Poker News

Mike Sexton Tall Tales by Linda Johnson

I’ve had lots of highlights in my poker career, but attending the dinner and ceremony during which Mike Sexton was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame is certainly among the highest. By now, I’m sure you know that Sexton was the only one who got inducted this year. If I were a betting woman, I’d bet that he got the nod from 100% of the voting media and living Hall of Fame members.

I was thrilled for Mike and honored when he called to let me know that he was the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame inductee. The night before the induction, I went to a private party at Mike’s house. Tales from Mike’s earlier days were being tossed about and this one was my favorite. When Mike was fairly new to Las Vegas, his longtime relationship with Chip Reese and Danny Robinson led to him hang out with many of the high-limit players at that time.

He met Puggy Pearson through Chip and Danny. Puggy was a “hustler” and eventually Mike and he made arrangements to play backgammon at a local bar for some fairly high stakes. By the time they actually played, Mike was, as he said, “between bankrolls.” He was a bit concerned that there might be some trouble if he lost because he couldn’t pay Puggy that night, so he asked his brother Tom to go with him in case things got out of hand. Puggy won the first few matches and had Mike stuck about $1,000. Puggy then said, “Son, I think we should settle up every time the figure gets to be $1,000, so pay me now and then we can continue to play.” Uh-oh… bad beat for Mike!

He looked at Puggy and said, “Well, I hate to say this, but I didn’t bring any money with me tonight. You know I’m good for it though.” Puggy then glared at Mike for about two minutes before breaking out into laughter. “What’s so funny?” asked Mike. Puggy replied, “Well son, I didn’t know what to do if I lost. I didn’t bring any money either.”

We swapped Sexton stories. I recalled the most exciting bet I’d ever been involved in: In 1998, Sexton, Bonnie Damiano, Jan Fisher, and I made a $5,000 bet with Erik Seidel that we could pick the winner of the WSOP Main Event if we got to choose 60 players. Erik would get the field versus our 60 players. Additionally, he was allowed to select 10 players that would be considered neutral, so if any of those people won, the bet would be a push.

This was a huge bet for us at the time, so Bonnie, Mike, Jan, and I met every day during the WSOP to modify our list. We would add players based on who was playing well and delete names of those who were having personal problems, money problems, doing drugs, etc. The final list that we turned in to Erik on the morning before the Main Event started looked nothing like the list we had originally concocted. To our dismay, there was a large number of entrants that year, 350 to be exact, which meant that after ruling out ten neutral players, we had 60 players against Erik’s 280.

Our dismay turned to joy as the field narrowed. We were already counting our winnings because there was one spoiler for us, Kevin McBride, who no one had even heard of before the final event. T.J. Cloutier was at the final table, but was a neutral player, so if he won, the bet would be a push. We had Scotty Nguyen, Lee Salem, and Dewey Weum on our list. I give Mike extreme credit for such great handicapping since back in those days, no one would have picked those three guys. When we heard Scotty’s words, “Call this baby and it’s all over,” it was music to our ears!

The Rio hosted a first-class affair for Mike’s induction. The decorations and the food in the Brasilia Room were impressive. Mike’s wife, Karen, and his 16-month old, Ty, were there as well as a veritable "who’s who" of poker.

In Mike’s acceptance speech, he credited the eight other nominees and then thanked some people who had helped him along in his career. Mike acknowledged that I was the one who gave him his start when I hired him to write a column for CardPlayer. That gave him exposure to the world, which ended up in him getting a call from Ruth Parisol to come help to India to help get an online site off the ground. That company turned out to be Party Gaming, which eventually sold for about $9 billion when it went public.

What Mike didn’t mention on his special night was that in the beginning, PartyPoker wasn’t all roses. Mike had encouraged PartyPoker to hire me as one of its spokespeople to add credibility to the site. Party definitely needed that credibility since there were problems with the software in the early stages. Mike and I went on public forums to soothe the naysayers and encouraged everyone to trust the site and give it time to fix the glitches. The players hung in there and the software became the best at that time.

Next, Mike came up with the idea for the PartyPoker Million. He had a vision that called for players to qualify online in $22 buy-in tournaments and then those players would win a cabin on a cruise ship and a shot at a $1 million prize pool. The only problem was that he needed someone to guarantee the $1 million. Card Player Cruises stepped up to the plate and made the guarantee. My word that the money would be paid was good enough to get lots of players to qualify. Unfortunately, not enough players qualified, so Card Player Cruises had to make up the $400,000 deficit. The Party Poker Million cruise launched with Kathy Liebert winning the first event.

Mike told some great stories at his induction and as usual, the audience was mesmerized.  I’ve known Mike for 20 years and cherish our friendship. Way to go, Mike!

Poker2Nite Welcomes Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton

The UB.net sponsored poker news program “Poker2Nite,” which makes its home on Fox Sports Net, welcomed Mike Sexton this week. The World Poker Tour (WPT) host is also a member of the Poker Hall of Fame after being inducted one month ago.

“Poker2Nite” began with Absolute Poker pro Lacey Jones interviewing players at the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas. Among those to appear on-camera was dual World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Jeff Madsen, who told Jones, “What it comes down to is the skill level of the players, the structure is good, and the Bellagio atmosphere is good to players in general.” Jones also spoke with Robert Mizrachi and 2009 WSOP November Nine member Kevin Schaffel. The $15,000 buy-in tournament crowns a champion on Saturday.

Next up was UB.net pro Phil Hellmuth presenting Phil’s Best Blow-Ups. There are a multitude of meltdowns to choose from, but Hellmuth recapped his explosion against Cristian Dragomir during the 2008 WSOP Main Event. Dragomir called Hellmuth’s raise pre-flop with 10-4, only to flop top pair. Hellmuth explained, “Of course, this joker gets rewarded for his donkey play and that just did not sit well with me.” His tirade against Dragomir featured lines such as “He’s the worst player in history and they’re cheering” and “To you, it’s poker. To me, this is my life.”

After recapping Sexton’s Poker Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which took place during the dinner break of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, the bracelet winner joined the “Poker2Nite” crew. On being elected to the Poker Hall of Fame, Sexton told “Poker2Nite” hosts Joe Sebok and Scott Huff, “To me, it’s the ultimate career achievement award. To reach this level, it’s a pretty big honor.” Sexton was the only member of the Class of 2009 and, in order to be elected, had to receive 75% of the vote of a panel of media members and current Hall of Famers.

So-called “Sextonisms” have become a staple of modern poker lingo, but the WPT host noted that one of his favorites is, “You can only slide so far on barbed wire.” This author would have preferred “Bingo, bango, bongo,” but laughed nonetheless. Sexton also discussed PokerGives.org, which he founded along with Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and Lisa Tenner. Sexton commented, “It’ll be a way the poker world can give back to worthwhile charities.”

A new segment called Coin Flipping aired, pitting Sebok and Huff against each other to see what option had a slight mathematical edge. First up was who was the better No Limit Hold’em cash game player, Phil Ivey or Patrik Antonius. Sebok remarked, “I’m going with Phil because he looks scarier.” Also discussed was whether winning the $50,000 HORSE Championship or WSOP Main Event was more prestigious, as was whether Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin or Cornel Andrew Cimpan should be the Player of the Year. On the latter, Sebok gave his two cents: “I don’t think this one is really that close” and chose Baldwin, who effectively has already taken down the CardPlayer Player of the Year title for 2009.

Dana Workman dished out the Bluff Magazine sponsored Weekly Misdeal segment, poking fun at WSOP Main Event runner-up Darvin Moon’s conspiracy theory about ESPN crews sharing information, champion Joe Cada taking to Capitol Hill in support of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), Montel Williams facing a lawsuit from the International Team Poker League, and Marcel Luske’s new album.

“Poker2Nite” airs on Wednesdays at 11:00pm in each market on Fox Sports Net. However, the show is often pre-empted for local sporting events, so viewers are advised to check their local listings for airtime and channel information.

Linda Johnson Recaps the California State Ladies Poker Championship

One of the annual events that I look forward to attending each year is the California State Ladies Poker Championship (CSLPC) held at the Oceans Eleven Casino in Oceanside. In fact, I’ve never missed one since this event debuted 13 years ago. The CSLPC is much more than just a ladies poker tournament; it’s several days of fun and female bonding that happens to include poker.

Bob Moyer and Dan Dreger, two of the managing partners at Oceans Eleven, spare no expense when it comes to making the ladies feel welcome and at home. In addition to feeding us lavish meals three times a day, they provide great entertainment for us when we aren’t playing poker. There is always a theme for the weekend. This year, it centered on a murder mystery that took place in Europe. Clues were given on Friday and Saturday and the crime was solved on Sunday (By the way, my character, Bonnie Ponzi, was not the murderer). There was a show one evening featuring some very talented Oceans Eleven employees. Dancing took place nightly in the bar.

The CSLPC kicked off this year with a poker clinic taught by Jan Fisher, Thomas Gallager, Karina Jett, Susie Isaacs, and me. On the break, one of the attendees came up to Jan and said that she had a problem with bluffing because she is a Christian and she thinks bluffing is stealing. Jan thought for a while trying to come up with an analogy that might help. Finally Jan said, “Do you watch basketball on television?” The lady said yes. Jan then asked if she thought it was okay to steal the ball from the other team while they are dribbling down the court. She replied, “Yes, it’s part of the game.” Voila! Jan convinced her that bluffing was also part of the game and the lady made the final table after pulling off a successful bluff.

The next day was a $125 buy-in LIPS tournament that attracted 195 entrants; I managed a seventh place finish. A big controversy was created by the handful of men who entered the tournament. Due to legal rulings by California courts, card rooms cannot prohibit men from playing in ladies events. Personally, I don’t understand why a man would want to enter a woman’s tournament, nor do I think they should do so. However, the men I encountered were pleasant and acted like gentlemen. Most said that they “just wanted to play in a tournament” and it was the only one offered that morning. I don’t think they deserved the poor treatment they got.

