poker superstars

To be world poker superstars needs skill and luck

2008-07-31T00:39:00.000-07:00

As I am not professional in playing poker but I like to watch poker tournaments as all professionals super stars performing their skills. Basically in a tournaments games all you needs is skill, a little bit of lucks and hards works like making the right calls and reading the opponent cards. Like last year world poker super star tournament Jamie Gold won the game by some lucks and making the right calls. Jamie gold are not highly rank at that time.

The best tips when playing poker is to play tight at the beginning until the numbers of competitors has drops to four or five. At this time you had to be more aggressive with the game in order to win the tournament.

Celebrity winning became poker superstars

2008-05-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Playing a game of poker is easy but to be a poker superstars it takes guts, skill and experience to win a game of poker in a tournament or in a championship. I have hear many celebrity became a poker superstar in a tournament. Like the Spiderman Tobey Maguire who started playing seriously in 2004 and won himself first ever Phil Hellmuth invitational poker tournament in October 2004 with a stake money of $95,480 that he won . He had enter in many championship and tournament in that year and most of the time he finished in money taking. During that time he is taking lessons from poker professional Daniel Negreanu and still taking his advised.

Another Celebrity Wil Wheaton star in Star Trek and a very regular players in online poker and was invited to play in many tournament such as World Poker Tour championship and he also played in world series of poker in 2005 and a member of Team of Poker stars. Oscar nominated actress Jennifer Tily who often seen in poker rooms won her first World Series of poker in June 2006 who out play 600 player with a stake money of $158,625. She has also won the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament and competed in Poker Royale, Poker Superstars, and Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Its never easy to be a poker superstars

2008-03-17T03:04:00.000-07:00

Seeing many young people became poker superstar. Do we know how much afford and money their put in to be one day a world poker superstars. Last year we saw a eighteen years old norwegian girl becomes the youngest girl to win the world series of poker games in Europe. The stake money that Annette Obrestad won on that poker games was one million pound. Peoples said she put a few years in practicing the game and had a master to guild her.

People like Johnny Chan, Gus Hansen and Shawn Shekhan put many years afford and money to be the past world superstars. To be a world poker superstars we must had a lot of patients, guts and money and even to hire a well known poker king to guild you climb the ladder to be one day a world superstars. Lucks also play a parts to be a world superstars.

Not easy to be poker superstars

2007-11-28T01:25:00.000-08:00

I am not very good in playing poker and I know I cannot be a poker superstars because my face and my action will change whenever I got big cards or I am just bluffing. But I like to watch proffesional playing and I readly envy them for their guts and their cool.

I attended a poker game at a casino in Malaysia. There were many skilled players playing and the prize money was very high. The game end in the next days and the winners is from Hong kong people. The competition attracted many people around the world. The games started with many tables of four people playing and in the end it left two person to fight for the champaionship.

Annette Obrestad the youngest Poker champ

2007-09-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday 16 September 2007 we saw a 18 years Norwegian girl become the youngest women winner in series history to win the world series of poker games in Europe. She won one million pound equal to Malaysia Ringgit 6.97 million. The game was play in London's Leicester Square.

The women Annette Obrestad was holdind some of her winnings money in this handout photo from the world series of poker game in London. She beat many well known poker players and poker superstars to become this year world poker series superstar.

To become a poker superstars

2007-07-24T03:14:00.000-07:00

Before you want to a poker superstar, you had to do alot of home works like watching the proffectionals playing in big tournermont, learned to control your reaction and actions and play many pokers games with the amatures to gain confidence. For every beginning you expected to loss more than winner unless you have baby luck. Like Johnny Chan who lost a lots of money and eventually became a winners.

Like Johnny Chan as people known him as the Oriental Express won a series of championships. He was the campion in poker in 1987 and 1988 and lost to young Phil Hellmuth in 1989. If you want to be poker superstars get one of the tops name to guild and learn some of their tricks and technique. Learn to enjoy the game of poker and you will one day day be the second Johnny Chan.

Witness a poker game at a casino

2007-06-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

To be world poker superstars is not a joke as you had to spend many years in learning the skill and even you had to get a proffessionals to teach you. We had hear many renowns world poker superstars, Johnny Chan, Mike Matusow, Gus Hansen, Phil hellmuth, Shawn Sheikhan, Annie duke and Tony G and many mores. All of them takes many years and spend alots of money to be world poker superstars. The answer to their success is pacients and guts and a little luck.

I witness a poker game at a casino. Its attracted alots of participant for the compitetion and its takes two days for the contest to finish where the winners are giving a prize winning cheque, a trophy and a certificate. The hall was crowded with invited guests and one or two supported of the players. Eventually a Singaporean was name the winners.

Witness a poker game in Malaysia

2007-05-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

It is very intresting to watch people playing poker but to be poker superstars is not an easy laddler to climb. Few years back I watch a game of poker competition held in Genting Highland in Malaysia. There was many poker experts enroll in the game and the last players to remains is the winner.

The game of poker started with a table of four and the winner two will stay to the next round and eventually left two persons to fight for the champion and will be adress by people as poker superstars. The game needs alot of skill to play and a bit of luck. The tactic of the game is to read the card that the other players is closing and to frighten each other of the cards each person is closing. Playing poker you must learn when to follow and when to resign in each game. When playing poker you must be very steady in yourself, people with emotion will not stay very long in the game as it will most read by other people.

Its needs a lots of skill to be poker superstars

2007-04-16T02:18:00.001-07:00

Playing poker is a skill but if you want to be a poker superstars you had to learn more skill and had to get some professional teacher to teach you the skill of playing poker. One day I attended a poker tournament in Genting Highland, Malaysia. All the players were very skilled people and the duration of the game is two days where money prizes were awarded to the champions, runners up, third placing and forth to six placing.

The games were very excited where by every players are showing off their skills and each player are trying to know what cards the other playing is closing. To be a poker superstars all you needs is to have thirty percentage of luck and the rest depends on your skills and how good is your opponents skills. Besides skill and luck you needs to be firm in yourself so that others players won't reads what you are closing.

To be poker superstars you needs skill

2007-03-09T00:28:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants to be poker superstars but not everyone all have the skill to be one. I have a friend five years my senior whom everyone and myself address him as mr poker king. He only play poker as his living during his young age but now he is a grandfather of many grandchildrens. Most of his friends will want to plays with him as he is wining mosy of the times.

One days we ask him whether he is playing dirty. His reply is skill and you must know and learn the skill of playing pokers. Learn the reactions and style of the opponents and whats cards the other playing is closing by the face and action of the one calling. Be what you are when playing, never show and sign to the others players and always contoll yourself and have patients and liking in your cards. Cash is also any issue to the game as more cash ones its more stable with the game. Lastly if you feel you are not having a good game of poker call it quit.

Working with zip critical

2007-02-12T00:45:00.000-08:00

This game of chicken occurs many times when it's blind vs. blind, because most players don't give opponents in the blinds credit for having a hand, so it comes down to the opponent who has the guts to fire at a pot with nothing.

With blinds at $100,000-$200,000 in the Poker Superstars Invitational II, Mike Sexton was dealt J-8 offsuit in the small blind. This might've been a spot to raise in an attempt to run off the big blind, but Sexton, the voice of the World Poker Tour, chose just to complete the bet.

In the big blind, the legendary Doyle Brunson held Q-7 offsuit. He might've raised Sexton to win the pot outright, but he elected to check his option.

The flop came 10-10-5, rainbow, helping neither player. Both checked.

The turn came the king of hearts, putting a flush draw on board. Sexton bet out $100,000, attempting to represent a hand.

Working with zip critical

2007-02-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

One of the toughest things in poker is betting with nothing. Perhaps one of the only things tougher than that is calling with nothing. Both moves require a lot of courage and a good read on your opponent, and both are essential to winning no-limit hold 'em tournaments.

This game of chicken occurs many times when it's blind vs. blind, because most players don't give opponents in the blinds credit for having a hand, so it comes down to the opponent who has the guts to fire at a pot with nothing.

With blinds at $100,000-$200,000 in the Poker Superstars Invitational II, Mike Sexton was dealt J-8 offsuit in the small blind. This might've been a spot to raise in an attempt to run off the big blind, but Sexton, the voice of the World Poker Tour, chose just to complete the bet.

In the big blind, the legendary Doyle Brunson held Q-7 offsuit. He might've raised Sexton to win the pot outright, but he elected to check his option.

The flop came 10-10-5, rainbow, helping neither player. Both checked.

The turn came the king of hearts, putting a flush draw on board. Sexton bet out $100,000, attempting to represent a hand. Brunson called. Sexton smirked.

"I took a shot at it," said Sexton, winner of the 2006 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. "He had me beat, but he didn't have a big hand, either.

The river came the 6 of hearts, putting hearts up. Sexton checked. Brunson, winner of a record-tying 10 World Series bracelets, moved all in. Sexton folded before the money even got out there, smirking again.

"I'm sure he was calling to make a move on the pot later like he did," Sexton said. "I lost one to the grand master. I tried to steal it from him."

For all the courage it took for Sexton to fire at the pot with nothing, it took even more for Brunson to simply call when the board missed him so badly.

"If you don't have heart -- and heart means that you're going to bet at that pot with no hand to try to take it down -- believe me, when you're sacrificing valuable chips in a tournament and you're wrong or you get looked up or you get beat, it's crucial," Sexton said. "But still, you've got to be able to do it. All the great players fire at pots with no hand."

To be poker superstars

2007-01-31T23:45:00.000-08:00

To be poker superstars is not a joke. You must have the time, money and had a professional teacher to teach and guide you to the top.

You can see many celebrity actors and actress such as Ben Affleck, Patrick Bruel and Jennifer Tilly winning poker games in tournaments. All having a teacher or two to teach them to the top.

Game Show Network

2007-01-15T21:37:00.000-08:00

The Game Show Network has Poker Royale. This is a 6-person tournament that runs for several weeks. There are several elimination rounds, then a finale. The first had all pros. It was men vs. women. The men won each individual match; but, the ladies, led by Kathy Liebert, Jennifer Harmon and Cyndy Violette took the final – and decisive match. The second installment had Celebrities vs. Poker Pros. I found it to be a watered-down version of Celebrity Poker Showdown. I missed Phil Gordon and Dave Foley, gotta admit. The third installment, which is currently airing, is the Comedians vs. Poker Pros. I didn’t find this one too fun or funny; but, I’ve had other things to do lately.

Actually, I dropped watching that because the Fall Season picked up; and, well, I’d rather watch the Poker Superstars Invitational on FSN! This is awesome. It’s a turbo tourney – the blinds go up really quick and the play is fast – featuring Johnny Chan, Carlos Mortensen and other luminaries. It’s action-packed, high-stakes poker that goes by in the blink of eye.

2007-01-09T01:27:00.000-08:00

The poker superstars have gathered in Las Vegas, and if the preliminary events are any sign as to the excitement and drama we can expect from the championship, then Thursday’s DBNAPC will be a heartstopper. Last year's Five Diamond final table featured Rehne Pedersen, Patrik Antonius, Doyle Brunson, Joanne "JJ" Liu, Darrell Dicken, and Phil Laak.

Mark your calendars now for the World Poker Tour's feature table, which will be taped and then televised early in 2007. Limited spectator seats are available. Fans wishing to become part of the televised audience should arrive no later than 2:30 p.m. in the Bellagio’s main ballroom center on Tuesday, Dec. 19. There will be lots of free collectibles and sponsored beverages by Xyience.

2006-12-10T23:31:00.000-08:00

Barry Greenstein was invited to play in the Poker Superstars tournament on FSN as one of the eight best players in the world. He was chosen because of his cash game results. The producers mentioned that the public didn't know him well because he hadn't played in many tournaments. He told the producers he would play in some before the show aired and he would win some.

Then, when he decided to give the tournament winnings to charity, it spurred him on to keep playing in big tournaments.

2006-11-27T00:16:00.000-08:00

Poker. The word conjures up images of the Old West, of men wearing Colt revolvers on their hips sitting around a table and glaring at each other, cards in hands. Or perhaps for you poker means Friday nights with your friends, sharing beers and jokes while secretly trying to figure out what cards everyone else is holding. Perhaps you’ve dreamed of playing against the pros, pitting your skills and luck against theirs for stakes thousands of dollars high.

Dream no more. Poker Superstars II lets you take a seat at the table with 15 of the world’s best poker players for a game of no-limit Texas Hold’em. You can play against just five of them in a single round, or go against all 15 in a multiple-round tournament. Think you have what it takes? Then read on.

The game’s graphics are adequate but not fancy. Each Superstar is represented by a photo that changes according to what the player is doing: looking their cards over, placing a bet, or winning a hand. The feature that allows you to import your own photo to represent you at the table is a nice touch. Other than that, the graphics give the game a casino feel without getting in the way.

Two nice features: control of play speed and game save. The default speed of the game--betting, dealing hands, etc.--is a little fast at first. You’ll want to slow things down until you get a feel for the game. For those who want to play through a season tournament, but not all at once, you can quit the game at any point and resume right where you left off later.

The "How to Play" help file is nice, but always came up as a separate window behind the main game window. I had to minimize the game window before I could read the Help file.

The game ran smoothly on both my 1.8 GHz iMac G5 and my wife’s 2.0 GHz MacBook.

For just twenty bucks, this game delivers. The AI is good but not impossible. I didn’t see any obvious “cheating” by the computer players, and the randomness of the draw means you’ll have a different game every time you play. You can get the thrill of playing poker against smart opponents without having to bet a single dollar of real money.

successful of poker player

2006-11-16T22:41:00.000-08:00

All In features some of the most recognizable and successful poker stars in the world, including Howard Lederer, his sister Annie Duke (who becomes exclusive to the World Championship Poker franchise with this installment), and Robert Williamson III. Joining the roster of this year's edition are noted international poker superstars Marcel Luske, Thomas Bihl and Erin Ness, who parlayed a victory at a Maxim Magazine office tournament into a seat at the 2004 World Series of Poker.

Over the past few years, the World Championship Poker series has developed a reputation for being a game intelligent and diverse enough to appeal to poker players of all skill levels. John Chechitelli of All- In Magazine called WCP: All In “the best poker video game available,” and said the game’s artificial intelligence is “strong enough to keep players at their best.”

2006-11-01T22:35:00.000-08:00

Imagine the next time you join a discussion about poker superstars. When you start sharing the fascinating poker superstars facts below, your friends will be absolutely amazed.

Turn the channel to any high-stakes poker event, and chances are high that you’ll see at least one Hollywood celebrity in the thick of the action. With flexible schedules and larger-than-average bankrolls, celebrities have both the time and inclination to hone their poker playing skills in tournaments around the world. Some, of course, never rise above the rank of amateur, but others go on to become familiar faces in the world of poker.

So far, we've uncovered some interesting facts about poker superstars. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

This Oscar-nominated actress has starred in such hits as The Fabulous Baker Boys and Bullets Over Broadway. However, she has publicly stated that she’s becoming more interested in poker than acting. One look at her accomplishments in the poker world and it’s easy to see why. In June of 2005, Tilly outlasted 600 other players and won her first World Series of Poker bracelet (and $158,625) in the Ladies' No-Limit Hold’em event, becoming the first celebrity to do so. She has also won the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament and competed in Poker Royale, Poker Superstars, and Celebrity Poker Showdown.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on poker superstars. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of poker superstars.

2006-10-29T23:52:00.000-08:00

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with poker superstars.

Funkitron has announced the release of its first casual Mac game, Poker Superstars II, based on the popular TV show. A downloadable demo is available. Poker Superstars II costs $19.95 to register.

Poke Superstars II features top players including Johnny Chan, Barry Greenstein, Carlos Mortensen and Cyndy Violette. The game incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) that learned the game by playing millions of simulated tournaments, and features three different modes (Round, Season and Cash Game).

Truthfully, the only difference between you and poker superstars experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to poker superstars.

Other features include game times, game speed-up options designed for practice, and a unique player card system that tracks the player’s best winnings, winning hands, flops seen and pots won.

That's the latest from the poker superstars authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

my friend good in poker.

2006-10-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

my friend like to play poker. Everybody like to call him as poker superstars. He also very proud as this nickname. He is very good in poker games. He also know how to play magic with the poker card too.

who is poker superstars

2006-10-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

A new law, passed by Congress last week as an attachment to a port security bill, would make it illegal for American banks to process payments to or from gambling Web sites, including those that offer Internet poker.

The world's largest poker site, PartyGaming, suspended its American operations on Monday morning and was quickly followed by several other sites.

Shares in British online gambling companies, including Sportingbet PLC and PartyGaming PLC, dived Monday after the U.S. Congress passed legislation prohibiting the use of credit cards, checks and electronic fund transfers for online gaming. PartyGaming, the world's biggest online gambling company, said it would pull out of the United States if President Bush signs the legislation into law.

The legislation was part of a port securities bill passed by the House and Senate on Saturday.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

The companies hit hardest by the ruling are those that offer betting markets denominated in U.S. dollars, and usually operate from bases in the Caribbean or Central America. Most of the big British and Irish sites, by contrast, keep their operations in Europe and take deposits only off credit cards denominated in pounds and euros.

Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker, gets about half its revenue from online betting but "we have made every effort to block U.S. play," said spokesman Breon Corcoran.

"We would be excited about bringing an Irish brand to the States, but given the climate there, it's unlikely to happen," Corcoran said.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on poker superstars.

Info about poker superstars

2006-10-02T01:46:00.000-07:00

Current info about poker superstars is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest poker superstars info available.

Now that we've covered those aspects of poker superstars, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Sit across the table from and challenge eight of the hottest Texas Hold 'Em poker players from around the world in Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament. Eight poker celebrities from NBC Sports and Fox Sports Network include Chip Reese, Johnny Chan, T.J. Cloutier, Barry Greenstein, Howard Lederer, Gus Hansen, Doyle Brunson, and Phil Ivey. Play in tournament, limit cash games, or rounds while accompanied by music from the television show. A free booklet is included that gives biographies of the eight poker pros as well as their valuable winning tips.

As your knowledge about poker superstars continues to grow, you will begin to see how poker superstars fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

tournament has historically for poker superstars

2006-09-27T22:41:00.000-07:00

This article explains a few things about poker superstars, and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know.

A new family film set in the world of poker, scheduled to begin shooting in Los Angeles and Las Vegas this spring, will have a real "full house" of talent behind it. Film will be Executive Produced by Garry Marshall and Hector Elizondo. Randy Feldman and Brad Neufeld will produce from their script in association with poker impresarios Mark and Lisa Tenner. Scott Marshall, who recently helmed "Keepin Up With The Steins," is set to direct. The movie tells the story of a talented 15-year-old who qualifies for a $10-million dollar poker tournament at a major Las Vegas Hotel. The 15-year-old convinces his mother to play in his place and, through a series of extraordinary circumstances, the young man is allowed to play at the final table against many of the superstars of poker. In addition to exec producing, Elizondo is set to co-star as the casino manager with a heart. The producers are in the process of casting the leading lady role.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of poker superstars is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about poker superstars.

This tournament has historically been dominated by the “young guns” of poker. In 2002, the first year of the Poker Classic, relative unknown Finnish poker dealer Juha Helppi emerged victorious. In 2003, newcomer Erick Lindgren defeated a final table that included Barry Shulman to take home $500,000. 2004 saw Eric Brenes overcome some of poker’s greatest players including Layne Flack, Mike Matusow, and John Juanda for a million dollars. Last year, poker pro Freddy Deeb outlasted a final table comprised of two online poker stars: Devin Porter (pictured at right) and Josh Schlein. This year’s tournament will be an independent event, no longer a World Poker Tour staple as it was for the past four years.

As your knowledge about poker superstars continues to grow, you will begin to see how poker superstars fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

Famous poker rooms enclose

2006-09-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Imagine the next time you join a discussion about poker superstars. When you start sharing the fascinating poker superstars facts below, your friends will be absolutely amazed.

Famous poker rooms enclose hundred thousand people playing online poker simultaneously. Online play is faster and more convenient than a live game: some players watch TV, talk on the phone or read while others even play in more than one game at a time. Without a doubt, online gaming, especially poker, possesses unique features that turn online experience into a real pleasure. Any person with a computer and proper internet connection can learn poker game and earn the game's initial capital from zero.

You can see that there's practical value in learning more about poker superstars. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?

Online casinos became one of the fastest growing industries in the computer world and the reasons for that are obvious. Not many land-based casinos today can compete with the unique services that online casinos offer to players and avid casino fans. If you already tried to look for an online casino to play in, you probably noticed that there are hundreds of casino websites online, all tempt you with all sorts of flashy banners and cool promotions. But there are some things that you must check before you choose in which online casino to play in.

Be sure to check the game collection of the casino, especially if you're searching for a specific game that you like. Check out the roulette machines, the slots and the poker rooms.

When word gets around about your command of poker superstars facts, others who need to know about poker superstars will start to actively seek you out.

World Championship of poker superstars

2006-09-22T00:40:00.000-07:00

The only way to keep up with the latest about poker superstars is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about poker superstars, it won't take long for you to become an influential authority.

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is the major powerhouse of professional wrestling where athletes aim for the ultimate stardom as they compete in the sport’s largest organization. In America, there are number of wrestling schools that train athletes to perfect and excel in the art of the wrestling sport, its maneuvers and also they even may help in providing placements for their most talented performers. The aspiring wannabe wrestlers that are interested in getting trained for professional wrestling usually call up the organization that they eventually hope to work for, such as WWE or any other top notch organization, and ask for a list of wrestling schools endorsed by the wrestling major, and athletes may benefit from attending the recommended wrestling school so that they improve their chances of reaching stardom of being a wrestling superstar. The wrestling superstars are nothing but a combination of gymnastic moves, extensive training and dedication bundled with muscular structure and poise.

Shuffle up and deal for the third in this poker series. World Championship Poker "All In" features some of the most recognizable and successful poker stars in the world, including Howard Lederer, his sister Annie Duke, and Robert Williamson III. Joining the roster for this year's edition are noted international poker superstars Marcel Luske, Thomas Bihl, and Erin Ness. Career mode now includes series tournaments, mixed games, and reoccurring home games.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

We spoke with Jon Sieker, the game's lead designer and producer to bring you the goods on World Championship Poker "All In."

