Poker News

Tiffany Michelle Gives the Inside Scoop on Amazing Race

On September 27th, the 15th installment of the CBS reality franchise “Amazing Race” will kick off at 8:00pm ET. Appearing will be professional poker players Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively. Michelle sat down with Poker News Daily to preview the season.

Poker News Daily: Congratulations on appearing on “Amazing Race.” Tell us how the opportunity came up.

Michelle: Maria Ho and I have been friends for a while and bonded even more recently. There was lots of talk of us doing a reality television show. We agreed that if we did anything, it’d be “Amazing Race.” We thought we’d be an interesting team. With the competition and challenge of the show, it’d be right up our alley. We could take our poker playing background and use it on “Amazing Race.” We had a chance to go through the casting process and were in Las Vegas playing tournaments when we got the call. It was definitely hard to head back to the tables during the WSOP knowing we’d be traveling the world soon.

PND: Had you watched previous seasons of “Amazing Race”?

Michelle: I hadn’t seen a full season, but saw the show on different occasions. It looked challenging and was out of my league. I think it looked fun.

PND: The cast features Harlem Globetrotters and a former Miss America. Talk about the competition that you’ll face on “Amazing Race.”

Michelle: We were surprised to learn that we were the only all-female team this season. We felt pressure to represent women and knew that no all-female team had ever won “Amazing Race.” We thought that our competition consisted of young, big, athletic people. That was going to be our weakness, but we knew that the race tests your mental and physical skills.

PND: Past seasons of “Amazing Race” have included stops in the four corners of the globe. Talk about being able to travel the world.

Michelle: It was a very life-changing experience. I live a wonderful and blessed life. I get to travel and stay in nice hotels. We have a life of luxury and don’t have to sweat it out. It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done, mentally and emotionally. I came home and had a whole new appreciation for my life. I feel like I’m so full after the experience.

PND: Talk about your relationship with Maria Ho.

Michelle: I wouldn’t have done “Amazing Race” without her. You have to trust and feel comfortable with your partner. I was excited to share this experience with her. We travel together on the poker circuit already. We’re 10 times closer now.

PND: Is there anything you can take away from Annie Duke’s appearance on “Celebrity Apprentice” that could have helped you on “Amazing Race”?

Michelle: “Celebrity Apprentice” is a different format than “Amazing Race.” You’re competing against different people on your own. On the race, you have a team. There’s not that direct competition and you have the opportunity to work together in a group. We wanted to represent poker well after what happened between Annie and Joan Rivers. We wanted to come off the best that we could. We wanted to play a clean game and give poker players a good name. Also for us, we’re controversial and wanted to show people a different side.

PND: You’re hosting a Hollywood premier of “Amazing Race” that will likely include Tammy and Victor, who won last season’s installment of the reality show. Did they provide any advice before you set out?

Michelle: We got to go to a Labor Day barbeque at Victor’s house. A lot of people who were on “Amazing Race” were there and you felt like a big family. These people know exactly what you went through. Within a few minutes of being there, I felt like I had known them forever. It’s wonderful being a part of something special.

PND: What preparations did you make before the show began filming?

Michelle: I ran out and bought running shoes. I got my cardio up because I knew there was a lot of running involved. Also, we learned how to drive a stick shift. Maria was much better than I was at that, so she was responsible. We watched past episodes and talked about them. We prepped for the unknown as much as we could. I got my butt in the gym and got in touch with the outdoors.

PND: You mentioned in a blog entry before you left that poker will always be around, but doing “Amazing Race” was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Was it hard walking away from this year’s WSOP Main Event to film?

Michelle: There wasn’t even a doubt in my mind that I wanted to do the show. What I did last year in the Main Event was amazing. As hopeful as I could be to repeat that, I was happy with that punctuation. The Main Event comes around every year and poker is always there. Not only was this an amazing challenge, but it was also an opportunity to be a part of an Emmy Award winning show. To get to do it with someone else sounded like a fun time.

This Week in Poker — Sept. 11, 2009

Card Player TV brings you an update on the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame inductions, the EPT Barcelona, and Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle's Amazing Race on 'This Week In Poker.'

Ultimate re-signing for Tiffany Michelle

The controversial poker player/actress originally joined UltimateBet in the summer of 2008 after she made her deep run in the WSOP Main Event, busting out in 17th place as the last woman standing.

This will be her second year on a team that includes notable pros Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Matt Graham and Brandon Cantu.

"I'm happy to be signing for another year with UltimateBet and I'm eager to get back to playing in live tournaments and exclusively at their online poker tables," said Michelle.

"The corporate team at UB has been so welcoming and supportive and I'm thrilled to be working with them. I can't wait for the exciting things in store for us."

In addition to her accomplishments in live poker and at UltimateBet's online tables, Michelle has enjoyed some success in front of the camera. In the past she has appeared on the shows ER and Nip/Tuck, and in the movie Semi-Pro.

Recently Michelle, along with fellow poker player Maria Ho, was announced as a contestant on the 15th season of CBS' popular reality program The Amazing Race.

The two will compete against 11 other teams as they race across the globe attempting to win a $1 million first-place prize.

Michelle created minor controversy at the 2008 Main Event when she called the clock on poker player Paul Snead at a pivotal point in the tournament. In addition Michelle got in a public dispute with backers Tony G and Jeffrey Lisandro over a sponsorship deal.

Michelle can be found playing at UltimateBet's online poker tables under the name Tiffany M.

