Retailers hoping to cash in on national poker craze

WIStv.com Columbia, SC: Retailers hoping to cash in on national poker craze (National) Nov. 29, 2004 - From celebrities going for broke on the Bravo Network, to the pros playing on ESPN, to the world poker tour on the travel channel, poker is turning up everywhere, enjoying new life as America's game of choice. Steve Lipscomb with the World Poker Tour explains, "Without televised poker, we wouldn't be sitting around talking about how exciting it is and how the entire country is playing poker." The game most people are playing is Texas Hold 'em, where each player gets two cards face down, then fills out their hand from shared cards which are dealt face up. Poker has become so popular that jackpots are into the millions, with millions of people watching the action on TV. It's those kinds of numbers and an estimated 60 million people playing poker at least once a month that have retailers upping the ante this holiday season. The Sharper Image can barely keep its poker games in stock. How to books and DVD's are already big sellers. Even the World Poker Tour is betting on a line of licensed products from hats and T-shirts, to electronics, to underwear to chips. For casinos like the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, poker room manager Tom Gitto says the game is an ace in the hole, "There's nothing growing like poker is growing right now in the casino industry. It's by far the number one growing game that there is." Last year in Nevada's casinos, more than $1.5 billion was bet on poker. Lipscomb says there's good reason, "This is the great American card game. It's been around for a long time and if you think about it, poker is to games what jazz is to music. It's very democratic. It is very American."

TV-fueled poker revival attracts Strip casinos

Las Vegas SUN: TV-fueled poker revival attracts Strip casinos By Liz Benston Lasd Vegas Sun Caesars Palace will open its first poker room in at least 12 years in response to the burgeoning popularity of poker, while Bellagio and Bally's Las Vegas are considering expanding their poker areas. Many properties on the Las Vegas Strip still do not have poker rooms or closed their poker rooms years ago, preferring to install more profitable slot machines. But a proliferation of television coverage on poker has changed that, operators say. "(Poker) has become immensely popular," Caesars Palace President Mark Juliano said. The poker room, at around 15,000 square feet, will open by about March or April adjacent to the sports book as well as a nightclub now under construction. Pure, the first nightclub at Caesars Palace and one of the largest yet on the Strip, is expected to open on New Year's Eve. MGM Grand, which closed its poker room in the late 1990s, will reopen its room near the sports book by the end of March. The room will contain 25 tables compared with 31 tables at The Mirage and 30 tables at Bellagio, other MGM Mirage properties. Bellagio, which opened with a high-end poker room in 1998, is considering expanding its poker room based on increased casino traffic at Bellagio and The Mirage, MGM Mirage Director of Sports and Promotions Scott Ghertner said. Ghertner said he wasn't aware of any plans to add poker rooms at the company's New York-New York and Treasure Island resorts. Caesars Entertainment Inc. has no plans to add a poker room at its Paris Las Vegas property but is considering expanding its existing poker area at neighboring Bally's Las Vegas. Bally's has seven poker tables and may add three more to meet customer demand, spokeswoman Stacy Solovey said. Poker games still don't make much money for casinos but have become a mainstream attraction that can't be ignored, said Max Rubin, author of "Comp City" and a casino consultant. "Poker rooms were dying until the recent popularity of poker on television," Rubin said. "It's a really low margin business. It will only make like $60 to $70 an hour for a table that's taking up a lot of square footage." Poker has become such a draw that players now have to wait for a seat at the table and are gambling while they wait, he said. "They tend to attract people who want to play against the (pros)," Rubin said. "The (amateurs) like to play other games," he said. Poker can also help casinos attract the younger customers they covet, he said. Caesars' nearby nightclub will also draw young people who could be lured to other games in the casino via poker, he said.

Affleck to compete in Euro poker championship

IOL: Affleck to compete in Euro poker championship: "Affleck to compete in Euro poker championship" Ben Affleck and British singer Robbie Williams are going head-to-head in a star-studded $1.3m (€980,873) poker competition. Celebrity poker players from around the world will descend on Monte Carlo next March in a bid to scoop the big money jackpot in a competition which has been described as the European version of the World Poker Series. The Daredevil actor and Angels hitmaker are first to sign for the big game, but The Bourne Identity star Matt Damon and Moulin Rouge! Beauty Nicole Kidman are also tipped to take part. The stars will join other famous names from the world of sport, music and film and seasoned poker professionals and amateurs. Heartthrob Affleck is a strong contender after scooping a $360,000 (€271,560) prize by winning the California State Poker Championship in June.

baltimoresun.com - The new face of poker

baltimoresun.com - The new face of poker: "The new face of poker" By John Vaughn Special To The Sun Everything that was once grand about Atlantic City seems to have washed out into the sepia tones of memory. The Steel Pier is gone. Miss America is a quaint relic in the time of Britney Spears and Extreme Makeover. Even saltwater taffy has no place in our low-carb world. But the casinos remain - those enormous, glittering respirators keeping the city alive even though its heart may have stopped beating long ago. And now the casinos are hitting the jackpot with No-Limit Texas Hold'em, the wildly popular brand of poker that seems to have swept the nation. Once a game associated with con men and criminals, poker is now the realm of celebrities playing for charity on Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown. ESPN covers the World Series of Poker as if it were the other World Series. Professional players considered degenerates as little as two years ago now hawk books on talk shows and have sitcom development deals. And there is an overwhelming demand - from curious amateurs to card-shark wannabes - to play the game. At the Tropicana Casino and Resort, 2,800 new players signed up for a Trop Poker Club Card in a recent three-month span. The Trump Taj Mahal averages more than a thousand tournament players a week. Walking through the glass doors of the Tropicana's Poker Turf Club, I felt like I had stepped into a fine gentleman's club. If it weren't for the plasma TVs and lack of smoke, I would have sworn Frank Sinatra was playing that night. Silver-haired men in expensive-looking suits directed me through rooms paneled in heavy mahogany and hunter green leather to a table where a neat stack of chips stood at attention. Those chips would soon be my chips. I was about to test my luck in a No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament. Cards, please In Texas Hold'em, each player is dealt two hole cards, face down. Three cards are then turned up at once (the Flop), and two more cards are turned up individually (the Turn and the River). Each player makes the best five-card hand using his two hole cards and three of the five community cards. In No-Limit Hold'em, you can bet as much as you want, up to all of your chips, at any time. It's exciting - and dangerous. You can win or lose everything on one bet. Luckily, tournaments let you experience the thrill of No-limit Hold'em for as little as $20 and allow you to play with a lot more chips than you could otherwise afford. My $2,000 in tournament chips, for example, cost $50. The action is fast-paced, thanks to a rapidly increasing ante - called a "blind" - and players have the chance to win thousands of dollars for a relatively small investment. You can find a tournament every day of the week at one of Atlantic City's main poker rooms: The Borgata, Trump Taj Mahal and the Tropicana. While the game is the same, there are some important differences to keep in mind when deciding where to play. For instance, at the Borgata and Tropicana, if you get into trouble, you can buy more chips in the middle of a tournament - it's called a re-buy. The only way to get more chips at the Taj is to win them from someone else. Entering the fray I separated my chips by color and sized up my opponents: a college student who brought her boyfriend to play in his first tournament, some guys in their 30s who looked like they cared way too much, and a gaggle of older gentleman who looked like they couldn't care less. Flat-screen monitors hung around the Trop's poker room displaying the time left in the current round, the amount of the blinds and an enormous number "130." I asked the guy next to me what that number meant, and he told me that it was the number of people left in the tournament. "Great," I said. "Now everyone will see that big '129' when I make my perp walk out of here." No one laughed. I took a few hits early on, so I called for a re-buy. A hostess came over to the table. I gave her another $50, and the dealer handed me $2,000 in fresh tournament chips. If I could make it to the end of the third round, I could get an even better deal: That same $50 would let me add on 4,000 chips if I needed them. Add-ons and re-buys give players a break and increase the size of the prize pool, but many players don't like them. "They make the game too erratic," says Ken Gallo, a casual player from Woodland, N.J. "If someone gets knocked out, they can just re-buy back in, so they'll play crazy hands they shouldn't be playing." Easy for him to say. Gallo would go on to finish in the money at the Taj's tournament that night. I needed all the help I could get. My next hand was shaping up to be a monster: ace-king hole cards. I threw what felt like a very real $1,800 worth of chips at the center of the table. I thought the Atlantic Ocean surf had swelled over the Boardwalk right into the casino, but it was only my heart pounding inside my ears. A paunchy guy in a blue velour track suit and the undergrad's heavily gelled boyfriend called my bet. I twisted my face into the most menacing (but nonrevealing) scowl I could muster. The dealer turned over ace, seven, 10 in the Flop. I now had a commanding pair of aces. My hands went numb. My two adversaries tapped the table, indicating a check - meaning they did not want to bet - and waited to see what I would do. The white noise of riffling chips and murmured conversations vanished as eight sets of eyes bored in on me. I couldn't see or hear anything; I could only smell the fear at the table - unfortunately, I couldn't tell if it was mine. High rollers If you enjoy the pixilated pyramids and dancing fountains of the Atlantic City strip, then head to the Borgata. The dazzling new casino resort in the Marina district has more than met its promise to bring Vegas-style glamour to New Jersey. And the Borgata's poker room is definitely a high roller. In front of a luxurious waiting area replete with a full-service deli is the "Queue Enlister." Attractive young women wearing suits and headphones stand behind a granite counter the size of a small runway waiting to escort you to a game. Two enormous flat-screen monitors hang above their heads, discreetly listing the available games and the initials of the people waiting to get into them. As a warm-up for the Tropicana tournament later that day, I decided to sit down at a live, or "ring," game. In tournament play, you're in until you've lost everything or the tournament is over and you've won money. In a live game, you can cash out whenever you want. In addition, live games allow you to choose among various betting limits, and those limits don't change during the game. While the Borgata caters to a young, hip clientele, I faced off against the quintessential Atlantic City gambler: an elderly day-tripper who had arrived on a bus. Mary Green, who lives outside Philadelphia, plays at the Borgata because "it's a nicer crowd. I used to play at the Taj," she says, "but it's the same old people. They argue and fight a lot." Like millions of others, Mary watches poker on TV, and she plays for fun. "I'm not experienced," she says, "but I learn what to hold and what to fold." When I got up from the table two hours later, with only $7 left of my original $80, Mary was still playing. I'm pretty sure she had most of the money I lost. Taking a gamble Back at the Trop, with my commanding pair, I glanced at the $5,700 in the pot, fingered my dwindling stack of chips and made sure my ace was still in the hole. Mary Green and my lost $73 were a distant memory. "All in," I said, though my mouth was so dry I could barely speak. I pushed the remainder of my chips into the middle of the table. They don't call it "No-Limit" for nothing. When both of the players still in the hand called my bet, I knew I was in trouble. After someone goes "all in," all players still in the hand turn over their hole cards for all the world to see, and the rest is up to the dealer. My ace-king was up against an ace-seven and a pair of queens. My monster hand was now hiding under the bed. I had the queens beat, but those aces and sevens had me in a bad spot. The dealer turned over a five on the Turn. No help for anyone. And then, after a brief pause, he turned over the last card - the River - and my last chance. Many tables, long games The Taj Mahal is the biggest poker room in the city and the place to go for serious high-limit action. Outdated Arabic-themed crown molding and faded Rat Pack posters adorn the off-white walls of the cavernous room. But what the Taj lacks in decor it makes up for in excitement. When its 80 tables - nearly double that of any other poker room in the city - aren't being used for live games with betting limits up to $300, they are the scene of international tournaments like the Trump Classic and the U.S. Poker Championship. Tom Gitto, the Taj poker room manager, attributes the success of his room to the experience of his staff and the fact that the daily tournaments offer players more tournament chips - 5,000 - than any other casino. "Because we have so many tables, we can afford to let them play longer," he says of the poker players. Ken Gallo echoed the sentiment of many casual players. "I play at the Taj because it has the best players, and I want to play against the best." Scott Griffin, poker manager at the Tropicana, suggests it's not the best players that make the Taj so attractive, but the worst. "Everyone who thinks they know how to play poker but really doesn't goes to the Taj," he says. "And it only takes one fish at a table to make the game very attractive for real players, so they all follow them there." Exhilarating encounter I must have looked like something out of Finding Nemo at the Tropicana when, after pushing all of my chips into the pot, the dealer turned over the last card - a queen - and my young gel-headed opponent won the hand with three of a kind. I stood up from the table, wished everyone good luck and walked out under the mocking glow of the "110" flashing above my head. It's bad enough when the shooter rolls a seven at the craps table, or the blackjack dealer turns over a 21 to beat your 20, but you know going in that, ultimately, the house always wins. Getting knocked out of a poker tournament hurts because it's so personal. Those other players took my chips like bullies stealing a kid's lunch money. And the truth is, I loved every minute of it. My 90 minutes at the table cost me $115 - $50 buy-in, $50 re-buy and $15 entry fee - and it was worth every penny. No-Limit Texas Hold'em is a game of skill that requires patience, cunning and controlled aggression. Tournaments let you play the game in an environment that keeps the amount of real money at risk to a safe amount. The confrontational nature of competing against other players that makes a loss so painful also makes the game infinitely more exhilarating than watching the random spin of a roulette wheel or tumble of the dice. And unlike any other game in the casino, since you're not playing against the house, you have, at least in theory, a better chance to win. Getting there: From Baltimore, take I-95 north across the Delaware Memorial Bridge and follow Route 40 east to the Atlantic City Expressway. Take the expressway south to Atlantic City. No-Limit Texas Hold'em: You can find a tournament any day of the week in Atlantic City. Buy-in and entry fees range from $20 and $10, respectively, to $200 and $25, depending on the day of the week. In tournament play, all monies collected - excluding entry fees - are paid out. The total amount depends on the number of entrants, the cost of the buy-in and the number of re-buys and add-ons. Generally, winners can take home between $3,500 and $10,000.

