Poker News

Tommy Vedes wins WPT Festa al Lago

Tommy Vedes put the disappointment of just missing out on the final table of this year’s WSOP behind him by winning WPT Festa al Lago. The New Yorker, who also had a deep run at EPT London, picked up a first prize of over $1.2m.

Poker Gods shine on Vedes at WPT Festa al Lago

The New York native, who fell just short of glory at the WSOP, the WSOPE and PokerStars EPT London, found himself on the wrong end of several coolers and looked sure to bust out at the World Poker Tour Festa al Lago final table time and time again.

But somehow, someway, he kept finding a way to suck out and eventually the title, and the $1.2 million first-place prize, was his.

"I feel great," he said. "It's unbelievable. I didn't think it was going to happen so fast. After the World Series, travelling to Europe and everything else, playing this event and shipping it is just amazing."

The action at the six-handed final table started fast with 23-year-old Canadian Jason Lavallee pushing Vedes off a massive pot to leap into contention.

A suddenly short Vedes then got it in with top two, kings and queens, against a Shawn Cunix set of sixes.

But miraculously, Vedes managed to turn a boat.

"At that point the king comes and it crushed Shawn, which is unfortunate, because he is a good guy," Vedes said. "But from that point, I knew I just had to win it."

A crippled Cunix took sixth a few hands later, running suited rags into Craig Crivello's ace-queen.

Then, a relatively short stacked Jason Burt was the next to go, running into a dominating Freddy Deeb.

However, Deeb's grip on the Festa al Lago title began to slip when Vedes managed to suck out on him as well, hitting a set of queens on the river after getting it in pre-flop against Deeb's pocket kings.

"I got lucky with Deeb," Vedes explained. "I don't know what happened. I'm from Queens and it came queens all night long."

Vedes continued to run well, making the nut-flush on the river against a Crivello straight to snatch a huge pot off him and take a commanding lead on the field four-handed.

Deeb came into the final with a chance to tie Gus Hansen for the most wins in WPT history at three, but those dreams were dashed when he shoved short with a weak ace and, once again, Vedes had his number, making the call with sixes and holding.

Three-handed play was a rather quick affair that ended when Crivello ran two face cards into Jason Lavallee's tens and failed to improve.

Heads up began with Vedes holding a two-million-chip edge over Lavallee, but the young Canadian chipped away to take the advantage and eventually bullied his way into a sizable lead.

However, Vedes uncanny ability to suck out came to the fore once again when he got it in dominated with ace-ten versus ace-jack and managed to flop a ten.

"When I saw his ace-jack and the ace-ten, I felt like I knew was going to win the hand," he said. "I did, after all the things that had been going on. It just came out right."

A few hands later, with Lavallee still holding the slight chip edge, the money went in again.

This time Vedes had fives over Lavallee's fours and the small pair held to give Vedes what appeared to be an insurmountable lead.

Finally, Lavallee ran rags into Vedes' king-queen, the turn brought a second queen, the river a third and the man from Queens became the 2009 Festa al Lago champion.

Following a 19th-place finish in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, busting on the bubble at WSOP Europe and turning the chip lead into a 54th-place fizzle-out at EPT London, Vedes said he felt like Festa al Lago was simply his time.

"The way I busted out of them were pretty hard beats," he said. "But I just had to forget all the bad beats and focus and play."

Vedes said he's scheduled to play the Caesars Palace Classic in Las Vegas Tuesday and plans to head to WSOPC Southern Indiana, WPT Foxwoods and WSOPC Lake Tahoe immediately after, just to see if he can keep the ball rolling.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe I can ship another one. We'll see what happens."

For a comprehensive recap of all the final-table action, check out PokerListings' Live Updates.

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Deeb in control at WPT Festa al Lago final

But the two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, who has more than $6.2 million in career tournament earnings, will come into Monday's fight for the title and $1.2 million first-place prize with something equally important - the chip lead.

"It never gets old making money," said the Lebanese-born American. "And I'm feeling very confident. I always feel confident. Otherwise I don't play. I really want to win though, and I'm definitely going to try my best."

The kind of player that constantly adjusts his game to best attack the players seated around him, Deeb said chip lead or not, that will be his plan at the final table.

"I'll just wait things out, see how it goes and see how they play," he said. "Every day is a different day."

Business owner and part-time poker player Shawn Cunix will come in just a few hundred thousand shy of Deeb's 3.8 million chip stack.

The Ohio native has close to $500,000 in career tournament earnings and while this is the biggest stage he's ever played on, he said he feels ready for it.

"I honestly will continue to play the game exactly like I have," he said. "I'm very confident that I'll do my best and whatever happens, happens."

The player currently sitting third in chips could very well be one of the hottest players in poker right now.

New Yorker Tommy Vedes followed up a final-table appearance at the 2009 WSOP $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 event with a 19th-place finish in the Main Event.

Then he spent the late summer tearing up almost every tournament he played, final tabling the World Poker Open in Tunica, finishing 18th at WPT Cyprus and grabbing the early chip lead at PokerStars EPT London before fizzling out 54th.

"I think my game was always good," he said. "I just never really took a shot at playing big events before and I guess now it's showing. We'll see what happens tomorrow."

Veteran pro Craig Crivello sits right behind Vedes and with two WSOP final tables and three deep runs in the Main Event on his resume, stretching all the way back to 1995, it appears he's been on the verge of something big for a long time.

He believes experience could be the telling factor at this final table.

"I'm feeling pretty confident," he said. "Experience definitely helps. Some of these younger players have never been here before and I have.

"I know Freddy Deeb is an experienced veteran. Some of the other players though, (being on TV and playing for big money) may affect them a little, but I feel comfortable.

"We'll see what happens. I have to get some cards too. It doesn't matter how good you feel, you still have to get cards."

One of the younger players Crivello was referring to is 23-year-old Jason Lavallee, who came into the final 11 with a massive chip lead.

After a difficult play down to the final six, the Montreal, Quebec native will enter the TV final table fifth in chips in an attempt to put his fall from the top behind him.

"I don't have as much room to maneuver as I wish I did," he said. "It was a tough day, obviously I took a lot of beats, but I still kept my composure and tried to not spew off too many chips.

"I'm just going to try to go out tomorrow with a fresh mind and not sweat too much over it."

Finally, the short stack at the table is 22-year-old Jason Burt, who is hoping a few years of online MTT and cash-game experience will be enough to keep him from being too shaky on the WPT stage.

"I've played a lot of tournaments, so hopefully I won't be too nervous," he said. "I've never been on TV before, except for some local stuff, so we'll see how it goes."

The final table will play out at the Bellagio in Las Vegas beginning at 4 p.m. PST.

To catch all the action, click through to PokerListings' Live Updates.

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Anurag Dikshit’s Sale of Party Gaming Stock Receives Mixed Reaction

One of the major poker headlines this week was the news that Party Gaming Cofounder Anurag Dikshit would divest himself of nearly 114 million shares of the company’s stock, which is traded in London under the symbol “PRTY.” Now, the industry has had a chance to react.

The internet gambling think tank sported mixed reactions to the news, as Dikshit’s departure meant that a man who admitted to violating U.S. law in a New York courtroom one year ago would no longer hold any interest in the company. Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) Chairman Joe Brennan told Poker News Daily, “The thing to take away is that this is probably good overall for Party Gaming. When you have one of their founders pleading guilty, if and when things start to get normalized in the U.S. and Party Gaming comes into the market, they need to clear it off the books. The fact that he’s exiting the company is good for its future.”

When internet gambling will be legalized and regulated in the United States is anyone’s guess. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced HR 2267 in May as one solution. The bill outlines a framework for the explicit legalization of the industry and, although the measure is up to 62 cosponsors, it has not yet been scheduled for markup in the House Financial Services Committee.

On how members of Congress and others outside of the industry would react to Dikshit’s exit, Brennan explained, “If Dikshit leaving Party Gaming can be a benefit to that company, I would say that it does the same broadly for the industry.” Financial analyst Nick Batram told Bloomberg that Dikshit’s departure meant that Party Gaming “may also find it easier to raise funds from institutional investors rather than the founders for large sports gambling acquisitions.” The Wire Act of 1961 has historically been interpreted to mean that online wagering on sports is not permitted in the U.S.

Dikshit will purportedly turn over the proceeds of his sale, which will likely total more than ?188 million, to his charitable foundation. On the TwoPlusTwo online poker forums, posters questioned Dikshit’s charitable motives: “If he donated to an established charity that could not be mistaken for a front, then that would be impressive,” one skeptic noted. Some have speculated that tax benefits are the real reason behind his actions. Brennan told Poker News Daily, “He wants to get out of the business and focus on his charitable endeavors.”

The sale of two-thirds of Dikshit’s stake sent shares of Party Gaming plummeting. Trading above 284 pence on October 19th, the stock dove to 240 pence in 24 hours, a dip of 15%. PRTY closed trading on Friday on the London Stock Exchange fetching 243 pence, 135 pence above its asking price one year ago.

An article in the Financial Times summed up the reaction from most of the industry: “The truth, however, is that while the distancing of Mr Dikshit can’t be bad for Party Gaming, it is still frustratingly unclear what the odds are on a successful return to the U.S. market.” In five weeks, the financial services industry in the United States must fall into full compliance with the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The impact of the December 1st deadline remains to be seen, but the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) recently authored a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke asking for the UIGEA’s regulations to be delayed by one year.