Visit PokerListings.com

Poker Pros Michelle and Ho Confirmed for “The Amazing Race”

After two months of speculation, CBS has finally confirmed what the poker world has suspected all along: poker pros Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho will be competing together as a team on the upcoming season of the competition reality show “The Amazing Race.”

Photos, bios and video of the two women went up on the show’s official website on Wednesday, along with those of the other eleven teams competing in the latest installment of the race. Ho and Michelle will be facing off against a wide array of people including a married couple who work as yoga instructors, members of the Harlem Globetrotters, a singer/songwriter team and a contestant who has Asperger’s Syndrome.

Rumors first surfaced of the poker playing pair’s involvement with the show when neither woman participated in this year’s World Series of Poker Main Event. A series of clues, including Michelle alluding to an upcoming project with one of the show’s producers, Jerry Bruckheimer, a forum thread featuring posts from former “Survivor” contestant Jean-Robert Bellande seeking female poker players for a new reality project and fan photos from the shows launch capturing what looked like Ho, all led to speculation that the two ladies would be the latest poker pros to take a stab at reality television.

In the video of the team posted on the show’s website, the two discussed their chosen profession and talked about how they became friends while travelling the poker tournament circuit. Michelle cited their success in a traditionally male-dominated field as one of their strengths as a team. No all-female team has won the show in its 14-season history and the team of Ho and Michelle believe they have a legitimate shot to win. “We’re used to being the women doing the things that no other women are doing”, Michelle explained.

Ho ran down some of the things the ladies did in order to prepare for the event. In addition to taking extensive notes on previous episodes of the show, Ho and Michelle also learned how to drive a stick shift, as there is typically some sort of vehicle-related challenge that involves just such a skill.  She joked that they may not have practiced eating rare and potentially unappetizing food, another staple challenge of the program, but asserted that she and Michelle were mentally prepared to run the race. Michelle and Ho also cited their knowledge of Mandarin Chinese (Ho is fluent) and sign language as potentially helpful skills, but noted that the last season of the race featured a lengthy leg in China, so Ho’s knowledge may not be put to use after all.

Should the two survive in the race long enough to make it to the finale, rumors indicate the two may have home field advantage working in their favor. The Las Vegas Review Journal recently reported that the production crew of the show pulled permits to film in and around Las Vegas in early August. Some of the stops listed on the permits included McCarren International Airport and the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. While both women hail from Southern California, their poker work requires them to spend several weeks in Vegas each year, so the stop in Vegas would certainly be familiar territory for the duo.

This is not the only exciting news for Michelle. This week it was announced that she will be renewing her sponsorship deal with online poker site Ultimate Bet. Michelle first signed on with the site during her memorable WSOP Main Event run last year. She was the last woman left in the field that year and ultimately finished in 17th place.

“I’m happy to be signing on for another year with UltimateBet and I’m eager to get back to playing in live tournaments and exclusively at their online tables”, Michelle said in regards to her new deal. “The corporate team at UB has been so welcoming and supportive and I’m thrilled to be working with them. I can’t wait for the exciting things in store for us.”

The newest season of “The Amazing Race” begins on Sunday September 27th. The show will air on CBS from 8PM-9PM ET.

Isabelle Mercier Got Booted from PokerStars? Michelle Continues With Ultimate Bet

European Poker Tour Barcelona live reporting team revealed that Isabelle Mercier is no longer PokerStars sponsored player.

An EPT live commentator slipped that Mercier is not part of PokerStars anymore. Since the Poker sites are not giving any information about what happens with the deals we can only speculate why she left or got booted. PokerNews reporter did give some information:

“Incidentally, owing to the folks on the live feed and their tendency towards verbal incontinence, it has just now become public knowledge that Isabelle Mercier is leaving Team Pokerstars. The very best of luck to Ms. Mercier in all her future poker endeavors.”

On a sidenote, Tiffany Michelle renewed her contract with Ultimate Bet. No coincidende there that this was revealed after the announcement that she is taking part of Amazing Race with a fellow poker beauty Maria Ho.

Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle

“I’m happy to be signing on for another year with UltimateBet and I’m eager to get back to playing in live tournaments and exclusively at their online tables,” said Tiffany Michelle. “The corporate team at UB has been so welcoming and supportive and I’m thrilled to be working with them. I can’t wait for the exciting things in store for us.”

Source: Pokerati

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Isabelle Mercier Got Booted from PokerStars? Michelle Continues With Ultimate Bet

Poker Players on Reality TV: Good or Bad for the Game?

Several poker superstars have joined the cast of reality shows in recent years. Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande was a castaway on the CBS reality hallmark “Survivor.” Annie Duke finished as the runner-up to Joan Rivers on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice.” Now, Tiffany Michelle will likely join Maria Ho on “Amazing Race.” Poker News Daily sat down with former PokerStars Vice President of Marketing Dan Goldman to discuss whether these appearances are beneficial or hurtful to the game.

Poker News Daily: What are your thoughts on Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho appearing on the 15th installment of CBS’ “Amazing Race”?

Goldman: These are two interesting characters. Tiffany is controversial, but I don’t think that makes her appearance negative. She’s controversial, but not despised, which could make for interesting television. My personal sense is that among people who know what’s going on with Ultimate Bet, I’m not sure there’s not a lot that can be done to rehabilitate the site’s image. One of the advantages of shows like “Amazing Race” is that they’re reaching an audience wider than poker and that’s what Ultimate Bet needs.

PND: Can you compare Tiffany Michelle’s “Amazing Race” appearance to Annie Duke’s performance on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice”?