New tour features top poker players

New tour features top poker players By Kyle Nagel Dayton Daily News The high end of professional poker on television is now invitation-only. WPT Enterprises, which produces World Poker Tour events that air on the Travel Channel, has created a new venture, the Professional Poker Tour. Unlike World Poker Tour events, which can be entered by anyone with money to spare, PPT entries are earned by qualification. Around 200 players qualified for the PPT. Players are given exemptions of different lengths based on performance. Ron Rose, a Dayton resident and professional poker player, was given a three-year exemption to the PPT, the longest available. "It's something like the PGA," Rose said from Mashantucket, Conn., the site of the first PPT event. "Not just everybody can buy in, you have to qualify. I think that would make it more fun to watch, knowing that you're watching the best in poker." While WPT Enterprises has not yet announced where the PPT events will air, it already has started filming. The tournament at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket will finish with the final table today. The PPT will be a five-event tour with a $2.5 million total purse. There are several criteria that automatically qualify players for the PPT: making the final table at a World Poker Tour event or championship, scoring in the Top 10 on the WPT points list, winning or placing "highly" in the $10,000 buy-in event at the World Series of Poker, earning a spot on CardPlayer Magazine's Card Player of the Year Top 10 list or Poker Europa's Top 10 or being a member of the Poker Hall of Fame. Rose won the WPT's Battle of Champions, which aired on Super Bowl Sunday last year. "This qualifying process ensures that the television audience will have a chance to consistently see the most exciting, skilled poker player and the sport's all-stars," said Steve Lipscomb, president of WPT Enterprises, in a statement. "The PPT will be a league of poker titans."

Sports: 2003 World Series of Poker DVD

Sports: 2003 World Series of Poker DVD Seven hours of uncut coverage. November 24, 2004 - Poker has become a national phenomenon of late as you can't turn on the television without seeing everyone from celebrities to professional players throwing down pairs and full houses or trying to bluff their way through a hand with a couple of twos. It's this combination of luck and skill that serve the drama of each event, but no poker event holds more drama than the famous World Series of Poker. With millions of dollars on the line and the elite players sitting across from each other all in the same building, if you want to learn what it takes to elevate your game to the professional level, all you have to do is check out a few hands, a few stone faces, betting more than most people make in a year on a few lucky ladies. In hopes of sucking even more people into this poker phenomenon, ESPN recently released the 2003 World Series of Poker on DVD, an improbable event with an improbable finish, and the man who walks away with the money personifies the term underdog maybe better than any champion who ever stared down their opponent, collecting all the chips, all the loot with a full house of fives over fours. And in that one hand, one man became a multimillionaire. In the 2-disc DVD, you'll follow the story of Chris Moneymaker, a man who entered the tournament online for $40 and played his way to riches. The DVD plays uncut, without commercial interruptions, and has key chapter points enabling you to jump around to some of the most heated hands of the tournament. Now, watching people play cards might sound like something about as exciting as watching Shaq take free throw practice, but the more you watch, the more you learn about the different players, the more you actually learn about the game, the odds, and what it takes to be a winner at No Limit Texas Hold Em. The DVD has so much poker, it's almost overwhelming, as there are seven hours of ESPN's telecast in full screen digital format, and to top it off, there are some cool interviews with some of the legendary players at the tables, including Phil Hellmuth, T.J. Cloutier, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Howard Lederer, Annie Duke, and Scotty Nguyen. If that's not enough poker for you, there are also a few bonus segments from Cold Pizza and Pardon the Interruption, showcasing their own unique coverage of the tournament. But in the end, this DVD is all about the drama of Chris Moneymaker as you sweat it out with him through every hand and watch one of the most improbable finishes in the history of the tournament. The 34th annual World Series of Poker might just be the best in the series, and now it's finally here on DVD for fans to further analyze every card. You never know, you might just learn enough to enter the tournament yourself next year. For more information on the 2003 World Series of Poker DVD, check out www.championshipdvd.com.

Comedian Kevin Nealon Set to Host POKER ROYALE: THE WPPA CHAMPIONSHIP on GSN

Comedian Kevin Nealon Set to Host POKER ROYALE: THE WPPA CHAMPIONSHIP on GSN SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Kevin Nealon, most recognized for the characters he created and played as the longest running cast member in history on "Saturday Night Live," has signed on to host GSN's new original six-episode series, POKER ROYALE: THE WPPA CHAMPIONSHIP, premiering on Tuesday, December 7 at 9:00PM ET/PT. Nealon will lend his humor and wit to the series by commentating on the amateur and professional poker player's hands as they ante up for their chance to win the tournament, and a chance to split $10 million dollars with a GSN viewer in the $10 Million Poker Sweepstakes. Filmed at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, POKER ROYALE: THE WPPA CHAMPIONSHIP will allow poker fans across the country to enjoy the action of No Limit Texas Hold'em with buy-ins and blinds (a bet put in play before any cards are dealt) designed to emphasize skill over luck. Players include Carlos Mortensen, Kathy Liebert and Paul Wolfe. Currently, Nealon's voice can be heard as OCD Ken on Comedy Central's "Crank Yankers." His other television credits include "The Larry Sanders Show," "Dharma and Greg" and "Third Rock from the Sun." Nealon has also starred in over two dozen films including "Happy Gilmore," "The Wedding Singer," "Anger Management" and "8 Crazy Nights." GSN, the Network for Games, is the only U.S. television network dedicated to game-related programming and interactive game playing. The network features game shows, reality series, documentaries and casino games. GSN is the industry leader in interactivity and as such allows viewers a chance to win prizes by playing along with GSN's televised games via GSN.com. Reaching 57 million Nielsen homes, GSN is distributed in the U.S. through all major cable systems and satellite providers. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation. For further media information, visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com. World Poker Players Association (WPPA) is the only player's organization representing poker players worldwide. Founded in March 2004, the WPPA represents all levels of players from beginners to professionals and as of this month boasts 300 members worldwide. For further information on the WPPA or to join, log onto wppa.info. Opened in 1996, The Orleans Hotel and Casino is a Mardi-Gras themed resort just west of the Las Vegas Strip. Operated by Coast Casinos, Inc., a subsidiary of Boyd Gaming, The Orleans features 1,886 oversized guest rooms including 58 suites, a full-service 142,000 square-foot casino, and 40,000 square feet of meeting/convention space. Entertainment opportunities at The Orleans include the new 9,000-seat Orleans Arena, home of the Las Vegas Wranglers, a 70-lane bowling center, an 18-screen movie theater, a showroom, a spa/fitness center and a variety of restaurants. The Orleans is located at 4500 West Tropicana Avenue. For more information on The Orleans, or any of its sister properties, Barbary Coast, Gold Coast, and Suncoast, visit www.coastcasinos.com.

