Poker News

Vanessa Rousso Appears on E! Network’s Bank of Hollywood

On Monday, E! Network will air the second installment of “Bank of Hollywood,” which kicks off at 9:00pm ET and runs for one hour. The show stars, among others, Team PokerStars Pro member Vanessa Rousso.

Rousso makes up one-fourth of the Power Panel, joining producer Aaron Spelling’s wife, Candy, Pussycat Dolls member Melody Thornton, and Wilhelmina Models founder Sean Patterson. A series of hopefuls appeared in front of the panel asking for money for a specific purpose. If they received a majority vote from the panel, they’d take home the cash. If not, they’d leave with nothing. Rousso wore no PokerStars paraphernalia during the show.

The first hopeful was Robert Terry, who sought $8,750 to represent the United States at the Tap Olympics in Germany. After performing a routine on the “Bank of Hollywood” sound stage, the panel quickly awarded him the requested funds. The next hopefuls were Michael and Stephanie, who requested $75,000 for their dream wedding. Rousso, who recently was hitched to Chad Brown, told the couple, “I too had that whole dream of wanting a nice big wedding. I didn’t have the time to plan it and we ended up eloping. During the eloping process, I learned that the whole big dream thing isn’t necessary” and promptly handed down a negative vote.

Debi Carideo asked for $31,997.50 to fund half of her daughter’s commercial pilot’s license, while coming up with the other half on her own. Rousso admired Carideo’s selflessness, explaining, “Two things are amazing. You offered to pay half of it yourself and you’re asking for someone else and not yourself.” The panel quickly learned that Carideo had been the victim of financial scams twice in her life and ultimately elected to approve her request for just over $30,000. As a caveat, they would write the check directly to a flight school.

Also appearing in front of the “Bank of Hollywood” Power Panel was Cheryl Martin, who wanted $84,000 for a chance to follow Madonna on her next world tour, purportedly giving back to each community along the way. The panel was quite skeptical of her cryptic request, with the PokerStars pro ultimately concluding, “I feel it’s disingenuous and I vote no.”

Timothy Wilcots sought $21,425 to compete in the Miss Gay USA At Large pageant. Rousso inquired as to why traveling to a pageant costs over $20,000, to which Wilcots responded that an evening gown, entry fees, and travel expenses for his team were to blame. Wilcots had been arrested and spent 18 months in jail. Despite the feel-good story, Rousso did not support his request: “I vote yes to you as a person, but I vote no to your request.” The panel agreed and Wilcots walked away disappointed.

Then, “Bank of Hollywood” took an emotional twist, as Spencer Mroz desired $93,750 for a swimming pool in his backyard. Mroz, in a wheelchair, told the panel, “When I’m in a swimming pool, I can actually walk. I can’t walk on land.” Mroz is retraining his body to walk again using aqua therapy and was the victim of a drunk driver. The panel and many in the audience broke into tears during the presentation and Rousso concluded, “If I had the opportunity to make this a great, momentous, positive day, then hell yes.”

Also appearing were Drew Pokorny and Jason Gadino. The latter, a professional balloon artist, wanted $15,000 to travel across the United States to children’s hospitals making balloon animals. Rousso had a rather festive balloon hat on her head and the entire panel gave Gadino the thumbs-up.

“Bank of Hollywood” airs on Monday nights at 9:00pm ET on E! Check your local listings for station and channel information.

Steven Begleiter appears on Bloomberg

Steven Begleiter recently appeared on American TV news show Bloomberg to talk about the World Series of Poker and his final table finish in early November. Despite the event being incorrectly labelled by the host as a “$10,000,000 buy-in tournament” the show went swimmingly.

The Life Of Ivey - WSOP Preparations In Paradise

This time Pokerroad’s “The Live of Ivey” visits Ivey in Cabo San Luca, Mexico. Ivey retreated to the paradise and prepares for the WSOP ME Final Table by relaxating.

Behind the two locked gates lies a mansion which seems like a dream come true. Ivey’s Mansion has loads of room height, swimming pools, nearby golf course and a beach. Barry Greenstein flew over to Ivey and made an interesting interview. You can find the video here.

Source: Pokerroad

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The Life Of Ivey - WSOP Preparations In Paradise

Celebrity Apprentice 3 Cast May Not Feature Poker Players

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ESPN The Magazine Editor Discusses Poker Players in Body Issue

Hitting newsstands around the United States last Friday was the inaugural Body Issue of “ESPN: The Magazine.“ The periodical profiled athletes and their physiques and included an image of Phil Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen, Daniel Negreanu, and Jennifer Harman playing poker in the nude.

Besides poker, other sports showcased in the magazine include boxing, bull riding, golf, baseball, Motocross, NASCAR, basketball, hockey, football, soccer, softball, swimming, surfing, tennis, track and field, and mixed martial arts. Poker News Daily sat down with “ESPN: The Magazine” Editor Sarah Turcotte to gauge reaction to the provocative issue.

Poker News Daily: Explain the background to the Body Issue of “ESPN: The Magazine.”

Turcotte: This is the first time we’ve done it and we’ll definitely be doing it again. My boss was trying to come up with a way to profile an athlete’s body. You see them in locker rooms, but you don’t really know what goes into them. Not only do we have poker and soccer players, but we also have sumo wrestlers and triathlon runners. It’s a huge mix. There are over 80 athletes involved and 40 in varying stages of being undressed. Poker is a great sport. The players work hard, make great money, and have good mental toughness. We believe it’s a legit sport.