On every occasion, it is the responsibility of the performing athletes to provide a quality performance that reminisces as “one” in the minds of their diehard fans who will enjoy until the last minute. To garner even more excitement, the best part of the wrestling industry, the annual super bowl of wrestling as it is known, also known as the Wrestle mania, is held as a live pay-per-view event each year. It is undeniably a visual treat for fans and a test of skill to the wrestling superstars. Wrestle mania offers some of the wildest, most exciting events of the year.

Now you can be a confident expert on poker superstars. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on poker superstars.

The best multiplayer poker

2006-09-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage--at least it seems that way. If you've been thinking you need to know more about it, here's your opportunity.

The best multiplayer poker site for one person won’t necessarily be the best multiplayer poker site for you. You will need to find one that you enjoy playing at, especially since every site will have a different feel and they will usually all have a different approach to certain aspects of the game. They will also need to offer the type of poker game you want to play. A site that offers Texas Hold ‘Em is very easy to find, while a site that offers Omaha Hi-Lo may be a little more rare.

This is sad. The NHL players and owners feel that NHL players deserve multi-million dollar contracts, even when NBC’s poker series rates better. This is supposed to be the NHL playoffs. Why aren’t the ratings higher?

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about poker superstars, keep reading.

The simple answer is that NHL boss Gary “NBA” Bettman has destroyed the game. This guru took hockey away from its roots and the people who loved the sport and took it to the sunbelt of the south

Another best multiplayer poker site feature to look for is whether they have a secure system or not. You should never feel uneasy about depositing money into your player account. Hopefully there will also be some system in place to discourage those who would cheat and collaborate with each other to win more money. There will always be players who are unscrupulous, and in the world of online gambling it can be a little difficult to regulate, but the best multiplayer poker site will at least try to stop the majority of it.

The best multiplayer poker site for you will have features that you like, be secure, and be a fun place to play. You will run across a bad beat every now and then, but the majority of your experiences should be positive.

If you've picked some pointers about poker superstars that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.

Knowing enough about poker superstars

2006-09-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding poker superstars. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about poker superstars.

When the last match of the round of 16 at the Poker Superstars Invitational 3 tournament began, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and Carlos Mortensen all knew it was their last chance to move on.

Seven of the eight players who would compete in the next round had already locked up their seats. Going into the single-table match, they knew that two out of the three players would be done after the last card was dealt. The winner would join Freddy Deeb, Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson, Antonio Esfandiari, Mike Matusow, Card Player COO Jeff Shulman, and Gus Hansen in the quarterfinal round.

"I foresee an immense amount of interest and growth still in poker and in All In Magazine," said Thompson. "We don't intend to leave dollars on the table when this is still such a hot category. As more people take to the game, they will want to know about the world of poker and about how to improve their play. Advertisers are just beginning to understand this is a rich territory of loyalists, just as in NASCAR."

So far, we've uncovered some interesting facts about poker superstars. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

As his first order of business, Thompson announced a multi-million dollar cross-media marketing campaign. The innovative program includes national television commercials during targeted programming, online advertisements, and newsstand and bookstore promotions.

All In Magazine stakes its claim as "The World's Leading Poker Magazine" on its combination of comprehensive and colorful content, including in-depth interviews with the superstars of the game, player profiles, tournament coverage, monthly media, online, and travel columns, and an acclaimed instructional section that includes innovative hand-by-hand analyses of major events and tutorials by the biggest names in poker.

All In Magazine was the leading sponsor of the 2005 National Heads-Up Poker Championship on NBC and reached millions of viewers with an ad campaign on national television that starred the bad boy of poker, Phil Hellmuth. The magazine has since been featured on such broadcasts as NBC's 2006 National Heads-Up Poker Championship and ESPN's 2006 World Series of Poker.

Knowing enough about poker superstars to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about poker superstars, you should have nothing to worry about.

tournament section covers basic tournament strategy

2006-09-18T00:26:00.000-07:00

If you're seriously interested in knowing about poker superstars, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about poker superstars.

Caribbean Stud, which can be found at both live and online gaming casinos, is a variation of poker that is quite simple to learn and play. As in Blackjack, players start out by betting however many chips they wish, within the limits stated at that table. They can also place $1 down for a shot at the Progressive Jackpot. The Progressive Jackpot, which grows as players bet at it until it hits, will pay you if you are dealt a Royal Flush. If you are dealt a regular straight flush, you get ten percent of the Jackpot. You will also get a small piece of the Jackpot for being dealt a flush, full house or four of a kind, for amounts ranging from $50-$500 depending on the strength of your hand and what your particular casino’s payout structure is.

Once the bets are placed, you are dealt five cards. The dealer is also dealt five cards, but one of his cards is exposed for the entire table to see. Look at your cards and determine what your best five card poker hand is. If you don’t like your hand, fold and forfeit your initial bet. If you do, you must put up an amount equal to double your initial wager to continue. Once the decisions are made to bet or fold, the dealer exposes his entire hand.

The best part of this site is definitely the “Basic Strategy Engine.” As you may know, one of the keys to Blackjack is employing the correct basic strategy. There are statistically optimal times to Hit, Stand, Double and Split, and you need to know these to be successful at Blackjack. Blackjack Info makes learning basic strategy incredibly simple. When you click on the Strategy Engine, you will be directed to input various pieces of information about the game you will be playing in the fields provided. You will insert information about the number of decks being used, and the rules on soft 17, doubling, splitting, surrender, etc. If you are not sure of the rules where you are playing, Ken has listed some places where he knows what the rules are, and you can click on those links directly. Once the information is in, click on “Get the Charts” and you will be immediately sent to a set of color coded, easy to read instructions on what to do in any blackjack situation.

You can see that there's practical value in learning more about poker superstars. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?

For those of you curious about card counting, a strategy employed by most professional Blackjack players, you can read articles by Kevin Blackwood, professional Blackjack player, writer, and card counter. Keep in mind that card counting usually only applies to live play, as the rules in online Blackjack tend to limit the effectiveness of typical counting methods.

This site also contains a blog with stories and information about the game of Blackjack, a section with articles devoted exclusively to online gambling, interviews from professional Blackjack players, and information about Blackjack related books and software.

For those of you who enjoy the tournament format, this site also has a tournament section. The tournament section covers basic tournament strategy and advanced tournament concepts you may not be aware of. It also provides a link to another site, www.blackjacktournaments.com which has even more information about blackjack tournaments. Blackjacktournaments.com has a message board where you can read postings from professional tournament players and tournament fans. It also has a free schedule of Blackjack tournaments. In addition, there is analysis of specific big money tournament hands and interviews with great Blackjack tournament players.

Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about poker superstars. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.

king of gamble.

2006-09-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

What do Klingons, giant rubber bands, and monster trucks all have in common? They hold the fascination of every male on the planet - and they make frequent appearances on Spike TV. Spike TV, which totes itself as a network for men, is the perfect example of the power of knowing your audience and giving them what they want.

In one week of watching Spike TV you can expect to see poker, ultimate fighting, demolition derbies, cop shows, kung fu movies, school bus figure eight racing, pyrotechnic explosions, Klingons, customized cars, Chairman Tamori, giant rubber bands, sports superstars, Captain James T. Kirk, video game awards, Japanese trivia shows, dating competitions, MacGyver, and monster trucks. And that is only a partial list of what Spike TV offers men.

When it comes to your small or home business, knowing your audience, giving them what they want, and letting them know it's there for the buying are essential steps to establishing a consistent income.

So far, we've uncovered some interesting facts about poker superstars. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

you're really in possession of some special supernatural forces I don't think you're going to have too much luck!

What I am here to show you is how to perform the trick of levitation, to give your audience the impression that you are floating, or else causing some other object to float.

Levitation as a magic illusion has recently been practiced in the public sphere by such magic superstars as David Blaine and David Copperfield. Copperfield even performed a spectacular stunt in which he appeared to float over the Grand Canyon!!

Now you can be a confident expert on poker superstars. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on poker superstars.

poker superstars: A Couch Potato's Guide to Poker on TV!

2006-09-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

I love Poker. I love to play it. I love to read about it. I love to watch other people play it, especially on TV. It’s an inexpensive way to learn from the pros. You can see what they do in real-world situations, not just what they say they would do in their books. Watching Poker helps improve your game. You can learn pot odds, combinations, order of hands and many other basics as well as advanced, psychological strategy such as tells.

I watch a lot of Poker on TV. Yes, I do. Apparently, the networks are taking notice of the TV-viewing public. A lot of us are crazy for Poker. In this article, I’m going to discuss several, TV series that are still running now, that I highly recommend and regularly watch.

1) Celebrity Poker Showdown. This is on Bravo, usually on Thursday nights. Poker Pro Phil Gordon and comedian Dave Foley (Kids in The Hall, News Radio) are the moderators for this light, fluffy show featuring celebrities such as Alex Trebek, Ben Affleck, Rosie O’Donnell and Camryn Manheim. Some of the celebs are really very good. Of course, there is also that wonderfully evil moment when you can watch someone on the D-List or above sink on the river.

Phil gives expert commentary. There’s a short film each week in which the basics of No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em and the betting rules are explained. It’s entertaining TV even for newbies, pros and the star-struck alike.

2) The World Series of Poker. ESPN is currently showing episodes of the 2005 WSOP. The other night, I saw Johnny Chan win his record 10th WSOP bracelet in the Pot Limit Hold ‘Em event. It was awesome. He beat out Phil ‘Unabomber’ Laak to take the lead against Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth, who were both present during the match, for the all-time record bracelet wins. Hey, don’t feel too bad for Mr. Laak. His girlfriend, the beautiful Hollywood actress, Jennifer Tilly, won the Ladies’ Event at the WSOP this year.

A week or two prior to that, I got to see Josh Arieh, a very good player who doesn’t get too much airtime (yet), play – and win – the Omaha tourney. It was great to see Omaha Hold ‘Em played on TV for a change. I loved it.

Even if you’re not a poker junkie like I am, you can appreciate the epic nature of the World Series of Poker with its international field featuring the best of the best – and a few Cinderella stories thrown in for good measure.

3) World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. Travel the world from your chair and watch pros play in the World Poker Tour. They play in exotic locales such as Aruba and Paris. Host Mike Sexton is so knowledgeable about the game that he makes up for his co-host Vince Van Patten’s shtick. The man tries to give nicknames to any hand combination possible. Some of his groaners include:

QQ – Siegfried & Roy or Paris & Nikki (Hilton)
55 – Sammy Hagar (after the song, ‘I Can’t Drive 55’)

Rounding out the commentator group is the lovely Shana Hiatt. She interviews the pros and showcases different aspects of the poker-playing lifestyle on each episode. The WPT hosts names like Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer and more. It’s a veritable who’s who of Poker and it comes fresh and new into your home each week.

These aren’t the only Poker shows on TV. ESPN has a drama called TILT starring Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) and Eddie Cibrian (Third Watch) which is a fictionalized version of a poker pro’s dirty and dangerous life.

E! Entertainment Network, beginning on St. Patty’s Day 2005, aired several episodes of E!'s Hollywood Hold ‘Em Game. Laura Prepon, of That 70s Show, produced the show and starred in one of the episodes with her live-in love Chris Masterson (Malcolm in the Middle) and some friends, including Chris’ brother and That 70’s show star, Danny Masterson (Hyde). Other episodes had Mila Kunis (Family Guy, That 70s Show), Macauley Culkin – yes, that Macauley Culkin. He’s Mila’s beau – and Shannon Elizabeth. I haven’t seen it on recently; but, I desperately hope that it comes back. It was pretty good poker and Phil Laak was the dealer/mentor/host.

The Game Show Network has Poker Royale. This is a 6-person tournament that runs for several weeks. There are several elimination rounds, then a finale. The first had all pros. It was men vs. women. The men won each individual match; but, the ladies, led by Kathy Liebert, Jennifer Harmon and Cyndy Violette took the final – and decisive match. The second installment had Celebrities vs. Poker Pros. I found it to be a watered-down version of Celebrity Poker Showdown. I missed Phil Gordon and Dave Foley, gotta admit. The third installment, which is currently airing, is the Comedians vs. Poker Pros. I didn’t find this one too fun or funny; but, I’ve had other things to do lately.

Actually, I dropped watching that because the Fall Season picked up; and, well, I’d rather watch the Poker Superstars Invitational on FSN! This is awesome. It’s a turbo tourney – the blinds go up really quick and the play is fast – featuring Johnny Chan, Carlos Mortensen and other luminaries. It’s action-packed, high-stakes poker that goes by in the blink of eye.

If you can’t find a good online or home game, why not sit down and watch one on TV? Chances are – there’s one on the television right now. Go. Watch!

This article is provided by Real Casinos - to read more articles please visit our gambling articles section.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Bayliss

poker superstars: World Series Of Poker (WSOP)

2006-09-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

To say the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has come a long way since it's 1970 beginning is a considerable understatement. What began as a curiosity with a comparative handful of players evolved into its present state, a poker extravaganza involving thousands of players, the best of whom have become poker superstars due to unprecedented media and internet coverage.

The current 2006 WSOP tournament is an excellent example of how far this event has come. The tournament began on June 26th at Harrah's Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and as of this writing more than 8,000 participants have entered with the requisite $10,000 buy-in. Contestants will play down until nine players remain. These players will compete at the final table on August 10th for the WSOP championship, the gold and diamond encrusted bracelet, poker immortality, world-wide fame, and last, but certainly far from least, millions of dollars in prize money. For example, last year's WSOP champion, an Australian, Joseph Hachem collected $7.5 million, and this year's champion is expected to take home more than $12 million.

Additionally, side games and tournaments within tournaments, such as HORSE, as well as satellite tournaments with world-wide participation, and daily lesser tournaments with lower buy-ins continue throughout the World Series of Poker event.

All participants must be at least 21 years of age and have the requisite buy-in funds

Casino employees are not exempt from the WSOP tourney, and a special casino employee no-limit event requiring a $500 buy-in was held on June 26th. The 1,232 entrants nearly doubled last year's 662 players. After eight hours of play, The number one spot among the nine finalists was Chris Gos. Who was awarded the grand prize of $127,496.

The June 27th WSOP no-limit hold 'em tournament ($1,500 buy-in) attracted 2,776 entrants, and concluded June 29th. Brandon Cantu topped the remaining nine players, taking home $757,839.

On June 28th, the WSOP featured a pot-limit hold 'em with a $1,500 buy-in, and 1,102 entrants vied for a chance at a WSOP bracelet. The top ninety-nine players would receive payouts. By the third and final day, nine players remained. Rafe Furst won his first World Series of Poker bracelet with the highest two pair, and took home a neat $345,984.

World Series of Poker Event #4 featured a no-limit hold 'em game requiring a $1,500 buy-in, and began with 1,068 players, as some of the largest crowds, and most numerous entrants in WSOP history contributed to the continuing excitement.

After three days of intensive play, an Iranian-born student from Los Angeles won first place with two pair, and earned $335,289.

The World Series of Poker continues to generate unprecedented interest, with the best players besieged by well-heeled sponsors eager to cash in on the WSOP phenomenon, the world-wide interest in poker, and poker tournaments. As an example, midway through the WSOP tournament Baywatch beauty Pamela Anderson appeared to promote the July 21st launching of her new Internet poker site, pamelapoker.com.

And the circus continues!

About the Author
Kenneth Bateman writes numerous articles on the subject of poker and its players. To read more player profiles, Online Poker from XL Poker.

poker superstars: Poker Wizard Freddy Deeb Advances at PSIT 3 Sunday

2006-09-08T01:40:00.000-07:00

Only Three Spots in Quarterfinal Round Are Left to Fill
Going into Sunday, four players have made it to Poker Superstars Invitational 3’s quarterfinal round, which leaves two more rounds of four left to go to determine who’s still in the running.

The fifth spot was filled on FSN last night when that round little guy Freddy Deeb outlasted Erick Lindgren, Barry Greenstein, and Gus Hansen to move on.

Next week, the match between the remaining three players will be shown, but last night, Deeb was the star of the show. He joins Mike Matusow, Card Player Magazine CEO Jeff Shulman, Antonio Esfandiari, and Johnny Chan in the quarterfinal round of the PSIT 3.

Players who have already fallen by the wayside include Eli Elezra, Phil Hellmuth, Chris Ferguson, Mike Sexton, and World Series of Poker champs Joe Hachem, Greg Raymer, and Chris Moneymaker.

PSIT 3 is shown on FSN every Sunday at 8 p.m. local time. Click here to view CardPlayer.com’s complete Internet coverage package of the show.

poker superstars: Boonty Launches Clickgames.com, the Free Casual Gaming Channel, with Top Quality Games; Clickgames.com Features Free Retail Quality

2006-09-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 6, 2006--Boonty (www.boonty.net) announced today the launch of the first free games channel, ClickGames (www.clickgames.com), for first-run, high quality casual games. The site also features user incentives including the ClickPoints loyalty program and opportunities to win cash and prizes.

Full versions of over 30 titles from popular publishers are available immediately. The portfolio of popular games includes Shroomz, Diner Dash, Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament and Plantasia. The games are available for download or for online play.

To support this unlimited free play, the network incorporates pre-game video and in-game advertising that is relevant and connected to the user's game play experience. The advertising is only shown through the games, ensuring there is no adware or spyware. The option to remove ads is also available to customers that wish to pay the game's standard retail price.

"Clickgames.com was created to serve the value conscious consumer," said Romain Nouzareth, President and CEO of Boonty Inc., "Now people can play great games absolutely free. What's better than that?"

For more information or to start playing for free, visit www.clickgames.com.

About Boonty

Boonty is one of the largest casual games platforms in the world, operating in more than 25 countries. Since its launch in 2001, the company's customized end-to-end solutions have been implemented by major publishers, Internet portals, ISPs, mobile phone operators, advertisers, Internet communities, and PC manufacturers globally. Boonty has offices in New York, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.

poker superstars: Hansen Handsome in PSIT 3 Win

2006-09-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

He Advances to Quarterfinal Round

Last week, Freddy Deeb showed why he is considered one of the best players in the world when he defeated Barry Greenstein, Gus Hansen, and Erick Lindgren to move on at the Poker Superstars Invitational 3 tournament shown on FSN.

This week, those three players had to return to find out who would move on, and which two would go home. Hansen, who is feared because of the sometimes crazy luck that comes his way, used some of that luck to move on.

Early in the match, he faced a Greenstein raise with T-9 offsuit. Greenstein just won a few pots against Lindgren by being aggressive, and it was obvious Hansen thought Greenstein was stealing. He moved all in. Greenstein instantly called him with A-A.

A 10 on the flop improved Hansen’s chances, and another on the river sealed Greenstein’s fate. Although Lindgren pulled close to Hansen by doubling up with a set of nines, he couldn’t get over the hump and Hansen is the latest player to move on.

Next week, Todd Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, and Carlos Mortensen play their first-round match to see who joins Deeb, Hansen, Card Player CEO Jeff Shulman, Johnny Chan, Antonio Esfandiari, and Mike Matusow.

PSIT 3 is aired every week on FSN. Check your local listings for air time and click here to view CardPlayer.com’s complete Internet coverage of the series.

poker superstars: Poker Stars Purchase W Las Vegas Condos

2006-08-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

11 August 2006

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Nearly 9,000 poker players from around the world have descended upon Las Vegas for the 37th Annual World Series of Poker. Four of the most popular and prolific professional players among them recently purchased fully-furnished luxury hotel condominium residences at the W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Residences.

* Phil Hellmuth won the 1989 World Series of Poker championship event at only 24 years of age. He's made the money in more than 100 major tournaments, made more than 80 final tables, and won 18 events. He has won 10 WSOP bracelets. Hellmuth, who won the W Las Vegas Poker Invitational earlier this year, applied his studio condominium grand prize as a down payment on a penthouse suite.

* David Williams found fame when he placed second in the 2004 World Series of Poker. This 26 year old has earned more than five million dollars in poker winnings and in four years, has made the money in 17 major tournaments and reached nine final tables. He earned a WSOP bracelet in this year's tournament.

* At age 28, Antonio Esfandiari, "The Magician," has made the money in 16 major tournaments, appearing at 11 final tables. He appeared in the second series of the Poker Superstars Invitational tournament, and currently appears in the Game Show Network series High-Stakes Poker.

* Phil Laak is one of the more colorful players on the tour, donning a signature hooded sweatshirt when playing. He acted as host and dealer for the E! Network's Hollywood Hold'em program and shares a passion for poker with his girlfriend, actress Jennifer Tilly.

The W Las Vegas will embrace the stylish, signature comforts the W Hotel brand is renowned for, including striking architecture, multiple restaurants, exhilarating nightlife and a destination spa. The highly anticipated property will span 24.5 acres at the corner of Harmon and Koval, the epicenter of the burgeoning Harmon Corridor boutique district, and will be the first W Hotel property with a casino.

Hotel condominium residences including studios, one bedrooms and suites are available for purchase and can be combined to form larger residences. These fully-furnished units are designed by Charles Allem, who was named one of the top 100 interior designers by Architectural Digest. Reservation lists are forming at wlasvegas.com with studio residences priced from $650,000.

Residence owners and guests will experience lifestyle amenities at the W Las Vegas ranging from destination dining and nightlife to world-class shopping at the 100,000 square foot Fred Segal retail emporium, the first of its kind outside of Southern California. Relaxation can be found in the exclusive Bliss(R) Spa or lounging in a private cabana at the ultra-luxe WET(SM) pool, while those seeking excitement can choose from top-shelf entertainment and an action packed casino. The W Las Vegas experience is made complete with the backdrop of Las Vegas and W Hotels brand legendary Whatever/Whenever(R) service.

poker superstars: Maryland accountant Benjamin Lin thrashes all-star lineup at final table at WSOP event 28

2006-08-09T01:26:00.000-07:00

by Nolan Dalla filed under World Series of Poker

World Series of Poker
Las Vegas, NV – When play at the final table of the $5,000 buy-in Seven-Card Stud championship became three-handed, a few bystanders glanced at the remaining players up on the main stage at the Rio. They had the following exchange:

Spectator 1: Who’s left?

Spectator 2: I see Cyndy Violette up there.

Spectator 1: Who else?

Spectator 2: There’s Sean “Sheik” Sheikhan.

Spectator 1: What about the other guy?

Spectator 2: I don’t know. He’s just some other guy.

Benjamin Lin represents all the “other guys” who play poker. He epitomizes many thousands of mostly-unknown names and faces who plow through huge tournament fields, make final tables, yet are not given the attention and admiration they probably deserve. While television and media focus mostly on the poker superstars, many “other guys” (and ladies, too) are out there day in and day out fighting for prize money and respect – not necessarily in that order.

