Annie Duke Responds to Celebrity Apprentice Critics, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 2nd March 2009
On Sunday night, the second season of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” debuted. The show featured eight men against eight women in a race to see who could raise the most money for charity by selling cupcakes in New York City. In the end, the all-female team emerged victorious. However, poker player Annie Duke, a contestant on the show, received staunch criticism from Project Manager and talk show host Joan Rivers, “Deal or No Deal” model Claudia Jordan, reality star Khloe Kardashian, and Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick. Duke revealed her reaction to Poker News Daily.
Poker News Daily: Give us your feedback on how your character was portrayed on the season premiere of “Celebrity Apprentice.”
Duke: Is very hard to sit there and have people say shit about you. I understand that this is a business and it’s not about having people like you. Donald Trump votes you off, not your own team. The Celebrity Apprentice is not about making friends.
We had six hours to bake 1,000 cupcakes. You have to get it done and Joan Rivers, our Project Manager, put me in charge of the kitchen. I was clear about what needed to be done. I had it organized and knew how it needed to go. I wanted to get on the show and make sure that Trump knew me. The bigger the celebrity, the more you are in his eyes. I’m not a big mainstream celebrity, so I needed to make noise right away.
It’s just like poker. You don’t raise because you want to raise. There has to be a reason for what you’re doing. I needed to get noticed, but also needed to do it with a purpose. In that sense, I’m playing a game. I’m intense when I’m at the poker table, but who I am at in that setting is not who I am in real life. Away from the game, I’m very smiley.
PND: React to some of the comments given by Jordan, Rivers, Kardashian, and Roderick.
Duke: It’s very difficult on the national stage to see people say nasty things about me. Obviously I’m a strong woman, I’m very direct. I’m used to dealing with that on a personal level and I’ve learned not to care about it. It’s hard to watch it on the national stage.
Then, I think about it logically. Here’s Claudia criticizing me, but what did she do? She didn’t decorate the truck. That was Melissa Rivers. She didn’t bake the cupcakes. What did she do that she felt the need to criticize me?
Then they showed Brande criticizing me and Khloe criticizing me. Did they not understand you had to raise money and get these cupcakes made? I didn’t care what anyone said about me. For me, it was about winning the task. Right after Brande and I fought, we immediately made up, but it wasn’t televised. In general, I appreciate someone telling me to my face if they have constructive criticism. I said to her, “We’re both really tired. I was on my feet baking cupcakes and I’m sorry I allowed that to show.” We were friendly after that. Brande was the rock star on that task. She worked hard. They don’t have any private interviews with her talking shit about me.
Similarly, they don’t have any clips of me talking shit about anyone because I didn’t. There’s no guessing with me. There’s no wondering if I’m saying one thing to your face and another thing behind your back. People aren’t used to that. People prefer other people not to be direct. That’s what I appreciate about Brande.
PND: Talk about the argument with Roderick, who wanted to sell a flat of cupcakes to a donor. You were worried about the inventory running out.
Duke: We did run out of cupcakes and it was right after selling a whole flat. I knew the donor was going to hand her the $9,000 check for just one cupcake. Brande realized where I was coming from in the end. I can’t say that they edited me badly. I thought they gave an accurate portrayal of me. They showed me working hard, raising money, and being direct.
PND: Talk about your reaction to Joan Rivers’ comment about your leadership style, “Mussolini made the trains run on time, but no Italian smiled at him when they got on and off.”
Duke: It’s painful. Joan was Project Manager. I didn’t see her doing a lot of leading except that she suggested our team name should be “Ball-Busters.” If our team loses, she’s on the hot seat. Two people made sure that her ass wasn’t on the line, Brande and I. We raised enough money to beat the guys by ourselves. I made sure as manager of the kitchen that it all got done. If I were Joan, I wouldn’t be criticizing me. The Mussolini comment didn’t acknowledge the work I put in and comparing anyone on Celebrity Apprentice to the person who committed one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century is offensive. It trivializes that man’s actions.
PND: Describe the purpose of Refugees International, your chosen charity. How does it relate to Ante Up for Africa, which you founded?
Duke: Refugees International is a long-standing charity. Ante Up for Africa raises money, but doesn’t give it directly to people. Instead, we partner with charities that we know are doing amazing things. Refugees International is one of those. It’s an advocacy group for refugees around the world. There are over 40 million refugees who are displaced, living in tents and camps with no water.
It’s hard for people to care about that because what is happening here [in the United States] is awful. However, we have very high-class problems in comparison to someone in a refugee camp. From a political standpoint, there is no doubt that the more refugees there are, the more political instability there is in the world. That’s what Refugees International is about. Only 7% of the money raised goes towards administrative fees. They do not take any government money, which is important because an organization like that has to be neutral. They don’t have any political pressure to ignore people.
PND: How have poker players perceived the show?
Duke: We don’t take anything personally. When a friend of ours check-raises us all-in and makes us fold, you go have dinner with them. Poker players are good at compartmentalizing. What happens in the business setting is never personal. I’ve had to play that way against my brother [Howard Lederer]. I’m guessing that poker players bought what I did better than others. They understood I was playing a game. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Annie Duke
Reality TV
Poker News
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Media Man Australia Top Three Poker Companies - February 2009
Australian based media and publicity company, Media Man Australia, has announced that for the month of February 2009, the following are voted as the world's top 3 online poker rooms based on usability, ethics, customer feedback, customer service, affiliate experience and overall customer experience:
Media Man Australia Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PKR Poker
Virgin Poker
*results do not include poker tour brands such as World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, Asian Poker Tour, Aussie Millions, Canadian Poker Tour and Irish Poker Tour
Australian based media and publicity company, Media Man Australia, has announced that for the month of February 2009, the following are voted as the world's top 3 online poker rooms based on usability, ethics, customer feedback, customer service, affiliate experience and overall customer experience:
Media Man Australia Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PKR Poker
Virgin Poker
*results do not include poker tour brands such as World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, Asian Poker Tour, Aussie Millions, Canadian Poker Tour and Irish Poker Tour
Online Satellites Begin at Party Poker for the 2009 Canadian Open Poker Championships
18th February 2009
The Canadian Poker Tour, owned and operated by HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc., is pleased to announce that exclusive online satellites have begun at Party Poker to qualify for the Main Event of the Canadian Open Poker Championships. The event will be held at the Stampede Casino in Calgary, Alberta, May 13-17, 2009. As one of Canada's premier poker tournaments the event will be televised on The Score Television Network, official broadcaster of the Canadian Poker Tour.
With a series of events running throughout the week, over $1,000,000 in estimated prize pools will be up for grabs cumulating with the 128 player, $5000 buy in, heads up main event. Last year's event attracted professional poker players and celebrities from around the world and this year looks to be even bigger and better. "This is best structure of any heads up event I have played in", commented 2005 WSOP Champion Joe Hachem.
As the official online partner of the Canadian Poker Tour, players can qualify for as little as $4 at Party Poker to earn a package including travel, accommodations and buy in to the Main Event. "This is a terrific opportunity for players around the world to compete in what I believe to be the purest form of the game" stated President and CEO Kelly B. Kellner. "The heads up bracket format with best 2 out of 3 matches, $10,000 in starting chips and 20 minute blinds allows the cream to rise to the top and I look forward to crowning a new champion in May." Last years Main Event was won by 1996 WSOP Champion Huckleberry Seed.
For more details on the event please go to www.canadianpokertour.tv and to enter to qualify for the event online all details can be found at www.partypoker.com.
About HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc.
HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc. is a global media and entertainment company engaged in the creation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other entertainment themes. For more information see the Company's website www.headsupentertainment.com.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Canadian Poker Tour
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
18th February 2009
The Canadian Poker Tour, owned and operated by HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc., is pleased to announce that exclusive online satellites have begun at Party Poker to qualify for the Main Event of the Canadian Open Poker Championships. The event will be held at the Stampede Casino in Calgary, Alberta, May 13-17, 2009. As one of Canada's premier poker tournaments the event will be televised on The Score Television Network, official broadcaster of the Canadian Poker Tour.
With a series of events running throughout the week, over $1,000,000 in estimated prize pools will be up for grabs cumulating with the 128 player, $5000 buy in, heads up main event. Last year's event attracted professional poker players and celebrities from around the world and this year looks to be even bigger and better. "This is best structure of any heads up event I have played in", commented 2005 WSOP Champion Joe Hachem.
As the official online partner of the Canadian Poker Tour, players can qualify for as little as $4 at Party Poker to earn a package including travel, accommodations and buy in to the Main Event. "This is a terrific opportunity for players around the world to compete in what I believe to be the purest form of the game" stated President and CEO Kelly B. Kellner. "The heads up bracket format with best 2 out of 3 matches, $10,000 in starting chips and 20 minute blinds allows the cream to rise to the top and I look forward to crowning a new champion in May." Last years Main Event was won by 1996 WSOP Champion Huckleberry Seed.
For more details on the event please go to www.canadianpokertour.tv and to enter to qualify for the event online all details can be found at www.partypoker.com.
About HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc.
HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc. is a global media and entertainment company engaged in the creation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other entertainment themes. For more information see the Company's website www.headsupentertainment.com.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Canadian Poker Tour
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
Saturday, February 28, 2009
California Considering Legalising Online Poker - 27th February 2009
Legislators in the American state of California are so intent on legalising online poker that they are reportedly looking to attend an upcoming iGaming conference in order to meet with prospective operators.
According to a report from online news portal Gambling911.com, the western state is looking towards online poker as a way to help solve its troubled economy, which has the second highest foreclosure rate in the country and near double-digit unemployment.
However, Gambling911.com reported that the state would not be speaking with PartyGaming due to Anurag Dikshit, the online operator’s billionaire co-founder who recently pled guilty and agreed to pay a $300 million fine.
'Too much baggage,' Gambling911.com quoted a source.
'California is not going to have an online poker room licensed in the state where one of the founders pleaded guilty before he was even charged with a crime.
'888.com is one that's been mentioned. They are looking at companies that are publicly traded and 888.com fits the bill. They are also trying to settle any issues with the US Government in relation to their taking bets from US customers prior to passage of poker prohibition in 2006, much like PartyGaming, but nobody there is turning themselves in.'
Although California is the world’s eighth largest economy, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reached a compromise with legislators this week that increased taxes and cut services in order to close a $42 million budget deficit.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Gambling911
Poker News
Online Casino News
Legislators in the American state of California are so intent on legalising online poker that they are reportedly looking to attend an upcoming iGaming conference in order to meet with prospective operators.
According to a report from online news portal Gambling911.com, the western state is looking towards online poker as a way to help solve its troubled economy, which has the second highest foreclosure rate in the country and near double-digit unemployment.
However, Gambling911.com reported that the state would not be speaking with PartyGaming due to Anurag Dikshit, the online operator’s billionaire co-founder who recently pled guilty and agreed to pay a $300 million fine.
'Too much baggage,' Gambling911.com quoted a source.
'California is not going to have an online poker room licensed in the state where one of the founders pleaded guilty before he was even charged with a crime.
'888.com is one that's been mentioned. They are looking at companies that are publicly traded and 888.com fits the bill. They are also trying to settle any issues with the US Government in relation to their taking bets from US customers prior to passage of poker prohibition in 2006, much like PartyGaming, but nobody there is turning themselves in.'
Although California is the world’s eighth largest economy, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reached a compromise with legislators this week that increased taxes and cut services in order to close a $42 million budget deficit.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Gambling911
Poker News
Online Casino News
Friday, February 27, 2009
Annie Duke Breaks Down Celebrity Apprentice, by Annie Duke - Poker News Daily - 15th February 2009
Well, the Celebrity Apprentice cat is out of the bag now. The cast has been announced and, yes, I am part of it. Okay, so what would make me do this show? I mean I have tried to avoid reality TV. Over the years, I have had a few offers to do a reality show about my poker life with four kids. My answer is always that I won’t put my kids on TV, so they quietly go away. I really value my private life and protecting the privacy of my kids. So then why on Earth would I agree to do this show?
Here is how it went: My manager called and told me that he had a meeting for me with the Celebrity Apprentice people. I was not happy about it because I wasn’t really interested in being on a reality show. We had had this argument before about “Dancing with the Stars.” He kept saying he wanted to pitch me for it. I kept saying a) I am not a big enough celebrity by any stretch of the imagination and b) I can’t dance.
My boyfriend teases me when I dance and imitates me (making sure I never ever dance in his presence, by the way). Joe is an amazingly good dancer, made more amazing by the fact that he is a 200+ pound burly dude with crazy long curly hair who doesn’t look like he could dance his way out of a paper bag. Yet, he used to break dance for money on the streets of Boston as a kid and got his first job in Hollywood as a dancer. I once even had the pleasure of witnessing a dance-off between Joe and Jeff Donovan (the star of the show “Burn Notice”). That was pretty awesome and really too close to call. It has to go down as one of the funniest dance-offs I have ever seen because both of them were doing some kick ass dancing while trying to be funnier at it than the other one. Imagine doing some popping and locking while essentially miming going down on each other in the middle of a club. It was pretty hilarious. Okay, I have really digressed.
The point is I was not interested in Dancing with the Stars. OMG that would be humiliating. And I was not interested in Celebrity Apprentice either, particularly since I can be, shall we say, snarky and I didn’t really want that to be seen in all its glory on national television. But, then I went in for the meeting and, not having watched the previous season, was shocked to find out that the cast had raised $1 million for charity during the run of the show. I thought to myself that I have to do this show because that is a lot of money for charity and would be really good for Ante Up for Africa. You see, I didn’t know the show was for charity and now I realized it would be hard for me to say no.
To be honest, it is a game. I mean a game. And we all know I love a good game. This was a pretty cool game that involved managing your opponents, raising money for charity, and doing some pretty cool marketing tasks. It seemed to me that maybe I was pretty well-suited for that particular type of game since I play one for a living, one that also involves managing your opponents. I also do marketing work for Ultimate Bet and have raised $2 million with Don Cheadle and Norman Epstein for Ante Up for Africa in the last two years.
Game. Charity. Cool.
So I decided I should do it. I got the last season on DVD and started studying the tapes madly… you know, because that is what I do. If I am going to agree to a competition, I am going to make sure I analyze how the game is played and come in super prepared knowing exactly what people did right the last season and what people did wrong. I am going to have a good handle on it and get all of my ducks in a row money raising-wise and all that. I analyzed the whole last season and starting working a formula for how much money I needed to raise and what the highest percentage part of the tasks was to do to make sure you didn’t get fired, but also got noticed and impressed Donald Trump. I was obsessed for the couple of weeks before doing the show.
So, of course, I cannot tell you anything about how it all turned out, right? That annoys me because I want to talk about the game because I LOVE talking about games. You are going to have to watch to see how I do and whether my preparation pays off. The thing is that, well, I am direct. That is a nice way to put it: direct. The thing I was most worried about going into the game was that my fellow players would not really get my interpersonal style. When people first meet me, they sometimes come away with the impression that I am a jerk. To be fair, I can be a jerk, particularly if I think someone is saying something stupid. I suffer fools very poorly and I have to remember to work on that more. I was really concerned because even though this is an individual game, you still have to have your teammates like you so they don’t throw you under the bus and I am just not good at making nice nice and pretending that I can deal with everyone. It probably comes from doing a job my whole adult life where you only have to answer to yourself. Oh, and I have stupidly high expectations of people.
With all of that going on in my head, knowing that I had analyzed the hell out of last season, but also knowing that I might have some issues with my teammates liking me, I headed off to New York to try my hand at the game. March 1st, everyone. That is when you can start seeing how I do! (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Annie Duke
Reality TV
Poker News
Well, the Celebrity Apprentice cat is out of the bag now. The cast has been announced and, yes, I am part of it. Okay, so what would make me do this show? I mean I have tried to avoid reality TV. Over the years, I have had a few offers to do a reality show about my poker life with four kids. My answer is always that I won’t put my kids on TV, so they quietly go away. I really value my private life and protecting the privacy of my kids. So then why on Earth would I agree to do this show?
Here is how it went: My manager called and told me that he had a meeting for me with the Celebrity Apprentice people. I was not happy about it because I wasn’t really interested in being on a reality show. We had had this argument before about “Dancing with the Stars.” He kept saying he wanted to pitch me for it. I kept saying a) I am not a big enough celebrity by any stretch of the imagination and b) I can’t dance.
My boyfriend teases me when I dance and imitates me (making sure I never ever dance in his presence, by the way). Joe is an amazingly good dancer, made more amazing by the fact that he is a 200+ pound burly dude with crazy long curly hair who doesn’t look like he could dance his way out of a paper bag. Yet, he used to break dance for money on the streets of Boston as a kid and got his first job in Hollywood as a dancer. I once even had the pleasure of witnessing a dance-off between Joe and Jeff Donovan (the star of the show “Burn Notice”). That was pretty awesome and really too close to call. It has to go down as one of the funniest dance-offs I have ever seen because both of them were doing some kick ass dancing while trying to be funnier at it than the other one. Imagine doing some popping and locking while essentially miming going down on each other in the middle of a club. It was pretty hilarious. Okay, I have really digressed.
