Poker Blog - Poker.com

Antonius wins biggest online pot

2009-11-19T00:24:00.005-05:00

It was only a few days ago that we were salivating at the thought of how much cash some of the best high stakes players make. And now this!

Full Tilt Poker has just seen the largest pot in the history of online poker created in one of their rooms. And it wasn't just two unknowns playing for the cash, either. Two of the biggest money winners in online poker, Patrik Antonius and Isildur1, faced off in a pot worth an incredible $878,958.50!

"Isildur1 opened for $3,000 preflop and Antonius called. The flop came 5h-7h-Qs and Antonius checked. "Isildur1"bet $5,000 and Antonius raised to $21,000. Isildur1 called and the turn brought the Ad and a ton of action. Antonius bet $48,000 and Isildur1 raised to $192,000. Antonius then moved all-in for $415,479.50 and was called by Isildur1, creating the largest pot in online poker history at $878,958.50."

While both players showed the top two pair, it was Antonius who took glory when the river produced the Eight of Diamonds - he needed either an Eight or a Heart to win, while Isildur1 was holding out for a non-Heart King or Jack.

Full Tilt's Patrik Antonius went on to win $3 million from Isildur1, a huge dent in his account, especially when you consider that he is ranked as the fourth highest cash winner in online poker, with just over $5 million.

Isildur1's identity is still unknown, although Barry Greenstein did reveal that he was Swedish and that we'd be seeing a lot more of him in the future. All I can say is that I certainly hope so. He's an incredible player, and I'm sure this loss won't keep him down for long.

Still, congratulations to Patrik Antonius for such a momentous win! Do you think we'll be seeing more of these incredible pots in the near future? Have your say by commenting below.

Biggest Online Winners

2009-11-17T01:27:00.002-05:00

In a recent thread at 2+2, there was a post on the top 11 winning and losing high stakes poker players online. For your convenience, here are the top 11 and their recent earnings:

1. Phil Ivey with $12,901,299
2. OMGClayAiken with $7,651,217
3. Patrik Antonius with $7,272,543
4. Isildur1 with $5,033,951
5. Urindanger with $4,705,220
6. trex313 with $4,588,666
7. howisitfeellike with $4,073,977
8. Ziigmund with $3,584,047
9. KaiBuxxe with $3,186,717
10. theASHMAN with $2,960,874
11. Mark Vos with $2,906,447

Phil Ivey clearly makes a very decent living from high stakes games. His playing in live tournaments must simply be a vanity and a way of getting better sponsorship deals. I recall an interview where he mentioned that most tournaments cannot compare to high stakes ring games in terms of income for him, due to the amount of money that can be won per hand in a ring game. He really is just that good.

It's encouraging to see Patrik Antonius ranking so highly, especially as that same forum post revealed that Tom 'durrrr' Dwan of the durrrr Challenge is no longer in the top 50 high stakes earners. Interestingly, both Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius are members of Team Full Tilt, an honour that Dwan recently received as well. Perhaps the two more successful high stakes players can teach durrrr how to have a long lasting poker career - like not challenging everyone to incredibly high stakes games and deliberately setting the odds against yourself. In Dwan's defence, he is doing very well in the challenge currently, though the balance of wins seems to be swinging to Antonius once more.

Now, here is the list of the bottom 11 from worst to the least worst:

1. noataima at -$7,126,621
2. lady marmelade at -$6,632,177
3. patatino at -$5,924,545
4. Gus Hansen at -$5,520,219
5. elmariachimacho at -$4,161,883
6. Niki Jedlicka at -$2,396,580
7. LarsLuzak at -$2,030,695
8. ahtata at -$1,615,234
9. MR B 2 U SON at -$1,570,698
10. KObyTAPOUT at -$1,502,831
11. Brandon Adams at -$1,477,492

The total losses for those 11 are around $39,958,975. Wow, that's a lot of money, and bad news for Gus Hansen with his $5,924,545 in losses. I really feel for the big money players on a downswing in fortunes, but I also weep for the fact that they are losing amounts that may exceed my lifetime income! Oh well, more power to them, and here's hoping they can break through their losing streaks.

The moral of this story is simple: do not mess with Full Tilt Poker's Phil Ivey or Patrik Antonius unless you have somehow leveraged a massive advantage over them. Also, when you play high stakes, the losses can be staggering. Have the bankroll to survive a bad run, or else stick to lower stakes.

Do you have your own stories about winning streaks or losing runs in your online poker play? Pour your heart out in the comments.

durrrr joins Full Tilt

2009-11-11T18:53:00.008-05:00

With all the excitement of 21-year-old Joe Cada taking out the World Series of Poker Main Event, it seems that another rising star has almost been forgotten.

It has been more than a year in the making, and with speculation running rampant, Full Tilt Poker finally made a statement regarding the talented Tom "durrrr" Dwan.

"Team Full Tilt doesn't take adding a team member lightly," said Team Full Tilt member, Howard Lederer. "But, Tom Dwan has proven, through skill and dynamic play, that he will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come. We are proud to count Tom as one of our own."