Goldman: Annie is tightly associated with poker. Tiffany and Maria have their own aura that potentially transcends poker. They are two young, attractive women and will be a bit more interesting to a wider audience than Annie. They are, for the most part, unknown outside of poker.

PND: Tiffany Michelle is a member of Team UB. Is there any downside to the online poker site for her to appear on the show?

Goldman: I don’t think there’s a downside for Ultimate Bet. What’s the worst thing that could happen? It’s not like people are going to flee Ultimate Bet because her team didn’t act well. Their worst-case scenario for Ultimate Bet is that nothing happens. The best-case scenario is that a new audience will learn about them.

PND: Do you plan to watch “Amazing Race” when it debuts on September 27th on CBS?

Goldman: I watched the first season of the show and sort of liked it. I’m not a big fan of reality shows in general. If I watched one, it’d be this because it’s the best of an uninteresting brand of television. I’m obviously in the minority here, but the fact that a poker player is on it doesn’t affect me.

PND: When you were with PokerStars, was there any talk of using reality television as a marketing vehicle for your players?

Goldman: We talked about it, but briefly. We always stayed fairly close to poker. We did talk at length about doing a reality show centered on poker or one that had significant components of poker. We talked about doing a “Big Brother”-type show with a handful of poker players and a handful of people who were smart, but weren’t poker players. The goal was see if we could educate a non-poker crowd. We investigated it and there was some interest from networks, but not enough for them to fund development. It would have been a significant expense.

PND: What was the feedback you received from networks?

Goldman: It was poker and this was in 2004. Their feeling was if the show had poker, they wanted to hear about it. At least one of the networks was willing to do it as a partnership, but we decided that there were other ways to invest the millions of dollars that would have had more impact. PokerStars was a much different company back then than it is now.

PND: ESPN.com releases a weekly poker news show, “Inside Deal,” with Bernard Lee and Laura Lane that is sponsored by PokerStars. Have you watched it?

Goldman: It’s not bad. I think there’s a lot more they could do with it. If I were doing it, the show would be in smaller doses and more like “Entertainment Weekly.” It’d be a 15 minute show with short two to four minute segments, but it’s interesting. Bernard Lee is better than I thought he would be.

PND: Do you think there’s a market for a show like “Inside Deal” on television?

Goldman: I don’t think there’s a broad enough audience. If you did it once or twice a week for 15 minutes, it could attract an audience if you figured out where to put it. The show probably should tag along with a World Poker Tour or World Series of Poker episode. Stuff like this does better online and has longer legs. If it can be promoted properly, it has a lot of potential.

Annie Duke’s Advice for Tiffany Michelle on Amazing Race

Confirmation by Poker News Daily that Ultimate Bet pro Tiffany Michelle will appear on the 15th installment of the CBS reality series “Amazing Race” has led to a flurry of excitement in the industry. Poker News Daily sat down with Annie Duke, whose appearance on the popular reality franchise “Celebrity Apprentice” helped raise well over $730,000 for charity.

Poker News Daily: We’re sure you’ve had a chance to digest the news that Tiffany Michelle will appear on the upcoming edition of “Amazing Race,” reportedly with Maria Ho. Is her appearance good for poker?

Duke: In general, it’s good for poker players to be on reality shows. One of the problems with poker is that the game is seen as fringe in the sense that people think it is awful morally and socially. That’s part of the reason that you have a block of the country that wants to stop it. The more poker gets onto these mainstream shows, the better. It takes poker out of the fringe and into legitimacy.

Having been on “Celebrity Apprentice,” I get more offers that are straight business now, where I’m asked to comment on things from a business perspective. People see me as a more mainstream person. I know there are at least a couple of poker players lobbying to get on the next season of “Celebrity Apprentice.”

PND: Will Michelle’s acting background prove useful in appearing on a reality show?

Duke: I don’t think so. The best way you can see that is to look at “Celebrity Apprentice.” You have a people who are used to being in the public eye. They’re used to the cameras and know how to handle themselves in the media. They often don’t do well at all. You can’t hide from a camera when it’s on you for15 hours a day.

After 15 hours, there wasn’t an instance of me lying on “Celebrity Apprentice.” People saw that I didn’t lie and there wasn’t a single incident of me calling Brandi [Roderick] stupid. People believed Joan [Rivers], but by the end, there was so much footage and people figured out that she was lying. So, the cameras can work either way. The producers edit the show to create a story, but they can only use the footage they get. Whatever you give them could be used against you.

PND: So how do you think Michelle and Ho will do on “Amazing Race”?

Duke: I haven’t watched tons of “Amazing Race,” but I’ve seen enough to know that regardless of how you do, a lot of people regret going on there. People look like jerks. You’d probably be better served on a show like “Amazing Race” being generous. With “Celebrity Apprentice,” one of the things I did was be up front with people about what they were doing wrong. On “Amazing Race,” it’s better to help your fellow contestants out if they have trouble finding a route marker, for example. You don’t have to go overboard, but if someone clearly needs help, you should help them.

PND: Does being a poker player give a team an advantage on “Amazing Race”?

Duke: On that show, I don’t know that being a poker player is helpful. I guess the only place poker skills might come into play is in puzzle challenges. Poker players think things through more logically. There’s some strategy in things like buying airline tickets as well, so they’ll have an advantage there. For Tiffany Michelle, it helps that she’s a pretty girl.

PND: Are poker players clamoring to be cast for reality shows after your success on “Celebrity Apprentice” and Jean-Robert Bellande’s appearance on “Survivor”?

