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Hope everyone had a good weekend. I know I did. Needed it, too, after a fairly exhausting week of work and “real” life stuff. Week began with that marathon sequence of plane rides back home from Kyiv, so it took a few days for the body and mind to resume all the normal rhythms. Wasn’t ’til Friday that I was back in sync, to be honest.
What did I do? Played some poker. Missed out on that “WCOOP Bloggers Freeroll” thing that happened yesterday over on PokerStars — a freeroll satellite that awarded 18 seats into a World Championship of Online Poker event. Got the email but somehow overlooked the details and so never registered.
I did, however, get an invite to another freeroll happening this week, something called the “PokerStars WCOOP Journalist Event” which is also going to be awarding some free tickets into WCOOP events. Will try to make that one. Would be very cool to sneak my way through and somehow land a free seat.
Meanwhile, I’ve been playing pot-limit Omaha, mostly six-handed, and doing fairly well. In addition to collecting some cabbage, I managed yesterday to reestablish my Silver Star status on PokerStars for September. Have maintained that for the most part all year, and with it have been trading FPPs for cash whenever possible.
Also this weekend I pulled together and posted a new episode of The Hard-Boiled Poker Radio Show, this one called “Gun Shy Gambler.” Show starts with a reading from the John Fox book Play Poker, Quit Work, and Sleep Till Noon! (1977). You might recall I wrote something about that book about a month ago. The excerpt is a funny anecdote in which Fox tells about a scheme he came up with to gather statistical data at the poker tables. It is called “Counting Beans,” and yes, the title is meant literally.
The rest of the show is taken up with an episode of the old time radio show The Lone Ranger. A pretty good one, involving a gambler who becomes gun shy after having killed a man, then is forced to deal with his problem when the brother of the man he killed returns to confront him. There’s some card-playing, too, in there.
You can download the show by clicking here. Or just play it right here, if that’s how you roll:
By the way, I have been chatting with someone about the possibility of having the Hard-Boiled Poker Radio Show start airing on one of these internet radio networks. Would probably start out going back to the first episode and playing the old shows — sort of like putting them into syndication — then add new ones when the time comes. We’ll see where that goes. I’ll certainly let you know about it here if and when that happens.
One other bit of extracurricular activity this weekend was my first post over on FilmChaw, the movie blog established by our friend and esteemed author of Stupid/System, Julius Goat.
Ever since I saw the 1980 film Humanoids from the Deep, I knew I had a desire to respond. Thanks to Monsieur Goat for affording me the opportunity to do so. Lot of good writers and cool stuff over there at FilmChaw, so if you are into movies (both good and bad), check it out.
Let’s all have a good week. Fall is almost here. Our high temperature today is in the sixties, if you can believe that. Time for football. And the WCOOP! I’ll be doing some writing over on the PokerStars blog for that, recapping a few events and helping live blog the Main Event at the end. And if this freeroll thing works out, maybe I’ll be playing in the sucker, too. A massive schedule — 45 events! — this year, with satellites running ’round the clock, natch. For the complete sked and a ton of other info, go to PokerStars’ new WCOOP website for the skinny.
Go to: Hard-Boiled Poker
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Poker professional Annie Duke, who has been at the forefront of the usage of poker for charitable means, will add to her philanthropic outlets when she hosts a charity poker tournament at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles to benefit the Decision Education Foundation in November.
The tournament, which will play out on November 19th at 7:00pm Pacific Time, is a $300+$30 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’em event with unlimited $100 rebuys during the first hour and a $100 add-on at the first break. Duke, a Poker News Daily Guest Columnist, will be the host of the tournament that is being held during the schedule of events for the inaugural Open at Commerce from November 6th to 22nd.
With the tournament being held near Hollywood, it is expected that there will be a celebrity-laden field in attendance. “We’ve already had confirmations from several pro players and a couple of celebrities,” Lisa Wheeler, the event organizer, confirmed to Poker News Daily. “Some of Annie’s friends from Ultimate Bet are going to be a part of the tournament. Actress Shannon Elizabeth has already confirmed and so has comedian Brad Garrett. This is only the beginning and there will be more to come!”
The tournament will have all the pomp and circumstance of a major awards show in Hollywood, befitting of its play at the jewel of California poker in the Commerce Casino. Activities will include a red carpet walk, a Commerce Casino hosted cocktail party, and silent and live auctions. The tournament itself will be officiated by one of the top tournament directors around, Matt Savage, and all proceeds raised will benefit the Decision Education Foundation.