A friend told me that at her table, several women called the clock on a man who had not taken an unreasonable amount of time to act on his hand. Every time a man was eliminated, there were ecstatic screams and loud applause by many of the women. My opinion is that they should just be ignored completely.

The second tournament was the $225 CSLPC event. Congratulations to Donna Delfin from Sacramento, who won the 2009 title. In addition to her prize money, she won an entry into the 2010 Ladies World Series of Poker (WSOP) tournament, a customized jacket, a gift certificate, and a beautiful trophy. Battling Donna in a tough two-hour heads-up match was Lois Petty. Lois had many fans supporting her. In fact, the tournament had been dedicated to Lois, who has stage four cancer.

There always is a charity component to the CSLPC. A silent auction and raffle was held on Saturday night to benefit Ivey Ranch, a local school for handicapped children. Sunday’s tournament was a tag team event that was Half Limit Omaha/8 and Half Limit Hold’em. Players were allowed to play either with a partner or without one since more money would be raised for Ivey Ranch (25% of the prize pool was designated for this wonderful charity) if there were extra entrants. I opted to play without a teammate and ended up winning.

Most of the attendees stayed around for the farewell awards banquet on Sunday night. There were no dry eyes in the audience when Bob Moyer presented Lois an award for being such an inspiration to us all.

Tournament Director Tina Corpiz and Director of Marketing Suzanne Carter did an amazing job coordinating the 2009 CSLPC. I can hardly wait to see what plans they come up with for the 2010 version.

Mike Sexton Elected to Poker Hall of Fame

The 38th person elected into the Poker Hall of Fame is none other than PartyPoker Ambassador and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Mike Sexton. He will be enshrined as part of ceremonies to be held on November 7th.

2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the Poker Hall of Fame. This year, nine finalists were up for nomination to the Hall, with a panel of 15 living Hall of Fame members and 15 media representatives (including this author) determining the fate of the 2009 class. Sexton was the only one that I felt was a shoe-in for election, as 75% of the 30-member vote was required in order to capture one of poker’s most prestigious accolades. A press release distributed by World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials properly labeled Sexton “a true gentleman who has constantly enhanced the game of poker both with his play at the tables and his promotion of the game off of it.”

Ballots were due on October 2nd, with each person able to vote for up to three candidates for the 2009 class. This author selected Sexton, Tom McEvoy, and Dan Harrington, the three elder statesmen on the 2009 ballot. Other nominees included November Nine member Phil Ivey, “The Robin Hood of Poker” Barry Greenstein, “PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge” lead man Daniel Negreanu, Men “The Master” Nguyen, WSOP Main Event and HORSE Championship winner Scotty Nguyen, and eight-time bracelet holder Erik Seidel.

The list of Poker Hall of Fame members reads like a roll call of poker legends: Doyle Brunson (inducted in 1988), Johnny Chan (2002), Phil Hellmuth (2007), Stu Ungar (2001), Chip Reese (1991), and Barbara Enright (2007), just to name a few. Now, Sexton’s name will be added to this illustrious list. In a press release distributed by PartyPoker, Sexton commented, “I am deeply honored to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame and it is particularly special because for the first time it was a process that involved the fans, the media, and the living members of the Hall of Fame. To me, the most meaningful aspect of this process was the acceptance by the living Hall of Famers, who welcomed me into their exclusive club.”

One of Sexton’s most impressive feats was taking down the 2006 WSOP Tournament of Champions, which saw the new Poker Hall of Fame member best a final table that included Daniel Negreanu, Mike Matusow, Andy Black, and Chris Ferguson. Sexton earned $1 million for the victory and, according to WSOP officials, donated half of his prize money to charity. His lone WSOP bracelet came in 1989, when the World Poker Tour (WPT) host outlasted a field of 174 players to win a $1,500 buy-in Limit Seven Card Stud High-Low event. He has reached the final table in 20 of the 47 WSOP events he’s entered, a 43% success rate.

Sexton is the voice that many in the industry “grew up to” following the poker boom in 2003 and was instrumental in bringing the WPT to life. Sexton sat, and continues to sit, alongside Vince Van Patten on WPT broadcasts, popularizing the notion that Texas Hold’em takes “a minute to learn and a lifetime to master.” He represents one of the few constants in an industry constantly in flux and had the backing of a bevy of influential industry veterans in his push for the Poker Hall of Fame, including Howard Lederer, Annie Duke, Steve Lipscomb, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, Padraig Parkinson, Matt Savage, Roland de Wolfe, and an army of public relations staffers at PartyPoker.

To me, one of the most defining acts for Sexton was when he took on a lead role to campaign on behalf of players shut out of the 2009 WSOP Main Event after Day 1D had reached capacity. Sexton joined forces with “Captain” Tom Franklin to present WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack options to accommodate players. Sexton, curiously, had little to gain from taking an active role in the situation, as he had already played on Day 1A and survived with an average chip stack. The situation manifested Sexton’s stature within the industry and is one of the many reasons we will look forward to welcoming him into the Poker Hall of Fame in November.

Linda Johnson Goes to Camp

I recently returned from a 10-day trip to Indiana. The first part of the trip was spent at the Hollywood Casino (formerly Argosy Casino) in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.  The new $336 million facility is more than twice the size of its former vessel. The two decks, each wider than an aircraft carrier and nearly as long as a football field, make it the largest riverboat in the country. It gives one the feel of being in a luxurious casino with all of the bells and whistles.

Hollywood Casino has more than 270,000 square feet of space, including 150,000 square feet for gaming with 88 tables, 3,200 slots, and electronic table games. The Hollywood décor and theme is flawlessly executed throughout. The casino brings classic Hollywood to life with a 60-foot serpentine video wall, nine large billboards, and more than 300 flat screen displays featuring first-run movie trailers, video shorts, entertainment programming, and sporting events. Among the casino’s major attractions is an exclusive VIP Producer’s Lounge and an expanded high-limit gaming area.

I’d been to Argosy a few times in the past three years and had always enjoyed the gaming and hospitality there, so decided that the opening of its brand new 41-table poker room (the largest in the Midwest) and the Indiana State Poker Championship would be two great reasons to return. My first mistake was booking a flight into Indianapolis instead of Cincinnati. This error resulted in a two-hour drive to the casino instead of 10 minutes. On the bright side, however, I got to spend the two hours getting to know the Hollywood Casino cardroom manager Thom “TK” Krauss and Tournament Director Kevin Dawn. TK is very much a hands-on manager and knows all of his regular patrons by name. He told me that he loves his job, which was obvious since I saw him there at all hours of the day and night. The poker staff and players were very hospitable and made me feel very welcome.

The poker room is very comfortable, with lots of space between tables, great chairs, and good lighting. Players’ hours are tracked so they can earn comps. By the way, the buffet at Hollywood Casino is as good as the best buffets in Las Vegas. The poker room is so impressive that it recently was selected to host a stop on the World Poker Tour.

Jan Fisher and I gave a poker seminar at the Hollywood on the Roof, a performance area with a panoramic screen resembling the Hollywood Bowl, where bands can entertain guests and video content can be projected in grand scale. Hollywood on the Roof features a high-energy circular bar that looks out onto the casino atrium. The seminar was well-attended and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the locals.

After five days at Hollywood Casino, I went to Indianapolis to participate in Mickey’s Camp, a charity event held annually in a campground called Bradford Woods. There is a separate men’s camp and women’s camp and the attendees actually attend summer camp for adults. They sleep in the same bunks, 12 to a cabin, that kids sleep in during their camp. Each camper gets to choose 10 activities from about 35, including flyfishing, police training, backgammon, Alpine tower, pistol and rifle shooting, gourmet cooking, raft building, canoeing, wine tasting, billiards, table tennis, beer tasting, boxing, jewelry making, photography, yoga, painting, hiking, darts, orienteering, and swimming. I teach the poker class and then run a tournament for the men and women. After my classes, I get to be a camper. This year I chose the following activities: massage, magic, bridge, grilling, backgammon, medical myths, self-defense, sports dialogue, badminton, economics, rifle/pistol, and CPR.

From the $1,500 fee to attend the camp, at least two-thirds of it goes to Indiana charities. This can be done because most of the food is donated by local restaurants and the instructors donate their time as well. The founder, Mickey Maurer, is a great ambassador and philanthropist and has raised more than $1 million for charity through his camp.

Although the attendees are extremely successful in the business world (during the first evening of each camp, we sit under a tent, everyone introduces themselves and tells what they do, and I am always blown away by how accomplished they are), most of them are not the caliber of player I usually encounter in my classes. They sure do have fun though! I had to chuckle when I saw two of the players get up in the middle of the tournament and say, “Thanks, I think I’ve had enough.” Then, they just quit and left their chips on the table.

This was my fourth year at Mickey’s Camp. I love attending charity events and this is one of my favorites.

Tournament Director Matt Savage Returns to Aruba Poker Classic

For the consecutive third year, Tournament Director Matt Savage will supervise the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic, which is slated for October 3rd through 10th from the luxurious island nation.

Ultimate Bet pro Phil Hellmuth has the Aruba Poker Classic circled on his calendar each year. The 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner and de facto host in Aruba commented in a press release distributed by the online poker site, “Matt’s natural ability to run a smooth and fair tournament and his talent for making it feel more like a party than a poker room is one of the many reasons why our Aruba event is still one of the most popular on the annual calendar.” The Main Event in Aruba comes with a $5,500 price tag and kicks off on October 5th with the first of two starting days.

In addition to marking Savage’s third straight year overseeing action in the prestigious poker tournament, it also marks Ultimate Bet’s 10th year in operation. Savage commented in the same release, “In celebrating UB’s 10th Anniversary, I am honored to once again be part of the Aruba Poker Classic. With an extended tournament schedule, plus a group of floor staff and dealers that is second to none, 2009 is shaping up to be one for the scrapbook.” Savage will direct the action over the course of the eight-day poker extravaganza, which is expected to draw a total of 500 runners and see a prize pool topping $6 million.

