Poker Blog - Poker.com

Ivey's $5m Bracelet Bet

2010-04-19T22:00:00.005-04:00

It should come as no surprise that Phil Ivey enjoys making hefty wagers on any number of things. So why all the hubbub about his most recent betting venture?

It seems that Daniel Negreanu has let the cat out of the bag on a $5 million prop bet between Phil Ivey and his Full Tilt Poker colleague Howard Lederer. The two are no strangers to winning World Series of Poker bracelets, as Ivey has seven and Lederer two, but The Professor seems to think Ivey's bracelet-winning days are well behind him.

Negreanu broke the news that Phil Ivey and Howard Lederer have a $5 million even-money bet riding on whether Ivey can pick up two WSOP bracelets in the next two years. Now, just how many opportunities does Ivey have to pick up those lovely silver bits of jewellery over the next couple of years?

Eighty.

That's right, Phil Ivey will have around 80 events in which to pick up a pair of bracelets, and when you consider that he won two in two weeks last year, and the fact that he had a three-bracelet haul way back in 2002, you'd have to think Lederer doesn't really care about dropping a cool $5m into Ivey's pocket.

That said, Lederer has already won a high-profile proposition bet when he ate a cheeseburger - despite being a vegan - in front of David Grey. Cheeseburgers and World Series of Poker bracelets: they're pretty much the same thing, right?

What are your thoughts on Ivey's latest foray into the world of lucrative prop betting with fellow poker pros? Do you think he has what it takes to tip his WSOP bracelet tally over to nine, or will Lederer have the last laugh this time? Let us know by commenting below!

-TheDoctor

WSOP ToC Front Runners

2010-04-19T02:55:00.003-04:00

Poker fans have been voting for which of the best WSOP bracelet winners should get a spot in the 2010 Tournament of Champions, and the results thus far have been quite interesting after more than 250,000 votes. The current Top 20 includes:

Doyle Brunson
Johnny Chan
TJ Cloutier
Allen Cunningham
Antonio Esfandiari
Sam Farha
Chris Ferguson
Barry Greenstein
Joe Hachem
Jennifer Harman
Dan Harrington
Phil Hellmuth
Phil Ivey
John Juanda
Howard Lederer
Daniel Negreanu
Scotty Nguyen
Greg Raymer
Huck Seed
Erik Seidel

There is still a long time left to vote, as entries do not close until June 15th, so this list will obviously change somewhat before then. Also, Joe Cada gets an entry due to his WSOP Main Event win last year, as does Barry Shulman for winning the WSOPE Main Event. Previous WSOP Tournament of Champions winners also get invited - which means Annie Duke, Mike Matusow, and Mike Sexton can all be expected to play. Nevertheless, there are many strange picks on the current list, as well as many glaring omissions. Of course, only previous WSOP bracelet winners are eligible, which means that many excellent online players cannot be considered. Which is kind of unfortunate, really.

First off, let's talk about players who really should be on that list. Annette Obrestad is an obvious choice, as without her Annie Duke and Jennifer Harman will probably be the only female players. While there are plenty of other more established female WSOP champs, Obrestad appeals to a younger demographic, as well as to viewers in Europe. I also think Jason Mercier would be a good addition, as I feel he'd be surprisingly competitive, definitely more so than many of the fading stars in this list.

Now for the players who just don't make sense in this tournament. Greg Raymer is a questionable pick, as he hasn't really set the world on fire since his WSOP Main Event win in 2004 and is unlikely to fare well against the other players. I'm also not too sure of Dan Harrington, who hasn't really been active enough in recent years, despite being an excellent live poker player. TJ Cloutier is also a suspect pick, especially given the controversy surrounding the sale of his WSOP bracelet last year. I'm not annoyed that these players are in there, but I don't expect that they'll still be on the list come June.

Some of the picks that I think are particularly good are Phil Hellmuth and Scotty Nguyen, if only for potential entertainment value. Now, the benefit of having them relies on at least one of the two staying in long enough to get on TV, but I think the chances of that are reasonably good.

Who have you voted for and who do you think should be included in the 2010 WSOP Tournament of Champions? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

-Shad

Bodog Poker CEO Bounty

2010-04-15T23:30:00.009-04:00

Bodog Poker Network CEO Patrik Selin is really keeping up the adventurous Bodog spirit by putting a 1,000 Euro bounty on himself. He'll pay the bounty to whoever busts him out of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Grand Final, so put those shotguns away. He figures involvement in live events could be a great way to improve his own poker room. In the man's own words:

"I think it's a shame more senior management of poker rooms do not play at these events as it is the best way to find out what players want."

Maybe. Asking them what they want probably also works.

"Everybody at a live event is passionate about the game and happy to talk about their likes and dislikes which is invaluable to anybody running a poker room," said Selin

I'm not sure people are all that happy to talk about their likes and dislikes while playing. In fact, if I were playing, I'm pretty sure I'd troll you to death by just making up ridiculous complaints to see if I could put you on tilt. Especially if you're offering a 1,000 Euro bounty to bust you out!

"Now I have raised the stakes and will be putting 1,000 Euro straight into to the hand of the person who knocks me out which should make the banter even more fun in Monaco," said Selin.

More fun for whoever knocks you out, sure, but more fun for you? Can Selin really hand over 1,000 Euro to the player who just knocked him out? Even if they are a total donkey who only beat him because they got lucky on an absolute joke of a hand? If he really is so calm about getting knocked out, then he's a better man than I.

