The Poker Year In Review -- Part 2The Major Headlines From January Through June |
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This is part two of a two-part series that looks back on all of the major headlines in the poker world from 2011. Click here for part one.
July
WSOP Main Event Draws Strong Numbers
After Black Friday, everyone expected a slight drop off in numbers for the World Series of Poker main event, and, overall, they were right. That being said, this year’s field did reach an impressive 6,865 entrants, creating a total prize pool of over $64 million. Despite the 454-player decline from the previous year, the 2011 main event is still ranked as the third largest of all time. The final eight players were made instant millionaires and the winner took home an incredible $8,711,956.
August
A-Rod Investigated By MLB for Playing Poker
New York Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez got into some hot water this summer after it was reported that he participated in an underground poker game. It was believed that Rodriguez played in a star-studded home game that included celebrities such as Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon among others. Major League Baseball launched a probe into the allegations. After their investigation, it was determined that Rodriguez would not face any sanctions for his actions.
Germany’s Up and Down Look at Legalized Online Poker
This summer, Germany began to take a long, hard look at online poker. The state of Schleswig-Holstein became the first state to regulate online poker thanks to the lobbying efforts of PokerStars to push intrastate poker. However, one week later, the other 15 states in the country began to talk about an overall ban of online poker and for now, Germany’s legislation on the matter is at a standstill. Considering the current WSOP champion resides in Germany, it will be interesting to see in the coming year if poker’s popularity can push lawmakers towards legalization.
September
Department of Justice Claims Full Tilt Poker Was a Ponzi Scheme
The poker world suffered another black eye in September when the U.S. Department of Justice made headlines once again, this time accusing Full Tilt Poker and its board members of working to defraud poker players out of more than $440 million. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement that “Full Tilt was not a legitimate poker company, but a global Ponzi scheme,” while, “insiders lined their own pockets with funds picked from the pockets of their most loyal customers while blithely lying to both players and the public alike about the safety and security of the money deposited with the company.” Though named in the civil indictment, Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Rafe Furst have not been charged with criminal offenses. unlike CEO Ray Bitar. None of those principals is likely to have any future role with the company, now that an agreement has been reached to sell the site to Groupe Bernard Tapie, a French corporation that has a reputation for turning bankrupt businesses around.
October
WSOP Europe Draws Record Fields
The switch from London, England to Cannes, France proved to be a resounding success for tournament organizers of the World Series of Poker Europe. The main event’s field grew from 346 in 2010 to 593, generating a total prize pool of €5,692,800. When it was over, American Elio Fox had claimed the title and a first-place prize of €1.4 million. Other notables who won bracelets during the series included Steve Billirakis, Tristan Wade, Philippe Boucher and Michael Mizrachi.
November
Barry Greenstein and Linda Johnson Enter Poker Hall of Fame
Shortly before the conclusion of the WSOP main event, longtime poker contributors Barry Greenstein and Linda Johnson were inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. Greenstein and Johnson beat out Jennifer Harman, John Juanda, Marcel Luske, Jack McClelland, Tom McEvoy, Scotty Nguyen, Huck Seed, and Annie Duke to be the 2011 class. There are now 42 members in the PHOF. In order to be considered, a 40-year-old and above candidate must have played consistently well against top competition for high stakes and have stood the test of time, while also gaining the respect of their peers. Non-players must have contributed to the overall growth and success of the game.
ESPN Draws Big Audiences with Revolutionary Poker Television
ESPN’s semi-live coverage of the WSOP main event final table and the November Nine proved to be a huge hit with not only the poker community, but with non-poker enthusiasts as well. The action showed unedited action from the table, with the holecards exposed after the hand was over. ESPN Senior Director of Programming Doug White declined to comment on the future of televised poker on the network, but did say that the good ratings are a positive sign for more hours of devoted poker coverage, even with the lack of online poker advertising. It is estimated that nearly 1 million viewers watched Pius Heinz take down the title over ESPN’s three different network channels.
December
Card Player Launches Native American Casino Poker Tour
The absence of online poker has created an increased demand for live poker tournaments in the U.S. In order to help satisfy that need, Card Player announced the birth of the Native American Casino Poker Tour. Card Player has partnered with Native American casino properties across the country to offer a wide variety of games with buy-ins to suit bankrolls of all sizes. The inaugural event was held in December at the Choctaw Casino in Durant, Oklahoma where Kirk Stewart officially became the first NACPT champion in history.
Department of Justice Changes Stance on Internet Poker
A couple of days before Christmas, the DOJ publicly released a legal opinion that offered clarification on the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 — a federal law that has complicated efforts to legalize Internet poker. The 13-page document said the correct interpretation is that the law only prohibits sports betting. The move came a day after the Nevada Gaming Commission adopted regulations for an intrastate online poker industry. The developments put online poker in Nevada on a fast track to reality.♠
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