Poker News

Poker Community Responds to Amazing Race Premiere

Professional poker players Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle are quickly becoming the talk of reality television fans and poker enthusiasts alike after just one episode of the new season of the CBS series “Amazing Race.”  These two racers, who each made their claim to fame by being the last women remaining in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, are quickly gaining fans and critics after the two-hour premiere, during which they went from first to last place, impressing and irritating their competitors along the way.

Poker News Daily sought the opinions of those on both sides of the issue in order to gain more insight into why the Ho/Michelle team has such a polarizing effect on people.  In addition to discussing some of the pros and cons of their appearance, we also picked up behind the scenes information that sheds more light on how the two young women are being portrayed.

The Skeptic

It didn’t take long for occasional poker journalist and online poker regular Jon Wein to decide that he did not enjoy the duo of poker ladies participating in the show.  He tuned in to watch the show, but Wein claims he “had to turn it off after [Tiffany Michelle] and Maria Ho implied they were rich for the like eighteenth time.”

His biggest issue with the two women appearing on the show is that it deprives other, ostensibly more deserving, poker players from time in the limelight.  “It literally makes me sick that Tiffany Michelle gets this much coverage and publicity for one Main Event run. She’s done nothing else,” he explained.  “Ultimate Bet has all of these talented pros like Matt ‘mattg1983’ Graham and Adam ‘Roothlus’ Levy and then they have her… It’s a complete slap in the face to them.”  Wein even took a playful jab at Michelle’s former Poker News employer Tony “Tony G” Guoga.  “I literally curse Tony G’s name to this day because he put her in the Main Event,” he joked.

While Wein has a very clear opinion on Michelle, he has less to say about her partner.  “I don’t know Maria and have never spoken to her.  I only know what the media portrays her as,” he said.

Considering poker players do not get too many opportunities at mainstream media exposure, an appearance on a reality show can have a major influence on how the game is perceived by those who are not fans of it.  Wein is skeptical that the team, Michelle in particular, will grow poker’s popularity.  “Even if [Michelle] is the sickest ‘Amazing Race’ contestant ever, I just don’t understand how anyone can be like, ‘Wow, what a great ambassador for the game. What a humble person about their successes’…I think she is a poor example of what a poker player should be.”  His opinion is based not only on the first episode of “Amazing Race”, but also last year’s Main Event coverage and his own personal experiences over the course of several summers in Las Vegas.

He may just be one viewer, but the presence of Michelle and Ho on the show has actually convinced the longtime “Amazing Race” fan to take some time off from tuning in, as Wein said he had no plans to watch future episodes this season.

The Supporter

Like Wein, longtime tournament reporter B.J. Nemeth knew Ho and Michelle long before their appearance on “Amazing Race.”  In fact, it is only because of their presence on the show that he tuned in this season.  “I have never watched ‘Amazing Race’ before this season and I am watching primarily because I am friends with Maria and Tiffany,” Nemeth explained.  “I am also watching (to a lesser extent) because of my weekly appearances on PokerRoad’s ‘The Poker Beat,’ where I am sure we will discuss and analyze the show at some point, just as we did with Annie Duke on ‘Celebrity Apprentice.’”  He is a fan so far and even suggested that he might tune into the show for future seasons.

The show has made a fan of Nemeth, but he thinks it will have little impact on bringing new fans to poker.  He explained, comparing their appearance to Duke’s memorable run on “Celebrity Apprentice”:

“Amazing Race” is a unique game and the specific job skills that people bring with them will have little impact, whether they are a doctor, a lawyer, or a poker player.  “If [Michelle and Ho] perform well or win, it won’t be because they are poker players. If they embarrass themselves and lose, it won’t be because they are poker players. And I don’t think mainstream fans will judge the poker industry by how they finish… The impact on poker is very different from Annie Duke’s presence on ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ where she was only on the show because she was a famous poker player, and it was brought up repeatedly from a strategy standpoint and in the boardroom with Donald Trump.”

Nemeth also conceded that any publicity was good publicity though and, unlike Wein, believed that the appearance of the young female poker players would more than likely help rather than hurt the poker cause.  When it comes to Wein’s concerns that their behavior will come off as indicative of the poker industry as a whole, Nemeth disagreed.  “Even though ‘Amazing Race’ fans identify Maria and Tiffany as the ‘poker players’ or the ‘poker girls,’ that’s just an identifier because it’s tough to learn names of 10 to 12 two-person teams,” he pointed out.  “They refer to the other teams in similar ways – ‘the asshole lawyer,’ ‘the interracial couple,’ ‘the father-son team,’ and ‘the gay brothers.’ Reality TV fans are smart enough to know that personality traits are unique to individuals and not to entire professions or sexual preferences.”

The Scoop

Ho and Nemeth had a lengthy chat after the show’s Sunday premiere and Nemeth shared behind-the-scenes details of the first episode with Poker News Daily.  “Maria and Tiffany have agreed that they won’t be answering their critics or talking about specific things until the show is complete. It’s not easy, because they’ve seen a lot of the criticism and want to respond, but they know it would be counterproductive at this point,” Nemeth explained.  However, he did clear up a couple of early points of criticism on behalf of his friends.

He immediately addressed a major issue that both reality television fans and poker enthusiasts were quick to criticize the girls for - their rolling luggage.  Historically, backpacks have proven to be the most popular way to travel on the show and avid fans suggest that rolling luggage slows players down too much during crucial periods of the race where they may have to run.  Nemeth explained that their bags convert into backpacks and the clip showing Ho rolling it down the street was during a three mile walk from one location to the next.

Nemeth also filled us in on the controversial decision by the pair to conceal their occupation from their opponents.  According to Nemeth, the producers encouraged them to keep their status as poker pros under wraps since previous contestants like former “Survivor” winners Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich were highly criticized by their fellow racers for already being rich and famous.

As for their false claim that they worked with a non-profit group?  This is not entirely a lie.  Both women have done a lot of charity work, so there was more truth to their statements than the show depicted.  “The homeless charity that Tiffany mentioned on the show is a real charity that she has worked with and its director called her on Monday to support her,” said Nemeth.  He also said that the girls received less flack from their competitors about their tiny fib than the show implied and that they are still in touch with over half of the teams from the season.

These are just two of several opinions on a show that still has a long way to go to reach the finish line.  In every season of reality television, there will inevitably be heroes and villains.  So far, Ho and Michelle are netting their fair share of criticism compared to the other participants, but picking up a few new fans as well, so it will take a little more airtime to get a better idea of how they will be remembered on “Amazing Race” and whether or not it will have any bearing on the world of poker.

Sunday Night Football Dominates Amazing Race Premiere in Ratings

The National Football League (NFL) game between the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals garnered an 8.2 rating on Sunday night during the 8:00pm ET hour to lead all programs. The CBS reality series Amazing Race, which features poker pros Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, premiered at 7.1.

Amazing Race began around 8:15pm ET as a result of a late finish of a football game that aired on CBS. During the 8:00pm ET hour, Sunday Night Football generated an 8.2 rating according to HitFix, Amazing Race came in at 7.1, ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition mustered a 6.4 rating, and Fox’s The Simpsons came in at 4.5. Another show that aired during the first of two hours for Amazing Race was The Cleveland Show (5.3 rating), which premiered on Sunday night at 8:30pm ET on Fox.

Amazing Race’s 15th season premiere featured a two-hour episode, seeing a 5.8 rating during its second hour, a sharp drop-off. Sunday Night Football, which was approaching halftime at 9:00pm ET, attracted a solid 9.7 rating during its second of three hours. Fox again ran two half-hour programs, with Family Guy grabbing a 5.7 rating and American Dad chiming in with a 4.1. Meanwhile, Desperate Housewives returned to score an 8.4 rating. The hour-long program airs on ABC and bumped Amazing Race to third in the ratings during the time slot.

The number of viewers of Sunday Night Football dwindled during the 10:00pm ET hour, when the game became a blowout, generating an 8.7 rating. Indianapolis won 31-10, with quarterback Peyton Manning tossing four touchdowns in primetime; the Colts led 21-3 at the intermission. The game generated additional interest given that Arizona is the defending National Football Conference (NFC) champions and narrowly defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in January’s Super Bowl.

HitFix noted that NBC averaged 12.7 million viewers during the three-hour time period and mustered an 8.0 rating. CBS, which carries Amazing Race, was in second place with a 7.3 rating and 11.7 million viewers. Amazing Race is regularly one hour in length, but aired for 120 minutes over the weekend for its debut episode. Next week, Pittsburgh will host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football, which will surely lead to another ratings-rich affair for NBC.

Previously, ESPN held the rights to Sunday Night Football before the honor went to NBC in time for the 2006 season. The NBC version originally featured Al Michaels and John Madden in the broadcast booth. Madden retired before the start of the 2009 campaign and was replaced by Cris Collinsworth. Amazing Race has aired on Sunday nights since Season 10 in the 8:00pm ET hour. Previous versions have aired on Thursday night, Wednesday night, and Tuesday night. The latter has been the traditional evening for new episodes of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) on ESPN.

Amazing Race once again won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program in 2009. In fact, Amazing Race has won the honor every year the award has been given out and, this time around, it bested American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Project Runway, and Top Chef. Amazing Race features Executive Producers Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman, and Jerry Bruckheimer, who has been behind movie blockbusters like Top Gun, The Rock, and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Michelle and Ho were nearly sent home from Tokyo on the season premiere of Amazing Race, but finished last in a non-elimination leg. Despite having to complete a Speed Bump, an extra task only they had to perform, Michelle and Ho rallied to finish seventh out of 11 teams. Now, 10 remain as the cast heads to Cambodia. Check out Amazing Race at 8:00pm ET on CBS every Sunday.

Linda Johnson Goes to Camp

I recently returned from a 10-day trip to Indiana. The first part of the trip was spent at the Hollywood Casino (formerly Argosy Casino) in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.  The new $336 million facility is more than twice the size of its former vessel. The two decks, each wider than an aircraft carrier and nearly as long as a football field, make it the largest riverboat in the country. It gives one the feel of being in a luxurious casino with all of the bells and whistles.

Hollywood Casino has more than 270,000 square feet of space, including 150,000 square feet for gaming with 88 tables, 3,200 slots, and electronic table games. The Hollywood décor and theme is flawlessly executed throughout. The casino brings classic Hollywood to life with a 60-foot serpentine video wall, nine large billboards, and more than 300 flat screen displays featuring first-run movie trailers, video shorts, entertainment programming, and sporting events. Among the casino’s major attractions is an exclusive VIP Producer’s Lounge and an expanded high-limit gaming area.