PND: What has been the reaction so far?

Turcotte: We’ve been shocked by how positive it’s been, but there have been negatives with some of the more conservative sports. For example, LPGA fans heard about it and formed their opinions beforehand. When you realize what a massive undertaking this is and the kind of company these folks are in, it makes sense. It’s not “Playboy Magazine;” it’s about celebrating an athlete’s physique. So far, I’m shocked by how well it’s been received. I don’t think we ever could have conceived how popular it would be.

PND: Talk about the photo involving Harman, Nguyen, Hellmuth, and Negreanu.

Turcotte: That was a really great photo to do. My hats are off to all of them for being included. That was our only coed shoot because in most sports, you don’t compete against different genders. It turned out great.

PND: What can you tell us about the shoot?

Turcotte: The poker shoot was great. We had two hours and shot in Las Vegas. Anyone who has been around Daniel and Scotty would fall in love with them. Their interaction together was great and I found myself calling everyone “baby” for the next few days. Jen is such a sweetheart and I was amazed at how much respect the guys had for her.

PND: What do you want readers to take away from this installment of “ESPN: The Magazine”?

Turcotte: My perspective as the Feature Editor is to be on the shoots and be the advocate for the athlete. We made it a collaborative process and I want the athletes to be proud of it. In terms of readers, I think the biggest thing is that it’s awesome to see someone like Serena Williams looking beautiful, but people are familiar with her. However, not everyone knows Scotty Nguyen and Jennifer Harman, so hopefully this will give them some respect.

PND: Can you name other athletes that readers can expect to see in the issue?

Turcotte: Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings, tennis star Serena Williams, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers, Sarah Reinertsen (the only female amputee to compete in the Ironman Triathlon), Andrew Cogliano of the Edmonton Oilers, Christina Kim of the LPGA, and six guys from the DC United soccer team.

Bluff Europe Weekend News Round-Up

“Wow. Wow. Lot of action. Lot. Of. Action.”


Online, we’ve had the PokerStars WCoOP a roaring success. Off the web and several live tournaments have gone down swimmingly, with the World Poker Tour’s Borgata Open being the most successful WPT event in recent history and the 2009 Betfair-sponsored World Series of Poker Europe kicking off in Leicester Square.

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.

2 Months, $2 Million: Tilt Room Debuts, Team Up $200,000

This week on the G4 online poker show “2 Months, $2 Million,” the Tilt Room made its premiere, featuring garbage cans, stuffed animals, and fresh fruit. When the smoke cleared on Week 2, the team of four was up $198,600.

“2 Months, $2 Million” followed G4’s airing of the comedy hit “Wayne’s World.” The online poker show, as usual, began, “Welcome to Las Vegas, where fortunes are made on the flip of a card.” Fortunes were actually made on the golf course to start this week’s “2 Months, $2 Million” episode. A variety of prop bets were featured, including Jay Rosenkrantz getting 4:1 odds that he could make a putt. In the end, he didn’t collect on the $1,000 bet and neither did Dani Stern, who was offered 13:1 odds that he could hit a fairway. However, he earned $2,000 from Brian Roberts when he purposely hit a tree. In the end, Stern owed Rosenkrantz, Roberts, and Emil Patel $1,000 each.

The foursome ended last week up $35,700, with the goal of boosting their bankroll by $2 million collectively. Roberts lamented, “That’s not that far off from $0. We need to be putting in a lot more hands.” Stern was the only player in the red last week and kicked off the episode by continuing to struggle. Down $10,000 early on in Week 2, Stern told “2 Months, $2 Million” cameras, “Lately, I’ve been losing a lot of money and it’s getting a bit frustrating.” Stern promptly headed for the Tilt Room, which was unveiled for the first time.

Patel gave the background of the Tilt Room: “The Tilt Room was Jay’s idea. It’s a place you can go to and take out your frustration.” The room, which appeared to be the garage, featured objects like watermelons, stuffed animals, and a full-sized aluminum garbage can. Meanwhile, Patel interviewed eight candidates to be Personal Assistants, giving the prospective employees various tasks to test their skills. They included a shopping run for exotic foods, removal of golf balls from the bottom of the swimming pool, organizing Patel’s closet, and cutting hair. In the end, Stephanie Tuggle was chosen as the new “2 Months, $2 Million” Personal Assistant.

By Week 2, Day 2, the team was up $122,000. To combat his losing streak, Stern planned a Lockdown Day, 24 straight hours of online poker. He claimed, “In poker, the more you play, the better your chances of winning assuming you’re a winning player. When you play tens of thousands of hands, the luck factor slowly dissipates.” Six hours into Lockdown Day, Stern had dropped $16,000. By hour number 12, he was $30,000 in the red. Consequently, halfway through the day, Stern began drinking instead of playing.

Roberts and the team elected to hire a harpist for Stern in hopes of improving his mentality towards the game. Rosenkrantz quipped, “I feel focused, sort of zenish.” Whether it was due to the dulcet tones of the harp or an attitude adjustment, Stern began winning and Patel’s fortunes turned for the worse. Patel was irritated at the harpist, asking the woman playing the large instrument to “turn it down.” Consequently, Patel and Stern edged closer to each other in bankroll over the week, leading to the first ever heads-up match for Week 2’s Penalty Stunt.