Three days ago, Benjamin Lin walked into the Rio Las Vegas as a 31-year-old accountant from suburban Washington-DC, who liked to play poker in his spare time. After winning the Seven-Card Stud championship at the 2006 World Series of Poker, presented by Milwaukee’s best Light, Lin is walking out of the Rio as the latest WSOP gold bracelet winner. He pulverized a highly-competitive field of 182 entrants who each put up five grand in what has become known as the “world championship” of one of poker’s most long-established games.

After 174 players had been eliminated over two days, eight players took the final table on the Rio poker stage. The eight finalists comprised a formidable lineup. Two were former WSOP gold bracelet winners – “Miami John” Cernuto with three wins, and Cyndy Violette with one victory.

This final table was exceptional for at least one reason. Perhaps no single individual has done more for poker during his lifetime than Mike ‘The Mad Genius” Caro. The former hippie used to destroy lowball draw games that were popular in California during the 1970s. Later, he started writing about poker and became one of the game’s top theorists. Caro played against (and beat) a computer, devised numerous strategies that helped thousands of poker players, and appeared on national television numerous times as the game’s top spokesman. In the 1990s, he founded “Mike Caro University,” which held classes at the Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles. Books, magazine articles, and seminars turned losers into winners. Yet for all of his contributions to poker science over the years, many newcomers still do not know of Caro’s profound impact on the game.

In the stud event, Caro -- who rarely plays in poker tournaments -- was making his first WSOP final table appearance in twenty years. Unfortunately, “The Mad Genius” was the first player to bust out. He lost holding (Q-10) 10-K-5-2 (X) against (K-10) A-K-3-7 (3) – which made two pair. Caro collected $21,385 for eighth place, which was his third cash at this year’s World Series.

Lupe Munquia went out next. Munquia, who owns a paint and body shop in Odessa, Texas, crashed in seventh place when his split kings were topped by two pair. Munquia had (K-4) K-2-A-10 (3) which lost to Allen Kessler’s (J-3) A-8-3-8 (6). Munquia received $29,939.

Patrick Bueno was the next player to be eliminated. The businessman from Paris, France went out on a diamond draw, which missed. Meanwhile, his opponent Benjamin Lin made a lowly pair of nines which was enough to take down the pot. Bueno was sixth – good for $38,493.

On the very next hand, Benjamin’s chip stack increased even more when he knocked out veteran poker superstar “Miami John” Cernuto. “Miami John,” who once worked as an air traffic controller before becoming a full-time professional, went off the radar screen when his buried tens failed to improve. Cernuto had (10-10) Q-3-J-2 (8) which lost to Lin’s (Q-8) Q-J-A-5 (4). Fifth place paid $76,986.

Allen Kessler has been playing on the tournament circuit for five years. The Temple University graduate has cashed many times and has made it to several final tables, but he has yet to achieve a WSOP win. Kessler’s attempt came up short again when his split tens improved to two pair, losing to Cyndy Violette’s higher-two pair. The final hand showed Kessler with (K-10) 10-3-5-4 (4) against Violette’s (J-6) 2-J-Q-K (Q). Kessler collected $76,986 for fourth place.

When play became three-handed, Cyndy Violette had to like the circumstances. Violette, who has been playing professionally for 15 years and who is one of the East Coast’s top Seven-Card Stud players, was competing for gold bracelet Number Two. This marks the third consecutive year she has made it to a WSOP final table. Violette was the early aggressor but just as it appeared she might run over the table, her two opponents began playing back at her and started taking down big pots. On her final hand, Violette was dealt several high cards and missed a flush draw, which knocked her out of the tournament. Violette’s (Q-9) A-10-7-K (X) with four hearts was cracked by Lin’s (K-K) 8-6-6-3 (X) which made two pair. Cyndy Violette received $102,648 for third place.

Sean “Sheik” Sheikhan has been described as poker’s lightening rod. He certainly electrifies any game he plays in – mostly the world’s highest-limit cash games. Sheikhan did his best to unnerve his opponent with table talk, daring his adversary to call when at a competitive disadvantage and at other times simply making it clear to everyone within listening distance that the “Sheik” was the better poker player. Unfortunately, Sheikhan ran bad in heads-up play, often starting with a solid hand which turned into a loser.

Sheikhan lost the final hand of the night when his (9-6) K-A-K-J (2) was snapped off by Lin when he caught an inside straight on seventh-street. Lin ended up with (9-9) 6-8-10-5 (7) – good for the ten-high straight. Sheikhan, who was born in Iran and now lives in Las Vegas, collected $171,080 for second place.

Benjamin Lin took his place the elite class of 396 players (out of over a 100 million worldwide) who have won a WSOP gold bracelet over the entire 37-year history of the world’s premier poker spectacle. Lin’s winnings amounted to $256,620.

Winning an event at the World Series changes everything. Perhaps the next time he makes it to a final table heads-up, the conversation will now describe Benjamin Lin as a poker champion – playing against the other guy.

Note: “X” denotes unknown card.

Overall Tournament Statistics (through end of Event #28):

Total Entries to Date: 25,432

Total Prize Money Distributed: $ 52,786,707

poker superstars: Shulman Wins Again at PSIT 3

2006-08-07T23:44:00.000-07:00

He Makes It into the Quarterfinals
Jeff Shulman does it again.

Shulman, Card Player’s President and CEO, advanced another round in the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament 3 (PSIT 3) by winning his table of three. The match was shown on FSN Sunday night.
Last week, FSN aired the first Super 16 match between Shulman, Mike Matusow, Eli Elezra, and Mike Sexton. Matusow won that match, leaving Shulman, Elezra and Sexton to battle for their lives. The winner of the tournament advanced, while the losers were sent packing.

Shulman was the point’s leader for round one, and an early exit in the Super 16 round would no doubt be a disappointment. Sexton was the first to go on Sunday, after he bluffed a large portion of his chips away against Elezra’s pocket aces.

Next week, FSN airs the first match of four between Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Ferguson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth.

PSIT 3 airs every Sunday at 8 p.m. local time. Click here to visit CardPlayer.com’s Internet package dedicated to covering this TV event.

poker superstars: A Look at 10 Celebrity Poker Players

2006-08-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

by Damien Chambers

Turn the channel to any high-stakes poker event, and chances are high that you'll see at least one Hollywood celebrity in the thick of the action. With flexible schedules and larger-than-average bankrolls, celebrities have both the time and inclination to hone their poker playing skills in tournaments around the world. Some, of course, never rise above the rank of amateur, but others go on to become familiar faces in the world of poker. What follows is a list of ten of the best celebrity poker players in the world (listed in no particular order).

Ben Affleck - It's hard to argue Affleck's status as one of the best celebrity poker players in the world after he won the California State Poker Championship in June of 2004 (where he won $356,400). When he's not acting in movies such as Daredevil or Armageddon, Affleck collects vintage video-arcade machines and has been known to take poker lessons from pros like Amir Vahedi and Annie Duke. His win at the California Championship also qualified him for a seat at the 2004 World Poker Tour final tournament.

Patrick Bruel - Patrick Bruel is a well-known French singer and actor, having performed in over 40 television and film productions and recorded numerous top-selling albums. He also happens to be a world-class poker player. So while he may go unrecognized by American movie audiences, poker players from around the world will instantly recognize his face. Why? Well, in 1998 Patrick picked up a World Series of Poker bracelet for winning the 1998 $5000 Limit Hold'em event. He has also placed in the money numerous times in WSOP events, and earned over $750,000 in live play events.

Jennifer Tilly - This Oscar-nominated actress has starred in such hits as The Fabulous Baker Boys and Bullets Over Broadway. However, she has publicly stated that she's becoming more interested in poker than acting. One look at her accomplishments in the poker world and it's easy to see why. In June of 2005, Tilly outlasted 600 other players and won her first World Series of Poker bracelet (and $158,625) in the Ladies' No-Limit Hold'em event, becoming the first celebrity to do so. She has also won the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament and competed in Poker Royale, Poker Superstars, and Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Josh Malina - With acting credits such as Sports Night and The West Wing, Malina is a respected actor of both the stage and screen. He is also an avid poker player. In fact, when he was struggling to get his career off the ground, he would often play poker in order to have enough money to pay his rent. Now that he's financially secure, Malina is spreading his love of poker by producing Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Matt Damon - After starring in the poker film Rounders, you might expect the world-famous Damon to know his way around a deck of cards. He's a regular entrant in the annual World Series of Poker, and his most interesting WSOP story occurred back in 1998. Miramax Studios entered both he and Edward Norton in the WSOP Main Event ($10,000 buy-in) to promote the upcoming Rounders. Damon played well, but he was eliminated on the first day by poker legend Doyle Brunson after Damon's pocket kings failed to beat Brunson's pocket aces.

Tobey Maguire - In October of 2004, the star of the Spider-Man franchise demonstrated his poker skills by winning the first-ever Phil Hellmuth Invitational Poker Tournament. He also picked up $95,480 for the win, causing Andy Bellin to remark to Phil Hellmuth, "This kid could be a legitimate pro." He has finished in the money in several other events and has received lessons from poker pro Daniel Negreanu. And keep in mind that he's only been playing seriously since 2004.

James Woods - Having starred in movies such as Salvador and Another Day in Paradise, James Woods is one of America's most respected actors. And not only is he a familiar face in poker rooms across the country, he's also the face of a new poker site. Their selling point is that players have a chance to match poker wits with top stars like Woods. Not that matching wits with Woods is a good idea, considering he has a 180 I.Q. In 2006, Woods finished in 24th place out of 692 at the L.A. Poker Classic for $40,000.

Mimi Rogers - When she's not starring in hits like Lost in Space and Austin Powers, Mimi Rogers moonlights as a pretty darn good poker player. Tom Cruise's ex-wife took first place on an episode of Hollywood Home Game, and also finished in the money during the World Poker Tour's Shooting Star Championship.

Wil Wheaton - One of the stars of Stand by Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wheaton plays in big-money games in Los Angeles all the time, is a frequent participant in online poker rooms, and was even invited to play in the World Poker Tour Championship. He is also a member of Team PokerStars and played in the 2005 World Series of Poker.

Gabe Kaplan - Best known for his role on Welcome Back Kotter, Gabe Kaplan is such an accomplished poker player that most no longer regard him as a "celebrity" player. His first World Series of Poker appearance came in 1978. In 2004, he finished third at the World Poker Tour's No Limit Hold'em event, winning more than $250,000 in the process. He has also taken second place in the World Series of Poker Limit Hold'em event. His career tournament poker earnings exceed $680,000. He also serves as an expert poker commentator, having appeared on such shows as the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Intercontinental Poker Championship, and High Stakes Poker.

When he's not reviewing movies or losing money at the poker table, Damien Chambers can usually be found at http://www.gamblingchitchat.com/

poker superstars: Seven Top Poker Players File Antitrust Lawsuit Against The World Poker Tour

2006-08-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

by staff filed under Poker News

Las Vegas, July 19, 2006 -- Today, seven of the world’s top poker players filed an antitrust Complaint against WPT Enterprises, Inc. (“WPTE”) in federal district court in Los Angeles. By this lawsuit, Plaintiffs Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, Joseph Hachem, Howard Lederer, and Greg Raymer seek to enjoin – and seek treble and punitive damages for – WPTE’s continuing violations of federal and state antitrust laws.

WPTE operates the World Poker Tour (“WPT”), a series of televised, high stakes poker tournaments that are run by various casinos located throughout the United States and in parts of Canada and Europe.

The Complaint alleges that WPTE and the casinos have unlawfully conspired to eliminate competition for the services and intellectual property rights of top, high stakes professional poker players. In particular, the Complaint alleges that the casinos have agreed with WPTE that they will not host any non-WPT televised poker tournaments. The Complaint also alleges that WPTE and the casinos have conspired to fix the price and other terms and conditions under which Plaintiffs and other professional poker players are forced to give up their valuable services and intellectual property rights in order to participate in WPT tournaments.

Plaintiff Chris Ferguson stated as follows: “WPTE has stacked the deck against all poker players who wish to compete in its tournaments. They are using our names and images to sell their products without our prior consent and without any compensation. We cannot let these wrongful actions stand. We will prosecute this lawsuit for as long as it takes to change WPTE’s unlawful ways.”

Plaintiff Annie Duke stated that: “We are bringing this action to change the way WPTE treats players. Our goal is not just to win for ourselves, but to set a precedent so that all players can be dealt a fair hand.”

Plaintiffs are represented by the law firm of Dewey Ballantine LLP, whose lead counsel, Jeffrey Kessler, has successfully represented NFL, NBA, and other players in similar antitrust suits. Mr. Kessler stated the following: “It is now well established that the antitrust laws protect professional athletes and other players when agreements are entered into that restrain competition for their services. This is as true for the business of professional poker tournaments as it is for professional football, basketball, and other sports. Professional poker players are entitled to a free market for their services, which will also benefit consumers since the result will be more and higher quality poker tournaments.”

Plaintiff Greg Raymer stated that: “Our success in this lawsuit will benefit all current and future poker players. I am proud to be part of it.”

Plaintiffs are seven of the most widely recognized and successful professional poker players in the world. Plaintiffs Howard Lederer and Phil Gordon, for example, are two poker superstars who have won three WPT tournaments between them. Plaintiff Chris Ferguson, perhaps the most widely recognized poker player in the world, and Plaintiffs Joseph Hachem and Greg Raymer, have each won the World Series of Poker (“WSOP”) Main Event. Plaintiff Annie Duke has also won a WSOP event, and is regarded as the best and most accomplished female professional poker player in the history of poker. Plaintiff Andrew Bloch has two WPT “Final Table” appearances.

About Dewey Ballantine LLP

Dewey Ballantine LLP, founded in 1909, is an international law firm with more than 550 attorneys and locations in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, East Palo Alto, Houston, Austin, London, Warsaw, Frankfurt, Milan, Beijing, and Rome. Through its network of offices, the firm handles some of the largest, most complex corporate transactions, litigation and tax matters.

poker superstars: Poker Documentary Premiers Tonight at the Palms

2006-07-31T00:24:00.000-07:00

Author:
Ian McKenzie
newsdesk@bluffmedia.com

The feature-length documentary NO LIMIT: A SEARCH FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM ON THE POKER TOURNAMENT TRAIL (www.nolimitmovie.com) premieres tonight at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

No Limit, features film producer SUSAN GENARD as one of two single parents who document their eight-month odyssey on the high-stakes poker tournament trail. The film was recently dubbed "The Mother of All Poker Docs," and has garnered much attention on the national film festival circuit. Not surprising since the movie's theme -- that the American Dream is alive and well if one is willing to take certain risks -- focuses on the popular sport of tournament poker.

Celebrities and poker players expected to attend include many of the poker superstars featured in the film including Annie Duke, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Kathy Liebert, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Mike Sexton, Scotty Nguyen, Barry Greenstein, Kenna James and Chris Moneymaker, as well as actress and WSOP gold bracelet winner Jennifer Tilly, Phil "The Unabomber" Laak, Pamela Anderson, Norm MacDonald, Cindy Margolis, Robin Weigert, Victor Williams, Kelly Perine, Yosh Nakano, and the No Limit 'Nearly Nude' Painted Girls.

No Limit was produced by Susan Genard and co-directed by Tim Rhys and Brian O'Hare. No Limit is a PartyPoker.net presentation. No Limit Interviews include: Amir Vahedi, Annie Duke, Barry Greenstein, Bobby Baldwin, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Chris Moneymaker, Clonie Gowen, Daniel Negreanu, David "Devilfish" Ulliott, David Sklansky, Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer, James McManus, Jennifer Harman, Kathy Liebert, Kenna James, Larry Flynt, Layne Flack, Linda Johnson, Lou Krieger, Mark Seif, Max Stern, Men "the Master" Nguyen, Miami John Cernuto, Mike Sexton, Paul Philips, Phil Gordon, Phil Hellmuth, Puggy Pearson, Scotty Nguyen, Steve Lipscomb, T.J. Cloutier, Thor Hansen and Tom McEvoy.

PartyPoker.net is sponsoring the red carpet event and after-party. The screening is at Brenden Threatres at 6:30 p.m., followed by a party at the ghostbar. Red carpet arrivals at ghostbar begin at 8 p.m.

poker superstars: Maryland accountant Benjamin Lin thrashes all-star lineup at final table at WSOP event 28

2006-07-25T01:22:00.000-07:00

by Nolan Dalla filed under World Series of Poker

Las Vegas, NV – When play at the final table of the $5,000 buy-in Seven-Card Stud championship became three-handed, a few bystanders glanced at the remaining players up on the main stage at the Rio. They had the following exchange:

Spectator 1: Who’s left?

Spectator 2: I see Cyndy Violette up there.

Spectator 1: Who else?

Spectator 2: There’s Sean “Sheik” Sheikhan.

Spectator 1: What about the other guy?

Spectator 2: I don’t know. He’s just some other guy.

Benjamin Lin represents all the “other guys” who play poker. He epitomizes many thousands of mostly-unknown names and faces who plow through huge tournament fields, make final tables, yet are not given the attention and admiration they probably deserve. While television and media focus mostly on the poker superstars, many “other guys” (and ladies, too) are out there day in and day out fighting for prize money and respect – not necessarily in that order.

Three days ago, Benjamin Lin walked into the Rio Las Vegas as a 31-year-old accountant from suburban Washington-DC, who liked to play poker in his spare time. After winning the Seven-Card Stud championship at the 2006 World Series of Poker, presented by Milwaukee’s best Light, Lin is walking out of the Rio as the latest WSOP gold bracelet winner. He pulverized a highly-competitive field of 182 entrants who each put up five grand in what has become known as the “world championship” of one of poker’s most long-established games.

After 174 players had been eliminated over two days, eight players took the final table on the Rio poker stage. The eight finalists comprised a formidable lineup. Two were former WSOP gold bracelet winners – “Miami John” Cernuto with three wins, and Cyndy Violette with one victory.

This final table was exceptional for at least one reason. Perhaps no single individual has done more for poker during his lifetime than Mike ‘The Mad Genius” Caro. The former hippie used to destroy lowball draw games that were popular in California during the 1970s. Later, he started writing about poker and became one of the game’s top theorists. Caro played against (and beat) a computer, devised numerous strategies that helped thousands of poker players, and appeared on national television numerous times as the game’s top spokesman. In the 1990s, he founded “Mike Caro University,” which held classes at the Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles. Books, magazine articles, and seminars turned losers into winners. Yet for all of his contributions to poker science over the years, many newcomers still do not know of Caro’s profound impact on the game.

In the stud event, Caro -- who rarely plays in poker tournaments -- was making his first WSOP final table appearance in twenty years. Unfortunately, “The Mad Genius” was the first player to bust out. He lost holding (Q-10) 10-K-5-2 (X) against (K-10) A-K-3-7 (3) – which made two pair. Caro collected $21,385 for eighth place, which was his third cash at this year’s World Series.

Lupe Munquia went out next. Munquia, who owns a paint and body shop in Odessa, Texas, crashed in seventh place when his split kings were topped by two pair. Munquia had (K-4) K-2-A-10 (3) which lost to Allen Kessler’s (J-3) A-8-3-8 (6). Munquia received $29,939.

Patrick Bueno was the next player to be eliminated. The businessman from Paris, France went out on a diamond draw, which missed. Meanwhile, his opponent Benjamin Lin made a lowly pair of nines which was enough to take down the pot. Bueno was sixth – good for $38,493.

On the very next hand, Benjamin’s chip stack increased even more when he knocked out veteran poker superstar “Miami John” Cernuto. “Miami John,” who once worked as an air traffic controller before becoming a full-time professional, went off the radar screen when his buried tens failed to improve. Cernuto had (10-10) Q-3-J-2 (8) which lost to Lin’s (Q-8) Q-J-A-5 (4). Fifth place paid $76,986.

Allen Kessler has been playing on the tournament circuit for five years. The Temple University graduate has cashed many times and has made it to several final tables, but he has yet to achieve a WSOP win. Kessler’s attempt came up short again when his split tens improved to two pair, losing to Cyndy Violette’s higher-two pair. The final hand showed Kessler with (K-10) 10-3-5-4 (4) against Violette’s (J-6) 2-J-Q-K (Q). Kessler collected $76,986 for fourth place.

When play became three-handed, Cyndy Violette had to like the circumstances. Violette, who has been playing professionally for 15 years and who is one of the East Coast’s top Seven-Card Stud players, was competing for gold bracelet Number Two. This marks the third consecutive year she has made it to a WSOP final table. Violette was the early aggressor but just as it appeared she might run over the table, her two opponents began playing back at her and started taking down big pots. On her final hand, Violette was dealt several high cards and missed a flush draw, which knocked her out of the tournament. Violette’s (Q-9) A-10-7-K (X) with four hearts was cracked by Lin’s (K-K) 8-6-6-3 (X) which made two pair. Cyndy Violette received $102,648 for third place.

Sean “Sheik” Sheikhan has been described as poker’s lightening rod. He certainly electrifies any game he plays in – mostly the world’s highest-limit cash games. Sheikhan did his best to unnerve his opponent with table talk, daring his adversary to call when at a competitive disadvantage and at other times simply making it clear to everyone within listening distance that the “Sheik” was the better poker player. Unfortunately, Sheikhan ran bad in heads-up play, often starting with a solid hand which turned into a loser.

Sheikhan lost the final hand of the night when his (9-6) K-A-K-J (2) was snapped off by Lin when he caught an inside straight on seventh-street. Lin ended up with (9-9) 6-8-10-5 (7) – good for the ten-high straight. Sheikhan, who was born in Iran and now lives in Las Vegas, collected $171,080 for second place.

Benjamin Lin took his place the elite class of 396 players (out of over a 100 million worldwide) who have won a WSOP gold bracelet over the entire 37-year history of the world’s premier poker spectacle. Lin’s winnings amounted to $256,620.

Winning an event at the World Series changes everything. Perhaps the next time he makes it to a final table heads-up, the conversation will now describe Benjamin Lin as a poker champion – playing against the other guy.

Note: “X” denotes unknown card.

Overall Tournament Statistics (through end of Event #28):

Total Entries to Date: 25,432

Total Prize Money Distributed: $ 52,786,707

poker superstars: SEVEN POKER PROS FILE ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST WPTE

2006-07-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

By Oliver Tse
Special to PokerBiz411.com

LOS ANGELES and LAS VEGAS -- Seven high-profile professional tournament poker players have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Los Angeles-based WPT Enterprises (NASDAQ: WPTE), the parent company of the World Poker Tour (WPT).