I’d been to Argosy a few times in the past three years and had always enjoyed the gaming and hospitality there, so decided that the opening of its brand new 41-table poker room (the largest in the Midwest) and the Indiana State Poker Championship would be two great reasons to return. My first mistake was booking a flight into Indianapolis instead of Cincinnati. This error resulted in a two-hour drive to the casino instead of 10 minutes. On the bright side, however, I got to spend the two hours getting to know the Hollywood Casino cardroom manager Thom “TK” Krauss and Tournament Director Kevin Dawn. TK is very much a hands-on manager and knows all of his regular patrons by name. He told me that he loves his job, which was obvious since I saw him there at all hours of the day and night. The poker staff and players were very hospitable and made me feel very welcome.

The poker room is very comfortable, with lots of space between tables, great chairs, and good lighting. Players’ hours are tracked so they can earn comps. By the way, the buffet at Hollywood Casino is as good as the best buffets in Las Vegas. The poker room is so impressive that it recently was selected to host a stop on the World Poker Tour.

Jan Fisher and I gave a poker seminar at the Hollywood on the Roof, a performance area with a panoramic screen resembling the Hollywood Bowl, where bands can entertain guests and video content can be projected in grand scale. Hollywood on the Roof features a high-energy circular bar that looks out onto the casino atrium. The seminar was well-attended and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the locals.

After five days at Hollywood Casino, I went to Indianapolis to participate in Mickey’s Camp, a charity event held annually in a campground called Bradford Woods. There is a separate men’s camp and women’s camp and the attendees actually attend summer camp for adults. They sleep in the same bunks, 12 to a cabin, that kids sleep in during their camp. Each camper gets to choose 10 activities from about 35, including flyfishing, police training, backgammon, Alpine tower, pistol and rifle shooting, gourmet cooking, raft building, canoeing, wine tasting, billiards, table tennis, beer tasting, boxing, jewelry making, photography, yoga, painting, hiking, darts, orienteering, and swimming. I teach the poker class and then run a tournament for the men and women. After my classes, I get to be a camper. This year I chose the following activities: massage, magic, bridge, grilling, backgammon, medical myths, self-defense, sports dialogue, badminton, economics, rifle/pistol, and CPR.

From the $1,500 fee to attend the camp, at least two-thirds of it goes to Indiana charities. This can be done because most of the food is donated by local restaurants and the instructors donate their time as well. The founder, Mickey Maurer, is a great ambassador and philanthropist and has raised more than $1 million for charity through his camp.

Although the attendees are extremely successful in the business world (during the first evening of each camp, we sit under a tent, everyone introduces themselves and tells what they do, and I am always blown away by how accomplished they are), most of them are not the caliber of player I usually encounter in my classes. They sure do have fun though! I had to chuckle when I saw two of the players get up in the middle of the tournament and say, “Thanks, I think I’ve had enough.” Then, they just quit and left their chips on the table.

This was my fourth year at Mickey’s Camp. I love attending charity events and this is one of my favorites.

Dates set, Barry calling for fish on <i>HSP</i> 6

In London for the World Series of Poker Europe presented by Betfair, Mori Eskandani, president of POKER PROductions, producers of the highly successful cash-game show, confirmed the company will begin filming 13 episodes for Season 6 of High Stakes Poker at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas Nov. 11.

"High Stakes is always fun," Eskandani told PokerListings. "You mix the money with the emotions and all those characters and it's going to be good TV."

The full line-up is not yet confirmed, although Eskandani said the show is looking for its usual mix of veteran pros, Internet upstarts and whales from other walks of life.

As has become the norm, the game will feature $400/$800 blinds with a $200,000 minimum/$500,000 maximum buy-in, although Eskandani said players can add another $500,000 as soon as they fall below that mark.

The major difference this year is that prop games will not be allowed.

"It really distracted from the game for the viewers," Eskandani explained.

A veteran of High Stakes Poker, Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein said he will definitely be playing, and he's hoping there will be a few well-bankrolled fish in the mix this season.

"I hope they can get a good line-up," Greenstein said. "They always promise there will be good games. I was happy with the line-up I played in last year, but it wasn't as good as the line-ups they had in the earlier days when there were more recreational players.

"At this point I don't play just to be on television. I play if it's a good game where I can make some money."

Online high-stakes superstar Tom "durrrr" Dwan dominated play in Season 5, winning a High Stakes Poker record $919,600 pot flopping top pair and a flush draw against Greenstein's pocket aces, getting the money in and turning trips.

The most talked about hand of the season saw Dwan push 2008 WSOP Main Event champ Peter Eastgate of trip deuces and Greenstein off pocket aces with top pair, betting $104,300 into a $133,500 pot.

"It's kind of funny," Greenstein explained. "If I'd have made the call there, and I was on the edge one way or the other, I think the perception would have been very different. It would have been like 'what was he doing?'

"He kind of got lucky that Peter and I got in the way of each other. Because we both folded he's kind of the poker hero and dominated the table. It's funny how things can go like that."

Visit PokerListings.com

Live Stream of PokerHeaven European Cash Game available now

The second series of the PokerHeaven European Cash Game, bought to you by the producers of The Million Dollar Cash Game, European Poker Masters and The Million Pound Challenge, will be aired from today on a live web feed.

NBC’s Poker Game Show ‘Face the Ace’ Returns

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. If it is, well, then break out the duct tape. That’s what the producers of the NBC poker game show Face the Ace …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Linda Johnson’s Favorite WPT Memories

I had the best job of anyone on the World Poker Tour. I got to travel all over the world, meet lots of awesome people, get my hair and makeup done, entertain an audience of poker players, and say “Shuffle Up and Deal!” I also got to work with an incredible crew including Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten.

My job as the studio announcer was to call the action (announce bet amounts, hole cards when there was an all-in, winning hands, and new blind amounts) in order to keep the audience interested. I involved the audience by playing trivia with them during breaks, telling jokes, and introducing famous poker players and celebrities between hands.

This led to a few awkward moments, of course. During a taping at the Commerce Casino, I saw Doyle Brunson walk in with someone I didn’t know and they sat down to watch. At the appropriate time, I said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are honored to have the legendary Doyle Brunson in our midst. Doyle, please give us a wave.” Doyle took off his Stetson, waved to the crowd, and he and his friend left a few minutes later. Shortly after that, the producer contacted me through my earpiece and asked why I hadn’t introduced Robert Duvall (the gentleman with Brunson). “Who is Robert Duvall and where does he play,” I asked.

One of the perks of my job was getting to play in the WPT Celebrity Invitational. I always wrote an article about the celebrities at my table, but first they had to identify themselves. Throughout the years, I had played in tournaments with Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Ricki Lake, Montel Williams, Dom DeLuise, Norm McDonald, Camyrn Manheim, Jason Alexander, Paris Hilton, James Woods, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jennifer Tilly, and lots of actors and actresses that everyone except me seemed to recognize.

Every final table was different in its own way, but I don’t believe the excitement of that first-ever WPT event at Bellagio will ever be topped.  The WPT set and announcers’ booth was introduced to the world, as was super hostess Shana Hiatt. The final table consisted of Gus Hansen (who was unknown at the time), John Juanda, Freddy Deeb, Scotty Nguyen, and John Hennigan, all superstars who later won WPT titles. I still remember how impressed I was to see Doug Dalton in his tuxedo pouring champagne to toast the winner.

During my time with the WPT, I traveled to lots of amazing destinations around the world. I actually enjoyed all of them, but for different reasons. For instance, I loved the beaches of Aruba and taping the show in an upstairs restaurant overlooking the ocean. I enjoyed Nassau because I was allowed to wear tropical clothing and not my typical black!

Tunica’s Gold Strike and Biloxi’s Beau Rivage were memorable for the wonderful Southern hospitality and incredible food. I looked forward to Foxwoods for the beauty of the surrounding forests. The Bicycle Casino and the Commerce Casino were special because there was so much poker action when I wasn’t working. Borgata had the best beds.

The Aviation Club in Paris offered the best sightseeing opportunities and the Reno Hilton had the best sushi and a shopping arcade on premises. Fallsview offered incredible views of Niagara Falls from our hotel rooms. Bay 101 had the most energetic, enthusiastic fans, which made my job easy. I always liked taping at the Mirage and Bellagio because I could stay in my own home at night! And of course, I am a bit biased, but I loved the PartyPoker.com Million because I got to spend a week on a Card Player Cruises vacation.

There were lots of funny moments on the WPT. One of the best happened at Foxwoods the year Hoyt Corkins won.  Phil Hellmuth was at the final table and Hoyt was driving him crazy with his aggression and all-ins. Finally, after Hoyt hit a river card, Phil jumped out of his chair and banged his head on the overhead microphone.  Another time, Joe Hachem was at the final table and when he won his first big pot, his fans started yelling, “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy!” I looked at them and said, “Don’t start that crap here.” They must have thought I was serious because they didn’t do it again.

Although I had a few embarrassing moments along the way, such as dropping my microphone battery pack in the toilet or having a hot flash during filming, there were some very special moments too. I’ll always remember Brunson’s inspirational victory at the Bicycle Club. Tears came to my eyes on multiple occasions when I saw the joy of new millionaires being created.  The most emotional moment for me took place during the taping of the “Father/Son Special.” Barry Greenstein and his son, Joe Sebok, eliminated the other teams and were supposed to play each other to determine the winner. Instead, they agreed to push all-in pre-flop and let the cards decide the victor since neither one wanted to beat the other on television.

The first six seasons of the WPT flew by and were full of incredible moments. Maybe someday I’ll write a book about them.

Poker TV Producer Loses Case Against Phil Gordon

According to Courthousenews.com, a federal judge in Manhattan has sided with former Celebrity Poker commentator and Team Full Tilt member Phil Gordon after television producer Tony DeRosa-Grund failed to provide evidence supporting his case against...

Durrrr Challenge Promoter Reveals Plans for London Event

The Tom Dwan Million Dollar Challenge will make its live debut in London, England next month in conjunction with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe festivities, according to its promoter, Matchroom Sport’s Eddie Hearn.

Dwan will square off against four opponents for 500 hands. Each player must buy in for $500,000 and blinds will be $500/$1,000. London cash game pro Sammy George was the first to accept Dwan’s challenge, with three more poker hopefuls waiting in the wings. Hearn sat down with Poker News Daily to discuss the background of the high-stakes live spectacle.

Poker News Daily: Tell us where the idea for the live version of the Million Dollar Challenge came from.

Hearn: I met Tom for the first time during the filming of the PartyPoker Premier League in London. I found him quite fascinating, to be honest, and as a poker fan, I admired his play and watched quite a few of his online sessions. I found it intriguing that someone so young with such a “normal” background was prepared to gamble with such huge stakes.

From a marketing perspective, I could see Tom was becoming a phenomenon. Every post on every forum that featured his name was attracting huge numbers and he was clearly creating headlines throughout the industry. The launch of his online challenge was mind-blowing. Offering 3:1 odds to the greatest players in the world? That’s like Tiger Woods offering Phil Mickelson strokes! I wanted to take advantage of his huge hype and televise the biggest cash game challenge that the world has ever seen.

