PC Poker that Learns From Your Mistakes

PC Poker that Learns From Your Mistakes By Lonnie Brown For The Ledger For the better part of the evening, Richard had been pretty free with his chips in this game of no-limit Texas hold 'em. Having burned me once with his pair of pocket jacks, he'd managed to scare me away from a pot or two -- or three -- that I normally would have pursued. But this hand was too good: I held two kings, and the flop had a third, with the king the high card. The fourth card on the table offered no improvement for my three-of-a-kind kings -- nor did it give Richard a chance at having a straight, flush or full house, given the mix of four cards on the table. Darned if he didn't make another big bet. I went all in. He folded. I then took the liberty of peeking at his folded hand: Two trash cards. Richard had been bluffing. And although I didn't know it at the time, it became clear later: Richard didn't bluff often, but when he did, he did so effectively. Normally, a peek at an opponent's cards will get one tossed from the poker table -- or perhaps a worse fate. But I didn't get in trouble because this was a computer game. More correctly, it is a computer simulation of no-limit hold 'em, and a very complete one at that. Poker Academy (Standard) and Poker Academy Pro v2 are one-trick ponies: They play Texas hold 'em -- and no other poker variation. But since World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker have made that game all the rage, that shouldn't be much of a drawback when it comes to marketing the program. The standard version (about $20) has the same hard-playing poker opponents as the Pro version (about $130). Unless you're serious about going on the poker tour, the $20 version will fulfill the needs of the large majority of players. Those who hanker to hone their game for the next trip to a Las Vegas cardroom might find the Pro version's price is cheap if it provides the background to win a sizable pot. What sets PA apart is its artificial intelligence. Once a user enters his or her name under which to play (more than one can be entered if a user wants to test several styles of play), the computer will track how every hand was played. If a showdown was involved, it will record the cards played and bets made. Once it's honed in on a player's quirks, it goes for the weaknesses. "Only a few games currently employ the kind of adaptive artificial intelligence found in Poker Academy," said Hector Munoz-Avila, assistant professor of computer senses and engineering at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. The artificial intelligence (AI) engine the program uses was developed by the University of Alberta, which has been in the process of perfecting it for the past 10 years. In computer lingo, the AI players are known as "bots" because they are governed by robotic-like rules. There are about a dozen different bots in PA that each play by a different set of rules telling them when to call, raise or fold. Unlike chess, where a player's current position and potential moves are displayed for all to see, poker is a guessing game. What might the other player have? Sometimes it seems like the unseen players in the computer monitor are looking out, picking up on the human player's ticks and wrinkled brow, or vague smile. Unless you want to peak at an opponent's cards (one of the optional features available in the game), you'll have to compare your hand with possible winning hands and act accordingly. Poker Academy's two versions show the current strength of the hand, the odds of improving it, and other relative information. There's also a coach that will offer graphic advice on when to call, raise or fold. Poker Academy's standard edition is available in stores; the Pro version is available only online. As noted previously, the standard version will be fine for the Friday night poker player. Those who engage in more serious games should consider the Pro version. In addition to the hand evaluator and a detailed statistical history of a player's hand outcomes, it also features advanced AI and the ability to create custom tables for network play. Moreover, it can simulate the World's Series of Poker championship play and can be set to start the tournament with as many as 10,000 players. If you've daydreamed about giving up your day job to become a professional poker player, the bots from Poker Academy can add a dose of reality. For more information, including a limited demo game: www.poker-academy.com.

Poker returning to Skycity Casino

Poker returning to Skycity Casino For nine MSN After a four year absence, poker will return to Adelaide's Skycity Casino, riding a wave of renewed popularity around the world. On Wednesday the casino opened its new Poker Zone with a Texas Holdem tournament scheduled to host 60 players. It plans to run games on four nights a week, Wednesday to Saturday, featuring Holdem, Omaha and Manila variations of the game. Skycity said it closed down the last of its dedicated poker tables in 2001 due to dwindling public interest. But since then the king of card games - said to be as much about psychology as luck - has enjoyed a worldwide resurgence with regular television coverage for tournaments and extensive internet sites devoted to on-line competition. Its popularity in Australia is also expected to increase after Melbourne father of four, Joseph Hachem, last weekend won the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and a $10 million prize. Prior to their demise four years ago, the poker tables at Skycity were also home to the Australian Poker Championships for 13 years. "We have observed the new poker phenomenon that has swept the US in recent times and we're very excited to be reintroducing the game here - back to where it used to have such a great following," said Skycity communications manager Alice Bowran. "Poker's popularity has now reached a whole new generation of players because of the internet and popular television coverage." Ms Bowran said poker's traditional image dated back to the 1800s in the United States where opponents did battle in smoke-filled saloons. "Gone are the smoke-filled rooms and predominantly mature players - poker is now played in a smoke-free environment and appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds," she said. In the Texas Holdem variation players use a full deck and are dealt two cards each. They then use any combination of the five community cards and their two cards to make their best possible hand.

Don't bet against the poker 'robots'

