Players might argue otherwise, but state regulators say there's enough luck to Texas hold 'em to make it illegal for bars to host the wildly popular poker game.
"Gambling activities in places with a liquor license are illegal," said Barbara Subastian, deputy director of enforcement for the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
The commission in November ordered Art Dore Jr., owner of the Hooters restaurant in Bay City, to shut down a Texas hold 'em tournament that had drawn 25 to 40 people over several nights. The event had been planned to run for four weeks and offered the winner an electric scooter donated by an area business.
"Liquor Control came in and said any form of poker could not be played in an establishment that served alcohol," Dore said.
Dore told The Bay City Times for a story published Sunday that he didn't think the tournament entailed gambling, since no one paid to enter the event or received cash in winnings. "A lot of them said it had nothing to do with the prize, they just wanted to compete and see who was the best," he said.
The Liquor Control Commission defines gambling using three guidelines -- chance, consideration and reward, Subastian said. "The random draw of cards is the element of chance," she said.
In Texas hold 'em, players receive two cards each, then combine them with five face-up community cards to make the best poker hand. Bets are placed between the revealing of the community cards.
Consideration is what is required to play in an event, often an entry fee or a charge for chips, Deputy Chief Christopher T. Rupp of the Bay City Police Department said.
Rewards are not limited to cash prizes. They can be gift certificates or merchandise such as hats or T-shirts, Subastian said.
Tavern owners that allow gambling in their business face commission penalties, while players face fines of up to $1,000 and a year in jail.
Subastian said she wasn't sure if violations have increased along with Texas hold 'em's popularity. But, she said, "We have received a lot of phone inquires and requests in writing to hold those type of events."
------
Information from: The Bay City Times, http://www.bc-times.com view full article
Monday, February 28, 2005
Online poker prompts interest in interactive gaming
The runaway success of online poker sites is stimulating interest in gambling on interactive TV.
UK bookmaker Ladbrokes recently revealed that profits from its online gaming division were up 50% to over £21 million, apparently boosted by explosive growth in online poker, which is soon expected to overtake revenue from traditional sports betting.
Meanwhile online betting and casino site Sportingbet announced record profits for the last six months, up 85% to £26 million on a turnover of £825 million, driven by an £8 million profit on turnover of £12.5 million in the Paradise Poker division it acquired last year. With over 800,000 registered poker players and as many games played each day, growth has exceeded expectations.
Analysts will also be looking at the annual results for British bookmaker William Hill, which recently launched its own TV channel, featuring interactive casino games such as roulette.
According to an article in The Sunday Times “the holy grail for interactive betting groups is gambling via television”. The one page story in the business section concludes “It cannot be long before the technology develops sufficiently to allow interactive poker on television”.
The technology is not necessarily the limitation, at least in the UK, where the Sky platform is already littered with gaming and gambling opportunities.
This often comes as a something of a surprise to visitors from America, where the legal position is more complex, although they appear to have gambling down to a fine art in Las Vegas.
However, there is growing interest in the opportunities for what has been called “cash-skill gaming”, where prizes are offered for games of skill, including backgammon, quizzes and puzzles, which are apparently legal in most states.
Oyama two better than Hironaka at Big Save poker tournament
In a Kaua‘i style version of the popular celebrity poker games on cable TV, 35 finalists from around the island converged for the finals that were played out on seven tables under a tent set up in the parking lot outside the grocery store.
Five hands later, a winner from each of the tables would advance to the final table where they played seven hands for the grand prize - $500 cash, a trip for two to Las Vegas, and one of the poker sets on sale at Big Save Markets.
It came down to just a two-chip difference as Oyama, who entered the final round down in chips, emerged as the winner over Clyde Hironaka.
"My hand is still shaking," an elated Oyama said. "Just wish me luck, and it came."
"There was nothing I could do," a disappointed Hironaka said.
"I had the worst hand on the table, and I couldn't do anything."
Hironaka, with supporters clearly visible outside the special tent set up outside the Lihu‘e Big Save, was in the lead with a pile of chips going into the seventh hand.
He had also maintained control of the table going into the final round.
Dickie Chang, host of Wala‘au, said Hironaka didn't have to do anything on that seventh hand, and he would have won just by the numbers.
But, that was not to be as Oyama played out her hand, winning the round with a pair of kings, and 10's.
That victory earned her the pot which, by that time, had grown considerable due to the fact that it was the last round, the remaining bidders opting to put forth everything they had left.
The contest was sponsored by Coca Cola, Red Bull and Big Save, with all seven finalists receiving one of the special 500-piece poker sets they played their finals on.
Oyama, who considers her-self a beginner, said: "This tournament was really good. We ought to do it, again. Every year."
For members of the audience, it was the closest thing to the Las Vegas experience without having to leave Lihu‘e as they crowded the tent and watched the hands being played out.
"The only thing missing," one spectator said, "was the girls serving the cocktails."
But, that was remedied by Steve Bauman, the island manager of Coca Cola dispensing samples of their Full Throttle energy drink as well as a soon-to-be-released Dasani water with lemon. Eric Sakizaki, complete with a straw cowboy hat, handled the play-by-play action during the finals with Roger Sasaki of Roger Rents providing the appropriate background music as the hands were played out.
Big Save officials and personnel served as dealers.
Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) and dfujimoto@pulitzer.net full article
Five hands later, a winner from each of the tables would advance to the final table where they played seven hands for the grand prize - $500 cash, a trip for two to Las Vegas, and one of the poker sets on sale at Big Save Markets.
It came down to just a two-chip difference as Oyama, who entered the final round down in chips, emerged as the winner over Clyde Hironaka.
"My hand is still shaking," an elated Oyama said. "Just wish me luck, and it came."
"There was nothing I could do," a disappointed Hironaka said.
"I had the worst hand on the table, and I couldn't do anything."
Hironaka, with supporters clearly visible outside the special tent set up outside the Lihu‘e Big Save, was in the lead with a pile of chips going into the seventh hand.
He had also maintained control of the table going into the final round.
Dickie Chang, host of Wala‘au, said Hironaka didn't have to do anything on that seventh hand, and he would have won just by the numbers.
But, that was not to be as Oyama played out her hand, winning the round with a pair of kings, and 10's.
That victory earned her the pot which, by that time, had grown considerable due to the fact that it was the last round, the remaining bidders opting to put forth everything they had left.
The contest was sponsored by Coca Cola, Red Bull and Big Save, with all seven finalists receiving one of the special 500-piece poker sets they played their finals on.
Oyama, who considers her-self a beginner, said: "This tournament was really good. We ought to do it, again. Every year."
For members of the audience, it was the closest thing to the Las Vegas experience without having to leave Lihu‘e as they crowded the tent and watched the hands being played out.
"The only thing missing," one spectator said, "was the girls serving the cocktails."
But, that was remedied by Steve Bauman, the island manager of Coca Cola dispensing samples of their Full Throttle energy drink as well as a soon-to-be-released Dasani water with lemon. Eric Sakizaki, complete with a straw cowboy hat, handled the play-by-play action during the finals with Roger Sasaki of Roger Rents providing the appropriate background music as the hands were played out.
Big Save officials and personnel served as dealers.
Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) and dfujimoto@pulitzer.net full article
Poker Bots Consistently Win Online Poker Games by Cheating
CasinoRobots.com today announced Poker Robot Collusion Edition for Microsoft Windows, an intelligent software robot capable of consistently winning games of Texas Hold'Em Poker at popular online Poker Rooms. Poker Robot Collusion Edition can automatically and simultaneously play in up to nine of the ten seats available per game, for real money, using a strategy advocated by a nine-time World Champion of Poker. No knowledge or experience of Poker is required.
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire (PRWEB) February 28 2005 -- CasinoRobots.com today announced Poker Robot Collusion Edition for Microsoft Windows, an intelligent software robot capable of consistently winning games of Texas Hold'Em Poker at popular online Poker Rooms. Poker Robot Collusion Edition is able to automatically and simultaneously play in up to nine of the ten seats available per game, for real money, using a strategy advocated by a nine-time World Champion of Poker. This combination of statistically sound strategy and awareness of nine of the ten hands in play inevitably results in consistent wins for the robot Poker players. No knowledge or experience of Poker is required. However, if the user wishes to play in multiple seats themselves they can manually override the robot player decisions with the click of a mouse button. Users can also alter the rank of hands played, the types of table to be selected and the duration of play. The progress of each game session is displayed and updated in real-time. Poker Robot Collusion Edition also draws upon the analytical capabilities of Poker Trainer, our comprehensive Texas Hold'Em Poker odds calculator and opponent analysis tool.
An estimated US$180 million is wagered at online Poker tables every day. Players appear to be unaware that it is possible to cheat at online Poker and many may already be losing their money to collusion and/or robot Poker players. Our software demonstrates that online Poker Rooms are unable to prevent collusion. Whilst it may on occasion be suspected, it remains impossible to prove that collusion has occurred.
Availability and Pricing
Poker Robot Collusion Edition is available in two-player and nine-player versions. Poker Trainer is available immediately. Single user licences can be purchased including unlimited technical support and free program updates. Pricing is available at http://www.CasinoRobots.com/
About CasinoRobots.com
CasinoRobots.com develops intelligent software agents capable of playing Blackjack, Poker and Roulette at popular online Poker Rooms and Casinos.
For additional information please visit http://www.CasinoRobots.com/
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire (PRWEB) February 28 2005 -- CasinoRobots.com today announced Poker Robot Collusion Edition for Microsoft Windows, an intelligent software robot capable of consistently winning games of Texas Hold'Em Poker at popular online Poker Rooms. Poker Robot Collusion Edition is able to automatically and simultaneously play in up to nine of the ten seats available per game, for real money, using a strategy advocated by a nine-time World Champion of Poker. This combination of statistically sound strategy and awareness of nine of the ten hands in play inevitably results in consistent wins for the robot Poker players. No knowledge or experience of Poker is required. However, if the user wishes to play in multiple seats themselves they can manually override the robot player decisions with the click of a mouse button. Users can also alter the rank of hands played, the types of table to be selected and the duration of play. The progress of each game session is displayed and updated in real-time. Poker Robot Collusion Edition also draws upon the analytical capabilities of Poker Trainer, our comprehensive Texas Hold'Em Poker odds calculator and opponent analysis tool.
An estimated US$180 million is wagered at online Poker tables every day. Players appear to be unaware that it is possible to cheat at online Poker and many may already be losing their money to collusion and/or robot Poker players. Our software demonstrates that online Poker Rooms are unable to prevent collusion. Whilst it may on occasion be suspected, it remains impossible to prove that collusion has occurred.
Availability and Pricing
Poker Robot Collusion Edition is available in two-player and nine-player versions. Poker Trainer is available immediately. Single user licences can be purchased including unlimited technical support and free program updates. Pricing is available at http://www.CasinoRobots.com/
About CasinoRobots.com
CasinoRobots.com develops intelligent software agents capable of playing Blackjack, Poker and Roulette at popular online Poker Rooms and Casinos.
For additional information please visit http://www.CasinoRobots.com/
WPC Showdown Caters to the Growth of Competitive Poker for Women
(PRLEAP.COM)
Women’s Poker Club is pleased to announce its next WPC Showdown Tournament to be held April 14 - 16, 2005 at Trump’s Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
With four tournaments, optional poker classes, a seminar, and a satellite tournament for the World Series of Poker ladies event, the WPC Atlantic City Showdown promises to be the one of the most exciting and anticipated events for women’s poker this year.
“Even though more women are playing poker now then ever before, some men still feel that women are easy targets and don’t have the ability to finesse their opponents at the tables.” Said Maryann Morrison, President of Womens Poker Club. “The WPC Showdown gives women an opportunity to show their poker playing talent by competing in major poker events, while having a tremendous amount of fun.”
The Womens Poker Club was formed to encourage more women to enter the sport of poker by providing them with a supportive and congenial environment to improve their skills. They offer peer mentoring, free poker classes, and league events for women only. The club has over 1800 members world-wide.
“Since the Womens Poker Club’s inception, I have witnessed many members develop their play from a beginner’s level to where they are now playing semi-professional. Women can be tough poker contenders, and I expect to see many more of them at final tables everywhere this year.”
Women have an opportunity to win their trip to the WPC Showdown for as little as $5 through competing in online satellite tournaments available exclusively at Pokerhost.com. The satellites are being held through February and March.
The main tournament event of WPC Showdown will be played on Saturday, April 16th, a No Limit Texas Holdem Tournament with a buy in of $150+$20. The prize pool is estimated at $15,000.
Omaha hi-lo, Limit Hold’em, and 7-card Stud Tournaments will preclude the main event. Plus women can play to win their entry at the Ladies event of the World Series of Poker.
WPC Atlantic City Showdown is open to all women.
For more information go to www.wpcshowdown.com or call 604-628-2358. For the satellite schedules, please visit www.pokerhost.com
Women’s Poker Club is pleased to announce its next WPC Showdown Tournament to be held April 14 - 16, 2005 at Trump’s Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
With four tournaments, optional poker classes, a seminar, and a satellite tournament for the World Series of Poker ladies event, the WPC Atlantic City Showdown promises to be the one of the most exciting and anticipated events for women’s poker this year.
“Even though more women are playing poker now then ever before, some men still feel that women are easy targets and don’t have the ability to finesse their opponents at the tables.” Said Maryann Morrison, President of Womens Poker Club. “The WPC Showdown gives women an opportunity to show their poker playing talent by competing in major poker events, while having a tremendous amount of fun.”