The point is I was not interested in Dancing with the Stars. OMG that would be humiliating. And I was not interested in Celebrity Apprentice either, particularly since I can be, shall we say, snarky and I didn’t really want that to be seen in all its glory on national television. But, then I went in for the meeting and, not having watched the previous season, was shocked to find out that the cast had raised $1 million for charity during the run of the show. I thought to myself that I have to do this show because that is a lot of money for charity and would be really good for Ante Up for Africa. You see, I didn’t know the show was for charity and now I realized it would be hard for me to say no.
To be honest, it is a game. I mean a game. And we all know I love a good game. This was a pretty cool game that involved managing your opponents, raising money for charity, and doing some pretty cool marketing tasks. It seemed to me that maybe I was pretty well-suited for that particular type of game since I play one for a living, one that also involves managing your opponents. I also do marketing work for Ultimate Bet and have raised $2 million with Don Cheadle and Norman Epstein for Ante Up for Africa in the last two years.
Game. Charity. Cool.
So I decided I should do it. I got the last season on DVD and started studying the tapes madly… you know, because that is what I do. If I am going to agree to a competition, I am going to make sure I analyze how the game is played and come in super prepared knowing exactly what people did right the last season and what people did wrong. I am going to have a good handle on it and get all of my ducks in a row money raising-wise and all that. I analyzed the whole last season and starting working a formula for how much money I needed to raise and what the highest percentage part of the tasks was to do to make sure you didn’t get fired, but also got noticed and impressed Donald Trump. I was obsessed for the couple of weeks before doing the show.
So, of course, I cannot tell you anything about how it all turned out, right? That annoys me because I want to talk about the game because I LOVE talking about games. You are going to have to watch to see how I do and whether my preparation pays off. The thing is that, well, I am direct. That is a nice way to put it: direct. The thing I was most worried about going into the game was that my fellow players would not really get my interpersonal style. When people first meet me, they sometimes come away with the impression that I am a jerk. To be fair, I can be a jerk, particularly if I think someone is saying something stupid. I suffer fools very poorly and I have to remember to work on that more. I was really concerned because even though this is an individual game, you still have to have your teammates like you so they don’t throw you under the bus and I am just not good at making nice nice and pretending that I can deal with everyone. It probably comes from doing a job my whole adult life where you only have to answer to yourself. Oh, and I have stupidly high expectations of people.
With all of that going on in my head, knowing that I had analyzed the hell out of last season, but also knowing that I might have some issues with my teammates liking me, I headed off to New York to try my hand at the game. March 1st, everyone. That is when you can start seeing how I do! (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Annie Duke
Reality TV
Poker News
PKR Launch Massive Saturday Tournament - 26th February 2009
The fastest growing poker room in the world, PKR Poker are really putting themselves on the map this weekend by boasting the biggest buy-in tournament anywhere in online poker on Saturday night. The $500 Saturday Big Shot will be the biggest tournament of the night at 8pm GMT and has one of the best structures, with 10,000 chips and 20 minute levels. Players can parlay their way into the event for as little as $5.06 round the clock on PKR Poker.
Neil Wright of PKR commented "We're delighted to be able to introduce the Saturday Big Shot. There's been a growing demand from our players for a big buy-in event with an ultra-playable structure and we're happy to oblige. It shows just how far we've come that Saturday night's biggest buy-in tournament will be at PKR."
Media Man Australia Profiles
PKR
PKR Poker
The fastest growing poker room in the world, PKR Poker are really putting themselves on the map this weekend by boasting the biggest buy-in tournament anywhere in online poker on Saturday night. The $500 Saturday Big Shot will be the biggest tournament of the night at 8pm GMT and has one of the best structures, with 10,000 chips and 20 minute levels. Players can parlay their way into the event for as little as $5.06 round the clock on PKR Poker.
Neil Wright of PKR commented "We're delighted to be able to introduce the Saturday Big Shot. There's been a growing demand from our players for a big buy-in event with an ultra-playable structure and we're happy to oblige. It shows just how far we've come that Saturday night's biggest buy-in tournament will be at PKR."
Media Man Australia Profiles
PKR
PKR Poker
Virgin Poker Festival Shows its Poker Face in Newcastle - 26th February 2009
The Virgin Poker Festival will be returning to Newcastle with its biggest prize pool yet - £32,500.
Following the success of last year's festival in the city, the ultimate poker experience will be taking place at the Aspers Casino on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.
Set to be bigger and better than last year, the 2009 Newcastle Virgin Poker Festival, will give poker fans the opportunity to compete in a two-day live poker tournament as well as a variety of activities taking place alongside the main event for players of all abilities.
The main event at the festival will be a €150 Texas Hold'em No Limit Freezeout tournament for up to 200 players, with 10,000 starting stacks, 40 minute levels and £5,000 added to the prize pool.
Players wanting to secure a place at the main event will need to qualify via online satellites at www.virginpoker.com
Fun is definitely the name of the game at the Virgin Poker Festival, with a variety of side events taking place alongside the main tournament to give everyone an opportunity to get involved – regardless of their poker playing abilities.
Practice tables will offer 'live play classes' for less experienced players, whilst Wii bowling will be taking place over the weekend in search of a player worthy of the Wii bowling crown.
Virgin Poker is also offering local Newcastle residents a shot at winning a seat at the Virgin Poker Festival through a series of pre-tournament sessions which will be held at the Aspers Casino week commencing March 2.
To add a further twist to the Virgin Poker Festival, players will be able to knock-out key poker professional opponents whose heads carry bounties of fantastic Virgin giveaways.
Poker pros Maria Demetriou, Shelley Rubenstein, Kara Scott and Nick Wealthall will all be in attendance to ensure players have an all round jam-packed winning weekend.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Virgin Poker
Poker News
The Virgin Poker Festival will be returning to Newcastle with its biggest prize pool yet - £32,500.
Following the success of last year's festival in the city, the ultimate poker experience will be taking place at the Aspers Casino on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.
Set to be bigger and better than last year, the 2009 Newcastle Virgin Poker Festival, will give poker fans the opportunity to compete in a two-day live poker tournament as well as a variety of activities taking place alongside the main event for players of all abilities.
The main event at the festival will be a €150 Texas Hold'em No Limit Freezeout tournament for up to 200 players, with 10,000 starting stacks, 40 minute levels and £5,000 added to the prize pool.
Players wanting to secure a place at the main event will need to qualify via online satellites at www.virginpoker.com
Fun is definitely the name of the game at the Virgin Poker Festival, with a variety of side events taking place alongside the main tournament to give everyone an opportunity to get involved – regardless of their poker playing abilities.
Practice tables will offer 'live play classes' for less experienced players, whilst Wii bowling will be taking place over the weekend in search of a player worthy of the Wii bowling crown.
Virgin Poker is also offering local Newcastle residents a shot at winning a seat at the Virgin Poker Festival through a series of pre-tournament sessions which will be held at the Aspers Casino week commencing March 2.
To add a further twist to the Virgin Poker Festival, players will be able to knock-out key poker professional opponents whose heads carry bounties of fantastic Virgin giveaways.
Poker pros Maria Demetriou, Shelley Rubenstein, Kara Scott and Nick Wealthall will all be in attendance to ensure players have an all round jam-packed winning weekend.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Virgin Poker
Poker News
Hopes for Online gambling ban to be repealed - 25th February 2009
In 2006 congress passed a bill to ban gambling in America. This was then signed into law by President George Bush. The law made online gambling illegal in America and there were heavy penalties put into place for those who profited from internet gambling. Even companies that promoted online gambling were penalized.
This law forced European companies such as PartyGaming and 888.com out of the US market. These European companies still face criminal prosecution for their activities before the ban was imposed. The founder of PartyGaming, Anurag Dikshit pleaded guilty to online gambling charges and agreed to pay $300million in fines. He could still face a custodial sentence.
EU officials claim the US put pressure on Dikshit to make a deal and that the US justice department had crossed the line. An industry petition has lead the European Commission to begin formal investigation to ascertain whether the US was only singling out European companies.
As a result of this, one US lawmaker is eager to have the ban on internet gambling repealed. He claims that the anti-gambling law is affecting the relationship between the EU and the United States and has already hurt trade ties between them.
Media Man Australia
European Gaming
PartyGaming
888
Online Casino News
Casino News
Poker News
In 2006 congress passed a bill to ban gambling in America. This was then signed into law by President George Bush. The law made online gambling illegal in America and there were heavy penalties put into place for those who profited from internet gambling. Even companies that promoted online gambling were penalized.
This law forced European companies such as PartyGaming and 888.com out of the US market. These European companies still face criminal prosecution for their activities before the ban was imposed. The founder of PartyGaming, Anurag Dikshit pleaded guilty to online gambling charges and agreed to pay $300million in fines. He could still face a custodial sentence.
EU officials claim the US put pressure on Dikshit to make a deal and that the US justice department had crossed the line. An industry petition has lead the European Commission to begin formal investigation to ascertain whether the US was only singling out European companies.
As a result of this, one US lawmaker is eager to have the ban on internet gambling repealed. He claims that the anti-gambling law is affecting the relationship between the EU and the United States and has already hurt trade ties between them.
Media Man Australia
European Gaming
PartyGaming
888
Online Casino News
Casino News
Poker News
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Poker News Media Profiles Updated
World Series of Poker
World Poker Tour
Poker Tournaments
Poker News
Online Casino News
World Series of Poker
World Poker Tour
Poker Tournaments
Poker News
Online Casino News
PKR increase Sunday Classic Prize Pot - 24th February 2009
Revolutionary online poker operator, PKR.com, have increased the prize pool of their popular Sunday classic game to $50,000.
PKR is famous for it's unique style of online poker gaming, allowing users to create virtual avatar characters with their own dress code, personality and strategy.
The site holds several hundred games every day of the year, many of which have huge prize pots. There most popular event is the Sunday Classic tournament which will now have a $50,000 prize pool.
Previous Sunday Classics have attracted thousands of players all hoping to win the guaranteed prize pot of $30,000. The weekly buy in will continue to be an affordable $65, allowing for any experienced player to join in the fun.
Neil Wright Cardroom manager at PKR said, “We’re delighted to be able to increase a big money tournament guarantee by such a large amount. Not only does the re-structure offer players the chance to participate for a big prize, but with a manageable field size it strikes the perfect balance between playability and reward.”
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Revolutionary online poker operator, PKR.com, have increased the prize pool of their popular Sunday classic game to $50,000.
PKR is famous for it's unique style of online poker gaming, allowing users to create virtual avatar characters with their own dress code, personality and strategy.
The site holds several hundred games every day of the year, many of which have huge prize pots. There most popular event is the Sunday Classic tournament which will now have a $50,000 prize pool.
Previous Sunday Classics have attracted thousands of players all hoping to win the guaranteed prize pot of $30,000. The weekly buy in will continue to be an affordable $65, allowing for any experienced player to join in the fun.
Neil Wright Cardroom manager at PKR said, “We’re delighted to be able to increase a big money tournament guarantee by such a large amount. Not only does the re-structure offer players the chance to participate for a big prize, but with a manageable field size it strikes the perfect balance between playability and reward.”
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Money Bubble Bursts at World Poker Tour LAPC Event, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 24th February 2009
There are 63 players remaining in the World Poker Tour (WPT) L.A. Poker Classic, which originates from the Commerce Casino. Online poker pro Jeff “ActionJeff” Garza eliminated Patrick Stemper from contention in 64th place, leaving the survivors to finish in the money. Now, the field will have to change gears in this marquee WPT event as players jockey for the $1.6 million first place prize.
Kofi Farkye, a former winner of the Nordic Masters of Poker, sits with the chip lead entering Tuesday’s play with 837,500. He’s tailed by Mike “SowersUNCC” Sowers, a savvy online and live poker pro with considerable final table experience. Sowers holds 741,500, or 97,000 fewer chips than Farkye. At the bottom of the field is World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder David Daneshgar, who has just 4,000 chips to his name, the equivalent of one big blind. He survived an all-in on the money bubble and asked Tournament Director Matt Savage if he could forfeit his chips and not return to play on Tuesday. Savage, however, declined his request.
On Sunday, Antonio Esfandiari was a commanding chip leader. However, he found the rails on Monday, sent packing after coming out on the losing end of a bad beat against Sowers. Esfandiari held A-K and was in favorable shape to double up against Sowers’ A-Q. The flop came A-J-J, giving both players aces up. However, a queen on the turn gave Sowers a better two pair and the river was no help to The Magician, as the 2004 L.A. Poker Classic winner hit the exit.
Here is a look at the top 10 chip stacks entering play on Tuesday:
1st: Kofi Farkye - 837,500
2nd: Mike Sowers - 741,500
3rd: Donald D’Auria - 666,500
4th: Jeremy Kottler - 574,500
5th: Chris Karagulleyan - 543,000
6th: Daniel O’Brien - 534,500
7th: Anthony Venturini - 508,000
8th: Dan The Lu - 507,500
9th: Chris Ferguson - 468,500
10th: Matt Woodward - 420,000
Chris “Jesus” Ferguson is a five-time WSOP bracelet holder whose most recent piece of hardware came after winning a $2,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em and Seven Card Stud tournament during the 2003 tournament series, one of two bracelets he won that year. Since 2005, he’s taken down Circuit Event featured tournaments at Harrah’s Rincon, Harrah’s Las Vegas, and Harvey’s Tahoe. All told, he has six Circuit Event cashes to his name for $1.3 million. Ferguson is a card-carrying member of Team Full Tilt along with Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius, among others. He’s also a proponent of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the main lobbying voice of the online poker industry.
Other notable names remaining in the 63 player field include:
13th: Nick Schulman – 321,000
16th: Peter “Nordberg” Feldman – 302,500
17th: Andre Akkari – 296,000
18th: Jeff “ActionJeff” Garza – 290,000
20th: Nancy Todd Tyner – 247,000
22nd: Hoyt Corkins – 233,500
30th: Greg “FBT” Mueller – 156,500
35th: Daniel Shak – 144,000
36th: Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier – 143,500
44th: Nenad Medic – 115,000
45th: Men “The Master” Nguyen – 107,500
48th: Erica Schoenberg – 96,500
49th: Paul Wasicka – 90,500
50th: Maria Ho – 89,500
56th: Steven Paul-Ambrose – 59,000
57th: Paul Darden – 41,000
60th: David “The Dragon” Pham – 16,500
63rd: David Daneshgar – 4,000
The average chip stack is 220,865. When play concluded on Monday, blinds were 2,000-4,000 with a 500 chip ante. Haralobos Voulgaris, who sits in 24th place, told WPT Live Updates Hostess Amanda Leatherman after play had concluded, “I started the day with 210,000 chips and I went to 280,000 right away. Then, I lost every hand for an hour and a half or two hours. I got really unlucky in a bunch of hands.” Voulgaris, the runner up in the 2005 L.A. Poker Classic, has 214,500 chips entering Day 4.
The tournament will crown a champion on Thursday. Each player at the six-handed final table will receive at least $240,000. Here’s a look at the scheduled payouts for the televised table:
1st Place: $1,686,760
2nd Place: $935,424
3rd Place: $654,797
4th Place: $430,963
5th Place: $310,694
6th Place: $240,538
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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There are 63 players remaining in the World Poker Tour (WPT) L.A. Poker Classic, which originates from the Commerce Casino. Online poker pro Jeff “ActionJeff” Garza eliminated Patrick Stemper from contention in 64th place, leaving the survivors to finish in the money. Now, the field will have to change gears in this marquee WPT event as players jockey for the $1.6 million first place prize.
Kofi Farkye, a former winner of the Nordic Masters of Poker, sits with the chip lead entering Tuesday’s play with 837,500. He’s tailed by Mike “SowersUNCC” Sowers, a savvy online and live poker pro with considerable final table experience. Sowers holds 741,500, or 97,000 fewer chips than Farkye. At the bottom of the field is World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder David Daneshgar, who has just 4,000 chips to his name, the equivalent of one big blind. He survived an all-in on the money bubble and asked Tournament Director Matt Savage if he could forfeit his chips and not return to play on Tuesday. Savage, however, declined his request.
On Sunday, Antonio Esfandiari was a commanding chip leader. However, he found the rails on Monday, sent packing after coming out on the losing end of a bad beat against Sowers. Esfandiari held A-K and was in favorable shape to double up against Sowers’ A-Q. The flop came A-J-J, giving both players aces up. However, a queen on the turn gave Sowers a better two pair and the river was no help to The Magician, as the 2004 L.A. Poker Classic winner hit the exit.
