Countries Head to UK for Online Gambling Summit
Conference First Step to Creating Online Gaming Regulations
By Bob Pajich
Representatives from more than 30 countries visited the United Kingdom on Halloween to talk about regulating online gaming. The United States was not one of them.
The UK held the online gambling summit to start conversations with countries that allow Internet gambling, to figure out how to reach a consensus on how to provide a regulatory framework.
Sometime in the second half of 2007, online gambling will be legal in the UK. The country's Department for Culture, Media and Sport is reaching out to both online gaming companies and other countries to ensure that any online gambling that goes on in the UK is regulated in order to be fair and safe.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport secretary and main spokesperson Tessa Jowell envisions that online gamblers will recognize that sites located in the UK will be among the safest in the world as a result of the regulatory rules that the UK's Gaming Commission plans to implement. No regulatory rules were set at the conference.
The Gambling Commission's job will be to protect online gambling customers. The job of taxing the online sites will fall to the UK Treasury. The tax rate has yet to be set, and the consensus among online operators is that the tax rate must be competitive to the rates of countries that currently allow and tax online gambling sites. PartyGaming and other companies have said that if the tax rate is too high, they will be less likely to relocate there.
The UK is by far the largest and most powerful country that plans to tax and regulate the online gambling industry. On the other side of this ideological ocean is the U.S. Although some form of gambling is legal in just about all states, a majority of U.S. lawmakers refuse to look at online gambling other than as an illegal activity.
A week before the conference, Jowell had some harsh words for the U.S. decision to attempt to curb online gambling. At a press conference at the conference, Jowell said the gambling summit was an act of acknowledging the power of Internet gambling, and that there are several ways to deal with online gambling.
"When it comes to looking at gambling, you have three courses of action," she said. "Either let the free market operate unfettered, prohibit, or regulate. We have developed a framework for regulation."
The framework was established by UK politicians when they passed the Gambling Act of 2005, which created rules to regulate or restrict all forms of gambling in the UK. The Act was established to keep gambling crime-free, make sure that gambling is fair and open, and protect children and vulnerable adults.
Ironically, supporters of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act claim that the only way to keep gambling crime-free and protect children is to prohibit online gambling altogether by trying to stop the money flow between Americans and online sites, which is what the UIGE Act will attempt to do.
This goes against the thinking of Jowell and proponents of taxing and regulating online gambling in the UK.
"Of course we also want online gambling companies to come onshore. We will welcome them here because we believe that allowing those who want to gamble to do so over the counter, not under the counter, is the best way to protect children and vulnerable people and keep out crime," Jowell said. "The risks of prohibition, I think, are very well-established. Our concern is that if Internet gambling were to be prohibited, it would be driven underground, and precisely the kind of protections that we want to extend to people would be impossible."
The Future of Poker
By Allyn Jaffrey Shulman
For the first time in 12 years, the Democrats have seized control of Congress, demonstrating a sweeping dissatisfaction with the Republican agenda.
The exit polls found that 40 percent claimed their vote was a vote against President Bush. A significant number of voters said corruption was a crucial issue in their decision.
How will this election affect poker? As all Card Player readers know, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) snuck the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act into an unrelated bill because that was his personal agenda, wanting to curry favor with the ultra-right. Although that process was not illegal, it was immoral, unethical, and corrupt, for which Frist received well-deserved criticism by both parties.
In this election, the American people stood up to be counted and sent a clear message to the Republicans that we've had enough of their self-serving antics. The voters proclaimed discontent with President Bush, his war, his taxes, and his agenda. This means the climate on Capitol Hill has changed, which spills over into poker issues.
Online Gaming Supporters Conyers and Berkley are In
For one, Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Detroit easily won his seat in the House by 84 percent. He is expected to lead the Judiciary Committee, giving him a key platform to voice his views. Remember, Conyers has been the voice of reason regarding online gaming. He has consistently argued for a study aimed at regulating online gaming. He likened online anti-gaming laws to Prohibition. He was also the representative, along with 10 other Democrats, who brought suit against the president, alleging the Deficit Reduction Act was unconstitutional because it wasn't the version passed by the House. Conyers has balls. He's a strong leader; he is a watchdog for the American people and he wants to regulate the $12 billion-a-year online gaming industry.
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) is enjoying a fifth term in the House after sailing to victory. Berkley was a co-sponsor of Conyer's bill and a staunch supporter of online gaming. As a matter of fact, Berkley was recently featured on CardPlayer.com's The Circuit, where she told players to write our congressmen and make our voices heard! And she is absolutely correct. For the first time in a long while, our representatives are listening because by our votes, they understand that citizens are paying attention.
In the last 10 years, the vocal online anti-gaming proponents on Capitol Hill have been Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Sen. John Kyl (R-Ariz.), Rep. John La Falce (D-N.Y.), Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), and Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa).
Anti-Gaming Proponents Frist, Leach, La Falce are Out
After 12 years in the Senate, Frist decided not to run because he is a 2008 presidential hopeful. However, the voters from Tennessee who know him best said "no" when asked in exit polls if the retiring Senate majority leader would make a good president.
Thirty-year incumbent Jim Leach (R-Iowa) was defeated by Democrat Dave Loebsack, 53 percent to 44 percent, with an independent candidate receiving 3 percent of the vote.
After 28 years in Congress, La Falce decided not to run. He was an avid co-sponsor of Leach's anti-gaming bills.
Anti-Gaming Proponents Goodlatte and Kyl are In
Goodlatte won easily, as he faced two independent candidates. Kyl was re-elected by a margin of 53 percent to 44 percent.
Looking to the Future
This is the first time in years that I believe our representatives are listening to us. It's time to be proactive. We have great supporters on Capitol Hill, and we need to contact them, offer our support, and make our voices heard.
Online Gambling Ban Proponent Leach Booted
Was a Co-Sponsor of the UIGE Act
By Bob Pajich
Fans of online poker and those who have been following the consequences of the recent passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act will recognize Jim Leach's name as one of the architects of the bill.