Last year, Matt Brady trumped a 550-player field en route to a $1 million payday. In 2007, Travis “TravestyFund” Rice defeated 548 entrants and earned $800,000. In 2006, Devon Miller went toe-to-toe to former Team UB member Cliff “JohnnyBax” Josephy to earn $774,000 from the 512-player field. 2005 marked the final year that the Aruba Poker Classic served as a stop on the World Poker Tour. Freddy Deeb outlasted 647 runners that year to earn a $1 million first place prize.

The 2004 WPT Aruba Poker Classic featured one of the toughest final tables ever assembled, as Eric Brenes defeated Layne Flack heads-up. Also reaching the six-handed finale were Mike “The Mouth” Matusow and 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion John Juanda. In 2003, Erick Lindgren beat Daniel Larsson heads-up in Aruba for $500,000 after 436 players entered. Also at that year’s final table was CardPlayer CEO Barry Shulman, whose son, Jeff Shulman, is a member of the 2009 WSOP November Nine. The younger Shulman has threatened to throw out the bracelet should he win. The very first Aruba Poker Classic was held in 2002 and won by Juha Helppi, who bested Phil Gordon heads-up.

Savage has directed a bevy of tournaments held around the world, including the WSOP, WPT, and the Aussie Millions. Along with David Lamb, Jan Fisher, and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Linda Johnson, Savage founded the Tournament Directors’ Association. In 2003, he was inducted into the Poker Room Manager’s Hall of Fame.

On August 30th, Ultimate Bet will hold a 25 seat guaranteed tournament to send its players to Aruba. The event boasts a $530 buy-in and a bevy of qualifiers are available. In addition, direct satellites take place on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and award $8,500 prize packages. Each includes the $5,500 Main Event buy-in plus $3,000 to use for travel and hotel.

The Radisson Aruba Resort and Casino serves as the host venue and Ultimate Bet has rooms available at a rate of $209 plus 20% tax per night, which includes internet. STEP tournaments have been a popular way for players to claim their spot in Aruba.

We’ll have full updates on the 2009 Aruba Poker Classic right here on Poker News Daily.

Poker’s march on Washington works

Over the span of the week the PPA collected over 375,000 signatures on a petition to President Barack Obama supporting the legalization of online poker, nearly 200,000 letters/emails were sent to U.S. representatives and members of the PPA attended over 100 congressional meetings.

Even radio host Howard Stern signed up as a member of the PPA.

"I think we made a very strong impression on lawmakers who weren't aware of online poker or maybe even opposed it," said PPA executive director John Pappas. "We raised the overall understanding of the situation."

Pappas, PPA Chairman Alfonse D'Amato, 33 PPA state directors and seven poker pros including Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Howard Lederer, Dennis Phillips, Linda Johnson and Greg Raymer all made the trip to Washington, D.C. to show their support for legislation that would legalize and regulate online poker in the United States.

"I truly feel we are winning on this issue and the time is ripe for pro-poker legislation to pass into law," said the aforementioned Bloch.

It has been an uphill battle, according to Pappas, but the group finally seems to be making some headway.

"There is obviously a great fear when it comes to online gambling," he said. "People are concerned about having a casino in every home. That's not necessarily the case as we are bringing a skill game into people's homes.

"This isn't anything new. People have been playing poker in their homes for their entire lives. This way the government would be able to collect tax revenue from it."

The organization put a great deal of support behind Rep. Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (HR 2267) which was originally scheduled for a hearing in July.

The proposed hearing was postponed to September, but the PPA was still able to convince seven more representatives to co-sign the bill, which is now up to 54 co-sponsors. Rep. Betsy Markey, Rep. Bill Pascrell and Rep. Russ Carnahan were all among the recent co-sponsors.

"We had several goals in Washington and I think we exceeded them all," Pappas said. "It was a great success. The only thing we weren't able to do is actually meet with President Obama and present him the petition with signatures. We hope to accomplish that later this year."

Despite the fact that National Poker Week is over, the PPA will continue to educate politicians about the game.

"We will continue to talk to people and promote the game," said Pappas. "We hope to set the stage for Frank's bill in early to late September.

"We also have the short-term goal of getting poker excluded from the current Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which will officially be enforced as of Dec. 1, 2009. We want them to leave poker out of that legislation because poker is a skill game."

Pappas went on to say that New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez will finally be dropping his long-awaited poker-only bill tomorrow (August 6).

In the end, when it comes to the future of online poker, Pappas was optimistic.

"I think it's going in the right direction," he said. "For the first time we are on the offensive when it comes to legislation. We're seeing numerous pro-poker bills and I haven't seen a single anti-poker bill introduced for months.

"The bills that have been introduced lately have all been about extending poker player's rights."

I’m Going to Be a Lobbyist in My Next Lifetime

I recently returned from a trip to Washington, DC in which I was privileged to be part of the Poker Players Alliance’s (PPA) National Poker Week Fly-In. Part of this event included a gathering of 33 PPA State Directors, a handful of poker celebrities, and various lobbyists and media members. Our goal was to gain support for favorable online poker legislation and specifically for House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank’s HR 2267, which would establish federal licensing and regulation of online poker.

My first impression of Capitol Hill is that I have never seen so many men and women dressed in business attire, scurrying from one building to another, carrying files and folders, all with an agenda to fulfill. The experience of actually seeing our government at work and being part of the process was incredible.

The Fly-In started out with a working dinner at which the participants got a chance to network with each other and hear brief speeches from Alfonse D’Amato, Congressman Robert Wexler, and John Pappas, Executive Director of the PPA.  Afterwards, we were given our meeting schedules for the next two days. My list of appointments included Senators Charles Schumer and Dianne Feinstein, and Representatives Tim Bishop, Shelley Berkley, Dina Titus, and Lynn Westmoreland. I had been given a list of talking points and became comfortable with them through many role-playing scenarios with Jan Fisher and my brother Rich Plante, who accompanied me on the trip.

At each of our meetings, we were taken into an office or small boardroom and allowed to make a presentation about why we believe that online poker should be completely legal, licensed, and regulated in the United States. Most times, there was a lobbyist with us and two or more PPA representatives present. I actually preferred the meetings without a lobbyist, as this gave us more time to personalize our stories and yet were still able to present the persuasive positive points about our position.

Here are some of the facts we presented in our meetings to encourage support of HR 2267:
1. More than 10 million Americans play online poker.
2. If online poker sites were licensed, American citizens would be protected from scam artists who don’t operate their sites with integrity. In addition, we would have legal recourse in U.S. courts if problems occurred.
3. Studies show that approximately $3.3 billion in tax money would be raised annually if online poker were regulated.
4. HR 2267 would provide effective protection to keep underage children from gambling online.
5. HR 2267 provides help to compulsive gamblers.
6. 75% of Americans oppose a ban on internet poker.
7. Poker is a game of skill. State courts in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Colorado have recently come to this conclusion.
8. Licensing and regulating online sites would create jobs. I know many people who lost their jobs as marketing directors and party planners when the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) passed.

We also made personal pleas to Senators, Congressmen, and staffers. For instance, I brought up how embarrassing it is that in the “Land of the Free,” we don’t have the same right to fund an online poker account and play in our own homes that citizens of most other countries in the world have. I also brought up the fact that my brother, who lives in Utah where there are no casinos, will eventually have to leave his home state if he wants to play poker unless we get the law changed. There are millions of physically-challenged and infirmed citizens who aren’t able to travel to a casino to play poker. Instead, playing online in their homes can bring them happiness in an otherwise depressing, painful life.

I believe that we helped sway opinions in a positive way through our Congressional meetings. Lots of questions were asked and answered that made it obvious that licensing and regulation is the best way to go regarding online poker. Since the Fly-In, three members of Congress (Representatives Linda Sanchez, John Conyers, and Mike Thompson) have signed on to co-sponsor HR 2267, bringing the total to 51. Many more will follow suit… it only makes sense!

The trip wasn’t all business, though; we had some time for fun in between our meetings. A special treat was lunch at the Pentagon in the Army Executive Dining Room hosted by a Brigadier General friend of mine. After lunch, we were given a tour of the 9/11 Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

I also got to play in a charity poker tournament along with 35 patients from Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Celebrities in attendance included Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Howard Lederer, Dennis Phillips, Montel Williams, and members of Congress and their staff. The PPA donated $25,000 to seed the effort and another $10,000 was raised through rebuys, bounties, and donations. My trip to Washington, DC was truly a top-ten event in my life.

***

Linda,
Nice job. Thank you so much for your efforts. You covered all the primary points that legislators need to be aware of.

Arthur

Biggest Surprises of National Poker Week

National Poker Week attracted 33 State Directors from the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) plus a throng of the game’s elite to Washington, DC. In the end, over 100 meetings were held on Capitol Hill. Poker News Daily was on-hand for the festivities and reviews several of the surprises of National Poker Week.

Prepare to Meet with Aides

If poker players take the time to visit their Congressmen, they should be prepared to meet with staff members. Being a Congressman means running frenetically between meetings, votes, and other pressing matters. Although conferencing with constituents is important, Congressmen have a full plate. Staffers are extremely influential, a point echoed by lawmakers like Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) and former three-term Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY) during National Poker Week. Congressmen regularly defer to aides for insight on both critical issues and those that may not receive front-page headlines. Therefore, don’t be discouraged meeting with Congressional staffs.

Poker Really is a Game of Skill

A study by Cigital and PokerStars performed in December studied 103 million cash game hands on the world’s most popular online poker site. The results revealed that 75% of pots did not go to showdown. Instead, the process of betting and bluffing took down hands. It’s one thing for industry representatives to say that poker is a game of skill; it’s completely different to hear the sentiment from an American lawmaker. Congressmen Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), for example, told online poker forum PocketFives.com in an interview, “Poker is a sport of skill. If you don’t believe that, you need to watch some of the tournaments on television and understand that these are very talented people. They can win a hand with a lot worse cards than anybody else. It is a game of skill and not just what cards fall.” Well said.