Here is a look at the top 10 chip stacks entering play on Tuesday:
1st: Kofi Farkye - 837,500
2nd: Mike Sowers - 741,500
3rd: Donald D’Auria - 666,500
4th: Jeremy Kottler - 574,500
5th: Chris Karagulleyan - 543,000
6th: Daniel O’Brien - 534,500
7th: Anthony Venturini - 508,000
8th: Dan The Lu - 507,500
9th: Chris Ferguson - 468,500
10th: Matt Woodward - 420,000
Chris “Jesus” Ferguson is a five-time WSOP bracelet holder whose most recent piece of hardware came after winning a $2,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em and Seven Card Stud tournament during the 2003 tournament series, one of two bracelets he won that year. Since 2005, he’s taken down Circuit Event featured tournaments at Harrah’s Rincon, Harrah’s Las Vegas, and Harvey’s Tahoe. All told, he has six Circuit Event cashes to his name for $1.3 million. Ferguson is a card-carrying member of Team Full Tilt along with Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius, among others. He’s also a proponent of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the main lobbying voice of the online poker industry.
Other notable names remaining in the 63 player field include:
13th: Nick Schulman – 321,000
16th: Peter “Nordberg” Feldman – 302,500
17th: Andre Akkari – 296,000
18th: Jeff “ActionJeff” Garza – 290,000
20th: Nancy Todd Tyner – 247,000
22nd: Hoyt Corkins – 233,500
30th: Greg “FBT” Mueller – 156,500
35th: Daniel Shak – 144,000
36th: Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier – 143,500
44th: Nenad Medic – 115,000
45th: Men “The Master” Nguyen – 107,500
48th: Erica Schoenberg – 96,500
49th: Paul Wasicka – 90,500
50th: Maria Ho – 89,500
56th: Steven Paul-Ambrose – 59,000
57th: Paul Darden – 41,000
60th: David “The Dragon” Pham – 16,500
63rd: David Daneshgar – 4,000
The average chip stack is 220,865. When play concluded on Monday, blinds were 2,000-4,000 with a 500 chip ante. Haralobos Voulgaris, who sits in 24th place, told WPT Live Updates Hostess Amanda Leatherman after play had concluded, “I started the day with 210,000 chips and I went to 280,000 right away. Then, I lost every hand for an hour and a half or two hours. I got really unlucky in a bunch of hands.” Voulgaris, the runner up in the 2005 L.A. Poker Classic, has 214,500 chips entering Day 4.
The tournament will crown a champion on Thursday. Each player at the six-handed final table will receive at least $240,000. Here’s a look at the scheduled payouts for the televised table:
1st Place: $1,686,760
2nd Place: $935,424
3rd Place: $654,797
4th Place: $430,963
5th Place: $310,694
6th Place: $240,538
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the WPT L.A. Poker Classic. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
ICOP Poker - €600,000 Guaranteed Prizepool!
London, 21 February 2009
We know it’s a bit early, but we could not keep quiet about this fantastic promotion we have lined up for your players in March! So get ready to prepare your players for the ‘International Championships of Poker’ (ICOP), where we are guaranteeing a cool €600,000 in prize pool.
Held over the period of the 9th to the 15th of March, the ‘International Championships of Poker’ is a truly inclusive poker promotion, designed to test players overall poker skills. Buy-ins for this promotion range from just €5 with tournament formats ranging from Hold’em to 7 Card Stud!
Plus Virgin Poker is holding back 3% of the prize pools, which will be given to the top three overall performers. So whoever wins this promotion, will have the ultimate poker bragging rights!
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London, 21 February 2009
We know it’s a bit early, but we could not keep quiet about this fantastic promotion we have lined up for your players in March! So get ready to prepare your players for the ‘International Championships of Poker’ (ICOP), where we are guaranteeing a cool €600,000 in prize pool.
Held over the period of the 9th to the 15th of March, the ‘International Championships of Poker’ is a truly inclusive poker promotion, designed to test players overall poker skills. Buy-ins for this promotion range from just €5 with tournament formats ranging from Hold’em to 7 Card Stud!
Plus Virgin Poker is holding back 3% of the prize pools, which will be given to the top three overall performers. So whoever wins this promotion, will have the ultimate poker bragging rights!
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Jamie Gold Hosts Charity Poker Tournament after Oscars, by Tom Jenkins - Poker News Daily - 22nd February 2009
Tonight, the 81st annual Academy Awards will take place from the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Many in the poker world are in town not for the Oscars, but for the L.A. Poker Classic, a World Poker Tour (WPT) event taking place at the Commerce Casino. One notable exception is 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Jamie Gold, who is hosting a charity poker tournament late Sunday night benefiting Children Uniting Nations.
The winner of the fundraising event will receive a $10,000 entry into the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas beginning on July 3rd. The all-expense paid trip to Sin City includes a private dinner and coaching by Gold. The Los Angeles tournament will be held at 10:00pm on Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton after the Oscar festivities have concluded. Confirmed to appear alongside Gold are Lee Watkinson and Full Tilt Poker pro Howard Lederer. The tournament is sponsored by the Merge Gaming Network online poker room ACED, which recently signed Gold. The Network accepts players from the United States.
Seating in the event will be capped when 30 players have registered and the field will consist of a mix of celebrities and poker fans. The gala is co-sponsored by the Hollywood Reporter and will feature musical performances by Colby O’Donis, JabbawockeeZ, Sophie B. Hawkins, Doug E. Fresh, Teairra Mari, and D.J. AM. According to a press release distributed by tournament organizer GreasieWheels, Jennifer Aniston, Pierce Brosnan, Christina Milian, Jane Seymour, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bill and Hillary Clinton are all proud supporters of Children Uniting Nations.
According to the non-profit organization’s website, Children Uniting Nations “is committed to help every child find a way out of cruelty, neglect, and anger. This organization is dedicated to help children find their way to fulfill their dreams. Children Uniting Nations’ mission is to create loving, tolerant, and capable world citizens.” The Los Angeles-based organization was founded by entertainment mogul Daphna Edwards Ziman. The Oscar Viewing Party taking place at the Beverly Hilton has a price tag of $1,000; After Party tickets can be purchased for $150.
Gold famously won the 2006 WSOP Main Event, defeating Paul Wasicka heads-up and pocketing $12 million. Since then, Gold has served as a front man for 50 charity events and helped raise over $110 million. In addition to Children Uniting Nations, Gold’s efforts have benefited The Sunflower Organization, Montel Williams MS Foundation, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation. He’s right at home in Hollywood after originally gaining fame as a talent agent.
Gold took 35th in the 2007 WSOP Europe Main Event, taking home £27,150. He’s also competed on GSN’s “High Stakes Poker” and NBC’s “Poker After Dark.” During the 2007 installment of the “National Heads-Up Poker Championship,” which also airs on NBC, Gold bested Jennifer Tilly in the first round before falling to Phil Gordon in the round of 32. In 2008, he also bowed out in the second round, this time to Scott Fischman. Gold served as the keynote speaker at the Casino Affiliate Programs (CAP) Euro 2008 conference in Barcelona, Spain.
The Academy Awards recognize the best in the motion picture industry annually. Accolades will be handed out for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Director, and Best Original Score, among others. Presenters will include a veritable “who’s who” of Hollywood personalities and the festivities begin at 8:00pm Eastern Time. Previous Best Picture winners include “No Country for Old Men,” “The Departed,” “Crash,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “Chicago,” “A Beautiful Mind,” and “Gladiator.” This year’s nominees include “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Milk,” “The Reader,” and “Slumdog Millionaire.” Actor Hugh Jackman will host. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Tonight, the 81st annual Academy Awards will take place from the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Many in the poker world are in town not for the Oscars, but for the L.A. Poker Classic, a World Poker Tour (WPT) event taking place at the Commerce Casino. One notable exception is 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Jamie Gold, who is hosting a charity poker tournament late Sunday night benefiting Children Uniting Nations.
The winner of the fundraising event will receive a $10,000 entry into the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas beginning on July 3rd. The all-expense paid trip to Sin City includes a private dinner and coaching by Gold. The Los Angeles tournament will be held at 10:00pm on Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton after the Oscar festivities have concluded. Confirmed to appear alongside Gold are Lee Watkinson and Full Tilt Poker pro Howard Lederer. The tournament is sponsored by the Merge Gaming Network online poker room ACED, which recently signed Gold. The Network accepts players from the United States.
Seating in the event will be capped when 30 players have registered and the field will consist of a mix of celebrities and poker fans. The gala is co-sponsored by the Hollywood Reporter and will feature musical performances by Colby O’Donis, JabbawockeeZ, Sophie B. Hawkins, Doug E. Fresh, Teairra Mari, and D.J. AM. According to a press release distributed by tournament organizer GreasieWheels, Jennifer Aniston, Pierce Brosnan, Christina Milian, Jane Seymour, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bill and Hillary Clinton are all proud supporters of Children Uniting Nations.
According to the non-profit organization’s website, Children Uniting Nations “is committed to help every child find a way out of cruelty, neglect, and anger. This organization is dedicated to help children find their way to fulfill their dreams. Children Uniting Nations’ mission is to create loving, tolerant, and capable world citizens.” The Los Angeles-based organization was founded by entertainment mogul Daphna Edwards Ziman. The Oscar Viewing Party taking place at the Beverly Hilton has a price tag of $1,000; After Party tickets can be purchased for $150.
Gold famously won the 2006 WSOP Main Event, defeating Paul Wasicka heads-up and pocketing $12 million. Since then, Gold has served as a front man for 50 charity events and helped raise over $110 million. In addition to Children Uniting Nations, Gold’s efforts have benefited The Sunflower Organization, Montel Williams MS Foundation, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation. He’s right at home in Hollywood after originally gaining fame as a talent agent.
Gold took 35th in the 2007 WSOP Europe Main Event, taking home £27,150. He’s also competed on GSN’s “High Stakes Poker” and NBC’s “Poker After Dark.” During the 2007 installment of the “National Heads-Up Poker Championship,” which also airs on NBC, Gold bested Jennifer Tilly in the first round before falling to Phil Gordon in the round of 32. In 2008, he also bowed out in the second round, this time to Scott Fischman. Gold served as the keynote speaker at the Casino Affiliate Programs (CAP) Euro 2008 conference in Barcelona, Spain.
The Academy Awards recognize the best in the motion picture industry annually. Accolades will be handed out for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Director, and Best Original Score, among others. Presenters will include a veritable “who’s who” of Hollywood personalities and the festivities begin at 8:00pm Eastern Time. Previous Best Picture winners include “No Country for Old Men,” “The Departed,” “Crash,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “Chicago,” “A Beautiful Mind,” and “Gladiator.” This year’s nominees include “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Milk,” “The Reader,” and “Slumdog Millionaire.” Actor Hugh Jackman will host. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Monday, February 23, 2009
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Sunday, February 22, 2009
Barney Frank to Introduce Internet Gambling Legislation in March, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 21st February 2009
Now that a $700 billion bailout has successfully passed the United States Senate and House of Representatives, lawmakers’ attention may now turn to internet gambling, according to an article released by Reuters on Friday. It was revealed that Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, will introduce legislation in March addressing the ambiguities of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The Reuters article did not mention what Frank’s bill would specifically include.
The UIGEA was unceremoniously passed into law attached to the unrelated SAFE Port Act at the end of the 2006 Congressional session on the urging of former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), who is no longer on Capitol Hill. The SAFE Port Act was passed 421-2 in the House and approved by unanimous consent in the Senate. Its regulations were passed in a similar fashion as a midnight rule by the outgoing Bush Administration. They went into effect on January 19th, 2009, one day prior to Barack Obama assuming the Presidency.
A spokesperson for Frank told Reuters that the Congressman will be introducing “legislation to repeal the UIGEA” next month. Many in the industry have been speculating as to what form the new internet gambling legislation would take. During the previous Congressional session, Frank introduced HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. The bill, which was introduced on April 30th, 2007, called for a complete licensing and regulatory framework for internet gambling in the United States. It garnered 48 co-sponsors, but did not see time on the House floor.
At the close of 2008, HR 6870, which was introduced by Frank and co-sponsored by Congressman Peter King (R-NY), was approved by the House Financial Services Committee by a 30-19 vote. However, the September vote was followed immediately by the collapse on Wall Street, which diverted attention away from internet gambling. HR 6870 would have clarified what is legal and illegal under the UIGEA, a question many banks will now face when compliance is due in December.
The enactment of the UIGEA also prompted an investigation by the European Commission into potential violations of World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations by the United States as a result of its stance towards internet gambling. A separate Reuters article revealed that the Commission is likely to recommend that the WTO act next month. However, the report added, “Sources said the E.U. executive, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation bloc, would try to find a solution with the new U.S. government before taking any case to the global trade watchdog.”
In September, trade officials from the European Union traveled to the United States on a fact-finding mission in order to determine whether WTO obligations were being trampled on. The complaint to the Commission was brought by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA). The organization’s membership includes 888 and Party Gaming, which are both publicly-traded companies on the London Stock Exchange (under the symbols “888″ and “PRTY,” respectively). Upon the passage of the UIGEA, their online poker sites were forced to abandon the U.S. market out of deference to shareholders. Meanwhile, the co-founder of Party Gaming, Anurag Dikshit, admitted to violating the Wire Act of 1961 in a New York court room in December, paying the U.S. Government $300 million and potentially facing jail time.
Other RGA member companies include Ladbrokes, Bet 365, Littlewoods, PKR, Unibet, Victor Chandler, Cryptologic, and William Hill. The organization is chaired by Clive Hawkswood and based in London.
The industry will now wait and see what the text of Frank’s bill will include. Although in the September mark-up hearing of HR 6870 Frank declared that he seeks to repeal the UIGEA entirely, many have speculated that a poker-only bill may take shape during this Congressional session. In 2007, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) introduced HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act, which exempted poker, mah jong, bridge, and other player versus player games from all existing federal legislation, including the Wire Act of 1961 and the UIGEA.
We’ll have more news for you as it develops right here on Poker News Daily. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Now that a $700 billion bailout has successfully passed the United States Senate and House of Representatives, lawmakers’ attention may now turn to internet gambling, according to an article released by Reuters on Friday. It was revealed that Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, will introduce legislation in March addressing the ambiguities of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The Reuters article did not mention what Frank’s bill would specifically include.
The UIGEA was unceremoniously passed into law attached to the unrelated SAFE Port Act at the end of the 2006 Congressional session on the urging of former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), who is no longer on Capitol Hill. The SAFE Port Act was passed 421-2 in the House and approved by unanimous consent in the Senate. Its regulations were passed in a similar fashion as a midnight rule by the outgoing Bush Administration. They went into effect on January 19th, 2009, one day prior to Barack Obama assuming the Presidency.
A spokesperson for Frank told Reuters that the Congressman will be introducing “legislation to repeal the UIGEA” next month. Many in the industry have been speculating as to what form the new internet gambling legislation would take. During the previous Congressional session, Frank introduced HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. The bill, which was introduced on April 30th, 2007, called for a complete licensing and regulatory framework for internet gambling in the United States. It garnered 48 co-sponsors, but did not see time on the House floor.
At the close of 2008, HR 6870, which was introduced by Frank and co-sponsored by Congressman Peter King (R-NY), was approved by the House Financial Services Committee by a 30-19 vote. However, the September vote was followed immediately by the collapse on Wall Street, which diverted attention away from internet gambling. HR 6870 would have clarified what is legal and illegal under the UIGEA, a question many banks will now face when compliance is due in December.
The enactment of the UIGEA also prompted an investigation by the European Commission into potential violations of World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations by the United States as a result of its stance towards internet gambling. A separate Reuters article revealed that the Commission is likely to recommend that the WTO act next month. However, the report added, “Sources said the E.U. executive, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation bloc, would try to find a solution with the new U.S. government before taking any case to the global trade watchdog.”
In September, trade officials from the European Union traveled to the United States on a fact-finding mission in order to determine whether WTO obligations were being trampled on. The complaint to the Commission was brought by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA). The organization’s membership includes 888 and Party Gaming, which are both publicly-traded companies on the London Stock Exchange (under the symbols “888″ and “PRTY,” respectively). Upon the passage of the UIGEA, their online poker sites were forced to abandon the U.S. market out of deference to shareholders. Meanwhile, the co-founder of Party Gaming, Anurag Dikshit, admitted to violating the Wire Act of 1961 in a New York court room in December, paying the U.S. Government $300 million and potentially facing jail time.
Other RGA member companies include Ladbrokes, Bet 365, Littlewoods, PKR, Unibet, Victor Chandler, Cryptologic, and William Hill. The organization is chaired by Clive Hawkswood and based in London.