The seven players -- 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event World Champion Joseph Hachem, 2004 WSOP Main Event World Champion Greg Raymer, 2000 WSOP Main Event World Champion Chris "JESUS" Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Annie Duke, Andy Bloch, and Phil Gordon -- have hired attorney Jeffrey Kessler of the law firm Dewey Ballantine LLP to represent them.

The lawsuit, filed at the Federal District Court in Los Angeles, seeks injunctive and punitive relief under the Sherman Antitrust Act and California state law.

"It's time to bring justice for professional poker players," said Kessler at a press conference held at the Rio Pavilion Convention Center on July 19. "These [seven] players are standing up for their peers...They are seeking a fair deal."

According to Kessler, he had successfully represented former professional football player Freeman McNeil, former professional arena football player James Guidry, and former professional basketball players Oscar Robertson and Ulysses "Junior" Bridgeman in antitrust lawsuits against the National Football League (NFL), the Arena Football League (AFL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA) respectively.

"Those same [antitrust] laws apply to professional poker as they do to other sports," Kessler added.

The seven poker pros are paying for the cost of the lawsuit with their own personal funds.

"I expect to lose several thousand dollars on this case", said Raymer, a former attorney. "We want some precedents set to allow all players and casinos to be able to compete for our services."

According to Kessler, the lawsuit alleges WPTE: 1) Conspired with its "member casinos" to not hold televised poker events organized by other promoters, 2) "Fixed" the price for using the image and likeness of any player who entered WPTE poker tournaments at "zero," and 3) Engaged in a “group boycott" by forcing players to sign a release form that required them to surrender their image rights to WPTE for use in derivative media products such as books and video games, with no possibility for the players to negotiate individually with WPTE.

The lawsuit did not name any WPT "member casino" as a co-defendant.

Kessler said that the seven players are seeking: 1) Injunctive relief to declare all previous release forms signed by the players void, 2) Injunctive relief to prevent WPTE from enforcing the exclusivity clauses in its agreements with member casinos, and 3) Punitive relief, in the form of triple damages, for the loss of "significant potential income" as a result of the players having to sit out WPT poker tournaments within the past year.

"We are professional poker players and we want to play," said Gordon in a passionate and angry tone. "I would have to break every endorsement contract I have in order to play [WPT tournaments]...This is a watershed moment...It's time for the players to stand up...Enough is enough! This is not just about the seven of us."

"[WPTE's] attitude has been, 'It's good for us (players),'" said Lederer, referring to WPTE's assertion that WPT poker tournaments offer players valuable television exposure. "I want to be able to decide what is good for me, not the WPT."

Duke added that video game producer Crave Entertainment, which has exclusive image licensing agreements with Duke, Lederer, and Raymer for its World Championship Poker video game, is currently suing WPTE over the use of Duke's image in a WPT-branded video game.

"We had tried very hard to avoid a lawsuit," said Duke, who added that her entertainment lawyer had attempted to negotiate with WPTE since last November, when WPTE changed its player release to include the use of a player's image and likeness in derivative media products. "We attempted to negotiate an [alternative] release prior to the WPT Championship in April [without success]...We feel the lawsuit is our last resort."

Both Raymer and Lederer cited specific instances in which WPTE's "member casino" exclusivity agreements prevented other televised tournament poker producers from shooting video at WPT "member casinos."

"My wife Cheryl wanted to organize a charity [tournament poker] event at Foxwoods," said Raymer, who alleged that WPTE denied a request by Mrs. Raymer to hire a video production crew to videotape the event for a documentary. "We then offered WPTE a chance to videotape the event, and [WPTE Founder and CEO] Steve Lipscomb declined."

"The producer [Henry Orenstein's HSOR, Inc.] of Poker SuperStars wanted to rent a hotel suite at the Bellagio to videotape the player interviews," said Lederer, who was one of the eight players who participated in the original Poker SuperStars tournament poker television series in 2003. "The Bellagio was afraid that WPT would recognize the suite in the video and denied the producer permission."

The seven players have posted documents pertaining to the lawsuit on the website wptlawsuit.com.

WPTE General Counsel Adam Pliska said in a telephone message that he had not received the official legal complaint filed by the seven players, and was unable to comment on the merits of the case.

poker superstars: Heart-Rate Monitors True Test Of ‘Poker Face’

2006-07-18T01:37:00.000-07:00

July 18, 2006

In poker, it’s common to see pros covering up to keep from revealing their emotions and tipping their hands. Phil “Unabomber” Laak hides his head in a sweatshirt hood. Phil Hellmuth zips up a mock turtleneck and plays with his hands in front of his mouth, while wearing sunglasses and a black cap. Now, one of several TV programs attempting to cash in on the poker craze is peeling away those defenses with pulse monitors that players strap to their chests before taping.

Fox Sports Net’s “Poker Dome Challenge” offers viewers further insight into the thinking of poker players, first revealed in how-to handbooks and then played out in real time with the widespread use of hole-card cameras beginning in 2003. “These people are bare naked,” said executive producer John Faratzis, an Emmy winner who turned down a job producing National Football League games to run the 43-week series. “The interesting thing for me is to see whether that accelerated heart rate and that attention shows on their face,” he said. “You get to find out: How astute a competitor are they? Can they mask that? Or are they truly a calm individual?”

In taping for week two of the series, which began Memorial Day weekend, amateur Andrew Rogers displayed the most uncanny composure. The 34-year-old poker league manager from Montgomery, Minn., had a heart rate of 160 beats per minute while sipping water during breaks — no doubt thanks to the two pots of coffee and six Red Bulls he said he drank before taping, and a pack-a-day cigarette habit. In one hand, Rogers looked down at an unsuited jack-two, while his opponent, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Perry Friedman, held an unsuited three-two.

Despite constant betting by Friedman, Rogers called every time, while his heart rate dropped to about 140. He won the hand after two kings, a queen, an eight and a six were turned over as community cards — allowing him to win with just a high card. “I knew he was trying to buy it,” Rogers said afterward. “I knew he was betting small.” He eventually won the six-player round for $25,000 and the right to move on toward the series-ending $1 million prize. “Poker Dome Challenge” is among several new shows that target a growing poker-playing audience, much of which gambles online.

The American Gaming Assn. says poker room revenues in Nevada and New Jersey alone rose 37 percent in 2005 to $207.2 million from the year earlier. But it also notes online gambling revenue hit a staggering $11.9 billion last year and is expected to double by 2010, despite being illegal in the United States. In April and May, NBC’s six-week “National Heads-Up Poker Championship,” featuring 64 pros and celebrities, averaged 4.2 million viewers. CBS started “The Intercontinental” poker series in June and will premiere the “Ultimate Blackjack Tour” in September. A poker movie, “Lucky You,” starring Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore is in the works.

And ESPN announced that it would add a pay-per-view showing of the final table next month to its annual coverage of the World Series of Poker. For Fox Sports Net, poker programming, which includes “Poker Superstars” and “Learn from the Pros,” provides one of its top three rated shows week to week, usually behind the “Best Damn Sports Show Period” or “Pride Fighting Championships.” The third installment of the “Poker Dome Challenge” attracted 200,000 viewers, the most in the network’s 10 p.m. to midnight Sunday time slot for the quarter.

poker superstars: You gotta know when to hold ’em

2006-07-11T01:24:00.000-07:00

Heart rate monitors let poker audience separate holders from folders
By RYAN NAKASHIMA The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — In poker, it’s common to see pros covering up to keep from revealing their emotions and tipping their hands.

Phil (Unabomber) Laak hides his head in a sweatshirt hood. Phil Hellmuth zips up a mock turtleneck, wears sunglasses and a black cap and plays with his hands in front of his mouth.

Now, one of several TV programs attempting to cash in on the poker craze is peeling away those defences with pulse monitors that players strap to their chests before taping.

Fox Sports Net’s Poker Dome Challenge offers viewers further insight into the thinking of poker players, first revealed in how-to handbooks and then played out in real time with the widespread use of hole-card cameras beginning in 2003.

"These people are bare naked," said executive producer John Faratzis, an Emmy winner who turned down a job producing National Football League games to run the 43-week series.

"The interesting thing for me is to see whether that accelerated heart rate and that attention shows on their face," he said. "You get to find out: How astute a competitor are they? Can they mask that? Or are they truly a calm individual?"

The Poker Dome features players who qualify on MansionPoker.net.

In taping for week two of the series, which began Memorial Day weekend, amateur Andrew Rogers displayed the most uncanny composure.

The 34-year-old poker league manager from Montgomery, Minn., had a heart rate of 160 beats per minute while sipping water during breaks — no doubt thanks to the two pots of coffee and six Red Bulls he said he drank before taping, and a pack-a-day cigarette habit.

In one hand, Rogers looked down at an unsuited jack-two, while his opponent, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Perry Friedman, held an unsuited three-two.

Despite constant betting by Friedman, Rogers called every time, while his heart rate dropped to about 140. He won the hand after two kings, a queen, an eight and a six were turned over as community cards — allowing him to win with just a high card.

"I knew he was trying to buy it," Rogers said afterward. "I knew he was betting small."

He eventually won the six-player round for $25,000 US and the right to move on toward the series-ending $1 million prize.

Poker Dome Challenge is among several new shows that target a growing poker-playing audience, much of which gambles online.

The American Gaming Association says poker room revenues in Nevada and New Jersey alone rose 37 per cent in 2005 to $207.2 million from the year earlier. But it also notes online gambling revenue hit a staggering $11.9 billion last year and is expected to double by 2010, despite being illegal in the United States.

AGA President Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. credits the Travel Channel, which began airing World Poker Tour tournaments with pocket-card cameras in 2003, for reviving poker in casinos and then sparking it on the Internet.

"I was flipping around looking for a ball game the other night and there was some poker on at least five channels," Fahrenkopf said. "As that popularity started, I think some of the offshore (website) operations saw something going on."

In April and May, NBC’s six-week National Heads-Up Poker Championship, featuring 64 pros and celebrities, averaged 4.2 million viewers.

CBS started The Intercontinental poker series in June and will premiere the Ultimate Blackjack Tour in September. A poker movie, Lucky You, starring Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore is in the works. And ESPN announced that it would add a pay-per-view showing of the final table next month to its annual coverage of the World Series of Poker.

For Fox Sports Net, poker programming, which includes Poker Superstars and Learn from the Pros, provides one of its top three rated shows week to week, usually behind the Best Damn Sports Show Period or Pride Fighting Championships.

The third instalment of the Poker Dome Challenge attracted 200,000 viewers, the most in the network’s 11 p.m. Sunday to 1 a.m. Monday time slot for the quarter.

MansionPoker.net pays for the lavish production costs of the show and the broadcast reaches an advertiser-friendly demographic — men aged 18 to 49, said George Greenberg, executive vice president of programming and production for Fox Sports Net.

Reruns, because of their instructive nature, can do just as well as the originals, he said.

"Poker is a very durable piece of programming," Greenberg said. "It plays well, it rates well and it re-airs well. And for a programming person, that’s a bonanza."

poker superstars: Pulse Monitors Peel Away at Poker Mystique

2006-07-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

Thursday, July 06, 2006
By RYAN NAKASHIMA, Associated Press Writer
LAS VEGAS — In poker, it's common to see pros covering up to keep from revealing their emotions and tipping their hands.

Phil"Unabomber"Laak hides his head in a sweatshirt hood. Phil Hellmuth zips up a mock turtleneck and plays with his hands in front of his mouth, while wearing sunglasses and a black cap.

Now, one of several TV programs attempting to cash in on the poker craze is peeling away those defenses with pulse monitors that players strap to their chests before taping.

Fox Sports Net's"Poker Dome Challenge"offers viewers further insight into the thinking of poker players, first revealed in how-to handbooks and then played out in real time with the widespread use of hole-card cameras beginning in 2003.

"These people are bare naked,"said executive producer John Faratzis, an Emmy winner who turned down a job producing National Football League games to run the 43-week series.

"The interesting thing for me is to see whether that accelerated heart rate and that attention shows on their face,"he said."You get to find out: How astute a competitor are they? Can they mask that? Or are they truly a calm individual?"

The"Poker Dome"features players who qualify on MansionPoker.net.

In taping for week two of the series, which began Memorial Day weekend, amateur Andrew Rogers displayed the most uncanny composure.

The 34-year-old poker league manager from Montgomery, Minn., had a heart rate of 160 beats per minute while sipping water during breaks _ no doubt thanks to the two pots of coffee and six Red Bulls he said he drank before taping, and a pack-a-day cigarette habit.

In one hand, Rogers looked down at an unsuited jack-two, while his opponent, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Perry Friedman, held an unsuited three-two.

Despite constant betting by Friedman, Rogers called every time, while his heart rate dropped to about 140. He won the hand after two kings, a queen, an eight and a six were turned over as community cards _ allowing him to win with just a high card.

"I knew he was trying to buy it,"Rogers said afterward."I knew he was betting small."

He eventually won the six-player round for $25,000 and the right to move on toward the series-ending $1 million prize.

"Poker Dome Challenge"is among several new shows that target a growing poker-playing audience, much of which gambles online.

The American Gaming Association says poker room revenues in Nevada and New Jersey alone rose 37 percent in 2005 to $207.2 million from the year earlier. But it also notes online gambling revenue hit a staggering $11.9 billion last year and is expected to double by 2010, despite being illegal in the United States.

AGA President Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. credits the Travel Channel, which began airing World Poker Tour tournaments with pocket-card cameras in 2003, for reviving poker in casinos and then sparking it on the Internet.

"I was flipping around looking for a ball game the other night and there was some poker on at least five channels,"Fahrenkopf said."As that popularity started, I think some of the offshore (Web site) operations saw something going on."

In April and May, NBC's six-week"National Heads-Up Poker Championship,"featuring 64 pros and celebrities, averaged 4.2 million viewers.

CBS started"The Intercontinental"poker series in June and will premiere the"Ultimate Blackjack Tour"in September. A poker movie,"Lucky You,"starring Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore is in the works. And ESPN announced that it would add a pay-per-view showing of the final table next month to its annual coverage of the World Series of Poker.

For Fox Sports Net, poker programming, which includes"Poker Superstars"and"Learn from the Pros,"provides one of its top three rated shows week to week, usually behind the"Best Damn Sports Show Period"or"Pride Fighting Championships."

The third installment of the"Poker Dome Challenge"attracted 200,000 viewers, the most in the network's 11 p.m. Sunday to 1 a.m. Monday time slot for the quarter.

MansionPoker.net pays for the lavish production costs of the show and the broadcast reaches an advertiser-friendly demographic _ men aged 18 to 49, said George Greenberg, executive vice president of programming and production for Fox Sports Net.

Reruns, because of their instructive nature, can do just as well as the originals, he said.

"Poker is a very durable piece of programming,"Greenberg said."It plays well, it rates well and it re-airs well. And for a programming person, that's a bonanza."

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

poker superstars: Chris Ferguson Moves on With Win at PSIT 3

2006-07-03T01:11:00.000-07:00

'Jesus' Needed at Least Five, Got 10; Eli Elezra Also Should Move On
Chris Ferguson came into his last Poker Superstars Invitational 3 elimination match right up against the second-round bubble with 16 points. He probably needed at least third and the five points that comes with it in order to advance into the second round of 16 players. He not only finished third, but went on to win his table, ensuring that he’ll move on.

Jennifer Harman could’ve used the extra three points she lost by finishing second and earning seven. Those three points may be the difference-maker. Depending on how the last three elimination matches turned out, she might be one of the eight players not to advance. Her 19 points may simply not be enough.

By the way, Ferguson won the tournament holding 92 against Harman’s J6. A black two on the flop ended the match.

Erick Lindgren (30 pts) and Johnny Chan (21 pts) came into their last match with their spots in the second round locked-up, but Eli Elezra had to finish third or better to ensure that he moved on. He did just that, and his 24 points will probably be good enough to advance.

Chan went out fifth and Lindgren was next, at fourth.

Greg Raymer was knocked out first, and finished the PSIT 3 with a pitiful 10 points, but he’s not doing as bad as Ted Forrest, who comes to his last match holding three points. His match against Card Player Magazine CEO Jeff Shulman, Jennifer Tilly, Carlos Mortensen, Mike Matusow and Mike Sexton is scheduled to be shown on FSN next Sunday (July 9). PSIT 3 is aired every Sunday at 8 p.m. local time on FSN.

Click here for CardPlayer.com’s Internet coverage of the series.

published on: Sunday Jul 02, 2006

poker superstars: The Poker Counselor's Corner (64)

2006-06-30T01:13:00.000-07:00

June 30, 2006
John “Poker Counselor” Carlisle, MA, NCCPrint
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Post a comment Dear Poker Counselor: Just after the July 4th holiday I will be flying to Vegas for a month of the World Series. It is so close now that I can hardly think of anything else. I am pre-registered for a few of the $1500 and $2000 events. I plan to hit the satellites pretty hard to get a seat at the main event. This is my first Series. Any advice for me? - Emailed by Luis from Iowa City

The Rio is already buzzing with thousands of poker players, fans, and industry insiders. Some of poker's superstars have been looking forward to this series of events all year. This looks to have the makings to be the biggest and most exciting Series ever played. Not only will there be a steady supply of sanctioned WSOP tournaments, you can expect every poker room in Vegas to be more busy than normal with tons of daily tournaments up and down the Strip and cash games galore. While this may sound like a poker Mecca to you, my advice is to be sure that you do not get foolishly swept up into this abounding excitement. I've seen many newer players crash Vegas during the World Series expecting great things, only to see their bankrolls dashed and their hopes crushed in a short time. Money management & psychological management will be vital keys during your long stay in Las Vegas. Too much energy and excitement can heavily cloud your decision making. It tends to fuel a desire to gamble. Surviving tournaments and cash games at the World Series is not about gambling, though. In reality, it is more about grinding. You should invest long hours playing solid, steady poker. Your goal is to get your money into the pot when you have the statistical advantage. Over the course of a month of poker, you will see the positive cash flow effects from doing this rather than allowing adrenaline to force you into many coin-flips and chancy plays. A month of poker at the WSOP is truly work, not a vacation. You will have thousands and thousands of consecutive decisions to fold, call, or raise. You have to get your mind set for that. Beating and outwitting your opponents is secondary to the primary goal of controlling yourself and your own emotions. When you get wrapped into the emotional roller coaster effect that the World Series can induce, you are fighting a tough battle to make good decisions. With that in mind, I'd suggest that you ease into play by buying into a few lower limit cash games when you first arrive. Concentrate on making good, appropriate decisions. Self-monitor to see if you are under control emotionally. Inspect your play carefully to see if you are playing differently than you might at your local casino or normal home game. Work your way into your normal levels, but keep up the task of consistent self-monitoring to be sure that you are on a good track. When tournaments time nears, be sure that you are well rested and sharp on the day that the cards are scheduled to be dealt. It looks like many of the events this year (especially Hold 'Em) will be capped with the number of participants, meaning long, grueling hours at the tables for those who make it to the money spots. Be sure that you are physically and mentally prepared for this. Overall, stay confident and play sharp. Take time to evaluate yourself and your play. Never make a move without pausing to think through your decision making process. And, of course, remember to enjoy the ride!

Dear Poker Counselor: I have an odd habit of talking to myself when thinking. When I play online, I will often be talking to myself about the hand, the other player's tendencies, etc. The thing is, when I play in live games I want to do this, too. I automatically feel like I should be talking things through to myself. What do you think is going on? - Emailed by Don

Your habit may not be as "odd" or uncommon as you think. Talking aloud to oneself is a very common strategy that many people with attention problems employ to help keep them on track in school, at work, and even at the poker tables. In fact, some counselors and therapists suggest that their patients with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) try this in order to help them narrow their thought processing and concentration. When you play online, your mind may be racing in a manner that compels you to check other websites, watch the nearby television, or hold a conversation on the phone. Talking to yourself provides a self-commentary that is a natural pathway towards staying in focus. Talking through the hand helps you to weed out extraneous information and shine the spotlight on the clues to the hand. In live action games, of course, talking to yourself provides a natural problem. Players nearby would love to listen intently to get a read on your mindset and your thinking. I would suggest that you supplant the verbal self-talk with other options. Perhaps you could carry a small notebook to the tables to log your hands, your actions, and the outcomes. This activity would be a very effective tool at focusing you in the moment, as well as becoming a learning tool when you review the notes at a later time. During a hand, you could turn your compulsion to talk out a hand aloud onto your opposition. Put your focus on the other player and ask him questions, all while looking for a reaction or tell. While you put him on the hot seat, you are also aiding your brain in its attempt to decipher the hand and stay on target. The key is that you are fining a way to hold that steady focus that is such a key in poker.

KEEP THOSE QUESTIONS COMING!!! Carlisle14@hotmail.com

Ed note: Party Poker have multiple tables available at every limit, 24 hours a day.

poker superstars: Group Aims to Convince Lawmakers to Legalize Poker in Texas

2006-06-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

Texas Association of Poker Players Now in Business

published on: Monday Jun 26, 2006

Wayne Long used to play small buy-in Texas hold’em tournaments in a bar outside of Houston’s city limits. He even won one of the events, and says the couple who ran the little “beer joint” got assurance from county officials that they wouldn't be bothered, even though holding poker tournaments in a public place in Texas has been illegal for decades.

And the owners were right, the county didn’t bother them at all. It was state officials who came in and shut down the game, which shouldn’t have been a surprise for any of the players who play poker in Texas.

The state has taken a clear and inflexible stance on poker in Texas, cancelling everything from charity tournaments to “poker runs” across the state. Not even poker superstars are exempt. Last May, the Phil Hellmuth Poker Challenge, a charity tournament scheduled to be held in Houston, was ordered cancelled by the state’s attorney general. The event was expected to raise at least $250,000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Long is so sick of poker players being treated like criminals in his state that he decided to do something about it and formed the Texas Association of Poker Players (TAPP).

“It really annoyed me that I’m having to sneak around and have to worry about stuff like that when all I want to do is play poker,” Long said. “I got ticked off, is actually what happened.”

The Houston real estate broker formed TAPP in February and spent the last four months preparing to go public. He built a website, recruited some of his poker-playing friends and announced to the world last week that TAPP is here. He’s now working on getting the word out to Texas poker players that TAPP wants to work hard to make poker legal in his state.

