Poker News

Graham bests Lunkin in PLO marathon

The New Orleans native overcame a 13:1 chip disadvantage to win his second World Series of Poker bracelet a little less than a year after mounting an 8:1 comeback to win his first.

Last year, Jean-Robert Bellande was the victim and the $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout was the game.

This time it was $40,000 NLHE event winner Vitaly Lunkin at the $10,000 World Championship Pot Limit Omaha tournament.

"It was fun and stressful, exciting and draining at the same time," Graham said of the marathon, fifteen-hour final table.

"I'm more excited about this [bracelet] than the first one. It's really weird, but it's just the fact that it's a $10k event and PLO and a lot more money."

Graham banks $679,379 for a victory that didn't come easy.

To get to heads-up play with Lunkin, the MTT specialist had to overcome a final table that included the likes of Barry Greenstein and Josh Arieh, as well as $5k PLO champ Richard Austin and finalist Van Marcus.

"My strategy was to wait until we were short-handed and then pick up the pace a little bit," he said.

"I lost one pot that brought me to 1.1 million and right then I was a little worried because we were seven left and I thought, 'Wow, I'd hate to go out in seventh here.'"

Graham would rebuild, outlasting his rivals as the night wore on and drawing strength from a loud contingent of supporters that included poker pros Ryan Daut, Adam Levy and Scott Seiver.

"That was awesome," Graham said. "Four-thirty in the morning and fifteen people are all full of energy and behind you."

Heads-up play began at 2:30 a.m. with both players about even in chips and after ninety minutes of small ball, Lunkin all but clinched the bracelet in a monster pot.

It was an all-in preflop confrontation between Graham's Q Q 8 7 and Lunkin's A K 5 3 and the flop was disastrous for Graham, coming A 4 2 to give the Russian the wheel and the nut flush draw.

The board would brick and Graham found himself staring down a seemingly insurmountable disadvantage.

"I was just thinking I was going to continue to play my best," Graham said.

"No matter how you play it's a long shot in that situation, so I was just going to do all I could to come back and the cards cooperated."

Graham doubled twice in rapid succession as Lunkin, perhaps blinded by his massive advantage, continued to make calls with marginal hands.

Then the American hit a lucky turn with 9 8 7 5 to crack Lunkin's aces and regain the chip lead.

A few hands later - and less than thirty minutes after taking that devastating blow - Graham had clinched the bracelet, his top set of tens holding against Lunkin's gutshot straight and flush draws to end the match and secure the victory.

"[Lunkin] didn't play too badly," Graham said. "I think the one hand with AK53 was a mistake, but overall he was tough to play against."

For second place, Lunkin earns $419,832.

Check out the PokerListings.com 2009 WSOP section for more coverage from Las Vegas.

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Thousands more flock to $1.5k No-Limit event

The $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em tournament that began today drew 2,793 players and is the second event in the 2009 WSOP to cross the 2,000 entrants mark.

Over the first seven events this year there have been an astounding 11,741 players - up 3,224 players compared to the first seven events in 2008.

Although lower buy-in events are the bread and butter for more casual players, a large number of pros have made their presence felt in the first level of play.

Among them are Joe Sebok, Jean-Robert Bellande, Kristy Gazes, Humberto Brenes and Dennis Phillips.

Phillips, who came in third in the 2008 WSOP Main Event for $4.5 million, is already impressed with the numbers coming in for the 2009 Series.

"It's been unbelievable," said Phillips. "Can you imagine when Congress changes the law and opens it up to online poker rooms again? This thing is going to get monstrous."

Phillips said that with the overwhelming success of the lower buy-in events the new $1,000 tournament is likely here to stay and could potentially get expanded.

"I was talking to Jeffrey [Pollack] last night and we're already talking about adding a couple more $1,000 events," said Phillips. "We might get the overall number of events bumped up to 60 next year."

