Poker News

Dream Team Poker WSOP Event Attracts 366 Players

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Linda Johnson Heads to Washington for National Poker Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Petition Nearly at 200,000 Signatures

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Players Alliance Announces National Poker Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PPA Initiates “National Poker Week”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Pokerlistings.com

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PPA Initiates “National Poker Week”

PPA introduces National Poker Week

The PPA is attempting to take the next step in its ongoing mission to lobby for the legalization of online poker by announcing its newest promotion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit PokerListings.com

WSOP To Offer Players Ability To Help Charities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Violette to host Full Tilt Poker charity event

On Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, Violette will host a $5+$5 charity poker tournament with the first $5 going to the prize pool and the second getting split between The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Special Olympics.

The money will be donated through Poker Gives, a charitable organization started by Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson, Jan Fischer, and Lisa Tenner to give poker players an easy way to donate some of their winnings to charitable causes.

Players can find the charity tournament at Full Tilt Poker in the "private" section of the tournament lobby. To enter, you'll need to log in to your Full Tilt Poker account, press "Control T" and enter 9105889. The password is "charity."

The tournament is a chance to help out with some good causes as well as potentially sit at the table with Violette.

Violette recorded some of her first tournament cashes in the early 80s and has since amassed more than a million dollars in tournament winnings and a World Series of Poker bracelet.

This summer she will be recognized for her poker achievements with induction into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, June 5 at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.

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The Word of the Day is Teamwork by Linda Johnson

One of the things I like best about cruising is that you get to see a lot of great places and only have to pack and unpack once. I just returned from a wonderful trip to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica with approximately 300 other poker players on a Card Player Cruises vacation.

In Cozumel, I spent a relaxing day on the beach complete with margaritas, lunch, and a massage. Of course, I shopped until I dropped before returning to the ship.

In Grand Cayman, I walked around town, snorkeled at Eden Rock, went to the internet cafe, and then got back on the ship. It’s the first time in nine trips there that I didn’t go to Stingray City to swim with and feed the stingrays, but I felt like I wanted to relax and enjoy some alone time on the island.

Jamaica was the highlight for me and was where the title of this blog was derived. I’ve climbed the Dunns River Falls five times prior to this trip and each time it gave me a sense of personal achievement upon reaching the top. The Dunns River waterfall is about 600 feet tall. Climbing it is exhilarating, thrilling, and scary! If you get careless, you can fall and get seriously hurt. When you are at the base of the falls looking up, you think to yourself, “There’s no way I can make it to the top!” However, being the veteran climber, I assured our group that all it would take to ensure a successful, injury-free climb was a good guide and a lot of teamwork.

As is the norm in many countries, money talks in Jamaica. The first thing I did was go to the guide shed and talk to the person in charge. I slipped her a “token of appreciation” and requested the best guide she had with the promise that it would be a very good day for them. With that, we got to bypass the large crowds and were assigned a personal guide just for our group of 17 rather than having the normal ratio of one guide per group of 30 or more.

I was thrilled to discover that our guide was Walker (a great name for a guide), who had led my group on a prior visit to the falls. Walker sized us up and since we had nine men and eight women, he put us into a line with a woman in between each man. He instructed us that we would all work together as a team, stepping exactly where the person in front of us had stepped, holding hands at all times so that if anyone had trouble, the person in front of and behind them would be able to help. Along the way, we stopped for some Kodak moments, participated in water fights, and did a few daredevil stunts in the water. There were a few places that were a bit hard to navigate, but with help from everyone pushing and pulling each other through the tough spots, we all made it to the top without incident in about an hour. We couldn’t have been prouder if we had won a gold medal!

We hadn’t had enough excitement for the day, so we decided to take a tubing trip down the White River, a short drive from Ocho Rios. Although we were each in an individual tube, occasionally someone would get stuck on the side of the river or on a rock and another person from our group would come to the rescue. We each made it through the rapids without harm and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. To celebrate, we stopped at a local jerk pit for some jerk chicken and pork before returning to the ship. It truly was a “top ten” day in Jamaica.

The poker room is another place where teamwork is the key to success. When I first took over Card Player Cruises, I was in the card room from morning to night. I was always there when it first opened in the morning and was the last one to leave at night. A few years ago, I got delayed from dinner on the first night of the cruise and when I walked into the card room 30 minutes after it had opened, I was absolutely shocked to see everything functioning without me. I learned a valuable lesson that day…how to delegate! I now realize that by hiring an excellent staff of shift bosses, cashiers, tournament directors, brush people, and dealers, I can have time to enjoy the cruise. I even get to sleep in and go to the shows at night. Teamwork… what a concept!

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

Three new inductees to the Women in Poker Hall of Fame have been announced. June Field, Jan Fisher and Cyndy Violette will join last year’s inductees Linda Johnson, Marsha Waggoner, Susie Isaacs and Barbara...

Life on the High Seas by Linda Johnson

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

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

Here were some of the highlights of the cruise:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poker News in Brief: March 30-April 5

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

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

Cyndy Violette headlines 2009 Women in Poker Hall of Fame inductees

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

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

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

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

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

Texas committee passes poker bill

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

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

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

UFC fighter brandish Ultimate Bet gear

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

Check out topix.net for more information.

WestmenloAA wins SCOOP event 1

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

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

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

Read more about it at the PokerStars blog.

New players touched by an iPod at Betfair Poker

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

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

Check out the details at Betfair Poker.

Visit PokerListings.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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