIV between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints, officials from Victory Poker will celebrate the site’s launch at a party at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. The online poker room will open for business on February 1st.

Victory Poker will make its home on the merged Everleaf/UPN network, which has yet to take on an official name. According to PokerScout.com, the newly created network will boast traffic similar to that of Betfair, which has a seven-day running average of 610 real money ring game players. A press release announcing the Trash Talk Championship of the World Straddle Tournament at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas on February 6th revealed that the Victory Poker launch party would occur at 10:00pm following the festivities.

UFC’s Randy Couture will be sporting a Victory Poker logo when he takes to the ring in UFC 109 against Mark Coleman. The bout emanates from the Mandalay Bay Events Center near the Hard Rock and will also feature Nate Marquardt facing off against Chael Sonnen and Matt Serra fighting Frank Trigg. The first brawl takes place at 4:45pm, while televised matches start at 7:00pm. Couture will don a dot-net logo for the new online poker room.

Antonio Esfandiari headlines the Victory Poker stable of pros. A World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, Esfandiari has become widely known for his insatiable appetite for prop bets. He even co-starred with his close friend Phil Laak on the MOJO show “I Bet You,” which ran for two seasons on the cable station. Esfandiari has three WPT final tables to his credit and one title, which came in the Season 2 L.A. Poker Classic. At the tender age of 31, Esfandiari is one of the veterans of the game.

Jumping over from DoylesRoom to be a part of Victory Poker is Alec “traheho” Torelli. The Cake Poker Network site and Torelli severed ties two weeks ago. Torelli has made two WPT final tables, finishing fourth in both the Bellagio Cup V and Solvakia events. The former will air its finale at 11:00pm ET on Fox Sports Net this Sunday in a one-hour episode. Poker Hall of Fame member Mike Sexton and actor Vince Van Patten will once again provide commentary for Season 8 of the WPT.

Coming over from Full Tilt Poker are Paul Wasicka and Lee Markholt. The latter was removed in recent days as a Full Tilt Red Pro and finished fourth in the WSOP Circuit Championship in Tunica four years ago for $183,000. In addition, Markholt won the WPT Season 6 World Poker Challenge in Reno for $493,000 and owns $1.3 million in career earnings from the roving tournament series. Wasicka was the runner-up to Jamie Gold in the 2006 WSOP Main Event, earning a colossal $6.1 million.

Also appearing in the Victory Poker pro lineup is Chinese Poker sensation Danny Wong. Owning the moniker “Chinese Poker Wizard,” Wong learned to play the game’s variation at age five. Despite his success in Chinese Poker, he’s also excelled in No Limit Texas Hold’em, making three WPT final tables. Joining Wong will be online poker pro Brian “tsarrast” Rast.

Those who watched the 2009 WSOP Main Event on ESPN will recall the deep run of the “Flying” Bilzerian brothers. Dan Bilzerian, who finished 180th, will become part of the Victory Poker cast. In his final hand of the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament, Bilzerian committed his stack with A-6, but could not best Jonathan “driverseati” Tamayo’s pocket tens. His brother, Adam Bilzerian, renounced his U.S. citizenship and is now a passport holder of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Other Victory Poker pros include Andrew "good2cu" Robl, Keith Gipson, David “The Maven” Chicotsky, Sander Lylloff., and 2007 Playboy Playmate of the Year Sara Underwood. The site is scheduled to launch on February 1st and will accept players from the United States.

The Trash Talk Championship is a $1,000 buy-in charity poker tournament benefiting the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program and Cedars-Sinai.

Daniel Negreanu Comments on Phil Ivey Taking All-Time Money Lead

Over the weekend, Phil Ivey placed second to Dan Shak in the $100,000 Challenge at the 2010 Aussie Millions Poker Championship at the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia.  For his efforts, Ivey won $553,776 ($600,000 AUD), vaulting him into the top position on the all-time live tournament money list.  His total of $12,813,990 is now $381,623 ahead of Daniel Negreanu's $12,432,367.

For his part, Negreanu has been far from a sore "loser."  In fact, Negreanu expressed his admiration for Ivey in his poker journal on his website, FullContactPoker.com:

"It's my belief that Phil Ivey is the best poker player in the world, and that includes every format," wrote Negreanu.  "I've played live with him, and cash, Hold'em, Stud, Omaha, whatever, and he is just the most consistently good player at everything - include [sic] online based on what his results look like. I don't think anyone has won more money online, live play, or tournament poker, than Ivey. Pretty strong."

Fortunately, Negreanu does not feel like this turn of events diminishes his place in the poker world, nor should he.  Like any good competitor, Negreanu is using Ivey's success as an impetus to achieve even more in his career.

"It's actually kind of fun for me," Negreanu blogged after Day 1 of the 2010 WPT Southern Poker Championship at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi.  "I'm glad he did so well because it motivates me to try and pass him again. I was up about $200,000 so I think I'll need to finish 2nd or 1st to regain the lead. Should be a fun year from that perspective."

"Kid Poker" also commented on Ivey's mindset, saying, "Another misconception about Ivey is that he 'Doesn't really care.' He does. He definitely cares, because he is a competitor. It's not all about the money for him, otherwise he wouldn't bother. I think he's got something to prove in 2010. Not to the poker world, everyone with half a brain knows that Ivey is the best. I think he has something to prove to himself. 2010 could be a monster year for him."

In the last half year, Phil Ivey has won nearly $2,000,000 on the live tournament circuit, allowing him to overtake such players as Phil Hellmuth, Jamie Gold, Joe Hachem, and Scotty Nguyen on the all-time money list (based on current money standings), in addition to Negreanu.  While his Aussie Millions take was sizable, Ivey's rise on the leader board was aided primarily by his seventh place finish in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event, where he won $1,404,014.  He also won two bracelets during the 2009 WSOP, bringing his lifetime total to seven.

If it is any consolation for Negreanu, he remains ahead of Ivey on the inflation-adjusted money list (thanks to thehendonmob.com for this information), $13,816,957 to $13,305,078.  He is still second on that list, though, to Hellmuth, whose inflation-adjusted total is $13,876,255.

Poker Fantasy Moves to Merge Gaming Network

The online poker room Poker Fantasy will be moving to the Merge Gaming Network on January 31st, according to an e-mail received by Poker News Daily last week. As a result, the site will likely be unavailable for two weeks while it updates its software.

An e-mail sent by Poker Fantasy read in part, “As of January 31, 2010, Poker Fantasy will be moving to a new network, the Merge Gaming LTD, officially licensed and regulated by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. There will be an expected downtime of approximately two weeks. During the downtime customer service support will be available to assist you at 24/7. You may direct all inquiries to custserv@pokerfantasy.com.” A downtime of two weeks would put Poker Fantasy’s estimated re-launch around the 15th of February.

Players who opt to withdraw funds from Poker Fantasy prior to the move to the Merge Gaming Network can do so any time prior to January 31st. After that date, customer funds will automatically migrate to Poker Fantasy’s new home on the USA-friendly family of online poker sites. According to the traffic ranking site PokerScout.com, the Merge Gaming Network is the 19th largest worldwide, sporting a seven-day running average of 255 real money ring game players. During its peak hours, around 400 cash game players can be found battling it out on the Merge Gaming Network’s virtual tables.

The new network’s flagship site is Carbon Poker. Other sites on the Merge Gaming Network include Aced, which briefly employed 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event winner Jamie Gold as a sponsored pro, and Iron Duke, which attracted online poker sensation Jennifer “Jennicide” Leigh to its ranks. Other well-known sites on the Merge Gaming Network include Poker MVP, Poker Nordica, Reefer Poker, and Spin32 Poker. According to PokerScout.com, the Merge Gaming Network is headquartered down under in Australia and has game servers located on the Kahnawake Indian reservation in Canada.

Poker Fantasy’s move marks one of the first site migrations of 2010. In November, the iPoker Network site Noble Poker absorbed Fair Poker. The former site is based in Gibraltar and has been in existence since 2004. Shortly thereafter, Third Bullet Poker merged its player base with that of Cake Poker. Third Bullet representatives commented in an e-mail sent to players, “What will change is that you will have access to an increased technical and marketing support team that will make your play experience even better. We have full confidence that you will find continued play on Cake Poker to meet or exceed the level of professionalism and customer service you have come to know at Third Bullet.”

Last week, the USA-friendly Everleaf Network merged with the Universal Poker Network (UPN), whose pre-merger fleet of online poker sites included Poker Druum, 5Poker5, My Name Poker, AB Digital Poker, Poker King Bet, Brasilian Poker, Full Kings Poker, Warriors Poker, Win PKR, and Poker Panther. Major rooms on the Everleaf Network included Minted Poker and Poker4Ever. In February, a rumored online poker site faced by Antonio Esfandiari, Alec “traheho” Torelli, and Andrew “good2cu” Robl, among others, may join the merged Everleaf/UPN network.

The Merge Gaming Network is one of only several sites that accept customers from the United States and is the 19th largest worldwide in terms of cash game traffic. Others include PokerStars (#1 worldwide), Full Tilt Poker (#2), the CEREUS Network (#6), the Cake Poker Network (#10), and Bodog (#15). The Merge Gaming Network recently saw its ties with PIC Club severed after alleged non-payment issues, although both sides claimed to have broken ties with the other.

Dream Team Poker Ends 2009 at the Bicycle Casino

It was a big year for Dream Team Poker.  In addition to holding successful events at Caesars Palace and as part of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) festivities, Dream Team ended the year on a high note with a tournament at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles that awarded its winners a couple thousand dollars and tickets to the 2010 Super Bowl.

