Poker News

Eric Baldwin (basebaldy) Signs with UB, Wins Player of the Year

On Tuesday, 2009 CardPlayer Player of the Year winner Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin became a sponsored pro of the USA-friendly online poker site UB.com. He defeated Cornel Andrew Cimpan and Yevgeniy “Jovial Gent” Timoshenko in the Player of the Year race.

In April, Baldwin came out on top of the field in a $2,500 No Limit Hold’em event held during the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza and earned $198,000. The colossal six-figure score set up a monumental run at this year’s World Series of Poker (WSOP). Baldwin won his first bracelet by besting Danish pro Jonas Klausen in a $1,500 buy-in Limit Hold’em event to the tune of $521,000. About a week later, he grabbed third in the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em, boosting his bankroll by another $259,000.

After the 2009 WSOP, Baldwin’s quest to take down the CardPlayer Player of the Year title hit full stride. He told Poker News Daily, “"At the start of the year at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, my friends and I were talking about how much fun it would be to chase after that award. I like the structure of a competition like that. It’s so much fun to me. It gives me a goal and something to work with. At the end of the WSOP, I thought it could be my year." In October, Baldwin final tabled the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic for $126,000. This month, he padded his resume by winning a $1,000 buy-in preliminary event held during the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $256,000.

He was rewarded for his efforts with a contract from UB.com, where he’ll play under the moniker “eric_baldwin,” abandoning his “basebaldy” nickname for the time being. On the November re-launch of UB.com, Baldwin told Poker News Daily, “I thought everything looked slick. I like the new logo and everything runs smoothly. I like the new website and the new features with videos of the pros. We’re going to get into some strategy things on the site that will help people a lot. Everything looks slick, runs slick, and it’s exciting.” UB.com makes its home on the CEREUS Network along with Absolute Poker. Both online poker rooms are owned by Tokwiro Enterprises.

Baldwin is a former baseball player from Wisconsin and will appear on this week’s installment of the UB.com poker news show “Poker2Nite.” He joins a cast of characters at UB.com that already includes Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Annie Duke, 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, Billy “Patrolman35” Kopp, Bryan “badbeatninja” Devonshire, Brandon Cantu, PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok, Matt “mattg1983” Graham, Michael Binger, and “Amazing Race” contestant Tiffany Michelle.

The site’s marquee poker tournament is the $200,000 Guaranteed, a $215 buy-in event that takes place every Sunday at 4:00pm ET. Over the weekend, JohnnyCashGame earned $45,000 for outlasting the 1,014-player field, defeating Bonezee heads-up. All was not lost for Bonezee, however, as the UB.com member received a $27,000 consolation prize. The top 99 players finished in the money and the tournament is also open to customers of Absolute Poker.

In a press release announcing Baldwin’s signing, Duke commented, "Eric Baldwin isn't just a new UB pro, he is UB. Eric loves this game more than anything in the world, he plays to win, and he's respected for his passion at the tables. We really couldn't be more ecstatic to have the Player of the Year on our team." Besides Baldwin, Cimpan, and Timoshenko, others in the top ten on the 2009 CardPlayer Player of the Year leaderboard include Vitaly Lunkin, World Poker Tour Five Diamond Champion Daniel Alaei, Jason Mercier, and 2009 WSOP Main Event winner Joe Cada.

According to CardPlayer, Baldwin earned nearly 7,000 Player of the Year Points in 2009 and piled up $1.5 million in earnings.

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.

Steven Landfish Leads WPT Five Diamond After Day 2, Doyle Brunson 15th

Two days of the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic are in the books. As it stands entering Day 3 on Wednesday, Steve Landfish leads the way with a chip stack of 385,900, while tournament namesake Brunson is in 15th with 283,000.

Thirty-seven players registered on Day 2 for the Five Diamond, pushing the final field size to 329, well short of last year’s tally of 497. Contributing to the 34% slide were two poker “Phils” who were absent from the field, 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event November Nine member Phil Ivey and UB.com front man Phil Hellmuth. The latter told “Poker2Nite” hosts Joe Sebok and Scott Huff last week that he was taking the rest of 2009 off and would start anew in 2010. As for Ivey, coverage found on the official website of the WPT noted, “Ivey was here at Bellagio, but never took a seat.”

Landfish holds a minuscule lead over the second place tally of Brent “bhanks11” Hanks, who amassed an arsenal of 383,000 after Day 2. Landfish will head to Table 54 on Wednesday, where “Miami” John Cernuto, Full Tilt Poker pro Howard Lederer, DoylesRoom Brunson 10 member Dani “ansky451” Stern, and former WPT champion Steve Brecher will be waiting for him. Hanks, meanwhile, will join Vivek “Psyduck” Rajkumar, Tim “tmay420” West, Jared “TheWacoKidd” Hamby, and Noah Boeken at Table 59.

Among the 37 players who registered late was Brunson, the poker legend for whom the Five Diamond is named. Brunson built the 15th largest stack in the room after Day 2 at 283,000, joining a top 20 that includes Antonio Esfandiari, Matt “All In At 420” Stout, and Betfair pro Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi. The latter sent WPT Festa al Lago winner Tommy Vedes to the rails late in the day on Tuesday after cracking aces with queens. The window card came a queen, sending Mizzi’s stack soaring to 270,000. The youngster finished the day with 348,000, good for fifth overall.

Here are the top ten chip stacks in the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic entering Day 3 on Wednesday:

1. Steven Landfish - 385,900
2. Brent “bhanks11” Hanks - 383,000
3. Matthew Waxman - 377,500
4. Chad “lilholdem954” Batista - 355,000
5. Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi - 348,000
6. Alfredo Leonidas - 347,300
7. Faraz “The-Toilet” Jaka - 323,500
8. Yegor Tsurikov - 317,000
9. Eric Hershler - 314,800
10. Jean-Noel Thorel - 310,100

The winner will earn $1.4 million from the $15,000 buy-in event. Members of the six-handed final table will be assured at least $202,000 in spending money just in time for the holidays. A total of 130 players remain and others in the Top 50 include:

11. Kenna James – 305,200
12. Matt “All In At 420” Stout – 300,800
15. Doyle Brunson – 283,000
21. Hasan Habib – 254,300
22. David “Devilfish” Ulliott – 247,000
31. Barry Greenstein – 227,000
33. Cornel Andrew Cimpan – 216,500
34. “Miami” John Cernuto – 215,500
35. Scotty Nguyen – 211,900
36. Howard Lederer – 210,300
37. Josh Arieh – 209,700
38. Daniel Alaei – 205,800
43. Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger – 193,700

Brunson eliminated fellow poker pro Eli Elezra with pocket queens against pocket fives. Later on in the day, the two filmed a segment for “Poker2Nite” and shaved their heads in support of Thuy Doan. The pro is battling cancer and is in the midst of a health insurance nightmare.

When play concluded for the evening, the blinds were at 1,000/2,000 with a 200 chip ante. The action continues today at Noon PT from Las Vegas. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest WPT coverage.

Phil Hellmuth Joins UB.com Poker2Nite

The fourth installment of the UB.com-sponsored poker news show “Poker2Nite” aired on Wednesday night on Fox Sports Net. The series stars PokerRoad personalities Joe Sebok and Scott Huff. This week, UB.com poker pro Phil Hellmuth joined the show.

Next week, the World Poker Tour (WPT) Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic will kick off from the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Poker2Nite interviewed the tournament’s namesake, who told viewers, “The strength of this field will be stronger than anywhere else. The reason is that there is such a great structure and we don’t play those really long hours.” On the origins of lending his name to the $15,000 buy-in tournament, Brunson explained, “Lyle Berman, who is the founder of the WPT, asked me to do it. He owed me some money, so I told him if he paid me, I’d let him use my name.”

A segment called “In the Tank” featured David “Chino” Rheem battling against Justin Young in the Five Diamond last year. Rheem ultimately took down the tournament for $1.5 million, while Young finished in second place for $936,000. A total of 497 players entered last year, while Brunson told Poker2Nite that he expected around 400 to take the felts this time around.

Hellmuth joined Poker2Nite for a six-minute segment that began with a clip of the 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner arguing with fellow UB.com pro Annie Duke on the set of “Best Damn Poker Show.” Hellmuth explained, “Annie and I are really good friends. I emcee her charity tournament for Ante Up for Africa every year and we get along great.” Hellmuth added that Ben Affleck, Jim Harbaugh, Slash, and Anthrax’s Scott Ian have all solicited him for poker lessons.

Hellmuth is one of the poker players featured in “Deal Me In,” a book by Stephen John and Marvin Karlins. Hellmuth explained what readers can expect when they open poker’s newest periodical: “The strategy stuff that’s invaluable to people at home is the money management stuff. You’ll be shocked when you read Phil Ivey’s chapter about how he got in the game. The way he manages his money is shocking to me. All of these stories have the same blueprint on how to be successful in poker.” Others featured include Layne Flack, Brunson, Howard Lederer, and Chris “Jesus” Ferguson.

Hellmuth registered six cashes during the 2009 WSOP, capped off by a 436th place finish in the $10,000 buy-in Main Event for $25,000. Nevertheless, the successful No Limit Hold’em tournament player has called it quits for the 2009 calendar year: “There is some luck. That’s what people at home don’t understand. I just have to find a way to come back in 2010 and win one or two. That’s what it’s all about.” Hellmuth revealed that he will not enter the Five Diamond next week.

A segment called “Check, Raise, Fold” debated the status of Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, Jason Mercier, and Ivey, among others, in the poker world. For each player, Huff and Sebok debated what poker term they would label each player, with Sebok explaining, “Elky is sick. I don’t know any other way to say it.” On Mercier, Huff characterized, “The guy is the best young player in poker.” Finally, on Ivey, Sebok commented on the Full Tilt Poker pro’s recent performance in the 2009 WSOP Main Event: “I think this is all about the ghost of the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table. [The Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic] is his first live Main Event since then and I think he’s looking to erase seventh place from everyone’s minds.”