Now, thanks to the voters of Iowa, Leach will no longer have a voice in the House of Representatives. He was defeated in the midterm election by Democrat Dave Loebsack, 53 percent to 44 percent. An Independent candidate won 3 percent of the vote.
The other main proponents of the UIGE Act up for re-election, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Sen. John Kyl (R-Ariz.), both won their races. Goodlatte won handily because he faced two Independent candidates. Kyl's race was a little closer, but he still kept his seat by more than 100,000 votes.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), who worked hard to get the UIGE Act attached to a must-pass bill to increase port security in September, chose not to run for re-election. He is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.
Frist first thrust himself onto the front lines of the UIGE Act battle when he visited Iowa for a Leach-sponsored "public hearing" on the UIGE Act that featured a panel of mostly supporters.
He then was the driving force behind having the UIGE Act attached as a rider on the Safe Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006.
Leach had this to say after the UIGE Act was passed: "It is extraordinary how many American families have been touched by large losses from Internet gambling. As a professor of business at the University of Illinois has noted, the Internet is 'crack cocaine' for gamblers. 'There are no needle marks,' he says. 'There is no alcohol on the breath. You just click the mouse and lose your house.'"
Leach's defeat means that new people will fill seats on the committees of Financial Services and International Relations. He served in the House since he first was elected in 1976.
Wheeling and Dealing: Online Companies Switch Hands
The Trend of Buying and Selling Continued in November
By Bob Pajich
In the wake of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, several online companies have already been bought by rivals, and that trend continued in November with two significant deals, one of which created one of the world's largest online poker software and platform providers. And December may see another deal made between Ladbrokes and 888 Holdings, which may become one.
Playtech Buys U.S. Tribeca
Only three days after it announced that it will stop doing business with customers located in the U.S., word got out that the online software company Playtech bought the European-facing poker platforms of Tribeca for $75 million.
Some of the sites that Tribeca provided platforms and eGaming solutions to included PaddyPowerPoker, UK-Poker.net, VictorChandler, and RoyalBluePoker. When the announcement was made, shares of Playtech traded almost 9 percent higher than at the start of the day.
This deal makes Playtech one of the world's largest poker gaming software and platform providers, and the maneuver is in line with company strategy of increasing its global reach.
Chief Executive Avigur Zmora estimates daily rake after the deal is complete to reach about $400,000.
Tribeca has a bunch of U.S.-facing sites still running, including DoylesRoom.com and GoldenPalace, and these sites were not part of the deal.
Betcorp
Betcorp is now out of the betting industry. The Australian company announced that it accepted a deal to be sold to Bodog for $9 million. The deal still needs approval from its shareholders, who will receive the money once the deal goes through.
Additionally, Bodog also assumes around $2 million in Betcorp debt. Betcorp estimated that it would cost the company $6 million in severance and closure if it was simply closed.
"This purchase, which speaks directly to the current strength of our business, is the first of many possible international acquisition targets under consideration," said Calvin Ayre, the founder of Bodog. "We couldn't be better positioned to build upon our current success and growth and to continue our aggressive push toward international expansion into markets such as Europe and Asia."
Betcorp's board of directors concluded that the company would be able to profit without the business of U.S. customers by either launching a major marketing blitz or purchasing an existing non-U.S.-facing company. But, Betcorp didn't have enough cash on hand or access to the funds to do either one of these things.
Looking ahead, Ladbrokes confirmed that it is in the early stages of possibly buying publicly traded online giant 888 Holdings. In an announcement, Ladbrokes said it's looking into the deal, but that no decision has been made as to how to proceed.
Roland De Wolfe Rolls European Poker Tour Dublin
He's the First Player to Win an EPT and World Poker Tour Event
By Bob Pajich
Roland De Wolfe of the United Kingdom outlasted 388 players to win the
European Poker Tour event in Dublin recently. He won €554,000 and is the first player to win a
World Poker Tour event and an
EPT event.
The final table consisted of all Europeans, including five Brits, two Frenchmen, and players from Ireland and Sweden. The total prize pool generated was €1,847,750.
The €5,000 buy-in event was held at the Regency Hotel in Dublin, and was the fourth
EPT event to take place in its third season. Events have already taken place in Barcelona, Spain; London; and Baden, Austria. Three more events will take place to complete the third
EPT season.
De Wolfe has won more than $1.7 million on the tournament trail, including two cashes at this year's
World Series of Poker, a third-place finish at this year's
Five-Star World Poker Classic, and a victory at the 2005
Grand Prix de Paris, which was good for $600,898.
De Wolfe knocked out seven of the final eight players. He seemed to get a lot of good cards at the final table, and sent players packing while holding A-J, A-Q, 8-8, and trip fives, to name just a few hands.
The top nine players and their payouts are as follows:
Roland De Wolfe, UK, €554,300
David Tavernier, France, €314,120
William Thorson, Sweden, €184,780
Gavin Simms, UK, €138,580
George McKeever, Ireland, €112,710
Rob Yong, UK, €88,690
Nick Slade, UK, €70,210
Patrick Bueno, France, €51,740
Poker and Rock 'n' Roll - VH1 Classic Makes Beautiful Music With the Two
Flamingo Las Vegas and UB.tv Host Music Legends in Their First VH1 Poker Charity Event
By Lisa Wheeler
OK, what would happen if Sully Erna, Vinnie Paul, Ace Frehley, Dusty Hill, and Scott Ian got together in Las Vegas? You'd probably have the most rockin' party in town. So, what if they just came to play poker? Well, hold on to your cut cards, everyone, because the heavy-metal music legends made some noise in the Second City Theatre at the Flamingo Las Vegas recently, and hit the felt in an all-out grind for charity.