Duke: I’m sure people saw what “Celebrity Apprentice” did for me. I think that poker players as a group are very popular. They’re very much in the American conscious at the moment, so it’s good casting. One of the things with “Celebrity Apprentice” is that they like people who are strategic. Poker players will always be strategic. That creates good television and good contrast with other people.

PND: What poker players do you think would do well on shows like “Amazing Race,” “Celebrity Apprentice,” and “Survivor”?

Duke: I’d want someone who would put the best face on poker and would also do really well. I’d love to see John Hennigan on “Amazing Race.” He’s a really good person and would be great. On a show like “Celebrity Apprentice,” my brother [Howard Lederer] would be great, although he might not be loud enough to get attention. Chris Ferguson and Rafe Furst would also be great.

With “Survivor,” I’d want someone younger. You know who would be good? Joe Sebok. He’s in great physical condition, very smart, and very physical. He’d be my number one choice. Joe would be great strategically, well-liked, and good in challenges. On “Amazing Race,” Joe would be fast. He also has solid business sense, so he’d do well on “Celebrity Apprentice.” If you had to package the all-around reality show guy, I’d pick Joe Sebok.

Harlem Globetrotters, Miss America May Join Tiffany Michelle on Amazing Race

According to an article that appeared this week in The Examiner, two members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team and Miss America 2004 may join poker players Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho on Season 15 of the CBS reality show “Amazing Race.”

Poker News Daily can confirm that Tiffany Michelle is among the cast for the 15th cycle of the reality series, citing anonymous sources inside the industry. Her rumored partner is Maria Ho, who Reality Fan Forum snapped a picture of at Los Angeles International Airport on the day that “Amazing Race” filming allegedly began. In the image, she did not appear to be donning a backpack (as is customary for “Amazing Race” teams); instead, she was pulling a suitcase. Michelle and Ho represent the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively.

The Examiner speculates that Harlem Globetrotters members Nate “Big Easy” Lofton and Herbert “Flight Time” Lang are members of the “Amazing Race” cast. Lang attended Centenary College in Louisiana and wears #4 for the showcase basketball team. His biography found on the Harlem Globetrotters website appropriately reads, “He is a self-proclaimed reality TV junkie… What Flight Time likes about reality TV is that, even though he knows parts are staged and scripted for dramatic effect, ‘After a certain amount of time, you really get to see what people are like.’” Lang was roped into reality television after catching an episode of CBS staple “Survivor.”

Lofton attended Southeast Louisiana and grew up in New Orleans. His biography notes, “His gregarious personality and thunderous dunks entertain Globetrotter fans young and old.” A total of 26 players make up the current roster of the Harlem Globetrotters, which showcase unusual basketball skills at venues around the world. Several members of the team, including Lang, appeared on the ABC reality series “The Bachelorette” in May. The Globetrotters challenged the seven remaining bachelors to a pick-up game of basketball, with bachelorette Jillian Harris looking on intently. “The Bachelorette” wrapped up on Monday night with Harris riding off into the sunset with Ed Swiderski.

Joining Lang, Lofton, Michelle, and Ho will likely be Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap. The Examiner notes that “Amazing Race” has featured pageant winners before, as Dustin-Leigh Konzelman and Kandice Pelletier competed as part of Season 10 and All-Stars. Dunlap hails from Florida; the reigning Miss America is Katie Stern, a native of Indiana. No indication was given as to who will partner with Dunlap for “Amazing Race.”

An entry appearing on Wikipedia adds that two newscasters from the television network C-SPAN will also take part in “Amazing Race” when the 15th season kicks off in September. The show pits teams of two against each other in a race around the world. Along the way, they’ll complete various challenges as part of “Detours” (a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons) and “Road Blocks” (a task that only one team member can perform). Each leg typically consists of one Detour and one Road Block; many of the legs end with the last team arriving at the “Pit Stop” being eliminated.

“Amazing Race” will once again air on Sunday nights, debuting on September 27th for two hours. The popular reality program follows CBS News program “60 Minutes” and will serve as the lead-in for the new drama “Three Rivers.” “Amazing Race” is an Emmy-winning reality show whose reigning champions are lawyers and siblings Tammy and Victor. In seasons past, the top prize has been $1 million and to date, no “celebrity” installment of “Amazing Race” has taken place.

Other poker players who have appeared on major reality shows include Annie Duke, who finished as the runner-up to comedian Joan Rivers on the second season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” In addition, Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande competed on “Survivor: China,” the 15th cycle of the cornerstone CBS show. Bellande was the eighth player voted out of “Survivor: China” and served as a member of the jury.

Tiffany Michelle, Maria Ho May Compete on Amazing Race

Poker News Daily can confirm that Ultimate Bet Star Player Tiffany Michelle will compete on the upcoming season of the CBS reality series “Amazing Race,” according to anonymous sources inside the industry. The show debuts on September 27th at 8:00pm ET following “60 Minutes.” Michelle’s partner, according to Bluff Magazine and various television news outfits, is Maria Ho.

The upcoming season is the 15th for the “Amazing Race,” which pits teams of two against each other for a race around the world – literally. Last season, contestants traveled to diverse destinations that included Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania, Russia, India, Thailand, and China before crossing the finish line at the King Kamehameha Golf Club in Maui, Hawaii. Michelle and Ho represent the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively. Michelle gained notoriety last year by calling the clock during a hand she wasn’t involved in, an act that was criticized by tablemate and November Nine member Craig Marquis.