Poker's Wild

Poker's Wild Monday, November 22, 2004 By Troy Reimink The Grand Rapids Press Mike Connell was several years ahead of the curve. Like a lot of kids his age, Connell, a junior at West Catholic High School, is nuts about poker. He says his father taught him to play at least 10 years ago. Connell is 16, which means he was building straights and flushes at about the time most kids learn to read. "I've been playing consistently since before that happened," he said. By "that," he means the explosion of interest in anything related to poker, the most basic and accessible of serious card games. Thanks to a number of factors -- generational tastes, televised events, colorful players -- poker, Texas Hold 'Em, has been the rage for the past year or so. It's visible everywhere, from high-school cafeterias to college dorms and makeshift basement casinos, from the high ratings of televised events to the cult poker film "Rounders" that video stores have a tough time keeping in stock. It thrives in casinos and local tournaments as charities jump on the wave of popularity. The Grand Rapids Jaycees hosted a tournament Friday, and the Grand Rapids Griffins hosted a tournament Saturday. "It has changed my business completely," said Kurt Orosz of A-1 Bingo Supplies and Elliott Bingo Supplies. "Bingo has definitely taken a back seat." In the last year, almost all of his 38 Texas Hold 'Em tables have been rented out every weekend for private parties, corporate events, charities and fundraisers. "It's very profitable for VFW halls because they get the older people and the younger people." As TV shows continue to pop up, so does the popularity, he said. "It's been crazy," he said. "I'm almost waiting for it to crash because it has built so fast, but I don't see any signs of it slowing down." Strange bedfellows The phenomenon has made improbable TV stars out of peculiar characters -- long-haired, cowboy-hat-wearing Chris "Jesus" Ferguson; temperamental, loudmouthed Phil Helmuth; energetic redhead Annie Duke, a thirtysomething mother of four; actor Ben Affleck, a regular on Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown." The surge of interest in the game has all the makings of a short-lived fad -- TV boom, popularity among teens, etc. But Connell said he plays two or three times a week with a group of five or six friends, and occasionally hosts tournaments at his house, which attract 10 to 20 kids. He plays so often he wasn't bothered when a call from a Press reporter interrupted one of his games. "I'll be doing this for the rest of my life," Connell said. Local entrepreneur Mark Danevicz, 29, said he is amazed by the extent to which poker has infiltrated pop culture. "I don't think it's a fad, because it's different," he said. "You've actually got it playing on ESPN and Fox Sports, so I think it's here to stay." Right place, right time Danevicz is like many others who, through either timing or outside-the-box thinking, have tapped into the possibilities of the hottest new game (which, ironically, is a pretty old game). Two years ago, he and a friend went online to sell an "unsatisfactory" card table they had built. Now he's selling gaming supplies full-time. As a result of overwhelming interest, Danevicz parlayed his first sale into a successful online business. His site, crapsjack.com, sells custom-made poker, blackjack and roulette tables, chip sets and other card-playing supplies. The company also sponsors local tournaments. "It didn't start with poker. We were interested in gaming in general," Danevicz said. "We noticed the World Series of Poker a couple of years ago, and that's when people started to ask us about our products. The hobby turned into the business." Credit is due Much of the credit for the boom goes to the "World Poker Tour," which has achieved the daunting task of making it interesting to watch other people play cards. Though ESPN has broadcast World Series of Poker events, typically at late hours, for about a decade, the WPT has transformed a little-seen TV curiosity into a sweeping craze. In the fall of 2001, WPT founder and president Steve Lipscomb approached investors with an idea "from the crazy ether of my mind," which was to create what he calls the "NFL of poker." He formed the WPT, which united most of the big tournaments under one banner, and set out to revamp the TV production. "By its nature, (poker) is not interesting to watch," Lipscomb said during an interview from his office in West Hollywood. "My belief was that the subtleties make it interesting. It was perfectly tailored for a TV phenomenon." The challenge By presenting key information graphically -- each player's hand, his or her odds of winning, etc. -- and focusing on the idiosyncratic personalities of the professional players, WPT turned the game into a ratings sensation on the Travel Channel when it launched in March 2003, prompting other networks (Fox Sports, Bravo) to launch shows. It made poker as ubiquitous on TV as Regis Philbin during the height of "Millionaire." Much of the excitement is because Texas Hold 'Em, the "Cadillac of poker," is fast-paced, high-stakes and a lot of fun. "I like the skill it takes and the money," said Connell, adding the biggest pot he's played for was about $320. He said Texas Hold 'Em is distinctive for "the amount of times you can bet, and more chips can change hands." Lipscomb is confident Texas Hold 'Em's popularity is more than just a passing fad. "Most trends or fads come from nowhere and go to nowhere. I can't believe that will be the case with poker," Lipscomb said. "This is a game that people have been playing for a long, long time. We've just taken the great American card game and combined it with the most powerful medium."

Experienced Players See Green on Online Poker Sites

Experienced Players See Green on Online Poker Sites CHICAGO, Illinois – As reported by the Chicago Tribune: "Nate Silver quit his $55,000-a-year financial consulting job in April to play poker. "So far it's been a wise career move: The 26-year-old Silver expects to make more than $100,000 this year playing the game, mainly on the Internet. "Silver belongs to a new generation of poker players who feast on the growing number of novices taking up poker after watching televised contests. "While few players go to the extreme of quitting their jobs, many spend their evenings stalking sites such as Party Poker.com and PokerStars.com, pocketing an extra $20,000 or $30,000 annually on top of their regular salaries. "And as more novices keep appearing, opportunity grows for experienced players. "…In January 2003, $11.1 million was wagered on the major poker sites. That number rocketed to $136.1 million in September, according to Poker Pulse.com, which tracks activity on 21 of the largest poker sites. "…Still, the easy money could quickly disappear if the poker fad fades. "…Internet poker offers experienced players some advantages, particularly the ability to play at multiple tables at the same time. Online games generally go faster than casino games, and by playing three or four tables simultaneously, players can easily participate in more than 200 hands an hour. "The main disadvantage of Internet play for poker pros is the inability to 'read' competitors - noticing small ticks and other mannerisms that can reveal if somebody is holding a strong hand or bluffing. "…To prosper at Internet poker, players must be technically strong and quickly assess the thousands of scenarios that arise - betting aggressively on strong hands and folding when they're in a weak position…"

Greeley Tribune - News

Greeley Tribune - News: "Poker face-off spreads by word of mouth" Doug Pieper and Tim Jorgensen used to shoot hoops and play video games as Greeley teenagers. Those childhood games grew into card games with adulthood. And those card games grew into tournaments. Now Pieper and Jorgensen have more on their table than they ever expected. After playing poker with buddies in Pieper's two-car garage for nine years, they decided to hold a poker tournament a year ago for fun. Nearly 40 people, mostly acquaintances, attended. "It turned out really nice and everybody had a great time," Pieper said. He was happy to host the next tournament during the summer, but found it difficult to squeeze 77 people into his four-bedroom home. They expected 125 people to attend the third tournament, which was Saturday evening at a construction warehouse in east Greeley. They ended up with about 75 players because of poor weather conditions. The Texas Hold 'Em tournament was a PG-game, with soda, chips and dip, but it was restricted to those 21 and older. Pieper and Jorgensen did not provide alcohol, but some players brought their own. The entry fee was $45, and participants used chips in each game. They played on 15 homemade poker tables of plywood and stapled felt material. The entry fees go into a pot, of which 1 percent goes to supplies and the rest to the top 12 players. Jorgensen said this tournament is the only one of its kind. "Nobody else around here has done anything like this," he said. "We've just been going on the fly with it, creating entertainment. It's all word-of-mouth." The word seems to travel far. They've had players come from Denver, Sterling and Cheyenne. Cal Carter of Loveland said he heard about the tournament from an acquaintance. He said he watches a lot of poker on television and wanted to participate in a tournament. "This is my first poker tournament," he said. "I just think it'll be a fun thing to try." Kelly Ewing of Evans said he heard about the tournament from people he plays poker with every Friday. "I want to win some money," he said. "It's fun and nice to have another option of something to do on a Saturday night." Pieper and Jorgensen expect they'll have another tournament in the spring or summer, but they are not sure they want the event to grow much larger. Anyone interested in participating should keep their ears open and hope they hear about it on the poker grapevine. The law Poker games are illegal if the house takes a portion of the money without winning it, according to Greeley police.