The recent tournament was held as part of the casino’s Ho Ho Hold’em Series and featured a $67 buy-in for each individual.  If players could not form their own team of three players, the casino helped to group them into teams.  In total, 162 runners took part, generating an individual prize pool of $3,561 and a team prize pool of $5,340.  That amounted to $8,901, including $2,000 and four Super Bowl tickets added by the casino.

WSOP Academy coach Alex Outhred’s team, “Voltron,” was one of 54 that took part in the event.  Of those, six walked away from the tournament with money in their pockets and the winning team, “Met,” took down the top prize of $2,190 and three Super Bowl tickets.  Tony Hinojos was the highest finisher on the “Met” squad, coming in 12th place, while teammate Eric Lucero was hot on his heels in 13th.  The team’s third player, Michael Leidelmeyer, fared less well, busting out in 120th, but thanks to the strong showing by the other two, the team was able to beat out second place finishers “777” for the title.  On the individual front, Iris Gomez of “Team Come and Get It” took top honors along with $1,086 and a Super Bowl ticket of her own.  The top 12 finishers in the individual contest each won at least $105.

This past year may not have been Dream Team’s first year on the scene, but it was certainly the year that the team poker concept really took hold and gained popularity.  After holding its first tournament at the Hard Rock Casino in November of 2008, Dream Team returned to Las Vegas in March for a tournament at Caesars Palace.  A number of top poker pros and celebrities turned out for the event, which featured a $550 per person buy-in.  UB.com’s Phil Hellmuth and Joe Sebok, Full Tilt Poker pros Paul Wasicka and Mike “The Mouth” Matusow, T.J. Cloutier, Jerry Yang, and Team PokerStars Pro Dennis Phillips could be found on the felts.

It was a recognizable face in the winner’s circle as well, as 2006 WSOP Main Event champ Jamie Gold captained “Team Aced” to victory and the top prize of $59,940.  Danny Nelson of “Team BikerHaven.net” took the individual honor, while Gold’s girlfriend and teammate Ashley Nataupsky finished in fourth.

Just a few months later, Dream Team held an exhibition tournament as part of the WSOP festivities.  Although there was no bracelet on the line for the winners, the tournament provided a little fun and entertainment for players who had already busted out of the Main Event.  The pros once again took part and it was PokerHost’s Kenna James who took down the individual title and $16,473.

The team event was won by “Tao of Pokerati,” a trio comprised of Tao of Poker’s Dr. Paul Maguire, Pokerati’s Dan Michalski, and Lana Maier of CardRunners.  The trio had a little extra practice for the team event, as they were all members of the WSOP media, who took part in a Dream Team event of their own just a few days prior.  The media tournament did not offer the lucrative payouts of the other Dream Team events, but it did help raise money for charity.

Once the WSOP wrapped up, Dream Team rolled out a weekly series of events hosted by the Bicycle Casino.  The nine-week series began in October and the Ho Ho Hold’em Dream Team tournament served as the series’ championship event.  Teams that took down the weekly events earned the prize money and a free entry into the December 19th tournament.

There has been no official announcement about the future of Dream Team at the Bike, but considering the rave reviews it got from pros like Gold, Lacey Jones, and James, it seems like it will continue to be a presence on the live tournament circuit in 2010.

Nguyen on Winning

But it’s more than money that motivates him.

“It’s not the money,” he told PokerListings. “When you win tournaments, fame and money come with it. For me it’s so important to bring home the title. You want to show the world you still have it, you can come out and compete.”

Competing is exactly what Nguyen has done this week at the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic.

From a field filled with 329 of the biggest names in poker, just 16 players are still in the hunt for an almost $1.5 million first-place prize headed into Day 5 Friday.

Nguyen was among the leaders before a late fall from grace that has him short stacked.

However, he still retains a shot at making the final table and booking the win.

Nguyen’s $10,705,581 in career earnings has him sixth on poker’s all-time money winners’ list and a win at Bellagio this week would push him up to fourth all-time above Phil Hellmuth and only below Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey and 2006 Main Event champion Jamie Gold.

Nguyen has five World Series of Poker bracelets and this past April he finished sixth at the WPT Championship, marking his sixth WPT final table.

However, the 1998 WSOP Main Event champion still feels like he has to fight for respect.

“I get older and people lose respect,” the 48-year-old Las Vegas resident said. “They say I don’t have my game no more, I’m scared. All those young guns, 21 or 22 years old, they have big hearts, but Scotty has a bigger one, baby.

“They got nothing to lose. They’re bluffing you, they try to embarrass you and laugh at you. They say I’m too old and I should retire, but I don’t let that bother me. I let my game show them, baby. You can laugh all you want, but I am the one laughing all the way to the bank.”

Things haven’t always been roses for Nguyen. There was public scorn over a rather embarrassing finish to the 2008 WSOP $50k H.O.R.S.E. event where he has admitted his emotions and alcohol got the best of him.

Plus, like all poker players, he’s had downswings and periods when it felt like he would never win again.

But the man they call the Prince of Poker, who fled his native Vietnam in 1978 for the United States, says it’s the tough times that have made him a better poker player, and a better person.

“When you hit hard times and things don’t go your way, it can only make you become stronger,” he explained. “When my back is against the wall and I look around and say ‘what am I doing, I can’t win, what happened to me?’ I just rewind and think about what I’ve been doing wrong and know that I have to change it.

“Hard times, that’s what you learn from.”

When the cards hit the air at Bellagio Friday at 12 p.m. PT and the play down to the final six commences, Nguyen will have just one thing on his mind – Winning.

“I’ve seen it all in poker: Good times, bad times, happiness, sadness,” he said. “I just want to let everybody know, Scotty still has it. I have to go out there and show them. Not just talk about, anybody can say it, I want to show the people.

“I just have to trust myself and go out there and show it.”

To follow Nguyen and all the action from the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, tune into PokerListings’ Live Updates.

Visit PokerListings.com

Top Ten Poker Events of the Decade: Part 1

As 2009 prepares to fade into the pages of history, it will also close the doors on a decade that has been like no other for the sport of poker.

When the Third Millennium began a short ten years ago, poker could arguably be said to be on life support. A poker room in a casino was hard to find, there was only one prominent tournament schedule on the poker professional’s calendar, and the game had no place in the media. Poker was reviled as a pursuit of degenerate gamblers; those considered to be the best at the game had very little attention paid to them.

A decade later, the situation has completely reversed itself. Even the smallest casino, wherever it may be in the world, has a poker room. Bookstores have dedicated sections to house their wares of poker books and poker programming airs daily on television. Instead of just one tournament schedule, there are several offerings that require players to choose which one to participate in. Finally, poker pros are respected as adventuresome mavericks whose abilities, education, and intelligence are critical to their success.

With this in mind, Poker News Daily decided to look back at the last decade in an attempt to figure out what were the catalysts for such a return to prominence and what nearly derailed it.

10. Poker Rooms Make a Comeback

At the start of the 21st century, casinos across the United States didn’t consider poker to be a moneymaker for their operations. With that in mind, poker rooms were closed and slot machines began to invade their territory.

By the end of the decade, poker rooms, which had been near extinction only ten years earlier, obtained a greater prominence than they ever had in a casino. The live poker room should continue to be a staple of the casino world in the future.

9. Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker Superuser Scandals

The ugly head of corruption and scandal arose when two of the most popular online poker rooms in the industry, Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker, succumbed to “superuser” cheating rings. These cheating scandals allowed players to see their opponents’ hole cards, making it impossible to lose a hand. These rings - the Ultimate Bet group, which was allegedly led by former World Champion Russ Hamilton, and the Absolute Poker team allegedly led by former employees Scott Tom and A. J. Green - took millions of dollars off of unsuspecting players and gave ammunition to anti-poker zealots in the war against the game.

After outrage from the online poker community, both organizations made financial amends to those affected, but didn’t prosecute anyone for the operation of either scam. Today, the two sites are part of the same network and have seemingly recovered some of their former respect (including the recent certification from eCOGRA, the online gaming watchdog). Still, the scandal could have had a devastating effect on the online game and it has cast doubt as to the legitimacy of online poker, much like the Mississippi riverboat games of centuries ago almost stopped poker from becoming what it is today.

8. Amateurs Dominate WSOP Main Event

Throughout its early history, poker, and in particular the World Series of Poker (WSOP), it was the bastion of professional rounders willing to live life on the edge, to take thousands of dollars out of their own pockets and risk that they were the greatest poker player in the world. With the advent of satellites and online poker, where a player could get into a tournament for a significantly smaller fee, amateur poker players began to take a shot at the upper echelons of the game.

Since 2002, an amateur or previously unknown player has won the $10,000 Main Event at the WSOP and been crowned World Champion. Some, such as Jerry Yang and Jamie Gold, have stayed on the peripheral of the poker world and have arguably not done much since their victories. Others, such as Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem, and Chris Moneymaker, have continued to be at the forefront of the game, advocating in political circles for the regulation of online poker as respected professionals in their own right. Whether they have experience or not, amateurs have become a part of the WSOP.

7. New Blood Infuses the Game

All forms of business need an infusion of new customers to continue to drive their endeavors. Poker is no different. For some time, older players, mostly men, populated the game and the required influx of “new blood” was seemingly missing. Through the development of online poker, new players, both male and female, have made their marks.

In what was perhaps the most stunning tournament win of the decade, Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad’s victory at the inaugural WSOP Europe Main Event made her the youngest player to win a major championship and demonstrated that the youth movement in poker had arrived. In the last two WSOP Main Events, Phil Hellmuth’s longstanding record as the youngest ever champion has been eclipsed twice. As we look at the next decade, young players will continue to make their names in an arena that previously had been dominated by the “Old Guard” of the game.