PND: Why is Dwan a marketer’s dream for these types of high-stakes heads-up challenges?

Hearn: Tom is perhaps the only player in the world that is prepared to play anyone for any stakes. That’s what makes him so special. He is totally fearless. It’s also why he is so fun to watch because he is relentless. He will continuously put pressure on you and grind you down. As a television spectacle, it’s going to be something really special.

PND: What was your reaction when you found out that Sammy George would face off against Dwan in London?

Hearn: I have known Sammy George for a while and he is a good friend of mine. He was the first person I asked when I announced the challenge because this is made for him. Sammy loves the limelight and the buzz, two things that this event features. Sammy is a competent player and has played plenty of hands in high-stakes games. While he is not someone you would list as one of the best players in the world, he has deep pockets, a big heart, and plenty of balls. He won’t be scared of Tom. Instead, he’ll look him in the eye during every hand and test his metal at every opportunity.

PND: Four players are scheduled to face off against the youngster as part of the Tom Dwan Million Dollar Challenge. When will you announce the other competitors?

Hearn: There have been many players who have come out recently stating they would like to play Tom. It’s a different story when we ask to see their money. We have laid out the challenge to a number of players, including the world’s very best, and we will announce the other participants in the coming weeks. I guess it’s different than an online challenge in that there are no hiding places and buttons to sit out. It’s just you and the most fearless cash game player of all-time battling it out under television cameras for $1 million.

PND: As you said before, Dwan offered his online challengers 3:1 odds on a $500,000 bet. Will any odds be given in London?

Hearn: There will be no odds. It’s a simple heads-up cash game with a $500,000 buy-in. The edge is in the sample size. Online, his challenge is over such a huge sample that he feels his skills will overcome his opponent. Over 500 hands, it gives his opponent a much better chance, but it’s heads-up; sometimes there is no escaping getting it all-in on a coin flip.

PND: Where and when will the four heads-up poker matches take place?

Hearn: The games will take place in London during the WSOP Europe. They will either be just before the Main Event or during its final table (providing Tom and his opponents don’t make it). With all due respect to the WSOP Europe, it’s been a real disappointment in terms of organization, exposure, production, and television distribution over the last few years. The Durrrr Million Dollar Challenge carries significantly more hype than the WSOP Europe ever could.

PND: Besides Sammy George, what other players would be good fits to play against Dwan in London and why?

Hearn: They say in boxing that styles make fights and it’s the same thing when selecting the opponents for this match. That’s why Sammy is such a great pick because it’s like matching two big punchers with plenty of heart. I want Dwan to play against the best and so does he. Tom has left it completely in my hands and when I asked him if there was anyone he didn’t want to play, the answer was simple: “No.” Everyone is crying out for a match between Dwan and Luke “__FullFlush1__” Schwartz. Tom would love to play him for sure. I think the challenge may come a little early for Luke, but I know he is trying to get his bankroll together to make it happen.

PND: Tell us about Matchroom Sport and its promotion of the event.

Hearn: Matchroom Sport is the world’s leading producer and distributor of televised poker. We produce over 100 hours of fresh content every year with events like the PartyPoker Premier League, PartyPoker Poker Den, The Big Game, The World and European Opens, and the Full Tilt Poker Million. Away from poker, we are market leaders in sporting content, producing darts, boxing, pool, golf, snooker, fishing, and bowling events throughout the world.

Laura Lane Gives the Inside Scoop on Inside Deal

Released every Tuesday on ESPN.com are new 30 minute editions of the hit poker show “Inside Deal.” Hosted by Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN: The Magazine’s Laura Lane, “Inside Deal” has quickly acquired a loyal audience after debuting on August 4th. We sat down with Lane to discuss its success.

Poker News Daily: Tell us how you became involved with ESPN’s “Inside Deal.”

Lane: I write for ESPN: The Magazine and ESPN.com. I also did a lot of sports and entertainment television when I was in college. ESPN knew I liked poker, they approached me, and it went from there.

PND: Can you give us your poker background?

Lane: I first learned about poker from my little brother. We watched it on television and any time I hung out with him, I had to play. Then, I started playing against sports reporters in a weekly game. I got pretty good really fast. I would play every week in college, read books, watch it on television, and ended up playing in a charity tournament during the Sundance Film Festival. Jamie Gold was there giving lessons, so I sat down and got a lesson from him. Paul Wasicka and Todd Brunson were also there. I made it to the final table and finished fifth.

PND: Did you get any advice from Gold?

Lane: I didn’t know much at the time. There were three tables left and he told me to go all-in with the next best hand I got. I picked up K-K and Jamie was sitting at my table. I pushed all-in, Jamie looked at me, and said he’d fold. After that, everyone at the table gave me respect.

PND: How is “Inside Deal” compiled before it debuts on ESPN.com? What work goes into it?

Lane: Andrew Feldman, the Poker Editor for ESPN.com, has good judgment when it comes to news stories. Bernard is the poker pro and has interviewed a lot of the players before. We talk about what stories are good for the week and, ultimately, our producer makes the call on what airs.

PND: The chemistry between Bernard Lee and you seems to be pretty strong. Tell us about working with one of poker’s top minds.

Lane: He’s one of the nicest guys ever. We had a phone conversation before we ever met while he was in Hawaii. I read his blog back in 2005 when he had a deep run in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event and had a lot of questions for him about that. We’re both passionate and it’s nice working with someone who cares so much about the show. We keep talking about how we need a Sunday night game together because we shoot the show on Mondays. We had a barbeque after last week’s show and like hanging out with other.

PND: Has working on “Inside Deal” improved your own game?

Lane: I haven’t tested it out since we started filming the show. However, I’ve been learning so many tips that I probably should have known before, which will help undoubtedly me.

PND: Is it intimidating interviewing poker’s elite like Barry Greenstein, Chris Moneymaker, and Dennis Phillips?

Lane: Bernard has played with everyone, so he doesn’t get intimidated. Andrew has interviewed all of the top players. I’ve interviewed Jamie Gold and wrote articles for All In Magazine when it existed. I interviewed Greg Raymer when I was in college. I’ve interview A-list celebrities like Kobe Bryant and Kanye West, so I’m pretty comfortable.

PND: What feedback have you received from the show from friends, family, and co-workers who have watched it?

Lane: My little sister is honest. She’ll say, “Your hair looks better when it’s half up” and comment on my looks more than anything. Other people give me constructive tips. My mom says she doesn’t understand what we’re talking about. I went over to a friend’s house and they hadn’t seen it yet, so we watched it. They all wanted to know how I did it. Some of my friends are baffled by it.

PND: “Inside Deal” is slated to run weekly until the WSOP Main Event final table in November. What do you foresee beyond that?

Lane: The Main Event is the Super Bowl of poker, but there are so many different tournaments throughout the year. A show like ours could go year-round, but we’ll have to wait and see.

PND: Is there a market for a poker show like “Inside Deal” on television?

Lane: I really hope so. Poker is constantly growing and there are more people interested in it than ever before. People watch repeats of it over and over on networks like ESPN. The market is definitely strong. I would hope that in the next year or so, a show like ours is on television.

Laura Lane Gives the Inside Scoop on Inside Deal

Released every Tuesday on ESPN.com are new 30 minute editions of the hit poker show “Inside Deal.” Hosted by Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN: The Magazine’s Laura Lane, “Inside Deal” has quickly acquired a loyal audience after debuting on August 4th. We sat down with Lane to discuss its success.

Poker News Daily: Tell us how you became involved with ESPN’s “Inside Deal.”

Lane: I write for ESPN: The Magazine and ESPN.com. I also did a lot of sports and entertainment television when I was in college. ESPN knew I liked poker, they approached me, and it went from there.

PND: Can you give us your poker background?

Lane: I first learned about poker from my little brother. We watched it on television and any time I hung out with him, I had to play. Then, I started playing against sports reporters in a weekly game. I got pretty good really fast. I would play every week in college, read books, watch it on television, and ended up playing in a charity tournament during the Sundance Film Festival. Jamie Gold was there giving lessons, so I sat down and got a lesson from him. Paul Wasicka and Todd Brunson were also there. I made it to the final table and finished fifth.

PND: Did you get any advice from Gold?

Lane: I didn’t know much at the time. There were three tables left and he told me to go all-in with the next best hand I got. I picked up K-K and Jamie was sitting at my table. I pushed all-in, Jamie looked at me, and said he’d fold. After that, everyone at the table gave me respect.

PND: How is “Inside Deal” compiled before it debuts on ESPN.com? What work goes into it?

Lane: Andrew Feldman, the Poker Editor for ESPN.com, has good judgment when it comes to news stories. Bernard is the poker pro and has interviewed a lot of the players before. We talk about what stories are good for the week and, ultimately, our producer makes the call on what airs.

PND: The chemistry between Bernard Lee and you seems to be pretty strong. Tell us about working with one of poker’s top minds.

Lane: He’s one of the nicest guys ever. We had a phone conversation before we ever met while he was in Hawaii. I read his blog back in 2005 when he had a deep run in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event and had a lot of questions for him about that. We’re both passionate and it’s nice working with someone who cares so much about the show. We keep talking about how we need a Sunday night game together because we shoot the show on Mondays. We had a barbeque after last week’s show and like hanging out with other.

PND: Has working on “Inside Deal” improved your own game?

Lane: I haven’t tested it out since we started filming the show. However, I’ve been learning so many tips that I probably should have known before, which will help undoubtedly me.

PND: Is it intimidating interviewing poker’s elite like Barry Greenstein, Chris Moneymaker, and Dennis Phillips?

Lane: Bernard has played with everyone, so he doesn’t get intimidated. Andrew has interviewed all of the top players. I’ve interviewed Jamie Gold and wrote articles for All In Magazine when it existed. I interviewed Greg Raymer when I was in college. I’ve interview A-list celebrities like Kobe Bryant and Kanye West, so I’m pretty comfortable.

PND: What feedback have you received from the show from friends, family, and co-workers who have watched it?

Lane: My little sister is honest. She’ll say, “Your hair looks better when it’s half up” and comment on my looks more than anything. Other people give me constructive tips. My mom says she doesn’t understand what we’re talking about. I went over to a friend’s house and they hadn’t seen it yet, so we watched it. They all wanted to know how I did it. Some of my friends are baffled by it.

PND: “Inside Deal” is slated to run weekly until the WSOP Main Event final table in November. What do you foresee beyond that?

Lane: The Main Event is the Super Bowl of poker, but there are so many different tournaments throughout the year. A show like ours could go year-round, but we’ll have to wait and see.

PND: Is there a market for a poker show like “Inside Deal” on television?

Lane: I really hope so. Poker is constantly growing and there are more people interested in it than ever before. People watch repeats of it over and over on networks like ESPN. The market is definitely strong. I would hope that in the next year or so, a show like ours is on television.