VH1 Classic, Tenner & Associates, and UltimateBet.tv presented the first
VH1 Class Rock 'n' Roll Poker Tournament.
The no-limit hold'em tournament felt more like backstage at a rock concert with a sensational feature-table assemblage of five celebrities joining lucky
UltimateBet.tv qualifiers Rob Cross and Ian Hamilton. Flamingo Hotel and Casino satellite winner Steve Thomas rounded out the eighthanded lineup.
Production began the day before the tournament with impromptu guitar signings and
VH1 Classic celebrity interviews.
On the day of the tournament, the cast and crew reported to Mark Tenner's suite at 9 a.m., to prep for camera. The breakfast went untouched, but nearly 16 quarts of coffee were consumed.
By noon, the cards were in the air as Tournament Director Matt Savage declared, "Shuffle up and deal." But players were experiencing momentum issues. "You're not in church," explained
VH1 Classic's Lynn Hoffman, "so give us a show, guys."
Hellmuth quickly came to their defense. "Poker players and rock stars," he replied, "they don't function very well in the morning."
That's all it took for percussionist Vinnie Paul to set the rhythm at the table, delivering the first bad beat to his fellow musicians.
By the second round, two players were eliminated and escorted back to the adjoining Green Room, where Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari co-hosted a series of "heads-up" challenges, giving main-event players who busted out of the tournament a second opportunity to win a June 2007 Alaska cruise, from Card Player Cruises.
Although the final results must remain a secret until the event airs in early 2007, we do know that champion donated a $25,000 check to charity and took home the trophy. First prize included a $10,000
UltimateBet.tv Aruba Poker Tournament, and an opportunity to serve as a
VH1 Classic "VJ for a Day." The runner-up received a $10,000 check for charity.
Visitors can get a sneak peek of the
VH1 Classic Rock 'n' Roll Poker Tournament by visiting CardPlayer.com's multimedia photo section.
PokerTek Goes Head-to-Head With New Table
Designers Drew Inspiration From Old Tabletop Ms. Pac Man Game
By Bob Pajich
PokerTek is going heads up.
The company that builds and installs automated poker tables recently released a heads-up version of its PokerPro table. The 10-player PokerPro table is installed in several casinos. Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles recently opened an all-digital poker room, featuring a handful of PokerPro tables.
The heads-up table looks a lot like an old Ms. Pac Man tabletop game sometimes found in bars, and indeed the old machine was an inspiration for the new table.
The company believes this product will enable casinos to spread heads-up games in a way that will be profitable to them.
"The idea is simple," said James Crawford, PokerTek's president. "Poker players love to play heads-up poker and casino operators are constantly looking for new ways to meet their customers' needs. In the past, it's been hard to find a casino that would deal a heads-up game for regular players."
Crawford said his new product will change that, and at least one casino boss agrees.
"We believe there is a strong player demand for heads-up poker in our casino," said Hashim Minaiy, CEO of The Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles. "Unfortunately, this form of poker is too costly to be hand-dealt. With the advent of PokerPro Heads-Up, we can now offer this great game to our players."
The company is currently marketing its product only to casinos, but the small size of the table would make it ideal for installation in places outside of cardrooms. Currently PokerTek has placed its 10-man machines in several casinos across the country and machines will soon appear worldwide. The machine has been submitted to Gaming Laboratories International for certification. PokerTek's original 10-seat table has been certified by GLI.
Gold Strikes Back
World Series of Poker Champ Files Motion in Nevada
By Michael Friedman
World Series of Poker Champion Jamie Gold has finally told his version of what took place with Crispin Leyser during the
WSOP tournament in a motion filed in the U.S. District Court of Nevada on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006.
According to Gold's motion, while he admits to making a promise to compensate Leyser, it was merely a gift that he was making to help Leyser out after he could not secure his own entry into the
World Series of Poker main event. Gold's motion goes on to cite that despite not having an obligation to do so, he was still going to share some of his winnings. It was at this point, however, that things began to rapidly deteriorate, as Leyser "acted unreasonably and refused to recognize necessary expenses or provide protection to Gold for legitimate tax issues."
Leyser then decided to take legal action against Gold, drawing a huge amount of media attention to the situation in an attempt to try to discredit Gold's reputation. After serious consideration, Gold decided that he was no longer going to share his winnings with Leyser.
Unlike Leyser's assertion that Gold had promised him a share of his winnings for securing two celebrities to represent Bodog, Gold denies this outright. "Gold did not discuss sharing the proceeds from Gold's participation in the
WSOP - let alone agree to do so in exchange for Plaintiff (Leyser) securing celebrities."
Gold's motion claims that Leyser constantly sent Gold text messages and called the future champion. Having his hands full with
WSOP play, Gold eventually called Leyser to try to get him to let him focus on the tournament. This call is a major piece of Leyser's argument against Gold, but according to Gold, the message he left on Leyser's phone was to get him to leave Gold alone during the final day of competition.
Eventually, Gold went on to win the title and the $12 million first-place prize. According to Gold's motion, it was at this point that things started spiraling toward a legal battle, as Leyser got
WSOP bracelet winner and attorney Mark Seif to contact Gold's recently hired tax attorney, Sam Israel. According to the court documents, Seif insisted that Leyser receive the money immediately.
According to Israel, there were tax issues regarding Gold's direct distribution of his winnings - specifically, potential IRS audits and Gold's possible inability to deduct business expenses. Seif, however, persisted, claiming to have found a loophole that would have allowed Leyser to avoid taxes should he return to his native British Isles.
What happened next is a matter of public record, as Leyser filed an injunction against Gold on Sept. 13, 2006. The court granted Leyser's injunction, holding $6 million of Gold's $12 million winnings. According to Gold's motion, Leyser is not entitled to injunctive relief because there is no threat of irreparable harm, and because Leyser has not met the burden of showing the existence of the necessary elements of an enforceable contract.