6. Twice is Nice – Dan Harrington, Mike Matusow, and Jeff Shulman

With the growth of the WSOP Main Event, the odds of a player repeating as champion, as Johnny Chan did in 1987 and 1988, are nearly infinitesimal. The feat of making two final tables is nearly as difficult, but three men - Dan Harrington, Mike Matusow, and Jeff Shulman - managed to pull off the feat. While none won the tournament, the ability to make two final tables during the decade, against such sizeable fields, is definitely a significant achievement.

Harrington’s feat is arguably the best of the three players. Battling through, at the time, the two largest WSOP Main Event fields ever, the 1995 champion nearly captured his second title in consecutive years (2003 and 2004). Matusow announced his presence on the game with his first final table in 2001 and marked his resurrection as a poker player by returning in 2005. Shulman finished seventh in 2000 and came back in 2009 with a fifth place finish.

Jennifer Tilly hosting charity tournament

Jennifer Tilly will host the 2nd Annual All In for CP Celebrity No-Limit Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament next Saturday, Dec. 12.

“All in for CP” was organized first time last year and the event raised $44.000 for the cause. This year they aim to get even more money for One Step Closer Foundation. 50% of the funds they raise will go directly to the Foundation.

“All in for CP” will gather up people from TV and Movie business, but also some poker professionals and other celebrities.

Jamie Gold, Barry Greenstein, Todd Brunson, Phil Laak, Clonie Gowen and Men “The Master” Nguyen have already confirmed their attendance.

Other celebrities playing in the tournament are the last year’s winner and The Simpsons creator Sam Simon, actor Ken Davitian, Shannon Elizabeth, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, Shawn “Napster” Fanning and some Playboy playmates.

The tournament is held in Las Vegas, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Buy-in will be $500 and re-buy $200. There’s going to be a celebrity afterparty as well, which will be sponsored by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA).

Source: Pokerlistings, AllInforCP

You just read Poker News from HighStakesNews.com

Jennifer Tilly hosting charity tournament

Tilly Hosting Charity Tournament for CP

The 2nd Annual All In for CP Celebrity No-Limit Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament is set for Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

The buy-in is $550 with $200 Re-Buys and a host of celebrities from all walks of life are already planning to attend.

Actors Dean Cain, Ken Davitian, Shannon Elizabeth, and Glenn Morshower have all confirmed, along with TV personality Montel Williams, and last year's champion, Simpsons creator Sam Simon, who donated his winnings to the One Step Closer Foundation.

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, Napster creator Shawn Fanning and WWE diva Alicia Webb will also be there, joining Playboy Playmates Stacy Fusion, Jennifer Leigh, and Brande Roderick, who plans on bringing her husband and former Denver Broncos linebacker Glenn Cadrez.

Poker players returning for this year's tournament include 2006 WSOP Main Event champion Jamie Gold, Barry Greenstein, Pam and Todd Brunson, Phil Laak, Clonie Gowen, and Men 'the Master' Nguyen.

The tournament is the brainchild of Jacob Zalewski, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy.

"We hope to see a future where Cerebral Palsy is a thing of the past," says Zalewski. "We know we are getting one step closer to that vision everyday."

The event kicks off at the Hard Rock at 2 p.m. PT and will include a celebrity after-party sponsored by the Poker Player Alliance.

Founded in 2007, The One Step Closer Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization whose main goal is to ease the lives of those who suffer from Cerebral Palsy.

The organization also aims to financially assist researchers looking for medical advancements in treating and diagnosing Cerebral Palsy.

Last year the tournament raised $44,000 for the cause.

For tickets and information, call 281-740-8604 or check out the event’s website.

Visit PokerListings.com

Jeffrey Pollack Resigns from Harrah’s, WSOP

In breaking news from Las Vegas, World Series of Poker (WSOP) Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack has resigned from his post at the WSOP and Harrah’s, according to the Associated Press and his Twitter feed. Today, Friday, November 13th, is Pollack’s last day on the job.

Pollack told the news service on Friday, “It’s bittersweet, but I’m leaving with just great memories and a really nice sense of it being a great run. More than anything else, I’m just appreciative of the opportunity to have been part of the WSOP.” The WSOP entered its 40th year in 2009, with Michigan pro Joe Cada having been crowned its latest champion earlier this week. The youngster became the youngest WSOP Main Event winner ever at age 21 and defeated Maryland logger Darvin Moon heads-up. Cada will celebrate his 22nd birthday next week.

The Associated Press reported, “Series spokesman Seth Palansky said there were no immediate intentions to replace Pollack.” Back in May, Pollack teamed with former Party Gaming CEO Mitch Garber to lead Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, the casino giant’s newly-formed online arm. Pollack was slated to be its President and Harrah’s CEO Gary Loveman commented in a press release announcing the launch, “As the world’s largest gaming company, Harrah’s is taking a proactive approach toward international and interactive expansion. It is important we position ourselves to explore new markets as well as new technologies with our best in class brands.”

Pollack was instrumental in growing the WSOP since 2005. The annual festivities from Las Vegas picked up shop and moved from Binion’s in the Downtown area to the Harrah’s-owned Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino off the Strip. 2005 saw Australian Joe Hachem take down the $10,000 buy-in Main Event to the tune of $7.5 million. A total of 5,619 players entered, a number that would swell to 8,773 in 2006, the year that Hollywood agent Jamie Gold claimed victory.

Pollack told the Associated Press that his next career move remains up in the air: “I really wanted to see this year through, see this series through. I’m leaving on an absolute high note.” No indication was given to media on-hand at the Rio last weekend that Pollack was departing, as the Commissioner seemed in high spirits. Pollack awarded Mike Sexton his Poker Hall of Fame trophy in a ceremony held during Saturday’s play in the Main Event that saw the field trimmed from nine players to two, Cada and Moon.

Under Pollack’s leadership, the WSOP brand hopped “The Pond” for WSOP Europe. The festivities began in 2007, with Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad becoming the youngest bracelet winner ever by taking down the Main Event, defeating fellow Betfair pro John “Kunkuwap” Tabatabai heads-up. The inaugural Main Event drew 362 entrants. In 2008, Full Tilt Poker pro John Juanda took down the title, defeating Russian poker players Stanislav Alekhin and Ivan Demidov. In 2009, Barry Shulman, father of WSOP November Nine member Jeff Shulman, claimed victory in the WSOP Europe feature tournament. A total of 57 events in Las Vegas and four more in Europe were held this year.

Palansky told Poker News Daily, “We appreciate Jeffrey’s contributions over the past four years and wish him the best in the future. The World Series of Poker remains the market leader with this year’s tournament exceeding all expectations and we are well positioned for the future. There is no intention at this time to replace the Commissioner role.”

Pollack also held positions with the NBA and NASCAR and is the half-brother of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. On his Twitter page, Pollack boasted on Friday, “Thank you for allowing me to be part of the #WSOP these last few years. I will always be a fan and friend to the poker community.”

PokerStars hosting bad beat on cancer event

Rowe was the last woman standing in the 2009 Borgata Poker Open ladies event. Unfortunately for her that wasn't enough to win the tournament as Abraham Korotki, a 65-year-old man from New Jersey, was the ultimate victor.

The PokerStars sponsored "Bad Beat Poker Challenge" will take place Thursday, Nov. 12, at 9 p.m. EST. The buy-in will be $10 with $10 rebuys available throughout the first two levels.

There are a large number of prizes up for grabs donated by poker pros Daniel Negreanu, Jamie Gold, Vanessa Rousso, Gavin Smith, Joe Sebok, Phil Gordon, Matt Glantz, Tom McEvoy, the entire cast of 2 Months, 2 Million, and UFC star Tito Ortiz.

First place is a 2 Months, 2 Million scholarship, which includes a lifetime subscription to training site Deucescracked.com. The subscription is valued at $10,000.

Other notable prizes include attending a taping of the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge, a night of drinks with the PokerRoad crew and one-on-one coaching sessions from players like Daniel Negreanu, Tom McEvoy and Jay "Pr1ynnyraid" Rosenkrantz.

All proceeds from the online tournament will go towards the Prevent Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit group which helps educate women on prevention and early detection.

The event can be found in the Private Tournament section on PokerStars.com. You can make a direct donation by clicking here.

Visit PokerListings.com

Annie Duke Recaps Aruba Poker Classic, Previews WSOP Main Event

Ultimate Bet’s Annie Duke, fresh off her trip to the annual Aruba Poker Classic, comments on the tournament, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table, and the latest cast list for “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Poker News Daily: You missed most of the Aruba Poker Classic last year to film the NBC reality series “Celebrity Apprentice.” Tell us about your trip this year.

Duke: I went into Aruba and was actually excited about playing. In the first two levels, I had aces seven times, kings twice, and queens twice, and I was out. I’d make a big re-raise and someone with 8-5 would call. That goes to show you when you have hands that good, you’ll end up with a huge stack or be out. I was sad because I was looking forward to playing in that tournament. I don’t think I’ve ever had that good of a run of cards, so I was sad to waste it.

PND: What did you do instead of playing in the Main Event in Aruba?

Duke: I ended up in a lot of meetings. I didn’t get to go out too much. At the opening night party, I’ve always managed to avoid getting thrown into the pool. It usually starts off with Phil Hellmuth offering people money to get thrown in. This year, a couple of UB pros came up to me and said they were going to throw me in the pool. I told them not to and they backed off, except for Joe Sebok, who threw me in. He was the first person to get me in the pool in my clothes in years. By the time the closing party came around, I was sick, so I asked people not to throw me in and they didn’t.