Ante Up for Africa Poker Event Features Hollywood Invasion

On Tuesday night, cable station ESPN featured action from the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament held during the 2009 World Series of Poker. The final table aired for just 30 minutes in a unique telecast.

The two-hour show opened with a montage of celebrities taking part in the event, including “Rounders” actor Matt Damon, “Pearl Harbor” actor Ben Affleck, and comedian Sarah Silverman. A total of 137 players took to the felts, with the feature table during ESPN’s first hour headlined by basketball Hall of Fame member Charles Barkley, whose association with gambling was highlighted on several occasions throughout the episode by ESPN commentator Norman Chad. Comments included “Don’t say blackjack around Charles” and “Charles is probably wondering if he can double down on the flop.” Joining Barkley at the feature table were 2008 WSOP November Nine member Ylon Schwartz, “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander, and “Celebrity Apprentice” candidate Herschel Walker.

Highlights from around the field included Ultimate Bet Star Player Tiffany Michelle besting Damon in a hand holding pocket sevens. After Affleck’s pocket fives ran into a flop of 4-6-K, Chad remarked, “That’s a worse flop for Ben than ‘Gigli.’” Ante Up for Africa emcee Phil Hellmuth and Nelly then sang the St. Louis rapper’s hit song “#1” and the recurring “40th Annual Memories” relived Howard Lederer’s first bracelet win. Lederer’s sister, Annie Duke, was featured heavily during the segment and, together with actor Don Cheadle, the “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up co-hosted the Ante Up for Africa event.

The Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Wild Card Hand featured Walker calling the big blind with unknown cards, Alexander calling with K-10, and Barkley checking his option with pocket eights. The flop came J-Q-6 and the action checked around to see a king fall on the turn. Alexander led out for 700, Barkley folded, and Walker made the call. The river was another queen. Alexander checked, Walker put out a small bet of 600, and Alexander made the call. Walker flipped up A-Q for trips and scooped the pot.

Damon recalled the public’s reaction to the movie “Rounders,” which was released in 1998 and also featured Edward Norton, John Malkovich, and John Turturro: “When it first came out, it was a bomb. It kind of hurt my feelings.” Chad revealed that 2003 WSOP Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker got his start in poker after watching the film. Damon’s lifelong friend, Affleck, was ousted from the Ante Up for Africa event holding pocket sixes after Jennifer Harman hit a flush on the river. Affleck signed autographs for fans on the rail and headed to the feature table to support Damon.

Barkley doubled up with 8-7 against A-Q after filling his straight on the river, leaving ESPN commentators to note, “That was like a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the game.” The end of the first episode featured Barkley hitting the rails holding 8-6 of diamonds despite flopping a flush draw.

The second episode aired at 9:00pm ET. This time around, feature table personalities included Damon and Erik Seidel, whose runner-up performance to Johnny Chan in the 1998 WSOP Main Event was featured prominently in the movie “Rounders.” The Wild Card Hand saw Damon raise to 10,000 pre-flop with A-7. Seidel pushed over the top all-in holding unknown cards and Damon tanked before finally releasing his hand. Seidel turned over pocket sixes and told Damon, “I think you probably made the right choice.” Seidel eventually sent Damon packing with A-J against pocket tens when the actor inopportunely shoved on an ace-high flop.

“The Nuts,” which had featured 40th Annual Trivia the past two weeks, recapped Chad’s red carpet interviews. Chad joked to Mike Matusow that money should be pooled for Mike Tyson, who was in attendance for the event, to punch Hellmuth. Matusow commented, “I will throw an extra $5,000 to the charity if he connects.” Chad also interviewed Damon and Affleck to divulge who really wrote “Good Will Hunting” and asked the latter if he could beat Chad’s record of three marriages. Chad’s final interview was with Sasquatch, the mascot of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. Chad referred to the furry animal as co-host Lon McEachern.

The final table featured 18 WSOP bracelets, with Seidel owning eight of them. The nine-handed spectacle did not air until 30 minutes remained in the second ESPN episode of the night, reflecting the desire by producers to show the paths of celebrities in attendance during this unique charity tournament. The final table lacked strategy, with a multitude of three-way all-ins panning out with players unable to cover their blinds. Alex Bolotin eventually emerged as the 2009 Ante Up for Africa champion and pocketed $176,000. Over $360,000 was raised for the victims of the crisis in Darfur. On the turbo structure, Chad quipped, “Bolotin is the Ante Up for Africa all-in champion.”

Next week at 8:00pm ET, ESPN will kick off its 24 hours of coverage of the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

WSOP on ESPN Ratings Down 8% After Two Weeks

Poker News Daily has learned that ESPN’s coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has experienced an 8% dip in television ratings through two weeks to 0.72. Last year, the mark was 0.78.

In addition to ratings seeing an 8% slide, household impressions also fell, albeit a modest 5%. The total number of household impressions through two weeks of the 2009 WSOP was 714,904, compared with last year’s tally of 750,315. Four one-hour episodes have aired so far, with 26 more comprising coverage of the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament and the prestigious $10,000 buy-in Main Event.

ESPN media contact George McNeilly told Poker News Daily that, despite the ratings slip, he remained optimistic: “These are very small declines and we’re just four telecasts into the season. We have almost 30 more episodes to go, so it’s way too early to start drawing any conclusions. One interesting trend we are watching is how ratings are flat among men 25 to 54, which bodes well for the rest of the season.”

Figures released after the July 28th kickoff telecast revealed that viewers were up 2% among men age 18 to 34. The number of viewers age 25 to 54 was up a commanding 16% after the first episode of the 2009 WSOP debuted on ESPN and the number of viewers age 18 to 49 was on par with the 2008 broadcast. The first telecast of the 2009 WSOP on ESPN featured the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP. In the end, Vitaly Lunkin dominated the 201 player field en route to a $1.9 million first place prize. He defeated Isaac Haxton heads-up in a star-studded final table that also included Greg Raymer, Ted Forrest, Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, and Alec “traheho” Torelli.

On August 4th, the weekly Tuesday timeslot saw the WSOP Champions Invitational come to life. In one of the first non-bracelet events ever broadcast by ESPN, the Champions Invitational featured 20 former Main Event winners take to the felts. The unconventional 10-handed final table saw 1983 champ Tom McEvoy come out on top, taking home a vintage red 1970 Corvette Stingray and the Binion Cup. McEvoy defeated 2002 Main Event winner Robert Vakonyi heads-up in a final table that also included Peter Eastgate, Carlos Mortensen, Doyle Brunson, Huck Seed, and Dan Harrington.

Next week, the Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament will headline ESPN coverage and begins at 8:00pm ET. The gala featured a veritable “who’s who” of the celebrity world, including “Rounders” star Matt Damon, “Pearl Harbor” actor Ben Affleck, “Celebrity Apprentice” candidate Herschel Walker, “Seinfeld’ star Jason Alexander, “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Brad Garrett, rapper Nelly, and legendary boxer Mike Tyson. The latter has developed a cult following stemming from his cameo in the blockbuster hit “The Hangover.” Tyson did not bring his tiger to the red carpet.

Poker stars who turned out to the charity event included Ante Up for Africa co-founder Annie Duke, Greg Raymer, Erik Seidel, Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Jennifer Harman, Joe Hachem, Jason Mercier, and Andy Bloch. ESPN Coordinating Producer Jamie Horowitz told Poker News Daily what makes airing the charity gala unique: “We are excited to present a different type of poker tournament. In the Ante Up For Africa event, the story is more about the journey (the celebrities, the stars, and the pros) than the destination.”

Twenty-four hours of coverage of the 2009 WSOP Main Event will air on ESPN beginning on August 18th. The Main Event final table is scheduled to air on November 10th beginning at 9:00pm ET. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest WSOP news.

Annie Duke’s Advice for Tiffany Michelle on Amazing Race

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2009 WSOP on ESPN Debuts Tuesday

Tonight marks the return of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) on ESPN. At 8:00pm ET, the network will air the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP.

A star-studded final table will take to the felts in the event, which was the second on the 2009 WSOP schedule. It attracted 201 entrants and, as has been heavily touted in commercials for the program, generated a $7.7 million prize pool. The final table features some of the top names in live and online poker. Here’s how the chip stacks will look when final table play in Event #2 of the 2009 WSOP kicks off on ESPN this evening:

1. Isaac Haxton - 5,955,000
2. Vitaly Lunkin - 4,565,000
3. Lex Veldhuis - 3,805,000
4. Greg Raymer - 3,345,000
5. Alec Torelli - 2,340,000
6. Justin Bonomo - 1,685,000
7. Dani Stern - 1,300,000
8. Noah Schwartz - 660,000
9. Ted Forrest - 560,000

Lunkin won a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event during the 2008 WSOP and banked $628,000, defeating Brett Kimes heads-up. Raymer won the 2004 WSOP Main Event, becoming the third amateur in a row to take down the feature $10,000 buy-in tournament. Torelli, who recently signed with the Cake Poker Network site Doyle’s Room, is fresh off a fourth place showing at the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Bellagio Cup V for $271,000. Bonomo is a Bodog pro making his third WSOP final table appearance. Forrest owns five bracelets and was famously shut out of the Main Event this year after Day 1D sold out at over 2,800 runners. Finally, Stern will compete as part of G4’s “2 Months, $2 Million,” a poker reality show that debuts on August 16th.

With the all-star cast lined up for the final table of the kickoff WSOP on ESPN event, show producer Jamie Horowitz commented in a conference call last week, “This is the most excited I’ve ever been for a season of the WSOP, not just because we get to kick it off with new events we’ve never done before, but also because we’re doing a record number of hours of [the Main Event] this year.” In fact, ESPN will broadcast 24 hours of the world’s most prestigious poker tournament. The final table will take place on November 10th and air just hours later on the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

Tuesday is once again poker night on ESPN. Here’s the schedule for when you can tune in to catch the action in high-definition. All times are Eastern:

July 28th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: $40,000 Special Anniversary Tournament
August 4th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: WSOP Champions Invitational
August 11th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: Ante Up for Africa Charity Tournament
August 18th to September 22nd from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: WSOP Main Event
September 29th from 8:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
October 6th from 10:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
October 13th to November 3rd from 9:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
November 10th from 9:00pm to 11:30pm: WSOP Main Event Final Table

This year’s November Nine, who comprise the final table of the Main Event, include two brand name pros, Full Tilt Poker’s Phil Ivey and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman. Ivey has already won two bracelets at the 2009 WSOP, while Shulman threatened to throw his piece of hardware in the garbage if he won. Horowitz explained the allure of this year’s group: “It’s long been discussed in the modern era of poker if a pro could win the Main Event. Having Phil Ivey as part of our November Nine has added a new level of interest to poker. There’s an elevated sense of excitement for this season.”