The only surprising thing about this entire event is that it has taken so long for Dwan to be recruited. Full Tilt haven't signed any new members since Patrick Antonius way back in June, 2008, but with the inclusion of Dwan, Team Full Tilt is looking rather imposing with the likes of Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, and Erik Seidel in the mix.

So now that he's a full-blown member, Dwan gets all the perks that come with such a title. You'll be able to check up on his Full Tilt blog, share in his poker wisdom at the Full Tilt Poker Academy, and, of course, play against him at the online tables.

Check out the video below to hear what fellow Full Tilt members had to say about the kid who has already won more than $1.1 million in his young career.

What do you think about Tom Dwan's recent success? Have your say by commenting below.

I was wrong!

2009-11-09T01:37:00.003-05:00

Man, I was complaining about the bookies suggesting that Darvin Moon was the most likely to bust out Phil Ivey, and what does Ivey go and do? He gets busted out by Darvin Moon!

Ivey moved all in with Ace of Clubs/King of Spades against Moon's Ace of Diamonds/Queen of Spades. It's understandable that Ivey would go all-in with that, and it's understandable Moon would call. Unfortunately for the greatest poker player in the world, sometimes the cards just don’t go your way. The flop gave Moon another Queen, and there was no help for Ivey.

Sometimes that's just the way things go in poker, though. Anyone who criticizes Ivey for busting out to Moon should remember how patient he was before then and that everyone at the table treated him as dangerous right through to the end. I'm sure a few cocky upstarts will try to find Ivey in a high stakes game at Full Tilt Poker. I'm equally sure that many of those players will quickly regret their mistake and beat a hasty retreat.

Ivey busted out in seventh place for prize money of $1,404,002. That bumps up his WSOP earnings to a bit over $5 million total, and his total tournament winnings rank him as one of the biggest tournament earners of all time. This is nothing but a minor setback for him, and it'll be interesting to see how he performs in the WSOP next year.

The WSOP Main Event final table is now down to the final two: Joe Cada and Darvin Moon. Cada has the chip lead with 136,925,000 chips and Moon is at a disadvantage at 58,875,000 chips. PokerStars must be ecstatic to have signed Cada just before his final table performance, as if this young poker pro wins the WSOP, he's certain to become a poker superstar. Moon is still in with a shot, however, and there's every chance he could win this if he gets another stroke of luck like the one that took out Ivey for him.

What do you think about how the WSOP Main Event final table has run? Do you think it will be good or bad for poker? Please tell us in the comments below. We'll have a full wrap-up of the 2009 WSOP Main Event once Joe Cada and Darvin Moon have gone head-to-head later in the week, but you can read more about what's happened so far in our news section.

- Shad

Who will win the Main Event?

2009-11-02T01:50:00.004-05:00

It's been hyped for four long months, but the World Series of Poker Main Event is just around the corner. This Friday, November 6, in fact.

Odds are currently pointing in Darvin Moon's favor, if only for the fact that he is the clear chip leader. Moon is an incredible example of how an amateur poker player can compete at the highest level in the sport. A logger from Maryland, Moon took out $130 satellite event to move into the WSOP Main Event. Alongside Steven Begleiter and Antoine Saout, Moon has no WSOP earnings to his name. Yet.

Phil Ivey is the only member of the November Nine that has any WSOP bracelets, seven in total. If it weren't for his meagre chip count, he would be far and away the favorite to win, but as it stands he has to be content with his odds.

While it may be true that Ivey is the only bracelet winner, five other competitors have two or more WSOP cashes to their name. Eric Buchman, Jeff Shulman, Joe Cada, Kevin Schaffel, and James Akenhead are all veterans of the World Series of Poker, and all know just what it takes to finish in the money.

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

So who do you think will take out this year's Main Event? Will Darvin Moon shock everyone and beat out the pros? Or will Phil Ivey prove his dominance of the sport by coming from nearly 50 million chips down to win? Have your say by commenting below.

Daniel Negreanu's top 10 players

2009-10-27T21:12:00.002-04:00

Daniel Negreanu: PokerStars pro, Kid Poker, and self-confessed poker stats geek.

In a recent blog entitled "I am a Stats Geek Like No Other", Negreanu dissects mountains of statistics and information in order to systematize his top ten poker professionals into three unique lists.

You can take a look at Negreanu's official blog here.

Kid Poker took every player who had participated in 30 or more World Poker Tour events into consideration, and assumed that there would be a standard ROI (return on investment) of at least $20k in order to cover food, accommodation, flights, taxes, etc.

He used several categories to organize the 176 qualifying players into the lists, with Total Earnings, Final Tables, and Cash Percentages all factoring into the final result.

The results are quite interesting:

Top Ten Players in Earnings Per Event:

1. Carlos Mortensen - $107,354.29
2. Jonathan Little - $93,077.19
3. Martin DeKnijff - $92,130.72
4. David Chiu - $91,053.53
5. Gus Hansen - $90,816.93
6. Tuan Le - $90,781.26
7. Nick Schulman - $77,838.60
8. Michael Mizrachi - $69,479.43
9. Daniel Negreanu - $68,591.79
10. Alan Goehring - $59,936.17

Bottom Ten Players in Earnings Per Event:

Don Barton - $2,056.33
Matt Glanttz - $1,794.71
Jean-Roberte Bellande - $1,792.57
John Esposito - $1,678.67
Yosh Nakano - $1,547.50
Jason Lester - $1,010.52
Robert Williamson III - $1,000.00
Alan Schien - $938.45
Dan Alspach - $728.47
Frank Kassela - $606.29

"Essentially what that means, is that for every $10,000 on average that these players put into an event, they get back what's listed."

