Poker News

Poker2Nite Welcomes Mike Matusow

The Fox Sports Net poker news show “Poker2Nite” welcomed the always outspoken Mike “The Mouth” Matusow this week. The franchise airs at 11:00pm ET every Wednesday night and can also be seen on The Score at 3:00pm ET on Sundays.

This week’s installment began with a discussion of the $335 buy-in re-entry event that kicked off the L.A. Poker Classic. The tournament was the brainchild of Matt Savage and allowed players to buy back in on a later starting day should they be knocked out. On top of the unique formula, the tournament also guaranteed $1 million. Interviews were shown with David “Chino” Rheem, Amnon Filippi, Thor Hanson, and Andreas Hoivold. Filippi commented, “It’s so hard to get so many people in one place at one time. You have to have a 100-table room and you have to have the players. L.A. has both.” Darrell Cain ultimately took down the kickoff event for over $300,000.

Attention then turned to Betfair front woman Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad, who won an Omaha event held during the Aussie Millions this month for $40,000. Obrestad, who won the inaugural World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe Main Event, became the first female ever to win an Aussie Millions tournament. “Poker2Nite’ co-host Joe Sebok explained, “She’s an absolute beast. She’s going to be a force at the Rio.” The 2010 WSOP will mark Obrestad’s debut in the annual U.S. series.

Matusow then joined the show and explained that his fortunes turned for the worst last year: “2007 and 2008 were the best years of poker I’ve ever had in my life. It spiraled downward starting with the $40,000 event in the WSOP [last year]. That beat led to another beat and another beat and the next thing you know, I was catching no cards and [recording] no cashes.” Matusow admitted that he made just $2,200 off of poker in 2009 after recording seven-figure years in 2007 and 2008.

As to what led to his dramatic downfall, Matusow explained that not working out every day and stiff competition contributed. His goal is to drop back to 185 pounds and run eight miles per day by the time the 2010 WSOP rolls around. He added, “Players have gotten better. There are so many great players.” One of those top minds in the game is its all-time money leader, Phil Ivey. Matusow commented on his fellow Full Tilt Poker pro: “I think that Phil Ivey, when he’s playing well, is probably the best all-around poker player I’ve ever played with.”

A new segment called “Mikey’s Meltdowns” featured Matusow against UB.com’s Phil Hellmuth during a taping of GSN’s “High Stakes Poker.” A 7-2 rule was in effect and any player who scooped the pot with the worst starting hand in Hold’em was paid $500 by each of their opponents. Hellmuth led out for a pot-sized bet of $40,000 on the river with 7-2 for air against Matusow, who had pocket kings. After much deliberation and a “This sucks,” Matusow folded his overpair face up. Hellmuth turned over 7-2 and the table exploded in commentary.

“All in Blind” featured Sebok and co-host Scott Huff debating a series of topics, including the aforementioned L.A. Poker Classic re-entry event, U.S. President Barack Obama being invited to play in the Irish Poker Open, and UB.com pro Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin donating $200,000 to his alma mater’s baseball program. Then, Dana Workman’s “Weekly Misdeal,” which provides a satirical look at the week’s headlines, poked fun at a topless home game raid, the Rio’s 20th birthday celebration, T.J. Cloutier selling a WSOP bracelet on eBay, and the popular video game system Sega entering the online poker marketplace.

Finally, “Poker2Nite” saluted Mike Hofer, the winner of the Absolute Poker College Challenge. Hofer earned $10,000 in college tuition and told “Poker2Nite” cameras, “The competition surprised me. They were all very competent players. Hats off to them. They played a great game.”

Catch “Poker2Nite” next Wednesday at 11:00pm ET on Fox Sports Net. Check your local listings for more information.

Matt Savage revitalises LA Poker Classic

Live poker tournaments in America have been suffering a slump in numbers recently but primo tournament director Matt Savage has come up with an innovative new format that, coupled with a million dollar guarantee, saw a $300 tournament reach a first place prize of $363,936.

Poker in Twitter: Deauville, Football, Kat von D and Victoria Coren’s duck.

Poker News Daily scours the Twitter feeds of hundreds of poker players to bring you the funniest, most interesting, weirdest Tweets of the last few days. This weekend saw many players tweeting about the tournaments they were in, which included the UBOC, the LAPC and the EPT Deauville. Other popular topics this week were football (the poker world seems to support the Saints almost unanimously) and other sports, as well as new houses, tattoos by Kat von D, and a river card made to measure for Eric Mizrachi.
The online cards were good for some and cruel to others: while Dave “Hollywood_Dave” Stann challenged players to face him at Ultimate Bet: “Rockin UBOC on UB right now...come join so I can felt you, too ”, Liv Boeree was not having such a great day: “finished 42nd in UBOC 8 for $6300. Set of 33s get it all in on turn... he rivers 9 for higher set. Laptop across the room time.” Eric Mizrachi could have shared some of his luck with her, as he boasted a screenshot from a spectacular river card in Poker Stars:  “Deliver the nice river, Ty @pokerstars_com http://twitpic.com/zmlrd”

Tournament manager supreme Matt Savage kept the world informed of the progress of the LAPC, starting with a comment on his famously grueling schedules: “We have completed days 1A/1B or .5 of the 51 events at this years @LAPokerClassic! Not sure what I was thinking when I made this schedule?” Apparently Mr. Savage is superstitious, since he made Dave Stann back off from certain comments that might bring the tournament ill luck: “@Hollywood_Dave please do NOT mention LAPC = Going Well and Obama Presidency = F'ing Up Country in same tweet! You may jinx us here in LA.” No jinx was apparent to Rob Perelman, who tweeted in delight: “Heads up pot. Final board A4444. Check check. Then 2nd guy tries to muck. This is why I love the @LAPokerClassic!” Some of poker’s hottest ladies were in attendance after trotting the globe in The Amazing Race last year; Tiffany Michelle posted a picture of her view from the table: “http://twitpic.com/z4bfu - Playin the 1st LAPC event, nice view - this girl follows me everywhere ”

The poker world followed the NFC very closely last weekend, and the general feeling seemed to favor the Saints, although Doyle Brunson voiced his admiration for the Vikings’ legendary quarterback: “Brett Favre has balls the size of basketballs.” Favre was the man of the day, with praise and heckles piled on him via Twitter. Gene Bromberg tried to be fair: “I gleefully join in on Favrebashing, but that should've been a flag. Low, late hit, gotta call that”, Justin “BoostedJ” Smith blamed it on the team: “@shannonelizab The vikings aren't even giving Favre a chance to win”, and Joe Sebok cheered and booed: “yes, saints! boo favre & vikings. city of new orleans deserves this... ” Shannon Elizabeth, who tweeted throughout the game, was a happy fan when the fat lady sang: “Congrats Saints! GREAT GAME!!”

The EPT Deauville had two excellent commentators in Vicky Coren and Isabelle Mercier, both of whom tweeted frequently with updates on their own performance and those of friends and team members. Coren had never been able to survive Deauville’s Day 1, and was hoping this year would be it: “It's Day 1 of the Deauville EPT. I've played this three times before and never survived Day One. Let's see if I can break my duck” (“Breaking one’s duck” is a British expression, originally from cricket, that means doing something for the first time.) Coren tried hard, and kept updating on her status to add to the suspense: “We started with 30k in chips. I went down to 4k, now up to 20k, tiptoeing between the outdraws. Two more levels and the duck gets it...” The duck, however, remains unbroken, as she got busted out in Day 1 once more. Fellow Brit Matthew Grant commiserated with some historic consolation: “@VictoriaCoren Nevermind, the only victory that matters near Deauville happened in 1944 ” Coren marveled at Mercier’s youthful looks when they sat together: “Ex Team Pro Isabelle Mercier is on my table, looking incredible. She just doesn't age, that woman. Is it a French thing?” It may have been Mercier’s joy at playing in Deauville, which she tweeted happily about: “Deauville Deauville! Always loved this French little piece of paradise... Especially when it's GAME DAY !!!! ... http://bit.ly/5V41EV” Mercier’s joie de vivre did not last very long, however, as she tweeted from her Facebook account: “Busted out few hours ago holding pocket 10's against poker Jacks and pocket Aces!!! Turned blue and slowly getting... http://bit.ly/4sN0Rb”

Celebrity tattoo artist Kat von D, from the TV show LA Ink, has been leaving her mark on the poker world. First she tattooed Tiffany Michelle, who shared a photo of her tattoo: “Pics of my tatt that Kat did on her show are on my website www.tiffanymichelle.com under the 'Film, TV, Shows' Gallery ” and more recently on Pearl Aday, as tweeted by heavy metal poker star Scott Ian: “Kat Von D shooting Pearl right now.” If he does not shape up to his crazy prop bet, Joe Sebok could be next.

Sebok got some unflattering tweets regarding his stunning new LA home – @DougLeePoker remarked acidly: “@JoeSebok Wow, sick place! and all you had to do was align yourself with a company that has stolen millions from their customers. Well Done!” Sebok’s affiliation with Ultimate Bet is evidently not well accepted by the poker world.

There were many random tweets on off topics that seemed too interesting to pass by, so here is a brief overview of the weird and wonderful tweets of this weekend. There is the cheerful but always cryptic Marcel Luske: “Just an other day,,, more news ,, more twitters , more closely 2 Our goalls & destiny,so enjoin the day & feel great & help others . {;”, a very happy tweet from Eric Mizrachi: “Got some GREAT NEWS today, my friend Myrielle "Meeyu" Pierre survived the earthquake. C U tomm Meeyu! http://twitpic.com/y267b”, some naughtiness from Gavin Griffin: “We just backed into someone's driver's side door and left an 8 square inch dent. Gave em 100 bucks. Win”, and a recognition of friendship from Daniel Negreanu: “I just counted. The number of good friends of mine that are unabashed media whores: zero! All my friends are so normal”, while Doyle Brunson experienced new things: “Got back from a recording session. I'm just a West Texas hillbilly, all that chit amazes me.”