The Womens Poker Club was formed to encourage more women to enter the sport of poker by providing them with a supportive and congenial environment to improve their skills. They offer peer mentoring, free poker classes, and league events for women only. The club has over 1800 members world-wide.
“Since the Womens Poker Club’s inception, I have witnessed many members develop their play from a beginner’s level to where they are now playing semi-professional. Women can be tough poker contenders, and I expect to see many more of them at final tables everywhere this year.”
Women have an opportunity to win their trip to the WPC Showdown for as little as $5 through competing in online satellite tournaments available exclusively at Pokerhost.com. The satellites are being held through February and March.
The main tournament event of WPC Showdown will be played on Saturday, April 16th, a No Limit Texas Holdem Tournament with a buy in of $150+$20. The prize pool is estimated at $15,000.
Omaha hi-lo, Limit Hold’em, and 7-card Stud Tournaments will preclude the main event. Plus women can play to win their entry at the Ladies event of the World Series of Poker.
WPC Atlantic City Showdown is open to all women.
For more information go to www.wpcshowdown.com or call 604-628-2358. For the satellite schedules, please visit www.pokerhost.com
Chamber’s first charity poker night is successful
rob_w@newsitem.com
WEIGH SCALES — The cards were shuffling and the chips were stacked high as several poker players tried their luck in tournament-style Texas Hold ‘Em games for the benefit of some local charities Saturday night.
The first-ever “Charity Poker Night,” sponsored by Brush Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, was held at the Wayside Inn. Those in attendance paid their entry fees and started their no-limit games, hoping to make it to the final table and the prize money.
Organizers said that the event was a success and another one will be held in the future.
“We can’t say enough for the spirit of the people who came out for some fun and to give to some great charities,” said Chamber CEO Sandra Hutchinson. “It just proves that citizens truly care about the community and are willing to help the organizations that provide for the needs of our citizens.”
After “all in” bets went wrong for some people and others found the “miracle card on the river” to stay alive in the tournament, it was Vance Hopkins who walked away with the Brush Valley Chamber of Commerce “Texas Hold-Em” championship.
“I had been playing poker for about 30 years now, so you really learn in that time the art of perfecting how to read tells and how to bluff,” Hopkins said. “Texas Hold’em has only gotten popular in the last three years or so, and I learned that game much like everyone else learned it — watching it on TV.”
For taking first place, Hopkins won the lion’s share of the prize pool, but also won the right to designate where the other half of the entry fees for the tournament went. He chose the local libraries.
“The libraries took some major cuts in the past couple of years, and it is getting tougher and tougher for them to survive, and that’s a real shame,” Hopkins said. “This was a great event for the chamber to put on, and I was very happy to be involved.”
The first tournament went so well, organizers held another tournament immediately following that one. Daniel Logic was the winner there, designating the American Cancer Society as his charity of choice.
While players were waiting for tournaments to finish, dealers brought out other poker games to play against each other, with the dealers taking a percentage of the pots for different charities.
“We were very pleased with all the positive feedback that we got from the people who attended the event. We will take that and work to make the event a success for years to come,” said chamber board president Tracy Varano.
WEIGH SCALES — The cards were shuffling and the chips were stacked high as several poker players tried their luck in tournament-style Texas Hold ‘Em games for the benefit of some local charities Saturday night.
The first-ever “Charity Poker Night,” sponsored by Brush Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, was held at the Wayside Inn. Those in attendance paid their entry fees and started their no-limit games, hoping to make it to the final table and the prize money.
Organizers said that the event was a success and another one will be held in the future.
“We can’t say enough for the spirit of the people who came out for some fun and to give to some great charities,” said Chamber CEO Sandra Hutchinson. “It just proves that citizens truly care about the community and are willing to help the organizations that provide for the needs of our citizens.”
After “all in” bets went wrong for some people and others found the “miracle card on the river” to stay alive in the tournament, it was Vance Hopkins who walked away with the Brush Valley Chamber of Commerce “Texas Hold-Em” championship.
“I had been playing poker for about 30 years now, so you really learn in that time the art of perfecting how to read tells and how to bluff,” Hopkins said. “Texas Hold’em has only gotten popular in the last three years or so, and I learned that game much like everyone else learned it — watching it on TV.”
For taking first place, Hopkins won the lion’s share of the prize pool, but also won the right to designate where the other half of the entry fees for the tournament went. He chose the local libraries.
“The libraries took some major cuts in the past couple of years, and it is getting tougher and tougher for them to survive, and that’s a real shame,” Hopkins said. “This was a great event for the chamber to put on, and I was very happy to be involved.”
The first tournament went so well, organizers held another tournament immediately following that one. Daniel Logic was the winner there, designating the American Cancer Society as his charity of choice.
While players were waiting for tournaments to finish, dealers brought out other poker games to play against each other, with the dealers taking a percentage of the pots for different charities.
“We were very pleased with all the positive feedback that we got from the people who attended the event. We will take that and work to make the event a success for years to come,” said chamber board president Tracy Varano.
It All Comes Down to the Grand Finale Table of Six in GSN's Poker Royale: Battle of the Sexes
The Ongoing Debate Will be Settled ... The World's Finest Poker Players Call Each Other's Bluff's and Aim to Prove Who is the More Skilled Gender
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The name calling has been done, sarcastic punches thrown, and the men have won every single previous match in the series -- it all comes down to the final table of six players in GSN's POKER ROYALE: BATTLE OF THE SEXES where on Friday, March 4 at 9:00PM ET/PT one gender will prove once and for all who is better skilled at No Limit Texas Hold'Em. Will the men blitz the women, or can the ladies strut their stuff and walk away with the title of the stronger gender and a cash prize of $130,000?
The men took the $10,000 pot in all of the previous six episodes. Now based on their performance in those episodes, the top three point leaders for the men and women will face off for the championship. The players who earned those spots are Kathy Liebert, Evelyn Ng, Karina Jett, Antonio Esfandiari, Layne Flack and Amir Vahedi.
According to Liebert, "Men think women can't play poker! Well, they're going to discover that under-estimating women is a big mistake. The male ego is going to be their downfall." She continues, "These guys think women are easy to read but we women know how to deceive them and they will fall right into our web. The guys are going down."
Layne Flack says, "If poker relates to anything like it does in life, then I am sure the women will beat us down far enough to where they may pull into the lead once in a while."
POKER ROYALE: BATTLE OF THE SEXES is hosted by radio personality Tom Leykis, along with co-host Kennedy, and color commentator and poker pro, Robert Williamson III. The previous six episodes winners include: Amir Vahedi, Antonio Esfandiari, Layne Flack, Paul Wolfe, Amir Vahedi (again) and Greg Raymer.
GSN, the Network for Games, is the only U.S. television network dedicated to game-related programming and interactive game playing. The network features game shows, reality series, light sports, documentaries and casino games. GSN is the industry leader in interactivity and as such allows viewers a chance to win prizes by playing along with GSN's televised games via GSN.com. Reaching 56 million Nielsen homes, GSN is distributed in the U.S. through all major cable systems and satellite providers. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation. For further media information, visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com.
It All Comes Down to the Grand Finale Table of Six in GSN's Poker Royale: Battle of the Sexes
The Ongoing Debate Will be Settled ... The World's Finest Poker Players Call Each Other's Bluff's and Aim to Prove Who is the More Skilled Gender
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The name calling has been done, sarcastic punches thrown, and the men have won every single previous match in the series -- it all comes down to the final table of six players in GSN's POKER ROYALE: BATTLE OF THE SEXES where on Friday, March 4 at 9:00PM ET/PT one gender will prove once and for all who is better skilled at No Limit Texas Hold'Em. Will the men blitz the women, or can the ladies strut their stuff and walk away with the title of the stronger gender and a cash prize of $130,000?
The men took the $10,000 pot in all of the previous six episodes. Now based on their performance in those episodes, the top three point leaders for the men and women will face off for the championship. The players who earned those spots are Kathy Liebert, Evelyn Ng, Karina Jett, Antonio Esfandiari, Layne Flack and Amir Vahedi.
According to Liebert, "Men think women can't play poker! Well, they're going to discover that under-estimating women is a big mistake. The male ego is going to be their downfall." She continues, "These guys think women are easy to read but we women know how to deceive them and they will fall right into our web. The guys are going down."
Layne Flack says, "If poker relates to anything like it does in life, then I am sure the women will beat us down far enough to where they may pull into the lead once in a while."
POKER ROYALE: BATTLE OF THE SEXES is hosted by radio personality Tom Leykis, along with co-host Kennedy, and color commentator and poker pro, Robert Williamson III. The previous six episodes winners include: Amir Vahedi, Antonio Esfandiari, Layne Flack, Paul Wolfe, Amir Vahedi (again) and Greg Raymer.
GSN, the Network for Games, is the only U.S. television network dedicated to game-related programming and interactive game playing. The network features game shows, reality series, light sports, documentaries and casino games. GSN is the industry leader in interactivity and as such allows viewers a chance to win prizes by playing along with GSN's televised games via GSN.com. Reaching 56 million Nielsen homes, GSN is distributed in the U.S. through all major cable systems and satellite providers. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation. For further media information, visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com.
Online Poker Freerolls - $30,000
Not many people know where to find the big money freerolls though, this is great for you as it means less competition and a better chance for a huge score.
How would you like to compete in a $5,000 freeroll every single Saturday with no requirements to enter? The largest regular freeroll takes place online at 2pm EST and you could be in the next one - first prize pays a whopping $950 of real US Dollars! Anyone passing up this golden opportunity is quite frankly crazy!
Find out more at: http://www.essexpoker.com
Once a month there is also a huge $30,000 Freeroll tournament - you read it right, it costs nothing to enter and first prize in this event will boost your bank by $6,000!
There are several $1,000 freerolls daily too - have a great time playing poker and win real cash at the end of it, no catches, freerolls are free to enter for anyone who wants to take part.
They are the perfect way for a beginner to learn the game and have the satisfaction of winning with no risk involved.
Freeroll Tournaments
http://www.essexpoker.com
View full article...Online Poker Freerolls - $30,000
How would you like to compete in a $5,000 freeroll every single Saturday with no requirements to enter? The largest regular freeroll takes place online at 2pm EST and you could be in the next one - first prize pays a whopping $950 of real US Dollars! Anyone passing up this golden opportunity is quite frankly crazy!
Find out more at: http://www.essexpoker.com
Once a month there is also a huge $30,000 Freeroll tournament - you read it right, it costs nothing to enter and first prize in this event will boost your bank by $6,000!
There are several $1,000 freerolls daily too - have a great time playing poker and win real cash at the end of it, no catches, freerolls are free to enter for anyone who wants to take part.
They are the perfect way for a beginner to learn the game and have the satisfaction of winning with no risk involved.
Freeroll Tournaments
http://www.essexpoker.com
View full article...Online Poker Freerolls - $30,000
The Odd Couple runs at Stage West until April 24
Opposites still attract
byTara Merrin
Calgary Sun
The classic tale of the neurotic neat freak and the slob bachelor is still making audiences laugh after all these years.
Perhaps that’s the oddest thing about Stage West’s production of The Odd Couple — four decades after Neil Simon’s play about mismatched roommates Oscar Madison and Felix Ungar debuted on Broadway, it still works.
That’s something of a surprise considering the societal changes in the past 40 years. No longer is the character of Felix — a guy intent on having a clean house and gourmet meals, — unheard of. Don’t we all know at least one man who can carry on a conversation while circling the room spraying air freshener overhead?
That said, part of the reason for this production’s success is that director Jack Booch has made no attempt to update the script. It takes place in the 1960s when macho guys stayed out all night playing poker and women fell hard for men who wore their feelings on their sleeve.
Set entirely in a living room, it is the story of Oscar, a divorced slob, who invites his recently separated poker buddy Felix to move with him.
Soon Felix’s obsessive-compulsive behaviour takes over the house, ruining poker night and destroying Oscar’s hopes of romancing his neighbour.
Although the story remains strong, this Odd Couple is as entertaining as it is because of the actors who take on the roles made famous by Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in the 1968 movie and Tony Randall and Jack Klugman from the 70’s TV series.
New York actor Don Sparks’ obvious enjoyment of playing Oscar and his excellent comic timing are a delight to watch.
With one-liners like, “It took me three hours to figure out that FU stood for Felix Ungar,” Sparks generates his share of the laughs opposite the over-emotional Felix, played by Stephen Hair. Best-known for his recurring role as Scrooge in Theatre Calgary’s annual presentation of A Christmas Carol, Hair steals the show as the nagging “wife.”
While some of the jokes are undoubtedly outdated, the message that friendship can survive just about anything still rings true.
Perhaps, this why The Odd Couple continues to impress in 2005.
Poker Club Files Complaint Against University Of Utah
Ryan Nadeau, Big SLC Poker Club: "THE BIGGEST FRUSTRATION AT THIS POINT TO ME PERSONALLY IS THE TIME INVOLVED THAT WENT INTO THIS, AND THE EXCUSES THE UNIVERSITY IS GIVING AS TO WHY THEY'RE CANCELLING THIS EVENT."
Coralie Alder, University of Utah Spokesperson: "WE KNEW THERE WERE NEGOTIATONS AND DISCUSSIONS THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON, BUT WE DID NOT KNOW THAT IN THEIR MINDS, THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS A DONE DEAL."
The poker club is considering a lawsuit against the University. The school has offered to help relocate the tournament.
Read full article...Poker Club Files Complaint Against University Of Utah
Coralie Alder, University of Utah Spokesperson: "WE KNEW THERE WERE NEGOTIATONS AND DISCUSSIONS THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON, BUT WE DID NOT KNOW THAT IN THEIR MINDS, THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS A DONE DEAL."