While I see some problems with Selin's approach to finding out what players want, I do think this is a very nice gesture. The man's no slouch at poker, either, as he managed a money finish at the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event. He's also reached two televised final tables, with a Ritz Club Live Tournament win in 2006 and a second placing at the UK Open Main Event in 2007.

Who knows, maybe this isn't so much a bounty as a bet that Selin has made with himself to add some motivation for a victory? Plus, "Bodog Poker CEO Wins PokerStars Tournament" could be a nice headline... And think of the marketing potential! If he loses, he gets goodwill because of the bounty. If he wins, he'll get props from everyone and a symbolic victory over PokerStars.

...

My God, this man is a genius!

Is anyone out there looking to play in Monte Carlo? Do you have your sights set on knocking out Patrik Selin? Tell us of your plans in the comments.

- Shad

Texas Hold'em Hits FB

2010-04-14T21:31:00.002-04:00

It seems that Facebook never fails to latch onto the latest bandwagon and roll with it. This time around they've sunk their teeth into the sensation of online poker.

A free-to-play version of the World Poker Tour's Texas Hold'em game has been made into an online application for Facebook members to join in on. Free online poker is all good and well for learning how to play the game, but what excitement is there when there's no real cash to be won?

I know from personal experience that playing free online poker games on certain websites teaches you nothing but the basics of Texas Hold'em. Since nobody is using real money, most will flagrantly go all-in every hand, ultimately destroying the very nature of the game.

I'm more than a little skeptical that something like this will catch on with proper online poker fans, even with a couple of prizes thrown in. When you sit down to a game of online poker at Full Tilt or Bodog, you are not only able to join a room with people of a similar skill level and knowledge of the game, but also with a comparable bankroll.

Honestly, why play on Facebook (a social networking site, of all places!) when you could be playing a proper game of online poker against fellow lovers of the game? And it's not like you can't practice at online poker sites for free, either. As soon as you have had a few games to warm up, you can jump right into the real money action, without having to change online poker venues.

Call me a cynic, but this seems like one of the countless Facebook applications that will blow over after a couple of months. Without a proper incentive to "win" each hand, there's no real reason to play, other than against your FB friends.

I'll be sticking to the real online poker sites. How about you? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

- TheDoctor

Poker Trek: Wrath of Dwan

2010-04-13T01:28:00.006-04:00

Going by the number of hands and frequency of the last 10 sessions of the 'durrrr' Challenge, it's looking like I was right about the need for a short time limit on these things. We can currently expect another 10 months of playtime if we take the past 10 sessions as a guide - though that's probably too optimistic. If we just look at the time it took to play the hands in the last 5 sessions... it's looking more like 14 to 15 months.

That's right, it could easily be more than a year until the completion of the first 'durrrr' Challenge. At this point, I think it would be a great idea for Full Tilt Poker to add some kind of incentive for Patrik Antonius to get back to the Challenge tables. He's at an incredible disadvantage now, and to be honest, there's really no reason any poker player of his calibre would keep playing at this point unless he was enticed to do so... or obliged. Yes, this assumes that it's Antonius that is delaying, but why would Dwan not want to get this done with and collect an extra $500K? If it all ends up in some kind of lawsuit, I won't be shocked.

I have some ideas for rules in any future 'durrrr' challenges:

Time limit of one year for the whole challenge (hopefully less)
At least half the hands to be completed by 6 month mark
A maximum win amount - if one player is up by an agreed on amount, the Challenge is over
A partially set schedule - one game guaranteed per month, minimum of 3 hours (preferably more, but the players will need flexibility)
Penalties for missing scheduled games

Maybe those rules would help, maybe they need a little more thought. I'd be interested in what everyone out there thinks. Mostly I just think there needs to be a way to keep the Challenges within a reasonable time limit, and for the challengers to have a reasonable total risk to their bankroll.

What do you think about the situation? Does someone like Full Tilt Poker need to step in and convince the two to play through the rest of the Challenge quickly? Tell us what you think in the comments.

PS: I apologize for the title pun. I could resist no longer!

-Shad

8 Poker Tactics for Newbies

2010-04-08T02:20:00.006-04:00

VentureBeat published a great article recently that explains how skill plays an important roll in being not only a successful poker player, but also a successful startup businessman. The poker tactics themselves are just too good not to share, and you can take a look at all eight tips here.

Too many newcomers to the game don't understand how veteran rounders play their hands, and more often than not end up losing a lot of the time. And while that's no different to learning any other sport (practice makes perfect, as they say), there are countless online poker guides out there that will provide you with the information necessary to compete against the big boys.

Even if you've been playing Texas Hold'em for years (or even decades), there's a lot of great info in Emmanuel Marot's article that, if nothing else, will make you sit up and say, "You know what? That's actually a good idea." Who knows, it might just help you win that all-important hand during your next game.

Some of the best excerpts from the feature include:

"Don't fall in love with your hand - Sometimes, in a game of Texas Hold'em, players imagine they'll get a monster hand when all they get are promising cards. When the flop, turn and river are revealed, their dreams crash to earth. Novice players tend to stick with their original assumptions and behave as their good fortune is due. Experts cold-bloodedly re-assess the situation."

This is a big one, and not restricted simply to beginners. I'm sure most of us can recall a moment when our pocket Aces were met with a sickeningly low flop that gave us nothing. Still, we soldiered on, calling every bet in the hope that the next card would produce an Ace, or at the very least that no-one else would be able to top our Deuce Aces, despite there clearly being an outside straight draw in the community cards. How very, very wrong we all were.