The Decision Education Foundation is an organization that has been established to improve the lives of young people by empowering them with effective decision skills. The work of the Foundation crosses the nation from Pennsylvania to California, attempting to provide teachers with the tools to help young people acquire, appreciate, and apply the fundamentals of good decision-making.
The Decision Education Foundation is an important philanthropy for Duke. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the organization in addition to her other charitable and philanthropic work. As many may remember, Annie raised $730,000 through her second place effort on this year’s “Celebrity Apprentice” for Refugees International and continues to attempt to assist with the plight of refugees through Ante Up For Africa, an organization she co-founded along with “Crash” actor Don Cheadle.
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily as more information comes available regarding this and other charitable events in the coming months.
Go to: Poker News Daily
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PokerStars, the world’s leading online poker site, once again generated the largest turnouts Sunday, as its major events extended well beyond their guarantees. The site, which is preparing for its World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) this week, drew nearly 9,000 players to its flagship Sunday Million tournament. Five players struck a deal and each received a six-figure payday.
PokerStars Sunday Million
A massive field of 8,993 turned out for the Sunday Million on August 30, creating a prize pool of $1,798,600, the largest in months. Last week saw 7,431 participants in the weekend’s largest tournament on the internet, but the site added $300 bounties on each of its sponsored players this week to add some flavor.
Daniel “KidPoker” Negreanu, J.C. Alvarado, Jason Mercier, and Victor Ramdin were among the Team PokerStars Pro players in attendance. Railbirds flooded the chat boxes late into the night as online stars Steve “gboro780″ Gross and David “BodogMaven” Chicotsky made deep runs, but Chicotsky was eliminated in 10th place when he moved his short stack in with 7-4 and found himself up against an opponent’s pocket tens. Gross was taken out in sixth place when his A-K couldn’t hold up against BigBradley’s A-Q and the remaining five players agreed to a deal. The big winner was CesarSPA, who added $208,845.93 to his account, while Georgia’s angiebug4 went on to win the tournament and $126,921.72.
1. angiebug4 – $126,921.72
2. CesarSPA – $208,845.93
3. BigBradley – $173,454.74
4. siggen001 – $131,719.96
5. suckabig1 – $100,530.55
6. Steve “gboro780” Gross – $53,958.01
7. SebiXXXX – $35,972.01
8. Whitfield74 – $19,784.61
9. Spoli4tor – $12,590.21
Full Tilt Poker $750,000 Guaranteed
The Full Tilt $750,000 Guarantee attracted 4,144 entrants to build a prize pool of $828,800. Costa Rican pro Felipe “clotilda” Montenegro was the biggest name at the final table and settled on a four-way chop to walk away with $72,000. Montenegro ultimately took fourth place in the tournament, while ADCampbell collected $104,929.51 after earning the win.
1. ADCampbell – $104,929.51
2. ypma – $62,660
3. mich_alumni – $98,967
4. Felipe “clotilda” Montenegro – $72,000
5. zsunset – $34,229.44
6. kenneoin – $25,361.28
7. quivan96 – $19,062.40
8. shhhant – $14,918.40
9. PatrickJ89 – $11,105.92
PokerStars Sunday 500
A handful of online professionals reached the final table of PokerStars Sunday 500, which drew 1,029 entrants this week. Nick “CPT CRUX” Stowell took seventh place for just over $15,000, while Thayer “THAY3R” Rasmussen finished sixth for $20,322.75. In the end, Laurence “rivermanl” Houghton of the United Kingdom got the best of long-time online tournament specialist faithless to take home a prize of $88,802.70.
1. Laurence “rivermanl” Houghton – $88,802.70
2. faithless – $64,312.50
3. omgfml – $48,877.50
4. WARN-YOU – $35,809.20
5. DeuceBuster – $25,467.75
6. Thayer “THAY3R” Rasmussen – $20,322.75
7. Nick “CPT CRUX” Stowell – $15,177.75
8. sharam_nuts – $10,032.75
9. MisterJJW – $5,659.50
Full Tilt Poker Sunday Brawl
New Jersey’s Jims619, who took fifth in the Full Tilt $750,000 Guarantee last week, one-upped himself on Sunday with a runner-up effort in the Sunday Brawl for $63,201.60. PoutsoKefalos bested 2,393 competitors to win the tournament for $97,651.26. Full-time pros kennl and Bryn “OneUponAStar” Kenney also reached the final table.