Chad Batista Wins World Series of Poker Tournament Circuit Event in Indiana
First Live Tournament for Internet Star
By Bob Pajich
Live-tournament newcomer Chad Batista took down the
World Series of Poker Tournament Circuit event at Caesars Indiana recently, winning $262,002 and a ring to go with the rest of his bling.
Batista is a 25-year-old player from Coral Springs, Florida, who has made a living playing online for about three years now. His story is the polar opposite of many well-known poker champs with backgrounds in graduate-school mathematics. He never made it past the seventh grade, and has lived a life most Americans know about only through rap lyrics.
Batista spent his early adulthood behind bars after both his mother and grandmother passed away when he was 16. After a rough few years, the law finally caught up with him and sent him to prison for three and a half years.
He started playing poker online after his release when he was 22, and has consistently made money, winning many multitable tourneys. He would've tried a live poker tournament earlier, but his parole restrictions prevented him from leaving the county he lives in.
Card Player will soon run a "Generation Next" article featuring Batista.
The $5,000
WSOP Tournament Circuit event at Caesars Indiana attracted 169 players and generated a prize pool of $819,650, and the top 19 players won at least $9,704.
Bright Skies in the Aftermath of the UIGE Act
By Shawn Patrick Green
It's been two months since the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), just enough time for the waters to recede a bit and let onlookers assess the damage. Some see PartyPoker's pullout as the beginning of the end for online poker, while those playing on sites still accepting U.S. players are more apt to ask, "Damage? What damage? Things are better than ever!"
Judging from the major weekly tournaments over the last month, it seems the latter group of soothsayers might be onto something. Attendance at four major poker sites still accepting U.S. customers - PokerStars, FullTilt, UltimateBet, and Bodog - is setting records and continuously increasing. In fact, PartyPoker's absence in the playing field, in addition to U.S. players' still-burning desires to play poker online, has caused both PokerStars' and FullTilt's weekly guaranteed tournaments to achieve their highest-ever prize pools.
It would be naïve to say that the landscape of online poker remains unchanged since the institution of the UIGEA, but whether the change is for better or worse is certainly a debatable and constantly evolving issue. At this point, online poker in the U.S. is safe and continuing to expand. PokerStars has become the new worldwide leader in poker and FullTilt is redoubling its efforts to scoop up the abandoned U.S. players and become an even greater force in the industry.
A Broken Record About PokerStars' Broken Records
During October, one couldn't help but feel like a broken record when talking about all of the records being broken at PokerStars. The normally scheduled weekly $1 million-guaranteed tournaments resumed, hot on the heels of September's record-setting
World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). While the initial tournament was business as usual in terms of entrants, news of PartyPoker's pullout spread, and by the second week of the month, entries in the
Sunday Million spiked up by more than 650. This equated to 6,157 players, more than the tournament has ever had before, generating a record prize pool of $1,231,400. Håcken, a Swede, took down the tournament to make $176,000.
Not to be outdone (by itself), PokerStars bested its own numbers the very next week with 6,413 entrants vying for $1,282,600. A three-way deal based on chip counts meant that first-place finisher osten87's prize of $103,318 was less than both Halkeye's second-place prize of $124,397 and Iteopepe88's third-place cash of $104,735. However, all of this was chump change compared to PokerStars' final tournament of the month.
On the last Sunday of October, the PokerStars
Sunday Million had both an increased buy-in ($530 compared to the normal $215) and its biggest prize pool yet, $1,392,500. The ultimate winner, dizney1984, managed to pull in the largest-ever first-place prize in a PokerStars weekly tournament, $183,116, despite a three-way chop based on chip counts. Had the tournament ended without a chop, the top prize would have been a staggering $250,000.
FullTilt Follows PokerStars' Lead
PokerStars wasn't the only site to have record-breaking turnouts. FullTilt broke its own records, as well, with the last two $250,000-guaranteed tournaments of the month luring 1,726 and 1,780 player, respectively. Of course, as FullTilt's tournaments continue to grow, so do the prize pools associated with them. The last tournament in October paid out $356,000 to the players who cashed in the event.
Bob Wolf, an independent marketing consultant for FullTilt, said the site fully expects the growth to continue in the wake of the UIGEA. Wolf hinted that FullTilt is already planning to increase the $250,000 guarantee in the near future to reflect the growth.
UltimateBet and Bodog's Tournament Entries Spike
The upward swing also affected UltimateBet and Bodog, both of which traditionally have to fork up overlays for their tournaments, making their overlays relatively insignificant compared to previous months. Following in the footsteps of PokerStars and FullTilt, both UltimateBet and Bodog saw spikes in tournament attendance in the last week of October. Both tournaments saw their fields increase by more than 10 percent compared to the previous week.
Bodog was shy only a negligible 10 players from the 1,000 needed to meet its guarantee in its last tournament of October. UltimateBet was a little further behind at 966 entrants, but, compared to 863 from the week before, this amounted to a huge increase. UltimateBet and Bodog have seen steady or increasing numbers for their tournaments to the point that it wouldn't be surprising to see both break the shackles of their overlays immediately and start exceeding their guarantees on a consistent basis.
Repeat Offenders: Final Table Seats Are Just So Comfortable
Something about the final table of major online tournaments is just so addictive to certain players. Three players liked their final-table experiences so much the first time, they decided to return the next week, as well. They probably had to reserve their seats well in advance.
The first repeat offender of the month was GBecks, who, after landing a third-place finish ($53,130) in the PartyPoker
Sunday Million Guaranteed tournament, finished in second place in the FullTilt $250,000-guaranteed event for $37,408. GBecks made more than $90,000 from those two finishes alone.
