The Chips are Stacked at Monte-Carlo Millions Poker Tournament

The Chips are Stacked at Monte-Carlo Millions Poker Tournament Source: Prima Poker Ltd. (Monte Carlo Millions) The world's best poker players have landed in Monaco for Monte-Carlo Millions, the world's most exclusive poker tournament. Phil Ivey, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Patrick Bruel, Jennifer Tilly and The Hendon Mob are just a few of the big names vying for a share of the largest prize pool in European poker tournament history. The Prima Network guaranteed $3 million, with a $1 million first prize. The tournament will broadcast to a worldwide television audience on FSN and its broadcast partners beginning in February 2006. There is nothing comparable to playing poker in Monte-Carlo," said Tournament Director Matt Savage. "It's everything you ever dreamed poker could be, and more." Play commences at noon today in The Sporting D'Hiver, located in the heart of Monte-Carlo's Place du Casino. The limited playing field of 120 will begin with stacks of 50,000 tournament chips. Higher starting chip counts require an absolute mastery of No-Limit Hold'em. As the blinds increase, only those who consistently parlay sound poker decisions with timely, aggressive play will survive, making Monte-Carlo Millions a poker connoisseur's dream: a tournament where skill gets a headstart on luck. On Nov. 23, when only six players remain, the excitement will move to the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo for the final table. In this world-famous venue, where no poker tournament has ever been played before, the 2005 champion will be crowned. To follow the big moves, big busts, heartbreaks and joys of Monte-Carlo Millions, visit www.montecarlomillions.com. A list of registered players can be found on the site, and live blogs will appear throughout the tournament with chip totals, key hands and photographs. The 2004 Monte-Carlo Millions is now airing on FSN -- catch the action through January. About The Prima Network The Prima Network is the world's largest online poker network. Powered by Microgaming software, the leading developer of Internet gaming systems, Prima licenses to more than 30 operators worldwide to form a global poker network. The Prima Network ensures that a critical mass of online poker players and a wide variety of games and tournaments are available at all times. Sought by online poker players and operators, the Prima Network symbolizes quality, representing the highest standards in online poker play, fairness, and credibility. For more information, please visit www.primapoker.net

Industry News In Brief

Industry News In Brief Source E-Gaming Review News in brief this week sees eCOGRA launch a new safety campaign, Prima Network add more members to its network, Boylesports select Chartwell and Citadel launch its new SecureSwipe product. eCOGRA, the independent regulatory body for the egaming industry, plans to promote its educational and awareness programme, ?Play it safe?, to online casino and poker players worldwide. Lotus PR in New York and Chameleon PR in London will implement the global campaign, which is designed to educate players on the value of the eCOGRA ?Play it safe? seal through player surveys, media outreach, editorial briefings and authored articles. Microgaming-powered Prima Network reported continued growth this week with the addition of six poker rooms. This past year has seen the company add 17 new card rooms to its existing network, bringing the total number of members to 40. John Docherty, chief operating officer of Prima Network, said: ?What makes us different is our top-of-the-line software and critical mass of players. We have created unique opportunities for our operators to attract players.? Chartwell Technology?s Flash-based casino and soft games technology has been selected by independent Irish bookmaker Boylesports for its online offering. ?We are delighted to have been chosen by such a well-known Irish brand to strengthen its online gaming profile,? said Darold Parken, president and chief executive of Chartwell. ?With this new relationship we have extended our reach in a new geographic market, and we have gained a strong industry partner for future growth.? Citadel Commerce has launched SecureSwipe, a handheld device that enables PIN debit and swiped credit card purchases to be made from home. The device transmits fully encrypted PIN blocks to Citadel?s data centre, with customers purchasing myCitadel Wallet e-money using a bank-issued ATM PIN debit card. Michael Meeks, president of Citadel, said: ?We feel confident our customers will find SecureSwipe a viable and secure alternative to card-not-present credit card transactions.? Skill games provider Greentube is developing an updated edition of its Ski Challenge game. The 2006 version of Ski Challenge will include new tracks and expanded features. Eberhard Duerrschmid, chief executive of Greentube, said he was looking forward to implementing his company?s games through TV, mobile and web formats. The UK Gambling Commission will relocate to the UK?s second-largest city Birmingham from January 2006. Formally launched on 1 October 2005, the Gambling Commission is currently based in central London. All functions and staff will have moved to Birmingham by June 2006.