Poker2Nite airs at 11:00pm ET on Wednesdays on Fox Sports Net. Check local listings for more details.

2010 UBOC Schedule Features $4 Million Guaranteed

The schedule for the 2010 Ultimate Bet Online Championship (UBOC) was recently released and features more than $4 million in guaranteed prize money up for grabs across 18 events. The festivities will span the course of a dozen days.

Two of the 18 events have prize pools that are guaranteed to be at least $1 million. The schedule also features 16 MiniUBOC tournaments, mimicking a large portion of the UBOC schedule, but with buy-ins that are one-tenth as large. The UBOC Championship is a $1,050 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament that takes place on January 31st and features a $1 million guaranteed purse. Appropriately, 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth will host the prestigious tournament.

UB.com and Absolute Poker pros Joe Sebok, Michael Binger, Gary “Debo34” DeBernardi, Lacey Jones, Trishelle Cantanella, Brandon Cantu, Scott Ian, Annie Duke, Tiffany Michelle, Bryan “badbeatninja” Devonshire, Matt “mattg1983” Graham, Hollywood Dave Stann, Mark “P0ker H0” Kroon, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Billy “Patrolman35” Kopp, and Liv Boeree will all host events.

Duke commented in a press release from UB.com, “With UBOC heading into its fourth year and Aruba coming up to year nine, UB now has two amazing series. Whether you are a diehard poker player or a weekend warrior, UBOC and MiniUBOC offer something to excite everyone. Just as Aruba awarded millions in tournament prize money, UBOC 4 is about to break records again and this year you don’t even have to make a final table to cash big.”

Without further adieu, here’s a look at the 2010 UBOC schedule:

January 20th at 20:05 ET
Event #1: Sniper No Limit Hold’em
$300+20 buy-in
$250,000 Guaranteed

January 20th at 20:05 ET
Event #2: Eight Game Mix
$150+12 buy-in
$50,000 Guaranteed

January 21st at 20:05 ET
Event #3: No Limit Hold’em Four-Max
$300+20 buy-in
$100,000 Guaranteed

January 22nd at 20:05 ET
Event #4: Sniper No Limit Hold’em
$120+10 buy-in
$30,000 Guaranteed

January 23rd at 13:00 ET
Event #5: Heads-Up Two-Day Event
$1,000+50 buy-in
$128,000 Guaranteed

January 23rd at 14:00 ET
Event #6: No Limit Hold’em Triple Chance
$150+12 buy-in
$100,000 Guaranteed

January 24th at 14:00 ET
Event #7: No Limit Hold’em
$200+15 buy-in
$300,000 Guaranteed

January 24th at 16:00 ET
Event #8: Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em Six-Max
$2,500 +100 buy-in
$1 Million Guaranteed

January 25th at 20:05 ET
Event #9: Limit Hold'em Six-Max
$100+9 buy-in
$30,000 Guaranteed

January 25th at 20:05 ET
Event #10: Pot Limit Championship
$300+20 buy-in
$150,000 Guaranteed

January 26th at 20:05 ET
Event #11: Pot Limit Omaha Cubed
$200+15 buy-in
$100,000 Guaranteed

January 26th at 20:05 ET
Event #12: HORSE
$200+15 buy-in
$50,000 Guaranteed

January 27th at 20:05 ET
Event #13: Omaha 8/b and Stud 8/b Mix
$150+12 buy-in
$30,000 Guaranteed

January 27th at 20:05 ET
Event #14: Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em
$1,000+50 buy-in
$300,000 Guaranteed

January 28th at 20:05 ET
Event #15: Pot Limit Omaha Eight or Better
$300+20 buy-in
$100,000 Guaranteed

January 29th at 20:05 ET
Event #16: Deep Stack Pot Limit Hold’em Six-Max
$500+30 buy-in
$100,000 Guaranteed

January 30th at 14:05 ET
Event #17: No Limit Hold’em Turbo with Rebuys
$100+9 buy-in
$100,000 Guaranteed

January 31st at 16:00 ET
UBOC Championship
$1,000+50 buy-in
$1 Million Guaranteed

The 18 UBOC winners will take home a Championship Watch made by Tourneau. In addition, the USA-friendly online poker site will hold the Bubble Buster, a rewards challenge for players who cash in UBOC events. Players who cash in 10 UBOC events will take home $100,000, while those who manage to make the money in at least 11 of the 18 events will earn $1 million. Cashing in just two UBOC events will generate a prize in the Bubble Buster contest.

A single event satellite contest, STEP contest, and early registration discounts are also available. Visit UB.com for full details.

Justin Shronk Memorial Poker Tournament Draws 359 Players

The online charity tournament in honor of late poker media member Justin Shronk went off without a hitch last weekend and drew more than 350 players who wanted to pay memory to the PokerRoad family member.

The $5 + $5 tournament donated on Full Tilt Poker the entirety of the registration fee to the Justin Shronk Memorial Fund at Shronk’s alma mater, Temple University in Philadelphia.  Shronk earned his degree from the university’s School of Communications and Theater (SCT) and a scholarship has been established in his name to support other students majoring in Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Mass Media.  According to a statement from SCT, the scholarship aims to help students who need financial aid and preference is given to candidates who have lost a parent.  Shronk lost his own father while in school.

The scholarship also pays honor to the spirit of the much-loved poker writer and producer.  “The recipient of the scholarship should also exemplify some of the same characteristics that Justin exhibited during his life - an absolute passion for everything media, a great wit and sense of humor, loyalty in his friendships, and someone who would take a job for less money to be able to do the work that he loved,” the scholarship description stipulates.

The fund at Temple was established over the summer when Shronk’s cousin, Brian Lemke, won a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet and $692,690.  He donated $20,000 of that prize money to set up the endowment at Temple and PokerRoad friends and fans have contributed as well.

Sunday’s online tournament drew a slew of fans, fellow media members, and top poker pros who wanted to pay homage to their fallen friend.  Kevin “GetPWN3D” Saul, Amit “amak316” Makhija, Eugene Todd, Lee Childs, and Red Pros Andy Bloch, Michael Craig, Mandy Baker, Aaron Bartley, and Kristy Gazes played. So did PokerRoad founder Joe Sebok and site contributors Amanda Leatherman, Scott Huff, Joe Stapleton, Bryan Devonshire, and B.J. Nemeth.  Many of the pros shoved all-in early to give PokerRoad fans a chance to double up, while several others registered and simply blinded out in order to make a donation to the scholarship fund and prize pool.

The top 36 finishers made the money and several of them expressed an interest in donating their winnings to the cause.  The final table featured Leatherman, Matt Waldron of Life’s a Bluff, PocketFivesLive.com Tournament Reporter Rachel Crader, and several others, with Waldron and Leatherman taking first and second place, respectively.

"I had a blast playing and I'm so happy that so many people showed up in honor of Shronk,” Leatherman said on PokerRoad after her second place finish.  “I'm sure he would have wanted me to win, but congrats to Matt Waldron (laughs). Thanks to all the PokerRoadies for rooting me on the entire time! We miss you ShronkDaddy!"  Leatherman also told Poker News Daily she planned to donate her winnings to the Shronk scholarship.

On the site’s forums, Shronk’s mother, Kim, expressed her gratitude for the large tournament turnout. “This whole tournament and the great turnout helped me realize that Justin lives on in the hearts of the many that he brought laughter to.”

The online poker tournament is not the only fundraising effort for the scholarship fund lately.  Lemke recently final tabled the U.S. Poker Championships at the Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City.  He sported a UB.com patch for the televised event and donated all of the money he earned from the patch deal to the scholarship fund and the Patrick Cunnane Kids Education Foundation.

Those interested in making a donation to the Justin Shronk Scholarship can do so via Temple’s official website.  Donators must specify the SCT and the Justin Shronk Memorial Scholarship in order to direct the donation to the specific scholarship.

Poker Featured in Season Finale of Amazing Race

Sunday night marked the season finale of the 15th cycle of the CBS Emmy Award winning reality series “Amazing Race.” Eliminated contestants Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle were featured, as was a crazy game of poker.

After departing from Prague in the Czech Republic, the final three “Amazing Race” teams headed to Las Vegas, Nevada, the Mecca for poker players around the world. After completing tasks at the Mandalay Bay and Mirage resorts, teams were told to find “the most famous casino in Monaco,” which any poker player could tell you is the Monte Carlo. The home of the annual end-of-season European Poker Tour Grand Final, the Monte Carlo’s U.S. version played host to the final challenge in this cycle of the top-tier reality franchise.

Team has to stack $1 million in poker chips from a table of 8,400 assorted denominations. Dating couple Meghan and Cheyne arrived at the Monte Carlo after inadvertently heading to the Venetian and began furiously stacking the table’s red chips, representing the largest denomination on the table at $1,000. The duo stacked groups of 25, while at the same time, married couple Brian and Ericka and brothers Sam and Dan took a similar approach. After tackling the red poker chips, the squads then piled up the black chips, worth $500 each.

Meghan and Cheyne were the first to complete the task and received their next clue, instructing them to head to the MGM Grand High Roller suite, where “Mr. Las Vegas” would great them. Not knowing who that moniker referred to, the couple asked players in the poker room which personality they could expect to meet. The answer: Wayne Newton. There, Newton revealed that the finish line for the “Amazing Race” was at his ranch, Casa de Shenandoah.

At the finish line were none other than Michelle and Ho, who took sixth this season after being eliminated in the Netherlands. The duo were close with Sam and Dan throughout much of the race and their heroes ultimately took second, with Meghan and Cheyne crossing the finish line first and winning the $1 million grand prize. Michelle appeared teary-eyed after watching Sam and Dan cross the finish time and both women came clad in purple. Michelle and Ho represent the runners-up in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively.

