Poker series moves to roomier casino

Poker series moves to roomier casino BY BILL ORDINE KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS For nearly a year, poker fans, many of them recent converts, have been watching last year's World Series of Poker on television, following Connecticut patent attorney Greg Raymer's triumph over a record field of more than 2,500 competitors on his way to a whopping grand prize of $5 million in the No-Limit Texas Hold 'em World Championship. And as Raymer's run has been broadcast over and over, poker rooms -- both actual ones in casinos and virtual ones on the Internet -- have been doing incredibly brisk business dealing to players hooked on gambling's runaway craze. With the poker frenzy roiling, participation records will be shattered in a couple of weeks when the 36th World Series of Poker opens in Las Vegas and tens of thousands of players compete in more than 40 events that will be held from June 2 to July 15. The world championship spans the final nine days. For the first time, the tournament will be held mostly away from its birthplace, the former Binion's Horseshoe Casino, now simply known as Binion's, in downtown Vegas. Harrah Entertainment, in its second year as owners of the tournament, will hold all but the final two days of the championship event in a new 60,000-square foot convention center at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, just off the Strip on Flamingo Avenue. When the switch to the Rio was made -- the Horseshoe had been bursting at the seams last year, and the crowds are expected to triple -- it was announced that the last two days of the championship would still be held at Binion's, a parting salute to tradition. While some close to the tournament have said there has been talk about keeping the entire event at the Rio, Binion's -- now owned by a West Virginia-based gaming company -- was still scheduled for its last hurrah in mid-July. Regardless of where the championship bracelet is handed out, organizers are bracing for a maximum field of 6,600 players for the World Championship, which will have a prize pool of more than $60 million, if all seats are sold, and an estimated first-place prize of $7.4 million. In fact, everyone who makes the final table will become a millionaire. However, in addition to the marquee event, the so-called preliminary tournaments, many offering millions in prize money, are also expected to max out on entries. Last year, Scott Fischman, then 23, became the youngest player ever to win two World Series events. Fischman won his two preliminary events in four days, a No-Limit Hold 'em championship that earned him $300,000 and a tournament called HORSE, which included several poker games, for an additional $100,200. TV viewers might remember Fischman as the player who jubilantly flopped backward on a cash-strewn table after one win. With some many players expected to descend on Vegas over six weeks for the tournament, Fischman says it's unrealistic to expect to win again so soon in such a crowded field. "It's going to be unreal," the former casino dealer said. "Whatever they had last year for any event, it will probably be double or triple that. It's really crazy when you think about it, because before last year, the largest tournament ever was the 2003 World Championship when (Chris) Moneymaker won, and that had about 830 players. "You have to be willing to change your goals. If you talk to 1,000 players, 995 will tell you that their goal is to win the World Series. You can't set a goal like that, because you're setting yourself up for a big letdown." Players gain entry to World Series tournaments either by buying a seat -- most preliminaries require a buy-in of $1,000 to $2,500 and the championship is $10,000 -- or by qualifying in so-called satellite tournaments. Satellites are held in either real casinos or on Internet poker Web sites, where players pay smaller buy-ins and vie for a World Series seat. Harrah's officials say checks, some of them in seven figures, have been arriving regularly as satellite tournament sponsors send in their fees for players who have won those stepping-stone events. The opening field for the World Championship will start in three flights July 7-9.

Lawmakers divided on poker bill

Lawmakers divided on poker bill by Liberty Dones for Saipan Tribune House members failed again to reach a consensus on a bill that aims to keep poker establishments away from schools, nurseries, and churches. During a session on Friday, Rep. David Apatang opposed the 250-foot proposed distance as contained in House Bill 14-267, saying that it would hurt a number of poker businesses. H.B. 14-267, authored by Rep. Clyde Norita, provides that no amusement machine shall be operated within 250 feet from the closest boundary of any public or private school, childcare center, nurseries, and churches. It also prohibits operations of these machines adjacent to or within the same facility or complex and under the same roof where commercial laundromats or grocery stores are located. Apatang on Friday moved to amend the bill by reducing it from 250 feet to the current policy of 100 feet. He said that there are poker businesses that are currently located very near the schools. But the motion was defeated during a vote. "I said that the original intent of the bill was 500 feet. The 250 feet is already a compromise. The argument is that it's hurting business-a couple of businesses-and that it's not their fault that schools expand, that schools should be responsible to put up fence to protect its students. But it's our responsibility as community leaders to ensure the safety of all our kids," said Norita. After the defeat of Apatang's motion, Rep. Jesus Attao then offered a provision "grandfathering" the existing businesses. "It's unfair for us to impose that on existing businesses," said Attao. Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider and Norita opposed the "grandfather" provision, saying it would only open up many loopholes in the regulations. They favor giving affected businesses a grace period to relocate their businesses and meet the proposed 250 feet distance. Norita said "grandfathering" certain business "is bending backwards." After a lengthy discussion without consensus, members then agreed to defer action on the bill. Norita said he hopes to have the bill acted on in Tuesday's session. Last March, House members had also decided to defer action on the same bill. Another bill proponent, Rep. Oscar M. Babauta, said that the bill would boost public safety in the inner villages as it aims to remove poker establishments away from villages and schools. As proposed, he said that poker shops would only be allowed to operate along the main thoroughfares, namely the Middle Road and Beach Road. Babauta said there is a compelling concern from the community that "clients have continued to be on the rise." "So we need to control it. This measure prohibits the proliferation of poker [arcades] in the residential areas," said Babauta. The bill also provides that no poker or amusement slot game room shall display signage that is larger than 2 feet high and 4 feet long. "All signs shall be fixed and attached to the front of the building and shall not stand alone," it said. The bill provides that no unlicensed machine shall be kept in any game room. Immediately upon expiration, the machine shall be removed from the premises

Top poker player Tony G named CEO of Poker Champs online poker room

Top poker player Tony G named CEO of Poker Champs online poker room Antanas Guoga, known in the poker world as Tony G was named the CEO of online poker room Poker Champs today, in a move that was welcomed by shareholders. Antanas Guoga, known in the poker world as Tony G was named the CEO of online poker room Poker Champs (www.pokerchamps.com) today, in a move that was welcomed by shareholders. Poker Champs is the online home of Gus Hansen, and Gus personally helped develop, and plan the site. Gus had this to say about Tony’s appointment. “We made a couple decisions yesterday at our General Assembly, and I feel a couple of decisions were made that are steps in the right direction, and will help the marketing side of Poker Champs, and I feel the future is very bright” “At Poker Champs, we have a great tournament program, and a great affiliate program, and I feel we can really take steps toward making Poker Champs one of the truly great sites out there.” Hansen continued Previously the Marketing Director for Poker Champs, Tony G welcomes his new challenge. “I am surprised, and honored to be given the mandate to lead Poker Champs into its next phase of development. I am ready for the exciting challenge that is ahead, and I look forward to creating results.” Said Guoga. In the short period of time that Poker Champs has been in business, the emerging online room has experienced phenomenal growth, and now stands as one of the top rooms on the internet. “Our growth has held at an average of 23% a month since our launch last October. These numbers will be a real challenge to maintain, but all the indicators are positive at the moment.” continues Guoga “I believe the software is our biggest edge. The software has been voted one of the top systems in the business, and I give all credit to our partners at Aglet, who developed the software, and continue to do fantastic work.” Notes Guoga “With the sudden and significant increase in traffic, the Aglet software has run flawlessly. We at Poker Champs owe Aglet a great debt, and I look forward to working with them more, and learning more from them as our partnership continues” One of the few online rooms to be based in a European Union nation (Malta), Poker Champs prides itself on a safe play environment for the player, as well as a stable environment for their money. “We feel we have a license that is very strong, with our license in Malta.” Says Guoga “If a poker room is licensed in a less governed area, like Central America, or the Caribbean, players may be taking a big risk with their money. We want people to feel safe at Poker Champs, and we feel we have a huge edge over the competition in this regard.” Poker Champs boasts top players like Hansen, Erik Sagstrom (an online poker legend, who is arguably the biggest online winner ever), and Tony G himself as shareholders. “With Gus, Erik, and myself constantly evaluating Poker Champs strengths, and working to improve its weaknesses, we have a room that is run with a player mindset. We feel that having a room where top players take an active role in management, not just wear a shirt with a logo on it, is a huge advantage to our player base”

Chartwell Technology pays $4 million for Micropower

Chartwell Technology pays $4 million for Micropower Gambling software company Chartwell Technology Inc. has paid $4 million for online poker developer Micropower Corp. of Gibraltar. "Growth of the online poker market has been exceptional," Chartwell CEO Darold Parken said Friday in a release. "We recognized that, while our overall product suite is very strong, our poker software capabilities needed significant enhancement to quickly capitalize on opportunities. Our acquisition of Micropower provides a huge boost to our software offering and our future development capabilities." Twenty software developers from Micropower will work for Chartwell, he added. Calgary-based Chartwell (TSX:CWH) develops gambling and entertainment software for the Internet and wireless devices, but said it doesn't participate in the online gaming business of its clients. On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Chartwell shares were up 35 cents, nearly four per cent, to $10.10 in early Friday trading.