The poker club is considering a lawsuit against the University. The school has offered to help relocate the tournament.
Read full article...Poker Club Files Complaint Against University Of Utah
Messing Gets Lucky
Emmy winner takes her odds to Vegas in new dramatic romancer from helmer Curtis Hanson.
.jpg)
Emmy winner Debra Messing, who's still hovering on the box office charts with The Wedding Date, has signed on to star for Curtis Hanson and Warner Bros. in the drama Lucky You. Drew Barrymore and Eric Bana are already set to star in the film, which will begin filming next month in Las Vegas.
From a script by Eric Roth, with touches added by Hanson, the dramatic love story centers on a professional poker player (Bana) trying to deal with his estranged father. Along the way, he meets a woman who may be able to help him overcome his odds. Messing will play Barrymore's sister, who is a singer and performer in a Cirque du Soleil-like show.
Hanson will produce the film with his partner Carol Fenelon and Denise Di Novi. Village Roadshow is providing the financing, with Kevin McCormick overseeing for the studio.
Messing won an Emmy in 2003 for her role as Grace Adler on NBC's Will & Grace. In addition to being seen in Wedding Date, her big screen credits include The Mothman Prophecies, Hollywood Ending and Along Came Polly. She's repped by Gersh.
Women's Poker Network.com teams up with Kathy Liebert to promote women in Poker
(PRLEAP.COM) The Women’s Poker Network.com along with partner World Women’s Poker Tour announced today that Professional Poker Player Kathy Liebert will be the official spokeswoman for the group. Kathy is one of the top female Pros in the world and the first female to win a million dollar payday when she won the first Party Poker Million prize.
The Women’s Poker Network and The World Women’s Poker Tour have been established to provide information, education, and opportunity for women interested in entering the fast growing world of organized Poker. The WPN/WWPT has several tournament events currently scheduled and more on the way. When visiting them online women will find articles featuring top poker pros, calendars of events, a forum to share their thoughts and experiences in Poker and much more.
The Reno Hilton will be the site of the next event on April 2, and 3, 2005. This two day Tournament will feature a Limit and No Limit event along with a Poker Seminar for registered players led by Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher. The Hilton is offering great discounted room rates for event participants.
Visit www.womenspokernetwork.com for more information
Read full article...Women's Poker Network.com teams up with Kathy Liebert to promote women in Poker - Women
The Women’s Poker Network and The World Women’s Poker Tour have been established to provide information, education, and opportunity for women interested in entering the fast growing world of organized Poker. The WPN/WWPT has several tournament events currently scheduled and more on the way. When visiting them online women will find articles featuring top poker pros, calendars of events, a forum to share their thoughts and experiences in Poker and much more.
The Reno Hilton will be the site of the next event on April 2, and 3, 2005. This two day Tournament will feature a Limit and No Limit event along with a Poker Seminar for registered players led by Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher. The Hilton is offering great discounted room rates for event participants.
Visit www.womenspokernetwork.com for more information
Read full article...Women's Poker Network.com teams up with Kathy Liebert to promote women in Poker - Women
Danish Poker Star Launches Professional Online Poker Player Course And Website
i-Newswire, 2005-02-27 - Professional poker player and poker book author Kim Birch also known as ”KB” just launched his winning online poker course and website at http://www.onlinepokeradvantage.com
Numerous books have been written on poker. The new angle from ”KB” is to teach online poker players all around the world how to play online poker as a business and actually walk away a winner from the internet poker rooms instead of getting eaten by the poker sharks.
Since 2002 the author has been making six figure income from playing just online poker games against online poker players and is ready to share his experience.
Kim Birch is also one of the few fulltime professional Danish no limit hold’em poker players and attend poker tournaments all over the world regularly.
On the question why poker players should turn their heads at online poker he tells that reading players and online poker in general is so much easier to profit from due to the fact that everyone and their neighbour is playing at the tables.
The newly launched website about winning in online poker is called http://www.onlinepokeradvantage.com and anyone interested in knowing the insider secrets about the game of no limit holdem poker should take a look.
Article by Bobby Pgn Magazine
###
Onlinepokeradvantage.com
kb@onlinepokeradvantage.com
If you have questions regarding information in these press release contact the company listed below. Please do not contact us as we are unable to assist you with your inquiry. We disclaim any content contained in this press release.
Read full article...i-Newswire.com - Press Release And News Distribution - Danish Poker Star Launches Professional Online Poker Player Course And Website
Numerous books have been written on poker. The new angle from ”KB” is to teach online poker players all around the world how to play online poker as a business and actually walk away a winner from the internet poker rooms instead of getting eaten by the poker sharks.
Since 2002 the author has been making six figure income from playing just online poker games against online poker players and is ready to share his experience.
Kim Birch is also one of the few fulltime professional Danish no limit hold’em poker players and attend poker tournaments all over the world regularly.
On the question why poker players should turn their heads at online poker he tells that reading players and online poker in general is so much easier to profit from due to the fact that everyone and their neighbour is playing at the tables.
The newly launched website about winning in online poker is called http://www.onlinepokeradvantage.com and anyone interested in knowing the insider secrets about the game of no limit holdem poker should take a look.
Article by Bobby Pgn Magazine
###
Onlinepokeradvantage.com
kb@onlinepokeradvantage.com
If you have questions regarding information in these press release contact the company listed below. Please do not contact us as we are unable to assist you with your inquiry. We disclaim any content contained in this press release.
Read full article...i-Newswire.com - Press Release And News Distribution - Danish Poker Star Launches Professional Online Poker Player Course And Website
Teens catching poker fever
Andy Price, 16, a sophomore at Lawrence Central High School, likes to wear sunglasses inside after he saw poker players doing so on television. -- Rob Goebel / The Star
As craze spreads, parents debate risks of young Hoosiers gambling
By Josh Duke
josh.duke@indystar.com
February 26, 2005
A beam of light shines like a spotlight on a green-felt table.
Sitting behind stacks of red, white and blue chips in a basement in Lawrence, players intently study their opponents.
Slowly raising the corner of their cards, each takes a quick peek but shows no emotion. The intensity grows as the stakes get higher. A few chips expand into a sea of chips in the center of the table.
Then, with the reflection of players in his yellow-tinted sunglasses, Andy Price makes a bold move. "I'm going all in," he says, pushing his pile of chips to the middle of the table.
At this Friday night poker game, you won't find beers or mixed drinks. No cigarette or cigar smoke, either. This group of devoted poker gamblers is barely old enough to drive.
Price, 16, and his sophomore peers at Lawrence Central High School are among a growing number of teenagers regularly playing poker for money throughout the nation. Price and the other players put up $10 to play.
Much of the boom in youth gambling began after ESPN expanded its coverage of the "World Series of Poker" more than a year ago. As poker on TV spread -- at least five networks now air some form of the card game -- the craze caught on with young teens, too.
Teens say they see poker as a way to get together with friends for some friendly wagering, an activity that keeps them home and out of trouble. But some adults are concerned that this is another form of risky behavior that could result in gambling addictions later in life. They also see a distinction between playing for fun and playing for money.
Poker among teens has exploded so quickly that researchers lack data on the subject, said Ken Winters, a professor at the University of Minnesota who has researched the effects of adolescent gambling. But Winters said poker's popularity has become a common topic among his colleagues lately.
Neal Hennessy, a 15-year-old Lawrence Central sophomore who plays weekly with Price, said, "I don't know any guys at our school who haven't played. It's extremely prevalent."
Even if the guys in the basement of Price's home hadn't admitted that ESPN sparked their interest, their habits and actions would have given it away.
Matt Wood, 15, shuffled his chips like his favorite professional poker player, Dutch Boyd. Instead of cigars, some of them played with pretzel logs hanging out of their mouths. Even Price said he likely wouldn't wear sunglasses at the table had he not seen it on TV.
"I like to copy (professional) players I like," Wood said. "I am attracted to certain ways of playing."
The same weekend the Lawrence Central sophomores played at Price's house on the Northeastside, a group of teens in the western suburbs organized a $50 buy-in tournament in their community.
Alex Coers, 18, a senior at Avon High School, said he plays poker every weekend with a group of five to 10 friends. He said they started playing regularly after seeing it on ESPN.
They pay a $5 or $10 entry fee, and the winner takes the pot.
"It's something that keeps us out of trouble," Coers said. "As long as it doesn't get out of hand, I don't see any problem with it."
Some adults find value in the game, especially considering how children could be spending their time.
"I know it's gambling," said Coers' father, Frank Coers. "But all the kids involved with Alex are good kids who make good grades. It's really just another game for them to play. They could be doing much worse."
If teens are at home playing poker with friends, parents feel they have some control over the activity and know what's going on.
Price and his buddies consider playing poker a social activity. They say spending $10 to play poker for a few hours on the weekend is no different from spending money at the movies.
Some aspects of the game -- strategizing and social skills -- encourage Winters, who has seen and studied the negative aspects of gambling.
He said card playing among young people was popular even before ESPN's coverage came along. Yet the rate of teenage problem gambling stayed fairly steady.
"If this new fad would have triggered an increase, we would have seen it already," he said. "But we haven't."
Risky behavior
But Jeff Derevensky, co-director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University in Montreal, said those who think gambling in any form is less problematic for teens than alcohol or drugs are mistaken.
He said he thinks parents should view poker like any other risky activity.
"If they want to play poker just for fun, that's great," he said. "But they don't have to do it for money."
Angie Creed, a Brownsburg High School guidance counselor, said her 10-year-old son, Blake, plays poker with some of his buddies at a YMCA program every day before school. He even wants a poker party with friends for his 11th birthday. But Blake never plays for money.
Creed said the social aspects and strategizing provide healthy learning experiences for her son.
She realizes innocent fun can quickly turn into gambling. If that ever happened, she would put a stop to it, she said.
"I don't gamble, and I would rather my kids not gamble," she said. "So, if it crossed that line into money, I wouldn't be real happy."
But high school students say that when money isn't involved, everyone plays differently and they lose the competitiveness because the risk isn't there.
For those who do play for money, many can play periodically and be fine, Derevensky said. But it could turn into an addiction for others, and there is no way to know how it will affect each child.
The hidden addiction
Research has shown adolescents who are introduced to gambling are twice as likely to become addicted as adults, Derevensky said. Researchers trace those tendencies back to the brain.
The part of the brain that controls judgment and risk doesn't develop until adulthood. In addition, children don't have as much to lose as adults -- like a marriage, home or job -- and they lack a full understanding of the value of money.
Yet, parents and society in general often aren't as vigilant with gambling as with other addictions.
"Gambling is often referred to as the hidden addiction," Derevensky said. "You can't smell it on their breath or see it in their eyes."
Joanna Franklin, director of training for Trimeridian, a consulting company that provides state-funded gambling treatment in seven states, including Indiana, believes education about gambling should come at the elementary and middle school levels, as has become customary with alcohol, drugs and sex.
But she contends that funding in the United States for adolescent gambling is lagging.
"We have funds for gambling treatment in the U.S., but for adults, not kids," Franklin said. "What's up with that?"
A teaching moment
Keith Ogorek, director of family and youth ministries at Zionsville Fellowship church, said poker has become an issue with families and one the church needed to take seriously. Youth leaders make it a teaching moment.
"Poker has really created an opportunity to have that conversation," Ogorek said. "We aren't interested in just changing their behavior. We also want to change their convictions."
Greater Zionsville Area Youth Ministries recently added "intentions to play poker" to firearms and illegal drugs on its "forbidden" list that students must sign before attending a retreat.
Franklin said she hoped some good can come out of this latest poker craze. Maybe educators and society will recognize the problem and address it, she said.
"I wish parents knew more," she said. "They care enough. They just don't know."
Call Star reporter Josh Duke at (317) 444-2810.
Journalists distorted poker bill
I find it strange that neither Zaleski or Cole have taken the time to interview me regarding the contents of HB 1509 and its potential positive economic and financial benefits to the people of North Dakota if HB 1509 is passed and signed by Gov. John Hoeven. Good journalism would seem to dictate that a reporter would interview the bill sponsor to obtain that person's viewpoint and purpose behind a piece of legislation before writing a story on it.
If either Zaleski or Cole had asked me, they would have learned that North Dakota would be the first state to license and regulate this huge industry. Internet poker is estimated to be a $12 billion per year industry, growing at the rate of 10 percent per month. There are between 1,800 and 2,000 Internet poker sites worldwide, located primarily offshore in the Caribbean area as well as in Canada, Great Britain, Antigua and Australia. Not a single site is located in the United States because not one state legislature has had the wisdom and courage to pass licensing and regulatory legislation. North Dakota would be the first.
To compare live Internet poker (Texas Hold 'Em), which is played by real people all over the world in real time on the Internet to the recent race horse debacle of RSI in Fargo, as Cole has continually done in her reporting, is strikingly ignorant of facts. In Texas Hold 'Em, real people compete against each other in a card game and make logical and calculated decisions throughout the entire play of the hand. A player either calls, raises or folds his hand, based upon the cards in play. At all times a player is in total control of the decisions he makes. The only thing out of his control are what two cards the opponents hold in their hole cards.
In horse racing, people place bets on horses with their best guess as to how the horses will finish and have no idea nor control of the outcome. By using drugs or by paying off jockeys, horse races have the potential to be fixed. Not so in Texas Hold 'Em. For anyone who has played poker for any length of time, it is apparent that poker is much more a game of skill, such as chess, than gambling.