Importance of Personal Stories

When you meet with Congressmen or their aides, be sure to share your personal story. This was the number one point emphasized by the PPA. The rationale behind sharing your personal story is breaking the stereotype that poker players are shady individuals, far from being law-abiding citizens. Instead, poker players are students, housewives, firefighters, soldiers, doctors, and teachers. They’re just like you and me. Formulate your personal story prior to calling, e-mailing, or visiting your Congressmen. While knowledge of the issue is of paramount importance, it was surprising to learn that the personal story is even more critical.

Generosity Makes the World Go Round

Poker players are an extremely generous group. Churches, synagogues, and other institutions around the world regularly employ poker tournaments as fundraising vehicles. The turnout at the PPA’s charity event was extremely impressive. Some of the world’s top pros were in attendance, including “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, who came armed with a fistful of $100 bills in order to rebuy wounded warriors at her table. 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Greg Raymer imparted knowledge of the game to his tablemates and Howard Lederer (Duke’s brother) tried to out-rebuy his sibling. Generosity really is a quality of poker players. I’ve seen it first-hand.

Poker’s Role Models

The roster of pros that turned out to the PPA’s Fly-In as part of National Poker Week was truly impressive. In addition to Raymer, Duke, and Lederer, the movement to legalize and regulate online poker in the United States also attracted “The First Lady of Poker” Linda Johnson, Women in Poker Hall of Fame member Jan Fisher, former MIT Blackjack Team member Andy Bloch, online poker star Jordan “iMsoLucky0” Morgan, PokerXFactor instructor Chris “Fox” Wallace, and Team PokerStars Pro member Dennis Phillips. Even talk show host and poker veteran Montel Williams turned out, fresh off a trip to Africa.

I’m an economics major, so I’m familiar with opportunity cost. These pros came to Washington, DC voluntarily to help advance the game in the United States. There are plenty of opportunities they passed up in order to attend. My hat is off to each of them. They are truly poker’s role models.

Linda Johnson on National Poker Week, Pentagon Visit

As part of National Poker Week, Tournament Directors Association Co-Founder and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Linda Johnson lived the high life in Washington, DC. She received a guided tour of the Pentagon and took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Arlington National Cemetery. Johnson relived her travels with Poker News Daily.

Poker News Daily: Tell us about your Pentagon visit this afternoon.

Johnson: The Pentagon was one of the highlights of my life. I got to have lunch with Brigadier General Sandy Dittig, who is one of the top-ranking females in the military. She invited us to go to the executive dining room at the Pentagon. It was incredible service and a great atmosphere. When we sat down, they had these big plates that said “U.S. Army” on them. It was very fancy and very nice.

After that, she took us on a tour through the halls of the Pentagon and pointed out several department heads and we got to visit some of their offices. Then, we went to the 9/11 memorial and she gave us a tour of Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They actually saluted her when they came out for the changing of the guard. We found out all of the protocols on who has to salute who. Since she’s so high-ranking, they have to salute her. Until she salutes back, they have to continue to salute. You can really mess with someone if you want.

PND: Refresh our memory as to how you met Dittig.

Johnson: We met Sandi last year at a fundraiser for the Paralyzed Veterans of America in Washington, DC. We also met Lt. Colonial Pete Derouin, who gave us a tour of the city at night because our plane left at 3:00am. We saw all of the monuments and it was another incredible evening. We invited them to play in the charity poker tournament this week. Sandi is really not a poker player, but she’s excited. Last night, we played in a private tournament in Washington, DC and they were impressed that we were professional poker players and we were impressed that they were in the military.

PND: Talk about what the pros are doing at the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Fly-In as part of National Poker Week.

Johnson: The pros are at the Fly-In to aid support for the cause of the PPA. We have assignments to meet with some of our legislators and we are going to try to convince them to support HR 2267, which basically is going to regulate online poker. That’s our mission.

PND: Are you looking forward to meeting with Congressmen?

Johnson: I am so excited I can’t stand it. We have actually been role-playing all week. We’ve been practicing our talking points and we’re ready to go.

PND: You’ve probably been practicing with your longtime friend, Jan Fisher. Has she been the Congressman or the pro?

Johnson: She’s been both. My brother, who just learned to play poker a few years ago, is also with us and he’s really excited. He’s a layman who just plays poker part-time. Like we do, he finds it incredible that someone would try to take away our freedom to play online poker. I have friends in Canada who tease me that I’m from the “Land of the Free” and yet we can’t play online poker. That is appalling to me and it’s time to kick some butt on Capitol Hill and get this law overturned.

PND: Has the attendance at National Poker Week been what you thought it would be?

Johnson: I’m pleased to see so many people here. I have met a lot of them at various functions across the country. A lot of the State Directors are friends of mine. It is pretty much what I expected. There’s a lot of buzz and a lot of excitement. Everyone is ready to meet with staffers or Congressmen and let them know what’s on our mind.

Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher Attract Female General to PPA Charity Event

Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Linda Johnson and former World Poker Tour (WPT) statistician Jan Fisher spent Monday during National Poker Week visiting the Pentagon accompanied by Brigadier General, Army National Guard Sandi Dittig. One of the country’s highest-ranking females, Dittig donned civilian attire to play in a charity poker tournament benefiting the USO of Metropolitan Washington.

Playing alongside one of the most influential Army females were around 35 soldiers from nearby Walter Reed Army Medical Center, who, for one night, put their ailments aside for an uplifting game of poker. The electricity was readily apparent in the Ticonderoga Room of the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill when Ivan Neville took to the podium to sing the National Anthem of the United States. The troops in attendance received a 30 second standing ovation from the gathered crowd; many clapped with the masses in salute of their fellow man. It sent shivers up the spines of all who took part in Tuesday’s festivities.

Dittig was one of 150 starters and 30 alternates who took to the felts to raise $35,000 for the USO. She joined brand name players like 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, former MIT Blackjack Team member Andy Bloch, and talk show host Montel Williams. Right before the “Shuffle up and deal” command was issued, Poker News Daily caught up with Dittig, who, very much like Johnson and Fisher, is a female on top of a male-dominated industry.

Poker News Daily: Tell us about why you came to the PPA charity poker tournament tonight.

Dittig: I’m very happy that the PPA is supporting the USO and paralyzed veterans of America. That’s where my heart and soul is: soldiers who have given so much and have allowed us to come here and play poker in peace and security.

PND: What’s it like being a top female General in today’s Army?

Dittig: It is a great honor. I will tell you that when I was promoted, all I could think about was that there are millions of women across the world who will never have an opportunity for anything in their lives, not in their families, not in their communities, and not within their governments. For me not to seize this opportunity that my government offered me would have been wrong, so I took this star for all of my girlfriends around the world.

PND: Has the reception been positive from your male counterparts?

Dittig: It’s been nothing but supportive. In fact, I have never had an issue in my 24 years of service. I have always been treated with respect. I have had every opportunity to do anything I have ever wanted. Granted, you have to have some thick skin, but I think you need thick skin regardless of what you do in life. Things will evolve with time and I think always for the better. I have no gripes or complaints. The Army has always been very good to me and I’m always happy to serve.

PPA Charity Poker Tournament Raises $35,000 for USO

On Tuesday night as part of National Poker Week, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) held a charity tournament to raise money for the USO of Metropolitan Washington. In the end, the event generated $35,000, including a generous $25,000 donation by the PPA.

The cards were in the air on Tuesday night at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill at 7:00pm ET for a special charity poker tournament sponsored by the PPA benefiting the USO of Metropolitan Washington. A capacity crowd of 150 players turned out as well as 30 alternates who eventually found their way onto the tournament’s tables. Poker pros in attendance included Jan Fisher, Poker News Daily Guest Columnists Linda Johnson and Annie Duke, Full Tilt Poker pros Howard Lederer and Andy Bloch, and PokerStars pros Greg Raymer and Dennis Phillips. Talk show host and 20 year poker veteran Montel Williams also lent his name to the tournament, which was free to enter and featured $100 rebuys.

Ivan Neville kicked off the festivities by signing the National Anthem, while a representative from the USO issued the traditional “Shuffle up and deal” command to begin play. Two tables called for rebuys in the first four minutes of action, while Lederer was responsible for rebuying four times in the first 20 minutes. Many of the pros in attendance financed rebuys for the 35 veterans from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center who played. Each person was issued a starting stack of 10,000 and blinds began at 50-100, escalating every 15 minutes. The price of poker ultimately went up every 10 minutes towards the end of play.

The grand prizes at stake were two round trip tickets to Las Vegas plus a three night stay at Caesars Palace as well as a $1,900 gift certificate to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Academy. Other parting gifts included two autographed Daniel Negreanu poker books, a copy of Microsoft Office, VISA gift cards, Nickelback tickets, a copy of HALO 3, a signed Washington Capitals hockey jersey, a JAQK Cellars package, and two six-inch LCD picture frames. Also awarded to two players were one year subscriptions to the training site PokerXFactor.com. One of its instructors, Chris “Fox” Wallace, played in the event and told Poker News Daily, “We thought it would be a nice thing for the bubble person and the first person eliminated to receive PokerXFactor subscriptions. We wanted to show our appreciation for the people who played and, at the same time, help out the PPA and USO.”

Credit cards and cash were accepted for rebuys. In addition to the poker pros in the Ticonderoga Room, a bevy of Congressmen also turned out. They included Shelley Berkley (D-CA), Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), and Xavier Becerra (D-CA). In one pot, Raymer explained the concept of a string bet to tablemates, but folded in the hand when his opponent showed A-J on a rag board. Duke came armed to her table with a stack of $100 bills and told Poker News Daily that she contributed around $1,500 to the cause. Duke and PPA Executive Director John Pappas were seated together, as were PPA Kentucky State Director Rich Muny and Bloch. Phillips and his agent also met as foes at the same table.

Several players had bounties on their heads, including former PokerStars Marketing Director Dan Goldman and tournament emcee Bryan Spadaro, who also serves as the PPA’s Memebrship Director. The Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) funded rebuys for the first 10 players who busted out, while a flurry of exciting hands took place. When five tables remained, Goldman’s pocket kings defeated pocket queens and another player with pocket kings after four diamonds hit the board. Wallace lost a $50 last longer bet with online poker pro Jordan “iMsoLucky0” Morgan after his K-9 suited lost to A-10. The final board included two aces and Wallace was sent to the rails.