How To Spot Online Poker Cheating

How To Spot Online Poker Cheating Identifying and avoiding online poker cheats If there is a game to be contested, you can bet there is someone out there who is trying to circumvent the system. It is no different in online poker. But, some players who want to get into online poker are also concerned about the online poker sites, and whether they have stacked the deck in their favor. Players can take solace in knowing that the reputable online poker sites aren’t cheating, and if they are, no one can prove it. There have been numerous unfounded accusations of stacked decks, luring players in with a great string of hands, only to take their money from them with a string of bad hands, and other rumors. Online poker sites work on a RNG (Random Number Generator) to generate the hands that appear on your screen. Most have a RNG that can produce over 200 million different combinations of cards. You are going to have to play quite a few hands before you get a repeat. In fact, I’ll bet that in all of the time you play online, you will never have the exact same cards turn up twice on the flop. Many of the bigger poker sites are audited annually, or more often, to make sure they are not generating too many hands in the house’s favor, and to make sure the odds of turning up certain hands (flushes, straight, full houses) are typical odds. For instance, the odds of turning up a flush by the time the river card turns up if you have two suited cards on the deal, and then two come up on the flop are about 35 per cent. An audit will tell you whether those percentages are staying in line with where they should be. As far as other players cheating, well that’s bound to happen. This happens a few ways: • Two people can bet all of the other players out in order to increase their chances of winning a big pot. This is one form of collusion. • Two or more people can work together and show each other cards. They can then decide their options or ‘outs’ in a particular hand, making them bet accordingly. • Then there are those ‘concerned’ people who inquire about whether or not a poker sites system can be hacked. These questions are usually unanswered because they are often posed more by the ones looking to cheat than the actual concerned cheaters There is a move to protect legitimate gamblers from those who cheat. There are check and balance systems in place at the reputable online poker sites that can detect some cheating -- but not all. The more passive cheating, like the players who sit in the same house and share hands, can’t be detected as easily as the player who is going all in with an unsuited 2, 3, with his partner who has an equally poor hand and matches his bet. Poker sites monitor hands regularly and you can gain some peace of mind knowing that players are caught when they use these underhanded tactics. You can also keep track of the hands yourself, if you are that concerned about cheating by other players. Unfortunately, unless you have hard evidence, most online poker sites don’t do a lot about complaints of this manner. When in doubt, you can always leave the site and go to one where you feel more comfortable. Do your research on the online poker houses and pick the ones where you are more confident about the safety of the users.

Current deposit bonus at The Gaming Club Online Poker Room

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Nevada green lights wireless gaming bill

Nevada green lights wireless gaming bill Mobile gaming (mgaming) firms have hailed the passage of a bill by the Nevada Assembly that will permit ‘wireless’ casino gaming in the public areas of casinos in the state. The Nevada Assembly unanimously approved Assembly Bill No. 471, which now passes to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Casinos are expected to use the legalisation to allow customers to gamble on hand-held computers issued by the casino. And Ken Chua, chief executive of software firm Chimera, said its potential passage represented a huge leap forward for the sector. “If Bill No. 471 is approved, as expected, this will be a great milestone for this industry as it will add legitimacy and credibility," he said. Chimera is hoping to launch its mobile gaming platform in July 2005, which will allow its licensees to offer games on cellular phones and other wireless mobile devices such as PDA's. "We anticipated some time ago the timing to enter the wireless mobile gaming sector was right and we are glad to see recent developments have shown we made the correct decision,” Chua said. The Bill’s chances are rated as good to pass the senate vote, and another technology expressed confidence in its progress. Wireless gaming firm Diamond said it expected the Bill to be approved by the Senate and signed into law by the governor during the current legislative session. The bill is a relatively small opportunity for the emerging mgaming sector, with gaming restricted to the public areas of casinos with more than 100 slot machines.

State Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Legalize Poker In Bars

State Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Legalize Poker In Bars A state lawmaker has introduced a bill to legalize poker in bars, restaurants and clubs. Seeking to capitalize on the exploding craze around the country over the card game, NYS Senator John Sabini (D, Queens), says his bill would benefit businesses, tax coffers and even charities. He says, for example, that bars and restaurants could hold tournaments that benefit a charity, while customers can socialize in a safe environment where they don't stand to lose a lot of money. A ranking member of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, Sabini says his legislation would generally allow only non-cash prizes for individual games. It would require businesses regulated by the state alcoholic beverage control law to apply to their local municipality for a license that allows "social poker." Tournament admission could be no more than $50 per person. Players could only wager with chips, not money. Games can't last more than 24 hours, and only the best tournament player can win a cash prize - one not exceeding $100.

The Inside Scoop on Logowear at the WSOP

The Inside Scoop on Logowear at the WSOP by Barry Shulman for cardplayer.com Everyone has been asking what they can wear during World Series of Poker events. Gary Thompson, Harrah’s Director of World Series of Poker Tournament Operations and Communications, and Keri Potts, ESPN publicist for the WSOP, gave us the inside take on this subject. While Harrah’s and ESPN are two players, they are of like minds in this matter. Logowear that advertises online real-money cardrooms is out. Logowear that advertises online play-poker-for free cardrooms is okay, if tasteful and restrained. Several online cardrooms have “.com” and “.net” locations, with the “.com” site being the real-money venue and the “.net” location being the one that does not involve cash, that is, where players can play for free. So the “.net” logowear would be allowed but not the “.com.” As far as “tasteful and restrained” is concerned, that means the logo is on the breast pocket of a nicely tailored shirt and not more than 1 inch high by 3 inches wide. Now all of this applies to clothing clearly advertising gaming sites. Judgment calls will be made on other attire, but likely your University of Washington sweatshirt will be acceptable. What Harrah’s and ESPN don’t want is to turn the World Series of Poker into a circus and will ban the wearing of inappropriate, outrageous clothing. So don’t expect to play wearing a pink bunny suit with huge letters advertising … whatever. Those wearing attire considered inappropriate will be offered replacement hats and shirts. The understanding of course is that those who refuse to comply will not be allowed to continue in competition. Likely no one will choose to make such a stand.

So you want to be a poker pro? Start with the basics

So you want to be a poker pro? Start with the basics By Melania Zaharopoulos For freelancenews.com “Poker is an easy game to learn, but a difficult game to master,” said Brad Daugherty, a World Series of Poker Champion who first encountered the game as a high school senior in Idaho. Practice and observation are two of the main keys to successful play, said Daugherty, but becoming a champion takes serious work. He should know. After playing poker casually throughout his early 20s, he heard of the World Series of Poker and just had to try. With average winning pots of $300,000 in the 1970s, it seemed too tempting, but nobody was playing Texas Hold ‘Em in Idaho at the time, so Daugherty picked up and moved to Reno, Nev., where he tirelessly studied the game. By the 1980s, he was touring the poker circuit professionally, and in 1991 he hit the big time himself, snagging the first $1 million prize given at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Daugherty has since authored two books and designed the educational programs for Empire PokerSchool.com, a training ground for players on Empire Poker.com. His tip for beginners? Show a little restraint. “They play too many hands,” said Daugherty. “That’s the number one mistake. It’s no fun to sit on the side and watch. The more seasoned pros play fewer hands, but when they do get in, they’re more aggressive. As you get more of a feel for your opponents it’s OK to play more hands, but newer people bet too much, and it’s easy to go broke.” Daily practice, especially participating in one-table satellite games - one-table mini-tournaments in essence - is one of the most essential elements to the development of good game-play, said Daugherty, but he cautioned against playing for real money before players feel confident in their skill level. “When you are ready, the Internet is a great place to start,” said Daugherty. “You’re risking a small amount for a chance at something much bigger. Empire poker gives away seats at the World Series of Poker as the top prize for some of its tournaments, and it’s been really good for some of the new players. Chris Moneymaker won $2.5 million at the WSOP in 2003 from a $39 investment in an online tournament.” One thing online players do have to practice is their emotional control. Even when playing in front of the computer, players should practice their poker face, and remember to play responsibly, said Daugherty. “When you do play for money, never jeopardize anything monetary that you need for your home or anything like that,” said Daugherty. “Poker is supposed to be fun, and it can’t be fun if you’re playing your house payment. It puts added pressure on you, which makes it makes it harder to play.”