"Use Probe Bets - Good players sometimes bet money while they know they have very little chance of winning. They push a 'probe bet' only to discover what the other players may have, and often fold if they meet resistance."

No matter where you play your online poker, you are bound to come across probe bettors on a regular basis. While newcomers may feel that they need to hang back for the first few rounds - folding potentially winning hands in the process - sometimes the best defense is a good offense.

"Take meaningful details into account, but no others - Playing a hand isn't just a matter of the cards you hold. It's also about the positions of other players, the stack's size and a million other things. World-class players take those into account, but can learn to disregard the irrelevant details (e.g. your opponent may look like a moron, but you shouldn't take for granted that he is one)."

Just this weekend, I defeated an opponent that had been the chip leader for the majority of the game. By the time the table had whittled down to just the two of us, it was obvious that he was only betting on "sure thing" pocket cards. I recognized this, exploited it with constant betting and smart folding, and eventually won. Identifying facets of your opponent's game is integral to success, but don't be fooled into excessive bets simply because they play like a "moron" - that could be exactly what they want you to think.

You can read all eight poker tactics discussed in the article here, and be sure to let us know of any online poker tactics you have in the comments section below!

- TheDoctor

Everest Sues WSOP

2010-04-06T02:58:00.005-04:00

Ultra Internet Media, the company that owns Everest Poker, is trying to get out of its sponsorship contract with the WSOP. It was the on-the-felt sponsor of the World Series of Poker for 2008 and 2009, having paid a total of about $14.6 million for the privilege. UIM is now trying to get out of a further $8.4 million sponsorship for the 2010 WSOP, citing a breach of contract by the WSOP where RTL9, a French ESPN affiliate, showed Full Tilt Poker logos on the felt of the final table broadcast, but no Everest Poker logos. While meetings were apparently held to rectify issues with the RTL9 broadcasts, it would seem that the problem did not improve.

This has got to be particularly grating for Everest Poker given so many of their players come from France. They do not accept US players, so a sponsorship arrangement that shows their logo all over US screens but not on French screens would be a pretty bum deal. With no guarantee that they will get the exposure they want in their biggest market, and with the meetings they've claimed to have had with ESPN and Harrah's about this sponsorship deal suggesting they've tried and failed to get what they want, it's understandable that Everest would want to pull out.

It has to be said that it's a bit late to be doing this, which can only be seen as a tactical move by UIM. With the 2010 WSOP just over a month and a half away, this puts the World Series in an unfortunate position. There are so many possibilities for how this could go down, and the WSOP may have to run the advertizing before a decision has been reached. How would that affect the case, and could Everest end up with free advertizing? Who else could the WSOP find to advertize? There are a lot of questions, with even more uncomfortable answers.

My feeling is that this is simply a play by UIM to show they are really serious about Everest Poker coverage in France this year. It seems too late in the game for them to be seriously bringing this to court, but it should be a wake up call for Harrah's and ESPN to keep affiliate channels playing for the team. I agree that Full Tilt Poker is a great poker room, but Everest have paid quite a bit of money for their extra special coverage, and they really need that French audience.

What do you think will happen, and will this affect the 2010 WSOP? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

-Shad

Poker Ruled Game of Chance

2010-03-31T02:30:00.006-04:00

What is wrong with the legal system? The Pennsylvanian case that saw poker legally ruled a game of skill has been overturned on appeal, with poker now ruled to be a game of chance. I'd like to know how President Judge Kate Ford Elliot and Senior Judge Robert Freedberg came to their decision in the face of all the statistical evidence, while their colleague Senior Judge Robert Colville believed that the prosecution had failed to prove that poker is a game of chance in the initial hearing.

Diane Dent and Walter Watkins, the couple at the center of this case, can still appeal to the state Supreme Court. That will take quite some time, of course, and until then we will all have to deal with the ramifications of this decision. What is most frustrating is that this judgment has apparently been made based on court opinion in other cases, not on the statistical evidence provided that led to the initial decision that poker is a game of skill. The most compelling evidence that poker is a skill game has come from fairly recent studies, which wouldn't have come into consideration in prior cases.

I understand the need to follow precedent, but I just cannot see how any meaningful precedent could have been established when serious studies into poker statistics had not yet been performed. I think far too many people when deciding whether poker is mostly chance or skill rely on their own basic experience of the game and take it as self-evident that it is a game of chance. Well, analysis of hundreds of thousands of poker hands suggests otherwise, and you can't just wave away statistics based on your own anecdotal evidence.

Poker is a skill game with elements of chance, not a game of chance with elements of skill. Blackjack is a game of chance with elements of skill, as the very best player has a negative expected value regardless of whether or not they play perfect strategy. Sic Bo is a pure game of chance, with the only hint of skill in choosing to play the bets with the lowest house edge. Poker just cannot sensibly be considered primarily a game of chance when it involves skilled players. The statistics show that the more skillful a player is, the more success they experience when against players with less skill, and they can have a consistent level of success while up against those lesser players.

Here's hoping that the case is taken to the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, and that the judges there will give the statistical evidence the weight it deserves.

What do you think about all this? Enraged? Unsurprised? Please vent in the comments, and consider playing at one of the poker rooms in our review pages, such as Full Tilt Poker or Bodog.