Later in October, cardno took second in FullTilt's $250,000-guaranteed tournament for $48,328, and then came back for more the next week for a ninth-place finish ($5,294) in the same tournament. Cardno's total cash won for October was more than $53,000. In the same two weeks, MiracleGro acquired an affinity for third place in UltimateBet's $200,000-guaranteed tournament. He nabbed third two weeks in a row for $18,500 each time, to put his earnings at $37,000. MiracleGro's first final table was also graced by Kyle "kwob20" Bowker, the Internet superstar and double-bracelet winner from the PokerStars
WCOOP. Bowker finished fifth ($11,000) in the tournament.
October's Winners:
PartyPoker Sunday Million Guaranteed
(Note: Oct. 8 was the last tournament before PartyPoker cancelled the event.)
Oct. 1 - TipTripTrap - $156,860
Oct. 8 - ringel - * $97,350
PokerStars Sunday Million
(Note: Oct. 1 was the WCOOP main event, which was covered in last issue.)
Oct. 8 - Fenster - $162,280
Oct. 15 - Håcken - $176,090
Oct. 22 - osten87 - * $103,318
Oct. 29 - dizney1984 - * $182,116
FullTilt Monthly $500,000 Guaranteed
Oct. 15 - copi - $126,789
FullTilt $250,000 Guaranteed
Oct. 1 - SleimanM - $56,276
Oct. 8 - tajikrose - $58,784
Oct. 22 - Jennez - $74,218
Oct. 29 - Dangerous Plyr - $76,540
Ultimate Bet $200,000 Guaranteed
Oct. 1 - Pwnasaurus - $45,000
Oct. 8 - MSUsFinest - $45,000
Oct. 15 - Farkouh - $45,000
Oct. 22 - gobboboy - $45,000
Oct. 29 - horseshoe 6 - $45,000
Bodog $100,000 Guaranteed
(Note: Bodog's results were picked up by Card Player after PartyPoker's pullout.)
Oct. 15 - UND_Dominate - $25,000
Oct. 22 - wacamaster - $25,000
Oct. 29 - BriR99 - $25,000
*Payout reflects a deal made at the final table.
Money Doesn't Talk, It Swears
By David Apostolico
I teach a class at a night school just outside of Philadelphia on advanced no-limit hold'em tournament strategy. All of my students are extremely eager to learn, and most of them possess a fairly strong grasp of the nuances and subtleties of the game. A few, however, are interested in shortcuts and are searching for that all-elusive magic bullet.
They are the ones who will pose endless questions about tells. Specifically, I get questions like, "What's a common tell?" and "What should I be looking out for when watching other players for tells?" I find these the toughest questions to answer because my initial reaction is to reply, "If you have to ask …" Of course, I always bite my tongue and try to articulate a reasonable answer.
To a large extent, I do believe reading others is an innate skill that you either have or you don't. Many tells are picked up subconsciously or even consciously, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that you are picking up. It's not like in the movies, where an opponent will lick an Oreo when he's bluffing or scratch his head when he's value-betting.
There are all different levels of tells. Some players will wear their emotions on their sleeves and show weakness and strength. Others will try to give off deceptive tells and will act weak when strong and strong when weak. They may even take it one step further and give off reverse deceptive tells and act strong when strong and weak when weak. Still others will try not to give off any tells at all.
When I sit down at a new table, I try to determine which players are capable of doing what. Who plays straightforwardly? Who is capable of trickery and who is not? Who is trying to get inside an opponent's head and mixing up his play? Who is playing situations and who is playing just his cards?
In a 10-handed game, however, tells are not as important as you may believe. Even if I know that a player may be getting out of line, I have to think of the others yet to act behind me. I often can pick up tells and not be in a position to use it to my advantage. Often, I won't even be in the hand when I detect a tell, as more tells are given off after the flop than before.
When we're talking about a tell, what we're really looking for is a sign as to the relative strength of a player's hand. Of all the things we can look out for, there's one signal that remains the best indicator of an opponent's intentions. The great thing about this signal is that every player will give one for the entire table to see every time it's his turn to act.
What's the best way to read your opponent? Follow the money. To quote from an old Bob Dylan song, "money doesn't talk, it swears." Never is that more true than at the poker table. Every time you commit chips to the pot, it should have a purpose. To name a few, you could be value-betting, bluffing, probing, buying a free card on a later round, or calling with a marginal hand or a draw because the price is right.
Your opponents will be doing the same thing. Their bets will have a purpose. By following their betting patterns, you will pick up more useful information than you can gain by studying their mannerisms. Players can twitch, stammer, and play with their chips all day, and it may not reveal anything more than an abundance of nervous energy. Some will even be extremely talkative in their attempt to gain information or give off false information. Every time a player faces a decision, however, it all comes down to how many chips she's willing to commit, if any, to the pot. That's going to speak louder to her intentions than anything else. On the felt, money does more than talk. It swears, and if you're paying attention, it will wink and nod at you in a knowing fashion.
David Apostolico is the author of numerous poker strategy books, including Lessons from the Felt, Lessons from the Pro Poker Tour, and Tournament Poker and the Art of War. You can contact him at [email protected].
Kyle Bowker
Smooth Criminal
By Craig Tapscott
Kyle Bowker steals for a living; he's a silent thief who wields chips as a weapon and position as a blockade, waiting for an opponent to commit a lethal mistake. Then, it's all over. Next, please. Never one to celebrate a small victory, Bowker simply focuses on the next hand … and waits … quietly, patiently, in the moment.
Bowker credits patience and instincts as key reasons for his recent successes. "One thing I've developed over the last few months that I didn't have early in my game is patience," stated Bowker. "That was huge for me. You can get deep in a tournament with no chips and then just go on a rush. Also, I've learned to go with my instincts, that I can't fold when I feel like I'm good."
The Walton, New York, native's original intention was to make a career out of capturing thieves. Before discovering poker, Bowker graduated with an associates' degree in criminal justice. Inspired by Chris Moneymaker's fairy-tale win, he worked at Home Depot by day and practiced stealing pots online by night. Then, a big win, a PartyPoker Sunday tournament for $100,000, changed his career path. Casing opponents, highjacking pots, and making big scores seemed a lot more profitable than donning police blue. It was a totally legal occupation, but family members were skeptical.