New Small Town Poker Tour Show Blends Real Life and Texas Hold'em

PRESS RELEASE: New Small Town Poker Tour Show Blends Real Life and Texas Hold'em A new television show about poker set to hit the air. The Small Town Poker Tour is as simple as the title states, blend everyday people with the exciting game of Texas Hold'em, a winning combination. (PRWEB) November 20, 2004 -- The tour is set to travel the USA in search of the best amateur player in America, along the way featuring a unique blend of characters that make for some very exciting action. Mark Fracalossi, CEO of AMT Media LLC and Billy Frank Creative,Director/Executive Producer Make It Happen Productions, have announced a partnership to produce this exciting new show. "Make it Happen Productions has the staff, experience and creativity to bring this show to reality", states Fracalossi, "Billy Frank is the best Creative Director we could find for this project, he brings not only talent to this project but the energy it takes to put the Tour together".Both stated they are very excited about this project, but remain tight lipped about the television deal," We should have an announcement in a few weeks", Franks said. Make It Happen is a full-service production company that specializes in fully-executed productions from conception through postproduction.With over 2 decades of experience and multiple nominations and awards in film and television production, Make It Happen Productions and Creative Director Billy Frank take pride in saving money on production cost without compromising creativity. In August, Make It Happen provided production services in two separate promotional campaigns launching the NFL season on the NFL Network, one featuring Lenny Kravitz, and the other Jessica Simpson.Recently MIH was hired by Warner Brothers Domestic Cable Distribution to produce a long-form presentation tape for UPN's “EVE” to sell the show for syndication. MIH and Think©reative produced multiple image campaigns for all of ESPN’s Figure Skating programs that will run on both ESPN & ESPN2 for the next two years. The show will add a new grass roots look to the nations fastest growing card game Texas Hold'em.It will also raise money for charity along the way. "Our goal is to make this a fund raising machine for the towns we visit",Fracalossi said. You can find out more about the tour at www.smalltownpokertour.com

The Poker Corner by Mike Sexton

The Poker Corner: "The Poker Corner" by Mike Sexton The World Poker Tour has set a high standard when it comes to poker shows. Recently, the Travel Channel aired a pilot program called The Poker Corner. It’s a poker-analysis show that’s designed to enlighten and educate the public about poker. The Poker Corner is really quite an informative show. On it, poker experts discuss, analyze, and dissect the play of a WPT event. If you’re interested in becoming a better poker player, this is a show that you do not want to miss. I host the show. Appearing with me are three top poker pros who “tell all” when it comes to analyzing hands. They also provide insight and provocative thought about poker strategy and dispense poker tips for the viewer. On the inaugural program, the poker experts were Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, and Annie Duke. As they say on the PGA Tour, “These guys are good.” The show featured an analysis of the final table of the WPT Championship (won by Martin de Knijff). Hands were shown and then play was critiqued. The experts certainly didn’t hold anything back when it came to giving an opinion on the play, and pointed out things that experienced players as well as amateurs may have missed. This was the first in-depth poker analysis TV show in history. Due to the popularity of poker on TV, this type of program seems to be the next logical step for creating an even larger viewing audience. Serious poker players will love the show. The network’s concern is, “Will the average viewer tune in for a one-hour, in-depth poker-analysis show?” Unfortunately, the ratings weren’t as high for the pilot show as the Travel Channel had hoped, but that was for good reason. Not only was it a rerun of a WPT event, more importantly, it was directly up against two major-league baseball playoff games, an NCAA football game, and the final presidential election debate. Phew! I don’t think they could have picked a worse night to air the premiere episode of The Poker Corner. While talking to a Travel Channel executive, I was informed that the show may be continued when season three airs, but only after initial airings of WPT events. In other words, the first time a WPT event airs, The Poker Corner will follow, if the network decides to continue with the program. Chances are that everyone reading this column is a pretty devoted poker player. Naturally, it stands to reason that devoted poker players are pretty much going to love The Poker Corner. Just recognize that in TV land, ratings are everything. If a program like this doesn’t create more viewers for the World Poker Tour shows, it likely won’t last. The public is much more knowledgeable about poker now than two years ago. The timing (season three) for more of The Poker Corner is right. If promoted properly, I believe The Poker Corner can be successful. You can help by going to the Travel Channel website (www.travelchannel.com), clicking on the “Contact Us” tab, and writing a note saying you would like to see more of The Poker Corner. You also could contact the World Poker Tour at www.worldpokertour.com and do the same thing. Hopefully, we’ll be back with more of the Corner next season. Thanks for watching.

Texas Hold 'Em - Playing the game with a hold on the nation

Texas Hold 'Em: "Texas Hold 'Em" Playing the game with a hold on the nation No-limit Texas Hold 'Em is an odd name for the poker trend that has swept the nation. The game isn't exclusive to Texas, and you don't actually hold any cards. Each player gets two, which are dealt facedown on the table. You carefully sneak a peek and leave them there - then make a bet. Anybody who has watched the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel, Celebrity Poker on Bravo or the World Series of Poker on ESPN, or even wandered down to the basement rec room to find your eighth-grader setting a trap with a check-raise, knows what comes next. The dealer turns over three community cards, called the flop, followed by another bet. Then comes the turn, a bet, and, finally, the last card, called the river, and another bet. Use your two and any three of the five community cards to make the best poker hand. Hold 'Em tournaments are all the rage, and it's not just played in smoky back rooms with guys named Slim. Tonight, for example, there's a huge tournament in the comfortable confines of the Club at Key Center in downtown Cleveland, where proceeds benefit The Littlest Heroes, a charity that aids cancerstricken children and their families. If you don't yet know Hold' Em, hold on. This primer should help. But if, after reading, you're still not sure what to do, make like this section and fold. For the complete graphic, go here

GameCube Advanced - World Championship Poker Game Ships

GameCube Advanced - GCAdvanced.com - 100% GCN and GBA Coverage: "World Championship Poker Ships " November 19, 2004 by: Larry McCormick Play a little Seven-Card Stud on the road alone or with friends courtesy of publisher Crave. Crave announced today that it has shipped World Championship Poker for the Game Boy Advance and PS2 with an Xbox release scheduled for the holiday season. "Poker has become the latest obsession," said Vincent Bitetti, president, Crave Entertainment Inc. "Type the word 'poker' in a search engine and more than 67 million websites emerge ready to inform, entertain, tutor or take ones money all in the name of poker. We’ve created World Championship Poker to satisfy this age-old drive to outsmart, outwit and out gamble one’s opponent." The GBA version of the game features link-up play so up to four gamers can compete against each other in one of twelve games. A few of the games available include Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hold'em, Seven-Card Stud, Five-Card Draw and Pineapple. The single player mode also features tournaments to play through in a Career Mode. World Championship Poker for the Game Boy Advance is available now, is rated E for Everyone and should retail for about $19.99 here

Online Casino News.com - World Poker Tour kits for sale.

Online Casino News.com - World Poker Tour kits for sale. The people responsible for supplying the World Poker Tour with all the equipment have now released the same stuff to the public. Poker enthusiasts can indulge their gambling with the most professional of kits, from chips and cards to tables and card shufflers. In fact, poker players can treat themselves in the Christmas season with the entire World Poker Tour set for $399.99. “Playing on the World Poker Tour is a dream come true for some, but now you can simulate that exciting experience in your own home with the U.S. Playing Card Official World Poker Tour products,” said Scott Kling, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for U.S. Playing Card Company. The World Poker Tour airs every Wednesday at 9pm E/P Time on the travel channel. Last year the Tour offered $35 million in prize money. Season 3, which will be broadcast in March has projected winnings of $70 million.

WFSB High stakes poker at Foxwoods

WFSB High stakes poker at Foxwoods: "MASHANTUCKET-- Poker fans and players kept a close eye on a big game at Foxwoods Casino Wednesday. The action was hot and heavy as one and a half million dollars was riding on games that began at four o'clock. With about five hundred people watching, they call it the fastest growing sport in the country. The World Poker Tour started from scratch three years ago and has caught on fast. Thanks to a ton of exposure on cable channels, poker is really catching. The one at Foxwoods on Wednesday was also videotaped for the Travel Channel. 'One reason it's so popular, when people watch at home they can relate. None of us can hit the ball out of the park or get a slam dunk, but we feel we can do this, there are amateurs at every table', says Lyle Berman of the World Poker Tour. Six hundred seventy-four people paid ten thousand dollars each to get into the tournament at Foxwoods. The games have been going on since Saturday."

BBC SPORT | Fun and Games | Stars line up for poker spectacular

BBC SPORT | Fun and Games | Stars line up for poker spectacular: "Stars line up for poker spectacular " Some of the world's best known sports stars are lining up to compete in a $1m all-star poker event. Rookies including former tennis number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Olympic champion Darren Campbell will pit their wits against established players like darts great Phil Taylor and snooker's Matthew Stevens, Jimmy White and Steve Davis. "I find it very exciting," said Kafelnikov, who retired from professional tennis earlier in the week to concentrate his efforts on poker. "You win not with the cards, but with your skills. With body language you can win a game, but also you can lose a game. "You need guts in poker, as in tennis. And if you don't believe in your ability, you don't win. In tennis I believed in myself, that's why I had so much success." The former French and Australian Open champion will have his work cut out to win the first prize of $500,000 (£270,000), with Davis and White having already made a name for themselves in the gambling game. Snooker legend White defied the odds two years ago when he won the Poker Million event and pocketed £80,000.