Area's casinos seek to cash in on poker craze

Area's casinos seek to cash in on poker craze By BRUCE CAMENGA / Special to The Press-Enterprise Local casinos are cashing in on the poker craze with new or expanded poker rooms. The poker room at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto opened earlier this month. There are also new poker rooms at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Harrah's Rincon Casino & Resort in Valley Center and Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. Soboba's 2,000-square-foot room features a lounge atmosphere and offers an assortment of games on 15 tables. It is open around the clock. A.C. Chapman, poker room director, attributed the new room to customer demand. Games offered include Hold 'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Low, 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Hi Low and Crazy Pineapple. The poker room offers 24-hour food service. Like most other poker rooms, it is nonsmoking. Tournaments are scheduled daily. Tournaments are also scheduled daily at Pechanga's upstairs and upscale poker room. A "free-roll" poker tournament is held monthly at the expanded poker room at Agua Caliente. The tournament is limited to the first 90 qualified players who sign up. The tournament is held on the first Saturday of the month. To qualify, a player must log a minimum of 50 hours of play in the casino's poker room in the month preceding the tournament. Harrah's Rincon has abandoned its effort to send a player to a $10,000 seat at the World Series of Poker final in Las Vegas after having trouble getting enough players for satellite table play. The May 1 Super Sunday Tournament had to be canceled and the casino decided to drop the May 29 Super Sunday event.

Poker at the Bike Goes Live

Poker at the Bike Goes Live The marriage of Poker and the Internet continues with web casting of live poker from the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens California. Cameras pick up unscripted and unedited poker action with real players and real money supported with some commentary. Live at the Bike is filmed live and streamed through the World Wide Web every Wednesday thru Saturday 3pm-10pm Pacific Time. Up to fourteen cameras pick up unscripted and unedited poker action with real players and real money. In addition there are instructional videos from the pros and many more poker features. "As good as some TV shows, the picture needs a little better quality and while the announcer are knowledgeable, they should talk a little less and allow the viewer to hear more of the action "is part of the review from Jim Bullough-Latsch of PokerCalifornia.com The Bike or the Bicycle Casino is the second largest poker casino in United States.

Win a Poker Table, Chips and Cards

Win a Poker Table, Chips and Cards Poker Tour Info is running a fantastic promotion at present where site visitors can win a poker table, poker chips and cards for themselves and a friend. They are busy with some poker research and are asking site visitors to complete a short survey and ask their poker playing friends to do the same. By completing the survey and referring a friend to do the same, you put yourself and you friend in line to win some awesome poker merchandise. To fill in the survey and put yourself in line to win, visit Poker Tour Info They also offer a free, no download poker room environment where you can play poker games online for free. The software features Texas Hold 'em, Omaha and stud poker games in ring game and tournament formats.

Three arrested in video poker bust

Three arrested in video poker bust Investigators with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office arrested three people and seized 26 video poker machines in what they call one of the county’s biggest video poker busts. A court ordered deputies to return three video poker machines to employees of a company called Henderson Amusement. On Tuesday, when employees picked up the machines, deputies followed them to a warehouse at 134 Banks Road. The officers watched Henderson Amusement staff store the machines in the warehouse, which, the sheriff’s office said in a news release, is illegal. The attorneys who represent the company said that law does not apply in this case because the three machines, as well as all the others in the warehouse, needed to be repaired and could not operate. The officers got search warrants for the warehouse. Inside they found about 26 video gaming machines, cash and documents. They seized it all, netting about $160,000, according to reports. On Tuesday, officers arrested three employees of Henderson Amusement: Anna Deaton, 34, of Black Road in Ellenboro, Sam Greene, 53, of Inman, S.C., and William Brown, 37, of Laurens, S.C. Each was charged with a felony count of operation of five video gaming machines, misdemeanor charges of warehousing game machines and failure to register with the sheriff. Brown and Ms. Deaton were released on $2,500 bonds and Greene was released on a $1,000 bond. Sheriff’s Capt. David Rankin said investigators did not know what the company was planning to do with all of the machines. He declined to explain the charges. The 26 machines and money were taken into evidence at the sheriff’s office, he said. Attorney Rob Deaton, brother-in-law of Anna Deaton, and attorney Brian Gulden said that the court ordered the three video gaming machines returned to the company after a judge dismissed a case against Bill Kenneth Lovingood Jr., owner of Bill’s Country Store. Officers had said they had received several complaints about minors playing the machines at the store, which is near Burns High School. They sent a teen undercover into the store and said that on Dec. 1, 2004, Lovingood sold tobacco to the minor and allowed him to play the video gaming machines. The case was dismissed on April 11, and the company went Tuesday to pick up the three seized machines. Deaton said the three machines had been registered and still had the registration stickers on them. All of the machines in the warehouse were registered as well, he said. But, he added, none of the machines in the warehouse, which are now in the sheriff’s custody, was working. “I challenge them to put money in those machines they seized,” Deaton said. “They won’t work.” The sheriff’s office said it has been working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State Bureau of Investigation on the case and expects more charges will come in the investigation.

Poker T-shirt maker fights Wal-Mart

Poker T-shirt maker 'bans' Wal-Mart to protest censorship Small Kansas company cites censorship as key reason not to sell to world's biggest retailer. John Carlton, proprietor of Kansas City's Ace Kicker Tees, said Wednesday that he will not allow Wal-Mart Stores to offer its poker-themed shirts, citing the retailer's history of censorship for his decision. "It really worries me when big business starts dictating ethics to artists and other creative voices," Carlton said in a statement. "One of our poker shirts has an obscenity on it. And we're simply not willing to sacrifice our First Amendment rights, regardless of what sum of money we stand to make in return." Because Wal-Mart has over 5,000 retail locations -- 3,600 in the US and 1,570 internationally -- it exerts a significant influence on the distribution of consumer products. Carlton noted said that while other big retailers were catching on to the sales potential of poker-related goods, Ace Kicker found selling to Wal-Mart disagreeable. Interest in poker has exploded in recent years, based in part on ESPN's "World Series of Poker" and the growth of Internet-based poker outlets. Officials at Ace Kicker and Wal-Mart were not available for further comment. Wal-Mart has had no shortage of clashes over acceptable content. For more, click here.

AOL Games: World Poker Tour: Texas Hold 'Em

AOL Games: World Poker Tour: Texas Hold 'Em Mobile phones to get new Texas Hold 'em title based on World Poker Tour. Mobile gamers should get to work on their poker faces, because a Texas Hold 'em game associated with the World Poker Tour is coming next month for mobile phones in America, with Europe and Asia to follow. The multiplayer game is the first in a planned series of poker-based mobile titles from mobile games publisher Mforma, and it lets players engage in real-time games of up to six people. World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em incorporates elements of the Travel Channel program as well as has an option in which gamers participate in an online elimination tournament for weekly prizes.

Weekly Newspaper Poker Column -- ``Playing Poker with Daniel Negreanu'' -- Smash Success in First Month of Syndication

Weekly Newspaper Poker Column -- ``Playing Poker with Daniel Negreanu'' -- Smash Success in First Month of Syndication The new weekly syndicated poker column, "Playing Poker with Daniel Negreanu," has gained immediate success as newspapers from coast to coast and throughout Canada have contracted with Card Shark Media to run this exciting new feature. Cathy Henkel, Sports Editor for The Seattle Times, stated, "We're adding this column to respond to the burgeoning interest in poker. We looked at other poker columns, but Daniel Negreanu provided the smartest and most entertaining of all." Mike Therien, The Ottawa Sun's Editor in Chief, added, "We are very excited about this poker column. Texas Hold 'Em is like a religion in Canada now, and Daniel is the guy the players worship." Other subscribing newspapers include The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, The Winnipeg Sun, The Bridgewater (NJ) Courier News (a Gannett newspaper), The Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News, and The Vancouver (WA) Columbian. Steven J. Miller, President of Card Shark Media, said that "Playing Poker with Daniel Negreanu" is so popular because it addresses the instructional needs of everyday poker players in an entertaining format. "Other poker columnists either report on tournament play or chronicle their personal poker exploits," said Miller. "Managing Editors, Sports Editors and Features Editors choose Daniel's column because it appeals to the 50 million poker players and fans across the USA and Canada who want to improve their games. Daniel is not only a champion poker player, he's a champion poker teacher, too." "There's only one No. 1 poker champion and that's Daniel Negreanu," added Miller. "Daniel has the extraordinary ability to teach every day poker players how to improve their games. This column is not about Daniel, it's about making poker players of all skill levels better." Daniel Negreanu is the all-time professional poker prize money leader having earned almost $6 million. Negreanu is a multi-year winner of the most prestigious World Series of Poker (WSOP), and is the owner of three coveted WSOP bracelets. Negreanu, an experienced writer, offers poker strategies, tips, rules, and anecdotes from his experience playing with poker's top professionals and most famous celebrities. The column addresses a multitude of poker games -- not just Texas Hold 'Em.