Craig Tapscott: At 23 years old, you quit your job and career aspirations to pursue life as a poker professional. What did your wife and family think of this?
Kyle Bowker: Early on, they looked on it as gambling. Then, in a span of two weeks, I called my mom and told her I'd won $10,000, then another $20,000, and then the $100,000. It was then that they started to watch me play and realize it wasn't like going to the casino and playing slots. It's a skill game with luck involved. Of course, it helps that I've been winning consistently.
CT: It should. At the 2006 Binion's shorthanded event, you took second for $36,000, finished 37th in the World Series of Poker main event for $247,000, won two PokerStars
World Championship of Online Poker bracelets, in Omaha eight-or-better and stud eight-or-better, for a combined $170,000, and then took 19th in the
World Poker Tour North American Poker Championship for $48,000. Not many parents would send you to your room for that. To what do you credit your recent success?
KB: As I said before, patience, and I've learned to pick my spots: picking the right guys to go after if I want to bluff. I really have to pay attention. Also, picking the right situation when putting my money in. I don't want to get involved in too many coin flips preflop. I like Daniel Negreanu's game because he plays post-flop poker. That's what I try to do, because I believe I can outplay most opponents on the flop. If you are getting into coin flips all day long, you are not going to win tournaments.
CT: You mentioned reading betting patterns as one of the reasons you take down these tournaments. Care to elaborate?
KB: At one
WCOOP final table, almost every time a certain player raised, I called and then led out on the flop. At least four hands out of five, I would pick up the pot like that. If I led out on the flop, he was never calling unless he had close to the nuts or a really big draw. Most every time, I had nothing. Actually, if I had something, I check-raised him.
CT: What do you think your persona is at the table?
KB: I don't do handstands on chairs or celebrate when I win a hand. I'm pretty quiet. The guys who do that were all over TV. I wasn't on TV once. I'm fine with that. I go to play, and I go to win.
CT: Do you have any mentors or favorite players?
KB: I recently met Scott Fischman. I've always believed he has a great game. I think our games are very similar, in just talking with him. And this is good for me if my game is similar to his. I think that says something. Scott picks up a lot of pots because you never know what he's holding. The same goes for Phil Ivey. You don't want to be in a pot with these guys unless you have a hand, because you aren't going to outplay them. I don't go after guys like that unless I think I have a hand. I'd rather pick on the weaker players at the table. You've got to pick your spots, and those guys do the same thing.
CT: Congrats on the success.
Palms Poker Room Review
Address: Palms Casino Resort, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV, 89103
Phone Number - General: (702) 942-7777, (866) 942-7777
Phone Number - Poker Room: (702) 942-6451
Hotel URL: www.palms.com
Poker Room URL: www.palms.com/gaming_4.php
Poker Room Manager: Mike Vento
Number of Tables: 10
Most Popular Games: $2-$4 or $4-$8 with a half-kill limit Texas hold'em; $1-$2 and $2-$5 no-limit hold'em, $5-$10 and $10-$20 limit hold'em
Other Games: Omaha, stud, and high-stakes games available at group request
Tournaments: 10 a.m. Monday-Friday; $28 no-limit hold'em, $5 dealer appreciation gets a player an extra $500 in chips, $20 rebuys
Promotions: Football-squares promotion on Sunday and Monday nights; Diamond-flush promotion Tuesday through Saturday. For more details, contact the poker room supervisor.
Incentives: Players earn $1 per hour up to 10 hours a day, good anywhere in the casino, including the movie theater and spa.
The Palms poker room gets plenty of action around-the-clock, with 10 tables split among separate low- and high-limit rooms. The low-limit area is usually bustling, but the turnover is high, so the waiting time is not long. The high-limit area hosts no-limit and $5-$10 and $10-$20 limit hold'em games, and accommodates groups of players who wish to play Omaha, stud, or mixed-game variations.
Parking is convenient, with nearby lots, a covered garage, and valet parking leaving visitors only a few steps away from the poker room. Restrooms are located just outside the cardroom.
The tournaments are unique and affordable, with a $28 buy-in and a dealer appreciation promotion that enables players to increase their initial chip count from $500 to $1,000 for another $5. The tournaments also offer players multiple $20 rebuys.
Promotions include the
Football Squares on Sunday and Monday nights during football season, and the
Diamonds Are Forever promotion gives players a chance to win extra cash by qualifying for a weekly drawing with a diamond flush.
Palms Players Club members earn $1 per hour, up to $10 a day, and the cash accumulated can be redeemed anywhere in the casino, including the dining facilities, the movie theater, and the spa.
Poker Pro Ken Einiger Wins St. Kitts Ultimate Blackjack Tour Classic
First Team UBT Player to Capture Two First-Place Prizes
By Lisa Wheeler
Last year's Five-Diamond World Poker Classic runner-up Ken Einiger proved that poker skills and tournament experience translate well to blackjack. Einiger took down a field of pros and novices at the St. Kitts UBT Elimination Blackjack Classic recently, adding another notch to his belt.
He took home $64,000 in prize money and his second gold Ultimate Blackjack Tour champions necklace. He also won a $10,000 seat in the year-end $1 million-guaranteed UBT championship at California's Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino.
"I've played in hundreds of blackjack tournaments," said Einiger, "and with the exception of my World Blackjack Championship in 2005, none were as exciting as this."
Einiger is a member of the 14-player Team UBT, which includes well-known poker pros Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Freddy Deeb, and Antonio Esfandiari.
The St. Kitts tournament was the second of several stops along the UBT inaugural world tour, currently headed to major casinos in Las Vegas, California, Paris, and the Caribbean.