An e-mail sent to Michelle seeking comment about the rumors resulted in an auto-response that read, “I’ll be off shooting for the next month, till mid August, and may be away from my computer and out of touch during that time.” An image that appeared on RealityFanForum.com showed Ho at Los Angeles International Airport allegedly for the start of “Amazing Race.” In a blog entry dated June 27th, Michelle indicated that she would not defend her title of Last Woman Standing in the Main Event: “It’d have to be something pretty big to deter me from the WSOP Championship Event this year and trust me, IT IS! I can’t disclose much right now, but I’ll be leaving the country to film a project for a month and it conflicts with the Main Event.”

In May, Jean-Robert Bellande, who appeared on CBS’ “Survivor: China” in 2007, posted on the online poker forum TwoPlusTwo that “two hot poker girls” were wanted for an “upcoming reality show.” Bellande, a Bodog pro, noted that the ideal candidate is “a respected pro, young, hot, single, [and] engaging.” The Bad Boy of Poker suggested Kristy Gazes and Team PokerStars Pro member Vanessa Rousso, although the latter is engaged to Chad Brown. Last season on the “Amazing Race,” former NFL cheerleaders Jaime and Cara finished as the runner-ups to siblings and lawyers Tammy and Victor.

A representative from Ultimate Bet told Poker News Daily, “I know Tiffany is away working on a project, but unfortunately that is all we know at this point. We can’t comment on any such rumors.” Michelle signed with the Tokwiro-owned online poker room one year ago, joining a Team UB roster that includes Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Brandon Cantu, Gary “debo34” Debernardi, “Hollywood” Dave Stann, Matt “mattg1983” Graham, Michael Binger, Mark “P0ker H0″ Kroon, Scott Ian, and Shawn “westtexasman” Rice. The site’s two main faces are 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth and “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke.

At the Dream Team Poker event held at Caesars Palace in March, Michelle and Ho joined forces to bring Team Yo Mama to life. The all-female squad also featured Lacey Jones. No female team has ever won “Amazing Race,” which first aired in 2001. That season, contestants traveled 35,000 miles around the world, led by Rob and Brennan. For its 11th season, favorites from the first 10 cycles of “Amazing Race” convened for a special All-Stars edition. Notable teams included Rob and Amber of “Survivor” fame and Season 7 winners Uchenna and Joyce, who were eliminated at the end of the ninth leg.

During each episode, teams compete in “Detours,” which is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. In addition, they’ll stumble upon “Road Blocks,” which are challenges that only one team member can perform. Each “Detour” and “Road Block” typically focuses on the local culture, giving the show a unique flair. New Zealander Phil Keoghan serves as its host and the show will return to its Sunday night timeslot on September. “Amazing Race” serves as the lead-in for the new CBS drama “Three Rivers.”

Greg “FBT” Mueller Interview with Poker News Daily

Greg Mueller, affectionately known in the poker world as “FBT,” took down the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Limit Hold’em during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) for $460,000. The win marked the Canadian’s first career WSOP bracelet and the country’s second of the 2009 WSOP. On the same night as his big win, a charity poker tournament orchestrated by representatives of the National Hockey League (NHL) took place and featured an appearance by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the Stanley Cup.

Poker News Daily: You just took down the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Limit Hold’em. How does it feel to win a bracelet in such a prestigious event?

Mueller: I’m very happy to have won it in that field. It was the best of the best in there, which makes me cherish it that much more.

PND: Is it more or less impressive to you than a No Limit Hold’em bracelet?

Mueller: It’s different. It’s a different style of poker. The No Limit ones are really impressive because they’re such great fields and obviously it’s tough to navigate through a minefield. These smaller tournaments are more impressive because you get to the table and there are no soft spots. There are bracelet winners everywhere, champions everywhere, and old school studs everywhere. Every table you get to, there are no soft spots and that’s what makes it so much more impressive.

PND: Did you have stacked tables from Day 1 on, then?

Mueller: Yeah. Every table I got to, I was never really excited about it. I might be like, “There’s one guy who’s maybe not that impressive,” but every other table had the best of the best.

PND: Did you have a nemesis over the course of the tournament or someone you had a lot of trouble with?

Mueller: Maria Ho gave me some trouble sitting to my left. She played really well and made life difficult for me when she was to my left, but then the tides turned and three or four hours later, she sat to my right. It made it a lot easier for me to play with her.

PND: It was a long, grueling three day tournament and Limit Hold’em is a game of patience. Did fatigue ever set in?

Mueller: Not really. I was too full of adrenaline. I have to say that the structure was so good. There was never a short stack really in jeopardy. In a lot of tournaments, you think, “Now, I just have to go with a hand.” I didn’t have that feeling once throughout the entire final table because the structure really went up slowly. It took maybe three hours longer than people might have wanted it to take, but you’re playing for a lot of money and a lot of pride. I believe the structure should be like it was.

PND: Did the NHL charity hockey tournament going on one table over keep your energy flowing?

Mueller: Honestly, it was so weird. An organ played in the background every once in a while and, at the dinner break, they played the national anthem. I saw the Stanley Cup and literally had goose bumps. It was weird. I was like, “Wow. This is unbelievable.” It could have been [fate]. I don’t usually believe in that, but I guess it was my day.

Brunson, Lisandro lead WSOP Stud 8 Championship

With 525,000, Brunson is third in chips heading into the tournament's final day and is in great shape to make a run at his eleventh bracelet.

Texas Dolly is joined by Lisandro, Perry Friedman, Scotty Nguyen, Lyle Berman, Justin "BoostedJ" Smith and Mike Wattel, among others.