Michelle was an active person on Twitter this evening as the “Amazing Race” season finale unfolded. Upon seeing that the final task was to stack poker chips, she commented, “Amazig Race season finale: Vegas… Poker chips… Ugg, I hate my life!” Echoing her emotions at the end of the season, Michelle noted via Twitter, “I don’t want to give anything away about Amazing Race for the West Coast… But I’m sobbing, in tears right now at the end of the episode!” Michelle then added that she was off to the “Amazing Race” after party.

No poker players have been spotted on the 16th season of “Amazing Race,” whose filming is currently underway. Rumored contestants include Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder from “Big Brother” season 11 and 2007 Miss Teen South Carolina Caitlin Upton and her boyfriend. Upton provided one of the most memorable quotes of 2007 when she referred to “the Iraq” and “U.S. Americans” during the Miss Teen USA pageant. No airdate for the 16th season of “Amazing Race” has been announced.

Michelle is a card-carrying member of Team UB.com, whose stable of pros also includes “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, Phil Hellmuth, and “Poker2Nite” Host Joe Sebok. The show airs on CBS and held the 8:00pm ET Sunday night time slot.

Ultimate Bet Power Hours

Ultimate Bet has an interesting promotion for all their players this December. Players who sit at specific poker tables and will be earning double UltimatePoints. The promotion will only run for six hours a day, from 1-4 am and 1-4 pm from Monday-Saturday. The promotion will also be available on Sundays from 1-4 am and in the afternoon it will run from 1-5 pm, but only for ring games.

Only tables marked with a bolt will award double points for the players involved in the hands they play during the specified time period. Additionally, some tournaments will also reward players with double points on the specified schedule.

Players should keep in mind that UltimatePoints can be used to buy into tournaments and also be exchanged for cash in the UB Store. Some of the items available at the store are: electronics, games and gadgets, jewelry, and UB gear.

In other UB news, the new show Poker2Nite which is sponsored by Ultimate Bet has gotten great reviews from poker players around the world. Joe Sebok has made adjustments from the first episode they taped and they seem to be working. As time passes, they will find being in front of TV cameras something natural which will obviously benefit the show.

Visit our UB review.

Poker2Nite Recaps UIGEA Compliance Delay

The six-month delay in compliance with the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was featured on Wednesday night’s episode of the UB-sponsored poker news show Poker2Nite.

The series, hosted by PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok and Scott Huff, opened with a discussion of the reprieve until June 1st, with the former explaining, “I don’t think we should start lying to ourselves and telling ourselves that all of the sites are going to start popping up. All this did is maintain the status quo.” Huff added, “The only way this was going to occur was if the message was being heard by more and more people.” Horse racing interests, members of Congress, and banking associations joined forces with the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) to petition U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for a delay, which was granted last week.

A trip to a poker home game in Los Angeles revealed that few people understood what the PPA or UIGEA were. The segment served as a lead-in to an appearance via Skype by PPA Executive Director John Pappas, who told Huff and Sebok, “It gives us six months to work with Congress to try to clarify the law so it won’t affect people who want to play poker in the internet… What we’ve done is put the onus back on Congress. We’ll be pushing Congress to move quickly.” He ardently told Poker2Nite viewers who question the legality of online poker, “There is no Federal law that says playing online poker is illegal.”

Dana Workman’s “Weekly Misdeal” came with a sponsorship from Bluff Magazine this week. Her satirical news segment focused on the arrests of 75 to 85 year-old women in Cypress for playing poker as well as a new Irishman signing with PokerStars. She also took a shot at California State Senator Margarita Prentice, who is considering proposing a new video keno bill after serving as a major proponent of a law that made playing online poker in the Northwest state a Class C felony. Finally, Workman recapped the ESPN: The Magazine Body Issue featuring four nude poker players, including UB.com’s Phil Hellmuth.

A new segment called “All in Blind” featured six topics sealed in white envelopes. Both Sebok and Huff had no idea what they were and the duo selected three to discuss. Up for debate first was whether 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event runner-up Darvin Moon’s appearance on ESPN’s Monday Night Football or the 16-0 New England Patriots team was better. Huff chose Moon because “he actually got something,” while Sebok selected the Pats because “they got a little bit of history.” The Patriots lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

The second topic discussed on the Poker2Nite “All in Blind” segment was innerpsy’s short-lived online poker record of 40,088 hands played in a 24-hour period. Finally, Huff and Sebok debated whether they preferred James McManus’ poker history tale “Cowboys Full” or Doyle Brunson’s new autobiography “The Godfather of Poker.” Huff resoundingly selected McManus: “The New York Times says it’s good, so it’s good enough for me.” Contrastingly, Sebok emphatically chose Brunson, the figurehead for the poker industry..

Finally, the Poker2Nite Dictionary came to life. The show’s hosts discussed the meaning of “stacks ‘em off,” which translates to “to bust someone, or knock them out,” and “button,” which originally used to be called the “buck.” Huff claimed that phrases like “Pass the buck” President Harry Truman’s “The buck stops here” originated in poker.

Poker2Nite’s air time varies by market, but according to UB.com, the series begins at 11:00pm ET each Wednesday. When Poker News Daily caught the show, it was scheduled for 1:00am ET. Repeats are available on Fox Sports Net on Thursdays at 4:00pm ET and Fridays at 11:00am ET and 6:00pm ET.

Visit UB.com for more information and to view online clips.

Poker Community Weighs in on Poker2Nite

The third episode of the Fox Sports Net show “Poker2Nite” is in the books and co-host and UB sponsored pro Joe Sebok’s recent posts on Twitter indicate that the series is starting to get in a groove.  Admittedly, Sebok is a bit of a biased source, so we here at Poker News Daily decided to scour the internet for other reactions in order to gauge how people like the program, which is hosted by Sebok and Scott Huff and also features actress Dana Workman and Absolute Poker’s Lacey Jones.

If Twitter and the major poker forums are any indication, several people have not had the chance to see the show because of its somewhat erratic scheduling.  Since Fox Sports Net has different schedules for each of its regional stations, the 11:00pm ET Wednesday time slot posted on the show’s website is not always when it airs in certain parts of the country.  Viewers eager to watch the show are not completely out of luck if the program does not air in the area or they don’t have cable.  UB.com posts each of the episodes on its website shortly after they air and, so far, the first two have each netted around 3,000 online views.

While many poker players polled had not had a chance to watch the show, several notable names sent congratulations to Sebok and company on the new program. CardPlayer Player of the Year contender Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin noted the marked improvements in the show between the first and second episodes on his Twitter account (@basebaldy):  “@Poker2Nite showing improvement already in the 2nd episode! Watch for it on FSN on Wednesday nights.”

Alex Outhred echoed those sentiments on his Twitter feed (@alexpokerguy), congratulating those involved with a “good start y’all.”  Posters on the poker forum TwoPlusTwo also received the show with enthusiasm, but their optimism was a little more tepid.  Comments generally implied that the group had low expectations and were pleasantly surprised.  The poster “FreakShow” offered his take on the first episode: “Huff was awesome…Sebok looked a little rigid/nervous (like he was very focused on sitting up straight).”  Several posters agreed that their biggest problem with the first episode was the general uneasiness of Sebok as a host.

The longtime poker commentator agreed with those assessments of his performance and commented on it on his own Twitter account (@JoeSebok).  Shortly after the first episode aired, Sebok wrote, “final @Poker2Nite thought: certainly painful to see myself tense and nervous on tv. luckily that’s easiest thing to fix tho. ty everyone! .”

Since then, he seems to be working on relaxing, but the comments on TwoPlusTwo have grown increasingly critical.  Poster “LOLNHDONKWP” was particularly unimpressed by Sebok’s analysis of the record-setting online poker hand between Isildur1 and Patrik Antonius: “Awful ‘analysis’ by Joe Sebok.  Only thing he got right was that Isildur was 45% to win the hand.  He neglected to consider what he has already committed to the hand so it was amazingly standard getting the rest on flop, with 4 cards to make the stone cold nuts.”

Critics aside, the general sentiment about the show appears to be that it is good for poker, so most people are sending their best wishes to the show’s cast and crew as they continue their initial 13 episode run.

Clothing Brand KSINO Signs Lacey Jones and Leo Margets

Clothing apparel company KSINO announced Monday that it has signed exclusive agreements with two of poker’s up-and-coming female players, Lacey Jones and Leo Margets. The brand, which is building a reputation as the top clothing line for those living and loving a fast-paced lifestyle, chose Jones and Margets as two players who speak to that standard of living.

“To say that I am thrilled to have Lacey and Leo as brand ambassadors is an understatement,” said Alex That, President of KSINO. “They are two very beautiful women who are also very talented poker players. They turn heads at the tables not only for how they look, but also for how they play. That’s what KSINO is about, playing great and looking hot while doing it.”

Jones, a fashion model and poker pro, signed on with Absolute Poker in July after hosting interviews at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) for ESPN 360, WSOP.com, BluffMagazine.com, and PKR.com. She posed for the cover of Bluff Magazine in its November 2008 issue, one of only three Bluff covers featuring women in the history of the magazine. Jones is also a traveling tournament reporter for Fox Sports Net’s new show “Poker2Nite,” hosted by PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok and Scott Huff.

“I really love being part of the KSINO family,” Jones said about her new role with the company. “It’s about more than just great looking clothes; it’s a fun lifestyle. It’s my lifestyle.”

Margets’ fame came during the 2009 WSOP Main Event, where she finished 27th place out of nearly 6,500 players, earning the title of “Last Woman Standing.” Margets collected $352,832 for her deep finish in what was the first WSOP cash of her poker career. In 2008, she won the University Poker Championship in her hometown of Barcelona, and, as a result, 888.com offered her sponsorship for national events.

“I’m excited about being a part of KSINO,” said Margets. “I feel like I identify with the brand and can now sit down at a poker table and compete in style… I love it! KSINO is not only a clothing line. They are creating and redefining the game… It’s a whole new lifestyle!”