Now THAT, my friends, is a poker player

Two couples were playing poker one evening. John accidentally dropped some cards on the floor. When he bent down under the table to pick them up, he noticed Bill's wife, Sue, wasn't wearing any underwear under her dress ! Shocked by this, John upon trying to sit back up again, hit his head on the table and emerged red-faced. Later, John went to the kitchen to get some refreshments. Bill's wife followed and asked, "Did you see anything that you liked under there?" Surprised by her boldness, John courageously admitted that, well indeed he did. She said, " Well, you can have it but it will cost you $500." After taking a minute or two to assess the financial and moral costs of this offer, John confirms that he is interested. She tells him that since her husband Bill works Friday afternoons and as John doesn't, he should be at her house around 2 p.m. Friday afternoon. When Friday rolled around, John showed up at Bill's house at 2 p.m. sharp and after paying Sue the agreed sum of $500 they went to the bedroom and closed their transaction, as agreed. John then quickly dressed and left. As usual, Bill came home from work at 6 p.m. and upon entering the house, asked his wife abruptly. "Did John come by the house this afternoon?" With a lump in her throat Sue answered "Why yes, he did stop by for a few minutes this afternoon." Her heart nearly skipped a beat when her husband curtly asked, "And did he give you $500?" In terror she assumed that somehow he had found out and after mustering her best poker face, replied, "Well, yes, in fact he did give me $500". Bill, with a satisfied look on his face, surprised his wife by saying, "Good, I was hoping he did. John came by the office this morning and borrowed $500 from me. He promised me he'd stop by our house this afternoon on his way home and pay me back." Now THAT, my friends, is a poker player !

Chuck Blount on poker: When you're winning big, you never should walk away

Chuck Blount on poker: When you're winning big, you never should walk away By Chuck Blount For MySA.com Ted Forrest, one of the most feared poker players and proposition gamblers in Las Vegas, once sat at the same 7-card stud table for 72 consecutive hours before calling it quits. Hall of Famer Johnny Moss played in a juicy Dallas game for four consecutive days, and legend has it he made multi-day sessions a frequent practice. While those examples are extreme, long playing sessions are commonplace and can mean one of two things: Either a player is sunk and desperately trying to get even, or he is sitting in the perfect game with inferior opponents and winning all the money. I don't have much to say about the losing scenario other than to reiterate that it's a terrible idea with an absurdly low chance of success. The Los Angeles Clippers have a better shot at winning an NBA championship. As for the second scenario, one must learn to love caffeinated beverages because it's almost as unforgivable to leave a game that you are winning easily as it is to stay when you are losing. Traditional casino logic doesn't have a lot of useful application at a poker table, because there is no house advantage built into the game that makes you a loser over the long haul. A slot player who takes $50 to a machine and hits a $10,000 jackpot after a few pulls should take the money and run. Slots run on a computer program, and there's never been one made that's coded to pay out more than it takes in (or even break even). All slots are programmed for you to lose, so if the player let that $10,000 jackpot ride, it eventually would erode down to nothing. In poker, it's all about the game itself and how well you play it in relation to the competition. The past is wiped out with every hand, and the odds remain the same. Any player can sit down at a table with random opponents at their desired limits and discover the conditions of the game (quality of opponents) lend themselves to big profits. These are the games that you want to play, and you want to take advantage of them when you find one because they don't come around every day. Let's assume that you are a pretty well-versed player and you stumble upon a crazy $1-2 no-limit Hold 'Em table at the local casino and you buy in for $200. It's filled to the brim with players that you quickly observe bet large figures with relatively weak hands and love to show off their triumphant bluffs. You take advantage of this and four hours into the session you are up $225, which grows to $400 in seven hours with the table keeping the same dynamic. The table is a bona fide cash machine, and every indication is that it will continue to be so because it's now obvious that you are better than the rest of the players in the game. To cut off your gaming session now because you are showing a 200 percent profit would be foolish. Continue to take advantage of the opportunistic table and continue to maximize your profits with further time at the table. You may take a bad beat and get knocked down a few pegs at some point, but you want to stay involved in any game that you hold an obvious advantage in for as long as possible. You may end up being really, really late for dinner, but it sure beats being too early.