I scheduled one day on the back end of the trip where I knew everyone would be gone. I spent the whole day with my seven year-old and we decided to go tubing. She doesn’t like tubing, so [my boyfriend] Joe and I went and she stayed in the boat. The driver’s goal is to knock you off the tube, but Joe and I were in good shape. Finally, the driver began starting and stopping the boat to create turbulence and then pulled us over it. At that point, the tube was flipping over. Joe’s heel flew into my neck and snapped my head back. There was a progressive event of my lower jaw snapping into my upper jaw. We stopped and there was Annie sobbing in the water. The inside of my throat swelled up like I had a bad case of swollen glands. Joe said his only regret was that he didn’t do it on purpose.

PND: That’s quite a story. I notice you’re not playing in the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Festa al Lago. Can you talk about the tournament’s extended registration policy, which allows players to buy in until halfway through Day 2?

Duke: It’s excruciating to play with the number of blinds they give you, so you definitely want to show up late. The problem is that I’m not sure you can be better than even equity if you do. The soft players in there – the satellite winners – are not waiting until Day 2 to play. You’re given the choice between saving time and losing equity or torturing yourself and picking up equity. I’m not sure there’s a right answer. I don’t want to miss out on soft money, but it’s hard to sit there and play.

PND: It appears that the cast for the third season of “Celebrity Apprentice” will not include a poker player. Is that a good move by NBC officials?

Duke: In the end, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t have a poker player. I don’t know that tapping into that community again makes sense from a fundraising standpoint. On fundraising challenges, everyone conceded the fact that whatever team I was on would win. They might think that any poker player might be able to bring that to bear, so I’m not sure that creates any suspense for the show. In the finale, it was like they discounted the fact that I had raised so much more money than Joan Rivers. There wasn’t as much weight to it because people assumed that poker players would come through that way, which is amazing.

PND: The cast includes former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and “America’s Got Talent” judge Sharon Osbourne. Who’s your horse?

Duke: You have to decide between competence and fame and competence versus who will make for good television. My recollection of Helen Robinson Peete is that she’s smart. On competence, she’d be a good choice. Carol Leifer also seems like she’d be competent. If I had to predict, I’d say that it will be Sharon versus Rod in the finale. I don’t have a lot of interest in watching it, but I might because I have friends who work on the show. I developed some close friendships while filming.

PND: What are your thoughts heading into the WSOP Main Event final table?

Duke: Ivey has about 5% of the chips in play and he’s definitely much better than the average bear, but anyone who gets there is playing well. It’s a weird final table because it’s so top-heavy. When it’s top-heavy, the chip averages and table play get screwed up. You have Darvin Moon and then two others close to him. What people have to remember is that Darvin only has a 30% chance of winning (since he has 30% of the chips in play) if he’s a par player, so 70% of the time, he won’t win.

PND: We understand that you’re going to be doing some radio commentary during the final table. How are you preparing for that?

Duke: In the beginning, I’ll be looking at how people deal with the fact that there’s this monster at the table. It’ll be interesting to see who’s panicking and who’s not. There’s no reason to panic. You have a lot of people with around the same number of chips and they’ll be equally afraid of each other. None of them are true short stacks and any of them can damage any other player besides Darvin. They can play relatively straightforward poker and not short-stack poker, so it’ll be interesting to see who knows that.

PND: Is it fair to draw a comparison to the 2006 WSOP Main Event, when Jamie Gold held a monstrous chip lead over the rest of the table?

Duke: There are definitely some similarities. What you saw is that the people who were patient got rewarded.

Jamie Gold Hosts Successful Charity Tournament

2006 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jamie Gold continues in his role of poker ambassador – raising money for various charities by hosting charity poker tournaments amongst the rich and famous. Most recently he hosted a celebrity charity tournament on behalf of Children’s Institute Inc.

Camryn Manheim hosting celebrity tournament

Taking place at the Commerce Casino in California this Saturday, Oct. 17, the event has already garnered the attention of celebrities like Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Maria Bello, Dean Cain, Jamie Kennedy, Kevin Nealon, Mekhi Phifer, JK Simmons, Cheryl Hines and many more.

Proceeds will go towards the Children's Institute, which provides assistance to more than 17,000 traumatized children in the Los Angeles area.

Former World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jamie Gold will act as the emcee.

The public is welcome to buy in to the event and rub shoulders with celebrities while getting a crack at a variety of prizes.

The buy-in is $250 with rebuys of $100 available throughout the first three levels and one final $100 add-on. Spectator seats are also available for $75.

There will be prizes for the top 10 finishers, including $5,000 cash, a 2010 WPT Celebrity Invitational Seat, a business-class computing system and more.

For more information or to register for the event click here.

Visit PokerListings.com

Dream Team Poker Heads to the Bicycle Casino for Monday Night Series

Fresh off the third tournament in its history, which took place at the Rio during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, Dream Team Poker announced a Monday Night Football promotion at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles.

Appropriately dubbed Monday Night Football at the Bike, the latest version of Dream Team Poker will consist of 11 tournaments at the storied Los Angeles casino. Teams’ performances will be tracked on a leaderboard and the action starts on October 19th. The final week of the series, which issues its “Shuffle Up and Deal” command at 7:00pm local time, is December 28th. Monday Night Football actually airs around 4:30pm PT and, to warm up the crowd, KLAC’s Petros and Money will broadcast live starting at 4:00pm PT from the gaming establishment, which plays host to the annual Legends of Poker, a staple of the World Poker Tour (WPT).

Dream Team Poker CEO Daniel Delshad told Poker News Daily, “We are very excited about bringing Dream Team Poker to the Bicycle Casino. After the WSOP event, we had a lot of opportunities to take Dream Team Poker to new places and we wanted to make sure to manage the growth.” A total of 366 players, or 122 three-man teams, took to the felts at the Rio, with Team Tao of Poker emerging victorious from the pack to pocket $33,000. The event’s overall winner was “Cowboy” Kenna James, who earned $16,000. Dream Team Poker tournaments pay out to the top teams and individuals to avoid collusion.

Each tournament held over the course of the 11-week Monday Night Football series comes with a $67 per person price tag, or $201 per team. The more tournaments a team enters throughout the course of the series, the more chips they’ll start with at the end-of-season event, giving an edge to Dream Team Poker regulars.

The Monday Night Football finale takes place on December 28th at 7:00pm and the winning team each week will take home a seat to the Ho Ho No Limit Hold’em Dream Team Poker Main Event on Saturday, December 12th at 2:00pm local time at The Bike. The tournament will set entrants back $140, or $420 per team. Squads that submit their registration prior to December 1st will receive a customized jersey similar to those found hanging outside PokerPalooza at the Rio in July.

Up for grabs for the leading individual and team on the weekly leaderboard at the end of the season are $500 in spending money and one ticket each to Super Bowl XLIV, which will pan out in February from Miami, Florida. Last year’s Super Bowl, which was held in Tampa, featured the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Arizona Cardinals 27-23. All told, Dream Team Poker will award four tickets and $2,000 as part of the Monday Night Football series.

Dream Team Poker’s very first event took place last November at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. The invitation-only gala saw Team Bluff Magazine, which included Eric Morris, Matt Parvis, and Bodog Poker pro Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, take to the winner’s circle. In March, Dream Team Poker headed to Caesars Palace, where the Jamie Gold-led Team ACED emerged victorious from the pack for $59,000. Finally, prior to the WSOP Main Event, the annual media tournament featured a Dream Team Poker format, with Team Lacey Jones coming out on top.

So what’s next for the team poker concept? Delshad told Poker News Daily, “We are in the midst of planning our 2010 events, where we expect to expand the game to new locations across the U.S. and especially look to start building our international presence. We do expect to introduce some other exciting products in 2010.”

Hevad Khan Talks Celebration in Poker

Team PokerStars Pro’s Hevad “RaiNKhaN” Khan’s ride through the 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event sparked controversy around the industry. “The Bulldozer” and other dances became staples of the poker world and brought about the aptly-named “Hevad Khan Rule” addressing excessive celebrations. Khan sat down with Poker News Daily to talk about what role celebrating has in the game of poker, if any.

Poker News Daily: What did WSOP officials say to you following the 2007 WSOP Main Event? What was your reaction?

Khan: They just made a rule. If I wanted to, I would have kept celebrating, but I didn’t. Think about it from a Tom Green perspective. If you do something like that again, it’s expected, but it came out because that was really me. When I celebrated after a hand, it had happened and it was natural. I believed in the moment. To do it again would be like I’m dragging for attention.

PND: So celebrating like that was just how you are as a person?

Khan: Yes, especially when I play video games. I’m sitting there in the movie theater in my basement and when I take out a boss in a video game, I’ll go nuts. It was down to 30 people during the 2007 WSOP and was thinking, “I’m doing this.” The WSOP Main Event is the only tournament where you can get everything out of the Great American Dream. People usually work several years in their career, go to college, encounter hardships, and so on just to realize that. I loved poker and was able to accomplish it.

PND: What’s wrong with celebrating at the tables? It’s quite common in other sports like football and soccer.

Khan: Nobody really hated what I did. They made the rule because there are a billion idiots who could have emulated what I did. That’s bad when you have stupid people with no bounds who will take it to an obtuse level. I acted up because of the situation. ESPN knew that it’s America and people were going to see me and think that it’s okay to do what I did. It would bring the wrong people into the picture, which would be a problem.

PND: Do other tournament series have more lax rules regarding player celebrations than the WSOP?

Khan: When I was in London in 2008, I lost a pot to Vanessa Rousso during an EPT tournament. I honored a prop bet that I had to wear a robe at the table. I sat down and the owner of the casino told me to wear regular clothes or else they would kick me out of the tournament and confiscate my buy-in. That was a wake up call for how strict the rules outside of the United States are. I feel like they’re more aggressive against foreigners.