1. PoutsoKefalos – $97,651.26
2. Jims619 – $63,201.60
3. HellaStacks_ – $46,922.40
4. white_chocko – $35,431.20
5. Javatinii – $24,897.60
6. kennl – $16,279.20
7. mightyscv – $11,012.40
8. blackjustin77 – $7,660.80
9. Bryn “OneUponAStar” Kenney – $5,745.60
Ultimate Bet $200,000 Guaranteed
Ultimate Bet’s Sunday major didn’t quite make its guarantee, as 994 runners played for a prize pool of $200,000. When it was all said and done, MAKE_IT_RAIN and BELANDATOR forged a two-way deal, although the final figures are unknown. They split up the remaining $71,300. Up-and-coming online whiz kid Michael “ROCK3656” Rocco finished third for $18,100 and Eric “SHEETSWORLD” Haber made $4,900 for his eighth-place result.
1. MAKE_IT_RAIN
1. BELANDATOR
3. Michael “ROCK3656” Rocco – $18,100
4. YOD0UG623 – $12,900
5. ANALPROBE – $10,900
6. MSUJENNY – $8,900
7. C00KEMONSTER – $6,900
8. Eric “SHEETSWORLD” Haber – $4,900
9. MAHI-MAHI – $3,400
Go to: Poker News Daily
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Earlier this month, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced S 1597, the Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. The bill includes provisions to address problem gambling.
Menendez’s measure calls for the licensing and regulation of internet games of skill like online poker in an effort that is narrower than Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. At the end of Menendez’s legislation, $14.2 million per year over a five-year period is prescribed for problem gambling awareness, treatment, and research. National Council on Problem Gambling Executive Director Keith Whyte told Poker News Daily, “We think, overall, it’s responsible that if you’re going to have a bill that expands gambling, you put in money to address gambling problems.”
The text in Menendez’s bill comes from HR 2906, the Comprehensive Problem Gambling Act of 2009. The measure was introduced by a bipartisan contingent of Congressmen Jim Moran (D-VA), Lee Terry (R-NE), and Frank Wolf (R-VA) in mid-June amid support from the Council. Whyte explained, “We’re pleased that there’s a responsibility to mitigate problem gambling and we’re glad it’s the language from HR 2906. However, this would still only be the first ever federal funding for prevention and treatment programs. There is a lot more language in our House bill than what Menendez added. It’s not the entire bill.”
The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the 1.2 million member strong lobbying group, was one of the driving forces behind the introduction of S 1597, which debuted shortly after the conclusion of National Poker Week. PPA Chairman and former three-term Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato called Menendez’s bill “another powerful step towards protecting internet freedom, protecting consumers, and protecting online poker.” S. 1597 allocates $200,000 per year for awareness, $4 million per year for research, and $10 million per year for treatment.
Whyte revealed that the National Council on Problem Gambling plans to introduce a companion bill to HR 2906 in the Senate. In the meantime, Congress is currently on recess until after Labor Day in the United States. He noted, “We met with Menendez’s staff and asked him to introduce a companion bill to HR 2096 in the Senate. We did not specifically request that our language be included in his bill, but this is a good step.” The National Council on Problem Gambling does not support Menendez’s bill, however, because it calls for an expansion of gaming.
Much to the delight of online poker players, Menendez’s bill specifically identifies the game as a legal activity. It defines “internet skill games” to mean “an internet-based game in which success is predominantly determined by the skill of the players, including poker, chess, bridge, mahjong, and backgammon.” Frank’s HR 2267 boasts 54 co-sponsors after being introduced in early May along with HR 2266, which calls for the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) to be delayed by one year. As it currently stands, the financial services industry must come into full compliance with the 2006 law by December 1st. HR 2906 has attracted 10 co-sponsors, including Frank and Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV).
The National Council on Problem Gambling is based in Washington, DC. Text on the organization’s website reveals that it was founded on two mantras, “that the organization would be the advocate for problem gamblers and their families and that it would take no position for or against legalized gambling.” Its annual Awareness Week occurred from March 1st to 7th this year and included the organization reaching out to problem gamblers through popular social mediums like YouTube.
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest on Menendez’s bill to regulate online poker in the United States.
Go to: Poker News Daily
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This week on the G4 online poker reality show “2 Months, $2 Million,” the team suffered a major setback, losing $84,200 collectively. However, the quartet defeated a rival group in football, nightlife, and online poker challenges.
The third of 10 episodes of “2 Months, $2 Million” hit television airwaves on Sunday at 9:00pm ET on G4. The installment began with Dani Stern playing basketball outside of the Las Vegas home with Aaron “aejones” Jones. The two have been friends after meeting at a poker tournament and the one-on-one basketball game spurred the idea of a house versus house competition. The rival faction featured Jones, Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger, Daniel “Starkey” Starkey, and Steve “Zugwat” Silverman. On the latter player, Stern noted that he is a “feared online poker player.”