Don't bet against the poker 'robots' By Joseph Menn For LA Times LAS VEGAS — Perhaps one day soon, the automatic card-playing programs known as robots will rule the poker world, dominating this most human of battles as computers have already conquered chess and backgammon. But not today. Not on Phil Laak's watch. Late Friday night at Binion's Gambling Hall, an old-fashioned casino in the old-fashioned part of Las Vegas, the poker champion drew a line in the felt. Buoyed by a cheering crowd ("Hu-mans! Hu-mans!"), Laak topped a pair of kings with his own pair of aces and held on to win the last hand in a three-hour exhibition match with PokerProbot, a sophisticated program written by a 37-year-old car salesman from Indiana. Laak let out a whoop and accepted congratulations from the audience, $100 from a side bet with his opponent's owner and a hug from girlfriend Jennifer Tilly, the actress who last month won the $158,000 top prize in a major women's poker tourney. "You don't want the human player to be obsolete," Tilly said. Still, the unprecedented spectacle left Laak, 33, more relieved than proud, and the predominant feeling among the pro players and fans watching was that he had merely staved off the inevitable. The human monopoly on trickery and deceit had never appeared so fragile. "In three to five years, they're going to win," said Kenneth "The Clone" Jones, a poker pro and sometime software engineer who said he has played against a dozen underground robots. For most players, the display at Binion's made clear, the day of reckoning could be now. It took more than 300 hands for Laak to put away PokerProbot. He emerged with deepened respect for the program and its rival "bots," which include five it defeated in an earlier three-day contest for $100,000 and the right to take a shot at the delegate from humanity. "It would for sure make money online," Laak — known as "the Unabomber" for hiding his emotions behind sunglasses and a hooded sweatshirt — said of PokerProbot. At least in the simpler versions of Texas hold 'em with betting limits, "bots are better than the average person." The programs pose no imminent threat to live games at casinos and card clubs, which generally bar technological aids. But online poker, which has exploded in popularity, is another matter. PokerProbot is one of many bots already winning surreptitiously on Internet card sites based offshore. That's why among the gamblers watching Friday night, those who play online were the most alarmed: They saw programs that bluffed, sniffed out bluffs, didn't tire, didn't get aggravated, figured the exact odds and learned from every play. Few were pulling as hard for Laak as Erez Savion, an executive and investor at Check n Raise Poker, a Curaçao-based gambling site. Savion would have greatly preferred that the match had never taken place. "It may be a negative for the people who want to play online," he said. "A novice player may say to himself, 'What's to stop someone buying that software and having bots all over the place?' " According to Laak, nothing: Anyone smart enough to write a poker program that wins can write one that evades detection. Even during the first rounds at Binion's that pitted machine against machine, some online regulars walked by, wondered aloud why anyone would watch, and then stayed with increasingly grim fascination. "It would be very sad if a machine could duplicate human decisions in this game," said Taylor Berkowitz, a 26-year-old teacher from Clifton, N.J. "It kind of takes something away from it." The invitation-only programming contest coincided in timing and location with the main-event finals of this year's World Series of Poker at Binion's. It coincided in nomenclature until World Series owner Harrah's Entertainment observed that the name World Series of Poker Robots was a little close for comfort. The re-christened World Poker Robot Championship drew entrants from Hong Kong, Spain, Canada and Florida, along with Roger Gabriel of Newport Beach and Hilton Givens, the Indiana car salesman who came with his fiancée and left planning a more expensive honeymoon. A weak card player himself, Gabriel worked on his program until the day the dealing began. It was knocked out in less than two hours because a flaw had it calling too many bets when it should have folded. Givens, who has won poker-tournament money without digital assistance, intensified his programming after losing a software job. In some of the highest drama of the week, Givens' PokerProbot fell to less than $4,000 in chips Thursday night, out of $30,000. Givens finally drew enough good hands in a row to make a comeback, emerging with the $100,000 prize. In a special playoff the next day, luck helped PokerProbot come from behind again to defeat Poki-X, a slapped-together variation of software developed over a decade by computer science experts at the University of Alberta, in Canada. Laak, who hosts one of the many poker shows on cable television, had trained heavily against another version of the Alberta software. After dispatching PokerProbot, he played Poki-X, concentrating harder than he had the previous match. "It feels like I'm playing a human," he complained early on. "It's probably outplaying me." After an hour, Laak realized the machine was playing too aggressively, and he moved to take advantage, winning in the early morning on Saturday. "Chess is a game that's over for humans," said Darse Billings, the leader of the Alberta effort, as his stack of chips thinned. "Poker is still alive."

U.S. Poker Players Believe Skill Outweighs Luck and Playing Conveniently Online Reduces the Pressure

U.S. Poker Players Believe Skill Outweighs Luck and Playing Conveniently Online Reduces the Pressure A survey of U.S. poker players commissioned by The World Poker Exchange, sponsor of the upcoming London Open lifestyle poker tournament in August, reveals preferences regarding playing poker, a game that is reaching new heights in popularity. Seventy-five percent of players engage in a game at least three times a month. Respondents indicated that 39 percent play five times or more a month. A 57 percent majority of online poker players believe that winning is more about skill than luck versus the 74 percent of traditional casino poker players who believe that skill definitely trumps luck. Where Poker Players Are Gathering For A Game Given a choice, nearly half of poker players (45 percent) want to play online, and the same amount (45 percent) prefer playing face-to-face with friends. Women are six times more likely to prefer playing online than in a casino (48 percent vs. 8 percent). Overall, more than three out of four players (77 percent) regularly play online each month. Among players who play games online, nearly six in ten surveyed (59 percent) prefer to play poker online because it is less intimidating than playing in a casino. A full, 75 percent of online poker players also reported enjoying that online is both convenient and comfortable to play at home. Additionally, as a benefit, they can find a game at any time. Sixty-six percent of the respondents stated they prefer playing online because they don't need to worry about maintaining a "poker face", and 48 percent consider playing online a good way to practice for face-to-face games. Forty-three percent like online play because hands are dealt faster than in a casino. Venus Vs. Mars Poker Playing Habits Men and women play poker about the same amount of time, with 60 percent of men playing up to four times each month and 62 percent of women playing up to four times per month. Despite playing the same number of times each month, nearly half the women (49 percent) consider themselves a "social player," compared to 28 percent of men. Almost one in five (17 percent) men rate themselves as "serious players" versus only 7 percent of women players. When it comes to playing poker in a casino, 73 percent of men reported that they are comfortable playing poker in this environment, while only 52 percent of women would be at ease doing so. Women Are In the Game; Some Are Placing Bets More than half of all players surveyed (53 percent) say they make bets for fun, even if it means "losing a small amount." A strong majority (69 percent) wagers enough to "win a little money occasionally." Only six percent wager enough to supplement their incomes and 2 percent "play full-time as an occupation." Win or lose, four in 10 players say they love the thrill of betting on poker games. Wagering for Fun, Thrills and to Win More than half of all players surveyed (53 percent) say they make bets for fun, even if it means "losing a small amount." A strong majority (69 percent) wagers enough to "win a little money occasionally." Only six percent wager enough to supplement their incomes and 2 percent "play full-time as an occupation." Win or lose, four in 10 players say they love the thrill of betting on poker games. Celebrity Fantasy Game Player Preferences From a list of celebrities, George Clooney was the most desired fantasy poker player, with more than one in five respondents (21 percent) saying they would most like to play with him. Other popular celebrities that people want to play poker with included Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Shannon Elizabeth and Mimi Rogers. Women were 20 percent more likely to want to play with George Clooney (33 percent among women to 13 percent among men), and men were five times more likely than women to choose Jennifer Lopez as a playing partner (24 percent among men to 5 percent among women). About the Survey World Poker Exchange commissioned KRC Research to conduct a Poker Player Habits and Attitudes survey in June, 2005 encompassing 301 online interviews of poker players age 18 and up. The margin of error is estimated at +/- 5.7% at the 95% confidence level. KRC Research is a full-service opinion and marketing research division unit of Interpublic, with offices in Washington, DC, Boston, New York and London.