Online gambling to top $10bn

Online gambling to top $10bn Source: Fin24.co.za Washington - Worldwide online gambling revenues will top $10bn in 2005 for operators of virtual casinos and bookmaking, a market research firm said on Tuesday. The report by the firm eMarketer said the $10bn represents only the "vig," or house cut - which means there was likely well over $200bn in play over the year. "Fuelled by a poker craze, the growth of broadband, and television coverage, online gambling is quickly moving to the mainstream," says Ben Macklin, analyst at eMarketer. Online gambling is considered by US authorities to be illegal, but that does not prevent many Americans from visiting internet gaming sites, which are mainly based offshore. The eMarketer report said various research shows 20 million to 30 million US internet users visited gambling or sweepstakes sites in February 2005, representing about 15% to 18% of all US internet users. "US consumer spending on gambling is roughly 20 times the amount they spend on digital music downloads," the report noted. In Europe, the report found 14 million internet users visited gambling or sweepstake sites, with Germany having the largest number of users. As a percentage of internet users, however, France and Sweden top the list. Macklin said TV coverage of poker tournaments, and the $2.5m win of American online player Chris Moneymaker in the 2003 World Series of Poker, gave the sector a lift. Macklin said: "After phenomenal growth during 2003 and 2004, particularly from online poker, the online gambling sector is slowing, but that does not signal the demise of the sector. "For as long as there is gambling, there will be online gambling, and whether it is legal or not is irrelevant."

World Poker Tour Adds One Last Tournament to Season Four

World Poker Tour Adds One Last Tournament to Season Four From CardPlayer Magazine Borgata Poker Classic Brings Number of Tournaments to 17 The World Poker Tour tacked on another event to the already packed schedule for season four of the popular tournament poker show. The Borgata Poker Classic, which takes place at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, was added to season four?s slate this week. The addition makes season four the most packed yet, with 17 shows. The 2005 Borgata Poker Open, which took place in September, drew a record 515 players and a $4,995,634 prize pool. It will also be aired during season four. The WPT also announced that the Gold Strike Casino Resort has become the exclusive site for the WPT?s annual stop in Tunica. The resort?s World Poker Open is scheduled to take place Jan. 19-23. The first season of the WPT featured 13 events. Season two grew to 14 and season three to 16 events. With 17 events, there?s a chance that the total prize pool for season four will break the $100 million mark.

The Business of Poker - Analyze This, Part One

The Business of Poker - Analyze This, Part One By John Caldwell For PokerNews.com Paul Leyland analyses the gaming sector for Seymour Price, a London based investment firm. Paul was nice enough to sit down with me in on my recent London trip. Only twenty-six, I was impressed how well prepared, and well spoken he was. In part one of my interview with him, Paul discusses the current state of the online poker/gaming industry from his perspective, and gives his thoughts on the state of the union. Some of what Paul says is a little bit in 'economist speak, but I think the information contained here is really interesting, and to say the least a very valuable perspective. Paul & I covered so much ground, that I am going to make this a two-parter. One week from today, I will run part two of this interview, in which Paul discusses the future of the iGaming industry, and his thoughts on who, and what are next. click here for the interview transcript