Party Gaming Cofounders Ruth Parasol and Russ DeLeon, a husband and wife team, have not yet announced their intentions to sell stock or formulate a plea agreement with the U.S. Government.

Celebrity Apprentice 3 Cast May Not Feature Poker Players

In 2010, the third installment of the NBC reality franchise “Celebrity Apprentice” will hit television airwaves. The show, which featured comedian Joan Rivers best poker pro Annie Duke in the finale last time out, will likely not include a poker player this time around.

Ever since Duke finished as the runner-up to Rivers in May, the poker community has been abuzz that one of its own may appear in the third edition of the popular series. However, according to Huliq.com and the New York Post, the ensemble cast, which will likely once again pit men against women, does not appear to include a poker player. No official cast list has been released by NBC. The show is hosted by real estate mogul Donald Trump and raises money for charity.

Last season, Duke played for Refugees International, an organization that she worked closely with as part of her own charity, Ante Up for Africa. In the process, the poker community was instrumental in raising $730,000 for the charity. Poker players who made cameos throughout the season included Ultimate Bet front man Phil Hellmuth, Andy Bloch, Howard Lederer, 2009 Poker Hall of Fame nominee Erik Seidel, and Perry Friedman.

Embattled politician Rod Blagojevich headlines the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast in Season 3. His wife, Patty Blagojevich, appeared on NBC’s “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here” when Rod was unable to attend due to ongoing legal action. Blagojevich is the former Governor of Illinois and was impeached in January for, among other misgivings, allegedly trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by current U.S. President Barack Obama.

Joining Blagojevich on the men’s team will be another controversial celebrity, former baseball great Darryl Strawberry, a member of the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and New York Yankees. Strawberry exited the league in 1999 and was the National League Rookie of the Year 16 years earlier. Chef Curtis Stone will join the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast, as will popular comedian Sinbad, whose credits include “A Different World” and “The Sinbad Show.” He has also appeared in movies such as “First Kid” and “Jingle All the Way.”

Former professional wrestler Bill Goldberg, who stormed onto World Championship Wrestling (WCW) scene with an undefeated streak in the late 1990s, will be a part of the new “Celebrity Apprentice” cast. Rounding out the men’s team is “Rock of Love” star Bret Michaels, who is also known for his work with the band Poison.

The women’s team features “America’s Got Talent” judge Sharon Osborne, whose fellow judge on the show, Piers Morgan, was the winner of Season 1 of “Celebrity Apprentice.” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time” signer Cyndi Lauper will join the squad. Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders, who took down hardware in swimming in 1992, will also make her way to New York City to film “Celebrity Apprentice.” There, actress Holly Robinson Peete, wife of former NFL great Rodney Peete, will join her.

World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Maria Kanellis will also be a part of “Celebrity Apprentice,” as will comedian Carol Leifer, who has written scripts for hits like “Seinfeld” and “The Larry Sanders Show.” Finally, Selita Ebanks, a model, will round out the new cast.

The names of more cast members may be released, but for the meantime, it appears that the poker community will not be a part of the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” Over on CBS, Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively, are competing as part of the Emmy Award winning reality series “Amazing Race.” The show airs at 8:00pm ET on Sundays and viewers will see the poker playing duo race around Dubai, United Arab Emirates on this week’s edition.

The Post reported that the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast was seen recording the opening credits in the Meatpacking District of New York City and that the show would begin airing in March.

Anurag Dikshit Sells Remaining Stake in Party Gaming

According to an article that appeared in eGamingReview (EGR) on Tuesday and filings to the London Stock Exchange, Party Gaming Co-Founder Anurag Dikshit will sell his 28% share in the company for at least ?188 million.

It’s a curious twist on a story that began developing last December, when Dikshit appeared in the Southern District Court in New York. The Party Gaming personality pled guilty to violating the Wire Act of 1961 and agreed to fork over $300 million to the U.S. Government. He also faces up to two years behind bars, with sentencing scheduled for 2010. Dikshit’s spokesperson, Shimon Cohen, told EGR, “Anurag has paid the $300 million fine that he was asked to pay by the U.S. authorities and has decided it is time to move away from the company.” The Wire Act has traditionally applied to online wagering on sports, not online poker. Read the entire EGR Anurag Dikshit article.

Dikshit was originally rumored to be selling two-thirds of his 28% stake in Party Gaming; however, EGR later reported that the entirety of his shares would be unloaded. PartyPoker, the online poker arm of Party Gaming, withdrew from the U.S. market in 2006 shortly after the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was attached to the SAFE Port Act in the waning moments of that year’s Congressional session at the urging of then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN). The regulations of the UIGEA were approved as midnight rules by the outgoing Bush Administration and will be fully enforced on December 1st.

In a filing to the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday, where Party Gaming is traded under the symbol “PRTY,” Anurag Dikshit, under the names BT Nominees Limited and Crystal Ventures Limited, is listed as selling 75 million shares of PRTY, or two-thirds of his original total. The filing explains, “Crystal Ventures Limited is wholly owned by BT Nominees Limited who hold shares in PartyGaming Plc under a declaration of trust in favor of Mr Dikshit.” Dikshit owned 113 million shares prior to the sale posted on Tuesday in London and retained nearly 39 million “indirect voting rights.” The sale of the remaining interest has not yet been posted.

At the close of trading on Tuesday in London, shares of PRTY were fetching 240.10p and EGR noted that Dikshit expects to pull in at least ?188 million as a result of the transaction; the sum will be donated to charity. On Monday, PRTY was trading at 284p before Dikshit’s sale, which promptly sunk the share price by 15%. All told, Dikshit’s agreement with the U.S. Government last December ballooned the firm’s stock, which sat at below 140p before quickly climbing above 200p. Exactly one year ago, shares of PRTY were valued at 123p.

Ruth Parasol and Russ DeLeon, who founded Party Gaming along with Dikshit, were not expected to follow suit, according to EGR. In the meantime, PartyPoker officials have heralded the election of its ambassador, World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton, to the Poker Hall of Fame. Sexton is the lone representative of the Class of 2009 and will be officially inducted in ceremonies taking place on November 7th during the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table. Sexton is a WSOP bracelet holder and re-signed with PartyPoker in April.

In August, Party Gaming acquired the WPT for $12.3 million, outbidding a subsidiary of Playtech, which owns and operates the massive iPoker Network. Four months earlier, the company entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, agreeing to pay the Federal Government $105 million. In the process, Party Gaming admitted that it solicited U.S. customers prior to the UIGEA’s passage and agreed not to do so in the future until the industry is licensed and regulated.

Amazing Race: Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho Finish Sixth in Dubai

Fresh off being spared elimination last week in Cambodia after a rival team lost their passports, poker players Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho finished sixth in the Dubai leg of the CBS reality series “Amazing Race.”

Teams began in Cambodia, where brothers Sam and Dan departed at 12:25pm. The clue instructed the “Amazing Race” competitors to fly to the Persian Gulf to find the world’s tallest building. Teams had to figure out on their own that the clue meant traveling to Dubai, United Arab Emirates to find the Burj Dubai, a building that is twice the height of New York City’s Empire State Building. Once there, they had to sign up for one of two elevator rides to the top. Michelle and Ho were the final squad to leave the Cambodia Pit Stop, departing at 12:55pm.

On the fate of the racers who misplaced their passports last week, Michelle noted, “It’s unfortunate what happened to Zev and Justin, but the rules are the rules. We’re appreciative for the lucky chances and we think we can be contenders.” All teams traveled to Dubai on the same flight and, once there, Michelle and Ho quickly righted the ship and left the airport in second place. They were the first team to arrive at the Burj Dubai and signed up for the 5:30am elevator ride, which carried four teams. The second lift departed at 5:45am.

Once at the top, the clue instructed teams to go to a parking structure at the nearby Dubai Mall, find a marked car, drive to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, and ride 4×4s to their next clue. They also received information about the only Fast Forward on this installment of “Amazing Race.” The first team that completed the Fast Forward would be able to skip all tasks on the leg and head straight for the Pit Stop. However, dating couple Meghan and Cheyne were the only team to attempt the task, which was to head to the Dubai Autodrome and drive an F3 racecar through a course in less than 45 seconds.

Michelle and Ho elected not to go for the Fast Forward and instead headed for the Conservation Center. On the way, Ho remarked, “Lots of sand in Dubai. Aside from the heat, this is an amazing place.” Once they arrived, a Roadblock, which is a task that only one team member can perform, was waiting for them. The challenge featured teams grabbing a traditional water bag and searching for water than had been placed in urns and buried in the sand. Several dry urns were also scattered, making the challenge tougher. Upon finding water, the team member had to fill their bag. Michelle performed the Roadblock, but came up dry on her first attempts.

Meanwhile, Cheyne registered 40 seconds on his F3 lap and received a clue to head to the Pit Stop, the amphitheater at Souk Madinat Jumeirah. Back in the desert, Brian, one-half of married couple Brian and Ericka, told Michelle where to find water, which allowed the last woman standing in the 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event to complete the task. Upon leaving the Roadblock, Ho ran over a stake in the ground, which punctured her car’s radiator. A replacement car was provided and Ho remarked, “I have an excuse because I’m an Asian female driver.”