The Tweet of the day is a tie between Jeff Madsen and Howard Lederer. Madsen quipped: “Tiger woods supposedly in Mississippi for sex Rehab. I'll b in Biloxi soon, maybe I need to check myself in?”, while Lederer pointed out: “Went to see Nadal tonight at Aussie Open and saw the best homemade fan sign ever at the match. It read "Go Nad." LOL”
If you are as addicted to Twitter as we are, be sure to follow us @PokerNewsDaily so you can stay up to date on all the breaking news in the poker world and be a part of some PND Twitter exclusives in the coming weeks.

L.A. Poker Classic Unique Opening Event Draws Sizeable Field

Poker tournament participation has recently been holding steady or, in some cases, even showing a decline in many American casinos. The opening event of this year’s L.A. Poker Classic has bucked this trend.

The L.A. Poker Classic, held annually at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, is recognized as one of the preeminent tournament events on the yearly schedule. It opened up play on January 20th with one of the more unusual events on its 51 tournament slate. The $300 buy in No Limit Hold’em event featured a guaranteed $1 million prize pool, which automatically ensures that a deep field will contend for the championship.  Tournament director Matt Savage, who has been lauded for his tweaking of tournaments since he took over as the main man at the Commerce last year, had another surprise in store for the Commerce contestants.

For the opening tournament, Savage scheduled four Day Ones and. Players who were eliminated on any of the first three Day Ones could enter again. With the ability to reenter the tournament, players were highly aggressive over the first three days of competition. Savage’s innovation for the first event on the L.A. Poker Classic schedule led to one of the largest tournament fields outside of a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event in history.

After the carnage of the first four days was completed, a total of 3,791 “unique” players had entered the event, according to a Tweet from Savage. Of those original entries, another 2,083 buy ins were received from players who had been eliminated, but felt they still had a chance at taking down the tournament. When Day Two of the tournament began on Sunday, 5,847 buy ins were recorded, eclipsing the guarantee by over $754,000.

With 3,791 players into the tournament, 540 took away at least $600 for their troubles; however, the majority of the prize pool was divvied up on Day Two. The 72 players who survived the first four days would earn a minimum of $1,980 for their efforts. Leading the way was Tim Telesio of Moreno Valley, California, but he was hotly pursued by several top Los Angeles pros such as Michael Woo, Cuong Nguyen, and Gevork Kasabyan.

The battle for the final table raged well into Monday morning. Nguyen and Kasabyan were victims of the early action on Sunday, but Woo was able to drive to the final table and finished in sixth place. Taking the championship early on Monday was Darrell Cain, who started the day in 25th place. Cain, who calls Sacramento home, was able to defeat Rocky River, Ohio’s Michael Blocksidge in heads-up action to win the “Bronco Buster” trophy (based on the Frederic Remington bronze statue of the same name) and the first place prize of $363,936.

Savage’s innovative tournaments will not be limited to just the opening event of this year’s L.A. Poker Classic. In an attempt to cater to players of all disciplines of poker, Savage has brought such games as Badugi, Chinese Poker, and an Eight-Game Mixed event to center stage at the Commerce during the L.A. Poker Classic. Perhaps Savage’s best innovation, however, is the Ironman Tournament.

The Ironman Tournament, which will be played on February 21st, is a creation from what some would say is the more sadistic side of Savage’s mind. In the $2,000 event, there are no breaks, whether for personal reasons or meals. A player can leave the table at any time, but the player continues to be dealt and blinds are posted appropriately. Play continues until a champion is determined, with the winner taking 50% of the prize pool and a seat into the World Poker Tour (WPT) L.A. Poker Classic Championship Event. No deals are allowed and a security guard stationed outside of the restroom ensures that everyone washes their hands.

The innovative Ironman Tournament was a success when it was unveiled last September. Savage debuted the concept during last year’s Commerce Casino Hold’em Series and 64 players took to the felt for the tournament. After over 19 hours of play, Brett Radin walked away with the $51,160 first prize, defeating a field that included 2009 CardPlayer Player of the Year Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin, Gavin Griffin, Matt “mattg1983” Graham, and defending WPT L.A. Poker Championship winner Cornel Andrew Cimpan.

Savage’s reputation for staging the best poker tournaments in the game today, as well as his innovative game creations, should have the L.A. Poker Classic on the minds of anyone connected to the poker world. The tournament schedule currently in action continues play through the month of February and will end the first week of March with the completion of the WPT Championship Event.

Poker in Twitter: PCA Bahamas, Haiti Relief, and the Brunson NFL Jinx

Twitter has revolutionized social networking, and the poker world was not immune to its 140-character charms. Poker News Daily has been following poker’s hot young stars such as Maria Ho and Jennifer "Jennicide" Leigh along with more established players including Annie Duke and Andy Bloch, and even some of poker’s greatest legends – septuagenarian Doyle Brunson tweets on a daily basis,– to offer our readership an overview of what the most popular poker players are up to on Twitter.

These have been the most interesting Tweets since last Friday, encompassing players’ parting impressions from the Bahamas, their last goodbyes to the late Amir Vahedi, the drives to raise funds for Haiti relief and some NFL quandaries.

The end of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) involved many players complaining about the Bahamas prices, while others complained about the weather and a few even complained about customs on the way out. Vicky Coren had a late departure, and she tried to make the most of it: “Mmm, sunshine and cocktails. And who needs a book when you can listen to the on-hold music at Nassau Airport for only $200 a minute?" Fellow Brit Liv Boeree shared a sunny beach picture: “http://twitpic.com/yk7dh - photo from Bahamas... on the one good day of the whole trip.”

Vahedi was present in many poker player’s minds and Twitters as his funeral took place last Friday. Tournament director supreme Matt Savage summed everyone’s feelings in a poignant Tweet: “Spent the short fight to Burbank thinking about Amir and how his BIG personality will be missed! Hoping to say a few words today.”

The NFL kept a number of players glued to the television, especially those who had money on the line like Phil Hellmuth: “I liked Colts & Saints, but didn't bet, then Vikings (what poker player gets up that early?), finally bet $500 on Jets money line 3.15 to 1”. DoylesRoom Brunson 10 member Amit "amak316" Makhija had a hard time choosing his allegiances: “Done working out, goin to grind Sundays and watch football! Do I root for the jets (love underdogs) or chargers (love awesomeness)?” Alex Outhred enjoyed a last laugh: “#fondmemories of the Cowboy fan last night who scoffed at my purpotion that the Vikes had 'a chance' today”.  And Brunson bemoaned his wife jinxing his favorite team: “it happened again. my wife walks in the room....BOOM, touchdown for the team i'm betting aganist... geeeez”

The humanitarian disaster in Haiti brought up many initiatives to raise awareness and funds. Shannon Elizabeth made a heartfelt appeal to remind all of the tragedy: “Good morning guys-we made it to the end of the week, but not everyone was so lucky-take a moment 2 remember those who didn't....” Adam “Roothlus” Levy voiced a more ambiguous opinion: “It's remarkable how the average American is facing financial hard times but yet, there's an outpouring of donations to #Haiti. Just awesome!” Andy Bloch donated time and money and played a lot of poker to aid the cause: “Just registered for the last 11 Aid for Haiti tournaments on FTP... may need a lot of caffeine. Sending autographed DVDs as extra bounty.”

Some players used Twitter for its original purpose of keeping friends and family informed of what they were up to. Beth Shak commented on her recent move: “Haha my decorator said no large men in my bedroom in NY..I wntd a king bed!!thnk gd my bf is small”, while Ho complained of health issues: “Dear Immune System, Why do you insist on taking days off without notifying me first? Please come back soon. *cough* Thanks.” Justin “BoostedJ” Smith revisited an old hobby: “Going to the gun range..something I haven't done in a long time and is so much fun,” and Leigh introduced her new love: “I'm SO in love.... Here's her picture! http://tinyurl.com/ygk7jpm =)” Liz Lieu enjoyed stirring up some suspense with the cryptic remark “I've just said "I WILL" ”

Some Tweets remain unclassifiable and they are arguably the most fun of all. Anthrax's Scott Ian talked about music: “Song of the day: Pussy don't fail me now. Any one know who that is?” Kevin Smith talked about religion (and several other unpublishable topics): “I never cram my religion down anybody's throat, so I ask you don't cram atheism down mine. My life's so blessed I GOTTA believe in God.” Meanwhile, Duke's boyfriend, Joe Reitman, complained about his phone service: “Dear AT&T...if u are going to have huge billboards in a stadium my iPhone should get a signal in said stadium” "Poker2Nite" host Scott Huff takes the prize for the most random Tweet of this edition, with: “This morning NASA found cocaine near the space shuttle Discovery. Come on, guys, space isn't high enough?”

Visit Poker News Daily every Monday and Thursday for an overview of the best Tweets in the poker world.

Poker2Nite Welcomes Poker Tournament Director Matt Savage

This week, the UB.com-sponsored poker news franchise “Poker2Nite” welcomed acclaimed tournament director Matt Savage. The creator of the Iron Man tournament and former director of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), Savage assessed the industry entering 2010.

First up on “Poker2Nite,” which airs on Wednesday at 11:00pm ET, was an evaluation of several of the high-stakes world’s top names. On Isildur1, who has been largely absent from the virtual felts of Full Tilt Poker following a run-in with CardRunners instructor Brian Hastings, “Poker2Nite” co-host Scott Huff noted, “He’s won huge amounts for sure, but he’s lost a lot of it back and that, to me, just means it’s on the level.” According to PokerTableRatings.com, Isildur1 is out $2.6 million since November after being up as much as $5 million.

Then, “Phil’s Best Blowups” took center stage. The segment recaps some of the top escapades of UB.com poker pro Phil Hellmuth. This week’s was “an oldie, but a goodie,” as it panned out at the World Poker Tour (WPT) stop at Foxwoods in 2005. Hellmuth explained, in G-rated terms, “This lucky son of a gun hit running sevens on me after starting completely dead and then raised me on the flop with nothing.”