PartyGaming Outplay Empire In The Biggest Poker Game

PartyGaming Outplay Empire In The Biggest Poker Game The biggest poker game of all is taking place on the London Stock Exchange, and there can be little doubt that PartyGaming, the oldest online poker player has taken Empire Online, their former partner and current rival, to school. In fact, PartyGaming have run rings round them, and are now considering a buy-out of Empire - the coup de grace after hacking away at their share value in the past two months... It all started when Empire Online, which made it's name operating online poker skins that fed players into the PartyPoker network (owned by PartyGaming), got a little too big for their boots. Empire Online allowed themselves to be wooed by Sportingbet, in a deal that would have redirected all those skins to Paradise Poker. At the time, Empire was valued at 270p a share in the prospective deal. PartyGaming quashed that deal in a hurry. They claimed that their contracts with Empire were unbreakable. News that the deal would not be done undermined investor confidence in Empire. That confidence was dashed completely when PartyGaming outflanked Empire, annnouncing that Empire's players would be fenced out from the network. They would no longer mingle with the rest of the network's players. Suddenly, Empire's players found dwindling numbers of tables, and far less juicy games. PartyGaming proved that their skins need them a lot more than they need the skins. Now, Empire Online is valued at 140p and they are wobbling. PartyGaming has graciously offered to buy out their former partner, pending an examination of Empire's books. PartyGaming could potentially cripple Empire. They might report that they have decided not to buy the company, which would imply that those accounts were not up to scratch, and the stock would continue it's freefall. Or they could buy the company for half of what Sportingbet were willing to pay, a victory on several levels for the canny management team at PartyGaming. Time will tell, but if you want to see real big money poker of the online variety you won't find better action that PartyGaming breaking Empire one deal at a time.

Poker Bankroll guide for online poker players detailed in new book

Poker Bankroll guide for online poker players detailed in new book Source: ClickPress Learn how to build an online poker bankroll for free in this new book. Online poker is on fire, its popularity fueled by a mixture of television advertisement, technology and for some, the allure of big money. Thanks to sophisticated computer software and high-speed internet connections, some of the biggest poker money is now being generated by online poker sites. According to PokerPulse.com, a Canadian company that tracks the online gaming industry, about $170 million was wagered in more than 100 online poker rooms during a recent 24-hour period. “For those players looking for a successful way to participate in the online poker frenzy without risking any of their own money, Legends Of America is proud to introduce Build An Online Poker Bankroll For Free, our new book provides step by step instructions on how to build your poker bankroll with no investment,” said Bob Braun, President of Legends Of America’s Poker Division, “If you’re a poker player who is looking to play for real money, this step by step guide will provide you with all the information you need to build your confidence.” “The book starts with a brief history of poker, a summary of online poker and fundamental poker concepts. It also details how to start your online poker bankroll with no investment, then provides step by step instructions on which poker sites to play and in what order to maximize your poker profits. This book is simply one of the best resources you’ll find on the internet.” Braun stated. “We’ve developed a proven system that everyone from novice to professional poker players can follow, (www.legendsofamerica.com/poker). If you want to play online poker successfully, you must understand the online gaming world. “Build An Online Poker Bankroll For Free” provides all of this information in one place.” Legends Of America, which is located in Shawnee, Kansas is committed to providing superior information on a wide variety of fields to our customer base. To view our in-depth collection of materials on various topics go to www.legendsofamerica.com. For additional information on “Build An Online Poker Bankroll For Free” book please visit our website at www.legendsofamerica.com/poker.