With that said Phillips mentioned he wasn't pleased with the large number of $1,500 No-Limit events.

"I think seven of them is a little over the top," said Phillips. "They might bring back a few of the rebuy events next year instead. They'll probably run five $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em events next year and three or four of the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em."

Last year's first $1,500 event was the first low buy-in event of the WSOP and it drew 3,929 entrants. Poker pro Grant Hinkle was the ultimate survivor and he took down $831,279 for his efforts.

The 2009 WSOP runs until July 15th with Main Event final table playing out in November. Check the live update, blog, video and news pages for all the action throughout the summer.

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Celebrity Apprentice to Return Mid-Season, Retain 9:00pm ET Time Slot

NBC’s hit reality show, Celebrity Apprentice, will return mid-season in 2010, according to a recent article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune. The show’s second season, and eighth overall, saw poker pro Annie Duke reach the finals and square off against comedian Joan Rivers.

The finale of Celebrity Apprentice, which played out on Sunday, May 10th, averaged 8.73 million viewers, according to TV Guide. It ran against stiff competition, as the season finale of CBS’ Amazing Race aired from 8:00pm to 9:00pm ET and drew 10.43 million. Lawyers Tammy and Victor earned the “W” on that show’s 14th installment. Also airing during the first of three hours of the Celebrity Apprentice season finale was Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which generated 8.2 million viewers. During the 9:00pm ET hour, the Donald Trump-led reality series had to contend against both Cold Case and Desperate Housewives. The two shows saw 11.78 and 12.13 million viewers, respectively, tune in.

The final hour of Celebrity Apprentice, which included about a half-hour of live programming from New York City, attracted an audience of 10.24 million. It “trumped” the season finales of The Unit and Brothers and Sisters, outdrawing both shows by at least 500,000. Celebrity Apprentice ran during the season from 9:00pm to 11:00pm ET, being truncated to one hour on just one occasion, which was for the series premiere of Southland, a drama from the creators of E.R. According to the Tribune, Dateline NBC will occupy the 7:00pm to 8:00pm ET time slot in early 2010. It will be followed by The Marriage Ref, which airs from 8:00pm to 9:00pm ET. Celebrity Apprentice will then be beamed into homes around the country for two hours.

In its Fall 2009 schedule, NBC will air Sunday Night Football in the time slot previously occupied by Celebrity Apprentice. Its pre-game show, Football Night in America, will run from 7:00pm to 8:20pm ET, with kickoff of the feature game occurring shortly thereafter. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call every Sunday. Collinsworth replaces football legend John Madden, who recently retired. Celebrity Apprentice fans may also have to wait until after the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will emanate from Vancouver and air between February 12th and 28th.

Duke raised over $730,000 for her charity, Refugees International, during NBC’s second season of Celebrity Apprentice. She raised $460,000 in the final episode alone, which challenged Duke and Rivers to hold a silent auction featuring celebrity experiences prior to a performance of the Cirque du Soleil show Wintuk. The task also entailed incorporating the event’s corporate sponsor, Kodak. In the end, the two finalists were judged on five criteria, with Rivers winning Kodak integration, celebrities in attendance, and overall guest experience. Duke won by a 3:1 margin in money raised and also won charity incorporation.

In a recently blog, 10-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson remarked, “The Celebrity Apprentice is over. What a joke! If Donald Trump was really hiring someone, who do you think he would pick? I think that when Joan Rivers threatened to not come back, Trump assured her she would be the winner.” Time will only tell if the third installment of Celebrity Apprentice will feature a poker player. Duke is one of several to appear on a major reality series. In 2007, Bodog Poker pro Jean-Robert Bellande appeared on CBS’ Survivor: China. Bellande was the eighth person voted out and became the second member of the jury. In Survivor, ousted contestants choose the winner of the $1 million first place prize. Flight attendant Todd Herzog took down Survivor: China, besting Courtney Yates and Amanda Kimmel in a three-way final tribal council.