A best of five heads-up duel was held on Full Tilt Poker for the humiliation of carrying out the Penalty Stunt. After dropping the first two games to Stern, Patel righted the ship and won the next three. In the final hand of heads-up match number five, Stern pushed with A-3 and was called by Patel, who held pocket sixes. The better hand held and Stern was forced to carry out the Penalty Stunt. When the week’s results were tallied, Rosenkrantz was up $147,000, Roberts was up $46,000, Patel was down $11,500, and Stern was $18,600 in the red. Collectively, the team was up $162,900 for the week and $198,600 overall.

For his Penalty Stunt, Stern had to play the harp dressed as a fairy godmother on the Las Vegas Strip. In a scene reminiscent of an “Amazing Race” task, Stern had to generate $20 in tips before he could stop his serenade. A chorus of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” was featured, as was a woman telling Stern, “You look better in a dress than I do.” It was Stern’s second straight Penalty Stunt; both have involved the youngster donning a pink outfit.

Next week, a rival group of online poker players challenges the “2 Months, $2 Million” cast. Catch the show at 9:00pm ET on G4 every Sunday.

Asian Poker Tour Invites U.S. Swimmer Michael Phelps to 2009 Event

For the second straight year, record-breaking U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps has been invited to play in the Asian Poker Tour’s (APT) Macau event. The festivities run from August 12th to 23rd at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino.

Last year, a six-day event played out in the Asian metropolis. This time around, the poker festivities will occur over the course of 12 days. After recording eight gold medals during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, which included seven world records and one Olympic record, Phelps was invited to play in the APT event in nearby Macau. The worldwide race to lure Phelps to a major poker event began after he told his hometown newspaper, the Baltimore Sun, that he wanted to compete in the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). Phelps was escorted to poker events by the game’s legends like Doyle Brunson and news of the swimmer signing with various online poker sites abounded. However,  entry into a major event did not occur.

WSOP Europe sponsors Betfair invited Phelps to play in the 2008 tournament series. In addition, Phelps was set to become involved with the poker stage show The Real Deal at the Venetian. An open letter sent by APT officials to Phelps this week read, “We heard positive noises, but there was no sign of the human dolphin when they called ‘shuffle up and deal.’ We would like to extend this invite once again to you to come, all expenses paid, and take part in this showpiece poker event. The Main Event is in Macau between the 20th and 23rd of August, but the 12 day festival of poker starts on August 12th, so let us know!”

Phelps’ appearance in a tabloid newspaper holding a bong led to a three-month suspension from competitive swimming.  He also lost several endorsement deals as a result, but has recently appeared in Subway commercials opposite Jared Fogle. The bong in question allegedly belonged to 2008 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Main Event Champion Carter “ckingusc” King, a South Carolina native.

The open letter alluded to Phelps’ recent public relations difficulties: “Some media reports even suggest that you may have got in with the wrong crowd in the last 12 months – we promise to keep you out of trouble. We’ll give you access to pools of sharks, fish, and those that you swim in! If you don’t want to bring your goggles, fair enough; bring a pair of sunglasses and your poker face! While you are at it, you could ask a certain poker playing President by the name of Barack Hussein Obama II if he fancies joining you!”

Last year’s APT Macau Main Event was won by Yevgeniy “atimos” Timoshenko, who also took down the World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship in April, the culmination of the WPT’s seventh season. Timoshenko defeated Steve Yea heads-up in Macau, with 40 players finishing in the money. Day 1A of this year’s APT Macau Main Event kicks off on August 20th, with two starting days set to play out. Players will be given 10,000 starting chips, with blinds increasing every 60 minutes and starting at 25-50. Antes kick in at Level 4, when blinds are 100-200.

Among those slated to battle it out in this year’s APT Macau Main Event are 10-time WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan, J.C. Tran, Nam Le, Steve Sung, Quinn Do, 2008 WSOP November Nine member David “Chino” Rheem, and Kwang Soo Lee. Each will participate in filming of the new movie “Poker King,” which Chan stated may trump “Rounders.”

Asian Poker Tour’s open letter to Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps may have won five gold medals at the recent Swimming World Championship in Rome but is he more a dolphin than a fish on the felt? The multiple Olympic champion claims to be something of a poker buff and that has prompted the organisers of the Asian Poker Tour to write him a letter.

APT Macau courts Michael Phelps

The 12-day Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival is set to run August 12-23 at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Macau, featuring a HK$34,400 buy-in Main Event.

Phelps, who final tabled a $1,570 buy-in event at the Caesars Poker Classic last year and has professed his love for the game numerous times, is currently at the FINA world swimming championships in Rome, Italy.

However, the APT is pleading with the man they call "the human dolphin" to hop out of the pool and onto the felt.

"Last year you were in Beijing for the Olympics and we encouraged you to head down to the Asian Poker Tour Macau event at the StarWorld," an open letter from the APT to the U.S. swimmer reads. "We heard positive noises, but there was no sign of the human dolphin when they called 'shuffle up and deal.'"

"We would like to extend this invite once again for you to come, all expenses paid, and take part in this showpiece poker event."