-Shad

Isildur1 Playing Live

2010-03-25T02:29:00.009-04:00

With Tony G of PartyPoker saying he would stake Isildur1 for an entry in the live PartyPoker Big Game IV event in April, I can't help but wonder whether this would be a good change of pace for Isildur1. I don't care about whether Isildur1's identity is revealed or not as a result (he's been offered a mask). I just wonder if some live play would be good for his online poker play.

Many players have identified Isildur1's weakness for playing extremely long sessions, and how he does seem to go on tilt from time to time. He is also inclined to play many high stakes tables at once, so it would be interesting to see how he would adapt to the much slower pace of a live poker tournament.

Of course, who knows if Isildur1 has played in live tournaments before and just found they weren't to his tastes? Regardless, if someone is saying he'll stake you and pay for your flights and accommodation, you shouldn't pass up a free holiday and the chance to win some cash. Full Tilt Poker can wait a couple of days. I'm sure the other high stakes players enjoy the occasional rest from Isildur1.

What does everyone else think? Should Isildur1 accept the generous offer and let everyone see how his style translates to live tournaments? Do you think it would just be a waste of time, that Isildur1 is suited to the online game only, and he should keep dancing for our amusement in the Full Tilt nose bleeds? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Poker now a sport in Lithuania

2010-03-21T22:26:00.002-04:00

The question of whether the poker is a game of skill or luck has been debated for decades, and continues to be a talking point throughout the world to this day. While most people will accept that poker is now regarded as a sport, there are still plenty of countries that have yet to acknowledge the distinction.

Today is good day for poker fans in Lithuania. The Department of Physical Education and Sports recently issued an official statement declaring the Lithuanian Sports Poker Federation an official sports federation. The exciting news means that poker can now branch out further into the sporting world, where once it was restricted solely to casinos and commercial events.

The announcement means that the LSPF are given far more leeway in terms of organizing poker tournaments, and that they can do so for non-commercial tourneys outside of Lithuanian casinos.

President of the LSPF Andrius Tapinas was obviously pleased with the decision. "This is extremely important step in our work. We are receiving congratulations from many of our colleagues abroad and I know that we are breaking thick ice with our progress for similar international initiatives."

Over the course of the next week, the LSPF will be collating and then releasing their official tournament schedule to the Lithuanian sports media. World Series of Poker competitor Tapinas will surely turn the announcement into a popular issue in Lithuania; his performances at WSOP and Unibet Open events have been the source of front page articles in his home country, and he also hosts the most popular business TV program in Lithuania.

Keep an eye out for next month's inaugural LSPF event, which will take place in Vilnius over April 24 - 26. If we are to believe Tapinas's prediction for the event, it will be the biggest poker tournament in any Baltic nation.

What do you think about the decision to make poker an official sport in Lithuania? Do you think it will have any effect on other national poker federations throughout Europe and the world? Let us know by commenting below!

- TheDoctor

Rush Poker Tactics and Strategy

2010-03-18T02:22:00.003-04:00

Rush Poker, the new cash game format at Full Tilt Poker, seems to be catching on. While the core play of poker doesn't really change in a Rush Poker game, there are a few key differences that can make it a dangerous proposition for the unprepared.

Here are a few of the best tips

1. Don't fold too soon

Sure, the advantage of Rush Poker is that you can fold and get a new hand ASAP, but don't be in too much of a hurry. Always wait for the action to reach you before you fold, especially if you are in good position. Many less patient players will quickly fold and move on, and this can allow you to make a strong play with what would normally be a marginal hand. You should still play pretty tight, but don't fold mindlessly.

2. The big blind must pay

Never let the big blind see the flop for free in a hand you are going to play. Most people will only play the best hands in Rush Poker, but you'll have no idea what the big blind is playing if you don't force them to pay to see the flop. Don't let other people play their borderline hands if you can stop them from doing so. You'll be able to steal a lot of blinds if everyone keeps thinking they can only win with monster hands, while you are watching and waiting for an opportunity to blitz the blinds!

Of course, if YOU can see the flop for free when you are posting blinds, then be sure to take advantage of the opportunity. If the flop looks like it could give you a good straight or flush without any high cards, a raise can really scare off your opposition.

3. Send in the shock troops

Very few players are going to remember how you play in a Rush Poker game, so you can't intimidate them over time - you have to give them a shock. Expect to raise and re-raise often, and for other players to do the same as soon as cards are on the board.

4. Don't sweat stolen blinds

If someone makes a clear play to steal your blinds, don't sweat it. While it can make you look soft in a normal game, it is quite unlikely that you'll be up against the same players on future blinds in Rush Poker. You can't afford to be forced into a raising war with a bad hand.

5. Play VERY tight

While you should keep on the lookout for opportunities to profitably play less-than-optimal hands, most of your play should be super tight. Don't get lured into only playing the very strongest hands, but don't get caught up in raising wars on a marginal hand either, as your opponents will often only make a play with great hole cards, or at least hole cards with a lot of potential.

Do you have any suggestions of your own for playing Rush Poker at Full Tilt Poker? Have you got any good Rush Poker stories to tell? Please share your secrets with us all in the comments.

-Shad

WSOP's All-Star Tournament

2010-03-17T20:22:00.002-04:00

It's been several years since the last installment of the Tournament of Champions, but finally the World Series of Poker is bringing the event back. It's even getting a total overhaul, so hopefully it'll last a bit longer than the three-series TOC from 2004-2006.

During that time we got to see some of the biggest names in poker compete for the ultimate title, with Annie Duke, Mike Matusow, and Mike Sexton all taking out the championship.

The new All-Stars Tournament of Champions will be a combination of both traditional TOC rules and a new All-Stars format.