The industry will now wait and see what the text of Frank’s bill will include. Although in the September mark-up hearing of HR 6870 Frank declared that he seeks to repeal the UIGEA entirely, many have speculated that a poker-only bill may take shape during this Congressional session. In 2007, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) introduced HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act, which exempted poker, mah jong, bridge, and other player versus player games from all existing federal legislation, including the Wire Act of 1961 and the UIGEA.
We’ll have more news for you as it develops right here on Poker News Daily. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Friday, February 20, 2009
888Poker To Hold Benefit Tournament For Australian Wildfire Victims, by Earl Burton - Poker News Daily - 19th February 2009
People worldwide have been watching with dismay as one of the largest wildfires in Australian history has ravaged the country. Since it started on February 7th, the southern part of Victoria state has seen nearly 2,000 homes destroyed and, worse yet, 201 people killed during what is alleged to have been an intentionally set fire. In an effort to help those who have been affected by the tragedy, an online poker site will be having a charity poker tournament to help out.
888Poker will be having “The Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament” this Sunday, which has also been designated a national day of mourning in Australia. The No Limit Hold’em tournament will donate all of the funds generated from the $30 buy in and rebuys to benefit The Variety and Shane Warne Foundation Bushfire Relief Fund, which is raising money for those families affected by the wildfires. Instead of using the buy ins to raise a prize pool, 888Poker is offering payouts and bounties to draw players to help with the cause.
The tournament, which begins at 8:30PM Australian time (roughly 9:30AM in London) on Sunday, will pay out the winner with a $500 prize. Second and third places will also earn cash, with $300 and $200 being paid out respectively. The remainder of the final table - places fourth through tenth - will earn an entry into the New Zealand Poker Championships Sunday Qualifier on March 1st, a seat that is worth $120.
888Poker will also have celebrity bounties that players can earn some extra cash through eliminating. 888 ambassadors Brendan Fevola (bfevola25) and Jeff Fenech (fenech888) will be taking part in the tournament and, for the fortunate player who eliminates them from the event, that player will receive a $50 bounty prize. While these prizes are great for the players, the major point will be in remembering the tragedy that occurred in Australia and raising funds for those families that have been affected. Jennifer Huxley, the spokesman for 888Poker, stated,
“888Poker is deeply saddened by the tragic events that have occurred and we hope this tournament will help in a small way those that have been affected.”
The fires, now under control after ravaging the bush areas of the state of Victoria since February 7th, have had a devastating impact on the Australian people as well as their resources. The wildfires, fanned by high winds and dry conditions, have blackened more than 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) and destroyed more than 1,800 homes. Most importantly, 201 people have perished from the fires, with the latest person killed a firefighter who was working to extinguish the blaze around the Yarra Ranges National Park, a region hit hard by the fires, on Tuesday. Brendan Solaluk, 39, is facing one count of deadly arson and one of lighting a wildfire in connection to one of hundreds of blazes that swept southern Victoria state around Geelong.
While American poker players cannot participate in the offerings of 888Poker, it is an opportunity for the game to once again show its philanthropic side. For more details on the tournament and to participate in The Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament, visit 888Poker to learn more. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
*pitched by Media Man Australia
Media Man Australia Profiles
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Disasters
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People worldwide have been watching with dismay as one of the largest wildfires in Australian history has ravaged the country. Since it started on February 7th, the southern part of Victoria state has seen nearly 2,000 homes destroyed and, worse yet, 201 people killed during what is alleged to have been an intentionally set fire. In an effort to help those who have been affected by the tragedy, an online poker site will be having a charity poker tournament to help out.
888Poker will be having “The Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament” this Sunday, which has also been designated a national day of mourning in Australia. The No Limit Hold’em tournament will donate all of the funds generated from the $30 buy in and rebuys to benefit The Variety and Shane Warne Foundation Bushfire Relief Fund, which is raising money for those families affected by the wildfires. Instead of using the buy ins to raise a prize pool, 888Poker is offering payouts and bounties to draw players to help with the cause.
The tournament, which begins at 8:30PM Australian time (roughly 9:30AM in London) on Sunday, will pay out the winner with a $500 prize. Second and third places will also earn cash, with $300 and $200 being paid out respectively. The remainder of the final table - places fourth through tenth - will earn an entry into the New Zealand Poker Championships Sunday Qualifier on March 1st, a seat that is worth $120.
888Poker will also have celebrity bounties that players can earn some extra cash through eliminating. 888 ambassadors Brendan Fevola (bfevola25) and Jeff Fenech (fenech888) will be taking part in the tournament and, for the fortunate player who eliminates them from the event, that player will receive a $50 bounty prize. While these prizes are great for the players, the major point will be in remembering the tragedy that occurred in Australia and raising funds for those families that have been affected. Jennifer Huxley, the spokesman for 888Poker, stated,
“888Poker is deeply saddened by the tragic events that have occurred and we hope this tournament will help in a small way those that have been affected.”
The fires, now under control after ravaging the bush areas of the state of Victoria since February 7th, have had a devastating impact on the Australian people as well as their resources. The wildfires, fanned by high winds and dry conditions, have blackened more than 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) and destroyed more than 1,800 homes. Most importantly, 201 people have perished from the fires, with the latest person killed a firefighter who was working to extinguish the blaze around the Yarra Ranges National Park, a region hit hard by the fires, on Tuesday. Brendan Solaluk, 39, is facing one count of deadly arson and one of lighting a wildfire in connection to one of hundreds of blazes that swept southern Victoria state around Geelong.
While American poker players cannot participate in the offerings of 888Poker, it is an opportunity for the game to once again show its philanthropic side. For more details on the tournament and to participate in The Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament, visit 888Poker to learn more. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
*pitched by Media Man Australia
Media Man Australia Profiles
888
Pacific Poker
Bushfire
Disasters
Social and Community Entrepreneurs
Shane Warne
Jeff Fenech
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Thursday, February 19, 2009
888 Pitches in to Raise Funds for Australian Fire Victims
$30 buy-in online poker tourney planned
February 18, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- Kudos to 888.com on a new initiative it has launched to assist victims of the recent and tragic bushfires in Australia.
The Gibraltar-based online gambling group will be hosting the "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament" to help the families impacted by the Victoria territory tragedy, which has so far claimed 200 lives.
The No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament will take place on Sunday, February 22nd at 8:30pm AEDT with a $30 buy-in, and all buy-ins (and re-buys) will be donated to the relief fund.
888 will be awarding prizes in the event, and expects a major turnout from player around the world looking to help a worthy cause and enjoy some great competitive poker with a very reasonable buy-in at the same time.
Media Man Australia Profiles
888
Poker
Poker News
$30 buy-in online poker tourney planned
February 18, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- Kudos to 888.com on a new initiative it has launched to assist victims of the recent and tragic bushfires in Australia.
The Gibraltar-based online gambling group will be hosting the "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament" to help the families impacted by the Victoria territory tragedy, which has so far claimed 200 lives.
The No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament will take place on Sunday, February 22nd at 8:30pm AEDT with a $30 buy-in, and all buy-ins (and re-buys) will be donated to the relief fund.
888 will be awarding prizes in the event, and expects a major turnout from player around the world looking to help a worthy cause and enjoy some great competitive poker with a very reasonable buy-in at the same time.
Media Man Australia Profiles
888
Poker
Poker News
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
iPhones and Casino Blackjack Card Counting - Gambling911 - 17th February 2009
Ten years ago who would have guessed we would be taking photographs with cell phones? Now it seems the iPhone is being used for something quite clever - casino Blackjack card counting.
The Australian press has caught onto this mighty fast.
Many of you have seen the film "21" about a group of Ivy League college students who learned the great art of Blackjack card counting. Back then the iPhone was yet to be invented but probably would have come in handy.
Gambling911.com's man on the scene - Greg Tingle - says it is something the Australian casinos are becoming more vigilante about.
"Blackjack Card Counter, developed by an Australian named Travis Yates, is among the most popular applications for iPhone," Tingle says. "And it can be purchased for under $10."
And it's not just Australian casinos that are keeping a close eye out for the latest iPhone app.. The State Gaming Control Board of Nevada has already warned about its usage.
This Blackjack Card Counting program can be utilized on either the Apple I-Phone or the Apple IPod touch (portable music player). Once this program is installed on the phone through the I-tunes website it can make counting cards easy. The program calculates the "True Count" and does it significantly more accurately. The card counting program uses a choice of four (4) card counting strategies. For each strategy the user presses the button that contains the face cards as they are drawn from the deck. Depending on the strategy and on the value of the card the button will either add or subtract 1 or 2 from the "Running Count". The program can utilize the following card counting methods including Hi-Low, Hi-Op I, Hi- Op II, and Omega II.
This program can be used in the "Stealth Mode". When the program is used in the "Stealth Mode" the screen of the phone will remain shut off, and as long as the user knows where the keys are located the program can be run effortlessly without detection.
Card counting involves keeping a running tally of the number of high cards compared with low cards.
When a higher balance of low cards have already been played, you have a probability advantage and so should place a bet.
Many casinos throw players out if they suspect them of counting cards but using a device to do the maths is strictly outlawed.
The iPhone application, which trains players using simulation blackjack hands, can operate in stealth mode while in a player's pocket. The gambler simply needs to know where to press the screen, depending on whether the card is valued at less than or higher than 10, and the phone will vibrate when it's time to place a bet.
Yates claims he would typically sell 10 copies of the application per day, but immediately following a profile on CNN, sales shot to 500 copies.
"I developed the app so people could practise card counting and use it with friends at home," he said. (Credit: Gambling911)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Blackjack
Poker News
Ten years ago who would have guessed we would be taking photographs with cell phones? Now it seems the iPhone is being used for something quite clever - casino Blackjack card counting.
The Australian press has caught onto this mighty fast.
Many of you have seen the film "21" about a group of Ivy League college students who learned the great art of Blackjack card counting. Back then the iPhone was yet to be invented but probably would have come in handy.
Gambling911.com's man on the scene - Greg Tingle - says it is something the Australian casinos are becoming more vigilante about.
"Blackjack Card Counter, developed by an Australian named Travis Yates, is among the most popular applications for iPhone," Tingle says. "And it can be purchased for under $10."
And it's not just Australian casinos that are keeping a close eye out for the latest iPhone app.. The State Gaming Control Board of Nevada has already warned about its usage.
This Blackjack Card Counting program can be utilized on either the Apple I-Phone or the Apple IPod touch (portable music player). Once this program is installed on the phone through the I-tunes website it can make counting cards easy. The program calculates the "True Count" and does it significantly more accurately. The card counting program uses a choice of four (4) card counting strategies. For each strategy the user presses the button that contains the face cards as they are drawn from the deck. Depending on the strategy and on the value of the card the button will either add or subtract 1 or 2 from the "Running Count". The program can utilize the following card counting methods including Hi-Low, Hi-Op I, Hi- Op II, and Omega II.
This program can be used in the "Stealth Mode". When the program is used in the "Stealth Mode" the screen of the phone will remain shut off, and as long as the user knows where the keys are located the program can be run effortlessly without detection.
Card counting involves keeping a running tally of the number of high cards compared with low cards.
When a higher balance of low cards have already been played, you have a probability advantage and so should place a bet.
Many casinos throw players out if they suspect them of counting cards but using a device to do the maths is strictly outlawed.
The iPhone application, which trains players using simulation blackjack hands, can operate in stealth mode while in a player's pocket. The gambler simply needs to know where to press the screen, depending on whether the card is valued at less than or higher than 10, and the phone will vibrate when it's time to place a bet.
Yates claims he would typically sell 10 copies of the application per day, but immediately following a profile on CNN, sales shot to 500 copies.
"I developed the app so people could practise card counting and use it with friends at home," he said. (Credit: Gambling911)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Blackjack
Poker News
888.com Hosts Charity Poker Tournament for Australia Wildfire Victims - Gambling911 - 17th February 2009
Gambling911.com applauds 888.com for its efforts in trying to raise money for those affected by the wildfires in Australia last week. Our friend, The Media Man, has advised that 888.com will be hosting an online poker tournament to help Australia wildfire victims. The publicly traded online gambling firm has been making some serious inroads into Australia over the last year.
Sadly, the wildfire death toll heading into Wednesday (Australia time) had reached 200.
A judge launched an inquiry into the deadly Australian wildfires on Tuesday as authorities announced they would find ways to make the region safer before the next season of inevitable blazes.
Media Man, Greg Tingle, questioned why one individual had been fined by environmentalists for clearing trees and brush away from his property prior to the fires.
"He was the only survivor in his neighborhood," said Tingle.
The nightmarish blazes tore across Victoria with 400 fires destroying more than 1,800 homes and scorching about 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) of farms, forests and towns.
Police suspect at least two of the fires were deliberately set, and have charged one man with arson causing death and lighting a wildfire. Brendan Sokaluk, 39, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years on the first charge and 15 years on the second. He was being held in protective custody to prevent revenge attacks against him.
A class-action lawsuit was filed against electricity supplier SP AusNet, alleging that defective power lines caused losses and damage in connection with one of the fires. SP AusNet, which is 51 percent owned by the Singapore Power Group, said it would "vigorously defend" the claim.
As for the online poker tournament, details appear below:
Due to the tragic events caused by the bushfires in the Victoria region,
888 will be hosting the "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament" to help
families in need. The No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament will take place
on Sunday, February 22nd at 8:30pm AEDT. The buy-in for this tournament
will be $30 and all buy-ins (and re-buys) will be donated to the relief
efforts. Entrants to this special tournament will be playing for great
prizes donated by 888;
1st place: $500 US
2nd place: $300 US
3rd place: $200 US
4th-10th place: Free entry into the 888 NZ Poker Champs Sunday Qualifier
on March 1 ($120 Value)
As well as these great prizes, if you knock out 888 ambassadors Brendan Fevola (bfevola25) or Jeff Fenech (fenech888) you will receive an $50 bounty prize (credited next day).
We hope you take this opportunity to Enjoy The Game while helping your fellow Australian families during this difficult time. Thank you for your support.
What: Tournament- "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament"
Buy-in: $30 with optional $30 rebuys (all going to charity)
When: February 22nd @ 8:30pm AEDT
Charity: The Variety and Shane Warne Foundation Bushfire Relief Fund
Where: 888Poker
To download and join 888Poker please click on the link below:
DOWNLOAD HERE
Casino News Media Profiles
888
Pacific Poker
Jeff Fenech
Shane Warne
Casino News
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Australian Casino News
Gambling911.com applauds 888.com for its efforts in trying to raise money for those affected by the wildfires in Australia last week. Our friend, The Media Man, has advised that 888.com will be hosting an online poker tournament to help Australia wildfire victims. The publicly traded online gambling firm has been making some serious inroads into Australia over the last year.
Sadly, the wildfire death toll heading into Wednesday (Australia time) had reached 200.
A judge launched an inquiry into the deadly Australian wildfires on Tuesday as authorities announced they would find ways to make the region safer before the next season of inevitable blazes.
Media Man, Greg Tingle, questioned why one individual had been fined by environmentalists for clearing trees and brush away from his property prior to the fires.
"He was the only survivor in his neighborhood," said Tingle.
The nightmarish blazes tore across Victoria with 400 fires destroying more than 1,800 homes and scorching about 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) of farms, forests and towns.
Police suspect at least two of the fires were deliberately set, and have charged one man with arson causing death and lighting a wildfire. Brendan Sokaluk, 39, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years on the first charge and 15 years on the second. He was being held in protective custody to prevent revenge attacks against him.
A class-action lawsuit was filed against electricity supplier SP AusNet, alleging that defective power lines caused losses and damage in connection with one of the fires. SP AusNet, which is 51 percent owned by the Singapore Power Group, said it would "vigorously defend" the claim.
As for the online poker tournament, details appear below:
Due to the tragic events caused by the bushfires in the Victoria region,
888 will be hosting the "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament" to help
families in need. The No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament will take place
on Sunday, February 22nd at 8:30pm AEDT. The buy-in for this tournament
will be $30 and all buy-ins (and re-buys) will be donated to the relief
efforts. Entrants to this special tournament will be playing for great
prizes donated by 888;
1st place: $500 US
2nd place: $300 US
3rd place: $200 US
4th-10th place: Free entry into the 888 NZ Poker Champs Sunday Qualifier
on March 1 ($120 Value)
As well as these great prizes, if you knock out 888 ambassadors Brendan Fevola (bfevola25) or Jeff Fenech (fenech888) you will receive an $50 bounty prize (credited next day).
We hope you take this opportunity to Enjoy The Game while helping your fellow Australian families during this difficult time. Thank you for your support.
