This Week in Poker -- August 21 – 27

Check out CardPlayer.com every Friday for a weekly wrap-up of the news from the live poker tournament trail.

Card Player Player of the Year Update

The Card Player Player of the Year Race is brought to you by Bodog

1: Thomas Marchese — 4,766
2: Sorel Mizzi — 3,862
3: Jared Jaffee — 3,478 (pictured right)
4: Jeffrey Papola — 3,420
5: Dwyte Pilgrim — 3,376
6: Mike Beasley — 3,320
7: Valdemar Kwaysser — 3,280
8: Frank Kassela — 3,264
9: Miguel Proulx — 3,190
10: Tomer Berda — 3,072

This Week in Poker

Jared Jaffee Joins the POY Top 3 at WPT Legends of Poker

The buy-in at the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker was lowered to $5,000 in 2010. It turned out to be a good move because in 2009, with the buy-in at $10,000, the tournament only attracted a field of 279 players. This year 462 players entered the main event at the Bicycle Casino, representing 65.6 percent year-over-year growth.

The tournament was especially tough for big-name professionals. A large number of them busted out of the tournament after the money bubble burst on day 3, and during the play-down period to the final table the situation did not improve. Jonathan Little was the last previous WPT winner standing, but he busted in 12th place.

This did open a door of opportunity for the up-and-comers in the field, including previous Legends of Poker final-table contestants Kyle Wilson and Tom Lee. Wilson took sixth at Legends one year ago and he improved on that finish to take the No. 2 spot in 2010. Wilson was awarded $370,000 in prize money and 1,600 Card Player Player of the Year points, which puts him in 81st place overall. Lee took sixth at Legends in 2004 and this year he took third place, taking home $174,772 in prize money and 1,280 points (157th place overall).

The biggest winner at the final table was champion Andrew Frankenberger. He took home the WPT title and $750,000 in prize money in addition to 1,920 points. Frankenberger jumped up to 18th place in the standings with 2,760 points thanks to a tournament victory he scored earlier in the year, winning a $2,000 no-limit hold’em event at the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza in June.

Jared Jaffee made the most notable leap in the POY standings at the Legends of Poker. He finished in fifth place, which was good for $86,000 and 800 points. Jaffee has now made six final tables is 2010 and he holds 3,478 points. Jaffee is now in third place in the standings, just 1,288 points behind the current leader Thomas Marchese.

Here is the break down of the prize money and POY points awarded at the WPT Legends of Poker final table:

1: Andrew Frankenberger — $750,000 (1,920 points)
2: Kyle Wilson — $370,000 (1,600 points)
3: Tom Lee — $174,772 (1,280 points)
4: Tom Braband — $109,000 (960 points)
5: Jared Jaffee — $86,000 (800 points)
6: Franco Brunetti — $63,000 (640 points)

Headlines:

WPT — Andrew Frankenberger Wins Legends of Poker
Poker Hall of Fame Accepting Online Nominations
Serb Wins High Roller at Full Tilt Cyprus Poker Classic
Andreas Krause Wins Full Tilt Cyprus Poker Classic Main Event

Looking Ahead

PokerStars EPT Vilamoura €5,000 Main Event

Event Schedule

WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Council Bluffs $1,600 Main Event

Event Schedule

WPT London Poker Classic £5,000 Main Event

Event Schedule

APT Philippines

Event Schedule

Commerce Hold’em Series

Event Schedule

Gulf Coast Poker Championship

Event Schedule

The River $3 Million Guaranteed Poker Series – Oklahoma

Event Schedule

Indiana State Poker Championship

Event Schedule

Bay 101 Open

Event Schedule

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