The tournament will include 27 players competing in a $1 million Freeroll, with the final table competitors all earning payouts, and $500,000 for the winner.

Five of those seats have already been reserved for all three Tournament of Champions winners, and the previous year's WSOP and WSOP ME winners (Joe Cada and Barry Shulman).

Two more seats will be filled by "sponsor exemptions", while the remaining 20 seats will be determined by fan votes. Anyone can make their votes count, but for a poker pro to be selected they must have won a bracelet in their career.

Additionally, the entire program will be televised on ESPN, so you'll be able to watch all the All-Stars action as it unfolds. Not too bad considering the long list of stars that will be in attendance.

As I said before, anyone can vote for the players they want to see in the tournament right here, so take your pick and let us know who you chose in the comments below!

- TheDoctor

Big Mistake for Antonius

2010-03-16T02:04:00.004-04:00

Accepting the 'durrrr' Challenge was the biggest blunder of Patrik Antonius' career, and it may turn out to be the cleverest of Tom Dwan's. After the most recent 61 hand session at Full Tilt Poker that lasted just 9 minutes, Dwan came away with $230,710 to bump his lead up to $1,986,418. If I ever lost $230,710 in 9 minutes, my kneecaps would be in pretty bad shape from all the loan shark attention.

To highlight just how screwed Antonius is right now, allow me to present you with some interesting numbers - if Antonius were to fold every single hand from now until the end of the challenge, he would be out by about $7.5 million. Since the last time he and Dwan were both at $0, at close to the 23,500 hand mark, Antonius has lost maybe $200 per hand. That means he's losing at least a small blind on every hand, and could expect to drop another $3.3 million plus $500,000 for losing the challenge if Dwan's winning ways continue at the same rate. Of course, current signs point to Dwan dominating even more as the challenge continues, so those average losses could end up being much greater.

While the challenge isn't over yet, these sorts of numbers must be frustrating for Antonius, and it can't be helping his performance. When you are looking at a probable loss of around $4 million, with the potential for a loss of more than $8 million, I'd laugh if you told me you didn't feel at least a little bit off your game. It looked like so much fun in the beginning, when Patrik and Tom were trading the lead on a regular basis, but now it's serious business that could cost Antonius a good chunk of his profits from 2009.

Let's not focus entirely on the ill-fortune of Antonius, however, as the 'durrrr' Challenge has been great news for its instigator. Tom Dwan has firmly planted his name in the minds of online poker players, and I would be surprised if his performance against Antonius wasn't a large part of the reason Full Tilt Poker signed him on as a part of Team Full Tilt, especially considering the devastating losses he was being dealt by Isildur1 at the time.

Do you think that Antonius will win, or will you be impressed if he can keep his losses below $4 million? Is Tom Dwan a genius, or just lucky things are working out for him? Let us know what you reckon in the comments.

-Shad

Isildur1 back in action

2010-03-11T20:17:00.004-05:00

The mystery man himself has returned to his massive winning (and losing) ways at the Full Tilt Poker tables, and has drawn quite a bit of attention for it. But then again, it's hard not to notice a faceless guy picking up around $1.4 million in a single day.

On Tuesday, both Cole South and Brian Hastings lined up to take on the unknown Swede in what was always going to be a highly publicized showing. Not surprisingly, Isildur1 cleaned up at the tables, eventually see both Cole and South take losses in excess of $500,000 each.

Brian Hastings should have known things weren't going to be friendly when, right off the bat, Isildur1 took almost $800k from Cole South, in what ended up being a 2,400-hand session.

As with all good poker players, Hastings was set on the challenge, and he squared off against Isildur1 later in the day. In a rematch of their December 2009 encounter (where Hastings clocked Isildur1 for more than $4 million), you could have been forgiven for thinking that Hastings had the mental advantage. On the contrary, Isildur1 came out all-guns-blazing and ended up wiping the floor with Hastings, picking up more than $550,000 in the process.

Running off such a lucrative streak, Isildur1 returned to the tables almost immediately and found several willing opponents. Unfortunately for Isildur1, his decision to take on both Tom "durrrr" Dwan and Phil "OMGClayAiken" Galfond last night wasn't exactly the best choice he's ever made. The Swede ended up losing not only the $1.4 million he picked up on Tuesday, but also another $220,000+.

It's been a long road to bankroll recovery for Isildur1, and this up-and-down run of form isn't exactly doing him any favors cash-wise. For such an aggressive player, the Swede was highly successful with his "play anyone" mentality in November of '09. While it's unclear whether he'll repeat the incredible matches that saw him crush Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and Tom Dwan, at least he's back in the high stakes headlines.

What do you think of Isildur1, and do you have any idea just who he could be? Let us know by commenting below!

- TheDoctor

Top 5 Poker Notties

2010-03-11T01:00:00.005-05:00

Maxim has just released its list of Top 20 Poker Hotties, and in the interests of fair coverage, I have decided to publish my list of the Top 5 Poker 'Notties'. If you don't recall the Paris Hilton classic 'The Hottie and the Nottie', a nottie is the unattractive opposite of a hottie. Pure genius.

All is not lost for the illustrious names on my list, however, as many of them rock so hard at poker that their levels of attractiveness skyrocket thanks to Golddigger's Theorem of Applied Cash: Unattractive + HUGEBUX = Hot (where HUGEBUX is equal to $3 million or more).