Since the House of Representatives passed HB 1509 Feb. 16, I have been inundated by phone calls and emails from Internet poker representatives from all over the world. Numerous industry people will be coming to Bismarck, in mid-March to meet with Gov. John Hoeven, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, legislators, the Commerce Department and business and community leaders from all over North Dakota. They will also be testifying on HB 1509 in the Senate, to let everyone know why the passage of HB 1509 will be such a huge economic opportunity for North Dakota. At that time, the entire state will learn from industry representatives themselves, that North Dakota has a one time opportunity to be the first state in the nation to welcome this growing industry and how we all will benefit from the passage of HB 1509.
Pundits have argued this is an expansion of gambling. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether or not the Legislature passes HB 1509, the Internet poker industry will continue to grow. The question is, will it grow in North Dakota, under the regulation and licensing of the attorney general or will it be in some other state or place in the world? The Internet is here to stay and so is Internet poker.
With 60 percent of the revenue going to reduce property taxes of all North Dakotans and 20 percent of the revenue used to fund education, the people of North Dakota, through true reduction in their taxes, will be the real winners, if HB 1509 becomes law.
Read full article...
If either Zaleski or Cole had asked me, they would have learned that North Dakota would be the first state to license and regulate this huge industry. Internet poker is estimated to be a $12 billion per year industry, growing at the rate of 10 percent per month. There are between 1,800 and 2,000 Internet poker sites worldwide, located primarily offshore in the Caribbean area as well as in Canada, Great Britain, Antigua and Australia. Not a single site is located in the United States because not one state legislature has had the wisdom and courage to pass licensing and regulatory legislation. North Dakota would be the first.
To compare live Internet poker (Texas Hold 'Em), which is played by real people all over the world in real time on the Internet to the recent race horse debacle of RSI in Fargo, as Cole has continually done in her reporting, is strikingly ignorant of facts. In Texas Hold 'Em, real people compete against each other in a card game and make logical and calculated decisions throughout the entire play of the hand. A player either calls, raises or folds his hand, based upon the cards in play. At all times a player is in total control of the decisions he makes. The only thing out of his control are what two cards the opponents hold in their hole cards.
In horse racing, people place bets on horses with their best guess as to how the horses will finish and have no idea nor control of the outcome. By using drugs or by paying off jockeys, horse races have the potential to be fixed. Not so in Texas Hold 'Em. For anyone who has played poker for any length of time, it is apparent that poker is much more a game of skill, such as chess, than gambling.
Since the House of Representatives passed HB 1509 Feb. 16, I have been inundated by phone calls and emails from Internet poker representatives from all over the world. Numerous industry people will be coming to Bismarck, in mid-March to meet with Gov. John Hoeven, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, legislators, the Commerce Department and business and community leaders from all over North Dakota. They will also be testifying on HB 1509 in the Senate, to let everyone know why the passage of HB 1509 will be such a huge economic opportunity for North Dakota. At that time, the entire state will learn from industry representatives themselves, that North Dakota has a one time opportunity to be the first state in the nation to welcome this growing industry and how we all will benefit from the passage of HB 1509.
Pundits have argued this is an expansion of gambling. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether or not the Legislature passes HB 1509, the Internet poker industry will continue to grow. The question is, will it grow in North Dakota, under the regulation and licensing of the attorney general or will it be in some other state or place in the world? The Internet is here to stay and so is Internet poker.
With 60 percent of the revenue going to reduce property taxes of all North Dakotans and 20 percent of the revenue used to fund education, the people of North Dakota, through true reduction in their taxes, will be the real winners, if HB 1509 becomes law.
Read full article...
Friday, February 25, 2005
Ex-salesman shoots for big poker stakes
Allen Krell, a 59-year-old poker hobbyist, is one of six finalists at the LA Poker Classic playing No Limit Texas Hold 'Em for $200,000 and a spot in the World Series of Poker.
Unlike some professional players who conceal their eyes with sunglasses, the Antioch resident doesn't wear shades.
``The eyes tell a lot,'' Krell said in an interview this week, adding: ``I am pretty good at not being read.''
He chalks up the rest of his success to luck and the advantage of being an unknown player. Krell beat out 300 online players, all of whom were chosen randomly by Paradisepoker.com, landing him a spot in the first-round of the LA Poker Classic tournament. He competed against 180 players this month, reaching the final table of six.
This afternoon, he will try his hand against the five other finalists. Krell is guaranteed $25,000 even if he loses. If he wins, he will get $200,000 and a seat in the World Series of Poker which boasts a multi-million dollar prize.
But Krell isn't betting on it.
``I had my 15 minutes of fame,'' he said. Since picking up poker in the Marine Corps, Krell has played sporadically. A former optical salesman, he moved to Antioch 15 years ago. He frequents the Pacheco and Emeryville casinos and about three years ago began to play online.
The most he has ever won or lost in a sitting is about $8,000, he said. Overall, he comes out ``a little bit ahead,'' he said. But it becomes obvious that's a bluff, when a few minutes later, he acknowledges that he used to make a living playing poker when business was slow.
View full article...MercuryNews.com | 02/25/2005 | Ex-salesman shoots for big poker stakes
Unlike some professional players who conceal their eyes with sunglasses, the Antioch resident doesn't wear shades.
``The eyes tell a lot,'' Krell said in an interview this week, adding: ``I am pretty good at not being read.''
He chalks up the rest of his success to luck and the advantage of being an unknown player. Krell beat out 300 online players, all of whom were chosen randomly by Paradisepoker.com, landing him a spot in the first-round of the LA Poker Classic tournament. He competed against 180 players this month, reaching the final table of six.
This afternoon, he will try his hand against the five other finalists. Krell is guaranteed $25,000 even if he loses. If he wins, he will get $200,000 and a seat in the World Series of Poker which boasts a multi-million dollar prize.
But Krell isn't betting on it.
``I had my 15 minutes of fame,'' he said. Since picking up poker in the Marine Corps, Krell has played sporadically. A former optical salesman, he moved to Antioch 15 years ago. He frequents the Pacheco and Emeryville casinos and about three years ago began to play online.
The most he has ever won or lost in a sitting is about $8,000, he said. Overall, he comes out ``a little bit ahead,'' he said. But it becomes obvious that's a bluff, when a few minutes later, he acknowledges that he used to make a living playing poker when business was slow.
View full article...MercuryNews.com | 02/25/2005 | Ex-salesman shoots for big poker stakes
PSP: Interview with a Poker God
Daniel Negreanu talks Stacked IGN Staff
Full article...PSP: Interview with a Poker God
February 24, 2005 -
When it comes to household names, "Daniel Negreanu" isn't one that rolls off of most people's lips. It's too bad, really, because he's made some staggering accomplishments in his career as a professional poker player. Originally from Canada, Negreanu spent his teenage years as a pool player, gambler, and a "rounder" (someone who plays at illegal card tables) before moving to Las Vegas. After a few years in Sin City, he worked his way up to winning a World Series of Poker event at the ripe age of 23--the youngest winner in the series' history. In the seven years since then, he's racked up more tournament wins than any other player in history, raking in millions of dollars, and he has perhaps made more money in poker than anyone else. Period.
So, with the wild popularity of Texas Hold'em, it makes sense that someone would consult him before making Stacked, a game that combines super secret AI -- developed for over a decade by the University of Alberta's Poker Research Group -- plus live competition. And it adds Negreanu's input in the form of video clips, voiceovers, and context-sensitive features.
Speaking of input, we got the chance to talk poker and Stacked with Negreanu, so pull up a chair and get your chips in order.
IGN: Mason Malmuth said that no computer game could do poker justice. Granted, he said it about five or ten years ago, but why might this statement be true?
Daniel Negreanu: Poker is different than a game of chess, for example, because there often isn't a clearly correct answer. So much of poker is based on guesstimations.
Unless a computer were able to factor in human emotion and the ability to adapt to its opponents tendencies, it would likely take a top pro less than 30 minutes to recognize the computer's betting pattern and beat it consistently.
IGN: Going forward, what needs to happen to make the digital games feel more like the real ones?
Negreanu: Well, I've played some poker games in the past where the A.I. was so basic that you just couldn't lose. The computer made really stupid plays and it was just way too easy to exploit its weaknesses. For a poker game to feel real, it simply has to have A.I. that factors in your betting patterns and randomizes its play accordingly. Adding cool graphics is the easy part--developing software that is advanced enough to challenge a pro is a difficult task.
IGN: What is your role in the development process? How much strategic input did you give the stacked developers?
Negreanu: My role is to make sure that Stacked is a game that I would play both as a poker player and a gamer. I'm heavily involved in the tutorial design by providing poker strategies that are relevant to today's game, which has changed considerably in recent years.
IGN: Are you confident your digital counterpart within the game will play according to your own style? But then again, since style is so dependent on situation, people and position, will the casual to avid player even be able to tell the difference? Come to think of it, how the hell do you even go about duplicating that?
Negreanu: First of all, let me just tell you that I was amazed at the things they were able to do. They explained to me that each character in the games A.I. could be adjusted to that player's tendencies. I was like, "Are you serious? That is too cool!" I then went into great detail sharing some of my most deadly weapons at the poker table so that my digital self would be the real deal. I also shared intense insight into how the other pro players in the game would approach particular situations. The whole process just blew me away.
Full article...PSP: Interview with a Poker God
IPOs in the Cards?
Investors looking to get into Internet gaming may soon be able to place their bets on Europe's PartyGaming. Other sites could follow
To investors hoping to cash in on the online poker craze, a public offering of the world's biggest online poker room looks like a solid bet. That explains the excitement surrounding the suggestion that PartyGaming, the Gibraltar-based Internet gambling operator, is considering a listing this year on the London Stock Exchange. The company's Partypoker.com Web site claims about half of the worldwide market, according to Pokerpulse.com, a Web site that tracks the industry. Pokerpulse estimates that the game will generate $2 billion in profits this year.
Speculation about a PartyGaming initial public offering took off in January, when the 8-year-old company, formerly known as iGlobalMedia, announced that it was undertaking a strategic review, including the possibility of offering shares for sale to investors.
ANTE FROM TV. The timing could be right, analysts say, as British investors have shown a recent appetite for stocks associated with online poker. In October, Sportingbet, a British sports-betting and casino-gaming Web site, spent $300 million to buy the ParadisePoker Web site, now ranked third among poker sites and accounting for about 10% of the market. Since then, Sportingbet's share price has more than doubled, ascending from the equivalent of $2.18 to $5.86.
In another sign of interest in the industry, NETeller, an online money-transfer service that derives 80% of its business from facilitating payments for gaming and betting sites, has seen its share price triple since it listed in London in April.
"What ParadisePoker did was make all the institutional investors' eyes widen and go, 'This is actually a very profitable business, with very, very strong growth,'" says Greg Feehely, a leisure analyst at Altium Securities in London.
Popularized by the success of such televised tournaments as the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker, online poker has become the fastest-growing segment of the Internet gaming industry. According to the Vancouver-based Pokerpulse's estimates, more than $190 million is bet in online poker games every day, up from $11 million two years ago. During that time, the number of active players has grown from about 83,000 to nearly 1.9 million.
PROFIT MARGIN JACKPOT. Most gambling sites are privately held, and figures on the financials of poker operations are scarce. But those in the industry say the game generates a lot of cash without the overhead of casinos or the risk associated with bookmaking. In online poker rooms, players bet against one another. Operators earn money by taking a small percentage -- known as the "rake" -- of the bets as well as a cut of online tournament fees.
It's a high-margin business. On Feb. 22, Sportingbet reported that in the six months through the end of January, the ParadisePoker site contributed $15.3 million in operating profit on $23.9 million in sales. Overall, the company made $49.6 million in operating profit before exceptional items on poker, casino games, and $1.5 billion of sports wagers. Notably, in the six-month period, the daily poker rake grew 114%, to $261,668. "This really is an enormous industry," says Nigel Payne, chief executive of Sportingbet.
Yet the online gaming industry isn't without risk. Although Americans make up the majority of online gamblers -- estimates of the exact proportion vary from between 60% to 80% -- U.S. prosecutors have deemed online gambling illegal. The U.S. Justice Dept. has written warning letters to many American Web sites that accept advertising for gambling sites. Because of these prohibitions, these sites operate offshore, and some refuse sports bets from Americans.
AMERICANS WON'T FOLD. In contrast, Britain has proven more open to the industry. In 2001, London abolished a tax on bets in order to encourage local bookmakers, including those with Web sites, to stay ashore. Britons can legally gamble online but cannot operate Internet casino games, thanks to old laws that require the game to take place in the same room as the player.
British companies that run poker sites now locate the operations offshore but are not otherwise penalized by the government. Proposed legislation under debate in Parliament would legalize online gaming and establish a new commission to regulate it. "We want them here," says Anthony Wright, spokesman for the Media, Culture & Sport Dept.
Those in the industry largely dismiss the idea that the U.S. government's hostile stance poses a threat to the industry's future. Payne, whose Sportingbet Web site derives more than half its income from Americans, believes that considering the global reach of the Internet, it would be practically impossible for the U.S. to crack down on offshore operators. "We're a U.K. public company licensed in the U.K., and the U.K. says you can take bets from American citizens," he says.
GOING MAINSTREAM? Even so, the question remains as to whether the fast-growing poker trend is a passing fad. According to Pokerpulse's figures, the monthly increase in players has slowed from an average growth of 20% a month in 2003, to about 10% a month now, albeit from a much larger base. Dale Johnson, executive vice-president in corporate development at NETeller, says his company thinks current growth rates can't sustain themselves.
Still, the industry has tremendous potential, particularly internationally, since the bulk of players now come from the U.S. "To this point what we've seen are the early adopters. There's still a mainstream market to come," he says.