Poker-faced Kafelnikov proving to be an ace at card game

Poker-faced Kafelnikov proving to be an ace at card game: "Poker-faced Kafelnikov proving to be an ace at card game" LONDON: Former men’s tennis world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov has told The Independent that it is highly unlikely he will ever play professional tennis again. The 30-year-old two-time Grand Slam winner admitted his preference was to play poker nowadays as he couldn’t bear to face his fellow Russians as a loser. “I have retired but I have not officially announced it,” he told the newspaper. “Some people still think I am just taking a break, but I believe that my time in tennis has gone by. “Even if I came back, I would have no chance to play at the same level I was,” said Kafelnikov, who won the 1996 French Open and the 1999 Australian Open where at the latter he is reputed to have spent most of his time playing roulette. However, it was the thought of losing face to his compatriots that has really made his mind up. “The most important things was not to disappoint my fans,” said Moscow-based Kafelnikov. Kafelnikov said he had switched his competitive attention to poker because it wasn’t just down to skill. “I find it very exciting,” said Kafelnikov, who has taken on the poker Rookie of the Year from 2002 Kirill Gerasimov to coach him. “Because you win not with the cards but with your skills. With body language you can win a game but also you can lose a game,” added Kafelnikov, who won a professional poker tournament and recently competed in an event in England in which the winner collected US$500,000. – Reuters

Safin wishes Kafelnikov luck in his new poker career

Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage: "Safin wishes Kafelnikov luck in his new poker career" By Steve Keating HOUSTON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Marat Safin wished fellow Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov good luck in his new career on Tuesday, adding that the former world number one was going to need it. Kafelnikov, 30, announced earlier this week he was giving up tennis to become a professional poker player. Safin said that his move into poker could prove more risky than one of those spectacular between-the-legs tennis shots. "Good luck in this one because these kind of things, they can cost you a lot of money," Safin told reporters after opening his account at the Masters Cup with a 6-1 6-4 demolition of Argentina's Guillermo Coria. "But, from what I heard, he won a tournament and he made 330,000 Euros ($428,300), so basically that's not bad. "You always have luck when it's the first time. Then you have to be really good. So, I hope he will be lucky." THOUGHTFUL AGGRESSION Kafelnikov, however, is not leaving everything up to chance. He has taken on poker's 2002 Rookie of the Year Kirill Gerasimov as his coach and is approaching his new career the same way he played tennis, with thoughtful aggression. The twice grand slam winner and 2000 Sydney Olympics champion has already displayed the same golden touch at the gaming tables, having won a professional poker tournament and recently competed in an event in England in which the winner collected $500,000. The 1996 French Open and 1999 Australian Open champion has amassed nearly $24 million in career prize money and much more in endorsements and business deals, leaving a him an extremely wealthy man able to afford his latest dalliance. "He always liked it, he always liked the casino," said Safin. "He's always been a player. "Also on the court he was a very smart player, he achieved a lot. For him it's in the blood. "He feels it, he feels like a player and he likes it. So why not? "He has enough money to play."

Poker tours draw big names, big cash at Foxwoods

Newsday.com - AP Regional: "Poker tours draw big names, big cash at Foxwoods" By LAURA WALSH Associated Press Writer MASHANTUCKET, Conn. -- It is being likened to the first PGA tournament or the first Wimbledon title: the Professional Poker Tour that has brought out the best names in the game and is making its debut at Foxwoods Resort Casino. The tour's arrival marks a big poker score for Foxwoods. While the world's top players face each other on the casino floor, nearly 700 would-be poker champions are also at the casino playing in the World Poker Finals, a stop on the 16-tournament World Poker Tour. Even players who have written books on the game have their own competition going at the casino. "Nobody questions whether this is a sport anymore," said Steven Lipscomb, chief executive of the three-year-old World Poker Tour. The card game is pulling in crowds from across the country to Foxwoods, players and spectators alike. It's $10,000 to play in the World Poker Finals, but through a series of smaller tournaments, called "satellites," a person can work his or her way up to the finals for as little as $60. The winner walks away with more than $1.5 million and a seat at the World Poker Tour Championship in Las Vegas at the Bellagio hotel-casino in April. Only in a game of poker can fans sit across from their favorite players and try their own luck. Popular television shows, such as Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown," have heightened the poker craze by allowing people at home to follow a player's every hand. Through the different poker tours, Foxwoods hopes to capitalize on the trend. About 600 spectators are expected to attend Wednesday's final table in the World Poker Finals, said Kathy Raymond, director of poker operations for the casino. That's double the number who attended last year. "Right now people who possibly haven't heard of Foxwoods before ... they are learning about it through poker," Raymond said. On Tuesday, crowds stood in anticipation and watched as players fought for one of six spots on the last table at the World Poker Finals. The players, wearing dark glasses and baseball caps, kept their heads down. They spoke quietly to the dealer and kept their nerves still by playing with the towers of chips in front of them. "It's like a movie and there's action all the time, especially when it thins out," said John Demello, a businessman from Las Vegas who came down to watch the tournament. Back in 2001 and 2002, the World Poker Finals brought in less than 100 players. For poker professionals, the new craze makes for longer tournaments and stiffer competition. "When you have to go through 700 or 800 players, it's not very difficult to get unlucky," said Peter Giordano, an online poker champ who placed 16th in the finals and took home $64,378. Erik Seidel, a player whose victories include a number of World Championship titles, called the tournament at Foxwoods a "monster." "You have to get through more people and it's a little more random," Seidel said. The World Poker Tour is touting its new Professional Poker Tour at Foxwoods as a way for accomplished players, like Jennifer Harman and Chris Bigler, to play exclusively with one another. The final table will be played on Friday and the winner will go home with $200,000, as well as a spot on the championship tour. The company is in negotiations for a television contract for the professional tour. The third season of the World Poker Tour will air in March on the Travel Channel on Wednesday nights. "Forget the lottery. The new American dream is to win life-changing money at a world poker event," Lipscomb said.

Lawmakers Will Look At Taxing High-Stakes Poker Tournaments

TheChamplainChannel.com - WNNE - Lawmakers Will Look At Taxing High-Stakes Poker Tournaments: "Lawmakers Will Look At Taxing High-Stakes Poker Tournaments" CONCORD, NH -- Good card players know when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em, and some New Hampshire lawmakers say it may be time to tax 'em. Charitable organizations around the state are raising money through poker tournaments, and some legislators wonder whether the state should get a share. "I'm not particularly fond of gambling, but if the state is going to allow gambling for charitable purposes and we're getting into high-stakes stuff, I think the state should get some revenue from it," said Rep. Neal Kurk, R-Weare, chairman of the House Finance Committee. Kurk told the New Hampshire Sunday News is filing a proposal to impose some type of state tax on high-stakes poker profits. He said he is not suggesting taxing winners. He wants to look at the income promoters are getting for setting up the games. Promoters run the tournaments for a share of the entrance fees, then pay winners and turn over a share to the charity sponsoring the event. In the past 10 months, about 30 charities have filed applications with the Attorney General's Office of Charitable Trusts, to hold poker tournaments in Derry, Keene, Pembroke, Laconia and a half-dozen other communities. Promoters stage the tournaments under the state gaming law that allows a charity to sponsor up to 10 so-called Monte Carlo fund-raisers each year. The charities must report to the state the prizes awarded, expenses paid and revenue raised, but there is no state oversight of the games, which are conducted under a permit obtained from the local police. Each player pays to sit in on the game: usually, $100. With prizes in the thousands, some games attract hundreds of players. From the states perspective, the poker tournaments are unlike bingo because the state neither regulates nor profits from the games. "This is big money and there is no state oversight on these tournaments, or income to the state from them," said Rep. Norman Major, R-Plaistow. "I think there will be serious discussion of this," said Major, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Negreanu capitalizing on poker craze

TSN.ca - Headlines - Canada's Sports Leader: "Negreanu capitalizing on poker craze" Canadian Press - 11/11/2004 He had a real job. Once. That's when Daniel Negreanu decided he'd rather play poker for a living. "I worked as a telemarketer for precisely one afternoon,'' the Toronto native chuckled over the phone from his Las Vegas home. "That's when I realized this whole job thing, that's just not for me.'' Negreanu, 30, is considered one of the best young poker players in the world. At 23 he became the youngest world championship event winner in history. So far this year he estimates he's won around $3 million US. Ask what makes a good poker player and Negreanu sounds like a psychology major, not someone who started playing as a 17-year-old at charity casinos in Toronto. "My biggest strength is the ability to read people,'' he said. "If I sat down with you for 15 to 20 minutes I would have a pretty good idea of your personality type, your makeup, what you're capable of. When you have a good feel for people, a good understanding of human behaviour, that will translate into an ability to get into people's heads at the poker table. "If I'm in your head and I know what you're thinking, then the cards don't even matter. I just know what you're going to do and I know how you think.'' Poker has dealt television a new winning hand. The World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker attract huge audiences in the U.S. and Canada. Poker players have gone from shadowy figures in smoke-filled backrooms to instant celebrities. There's Phil Laak, noted for his Unabomber look of wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up and Jennifer Harman, a five-foot-two blonde some people call the best poker player on the planet and a person Negreanu considers one of his best friends. "Today the poker player is the modern day rock star,'' boasted Negreanu. `"There are guys that work nine to five in a cubical and go home to an empty apartment. I'm certain their dream would be `wouldn't it be cool to have that lifestyle.''' Poker's cruel reality is its biggest attraction, Negreanu said "It's the purest form of reality TV,'' said the strict vegetarian. "Nothing is staged, nothing is scripted. Everyone is putting up their own hard-earned money to play. Also, it's a sport that is every man's sport. You can be fat and out of shape and you're not going to be an NHL star. But you have a shot in poker.'' Negreanu rarely plays tournaments in Canada, saying the pots are too small. He still manages to show his Canadian roots at the table, often choosing from one of the 25 NHL jerseys he owns. The collection stems from a fantasy hockey pool he's been involved with since 1996. "I used to just buy a jersey of a guy I have on my team,'' he explained. Negreanu has been photographed wearing Detroit, Toronto and Pittsburgh sweaters, but doesn't own a Vancouver Canuck jersey. "I just never had a good Canuck yet,'' he laughed. Poker players make money either at tournaments, or playing at casinos or in online games. At this year's World Series of Poker, 2,756 players anted up $10,000 US each. Winner Greg Raymer, a patent lawyer from Stonington, Conn, walked away with $5 million US. The top five players won over $1 US million each. When not at a tournament, Negreanu will head to a Vegas casino. On his website, Negreanu writes not only about poker but about his life away from cards. "The media puts a spin on this whole poker thing like everybody is successful, everybody makes a billion dollars and lives in a mansion,'' he said. "That's the farthest thing from the truth. There are a lot of people that have been in this lifestyle for a long time and are just living from tournament to tournament.'' For him, a night at the table is just a day at the office. "If I show up at 6 p.m. I say I'm working for six hours and then I quit at midnight,'' he explained. "I don't care how much I'm up or down. I see it as a job. Other poker players don't have it down to a science.'' Negreanu knows he's defied the odds and become a winner. He offers some sobering advice to anyone thinking about trying to earn a living playing cards. "One out of a 1,000 people who attempt to play poker for a living actually make it,'' he said. "If a kid is still intent on doing it, then I would give him some guidelines about making sure he's disciplined and stays within his financial limits. Take a very scientific approach and a serious business approach.''