Big World Series of Poker payday for Penn law student

Big World Series of Poker payday for Penn law student By Don Steenberg For Philadelphia Inquirer The million-dollar envelope that Brad Kondracki pulled out of his shorts pocket Friday night looked like the mangled wrapper containing your Friday pay stub, after you've ripped a jaggy opening with your finger and stuffed it in your pocket so you can throw it away later. Kondracki, a 24-year-old second-year law student at the University of Pennsylvania, unfolded it and read aloud the unbelievable number written on the voucher slip. "One million, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars," he said. Not a bad week's pay. Kondracki had come to Las Vegas eight days before to play in the World Series of Poker's No-Limit Texas Hold `em Championship. There were 5,618 other players too, and each paid a $10,000 entry fee, creating a record-breaking prize-money pot. Kondracki had his entry fee and his stay in Las Vegas paid for by a sponsor, the Web site Pokerstars.com, after he had won an online tournament that he entered for $160. With about two years of experience playing any kind of poker, almost all of it sitting at a keyboard, Kondracki ended up playing in the biggest day in the history of professional poker, at a final table where nine players would split $23 million and the winner would get $7.5 million. At a news conference after Kondracki went out in eighth place, Kondracki was joined by his parents, Tony and Louise Kondracki of Kingston, Pa. "You wake up one day and go to work and cut the grass and all of a sudden you're here at a press conference," Tony said. "It's beyond belief." "They weren't this happy when I said I was going to take a year off before law school to play online poker," Brad said. Poker, of course, is bigger than ever, in casinos and suburban dens, on the Internet and on TV. Last year's World Series of Poker had been its biggest ever, with 2,576 players, and this year it more than doubled, forcing early rounds to move from its traditional venue at Binion's Gambling Hall to the bigger Rio Hotel & Casino. The first loser to go out blew his $10,000 in about three minutes. Louise Kondracki and Brad's youngest brother, Steve, "had made arrangements to watch him, and then we were going on to visit relatives in Flagstaff," Louise said. They never reached Flagstaff. By Monday, Brad was among the chip-count leaders. Tony Kondracki, a vice president at Wachovia Securities, went to work "and everybody said, `What are you doing here?' So I got on a plane." Kondracki built his stack Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and reached the final 27. On Thursday, in play that would last until 3 a.m. Friday, Brad survived to the final table, where all nine players were guaranteed at least $1 million. (The chips just count as points; cash prizes are based on finishing order.) "He just wins a million dollars, and we're going to get the car, and he asked his friends to go in and get the parking ticket validated for 10 bucks," Tony recalled. The final on Friday shifted back to Binion's, in a room that held about 300 people. Among those at the table were Daniel Bergsdorf, a Swedish truck driver; Tex Barch, who owns Big Johnson's Beer Garden near Dallas; and Scott Lazar, a magician from California who has performed for Liza Minelli. ESPN commentator Norman Chad took several takes on camera to successfully call the players "an eclectic collection of relative newcomers," although you could say that every year in a game where you can reach the World Series finals with two years' experience. Just minutes into play, Kondracki went "all in" betting his whole stack on the kind of card-flipping showdown that makes TV poker popular. Brad held two black 10s. Steve Dannenman, an accountant from California, had an ace and a queen. The three-card "flop" turned up a jack, queen and four, all spades, giving his opponent a pair of queens but Kondracki four spades. If any of the next two cards turned up spades - a 50/50 shot - Kondracki would have a flush. The next card was a two of hearts. The final card, the river, was a spade. The crowd roared. After that, his luck wore down. Kondracki went all-in again later, and the angels were not with him. He finished eighth. The others played on until 6:44 a.m., with an Australian named Joe Hachem taking the grand prize. Kondracki wasn't sure what he'd do next, besides celebrating with his friends and family, and sleeping. "I just know I don't have to worry about much right now," he said. Excited members of the poker media wondered whether one of the game's hottest rookies and newest millionaires (before taxes) would really need to go back to all that book-learning at law school. His father said, only partly joking, that was "nonnegotiable." "Uh, we'll see," Brad said. "I have some thinking to do now. Probably."

Poker World Series down to final table, nine gamblers remain

Poker World Series down to final table, nine gamblers remain By Adam Goldman For Canadian Press Poker's top players and unknowns wrapped up a gruelling high-stakes showdown, completing the nine-person final table at the World Series of Poker's main event and securing a chance to win $7.5 million US. Eighteen of the 27 players who started Thursday were eliminated. Defending champion Greg (Fossilman) Raymer, popular pro Phil Ivey and amateur Tiffany Williamson, the only woman left, didn't make the toughest cut in gambling. When play finally ended early Friday morning after a nearly 12-hour poker marathon, Aaron Kanter of Lodi, Calif., led with $10.7 million, followed by Tex Barch with $9.3 million and Andrew Black with $8.1 million. Also making it to the final table were Mike (The Mouth) Matusow ($7.4 million), Steven Dannenmann ($5.4 million), Joseph Hachem ($5.4 million), Daniel Bergsdorf ($5.2 million), Scott Lazar ($3.3 million) and Brad Kondracki ($1.1 million). Everybody in the last group will walk away with at least $1 million. The no-limit Texas Hold 'em tournament will conclude Friday afternoon at the legendary Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel in downtown Las Vegas, where the World Series began 36 years ago. The last remaining Canadian was eliminated Wednesday and finished 30th. Radu Butan of London, Ont., won more than $260,000 in winnings. The most dramatic hand of Thursday's round took place in the early hours of the morning - Barch calling all-in against Black with his spot at the final table on the line. Barch showed two jacks and Black held king-jack before the flop. The community cards didn't improve Black's hand, and the fearless Barch took down the $10-million pot. The room erupted after the last card was turned over. Barch took the chip lead temporarily with the bold move. Raymer, a crowd favourite, had to settle for 25th place after his luck vanished, leaving the onlookers disappointed that he wouldn't get a chance to defend his 2004 title. He came into round six Thursday holding the fifth spot with $3.8 million. But he suffered some crippling losses, leaving him in serious trouble with about $415,000 late in the afternoon. Raymer lost about $2 million when he called Aaron Kanter, who had gone all-in. Raymer's two kings fell short when Kanter hit a flush on the river, or final card. Minutes later, Raymer went all-in with an ace-nine and lost to pocket 5s, sending him home without another title. "If you make it this deep and don't win, you're disappointed," Raymer said. Ivey and Kanter went all-in before the flop. Ivey had pocket jacks against Kanter's pocket kings. Kanter made three kings on the flop and Ivey couldn't catch up. "I guess I'll just have to wait until next year," Ivey said moments after busting out of the World Series. He ended in 20th place. Williamson, an American lawyer living in London, was the last woman from an overall field of 5,619 players who began play at the Rio hotel-casino. She lasted about five hours before bowing out, finishing 15th. Williamson's night essentially ended when she went all-in with ace-three against Kondracki's ace-king. The flop brought a king, nine and two. The turn revealed another nine and the river was meaningless. Kondracki won the pot with aces and nines. She was left with about $300,000, doubled up later but was knocked out after going all-in against Barch, who plays professionally. She was composed walking away from the table but soon began sobbing. "I wanted the final table so bad," Williamson said. "It has been a great run." With her departure, it stands that no woman has ever won poker's richest and largest event, and only one has made it to the final table.