Hellmuth held J-9 against Hoyt Corkins’ J-7 and the flop came nine-high, giving the 11-time WSOP bracelet winner top pair. Hellmuth bet 25,000, Corkins raised it to 70,000 with air, and Hellmuth called. The turn brought a seven, giving Corkins second pair, and the action went check-check. The river was another seven, improving the DoylesRoom pro to trips, and Hellmuth led out for 80,000. Corkins min-raised to 160,000, Hellmuth called, and jumped out of his chair when he saw the bad news. WPT commentator Vince Van Patten observed, “It looks like his pants are on fire.” The odds of Corkins hitting running sevens were 314:1.

Savage succinctly explained the role of a tournament director to Huff and show co-host Joe Sebok: “My job is to keep order in tournaments.” One of his recent creations is the Iron Man format, a no-break tournament with three meals served at the table and a $10,000 seat added to the prize pool. Its first running clocked in at 19 hours and 20 minutes. Savage recalled, “The camaraderie at the table was great. I stayed up for the whole event and will again in February.” Next month, a $2,100 buy-in Iron Man tournament will play out during the annual L.A. Poker Classic.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), passed in the final moments of the 2006 Congressional session, led to several of the world’s top online poker sites fleeing the U.S. market. Accordingly, Savage revealed where he’d like to see the game headed as we enter 2010: “We’d like to see the UIGEA overturned and that’d be a big difference for us. We’ve [leveled] a little bit in the U.S., but it’s growing globally.”

A feature on Credit Card Roulette aired featuring former Bodog pro Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, Isaac Haxton, Stephen “MrTimCaum” O’Dwyer, UB.com’s Adam “Roothlus” Levy, and Scott Seiver, with a $1,500 bill up for grabs. If you’ve never played the game, everyone seated tosses their credit cards into a hat and, one by one, the strips of plastic are drawn. The last person to have their credit card selected foots the bill for the entire meal. This time, Haxton was the poor, unfortunate soul and told “Poker2Nite” cameras, “Defeat is always painful.”

“Poker2Nite” closed with Absolute Poker pro and show correspondent Lacey Jones interviewing Shaun Deeb about his future in poker. Deeb commented, “I expect to take six months to a year, if not longer, to stay away from playing tournaments in general. I decided that, looking at what I was doing, I was spending too much time playing poker [tournaments]. So, I decided to quit them and play cash games with more flexible hours so I can do a lot more things with my time.” Deeb is a former number one player on the PocketFives.com Online Poker Rankings.

Catch “Poker2Nite” every Wednesday at 11:00pm ET on Fox Sports Net.

Poker2Nite wonders where Patrik Antonius is

The latest episode of Poker2Nite is out. This time they wonder where has Patrik Antonius vanished.

Antonius is being missed in the big live games and Poker2Nite is speculating where he is. Some other topics are the interview of the famous tournament director Matt Savage, some chat about Shaun Deeb and a few interesting hands from the past.

You just read Poker News from HighStakesNews.com

Poker2Nite wonders where Patrik Antonius is

Former World Series of Poker Home Binion’s Closing Hotel

Binion’s, located in Downtown Las Vegas, is shuttering its 365-room hotel effective December 14th. The hotel served as the home of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) until 2005, when the event picked up shop and moved across town to the Rio.

TLC Enterprises owns both Binion’s and the nearby Four Queens on Fremont Street. Company spokesperson Lisa Robinson told Poker News Daily, “We plan to reopen it, but we can’t speculate when that will happen. Las Vegas has been hit so hard with the dramatic drop in visitor spending and the average daily room rate has plummeted. Our hotel rooms were no longer competitive in the market. We had to make cuts where our biggest drains were, the hotel and coffee shop.”

According to the Associated Press, the casino, sports book, and nostalgic poker room will remain open. Also keeping its doors open for business is Binion’s Ranch Steakhouse, which sits on the 24 floor of the building. Conversely, its hotel, coffee shop, and keno parlor will all be closed down. In the process, 100 of Binion’s 800 employees will lose their jobs, or 13% of the casino’s workforce. The property is referring prospective hotel guests to Four Queens, which has nearly 700 rooms.

Poker players were up in arms that the WSOP’s former digs were closing, at least in part. Tournament director Matt Savage commented via Twitter on Monday, “Binions Horseshoe was both hated and loved by poker players over the years, but it is definitely missed by those that played the WSOP there!” The current Binion’s poker room has 10 tables, according to the casino’s website, and 11 televisions. It’s well-known for its Gallery of Champions, which portrays the history of the 40 year-old WSOP.

Binion’s opened in 1951 and, according to the Associated Press, “The aging hotel-casino ran into financial trouble after Benny Binion’s daughter, Becky Behnen, acquired it in 1998. It closed in January 2004 after U.S. marshals seized cash from the casino to pay outstanding employee benefits.” That year, Harrah’s purchased the rights to the WSOP and sold the casino to MTR Gaming Group as Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel. TLC Enterprises has owned it since March of 2008.

At the time of writing, hotel room rates varied between $21 and $23 during the week and $49 to $54 on weekends. All rooms are listed as “Sold Out” beginning on December 14th and availability is displayed through the end of February. TwoPlusTwo poster “dgiharris” noted that he was not surprised to see the hotel go given its antiquated rooms lacking wireless internet: “I argued saying that it is 2009 and everyone, even a mom and pop hotel has at least WiFi but Binion’s said they weren’t interested in that. BTW, their [internet] kiosk was one of those 1996 credit card <=> internet kiosks that charge you a dollar a minute.”

TwoPlusTwo poster “DayTripping” relayed his experience with an aging television in a Binion’s room, “I stayed there once a couple of years ago. The TV had an actual dial on it. That’s what I remember most and it should tell you something about how up-to-date the rooms were.” No room amenities are listed on Binion’s website, which instead touts the hotel’s 25th floor pool.

In 2005, the final days of the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Main Event took place at Binion’s and, the following year, the entire duration of the schedule played out at the Harrah’s-owned Rio. In 2008, the WSOP Main Event saw its final table delayed four months until early November for the first time ever. The November Nine, as the final table participants are now known, occurred once again in 2009, with 21 year-old Joe Cada ultimately emerging victorious to become the youngest WSOP Main Event champion ever, earning $8.5 million.

Poker2Nite Talks Isildur1, Annie Duke Charity Poker Tournament

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2010 L.A. Poker Classic set to break records

A 50-event schedule was released this week, including the World Poker Tour's $10,000 L.A. Poker Classic Championship and the WPT Celebrity Invitational.

However, the 43-day schedule, running Jan. 21 to March 4, will include so much more.

Along with $3.3 million in guarantees, the largest ever from Commerce, organizers are estimating there will be a $20 million total prize pool over all the events.

"This LAPC is longer, bigger and richer," said John Griffo, the casino's director of marketing and advertising. "With $20 million at stake, what poker player wouldn't want to be at Commerce?"

The schedule will begin Jan. 21 with a $335 No Limit Hold'em event sporting a $1,000,000 guarantee.

There are three start days and while it's not a traditional re-buy event, players will be allowed to re-enter on subsequent days if they bust. A similar event held at Commerce in September drew a record-breaking 3,967 players, creating a $753,730 prize pool.

Other new events on the schedule include a $1,065 2-7 Triple Draw tournament, a $1,065 8-Game event, a $2,100-buy-in Ironman tournament with no scheduled breaks, Badugi and Chinese Poker tournaments and a $25,100-buy-in High Roller event expected to draw some of poker's best.

Like the 2008 edition, the Classic will also feature a $10,000 H.O.R.S.E Championship and a $10,000 Heads Up Championship.

The WPT Celebrity Invitational starts Feb. 20 and the WPT's $10,000 L.A. Poker Classic Championship begins Feb. 26. Both will air on Fox Sports Net in 2010.

"Commerce Casino has truly become a year-round haven for poker players," said Tournament Director Matt Savage. "As such, we felt it important to create an LAPC schedule that caters to recreational and professional players alike.

"That is why we have kept traditional events and inserted new games to the mix, and have buy-ins ranging from $220 to a heart-pounding $25,100."

The full L.A. Poker Classic schedule can be found on the Commerce Casino's website.

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WSOP Main Event Festivities in Full Swing

If you think the conclusion World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is just about the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament, you couldn’t be further from the truth. A variety of side events and a cavalcade of media will make this weekend one for the ages.

On Saturday at 10:00am, credentialed media can begin accessing the behemoth facility that is the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas. Media will be seated on stage, in the first row of the auditorium, and in a press box overlooking the festivities. Players will be nearly on top of the audience as part of a revamped stage layout and only a handful of poker fans will likely be let in due to an overwhelming number of supporters brought by each player.

Harrah’s officials placed the $15.8 million up for grabs into a money market account back in July. It has since accrued $1,321 in interest, which will be divided among the top finishers based on their original payday. Ninth place will see no change to their payout, while the first place bounty of $8.5 million will be boosted by $607 in interest. Players who have busted out of the Main Event will be herded to a special interview area 10 minutes following their exit. Play kicks off at Noon PT on Saturday.

During the dinner break of the Main Event, World Poker Tour (WPT) Host and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Mike Sexton will be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame as the lone representative of the Class of 2009. Sexton’s induction ceremony takes place in the Brasilia Ballroom in a $150 per plate affair sponsored by JAQK Cellars. Sexton was one of nine players up for nomination and received 75% of the vote of a panel of media members and living Hall of Fame players.

Sexton told ESPN “Inside Deal” hosts Laura Lane and Bernard Lee about his plans for the induction speech: “I’m getting my thoughts together now on what I’m going to say. Certainly, I’m going to acknowledge the other nominees and thank people who have been very important to me in my poker career and life as well.”