Teams then made their way to Ski Dubai, a massive indoor ski resort in the middle of the urban metropolis. There, they encountered the leg’s Detour, a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. The first option was “Build a Snowman,” in which teams had to carry snow from the wintry inside of Ski Dubai to the 120 degree heat outside and build a traditional snowman before Mother Nature melted their creation. Teams could also select “Find a Snowman,” in which they took a chairlift to the top of the massive Ski Dubai slope and then sledded down to the bottom, where they had to search through a giant pile of snow for a tiny snowman.

Michelle and Ho elected to find a snowman; however, the duo quickly grew frustrated and switched. Meanwhile, after not being able to find their way out of Dubai to the Conservation Reserve, engaged couple Lance and Keri were the last to leave the Roadblock, could not catch up, and were eliminated this week. After building their snowman, Michelle and Ho checked into the Pit Stop on Dubai in sixth place, ensuring another week on “Amazing Race.”

Next week, the seven teams still in contention for the $1 million first place prize remain in Dubai and head to the Atlantis Resort, which is similar to its counterpart in the Bahamas that hosts the annual Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic. “Amazing Race” airs at 8:00pm ET on CBS on Sunday nights.

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Mike Sexton Previews the WSOP November Nine

The entire poker world is anxiously awaiting the final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which will be played this November.  The finalists have been dubbed the “November Nine” because of the four-month delay of the final table.  It’s a final table that has created tremendous interest because it has everything – an amateur with a massive chip lead, three guys in their 20s, and great players from around the world.  It’s also got Phil Ivey – and that is huge for the WSOP.

I often get asked, “Who do you think is the best poker player in the world?”  Well, when asked the same question years ago, Doyle Brunson said, “You judge a hunter by the number of furs he brings home”  (I love that phrase).  Well, nobody has brought home more “fur” than Phil Ivey.  I consider Phil Ivey to be the best player in the world.

Ivey is the best in every poker category you can come up with – cash games, tournament poker, and online poker.  I would bet that he’s the most successful cash game player of all-time and he will become the all-time tournament money leader if he finishes in fourth place or better at the WSOP Main Event final table.  If he’s not the most successful online player out there, then he’s certainly one of them.  When it comes to playing poker (and that includes all games), put Ivey at the top of your list.

One thing’s for sure – in addition to most players, Harrah’s, the WSOP, and ESPN are thrilled that Phil Ivey is at the final table. Because he’s there, I look for ratings for the WSOP final table to at least double from last year.  And that’s good for poker.

OK, here are the November Nine and their chip counts:

Darvin Moon – 58,930,000
Eric Buchman – 34,800,000
Steven Begleiter – 29,885,000
Jeff Shulman – 19,580,000
Joe Cada – 13,215,000
Kevin Schaffel – 12,390,000
Phil Ivey – 9,765,000
Antoine Saout – 9,500,000
James Akenhead – 6,800,000

The November Nine chip leader is Darvin Moon.  He’s a 45 year-old amateur poker player from Oakland, Maryland.  Playing in his first-ever big-time tournament, he could become the next Chris Moneymaker.  Moon is an amazing story.  He won his seat in a qualifying tournament in West Virginia and thought about taking the $10,000 first place prize and putting it in the family business.  His brother talked him out of that and encouraged him to go ahead and enter the WSOP (brother knows best).  Experience or not, with nearly 60 million in chips, I can’t imagine anyone being a bigger favorite than him to win.  Will it be a “Full Moon” in November?

Starting in second chip position with nearly 35 million is Eric Buchman.  Eric is a 29 year-old pro from New York.  He’s been a pro for about 10 years and this marks his 23rd cash at the WSOP.  Prior to this tournament, he had nearly $1 million in career tournament cashes.  With his experience and chip count, he could be the man to beat.

In third chip position with nearly 30 million is 47 year-old Steven Begleiter from Chappaqua, New York.  He was a strategist for the investment bank Bear Stearns for nearly 25 years.  He qualified for the WSOP Main Event on the Newcastle Poker Tour and poker league.  He’s really popular there, as he plans to donate 20% of his winnings to his poker league.  Now that is a friendly game!

The only guy who has been to the WSOP Main Event final table before is 34 year-old Jeff Shulman, the editor of CardPlayer Magazine.  He’ll be starting out in fourth chip position with nearly 20 million.  Shulman created a controversy by saying he would “throw the bracelet in the garbage if I win”  (that’s because of his strong opinion of unfair media treatment by the WSOP).  Like most, I’m shocked by that statement considering Shulman is in the business of promoting poker.  Shulman’s experience could bode well for him in November, but hopefully he’ll change his mind about throwing the bracelet in the garbage.

On a side note, that 2000 WSOP Main Event is still vivid in my mind because I felt I had a real shot to win it.  I ended up finishing in 12th place and was knocked out by Shulman (who was the big chip leader at the time and won a race for all of my chips).  It turned out to be a heartbreaking tournament for Shulman as well because, for the first time in WSOP history, only six players made it to the TV table and Shulman was the massive chip leader with seven players left.  He ended up going out seventh.

The youngest player at the table, 21 year-old Joe Cada from Michigan, will be starting out in fifth chip position.  If he wins, he will break Peter Eastgate’s record of being the youngest WSOP Main Event champion ever.  Cada plays a lot of heads-up poker and likes his chances if he gets short-handed.  He’s young, confident in his abilities, and believes he’s got a good chance to win.

Kevin Schaffel, 51, has been playing poker for 30 years.  This super nice Floridian claims to be “semi-retired,” but he is a scratch golfer and plays a lot of poker.  Do you think he works much?  Kevin recently finished second in the WPT’s Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino and, I can tell you, he played very well there.  If he doesn’t dub any shots on the green felt in November, he could very well be crowned champion.

Phil Ivey is “the man” at any poker table.  Although he’s starting in seventh chip position with less than 10 million in chips, many are wagering on him to win.  I’m sure he feels pretty good about his chances and why wouldn’t he?  He’s already won two bracelets at the 2009 WSOP and then bet $20,000 on himself to win the Main Event at 100-1 odds when there were still 2,400 players left!  Like many, I would love to see Ivey win.  I think it would be great for the poker world if the greatest player in the game won the biggest event in poker.

Antoine Saout, 25 years-old and from France, will be starting in eighth chip position.  He qualified for this tournament by winning a $50 online satellite.  Word has it that he crushes online tournaments.  I know some French players who really respect his game.   When he told his mom he wanted to become a poker pro, she was not happy.  With this finish and becoming a guaranteed millionaire, mom has changed her mind.  “Bon chance,” Antoine!

James Akenhead, 26, from England, discovered poker a few years ago while he was pursuing his other love, pool.  He practiced pool 10 hours a day and was ranked 15th in the U.K. in nine-ball at one time.  Akenhead has been a poker pro for three years and several top players from England have told me that he’s a very tough player.  Although he’s starting on the short stack, if he can double up early, they really like his chances.  A Hall of Fame poker player once said, “Poker is like pool.  Some days you make every shot and other days you hit nothing but the rail.”  Can this pool player parlay the short stack into the title?

One thing’s for sure:  It’s going to be a great final table in November.  Like all poker players, I can’t wait.

FTOPS XVI (Full Tilt Online Poker Series No. 14)

The action starts at Full Tilt on Wednesday November 4th and the top tournies continue until the Main Event on November 15th, so that’s 25 events, all hosted by a professional poker player – we’re not sure who is hosting what just yet, it’s still early days.

There is a guaranteed prize pool of $16m+ plus super cool Full Tilt merchandise to be won by playing in FTOPS XIV.

Satellites are running NOW for FTOPS XVI, go into the lobby click Tournaments and then FTOPS to see the satellites on offer at the moment. I can find satellites running for as little as $1.10 – excellent value!

The popular Satellite Challenge is running yet again, win as many entries as you can and Full Tilt will credit you with the cost of the buy in for every double you win. Win more entries than any other player and you will be win the cost of two buy ins, second place gets one extra credit.

The Bouncebackabilty Freeroll is back, exclusively for those players who finished on the bubble, this freeroll will be staged on Saturday, November 21st at 8.00pm UK time (3pm New York). The 1st prize is a seat at the Main Event of FTOPS XV.

On the final table, in any of the events, every player will be given a cool FTOPS jacket. The victors of each event also get a FTOPS jersey and an exclusive gold avatar to be used whilst playing online at Full Tilt Poker - impress your fellow players!

Our eagle eyed readers will have realised that this FTOPS XVI is even better value than before – the buy ins have rarely increased whilst the Guaranteed prize pools have become even more generous than ever before, thanks Full Tilt!

