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World Poker Tour Legends of Poker in Full Swing

August 24th, 2010 No Comments

In full swing is the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker. In the books is Day 2 and Phil “USCphildo” Collins is leading the way to Day 3.

Plenty of live poker tournaments are going on, around the world. For the Sunday Majors, we can credit them for the slightly lower numbers. Nonetheless, plenty of money was handed out, and plenty of players showed up on the virtual felt.

On Sunday, the fifth installment of the Ultimate Bet Online Poker Championship saw two events. In Event #8, Tiffany Michelle made a deep run.

Over the weekend, Kathy Liebert has accomplished something that only one other poker player has. To have played in 100 World Poker Tour events, she became the second player. Erik Seidel became the first player to have played 100, last month at the WPT Bellagio Cup.

At the WPT Legends of Poker, her 100th event came, is under way currently at The Bicycle Casino in California. The Bike was her first ever WPT tournament and it was the site of Liebert’s first WPT final table. To make a WPT final table, Liebert also became the first female player, which also happened to be the very first Legends of Poker. With $1,745,312 in WPT career earnings, she currently holds the record of winningest female in WPT history.

Beta version of Zynga game launched by Zynga poker: Poker

August 21st, 2010 No Comments

This week in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Zynga poker launches its beta version of Zynga Texas Poker; making it the first Zynga game to be released in Asia, (the game will not be available in mainland China).

As the almost 100 other countries already do enjoy, I am sure Asia will enjoy the game too. The game has all ingredients to become as popular as the online poker room. The game has more than 28 million players a month, on an average day has 375,000 players simultaneously playing together live and it was launched for most of us in July of 2007.

With traditional Chinese language, Asia’s version will be localized, as well as characters and cultural references. On a lucky note, Zynga players in Asia will start off in Zynga. Locally, eight is considered a lucky number, 8/18 being the Launch date and an added bit of luck in the form of 8,888 welcome chips. A shootout tournament, this month will allow local players a chance at a grand prize of $880,000 in cash. Players have to win 3 rounds to get a seat in the final grand prize game and they are trying for this prize will compete.

With nine players, each round will consist of a single table. To move onto the next round, players will have to win each round. Seats players winning the required three rounds will receive $500,000 in chips, as an added bonus to the grand prize. Zynga Players can try to win as many times as they want, you don’t have to worry if you don’t win the first time.

WSOP Main Event now airing on ESPN: Poker

August 13th, 2010 No Comments

ESPN’s coverage of the WSOP Main Event is a lot like major sports video games, which began Tuesday. There’s always a few new wrinkles in the coverage, while it’s a new season with new drama, online poker excitement, established veterans and new rookies. ESPN has added more statistical analysis this year, as well as table position icons next to the hands.

As the headliner, the featured table began with Mike “The Mouth” Matusow, sporting an “I am McLovin” shirt, which might have induced a few laughs in 2007. Unfortunately, it’s 2010 and three-year-old quotations are no longer a suitable substitute. Matusow is a professional poker player, and like a seasoned expert, he manages to scrounge a few pots off the table fish, and he is not a comedian (even his jokes are delivered with a whimpering melancholy of a defeated man). ESPN demonstrates how he’s playing with numbers, he does, however, lose a couple hands to more aggressive players. It seems Matusow is calling a lot of blinds but not raising after the flop, and middling as a result.

At another table, Ted Forrest managed to suck out to stay alive, but he’ll have a much harder time trying to win a $2 million prop bet he has with Matusow. However, 2004 champion Greg Raymer was crippled when his pair Queens and flush draw were beat by trips. He would bow out not long after, signing his fossil card holder(a flat, coaster like stone, no comment on whether it was shale, sedimentary rock or limestone, come on Norman Chad, this is what you’re paid to find out) to a metro sexual man in a boater hat and a striped cotton scarf. At the WSOP, the characters come in a variety of cringe-worthy fashion, quirks and bombast. Of course, this is appreciated by all because the main event is partly about the show, and the weirdness helps to add color to the long, grueling grind.

“Everyone’s bleeding in this thing,” says Layne “Unabomber” Flack, “The trick is to bleed the slowest.”

WSOP: Main Event recap July 13 and 14

July 15th, 2010 No Comments

After a day off on Sunday players returned to the World Series of Poker Main Event for day 3 on Monday. Day 3 was the first time that all of the players in this year’s Main Event where in the same room at the same time. As was the case with the other days of the WSOP day 3 had lots of action. One of the more compelling stories from this year’s Main Event is the success of two time Main Event champion Johnny Chan. Chan ended his day 3 with 636,000 chips and was among the chip leaders at the end of the day.