There was no confirmation on whether Phelps even received the invitation from the APT in 2008, but that hasn't stopped the organization from trying to land the swimming sensation again this year.

"Forget the controversy about suit changes in your sport, concentrate on these suits: spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts," the letter reads.

"The question remains is the newly rejuvenated human dolphin really a fish? We hope to find out."

Full details on APT Macau and the entire tour can be found at www.asianpt.com.

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Full Tilt invite you to WPT Cyprus Classic 2009

The World Poker Tour 2009 (WPT for short) is in the sunshine this September 6th to 12th, the WPT is in glorious Cyprus, and Full Tilt are offering you an exclusive $12,500 prize package to get you there!

Enjoy fun in the sun this September courtesy of Full Tilt and the chance to be in the big money – last year the prize pool for this event was a huge $4million – good job!

This exclusive to Full Tilt Poker WPT Cyprus Classic 2009 prize package worth $12,500 includes:-

• $10,300 buy in to Main Event
• 8 nights at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino – not just some dump mind! Full Tilt are doing their lucky players proud as this hotel boasts:
  Swimming Pool, Wellness Spa, Healthclub and Private Beach so when not playing your best poker you can really relax and sun your buns!
• $500 Spending Money

Every Saturday at 6pm UK (that’s 1pm New York) until August 22nd there will be at least one WPT Cyprus Classic 2009 prize package awarded. To buy in at this stage would set you back $322 but why pay out that much if money’s tight? There are satellites running now from just $1 or 50FTP’s so everyone’s in with a shout! Go through the lobby/tournaments find your satellite (in green by the way) and then click register now.

So, let’s get you on your way to Cyprus.

If you’ve not yet got a Full Tilt Poker Account create one now, be sure to use the Full Tilt Referral Code FTPGOLD so you not only get the great sign up bonus of 100% up to $600 but get to play in exclusive freerolls too, don’t miss out!

Neil Channing’s WSOP Black Belt

But his latest project - Black Belt Poker - still has him sweating a little.

"I must admit I have a few butterflies," said Channing, who cashed seven times at the 2008 WSOP, twice at the WSOPE in London and backed several players who made big scores.

The concept is relatively simple.

Blackbeltpoker.com is a UK-based social networking site with a heavy poker bias, where a mix of experienced and inexperienced players gather to swap strategies and pass on the benefits of their wisdom.

Plus, for the elite players, there is the juicy lure of a possible $70k sponsorship package.

Over the last few months, fifty hopeful contenders have battled it out in a gruelling "grading" process to prove their mettle and win one of the eight packages on offer.

Now the posturing is over.

The choices have been made and Channing is optimistic his team is poised and ready to take on Las Vegas and the 2009 WSOP.

"They've got 50 shots at a bracelet, which means they're going to be about 8-1 to win one I would say," he said.

Channing is already setting the pace, having reached the latter stages of the prestigious $40k Commemorative Event.

When talking to PokerListings on Day 2, Channing played down his chances in typically sardonic fashion, before busting 20th for $70k today.

But Channing's self-effacing assessment belies the extraordinary form he showed last year.

Having already picked up the Irish Open title, he took last year's WSOP by storm.

In fact, if Nikolay Evdakov hadn't pipped the Englishmen to the post setting a record with ten WSOP cashes, Channing would have made even bigger headlines.

"I always see him around," Channing laughed. "I played with him twice and he just cashes in everything. He runs so good."

The staking also went well, most notably when Irishmen Marty Smyth collected the 2008 WSOP $10k Omaha bracelet.

If the Black Belt Poker team can replicate this success, it will be another year to remember for Channing, although it seems unlikely he will be able to take another shot at a world-record number of cashes.

"I'm going to be so busy this year," he said. "I'll be watching over the team, sorting some things out for them, playing a bit, but I won't have as much time as last year."

As far as the Vegas nightlife and the myriad poker parties are concerned, Channing said he'll take a pass this year.

"If I miss two PokerStars Pros making out at a party, it will be all over the internet in minutes anyway," he joked.

"I'm just going to go swimming every day, spend some time relaxing and looking after the team. It should be a great series."

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My WSOP kicks off tomorrow with $40k event

What's happenin' everyone? It's been a while since I posted. We had a really good time on the boat trip. It was complete with an overdose of alcohol, some really good BBQing, speedboating, wakeboarding, tubing, swimming, flip cup and much much more. …

2009 WSOP Best Bets: Liv Boeree

"I played four or five tournaments with no results, I was down a bunch of money and was thinking, 'I suck at poker and I hate it'," Boeree told PokerListings. "So I took some time off and went back to England for seven or eight days."

Back home, Boeree got her head straight before heading straight back to Las Vegas and turning it into a success.

In fact, she cashed in the next two WSOP tournaments she played, before a deep run in the 2008 Main Event.

An astrophysics grad from the University of Manchester who got her start on a poker reality game show where she was schooled by the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke and Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott, Boeree then spent the next year on the high-stakes tournament circuit.

"I remember thinking, 'is this really the World Series of Poker,' it was just so bizarre," she said. "Now I think my game is better and I have much more confidence. At [the 2008 WSOP] I was still very new to the scene. It was really my first time playing in the States.

"A year later I've been travelling non-stop and except for a few weeks at home here and there, I've spent all my time playing big events all over the place."