“Our basic goal is to unite Texas poker players so they could speak with one voice,” Long said. “Everybody knows here that if we got to vote on legalizing poker, it would be approved.”

Long has history to back his claim up. Pari-mutuel betting and horse racing was legalized in Texas back in the late ’80s after years of effort went into getting it on the referendum ballot. It passed the first time around. The same thing happened with the state lottery about a decade later.

“The people of Texas have demonstrated that they kind of like to gamble,” Long said.

Long’s next step is to recruit as many players as he can to join TAPP. Soon, radio spots and print ads will appear promoting TAPP around Houston, with plans to extend to other parts of the state soon. When membership reaches about 1,500 people, TAPP will hire a law firm based in Austin that specializes in lobbying issues.

Long believes he shouldn’t have a problem convincing members to join his cause. Texas is a big state with lots and lots of people who play cards, especially the game that bears Texas’s name. It’s just a matter of getting the word out.

“If we can figure out who is all out there and who will come to the table, we’ll be a big group,” he said.

Long also says he’s been in contact with other nonprofit groups that are working to convince lawmakers that poker should be legalized. Long believes it’s essential for the groups to put on a united front to fight for the legalization of poker.

People can join TAPP for as little as $25. There are also different levels of sponsorship, the $250 “Association Sponsorship” being the most expensive. Right now, less than a week old, TAPP has only about 50 members, but Long predicts that will soon change, considering his efforts.

Plus, players are starting to realize that the threat to poker is a real one. Washington State just made it a Class C felony to play poker online there and there are several lawmakers that are working hard to pass bills to stop online poker in its tracks. Click here and here for CardPlayer.com’s past articles on this issue.

TAPP can be found at texasassociationofpokerplayers.com. Visit them for more information.

poker superstars: Full Tilt Brings Back Live Poker On FSN Tonight

2006-06-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2006
Earl BurtonPrint

Post a comment Full Tilt Poker and the Fox Sports Network continue to provide the best live tournament poker action on the television today. In the past, the two entities have teamed up to present invitational events from Las Vegas (July 2005 at the Wynn Hotel) and Monaco (following last year's Monte Carlo Millions) and Fox Sports Network was the first and only network to ever broadcast a final table from a major tournament in 2004. Now they team up to present what might be a preview of some of the action at the World Series with the "FullTiltPoker.net Pro Showdown From Red Rock" on June 22nd (Tonight) at 6PM Eastern Time.

As with the Monaco invitational event, Full Tilt has brought together seven of the best players from their online poker room for what will be a million dollar battle. The seven player single table tournament will follow the format that was set out during the Monaco invitational event. Each player will put up $120,000 and Hollybrook Regency, Inc. (the tournament promoter) will add in another $160,000 to round out the pot. The seven players then will commence to the fight on the felt with first place paying out $600,000, the runner up spot earning 280,000 and the third place finisher basically getting their money back for their efforts.

Full Tilt has brought together a formidable field for the "FullTiltPoker.net Pro Showdown From Red Rock". Between the players at the final table, there are a grand total of 22 World Series of Poker bracelets and a wealth of other poker experience. Leading the players to the table will be former World Champion Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, who will be joined by fellow Tilters Phil Ivey (who has won two of the previous live poker broadcasts on FSN, including last year's event in Monaco), Erik Seidel, John Juanda, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, Erick Lindgren and Clonie Gowen for what should be an entertaining "sit and go" and should be an excellent display of poker just days before the World Series begins in Las Vegas.

Veteran sports announcer Barry Tompkins will call the action and will be assisted by two of the best poker minds around. Professional player Howard "The Professor" Lederer steps up for color commentary (perhaps one of these times we'll see Howard play in an FSN broadcast) and Tompkins will also have the additional insight of poker author and player Michael Konik.

Fox Sports has to be commended for their continued commitment to not just live poker on television but to the game overall. This will be the fourth time that the network has broadcast a live event and adds in nicely to the wealth of poker programming that the network has presented here in 2006 (which includes the PokerDome Challenge, the Monte Carlo Millions, the Aussie Millions and the Poker Superstars International, among others). FSN also presents one of the best learning tools that a poker player can watch with the "Learn From The Pros" series that is continually running on the network.

The "FullTiltPoker.net Pro Showdown From Red Rock" should be just the thing to whet appetites for this year's World Series. From the event as well, we should be able to get a good read on who has their game in shape for the upcoming World Series of Poker, which starts the following week. Warm up your TiVo's or make sure you're near a television on Thursday night as Fox Sports Network and Full Tilt once again bring excellent live poker to television at 6PM Eastern Time (be sure to check local Fox Sports Network channels for actual broadcast time).

Ed Note: While watching this show, play your own sit n go at Full Tilt sign up today.

poker superstars: FULLTILTPOKER.NET Pro Showdown Airs LIVE Thursday on FSN

2006-06-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

Pro Players Compete for $1 Million at Red Rock Casino Las Vegas
The best poker players in the world will compete for $1,000,000 as FSN furthers its already prominent position as the only network daring enough to televise live poker. Coverage of the FullTilt Poker.net Pro Showdown will include a televised all-star, single-table tournament on Thursday, June 22 at 6:00 pm EST/3:00 pm PST.

This is the fourth live poker tournament FSN has showcased featuring seven Team Full Tilt poker superstars from its all-star roster. Hollybrook Regency Inc., who is kicking in another $160,000 to bring the purse up to a cool million, is promoting the tournament with a $120,000 buy-in. The seven Full Tilt players have 22 World Series of Poker bracelets combined and have amassed tens of millions of dollars in poker winnings. The winner will receive $600,000, with the runner-up taking home $280,000 and third place breaking even, winning $120,000.

The players:

Phil Ivey: Also a five-time WSOP bracelet winner, Ivey is the answer other pros often give to the question, “Which player do you least like to see at your table?” Cool and calculated, Ivey almost never makes mistakes and has no tells. Ivey has won two of FSN’s previous three live poker tournaments and is the favorite at this table.

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson: The 2000 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion has five WSOP bracelets overall. Ferguson, as well known for his poker prowess as his ability to slice fruit in half by throwing cards and his hysterical beer commercials, is one of the most analytical players in poker. With a PhD from UCLA in computer science, Ferguson often has the odds calculated before the cards hit the felt.

John Juanda: Every time a poker tournament is on television, Juanda seems to be at the final table. The three-time WSOP bracelet winner has made five World Poker Tour final tables and has won 19 tournaments overall.

Erik Seidel: Only four men in history have more World Series of Poker bracelets than Seidel’s seven. His strength lies in his ability to make the necessary reads in all kinds of formats. His seven bracelets came in five different events. A master tournament player, Seidel is hoping to use a victory at Red Rock to propel himself towards his eighth WSOP title.

Mike Matusow: “The Mouth” roared in 2005, making the final table of the WSOP main event and winning the WSOP Tournament of Champions. Matusow’s mouth is the reason television invented a short delay, as nobody – not even Mike himself – knows what he’ll say at any given moment of the tournament. The two-time WSOP bracelet winner will definitely be the player to watch – and listen to – in this tournament.

Erick Lindgren: His victory in 2004’s Poker Million III tournament earned him $1,000,000 and shot him into the poker spotlight. Always a prestigious online tournament player, Lindgren has had success moving deeper into larger tournaments and should be a force in the 2006 WSOP.

Clonie Gowen: Regardless of her finish in the FullTilt Poker.net Pro Showdown from Red Rock, Gowen is going to have an amazing day on June 22, as she will be the featured cover girl on Maxim magazine. But Gowen isn’t just a pretty face -- in 2003, she bested world-renowned players Annie Duke and Jennifer Harmon to win the World Poker Tour Ladies’ Night event.

FSN’s veteran poker announcer Barry Tompkins will call the action alongside analysts Michael Konik and two-time WSOP bracelet winner Howard Lederer, who’ll serve as an analyst for a third FSN live poker telecast.

This is FullTiltPoker.net’s fourth program and the third live tournament telecast on FSN.

poker superstars: Jennifer Tilly Stays Alive With PSIT 3 Win

2006-06-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

Chris Ferguson’s Fourth-Place Finish Sets Up an Interesting Final Match
Jennifer Tilly kept her hopes to make the second round of the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament 3 (PSIT 3) alive in her fourth elimination round match, besting some of the greatest players in the world on her way to first place and the 10 points that comes with it. She would probably make it to the second round of 16 players if she placed third or better in her last match. A win would definitely put her in. She now has 17 points.

Antonio Esfandiari came into the match with 22 points and added another seven for finishing second. His 29 points puts him at the top of the leader board by two points over Barry Greenstein and Erick Lindgren, who both have 27 with one match to go.

Greg Raymer added five points to the five he brought to his fourth PSIT 3 elimination match and it looks like the only thing he’ll be playing for in his last match is the $10,000 that goes to the table’s winner.

Chris Ferguson earned three points for a fourth place finish, bringing his total to 16 with one match to go. Ferguson still has a great chance to make it into the second round. He already won one table (in his third match) and there’s no doubt he can do it again. If he does that, he’s through to the second round.

Jennifer Harman finished fifth and added one point to the 11 she brought to the match. A win will put her close to the bubble, but depending on how the other players do in their fifth round matches, 21 points may not be good enough to advance.

And Ted Forrest remains at the bottom of the leader board with three points. In all but his first match, he was the first player knocked out in his matches (He managed to squeak out a fourth-place finish in his first match).

Forrest, this year’s Heads-Up Poker Champion, will not go any farther in this competition after his last match is played.

PSIT 3 is shown on FSN every Sunday at 8 p.m. local time. Click here to visit CardPlayer.com’s complete Internet coverage of the event.

poker superstars:Get your game on: professional gaming comes to North American TV

2006-06-13T00:23:00.000-07:00

6/6/2006 1:50:05 PM, by Jeremy Reimer

A number of years ago, there was a Far Side cartoon featuring a young nerdling consumed by his Nintendo games. His adoring parents gazed on, dreaming of a whole stack of newspaper job ads with taglines like: "Can you save the Princess? We need you! $60,000 to start plus company car!"

Well, Gary Larson may have spoken too soon. Starting around the time that the original Quake was released, professional gaming leagues began forming around the world. In 1997, the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) hosted their first big Quake tournament. Each year, the number of contestants, the number of games played, and the total prize money have increased. In the CPL's most recent tour in November 2005, the grand prize winner Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel walked away with a cool US$150,000, the largest single prize in professional gaming history. There are other leagues, such as the World Cyber Games (WCG), that also host large tournaments every year.

Of course, as every professional sports league knows (especially the NHL), you're nothing if you don't have a TV contract. Well, Major League Gaming (MLG) has solved that particular problem, signing a deal with the USA Network, a channel that reaches about 90 million cable subscribers in the US.

"Video games already have a spectator factor -- when someone is playing in their living room, others tend to gravitate toward the television to watch the action and cheer or heckle the player," says Sundance DiGiovanni, the cofounder of MLG. "We are using commentators and telestrators to explain strategies and key moves, and to give the feel of any other sporting broadcast."

USA network executives say the shows are planned to air in November as a series of seven one-hour unscripted episodes. Featured games will include Halo 2 and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Will audiences be riveted? It might seem far-fetched, but when you consider that broadcasts of professional poker tournaments get good ratings these days, perhaps it isn't as bizarre as you might think.

As in many other things, South Korea is already far ahead of the rest of the world in the field of professional gaming. Not only do they have professional Starcraft leagues with corporate sponsors and multiple TV channels dedicated to covering matches, but the best players get to wear team uniforms and are worshipped by leagues of screaming teenage girls. Some of them do pretty well financially. One of the top players, Lim Yo-Hwan, better known as BoxeR, recently signed a multiyear deal worth over KRW 200 million per year, or US$200,000 (excluding endorsements and tournament prize money). Not only that, but the 26 year-old's autobiography became a best-seller in Korea. His fan club boasts more than 600,000 members.

All this for playing video games? Some may see the idea of video-game superstars as being a bit silly. However, after having viewed some of the best televised Starcraft matches, I'm firmly convinced that the intense training and nearly superhuman skill exhibited by the top video game players in the world can be just as much fun to watch as seeing grown men chasing after a ball or a puck. The executives at the USA Network are hoping that others will agree.

poker superstars: Chris Moneymaker First to Go and Is in Danger of Missing Cut

2006-06-13T00:20:00.000-07:00

Chris Moneymaker First to Go and Is in Danger of Missing Cut

by Bob Pajich

Barry Greenstein played Zen master in his fourth match of the Poker Superstars Invitation Tournament 3 that was aired on FSN Sunday night and came out on top. His win knotted him with Erick Lindgren for the top spot on the leader board and he will surely make it to the second round of 16 players.

Phil Ivey improved his chances of advancing with a second place finish, which added another seven points to the nine he brought into the match. Ivey has two second place finishes in a row and, depending on how the rest of the elimination matches shake out, may need a win to advance.

Mike Sexton added five points to the 11 he brought into the match for a third place finish, and if round one of the PSIT 3 tournament ended today, he’d advance.

Mimi Tran didn’t help her chances by finishing fourth. The three points give her 10 for the season, and she’s going to have to win her final match in order to move on.

Daniel Negreanu didn’t even have to show up for the last two matches to advance to the second round, but he did, and was knocked out in fifth place. He sits in third position on the leader board with 24 points.

And Chris Moneymaker was the first one out in Sunday’s episode, adding zero points to the 12 he brought into the match and without a strong showing in his final elimination match, he’ll be bubbled and won’t make it to the next round.

Next week’s show has Jennifer Tilly, Jennifer Harman, Greg Raymer, Chris Ferguson, Antonio Esfandiari and Ted Forrest battle in their fourth elimination match. PSIT 3 is shown on FSN every Sunday at 8 p.m. local time. Click here to visit CardPlayer.com’s complete Internet coverage of the event.

poker superstars: Star! unveils upcoming schedule

2006-06-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

Celebrity entertainment channel Star! is the latest Canadian television network to announce its line-up for the 2006-2007 television season.

Following on from CTV's unveiling of their itinerary on Monday, the showbiz and celebrity channel is broadcasting nine new and 11 returning shows.

Star! commission, Awesome 80s, features all-new interviews with icons from the era and industry experts who can shed light on the events that shaped the decade, famous for its scrunchies and spandex excess.

The Girls Next Door follows Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's three closest bunnies, Holly, Bridget and Kendra, in their unique lives at the infamous Playboy mansion.

Child Star Confidential is another US pick-up giving viewers a chance to spend time with a former child star who takes them on a tour of their early Hollywood experiences, with impromptu reunions and funny stories along the way.

Sexiest counts down the hottest celebrities in every sexy catalogue imaginable, while fans of 80's action series The A-Team can count their blessings now that Mr T now has his own show.

I Pity The Fool is a Dr Phil-meets-Tony Robbins reality show with Mr T in the unlikely role of social scientist, travelling across the US to dispense his own brand of no-nonsense advice.

Star Culture is the channel's new documentary series examining the exceptional universe of celebrity and all that surrounds the most famous Hollywood stars.

Star! is also unveiling three new specials. Poker Superstars is a condensed version of Celebrity Poker Showdown, Star '06 is a recap on the biggest stories in the 2006 entertainment calendar and Star! On The Red Carpet covers all the hottest events in the entertainment world.

The channel's returning commissions will be Star! Daily, I Love.. , Big Hollywood Countdown, Star! At The Movies, Star! Attraction and Star! Inside. True Hollywood Story, America's Next Top Model, The Soup, Celebrity Poker and Look-A-Like will join them from stateside.

Antony Reeve-Crook
9 Jun 2006
© C21 Media 2006

poker superstars: Shuffle up and deal

2006-06-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

Jeremy Evans, jevans@tahoedailytribune.com
June 9, 2006

STATELINE - Sunglasses were glued to a kaleidoscope of faces while the clinking of chips filled the air outside Hard Rock Cafe at Harveys Resort and Casino on Wednesday. That can only mean one thing: The World Series of Poker has returned to South Shore.

The final WSOP circuit event of the 2005-06 season began on Tuesday at the Harrah's owned casino and will conclude with next weekend's $10,000 buy-in, ESPN-televised main event. For the second straight year, the poker universe is focused on Lake Tahoe.

"It's very exciting and we're very pleased with the turnout we've had," said Harveys' poker room manager Vince Contaxis. "There's a lot of poker excitement going on right now."

During the first event of the 2004-05 WSOP Lake Tahoe Circuit Event, 542 players participated in the $200 buy-in, No Limit Hold'Em tournament, making it an Northern Nevada record.

On Wednesday, 343 players registered for the $300 buy-in, No Limit Hold'Em tournament, which is the lowest buy-in event of the nine scheduled.

While no first-day records were set this year, Harrah's gaming officials expect the crowds to swell significantly leading up to the first day of the main event. Poker superstars Robert Williamson and Daniel Negrenau are scheduled to participate in the big-money tournament, which could award the winner $500,000.

"There is always a ton of buzz for the circuit events because poker has gotten more popular every year," said Steve Schorr, Harveys' full-service games manager. "Since the day poker was on television, every month business has improved. It's kind of turned poker into a sport, and people are billing it as the world's richest sport."

That was certainly the case at this year's WSOP Tournament of Champions main event in Las Vegas. In the event, Aussie Joseph Hachem beat out a record field of more than 5,600 players and won $7.5 million. Every player at the final table for that event became millionaires.

This week's circuit event in Lake Tahoe is the final stop of the season before the 2006 Tournament of Champions is held at the Rio in Las Vegas. However, the 2006-07 WSOP circuit season will begin at Lake Tahoe as the first stop of the tour. It is scheduled for September at Harveys.

Schorr said there are advantages of being the final stop of the circuit before the mega-event TOC is held in Las Vegas. The winner of the $10,000 buy-in main event tournament at each of the 12 circuit events is awarded a seat at the $2 million free-roll tournament scheduled for June 25-26 in Las Vegas.

In addition to the 12 qualifiers from the circuit events, the 27-player field will also include all nine players from last year's TOC main event final table and six invited players.

That means this week is the last chance for a player to qualify for that $2 million free-roll event, and then the 2005-06 season will conclude with the TOC in July in Las Vegas. But the end of the season is thousands of poker hands away and Harrah's registration officials are gearing up for a busy week in Tahoe.

"For this poker tournament, we wanted to make sure it's a seamless experience for the poker player," said Jason Beard, Harrah's project manager for corporate information technology. "We want to make sure people are registered quickly. Last year, there were lines and it took upwards of five minutes to register a customer. Now we have the registration process down to less than a minute."

poker superstars: 3 Tips For The Beginner Poker PlayerSo you want to be a poker player?

2006-05-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

So you want to be a poker player? Poker is a very challenging game although gameplay is relatively simple. Before you start throwing money around familiarize yourself with the rules of betting, calling, raising, and folding. Also, it is important to know the rank of each hand, because you do not want to bet on a hand that YOU think is a winner ...

by Alex K

So you want to be a poker superstars? Poker is a very challenging game although gameplay is relatively simple. Before you start throwing money around familiarize yourself with the rules of betting, calling, raising, and folding. Also, it is important to know the rank of each hand, because you do not want to bet on a hand that YOU think is a winner. Below are 3 other tips on helping you get started as a poker player.

1. Start by playing with play money- This is probably the best way to get started. You do not have to worry about blowing your whole savings account trying to become a good poker player. Start out playing for fun with friends or go online and play with play money. Numerous sites offer this service and you should take advantage of it.

2. Experiment with different strategies- Find the poker style that suits you best. Perhaps you don't have what it takes to be an aggressive player, so don't try this strategy if it doesn't work for you. Don't stick to one strategy in the beginning. You'll get read like a book by better players and you will end up getting very frustrated after getting bullied around the table by these people.

3. Don't get a big head- You may get lucky and win a few big hands when you start out. Don't get cocky though. Keep a level head when you are up and also when you are down. This will help you to concentrate better and, in turn, play better poker.

Hopefully these things will help you as you are learning the game of poker. Poker takes a little bit of luck, but this will eventually run out and the skillful players will rise to the top. By following these rules, you can be the last one standing at your poker table.

About The Author:
Alex K. You can find more information about poker strategy, more poker tips here: http://onlinepokercult.com. I strongly recommend new players to visit Poker School Online (http://onlinepokercult.com/pokerschoolonline

Copyright Alex K - http://onlinepokercult.com/pokerschoolonline

poker superstars: 2005 World Series of Poker - Have You Qualified Yet ?

2006-05-31T20:52:00.000-07:00

The 2005 World Series of Poker event is scheduled to begin June 2, 2005 in Las Vegas and an estimated 7,000 players are expected to participate in the $10,000 buy-in, no-limit Texas Hold 'em main eve...

by Oddvar Pettersen

The 2005 World Series of Poker event is scheduled to begin June 2, 2005 in Las Vegas and an estimated 7,000 players are expected to participate in the $10,000 buy-in, no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event.

The event will be held at the Rio Hotel and Casino from June 3rd to July 15th, with the last two days taking place at Jack Binnions Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas.

The buy-ins for the 2005 WSOP events range from $1,000 to $10,000 and most of the final tables are taped and televised by ESPN.

The World Series of Poker started as an invitational tournament in 1970. Jack Binnion invited the best seven poker players in America to his casino in Las Vegas to decide whom Americas best poker player was. Johnny Moss won the 1970 WSOP title by actually being voted the best player by his playing companions.

The 1971 World Series of poker was played as a freezout tournament, meaning one player had to win all the chips. Thirteen players participated and Johnny Moss won it this time fair and square with some brilliant poker superstars play.

T. J. Cloutier has been the most successful World Series of Poker player over the years and has finished in the money in over 30 events. He has won five first place gold bracelets and finished second twice in the main Championship event of Texas Hold'em.

Anyone, regardless of gender or nationality can play in the 2005 WSOP as long as they are 21 years of age and can afford the $10,000 entrance fee. If that is to much for your wallet than there is another way to gain entrance. You can register to play in online World Series of Poker satellite tournaments and with some luck, win a 10,000 seat for only a few bucks!

World Series of Poker has become extremely popular in the recent years. Especially since the 2003 WSOP Championship, when Chris Moneymaker, (yes it is his real name) won 2.5 million dollars after qualifying through a 40 dollar online satellite tournament.

In 2004 there were 2,576 entries for the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em WSOP Championship and the prize money had increased to more than $49 million. Greg Raymer beat 2576 players to win the first price of 5 million dollars for a buy-in stake of $40 which also was won online.