PND: Does removing the ability to celebrate eliminate the human side of poker?

Khan: Not at all; it’s all mental. People can celebrate all they want, but there’s so much consequence to it now. A lot of people aren’t as impulsive as I am, so they’d think about it before celebrating in a hand and are more probably well-rounded than I was. In my opinion, people can do whatever they want as long as I am not affected.

PND: Jamie Gold has mentioned that he can’t verbally manipulate his opponents as much as he used to at the tables due to new tournament rules. Where do you stand on that?

Khan: Talking in poker is overrated. Jamie Gold was playing very crazy and sporadic, making huge bluffs. In the scheme of things, Jamie was playing aggressive. When I see something like that, I think the cards are determining everything and they’re merely justifying why a person is winning a pot. If Jamie is saying that he can’t manipulate people, I’d say that he did so in 2006 because he had a big chip stack or a run of hands. The cards are determining the situation. To get that far, you have to run good and all of that. There is momentum in poker.

Travolta, Sinbad to play charity poker event

John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Sinbad, Kelly Preston, Patrick Cassidy, Brad Garrett and Catherine Bell will all be making an appearance at the charity event, which takes place Oct. 3 at Cartwright's residence in Northridge, California.

Joining the celebs will be poker pros Jamie Gold, Todd Brunson, Jennifer Harman, Men "The Master" Ngueyn, Jerry Yang, Kenna James and Sammy Farha.

The evening will include live music from MC Tom Kenny, Nathan Osmond and Dee Dee O'Malley all leading up to a No-Limit Hold'em tournament where fans will be able to play cards with the aforementioned celebrities and poker pros.

Prizes in this year's Monte Carlo Night include five seats in a WSOP satellite tournament, signed scripts and memorabilia and a day on the set of top TV shows like The Simpsons, Castle, American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.

This is the fourth time that Cartwright, who voices Bart Simpson on The Simpsons, has held the tournament.

Tickets for the event are $250, which includes the tournament buy-in, or $150 just for the party.

Devonshire PALS is an Los Angeles Police Department activity group that provides after school and weekend enrichment programs for at-risk children and teens.

For more information check out the Devonshire PALS website.

Visit PokerListings.com

Poker News in Brief: Sept. 21-27

But despite the focus on London there was even more going in the poker world with Jamie Gold having more legal troubles and Yevgeniy Timoshenko taking down yet another major tournament by winning the WCOOP Main Event.

Of course there's always even more going on behind the scenes that doesn't necessarily make it to the front page of PokerListings.com. Fortunately, as part of our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature we've collected a list of those stories below.

This week we'll take a look at the death of a Las Vegas legend, Phil Hellmuth taking a shot at the WSOP, PokerStars potentially adding an online division to their team and poker in politics.

Wyden pulls online gaming amendment

It didn't take long for Senator Ron Wyden to change his mind about a possible amendment that would have seen legalized online gambling revenues go towards healthcare reform in the U.S.

Barely one week after proposing the amendment, Wyden opted to pull it from the table deciding he didn't want to add another controversial issue to the healthcare debate.

Wyden's bill had already gained support from Rep. Jim McDermott, Rep. Barney Frank and Internet gambling advocacy groups like the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

Las Vegas Icon Bob Stupak dies at 67

Bob Stupak, builder of the Stratosphere and a WSOP bracelet winner, died at Desert Springs Hospital on Thursday after a long battle with leukemia.

Stupak was one of the earliest visionaries in Las Vegas and was also responsible for creating Las Vegas world in 1974.

"Bob Stupak was a true visionary and he will be sorely missed," said a statement from the Stratosphere.

Puggy Pearson taught Stupak to play poker and in 1989, Stupak won a WSOP bracelet in the $5,000 Deuce-to-Seven event. Stupak also made the final table of the 2003 WPT's L.A. Poker Classic and put in an appearance on the GSN series High Stakes Poker.

Phil Hellmuth takes shot at WSOP

Phil Hellmuth is arguably the WSOP's most successful player with 11 bracelets, but the UltimateBet pro is hinting he might not play the series if Harrah's opens its own online poker room.

In an appearance on the Hardcore Poker Show, Hellmuth mentioned he thought there was a potential battle brewing between Harrah's and established online rooms like UltimateBet, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

Hellmuth went on to say that if Harrah's decided to restrict competing poker room logos from its competitions there was a possibility that all the players from the major sites would form their own WSOP-style event.

PokerStars adding Online Pro division?

It appears that PokerStars will be adding a primarily online section of its Team Pro roster.

The employee that runs the official PokerStars twitter account tweeted the following Friday:

"Team PokerStars Online Pro is a new branch of our team who'll be playing mainly online not live. Anyone will be able to apply in due course."

Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu re-Tweeted the message.

PokerStars already has some very respectable online players with Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Jason "treysfull21" Mercier and Hevad "RaiNKhaN" Khan all in the Team PokerStars Pro fold.

Bobb Barr speaks out on Internet Gambling

Former House Representative Bob Barr is the latest public figure to comment on the state of online gambling in his Atlanta Journal-Constitution column - the Barr Code.

Barr mentioned that the potentially revenue generated from legalizing, regulating and taxing online poker was becoming harder for the government to ignore.

Barr went on to say it was very likely that Barney Frank's pro-online gambling bill would go before a hearing this fall.

Earlier this year, conservative columnist George Will wrote in his Washington Post column that he supported the legalization of online poker.

Harrah's extends contract with IMG Sports & Entertainment

Harrah's Interactive Entertainment and IMG Sports & Entertainment announced a four-year contract extension for global representation of the WSOP property this week.

According to the agreement, IMG will continue to use its international network to help establish the brand in areas beyond Las Vegas and London.

"We are looking to emphasize the 'World' in World Series of Poker as our vision of the brand extends beyond the annual events in Las Vegas and London," said Mitch Garber, CEO of Harrah's Interactive Entertainment.

"By tapping the global reach and expertise of IMG, we are confident that together we can take the brand to new levels on the international stage through new international bracelet events and other WSOP licensed poker events."

IMG has worked with the WSOP since 2005 and helped attract corporate sponsors like Jack Link's, Hershey's and Planters.

Visit PokerListings.com

Jamie Gold sued again

In a breach of contract suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, L.A. resident Francis DellaVecchia claims he helped Gold secure a deal with Bodog to pay Gold's entry fee into the Main Event in exchange for 1% of his winnings.

DellaVecchia, who worked as a consultant with Riptown Media doing marketing and media work for Bodog, claims to have helped put together a celebrity team for Bodog, which included Dean Cain, Mekhi Phifer, DJ AM, and Brad Garrett.

DellaVecchia claims he was introduced to Gold through a mutual friend and considering the former Hollywood agent's ties to actors like James Gandolfini and Lucy Liu, he asked Gold to help him secure a few household names to represent Bodog in exchange for a seat in the Main Event.

DellaVecchia alleges Gold was only able to secure B-List celebrities for the event, but he still made a verbal agreement to secure his $10,000 buy-in for the tournament from Bodog in exchange for 1% of anything Gold might win.

After winning the Main Event, Gold was sued by Bruce Crispin Leyser for half his winnings.

Leyser claimed he made a deal prior to the event with Gold to help find celebrities to represent Bodog in exchange for 50% of his winnings.

The suit was settled out of court with a statement issued to the press claiming Gold had always intended on sharing his winnings with Leyser.

Terms of the settlement were not released.

DellaVecchia claims he knew nothing of Gold's agreement with Leyser and his attempts to settle up with Gold immediately after the 2006 Main Event proved unsuccessful.

After May 2007, DellaVecchia claims any attempts to contact Gold or his representatives have failed.

Gold's attorney, Hugh Greenup, told PokerListings DellaVecchia's story is untrue and Gold has yet to have been served the lawsuit.

"The claims made by Francis DellaVecchia are false," Greenup said. "He has no agreement, written or otherwise, with Jamie Gold.

"If Mr. DellaVecchia ever decides to legally serve it upon Mr. Gold, which he has not done yet, his false allegations will be contested vigorously and exposed for what they are."

DellaVecchia is seeking $131,250, claiming Gold's earnings from the Main Event, including the $12 million first-place prize, a $750,000 bonus from Bodog and a monthly retainer for as long as he was representing the site, totaled $13,125,000.

- With Files from Arthur Crowson

Visit PokerListings.com

Poker Community Offers WSOP November Nine Predictions

We’ve reached the midway point in the four-month break until the start of World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine festivities, but the anticipation for the big event has yet to slow down.  With big performances from Kevin Schaffel and Steven Begleiter at the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Legends of Poker, Joe “jcada99″ Cada’s standout run in several PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) events, and Jeff Shulman’s recent announcement that the one and only Phil Hellmuth will be serving as his poker coach, these nine men have kept themselves at the forefront of poker news.

So who will win the 2009 WSOP Main Event?  Poker News Daily sought the insight of some of the other players who made incredible runs at this year’s Main Event as well as a couple of our own writers who spent the summer keeping a very close eye on the action.  You’ll be surprised to read just how many of them did not opt for fan favorite Phil Ivey.

One player who is more than familiar with most of the November Nine is 12th place finisher in this year’s Main Event and Ultimate Bet sponsored pro Billy “Patrolman35″ Kopp.  The young online poker pro logged several hours with most of the players, including a stint where he was seated on Ivey’s direct right.  However, Kopp suggests that Ivey is not the one that viewers should be keeping their eye on:

“I think the man to look out for is Kevin Schaffel,” Kopp predicted. “Throughout the eight days that I played in the Main Event, this guy impressed me the most.  I was at several of his tables for an extended period of time and this was the one guy who really gave me trouble.  I am not sure if he was just getting some outstanding short-term luck and letting the cards speak or if he truly was playing exquisite poker. I am going to go with the latter, especially after his recent runner-up performance at [the WPT Legends of Poker]…I wish everyone much luck at the final table, as I have played with most of them at some point in the tournament.  However, I really applaud Kevin and the performance he put on, at least while I was there.  I am anxious to see some of the hands we got tangled in on television in a couple of weeks.”