Poker pros Yuval Bronshtein and Dan Heimiller were among those to cash on Day 2, which saw a starting contingent of 111 players reduced by 99 by the time play was called at 3 a.m. Saturday morning.

Joe Tehan finished in 17th and was the tournament's bubble boy, falling to Yan Chen when he bricked out on a low draw and couldn't beat Chen's queens-up.

Play will resume at 1 p.m. Saturday and play down to a champion.

Elsewhere at the Rio on Friday:

Event 35 - $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha

Kentucky native Richard Austin won the $5k PLO event in spectacular fashion, defeating Sorel Mizzi and Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy on the same hand to win his first WSOP bracelet.

Austin cracked Mizzi's aces and Josephy's top set, kings, with Q J 8 6 when he rivered a club flush, clinching the tournament and winning $409,484 in prize money.

Check out Ed Sevillano's recap here.

Event 36 - $2,000 No Limit Hold'em

Seventeen players survived the second day of the latest $2k NLHE event and will return to play down to a champion on Saturday.

Winamax pro and chess prodigy Almira Skripchenko is the most notable name left in contention. Steven Tabb leads the field.

Chino Rheem, Shaun Deeb and Michael Martin were among those eliminated on Day 2.

Action will resume at 1 p.m. Saturday and play down to a champion.

Event 38 -$2,000 Limit Hold'em

A total of 446 players bought-in to the $2k LHE tournament and by day's end 107 of that number remained in contention.

David Baker leads the field with 72,100 while Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth and Maria Ho also remain in contention.

Play will resume at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Check out the PokerListings.com WSOP section for comprehensive coverage of the best of the 2009 World Series of Poker.

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Bax and Baron make $5k PLO Day 3

Meanwhile, highly-touted youngster Isaac Baron is the short stack with just seven big blinds after a trying day that saw him flirt with the chip lead earlier in Day 2.

"I just have to get luckier earlier tomorrow than I was expecting," Baron told PokerListings.com.

"I was expecting to have to get lucky when it got a little more short-handed at the final table, but now I'm probably going to have to get lucky at the beginning, double up and go from there."

Despite his precipitous fall from grace, Baron told PokerListings.com he didn't feel his play was entirely to blame.

"I've played pretty well," he said. "I might have made a couple of bad decisions but it's been a rollercoaster, which isn't really surprising."

Josephy credited his own 805k stack to solid play and good timing.

"I didn't do anything outrageous or special up to this point," he said. "I've just played well and solid and let the weaker players make mistakes."

He told PokerListings.com his plan for tomorrow's final table is simple.

"My tournament plan is to play good poker. What do you think of that?" he said.

And who does Bax think is the toughest player left in the field?

"That is not going to be answered," he said. "That is just not going to happen, no sir."

Besides Josephy, Mizzi and Baron, Van Marcus and Peter "Apathy" Jetten represent the most notable names remaining.

Play resumes Friday at 1 p.m. Las Vegas time and will continue until a champion is crowned.

Elsewhere in the Amazon Room on Thursday:

Event 34 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em

Poker pro Eric "Basebaldy" Baldwin defeated Jonas Klausen to win his first WSOP bracelet and $521,932 in prize money at the final table of the latest $1,500 donkament.

Full Tilt Poker's Roland De Wolfe finished fifth, banking $112,957 while falling short of his quest to win his second bracelet of the summer.

Check out what Baldwin had to say after the victory right here.

Event 36 - $2,000 No Limit Hold'em

The latest $2,000 NLHE tournament kicked off at the Rio on Thursday, attracting 1,695 runners in search of a piece of a $3,084,900 prize pool.

Chino Rheem found himself near the top of the chip charts at night's end, while pros like Maria Ho, Joe Sebok, Mandy Baker and Jonathan Little were all eliminated early.

Action resumes Friday at 2 p.m. with 213 survivors.

Event 37 - $10,000 World Championship Stud Hi-Lo

A total of 164 players bought-in for the Stud 8 World Championship and by 3 a.m. 54 of that number had been eliminated.

Among the early retirees were Phil Ivey, Jason Mercier, Carlos Mortensen and Jennifer Harman, while Tuan Le's 230,000 stack was enough to put him at the top of the chip leaderboard.

Also in contention are Daniel Alaei, David Benyamine and Dario Alioto, among others.

Action resumes at 2 p.m. on Friday.

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

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Tran, Van Alstyne add bracelets WSOP June 16

Leo Wolpert will be joining Tran on the winner's podium come tomorrow as he overcame John Duthie in the $10k Championship Heads-Up.

James Van Alstyne completes the trio of champions as he collected his first bracelet in the $1.5k H.O.R.S.E. event.

Here's how the action went down on a dramatic day at the 2009 WSOP.

Event 29 - $10,000 World Championship Heads-Up NL Hold'em Final Table

256 players entered this event, but just two survived to battle for the bracelet in the final.

Law student Leo Wolpert faced off against EPT founder John Duthie in a best-of-three challenge and a gruelling marathon three matches played out between the pair.

Although Duthie drew first blood, Wolpert won the next two matches to secure the title, collecting $625,682 for his win, as well as his first WSOP bracelet.

Read more about Wolpert's epic contest against Duthie here.

Event 30 - $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table

J.C. Tran scored his first bracelet in 2008 and he showed that was no fluke, by picking up number two here in the $2.5k PLO event, winning $235,685 in the process.

He had to beat off a tough field, including John Juanda and Theo Jorgensen to take the title in front of his many enthusiastic fans.

For a full re-cap of this event click here.