Enjoy FTOPS XIV, here is the schedule:-

Event	UK	New York	Host	Game	Guarantee
1	Thursday November 5th 2.00am	Wednesday November 4th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘em	$1million
2	Thursday November 5th 7.00pm	Thursday November 5th 2.00pm	TBA	TBA	TBA
3	Friday November 6th 2.00am	Thursday November 5th 9.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 No Limit Holdem 3 x shootout	$300,000
4	Friday November 6th 7.00pm	Friday November 6th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘em1 rebuy and 1 add-on	$600,000
5	Saturday November 7th 2.00am	Friday November 6th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 Stud/8	$100,000
6	Saturday November 7th 7.00pm	Saturday November 7th 2.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 PL Omaha 6Max	$350,000
7	Saturday November 7th 9.00pm	Saturday November 7th 4.00pm	TBA	$100 + $9 NL Hold ‘em Rebuy	$600,000
8	Sunday November 8th 7.00pm	Sunday November 8th 2.00pm	TBA	$240 + $16 NL Hold ‘em Knockout 6-max	$800,000
9	Sunday November 8th 9.00pm	Sunday November 8th 4.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 NL Hold ‘em Heads Up	$500,000
10	Sunday November 8th 11.00pm	Sunday November 8th 6.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 NL Hold ‘em	$1.5million
11	Monday November 9th 7.00pm	Monday November 9th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 PLO/8	$200,000
12	Tuesday November 10th 2.00am	Monday November 9th 9.00pm	TBA	$1,000 + $60 NL Hold em 6 max	$1,5million
13	Tuesday November 10th 7.00pm	Tuesday November 10th 2.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 NL Hold ‘em 4xShootout	$300,000
14	Wednesday November 11th 2.00am	Tuesday November 10th 9.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 HORSE	$300,000
15	Wednesday November 11th 2.00am	Tuesday November 10th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘em Turbo	$500,000
16	Wednesday November 11th 9.00pm	Wednesday November 11th 2.00pm	TBA	$240 + $16 PLO knockout	$200,000
17	Thursday November 12th 2.00am	Wednesday November 11th 9.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 NL Hold ‘em 6-max Rebuy	$1million
18	Thursday November 12th 7.00pm	Thursday November 12th 2.00pm	TBA	TBA	TBA
19	Friday November 13th 2.00am	Thursday November 12th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 Limit Hold’em 6 max	$150,000
20	Friday November 13th 7.00pm	Friday November 13th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘em	$400,000
21	Saturday August 15th 2.00am	Friday August 14th 9.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 Razz 6 max	$150,000
22	Saturday November 14th 7.00pm	Saturday November 14th 2.00pm	TBA	$2,500 + $120 NL Hold ‘em 2 Day Event	$2million
23	Saturday November 14th 9.00pm	Saturday November 14th 4.00pm	TBA	$100 + $9 PL Omaha Rebuy	$400,000
24	Sunday November 15th 7.00pm	Sunday November 15th 2.00pm	TBA	$120 + $9 NL Hold ‘em Knockout	$800,000
Main Event	Sunday November 15th 11.00pm	Sunday November 15th 6.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 NL Hold ‘em	$2.5million

If you’re not already a loyal player at Full Tilt Poker then get signed up now, remember to use our Full Tilt Bonus Code FTPGOLD for a sign up bonus up to $600. You can see what a sound site Full Tilt is by perusing our Full Tilt Review and Full Tilt Referral code page.

For you fans of MiniFTOPs, do not despair, MiniFTOPS XIV is back this December 9th to 20th, mirroring the FTOPS with 25 events but at 1/10th of the buy in.

Good luck at the tables!

Hevad Khan Joins ESPN Inside Deal

This week on the ESPN.com poker show “Inside Deal,” Team PokerStars Pro member Hevad Khan relived some of his memorable antics from the 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event and gave his take on this year’s November Nine.

“Inside Deal” began by rehashing the week’s news, starting with the massive 730 player turnout in the European Poker Tour’s (EPT) London stop. Aaron Gustavson took down the event, besting 2008 WSOP Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate heads-up. “Inside Deal” host Bernard Lee explained, “With 730 players, EPT London had a tremendous turnout, but it utilized several factors to its advantage.” Among them were that it piggybacked on the WSOP Europe festivities in London, the buy-in was only ?5,000, and 200 players qualified online through PokerStars, which sponsors the EPT.

Daniel Negreanu was quoted on the Hardcore Poker Show as saying, “Personally, I don’t think [Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker] should exist anymore, especially considering what happened at Ultimate Bet. I don’t feel we owe them any favors.” The sound byte led Lee to speculate that players will ultimately continue playing at the two sites as long as their present management, Tokwiro Enterprises, properly oversees the operation. Russ Hamilton was fingered as the main man responsible for the Ultimate Bet cheating scandal.

Then, an interview with Phil Ivey aired in which he noted that he’s third in line for the Durrrr Challenge behind Patrik Antonius and David Benyamine. Ivey told “Poker Edge” host Phil Gordon, “[Tom Dwan] is probably going to have an advantage on me in the beginning because I’m not used to playing four games.” Dwan is halfway through his match against Antonius and leads by $700,000 after 25,000 hands. The contest pits the two pros against each other across four tables of $200/$400 Pot Limit Omaha for 50,000 hands.

Khan joined the “Inside Deal” set to talk about the “Hevad Khan Rule,” which bars excessive celebration at the WSOP. On the rule, Khan told Lee and “Inside Deal” host Laura Lane, “I like the rule. I had a rule named after me.” Khan lived in New York when he final tabled the 2007 WSOP Main Event, but has since moved to Las Vegas. On delaying the final table until November, Khan admitted, “Momentum is a big thing in poker. This whole period can turn amateurs into pros and pros into disasters. For me, I’m glad I got to play the next day.” Jerry Yang took down the 2007 WSOP Main Event to the tune of $8.25 million, his only WSOP cash to date.

Khan is 24 years-old and a former StarCraft aficionado. As such, he’s been able to take advantage of several aspects of StarCraft that translate to the poker world. Khan explained that StarCraft’s requirements of “multitasking and fixating yourself in front of a computer for hours on end with no other misdirection” have helped him succeed in poker. Other high-profile StarCraft players include Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, one of Khan’s close friends.

On the success of younger pros in today’s poker scene, Khan explained, “Young guys are able to play poker when they’re 18 and that’s a three year boot camp before they can enter the live felt.” Khan added that Darvin Moon, one of the elder statesmen at the WSOP Main Event final table, will finish third or better when the smoke clears in the $10,000 buy-in tournament next month, rationalizing, “People with big chip leads usually win the tournament.”

On which of the short stacks – James Akenhead, Antoine Saout, or Ivey – will be eliminated first from the Main Event, Khan explained that Ivey would: “You can imagine the amount of money he has on prop bets.” Therefore, Ivey’s focus would be on winning, which could result in an early exit as he attempts to double up.

Khan gained fame after recording a video while playing 30 sit and gos at once on PokerStars, which thought he could be a bot. When asked what the most number he ever played at a time was, Khan answered 43, with 32 to 38 being common. Nowadays, he refrains from playing sit and gos altogether.

Finally, Khan admitted that he is rooting for Ivey to take down the 2009 WSOP Main Event, saying, “It’ll bring the public together more.” Ivey is seeking his eighth bracelet overall and third of 2009; he also won three in 2002.

“Inside Deal” is released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

Jay Rosenkrantz Recaps 2 Months, $2 Million

We’re eight episodes through the G4 online poker reality series “2 Months, $2 Million” and the cast is $507,000 in the black. Among those who made waves in last week’s episode was Jay Rosenkrantz, who sat down with Poker News Daily to discuss his heads-up match against David “Viffer” Peat and the show in general. “2 Months, $2 Million” airs at 8:00pm ET on Wednesdays on G4.

Poker News Daily: Has it been surreal to watch “2 Months, $2 Million” unfold on G4 every week?

Rosenkrantz: It’s very, very, very surreal.  Emil Patel and I live together in New York City and host a weekly party with all of our friends and family.  Dani Stern is here for most of those also.  Watching a hyper-stylized version of our summer with friends from childhood and college is pretty damn fun, but definitely weird.

For instance, seeing Emil get sneak attacked and destroyed by water balloons is hilarious both in the fact that it’s just really funny, but also that we somehow convinced a television network to put our dumb asses on television.  Each “week” is actually around 80 hours of footage broken down into 21 minutes, so while the Jay, Emil, Dani, and Brian Roberts developed on television are very much accurate depictions of all of us, sometimes we get sold a little short (or are given too much credit).  All in all, though, it has been an awesome experience and we all badly want to go back for Season 2 next summer.  $2 million or bust!

PND: Has there been a traffic boost on your poker training site, DeucesCracked, as a result?

Rosenkrantz: Yes, our traffic and signups have gone up and I’m really happy with the results.  We’re not talking like we doubled our membership, but considering a lot of people watching the show have never been exposed to poker or poker training videos before, I like the influx of new, genuinely curious users.  [CardRunners founder] Taylor Caby got a deal with Full Tilt, so obviously I had to go out and one-up him with a television show.

PND: Talk about the roller coaster of a ride against David “Viffer” Peat.

Rosenkrantz: Some behind-the-scenes information about that match.  First, it was one of our producer’s (Brandon) duties throughout the summer to try to arrange high-stakes matches for us.  We wanted to play pretty much anyone (other than the top, top players) at heads-up No Limit.  As our results started to not look great around Week 5 or 6, the four of us realized that we needed to push Brandon to seek out more matches for us.  He put word out to most of the card rooms and poker agencies, but a lot of people just didn’t understand what the show was about, didn’t want to play us, or the money we wanted to play for was too big.

A few people accepted though, among them David Benyamine, Viffer, and Sami Kelopuro (LarsLuzak).  Viffer’s doing a television show called “The Bet” and wanted the guaranteed exposure, so the match was set up to occur near the end of Lockdown (Lockdown, by the way, was an idea I had before the summer even started that the network wasn’t really into, but we were able to convince them of its merits when push came to shove).

We started playing and Viffer was playing really erratically and running me over.  I was coming off 36 hours straight in the war room and had not only just lost back everything I made during Lockdown, but also lost a great episode for the TV show because now I was down a lot.  I was expecting him to be a loose-passive live pro, but he wasn’t really anything like that, which caught me by surprise.  The producers had their heads in their hands, they didn’t know what to do, and they’re not from poker, so they were just lamenting why I didn’t stop when I was up on him.  Not only that, Brandon was feeling awful that he set me up to get crushed by this live shark and our chances of coming anywhere close to the goal were basically shot.