If PartyGaming does go public, it will offer an unparalleled look into the industry's workings. The company, which has customer-service operations in India, has released little information about its operations. Analysts say it earned $350 million before interest, tax, and amortization in 2004, which means a possible valuation of $4 billion. It's owned by five shareholders, including Indian software specialist Anurag Dikshit and American Ruth Parasol, a former adult-entertainment industry executive who no longer participates in PartyGaming's day-to-day operations. Last year the company appointed Richard Segal, former head of Odeon Cinemas, as its chief executive.
"HOSPITABLE FEEL." Even if PartyGaming doesn't list, those in the industry expect the future to bring more public offerings and, likely, consolidation of the 250 sites and 55 networks vying for the poker-playing public. "There's enough of a hospitable feel in the financial community at this point," says Sue Schneider, president of the River City Group, a Missouri firm that conducts research and runs trade shows on the Internet gambling industry.
As for the risks, she says, "This is an industry that tends to draw gamblers, even in terms of investors."
To investors hoping to cash in on the online poker craze, a public offering of the world's biggest online poker room looks like a solid bet. That explains the excitement surrounding the suggestion that PartyGaming, the Gibraltar-based Internet gambling operator, is considering a listing this year on the London Stock Exchange. The company's Partypoker.com Web site claims about half of the worldwide market, according to Pokerpulse.com, a Web site that tracks the industry. Pokerpulse estimates that the game will generate $2 billion in profits this year.
Speculation about a PartyGaming initial public offering took off in January, when the 8-year-old company, formerly known as iGlobalMedia, announced that it was undertaking a strategic review, including the possibility of offering shares for sale to investors.
ANTE FROM TV. The timing could be right, analysts say, as British investors have shown a recent appetite for stocks associated with online poker. In October, Sportingbet, a British sports-betting and casino-gaming Web site, spent $300 million to buy the ParadisePoker Web site, now ranked third among poker sites and accounting for about 10% of the market. Since then, Sportingbet's share price has more than doubled, ascending from the equivalent of $2.18 to $5.86.
In another sign of interest in the industry, NETeller, an online money-transfer service that derives 80% of its business from facilitating payments for gaming and betting sites, has seen its share price triple since it listed in London in April.
"What ParadisePoker did was make all the institutional investors' eyes widen and go, 'This is actually a very profitable business, with very, very strong growth,'" says Greg Feehely, a leisure analyst at Altium Securities in London.
Popularized by the success of such televised tournaments as the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker, online poker has become the fastest-growing segment of the Internet gaming industry. According to the Vancouver-based Pokerpulse's estimates, more than $190 million is bet in online poker games every day, up from $11 million two years ago. During that time, the number of active players has grown from about 83,000 to nearly 1.9 million.
PROFIT MARGIN JACKPOT. Most gambling sites are privately held, and figures on the financials of poker operations are scarce. But those in the industry say the game generates a lot of cash without the overhead of casinos or the risk associated with bookmaking. In online poker rooms, players bet against one another. Operators earn money by taking a small percentage -- known as the "rake" -- of the bets as well as a cut of online tournament fees.
It's a high-margin business. On Feb. 22, Sportingbet reported that in the six months through the end of January, the ParadisePoker site contributed $15.3 million in operating profit on $23.9 million in sales. Overall, the company made $49.6 million in operating profit before exceptional items on poker, casino games, and $1.5 billion of sports wagers. Notably, in the six-month period, the daily poker rake grew 114%, to $261,668. "This really is an enormous industry," says Nigel Payne, chief executive of Sportingbet.
Yet the online gaming industry isn't without risk. Although Americans make up the majority of online gamblers -- estimates of the exact proportion vary from between 60% to 80% -- U.S. prosecutors have deemed online gambling illegal. The U.S. Justice Dept. has written warning letters to many American Web sites that accept advertising for gambling sites. Because of these prohibitions, these sites operate offshore, and some refuse sports bets from Americans.
AMERICANS WON'T FOLD. In contrast, Britain has proven more open to the industry. In 2001, London abolished a tax on bets in order to encourage local bookmakers, including those with Web sites, to stay ashore. Britons can legally gamble online but cannot operate Internet casino games, thanks to old laws that require the game to take place in the same room as the player.
British companies that run poker sites now locate the operations offshore but are not otherwise penalized by the government. Proposed legislation under debate in Parliament would legalize online gaming and establish a new commission to regulate it. "We want them here," says Anthony Wright, spokesman for the Media, Culture & Sport Dept.
Those in the industry largely dismiss the idea that the U.S. government's hostile stance poses a threat to the industry's future. Payne, whose Sportingbet Web site derives more than half its income from Americans, believes that considering the global reach of the Internet, it would be practically impossible for the U.S. to crack down on offshore operators. "We're a U.K. public company licensed in the U.K., and the U.K. says you can take bets from American citizens," he says.
GOING MAINSTREAM? Even so, the question remains as to whether the fast-growing poker trend is a passing fad. According to Pokerpulse's figures, the monthly increase in players has slowed from an average growth of 20% a month in 2003, to about 10% a month now, albeit from a much larger base. Dale Johnson, executive vice-president in corporate development at NETeller, says his company thinks current growth rates can't sustain themselves.
Still, the industry has tremendous potential, particularly internationally, since the bulk of players now come from the U.S. "To this point what we've seen are the early adopters. There's still a mainstream market to come," he says.
If PartyGaming does go public, it will offer an unparalleled look into the industry's workings. The company, which has customer-service operations in India, has released little information about its operations. Analysts say it earned $350 million before interest, tax, and amortization in 2004, which means a possible valuation of $4 billion. It's owned by five shareholders, including Indian software specialist Anurag Dikshit and American Ruth Parasol, a former adult-entertainment industry executive who no longer participates in PartyGaming's day-to-day operations. Last year the company appointed Richard Segal, former head of Odeon Cinemas, as its chief executive.
"HOSPITABLE FEEL." Even if PartyGaming doesn't list, those in the industry expect the future to bring more public offerings and, likely, consolidation of the 250 sites and 55 networks vying for the poker-playing public. "There's enough of a hospitable feel in the financial community at this point," says Sue Schneider, president of the River City Group, a Missouri firm that conducts research and runs trade shows on the Internet gambling industry.
As for the risks, she says, "This is an industry that tends to draw gamblers, even in terms of investors."
Poker as a Life
by Roy Cooke
Players often ask me if I think they should go pro in poker. The answer is almost invariably a resounding, “No!” But, as is the case with most difficult questions in both life and poker, the answer is always: It depends. Choosing any career is a very life-defining decision. Choosing one with the stresses and uncertainty of a life at the green felt is risky, daring, and perhaps even foolish. But, it’s certainly a decision I can understand someone making. Poker has been very good to many players who put together a successful formula, but it has not been good to everyone who has pursued the game as a career.
There are two clichés that are both true, sort of: Poker is a hard way to make an easy living. And, play poker for a living and sleep till noon.
Playing poker for a living has many advantages. You can get up when you want and go to sleep when you want, and can be your own person and your own boss. The money can be good. For those who perform well, an upper-middle-class lifestyle, or better, is very plausible. That said, many players don’t perceive other issues in the poker world and the demands that a poker life can place upon them. There are correct and incorrect ways to approach a poker life. Some things that may be right for one person may not suit another. But, maintaining the right approach, the right attitudes, and the right lifestyle will greatly improve your chances for success and happiness.
The wannabe pro poker player should approach poker as a never-ending learning experience requiring lots of study and game maintenance. Loads of players hanging on the rail will tell you they know everything about the game, and they will gladly share their wisdom and advice with you over lunch or dinner — your treat, of course. At dinner, they’ll be nice enough let you buy a piece of their action, or perhaps give you the chance to make a small loan. The last thing you need is advice about how to make a living at the game from people who struck out trying to do so and are now on the hustle. And there are, alas, far too many of these people.
If you expect playing poker for a living to be a something-for-nothing experience, an easy road to an indulgent lifestyle, a rude awakening awaits you. Poker life is a tough, tough, demanding one. Many players develop the required skills to do well for a short period of time, but don’t develop the discipline necessary to maintain those skills, and fail the test of time. Hitting the “busted out from gambling” wall, particularly later in life with no other job skills, is not something you want to experience. Treat the game professionally, like a professional athlete would. And understand that it’s a business. Discipline yourself to perform on both of those levels.
In my 30-plus years in the game, I have watched a number of friends crumble before the relentless pressure of mortgage payments, monthly bills, child support, alimony, and the occasional substance abuse issue, until they eventually fail. Good players who at one point dominated middle-limit games are getting up at 5 a.m. to try to pick off drunks in $10-$20 games, are struggling against $8-$16 lineups, and are hopping from Internet site to Internet site looking for a game they can beat, hoping to get out of debt. They are circling the bowl and are headed down the drain. And this is the junkyard in which many, many folks who thought they could beat the game for a living find themselves.
To make it as a pro player, you need to pick the correct game to play in and have an adequate bankroll. The correct game is the game in which the spread between your ability and that of your opponents creates the greatest possible positive expectation with an amount of fluctuation your bankroll can handle. Realistically, you can perhaps pay a single young-person’s bills with winnings at the $8-$16 level, but that would be a pretty small standard of living. The first serious step-up in the ability of your opponents (where you run into other people who believe, with at least a modicum of justification, they can play poker for a living) is in the $10-$20/$15-$30 range. This is where the betting units start approaching the thresholds necessary to reasonably pay monthly bills and build a future. And from here on up, each time you double the stakes, the quality of the opponents you face increases significantly, thereby making it much, much tougher to beat the game at a level that will pay your bills.
Poker is opportunistic, and you need to be financially positioned to take advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves. Bankroll depth is key. If you have to piece yourself out or pass on opportunities because you are undercapitalized, you have lost equity. That tends to compound upon itself greatly as the years go by. Many players miss the boat on this issue, and never put themselves in a position to seize moments of opportunity as they arise. If you don’t have the cash to take the shot when the sweet spot presents itself, you are not positioned to maximize your earn. A strong bankroll also allows you more freedom to play when you want to, reduces the stress of playing for a living, and makes for a much happier life. Never having the capital to operate your poker business correctly is something that can compound exponentially over the course of a poker career. I know a player who, whenever he starts to get a bankroll together, quits playing until he is forced to go back to “work.” Putting yourself in a position of having to win to pay your bills from month to month makes poker a drudging day-to-day grind. And it adds great amounts of stress and pressure to an already stressful situation.
A wannabe pro player needs to be aware of the course and stages of his life. In some careers, once you learn the trade, move up, delegate, and so on, the work becomes easier. That’s not so in poker! In poker, the level of discipline and effort required to beat the game never diminishes. As we get older, our physical and mental skills deteriorate, diminishing our ability to play well. Many shortsighted players fail to plan for the later stages of life, and seeing once-great players struggle for survival in the later stages of their lives is a sad sight. Furthermore, as we grow, middle age and early senior citizen status make more financial demands upon us.
The poker world is a subculture with a separate set of cultural issues for those within it. Many players make the poker world their whole life, and let it influence them greatly on a personal level. Professional poker is a dog-eat-dog adversarial world, with no quarter asked or given. If it is your only world, it can easily become your perspective on life. And there are much better ways and places in which you can live your life.
The poker environment is full of angle-shooters. Many players cross lines in weak moments or moments of desperation, and when lines are crossed, it makes them much easier to be crossed the next time. Over time, it can become a way of life. I have seen many good people with strong values and high levels of pride in themselves lower the bar for themselves as they got involved in the poker world. Generally, the changes occurred as they struggled to survive the challenges they faced, but the environment took its toll over time, also. Watching good people change has been a sad side of poker for me.
People change in other ways. In poker, you have no need for others’ approval. Behavior and respect for other people become less important to poker players than if they had to interact with people in business and other work environments. The stressful nature of the “play poker for the rent” situation wears on people personally and emotionally. Over time, some players lose pride in themselves, and some turn into total slobs. In short, when you play poker, it is much easier to become self-absorbed and less caring about yourself and others. As a player, it is healthier mentally to stay in touch with the outside world and to maintain some of its perspective. Keep and maintain relationships outside of poker. It will help to give you a wider perspective, keep you in touch with the outside world, enable you to operate in a normal environment, put you in a more caring environment, maintain pride in yourself, and feel better about yourself. All of those traits will come in handy as you go through the trials and tribulations that you will face as a poker player.
Take care of yourself! It is so easy to get into the routine of pigging out on the good food at the cardrooms (by the way, I’m currently a slim and trim 235, so do as I say, not as I do), playing long hours, sleeping on bad schedules, not getting any exercise, hitting the social scenes and the bars night after night, doing drugs, and so on. It all can seem like the life of Riley. But those things tend to wear you down physically, emotionally, and mentally — maybe not today or tomorrow, and maybe not next week or month, but over time, they will take their toll. Taking care of yourself physically and mentally will enable you to make better decisions at the poker table.
Like many things in life, there are tradeoffs. You do certain things and rewards come your way (that is plan “A,” anyway). Playing poker well on a professional level requires a high level of effort and sacrifice, but the rewards can be well worth it. Just approach the game realistically and be prepared to apply yourself. Then, maybe, just maybe, someday poker will be very good to you, too.
Roy Cooke played winning professional poker for more than 16 years. He is a successful real estate broker/salesperson in Las Vegas. If you would like to ask Roy poker-related questions, you may do so online at www.UnitedPokerForum.com.