All in all, the tournament marked a successful fundraiser for the USO of Metropolitan Washington. For those involved, it represented a unique opportunity to play alongside 35 wounded veterans. After the tournament, Johnson told Poker News Daily that those in uniform hold a “special place in my heart.”

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from National Poker Week.

Robert Wexler Speaks at PPA National Poker Week Fly-In Dinner

On Monday night at the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Fly-In held as part of National Poker Week, a working dinner featured Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL), PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato, and PPA Executive Director John Pappas.

A host of poker pros were in attendance at the Capitol Room inside the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. They included 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, Full Tilt Poker pros Andy Bloch and Howard Lederer, Tournament Directors Association Co-Founder Linda Johnson, former World Poker Tour (WPT) statistician Jan Fisher, and “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke.

D’Amato kicked off the festivities by noting, “One person at the forefront… and has stood up specifically for… player versus player, and not versus the house, games – No one has been stronger than Bob Wexler.” The audience of about 50 people erupted into a chorus of applause after Wexler’s name was spoken. The Florida Congressman and former author of the Skill Game Protection Act last session called D’Amato a “class act in the finest sense of the word.” Wexler then outlined the goal of National Poker Week and the PPA Fly-In: “To put a face on the issue is very important.” He continued, “It’s an apple pie issue. Poker is a game that has been played in the White House, the Supreme Court, and… by some of the biggest names in American history.”

Wexler also reminded Fly-In attendees, which included 30 of the PPA’s State Directors, that follow-up contact is critical: “When you go meet with your Congressmen, your job is only half done. When you get back home, follow up with your local office. You can’t imagine how important that is. Spend 15 minutes with the director of the local office.” Wexler called the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was passed in 2006 and attached to an unrelated port security measure, an “absurd law” and labeled Congressmen Barney Frank an “important ally.” He then hit up the buffet to grab a snack before exiting with a staff member.

D’Amato then returned to the podium to rally the troops: “I’m very hopefully we’ll be able to get one of the staunchest allies we have to be supportive of legislation that will give you the right to play poker on the internet.” He labeled an unspecified meeting this afternoon a “major breakthrough.” The PPA’s Chairman emphasized the importance of letting Congressmen and staffers know how many members the organization boasts. D’Amato added, “This is about civil rights and civil liberties.” A hearty round of applause followed that comment. He also recalled a bad beat story in which he was busted from a seniors’ poker tournament with pocket jacks after an opponent spiked an ace on the river. He concluded with, “Thank you for coming. Don’t get discouraged. We are making progress.”

An overview of briefing packets given out to Fly-In attendees followed. Stats highlighted included that 10 million Americans play online poker, while 70 million compete in poker. Guests were encouraged to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before their scheduled Congressional meetings in order to go through security. Pappas encouraged attendees to convey their personal story and ask support for HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, which was introduced in May. Pappas also gave updates on upcoming Senate legislation to legalize online poker in the United States, over-blocking by credit card companies of internet transactions, and the Southern District of New York seizing over $34 million from more than 27,000 online poker players.

We’ll have more for you from the Fly-In, including complete coverage of Tuesday’s charity tournament, right here on Poker News Daily.

Poker News Daily Heads to National Poker Week

Sunday marks the official start of National Poker Week. The seven day affair features a concerted effort calling for the legalization and regulation of online poker in the United States. Poker News Daily will head to the nation’s capital as part of the Week’s Fly-In organized by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA).

Thirty of the PPA’s State Directors and at least a half-dozen poker pros will be in attendance, meeting with Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill. The PPA is targeting both poker-friendly lawmakers and those still on the fence in an effort to drum up support for HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, and HR 2266, the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act. The former establishes a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States, while the latter delays compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year.

A message posted on the official website of National Poker Week states, “Join the thousands of poker players from across the country who will raise their voices to help keep America’s most popular game legal during National Poker Week.” State Directors, poker pros, and media from around the United States will check in during the day on Monday to the Fly-In’s official hotel, the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. A panel discussion will be held in the afternoon in Room 2237 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The group will be discuss how the industry can be properly regulated and features Wired Safety Executive Director Dr. Parry Aftab, Cigital Vice President Stuart Dross, and a former executive with International Gaming Technology, Paul Matthews.

At 6:00pm on Monday at the Hyatt, a working dinner will be held featuring comments by Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL). A reception precedes dinner. The gala will focus on appropriate talking points for attendees meeting with Congressmen on Tuesday and Wednesday. Poker News Daily will likely have media access to several meetings on Capitol Hill to give our readers an in-depth look at common talking points for conversing with lawmakers. State Directors were given literature outlining discussion points as well as a comprehensive overview of HR 2267, which was introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) in May and boasts 47 co-sponsors.

On Tuesday night, Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Annie Duke, Andy Bloch, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson, Howard Lederer, and 2008 November Nine member Dennis Phillips will host a charity poker tournament benefiting the USO of Metropolitan Washington. The invitation-only event is free to enter and features $100 rebuys. The PPA is fronting the entire cost of the event and will be making its own donation to the tournament’s benefactor. Prizes for the winners include travel packages and poker tutorials. Poker News Daily will be on-site during the event, which will be held in the Ticonderoga Room of the Hyatt at 7:00pm. Congressional representatives, soldiers, and poker players alike will take to the felts in this unique event.

On Wednesday, continental breakfast will precede meetings with Congressmen. State Directors are encouraged to check out after 5:00pm and then enjoy the city of Washington, DC. The PPA reserved a block of rooms at the Hyatt for the event and, around July 1st, all but a handful were booked in what is expected to be a widely-attended Fly-In. National Poker Week was announced in June as part of a press conference held at the Rio during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

An online poker petition will be presented to President Barack Obama on Wednesday. How it will be given to the Commander in Chief is not yet known, but the petition has attracted 345,000 signatures after clipping the 300,000 mark on July 14th. PPA officials were aiming to eclipse 500,000 signatures by Monday.

Look for updates from National Poker Week in the next few days right here on Poker News Daily.

Kenna James Wins Dream Team Poker WSOP Event

“Cowboy” Kenna James won the third Dream Team Poker event, held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas down the hall from the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Tao of Pokerati emerged victorious in the team competition.

Tao of Pokerati was the lone team to boast two members in the final 27 players. Dr. Pauly McGuire recorded a 13th place finish, while Dan Michalski earned 17th. Michalski showed prowess of the Dream Team Poker concept after folding pocket kings face up to assure moving on when his team had a chance to secure the first place prize. In the end, Tao of Pokerati earned $33,000 for the win. In Dream Team Poker, each squad’s two best finishes are recorded and the lowest score wins. For Tao of Pokerati, a score of 30 (the sum of 13th place and 17th place) was good enough to take home the title.

Here’s how the team competition stacked up. The buy-in for the third Dream Team Poker tournament was $560 per player, or $1,680 per team:

1. Tao of Pokerati - $33,017
2. Team Simpletrak - $18,106
3. Diaboloco’s - $10,651
4. Machine Team - $7,988
5. Team Puerto Rico - $7,455
6. 7 Kings - $6,923
7. 2 Kings - $6,390
8. The Maven VT 4 - $5,858
9. The Maven VT 3 - $5,325
10. Min Cash Masters - $4,793

In an interview after the tournament with Dream Team Poker emcee Alex Outhred, James explained, “I have to hand it to the Dream Team Poker team, they really run a class event. From all the information they provide, to having them out there, to having the music in the background, they really know how to generate the feeling that this event is all about. It was really special.” In the end, it was a gender versus gender clash, with James defeating Judy Tejwani of SOCRR heads-up. James, who played as part of Poker Host, banked $16,000 for the win, while Tejwani earned $7,800 for her runner-up showing.

The top individual finishers at the Rio were as follows:

1. Kenna James (Poker Host) - $16,473
2. Judy Tejwani (SOCRR) - $7,810
3. Stephen Nelson (I Love it When a Plan Comes Together) - $5,680
4. Peter Mavro (Min Cash Masters) - $4,260
5. Ricardo Felix Matos (Machine Team) - $3,621
6. Bojan Miljkovic (Juzni Vetar) - $3,160
7. Terresa Gallagher (Wicked Chops Poker II) - $2,485
8. David Hornsby (The Hangover) - $1,775
9. James Page (The Maven VT 3) - $1,598
10. Adam Wege (NLP FREE) - $1,598

The event brought out some of poker’s brightest stars. David Williams, Evelyn Ng, and Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo competed as part of Team Bodog. Barry Greenstein and Joe Stapleton joined forces on Team PokerRoad.com. Jerry Yang, Christina Lindley, and Eric Aude formed Team Six Hands, Four Nutz, and a Rack on Tilt. Marsha Waggoner, James Worth, and Young Phan made up Team True Poker and Barbara Enright, Paul Darden, and David Levi brought Team Bookmaker Poker to life. “Captain” Tom Franklin and Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier competed under the Captain Krunch banner, while Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and Rick Fuller battled as part of Bike.com.

A total of 122 teams and 366 players entered the Rio event, down sharply from the 148 teams and 444 runners who turned out for Dream Team Poker’s last competition, held at Caesars Palace in March. Among those in attendance was newly-minted Absolute Poker pro Lacey Jones, whose team took down the WSOP media event held last week. Jones commented in a press release, “This is my third time playing a Dream Team Poker event and I have had the most fun playing these events than any other poker tournament. I can’t think of any better way to enjoy the game of poker than to play with your friends and have them cheer you on!”

Visit the official website of Dream Team Poker for more information.

Poker Petition Breaks 300,000 Signatures

The petition put forth by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) as part of National Poker Week currently stands at 300,428 signatures. The measure broke through the 300,000 threshold overnight.