Boeree, who won the 2008 European Ladies Championships and is the UK Ambassador for Absolute Poker, ended 2008 with a small cash at the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic, then started 2009 with a final table finish at an Aussie Millions prelim.

Another small cash at an L.A. Poker Classic preliminary event was followed up by two final tables at the WPT Championship prelims in Las Vegas where she also managed to win a $2,500 satellite into the $25k Main Event, booking her biggest cash to date with a 37th place finish grossing $40,855.

With a solid year on tour under her belt, Boeree has good reason to head into the 2009 WSOP feeling confident.

"I can't wait," she said. "I'm going to be playing a lot more events this year and I'm pretty excited."

Her focus will be on the many $1,500 and $2,000 No Limit Hold 'em events with an eye on satelliting in to some of the larger $10k tournaments.

But most of all, Boeree said she's looking forward to the $1k stimulus event at the beginning of the series.

"It's probably going to have the most ridiculously huge field ever," she said. "And I'm really looking forward to getting out of the starting gate. It's going to be so much fun and I'm assuming the standard of play will be very low, so if you get chips early on, you stand good chance of going deep."

Although she plans on spending the entire seven weeks of the WSOP in Vegas, Boeree has yet to make arrangements for where she will stay.

However, she does have a solid plan for how to stay both physically and mentally prepared for the grind.

"I'm really going into this like an athlete training for the Olympics," she said. "I'm not going to be drinking and partying every night. The World Series is something that happens only once a year, so it's kind of important.

"During the WPT Championship I was playing racquet ball and running literally everyday and I felt so much better for it. So this summer, I'm hoping to go swimming, get some exercise and a little sun and fresh air every day. It just helps gets rid of all that nervous tension and you play better as a result."

For her mental preparedness, Boeree also plans a similar strategy to the one that was successful for her at the WPT Championship.

"It really helps my game significantly to hang around players with a lot of knowledge and a different perspective on different situations," she said. "During the WPT Championship about ten of us were all staying at the Panorama Towers and we would have these big discussions in the hot tub at the end of the day.

"We would discuss different plays in a relaxed, separated environment and it was just great to get a perspective from friends who are that highly involved in the industry.

"I guess I'm hoping now I can organize a WSOP hot tub for the summer."

Hot tub or not, Boeree is setting some big goals for the World Series.

"I suppose a reasonable number of bracelets is three or four, I don't want to be too greedy," she joked.

"I guess I just want to do my best, win as much money as possible, win as many bracelets as possible and play as well as I can."

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The Answer is Just Inches Ahead

As you progress through your poker life, certain paths will be trodden more than others. More people lose than win money at poker; more people experience untold frustration and anguish than those who experience nothing but success. Going through your poker life is basically no different than life itself. There are far more unsuccessful people in life than truly successful ones.

But does it really have to be that way? I say no! I have always maintained that literally anyone in the world, irrespective of background or their financial situation, can make a living playing poker. It isn’t about doing complicated things – it’s about doing really simple things and doing them well. I base my entire poker philosophy on simply not making mistakes and trying to get my opponents to make them first; there is nothing fancy in this whatsoever.

I actually stopped trying to be fancy years ago when I realised that to win money online required something more. So what obstacles do the millions of people out there who fail to make money at poker have to overcome? The following list highlights the basic problems faced by novice poker players.

1. They can be incredibly risk averse
2. They lack a clear methodology to enable them to win
3. They tend to lack enough funds to play with

There we have it then, millions of players around the world lack either money, a proven way to win or they are fearful of losing and getting hurt. Some players have only one or maybe two of these factors to contend with – and that is bad enough – but millions of players have all three to deal with.

Point number two can be worked around simply by education, and joining a coaching site can be a great positive step to take. Having no money is another serious obstacle, as you need money to play the game. But being risk averse is a very serious problem if you have hopes of playing the game for a living or as a serious revenue stream. This personality trait can be difficult to correct as it can lay deep within the subconscious part of your brain.

Over the past six months or so I have been working on a low-variance deep-stacked system of play at NL50 full-ring games (for players interested in my progress, check out my blog at www.pokersharkpool.com). I basically want to prove that literally anyone in the world can make between $2,000-$3,000 a month from playing poker with little starting capital and little variance.

It is perhaps my greatest ever project but one that should it succeed could change the face of online small-stakes cash games forever.

It is sad that millions of players simply perceive the act of winning money at poker to either be more difficult than – or not as difficult as – it actually is. The truth lays somewhere in the middle; a combination of doing a collection of very simple things well and in the right environment can convert anyone into a winner very quickly and there is certainly no mystique about the process.

Over the past few months I have started using the latest Poker Office 5 software while playing my usual $25-$50 no-limit ring games. This piece of software has totally transformed my game this year and I simply cannot recommend it highly enough. But yet for years I shunned software of this type and felt that I could make better decisions than any piece of electronic software.

While I consider my metagame to be strong, software like Poker Office really does open the doors for you with regards analysing your opponents’ weaknesses and thus helping you with game selection which is critical now at the higher limits. But this is just another indication that the way forward is right in front of your face and what we perceive as complex situations requiring complex answers are really very simple situations when broken down properly.