View article..Poker as a Life
Players often ask me if I think they should go pro in poker. The answer is almost invariably a resounding, “No!” But, as is the case with most difficult questions in both life and poker, the answer is always: It depends. Choosing any career is a very life-defining decision. Choosing one with the stresses and uncertainty of a life at the green felt is risky, daring, and perhaps even foolish. But, it’s certainly a decision I can understand someone making. Poker has been very good to many players who put together a successful formula, but it has not been good to everyone who has pursued the game as a career.
There are two clichés that are both true, sort of: Poker is a hard way to make an easy living. And, play poker for a living and sleep till noon.
Playing poker for a living has many advantages. You can get up when you want and go to sleep when you want, and can be your own person and your own boss. The money can be good. For those who perform well, an upper-middle-class lifestyle, or better, is very plausible. That said, many players don’t perceive other issues in the poker world and the demands that a poker life can place upon them. There are correct and incorrect ways to approach a poker life. Some things that may be right for one person may not suit another. But, maintaining the right approach, the right attitudes, and the right lifestyle will greatly improve your chances for success and happiness.
The wannabe pro poker player should approach poker as a never-ending learning experience requiring lots of study and game maintenance. Loads of players hanging on the rail will tell you they know everything about the game, and they will gladly share their wisdom and advice with you over lunch or dinner — your treat, of course. At dinner, they’ll be nice enough let you buy a piece of their action, or perhaps give you the chance to make a small loan. The last thing you need is advice about how to make a living at the game from people who struck out trying to do so and are now on the hustle. And there are, alas, far too many of these people.
If you expect playing poker for a living to be a something-for-nothing experience, an easy road to an indulgent lifestyle, a rude awakening awaits you. Poker life is a tough, tough, demanding one. Many players develop the required skills to do well for a short period of time, but don’t develop the discipline necessary to maintain those skills, and fail the test of time. Hitting the “busted out from gambling” wall, particularly later in life with no other job skills, is not something you want to experience. Treat the game professionally, like a professional athlete would. And understand that it’s a business. Discipline yourself to perform on both of those levels.
In my 30-plus years in the game, I have watched a number of friends crumble before the relentless pressure of mortgage payments, monthly bills, child support, alimony, and the occasional substance abuse issue, until they eventually fail. Good players who at one point dominated middle-limit games are getting up at 5 a.m. to try to pick off drunks in $10-$20 games, are struggling against $8-$16 lineups, and are hopping from Internet site to Internet site looking for a game they can beat, hoping to get out of debt. They are circling the bowl and are headed down the drain. And this is the junkyard in which many, many folks who thought they could beat the game for a living find themselves.
To make it as a pro player, you need to pick the correct game to play in and have an adequate bankroll. The correct game is the game in which the spread between your ability and that of your opponents creates the greatest possible positive expectation with an amount of fluctuation your bankroll can handle. Realistically, you can perhaps pay a single young-person’s bills with winnings at the $8-$16 level, but that would be a pretty small standard of living. The first serious step-up in the ability of your opponents (where you run into other people who believe, with at least a modicum of justification, they can play poker for a living) is in the $10-$20/$15-$30 range. This is where the betting units start approaching the thresholds necessary to reasonably pay monthly bills and build a future. And from here on up, each time you double the stakes, the quality of the opponents you face increases significantly, thereby making it much, much tougher to beat the game at a level that will pay your bills.
Poker is opportunistic, and you need to be financially positioned to take advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves. Bankroll depth is key. If you have to piece yourself out or pass on opportunities because you are undercapitalized, you have lost equity. That tends to compound upon itself greatly as the years go by. Many players miss the boat on this issue, and never put themselves in a position to seize moments of opportunity as they arise. If you don’t have the cash to take the shot when the sweet spot presents itself, you are not positioned to maximize your earn. A strong bankroll also allows you more freedom to play when you want to, reduces the stress of playing for a living, and makes for a much happier life. Never having the capital to operate your poker business correctly is something that can compound exponentially over the course of a poker career. I know a player who, whenever he starts to get a bankroll together, quits playing until he is forced to go back to “work.” Putting yourself in a position of having to win to pay your bills from month to month makes poker a drudging day-to-day grind. And it adds great amounts of stress and pressure to an already stressful situation.
A wannabe pro player needs to be aware of the course and stages of his life. In some careers, once you learn the trade, move up, delegate, and so on, the work becomes easier. That’s not so in poker! In poker, the level of discipline and effort required to beat the game never diminishes. As we get older, our physical and mental skills deteriorate, diminishing our ability to play well. Many shortsighted players fail to plan for the later stages of life, and seeing once-great players struggle for survival in the later stages of their lives is a sad sight. Furthermore, as we grow, middle age and early senior citizen status make more financial demands upon us.
The poker world is a subculture with a separate set of cultural issues for those within it. Many players make the poker world their whole life, and let it influence them greatly on a personal level. Professional poker is a dog-eat-dog adversarial world, with no quarter asked or given. If it is your only world, it can easily become your perspective on life. And there are much better ways and places in which you can live your life.
The poker environment is full of angle-shooters. Many players cross lines in weak moments or moments of desperation, and when lines are crossed, it makes them much easier to be crossed the next time. Over time, it can become a way of life. I have seen many good people with strong values and high levels of pride in themselves lower the bar for themselves as they got involved in the poker world. Generally, the changes occurred as they struggled to survive the challenges they faced, but the environment took its toll over time, also. Watching good people change has been a sad side of poker for me.
People change in other ways. In poker, you have no need for others’ approval. Behavior and respect for other people become less important to poker players than if they had to interact with people in business and other work environments. The stressful nature of the “play poker for the rent” situation wears on people personally and emotionally. Over time, some players lose pride in themselves, and some turn into total slobs. In short, when you play poker, it is much easier to become self-absorbed and less caring about yourself and others. As a player, it is healthier mentally to stay in touch with the outside world and to maintain some of its perspective. Keep and maintain relationships outside of poker. It will help to give you a wider perspective, keep you in touch with the outside world, enable you to operate in a normal environment, put you in a more caring environment, maintain pride in yourself, and feel better about yourself. All of those traits will come in handy as you go through the trials and tribulations that you will face as a poker player.
Take care of yourself! It is so easy to get into the routine of pigging out on the good food at the cardrooms (by the way, I’m currently a slim and trim 235, so do as I say, not as I do), playing long hours, sleeping on bad schedules, not getting any exercise, hitting the social scenes and the bars night after night, doing drugs, and so on. It all can seem like the life of Riley. But those things tend to wear you down physically, emotionally, and mentally — maybe not today or tomorrow, and maybe not next week or month, but over time, they will take their toll. Taking care of yourself physically and mentally will enable you to make better decisions at the poker table.
Like many things in life, there are tradeoffs. You do certain things and rewards come your way (that is plan “A,” anyway). Playing poker well on a professional level requires a high level of effort and sacrifice, but the rewards can be well worth it. Just approach the game realistically and be prepared to apply yourself. Then, maybe, just maybe, someday poker will be very good to you, too.
Roy Cooke played winning professional poker for more than 16 years. He is a successful real estate broker/salesperson in Las Vegas. If you would like to ask Roy poker-related questions, you may do so online at www.UnitedPokerForum.com.
View article..Poker as a Life
Poker tournament winners to earn bean-bag toss-up
By richard strohmenger
Due to restrictions stemming from Pennsylvania state law, any group on campus is technically forbidden to hold a poker tournament.
In response, the Gaming Club's Challenge -- which is sponsored by the Susquehanna Group -- has added a skills competition at the end of the poker games in which prizes will be distributed.
"Since the cash prize cannot be directly based on the poker, there will be some kind of skills game at the end to determine who will win the prizes," Wharton Gaming Club co-President Tajar Varghese said.
Members of the Gaming Club have been contemplating either a trivia game or some sort of bean-bag toss to determine the winners.
The Associate Director of Risk Management and Insurance at Penn Ron Jasner said that a poker "tournament would presume that something is being awarded for winning at poker. That would be gambling which is not lawful and therefore not permitted by the University."
Although he said that "games of chance were not permitted," Jasner offered that "awards for skill might be permissible."
In order to move forward with their tournament, the group decided to add this skills challenge since poker is not deemed a game of skill. Last year, the Gaming Club put on the same event without any problems.
"There were no problems last year, we had very set rules," said Gaming Club member Anik Mukheja, who is a second-year Wharton MBA student. "We are trying to do this in good fun."
This change to the club's poker tournament comes on the heels of a November decision by the University to shut down a charity poker tournament sponsored by the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.
However, many do not agree with the policies of the University.
"I think that poker is a game of skill," Penn Poker Club President Dan Kline said. "In many states, they allow poker and not blackjack."
Despite this, the Wharton junior thinks the University is getting better at dealing with the matter.
"The University is definitely softening their hard-line position they took earlier in the year," Kline said.
"It's been a very educational experience dealing with management and the obscure legal hoops we have to go through," said Varghese, an MBA student.
View full article...dailypennsylvanian.com - Poker tournament winners to earn bean-bag toss-up
Due to restrictions stemming from Pennsylvania state law, any group on campus is technically forbidden to hold a poker tournament.
In response, the Gaming Club's Challenge -- which is sponsored by the Susquehanna Group -- has added a skills competition at the end of the poker games in which prizes will be distributed.
"Since the cash prize cannot be directly based on the poker, there will be some kind of skills game at the end to determine who will win the prizes," Wharton Gaming Club co-President Tajar Varghese said.
Members of the Gaming Club have been contemplating either a trivia game or some sort of bean-bag toss to determine the winners.
The Associate Director of Risk Management and Insurance at Penn Ron Jasner said that a poker "tournament would presume that something is being awarded for winning at poker. That would be gambling which is not lawful and therefore not permitted by the University."
Although he said that "games of chance were not permitted," Jasner offered that "awards for skill might be permissible."
In order to move forward with their tournament, the group decided to add this skills challenge since poker is not deemed a game of skill. Last year, the Gaming Club put on the same event without any problems.
"There were no problems last year, we had very set rules," said Gaming Club member Anik Mukheja, who is a second-year Wharton MBA student. "We are trying to do this in good fun."
This change to the club's poker tournament comes on the heels of a November decision by the University to shut down a charity poker tournament sponsored by the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.
However, many do not agree with the policies of the University.
"I think that poker is a game of skill," Penn Poker Club President Dan Kline said. "In many states, they allow poker and not blackjack."
Despite this, the Wharton junior thinks the University is getting better at dealing with the matter.
"The University is definitely softening their hard-line position they took earlier in the year," Kline said.
"It's been a very educational experience dealing with management and the obscure legal hoops we have to go through," said Varghese, an MBA student.
View full article...dailypennsylvanian.com - Poker tournament winners to earn bean-bag toss-up
C of C hosting poker tourney
WEIGH SCALES — In a first-time effort, the Brush Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a “Charity Poker Night” Saturday at the Wayside Inn, Route 61.
“The night is designed to raise money for charities and local organization who depend on either donations or government funding to keep them vital,” said Sandra Hutchinson, the chamber’s CEO. “The donations will be generated from each of the tables’ house winnings and half of the total pot from the Texas Hold’Em tournament.”
Hutchinson said each of the tables is being sponsored by a Chamber member, who has chosen a charity. So far the sponsors and charities they have selected are: The Wayside Inn, giving to the American Cancer Society; attorney Edward Greco, Mother Pauline Visintainer Fund; Bill 95FM, Rotary Club; Primerica Financial Services, Northumberland County Council of the Arts; Joseph Stutz Funeral Home, Cornerstone; Special Home Care, United Way of Lower Anthracite Region; and Brush Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, which will split the winnings between all three local public libraries; Procopio & Associates, which has yet to name a charity.
Also, the winner of the Texas Hold’Em tournament will be able to choose a charity the night of the event. All donations will be given on behalf of the sponsors.
There is a $30 entrance fee, which includes all-you-can-eat beef, sides and soda (beer will be served at an additional 50 cents per beer) and $10 in gambling chips.
The doors will open at 6 p.m. with the games beginning at 6:30 and the tournament at 7 p.m. An additional $20 buy-in is required to enter the night of the tournament.
Anyone interested in purchasing tickets for the tournament should contact the chamber office immediately.
©The News Item 2005
View full article...The News Item - Local Content - 02/25/2005 - C of C hosting poker tourney
“The night is designed to raise money for charities and local organization who depend on either donations or government funding to keep them vital,” said Sandra Hutchinson, the chamber’s CEO. “The donations will be generated from each of the tables’ house winnings and half of the total pot from the Texas Hold’Em tournament.”
Hutchinson said each of the tables is being sponsored by a Chamber member, who has chosen a charity. So far the sponsors and charities they have selected are: The Wayside Inn, giving to the American Cancer Society; attorney Edward Greco, Mother Pauline Visintainer Fund; Bill 95FM, Rotary Club; Primerica Financial Services, Northumberland County Council of the Arts; Joseph Stutz Funeral Home, Cornerstone; Special Home Care, United Way of Lower Anthracite Region; and Brush Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, which will split the winnings between all three local public libraries; Procopio & Associates, which has yet to name a charity.
Also, the winner of the Texas Hold’Em tournament will be able to choose a charity the night of the event. All donations will be given on behalf of the sponsors.
There is a $30 entrance fee, which includes all-you-can-eat beef, sides and soda (beer will be served at an additional 50 cents per beer) and $10 in gambling chips.
The doors will open at 6 p.m. with the games beginning at 6:30 and the tournament at 7 p.m. An additional $20 buy-in is required to enter the night of the tournament.
Anyone interested in purchasing tickets for the tournament should contact the chamber office immediately.