Poker gurus fall in Monte Carlo Millions tournament

Poker gurus fall in Monte Carlo Millions tournament: "Monte Carlo Millions poker tournament: as giants fall, new heroes shine" MONTE-CARLO, MONACO, November 9, 2004 - It was an exciting first day at the Monte Carlo Millions, the world’s most exclusive poker tournament, where international pros and satellite winners alike played their hearts out for a chance to become the first champion of this historical event. After a brief press conference with French singing sensation and poker champ Patrick Bruel, poker pros Barny Boatman and Howard Lederer and Tournament Director Matt Savage, play began at 12:00 noon in the Sporting d’Hiver in Monte-Carlo. This is the first time in history that a poker tournament has been played in the principality of Monaco. Matt Savage announced the top finishers at the close of an exciting day one. From the outset, Phil Ivey built up an impressive run and maintained his position as chip leader, finishing the day with $187,500 in chips. After twelve hours of play, Mr. Ivey lost only one pot to his rivals at the table. Phil is followed into day two by Juha Hellpi with $111,000 and the very skilled PrimaPoker.com satellite winner, Clint Richardson, with $91,600. In other exciting news: Giants in the sport fell early in the tournament, including Antonio Esfandiari, who was the first man out, followed shortly thereafter by two-time 2004 WSOP bracelet winner Scott Fischman as well as Phil “The Unibomber” Laak, Scotty Nguyen and Dave “Devilfish” Ulliot Phil Ivey, made quick run to over $100K in chips and busted Australian bad boy Tony G, when Tony moved all in on the turn drawing dead against Phil’s set of fours. Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, ranked 6th in the chip count at the top of day two, and was among the early chip leaders. However, his counterpart Howard Lederer, Captain of the Transatlantic Poker Cup US Team, was one the first to leave the table. Four women continue to hold their own on day one, including Ruth Graham, Cecilia Reyes, Xuyen Pham and Renee Wexler, who leads the ladies on with $45,700 in chips. Update on the Hendon Mob Joe “The Elegance” Beevers played a strong game on day one, finishing among the top nine players with $63,000 in chips, Ross Boatman finished with $20,800. Out just before the dinner break were Ram “Crazy Horse” Vaswani and Barny Boatman. Last week Ram won the Irish Winter Tournament, bringing home $ 117,003 (€ 93,000). All four of the Hendon Mob will be taking on the US Team, comprising Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson and Andy Bloch, in tomorrow’s Transatlantic Poker Cup. In this US/UK show down, the teams will play four consecutive heads up matches to be determined in a draw later today. If matches are tied at 2-2, a fifth match will be held as a tiebreaker. About Monte Carlo Millions Monte Carlo Millions is the world's most exclusive poker tournament and the very first poker tournament to be held in the Principality of Monaco. Monte Carlo Millions is sponsored exclusively by PrimaPoker.com, the world's largest online poker network that is dedicated to sending players to the best tournaments around the globe. The $20,000 package includes round-trip airfare for two, a seven-night stay at the Hotel Hermitage, private helicopter transportation from Nice to Monte-Carlo, a tour of the French Riviera, gourmet meals, lavish cocktail parties and the $14,000 buy-in to the event. With an estimated prize pool of $1 million, Monte Carlo Millions guarantees that every player will win a minimum of $1,000. To learn more, visit www.montecarlomillions.com.

Poker run deals a winning hand for charity

Poker run deals a winning hand for charity The annual Poker Run was again charging up the highway this Saturday with motorbikes, and cars roaring into nearby local towns to win the best poker hand. With 87 motorbikes, a busload of Nerrilda nurses, six hot rods, and several family cars, the event was heralded as a huge success by chairperson and spokesperson for the Outback Riders Club, Ken Williams. The Outback Riders Social Club is the chief organiser for the Poker Run, an event where motorcycle clubs and people interested in participating travel from Port Augusta to Port Germein, Laura, Wirrabara, Melrose, Wilmington, Quorn, Stirling, and back to Port Augusta, picking up five cards along the way. The Poker Run is held on the first Saturday in April and November every year and proceeds go to the Nerrilda Nursing Home. "It's just an excuse for a bunch of people who have a common interest in motorbikes to get together and have a great day and it's also a bit of a family event," Ken said. A Port Pirie man won the grand prize of $500 for the best poker hand with three aces. Prizes for Best Bike and Best Motorcar were also awarded to a restored Harley Davidson and a 1927 Essex hotrod. Two local bands, Mild Steel and Aftershock entertained the riders at the after party held at the Northern and Exchange Hotel beer garden where they gathered to congratulate the winners and end the day with a cold beer. "Everyone had a great time," Ken said. Through the Poker Run, the Outback riders club has contributed over $2500 to the Nerrilda nursing home and the committee is already underway in organising the next run. "I would just like to thank everyone in Port Augusta for supporting us. Our sponsor is very generous with their sponsorship and we have had the support from the local community who really get behind us," he said. "Special thanks to the highway patrol officer at Port Germein who gave us a police escort to Wirrabara," he said. "It's fantastic to see the committee and the local community make it all come together and were looking forward to the next one."

Las Vegas SUN: Gambling TV backers hopeful

Las Vegas SUN: Gambling TV backers hopeful: Anyone who has watched any television over the past year has likely stumbled upon a program or series related to casino gambling. The Travel Channel's "World Poker Tour," ESPN's "World Series of Poker," NBC's "Las Vegas" and the Discovery Channel's "American Casino" are among a few of the programs that transport viewers to a Las Vegas that is part fantasy, part reality. For people who can't get enough, several groups of investors are vying to be the first to market with an all-gambling television network. Several factors -- the most important of which is the booming popularity of poker on television -- has brought the gambling channel concept closer than ever to reality, experts say. Some say up to eight groups of investors are hunting for partners and distributors. Most of them are startup enterprises with contacts that gear toward the cable industry rather than companies affiliated with casinos or gaming companies. One is Casino Gaming Network Television, which burst on the Las Vegas scene a year ago with an idea to show poker and other casino games in action along with programming dedicated to other segments of casino entertainment such as nightlife, shopping, concerts and spas. The network, led by an executive who helped launch the Fox Sports and Outdoor Life Network channels, aims to get distribution sometime next year. CGTV Chief Executive Nick Rhodes, who attended the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas this month, said there's pent-up demand for a gambling network. "It's a big market," he said at the conference. "They're passionate about it." There's a much larger market of potential gamblers and casino-goers than for fishing, tennis or even golf -- all of which have their own special interest channels, Rhodes said. The economics also make sense, he said. Programming could be created relatively inexpensively using camera-friendly Las Vegas as a backdrop. "We're not buying rights from the NFL," Rhodes said. Another group that is already well-established in the casino industry is Players Network, a public company that has been broadcasting gambling-related material into casino hotel rooms for more than a decade. Company Chief Executive Mark Bradley claims his company is the "furthest along" in creating a gambling network than any other group and that he is close to announcing a cable distribution deal. "This has been a very long haul for me," said Bradley, a former television producer who arrived in Las Vegas in 1989 with plans of launching a gambling channel. Years ago, broadcasters were skittish about showing gambling on television and some are still bound by contracts that prohibit them from airing shows that discuss sports betting because the networks also broadcast sporting events, Bradley said. Today, digital cable is opening up new opportunities for niche content but broadcasting costs have skyrocketed, making a new cable launches more challenging, he said. While new channels are expected to front some $200 million or more for distribution, proposals that have top-notch contacts and content will be able to attract that kind of money, he said. "You need the right strategy and the right partners," Bradley said. "There's a lot of guys who will write checks." Gary Thompson, an executive with Harrah's Entertainment Inc. was among a group of investors who tried to start a gambling channel in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Thompson said the idea didn't fly in part because his business partners were not committed to the concept and because of the difficulty in persuading broadcasters to offer the service. Thompson is still bullish on the concept and thinks the winning proposal will ultimately receive backing from a major media company. "I believe this will ultimately happen," he said. "The advertising potential is phenomenal. (Gamblers) are people with discretionary income and free time. The World Series of Poker is the third highest-rated programming on ESPN, behind football and NASCAR." Gambling has since proliferated and major companies such as Disney and Sony that wouldn't have touched casino deals in the past are involved in promotions with Harrah's, Thompson said. Anthony Curtis, publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor consumer newsletter, is a regular on cable shows about Las Vegas and has so far refused repeated requests to help produce or approve content for various gambling channel concepts. "No one at this time is properly funded or connected enough to pull this off," he said. Barry Shulman, a poker player who publishes Card Player magazine, has already signed on to a group that is backing The Edge TV, yet another gambling network concept. "They have the right people, the right money behind it," Shulman said. "They know what they're doing." Shulman, who is also an adviser to the World Poker Tour, isn't being paid by Edge TV but has volunteered to lend his name and expertise as a poker expert. The explosion of televised poker games has led to a lot of second-rate material and games that are more akin to reality-show entertainment than gambling dramas involving real poker pros, he said. Edge TV aims to avoid the flash and fluff of Vegas culture and instead feature experts on various games besides just poker, including backgammon, chess, fantasy sports and crossword puzzles. "These (viewers) are upscale, high-income people," said Reagan Silber, one of Edge TV's backers and a poker circuit player from Los Angeles. "They're online, they're early adopters and they are passionate about games." Silber, who often plays poker with celebrity friends, already owns a piece of Las Vegas: He and a group of investors bought the Bourbon Street casino on Flamingo Road in January and have plans to redevelop the property. Curtis' smart money is on GSN, a 10-year-old network that got its start airing classic game shows and is growing its gambling content. The network, which changed its name from Game Show Network in March, is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corp. It broadcasts in 57 million homes nationwide and counts Las Vegas as one of its top markets. Gambling content became a "top priority" for the network just as poker was starting to proliferate on the airwaves, GSN President and Chief Executive Rich Cronin said. GSN aims to be the top network for games "just as ESPN is the network for sports" and is proving to be a rich "promotional tool" for Las Vegas, he said. The network expects to debut several gambling shows over the next few months including a horse racing reality show, a blackjack tournament, a billiards tournament and a poker tournament. "American Dream Derby" is a reality show set at Santa Anita Park in California in which contestants compete for cash and horses, and viewers will be able to bet on the final race from home. "Poker Royale" will air a recent World Poker Player Association championship at the Orleans casino with members sharing in the broadcast income. And "World Series of Blackjack II," the second installment of an invitation tournament, is taping at the Golden Nugget casino. Viewers can play along with televised blackjack tournaments and classic game shows from their home computers, racking up points that can be redeemed for cash and prizes. GSN is well ahead of the competition in offering interactive content, the final frontier for aspiring gambling channels, Curtis said. While laying money on casino games from home is technically illegal, there are loopholes in federal and state laws that allow subscribers to bet on horse races via phone or Internet. HorseRacing TV and TVG Network already are exploiting that opportunity nationwide and are working on interactive television features. Cox Communications in Las Vegas hasn't been pitched on any gambling networks and can't offer any new channels unless it further upgrades its digital service, spokesman Steve Schorr said. "We just don't have the bandwidth," he said.