What: Tournament- "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament"
Buy-in: $30 with optional $30 rebuys (all going to charity)
When: February 22nd @ 8:30pm AEDT
Charity: The Variety and Shane Warne Foundation Bushfire Relief Fund
Where: 888Poker
To download and join 888Poker please click on the link below:
DOWNLOAD HERE
Casino News Media Profiles
888
Pacific Poker
Jeff Fenech
Shane Warne
Casino News
Poker News
Australian Casino News
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
PartyPoker.com European Open V Live Reporting Continues
London – 11th February 2009 – The PartyPoker.com European Open V runs until Friday 13 February.
Heat 11 is currently underway and features Annette Obrestad, Stuart Rutter, former champion Liam Flood, Christophe Haller, Paul Bracken and Richard Wheatley.
Amongst the players who signed up to play in the famous 72 runner $7,000 buy-in event include Roland de Wolfe, Vicky Coren, Juha Helppi, Ciaran O’Leary, Eoghan O’Dea, Ian Frazer, Surinder Sunar, Barny Boatman, James Akenhead, Padraig Parkinson, Julian Thew, Donnacha O’Dea, May Maceiras, Marc Goodwin, Thomas Bihl, Robin Keston, Neil Channing, Roberto Romanello and UK Open champion Michael Keiner.
The Matchroom Sport organized tournament features 12 six seat heats and two six seat turbo runner-up heats. There will be two seven seat semi finals and one six seat final. The top three players in each of the semi-finals take their chip stacks through to the final. The total prize pool is $504,000 with first place scooping $200,000. Coverage of the event will be first broadcast on Five in the UK and then distributed internationally. Coverage of the PartyPoker.com European Open is amongst the best distributed in the world and commentary will be led by the one and only Jesse May.
45-year-old Nick Slade, a professional from Preston, Lancashire in the UK took down the biggest title of his career when he scooped $200,000 and the European Open IV title last year. Slade ended up heads-up with 45-year-old Worcester internet sports trader Craig Burgess and both were regarded as outsiders on a final table that also included WSOP Europe winner Annette Obrestad, Juha Helppi, Ian Frazer and Josh Tyler.
PARTYPOKER.COM EUROPEAN OPEN IV – 3 Mills, London 1st-8th February 2008
1st Nick Slade $200,000
2nd Craig Burgess $100,000
3rd Ian Frazer $50,000
4th Annette Obrestad $30,000
5th Josh Tyler $25,000
6th Juha Helppi $20,000
PARTYPOKER EUROPEAN OPEN IV - CHIP COUNTS AT THE START OF THE FINAL TABLE
Ian Frazer – 469,000
Josh Tyler – 351,000
Annette Obrestad – 235,000
Nick Slade – 124,000
Juha Helppi – 114,000
Craig Burgess – 107,000
Casino News Media Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
Poker News
London – 11th February 2009 – The PartyPoker.com European Open V runs until Friday 13 February.
Heat 11 is currently underway and features Annette Obrestad, Stuart Rutter, former champion Liam Flood, Christophe Haller, Paul Bracken and Richard Wheatley.
Amongst the players who signed up to play in the famous 72 runner $7,000 buy-in event include Roland de Wolfe, Vicky Coren, Juha Helppi, Ciaran O’Leary, Eoghan O’Dea, Ian Frazer, Surinder Sunar, Barny Boatman, James Akenhead, Padraig Parkinson, Julian Thew, Donnacha O’Dea, May Maceiras, Marc Goodwin, Thomas Bihl, Robin Keston, Neil Channing, Roberto Romanello and UK Open champion Michael Keiner.
The Matchroom Sport organized tournament features 12 six seat heats and two six seat turbo runner-up heats. There will be two seven seat semi finals and one six seat final. The top three players in each of the semi-finals take their chip stacks through to the final. The total prize pool is $504,000 with first place scooping $200,000. Coverage of the event will be first broadcast on Five in the UK and then distributed internationally. Coverage of the PartyPoker.com European Open is amongst the best distributed in the world and commentary will be led by the one and only Jesse May.
45-year-old Nick Slade, a professional from Preston, Lancashire in the UK took down the biggest title of his career when he scooped $200,000 and the European Open IV title last year. Slade ended up heads-up with 45-year-old Worcester internet sports trader Craig Burgess and both were regarded as outsiders on a final table that also included WSOP Europe winner Annette Obrestad, Juha Helppi, Ian Frazer and Josh Tyler.
PARTYPOKER.COM EUROPEAN OPEN IV – 3 Mills, London 1st-8th February 2008
1st Nick Slade $200,000
2nd Craig Burgess $100,000
3rd Ian Frazer $50,000
4th Annette Obrestad $30,000
5th Josh Tyler $25,000
6th Juha Helppi $20,000
PARTYPOKER EUROPEAN OPEN IV - CHIP COUNTS AT THE START OF THE FINAL TABLE
Ian Frazer – 469,000
Josh Tyler – 351,000
Annette Obrestad – 235,000
Nick Slade – 124,000
Juha Helppi – 114,000
Craig Burgess – 107,000
Casino News Media Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
Poker News
Monday, February 16, 2009
European Open Semi Finals Set - 13th February 2009
The much coveted Party Poker European Open has been running heats in Maidstone for over a week now and we have finally reached the semi final stages after the heats and second chance turbo heats have run their course. The final three players from each heat will progress into the final with the chips they end their semi final on. Its a nice mix of old school and new school UK players with Bambos Charalambos, Neil Channing and Marc Goodwin representing the old guard and Karl Mahrenholz, Andy Ward and Roberto Romanello flying the flag for the new breed of poker players. They will play to a winner over the weekend with the eventual champion scooping $200,000.
SEMI-FINAL 1 – Thursday 12 February
SEAT 1 - Chris Bury
SEAT 2 - Bambos Charalambos
SEAT 3 - David Rudling
SEAT 4 - Karl Mahrenholz
SEAT 5 - Andy Ward
SEAT 6 – Marc Goodwin
SEAT 7 - Craig Burgess
SEMI-FINAL 2 – Friday 13 February
Neil Channing
Peter Wood
Paul Marrow
Soraya Homam
Christoph Haller
William Taylor
Roberto Romanelllo
Casino News Media Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
Poker News
The much coveted Party Poker European Open has been running heats in Maidstone for over a week now and we have finally reached the semi final stages after the heats and second chance turbo heats have run their course. The final three players from each heat will progress into the final with the chips they end their semi final on. Its a nice mix of old school and new school UK players with Bambos Charalambos, Neil Channing and Marc Goodwin representing the old guard and Karl Mahrenholz, Andy Ward and Roberto Romanello flying the flag for the new breed of poker players. They will play to a winner over the weekend with the eventual champion scooping $200,000.
SEMI-FINAL 1 – Thursday 12 February
SEAT 1 - Chris Bury
SEAT 2 - Bambos Charalambos
SEAT 3 - David Rudling
SEAT 4 - Karl Mahrenholz
SEAT 5 - Andy Ward
SEAT 6 – Marc Goodwin
SEAT 7 - Craig Burgess
SEMI-FINAL 2 – Friday 13 February
Neil Channing
Peter Wood
Paul Marrow
Soraya Homam
Christoph Haller
William Taylor
Roberto Romanelllo
Casino News Media Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
Poker News
888Poker Presents The "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament"
Due to the tragic events caused by the bushfires in the Victoria region,
888 will be hosting the "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament" to help
families in need. The No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament will take place
on Sunday, February 22nd at 8:30pm AEDT. The buy-in for this tournament
will be $30 and all buy-ins (and re-buys) will be donated to the relief
efforts. Entrants to this special tournament will be playing for great
prizes donated by 888;
1st place: $500 US
2nd place: $300 US
3rd place: $200 US
4th-10th place: Free entry into the 888 NZ Poker Champs Sunday Qualifier
on March 1 ($120 Value)
As well as these great prizes, if you knock out 888 ambassadors Brendan
Fevola (bfevola25) or Jeff Fenech (fenech888) you will receive an $50
bounty prize (credited next day).
We hope you take this opportunity to Enjoy The Game while helping your
fellow Australian families during this difficult time. Thank you for
your support.
What: Tournament- "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament"
Buy-in: $30 with optional $30 rebuys (all going to charity)
When: February 22nd @ 8:30pm AEDT
Charity: The Variety and Shane Warne Foundation Bushfire Relief Fund
Where: 888Poker
To download and join 888Poker please click on the link below:
Download here
We hope you take this opportunity to "Enjoy The Game" while helping your
fellow Australian families during this difficult time. Thank you for
your support
Media Man Australia Profiles
Pacific Poker
888
Poker News
Due to the tragic events caused by the bushfires in the Victoria region,
888 will be hosting the "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament" to help
families in need. The No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament will take place
on Sunday, February 22nd at 8:30pm AEDT. The buy-in for this tournament
will be $30 and all buy-ins (and re-buys) will be donated to the relief
efforts. Entrants to this special tournament will be playing for great
prizes donated by 888;
1st place: $500 US
2nd place: $300 US
3rd place: $200 US
4th-10th place: Free entry into the 888 NZ Poker Champs Sunday Qualifier
on March 1 ($120 Value)
As well as these great prizes, if you knock out 888 ambassadors Brendan
Fevola (bfevola25) or Jeff Fenech (fenech888) you will receive an $50
bounty prize (credited next day).
We hope you take this opportunity to Enjoy The Game while helping your
fellow Australian families during this difficult time. Thank you for
your support.
What: Tournament- "Bushfire Relief Charity Tournament"
Buy-in: $30 with optional $30 rebuys (all going to charity)
When: February 22nd @ 8:30pm AEDT
Charity: The Variety and Shane Warne Foundation Bushfire Relief Fund
Where: 888Poker
To download and join 888Poker please click on the link below:
Download here
We hope you take this opportunity to "Enjoy The Game" while helping your
fellow Australian families during this difficult time. Thank you for
your support
Media Man Australia Profiles
Pacific Poker
888
Poker News
WPT Invitational To Have Charitable Side, by Earl Burton - Poker News Daily - 13th February 2009
For the first time in the tournament’s seven year history, the 2009 World Poker Tour Invitational - which caps off the month long L. A. Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino on February 28th - will feature rebuys for the invite-only tournament that will entirely go to charity.
The WPT Invitational has become one of the signature stops on the tour since its inception. Drawing celebrities from the movie, music and television worlds, as well as the cream of the top professional poker players on the circuit, the tournament has traditionally been an event that is as much fun as it is a competition. In the announcement on Thursday, the WPT will add a charitable aspect to the proceedings by teaming up with actor Mekhi Phifer’s pet charity, The Vine Group USA.
For the first two hours of the start of the tournament at the end of the month, players will be able to rebuy back into the tournament for a minimum $200 donation. The entirety of these donations will be donated to Phifer’s TVG, a non-profit organization set up to provide educational assistance in the form of scholarships, textbooks, and technological equipment to academic institutions in various English-speaking countries in Africa.
During the announcement, Phifer - who serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the organization - stated, “The Vine Group USA is very pleased to partner with the World Poker Tour and Commerce Casino for the Invitational. This is an event that everyone loves to be a part of. Attendees will be able to have fun at the tables while learning about our organization and the important cause it supports.” Steve Lipscomb, the founder and CEO of the WPT, echoed Phifer’s statements when he commented, “The Invitational is always one of the most exciting and entertaining events on our schedule. It is the one event where celebrities gawk at poker players who gawk at celebrities.”
The change to the traditional freeze out tournament will certainly make for a different experience for those at the tables, admitted Lipscomb. “The rebuy factor will certainly add a whole new flavor to the WPT Invitational and we couldn’t be happier that it also supports a great organization like The Vine Group.”
Past tournaments have featured such celebrity poker players as actors Vince Vaughn, former California state poker champion Ben Affleck, Don Cheadle and PokerStars sponsored player Jason Alexander and actresses Mena Suvari, Camryn Manheim and Cheryl Hines, who starred in the poker-themed movie “The Grand.” Top pros make this a “must play” event on their schedules, with players such as Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Jennifer Harman and 2006 WPT Invitational champion Barry Greenstein partaking of the festivities in the past few years.
The tournament, which awards the champion with a seat at the WPT Invitational at the Bellagio in April, will be a three day event. The players who survive the first day will return for action on March 1st and the final table is scheduled to be played out on March 2nd. Fans will be able to watch the action in two separate one hour segments of the broadcast of Season Seven action on Fox Sports Network in May. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
World Poker Tour
Poker News
For the first time in the tournament’s seven year history, the 2009 World Poker Tour Invitational - which caps off the month long L. A. Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino on February 28th - will feature rebuys for the invite-only tournament that will entirely go to charity.
The WPT Invitational has become one of the signature stops on the tour since its inception. Drawing celebrities from the movie, music and television worlds, as well as the cream of the top professional poker players on the circuit, the tournament has traditionally been an event that is as much fun as it is a competition. In the announcement on Thursday, the WPT will add a charitable aspect to the proceedings by teaming up with actor Mekhi Phifer’s pet charity, The Vine Group USA.
For the first two hours of the start of the tournament at the end of the month, players will be able to rebuy back into the tournament for a minimum $200 donation. The entirety of these donations will be donated to Phifer’s TVG, a non-profit organization set up to provide educational assistance in the form of scholarships, textbooks, and technological equipment to academic institutions in various English-speaking countries in Africa.
During the announcement, Phifer - who serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the organization - stated, “The Vine Group USA is very pleased to partner with the World Poker Tour and Commerce Casino for the Invitational. This is an event that everyone loves to be a part of. Attendees will be able to have fun at the tables while learning about our organization and the important cause it supports.” Steve Lipscomb, the founder and CEO of the WPT, echoed Phifer’s statements when he commented, “The Invitational is always one of the most exciting and entertaining events on our schedule. It is the one event where celebrities gawk at poker players who gawk at celebrities.”
The change to the traditional freeze out tournament will certainly make for a different experience for those at the tables, admitted Lipscomb. “The rebuy factor will certainly add a whole new flavor to the WPT Invitational and we couldn’t be happier that it also supports a great organization like The Vine Group.”
Past tournaments have featured such celebrity poker players as actors Vince Vaughn, former California state poker champion Ben Affleck, Don Cheadle and PokerStars sponsored player Jason Alexander and actresses Mena Suvari, Camryn Manheim and Cheryl Hines, who starred in the poker-themed movie “The Grand.” Top pros make this a “must play” event on their schedules, with players such as Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Jennifer Harman and 2006 WPT Invitational champion Barry Greenstein partaking of the festivities in the past few years.
The tournament, which awards the champion with a seat at the WPT Invitational at the Bellagio in April, will be a three day event. The players who survive the first day will return for action on March 1st and the final table is scheduled to be played out on March 2nd. Fans will be able to watch the action in two separate one hour segments of the broadcast of Season Seven action on Fox Sports Network in May. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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World Poker Tour
Poker News
Sunday, February 15, 2009
NHL's defence of Sundin's PokerStars promotion is on shaky ground, By David Baines - Vancouver Sun - 14th February 2009
For several months now, hockey star Mats Sundin has been promoting a free, strictly-for-fun gambling website called PokerStars.net.
A television commercial shows him playing hockey, enthusiastically shooting the puck and decking opponents, interspersed with shots of him playing poker, enthusiastically trumping his opponents with aces and scooping up the spoils.
"Same buzz, different game," the commercial states, suggesting that playing poker can be as much fun as playing hockey.
When the commercial was made, Sundin was not signed with any NHL team. But he has since joined the Vancouver Canucks, and despite his return to professional hockey, the commercial is still playing.
Is there anything wrong with this?
Offering online gambling services for real cash is illegal in Canada and the United States. The U.S. Justice Department, in particular, has been waging war against companies that offer such services to U.S. citizens.
But PokerStars.net doesn't use real cash. It's strictly for fun. So technically speaking, it's legal. This is the argument the National Hockey League uses to defend Sundin's promotion of PokerStars.net.
"The NHL has no objection with Mats having a relationship with and endorsing the free, educational website PokerStars.net," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told me in an e-mail this week.
He added that "many of our Clubs have similar relationships." (The Toronto Maple Leafs, for one, have a sponsorship arrangement with PokerStars.net.)
On the other hand, he said, "We do not allow endorsement or sponsorship relationships with 'for money' gaming websites of any kind."
In my view, this is a specious argument. Industry experts agree the real purpose of these free "dot-net" gambling sites (nearly all the major online gambling companies have them) is to groom players for their "dot-com" cash gambling sites.
In this case, PokerStars.net serves as the introductory site for PokerStars.com, where the real business is transacted.
"Obviously, it makes a lot of sense," says Chris Costigan, founder and editor of Gambling911.com, a Miami-based firm that provides news about the online gambling industry. "Once people are on their dot-net site, the operators hope they can pull them into the real-cash poker site and get them to deposit real money."
For Costigan, there's nothing ambiguous about the link between the two: "These guys don't make money on free sites, they make money on the real cash sites. They wouldn't be in business if they just relied on their free websites."