The 2005 World Series of Poker will last for approximately 40 days and an estimated 10,000 poker players from all over the world will compete in more than 30 different poker games. The winner of each event will be awarded a gold bracelet and first place cash prizes ranging from $500,000 to $10,000,000.

About The Author

Oddvar Pettersen

True Poker Guide, www.pokerrule-online.com covers a comprehensive list of poker rules, tips and strategies for all poker games including tournament and satellite play. We also provide lots of information on the World Series of Poker, poker leagues, The World Poker Tour, celebrities of the game and where to find the easiest games to beat and how to beat them.

For more information on True Poker Guide, visit www.pokerrule-online.com

Copyright Oddvar Pettersen - http://www.pokerrule-online.com

poker superstars: 10 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Playing No Limit Texas Holdem (tournaments)

2006-05-31T20:47:00.000-07:00

by Kevin Venclauskas 131

10 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Playing No Limit Texas Holdem (tournaments)

1. Early Position Raise : One of the biggest mistakes I see players make is not respecting someone who raises in early position. Remember he has another 8 people after him at the table who he has to fade, so chances are that he is holding a big hand.

2. When you have the nutz and someone betting into you : I was watching a friend of mine play a tournament online and although he made several mistakes that I corrected him on, the biggest mistake he made was pushing someone out of the pot by re-raising him on the turn when he should have slow-played the hand. Let me give you the scenario. My friend Mike was dealt 10-hearts and K-hearts. Someone raises preflop and there are 4 callers including Mike. On the flop came K-diamonds, 10-diamonds, K-spades. Yes, he flopped the dead nutz. The first player checks, the second player who was the original preflop raiser bets $100. Next player re-raises $100, the third and fourth players fold, lastly its up to Mike. He just called the bet which was the proper play. Next card on the turn was 3-spades, no help to anyone. Original player in first position bets $200, second player calls, and what does Mike do, raises the pot $600 and the other 2 players drop out. You need to ask yourself "What am I trying to accomplish with this bet." What was Mike trying to do, make everyone fold. Number one he has the dead nutz, he already has position so it is imperative to give the other players an opportunity to catch their card. The proper play was to continue letting the player bet into you, then take him off on the river. He might have had 2 diamonds and hit his 3rd diamond on the river and you could have taken all his chips. You want those players to get so committed to the pot that they simply cant lay down their 2 pair or their flush or their set. Remember in no limit poker you can always raise the pot or even go all in on the river so its really quite simple. If your playing NL Holdem and someone is betting into you when you have the dead nutz and are in position, let him continue betting into you and do the raise on the river as to maximize any chance you have at getting most or all of his chips.

3. Protect Your Hand: Don't give players an opportunity to draw out on you, make them pay for it. If your holding top pair and there is flush or straight potential, don't let them get any free cards to draw out on you with. Bet the pot or double the pot as to thin the heard.

4. Thin The Heard: If your holding an average hand, say pocket 10s and there have been no preflop bets yet,, go ahead and make a bet, I prefer to triple the pot. You certainly don't want the guy next to you who has King Deuce to hit his King on the flop and beat you. Your bet should thin the heard down and will lesson your chances of getting out drawn.

5. Chip Lead: Listen people, if you have the chip lead tighten up a little. There is no sense in getting involved in too many pots. I see it all too often, someone has the chip lead and calls a raise with crap. Then he catches one of his cards and gets committed to the pot and ends up losing 20% of his chip stack to the pocket rockets. You want to hold on to the chip lead, don't play anything but good cards and let the other players on short stack weed themselves out and you will find yourself at the final table.

6. Common Sense: Common sense supersedes all the advice given to me over the years. Use your head for crying out loud. My friend Mike was on the big blind and there were no raises preflop, so he got to see the flop for free. There were 7 people in the hand and the flop comes A-hearts, K-diamonds, -10-diamonds, now Mike was holding crap, 6-7 off suit. Well nobody bets and it comes around to Mike and he triples the pot. It goes around the table and one guy calls, another raises, then another goes all in. Of course Mike folds but common sense tells me with a flop like that everyone got a piece of it, whether its a gut shot straight or 4 to a flush or just top or second pair. My experience has been that usually players discard their low cards and stay in with their big cards or pocket pairs. When a big flop like that comes up common sense tells me when there are 7 other people in the pot that a few if not all of them caught some part of that flop. What a horrible time to try to buy one. Chalk another mullet move up to MIKEY lol.

7. Play like a champion: Try to imagine yourself at the WSOP final table playing for 1.5 million. Then ask yourself how would Doyle Brunson play the hand. Take your time and you will probably make the right call. Remember skill will only get you so far, you also have to be lucky and not get too many bad beats to snap a big tournament off so don't get discouraged if you made the right play and lost the hand. If you played the hand like Doyle would have played the hand and you get a bad beat, well that's just part of poker so you might as well get used to it now.

8. SURVIVAL . Your goal of course is to snap the tournament off, but your first priority should be to get into the money. Just use your head and play smart.

9. Study Your Opponents: Study your opponents and make note of their tendencies. For example, if you have a player that calls just about anything, obviously it would not be wise to try to steal a pot against him as he will probably call you with his low pair. Conversely, if you have a player like that and you have a strong hand, bet more than you normally would as you will probably get a call out of him unlike if your playing against a good player that would probably fold his average hand.

10 . Realize The Amount Of Players Left In The Tournament And Where They Stand In The Money: If your in a tournament that pays the top 9 places and you have 11 people left in the tournament, this may be a good time to steal a couple of pots if your in position. They are trying to get into the money and wont risk their chips unless they have a premium hand. On the other hand, once everyone is in the money, if your going to play a hand make sure it is one where you are willing to risk a large part of your chip stack on. My experience is when it gets down to the money players, you see many people on the short stack going all in so although it may be tempting to play that 9-10 suited, it may not be a hand you want to risk a large amount of chips on.

By Kevin Venclauskas
Visit http://www.bonusgeek.com to read more about poker strategies and get free casino & poker bonuses no deposit required just for visiting.
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copyright © 2005-2006 http://bonusgeek.com All rights reserved. This article may be freely distributed and published providing no modification are made to the article or its content including the copyright and/or any links contained within.

Copyright Kevin Venclauskas - http://www.bonusgeek.com

poker superstars: Kayak Interactive Set to Deal Millions of Texas Hold'em Hands With Poker Superstars on Verizon Wireless' Get It Now Service

2006-05-30T00:58:00.000-07:00

BEDMINSTER, N.J. & SAN MATEO, Calif. -- Based on Popular Fox Sports Net Broadcasts and Poker Superstar Personalities, Poker Superstars Brings Card Playing Excitement to Verizon Wireless Customers

Kayak Interactive, a global mobile entertainment publisher, and Verizon Wireless, the nation's leading wireless service provider, announced today that Poker Superstars is now available to Verizon Wireless Get It Now(R) customers. Poker Superstars brings Fox Sports Net (FSN) celebrity poker kingpins to life and delivers the thrill of bluffing and calling opponents for all the chips.

Poker Superstars provides players with the ultimate all-star Texas Hold'em experience where card sharks can sit at virtual tables alongside pros such as Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson. Players begin by creating their own profile then pull a seat up to the table along with seven other opponents to be dealt into a game. Verizon Wireless poker fans can hone their skills by playing against 12 avatars with varying levels of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and personalities, observing and adopting strategies and tips from the pros or by throwing down with friends all playing together via up to eight connected mobile phones.

"Poker Superstars is a fantastic way to keep your poker club alive," said Keith McCurdy, president and CEO of Kayak Interactive. "Whether you want to test your mettle against the pros or your friends, Poker Superstars offers Verizon Wireless Get It Now customers the ability to engage in friendly or cut-throat competition."

Poker Superstars also delivers a variety of personalization and community features that make the experience highly realistic and engaging such as Auto Buddy Match; In-Game Chat; Hall of Fame; Rankings; Ratings; public and private rooms; and a customizable profile.

Poker fans can purchase and download Poker Superstars from the getGAMES shopping aisle of the Verizon Wireless Get It Now virtual store for $3.99 a month. Download charges for Get It Now applications vary and airtime charges apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications. Customers need a Get It Now-enabled handset and Verizon Wireless digital service to access the Get It Now virtual store. Poker Superstars is available for download on a variety of different Verizon Wireless Get It Now-enabled phones including the UTStarcom CDM 8940, Kyocera KX2, LG 8000, Motorola V710, and the Samsung n330.

Kayak Interactive will run television advertising for its Poker Superstars mobile game this fall during FSN's Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament show series.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Kayak Interactive

Kayak Interactive is a leading global mobile entertainment publisher. The company has worldwide distribution with more than 60 carriers and partners in Europe, North America, and Asia. Based in San Mateo, California, and with European offices in Stockholm, Sweden, Kayak Interactive publishes an extensive portfolio of mobile entertainment content including mass market games utilizing community features with connected game play as well as cutting-edge high performance experiences for the avid gamer. Kayak Interactive has raised significant financing from top tier Venture Capital funds including VantagePoint Venture Partners, TL Ventures, and EnerTech Capital. More information can be found at www.kayakinteractive.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 47.4 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE:VOD) (LSE:VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Get It Now

Get It Now from Verizon Wireless puts a virtual software store inside a wireless phone and lets customers download applications over the air and purchase them directly from their phones. Virtual shopping aisles, including getGAMES, getTONES, getGOING, getPIX, getFUN and getMESSAGING, are organized to help customers find what they want, when they want it.

Get It Now is a registered trademark of Verizon Wireless.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

poker superstars:Funkitron Raises the Stakes in Season 2 of Hit Poker Game, POKER SUPERSTARS II™

2006-05-30T00:54:00.000-07:00

BOXFORD, Mass. -- Are you ready for season two? The follow up to Funkitron's hit poker game, POKER SUPERSTARS, is here! You have been invited to take on 15 of the world's top professional poker players in POKER SUPERSTARS II(TM)- based on the hit poker series seen on FOX Sports Net (FSN) and NBC for its championship show televised on Super Bowl Sunday. The show was the highest rated weekly series on FSN.

POKER SUPERSTARS(TM) was one of the top download games of 2005, and in 2006, Funkitron is raising the stakes. POKER SUPERSTARS II now has 15 top notch players such as Johnny Chan, Barry Greenstein, Carlos Mortensen and Cyndy Violette. It provides even more challenge thanks to a 'first of its kind' poker AI that actually learned the game by playing millions of simulated tournaments, and now, it is ready for you. Finally, it packs in more fun, with music and graphics right from the TV show, and the ability to import your own photo right into the game, so you can become the Poker Superstar you know you are.

"This game really captures the excitement and challenge of the Poker Superstars II tournament," said Henry Orenstein. "The presentation, interface and AI are all top notch. Funkitron is a great partner and has done another amazing job with Poker Superstars II."

"We wanted to build upon the success of the first Poker Superstars and add in the features the fans were asking for," said Dave Walls, president of Funkitron, Inc. "Beginners will love the great interface and tips to get them going, while experts will appreciate the challenge provided by the new state of the art poker AI."

Meet the Competition: Top Poker Pros

In the game, players are pit against these 15 poker masters:

-- Todd Brunson
-- Mike Caro
-- Johnny Chan
-- Freddy Deeb
-- Eli Elezra
-- Antonio Esfandiari
-- Ted Forrest
-- Barry Greenstein
-- David Grey
-- Kathy Liebert
-- Carlos Mortensen
-- Scotty Nguyen
-- Huck Seed
-- David Sklansky
-- Cyndy Violette.

About POKER SUPERSTARS II Game

POKER SUPERSTARS II features game tips, advanced poker AI computer opponents, game speed-up options for quick play designed for practice, three game modes (Round - one TV show, Season - a tournament, or Cash Game - limit game). The unique player card system tracks a player's best winnings, winning hands, flops seen and pots won. POKER SUPERSTARS II is now available for a suggested retail price of $19.95 at www.funkitron.com, as well as major game sites and will be available soon at retail stores.

About Funkitron, Inc.

Funkitron, Inc. is a game publishing company founded by game industry veteran Dave Walls in 2001. Funkitron is known for creating high-quality, fun games that appeal to a broad audience and can be distributed digitally via online networks. The company has had much success with hits such as "SCRABBLE(R) Deluxe", "Slingo(R) Deluxe", "Boggle(R) Supreme" and "Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament(TM)". For more information about Funkitron, please visit www.funkitron.com

(C) 2006 Funkitron, Inc. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

poker superstars: A Couch Potato's Guide to Poker on TV!

2006-05-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

I love Poker. I love to play it. I love to read about it. I love to watch other people play it, especially on TV. It's an inexpensive way to learn from the pros. You can see what they do in real-world situations, not just what they say they would do in their books. Watching Poker helps improve your game. You can learn pot odds, combinations, order of hands and many other basics as well as advanced, psychological strategy such as tells.

I watch a lot of Poker on TV. Yes, I do. Apparently, the networks are taking notice of the TV-viewing public. A lot of us are crazy for Poker. In this article, I'm going to discuss several, TV series that are still running now, that I highly recommend and regularly watch.

1) Celebrity Poker Showdown. This is on Bravo, usually on Thursday nights. Poker Pro Phil Gordon and comedian Dave Foley (Kids in The Hall, News Radio) are the moderators for this light, fluffy show featuring celebrities such as Alex Trebek, Ben Affleck, Rosie O'Donnell and Camryn Manheim. Some of the celebs are really very good. Of course, there is also that wonderfully evil moment when you can watch someone on the D-List or above sink on the river.

Phil gives expert commentary. There's a short film each week in which the basics of No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em and the betting rules are explained. It's entertaining TV even for newbies, pros and the star-struck alike.

2) The World Series of Poker. ESPN is currently showing episodes of the 2005 WSOP. The other night, I saw Johnny Chan win his record 10th WSOP bracelet in the Pot Limit Hold 'Em event. It was awesome. He beat out Phil 'Unabomber' Laak to take the lead against Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth, who were both present during the match, for the all-time record bracelet wins. Hey, don't feel too bad for Mr. Laak. His girlfriend, the beautiful Hollywood actress, Jennifer Tilly, won the Ladies' Event at the WSOP this year.

A week or two prior to that, I got to see Josh Arieh, a very good player who doesn't get too much airtime (yet), play - and win - the Omaha tourney. It was great to see Omaha Hold 'Em played on TV for a change. I loved it.

Even if you're not a poker junkie like I am, you can appreciate the epic nature of the World Series of Poker with its international field featuring the best of the best - and a few Cinderella stories thrown in for good measure.

3) World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. Travel the world from your chair and watch pros play in the World Poker Tour. They play in exotic locales such as Aruba and Paris. Host Mike Sexton is so knowledgeable about the game that he makes up for his co-host Vince Van Patten's shtick. The man tries to give nicknames to any hand combination possible. Some of his groaners include:

QQ - Siegfried & Roy or Paris & Nikki (Hilton) 55 - Sammy Hagar (after the song, 'I Can't Drive 55')

Rounding out the commentator group is the lovely Shana Hiatt. She interviews the pros and showcases different aspects of the poker-playing lifestyle on each episode. The WPT hosts names like Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer and more. It's a veritable who's who of Poker and it comes fresh and new into your home each week.

These aren't the only Poker shows on TV. ESPN has a drama called TILT starring Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) and Eddie Cibrian (Third Watch) which is a fictionalized version of a poker pro's dirty and dangerous life.

E! Entertainment Network, beginning on St. Patty's Day 2005, aired several episodes of E!'s Hollywood Hold 'Em Game. Laura Prepon, of That 70s Show, produced the show and starred in one of the episodes with her live-in love Chris Masterson (Malcolm in the Middle) and some friends, including Chris' brother and That 70's show star, Danny Masterson (Hyde). Other episodes had Mila Kunis (Family Guy, That 70s Show), Macauley Culkin - yes, that Macauley Culkin. He's Mila's beau - and Shannon Elizabeth. I haven't seen it on recently; but, I desperately hope that it comes back. It was pretty good poker and Phil Laak was the dealer/mentor/host.

The Game Show Network has Poker Royale. This is a 6-person tournament that runs for several weeks. There are several elimination rounds, then a finale. The first had all pros. It was men vs. women. The men won each individual match; but, the ladies, led by Kathy Liebert, Jennifer Harmon and Cyndy Violette took the final - and decisive match. The second installment had Celebrities vs. Poker Pros. I found it to be a watered-down version of Celebrity Poker Showdown. I missed Phil Gordon and Dave Foley, gotta admit. The third installment, which is currently airing, is the Comedians vs. Poker Pros. I didn't find this one too fun or funny; but, I've had other things to do lately.

Actually, I dropped watching that because the Fall Season picked up; and, well, I'd rather watch the Poker Superstars Invitational on FSN! This is awesome. It's a turbo tourney - the blinds go up really quick and the play is fast - featuring Johnny Chan, Carlos Mortensen and other luminaries. It's action-packed, high-stakes poker that goes by in the blink of eye.

If you can't find a good online or home game, why not sit down and watch one on TV? Chances are - there's one on the television right now. Go. Watch!

This article is provided by Real Casinos - to read more articles please visit our gambling articles section.

poker superstars: The Rise of Poker: Railbirds and Raisers

2006-05-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

If you are not playing poker, you may soon be in the minority. The game has come a long way from the dangerous days of the road gamblers and prohibited backroom games. It is true that those two things still exist in some places, but the game itself has been propelled into limelight and into legitimate status, due in large part to shows such as the World Poker Tour (Travel Channel) and the World Series of Poker (ESPN).

According to America's Poker Face, an article by Betsy Streisand (USNews.com, 2004), the number of poker players in America has increased to about 80 million, a 30 million increase over the estimated 50 million players just a few years ago. Most of these players still play brick-and-mortar poker (in home games and casinos), but the number of players now taking advantage of the convenience of online poker games is rapidly growing. It is estimated that there are over one million players playing online at well over 1,500 sites. The lobby area of two major sites, PartyPoker.com and PokerStars.com, regularly show over 60,000 and 40,000 players online, respectively. These types of numbers are only expected to explode over the next few years.

In poker terms, both the railbirds (those watching) and the raisers (those playing) are increasing in size. As a poker insider, I am often asked if I see the rise of poker as a simple fad that will wane in a few short years. I really believe that poker has yet to reach the point that will be considered a baseline in future years. I would estimate that the growth may slow down in about three to five years, and the number of players may be holding steady at around 100 million at that time.

This rise in popularity is illustrated by an example of a local tournament in which I regularly participate. I started playing in a neighborhood tournament toward the beginning of 2004, which was hosted in two adjoining living rooms in a duplex. The game had a $20 buy-in with no rake (the rake is the amount reserved as payment for those who host or manage the gameand it is what makes poker illegal in most places). At that time, twenty-four people came to play in the game and take their chances at finishing in the top five places to win a couple hundred dollars. The game is held about once each month and new faces arrived each and every month. One year later, in January of 2005, this group of friends had to use the multi-purpose room of a local business to host 114 players that arrived to play in the same level of game ($20 buy-in, no rake). Over four times the number of players in just one year of growth.

Holdem was mainly covered only on ESPN until just a few years ago, and during those early years the game received only infrequent airtime for one hour episodes of the World Series of Poker main event. Early into 2005, it already appears that at least five different networks will host holdem shows sometime this year. Examples include: the Travel Channel (World Poker Tour), ESPN (World Series of Poker), FOX Sports (the Poker Superstars Invitational), NBC (National Heads-up Championship), E! (E! Hollywood Home Game), and Bravo (Celebrity Poker Showdown). The vast majority of these shows consist of many weekly episodes; several, in fact, have more than ten new episodes planned for 2005. As the above examples illustrate, most of the major media conglomerates have adopted some form of show about the most popular game, Texas Holdem. And believe me, they are looking for more opportunities.

It appears that the sport has established itself as a contender for regular airtime on national networks going forward. Its rise into the public eye rivals the television rise of other professional sports. An appropriate comparison, in my opinion, would be the climb in popularity and the resultant paychecks on the PGA Tour over the last decade, particularly the heavy increases in popularity following the appearance of a young superstar by the name of Tiger Woods. The baseline of the PGA audience and prize pools has been re-established during this time. Holdem should see similar results.

So, while the incredible growth rate cannot be expected to continue indefinitely, it appears that the new plateau has not been reached. Just look at the sports most popular event for an illustration. The main event ($10,000 entry) at the 2003 WSOP had 839 entrants when Chris Moneymaker took home $2.5 million for first place. Just one year later, the main event of the 2004 WSOP boasted well over 2,500 players (Greg Raymer won first place and $5 million). Most of the people who follow poker on a regular basis expect that there will be at least 6,000 entrants in the main event of the 2005 WSOP.

All signs seem to point to a continued increase in the game until it becomes big enough to be considered a part of our daily lexicon. While there may be a component of the population that has adopted or viewed this as a fad, it does not appear to be the perspective of the millions of railbirds and raisers that enjoy the skill and competition of the game itself.

Trent Gresh began playing poker seriously in 2001 and became a full-time player in 2004. Mr. Gresh focuses mainly on Texas and Omaha Holdem. You can find out more about Mr. Gresh through his poker blog at Case Ace Poker.

poker superstars: World Poker Tour Stacks The Deck For Dad On Father's Day

2006-05-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

12 May 2006

LOS ANGELES, CA -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- For dad this Father's Day, you can't go wrong if you pick poker. However, cards and chips are just the starting point. The WORLD POKER TOUR has gone "all in" with an array of branded merchandise that will bring a smile to dad's face.

Here's a brief look at what's coming for Father's Day (June 18th) and where you can get it:

For Mobile Phones, PDAs and Wireless Devices

From MFORMA -- World Poker Tour® 7-Card Stud Wireless Game. (SRP is approximately $4-$6/month but varies with carrier.) -- MFORMA, has added World Poker Tour: 7 Card Stud to its first title, World Poker Tour: Texas Hold 'Em, launched last summer, one of MFORMA's most popular titles of all time. MFORMA's new WPT 7 Card Stud incorporates the best features of Texas Hold 'Em, plus exciting new enhancements that advance the entire category of mobile casino games. Just like WPT Texas Hold 'Em, WPT 7 Card Stud features six-person real time multiplayer, online leaderboards, global rankings and customizable profiles. New for WPT 7 Card Stud, MFORMA has enhanced the artificial intelligence, which now presents distinct player personalities for an added layer of intrigue. This enables players to become familiar with tournament regulars and their playing styles as they progress through game modes on their way to winning a WPT title. World Poker 7 Card Stud also has advanced multiplayer capability, including the six-person, real-time multiplayer action that made Texas Hold 'Em such a hit. Players can login and play online with players from all over the world. A leaderboard keeps track of all player chip totals and rankings and players can see the overall leaders as well as the other players immediately surrounding their position. During online play, players will be matched up with players of similar ranking. As your poker playing skills improve, your ranking rises, and you will be matched up with more challenging opponents. Players can play in weekly tournaments with fixed buy-in and pre-determined winnings. Tournaments are single table only with the top finishers splitting the purse. Available from most major US mobile phone service carriers.