Slowplaying a big hand is a dangerous ploy

Slowplaying a big hand is a dangerous ploy By Dennis Deitch For Delco Times The nation has gone poker crazy, and Delaware County is no different. You don't have to travel far down one of Delco's main pikes - Chester Pike, Baltimore Pike or West Chester Pike - before finding an establishment that runs a No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament during the week. And many area churches have packed up the Bingo balls and markers and traded them in for felt tables and playing cards for fundraisers. In this column we'll discuss some of the strategies that can make you or break you in no-limit games. The hope is that the topics - which will also include other forms of poker, including 7-card stud and Omaha - will appeal to those who have played tens of thousands of hands, as well as those just getting involved in the new millennium's fastest-growing competitive activity (no e-mails from ballroom dancers, please). While yours truly isn't a pro player by any means, I've seen enough flops to know a thing or three - and I won't be afraid to share examples where I've made the wrong move. After all, you learn the most from the hands that send you packing. Speaking of which ... A couple of weeks ago I participated in one of the events at the U.S. Poker Championships at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. After three hours in the single-day event things were looking good. I had doubled the 5,000 chips with which I started and was one of three players at my table with a healthy stack in front of me. With the blinds having been raised to 75-150 with a 25-chip ante, I was in the big blind with Q-K suited - a strong starting hand, particularly when the only two players to act before me were my fellow large stacks, both of whom only called. I decided I wanted to feign weakness by casually checking when the option to raise came my way. It was the first part of what, in retrospect, I consider a three-part bungle. The flop came out K-Q-5 ... Yahtzee! I was first to act, but I coolly checked the hand, praying one of my fellow players either caught a piece of the flop, or would try to use position to bluff their way to the chips. Instead, both players - a young, solid player, and an older, wily gambling type - checked. The turn card was an Ace. It made me slightly nervous, but my gut told me that if the other two players had a bullet, they were playing it, at best, with a kicker card of 10 or lower. Otherwise they would have raised before the flopv. The young player threw in a bet of 500 chips, which the older player next to him called. I made my move, raising the bet 2,000 chips, or slightly more than what was in the pot. The young player responded with "all-in." Clearly I had slowplayed myself into a mess. However, instead of taking a moment to think things over, I committed the mortal sin of acting out of self-loathing. I called, my opponent turned over 10-J suited, and after counting out the chips I went from great shape to a long walk to the parking garage. And so, to recap: Mistake No. 1: If you have a good hand, play it like one. I had an opportunity to establish my hand by raising the limpers before the flop. While you can slow-play a strong hand before the flop, it either should be a very strong hand (A-A or K-K), or it should only involve you and one other player. With two opponents out there, the chances of a bad beat burning me were doubled. Mistake No. 2: Don't assume your opponents are going to bet into you. My opponents were solid players. The young guy only pushed when he had a hand, the older gentleman liked to play passively - he called bets when he had a piece of them, and check-raised when he had a big hand. A firm bet would have given me either A) a modest victory and added to a strong stack, or B) the knowledge that my opponents either had a piece of the flop, or a legitimate draw. Mistake No. 3: Have the poise to minimize your losses. There was no changing my missteps once the turn card came. I made my bed, and I should have lain in it. Poker isn't played on a hand-by-hand basis; it's a card-by-card test. I had a big lead after the flop, and I knew it. But a big lead can become a big deficit quickly in Hold 'Em. He had eight cards in the deck that could beat me (four Aces, four 9s) and he hit one. A good player makes chips with pocket Aces; a great player can lay down his Aces when he knows they are beat.

Poker All-Stars Square Off for 2005 Tournament of Champions

Poker All-Stars Square Off for 2005 Tournament of Champions Press Release Source: Harrah's Entertainment, Inc Many of the biggest names in poker will descend on Caesars Palace next week to compete for $2 million in total prize money at the 2005 World Series of Poker® Tournament of Champions, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET - News) said. The free-roll tournament is expected to feature, among others, the nine millionaires from the 36th annual World Series of Poker's Main Event final table as they go for another seven-figure payday. A free-roll is an event in which none of the participants is required to pay a "buy-in" or entry fee to compete. The Tournament of Champions will be played Nov. 6 through Nov. 8. The winner will receive $1 million. ESPN, the exclusive broadcast partner of the World Series of Poker, will provide comprehensive coverage of the event, which is scheduled to be telecast from 1 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time Dec. 24, 2005. "This is poker's All-Star event," said Jeffrey Pollack, vice president of sports and entertainment marketing for Harrah's Entertainment. "Some of the top names in the game will travel from around the globe to Caesars Palace for a chance at a huge payday and bragging rights." "The Tournament of Champions will be a great culmination of our World Series of Poker coverage this year," said Fred Christenson, director of programming for ESPN Original Entertainment. "With its high-stakes action and some of the best known players in the game, we expect this event to draw very strong ratings." "Caesars Palace has a long history of hosting world-class sporting events, and this one-of-a-kind tournament will continue that legacy," said Gary Selesner, senior vice president and general manager of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. "This promises to be a spectacle no poker fan can afford to miss." In all, nearly 120 players earned invitations to the Tournament of Champions. In addition to the nine players who made the final table at the 36th annual World Series of Poker Main Event, top finishers in five World Series of Poker Circuit events held in the 2004-05 season are also eligible. Among professionals who've committed to play are 10-time World Series of Poker bracelet winners Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan, and nine-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth. The World Series of Poker is owned and operated by Harrah's Operating Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Harrah's Entertainment. Caesars Palace is a Harrah's-operated casino. Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada 68 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. More information is available at http://www.harrahs.com and http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com.