Keep in mind that Costigan has nothing against online gambling, whether it's for free or for cash. In fact, he is in favour of legalizing it. All he is doing is stating the obvious, that the free sites are there to promote the cash sites.
So what we essentially have here is an NHL hockey player promoting for-cash Internet gambling, an activity that is illegal in both Canada and the United States, and the NHL turning a blind eye to it. (Where the Canucks stand is not clear. They did not return my calls on Thursday or Friday.)
Gambling is a regulated activity in most major countries for good reason. First, governments want to ensure the games are fair. Second, they want to ensure the people running the businesses are of good character, so that the companies aren't being used for illicit purposes such as laundering drug money. Third, they want to ensure that these businesses pay taxes, just like any other business.
In Canada, several land-based casino operators have sponsorship arrangements with NHL teams. The Canucks, for example, have a sponsorship arrangement with Richmond-based Great Canadian Gaming Corp. But these companies are fully licensed and regulated to do business in Canada.
At present, neither Canada nor the U.S. has licensed any private "for-cash" Internet gambling firms. That means anybody who offers such services in either country is acting illegally.
Still, PokerStars.com, like many other online gambling firms, continues to offer for-cash games to Canadian citizens. To date, the government has been loathe to intervene, mainly because many of these operators are located in the Kahnawake Reserve in Quebec, which native leaders consider to be sovereign soil. The government is not anxious to walk into another Oka-type confrontation.
All other operators are located in offshore tax and secrecy havens, such as Antigua and Costa Rica, which make prosecution problematic. (PokerStars -- both the dot-net and dot-com versions -- is located on the Isle of Man, and the majority owner is Isai Scheinberg of Israel.)
In the United States, however, it's been a different story. The U.S. Justice Department has been aggressively pursuing offshore operators that take bets from U.S. residents.
In July 2006, FBI agents arrested David Carruthers, chief executive officer of BetonSports Plc, a publicly traded British company that owns several Internet sportsbooks and casinos, at the Ft. Worth, Tex., airport. He was changing planes en route to Costa Rica, where BetonSports has operations. Ten other individuals and four companies were similarly indicted on 22 counts of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud.
In October 2006, the U.S. Congress, aiming to attack online gambling at its roots, passed legislation prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from processing credit card, cheque or electronic fund transfers for online betting.
In January 2007, John Lefebvre of Saltspring Island, founder of online money processor NETeller Inc., was arrested in Malibu by FBI agents and charged with conspiring to promote illegal gambling. His partner, Stephen Lawrence, was similarly charged.
Bodog, an Antigua-based online gambling empire formerly run by ex-Vancouver resident Calvin Ayre, has been under similar pressure. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has seized $24 million of Bodog's funds from U.S. payment processors and is pressing for more. Concerned about possible indictment, Ayre does not dare step foot on U.S. soil.
In December, Anurag Dikshit, one of the founders of London-based Party Gaming PLC, entered into a plea bargain with the U.S. Justice Department for his participation in taking wagers from U.S. citizens. He agreed to pay a fine of $300 million, and still faces a possible jail sentence. His firm no longer takes bets from U.S. citizens.
Despite this strong response, PokerStars.com still takes bets from U.S. residents. In doing so, it is essentially thumbing its nose at U.S. authorities. (It also takes bets from Canadian residents, although authorities here have not publicly raised any concerns.)
This is the legal context in which our hockey star, Mats Sundin, is promoting this seemingly benign "educational" website. As in all forms of gambling -- whether based on land or in cyberspace, whether licensed or unlicensed -- there is also a moral context.
As Costigan notes, gambling for free naturally leads to gambling for cash, which can be a nasty business. It can take over people's lives. It can financially ruin people. It can wreck entire homes.
Why the NHL and apparently the Canucks allow Sundin, who is supposedly a role model for young people, to promote this potentially ruinous activity is beyond me. (Credit:
The Vancouver Sun)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker
PokerStars
Poker News
For several months now, hockey star Mats Sundin has been promoting a free, strictly-for-fun gambling website called PokerStars.net.
A television commercial shows him playing hockey, enthusiastically shooting the puck and decking opponents, interspersed with shots of him playing poker, enthusiastically trumping his opponents with aces and scooping up the spoils.
"Same buzz, different game," the commercial states, suggesting that playing poker can be as much fun as playing hockey.
When the commercial was made, Sundin was not signed with any NHL team. But he has since joined the Vancouver Canucks, and despite his return to professional hockey, the commercial is still playing.
Is there anything wrong with this?
Offering online gambling services for real cash is illegal in Canada and the United States. The U.S. Justice Department, in particular, has been waging war against companies that offer such services to U.S. citizens.
But PokerStars.net doesn't use real cash. It's strictly for fun. So technically speaking, it's legal. This is the argument the National Hockey League uses to defend Sundin's promotion of PokerStars.net.
"The NHL has no objection with Mats having a relationship with and endorsing the free, educational website PokerStars.net," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told me in an e-mail this week.
He added that "many of our Clubs have similar relationships." (The Toronto Maple Leafs, for one, have a sponsorship arrangement with PokerStars.net.)
On the other hand, he said, "We do not allow endorsement or sponsorship relationships with 'for money' gaming websites of any kind."
In my view, this is a specious argument. Industry experts agree the real purpose of these free "dot-net" gambling sites (nearly all the major online gambling companies have them) is to groom players for their "dot-com" cash gambling sites.
In this case, PokerStars.net serves as the introductory site for PokerStars.com, where the real business is transacted.
"Obviously, it makes a lot of sense," says Chris Costigan, founder and editor of Gambling911.com, a Miami-based firm that provides news about the online gambling industry. "Once people are on their dot-net site, the operators hope they can pull them into the real-cash poker site and get them to deposit real money."
For Costigan, there's nothing ambiguous about the link between the two: "These guys don't make money on free sites, they make money on the real cash sites. They wouldn't be in business if they just relied on their free websites."
Keep in mind that Costigan has nothing against online gambling, whether it's for free or for cash. In fact, he is in favour of legalizing it. All he is doing is stating the obvious, that the free sites are there to promote the cash sites.
So what we essentially have here is an NHL hockey player promoting for-cash Internet gambling, an activity that is illegal in both Canada and the United States, and the NHL turning a blind eye to it. (Where the Canucks stand is not clear. They did not return my calls on Thursday or Friday.)
Gambling is a regulated activity in most major countries for good reason. First, governments want to ensure the games are fair. Second, they want to ensure the people running the businesses are of good character, so that the companies aren't being used for illicit purposes such as laundering drug money. Third, they want to ensure that these businesses pay taxes, just like any other business.
In Canada, several land-based casino operators have sponsorship arrangements with NHL teams. The Canucks, for example, have a sponsorship arrangement with Richmond-based Great Canadian Gaming Corp. But these companies are fully licensed and regulated to do business in Canada.
At present, neither Canada nor the U.S. has licensed any private "for-cash" Internet gambling firms. That means anybody who offers such services in either country is acting illegally.
Still, PokerStars.com, like many other online gambling firms, continues to offer for-cash games to Canadian citizens. To date, the government has been loathe to intervene, mainly because many of these operators are located in the Kahnawake Reserve in Quebec, which native leaders consider to be sovereign soil. The government is not anxious to walk into another Oka-type confrontation.
All other operators are located in offshore tax and secrecy havens, such as Antigua and Costa Rica, which make prosecution problematic. (PokerStars -- both the dot-net and dot-com versions -- is located on the Isle of Man, and the majority owner is Isai Scheinberg of Israel.)
In the United States, however, it's been a different story. The U.S. Justice Department has been aggressively pursuing offshore operators that take bets from U.S. residents.
In July 2006, FBI agents arrested David Carruthers, chief executive officer of BetonSports Plc, a publicly traded British company that owns several Internet sportsbooks and casinos, at the Ft. Worth, Tex., airport. He was changing planes en route to Costa Rica, where BetonSports has operations. Ten other individuals and four companies were similarly indicted on 22 counts of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud.
In October 2006, the U.S. Congress, aiming to attack online gambling at its roots, passed legislation prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from processing credit card, cheque or electronic fund transfers for online betting.
In January 2007, John Lefebvre of Saltspring Island, founder of online money processor NETeller Inc., was arrested in Malibu by FBI agents and charged with conspiring to promote illegal gambling. His partner, Stephen Lawrence, was similarly charged.
Bodog, an Antigua-based online gambling empire formerly run by ex-Vancouver resident Calvin Ayre, has been under similar pressure. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has seized $24 million of Bodog's funds from U.S. payment processors and is pressing for more. Concerned about possible indictment, Ayre does not dare step foot on U.S. soil.
In December, Anurag Dikshit, one of the founders of London-based Party Gaming PLC, entered into a plea bargain with the U.S. Justice Department for his participation in taking wagers from U.S. citizens. He agreed to pay a fine of $300 million, and still faces a possible jail sentence. His firm no longer takes bets from U.S. citizens.
Despite this strong response, PokerStars.com still takes bets from U.S. residents. In doing so, it is essentially thumbing its nose at U.S. authorities. (It also takes bets from Canadian residents, although authorities here have not publicly raised any concerns.)
This is the legal context in which our hockey star, Mats Sundin, is promoting this seemingly benign "educational" website. As in all forms of gambling -- whether based on land or in cyberspace, whether licensed or unlicensed -- there is also a moral context.
As Costigan notes, gambling for free naturally leads to gambling for cash, which can be a nasty business. It can take over people's lives. It can financially ruin people. It can wreck entire homes.
Why the NHL and apparently the Canucks allow Sundin, who is supposedly a role model for young people, to promote this potentially ruinous activity is beyond me. (Credit:
The Vancouver Sun)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker
PokerStars
Poker News
London analyst's advisory raises some intriguing possibilities
February 13, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- A recommendation this week from a London analyst firm, Daniel Stewart & Company, that investors switch their holdings from PartyGaming to 888 has industry observers trying to second guess what may soon be in the corporate works.
The recommendation is based on the possibility that 888 is “likely” to consolidate or outsource its online poker interests in 2009, although little in the way of specifics is available. The analyst reports that 888 recently produced strong end-of-year accounts, but that poker revenues suffered, while PartyGaming continued to post mixed results with poker revenue falling but player numbers growing.
The Stewart note also reprised the optimistic note in a recent Ernst and Young assessment by advising that the gambling sector was outperforming the market, up 9.5 percent, with more to come. Other major online firms with poker interests remain on the "buy" recommendation list.
Media Man Australia Profiles
PartyGaming
PartyPoker.com
888
Casino News
Poker News
February 13, 2009 (InfoPowa News) -- A recommendation this week from a London analyst firm, Daniel Stewart & Company, that investors switch their holdings from PartyGaming to 888 has industry observers trying to second guess what may soon be in the corporate works.
The recommendation is based on the possibility that 888 is “likely” to consolidate or outsource its online poker interests in 2009, although little in the way of specifics is available. The analyst reports that 888 recently produced strong end-of-year accounts, but that poker revenues suffered, while PartyGaming continued to post mixed results with poker revenue falling but player numbers growing.
The Stewart note also reprised the optimistic note in a recent Ernst and Young assessment by advising that the gambling sector was outperforming the market, up 9.5 percent, with more to come. Other major online firms with poker interests remain on the "buy" recommendation list.
Media Man Australia Profiles
PartyGaming
PartyPoker.com
888
Casino News
Poker News
Friday, February 13, 2009
PartyPoker.com European Open V Live Reporting Continues...
***Coming soon: PartyPoker.com - The Big Game III – the famous 36 hour cash game. A preview can be seen at http://www.matchroompoker.com/promo-deniii.php The final of PartyPoker.com Women’s World Open II is broadcast on Five in the UK tonight at 00.05.***
London – 11th February 2009 – The PartyPoker.com European Open V runs until Friday 13 February. Live reporting for all the heats can be found at: http://www.matchroompokerforum.co.uk.
Heat 11 is currently underway and features Annette Obrestad, Stuart Rutter, former champion Liam Flood, Christophe Haller, Paul Bracken and Richard Wheatley.
Amongst the players who signed up to play in the famous 72 runner $7,000 buy-in event include Roland de Wolfe, Vicky Coren, Juha Helppi, Ciaran O’Leary, Eoghan O’Dea, Ian Frazer, Surinder Sunar, Barny Boatman, James Akenhead, Padraig Parkinson, Julian Thew, Donnacha O’Dea, May Maceiras, Marc Goodwin, Thomas Bihl, Robin Keston, Neil Channing, Roberto Romanello and UK Open champion Michael Keiner.
The Matchroom Sport organized tournament features 12 six seat heats and two six seat turbo runner-up heats. There will be two seven seat semi finals and one six seat final. The top three players in each of the semi-finals take their chip stacks through to the final. The total prize pool is $504,000 with first place scooping $200,000. Coverage of the event will be first broadcast on Five in the UK and then distributed internationally. Coverage of the PartyPoker.com European Open is amongst the best distributed in the world and commentary will be led by the one and only Jesse May.
45-year-old Nick Slade, a professional from Preston, Lancashire in the UK took down the biggest title of his career when he scooped $200,000 and the European Open IV title last year. Slade ended up heads-up with 45-year-old Worcester internet sports trader Craig Burgess and both were regarded as outsiders on a final table that also included WSOP Europe winner Annette Obrestad, Juha Helppi, Ian Frazer and Josh Tyler.
PARTYPOKER.COM EUROPEAN OPEN IV – 3 Mills, London 1st-8th February 2008
1st Nick Slade $200,000
2nd Craig Burgess $100,000
3rd Ian Frazer $50,000
4th Annette Obrestad $30,000
5th Josh Tyler $25,000
6th Juha Helppi $20,000
PARTYPOKER EUROPEAN OPEN IV - CHIP COUNTS AT THE START OF THE FINAL TABLE
Ian Frazer – 469,000
Josh Tyler – 351,000
Annette Obrestad – 235,000
Nick Slade – 124,000
Juha Helppi – 114,000
Craig Burgess – 107,000
Casino News Media Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
Poker News
***Coming soon: PartyPoker.com - The Big Game III – the famous 36 hour cash game. A preview can be seen at http://www.matchroompoker.com/promo-deniii.php The final of PartyPoker.com Women’s World Open II is broadcast on Five in the UK tonight at 00.05.***
London – 11th February 2009 – The PartyPoker.com European Open V runs until Friday 13 February. Live reporting for all the heats can be found at: http://www.matchroompokerforum.co.uk.
Heat 11 is currently underway and features Annette Obrestad, Stuart Rutter, former champion Liam Flood, Christophe Haller, Paul Bracken and Richard Wheatley.
Amongst the players who signed up to play in the famous 72 runner $7,000 buy-in event include Roland de Wolfe, Vicky Coren, Juha Helppi, Ciaran O’Leary, Eoghan O’Dea, Ian Frazer, Surinder Sunar, Barny Boatman, James Akenhead, Padraig Parkinson, Julian Thew, Donnacha O’Dea, May Maceiras, Marc Goodwin, Thomas Bihl, Robin Keston, Neil Channing, Roberto Romanello and UK Open champion Michael Keiner.
The Matchroom Sport organized tournament features 12 six seat heats and two six seat turbo runner-up heats. There will be two seven seat semi finals and one six seat final. The top three players in each of the semi-finals take their chip stacks through to the final. The total prize pool is $504,000 with first place scooping $200,000. Coverage of the event will be first broadcast on Five in the UK and then distributed internationally. Coverage of the PartyPoker.com European Open is amongst the best distributed in the world and commentary will be led by the one and only Jesse May.
45-year-old Nick Slade, a professional from Preston, Lancashire in the UK took down the biggest title of his career when he scooped $200,000 and the European Open IV title last year. Slade ended up heads-up with 45-year-old Worcester internet sports trader Craig Burgess and both were regarded as outsiders on a final table that also included WSOP Europe winner Annette Obrestad, Juha Helppi, Ian Frazer and Josh Tyler.
PARTYPOKER.COM EUROPEAN OPEN IV – 3 Mills, London 1st-8th February 2008
1st Nick Slade $200,000
2nd Craig Burgess $100,000
3rd Ian Frazer $50,000
4th Annette Obrestad $30,000
5th Josh Tyler $25,000
6th Juha Helppi $20,000
PARTYPOKER EUROPEAN OPEN IV - CHIP COUNTS AT THE START OF THE FINAL TABLE
Ian Frazer – 469,000
Josh Tyler – 351,000
Annette Obrestad – 235,000
Nick Slade – 124,000
Juha Helppi – 114,000
Craig Burgess – 107,000
Casino News Media Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
Poker News
Preventing Problem Gaming on the Internet, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 12th February 2009
Recently, Poker News Daily became aware of a study by Caroline Jawad and Stephen Griffiths that sought to find ways to curb problem gambling on the internet. The authors are giving readers of Poker News Daily a sneak preview as to what they can expect from their research as well as a chance to participate. Poker News Daily sat down with Jawad to learn more about her University of Wales research. Click here to participate.