Event 31 - $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Final Table

James Van Alstyne collected the $1.5k H.O.R.S.E. title in Event 31, dusting off a final table that included the combined talents of Shannon Shorr and Brian Micon, amongst others.

Perhaps more impressively, he immediately exorcised any demons he might have had after narrowly missing out on a bracelet just five days ago in the $3k H.O.R.S.E. event.

Van Alstyne collected $247,033 for the win and even gave himself an outside shot at the Player of the Year title following his victory.

Event 32 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em Day 2

Despite making a noble attempt to go from 220 players to a final table of nine in Event 32, organizers had to call it a night with 19 players remaining.

The remaining players are relatively unknown although Peter "Nordberg" Feldman is looking to make some noise with 465,000 chips. The chip leader is Mika Paasonen with 894,000 chips.

Play resumes at 1 p.m. tomorrow.

Event 33 - World Championship Limit Hold'em Day 2

Event 33 saw 104 eliminations in one of the most pro-heavy fields of the year. The 12 remaining players are all in the money but most of them are likely thinking about the final table and the WSOP bracelet on the line.

The final table could be a compelling one with Chad Brown, Matt Hawrilenko and Greg Mueller all in the running. Perhaps most interesting is the addition of Maria Ho, who is stacked with nearly 500,000 chips.

Action kicks off at 1 p.m. tomorrow.

Event 34 - $1.5k No Limit Hold'em

2095 players were whittled down to 243 by the close of play on day one of this event and big-field specialist Phil Hellmuth remained in contention come the end of play.

With $521,932 the juicy first prize awaiting the eventual winner, it should be a battle royale for the bracelet over the next few days.

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De Wolfe, Alenius take bracelets at WSOP June 14th

Swedish pro Tomas Alenius overcame a 3-1 chip disadvantage to win his first World Series of Poker bracelet in Event 26, the $1,500 Limit Hold'em event.

Alenius defeated Canada's Jonathan Tam heads-up to claim the $197,488 first prize, besting a final table that also included Al "Sugar Bear" Barbieri (3rd) and Rep Porter (7th).

Get full results here.

De Wolfe, meanwhile, talked to PokerListings' Rod Stirzaker shortly after his win. Check out the Englishman's thoughts on his historic accomplishment here.

Also playing out in the Amazon Room on Sunday:

Event 28 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em

Twenty-seven players remained in contention in the latest NLHE donkament when play was called at 3 a.m.

PokerListings fave Liv Boeree entered the day with chips and a chance at her first WSOP final table, but despite hitting a straight flush midway through the evening the Brit couldn't make it work long-term and was eliminated in 57th place.

Joe Simmons leads the field with 1.12 million at the conclusion of play, with the notable names still in contention including Jason Potter, Marco Johnson and Mehdi Alaei, father of pro poker player Danny Alaei.

Action will resume at 1 p.m. tomorrow and play down to a bracelet.

Event 29 - $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Heads-Up World Championship

Sixty-four players returned for Day 2 of the $10k Heads-Up event and by day's end all but eight had been eliminated.

PokerListings blogger Jason Mercier made the sweet sixteen before falling to Nathan Doudney while last year's runner up, Alec Torelli, fell to Jamin Stokes in the same round.

Johnny Chan, John Duthie and Dustin "Neverwin" Woolf are among those advancing to the Elite Eight.

Check out Geoff Fisk's recap here.

Event 30 - $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha

A total of 436 players bought-in for the $2.5k PLO event and after ten levels of play only 109 remained.

Among those to survive Day 1 were chipleader J.C. Tran, Theo Jorgensen, Phil Ivey and John Juanda, while Daniel Negreanu, Mercier, Barry Greenstein and Vanessa Rousso would all be eliminated.

Action will resume at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Event 31 - $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.

By all accounts one of the fishiest tournaments of the Series, the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. event attracted a field of 770 players, of whom 72 will be paid.

Phil Ivey was among those to pony up the $1.5k, but the Full Tilt Pro saw more value in the $2,500 PLO event and was blinded out of the H.O.R.S.E. tournament shortly before the end of Day 1.

By the time play was called at 3 a.m., approximately 240 players remained, with Andy Black, the aforementioned Greenstein and Lacey Jones among the notable survivors.

Mike Matusow, Maria Ho and Doyle Brunson were among those eliminated.

Action will resume at 2 p.m. on Monday.

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

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Stammdog win, Negreanu loss headline WSOP June 7th

The Ohio-based online pro defeated Angel Guillen in heads-up play to clinch the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em (Event 13) title, earning $506,786 and his first WSOP bracelet in the process.

Pros Phil Ivey, Kirill Gerasimov and Roland De Wolfe were among the 18 survivors who started the day with a shot at the bracelet, but none would last to see the final table.

Instead, Stammen faced down the likes of Guillen, Shawn Glines and Gregg Merkow on the way to victory.

Here's how the rest of the day played out at the World Series of Poker on Sunday:

Event 14 - $2,500 Limit Hold'em Six-Handed

Limit Hold'em specialist Brock "TSoprano" Parker defeated fan favorite Daniel Negreanu in heads-up play to claim his first WSOP bracelet.

Check out the full recap here.

Event 15 - $5,000 No Limit Hold'em

Event 15 played down to the 3 a.m. deadline before play was halted with 17 survivors still in contention for the $692,658 first prize.

Isaac Baron headlines a final contingent that includes Thomas "Thunder" Keller, David "Raptor" Benefield, Mike Sowers and David "The Dragon" Pham.