Poker is complicated but it is a mistake to elevate that complexity in your own mind. It is a bit like driving a car; you don’t need to have the skill of a professional racing driver to be able to drive around town. Poker is no different, and you certainly don’t need the ability of a Tom Dwan or a Phil Galfond to be able to make money at poker. There are way too many recreational players swimming around at the bottom for someone not to be able to make money if he or she is a little bit more dedicated than the players down there... also, a little push in the right direction helps as well.

Carl “The Dean” Sampson is sponsored by Cake Poker and can be seen at www.cakepoker.com/thedean and on his blog at www.pokersharkpool.com

Legend lost: Slim breaks his silence Pt. 2

Part two focuses on the legal proceedings with regards to the indecency charges, Slim's strained relationships with his family and the poker community's reaction to the controversy. If you haven't read part one catch up here.

NOLAN DALLA: Let's talk about the legal case. You ended up pleading guilty to assault charges.

Editor's note: Despite Nolan and Slim referring to his plea as "guilty," Slim actually pled no contest.

AMARILLO SLIM: Yes, to get this over with. God damn, it's breaking up my family. It was the best thing to do. All I had to do was accept the charges and get probation. That wasn't anything.

There were no felonies. I could accept that. And the main reason was I didn't want to be in the courthouse as an enemy to my wife and family, and especially my grandbaby. I'm going to end up being the enemy, if we go to court. I can't stand for that.

NOLAN DALLA: But the bottom line remains that you pled guilty to assault charges. You stated in a court of law that you were guilty. Why would you ever plead guilty to something you did not do if you were truly an innocent man?

AMARILLO SLIM: When my lawyer told me there's an easy way to end all this, I asked him "How?" And he said to do a plea bargain. So, I said yeah - go ahead and do it.

So, he came out of court and said I got you probation and you pay a $4,000 fine. I was told it was just a misdemeanor for simple assault, whatever that means.

I asked him what he thought about the plea bargain, and he said - this will keep your family out of the courthouse and end it. See, I was trying to protect my family.

NOLAN DALLA: You decided to plead guilty to assault. Before that, did you fear a felony conviction and being sentenced to prison?

AMARILLO SLIM: No! The felony charges were already dismissed. I didn't even have a bond set. Don't you think that if I'd had felonies against me they would have arrested me and made me post bail?

NOLAN DALLA: Some have speculated as to the reasons for your guilty plea. They suggest it might be justifiable for a man in his late 70s, facing possible jail time, to accept any deal which would keep him out of a Texas prison.

AMARILLO SLIM: That's not it. I would not have had to fight the case in court much. It would have been very easy for me [to win]. But I didn't want my family dragged through a trial and being made my enemy in the court. I didn't want my 12-year-old granddaughter to have to take the stand.

NOLAN DALLA: You must have known the public would hear about this controversy and suspect you might be guilty of worse crimes. Weren't you afraid of the harm this might do to your reputation?

AMARILLO SLIM: No, I'm not even scared of a big old grizzly bear. I just did what was appropriate - or at least what I thought was appropriate.

NOLAN DALLA: Were you depressed?

AMARILLO SLIM: [Expletive] yes. Everything I loved was gone. It was taken away from me.

NOLAN DALLA: But now you say you have your family's support. At what point did they come back to you and want to move on?

AMARILLO SLIM: Yeah. They came to me when they realized they had it all wrong. I can't remember when exactly that was, but all of a sudden everybody was calling and visiting and everything.

We were all sitting in the same room, eating the same food, swimming in the same pool. Everybody did a complete 360.

NOLAN DALLA: I think you'd acknowledge that you have a reputation as a master manipulator and a hustler. You know how to get things done. You can fix things. In short, you are capable of just about anything. Did you buy these people off?

AMARILLO SLIM: No. People might think that, but they can think what they want. Just so they know I didn't molest a child or fondle a child or anything like that. I didn't.

NOLAN DALLA: Let's discuss the public's reaction to the controversy.

AMARILLO SLIM: The Associated Press found out about it but they didn't want to touch it. Why not, I don't know. Then, John L. Smith [a writer with the Las Vegas Review-Journal] wrote the most damaging article you ever saw in your life.

But I never talked to him and there is nothing factual in the entire thing. He said they now call me "Amarillo Slime." I haven't heard that. I might interview him with a baseball bat.

NOLAN DALLA: But Smith was basing his article, as are most writers, on court records and ...

AMARILLO SLIM: On the word of an assistant district attorney.

NOLAN DALLA: Yeah, but also the fact that you did plead guilty to three charges.

AMARILLO SLIM: I already told you how that was.

NOLAN DALLA: Yes, I can appreciate and even respect that. But you did plead guilty - yes?

AMARILLO SLIM: Yes, because I was advised to plead guilty. Because - we needed to end all that mess. It was also to assault, not to being a molester or doing something like that.

Then, everyone got a hold of it and the next thing I read was that I had pled guilty to whatever it was, being a child molester, and a pedophile. It just got worse and worse.

And it wasn't true. I can't even say the word pedophile. I resent it. I resent it with every bone in my body. I was 77 years old and all of a sudden I'm going to start molesting kids?

Huh? Not a lot of logic there, is it? There was a site [WickedChopsPoker] which called me a pedophile. I'm considering suing them if they don't publish a retraction because none of it is true.

Back when I could have sex, I don't have it anymore - I can't help that - I would have had it when I could. How come I waited until I was impotent to do something like this?