The KSINO clothing brand was created by Anthony Tuozzo to provide premium designer apparel to the multi-billion dollar gaming industry. The brand’s styles include graphic t-shirts, hoodies, button-downs, jackets, and accessories. KSINO clothing is now available at D.Fine at the Bellagio, The Men’s Store at the Mirage, and at KSINO.com.

On November 24th, KSINO entered into a merchandise distribution agreement with HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc., operators of the Canadian Poker Tour and Canadian Poker Player Magazine. KSINO apparel will be marketed throughout Canada in Canadian Poker Player Magazine, on all upcoming Canadian Poker Tour television broadcasts, and into the websites, social communities, and player databases from coast to coast.

Clothing Brand KSINO Signs Lacey Jones and Leo Margets

Clothing apparel company KSINO announced Monday that it has signed exclusive agreements with two of poker’s up-and-coming female players, Lacey Jones and Leo Margets. The brand, which is building a reputation as the top clothing line for those living and loving a fast-paced lifestyle, chose Jones and Margets as two players who speak to that standard of living.

“To say that I am thrilled to have Lacey and Leo as brand ambassadors is an understatement,” said Alex That, President of KSINO. “They are two very beautiful women who are also very talented poker players. They turn heads at the tables not only for how they look, but also for how they play. That’s what KSINO is about, playing great and looking hot while doing it.”

Jones, a fashion model and poker pro, signed on with Absolute Poker in July after hosting interviews at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) for ESPN 360, WSOP.com, BluffMagazine.com, and PKR.com. She posed for the cover of Bluff Magazine in its November 2008 issue, one of only three Bluff covers featuring women in the history of the magazine. Jones is also a traveling tournament reporter for Fox Sports Net’s new show “Poker2Nite,” hosted by PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok and Scott Huff.

“I really love being part of the KSINO family,” Jones said about her new role with the company. “It’s about more than just great looking clothes; it’s a fun lifestyle. It’s my lifestyle.”

Margets’ fame came during the 2009 WSOP Main Event, where she finished 27th place out of nearly 6,500 players, earning the title of “Last Woman Standing.” Margets collected $352,832 for her deep finish in what was the first WSOP cash of her poker career. In 2008, she won the University Poker Championship in her hometown of Barcelona, and, as a result, 888.com offered her sponsorship for national events.

“I’m excited about being a part of KSINO,” said Margets. “I feel like I identify with the brand and can now sit down at a poker table and compete in style… I love it! KSINO is not only a clothing line. They are creating and redefining the game… It’s a whole new lifestyle!”

The KSINO clothing brand was created by Anthony Tuozzo to provide premium designer apparel to the multi-billion dollar gaming industry. The brand’s styles include graphic t-shirts, hoodies, button-downs, jackets, and accessories. KSINO clothing is now available at D.Fine at the Bellagio, The Men’s Store at the Mirage, and at KSINO.com.

On November 24th, KSINO entered into a merchandise distribution agreement with HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc., operators of the Canadian Poker Tour and Canadian Poker Player Magazine. KSINO apparel will be marketed throughout Canada in Canadian Poker Player Magazine, on all upcoming Canadian Poker Tour television broadcasts, and into the websites, social communities, and player databases from coast to coast.

Top Poker Pros Discuss What They Are Thankful For

Most Americans spent Thanksgiving Day huddled around the dinner table, noshing on roasted turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, and a variety of desserts. Poker News Daily was able to talk to several pros to hear what they are thankful for.

Many poker players took the day off from the tables to spend time with their families. Beth Shak was quite reflective when she said, “I’m thankful for my health and the heath of my family. I’m thankful for the love from my family and friends. I’m thankful for love and laughter in my life.”

Even those who may not have originally called the United States home were able to get in on the tradition with their families and bring some of their own flair to the holiday. Marco Traniello, who sat in on Thanksgiving with wife Jennifer Harman and their children, noted, “We are very thankful for our wonderful family and friends that we have. This year, though, we substituted the turkey with an authentic Pilgrim’s dish… lasagna!”

There was even more fun in the Joe Sebok household, as one of the wittiest poker players in the game today commented on his Thanksgiving by saying, “I am so thankful for all of my peeps that I am close with, all the opportunities that I have been given this year, and yes, even the crazy world of poker that I have found myself in somehow.” After a moment of pause, Sebok added, “Oh, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, too!”

Some of the pros in the poker community talked about their activities on Turkey Day. Jonathan “FieryJustice” Little headed to the ski slopes instead of watching football and commented, “I was planning on working out, but I can hardly move from skiing. I think I will have enough time to crawl to the tournament at Bellagio,” where the Five Diamond World Poker Classic will begin. Pamela Brunson thought about all the food she ate when she said, “I gobble gobbled but good! Time to start a new exercise regime! I’m starting by two-steppin’ on Friday!”

In the end, all of the players – and many Americans themselves – thought of those who couldn’t be with those they love. Eric Mizrachi, gathering with the Mizrachi clan, said, “I’m thankful for what all the people did to have such a nice country that we are living in today. I’m proud to be an American and at least I know I’m free!” The effervescent Absolute Poker pro Lacey Jones enthusiastically responded to Poker News Daily, “I’m thankful for our troops! And I want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!”

Poker News Daily wants to thank all those who responded and join with them by wishing everyone the happiest of Thanksgivings.

Poker2Nite Talks Isildur1, Annie Duke Charity Poker Tournament

The second installment of the UB.com-sponsored poker news show “Poker2Nite” hit televisions on Thanksgiving Eve in the United States on cable station Fox Sports Net. Scott Huff and Joe Sebok host the show.

“Poker2Nite’s” second episode began with a discussion of the $1.3 million Pot Limit Omaha hand between Patrik Antonius and Swedish online poker player Isildur1. The hand was replayed on-screen, with Antonius flopping a straight and Isildur1 calling all-in with a series of higher straight draws. However, none of them hit and Antonius raked the largest pot in the history of online poker. On the hand, Sebok commented, “Keep in mind that we’re not talking about No Limit Hold’em, which is what everyone is used to. We’re talking about Pot Limit Omaha. You have four cards, a million possibilities, and it completely changes the complexion of the hand. Truthfully, when Isildur1 got his money in, he was only a 45% dog on the flop.”

On playing poker for extreme high-stakes on Full Tilt, Sebok commented, “Sickness. Madness. I’m wondering if we’re going to fit these guys for straightjackets soon. At the end of the day, they feel like they have an edge over whoever they’re playing.” Other online poker players involved in the high-stakes action besides Antonius and Isildur1 in recent weeks have included Tom “durrrr” Dwan, Brian Townsend, Brian Hastings, Phil Ivey, and Cole South.

So who is Isildur1? That’s the question that has weighed heavily on the minds of the online poker community since the Swede burst onto the high-stakes scene earlier this month. Sebok speculated, “I think this is a kid we’re going to see more and more of. He’s already probably a top five Omaha player in the world. The only problem he’s running into is he’s playing maybe #1 and #2 with Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius.” Sebok also commented that Isildur is a character from “Lord of the Rings.”

Attention then turned to the Annie Duke Celebrity Poker Night benefiting Decision Education Foundation. GreasieWheels’ Lisa Wheeler organized the event, which saw Tournament Director Matt Savage oversee the operation. Full Tilt Poker pro Andy Bloch won and was also the featured speaker as part of a Poker Skills for Life seminar. On why he was selected to speak, Bloch, the in-studio guest for “Poker2Nite,” told Huff and Sebok, “The DEF is all about teaching people to make good decisions and in poker, you have to make a lot of good, quick decisions. You have to do that in life too sometimes. In poker, you’re studying and teaching yourself how to make better decisions when you’re at the table.”

Bloch took down the event and explained what he earned for coming out on top of the pro- and celebrity-laden field: “I didn’t win any cash, but I did win a bracelet, so for everyone who makes fun of me for not winning a bracelet, I won a bracelet.” Bloch also recapped his now-infamous bet with Ivey that the “Tiger Woods of Poker” would win the Main Event: “At the end of Day 2 with about 2,200 players left, Phil Ivey had about four times the average [chip stack] and he offered me 100:1 on him winning the Main Event. I negotiated it down to 99:1 [for $20,000]. Normally, I wouldn’t worry, but $2 million is kind of a lot.” Ivey ultimately took seventh in the $10,000 buy-in tournament, avoiding a $2 million payout by Bloch.

“Poker2Nite” also featured the “Weekly Misdeal” with Dana Workman, which takes a satirical approach to reporting the news. Team UB.com’s Brandon Cantu getting tazed was featured as well, with the footage appearing on national television.

“Poker2Nite” airs at 11:00pm ET on Wednesdays on Fox Sports Net, although its airtime varies by market. It also replays several times throughout the week. Check your local listings for details.

Poker2Nite Host Scott Huff Interview with Poker News Daily

Poker News Daily: Tell us about the feedback you received from the first episode of the UB.com-sponsored poker news show “Poker2Nite” on Fox Sports Net.

Scott Huff: People in the poker world seem to be excited about the show and hope that we can do a good enough job with it to last beyond our 13-episode run. The majority of people enjoyed it and sensed our nerves. Everyone felt like it moved quickly and was paced well. They felt like we needed to be the team we once were with PokerRoad and be less rigid.

PND: Along with Joe Sebok, you represent quite a young broadcast team.

Huff: I was sweating our YouTube hits after we put the first show up online. People have been putting up their own versions of the show and one of the comments was, “Look – babies delivering poker news.” I guess I didn’t realize it, but I got a lot of people Facebooking me and Tweeting me that we looked young. Until someone pointed it out, I didn’t even think of it. I’m just hoping that it doesn’t take away from the credibility of the show. Once we get comfortable, the youth will translate and it will be a positive thing for us. Most of the people consuming this content are young people anyway.

PND: Have you received any feedback from Fox Sports Net?