Due to scheduling concerns, Day 3 will begin at noon Vegas time.

Event 16 - $1,500 Seven-Card Stud

PokerListings.com blogger Jason Mercier cashed in 16th place as the entry-level Seven Card Stud tournament played down to the final table.

Jeffrey Lisandro and John Juanda are the big names among the final eight, with Thor Hansen just barely missing the cut with a final table bubble.

They'll play down to a champion starting at 2 p.m. Monday.

Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No Limit Hold'em

More than one thousand women showed up for the Ladies Event, including pros Erica Schoenberg, Evelyn Ng, Beth Shak, Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle.

By the end of the night only 146 members of the fairer sex remained. Defending champ Svetlana Gromenkova continued her dominance of female-only events, finishing near the top of the leaderboard.

Maria Ho and J.J. Liu were also among those to survive Day 1.

Event 18 - $10,000 World Championship Omaha 8-or-Better

A total of 179 of the world's best O8 players bought-in to the 5 p.m. World Championship event, including the aforementioned Negreanu, who multi-tabled the $2,500 LHE Six-Max.

By day's end, 133 were left, including Kid Poker, chipleader Scott Clements and defending champ David Benyamine.

Check out more in the PokerListings.com 2009 WSOP section.

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Sebok picks PokerRoad’s WSOP Best Bets

Seebs is bringing his gang of larger-than-life poker personalities back to the Rio Casino for the 40th Annual World Series of Poker and the PokerRoad president couldn't be more excited.

"The WSOP this year is going to be pure chaos," he told PokerListings.com. "Fun chaos, yummy chaos, like cotton-candy chaos, but chaos nonetheless. Be looking for 'PokerRoad Nation' to take the WSOP by storm."

Sebok founded PokerRoad in 2007 and the site has quickly become an essential bookmark for the hardcore poker fan.

Best-known for its namesake radio show, PokerRoad provides an entertaining and irreverent look inside the poker industry through a variety of multimedia forms.

This year, PokerListings and Poker Road are teaming up to provide poker fans with an all-access path into the poker lifestyle at the WSOP.

The agreement will see a PokerRoad presence on PokerListings.com in the form of strategy videos and preview articles and will put the PokerListings.com reporting team on PokerRoad radio in a weekly spot alongside Sebok, Gavin Smith and back-for-WSOP host Joe "Stapes" Stapleton.

"I couldn't be more fired up about the PokerRoad/PokerListings relationship that we're going to form this summer at the Rio," Sebok said.

"It's two awesome sites coming together to strengthen what really matters most: the experience for our users. I just hope you guys can hang with PokerRoad!"

To kick off the summer, Sebok agreed to provide his take on the "Best Bets" to take the Series by storm this summer:

Dan O'Brien

"I have a feeling this kid is going to bust out in a big way," Sebok said of O'Brien, a protégé of PokerListings blogger Jason Mercier who went deep in WPT events in Los Angeles and San Jose earlier this spring before taking 4th for $82,573 in a €5,000 event at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo.

"He's an awesome player who has already been making some noise on the tournament scene, so get ready for a BIG breakout.

"He can't beat me at racquetball, but he's tough on me on the felt!"

Jimmy Fricke

"You know him. You love him. He's going to be a beast at this year's WSOP, you'll see," said Seebs.

Gobboboy is best known in live circles for his second-place finish at the 2007 Aussie Millions, but the MTT wizard took first in a Bellagio Cup prelim for $443,155 last summer and is due for an even bigger summer in Vegas this time around.

"As well, he's going to be guest-hosting on PokerRoad Radio on Saturdays for the 'B-Team Special Shows,'" Sebok said.

Isaac Haxton

In early 2008, Sebok and Haxton feuded publicly after Sebok criticized some of Haxton's play on air.

The 2007 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure runner-up responded by accusing the Cub of not being able to understand the mathematical side of poker and the beef was on.

Those days are over, says Sebok.

"The feud is over!" he told PokerListings. "It's all love with Ike and myself and I have a feeling he might be adding a little hardware to his wrist this summer.

"Yep, I think he might just lock that down...whether or not he really understands how to use math in poker."

In addition to his three young guns, Sebok also pointed to a trio of more established pros he expects will accomplish big things this WSOP:

Annie Duke

"Just have a feeling here," said Sebok of the Celebrity Apprentice runner-up.

"She's pumped. She's ready. She's going to abuse some people at the Rio."

Maria Ho and Kevin "BeLOWaBOVe" Saul

"I just have this feeling about my people," Sebok said of Ho and Saul, both of whom blog for PokerRoad.

Saul counts a World Poker Tour title on his resume, while Ho broke through in 2007 when she was the last female eliminated in the Main Event, banking $237,865 for her 38th place finish.

"Maria is going to do more than just be the 'last woman standing' and Kev is going to go 'above' his usual style of playing 'below' normal levels of patience," said Sebok. "Ha!"

You can listen to Sebok and the PokerRoad Radio crew broadcasting daily from the floor of the Rio.

And check out the PokerListings WSOP section for live coverage and features throughout the Series.

Related Articles:

• 2009 WSOP Best Bets: Vivek Rajkumar
• 2009 WSOP Best Bets: Chris Moorman
  
• 2009 WSOP Best Bets: Liv Boeree
• 2009 WSOP Best Bets: Isaac Baron
• 2009 WSOP Best Bets: Soren Kongsgaard
• 2009 WSOP Best Bets: Jason Mercier
• 2009 WSOP Best Bets: Carter King

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Bodog Unveils 2009 WSOP Prop Bets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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