Ivey is ESPN poker commentator Norman Chad’s perennial pick to win the $10,000 buy-in Main Event. He explained to reporters why Ivey has become one of the industry’s staples: “Anytime you’re playing with a pro, there’s going to be a sense of intimidation, but there’s some mystical magical quality about Phil Ivey that actually elevates him above the rest. He has an amazing table presence that’s unequaled in the game.” Chad told Poker News Daily on the Ante Up for Africa red carpet that he expected Ivey to win the charity tournament as well.

We’ll look forward to seeing the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP unfold tonight on ESPN and ESPN HD.

ESPN loves Ivey

"This is the most excited I've ever been," said ESPN coordinating producer Jamie Horowitz. "There are new events we've never televised before and a record number of hours of the Main Event."

Coverage will begin Tuesday, July 28, at 8 p.m. ET with the final table of the 2009 WSOP $40,000 40th anniversary event featuring 2004 Main Event champ Greg Raymer, 2008 WSOP bracelet winner Vitaly Lunkin and a series of top young pros.

Running every Tuesday from July 28 through November 10, the coverage will also feature action from the WSOP Champions Invitational, the star-studded Ante Up for Africa charity tournament and, for the first time ever, 24 hours of Main Event footage.

"That was the most common comment from fans," Horowitz said. "More Main Event; it's what they want."

ESPN's coverage will culminate with the final table of the Main Event airing November 10 and Host Norman Chad said he is particularly pleased with the November Nine lineup that will contest for the title this year.

"Each final table is like a snowflake; they're all different and I love them all," he said. "But if you've got the greatest player in the world and you have a logger, whose whole business is lumber and logs, at the same final table; Phil Ivey and Darvin Moon are the Main Event in a nutshell."

Last year's delayed final table created an unparalleled level of interest and ESPN saw ratings for the Main Event final jump by 50 per cent.

Horowitz believes the presence of Ivey may have a similar effect.

"It's long been discussed in the modern era of poker; could a pro ever win the Main Event?" he said.

"Having Phil Ivey as a part of our November Nine has added a new level of interest in poker. It's an elevated sense of excitement for this season."

Chad could not agree more.

"There's an air of him unequalled by the other pros," he said. "There's some mystical, magical quality that actually elevates him above the rest. He has an amazing table presence unequalled in the game."

Visit PokerListings.com

Tom ‘Durrrr’ Dwan’s New Million Dollar Challenge

Tom Dwan is at it again — challenging anyone with the “bankroll” big enough to take him on heads up. But this time, he will be in London, and more importantly, in the flesh. Television producer and distributor Matchroom Sport today announced the launch of the Durrrr Million Dollar Challenge

Lacey Jones Signs with Absolute Poker

Poker commentator Lacey Jones will take her career to the next level after signing with Absolute Poker this week. Outside of poker, Jones has also appeared on hits like HBO’s “Entourage,” NBC’s “Las Vegas,” and Fox’s “The O.C.” Poker News Daily sat down with Jones to talk about her poker and modeling careers.

Poker News Daily: Talk about how excited you are to sign with Absolute Poker.

Jones: I’m so excited and I feel like it’s the perfect fit. They signed me back in 2005. In 2007, after the passage of the online gambling bill (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) in the United States, they stopped sponsoring pros. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

PND: What promotions will we see you participate in on the online poker site?

Jones: We had the win your tuition promotion, so we’ll probably keep doing things with college campuses. I’m starting my own foundation and holding a USO poker tour. Instead of giving money, it’ll be more of a morale booster and we’ll go to bases. The prizes will be WSOP Main Event buy-ins and things like trips. I feel it’s really important to do that and my main focus is on the troops. I considered it back in 2005, but started talking to the USO on my own last year.

PND: The story of how you became involved with ESPN and Absolute Poker is pretty interesting. Can you talk about it?

Jones: I was living in Los Angeles and modeling. I was playing in a lot of home games with directors and producers, which was good networking. I was doing it for fun and my agent called to say that she had an opportunity for me. It was to play in an ESPN Mike and Mike in the Morning charity event for cystic fibrosis, which my uncle died from. I did well in the tournament and a week later, Absolute Poker called my agent and wanted to book me. I met with Mark Seif in Las Vegas and he asked me if I would go pro if they gave me the right tools.

PND: Do you play online poker now?

Jones: I took a break from online poker after the Neteller incident and focused more on my live game. When I signed with Absolute Poker, I remembered how much I love online poker. I can act like a guy online and people don’t treat me like a female. I love reading books on plays and what I should be doing. Then, I can practice them online.

PND: You were voted the Hottest Girl in Poker by Wicked Chops in 2008. Is that flattering or disturbing?

Jones: It’s totally flattering and it’s cool that they said I won by a landslide. I’m so honored to have great fans and friends. When I first started, it was a weird reception. Then, people started seeing how I play. It’s been a long uphill battle.

PND: Do men still treat women differently at the poker tables?

Jones: It’s starting to change, but you still get guys who don’t want to lose a pot to a girl. They will make hero calls or do things they wouldn’t normally do. Other guys will say things like, “Honey, you missed a bet on the turn.” If I know someone will pay me off or raise me, I’ll bait them.

PND: To what degree has reporting on poker improved your own game?

Jones: The best thing about being a reporter is that I’m also asking questions that I want to know the answers to. I am a student because I’m watching from the sidelines. I’m doing my own research to figure out how a person won, what their style is, and how it suits them. Then, I make that part of my game. A lot of people just want to copy one style and that’s not the right way to go.

Michael Davis Wins 2009 WSOP Seniors World Championship

Michael T. Davis barreled through a record-setting field in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Seniors No Limit Hold’em World Championship (Event #43). Davis earned $437,000 for the win.

Event #43 attracted the largest field in WSOP history for the Seniors’ event at 2,707 runners, a 22% increase over last year’s tally of 2,218. All players in the field are at least 50 years-old and the tournament has been held every year since 2001. The six-hour final table began with the elimination of Robert Beck in ninth place for $53,208. Beck pushed all-in over the top of a raise by Michael Morusty with K-J on a J-8-6 board. Morusty promptly called and flipped over pocket sixes for a set. The turn and river were blanks and Beck was sent packing.

Richard McCall hit the rails in eighth place for $56,903. McCall picked an inopportune time to push all-in and represent a flush on a board of Q-7-2, all hearts. Dan DeLatorre happily called and turned over K-J suited for a flush. The turn and river came a king and six, respectively, and that was all she wrote for the Baylor University alum. Art Duncan was bounced ten minutes later after pushing pre-flop with K-J. However, he ran into Charles Simon’s K-Q and found himself way behind in the hand. The flop came A-Q-6, giving Duncan a straight draw. However, a three on the turn and nine on the river ended his bracelet run.

Delatorre shoved with Q-4 of spades, but ran into Morusty’s pocket kings. The final board showed a pair of eights with no spades, sending the firefighter from Colorado to the exits in fifth place from the $1,000 buy-in Seniors World Championship. Simon was ousted in fourth place and earned $95,332. He pushed pre-flop with A-Q and, after picking up A-K, Scott Buller swiftly called. The flop came J-6-2, keeping Buller ahead. A king on the turn, while pairing him, also gave Simon a straight draw. However, a nine hit the river.

Barry Bounds, a retired IBM employee, finished in third place and grabbed $179,210. Bounds pushed over the top of a raise by Davis pre-flop with A-6. Davis called and turned over A-Q of spades. The flop came 4-2-7, preserving the status quo, and the five of spades on the turn gave Davis a flush draw and Bounds a straight draw. An eight of spades hit the river, filling both draws, but gave Davis the better hand with a flush.

Heads-up, Davis doubled up with pocket aces against Buller’s pocket nines. The flop came ace-high and no help came, giving Davis a sizable stack, the first time he held the chip lead at the final table. He capitalized by knocking out Buller with A-9 against A-J. After a flop of 5-4-3, a nine on the turn sealed the win. Throughout the final table, Davis wore a shirt given to him by the late Poker Road producer Justin Shronk, who tragically passed away before this year’s WSOP. Davis noted, “A lot of people miss Justin. He was very good for the poker community.” Among those rooting him on was Poker Road personality Joe Sebok.

Davis is a WSOP veteran, having recorded his first cash in 1994. He finished 30th in the Main Event in 1999 and 45th in 2000, banking $15,000 each time. Davis cashed in the Seniors’ event last year and now has nearly $1 million in WSOP earnings to his name. Here’s a look at the final standings from Event #43 of the 2009 WSOP:

1. Michael Davis - $437,358
2. Scotty Buller - $268,507
3. Barry Bounds - $179,210
4. Michael Morusty - $126,863
5. Charles Simon - $95,332
6. Dan Delatorre - $76,118
7. Art Duncan - $64,047
8. Richard McCall - $56,903
9. Robert Beck - $53,208

Uncensored Poker Show to Debut on Playboy TV

Television producer Sam Simon, who is best known for his work on “The Simpsons” animated series, will bring his home game to Playboy TV, according to the Associated Press. The show is uncensored and features some of the entertainment industry’s marquee names.

Simon described his home game to the Associated Press: “The stakes aren’t the biggest, the players aren’t the best, but the game is definitely the funniest.” The show, dubbed “Sam’s Game,” currently airs on Thursday nights on Playboy TV and was filmed at the Palms in Las Vegas. Poker fans will remember that the off-Strip casino played host to the second season of GSN’s “High Stakes Poker.” ESPN followed Simon in paparazzi fashion during his World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event run in 2007, which ended with “The Simpsons” producer hitting the exits in 329th place for $39,000.

In addition to his five-figure Main Event cash two years ago, Simon took 16th in a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys tournament in 2007 for $35,000. Three of his four WSOP cashes are in rebuy events, which were stricken from the schedule in 2009 on the grounds that they favor deep-pocketed players. Simon appeared on the recently-completed Season 5 of “High Stakes Poker,” but abruptly left the show and was replaced by Tom “durrrr” Dwan. In his final hand, Simon dropped a $128,000 pot to Patrik Antonius after his A-Q was out-flopped by Antonius’ A-2. No explanation for his departure was given.

Besides Simon, a host of other combatants will take to the felts of Playboy TV’s “Sam’s Game.” They include comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Norm MacDonald, who took 20th in a $3,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event during the 2007 WSOP for $14,000. Also appearing are Dave Attell, Artie Lange, and Jeff Ross. Fans of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” will recognize former Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick, whose friendship with show runner-up Annie Duke ignited a storm of conspiracy theories from television producer Melissa Rivers. Upon being fired, Rivers went on a profanity-laced tirade against Roderick, Duke, and “Celebrity Apprentice” staff that unfolded in front of a national viewing audience. Joan Rivers ultimately won the NBC reality show.