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Yahoo! Poker Debuts at E3 Expo

Yahoo! Poker Debuts at E3 Expo Online games site, Yahoo! Games, is set to debut its next generation multiplayer games at the upcoming E3 Expo. Yahoo! Poker will be one of the first PC-to-mobile games available in the US to allow players to get in a game of poker virtually anytime, anywhere, on any device. 'Yahoo! Games is thrilled to provide gamers of all ages and tastes -- from casual games to PC video games -- a sneak peek at our new games and services with a spotlight on Yahoo! Poker, our marquee new game,' said Geoff Graber, general manager, Yahoo! Games. Yahoo! Poker is a Texas Hold 'Em game that enables up to 10 people to play at once, connected with their mobile phones or through Yahoo! Games on their PC. Most new mobile phone handsets will feature Yahoo! Poker in the games selection menu, starting with Sprint handsets this summer. The game offers multiple game play options, including a tournament style no-limit multiplayer game like the pros play, as well as a single-player career mode that takes a player through five different casinos. Yahoo! Poker integrates Yahoo! Avatars, graphical and customizable characters that millions of consumers have already created to represent themselves while connecting to friends and family online, to make the multiplayer game more engaging. 'The merger of mobile and online games offers a number of interesting possibilities,' noted Schelley Olhava, IDC Program Manager. 'I think PC-to-mobile game play gives the wireless gamer an incentive for multi-player gaming, knowing that a base of PC online gamers are ready to play.'

Grazie: Italian takes poker tourney

Grazie: Italian takes poker tourney by William Ferchland for Tahoe Daily Tribune In the longest final table in circuit history, the World Series of Poker wrapped up at 3:15 a.m. Thursday at Harveys Casino Resort with the top prize of $542,360 going to a 39-year-old property investor who had a pair of 10s. Jeffrey Lisandro battled against Phil Ivey for 2 1Ú2 hours in a 12-hour, 35-minute game, edging the 28-year-old who looked like he might take the grand pot with bluffs and persistence, and a pair of deuces in the end. "Phil Ivey dominated the table," said player Jonathan Shecter, who placed fourth and received $131,480. "He played a lot of hands and won a lot of hands. It was surprising because when it finally ended he ended up bluffing." Steven Schorr, who holds the lengthy title of manager of poker, keno and the sports and racing book at Harveys, was also surprised at how the No-Limit Texas Hold 'em Championship event turned out. Schorr said. "All along it looked like Ivey was chipping away at (Lisandro) but on all the big hands Lisandro would always show a better hand than Ivey," Schorr said. Both Lisandro and Ivey checked out of their rooms early at Harveys, but the excitement was still in the air as the casino hosted the fourth stop of one of the most well-known and televised tournaments. Preparations at Harveys began four months in advance, with extra chips, extra chairs and extra dealer buttons being ordered from a checklist of some 400 items for the 16-day event, Schorr said. Forty-eight poker tables were used but that number will decrease to 21 during summer. Various amateur tournaments and signings with poker champions Doyle Brunson and Chris Ferguson lead into the grand event, staged in one of the convention rooms at Harveys. The room was needed. Cameras, lights, microphones, bleachers able to house the rumps of 150 audience members, a control room and a table for the $1.6 million in total prize money took up the space. "They wanted a controlled environment for television," said John Packer, director of public relations for both Harrah's Lake Tahoe and Harveys. The next stop for the World Series of Poker is New Orleans, followed by the finale at Las Vegas. The circuit will be aired on television with Stateline's dramatics expected to arrive in July, marking a possible bonanza during the summer tourism season. "I think we'll get a lot of (public relations) mileage out of that," Packer said. "A lot of people throughout the country still don't know what a Lake Tahoe is." Tony Prestigiacomo, from Genoa, took a swipe at the table after finishing first in the first event of Lake Tahoe's circuit. The telecommunications business owner finished 17th but seemed to be in more awe by the professionals around him than his winnings. "It was truly a great experience playing with all these folks we see on TV," Prestigiacomo said. "I'm not going to turn pro, I'm not going to quit my day job but I'm going to keep playing," he added. Shecter approaches his poker play as a hobby and keeps it apart from his profession as a media entrepreneur. He said he'll use his winnings to enter more tournaments in his home town, Las Vegas. " Like business, in poker it takes money to make money," he said. The previous record for longest final table game was set in February of this year when the World Series of Poker was at Harrah's Rincon San Diego Poker Tournament, according to Nolan Dalla, the tournament's media director. "The quality of play was exceptional," Dalla said. "When you have really good players they tend to be cautiously aggressive and won't make the mistakes lower-caliber players will." Many, including Dalla, at Harveys will be wondering how editors will turn the roughly 13 hours of play into a one-hour television show. "It will be interesting to see what they do with it," Dalla said.

PokerBIZ Poker Magazine Released by Casino Connection International

PokerBIZ Poker Magazine Released by Casino Connection International The poker industry now has a magazine all to itself, helping with all the nitty gritty involved in operating a poker room. Casino Connection International, which also publishes Global Gaming Business, recently announced the release of quarterly magazine PokerBIZ. The new poker publication is devoted specifically to industry and commerce issues related to the burgeoning world of poker. The main goal of PokerBIZ is to help gaming executives capitalize on the poker boom, both online and off. Readers will receive pointers on ways to better customer service practices, organize poker tournaments and a wealth of additional topics. Recognizing the vast appeal of online poker, PokerBIZ addresses concerns relevant to the online poker room operator, such as methods for increasing web traffic. PokerBIZ will also include information on video poker, a game which continues to spread, as it is legalized in an increasing number of jurisdictions. "The boom currently experienced by the venerable game of poker has transformed the gaming industry," commented Casino Connection International President Roger Gros. "Our company takes pride in covering all corners of the gaming industry, and the business of poker has become very important."

Public Poker Game Bill Passed by Alaska House

Public Poker Game Bill Passed by Alaska House Alaska's state House of Representatives passed a measure last week, allowing public poker games for municipalities boasting populations of at least 30,000 occupants. The house passed the poker bill in a vote of 23-16 last week, and now the bill is under review by Alaska's Senate Judiciary Committee. The poker bill allows public games of poker and other card games to be hosted at one establishment per 30,000 municipality residents. Although host venues of poker games may not receive a cut of the winnings, poker game operators may charge a fee for playing. Opponents of the poker bill succeeded in controlling the reach of the bill by adding amendments to limit poker play. First, voters in each municipality will be able to decide whether they want public poker games for their jurisdiction. Secondly, Poker players will not be able to use credit to purchase poker chips, so as to control spending on poker games.

New generation feeding the frenzy

New generation feeding the frenzy by Jeremy Evans for Tahoe Daily Tribune On a nondescript Wednesday afternoon inside Harveys, women wearing flashy jewelry yank on slot machines handles. Others roll dice at craps tables or watch blackjack dealers take their chips. It's regular casino cinema, no different than what is was 25 years ago. Then there is 24-year-old South Shore resident Josh Ewing, sitting at a poker table, flashing smiles and oozing with confidence. Ewing mingles with bearded middle-aged men or stares down gray-haired gentlemen old enough to be his grandpa. Although it's 3:30 p.m. - relatively early in the $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament World Series of Poker event - Ewing has a healthy chip stack and appears nothing like poker players of the 1960s. Fresh faces, bright eyes and 1980s birthdates are devouring the poker craze. "Oh, the young people are completely feeding it," said Ewing, a Bay Area native and chemical engineering graduate. "I play about six days a week and average 40-50 hours per week. I look at it as a real job." Poker as a profession The UC Berkeley graduate is now a professional card player who's earned more in the past six months playing poker than he could've working any menial job in Tahoe. What happened to 20-somethings building a professional career? Well, maybe that's what he's doing. "I would interview for these jobs and these people hated their jobs so much they didn't even know how to lie about why they liked them anymore," Ewing said. "They're not happy. I didn't want to be like that." This type of talk doesn't surprise Nolan Dalla, World Series of Poker media relations director. He's been around the game for several decades. He knows the current trend isn't stopping anytime soon. "Just five years ago, you couldn't have seen this coming," Dalla said. "Television really changed things. The younger kids watch a lot television and with the Internet, (it has) really made it popular. And I don't see it changing anytime soon. It will probably get even bigger. You can make a lot of money playing poker now." A national craze For decades, poker was reserved for tough guys, outlaws and riverboat gamblers, played in underground clubs or casinos in Nevada or Atlantic City. Now it's played on dozens of Web sites and hundreds of Indian Reservations nationwide. Almost any night of the week, poker can be seen on ESPN and the Travel Channel, whether it's Celebrity Poker, the World Poker Tour or re-runs of last year's World Series of Poker. "It's amazing," said Stan Miller, an assistant manager at Neighbors Books and Music. "ESPN2 is so powerful. Don't underestimate that. When we first opened (December, 2003), we used to sell maybe three to four poker books a week. Now we sell anywhere from 8-10 books a week. And it's mostly younger people buying the books." Indeed, poker's popularity is obvious at Neighbors, less than a mile from where Ewing has been chasing big tournament earnings. Flying off the shelf Doyle Brunson, a poker legend, has written two books on No-Limit Texas Hold'em: Super System and Super System II. Three copies of his Super System II were on Neighbors' bookshelves on Monday. On Wednesday, they were gone. On Wednesday afternoon, the store had one copy remaining of Super System. By 6 p.m., it was gone. "And these are $30 books," Miller said. "These are not cheap books." These investments, particularly for youngsters such as Ewing, are relatively small for the potential earnings. Last Sunday, Scott Clements, a 23-year-old from Mount Vernon, Wash., won the $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament at Harveys. He pocketed $45,745, the largest first-place prize so far at the World Series of Poker Lake Tahoe circuit event. "I've read a few of the books," said Clements, who dropped out of college and now owns a mortgage company and is a professional poker player. "I tend to take little pieces from each of the books, but I always play with my own style. I'm 38 credits short of graduating and I'll never go back. That degree won't help me." Big Stakes In the past two years, amateurs Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer won the World Series of Poker main event and together earned more than $7 million. Their well-documented victories have continued to fuel the explosion. By virtue of an online tournament victories, Ewing and Clements have gained entry into this year's main event in Las Vegas. Winning an online tournament is how Moneymaker qualified for the 2003 World Series main event. Ewing, though, has also had success in live tournaments. At last Saturday's $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament, Ewing finished sixth and won $6,960. When Wednesday's tournament broke for dinner, Ewing was the chip leader with over $27,000. He advanced to the final table on Thursday. "Dude, I don't know if want to get a real job," Ewing said. "After college, I felt like moving to Tahoe, snowboarding all winter and seeing how professional poker might treat me. It's been working out."