Play is expected to last between 12 and 24 hours on Saturday and will continue well into the night until two remain. On Sunday, a meatball eating contest featuring some of the world’s top professional eaters will take place at Cafe Martarano’s at the Rio. Among those vying for the title will be Ultimate Bet front man Phil Hellmuth, who owns a record 11 WSOP bracelets. Hellmuth will square off against the likes of Joey Chestnut, who has won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest three years running.

At 3:00pm PT on Sunday, DoylesRoom is announcing the fifth member of its Brunson 10. The stable of young online poker pros hand-picked by site namesake Doyle Brunson already includes Chris “moorman1” Moorman, Amit “amak316” Makhija, Alec “traheho” Torelli, and Zachary “CrazyZachary” Clark. The festivities are being held in conjunction with the release of Brunson’s autobiography, “The Godfather of Poker.” Brunson will be on-hand distributing signed copies of his book for those in attendance at the Blush Nightclub at the Wynn. Members of the media were distributed invitations to the exclusive event this week.

Also taking place on Sunday is Vince Neil’s Fifth Annual Off The Strip Poker Tournament. The event, run by Matt Savage and organized by the Mötley Crüe front man, emanates from Buzio’s at the Rio at 7:00pm. The gala boasts a $550 buy-in and a $50,000 prize pool will be up for grabs. Proceeds benefit the Skylar Neil Foundation, named in honor of Neil’s daughter, who died of cancer 14 years ago. Las Vegas comedian Vinny Favorito, All-In Magazine owner Casey Thompson, and Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande are just a few players confirmed for the event.

Monday at 10:00pm PT will see the two survivors of the Main Event play down to a champion. The tournament’s conclusion will air on Tuesday at 9:00pm ET on ESPN. Poker News Daily will be on site in Las Vegas for the conclusion of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Check back for complete coverage from Sin City.

WSOP Main Event Festivities in Full Swing

If you think the conclusion World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is just about the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament, you couldn’t be further from the truth. A variety of side events and a cavalcade of media will make this weekend one for the ages.

On Saturday at 10:00am, credentialed media can begin accessing the behemoth facility that is the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas. Media will be seated on stage, in the first row of the auditorium, and in a press box overlooking the festivities. Players will be nearly on top of the audience as part of a revamped stage layout and only a handful of poker fans will likely be let in due to an overwhelming number of supporters brought by each player.

Harrah’s officials placed the $15.8 million up for grabs into a money market account back in July. It has since accrued $1,321 in interest, which will be divided among the top finishers based on their original payday. Ninth place will see no change to their payout, while the first place bounty of $8.5 million will be boosted by $607 in interest. Players who have busted out of the Main Event will be herded to a special interview area 10 minutes following their exit. Play kicks off at Noon PT on Saturday.

During the dinner break of the Main Event, World Poker Tour (WPT) Host and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Mike Sexton will be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame as the lone representative of the Class of 2009. Sexton’s induction ceremony takes place in the Brasilia Ballroom in a $150 per plate affair sponsored by JAQK Cellars. Sexton was one of nine players up for nomination and received 75% of the vote of a panel of media members and living Hall of Fame players.

Sexton told ESPN “Inside Deal” hosts Laura Lane and Bernard Lee about his plans for the induction speech: “I’m getting my thoughts together now on what I’m going to say. Certainly, I’m going to acknowledge the other nominees and thank people who have been very important to me in my poker career and life as well.”

Play is expected to last between 12 and 24 hours on Saturday and will continue well into the night until two remain. On Sunday, a meatball eating contest featuring some of the world’s top professional eaters will take place at Cafe Martarano’s at the Rio. Among those vying for the title will be Ultimate Bet front man Phil Hellmuth, who owns a record 11 WSOP bracelets. Hellmuth will square off against the likes of Joey Chestnut, who has won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest three years running.

At 3:00pm PT on Sunday, DoylesRoom is announcing the fifth member of its Brunson 10. The stable of young online poker pros hand-picked by site namesake Doyle Brunson already includes Chris “moorman1” Moorman, Amit “amak316” Makhija, Alec “traheho” Torelli, and Zachary “CrazyZachary” Clark. The festivities are being held in conjunction with the release of Brunson’s autobiography, “The Godfather of Poker.” Brunson will be on-hand distributing signed copies of his book for those in attendance at the Blush Nightclub at the Wynn. Members of the media were distributed invitations to the exclusive event this week.

Also taking place on Sunday is Vince Neil’s Fifth Annual Off The Strip Poker Tournament. The event, run by Matt Savage and organized by the Mötley Crüe front man, emanates from Buzio’s at the Rio at 7:00pm. The gala boasts a $550 buy-in and a $50,000 prize pool will be up for grabs. Proceeds benefit the Skylar Neil Foundation, named in honor of Neil’s daughter, who died of cancer 14 years ago. Las Vegas comedian Vinny Favorito, All-In Magazine owner Casey Thompson, and Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande are just a few players confirmed for the event.

Monday at 10:00pm PT will see the two survivors of the Main Event play down to a champion. The tournament’s conclusion will air on Tuesday at 9:00pm ET on ESPN. Poker News Daily will be on site in Las Vegas for the conclusion of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Check back for complete coverage from Sin City.

WSOP Main Event Festivities in Full Swing

If you think the conclusion World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is just about the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament, you couldn’t be further from the truth. A variety of side events and a cavalcade of media will make this weekend one for the ages.

On Saturday at 10:00am, credentialed media can begin accessing the behemoth facility that is the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas. Media will be seated on stage, in the first row of the auditorium, and in a press box overlooking the festivities. Players will be nearly on top of the audience as part of a revamped stage layout and only a handful of poker fans will likely be let in due to an overwhelming number of supporters brought by each player.

Harrah’s officials placed the $15.8 million up for grabs into a money market account back in July. It has since accrued $1,321 in interest, which will be divided among the top finishers based on their original payday. Ninth place will see no change to their payout, while the first place bounty of $8.5 million will be boosted by $607 in interest. Players who have busted out of the Main Event will be herded to a special interview area 10 minutes following their exit. Play kicks off at Noon PT on Saturday.

During the dinner break of the Main Event, World Poker Tour (WPT) Host and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Mike Sexton will be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame as the lone representative of the Class of 2009. Sexton’s induction ceremony takes place in the Brasilia Ballroom in a $150 per plate affair sponsored by JAQK Cellars. Sexton was one of nine players up for nomination and received 75% of the vote of a panel of media members and living Hall of Fame players.

Sexton told ESPN “Inside Deal” hosts Laura Lane and Bernard Lee about his plans for the induction speech: “I’m getting my thoughts together now on what I’m going to say. Certainly, I’m going to acknowledge the other nominees and thank people who have been very important to me in my poker career and life as well.”

Play is expected to last between 12 and 24 hours on Saturday and will continue well into the night until two remain. On Sunday, a meatball eating contest featuring some of the world’s top professional eaters will take place at Cafe Martarano’s at the Rio. Among those vying for the title will be Ultimate Bet front man Phil Hellmuth, who owns a record 11 WSOP bracelets. Hellmuth will square off against the likes of Joey Chestnut, who has won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest three years running.

At 3:00pm PT on Sunday, DoylesRoom is announcing the fifth member of its Brunson 10. The stable of young online poker pros hand-picked by site namesake Doyle Brunson already includes Chris “moorman1” Moorman, Amit “amak316” Makhija, Alec “traheho” Torelli, and Zachary “CrazyZachary” Clark. The festivities are being held in conjunction with the release of Brunson’s autobiography, “The Godfather of Poker.” Brunson will be on-hand distributing signed copies of his book for those in attendance at the Blush Nightclub at the Wynn. Members of the media were distributed invitations to the exclusive event this week.

Also taking place on Sunday is Vince Neil’s Fifth Annual Off The Strip Poker Tournament. The event, run by Matt Savage and organized by the Mötley Crüe front man, emanates from Buzio’s at the Rio at 7:00pm. The gala boasts a $550 buy-in and a $50,000 prize pool will be up for grabs. Proceeds benefit the Skylar Neil Foundation, named in honor of Neil’s daughter, who died of cancer 14 years ago. Las Vegas comedian Vinny Favorito, All-In Magazine owner Casey Thompson, and Bodog pro Jean-Robert Bellande are just a few players confirmed for the event.

Monday at 10:00pm PT will see the two survivors of the Main Event play down to a champion. The tournament’s conclusion will air on Tuesday at 9:00pm ET on ESPN. Poker News Daily will be on site in Las Vegas for the conclusion of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Check back for complete coverage from Sin City.

2010 LA Poker Classic Schedule Released

Details of the upcoming Los Angeles Poker Classic (LAPC) at the Commerce Casino have been released and the 50-event series appears to offer a little something for everyone.  In addition to the World Poker Tour (WPT) LAPC Main Event and the WPT Celebrity Invitational, the Commerce Casino will play host to a number of other events, including the first-ever U.S.-based Badugi tournament and an Ironman event, in which players compete in a tournament with no breaks and no deals.

In 2009, newly hired Tournament Director Matt Savage added events to the already ample LAPC schedule, including $10,000 buy-in HORSE and Heads-up contests.  Scotty Nguyen took down the HORSE event, while Full Tilt Poker pro Vivek “Psyduck” Rajkumar won the double elimination Heads-Up tournament.  Both of these $10,000 events will be back in 2010, as will a $25,100 buy-in High Rollers event set to take place on February 28th.

The series, which runs from January 21st through March 4th, will kick off with a $335 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event with a whopping $1 million guarantee.  A similar event was held during the Commerce Hold’em series in September.  The tournament featured a $220 buy-in and easily eclipsed its $500,000 guarantee after nearly 4,000 people showed up to play.  The LAPC version will offer three different starting days and, in a unique twist, should a player bust out on Day 1A or Day 1B, they are allowed to come back the following starting day, buy back in, and start all over again.

Other new events on tap for the series include the first ever Badugi tournament held in a U.S. casino, a Chinese Poker event, a $1,065 No Limit Hold’em event with rebuys, and Savage’s latest concoction, an Ironman event.  The Ironman tournament has no scheduled breaks, gives 50% of its prize pool to first place, and explicitly forbids any deal making at the final table.  Commerce ran its first Ironman tournament in September and drew a field of 64 players.  The event lasted for over 19 hours and was eventually won by Brett Radin.  Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin also made the final table, finishing in sixth place.

