More Odds and Ends

Extreme Poker … Have you heard of the extreme poker concept? Juha Helppi emerged victorious in the Extreme Underwater Poker Tournament held recently 30 feet below the ocean's surface off the coast of St. Kitts. Helppi bested competitors Phil Laak, Kenna James, Peter Marcus, and Internet qualifier Louise H. from Denmark, and was awarded an ocean seashell bracelet. Spectators snorkeled on the surface of the water, watching the action below them.



Kenna James reported that the water was warm, so no bulky wet suits were needed. There was a dealer who dealt laminated waterproof cards on a table that was submerged by using weighted anchors attached to its underside. James said, "We kept a couple of extra weights on our legs to keep us in place. The structure had to be quite fast, since we were limited to about 40 minutes of play due to the amount of oxygen in our scuba tanks. The five of us each started with 10 chips. There were no blinds; to make things easier, we all just anted up one chip. When we lost a player, it went to two chips, and it increased one chip each time we lost a player. It was a real hoot!"



After receiving his bracelet, Helppi said, "Without a doubt, this was one of the most challenging tournaments in which I have ever competed. Not only are Phil and Kenna two of the best poker players I have ever faced, but I also had to overcome obstacles, such as water leaking into my mask and staying away from the stingray. I feel like I truly earned this victory."



So, what will they think of next? A poker tournament at 40,000 feet in the air? Oh, that's already been done by Extreme Poker.



World Poker Tour Adds Another Event to Season IV … The World Poker Tour recently announced that it is adding a tour stop to its season IV with the inclusion of a second event at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, Jan. 29-Feb. 1, as part of the 11-day Borgata Winter Open. The 2005 Borgata Poker Open attracted 515 players and featured a $4,995,634 prize pool.



With the added event, the WPT is on track to approach its target of $100 million in prize money awarded in a single season. It took the first three years combined to reach the first $100 million. The highest-rated show ever on The Travel Channel, the WPT is now seen in more than 100 countries.



Go, Phil … Black Enterprise magazine recently included Phil Ivey on its "Hot List: America's Most Powerful Players Under 40." Ivey, 29, had good company in the sports category, since Tiger Woods also made the list.



New Venue … The National Heads-Up Poker Championship will leave Downtown Las Vegas and move to Caesars Palace, March 3-5, 2006. NBC will televise the tournament, in which 64 players will compete for the top prize of $500,000.



What a Hoot … Hooters Restaurants got approval from the Gaming Control Board in Las Vegas for a gaming license as majority owners of the San Remo Hotel. The newly refurbished resort will officially become Hooters Hotel and Casino in February 2006.



Cold-Decked … During a recent session of our Wednesday poker discussion group, one of our members mentioned being "cold-decked" twice during a recent tournament at a well-known local cardroom. My hair immediately stood on end, since I am from the old school in which being cold-decked meant being cheated. Apparently, today's players use the term cold-deck to mean getting unlucky, such as having pocket kings run into pocket aces. Be careful when using the term cold-deck, since many of us "old-timers" still think the term refers to being cheated.



Now, let's play poker.



Linda is available to host poker events, seminars, and corporate nights. She can be contacted through her websites at www.cardplayercruises.com or http://www.lindapoker.com/.