Players have turned out in droves to sign the poker petition. The process takes less than 30 seconds and involves a person entering in their first name, last name, e-mail address, street address, city, state, zip code, and a special authentication code. Its text begins, “I am a voter and a fellow poker player asking for your support of my right to play games of skill like poker on the internet.” On July 22nd, the petition will be presented to President Barack Obama, who is in St. Louis this evening to throw out the first pitch of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Busch Stadium.

The language of the petition notes that regulation of online poker was the top technology topic in the Citizens’ Briefing Book, which asked Americans what issues they wanted to see addressed by the new Obama Administration. The entry, which appeared on Change.gov, was entitled “Boost America’s Economy with Legal Online Poker” and received support from around the industry. Specifically, the petition asks President Obama to “1) exempt poker from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and 2) license and regulate internet poker in the U.S. 3) Respect the rights of law-abiding Americans who love to play this great game of skill.”

The petition is one of several components of National Poker Week, which takes place from July 19th through 25th. Thirty of the PPA’s State Directors and a handful of poker pros will travel to Washington, DC to meet with Congressmen and push for the legalization of online poker. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, has introduced two measures that State Directors and poker pros will push. HR 2267 establishes a full framework for the licensing and regulation of internet gambling in the United States. HR 2266 delays industry compliance with the UIGEA by one year until December 1st, 2010. The measures sit at 42 and 25 co-sponsors, respectively, after being introduced on May 6th.

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato, and PPA Executive Director John Pappas unveiled National Poker Week at a press conference on June 22nd during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). The PPA will welcome poker pros Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson, and 2008 WSOP November Nine member Dennis Phillips to the Capitol Hill next week for the festivities.

On Tuesday night, the PPA will host a charity poker tournament. The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill and begins with a reception at 6:00pm. The tournament kicks off at 7:00pm, with funds raised being donated to the USO of Metropolitan Washington. According to an invitation sent out by the PPA, which is fronting the costs of the event, players can win “travel packages, poker tutorials by pros, and other great prizes.” Members of the U.S. Armed Services will play alongside some of the industry’s top poker players.

The PPA has also set up MyPokerStory.com, a site that allows players to submit videos outlining why poker is critical to their lives. Professional poker players including World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton, “Cowboy” Kenna James, and Lederer have all submitted videos to the cause. Sexton’s submission reveals, “I have been playing poker since I was 13 years-old… I’m a die-hard poker guy and I hope you like to play as well.”

Poker News Daily will be camped out in Washington, DC during National Poker Week, so stay tuned for a full recap of events.

Dream Team Poker WSOP Event Attracts 366 Players

The third Dream Team Poker event, held down the hall from the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), attracted 366 runners for a total prize pool of $177,000. Roberto Diaz from Team Reckless leads the way entering Day 2, when 27 players will take to the felts.

The field that turned out for the Dream Team Poker’s second open event was actually smaller than its last outing, which took place at Caesars Palace in March. Across Interstate 15, a total of 148 teams and 444 players turned out four months ago. This time around, 122 teams and 366 players entered, a drop of 17%. Nevertheless, play was fast and furious, as 27 players representing 26 teams survived the first day and will return on Monday to determine a champion. Tao of Pokerati is the lone squad to boast two players remaining.

The top overall team will earn $33,017. The runner-ups will take home $18,106, third place will pocket $10,651, fourth place will earn $7,988, fifth place will bank $7,455, sixth place will receive $6,923, the seventh place team will see their bank accounts grow by $6,390, eighth place will pocket $5,858, ninth place will earn $5,325, and tenth place leaves the Rio with $4,793 from the $560 per person buy-in event. The field of 366 players included 59 women and three all-female teams: Kegslist.info (lead by Lacey Jones), Tush Pushers (lead by Pam Brunson), and Wicked Chops Poker II (Lead by London Gallagher).

Here’s how the field stacks up entering Day 2 of the Dream Team Poker tournament:

1. Roberto Diaz (Team Reckless) - 332,000
2. Jordan Hill (Team Winner Winner Chicken Dinner) - 252,000
3. Ricardo Felix Matos (Machine Team) - 235,000
4. Matthew Woodward (Team 2 Kings) - 220,000
5. Peter Marvo (Team Min Cash Masters) - 193,000
6. Adam Wege (Team NLP FREE) - 177,000
7. Peter Lubrano (Team The Maven VT 2) - 165,000
8. Paul McGuire (Team Tao of Pokerati) - 158,000
9. Kenna James (Team Poker Host) - 140,000
10. Bryan Kessler (Team Those Guys) - 133,000
11. Terresa Gallagher (Team Wicked Chops Poker II) - 125,000
12. James Page (Team The Maven VT 3) - 124,000
13. Daniel Michalski (Team Tao of Pokerati) - 113,000
14. Bojan Miljkovic (Team Juzni Vetar) - 100,000
15. Glyn Ottofy (Team Poker) - 95,000
16. Brad Tolliver (Team Donkey Show) - 87,000
17. Andrew Colas (Team Poker Blazers) - 82,000
18. Maximilian Gsottschneider (Team Puerto Rico) - 81,000
19. Michael Shackelford (Team Sinistrals) - 79,000
20. Mary Jo Zogman (Team Team HTP) - 60,000
21. Omar Vachhani (Team Diabolocos) - 46,000
22. John Sayre (Team Home Gamers) - 40,000
23. Michelle Richey (Team Simpletrak) - 37,000
24. Antonio Ferreira (Team BOSS) - 37,000
25. David Hornsby (Team The Hangover) - Unknown
26. Judy Tejwani (Team SOCRR) - Unknown
27. Stephen Nelson (Team I Love it When a Plan Comes Together) – Unknown

Notable poker pros who entered the event, but did not survive to see Day 2, included Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, Evelyn Ng, David Williams, Barry Greenstein, Gavin Smith, Liz Lieu, Jerry Yang, Marsha Waggoner, David “The Maven” Chicotsky, Susie Isaacs, Tom McEvoy, “Captain” Tom Franklin, T.J. Cloutier, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and Amir Vahedi. Also taking to the felts was former Major League Baseball star Jose Canseco, whose book “Juiced” ignited the crackdown on steroids in the game.

The tournament’s individual winner will earn $16,473 and the top 19 spots pay out. In order to curb collusion, Dream Team Poker events award prize money to the top players and teams. In addition, no team members are seated at the same table until 14 to 16 runners remain. No indication has been given as to when Dream Team Poker will hold its fourth event.

Linda Johnson Heads to Washington for National Poker Week

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) held a press conference at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) to announce several of its latest projects including National Poker Week, a national poker petition, and a new website called mypokerstory.com. I hope you will check out some of these projects.

Please log into pokerpetition.com and sign the online poker petition that will be presented to President Barack Obama during National Poker Week, asking his support to exempt the game from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and for its legalization and regulation. To date, almost 300,000 people have signed and we are hoping to have 200,000 more signatures in the next 10 days. You should also log onto mypokerstory.com and listen to average Americans talk about their love of poker and how much it fulfills their lives.

Midway through the press conference, Greg Raymer and I were called up to make a short speech to the media and attendees since we are members of the PPA Board of Directors. I didn’t know in advance that I would be asked to speak and although I like to be prepared and rehearsed, I had to adlib about how appalling it is that in this great country, we do not have the same rights that people in other countries do regarding playing online poker.

I spoke about an elderly friend of mine who is going through very tough chemotherapy whose enjoyment in life right now comes from playing online poker. I spoke about the fact that there are many handicapped and disabled citizens who can’t travel to card rooms, but can have fun playing poker in their own homes.

I spoke about the need to get involved by contacting our Congressional representatives and letting them know that we don’t need them to legislate what we do in our free time with our own money. I also committed to going to Washington, DC during the July 19th to 25th National Poker Week to meet with members of Congress and ask them to help protect my right to play poker online.

I’m looking forward to returning to Washington, DC. It’s been a year since I was there to attend a charity event to benefit the Paralyzed Veterans of America. While I was there, I met and befriended two very high-ranking military personnel who gave me a nighttime tour of our Capitol. This time, they have invited me to the Pentagon for lunch and a behind-the-scenes tour. We will also be going to the 9/11 Memorial and to Arlington National Cemetery.

There’s a lot of lobbying that needs to be done for our cause as part of National Poker Week. From July 20th to 22nd, professional poker players including Annie Duke, Greg Raymer, Howard Lederer, Dennis Phillips, Jan Fisher, and Andy Bloch will be joining more than 30 PPA State Directors to meet with members of the House of Representatives to ask them to co-sponsor HR 2267, introduced by Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank. We’ll also be meeting with Senators and asking them to support online poker legislation. We’ll be on a panel to educate Congressional staffers on the need for regulation and licensing of online poker. We’ll be helping to host a charity poker tournament to benefit the USO and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where the pros and State Directors will play alongside members of Congress and at least 35 wounded servicemen and women. The PPA is underwriting the whole tournament so that 100% of the proceeds will go to the charity.

All poker players are invited to visit the PPA website and send a letter to their member of Congress during National Poker Week asking for their support of licensing and regulation. Also, please go to MyPokerStory.com and record your own poker video. Let’s all get involved to protect this game we love!

Poker Petition Nearly at 200,000 Signatures

The petition organized by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) calling for the legalization of the great American pastime is at nearly 200,000 signatures. Overnight on Sunday, an additional 6,000 players lent their names.

The poker petition has been the talk of the town in Las Vegas, where players from the United States and around the world have turned out in droves for the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), which is emanating from the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. At Sunday night’s Cake Poker gathering at the Palms, Poker Room Manager Lee Jones told Poker News Daily that his site was one of several urging players to sign the PPA’s petition: “We’re very happy to be a part of this. We’re offering weekly $3,500 freerolls and are excited to see that the petition is doing so well.”

On PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site, weekly freerolls began on June 27th and run through July 25th. The petition is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. President Barack Obama on July 22nd, the conclusion of the PPA’s National Poker Week. Signing the petition qualifies a person to take part in a $3,500 freeroll on one of several major online poker sites, including Cake Poker and PokerStars. On the latter site, freerolls are capped at 20,000 players each and run at 2:30pm ET every Saturday. The four-figure prize pool events have helped fuel the growth of the petition.