NOLAN DALLA: But can you see how a writer or journalist following this story might conclude that since you pled guilty in a court of law, then that opens you up to speculation about what really happened?

AMARILLO SLIM: I guess so. But saying I committed molestation? No. That's when I fight back. You want to know how many psychiatrists and child counselors I went and saw? Five. The D.A. set all these up while I was being investigated. To a person, every one of them said "There's nothing we can do for this man. He's no more a sex molester than I am."

NOLAN DALLA: If you could do this all over again, would you do things differently?

AMARILLO SLIM: I have tried to have an understanding with all of my family about what I was doing [during the court case]. Now, they know what I was doing. I know it, and they know it. I was trying to protect my family. Hell yes, I would do the same thing over again.

NOLAN DALLA: But when you walk into a poker room today, some of the people in that room who once respected you might think differently.

AMARILLO SLIM: Yes, and that bothered me. But I have never had anyone say anything negative to me. Whether I was playing, or not playing. I think there are a bunch of hypocrites in the poker world and a lot of them are obligated to me.

Not a one of them has showed up and stood beside me ... I don't hear from them anymore. Some of them could have said something and shown their support. But they didn't.

NOLAN DALLA: Care to name any names?

AMARILLO SLIM: They know who they are.

NOLAN DALLA: Did you get support from anyone in the poker community?

AMARILLO SLIM: No, I didn't seek any. But I sure should have had some. I will say that one person did speak up and say that what I was charged with couldn't have possibly happened.

He told everybody that we had traveled together for years and slept in the same room. He said it never could have happened what was said about me.

NOLAN DALLA: Was Doyle Brunson the player who spoke up?

AMARILLO SLIM: Yes.

NOLAN DALLA: No matter what, some people are still going to say, he's Amarillo Slim. He beat the rap. He beat the legal system. That's who he is, and he's guilty. What do you say to that?

AMARILLO SLIM: They don't know the truth. They are wrong to condemn someone without any substance whatsoever. There's not one single person who ever got up and testified I did something wrong.

The little girl never saw any counselors, because it never happened. The [felony] charges were dismissed against me. The grand jury never heard that I passed a lie detector test.

All of my family is on my side now, including my grandbaby. I don't know how I can make it more clear that all of this was wrong. And now, I am ready to do something about it and speak out.

Special thanks to Michael Hirschensohn for his efforts in setting up the interview.

Click through to read part one of this exclusive story.

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Legend lost: Amarillo Slim breaks his silence

Gambler, poker ambassador and living legend are the more endearing names. Less flattering terms include hustler, outlaw and cheat - mostly from his early "rounder" days.

But nothing is as ruinous as being branded a pedophile - an accusation which has contaminated the poker world's appreciation for Slim.

In March 2003, Thomas Austin Preston, Jr., a.k.a. "Amarillo Slim," was accused of child molestation. Thereafter, the poker legend endured an embarrassing legal ordeal, saw his family ripped apart and watched helplessly as a whirlwind media circus blew his reputation away like West Texas prairie dust.

In August 2003, a grand jury in Randall County, Texas indicted Slim on multiple counts of indecency with a child. The felony charges were later dropped, but Slim eventually agreed to plead "no contest" to misdemeanor assault charges to protect his family, he claims, and avoid the embarrassment of a public trial.

He was fined $4,000, given two years probation and ordered to undergo counseling.

Although Slim never served any jail time, he has been incarcerated from the things he craves most - respect and appreciation. While other less deserving poker players got rich and famous in recent years, Slim missed the poker boom entirely.

Many of his old friends ignored him. A planned Hollywood movie about Slim's life was dropped.

On Jan. 30, 2009 I went to a suite at the Bellagio in Las Vegas which had been arranged for our interview. The rules of the discussion were that there were no rules. Slim would have to answer every single question posed to him. Otherwise, I would not publish the transcript. Slim agreed to these terms.

The interview lasted three hours, with Slim's associate Michael Hirschensohn present.

What follows are excerpts from that interview. Some questions and answers which produced no significant information were removed from this series (due to space limitations).

There were also occasional interruptions which have been edited out of the transcript.

Part one of this two-part series focuses on what really happened according to Slim.

(Note: Readers are advised that some language and subject matter may be objectionable.)

NOLAN DALLA: You've been silent about these charges for nearly six years.

AMARILLO SLIM: That's right. I haven't said one word.

NOLAN DALLA: You haven't said one word publicly. You haven't been interviewed about any of this. So, why have you waited so long to tell your story, and why is now the time to come forward?

AMARILLO SLIM: Contrary to all these charges and things, I've always been a family man. And now after 80 years I'm going to be accused of being a predator of children? No chance.

NOLAN DALLA: Let's start with the first incident. What really happened?

AMARILLO SLIM: We were all out at my ranch. I was going to show the kids [my] horses. While we were out there in the field it started raining. We decided to get out of the rain. I had four of my grandbabies in the front cab of the truck - me and my four grandchildren. They were from ages 3 up to 13 years.

NOLAN DALLA: One of the children was your 12-year-old granddaughter, named Hannah?

AMARILLO SLIM: Yeah. When it started raining, we didn't want to get stuck in the mud being out so far away. I am not sure if you're familiar with a four-wheel drive, but with my diesel pickup, the gear shift is on the floorboard.