Kopp is referring to Schaffel’s big score last month, when he made the final table of the WPT event and held his own against the likes of Toto Leonidas, online pros Todd Terry and Sam Stein, and the event’s champion, Prahlad Friedman.  Many are comparing his performance to Ivan Demidov’s runner-up finish at the Main Event of the WSOP Europe in 2008.  Last year, Demidov established himself as one of the frontrunners to win the Main Event with his performance and it appears that Schaffel is cementing a similar reputation.

Another online pro with plenty of insight into the minds of the November Nine is 22 year-old Nick “fu_15″ Maimone, who came in 14th in this year’s Main Event.  He is less certain than Kopp about his pick, but offered his thoughts nonetheless.

“It is complicated,” Maimone explained.  “I expect the coaching factor could highly influence the outcome of the Main Event.  However, the best players are, in this order, Phil Ivey, James Akenhead, and Joe Cada.  Although the chips are not in their favor, one of them will win.”  Those three are short on chips, especially Ivey and Akenhead, who are seventh and ninth on the leaderboard, respectively.  Ivey may be short on chips, but Maimone still believes the skill differential will make a huge difference come competition time: “Antoine Saout is decent and so is Eric Buchman, but the other four do not even come close in terms of skill.  I hope Ivey or Akenhead wins, but honestly I think Ivey will.”

Maimone is in the minority of the people we polled about their predictions though and he was the only one who picked the seven-time WSOP bracelet winner.  The writers here at Poker News Daily weighed in with their picks as well and, while they all conceded Ivey was likely the most skilled player at the table, they each went with a different horse to win the big race.

Brett Collson, who moonlighted as a reporter for PocketFivesLive.com in addition to his Poker News Daily duties during the Main Event, went with the lone internet pro at the table as his choice.  “We’ve seen short stacks excel at the Main Event final table in the past and I foresee it happening again this year,” Collson theorized.  “While Ivey might be the popular pick, Joe Cada’s cool demeanor and relentless aggression could create problems for the leaders from the get-go. He has plenty of chips to make some moves and is my pick to become the youngest Main Event winner ever in November.”

Staff Writer Earl Burton elected to go with the other November Niner to make a name for himself at the Legends of Poker event, Steven Begleiter.  “I have a feeling that everyone and their brother is going to pick Phil Ivey, but, to be honest, I think he is too short-stacked to have a tremendous impact,” said Burton.  He discounted the current chip leader from the mix as well.

“I believe that Darvin Moon is just happy to be where he is.  I believe that he is going to succumb to ‘Dennis Phillips Syndrome’ and forget what got him there.  I am going to go with Steven Begleiter, who just completed an excellent run at the Legends of Poker, to win the final table.  You can put Jeff Shulman in there as a potential dark horse contender.”

While Burton offered reasons why several of the players may or may not excel, our own Dan Cypra went with the straightforward, pick the chip leader approach, which makes plenty of sense considering Moon’s massive lead.  “It’s hard to ignore Darvin Moon, who has nearly double the chips of the next closest player,” Cypra pointed out.  “It’s reminiscent of Jamie Gold in the 2006 Main Event and Moon is my pick to win the 2009 version. While Ivey may be poker’s darling, the chip lead of Moon cannot be ignored.”

If you haven’t noticed, that is five different opinions and five different picks.  If this informal poll tells us anything, it is that the Main Event race is still wide-open, with each player bringing something to the table that the rest of their opponents lack.  Only time will tell who, if anyone, picked correctly, so until November all we can do is sit, wait, and keep coming up with reasons why our pick is going to be the one to take it down.

Olivier Busquet Leads WPT Borgata Poker Open Entering Day 3

A total of 167 players remain in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Borgata Poker Open. However, many of the tournament’s big names, including Gavin Smith and 2007 Borgata Poker Open Champion Roy Winston, were sent packing.

The story of the day was Jason “TheMasterJ33″ Dewitt, who was also in the final day of play of the 2009 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) and, according to WPT coverage, “took an extended two-level break before dinner and returned to a still-healthy stack that was well above average.” Dewitt was the chip leader late in the day at the Atlantic City Casino and ended play with the 15th largest tally at 357,500.

Dewitt told WPT Live Updates Hostess Amanda Leatherman after play had concluded for the evening, “I basically had to build a big stack or bust. I got my big stack, so I could afford to sit out and miss my two hours of blinds. I came back and got the chip lead, although I did lose it at the end. I guess I can’t be too sad about it.” Dewitt battled in the WCOOP Main Event during the two hour period. WPT Championship winner Yevgeniy “atimos” Timoshenko ultimately took down the high-stakes online poker tournament and earned $1.7 million.

Many of poker’s greats were in London for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe festivities. However, among those remaining in the United States for the Borgata Poker Open were Smith and Winston. The former tangoed with Bill Gazes late yesterday, losing his final hand with pocket aces against pocket sixes when a six hit the flop. The hand boosted Gazes to 140,000 in chips and he ended with 298,000, good for 26th place overall. Gazes has made a pair of WPT final tables during his career, including a fourth place effort during the Season II L.A. Poker Classic and a third place showing in the Foxwoods World Poker Finals during Season IV. All told, the poker pro has $1.2 million in career WPT earnings.

Earlier in the day, Ultimate Bet’s Michael Binger boosted his chip stack to 308,000 by flopping a set of deuces. Binger called his opponent’s all-in with A-J on a board of A-9-2-Q, securing the win in the hand. Binger’s stack dwindled from that point and he finished the day with 74,000 chips, good for 146th. Binger has never registered better than 10th place in a WPT event. His claim to fame is taking third in the 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event for $4.1 million in a tournament ultimately won by Jamie Gold.

Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee was sent packing on Monday. The host of ESPN.com’s “Inside Deal” also had aces cracked for his tournament life, this time by pocket fives. Lee’s opponent flopped a five and, despite picking up a flush draw on the turn, he was ousted from the WPT Borgata Poker Open. Also hitting the skids yesterday were Theo Tran and 2002 WSOP Main Event Champion Robert Varkonyi. Here’s a look at the Top 10 survivors who will take to the felts today for Day 3:

1. Olivier Busquet - 524,600
2. Tony Moussa - 488,300
3. Danny Illingworth - 480,600
4. Ofir Mor - 452,800
5. Mike Summers - 450,500
6. Bartholomew Mikulski - 441,100
7. Mike Leah - 431,600
8. Barry Tremebetzky - 412,000
9. Allen Bari - 401,500
10. Ben Lin - 385,700

Other notable names remaining in the WPT Borgata Poker Open include:

15. Jason Dewitt – 357,500
26. Bill Gazes – 298,000
36. Kathy Liebert – 260,700
38. Gabriel Aminov – 258,700
50. Jonathan Little – 229,800
58. Steve Brecher – 220,300
72. David Chicotsky – 187,800
75. Chris Reslock – 179,400
146. Michael Binger – 74,000

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.

Bodog Network Launched Featuring Former Ongame Executive

Former Ongame Network CEO Patrik Selin is leading the launch of the Bodog Network, whose player base consists of customers of Bodog Europe, the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group, and Haydock Entertainment.

The newly forged network plans to incorporate non-Bodog domains starting in 2010. A gaming license for the European Union will also be unveiled next year. Selin commented in a press release distributed by Bodog, “I intend to build one of the largest and most reputable poker networks in the world. We are building a model that is founded on security and integrity, and Bodog Network partners will never need to disclose or put their customer databases at risk. The initial discussions I’ve had regarding potential candidate partners have been overwhelmingly positive.”

The news comes on the heels of the launch of Bodog.ca, which serves as the popular online poker room’s Canadian-facing portal. Bodog Europe holds the rights to market the site to the Canadian market. Founder Calvin Ayre commented on the fast-paced growth of Bodog, which has seen its market share slide over the past year: “I am extremely excited about this new licensee of BodogBrand.com - Bodog Network is the first business to business enterprise to license the brand and the fit simply couldn’t be better. Patrik Selin’s very detailed business plan and proposal were very compelling, and after building Ongame into a network powerhouse under his leadership, his abilities and credibility are unquestionable.”

Selin was at the helm when bwin acquired the Ongame Network back in 2006. He has also been successful on the poker felts, turning in a runner-up performance in 2007 in a £2,500 buy-in tournament held during the National Poker League in London for £20,000. He finished in the winner’s circle in the Ritz Club Poker Tournament, which was also held in London, for £22,000 in 2006. Selin finished 500th in the 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, banking $26,000, albeit a far cry from the $12 million pocketed by eventual winner Jamie Gold.

Upon bwin’s acquisition of Ongame in 2006, Selin served as the President and CEO of GNUF and Betway. BodogBrand.com is based in Antigua and is the licensing arm for Bodog across the world. Bodog ranks as the 15th largest site/network globally according to PokerScout.com, boasting a seven-day running average of 810 real money ring game players. During its peak hours, which occur in the evening across North America, nearly double that total can be found battling it out on its virtual cash game tables. Its traffic is comparable with that found on PKR.

Bodog is the fifth largest site to accept players from the United States, trailing only PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, CEREUS (Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker), and the family of rooms that make up the Cake Poker Network. Year over year, Bodog’s traffic is off by 8% according to PokerScout.com, while that found on Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars is up 110% and 56%, respectively.