World Series of Poker Wins National Sports Business Award

World Series of Poker Wins National Sports Business Award: LAS VEGAS, Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET) said its World Series of Poker has won a Horizon Award from the Atlanta Sports Council. The council's Horizon Awards recognize innovation in advertising, marketing, technology and media in the business of sports. The World Series of Poker received the Horizon Award for the Emerging Sports Property of the Year, awarded to the sports property or event that had significant attendance, media coverage and public awareness. "Harrah's is honored by this prestigious award," said Ginny Shanks, senior vice president of acquisition marketing for Harrah's. "It is a recognition of tournament poker's evolution into a popular sport with millions of loyal fans and of the World Series of Poker's reputation as the dominant brand of that sport." This year's Horizon Award winners included Nextel, UPS, NASCAR, The Coca-Cola Company, the Atlantic Coast Conference and NBC. Various subsidiaries of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. own or manage 28 casinos in the United States, primarily under the Harrah's and Horseshoe brand names. Founded 67 years ago, Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its valued customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Additional information about Harrah's Entertainment is available at http://www.harrahs.com.

The Poker Gazette

The Poker Gazette: "Ladies, it's your time to shine! LIPS Tour" San Diego, CA – October 2004 - Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS Tour) successfully launches the first poker tour exclusively for women poker players, the LIPS Tour. With the rapid growth of poker interest around the world, it's only natural women will stand up and be counted! Poker was traditionally thought of a man's game, it's no longer the case. Women are as capable of serious poker gaming as anyone. With the introduction of Internet gaming, women are learning and playing poker at both the beginner and advances levels. Online poker, is an excellent way for women to learn poker. You can find free money games and micro limit games available 24 hours a day. Women just starting out find playing online a comfortable way to introduce themselves to the game and often will have played online before venturing out to a local card room or casino to play. There is also support for women to learn poker and play with other women through online poker clubs. Lupe Soto, opened the first poker club online exclusively for women called Poker Chix. She has been involved in online poker clubs for several years partnering in Victory Poker and Go All In poker clubs. She soon realized many women were intimidated playing against men. Hence, Poker Chix, located at http://www.PokerChix.com, was born to serve all women poker players. From new players, to advanced players, women have a home to share stories, tactics and strategies, and play against other women in a comfortable, friendly and yet competitive environment. Membership is free, with opportunities to play poker in free money games and real money games for all skill levels. “Women love poker! Playing online lets women play without bias. When I first started playing, I used a man’s screen name so men wouldn’t know I was a woman. But, soon I proudly displayed my ‘BettinGal’ name as my skill levels improved! I recognize that it’s a process… and that’s when it hit me, other women must feel the same way!” Soto shared. Poker Chix is a repository for any casino, live or online that wishes to publicize their ‘Ladies Only Tournaments’. A calendar of events is posted so women can plan on attending. Poker Chix has partnered with the LIPS Tour (Ladies International Poker Series Tour) as the membership and discussion forum aspects of the tour. The LIPS Tour, located at http://www.LIPSTour.com will conduct both live and online tournaments leading to a Grand Championship event in April 2005. “There is no better gateway for women to enter the poker arena than Ladies Only Poker Tournaments,” said Susie Isaacs, Two Time World Series of Poker Ladies Champion. Casinos such as Bicycle Casino, Ocean’s 11 Casino, Normandie Casino, VictoryPoker.com, CheckNRaisePoker.com, AlohaPoker.com, and many more support women in poker. Each casino will host a Ladies Only Tournament and sponsor their winner to the LIPS Grand Championship and at the World Series of Poker Ladies Event in 2005. The LIPS Tour has completed their first tour stops successfully. Ironically, 204 ladies played at both the Ocean's Eleven Casino and Canterbury Park Racetrack and Card Club in September. Winners Jacelyn Dawn Palmer and Ruby Lewinson have both won their entries into the LIPS Championship and the Ladies WSOP event representing their prospective casinos. Soto states “To see 400+ women playing in a tournament is amazing! The competition is fierce, but the encouragement from other players never waivers. I’m proud to be a part of the first poker tour for women and very excited to see the overwhelming support from the poker world!” For more information, please visit http://www.LIPSTour.com

London Free Press: News Section - Poker game set for kids should be folded, unplayed

Poker game set for kids should be folded, unplayed: "Poker game set for kids should be folded, unplayed" IAN GILLESPIE, Free Press Columnist Would you buy a toy bar for your child? You know, a little cocktail-mixing set that comes complete with a shot glass, shaker and ice bucket and lets kiddies learn how to mix screwdrivers, rusty nails and other highballs. Of course, they wouldn't use real alcohol. It would be just for fun, right? I don't think so. So why then is one of this year's hottest toys something called the Poker Table Top, a slick little poker-playing set that teaches tykes how to hold 'em and fold 'em? And why, in fact, has this gambling game been chosen by Today's Parent magazine as one of its top toys of the year? I think it's because a lot of us -- too many, it seems -- don't understand how devastating gambling can be. And how risky it is for youngsters. A recent Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre report puts it into perspective. According to the study, about 36 per cent of the approximately $5.7-billion spent on gambling in Ontario last year spilled from the pockets of about five per cent of Ontario's gamblers. Here's another statistic from the centre: About 80 per cent of adults and adolescents in Ontario gamble. And about one in every 21 of those people have problems with it. Government-sanctioned gambling, of course, benefits many. Locally, for instance, the slot machines at Western Fair have pumped more than $120 million into the local economy since they opened in 1998. That money has done a lot of good. But it's also wreaked havoc on problem gamblers and their families. Now, I'm not going to argue that just because some people can't control their gambling, nobody should be allowed to do it. Nor am I going to argue the slot machines at Western Fair are inherently evil, or that the people who work there are helping damage and destroy lives. The casino workers were hired to operate a betting facility -- they're not social workers. And, ultimately, it's the patrons who must take responsibility for their actions. But I think we have to do more to help people addicted to gambling. And that starts with the kids. "It's an invisible problem," says Bonnie Orvidas, problem gambling program co-ordinator at Addiction Services of Thames Valley. "And that's why gamblers can get into serious difficulty, because even the people who love them often don't know they're doing it." It's hard not to notice when somebody gets drunk. But we often don't see the signs of a gambling addiction. "If you drink too much, you're going to pass out or get sick or something," says Orvidas. "But with gambling, nothing's going to stop you. As long as you have access to credit cards . . . you can just keep on gambling." Surprisingly, Orvidas says she thinks the government is doing an adequate job of funding treatment and research of problem gambling. But she argues it's not putting enough money into prevention and awareness. "I just think people are uninformed," she says. When the local problem- gambling program started in 1997 (before the arrival of the slot machines), it treated 25 problem gamblers. Last year, the agency served 280 people. "People are losing their houses, they're going through their RSPs, parents are bailing their kids out and losing their life savings," says Orvidas. "We've got to do a better job of educating people." Particularly our kids. I admit I've wagered the odd loonie with my sons on a televised sporting contest. Orvidas says there's nothing wrong with that, as long as I don't make it a regular practice. And as long as I make it clear to my kids that betting won't make them rich. "You need to put it into perspective," she says, "so that kids know that most of the time, they lose." I think the odds are good that giving a poker set to a child is gambling with their future.