Poker News Daily: Tell us how your research became focused on internet gambling.
Jawad: Gambling has been a popular source of entertainment for many centuries across many cultures. The emergence of internet gambling has been one of the most significant and controversial developments over the past two decades. Though clearly economically substantial, little is factually known about this sector, its customers, and its social and economic impacts. Online poker and electronic video-poker machines have become increasingly popular in recent years and players have begun to compete in online poker rooms.
Television stations regularly broadcast poker tournaments and the game has received substantial media coverage. But while the explosion in online gambling and online poker popularity has brought fame and fortune to some, it has brought addiction to others.
PND: Tell us about your study. What does it seeking to investigate and what methods are involved?
Jawad: Internet gaming is an industry of tremendous growth. Revenue has increased from $30 million in 1994 and, according to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers study, worldwide legal gambling revenues are set to reach $100 billion by the end of the decade. Online gambling revenues represent approximately 4% of the total global gaming market (Centre for Policy Initiatives 2004). The number of sites has increased from 30 in 1994 to over 2,000 in 2005 (GamCare, 2006).
However, there are many concerns related to the growth of internet gambling. I am trying to determine attitudes and awareness of responsible gambling and problem gambling with the help of readers of Poker News Daily. The ideal method would involve contacting a random sample of customers, most likely through e-mail, and requesting their consent to participate in an online survey. Another option is to include a link on a gaming site that asks customers to participate in a research study. While tentative approaches have been made to individual sites, it is anticipated that with the assistance of organizations promoting responsible gambling, a gaming site will approve such a link.
PND: Have other studies been done that are similar to yours? What have they found?
Jawad: A review of 60 popular internet poker, casino, and sports-betting sites revealed wide variations in the extent and types of player protection strategies (Wiebe, 2006). Information ranged from as little as a statement of age limits or a link to Gamblers Anonymous to self-exclusion options, an on-site counselor, and opportunities for setting time, money, and loss limits (Jawad, 2006, Wiebe 2006).
The independent online gambling authority, eCogra, released the results of its survey of online gamblers from 100 different countries in 2008. According to the survey, the typical online casino player was most likely to be female (54.8%), aged between 46 and 55 years old (29.5%), play two to three times per week (37.0%), and wager around $50 per session (18.1%). The survey found out that while women tend to spend more time playing at the internet casinos, they spend less money than men, who play for shorter periods of time, but more money.
The top three things people want in an online casino are good bonuses (76.2%), variety of games (62.0%), and different depositing methods (56.8%). The average online poker player is more likely to be male (73.8%), between 26 and 35 years-old (26.9%), plays two to three times per week (26.8%), and feels that there is more skill involved than luck (31.9%).
The available research offers little insight into the extent and nature of problems associated with internet gambling and the effectiveness of player protection options. Most information is based on general population prevalence studies. There is a lack of research that has investigated features of responsible gambling and their effectiveness. What little has been done has been either inconclusive or has only found partial support for their effectiveness (Blaszczynski, Sharpe and Walker 2001; Loba et al 2002; Schellinck and Schrans, 2002).
What is clear is that further research is urgently needed to investigate the applicability and the general effectiveness of responsible gambling features. This needs to be done in ecologically valid settings with the help of the operators and other industry stakeholders rather than in psychology laboratories at academic institutions. Only then can competent conclusions be reached regarding their role in social responsibility in the remote gambling environment.
PND: What do you expect to find when you’re done? Are there any preliminary results?
Jawad: My review of internet gambling and responsible gambling literature found disproportionately fewer studies addressing the issues of responsible gambling features. However, it has been argued that research does indicate optimism for the development and implementation of responsible gambling or safety features for new gambling technology (Peller, LaPlante and Shaffer, 2007). Unfortunately, the methodology of this research has been basic and limited in scope (Peller, LaPlante, and Shaffer, under review).
It is suggested that the history of safety features for other industries is that they become safer as they evolve and mature (Peller, LaPlante and Shaffer, 2007). For example, the effectiveness of automobile safety features has improved dramatically over time (Armes, 2005; Hasbrook, 1956). Empirical research investigating the causes of passenger injuries has been essential to improving the engineering of automobiles (Green and Woodrooffe, 2006; Motao, Cummings, Haitao, and Cook, 2007; Shladover and Tan, 2006; Woodruff and Gregory, 2005). Ultimately, the creation of parameters that promote safer gambling for new technologies will need to involve collaboration between researchers, industry officials, and policymakers. Informally, research participants have indicated that responsible gambling features only work for recreational and not problem gamblers. My research hopes to clearly identify features that players believe would work.
PND: How will you use the data and how is it presented at the end of the study?
Jawad: The data submitted will be totally anonymous, recorded securely, and submitted to the University of Wales. I hope the conclusions of my study will offer evidence-based recommendations that may assist organizations in targeting and designing prevention and education services that aid at-risk and problem gamblers.
The study will use qualitative methods which result in textual or narrative information that is either descriptive or subject to other forms of analysis. Quantitative research questions, unlike their qualitative counterparts, tend to be very specific in nature. Even appropriately conducted qualitative methods can be highly invasive. My qualitative research questions emphasize deriving an understanding of how responsible gambling can be perceived and constructed.
PND: How can the results of your study help poker players in the future?
Jawad: Gambling is a compulsive and potentially addictive activity. Societies have traditionally sought to control it proactively. For the majority of Internet gamblers including poker players, they are buying entertainment and having fun. To date, the available research offers little insight into the extent and nature of problems associated with Internet gambling and the effectiveness of protection options in helping players control themselves. Most information is based on general population prevalence studies. There is a distinct of lack of research that has investigated features of responsible gambling and their efficacy. What little has been done has been either inconclusive or has only found partial support for their effectiveness. It is hoped that the results of this study will inform players who might be having problems with their gambling.
Check out Jawad’s internet gambling study. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker
Casino News
Online Casino News
Poker News
Recently, Poker News Daily became aware of a study by Caroline Jawad and Stephen Griffiths that sought to find ways to curb problem gambling on the internet. The authors are giving readers of Poker News Daily a sneak preview as to what they can expect from their research as well as a chance to participate. Poker News Daily sat down with Jawad to learn more about her University of Wales research. Click here to participate.
Poker News Daily: Tell us how your research became focused on internet gambling.
Jawad: Gambling has been a popular source of entertainment for many centuries across many cultures. The emergence of internet gambling has been one of the most significant and controversial developments over the past two decades. Though clearly economically substantial, little is factually known about this sector, its customers, and its social and economic impacts. Online poker and electronic video-poker machines have become increasingly popular in recent years and players have begun to compete in online poker rooms.
Television stations regularly broadcast poker tournaments and the game has received substantial media coverage. But while the explosion in online gambling and online poker popularity has brought fame and fortune to some, it has brought addiction to others.
PND: Tell us about your study. What does it seeking to investigate and what methods are involved?
Jawad: Internet gaming is an industry of tremendous growth. Revenue has increased from $30 million in 1994 and, according to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers study, worldwide legal gambling revenues are set to reach $100 billion by the end of the decade. Online gambling revenues represent approximately 4% of the total global gaming market (Centre for Policy Initiatives 2004). The number of sites has increased from 30 in 1994 to over 2,000 in 2005 (GamCare, 2006).
However, there are many concerns related to the growth of internet gambling. I am trying to determine attitudes and awareness of responsible gambling and problem gambling with the help of readers of Poker News Daily. The ideal method would involve contacting a random sample of customers, most likely through e-mail, and requesting their consent to participate in an online survey. Another option is to include a link on a gaming site that asks customers to participate in a research study. While tentative approaches have been made to individual sites, it is anticipated that with the assistance of organizations promoting responsible gambling, a gaming site will approve such a link.
PND: Have other studies been done that are similar to yours? What have they found?
Jawad: A review of 60 popular internet poker, casino, and sports-betting sites revealed wide variations in the extent and types of player protection strategies (Wiebe, 2006). Information ranged from as little as a statement of age limits or a link to Gamblers Anonymous to self-exclusion options, an on-site counselor, and opportunities for setting time, money, and loss limits (Jawad, 2006, Wiebe 2006).
The independent online gambling authority, eCogra, released the results of its survey of online gamblers from 100 different countries in 2008. According to the survey, the typical online casino player was most likely to be female (54.8%), aged between 46 and 55 years old (29.5%), play two to three times per week (37.0%), and wager around $50 per session (18.1%). The survey found out that while women tend to spend more time playing at the internet casinos, they spend less money than men, who play for shorter periods of time, but more money.
The top three things people want in an online casino are good bonuses (76.2%), variety of games (62.0%), and different depositing methods (56.8%). The average online poker player is more likely to be male (73.8%), between 26 and 35 years-old (26.9%), plays two to three times per week (26.8%), and feels that there is more skill involved than luck (31.9%).
The available research offers little insight into the extent and nature of problems associated with internet gambling and the effectiveness of player protection options. Most information is based on general population prevalence studies. There is a lack of research that has investigated features of responsible gambling and their effectiveness. What little has been done has been either inconclusive or has only found partial support for their effectiveness (Blaszczynski, Sharpe and Walker 2001; Loba et al 2002; Schellinck and Schrans, 2002).
What is clear is that further research is urgently needed to investigate the applicability and the general effectiveness of responsible gambling features. This needs to be done in ecologically valid settings with the help of the operators and other industry stakeholders rather than in psychology laboratories at academic institutions. Only then can competent conclusions be reached regarding their role in social responsibility in the remote gambling environment.
PND: What do you expect to find when you’re done? Are there any preliminary results?
Jawad: My review of internet gambling and responsible gambling literature found disproportionately fewer studies addressing the issues of responsible gambling features. However, it has been argued that research does indicate optimism for the development and implementation of responsible gambling or safety features for new gambling technology (Peller, LaPlante and Shaffer, 2007). Unfortunately, the methodology of this research has been basic and limited in scope (Peller, LaPlante, and Shaffer, under review).
It is suggested that the history of safety features for other industries is that they become safer as they evolve and mature (Peller, LaPlante and Shaffer, 2007). For example, the effectiveness of automobile safety features has improved dramatically over time (Armes, 2005; Hasbrook, 1956). Empirical research investigating the causes of passenger injuries has been essential to improving the engineering of automobiles (Green and Woodrooffe, 2006; Motao, Cummings, Haitao, and Cook, 2007; Shladover and Tan, 2006; Woodruff and Gregory, 2005). Ultimately, the creation of parameters that promote safer gambling for new technologies will need to involve collaboration between researchers, industry officials, and policymakers. Informally, research participants have indicated that responsible gambling features only work for recreational and not problem gamblers. My research hopes to clearly identify features that players believe would work.
PND: How will you use the data and how is it presented at the end of the study?
Jawad: The data submitted will be totally anonymous, recorded securely, and submitted to the University of Wales. I hope the conclusions of my study will offer evidence-based recommendations that may assist organizations in targeting and designing prevention and education services that aid at-risk and problem gamblers.
The study will use qualitative methods which result in textual or narrative information that is either descriptive or subject to other forms of analysis. Quantitative research questions, unlike their qualitative counterparts, tend to be very specific in nature. Even appropriately conducted qualitative methods can be highly invasive. My qualitative research questions emphasize deriving an understanding of how responsible gambling can be perceived and constructed.
PND: How can the results of your study help poker players in the future?
Jawad: Gambling is a compulsive and potentially addictive activity. Societies have traditionally sought to control it proactively. For the majority of Internet gamblers including poker players, they are buying entertainment and having fun. To date, the available research offers little insight into the extent and nature of problems associated with Internet gambling and the effectiveness of protection options in helping players control themselves. Most information is based on general population prevalence studies. There is a distinct of lack of research that has investigated features of responsible gambling and their efficacy. What little has been done has been either inconclusive or has only found partial support for their effectiveness. It is hoped that the results of this study will inform players who might be having problems with their gambling.
Check out Jawad’s internet gambling study. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker
Casino News
Online Casino News
Poker News
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
PKR Live to return to London this spring
10th February 2009
LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- PKR.com has announced that its hugely popular land based festival PKR Live will return to London's Loose Cannon this spring. Taking place between April 17-19, the highlight of the three day festival will be a $500 buy-in main event with an expected prize pool of $75,000.
The inaugural PKR Live took place in November 2008 and proved a huge hit with players coming from as far a field as Canada and Russia to meet the faces behind the avatars. The community spirit at the event was unparalleled, and was a recurring theme throughout the hundreds of positive player comments the event received. Such was the atmosphere, Stacked Magazine Editor Rick Dacey said: "I've been to tournaments in Monte Carlo and Las Vegas, the Bahamas and Barcelona, but I've never experienced such a sense of goodwill and enjoyment as I did at PKR Live."
Participation in PKR Live II is strictly limited to satellite qualifiers and invited guests. A range of satellites are now running at PKR.com, allowing players to win $1,000 packages that include buy-ins to all three tournaments running over the weekend. $600 'seat only' packages – providing entry to all PKR Live II tournaments only – are also available. The complete satellite structure can be viewed here.
Simon Prodger, Marketing Director at PKR.com said, "We're delighted to announce our return to the live arena! PKR Live was great fun to be a part of and showed that PKR has the most vibrant poker community anywhere online. We look forward to providing another 150 of our players with a weekend to remember!"
A full list of player comments following the first PKR Live can be found in the PKR Live forum thread, and official photos can be viewed in the online gallery.
Feedback from PKR Live
Here's what some of the PKR.com users had to say about the event:
"Firstly, can I pass on a massive THANK YOU to everyone involved at PKR for organising such an excellent weekend of poker. This event was truly TOP CLASS. I can honestly say it was absolutely faultless, and I enjoyed every minute." Catweasil
"The PKR Staff rocked, the dealers were fantastic and the PKR players were unbelievable. This was my first live event and the players made me feel so comfortable all hint of nerves were gone." MRDICKIE
"One of the best live events I have ever been to, with undoubtedly the best people and atmosphere of the lot!" Soosick
"PKR Live was a massive success…the event was a triumph for COMMUNITY" Azurecoil "Best weekend I have had in agessssssssssssssssss. It was fun to finally put some faces to some of the amazing characters who play on this site!" theruffler
"PKR live was as good as......Hhhmmm, No, BETTER than... SEX!!!" eyesofgreen
"A fantastic event, great poker, bad beats, sick moves, scantily clad promo girls, massage girls, alcohol (aplenty), chocolate and chipsets all rolled into 1 weekend what more could you ask for?" rockafellagio
"3 cheers for PKR, long live PKR!!!!... a well organised, well structured and just a simply great event." callmebabe
"Massive thanks to PKR for an awesome weekend, was a pleasure to meet and play against so many friendly people." Mafio
"What a great weekend from start to finish. I didn't do that well in any off the events but enjoyed every minute of poker I played." Rockafella
"Had an awesome time at PKR Live. Great organisation, great location and a great tournament setup! Met some nice people and had lots of fun, Love to be there next year again!" FabFreddy8
"I had an awesome time and want to say thank you to everyone involved, the players and staff. PKR for life!" NutterzUK
Media Man Australia Profiles
PKR
PKR Poker
PKR Casino
PKR Casino News
Poker News
10th February 2009
LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- PKR.com has announced that its hugely popular land based festival PKR Live will return to London's Loose Cannon this spring. Taking place between April 17-19, the highlight of the three day festival will be a $500 buy-in main event with an expected prize pool of $75,000.
The inaugural PKR Live took place in November 2008 and proved a huge hit with players coming from as far a field as Canada and Russia to meet the faces behind the avatars. The community spirit at the event was unparalleled, and was a recurring theme throughout the hundreds of positive player comments the event received. Such was the atmosphere, Stacked Magazine Editor Rick Dacey said: "I've been to tournaments in Monte Carlo and Las Vegas, the Bahamas and Barcelona, but I've never experienced such a sense of goodwill and enjoyment as I did at PKR Live."
Participation in PKR Live II is strictly limited to satellite qualifiers and invited guests. A range of satellites are now running at PKR.com, allowing players to win $1,000 packages that include buy-ins to all three tournaments running over the weekend. $600 'seat only' packages – providing entry to all PKR Live II tournaments only – are also available. The complete satellite structure can be viewed here.
Simon Prodger, Marketing Director at PKR.com said, "We're delighted to announce our return to the live arena! PKR Live was great fun to be a part of and showed that PKR has the most vibrant poker community anywhere online. We look forward to providing another 150 of our players with a weekend to remember!"
A full list of player comments following the first PKR Live can be found in the PKR Live forum thread, and official photos can be viewed in the online gallery.