Without further ado, here is the list:

5. Phil Ivey's Random Photo Face

I'm not talking his posed photo face. The man looks fine when he knows a photo is being taken. What I am talking about is the face he seems to be making any time someone catches him unawares and takes a picture of him playing poker.

I think the only way he can correct this is to stop playing live poker and only play at Full Tilt, but I might just take my own life if this article convinced him to do that. It would be a kinder end than what millions of poker fans would do to me.

4. Count durrrr

Sometimes, not always but sometimes, he looks like a vampire. Straight up, that's what I think. Look at some of the pictures of Tom 'durrrr' Dwan and try to tell me he isn't a vampire from an old black and white film. Just try.

Okay, try less than that.

3. Brian Hastings in the pictures I see in any Isildur1 related news

Look at the picture. Now I'm going to give you a word:

Hobbit.

You cannot unsee what you have seen!

Anti-2. Patrik Antonius

Not bad looking. Not bad looking at all...

I am totally straight.

2. Joe Cada's little hat

If there is one thing I can't stand, it is guys in hats. It used to just be guys trying to look cool in fedoras, but now I can't take baseball caps, either.

YOU ARE INDOORS. HATS ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.

1. Isildur1

Can you get less attractive than this? I mean, what kind of person doesn't have a face, honestly? The only things uglier than Isildur1 are the epic swings he takes on the virtual felt. For reals, it is sickening how much his account balance seems to swing each day he hits Full Tilt Poker, and his lack of a face is almost as bad.

What do you think of my list of poker 'Notties'? Do you have any of your own additions? Do you have Patrik Antonius' number? Whatever you have to add, please tell us in the comments.

-Shad

Full Tilt Charity Event

2010-03-08T02:02:00.002-05:00

Full Tilt Poker is holding a charity event at 2:00PM ET on April 4th in tandem with PokerGives.org. The tourney will have a buy-in of $5 + $5, of which half will be added to the prize pool, and the other half will be donated to charities selected by PokerGives.

PokerGives was established in 2008 by Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher and Lisa Tenner. It is a poker charity organization dedicated to passing on as much money as possible to mainstream charities, and no board members draw a salary so that operating costs can remain lower than 5% of donations. Some of the charities that have benefited from past PokerGives efforts include the Special Olympics and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Full Tilt Poker isn't new to charity events, but this could be a much more efficient way for the site to support charity tournaments in the future. It would be good to see many more charity events on poker sites, and working with PokerGives could make it easier for Full Tilt to run them on a regular basis.

What sort of charity events would you like to see in online poker rooms? Just single tournaments, or perhaps a tournament series? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments.

-Shad

Getting Ready For 2010 WSOP

2010-03-05T01:41:00.002-05:00

Here at Poker.com, we can't start looking forward to the next World Series of Poker soon enough. Joe Cada and Darvin Moon are old news - which means that poker rooms like Full Tilt Poker and Titan Poker will soon begin offering WSOP seats. Here's some advice for players looking to score a seat in an online satellite tournament.

First up, if you are already going to a WSOP event for sure, just enter it directly and play for seats into other events. Then you aren't worrying about how much you could be spending IN ADDITION to a direct entry, which may throw you off your game entirely. Only players who cannot afford direct entries really benefit from satellite tournaments. Elite tournament players are a different story, but do you win tournaments consistently enough to consider yourself 'elite'? Also, if you have the money to enter directly, isn't your time better spent in ring games?

If you are on a low budget, then you should start playing in satellite tournaments as early as possible and enter tournaments with loyalty point buy-ins. Many poker rooms offer qualifiers in 'steps' where a low cost satellite moves you up to a higher cost one, and so on, until you are playing for a WSOP prize package. If your budget is very low, this may be the only way you can get to the WSOP, so you will need to start working on climbing the steps right away for as cheap an entry as possible per tournament. Don't expect a rise straight to the top - you'll probably stumble a few times before getting near the prize.

Make sure to take advantage of every single freeroll qualifier you can enter, if you have more time than money. Even if you are just playing for a ticket into the first stage of qualifiers, having the time to play in all the freerolls gives you some kind of advantage over the higher stakes players. Considering how many people play for WSOP seats at Full Tilt Poker every year, you can't pass up an opportunity to pull the odds in your favor.

Finally, if you don't have the money to enter a WSOP event directly and you don't have the time to play in every cheap qualifier and freeroll, then you need to choose your opportunities carefully. You should play in the highest step qualifiers you can afford that will give you the best opportunity at a WSOP seat. Other players have the resources to pursue more avenues of getting a seat, but you need to focus all your limited resources into the most likely events to send you to Las Vegas.

Does anyone else have some tips for playing for WSOP seats? Especially someone who has won a seat? Please impart your wisdom in the comments.

-Shad

Online Poker Beats Stress

2010-03-02T02:12:00.002-05:00

A Canadian study has revealed that playing online poker can have a stress reducing effect. Players engaged in a game can experience a drop in cortisol (a stress hormone) of up to 17%. I've read that cortisol causes nasty things like increases in blood pressure, but I'm no doctor, so I'll just mention that the report says a reduction is a good thing.

The report has hypothesized that the complexity of poker causes people to focus on it entirely, rather than worry about other stressful things. This leads to an overall calming effect, something that I have to say surprises me. I can't imagine that players are more relaxed than normal after experiencing a particularly bad beat!

I won't try to argue with research based on my own limited experience, though. News of a positive mental effect is great, as poker players will have experienced the benefits already, but have never been able to fully explain before why poker seems to leave them feeling so much better considering they are constantly putting cash on the line.