Huff: I haven’t gotten much feedback. What I’ve gotten is that the guys who were with us in studio have seen it and really liked it. Overall, they liked the product the first time through and thought we didn’t do anything offensive. They are more concerned with us not breaking the network’s rules.

PND: Talk about developing the content for each show.

Huff: We got lucky in the timing of the first show being right after the World Series of Poker and we didn’t want to leave off Durrrr signing with Full Tilt. With any news and anything related to poker, you have to let what’s out there be your guide as to what content to discuss. This week, we’re covering a charity tournament because we don’t have a huge World Poker Tour event to structure the show around.

PND: Speaking of Durrrr, what’s your take on the high-stakes action on Full Tilt Poker that has also featured Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and Isildur1?

Huff: I don’t understand how anyone gambles as high as they do. It’s more interesting to me what the online tournament grinders are doing and what the mid- to high-stakes players are doing. When I know that $1 million will be exchanged every 15 minutes, it’s not as interesting. It just seems psychotic.

PND: How do you, Sebok, and the rest of the crew divide tasks to create “Poker2Nite”?

Huff: Joe Stapleton is the head writer on the show. Joe Sebok and I are in a support capacity as far as coming up with lines and such. Overall, I think we’re all trying to throw ideas out there for segments and we’re all in for that part. A ton of the workload is falling on Stapleton as far as the script goes, but we’re all in there for ideas week in and week out. We already have things planned out for the next few weeks and will get content from the WPT Five Diamond at the Bellagio. We are hopefully a three-headed beast and we have a producer who helps us rewrite spots where he knows things can sound better. It’s definitely a collaborative effort.

Poker News Daily readers can catch “Poker2Nite” every Wednesday at 11:00pm ET on Fox Sports Net. Check your local listings for full details.

Poker Pros Comment on Isildur1 and High-Stakes Online Poker

Online railbirds have been thrilled to watch the continuing battle between the online poker newcomer Isildur1 and several of the top professionals from the Full Tilt Poker stable. While Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, and Tom “durrrr” Dwan have swapped six-figure pots with the Swedish phenomenon, online poker fans and players have been offering their thoughts on Isildur1 and high-stakes play. Poker News Daily sought out the opinion of two top professionals in the game today for their outlook on this week’s battles on the virtual felts.

Tom Schneider, who is the proud owner of two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and captured the Player of the Year award in 2007, believes that there is a dominant factor in the gentlemen engaged in this game. “I think a part of this game is ego for everyone,” Schneider told Poker News Daily. “Keeping it in check is important for good play and bankroll management, however. Good players and even great players are susceptible to go broke if they’re not careful.”

“Most all of us are guilty of playing higher than our bankroll would suggest,” Schneider continued. “I don’t know how deep these guys are, but I can’t imagine that both of them can continue to play for this kind of money for too long, especially if there aren’t some really bad players in the game.”

Many have suggested that the players in this high-stakes game are perhaps the best in the world, but Schneider respectfully disagrees. “I can’t comment on whether these players are better than the rest because I haven’t played with them,” Schneider admitted with a laugh. “Confidence is key in poker. If you have built your bankroll up enough to play at this level, one has to be incredibly confident. Having said that, one of the best poker players in the world might be playing in a $1/$2 game right now. He or she may never play higher because they don’t want to.”

“Is there really a best player in the world,” Schneider continued during our discussion. “I don’t think so. It is much like saying, ‘Is there a best artist in the world?’ Poker is too much art to have a best player. A list of great players could be written, but the word ‘best’ shouldn’t be used. No offense to Phil Ivey, but I would use the term ‘amazing’ to describe him. Did he play better than anyone at the final table (at the WSOP Main Event)? I’m not sure.”

Joe Sebok, who drove deep in the 2009 WSOP Main Event (finishing 56th) and is a sponsored pro with UB.com, is one who admits to being amazed about the players and the high-stakes game that is occurring. “There’s no denying that they have sick skills,” Sebok stated, “They also have a certain amount of sick gamble in them. That’s a trait that you just can’t teach to people. These guys want to gamble as high as they possibly can, working the smallest edges imaginable. You have to take your hat off to that.”

Sebok coins a new term for the players that the online world is transfixed with. “They are a different breed, for sure,” he says. “A lot of factors all combine to create these ‘super gamblers.’ There is definitely a lot of ego involved.” When asked if he would be playing at these levels, Sebok laughed. “I think they are insane! I can’t imagine that I would ever play that high. I don’t think I would even want to if I had unlimited bankroll. I just don’t have it at that high of a level. As I’ve said before, it takes an innate sick amount of gamble and I don’t have it at that level.”

Poker2Nite Debuts on Fox Sports Net

Wednesday night marked the first episode of the UB.net poker news show “Poker2Nite.” The new franchise stars PokerRoad personalities Joe Sebok and Scott Huff and airs at 11:00pm ET on Wednesdays on Fox Sports Net.

Last night’s show began with a discussion of the major news item of the week, the win by Joe Cada in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Cada became the youngest champion ever of the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament at age 21 and turned 22 on November 18th. In the final hand of the tournament, which was replayed on “Poker2Nite,” Cada shoved with pocket nines and Maryland logger Darvin Moon made the call for his tournament life with Q-J of diamonds. The two were off to the races with $3 million in real money on the line. In the end, Cada emerged victorious. He told “Poker2Nite’s” Lacey Jones after play had concluded, “I knew the odds of winning it were a long shot.”

Huff gave his take on the emergence of Cada: “The kid immediately goes out and does a lot of live interviews. He’s accepted a number of mainstream media appearances and it feels like he’s ready to step into the spotlight and be an ambassador for the game.” Huff and Sebok then debated whether it was fair that the winner of the Main Event had a “job” to promote the game. Sebok stated, “It’s an opportunity. I would snatch up that job in a second.” Sebok took 56th in the 2009 Main Event, earning $108,000.

Attention then turned to the departure of WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, who resigned from his post just days after Cada was crowned the newest World Champion. Pollack’s legacy includes the introduction of the $50,000 buy-in HORSE Championship, the November Nine, and a reduction in the number of player complaints. Sebok, who was one of several pros who weighed in following Pollack’s departure on social media sites like Twitter, told “Poker2Nite” viewers, “Jeffrey Pollack definitely changed the game for the better.”

UB.net logos appeared in the background and in commercials during each break. The new site was launched earlier this week replacing Ultimate Bet, which was long known by the two-letter acronym. “Poker2Nite” is featured on the front page of UB.net and UB.com and a press release announcing the new site called the series “a new television show that is truly about poker, not just another reality or game show.” Huff and Sebok are veterans of the media side of poker through their work with PokerRoad Radio. Both bring an energetic demeanor to the silver screen and looked at home in front of Fox Sports Net television cameras.

Dana Workman, who has appeared in various sitcoms on ABC and FOX, gave her Weekly Misdeal and Huff and Sebok examined which fans at the tournament in Las Vegas were the rowdiest. Cada’s won the contest, as the youngster’s cheering section came decked out in yellow shirts and screamed loudly throughout the marathon festivities. The younger age of Cada’s fans may have contributed to their excitement, as supporters of Antoine Saout and Steven Begleiter, who were dressed in blue, appeared to be of an older age.

Joining the show as its first guest was San Jose native and ESPN poker announcer Lon McEachern, about whom Huff jokingly claimed, “I brought him on to force him to pass the torch.” McEachern, who first broadcasted the WSOP on ESPN in 2002 alongside Gabe Kaplan, told “Poker2Nite” fans, “It’s an event now. To have that many people watching nine guys sit and play cards was incredible. To come from the obscure beginnings to where it is now has been the ride of a lifetime.”

In addition to its 11:00am ET debut each Wednesday night, “Poker2Nite” re-airs on Thursdays at 4:00pm ET and Fridays at 11:00am ET and 6:00pm ET. Check local listings for full details.

UltimateBet relaunches as UB.com

The poker room will henceforth be known as UB, a nickname originally coined by players on the site.

Company directors said the UB label better represented the site's current focus on the next generation of poker players.

"The launch of UB.com represents a turning point for our company," said Paul Legget, Tokwiro's Chief Operating Officer.

"We have assembled a great group of professionals who are passionate about poker to build the UB brand. Our goal is to create products and services that poker players really want."

The new site features a streamlined interface, a user-friendly lobby, improved game filters and new UB branding.

In addition, the tournament schedule has been revamped and there are over 30 new tournaments a month, which offer over $1 million in guarantees.

"In the 10 years since I have been involved with the UB brand, I have never been prouder to represent the company as much as I am right now," said UB Pro Phil Hellmuth.

"We have great people captaining the ship, we have a great vibe and some serious swagger. I look forward to the day when we are the largest poker site on the planet."

Earlier this year the CEREUS poker network, to which UB belongs, also released a Mac poker client and a software upgrade that featured synchronized tournament breaks.

UB also enhanced their team of poker pros by adding PokerRoad president Joe Sebok and resigning reality TV star Tiffany Michelle.

Although UB now offers the UB.com domain, users will still be able to access the site through the older UltimateBet.com.

The Poker2Nite Interview with Joe Sebok and Scott Huff: Part 2

UB.com Launches, Rebranding of Ultimate Bet Complete

Tuesday signified a landmark day in the online poker industry, as Ultimate Bet, a USA-facing site on the CEREUS Poker Network, rebranded itself UB.com. The two-letter acronym has been the site’s nickname since its launch 10 years ago.

“Raise, Stack, Own” becomes the new mantra of UB.com, which retains the gold color theme of the old Ultimate Bet, but adds a baby blue hue as well. “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, and PokerRoad CEO Joe Sebok become the front men of the new site, which can be accessed by visiting UB.com or UltimateBet.com. A software update went live this morning and players’ user names and passwords will remain the same as they were prior to the UB.com transition.