Poker fans will recognize Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly. The latter was formerly married to Simon, but the couple divorced in the early 1990s. Tilly won a bracelet during the 2005 WSOP in the $1,000 buy-in Ladies No Limit Hold’em Championship, banking $158,000 and besting a final table that included Cecelia Mortensen, 2008 Ladies Event runner-up Anh Le, and Beth Shak. Laak has yet to win a coveted gold bracelet. In fact, he’s only made two final tables at the WSOP during his poker career. The first came in 2005, when he finished in second in a $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em tournament for $156,000, falling to 10-time bracelet winner Johnny Chan heads-up. In 2008, he received television time on ESPN for his ninth place showing in the World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em, the first bracelet win for Full Tilt Poker pro Nenad Medic.

According to the Associated Press, the concept of “Sam’s Game” came from Playboy TV executives. Simon explained, “I’ve spent years in development to try to get shows on the air. When a network calls and says we want to shoot this…. the answer is yes.”  According to the Internet Movie Database, Simon was a Consulting Producer on the “Drew Carey Show” and was the Executive Producer of the “George Carlin Show.” However, he is best known for being a Co-Creator of “The Simpsons,” which has aired for 20 years. The franchise even released a feature length movie in 2007.

Catch “Sam’s Game” featuring producer Sam Simon every Thursday night on Playboy TV.

Fans given a chance to nominate their favorite player to Poker Hall of Fame

There are currently 37 members in the Poker Hall of Fame, last inductees being Dewey Tomko, a runner-up in two main events and a three-time bracelet winner, and Henry Orenstein, the inventor of the hole-card camera and an executive producer of the best poker show ever, High Stakes Poker.

Not anyone can be nominated into the Hall of Fame, as there is some criteria that nominated person must fulfil. The major criteria for the Poker Hall of Fame:

• A played must have played poker against acknowledged top competition.
• Played for high stakes.
• Played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers.
• Stood the test of time.
• Or, for non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible and lasting results.

Sexton inducted to the HOF? How about Ivey? Or Van Patten? You choose.

One player who has already received wide support is “The Ambassador of Poker” himself, Mike Sexton, who is currently working as a representative for online poker site PartyPoker. PartyPoker has even sent out a press release encouraging people to vote for him:

“We encourage the poker community to vote online for Mike Sexton’s induction into Poker’s Hall of Fame,” said a PartyPoker spokesperson. “Mike meets all the criteria and deserves to be top of the list when the process gets to the Hall of Fame committee.”

If you want to see your favorite player inducted to the Hall of Fame of poker, follow this link and nominate the person of your choice.

Other sources: cardplayer

You just read Poker News from HighStakesNews.com

Fans given a chance to nominate their favorite player to Poker Hall of Fame

Chad Brown Interview with Poker News Daily

Poker News Daily: How did you get started in poker?

Brown: If you go all the way back to the birth of my poker game, it would have been in the Bronx, where I grew up. I used to play poker in little Italian cafes on the weekends with my friends. It was mostly dealer’s choice that consisted of a lot of games similar to Omaha. There would be some Stud and regular games, but it was mainly a lot of mixed games. I used to win most of the time and that was advantageous because I got to play so many different games. I had to figure out the math and what was the best way to play particular hands in different games.

I was acting and when I moved out to Los Angeles to further my career, I didn’t realize that there were legalized poker rooms there. I was prepared to be a bartender or a waiter to supplement my income in between acting jobs, but saw the opportunity and thought that poker was something I could do. Knock on wood; I’m still winning in poker.

PND: You’ve played a lot of poker on both the East Coast and the West Coast. Which games are tougher and why?

Brown: The West Coast has more world-class poker players. The reason is because on the East Coast, until recently, they primarily only played two games that were high-limit: Stud and Limit Hold’em. The style for most winning poker players in those two games was to play tight-aggressive. On the West Coast, there’s an eclectic group of poker players that plays a variety of styles: loose-aggressive, tight-aggressive, and in between. It adds to your tools.

John Phan, David Pham, Phil Ivey, Andy Bloch, and Allen Cunningham are guys who play different styles, but are all world-class No Limit Hold’em tournament players. However, playing with a diverse group of poker players even helps the pro. You still learn and grow no matter how good of a player you are.

PND: Tell us about the “Ultimate Poker Challenge,” which you host.

Brown: The “Ultimate Poker Challenge” started in 2004. The producer of the show, Dan Pugliese, saw me make the final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Seven Card Stud Championship. I went heads-up with Ted Forrest and after four and a half hours of play, Ted ended up winning. Dan realized what I had done as an actor and poker player and thought I had all of the elements to be the perfect host for his new show.

I really liked the idea of the “Ultimate Poker Challenge,” which was a tournament that was going to be televised from the Plaza Casino in Downtown Las Vegas, and knew it would be a hit. What was different about our show as opposed to the WSOP or World Poker Tour broadcasts was that I always had a different guest poker player commentating with me. Poker is very subjective, so there is no right strategy to play. Getting different points of view is more advantageous to helping people get better. A lot of different top pros came on and guest hosted. That gave the viewers something different on each show. I gave my opinion on how I see poker. I think most people liked my point of view: I give insight into not only the factual math, but also what I think is going on inside someone’s head. However, by having a different co-host, viewers didn’t know what they would say or how they would analyze play. That’s what made the “Ultimate Poker Challenge” uniquely successful.

PND: You’ve had success in the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker. Describe some of the differences between playing live and playing online.

Brown: For friends of mine who play online and are not world-class players, one of the biggest traps for them is that when they’re playing in a live cash game at a casino, they protect their ego and don’t want to look like a donkey. When they play online, they’re anonymous. If they’re steaming, losing, and want to play some bad hands, they’re not embarrassed about it. Those types of players will play worse online.

Celebrity Apprentice to Return for Season 3

On Sunday, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Annie Duke will square off against talk show host Joan Rivers in the finale of Season 2 of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice. According to NBC Universal, the popular reality series has been renewed for Season 3.

The final episode of Season 2, which airs on Sunday night at 8:00pm ET and runs for three hours, will feature Duke and Rivers hosting VIP parties and private auctions prior to a New York City production of the Cirque du Soleil show Wintuk. The current installment of the reality franchise began back on March 1st and occupied a two hour time slot on Sunday nights. Over the course of the 10 weeks since then, the show was truncated to an hour just once, making room for the extended premiere of NBC’s new drama Southland, which was created by the personalities behind E.R.

Celebrity Apprentice Season 3 will mark the ninth overall edition of the show. The first six seasons, one of which was set in Los Angeles, ended with candidates being hired to manage projects for real estate mogul Donald Trump. Bill Rancic won the show’s original installment, which premiered back in 2004. He was hired to develop Trump Tower Chicago, which makes its home on the pristine Chicago River in the city’s bustling downtown. Kelly Perdew was the second apprentice hired by Trump. Perdew directed development of Trump Place in New York City. Kendra Todd became the first female apprentice during Season 3 and assisted with the construction of a mansion in Palm Beach, California. Randal Pinkett won Apprentice’s fourth installment and worked with Trump Entertainment, while Sean Yazbeck assisted in the building of Trump Soho after winning Season 5. The final Apprentice candidate hired was Stefanie Schaeffer.

During each episode, teams are charged with a task that typically centers on a major corporate sponsor. Companies that have had their products touted during the second season of Celebrity Apprentice include Zappos.com, ACN, Loews Hotels, All detergent, Lifelock, Schwan’s, and Right Guard deodorant. Eight men and eight women were cast for the show’s second season, its eighth overall.

Last time out, America’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan survived an onslaught of personal attacks by fellow contestant Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth to defeat country music star Trace Adkins in the finals of Celebrity Apprentice Season 1. Morgan has appeared on several episodes during the current Celebrity Apprentice and most recently advised Trump who the final two contestants should be. As a result, West Coast Choppers CEO Jesse James and Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick were fired during last week’s show, setting up the showdown between Duke and Rivers on Sunday. Other celebrities who competed last season included supermodel Carol Alt, boxer Lennox Lewis, Mixed Martial Arts fighter Tito Ortiz, “Sopranos” star Vincent Pastore, and actor Stephen Baldwin. The latter two appeared during the Loews challenge this year.

According to a press release by NBC Universal announcing the return of Celebrity Apprentice for its third season, the current installment is averaging a 3.5 rating and a 9 share among adults 18-49. Overall, it is attracting 8.6 million viewers. Trump commented about his Apprentice franchise, “Its Emmy nominations and great success have translated into a wonderful experience. Working with Mark Burnett has been terrific and I am greatly honored that NBC has renewed us for yet another season, our ninth.” During the half-hour time block prior to the 11:00pm ET local news, NBC claims that Celebrity Apprentice has bested regular competition for six straight weeks among adults 25-54.

The Celebrity Apprentice’s producer, Mark Burnett, is also behind such reality hits as CBS’ Survivor and Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? Celebrity Apprentice Season 3 will air in Spring of 2010.

PPA Director John Pappas Appears on Bloomberg

This week, Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas appeared on Bloomberg television to break down Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act.

The bill, numbered HR 2267, was introduced on Wednesday and calls for a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. Although similar to a bill that Frank introduced during the last Congressional session, HR 2267 focuses on how proper regulation can mitigate the perceived social ills of gambling. Pappas told Bloomberg’s television outlet, “We want to make sure that the Federal Government puts the standards in place so that there is safety for minors, that there are services for problem gamblers, and that adult consumers can enjoy the game without fear of fraud or abuse. A prohibition never stopped a child from getting online. A prohibition never stopped a problem gambler. Regulation is the only way to do it.”

Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) and others have argued that a computer with the ability to gamble online may provide the outlet for children in the United States to begin playing at a young age. Bachus even quoted a non-existent McGill University study during a House Financial Services Committee meeting last July, claiming that one-third of college students who gambled online attempted suicide. Pappas explained that online poker sites currently employ safeguards to combat underage gambling: “Most of the online sites today already are using very high-tech, sophisticated age verification technologies. They have no interest in having children on their websites playing against adults. They want adult consumers playing on their sites. The only way to ensure that all sites have that is to pass a bill like Barney Frank’s.”

Pappas’ appearance on Bloomberg also included a discussion of whether playing online poker is illegal in the United States. Poker players can vividly recall the CBS News program “60 Minutes” stating that the game was against the law on multiple occasions after show producers allegedly contacted the Justice Department. However, Pappas revealed what the legal status of the game in the United States is: “For the U.S. player, it’s not illegal for them to go online and play internet poker. What the law in 2006 attempted to do was to make illegal the transactions. It puts the burden on the financial institutions, not the actual player.” The law in question is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was ushered through Congress in the waning moments of the 2006 Congressional session by then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN). The UIGEA’s text gave no indication of what was legal or illegal under it. Instead, it deferred to existing State and Federal laws.

Some would cite the Wire Act of 1961 as grounds that playing online poker is not allowed in the United States. However, the 48 year-old measure traditionally applies to online sports wagering. Pappas told Bloomberg, “The Wire Act states that illegal gambling is being in the business of betting or wagering. An internet poker site isn’t in the business of betting or wagering. They’re simply allowing a venue in which people can compete in games of skill like poker against each other.”