Bodog plans to unleash a “much-anticipated and unique solution to the rakeback challenge” this week at an event in Copenhagen, according to its release, but did not provide any further details. Its family of pros consists of David Williams, Evelyn Ng, online poker staple Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, and “Survivor: China” castaway Jean-Robert Bellande, who recently re-upped his deal.

Bodog recently announced that players would receive double poker points if more than 2,000 were earned in a calendar month. Bonus points are placed in a customer’s account at the end of each month and can then be exchanged for cash or used as buy-ins to designated tournaments. Points are earned in cash games depending on the rake taken from each pot and in tournaments at a rate of three points per $1 of tournament fees.

Sports Legends Challenge postponed

Originally planned for Sept. 14-17 at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas, the event was to feature 25 sports legends and 25 top poker pros playing four days of poker, casino games and golf with anyone willing to pay the $3,999 to $9,499 package price.

Now, claiming the current economic climate and weather patterns in the Bahamas have hurt sales, organizers have decided to reschedule the event for a new location and dates in 2010.

"It's not a very exciting story," Sports Legends Challenge CEO Bruce Bibbero told PokerListings. "People were concerned about hurricane season in the Bahamas and with current economic conditions being what they are, this was just more than people were willing to do."

Bibbero and partner Lawrence Lubin's previous attempts to launch a celebrity and sports star poker tournament in 2007 also fell apart, culminating with a lawsuit against both by gaming publishers Sludikoff Gaming.

Organizers claimed some of sports biggest stars were expected to attend the Sports Legends Challenge, including Sugar Ray Leonard, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Emmitt Smith, Reggie Jackson, Joe Namath, Julius "Dr. J" Erving, and Mark Messier.

Poker Pros including Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Johnny Chan, Jamie Gold and Mike Sexton were also expected to be on hand.

Bibbero said details on the new venue and dates are being finalized, but organizers will be looking for a location on U.S. soil that provides easy access to major population centers.

All prior entries will be honored at the rescheduled event and refunds have been offered.

The new location and dates are expected to be announced over the next few weeks.

Visit PokerListings.com

Greg Raymer, Jason Alexander Featured on WSOP on ESPN Day 2 Coverage

The first of two Day 2s in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event took center stage on Tuesday night on ESPN. 2004 champion Greg Raymer and “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander headlined the feature table.

ESPN announcer Norman Chad shared his take on the Day 2A lineup: “Today’s feature table is what I love about [the Main Event]. You have one of the top all-time performers in the Main Event, Greg Raymer, hoping to make another deep run and George Costanza is standing in his way.” Shortly after Chad’s comments, Gus Hansen was ousted from the $10,000 buy-in tournament after calling all-in with the nut straight on the turn. However, the board paired on the river, giving his opponent a full house.

Table Two, ESPN’s secondary feature table, included Chris Ferguson and Roland de Wolfe. Ferguson has logged five bracelets and five runner-up finishes at the WSOP over the last 10 years. Also in the field were Todd Brunson and “Everybody Loves Raymond” actor Brad Garrett, who were seated at the same table. Meanwhile, Jack Ury continued to battle in the Main Event. At 96 years-old, he is its oldest competitor and doubled up after flopping a boat with pocket sevens on a 6-6-7 board. However, Ury was later eliminated and received a standing ovation.

Eli Elezra and former boxer Kili Madrid were also seated together. Madrid owned an 8-0 record as a professional fighter and recorded four knockouts. Meanwhile, Alexander told ESPN cameras why he has an edge at the tables: “I always say to the pros when they start to sass me, ‘If I lose to you, there’s no dignity lost. I’m supposed to lose to you. If you lose to me, you will never live this down, so make your decisions very carefully.’”

Poker couple Jennifer Tilly and Phil Laak could be found in the Day 2A field, as could father and son Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok. The former was knocked out and signed a copy of his book, “Ace on the River,” for his executioner. However, the player who busted Greenstein had also earned a copy of his book back in 2006. Meanwhile, Mike “The Mouth” Matusow moved to Greg “FBT” Mueller’s table, creating a star-studded lineup in the outer reaches of the Amazon Room.

The Full Tilt Poker-sponsored segment “Deal Me In” featured Matusow describing a hand during the 2006 WSOP Tournament of Champions. Matusow made a “value bet bluff” on the river to force Daniel Negreanu to lay down a pair. Shortly thereafter, Lex Veldhuis, who finished seventh in the $40,000 buy-in tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP, called all-in on a draw for 30 big blinds and was shown the exit. An opponent whose constant chatter sent the poker pro over the edge may have been the cause.

The Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Wild Card Hand, in which the hole cards of one player are concealed, featured raised action to a flop of 2-A-5, all clubs. Greg Raymer, holding mystery cards, bet out 2,500, Alexander raised to 6,000 with A-9 (no clubs), and Raymer made the call. On Alexander’s raise, Chad commented, “I like that raise from Jason. He should be able to find out if he has the best hand.” The king of clubs hit the turn and Raymer fired out 13,000. Alexander folded and Raymer turned over Q-7 of clubs for the nut flush.

The same feature table and Table Two headlined the second episode. The show, which hit airwaves at 9:00pm ET, opened with Alexander describing his role in “Pretty Woman” to Raymer: “The scene when I attack her – we did a version where she attacks me.” Chad then joked, “We did a version of the 2006 Main Event where Jamie Gold didn’t win.” The action then flipped to Matusow, about whom Chad commented, “Mike is a professor at Deep Stacks University. I believe they are the Ragin’ Cajuns.” Ragin’ Cajuns has replaced Demon Deacons as Chad’s favorite college mascot in 2009.

At the final table, Raymer raised to 1,600 pre-flop and Alexander made the call with pocket threes. Dennis Baltz bumped the action to 4,500 with pocket kings. Raymer came over the top with a hand other than pocket aces to 20,000 and both Baltz and Alexander folded. On his opponent’s laydown, Raymer noted, “Since you couldn’t call, it had to be a good fold because you’re not throwing away aces or kings.”

The PokerStars-sponsored “Straight from the Pros” vignette featured Raymer reliving a hand during the 2004 WSOP Main Event. In it, Raymer bluffed after picking up a tell on his opponent. In the second episode’s Wild Card Hand, “Fossilman” once again picked up unknown cards and raised to 1,600 pre-flop. Alexander made it 3,500 with pocket nines and Raymer made the call to see a flop of A-Q-6 with two spades. Raymer check-called a 6,000 chip bet from Alexander and the turn was a five. The action went check-check and the deuce of hearts hit the river. Raymer led out for 7,000 and Alexander called. Raymer turned over A-K for top pair and pushed his chip stack to 140,000.

In case you were wondering, Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo won his Panorama Towers prop bet after Mueller scooped a bracelet in 2009. Bonomo gave 7:1 odds that one of 43 poker players who live in the massive off-Strip complex would take home a piece of hardware this year. Among them were Bonomo, Isaac Haxton, David Williams, Evelyn Ng, Barry Greenstein, Joe Sebok, Antonio Esfandiari, Laak, and Veldhuis.

“The Nuts” took to the links on Tuesday night, as Dewey Tomko gave Chad seven strokes on a putting green over nine holes. In the end, it all came down to the last hole. If Chad won the hole, he would win the bet, but missed a crucial putt. Meanwhile, de Wolfe, once down to 3,600 chips, doubled twice through Steve Gee to move to over 30,000. Alexander raked in the last pot of the evening at the feature table to make his first Day 3.

New episodes of the 2009 WSOP on ESPN air on Tuesday nights at 8:00pm ET.

Jamie Gold on Poker in the Park Charity Tournament, WSOP November Nine

A total of 60 players turned out for the first ever Jamie Gold Charity Tournament held during London’s Poker in the Park, hosted by Gold and 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate. In the end, Swedish poker pro Mikael Gabrielsson took down the gala, which featured a reduced $400 buy-in.

Poker News Daily: We know you were shooting for David Craig to turn out. Tell us about the scene at your charity poker tournament.

Gold: Daniel Craig didn’t come, but we invited him. Bluff Magazine brought a few people. Michael Greco brought a soccer player named Teddy Sheringham. Out there, he’s bigger than a movie star. He was very kind and really nice.

PND: Are there any interesting stories you could share?

Gold: Peter Eastgate was obviously the big draw. He donated the shoes, hat, and shirt he wore when he won the Main Event. I felt so bad that I bought his shirt and gave it back to him.

PND: The buy-in was originally scheduled to be the equivalent of $800, but was ultimately cut in half. Can you tell us about the decision?

Gold: It felt like people were having such a hard time in this economy, especially poker players. We ended up having about 60 to 70 players total. They brought in a few more tables and we took a few alternates. Before we lowered the buy-in, we would have been fine. Once it was the day of the event, though, we felt uneasy. You could see that people really wanted to play, but couldn’t afford it. Once we lowered the buy-in, everyone started telling friends and it sold out right away.

PND: Eastgate was subdued following his 2008 Main Event win. Has he become more open?

Gold: Eastgate mentioned during his talk during Poker in the Park that he doesn’t speak English that well. Try going to another country, speaking their language, and know you’re being filmed the whole time. There is a lot of pressure on this guy. You only have certain responsibilities to be an ambassador of the game. I wouldn’t say one of those is being a public speaker. You can tell he’s not comfortable in the spotlight, which is not a bad thing. Peter could not be a nicer, more generous guy and he loves to play poker. People throw questions at him constantly and he describes himself as an introvert.

PND: Despite your busy schedule, we’re sure you’ve had a chance to check out the 2009 WSOP November Nine. What are your thoughts on this year’s group?