The Gaming Club to Launch First Online Radio Show for Poker Players

The Gaming Club to Launch First Online Radio Show for Poker Players Major League Poker and The Gaming Club Online Poker Room announced today the launch of 'On The Felt,' an online radio show created for poker players that is available both live and on demand. 'On the Felt' is the first online show to broadcast LIVE from the World Series of Poker Lifestyle Show at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino during the 2005 tournament in Las Vegas from July 6th through to the finals on the 15th. Reports will be exclusively available on The Gaming Club's poker website.http://www.gamingclubpoker.com 'On the Felt,' hosted by Mark Arum, a poker player and radio personality, will keep listeners up to date with fast-paced and lively discussions about everything that is happening at the tournament from the hottest players and biggest hands to the biggest bad beats. Accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, exclusively on The Gaming Club, players and fans can listen to tournament updates from their computer while improving their poker skills. "We're excited that 'On The Felt' will be the first online radio show to report LIVE from the World Series of Poker, providing our listeners and fans with exclusive access to the tournament," said Tim Johnson, CEO of The Gaming Club Online Poker Room. "The premise behind 'On the Felt' is to enhance the poker experience. As the poker craze continues to sweep the nation, we are offering enthusiasts a unique experience by pairing constant and interactive poker news with online play everyday." As with familiar sports talk radio programs, 'On The Felt' is interactive, and listeners are encouraged to email and call to give their opinions, ask questions and even request topics for discussion. Live forums are scheduled to allow the maximum number of The Gaming Club members to get involved and guide the show. The World Series of Poker ranks as one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious gaming competitions in the world, and draws the attention of poker professionals, celebrities and mainstream America to Vegas. The high stakes tournament began on June 2nd and runs through to the final table which will take place at the legendary Binions Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas on July 14th and 15th. About Major League Poker Major League Poker is a marketing and entertainment-based company engaged in three primary areas within the world of professional poker: the development and production of original programming for radio, TV and the web, the management of poker tournaments and events, and the creation of top-quality poker merchandise. MLP was founded in 2003 by professional poker player, Roger Ledford. MLP members include ranked, pro poker player Layne Flack, and player/tournament director Jim Miller. For general correspondence, contact us at: info@MLPoker.com or visit our showcase online at http://www.MLPoker.com. About The Gaming Club Online Poker Room The Gaming Club Online Poker Room is one of the gaming brands operated by Belle Rock Gaming, which is owned by Carmen Media Group Limited based in Gibraltar. Part of the Prima Poker Network -- a global card room network where Players from different card rooms play against each other, The Gaming Club Online Poker Room is designed to bring players the ultimate entertainment experience. The Gaming Club incorporates cutting-edge technology and rich interface features to bring the best online poker games to life. Players can experience the action at http://www.gamingclubpoker.com. As the most trusted name in online gaming, Belle Rock Gaming continues to set the standard in fair play, transparency initiatives and the promotion of responsible gaming.

Final Canadian poker player Radu Butan eliminated from World Series tourney

Final Canadian poker player Radu Butan eliminated from World Series tourney By Canadian Press The last remaining Canadian has been eliminated from the World Series of Poker, but not before raking in more than $260,000 US in winnings from a glitzy gambling spectacle that dismissed some of the world's best in the early rounds. Radu Butan's lucky streak had him closing in on a $7.5-million jackpot, but his fortune ended on his 28th birthday Wednesday when he failed to get the spade he needed for a flush. Butan, a resident doctor from London, Ont., fell from play in the fifth round after joining a Texas Hold 'em table that included defending champ Greg (Fossilman) Raymer. The seasoned pro drew the diamond card he needed for a flush and Butan left the table with $274,090. After the $10,000 buy-in cost plus some required expenses, Butan claimed a jackpot of more than $260,000 and 30th place out of 5,619 competitors. Not a bad showing for an amateur. "He's been to Vegas before, but the best he's ever done was making the money in a $500 Bellagio tournament," Butan's girlfriend Sinead told pokerstars.com as she watched him from behind the rails. Originally from Romania, Butan came to Canada as a 12-year-old and graduated with a medical degree from the University of Western Ontario in 2003. He now works as a resident doctor specialising in internal medicine. Butan refused media interviews, but an Internet search revealed the card expert excelled in science as a youngster and was a Canadian chess champion while attending a Toronto high school in the early 1990s. Butan was one of more than 225 Canadians who signed up in advance for the event, which began July 7 at the Harrah's hotel and casino with more than twice the number of participants in 2004 and almost seven times the number of players who entered in 2003. Sean Daulat of Winnipeg, Marcello Del Grosso of Toronto, Carmen Menechella of Niagara Falls, Ont., and Toronto pro Daniel Negreanu were among the record number of card enthusiasts who laid bets. Luck plays the biggest role in whittling down the world-class rounders, said Negreanu, who was eliminated in the first round. "Basically it's a tournament full of amateurs," said Negreanu, a seasoned player who earned about $4.5 million in tournament play last year. "They call it the world championship of poker, but it's kind of a laughable connotation because the winner is not necessarily the best player - it's just the guy who got luckiest. The idea is to try to manipulate luck the best you can." For this year's champ, Negreanu is putting his money on the unreadable Phil Ivey, one of the best players in the world. But with just roughly 200 of the 5,600 competitors considered pros, he said odds are good that a novice could make it all the way to the final table of nine on Friday, when the first one out gets a $1-million consolation prize. "It's inevitable that with 5,400 amateurs, some of them are going to make it because a lot of the amateurs, they never even face a pro." Within three days of the tournament, 11 former winners had already succumbed to lacklustre cards, including Chris Moneymaker, Robert Varkonyi (2002), Bobby Baldwin (1978) and Dan Harrington (1995). Television and the Internet have broadened the game's appeal, with celebrity players including Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire and Jennifer Tilly helping to cement the game's growing popularity. In turn, the increased attention has lead to skyrocketing jackpots for pros like Negreanu and opportunities to earn residual income away from the table - through things like online gambling sites or video games. "The prize pools we play for now are always over $1 million," Negreanu said. "Before this happened, they were maybe $60,000." In no-limit Texas Hold 'em, two cards are dealt face down to each player, followed by a round of bets. Then the flop of three community cards is dealt face up with more bets, checks or raises. Next, the fourth street, or the turn card, is dealt up, followed by betting before the final community card - the fifth street, or the river card - is turned up. The best five cards out of the seven take the pot.