The 10-episode first season of Ultimate Blackjack Tour, currently airing on CBS, features the world's top poker and blackjack pros in cutthroat action against the dealer, and one another. Chock-full of forced eliminations, secret bets, and trash-talking, the season also includes two special episodes: The Ladies of Blackjack, which showcases top female gamblers Annie Duke, Jennifer Tilly, Monica Reeves, and Erica Schoenberg, and The Legends of Blackjack, featuring Einiger against pro blackjack cohorts Anthony Curtis, Sanford Wong, and others.
CBS will air Einiger's performance during the 2007 season of the Ultimate Blackjack Tour.
OK, after all of the questions I have answered, I think it's my turn to ask one! This is to all poker dealers: Do you want to make more money?
Obviously, since I am the guy who answers the questions and happens to be a former dealer, I'll go ahead and field this one, too. The answer is yes - and here is how:
With the recent restriction to Americans of some of my favorite online poker rooms, including my own, I have been forced to play more live games. What I have noticed in my return to the local cardrooms in Las Vegas is tons of no-limit hold'em games of all sizes. Another thing I have noticed is an issue that has probably never been discussed and one that I think is very important - so much so that I just can't hold my tongue. Luckily for me, I have been given the opportunity to share my opinions in a public forum.
So, dealers, the following is a situation that I witnessed in my $25-$50 no-limit hold'em game. After some significant action, Player A bet $1,200. Player B then counted out $1,200 from his stack, leaving only $56 left. The remaining $56 was in the form of one $25 chip, six $5 chips, and one $1 chip. Player B then pushed the $1,200 into the pot and said, "I call," and then put his remaining $56 from the table into his hand, as if to imply that he was all in. The dealer put the river card out, and with no discussion from either player or the dealer about Player B's remaining chips, the cards were turned over and the pot was pushed. Player A won the pot and Player B left the game with his $56.
Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but I believe it is, for a couple of reasons. Unfortunately, it is the dealer's job to be the bad guy at the table and enforce all the rules. In my opinion, the best way to keep all players happy and make more tips is to just simply follow all the rules. No player will get mad at you for enforcing a rule; however, many will be furious if you don't. For example, in this case, had you made sure that Player B put his last $50 in the pot (most games stipulate that all money in increments of the lowest-denomination chips in play in the game count; in this case, all money in increments of $25 was in action), nobody would have had any reason whatsoever to be upset with you.
However, by not forcing the remaining money to go in, Player A might get very mad. I myself have been in Player A's situation before, and did not speak up at the table because I didn't want to seem like a greedy, bloodsucking animal and complain about a few extra dollars; however, silently I was begging the dealer to make Player B put his money in there. I can't say how other players think or react, but I know that the dealer involved in my situation didn't get a very good tip, but would have gotten an extra tip had he enforced the rule. I assure you, nobody at the table will get mad at you if you speak up and make the money go in. It is part of the game.
Here is another reason for making sure that all the money goes in: Let's say that you have pushed the pot to Player A and shuffled up the cards for the next hand. Now, you glance over and see that Player B is still sitting at the table with his $56. What now? Do you deal him in? Does his $50 still play? I am not really sure, but I think that, technically, since he has enough to cover the big blind, he is still eligible for a hand. So, now you deal him in, and he either plays his hand or not, but two other players get involved in the pot, which results in significant action, and you have now affected the outcome of the game for more than just players A and B. By doing this, you may have just created yet another silent enemy who will never tip you again, and you don't even know it. So, to all poker room personnel: Since I want you to make the most amount of money possible, and I'm sure you do, too, please spread the word.
Harrah's Announces 2007 World Series of Poker Director, Starting Dates
World Series of Poker is in Good Hands Again
By Lisa Wheeler
Harrah's Western Division Vice President of Specialty Gaming Howard Greenbaum announced that Jack Effel has stepped up to become the 2007 World Series of Poker tournament director, while this year's tournament director, Robert Daily, has accepted the duties of next year's event director.
Harrah's also announced that the 38th WSOP will start on June 1, 2007, and the final table of the $10,000 main event will take place on Tuesday, July 17, which is nearly a month earlier than the date of this year's final table.
"Jack and Bob know the poker business inside out," said Greenbaum. "Given the enormous complexity of hosting an event of this magnitude, it's important to have truly exceptional people overseeing the details. Jack and Bob fit that description."
As tournament director, Effel will oversee a wide variety of tournament operations, including dealer and floorperson staffing, tournament rules, payout percentages, structures for satellites, and second-chance tournaments.
Daily's duties as event director will include management of accounting, auditing, and cage operations, as well as office staffing, registrations, and convention services.
"Improving tournament operations is our top priority for 2007," said World Series of Poker Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. "Howard will provide clear leadership and one-stop shopping on all things poker, and Jack and Bob will manage the tournament and event operations day-to-day. This is a winning combination that deepens our bench and will result in a better experience for players and spectators."
With a total gross prize pool of more than $171 million and in excess of 48,000 player registrations, the 37th-annual World Series of Poker shattered every participation and prize-money record for a live poker event. The top prize for the $10,000 no-limit Texas hold'em championship reached $12 million.
Online Hand-to-Hand Combat: Jordan Morgan, aka iMsoLucky0, Traps With a Big Hand
By Craig Tapscott
Want to study real poker hands with the Internet's most successful players? In this new series, Card Player offers hand analysis with online poker's leading talent. And, as an added bonus, you can check out additional live video commentary provided by the pros at www.CardPlayer.com/h2hc.
Event: $200 no-limit hold'em rebuy tournament on PokerStars
Players: 221
First-Place Prize Money: $44,715
Stacks: iMsoLucky0 - $13,543, Villain - $28,191
Blinds: $200-$400
Preflop: iMsoLucky0 is under the gun with the K
K
and raises to $1,200. Villain is in the big blind and reraises to $3,800. iMsoLucky0 calls $2,600 more.
Craig Tapscott: So, why just a call in position with K-K?