Finally, Negreanu lists his top 10 (okay, 11) players based on final table percentages:

1. Gus Hansen - 15.6%
2. Scotty Nguyen - 11.1%
3. Jonathan Little - 10.8%
4. Phil Ivey - 10.5%
5. Ted Forrest - 8.8%
6. Daniel Negreanu - 8.6%
6. Can Kim Hua - 8.6%
6. Humberto Brenes - 8.6%
9. David Pham - 8.4%
10. Steve Sung - 8.3%
10. Hoyt Corkins - 8.3%

- TheDoctor

Poker Dad Hits Supernova Elite

2009-10-27T02:50:00.003-04:00

The PokerStars blog has reported that Dan 'DannyOhBoy' Grolemund has reached PokerStars' top VIP level - Supernova Elite - for earning 1 million VPPs. That's impressive enough as it is, but it gets better, as he did it in just 10 months and all while looking after his newborn baby boy.

Grolemund even credits his son with helping him, saying "It is because of him that I was able to reach Supernova Elite so soon." It may seem like a baby would make earning 1 million VPPs even harder to achieve, but the more you hear from Grolemund, the more it seems to make sense. If his kid has a poker face anything like the one pictured here, there'll be a promising future for the lad.

He apparently followed a strict schedule revolving around his son.

"I planned my poker sessions around his sleep schedule. I moved a high chair and a playpen right next to my computer," said Grolemund.

Most of the focus has been on how unbelievable it is that he managed to do this while looking after his new kid (1 of 3) and keeping his business running wife happy, but I can honestly see how poker and caring for an infant would be complementary. Many stay-at-home parents find that they need some purpose outside of their role as carer, and who here wouldn't consider poker to be a fun way to do that?

Apparently, Grolemund is going to continue playing despite having achieved Supernova Elite level, which goes to show how it's so much easier to achieve goals like this when you make them a habit. Continuing isn't such a bad idea, either, as there are tangible benefits to earning so many VPPs, a fact that Grolemund used to convince his wife that this whole venture was a good idea.

"I sat down with my wife at the beginning of the year, explained the benefits of becoming a Supernova Elite, and we both agreed that I should go for it ... She can't wait to go on the two luxury vacations that PokerStars will provide to us," said Grolemund.

Is anyone else out there a stay-at-home parent who plays poker as well as raising kids? Have you got any tips on how to manage your time effectively? Tell us all about it in the comments.

-Shad

UFC Poker Room

2009-10-22T07:11:00.005-04:00

You may not know this, but I'm an MMA fan. My favorite fighter is Michael Bisping, and no, I am not from England.

Today I was surprised to see the UFC have launched a poker room. What are they thinking? You don't even have the option of playing for real money and the software is nowhere near as nice as somewhere like Full Tilt Poker.

They've had an interest in poker recently though. For proof of this phenomena, look at the early eliminations in the WSOP Main Event in recent years to find many UFC stars. I guess it makes sense seeing as so many events are held in Vegas at places like Mandaly Bay.

I'm not sure how happy previous poker sponsors of the UFC will be with this move, though. It might get UFC fans interested in poker a little bit more, and it'll get them used to playing online, but it does seem like competition. It's hard to tell what's going on here, but it has to be more than just a UFC advertisement.

My advice would probably be to steer clear of the UFC room if you are looking to play poker. It's good for curiosity value only if you are looking for the best online poker games.

Any other mixed martial arts fans or martial artists out there? Are you interested in playing in a UFC themed poker room? Tell us all about it in the comments.

- Shad

Regulating US online poker

2009-10-20T01:00:00.007-04:00

I was reading an interesting article published on the Los Angeles Times website this morning regarding Internet gambling in the United States. You can check out the full piece here.

Michael Hiltzik argues that "the activity [online gambling] is unstoppable, so let's regulate it."

That statement alone is sure to hit more than a few nerves with the conservatives on this topic, but he makes a good point. The USA is one of the few countries on the globe that has passed any law related to online gambling, yet it boasts the most popular gambling venues, poker tournaments, and gambling-based television channels in the world. Hypocrisy?

"Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) have both introduced bills in Congress to lift a federal ban on much online play and clarify the law, which is ambiguous in the way it defines online gambling and is difficult even for the banks it concerns and lawyers to understand.

Their goals include taking a piece of the action for the U.S. Treasury, on the political principle that sins always seem less deadly when there's money to be squeezed from them. The consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated in 2007 that legalization could yield as much as $43 billion in tax revenue over 10 years if it includes sports betting, $34 billion even if it doesn't."

Hiltzik isn't one to beat around the bush, and Internet gambling seems to be a subject quite close to his heart.