Young Guns Are Poker's New Draw

Young Guns Are Poker's New Draw By J. Michael Kennedy For LA Times Thanks to TV and the Internet, Texas Hold'em is hot, and the antics of players in their 20s and 30s have made them the game's rising stars. The young guns of poker elbowed their way onto most every table in the Mirage Hotel and Casino. On this day in May, their fresh faces and average-Joe looks stood out in the crowd of high-mileage regulars playing in a warm-up tournament before the World Series of Poker, where all of them planned to play in July. Raised on electronic games, this generation of the young and the ruthless has discovered America's oldest game and mastered it with almost frightening speed. Because of the Internet, they have crammed years of playing time into months. Some have eschewed mainstream careers and college educations for the lure of quick money. Casinos nationwide have added poker tables to keep up with demand. "It's a whole new clientele for us, and they take their games very seriously; it's a very intelligent crowd," said Tim Gustin, manager of the Commerce Casino, south of downtown Los Angeles, which is to the World Series of Poker what Triple-A ball is to Major League Baseball. "There are many very young players today," said longtime poker pro Linda Johnson, who arranges gambling cruises. "In fact, of all new players entering poker rooms these days for the first time, I would say 60% of them are under 28." The young guns include David Williams, 25, who dropped out of Southern Methodist University two semesters shy of a degree in economics, with a minor in math. There is Tuan Le, the 26-year-old son of Vietnamese immigrants, who dropped out of college before the end of his first semester. Phil Laak, known as the "Unabomber" for his sweatshirt hood and aviator glasses that evoke the wanted sketch for convicted mail bomber Theodore Kaczynski, gave up mechanical engineering and tossed a high-risk Wall Street trading gig before opting for Texas Hold'em. Antonio Esfandiari was 25 when he became the youngest person to win more than $1 million on the tour. He's also a skilled magician who once made his living with the art of illusion before turning to cards. All make their living at the poker tables and have become cult figures on the televised gambling circuit that reaches its zenith Friday when the final table of the World Series of Poker is seated. The poker craze is attributable to several factors, none more prominent than the televised World Poker Tour, broadcast on the Travel Channel. Now in its fourth season, the tour took a game that was about as interesting as watching paint dry and turned it into a showbiz success by allowing audiences a peek at the pair of "down" or "pocket" cards players are holding. "Our television shows really play like 'The Young and the Restless': It has great, intelligent, good-looking men and women. You can't rig that," said Steve Lipscomb, a Los Angeles lawyer who created the concept. "The demographics have changed and that makes it fun." Even Hollywood is getting onboard, with at least one feature film by Warner Bros., "Lucky You," in the works — not surprising since so many celebrities are regulars on television poker shows and tournaments. But the odds are still in flux over whether gaming geeks and math majors can make the transition from anonymous electronic play in their teen years to the stare-em-down psychological drama of a game founded firmly on deception. The Mirage tournament in May was one of the last qualifiers for the World Series. It had some old lessons in store for the youngsters. Williams was late showing up at the Mirage for the 11 a.m. sign-up, so his mother, Shirley, held a place in line for him. Slim and handsome, Williams walked in a few minutes later, listening to an MP-3 player. The college dropout is considered one of the game's young comers, earning more than $4 million in tournament play in the last two years. Williams was carrying a 4.0 grade-point average at SMU when he dropped out after coming in second in the World Series of Poker last year. Before poker, he won thousands of dollars playing "Magic, the Gathering," a sword and sorcery card game. He switched to poker during college and worked his way up the Dallas gambling ladder, where he was a regular at underground big-stakes games. He continued to sharpen his Texas Hold'em skills in online tournaments. Le, wearing a conservative striped shirt and dark glasses, already was seated in front of his $10,000 stacks of chips, the initial buy-in for all 317 players. The 26-year-old, who has won more than $4 million on the tour, was in his first semester at Cal State Northridge when he began playing poker in the student union between classes. He almost always dominated the players, who included his economics professor. One evening at the Hustler Casino in Gardena, Le staked his student loans and financial aid. He lost big time. But he quit school and kept on playing, sometimes as much as 70 hours a week. Poker has changed his living habits, which often means sleeping through the day and playing at card clubs until dawn and beyond.

Rockers Ante Up For Vegas Poker Tournament

Rockers Ante Up For Vegas Poker Tournament By Jill Kipnis For Billboard.com The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Clear Channel Entertainment Properties are partnering for the second annual Vegas Rock Star Poker Tournament and Sweepstakes. The event, which will be held Aug. 25-27 at the Palms Casino Resort, will feature participation from Kiss' Gene Simmons, former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro and former Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell. The three artists will play in the tournament alongside 24 contest winners, who will earn their spot through radio promotions in New York, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco; by entering their name at Vegasrockstarpoker.com; or by winning contests via event sponsors Albertson's and Michelob Amber Bock. Footage from the event is expected to be featured in Simmons' A&E special "Family Jewels," which will likely air in the fall. Prior to the tournament, winners will receive a poker tutorial by expert Phil Gordon and a private meet-and-greet with the musicians. An after-party will be held at the Real World Suite at the Palms.

World Series of Poker Down to 27 Players

World Series of Poker Down to 27 Players By Adam Goldman For Associated Press Poker's top guns and unknowns were in a high-stakes showdown Thursday, each looking to make the nine-person final table at the World Series of Poker's main event and grab a piece of gambling glory. With only 27 players left, round six of the no-limit Texas Hold 'em tournament moved to the legendary Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel in downtown Las Vegas, the place where the World Series began 36 years ago. In the lead were pros Mike "The Mouth" Matusow with $5.1 million in chips, followed by Phil Ivey and his stack of $4.6 million. Steve Dannenmann ($4.3 million) and Tex Barch ($3.9 million) were next, and last year's champ Greg "Fossilman" Raymer held the fifth spot with $3.8 million. The last woman from an overall field of 5,619 players who began play at the Rio hotel-casino was amateur Tiffany Williamson. The London corporate attorney stood in 19th place with $1.1 million. No woman has ever won poker's richest and largest event, and only one has made it to the final table. Expect Matusow, Ivey and Raymer to test the surviving players repeatedly, forcing them to make difficult decisions while avoiding the tough ones themselves. The three have considerable experience in high-stakes games and are not likely to buckle under the glare of ESPN's cameras and the intense atmosphere that will swallow up the room at Binion's. After play ended Wednesday, Matusow said he didn't expect to crack with a prize of $7.5 million awaiting the winner. "For five days, I've kept my head together," Matusow said. "I just need to keep it together for two more. I've stayed phenomenally patient and picked my spots." If Matusow wins, it should lessen the pain of a vicious beat he suffered in the 2004 World Series in which his ace-king lost to an ace-queen when the river, or final card, turned up to be a queen. The outcome had Matusow in tears, and he ended up in 87th place. During round five, Raymer was a rock in reptilian sunglasses, pushing around players and stealing pots. He took more than $1 million from Williamson when she made a major mistake after Raymer pushed all-in and Williamson failed to read his hand and fold hers. Raymer also was lucky, winning two decent-sized pots on fifth street. The first time the river gave him a flush to beat two jacks and he later collected a top pair of aces to crush two 7s. Raymer said he gave himself 1,500-1 odds to win the tournament before it started. Now, going into the penultimate round, he improved them to 9-1. In 2004, Raymer ran through 2,576 people to take home $5 million. Like Matusow, the always calm Raymer doesn't intend to change his strategy in the homestretch. "I'm just going to play each hand for itself," he said.