Jim Collopy is another of the chip leaders after day 3. Collopy was able to win a huge pot when his opponent shoved all in preflop with A3 against his pocket kings. Collopy’s kings held up and enabled him to amass a chip stack well over 600k. Other notable players who were able to survive day 3 include Johnny Lodden, Robert Mizrachi, Eric Baldwin, Alexander Kostritsyn, Scott Clements, Shannon Shorr, Jean-Robert Bellande, Cole South, Steve Billirakis, Lauren Kling and reigning WSOP Europe main event champion Barry Shulman.

While many poker pros continue to have a successful Main Event there are a few that were unlucky and hit the rail early. Some of these notable poker players include Prahlad Friedman, Vanessa Rousso, Jon Turner, Kenny Tran, Roland de Wolfe, Chad Batista, Erik Seidel, David Williams, Allyn Jaffrey Shulman and Daniel Negreanu. Also included in this group is defending champion Joe Cada. Cada was eliminated on day 3 when his AQ was unable to beat his opponent’s pocket 10s. This beat wraps up a rather disappointing 2010 World Series of Poker for Cada, who was unable to cash in a single event.

Day 4 on Tuesday saw the money bubble finally burst during the Main Event. 1,205 players started day 4 with the hopes of continuing their quest to become a world champion. In the end only 747 players are now able to say they made the money at the Main Event. Some notable players who were eliminated just before the money include Barry Greenstein, Erica Schoenberg, Annie Duke, Adam Junglen, David Sands, Matt Graham, Matt Savage, and Barry Shulman. While those players were unlucky and unable to make the money these players were a little more fortunate, and able to survive day 4: Adam Levy, Jesper Hougaard, Hasan Habib, Scott Clements, Scotty Nguyen, Alexander Kostritsyn, and Shannon Shorr. The current chip leader is Tony Dunst who has 1.546 Million chips.

Recap July 3 – WSOP

July 5th, 2010 No Comments

For the World Series of Poker, July 3rd was another crazy day. To some of the best poker players in the world, there were several bracelets awarded today. Event #54 ($1,000 No Limit Hold’em) was won by Marcel Vonk. At the World Series of Poker, this was Vonk’s second career cash. He cashed in a $1,500 No Limit event back in 2009. Vonk was finally able to beat David Peters in a heads up match besting the field of 3,844 players for the top prize of $570,000, after several hours of play.

Of this year’s Series, Event #55 ($10,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship) was one of the marquee events. Some of the biggest names in the poker world were attracted to the large buy in of $10,000. After long, grueling poker sessions Daniel Alaei emerged victorious when he defeated Miguel Proulx heads up. Alaei won $780,000 to go with his WSOP bracelet for his efforts.

Event #56 ($2,500 No Limit Hold’em) was the other event that came to a conclusion today. In this year’s WSOP at $4.4 Million, this event was one of the largest prize pools. Tomer Berda eventually emerged as the winner out of the 1,942 player field. Of this year’s Series, this was actually Berda’s second final table. He finished 5th place in event #5 ($1,500 No Limit Hold’em) earlier this summer. Berda will be taking home, his first ever World Series of Poker bracelet and $825,000.

World Series of Poker Review, June 30: Poker

July 3rd, 2010 No Comments

Two new poker champions receive their crowns in the last day of the month. A chance to win a WSOP title, in $1,500 No Limit Hold’em (Event #49) tournament 2,543 players paid the $1,500 entry fee. Only one person was able to emerge victorious, and that was Michael Linn. With the chip lead, Linn started the final day of competition and ended the day in the same position after beating Taylor Larkin during a 2-hour heads up match. This is Linn’s first bracelet. Also, Michael Linn will take home just over $609,000 for winning this tournament.

During the $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha event, the other champion of June 30 was crowned. For this tournament, 460 players signed up, which was won by Chance Kornuth. Kornuth will take home $508,000 for his efforts as well as his very first WSOP bracelet. About Robert Mizrachi heading into the final day, there was a lot of buzz, but he was unable to utilize his large chip advantage and eventually finished in 8th place earning a respectable $52,000.

On the 30th, two more events got started. #52 and #53 are those events. Event #52 is the $25,000 No Limit Hold’em 6 Handed tournament that is sure to bring out all of the big names in poker. At the World Series this year, this is one of the largest buy-in events. The other event starting up is event #53, a $1,500 Limit Hold’em Shootout. Both events are expected to draw good sized fields and be competitive for their respective buy-ins.

WSOP Recap June 23 – Poker

June 29th, 2010 No Comments

Two more poker players have reached the plateau for poker’s elite, with the passing of another summer day. To go along with coveted World Series of Poker bracelet, Steven Kelly and Frank Kassela scored a pair of huge paydays. Steven Kelly, the winner of Event 39 ($1,500 No Limit Hold’em Shootout) will be taking home $381,000 for his efforts. For Kelly, this was only the second major score in a poker tournament. His first major cash came earlier in the WSOP when he cashed in Event #16. Kelly outlasted experienced poker pros J.C. Tran, Annette Obrestad and Jeff King, in his second deep run of this year’s series.