Poker DVD Retailer BritePoker Announces Affiliate Opportunities

Poker DVD Retailer BritePoker Announces Affiliate Opportunities Online poker DVD retail site BritePoker.net recently announced a new affiliate program for webmasters looking to reap the full rewards of the poker boom. BritePoker has all affiliate tools already ready for the asking, including banners, flyers, linking codes and advertising content. BritePoker's instructional DVDs help poker fans master the basic skills of the popular card game, as well as giving players the tools with which to hone their skills in the online poker room. The online poker site currently offers two poker DVDs, "Britepoker's Guide to Dominating Poker" and "Britepoker's Wiz Kid's Guide to Dominating Internet Poker."

A little restraint keeps player in the game for later gains

A little restraint keeps player in the game for later gains By Steve Rosenbloom For azcentral.com The difference between a no-limit hold 'em cash game and a no-limit hold 'em tournament is obvious, but it's worth making the point: If you go broke in a cash game, you can reach into your pocket and pull out more money; if you go broke in a tournament, you go home. Which makes money management a critical element in your tournament arsenal. Most players think it involves folding a hand that might be good but not great, and it's true that you need to have the discipline to fold good hands if you think you're beaten. But perhaps a more dangerous play involves merely calling a bet when you might consider calling all in. Phil Ivey, the aggressive young superstar pro who has been called the Tiger Woods of poker, displayed that kind of discretion on his way to winning the 2004 Championship Poker at Turning Stone event in New York. In the middle of the tournament, Ivey had a decent number of chips and was in the big blind with Q-8 of diamonds. With the blinds at $200-$400, a player from middle position raised to $1,200 and was called by the small blind and Ivey. The flop came K-8-8, giving Ivey a set of 8s. The first player bet $1,200. Ivey called. The original raiser made it $5,200 to go. The small blind folded, Ivey called another $4,000. "I was going to just move in there, but I was playing pretty good, and I just decided that I didn't want to go broke with the hand," said Ivey, who plays online at fulltiltpoker.com. "I thought I had the best hand. I wasn't 100 percent sure, so that's why I just decided to call." The turn came a 3. Both players checked. The river came an A. "I'm thinking my hand must be good," said Ivey, who has won four World Series of Poker bracelets. "I said, 'Maybe he's weak. Maybe he doesn't have much.' So, there's really no purpose in betting here because I could be dead or he could have zero, and an ace is a good card for him to bet and bluff at the pot. I gave him a chance to bluff at it. So, I checked, and he bet $8,000. I paid it off. He flopped 8s full of kings." Ivey was facing two overcards - the A and the K - that could've given his opponent a higher set, which is reason enough for caution. So, without top set or a full house, the decision was not whether Ivey would go all in, but how much he was willing to call short of an all in. "So, I didn't go broke on that hand," Ivey said. "I easily could've gone broke on that hand, been out of the tournament and never won."

Isle of Man egaming ambassador bids adieu

Isle of Man egaming ambassador bids adieu John Gilmore, the Isle of Man’s egaming ambassador, has stepped down from his role at the Isle of Man department of trade and industry (DTi) and has been replaced by ex-Betinternet man Bill Mummery. Gilmore said he was stepping down to explore new opportunities, but would remain active within the island’s egaming industry on a consultancy basis. The change comes at a crucial time for the domicile with several major names expected to redomicile in the Isle of Man later this year. Costa Rica-based Poker Stars is currently believed to be recruiting for an Isle of Man-based chief executive in advance of a move. And Mummery said he was excited at the buzz within the island’s egaming industry. “I was with John at the ICE conference in London and what struck me was the quality of enquiries we were receiving,” he said. Mummery also said the domicile would look to boost the amount of egaming service providers it has attracted to the island. Alternative payment firm NETeller and software firm Microgaming are both based on the island, and Mummery said he would look to build on that initial success. “We are definitely looking to expand the network of support services on the island,” Mummery said.

UK mobile gaming firm takes on Europe

UK mobile gaming firm takes on Europe UK mobile gaming firm Profitability Gaming has linked up with white-label specialists St Enodoc in preparation for a European expansion drive. St Enedoc is licensed in Gibraltar, which allows it to market the services of its partners, such as Bingo software firm Parlay, within the European Economic Area. And Profitability plans to use St Enodoc’s Gibraltar gaming licence to expand beyond the UK, where it is one of the dominant m-gaming players. Charles Cohen, Profitability’s founder, said he expected the partnership would allow it to expand quickly into the unexploited European m-gaming sector. “Now we have the deal in place with St Enedoc it will open up huge opportunities for us,” Cohen said. “The payment systems have to be looked at, but we now have the facility to offer our services as an offshore company,” he added. Probability operators one of the largest mobile casinos with a turnover thought to be in excess of £3m-per-year (US$5.7m) from over 20,000 active users. Its main partner in the UK is mobile content provider Monstermob, and it plans to link up with similar mobile-specific partners throughout Europe.

UltimateBet in major mainstream TV deal

UltimateBet in major mainstream TV deal Canadian poker site UltimateBet has signed a deal with US TV channel Fox Sports to sponsor a live poker tournament broadcast over five weekends in June. And crucially for UltimateBet, the tournaments players will be derived exclusively from online tournaments hosted by Ultimatebet.net. Players can win a seat in the UltimateBet.net World Internet Poker Championship through a series of freeroll tournaments. And Jim Ryan, chief executive of UltimateBet’s software supplier Excapsa, said it was a massive promotional opportunity for the firm. “This isn’t about a 30-second TV commercial, this is a branded TV show and for two hours each week,” Ryan said. It is the first time UltimateBet has launched a dot net site, which are play-for-fun only sites designed to get aournd US advertisgin restrictions. He also revealed plans for the site to launch an online casino later this year. “Moving towards casinos makes complete sense to me, and it’s not something I had to think hard about,” he said. “This is not low-hanging fruit, this is fruit that is on the ground.” Ultimatebet is owned by Malta-based firm eWorld Holdings, which works closely with its software provider on marketing and development. The original software provider ieLogic was instrumental in founding and running the site, before it sold the technology to Canadian firm Excapsa last year.

Kyl’s Bill part 2 not expected to be a hit

Kyl’s Bill part 2 not expected to be a hit Industry leaders have predicted the latest attempt by US Senator John Kyl to introduce legislation to outlaw the funding of online gambling accounts is doomed to failure. Senator John Kyl will make another attempt to introduce a bill that would ban “instruments of banking” from being used to fund egaming accounts later this year. The bill has failed to attract widespread support on previous attempts, with the last bill floundering in the face of special interest objections from the Las Vegas and horseracing lobbies. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2005 would introduce a ban on credit cards, money transfers and other payment systems. But several industry insiders have predicted the lack of concessions to existing remote gambling operations such as the US horseracing industry would be likely to make the bill a piece of lame duck legislation. “Senator Kyl’s bill really doesn’t stand much of a hope,” Nigel Payne, chief executive of Sportingbet, said. “He has had to go for no carve outs in his Bill, which was essential to get the AGA to neutral, but in so doing he has alienated the native American gaming group, the state lotteries and the horseracing industry.” Some analysts have said the all-or-nothing approach could play well with the US government following the recent WTO decision on the US dispute with Antigua. The WTO ruled the US could claim a public interest defence if it prohibited all forms of remote gaming, but Mark Mendel, Antigua’s lead counsel, said this was an untenable strategy. “The American ‘remote’ industry is too entrenched and powerful to either be legislated away or be happy with Antiguans being legislated into legitimate competitors,” Mendel said. “As I had initially believed when we brought this case, there is no good or easy solution for the US on this, and it is going to be fascinating to see how it all plays out.” But he agreed with Payne that the vested gaming interests in the US would provide too strong an opposition for the bill to proceed. “The WTO decision cuts both against and for him, but the competing interests makes his proposal untenable either way,” Mendel said.