Refining The Gap Concept For Online Tournaments

Refining The Gap Concept For Online Tournaments From Online Poker Insider The Gap Concept is just one of David Sklansky's many excellent ideas that have had such a formidable impact on the development of serious poker players. Stated simply, the gap concept means that you will need a better hand to call an opening bet than you would to open the betting yourself. So, if you were first to act with AJ suited, a hand made for the gap concept, you could open strongly with it, but if you had to respond to a bet of that exact size holding AJ suited in later position you should fold. The difference between the strength of the hand needed to call the opening bet and that of the hand needed to make the opening bet in the first place is "the gap". The gap widens or narrows depending on the type of opposition you face, and the gap concept is crucial in no-limit tournaments. The gap concept is also influenced heavily by the size of your stack, but as a general rule it may be wise to open the betting holding pocket deuces but it is nearly always foolish to call that bet with the same cards. It is one of the few instances where early position can be a distinct advantage. Because you are first to act you can scare off hands that are similar to yours by virtue of an aggressive bet, and the gap concept only works with aggressive betting. This brings us to our refinements or necessary adjustments to the Gap Concept when you are playing online tournaments. First of all, many opponents have never heard of this concept, nor would they subscribe to it if they did understand it. A lot of online poker players have fixed notions in their tiny heads regarding the strength of an opening hand. For these players it doesn't matter whether they hold AK in early, middle, or late position, nor does it matter if the pot has been raised three times before the action comes to them. As soon as those cards were flipped up on their screen they resolved to go all-in, because they have BIG SLICK. They're calling all the other dudes in the Frat house to check out their monster hand, never thinking that someone else has AK and a third player has them completely dominated with a pocket pair. The Gap Concept works best when you are confident that everyone at the table is familiar with it, and has decided to apply it. It's like the truth in that regard. The problem with online tournament poker is that players overvalue starting hands, so the opening bet could mean anything, but it usually means less than you think coming from a live game environment. It is almost impossible to call a bet and an all-in raise with pocket Tens until you've played in a lot of online tournaments, because that bet is anything from Ax to JT suited, while the all-in raise could be anything from AQ to pocket Nines. Our advice to you is to presume that the Gap Concept is applicable until empirical evidence at your table assures you otherwise. Then you need to loosen the terms, because the standards around you are so much lower. Do not pre-judge your table, however, especially if you are playing at a one-table tournament where the buy-in is $100 or more. At any level less than this we are confident that you will not find the Gap Concept being applied the way it should. In multi-table tournaments the buy-in must be $60 or greater for you to respect the bets of your opponents. The Gap Concept can be a saviour if only because it makes you stop and consider, and while you are doing this please remember that even the worst player is sometimes dealt pocket Aces, and even she will know enough to open the betting with them.

World Series of Poker enters third round with 272 players left

World Series of Poker enters third round with 272 players left By Adam Goldman For Associated Press The day of finishing in the money arrived at the World Series of Poker. With the field slashed, almost all of the players left going into Monday will end up taking home at least $12,500. Of the 5,619 entrants who began play, most walked away empty handed _ only 560 make money. But for many players lucky enough to survive the first four days of the no-limit Texas Hold 'em event, the minimum payout _ enough to cover the required $10,000 buy-in plus some expenses _ is not likely to satisfy their gambling appetites. They'll be shooting for a spot at the final nine-person table in which the first one out will take home $1 million and the winning player will collect a record $7.5 million in first-place money. In the running was patent lawyer Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, the 2004 champ, who was sitting on about $700,000 in chips and second place as the field was narrowed to 272 late Monday night. Raymer, of Stonington, Conn., is one of two former champions of the World Series of Poker's main event still standing out of the 15 who started in the tournament. Russ Hamilton, the 1994 champion, is still competing. The late chip leader was Rod Pardey Jr. of Las Vegas with about $702,000 in chips. But lurking among the remaining players were some top-notch pros, such as Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, John Juanda, Paul Darden, Layne Flack, Howard Lederer. Sam Farha, who finished second to Chris Moneymaker in 2003, ran out of luck Monday night and was knocked out. But Juanda and Darden engaged in a costly battle Monday afternoon. Both went all-in before the flop. Juanda showed two queens and Darden had an ace-king. The flop and turn, or fourth street, revealed two aces, giving Darden an edge. But the river, or fifth street, doomed Darden when the dealer turned over a queen. Juanda's full house of queens over aces beat Darden's three aces and nearly doubled his original stack of $141,000. Women also are trying to make history by winning the 36-year-old event. The 1995 fifth-place finisher and the only woman to make it to a final table, Barbara Enright, busted out late Monday. Olga Varkonyi, wife of 2002 winner Robert Varkonyi, was still in the game, one of seven women left. Former Miss Teen Oklahoma and pro Clonie Gowen exited the tournament Monday afternoon when her ace-queen lost to two aces.

CBS deals itself in with TV poker tourneys

CBS deals itself in with TV poker tourneys By Zap2it.com CBS is betting that interest in televised poker isn't on the wane, teaming up with a promoter to televise poker tournaments in which amateur players get a chance to match wits with pros. The network has signed a deal with ProJo Poker Enterprises to televise eight ProJo tournaments and four specials. First up will be the "ProJo Christmas Poker Classic," airing in the afternoon on Dec. 25. With the deal, CBS is making the biggest push yet by a broadcast network into the world of televised poker. Although NBC has aired a couple of specials in the past, poker has been largely a cable phenomenon, providing ratings boosts for networks ranging from ESPN ("World Series of Poker") to Bravo ("Celebrity Poker Showdown") to the Travel Channel ("World Poker Tour"). ProJo Poker stages its tournaments with amateur players in mind, offering relatively low buy-ins and keeping professional players out of the early rounds. Eight invited pros join the tournament in the semifinal round, playing at one table while the eight top "average Joes" play at another. The last four remaining at each table square off in the final. ProJo's 26-tournament schedule awards a total of $40 million in cash and prizes. As part of the pact, CBSSportsLine.com will set up a poker area where people can play for free and take a shot at winning prizes and spots in ProJo tournaments.

Inaugural Women's Poker Convention Scheduled In Las Vegas

Inaugural Women's Poker Convention Scheduled In Las Vegas The Women’s Poker Convention (August 12 – 14 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino)provides an opportunity for women to take their game to the next level by learning to improve their skills through the experiences shared by top professional players. Hosted by renowned poker author Lou Krieger, the goal of the convention is to empower women with necessary information to successfully challenge their opponents and to emphasize the influence women have in the world of poker. The keynote speaker is celebrated high-stakes player Jennifer Harman, who holds a World Poker Tour title as well as two World Series of Poker bracelets. Other world-class poker players presenting during the seminars include three time World Series of Poker champion Barbara Enright, two time World Series of Poker champion Susie Isaacs, noted Poker writer Amy Calistri, and professional players Roxci Rhodes, Cat Hulbert, and Lacey Jones. The seminars are followed by a panel discussion and will close with a women’s poker tournament where the champion will take home her share of the prize pool, along with a prize package including a publicity kit, professional photograph session, a profile in Woman Poker Player magazine, and a private tutoring session with a professional player. The recent popularity of poker has created a demand for a convention specifically about poker for women. Women are the fastest growing demographic of new poker players. This year’s World Series of Poker ladies tournament attracted a record turnout with a 300 percent increase in registrations from 2004, yet the numbers of women who play poker professionally are still a minority. To qualify for the early registration discount, women should register by July 12th. The registration fee includes all formal functions, continental breakfasts, and lunches.