Home

· Dad will be cookin' with Two Dog Designs' Designer WPT BarbeQue GrillCovers™. (SRP: $29.95 to $59.95, depending on size.) Bet on the durability of this handsomely designed, high quality grill cover, made of heavyweight polyester. Waterproof and weather resistant covers have PVC lining and velcro enclosures to give a grill added protection. Available in three sizes: 26" fits most dome and portable grills; 45"-54" fits most mid-sized cart-style grills; 55"-72" fits most large cart-style grills. The WORLD POKER TOUR logo is infused into the fabric for vibrancy and wearability. Available at www.twodogsdesigns.com

· Two Dogs' Matching WPT BBQ Utensils & Carrier is a unique and useful barbecue accessory you can wager will be put to good use. (SRP: $19.95) Zippered carrier with WORLD POKER TOUR logo is durable, heavyweight polyester, with a flap that folds into the case to protect the tools inside: tongs, fork, and spatula. Available at www.twodogsdesigns.com.

· And to make sure there's plenty of soda and beer going down during the barbecue, you'll want the Talking Bottle Opener from Pacific Direct. (SRP:$9.75 ) This fun item, which features four soundbites from the WPT show including the signature opening, is a great conversation starter at the party. Available at www.collectiblegadgets.com and Ace Hardware Stores.

· Now if you really want to upscale the party, consider WPT Bar Mirrors from Head West. (SRP: Ranges from $39.99 to $59.99). These creative and fun decorative bar mirrors that "reflect" the spirit of the WPT are perfect for bar or game rooms. Available on www.worldpokertour.com.

Auto

· Get up to speed with the WPT Seat Cover, Steering Wheel Cover, CD Visor Organizer, Car Seat Cushion, Sun Shade and Sun Cutter from Shell Auto Accessories. (Priced from $1.99 to $19.99) These fun products make dad feel like a real Ace when he's motoring about town. Available at auto supply stores, drugs stores, supermarkets, discount stores and mass merchandisers.

Dad's Home Game

· When having your own poker table isn't an option, there's the World Poker Tour® Portable Poker Mats from Game-Matic, Inc.—a perfect solution. (SRP $69.95.) These high-quality, super wear-resistant mats bear the WPT logo and either the phrase "No Limit Texas Hold'Em" or "Shuffle Up and Deal." They can instantly turn any level surface into a functional poker table. The WPT Mats are made of absorbent material, are spill proof, machine washable, lightweight and ultra-thin for easy packing, and feature non-slip protective rubber backing. They pack up into a compact carrying case with strap, and include a bonus CD-Rom containing the WPT rules and regulations. Sizes include 18" x 36", 24" x 40" and 24" x 45".

· From The United States Playing Card Company -- World Poker Tour® Premium Poker Set. (SRP/Under $89.99) -- Your home game can serve up some style with this WPT Premium Poker Set. The set comes complete with six wood and cork beverage coasters emblazoned with the WPT logo! Packed conveniently in a handsome wooden chest for poker at home or on the go, the World Poker Tour Premium Poker Set features two removable trays containing 300 heavyweight clay-filled 11.5 gram WPT chips – the true poker player's chip--two decks of Premium WPT Bee cards and a nickel finish metal dealer button. Only available at Sam's Club and www.worldpokertour.com.

Games

· If Dad's got a passion for both pinball and poker, than he'll be tickled pink with Stern Pinball's WPT Pinball Machine, perfect for hours of boisterous play with the whole family. (SRP $4,499). The full sized pinball machine, which pictures the show hosts on its video screen, lets players shoot cards on 16 drop targets to make card hand combinations. Competitors vie to reach the simulated WPT World Championships™ by virtually traveling city to city playing Texas Hold 'Em on the WORLD POKER TOUR. Available from www.sternpinball.com.

· WORLD POKER TOUR® Video Game (SRP.19.99 for PSP) --2K Sports, is expanding its line of WORLD POKER TOUR games for video play with its new version for the PSP™ PlayStation®Portable) systems. WORLD POKER TOUR for PSP features real-life professional poker stars and venues showcased in the WPT TV series with enhanced artificial intelligence players, customizable characters and online capabilities compatible with PlayStation®2 consoles. Online connectivity is a major part of playing WORLD POKER TOUR for PSP. Gamers will have the ability to connect wirelessly with other PSP systems or online to compete against players across the country on both the PSP and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. New enhancements to WORLD POKER TOUR for PSP include a completely new and innovative artificial intelligence system that allows gamers to challenge more than 1,200 different characters, all with their own unique playing styles and behaviors. Gamers who are able to bump up their career earnings can unlock custom clothes, accessories, and invitational events found only in the PSP version. Players can also create more than 4,000 custom variations of poker, and choose to play against computer opponents or take their custom poker game online to battle for poker supremacy. Available at video game retailers.

WPT Books & Instruction

From HarperCollins—World Poker Tour: In the Money by Antonio Esfandiari. (SRP: $15.95.) You don't have to be a WPT tournament player to come out ahead in poker. Cash games are the most commonly played style of Hold'em in casinos, home games and online. This follow-up to WPT: Shuffle Up and Deal and WPT: Making the Final Table from poker professional Antonio Esfandiari, with contributions from other stars of the WORLD POKER TOUR provides the next level of poker strategies and insights educating today's poker players on the secrets of non-tournament play. This is a "must have" for all poker enthusiasts. Available at booksellers nationwide, Amazon.com and www.worldpokertour.com.

If your dad secretly harbors a desire to make a WORLD POKER TOUR Final Table, or just to clean out his buddies at the weekly poker game, the two-day WPT BOOT CAMPä is perfect. (Cost: $1,695) It's a chance to learn directly from poker champions and the WPT hosts. A fantasy camp for poker enthusiasts, WPT BOOT CAMP is designed to give amateurs an intensive emersion in poker strategy over a weekend. Camp attendees are tutored on all aspects of competitive tournament Texas Hold 'Em Poker. Coursework is carefully constructed to compress poker's learning curve. Sessions feature an integrated curriculum that includes live lectures, archived WPT video footage, game play, and personal secrets from poker superstars. Students receive hands-on training filled with tips and tools to help them better understand the "tells," "reads," and strategies integral to improving their game. For starters, students learn to identify their unique skills and the skills of opponents. They then explore the mathematics of poker, followed by instruction specific to Texas Hold'Em. Lastly, students get tutelage on how to approach tournament play. The core of instructors is made up of select WORLD POKER TOUR® tournament champions and WPT television commentator Mike Sexton. Each WPT BOOT CAMP limits enrollment to only 60 students so the learning experience is maximized. Seats can be reserved at www.wptbootcamp.com or by calling 866-WPT-BOOT.

Dad's Personal Attire

If he's worth his weight in gold, then by all means consider either of two powerful and stunning 14K gold men's ID bracelets from Roberto Martinez Jewelry. The newest pieces of The WORLD POKER TOUR Collection feature a gold bar with either diamonds spelling out WPT or arranged in the shape of a spade. The bars are attached to handsome heavyweight interlinked chain. (Price for WPT bracelet: $2,250. Price for Spade bracelet: $1.225.)

poker superstars: Poker Community Opens Its Heart

2006-05-24T01:42:00.001-07:00

From Phil Gordon to Phil Hellmuth Jr., some of today’s poker superstars are doing what they can to give something back to the world. Evidence of this genuine sincerity comes from the poker community’s involvement with a vibrant two-and-a-half year old Canadian girl, Peyton Novoa.

This adorable youngster experienced a terrible loss early in life: Her mother, Natasha, was diagnosed in December, 2005, with small cell ovarian cancer, a rare form of cancer. Unfortunately, despite three months of brave struggle through radiation and chemotherapy, Natasha passed away on a March night.

As if losing Natasha wasn’t enough, Peyton’s family used almost all of their economic resources to cover Natasha’s treatment and to be by her side. Peyton’s future looked as though it would be very difficult, especially because of the loss of her mother and all of the intangible love and life-lessons that can come only from a mother. But thanks to several generous groups of people, including a host of colorful characters from the poker world, Peyton’s future is looking bright.

Poker bloggers were the first people from the poker community to lend a hand to Peyton’s cause. Bob Nardi, whose online moniker is Bobby Bracelet, was the first to bring Peyton’s troubles to light on his blog. Nardi originally met Natasha and Peyton through a friend. Peyton quickly took to Nardi and showed him the love and personality that have made everyone who has met her fall in love with her.

Upon hearing of Natasha’s death, Nardi decided to use his poker blog to try to raise money for Peyton. Because of the closeness of the poker blogging community, word spread quickly about Peyton’s loss.

Then a second group of poker supporters got involved. Jason Kirk, one of poker’s leading tournament reporters, began championing Peyton’s cause and brainstorming ways to get top professionals involved.

On a cool April night at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, Kirk and several other poker bloggers gathered for a Playboy charity poker event. While hanging out at the legendary Hugh Hefner residence, Kirk introduced Nardi to Gavin Smith, leader of a third group of poker aficionados who have since gotten involved in Peyton’s cause.

It wasn’t long before Smith — soon-to-be the 2006 World Poker Tour Player of the Year — became the first professional poker player to get on board to raise money for this worthy cause

“I felt horrible for this little girl. Every single day we come to play, we hear some guy bitch about losing with kings against aces or how their nut-flush got run down by a full house. How someone got beat down by a runner. This little girl took so much worse of a beat than any of us have taken in poker. We are blessed individuals who have so much given to them. It’s time to give a little back to someone who needs it,” Smith said recently.

Smith isn’t the only professional getting involved. Phil Ivey, John D’Agostino, and Mark Seif have donated signed jerseys for the silent auction. Phil Laak is donating a signed hoodie, while Daniel Negreanu and Scott Fischman are donating player packages filled with t-shirts, hoodies, and hats.

Industry leaders Card Player and Bellagio are making donations to the silent auction as well. Card Player is donating a prize package filled with a super-subscription to Card Player Magazine (200 issues), Card Player clothing, and several poker books and DVDs. The Bellagio is donating a package that includes two nights accommodation, limo rides to and from the airport, and two tickets to the show “O.”

Among other silent auction items are signed photos, including a photo signed by the last three World Poker Tour Players of the Year, and Card Player covers signed by David Williamson, Carlos Mortenson, Antonio Esfandiari, and Daniel Negreanu. Smith and poker superstar Phil Hellmuth have also graciously donated $2,000 each to Peyton’s cause.

But the biggest prize of the silent auction comes from Smith. He is graciously donating a $5,000 prize pool to a 10-person tournament tentatively scheduled for September 23, 2006, in Philadelphia. Smith will act as host for the tournament. There will be eight spots available to be bid on beginning with the initial auction on August 1, 2005.

For more information on the silent auction go to: http://www.forpeyton.com

poker superstars: Crave's Official E3 Lineup

2006-05-24T01:42:00.000-07:00

Following the traditional slew of E3 lineup announcements, Crave Entertainment has also published a list of titles the company is showcasing at this year's E3. You can view the summarized version below or skip down to the titles with descriptions (as provided by Crave).

World Championship Poker: Featuring Howard Lederer "All In" (PS2, PSP, 360)
VeggieTales LarryBoy and the Bad Apple (PS2, GBA)
Gun Club (PS2)
Dave Mirra BMX Challenge (PSP)
Hard Rock Casino (PS2, PSP)
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (GBA)
Camp Lazlo (GBA)

With Crave's provided descriptions:

World Championship Poker: Featuring Howard Lederer "All In": The third installment of the best-selling poker video game franchise in North America, features some of the most recognizable and successful poker stars in the world, including Howard Lederer, his sister Annie Duke, Greg Raymer, Amir Vahedi, Paul Darden, and Robert Williamson III. Joining the roster for this year's edition are noted international poker superstars Marcel Luske, Thomas Bihl, and Erin Ness. World Championship Poker All-In will support the EyeToy USB Camera, which allows online opponents to see each other as they play, in addition to supporting text chat. The Xbox 360 version of the game supports the Xbox Live online game service including Scoreboards, Voice/Chat and Live Aware.

VeggieTales LarryBoy and the Bad Apple: When the citizens of Bumblyburg need help, there is one superhero who they can always count on: LarryBoy! For the first time ever, the amazing smash hit VeggieTales is coming to game consoles in the heroic adventure LarryBoy and the Bad Apple. The adventure platformer game allows gamers to help LarryBoy in his quest to right wrongs and save the good citizens from the Bad Apple and her webs of temptation. Scheduled for an August 1st simultaneous release with the full length feature DVD, now fans can "Be that Hero!" The VeggieTales brand has sold over 47 million video units & over 6 million audio units in 12 years and is the #1 values-based product line in the U.S. The launch of the new LarryBoy title is the game kids have been clamoring for!

Gun Club: This non-violent target shooter allows gamers to enter the shooting range, steady their nerves, and take aim at the bull's-eye. The game puts over one hundred faithfully recreated firearms in the hands of the player who can try his or her skill in a wide range of immersive 3D practice environments, from indoor ranges with paper targets, to hillsides with watermelons or flying sporting clays. A certification mode challenges would-be sharpshooters' skills, and detailed descriptions and information for every firearm make it a must-have for gun collectors and enthusiasts.

Dave Mirra BMX Challenge: The next installment in the popular BMX franchise gives you BMX Legend Dave Mirra (one of the most recognized action sports athletes in the world) as the featured rider and the option to customize player characters. There are 17 levels with 9 different environments throughout the game. With 9 bikes to choose from and up to 4 player ad hoc wireless play, it's time to ride.

Hard Rock Casino: Gamers can try their luck at more than 20 different casino games, including table games, machine games, poker rooms and sports bets, while experiencing high-stakes areas, invitation-only tournaments and many unlockable upgrades for your highly customizable character. Beginning with a modest bankroll, players must amass winnings and establish their reputation as the highest roller at the Hard Rock Casino. Along the way, they will encounter unique tournaments, characters, side tasks and unlockables, keeping the game play fresh and challenges exciting.

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, from Craig McCracken, creator of The Powerpuff Girls, features the somewhat shy Mac and his imaginary friend, Blooregard Q. Kazoo. The game is inspired by memorable episodes from the Cartoon Network hit series and allows fans to control Mac and Bloo as they solve quirky challenges and complete mission objectives. The action takes place in and around Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends and features many of the signature characters from the show including Wilt, Eduardo, Coco and more.

Camp Lazlo: Camp Lazlo is an eccentric animated series from Cartoon Network that chronicles the odd but happy camping life of a Bean Scout named Lazlo and his bunkmates at Camp Kidney. Players can take alternating control of Lazlo, an optimistic, high-energy Brazilian monkey, Raj, a wise and compulsive Indian elephant, and Clam, an eccentric and highly intelligent pygmy Rhino, to compete in a variety of camp challenges, earning the right to represent their camp in a final tournament against - the Squirrel Scouts.

"The past year has been tremendously successful for Crave," said Rob Dyer, COO of Crave Entertainment. "World Championship Poker continues to lead the pack as the first choice of serious poker players, and with brands like VeggieTales we are expanding our presence in the family gaming space. Crave has solidified its position as the leading publisher of casual games on the gaming consoles."

Crave's booth is located in the South Hall, #846.

-Shiva Stella
[POSTED: 05/3/06]

poker superstars: Toronto ATM owner wins nearly $2 million at World Poker Tournament in Las Vegas

2006-05-24T01:38:00.000-07:00

Davidson Matthew qualified through a $25 online tournament at
www.paradisepoker.com

NEW YORK, May 2 /CNW/ - Toronto's Davidson Matthew is $1,903,950 richer,
after coming in second at the World Poker Tournament at the Bellagio in Las
Vegas. This tournament is regarded as the most prestigious in the world next
to the World Series of Poker Main event.
Matthew, who is known as "ATMKing" because he is president of a Toronto-
based ATM company, qualified for the tournament through a $25 satellite
tournament win on ParadisePoker.com allowing him to head to Las Vegas to take
on some of his poker idols. The unknown Matthew beat all but one of the
renowned poker superstars!
Matthew began playing poker in February of 2004 and shifted his focus to
online poker at ParadisePoker.com in September of that year so he could play
at his own convenience. His play on ParadisePoker.com earned him a trip to
play with the "Who's Who" of the poker world including poker legends like
Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, and young superstar Phil Ivey.
"I was honoured to play with these players. Everywhere I looked there
were faces I had seen on TV," said Matthew. "I approached the tournament in a
businesslike manner, my initial goal was to win $46,000, but as I advanced
round after round I readjusted my expectations, and by the end I was going for
it all!"
Down to the final two, Matthews faced local Las Vegas threat, Joseph
Bartholdi. With just his wife there to cheer him on and his opponent boasting
an entourage, Matthew (the button) led off and Bartholdi (big blind) checked
behind him. The flop came up ace of hearts, nine of clubs and eight of hearts.
Bartholdi checked, Matthew bet $800,000, Bartholdi raised to $2 million. At
that point Matthew grabbed all of his chips and moved all-in. Bartholdi
called.
Matthew showed the ten and four of hearts for a flush draw. Bartholdi
showed a nine of diamonds and a five of hearts for a pair of nines. The turn
revealed a two of diamonds and the river the ace of diamonds giving Bartholdi
the win with two pairs.
With his winnings, Matthew plans to pay off some debts and embark on a
professional poker career.

About ParadisePoker.com (www.paradisepoker.com):
ParadisePoker.com is one of the original online poker rooms, offering the
safest and most secure entertaining environment for customers. Established in
1999, ParadisePoker.com joined forces with Sportingbet PLC in 2004, (LSE:
SBT). Sportingbet is headquartered in London, England and is the world's
largest publicly traded online betting, gambling, and gaming company.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
members of the media/

For further information: John Thibodeau, ParadisePoker.com,
1-866-505-2900, John@MediaProfile.com

poker superstars: Saga Of The Professional Poker Tour Continues

2006-05-22T00:24:00.000-07:00

At long last, the Professional Poker Tour will be broadcast by the Travel Channel. Even with that obstacle overcome, the saga of the PPT continues to be one that seems to have no end.

On July 5th at 9PM, after the completion of the WPT Championship and the fourth season of the World Poker Tour the previous week, the PPT takes center stage for the next twenty four weeks. The PPT is the highly exclusive and professional packed program that many poker viewers have been looking for on television. Because the five tournaments have the best in the world from the U. S. and international community of poker players, the poker played should be at an extremely high level and the players should be household names to viewers who may be growing tired of watching final tables of newcomers that are a reality in today's tournament poker world.

In an interesting step for tournament poker broadcasts, the PPT will feature coverage of the entirety of tournaments, rather than just the final tables. This should allow viewers to see the skill that the game of poker requires. As many as fifteen tables are covered from start to finish in the five tournaments that make up the PPT, which were played out at some of the finest casinos in the United States. Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, Bay 101 Casino in San Jose, CA, and the Mirage and the Bellagio in Las Vegas are the stops that the PPT makes. Each tournament is a freeroll for the participating players, with the $500,000 pot of gold at the end of the rainbow only being divvyed up by the final table players.

The usage of what essentially is a "shot clock" on the players at the final table should also make for some interesting TV. The players have a ninety second time period to make their move at the tables or risk having their hand declared dead. The players can work around this by using a "time bank" that many online players are used to using for those extremely tough decisions, but it can only be used once during play at the final table. These innovations should make for active and strong play to be dissected by the announcing crew for the PPT.

The hosts include two-time World Series bracelet winner and WPT finalist Mark Seif, an accomplished and highly respected professional player who left the legal profession to play poker for a living, and actor Matt Corboy, a veteran of such shows as "JAG", "Malcolm in the Middle", "The West Wing" and "Spin City". They will be joined by field reporter Kaye Han, another in the line of women co-hosts who have been a part of both the WPT and now the PPT. She has played poker for much of her life before embracing work in front of the camera.

"With the Professional Poker Tour, we've created a feast for poker fans," said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises. "Just about anytime they turn on the show, they'll see one of their favorite poker heroes or poker villains; in essence, the fans will see the "Best of the Best". They'll see career-long rivalries played out against the background of multiple-table action. The 90-second Final Table clock ratchets up the tension, making every decision a possible make-or-break situation. Heated rivalries, larger than life personalities and millions of dollars on the line make the PPT a sure bet."

Even with all of this stated, however, the saga of the Professional Poker Tour hasn't come to an end. While the Travel Channel has picked up the debut season of the PPT for broadcast, it was recently divulged during the press conference announcing the first quarter financial results for World Poker Tour Enterprises (the parent company of both the WPT and the PPT) that a second season of the Professional Poker Tour would not be broadcast by the Travel Channel as they declined their option to the series. This seems to bring to an end much of the jockeying that took place behind the scenes of the PPT.

When the PPT was first offered to the Travel Channel for broadcast, the network declined their option. This led to WPTE marketing the series to other networks, with some high profile players being involved in the mix. During the summer of 2005, WPTE believed that they had finally found a home for the PPT in the sports entertainment giant ESPN with, what was stated by WPTE CEO Steve Lipscomb during the First Quarter fiscal reports press conference earlier this month, what was to have been a three year deal. When they learned of the forthcoming action, the Travel Channel fired off a "cease and desist" letter to both ESPN and WPTE, stating that they still had the rights to the series and resulting in ESPN withdrawing its offer to broadcast the PPT.

This led to a lawsuit being filed by WPTE against the Travel Channel for infringement of trade and violation of their contracts. WPTE apparently had the upper hand in this case and this was apparently also evident to the legal minds at the Travel Channel. The two amicably settled their disagreements earlier this year, with the broadcast of the inaugural season of the PPT on the Travel Channel as one of the linchpins of the settlement. While they accepted the PPT's first year for broadcast, the Travel Channel didn't commit to any broadcasts beyond that and, as of now, the PPT will start a second season during this year without a firm commitment for a broadcast home at this time.