In recent months, the PPA has seen judges in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and South Carolina conclude that poker is a game of skill and therefore should be treated separately from online casinos, Bingo parlors, and sports betting outfits. During the last Congressional session, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) introduced HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act, which would have exempted poker, bridge, chess, mahjong, and other player versus player games from the UIGEA and Wire Act.

At the time of writing, HR 2267 has 16 co-sponsors, including Wexler, Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Peter King (R-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Ron Paul (R-TX), and Melvin Watt (D-NC).

Rivers, Duke Make Final Push for Celebrity Apprentice Finale

We’re in the home stretch to the finale of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice. On Sunday night at 8:00pm ET, World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Annie Duke will square off against comedian Joan Rivers in what promises to be a high-octane three hour conclusion.

Here’s what we know about the final episode of Celebrity Apprentice Season 2: Duke and Rivers will battle it out in a complex task that incorporates fundraising, leadership ability, and pure determination. Yahoo Television gives the following description of the finale, revealing its central task: “In the season finale, former celebrity contestants return to help the two finalists throw a pre-theater VIP bash preceding a performance of the Cirque du Soleil show Wintuk. The party also includes a silent auction.” A portion of the finale will play out in front of a live studio audience in New York City.

In a preview for the show that aired at the end of last week’s episode, it appears that Duke leads a team that includes comedian Tom Green, NBA star Dennis Rodman, and Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick, who has been one of her strongest allies throughout the show. Rivers will lead three celebrities of her own: country music star Clint Black, daughter and producer Melissa Rivers, and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker. No indication of how the teams were selected was given. Rodman was fired amid a boardroom intervention earlier this season after repeated drinking led fellow Celebrity Apprentice contestant Jesse James to conclude that he had a real-life problem.

On Friday, Duke and Rivers will battle over the television airwaves. Duke is slated to appear on Access Hollywood, a syndicated celebrity news program. The show airs throughout the United States; check your local listings for more information. A press release distributed by Ultimate Bet on Thursday announcing Duke’s appearance on the popular entertainment program states, “True to her nature at the tournament tables, the world poker champion has remained calm while enduring an onslaught of personal attacks from Joan Rivers throughout the reality series.” Duke has been compared to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini during Celebrity Apprentice. Rivers also labeled her a Nazi.

Meanwhile, Duke’s adversary will be making her rounds. Rivers will appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Friday. The show airs following The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC. Fallon took over hosting duties from Conan O’Brien in March. O’Brien, in turn, will replace Jay Leno next month, as Leno takes on a weekday program on NBC airing at 10:00pm ET. Rivers revealed to Poker News Daily that she is currently in London and will return to New York on Friday for Fallon’s show. On Saturday, she will be attending the theater in the Big Apple with her grandson and will then perform in New Jersey. Duke told Poker News Daily that she is having dinner with the group of men she befriended during the Loews Hotel challenge earlier this season on Friday night.

It was also revealed this week that Duke’s fellow pro at Ultimate Bet, 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, will appear on the Celebrity Apprentice season finale, although his role is not yet known. Hellmuth nearly turned up during a challenge earlier this season in which contestants were asked to auction off jewelry from Ivanka Trump’s line for charity. Professional golfer Natalie Gulbis, who was a member of Duke’s opposition, called up Hellmuth and asked him to bid against Duke’s team. However, the Ultimate Bet pro declined.

The second season of Celebrity Apprentice began airing on March 1st with 16 contestants. The reality series is actually in its eighth season overall and is hosted by real estate mogul Donald Trump. Over time, it even produced a spin-off, The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Previous winners of Trump’s Apprentice series include Bill Rancic, Kelly Perdew, Kendra Todd, Randal Pinkett, Sean Yazbeck, Stefanie Schaeffer, and Celebrity Apprentice Season 1 winner Piers Morgan.

Phil Hellmuth Weighs in on Annie Duke’s Celebrity Apprentice Chances

This Sunday marks the stirring conclusion to the second season of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, pitting Ultimate Bet pro Annie Duke against comedian Joan Rivers. Working alongside Duke is Phil Hellmuth, an 11-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and subject of controversy over his near-appearance during an episode this season. Hellmuth sat down with Poker News Daily to weigh in on Duke’s chances against the comedy icon.

Poker News Daily: How exciting is it that Annie Duke is in the finals of Season 2 of Celebrity Apprentice?

Hellmuth: Annie is the favorite right now and it’s pretty nice to see. It’s not just that, either. She’s just completely kicked ass. Right now, she’s the runaway winner. Jesse James was a great player and a worthy contender for the final two. He fell when he got too personal with Clint Black. He also fell because he didn’t want to use all of his resources to win. Obviously, he knows a lot of movie stars other than his wife (Sandra Bullock). Obviously, he must know some billionaires.

PND: Tell us how you feel about the Joan Rivers versus Annie Duke feud so far? It makes you and Annie look like a cakewalk.

Hellmuth: Annie and I have had our own show and we disagree, but I’ve tried to stay away from personal attacks and if there were personal attacks, they were minor. Joan Rivers is getting a bye because she’s 75 years old and everyone knows she doesn’t mean that Annie is as bad as Hitler, but to even bring that up is bad. Joan has gone way too far. She’s gotten to Annie, which is bad, but Annie has not given her any satisfaction by responding in the public arena. Annie has sat back, put on her poker face, and smiled.

PND: Does Annie Duke deserve to win Celebrity Apprentice?

Hellmuth: She’s the one who talks to the owners of these companies during challenges. She’s the one who designs the ad campaigns. She’s the one who writes the copy. She takes control of every piece of the puzzle. Joan Rivers has been sitting back. If Jesse James had said, “I’ll bring Sandra in” during the final boardroom, he’d be up against Annie. The game is about being able to be big on business, which is an argument why Jesse should be in the final two. However, it’s also about raising money. Jesse only brought one of those two to the table.

PND: Have you ever been approached by Celebrity Apprentice producers to appear? Would you consider going on if asked?

Hellmuth: I might. The world would see a whole different side of me. The poker world knows who I am. The people who hang out with me, even if it’s just for a night, know who I am. The rest of the world is confused. If I were on that show, kicked ass, and got along with people, then depending on the lineup of celebrities, I’d make it down to the final two or three. And who knows, maybe Annie is better at business than I am. Her brother, Howard Lederer, certainly is.

PND: If you were on Celebrity Apprentice, what charity would you support and why?

Hellmuth: It would be something children-related. I don’t like that there are homeless children on the streets. Whether you think it’s the parents’ fault or not is debatable, but it’s certainly not the child’s fault.

PND: Did Joan Rivers calling poker players “trash” offend you?

Hellmuth: I was not offended personally. There is a portion of society that takes what Joan Rivers says like it actually matters. This is the same woman who called Annie worse than Hitler and called all poker players scum. I still like Joan, to be honest, but she’s completely out of line. She is the kind of person that can blast you one minute and come back and shake your hand the next minute. Sometimes I’m guilty like that too. However, I blast how people play and then shake their hand on a personal level.

PND: Professional golfer and Celebrity Apprentice candidate Natalie Gulbis called you asking you to bid against Annie in a fundraising challenge this season. What went through your mind when you got the call?

Hellmuth: It took me a while to figure out that it was related to Celebrity Apprentice. Once I understood, I knew it would mean going against Annie, so of course I was going to call her and let her know. I was Annie’s ace in the hole. If Natalie would have called other players, she might have found someone who would do it. I’m actually going to appear on the Celebrity Apprentice finale, but I’m thinking about whether to fly to New York. It’s a three hour finale and they’ve already shot the first hour. During that time, they’re going to show me on it and I’ll probably get a five or ten second thing because it’s about the contestants.

PND: Do you feel that Celebrity Apprentice has, overall, cast a positive or negative light on the poker community?

Hellmuth: Annie has totally kicked ass. You have to give her credit, but they could have cast poker players in a much better light. It’s been too much about the game play.

Joan Rivers Talks to PND About Annie Duke and Celebrity Apprentice

This weekend, comedian Joan Rivers will square off against archrival Annie Duke in the finale of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice. The three hour episode airs at 8:00pm ET. Rivers sat down with Poker News Daily to discuss her mindset headed into the finals.

Poker News Daily: Why did you sign up for Celebrity Apprentice? What was appealing about the show?

Rivers: The fact that Melissa and I could have five weeks together was very appealing. The challenges of the show were also appealing. I love a challenge. Celebrity Apprentice has been very good for my charity, God’s Love We Deliver. It’s a local charity for me and I’m very involved with them. We’ve raised over $125,000 for them.

PND: Had you watched previous seasons of the show?

Rivers: I have never seen it before. I knew it was about raising money for charity, but I thought it was actually doing tasks to help your charity out, not pulling out a list of contacts and making calls. I got my Rolodex real fast.

PND: You’ve had an ongoing clash with poker player Annie Duke. In your opinion, when did the feud start and why?

Rivers: It started from the very beginning. Annie is a very good poker player obviously, but plays people like poker. Poker should be kept at the poker table. God knows I love poker. If you look at that painting with the dogs playing poker, I’m the fifth one on the right. Suddenly, it evolved into “Joan doesn’t like poker players.” I started in Las Vegas.

My downstairs neighbor plays slots, so it’d be like me saying, “I hate slots.” It got out of hand and became ridiculous. My father worked his way through medical school playing poker. What I do like about poker players is that they keep the masseuses up all night in Las Vegas. No one uses masseuses at night except for poker players and entertainers.

PND: You mentioned to Piers Morgan on last week’s episode that your biggest problem with Duke is that she is manipulative. Can you explain how she’s manipulative?

Rivers: It’s not a “fun” manipulative, if you know what I mean. We all know how to play each other. We’re all good business people. You don’t invite yourself out to dinner with me and then go tell Brande that I asked you, but I didn’t ask her.

PND: What was your own strategy coming into the game?

Rivers: I used the same strategy that I have used throughout my life and it’s been a good one: Put blinders on and just go forward. Don’t look to your left and don’t look to your right; just concentrate on where you’re going and go the extra mile. I am such a hard worker. I am talking to you right now and have three meetings in the next four hours. Then, I get on a plane to London, have two meetings there, and will be back on Friday to appear on Jimmy Fallon’s show. On Saturday afternoon, I’m taking my grandson to the theater and then performing that night in New Jersey. On Sunday, I have the Celebrity Apprentice finale.

PND: You and show host Donald Trump seem to have a considerable amount of history together. Can you talk about your relationship with Trump prior to the show?

Rivers: I’ve seen him around and was always friendly with his ex-sister-in-law and his sister. I have great respect for Donald. He’s an extremely smart man. Don’t ever be fooled by Donald. He didn’t get to where he is by luck.