The petition asks for the following: “Please: 1) exempt poker from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and 2) license and regulate internet poker in the US. 3) Respect the rights of law-abiding Americans who love to play this great game of skill.” It also cites the Citizens’ Briefing Book, which was hosted by Change.gov and asked American citizens to identify their top national concerns. When the smoke cleared, the legalization of online poker emerged as the top technology issue after a coordinated effort by the PPA.

As of midday on Monday, 194,795 poker players and other concerned citizens have virtually signed the petition. A person’s first name, last name, e-mail address, mailing address, city, state, and zip code are required. In addition, petitioners are asked to input a special authentication code that consists of a five-digit number. Jones told Poker News Daily that Cake Poker receives a list of new petitioners each week and cross-checks them against account information in order to determine who is eligible to participate in the special $3,500 freerolls.

Last week, 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, who made the final table of the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP this year, authored an e-mail to PokerStars members urging their involvement. It begins, “President Obama – Poker is Not a Crime. I am a voter and a fellow poker player asking for your support of my right to play games of skill like poker on the Internet.”

The first ever National Poker Week runs from July 19th to 25th and includes a fly-in of the PPA’s 30 State Directors to meet with lawmakers. In addition to its own regional heads, the PPA is also bringing in professional poker players Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson, and 2008 WSOP November Nine member Dennis Phillips. For more information, visit the PPA’s official website of National Poker Week.

Poker Players Alliance Announces National Poker Week

Mark your calendars now for the first ever National Poker Week, which kicks off on July 19th and runs through the 25th. The grassroots initiative is the brainchild of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the industry’s one million member strong lobbying force.

The PPA unveiled National Poker Week at a press conference on Monday inside the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). The gala featured Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), whose Internet Gambling Study Bill was introduced during the 110th Congress, but failed to be marked up by the House Judiciary Committee. Also in attendance were PPA Chairman and former three-term Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato, Poker News Daily Guest Columnist and Tournament Directors Association Co-Founder Linda Johnson, and 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer. Following the press conference, Berkley issued the “Shuffle Up and Deal” command to start play in the Amazon Room.

PPA Executive Director John Pappas told Poker News Daily about Monday’s press conference announcing the initiative: “I thought it went very well. Shelley Berkley was magnificent with her command for the issue and stated why it’s important for poker players to get involved in a meaningful way. She explained that the poker community should rally around the initiatives that the PPA is putting forth in order to make sure that legislation like Barney Frank’s bill will get passed.” Frank has two measures in Congress: HR 2267 establishes a licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. HR 2266 delays the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from being implemented for one year to December 1st, 2010.

The PPA will fly in of over 30 of its State Directors to Washington, D.C. as part of National Poker Week. While in the nation’s capital, the State Directors will meet with their elected officials to pitch support for legislation like HR 2266 and HR 2267. In addition, the crew will deliver a petition to U.S. President Barack Obama calling for exemption of poker from the UIGEA. Over 10,000 concerned players have signed the virtual poker petition, which will be delivered on July 22nd. It opens with a simple statement regarding the rights of poker players: “I am a voter and a fellow poker player asking for your support of my right to play games of skill like poker on the Internet.” In order to sign the petition, a person’s first name, last name, e-mail address, and mailing address are required. As I wrote this paragraph, 20 players have lent their names.

Professional poker players slated to be part of the event include Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson, and 2008 November Nine member Dennis Phillips. On July 21st, a charity poker tournament benefiting the United Service Organizations (USO) and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center will take place. The PPA is fronting the costs for the event in order to ensure that all of the money raised goes directly to the beneficiary organizations. The prizes and buy-in for the tournament were not available at the time of writing.

A key element leading up to National Poker Week is the launch of MyPokerStory.com, which invites poker players from around the country to submit a video of why the game is important to them and why the U.S. Government should legalize the Great American Pastime. All videos will be entered into a drawing for a two night Las Vegas package complete with airfare for two people. A total of 16 amateur videos are currently posted, including a clip from Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX). In addition, World Poker Tour Host Mike Sexton, “Cowboy” Kenna James, and Lederer have all submitted recordings. Interested WSOP spectators and players can produce their own videos at the PPA’s booth outside the Amazon Room.

Media present at the 45 minute long event on Monday received a tutorial on the PPA’s new National Poker Week web tools. In addition, it was revealed that a variety of telephone and e-mail campaigns will take place.

PPA Initiates “National Poker Week”

The PPA tries to take a big leap in its mission to lobby the legalization of online poker.

National Poker Week will take place July 19-25 and PPA will send more than 30 State Directors and at least six professional poker players to meet the members of Congress in Washington D.C.

“Our members - the poker players of America - are our best advocates to protect the future of poker.” said PPA Chairman and former U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato.

The PPA will also send a petition to President Obama asking for his support to make poker exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

You can sign the petition online at www.pokerpetition.com.

Pros who are going to Washington D.C. include Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson and Dennis Phillips.

“Protecting Americans’ right to play poker - whether online or around the poker table - is something everyone should support even if you don’t play,” Lederer said.

“Restricting what we can do online in the privacy of our own home is a slippery slope, which is why I am coming to Washington for National Poker Week - to tell my members of Congress to protect my rights.”

The PPA will also have a charity poker tournament on July 21, benefitting the USO and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Wounded servicemen and women will be playing alongside poker pros, PPA’s State Directors, and members of Congress. All proceeds from the event go directly to the USO.

Source: Pokerlistings.com

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PPA Initiates “National Poker Week”

PPA introduces National Poker Week

PPA National Poker Week will take place July 19-25, and the grassroots organization is stepping up its efforts by going directly to Washington D.C. and talking to members of Congress.

The group will send more than 30 State Directors and at least six professional poker players to D.C. The PPA representatives will meet with members of congress and lobby for legalization and regulation of online poker.

"Our members - the poker players of America - are our best advocates to protect the future of poker," said PPA Chairman and former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato said.

"National Poker Week, with events in Washington, D.C., and across the country, is the PPA's way to make it clear to my former colleagues in the U.S. Congress that poker is important to voters and is here to stay."

The PPA will also send a petition to President Obama asking for his support to make poker exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

Supporters can sign the petition online at www.pokerpetition.com.

Throughout National Poker Week the PPA will organize telephone and email promotions aimed at making the voice of the poker player heard in the halls of Congress. Players can visit www.nationalpokerweek.com to find out how to help out.

Pros scheduled to go to Washington D.C. include Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson and Dennis Phillips.

"Protecting Americans' right to play poker - whether online or around the poker table - is something everyone should support even if you don't play," Lederer said.

"Restricting what we can do online in the privacy of our own home is a slippery slope, which is why I am coming to Washington for National Poker Week - to tell my members of Congress to protect my rights."

The PPA will also host a charity poker tournament on July 21, benefitting the USO and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Wounded servicemen and women will be playing alongside poker pros, PPA's State Directors, and members of Congress. All proceeds from the event go directly to the USO.

Women in Poker Hall of Fame Inducts Fisher, Field, Violette

WSOP To Offer Players Ability To Help Charities

Over the past five years, poker players have stepped to the forefront for a variety of charitable causes. Online tournaments have raised funds to assist the victims of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other deserving organizations. The Heartland Poker Tour makes contributions to the Disabled American Veterans. There is even an organization – founded by Poker News Daily guest columnist Mike Sexton, tournament directors Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher and philanthropist Lisa Tenner – called Poker Gives, that focuses on using poker to assist in fundraising for charities. Now the World Series of Poker will step up and take poker philanthropy to the next level.

For the first time in its forty year history, the WSOP will offer players who cash during each event on this summer’s schedule the opportunity to donate part of their winnings to an organization that the WSOP has aligned itself with. All that a winning player has to do is to ask the payout clerk to leave one percent of their winnings to the Nevada Cancer Institute and the WSOP will arrange to transfer the funds to the Institute. As with many charitable donations, they are tax-deductible and contributors will receive a letter from NVCI for accounting purposes.

During the run of the tournament schedule, a special VIP lounge will be set up for players who pay a membership fee to be able to use the room. The “Aces Club” will be donating a large portion of each membership taken for access to the room to the Nevada Cancer Institute. As of press time, there are still memberships available and anyone who wishes to access the “Aces Club” should visit the area during the first few days of the WSOP.

One of the most popular fundraisers during the last few years at the World Series has been the “Queens of Heart” that play during the Ladies’ Championship Event. Featuring such players as former WSOP Ladies’ Champion Jennifer Tilly, poker professional Kristy Gazes and actresses Mimi Rogers and Cheryl Hines, the team has raised large amounts of money for women’s causes over the past few years. This year, the WSOP has created a special line of poker clothing for women, available at the Rio and on their website, WSOP Shop. The proceeds from sales of the “Queens of Heart” merchandise will go to the Nevada Cancer Institute, continuing the tradition the team has driven while playing on the felt.

There will be two special charitable tournaments during the run of the WSOP. “Ante Up For Africa” – the cause promoted by actor Don Cheadle and poker professional Annie Duke – will be back for their third annual event. The $5,000 buy in No Limit Hold’em tournament is open to anyone 21 years or older and this year, for the first time, will be a part of the ESPN broadcasts of the WSOP. For the Media Charity Event this year, the players who reach the final table will have donations made in their name to the Nevada Cancer Institute.

Finally, the Championship Event of the World Series will also have a way for players to make their mark in a charitable way. Poker pro Phil Gordon’s charitable cause “Bad Beat On Cancer” and the Nevada Cancer Institute will both benefit from players who donate, much like earlier in the tournament schedule, one percent of their winnings to charity. All contributions are tax deductible and will benefit research into the cure for one of mankind’s worst diseases.

With the WSOP adding in this charitable aspect to their poker schedule, the poker world is once again proving that, while there may be no charity at the poker table, there is a charitable heart inside all who play the game.