Duke will re-enter the poker spotlight during the 2009 WSOP, which kicks off next week from the Rio in Las Vegas. A $5,000 buy-in charity poker tournament benefiting Ante Up for Africa will take place on July 2nd in the Amazon Room and be televised by ESPN. Celebrity Apprentice contestants Dennis Rodman and Herschel Walker are both confirmed to appear in the event, which raises money for the victims of the crisis in Darfur. Ante Up for Africa was founded in 2006 by Duke, actor Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein.

Bodog Poker Open III Dates Announced

On April 26th, the third Bodog Poker Open will kick off on one of the world’s largest online poker sites. In a similar model to tournaments held on Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, the newest Bodog Poker Open will feature three buy-in levels.

The Main Event takes place on May 3rd. Leading up to it, the popular event will feature tournaments held as part of the Championship Tournament Series, Mid-Stakes Tournament Series, and Mini-Bounty Tournament Series. Each features a different schedule of events. Overall, players will battle it out in full- and short-handed tables in games such as Limit Hold’em, No Limit Hold’em, and Omaha. In contrast to other sites, Bodog does not guarantee prize pools in its high-stakes Championship Poker Open. Instead, the site adds money to each prize pool.

Here is a look at the schedule of events that players can look forward to on the popular online poker room, sports book, and casino when the festivities kick off on April 26th:

Championship Series:

Sunday, April 26th at 4:00pm ET
Event #1: No Limit Hold’em Rebuy
$55 with rebuys, $5,000 Added

Sunday, April 26th at 8:30pm ET
Event #2: No Limit Hold’em Four-Handed Freeze-Out
$215 buy-in, $5,000 Added

Monday, April 27th at 8:00pm ET
Event #3: No Limit Hold’em Freeze-Out
$270 buy-in, $5,000 Added

Tuesday, April 28th at 8:00pm ET
Event #4: No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed Freeze-Out
$325 buy-in, $5,000 Added

Wednesday, April 29th at 8:00pm ET
Event #5: No Limit Hold’em Rebuy
$110 with rebuys, $5,000 Added

Thursday, April 30th at 8:00pm ET
Event #6: Pot Limit Hold’em Freeze-Out
$163 buy-in, $5,000 Added

Friday, May 1st at 8:00pm ET
Event #7: Limit Hold’em Freeze-Out
$130 buy-in, $5,000 Added

Saturday, May 2nd at 7:15pm ET
Event #8: Turbo Hundo Freeze-Out
$109 buy-in, $5,000 Added

Sunday, May 3rd at 2:00pm ET
Event #9: No Limit Hold’em Cubed
$55 buy-in (One Rebuy plus One Add-On), $5,000 Added

Sunday, May 3rd at 4:00pm ET
Main Event
$500 buy-in, $30,000 Added

Mid-Stakes Series:

Sunday, April 26th at 2:00pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Freeze-Out
$109 buy-in, $20,000 Guaranteed

Monday, April 27th at 8:30pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Rebuy
$22 with rebuys, $15,000 Guaranteed

Tuesday, April 28th at 8:30pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Turbo Freeze-Out
$60 buy-in, $15,000 Guaranteed

Wednesday, April 29th at 8:30pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed Freeze-Out
$60 buy-in, $15,000 Guaranteed

Thursday, April 30th at 8:30pm ET
Limit Hold'em Four-Handed Freeze-Out
$75 buy-in, $15,000 Guaranteed

Friday, May 1st at 8:30pm ET
Pot Limit Hold’em Rebuy
$33 with rebuys, $15,000 Guaranteed

Saturday, May 2nd at 8:30pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Cubed
$33 buy-in (One Rebuy plus One Add-On), $15,000 Guaranteed

Sunday, May 3rd at 8:30pm ET
Main Event
$163 buy-in, $30,000 Guaranteed

Mini-Bounty Series Schedule:

Sunday, April 26th at 4:30pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Bounty Freeze-Out
$11 buy-in, $10,000 Guaranteed

Monday, April 27th at 9:00pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed Turbo Bounty Freeze-Out
$33 buy-in, $10,000 Guaranteed

Tuesday, April 28th at 9:00pm ET
Pot Limit Hold’em Bounty Freeze-Out
$22 buy-in, $5,000 Guaranteed

Wednesday, April 29th at 9:00pm ET
Limit Hold’em Turbo Bounty Freeze-Out
$16.50 buy-in, $5,000 Guaranteed

Thursday, April 30th at 9:00pm ET
No Limit Hold'em Bounty Freeze-Out
$27.50 buy-in, $10,000 Guaranteed

Friday, May 1st at 9:00pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Four-Handed Bounty Freeze-Out
$36 buy-in, $5,000 Guaranteed

Saturday, May 2nd at 5:45pm ET
No Limit Hold’em Turbo Bounty Freeze-Out
$24 buy-in, $5,000 Guaranteed

Sunday, May 3rd at 4:30pm ET
Main Event
$50 buy-in, $15,000 Guaranteed

Bodog Poker pros Evelyn Ng, Jean-Robert Bellande, David Williams, and Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo will each have a bounty on their heads throughout the Mini-Bounty Series. In addition, winners from the 12 Days of Poker promotion, Monthly TLB champions, the Top 10 on the Yearly TLB, Mini-SOP victors, Bodog Poker Open II champions, and Flight Club players will also don bounties, making the tournament series lucrative. Knocking any of them out pays for a player’s entry into the Mini-Bounty Series Main Event.

ZeeJustin Unbanned on PokerStars

Just in time for its very first Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), the world's most popular online poker room, PokerStars, reinstated the account of Justin "ZeeJustin" Bonomo, a sponsored pro of Bodog. The 23 year-old first ran into trouble in 2006 on PartyPoker, which was, at the time, open to U.S. players. Bonomo logged into multiple accounts at one time, sparking a flood of other sites to follow suit and ban the young player from their virtual felts.

Bonomo's multi-accounting came into light soon after the revelation that Josh "JJProdigy" Field had used several screen names, including “ABlackCar.” The mischief by Field also occurred on PartyPoker, leading the site to tighten up its security. Field was also informed by the Cake Poker Network that he could not compete in the Bluff Online Poker Challenge last month due to a ban for allowing a staked player to use his account.

Bonomo used a total of six accounts to log into PartyPoker; at times, these accounts appeared in the same online poker tournament. Winnings from a $640 buy-in PartyPoker Sunday tournament were revoked and Bonomo shied away from the media frenzy. On February 26th, 2006, Lee Jones, then the PokerStars Poker Room Manager, announced on TwoPlusTwo that Bonomo had been "playing multiple accounts in several tournaments at PokerStars." Money was taken from his account and used to pay back "players who were harmed by his actions in those same tournaments."

In 2008, Bonomo signed on as a member of Team Bodog, joining "Survivor: China" castaway Jean-Robert Bellande, Evelyn Ng, and David Williams. Bonomo burst onto the live poker scene in 2007, taking second in a $3,000 buy-in HORSE tournament held as part of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit festivities at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for $40,000. During the 2007 WSOP, Bonomo made the final table and finished fourth in a $2,000 buy-in No Limit Hold'em tournament, winning $156,000. The next year, he finished as the runner up in a $5,000 Mixed Hold'em event for $230,000. That tournament marked the first bracelet win for Full Tilt Poker pro Erick Lindgren.

During the 2006 Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic, a stop on the World Poker Tour (WPT), Bonomo bubbled the six-handed televised final table and finished in seventh for $152,000. He took 11th in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event and 35th in the WPT Championship, both in 2007, for a combined $154,000. Together with Parvis and Eric Morris, Bonomo took down the inaugural Dream Team Poker tournament held at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas as part of “Team Bluff.” Now, he will battle it out in the PokerStars SCOOP, which begins on Friday.