"It's fair to say that the American approach to Internet gambling, which is legal in much of the rest of the world, is absurd. (Indeed, the federal ban placed the U.S. in Dutch with international trading partners that host online gambling companies, which have complained to the World Trade Organization that it violates trade treaties the U.S. signed.) State laws are wildly inconsistent and sometimes hypocritically excessive.

This is always a great topic to discuss, so why not state your opinion on the current Internet gambling laws by commenting below.

-TheDoctor

Slow rolling young punks

2009-10-16T02:23:00.002-04:00

It's Friday, so here's one of my favorite WSOP videos to help your day go faster.

Love seeing the old guy show the young whippersnapper who's got 'the nuts'!

Holy man wins $100k

2009-10-13T02:31:00.003-04:00

Who'da thunk it?

Last week we brought you the story of South Carolina priest Father Andrew Trapp being accepted to compete in the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge. If his audition tape was anything to go by, he wasn't going to last long at the tables.

Well, we couldn't have been more wrong!

Trapp ended up defeating not only NBA Champion John Salley, and Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Rousso, but also four-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu. I bet that there aren't too many priests who can say they've done that.

The good Father picked up $100,000 for his troubles, and now has a chance to head back to the tables in December for the $1,000,000 grand prize.

True to his word, Trapp immediately donated all of his winnings to the St. Michael's Church in Southern California. His goal for a new church is currently $1.5 million short, so you can bet your bottom dollar that he will be out to win come the end of the year.

You too can join in on the Million Dollar Challenge at PokerStars, so head on over, sign up, and submit a quick 2-minute video for your chance to topple "Father Rambo" in the finals.

- TheDoctor

Win a Porsche at PokerStars

2009-10-08T03:08:00.003-04:00

PokerStars is offering its players the chance to win a Porsche if they deposit or reload into their PokerStars account before 17 October. It's a promotion limited to players in North America, though, which seems odd considering Porsches are German. Surely PokerStars could include European players in this promotion, too?

But I digress. If you deposit at PokerStars in the period from 28 September to 17 October, and you live in North America, then your account will be credited with a ticket to the Win a Porsche tournament. This tourney will be held at 13:00ET on 18 October, which is a Sunday. New players making their first deposit will need to enter the promo code 'NEWCAR' in order to get a ticket, while existing players reloading their account will need to enter the promo code 'WINCAR'. Once you have deposited with the correct code, you just register for the tourney.

The car being played for is a Porsche Cayman S, and players who finish in the top 100 of this tourney will come away with some of the added cash prize. It's a pretty sweet car, and it can do 0 to 60mph in 5.1 seconds, with a top speed of 171mph. The Porsche Cayman S can actually reach a speed of 125mph in 18.6 seconds - not that it matters, since we are all responsible adults here. Yes. Responsible.

FAST CARS GO ZOOOOOOOM! HAHAHAHAHAAAA!

Ahem. Anyway, if you want to become a speed demon, I'd suggest getting yourself an entry into this tournament.

- Shad

Poker-playing priest

2009-10-07T19:41:00.002-04:00

There seems to be a new star of TV poker this week, and he goes by the name of Father Andrew Trapp.

Trapp is an assistant pastor at St. Michael Catholic Church in Garden City Beach, Southern California, and is competing in PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge. The PokerStars tournament hits the airwaves this Sunday, and so far Trapp has already picked up $25,000.

The winnings have earned him the right to continue playing in the competition alongside poker greats such as Daniel Negreanu.

A priest playing poker raises several questions of ethics, but Trapp is standing firm, making a statement in a recent release that "people across the country [need] to see that there are still young men choosing to be priests, and that one can be joy-filled and have fun as one serves God."

Trapp defends his poker playing by saying that all of the winnings go to help build a new, bigger church. But what about the losses, Andrew?

Have your say on this hot topic by commenting below. Don't forget to watch the Father's audition tape first, though! There is some incredible acting on offer.

Role models in poker

2009-10-07T02:54:00.005-04:00

One thing I notice comes up often in poker blogs is an obsession with the behavior of poker players who are in the spotlight. Poker bloggers seem to freak out at anything that could possibly be interpreted as bad for the image of the game. I could understand this if poker was in its infancy and only just creeping into the public consciousness, but poker is massive. I think poker bloggers need to chill out when the mainstream media reports on some poker player acting out.

Let me lay out a few of the things that keep me cool when I see a news story about a misbehaving player.

1. Most people have no concept of poker culture. To them it is just a game.

If you're worried about people unfamiliar with poker relating behavior to poker play, then you don't really get it. Perhaps poker players have some kind of poor reputation with those who are fundamentally against gambling. Someone who knows nothing about poker, however, has no idea that there is such a thing as poker culture. If they just think of poker as a game, then why would they make a connection between someone's bad behavior and their play of a card game? Sure, there is some prejudice against gamblers in general, but again, only those fundamentally against gambling will actually associate playing poker with other things they consider to be bad behaviour.

Also, while not everyone is familiar with poker, not everyone is familiar with cricket, either. Cricket is one of the most widely watched and played sports in the world, but many Americans would not be able to follow it, as it just isn't played or watched much in the US. If a story on a cricket player being uncovered as a jewel thief were shown in the US, do you think this would damage its reputation in the eyes of people who don't care about cricket? It seems doubtful, doesn't it?