World Series of Poker Winner to Get $7.5M

World Series of Poker Winner to Get $7.5M By Christina Almeida For Associated Press The nine players reaching the final table at the World Series of Poker main event can bet on one thing: They're taking home at least $1 million. But at least five former champions won't be around for the final table on Friday after being knocked out of the event. The winner of the 36th annual tournament, which started Thursday, will win $7.5 million, a big increase from last year's $5 million, which was double what 2003 champion Chris Moneymaker made. "The big surprise is the final table," tournament director Johnny Grooms said Saturday. "Only three to four years ago it was a big deal for a tournament to guarantee a $1 million first place." The first person knocked out in the final table of the no-limit Texas Hold'em event will receive a $1 million consolation prize. The final table is scheduled to begin Friday at Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel in downtown Las Vegas. The main event began Thursday at the Rio hotel-casino with a record 5,619 players, more than double the 2,576 participants in 2004 and almost seven times the then-record 839 players who entered in 2003. Carlos Mortensen, the 2001 World Series of Poker champ, busted out on Thursday, as did 1987-88 winner Johnny Chan. Chris Ferguson, who won in 2000, was knocked out Friday, followed by 1989 champ Phil Hellmuth and 71-year-old Doyle Brunson, the 1976-77 winner, on Saturday. Other top players such as Daniel Negreanu, Annie Duke and T.J. Cloutier have also exited. Greg Raymer, the 2004 champion, made it past the first cut and held $39,525 in chips. Sam Fahra, who finished second to Moneymaker in 2003, also advanced with a $156,600 chips count. Moneymaker also advances, but will be short stacked with $7,575 in chips when the second round starts Sunday. The total prize pool is $52.8 million, minus the house cut of $3.37 million. According to tournament officials, 560 players will finish in the money. Second place will collect $4.25 million; third $2.5 million; fourth $2 million; fifth $1.75 million; sixth $1.5 million; seventh $1.3 million; and eighth $1.15 million.

Ex-Champ Bids $700 Million for Poker TV show

WPT Enterprises receives a bid from investors who include a legend of the game. By Jerry Hirsch, Times Staff Writer Is this a deal or a bluff? An investor group headed by two-time World Series of Poker champion Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson has made an unsolicited $700-million bid for WPT Enterprises Inc., owner of the "World Poker Tour" television show and online casino, WPT said Friday. The offer for WPT "does not specify any terms" beyond the price, said W. Todd Steele, chief financial officer of the Los Angeles company. "We assume there are other investors but they are not named." WPT's board is just starting to evaluate the offer, which was received Thursday, he said. Brunson couldn't be reached for comment Friday because he was playing in the World Series of Poker at the Rio hotel and casino in Las Vegas, a rival circuit to the World Poker Tour. His representatives at the Las Vegas law firm of Goodman & Chesnoff didn't return calls. Although the 71-year-old poker patriarch is well regarded for his acumen at the card table, Wall Street is wondering whether he has the financial wherewithal to pull off an acquisition of WPT. WPT's shares shot up $8.75, or 49%, to $26.50 on Friday after the company confirmed that it had a bid in hand. Yet the stock was still well below the roughly $34-a-share valuation of the bid, said Todd Eilers, an analyst with Roth Capital Partners in Newport Beach. The gap is a result of Brunson not showing his cards, Eilers said. The gambler hasn't said who his partners are or outlined the source of his funds. Although that may be true to form for a poker player, Eilers said it made Wall Street skittish. "Brunson may be a poker icon, but it sounds like he is a figurehead here," Eilers said. "It is not clear how much he is contributing to the purchase price. The real question is who the other financial backers are." For investors, World Poker Tour has proved a good bet because poker is hot, whether it is played on a computer, the kitchen table or at a posh Las Vegas resort. The company went public last August at $8 a share. "I don't think anybody could have foreseen the popularity of poker," said Jack Binion, the casino entrepreneur who with his father, Benny Binion, founded the World Series of Poker tournament at the old Horseshoe casino in downtown Las Vegas 35 years ago. "What really made it big is all the television coverage and especially the Internet." The Bellagio, the Las Vegas Strip resort where the WPT championship is played each April, just spent $5 million remodeling its poker room and increased the number of tables by a third to 40. "Our poker business is up by 60% over the past three years," said Doug Dalton, the casino's director of poker operations. All this activity is reflected in the high valuations of Internet gaming stocks, Binion said. Just last month, Britain's PartyGaming went public for $8.5 billion in one of the London Stock Exchange's largest offerings in recent years. Analysts say that may be why Brunson is making a $700-million bid for WPT, which at this point is a tiny business compared with the giant Las Vegas casinos or Indian gaming halls. WPT earned $752,000 last year on revenue of $17.6 million. In June, WPT launched its online casino, offering a live multiplayer poker room with head-to-head and tournament play. Although the site prohibits bets from players in the U.S. and other jurisdictions where online gaming is prohibited, it still has significant growth potential, Eilers said. Worldwide, online gambling will hit $3 billion this year and will grow to $4.5 billion in 2006, Eilers said. Because of legal restrictions, WPT operated in just 20% of the market. But even that slice is large and growing, the analyst noted. "The WPT television show goes to over 60 international markets," he said, "And that will drive customers to the online casino." Even if Brunson does come up with the funds, it's not clear whether he will be able to close the deal without the consent of Minnetonka, Minn.-based Lakes Entertainment Inc., a manager of Indian casinos, which owns about 62% of WPT. Lakes said it was reviewing the offer.

Doyle Brunson Wins 10th WSOP Bracelet

The legendary Doyle Brunson has once again amazed the poker world by winning his 10th World Series bracelet and is once again tied for the all time record with Johnny Chan, who won his tenth earlier this week. Doyle won the $5,000 Short-Handed No-Limit Hold'em event #31 with a T3, the big brother to his famous T2. Adding to poker history not only is Doyle and his son Todd the only father and son to ever win WSOP bracelets, they have now each won bracelets in the same series. Todd won the $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split event 21 last week.