On the naming of Bonomo to Bodog's elite stable of poker pros in May of 2008, Mohawk Gaming Group CEO Alwyn Morris commented in a press release, "Justin is one of the most feared and skilled players in poker today and we're thrilled to officially have him join our team of world-class poker pros. Justin lives and breathes the Bodog lifestyle and is a perfect fit for us. We expect him to make a lot of noise this year for Team Bodog, beginning with the WSOP this summer."

Matt Graham (mattg1983) Joins Ultimate Bet Star Players Team

On Thursday, online poker room Ultimate Bet announced that it had signed World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder and top online poker player Matt “mattg1983” Graham to its roster of Star Players. He joins Tiffany Michelle, Tracy Scala, James “P0KERPR033” Campbell, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, “Hollywood” Dave Stann, and Michael Binger.

Graham's WSOP bracelet came after a grueling heads-up match against Bodog pro and “Survivor: China” contestant Jean-Robert Bellande in a $1,500 buy-in Limit Shootout event last year. Graham's win was worth $278,000, solidifying his name as a major force in both the live and online poker worlds. Graham also took down a $5,000 buy-in event held during the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in December for $320,000, besting David Matthew heads-up. Finishing in the top ten of that tournament were a talented group of pros including David “The Dragon” Pham, Hafiz Khan, Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, and Marco “CrazyMarco” Johnson.

In a statement released by the Tokwiro-owned online poker site, Annie Duke welcomed her new colleague to Ultimate Bet: "I am so thrilled to have Matt Graham on the team. Matt epitomizes the all-around poker player. He has great results in all of the games, live or online. Matt is an amazing addition to the UltimateBet.com team." Duke and Phil Hellmuth serve as the primary faces of Ultimate Bet, which makes its home on the USA-friendly CEREUS Network. Late last year, the site combined its member base with that of Absolute Poker, creating the popular Network.

Michelle was the last woman standing in the 2008 WSOP Main Event, ultimately finishing 17th and taking home $334,000. Scala won the first season of “Best Damn Poker Show,” a reality series on Fox Sports Net pitting Duke and Hellmuth against each other to see who can groom poker's next superstar. The second installment of “Best Damn Poker Show” just wrapped up and was won by Patrick Karst.

Campbell is one of the top online players and can be found battling it out under the alias “P0KERPR033.” Levy finished fifth in the World Poker Tour's Festa al Lago event last year, banking $266,000. Stann was a contestant on “Best Damn Poker Show” Season One and is well-known for his skills at the blackjack table. Binger has nearly $5 million in career WSOP earnings, although he has not yet won a bracelet.

On his new employer, Graham noted, "I look forward to the opportunity to represent UltimateBet.com both online and in the live arena. I never would have thought I would be a site pro when I began my online poker career at UltimateBet.com four years ago, but now here I am. I am very excited to be a part of the future of this site." Online, the poker prodigy took down the Sunday Second Chance on PokerStars in August for $53,000. In the same month, he also won the PokerStars $100 rebuy, one of the most challenging tournaments in all of poker, for $38,000.

According to PokerScout.com, which ranks online poker traffic, CEREUS sits at number seven worldwide with a seven day running average of 2,400 real money ring game players. Its 24 hour peak, which occurs during prime time hours in the United States, is 3,321. The CEREUS Network is the third largest that accepts players from the United States, trailing only PokerStars (24,400 cash game players on average) and Full Tilt Poker (11,000). Both Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet are owned by Tokwiro Enterprises. The Network's Bad Beat Jackpot was hit last week for over $800,000 when a Royal Flush defeated a jack-high Straight Flush.