2. Poker is big enough to survive more than a few knocks

Consider that PokerStars can get more than 300,000 people playing on the same day. There are even more players than that who have a PokerStars membership and just didn't play on the record setting day. We aren't going to lose those players to negative reports about poker players, and those same players will defend poker and its culture to those unlikely people who would vocally denigrate the game because of one famous player's misdeeds. 300,000 PokerStars members behaving just like anyone else are going to have a bigger real impact than 1 or 2 famous poker players going wild.

3. The dark side of poker remains part of its appeal

It's not all bad that some people expect a few shady characters at the poker table, as it can be quite appealing. The element of risk is part of what makes poker so compelling, and the risk is seen as part of the culture as well as part of the game. That you could end up dealing with some underhanded types is part of the fantasy for countless numbers of players. It's not that people want the chance of getting ripped off by shady operators, but rather that they are outsmarting the bad guys and prevailing in the face of all that risk. Poker is cool. It would be a lot less cool if it didn't have its bad boy reputation.

For me, I just don't think that poker players need to be examples of perfect social graces and impeccable behavior. I'd prefer it if they were, because it's much better dealing with nice gals and guys than it is with sociopaths. I simply think that nobody needs to worry too much about poker getting a bad name due to a few rotten apples.

What do you think about famous poker players and their responsibility to act as a public face of poker? Should they be on best behavior at all times, or do you think that the acts of individuals will be attributed to those individuals rather than to a game they play? Please tell us your views in the comments.

- Shad

Poker deemed "skill game" by judge

2009-10-05T19:49:00.003-04:00

A Southern California judge has today ruled that poker is a game of skill, and therefore should not be considered gambling under the law.

The news has been met with rampant praise by the poker community, not least of which the Poker Players Alliance. The PPA are one of the leading poker advocacy groups that incorporates over 10,000 members in Southern California, and more than one million across the entire United States.

"Poker is not a crime in South Carolina or anywhere else, and we are grateful to the court for compiling the overwhelming evidence that proves this case and protects the rights of players," said John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance.

"This ruling is fully consistent with the declarations of other judges and juries across the country that Texas Hold'em is clearly a game of predominant skill and adults who play should not be criminalized."

After five people were convicted of illegal gambling, their cases were moved to a higher court in an attempt to reverse the decisions. The court cited the overwhelming evidence that poker is dominated by skill rather than chance, and the convictions were eventually withdrawn.

"All poker players are well aware that the game is based on making the correct, informed decisions, not just mere chance, and games of predominant skill should not be classified in the same league as slot machines or lotteries," said John Ridgeway, South Carolina State Director of the PPA.

"We're very pleased that the judge considered the overwhelming evidence and came to the same conclusion. This is a well deserved legal victory for the players, the American game of poker, and for common sense under the law."

Have your say on the current issues that plague poker in the United States by commenting below. There will certainly be more news surrounding this event in the weeks to come.

WSOP Ladies on Amazing Race

2009-10-01T20:11:00.005-04:00

The Amazing Race has kicked off in fine fashion, and the two-hour premiere hosted a couple of familiar faces to the poker community.

Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle are competing in the new season of the show, and have already made quite a splash after episode one. The girls' claim to fame is being the last women
remaining in the World Series of Poker Main Event.

The pair have gained their fair share of both fans and critics due to some outspoken comments made throughout the program. At one point they were in first position, but somehow managed to slip right back to last place, only narrowly escaping elimination at the finish line.

There have been plenty of journalists and commentators willing to put their two cents into the Michelle and Ho opinion poll.

Poker journalist Jon Wein stated that he "had to turn it off after [Tiffany Michelle] and Maria Ho implied they were rich for like the eighteenth time."

"It literally makes me sick that Tiffany Michelle gets this much coverage and publicity for one Main Event run. She's done nothing else."

However, not everyone was opposed to the ladies. Poker tournament reporter B.J. Nemeth knew both women well before their primetime spotlight, and he believes that their appearance on the show won’t have an effect on the poker scene.

"If [Michelle and Ho] perform well or win, it won't be because they are poker players. If they embarrass themselves and lose, it won't be because they are poker players. And I don't think mainstream fans will judge the poker industry by how they finish... The impact on poker is very different from Annie Duke's presence on 'Celebrity Apprentice', where she was only on the show because she was a famous poker player, and it was brought up repeatedly from a strategy standpoint and in the boardroom with Donald Trump."

Have your say about the appearance of Michelle and Ho on the Amazing Race by commenting below. And be sure to keep us updated on your opinions as the season progresses.

Test Your Poker IQ

2009-10-01T03:02:00.003-04:00

The World Series of Poker Academy has released two online poker IQ tests. You can test your skills at cash games and tournaments to see how your poker knowledge stacks up against everyone else who has taken the test.

You'll have to hand over your name, phone number, and email address to take these tests, but you seem to have to hand those over to breathe oxygen these days. In both of the tests, you play through a simulated poker tournament or cash game, and your actions determine your poker IQ.