17 Tech students guilty in poker ring

17 Tech students guilty in poker ring A raid netted more than $2,000 in cash and poker-playing equipment from an apartment officers said was a regular poker den. By Kevin Miller and Joe Eaton For New River Current Another wave of Virginia Tech students was convicted and fined Thursday for involvement in an illegal poker ring that university officials hope was an isolated incident rather than a sign that the college gambling explosion has come to Blacksburg. Montgomery County General District Judge Gino Williams sentenced a dozen Tech students to probation and ordered them to complete 50 hours' community service for being caught playing in an illegal poker operation. Five additional Advertisement students who worked the Texas Hold-'Em poker games were fined $400. All 17 of the students pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charges. On Wednesday, four card dealers and the roommate of the alleged poker game organizer received fines ranging from $400 to $1,000 for their involvement. The case of the man charged as the ringleader, 19-year-old Edwin Park, is headed to a grand jury. An undercover police officer infiltrated a game in Park's Terrace View apartment March 24. A subsequent police raid netted more than $2,000 in cash and poker-playing equipment from the apartment, which officers said had become a regular poker den with paid employees and Park at the helm. While playing poker for money in private is not necessarily illegal in Virginia, anyone who runs a regular poker "operation" and collects a share of the pot is violating state law. Lt. Joe Davis with Blacksburg police said the department was merely acting on a tip and that the sting was not part of a larger crackdown on illegal gambling in Blacksburg. "We take all crimes seriously," Davis said. "If we get a complaint, we are going to work it." The popularity of poker - and particularly the seven-card version known as Texas Hold-'Em - has increased nationwide in recent years thanks in part to televised big-money tournaments and the availability of online poker match-ups. But the game has exploded on some college campuses. Gambler's Anonymous in Virginia has reported a significant increase in college-age players seeking assistance. But Edward Spencer, Tech's associate vice president for student affairs, said the problem of illegal gambling does not seem to be as prevalent at Tech as it is elsewhere. "We are not hearing much of that here," Spencer said. "We are hearing that from colleagues around the country." Similarly, Virginia Tech Police Chief Debra Duncan said her officers have not made any big on-campus busts for illegal gambling. "If it's going on, we'd probably hear about it because I have officers assigned to the dorms," Duncan said. "It can't be very large-scale, is what I'm saying." Clyde Cristman, director of the Virginia Department of Charitable Gaming, said poker fever has spread to charities who view it as a large potential moneymaker. The problem, Cristman said, is that some charities and organizations do not follow the letter of the law. Virginia code allows for-money poker games in private residences as long as no one is running the show in exchange for a share of the game pot. Charities and businesses, including bars and restaurants, can also hold poker tournaments as long as there is no entry fee or prize. For instance, a charity can charge admission to the game and remain on legal grounds if no prize is awarded to the winner. The situation got so bad, Cristman said, that the department had to send out a memo to charities explaining the rules. "After we sent that out to the folks, the number of complaints dropped off dramatically," he said. During Thursday's court hearings, an attorney for two of the students argued that the gambling culture is a part of college life and that students have "a different thinking mentality than everybody else." The attorney, Stephen Haga, asked the judge for a lesser punishment of probation and community service for his clients, Jung Hoon Chang and In Ho Choi. Both men were card dealers. "These Asian young men, they are hardworking," he said. "They tend to keep the laws. I don't think you will find a problem with them ever again." The students convicted in the Blacksburg ring could also face disciplinary action from Virginia Tech's Office of Judicial Affairs. Spencer said the university reserves the right to take action in response to any incidents that "are of concern to the university." "Gambling is not necessarily one that we would take action on, but it depends on the case," Spencer said. "Is this a matter the university should be concerned with, or not? I would think that someone running an operation is probably of more concern to the university than someone who was there [playing] that night." The following students were given a year's probation and 50 hours' community service for participating in an illegal gambling operation: Randy Tran Chu, Jea Hyon Kim, Heather Lee, Quang Minh Nguyen, Joseph James Osborne, Brian Scott Powell, Matthew W. Roberts, Andrew John Smith, Brent Richard Sullivan, Kyle Stephen Urda, Johathan Hayes Wills and Kevin Y. Woo. The following students were fined $400 for working the games: Jung Hoon Chang, In Ho Choi, Charles M. Kim, Young Min Kim and Hieu T. Pham.

Students ran poker games in apartment just like real 'casino', according to player

Students ran poker games in apartment just like real 'casino', according to player by Scott Leamon / WSLS NewsChannel 10 A group of Virginia Tech students ran Texas Hold 'Em poker games just like a Vegas casino, according to one of the student's police caught playing in a game last month. The student preferred to remain nameless, but said a judge ordered him to stay out of trouble and serve 50 hours of community service to avoid a possible fine. The student was one of 18 people who went before a Montgomery County district court judge in Blacksburg Thursday charged with some form of illegal gambling. Blacksburg police say Tech student Edwin Park ran Texas Hold 'Em poker games out of his small Terrace View apartment between mid-February and late March of this year. Investigators believe Park and others took in a "rake," or portion of each poker hand players would bet, making the games illegal. A district court judge fined seven people, primarily Tech students, police charged with being dealers in the poker games $400 each. The judge ordered another 14 players in the poker games to stay out of trouble for one year and perform 50 hours of community service, or face a large fine. Park waived his initial hearing in district court meaning his case would be taken before the next Montgomery County grand jury later this month. Park is the person charged with a felony. Most of the dealers fined by the judge have appealed their cases to circuit court. Two players who spoke to 10 On Your Side on the condition that they remain nameless said they were offered free beer and pretzels as they were playing poker. One of the players said the house would offer a "two dollar McDonald's run" each night, and described seeing a shoebox with $3,000 cash the house would use to cash out other players. A Blacksburg police officer played in a poker game March 24th at the Terrace View Apartments according to a search warrant on file at Montgomery County circuit court. The officer lost $120. Blacksburg police busted the poker games the next night.

Leading Poker Chips Retailer PokerShopping Launches Three Local European Versions

Leading Poker Chips Retailer PokerShopping Launches Three Local European Versions PokerShopping, the world’s leading online poker chips retailer, has launched websites in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Denmark following booming consumer demand. PokerShopping.com, the world’s leading online poker chips retailer, has launched local versions of its online store in the United Kingdom, Spain and Denmark. The three sites are in English, Spanish and Danish respectively. “These are three markets that I feel very strongly about,” said Marcus Holmstrom, head of online marketing at PokerShopping. “It was an easy to decision to expand into these countries since the demand for poker products has simply been a lot higher than the supply and our prices are less than half compared to the few local stores that do exist.” Poker fans in the U.K., Spain and Denmark now have access to a wide range of poker supplies at the lowest prices through PokerShopping. “We are currently working on broadening our selection even further,” said Mr. Holmstrom. “We are getting an increasing number of requests for high-end products as poker is becoming the number one hobby for many people.”

The History of Poker

The History of Poker Poker’s journey and development into the world’s king of card games has left many people pondering the question, “Where did it all begin?” Tracking the history of poker has proven to be a daunting task. There are several different theories on how and where poker began. The most widely accepted theory is that poker was not born or created, but rather that it evolved. One popular theory in the evolution of poker dates back to 900 B.C china when Mu-Tsung is believed to have played a form of “domino cards” with his wife. Others will argue the game is of Persian origins, stemming from a game called “as nas” which required a 5 suited deck of playing cards. Not fond of Persia? How about the belief that poker developed from the French game “Poque”. This game only dates back to the late 1400’s, but it is said to be the origins of the diamonds, clubs, spades and hearts used in today’s modern card games. There is also mention that poker may stem from the German game pochspiel, or the Indian game ganjifa, which had produced card fragments dating back to the 12th or 13th century. As you can see, tracing the family tree of poker has proven to be harder than pulling a royal flush. The American history of poker tends to be a little more consistent. The game started on Mississippi river boats and was a compliment to 3 Card Monty. Refereed to as the “cheating game”, this early version of poker was played with a 20-card deck that only contained aces, kings, queens, jacks and tens. This game is played with 2 to 4 people. Each player was dealt 5 cards and the best hand won. Early poker could have been developed by card sharks. The name poker is an extension of the word poke, a slang word used by pick pockets. From the riverboats, the game migrated via wagon and train routes. As it traveled, new games such as stud, draw and the straight poker became popular. Europeans added the joker sometime around 1875 and wild cards were born. The next major chapter in the evolution of poker came in 1910 when the state of Nevada made it illegal to run a betting game. The attorney general of California declared poker a game of skill. Anti-gambling laws couldn’t stop the masses from playing this widely popular new game. The one exception was stud poker. Stud poker was still illegal because it was viewed as a game of total chance. The growing popularity of poker and the California decision prompted Nevada to reverse its decision in 1931. Casino gambling was legalized and the rest is history. Poker, just like America, can be referred to as a great melting pot. The truth is no one really knows exactly where poker originated. Like most great things, the whole is much bigger then the sum of its parts. As long as there are decks of cards, there is no doubt poker will continue to grow and change. That’s the beauty of “dealer’s choice”. Any player with a deck and an imagination could create the next chapter in the history of poker.