'Spiderman' is an ace at poker - Sify.com

Spiderman' is an ace at poker Thursday, 04 November , 2004, 11:11 New York: Forget Ben Affleck's recently revealed poker skills, as Spiderman actor Tobey Maguire has emerged as the latest poker ace in Hollywood, after he won the 'Phil Hellmuth Invitational Poker' tournament at the Hollywood Park & Casino last week. According to The New York Daily News, the actor played continuously for more than twelve hours to win the all night event and defeated 123 other players to win the prize of 95, 480 dollars. ANI "

World Renowned Poker Champions Take Center Stage at Monte Carlo Millions

World Renowned Poker Champions Take Center Stage at Monte Carlo Millions The Hendon Mob Issues Challenge to U.S. Players in First Ever Transatlantic Poker Cup MONTE-CARLO, Monaco, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Matt Savage, tournament director of Monte Carlo Millions and the World Series of Poker (WSOP), announced today that the final seats for Monte Carlo Millions, the world's most exclusive poker tournament, are already reserved by the top international poker players. Monte Carlo Millions, limited to 80 professional and amateur players is being held at the world-famous Sporting d'Hiver in Monte-Carlo, Monaco from November 6-13, and will be internationally broadcast as a television series around the world. The tournament marks the first professional poker tournament in the Principality of Monaco. The field of players collectively boasts twenty-seven WSOP gold bracelet holders, seven World Poker Tour Championship titles, and nearly 20% of the 2004 Top 100 Money List which determines the biggest winners of the year. The list of attendees competing for the estimated $1 million prize pool include: * Howard Lederer * Chris Ferguson * Phil Ivey * Scotty Nguyen * Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliot * Layne Flack * The Hendon Mob * Mel Judah * Phil 'Unabomber' Laak * Antonio Esfandiari * Tony 'The Lizard' Bloom * Paul Phillips Playing alongside the professionals is French singing and acting sensation Patrick Bruel, who happens to be one of Europe's most accomplished poker players. Bruel joined the ranks of World Champions with his 1998 win at the World Series of Poker's Limit Hold'em event. A second place finish at the 2004 Five Star World Poker Classic, earning him close to $100,000, cemented his position on the global poker scene. In addition to the professional and celebrity players, roughly ten percent of the field at the Monte Carlo Millions won their seats online at satellite tournaments through Prima Poker Network card rooms. Online poker offers players the opportunity to learn, play and win fantastic prizes, including the chance to play poker idols in the fairytale setting of Monte-Carlo. To top off the weeklong poker extravaganza, Matt Savage and his fiance, who met and fell in love at the 2002 World Series of Poker, will exchange wedding vows in beautiful Monte-Carlo, to go "all-in" on the bet of a lifetime. Prima Poker Transatlantic Cup Prima Poker announced today another must-see event being held during the Monte Carlo Millions -- The Transatlantic Poker Cup. For the first time in history, four of the top poker players from Europe and the U.S. will square off in a no-limit Texas Hold'em battle to settle once and for all, which side of the pond plays the best hand of poker. The world-famous Hendon Mob, comprised of Barny Boatman, Ram Vaswani, Joe Beevers and Ross Boatman will represent the UK and will face down four of the best U.S. players in poker history: Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and John Juanda. The Transatlantic Poker Cup will be televised at a future date. "The Hendon Mob has so far taken on the best 4-man poker teams from Australia, France and Ireland and has beaten every one of them," said Barny Boatman of The Hendon Mob. "Now we're ready for the greatest test of all as we take on America's finest for $100,000 in the first ever Transatlantic Poker Cup. To those who are predicting a massacre I say: 'Don't write the Americans off; I hear they can play a bit too!'" About Monte Carlo Millions Monte Carlo Millions is the world's most exclusive poker tournament and the very first poker tournament to be held in the Principality of Monaco. Monte Carlo Millions is sponsored exclusively by PrimaPoker.com, the world's largest online poker network that is dedicated to sending players to the best tournaments around the globe. The $20,000 package includes round-trip airfare for two, a seven-night stay at the Hotel Hermitage, private helicopter transportation from Nice to Monte-Carlo, a tour of the French Riviera, gourmet meals, lavish cocktail parties and the $14,000 buy-in to the event. With an estimated prize pool of $1 million, Monte Carlo Millions guarantees that every player will win a minimum of $1,000. To learn more, visit http://www.montecarlomillions.com

Tobey Maguire wins Phil Hellmuth Poker Invitational

"Tobey Maguire wins Phil Hellmuth Poker Invitational" By abigail The latest celebrity to win big in the poker world is actor Tobey Maguire. Playing in Phil Hellmuth’s Poker Invitational event, Maguire earned US$95,480 for winning the $2000 buy in tournament. The event was held on Wednesday 27th October at the Hollywood Park Casino, as part of their eight annual National Championship of Poker tournament. There were 123 players entered in the event, including many other celebrities. The total prize pool was $246,000 and was Maguire’s first ever tournament win. The play lasted for 13 hours, testing all the players both on skill and concentration. This Phil Hellmuth Invitation tournament was the eight event in a series of 12 being held during this overall Hollywood Park Casino National Championship. Overall the tournament is believed to have a total prize pool of $1 million, and attracts players from all over the US. Phil Hellmuth, the organiser remains the youngest ever World Series of Poker champion, a title he earned at the age of 24. Since then he has earned another eight titles, giving him a record of nine, simultaneously topping the WSOP money list having earned $3.5 million form his poker career. Commenting on this recent event he said of Maguire’s win: “Before the tournament, Tobey told me that he would love for this to be his first tournament win. I am very proud of the way he played the game last night. He showed tremendous focus and determination. I predict that he will become one of the better poker stars.”

HoustonChronicle.com - Online poker players stake their livelihoods

HoustonChronicle.com - Online poker players stake their livelihoods: "Professional poker players go for broke, taking their chance on the big jackpot" By ROB KAISER Chicago Tribune CHICAGO -- Nate Silver quit his $55,000-a-year financial consulting job in April to play poker. So far it's been a wise career move: The 26-year-old Silver expects to make more than $100,000 this year playing the card game, mainly on the Internet. Silver belongs to a new generation of poker players who feast on the growing number of novices taking up poker after watching televised contests. While few players go to the extreme of quitting their jobs, many spend their evenings stalking sites like GamingClubPoker.com, PartyPoker.com and PokerStars.com, pocketing an extra $20,000 or $30,000 annually on top of their regular salaries. And as more novices keep appearing, opportunity grows for experienced players. "You'll see people make terrible plays routinely," said Silver, who lives in Chicago. "For the most part these people call too much and play too aggressively." Online poker has exploded along with the recent surge of interest in the game. In January 2003, $11.1 million was wagered on the major poker sites. That number rocketed to $136.1 million in September, according to PokerPulse.com, which tracks activity on 21 of the largest poker sites. Total gambling at poker sites will easily clear $1 billion this year, based on PokerPulse's figures, which likely undercount total betting since they do not include popular online poker tournaments that charge entry fees. People trying to bank quick online profits are reminiscent of another recent Internet phenomena: day traders. Rather than making rapid-fire stock trades online, these gamblers seek profits by leveraging small advantages with their poker experience, discipline and statistical savvy. While their gains and losses vary widely day to day, experienced players say the odds are heavily in their favor in the long run. Still, the easy money could quickly disappear if the current poker fad fades. Mike Kim, who lives in Chicago, said he plays online poker every day, sometimes for a couple of hours and sometimes for 12 hours straight. He said his average winnings are $15,000 a month. "I had no idea it would become my full-time job," said Kim, who started playing online nearly a year ago while studying mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois. "I didn't find a job when I graduated so I just kept playing for money." The 23-year-old Kim is no longer looking for a job, although his family is concerned he will lose money. "At first they didn't like it because they thought I was gambling," Kim said. "When I told them how much money I made, they kind of understood I couldn't go back to a regular job." Neal Salmen, a 28-year-old Chicago real estate investor who said he has made about $25,000 this year playing online poker, noted the anonymity of Internet games often makes new players more aggressive. In casinos, Salmen said, "You don't want to look too stupid so people play more conservatively." Internet poker offers experienced players some advantages, particularly the ability to play at multiple tables at the same time, using new technologies like the miniview tables that are offered by The Gaming Club Online Poker Room. Online games generally go faster than casino games, and by playing three or four tables simultaneously, players can easily participate in more than 200 hands an hour. The main disadvantage of Internet play for poker pros is the inability to "read" competitors -- noticing small ticks and other mannerisms that can reveal if somebody is holding a strong hand or bluffing. Even at in-person games, pros often have more trouble reading the novices. "It's hard to read someone if they don't know if they have a good hand," said Jim Karamanis, a Chicago attorney who plays poker recreationally online and in person. Nobody tracks how many people play poker for a living, but the number appears to be growing. "Certainly at this point there are thousands," said Greg Raymer, who left his job as a patent attorney at Pfizer after winning $5 million this year at poker's biggest event, the World Series of Poker. The lure of Internet poker has intensified since Raymer and the 2003 World Series winner gained entry into the casino events, which were broadcast on ESPN, by winning online tournaments. To prosper at Internet poker, players must be technically strong and quickly assess the thousands of scenarios that arise -- betting aggressively on strong hands and folding when they're in a weak position. $170 `is nothing' Signing on to EmpirePoker. Come one Tuesday afternoon, Silver put $1,000 into his account and folded most hands before the first round of betting, losing his $15 ante. On the first hand he played, Silver lost $170. "If I lose $170 on a hand, it's nothing," Silver said. "You can't let it get to you." Silver usually plays on weekday evenings, and sometimes he stays up until sunrise so he can play against aggressive Scandinavians. "My sleep schedule has been terrible recently," said Silver, who also works for analysis firm Baseball Prospectus. Silver and other players concede their profitable poker days may not be long-lived. "I'm just trying to ride it out," Kim said. "If poker starts dying down, I'm going to have to get a real job."

Bars Lose First Round in Poker Tourney Lawsuit

Bars Lose First Round in Poker Tourney Lawsuit BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A state judge has ruled that two bar owners who went to court to save their weekly poker tournaments from state liquor regulators threatening a crackdown acted prematurely and will have to wait until citations are issued. Tournaments televised on cable television have renewed popularity of the game and bars around the state have been taking advantage it, hosting poker tournaments to boost business on slow nights. But, earlier this month, Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Murphy Painter said his agency is preparing to send warning letters -- or cease-and-desist orders -- to bars. Violations could result in bar owners facing liquor license revocations and criminal charges. Painter told a legislative committee today that his office will start "seriously investigating" the poker tournaments beginning Monday and pursue any infractions through the courts. When questioned by state lawmakers, he wouldn't say if his office would shut down any businesses for the activity. He did say he would look at possibly citing some of the businesses if his office deemed certain activities illegal.