In the football competition, the first squad to amass seven touchdowns would be declared the winner. A Stern interception return for a touchdown tied the game at three scores each. Then, Stern found the end zone again on the defensive side of the ball, running in a fumble recovery for another touchdown to put the “2 Months, $2 Million” team ahead 6-4. In the end, a Stern caught a pass in the end zone, which was enough to win 7-4.
By Day 1 of Week 3, the team was down $34,700 on their quest for $2 million. Silverman sought retribution for the gridiron loss by taking on “2 Months, $2 Million” cast member Jay Rosenkrantz heads-up online. Rosenkrantz dropped $17,000 in a pot and found himself down $40,000 for the week. Meanwhile, it was revealed that the crew had gone out six straight nights and faced a seventh with the nightlife portion of the house war set to take place. Rosenkrantz remarked, “Maybe the house war is becoming a bit of a distraction and we’re not playing real poker.”
Stern and Emil Patel participated in the nightlife challenge, which took place at Ghostbar at the Palms. The three tasks to determine the winning house included getting a girl to buy you a drink, getting a girl to do five pushups, and getting a girl to remove her panties. The score was tied 2-2 when Lichtenberger convinced Ghostbar customer “Jenny” to take off her underwear, which he promptly put on his head in celebration as the “aejones house” took down the nightlife challenge.
Online, Rosenkrantz’s struggles online continued. He was down $64,000 on the week and fledgling in Omaha against “ROCK_ET_MAN.” Rosenkrantz frustratingly got up from the table and lamented, “I’m not going to be able to save my week and now all I want to do is just crush aejones, luckychewy, Zugwat, and Starkey.”
The poker challenge served as the rubber match in the series and featured best of three heads-up sit and gos. Silverman outlasted Rosenkrantz 2-1 in the first match-up, continuing his domination of the “2 Months, $2 Million” star on the virtual felts. The second match-up saw Roberts and Lichtenberger compete. When the battle was over, Jones’ house was up 4-2. Jones bested Stern in the first game of their series before Stern won the next two to make the overall score 5-4, with Jones’ house still in the lead. Patel and Starkey then waged war, with the former battling back to tie the poker challenge at six matches apiece and force a tiebreaker.
In the tiebreaker, whose match-up was determined by pulling names out of a hat, Roberts defeated Jones in the first two games to secure the victory for the “2 Months, $2 Million” cast. In the final hand, Roberts’ A-8 outdrew Jones’ pocket nines when an ace hit the flop. Jones and company were forced to clean the “2 Months, $2 Million” house as a result of the loss.
The four protagonists suffered their worst week to date. When the smoke cleared, Roberts was down $4,000, Stern was down $33,000, and Rosenkrantz was down a blistering $80,000. Patel was the lone member of the group in the black, earning $32,800 for the week. Overall, the team was down $84,200 during Week 3 for an overall total of $114,400 in earnings. Roberts noted, “We can’t string together a bunch of winning sessions and get comfortably into the black for the summer.” As a result of Rosenkrantz’s abnormally large loss, he was not assessed a “Penalty Stunt.”
“2 Months, $2 Million” airs weekly on Sunday nights at 9:00pm ET on G4.
Go to: Poker News Daily
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Won a big tourny last nite on full tilt poker! I was pretty stoked!
Go to: poker – Twitter Search
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Just won another mighty £5 in a knockout poker game. Beat 29 other people to get it. A drinker & a gambler -can’t understand why I’m single.
Go to: poker – Twitter Search
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FINALLY! I WON WITH POKER (L)
Go to: poker – Twitter Search
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EVEREST POKER FREEROLL PASSWORDS.. http://twit.ac/EuIS
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@Ahmeha The funny part is as plowed as I was I still had the presence of mind to win at Poker. Then I staggered back to the house at 3am..
Go to: poker – Twitter Search
Also this weekend I pulled together and posted a new episode of The Hard-Boiled Poker Radio Show, this one called “Gun Shy Gambler.” Show starts with a reading from the John Fox book Play Poker, Quit Work, and Sleep Till Noon! (1977). You might recall I wrote something about that book about a month ago. The excerpt is a funny anecdote in which Fox tells about a scheme he came up with to gather statistical data at the poker tables. It is called “Counting Beans,” and yes, the title is meant literally.