Well of course, I did not want to get stuck in the mud, by God, and have to walk 20 miles back into town. So because we were all jammed in there, the victim - I'll use the word victim which is far from the fact to refer to the person - she was sitting closest to me. Three of them were sitting on the seat and one was really in my lap.

We were in the cab of a one-ton pickup. I said, we've got to put this thing in four-wheel drive or we are going to be out here all day [and get stuck]. I reached down there like this to shift and put it in four-wheel drive. My grandbaby was there and she had one leg [near the gear shift]. I reached over and patted her on the leg and said, "I'll bet that feels good."

She said "Yeah," and giggled. We were all in there together. The sexual harassment that occurred, I can't imagine it. Never in my life have I touched the - I'll use the words - the genitals, the breasts, kissed her on the mouth, squeezed her breasts, petted her inappropriately, except just clowning with her.

I've never touched her wrongly in my life.

NOLAN DALLA: That was the first incident [in January 2003]. But there were alleged to be others [in March 2003]. In fact, there were alleged to be three separate incidents.

AMARILLO SLIM: Couldn't have been. No, there were only two. That first one - there was nothing to it. The second was when [my grandchildren] wanted to go swimming.

We have a big pool in the backyard ... Hannah came over and got in my lap. She had on a bathing suit. She said, "I'm going to go back and swim." I said, "Go on and get your butt in the pool."

NOLAN DALLA: Were other people around when your granddaughter was sitting in your lap?

AMARILLO SLIM: There was no one else around. I can just tell you what happened. But anyone else who said what happened would just be guessing because they were not around.

So anyway, after they were all swimming and playing in the pool the kids all left and went back to Fort Worth [where they live].

About three weeks went by. According to the Child Protective Services [report], they were all playing together and [the harassment] came up as a joking matter. Hannah was telling ... you know. I didn't know anything about it until ...

NOLAN DALLA: Wait just a minute. Let's fill in the gap between the time she was in your lap at the pool and when Child Protective Services first got involved. What led up to that point? What do you think happened?

AMARILLO SLIM: She was showing off for her little sisters and exaggerated what happened. That's all it could be, because nothing really happened.

Since this alleged incident that young lady has been in my lap 60 times. You think if I would have done anything to her she would have come back and got in my lap?

Forget all the ratting now, you think she would have come and got in my lap? No chance! My God, no chance! She's never been anywhere in her life she was safer.

NOLAN DALLA: What was your reaction when you first heard that someone had gone to the authorities?

AMARILLO SLIM: I don't know, I first heard about it from the authorities.

NOLAN DALLA: How were you contacted?

AMARILLO SLIM: By telephone. They called me. Child Protective Services said, "Mr. Preston, we've had a complaint - a sexual complaint against you with one of your granddaughters."

Of course, naturally I hit the ceiling. I said, "My God that can't possibly be." They said it had occurred two or three weeks ago. They asked me, "Do you have a lawyer?" I said, "I don't need one. I haven't done a damn thing, why would I need a lawyer?"

NOLAN DALLA: Let's talk about the legal troubles.

AMARILLO SLIM: Child Protective Services investigated the incidents. There was no evidence of abuse. [The investigation] was done by Child Protective Services in Fort Worth.

NOLAN DALLA: Why Fort Worth? I thought you live in Amarillo.

AMARILLO SLIM: They live in Fort Worth. The family, I mean. My son is married and they and their daughter all live in Tarrant County. So anyway, I thought it was all over.

But then the district attorney [James Farren] - a man that I have known for many years in Randall County [Amarillo] - called me down there to his office. He said, "We've got a complaint out of Fort Worth that something happened with you and one of your grandbabies." I said, "Good Lord James, they investigated this and dropped the charges."

So, we had an agreement that when [Farren] went before the grand jury, after he had made his summation, it would also be included that on my own volition I had taken a lie-detector test. And I passed it. But the grand jury never heard that part of it.

NOLAN DALLA: You insist the charges were dropped. But felony charges were indeed filed against you by the grand jury. Is that correct?

AMARILLO SLIM: Yes. But the grand jury never let me make an appearance. I never got to tell my story. It was a cut-and-dry situation.

NOLAN DALLA: You're certainly one of the most famous people in Amarillo. Are you saying that makes you a target?

AMARILLO SLIM: Maybe so. But I know, and the powers that be all know, and the good Lord knows that I didn't offend or molest any one of my grandbabies. I raised every one of them.

When it comes time for the school clothes, it's granddaddy who provides for them. When it's time to go on vacation, I take two car loads and we go all over the country together.

When it's time for them to go to the church camps, I don't let them miss a single one ... I sent them to everything there is. We are a close-knit bunch. How in the world could there be something wrong?

Every one of them have all been at my house on many weekends since then. It doesn't make any [expletive] sense.

NOLAN DALLA: Many people suspect you are guilty because your son, daughter-in-law and ex-wife reportedly believed the allegations were true, to the point where your family was split apart.

AMARILLO SLIM: Yes that was right at one time - but that's not true anymore. All of them have since written letters about these charges saying it was a big mistake and the sexual abuse never happened.

Editor's note: At this point in the interview, affidavits were shown which are signed and notarized.

Click through to continue with part two of this exclusive. Slim goes into details about why he entered into a plea bargain and the consequences that decision had on his life and his relationships with his family.

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