If the effect really is due to concentration on the game, it seems like online poker is a bit like meditation. Of course, I've never seen someone win thousands of dollars while meditating. I have seen people winning thousands at Full Tilt Poker, though - kind of frequently, actually, especially around about the time MiniFTOPS is happening.

What do you think? Have you felt less stressed while playing poker online? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments... unless you are too busy 'meditating' on how to play a monster pot.

-Shad

WPT LAPC: Negreanu behind

2010-02-28T23:56:00.003-05:00

Day 3 at the WPT LA Poker Classic has certainly been an interesting affair. We've seen one of the biggest names in poker, Daniel Negreanu, drop down the ranks, while relative unknown Timothy Begley has managed to hold onto second position.

The Canadian, Negreanu, may be the current WPT Earnings Leader, with cash prizes in excess of $5.5 million, but he wasn't able to produce his previous day's form and has toppled down the leaderboard. After finishing third yesterday, Negreanu's chip count has depleted to $165,000. The top ten has been chopping and changing for most of the day, and there will certainly be a few more surprises headed our way before this tournament is over.

The current chip leader, Mark Newhouse, has a massive lead on the rest of the field; his battle with Robert Mizrachi at the end of the day allowed his chip count to reach 577,000.

Masaaki Kagawa, chip leader at the end of Day 1, has recovered after a poor performance yesterday; he increased his chip count by almost 250,000 today, and looks quite comfortable in fourth position.

Vanessa Rousso had a bad day at the tables, dropping from sixth position to well under the average chip count. Annie Duke, on the other hand, has been playing consistently, and a final surge at the end of the day saw her finish with 360,000.

Here is the top ten as they stand at the end of Day 3 at the WPT LAPC:

1. Mark Newhouse - 577,000
2. Timothy Begley - 470,000
3. Bob Karnes - 437,000
4. Masaaki Kagawa - 414,000
5. Dan Martin Jr - 400,000
6. Chris Moore - 380,000
7. Annie Duke - 360,000
8. Michael Woo - 335,000
9. Taylor Paur - 314,000
10. John Cautela - 263,000

Can Daniel Negreanu fight back over the coming days? Who do you think will take out WPT LA Poker Classic for 2010? Let us know your opinions in the comments below!

- TheDoctor

Titan and Travolta

2010-02-24T02:09:00.003-05:00

You may have noticed that Titan Poker have been stepping up their game with marketing in recent weeks. With advertising taken up a notch, it should come as no surprise to learn that Titan Poker will be appearing in a few as-yet-unseen TV shows and films.

However, who would have thought that we'd ever see the legendary John Travolta settling down to a few hands of Titan Poker? Well, that's just what happens in his new film From Paris with Love.

The action blockbuster, based on a story by The Professional director Luc Besson, sees Travolta's character hitting the tables at Titan Poker. The marketing folks over at Titan have really gone above and beyond the call of duty on this one, and they will be using the film as part of their upcoming online promotion.

The film hit cinemas this month, so you can make up your own mind on how entertaining it is. While you're watching, though, be sure to keep an eye out for the Titan Poker scene. It'll be interesting to find out whether Travolta is as good at playing poker as he is dancing.

This could very well be the beginning of a new marketing strategy. While professional poker players have been featured time and time again in films, TV shows, and music videos (Daniel Negreanu, Annie Duke, and Gus Hansen, just to name a few), this is one of the first times that an online poker site has been featured on its own.

Do you have an opinion on Titan Poker appearing in From Paris with Love, or just have something to say about the movie? Let us know in the comments below!

- TheDoctor

FTOPS Main Event Deal

2010-02-23T19:18:00.002-05:00

There was an interesting turn of events at the Full Tilt Online Poker Series XV Main Event, when the last 7 players struck a deal to divide the remaining prize pool. This saw 4 players take away prizes worth more than $200,000 each and the remaining three players all got more than $150,000.

Tournament deals are a fairly recent addition to Full Tilt Poker, and this is probably the highest profile usage of them. While I suppose everyone involved in the deal is probably feeling pretty good right now, I can't help but think that deal making seems just a little off in a tournament as important as the FTOPS Main Event.

I understand that the players must have weighed up the level of competition and the likelihood of taking the top prize in the face of that. However, it wasn't as if anyone was looking at a tiny prize if they were the next player eliminated, as 8th place 'vice67' got $42,337.50 and 9th place 'trojancountry' took $29,636.25. In a major online tournament series like FTOPS, I expect that many players are in it for the competitive challenge just as much as the money. Making a deal just feels... off.

Let me make it clear that I don't judge the players for this decision. It's perfectly understandable, and it was an option on the table. I also don't blame Full Tilt, as I doubt they expected this was going to happen. No one is at fault, but I hope that in future the FTOPS Main Event will not allow deals. I don't think it is an event that should only be about the money, and disallowing deals may make players think of it more like a competitive title rather than just a really big prize pool.

What do you think? Are deals acceptable in every tournament or should they not be allowed in the biggest events? Tell us your opinion in the comments.

-Shad

Isildur1 is on fire

2010-02-18T01:38:00.004-05:00

He/She/It is back! Isildur1 has gone on a recent tear on the high stakes tables at Full Tilt Poker. He came away $1,187,406 richer after 30 hours of play at one point, and he has continued to perform well in multiple days of $800K plus profit. He is also participating in many of the richest hands again, and better yet - he's winning a lot more of them!