UB and its sister site, Absolute Poker, are both owned by Tokwiro, whose CEO, Paul Leggett, commented in a press release, “The launch of UB.com represents a turning point for our company. We have assembled a great group of professionals who are passionate about poker to build the UB brand. Our goal is to create products and services that poker players really want. We are trying to listen very carefully to both our players and the poker community to help us achieve this goal.”

New lobby filters made their debut on Tuesday as part of the software update to UB.com. Omaha tables can now be filtered, making finding a game even simpler. In addition, the new update added color-coded icons to the tournament and ring game lobbies. In the former, special designations are given for Turbo, Ultra Turbo, Rebuy, Deep Stack, Bounty, Six-Max, Four-Max, and Heads-Up formats. In cash games, color-coded icons exist for Turbo, Jackpot, 7-2, Deep Stack, 50 Minimum Big Blind, and Ante tables on the virtual felts of UB.com. At the bottom of the lobby, a horizontal legend reminds users of what the new icons signify.

The lobby takes on a sleek yellow feel and the total update when we ran Ultimate Bet’s Mac version was 8,600 KB, which took about two minutes to download. The upper left corner of the lobby features the sleek UB.com black and yellow logo with the player and table counts given right underneath it written in white block lettering. The Mac version, which was rolled out in September along with an Instant Play option, is still limited to a maximum of four open tables. The Instant Play version requires the latest version of Java to be installed on the Mac or Windows device.

The new cash game filters include the maximum number of players, stack sizes, and table type. In addition, you can specify the number of players per flop and the number of players per table to ensure that only desired tables come up in the search. A total of 30 new tournaments featuring $1 million in guaranteed prize money have been introduced as part of a gradual overhaul, quickly establishing the USA-friendly CEREUS Network as one of the top around.

Hellmuth, who has long served as the face of the popular online poker site, talked about the movement from Ultimate Bet to UB.com: “In the ten years since I have been involved with the UB brand, I have never been prouder to represent the company as much as I am right now. We have great people captaining the ship, we have a great vibe, and some serious swagger. I look forward to the day when we are the largest poker site on the planet.”

According to PokerScout.com, which keeps tabs on online poker room traffic, the CEREUS Network is the sixth largest worldwide with a seven-day running average of 2,750 real money ring game players, about one-tenth of the traffic of PokerStars, the largest site in the industry. UB.com made waves in late October by changing its raise logic and launching synchronized breaks in its larger tournaments at 55 minutes past each hour, in line with the precedents set by PokerStars and Full Tilt.

The Poker2Nite Interview with Joe Sebok and Scott Huff: Part 1

Poker Pros Rally Behind Former WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack

Late last week, World Series of Poker (WSOP) Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack stepped down from his post and removed himself from Harrah’s entirely. The move caught much of the poker world off-guard and Poker News Daily solicited the reaction from a few of the game’s top names.

“Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up and marquee female pro Annie Duke told Poker News Daily that Pollack’s ascension to the role of WSOP Commissioner in 2006 marked a player-friendly movement for the tournament series. She explained, “The first thing he did was meet with top players and I was fortunate enough to be among them. He really listened to us. There was only so much he could do because in the end he didn’t own it, but he was committed to working with the players and making sure they had a strong voice.” Pollack formed the Players Advisory Council, of which Duke was a member.

On the future of the tournament series without Pollack’s involvement, Duke admitted, “I know that Jeffrey stood as a partner with the players and fought with management over some of the issues. I feel like he was the players’ protector and it does concern me that he’s gone. I hope people at the WSOP take a lesson from what he did and partner with the players because that’s how you grow the brand.” Two years prior to Pollack’s Commissioner nod, Duke won the WSOP Tournament of Champions event for $2 million.

Among those lamenting Pollack’s departure was PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok, who made a deep run in the 2009 WSOP Main Event and finished in 56th place. Sebok told Poker News Daily, “I think it’s a bummer. The biggest thing is that the players are losing out. Jeffrey did a good job and people don’t understand how much he fought for different things. He really was an advocate for us, so it’s a sad day. He was a great Commissioner and I think he did a great job of fighting for the WSOP and fighting for the players.” PokerRoad will take to the television airwaves this Wednesday with the debut of “Poker 2Nite,” a poker news show that airs on Fox Sports Net.

Two Poker News Daily Guest Columnists also weighed in on Pollack’s resignation from the WSOP and Harrah’s. Linda Johnson, co-owner of Card Player Cruises, explained, “This is not necessarily the best thing for poker players. He was a great communicator. If you sent him an e-mail, he responded immediately and he listened to us.” ESPN “Inside Deal” host and noted poker author Bernard Lee added, “I’m surprised. I think he did a great job of bringing the WSOP to another level with not only the commercial success, but also the growth in the number entrants. I thought he was doing a great job.”

Last night, the CBS reality series “Amazing Race” aired, one of the first episodes since the elimination of poker pros Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, who were sent packing in the Netherlands. Michelle gave her take on Pollack’s exit from the WSOP: “I’m very sad to see Jeffrey Pollack resigning. He has been so instrumental in the excellent changes and adaptations we’ve seen over the last four years. Jeffrey was professional, yet personal, which is why I think he held the respect of the entire poker community.” Michelle was the last woman standing in the 2008 WSOP Main Event, while Ho held that honor one year earlier. In 2009, the designation went to Leo Margets, who finished in 27th place.

According to WSOP officials, there are no immediate plans to fill the Commissioner’s role, leading many to wonder who will become the next face of the annual festivities in Las Vegas. Pollack was slated to become the President of Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, the casino giant’s Canadian-based online arm. Former Party Gaming CEO Mitch Garber remains the head of the new outfit.

Poker News in Brief: Nov. 9-15, 2009

Although poker legend Phil Ivey didn't win his eighth bracelet, fans were still treated to a thrilling final table that saw 21-year-old Joe Cada become poker's youngest world champion.

There was plenty of poker news that nearly slipped through the cracks, however, and as part of our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature we've compiled a list of the lesser-known stories below.

This week we'll take a look at Fox Sports en Español picking up the LAPT, Tom "durrrr" Dwan starting his own blog, Joe Sebok passing the one million mark in Twitter and more.

Fox Sports en Español Broadcasting Latin American Poker Tour

Fox Sports en Español and PokerStars reached an agreement this week that will see the network broadcast the Latin American Poker Tour in Spanish.

The Fox Sports en Español broadcast will feature highlights from tour stops in Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina.

"It's amazing to see how poker has become one of the most popular sports in Latin America, it has taken off like wildfire," said Team PokerStars Pro Humberto Brenes. "To think that the prize pool has nearly doubled in just one year is a testament to the power of poker."

Coverage is scheduled to air on Friday nights at 8:00 ET on Fox Sports en Español.

Joe Sebok hits one million twitter followers

Pokerroad.com president and UltimateBet pro Joe Sebok hit over one million Twitter followers this week.

It's an impressive feat considering if you combined the followers for Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth you still wouldn't have even 25% of Sebok's following.

To put things in perspective Sebok also has more Twitter followers than Tom Cruise (153,905) and Lindsay Lohan (142,474).

Will Tom 'durrrr' Dwan share strategy tips in his new blog?

UltimateBet is celebrating the occasion by offering a $5.50 tournament with $24,000 in added prizes and a $1,500 bounty on Sebok. The event is scheduled to take place Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. ET.

Tom "durrrr" Dwan starts blogging

Noted high stakes online player Tom "durrrr" Dwan is giving fans an inside look at his life thanks to a new blog launched this week.

One of the few players without a training site or blog, Dwan did mention in his first post that he was officially blogging for Full Tilt Poker, which he recently joined as a team member.

In his first post, Dwan discussed taking a helicopter ride with Patrik Antonius to see a Jay-Z/Coldplay show in London and skydiving while inebriated.

He also said he would be recapping some of the action at the live durrrr heads-up challenge scheduled to take place in London later this week.

You can check the blog out here.

Annie Duke to host "Use Poker Skills for Life"

UltimateBet.com poker pro Annie Duke will be hosting a special presentation on how to use skills learned in poker in real life settings.

The "Use Poker Skills for Life" presentation will take part in conjunction with the Annie Duke Celebrity Poker Night which benefits the Decision Education Foundation. Both events will take place on Nov. 19 at the Commerce Casino in L.A.

The free presentation will start at 6:30 p.m. and guest entry is on a first come, first serve basis, for up to 80 attendees.

Duke won't be the only famous poker player speaking as Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch and Ali Nejad will all take the podium during the evening.

The presentation is sponsored by Stakes Supper Club.

Brad Booth once bought into 'High Stakes Poker' for a cool million.

Brad Booth joins GR88.com

Former Full Tilt poker pro "Yukon" Brad Booth has signed with new gaming site GR88.com as their official spokesperson and head of poker development.

Primarily a cash game player, Booth is perhaps most well-known for buying into High Stakes Poker for $1 million and pulling off a risky bluff against Phil Ivey.

Although he now resides in Vancouver, Canada, Booth earned his nickname by playing underground games in the Yukon.

Booth made his biggest tournament score when he came in third place in the 2006 WPT Mandalay Bay Championship for $319,180.

Joe Sebok Tops One Million Twitter Followers

If Twitter is any indication, Ultimate Bet sponsored pro Joe Sebok (@JoeSebok) is the 177th most popular guy on the internet.  At least, that is the ranking Twitter tracking site Twitterholic gave to Sebok based on his number of followers, which now exceeds one million.

His massive and dedicated group of Twitter fans puts him on par with sports reporter Bill Simmons, the publication Newsweek, comedian Kevin Nealon, and the musician Moby in terms of popularity.  By comparison, Ashton Kutcher has the most fans with nearly four million, followed by Britney Spears and Ellen Degeneres.  Twitterers who wish they had the traffic of Sebok include Dr. Phil McGraw (175,000 followers), reality star Lauren Conrad (748,500 followers), and the NASA space program (164,000 followers).