This series could have a real chance. With certifiable stars featured during the broadcasts of the PPT events, which include former World Champions Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, Tom McEvoy and Juan Carlos Mortensen and also featuring popular professional players such as Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren, David "The DevilFish" Ulliott, Sam Farha and Erik Seidel, the PPT could be the event that poker fans want to see on television. While multi-million dollar tournaments are extremely popular, fans can often have a difficult time finding a "favorite" to root for among a table with unknown players.

To draw a parallel, the PGA learned a long time ago that people love to watch tournaments that golf legend Tiger Woods plays in. Their ratings are markedly higher when Tiger is in contention for a victory, high when he is just participating down the leader board and drop off significantly when there is no Tiger on the prowl. The same is true in the tournament poker scene today. Unless the recognizable pros make it to the final table, viewers can have a very tough time finding a person to pull for. With the PPT featuring a table chocked full of such players, the PPT could be highly successful.

At any rate, the Professional Poker Tour should quickly find a home. As network television has come to see that "star" powered poker fare is popular to viewers (witness the success of the National Heads Up Poker Championship on NBC and other professional-driven ventures like "Poker Superstars International" or the invitational tournaments done by Fox Sports Network), the PPT should be picked up by another outlet, be it ESPN or potentially one of the other television venues. For now, however, we can see the story continue to unfold as the Professional Poker Tour debuts on the Travel Channel on July 5th.

Source: By Earl Burton, from pokernews.com

poker superstars: Erick Lindgren Brings 10 Points Home at PSIT 3

2006-05-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

Erick Lindgren proved why he is considered one of the best players in the world and won his first Poker Superstars Invitational 3 elimination match Sunday, earning 10 points and bringing his total up to 22, which ties him for the lead with Card Player Magazine CEO Jeff Shulman after three matches.

Carlos Mortensen, who came into the match with a paltry six points, increased his chances of advancing into the second round by finishing second, earning seven points.

Joseph Hachem finished third this match, adding five points to the seven he brought into this match. With only two elimination matches to go, the former World Series of Poker champions will need to grab some points in order to advance to the second round of 16.

Freddy Deeb followed a first-place finish with a fourth place affair, earning three points to the 13 he earned in the first two matches. Barring a complete meltdown, he should easily move into the second round.

Mimi Tran only added one point to the six she brought with he into this match, and she’ll have to dominate the last two matches in order to slip into the next round.

And Jennifer Tilly was the first player out Sunday, earning zero points. She grabbed a second-place finish her first time around, but has back-to-back sixth place finishes the last two times out and is stuck at seven points.

PSIT 3 is aired on FSN every Sunday at 8 p.m. CardPlayer.com’s coverage of the series can be found here.

poker superstars: Free Online Casual Games Launch on GreenAppleGames.com

2006-05-22T00:22:00.000-07:00

GreenAppleGames.com partners with top developers to offer free online casual games for internet browser play. Games such as the top selling Mystery Case Files: Prime Suspects and Poker Superstars 2 are available to play for Free.

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) May 19, 2006 -- GreenAppleGames.com announces the offering of free online casual games content known as web games. A web game does not require any downloads, and a user can play the game inside the window of an Internet browser, making the engagement simple and fast. Free online content continues to be necessary for a game site to appeal to the widest audience. And, the ability to offer some of the best web games from the top developers can increase the site’s stickiness.

The casual games website now offers online game play at http://www.greenapplegames.com/free_online_games.htm for the following games: Mystery Case Files Huntsville, Mystery Case Files Prime Suspects, Big Kahuna Reef, Poker Superstars 2, Slingo and more. A spokesperson for GreenAppleGames.com said, "We are happy to offer such great content, and this new offering reinforces our commitment to bring the best in casual games to our increasing audience. The addition of free online games gives more depth and breadth to our site. Along with our catalog of WorldWinner skill based games and our Developer spotlight interviews, we feel that web games are key to the growth and success of our site.

GreenAppleGames.com (http://www.GreenAppleGames.com) is a top casual games portal offering the lastest casual games from the top developers from around the world. It continues to keep its site clean from advertising, pop-ups, and spyware and has one of the biggest and highest quality game catalogs on the Internet with over 359 casual games...and growing.

poker superstars: Johnny Chan Wins PSIT 3 Elimination Match Nine

2006-05-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

The Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament 3 chugged into its ninth week Sunday and Johnny Chan would up with all the chips for the first time this series. He added 10 points to the five he brought into the match. With two matches to go, he’s in great shape to make the cut to the sweet sixteen.

Card Player CEO Jeff Shulman has had a great start to the PSIT 3. He added a second-place finish to the points he earned for a first and a third, giving him 22 points and sole possession of the top of the leaderboard. Even if he stumbles badly at his last two tables, 22 points should be good enough to get him into the next round.

But don’t expect Shulman -- or the rest of the players on top of the leaderboard -- to let up in the last two rounds. The more points they accumulate, the more chips they start with in the second round.

Phil Hellmuth added another five points to his total, giving him a healthy 19 so far. Jennifer Harman added another three for a fourth-place finish. She has 11 points after three matches.

Chris Moneymaker followed a first-place finish by finishing fifth in his third match. This is his second fifth-place finish this season and he now has 12 points. And Mike Sexton was the player who walked away with no points for being the first one to go. With two matches left, he has 11 points.

PSIT 3 is shown on FSN at 8 p.m. local times and is repeated throughout the week. Check local listings for show times. To view CardPlayer.com's complete coverage of the series.

Copyright © 2001-2005 CardPlayer.com, All rights reserved.

poker superstars: Shooting Star Taping

2006-05-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

San Jose’s Bay 101 is near me, so I was pleased to be invited to view the taping of the final table of the Shooting Star tournament, a World Poker Tour event.

I dropped by the day before the taping to have lunch with Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher. That day’s action, the paring down from 45 participants to the final six who would play at the taping, had seen the elimination of all but one “Shooting Star.” Forty-seven poker pros and celebrities had had a bounty of $5,000 each on their heads. Whoever eliminated a Shooting Star got an immediate cash payout at the table of $5,000 plus a T-shirt that read, “I eliminated X.” Usually, X autographed the shirt and posed for a picture with the player who eliminated him or her. Among the stars were Doyle Brunson, T.J. Cloutier, Freddy Deeb, Shannon Elizabeth, Antonio Esfandiari, Chau Giang, Barry Greenstein, Gus Hansen, Dan Harrington, Phil Hellmuth Jr., Phil Ivey, Chip Jett, John Juanda, Phil Laak, Kathy Liebert, Mike Matusow, Tom McEvoy, Michael Mizrachi, Daniel Negreanu, Men Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, Chip Reese, Erik Seidel, Jennifer Tilly, and David Williams.

The next day, I returned for the taping. I didn’t see many of the usual suspects wandering around Bay 101, because most of the poker superstars and all but one Shooting Star bounty had been eliminated.

Linda asked if I would like to be part of the production team, the official script notes recorder. I would love the gig, she assured me, and would be able to see more of the action than anyone in the audience. I agreed.

The team had set up in an adjacent storage room. A thick bundle of cables ran from the room to the set, all taped to the floor. In the room, a bank of monitors sat on a table, each showing the output of a different camera on the set. There’s a boom camera with a very long arm that can be raised from floor level to 20 feet high, which produces what you see when the view swoops in over the set. There are several shoulder cameras. Two cameras at each end of the table operate remotely to zoom in on the players on the opposite half of the table. All run simultaneously and each has its own tape deck on a rack opposite the monitors. All have to be synched up, because later, they will be edited into the show you see on the air. Several engineers monitor and control the whole process. Sound was piped in from the set so that we could hear the running commentary from Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten and what the players were saying. Each player had a clip-on microphone.

They gave me a binder with fields to fill out. Whenever I noted anything interesting, I was to put down the time, what had happened, and which camera provided the best shot. This would help with the final editing job. I was to note all-in confrontations, big bets (called and uncalled), interesting interactions, and the start time of each hand. It kept me busy, but I had a better view of all the action than those who were in the stands on the set.

The final six were Nam Le, Fabrice Soulier, Danny Smith, Chad Brown, David Williams, and Ravi Udayakumar.

There were several interesting confrontations. During the entire play of the final table, fan sympathies lay with the hometown favorite, local player Ravi Udayakumar. Udayakumar played fairly consistently throughout, generally getting involved only with solid hands. He showed a tendency to slow-play big hands, a fact that, except for one participant, seemed lost on the others.

It seemed Udayakumar realized that the others, all pros, would try to push around a newcomer. Consequently, he generally came in only with solid hands. Some unseasoned tournament players who find themselves at a major final table try to find some hand with which to make a stand, so that they can effectively say, “You better not try to push me around, because I don’t need a big hand to call you.” Udayakumar was playing a variant: “You better not try to push me around, because I’m likely to have slow-played a big hand with which to call or check-raise you.”

For example, early on, with blinds of $5,000-$10,000 and antes of $1,000, he flopped middle pair in the big blind in a four-way limped pot. When Soulier bet $22,000 and Le called, so did Udayakumar. He turned four to a flush. Udayakumar and Soulier checked. Le bet $47,000. Udayakumar called, and then Soulier raised $100,000. Le folded. Udayakumar called, which represented about a ninth of his remaining chips. The river brought the flush. Udayakumar checked to the aggressor, undoubtedly planning to raise if Soulier bet. But Soulier checked and mucked his hand when he saw the flush. Whether he had a hand with which he would have called a bet but could not himself safely bet, I won’t know until I see the broadcast on June 7. But I do know that Udayakumar’s game plan was to trap his opponents. It was going to be hard to move him off a hand, and yet the others tried.

Brown was eliminated first, trying to push Udayakumar off a big ace with his A-3 on a board that had an ace and a king.

Williams called him down in a huge pot when Udayakumar made a straight on the turn. Was he likely to be bluffing? It didn’t seem that way, so why call when he kept betting? But, Williams learned. A few hands later, Udayakumar made and checked a flush on the turn. He then bet a bit more than a third of a large pot on the end, and Williams correctly folded.

But Williams called a big bet with only overcards when Udayakumar flopped a set. When Williams hit an ace on the turn, he pushed too hard, betting and getting called on the turn and the river.

The only pot in which Udayakumar was perhaps capitalizing on his reputation caused 22-year-old online player Danny Smith to go out in third place. And Udayakumar wasn’t really out of line. He limped in from the button and Le called from the small blind. Smith raised to $190,000 and Udayakumar reraised that to $590,000. Le folded. Smith debated for a while, and finally moved all in for another $310,000, a bet Udayakumar could hardly get away from. Smith had pocket sixes and Udayakumar had the K Q. It was very close to a coin flip, 53-to-47 in Smith’s favor. A queen on the flop ended the tournament for Smith, with a $340,000 payout. But he was happy, having won his seat in an online satellite. And his whole family was there cheering him on.

At the start of heads-up play, Udayakumar had more than a 2-to-1 chip lead over Le. It took Le just six hands and 10 minutes to come out on top. He had learned, biding his time to the finale. He knew he would need a big hand against Udayakumar’s good but second-best hand to win a big pot. Near the end, he flopped and just called with a straight. He check-raised on the turn and came out swinging for all of his chips on the river, to double up. On the final hand, he bet strongly with two pair to beat Udayakumar’s probable pocket or top pair. It was another hand we’ll need to see on the broadcast, but Le likely beat a big hand for the situation.

Before the Shooting Star, Le’s main claim to fame was being the cousin of two-time WPT champion Tuan Le. This win gave him not only $1,172,800 and a $25,000 WPT championship entry, but fame in his own right. Not only that, but he got a $5,000 bounty for busting the lone remaining Shooting Star, David Williams, who had exited in fourth place with a $280,000 payday.

I saw climactic hands from several vantage points. You’ll always get the best view when the show airs. It’s fun to think that I played a small part in determining what that view was.

Michael Wiesenberg’s The Ultimate Casino Guide, published by Sourcebooks, is available at fine bookstores and at Amazon.com and other online book purveyors. Send requests, remonstrances, and recommendations to queue@CardPlayer.com.

poker superstars: Basement No More: Matusow Wins First PSIT 3 Match

2006-05-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

After striking out twice, Mike Matusow hit a home run his third try at the Poker Superstars Invitational 3. He won the tournament that was shown Sunday on FSN and earned 10 points.

He was the first player eliminated in the first two matches he played and was the only player without any points going into this match. Now, he sits right about in the middle of the pack with 10 points, and with two matches to go, has a real chance of making it into the second round.

Barry Greenstein added 7points to the 10 he brought into the match by finishing second. Each player plays five elimination matches and the top 16 players move on to the second round.

Eli Elezra needs to finish strong to make it into the second round. He added 5 points to the 4 he earned in the first two matches.

Gus Hansen finished fourth in this contest, earning 3 points. He now has 11.

Todd Brunson gave himself 1 point after getting knocked out of the tourney in fifth place. He now has 15 points.

And Ted Forrest kept himself at the bottom of the leader board with 3 points. He earned 0 by being the first person eliminated in match 10, and only Phil Ivey has fewer points them he (2). Ivey will play his third match in two weeks.

PSIT 3 is aired on FSN every Sunday at 8 p.m. CardPlayer.com’s coverage of the series can be found here.

Apple AirPort Express

2006-05-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

This product works like all Apple products, it does what it's supposed to extremely well ,set up is a snap, and it is extremely simple to use. It's not as fancy as some of the others but then again, it doesnt have the price of the others. I love this little product, you can take it from room to room, just plug it in and go, and it lets you control the music and sound from any computer that has iTunes ( which I also think it's simpler to use than WMP ) be it a MAC or Windows computer, I happen to have both and it works perfectly in either one. Everytime we have parties we dont have to deal with cd's anymore, we just hook it up to our home stereo and control all of the music from our laptop. It ROCKS!

Written by Felipe, Tucson, AZ

Beyond All Expectations

2006-05-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

At Magnolia, we provide an exceptional experience from the moment you walk through our doors. Our stores feature comfortable demonstration rooms, knowledgeable consultants and premium brands that deliver outstanding performance. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of high-quality audio, video and home theater equipment in a comfortable, familiar environment. Our sales consultants help you explore your choices and create the entertainment system of your dreams.

The Magnolia experience is available at our Magnolia Audio Video standalone stores and our Magnolia Home Theater stores inside select Best Buy locations. You'll experience the same unparalleled dedication to customer service, as well as many of the same high-quality brands, at all Magnolia stores. In addition, our Magnolia Audio Video stores can provide an expanded array of custom home theater and mobile electronics* installation options

© 2006 Magnolia. All rights reserved

European Roulette Rules

2006-05-10T01:34:00.000-07:00

Object of the European (French) roulette is the same as for the American one: to predict which number out of possible 37 the ball will land on. European Roulette wheel has thirty-seven numbers, including 1 to 36, a 0 ('zero'). Another name for European roulette is "Single zero roulette".

How to Play European (French) Roulette
There are many different ways to place roulette bets. Each bet covers a different set of numbers and has a different distribution, as shown in the Payoffs section.

Player has the option to bet on:

Certain number
Combination of numbers
Pick whether the number will be red or black, even or odd.
The following roulette bet types are available:

Straight Up - You can bet on any number, including 0, by placing the chip on the center of a number.
Split Bet - You can bet on two numbers by placing a chip on the line that divides the two numbers.
Street Bet - You can bet on three numbers by placing a chip on the inner left boundary line of the roulette table that is next to the corresponding row of three numbers.
Corner Bet - You can bet on four numbers by placing chips at the corner where the four numbers meet.
Four Bet - You can bet on the numbers 0, 1, 2, and 3 by placing your chip on the inner left boundary line between 0 and 1.
Line Bet - You can bet on two street bets (i.e., the six different numbers in two rows of three numbers), by placing your chip on the inner left boundary line where the line dividing the two rows intersects it.
Column Bet - There are three boxes labeled "2 to 1" at the bottom of a column of numbers. You can place bets for all of these numbers by placing your chip in one of these boxes. If any of the numbers in your column is hit you get paid 2:1; 0 is a losing number. Dozen Bet - You can bet on a group of twelve numbers by placing your chip in one of the three boxes marked "1st 12," "2nd 12," or "3rd 12." If one of your 12 numbers is hit, you are paid 2:1; 0 is a losing number.
Red/Black, Even/Odd, Low/High Bets - You can place a bet in one of the boxes on the left, long side of the table that covers half of the roulette table numbers (excluding the 0). Each box covers 18 numbers. You win even money (1 to 1) on all of these bets; 0 is a losing number.
The "En Prison" rule
Some European casinos offer the "En Prison" rule. This refers to the "outside" even-money bets (Red/Black, High/Low, Odd/Even). When the outcome is zero, it's allowed to leave the bet for another roulette spin. So your bet stays "in prison". If the following spin outcomes in zero again, then the whole bet is lost, if it's a hit, the bet is released with no payout. European table with "En Prison" brings the house advantage down to 1.35% for even-money bets. This is the lowest for the roulette game.

The "La Partage" rule
The "la partage" roulette rule is similar to the "en prison" rule, only in this case the player loses half the bet and does not have the option of leaving the bet "en prison" for another spin.

© Copyright 2004-2005 GamblingGates.com.
All Rights Reserved.

THAIFOON

2006-05-05T05:16:00.000-07:00

The first of its kind, Thaifoon promises a truly unique dining experience. Rooted in the exotic and fascinating cuisines of Asia, Thaifoon features a menu based on fresh, flavorful, and familiar ingredients—transformed into food that is intended to be shared and enjoyed.
We strive to bring you an engaging environment, rich with the intrigue and attributes of the Far East, along with the humble and gracious service reflective of Thaifoon’s land of origin. So, please enjoy the journey!

Copyright 2005 Thaifoon - Taste of Asia, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The shores of the Gulf

2006-05-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

THE CLASH of Iranian demonstrators in Mecca with Saudi security forces vividly evokes the worst nightmares of the conservative Sunni leaders of the Persian Gulf. The conservative Gulf states have long believed that the real threat to Persian Gulf security was Shiite fundamentalism, not Silkworm missiles; Iranian martyrs, not Iranian mines.

Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates all contain large Shiite minorities subject to influence from Iran. Iraq's Shiites have remained loyal to their own country during the seven-year war with Iran, despite their religious leaning toward the Ayatollah. Whether that loyalty could withstand the test of a smashing Iranian victory, however, is doubtful. In Islam, military victory is a sign of God's blessing.

Provided Congress does not pass some silly amendment (Boland II?) restricting U.S. naval activities in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. Navy should have sufficient power to ensure freedom of navigation in that vital waterway--even with the refusal by our European allies (whom, along with Japan, the oil transported from the Gulf mainly benefits) to send minesweepers there. Control of the waterway will not mean much, however, if the shoreline falls uniformly under the control of radical anti-American regimes ruled by fanatics, religious or otherwise. Such a scenario would send Soviet strategists on a troublemaking shopping spree that could ultimately result in Western oil supplies falling under the control of Soviet client regimes, or in Soviet naval and air bases being established along the Persian Gulf, or in both.

In short, while all eyes are on the interesting naval proceedings in the Persian Gulf, let us not forget that the world's largest and most mobile army has divisions stationed only a few hundred miles to the north. This is one factor in the Persian Gulf equation the United States cannot afford to ignore.

COPYRIGHT 1987 National Review, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

Off-Line Marketing - Secrets to Getting More Customers by Stephen Wright

2006-04-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

It's an on going saga. How can business owners locate potential customers who are willing to spend their hard earned dollar to buy your programs and products? What are the techniques that work effectively in making this happen? How to attract more customers willing spend more money and bring more profits and revenues in?

A perfectly reasonable question unless you are in business only to give away your programs, products, or services. As a general rule, most business owners are not in business just to provide charity and they need some way to attract more customers who will spend more money.

The official name for attracting customers in this manner is customer acquisition. Buying office furniture, designing business cards, applying for licenses, purchasing computer systems -- none of these counts more in a business than customer acquisition. To make a profit and stay in business, every business owner needs a reliable way to get more customers in the door, who are willing to spend money on what you have to offer.

Hands down, the very best way to acquire more customers is hrough a direct response marketing system with the capability of carefully tracking and accounting for the source of the traffic. This simply means that whatever method a business owner chooses to seek out new customers should have a built-in way of tracking response so the owner knows where the customer came from.

You must tell your potential customers where they can find you AND give them a compelling reason for doing business with you. This actually is the secret behind all marketing. All marketing practices can be boiled down to this one thought. Tell your potential customers where they can find you and why they should do business with you. It sounds so simple when you think about it, but this is one of the major stumbling blocks to a successful business. The owner thinks potential customers will spend time and energy searching out a company to do business with. Wrong.

Most potential customers will shop only at places they already know. Stop and really think about this for a minute. Most potential customers will only shop at places they already know -- AND they need a good reason to do business with you. If they do not know how to find you, they will not be coming to buy from you. You must find a way to tell potential customers where your business can be found.

To accomplish this is easy, if you follow a few basic steps. Following is a sampling of the possibilities that can be used for this purpose:

1. Distribute a press release detailing the latest breakthrough in your business field, available only at your place of business. AND include a special telephone number for customers to call for more information.

2. Place an add in your local yellow pages publication. It doesn't have to be huge, elobrate, or expensive. Something modest, but consistenly run will do. Readers become comfortable with ads they have seen before. After your ad runs a feww times, you will be surprised how many people begin to feel they can trust giving your ad a try. Additionaly, it can be quite an added attraction to couple your local ad with such things as special discount offers in the ad.

3. Send everyone in your zip code a postcard announcing a sale at your place of business. AND have them bring in the postcard to receive the discounted price.

4. Become the local expert in your business field by being nterviewed on the radio. AND include a special phone number for customers to call during the broadcast to get more information.

5. Give a speech at the Chamber of Commerce. AND hand out problem solving brochures with your address, phone number and a special code number for customers to use to get a discount.

Many business owners regard marketing only as a necessary evil. They would rather concentrate on their core business activities. But when they use these simple methods to harness the powerful secret to getting more customers, they can eliminate the pain of marketing. Then their businesses will be truly successful in bringing in more customers, more money and more profits.

Stephen Wright is President & CEO of InternetMarketingUSA.com Learn how to run every aspect of your online marketing business. Are you ready to become successful? Get everything you need to make money online at: http://imusa.successuniversity.com/slim

About the Author
Stephen Wright is President & CEO of InternetMarketingUSA.com Would YOU Like To Be Earning $1,600 - $3,200 Per Month in 180 DAYS OR LESS by Simply GIVING AWAY a $1,949 Product?" Learn how: http://imusa.successuniversity.com/slim

money

2006-04-18T13:51:00.000-07:00