The WPT Celebrity Invitational typically takes place after the LAPC Main Event has wrapped up, but this year, the fun-filled freeroll event will run on February 20th and 21st before taking a break to film the final table on March 3rd.  The $10,000 buy-in Main Event will take place from February 26th to March 4th.  Last year’s Main Event drew a field of 696.

Here is the complete schedule of events for the upcoming LAPC. All events drawing more than 100 players will be two-day events unless otherwise noted and all times are local.

1/21 – 1pm: $335No Limit Hold’em (Day 1a), $1,000,000 guarantee
1/22 – 1pm: $335No Limit Hold’em (Day 1b), $1,000,000 guarantee
1/23 – 1pm: $335No Limit Hold’em (Day 1c), $1,000,000 guarantee
1/24 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em, $100,000 guarantee
1/25 – 1pm: $545 No Limit Hold’em
1/25 – 4pm: $335 7 Card Stud, $50,000 guarantee
1/26 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em Shootout (1 Day Event)
1/26 – 4pm: $335 Omaha H/L, $50,000 guarantee
1/27 – 1pm: $545 No Limit Hold’em, $10,000 seat added
1/27 – 4pm: $335 Stud H/L
1/28 – 1pm: $545 Omaha H/L and Stud H/L
1/29 – 1pm: $545 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em
1/30 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em w/ rebuys, $250,000 guarantee
1/30 – 4pm: $545 HORSE
1/31 – 1pm: $545 No Limit Hold’em, $200,000
2/1 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em
2/2 – 1pm: $545 No Limit Hold’em
2/3 – 1pm: $335 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em
2/4 – 1pm: $335 Heads-Up (Single Elimination – 256 Max), $10,000 seat added
2/5 – 1pm: $220 No Limit Hold’em (Day 1a), $250,000 guarantee
2/6 – 1pm: $220 No Limit Hold’em (Day 1b), $250,000 guarantee
2/7 – 1pm: $335 Double Stack No Limit Hold’em
2/8 – 1pm: $545 No Limit Hold’em
2/9 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em
2/9 – 4pm: $545 Omaha H/L
2/10 – 1pm: $1,065 No Limit Hold’em
2/10 – 4pm: $545 Stud H/L
2/11 – 1pm: $545 No Limit Hold’em, $10,000 seat added
2/11 – 4pm: $1,065 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em
2/12 – 1pm: $545 Limit Hold’em
2/12 – 4pm and 8pm: $230 Megasatellite for $1K Rebuy
2/13 – 1pm: $1,065 No Limit Hold’em w/ rebuys, $1,000,000 guarantee
2/14 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em w/ Knockout Bounty, $100,000 guarantee
2/14 – 4pm: $1,065 2-7 Triple Draw
2/15 – 1pm: $1,585 No Limit Hold’em
2/15 – 4pm: $1,065 8 Game Mix
2/16 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em
2/16 – 4pm: $1,065 Badugi
2/16 – 8pm: $1,050 Megasatellite to $10,000 HORSE
2/17 – 1pm: $1,065 HORSE
2/17 – 4pm: $1,585 Chinese Poker ½ High ½ Low (1 Day Event)
2/17 – 8pm: $1,050 Mega satellite to $10,000 HORSE
2/18 – 1pm: $1,065 No Limit Hold’em (6-Handed at 36 players)
2/18 – 4pm: $10,000 Commerce HORSE Championship (3 Day Event)
2/19 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em Shootout, $100,000 guarantee (1 Day Event)
2/19 – 4pm: $1,065 6-Handed Pot Limit Omaha w/ rebuys
2/20 – 8pm: WPT Celebrity Invitational Day 1
2/21 – 1pm: WPT Celebrity Invitational Day 2
2/21 – 1pm: $460 Ironman Turbo Megasatellite
2/21 – 4pm: $2,100 No Limit Hold’em Ironman Event, $10,000 seat added
2/21 – 8pm: $1,300 Heads-up Championship 8-Handed Qualifiers
2/22 – 1pm: $335 No Limit Hold’em, $200,000 guarantee
2/22 – 4pm: $3,085 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em
2/22 – 8pm: $2,550 Heads-up Championship 4-Handed Qualifiers
2/23 – 1pm: $1,065 No Limit Hold’em
2/23 – 4pm: $10,000 Commerce Heads-up Championship, $10,000 seat added
2/23 – 8pm: $1,050 LAPC Main Event Megasatellite
2/24 – 1pm: $545 No Limit Hold’em Shootout (1 Day Event)
2/24 – 4pm: $5,100 No Limit Hold’em
2/24 – 8pm: $1,050 LAPC Main Event Megasatellite
2/25 – 11am, 3:30pm, and 8pm: $1,050 LAPC Main Event Megasatellite
2/26 – 12pm: $10,000 LAPC Main Event Day 1
2/27 – 12pm: $10,000 LAPC Main Event Day 2
2/28 – 12pm: $10,000 LAPC Main Event Day 3
2/28 – 4pm: $25,100 Commerce High Rollers Event
3/1 – 12pm: $10,000 LAPC Main Event Day 4
3/2 – 12pm: $10,000 LAPC Main Event Day 5
3/3 – 4pm: WPT Celebrity Invitational Final Table Taping
3/4 – 4pm: LAPC Main Event Final Table Taping

Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil Hosts a Charity Poker Event

When the WSOP Main Event concludes on November, Vince Neil, the frontman of the legendary rock group Mötley Crüe, will host a charity event called Vince Neil’s 5th Annual Off The Strip Poker Tournament.

WSOP Main Event will be played from 7th to 9th November and “Dr. Feelgood” will be stopping in for one night to collect funds for Skylar Neil Foundation. Skylar Neil Foundation raises money for medical research to find cures for cancer, AIDS, and other diseases.

The tournament will be played on November 8th at Rio. For a $550 entry fee, the first 200 players to sign up will get a shot at a $50,000 prize pool to be paid out to the final table; rebuys benefiting the charity will also be available. It is hosted by Vince Neil and Tournament Director Matt Savage will emcee the event.

The event has been sold out in the past and has featured famous people from music, movies, television and poker.

Skylar Neil Foundation is named after Vince’s daughter who died of cancer in 1995.

Source: Bluff Magazine

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Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil Hosts a Charity Poker Event

Best Poker Twitter Accounts You’re Probably Not Following

The Twitterverse is a vast and sometimes scary place.  With so many people microblogging the minutiae of their everyday lives, it is often difficult to find Twitter accounts that are genuinely worth reading.  For every active celebrity, there are a half-dozen who only Tweet about what they had for dinner.

In other words, just because someone is famous doesn’t mean their tweets will keep you rapidly hitting refresh on your cell phone or laptop.  The same can be said for the celebrities of the poker world, whose tweets range from chip counts to outrageous stories from debauchery-filled nights on the Las Vegas Strip.  Since it seems as though every poker player around has opened up a Twitter account, we here at Poker News Daily have taken it upon ourselves to point out some quality feeds for your reading pleasure.

We’ll assume you are aware of the biggies.  With more than 943,000 followers, you’ve more than likely already added Joe Sebok (@JoeSebok) to your list of poker-related Tweeters.  Doyle Brunson, known to Tweeters as @TexDolly, is rapidly approaching 100,000 followers, so we won’t waste your time reiterating how groan-inducing, but funny, his endless string of blonde jokes is.  What we will do is offer up five Twitter accounts from players who may not be the most well-known pros on the circuit, but offer up some quality insight in 140 characters or less.

@basebaldy

This is the time of year when the various Player of the Year races start heating up and a few players in contention start entering every tournament around.  World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin is one such player who has been documenting his progress via his Twitter account.  His tweets not only provide chip counts and updates on his own progress, but also give rundowns of some of the kookier characters he encounters on the felt

Choice Tweet: “Not sure why I convinced @JonathanLittle to play this 300 with me. It doubled the number of good players in the field.”

@Erik_Seidel

If you think eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel’s Twitter feed will make you a better poker player, think again.  It will instead provide you with a steady stream of chuckles thanks to Seidel’s witty quips on everything from Balloon Boy to President Obama.  His loyal group of 4,000+ followers has already begun to spread the word about the joys of Seidel’s dry sense of humor and eagerly await his Tweets, which crop up once every couple of days.

Choice Tweet: “T-Mobile Sidekick has lost all customer data. Andy Richter, Paul Shaffer + Tom Arnold also reported missing”

@RoothlusUncut

The brainchild of poker pro Steve “MrTimCaum” O’Dwyer, @RoothlusUncut is composed entirely of quotes from Ultimate Bet sponsored pro Adam “Roothlus” Levy.  Ranging from the comical to the absurd, @RoothlusUncut’s tweets will often leave you more than curious about what conversation and situation could possibly produce them.  Unfortunately, Levy’s relocation to Los Angeles has left the account idle for the past couple of months, but the concept is such a good idea that we simply couldn’t let it go unmentioned.

Choice Tweet: “I just looked up the last google I did…Jane Seymour’s age”

@allenkessler

While the Twitter updates from Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler filling the world in on his latest bad beats are entertaining in their own right, what is perhaps even more fun is reading the tweets of those who talk back to him.  Whether it is Kessler arguing with tournament director Matt Savage or exchanging pleasantries with the growing contingent of online players who think of Kessler as a cult hero of sorts, the banter is what really makes his feed so fun.  There is also the added bonus of hearing updates from tournaments at smaller venues that do not always receive mainstream poker media coverage.