Poker tourist plans to retire after shock $1.7m win in Vegas

Poker tourist plans to retire after shock $1.7m win in Vegas By Ian Herbert, North of England Correspondent for The Independant After 25 years running a company that makes drying equipment for the pharmaceutical industry, Paul Maxfield reckoned he had earned two weeks of fun on the Las Vegas poker tables. But returning home with the largest sum ever netted by any Briton in a poker game in the United States had not formed part of his calculations. Mr Maxfield was back in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, yesterday $1.7m (£900,000) richer, after clinching the second place spot in the week-long World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship. So meagre were his expectations of success that he had to cancel return flights home twice, as his participation in the competition was prolonged. Mr Maxfield, 48, who employs 25 people at the company he established in 1980 with his brother-in-law, Steve Elliot, has always had an eye for the gaming tables. He started out at age 17 playing for pennies and graduated to a local casino where winnings were £100 tops. Amid the daily grind of producing flatbed dryers and granulation suites, internet competitions have yielded the odd big win. And there have been a couple of good events; among them, a £60,000 payout in the European Poker Tour in Paris last year. Mr Maxfield, who has two children and is divorced, paid out £1,000 for the cachet of playing in the all-night qualifying competition for the WPT event and surprised himself by earning the right to compete with 450 others in the competition itself. A place in the last 100 (guaranteed winnings £30,000) was certainly not expected and prompted the second cancelled flight. As Mr Elliot looked on, Mr Maxfield found the opposition whittled down to five, and eventually one - the talented Vietnamese-American player Tuan Le, with whom he contested a dramatic eight-hour final. "It was like the Ryder Cup," said Mr Maxfield, as he described the final at the luxurious Bellagio Hotel, which was watched by a huge television audience in the US. "All the audience [was] shouting for the American and there were only about eight English people shouting for me." Mr Maxfield's family, who shared his slim expectations of success, was reduced to text-messaging him from Staffordshire. The game lasted nearly three times longer than a typical WPT final but Mr Maxfield was blessed with a sequence of good cards, including the five and six of diamonds in his last hand, and in the words of one of the sport's analysts, Mr Le was "on the ropes" for a considerable time. But the American, who had already won one WPT competition this season, eventually revealed the vital seven that he needed in his last card and clinched the $2.8m first prize. Mr Maxfield's success adds to the reputation in the US of British poker players, whose audiences in the UK have been limited to competitions screened by Channel 4 and Sky Sports. Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott, a former stand-up comic, bricklayer and lorry driver from Hull, has had an extraordinary five-year record on the US poker tables and was watched by 1.7 million British insomniacs when he won a competition on Channel 4 in 1999. But his biggest purse, $589,000, for seeing off a field of 160 players in the Jack Binion World Poker Open at Tunica, Mississippi, last year, pales in comparison with Mr Maxfield's haul. Mr Maxfield has decided that his winnings will buy a "Mercedes, not a Ferrari" and said that he is looking forward to leaving the pharmaceutical industry. "I'm going to pay off my mortgage and retire - which isn't bad for 48," he said.

Wireless-to-Web Poker from Yahoo!

Wireless: Wireless-to-Web Poker: "Wireless-to-Web Poker" Yahoo! Games is linking mobile gamers up to its massive PC audience for a little Texas Hold 'Em. by IGN Wireless Yahoo! Games has announced its intention to debut a cross-platform, wireless-to-web poker game at this year's E3. Yahoo! Poker will allow mobile gamers to play against gamers sitting at their PCs. The Yahoo! Games community is millions strong, so wireless gamers should have no difficulty finding another person to play with. If you are attending E3 this year, the Yahoo! Games booth will be temporarily staffed with a few familiar faces to poker fans. Phil Helmuth, Phil Laak, and Antonio Esfandiari will be on-hand to play poker with showgoers and share playing tips. 'Our goal at Yahoo! Games is to provide a dynamic, thriving online community that unites and connects gamers of all ages and tastes,' says Geoff Graber, general manager of Yahoo! Games. 'We?re excited to lead the industry in building the best multiplayer games and deliver a multiplayer mobile game, Yahoo! Poker, which lets people play friends anytime, anywhere and on any device.'

Super-satellite tournaments have a strategy of their own

Super-satellite tournaments have a strategy of their own by Steve Rosenbloom Let's talk about super-satellite tournaments and a strategy mistake committed by many new players, particularly online. Super satellites allow you to play your way into a bigger tournament at a lesser entry fee - say, $100 for a $3,000 buy-in event. The catch is, the lower the fee, the higher the demand on your skill level to play your way in. But super satellites also allow more than just the winner to move on. In a recent Internet super satellite played by Barry Shulman, a retired real-estate developer who bought Card Player magazine several years ago, there were nine players remaining. The top eight finishers would move on. So, being first is the same as being eighth, because players start the next tournament with the same chip count as everyone else. Shulman, who also plays the live tournament circuit, had a big stack and was going to win a spot in the next round when the action folded all the way around to him. "One guy to my right has $15 when it's $150-$300 blinds," said Shulman, who has a World Series of Poker bracelet. "In order for him to survive, he has to double up when he's a big blind, double up again when he's a small blind, and still he can't get through a whole round. There's also a guy to his right who only has $100 in chips. "Before it gets to the guy with $15, he's got to double up on his big blind, too. There's no reason for any of the short guys to be playing anything. "Almost everybody realizes this, and because it's folded to me, I automatically put the guy to my left all in because he's only got about $400. I just make it $400 because he has to fold his hand and be left with $400. "Well, he takes a look and he wakes up with a pair of queens. So, he calls me. I have a 9-3. As luck would have it, the 9-3 breaks him, and the guy to my right with the $15 wins and the guy to his right with $100 wins." Lesson is, it doesn't matter whether the guy with queens has $400 or $800. He just has to wait for the guy with $15 or the player with $100 to lose an all-in, and he has two rounds to let it happen. "It's a basic super-satellite tournament issue that a lot of people are not taught because there's hardly any books you can read about playing satellites," Shulman said. "The smartest thing this guy could've done was get up, go wash his hands, and by the time he came back, he would've had a seat."

Track your poker play at the tables - Poker Table Strategy Tips

Track your poker play at the tables - Poker Table Strategy Tips 1. Keep track of other players playing styles. Keep brief player notes of your opponents. Write down if they are aggressive (someone who raises a lot), loose (someone who plays too many hands), tight (someone who only plays premium hands), calling station (someone that will call you with almost anything). Taking the time to complete this task will also allow you to have handy, exact notes of a person's previous play. This will be an easy reminder of their play when you next sit with them at a table. (Though you will always reevaluate the play of your opponents, and update information when appropriate.) 2. Play two games instead of one. Or, three when you are comfortable! Here is the reason this is a good idea for a new player. You will have certain starting hand requirements that will not allow you to play many hands. A new player may get bored sitting and waiting for just the right opportunity. You want your online poker experience to be a pleasurable, dynamic, and fun time. Play two tables and stay involved! 3. Keep daily records of your wins and losses. Your on-line poker experience will probably be a hobby, a part-time job, or a full-time profession. Under any scenario, you must be able to see at any moment, exactly how you are doing. Numbers do not lie. So, no matter how inconvenient the task, no matter how much it hurts, no matter how unlikely the beat you suffered in the session, keep a record when you are finished. I suggest using a spreadsheet program of some sort. Many are included in the software packages that are bundled with your computer. You may decide to do nothing more than saving a tally sheet and that's okay, too. It doesn't matter-just utilize some accounting method, which will show you how you are doing.

Pair suspected of robbing poker champion arrested near San Diego

Pair suspected of robbing poker champion arrested near San Diego Two men suspected of trying to rob World Series of Poker champion Greg Raymer in Las Vegas last year were arrested Sunday at a gun show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, authorities said. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department received an anonymous tip Sunday afternoon that Kevin R. Joy, 35, and Deem Cassim, 31, were selling toy helicopters at the show. The pair are accused of trying to rob Raymer as he returned to his room after playing a cash game of poker at the Bellagio Hotel on Dec. 20. Raymer, a soft-spoken 40-year-old from Stonington, Conn. who weighs more than 300 pounds, fought off the two men as they tried to shove him into his room, not giving up his money even after one of them pulled a gun. The two men fled and were later identified on security video by Las Vegas police. When approached by authorities, both men gave false names and claimed to have no identification, but gave up without a struggle, sherriff's Corporal Dan Murtaugh said. They were booked on outstanding felony warrants and were awaiting extradition to Las Vegas. Raymer, known as the "Fossilman" in poker circles, won the prestigious World Series Of Poker Texas Hold'Em title and $5 million in cash in May of 2004. On a poker message board at the time of the robbery, Raymer wrote: "I don't write this to brag, I just want any robbery-minded people out there who hear about this to know that I'm a tough mark, and they won't get that much off me even if they succeed."