Inaugural Women's Poker Convention Scheduled In Las Vegas

Inaugural Women's Poker Convention Scheduled In Las Vegas The Women’s Poker Convention (August 12 – 14 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino)provides an opportunity for women to take their game to the next level by learning to improve their skills through the experiences shared by top professional players. Hosted by renowned poker author Lou Krieger, the goal of the convention is to empower women with necessary information to successfully challenge their opponents and to emphasize the influence women have in the world of poker. The keynote speaker is celebrated high-stakes player Jennifer Harman, who holds a World Poker Tour title as well as two World Series of Poker bracelets. Other world-class poker players presenting during the seminars include three time World Series of Poker champion Barbara Enright, two time World Series of Poker champion Susie Isaacs, noted Poker writer Amy Calistri, and professional players Roxci Rhodes, Cat Hulbert, and Lacey Jones. The seminars are followed by a panel discussion and will close with a women’s poker tournament where the champion will take home her share of the prize pool, along with a prize package including a publicity kit, professional photograph session, a profile in Woman Poker Player magazine, and a private tutoring session with a professional player. The recent popularity of poker has created a demand for a convention specifically about poker for women. Women are the fastest growing demographic of new poker players. This year’s World Series of Poker ladies tournament attracted a record turnout with a 300 percent increase in registrations from 2004, yet the numbers of women who play poker professionally are still a minority. To qualify for the early registration discount, women should register by July 12th. The registration fee includes all formal functions, continental breakfasts, and lunches. For sponsorship opportunities and more conference information, visit www.womenspokerconvention.com

Tournament Poker In The 21st Century

Tournament Poker In The 21st Century by Earl Burton for PokerNews.com One night, after one of the dinner breaks during a final table at this year's World Series of Poker, Media Director Nolan Dalla sat down next to me as we watched as five players (out of the nine who started six hours previously) got ready to go again. "Earl," Nolan remarked, "we used to have final tables at previous World Series events and have them done in three, four, maybe five hours. It seems like every time we sit down for one now, it's at least eight or nine and sometimes goes on as long as twelve hours. Why is that?" It's an excellent question, posed by a man who has seen more in the world of poker than I have (so far, Nolan!). The shortest final table I witnessed at this year's event was eight hours; we were all thankful for a short evening and you should have seen the media clear out as soon as it was completed. What follows is the exact same thing I told Nolan, and it has relevance as to the state of tournament poker in this century. First off, the size of fields have to be a main contributor. Previous to this century, the only events that pulled over 300 players in the World Series was the Main Event. With the advent of the Internet, as well as the increase in satellite entries and players straight out buying into the events, those numbers began to grow astronomically. Last year's 2,576 in the Main Event was a threefold increase on the previous year's record field, and this year look for Harrah's to find some more tables somewhere and crack the 7,000 mark (remember, you read it here first). Of the events that have played to this point, only eight of the 31 events have had less than 300 players. to read more about Poker in the 21st Century - check out the article at PokerNews.com

Poker's on a roll, so why not cash in on the fun?

Poker's on a roll, so why not cash in on the fun? by Chuck Blount for The Star If image consultants need a model for the perfect makeover, there is no better example than the game of poker. Out are the old stereotypes of games being played in smokey backrooms of neighbourhood saloons, with shady characters waiting to put a bullet through your chest if enough money has been lost. In are the mental pictures of anybody and everybody getting together for a fun-filled game of cards that not only sets the stage for generous financial reward, but also tests every step of the thinking process. Poker — more specifically, Texas Hold 'Em — is on a serious winning streak, and it has television and the Internet to thank. The popularity can be traced to two key events. First came The Travel Channel's World Poker Tour, which introduced the brilliant concept of inserting tiny cameras into the table to expose the cards and never-before-seen pro strategy. But the real boom hit in 2003, when a Tennessee accountant, fittingly named Chris Moneymaker, turned a $40 Internet buy-in into $2.5 million with a victory in the World Series of Poker's main event. ESPN's cameras captured the magic and proceeded to air it over and over again to an adoring audience that brought incredible ratings. There, the dream was born that anybody can win. Moneymaker ground out his victory against a field of 839 players plunking down $10,000 per seat for a shot at poker royalty. In 2004, the World Series of Poker attracted a field of 2,576 players, increasing the championship haul to more than $5 million for Greg Raymer. The 2005 World Series is estimated to hit the 6,000-player range. Prior to the Moneymaker sensation, poker TV programming used to be confined to late-night filler on ESPN. Now it can be seen on multiple channels, as Bravo has Celebrity Poker Showdown, the Game Show Network airs Casino Royale and Fox joins the game with its Poker Superstars competition, among others. Poker — more specifically, Texas Hold 'Em — is on a serious winning streak, and it has television and the Internet to thank The Las Vegas casinos that shut down their poker rooms to clear space for more slot machines in the 1990s have had a sudden change of plans. Strip staples such as the MGM Grand and the Bellagio have introduced lavish poker rooms. The newly opened Wynn Las Vegas has raised the bar further, even going so far as to hire 2004 Player of the Year Daniel Negreanu, a Toronto native, as its poker ambassador. Internet card rooms, most of them set up in the Caribbean, are running around the clock, and millions of players are wagering millions of dollars in tournaments and cash games. At any one time, more people are playing in online poker rooms than at all of the live casino tables in North America combined. Bookstores are devoting more space to poker-strategy books penned by pros such as Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth Jr., capitalizing on the notion that readers will become better with these tips. Check out your catalogues or peruse your local shopping centres if you want further evidence. The hot gifts this past holiday season included fancy sets of poker chips, fold-over tabletop poker tables and crisp decks of cards. Check out the Saturday Star each week for your dose of poker news. Look for book reviews, profiles of people in poker, tall tales from the felt and strategies that might help you improve your game. While you might not see me on TV any time soon earning million-dollar prizes, I know the people on TV who are earning million-dollar prizes. I'll tell you what they tell me. Move over, bridge, spades and hearts — poker has reclaimed its crown in the card-playing universe. And if the staggering number of players gives any indication, it is here to stay. We're only starting to build this pot of popularity.

Actor Tilly upstages poker stars

Actor Tilly upstages poker stars All the time she spent playing gangsters' molls and hanging around gambling dens must have rubbed off on actor Jennifer Tilly: she beat 600 players to win the Texas Hold 'Em event at the World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas. Skilful play by the 46-year-old actor, plus admitted good luck, earned her $158,625 (£88,000) at the two-day event, which features some of the top female professionals in the world. "I think she showed an incredible amount of talent," the tournament's media director, Nolan Dalla, said. "She had an enormous chip lead and never looked back. It was almost as though her victory was never in question." Tilly, an Oscar nominee for her role in the 1994 film Bullets Over Broadway, said she has learned plenty of pointers from her boyfriend, the poker player Phil "Unabomber" Laak. "When you're living with Phil, you kinda learn by osmosis," Tilly told CardPlayer.com. "Even in the middle of the night, he wakes up screaming out poker terms. Most guys scream out other girls' names."