Choice Tweet: “If anyone is hungry I have a 200 comp at ago restaurant at the hard rock”

@Maridu

In order to fully appreciate Team PokerStars Pro Maria “Maridu” Mayrinck’s Twitter feed, you need a working knowledge of Portugese.  The Brazilian pro switches back and forth between her native tongue and English as she posts updates on herself and other South American pros like Alexandre Gomes and Andre Akkari.  Following Mayrinck on Twitter can also be a profitable venture, as she recently offered $10 on PokerStars to the person who gave her the best Halloween costume idea.  Always one to get a conversation going, Mayrinck keeps it lively and interactive like a good Twitter account should be.

Choice Tweet: “i long for a world where chickens can cross roads without being questioned about their motives…”

This list is certainly not all-inclusive and we’ll continue to scour the internet for more top Twitterers, but for those looking to kill some time while grinding online, these are a good place to start.

Andy Bloch: I’m Tired of Bad Structures, Time for our own Poker Tour

Andy Bloch, former blackjack wizard and Team Full Tilt member, has angrily expressed his frustration at the structure of high buy-in tournaments, asking renowned TD Matt Savage to start a players’ own poker tour.

Industry Reacts to Poker Hall of Fame Nomination of Mike Sexton

This week, the industry learned that World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton would become the 38th member of the Poker Hall of Fame and the lone representative in the Class of 2009. Poker News Daily sought the reaction of some of poker’s greats.

Sexton bested eight other nominees for the Poker Hall of Fame this year, a group that included Barry Greenstein, Daniel Negreanu, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, Tom McEvoy, and Dan Harrington. GreasieWheels LLC President Lisa Wheeler, who has worked with Sexton on several charity endeavors, told Poker News Daily, “I’ve worked with Mike Sexton for many years and can honestly say that he lives up to his nickname, ‘The Ambassador of Poker.’ After learning he’d been elected into the Poker Hall of Fame, I was surprised at first. I just assumed he had already been inducted. He’s a staple in the industry and has done so much for its image and evolution. Mike was a shoe-in from the start.”

Sexton serves as the Host, Consultant, and Ambassador for the popular online poker room PartyPoker. In his role, he’s influential on the direction of the site, which has served as his main cheerleader for election to the Hall of Fame. Also central in the industry is Cake Poker Card Room Manager Lee Jones, who explained to Poker News Daily, “Mike Sexton is one of the great gentlemen of poker and he always has a friendly word for everybody. He’s been a powerful influence to help bring poker out of the Dark Ages and into the future. I’m delighted that Mike was chosen for the Poker Hall of Fame; they couldn’t have picked a more deserving person.”

Sexton earned 75% of the vote of a 30-member panel, each of whom was allowed to select up to three players for enshrinement. This author was privileged to be on the voting panel and selected Sexton, McEvoy, and Harrington. On the world’s largest online poker forums, the reaction has been largely positive to Sexton’s nomination. TwoPlusTwo member “venice10” explained, “Well deserved. Mike Sexton has done a great deal to try to lift the game up and is a class act.” TwoPlusTwo member “RadcliffePoker” added, “He has probably done more for poker [than] the whole of 2plus2 put together. He was a driving force behind getting Party Poker off the ground. He has done brilliantly with the WPT in getting a hell of a lot more fish into the game.”

ESPN “Inside Deal” Host Bernard Lee told Poker News Daily, “It’s very well-deserved. Mike has had a tremendous impact on the world of poker. Most people know him from the WPT, but even before then, he was a tremendously accomplished player with a WSOP bracelet. No one deserves it more than Mike.” “Inside Deal” is released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

Poker pro Kathy Liebert, who rooted on McEvoy throughout the final table of the WSOP Champions Invitational, wrote on Twitter that she expected more than one candidate to be enshrined in 2009: “Seems to me there should be more than one poker player put into [the] hall of fame each year… With so many qualified candidates 75% of vote is too high. Especially with media being 50% of vote.” 2009 marks the first year since 2004 that only one person will become a new member of the Poker Hall of Fame. Dewey Tomko and hole card camera inventor Henry Orenstein were elected last year.

Full Tilt Poker pro Andy Bloch countered why Sexton was worthy of the only nod in 2009: “Arguably, any of the nine players nominated fit the qualifications and most will probably make it to the Hall of Fame in due time. Why was Mike elected before all the rest? Quite simply, he fit the qualifications for the Hall of Fame as both a player and a non-player much more so than any of the rest. I hope more of the others take a cue from Mike Sexton’s induction and do even more to promote the game of poker.” Tournament Director Matt Savage added, “Mike is and always has been the greatest ambassador for the game of poker and the Tournament of Champions was and idea clearly ahead of its time. I am very happy to see someone that has worked so hard to promote our great game receive this prestigious award!”

Finally, what would be an industry reaction article without a comment from the man of the hour? Sexton told Poker News Daily, “I’m truly honored to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. It’s really special because for the first time, there is now a process of being selected that includes the fans, the media, and the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame. The most satisfying part to me is to be accepted and welcomed into this exclusive club by the current members of the Hall of Fame.”

Congratulations to all of us to Sexton for his Poker Hall of Fame election.

Mike Sexton Elected to Poker Hall of Fame

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UltimateBet.com Aruba Poker Classic: Brandon Hall Wins!

The final table of the UltimateBet Aruba Poker Classic was scheduled to begin at noon local time but Mother Nature was trying to rain on everyone's parade. Tournament Director, Matt Savage and Co. weren't going to let a little rain hold up the show...

Brandon Hall, Robert Mizrachi Chop Aruba Poker Classic

The seven-handed final table of the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic concluded with a chop between online poker player Brandon “AreTheseUtz” Hall and Robert Mizrachi. Each banked $414,000 plus a percentage based on their chip counts.

Matt “_cwp394_” Ross was the first to go from the final table of the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic, sent packing in seventh place for $41,000. Ross shoved pre-flop with a wired pair of sevens, but ran into Jose Santos’ A-K, setting up a race situation. An ace hit the flop, sending Santos into the lead for good in the hand, while another hit the river to improve Ross’ opponent to trips. Next to go was 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) dual bracelet winner Brock “t soprano” Parker, who was all-in pre-flop with A-K against Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin’s pocket queens. The board came five cards 10 or lower and Parker walked away with $66,000 for his sixth place showing.

Santos was bounced in fifth place, earning $92,000. Chase Steely bet enough to put Santos all-in on a board of 3-K-5-4-K and Santos called. Steely tabled 6-7 for the nut straight, while Santos quickly mucked; fifth place was worth $92,000. Baldwin was eliminated in fourth place from the 2009 Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic despite getting his chips in with A-Q against Mizrachi’s A-7. The flop came seven-high, propelling Mizrachi into the lead in the hand, and no help came for Baldwin on the turn or river.

Steely hit the skids in third place for $218,000. He pushed pre-flop with pocket queens and Mizrachi made the call with K-J. The flop came A-10-9, giving Steely a straight draw, which hit when a queen fell on the river. Live coverage found on Poker News painted the picture of the scene at the Radisson Aruba Resort and Casino when Mizrachi spiked his queen: “Steely bent at the waist as Matt Savage announced that Mizrachi had hit a straight on the end. Mizrachi looked sorry for Steely as he got up from his seat and shook his hand, wishing him a good game.”

Heads-up, a chop was agreed to whereby both players would pocket second place money, $414,000, and divide up the remaining prize pool based on chip totals. Then, Mizrachi and Hall would play on for $30,000 and the title of 2009 Aruba Poker Classic Champion. It took all of 15 minutes for the tournament to come to an end after a deal was agreed to, as Mizrachi pushed all-in with 9-6 on a flop of 8-9-2. Hall made the call, gambling with J-10 for an open-ended straight draw. The turn came a jack, giving Hall top pair, and a queen on the river improved him to a straight.

Here were the official payouts from the 2009 Aruba Poker Classic’s seven-handed final table:

1st Place: Brandon Hall - $753,330
2nd Place: Robert Mizrachi - $414,680
3rd Place: Chase Steely - $218,860
4th Place: Eric Baldwin - $126,710
5th Place: Jose Santos - $92,150
6th Place: Brock Parker - $68,810
7th Place: Matt Ross  $41,470

A post on Ultimate Bet’s blog praised Hall for his victory: “Hall said he’d just endured a rough patch of play before turning it around recently and posting some solid results online. He can now add a major live tournament score to his poker resume, as Brandon Hall is the champion of the 2009 Aruba Poker Classic.” Hall won the $200,000 Guaranteed on Ultimate Bet for $45,000 in early August and finished second in the PokerStars Super Tuesday nine days later for $63,000.

Annie Duke Comments on Ultimate Bet Scandal Findings

In an exclusive interview with Poker News Daily, “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up and Ultimate Bet pro Annie Duke discusses the findings of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC), the Aruba Poker Classic, and Tiffany Michelle’s appearance on the CBS reality program “Amazing Race.”

Poker News Daily: Talk about the release of the screen names associated with the Ultimate Bet investigation.

Duke: I think that the release of the user names is nice. One of the main things was naming Russ Hamilton. That was probably the most gratifying part of the report. It’s good to come out and say who it was. It puts to rest any questions people might have. If the KGC is going to put that name out there, then he’s the one who masterminded it. That puts the nail in the coffin, which is a good nail to have. Someone who perpetrated something like that should be identified.

PND: Has there been any fallout from not naming the other 31 individuals who were potentially involved?

Duke: I know that in terms of the way it was executed, Russ had access to opening accounts. I think they’re not revealing the 31 names because the level of involvement is unclear. It looks like Russ was using other names to open accounts for cheating. Russ had so much access that it’s hard to say whether the other people were involved.

PND: What has been the reaction you’ve received to the KGC’s report?

Duke: I got some feedback on Twitter of people saying that the report’s release was great. I also had some people calling for the other 31 names. That was the main comment and it’s a tough call. Russ had complete access.

This summer at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), everyone was happy with how things had proceeded. There was a lot of money refunded and Ultimate Bet wasn’t trying to hide anything. People were asking me about the superuser list and my response was that they should write the KGC. It’s a big relief because that was the last piece of the puzzle and Ultimate Bet had to wait for the KGC. Everyone can see that Ultimate Bet wasn’t trying to hide or cover up anything. The present management wasn’t implicated and that’s important. Everyone understands that this management was a victim just like everyone else. This management refunded $22 million and they didn’t have to.