Major Research Group Looks At Online Poker

Major Research Group Looks At Online Poker A major research group has become one of the first organizations to present a comprehensive look at the world of online poker and its effects on the online gambling world. Researchandmarkets.com this week presented "Online Poker-Driving Gambling To New Heights", a report on many of the aspects that are present within the world of online poker. Far from being a brief review, the online research group looked at many of the components of the online poker world. It not only looks at the current state of the online poker world, it looks as well at the major players in the game, the future growth of online poker and even the potential problems that the game may face. The usual suspects that you might expect are there, including ESPN, the World Series of Poker, the World Poker Tour and an analysis of both PartyPoker and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, but other things pop up that you might not have thought of. It weighs in with its opinion of Sportingbet.com's acquisition of ParadisePoker, where the growth will come from in the future of the market (Europe and Asia are prominently mentioned as the future of online poker) and looks at the major corporations that are a part of the current world (such prominent and respected companies as Merrill Lynch and PricewaterhouseCoopers). The report is a little pricey at 412 Euro, but it isn't meant for the average person to have. It is meant to be something that businesses can use to determine their own strategies and to make determinations on their possible future marketing and advertising interests. It also makes the highly visible signal that poker is on its way to the mainstream of not only corporate America but the business world as a whole. With such a prominent research company spending the time and effort to put together this review, poker has firmly become a big business, worthy of attention from more than just the poker playing world! To view the summary of the report or to purchase it, visit Researchandmarkets.com to learn more about it.

Poker man aims to bounce right back

Poker man aims to bounce right back Robert Thompson has bounced back from injury and is all set to go for that big, fat CI$1,000 winner’s cheque again in the Cable & Wireless Broadband Poker Run on Sunday 1 May 2005. Robert won the title last year, but was a big doubt for this year’s event after he took a tumble off his waverunner and damaged a hip. But he’s up and running again now and is keen to play his cards right on Sunday to help boost his bank balance again. “I’ve been back in training since December and I’m really going all out to win the event again,” said Robert, who runs RT Construction in his home town of George Town. “There’s a lot of luck involved with the cards, but I’m hoping it’s going to be more of a race this year than a poker game!” It’s been quite a comeback year in more ways than one for 35-year-old Robert, for his waverunner also sank off Cayman Brac in July 2004 and he is facing a race against time to get it up and running and back to its best for Sunday. “The waverunner sank, but we were able to retrieve it and we’re hoping to have the engine totally rebuilt by the weekend,” said Robert, who has been a waverunning nut for the past 12 years. It’s all part of a great fun day on the beach – and you don’t have to come first to take that winner’s cheque, for it’s the person with the best poker hand that wins the day after picking up cards along the way during the race. It’s the second event in an exciting week of Carnival on Grand Cayman following on from the song contest at the Mango Tree on Saturday night 30 April from 8pm. Back to the beach on Sunday, and, starting at noon, everyone is invited to trip along to Royal Palms and watch as jet skis and boats battle it out. It’s a real bigger, better Carnival style occasion. The beach fete in Cayman is growing and this event will include the much anticipated race events plus some additional ones that will keep families, visitors and fans of all ages entertained for the entire afternoon. There’s a stack of great prizes on offer including a two tank dive, lunch for two at the Thai Orchid restaurant, a free manicure at Sameena’s Beauty Center, a gift certificate for Noah’s Ark, a meal for two at Bacchus Restaurant and a lady’s or gent’s wash, cut and style at Spa-To-Go. Whether you want to party, put your athletic skills to the test or just spend time with your family, this sun, sea and sand day has something for everyone – adults, teens and kids! There will be plenty to keep all the spectators busy, whilst at the same time keeping an eye on the contenders battling it out on the open seas. An exclusive sneak preview is also planned for the Batabano 2005 costumes modelled by some of Cayman’s prettiest ladies! It will all be set to the Caribbean’s 2005 hottest soca music, spun by the Island’s best DJs! Refreshments, food and lots of activities for the kids - including bouncy castles, games and prizes – will all be provided making it a can’t miss event! So riders “rev your engines” and spectators prepare for non-stop excitement. It promises to be a real wet and wild afternoon as everyone enjoys Carnival Cayman Style!

Poker News: Funkitron get funky with the release of "Poker Superstars Invitational" game

Poker News: Funkitron get funky with the release of "Poker Superstars Invitational" game by John Caldwell Has George Clinton gotten into the poker video game market? That was my first thought when I saw that a game publisher called 'Funkitron' was the company behind the new poker video game "Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament.". "Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament." builds on the brand of the FOX Sports show of the same name, and is a game that makes full use of the brand, and the names involved in the production of the first 'Poker Superstars Invitational' show on Fox Sports. Names involved with this game are Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer, Johnny Chan, Gus Hansen, TJ Cloutier, Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, and Chip Reese. All of these players are represented in the game itself, and indeed you can play against any of them when choosing your opponent. Again, I must wonder how Doyle or Chip felt when being approached about this game. "Hi, Mr. Brunson? Hi....It's Joe from Funkitron". The game incorporates artificial intelligence (the buzzword in the video game industry), and interestingly enough is a download game...not a game sold (as far as I can tell) for Xbox, or any type of stand alone system. The game allows you to put yourself in the exact game you saw on television with Poker Superstars I. You sit at the table with the above-mentioned players, and battle it out, just like you would have were you to have been on the show. One option that is interesting is a speed option, where you can set the game to operate at any one of three speed levels, to fit your skill level, or your Attention Deficit Disorder. Another feature is a tracker, that keeps track of your hands, wins/losses, and other data. The game is downloadable for $19.99 at any number of download sites (like CNET, or Trygames, etc.), and has a 48 hour (talk about ADD!) money back guarantee. There is also a trial version available for free download, should you want to test the game out. Interestingly enough, according to the site I went to, the game takes only forty seconds to download on a cable modem. They must have some serious technology going on Planet Funkitron. It is doubtful that a player with any experience would gain anything from playing this game, but if nothing else, you could play against the eight guys listed above.

Yahoo! cries Bingo on its games channel

eGaming Review Search engine giant Yahoo! has quietly launched a real-money bingo site on its massively popular UK Games channel. The software for the site is powered by Canadian firm Parlay Entertainment, which is developing a UK bingo network in partnership with white-label gaming operator St Minver. And it is believed Yahoo! will become part of Parlay’s network, which will be joined by the UK’s largest land-based bingo operator Gala and Virgin Games later this year. But the positioning of bingo on Yahoo!’s games channel is by some distance the highest-profile development for the UK bingo sector to-date. Yahoo! is the world’s most popular internet site, and its games channel is believed to be the most popular play-for-fun gaming destination in the UK. The bingo site is the second product introduced by the UK division of Yahoo! in recent months as it takes its first steps into online gambling. Its initial entry into the sector was the launch of a joint-venture betting exchange in April in association with Betfair. The pared-down exchange offers users the option of fractional odds and built-in commission payments, and is promoted heavily on the Yahoo! Sports channel.

The Power 50 summit

The Power 50 summit The inaugural eGaming Review Power 50 summit took place this week in spectacular fashion, with a large proportion of the industry’s key players assembling in a stately home in the English countryside. CEOs and board level directors from the leading poker, casino and sports betting industry attended to discuss how to overcome the crucial stumbling blocks to this industry’s growth. One of the highlights of the conference was a presentation by James Rudd from investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, who outlined the best routes capital raising for online gaming firms. But there were also hugely entertaining and enlightening presentations on PR, lobbying, the financial markets as well as many discussions on the future of the industry. And the charity poker tournament on Monday night was another high point, with the final table resulting in an epic battle between two egaming titans with the winner to be revealed in next month’s egaming review. The guest list read like a who’s who of the egaming world with attendees including Mark Blandford, from Sportingbet, Jon Salmon, from Intercasino, Richard Rowe, from Golden Palace, Calvin Ayre from Bodog, Ed Andrewes from Victor Chandler as well as top figures from Sports Interaction, BetWWTS, Carmen Media and too many more to list. Charlie Kerr, the managing director of eGaming Review’s publisher Pageant Media, said he was overwhelmed by the success of the event. “The summit exceeded our wildest expectations, and we hope everyone enjoyed themselves and learned something from the two days,” Kerr said. “It has been hugely gratifying to get the positive feedback we have received so far, with one managing director calling it the best conference he had ever attended, and we hope we can live up to those standards next year,” he added. eGaming Review would like to extend a huge thanks to everyone who attended, and to our sponsors who made it all possible. There will be full coverage of the summit in the June issue of eGaming Review, and we hope to see all of you again next year.