Bodog Unveils 2009 WSOP Prop Bets

If you've ever wanted to rail your favorite poker stars without having to be at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, head to Bodog. The online poker site and sports book recently opened up betting on the WSOP. The festivities at the Rio begin on May 27th.

Among the wagers available on Bodog is what poker pro will win the most money during the 2009 WSOP. The leader in the clubhouse is 11-time bracelet holder Phil Hellmuth, who is currently going off at 5:2. Other players that are available to bet on include Doyle Brunson (7:2), David Sklansky (12:1), Barry Greenstein (5:1), Mike Caro (12:1), Phil Gordon (10:1), T.J. Cloutier (6:1), and Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu, who is fetching 3:1 odds.

The question of “Will Phil Hellmuth win his 12th bracelet at the 2009 WSOP occurring in Las Vegas beginning May 27th?” is paying +300 for Yes and -500 for No. Hellmuth made three final tables last year, taking third in the $1,500 buy-in HORSE event for $93,000. You can also bet on whether Brunson or Johnny Chan will score their 11th bracelets. The +300 figure means that a player must bet $100 to get back a total of $400. The -500 figure means that a player must bet $500 to get back a total of $600.

A special last longer wager is also available on the prestigious $50,000 buy-in HORSE Championship, which was infamously won last year by Scotty Nguyen. He has 5:1 odds in the bet, the favorite among the pros available. Others include Brunson (6:1), Hellmuth (7:1), Chan (7:1), Freddy Deeb (11:2), Phil Ivey (6:1), David Williams (11:2), Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo (11:2), and Negreanu (6:1). Deeb won the event in 2007 and the late Chip Reese took down the inaugural HORSE Championship in 2006. The trophy given to the winner of the event is named in his honor.

Another unique bet asks wagerers to select what pair will rack up the most winnings in the 2009 WSOP. Patrik Antonius and Kathy Liebert are the current favorites, going off at 4:1. Other pairings available include Doyle and Todd Brunson (6:1), the husband and wife team of Marco Traniello and Jennifer Harman (6:1), father and son Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok (9:2), brother and sister Annie Duke and Howard Lederer (15:2), Bodog pros Evelyn Ng and Justin Bonomo (15:2), Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly (6:1), mother and son David and Shirley Williams (6:1), engaged couple Chad Brown and Vanessa Rousso (10:1), and Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Tiffany Michelle (9:2).

Players can even bet on what game will be played when the final hand is dealt during the HORSE Championship. Hold'em, Razz, and Seven Card Stud are all paying 5:2, while Omaha High-Low and Seven Card Stud High-Low are both going off at 15:4.

Bettors will also be keeping their eyes on the female contingent in the Main Event, as a special women's-only last longer bet is available on Bodog. Jennifer Harman and Kathy Liebert are the current favorites; both are 5:1 to remain in contention in the Main Event the longest. Others include Duke (7:1), Tilly (10:1), Cyndy Violette (7:1), Isabelle Mercier (7:1), Clonie Gowen (7:1), Ng (7:1), Liz Lieu (7:1), Mimi Tran (7:1), Katja Thater (7:1), Rousso (7:1), and the last woman standing in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, Maria Ho (10:1).

One prop bet on Bodog centers wholly on Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande's finish in the Main Event. Bellande was a contestant on CBS' “Survivor: China,” one of the 18 seasons of the show that have aired. “No Money” is paying 1:20; finishing in the money, but no better than 10th place is paying 8:1; making the final table is paying 150:1; and winning the 2009 WSOP Main Event is fetching 1,000:1 odds. Bellande took 442nd in the Main Event last year.

The first wager listed in Bodog's poker section is, “Will Scotty Nguyen reach his stated promise that he will earn $4,000,000 or more in combined winnings at this year’s WSOP?” Yes is paying out +2,400. The bet stems from an interview Nguyen had with PokerListings that he would retire from poker if he does not amass $4 million in winnings at the 2009 WSOP. Whether he will follow through on his promise is anyone's guess.