PND: What are you looking forward to the most in Aruba this year?

Duke: Being there the whole time. Last year, I was only there three days and it was all meetings because I had to pack it all in. I didn’t even get to enjoy anything. I can have some time this year to hang out with players, do water activities like tubing, and hang out at the pool. I’m bringing one of my kids and it’ll also be productive in terms of work. It’s funny because there’s also a poker tournament, but it seems like an afterthought.

PND: Does the Aruba Poker Classic lose any luster not being a part of an organized tournament series?

Duke: I don’t think so. In some ways, it gains something from that. I’m not sure right now that the World Poker Tour (WPT) seems to be that huge of a draw anyway. Aruba gets the same attendance as WPT tournaments. The difference is that the people are there because they want to be there, not because they’re just trying to get television coverage. I think it enhances the communal feel of it. That’s in some sense why Aruba feels like a more intimate experience than the Bahamas.

PND: Has there ever been any talk of the Aruba event becoming part of an organized series?

Duke: There’s no reason to worry about it because the attendance has been good. They have television opportunities if they wanted to air it. I sort of feel like if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s a beautifully run tournament and Matt Savage always does an amazing job. We’ll get between 400 and 600 players.

PND: Have you had a chance to check out “Face the Ace” on NBC? What are your thoughts on the show?

Duke: I watched the first episode and I don’t like it, but I think it could be fixed. My understanding is that they’ve changed things in the new episodes they’ve filmed. I’m not a huge fan of the host and I wish they used Ali Nejad in that role. It’s important to cast contestants and I understand why they can’t because they’re using online qualifiers, so there isn’t much you can do. Instead, you need to have a host that brings the contestants out. With the pros they’re using, some are good at getting players to talk and some aren’t. That’s another issue. When you get a contestant who isn’t gregarious and they’re paired with a pro who isn’t gregarious, it’s dead air. It’s all a learning experience, though. Full Tilt does some of the best poker programming in the industry.

PND: Will we see an Ultimate Bet version of “Face the Ace” anytime soon?

Duke: Phil Hellmuth would be very good television in those heads-up matches. I think moving out of their circle of pros might help Full Tilt and it wouldn’t hurt them. “Poker After Dark” has been a successful property for them and it features lots of people who aren’t Full Tilt pros. Phil Laak would be really good and there are others who are very big television people. It would help when you have an introverted contestant.

PND: Are you heading to WSOP Europe this year?

Duke: No. I am speaking at an ideas conference. It’s all about nurturing my intellectual pursuits. I’m talking about decision-making and ultimatums. I’m really excited about that and trying to get back to my economic roots. Ideas conferences are cool and feature some of the smartest people in the world.

PND: Are you looking forward to watching Tiffany Michelle on the new season of the CBS reality series “Amazing Race”?

Duke: She’s a fellow pro at Ultimate Bet and I want to support her. I’ll set my Tivo and will be rooting for her. It’s an exciting opportunity for her and for poker.

PND: Does it feel good to re-sign Michelle?

Duke: Tiffany is a very enthusiastic pro. She interacts well with customers and is a good team member. She also blogs a lot, shows up, and does everything we ask her to.

Commerce hosting Annie Duke celebrity tournament

The Annie Duke Celebrity Poker Tournament will take place during the Commerce Casino's L.A. Poker Open with celebrities Scott Ian, Shannon Elizabeth, Brande Roderick and Joe Reitman all taking to the felt.

Joining the stars will be poker players Dan Harrington, Howard Lederer, Rafe Furst, Adam Levy, Andy Bloch, Dave "Hollywood" Stann and WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack.

The event is sponsored by the WSOP Academy and presented by Rockwell Time. Globe-trotting Matt Savage will be handling the tournament directing duties.

Anyone willing to put down the $330 buy-in can take a seat at the tables. Re-buys and a one-time add-on are both available for $100.

Organizers are promising a "home style" poker game with fans being given the chance to mix it up with their favorite celebrity/poker players.

More than $30,000 in prizes and giveaways will be awarded throughout the event. The red carpet begins at 7 p.m. with the cards getting in the air at 8 p.m.

DEF was established in 2001 by educators, decision scientists and business people who had an interest in providing decision education to today's youth.

The organization already has several connections to poker world.

In 2008, Eric Brooks shocked the poker world by winning the $10,000 World Championship Stud event at the WSOP and donating 100% of the $415,856 he earned to the organization. Duke also sits on the board of directors.

Visit PokerListings.com

Brett Radin Wins Commerce Casino Ironman Tournament

Move over, Robert Downey, Jr. There’s a new Ironman in town! Brett Radin scooped $51,000 for taking down the Commerce Casino’s first ever Ironman event, a no-break poker tournament.

Radin defeated Chris “Trips” Tyrba in the Ironman tournament, which ran for 19 hours and 21 minutes. A total of 64 players bought in for $1,600 each and three meals were served at the table given the no break structure. The Commerce Casino added $10,000 to the prize pool, which came in at $103,000. The Ironman concept was the brainchild of veteran tournament director Matt Savage, who told Poker News Daily, “The Ironman is an idea that I came up with in response to players always asking, ‘When is the break?’ and others asking why the breaks are so long. When you signed up for the Ironman, there was no guesswork.”

Bathroom breaks and other reasons to stand up from the table meant missed hands in the Ironman tournament. As such, Savage noted that the extra twist tested players’ mental toughness: “Players should know that missing a hand in a tournament is not the end of the world and that many successful tournament players take unscheduled breaks away from the table. It was a test of a player’s skill and willpower, as the structure was very good.” Ultimate Bet pro and 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, for example, often misses hours of major tournaments in an effort to woo the assembled field with his customary late entrance.

Here were the top six finishers in the Ironman tournament:

1st Place: Brett Radin - $51,160
2nd Place: Chris “Trips” Tyrba - $22,686
3rd Place: Farzin Akhtar - $11,859
4th Place: Tyler “Titan of Tulalip” Patterson - $7,218
5th Place: Brian Brubaker - $5,672
6th Place: Eric “Basebaldy” Baldwin - $4,125

Baldwin is a WSOP bracelet winner, having taken down a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event during the 2009 tournament series. Baldwin promptly finished third in the World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em, boosting his take from the 2009 WSOP to over $780,000. On the online felts, where he can be found under the “Basebaldy” moniker, Baldwin won the Bodog weekly $100,000 Guaranteed twice in May of 2008. Last December, he took down the Full Tilt Poker $750,000 Guaranteed for $132,000. Baldwin finished 54th in the Main Event of the 2009 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) for $23,000.

Many who took to the felts in the Commerce Casino’s Ironman event were brand name players, including Shane “Shaniac” Schleger, Gavin Griffin, Matt “mattg1983” Graham, Joe Bartholdi, 2009 World Poker Tour (WPT) L.A. Poker Classic Champion Andrew Cimpan, and Adam “a_junglen” Junglen. Graham. Each entrant was given a stack of 10,000 chips and blinds began at 25-25. The price of poker increased every hour. On the structure, Radin commented in a press release distributed by the West Coast casino, “It was the truest poker tournament I have ever seen or played in. I love the fact that it played all the way down and no deals were allowed!”

The Commerce Casino plays host to the WPT L.A. Poker Classic every year, with its next installment slated for February 20th to 25th. In its last running, Cimpan defeated Binh Nguyen heads-up, with Mike “SowersUNCC” Sowers and Full Tilt pro Chris Ferguson also reaching the final table. Cimpan banked $1.6 million for his efforts and the tournament aired as part of Season VII of the WPT on Fox Sports Net. The $10,000 buy-in contest generated a field of 696 runners.

The Ironman event was part of the Commerce Casino’s Hold’em Series. Its inaugural event, a $220 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament, generated a field of 3,967 players, which the Commerce Casino claimed was the largest non-WSOP field in live poker history. Players could re-enter on another starting day if they busted out.

Iron Man: Examining the New Poker Tournament Format

When I think of Iron Man, three things come to mind: Ozzy Osbourne, a comic book, and Matt Savage. In 1970, Ozzy Osbourne’s heavy metal band, Black Sabbath, recorded a single titled “Iron Man.” The song became an anthem for headbangers...

Poker News in Brief: Sept. 14-20, 2009

The tournament series dominated the news with Annette_15 turning 21, J.P. Kelly taking the early lead in the first event and Anestis Metsas winning $1 million in a Betfair freeroll.

Of course, there's always more going on behind the scenes that doesn't necessary make it to the front page of PL.com.

As part of our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature we've compiled a list of these stories below. This week we'll take a look at a man taking first in a female event, an online player taking down his second WCOOP event, record numbers at the Commerce Casino and more.

Man wins women's poker tournament

It's story that is becoming more and more frequent in the poker world. Men are entering women-only poker tournaments.

This week, Abraham Korotki of New Jersey entered the Ladies Event at the Borgata Poker Open and, after outlasting 268 women, took down the event for $20,982.

Korotki was able to enter the tournament because organizers are not allowed to exclude players based on gender.

Nicole Rowe finished in second place for $11,889 to become the last woman standing in a ladies event. Rowe was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Korotki allegedly offered to donate some of the money to a breast cancer foundation, but an exact amount wasn't given.

In 2007, former baseball player Jose Canseco entered a ladies event at the Bicycle Casino and recently a man filed a discriminatory lawsuit against Hollywood Park Casino because its poker room offered a ladies-only event.

g0lfa drives his way to two WCOOP titles

Ryan "g0lfa" D'Angelo proved that lightning can strike twice by winning his second WCOOP title this week.

D'Angelo outlasted 1,406 players to take first place and $69,245 in the $320 PLH/PLO event on Tuesday.

In winning his second bracelet of the online series, D'Angelo rocketed to the top of the 2009 WCOOP leaderboards with 220 points. George Danzer is the closest competition with 190 points.