Then, Viffer took a break to get food and came back playing crazier than ever.  I bad beat him in a huge pot to get close to even and this sent him on huge tilt.  Total bajunky - this is when he started mashing pot.  He had been doing it earlier, but not nearly as often, and now he was re-raising tons of hands and mashing pot constantly.

People speculate about how he would have such an obvious tell, but honestly it’s not obvious when you’re sitting there stuck $100,000 trying to claw back to even not only so you can win your money back, but also so you can save an episode of a TV show.  We’re playing $40,000 No Limit, I had a big piece of myself, and the cameramen and producers were visibly shaken by what was going on.  I had a lot of things on my mind unrelated to clearly processing what was going on in the match, not to mention that I had spent 38 hours in the war room!

PND: Did Peat’s betting tell prove to be true 100% of the time? How tough was it not exposing it every time so he wouldn’t adjust?

Rosenkrantz: Not 100%, but close to it.  As you can see in the episode, the atmosphere in the room transformed from tense and excited to giddy and incredulous.  It was really important to make sure that I didn’t take away or hero call down every single pot he was bluffing in and I’d have to guess that is definitely why he didn’t notice until it was too late.  In that last $316,000 pot they showed, it was actually a good bluff by him where I happened to have a huge hand, but considering how often I was defending to his 3bets, it was a good bluff and I have to fold all of my non-two pair hands by the river.  There were lots of cooler pots I also won that they didn’t show like 3-3 versus A-K on an A-3-X flop and A-K versus A-J on an ace-high flop.  So, while it was an amazing, rock solid read, it was definitely made to be a little bit more cinematic than it actually was.

Funny aside - when I got back to up $100,000 on him, the producers started begging me to quit.  They were so shook up that they could barely hold the cameras straight.  The money was just so huge and incomprehensible, I had just completed this legendary comeback, and they couldn’t bear to deal with the thought of me losing more again.

Of course, we’re all poker players and there was a drought of nosebleed action this summer, so all of a sudden I had this insanely profitable spot and there was absolutely no way in hell any of us were stopping.  There’s all of this great rough footage of Paul and Terry (the Executive Producers) begging me to pick up and go relax with the guaranteed win outside the war room and the four of us just berating the hell out of them for being huge donkeys.  I think Brian threatened to cut off someone’s pinky finger.  Anyhow, it worked out, the producers knew not to try to argue with us about poker ever again, and Brandon got out of the doghouse and was celebrated as a hero for the production.

The next day, the network executive in charge of the show showed up to the house to see how Lockdown had gone, saw the big black number in my column on the tally board, and G4’s collective brain exploded.  Two years in development, seven episodes’ worth of footage and storylines, and they still didn’t fully understand the kinds of swings and drama that were possible in poker until that moment.

PND: Did you foresee fewer high-stakes games happening this summer? Had that been the trend?

Rosenkrantz: It was the trend, but every summer for the past three years, the games had picked up.  We didn’t foresee the complete death of nosebleed No Limit and, because of that, we were really ill-prepared.  I wasn’t as good at Pot Limit Omaha as I should have been and a few of us should have learned mixed games over the year.  Second season or not, we won’t be caught off guard like that again next summer.

PND: What’s your favorite non-online poker activity you guys have done so far and why?

Rosenkrantz: Definitely trampoline dodgeball.  Unfortunately, I think it’s cut from the show, but if you can get a group of people together in Las Vegas and want to blow off steam, there is nothing more fun than trampoline dodgeball.  I can’t even properly describe it because it’s so crazy.

PND: Would you use a different strategy from the beginning if you had to do the show all over again?

Rosenkrantz: If we get a second season, we will have 10 months to prepare and now that “2 Months, $2 Million” has a passionate following in the poker community, I think more well-known pros will want to play us.  More game selection, more opponents, and more chances to win or lose big - I think those are the best parts of the show.  We learned so much this summer about how to approach the goal and about how to make a compelling television show about it.  I just know in my heart that if we go back, it will be week to week, consistently, the best poker television there has ever been.  I’ll guarantee that.

PND: Heading into Week 9, how are you feeling about making up $1.5 million to reach the goal?

Rosenkrantz: Not good.  We obviously are not going to make it, but the question is whether or not we will crack $1 million.

WSOP on ESPN Ratings up 11% in 2009

On Tuesday night, action from the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) will continue on cable station ESPN. “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” has seen a ratings boom in 2009 down the stretch, with the Main Event final table on tap for November 10th.

According to ESPN officials, through 11 weeks of coverage of the 2009 WSOP, its broadcasts have delivered a 0.91 average household coverage rating, up 11% from last year, when the average rating was 0.82. ESPN coverage of the 2009 WSOP began on July 28th, when the network aired the brand new $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP. ESPN then went on to feature the WSOP Champions Invitational, a 20-person freeroll consisting of former Main Event winners, and the Ante Up for Africa charity gala, which included actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Last week, coverage of Day 5 of the Main Event was featured during the 9:00pm ET hour, followed by Day 6 at 10:00pm ET. Each episode lasted for one hour and the first garnered a 0.88 rating. The second hour began with a rap by Prahlad Friedman and had a feature table that included 2007 WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider. That episode generated a 1.17 rating, the second highest of the season. Last Tuesday marked the first week that the WSOP on ESPN moved to a 9:00pm ET kickoff, as it had previously started one hour earlier at 8:00pm ET. The Main Event final table will air on Tuesday, November 10th at 9:00pm ET and run for two-and-a-half hours.

Key for ESPN’s advertisers, which include online poker rooms PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker as well as Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, are two demographics. Males age 18 to 49 have tuned into the 2009 WSOP on ESPN in droves, rising 12% from the number that watched the 2008 broadcast. Among males age 25 to 54, the number of viewers is up 16% in 2009. PokerStars sponsors the “Straight from the Pros” segment as well as the program’s on-screen chip counts, while Full Tilt Poker sponsors the “Deal Me In” strategy segment during WSOP on ESPN broadcasts. Ultimate Bet has also been spotted airing commercials on the cable station. The site is fresh off the conclusion of its annual Aruba Poker Classic, which saw Brandon Hall and Robert Mizrachi chop heads-up.

Last year marked the first that the final table of the prestigious $10,000 buy-in Main Event was delayed until November in order to coincide with its broadcast on ESPN. As a result, ratings mushroomed by 50% for the final table airing. At the end of the day, Peter Eastgate bested Ivan Demidov in front of a packed house at the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio and banked $9.1 million.

This year, another schedule change has the poker world talking. Play will resume in the Main Event final table on November 7th at 12:00 Noon PT and continue until two players remain. Then, the pair will play heads-up beginning on November 9th at 10:00pm PT to determine a winner. The gap in between will allow time for media interviews and further study by the heads-up participants of each other’s tendencies.

While WSOP on ESPN coverage has focused on players like Eastgate, Joe Hachem, Dennis Phillips, and Betrand “Elky” Grospellier, the following nine players will take to the felts in November:

1. Darvin Moon (Oakland, Maryland) – 58,930,000
2. Eric Buchman (Valley Stream, New York) – 34,800,000
3. Steven Begleiter (Chappaqua, New York) – 29,885,000
4. Jeff Shulman (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 19,580,000
5. Joe Cada (Shelby Township, Michigan) – 13,215,000
6. Kevin Schaffel (Coral Springs, Florida) – 12,390,000
7. Phil Ivey (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 9,765,000
8. Antoine Saout (Paris, France) – 9,500,000
9. James Akenhead (London, England) – 6,800,000

Check out the WSOP on ESPN every Tuesday at 9:00pm ET.

Murder of PokerListings Founder Andreas Oscarsson May Be Contract Killing

On August 3rd, PokerListings founder Andreas Oscarsson was found murdered in Trollhättan, Sweden. Two months later, police are investigating the incident as a “contract killing,” according to the Swedish news outlet Sveriges Radio.

Recently, Oscarsson’s father appeared on a television program to seek justice. At the same time, an outpouring of support has come from around the world, as Sveriges Radio noted that acquaintances from his childhood, college days, and the business world characterized him as a “very well-liked, popular, generous, cheerful, and very multifaceted person.”

An article that appeared in Bluff Europe shortly after the August murder raised the possibility of a hired gun: “Whilst details/sources still remain uncertain, word is out that a 20 year-old man by the name of Andreas Oscarsson was shot down last year in the exact same town in Sweden.” It was believed that the wrong Oscarsson was killed, leading to the August murder.

The appearance on the TV3 program was designed to encourage “more people… to contribute tips to the police [solve] the murder.” Oscarsson’s father appeared with what the media outlet described as a “distorted voice” and was unable to be viewed clearly on camera, presumably to protect his own identity. Oscarsson was at his father’s house at the time of the killing, which happened overnight. The assailants entered and exited his bedroom through an open window and police initially questioned Oscarsson’s two year-old son, who may have been awake at the time of the murder. The show in question was identified by the news outlet as “Wanted” and is likely similar to “America’s Most Wanted,” which airs on Fox in the United States.