A $2,500 Seven Card Razz tourney, online poker star, Frank Kassela, in event 40 became the first player of this year’s World Series of Poker to win a second title. In event #15 (($10,000 seven card stud 8 or better championship), Kassela’s first win came back, where he won more than $447,000. However, with this victory Kassela only wins $214,000 for beating notable poker players Chris Bjorin, Jen Harman and Vladimir Shchemelev.

Still ongoing today are the three events. Enters day 2 of competition, and event #41 ($1,500 Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better) drew 847 Players. With a prize pool of $1.14 Million, the winner of this event will be taking more a nice payday of $245,000. Event #42 ($1,500 No Limit Hold’em) and Event #43 ($10,000 HORSE Championship) are other events getting started on June 23. Both events will hold their final tables on June 25th while Event #41 will wrap up play on the 24th.

WSOP Review, June 20: Poker

June 24th, 2010 No Comments

With the nonstop action that has been going on at the Rio in Las Vegas, NV, with June 20th being Father’s day the World Series of Poker saw a bit of a slowdown. From event #34, there was only one champion crowned today and just one new tournament kicked off.

A huge field of 3,142 players were seen at event #34, which was the $1,000 Senior No Limit Hold’em event. Harold Angle was victorious after several days of play, earning his first World Series of Poker bracelet to go along with his first ever World Series of Poker cash. Angle came into the final table with an average stack size but was fortunate enough to make full houses to knock out the first two players at the final table.

After treading water until the tourney got down to the final 3 Angle knocked out 3rd place finisher John Woo with 2 pair, and entered heads up play with a 9-1 chip lead. For 2nd place finisher Michael Minetti to overcome and Angle breezed to the win, it is easy to say that this enormous chip lead was too much. Angle will be taking home $487,000 for his efforts.

Event #38, the $10,000 Pot Limit Hold’em Championship was the only other event that started on June 20^th. Generating a prize pool of just over $2.5 Million, 268 players have signed up for this event. The top 27 players will make the money with the final table slated for June 22^nd. To enter this tournament, a bevy of top poker pros are expected as is the case with all of the high roller buy-in levels.

Poker: World Series of Poker Review, June 16th

June 19th, 2010 No Comments

In Las Vegas, NV, 16th June 2010 marked another exciting day at the World Series of Poker. Today, event number 26 ($2500 No Limit Hold’em 6 Max) and 27 ($1500 Seven Card Stud 8 or Better) came to their conclusions, and crowned two new bracelet winners. William Haydon was the champion of the $2500 No Limit Hold’em 6 Max event, taking home a cool $630,000 for his efforts. Better tournament or the winner of the $1500 Seven Card Stud 8 was David Warga who won $208,000 and the right to call him a world champ. Texas Holdem poker is also very popular among poker players.

For the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship, today was the second day of play. There is no notable pro in the top 10 chip leaders, with only 13 players remaining, meaning that some lucky aspiring poker player is going to be vaulted into the mainstream poker world if he can win this title. Kyle Ray currently leads the field with 643,000 chips, but has several players close to him in chip counts. At 5 pm, play will resume tomorrow and continue until a champion is crowned, and $426,000 is handed out.

The $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship is continuing 2 more WSOP events and in addition to events 26 and 27 coming to their conclusions, got under way today. Event #30 saw 2,394 entrants creating a staggering $3,231,900 prize pool, which is a $1500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament. Meanwhile event #31 (a $1500 HORSE event) drew 828 players and a $1,117,800 prize pool. Both events should see their final tables occur on June 18th and they are slated to run for three days.

Poker – WSOP Recap, June 10

June 16th, 2010 No Comments

On Thursday, at the 2010 WSOP in Las Vegas, Carter Phillips won the Six-Handed No Limit Hold’em tournament.

The 21-year-old got a cash prize of $482,774 and finally earned his first gold bracelet. This was Carter’s first appearance and win inside the United States, even though this victory becomes one for the papers because usually players make many appearances before winning a gold bracelet.

A veteran poker player, Steve Gee won the No Limit Hold’em event. To collect his first gold bracelet victory, he overcame many obstacles. The game started out three days prior with 3,042 players. There has never been a larger group of players for this game, in the history of poker tournaments. Of this big group, prize money was only award to the top 324 players. In the World Series of Poker, this was his most notable win, and he took home a cash prize of $472,479.

The predictions for the winners right now are in between JJ Liu and Jennifer Harman and the World Series of Poker is holding a ladies event. The women will take gold bracelets; the prediction is that for this year. Long time poker pro Mike Matusow swore to streak down Las Vegas Boulevard, should the ladies take at least three bracelets in 2010.

This year, the Women of WSOP are already off to a great start, with Vanessa Selbst, Liv Boeree and Annie Duke becoming champions. On March 15th with a cash prize of $500,000, March 15th with cash prize of $500,000. The event will take place on June 11th.

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