In the tournament test, you first get a look at the payouts for the tourney and then begin to play. You are taken through 4 stages of the tournament: the early stage, the middle stage, the bubble stage, and the endgame stage. Once you have played through the full number of hands for the test, you receive a poker IQ score based on how you played and then a further report via email on your IQ at each of the different stages.

In the cash game test, you are told the rules of the game you're playing and then jump right into the action. Instead of playing through different stages, you just continue to play until all the test hands have been completed. At the end of the test, you receive your overall IQ score and an email report that tells you your IQ at preflop, the flop, the turn, and the river. You are also graded on bet size, appropriately aggressive play, adjusting to your opponents' style, knowing the odds, respecting previous action, timing your strategic moves, position, and bluffing.

Both reports also include suggestions for poker academies that you should attend. It's a very interesting test, and the suggestions it offers are quite helpful. I gave both a try and noticed that the areas that I've been trying to work on were strong, but that I'd probably weakened in others. Oh well, back to practice and I'll try the test again in the future.

Have you taken the WSOP Academy poker IQ test? If so, please tell us about how you went in the comments below, or tell us how you work to improve your game.

- Shad

Lady Gaga shows her Poker Face

2009-09-29T20:08:00.007-04:00

The Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival has extended an invitation to pop sensation Lady Gaga to compete in their main event. The singer of PokerFace, which reached the top of 18 singles charts worldwide, is expected to be in attendance with several other famous faces.

"It would be great if she could come and we'll even make room for Kanye," Kate McLennan, Ladbrokes' head of poker, stated.

"The question everyone wants to know is if Lady Gaga can make sweet music on the green baize."

Both Lady Gaga and Kanye West, who are currently touring together, have a break in their schedule that will allow them to compete in the Ladbroke Festival's 550Euro Main Event that begins on October 2.

While Lady Gaga has yet to confirm her appearance at the tournament, several other famous personalities from past and present have acknowledged that they will take part in the Main Event, one of whom is Shane Lynch from Irish boy-band Boyzone.

Last year's event was a sellout that saw 832 competitors setting a European record, with Irishman Jimmy McSweeney taking home the first place prize of 100,000Euro.

This year will see that prize money skyrocket to a 250,000Euro guaranteed Main Event. The festival also includes a two-day 270Euro+30 tournament on October 3, and a one-day 150Euro+20 event on October 4.

Despite the title of her number one hit, I'm not entirely positive Lady Gaga can clean up at this event, but who's to say her poker face won't pull her through?

Have your say about what you think will happen if Miss Gaga does attend the event, and don't forget to post a comment below about any other celebrities you've seen or heard of at poker events, past or upcoming.

I Ain't No Iron Man

2009-09-28T02:37:00.004-04:00

When it comes to variant poker tournaments, there is one rule change that I would not be able to tolerate: no breaks. What happy news then that such a tournament type has been developed.

In the $16,000 Iron Man tournament in the Commerce Casino Hold 'Em series, players soon found that there is a very good reason for tournament breaks. Matt Savage, the mastermind behind this new tournament format, was also careful to disallow deals of any kind. When he named it the Iron Man event, he clearly wasn't going to settle for anything less than players hallucinating from exhaustion by the end of the tournament, so no nambly, pambly deals were allowed.

Surprisingly, the tournament only lasted 19 hours and 21 minutes, going to Brett "Ghostdog" Radin. This may have been due to the many early bust outs, with 8 players gone in the first level, and 40 out in the first 6 hours. Plans have been made for another of these tournaments to be held at the 2010 LA Poker Classic, but is there really enough of a demand for it?

While the early bust outs are being put down to incredibly loose players, maybe there is a reason they were playing that loose? 6 hours isn't all that long for poker, but if every single toilet break means skipping a few hands, I think the novelty is going to wear off fast. There's talk of making such events invitational. I have no idea how they'd manage to attract anyone, though, as this only comes off as a gimmick to me.

Let me put it this way: Would you ever see someone like Phil Ivey or Daniel Negreanu in a tournament like this? I doubt it. I don't just mean because those two play bigger tournament circuits than the Commerce Casino Hold 'Em Series. What I mean is that this format could never reach the big tournament series that such high calibre players contest. No breaks makes a tournament a test of overall energy levels and bladder control, but not skill. The prize money for such an event would never be enough to tempt the best to give it a shot, and I just don't think the unique competitive aspect of staying awake and aware would be attractive to the most successful pros.

If you like minimal breaks in poker tournaments but can still see the need to stop for a stretch, snack or toilet break each hour or so, then it makes more sense to play online poker. Full Tilt Poker has brief hourly breaks that pause the action for just long enough to be humane, while not keeping you away from the table for more than is necessary. As breaks are scheduled to stop all tournaments each hour, except for those that have only recently begun, you can play multiple games at once while still benefiting from the occasional short break.

What's the longest poker tournament you've ever played in? Was it worth it, or did you and your bladder learn the importance of a scheduled nip to the toilet once in a while? Please tell us about your experiences by commenting below.