PND: Talk about your relationship with your daughter, Melissa Rivers, on the show. Is that indicative of your relationship away from Celebrity Apprentice?

Rivers: Probably. I’m a very family-oriented person. Business is business; work is work. When every chip is down, my family is always first. That’s the way we were brought up.

PND: Talk about your reaction to Melissa’s firing.

Rivers: If Melissa had been fired for something she did wrong or a lack of work, then that’s fine. However, she was fired for duplicity, sleaziness, and high school pettiness. Annie found the stupid blonde and knew damn well that she had to get rid of her competition. When we were all girlfriends in the beginning of the show, Annie went down the line saying things like, “Claudia Jordan is lazy” and “Brande Roderick is stupid.” She said that Melissa and I were her biggest competition. Annie is a smart person, but at some point, you have to push yourself away from the poker table.

PND: Heading into the final episode, what will it take for Joan Rivers to win?

Rivers: If winning means money, I don’t win, but that’s what brought this country to its knees. Look at the Bernard Madoffs and the AIGs: If it’s only about money, then I don’t want to win. If it’s about playing a great game, I never stopped and I won a lot. I brought in a lot of money, but that wasn’t all I did.

PND: If Celebrity Apprentice producers called you to compete on a future season, would we see you on air?

Rivers: In a second. Give me a task. Say that I have 24 hours to build the Brooklyn Bridge and I’ll do it. Give me 24 hours to play poker and get into a tournament and I’ll do it. I love challenges.

PND: Where does your love for challenges stem from?

Rivers: I think my career has been a series of challenges. I’ve written books, produced plays, and have two new series coming out. It’s always something new. When you’re a child, you say, “I want to do that.” I’m still like a little kid in that respect. I’m the Benjamin Button of comedy.

Annie Duke Versus Joan Rivers in Final Two of Celebrity Apprentice

Next Sunday is shaping up to be a showdown of biblical proportions, as World Series of Poker bracelet winner Annie Duke squares off against archrival Joan Rivers in the finale of NBC’s second season of Celebrity Apprentice. The three hour live final episode airs at 8:00pm ET. Note that this article contains language that is not appropriate for all audiences.

Last week, producer Melissa Rivers and her mother, Joan Rivers, lashed out at Duke and Roderick. The younger Rivers was ousted at the end of last week’s episode with her mother in tow, leaving the viewing audience to wonder whether the 75 year-old former talk show host would return to the NBC reality series. However, Joan Rivers arrived shortly after the presentation of this week’s task began. Duke commented, “I wasn’t surprised Joan came back. Joan is completely full of shit in everything she does. There’s a reason she got fired by the TV Guide Channel: She’s a bitch.”

This week’s task challenged the teams to create a jingle and 30 second commercial for Chicken of the Sea, one of the world’s leading brands of tuna. Team Athena, which consisted of Duke and Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick, found itself up against Grammy Award winning musician Clint Black. Teams had to create their own lyrics and devise a new tune, but were also instructed to incorporate phrases from the original jingle. Roderick was Project Manager of last week’s task, forcing Duke to assume the leadership position this week despite the circumstances. Appropriately, Black, the winning Project Manager last week, was chosen to reprise his role once again.

Duke and Roderick immediately began researching the brand and crafting lyrics, although the two were undermanned in terms of musical talent and number of team members. Duke commented, “Neither Brande nor I is musically-inclined in any way, shape, or form.” She continued, “If my musical ability were described as ‘slim,’ Brande’s would be described as ‘none.’” Black brought his guitar into the team’s recording studio and compiled the jingle, while Rivers and West Coast Choppers CEO Jesse James created the 30 second ad spot. Black elected to start several lines of the jingle with the word “naturally” to match what he thought Chicken of the Sea executives wanted.

Rivers questioned whether her team’s tune should be peppier and wanted to add a “cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, splash” punch line at the end. However, Black felt the addition would take away from the jingle, noting, “It was a risk we didn’t need to take.” Show host Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, summed up the end result of the task: “This is going to come down to whether Clint listened to the executives.” Meanwhile, Duke and Roderick created the 30 second ad spot before moving onto the jingle. The radio spot surrounded two mothers at a playground talking about the convenience of Chicken of the Sea.

Despite overwhelming odds against them, Duke and Roderick produced a catchy, modern jingle. The Ultimate Bet pro commented, “As I started listening to it, I was like, ‘This is catchy,’ but then I saw the [reactions of] other people in the room.” She later told NBC cameras, “If we win, that will be one of the high points of my life.” Rivers, meanwhile, was adamant about adding her punch line, but Black preferred her to walk across the stage holding a sign identifying the song during the team’s presentation. Rivers candidly explained, “You’re just allowed to walk across, but you’re not allowed to say anything. I am now doing it the way Helen Keller would have done it.”

Duke gave the presentation on behalf of her team and noted that a female voiced the song because 80% of Chicken of the Sea’s customers are of that gender. Whatever the outcome, the popular poker player was content. She explained, “If we lose and we have to go into the boardroom, it takes the edge off because I can walk away from this competition knowing that I did something incredible.” In the end, Black’s country background proved to be his downfall, as Chicken of the Sea executives felt that the delivery was “limited” in its nationwide reach. Duke exclaimed, “I just beat Clint Black in a songwriting contest!” Duke elevated her record to 2-0 as Project Manager (she also resoundingly defeated Rivers on a fundraising task two weeks ago), has never been brought into the boardroom as part of a losing effort, and was responsible for 30% of the money raised over the course of the show. Black took the fall for his team and was fired.

The four remaining contestants were immediately called back into the boardroom and it was revealed that Celebrity Apprentice Season 1 winner Piers Morgan would interview them. In the end, two more would be fired, setting up next week’s finale. Roderick was the first to be interviewed. Morgan questioned her intelligence and told Trump, “I don’t think she’s smart enough. I think it would demean your show because I don’t think she’s up to that.”

Rivers quelled Morgan’s doubts about her stamina, pointing out that she has two published books and a Broadway play. Rivers then added that she defended her daughter because “We’re a very small family. We were all killed by the Nazis, which tells you what I think about Annie.” Morgan then asked what her central issue with Duke is. Rivers responded, “My main problem with Annie is that she’s very manipulative. She is a poker player. That’s all she is. She is a mean, vicious, divide-and-conquer person.” Morgan told Trump that he questioned Rivers’ relationship with her daughter, but liked her energy of the 75 year-old.

Morgan labeled Duke “the smartest contestant by quite a long way.” He added, “You can say anything you’d like. She’s got the money at the end of the rainbow and doesn’t care what you say about her.” Morgan questioned James’ lack of fundraising prowess as well as being withdrawn throughout the show. Married to actress Sandra Bullock, James has kept his personal life out of the Celebrity Apprentice in stark contrast to other contestants. In the boardroom, Duke explained to Trump why she deserved to be in the final two: “I never lost as Project Manager. I think my last win was against what looked like insurmountable odds. I raised 30% of the money on a 16 man show. When my team lost, no one had a whisper of thought about bringing me into the boardroom.”

Trump questioned whether Roderick had reached the final four by virtue of riding Duke’s coattails. Duke gave her two cents: “She’s perfectly capable on her own. I was instrumental in the wins of my team.” However, Roderick was the first contestant fired from the boardroom, leaving Duke, James, and Rivers. Trump then turned his attention to James, questioning why he would save significant donors for the later stages of the show with no guarantee that they would ever be used. The lack of an effusive personality and being a poor fundraiser resulted in James being fired, setting up a showdown next Sunday in the Celebrity Apprentice Season 2 finale pitting Annie Duke against Joan Rivers.

The three hour live event kicks off at 8:00pm ET on NBC. Rivers admitted, “I am very unhappy at who I’m playing against because Annie is such a player. Her life is about playing. I will do what I have always done in the past: Put on blinders and do everything I can to win.” Duke countered, “I don’t think Joan Rivers is a nice person. I don’t think you can be a nice person and say the things she has about me and my friends. I’m now taking this personally.”

WSOP Commissioner Pollack Comments On “Celebrity Apprentice”

Earlier this week, the annual World Series of Poker conference call was held, gathering together WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, Tournament Director Jack Effel and producers of tournament broadcasting network ESPN to speak with the media. While many of the questions were regarding the tournament that is set to start May 27th, the subject of poker professional and Poker News Daily guest columnist Annie Duke’s appearance on “Celebrity Apprentice” was surprisingly prominent in the minds of both sides of the conversation.

An article in Tuesday’s edition of the San Francisco Chronicle recounted Commissioner Pollack’s verbal barrage at Duke’s main foil of the reality program, comedienne Joan Rivers. When he was asked the innocent question of whether a woman could win the WSOP Championship Event, Pollack unexpectedly fired off, “We would love to see a woman win the Main Event...unless that woman happens to be Joan Rivers.” This induced a series of questions as to whether Duke’s appearance on the program has helped or hurt poker players in general and the game as a whole.

According to the Chronicle, Pollack believes that Duke has only heightened the appeal of poker and its fans through her appearance on the NBC reality show. “Annie is representing poker players beautifully. I think she’s playing the game masterfully”, Pollack said. “We think the net effect is that it’s going to be very good for poker and for the World Series of Poker.”

Through the run of “Celebrity Apprentice”, Rivers has been the main thorn in Duke’s side of. Verbal disparities comparing Annie to Adolf Hitler, calling the WSOP bracelet holder “white trash” – despite her Ivy League background and education – and lumping poker players in with organized crime and stating that poker players are “scum” playing with “blood money” have been just a few of the gems that the septuagenarian comedienne has fired off. Pollack disagreed by stating, “Anyone who thinks that poker players are anything other than a great group of people, that represent not only America and the world, is absolutely wrong”, he opined. “No one will defend the honor of poker players more than the WSOP.”

Another topic at the forefront of questioning was player conduct in light of last year’s exasperating behavior of two former World Champions, Phil Hellmuth and defending $50K H.O.R.S.E. champion Scotty Nguyen. A look at the rules for this year, echoed by Pollack and TD Effel, indicates that there will be significant changes in place for tournament participants this year. “After the episode with Phil in the Main Event last year, we said publicly we’re going to review our system of warnings and penalties. We have done that”, Pollack flatly stated. “We saw a couple of things last year that we weren’t too pleased with or proud of and recognized that some changes needed to be made.”

Most notable of these changes is a running log of player violations that will be kept for the entirety of the WSOP. Using this log, floor personnel and tournament directors will have the ability to enact penalties on players based on their conduct throughout the entirety of the run of the 55 event schedule. In Pollack’s opinion, this should ensure that repeat offenders will be dealt with, regardless of status.

Action in the fortieth anniversary of the World Series of Poker starts on May 27th with the $500 Casino Employees event. The next day, one of the most significant tournaments on this year’s schedule – the celebratory $40,000 buy in No Limit Hold’em event – will kick off action. After that, we should see how this year’s WSOP will be run, with its stricter conduct rules.