Perhaps in a testament to the popularity of Sebok’s poker entertainment website, PokerRoad, “Poker After Dark” announcer Ali Nejad (@Ali_Nejad) is 216th on Twitterholic’s list with more than 840,000 followers.  Sebok and PokerRoad have been longtime proponents of the microblogging site.  This past summer, they launched a unique Twitter platform called PokerRoad Nation, which organized poker-related Tweets from the World Series of Poker (WSOP).  The platform sorted tweets based on events, former bracelet winners, PokerRoad family members, media members, and several other criteria, allowing followers to customize their WSOP coverage as they saw fit.  The PokerRoad Nation platform garnered both poker media and national media attention and Sebok was profiled in the New York Times for the new innovation.

Despite the extensive Twitter-related success, Sebok told Poker News Daily that he is taking the million followers in stride.  “I think that people overvalue this whole Twitter thing,” he explained.  “It’s been fun, but it is definitely not an ego boost.”

Sebok also elaborated on how he came to have such a large group of followers.  “Twitter decided to put me on their suggested users list and I’ve just been enjoying the ride…It’s been fun.”  A longtime music fan, Sebok entertains his followers with frequent album recommendations along with tweets about his antics with his friends and family, which include Gavin Smith (@olegsmith) and his father, Barry Greenstein (@barrygreenstein).

More recently, he has also posted behind the scenes photos from his own appearance on “Poker After Dark” and Greenstein’s appearance on the most recent season of “High Stakes Poker.”  On Thursday night, Sebok also documented a disastrous road trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles with Greenstein where their truck broke down on the side of the road in the middle of the night.  Never fear, PokerRoad fans, Sebok and Greenstein made it back to Los Angeles in one piece.

Sebok had to make his way back to Los Angeles to get the last-minute details together on his latest project, the Fox Sports poker news show “Poker 2Nite.”  The show, which will be sponsored by Ultimate Bet, is set to begin airing on Wednesdays at 11:00pm ET starting on November 25th.  Sebok told Poker News Daily he and co-host Scott Huff will be filming the first show on Tuesday night.  Sebok hopes that the series can capitalize on the heightened interest in poker following Joe Cada’s recent WSOP Main Event victory and become a mainstay on the cable network.

Fans will likely hear more about “Poker 2Nite” in the coming days via his Twitter, but any followers expecting some commemorative posting in honor of hitting the million-person mark shouldn’t hold their breath.  Sebok said he did not plan anything special in honor of crossing the benchmark and will continue tweeting as usual.

PokerStars hosting bad beat on cancer event

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WSOP Final Table Logos: Inside Perspective

As you probably know, WSOP Final Table logos are big business. Players routinely secure six and seven figure multi year deals from the big online poker sites. The 2009 World Series of Poker November Nine were no exception. Except for the nine players, agents and poker sites, very few people ever get to look inside how logo deals happen. Poker News Daily sat down with Paul Leggett of Ultimate Bet. Leggett is the COO at Tokwiro, the owner of Ultimate Bet, and is ultimately the one responsible for making logo deals on behalf of the site. While Ultimate Bet did not have a player wearing a logo at the 2009 WSOP Final Table, the site did have significant ESPN exposure in the coverage during the run up to the final table. In addition, Leggett and UB were heavily involved in multi-month attempts to sign players at the final table.

Who were you targeting as good candidates for Ultimate Bet logos in this year’s WSOP?

Leggett: Coming down the stretch I really wanted Joe Sebok, Antonio Esfandiari and Prahlad Friedman. To determine who to go after, we usually look at televised tables, chip counts, etc. We also focused in on Billy Kopp and Joe Cada because they fit with our pro team and they had good chip stacks. Once they got the final 27 we liked their experience from online poker and we went after both of them. Unfortunately Billy busted out a bit short of the final table and Joe ended up signing with PokerStars but we felt good about who we were going after.

When it got down to the final table the only person I really wanted was Joe Cada because he represented the young online poker player really well. We went after Joe Cada and Stars went after Darvin Moon. Cada and his agent were holding us off and delaying so I put an expiration date on the offer.

After Cada signed with Stars, I realized that Stars was going after Moon while we were going after Cada and that was one reason Cada was holding off on making a decision. Stars was insisting on a long-term pro deal with Moon but he wouldn’t budge on doing anything beyond a one-day deal because he didn’t want to have any commitments after the series. Stars wouldn’t do a one-day logo deal with Moon so they came in and signed Cada. I don’t blame Cada for holding out for a big deal. Our deals work on a sliding scale and Stars offers much larger flat multi-year deals.

So after not getting Joe Cada in September did you pursue anyone else?

Leggett: We went after Moon. He made it obvious to us that he only wanted a single-day logo deal which is worth a lot less to us. There’s still value in the logo but if he did well we obviously want him to become a part of our team. We want someone to be an ambassador and represent our site at other tournaments. So we saw a lot less value in it but we were still in back and forth discussions with his agent until the day before the final table. We made a lot of different sorts of significant six-figure offers for the one day logo deal but in the end we weren’t able to reach an agreement.

(Editors Note: Leggett declined to provide specific figures during our interview but a number of industry sources have stated that Moon was looking for $350k for a one-day logo deal at the final table. We can obviously presume that Ultimate Bet did not offer that much or else Moon would have taken it.)

How hard is it to do this when you’re competing with the Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars’ of the world?

Leggett: It’s very hard because negotiating and making these deals is a unique skill set and you have to learn from scratch and get experience. One reason it’s so difficult to make these deals is because it’s hard to put an estimate on what these deals are worth. They can backfire on you badly. There are a number of WSOP champions who we don’t want to have representing us. On the other hand, guys like Joe Cada are perfect for us.

But it’s really us just trying to put ourselves in a position to find the next Moneymaker dream winner and reap the rewards from that. We learned a lot this year and I pretty much guarantee we’ll have a logo at the final table next year.

How do Ultimate Bet’s deals generally work?

Leggett: Before the final table, it depends on whether the player is at a primary televised table or a secondary table. Based on that, they get a flat amount. In addition, they get paid for TV incentives after it airs usually based on TV exposure of full and partial logos. There are a few requirements for what qualifies as a logo exposure. In addition, should they make the final table, we offer a scaling final table deal which is relatively small for 9th and quite large for 1st. The deal for 1st is a multi-year Ultimate Bet pro deal.

What do you think about diminishing returns on logos? How important is the first logo for a site versus the second and the third?

Leggett: I care a great deal about the first especially if it’s a great player and a great story. I thought Cada and Moon had great stories and I really wanted to get at least one of them. Both of them appeal to a certain demographic. We’re selective about who we’ll spend a lot to put a logo on. We definitely want to have a logo at final tables but we’re also shooting for first or second place players to be our long-term representative. A lot of people don’t remember who finished 3rd, 4th, etc after a few years so we really want someone who has a great story and can get to heads up. That’s our goal in this process.

Do you think the 3 logo rule is a good one?

Leggett: I really do think it’s a good one. It makes sense for the WSOP because the brand is the WSOP and it isn’t the PokerStars series. It can look overwhelming and silly.

What do you think their reasoning was for that?

Leggett: Probably to combat a single site dominating.

Do you want to talk about your strategy for next year?

Leggett: We can’t do that, it’s too important. But we did learn a lot this year and we will be able to get a logo next year. We did get a ton of coverage on ESPN this year and we’re really happy with the TV exposure that we got. Our coverage was probably better than Stars even in the period leading up to the final table. We’re very happy with our exposure even though we didn’t sign Cada and we’re looking forward to getting a logo on the final table next year.

Joe Sebok – Poker Player Profile

Stepson of Barry Greenstein, Joe Sebok is the CEO and President of PokerRoad, a multimedia conglomerate that includes industry-leading podcasts, video blogs with some of the game’s best like 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event November Nine member Phil Ivey, and a mammoth collection of Twitter feeds called PokerRoad Nation. Sebok is one of the most recognizable faces in all of poker and serves as a member of Team Ultimate Bet, joining the likes of Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth.

Having a stepfather who is one of the most decorated players in the game gives Sebok a leg up on the competition. In an interview with Poker News Daily, Sebok explained, “We’ll chat about things before events. He’s teaching me more than he was before.” Greenstein is a three-time WSOP bracelet winner and was a nominee for the Poker Hall of Fame in 2009. His charitable work away from the felts has earned him the nickname “The Robin Hood of Poker.” With Greenstein being dubbed “Bear,” Sebok has appropriately earned the moniker “Cub.”

PokerRoad launched a Wednesday night television show on Fox Sports Net in November of 2009 called “Poker 2Night,” which is sponsored by Ultimate Bet and covers the hot topics for the week in the game. Besides Sebok, other PokerRoad personalities include Joe Stapleton, Gavin Smith, and Court Harrington.

Ultimate Bet Signing

In September of 2009, Sebok signed on to become the Media and Operations Consultant for Ultimate Bet. The announcement, which followed the release of screen names associated with the cheating scandal that rocked that online poker site, seemed to add credibility back to the brand. Sebok told Poker News Daily, “I requested a business role within UB, as I wanted to make sure I could also be involved in the operations and help guide the path a little.” The deal took four months to finalize and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission continued to finger Russ Hamilton, a former WSOP Main Event winner, for masterminding the scandal.

World Poker Tour

Sebok has bubbled a pair of final tables on the World Poker Tour (WPT). He took seventh in the Bay 101 Shooting Star event in Season V for $130,000 and also grabbed seventh in the Legends of Poker the following season for another $114,000. Sebok owns nearly $600,000 in lifetime WPT earnings, as he’s had to scale back his involvement with the roving tour due to his plethora of duties with PokerRoad.

2009 WSOP Main Event

Sebok burst onto the WSOP scene in 2005, final tabling two events for a combined payday of $109,000. Four years later, Sebok made a deep run in the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament, finishing 56th for $108,000. He outlasted 99% of the 6,494 combatants and took to the stage of the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas to watch the Main Event final table unfold in November.