- Shad

Casino states want legal marijuana

2009-09-25T02:15:00.004-04:00

So I was just reading this interesting article about the future of casino gambling if California and Nevada decide to legalize marijuana. You can read it here:

Will Casinos Cater to Pot-Smokers in the Future?

There is a pretty big debate heating up over this case, with both sides adamant that their views are correct. Despite the popularity that the controversy has created, it will be no small task for both states to "pass legislation that allows them to tax and regulate the drug." Apparently, the western states are suffering heavily from the economic downturn, and the legalization of marijuana is one of their proposed cures.

This comment from the article's author has me eager to learn where he pulled his facts:

"Numerous poker players already smoke marijuana regardless of the plant's legal status, so, realistically, it makes sense for casinos to adopt tolerant policies toward pot-smoking players once pot is legal. Attracting such players to casinos in Los Angeles and Las Vegas is a no-brainer."

This topic of debate is sure to have advocates for both parties, and we'd love to hear from you. So all you have to do is leave a comment below, and tell us your opinion on the state of legalizing marijuana, and how that will affect fellow casino gamers. The aforementioned article's author has made his point, so feel free to do so yourself. Here's another titbit from his editorial:

"I'm a firm believer in our rights as U.S. citizens and I believe you should be allowed to smoke weed as long as you aren't hurting other people. Instead of drowning in a bottle of liquor or pounding beers until they drop, poker players should be able to smoke a joint at a casino without being hassled by the security staff. These players don't intend to harm other patrons or cause a commotion, so it goes without saying that players who are shipping big dollars in tournament and rake fees should be treated like adults and be given a sanctuary where they can go to smoke off a rough day at the tables."

Bad Beat Winner

2009-09-23T02:17:00.003-04:00

Carbon Poker has just paid out on its Bad Beat Jackpot. A player going by the handle of baseball127 lost his straight flush to the royal flush of another player. That bad beat won baseball127 an incredible $211,758.31 and the winner of the hand took $105,000 as well as the comparatively tiny pot of $128. The seven other players got $15,000 just for being there. The jackpot has now been reseeded to more than $125,000.

Baseball127 must be very happy, as could you get a bad beat worse than that? Straight flush meet royal flush... I'd be screaming at the monitor if that happened to me without a jackpot to ease the pain. Scratch that - I'd stave in the monitor with the keyboard. Luckily, a hand as low as quad 7s getting beat will trigger the jackpot on Bad Beat tables at Carbon Poker, so players there probably save quite a bit on computer repair costs.

Carbon Poker are making the most of this case of bad/good luck by offering some bonuses in celebration. A 10% bonus on deposits of up to $500 valid from 22 September to 28 September is the first promotion. The second is a $50 bonus plus a $109 coupon into Sunday's $50,000 guaranteed tourney for players who make a deposit of at least $500 at once from 22 September to 27 September.

Hmmm. If I had to lose anywhere, I think Carbon Poker's Bad Beat Jackpot tables would be a pretty good place to do so. For losing, I'd get a big jackpot prize and would trigger promotions to make me popular with everyone else playing poker at Carbon? Come on, beat my four Aces, I beg you!

How would you react to a bad beat if it let you win a few hundred thou? Please comment below and tell us all about your worst bad beats.

-Shad

Grospellier Wins a WCOOP Bracelet

2009-09-22T02:46:00.003-04:00

I like Bertrand 'Elky' Grospellier, not least because he competed as a cyberathlete playing Starcraft before he began playing online poker. He seems to be improving all the time, and his performance in the PokerStars World Championship Of Online Poker (or WCOOP) is proof of this. After winning Event 38 the other day and taking $232,730 for the effort, he has now gone on to also win Event 43 for $263,323.

It has been a good year for ElkY, who took first place in the high roller event of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January, and who has continued to place highly in quite a few other major events in 2009. He came third in the Seventh Annual Five Star World Poker Classic Championship Event, and last year he won the World Poker Tour Player of the Year award.

The point I'd like to make about this Team PokerStars Pro is that he comes off as something of a journeyman heading toward a major title. Sure, being WPT Player of the Year is an exceptional achievement, but he has yet to win a WSOP bracelet. He was only the third person to win titles in both the EPT and the WPT, but the first two players to do that have now also won WSOP bracelets. Roland de Wolfe was in a similar position a few years ago, and he went on to win his first WSOP bracelet this year. What's notable is that de Wolfe seemed to participate in a lot more tournaments in the years after taking the EPT and WPT events, which brings us back to Grospellier...

Grospellier has also increased his tournament activity, and I think this is a sign of preparation to make a bigger mark on the world of tournament poker. Unfortunately, this could be quite some time away, as ElkY tends to do best in No Limit Hold 'Em tourneys, which are often the most competitive WSOP events. Nevertheless, if he keeps performing as well as he has in the smaller tournament series, I think he'll become an incredibly dominant player in the next few years. Don't get me wrong, he's already a big name in poker, he has just yet to develop the formidable reputation of poker's biggest stars. A WSOP bracelet would be a good start toward earning that rep, and I think he's looking to cultivate that image.

Please leave a comment if you have any thoughts on other professional poker players who you think are working their way towards poker tournament dominance. Also, remember that you can play with Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier at PokerStars if you like, as he is a member of Team PokerStars Pro.