So far, Isildur1 has gone up against Justin 'ZeeJustin' Bonomo, Ashton Griffin, Alexander Kostritsyn, Di 'Urindanger' Dang, Ilari 'Ziigmund' Sahamies, and his old foes Tom 'durrrr' Dwan, Brian Hastings and Gus Hansen. Chat logs between durrrr and Isildur1 also suggest that the mystery player has learnt a lesson about setting boundaries. Durrrr has complained that Isildur1 has 'too many rules' when the Swede makes attempts to move the game from PLO to Hold 'Em. Of course, too many of the pros are aware of Isildur1's Hold 'Em abilities to go into that trap quietly. Durrrr more than anyone.

It's looking more and more like Isildur1 is going to become a mainstay of the Full Tilt nosebleeds, though he will have to avoid players like Patrik Antonius and Phil Ivey until he's a little more seasoned. Hopefully he'll also abandon his habit of incredibly long sessions, especially on his off days when he just keeps digging himself into a bigger hole.

Are you as excited about Isildur1's return to high limits as I am? You should be, but whether you agree or disagree, tell me all about it in the comments.

-Shad

Can Antonius Recover?

2010-02-17T01:19:00.003-05:00

The first round of the 'durrrr' challenge at Full Tilt Poker should (finally) be coming to a close in the near future. Tom 'durrrr' Dwan and Patrik Antonius have now played almost 33,000 of their 50,000 challenge hands. However, a recent session of just 79 hands and the fact that Dwan is leading by $1,414,551 leads me to wonder whether we'll be waiting a full year or more until the two pros see this through.

Now, with more than 17,000 hands to go, Antonius could still make his money back. He has made a full recovery from a situation almost as dire before, and it only took him about 4,000 hands to pull that off. However, it is looking more and more like durrrr has Antonius' number, and I'm not sure that there's hope of recovery. Antonius' rallies just aren't winning him enough back, and it's looking pretty disastrous for him at the moment.

If Antonius just manages to keep his losses at their current level for the next 17,000 hands, he still could lose near $2 million overall once he pays the additional $500,000 for losing the challenge. I suspect that, at best, he'll be able to bring his losses back down to beneath 500K, but even then he'll lose close to $1 million. With all this in mind, and all the stats clearly pointing to continued durrrr dominance, what will keep Antonius coming back to the tables? I'm beginning to think that a short time limit should have been imposed on the challenge, and I hope that Dwan insists on one with his next opponent if he actually decides to continue with another challenge.

What do you think about the pace of the 'durrrr' challenge? Do you agree with me, that it desperately needs a time limit as well as its hand limit? Please tell us all about it in the comments.

-Shad

Poker Maven Awards

2010-02-14T20:32:00.003-05:00

The first annual Poker Maven Awards has begun voting, and will be coordinated by the Woman Poker Player Magazine. The event aims to recognize achievements of women in poker, and contributions made for the continuing increase of female poker players.

The awards will cover a wide range of areas pertaining to women in poker, with recognition given to the most female-friendly online poker room, as well as an award for the poker employee that has contributed the most to promote the growth of women in poker. The top female poker player for 2009 will also be announced.

The editing manager of Woman Poker Player, Maryann Morrison, is the brainchild behind the Poker Maven Awards, and is keen on continuing the trend of encouraging more women to play poker.

"I wanted to do something to push the poker industry to start thinking more about the women who play. It doesn't mean that the industry needs additional women's only events, there are other ways to market to the female demographic. It equates to the recognition and support of women, their potential, and their advancement in this industry."

Everyone can have their say on who they feel is most deserving of each award, and voting will continue until March 31. At the end of the selection period, all votes will be compiled and announced soon after.

If you would like to vote in the inaugural Poker Maven Awards, you can do so by heading over to the Woman Poker Player website here.

What are you thoughts on the continuing promotion of women in poker, and will you be making your voice heard through the Poker Maven Awards? Let us know by commenting below!

- TheDoctor

The Matador Rejoins Full Tilt

2010-02-11T22:46:00.003-05:00

He may have been flying under the media radar recently, but that doesn't mean that Carlos "The Matador" Mortensen hasn't been hitting the tables regularly. After a short hiatus, Full Tilt Poker has announced the re-signing of the WSOP champ.

The story started as a rumor amongst several poker blogs before being confirmed by Full Tilt. The Matador is now appearing across as range of sites as the new addition to Full Tilt's Pros, and there is speculation that he will soon be back on the regular tournament scene.

While there was no real media hubbub about Mortensen rejoining his former sponsors, it is clear that The Matador will bring an experienced and professional edge to the already illustrious list of Full Tilt Pros.

For those who weren't around to see Mortensen's rise to fame during the early Noughties, you would probably recognize his unusual chip-stacking style (pictured).

A two-time World Series of Poker champion, Mortensen started his professional poker career after moving from Spain to the United States in the late 1990s. He basically came out of nowhere to snatch the ultimate prize at the 2001 WSOP: the $10,000 Championship Event - No Limit Hold'em. The victory was followed up two years later by a second WSOP bracelet when he took out the $5,000 Limit Hold'em event.

Mortensen has also won two World Poker Tour titles, as well as a string of other poker events throughout the world. His return to Full Tilt could be a harbinger of great things to come.

What are your thoughts on Full Tilt re-signing the two-time bracelet-winning Matador? Will his dominance from nearly a decade ago continue? Or will he find it difficult to compete at the same level as fellow Full Tilt Pros like Phil Ivey and Patrick Antonius? Have your say by commenting below!

- TheDoctor