The child is now back in the United States with his mother, who lived the New York City borough of SoHo at the time of the murder. While it was originally not released where Oscarsson was shot or how many times he was hit, the Swedish news outlet revealed that he was struck six times by “a gun with a silencer.” Neither his father nor others in what Sveriges Radio described as a “densely populated area” heard gunfire, leading to the theory that a silencer was used. He was found shot to death on August 3rd in his bed. Oscarsson was not involved in the day-to-day duties of PokerListings at the time, having stepped away from his role when his child was born two years ago.

The news took many in the industry by surprise, including posters on the popular TwoPlusTwo online poker forum. One member, who lives nearby, explained, “Police have been talking on the radio about it saying that it’s quite probably [something] from his past that has caught up to him in this unfortunate way. I had no idea that he founded PokerListings though.” Many expressed condolences to the family, especially to his two year-old son.

PokerListings is a clearinghouse for poker bonuses, reviews, and live tournament reporting. Its staff is fresh off covering the European Poker Tour’s (EPT) London stop, which saw Aaron Gustavson defeat reigning World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion Peter Eastgate heads-up, winning £850,000. A statement posted on PokerListings shortly after its founder’s murder lamented, “Andreas was a very generous person to those close to him, a brilliant internet marketing guru, and a savvy business entrepreneur - always looking to break new ground and break new records.”

We would once again like to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Oscarsson. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest on this developing story.

The Million Dollar Hand from Party Poker

You can win a stonkin $1,000,000 just by collecting PartyPoints from 5th October at 5am UK (midnight New York) until 1st November at 4.59am UK (30th October 11.59pm New York) at Party Poker.

For every 15points you earn you will get a playing card, build a 5 card hand to collect your prize, simple! There’s a cash prize up for grabs if your hand is a pair or better and a life changing $1m if you hit a Royal Flush – and there’s no limit to how much you can win!!!!! Oh yes, your first card is absolutely free! Bargain!

Here’s the prize structure to tempt you further:- (more…)

Federal Officials Seize Additional Internet Gambling Funds

Recent seizures of internet gambling funds related to the payment processor Account Services do not appear to be the end of the U.S. Government’s war against the industry. This week, it was revealed that funds in six more accounts had been seized.

The six accounts, according to the Baltimore City Paper, are held by Wachovia and appear under the name Forshay Enterprises. In July and August, other funds were seized in branches of Interstate Net Bank, Bank of America, and First Premier Bank belonging to Electracash and HMD. Regina Mignogna, a Maryland State Trooper, signed the warrant affidavits for the HMD accounts, which were obtained by Poker News Daily. Each of the warrant applications was ordered seized “until further order of this court or until January 20, 2010, whichever is earlier.” The documents were filed in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore.

Richard Gunn, an Anne Arundel County Police Detective, signed the warrant applications for the Wachovia accounts, which were numbered 2000042478410, 2000042478070, 2000042478452, 2000042478300, 2000042089414, and 2000042089427. The City Paper linked Forshay Enterprises to TransactSvc.com. Meanwhile, Electracash was tied to Edward Courdy, who many might remember as one of the defendants in Maryland’s Bodog case in 2008. That news broke last July, when $24 million was seized from the popular online poker site. Funds were taken from four publicly traded U.S. banks, including Wachovia, Bank of America, SunTrust, and Regions.

Account Services, which processed payments for PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker in 2008 and 2009, filed a motion in July for return of property, namely $14 million seized by the U.S. Government. The money was held in Union Bank and Wells Fargo branches in California. In retaliation, the Government indicted Account Services’ Douglas Rennick, a Canadian, on charges of bank fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling. He faces up to 55 years behind bars and $1.75 million in fines for his actions. As of the time of writing, he has not settled with U.S. authorities.

In August, Judge Jeffrey Miller denied Account Services’ motion for return of property, instead electing to wait for the criminal case against Rennick to pan out. The seizure was part of a larger effort by the Southern District of New York in June during which over $30 million was frozen. The funds in question were allegedly destined for more than 24,000 online poker players and not connected to online wagering on sports. Bodog operates a full online sports book, an option that does not exist on PokerStars or Full Tilt. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) filed an amicus brief on behalf of Account Services, a decision the organization stuck by despite Rennick’s criminal indictment.

Many in the online poker community assumed that the election of U.S. President Barack Obama, a poker player, would ease the attack on the industry. However, the opposite has been true so far, with federal agencies going on the offensive. For example, FBI Special Agent Dana Conte swore to the affidavits relating to Account Services.

In the closing months of the Bush Administration’s stay in Washington, D.C., the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) were ushered into effect as “midnight rules.” Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) was instrumental in attaching the UIGEA to an unrelated port security measure in 2006. The SAFE Port Act passed through the House with ease and was approved in the Senate by unanimous consent. Speaking out during the debate in the House was Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), who questioned why internet gambling appeared in the bill.

As a result of the June seizure, which coincided with the running of the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, paper checks and e-checks temporarily bounced, leading to reimbursements and cash bonuses from some of the world’s largest online poker sites. What effect the latest round of seizures will have on the industry is anyone’s guess.

EPT London Ladies Game Freerolls at PokerStars.com

Urgent call to all female poker players in UK and Ireland – win a five star package to play poker in London, for FREE!

PokerStars are offering their UK and Irish female players the opportunity to win a £500 prize package which includes entry into the EPT London Ladies Tournament, a night at the Hilton Metropole (5*) Hotel plus £100 for expenses. All good stuff but what money can’t buy is the excitement and thrill of top live poker, and you’ll certainly experience that!

Do you want in? Of course you do!

Hurry up and get playing ‘cos these extra special freerolls must end on the 26th September and that’s just this week! So here’s the info you need:-

• The EPT London Ladies Freerolls are running every day until September 26th at 8.00pm UK (3.00pm New York), find them through the PokerStars Lobby / Tourney / Regional
• Finish in the top 9 and you’ve made it through to…
• The Freerolls Final which will take place on September 27th at 8.00pm UK (3.00pm New York)
• The top 10 finishers are awarded with a £500 EPT London Ladies Game prize package!

You can enter the daily freerolls as many times as you like and, don’t forget, unlike many live game satellites, the fields will be relatively small due to regional and gender restrictions so, have a go!

Well, if this Event is your type of thing and you haven’t yet got a PokerStars account then get a wiggle on and set up your PokerStars account now and play in the free to enter EPT London Ladies freeroll tonight at 8pm UK. Use the PokerStars Marketing Code DIRPOKER and the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 to score yourself the best PokerStars bonus, ever, of 100% up to $600.

Useful Reading
PokerStars Review – unbiased and topical
PokerStars EPT London Freerolls – UK/Irish players only

Gabriel Aminov Leads WPT Borgata Poker Open

A total of 1,018 runners turned out for the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Borgata Poker Open. Now, 555 players remain, led by New York’s Gabriel Aminov. The winner of the $3,500 buy-in tournament will pocket $925,000.

Two starting days played out over the weekend at the Borgata Poker Open, the largest WPT tournament ever held. The top 100 players will take home money from the East Coast event, with the six best convening for the televised final table, which will air as part of Season VIII of the WPT on Fox Sports Net. Among those still in contention is Poker News Daily Guest Columnist and ESPN.com “Inside Deal” host Bernard Lee, who will come armed to Day 2 play on Monday with 15,700 chips, good for 524th overall. Lee won a race late in the day holding pocket eights against A-10 when the board ran out 7-7-2-2-3.

On the atmosphere at the Borgata, Lee told Poker News Daily, “This feels just like the old days. We used to get 600, 700, or 800 people all of the time. It feels like it’s during the boom of the WPT. It just shows you the interest people have and that the Borgata runs a first-class operation.” Among those who hit the rails during play on Sunday on Day 1B were Will “The Thrill” Failla, who ran kings into aces, and Matt “All In At 420” Stout, who came out on the short end of a race holding A-K against Roy Winston’s pocket tens.

Many of the game’s top pros are not in Atlantic City for the Borgata Poker Open. Instead, they made the trek to London, site of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe. Lee, however, noted that the running of the 2009 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) may have also cut into attendance: “There was also the WCOOP Main Event going on yesterday and a lot of people had to make the decision to play in one or the other. Some people didn’t come here because it was a smaller buy-in event and the WCOOP Main Event will have a $10 million guarantee.” First place in the PokerStars tournament will pay $1.7 million, nearly double the grand prize at the Borgata.

Here’s how the field stacks up at the Borgata Poker Open entering Day 2:

1. GABRIEL AMINOV - 213,700
2. OFIR MOR - 183,450
3. FRANK CHARLES- 169,000
4. ANTHONY GREGG - 160,950
5. JEREMY BROWN - 156,425
6. SUNIL WALIA - 155,625
7. RHETT BUTLER - 153,325
8. ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN - 147,275
9. SOHEIL SHAMSEDDIN - 145,000
10. STEFAN MATTSSON - 143,500

Others who remain in contention include:
13. STEVE BRECHER - 139,150
44. MICHAEL BINGER - 110,325
81. TODD TERRY - 89,925
131. KATHY LIEBERT - 76,450
134. GAVIN SMITH - 75,715
156. DAVID “THE MAVEN” CHICOTSKY - 69,600
416. NANCY TODD TYNER - 29,675
461. ROBERT VARKONYI - 24,700
493. JOHN SPADAVECCHIA - 19,250
524. BERNARD LEE - 15,700

Among the highlights of Day 1B was a four-way all-in featuring three flushes and a set. After a flop of K-10-9, all diamonds, players pushed with J-3 of diamonds, 7-5 of diamonds, pocket tens, and A-8 of diamonds for the nut flush. The turn and river came the jack of hearts and three of clubs, respectively, and Andrew Interdonato scooped the massive pot with the nut flush. He now sits with the 390th largest stack at the Borgata, 33,150.