Women’s Poker Spotlight: Women in Poker Hall of Fame Announce 2009 Inductees

Life on the High Seas by Linda Johnson

Recently, I returned from another spectacular adventure with Card Player Cruises aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Legend of the Seas. As I grow older, my interest in visiting new places and learning about other cultures grows. To begin the trip, I flew to Shanghai, China with my business partner, Jan Fisher, and Card Player Cruises’ operations manager, Rita Axel. There, we met up with my brother, mom, aunt, and Jan’s father.

The 14-day cruise was an eye-opening experience and made me so very proud to be an American. Visiting China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore was a culture shock of gargantuan proportions. Although I had already been to Thailand and Singapore, I found China to be much more modern and Vietnam and Cambodia to be much poorer than my preconceptions of them. I don’t think anyone who joined us on this cruise wasn’t affected by what they saw. Many of the people in Asia work long days at back-breaking work and make less than $1,000 a year, yet they were kind and loving and seemed to enjoy our visits. They were proud of their homes and proud to tell us about their customs and history.

Here were some of the highlights of the cruise:

The Poker Room: The games (Omaha/8, Hold’em, No Limit, and a Mixed game) were lively and the players had a good time.

Shanghai, China: We enjoyed a trip to a Buddhist temple, a city tour, a river cruise, a two hour massage, and shopping, shopping, shopping!

Xiamen, China: The tour featured a scenic drive, a tea ceremony, shopping at a pedestrian mall, and a two hour massage.

Hong Kong: We went on a city tour before going to the Aberdeen fishing village to experience a sampan ride. Disaster struck while having lunch at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant: My mother didn’t see one of the steps and took a bad fall, breaking a bone in her foot. Ever the trooper, she insisted that we finish the tour to Victoria Peak and the Stanley Market before letting me take her to an orthopedic specialist. He made a walking cast for her and told her to stay off her foot as much as possible for six weeks. For the duration of the trip, she had to be in a wheelchair, but her spirits never dampened and she never complained. She is my hero!

Sanya, China: We finally got out of the modern cities and into the countryside. The roads through the local villages were rough; pigs and cattle roamed openly. We took a boat ride to Monkey Island, aptly named for the monkeys that roamed freely. Next was a short stop at the Nurian Hot Springs. One of my trip highlights was lying in a nibble fish pool and having tiny fish nibble away at my dry skin; it really tickled!

Danang, Vietnam: Mom and I rented a vehicle and a driver and took a scenic tour with a stop at China Beach and a marble factory.

Nha Trang, Vietnam: I had planned an excursion for the Card Player Cruises group that would really showcase how the people in Vietnam live. It began with a trip to a local kindergarten (the children were beautiful and so friendly), a visit to a mat-making village and a clay pot manufacturer, a traditional Vietnamese lunch by the river, and a stop at a temple.

Vung Tau, Vietnam: I stayed on the ship with my mother and we checked our e-mail and relaxed by the pool. Many of our cruisers made the long trek to Saigon.

Bangkok, Thailand: I planned an overnight trip for 20 of our passengers that began with a visit to the Sriachi Zoo before checking into the Royal Orchid Sheraton in Bangkok. It was a beautiful hotel on the river with spectacular views from the rooms. After some free time during which I had a traditional Thai massage (lots of stretching involved), we went to a great dinner and a production show that would rival the best in Las Vegas. Our night ended with a stop at the night market and an adult show. The next morning, we broke into two groups: one took a city tour and the other took a canal tour before we reunited for the two hour ride back to the ship.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia: Cambodia was very hot and humid. The poverty was more prevalent than we had seen in the other countries. We went to a temple, did a city tour, and stopped at a market. I actually was so warm that I passed up a two hour, $10 massage and went back to the ship for a swim.

Singapore: My good friend Vince Lau picked us up at the port and took us to the Meritus Mandarin Hotel where we checked into our rooms. Following a city tour and a great lunch, my mom, aunt, and brother headed to the airport. In the evening, we went to a local Hawker food court and then drove through the red light district and walked around Clarke Quay. The next day, Vince had arranged for a poker seminar and tournament. Twenty of our cruise passengers joined about 50 locals to hear Mark Tenner, Barry Tanenbaum, Jan Fisher, and me talk poker. After the chat, we played in a freeroll tournament. Sushi was on the dinner menu then it was early to bed so we could get up at 3:00am to head to the airport to go home.

Poker News in Brief: March 30-April 5

As part of a weekly series we've compiled a list of stories that didn't quite make it into the main news roster but were worth mentioning.

This week we take a look at an honored female poker player finally getting the recognition she deserves along with one of the best online players in the world doing what he does best - win tournaments.

Cyndy Violette headlines 2009 Women in Poker Hall of Fame inductees

On June 5, Cyndy Violette along with June Field and Jan Fisher will be inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame.

Violette is a World Series of Poker bracelet winner and has accumulated more than $1 million in tournament winnings through her career. Field is also a WSOP bracelet winner, but she made most of her mark behind the poker scene by founding two poker magazines as well as two poker cruises.

Fisher enjoys a semiprofessional poker career, but is better known for her role as a tournament director for events as well as co-founding the Tournament Directors Association. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Poker Players Alliance, Ladies Poker Association and Ladies International Poker Series.

This is only the second year of inductions since the creation of the WiPHoF, and these three women will join Marsha Waggoner, Susie Isaacs, Linda Johnson and Barbara Enright in the Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony plus a celebration dinner and dance will take place June 5 at the Golden Nugget Casino in downtown Las Vegas.

Texas committee passes poker bill

Live poker keeps getting closer and closer to legalization in Texas. This week Texas State Representative Jose Menendez' poker bill got passed by a 6-3 vote in the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee.

Although the bill must still pass through the House of Representatives there's definitely a chance that poker players will soon be able to actually play Texas No-Limit Hold'em in Texas.

As always be sure to check out poker blog Pokerati as they are following the Texas situation closely.

UFC fighter brandish Ultimate Bet gear

At first it was just a rumor but it appears two "Ultimate" brands are now officially collaborating. Ultimate Bet Poker and the Ultimate Fighting Championship must have come to a beneficial agreement as Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann donned Ultimate Bet gear during his latest tilt that was shown on Spike TV.

Check out topix.net for more information.

WestmenloAA wins SCOOP event 1

Online player Isaac "WestmenloAA" Baron proved once again just how dominant he can be by winning one of the Day 1 SCOOP events on PokerStars.

Baron won one of the middle tier events on Day 1 specifically the $55 6-Max No-Limit Hold'em with rebuys. Despite the event's small buy-in the prize pool was an impressive $641,350 thanks to rebuys.

Baron beat KidCardiff6 in heads-up play to take down the epic $97,805 first place prize.

Read more about it at the PokerStars blog.

New players touched by an iPod at Betfair Poker

From March 25 to April 12, new players have a chance to win an iPod Touch at Betfair Poker.

Any new player who generates 10,000 Betfair Poker points within their first 60 days of their first real-money hand will earn an 8GB iPod Touch. Along the way to 10,000 points, players who reach 1,000 points will also be automatically qualified for a seat in an exclusive freeroll where the top 50 players will also receive an iPod Touch.

Check out the details at Betfair Poker.

Women in Poker Hall of Fame Welcomes Field, Fisher, and Violette

On Friday, June 5th, the Women in Poker Hall of Fame will grow a little bigger. June Field, Jan Fisher, and Cyndy Violette will join an esteemed class of poker pros that already includes Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Linda Johnson, Marsha Waggoner, Susie Isaacs, and Barbara Enright.

On the three newest inductees, Johnson told Poker News Daily, "The 2009 inductees into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame are each very worthy of this honor. June Field inspired me as a publisher, Cyndy Violette inspired me as a player, and Jan Fisher inspired me as an industry leader." The trio will be honored at a special dinner and dancing celebration at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas that will benefit the charity Poker Gives.

June Field is the founder of CardPlayer magazine, which today has grown into one of the largest poker publications in the world. She is also the founder of CardPlayer Cruises and Classic Poker Cruises. Later in her career, she launched Poker Digest, which merged with Casino Player magazine. On starting up CardPlayer, Field commented in a press release distributed by the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, “I wanted a media vehicle that would be a reliable source for advertisers and readers alike. One they could turn to and find out what’s happening, where it’s happening, and who is making it happen.” On the poker felts, Field won a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet in 1982 in a $500 buy-in Limit Seven Card Stud tournament for $16,000. Johnson was also at the final table of that tournament and took fourth.

Jan Fisher co-founded the Tournament Directors' Association (TDA) with Johnson, Matt Savage, and David Lamb. She is currently a partner in CardPlayer Cruises and authors the column “Fishing Around” for Poker Player Magazine. Fisher is extremely active in the poker community and sits on the Board of Directors of the Poker Players Alliance (the poker industry's main lobbying arm), Ladies Poker Association, and Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS). She gained notoriety by serving as the in-house statistician during the first six seasons of the World Poker Tour.

Cyndy Violette is a Full Tilt Poker sponsored pro and took down her first (and so far only) WSOP bracelet by winning a $2,000 buy-in Seven Card Stud High-Low Eight or Better tournament in 2004. Two years later, she took third in a $5,000 buy-in Seven Card Stud event for $102,000, outlasting all but Shawn Sheikhan and Benjamin Lin. In 2005, she made three final tables at the WSOP, earning her even more exposure.

On June 4th, a $230 buy-in tournament with $50 rebuys will take place at the Golden Nugget benefiting Poker Gives, a charity founded by Johnson, Fisher, Mike Sexton, and Lisa Tenner. The tournament will kick off promptly at 7:00pm local time. The next day at 6:00pm, Sexton, the Host of the World Poker Tour and a Guest Columnist right here on Poker News Daily, will emcee the induction ceremonies. Tickets for the event can be purchased online at the official website of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame and include nominating rights for the 2010 class.

On Saturday, June 6th, LIPS will hold $175 satellites with winners getting their choice of entry into the Golden Nugget Grand Series event or the LIPS Championship in August. On Sunday, the $1,000 buy-in WSOP Ladies Only event kicks off at the Rio, one of 57 tournaments to be held as part of the 2009 WSOP. LIPS Championship entries will also be given out on Monday at an event at the Golden Nugget.