Prop Bets

Sebok and Gavin Smith have faced off in numerous prop bets, including one during the 2006 WSOP in which Sebok turned out in a diaper. He has also dressed up as a variety of superheroes and co-hosted “Prop Bets” with Smith, an online series.

WSOP Main Event Final Table Shuffle Up and Deal Command Given

The cards are in the air at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in Las Vegas. Inside the massive Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio, you can hear a pin drop on every turn of the card.

Phil Ivey facing a bet by Joe Cada leads to a dramatic uneasiness inside the 1,200 person capacity theater. Many are literally on the edge of their seats watching the action, as the general admission line continues to build outside the door. Only a few flops have been seen so far and a variety of red, white, and blue balloons line the railings inside the theater.

In the minutes leading up to the “Shuffle Up and Deal” command, a moment of silence was held for Hans Lund, the runner-up in the 1990 WSOP Main Event to Mansour Matloubi. A hearty round of applause followed before WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack told the assembled crowd, “This will clearly be a final table for the history books. As we get started, I wanted to thank you, the best fans in all of poker and the best fans in all of sports, for being here and supporting the WSOP.” Pollack introduced Absolute Poker pro Lacey Jones, decked out in a pink cocktail dress, who will serve as the WSOP Main Event’s hostess.

Pollack covered the rules of audience etiquette during a poker tournament, which included encouraging cheering for your favorite players, not interfering with hands in progress by yelling phrases like “go all in” and “don’t do that.” Other than player names, other audible phrases have included “Stack em, stack em, to the top” (playing homage to Julie Schneider, wife of Tom Schneider) and “Let’s play already!”

Jones then interviewed 2008 WSOP November Nine member Dennis Phillips, who told the crowd what sage words of advice he gave this year’s group: “A lot of different things, They were asking me how to handle it from a media perspective and a lot of other things. I told them to play well, be proud of your play, and enjoy.”

Also taking to the stage with Jones was Peter Eastgate, the reigning champion of the prestigious $10,000 buy-in tournament. On his latest success, Eastgate told Jones, “I’ve been having some good results lately. I’m still running hot.” His advice to the next Main Event winner: “Be yourself.”

At 1:30pm PT, Ivey pushed all-in facing potential calls by CardPlayer Magazine Editor Jeff Shulman and young gun Joe Cada. Both players folded to Ivey’s all-in and speculation ran rampant that Cada had at least pocket queens and ultimately laid it down, sparking a debate among media members in attendance that will be answered when the event airs on Tuesday night. Ten minutes later, Frenchman Antoine Saout, who has a rowdy cheering section inside the theater, shoved all-in, but was also not called.

In the minutes leading up to the WSOP Main Event final table resuming, Barry Shulman, father of the aforementioned November Nine member, was presented with his WSOP Europe Main Event gold bracelet. After a lengthy delay, the national anthem of the United States played, as has been customary in previous bracelet ceremonies.

The final tradition to play out was the “Shuffle Up and Deal” command, issued by 10-time WSOP bracelet winner Doyle Brunson. “Texas Dolly” told fans and others in attendance, “I think we should congratulate Jeffrey Pollack and Ty Stewart for putting this all together. It looks like a football game.”

Those on stage include Chau Giang, Jonathan “FieryJustice” Little, Brunson, Eastgate, Joe Sebok, Greg Raymer, Chris Ferguson, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Gordon, and Phillips. About 125 people are seated on the Rio’s stage.

Televised Poker Rocks by Linda Johnson

I just returned from a wonderful nine-day Card Player Cruises trip to New England and Canada. The fall foliage was magnificent and the lobster and clams on the East Coast are much, much tastier than their counterparts on the West Coast. I also spent three nights in New York City on each end of the cruise. I’m a theater lover and managed to squeeze in seven Broadway shows. On my must-see recommendation list are Memphis, Superior Donuts, and Bye Bye Birdie.

When I get home from an extended trip, I can hardly wait to catch up on my favorite television shows. Thank goodness for Tivo! I had so many shows waiting. Choices, choices, choices! The obvious choice for the first show I watched was Survivor (I haven’t missed an episode in 19 seasons). After Survivor, the next choice was close, but I opted for the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event on ESPN (Grey’s Anatomy, Dateline, 60 Minutes, Private Practice, The Good Wife, and Two and a Half Men could wait).

I found myself taking notes to share with my Wednesday Poker Discussion Group, so I will share them with the Poker News Daily readers as well. With more than 6,000 total entrants, I was surprised to learn that only 200 were women. Although women comprised fewer than 3% of the field, there still was one left when they were down to 27 players (more than 99% of the field had already been eliminated). Although I enjoyed watching Leo Margets play, I don’t understand why such a big deal is made out of the “last woman standing.” Outlasting all of the other women doesn’t matter; you haven’t won the event unless you’ve beaten everyone. By the way, I found Margets to be absolutely charming. She was gracious when she was eliminated and was kind enough to sign autographs at that very tough, emotional time.

It seemed like a lot of attention was paid to the fans, a.k.a. “sweaters.” Julie Schneider was a hoot with her “Stack ‘em…stack ‘em to the top” chant every time her husband Tom won a pot. You could see the pride on Barry Greenstein’s face as he watched his son, Joe Sebok, play. As each elimination came, the fans got more vocal and excited and I can’t blame them! The two most loyal fans were Mel and Pat Humphries, who rail Phil Ivey every year. Mel and Pat were on the Card Player Cruises trip with me when these episodes aired. They never told me that they were the same couple who is featured cheering “Ivey, Ivey” when he won a pot.

Peter Eastgate and Dennis Phillips have had outstanding runs in the past two years. What an accomplishment to have made it to the November Nine last year and outlasted more than 99% of the field this year! Who knows how far Phillips would have gone this year if he hadn’t suffered a bad beat to go out in 45th. In case you didn’t see it, his A-K suited got beaten by another A-K suited when his opponent made a flush on the river. Phillips is such a class act; he never complained and wished everyone good luck as he left.

I saw some outstanding folds pre-flop and post-flop; the ability to make a great laydown is what separates the real players from the rest. One hand in particular interested me. The blinds were 25,000/50,000. Eric Buchman raised it to 140,000 and Jeff Shulman re-raised to 500,000 with A-K of hearts. Jonathan Tamayo then went all-in from the small blind for 3.25 million with his pocket queens. Buchman folded. Shulman thought for a while and said, “Sorry guys, this is a big decision.” He asked Tamayo if he wanted action and got no reply. A call by Shulman would have been for almost all of his chips; he laid the hand down and is now in the November Nine. I don’t think most players would have folded in the same spot.

There was a lot of minimum or barely more than minimum raising pre-flop, which baffles me. I also heard lots of, “Will you show me if I fold” questions.

Things sure have changed since I started playing poker. There were so many 21 year-olds in the field. I can only imagine how exciting it must be for them to be playing for so much money and enduring the pressure of playing on television. I enjoyed hearing the story about Ian Tavelli’s grandfather staking him to the Main Event because he kept up a good grade point average (I think my grandfather bought me a new eight-track player when I graduated).

The age statistics were interesting as well. With 21 players remaining, the average age was 31 and the oldest player, Kevin Schaffel, was 51. Tavelli was the youngest and four of the remaining 21 players were eligible to break Eastgate’s record of being the youngest Main Event winner ever.

Someone needs to explain to Norman Chad what a stop and go play is. Twice players executed stop and gos and he couldn’t understand what they were doing. Another time, he called a play in which a player check-called on the flop and then bet about half of the pot on the turn a stop and go. Get with it, Norman!

Here’s a statistic that shocked me: The last time the Main Event was won by anyone who already had a WSOP bracelet was in 2000 (Chris Ferguson). With 23 players remaining, only two of them were prior bracelet winners.

The chip leader going into the final table, Darvin Moon, seems like a really cool guy. He isn’t impressed by all of the lights and cameras. He hasn’t accepted an online endorsement that I know of. He seems very humble and says he’ll be “back to the woods with a chainsaw” when all of this is over. If he wins, it would be great for poker, just like it was when Chris Moneymaker won the title.

In closing, congratulations to Mike Sexton for being the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame inductee. Mike and I have been friends for more than 20 years and he has honored me by asking me to sit at his table during the induction ceremony. I’m sure there will be tales to share with you after that event.

WPT signs on for Annie Duke Charity Tournament

Organizers have also released an updated list of celebrities to attend the Duke charity tournament.

It now appears Amazing Race competitors Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho will be buying in, along with fellow reality TV star Trishelle Cannatella, Magician Penn Lillette, world champion snowboarder Jeff Brushie, supercross icon Jimmy Button, actor Joshua Malina and several others.

The usual assortment of poker players will also be lining up to play with Duke, Howard Lederer, Dan Harrington, Joe Sebok, Greg Mueller, Adam "Roothlus" Levy, Andy Bloch and "Hollywood" Dave Stann scheduled to appear.

The public will be able to buy in for $330 and rub shoulders with all the aforementioned celebrities and poker players.

The top 10 finishers will receive prizes from sponsors WSOP Academy, ClubWPT.com, Rockwell Time, Crown Royal, Team UltimateBet, Cartwright Entertainment, Hardcore Elegance, AMA Supercross Anaheim and Commerce Casino.

Taking place at the Commerce Casino in L.A., the Annie Duke Celebrity Poker Night is set to benefit the Decision Education Foundation, which teaches young people to make smart decisions.

The WPT Celebrity Invitational takes place Feb. 20-21, 2010. Also held at Commerce Casino, the Celebrity Invitational is recognized as one of the biggest celebrity tournaments in the world.

The event has drawn the likes of Ben Affleck, Tobey McGuire, Vince Vaughn and Mena Suvari. Former winners include Phil Laak, Van Nguyen and Freddy Deeb.

To sign up for the the Annie Duke Celebrity Poker Night or learn more about it, click here.