The action kicks off at 11:00am ET on Monday, with all players’ sights set on reaching the six-handed final table, where the following payouts will be up for grabs:

1st Place: $925,514
2nd Place: $453,519
3rd Place: $251,955
4th Place: $216,681
5th Place: $188,126
6th Place: $156,212

Canadian Entertainment Company to Start Poker Television Station

While there is poker on television and different outlets that offer podcasts, currently there isn’t a one that is dedicated to poker 24/7. A Canadian entertainment company is looking to change that with the rollout of an internet television station.

It was announced on Thursday that HeadsUp Entertainment, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange, will unveil sometime in the fourth quarter of 2009 CanadianPokerPlayer.tv for poker aficionados. The company, which also owns the Canadian Poker Tour and Canadian Poker Player Magazine, recently finished sponsorship negotiations for the station and will provide poker programming that should offer entertainment for all parts of the poker community, according to HeadsUp Entertainment president Kelly B. Kellner: “Players and fans will be given an innovative and effective means to pursue their interest in the sport and we couldn’t be more excited.”

In an exclusive interview with Poker News Daily, Kellner detailed out what CanadianPokerPlayer.tv will offer: “Some of the programming for the station will include over 20 hours of content produced in Canada over the past four years from the Canadian Open Poker Championships in 2006, 2008, and 2009 from Calgary,” Kellner commented. “We are currently working with several of the online poker sites to include programming from around the world that they have produced as well. Some original programming will commence immediately and we will be incorporating live feeds from events in Canada and around the world.”

“The programming wheel is currently being structured and plans also include movies and features relating to the poker and gaming industry,” Kellner continued. “We intend to offer viewers numerous watch and win promotions and incentives to tune in on a daily basis.”

In North America, something along these lines has yet to be unveiled. “We haven’t seen any real networks online that have incorporated the format that we are attempting with our station,” noted Kellner. “Those who have had an opportunity to see the Poker Channel in the United Kingdom will have a good example of what a mainstream media network would be doing.”

Canada has provided several of the top poker players in the game and several could be an active part of the network, according to Kellner. “We have tremendous relationships with many poker pros,” Kellner commented. “We are looking to build on that to incorporate innovative programming to follow their poker careers. I can tell everyone now that there are two original shows currently being negotiated, but we can‘t comment beyond that. More news on that to follow!”

Once the network hits the internet, North America will have a dedicated poker channel and HeadsUp Entertainment is promising that it will be a first class product. The launch is expected soon.

PokerNews Op/Ed: You Play to Win the Game

Herman Edwards, during his tenure as head coach of the New York Jets, uttered a phrase that has become synonymous with his name: “You play to win the game.”

Man Wins Ladies Event at Borgata Poker Open

What was supposed to be a fun poker tournament for the women of the Atlantic City area turned into a source of controversy this past weekend when a man signed up to participate in the event.   The mere presence of World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit winner Abraham Korotki in the $260 + $40 Ladies No Limit Hold’em event was enough to irritate some, but when Korotki went on to defeat a field of 269 women, the story struck a nerve and became a topic of national debate.

News first broke of the unusual entrant in Event #7 of the Borgata Poker Open when the casino’s blogging team reported that Korotki was in the field for the event and causing several stirs that brought floor people to the table to moderate.  According to the Borgata Poker Blog, participants in the tournament grew increasingly irate as the field thinned and Korotki rose to the top of the chip counts.

In the end, it would come down to Korotki and Nicole Rowe of West Windsor, New York for the $20,982 first place prize and commemorative trophy.  According to an interview Rowe gave to the Philadelphia Daily News, she offered to evenly chop the prize money with Korotki, but he refused, insisting he wanted to win the trophy.  Rowe could have used the extra cash, as she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and needed the additional poker winnings to help cover her medical expenses.  Perhaps in an effort to pay homage to his competitor, Korotki told several media outlets he would be donating a portion of his winnings to charity, including some to a yet-to-be-named organization involving breast cancer.

Korotki is not the first man to participate in what is promoted to be a ladies-only poker tournament.  Jose Canseco made poker news when he participated in a California ladies event and Phil Gordon, Rafe Furst, and their friends once dressed in drag to participate in an all-female event as well.  However, Korotki’s story has arguably received the most press of all, even getting picked up by mainstream media organizations.

Legally, the poker room staff at Borgata was unable to prevent Korotki from entering because of anti-discrimination laws.  Korotki told multiple media outlets he was motivated to participate in the ladies event after busting out of a $1,000 buy-in tournament earlier in the day.  The Philadelphia Daily News reported that Korotki claimed he saw several other men in line to register, which the Borgata staff was unable to corroborate.

Ray Stefanelli, the Director of Poker Marketing for the Borgata, spoke to Poker News Daily about how the poker room staff handled the unusual circumstances: “Borgata offers specialty tournaments, such as the ladies event, as it has been our experience that these events are favored by certain segments of our customers.  In the spirit of this event, it was our hope that only women would seek to participate, which has been the case in the past.” Stefanelli continued, “However, given both legal and regulatory requirements, we must allow anyone who is over the age of 21 the opportunity to participate in all of our events.  As such, when Mr. Korotki insisted upon gaining entry into the tournament against our wishes, we had no option but to allow him to participate.”

Korotki has a long list of tournament cashes at the Borgata and other casinos in the Atlantic City area.  His largest came in 2006 when he took down the Main Event of Harrah’s Atlantic City WSOP Circuit event for $433,008.  Rowe has a fair share of impressive cashes herself, finishing second in the same Ladies Event in 2007 and also just missing the final table of a Harrah’s Poker Open No Limit Hold’em final table in May.

There is no word yet whether Korotki or Rowe will be participating in the upcoming Borgata Poker Open Main Event.  The $3,500 buy-in tournament is part of Season VIII of the World Poker Tour and will also feature a $2 million guarantee.  The event starts on Saturday, September 19th and runs through September 24th.

2 Months, $2 Million: Brian Roberts Loses $111,000

It’s nearly back to square one for the cast of the G4 online poker show “2 Months, $2 Million.” This week’s episode, which was the first to air on a Wednesday night, saw Brian Roberts drop $111,000, essentially pushing the team back to even overall.

The $2 million goal seems like an afterthought after watching the most recent installment of the reality franchise. The team began the week $160,000 in the black, with Jay Rosenkrantz’s recent string of losses leading Roberts to treat him to a spa visit to rejuvenate. Rosenkrantz told “2 Months, $2 Million” cameras, “I’ve definitely been struggling with why I’m not focused.” Cassie Webb, Roberts’ girlfriend, noted that morale at the Las Vegas home was down significantly and wanted to hold a date night.

Dani Stern and Emil Patel, the two single players, sought out dates at the Playboy Club at the Palms. One girl asked if the group were poker players and Stern responded that everyone was except for Patel, who is a prince in Dubai. The ploy worked and Patel scored a phone number at the end of the night. Meanwhile, Roberts gave his take on Stern’s dating habits: “If she’s of legal age and pre-menopausal, she’s pretty much on the menu.” Stern wound up on a date with “Emily”, while Patel struck up an accord with “Megan.” The tab at the end of the night: $5,000.

Back at the house, Roberts jumped into a high-stakes Pot Limit Omaha game on Full Tilt Poker featuring Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen, Urindanger, luckexpress10, and DIN_FRU. Roberts scooped $15,000 off Ivey before dropping an $80,000 pot to Hansen to set the tone for the week to come. The atmosphere of losing drove Rosenkrantz over the edge. He told Stern, “I think I’m going to go home and get my head on straight.” Rosenkrantz departed for Commack, New York to be with his mother.

The three remaining cast members took their dates on a helicopter ride and to a pricey $1,800 dinner at CUT at the Palazzo. Megan was shocked to learn that her entrée for the evening cost more than her rent for the month and Patel came out on the losing end of credit card roulette for the four-figure tab. The party then moved back to the “2 Months, $2 Million” house, where, in a scene reminiscent of the “Man Show,” Emily’s friends began jumping on a trampoline.

In Commack, Rosenkrantz’s mother, Rona, explained that she wanted front row Barry Manilow tickets should the $2 million goal be met. Back in Sin City, the losing continued, as Roberts took on luckexpress10 in both Omaha and Hold’em. In Omaha, Roberts got it all-in with Q-Q-2-9 on a board of Q-7-9. However, luckexpress10 flipped up 8-J-10-10 and a running K-5 propelled him to victory with a straight. In Hold’em, Roberts ran K-7 into luckexpress10’s 4-5 on a board of 3-4-5-K to drop $104,000 total.

When the results were tallied for the week, Stern was down $2,000, Patel was down $16,000, Roberts was down $111,000, and Rosenkrantz brought home $1,000. The quartet had bled $128,000 for the week, but were still up $35,100 overall after five episodes. It was a heartbreaking loss for the squad, which is quickly running out of time to achieve its $2 million goal.

For the penalty stunt, Roberts had to perform stand up comedy at the L.A. Comedy Club at the Four Queens. His act consisted in part of poking fun at his housemates, including asking what Patel, a vegetarian, would actually eat. The night lifted Rosenkrantz’s spirits: “I was really burnt out on Vegas and an poker, but being here tonight made me realize there’s nowhere else I’d rather be this summer.”