Jordan Morgan: He raised fairly quickly. At this point, I chose just to call his raise based on a few things. First, he had a bunch of chips for this level, and I knew he was an overly aggressive player. Also, because of the speed and size of his bet, I thought he was very weak and did not have a hand with which he could call a push. It seemed that he was wanting to make a bet big enough to get me to fold, but didn't want to commit himself, and I definitely wanted to double up here.
Flop: Q
3
2
($8,400 pot); both players check.
CT: What was your strategy for checking behind?
JM: My opponent easily could have a queen for a top-pair hand, and if he has a middle pair, the queen shouldn't scare him away. Also, if he was on a complete bluff, this looks like a flop that isn't likely to have hit me, so he should be able to bluff more. He checked to me, and now I was convinced that he had a very weak hand.
CT: What did you put him on then?
JM: If he had a middle pair, like pocket eights, he would have bet the flop, as not to let me hit an ace, as so many people like to say. Because I was sure that he had at best three outs, I checked behind, trying to induce more action.
Turn: 2
JM: Villain went all in, which would put me all in for $9,700. OK, now I was 100 percent sure he had very little. The only thing he could check on the flop that beats me would have to be a monster (a set or aces), and if he did have a monster, there is no way he would overbet push the turn and try to scare me away. So, I called quickly, and he was drawing dead.
River: 5
Results: Final pot, $27,436; Villain shows the 8
6
, iMsoLucky0 wins with the K
K
.
CT: Wasn't just calling a reraise preflop risky with K-K?
JM: Usually, I wouldn't advocate just calling preflop with aces or kings, but some situations warrant it. With the stack sizes and actions here, I think it was the best play in this spot.
CT: Were you playing off your table image?
JM: Yes. In this hand, I was able to capitalize on my aggressive image and trap another aggressive player into putting in a lot of chips on a bluff. I had been playing my standard aggressive game and raising a lot of pots, and I knew sooner or later that someone would play back at me. That is exactly what happened in this hand, and I was able to extract the most value possible because of it.
To see this hand animated and narrated with additional analysis by iMsoLucky0, visit www.CardPlayer.com/h2hc.
Jordan (iMsoLucky0) Morgan is a highly accomplished player both online and live, having won many online tournaments. Jordan cashed in four events at the 2006 World Series of Poker, including one final table. His most recent live-action finish was second place in the $10,000 main event of the U.S. Poker Championship which was good for $405,000.
Talking About Poker
By Tim Peters
Winning Secrets of Poker: Interviews with the Game's Best Players by Peter Thomas Fornatale (DRF Press, $24.95)
"One thing … that separates good players from bad players or developing players is that good players understand how much luck there is in the game." That's a quote from one of 18 players in this excellent new book by Peter Fornatale, the author of
The Poker Aficionado and co-author of
Six Secrets of Successful Bettors. I don't think the "Anonymous Midwestern Pro" who said that in conversation with Fornatale meant that poker isn't a game of skill. What he's saying is this: You have to recognize, and acknowledge, the vagaries of chance in poker if you want to be successful (and keep your sanity). You've got to have the fortitude to endure the volatility; "It's all one long game," as Fornatale sums it up in his introduction. And you've got to understand that lucky draws are what keep amateurs in the game (if everyone played perfect poker, the profit potential would evaporate).
That's a lesson that Phil Hellmuth, apparently, has not learned. In his interview, the first in the book, he said, "If you make a bonehead move and I beat you, I'll never say a word. It's only when [other players] make a bonehead move and beat me that I'll say something." As the "Poker Brat" acknowledges, "That's just me … I'm John McEnroe." But he must realize at some level that his outbursts aren't good for the game, in practical terms (we
want players to make bad calls) and philosophical ones (arrogance and rudeness are simply not sporting or acceptable). But to his credit, Hellmuth is trying to improve: "I want to show more class at the poker table."
Showing more class at the poker table is one of the major themes of this highly readable and highly interesting collection of interviews. "I have a lot more respect for players who do not feel the need to belittle their opponents," noted Matt Lessinger (author of
The Book of Bluffs), mentioning TV coverage of outrageous behavior. Irish pro Padraig Parkinson was more vehement: "The TV mistakes behaving like an a------ for being a character … [A] lot of these young players coming into the game don't understand the concept of sportsmanship." And Ted Forrest believes that sportsmanship is central to winning: "I think I've enjoyed a lot of my success at the poker table in large part due to the fact that I don't let anything that happens there turn me into a mean, rotten person."
It's refreshing to see so many professional players embrace the notion of playing the game with civility, but the book covers so much more. Fornatale has done a superb job of getting players to talk about a huge range of poker-related topics: Lessinger is eloquent on "what makes a successful bluff." Daniel Negreanu, one of the more articulate players on the circuit today, discusses why the aggressive, "smash-mouth, in-your-face, raise-it-up style" is effective, and points out the strategic differences between limit and no-limit games (in "both games, aggressive play is important, but in no-limit, trapping and setting traps is a lot more important"). Negreanu also offers a very interesting critique of Hellmuth's play, and explains why big slick is "one of the more misplayed hands in Texas hold'em."
Another poker author, Ed Miller (one of Two Plus Two's stable), offers a great perspective on the limits of book learning and the importance of hand reading: "The thing that really made me become a winner was starting to understand how other players thought and played." Forrest talks about the different routes to poker success: "Poker is going to be some combination of science and art, mathematics and psychology. I tend to put more emphasis on the psychology and the art of poker." And some of the interviews are interesting simply because they are so provocative. Sports bettor extraordinaire Alan Boston attacks the
World Poker Tour ("it should be boycotted by every player") and is remarkably forthcoming about the spiritual malaise that permeates the life of a gambler, even a successful one.
Not all of the interviews are particularly useful. Liz Lieu and John Phan, for example, are fine players, but not articulate enough - perhaps not experienced enough - to provide much insight into their game (there's nothing you'll learn from either interview that you haven't read before in h