©The News Item 2005
View full article...The News Item - Local Content - 02/25/2005 - C of C hosting poker tourney
Law School Holds Forum on Poker and the Law
CRIMSON/ VIKTORIA SLAVINA
Weld Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and Director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society Charles R. Nesson ’60 moderates a “Going All In: Poker and the Law” panel sponsored by the Commitee on Sports and Entertainment Law.
Lawyers, a pro gambler, and a lobbyist discuss online gambling
By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZBR>
Crimson Staff Writer
Poker players and lawyers gathered around a table last night—sans cards—to discuss everything from legal issues to card strategy in a forum on poker held at Harvard Law School (HLS).
The event, “Going All In: Poker and The Law”, drew together two lawyers, a lobbyist, and a professional gambler together to discuss poker and the law.
Panelists focused their discussion on an issue that has caused a bout of controversy in the legal world recently: the legality of online gambling.
Dan Walsh, a lobbyist for internet poker and casino gambling in Washington who sat on the panel, called the online poker issue a “legally gray area” that will require time before a legal consensus can be reached.
“The vast majority of people think that internet gambling should be legal,” he said. “Sooner or later, I think the U.S. government will need to come around on it.”
Shaun Clark, counsel to the World Poker Tour (WPT)—a high stakes poker tournament aired on television—said the difficulty in locating online gambling criminals has made current laws hard to enforce.
”The guys that are running these internet sites are running them off-shore, which makes it extremely difficult to track,” he said.
Panelists also criticized rules that organizations and casinos are imposing on poker enthusiasts.
At one point, panelist Andy Bloch, a professional poker player and 1999 HLS graduate, presented a copy of a contract that he signed in order to participate in the WPT. He said he had crossed out areas on the document that he deemed illegal to protest the organization’s constraints on participants’ rights to gamble outside of the WPT.
“The contract basically says ‘If you want to play in our tournaments…then you also have to give up all of these other rights,’” Bloch said, adding that professional poker players are making efforts to organize into a union of sorts.
But legal talk didn’t dominate the night—the collection of expert poker players present offered their guidance to enthusiasts in the audience seeking tips.
Bloch said “aggression” was what pushed him to the finals of major poker tournaments. “Being the first one to take the step out is a very good strategy,” he said.
The event was moderated by Weld Professor of Law Charles R. Nesson ’60. In his closing remarks, Nesson offered his own viewpoint on the poker debate.
“It’s so much an American thing,” Nesson said. “The idea that it’s illegal is offensive to me.”
Nesson also said that as a student at HLS in the 1960s, one former professor recommended that playing bridge was the best way to prepare for law school.
“A lot of good learning is about strategy, especially in deal-making,” said Regan A. Smith, a second-year law student. “Getting good at poker is a way to sharpen those tools.”
Adam M. Burrows, a second-year HLS student who organized the event, said the forum confirmed his hypothesis that there is a connection between the law profession and poker.
“I think it’s interesting how a lot of the players you hear about recently are lawyers,” he said. “Somehow I think there’s a tie between poker and legal professionals.”
—Staff writer Javier C. Hernandez can be reached at jhernand@fas.harvard.edu.
She played cards right, online poker biz booms
HANK DANISZEWSKI, Free Press Business Reporter
Jane has won a jackpot in the macho world of poker. Jane Jack, a 41-year-old Stratford native and former accountant, has been running an online poker site since last September from a beach home on the tropical island of Antigua.
It sounds like one of those pie-in-the-sky schemes pitched in spam e-mails.
But last year, Jack decided to quit her job as a financial controller with a Cambridge plastics company and play her hand in the booming business of online poker.
Jack started playing serious poker in the late 1990s in Ontario's charity casinos.
She said she's a good poker player because she understands the mathematics of the game and is underestimated by male opponents.
"The poker world is still seen as a man's world and when a woman sits down at the table, she's seen a pushover."
When poker sites started popping up on the Internet and televised poker tournaments featuring celebrities started to draw big ratings, Jack started thinking about setting up her own site.
Jack lined up private investors.
Jack also struck up a partnership to share a client base and technology with Party Poker, a huge Internet poker site based in India.
Before she launched PokerNow. com, there was one other detail. Jack, her husband and their five-year-old daughter moved to Antigua, where, unlike Ontario, running an Internet gaming site is legal.
The tiny Caribbean nation of 67,000 recently won a World Trade Organization ruling quashing an attempt by the United States to shut down its online gaming licensing system that brings in much-needed revenue.
Since last September, PokerNow has signed up 4,000 serious poker players and thousands more "play money" participants.
The serious players put up money, usually by credit cards, and play poker with each other.
Jack believes the NHL lockout dealt her a lucky break.
"With no Hockey Night in Canada, we came on the bandwagon at the right time. Saturday night is always a good night."
PokerNow makes money by taking a "rake" of $1 to $3 from the winning pot. Players can chat with each other online, but there are no web cams.
"If you really have a bad poker face you can't see that the Internet," Jack said.
Online poker is more comfortable and familiar than other forms of online gambling because players are competing with each other and betting with an anonymous "house," she said.
Jack is trying to boost credibility by becoming the persona behind PokerNow.
Her biography and photo are posted on the website. She answers about 100 e-mails a day and appears at trade shows across North America.
"If you go out and talk to people, they know you are for real," she said.
Copyright © The London Free PressAre Teen Online Poker Players At Risk? You Bet!
Some San Diego State University students are part of a phenomenon hitting college campuses, high schools and middle schools across San Diego and the country.
They're playing poker. And, they say that they can find a game any night of the week. The game may be the same, but the players are younger.
Parents: does your son or daughter talk about:
The blind, bout the flop, the river. Are they spending more time shuffling than studying? Wheelin and dealin with their friends?
Television is directly responsible for poker's popularity today, with an estimated five million viewers on any given day.
"The popularity of TV, watching kids our age winning 100's of thousands of dollars on TV," said David.
Last week for example, 21-year-old poker champ John D'Agostino played for a half million dollars on ESPN's Tournament of Champions.
Television is definitely the calling card for the poker beginner.
"I started watching with my friend's dad on TV, then I started playing online," said Stephanie a novice poker player.
Stephanie, like millions of other young people, plays online. Today, there are more than 200 websites dedicated to poker. Many teens have abandoned video games in favor of online poker.
But is online poker just fun and games or is it putting teens at risk for getting hooked? The answer depends on whom you ask?
"I think it's good because when I was younger, you learn numbers and cards, you could take advantage of it," noted Amber who started playing poke when she was 15-years-old.
"If they're not playing for money it's probably like a video game to them," explained SDSU Graduate Phil.
But folks who know how gambling can destroy lives have a different opinion.
At a recent gamblers anonymous meeting, john, we're protecting his identity, says there's no doubt teens playing online can lead to trouble.
"Absolutely, there's a risk there of getting involved in a problems, you might not even be able to see," John said.
Joel has counseled gamblers for years and lectures teens about its dangers and described a gambler's cycle.
"If I win, I'm the greatest gambler there is, if I loose how dare they take my money. I'm going to get it," said Joel.
But no one always wins. Still that doesn't stop people from gambling.
"Is just the knowledge that gambling could be a problem and could destroy your life enough to stop somebody from starting..NO!" Joel exclaimed.
If you're concerned your child is spending too much time playing poker online, there are definite signs of addictive behavior:
Nervous and short tempered
Doesn't change clothes
Doesn't shower
Watches poker on TV
Spends hours online playing poker
Things are missing, such as video games, CD collections, bikes, stereo's. They're often sold for to get money.
They're playing poker. And, they say that they can find a game any night of the week. The game may be the same, but the players are younger.
Parents: does your son or daughter talk about:
The blind, bout the flop, the river. Are they spending more time shuffling than studying? Wheelin and dealin with their friends?
Television is directly responsible for poker's popularity today, with an estimated five million viewers on any given day.
"The popularity of TV, watching kids our age winning 100's of thousands of dollars on TV," said David.
Last week for example, 21-year-old poker champ John D'Agostino played for a half million dollars on ESPN's Tournament of Champions.
Television is definitely the calling card for the poker beginner.
"I started watching with my friend's dad on TV, then I started playing online," said Stephanie a novice poker player.
Stephanie, like millions of other young people, plays online. Today, there are more than 200 websites dedicated to poker. Many teens have abandoned video games in favor of online poker.
But is online poker just fun and games or is it putting teens at risk for getting hooked? The answer depends on whom you ask?
"I think it's good because when I was younger, you learn numbers and cards, you could take advantage of it," noted Amber who started playing poke when she was 15-years-old.
"If they're not playing for money it's probably like a video game to them," explained SDSU Graduate Phil.
But folks who know how gambling can destroy lives have a different opinion.
At a recent gamblers anonymous meeting, john, we're protecting his identity, says there's no doubt teens playing online can lead to trouble.
"Absolutely, there's a risk there of getting involved in a problems, you might not even be able to see," John said.
Joel has counseled gamblers for years and lectures teens about its dangers and described a gambler's cycle.
"If I win, I'm the greatest gambler there is, if I loose how dare they take my money. I'm going to get it," said Joel.
But no one always wins. Still that doesn't stop people from gambling.
"Is just the knowledge that gambling could be a problem and could destroy your life enough to stop somebody from starting..NO!" Joel exclaimed.
If you're concerned your child is spending too much time playing poker online, there are definite signs of addictive behavior:
Nervous and short tempered
Doesn't change clothes
Doesn't shower
Watches poker on TV
Spends hours online playing poker
Things are missing, such as video games, CD collections, bikes, stereo's. They're often sold for to get money.
Messing Gets 'Lucky' with Barrymore
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Will & Grace" star Debra Messing will play Drew Barrymore's sister in "Lucky You," a love story set in the world of professional poker.
Curtis Hanson ("8 Mile") is directing the Warner Bros. comedy-drama, which is scheduled to begin shooting next month in Las Vegas.
Barrymore plays a singer in a Cirque du Soleil-type show. The siblings meet a professional poker player (Eric Bana) who is dealing with his estranged father. The script was written by Academy Award-winning scribe Eric Roth ("Forrest Gump").
Messing is currently in theaters with "The Wedding Date," which has grossed more than $26 million since its Feb. 4 release. She won an Emmy for her work as Grace Adler in "Will & Grace," which is in its seventh season on NBC.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Copyright 2005 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Media unveils stories of inventors who created major poker websites
According to Belfast Telegraph, Ruth Parasol, a Californian lawyer, made a fortune from online pornography before moving into internet poker and setting up Party Poker, which is now the world's biggest poker site. To fulfil her poker plans Ruth co-operated with Indian computer expert Anurag Dikshit.
Russ de Leon, another American, and Vikrant Bhargava, an Indian marketing executive, joined the Party Poker project lately. The company is now considering whether to float on the London Stock Exchange. Experts estimate the poker giant may be worth as much as £3bn (USD 3,9bn), the same size as British Airways.
The media has no information about the founders of Paradise Poker. However, journalists disclosed the cost of their poker creature. When Sportingbet decided to buy the company last year it had to pay £163m (USD 215,5m) for the website. The founder of Sportingbet, Mark Blandford, who is a well-known figure in British bookmaking, now boasts his stake that grew to £50m over the past six years.
One of the top five sites in the world Poker Room was organized by two Swed ish students - Oskar Hörnell and Claes Lidell. The lads were studying at university in the same class when they decided to investigate playing poker on the internet.
Full Article...Media unveils stories of inventors who created major poker websites
Russ de Leon, another American, and Vikrant Bhargava, an Indian marketing executive, joined the Party Poker project lately. The company is now considering whether to float on the London Stock Exchange. Experts estimate the poker giant may be worth as much as £3bn (USD 3,9bn), the same size as British Airways.
The media has no information about the founders of Paradise Poker. However, journalists disclosed the cost of their poker creature. When Sportingbet decided to buy the company last year it had to pay £163m (USD 215,5m) for the website. The founder of Sportingbet, Mark Blandford, who is a well-known figure in British bookmaking, now boasts his stake that grew to £50m over the past six years.
One of the top five sites in the world Poker Room was organized by two Swed ish students - Oskar Hörnell and Claes Lidell. The lads were studying at university in the same class when they decided to investigate playing poker on the internet.
Full Article...Media unveils stories of inventors who created major poker websites
Poker craze attracts college crowd
Sorority sponsors Texas Hold 'em charity tournament
The Hold 'em House at Breakers Billiards in Muncie is attracting a new crowd. Ball State junior Sam Byam said he started playing poker at Breaker's not for the money, but for the competition.
"I play with doctors, lawyers, unemployed people and garbage men," Byam said. "Some people treat you differently because you're young, but, for the most part, you get as much respect as anyone else if you prove you know what you're doing."
Poker tournaments have recently aired on ESPN, the Fox Sports Network and the Discovery Channel, and poker-related products have been featured on the Home Shopping Network. College students, especially men, have taken up poker for the underdog appeal, the opportunity to make extra money and the image that comes with the game.
Lisa Pellerin, assistant professor of sociology, said college students and younger people are playing poker because it has emerged as a popular adult activity.
"They play for the same reasons college kids drink more than older people and drive cars faster than older people," Pellerin said. "It's something that's perceived as adult behavior."
Different leisure activities become popular for younger people at different times. By having poker night like men, college males are demonstrating that they are no longer children, Pellerin said.
Byam said Breakers draws college students because they see younger, inexperienced players being successful and winning money on television tournaments like the World Series of Poker on ESPN.
"On the tournaments [students] see on TV, amateurs win," Byam said. "If an inexperienced person wins once, it'll keep him coming back to play."