D'Angelo also upped his total winnings in the 2009 WCOOP up to $120,782.

Commerce Casino event draws nearly 4,000

Say what you will about the economy, but poker tournaments are still booming in California.

A total of 3,967 bought into the $220 No-Limit Hold'em event at Commerce Casino this week, the first tournament of its Hold'em series. It was enough to create the largest land-based poker tournament in history outside of the WSOP.

Los Angeles-based player Moshe Mashiah outlasted everyone to take down a $164,627 first-place prize. But according to tournament director Matt Savage, the last 10 players actually chopped for $45,000 each.

The Commerce Casino Hold'em Series is currently in full swing with the $2,580 main event scheduled to take place this coming Friday.

SSIGI introduces new pro-online gambling ads

The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative went on the offensive this week with a new ad campaign aimed at legalizing online poker.

One of the ads featured a photograph of the prohibition era in the U.S. with the tagline, "End Prohibition! Again."

The ads were in support of Rep. Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267).

"As Congress searches for ways to pay for health care reform and other worthy programs, it should end the unsuccessful prohibition of Internet gambling and start collecting taxes on the billions in revenue currently lost to unlicensed, offshore gambling operators," said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

((Full Tilt)) goes with new data expert

Full Tilt Poker is already known as one of the most secure poker sites on the web, but this week it added to that reputation.

FTP announced it would be using Aster Data for fraud detection and analytics. The goal is to provide better customer service to players, more security and manage increasing data volumes.

Full Tilt will also use Aster to fuel customer access to hand history data, meaning players will be able to learn more about how they play.

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Commerce Tournament Attracts Largest Land-based Non WSOP Event in History

Thanks to the multitude of different buy-in events across the country, it has been difficult for tournament directors to find a unique format that will appeal to broad audiences until now. Commerce Casino tournament director Matt Savage has...

Ultimate Bet to Give Away Mercedes at Aruba Poker Classic

The Ultimate Bet-sponsored Aruba Poker Classic is only a month away and the online poker room recently announced a new incentive to persuade players to take a Caribbean vacation come October. As part of the tournament festivities celebrating the site’s tenth anniversary and the eighth year of the Aruba event, Ultimate Bet added a ten-handed Sit & Go in which the winner will walk away with a brand new Mercedes Benz ML-350 sport utility vehicle.

For players interested in participating in the Mercedes-Benz tournament, there are a couple of different ways to earn a seat. Ultimate Bet will be hosting a $200 + $15 online satellite at 9:30PM ET on Sunday September 27th that will award seats to the top five finishers. In addition to winning an entry into the live event, the five satellite winners will also receive $2,000 to go towards travel expenses. This is an open event available to every customer on Ultimate Bet.

Four other seats will be doled out to those players that have already won a prize package into the Aruba Poker Classic Main Event. The satellite for those who have already won their way to Aruba will also be held on the 27th and will kick off at 5:30PM. The buy-in is $500 + $30 and only the top four finishers will earn entry into the Mercedes giveaway tournament. Each seat in the special live event is valued at $6,200.

The tenth and final spot in the Sit & Go has already been procured by an unnamed Ultimate Bet customer who was willing to fork over 1.5 million UltimatePoints in order to buy their way directly into the unique event.

The Mercedes Giveaway tournament is set to take place on October 9th at the Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino and Spa. It will run the same day as Day 4 of the $5000 + $500 buy-in Main Event. There are several other side tournaments taking place at this year’s event. The preliminary events kick off on October 3rd with a $500 + $40 No Limit Hold’em event in addition to round the clock satellite events. The first of the two starting days for the Aruba Poker Classic Main Event is Monday October 5th and the final table is set to play out on Saturday October 10th. Noted tournament director Matt Savage will be overseeing the Main Event action.

Ultimate Bet is also offering some Aruba contestants the opportunity to win an extra $10 million. Any player who is able to conquer all ten of Ultimate Bet’s STEPS satellites and manages to win the Aruba Main Event as well will earn $10 million in addition to the first place prize money. Step 1 is a Sit & Go with a $.10 buy-in while a victory in Step 10 will earn players an Aruba prize package valued at $8,500.

Last year’s Aruba Poker Classic Main Event drew 551 entrants and featured a final table lineup that included Allie Prescott, online pro Jeff “jpapola” Papola, Swedish player Johan Storakers and the event’s 2008 Champion Matt Brady. Brady earned a cool $1 million for his victory which is his largest career score to date. Other past Aruba winners include Freddy Deeb, Juha Helppi, Full Tilt Pro Erick Lindgren and Travis “TravestyFund” Rice.

Annie Duke to Host Charity Tournament in California

Poker professional Annie Duke, who has been at the forefront of the usage of poker for charitable means, will add to her philanthropic outlets when she hosts a charity poker tournament at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles to benefit the Decision Education Foundation in November.

The tournament, which will play out on November 19th at 7:00pm Pacific Time, is a $300+$30 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’em event with unlimited $100 rebuys during the first hour and a $100 add-on at the first break. Duke, a Poker News Daily Guest Columnist, will be the host of the tournament that is being held during the schedule of events for the inaugural Open at Commerce from November 6th to 22nd.

With the tournament being held near Hollywood, it is expected that there will be a celebrity-laden field in attendance. “We’ve already had confirmations from several pro players and a couple of celebrities,” Lisa Wheeler, the event organizer, confirmed to Poker News Daily. “Some of Annie’s friends from Ultimate Bet are going to be a part of the tournament. Actress Shannon Elizabeth has already confirmed and so has comedian Brad Garrett. This is only the beginning and there will be more to come!”

The tournament will have all the pomp and circumstance of a major awards show in Hollywood, befitting of its play at the jewel of California poker in the Commerce Casino. Activities will include a red carpet walk, a Commerce Casino hosted cocktail party, and silent and live auctions. The tournament itself will be officiated by one of the top tournament directors around, Matt Savage, and all proceeds raised will benefit the Decision Education Foundation.

The Decision Education Foundation is an organization that has been established to improve the lives of young people by empowering them with effective decision skills. The work of the Foundation crosses the nation from Pennsylvania to California, attempting to provide teachers with the tools to help young people acquire, appreciate, and apply the fundamentals of good decision-making.

The Decision Education Foundation is an important philanthropy for Duke. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the organization in addition to her other charitable and philanthropic work. As many may remember, Annie raised $730,000 through her second place effort on this year’s “Celebrity Apprentice” for Refugees International and continues to attempt to assist with the plight of refugees through Ante Up For Africa, an organization she co-founded along with “Crash” actor Don Cheadle.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily as more information comes available regarding this and other charitable events in the coming months.

Adrien Allain Wins 2009 APT Macau Main Event

In the Far East, it was a Frenchman from halfway around the world who emerged victorious. Adrien Allain, who hails from Rennes, France, won this year’s running of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Macau Main Event. Allain banked HK $3.035 million for his efforts.

Allain qualified for the APT Macau festivities by winning a $5 tournament on PKR. In the online world, he’s known as zlatan35 and his largest poker cash prior to Macau weighed in at $8,000. His HK $3.035 million payday equates to nearly USD $400,000 at current exchange ranges. In the final hand in Macau, Allain drew out with A-3 against Korean poker player Inwook Choi’s A-Q after spiking a three on the flop. Entering heads-up play, Choi was a 2:1 underdog. Here’s how the final table shook out:

1st Place: Adrien Allain (France) - HK$3,035,000
2nd Place: Inwook Choi (Korea) - HK$1,660,000
3rd Place: J.C. Tran (United States) - HK$910,510
4th Place: David Steicke (Hong Kong) - HK$708,300
5th Place: Chris Chau (Hong Kong) - HK$506,000
6th Place: Michael Woo (Hong Kong) - HK$404,800
7th Place: Christer Hallberg (Sweden) - HK$303,600
8th Place: Winfred Yu (Hong Kong) - HK$202,400
9th Place: Casey Kastle (Slovenia) - HK$131,500

J.C. Tran holds two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and was arguably the most successful player at the final table. After scoring his first piece of hardware in 2008, Tran won another bracelet this year by virtue of winning a $2,500 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha event for $235,000. Tran won the 2006 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Main Event for $670,000.

Tran, a member of the APT’s Poker Pack, commented in a press release distributed by tournament officials, “It has been a great 12-day festival for the Poker Pack. It is disappointing not to take down the Main Event, but congratulations to Allain. He played good poker and is a deserving champion. To take down such a major tournament for just $5 is quite something – there’s no doubt he has great potential.”

Day 1B of the APT Macau Main Event featured filming of the Chinese language poker film “Poker King.” Ten-time WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan predicted that the movie would be bigger than “Rounders,” which helped spur the growth of No Limit Texas Hold’em in the United States. Yu, who finished in eighth place, came to the Macau event as part of the crew of “Poker King.”

Tran was eliminated from the tournament when Choi and Allain checked the action down on a board of A-J-10-9-8. Tran showed the Dead Man’s Hand, aces and eights, but was trumped by Allain’s A-Q for a straight. David Steicke was ousted from the final table after running his pocket nines into Choi’s pocket kings. The board ran out 3-3-A-3-K, giving Choi a better full house and sending Steicke packing.

WSOP November Nine member James Akenhead made the trek to Macau. Also appearing in the field were 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event winner John Juanda, Chan, Liz Lieu, Season VI World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship winner David Chiu, new Team Ultimate Bet member Liv Boeree, Amnon Filippi, and reigning WPT Championship victor Yevgeniy Timoshenko. Matt Savage served as the APT Macau’s Tournament Director, a role he will reprise in October for the annual Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic.

In addition to finishing third in the Main Event, Tran won the Poker Pack Headhunter tournament in Macau. Other highlights included Team Korea (featuring Steve Sung, David “Chino” Rheem, and Brandon Wong) winning the inaugural JBET Battle of the Nations. A “Poker King” charity tournament was also held, with Poker Pack member Quinn Do emerging victorious.