Gold: Phil Ivey has been kind towards me and I’d like to see him win it. It’s not like we’re close, but I respect his game so much. As a fan, I’d love to see him win it. I have a feeling that if I got to know a lot of them, I’d want them to win. I like Jeff Shulman a lot too.

PND: Speaking of Shulman, what are your thoughts on his threats to throw away the WSOP Main Event bracelet should he win?

Gold: It is what it is. I’ve only had good interactions with him, so I wouldn’t be upset if he won. He’s worked hard at it and put in so much time. It’s not like he doesn’t deserve it.

PND: Do you think you could have pulled out a win with a delayed final table?

Gold: I’d like to think that I would have still won. I could have been with Johnny Chan getting coached, for example, during the break. I’m not sure how I could have played much better in 2006 and maybe coaching would have taken my bravado away.

PND: What was your reaction to hearing that the final table of the Main Event would be pushed back in order to coincide with its television airing on ESPN?

Gold: I understood completely. It’s a business; it’s not just a game. The people who are running it are smart, sharp business people. It was getting smaller and smaller and the excitement level was getting less and less. It wasn’t a bad move. From a pure poker player perspective, it’s never good to delay the final table of a tournament. If I were one of the ones who had made the final table, it would have been a really exciting four months. You get a check for $1 million and then do your own thing.

PND: Will you be involved in the final table of the WSOP Main Event this year in some capacity?

Gold: Last year, they invited us and gave us front row seats, introduced us to the crowd, and made us feel like a part of the process. The WSOP executives make us feel like we’re part of the family. It’s nice and also smart on their behalf. Keeping the history of the WSOP alive is very smart. I can’t imagine a poker fan that doesn’t love at least one Main Event winner. I’m always happy to be a part of it.

Annie Duke on Memorable WSOP Main Event Moments

Poker News Daily: The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) will begin airing this week on ESPN. You’ve had a lot of success in the $10,000 buy-in tournament. What are some of your favorite moments?

Duke: I have probably three favorite WSOP Main Event moments. The first one was the very first Main Event I played in, where I got down to three tables. It was incredible. People come in, play for the first time, and they’re nervous. Most poker fans think that the pros have never felt the same way, but we do.

I had been playing for a year at that point, came to WSOP, and did well. I won two seats into the Main Event from satellites. I knocked my brother out on the first day with A-A versus A-K. This was in 1994 and the WSOP Main Event took exactly four days. I was pretty high in chips and was in the top 30 going into Day 2. I woke up and was dry heaving in the sink because of nerves; I was freaking out. ESPN did coverage of the Main Event and they took me aside for an interview, which really freaked me out because I was a little girl.

One of my favorite moments on Day 2 was bluffing a big-name player and being in the top three on the leaderboard. I also took one of the worst beats ever. Getting that deep was awesome, especially without any No Limit Hold’em experience. No Limit Hold’em wasn’t a cash game back then. It wasn’t a game that people played.

PND: Besides your brother, Howard Lederer, do you remember who else you played with in 1994?

Duke: On Day 1, it was the first time I met Humberto Brenes. When I came in for Day 2, John Spadavecchia was at my table. There was a hand where Spadavecchia opened in first position. I had A-Q offsuit and open-fold it. He was a good player and I didn’t want to get involved with A-Q. Another player moved in for a big amount. Then, Spadavecchia called with A-10, which was funny because the other player was tight and turned over kings. I said, “I folded A-Q” and another player said they folded A-4. A ten came on the flop, but the case ace hit on the river. It was a huge reason that Spadavecchia made the final table and finished fourth.

I was moved late in the day to a table with Blair Rodman. There, a guy called “The Pilot” gave me the bad beat. I opened for 5,000 on the button and had 95,000 in chips. He had 65,000 and I was the only player at the table who had him covered. He pushed for 65,000, I snap-called with kings, and he had A-3. He raised to 65,000, his entire stack, with A-3! The ace was the door card, which crippled me.

In 1998, four years later, I was playing a single-table satellite and the same guy was sitting with me. I didn’t say anything about the hand in 1994. This time, I opened for two-fifths of the pot and he moved in on me. I was priced in to call with fives, he had an overpair, and I hit a five. This guy started yelling at me. I screamed, “I’ve been waiting four years to say this to you. You’re yelling at me in a $225 single-table satellite when I was priced in to call! You raised to 65,000 four years ago with A-3!”

PND: That’s quite a story. After 1994, what’s the next Main Event that sticks out in your mind?

Duke: The next Main Event that was memorable for me was in 1997. I actually got knocked out quickly because I flopped set under set. 1997 was the year that Matt Damon and Edward Norton played because they were studying for “Rounders.” The other significant thing about it was that I felt like crap. It was because, unknown to me at the time, I was pregnant with my son. I played fine, but flopped a set of sevens against a set of nines.

At Binion’s, they had a row of tournament tables by the cash game section. It was next to one of the side entry doors. I was playing heads-up with this guy and the tournament officials went on break. Some guy comes off the street, runs into the door, grabs a pile of tournament chips, and runs back outside. He thinks he’s stealing actual chips with cash value, but they were really just tournament chips. There was a huge commotion and the security guards tackled him down the street.

PND: Did you know why Matt Damon and Edward Norton were there?

Duke: I think we knew it had to do with a movie, but we didn’t know what “Rounders” was. If I’m not mistaken, Doyle Brunson knocked out Matt. I met Matt in 2003. I would have never imagined I’d ever meet him for any purpose.

PND: You finished 10th in the 2000 WSOP Main Event. Can you tell us about that tournament?

Duke: In 2000, I was due in two weeks with my third child from when the Main Event began. The very first day, I had a great table. Back then, it was hard to have a great table in the Main Event. They call last hand of the night and I look down to see aces. I’m only at 11,000 chips to start the hand. I thought I’d get knocked out on the last hand of the night with aces. Luckily, I had a guy double me up with K-J. The flop came jack-high and we got our money in. I was one of the chip leaders by Day 3. When it got down to two tables, Chris Ferguson, Hasan Habib, and I all traded 5%. With the 5%, I won another $75,000.

PND: You had another deep run in the 2006 WSOP Main Event and finished 88th out of 8,773 players. Can you tell us about it?

Duke: In 2003, I came in 43rd. That was the year ESPN started filming the WSOP for real. I was the last woman standing, which was a big life-changer for me. I was knocked out with jacks against Jason Lester’s kings and got a lot of coverage on ESPN. That was good timing.

In 2006, the big moment for me was being at the feature table having not slept. We were renting a house and the people next to us were building a pool. At 6:00am, the jackhammers started going, so I came to the feature table on three hours of sleep.

PND: Jamie Gold steamrolled through the 2006 Main Event down the stretch. Did you hear about his run while you were playing?

Duke: On Day 4, I was playing next to Thomas Wahlroos. All I keep hearing is, “All in and a call” over and over again, which wasn’t happening that much at my table. Every time I stand up, it’s Jamie Gold with quads against someone with a full house. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Jamie kept making big hands against someone else with a big hand.

PND: With so many deep runs, it’s no wonder why you love the Main Event.

Duke: The Main Event is a great tournament. I love it. I haven’t made it past Day 1 in three years. This year, I lost two hands to K-6 and didn’t navigate the first day minefield very well. Either you can get a lot of chips or have a disaster happen to you.

PND: What was your take on the triple starting stacks in the 2009 WSOP Main Event?

Duke: I don’t think that changes anything. People play up to the size of their stacks, not down to the size of the blinds. People are willing to make bigger bets after the flop.

PND: Last year’s WSOP festivities aired on ESPN while you were filming “Celebrity Apprentice” in New York. Now that you’ve had a chance to catch up, what stands out the most?

Duke: When the player pushed out his whole stack and then drew it back against Brandon Cantu. Two separate tournament officials ruled that it was OK. It’s one of my favorite WSOP moments. On the East Coast, they have forward motion rules. When someone pulls their stack so far forward and completely across an imaginary betting line - you just can’t do that. If you have chips in your hand, it’s different.

I will bet you that the ruling will never occur again. Tournament Directors need to understand what the possible outcome of a ruling is in the sense of abuse. That’s what Michael Carroll kept pointing out. The Bellagio has a rule that only chips over the betting line count. The issue is that someone can push their stack out, leave a few chips behind, and get that fear factor to see if they can get the person to react.

PND: Liv Boeree moved from Absolute Poker to Ultimate Bet. Can you tell us about the change?

Duke: When Liv signed with Absolute Poker, she was just starting out and didn’t have much poker experience or many notches in her belt. She’s very beautiful and had been a presenter in England. Absolute Poker was looking for a spokeswoman with poker credentials. The site doesn’t have a lot of pros in its marketing campaign. It’s more for recreational players who want to have fun.

Then, Liv started getting serious about poker. She is very smart, has a lot of talent, and had some deep runs in major tournaments. She started to fit the profile of an Ultimate Bet pro. It was a logical thing for the brand to move her to Ultimate Bet. To characterize Liv as a pretty girl who happens to play poker is insulting to what she is a player. Ultimate Bet is trying to build a pro team that deserves it from a poker standpoint. They have the respect of the online poker community, are upstanding, and have good relationships. It’s a lot of people who have built their careers out of online poker.

Capacity crowd for Jamie Gold Charity Tournament

There was a full house in the Shadow Lounge at The Casino at the Empire for the Jamie Gold Charity tournament which kicked off the Poker in the Park extravaganza at the end of last week.

Layne ‘Back to Back’ Flack joins Poker Icons

Layne Flack is the latest top pro to sign up with leading agency Poker Icons. The 40-year-old joins Jamie Gold, Kathy Liebert and Annette Obrestad who are all represented by the Scandinavian management firm.

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.