Hold 'em House manager Bruce Evans said that since Breakers opened its doors for poker over a year ago, an increased number of college students have been turning out for tournaments.
During a Thursday-night 96-player tournament, 15 to 20 college students play on average, and six or seven of them win big money, Evans said.
Gambling has a reputation of becoming addicting, and Byam said not even college students are immune to addiction.
"Too much of a good thing is never good," Byam said. "It's like anything else. If you do it too much and make it too much a part of your life, it can become an addiction, but it can also be a controlled hobby."
Because so many students have made poker a hobby, Pi Beta Phi sorority has decided to host a Texas Hold 'em poker tournament to raise money for A Better Way in Muncie, among other charities.
"Since no other greek group hosts a poker tournament, we thought this would be a good opportunity to raise money and invite everyone on campus to play," Katie Bills, Pi Beta Phi sorority member said.
Bills said the sorority featured a poker tournament in its week-long Aarowgames competition in the past and had a lot of student interest and participation.
The winner will receive a 500-piece clay poker chip set, and those who place 2-14 will receive gift certificates and smaller prizes.
Actor Tom Everett Scott Becomes First Celebrity to Make WPT Invitational Final Table
Scott, Mimi Rogers and Hill Harper Awarded US Playing Card's 1,000-Chip 'World Poker Tour Luxury Chest' for Top Three Celebrity Spots in Annual WPT Celebrity Pro-Am
COMMERCE, Calif., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- When the six players take to the Final Table in tonight's WPT Invitational, the WORLD POKER TOUR'S(TM) annual celebrity pro-am at the Commerce Casino, it will be the first time an actor will be sitting at the green felt -- and not just a poker pro with a great poker face. Tom Everett Scott, star of the Tom Hank's film "That Thing You Do" and soon to be seen in the CBS Movie "Surrender Dorothy" with Diane Keaton, will be sitting in Seat 3 with a pile of chips that places him fourth in the chip count.
Scott had to battle it out with the final two celebrities in the field -- Hill Harper of CSI:NY and film star Mimi Rogers to claim the celebrity title in the event that featured 40+ celebrities competing with nearly 200 poker pros. The top ranked celebrity was to receive a $5,000 check to go to charity and Scott has selected Caring for Children and Families with Aids.
Each of the three final celebrities was also awarded the coveted 1,000-chip "Official WORLD POKER TOUR Luxury Poker Chest" from maker U.S. Playing Card and from the WPT. The set features beautifully branded 11.5-gram chips, the same type used by the pros in tournament play, two decks of professional-quality WPT playing cards and two cut cards in a handsome two-tiered wood case. The US Playing Card WORLD POKER TOUR-branded products have become the favorite of the Hollywood set. Scott praised the set as "Awesome."
Seeming slightly stunned to have made the Final Table, Scott said, "I really can't believe it. I really don't know what I did. I just hope I play as well in the Final."
He'll start play with the equivalent of $333,000 in chips, which puts him in fourth place. The six finalists will be vying for a total $200,000 prize pool -- $100,000 of it going to the winner, along with a seat at the WPT World Championship at Bellagio in Las Vegas in April.
Scott will be ante-ing up alongside pros Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, the long-haired World Champion; Johan Storakers, a top Swedish player from Stockholm; Chau Giang, 20-year veteran of poker from Las Vegas and Alex Brenes, one of the three poker playing Brenes brothers from Costa Rica. Brothers Humberto and Erek, who also run the family peanut exporting business, have each made other WPT Final Tables. The last seat will be taken by Bruce Buffer, brother of fight announcer "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" Michael Buffer, who serves as his business manager and also acts as announcer himself for "Ultimate Fighting Challenge."
Scott outlasted the other 40 celebrities with a combination of conservative, slow building of his chip cache and occasional high risk "All-Ins." The last six included Harper, Rogers, Jeremy Sisto ("Six Feet Under"), Chris Masterson ("Malcolm in the Middle") and Stephen Collins ("7th Heaven"). After receiving his "Official WPT Luxury Chest," Scott laughed, "Guess this means I'll be hosting a few home games of my own to make use of all of those chips!"
The Final Table taping begins at 3 p.m. at the Commerce Casino, seven minutes down the freeway from downtown Los Angeles. Viewers are welcome to attend and will be seated on a first come, first serve basis.
About the Official World Poker Tour Luxury Poker Chest
The handsome two-tiered case features 1,000 WPT 11.5 gram heavyweight clay-filled poker chips (400 gray, 300 blue, 200 red and 100 black). The 11.5-gram chip is known as the true poker player's chip. Unlike other poker chips available to fans, USPC WPT chips are made using the same processes as the chips used by the top casinos on the WPT tour. The WPT-sanctioned clay-filled chip features a highly detailed full-color WPT logo in the center, like only the best chips in the world. An exclusive WPT spade design and casino stripes are molded into the chip using two colors. USPC WPT chips are easier to shuffle and manipulate than other poker chips, because they have specially designed rounded edges and a rough clay surface. In research, avid poker players preferred USPC chips to other chips available in the market. This set also features two tournament-quality Official WPT Logo Decks, and two cut cards. The WPT Logo decks shuffle better, deal easier, and last longer than cards from other manufacturers. USPC creates its top grade cards from a proprietary formulation of paper stock derived from a blend of soft and hard woods. With the distinctive red, blue and black WPT logo on the back, they come with either a primarily white or black background -- a perfect pair to speed game play. The WPT Logo Decks have the true feel and playability of top casino cards, retaining their shape after many hours of play. The suggested retail price for the Official WPT Luxury Poker Chest is $399.99. It is available at selected retail outlets, as well as online at www.worldpokertour.com.
About US Playing Card Company
Founded in 1876, The United States Playing Card Company ("USPC") is the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of playing cards and a leader in the marketing of poker chips and sets, collectible tins, puzzles, and card accessories for the North American retail market. USPC is also the largest supplier of premium playing cards to casinos worldwide. USPC brands include Bee (R), Bicycle (R), Hoyle (R), and Aviator (R). USPC's International holdings include Naipes Heraclio Fournier, S.A., a leading playing card manufacturer in Europe. USPC is a division of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH - News).
About The World Poker Tour(TM)
The World Poker Tour is a series of 16 high stakes poker tournaments filmed in exotic locales and leading poker rooms. The show is the highest rated series in the history of the Travel Channel and continues to increase its viewing audience worldwide. With its mix of expert commentary, on-screen explanatory graphics and 17 cameras -- including the revolutionary WPT cam revealing the player's hole cards -- the WPT has transformed poker into a televised spectator sport. It has also inspired the poker boom among fans and amateur players, who play at home with friends, and others who are now coming out to compete in WPT tournaments. Last season, the WPT offered more than $35 million in prize money. Filming for Season Three has already begun and prize money is projected to be $70 million. The Season Three shows will begin airing in March 2005. For more information on the World Poker Tour, go to: www.worldpokertour.com.
About WPT Enterprises, Inc.
The World Poker Tour is the creation of media and entertainment company WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE - News). WPT Enterprises is engaged in the formulation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other gaming themes. To date, operations have principally revolved around the creation of the World Poker Tour brand through the production and licensing of a television series exhibited on the Travel Channel that is based on a circuit of previously established high-stakes poker tournaments under the "World Poker Tour" brand. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO - News). Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com.
JAHG
WPTEG
As online poker flourishes, number of players exceeds 1.5 million
Online poker boom causes nearly GBP100m wagers every day. Some little-known internet poker companies may worth GBP1bn.
Online poker boom causes nearly GBP100m (USD 191m) wagers every day. Some little-known internet poker companies may worth GBP1bn (USD1,323bn). According to the latest examination, more than 1,5 million people play online poker in the world.
As thousands of players are spending their money gambling online, many internet casinos are increasing their income. Thus, British internet betting company Sportingbet, which owns one of the world’s largest poker websites Paradise Poker, was only worth GBP164m. The entire poker market is now estimated to be worth GBP1bn on the stock market.
Poker used to be a men’s game featuring in Hollywood movies. However, today people flock internet poker resources and they may indulge in gambling 24 hours. According to an online poker monitoring service, Pokerpulse Belfast Telegraph, at 3pm afternoon February 22, there were more than 28,000 people playing online poker games around the world,.
More than GBP94m has been wagered in online poker games in the past 24 hours alone and punters have walked away with a total prize money of around GBP69m in the past 18 months. On Paradise Poker's site, there are more than 800,000 players and 10 games are played on the site every second. The company makes GBP141,620 a day from poker and has turned its owners in to millionaires.
Mark Griffiths, a professor specialising in addiction at Nottingham Trent University, explains the advantages of poker over other computer games: "There are other online casino games available for punters, such as roulette and slot machine games. But many people are turned off by the idea of betting their money against a machine, or a pre-rigged computer programme. What is attractive about online poker is you are going head-to-head with other punters. It is a game where you use your own skills. You don't bet against 'the house', you are playing directly against your opponents. That sense of competition is hugely attractive."
Women top poker clients
WOMEN are now the top poker machine clients beating the males, Milne Bay Governor Tim Neville said during Parliament debate yesterday.
Mr Neville and Inter-Government Relations Minister Sir Peter Barter both agreed that more consultations are needed across the country before an Act to outlaw poker machines is introduced.
The debate followed the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to ban poker machines in the country. There were reservations yesterday from both sides of the House regarding the Bill, given its economic and legal implications.
Mr Neville said prior to 1993 when the National Gaming Board was established to administer the Gaming Machines Act 1993 and, in particular, oversee and regulate the operations of poker machines, widespread indulgence and dependence on the alcoholic beverage by a sizeable portion of the country’s male population was thought to be the number one menace.
He said it had been 12 years since the introduction of the poker machines that had eroded the social fabrics of the nation and inflicting immeasurable damage to families.
“The total picture in a nutshell is that thousands of Papua New Guineans today suffer the anguish of miseries brought upon them through uncontrolled consumption of alcohol, and this is compounded by the pressing economic problems caused through over indulgence in the different forms of gambling, both legal as well as the illegal ones,” he said.
He said thousands of Papua New Guineans have unconsciously become victims of a vicious circle pf poverty and deprivation.
He said quite a number of sitting parliamentarians have fallen victims to this dreaded social evil.
“We, as leaders, must make tough choices and Parliament as the highest law making institution has a moral and constitutional duty to institute appropriate measures to salvage the nation from ruin,” he said.
Minister Barter said he lost his voice fighting against the introduction of poker machines.
Read full article...Nation page
Mr Neville and Inter-Government Relations Minister Sir Peter Barter both agreed that more consultations are needed across the country before an Act to outlaw poker machines is introduced.
The debate followed the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to ban poker machines in the country. There were reservations yesterday from both sides of the House regarding the Bill, given its economic and legal implications.
Mr Neville said prior to 1993 when the National Gaming Board was established to administer the Gaming Machines Act 1993 and, in particular, oversee and regulate the operations of poker machines, widespread indulgence and dependence on the alcoholic beverage by a sizeable portion of the country’s male population was thought to be the number one menace.
He said it had been 12 years since the introduction of the poker machines that had eroded the social fabrics of the nation and inflicting immeasurable damage to families.
“The total picture in a nutshell is that thousands of Papua New Guineans today suffer the anguish of miseries brought upon them through uncontrolled consumption of alcohol, and this is compounded by the pressing economic problems caused through over indulgence in the different forms of gambling, both legal as well as the illegal ones,” he said.
He said thousands of Papua New Guineans have unconsciously become victims of a vicious circle pf poverty and deprivation.
He said quite a number of sitting parliamentarians have fallen victims to this dreaded social evil.
“We, as leaders, must make tough choices and Parliament as the highest law making institution has a moral and constitutional duty to institute appropriate measures to salvage the nation from ruin,” he said.
Minister Barter said he lost his voice fighting against the introduction of poker machines.
Read full article...Nation page
Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament to benefit DHS girls softball March 5
Danvers High girls softball boosters will be sponsoring a Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament on Saturday, March 5, from 7 p.m. to 12 midnight at the Italian Community Club, 21 Pond Street, corner of Rantoul Street, Beverly.
The tournament is opened to the first 200 players. The first place prize is $5,000 (based on a minimum of 160 players). Donation is $100, two Re-Buys available for $50 each.
$100 (entry fee, 1,000 chips) - Pay by Feb. 25 and get 1,100 chips
$150 (entry fee, 2,000 chips) - Pay by Feb. 25 and get 2,250 chips
$200 (entry fee, 3,000 chips) - Pay by Feb. 25 and get 3,500 chips
Must be at least 18-years-old to play. To register: Send your donation to Bob Fuller, 30 Congress Ave, Danvers, MA 01923. Please make out your check or money order payable to DHS Softball Boosters, and include your name, address and phone number.
For more information, call Bob Fuller at 978-777-8718.
Article...TownOnline.com - Danvers Herald - Sports
The tournament is opened to the first 200 players. The first place prize is $5,000 (based on a minimum of 160 players). Donation is $100, two Re-Buys available for $50 each.
$100 (entry fee, 1,000 chips) - Pay by Feb. 25 and get 1,100 chips
$150 (entry fee, 2,000 chips) - Pay by Feb. 25 and get 2,250 chips
$200 (entry fee, 3,000 chips) - Pay by Feb. 25 and get 3,500 chips
Must be at least 18-years-old to play. To register: Send your donation to Bob Fuller, 30 Congress Ave, Danvers, MA 01923. Please make out your check or money order payable to DHS Softball Boosters, and include your name, address and phone number.
For more information, call Bob Fuller at 978-777-8718.
Article...TownOnline.com - Danvers Herald - Sports
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)