Feedback from PKR Live
Here's what some of the PKR.com users had to say about the event:
"Firstly, can I pass on a massive THANK YOU to everyone involved at PKR for organising such an excellent weekend of poker. This event was truly TOP CLASS. I can honestly say it was absolutely faultless, and I enjoyed every minute." Catweasil
"The PKR Staff rocked, the dealers were fantastic and the PKR players were unbelievable. This was my first live event and the players made me feel so comfortable all hint of nerves were gone." MRDICKIE
"One of the best live events I have ever been to, with undoubtedly the best people and atmosphere of the lot!" Soosick
"PKR Live was a massive success…the event was a triumph for COMMUNITY" Azurecoil "Best weekend I have had in agessssssssssssssssss. It was fun to finally put some faces to some of the amazing characters who play on this site!" theruffler
"PKR live was as good as......Hhhmmm, No, BETTER than... SEX!!!" eyesofgreen
"A fantastic event, great poker, bad beats, sick moves, scantily clad promo girls, massage girls, alcohol (aplenty), chocolate and chipsets all rolled into 1 weekend what more could you ask for?" rockafellagio
"3 cheers for PKR, long live PKR!!!!... a well organised, well structured and just a simply great event." callmebabe
"Massive thanks to PKR for an awesome weekend, was a pleasure to meet and play against so many friendly people." Mafio
"What a great weekend from start to finish. I didn't do that well in any off the events but enjoyed every minute of poker I played." Rockafella
"Had an awesome time at PKR Live. Great organisation, great location and a great tournament setup! Met some nice people and had lots of fun, Love to be there next year again!" FabFreddy8
"I had an awesome time and want to say thank you to everyone involved, the players and staff. PKR for life!" NutterzUK
Media Man Australia Profiles
PKR
PKR Poker
PKR Casino
PKR Casino News
Poker News
Doyle Brunson Comments on Michael Phelps Marijuana Incident, by Tom Jenkins - Poker News Daily - 10th February 2009
In his most recent blog post, ten time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson spoke out about the pictures that surfaced showing U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps using a bong at a party in South Carolina in November. Phelps had been the darling of the poker world following his record-breaking performance in Beijing in 2008.
Brunson shared his views on the pictures, which originally surfaced in a British newspaper: “Michael Phelps is getting a lot of flak about his picture smoking dope. It’s too bad. He is a nice kid, but he has to realize his every move is scrutinized and he can’t make mistakes like that.” In August, just weeks after Phelps won eight gold medals for the United States in the summer Olympics, the Asian Poker Tour invited the star to play in its Macau event. Phelps, who was a short plane ride away from the gambling Mecca, did not publicly respond to the invitation.
The poker world’s fascination with Phelps began when he told the Baltimore Sun newspaper, his hometown periodical, “I think it would be cool to play in the World Series of Poker. My game is a little off right now, so I’ll have to start improving it a little bit. But I think that would be cool, and it would be cool to meet some of those poker guys.” This prompted a tidal wave of Phelps-related poker press. In September, Betfair, the presenting sponsor of the World Series of Poker Europe in London, invited Phelps to play in its £10,000 buy-in Main Event free of charge. However, Phelps once again was a no show.
During the same month, it was revealed that Brunson had dinner with Phelps and a few of his friends along with poker pros Hoyt Corkins, Jennifer Harman, Marco Traniello, and Todd Brunson. The Brunson father/son team and Corkins are pros that can regularly be found playing on the Cake Poker Network site Doyle’s Room, which led many to believe that Phelps was on the verge of signing with the online poker room. However, no such agreement took place between Phelps and any site.
In October, rumors were swirling around the World Poker Tour’s Festa al Lago event that Phelps would enter it. On Day 1A of the tournament, he was paraded around by Ultimate Bet pro Phil Hellmuth, who introduced the swimming star to major personalities in the poker world. Phelps was in town allegedly to attend the opening of the Real Deal poker stage show at The Venetian. However, Phelps was nowhere to be found at its premiere. Instead, he was competing at the Caesars Classic a few doors down. The Real Deal shut its doors in December.
Poker and Phelps were once again linked in November. On the same night that the CBS News program “60 Minutes” aired a segment about the online poker cheating scandals on Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker, a feature on Phelps also hit the airwaves as the final story of the night. The show aired on the Sunday of Thanksgiving Day weekend. The segment on the online poker incidents questioned why WSOP Main Event Champion Russ Hamilton was not prosecuted despite being named as the mastermind behind the Ultimate Bet wrongdoings. Hamilton recently ducked a Raw Vegas reporter’s questions outside of a Las Vegas golf course. Layne Flack was with Hamilton at the time of the incident.
Phelps has lost numerous endorsements as a result of his alleged marijuana use, including Kellogg’s. Brunson commented, “He has lost lots of money because he has lost some major endorsement deals. I think Michael will get back on track. Remember, he is a 23 year-old kid.” According to the Sun, Phelps has not decided whether he will compete in the 2012 Olympics, which will be held in London. He is in the midst of serving a three month ban from competitive swimming for his actions. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Doyle Brunson
World Series of Poker
Poker
Poker News
In his most recent blog post, ten time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson spoke out about the pictures that surfaced showing U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps using a bong at a party in South Carolina in November. Phelps had been the darling of the poker world following his record-breaking performance in Beijing in 2008.
Brunson shared his views on the pictures, which originally surfaced in a British newspaper: “Michael Phelps is getting a lot of flak about his picture smoking dope. It’s too bad. He is a nice kid, but he has to realize his every move is scrutinized and he can’t make mistakes like that.” In August, just weeks after Phelps won eight gold medals for the United States in the summer Olympics, the Asian Poker Tour invited the star to play in its Macau event. Phelps, who was a short plane ride away from the gambling Mecca, did not publicly respond to the invitation.
The poker world’s fascination with Phelps began when he told the Baltimore Sun newspaper, his hometown periodical, “I think it would be cool to play in the World Series of Poker. My game is a little off right now, so I’ll have to start improving it a little bit. But I think that would be cool, and it would be cool to meet some of those poker guys.” This prompted a tidal wave of Phelps-related poker press. In September, Betfair, the presenting sponsor of the World Series of Poker Europe in London, invited Phelps to play in its £10,000 buy-in Main Event free of charge. However, Phelps once again was a no show.
During the same month, it was revealed that Brunson had dinner with Phelps and a few of his friends along with poker pros Hoyt Corkins, Jennifer Harman, Marco Traniello, and Todd Brunson. The Brunson father/son team and Corkins are pros that can regularly be found playing on the Cake Poker Network site Doyle’s Room, which led many to believe that Phelps was on the verge of signing with the online poker room. However, no such agreement took place between Phelps and any site.
In October, rumors were swirling around the World Poker Tour’s Festa al Lago event that Phelps would enter it. On Day 1A of the tournament, he was paraded around by Ultimate Bet pro Phil Hellmuth, who introduced the swimming star to major personalities in the poker world. Phelps was in town allegedly to attend the opening of the Real Deal poker stage show at The Venetian. However, Phelps was nowhere to be found at its premiere. Instead, he was competing at the Caesars Classic a few doors down. The Real Deal shut its doors in December.
Poker and Phelps were once again linked in November. On the same night that the CBS News program “60 Minutes” aired a segment about the online poker cheating scandals on Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker, a feature on Phelps also hit the airwaves as the final story of the night. The show aired on the Sunday of Thanksgiving Day weekend. The segment on the online poker incidents questioned why WSOP Main Event Champion Russ Hamilton was not prosecuted despite being named as the mastermind behind the Ultimate Bet wrongdoings. Hamilton recently ducked a Raw Vegas reporter’s questions outside of a Las Vegas golf course. Layne Flack was with Hamilton at the time of the incident.
Phelps has lost numerous endorsements as a result of his alleged marijuana use, including Kellogg’s. Brunson commented, “He has lost lots of money because he has lost some major endorsement deals. I think Michael will get back on track. Remember, he is a 23 year-old kid.” According to the Sun, Phelps has not decided whether he will compete in the 2012 Olympics, which will be held in London. He is in the midst of serving a three month ban from competitive swimming for his actions. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Doyle Brunson
World Series of Poker
Poker
Poker News
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
888 Holdings 4th Quarter Figures Bad, January Good - 5th February 2009
The online poker craze appears to be going off the boil judging by 888 Holdings's fourth quarter figures, though the online gaming firm said its full-year 2008 earnings should meet market expectations, according to Thursday's Sharecast.
"The upbeat nature of 888's statement seems to have rubbed off on rivals PartyGaming, which is sharply higher ahead of a trading update tomorrow, while bookie William Hill also advances."
But have no fear say 888 Holdings company officials, and the market responded.
Shares in 888 Holdings rise 6.9 percent to 105 pence after the online gaming group says January revenues grew following the tough final quarter of 2008 which saw operating income fall 8 percent due to the impact of the weak pound and the economic downturn.
Encouragingly, January has started well, with net gaming revenue up 10 percent ... though given the weak fourth quarter -- with customers in core products down as well as more currency-led spend -- it is difficult to be confident of upgrades,' Collins Stewart analysts say. (Credit: Gambling911.com)
Media Man Australia Profiles
888
PartyGaming
Poker News
The online poker craze appears to be going off the boil judging by 888 Holdings's fourth quarter figures, though the online gaming firm said its full-year 2008 earnings should meet market expectations, according to Thursday's Sharecast.
"The upbeat nature of 888's statement seems to have rubbed off on rivals PartyGaming, which is sharply higher ahead of a trading update tomorrow, while bookie William Hill also advances."
But have no fear say 888 Holdings company officials, and the market responded.
Shares in 888 Holdings rise 6.9 percent to 105 pence after the online gaming group says January revenues grew following the tough final quarter of 2008 which saw operating income fall 8 percent due to the impact of the weak pound and the economic downturn.
Encouragingly, January has started well, with net gaming revenue up 10 percent ... though given the weak fourth quarter -- with customers in core products down as well as more currency-led spend -- it is difficult to be confident of upgrades,' Collins Stewart analysts say. (Credit: Gambling911.com)
Media Man Australia Profiles
888
PartyGaming
Poker News
The 2009 Canadian Open Poker Championships to be Held May 13-17 in Calgary - 9th February 2009
The Canadian Poker Tour, owned and operated by HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc. (PINK SHEETS: HDUP), is proud to announce details of the 2009 Canadian Open Poker Championships. The event will be held May 13-17th, 2009 at the new Stampede Casino in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A total of 5 events will take place and will again this year feature a $5000 buy in Heads Up Main Event. Last year international professional poker players from around the world played in what has been branded the best structured heads up event in the world. "If only the NBC Invitational or World Series of Poker formats were half this good," commented 2005 WSOP Main event winner Joe Hachem. The Main Event will feature 128 players playing best 2 out of 3 with $10,000 in starting chips and 20 minute blinds.
In 2008, pros and celebrities such as Jennifer Tilly, Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Gavin Smith, Brad Booth and winner Huckleberry Seed all came to participate in one of Canada's premier televised poker events and this year is shaping up to be bigger and better. "The Canadian Open rocks!" stated poker pro Phil Laak known around the world as "The Unibomber", "I can't wait to come back."
With a total estimated prize pool of over $1,000,000 for the series of events, Calgary will be the centre of the poker universe during this week that is also known for its big money cash games running around the clock. Known for hosting its spectacular parties at major events, the Canadian Poker Tour will be announcing details of "The Ultimate Player's Party" to be held the night of Wednesday May 13 when brackets will be drawn for the main event.
As an officially sanctioned Canadian Poker Tour event, money winners in all 5 tournaments will earn valuable player points towards the CPT's Player's Point Championships to be held at the end of the year, crowning Canada's premier poker player. For more details please refer to www.canadianpokertour.tv or find out more in the February/March issue of Canadian Poker Player Magazine.
Registration for all events will be available next week through www.ticketmaster.ca or call the Stampede Poker room at 403-514-7058 directly. Satellite tournaments will be held daily until the event and details on online satellite qualifying will be announced later this week. For additional information please contact the Canadian Poker Tour offices at 403-269-9039.
Event Outline
Monday, May 11th - Main Event Satellites.
$65 Buy-in ($55+$10) @ 12pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for 7pm
satellite.
$550 Buy-in ($520+$30) @ 7pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for
Heads-up Main Event.
Tuesday, May 12th - Main Event Satellites.
$65 Buy-in ($55+$10) @ 12pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for 7pm
satellite.
$550 Buy-in ($520+$30) @ 7pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for
Heads-up Main Event.
Wednesday, May 13th - Event #1 - No Limit Hold'em - One day event @ 12pm.
$550 Buy-in ($500+$50) - 5000 in starting chips.
Thursday, May 14th - 29th - Event #2 - Main Event Heads-up Championship.
$5000 Buy-in ($4600+$400) - Maximum 128 players
Best 2 out of 3 match play. 10,000 in starting chips for each game.
---Bracket Drawing - Wednesday, May 13th. 10pm @ C.P.T. Ultimate Players
Party.
Friday, May 15th - Event #3 - Pot Limit Omaha - One day event @ 4pm.
$200 buy-in with $100 re-buys and $100 optional add-on.
Saturday, May 16th - Event #4 - No Limit Hold'em - One day event @ 2pm.
$1100 Buy-in ($1000+$100) - 10000 in starting chips.
Sunday, May 17th - Event #5 - No Limit Hold'em - One day event @ 12pm.
$550 Buy-in ($500+$50) - 5000 in starting chips.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Canadian Poker
Canadian Gaming
Poker
Poker News
The Canadian Poker Tour, owned and operated by HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc. (PINK SHEETS: HDUP), is proud to announce details of the 2009 Canadian Open Poker Championships. The event will be held May 13-17th, 2009 at the new Stampede Casino in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A total of 5 events will take place and will again this year feature a $5000 buy in Heads Up Main Event. Last year international professional poker players from around the world played in what has been branded the best structured heads up event in the world. "If only the NBC Invitational or World Series of Poker formats were half this good," commented 2005 WSOP Main event winner Joe Hachem. The Main Event will feature 128 players playing best 2 out of 3 with $10,000 in starting chips and 20 minute blinds.
In 2008, pros and celebrities such as Jennifer Tilly, Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Gavin Smith, Brad Booth and winner Huckleberry Seed all came to participate in one of Canada's premier televised poker events and this year is shaping up to be bigger and better. "The Canadian Open rocks!" stated poker pro Phil Laak known around the world as "The Unibomber", "I can't wait to come back."
With a total estimated prize pool of over $1,000,000 for the series of events, Calgary will be the centre of the poker universe during this week that is also known for its big money cash games running around the clock. Known for hosting its spectacular parties at major events, the Canadian Poker Tour will be announcing details of "The Ultimate Player's Party" to be held the night of Wednesday May 13 when brackets will be drawn for the main event.
As an officially sanctioned Canadian Poker Tour event, money winners in all 5 tournaments will earn valuable player points towards the CPT's Player's Point Championships to be held at the end of the year, crowning Canada's premier poker player. For more details please refer to www.canadianpokertour.tv or find out more in the February/March issue of Canadian Poker Player Magazine.
Registration for all events will be available next week through www.ticketmaster.ca or call the Stampede Poker room at 403-514-7058 directly. Satellite tournaments will be held daily until the event and details on online satellite qualifying will be announced later this week. For additional information please contact the Canadian Poker Tour offices at 403-269-9039.
Event Outline
Monday, May 11th - Main Event Satellites.
$65 Buy-in ($55+$10) @ 12pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for 7pm
satellite.
$550 Buy-in ($520+$30) @ 7pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for
Heads-up Main Event.
Tuesday, May 12th - Main Event Satellites.
$65 Buy-in ($55+$10) @ 12pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for 7pm
satellite.
$550 Buy-in ($520+$30) @ 7pm. 1 for every 10 players will qualify for
Heads-up Main Event.
Wednesday, May 13th - Event #1 - No Limit Hold'em - One day event @ 12pm.
$550 Buy-in ($500+$50) - 5000 in starting chips.
Thursday, May 14th - 29th - Event #2 - Main Event Heads-up Championship.
$5000 Buy-in ($4600+$400) - Maximum 128 players
Best 2 out of 3 match play. 10,000 in starting chips for each game.
---Bracket Drawing - Wednesday, May 13th. 10pm @ C.P.T. Ultimate Players
Party.
Friday, May 15th - Event #3 - Pot Limit Omaha - One day event @ 4pm.
$200 buy-in with $100 re-buys and $100 optional add-on.
Saturday, May 16th - Event #4 - No Limit Hold'em - One day event @ 2pm.
$1100 Buy-in ($1000+$100) - 10000 in starting chips.
Sunday, May 17th - Event #5 - No Limit Hold'em - One day event @ 12pm.
$550 Buy-in ($500+$50) - 5000 in starting chips.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Canadian Poker
Canadian Gaming
Poker
Poker News
Sunday, February 08, 2009
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