Man wins all-female poker tournament

2009-09-20T19:57:00.005-04:00

Atlantic City has seen an unlikely winner emerge from an all-female poker championship. World Series of Poker circuit winner Abraham Korotki took home more than $20,000 for his troubles after defeating 269 other competitors, all women.

If you are wondering how Korotki even managed to find himself in the tournament, then listen to this: "Organisers were required under state law to admit to the tournament anyone over the age of 21 who could pay the $300 entrance fee."

After crashing out of a prior competition at the Borgata Hotel Casino, Korotki decided to blow off two other mixed-gender tournaments, and instead entered himself in the Ladies No Limit Hold'em championship.

16 hours later, Korotki received a hefty check for $20,892 ahead of second-placed Nicole Rowe (pictured), a New York City cancer victim who was planning on using the winnings to continue her recovery treatment.

There was a silver lining to this oddly shaped cloud however, with Korotki declaring that a portion of his winnings would be donated to three separate charities, one of which was a cancer aid.

"It’s always nice to win a tournament. The ladies played very well and it's always nice for the weaker sex to have a victory," he said.

Wise words.

Have your say about Korotki's ascent to female poker glory below.

- TheDoctor

Source

Show it or muck it

2009-09-16T01:47:00.004-04:00

So, I found this article pretty interesting:

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/09/where-is-the-gamesmanship-a-controversial-hand-7196.htm

The article basically says that Tobias Reinkemeier is a bad sportsman because Roland De Wolfe (shown right) of Full Tilt Poker mucked his winning hand rather than showing both his cards. The opinion of the article is that Reinkemeier was angle shooting, but I certainly don't agree with it. I don't see how Reinkemeier's actions are bad sportsmanship any more than the practice of only showing your winning card and keeping the kicker to yourself. If you get called, you show all your cards. If you decide to muck your hand rather than doing that, and lose a big pot because of it, then you made a tactical error.

I understand that there are often unwritten rules to any game, but the problem with unwritten rules is that they are not as universal as people think. An added problem is that poker is a game of bluffing, which Reinkemeier did superbly. How often is it said that you play the person, not the cards? Both players were attempting to do just that. Reinkemeier chose the right opportunity to do so.

This part of the article irked me in particular:

"Why be 'that guy' who tries to manipulate the rules in your favor? Why not 'man up,' see that you are beaten and do the right thing? I understand that there will be plenty of people who disagree with me, but I believe that as long as one plays within the rules then all is fair. But we shouldn't let stereotypes of poker players being greedy, selfish people who will do any and everything to win a hand of poker be true. Such behavior does nothing but harm our game and the players who play it."

What is the point being made? The writer, Matthew Parvis, is first saying that everything is fair within the rules. He admits earlier that Reinkemeier was playing within the rules, but apparently he wasn't playing within the special unwritten rule of... What? That you should fold or muck when you know you've lost? Isn't the entire point of poker to convince your opponent that you have better cards than you have? Bluffing is a long term game, and De Wolfe was trying to keep his own bluffing game strong by denying knowledge of his kicker, so there seems to be no good reason that Reinkemeier should not be able to continue to bluff as well. In this case, it also seems pretty obvious that mucking would simply confirm De Wolfe's guess of Reinkemeier's hand, so of course Reinkemeier would at least want to see both of De Wolfe's cards before confirming those suspicions.

If anyone was greedy here, it was De Wolfe, who wanted the pot and an added advantage in the rest of the game by not showing his kicker. Reinkemeier was after the pot OR information that could help him win hands in the future, information he was entitled to if De Wolfe wanted to claim the pot.

- Shad

PartyGaming grabs World Poker Tour

2009-08-26T03:01:00.005-04:00

PartyGaming, parent company of Party Poker, has acquired the World Poker Tour as part of a purchase of its parent company, World Poker Tour Enterprises.

This is somewhat surprising, as it seemed for a while that a deal with Gamynia, owner of such poker rooms as Titan Poker, would go through instead for $9 million and a percentage of future WPT and Professional Poker Tour revenues. Unfortunately for Gamynia, PartyGaming offered a more attractive $12.3 million with a 5% revenue share on monies made on the purchased assets.

It is still possible for this new deal from PartyGaming to get scuttled, as shareholders must first formally approve it, but it is likely to go through. At this stage, the deal could be closed as early as the end of the fourth quarter of 2009. This would see assets such as the television backlog of the WPT and the various WPT related brands transferred to PartyGaming in the very near future. The company will apparently keep the cash it still has, however, totaling at somewhere near $13.4 million, as well as keeping license revenues from current sponsorship deals for the latest season of the World Poker Tour.

The World Poker Tour is highly regarded for its attempts to bring poker further into the mainstream through televised professional tournaments. With upcoming events in Slovakia, Cyprus, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and Connecticut, the WPT takes high level poker play all around the world. As one of the richest and most prestigious tournament circuits, the World Poker Tour brand should bring PartyGaming a lot of new players and cash. This relies on PartyGaming maintaining or improving on the high standards of the WPT, though, so we will have to wait and see if this turns out to be a good deal in the long run.

- Shad