“2 Months, $2 Million” airs at 8:00pm ET every Wednesday on G4 following “Attack of the Show” and replays throughout the week. Check your local listings for details.

Conrad Poker Tour Final Event with Party Poker

Party Poker are giving their *South American players an exclusive chance to get a piece of the action this December 4th and 5th at the Conrad Casino, Punta del Este, Uruguay. Join South America’s finest poker players and be in with a chance of a share in the $1,000,000 prize pool that is up for grabs.

The $3,500 prize packages include:-

• $2,500 buy in to the Main Event
• 2 nights top hotel
• Transfers
• Glittering reception dinner
• $500 spending money

Here’s how to get there, the Satellites are running now

• Daily at 2am UK (9pm New York) buy in $10
• Daily at 1am UK (8pm New York) buy in $30

These sats feed to the finals where the packages are awarded, they are to be held every 21 days starting 11th September, buy in direct for $275.

Party Poker is the biggest site in Europe and we can offer you a choice of 1st depositor bonuses to suit your pocket and rate of play – see our Party Poker Bonus Code page for full details

* This promotion is, unfortunately, only available to players who are in and whose registered country of residence is

• ARGENTINA
• URUGUAY
• PERU
• BRAZIL
• CHILE

$10k Daily Dollar from Full Tilt Poker

You have 2 chances daily to turn $1, or 200 Full Tilt Points, into your cut of a prize pool, worth at least $10,000, with Full Tilt Poker. There’s not a better way to get more out of a dollar!

Here’s how:-

• The $10K Daily Dollar at 1.15am UK (8.15pm New York) – 1st prize $1,500+ and 1,000 places paid in this tournie.
• The $10K Daily Dollar Rebuy starts at 8.15pm UK (3.15pm New York) with unlimited rebuys for the 1st 60 minutes then one add on.

Find these daily tournaments through the Full Tilt lobby then tournaments and they are there featured in pink. Of course you have to have a Full Tilt Account to be in on the action and if you haven’t yet joined do so NOW using the Full Tilt Referral Code FTPGOLD to entitle you to a generous sign up bonus of 100% up to $600.

Not convinced? Take a look at our Full Tilt review for more detailed info on Full Tilt poker!

High Heels Poker Tour Signs Sponsorship Deal With PokerStars

Poker has traditionally been a masculine pursuit, but women have been making inroads into the game since the boom earlier this century. One only has to look at Annie Duke’s performance in the first WSOP Tournament of Champions or Vanessa Rousso’s runner-up finish at this year’s National Heads Up Poker Championship to realize that women are a formidable part of today’s poker world. A tournament schedule to promote female participation in the game, the High Heels Poker Tour, recently signed on PokerStars as a sponsor to further the number of women who participate in poker.

In an announcement late last week, PokerStars will help to support the tournaments that make up the HHPT schedule from this point on. “PokerStars has all of the attributes in a online partner that female players crave…an incredible variety of quick, entertaining games that range from low buy in sit and goes and cash games to serious tournament play, all in an environment where women can learn the game, develop their skills, and truly become champions”, Lauren Failla, founder of the High Heels Poker Tour, stated during the announcement. “With champions like Vanessa Rousso, Katja Thater, and Vicky Coren, our players have a whole new set of role models to emulate and challenge, online and at the tables.” As a part of the new sponsorship with PokerStars, the High Heels Poker Tour will be conducting their Grand Final as a part of the festivities of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas this January.

The first HHPT event, which was held on August 22nd at the Turning Stone Resort Casino, was won by Texas’ Kathy Talerico and leads into what will be a hectic two months of action on the HHPT schedule. After New York, the tour heads south to Florida, where four tournaments are set to take place across the state.

First up for the players on the HHPT is Dania, FL, and a $125 buy in tournament at Dania Jai-Alai. Set to begin at 4PM on September 12th, players will start out with 6000 chips and play down to a champion that evening. After the Dania tournament, players on the HPPT will have the opportunity to relax before heading into a three tournament run in the month of October.

On October 2nd, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will play host to the High Heels Poker Tour in Hollywood, FL. The tournament is scheduled to start at 6:30PM and, as of yet, the starting chip stacks haven’t been determined. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is demonstrating its support of the HHPT by making their tournament a prominent part of its “Main Event Tournament Week” schedule. The month of October finishes off with a couple of charitable outreaches by the HHPT with a trip to Tampa Bay Downs on October 10th for the “Battle of the Sexes To Battle Breast Cancer” and the organization will be in charge of the poker activities at the Trump International Beach Resort on October 17th for a benefit for the Friends of the Israel Defense Fund Casino Night.

The High Heels Poker Tour will be looking to expand to several different locations in 2010. While dates are not yet locked in for the tournaments, the HHPT is in discussion with such casinos as the Horseshoe in Hammond, Indiana, Harvey’s Lake Tahoe in Nevada, the Canadian Poker Expo in Toronto, Canada and others to hold HHPT events.

The High Heels Poker Tour also holds their very own Academy, with 2010 dates to be announced soon, that assists in teaching the game to more women. Such popular female players as Women In Poker Hall of Fame members Barbara Enright, Susie Issacs and Marsha Waggoner, along with current pros Kristy Gazes, Karina Jett and Joanne “J. J.” Liu, offer the wealth of their experience for other female players to learn from. For more information on the organization, visit the High Heels Poker Tour website to learn more.

PokerStars invite you to EPT Vilamoura

For the very first time, ever, the European Poker Tour is coming to Portugal and the excitement is growing in anticipation of the inaugural EPT taking place in Vilamoura, the Algarve this November 17th to 22nd, and PokerStars want you there.

In this fabulous part of the world the rich and famous play hard by night and pose on board their boats by day. If you can drag yourself away from the beautiful Algarve beaches there is excellent poker to be played. The prize packages to get you there will include:-

• Tournament buy in
• Hotel accommodation
• Expenses

Are you in?

If you want to be in on this brand new EPT then put a big red ring around next Monday the 7th September as that is when the satellites are rolled out and, what I do know is that, the nightly EPT Vilamoura $1.10, at 9.30pm UK (4.30pm New York), qualifiers will be giving away 3 times as many seats to the next round than the freerolls – good job! The EPT Vilamoura satellite schedule finishes on 30th October.

We love PokerStars. the biggest and best online poker site on the planet (and beyond?), bringing us the richest tournaments.

To claim PokerStars biggest new depositors incentive, ever, of 100% up to $600 – use the exclusive PokerStars Marketing Code DIRPOKER and the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 – this generous incentive is available now but, we can’t say for how long, so sign up now

Junta-te a nos no EPT Vilamoura! – Henrique Pinho, Team Poker Stars Pro: Portugal

PokerStars sponsors High Heels Poker Tour

The world's largest poker site has signed on board as the official sponsor of the all-women High Heels Poker Tour (HHPT).

Founded in 2007, the HHPT was created to empower women who had the desire to become champions in the growing world of poker.

Since then the tour has crowned countless winners and helped stimulate even more expansion in women's poker.

The PokerStars sponsorship should only help its cause.

"PokerStars has all the attributes in an online partner that female players crave: an incredible variety of quick, entertaining games that range from low buy-in sit and goes and cash games to serious tournament play, all in an environment where women can learn the game, develop their skills and truly become champions," said Lauren Failla, founder of the HHPT.

"With champions like Vanessa Rousso, Katja Thater and Vicky Coren, our players will have a whole new set of role models to emulate and challenge, online and at the tables."

The PokerStars sponsorship will include support for the HHPT's growing roster of tournaments, which begin this month with a stop at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. After New York the tour heads to Florida for events in Dania, Hollywood and Tampa.

This year the HHPT will be offering a grand finale $1,000 buy-in ladies event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January 2010.

Visit PokerListings.com

Online Poker — Interview With Sunday Million Winner Ross Mallor

New York native Ross “tysonduke23” Mallor loves poker, but it’s by no means his job. The private investigator just has a very serious hobby that has paid off handsomely over …

World Series of Poker November Nine Profile — Eric Buchman

It’s hard not to like Eric Buchman’s chances. Sitting second in chips, Buchman enters the final table of the World Series of Poker main event with confidence and experience. The cash-games pro from New York has cashed in the World Series nine times, results that include a second place finish in a 2006 limit

888.com Gets The Respected TRUSTe Stamp

888.com, which runs Pacific Poker, recently announced recieving the highly respected TRUSTe internet safety stamp.

It seems that getting the safety stamp might be a preparation for post-UIGEA scenery. At least it will help to get into the U.S. market with tightened security, considering the incidents around some sites lately.

What might not seem to be anything special for a casual player, 888’s deal will help to protect player and 888.com privacy better. TRUSTe is the leading privacy service provider which is working with sites like Yahoo, Facebook, AOL, Disney, New York Times, Comcast and Apple. So the deal is very big and will help the company in the future.

888.com has managed to get great success through Online Casino, but the site is still looking for Poker customers. “At 888.com we believe that entertainment and safety come hand in hand. Our player’s welfare has always, and always will, come first,” says Senior Vice President Itai Pazner.

Does the TRUSTe seal mean anything to the customers at all will be seen sooner or later. Considering the incidents in some other sites, the seal might draw more Poker players to the site.

You just read Poker News from HighStakesNews.com

888.com Gets The Respected TRUSTe Stamp